Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos for Her Icon “The Nurturer”
Let us sinners and poor ones fall down with compunction before the Theotokos and cry with fervent tears from the depth of our hearts: O Queen, help us in thy mercy, O hope of the faithful; hasten to help us, for we perish from the multitude of our sins; turn not thy servants away empty, for thou art our hope and intercessor before thy Son and our God.
To the invincible Champion and good Nurturer of the Christian people we thy servants, delivered from trials, offer thanksgiving; but as thou hast invincible might, free my children from all afflictions, that we may sing to thee with tears: Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
Make the angel sent from heaven an intercessor for my children, O all-holy one, before thy Son and God, for the almighty guardian Gabriel, chief of the angels, was sent to thee thyself; and make me worthy to cry to thee thus:
Bring up my children as angels on earth; bring up my children as men of heaven; bring up my children to serve thee; bring up my children to cry to thee: “Rejoice, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee”; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
O thou who lookest upon these motherly prayers, I offer my entreaty to thee alone for help for my children; receive them beneath thy precious and merciful shelter, that they may cry to God: Alleluia.
Plant in the minds of my children how they may serve thee well; fill their hearts with heavenly wisdom and grant them love for the One alone, that they may all the more disregard what is earthly; and take not this hymn from my lips:
Bring up my children wise as serpents and harmless as doves; bring up my children to have good understanding and not to have sin; bring up my children to direct their lives with wisdom after the pattern of the saints; bring up my children, O thou who nourishest with the milk of divine wisdom, that they may seek its hidden things at every time of their life; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
May the power of the Most High overshadow my children through thine unsleeping intercession before thy Son, and knowing thus thy motherly compassion towards all who flee to God, may they cry to the Lord: Alleluia.
Having received these my children from God, I do not wish to see them fall into eternal torment, but I wish that they be written in the book of life and inherit eternal life. Therefore, O all-holy Virgin, incline thine ear to my entreaty offered to thee:
Bring up my children that they may escape eternal torment; bring up my children that they may inherit eternal life; bring up my children that they may pass this life in repentance; bring up my children to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit by surpassing struggle; bring up my children that they may use every means to ascend to the kingdom of heaven; bring up my children that their names may be written in the book of life; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
Having within a storm of doubtful thoughts, I cry: lead my children up to the eternal kingdom, O all-good one; remembering thy mercy, with hope and compunction of heart I sing to thy Son: Alleluia.
Hearing thy voice saying to thy Son: “Those allotted to me by Thee I will keep for ever”, I stretch out my heart and hands to thy mercy, that thou mayest number my children among thy servants and fulfil these my entreaties:
Bring up my children as the portion of thy holiness; bring up my children with all thy saints; bring up my children as servants who do thy will; bring up my children to walk the narrow way of the commandments of thy Son, which leadeth to the Jerusalem on high; bring up my children to seek help from thee alone; bring up my children to receive eternal life; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
May the Morning Star, as thy Son was called, O all-holy Virgin, shine in the hearts of my children with the light that knoweth no evening, that they may cry to God: Alleluia.
Seeing these my entreaties, offered unceasingly for thy glory like fragrant incense, turn not thy face from my children, and even if they are displeasing to thee, all the more hear these words from my lips as I sing to thee:
Bring up my children poor in spirit, that they may gain the kingdom of heaven; bring up my children mourning in heart, that they may be comforted; bring up my children meek, that they may inherit the earth; bring up my children hungering and thirsting after righteousness, that they may be filled; bring up my children merciful, that they may obtain mercy; bring up my children pure in heart, that they may see God; bring up my children peacemakers, that they may be called the children of God; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
All the generations of Christians ever boast of thy help to orphans and widows and to mothers who entreat thee for their children and sing to God: Alleluia.
Bring up the souls of my children with the light of grace, that, enlightened by thee from on high, they may discern the way that leadeth to eternal life and abide in it, brought up beneath thine almighty shelter, where there is life without end; and hear me as I call thus:
Bring up my children with the light of peace, that their light may so shine before men that, seeing their good works, they may glorify their Father which is in heaven. Bring up my children with the light of thy Son, that in that light they may see light and direct their steps towards it; bring up my children to lift the eyes of their hearts to the Creator of all; bring up my children with the guidance of the Morning Star to where thy Son abideth in the dwelling with the righteous; bring up my children in fear, silence and trembling before the word of God; bring up my children to love thee and thy Son, not with the mind only but with the heart as well; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
Desiring the eternal salvation of my children, I stand in tears before thy precious icon, O Queen; disregard not my entreaty as I call to thy Son: Alleluia.
By the wondrous and unsearchable judgements of thy Son take my children with thy merciful hand beneath thy grace-giving shelter, that I may call to thee with zeal:
Bring up my children that they may seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; bring up my children that they may go through the strait gate which leadeth to eternal life; bring up my children that they may fulfil in all things the will of thy Son and God; bring up my children hastening to inherit the kingdom of heaven; bring up my children so that neither in word nor in thought they dare blaspheme the Holy Spirit; bring up my children among thy few chosen; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
In the time of sojourning on this earth, full of suffering and heavy laden, where shall these my children find joy and comfort if not in thee, O Theotokos? Be their companion and set them on the path of truth, that they may cry to God: Alleluia.
Thou art the Mother of all who entreat thee, O Queen, and I desire that thou be a Mother to these my children also. I give them into thy hands and entreat thee with humility:
Bring up my children in watchfulness and prayer, that they enter not into temptation; bring up my children in compassion, for our Father in heaven is merciful; bring up my children in childlike humility, for of children is the kingdom of God; bring up my children the least among all, that they may be called great in the kingdom of God; bring up my children to keep the word of the Lord and make them partakers of the blessedness of paradise; bring up my children in good hope of the kingdom of heaven; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
Accomplish every good thing in their souls and hearts, driving from them the evil-smelling spirit of ungodliness; grant them bountifully all that is profitable, that they may cry to God: Alleluia.
