Wednesday Evening Compline: Supplicatory Canon in Tone VI

A Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos

Ode I, Irmos:  A helper and a protector * hath become unto me salvation. * My God, whom I will glorify, * the God of my fathers, * and I will exalt Him * for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

How can I, who am wholly sunk in the passions, wretch that I am, and am clothed in impurities, approach thee, О pure one? Yet, taking pity, save mine accursed soul, О most pureО Birthgiver of God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Arising out of the depths of shame, О my lowly soul, cry aloud with fervor to her who alone is pure: Have mercy upon me, О most immaculate and pure Maiden, and deliver me from the passions!

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

I have been engulfed by a storm of perils and sins; but extend now thy helping hand unto me, О pure one, and deliver me from the indignity of the passions, that I may ever glorify thee.

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

Deliver me from the cruel tempest of sin, whereby I have been wholly defiled, О Birthgiver of God. As I flee unto thee, lighten now the burden of my transgressions.

Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, upon the rock * of Thy commandments * make firm my
heart, * for Thou alone art Holy and Lord.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

О most immaculate one, make me young who have aged through the shameful passions of sin, easing the bonds of my transgressions.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Cleanse me of the mire and filth of sin, О Theotokos, and make a divine temple of me who flee to thee who art pure.

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

Awake thou from the sleep of despondency, О my wretched soul, and lift up thine eyes to the divine Bride and Maiden who alone saveth thee.

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

In desperation and contrition, I hasten and fly to thy fervent supplication, О Lady: Save me, thy servant, О pure one!

Ode IV, Irmos: The prophet heard * of Thy coming, O Lord, * and he was afraid. * How wast Thou to be born of a virgin * and appear unto mankind? * and he said * “I have heard report of Thee and I am afraid”; * glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

I shall rightly be judged by thy Son for my words and deeds, О most immaculate Birthgiver of God. May I find thee at that hour to be a refuge and most mighty ally, saving me from all torments.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

My life is vile, my character is rendered impure through sins, and I am wholly sunk in the passions. О pure one, cleanse me of the defilement of my transgressions, and make me as white as snow by thy mediation before our tender-hearted God.

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

I am bound all over by the bonds of mine offences, and am unable to move toward the paths of repentance. Stretch forth thy hand, О most immaculate one, and direct me to the path which leadeth me to the way of salvation.

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

By thy prayers free me from cruel torments, from the outermost darkness and Gehenna, О Virgin; for thou hast the will and power so to do, О thou who hast given birth to the Lord Who alone is supremely good.

Ode V, Irmos: Out of the night I seek Thee early, * enlighten me I pray Thee, O Lover of mankind, * and guide me in Thy commandments, * and teach me, O Saviour, * to do Thy will.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

On the day of judgment reveal thyself, О Lady, and stand as an advocate for me, freeing me from torments and fire, that, saved, I may hymn thine invincible grace.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Seeing that I have wandered away from thy protection, О Lady, the enemy hath cast my soul into the depths of transgressions, and beholding me he laughs me to scorn; but do thou help me.

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

Make mine accursed and passion-plagued soul to arise, I beseech thee, О pure and most immaculate one, and remove from it the weight of its many sins.

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

I offer thee entreaty from my defiled and impure lips, О most immaculate one: Take pity on me by thy prayers, I beseech thee.

Ode VI, Irmos: With my whole heart, I cried * unto the tenderly compassionate God, * and he heard me * from the lowest depths of Hades; * and raised up my life from corruption.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Accept me who am prodigal and most accursed, О Master Christ, and free me from torments through the prayers of her who gave birth to Thee, and deliver me from standing on Thy left side.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The dark fear of hell embraces me, О pure one, and the lot of the goats doth terrify me. Deliver me from such things, О most pure Theotokos, I pray thee.

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

Mortifying the passions of my flesh, О pure Lady Theotokos, impart life to my most wretched soul, and guide me to the straight path.

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

Though I am a fool, yet I offer thee the supplication of a servant, and I flee to thy compassionate loving-kindness. Turn me not away ashamed, О pure one.

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: I offer thee groaning from my heart and the depths of my being, О most immaculate one, asking thy right conciliatory aid. Have mercy upon my passionate soul, and move the greatly merciful God to pity, that He may deliver me from damnation and the lake of fire, О thou who alone art blessed.

Ode VII, Irmos: We have sinned, we have transgressed, * and we have done evil before Thee. * We have not kept nor followed * Thy commandments, but reject us not utterly, * O God of our fathers.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Knowing thee, to be the merciful and right loving Virgin Mother, and wholly pure, I flee to thee, wretch that I am. Turn me not away from thee ashamed, О all-immaculate one.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Awaken, О passion-plagued soul! Arise, О wretched one! Beat thou thy breast, and from thine innermost depths send forth fountains of tears, that the Mother of Christ God may have mercy upon thee who art accursed.

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

Of old I became a temple of God through divine baptism, but I have wholly defiled myself, wretch that I am, and am grievously brought low through terrible falls. Yet do thou raise me up, О most immaculate one, thou hope of the despairing.

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

A dense cloud hath covered my heart, and darkness and gloom hath come upon my passion-plagued soul. О Bride of God, illumine me with rays of repentance, that I may glorify thee.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Him whom the hosts of heaven glorify, * and before whom tremble the Cherubim and Seraphim, * let every breath and all creation * praise, bless, and supremely exalt, * throughout all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

The river of fire terrifies me, and thick darkness causes me to quake; the worm and the gnashing of teeth fill me with horror. Virgin, at that hour may I find thee to be a mighty ally.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Let me not become fuel for the fire, О Lord, neither let me hear Thy voice pronounce sentence, for I have Thy pure Mother beseeching Thee. I cry to Thee: By her prayers have mercy upon me.

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

Make me to hear the divine voice, and show me to share a place with the elect, О Christ; let me not occupy a place of lamentation, for I have the Theotokos beseeching Thee for this.

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

Send streams of tears now down upon me, and cause groaning to erupt within me from the depth of my soul, О pure one, that I may ever fall down before thy protection and receive the remission of my sins through thy prayer.

Ode IX, Irmos:  Ineffable is the birth-giving * of a seedless conception, * from a mother who knew not a man; * an undefiled childbearing. * For the birth of God hath renewed nature, * wherefore all generations rightly worship and magnify thee * as the Bride and Mother of God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

The day of judgment terrifies me, О Virgin; the gnashing of teeth fills my heart with dread, and the place where the goats stand horrifies me; but let me find thee, the Theotokos, to be my help amid evils when I shall be judged.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us. 

Trembling doth now seize me, and the horror of Gehenna terrifies me. What shall I do? I know not, accursed and condemned as I am. Therefore, I flee unto thee and cry out with fervent compunction: Disdain me not, О most pure one!

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

Beholding the judgment-seat, I think upon thy judgment, О my Christ, whereat I, who am condemned, shall be rightly judged for my deeds. Yet may I have as an advocate in that hour – Thy Mother, the divine Bride – entreating Thy great compassions.

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

Noetically touching thy feet, О all-immaculate one, I beseech thee: Accept my lamentation, hearken to my hymnody, and grant me remission of transgressions through thy supplications, I pray thee, that I may magnify thee with love.

Posted in Home Services, Liturgical, Prayers.