Tag Archives: Mother of God

Monday Evening Compline: Supplicatory Canon in Tone I

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A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos

Ode I, Irmos: Let us all chant a triumphant hymn unto God * Who wrought wondrous miracles * with His upraised arm, * and saved Israel, * for He hath been glorified.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Rejoice, О most pure sanctuary, О Virgin, adornment of the angels and receptacle of the Spirit, О immaculate Bride of the Unoriginate Father and Mother of God the Word!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou art a Queen, in that thou art the daughter of the King, О Lady Theotokos, having produced and given birth to God the King in the flesh; and thou reignest with Him.

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

From the manifold misfortunes of my whole life do thou deliver me, О intercessor, that I may raise my voice in thanksgiving to thee: О pure Theotokos, rescue me from the torment which is to come!

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

The Church proclaimeth thy birthgiving with Orthodox doctrines and divine hymnody, О Virgin Bride of God, for it venerateth the signs of the incarnation of thy Son.

Ode III, Irmos: The stone which the builders have rejected, * the same hath become the cornerstone: * this is the rock upon which Christ hath established the Church, * which He hath redeemed from among the nations.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

As thou hast the glory of virginity, thou hast been invested with the grace of the Holy Spirit, О most pure Mary, who hast been shown to be the Theotokos. О new and hidden mystery! For how dost thou remain a virgin, having given birth to God in the flesh?

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Who can recount what Thou hast done, О Lord? For Thou hast shown Thyself to be the Son of one who should have been cursed to give birth to children amid grief. Yea, the fallen nature of women rejoiceth in Thee our God, because of the Theotokos.

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

Through thee, О most pure Mary, who alone art the Theotokos, hath the world been freed from the tempest of transgressions. Wherefore, having thee as a haven of salvation, we the faithful praise thy mighty works with hymnody.

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

The prophets of old hymned thy virginity, saying that thou wouldst give birth within time to the Timeless One, to the Word Who is beyond words, Christ our God, One of the Trinity. Him doth the Church honour with images, О pure Mary.

Ode IV, Irmos: Foreseeing in the Spirit O Prophet Habbakuk, * the incarnation of the Word, * thou didst proclaim, crying aloud: * When the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be known; * when the season cometh, Thou shalt be shown forth! * Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

In many ways the mirror of the divine prophets, sevenfold in radiance, hymneth thy prefigurations; and we, receiving the signs of thy departure in deed, believe thee to be the true Theotokos, beholding thee in matter.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Honouring thee as the true Mother of God as is meet, О pure Virgin, we offer our own cry to thee, who wast proclaimed in the law and the prophets: Rejoice, О joyous one! The Lord is with thee!

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

Behold! the Theotokos, the divine mountain, which Habbakuk saw manifestly overshadowed with the virtues, hath shone forth in the world. And through her we who of old fell away through disobedience have straightway drawn nigh again to God.

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

Blessed is the tongue which hath been deemed worthy to honour thy birthgiving with Orthodox faith and doctrine and works, О most pure and pure one, truly showing forth all the images of the incarnation of thy Son.

Ode V, Irmos: Seeking Thee early in the morn, * we sing Thy praises, O Christ God, * who for our sake became poor * and in Thy flesh * endured the Cross and death.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

In a secret and hidden manner Moses revealed thee as the bush which burned without being consumed, О Lady Theotokos; for thy material womb was not consumed by the Godhead.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou art my strength, thou art my boast and joy! Thou art my preserver, my help, refuge and mine invincible intercessor, О most holy Virgin Theotokos. Wherefore, save thou thy servant!

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

Turn not away from the praise of our defiled lips, О most pure Theotokos; for there is no one on earth who dare hymn thee as is meet.

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

He Who was born from the Virgin is One Being in two natures: Invisible God and visible Man, Who for our sake assumed the likeness of men.

Ode VI, Irmos: Emulating the Prophet Jonah, I cry aloud: * Free Thou my life from corruption, O Good One; * and save me who crieth out: * O Saviour of the world, Glory be to Thee!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The seven-branched candlestand of the prophets perceived thee to be the noetic lamp-stand, О Virgin, manifestly showing forth the activity of the Spirit Who shineth forth within thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Virgin, thou wast, truly shown to be the tree of Life which hath slain the deceiving serpent with thy fruit, having given birth to Christ God, our Life.

