A Canon of Supplication to the Most Holy Theotokos
Ode I, Irmos: He who of old gathered the waters * into one by His divine decree, * divided the sea for the people of Israel. * For He is our God and supremely glorious, * to Him alone let us sing, for He hath been glorified.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I entreat thee, О most pure one, thou mountain overshadowed which the Prophet Habbakuk beheld in the Spirit, that thou cover me who am burned by the heat of the passions, and that I be delivered from the deadly shadow of grievous misfortunes.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With the sprinkling of the divine blood which flowed from the divine side of thy Son, О pure one, wash the wounds of my heart, that I may magnify and glorify thee, the ever-blessed and most immaculate one, as is meet.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast given birth to the Word Who is equally active with the Father and hath deified our nature. Him do thou beseech, О pure one, that He grant divine ease unto me who am confused and weakened by the wiles of the enemy.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Grant me cleansing of transgressions by thy divine supplications, О Virgin, for thou art possessed of powerful supplications. О Lady, from transgressions, sufferings, sorrows and evil circumstances deliver those who hymn thee.
Ode III, Irmos: O Most High, Ruler of all, * who out of nothing hath established all things, * fashioned by Thy Word, * perfected by the Spirit, * confirm me in Thy love.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As thou art merciful, О most pure one, entreat Him Who is ineffable in mercy and rich in compassions, that He take pity upon us, the oppressed.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As thou art the temple of the Creator of all, entreat the Comforter, that He make His abode within me for I have become the den of soul-destroying robbers, О pure Virgin.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
At the command of Him Who as God upholdest all, Whom thou didst bear in thine arms, O Theotokos, look upon me and deliver me from looking upon the passions as I ought not to do.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О most pure Theotokos, open unto me the tender compassion of thy mercy, and show thyself to be my fervent helper and salvation amid perils.
Ode IV, Irmos: Thou hast shown us steadfast love, O Lord, * for Thou gavest Thine only-begotten Son over to death for our sake. * Wherefore with thanksgiving we cry unto Thee, * ‘Glory to Thy power, O Lord!’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O only abundantly merciful Christ, Who as God willingly endured wounds and execution, by the supplications of her who gave birth to Thee heal my soul, which hath been wounded by the robbers’ afflictions of the demons.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I am the work and creation of Thy hands, О Creator, but the malice of the serpent hath broken me through the pleasures of life. Wherefore, О Christ the Word, renew me by the supplications of her who gave birth to Thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In a manner transcending description thou hast given birth to the Word Who looseth men from all irrationality. Him do thou earnestly entreat, that He free me who am enslaved by irrational pleasures, О only Ever-virgin.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О all-sacred tabernacle wholly filled with light, thou dost ever cause healing to gush forth upon us from thy hand, pouring forth fragrant myrrh upon all, O all-pure Bride of God.
Ode V, Irmos: In a vision Isaiah saw upon a throne, * God lifted up on high * borne aloft by angels of glory; * and he cried: ‘Woe is me! * For I have foreseen God made flesh, * the Lord of the never-setting light * and the King of peace.’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Transform the pangs of my flesh and the grief of my soul, and drive away the clouds of despondency, О Virgin, thou cloud of the Light; and grant health and release from pain to me who hymn and glorify thee with love.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Full of every sin, I now set thee as mediatress and advocate before Him Who was born from thee. O Virgin, be thou the correction of my life and my guide to the path of divine understanding.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sanctify my mind, enlighten my soul, and make me a partaker of divine glory, О Virgin. For, lo! I have been filled with evils and am enslaved to all manner of pleasures; yet I offer unto thee my defiled conscience.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О holy Virgin Maiden, thou divine vine who produced the beautiful Grapes which pour forth abundant drink upon our souls: give me to drink of His sweetness, take the drunkenness of the passions away from me, and save me.
