Supplicatory Paraklesis to St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia and Wonderworker
Archbishop of Myra in Lycia and Wonderworker
(The paraklesis uses the Thursday matins canon of Tone 2 — see the Octoechos, or Parakletike)
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.
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.
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 truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of abstinence; therefore thou hast won the heights by humility and riches by poverty. O holy great hierarch Nicholas, entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of abstinence; therefore thou hast won the heights by humility and riches by poverty. O holy great hierarch Nicholas, entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.
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: Of old the Israelites passed through the raging waves of the sea without drowning, by the power of the right hand of God; but the depths covered the Egyptians, and the waters became a tomb for their host.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Crowned, thou standest before the throne of Christ God, O blessed one, radiant with the powers of heaven; now drive away the darkness of my mind, that I may extol thy memory.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Christ God, who glorifies them that glorify Him, glorified thee, O holy one, with wonders both in thy life and after thy death, and He showed thee forth as a helper in afflictions, a consolation in sorrows, a healer of sicknesses and a deliverer from passions.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having grace from God, thou grantest healing to all who flee beneath thy protection, O namesake of victory, holy Nicholas; now leave us also not without help, and set us free from pains and sins.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The evil serpent made wretched me dream of equality with God and made me a captive, far from God; but through thee I was set free, O Bride, and truly deified, O immaculate one, for thou didst bear Him who deifies me.
Irmos: Loosed from our ancient curses and delivered from the midst of raging beasts, with gladness we open our mouths and magnify God the Word with voiced words, with faith and praises.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou becamest a faithful disciple of Christ the Saviour, O all-blessed Nicholas; thou savest them that flee to thee fervently and deliverest them from every evil and misfortune.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou who wast anointed by Christ as first hierarch of the people of Myra and didst make thy flock fragrant with the sweet savour of wonders, open now my spiritual senses, O venerable one, and dispel the stench of my passions.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By divine power, O holy Nicholas, thou wast able to destroy the invisible enemy; from his evil harm deliver us by thine intercession, O God-bearing father, and keep us unharmed from his tyranny.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Calm the stirring of my passions, O worthy Mother of God, and still the surge of my defiled thoughts, O all-holy one, and set my life aright, O Mother of Life.
Deliver from dangers those who ever hope in thy holiness, O holy great hierarch, wonderworker Nicholas, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O holy Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, wonderworker Nicholas, 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, 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.
Thou didst ascend to the height of the virtues and shine with the divine radiance of the Holy Spirit, O God-minded one; thou wast counted worthy to behold divine visions, and truly thou wast shown to be a wondrous shepherd, and to those in temptations thou art a ready helper, O priceless one. Wherefore thou didst bravely overcome the enemy, drive away error and deliver men from death, O God-bearing Nicholas. Entreat Christ God to grant forgiveness of sins to us who hope in thine intercession.
Irmos: Having considered Thy works, the prophet cried aloud: Today I have heard the report of the renewal of mankind, and I marvelled at Thy coming in humility, to shatter the might of the assailant.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
The flock entrusted to thee, O holy one, thou didst shepherd with a meek and humble spirit, and like Christ thou didst teach all men to share their wealth with the poor and to feed those in want.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
By the stream of thy holy tongue, O wise one, thou didst stem the blasphemous streams of Arius; so also change our sorrow into joy and cast down the pride of the heretics.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As a great shepherd and imitator of Christ, the Chief Shepherd of all, we fall down and entreat thee: deliver us from all sorrows, O blessed servant of Christ, and drive away from us temptations and the assaults of demons.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Creator of all came to take flesh from thee, O Theotokos, our Lady, and in mercy saved me, a man who has sinned in every way; therefore I say: Rejoice, all-immaculate Bride.
Irmos: We have washed ourselves in body and soul from the defilement of the enemy’s deceptions, and we walk in the way of the commandments, which leads us to the life of the sanctified, the chosen of God.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou shinest with light from on high, O blessed one, and by divine power thou grantest healing of soul and body to them that praise thy memory with faith, O wonderworker Nicholas; intercede for them that sing thy praise.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou wast set upon the lampstand of lofty good works, O hierarch of Christ God, and like a lamp thou enlightenest our hearts; therefore I entreat thee: by thy radiant prayer make me a partaker of thy light.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As thou didst deliver the three young men condemned to death, who through thee entreated God, so deliver us also, holy Nicholas, from the temptations that grievously slay our hearts.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
That Thou mightest save Thy creatures, buried in manifold passions, Thou didst mystically come down from the powers of heaven and wast born of the Virgin, and didst loose the pangs of death.
