Paraklesis to our Venerable Father Sergius of Radonezh
Saint Sergius of Radonezh is prayed to for deliverance from enemies visible and invisible, from captivity, and from the devices of demons and evil spirits, and also for the opening of the minds of children and for understanding in learning.
Priest: Blessed is our God…
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.
Thou didst struggle in virtue as a victorious soldier of Christ and didst scorn all the vanity of the world, but by prayer and vigil becamest an example to thy disciples and wast shown a rule for monks and a radiant luminary for all the world: now we entreat thee, as one who hath boldness before the all-holy Trinity, keep unshaken all the Orthodox people that rejoice in thy radiant memory, O venerable father Sergius.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
A citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh and a wonderworker wast thou shown to be, O God-bearing father Sergius; thou didst receive from heaven the grace of fasting, vigil and prayer, and thou healest the sicknesses of the infirm and the souls of them that run to thee with faith. Glory to Him who gave thee strength; glory to Him who crowned thee; glory to Him who worketh wonders for all through thee.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We will never cease, O Theotokos, we the unworthy, from speaking of thy mighty acts; for hadst thou not stood before us to intercede, who would have 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: At Thy beck, O God, Thou didst raise the flowing natures as a wall and lead the people of Israel through their midst on dry land; and they sang the song of victory.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The Creator knew thee in thy mother's womb and set thee apart from thy birth; and thou from thy youth didst love the Lord, take up His Cross, O blessed one, and follow in His footsteps.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
God, who beholdeth minds, foresaw the holiness of thy soul; therefore He flooded thy mind with light and filled thee with divine wisdom.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All thy longing thou didst lift up to God from thy youth, and toward Him was all thy desire; and the stirrings of the flesh and the billows of the passions thou didst put to death by ascetic struggle.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The curse of Eve, the first mother, was loosed when she who knew not wedlock bore Him who is above natures; and the people of the faithful rightly glorify her, as is meet.
Irmos: O God our Saviour, Creator of all, who by Thy word didst establish the high heavens with all their power, by Thy divine Spirit establish us in unity upon the rock of faith.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
From the tumults of the world thou didst quickly withdraw, O God-minded Sergius, for thou didst flee them for the love of God, and in the deserts didst build monasteries profitable for souls, for the salvation of many.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The storm stirred up by this world thou didst calm by holiness, and that desert, the lair of beasts and dwelling of demons, thou didst change into a dwelling for men, and didst build for them a glorious church to the glory of the all-holy Trinity.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The divine grace that stirred thy mind by the Holy Spirit, O God-bearing one, brighter than the eye of the sun, we hymn, O blessed Sergius, and we move thee to intercede with God, O venerable one: ask for us the forgiveness of our sins.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
მჴსნელო ჩუენო, ვედრებითა მშობელისა შენისაჲთა მშჳდობაჲ სოფელსა მოჰმადლე, და ძლევაჲ ჯუარითაჲ მოეც ერსა ჩუენსა ღმრთისმოყუარესა მტერთა ზედა ურწმუნოთა, და შენდობასა ღირს-მყვენ მორწმუნენი.
Deliver from temptations them that ever hope in thy holiness, O venerable and wonderworking father Sergius, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreachable wall and intercession.
Look upon us, O venerable father Sergius, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our 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 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.
Thou didst love the life of the desert above the delights of the world and the sweetness of this passing age; and, building the Lavra of the Trinity for the glory of God, thou didst make the trackless and harsh deserts a city by the multitude of monks, and didst adorn divine worship with thy holiness, whereby thou didst draw near to the divine radiance, O blessed Sergius: now by thy prayer count us also worthy to behold His glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
By struggle thou didst subject the passions of the flesh to the rational soul, O father, and, winged with the wing of dispassion, didst receive the grace of the Holy Spirit; thou healest the sicknesses of men, drivest away demons and deliverest them that entreat thee. Therefore the assembly of monks ever calleth thee blessed, O all-praised Sergius, and honoureth thy holy memory. Entreat Christ, be an intercessor with Christ, for the granting of unity to the churches, peace to the Orthodox peoples and mercy to them that sing to thee.
