Life of St. Tryphon
Tryphon was born in 232 in Asia Minor, into a Christian family. Already from early childhood, he showed the gift of miracles and healing, which Tryphon used for the benefit of people. So, when the fields in the vicinity of his native village were attacked by insects that destroyed the harvest and doomed the inhabitants to starvation, Tryphon drove them out by the power of his prayer, and as payment he called on his fellow countrymen to accept the Christian faith.
The story is widely known of how 16-year-old Tryphon cast out demons from the daughter of the Roman Emperor Gordian. In response to the emperor’s request to reveal the demon, he, by order of Tryphon, appeared before Caesar in the form of a black dog with fiery eyes and spoke about his power in the bodies of people overwhelmed by sinful passions. Many of those present at this miracle believed in the power of the Savior.
Soon after the next emperor, Decius Trajan, came to power, a new mass persecution of Christians began. Tryphon, who became famous for many miracles and attracted many people to the True Faith, was captured and tortured so that he would renounce his faith in Christ, but he remained faithful to the Savior. In the end, Tryphon was executed.
Life Tests of Faith
During the reign of Emperor Decius, the persecutor of the Christian faith (249-251), he was denounced against Tryphon. The royal servants began to look for the preacher, but he did not try to hide from them.
The saint was brought to Nicaea for trial, but even there the saint preached the Orthodox faith, for which he was sentenced to cruel torture. They hung him upside down on a tree and beat him, but the martyr did not make a sound.
Saint Tryphon
After the massacre, he was placed in prison. A few days later, threats against him resumed and new torture began: his body was torn with metal hooks, bleeding wounds were scorched by flames, and huge nails were driven into his legs. But the resilient martyr, overcoming terrible pain, sang David’s psalms. And then an angel appeared before the saint, holding a heavenly crown in his hands. Having seen the miracle, the tormentors were frightened, and the emperor became even more angry and sentenced the martyr - beheading with a sword.
But Christ ordered that His Saint repose a few minutes before his execution.
Miracle of St. Tryphon in Rus'
In Rus', the miracle of Tryphon with the falcon became very popular. One day, the falconer of Ivan the Terrible lost the sovereign’s favorite falcon, and the angry king gave him three days to search, after which he promised to execute him if he did not find the falcon. The falconer turned to St. Tryphon with a desperate prayer, and in a dream he appeared to him with a falcon sitting on his hand. Waking up, the falconer discovered a bird that itself flew to him. In gratitude for deliverance from the royal wrath, the falconer built a temple in honor of St. Martyr Tryphon. Traditionally, the icon of the martyr Tryphon depicts the saint with a falcon on his hand.
Description of the icon
Usually on the icon the holy martyr Tryphon appears in the form of a beautiful young man with a falcon on one hand and a cross in the other, which is typical for Byzantine icon painting. The icon can be either half-length or full-length; Often on Russian icons the saint is depicted on a horse.
Many churches in Moscow have an icon of Tryphon. In honor of St. Tryphon, two churches were erected in Moscow: on Rizhskaya and in Naprudny, where the miraculous icon of the holy martyr Tryphon is located.
Kontakion, voice 8*
With Trinitarian firmness/ you destroyed polytheism from the end, O all-glorious one,/ you became honorable in Christ, and, having defeated the tormentors in Christ the Savior,/ you received the crown of your martyrdom/ and the gift of Divine healing eny, // like invincibility.
Translation: By the power of the Trinity you destroyed polytheism within the bounds of the earth, O glorious one, becoming venerable before the Lord; and, having defeated the tormentors by Christ the Savior, you received the crown of your martyrdom and the gift of Divine healing, as invincible.
How does Saint Tryphon help?
In accordance with the miracles shown by the saint during his lifetime, his significance is great - peasants in the old days prayed to him to save their crops from locusts and other harmful insects. They pray to him in other difficult everyday situations:
- if money, documents, keys and other necessary things are missing;
- for protection from dark forces, magic and the machinations of ill-wishers;
- for healing from various ailments;
- when looking for a job, etc.
Remembering the story of the falcon, people pray for help in finding what was lost.
But you can lose not only money or things, but also something intangible - love and harmony in the family, and prayer to the Tryphon icon helps to find them again.
In general, to St. Tryphon receives many requests, including when searching for his chosen one and for a successful marriage.
The prayer to the icon of St. Tryphon for good luck in work is considered especially effective, and this applies to everything related to work, starting with its search and ending with career advancement.
Tryphon did not face such problems: he worked all his life and was not afraid of any work, even the hardest. Saint patronizes:
- for those who want to have a decent job with decent pay:
- those who cannot choose a profession for themselves;
- those who are just starting their own business;
- those who want to get a promotion;
- those who have lost their jobs and can’t find a new one;
- those who have conflicts with their superiors or in the team.
To this list you can add those who have problems with the sale or purchase of real estate.
But even hoping for help after prayer in those matters in which the icon of Tryphon helps, you cannot sit idly by - you need to actively act, and Saint Tryphon will support your efforts.
