Paraklesis to the Holy Great Prophet Elijah the Tishbite
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…
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.
The angel in the flesh and chief of the prophets, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, the all-glorious Elijah, sent down grace from on high to Elisha to drive away sicknesses and to cleanse lepers; and for those who honour him he maketh healing and great mercy spring forth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The same troparion: The angel in the flesh, the cornerstone of the prophets, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, glorious Elijah, sent down grace from on high to Elisha to drive away sicknesses and to cleanse lepers; therefore he poureth forth healing and great mercy on those who honour him.
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: Having passed through the water as on dry land and escaped the evils of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us sing to our Redeemer and our God.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thou wast an earthly angel and a heavenly man, who didst dwell among men; now look down upon us from on high, O God-bearing one, and still the stirrings of passions visible and invisible.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
When the king of Israel forsook the covenant of the Lord, God appeared to thee as His most chosen servant, and through thee He rebuked the ungodly Ahab as a transgressor of the Law.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Unable to endure the offence, thou didst rebuke the disobedient people of Israel for their ungodliness and didst bring the judgement of God upon them; now turn His wrath away from us and change our affliction into joy.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Let us make haste, O ye faithful, to sing worthily in praise of the Mother of Christ, as her who gave birth to the Saviour of all, the Lord of life and death.
Irmos: O Lord, who didst fix the vault of heaven and art the Builder of the Church, establish us in Thy love, Thou summit of all joy and strength of the faithful, who alone lovest mankind.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
The Lord, mighty in strength, gave thee power to shut the heavens and to open them; and when thou hadst shut the gates of heaven, thou didst dry up the clouds by thy word. Now loose the bonds of our sins and shelter us from the wounds of the passions and from a vain death.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thanks be to the Almighty and Provider, who feedeth every living thing: He alone made the raven thy provider of food, O Elijah; so now also cease not to intercede for us before God, that He may deliver us from the barrenness of the earth and from drought.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When the remnant of food failed in Zarephath, God nourished thee with the widow by His ineffable providence, and blessed and multiplied that little flour and oil by thy hand; now have mercy on us and let us not die of hunger and thirst.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thee, the sanctified place of glory and the spiritual table, O immaculate one, who didst receive the Bread of life of all, we hymn, O Lady.
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, O Lover of mankind, 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 the servant or handmaid (here name those for whom you are praying). 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.
The fountain of wonders and adornment of the prophets let us all praise in song with faith, Elijah the Tishbite; for until now he liveth in the flesh deathless, and, though mortal, he confirmeth the resurrection of the dead; he hath boldness before God and granteth healing to them that ask with faith, and he entreateth Christ to bestow forgiveness of the multitude of sins and great mercy on them that eagerly keep his memory.
Irmos: I have heard Thy report, O Christ, and was afraid, for without departing from the Father Thou hast appeared among men for the life of our souls, O Most Merciful.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
The widow reproached thee with her words over the food, O holy one; but thou didst breathe three times into the mouth of her dead son and restore him to life, and giving him back to his mother thou didst turn her mourning into joy.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thou who by thy tongue didst make the fruitful earth barren and didst not suffer the cloud to rain, now look upon us with mercy and send down upon us from heaven the life-giving dew in the time of drought.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou who didst afflict the unbelieving people with famine, now, as one who abideth in the light, turn me back from the captivity of the passions, O wise Elijah, and guide me to labour in the works of light.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having gained thee as our hope and our firmness and an unshaken wall, O all-hymned Virgin Theotokos, we are delivered from every evil.
Irmos: Cast me not away from Thy face, O never-setting Light, and let not the unlit darkness cover me; but look upon me and direct my paths in the light of Thy commandments, I pray.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Aflame with zeal for godliness, thou didst gather all Israel and the false prophets on Mount Carmel; first the priests of Baal called upon the name of the idol and offered the bullock, and they were put to shame by the power of God.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
When thou hadst laid the bullock upon the wood, thou didst pour water on it and call upon the name of the Lord, who looked from heaven upon thy sacrifice as upon Abel’s and consumed it with a flame of fire; and the people, trembling, knew the God of Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst appear, O venerable one, as an instrument singing by grace the zeal of the jealous God, and didst slay without mercy the false prophets who ate at Jezebel’s table,
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of the never-setting Sun, O Theotokos, wholly enlighten me who am darkened by the passions, and fill me with divine light.