Irmos: O Christ God, who didst not leave the bosom of the Father in heaven and didst come down to earth, I have heard the report of Thee, and with praise I glorify Thy power.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The empty desert thou didst people and make fruitful by the watering of thy tears. Now thou standest before the face of God: remember us, O blessed one, and be an intercessor for them that sing to thee.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The brute beasts obeyed thee as though they had reason, and wild beasts were driven off by thy rebuke; and men, healed by thee, O venerable one, glorified God without ceasing.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou wast like the angels in form and full of wisdom; thou didst send forth flashes of radiance, and with God-speaking lips didst tell the glory of God beyond the orators.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O true Mother of God, entreat thy Son the Creator to guide us to a calm haven and save us from drowning in our sins.
Irmos: The Spirit of salvation, O Lord, which the first prophets conceived in their hearts and brought forth upon the earth, made known to us Thy coming to earth for the life of the faithful; and now, being enlightened, we magnify Thee in song.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The flock entrusted to thee thou didst shepherd with a meek and humble spirit, and, like Christ, didst teach all to share generously with the poor, O wise one, and to feed the needy: send down now upon us also thy grace-filled help.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The multitude of monks confesseth thee as its guide, O God-bearing father, and delighteth in thy memory: now we entreat thee, O holy Sergius, as one who hath great boldness, deliver them that trust in thee from all afflictions present and to come.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
მოსალოდებელისა, ვითარცა აწმყოჲსა მჭურეტელმან, ძლევაჲ მონღოლთა ზედა წინაჲთვე აუწყე დიდსა მთავარსა დიმიტრისა, ხოლო ურიცხვთა მტერთა კუეთებითა შერყეული ქუეყანაჲ შენი უვნებელად დაიცევ ძმათა მტერობისა და განხეთქილებისაგან.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heaven and earth were enlightened through thee, O unwedded Mother of Jesus, for thou didst make the unquenchable Light to shine upon us, the God of all, who delivered them that were shut up in darkness and made us dwellers of the heavenly Kingdom.
Irmos: Drowned in the waves of the temptations of this world, sunk with the ship of sin and cast to the beast that destroys souls, I cry to Thee: As Jonah, deliver me from corruption and death, O Christ.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
Though thou wast kindled with the fire of faith and didst withdraw from the temptations of the world, yet thou wast shown a spiritual guide of thy people, O holy Sergius, and didst enlighten them for the service of the Holy Trinity.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
As thou didst greatly pity that child who had suffered from the enemy, and didst pray fervently and raise him up, so deliver us also from sicknesses and pains, O blessed Sergius, and keep us from every affliction.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now loose the passions stirred up in our souls and the incurable pains of our bodies by thy fervent supplication, O thrice-blessed Sergius, for thou hast richly gained from God the grace of healings.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thy mystery, O Virgin, was foreshown of old by the ark of the law, which received the divine writings, by the golden jar, the dwelling of the manna, and by the rod.
Deliver from temptations them that ever hope in thy holiness, O venerable and wonderworking father Sergius, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreachable wall and intercession.
Look upon us, O venerable father Sergius, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our 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.
Wounded by the love of Christ, thou didst swiftly follow in His footsteps with longing, O venerable one, and didst wholly abhor the pleasures of this world, and didst shine upon thy land like the sun; therefore Christ God adorned thee with the light of miracles and the radiance of divine graces: now remember them that honour thy light-clad memory and cry to thee: Rejoice, O God-wise father Sergius!
Through revelations from on high thou didst make shine upon us like a radiant sun, out of the tomb, a precious treasure, thy holy relics, a priceless and inexhaustible wealth and God-radiant gold, and didst fill thy land and all the Orthodox people with divine joy; and the holy shrine of thy relics, like an unfailing spring, poureth forth the fragrance of graces and granteth healing to them that honour it. Forget not us who magnify thee, O father; remember us before the all-holy Trinity and ask peace for us, that we may cry: Rejoice, O God-wise father Sergius!
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Verse: Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: For holy art Thou, O our God, who restest in the saints, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Priest: Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.
Verse: Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power.
Priest: And that He may make us worthy to hear the holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord our God.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Priest: The reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let us attend.
The Lord said to His disciples, Blessed be ye poor in spirit: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the venerable father Sergius of Radonezh, 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 transgressions, and have mercy on me, O God.
Sticheron: Though thou becamest a dweller in the desert, thou wast shown plainly as a luminary to the world, O venerable father Sergius, and wast appointed an intercessor for us before God; therefore all we the faithful are stirred worthily to adorn thee with praises, O blessed one, and we praise thee with God-radiant song and glorify thy Creator, who worthily glorified thee.
