Supplicatory Paraklesis to our Venerable Father Dodo of Gareja
Priest: Blessed is our God…
And if a layman, he says: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all the saints, 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 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…
Choir: 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.
From Gareja thou didst shine as a lamp upon the high lampstand of the priesthood, and, enlightening our land with the light of the Trinity, thou didst make the zeal of monks flourish and didst raise up very many others to the desire of the monastic life, O father Dodo, purifier of the law: entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
A citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh and a wonderworker wast thou shown to be, O God-bearing father Dodo; by fasting, vigil and prayer thou didst receive grace from heaven, and thou healest the sicknesses of the infirm and the souls of them that run to thee with faith. Glory to Him who gave thee strength; glory to Him who crowned thee; glory to Him who worketh wonders for all through thee.
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? And 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: The multitude of chariots with their horsemen was cast into the depth of the Red Sea by the strength of His arm; the Israelites were saved by Christ and sang anew the song of victory.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
We praise thy wondrous struggles and offer thanksgiving to God, who sent thee as an ascetic and one who prayeth for our people, as the glory and strength of Kakheti.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
As a shoot of godly beauty thou didst spring from noble roots, and, fleeing from thy youth the tumults of the world, thou didst hasten to the angelic struggle.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord chose thee as a chosen vessel, a receptacle of His graces, thou, a lover of poverty, didst withdraw into seclusion at Ninotsminda and by mighty struggle didst please God.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art truly the Mother of God, O holy one, the adornment of paradise and the victory of kings; and now deliver from invisible enemies them that praise thee today with the song of victory.
Irmos: O Thou who didst found the earth upon the waters and didst give it abundant fruitfulness, establish Thy Church, O Christ, upon the unshaken rock of Thy commandments, O Thou who alone art good and lovest mankind.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Having heard of the wondrous deeds of David, who came from Assyria to Kartli and settled at Gareja with his disciple Lucian, thou wast moved to see him and camest to the door of his cell.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
When the blessed David saw thee, he perceived thy holiness and was filled with joy; and as ye conversed on divine and spiritual teaching, ye prayed God to keep the people of the Iberians from all passions and temptations.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Seeing thee struggling mightily, the saint showed thee the cliff on the other side and said to thee: “Make a dwelling and a church in the name of the all-holy Theotokos”; and he blessed thee on the narrow way of seclusion.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Into countless temptations have I fallen, wretched one, through my numberless sins, and into the depth of evils have I come, pitiable one; but thou, O holy Lady, deliver thy servant and save me.
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 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 and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, 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... (here those for whom prayer is made are commemorated by name).
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: 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 the brethren and for all 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.
Our people now rejoiceth in thy God-radiant feast, and the powers of heaven sing invisibly in harmony, and the host of monks is glad, boasting of thy labours accomplished in the desert, O venerable father Dodo of Gareja: entreat Christ God to grant remission of sins to them that with longing honour thy holy memory.
Irmos: Habakkuk heard of Thy glorious coming, O Christ, and marvelled, and with fear he cried: Thou hast come forth for the salvation of Thy people, to save Thine anointed.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Thou didst obey the command of the holy father, and, having crossed the ridge, O blessed one, thou didst settle in the narrow cleft of the rock, and by labour and struggle didst please God.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Being a seer of the hidden passions and the snares of the evil one, thou didst discern all the desires of the heart of them that hastened to thee, and didst strengthen them in struggles and virtues.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Though that place is waterless and comfortless, O blessed one, many followed in thy footsteps, and, becoming monks, they hewed caves and cells in the rocks.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heal the passions of my soul and enlighten my mind and heart, O Mother of God, who didst bear for men the Giver of light, Christ the Saviour.
