Paraklesis to our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony of Martkopi
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
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, 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. Amen.
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.
Created in the image of God, O holy one, thou didst not neglect the honour of the image of Christ, fashioned without human hands; for when thou sawest it in the hands of unbelievers, thou wast kindled with divine zeal, and didst bear upon thy shoulders Him who beareth all things and bring Him to the Georgian people; O beauty of ascetics, Anthony, entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Again the troparion: “Created in the image of God…”
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 delivered us from so many dangers? Or who would have kept us free until now? We will not depart from thee, O blessed Lady, for thou savest our souls from all temptations.
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.
Thou didst deliver enslaved Israel, O Lord, with Thy mighty arm; therefore we sing to Thee, for Thou art glorified.
Venerable father Anthony of Martkopi, pray to God for us.
Let the faithful sing to Anthony the ascetic, the boast of monks, who made the deserts a city and drove away temptations.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Let us all sing to the God-wise Anthony, for by the labour of fasting he drove away the passions and was well-pleasing to Christ.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst resemble John and Elijah, O blessed one, and God honoured thee; with them be an intercessor for us also, that He may save our souls.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Entreat God, who became man from thee beyond nature, O Lady, to deliver thy servants from all sorrows.
None is holy as the Lord, and none is righteous as our God, to whom we cry: None is holy as Thou, O Lord.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Let us, as those in debt, keep the memory of the venerable Anthony and glorify Christ, the Enlightener of our souls.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
On earth thou didst struggle, O blessed Anthony, servant of Christ, and thou wast honoured by Him in the Kingdom of heaven.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Church of Kartli celebrateth thy memory today, and likewise the Christ-loving king, O ascetic Anthony: ask great mercy for us from God.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst give birth and remained a virgin for ever and unwedded; thou becamest the Mother of God, O blessed Mary: entreat Him for our souls.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look down with favour upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
For the sake of heavenly delights thou didst trample down the love of the world and scorn it as a shadow, O God-wise father; for as a wise merchant thou didst seek the goodly pearl, and when thou hadst found it, thou gavest all and boughtest it alone, and didst enrich countless others; therefore we celebrate thy memory, O God-bearing Anthony: entreat Christ God to grant forgiveness of sins to us who with longing celebrate thy holy memory.
I have heard the report, O Christ, and was afraid, that Thou didst not depart from the Father and didst appear among men for the life of our souls, O most merciful One.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
When thou heardest the word of the Gospel, O venerable one, thou didst straightway forsake the care of the world, take up thy cross and follow Christ God, and thou didst please Him, O father Anthony.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thou didst wholly make thyself ready for the service of God and wholly abhor the lust of the flesh, O venerable father Anthony, and didst wait to receive the grace of Christ, O blessed one.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst accomplish apostolic struggles and wast counted worthy to receive grace from God; thou didst foresee things to come and grant healing to the sicknesses of men.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We are not able to praise thee as befitteth thy holiness, O Mother of God, for thy majesty is found beyond our understanding, O all-holy one.
Rising early we sing to Thee, O Lord: save us, for Thou art good; for we know no other God.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thou wast counted worthy to receive grace from God, O Anthony, for the Holy Spirit made His dwelling in thy soul.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
For them that with longing praise thy feast, O blessed Anthony, ask deliverance from affliction.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O servant of Christ, venerable Anthony, be an intercessor for us who celebrate thy memory, O blessed one.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
After giving birth thou didst remain a virgin, O spotless one, for thou didst bear the Word of God in the flesh for the world, O worthy one.
Give me a shining garment, O God, who puttest on light as a garment, through the intercession of the martyrs.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thou becamest an example of good to monks, O blessed Anthony: cease not to entreat God for thy flocks.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thou hast boldness before the Lord, O blessed Anthony: ask for help, that we may escape the enemy of our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst put to death the passions of the flesh by ascetic struggle, O holy Anthony, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou who didst bear for us in the flesh the Word by a word, O Bride, deliver our souls in mercy from the snares of the enemy.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our soul.
As luminaries shining like the sun, the fathers twelve in number were given to the Georgian people, teachers of the whole world and the beauty of the deserts; and among them let the wise Anthony be glorified today by us, who brought us the icon not made by hands, as a protection for the God-loving king and a hope for the whole world.
When thou heardest the voice of the Lord, thou didst obey it with haste and follow worthily, pursuing His commandments; thou becamest stripped of the things of the world and free from all its cares; thou wentest into the desert, O blessed one, and didst cleave to the teacher John, the great luminary, and by converse with him thou wast made worthy, with pure mind, of converse with Him whom thou didst desire; with him cease not to intercede with God, O father, for the protection of the God-loving king and the hope of the whole world.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Verse: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?
