Akathist to the Holy Great-Martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe
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.
To the martyr armed with the Cross of Christ and invincible warrior, the passion-bearer, we the faithful offer divine praises and send up to thee this supplication: accept this our unworthy hymn, O blessed one, and remember not our wickedness, but enlighten the hearts of those who praise thee and drive away the darkness of sins from those who sing to thee: Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
Like a star thou shinest in thy fatherland, O radiant prince Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, and shelterest it from every harm of the enemy, and deliverest from afflictions and turmoil; therefore look with mercy on us who entreat thee, and deliver us from sicknesses and pains, and drive away the darkness of afflictions and trials, that we may find rest and unfading delight, who magnify thee with praises:
Rejoice, thou who boastest in Orthodoxy; rejoice, thou who art greatly renowned for goodness and virtue; rejoice, thou who wast made wise and strong by the Lord; rejoice, thou who art magnified in heaven and on earth; rejoice, thou who didst shine with the strength of courage and valour; rejoice, thou who art adorned with the wounds of beating and the pain of the contest; rejoice, thou who wast tried in the furnace of fierce pains; rejoice, thou who art filled with heavenly joy; rejoice, thou who art exalted with the choir of the bodiless; rejoice, thou who didst appear as an adornment of the crown of the Church of Iberia; rejoice, thou who didst shine forth for the consolation of the Church and the adornment of Iberia; rejoice, thou who art ever remembered by the Kartlosians; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
When in the battle of Shamkor thou wast appointed champion of the victorious army, thou didst hold out the name of Christ as a shield, and, strengthening thy host, thou didst put to flight and to shame countless enemies, and after the victory thou didst spread the banner of the caliph beneath the feet of the blessed Queen Tamar; and she by thy hand offered it before the Khakhuli icon of the Theotokos at Gelati, and in giving thanks she brought a supplicatory iambic poem to the Hope of all Christians: Alleluia.
When thou didst become manifest on earth by thy renowned courage in the service of the right-believing sovereigns, and wast granted the rank of mandaturtukhutsesi, Queen Tamar also set thee as a commander among the warriors; and thou, though young in years, wast wiser than the aged in virtues and didst advance still more in godliness and doing good; therefore we praise thy foresight and thy victories over the enemy and extol thy all-praised prowess:
Rejoice, invincible fighter for our fatherland in the time of the invasion of foreigners; rejoice, thou who by hope in God didst shatter the whetted sword of the enemy; rejoice, thou who didst take up the Cross of Christ and cast down the Saracens to the ground; rejoice, thou who like David castest down the foreigners; rejoice, planter of honour and valour; rejoice, deliverer from the many-woven devices of the enemy; rejoice, thou who castest down the insolence of the fighters against God; rejoice, uniter of neighbours and peacemaker of enemies; rejoice, thou who humblest those puffed up with pride; rejoice, thou who exaltest the lowly of heart; rejoice, thou who by firm faith art conqueror and crusher of evil spirits; rejoice, swift helper and intercessor of those who honour thee; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
When by God’s permission the king of Khorasan and Persia, named Jalal ad-Din, rose up, and, a fugitive from the Mongols, came with a countless army to take captive and lay waste the land of Armenia, Dvin was then held by John the atabeg Mkhargrdzeli, and his brother’s son Shanshe ruled Ani; therefore they told it to Queen Rusudan, and as men unconquered by their adversaries they uttered this song of victory: Alleluia.
When Rusudan learned of the invasion of the Khwarezmians into her kingdom, she swiftly called up every man able to bear arms and appointed the aged John the atabeg commander of the army; and he set the army in order, and placed the Meskhians, the Toreli and you two brothers of Akhaltsikhe, Shalva and John, as the vanguard of the host; therefore we the faithful boast and offer thee this hymn:
Rejoice, luminary of the land and of the faith; rejoice, thunder of the divine preaching; rejoice, lover of the truth; rejoice, pattern of the divine army; rejoice, unassailable wall of valour; rejoice, unshaken tower of courage; rejoice, shield that guardeth piety; rejoice, sword that cutteth off impiety; rejoice, overthrower of the ranks of the enemy; rejoice, most valiant warrior of the King on high; rejoice, strength and glory of the sceptre of kings; rejoice, fair adornment of the Church of Iberia; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
When ye pitched camp at the place called Garni, ye valiant champions signed yourselves with the sign of the cross and swiftly fell upon the countless army of the sultan; but John the atabeg and the Georgian army stood afar off, and seeing the unequal battle they had no pity on their Georgian kinsmen and fellow believers; but ye, ashamed to turn back, fought manfully against your enemies, and like the three youths in the furnace ye glorified the Lord with one accord: Alleluia.
