Canon for the Apparition of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, Tone 4.
Ode 1, Irmos: I shall open my mouth, * and be filled with the Spirit, * and utter discourse to the Queen and Mother; * and be seen radiantly keeping festival, * joyfully praising her wonders.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The leaders of the angels reverence thee, O Theotokos; and the ranks of the saints serve thee with honour; the righteous adorn themselves and bless thee as the mediatress of heavenly things; heaven and earth together praise thee splendidly in gladness. And we sinners ask mercy: Illumine our hearts, O Lady, that we may chant a hymn to the revelation of thy holy icon.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Come ye, O Christian people, having mystically cleansed your minds, and assemble in the holy church of the Mother of Christ our God; for from her holy icon there poureth forth upon us inexhaustibly a spiritual well-spring which healeth the souls and bodies of those who cry out in song: Blessed is our God Who was born of thee!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The strange wonder of thy divine birthgiving striketh every ear with wonder and awe, O most immaculate one: how thou didst conceive the Creator of the cherubim; how thou didst bear in the flesh Him Who is life and for the whole world didst give birth to life: the God-man!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beneath thy shelter do all we, the generations of mankind, flee, O Virgin Sovereign Lady. With the light of thy birthgiving enlighten us, thy sinful servants who earnestly pray, bowing down before thy most pure icon, asking to receive from thee great mercy.
Ode 3, Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and plentiful fount, * establish in spiritual fellowship those who sing hymns to thee, * and in thy divine glory * grant them crowns of glory.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
What worthy praise can our utter infirmity offer thee? For through the manifestation of thy most pure, divine icon thou pourest forth bountiful streams of healing upon thy servants who faithfully have recourse to thee.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The holy revelation of thy divine icon, O Virgin Theotokos, hath shone upon us like a radiant sun, emitting rays of most glorious miracles, and dispelling a myriad of evil circumstances by thy sacred intercessions, O Lady.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst once fill thy first-painted icon with grace, O Virgin Sovereign Lady Theotokos; and now that same grace speaketh forth truly in the effulgence of the wonders of faith, as the first one did for the sake of thee who wast first depicted thereon, unto those who with faith have recourse to thee after God.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We bow down before the most pure image of thee and thy Babe the sweetest Christ the pre-eternal and never-waning Light, O Theotokos, by Whom thou hast saved all human nature from cruel evils and mortal corruption.
Lord have mercy. (thrice)
Sessional Hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom …”: The divine apostles of the Word, the trumpet voiced universal heralds of the Gospel of Christ, having founded a divine church in thy most holy name, O Theotokos, approached thee, entreating thee to come to its consecration. But thou didst say, O Mother of God: “Go in peace, and I shall be with you there!” And they, going forth, found there, on the wall of the church, the likeness of thine image drawn powerfully in coloured hues; and seeing it, they did thee homage and glorified God. And we also, with them, bow down before thy divine icon, asking of thee great mercy. Grant thou remission of sins to thy servants, O thou who alone art blessed.
Glory …, Now & ever …, the above Sessional Hymn is repeated.
Ode 4, Irmos: He who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, * Jesus the true God, * is come in a swift cloud * and with His sinless hands he hath saved those who cry: * Glory to Thy power, O Christ.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
O ye pure people, in purity let us honour the icon of the Virgin Theotokos and of the divine Infant Christ our God; and let us kiss it and glorify her with fear and trembling; for we right honourably venerate the icon and honour even more the pure Mother of God.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
David, the divine and wondrous prophet, foreseeing as from a great distance, said: The rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance. And let us, O ye faithful, bow down and venerate the precious icon, sanctified in body and soul.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Luke, the divinely eloquent recorder of the Gospel, at the behest of God set down Thine all-immaculate image, O Theotokos, depicting the pre-eternal Infant in thine arms; and from temptations and misfortunes thou deliverest those who have recourse thereto, protecting and saving them all by thine image.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art the boast and crown of all the saints, O Queen; after God, thou art our hope and helper, and in thee have we all set our hope of salvation. Thee do we entreat as the Mother of God: Rain down thy rich and soul-saving mercies upon thy sinful servants.
