Part 39: Dismissal Troparion, Kontakion, and Theotokion

 

This concluding section of the Divine Liturgy, with its Dismissal Troparion, Kontakion, and Theotokion, serves as a theological and spiritual culmination that beautifully encapsulates the Church’s veneration of St. John Chrysostom and the Theotokos, while simultaneously sending forth the faithful with the grace and protection of God. These hymns are deeply rooted in patristic theology, liturgical tradition, and the Church’s understanding of sanctity and intercession.

The Dismissal Troparion: Grace as Beaconfire and the Model of Humility

The Troparion in Tone 8 honors St. John Chrysostom as one who, “from thy mouth grace, shining forth like a beaconfire, hath enlightened the universe.” This imagery of grace as radiant fire echoes the patristic understanding of grace as divine energy or energeia—an uncreated light that illumines the soul. St. Gregory Palamas famously defended this light as the very manifestation of God’s presence to the human intellect:

“Grace is truly a divine and uncreated energy, shining and illumining all those who receive it.”
(Triads, 1.1)

Chrysostom’s “mouth” is no mere human instrument, but a vessel through which the Holy Spirit speaks, enlightening the Church universally. The troparion further praises Chrysostom for having “gained for the world treasures of non-avariciousness,” which reflects his relentless preaching against greed and corruption, calling believers to radical humility and detachment from worldly riches. His name, Chrysostom (“Golden Mouth”), is a testimony to the power of his inspired oratory and moral teaching.

St. John himself speaks in his homilies about the Christian virtue of humility, identifying it as the cornerstone of all other virtues:

“Humility is the foundation of every virtue and the root of all goodness.”
(Homily on Matthew, 10.5)

Thus, the Troparion encapsulates Chrysostom’s legacy as a teacher who illuminated the cosmos not by earthly wisdom, but by divine grace, instructing believers in humility and generosity. The prayer concludes by calling upon him to intercede “with Christ God, the Word, to save our souls,” affirming the patristic and liturgical doctrine of the saints’ efficacious intercession before God, an idea rooted in the early Church’s experience of communal sanctity and supported by texts such as the Acts of the Martyrs and the writings of St. Cyril of Jerusalem:

“The saints are our advocates before God, who pray for us and obtain for us mercy.”
(Catechetical Lectures, 15.23)

The Kontakion: Teaching the True Worship of the Trinity

The Kontakion in Tone 6 continues this theme of Chrysostom’s divine grace and teaching, highlighting his role as an illuminator of the one God in Trinity. This hymn underscores the patristic defense of the Holy Trinity as central to Orthodox faith and worship, a truth to which Chrysostom devoted many homilies and treatises. He insisted that true Christian worship must be Trinitarian, not falling into heresies that divide or conflate the persons of the Godhead:

“We worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not three gods, but one God in three persons.”
(Homily on John, 45)

The hymn acknowledges Chrysostom’s role as an instructor who “makes clear things divine,” pointing to his theological clarity and pastoral wisdom. Chrysostom’s teachings, deeply rooted in Scripture and apostolic tradition, continue to instruct the Church and guide believers in right worship and right living.

The Theotokion: The Ever-Present Protection of the Mother of God

The Theotokion turns the focus to the Mother of God, who is described as the “Protection of Christians that is not put to shame, unchanging Mediation before the Creator.” This beautifully summarizes the Orthodox doctrine of the Theotokos as the Aeiparthenos (“Ever-Virgin”) and as the most powerful intercessor for humanity.

The invocation appeals to her compassionate and swift intercession: “despise not the voice of the sinners' prayer… make speed to intercede and make haste to supplicate.” This plea reflects the Church’s experience that the Theotokos, by her unique grace and maternal love, is a merciful protector who responds quickly to the faithful in their distress. This understanding is rooted in early Christian hymns and patristic texts such as those of St. Gregory Nazianzen:

“The Theotokos is the Mediatrix who bridges our weakness to divine strength and pleads on behalf of those who call upon her.”
(Orations, 43.15)

This hymn invites the faithful to trust in her intercession as an essential part of the economy of salvation, grounded in her role in the Incarnation itself.

Liturgical Closure: Dismissal and the Invocation of Divine Mercy

The concluding liturgical formula—“Lord, have mercy” repeated twelve times—echoes the ancient tradition of invoking God’s mercy and blessing on the assembly as they depart. The number twelve recalls the twelve apostles, the fullness of the Church, and the completeness of the prayer. The chant “More honorable than the Cherubim…” is a venerable hymn from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, praising the Theotokos and affirming her exalted place in salvation history.

The dismissal itself is not merely a formal ending, but a sending forth with the blessing and protection of God and His saints. As St. John Chrysostom himself exhorted his hearers:

“The Divine Liturgy is not ended when you leave this place, but when your life reflects the Gospel.”
(Homily on Philippians, 3.1)

Thus, the faithful go forth illuminated by grace, upheld by intercession, and called to live the holy teaching they have received, “worthy of the vocation to which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1).

Conclusion

This final section richly expresses the Orthodox synthesis of theology, worship, and spiritual life. The radiant grace flowing from Chrysostom’s inspired preaching, the faithful and efficacious intercession of the saints, and the tender protection of the Theotokos together frame the Christian life as one of ongoing illumination, transformation, and hope. The Church sends forth the faithful, confident that the grace received at the Divine Liturgy will bear fruit in humility, charity, and perseverance until the coming of the Kingdom.