Irmos: Forgive, O Good One, my countless sins, for which I call upon Thee; deliver me from evils; to Thee I cry: hear me, O God my Saviour.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Having crushed the insolence of those foul idolaters, thou didst appease the wrath of the Creator stirred up by disobedience, and He looked graciously upon thy prayers with showers of rain and temperate weather.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Though King Ahab rejoiced, the shameless queen raged and sought to kill thee, because thou hadst brought death upon her unholy priests according to just judgement.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
From the wrath of Jezebel, the slayer of prophets, thou didst flee and dwell in deserts and mountains for the love of God, who nourished thee through an angel with food not won by toil.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mary, immaculate one, vessel of virginity, cleanse my mind darkened by passion, and fill my heart, O Theotokos, with grace and righteousness.
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.
O prophet and seer of the mighty works of our God, greatly renowned Elijah, who by thy word didst hold back the rain-bearing clouds, intercede for us with the only Lover of mankind.
Seeing the great lawlessness of men and the great love of God for mankind, the prophet Elijah was troubled, and in anger he cried to the Compassionate One: Be wroth with the unbelievers, O righteous Judge. Yet he could in no way move the compassion of the Good One to punish those who disobeyed Him; for He who alone loveth mankind ever awaiteth the repentance of all.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Verse: Moses and Aaron among His priests.
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: He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the holy prophet Elijah, 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.
Sticheron: Disdain not the supplication of any of us, O good Lord, who entreat the prophet Elijah; but through his prayers accept our earnest hymn and grant us the reward of the prophets, that we may be counted worthy to behold Thy glory and to sing with them: Alleluia.
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, and of 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 holy wonderworking fathers Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, and Spyridon of Trimythous; 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; of the holy, glorious and victorious martyrs: the holy great-martyr George the Trophy-bearer and the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; the holy priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi; the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; the holy six thousand martyred monks of Gareja; the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians, and the holy great-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe; the holy great-martyr Bidzina and the holy glorious martyrs Shalva and Elizbar, eristavis of Ksani; of the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta, and of our venerable Athonite fathers John, Gabriel, John who was once Tornike, Euthymius and George; 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 the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Shushanik, Ketevan and Luarsab; of holy Ilia the Righteous; of holy Euthymius the Confessor and the holy confessors John and George-John; of the holy and righteous parents of the Theotokos, Joachim and Anna, and of the holy prophet Elijah, 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.
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 carried captive by the tyrant from the land of Judah to Babylon, clothed with the Spirit, quenched the flame of the furnace, saying: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
When thou camest to Horeb, the mountain of God, O all-praised Elijah, the Lord appeared to thee with an earthquake and a still, small breeze; and at His command thou didst find Elisha, cast thy mantle upon him and make him a partaker of divine glory.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
O God-wise one, the divine powers were made known to thee, and thou didst teach the people chosen by God the right and saving way; so now also, by pouring forth thy grace, cleanse and enlighten me and bring me as a gift to the King of heaven.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Israel had thee as a divine wall, a firm support and a good refuge; now shelter also the lawful people called by the name of Christ: deliver them from the ways of perdition and teach them the unerring way that leadeth up to heaven.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Save me, O Mother of God, who am held fast in the depth of transgression, and snatch me from the malice of all my enemies, that, being saved, I may magnify thy help.
Irmos: The King of heaven, whom the hosts of angels praise in song, praise ye and exalt Him unto all the ages.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thou didst shine in virtues among Israel, O blessed one; now strive also for the new Israel, that it may enter into the heavenly Jerusalem.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thou wast adorned with priceless righteousness, O glorious Elijah; and with thy mantle thou didst divide the river Jordan and cross over on foot.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through thee fire rained down from heaven to consume those twice fifty soldiers; but have mercy on us, and by the might of thy prayers raise up again the dignity and glory of our people.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Word whom thou didst bear beyond all word, O holy Theotokos, entreat with faith for them that honour thee.
Irmos: We confess thee truly Theotokos, we who have been saved through thee, O pure Virgin, and with the choirs of the bodiless we magnify thee unceasingly.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Thou wast caught up into the heavens in a chariot of fiery hue and with horses, O wondrous and glorious one, prophet and father and blessed ascetic; and when thou didst cast down thy mantle, Elisha, clothed with it, received a double portion of divine grace.
O holy great prophet Elijah, pray to God for us.
Passing through the heights of heaven in a chariot of fire and coming before God, thou wast granted by Him who kept thee incorrupt a fire-breathing grace: not to see death until the time of preaching at the coming of the Antichrist and the end of all things.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When Christ was transfigured on the mountain, thou didst behold with Moses what eye hath not seen nor ear heard: the Lord shining with the Father’s glory on Tabor.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst carry in thine arms God who beareth all things, and didst nourish the Nourisher, O holy one, who became like unto us; entreat Him to grant thy people deliverance from all evils.
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.
