Paraklesis to the Holy Great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi
He is entreated for deliverance from enemies visible and invisible, from captivity and from the devices of demons and evil spirits, and also for the healing of the passions of the soul and the ailments of the body.
Into the order of the supplicatory paraklesis we have placed the “Supplicatory Hymn to the Holy Great-martyr Abo” published by St Kirion the Catholicos. In compiling it he used the tenth-century collection of Michael Modrekili, the “Hymns”, an expanded redaction of the yearly Iadgari. There, under 7 January, stands the service of the feast of St Abo, which contains three different “hymns” (“canons”): the first by the tenth-century writer and hymnographer John Konkozisdze, the second by the tenth-century writer and hymnographer Stephen Sananoisdze of Chqondidi, and the third, according to the research of P. Ingoroqva, by the great churchman of the eighth and ninth centuries, St Gregory of Khandzta. St Kirion drew mainly on the “hymns” of Stephen of Chqondidi. We have collated the “hymn” compiled by St Kirion with the original and made small changes.
Priest: Blessed is our God…
And if a layman, he says: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
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.
O Lord, attend to my prayer: hearken to my supplication in thy truth; hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has brought my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in a dark place, as those that have been long dead. Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me. I remembered the days of old; and I meditated on all thy doings: yea, I meditated on the works of thine hands. I spread forth my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee, as a dry land. Pause. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit has failed; turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee; make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies, and wilt destroy all those that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. Verse 2: All the nations compassed me about, and in the name of the Lord I withstood them. Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
Rejoice, thou who wast chosen by God the Father on high and called by the Only-begotten Son, illumined by the Holy Spirit and united with the choir of the bodiless in heaven, praised among the martyrs and the righteous; beautiful adornment of the churches, boast of the martyrs, joy of kings, helper of the faithful, valiant champion Abo: entreat God now to grant great mercy to our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, thou who wast chosen by God the Father on high and called by the Only-begotten Son, illumined by the Holy Spirit and united with the choir of the bodiless in heaven, praised among the martyrs and the righteous; beautiful adornment of the churches, boast of the martyrs, joy of kings, helper of the faithful, valiant champion Abo: entreat God now to grant great mercy to our souls.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We will never cease, O Theotokos, we the unworthy, from speaking of thy mighty acts; for hadst thou not stood before us to intercede, who would have kept us free until now? We will not depart from thee, O Lady, for thou ever savest thy servants from all misfortunes.
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.
Irmos: Of old the people of Israel walked through the waves of the Red Sea, and Moses, stretching out his hands in the form of the Cross, cast down the might of Amalek in the wilderness.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
O Jesus, Word of God, teach us the word of wisdom, that we may praise Thy holy Baptism and worthily sing of the invincible struggles of the martyr Abo, the good contender.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
For the sake of Him who today was stripped in the flesh in the Jordan, the blessed martyr Abo put off the old man with his deeds and put on the power of Christ.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Come, all ye nations, with the dwellers of Kartli today, and behold the passion-bearer Abo, radiantly adorned with the blood of martyrdom; let us sing his praise worthily in hymns.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst worship the thrice-radiant Trinity through baptism, blood, fire and spirit, O glorious martyr Abo, and thou intercedest for our souls.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
To the Mother of the Light thou didst commend thy soul, O martyr, having shed thy blood for love of her Son, O glorious Abo.
Irmos: The Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, and thus she crieth: Thou art my hope; strengthen me, O Creator.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou wast baptized with the Saviour when thou wentest down into the font of the contest, as our Deliverer went into the Jordan, and with the shedding of thy blood thou didst wash thy body when thou wast mercilessly slain by the sword.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
With thy blood, as with purple, thou didst adorn the Church of the nations, O invincible soldier of Christ, and didst gather all into it in unity to sing of thy struggles.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
არცხვინე, ნეტარო, ნაშობთა მათ მხევლისაითა უღმრთოთა და დაუყუენ პირნი მათნი მგმობარნი საღმრთოითა მით სიბრძნითა ზეგარდამოითა, რაჟამს ჰქადაგე სამებაი ერთ-ღმრთეებაი.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We entreat thee, O Mother of God: through the intercession of the holy martyr ever deliver from the deceit of the enemy us who flee to thy protection.
Deliver from dangers them that praise thee, O great-martyr Abo, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O passion-bearing martyr Abo, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for our God-protected people and its sovereignty (for its Christ-loving authorities and armed forces).
