A Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Ode 1, Irmos: Let us all chant a triumphant hymn unto God * Who wrought wondrous miracles * with His upraised arm, * and saved Israel, * for He hath been glorified.
Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou art a haven of salvation and protection for those who call upon thee, О most pure Theotokos. Wherefore, I fervently cry out to thee from the depths of my soul: О Lady, save me!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O most pure Mary, Mother of the Creator, in that thou art good and easy to reconcile, heal thou my lowly soul which hath been corrupted by the passions and transgressions.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О Lady unwedded, cease thou never to entreat my Creator and God on behalf of one who ever flees to thy protection, that I may receive mercy.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О animate palace and fiery throne of the King, with the holy martyrs and apostles do thou ever entreat Christ, that He deliver us from perils.
Ode III, Irmos: The stone which the builders have rejected, * the same hath become the cornerstone: * this is the rock upon which Christ hath established the Church, * which He hath redeemed from among the nations.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The darkness of transgressions surroundeth my heart, О Lady, and I dare not lift up mine eyes to heaven. Wherefore, I cry: Enlighten my mind, soul and heart with the precepts of Christ!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I gaze upon thy divine image, and I honor thee, the seal of the Master, the most pure Mother, as the prototype. And I kiss it, and bow down, and praise it, knowing thine honor and His alone.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Halt the cruel assaults of the body, and quench thou the flame of the passions, О Virgin, wherewith the cruel serpent weaves greatly tangled bonds offenses round about me, desiring to drag me down to destruction.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Issuing forth bodily, the Word clothed Himself wholly in Adam through thee. Him do thou therefore beseech, that He deliver us from the passions, from divers perils and everlasting fire.
Ode IV, Irmos: Foreseeing in the Spirit O Prophet Habbakuk, * the incarnation of the Word, * thou didst proclaim, crying aloud: * When the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be known; * when the season cometh, Thou shalt be shown forth! * Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having given birth to the Creator and Fashioner of all, О Virgin, thou hast ineffable power and invincible might, and savest those who approach thee with faith. Wherefore, I cry to thee: О Sovereign Lady of the world, help me!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Set at naught the battles of the invisible and noetic foe who assail in vain my wretched heart, О Lady, and grant me divine serenity and peace, that I may hymn thee in gladness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou art the hope of the hopeless, helper of the poor, consolation of those who weep, cleansing of the sinful, guide of the lost, healer of the sick and righting of the fallen.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure and blessed Virgin Mary, who alone hast done away with the curse of all; with the apostles, martyrs and prophets entreat Him Who issued forth from thy womb, that He save the souls of those who hymn thee.
Ode V, Irmos: Grant us Thy peace, O Son of God, * for we know no other God than Thee, * and we call upon Thy Name, * for Thou art the God of the living and the dead.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Save me from the abyss of perils, tribulations, griefs and bodily passions, О Lady, and preserve my soul in divine tranquility.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou art my fervent and steadfast preservation all throughout my life, О most immaculate one. Wherefore, I beseech thee; even after my death, extend unto me thy rich loving-kindness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О thou who hast given birth to the Creator and Redeemer of all, deliver me from the bodily passions which consume my heart and drag me into unseemly deeds.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In that thou hast been revealed to be a place of noetic sanctity, О Virgin Lady, wholly sanctify me, and with the holy and wise apostles pray that I be saved.
Ode VI, Irmos: Emulating the Prophet Jonah, I cry aloud: * Free Thou my life from corruption, O Good One; * and save me who crieth out: * O Savior of the world, Glory be to Thee!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou preservest me alive, delivering me from dangers. In thy loving-kindness do thou also stand before me when I depart this earth for life everlasting, О Virgin Mother.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou art an indestructible rampart, thou art a firm wall of protection, thou art a mighty intercessor for thy servant, О good Theotokos; wherefore, I ever call upon thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having acquired powerful supplications before God, О good Theotokos, disdain not me who fervently flee to thy protection and cry aloud: Have mercy on me, О Mother of the God of all!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Reject me not, neither spurn me, О Savior, for the ewe-lamb who gave Thee birth in the flesh entreateth Thee with Thine apostles, prophets
and passion-bearers.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Sessional hymn, Tone I: О most pure Maiden, the prophets foretold thee as the cloud of the eternal light of God, the ark, the candlestand and jar, and the unquarried mountain; for in the latter times Christ our God came forth from thee without seed, as was the Father’s good pleasure.
Ode VII, Irmos: Thy children who were in the furnace O Savior, * were neither touched nor troubled by The fire. * Whereupon the three sang, as with a single mouth * Thy praises and blessed Thee, saying: * ‘O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou.’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Hastening in thy loving-kindness, О most pure Lady, deliver me, who am brought to despondency by transgressions and the pleasures of the flesh and who am thrust into the abyss of destruction, О pure one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Theotokos, thou art the refuge and mighty protection of all the faithful. Be thou for me a guide to the Creator, granting me deliverance from transgressions in thy compassion.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast destroyed the curse, О pure one who hast given birth to Christ our joy. By thy power, О most immaculate one, break thou also the curse which I have incurred through sin, and grant me joy.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О most holy and pure one, thy servants ever entreat thee day and night, praying with contrite thoughts. Grant us deliverance from our offences by thy supplications.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Him of whom the angels and all the hosts of heaven are in awe * as their Lord and Creator, * ye priests hymn, ye children praise, * ye peoples bless and supremely exalt * throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Arise, go forth and do battle against the enemies who trouble and oppress us in vain, delivering us by thy power, О holy virgin, thou helper of the world!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou hast saved the world from death and corruption by thy divine birthgiving, О good Virgin; and now, by thy supplications, rescue from the passions and save us who praise thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Great and ineffable is thy might, О Virgin, and many and invincible are thy divine compassions and loving-kindness. Wherefore, save us who call upon thee in truth.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
As an animate vine, О Virgin, thou didst put forth for us the ripe Cluster, Who hath poured forth the wine of remission and dried up the
drunkenness of sin.
Ode IX, Irmos: The light-bearing cloud upon whom * the beginningless Master of all descended from heaven, * like the dew upon the fleece, * and of whom He was incarnate, * becoming a man for our sake, * let us all magnify as the pure Mother of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Greatly tempest-tossed upon the sea of life by carnal pleasures, I fall down before thee and cry aloud: Have mercy on me, who flee unto thee, О Lady, and extend to me a hand of salvation, delivering me from the abyss of destruction!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
To thee do I confess my sins, О Virgin; before thy face do I disclose my shame; and I cry to thee from the depths of my soul “Have mercy and take pity, О most pure one, for on thee and God have I set my firm hope”!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With all my soul I call upon thee who hast given birth without seed to the Creator and Master, and I cry out earnestly: Save me from the corruption of manifold transgressions, and deliver me from the unquenchable fire, О most holy and good Theotokos!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure one, thou impassable door, gate of paradise, path of the saved, way of salvation: with the martyrs and prophets, the righteous and venerable, and the divine apostles, pray thou, that our souls be saved.