Jesus stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all. And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor in spirit: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of our venerable father Anthony, 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 holy 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.
Despise not the supplication of them that trust in thy holiness, O God-bearing and thrice-blessed father Anthony, but lift up thy holy hands to the heavens, before which thou art glorified with a God-radiant crown, O venerable one, and ask for us that He may grant peace to our people, safety to Christians and great mercy to those who sing to thee.
Irmos: The Hebrew youths walked in the furnace upon the fire with boldness, and, bedewed, they cried out thus and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thy hours, O Anthony, were a ladder of divine visions day by day, and by it thou didst converse with the Creator and say: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Thou becamest a pillar of light, O Anthony, by the radiance of the Holy Spirit, and a guide of monks, and didst say: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou wast heated in the furnace of temptations like choice gold, and didst shine by grace and cry: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Wisdom, the Creator of all, built His house from thee, O Virgin, and in mercy renewed the nature of the first-formed man — the God of our fathers, the Word of God the Father.
He who conversed with Moses on the mountain showed forth a figure in the bush; and Him who was born of the Virgin without harm to her we all bless and exalt unto the ages.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Our God, who glorified the glorious memory of Anthony and crowned him with grace, we all bless and exalt unto the ages.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
To Anthony, who struggled worthily and valiantly in the deserts, let us sing without ceasing, and let us exalt God unto the ages.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou pourest forth the water of healing for those that come to thee with faith, curing sicknesses invisible and visible, for thou didst gain this in return for thy labours.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou who didst receive the word of the angel and alone didst bear God for us and make the light to shine upon the world, we all bless thee and exalt thee unto the ages.
Him who foreshowed on Mount Sinai, in the bush of fire, the incorrupt birth of the Lawgiver, Him we magnify unceasingly.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
Anthony, who stripped off the delights of the world and put on the armour of Christ, we magnify unceasingly as the intercessor for our souls.
Venerable father Anthony, pray to God for us.
O righteous Anthony, by acquiring the virtues thou didst ascend to heaven and offer thy labours to God, for by the narrow way thou didst enter the Kingdom and make thy dwelling there.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst depict the images of the virtues through struggles with the medicine of piety, and didst truly make thy soul radiant in the image of the venerable.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For thee, O Virgin, the burning bush was a figure, which was kept unconsumed by that fire; for thou didst contain incorruptibly the fire of the Godhead and didst bear without harm.
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.
Like the Cherubim, with many eyes thou beholdest the glory of God, O blessed father, which thou hast inherited, prepared from the beginning for the venerable like thee; ask for us also a dwelling with the righteous.
With the voice of hymnody and the longing of our soul we entreat thee, O God-blessed father: ask of the heavenly Father that He stretch out to us the hand of mercy and deliver us from the hands of the guardians of the air.
Fittingly entreat Christ God to shelter us by the life-giving Cross, and, delivered from hell, to make us worthy of His Kingdom through thy prayer, O God-blessed father.
With longing entreat the Holy Spirit by thy prayer, O honoured father Anthony, that He, the sovereign God, may lead us in the land of uprightness, and that we may be counted worthy to inherit the eternal Kingdom.
O all-holy Virgin Mary, with all the angels and the God-bearing fathers entreat Christ God that we may attain to those heavenly beauties and, crowned, may sing unto the ages.
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, 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. Amen.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, being without any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer to Thee, the good Master: 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 in Thee have we put our trust; be not exceedingly angry with us, neither remember our iniquities; but look upon us in mercy, as Thou art good, 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: have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Open unto us the door of mercy, O blessed Theotokos, that we who trust in thee may not fall, but be delivered from the enemies that oppose us; for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
O venerable and blessed father Anthony, who here didst live in solitude apart from the assembly and now dwellest together with all the saints, O sweet and longed-for one, citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem among the angels, crown among the venerable, precious eye among the saints, worker of many miracles and mediator before God for all that entreat thee, holy Anthony: by thine all-radiant prayer intercede for us with Christ God whom thou hast loved, before whom thou rejoicest for ever with a radiant crown, that He may grant us a holy way of life, freedom from the passions of soul and body, healing of wounds and deliverance from all temptations; Him we hymn, praise, bless, worship and exalt unto ages of ages. Amen.
O all-blessed father Anthony, who didst bring to the Georgians the image of our Saviour Jesus Christ and didst kindle in thy heart the fire of love, and standest before Him as a brightly burning lamp, having boldness before Him for ever: be an intercessor for them that entreat thee. Amen.