Ode 5, Irmos: All creation stands in awe of thy divine glory; * for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, * didst contain within thy womb the God of all, * and gave birth to the timeless Son, * bestowing peace, upon all who hymn thee.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Every being is at a loss how to hymn thee, O most pure one, for thou art exalted far above the heavenly intelligences, having given birth unto the unapproachable and dread King and God of all, but as thou art merciful and the ready helper of mortals, attend unto the entreaty of thy servants, and grant us thy help.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Where thy grace over-shadoweth, O Theotokos, the demons vanish in fear and their wickedly devised fantasies are destroyed; the dark demons flee and the whole multitude of the faithful rejoice, crying out a hymn of praise to thee from their hearts: Rejoice, thou divine protection of our souls!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sweet sight is given to the eyeless, hearing to the deaf, good speech to the mute, the ability to walk to the lame, cleansing to the leprous, chastity to the demonized, and healing to those who suffer from divers sicknesses, through the overshadowing of thy most pure icon, O Theotokos.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O joyous Theotokos, let us never fail to hymn thy mighty works with psalms and hymns; for thou hast truly given birth unto the incarnate God for our universal salvation and deliverance.
Ode 6, Irmos: Celebrating the divine and solemn feast * of the Mother of God * O ye divinely wise, * let us come, clapping our hands, * and glorify God who was born of her.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
O Virgin Sovereign Lady, by thine exclamation of old thou didst impart to thy most pure image the abundantly rich grace of thy divine birthgiving, such that it abundantly worketh great and most glorious miracles, unto the salvation of those who set their hope on thee.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Where the holy name of the joyous Theotokos is glorified, streams of every good thing pour forth. Come O ye people in purity, for lo, by the manifestation of the divine icon of the Virgin, the presence of the Queen is revealed, unto the salvation of all the faithful.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Approaching with faith, O all-immaculate Lady and Mother of God, from thy most pure icon we receive healing of maladies, the dispelling of the passions, salvation which nourisheth the soul, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting deliverance.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
To thee, O Sovereign Lady, do the generations of the earthborn flee, and ask great mercy; and they that are infirm receive healing in abundance, release from the passions, and consolation amid grief. O Lady, let fall upon me a drop of soul-saving rain, that with all I may also hymn thy magnitude.
Lord have mercy. (thrice)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “To thee, the champion leader …” O ye people, let us flee to the calm and goodly haven, * the speedy helper, fervent and ready salvation, * the protection of the most pure Virgin, * and let us make haste to prayer and speed to repentance. * For the Theotokos poureth forth upon us inexhaustible mercies; * going before us to help and deliver her goodhearted and God-fearing servants ** from great misfortunes and evils.
Ikos: Having cleansed thought and mind, let us make haste to the Theotokos,calling her blessed in hymns; and let us glorify and honour her most pure icon, and falling down before it, let us do homage as to herself; for the veneration shown an icon ascendeth unto the Prototype, and he that honoureth and boweth down before it, honoureth the Prototype Himself, as the divine fathers have said. And if one doth not reverence the most holy Theotokos, and doth not venerate her icon, let him be anathema; for she putteth to shame and destroyeth those who honour her not, and delivereth from great misfortunes and evils her good-hearted and God-fearing servants.
Ode 7, Irmos: Refusing to worship created things * in place of the Creator, * the divinely wise youths bravely trampled down the threatening fire * and rejoicing they sang aloud: * O supremely hymned Lord and God of our Fathers, Blessed art Thou.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Come ye, let us draw forth forgiveness from the inexhaustible well-spring which poureth forth sanctity, the most pure Virgin and her most pure Infant, God the Word, Who assumed flesh for our sake. And let us cry out to Him: O Creator and Redeemer Who art God glorified with the Father and the Spirit, blessed art Thou!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Possessed of ever-vigilant and God-pleasing prayer, O pure one, and an undefeatable dominion of might, crush thou the audacity of the enemy which is directed against us, that we, thy servants, may rejoice in thee, crying out to thy Son: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O ye faithful people, let us rejoice and be glad in the wondrous appearance of the icon of the most pure Lady, the Theotokos; for it hath been shown to be an inexhaustible river pouring forth the water of healing, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, the ability to walk to the lame, and free healing to all amid their infirmities.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The unapproachable image of thy conception is an unfathomable abyss, an incomprehensible mystery, O Virgin, for thy conception was seedless; having given birth without a husband, the Incorporeal One became incarnate, the Pre-eternal One became an infant, the Son of God became thy Son, O Virgin. To Him do we cry aloud: Blessed art Thou, O God!