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, the great lord, our father Ilia, and for the most reverend (the local bishop is commemorated), and for all our brethren in Christ.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again let us pray to the Lord our God that He may have mercy on the servant or handmaid… Multiply, O Lord, the days and years of their life, and deliver them, O Lord, from every affliction, wrath and distress, and from every wound of soul and body, and forgive them every transgression, voluntary and involuntary.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for all Orthodox Christians.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: For Thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
After the all-glorious Theophany of Christ comes thy holy memory, as a feast following that yearly feast, radiantly returning year by year, O invincible soldier of Christ Abo. Therefore, gathered here in spirit, we glorify God Almighty, who chose thee as a fragrant rose, showed thee forth as His own martyr and adorned thee with the crown of victory; and thus we cry to thee: Entreat Christ God to grant remission of sins to them that lovingly keep thy holy memory.
Irmos: When the Church beheld Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, lifted up upon the Cross, she stood worthily in her order and cried aloud: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
The bond of love bound the mind of the martyr to endure countless torments, whereby he cast down the boast of the godless.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou didst leave the turmoil of thy fathers’ stubbornness and follow Christ, O holy one, and by taking sufferings upon thyself thou becamest like Him, O most blessed one.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou wast a stranger and a sojourner to the divine law, O valiant martyr; but thou didst make haste and become one of the household of His commandments, O venerable one.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst follow the voice of the Godhead and seal His commandment upon thy heart, O holy Abo; entreat Him for the forgiveness of our transgressions.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of the never-setting Sun, Virgin Mary, through the intercession of the blessed martyr protect us, who are given over to bitter distress, from enemies visible and invisible.
Irmos: Thou, O Lord, art the Light that cometh into the world, enlightening the hearts of Thy faithful who worship Thee.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou, O Lord, didst put the deceiver to shame at the Jordan; Thou didst also strengthen the heart of the martyr Abo, who confessed Thee.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou wast seized as an evildoer, O blessed Abo, but thou deliverest souls oppressed by the evil enemy.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou didst gain a threefold baptism, O martyr, by water, by spirit and by blood, and after these thy contest shone forth through fire.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst wear thyself down with fasting like the great Anthony, O holy Abo; thou didst mortify the flesh and wast counted worthy of the crown of martyrdom.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Virgin Mary went before thee on the road that leads to Kartli and made thee a teacher of the faithful people, O blessed Abo; therefore cease not to intercede for them that praise thee.
Irmos: The prophet Jonah cried out from the abyss and foreshowed the figure of the three-day burial, saying: Deliver me from corruption, O Jesus, King of powers.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
ღაღადებდა კადნიერად სანატრელი აბო და ეტყოდა უსჯულოთა ისმაიტელთა: განმეშორენით მე, ჰოი, უკეთურნო, და გამოვიძინე ღმრთისა მცნებანი.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou didst strip thyself bare to gain the virtues, O venerable one, and didst blossom with the crown of a perfect contest; and thus didst thou cry, O valiant one: My hope is Christ God.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
In a perfect contest the martyr Abo showed himself valiant; he filled the Church with the fragrance of myrrh and sanctified the people chosen by divine grace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Blessed Abo learned worthily from books and teachers the rule and law of the faith, and with joy he glorified the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
As the Virgin received the “Rejoice”, so didst thou receive the heavenly voice for thy sufferings, and as a lamb from the earth thou wast offered to the immortal Lamb.
Deliver from dangers them that praise thee, O great-martyr Abo, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O passion-bearing martyr Abo, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
Priest: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord…
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
Priest: For Thou art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Choir: Amen.
The Church keeps festival today in thy honoured memory and gathers the children of the font to praise and glorify thy contest and invincible courage, O eye of the martyrs, Abo.
Open my speechless lips and make my stammering tongue speak, to extol thy beautiful contest; for the Georgian people, gathered together, form a choir with gladness and recount together the wonders of thee, the truest of martyrs. And now cease not to help us, to deliver us from the assault of our adversaries, O eye of the martyrs, Abo.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
Verse: Hear my voice, O God.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: For holy art Thou, O our God, who restest in the saints, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Priest: Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.
Verse: Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power.
Priest: And that He may make us worthy to hear the holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord our God.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Priest: The reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let us attend.
The Lord said to His disciples: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the all-praised great-martyr Abo, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression, and have mercy on me, O God.
Thou didst appear as a shining star, O enlightener of Kartli, O blessed one, and thy contest shone forth brighter than the light of the sun, like lightning, O wise one, plain to be seen by the firmaments on high and all the ends of heaven, when thou becamest an image of the Lord’s Baptism and, stripped bare, didst go down into the font of light and wast twice baptized, with water and with blood, O valiant Abo. Entreat God now to grant great mercy to our souls.