In the time of the battle and in the time of the war thou didst send word three times and ask for help, but the atabeg, overcome by envy of you, would not help the vanguard, and for the sake of enmity towards two men he gave all Georgia over to devastation; but thou, understanding the wicked design of the chief commander, didst no longer fear the multitude of the sultan’s army, but didst fall upon them like a lion, and with that all-glorious courage didst slay the valiant and the mighty; and to those who know not these deeds of thy victory we recount thy praises:
Rejoice, thou who gavest thyself up for love of the fatherland and faithfulness to thy people; rejoice, thou who by valour didst strengthen the vanguard against the enemy; rejoice, teacher of soldierly courage; rejoice, thou who didst turn many to the true faith; rejoice, thou who didst labour in the good fight with toil and blood; rejoice, builder of the monastery of Saint Demetrius in Jerusalem; rejoice, shamer of those who hate all truth and righteousness; rejoice, thou who leadest men to the service of the fatherland and to good order; rejoice, saviour of all who fervently entreat thee; rejoice, reprover of the crafty and the vengeful; rejoice, thou who showest mercy to those who pray for their fatherland and their neighbour; rejoice, thou who blessest those who keep watch in faith, hope and love; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
When, greatly wearied by the battle and left without help, ye were put to flight, then that great and invincible army that had stood idle fled also, and the glory of the valour of the Georgians was dishonoured among all; but thou, great martyr Shalva, didst make ready for the contest by which thou camest to immortality, and now, deified by divine communion, thou art the intercessor of those who sing to thee: Alleluia.
O envy, beginning of all evils, forerunner of the desolation and impoverishment of our fatherland, which fiercely brought about the destruction of Kartli and the casting down of Tbilisi from its glory and beauty and the lessening of its honour! And we, marvelling at that change in the nature of the chief commander John, proclaim to the earth this dreadful thing and stir every tongue to sing to thee:
Rejoice, manifest guardian of the divine law; rejoice, thou who by the valour of thy nature didst cast down the pride of the lawless; rejoice, thou who soothest sorrows and trials; rejoice, thou who by faith calmest those carried away by insolence; rejoice, thou who smitest our enemies, consumed by murderous envy; rejoice, thou who crushest those who desire our destruction; rejoice, deliverer from evil heedlessness and shamelessness; rejoice, thou who movest sinners to prayer through repentance; rejoice, thou who drivest away the stench of godlessness; rejoice, thou who exaltest the wise and clear-sighted; rejoice, thou who humblest the double-minded and unrepentant; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame time-servers and the crafty; rejoice, thou who lovest those who follow after good works; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
The shattering of swords and spears, being left on foot and surrounded by those abominable peoples, made thee a captive and delivered thee into the hands of the enemy; but thou, O wise commander, didst not spare thy youthful years or thy princely honour, and fearlessly went forth into the arena of incorruptible suffering; and thy brother John, having broken all his weapons upon the enemy, was slain by the thrusts of spears; therefore to you, the valiant and renowned in battles, we offer this song of victory: Alleluia.
When they set thee before the sultan Jalal ad-Din, he received thee with great honour for thy mighty fighting and thy valour, and, granting thee cities and villages of Adarbadagan, honoured thee together with his own princes; but thou, content with thine own inherited portion, didst set thy hope on God thy Creator; therefore we the faithful boast and gather together to offer this divine praise:
Rejoice, radiant lamp that scatterest the darkness of godlessness; rejoice, thou who discernest the better from the worse and the good from the evil; rejoice, thou who didst waste thy flesh by fasting and vigil; rejoice, thou who by unceasing prayer drivest away the temptations of the devil; rejoice, thou who by divine grace makest the ignorant wise; rejoice, deliverer from tumult and war; rejoice, thou who settest free from prisons and bonds; rejoice, healer of those wounded by invisible arrows; rejoice, defender of the wretched and the oppressed; rejoice, thou who bringest to life the enfeebled spirit of the fatherland; rejoice, thou who bringest dawn to our darkened mind; rejoice, thou who dost well instruct thy God-protected people; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
After one year Jalal ad-Din pressed thee to forsake the law of Christ, and that lawless king promised thee on oath the highest military honours; but thou, O valiant one, didst stand firm in the right faith and boldly confess the Son together with the Father and give glory to the Holy Trinity: Alleluia.
