Hymns to the Theotokos of Vardzia
The initial letters say: “O thou who art exalted above glory, who unitest angels and men to glorify thee, as thou unitest birth and virginity, O all-holy Theotokos: save one who sings to thee in thy temple that bears the name of Vardzia, and deliver me from spiritual captivity.”
From heaven grant to my stammering tongue the word of wisdom, O Queen, for, like the choirs of Israel that passed through the sea, we sing to thee this debt of thanksgiving for thy glories!
The Egypt of the flesh, dark with the bondage of affliction, another furnace of labour kindled towards evil by defiling impulses — O dwelling of God the King, may it become for me now, through thee, a place of holiness!
Aaron’s rod, the jar and the lampstand, and with them the table, the ark, the manna, and Bezalel’s tabernacle of witness of the fleeing people, with their twofold deliverance, foreshadowed thee, the Mother of God!
The new path between walls of water, a God-given figure of voyaging, showed us exiles the wondrous road back to delightful Eden through thee, O Virgin, blessed on high!
God Himself, who ruleth the ends of this world with the judgement of righteousness, when He dwelt in thee, gave power to His confessors boldly to turn back the thousands of blasphemers!
From the fortress of fortresses and from iron chains, from the dunghills of the poor captives, the Deliverer lifteth up and raiseth from the land of forgetfulness, breaking the power of the Ishmaelites, O immaculate Virgin!
Behold, the bow of the mighty of that camp of the Persians and Medes hath grown weak; the might of the Arabs’ weapons hath withered, and the weak have girded themselves with strength from thee!
The army saith with thanksgiving to the Immaculate one: Let no one boast at all in wisdom, nor in any might or riches, but let him boast in this: that perfect God was born, O Virgin, in our nature from thy womb!
The wondrous, sudden rapture of Habakkuk across far borders became a figure of the deliverance of captives from their foul captors, O Bride of God, by thy help!
Now I shall find rest instead of that day of affliction, as I go up from the hosts of those Chaldeans, Persians and Armenians; the legion of the tribes of Hagar is drowned in the water of thine intercessions, O glorious one!
Merciless were the stones of the praetorium; the work of mercy failed the offspring of the Bugduzians, thieves and foreigners. Arrows of light, flashing weapons — the Cross and the apostles, to refute the Koran!
Trembling fell upon the raging people; their sheep were cut off from the fold, for the ox knew not the voice, nor the ass its crib. The horn of the Church was exalted, and the temple of the Queen was spread wide in Tmogvi!
Isaiah, whose lips the seraph touched with the coal, when he said: Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, proclaimed it like a lamp shining in the night, O incorrupt one, into the ears of the faithful!
The guile of Origen was laid bare, the pangs of the sick overtook Arius, the tongue of Nestorius clave to his palate; the godless one was silenced and cut off from among men with a curse: learn, ye who dwell in the world!
The root of Jesse hath truly blossomed, the oath to David hath been fulfilled, and all have known the promise of the fathers as his Son, crying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” May He swiftly become the enlightener of the darkness of night!
“He who knoweth not righteousness,” said the loud-voiced prophet, “cannot do truth”; so those who went astray vainly held the Virgin’s childbearing to be a fable, enemies of the One born and of her who bore Him!
By the power of thine intercessions I was delivered from that dungeon pit, as of old one was delivered from death through Elijah; by prayers Jonah was delivered, O immaculate one, when the strength of the fetters was brought to nothing!
As from the belly of hell, or as from the whale, thou didst hear my supplication, whose bars were everlasting bolts; from the burdens of misery thou didst deliver my life, O Mother of God!
Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, a figure of the Deliverer’s third-day resurrection; and here there came to me, who had broken the bonds of many years, a divinely glorious sign — escape from the four walls and the guards!
They bring thee thanksgivings, and countless peoples together make litanies to thee; and I will sacrifice to thee with the voice of praise, O thou who loosest the sin of Eve, all that my lips vowed with compunction!
Those youths of the house of Hezekiah, when first in that captivity they put to shame the godless tyrant who set up a god, taught plainly of thy Son, that He is God, for all to know!
The flame, heated seven times over, blazed with wrath from peoples of wearisome torments; upon me thou didst rain down thy help: be our deliverer, O my light and my protection!
There was neither sacrifice there nor place, but sighing with tears and the lifting up of fettered hands in litany; whence, as with the golden image, by the furnace of thy lightnings thou didst put to shame the beasts of the reeds!
Through figures we have found the truth: there was once a furnace for the youths worthy of blessedness; then it did not consume them, like the burning bush, though their flesh was in the fire — a gift of Him who took flesh from thee!
Jacob saw thee as a ladder, Moses as the bush, Daniel as the mountain, Gideon as the fleece; the youths, bedewed by the coming of the angel, proclaimed thee in the fire when they put the golden image to shame with scorn!
The plain of Dura and the furnace of the Chaldeans became for me a vale full of hope, when a still breeze guarded me and help cut through the flames this way and that, to break the arrogance of the base servants!
The creation of all that is blesseth Him who was born of thee, O immaculate one, the King and God; every order telleth His praise as with one voice and confesseth the Creator of the ages as God-man!
Enoch hoped, and God translated him; Noah saved the race of living things; by the hand of Moses the Israelites were delivered; and the fierce toil of the mines and the fire of the depths became again a delight to me through thee!
An Olympian victory was granted us: the spears and shields of the assailants were shattered, the feet of the captives were made firm like the running of harts, a flame like that of Etna blazed against the rebellious, and the unbelievers were cast down in wrath from their thrones!
The eloquence of the wise is overcome, and, as thou didst say, O Theotokos, behold, with the ranks of heaven all generations and tribes of men call thee blessed; therefore they cry to thee: Make my arms ever a bow of bronze!
From the unseen pits of the world bring up my exile; renew like the eagle’s the youth of my soul; deliver me from guilt, O mighty and glorious one; be pleased to dwell within me, O immaculate one!
Through these hymns of praise my soul magnifieth Him who was born of thee; thy temple singeth, O all-incorrupt one, the deliverance of Adam and the rising of Eve: grant forgiveness as a gift to him who uttereth them!
