Having already celebrated the Sunday of St Mary of Egypt, and Mariino-Stoyanie / ‘Mary’s Standing’ – when her life was read in addition to the Great Canon – we now celebrate the feast of the ‘Earthly Angel’ and ‘Heavenly Woman’ whose example of profound repentance brings us consolation, encouragement and joy.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us!
The Canon to Our Venerable Mother, Mary of Egypt, In Tone IV:
Ode I, Irmos: Through the deep of the Red Sea, * marched dry shod Israel of old, * and by Moses’ outstretched hands, * raised in the form of a cross, * the power of Amalek was routed in the wilderness.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
With Thy mercy, O Christ, wash away the defilement of transgressions from my lowly soul, and by the supplications of Thy venerable one dispel the darkness and gloom of the passions.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Having polluted the nobility of thy soul with carnal passions, thou didst enlighten thy mind again by abstinence, making thy soul bright with the outpouring of thy tears.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst flee from the passions of Egypt as from a wellspring of sin; and having freed thyself of the defilement of the cruel Pharaoh, thou hast now inherited the land of dispassion, ever holding chorus with the angels.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Gazing upon the icon of thee and the Word Who was born of thy most pure womb, O pure Virgin Birthgiver of God and Sovereign Lady, the most glorious one fervently entreated thee to be a surety for herself before Thy Son.
Ode III, Irmos: Thy Church, O Christ, rejoiceth in Thee crying aloud: * Thou, O Lord, art my strength, * my refuge and foundation.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
The sores of thy soul were fetid and festering, but by the fountain of thy tears thou didst fervently cleanse them.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Legions of demons were vanquished by thee, and thou didst route the uprisings of the passions with thy tears.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast become like a cloud of the morning and like a trickling droplet pouring forth the waters of saving repentance upon all.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having thee as our intercessor, salvation and strength, O pure one, the honored Mary bowed down in worship before the Tree of the holy Cross.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the wisdom …”: Restraining all the uprisings of the flesh with the pangs of fasting, thou didst reveal the manly wisdom of thy soul; for desiring to behold the form of the Cross, O evermemorable one, thou didst crucify thyself to the world, and hence fervently raise thyself up to the zeal for an undefiled life, O most glorious and all-blessed Mary. Entreat Christ God, that He grant forgiveness of sins unto those who with love honor thy holy memory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion in Tone VIII: All we, the generations of mankind, * call thee blessed, * in that thou art the Virgin who alone among women * gavest birth without seed unto God in the flesh; * for the fire of the Godhead made its abode within thee, * and thou didst feed the Creator and Lord * with milk as an infant. * Wherefore, we, the race of mankind and of angels, * glorify thy birthgiving, * and together we cry out to thee: * Entreat Christ God to grant forgiveness of sins ** unto those who with faith worship thy most holy Offspring.
Ode IV, Irmos: Beholding Thee, the Sun of righteousness, * lifted up upon the cross, * the Church now standeth arrayed and doth worthily cry aloud: * Glory be to Thy power, O Lord.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Fleeing all the pleasurable things which are in the world, thou didst take thyself away, and through extreme abstinence and the endurance of those things which thou didst accomplish, cleaving unto Him alone in a pure manner.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
The movements and burnings of the flesh didst thou truly quell through abstinence; hence thou didst adorn thy soul with divine visions and actions, O all-glorious Mary.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the power of thy virtue, thy tears and extreme fasting, by prayer, heat, winter’s cold and nakedness, thou didst become a precious receptacle for the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having had recourse unto the icon of thee and Him Who was born from thee, O Virgin Mary, Mary the Egyptian hath now found immortal life through thee, holding chorus in Paradise.
Ode V, Irmos: Thou, O Lord, who camest into the world, * art my light, * a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance * those who sing Thy praises in faith.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Rejoicing, thou didst follow after Christ, bearing thine own cross on thy shoulder, O Mary, thus wounding the demons.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Thou hast shown us the medicine of repentance, and hast shown us also the path which leadeth again to life which perisheth not.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Be thou for me an invincible helper, O honoured one, and deliver me from the passions and from all pain by thine entreaties to the Lord.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Ever beseeching thee, the venerable one gazed upon thine icon, O pure Lady, and put to shame the assaults of the passions.
