On Thursday evening of Tone I, at Compline: Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Ode 1, Irmos: Having been delivered from bitter slavery, * Israel traversed the impassable as though dry land; * and beholding the enemy drowned, * they chanted unto God as to their Redeemer, * Who worketh wonders with His upraised arm, * for He hath been glorified.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I am held fast in despondency as I consider the multitude of my transgressions and the answer I must make to the Judge, О Lady Theotokos. Yet be thou for me a divine mediator, placating Him by thy loving-kindness.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О most pure one, thou refuge of Christians, setting aright of the fallen and cleansing offenses; at the hour of the dread judgment deliver me from the ever-burning fire, granting me life everlasting.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thee, О Virgin, have we all, the faithful, acquired as our only sure helper; for thou hast given birth unto God. Wherefore, all of us, all the generations of the earth, bless thee, as thou didst foretell, О pure one.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding thy Creator and Son upon the Cross, О pure and all-immaculate one, thou wast filled with awe and didst say: “What is this, О my Child? How have the wicked repaid Thee with evil for the good which Thou didst show them?”
Ode III, Irmos: To the Son who was begotten of the Father * without change before all ages, * and in the last times, without seed, was made flesh of the Virgin, * to Christ our God let us cry aloud: * Thou hast raised up our horn, holy art Thou, O Lord.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
All the prophets proclaimed thee the Mother of God in most glorious images; and we, clearly beholding their fulfillment, also believe, and ask that through thee we may receive divine serenity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Sovereign Lady of the world, salvation and help of the faithful; accepting the signs which issue forth from the depths of my heart and the streams of my tears, deliver me who am bound by many transgressions, and save me, О pure one.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Possessed of boldness before Christ God, in that thou art His Mother, О pure one, pray thou ever that we be delivered from the children of Hagar and from all harm, and make us steadfast, that we may glorify Him with thanksgiving, О most immaculate one.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding her Son lifted up upon the Cross, the most pure one exclaimed, and, crying out, gave utterance from the depths of her heart: “What have the wicked and iniquitous ones, who were filled to repletion with Thy gifts, done to Thee, О my Son?”
Ode IV, Irmos: Rod of the root of Jesse, * and flower that blossomed from his stem, * O Christ, Thou hast sprung from the Virgin. * From the Mountain overshadowed by the forest * Thou hast come, made flesh from her that knew not wedlock, * O God who art not formed from matter. * Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Cast down the savagery of the wicked foe and the machinations they direct against me, and invest me with thy might, О all-immaculate one, ever preserving me unharmed, whole and unvanquished, who radiantly hymn thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Vanquished by the law of the flesh, full of the passions, I do unseemly and iniquitous things. And I dare not in anywise lift up mine eyes to thee, О pure Lady. But do thou save me, wretch that I am, by the law of thy tender compassions. Do thou save me!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
О Lady, we the faithful have thee and God alone as our hope unashamed and our help. By thy supplications deliver us from all enemies, visible and invisible, from harm and temptations, that we may unceasingly glorify thee.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding the Son to Whom thou hast given birth without seed nailed to the Cross, О all-immaculate one, thou didst cry out maternally and, lamenting, didst say: “What is this new, most glorious and incomprehensible wonder which I behold in Thee, О my Son?”
Ode V, Irmos: As Thou art the God of peace and Father of compassions, * Thou hast sent unto us Thine Angel of great counsel, * granting us peace. * Wherefore guided towards the light of the knowledge of God, * and watching by night we glorify Thee, * O Lover of mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As thy supplication is tireless and thy helping of thy servants fervent, О Virgin, rescue and save us, anticipating our needs amid all the perilous misfortunes of life, that we not fall victim to grief and become corrupt.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Mary, dwelling-place of God, show me forth through repentance to be a habitation for God, for I have become the haunt of wicked demons through my vile deeds, mindlessly carrying out their will.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As thou art the compassionate Mother of God, heal us, who are cruelly afflicted in body and soul with sinful passions; for thou truly hast given birth to Christ, the Physician of souls and bodies, the abundant Wellspring of life.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Beholding her Son upon the tree of the Cross, the most immaculate one was stricken with pain in her womb, and with tears she cried out: I am in awe to see Thy long-suffering, О my Son, beholding this new wonder! How is it that Thou, Who art sinless, dost endure an unjust death?”
