Your life, Vasily, is not false, and your purity is not filthy, / for Christ’s sake you exhausted your body with fasting and vigil, / and the darkness and the warmth of the sun, / and the sun, and the rain cloud, / and your face was illuminated like the sun, / and now the Russian people and all people come to you, / glorifying your holy dormition. / Therefore pray to Christ God, / that He will deliver us from barbarian captivity and internecine warfare, // and he will give peace to the world, and great mercy to our souls.
We are led by the Spirit of God, most blessed Basil, / you shook off the worldly rebellion, / and you abhorred the troubles of life, / and you took off your perishable garments, and put on a robe dispassion,/ you fled from the snares of the flattering world ruler,/ and you were strange in your language,/ and, rather than earthly riches, you chose heavenly riches,/ you got stuck crown of patience./ And now, most blessed Vasily, pray to Christ God/ for those who create your holy memory, and let us call you: Rejoice, most blessed Vasily.
O great servant of Christ, true friend and faithful servant of the All-Creator Lord God, blessed Basil! Hear us, many sinners, now crying out to you and calling on your holy name, have mercy on us, who fall today before your most pure image, accept our little and unworthy prayer, have mercy on our misery, and with your prayers heal every ailment and disease of the soul and body of our sinner, and grant us the flow of life unharmed from visible and invisible to pass through your enemies without sin, and to have a Christian death that is shameless, peaceful, serene, and to receive the inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.
O great saint of Christ, blessed Vasily! Falling before the race of your relics, with faith we kiss your honest image, hoping from it by the power of God to receive healing of our souls and bodies, we glorify the majesty of the Almighty God, Whose you are with your soul and body in this life you glorified, we gratify the firmness of faith and your love for the Lord of hosts, we preach the strength of your Spirit and, remembering the great deeds of your virtue, we cry to You from the depths of our hearts: do not stop crying for us to the Lord God, for in Your body you remain with us on earth, but in spirit you rest in Heaven the embrace of Your Creator. By Your representation at the Throne of unapproachable glory, ask that the Spirit of God may rest upon us, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of advice and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety and the fear of God, and despise our sinful prayers.
Behold, we, standing in the church dedicated to your holy name, will write a praise to you: Rejoice, God-blessed Basil, for you, having hated the temporary world, are pleasing to God You have strived and you have striven to the height of virtues. Rejoice, for you tried to overcome passion with all its vicious inclinations and you were granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, for you appeared to be the fool of the world, and through the purity of your soul you appeared wise to God. Rejoice, for in patience and suffering you appeared bravely and you extinguished all the arrows of the evil one. Rejoice, for you were filled with the grace of God by always drawing from the fountain of Israel. Rejoice, for with the yoke of the saving word of Christ our God, you have trampled all the pride of the world. Rejoice, for in the midst of rumors you have preserved silence, quickly directing your thoughts to the High Ones. Rejoice, for with the spiritual sword you cut off the will of your desire and established the steps of your mind on the rock of the love of Christ.
Rejoice, for you have put off corruptible garments and have put on the new man, renewed by the blood of Christ. Rejoice, for in the place of corruption you have gathered spiritual wealth and brought the firstfruits of labor to Christ our God. Rejoice, for even after death the Lord has shown you to us a source of healing. Rejoice, for, having not desired fame and wealth, you counted everything as nothing, so that you acquired Christ, Whom you acquired through much labor and patience. Rejoice, as now, uniting with God, enjoying His unceasing vision and dwelling in blissful eternity. Rejoice, for you are filled with good things, which eye cannot see, and ear cannot hear, and the heart of man has not breathed, what God has prepared for him who so loved Him, make haste for through your prayers, chosen one of God, that we too on earth, united in the strongest union of God’s love, may generously bear the goodness of the Gospel and the grace of the Holy Spirit. taste and be satisfied with you forever of Heavenly unshimmering blessings. Amen.
O blessed Vasily! Hear me, the great sinner (name), who is now crying out to you and calling on your holy name, have mercy on me, and with your prayers grant (the content of the petition) the Kingdom of Heaven inheritance with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.
Memorial Day August 2/15
Lived in Moscow during the time of Ivan the Terrible. He predicted fires in Moscow and Novgorod, preached mercy and good morals, and was not afraid to denounce even the cruel tsar. Many miracles and healings subsequently occurred from the relics. They pray to St. Basil the Blessed for the granting of humility and patience in persecution and ridicule, for the good character of the authorities and rulers, for preservation from fire, for healing from various ailments.