Akathist to the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Quick to Hear”
She is entreated in many infirmities – blindness, lameness, weakness – and also in captivity and shipwreck.
To the Theotokos and Queen chosen out of all generations, quick to hear the entreaties of the lowly, who through her holy icon grantest healings to the faithful, we offer a hymn of thanksgiving: O our all-good intercessor, look with mercy upon us who praise thee and deliver from every trial us who cry thus: Rejoice, O all-good one, quick to hear, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
The choirs of angels serve thee with trembling and all the heavenly powers cry to thee unceasingly, O Virgin Theotokos, as the Mother of Christ the King of angels; but we sinners, being bold though unable like them to praise thee worthily, cry to thee in humility thus:
Rejoice, dwelling of the incomprehensible Godhead; rejoice, everlasting wonder of the angels; rejoice, holy table that feedest us with the bread of salvation; rejoice, fruitful olive tree that bringest the oil of mercy to our hearts; rejoice, inexhaustible treasury of God-given gifts; rejoice, ever-flowing fountain of wonders; rejoice, defender of the oppressed; rejoice, comforter of the sorrowful; rejoice, helper of those in trials; rejoice, physician of the sick; rejoice, strength of the weak; rejoice, liberator of captives; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Beholding thy countless mercy, O Theotokos and Queen, and the many wonders wrought by thy holy icon, which like shining stars have adorned Christendom, we cry to thee who magnifiest the race of men, and with love we venerate thine image, calling to Christ thy Son and our God: Alleluia.
By a revelation of the heavenly mind, O Theotokos, thou wast pleased to glorify thy holy icon with many miracles on Mount Athos, thine allotted land, and didst call it Quick to Hear, letting us hear thy divine voice; and we who hear thee cry to thee in song:
Rejoice, most merciful Mother of us all through Christ God; rejoice, abode of the Holy Spirit; rejoice, manifestation of God’s love for men; rejoice, exaltation of the race of Adam; rejoice, bright palace of the Word of God; rejoice, thou who art higher than the Holy of Holies; rejoice, Mother of the divine Lamb; rejoice, thou who hast made the Bread of life spring forth; rejoice, golden vessel of the divine manna; rejoice, nurse of Him who nourisheth the world; rejoice, for through thee we hope for redemption; rejoice, for through thy prayer we await the kingdom of heaven; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Seeing Nilus, the refectorian of the monastery of Dochiariou, punished with blindness and infirmity for not venerating thy holy icon with reverence, none dare any longer to be insolent towards thine image; for all the dwellers of the holy Mount Athos, which thou hast favoured, cry worthily to the Word of God born of thee: Alleluia.
Having great love for those redeemed by the blood of thy Son and our God, thou didst accept, O Theotokos and Queen, the repentance of Nilus the refectorian, and didst open his eyes again and mercifully raise him from his infirmity, as he entreated thy holy healing icon without ceasing and cried thus:
Rejoice, holy shoot of Joachim and Anna; rejoice, Mother of Him who crushed the head of the ancient serpent; rejoice, blessed among women; rejoice, incorrupt Mother of the Saviour of our souls; rejoice, thou who hast wondrously joined virginity and childbirth; rejoice, thou who hast kept thy virginity spotless; rejoice, supreme wonder of all the world; rejoice, thou who raisest up those fallen through sin; rejoice, thou who strengthenest the penitent in virtue; rejoice, nurse who rememberest not wrongs; rejoice, compassionate teacher; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
All who have escaped the storms of this passing world and taken refuge in the quiet haven of Mount Athos find comfort and divine help from thy holy icon, O Theotokos, for they receive from it wonders and mercies in abundance. Magnifying thy motherly bounty, those who desire salvation in the desert of Athos cry to God with thanksgiving: Alleluia.