Priest: O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; visit Thy world with mercy and compassion; exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians and send down upon us Thy rich mercies, through the intercessions of our all-immaculate Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary; by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, by the power of the Cross of the vine; through the protection of the honourable bodiless Powers of heaven; of the honourable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; of the holy prophet Elijah the Tishbite and righteous Enoch; of the holy, glorious and all-praised foremost apostles Peter and Paul; of the holy apostle Thomas and the apostles who enlightened Georgia, Andrew the First-called, Simon the Canaanite and Matthias; of our holy mother, the virgin Nino, equal to the apostles; of the holy King Mirian and Queen Nana, equal to the apostles; of our fathers among the saints, the great ecumenical teachers and hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom; of our father among the saints Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the wonderworker; of the holy, glorious and victorious martyrs: the holy great-martyr George the Trophy-bearer and the holy great-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe; the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; the holy great-martyr Bidzina and the martyrs Shalva and Elizbar, eristavis of Ksani; the priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians and the holy six thousand martyred monks of Gareja; the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Shushanik, Ketevan and Luarsab; of our holy, pious and great kings Vakhtang Gorgasali, Ashot the Kuropalates, David the Builder and Solomon; of the holy and pious King Tamar; of our venerable and God-bearing fathers of the Holy Mountain John, John-Tornike, Euthymius, Gabriel and George, and of the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta; of our holy and blessed fathers Lucian, Dodo, Damian, Onuphrius and Simeon of Gareja; of our holy and venerable father John of Zedazeni and his twelve disciples, the second enlighteners of the Church of Georgia and her ever-protectors, and among the disciples our venerable father David of Gareja; of holy Ilia the Righteous; of the holy and righteous parents of the Theotokos, Joachim and Anna, and of the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi, and of all Thy saints: we entreat Thee, O most merciful Lord, hearken to the supplication of us sinners, and have mercy on us.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Priest: Through the mercies and compassions and love for mankind of Thine Only-begotten Son, with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Irmos: The youths of Abraham’s seed, bound by the magi for the sake of the divine laws, were cast into the furnace and cried out in the flame: Blessed art Thou, O God, in the temple of Thy holiness.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
მოიძულე შენ, სიცრუვით შეთხზული იგი ისმაიტელთა მოძღურებაი და შეიყუარე ქრისტეის მცნებაი და სიხარულითა ღაღადებდი: კურთხეულ ხარ შენ, უფალო, ღმერთო მამათა ჩუენთაო.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou wast, O blessed one, a skilful blender of fragrant ointments; but quickly thou didst leave it and go with longing after the fragrance of Christ’s myrrh, and thou didst run, becoming like Him in His sufferings.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
The tyrant spoke to thee with flattery: Why hast thou forsaken our law and resistest us with a law which we have not learned? Now let thy body be worn down with many torments.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst count their fury as nothing, O blessed Abo, nor wast thou afraid at all, for thou didst love Christ, and, aflame with divine zeal, thou didst eagerly follow in His steps.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin Theotokos, holy Abo entreats thee: protect the faithful people from every invasion of the enemy and grant victory to our people.
Irmos: O Deliverer of all, mighty God, Thou didst deliver the youths cast into the fire when Thou didst bedew them, and from the furnace they cried: Bless the Lord today, ye works of the Lord.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou didst despise the glory and delights of the world, O valiant passion-bearer, and didst love Christ, and now thou dwellest with Him; intercede for us who entreat thee, O blessed one.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou hadst as thy weapon the Cross of Christ, firm hope and love; by that faith thou wast strengthened, and thou didst cry: Bless God, all ye His works.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
ხრიდეს თავთა გულის წყრომით ღმრთის მბრძოლნი იგი აბოისთვის და ეტყოდეს მსაჯულსა: მოკალ განდგომილი იგი და შემა ჩუენებელი მუჰმედ მოციქულისა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst shine forth in spirit, O valiant one; thou didst light candles and sing, as a priest who offers spotless sacrifices and sings, and with joy thou didst set out on thy last journey.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Abo was offered as a chosen sacrifice for love of thy Son, O Virgin Mary; by his intercession shelter the land of Iberia from the snares of Satan.
Irmos: Thy giving birth is incorrupt, O Virgin; God came forth from thy womb incarnate and dwelt among men; therefore we all ever magnify thee, O Theotokos.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Thou didst cry out with the voice of David, O Abo, and with the wise thief didst call mightily: Remember me, O Saviour, in the Kingdom! Now intercede for them that sing thy praise.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
Confessor of the Son, glorifier of the Father, praiser of the Spirit, thou wast slain like a lamb by the hands of the envious and offered as a sacrifice to God; entreat Him to have mercy on our souls.
