Akathist to the Icon of the Theotokos of Iberia Called “The Georgian”
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (Thrice).
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.
O Mother of God, chosen out of all generations, Queen of heaven and earth, we who have been counted worthy to behold this radiant icon of thine sing to thee in faith and adorn thee with divine praises; but, as thou knowest the weakness of our nature, accept our supplication and deliver us from every affliction and from the snares of the enemy, that we may sing to thee, O blessed one: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
The choirs of archangels and angels glorify thee, O Virgin Mother of God, and the assemblies of the heavenly powers unceasingly magnify thee and sing to thee as the Mother of the King of the heavenly host; and we in faith kiss thy wondrous icon, O immaculate one, and according to our strength weave a hymn for thee:
Rejoice, thou who wast brought up in the Holy of Holies, Bride of the Father and dwelling of the Holy Spirit; rejoice, holy abode of God the Word; rejoice, mighty weapon of the Orthodox; rejoice, spiritual temple of the glory of God; rejoice, leader of virgins; rejoice, thou who didst contain in thy womb the immortal God; rejoice, glorious city of God, built upon a mountain; rejoice, ark of the Old and New Covenant, enthroned in the royal city; rejoice, thou who wast foretold by the prophets as the Mother of God; rejoice, ladder that broughtest God down to earth; rejoice, bridge that liftest men up to the world on high; rejoice, intercessor of Christians, given by the Lord; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
When the discord of the Georgians made Shah Abbas bold, he burst in fury into our fatherland, laid waste Kakheti, took captives, burned and loaded himself with plunder; then they carried off also an icon of the immaculate Mother, the Virgin Mary, and took it to Persia; but when they told Stephen, a man of Russia living in Isfahan, of the beauty of the icon, by help from above he bought it and offered thanks and glory to the Lord: Alleluia.
O the glory of thy wonders, O Theotokos! For in sleep thou didst appear to George of Yaroslavl, who loved thee greatly, and didst announce to him that he would find thine icon with his steward, and didst say: “I wish this icon of Mine to be brought by thee with glory to the monastery of Chernogorsk”; and the man pleasing to God, wishing to understand the mystery of this incomprehensible revelation, told the Patriarch of the vision, and with a voice of thanksgiving offered thee praise:
Rejoice, thou who by thy spotless childbearing didst deify human nature; rejoice, thou who strengthenest those held fast by the sleep of sloth; rejoice, thou who makest wise the minds of the faithful by the glory of thy wonders; rejoice, thou who bringest to life our barren and motionless faith; rejoice, thou who enlightenest the faithful with divine grace; rejoice, thou who renewest the corrupted nature of men; rejoice, thou who strengthenest the weak and wavering will; rejoice, thou who swiftly makest afflicted souls dawn with light; rejoice, thou who awakenest our deeply sleeping and silenced conscience; rejoice, thou who drivest away sicknesses and infirmities of every kind; rejoice, cleanser of defiled and much-sinning souls; rejoice, thou who deliverest from every evil and every wile of the devil; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
When by thy good pleasure thy victorious icon came to the region of Arkhangelsk, the hierarchs and the peoples with the priests went out to meet it with a litany, and seeking protection and mercy from thee, they venerated thy holy icon in faith, O immaculate one, and with a radiant voice magnified and thanked all the more thy Son, Christ the King: Alleluia.
Like the star that moved at God’s will, thine icon, carried captive from Iberia, came to the region of the Dvina and was given to the monastery of Chernogorsk as a pledge of mercy and salvation; and the assemblies of the fathers and their flocks, who awaited the most precious treasure with firm hope, met it with joy, O Lady, and rose above all the passions, venerating and singing before thine all-radiant icon:
Rejoice, thou who hast enlightened the northern land by the icon wrought by the labour of our glorious forebears; rejoice, thou who hast glorified the monastery of Chernogorsk with countless wondrous signs; rejoice, thou who strengthenest monks in their struggles; rejoice, thou who didst grant thine icon a new dwelling; rejoice, thou who teachest love of neighbour and good conduct; rejoice, fellow-combatant and protectress of those who desire the salvation of the soul; rejoice, thou who shelterest the cenobitic monasteries with divine protection; rejoice, thou who wondrously feedest those pressed by hunger; rejoice, sleepless and invincible guardian of those who dwell in deserts, mountains and cells; rejoice, thou who art quick to hear the prayers offered in cells; rejoice, thou who lovest those who live blamelessly and pleasingly to God; rejoice, thou who blessest the monastic life; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
As thou art an abyss of healings and a fountain of endless good things, so thine icon had the power and grace of healing from thy Son; and when thou didst show thy swift help to those who struggled in the monastery and to those who hastened there to pray, from that time the holy Russian Church received thy wondrous icon, called the Georgian, and, keeping each year the day of thine icon’s appearing, offered to the Lord with fitting worship this voice of divine praise: Alleluia.