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

Beauteous praises should not be offered to thee from defiled lips, О pure Mother of our God; rather, behold thou the desire of my soul, and accept it.

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

The iniquitous rage in tumult of bitter unbelief when they behold the assemblies of the Orthodox venerating thine image, О Virgin.

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 I: Guide thou my wretched life, О pure one, and take pity on my soul, which hath stumbled into the abyss of perdition through many transgressions, О all-immaculate one; and at the hour of my death free me from the accusing demons and from the terrible sentence.

Ode VII, Irmos: Thy children who were in the furnace O Saviour, * were neither touched nor troubled by The fire. * Whereupon the three sang, as with a single mouth * Thy praises and blessed Thee, saying: * ‘O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou.’

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou hast been revealed to be all-adorned with the virtues, with glory and the honour of virginity, О Bride of God; for thy comeliness is truly most beautiful in magnificence, and the Lord Who loveth thee hath brought Thee, His divine Mother, to Himself.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou hast manifestly become a staff of uprightness, a most precious staff of royalty; wherefore, thou didst bring forth as fruit, the Word of God, which the miracle of Aaron’s rod clearly prefigured of old.

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

Having defiled my body, mind and soul with many carnal passions, О pure one, how can I hymn the beauty of thy virtues? I am at a loss and am afraid. Yet be thou thyself my helper through thy supplications.

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

I honour the union of Thine incarnation, О Christ, and I reverently venerate the image thereof, for, though Thou art the pre-eternal God, yet didst Thou become an immutable man, being perfect in both natures.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Him of whom the angels and all the hosts of heaven are in awe * as their Lord and Creator, * ye priests hymn, ye children praise, * ye peoples bless and supremely exalt * throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Let the divine sanctity of God be hymned, whereby the world hath been delivered from corruption! Let all who have fallen then rise up, for Mary hath given birth to Christ, our salvation!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

We hymn thee, О most pure Mother of God. Who will not glorify thee, who art truly good, the hope of our souls? Wherefore, О most holy one, accept thou our cries.

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

Adorn yourselves today with hymns, О ye faithful! Ye angels and men, give glory together; for the devil and despair are fallen! Mary hath for us given birth to our hope of salvation!

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

О ye who are blind, describe not the Godhead, and tell no falsehoods! For He is simply invisible and unseeable. Yet, depicting the image of the flesh, I venerate it, and with faith I glorify the Virgin who gave birth to the Lord.

Ode IX, Irmos: The light-bearing cloud upon whom * the Unoriginate Master of all descended from heaven, * like the dew upon the fleece, * and of whom He was incarnate, * becoming a man for our sake, * let us all magnify as the pure Mother of God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Rejoice, О Mary, thou great wonder of all creation! Rejoice, О daughter of David and Mother of the Lord! Rejoice, subject of Gabriel’s hymnody! Rejoice, О pure one, thou refuge, confirmation and help of all sinners on earth!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The wondrous Joachim and the godly Anna, beholding on earth Mary, the Mother of the Creator, to whom they gave birth as a daughter, hymn her through the divine Spirit and chant songs of thanksgiving. By her supplications save us all, in that Thou art God.

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

О most holy Virgin Mother of God Most High, thy birthgiving on earth hath been shown to be the salvation of sinners and the lowly; for in thee have we been saved who have faith. Yet save me also, now and throughout all the living ages.

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

I know the Word to be incarnate, yet immutable. Wherefore, I hymn Thee with faith, Who art in two natures but one hypostasis. And proclaiming Thee to be truly God and man, I end my hymnody.

Drawing Near to the Theotokos: The Tale of the Five Prayers

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From the times of the Apostles, Christians of all ages, when entering upon a task, began it with prayer, and the end of it they also hallowed with prayerful thanksgiving to the Lord, in Whom we live and move and have our being. And let us do the same, beloved reader.

But not having the gift of effectual prayer, let us recall and commit to memory what once was offered to the Lord by the grace of the Holy Spirit out of the inspired heart of the great Russian man of prayer, our father among the Saints, Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov and Yaroslav.

I am sure that for you, as for me, in offering to your attention “The Tale of The Five Prayers” the work of the great Bishop, it will be both welcome and useful, especially in the view of the wonderful promises which it contains. So hear this tale, my beloved reader.

