Thursday Evening Compline: Supplicatory Canon in Tone VI

A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos

Ode I, Irmos: When Israel walked on foot in the sea as on dry land, * on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, * they cried: * Let us sing to God * a song of victory.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

О Virgin, accept mine entreaty, which I make bold to offer to thee from an unworthy mouth and defiled lips; and shine thou the light of compunction upon thy servant, О pure one.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

By thy prayers grant me showers of tears, О pure Virgin Mother, that I may weep fervently for what I have done on earth, and through thee may escape every torment.

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

Reject not my lamentation, О thou who hast given birth to the Source of tender compassion, but look upon me with thy merciful eye, О good Theotokos, and cure the passions of my soul.

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

Weep with groaning, О my soul, and bewail thyself in every way, falling down before the Mother of God and saying: Deliver me, the guilty one, from dreadful torment!

Ode III, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thou, * O Lord my God, * who hast exalted the horn of Thy faithful O good One, * and strengthened us upon the rock * of Thy confession.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

There is none that hath sinned as I have, becoming a slave to the evils of unbridled thoughts, О most holy and pure one; but, placing my hope in thee, I pray: Rescue me from them.!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Behold, all the evils of the enemy that have rained upon me like wounds, weigh me down; rendering me fetid and causing my soul to fall.

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

Many are my transgressions; wherefore, falling down before thee with faith, О most holy one, I, the lowly one, cry aloud: At the dread hour entreat Him to Whom thou hast given flesh.

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

О holy Theotokos, as thou hast maternal boldness before God, rescue me who am deserving of all condemnation, and make me to dwell in His dwelling-place.

Ode IV, Irmos:  Christ is my power, * my God and my Lord, * the holy Church divinely singeth, * crying with a pure mind, * keeping festival in the Lord.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Grant me a wellspring of tears, О Lady, that I may wash away the defilement of my lowly soul and regain the beauty which I have lost through the lying counsel of the serpent.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

О my compassionate God, О God Who lovest mankind and willest mercy, pour forth Thy mercy now upon me; for Thy Mother, my hope and ally, entreateth Thee.

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

Taking pity, О most immaculate one, save me, the terrible prodigal one, who have mindlessly and shamelessly sinned against thee; and free me from Gehenna.

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

Having given birth to the Life of all, thou hast destroyed the field of death; wherefore, I cry out to thee: I have sinned! Save me, by thy maternal supplications, О pure one!

Ode V, Irmos: Illumine with Thy divine light, I pray, O Good One, * the souls of those who with love rise early to pray to Thee, * that they may know Thee, O Word of God, * as the true God, * Who recalleth us from the darkness of sin.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О pure one, have mercy on me who have placed all my hope in thee, and take pity, overlooking all the grievous passions of my soul, for I cry out to thee with faith.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Save me from the passions, from tribulation and harm, and from the wicked adversaries; and deliver my lowly soul from their treachery, О Virgin, that they may not say: We have prevailed over him!

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

Having been revealed to be pure in body and soul, О most pure one, free thou my soul from defilement, granting me to live a pure life; and guide me in doing the divine will of the Lord.

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

Thee alone do I have as a refuge and my reconciliation with God, I who have wasted my whole life in many transgressions.

Ode VI, Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, * I run to Thy calm haven, and cry to Thee: * Raise up my life from corruption, * O greatly Merciful One.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

О Lady, accept my sighs and the lifting up of my hands as a sacrifice of sweet savour, and grant that I may behold thy countenance with a pure conscience.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Disdain not my words of supplication, О good Lady, Mother of the merciful God Who shone forth from thy womb; but before the end grant me divine remission.

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

Utter wretch that I am, through fornication I have brought myself low and estranged myself from God. But do thou beseech Him to save me, О good one, for to thee have I fled. Clothe me in my former vesture.

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

Jesus, Who is fire, did not consume thy womb when He issued forth from thee in the flesh, pray thou to Him, О pure one, that He deliver from fire and all manner of torment those who hymn thee with faith.

