Paraklesis to the Holy Hierarch Spyridon of Trimythous
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, 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 wast shown forth as a champion of the First Council and a wonderworker, O God-bearing Spyridon, our father; therefore thou didst speak to the dead woman in the tomb and turn the serpent into gold, and while thou didst chant thy holy prayers thou hadst angels serving with thee, O most sacred one. Glory to Him who glorified thee; glory to Him who crowned thee; glory to Him who through thee worketh signs for all.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou wast shown forth as a champion of the First Council and a wonderworker, O God-bearing Spyridon, our father; therefore thou didst speak to the dead woman in the tomb and turn the serpent into gold, and while thou didst chant thy holy prayers thou hadst angels serving with thee, O most sacred one. Glory to Him who glorified thee; glory to Him who crowned thee; glory to Him who through thee worketh signs for all.
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.
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.
Of old the Word of the Father, who became flesh for the sake of us sinners, covered Pharaoh with the waves, together with his chariots and his mightily armed host; to Him we sing: O glorious Lord, Thou art glorified.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst inherit the land of the meek, O father, for thou wast meek and upright, merciful and blameless; therefore I entreat thee: calm the storm of my mind, that I may extol thee with divine hymns.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
By divine labours thou didst cleanse thy soul, O venerable Spyridon; thou becamest godly in beauty and didst shine with the radiant light of the Holy Spirit, O father; therefore thou fillest with radiance them that sing thy praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Like David, God brought thee from the flock and set thee as shepherd of rational sheep, comely and well-pleasing, adorned with meekness and uprightness and shining with guilelessness, O good shepherd.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-holy Bride, incorrupt one, enlighten and sanctify my thought and my soul, I pray thee, and drive away the mist of my folly and the gloom of my sins, that I may sing to thee as is meet.
Establish me upon the rock of faith, enlarge my mouth over my enemies and gladden my soul, that I may cry to Thee, O Thou who alone art holy: none is holy beside Thee, my God.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst make thy mind shine with dispassion and adorn it radiantly with divine humility; thou becamest a treasury of graces, thou healest sicknesses and drivest away demons from them that honour thee with faith, O thou who art beautiful in priesthood.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst slay the serpent, the beginning of evils, O venerable one; thou didst uproot the love of money, and for mercy’s sake by prayer thou didst turn a serpent into golden ornament, O great hierarch and thrice-blessed father.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst ascend the mountain of dispassion, O God-bearing one, and enter the cloud of the vision of God, O blessed one, and on the tablets of thy heart thou didst receive the law of life, as a faithful initiate and a royal hierarch.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten my mind, darkened by negligence, O Theotokos, that I may sing to thee: none is holy beside thee, O Lady.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
From the flock of sheep thou wast set as leader of the Church of Christ, O Spyridon; thou didst shine forth as a shepherd appointed by God, drive away the wolves of heresy by thy word and nourish the holy Church in the green pasture of godliness; and among the God-bearing fathers thou didst confirm the faith by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, O blessed hierarch Spyridon. Entreat Christ God to grant forgiveness of sins to them that lovingly honour thy holy memory.
Not an angel but the Lord Himself, God incarnate of the Virgin, Thou didst come to us and save us wholly, who cry: Glory to Thy power.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Kindled by the coals of the Holy Spirit, thou didst burn up the easily-kindled matter of the passions and enlighten the world with the light of thy virtues.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst put to death the stirrings of thy flesh, O God-inspired one, and didst raise the dead by thy divine words; therefore I entreat thee: bring my deadened soul to life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When thou didst call, the dead woman at once spoke to thee, O father; the river stood still at the command of thy words; for thou didst shine forth as one who works divine signs.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The theologians proclaimed the depth of thy mysteries to be wholly beyond reach, O incorrupt one, for thou didst ineffably bear the Uncircumscribed made flesh.
O Giver of light to the luminaries and Salvation of the lost, O Christ, Deliverer of all, to Thee we rise at dawn, O King of peace: enlighten us with Thy light, for apart from Thee, O Good One, we know no other God.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
The rivers of thy graces, O venerable one, water all and richly grant healing, O father, and rouse all to glorify God, who has justly glorified thee and honoured thee with wonderworking and a multitude of signs.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
The king of the earth knew thee truly to be a servant of the King of heaven, enriched with divine graces, when thou didst come before him with lofty signs, wonders and revelations, and as a great physician, O thrice-blessed one.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst imitate the hospitality of Abraham, O blessed one, and hadst mercy on all; to all thou becamest in every way a comforter and a supplier in temptations and afflictions, O Spyridon, servant of the Trinity and adornment of the priesthood.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst bear for us a new Child, O holy Virgin, Him who was begotten of the Father before the ages, the only unoriginate Word; entreat Him as thy Son and God to have mercy on us who with a pure heart confess thee Theotokos, O all-holy Mother of God.
The wave of sin has encompassed me, and I flee to Thy great mercy: bring me up from drowning, O Good One, my God, I pray Thee.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst count gold as clay, for thou didst shine more brightly than gold in holiness and wast enriched with the all-golden graces of the Holy Spirit.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
In holiness thou didst serve thy King, and thou hadst the multitudes of the heavenly hosts speaking with thee in an audible voice, O thou who art beautiful in priesthood.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy glorious way of life crowned thee with radiant glory; therefore we keep thy memory with joy.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thy womb became wider than the heavens, for thou didst contain God, O unwedded Bride, who cannot be contained or circumscribed by creatures.