O holy great-martyr Abo, pray to God for us.
When that sweet Judge cometh and taketh His seat upon the thrones of His Kingdom, O martyr, then entreat Him for the forgiveness of the transgressions of us who sing thy praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
My tongue has grown too weak to tell of thy struggles, O holy one; for thou didst imitate the first martyrs by shedding thy blood, and with them thou rejoicest in the Kingdom, O valiant one. Now guide us also on the path of peace to those longed-for dwellings, O blessed Abo.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
წინაშე ძისა შენისა, ქალწულო, ჰღაღადებს სისხლი წმიდისა აბოისი. შეისმინე ოხაი მისი და შემოგვიკრიბენ მამულნი განბნეულნი, და უჩინე მზღუარი, ყოველთა კაცთაგან უსარჩლელი.
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and all-spotless, and the Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
The priest censes.
აგარის ნათესავთა, ძირთა მათ უნაყოფოთა, ნერგთა მათგან ეკლოვანთა, ვითარცა ვარდი შუენიერი ფერითა მეწამულითა, გამოჩნდი, აბო, და ნელსაცხებელთა წილ, სხურებითა სისხლთაითა სულნელ-ყავ ეკლესიაი ქართველთაი, რომელსა შინა იქება მადლი შენი და ოხითა შენითა ღმრთისაგან, ყოველთა მოგუენიჭების წყალობაი.
O valiant warrior of Christ God, who didst proclaim His holy and glorious name before the tyrants and didst not tremble at their threats and torments! Now also entreat Him to look upon His people, who have no defence before Him, to keep them from every affliction and from the snares of the devil, and to save our souls.
Radiant among the ranks of the angels and in the company of the holy martyrs, thou rejoicest, O blessed Abo; now entreat Christ to bring to nothing and drive away the assault and the mastery of all our enemies and oppressors who have armed themselves with cunning against the Orthodox, and to grant healing of soul and body to them that sing thy praise.
ვითარცა ძუელად აჩუენე საკვირველი მფარველობაი შენი და ურიცხუთა ჭირთა ტფილელთასა მრავალ-გზის დამხსნელ იქმენი, ეგრეთვე აწ გარე წარაქციე, ღირსად ჩინებულო, ნეტარო აბო, ყოველნი მტერნი და მაჭირვებელნი ჩუენნი, რომელთა განიგდეს წილი სამკვიდრებელსა ჩუენსა ზედა და დაიცევ საზეპუროი ერი ჩუენი და ყოველნი ქალაქნი და სოფელნი ივერიისანი.
O most holy Theotokos, Mary, Bride of God, the assemblies of the heavenly powers, the choirs of the apostles and all the nations magnify thee; and we with defiled lips proclaim thee Mother of God, O good Lady, all-immaculate one, and in Orthodox faith we cry to the Lord:
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. (3 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.
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…
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, at a loss for any defence, we sinners offer to Thee, our good Master, this supplication: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have put our trust in Thee; be not exceeding wroth with us, nor remember our iniquities; but look upon us now, as Thou art compassionate, and deliver us from Thy just wrath; for Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and Thy name is called upon us; and have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Open unto us the doors of compassion, O blessed Theotokos, that hoping in thee we may not perish, but through thee be delivered from our adversaries, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, long life, salvation, enlightenment, forgiveness, prosperity and quiet for the servants (or handmaids) of God and all the children of our Church, that the Lord our God may preserve this our royal city and this holy church and all the cities and villages of Iberia from famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of foreigners, civil war and deadly plague; that God, in His goodness and love for mankind, may be merciful to us so that we may stand well, and may turn away from us the wrath that daily cometh upon us, and deliver us from His righteous judgement that is laid upon us, and have mercy on us.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (40 times)
Priest: Hear us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that are far off upon the sea; and be gracious, be merciful unto our sins, and have mercy on us; for Thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
O wondrous and truly valiant martyr Abo of Tbilisi! Honoured by God from on high and received by the bodiless powers, radiant among the martyrs, firm pillar of fasting and prayer, unshaken tower of patience, comforter of the poor, who drivest away from us all our enemies of soul and body, physician of the sick, food of the hungry, drink of the thirsty, joy of the sorrowful, hope of the despairing, bright garment of the destitute, repentance of sinners, swift helper of all who entreat thee and fulfiller of petitions!