The elder Pitirim was troubled by doubting thoughts when he saw the radiance of light, and he thought it a deception of the demons, for he was deaf and blind; then he signed himself with the sign of the precious cross, and at once seeing thy wonderworking icon, O Theotokos, he swiftly understood that his eyes had been opened and his ears unstopped, and with trembling he venerated thee and said:
Rejoice, thou who blottest out the curse of our first parents and the handwriting of sins; rejoice, thou who fillest with peace and love those who flee to thee; rejoice, thou who ever pourest out a mother’s sweetness; rejoice, thou who makest unfailing healings spring up for those who entreat thee fervently; rejoice, thou who raisest from their beds the sick whom physicians have abandoned; rejoice, hope of all the despairing and uplifter of the fallen; rejoice, thou who movest sinners to prayer through repentance; rejoice, thou who bridlest vain impulses; rejoice, thou who cuttest off evil and harmful habits; rejoice, thou who fulfillest good intentions; rejoice, thou who exaltest this Georgian people also with surpassing joy; rejoice, thou who turnest sorrow into joy; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
When the pious Sovereign of all Russia heard that thy wonderworking icon made healings of every kind spring forth, he ordered it to be carried from city to city and from village to village, that those who pray in faith might receive healing of soul and body and glorify with love Christ, the King and God, born of thee: Alleluia.
When the black plague and pestilence raged in the city of Moscow, thy wonderworking icon, O Theotokos, was placed in the church of the Trinity in three Persons, and through thee that city was delivered from calamities and sorrows; then the icon-painters of the Kremlin copied the face of thine icon and multiplied the gifts of grace, and from these too thou didst make wonders flow, and more brightly than the sun thou didst shine the gifts of thy help on those who drew near and sang with longing:
Rejoice, thou who raisest up those seized by fevers; rejoice, thou who openest the doors of Christ’s kingdom to those who do thy will; rejoice, thou who bringest to life those deprived of the Church’s grace; rejoice, thou who healest those who suffer from unclean spirits; rejoice, thou who enlightenest those covered by the mist of ignorance; rejoice, thou who castest down and utterly bringest to nothing the host of demons; rejoice, thou who deliverest from tumult and war; rejoice, thou who exposest the snares of the enemy; rejoice, thou who by motherly intercession rescuest many from perdition; rejoice, thou who shelterest inexperienced and young youths from passionate desires; rejoice, thou who guardest from the snares of Satan and from the invasion of foreigners; rejoice, thou who plantest good virtues; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
Then the glory of God shone forth from thine icon, O immaculate one, for those pressed by afflictions and trials fled to it fervently, hoping in thy help, and praising the multitude of thy graces and signs and the height of thy mercy they offered glory to thy Son: Alleluia.
Seeing the silversmith Gabriel praying unceasingly before thine icon, thou didst take pity on his sick son lying on his bed and at once didst heal him of his affliction; then those standing round thine icon venerated thee, O blessed Mother and Virgin, and united with them in faith we too cry to thee as to our swift helper and support:
Rejoice, thou who mercifully acceptest the prayer offered to thee with love and longing; rejoice, thou who bringest unbelieving men to faith; rejoice, thou who teachest divine zeal and reverence; rejoice, thou who blessest all honourable spouses; rejoice, protectress and benefactress of the poor; rejoice, thou who dispellest the darkness of warring against God; rejoice, thou who freest from prisons and chains those who commend themselves to thee; rejoice, thou who deliverest unharmed from the waves of the sea; rejoice, thou who healest the grievously wounded; rejoice, comforter of mothers grieving for their children; rejoice, thou who deliverest children from every defilement and vice; rejoice, thou who clothest them in every good and God-pleasing thing; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
The bishop of Kazan was fired with longing for thy holy icon, and having ordered a copy of it to be painted, he brought it with great honour to the Raifa monastery, thereby blessing that newly built dwelling of monks in the wilderness, and he unceasingly asked of thee, O Theotokos, that thou wouldst grant peace to that monastery, and mercy and cleansing to its flocks, who sing fervently to God: Alleluia.