Ode VI, Irmos: О Lover of mankind, disdain not those * who have reached the end of the ages * and are assailed with destruction by the threefold billows of perils, * yet cry aloud: О Saviour, save us, * as Thou didst save the prophet from the sea monster!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Ever arrogant, I have surpassed the haughty Pharisee in mind and have joined myself to the defilements of boundless transgressions. О thou who alone art pure, deliver and take pity on me who am grievously humbled.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О thou whose conceiving and birth-giving were most wondrous, show forth now the wonder of thy mercies upon me, wretch though I am; for I have been conceived and born in iniquities, and have become enslaved by pleasures.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I lament, weep and groan when I remember the dread judgment; for I have amassed only evil deeds. Yet stand up for me at that awesome hour, О Virgin Mother of God who knewest not a man.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
No mind can understand or describe the strange and most glorious miracle wrought within thee, О pure Virgin. How didst thou give birth, yet remain pure? God it is Who was born from thee in essence.
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 III: Beholding Thee hanging dead upon the Tree, О Christ, Thy pure Mother who knew not wedlock said, lamenting maternally: “How hath the iniquitous and ungrateful assembly of the Jews rewarded Thee, having enjoyed Thy many and great gifts, О my Son? I hymn Thy divine condescension!
Ode VII, Irmos: The three children in the furnace, prefiguring the Trinity: * trampled underfoot the threat of the fire * and cried aloud, chanting: * Blessed art Thou, О God of our fathers!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
There are no works fit for salvation within me, О Lady, for I add sins unto sins and heap evil upon evil. О pure one, by thy prayers stand before me and save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The judgment is at the gates, the tribunal hath been made ready, О my lowly soul. But cry out: When Thou shalt judge me, О Word, condemn me not, through the supplications of her who gave birth to Thee!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Laying hold of the fruits of sin, I have been slain; yet do I offer thee my barren soul, and cry to thee, О most pure one: Show me to be fruitful, О thou who by thy Fruit hast destroyed corruption!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О strange mystery! О awesome concept! How hath God appeared on earth as a man? As He knoweth, as He desireth, as is His good pleasure: for He acteth as He wisheth
Ode VIII, Irmos: United together in the unbearable fire, * yet not harmed by the flame, * the children, champions of godliness, sang a divine hymn: * O all ye works of the Lord, * bless ye the Lord and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As thou art wholly good, having become the favourite of the King of all, О Theotokos, fill me with good works, who have lived in evil and have reached the end of my life in slothfulness, that I may glorify thee throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As of old thou didst most gloriously deliver the prophet from the belly of the sea monster, О Word of God, so deliver my soul, О Word, which hath been plunged into the abyss of destruction, for I have thee to pray for me, the Virgin who gave birth without knowing wedlock.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The workers of evil, finding me clad in beautiful raiment, have stripped me naked; yet do thou thyself, О Virgin Theotokos, array me in a divine vesture through repentance, by thy prayers, О Theotokos.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure one, thou didst hold in thine arms Him before Whom every creature doth tremble, Who for our sake became a babe in His loving- kindness. Him do thou beseech, that He save all who cry out with faith: Thee do we supremely exalt, О most pure one, throughout all ages!
Ode IX, Irmos: In the shadow and the letter of the Law, * let us, the faithful, discern a figure: * every male child that openeth the womb * shall be sanctified to God. * Therefore we magnify the firstborn Word * and Son of the Unoriginate Father, * the firstborn Child of a Mother who hath not known a man.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
О incorrupt and immaculate Virgin, disdain me not who have become corrupt in mind and soul, have defiled my conscience with evil and am shown to be devoid of all good deeds; but adorn me with the works of piety.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I have been filled with evils and am satiated with thoughts which alienate me from Thee the Lover of mankind. Wherefore, I groan and cry: Accept me who repent, and reject me not, through the supplications of her who gave birth to Thee, О greatly merciful Benefactor!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By thy prayers, О all-immaculate Maiden, may I be delivered from all wrath, deadly sufferings, the cruel fire of Gehenna, unjust men and evil enemies, for I flee to thy protection and cry out to thee for aid.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The supremely beauteous One, having found thee to be beautiful of soul, beautiful of mind, and comely of body, became incarnate from thy virginal womb in a way which He alone knew, thereby adorning our ugliness. О Virgin, entreat Him, that we be saved.