Irmos: O Thou who clothest Thyself with light as with a garment, to Thee I flee and to Thee I cry: Enlighten my darkened soul, for Thou alone art plenteous in mercy.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Teaching the heathen the law of Christianity, thou didst baptize them, for thou wast a priest who offered the Sacrifice; and thou didst teach the way that leadeth to the Kingdom.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
For them that chose to struggle with thee, O blessed one, thou didst build a church in the name of the all-holy Theotokos and didst raise up monasteries for their dwelling.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When the peoples hastened to thee in the desert, thou didst heal the infirm and those held fast by grievous sickness and didst strengthen their faith. Now heal the wounds of our souls and grant health to our bodies.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst bear the holy God incarnate, O holy Virgin, for the sanctification of us who with faith and fear hallow the Holy One, our Sanctifier.
Irmos: The sea stirred up by destroying billows Thou didst calm, O Christ, and still it by Thy rebuke; bring me up also, who am drowned by sins, O Merciful One.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Having entered upon a harsh struggle, thou wast made strong, and through the flow of thy tears thou becamest fragrant as with myrrh; now sprinkle us with the dew of thy grace and grant us zeal for a spotless life.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Sinners and those gone astray thou didst turn to repentance, and when thou didst pray the Lord to strengthen them, they obeyed thee with love, O father, and glorified God. Entreat Him now to deliver us from the passions of soul and body.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having spent a long time as abbot, thou didst enlighten like the sun this desert, the lair of beasts and the dwelling of demons, and in their stead didst settle men equal to the angels, that they might ever glorify God the Almighty.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We have thee as comforter and strength, as advocate and helper, O all-holy Virgin: deliver them that trust in thee from all afflictions and temptations.
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 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.
Choir: Amen.
The unripe youth of thy childhood thou didst clothe with the full stature of old age, and didst plant in thyself the struggles of the fathers, richly watered by them with tears; nor didst thou neglect their precepts, and thou wast shown to the children of the Church as a protector, O fellow in rank of the powers of heaven and companion in the tent of David of Gareja, perfection of the fathers, venerable Dodo.
The Church of the Georgians rejoiceth with her children, and Kakheti boasteth of thy springing forth, for thou didst enlighten its dwellers with divine teaching, and in the desert of Gareja didst multiply the monasteries and fill them with spiritual fathers, shepherding them in the fear of God and with true teaching, O venerable father Dodo of Gareja; and thou shinest in the heavens.
Thou didst enlighten the land of Kakheti by divine grace, and “Dodorka” heraldeth thy wondrous struggles and crieth out the labours thou didst accomplish there; therefore we call to mind thy buildings and entreat Him who glorified thee to count us worthy of the restoration of the monasteries of Gareja, of the increase of the ascetic fathers in them, and of strengthening in service by the grace given through thee.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Verse: Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His.
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 Luke.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let us attend.
At that time 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.
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 our venerable father Dodo of Gareja, 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.
Sticheron: Thee, the herald of truth and the all-radiant luminary of the Georgian people, we adorn with praises, O blessed father Dodo of Gareja, and we entreat thee fervently: lift up thy hands now to the all-holy Trinity and ask for us the unshaken preservation of the Church, the deliverance of Iberia from the incursions of the enemy and the gift of victory through the Cross to our people; and may He count us, the faithful, worthy of forgiveness and mercy.