As of old thy wonderworking icon, which came from Iberia to Russia, worked most glorious wonders, so the other copies of the icon also abundantly poured forth most wondrous healings and fulfilled good petitions; and those who saw the grace springing forth from thy holy icons offered thee praise:
Rejoice, fountain that pourest out the water of life for all; rejoice, thou who sendest forth divine love; rejoice, thou who gladdenest the despondent and afflicted; rejoice, thou who makest the darkness of sin and ignorance bright; rejoice, thou who washest those held by the stain of sin; rejoice, thou who inclinest in mercy to those who entreat thee and givest courage to those who trust in thee; rejoice, thou who deliverest those condemned to death; rejoice, thou who swiftly drivest away grievous calamities; rejoice, thou who quenchest the flame of the passions and grievous sicknesses; rejoice, sleepless guardian and protectress of spotless virgins; rejoice, thou who deliverest from evil fearlessness; rejoice, thou who overthrowest the destroyers of souls; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
When the Georgians heard that wonder upon wonder was being wrought by the Georgian icon, they were all together filled with divine zeal, and with the blessing of honourable priests they had copies made of the icon of their fatherland, that it might be a helper and support for all in affliction, and that the dwellers of our land might learn in the time of trial to fall down before it and sing to thine only-begotten Son: Alleluia.
As thou didst grant thy holy icon to the Church of Russia as a radiant adornment and a memorial of thy holiness, so now adorn the holy and apostolic Church of the Georgians, and grant such blessings and graces of thy motherly compassion to thy newly painted icons, that everyone who flees to them may draw from the divine streams that flow from them without stint, and receive in faith his petition, who honoureth thine icon by lighting a candle and offereth thee praise of thanksgiving:
Rejoice, thou who delightest us all by the sight of thy holy icon; rejoice, thou who plantest hope and divine love in our hearts; rejoice, thou who givest thirsting souls to drink from the fountain of incorruption and joy; rejoice, thou who tamest the unbridled and the gluttonous; rejoice, thou who deliverest from the snares of the devil, the temptation of the world and the tyranny of the flesh; rejoice, thou who guardest from the raging sons of Hagar; rejoice, protectress of the armies that bear the name of Christ; rejoice, thou who hast mercy on those who labour for faith and fatherland; rejoice, thou who breakest the horn of the unbelievers and puttest the wicked and the slothful to shame; rejoice, thou who replacest strife and enmity among those of one faith with love and peace; rejoice, thou who lovest those who follow good works; rejoice, thou who crushest the boldness and treachery of those who glorify evil; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
As thou didst deliver, O immaculate one, from every affliction and assault the Russian flock commended to thine icon, so now plant in the hearts of their princes and rulers love for the people allotted to thee, that we, redeemed by the flesh and blood of thy Son and our God, may be saved in love and peace and glorify the holy Trinity with the thrice-holy hymn: Alleluia.
As the land of Russia boasteth, the bosom of thine icon, so now our people rejoiceth, receiving its likeness; for thy newly painted icon poureth forth healing, true grace and mercy without stint, like an inexhaustible fountain; and behold, we call thee blessed worthily and truly, O Virgin Mother of God, we who venerate thee in Orthodoxy and sing thus with longing:
Rejoice, door of heaven and gate of life; rejoice, holy rod of Aaron, root of Jesse; rejoice, invisible protectress of purity and innocence; rejoice, fountain of mercy and sea of love for mankind; rejoice, tongs of the Lord’s live coal; rejoice, golden jar that bearest the divine manna; rejoice, paten that bearest the Lamb of God; rejoice, precious treasury of the priceless pearl; rejoice, shining star that heraldest the day without evening; rejoice, cloud of light that makest the Sun of righteousness shine forth; rejoice, only Mother of the King of life and Vanquisher of death; rejoice, thou who adornest human nature; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
Behold, a light for the sorrowful and a physician for the sick hath been granted us, and this life-giving icon hath shone upon thy portion more brightly than the light of the sun; made worthy to behold it face to face, we give wings to the eyes of the soul, we lift our minds to thy prototype and honour thy likeness and image, O Theotokos, and with one voice we cry to the Lord: Alleluia.