Hearing thy answer enraged the tyrant, but the senseless one hid his anger within himself and multiplied his flatteries; but thou, filled with divine wisdom, didst speak thus: “O king, do not call me to such folly, for I am a Christian and will never deny His name”; therefore we, the sons of the Orthodox Church, cry aloud in wonder and say:
Rejoice, preacher of the right faith; rejoice, unshakeable champion of Orthodoxy; rejoice, spiritual diamond of patience; rejoice, dwelling of the true struggle; rejoice, sword that cutteth off the tares of the delusion of Muhammad; rejoice, thou who by firm faith didst expose the godlessness of the tyrants; rejoice, thou who sweetly bearest the divine yoke; rejoice, branch of the true vine of Christ that bringeth forth good fruit; rejoice, uncaptured gate of the Church of Iberia; rejoice, glory and strength of our fatherland; rejoice, great warrior of Christ God, victorious over unbelieving enemies; rejoice, thou who didst win the crown of victory; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
When that proud and haughty king heard thy wise words, he again promised thee wealth and set before thee threats of bitter torments; but thou, like a firm rock in the sea, wast not shaken by the waves of oppression and the glories promised, but in thy mind thou didst chant psalms and unceasingly glorify the Life-giving Trinity: Alleluia.
Then his proud royalty came even to dishonour, and he schemed to lead thee astray with sweetness and guile; but thou, wise warrior, didst laugh at the tyrant and with an untroubled mind didst answer: “O Jalal ad-Din, neither by the promise of thy good things nor by bringing thy evils upon me canst thou separate me from my Lord Jesus Christ”; therefore we adorn thee as is fitting, and after the custom of the men of our fatherland we honour thy memory with love:
Rejoice, thou who didst set thy hope on God; rejoice, thou who didst imprint the divine commandments on thy heart; rejoice, thou who by righteousness overthrowest perversity; rejoice, thou who deliverest the young from every uncleanness and vice; rejoice, planter of every good and God-pleasing thing; rejoice, fellow-fighter and protector of the Georgian armed forces that bear the name of Christ; rejoice, conqueror of enemies by valour and shamer of the wrong-believing; rejoice, reprover of those who gather unjust gain and are enslaved to the love of money; rejoice, comforter of all who flee to thee and call on thee in faith; rejoice, terror of blasphemers, adulterers and thieves; rejoice, hater of lying and perjury; rejoice, intercessor for the poor and their benefactor; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
Thy steadfastness enraged the tyrant and thy fearless answer amazed him, for he counted such boldness a shame to his royalty, and he commanded that thou be stripped of thy garments and beaten without mercy; but thou didst nail thy flesh to the fear of God and make ready for torments and to endure death for Christ; therefore we tell of thy struggles and cry to God with thanksgiving: Alleluia.
Then the executioners who had been commanded to torture thee dragged thee away without honour, and, stripping off thy garments, beat thee for a long time without mercy; but thou with a valiant and firm resolve didst say to thyself: “Rejoice, O Shalva! For with the garment of the flesh thou art putting off the old man and art being set free from corruptible things”, and thou didst bear the wounds of the torments and the fierce blows with divine longing; therefore thy deeds are worthy of praise and of being told to others:
Rejoice, thou who didst count fleeting beauty as nothing; rejoice, thou who by the wisdom of the spirit didst courageously endure fierce torments; rejoice, holy and spotless lamb, who didst shed thy blood for Christ; rejoice, thou who by the river of thy blood didst quench the flame of delusion; rejoice, planter of love for God, king and fatherland; rejoice, deliverer of those perishing through the wiles of men and the guile of the enemy; rejoice, defender from the snares of Satan and from the invasion of foreigners; rejoice, swift banisher of fierce afflictions; rejoice, thou who bringest to understanding those blinded by godlessness and lawlessness; rejoice, instructor of disobedient youths; rejoice, thou who enlightenest those who sing to thee in faith; rejoice, thou who inclinest mercifully to those who entreat thee and emboldenest those who honour thee; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
“Dost thou not remember, Shalva, how many times thou didst give up thy life to battle for a mortal king, that we might receive from him as reward glory among men? So let us endure death also for Christ, the immortal King, who will give us as reward endless life with Him” — this didst thou say to thyself, and, keeping watch with fasting and prayer, thou didst glorify the Judge of thy contest: Alleluia.