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-holy Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary; by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross; through the protection of the honourable bodiless Powers of heaven; of the honourable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; of the holy great 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, Bartholomew, Thaddaeus and Matthias; 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 great-martyr George the Trophy-bearer and the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; of our venerable mother Nino, the virgin equal to the apostles, enlightener of the Georgians, and of the holy King Mirian and Queen Nana, equal to the apostles; of our holy patriarchs Peter, Samuel, Sarmian, Mamai, Arsenius, Melchizedek, John-Chrysostom, Nicholas, Evdemoz, Joseph, Kirion and Ambrose; of our 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 our holy and blessed fathers Lucian, Damian, Onuphrius and Simeon of Gareja and the holy priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi; of our God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma, Gregory of Khandzta and Saba of Ishkhani; of our venerable Athonite fathers John and Gabriel the Georgians, John who was once Tornike, and Euthymius and George of the Holy Mountain; of our holy, glorious and victorious martyrs Razhden, Eustathius of Mtskheta, Abo of Tbilisi, Gobron, Theodore the priest, Christopher of Guria, Nicholas Dvali, Kozman, David and Constantine, princes of Argveti, and Prince Constantine; of the holy great-martyr Bidzina and the holy glorious martyrs Shalva and Elizbar, eristavis of Ksani; of the holy martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe and the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians; of the holy martyrs, the six thousand monks of Gareja, and the many holy fathers and mothers martyred in Adjara by the Turks; of the holy victorious kings and queens Mirdat, Ashot, Archil, Demetrius, Luarsab, Shushanik and Ketevan; of our holy, pious and great kings Vakhtang Gorgasali, David the Builder, Demetrius-Damian, Tamar and Solomon; of holy Ilia the Righteous, Euthymius the Man of God and Euthymius the Confessor; of our holy confessor fathers John and George-John of Betania and our venerable father Archimandrite Gabriel, confessor and fool for Christ; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna (and of the saint to whom the church is dedicated); of our venerable and God-bearing father Dodo of Gareja, and of all Thy saints, we entreat Thee, O most merciful God: 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 most exalted God of our fathers quenched the blazing furnace for the youths, and they cried aloud: O God, blessed art Thou.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
When thine end was made known to thee from on high, O father, thou didst bless and strengthen thy disciples, for they sorrowed at parting from their teacher and fellow in struggle.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
As a good shepherd, when thou hadst commended to the Lord thy flock and then thy spotless soul, a choir of angels went before thee and led thee up before His throne.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Seeing thy face as the face of an angel, they wrapped thy much-labouring body in sackcloth; and when they had buried it in thy cell, they laid a stone upon it and left an opening for bringing out earth.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We all know thee as the haven of life, O Virgin: change the billows of the passions into calm, and grant them that trust in thee the gain of repentance.
Irmos: To Thee, the only Creator of all, the youths cried out a spiritual hymn: All ye works of the Lord, sing and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Though the grave covered thee, thy struggle, O God-wise one, was not drowned in the depth of forgetfulness; for they called that monastery “Dodorka”, and thy cell, made into a church, they adorned with splendour.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
The honour of holiness was not taken from thee even by death, for the Church magnified thy struggle, and the Georgians kept the tomb of thy relics as an abyss of graces.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When thy monastery was often laid waste by enemies, thy tomb became inaccessible and the lamp before it went out; therefore the monk Michael-Gobron Sabinin resolved upon thy translation to the lavra of David.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art the radiant lampstand of Christ the Deliverer, and to thee we offer the praise of all the world: Rejoice, O Virgin, hope of the world; rejoice, strength and healer of the sick.
Irmos: Rejoice, O Isaiah! The Virgin hath conceived and borne a Son without beginning, Emmanuel, both God and man; the Orient is His name; Him let us magnify, and her that bore Him let us call blessed.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
Only with difficulty did the monks find thy church at Dodorka; and when they had cleared it, filled as it was with mud and stones, they served a paraklesis and, as in a holy church, besought thy help.
Venerable father Dodo of Gareja, pray to God for us
When they rolled away the stone of the tomb, a fragrance came forth from it, and all with trembling praised thee, O venerable one, and glorified God: entreat Him now for the strengthening of our faith.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When they brought out thy holy relics, O blessed one, they carried them away with singing; and behold, the fathers came to meet them with a litany, and, having brought them into the church, laid them to rest near David.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Enlighten me, O Theotokos, shut up as I am in the darkness of the passions; deliver me from that fire, a sinner and a wretch, O my hope after God, all-holy one.
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.
The priest censes; the reader or a layman reads:
Hearing of thy struggle, we praise thee together with the great David, O luminary of the Georgian people and above all of Kakheti, O father Dodo, radiant among monks; and we hasten to Gareja, the holy resting-place of your relics, which like an unfailing spring poureth forth the fragrance of graces, and we entreat you: turn us from the ways of perdition and keep us from falling into sin.
