Supplicatory Paraklesis to the Holy Hierarchs

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. *

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.

O Lord, attend to my prayer: hearken to my supplication in thy truth; hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has brought my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in a dark place, as those that have been long dead. Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me. I remembered the days of old; and I meditated on all thy doings: yea, I meditated on the works of thine hands. I spread forth my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee, as a dry land. Pause. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit has failed; turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee; make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies, and wilt destroy all those that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Troparion, Tone 4.

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.

Christ showed thee forth in truth to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of abstinence; therefore thou didst gain the heights through humility and riches through poverty, O holy hierarch (name); entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The same troparion.

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. Ode 1, irmos. Ode 3, irmos.

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: To God, who drowned the enemy Pharaoh in the Red Sea, let us sing with the hymn of victory, for He is gloriously glorified.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

God the Father chose thee as a hierarch, O saint of God (name); ask of the good Father the enlightenment of our mind.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The Good Shepherd Himself, sweet Jesus, showed thee forth as a true shepherd; entreat the true Word, God, to grant us the grace of the word.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou becamest a dwelling of the Holy Spirit, who spoke through thy mouth the teaching of life; ask of Him life for our souls.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou didst proclaim Mary, the God-radiant star who made the Sun of righteousness to dawn, as Theotokos, O holy hierarch; entreat Him to have mercy on us.

Irmos: The Church is established today in faith by Christ, and in song she crieth thus: Holy art Thou, O Lord, the Saviour of our souls.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

We magnify thine all-glorious radiance, O God-bearing father (name), and entreat thy prayer: make our souls radiant.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The Lord set a divinely beautiful crown upon thy head, O holy hierarch (name); grant the crown of virtue to those who praise thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thy soul rejoiceth in the Lord with such radiance, O saint of God (name); entreat sweet Jesus to have mercy on our souls.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

How fair thou art, O Virgin, and there is no spot in thee; and how sweet are thy words, O Mary; entreat the all-sweet Jesus to have mercy on us.

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… with the exclamation.

Sessional hymn. Tone 4. Ode 4, irmos. Ode 5, irmos. Ode 6, irmos.

Enlightened by the radiance of the Holy Trinity, thou singest thrice-holy with the Seraphim, O blessed father (name); intercede for the children of the Church, who have received thine all-sweet teachings, that we too may sing to the Lord and say: Alleluia.

Irmos: I have heard the report of God’s appearing on earth as Saviour for us, His faithful, and we cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

With the choir of the angels thou singest to the All-Holy Trinity, O holy hierarch (name); we who are poor entreat thee: grant us purity of heart.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

We rejoice at thy memory, O saint of God (name), and ask for mercy: grant us eternal love by thy holy prayer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou hast beheld the glory of God, for which thou didst long, and thy soul rejoiceth before Him; ask for us also that we may behold that blessed glory.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The radiant Light, the Prince of peace, Jesus, was born of thee, O Virgin; ask of Him that we may be made worthy of that unapproachable Light.

Irmos: For the unbelieving the night is dark, O Christ, but for the faithful Thou makest light by the grace of Thy words; therefore we too rise early to Thee and glorify Thy Godhead.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The Holy Spirit breathed in thee through thy rich preaching, and thou didst enlighten the ends of the world with thy teaching; enlighten us also with thy teaching, O saint of God.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The Holy Spirit spoke the words of grace through thy mouth, O God-bearing father (name); ask of the Holy Spirit the sanctification of our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou didst live like the angels, O holy hierarch (name), and thy soul rejoiceth among the angels; grant us also an angelic way of life, we entreat thee.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Truly and verily the holy hierarchs proclaimed thee Theotokos, O Mary, and we too confess thee a virgin and entreat thee: through their prayers have mercy on us, O immaculate one.

Irmos: As Jonah from the whale, deliver me, I entreat Thee, O good Lord, from him who would mercilessly swallow me, and rescue me.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The nectar of divine radiance is poured out upon thee, O holy hierarch (name); pour out upon us also the stream of thy grace, we entreat thee.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

Thou hearest the hymn of the angels, shining before God, and thou delightest in spirit; hear our hymn, and remember us also in thy prayer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou art enlightened with divine beauty by the grace of God, O holy father (name); pour out the grace of thy prayer upon those who entreat thee.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Theotokos Mary, the radiant rank of the hierarchs entreateth thee: have mercy on thy faithful, whom they have shepherded.

Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.

Look down upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the evil wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our soul. Tone 4. Prokeimenon before the Gospel… The Gospel according to Matthew. Ode 7, irmos. Ode 8, irmos. Ode 9, irmos.

And the kontakion of that hierarch, or this common kontakion:

O spiritual trumpet of divine thunder, strength of the faithful and banisher of heresy, servant of the Trinity, great hierarch (name), who standest ever with the angels, pray unceasingly for us all.

Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom.

Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy saints shall rejoice.

Verse: The mouth of the righteous shall meditate wisdom.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. For holy art Thou, O our God… Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord… And that He may make us worthy… Wisdom! Aright!

