Paraklesis to the Icon of the Theotokos Called “the Georgian”
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.
The Orthodox peoples rejoice, O all-holy Lady Theotokos, beholding thine all-wondrous and wonderworking icon, and through thine intercession they ever receive healing of soul and body; and we who venerate it sing to thee with fervent heart: Have mercy, O good Mother, on thy lowly servants and deliver us from every evil and from the assault of enemies; entreat thy Son, our Lord God Jesus, that, being saved, He may settle us in the heavenly commonwealth by His grace and love for mankind.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Orthodox peoples rejoice, O all-holy Lady Theotokos, beholding thine all-wondrous and wonderworking icon, and through thine intercession they ever receive healing of soul and body; and we who venerate it sing to thee with fervent heart: Have mercy, O good Mother, on thy lowly servants and deliver us from every evil and from the assault of enemies; entreat thy Son, our Lord God Jesus, that, being saved, He may settle us in the heavenly commonwealth by His grace and love for mankind.
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.
Ode 1, to the melody “Let us sing…”, plagal Tone 4
Irmos: Pharaoh who rode in the chariot was drowned by the rod of Moses, which once worked wonders when it struck crosswise, traced the figure of the Cross and divided the Red Sea; but it saved Israel, the fugitive going on foot, singing a hymn to the Lord: for gloriously hath He been glorified.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Thine incorrupt and renowned icon, O Virgin, as the pledge of our deliverance, hath been given us again by providence, O immaculate one, and it quencheth the embers of afflictions with the dew of thy goodness.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Come with joy, ye faithful, let us venerate the wonderworking and all-honourable icon of the Mother of God, which hath been given again to the land of Iberia as an indestructible wall and an unsleeping and invincible guard.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Knowing the weakness of our nature, thou hast sent us thy wondrous icon, O Theotokos, and in thy sweetness thou grantest us one that driveth away the darkness of sorrows and enlighteneth all with the radiance of thy mercy.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Glorious things have been spoken of thee from generation to generation, O Virgin, who didst receive the Word of God into thy womb and remain incorrupt, O Theotokos Mary; therefore we all magnify thee, who wast found to be our deliverer after God, for gloriously art thou glorified.
Ode 3, to the melody “Established…”
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 most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
When thine icon, O Theotokos, carried off as a captive from Iberia, came to the region of the Dvina, it was given as a treasure to the abode of the fathers of Chernogorsk, and was delivered by thee from every affliction and harm.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Seeing thy glorious icon, the multitude of the faithful and the countless miracles wrought by thy grace, they multiplied the copies of the icon, as truly unmercenary physicians of bodies and souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Willing to give grace to thy people, thou hast shown us thine image again, O Theotokos; drawing near to it we receive healing and bow down before thy likeness.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst dwell in the womb of the Virgin and didst appear to men in the flesh, as Thou wast well pleased, and didst show her forth as truly the Theotokos, O Thou who alone lovest mankind, and as the helper of all the faithful.
Deliver us, O all-holy Theotokos, from every harm, affliction and distress, who with all our soul fall down before this icon of thy holiness.
Look down with favour, O all-praised Theotokos, upon the grievous infirmity of my body, and heal the pain of my soul.
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 (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 grace of thy wonderworking icon, O holy Virgin and Mother, healeth sicknesses of many kinds and driveth out unclean spirits, and, brighter than the sun, it maketh the gifts of thy help to shine upon all who glorify thee.
Ode 4, to the melody “O Lord, I have heard…”
Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power, Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, who didst not leave the bosom of the Father and didst visit our poverty; therefore with the prophet Habakkuk I cry to Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Thine icon called the Georgian, O Theotokos, is the healing of the whole world; drawing near to it and bowing down to thee with reverence, O immaculate one, we are filled with the grace of healings and set free from infirmities of soul and body.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
We who stand before thine icon, O Theotokos, entreat thee with tears: make thy Son merciful, that He may turn away the wrath risen up against us for the multitude of our sins, and deliver us from the ranks of the enemies, from the tumult of their designs and from invasion.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Fulfil in thy mercy the words thou didst speak, O incorrupt one, concerning those allotted to thee, and withdraw not thine intercession from us, for we have sinned, O Virgin; yet every day we commit our hopes to thee.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst do away with the reproach of our mother Eve when thou didst conceive God, thy Creator, beyond human nature and didst ineffably bear Him for us, O immaculate Mother of Christ the Saviour; be an intercessor for us who entreat thee.
Ode 5, to the melody “From the night…”
Irmos: Why hast Thou cast me away from Thy face, O Light that never setteth, and why hath the impenetrable darkness covered me? But look upon me and direct my ways to the light of Thy commandments, I pray Thee.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Today we glorify the appearing of thy glorious icon, O immaculate one, for thou, the Mother of life, entreatest Christ God for us, who have set our firm hope on thee.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Beholding this wonderworking icon like the radiant sun, the pious people rejoice together, for this thine icon ungrudgingly poureth forth healing and true grace, like an unfailing fountain.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now we the faithful stand with compunction before thine icon and entreat thee, O holy Lady, that through thee we may walk unswervingly on the divine way, dwelling in the portion that is thine.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou hast gained a mother’s boldness towards thy Son, O all-immaculate one; cease not to help us before Him, we entreat thee.