As of old our people rejoiced radiantly and honoured thine icon, so now we kiss it, O immaculate one, as it showeth us grace and mercy, and we draw the grace of healings and are freed from infirmities of soul and body; for it becometh a fountain of immortality for the sick and the weak and a giver of mercies to those who sing to thee:
Rejoice, holier than the Cherubim and Seraphim and higher than all creatures; rejoice, veil between God and men; rejoice, purple robe, protectress of the faithful and benefactress of those in monastic orders; rejoice, wall and hope of God-fearing priests; rejoice, sweet rest of those who labour and are heavy laden; rejoice, hope of the despairing and quiet haven of those tossed by the waves of this life; rejoice, thou who givest children to the barren and childless; rejoice, invisible nurse of orphans and nourisher of widows; rejoice, adorner and helper of virtuous spouses; rejoice, thou who receivest those wounded by sin, gate of the saved; rejoice, radiant crown of pious kings; rejoice, sceptre of Orthodox sovereigns; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
Over all the earth shineth the light of thy holy and honourable icons called Georgian, for the honour and glory of the image, as St Basil saith, passeth to the prototype; now accept our praise, who honour the glorious likeness of thine all-holy face, O Theotokos, and shelter the people that glorifieth Christ: Alleluia.
Behold, let us now all gather, ye faithful, who confess the one holy and immaculate one as Theotokos, and let us go out to meet the blessed likeness of holy Mary and kiss it with trembling lips and eyes, that we may draw abundant healing from the abyss of graces and gifts, and, as befitteth the Mother of God and Queen of the faithful, offer a hymn according to our strength:
Rejoice, guide of life, giver of blessing; rejoice, thou who movest to mercy towards us God who is by nature most merciful; rejoice, thou who grantest comfort and salvation to the Georgians scattered over the earth; rejoice, thou who teachest the veneration of holy icons; rejoice, thou who blessest those who carry on the struggle of our forebears; rejoice, thou who exposest those who gather unjust gain and are enslaved to the love of money; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame the haters of all truth and righteousness; rejoice, thou who bringest men to the service of the fatherland and to good order; rejoice, thou who convertest unbelieving and corrupted men; rejoice, thou who tamest men raging like beasts; rejoice, thou who bringest to nothing the designs of senseless men who have risen against us; rejoice, thou who makest tremble and humblest those who raise their hand against Georgia; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
Thou who didst promise to be with us for ever, fulfil it, as the Mother of the compassionate God, and put us not to shame according to our deeds, but deliver us from all sorrows, and at the time of judgement rescue us from those bitter eternal torments, that, guided by thee, we may reach the heavenly Jerusalem and be made worthy with all the saints to glorify the life-giving Trinity: Alleluia.
O Mary, blessed among women, shelter with the protection of thy grace those who ever fall down before thy motherly grace and help and dwell in thy portion, lest the heathen say: Where is the Mother of God in whom they hope? And drive from us the enemies of truth and the sons of perdition who have risen against us, and deliver us, O incorrupt one, from every affliction and assault, as we sing with longing:
Rejoice, beauty of Jacob, whom God hath loved; rejoice, Bride who knewest not wedlock, who didst ineffably conceive the Son of God; rejoice, foretold Mother of the Creator and Queen of creatures, who didst feed with milk the Life and Saviour of all; rejoice, only Mother of the Crusher of hell, who hast united those of earth with the bodiless ones of heaven; rejoice, thou who standest at the King’s right hand, for thou art a wall and an indescribable purity; rejoice, daughter of David the king and prophet, for those of heaven and earth call thee blessed; rejoice, holy earth that broughtest forth without seed the wheat, our divine nourishment; rejoice, spiritual bush that the divine fire burned not; rejoice, holy and fertile mountain from which the stone was cut without hands; rejoice, divinely beautiful rose, for thou hast made the ends of heaven fragrant with the fragrance of virginity and filled them with light; rejoice, treasury of divine graces and gifts, for we flee to thee both in the good days and in the straits of life; rejoice, our victorious one, quick to hear, for through thee we overcome the enemy and are saved by thine intercession; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
O most glorious Queen, Mary Theotokos, pressed by afflictions, sorrows and trials we flee to thee and entreat thee fervently: accept, as thou art sweetest, this poor hymn which we offer thee with reverence, and ask for us of Him who was born of thee grace, blessing and mercy, that we may enter into the divine joy and the glory of the saints, singing unceasingly to God: Alleluia.