When Nilus the refectorian heard the divine voice of thine icon, O Theotokos and Queen, he understood thy swift help to all who flee to it with love and hope, and he received from it the enlightening of his ignorance and the opening of his eyes, and with all his heart he cried to thee in thanksgiving:
Rejoice, thou who makest the ignorant wise by chastisement for a time; rejoice, thou who receivest the penitent with mercy; rejoice, thou who settest the erring on the path of truth; rejoice, good physician of those wounded by sin; rejoice, thou who reprovest the slothful with love; rejoice, thou who deliverest from eternal torment those bitterly chastened in the flesh; rejoice, thou who stillest the storms of the passions; rejoice, thou who grantest help to those doomed to perish; rejoice, hope of the hopeless; rejoice, joy of the sorrowful; rejoice, clothing of the naked; rejoice, help of orphans; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Hearing thy words of warning, the monks of the monastery of Dochiariou built a church to thee, the divine Quick to Hear, and set there thy wonderworking icon, O all-holy Virgin, which comforteth the faithful by sending forth miracles; deprive not us also of them, who praise thee fittingly with contrite heart and cry to God our Creator: Alleluia.
Beholding the wonders of thine icon Quick to Hear, the ascetic monks of Mount Athos hasten to venerate it; and thou, O Mother of God, didst bestow mercy without grudging on those who cry to thee in thanksgiving:
Rejoice, Mother of mercy and bounty; rejoice, spiritual table of the Almighty; rejoice, Mother of the Son of God in the flesh; rejoice, bridal chamber of seedless wedlock; rejoice, thou who gavest a body to the Bodiless; rejoice, thou who unitest God and man; rejoice, sight most longed for by the righteous; rejoice, delight of the desert-dwellers; rejoice, vanquisher of the demonic powers; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame the enemy of mankind; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Mount Athos maketh known thy mercies and wonders, O all-blessed Mother of our God, and among thy many wonderworking icons shineth this icon, called by thee Quick to Hear; like the full moon it sheddeth divine light upon our souls, and those clad in ascetic struggle cry with praise to the God in three Persons who magnifieth thee: Alleluia.
Thine all-holy icon, O Mary Theotokos, hath shone forth as the light of the salvation thou bringest to all who are sunk in the darkness of sins and passions, and, called Quick to Hear, it swiftly helpeth those who pray before it in faith and hope and cry to thee thus:
Rejoice, lightning that enlightenest souls; rejoice, thunder that terrifiest the tempters; rejoice, peaceful refuge of those wearied by the storms of life; rejoice, calm haven of the storm-tossed; rejoice, teacher of purity to youths and maidens; rejoice, shelter and wall of virginity; rejoice, thou who softenest the heart turned to stone; rejoice, thou who warmest spiritual coldness; rejoice, guide of the faithful on the path of life; rejoice, thou who deliverest the erring from temptation; rejoice, our intercessor before thy Son and our God; rejoice, thou who ever prayest for mercy upon us; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Though thou hast shown thy great love to all Christians, O all-blessed Theotokos, thou didst choose Mount Athos as thy portion and didst multiply there the monasteries of monks, and didst grant to those wearied by the storms of this world a peaceful and quiet haven for the salvation of the soul; for by thy help they inherit the kingdom of heaven and with the saints sing to the all-holy Trinity: Alleluia.
The miraculous glorification of thy holy icon called Quick to Hear hath appeared as a further mercy not only to the monks of Athos but to all Orthodox Christians who venerate thy holy icon with reverence and call to thee:
Rejoice, Mother of our God; rejoice, Virgin before childbirth and after childbirth; rejoice, for all generations call thee blessed; rejoice, for He that is mighty hath done to thee great things; rejoice, for the Lord hath regarded thy lowliness; rejoice, for the Lord hath been well pleased with thy goodness; rejoice, blessed daughter of the heavenly Father; rejoice, thou who without seed didst bear the Son without beginning; rejoice, spotless beloved of the Holy Spirit; rejoice, initiate of divine grace; rejoice, adornment of the world to come; rejoice, champion of this world; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
We, strangers and wayfarers in this passing world, have, as the apostles said, none other but thee, O Theotokos and Queen, and to thee we flee in our sorrows, O all-blessed one. Disregard us not, O Mother of God; let us not hear: “Depart, I know you not, ye that are burdened with sin!” but have mercy on us, orphaned and weak, and cover us with thy protection, that we may glorify Christ the heavenly King, crying with joy: Alleluia.