Ode 6, to the melody “I cried…”
Irmos: I will pour out my prayer unto the Lord, and to Him will I declare my sorrows; for my soul is filled with evils, and my life hath drawn nigh unto hades; and like Jonah I cry: Bring me up, O my God.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Behold the grace that overfloweth from thy precious icon, O merciful Lady, for everyone with a contrite heart draweth from the divine streams that flow ungrudgingly, and receiveth his petition with faith.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Behold, our cherished people is encompassed by a multitude of trials and afflictions; but shelter us who trust in thee from all wrath and harm and from the enemy who assaileth us, and keep us uncondemned, O blessed Virgin, at the time of judgement.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Deliver us, O Theotokos, from every assault of the adversary, from tormenting circumstances and from the trials of life, us who ever fall down before thy most merciful providence and help.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Cease not to entreat for us, O Virgin, all-holy Theotokos Mary, for thou art the firmness of us the faithful; by hope in thee we are strengthened, and with faith we magnify thee and thy Son and bow down before you.
Deliver us, O all-holy Theotokos, from every harm, affliction and distress, who with all our soul fall down before this icon of thy holiness.
Look down with favour, O all-praised Theotokos, upon the grievous infirmity of my body, and heal the pain of my soul.
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.
Kontakion
With all our soul and mind we fall down, O Theotokos, before this icon of thy holiness and cry to thee with compunction, O thou who art full of grace: grant us all thy grace and turn not away thy face.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon before the Gospel, Tone 4
I will remember thy name in every generation and generation.
Verse: Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear.
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.
The Gospel according to Luke
In those days Mary arose, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By Thy mercy, O most merciful God, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.
Both now and ever, and unto 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: Rejoice, O royal city of Russia; leap for joy, O abode of Chernogorsk and wilderness of Raifa; and keep festival, O land of the Georgians, for the Mother of God hath looked upon you with mercy and granted you her wonderworking icon, as a help in afflictions, a consolation in sorrows, a healing of sicknesses and a deliverance from passions, and to those who honour it she granteth great mercy again.
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 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 virgin-martyr Barbara; the holy priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi; the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians; the holy six thousand martyred monks of Gareja; the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Luarsab, Shushanik and Ketevan; our holy, pious and great kings Vakhtang Gorgasali, Ashot the Kuropalates, David the Builder and Solomon; the holy King Mirian and Queen Nana, equal to the apostles; the holy and pious King Tamar; our venerable and God-bearing Athonite fathers Gabriel, George, John and Euthymius; the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta; our holy and blessed fathers Lucian, Dodo, Damian, Onuphrius and Simeon of Gareja; 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; holy Ilia the Righteous; the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna (and of the saint to whom the church is dedicated); of the icon of Anchiskhati, of the most awesome incarnation of the Face of God; of the Iveron icon of the most holy Theotokos that abides on Athos; of the Iveron icon of the most holy Theotokos called “the Georgian”, and of all Thy saints and holy things: 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.
Ode 7, to the melody “Blessed art Thou…”
Irmos: The Hebrew youths walked in the furnace, boldly trampling the fire, and, bedewed, they cried out and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, unto the ages.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
O immaculate dwelling of the all-holy Light, O Theotokos, we the faithful magnify thee and sing thy praise, for by the appearing of thine all-holy icon thou cleansest us.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Thine icon called “the Georgian” pours forth for us abundantly the healing of souls and bodies, and they that kiss it lovingly and with longing are healed of their sicknesses.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Hear our supplication, O blessed Virgin, and deliver from afflictions and sorrows us who fall down before thee in soul and body; for apart from God we know none other but thee.
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Walking in the light of the Lord, come, let us sing unto the spiritual royal city, the immaculate Virgin, the Theotokos in truth, for she is the hope and intercessor of our souls unto the ages of ages.
Ode 8, to the melody “Bless ye…”
Irmos: He who spoke with Moses on the mountain through the bush showed forth an image of the birth without harm from the Virgin; Him let us all bless and supremely exalt unto the ages.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Come, all ye clergy and laity, let us magnify the all-immaculate Virgin Theotokos, for behold, she now appeareth as the cleansing of sinners.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
Heal the passions of my heart, enlighten my darkened mind and quicken my deadened soul, and show me forth, O Lady, a son of the day and an heir of the light.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O holy and immaculate Virgin Theotokos, accept these hymns which we offer unto thee with reverent fear, and enlighten us by the countenance of thine icon.
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Thee who didst receive the word from the angel and didst bear for us the only God, who made light shine upon the world, we all bless and exalt unto the ages.
Ode 9, to the melody “Magnify…”
Irmos: Heaven was amazed at this, and the ends of the earth marvelled, that God appeared bodily to men, and thy womb became more spacious than the heavens; therefore, O Theotokos, the ranks of angels and of men magnify thee, as is meet.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
As the land of Russia, keeper of thine icon, once gloried in it, so now our land glorieth, having received again the countenance of that icon of our fathers; for it shelters with its protection all the Georgians scattered over the whole earth.