By the fulfilment of thy prophecies Israel called thee a faithful prophet; and we too await thy wondrous appearing, when thou shalt proclaim beforehand the life-giving coming of Christ.
When thy mantle, clothed with twofold power, was given to the royal city of Mtskheta, they buried that holy thing beneath the stones, incorrupt, until its appointed time; and above it sprang up that wonderworking water from which thou makest healing flow once more. Therefore our heart longs to go to “the mother of all churches”, Svetitskhoveli, that we who praise thee may fervently cherish this holy thing and draw healing from it.
O the precious glory of which thou wast counted worthy, O prophet who didst run to heaven! For by the providence of God thou art to go before, with the great Enoch, ahead of the Second Coming, to expose the Antichrist and to comfort the righteous, O Elijah blessed of God.
O holy prophet and angel of God, faithful herald to men of His Second Coming, we fervently entreat thee: by thine ineffable power be our companion every day, O God-inspired one; drive away our enemies and those who war against us, and bring the heretics to naught.
The righteous and terrible judgement of the King has been pronounced upon the disobedient and rebellious nations, as thou didst foretell, O Elijah blessed of God; but now depart not from us in spirit, and entreat Christ our King to look upon His people, who have no defence before Him, that He may not repay us as we deserve for our evil deeds, but may grant long-suffering to our faint-heartedness.
Even now the counsel of lawlessness has grown strong, and I, overcome by the assaults of negligence, tremble at the awaited day of Christ’s Second Coming in glory, for I have acquired no deed by which I might be justified before His throne. Look upon me from thence, and pour out upon me grace and mercy.
O glorious and incorrupt Mother of God, because of the multitude of our sins we have no boldness to entreat God; but when thy Son cometh to judge the whole world, then intercede for us before Him, that with the prophets and all the saints we may hasten with unashamed and joyful face to sing to the All-holy Trinity:
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 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 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. (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 all-praised prophet Elijah the Tishbite, made radiant by signs and wonders! Chosen by the Holy Trinity and caught up to heaven in human flesh, praised by the angels, venerated by ascetics, called blessed with hope by Christians, and for all the destitute, the despairing and those who flee to thee an advocate, a wall and a firm shelter.
O prophet and second forerunner of Christ’s second coming on earth, Elijah! God created thee incorruptible, that thou shouldst not taste death until thou preach from Jerusalem concerning the end of the world, and with Enoch turn the erring and put to shame the followers of Antichrist, until ye are slain by him; but after three days the living Spirit of God will enter into you, and at His call ye will ascend in a cloud to heaven, as the holy apostle John the Theologian prophesied; and whoever turneth not shall fall with the fall of lawlessness. Therefore we entreat thee: guard unshaken the holy Church of Christ from the assaults of enemies and make it victorious over heretics; and deliver us from all the tribes gathered to war against us, and shelter us from the charm and delusion of Antichrist. Strengthen our great lord, 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; grant us a Christ-loving government and its army; guard those who labour for our people and our holy Church, and all Orthodox Christians.
O all-honourable prophet Elijah the Tishbite, well-pleasing to the all-holy Trinity, imitator and fellow-struggler of the angels, who didst shut the heavens and bridle the dew, command the air and call down fire from on high; who, having slain the priests, didst still the wrath of God and command the clouds to bring down rain upon the earth: look down now with a merciful eye upon our people and entreat the all-good God not to be angry with us according to our iniquities, but to free us from sins and remove from us hunger of body and perdition of soul, to shelter us from fire, the sword, the assault of enemies and every adversary, to grant us a peaceful and untroubled life, temperate weather, and to send down from heaven upon the earth rain in due season for the bearing of fruit, and to save us all in prosperity, that, guided and guarded by thy prayer, we may attain to eternal peace and with thee glorify God glorified in the thrice-holy hymn, 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 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. (Thrice) Bless.
The priest gives the dismissal.
Choir: Amen.
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. (3 times) O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the intercessions of Thine all-pure Mother, by the grace and prayers of the great prophet Elijah and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
While his icon is kissed we sing thus:
All thy words are true, O prophet Elijah, for thou didst behold the hidden mystery as though it were manifest and didst surely know the things to come. Therefore, as thou hast boldness before God, entreat Him, O blessed one, to grant us mercy and turn away the wrath stirred up by our sins, to cast down the ragings of the heretics, to bring the snares of the enemies to nothing and to fence the Church about with unity, lest the godless and the fighters against Christ say: Where is their God, in whom they hope?
O Lady, look upon the supplication of thy servants, and through the intercessions of the prophet Elijah fulfil our good petition, that we may be counted worthy of eternal blessedness.
Compiled by Tinatin Mchedlishvili
