Tuesday Evening Compline : Canon in Tone I

On Tuesday evening of Tone I, at Compline: Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Ode1, Irmos: Thy victorious right arm, * in a manner befitting God, * hath been glorified in strength, O Immortal One; * for in its infinite strength it shattered the enemy, * fashioning anew a path for the Israelites through the deep.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

He Who is incomprehensible to the armies of heaven received flesh of thy flesh, О all-immaculate Maiden, and hath restored her who became corrupt through the first sin of disobedience.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О ye faithful, with hymns let us bless her who gave birth to the Word of God in a manner past all telling; for she, the most immaculate one, hath been revealed to be the adornment of mortals, becoming the intercessor for all who sin.

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

Thou hast been shown to be more spacious than the heavens, for thou didst contain the Creator of all things, О Ever-virgin Mother. Wherefore, I cry to thee: Deliver me from all deadly straits, О divinely joyous one.

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

О pure one, grant help to us who are tempest-tossed by the turmoil of tribulations; cast down the wicked uprisings of our enemies; and grant salvation to all who glorify thee with piety.

Ode III, Irmos: Thou alone knowest the weakness of human nature * and in compassion hast assumed its form; * do Thou gird me with power from on high, * that I may cry unto Thee: * Holy is the animate temple of Thine ineffable glory, O Lover of mankind!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

He Who is full hath emptied Himself for our sake, and He Who is beginningless hath received a beginning through thee, О most immaculate Virgin; the Invisible One is seen, and He Who sustaineth all things is fed with milk, intending thus to restore mankind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Heal thou our broken state, О Virgin who knewest not wedlock, who hast given birth to the Lord and Healer Who through grace hath shown us the entry to life. Him do thou unceasingly beseech, that He have pity and save thy servants.

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

Having wasted my life in slothfulness, I fall down before thee, О most pure one: by thy constant supplications to God move thou my mind and with the radiance of repentance enlighten me who am wholly darkened, that I may glorify thee with faith and love.

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

Having wasted my life in slothfulness, I fall down before thee, О most pure one: by thy constant supplications to God move thou my mind and with the radiance of repentance enlighten me who am wholly darkened, that I may glorify thee with faith and love.

Ode IV, Irmos: Perceiving thee with prophetic eyes * as the mountain overshadowed by the grace of God, * Habbakuk proclaimed that the Holy One of Israel * would come forth from thee, * for our salvation and restoration.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

We know thee as the divine palace of the Word, wherein He made His abode in the flesh and hath restored us who had been corrupted by the passions. Wherefore, О pure one, we honor thee as the Mother of God, and we glorify Him Who was born from thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The incarnate Word made His abode within thy womb, О Virgin. He hath dispelled the curse which before resided in human nature, and by His divine union He hath in a godly manner deified it. Wherefore, we hymn thee.

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

Mortality seized Adam because he tasted of the fruit of corruption, О all-immaculate one; but now, by thy birthgiving, he hath been restored to life and dwelleth in the mansions of paradise. Wherefore, we hymn thee as is meet.

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

Having given birth to Christ God, the Wellspring of immortality, thou hast caused the torrent of death to cease. Him do thou therefore entreat, О thou who art full of the grace of God, that He heal the deadly passions of my soul and save me.

Ode V, Irmos: Thou hast shone upon us with the radiance * of Thy coming O Christ, * and illumined the ends of the world with Thy Cross, * enlighten with the light of thine understanding * the hearts of those who with right worship hymn Thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The never-setting Sun shone forth from thy womb, О most immaculate one, and hath utterly destroyed the darkness, and illumined the earth with divine understanding. Wherefore, we hymn thee with faith.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

We cry out to thee with the voice of the angel: “Rejoice, О most pure one!” For thou hast given birth to the Angel of great Counsel, Who with the Father is beginningless, О Virgin, and Who assumed flesh that He might save mankind.

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

Making His abode within thy womb, О pure one, the Lord delivered those who piously believe in Him from the dominion of the enemy; wherefore, we all hymn thee aloud, О most pure one.

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

Clothing Himself in me, the Master issued forth from thee, О all-immaculate one, deifying human nature. Him do thou entreat, О Birthgiver of God, that He strip me bare of every sin.

Ode VI, Irmos: The deepest abyss hath surrounded us, * and there is none to deliver us, * yea we have been counted as sheep for the slaughter; * save Thy people O our God, * for thou art the strength and restoration of the weak.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Without seed thou didst conceive God in thy womb, and after thy strange birthgiving thou didst remain a virgin, О all-immaculate one; wherefore, we who have been delivered from the curse by thee glorify thee with praises, О most pure one.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou art the ladder which Jacob saw, the mountain overshadowed, the most radiant cloud of the divine Light, the door through which God alone hath passed. Blessed art Thou among women, О most immaculate one!

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

In a manner transcending the laws of nature, О Virgin who knewest not wedlock, thou hast given birth to the hypostatic Word of God Who healeth our broken state. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He save us all.