Irmos: For three days the prophet endured the heat within the belly of the sea-beast, foreshowing the second birth of mankind unto salvation that was to come out of the belly of that dragon whom the Deliverer slew.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
As a divine orator, O Nicholas, thou didst proclaim the Son consubstantial with the Father; and, having crushed the folly of Arius, thou didst fill all the ends of the earth with right teaching and deliver many Orthodox people from perdition.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Nourisher of widows and father of orphans, helper of those in affliction, comforter of them that mourn, shepherd and guide on the way for all who have gone astray art thou, O blessed Nicholas, and thou grantest relief from God to all the afflicted.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou wast venerable, upright and meek, quiet and humble, O blessed Nicholas, and by thine all-glorious priesthood caught up to the Most High; now have mercy on me also, O all-wise father, and enlighten my soul, that I may behold the Giver of light.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
On thee I set my hope, O Virgin, all-holy Mother of God, for thou art the strength of my life and a wall of steadfastness; have mercy on me, O hope of all Christians.
Deliver from dangers those who ever hope in thy holiness, O holy great hierarch, wonderworker Nicholas, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O holy Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, wonderworker Nicholas, 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.
In Myra, O holy one, thou wast shown to be a minister of sacred things: for, fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, O venerable one, thou didst lay down thy life for thy people and save the innocent from death; therefore thou wast sanctified as a great initiate of the grace of God.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon, Tone 4.
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.
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: 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 Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the holy hierarch Nicholas, 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: Thee, the great sun set upon the height of the Church of Christ, we fervently entreat: O thrice-blessed Nicholas, with the radiant brilliance of thy light drive away from our souls the deep darkness of sin, that we may sing of thy wonderworking, O most sacred one.
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 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 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 glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti, and the holy great-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe; the holy great-martyr Bidzina and the holy glorious martyrs Shalva and Elizbar, eristavis of Ksani; the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians and the holy six thousand martyred monks of Gareja; of our holy and blessed fathers Lucian, Dodo, Damian, Onuphrius and Simeon of Gareja; 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 priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi; of our God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta; of our venerable fathers John and Gabriel the Georgians, John who was once Tornike, and Euthymius and George of the Holy Mountain; 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, Luarsab, Demetrius, Shushanik and Ketevan; of holy Ilia the Righteous; of the holy and righteous parents of the Theotokos, Joachim and Anna; and of our father among the saints Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the wonderworker, 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. (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: He who of old quenched the flame of the tyrant’s furnace and delivered the holy youths has here today kept the Virgin’s womb unburnt in His birth; to Him we cry: O God, blessed art Thou.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou didst put thy lips to the mystical chalice of Wisdom, O worthily wondrous Nicholas, and didst draw up raining dews sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, and didst bid the nations sing: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou shinest with the radiance of the Godhead, O thrice-blessed one; deliver us who are held by the darkness of sorrows and afflicted, and enlighten us who cry: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Of old thou didst deliver the commanders from death and raise them up to sing to Christ the Saviour with fervent faith: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Entreat, O Bride, Christ our God that He may in mercy deliver us, who are worn down by sins, through His divine blood from the snares of the crooked serpent; for thou art the hope of the whole world.
Irmos: Creation has been shown to be free, and the lost have been called sons of light; the cause of darkness mourns, and the cause of the Gentiles’ salvation, once despaired of, has truly blossomed today.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
As a sweet and merciful father thou didst deliver the three maidens from sinking into sin and shelter them from bitter shame; so also make the King merciful to us, O God-radiant Nicholas, that He may grant us release from our transgressions.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
As thou didst feed thy city when it was weakened by famine, O good and spiritual shepherd, so feed my soul also with the bread of understanding, O father Nicholas, and guide me toward the true light.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thee, the destroyer of the temples of perdition, the one well-pleasing to Christ, we entreat: blot out the raging idols of my mind, O holy one, and loose the passions stirred up in our souls and the incurable pains of our bodies.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
My passionate soul grows faint, and my wretched mind is undone by the manifold passions that have risen against me; but, O Virgin, heal it and deliver me from corruption.
Irmos: Beyond the mind of men, O holy Bride and unwedded Mother, is thy glory and the praise that is thy due; but we, in our eagerness, will not be silent from praising thee according to our strength.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
Thou who didst worthily finish thy course through Christ, direct our ways toward Him, O all-radiant Nicholas, that, having fled the pathless wastes of error, we may attain the perfection of salvation.
O holy great hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us.