You will not blame me for offering you in this Tale something new – it is not mine, and not new, but only fundamentally and completely forgotten, forgive me that I have disturbed the dust of ages: but this dust is holy …

One of the holy fathers, standing in prayer and being in ecstasy, heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to the Immaculate and Holy Mother of God, His Mother, saying to her: “Tell me, My Mother, which were the greatest of your sufferings, when you lived in the world, which you suffered for My sake?” The Immaculate One replied: “My Son and God, five times I have endured my greatest suffering for you: First, when I heard from the Prophet Simeon that you were to be killed; Second, when I looked for you in Jerusalem, and did not see you for three days; Third, when I heard that you were seized and bound by the Jews; Fourth, when I saw you on the Cross crucified between the robbers; Fifth, when I saw you placed in the Tomb.” And the Lord said to her: “I tell you. My Mother, whoever reads every day each of your sufferings with My prayer, i.e. ‘Our Father,’ for the first suffering I will give the knowledge of his sins and sorrow for them; for the second, I will give the forgiveness of all his sins; for the third, I will restore to him the virtues lost through sin; for the fourth, I will refresh him at death with my Divine Body and Blood; for the fifth, I will appear to him Myself at his death, and receive his soul into eternal life. Amen.”

After this vision of the Holy Father, the following prayers were added by St. Dimitri:

At the beginning of the five prayers:

“Glory to Thee, Christ my God, that Thou hast not destroyed me a sinner, with my sins, but even till now hast borne -with my sin.”

Bow

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin. Grant, O Lord, that I may not anger Thee, my Creator, in thought, word or deed, but that all my actions, counsels and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy Holy Name.”

Bow

“God be merciful to me, a sinner, throughout my whole life. In my passing and after death, forsake me not.”

Bow

Falling low on the earth, say:

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, accept me, dead in mind and soul, accept me, a sinful prodigal, impure in soul and body. Take from me all shameless enmity and resistance, and turn not Thy Face from me, O Lord, nor say: I know not who thou art. But hear the voice of my prayer: save me, for Thou hast a wealth of compassion and desirest not the death of a sinner. I will never leave Thee nor depart from Thee, my Creator, till Thou hearest me and givest me forgiveness of all my sins, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, the intercession of the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven, of my holy and glorious Guardian Angel, of Thy Forerunner and Prophet, the Baptist John, of the God-speaking Apostles, of the holy and victorious martyrs, of our Reverend and God-fearing fathers, and all Thy Saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner.”

O Heavenly King, O Comforter…
Holy God, Holy Mighty…
Our Father…

Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

First Prayer

“O merciful Mother, Virgin Mary, I thy sinful and unprofitable servant, remembering thy suffering on hearing from the Prophet Simeon of the merciless murder of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offer thee this prayer and the Angelic Salutation. Accept it in honour and memory of thy suffering, and pray thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant me the knowledge of my sins and sorrow for them.”

Bow

Second Prayer

Our Father… 
Virgin Mother…

“O Divinely-blessed and Immaculate Maiden, Mother and Virgin, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst lose thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple, and for three days didst not see Him. Pray and beg of Him the forgiveness and remission of all my sins, O only Blessed One.”

Bow

Third Prayer

Our Father… 
Virgin Mother…

“O Mother of Light, most blessed Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering on hearing that thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, had been seized and bound. Pray Him to restore to me the virtues lost through sin, that I may magnify thee, O Most Pure One, for ever.”

Bow

Fourth Prayer

Our Father… 
Virgin Mother…

“O Fountain of Mercy, Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy GOD, our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross between the robbers. Pray Him, O Lady, to grant me the gift of His mercy in the hour of my death, and to refresh me with His Divine Body and Blood, that I may glorify thee, my Defender, for ever.”

Bow

Fifth Prayer

Our Father… 
Virgin Mother…

“O my Hope, Most Pure Virgin, Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, placed in the Tomb. Pray Him, O Lady, to appear to me in the hour of my death, and to receive my soul into eternal life. Amen.”

Bow

The “Chernigov-Gethsemane” Icon of the Mother of God

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The Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God is a copy of the famed Ilyin-Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God (April 16), which was to be found at the Trinity-Ilyin monastery near Chernigov on Mount Boldina, and where in the eleventh century Saint Anthony of the Kiev Caves struggled in asceticism.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov described the miracles of this icon in his book THE BEDEWED FLEECE. He wrote in conclusion: “The end of the booklet, but not of the miracles of the Most Holy Theotokos, for who can count them?” The grace-bearing power of this icon is manifest also in its copies.

The Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God was painted in the mid-eighteenth century and was passed on to the Trinity Sergiev Lavra in 1852 by Alexandra Grigorievna Philippova, who piously kept it for a quarter century. (This icon was given to her by the priest John Alekseev, who received it in turn from one of the monks of the Trinity Sergiev Lavra.)

On the advice of the head of the Lavra, Archimandrite Anthony (+ May 1, 1877), the icon was placed in the newly-consecrated cave church named for Saint Michael, Leader of the Heavenly Hosts, which was consecrated on October 27, 1851 by Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow (November 19), who assumed an active role in the building of the Gethsemane skete.

In this manner, the icon took in the currents of grace of all the history of the Russian Church, it acquired the blessing of Saint Anthony of the Caves, of Saint Sergius of Radonezh and of his parents Saints Cyril and Maria (September 28), and finally, of the ascetics of the nineteenth century. These spiritual connections providentially come forth through the Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God.

It is remarkable that the first miracle of this icon was witnessed on the day of the Church New Year, September 1, 1869, when the twenty-eight-year-old peasant of Tula governance, Thekla Adrianova, was healed, after being completely crippled for nine years.

Living at the hostel by the caves, and then at the Lavra during the celebration of the Repose of Saint Sergius (September 25), Thekla recovered completely. Saint Innocent the Metropolitan of Moscow (October 6 and March 31), learned of the miracle from his daughter the nun Polyxeni, treasurer of the Borisov wilderness monastery. On the feast of Saint Sergius, he himself met with Thekla and asked her about the details of the healing. On September 26, 1869 Saint Innocent arrived at the Gethsemane skete and gave the blessing for a Molieben to be served before the glorified icon, while he himself prayed with tears.

By September 26 three healings had occurred already, and a whole series of miracles in November of that same year. The fame of the icon of the Mother of God spread with unusual swiftness. Exhausted by suffering and sickness, thirsting for bodily and spiritual healing, people from every class of society came with firm faith to the wonderworking icon, and the mercy of God did not forsake them.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, more than 100 miracles had been recorded. By its great esteem the icon benefited the ascetics of the Gethsemane skete: the schemamonk Philip (+ May 18, 1868), the founder of the cave monastery, and his three sons, the hieroschemamonks Ignatius (+ 1900), Porphyrius (+ 1905 ?) and Basil (+ April 1, 1915). They preserved accounts of the deep love, which the hieromonk Elder Isidore (+ February 3, 1908) displayed for the Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon.

The initial celebration of the icon was established on April 16, on the day when Ilyin-Cherigov icon was celebrated. Later, it was transferred to September 1, the day of its glorification. At the present time there are copies of the Chernigov-Gethsemane icon at Trinity-Sergiev Lavra. They are found in the temple of Saint Sergius, in the monastery trapeza, and in the portico of the Trinity cathedral, painted by Elders of the Gethsemane skete and the Zosimov wilderness monastery.

Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2012/09/01/102458-chernigov-gethsemane-icon-of-the-mother-of-god

The Humility of the Mother of God

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With wonder will I speak of Mary while I stand in awe, because the daughter of earthly beings has ascended to such a high rank.

Now did grace itself bend down the Son to her, or was she so beautiful that she became the Mother of the Son of God?

That God descended on earth by grace is manifest, and since Mary was very pure she received Him.

He looked on her humility and her gentleness and her purity, and dwelt in her because it is easy for Him to dwell within the humble.

”On whom will I gaze except the gentle and humble?” He looked on and dwelt in her because she was humble among those who are borne.

Even she herself said that he looked on her lowliness and dwelt in her, because of this she shall be extolled, for she was so pleasing.

Humility is total perfection, so that when man beholds God, then he behaves humbly.

For Moses was humble, a great one among all men; God went down to him on the mountain in revelation.

Again humility is seen in Abraham, for although he was just, he called himself dust and ashes.

Again, also, John was humble, because he was proclaiming that he was not worthy to loose the sandals of the Bridegroom, his Lord.

By humility, the heroic in ever generation have been pleasing, because it is the great way by which one draws near to God.