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, in Tone VI: О pure and glorious Virgin, thou glory of the angels, who alone art blessed: when thou didst stand at the foot of the Cross of thy Son and God, unable to endure the malice of the enemy thou didst cry aloud, lamenting with sighs: How can He Who is the Lover of mankind endure the abuse of these men?

Ode VII, Irmos:  In Babylon the Children feared not the fiery furnace; * but cast into the midst of the flames * they were bedewed and sang: * ‘O Lord God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou.’

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

O my soul, awake from all the evils thou hast committed! Why sleepest thou still? Wherefore liest thou in the slumber of despondency? Cry aloud to the Theotokos: О all-holy one, help me!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

I venerate the image of thy countenance, yet I dare not lift mine eyes unto thee, О most holy one. I pray that I may receive the forgiveness of my debts, and that in purity I may behold thy most pure icon.

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

To thine aid, О Birthgiver of God, do I flee and fall prostrate, begging to receive forgiveness. Disdain me not, О Lady, but taking pity, save me.

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

I have defiled my soul and mind with the many and various evils of the corrupter of souls, О most pure one, and I beseech thee: Disdain not thy servant, but rescue me from his temptations.

Ode VIII, Irmos:  Suffering affliction for the sake of the laws of their fathers, * the blessed Children in Babylon * scorned the foolish decree of the King. * Standing together in the midst of the flames, they remained unharmed, * and sang a song fitting for almighty God: * ‘O ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord * and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.’

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Having sinned beyond measure and defiled my body with sins, fool that I am, I consider the day of inexorable judgment, and at a loss and afraid, I am filled with fear and trembling, and fall down before thy compassion, О Lady. Spurn me not, but behold my sorrow, and deliver me from all condemnation and the many and varied torments.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Having spurned the divine law, wretch that I am, I lie wholly in slothfulness. But, looking upon me, arise quickly, О most pure one, and cause me to receive the portion of the saved; that, rejoicing, I may cry unto thee: Rejoice, О joy of the world, only intercessor for those who with faith invoke thy steadfast protection.

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

Woe is me, О my soul! How can I stand, in fear and trembling, before the dread tribunal, where even the angels shall be afraid and quake? But, as thou hast the Theotokos as a good ally, bend thy knees and lift up thy hands, crying: Direct thy merciful gaze upon me and have pity in that hour, О Virgin!

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

Show forth now the sure might of thine aid, for like one in thy debt, thy Son is moved by thy maternal pleas, О Virgin. Wherefore, come now in mine hour of need, that I not depart unprepared, but may live on, О all-hymned and pure Theotokos.

Ode IX, Irmos:  Weep not for Me, O Mother, * beholding in the tomb the Son Whom thou hast conceived * without seed in the womb; * for I shall arise and shall be glorified, * and as God I shall exalt with glory unceasing, * those that with faith and love magnify thee.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

That I may receive the glory of heaven, I pray to thee, О Virgin: Absolve me, and deliver me from the debts of darkness, overlooking all that I have committed in knowledge or in ignorance, day or night, О most pure one; that, rejoicing, I may offer thee a hymn of thanksgiving.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Rescue me from all manner of tribulations, О Maiden, and set my feet upon the rock of divine salvation; for, having acquired thee now as an invincible intercessor, I trust that I may pass freely through the wall of separation erected by disobedience when the fruit of the tree was eaten.

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

I beseech thee, who hast given birth to the merciful Judge and Master: accept the boldness of my defiled lips and my wretched hymnody, and abhor me not, though I have sinned more than all others; for I, thy servant, have thee as my helper after God.

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

In that thou art more exalted than all creatures, thou didst conceive in thy womb the incarnate God, О Theotokos. Him do thou earnestly entreat, О pure one, that He release thy servant from all care, that I may freely glorify thee with praise.

Posted in Home Services, Liturgical, Prayers.