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.
О Theotokos, grant me contrition and spiritual tears, that I may weep for my many transgressions and my failure to correct my conscience. О Maiden, I entreat thy loving-kindness.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Stumbling over my thoughts, I fall headlong into the abyss of destruction. О Virgin, I now entreat thy help: set thou unshakeably the weakness of my mind upon the firm rock of the commandments of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I bear the barrenness of the fig tree, and fear felling and disputation, lest my Creator and God send me into the fire. О Lady, anticipating my needs, render me fruitful in works of repentance, that I may glorify thee.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I beseech thee, О most pure one who art full of grace, in that thou art the immaculate temple of the King, with chastity and a pure life cleanse thou my heart, which hath been defiled by unseemly passions, and enrich it with grace.
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.
Many are they who war against me and afflict me, and I can find no ease of deliverance from those who beset me; yet disdain not my prayer, О pure one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Weighed down by a multitude of evils and my manifold transgressions, I am unable to lift up mine eyes to the heights of heaven; yet do thou grant me remission, О most pure one.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All my days the evil serpent strives to destroy my lowly soul; yet do thou break his soul-destroying fangs, О Theotokos.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О Theotokos, deliver me from all the misfortunes which beset me, thy servant, and from tempests of sin, and by thy supplications direct me to the haven of salvation.
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.
I tremble, considering the depths of my sins and the grievous and great billows of mine adverse thoughts; yet do thou direct and pilot me to the calm haven, О most pure one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Grievous ignorance, incomprehension and the heedlessness of mine evils have now come upon my soul; yet do thou, О most pure one, lead me to repentance for those things which I have done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With streams of tears extinguish the fire of the passions and with the fire of the Spirit bum up the thorns and billows of life which choke my mind, О Theotokos, for thou art my protection and boast.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I am wholly engulfed by the tumult and threefold billows of perils and evil thoughts, and ever dragged down into the abyss of despair, I cry to thee: О Lady, save me, thy servant!
Ode V, Irmos: The Invisible One hath appeared on earth, * and the Unapproachable One hath willingly dwelt among mankind; * and, rising early at dawn, we hymn Thee, * O Lover of mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou knowest the pain of my soul, the weakness of my flesh and the corruption and inconstancy of my mind, О Lady. Wherefore, grant me thy mercy and grace, that, saved by thy protection, I may glorify thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Deny me not thy loving-kindness and compassion, О all-immaculate Lady; but grant thy mercies, and the release and forgiveness of mine evil deeds to me who approach thee in compunction, that I may hymn thy mighty acts with thanksgiving.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Those who hate me in vain and oppress me have now increased in number more than the hairs of my head, О pure Virgin, seeking to destroy me and make of me food for them to devour; wherefore, turn them back, filling them with shame.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure Virgin who hast given peace to the world and salvation unto all, having given birth to divine Peace, with the peace and love of Christ the Saviour quell thou the battle of the passions against my soul and body.
Ode VI, Irmos: The uttermost depths of sin have surrounded me, * and my spirit perisheth. * but do Thou, O Master, stretch forth Thy lofty arm * and like Peter O Helmsman, * do Thou save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
There is no one on earth who lives as wickedly as I do in deed, word and action. Wherefore, О Lady, I beg thee to grant me the mercies of thy love for mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Actions of evil transgression beget grief for all; wherefore, we are now beset by bitter perils. Help us, О thou who alone art the salvation of Christians!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast given birth, yet hast remained pure after birth-giving, О Virgin Theotokos; wherefore, do thou ever entreat thine Offspring, that we, thy servants, may be delivered from all the harm of the enemy.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the supplications of Thy most pure Mother, of all the prophets, martyrs and sacred disciples, О Word of God, grant us peace and the cleansing of transgressions.
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: I have passed my whole life in great slothfulness, О most pure one, and have now drawn nigh unto my departure from this time; and I am afraid of mine enemies, lest they destroy my soul, О all-immaculate one, and cast me into the abyss of destruction. Yet take pity on thy servant, О Virgin, and deliver me from their affliction.
Ode VII, Irmos: As of old Thou didst bedew * the three pious children in the Chaldean flames, * so also with the radiant fire of Thy divinity * illumine us who cry to Thee, * ‘Blessed art Thou, the God of our fathers!’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Defiled in body and soul, and sullied by mine unclean acts, I beseech thee, the pure and immaculate Mother of God, О Lady, trusting in thy mercy: Have pity on me, О most pure one!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The multitude of my transgressions and temptation of evils fill me greatly with perplexity and drag me down into the abyss of despondency; but do thou, О most pure Lady, save me who am perishing and cruelly drowning.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In the magnitude of the compassions of thy goodness, О Good One, overlook the multitude of our sins, and be thou well disposed toward those who cry out unceasingly: Blessed art Thou, О Lord God of our fathers!
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О pure and blessed one, from the mire of the passions and the depths of sorrows and the perils of life do thou draw toward dispassion and gladsome joy us who cry: Thou alone art full of the grace of God!
Ode VIII, Irmos: The flame of material fire withered * through the immaterial flame brought about by the god-seeing children, * wherefore they chanted: * Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The bitterness of pleasures, overcoming all the senses of my body, doth foully sully my soul, drawing me toward death. О Sovereign Lady of the world, be thou my salvation!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
To thee have I entrusted soul, heart and body, for I have no other help than thee, О Lady, through whom I obtain mercy; wherefore, grant me thy rich mercy and grace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Poisoning me with his venom, the serpent hath grievously slain my wretched soul with bodily death; yet bring it to life again, using thy supplications as remedies to counter the adversary.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
О thou who hast given birth to God the Saviour, the Prince of peace, beseech Him, that He quickly bestow peace upon the world, that we may glorify Him in peace.
Ode IX, Irmos: We magnify thee, the unburnt bush, * the holy Virgin, * and the Mother of the Light, * the Theotokos, the hope of us all.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Wash away the defilement of passionate thought from my mind, О pure one, clothing me in the splendid robe of dispassion.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Open unto me the divine portals of repentance, О Virgin, terminating and hindering my passions and pleasures.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Hearken unto the voice of my groaning, the voice of my lamentation, and grant cleansing and salvation to my wretched soul, О all-immaculate Virgin.
Now & ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Verily and in truth Daniel the Prophet beheld thine Offspring, О Virgin, and he called Him Who sitteth on the throne the Ancient of days.