Set free my children who have come among the vainly wise who speak falsehood of thine almighty intercession, and look upon me who rightly sing to thee:
Bring up my children to rise with strength to overcome the ungodly; bring up my children to stand firm against teachings hateful to God; bring up my children to reject the preaching of unbelieving false teachers; bring up my children to disregard the sons of the spirit of disobedience; bring up my children to flee the comforts of the earth and the beauties of this world; bring up my children to turn from evil and do good; bring up my children to love and pray for their enemies; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
When thy Son willed to save the world, He called from heaven sinners to repentance rather than the righteous; therefore entreat thy Son and speak to Him for my children, that, saved through thee, they may cry to God: Alleluia.
Be an invincible wall for these my children, O Queen of heaven, that beneath thy blessed shelter they may be able to accomplish many good struggles, and with them I may cry to thee thus:
Bring up my children to do the will of thy Son and God; bring up my children free of all sins and iniquities; bring up my children to love goodness and every work of charity; bring up my children in incorruptible purity; bring up my children to climb each day the ladder of their life; bring up my children to lift up their eyes to thee in all their sorrows; bring up my children to serve thee in innocence and obedience; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
Make these my children (names) worthy ever to sing of thine invincible intercession, and by thy grace open my mouth to glorify God: Alleluia.
Make their life like a light-bearing lamp, enlightened from above and melted with love for thee, for thy Son and for their neighbour, and disregard not me who call to thee:
Bring up my children to love thee with all their heart and mind; bring up my children ever gazing upon the cross and passion of thy Son; bring up my children to open their mouths only to praise and glorify thy goodness; bring up my children to await with tears the coming of thy Son; bring up my children in watchfulness and unceasing prayer; bring up my children ever to stand before thee in the fear of God; bring up my children to bring forth good fruit; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
By the ineffable grace of the Holy Spirit bring up the hearts of these my children, that they may love only thy Son and God and thee, O all-good one, and moved by thee may cry to the King of all: Alleluia.
Singing of thy compassion, with which thou receivest and bringest up my children, I entreat thee: cease not to pray for them before thy Son, for I believe that thou canst do all things, and fulfil for good this my entreaty:
Bring up my children filled with the Holy Spirit; bring up my children to be found at the right hand at the judgement of thy Son; bring up my children in holiness of life; bring up my children strengthened on the path of righteousness by the grace of the divine Spirit; bring up my children in hunger and thirst for the grace of the Holy Spirit; bring up my children perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
O all-hymned Mother of Jesus the Sweetest! Accept this small akathist hymn as fragrant incense for my children, and receive them beneath the shelter of thy compassion, that they may think, see, hear, speak and do only that which leadeth them to thee and thy Son and maketh them heirs of the eternal kingdom; and send down upon them, in this time of their earthly life also, all that is profitable to their souls, that they may cry to God: Alleluia.
This kontakion is read thrice.
Make the angel sent from heaven an intercessor for my children, O all-holy one, before thy Son and God, for the almighty guardian Gabriel, chief of the angels, was sent to thee thyself; and make me worthy to cry to thee thus:
Bring up my children as angels on earth; bring up my children as men of heaven; bring up my children to serve thee; bring up my children to cry to thee: “Rejoice, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee”; Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
To the invincible Champion and good Nurturer of the Christian people we thy servants, delivered from trials, offer thanksgiving; but as thou hast invincible might, free my children from all afflictions, that we may sing to thee with tears: Bring up my children, O Queen (the names are said), worthy of the heavenly kingdom, and make them heirs of the eternal good things.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother hear me, Thy sinful servant (name). O Lord, my children, Thy servants (names), are under Thy merciful dominion. Have mercy on them and save them for Thy name’s sake. O Lord, forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, which they have committed before Thee. O Lord, direct them on the true path of Thy commandments and enlighten their minds with the light of Christ, for the salvation of their souls and the healing of their bodies. O Lord, bless them at home and on the way and in every place of Thy dominion. O Lord, shelter them with Thy holy protection and guard them from the flying arrow, the bullet, the sword, poison, fire, deadly plague and sudden death. O Lord, fence them about from all enemies visible and invisible, from every affliction, sorrow and evil circumstance. O Lord, raise them up from every sickness, cleanse them from every defilement and ease the sorrows of their souls. O Lord, grant them the grace of the Holy Spirit for many years of life, health and chastity in every good work, and love and peace with all, near and far. O Lord, increase and strengthen the powers of mind and body given them by Thee. Grant them the blessing of a happy marriage also, if it be pleasing to Thee, and of blameless childbearing. O Lord, grant me, Thine unworthy and sinful servant (name), a parent’s blessing for my children and Thy servants, at this hour, in the morning, at noon and at night, for Thy holy name’s sake; for Thy kingdom is eternal, almighty and all-powerful. Amen.
O all-holy Queen, Virgin Theotokos, save and keep beneath thy shelter my children (names), all youths, maidens and infants, baptised and unnamed, and those carried in their mothers’ wombs; cover them with thy motherly robe, keep them in the fear of God and in obedience to their parents; entreat our Lord and thy Son to grant them all that is profitable for their salvation. Heal them by thy motherly will, for thou art the divine shelter of thy servants. Amen.
Prepared by Tinatin Gogochashvili.
