Hieromartyr John Kochurov of Chicago

This site serves to collect liturgical service texts and rubrics relating to St. John of Tsarskoye Selo and Chicago, Missionary to America and First Hieromartyr under the Bolshevik Yoke.

In preparing divine services for the feast of St. John, there are a number of available resources, presented here (for the convenience of service preparation) in Microsoft Word format:

1. The 1994 canonization proclamation by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church includes a Troparion and Kontakion, plus the direction that the general service for Martyrs be served on his feast.
   
   
2. In 2003, a General Service to a 20th Century Russian Hieromartyr was blessed by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church for use and publication (in Slavonic). This by definition supersedes the use, for St. John Kochurov, of the general service for martyrs.
   
   
3. In 2004, Reader Daniel Manzuk composed a service for the saint. Daniel based his service in part on the general service for a Hieromartyr, and in part on the general service of a Hierarch. Daniel made subsequent revisions and additions in 2006 and 2010.
   
   
4. In 2016, Monk Joseph (Reader Isaac Lambertsen) composed a service for the saint, using as his basis the General Service to a 20th Century Russian Hieromartyr (#2, above).
   
   
5. Also in 2016, Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak) prepared for us a select revision of the D. Manzuk service, on the occasion of the joint feast celebrated that year by Chicago’s Holy Trinity Cathedral and Christ the Savior Church, presided by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, His Grace, Bishop Paul of Chicago, and His Grace, Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin.
   
   
6. Also in 2016, Reader Constantine Stade undertook a further revision of the “Lord, I call” texts.

In the current practice of the Chicago parishes, the 2016 resources are used, that is, the Majkrzak (#5) and Stade (#6) revisions, where they exist, and otherwise defaulting to the Lambertsen (#4) service.

CHOIR CUES 2022

Stikhera on "Lord, I call," melody in Alto

Troparion – Tone 1

Aflame with love for God
thou gavest thy life as a martyr for Christ and neighbor,
and so didst receive a crown of righteousness from Him.
Hieromartyr John, entreat the most merciful God
to preserve His holy Church in peace
and to save our souls!

Scripture Readings

Vespers:

Acts 4:1-12

Acts 4:13-22

Acts 4:23-31

Matins Gospel:

Matthew 10:16-22

Liturgy of St. John:

Romans 8:28-39

Luke 12:32-40

Since it is of the first importance when preparing this service, here are all the options for Liturgy Epistle and Gospel, collected from all sources.