A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos
Ode I, Irmos: When Israel walked on foot in the sea as on dry land, * on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, * they cried: * Let us sing to God * a song of victory.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Bent low by a multitude of temptations and grievous acts, I bow before thee the neck of my soul and body, О pure one, and cry out to thee with fervour: Do thou set me aright!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О all-immaculate Maiden, mighty help of the faithful and hope of Christians: Free me from the carnal lusts and passions which war against me!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О most pure one, thou luminous guide of those in darkness, having given birth to the noetic Light, illumine my soul and sanctify my mind, dissolving the gloom of passions and transgressions.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With the light of the holy commandments of Him Who became incarnate from thee, О Lady Theotokos, dispel the darkness of my soul, which hath been cast into darkness by the onslaughts of unseemly thoughts.
Ode III, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thou, * O Lord my God, * who hast exalted the horn of Thy faithful O good One, * and strengthened us upon the rock * of Thy confession.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In thee have I placed my trust, О pure and most pure one. Let not my hope in thee be disappointed. In that thou art the merciful Mother of God and the Lover of mankind, deliver me from the snares of the enemy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О most pure Mary Mother of God, portal of salvation through which the Creator of all alone passed, open now unto me the divine gates of repentance.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure one, be thou a refuge and haven for me who am ever tempest-tossed by the threefold waves of the passions on the sea of life, О only Ever-virgin.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Mary Mother of God, illumine my soul, which hath been grievously darkened by many sins, wounded by the darts of the evil one, and fallen
Ode IV, Irmos: Christ is my power, * my God and my Lord, * the holy Church divinely singeth, * crying with a pure mind, * keeping festival in the Lord.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As thou art my strength, refuge, unassailable rampart and advocate before God, О most pure one, free me from everlasting flame and Gehenna.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О all-pure Mary, dispel thou the tumult of the passions of my mind and the storm of temptations, in that thou hast given birth to the Source of dispassion, О Ever-virgin Mother.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure and all-immaculate one, as thou wast the receptacle of purity which accommodated the habitation of God, do away with the defilement and impurity of my soul.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Maiden, I pray thee, who alone art pure, who alone art undefiled: By thy prayers cleanse thou my soul, which hath been defiled and sullied by lustful passions.
Ode V, Irmos: Illumine with Thy divine light, I pray, O Good One, * the souls of those who with love rise early to pray to Thee, * that they may know Thee, O Word of God, * as the true God, * Who recalleth us from the darkness of sin.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Defiled in mind and sullied by many falls, О Mother of God, I entreat thee, who alone art undefiled: Have pity and save me by thy mediation.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With thy divine effulgence, О good one, illumine my soul, which hath been darkened by pleasures, and guide it to the path of salvation, О thou who alone hast given birth to Christ the Saviour.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Loose thou the bonds of my sins by thy mediation and aid, О Virgin, and fill my wretched soul with divine tranquility, and deliver it from darkness.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having now acquired thee alone as my divine refuge, О good one, I cry to thee, falling down with faith: Thou art my help! Be thou also my shelter of salvation, О Sovereign Lady of the world, and save me.
Ode VI, Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, * I run to Thy calm haven, and cry to Thee: * Raise up my life from corruption, * O greatly Merciful One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Guilty of sin, wretch that I am, I have been grievously wounded. To thee who art merciful, О Mother of God, do I flee, praying: Set at naught my falls into transgressions.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О portal of grace who hast opened unto the faithful the gates of heaven, open unto me the radiant door of repentance, and deliver me from the gates of death.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О Mother of God who hast given birth to the Source of dispassion, render me steadfast, who am brought low by the passions and the assaults of the adversary; for unto thee have I fled, for thou art the comforter of my wretched soul.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Look down upon me, the lowly one, О Lady, and beyond expectation save me; for thou art my hope and protection, the life and light of my heart, and my confirmation, О Theotokos.
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 VI: О most holy Virgin Mother, thou art truly the strength of the helpless; wherefore, we, the lowly, are exalted by thee, and in thee are we borne aloft. Thou art the protection of all and their mediatress before God.
Ode VII, Irmos: An Angel made the furnace bedew the holy Children. * But the command of God consumed the Chaldeans * and prevailed upon the tyrant to cry: * O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We ever have thee as our cleansing before God, О most immaculate one; wherefore, ask thou that all who confess thee to truly be the Theotokos be delivered from dread torments to come.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Raise me up, who am stuck fast in slothfulness, to the doing of godly works, О most pure one, strengthening me against the enemy who ever wages cruel war against me, and against those who would lead me astray with adverse thoughts.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Leave me not to perish, О Virgin, neither allow me to fall prey to the evil serpent who ever thirsteth for my destruction; but grant me thy rich mercy.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Fail not in thy supplications before of our God and the Lover of mankind, О all-immaculate and pure one, that we may receive complete forgiveness, and obtain the good things of heaven prepared for the just, and the joy which cannot be taken away.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Thou didst make flame bedew the holy children, * and didst burn the sacrifice of a righteous man with water. * For Thou alone, O Christ, dost do all as Thou willest, * Thee do we supremely exalt throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Show forth my barren heart to be laden with the fruit of good works, О all- pure one, entreating God by thy birth-giving.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Pray unto God, О Virgin full of the grace of God, that He save our souls and deliver us from being accepting of the passions and from the evil temptations of the demons.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I flee to thy protection, О all-immaculate one, and set thee forth as the intercessor for my life. Deliver me, О Maiden, from dread condemnation, from trial and ever lasting fire.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Make steadfast my soul, which hath been shaken by the evil of the foe, О pure Virgin, and rescue me from the fiery torment and the painful lot of the goats.
Ode IX, Irmos: It is impossible for mankind to see God * upon Whom the orders of Angels dare not gaze; * but through thee, O all-pure one, * did the Word Incarnate become a man * and with the Heavenly Hosts * Him we magnify and thee we call blessed.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The turbulence of the passions doth trouble and engulf me in pleasures, О most immaculate Virgin who hast given birth to Christ the Helmsman. Extend to me thy helping hand, and save me, О thou who alone art the salvation of those who with faith call thee blessed.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О bridal-chamber and throne of Him Who reigneth, mountain of God, chosen city, garden of paradise, most radiant cloud of the Sun: illumine my soul, driving away the cloud of my many sins, О thou who art full of the grace of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure and divine chosen Virgin, portal of the Light: open thou the gates of my soul, locking the door of sin, that the hand of the deceiver not seize me, and drag me cruelly into the dread torment of perdition.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen
Arise, О my soul, and be thou watchful in prayer and in care for that which is most good, driving away the sleep of despondency, ever having the pure and most compassionate Mother of God as thy vigilant ally.