Priest: O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; visit Thy world with mercy and compassion; exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians and send down upon us Thy rich mercies, through the intercessions of our all-holy Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary; by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, 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 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-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe; of the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; of the holy priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi; of the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; of the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians and the holy martyrs, the six thousand 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, and among the disciples our venerable father David of Gareja; of the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta; of our venerable Athonite fathers John, Gabriel, John-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 right-believing Queen Tamar; of the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Shushanik, Ketevan and Luarsab; of holy Ilia the Righteous; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna; and of the venerable and God-bearing father Sergius of Radonezh, and of all Thy saints, we entreat Thee, O most merciful God: hearken to the supplication of us sinners, and have mercy on us.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Priest: Through the mercies and compassions and love for mankind of Thine Only-begotten Son, with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Irmos: The youths in the furnace in Babylon were bedewed from on high; they cried to God and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord of our fathers, O God, unto the ages.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
As an angel in the flesh thou didst shine upon all the world and didst gain the grace of serving together with an angel of God; therefore the report of thy labours hath gone out into all the earth.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
When thy disciple saw thee serving together with an angel in the altar, he opened his lips that had been dumb and cried: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thine all-glorious lavra boasteth of thy labours, and the souls that are saved in it sing to thee and say: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.”
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, daughter of Adam; rejoice, Bride of God; rejoice, Mother of the Saviour, who didst contain thy Creator: intercede for us always.
Irmos: The bush on Sinai that burned yet was not consumed revealed God to Moses, slow of speech and heavy of tongue; and divine zeal delivered the youths from the furnace, and they cried out in song: All ye works, bless today God and the Lord; hymn and exalt Him unto the ages.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
By a radiant struggle thou didst receive the grace of miracles as a gift, to heal the sicknesses of them that honour thee with faith, whereby thou wast glorified not only in all the land of Russia but in all the world.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
The assembly of the faithful calleth thee blessed, who among many fathers wast chosen to behold the Theotokos and bow down before her, as she walked as one living and was bodily present together with John and Peter: ask of her now for us deliverance from countless afflictions.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Remember us before God and ask of Christ God for us peaceful protection from the snares of the enemy, and that through thee, O holy one, He may grant our souls remission of sins and mercy, lest we be requited justly for our deeds.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Irmos: The three youths in the furnace in Babylon worshipped the Trinity and despised the golden image, and, sprinkled with dew, they cried out in song: All ye works, bless today God and the Lord, praise and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Irmos: Thou who without knowing man didst carry the Creator Word of incorruption didst clothe Him with nature; come, O spotless Virgin Theotokos, and with Him that was born of thee teach the faithful, that we may be made worthy to glorify thee.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
Truly Christ honoured thee here already, for He counted thee worthy to serve with the angels and to behold the Mother of God face to face; and when thou didst leave the life of this age, thou didst attain to the ranks of the angels and reignest with the bodiless ones in the Kingdom.
Venerable father Sergius, pray to God for us.
By the power of Christ, even after death, thou hast shone forth as an invincible helper of His churches, O holy one; thou drivest away darkness and chasest away demons, and by divine help thou healest, O blessed one, sicknesses and pains of many kinds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The holy shrine of thy relics shineth with countless miracles and driveth from us the passions of the demons; for by the grace given thee by the Lord thou swiftly healest the passions of soul and body and deliverest from temptations.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The old law foreshadoweth thee, O holy Virgin, and the new confesseth thee as Theotokos, O unwedded one; and we the faithful say with faith: O Mother of the Word, cease not to entreat God for them that trust in 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.
The temple of Christ, the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the fragrance of the holy churches, the guide of the lovers of the desert, the companion of the angels in heaven, Sergius beloved of God, we honour together, and his deeds worthy of praise we magnify without ceasing.
ჰსუფევ წინაშე ქრისტჱსსა ელვითა სულისაჲთა განათლებული და დიდთა მათ ღუაწლთა შენთა სიმტკიცითა შემკული; ევედრე მჴსნელსა ჩუენსა, ნეტარო სერგი, რაჲთა სრულიად განაქარვნეს მზაკუვარებანი მწვალებელთანი და ურთიერთმტერობისაგან იჴსნეს მართლმორწმუნენი ერნი.
As of old thou didst bind and establish in one mind, through love of God and of the fatherland, the princes and boyars who had fallen out with one another, so now plant mutual love among all the Orthodox peoples, that we whom Christ our God purchased with His Flesh and Blood may be saved in love and peace and praise thee with faith.