Thy holy icon, O Theotokos and Queen, filleth all the faithful with hope, for in it we see thee with the Child in thine arms, our God without beginning, Jesus Christ. Him we worship with trembling as our Creator and God, and to thee, the true Mother of God, we cry with compunction:
Rejoice, ever-virgin, who didst receive with joy the annunciation of the Archangel; rejoice, Bride unwedded; rejoice, Mother of the noetic Light of heaven and earth; rejoice, guileless dove; rejoice, spotless ewe-lamb; rejoice, footstool that bestowest joy; rejoice, unfailing vessel of living water; rejoice, myrrh of the sweet fragrance of Christ; rejoice, thou who drivest away the stench of our passions; rejoice, thou through whom we come to know Christ; rejoice, thou through whom we learn to worship the all-holy Being of God; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
All generations duly call thee blessed, O blessed Mary Theotokos; from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof thy name is glorified, and the monks who dwell on Mount Athos, thine allotted portion, call on thee as their protectress, and on them thou pourest out mercy and wonders in abundance, and in thanksgiving they cry to the Lord: Alleluia.
The vainly wise orators, unable to grasp the mystery of thy virginity, O Mother of God, cannot comprehend the miraculous healing of the sick from thy holy icon. But we in Orthodoxy truly acknowledge thy virginity and, faithfully venerating thy holy icon, cry to thee:
Rejoice, tidings doubted by the unbelieving; rejoice, undoubted boast of the faithful; rejoice, thou who didst bear Christ without corruption; rejoice, thou who in childbirth didst keep the seal of virginity unharmed; rejoice, Mother and Virgin most blessed; rejoice, all-praised Mother of God; rejoice, glory of virgins; rejoice, everlasting joy of mothers; rejoice, spotless and good among women; rejoice, Mother of Him who was promised to crush the serpent’s head; rejoice, thou who deliverest from the sins of our erring forebears; rejoice, thou who by thy childbirth hast opened Eden that was shut to men; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Desiring the salvation of Christians, O Theotokos, thou wast pleased that thine allotted land, Mount Athos, should be established as a dwelling of monks; in a vision thou didst make known to the first hermit of Athos, St Peter, that it was appointed as an everlasting abode for monks, and didst promise help and protection to all ascetics pleasing to God, and thou didst give them food and deliver from all trials those who cry to God: Alleluia.
Thou art a protecting wall, O Virgin, for Orthodox monks and for those who struggle in virginity and purity. Therefore thou didst ordain that thine allotted mountain, Athos, be inaccessible to women, and thereby thou guardest its dwellers from temptation, who cry with hope to thee alone:
Rejoice, unfading flower of virginity; rejoice, radiant heavenly shelter, protectress of the pure; rejoice, scroll of the wisdom of God, who makest wise those zealous for purity; rejoice, intercessor and saviour of monks who struggle well; rejoice, protectress and wall of the desert-dwellers of Mount Athos; rejoice, thou who fillest the God-fearing with joy; rejoice, spiritual comfort of the sorrowful; rejoice, nurse of orphans and virgins; rejoice, thou who sweetenest with virginal joy through love for the immortal Bridegroom; rejoice, firm help in the heavy warfare of the passions of the flesh; rejoice, sleepless guardian of the dwellings of monks; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
Disdain not, O holy one, our humble hymn offered to thee with love and zeal, and cast us not away though we are defiled by sins; but, cleansed by thy help from the stain of sins with tears of repentance, we glorify the Lord with honour: Alleluia.