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.
Wounded with love for Christ, O all-sacred Spyridon, thou didst give wings to thy mind, and by divine radiance, through visible deeds, thou didst find things invisible, O God-inspired one; for thou becamest a sacrifice offered to God, and boldly thou intercedest for us all.
Prokeimenon, a psalm of David: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
Verse: Hear this, all ye nations; give ear, all ye that dwell in the world.
The Lord said: I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the holy hierarch Spyridon, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my 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 my 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.
The Spirit led thee from flocks without speech to the rational sheep, O God-bearing one, as He led Moses and David, and thou didst become like them in their way of life, O Spyridon, radiance of the whole world.
The command of the lawless tyrant made the furnace blaze more fiercely for the youths, but the God of all sprinkled the three singers with dew from heaven, He who is blessed unto the ages.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst acquire the meekness of Moses, the guilelessness of David and the innocence of Joseph, and becamest a dwelling of the All-holy Spirit, and thus didst thou cry: O God of the ages, blessed art Thou.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
The dew of heaven in the time of heat cooled thy holy head and foretold thy divine honour, as thou didst say, for God glorified thee, the sanctifier of them that sing thy praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
In the council of the fathers God honoured thee and confirmed unshakably the judgement of the words which thou didst set forth with faith; and thou didst destroy the madness of Arius and deliver it to anathema.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Like an untended vine thou didst bring forth the cluster of life, O Mother of God, who hast given us to drink the wine that sanctifies and gladdens minds and dispels evil drunkenness.
Of old in Babylon the fiery furnace was divided by God, for the Chaldeans were burned by its flame, while the youths, bedewed, said: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst quench the fire of the passions with the divine rain of the Holy Spirit and make the dew of healings spring forth, which burns up the passions; and thou loosest the furnace of pains, O glorious and God-bearing father Spyridon.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Upright and guileless, meek, merciful and good wast thou, O father, filled with love, beautiful in priesthood, wise and prudent, adorned and arrayed with every good; therefore we sing thy praise, O venerable Spyridon.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The dead woman spoke to thee as though living when thou didst question her, O blessed father and chief shepherd. O wondrous deed! O glorious mystery! O grace which thy divine and angelic life drew down upon thee!
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heal the passions of my soul with sweetness, O all-hymned one; calm my life, enlighten my soul and guide me on the divine paths, O Lady, that I may ever bless thee.
The Son of God appeared from the unoriginate Father and became incarnate of the Virgin for our deliverance; He enlightens the darkened and gathers the scattered into one, that we may magnify with faith her who bore Him.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
Thou didst loudly proclaim the Son of the unoriginate Father, consubstantial and equal with the Father, O hierarch, in the assembly of hierarchs, and didst stop the mouths of the godless blasphemers, O thrice-blessed father.
O holy hierarch Spyridon, pray to God for us.
O many-lighted sun, adornment of the fathers, crown of priests and companion of the angels! By thine intercession make worthy of the unfading Light them that extol and celebrate thy radiant memory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The wondrous dwellings, the heavenly city and the festival of them that keep feast received with a voice of rejoicing thy soul, made pure and adorned with virtues, O blessed Spyridon.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The great mystery of thy glorious giving birth amazes the angels, O thou who art full of grace; it wounds the choir of the saints with love and rouses the fathers to sing divinely to thee, the hope of the whole world.
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.
O venerable and blessed father Spyridon, O wise one, for the love of God thou didst question the dead woman as though she were living; thou didst turn a serpent into gold for one held fast by poverty, stay the course of the river and struggle together with the people; by the providence of God thou didst stand before the king, raise the dead as a disciple of Christ and set forth the faith amid many fathers. All things thou wast able to do through Christ who strengthened thee; now entreat Him to grant great mercy to our souls.
Thou wast shown to be a divine treasure among hierarchs, O father Spyridon, through thy virtues, and thou becamest the wealth and the champion of the Church; thou didst cast down the heretics and hurl the blasphemer Arius into the depths of hell; therefore God adorned thee in word and deed with the grace of wonders. Entreat Him for the life of our souls.
When she who knew not wedlock saw Thee, O Jesus, nailed to the wood of the Cross, she said with weeping: O sweetest Child, why dost Thou leave me, Thy Mother, alone, O untouchable Light of the unoriginate Father? Glorify me soon, that I may attain divine glory and magnify Thy divine Passion.
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 door of mercy, O blessed Theotokos, that we who trust in thee may not fall, but be delivered from the enemies that oppose us; for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
O all-blessed holy hierarch Spyridon, well-pleasing to the Father, enlightened by the Son, made wise by the Holy Spirit, united with the angels, co-enthroned with the apostles, fellow-struggler with the martyrs, beauty of hierarchs, guide of the faith, helper and refuge of the right-believing!
O all-glorious holy hierarch Spyridon, worker of many wonders by thy holiness! By the divine grace that dwells in thee glorify and enlighten our pious people; by thy priestly beauty illumine the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, our great lord and father Ilia, and the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops and all the priestly and monastic orders; by thy holy prayer shelter the armed forces and all Orthodox Christians. Entreat, O father, the God whom thou didst preach to grant us peace and health of soul and body, and we will glorify His goodness.
O most longed-for holy hierarch Spyridon, enlightened in godly beauty by the All-holy Trinity and honoured for thy many virtues with an all-radiant crown, intercede for us before Him, that He 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 belongeth all glory, honour and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
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 thee 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.
Compiled by Alexander Aghladze