Ode 8, Irmos: The Offspring of the Theotokos * saved the holy children in the furnace. * He who was then prefigured hath now been born on earth, * and He gathereth all creation to hymn thee: * all ye works praise ye the Lord * and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The minds of angels and mortals are filled with awe, O Theotokos, at how thou hast given flesh to the God of heaven, containing Him within thy womb, and how, having given birth unto Him as a babe, thou didst bear Him as a Son in thine arms, Him before whom creation doth stand in awe and the heavenly thrones tremble, crying out unceasingly: Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God Who art all-hymned and supremely exalted above all throughout the ages! Rejoice, thou who art the joy of all the world!
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
With the Archangel Gabriel we cry out to thee, O Theotokos: Rejoice, thou who didst contain the Infinite One! Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, bearer of the whole Divinity! Rejoice, restoration of Adam, the Lord is with thee, saving us for thy sake! Him do we hymn and supremely exalt throughout the ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O sanctified root of Jesse, thou hast plucked forth the root of our sin, O rod of Aaron which blossomed, giving rise to a Blossom, Christ the Bestower of life! O jar which received the Manna, thou hast crushed all the power of death, and brought the human race to the regeneration of life. Wherefore, we hymn thee, the cause of that which is good.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art the boast of Christians, O Lady; thou art a sword against our enemies and a rampart for those who have recourse unto thee. We now call upon thee for aid, O Sovereign Lady: permit not the foe to rise up against thy people, for they praise neither thee nor thy Son, O Theotokos, nor do they bow down before thine icon. Vanquish them, and save thou our souls.
Ode 9, Irmos: Let every mortal born on earth, * radiant with light, in spirit leap for joy; * and let the host of the angelic powers * celebrate and honour the holy feast of the Mother of God, * and let them cry aloud: * Rejoice! O Theotokos, thou pure Ever-Virgin.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
Thee, the steadfast helper of the human race, O Theotokos Mary, did the choir of the prophets foretell in many and divers ways, as the holy tabernacle more spacious than the heavens, the tablet divinely inscribed, the bush unconsumed by Fire, the portal through which God hath passed, the mountain and the ladder, the bridge and the rod which blossomed forth. And we truly magnify thee as the Theotokos.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us.
The mystery of the depth of thy birthgiving moveth the mind of the angels to awe, O Virgin, and thy most pure icon driveth away the demons, darkening the countenances of the ungodly, and putting them to shame. For they cannot bear to look upon its power, and they flee and vanish away. And we lovingly bow down and venerate it, and magnify thee as the Theotokos.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As a constant intercessor before the King Most High, in that thou art possessed of undaunted boldness, establish thou the life of the Orthodox in profound peace, exalt our right believing hierarchs, and ever grant unto thy servants all things that are profitable, that we may magnify thee as the Theotokos.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most merciful helper of Christians, the mind of mortals or that of the angels cannot hymn thee as is meet, for thou art more honourable than all creation, more glorious than all things of heaven and earth; for thou hast given birth unto the Creator and God of all. O Lady, mercifully accept the hymn which we have composed for thee from the depths of our heart, and ever save us, for we have set our hope on thee.
Troparion, Tone 4: O earnest helper, Mother of the Lord Most High, thou dost entreat Christ, thy Son and our God, in behalf of all, and causest all to be saved who have recourse to thy mighty protection. O Lady, Queen and Mistress, help us all who, amid temptations, sorrows and sickness, are heavy laden with many sins, who stand before thee and with tears pray to thee with compunctionate soul and contrite heart before thine all-pure image, and who have unfailing hope in thee: grant deliverance from all evils, and things profitable unto all, O Virgin Theotokos, and save us all, for thou art the divine protection of thy servants.