Shedding radiant beams of miracles, thy holy icon, O Virgin Theotokos, like the dawn, enlighteneth the world with good and by divine power driveth away the devices of the evil one. Filled with joy, we cry in thanksgiving to thee, our merciful intercessor, quick to hear our prayers:
Rejoice, star of the Sun that never setteth; rejoice, dawn of the day that knoweth no evening; rejoice, morning that givest light to our life; rejoice, Mother of the immortal Bridegroom of our souls; rejoice, thou who directest our desires to be pleasing to God; rejoice, thou who hastenest to help us in sorrow and when surrounded by enemies; rejoice, noetic paradise that fillest all with spiritual comfort; rejoice, fountain of our comfort through thy fullness; rejoice, thou who quenchest the fire of our passions; rejoice, thou who grantest divine grace to those who long to overcome the storm of the passions; rejoice, thou who greatly lovest those who live in purity and virginity; rejoice, thou who makest the chosen of God worthy of revelations in dreams and visions; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
The divine grace of thy holy icon, called by thee Quick to Hear, O Virgin Theotokos, draweth all the sorrowful and heavy laden, and like a fountain of bounty and goodness it swiftly heareth their entreaty and granteth joy to those in sorrow, help to those in trials, healing to the sick; and all cry in thanksgiving to God, the fountain of goodness: Alleluia.
We Christians who sing of thy wonders and mercies, O Theotokos and Queen, are unable to praise worthily thee who art more honourable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim; hoping in thine ineffable compassion, O all-blessed one, we sing to thee with bowed heads thus:
Rejoice, peaceful haven of pious ascetics; rejoice, sweet converser with those who dwell in silence; rejoice, good consolation of desert-dwellers and mountain-dwellers; rejoice, secret instructor of the hidden among the servants of God; rejoice, thou who reconcilest the penitent with God; rejoice, supreme ruler of Mount Athos; rejoice, thou who didst enlighten Peter the hermit by thine appearing; rejoice, thou who didst grant grace by thine appearing to Athanasius the God-wise; rejoice, thou who hast made many venerable fathers of Athos shine with heavenly glory; rejoice, thou who lovest especially the dwellers of Mount Athos; rejoice, unmercenary healing of our bodies; rejoice, guide of our souls to the kingdom of heaven; Rejoice, O all-good “Quick to Hear”, who fulfillest our petitions for good.
O all-hymned Mother, Mary Theotokos, who wast pleased that thy holy icon be called Quick to Hear, accept this our small prayer offered to thee with faith and love, and be our intercessor before the all-holy Trinity, that It may deliver us from Gehenna, from darkness and eternal torment, and that by thine intercession we may inherit the kingdom of heaven and with the saints sing to God: Alleluia. (Thrice)
(Then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1)
O all-holy Theotokos, Quick to Hear, worker of many miracles, treasury of the holy things of Mount Athos, teacher of the worship of the all-holy Trinity, falling down we entreat thee, we sinful and unworthy: be our intercessor before our God, one in essence and in three Persons, that through thy mediation the all-good Trinity may send down divine grace of healing for the weak and of fulfilment for those in want, upon Orthodox Christians drained of the strength of life and made helpless, many times assailed and smitten by the devices of the evil one.
O all-holy Theotokos, called Quick to Hear, entreat the all-holy Trinity, unchangeable, unsearchable, praised as one Godhead, who in an instant created all beings, uncircumscribed, the Saviour of the Orthodox, that through thy mediation the Trinity, one Godhead, may send down upon us knowledge of and striving for the heavenly citizenship, repentance for an ungodly life, victory over the multitude of temptations, strength and help to rise and stand upright after our falls; for were it not for thy swift help, how should we escape being sunk and swept away in the flood of lawlessness that hath overwhelmed the last times?
O all-holy Theotokos, Quick to Hear, disregard not our entreaty, the hope we have stirred up towards thee, the confession of those who have fled to thee, but be our mediator before the all-holy Trinity, undivided and unending, that It may look upon us with Its mercy, compassion and love for mankind, turn away the wrath that ever cometh upon us, deliver us from the wrath that hath justly overtaken us and have mercy on us, that everywhere and at all times we may glorify Its holy name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
