Synaxis of All the Saints of Switzerland
Prayers to Righteous Verena
Troparion, Tone 3
You followed the love of your youth / and found the love of your heart / having dedicated your life to the love of God / you have served your neighbour in love. / In this way, you have become a model of love, / o righteous virgin Verena, / entreat your Lord, who loves mankind, / that he also saves our souls!
Kontakion, Tone 8
Your life has become a triumph of the invincible love of God, Verena, / you have worked deeds of love across Switzerland: / in Saint Maurice you have buried your victorious companions; / in Solothurn redeemed the possessed as an ascetic / and healed your enemy, the tyrant, through your prayer; / in Zurzach cared for the needy. / In grateful love, your city preserves and honours your holy tomb, / where you relieve the suffering of everyone who calls out to you: // Rejoice, o flower of Thebes, gift of love for Switzerland.
Ikos
The Swiss people rejoice at the great grace of God / because through the blessed Verena, His love worked miracles: / the sick were healed and the needy cared for, / the hungry were fed and the gospel of love was preached. / God's love is given to all who call to the righteous Virgin and say: /
Rejoice, o flower of love to the Trinity God;
rejoice,o flower of love for the suffering in Switzerland;
rejoice, o flower of love that prays for its enemies;
rejoice, o flower of love that cares for the sick;
rejoice, o flower of love that feeds the hungry;
rejoice, o flower of love that redeems the possessed;
rejoice, o flower of love, which stills the hate of the tyrant;
rejoice, o flower of love that drives away the serpent;
rejoice, o flower of love, cleansed from slander by water;
rejoice, o flower of love, whose innocence is proved by the fish;
rejoice, o flower of love, which achieves all help from God;
rejoice, o flower of love that blooms even in death.
Rejoice, o flower of Thebes, gift of love for Switzerland.
prayer
O holy and righteous Mother Verena, you have shown yourself to be a courageous miracle worker of love: fearlessly, you have conquered mountains and tyrants, driven out serpents and healed diseases. Driven by your love for God and people, you became God's gift of love to our country. Fearlessly, you placed all your hope in the “Lord, the King almighty, Who has all things under His dominion, and Whose will no one could resist.” To Him, you offered your virgin life as a gift; to Him, you offered your praise: “I praise and glorify your name, O God, I rejoice and rejoice because you have heard my voice. Now I know that you will not forsake those who ask you.” Now, look at us, your weak and discouraged servants. Strengthen our faint-hearted hearts so that we follow your example and fearlessly put the kingdom and its justice before everything else, thus becoming ourselves instruments of His love. Should anxiety and fear and worry overwhelm us, strengthen our faith and allow us to cry out in your words to your Lord and ours: “O God, who promised a judgment that all ages and those who live in it fear, before which all powers tremble, hope of those in despair, comforter of orphans and true judge, light of light, look upon me, for I am alone and everyone left me. Lord God, do not forsake me; my hope is in you, o Christ, blessed are Thou onto ages of ages." Amen
Prayer in the Verena Gorge
O righteous Mother Verena, miracle worker of Solothurn and Zurzach, you followed your fiancé Viktor to Solothurn - hoping to be able to unite with him in life. But since you found him entering a higher life - together with Urs and companions glorifying the Lord with his blood - you too have united with higher love and in this gorge glorified the Lord in prayer and fasting. Gathered in this holy place, we sing of your great love. Gathered in this sacred place, we praise your ascetic work and the bloody testimony of your companions. Gathered in this holy place, we confess your miracles.
O Verena, holy virgin and holy martyrs, Ursus, Victor with companions; heed now the supplications of your unworthy and sinful children. You, O martyrs, who boldly confessed the Lord before your persecutor; strengthen our belief in the Holy Trinity. You, O Verena, have surpassed your earthly love by your love to the Lord; lead us to seek His kingdom above all else. You healed the persecutor and turned to the Lord; take away from all suffering and fill our hearts with thankfulness to our Lord. You were saved from the brook floods by a small hole; protect us when the floods of passions threaten to tear us from God and pilot us into the harbour of repentance. You have wondrously multiplied the flour for your companions; protect us from anger, need and danger. You have been visited in prison by your cousin Mauritius; visit us when we are caught up in tribulation and despair. Strengthen and protect us who celebrate your holy memory as you strengthened and protected the sisters who gathered around you. Walk before us, O Saint Verena, and lead us into the joy of our Lord, into which you have been received. So that we will be rejoicing there with you and Ursus, Victor and their companions, and singing to the Lord, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and onto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer to the just Verena, the miracle worker of Zurzach and Solothurn, for healing
O holy and righteous Mother Verena, miracle worker of Solothurn and Zurzach, through you, God's love has borne rich fruit in Switzerland: through your prayer, God healed a demoniac; freed the tyrant from the fever who persecuted you; saved your community from hunger; made the blind see and drove out serpents. With your hands, you washed and anointed the lepers in Zurzach. You overcame all envy and resentment with your trust in God. You prayed with joy: «I praise and glorify Thy name, O God, I rejoice and rejoice because Thou hast heard my voice. Now I know that Thou wilt not forsake those who ask Thee." With the same confidence in the great grace of God, we too now turn to you, oh righteous mother: turn to our supplications in love and pray to God for the handmaid/servant of God NN who stands before you in suffering. Ask Him to save her/him from her/his sickness, need or affliction, to forgive her/his sins and to raise her/her again. As a protective veil, spread out the love of God over us as well, of which your life gave witness that we may rejoice with you in joyful praise of His name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and onto the ages of ages. Amen.
Original texts for the service (with Polyeleos) to the just Verena (in German)
Moleben (Parakllisis) to the just Verena (in German)
Moleben in the Verena Gorge (in German)