O most holy Theotokos, help us and save us.
The appearing of thine all-radiant image spreads joy among our people, for we set all our hope on thee and trust in thy help. Cease not, O Theotokos, ever to deliver this our land and all the people from the assaults of the enemy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Knowing the multitude of thine intercessions and mercies, we pray thee with compunction: still, O Lady, the assault of the enemies and bring their designs to nothing, but bless us, and by the appearing of thine icon establish peace and love among all the peoples of right confession.
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The prophets proclaimed thee beforehand, O immaculate one, and prefigured thee as the ark, the rod, the table and the closed gate, as the unhewn mountain, the ladder raised up to heaven and the sealed fountain, as the light cloud and the Mother of Emmanuel.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate 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 only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
The priest censes.
O pious Georgians, let us rejoice at the new painting of the renowned icon, for we have it as a true unmercenary physician of bodies and healer of souls, and with faith we receive from it the gifts of the loving-kindness of the Mother of God.
Now again let us draw near to the quiet haven and protectress of our people, the Virgin Mary; let us venerate her image honoured by the angels and cry out with compunction: look down, O Mother of loving-kindness, upon the sorrows that surround us, and heal the infirmities of our souls.
Deprive us not of thy help, O all-merciful Lady, but shelter us by thy prayers, and preserve by thy power thy people, thy lot, and the Christ-loving host, lest all the unbelievers say: Where is the Theotokos in whom ye hope?
O incorrupt Virgin, Bride of God Most High, cast not away us thy lowly servants who bring thee unworthy supplications, but be for us sinners a fervent intercessor with thy Son; deliver us from all afflictions and temptations.
The assemblies of the heavenly powers, the choirs of the apostles and all the nations magnify thee, O holy Bride; and we with defiled lips proclaim thee Mother of God, O good Lady, all-immaculate one, and with the thrice-holy hymn 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, now and ever and unto 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…
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 ages of ages. Amen.
Open unto us the door of compassion, O blessed Theotokos, that hoping in thee we may not perish, but 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, O Lover of mankind, 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 servant (or handmaid) of God, that the Lord our God may preserve this our royal city and this holy monastery (or 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.
Prayer
O all-merciful Lady, Virgin Theotokos, who didst bear God in the flesh! Fulfil all the petitions of us who pray with faith: enlighten the Church, adorn the priesthood with holiness, exalt the realm with piety, illumine those in authority with love for God, strengthen the host with courage, lighten the torments of the sorrowful, grant health to the infirm, give healing to the wounded and the paralysed, heal the diseases of the eyes, restore hearing to the deaf, drive the evil spirits out of the possessed, help the oppressed, forgive sinners, cleanse the lepers, have mercy on the children, restore fruitfulness to the barren, deliver captives from prisons and bonds, and shelter from enemies visible and invisible all who hope in thee; for thou hast boldness of intercession before Christ God and obtainest the forgiveness of sins for all Christians.
O most holy Theotokos Mary, bless and sanctify with the radiance of thy wonderworking icon us who ever fall down before thy motherly grace and help, and preserve the land of Iberia from heresies and from an alien faith, and those who dwell in it from every misfortune; for we have forgotten the good works of our forefathers and have become like foreign peoples and rebellious nations, lovers of this passing world, fallen away from Christ, from whom we have learned their works and serve the lusts of our hearts in imitation of them, as men without hope in Christ and forgetful of eternal life. By thy mercy direct the days of our life in virtue, and renew in us again a fervent love for the faith, for the pious king and for the fatherland given by God, and from the seed of David raise up the horn of anointing. By thy mighty power strengthen our great lord, the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, our father Ilia, and the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and all the priestly and monastic orders; the faithful, the commanders and the governors of cities, and all the Christ-loving host, and our benefactors, and all Orthodox Christians. Entreat thy Son and our God to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction of churches, the killing of the servants of God, treachery, envy and lawlessness, the killing of our infants in the womb, and the rest of the multitude of our sins.
O Lady Mary, radiant with God, since thou hast a mother’s boldness, entreat thy Son and our God, beautiful in goodness and all-sweet in love for mankind, that we may be established in the faith handed down by the holy fathers unto the end of our life, and walk without stumbling in all the commandments of the Lord, and be saved all the days of our life in purity and godliness, and be well-pleasing to Him who was born of thee, and be counted worthy of His Kingdom, which He hath prepared for them that love Him; to whom belongeth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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.
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.
The 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)
Troparion after the dismissal
With love we honour and with fear we kiss thine icon, O most pure Virgin, and with one voice we confess thee truly Theotokos, and with faith we venerate thee, who hast appeared as our firm guardian and refuge, O Bride of God Most High. Grant thy grace unto us all and turn not away thy face from us, but unto the end of the age preserve them that magnify thee and venerate thine icons.
O Mary, blessed among women, accept our supplication and shelter thy flock from temptations, for thou art our hope.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