This kontakion thrice, then
O Mother of God, chosen out of all generations, Queen of heaven and earth, we who have been counted worthy to behold this radiant icon of thine sing to thee in faith and adorn thee with divine praises; but, as thou knowest the weakness of our nature, accept our supplication and deliver us from every affliction and from the snares of the enemy, that we may sing to thee, O blessed one: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
The choirs of archangels and angels glorify thee, O Virgin Mother of God, and the assemblies of the heavenly powers unceasingly magnify thee and sing to thee as the Mother of the King of the heavenly host; and we in faith kiss thy wondrous icon, O immaculate one, and according to our strength weave a hymn for thee:
Rejoice, thou who wast brought up in the Holy of Holies, Bride of the Father and dwelling of the Holy Spirit; rejoice, holy abode of God the Word; rejoice, mighty weapon of the Orthodox; rejoice, spiritual temple of the glory of God; rejoice, leader of virgins; rejoice, thou who didst contain in thy womb the immortal God; rejoice, glorious city of God, built upon a mountain; rejoice, ark of the Old and New Covenant, enthroned in the royal city; rejoice, thou who wast foretold by the prophets as the Mother of God; rejoice, ladder that broughtest God down to earth; rejoice, bridge that liftest men up to the world on high; rejoice, intercessor of Christians, given by the Lord; Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
O all-merciful Lady, Virgin Theotokos, who didst bear God in the flesh, fulfil every petition of those who pray to thee in faith: enlighten the Church, adorn the priesthood with holiness, exalt the kingdom in piety, enlighten the authorities with the love of God, strengthen the army with courage, lighten the torment of the sorrowful, grant health to the sick, give healing to the wounded and the paralysed, heal diseases of the eyes, restore hearing to the deaf, drive evil spirits from the possessed, help the oppressed, forgive sinners, cleanse lepers, have mercy on infants, grant children to the barren, deliver captives from prisons and chains, and shelter all who hope in thee from enemies visible and invisible; for thou hast boldness to intercede with Christ God and to obtain forgiveness of sins for all Christians.
O all-holy Mary Theotokos, bless and sanctify with the radiance of thy wonderworking icon us who ever fall down before thy motherly grace and help, and shelter the land of Iberia from heresy and from an alien law, and its dwellers from every misfortune; for we have forgotten the good deeds of our forebears and become like foreign peoples and raging nations that love this passing age and have fallen away from Christ; from them we have learned their works, and in imitation of them we serve the desires of our hearts, as those who have no hope in Christ and have forgotten eternal life. By thy mercy direct the days of our life in virtue, and renew in us again a fervent love for the faith, for the pious king and for the fatherland given by God, and from the seed of David raise up the horn of anointing. By thy mighty power strengthen our great lord, the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, our father Ilia, and the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and all the priestly and monastic orders, the pious, the commanders and governors of cities, and all the Christ-loving army and our benefactors, and all Orthodox Christians; entreat thy Son and our God to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction of churches, the murders of the servants of God, treachery, envy and lawlessness, the killing of our infants in the womb and the rest of the multitude of our sins.
O divinely radiant Queen Mary, as thou hast a mother’s boldness, entreat thy Son and our God, beautiful in goodness and all-sweet in love for mankind, that we may be established in the faith handed down by the holy fathers until the end of our life, and walk without stumbling in all the commandments of the Lord, and all the days of our life be saved in holiness and godliness, and be well-pleasing to Him who was born of thee and be made worthy of His kingdom, which He hath prepared for them that love Him; to Whom befitteth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord,
have mercy (Thrice).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