But none on earth was brought low like Mary, and from this it is manifest that no one was exalted like her.

In proportion to lowliness, the Lord bestows manifestation; He made her His mother and who is like her in humility?

Mar Jacob of Serug: Homily Concerning the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, Mary

Celebrating the Yaroslavskaya Icon of the Mother of God

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Today we celebrate the feast of the Yaroslavskaya Icon of the most Holy Mother of God, one of the “Umilenie” of “Tenderness” icons that are so loved in the Slavic lands.

This was the first wonderworking icon of the Mother of God revealed during the Tatar-Mongol yoke, and was brought from Kiev to Yaroslavl soon after the invasion of Batu Khan by the holy right-believing Princes Basil and Constantine (July 3).

As we stand or kneel before the icon, we encounter the Virgin’s deep love and care for the Infant-Saviour, as she holds Him close to her – though her face shows reflective inner thought rather than looking at the Child or at us. The Saviour touches His mother’s face, focusing on her as he holds the hem of her robe with his other hand.

This is a perfect icon of the sacred motherhood and love of the Mother of God, to whom we turn in prayer, particularly asking her maternal care for  the Archpriest Yves, the Subdeacon Peter, Gennady, Alexey, Valery, Irina, Anastasia, Fidelmia, Anamieka, Phoevos, Mary-Louisa, Mairi, Ruth-Silouana, the infant Lawrence, Susan and all who are sick- and for all refugees from Ukraine, who like her holy icon have fled from their homeland to escape war and bloodshed.

Save thy servants from harm, O Theotokos, for all we, after God, flee unto thee, as to an unassailable wall and intercessor.

Look with loving-kindness, O all-hymned Theotokos, upon my cruel bodily suffering, and heal the sickness of my soul.

Most Holy Lady, Theotokos save us!

Greetings for the Feast of the Kazan Icon

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Dear brothers and sisters, festal greetings to you all, as we celebrate the autumn feast of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates some three-hundred ‘revealed’ icons of the Mother of God, among which we find the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, in whose name our parish is dedicated.

Throughout the centuries of Muscovite and Imperial Russia, just as so many icons of the Theotokos have been revealed in miraculous circumstances, so the Mother of God has revealed and manifested her maternal care and protection for the Orthodox faithful and the lands of Rus – through her icons, through her miraculous intercession, and through her countless miracles worked in the lives of ordinary people.

On the very day of the Tsar’s abdication, the Mother of God renewed her “Reigning/Derzhavnaya” icon, showing that for the faithful, she would now take upon her shoulders the role of Tsaritsa of the Russian realm, leading the faithful through the torment and torture of the Soviet period, and throughout those dark years her maternal-care continued to be felt. And, during those torturous years, the faithful were never left without the consolation of the Mother of God.

Together with the Icon of the Sign, and the Vladimirskaya, the Wonderworking Kazan Icon is one of the ‘Palladium’ icons, carried by the faithful into battle and defence of the realm, and today’s feast commemorates the defeat of the Poles, in the Time of Troubles (after the death of Ivan the Terrible) and the first significant defeat of the Napoleonic army, after snow and ice lashed the invading French forces. Such was the faith of believing people even in Soviet times, that we have the well-known description of a copy of our beloved Kazan Icon being carried around besieged Leningrad during the Second World War.

Yet, despite the miraculous victories and the martial hymns to the Mother of God as “Triumphal leader in battle”, for Russian Orthodox believers the Theotokos is not so much impressed upon our spiritual consciousness as Heavenly Empress, but as the merciful Mother of Christians, who cares for the faithful, nurturing them, providing for them in their hour of need, bringing joy in sorrow, becoming a hope for the hopeless and help for the helpless.

This always strikes me whenever we sing the beautiful hymn, Царице моя преблагая (Tsaristsa moya preblagaya), to the beautiful yet very simple melody from the Krasnogorsk Monastery,

O my most blessed Queen, O Theotokos my hope, guardian of orphans and intercessor for strangers, Joy of the sorrowful, Protectress of the oppressed; Thou beholdest my misfortune, Thou seest my sorrow. Help me, for I am infirm; feed me, for I am a stranger. Thou knowest mine offense: do Thou loose it, as Thou dost will, for I have none other help but Thee, nor any other intercessor save Thee, O Mother of God. Do Thou preserve and protect me unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Behind this present feast’s triumphal language, and images of victory in which we speak of the Mother of God as Lady, Queen and Mistress and her ‘mighty protection’, this celebration leads us to the tenderness and warmth of the motherhood of the Theotokos – summed up by that wonderful word umilinie – which is tenderness, compassion, mercy, loving-kindness, warmth, with so many other subtle shades of meaning when applied to the motherhood of the Mother of God.