When they shut thee in prison, tried by torments fierce and manifold, thou didst finish the course of martyrdom and commend thy spirit into the hands of God; therefore God translated thee to Himself and glorified His saint with heavenly glory, for where they buried thy much-suffering body a radiant light came to rest, and those who came in faith were healed of every sickness, and all who gathered there praised thee:
Rejoice, thou who didst preach like an apostle in thy torments; rejoice, thou who didst victoriously expose the Persian delusion; rejoice, thou who showest great mercy to hosts and armed forces; rejoice, conqueror of raging haters of God; rejoice, imitator of the Passion of Christ, who didst take upon thee pain and death of thine own will; rejoice, thou who didst endure torments for the Jerusalem on high; rejoice, deliverer of those oppressed by the defilement of sin; rejoice, deliverer of the condemned from death; rejoice, thou who drivest away diseases and infirmities of many kinds; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame slanderers and those who dishonour their parents; rejoice, thou who humblest the enemies of the Kartlosians and exaltest those who love them; rejoice, thou who castest down the host of demons and bringest it wholly to nothing; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
O how great a glory thy valour won for thee, O blessed one! For thy afflictions were changed for thee into incorruptible righteousness, death into immortality, and sufferings into a sharing in the sufferings of Christ; therefore thy memory hath today made the Church of the Georgians shine and gathered all to sing worthily to thee: Alleluia.
Our land is fairly adorned today, and our beloved people exults as one crowned by thee, and the feast of thy memory shines out brightly, for thy true martyrdom hath borne witness to the Georgians, like that of George and of Theodore, with whom thou art united in the heavenly army, blessed Shalva, and thou art the protector of all who praise thee and sing to thee with longing:
Rejoice, preacher of the glory of God and revealer of righteousness; rejoice, thou who by thy divine struggle didst amaze the bodiless ranks; rejoice, thou who by the light of thy martyrdom bringest dawn to the darkness of the fatherland; rejoice, thou who enlightenest thy people with divine light; rejoice, thou who by thy blood didst magnify the right faith; rejoice, thou who quenchest the flame of the passions and grievous diseases; rejoice, thou who exaltest this Georgian people too with surpassing joy; rejoice, thou who puttest to shame those who renounce the labours of their fathers and forefathers; rejoice, thou who blessest those who continue the struggle of our forebears; rejoice, thou who showest mercy to those who have laboured for faith and fatherland; rejoice, thou who receivest suffering souls that flee to thee; rejoice, thou who instead of passing glory didst receive the light that passeth not away; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
The dreadful grave of oblivion did not cover thee, O radiant prince, nor could the flowing of the times consign thy wondrous deeds to forgetfulness, for the chronicle of Kartli hath set before us the valour of thy struggles, great martyr, and to those who desire to hear of thy magnanimous victories we the faithful proclaim thy praises: Alleluia.
