Friday Evening Compline : Canon in Tone VIII

On Friday Evening of Tone VIII, at Compline:

The Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos

Ode1, 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.

О most immaculate Virgin, render Christ merciful unto me, setting me free on the day of the dread judgment.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Rain down upon me drops of compunction, O Lady, washing away my defilement, that I may glorify thee.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

Illumine me, О Virgin who hast given birth to the never-waning Light, driving away the profound darkness of my slothfulness.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

Save me who have perished amid many sins, О Theotokos, and deliver me from every torment and grievous condemnation.

Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Creator of the vault of Heaven * and Builder of the Church, * do Thou strengthen me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, * O Support of the faithful, * O only Lover of mankind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Having fallen, away from the life of sanctity, О most pure one, I have joined the dumb beasts and am wholly condemned; but do thou who hast given birth to the Judge deliver me from all damnation, and save me.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Unto thee do I flee, О Lady. Ever save me who am beset by a multitude of perils, taking pity upon me, О only all-hymned one who hast given birth to the Saviour and Lord of all.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

О Lady, thou impassable gate leading to God, open unto me the gates of repentance, I pray, cleansing me of the impurity of my sins with the showers of thy mercy, О thou who art full of the grace of God.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

Deliver me from the assaults of the passions, О Lady, and vanquish now the foes which wage war upon me; establish me upon the rock of the will of God, and illumine my soul, О portal of the divine Light.

Ode IV, Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the mystery of Thy dispensation; * I have considered Thy works, * and I have glorified Thy Divinity.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Word of God Who wast wounded for my sake in Thy love for mankind: Heal the wounds of my soul, and enlighten the darkness of my mind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The sleep of sin hath overtaken me through the slumber of my slothfulness, О Virgin. But by thy vigilant supplication rouse me to repentance.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

О most immaculate one who hast poured forth the water of remission from thy well-springs: Give drink to my heart, which hath grown dry through all manner of transgressions.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

О all-holy Bride of God, Sovereign Lady of the world: save me, delivering me from misfortunes and dispelling the tumult of the passions.

Ode V, Irmos: Rising early we cry to Thee, O Lord; * save us, for Thou art our God, * and we know none other besides Thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Look down, О most pure Lady, hearken unto my voice, and wash away all mine iniquities.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Theotokos who hast given birth to the never-setting Sun, enlighten me who have become wholly dark through the passions, that I may glorify and praise thee, О most immaculate one.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

Have pity on my soul, О most holy Maiden, and deliver it from damnation and everlasting torment.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

Heal mine ailing soul, О most holy Lady who hast given birth to Him Who taketh away the infirmities of all.

Ode VI, Irmos: The abyss of my sins and the storm of my transgressions * disquieten me and thrust me down * into the depths of despondency; * but do Thou stretch forth Thy mighty arm, * unto me as Thou didst to Peter, * and save me, O my Guide.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

By thy vivifying birthgiving mortify the unseemly uprisings of my flesh, О Theotokos who hast given life unto those slain by evil, that I may glorify thee as the cause of the restoration of mankind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Virgin Theotokos who hast given birth to the Abyss of compassions, save my soul from the sorrows of life, and open unto me the spiritual portals of joy; for in thee alone have I placed my hope.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

That I may joyously hymn thy mighty works and the great grace of thy miracles, О most pure Virgin, By thy prayers ever free me from the unseemly thoughts which afflict me.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

In a manner transcending nature didst thou give birth unto Him Who did not depart from the bosom of the Father, yet through thee, О Virgin, conversed with men. As thou art the boast and confirmation of all of us, О Theotokos, take pity upon those who flee unto thee.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice).

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 VIII: The Word of the Father descended to the earth, and the radiant angel said to
the Theotokos:
“Rejoice, О blessed one who alone hast preserved the bridalchamber, accepting the conception of the pre-eternal God and Lord, that God might save the race of mankind from delusion!”

Ode VII, Irmos: The Hebrew children in the furnace * boldly trampled upon the flames, * changing the fire into dew, they cried aloud: * ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, throughout the ages’.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Woe is me! How shall I escape the torments which await me who have lived wickedly on earth? How shall I appear to the dread Judge as other than accursed? О Lady, Birthgiver of God, be thou my helper then!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Quench thou the flame of my passions and still the tempest of my heart, О pure Mother of God; and deliver me from the tyranny of the demons and from the eternal fire, О most pure one.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

Behold the sorrow which the multitude of mine evils have brought upon me, О Virgin, and before my departure grant me rest, assuaging thy Son by thy maternal supplications.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

With thy dew extinguish the flame of the passions of my heart, О Virgin Maiden, and rescue me from the dread fire, from eternal damnation and the tyranny of the demons.

Ode VIII, Irmos: In his wrath the Chaldean Tyrant made the furnace blaze, * with heat fanned sevenfold for the servants of God; * but when he perceived that they had been saved by a greater power * he cried aloud to the Creator and Redeemer; * ‘ye children bless, ye priests praise, * ye people, supremely exalt Him throughout all ages’.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Mortify all the uprisings of our bodies, О Virgin who by thy Life-bearing birthgiving didst slay the serpent, and pray that we may receive the life which ageth not, that we may hymn thee forever.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

I ever invoke thine aid, О Birthgiver of God. Put me not to shame who have already acquired shame, but take pity upon me, О most pure one, rescue me from the flame, and deliver me from eternal torments.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

Show thyself to me as a joyous helper amid evil circumstances, delivering me from the assaults which the demons launched at me, that I may ever bless thee, О Theotokos, as the intercessor for all.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

О most holy Maiden, thou boast of the apostles and glory of the martyrs, cause me to share in eternal glory, who cry aloud: Bless the Most Holy Spirit throughout all ages!

Ode IX, Irmos: Thou hast passed the limits of nature, * having conceived the Maker and the Lord, * and didst become a door of salvation * unto the world; * wherefore we unceasingly magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

With thy never-waning light drive away the cruel darkness from my soul, О portal of the Light, and show me the luminous paths of repentance, that, treading them, I may elude the gloom of sin and may unceasingly magnify thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Cleanse thy servants, О Good One, and grant us forgiveness of transgressions; deliver us from the eternal flame, that we may share in Thy kingdom, О Word of God, for Thou didst endure the Cross in Thy desire to save the race of mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  

Grant that I may easily pass through the journey of this life, О Theotokos, subduing the uprisings of temptations and perils, in that thou art good, and guide me to the virtues of the heavenly kingdom and divine rest, that, saved, I may glorify thee.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  

In that thou hast given birth to the supremely good God and art merciful, heal thou my soul, which is sick with grievous suffering, and ever deliver me from the evils which oppress and assail me, О most pure one, that, saved, I may fervently magnify thee who hast magnified our race.