How to pray
The saint is addressed both with the words of canonical prayers, akathist, canon, and with one’s own petitions coming from a loving heart. Many of those who received his help say that it is prayer with love, hope, confidence that help is possible and will be that is most pleasant to the saint of God.
Many people strive to pray to him at his relics. Now the head of the saint is in the temple dedicated to him in Kotor (Montenegro). Since 1819, three particles of relics have been embedded in an icon from the Trifonov Church in Moscow. Small parts of the holy remains of the saint can be seen:
- in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” (Maryina Roshcha, Moscow); here is the reliquary icon of the saint;
- in the monastery of the Holy Trinity (Kitaevsky Monastery) in Kyiv (Ukraine).
For many centuries now, the saint has been tirelessly caring for even the slightest needs of all those who turn to his intercession. His prayer gives consolation, encourages the weak, strengthens the faint-hearted, convincing of the reality not only of God's mercy, but also of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Prayer before the icon
Troparion, tone 4
Your martyr, Lord, Tryphon/ in his suffering will receive an imperishable crown from You, our God:/ having Your strength,/ overthrow the tormentors,/ crush the demons of weak insolence./ Pray to him. tvami // save our souls.
Translation: Your martyr, O Lord, Tryphon, by his feat, received an imperishable crown from You, our God; for he, having Thy power, overthrew the tormentors, and crushed the demons of weak insolence. Through his prayers, Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion, tone 4
Divine food, most blessed,/ enjoying abundantly in Heaven,/ cover your memory with songs of glorification/ and save you from all need,/ drive away animals that harm the fields,/ let you cry out in love Always // Rejoice, Tryphon, strengthener of the martyrs.
Translation: Enjoying abundantly the Divine luxury in heaven, blessed one, protect your memory with hymns and preserve it from all harm, drive away animals that harm the fields, so that we always cry to you out of love: “Rejoice, Tryphon, strengthener of the martyrs!
Kontakion, tone 8
With Trinitarian firmness/ you destroyed polytheism from the end, O all-glorious one,/ you became honorable in Christ, and, having defeated the tormentors in Christ the Savior,/ you received the crown of your martyrdom/ and the gift of Divine healing eny, // like invincibility.
Translation: By the power of the Trinity you destroyed polytheism within the bounds of the earth, O glorious one, becoming venerable before the Lord; and, having defeated the tormentors by Christ the Savior, you received the crown of your martyrdom and the gift of Divine healing, as invincible.
Text of a strong prayer to Tryphon
Oh, holy martyr of Christ Tryphon, quick helper and quick to obey the representative of all who come running to you and pray before your holy image! Hear now and at every hour the prayer of us, your unworthy servants, who honor your holy memory in this all-honorable temple, and intercede for us before the Lord in every place. For you, saint of Christ, shone forth in great miracles, exuding healing to those who flow to you with faith and intercede for people in sorrow, you yourself promised before your departure from life with His perishable prayer for us to the Lord and you asked Him for this gift: if anyone in any need, sadness or illness of soul or body, when you begin to call on your holy name, let him be delivered from every source of evil. And as you sometimes did, the daughter of the Tsar, in the city of Rome, tormented by the devil, you healed her, her, and us from his cruel wiles, save us all the days of our lives, especially on the day of our last breath, intercede about us. Then be our helper and speedy driver of evil spirits, and our leader to the Kingdom of Heaven. And as you now stand as saints at the Throne of God, pray to the Lord that we too may be partakers of ever-present joy and joy, and that with you we may glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy O Comforter of the Spirit forever. Amen.
Translation: Oh, holy martyr of Christ Tryphon, quick helper and patron, who listens to everyone who comes running to you and prays before your holy image. Hear now and at all times our prayer, your unworthy servants who honor your holy memory in this truly worthy temple, and be our patron before the Lord everywhere. Because you are a saint of Christ, shining with great miracles, giving healing to everyone who comes to you with faith and protecting grieving people, you yourself made a promise before leaving this corruptible life to pray for us to the Lord and asked Him for this gift: if anyone is in any need , sadness and illness of soul or body will begin to call on your holy name, he will be delivered from all approaching evil. And just as at a certain time you healed the daughter of the king in Rome, tormented by the devil, so save us from his cruel machinations all the days of our lives, especially on the day of our death, be our patron. Be our helper on that day, casting out evil spirits and leading us to the Kingdom of Heaven. And where you now stand with the saints at the throne of God, pray to the Lord that He will grant us to be partakers of eternal joy and joy, and together we glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Comforter of the Spirit forever. Amen.
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Troparion, voice 4*
Your martyr, Lord, Tryphon/ in his suffering will receive an imperishable crown from You, our God:/ having Your strength,/ overthrow the tormentors,/ crush the demons of weak insolence./ Pray to him. tvami // save our souls.
Translation: Your martyr, O Lord, Tryphon, by his feat, received an imperishable crown from You, our God; for he, having Thy power, overthrew the tormentors, and crushed the demons of weak insolence. Through his prayers, Christ God, save our souls.