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

Bearing my soul which is sick with transgressions, I cry to thee, О most holy, most glorious and pure one: Heal and save me by thy mediation, that I may hymn and magnify thine aid.

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 I: Possessing thine intercession, O most pure one, * and delivered from evils by thy supplications, * protected wholly by the Cross of thy Son, ** we all reverently magnify thee as is meet.

Ode VII, Irmos: We the faithful perceive thee, O Theotokos, * to be a noetic furnace; * for as He, the supremely exalted One, * saved the three children, * so hath He wholly refashioned fallen humanity, in thy womb, * O Thou praised and supremely glorified God of our fathers.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The shadows of the law and the former indistinct images of the divinely eloquent prophets manifestly proclaimed thy seedless birthgiving, О most pure and all-immaculate one. And we cry out, hymning the hymned and most glorious God of our fathers.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О pure one full of the grace of God, thou hast given birth to the Sun of the East, Who hath illumined the fullness of all the faithful and caused the night of impiety to fade. Wherefore, we honor the hymned and most glorious God of our fathers.

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

Once, О all-immaculate one, the bush which burned yet was not consumed prefigured thy womb, for the fire of the Godhead in nowise consumed thee. Wherefore, I entreat thee: Deliver me from the unquenchable fire, that I may unceasingly hymn thy mighty works, О pure one

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

О Mother of God, help of the faithful, cleansing of the sinful, giver of all good things: in thy compassion accept me, who fall down and approach thee with weeping, begging release from mine offenses.

Ode VIII, Irmos: In the furnace as in a fiery smelter * the Israelite children shone more brightly than gold * with the beauty of godliness, * as they exclaimed: Bless the Lord all ye works of the Lord, * hymn and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The images of the law and the formerly unclear images clearly foretold that thou wouldst become the pure Mother of the Lord, О Virgin; and we, beholding now the fulfillment of these things, hymn thee together and glorify thee throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou hast indisputably been adorned with divine beauties among beauties, О all-immaculate one, having given birth to the Word of God, Who illumineth with divine beauties the hearts of all who hymn Him with faith throughout all ages.

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

With sacred voices the prophets said of old that thou wouldst become the all-immaculate Mother of God the Master. To Him do we cry aloud: Bless the Lord, all ye works! Hymn and supremely exalt Him throughout the ages!

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

In that thou art beauteous and all-comely, О Virgin, thou gavest, birth blamelessly to Christ Who is comely in beauties. To Him do we cry aloud: Bless the Lord, all ye works! Hymn and supremely exalt Him throughout the ages!

Ode IX, Irmos: The Bush, which burnt without being consumed, * prefigured thy pure birthgiving, O Theotokos. * Wherefore we now entreat Thee: * quench the raging furnace of temptations that beset us, * that we may unceasingly magnify Thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The nature of mortals, which before was condemned, О Virgin, hath received immortality through thy supra-natural and divine birthgiving; and they have received their former beauty, praising thee together with joyous hymns.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou bearest Him Who beareth all things, and thou feedest with milk Him Who giveth food unto all. Great and awesome and past understanding is thy mystery, О Virgin Theotokos, thou ark of the honored priesthood! Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

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

О most pure one, shine light now upon me who lie in the darkness of slothfulness, freeing me from the thoughts of the passions which blind me, О all-immaculate one, and ever imparting profound peace to my soul, that I may glorify thee.

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

I fear the implacable judgment seat and the impartial Judge, О most immaculate one; for the multitude of mine offenses is beyond number, in that I live in slothfulness, wholly consumed by the passions. Wherefore, moved to pity, have mercy on me, О Theotokos.

Tuesday Evening Compline : Canon in Tone VIII

Further to yesterday’s encouragement to pray the supplicatory canons to the Theotokos, as part of the praxis of the Dormition Fast, the canon for tonight’s compline is posted. This will be equally suited to incorporation into our evening prayers.

You will recognise this as the normal Small Supplicatory Canon, by the Lord Theophanes (also attributed to Theoktistos) but successive evenings will bring different Supplicatory Canons by other hymnographers. 

Ode 1, Irmos: Having passed through the water as upon dry land, * and having escaped the malice of the Egyptians, * the Israelites cried aloud: * Unto our God and Redeemer let us sing.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Beset by many perils, I flee unto thee, seeking salvation. О Virgin Mother of the Word, save me from every grievous and cruel circumstance.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Assaults of the passions disquiet me and fill my soul with great despondency. Bring peace to me with the tranquility of thy Son and God, О all-immaculate Maiden.

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

I entreat thee, О Virgin who hast given birth to God the Saviour, that I may be delivered from grievous circumstances; for, fleeing now unto thee, I raise unto thee my soul and mind.

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

In that thou art good, О only Mother of God who hast given birth to Him Who is good, unto me who am sick in body and soul grant divine visitation and providence.

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.

I count thee the intercession and protection of my life, О Virgin Birthgiver of God. Guide me to thy haven, О cause of good things, confirmation of the faithful, who alone art all-hymned.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

I beg thee to quell the tumult of my soul and the tempest of my grief, О Virgin; for thou hast given birth to Christ, the Origin of tranquillity, О Bride of God who alone art most pure.