Ode VI, Irmos: The church crieth out unto Thee O Lord, * ‘I will sacrifice unto Thee with a voice of praise’ * having been cleansed of the blood of the demons’ * by the blood that for mercy’s sake flowed from Thy side.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
With sweat thou didst wash away the defilement of sin; and, directing thy gaze noetically towards that glory which corrupteth not, thou hast now found fruitfulness through thy sufferings, O glorious one.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Thy life, O Mary, hath been shown to be a model for all sinners who have sinned immeasurably in life, that they also may arise and wash away their defilement with tears.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Take pity, O Lover of mankind, on my lowly soul which I have polluted by giving rein to the impure desires of my flesh; and through the supplications of the venerable one have mercy on me.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With all thine heart and soul thou didst love the living Word of God Who was born and assumed flesh from the Virgin, and Who spake unto thee, O venerable one.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Having been lifted up …”: Having fled the gloom of sin * and illumined thine heart with the light of repentance, * O glorious one, thou didst go to Christ * and bring His all-immaculate and holy Mother to Him * as a merciful intercessor; * by which thou didst find forgiveness of thy sins ** and dost now rejoice ever with the angels.
Ikos: The serpent who of old caused Eve to fall through the deception of the tree in Eden, hast thou cast down into the pit by the Tree of the Cross, O glorious Mary; and, fleeing from pleasure, thou didst desire purity. Hence, with the virgins thou hast been deemed worthy to enter the chamber of thy Master and delight with them as is meet. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He grant us forgiveness of our many sins and count us worthy of His life and to ever rejoice with the angels.
Ode VII, Irmos: In the Persian furnace the youths and descendants of Abraham, * burning with a love of piety * rather than by a flame of fire, * cried aloud saying: * Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Having manifestly traversed the narrow path of tribulation and made thy soul radiant with the comeliness of the virtues, thou hast attained unto the eternal life of heaven, where Christ is the never-ending Light.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Having trampled down all the transient things in the world, thou dost now join chorus with all the armies of the angels, chanting: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With thy fasting, prayer and tears, O venerable one, thou didst cause all of the wiles and devices of the enemy to fail; therefore, the uprisings of the passions have been utterly driven away from thee, O honoured Mary.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most pure one, who without knowing wedlock truly gave birth unto the incorporeal God yet remained truly Virgin, by thy power thou hast driven away the passions and legions of demons.
Ode VIII, Irmos: Having spread his hands, Daniel closed the lions jaws * in their den; * while the zealously pious youths, * girded with virtue, * quenched the power of the fire and cried aloud: * Bless ye the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Having illumined thy whole mind with the radiance of the virtues, O glorious Mary, and having conversed with God, and broken down thy flesh with great fasting and pious thought, rejoicing thou didst chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Protecting thyself with the sign of the Cross, and with faith traversing the waters of Jordan with dryshod feet, and having received communion of the Body and Blood of the heavenly Christ, thou didst say: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The godly priest Zosimas, an initiate of the mysteries of grace, beholding thee crossing the Jordan’s stream with dryshod feet, O glorious one, was seized with fear, and rejoicing, and trembling chanted,: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through thee, O all-immaculate one, the venerable one put off corruption and defilement; by thee, O Sovereign Lady, she was clothed in the garment of incorruption; and with thee she cried aloud to thy Son: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Ode IX, Irmos: A cornerstone not cut by hand O Virgin, * was cut from thee the unhewn mountain: * even Christ, Who hath joined together the disparate natures; * therefore rejoicing we magnify thee, * O Theotokos.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Thou art now nurtured on truly incorruptible and divine food, delighting in the noetic and unwaning Light in the mansions of heaven, where the ranks of angels entreat God on our behalf.
Venerable Mother, Mary, pray to God for us.
Disdaining transient and corruptible glory, O Mary, thou didst inherit blessed life and glory. Entreat Christ on behalf of those who ever celebrate thine all-holy memory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Behold my sorrow and the groaning of my heart, O venerable one! Behold the imprisonment of my life! Save me from my sin, and take pity on my soul by Thine intercessions before the Lord!
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O pure Lady Theotokos, salvation of sinners, accept this entreaty, and, by the supplications of thy venerable one, deliver me who flee to thy Son from my many transgressions.
Troparion, in Tone VIII: In thee, O mother, the image of God was preserved, * for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Christ; * by activity thou didst learn to disdain the flesh, as something transient, * but to care for thy soul as something immortal. ** Wherefore, with the angels thy spirit doth rejoice, O venerable Mary.