ჰოი, ყოვლად ქებულო, დიდო მოწამეო აბო! სიქადულო ერისა ჩუენისაო და მცველო ტფილის-ქალაქისაო, მოგვიხსენენ წინაშე ღმრთისა, და ვითარცა გაქუს კადნიერებაი დიდი, ერი ჩუენი განსაცდელთაგან და ჭირთაგან შეცული იხსენ ოხითა შენითა, რაითა წყალობისა წილ არა მოვიღოთ სასჯელი კადნიერებისაი, რამეთუ დავივიწყეთ კეთილმოქმედებაი წინაპართა ჩუენთაი და სული ძუელისა პატიოსნებისაი, ძმათა ერთსულობაი, მორჩილებაი მამათაი და სული მამაცობისაი განდრეკილ იქმნა ჩუენგან. ნაცულად ამისა შევიყუარეთ ამსოფლიური განცხრომაი, დავსტკბით გემოთმოყუარებასა შინა, გულნი ჩუენნი აღივსნეს ანგარებითა და მივემსგავსეთ ერთა უცხო თესლთა და ნათესავთა აღბორგებულთა, საწუთოისა ამის მოყუარეთა, განდგომილთა ქრისტეისგან, რომელთაგან ვისწავეთ საქმენი მათნი და ვჰმონებთ გულის თქუმასა გულთა ჩუენთასა მიბაძვითა მათითა, ვითარცა უსასოონი ქრისტეისგან და დამვიწყებელნი საუკუნოისა ცხორებისანი. ამისთვის სიყუარული იგი ქრისტეისი ჩუენდამო და სარწმუნოებაი ჩუენი მისა მიმართ კუალად განაახლე და მოგუეც საღმრთოი მოშურნეობაი მამულისაი, სიმართლისა სიყუარული და მხნეობაი სულისაი, აღგვავსენ საღმრთოითა მღვიძარებითა და მოგუანიჭე ცხორებისა სიწმიდეი და შიში ღმრთისაი. ევედრე, სანატრელო, შენ მიერ შეყუარებულსა ტკბილსა იესუს, რაითა დაიცვას მამული ჩუენი მტერისა საბრხისაგან და ძმათა მტერობისაგან, და წყალობითა მოხედოს დედისა თვისისა წილხდომილსა ერსა ჩუენსა, მტვირთველსა საუფლოისა ჯუარისაისა ქუეყანასა ზედა, და ნუ მისცემს სამკვიდრებელსა ჩუენსა საყუედრელად მტერთა, რაითა არა ჰსთქუან ყოველთა, სადა არს ღმერთი მათი, რომლისა მიმართ აქუთ სასოებაი. მცხინვარებითა სიწმიდისა შენისაითა აცხოვნე, განაბრწყინვე და შეიწყალე უწმიდესი და უნეტარესი, სრულიად საქართველოის კათალიკოს-პატრიარქი, მცხეთა-თბილისის მთავარეპისკოპოსი და ბიჭვინთისა და ცხუმ-აფხაზეთის მიტროპოლიტი, დიდი მეუფეი, მამაი ჩუენი ილია, ყოვლადსამღდელონი მიტროპოლიტნი, მთავარეპისკოპოსნი და ეპისკოპოსნი, ყოველნი სამღდელო და სამონაზვნო წესნი. განანათლენ ქრისტეისმოყუარე მთავრობაი და მხედრობაი მისი; ყოველნი მართლმადიდებელნი ქრისტეანენი პატიოსნითა მეოხებითა დაიცუენ.
O true and God-wise martyr Abo of Tbilisi! Help us to rise out of the depths of sin, and shelter us from famine, pestilence, earthquake, fire and the sword, from uprising, from the invasion of foreigners and from civil war, from sudden death, from destructive winds, from every deadly plague and from every evil. Grant peace and health to these thy servants and handmaids, Orthodox Christians. Enlighten our mind and the eyes of our heart, that by a good life we may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of heaven. Cease not, O passion-bearer, to intercede for them that entreat thee, who year by year hasten to praise, to hymn and to venerate thy martyr’s shrine! Cease not to intercede before the Creator of all, to whom belongeth all glory, honour and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Priest: Wisdom!
O most holy Theotokos, save us.
Choir: More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the true Theotokos, we magnify thee.
Priest: Glory to Thee, O our God, glory to Thee.
Choir: 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. (3 times) Bless.
Priest: The dismissal. Choir: Amen.
A layman: 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 Thine all-holy Mother, of the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
While the icon is kissed we sing thus:
The Georgian people found thee a great helper in afflictions, O passion-bearer, great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi, strength and power of all who flee to thee with faith and grace-filled physician of the sick. Now cease not to intercede for us, but look with mercy upon them that entreat thee, and deliver us from the sicknesses and pains of soul and body, O all-praised one, and from passions, afflictions and temptations.
O blessed martyr Abo, look upon the supplication of these thy servants and handmaids, and deliver us from the snares of the devil and the wiles of men.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