As we look at the Kazan Icon, there is nothing complicated, and its scheme is in many ways minimal, simple and straightforward, and it has traditionally been this icon that has been carried before newly-weds, to become the heart of the icon-corner in each new home, at the centre of Orthodox family-life.

In the classic Hodegetria icon, the Mother of God directs us to her Son with her outstretched hand, but in the Kazan Icon she rather does so in the inclination of her head, as she bows contemplatively towards the Christ-Child, avoiding the eyes of the viewer, so that it is the Saviour who engages with the one who stands before the icon, and it is His eyes they meet, not the self-effacing and humble Mother.

As she ever leads us to her Son, ever interceding for us, before the Holy Trinity, let us never be strangers to her maternal care, however broken or dysfunctional our lives may have become. Rather, let us turn to her with all of our problems and sorrows, as well as our joys, bringing our lives, ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, even enemies to her merciful-care. It is beneath that merciful-care, that reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing may happen, through her prayers, through her grace, and with her help.

It is often in the most grievous of sorrows, and the most desperate situations that we learn the value, the wholesomeness and necessity of a Mother’s love, and in the Mother of God we find maternal care that never ceases, that never dies, but always seeks out those in need, to lead us to the Saviour in His Kingdom, into which she has been assumed in glory.

On this feast, let us do as the deacon calls us to do during the litanies:

“Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one other, and all our life unto Christ our God.”

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

Asking your prayers, with love in Christ.

Hieromonk Mark

A Prayer against Passions, Torments, Despair and Distress

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A Prayer of Saint Nikolaj (Velimirovic) to the Most-Holy Theotokos

 

Waves of passion disturb my spirit, great sadness and anguish have overwhelmed my soul. Embalm my soul with Thy Son’s peace, O Most Holy One, and by His Grace drive away every doubt and despair. Calm the storm of my sins that, like a fiery worm, burn me, and quench its flame. Fill my heart with joy, O Most Pure One, and disperse the fog of my iniquities before me, for it confuses me. Illumine me with the light of Thy Son. Helpless is my soul, and everything is cumbersome, even prayer. Here I am, cold as a stone, my lips whispering prayers, while my heart remains immovable, for it is smothered in anguish. Melt the ice which envelops my soul and warm my heart with Thy love.

I rely not on human protection, but fall down before Thee, O Most Pure Sovereign Mother of God; reject me not, but hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant. Sadness has overcome me; I can endure the demonic attack no more. I have no protection; there is no shelter for this poor man, and in this battle, I am ever being wounded. I have no consolation, but in Thee, O Holy Sovereign. O Hope and Protection of all who believe, reject not my prayer.

O Most Holy Mother of Christ, Most Pure, Most Blessed Theotokos, Satan is pounding at me like the waves of the sea against a ship, pursuing me by day and tormenting me at night. I have no peace; turbulent is my soul, my spirit trembles. Hearken, O Most Holy One and help me. Intercede before the dear Lord that He may have mercy on me and forgive the sins I have committed. O Most Holy Mother of Jesus, Thy grace is great, and the mightiest opponent to the powers of Hades. Thou art able to save even the greatest of sinners who, having been cast into the depths of hell by unclean powers, should call upon Thee. So too, save me, for lo, Satan will have me stumble and will destroy my faith, but I trust in the Lord. I magnify Thee, Who art more holy than the Cherubim and the Seraphim. Amen.

Today’s Liturgy and the Blessing of Honey

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Dear brothers and sisters,

It was – as always – a great joy to gather today for the Divine Liturgy, followed by the veneration of the Precious Cross and the blessing of honey.

Though yesterday was the feast of the Procession of the Life-Giving Cross and the All-Merciful Saviour, we were unable to have Liturgy, so we ‘caught up’ with August’s first feast of the Saviour at compline yesterday evening and today, after Liturgy.

The icon of the All-Merciful Saviour

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