Look down from heaven, O far-famed ascetic, upon them that sing to thee, and cease not to intercede for us before the all-holy Trinity, that we may be delivered from the many snares of enemies visible and invisible and be counted worthy to reign in the Kingdom of heaven.
Commend us, O God-wise father Sergius, to the Protectress of our people, the Virgin Mary, us who magnify the power of thy prayers, that we become not a reproach and a laughing-stock to our enemies, O holy one, but after the manner of the men of our fatherland may glorify God with 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.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, at a loss for any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer unto Thee as Master: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Lord, have mercy on us, for in Thee have we put our trust; be not very wroth with us, neither remember our iniquities, but look upon us in mercy, for Thou art compassionate, and deliver us justly from Thy wrath; for Thou art our God and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and Thy name is called upon us: have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Open unto us the doors of compassion, O blessed Theotokos, that hoping in thee we may not perish, but through thee be delivered from our adversaries, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, 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.
Priest: Again and again, bending our knees, let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
O all-praised venerable father Sergius, shining with signs and wonders! Boast of monks and firmness of the churches, chosen servant of the Holy Trinity, counsellor and companion of the angels, by thy holy prayer intercessor and protector of the Orthodox armies, and refuge and strength of those who fall down before thee with faith.
O all-radiant and shining star of the wilderness and hegumen of all Russia, venerable father Sergius! When thou wast lifted up from the body to thy longed-for God, thou didst not leave thy children and those who love thee orphans, for thou didst grant thine all-praised relics to the holy Church as a light and a crown of graces; and we venerate them, and year by year keep the feast of their uncovering, and we entreat thee: as thou hast boldness before the all-merciful King, remember before Him us who ever fall down before thy sweet intercession and help, and by thine intercession deliver our people, encompassed by trials and afflictions. რამეთუ მბრძოლნი იგი ჭეშმარიტებისანი ზაკულითა განზრახვითა შეთქუმულ არიან მართლმორწმუნეთა ზედა და ძალითა და ნიშნებითა სიცრუვისაჲთა იღუწიან, რაჲთა ქრისტჱს მოსახელენი ერნი განხრწნეს და გამოაჩინეს ერად ბნელისა, არამედ ევედრე შენ მიერ შეყუარებულსა ტკბილსა იესუს, რაჲთა აღგჳდგინოს ღმრთივკურთხეული სამეფოჲ ჩუენი, კუართიან-დავითიანი, ვერაგობითა წარტყუენილი თჳთმპყრობელთა მეფეთა მიერ სრულიად რუსეთისაჲთა და კუალად მოგუანიჭოს მეფჱ მირონცხებული, რომელი ძალითა ჯუარისაჲთა შემოჰკრავს ყოველთა საზღუართა საქართველოჲსასა და აღამაღლებს და აღადგენს სიმაღლესა და ძლიერებასა ჩუენსა ქუეყანით დავიწყებისაჲთ, რაჲთა ვიყოთ ერთ სამწყსოჲ და უფალი იყოს მწყემს ჩუენდა. 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 Orthodox Christians. Magnify those who bear thy name and those who entreat thee. Entreat, O all-praised and courageous father, the sweetest Jesus whom thou didst love, to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction and defilement of churches, the murders of the servants of God, betrayal, envy and disorders, the killing of our infants in the womb and the multitude of our other sins.
O father of fathers, guide of those who have gone astray and great hegumen of the glorious wildernesses of Radonezh, all-blessed Sergius! Intercede before God, that He may grant glory to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to the rulers, valour to the soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women; and that He may make us flourish and multiply and fill us with the spirit of wisdom, mutual love and divine understanding, and restore to us love of righteousness, many children and mercy towards widows and orphans; may He grant us love for a pure life, hatred of unseemly deeds and contrition of heart, crowns with the saints and the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, that we too with thee may glorify 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 us.
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)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thine all-holy Mother, of the venerable father Sergius of Radonezh and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
While his icon is kissed we sing thus:
Thou didst forsake the will of the flesh and follow God, and didst raise up in the desert this glorious lavra, O God-wise father Sergius, and the holy church in the name of the Holy Trinity, for the salvation of souls and a haven for many; and even after death thou didst work miracles and heal passions of soul and body: therefore entreat Christ God to deliver them that have recourse to thine icon from sicknesses and pains, from passions, afflictions and temptations.
O thou blessed among women, spotless Theotokos, Lady Mary, look upon them that bow down with faith and kiss with longing the precious icon of the venerable father Sergius of Radonezh; and may his grace and thy mercy be with us all the days of our life.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