When thou wast lifted up from the flesh to God, thy Desire, thou didst not forsake those who hope in thee, but didst make a river of myrrh spring forth for us, O wonderworker Nicholas, and thine all-praised relics pour out upon us a fountain of fragrance.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In the city of Myra thy myrrh-streaming tomb gave healing to those who came to it with faith; but now the city of Bari glories, where the holy shrine of thy relics is treasured and pours forth for us the myrrh of wonders.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Wisdom and Power and personal Word, equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit, became man from thy pure blood, O Virgin higher than the Cherubim; be not silent in interceding for them that praise thee.
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.
O wondrous deed, which thy divine life has granted thee! For after death thou shinest upon the whole earth more brightly than the orb of the sun, and enlightenest the souls of those who entreat thy holiness with fear and compunction.
In heaven thou delightest in the Kingdom and ever beholdest the ineffable beauty of Christ; now ask for us release from many sins and from all the temptations that come upon us, O most sacred Nicholas, and shelter us from the torments to come.
The proclaiming of thy struggles enlightened the world, O wise Nicholas, and the bringing of thine all-holy relics adorned the Church; drawing near to them and venerating them with reverence, we draw forth the grace of healings and are set free from passions.
As of old thou didst work all-glorious signs, so now also through thy painted icons and when thou art remembered in prayers thou workest wonders, O blessed one, and in thy mercy thou becomest a fellow-carer and protector, on land and on the seas, of them that call upon thee.
To those in temptations thou art a ready helper, O wonderworking father Nicholas, and thou hast power to set us free from all passions and from the wiles of the enemy; now quench the counsels of the wicked raised against our people, and bring to weakness the tongues of the heretics by the power of Christ.
Thou who hast intercession with the Merciful One, O valiant among the strugglers, look upon the sorrows that surround us, and shelter me from the wiles of this mighty enemy, from captivity by the heathen and from the cruel afflictions and griefs that surround us.
O great hierarch Nicholas, commend us who ever fall down before thy mighty help to the protectress of our people, the Virgin Mary, that we may not become a reproach and a laughing-stock to our enemies, but, after the custom of the men of our fatherland, may adorn the undivided and unconfused Trinity with “Holy” and with “Alleluia”:
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 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.
Priest: Again and again, bending our knees, let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Amen.
O all-praised great hierarch Nicholas, adorned with signs and wonders! Pillar and strength of the Church among men and luminary of the whole world, chosen servant of the Holy Trinity, offerer of rational souls to the heavenly Father, and swift helper and intercessor of all the helpless, the despairing and those who fervently call on thee.
O worthy shepherd of the flocks of Christ and guide of the fathers, wonderworker Nicholas! By thy fatherly mercy make the good God merciful to us, that He may renew again His love towards us and our faith in Him, and give us divine zeal for the fatherland, love of righteousness and courage of spirit, that He may fill us with divine watchfulness and grant us purity of life and the fear of God. Entreat, O blessed one, the sweetest Jesus whom thou didst love, to turn away the wrath stirred up against us for the multitude of our sins, and to look with mercy on our people, the lot of His Mother, which beareth the Cross of the Lord upon the earth, and like Lazarus to raise up our fatherland, Georgia, to its former glory, that we may not be trampled underfoot by plunderers of alien tribes and peoples, nor the heathen and heretics say, Where is their God, in whom they hoped? Strengthen in their ministry 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, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, the honourable priests, the deacons in Christ and all the monastic orders, the members of the Orthodox Church and all right-believing Christians.
O divinely wise Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, holy Nicholas! Cease not to pray fervently to Christ and ask for us, that He may grant glory to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to rulers, courage to soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women; and to us a life of good conduct, adornment with works of mercy, enlightenment through holy prayer, cleansing through confession, radiance through communion, an honourable departure, the inheritance of the kingdom, singing with the angels, reigning with the saints, and with thee glory and thanksgiving; for to Him befitteth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father 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 true Theotokos, we magnify thee.
Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.
Choir: Glory… Both now… Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Bless us.
Priest: May Christ our true God, through the intercessions…
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 holy father Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the wonderworker, and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Now again we draw near to the quiet haven and protector of our people; we kiss thy holy icons and ask of thee with compunction, O worthily wondrous Nicholas: intercede for us now before God, that He may heal us of sickness of body and sin of soul, and deliver us from the wiles of this mighty enemy and from every harm done by evil men.
O Lady Mary, radiance of all the saints, through the prayers of the holy hierarch Nicholas make me worthy of the eternal glory and radiance of thy Son and our God. Amen.
Collected and compiled by Tinatin Mchedlishvili
