A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos
Ode I, Irmos: Let us sing unto the Lord, * who led His people through the Red Sea: * for He alone hath gloriously been glorified.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Come, О ye faithful brethren, and let us mystically offer a new hymn to the holy Theotokos, praising her mighty works today as from the beginning.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Of old Moses, illumined in mind by divine vision, clearly learned of thy divine conceiving which transcendeth nature, О Virgin, and which was revealed to him in the bush.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Unto thee do I offer up the works of my heart, and to thee I offer in an acceptable manner these writings, setting thee before Christ the Master as intercessor, in that thou art close to the divine shelter of aid.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure one, incline thine ear unto me who with Orthodox Faith and love devoutly hastens to thee in the tabernacle of thy countenance, worshiping thee with fear. Hearken thou to my cry of supplication.
Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Thou art the confirmation of those who flee to Thee, * Thou art the Light of those in darkness, * and my spirit doth hymn Thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The patriarch’s ladder of old prefigured thee, О most immaculate one; for the angels’ descent revealed to us the divine descent of God into thy womb.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The tribe of Judah rejoiced, as Jacob foretold, for from his tribe budded forth the one who would cause Jesus Christ, our Deliverance, to bud forth. Having given birth to Him, О most pure one, thou hast been glorified.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In despair over my sins, I have found thee to be a refuge of salvation, О most pure Theotokos, our hope and aid; wherefore, guide me to repentance.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I have thee near the Master, О most glorious Lady, and with faith have entrusted to thee the book of my deeds. Cease thou never to take pity on me.
Ode IV, Irmos: From the overshadowed mountain, * from the only Theotokos, * the Prophet in divine vision * foresaw Thy coming in the flesh, O Word, * and with fear he glorified Thy power.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having received grace and been adorned with the beauty of virginity, thou wast likened to the Bride of the Father, adorned with golden coins, and revealed to be the Mother of the Son of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Christ the Word was pleased to make thee, the true Sion, a divine habitation for Himself, О Theotokos, choosing thee as His elect, for the restoration of the whole world.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, О beauteous palace of the Word, virginal bridal-chamber of the King! Rejoice, О boast of all the bodiless ones! Rejoice, O help of all mankind.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
They who reject the icons of thy Son, О Virgin Theotokos, Mother of God, withdraw from God, and therefore perish; but those who honour thee are saved by the same images.
Ode V, Irmos: Disperse, O Word, the darkness from my soul, * O Christ God, the Light-Giver, * Having driven out the primordial darkness of the abyss, * grant unto me the light of Thy commandments, * that early in the morning I may glorify Thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Joining the divine Gabriel, let us cry aloud to the Theotokos with faith: Rejoice, О holy Virgin who art full of grace! The Lord is with thee Who, having put an end to grief on thine account, hath given us joy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Gideon beheld thy most pure womb, О pure Virgin, wherein the Word, Who is inseparable from the divinity of the Father, became incarnate through the divine Spirit, descending like rain.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou art the helper of the world and an aid of the sinful, О Virgin Birthgiver of God; and for those who with faith and love have recourse unto thee thou art the saving deliverance and the absolution of many transgressions.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
By the divine Spirit thou gavest rise without seed to the Son, the Offspring of the Father, Who existed before all creation, timeless and unoriginate, О pure Birthgiver of God, and we all honour the likeness of His visage.
Ode VI, Irmos: Held fast by a multitude of sins O Lover of mankind, * like the Prophet I fall down before Thy tender compassions. * Accept me O Lord and save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О unwedded Virgin, with hymns we praise thee as the mirror of virginity and the pure receptacle of the Godhead.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In an awesome and dispassionate manner God became incarnate within thy womb, О Bride of God, written, as it were, by the finger of the Father on a new scroll.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy protection do we have as cleansing, excellent hope and aid, О pure Virgin. О Lady, put not thy servants to shame!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
By thy mediation, О Bride of God, reduce the never-ending mayhem of the passions to stillness, and guide us to the haven of tranquility.
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.
Kontakion, Tone VIII: To thee, the Champion Leader, we thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving * as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: * but as thou art one with might which is invincible, * from all dangers that can be do thou deliver us, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, thou Bride Unwedded!
Ode VII, Irmos: Once in Babylon the fire stood in awe * of God’s condescension; * for which sake the youths in the furnace, * dancing with joyous steps as in a meadow, chanted: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou hast been revealed to be the mediatress of our joy, О Virgin, and offering thee a crown of grace with love, and praising thee we cry aloud: “Rejoice, О pure and blessed one!”.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou art the holy mountain of God overshadowed, the rich mountain, О most immaculate one, the mountain rendered fertile by divine effulgence, the mountain wherein God was pleased to dwell.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
No sin is too great for thy grace; for thou hast a mother’s boldness and will, and by thy prayers thou dost loose transgressions, leading us safely through all assaults.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Theotokos, thou hast given birth to One of the Trinity Who, by uniting Himself to the flesh, remained immutable, being of two natures, wherefore we venerate the image of His countenance.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Glorified in the holy mountain, * the Lord revealed the mystery of the Ever-Virgin unto Moses * in the flames of the burning bush: * praise ye and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou wast revealed to the prophet as the censer bearing the divine Coal Who taketh away sins, О Virgin Theotokos, Mother of our God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Daniel foresaw thee as a great mountain, О Virgin Theotokos, from whence Christ, the precious Stone, arrayed Himself in the flesh and brought down the temples of the falsehood of idolatry.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The great sea-monster of grievous sin and the despair of my passions seek to slay me; but do thou anticipate my need, and save thy servant, О Lady.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The God of all, Who through thee came to converse with mortals, assumed the guise of a man, wherefore we venerate His countenance in icons, О Virgin.
Ode IX, Irmos: Saved by thee, O pure Virgin, * we confess thee to be truly the Theotokos, * and together with the choirs of the bodiless hosts * thee do we magnify.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With songs the most wise one hymneth thee as the enclosed garden and the fountain sealed by the divine Spirit, О Virgin Theotokos; wherefore, Christ became incarnate within thee as the Tree of life.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Describing thine ineffable birthgiving beforehand, the prophet foresaw thee as a sealed book, and the mystery of the incarnation of thine offspring remaineth incomprehensible.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In compunction of soul we all beseech thee: О Lady, disdain not our supplications, but be thou our compassionate protectress, and hearken unto our prayer.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I fall down before the images of thee and thy Son, О Virgin Theotokos, but those who refuse to venerate them I reject, as I do the deception of Manes; wherefore, in an Orthodox manner I complete my hymnody.