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

О thou who hast given birth unto the Benefactor, the Cause of good things, pour forth the riches of beneficence upon all; for as thou hast given birth to Christ Who is mighty in strength, thou art able to accomplish all things, О thou who art blessed of God.

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

When I am wracked by cruel afflictions and painful sufferings, О Virgin, do thou help me; for I know thee to be an inexhaustible and never-failing treasury of healings, О most immaculate one.

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 Bride of God, who hast given birth to the Lord and Helmsman, still thou the tumult of my passions and the tempest of my transgressions.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О thou who hast given birth to the compassionate Saviour of all who hymn thee, bestow the abyss of thy tender compassion upon me who invoke thee.

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

Delighting in thy gifts, О most pure one, we chant hymnody of thanksgiving unto thee, knowing thee to be the Mother of God.

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

As I lie upon my bed of sickness and infirmity, help me, О only Ever- virgin Theotokos, in that thou art full of love.

Ode V, Irmos: Illumine us O Lord with Thy commandments, * and with Thine arm raised on high * grant us Thy peace, * O Lover of mankind!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Fill thou my heart with gladness, О pure one, granting me thine unfading joy, О thou who hast given birth to the Cause of gladness.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Deliver us from misfortunes, О pure Theotokos, who hast given birth to eternal Deliverance, the Intelligence which passeth all understanding.

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

Dispel thou the gloom of my transgressions with the radiance of thy splendour, О Bride of God who hast given birth to the divine and pre-eternal Light.

Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.  О pure one, heal thou the sickness of my soul, granting me thy

О pure one, heal thou the sickness of my soul, granting me thy visitation, and By thy prayers giving me health.

Ode VI, Irmos: I will pour out my prayer unto the Lord, * and to Him will I proclaim my grief; * for my soul is filled with evils, * and my life unto Hades hath drawn nigh, * and like Jonah I pray unto Thee: * Raise me up from corruption, O God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

He Who gave Himself over to death hath saved from death and corruption my nature which hath been held captive by corruption, О Virgin. Entreat thy Lord and Son, that He deliver me from the wickedness of the enemy.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

I know thee to be the intercessor and steadfast guardian of my life who doeth away with the tumults of temptations and repelleth the onslaughts of the demons; and I ever pray to be delivered from the corruption of my passions.

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

О Maiden, we have acquired thee as a bulwark of refuge, the perfect salvation of our souls, and latitude amid tribulations; and we ever rejoice in thy splendour. О Lady, even now save us from sufferings and misfortunes.

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

I lie now, sick, upon my bed, and there is no healing for my flesh; but to thee, the good one who gave birth to God, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, do I pray: Raise me up from the corruption of infirmities.

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: Beholding Thee, the Lamb and Shepherd, * the Saviour of the world, upon the Cross, * she that gaveth birth to Thee said, weeping: * The world rejoiceth, having received deliverance; * but my womb doth burn, beholding Thy crucifixion, ** which Thou dost endure on behalf of all, O my Son and God!

Ode VII, Irmos: The Children of Judaea, * who of old came to dwell in Babylon, * trampled underfoot the flame of the furnace * through their faith in the Trinity, * as they sang: ‘O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.’

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

As Thou didst desire to arrange our salvation, О Saviour, Thou didst make Thine abode within the womb of the Virgin, and hast shown her to be an intercessor for the world. О God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou hast given birth to Him Who willeth mercy, О pure Mother. Him do thou beseech, that He deliver from transgressions and defilement of soul those who cry out with faith: О God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

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

Thou hast shown her who gave birth to Thee to be a treasury of salvation, a wellspring of incorruption, a tower of safety and a portal of repentance for those who cry: О God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

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

О Virgin Birthgiver of God who hast given birth for us to Christ the Saviour, grant healing of bodily weakness and infirmity of soul unto those who with love have recourse to thy protection.

Ode VIII, Irmos: The King of heaven, * Who is glorified by the hosts of angels, * let us praise and supremely exalt throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Virgin, disdain not those who are in need of thine aid, and who hymn and supremely exalt thee throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou healest, the infirmity of my soul and my bodily pangs, О pure Virgin, that I may glorify thee throughout all ages.

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

О Virgin, thou pourest forth a wealth of healings upon those who with faith hymn thee and supremely exalt thine ineffable offspring.

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

О Virgin, thou drivest away the assaults of temptations and the attacks of the passions; wherefore, we hymn thee throughout all ages.

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.

Turn not away from the torrent of my tears, О Virgin who hast given birth unto Christ, and wiped away every tear from every face.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Fill thou my heart with joy, О Virgin who received the fullness of Joy, setting at naught the grief of sin.

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

With the rays of thy light, О Virgin, illumine those who in an Orthodox manner confess thee to be the Theotokos, dispelling the darkness of ignorance.

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

Heal thou the infirmities of one who hath been brought down to a place of affliction, О Virgin, transforming illness into health.