A Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos
Ode I, Irmos: He who of old gathered the waters * into one by His divine decree, * divided the sea for the people of Israel. * For He is our God and supremely glorious, * to Him alone let us sing, for He hath been glorified.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О cloud of the Light Who fashioned the great luminaries in the universe: with thy rays dispel all the darkness, day and night, of all my passions and transgressions, and show me to be a child of the light, О Birth-Giver of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By the Rain which descended from heaven into thy womb, О Theotokos, enlighten and bedew my soul and heart, and extinguish the flame of passions and sorrows, that I may glorify thee fervently throughout all ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure one, thou didst give birth ineffably to the Wisdom of God which united the earthly and the heavenly, bringing all things forth from nonexistence; by His word grant me wisdom and understanding, that I may hymn clearly thy divine birth-giving.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Sovereign Lady of the world, I cry aloud and pray that my soul and body may be bedewed through thy supplications, and that I may be quickly delivered from the pangs of sin and the evil of the passions; for thou art the healing of all mankind.
Ode III, Irmos: O Most High, Ruler of all, * who out of nothing hath established all things, * fashioned by Thy Word, * perfected by the Spirit, * confirm me in Thy love.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Master and Lord Who hath dominion over fire hath been called thy Son, О pure one; wherefore, deliver me from the works of the passions by thine intercessions, О Lady.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
From the tempest of carnal passions do thou quickly deliver me, thy servant, О most pure one who hast given birth to the Calm of salvation and the Wellspring of dispassion.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As the luminous lamp-stand of the never-waning Light, О most pure one, thou hast enlightened the world. Wherefore, with thy beams dispel the clouds from my soul.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Lady who hast given birth ineffably to Christ, the Bestower of life, enliven me who am dead of soul because of the multitude of mine evil passions.
Ode IV, Irmos: Thou hast shown us steadfast love, O Lord, * for Thou gavest Thine only-begotten Son over to death for our sake. * Wherefore with thanksgiving we cry unto Thee, * ‘Glory to Thy power, O Lord!’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The siege of carnal understanding hath beset me and made my soul captive; yet do thou, О Lady who hast given birth to the Mind which transcendeth all the understanding of the world, grant me thy peace.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
From thy womb thou didst pour forth the noetic Myrrh upon the world; wherefore, free my soul from the defilements of the passions, О most pure one, and grant me the myrrh of dispassion by thy supplications.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Knowing thee to be the golden jar manifestly holding Christ, the God-man, the Manna of life, I pray: feed thou my soul which is famished with hunger, and give it the torrent of the Spirit to drink.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Of old, unrestrained, Eve brought about death; but thou hast brought about true life by thy pure virginity. Wherefore, deliver me from a sinful death by thy supplications.
Ode V, Irmos: The Invisible One hath appeared on earth, * and the Unapproachable One hath willingly dwelt among mankind; * and, rising early at dawn, we hymn Thee, * O Lover of mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As our deliverance, thy Son hath delivered all from corruption, О Virgin; wherefore, deliver me from a carnal understanding and from the presence of the passions.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.By the fire of thy prayers burn up all the thorns of my passion-filled thoughts, О Theotokos who hast purified the nature of man as with tongs and ember.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou art the divine heifer of the divine Bullock Who in His love for mankind was slaughtered for our sake. With His divine blood do thou purify my heart.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Of old I acquired the beautiful robe of the virtues, yet I have cast it off in my slothfulness; but do thou, О Virgin, now clothe me in one that is yet more splendid by thy supplications.
Ode VI, Irmos: The uttermost depths of sin have surrounded me, * and my spirit perisheth. * but do Thou, O Master, stretch forth Thy lofty arm * and like Peter O Helmsman, * do Thou save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The cruel wiles of evil have shaken the temple of my soul, yet do thou who hast given birth to Christ, Who established the earth upon the waters, make me steadfast by thy prayers.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In giving birth to the Pearl of great price, thou hast released mortals from their debt; wherefore, О most pure one, quickly loose the bonds of my transgressions, passions and sorrows.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The supremely good God Who was born from thy womb hath given thee to the faithful as a refuge and divine protection; wherefore, О most pure one, cover me with thy hands, and preserve me.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Often engulfed in frenzy by the billows of life, and ever tempest- tossed by the works of the enemy, I now cry out to thee: О Theotokos, help me!
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 III, Spec. Mel. “Of the divine Faith …”: Thou wast the divine tabernacle of the Word, * O only all-pure Virgin Mother * who surpassed the angels in purity. * By the divine waters of thy supplications * cleanse me who, more than all others, * have become dust, defiled by carnal transgressions; ** and grant me great mercy, O pure one.
Ode VII, Irmos: As of old Thou didst bedew * the three pious children in the Chaldean flames, * so also with the radiant fire of Thy divinity * illumine us who cry to Thee, * ‘Blessed art Thou, the God of our fathers!’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Crowds of wicked demons and hordes of carnal passions have surrounded me; yet as thou hast given birth to Christ, Who is mighty in battles, deliver me from frequent griefs and cruel falls.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
He Who alone cannot be approached by the cherubic beings and is held in awe by the ranks of the angels made His abode within thee, О pure one, and hath renewed us. О Lady, through Him render me terrible to invisible foes.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О Virgin, thou wast a noetic garden of paradise which put forth the Tree of life; and Adam, partaking thereof, hath been delivered from, the fruit of death. Wherefore, bring sweetness to me now, and deliver me from the taste of the passions.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Deliver me from the mire of the passions of my body, and from the temptations of the demons, О thou who hast given birth to the Redeemer for our sake, as the habitation of the Most High and hallowed temple of the God of our fathers.
Ode VIII, Irmos: United together in the unbearable fire, * yet not harmed by the flame, * the children, champions of godliness, sang a divine hymn: * O all ye works of the Lord, * bless ye the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О cloud of the Light Who fashioned the great luminaries in the universe: with thy rays dispel all the darkness, day and night, of all my passions and transgressions, and show me to be a child of the light, О Birth-Giver of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.By the Rain which descended from heaven into thy womb, О Theotokos, enlighten and bedew my soul and heart, and extinguish the flame of passions and sorrows, that I may glorify thee fervently throughout all ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure one, thou didst give birth ineffably to the Wisdom of God which united the earthly and the heavenly, bringing all things forth from nonexistence; by His word grant me wisdom and understanding, that I may hymn clearly thy divine birth-giving.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Sovereign Lady of the world, I cry aloud and pray that my soul and body may be bedewed through thy supplications, and that I may be quickly delivered from the pangs of sin and the evil of the passions; for thou art the healing of all mankind.
Ode IX, Irmos: Upon Mount Sinai Moses saw thee in the bush, * as one who didst conceive the fire of the Godhead within thy womb, * and yet remained unconsumed. * Daniel saw thee as a mountain not cut by the hand of man, * and Isaiah proclaimed thee as the Rod that blossomed forth * from the root of David.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou wast shown to be cloth divinely woven for Christ, from whence the Spirit prepared the divine raiment of the flesh. Wherefore, by thy supplications, О pure one, clothe me also in the vesture of chastity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О noetic vine who hast put forth for us the divine Grapes, by Whom we have been given the water of incorruption to drink: by thy prayers pour forth upon my soul compunction and the wine of purification.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О pure and holy bridal chamber, by whose nature God wedded His nature to that of mortals, I beseech thee: unite me to thy Son, and impart unto me divine life by thy prayers.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Virgin who hast given birth to Christ, the Wellspring of incorruption, thou hast transformed the pasture of corrupt human nature. Wherefore, by thy supplications deaden the stormy assaults of the passions which consume me.