The Lord said to His disciples: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Through the intercessions of the holy hierarch (name), 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: O all-radiant light, set up on the lampstand as on the rank of hierarch, with such divinely beautiful radiance enlighten the fullness of the churches, O holy hierarch (name), that we may all together sing of thy wonderworking, O most sacred one.

Priest: O God, save… with the exclamation.

Irmos: O Saviour, who sittest upon the Cherubim and didst deliver the youths from the furnace, blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

The Lord God enlightened thee, O holy hierarch (name), and set thee as a radiant candle upon the highest rank; enlighten us Christians, we entreat thee.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

Thou shinest with great glory before angels and men, O saint of God (name); make us worthy of the glory of God by thy prayer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

“So let your light shine”, said the Lord; with the light of thy brightness enlighten us, who are darkened and entreat thee.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O God-radiant lamp, Mary, through the prayers of the holy hierarchs enlighten those who entreat thee with compunction, O all-immaculate one.

Irmos: Christ, who is God and Lord of all natures, we exalt with praises now and unto the ages.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

O saint of God (name), clothed with grace, pour upon us from on high the grace of thine intercession, and remember us before God.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

Thou becamest a partaker of the preaching of the apostles and reignest upon their throne; show us also as partakers of thy reign.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou becamest a companion of the angels, and with them thou singest to the Lord; remember us also before God, we entreat thee, O blessed father.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

How beloved is thy memory, O all-immaculate Mary, for thy holy name enlighteneth the mind; we entreat thee: have mercy on us.

Irmos: Of thee, O Virgin, God was born without seed and unchangeably in the flesh; therefore, O Theotokos, we all magnify thee unceasingly.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

Thou wast lifted up from rank to rank of the angels and didst attain from glory to glory; therefore we entreat thee: remember us before God, O blessed father.

O holy hierarch (name), pray to God for us.

Thou didst illumine with divine beauty the Church of Christ entrusted to thee, and didst offer to God the souls of men; we entreat thee: have mercy on us also, O father.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Made radiant with unapproachable light, thou art glorified, O holy hierarch (name); intercede that we may behold the radiant light.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou art worthily glorified by all the saints, O all-holy Virgin, and rejoicest with thy Son; ask for us also eternal joy in the kingdom.

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.

Thou singest to the Lord of lords united with the angels, O holy hierarch (name); we entreat thee: remember us also before the Lord of Sabaoth, O most blessed father.

The Word of truth established thee as a true shepherd; and we, enlightened by thy priestly beauty, entreat thee: commend us to the Good Shepherd, that we may glorify Him.

The divine Spirit made thee wise, O God-bearing father (name), that thou mightest offer our purified souls to the heavenly Father; we entreat thee: present us before Him spotless.

The Trinity was well pleased with thy virtue, O thrice-blessed father, and, adorned with a crown, thou singest thrice-holy with the Seraphim; with faith we entreat thee: remember us also.

O Theotokos Mary, through the prayers of the holy hierarchs make all the Orthodox worthy of heavenly glory, that with them we may sing the thrice-holy hymn.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, being without any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer to Thee, the good Master: have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O Lord, have mercy on us, for in Thee have we put our trust; be not exceedingly angry with us, neither remember our iniquities; but look upon us in mercy, as Thou art good, and deliver us from Thy just wrath; for Thou art our God and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and Thy name is called upon us: have mercy on us.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Open unto us the 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. A prayer to be said kneeling

Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)

Priest: Have mercy on us and hear us, O God.

O all-blessed holy hierarch (name), well-pleasing to the Father, enlightened by the Son, made wise by the Holy Spirit, united with the angels, successor of the apostles, fellow-struggler with the martyrs, beauty of hierarchs, guide of the faith, helper and refuge of the Orthodox!

O all-glorious holy hierarch (name), who by thy holiness workest many wonders, by the divine grace that dwelleth in thee glorify and enlighten our pious people; with thy priestly beauty make radiant 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 the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and all the priestly and monastic ranks; by thy holy prayer shelter the armed forces and all Orthodox Christians. Entreat, O father, God whom thou didst preach, to grant us peace and health of soul and body, that we may glorify His goodness.

O most desirable holy hierarch (name), divinely enlightened by the All-Holy Trinity and honoured with an all-radiant crown for thy many virtues, intercede for us before Her, that She may grant us enlightenment in Orthodoxy, radiance through good works, a dwelling in the kingdom of heaven, singing with the angels, reigning with the saints and crowning with the venerable, and that we may ever sing to the Father who glorified thee, the Son who blessed thee and the Holy Spirit who made thee wise, to whom befitteth all glory, honour and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

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.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both 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 fathers and of all Thy saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

And at the kissing of his icon we sing this:

O hearer of the prayers of every believer and fulfiller of petitions, holy hierarch (name), ask of the all-merciful God that He may have mercy on all of us, thy spiritual children, who with honour glorify thy holy memory and with longing kiss the icon of thy holiness, that we may rejoice with thee for ever.

O Lady Mary, radiance of all the saints, through the prayers of the holy hierarchs make us worthy of the eternal glory and radiance of thy Son and our God.