A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos
Ode I, Irmos: Christ, who with an upraised arm * bringeth wars to naught, * hath shaken horse and rider in the Red Sea; * but Israel hath He saved * as they chanted a song of victory.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
All the generations of mankind praise thee, О Virgin, as thou didst foretell in prophecy of old; wherefore, accept me who hymn thee, О Lady, and enlighten and make me wise.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou hast broken the sting of death and the sin of the world, О Virgin Lady, having given birth to true Life. Quickly break also the sharp arrows of my passions.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having been revealed to be the only one arrayed in virgin’s vesture, thou didst rend asunder the fig-leaves which Adam wore; wherefore, clothe me in the garments of chastity by thy prayers.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Many daughters of Adam before thee acquired riches and divine glory, but thou hast surpassed them all beyond compare, О Lady; wherefore, enrich me now with heavenly and divine grace.
Ode III, Irmos: By Thy command Thou didst establish the earth upon nothing * and suspended it unsupported; * do Thou establish Thy Church on the unshakeable rock of Thy commandments, O Christ, * who alone art good * and the Lover of mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The depths and heights of the unapproachable wisdom of God, Who was born from thy womb, have been recognised in thee, whereby deliver my heart from the depths of the serpent’s reasoning.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Christ, Who of old fashioned out of water the winged creatures and serpents, which before had not existed: Thou didst straightway fashion the strange vesture of Thy divine incarnation out of the blood of the pure Virgin.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou alone, О most pure one, art clearly the cleansing of our nature, for in thee the divine Fire made His abode without consuming thee, that He might purify it; wherefore, cleanse me of the defilement of the offences of my passions, and illumine me by thy prayers.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Knowing thee to be the cup of the Offshoot of the new vine, manifestly giving drink to the faithful for the remission offences, О most pure one, I pray: Give drink to my heart with an outpouring of divine water.
Ode IV, Irmos: Habbakuk, prophetically apprehending * Thy divine self-emptying, O Christ, * cried out to Thee with trembling: * Thou hast come for the salvation of Thy people; * to save Thine anointed Ones.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou hast been revealed to be the unploughed furrow which produced the unsown divine Grain, whereby I, who hunger, am fed with divine gifts and grace.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Giving drink with the water of thy prayers to me who am truly sick unto death and am stuck fast in the fire of the passions of my soul, raise me up quickly.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As thou art the animate city of God, gladdened by the flow of noetic rivers, make steadfast the house of my soul with the pillars of thy prayers.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Knowing thee to be the cloud raining down true righteousness, О most pure Lady, I pray that thou speedily deliver me thy servant from all who oppress me.
Ode V, Irmos: O Thou Who hast clothed Thyself in light as with a garment, * I rise early unto Thee and cry out to Thee: * Enlighten my darkened soul, O Christ, * in that Thou alone art compassionate!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Utterly suppress the turbulence and billows of sin and my passions, О Virgin Lady, having given birth to the Cause of dispassion.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Shown from on high to be Christ’s cloth of the divine vesture of majesty, О pure one, with the raiment of the virtues clothe my naked soul.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Grant me cleansing offences by thy supplications, О pure Virgin who hast given birth for us to Christ the Lord, our divine Purification.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
By thy prayers, О Virgin, do away with the sores, wounds and stripes of my sins, and grant power to thy servant.
Ode VI, Irmos: Calm the raging sea of the passions, * O Master Christ, * with its soul-destroying tempest, * and lead me up from corruption * in that Thou art compassionate.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О thou who hast given birth to the Light Who created the luminaries of the sky, illumine now my soul and deliver me from the darkness of the passions, О all-radiant one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Entreat thy Son, Who of old sweetened the waters of Mara, О Theotokos, that He quickly deliver me from grievous suffering and bitterness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The torrents of the passions disturb my soul, О most pure one; yet dry them up by thy prayers, and destroy my wicked thoughts.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Delivering mankind, Christ hath issued forth out of Sion, from thy womb, О most immaculate Lady; and hath thereby delivered me from perils and tribulations.
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, in Tone V: Wherefore, growing despondent, hast thou forgotten thy God, Who hath mercy upon thee, О my passion-plagued soul? Despising His precepts, thou hast come in wickedness and prodigality to the end of thy life. But shun evil, crying out to the Theotokos: Have mercy on mine accursed soul!
Ode VII, Irmos: Irmos: The supremely exalted Lord of our fathers * quenched the flame, * and bedewed the Youths * as they chanted in harmony: * O God, blessed art Thou!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The hordes of the demons fear and tremble before the invocation of thy name, О most pure one. Deliver me from them, save and preserve me, protecting me from all harm.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Inexpressible is thy glory, О Virgin; for thou hast given birth to the Lord of glory. Wherefore, grant unto me the glory of thy Son and my God, by thy prayers.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Incline thine ear to the supplications of thy servant, О Lady, and speedily deliver me from tribulations and misfortunes, from all temptations, visible and invisible.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With purity wash me who am wholly shameful and have sullied and defiled myself with the passions, and make me radiant through the sprinkling of thy prayers, О Virgin.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Unto Thee the Fashioner of all, * the children in the furnace chanted a hymn: * All ye works of the Lord, * supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The passion-plagued water of barrenness hath rendered the womb of my soul fruitless and dried it up. Rain down the divine Dew upon me, О light cloud, that I may bring forth fruits of repentance.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By thy prayers, О most pure one, calm, thou the water and storm of passionate thoughts, and guide me to the stream of dispassion, that I may glorify thee fervently throughout all ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О noetic portal, closed gate, which God alone hath passed through: Close and lock the gates of my passions, and open unto me the portals of hope.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Remove from me the burden of transgressions, О Virgin Mother, who alone ineffably hast given birth to the Lamb and Word of God, Who taketh away all the sin of the world.
Ode IX, Irmos: O Isaiah, rejoice and be glad! * The Virgin hath conceived in her womb, * and hath borne a Son, Emmanuel, * who is both God and man; * and Orient is His name; * Him we magnify, and the Virgin we call blessed.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having as a man defiled my soul with many transgressions and sullied it with carnal passions, I now earnestly beseech thee and pray to thee: From all evil cleanse me, О pure one, by thy prayers.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou hast given birth to Him Who willeth mercy, the God of compassions and the Lover of mankind, Who alone is Good, Long-suffering and full of loving- kindness. By thy supplications, О pure one, show Him to be well-disposed toward me, and grant me release from offences.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By thy ceaseless maternal supplications, О Lady, to the virtues of good works do thou rouse thy servant, who am stuck fast in the slumber of despondency and asleep now in pleasures.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Blessing, I bless thee, О most pure one, and I magnify thee fervently. Wherefore, bless me who hymn thee; deliver me from all violence and grief, and by thy hands preserve me invincible.