Ode VI, Irmos: The sea monster spat forth Jonah as it had received him, * like a babe from the womb: * while the Word, having dwelt in the Virgin and taken flesh, * came forth from her yet kept her incorrupt. * For being Himself not subject to decay. * He preserved His Mother free from all harm.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou wast the receptacle of the noetic Myrrh Who hath perfumed the whole earth with the sweet fragrance of His divinity, О most holy Bride of God. Wherefore, with the fragrance of thy supplication dispel all the stench of my transgressions from my soul.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The fire of pleasures doth utterly consume me, afflicting my lowly heart, and iniquitously moving me to commit unseemly deeds. Hasten thou to extinguish it, in that thou hast given birth to the divine Fire, my salvation, О Bride of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Deliver us from the temptations of enemies visible and invisible, О all-hymned Virgin, and preserve those who with Orthodox Faith truly confess thee to be the Theotokos, О Mother of God; for thou dost ever possess might, in that thou hast given birth to Him Who hath created all things.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Standing before the Cross and beholding her Son hanging thereon in the flesh, the most immaculate one felt her womb burn with grief, and, shedding tears, she cried: “O my Child, truly ineffable is Thy compassion for all men!”
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: Upon seeing the Lamb and Shepherd hanging dead upon the Tree, * the unblemished ewe-lamb, cried aloud, weeping * and exclaiming maternally: * “How is it that Thou dost willingly endure abasement and sufferings * which surpass all telling, ** O my Son, and supremely good God?”
Ode VII, Irmos: Scorning the impious decree of the godless one, * the Children brought up together in godliness * feared not the threat of fire, * but standing in the midst of the flames, they sang: * O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
cannot bear the assaults and tumult of the demons, for the flame of carnal passions darkens my mind. Yet disdain me not, О holy Theotokos, for I set all my hope on thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Virgin who knewest not wedlock, О all-holy Bride and Lady of God, through thy prayers loose thou the bonds of my transgressions, and bind me to Christ with bonds of love, that I may bring forth the virtues as fruit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou art the helper, the bulwark and sure refuge of all Orthodox Christians, О pure Mary. Wherefore, honouring thee with faith, we cry out to Christ: О God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The most holy virgin, beholding her Son suspended upon the Cross, was stricken with awe, and marveling, said: “How can I bear the sight of Thee slain, Who art the Author and Bestower of life?”
Ode VIII, Irmos: The furnace moist with dew * was an image and prefiguring of a wonder past nature, * burning not the Children whom it had received, * so the fire of the Godhead consumed not the Virgin’s womb * into which it had descended. * Therefore in song let us sing: * Let the whole creation bless the Lord * and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О Theotokos, Sovereign Lady of the world, do thou alone, by thy lovingkindness, lead me up, who by my wicked mind have been plunged into the abyss of perdition and evils by carnal pleasures and my passionate attachment to the things of life. For I in nowise have any hope of salvation, being wholly despondent, О pure one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou art the salvation of all, having given birth ineffably to God. Thou art the saviour of the faithful, О Theotokos, the guide of the blind and the setting aright of the fallen. Wherefore, praising thee, we cry out to Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works! Hymn and supremely exalt Him throughout the ages!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having acquired thee as a most firm bulwark, we have placed in thee our hope of salvation, О Mother of God. Be thou for thy servants a haven and an unshakable rampart, and guide us continually, that we may chant: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Her womb was rent maternally, and filled with a multitude of tears, when she who gave birth to Thee in purity beheld Thee on the Cross, she cried out with inconsolable groaning: “Having escaped pain in Thy birth, О my Son, I am now held fast by pain, beholding Thy countenance dishonoured.”
Ode IX, Irmos: Ineffable is the mystery of the Virgin: * for she is heaven and the throne of the cherubim, * and hath been revealed as the radiant bridal-chamber * of Christ God Almighty. * Wherefore we piously magnify her as the Theotokos.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I have besmirched my soul with dishonourable passions, wretch that I am, and have defiled all my flesh with soul-corrupting passions; yet as thou art pure and undefiled, cleanse me by the magnitude of thy mercy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I have not acquired any other refuge than thee, О pure Lady, neither do I know any other steadfast helper and protection on earth. Wherefore, I have fled with fervour to thee, asking that through thee I might receive deliverance from offences.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
From on high thou dost now look mercifully upon thy servants, О all-hymned one, preserving us with pious faith and delivering from every evil circumstance by thy prayers those who honour thee as the true and honoured Theotokos.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
When she who knew a seedless birthgiving saw Thee suspended upon the tree of the Cross, О Thou Who lovest mankind, she cried aloud: “O my Son and almighty God, in Thy desire to save mankind how hast Thou now accepted crucifixion?”