Behold what struggles thou didst show for the sake of Christ's flock, O blessed father, for thou didst gloriously adorn the holy Church with the radiance of thy life; the desert of Gareja crieth out and calleth us to praise thy struggle and holiness; and we rejoice in spirit and ask for thy help before God, that He may drive away all vainglory and pride from our darkened mind and establish us upon the rock of Christ's commandments.
Come, O ye Georgian people, and with spiritual praise let us adorn our blessed father Dodo, as one who multiplied the monasteries of the desert and confirmed the Georgians in the true faith, who richly poured out grace and healings upon our land; and let us glorify Christ God, for He hath given such a father and intercessor to our people, the lot of His Mother.
ჵ, სანატრელო მამაო ჩუენო დოდო, ყოვლად ბრძენო, არა მხოლოჲ მკჳდრ ხარ შენ ზეცისა, არამედ მლოცველი და მსწრაფლშემწჱ, და ყოვლად ძლიერი მფარველი მრავალჭირნახულისა ერისა ჩუენისა, ამისთჳს აღგძრავთ შენ მეოხებად ღმრთისა მიმართ, განაქარვოს მზაკუვარებაჲ მტერთა ჩუენთაჲ და ძალი, სიბრძნჱ, და ერთსულოვნებაჲ მოჰმადლოს განბნეულსა ერსა ქართველთასა.
With the boldness of an ascetic look upon us who call upon thee, O wondrous father, and commend us to the Protectress of our people, the Theotokos whom thou didst love, that she may fulfil her words, as one who is merciful, and not remove us from her all-holy protection, but help us in every affliction and temptation and fill us with divine watchfulness, that we may all do righteousness and send up thanksgiving and glory to God:
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.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, at a loss for any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer unto Thee as Master: 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 very wroth with us, neither remember our iniquities, but look upon us in mercy, for Thou art compassionate, and deliver us justly from Thy 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 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 for 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. (12 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 dawn-bright star of the desert, our venerable father Dodo of Gareja, great abbot of the divine monastery of “Dodorka” and boast of our beloved people; monument of ascetic struggle and firm rock of faith; guide of the fathers and fair adornment of the Church of Christ; worker of many wonders and our intercessor before the Saviour and His most pure Mother!
O great wonderworker Dodo of Gareja, radiant in piety among the fathers! Thou who by God’s providence from on high camest to the desert of Gareja as a haven of souls and a multiplier of monasteries didst finish thy angelic course on earth, and, when thou wast raised from the flesh before Christ, God and Saviour, thou didst bestow thy all-praised relics on the holy Church as a light and a crown of graces; and we venerate them and entreat thee: be our intercessor before Him, that He may renew His grace and mercy for our people, the lot of His Mother, which beareth the Cross of the Lord upon the earth, and keep us from the snare of the enemy and from the mockery and oppression of the Antichrist. By thy mighty power shelter and 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. Strengthen the servants of God and all Orthodox Christians.
O ascetic who didst turn waterless deserts into cities and wast a good ruler, our venerable father, holy Dodo of Gareja! Thou who didst choose the angelic life and put on the holy monastic schema, remember us now before God, since thou hast great boldness towards Him, that He may grant splendour to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to our rulers and governors, courage to soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women; and that He may make us grow, multiply and be filled with the spirit of wisdom, mutual love and divine understanding, and restore to us 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, that the corrupting spirit of this age may not rule over us, and that, made worthy of the heavenly citizenship, we may with thee sing, bless and glorify the all-holy Trinity, to whom alone befitteth all glory, honour and worship, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 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 only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our hope, 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. (Thrice) Bless.
Priest: Gives 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 Thy most pure Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing father Dodo of Gareja and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
While the icon is kissed we sing thus:
We have thee as an unsleeping guardian, O thrice-blessed and holy Dodo, and we entreat thee: intercede for us before God, that our souls may be delivered from slavery to the dark devil and from the captivity of passion, and that in the hour of judgment He may deliver us from the bitter torments of eternity.
O all-holy Theotokos, spotless Bride and Mother, Virgin Mary, look upon them that bow down with faith and kiss with longing the precious icon of holy Dodo of Gareja; and may his grace and thy mercy go with us all the days of our life.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