Thou who didst put on Christ as a garment and by His grace didst put to shame those wicked enemies, offer now our supplication to the Deliverer and ask for us that He send down strength, courage, wisdom and victory over all enemies and oppressors to the Christ-loving Georgians, that we may not become a reproach and a laughing-stock to our enemies, but, bound in oneness of mind by love for God and neighbour, may ever praise the holy martyrs and call thy valour blessed:
Rejoice, thou who wast unconquered by delusions of many forms, for in the arena of suffering thou didst appear as a perfect warrior; rejoice, thou who wast walled about with the weapon of the Cross, for thou didst conquer the principalities and powers of darkness and appear as a partaker of the divine sufferings; rejoice, thou who wast enrolled as a warrior of the Maker of the ages, for thou didst leave the belt of earthly soldiery and strive in faith even to the shedding of blood; rejoice, thou who shinest with invincible struggle, for thou didst blaze forth on earth like a light-bearing star of heaven; rejoice, beauty of the company of martyrs, for thou art glorified with a twofold crown, as an invincible martyr and as a warrior of Christ; rejoice, thou who standest ever before the King of heaven, for thou wast received into heaven and the gates of paradise were opened to thee; rejoice, all-radiant lamp of the Georgian people, for thou givest light to all the ends of our land; rejoice, gold-wrought lampstand of the Church, for the brilliance of thy struggle bringeth dawn to the hearts of the lovers of the martyrs; rejoice, strength of those who undertake the contest, for thou grantest victory in battle; rejoice, praiseworthy son of our fatherland, for a radiant light made its dwelling in thee and made thee the strengthening of thy people; rejoice, glory of martyrs and splendour of warriors, for Christ who glorified thee made thy struggle glorious, and the knowledge of it hath reached us to this day; rejoice, unassailable tower and unbreachable wall of the Georgians, for there is none who calleth on thee in afflictions and findeth not swift consolation; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
O holy divine ascetic and goodness of all the Georgians, radiant prince Shalva of Akhaltsikhe! Since thou didst hate earthly soldiery and long for heavenly glory, and didst take upon thee beatings, wounds and reproach, and a cruel death as though it were a delight, now scatter the darkness of our transgressions and enlighten our souls, that we may rejoice with thee unto the ages, singing to thee in faith: Alleluia.
Say this kontakion thrice, then:
Like a star thou shinest in thy fatherland, O radiant prince Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, and shelterest it from every harm of the enemy, and deliverest from afflictions and turmoil; therefore look with mercy on us who entreat thee, and deliver us from sicknesses and pains, and drive away the darkness of afflictions and trials, that we may find rest and unfading delight, who magnify thee with praises:
Rejoice, thou who boastest in Orthodoxy; rejoice, thou who art greatly renowned for goodness and virtue; rejoice, thou who wast made wise and strong by the Lord; rejoice, thou who art magnified in heaven and on earth; rejoice, thou who didst shine with the strength of courage and valour; rejoice, thou who art adorned with the wounds of beating and the pain of the contest; rejoice, thou who wast tried in the furnace of fierce pains; rejoice, thou who art filled with heavenly joy; rejoice, thou who art exalted with the choir of the bodiless; rejoice, thou who didst appear as an adornment of the crown of the Church of Iberia; rejoice, thou who didst shine forth for the consolation of the Church and the adornment of Iberia; rejoice, thou who art ever remembered by the Kartlosians; Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
To the martyr armed with the Cross of Christ and invincible warrior, the passion-bearer, we the faithful offer divine praises and send up to thee this supplication: accept this our unworthy hymn, O blessed one, and remember not our wickedness, but enlighten the hearts of those who praise thee and drive away the darkness of sins from those who sing to thee: Rejoice, fair martyr and radiant warrior, Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
O radiant warrior, invincible in battles, who in afflictions stretchest out a hand that never putteth to shame, swift helper of those who entreat thee and giver of mercy, holy great-martyr, prince Shalva of Akhaltsikhe!
O victor in the contest, great martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe! Remember us before God and by the radiance of thy holiness shelter the land of Iberia from heresy and from an alien law, and grant to all who dwell in it, as to thee, the warmth of faith, brotherly love for neighbour and divine zeal for the fatherland, and raise up for us without hindrance from the root of David the anointed of God, who by firm faith shall wall about all the borders of Georgia and shall exalt and restore our height and strength from the land of forgetfulness, that we may be one flock and the Lord may be our Shepherd. By thy mighty power strengthen 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, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops and all the priestly and monastic orders, the commanders and the governors of cities, the Christ-loving armed forces, and our benefactors, and all Orthodox Christians, and magnify those who bear thy name and those who entreat thee. Entreat, O all-radiant martyr, the sweetest Jesus whom thou didst love, to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction and defilement of churches, the murders of the servants of God, betrayal, envy and disorders, the killing of our infants in the womb and the multitude of our other sins.
O great martyr Shalva, crowned with victory! As thou hast great boldness, intercede before God, that He may grant glory to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to rulers, courage to soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women; and that He may restore to us godliness, love of righteousness, many children, and mercy to widows and orphans; that He may grant us love of a holy life, hatred of unseemly deeds and contrition of heart, crowning with the saints and the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, that we too with thee may glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
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, both 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, of the great-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
