Paraklesis to the Holy and Great King Vakhtang Gorgasali
Priest: Blessed is our God…
And if a layman, he says: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
O Lord, attend to my prayer: hearken to my supplication in thy truth; hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has brought my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in a dark place, as those that have been long dead. Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me. I remembered the days of old; and I meditated on all thy doings: yea, I meditated on the works of thine hands. I spread forth my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee, as a dry land. Pause. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit has failed; turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee; make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies, and wilt destroy all those that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. Verse 2: All the nations compassed me about, and in the name of the Lord I withstood them. Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
All-glorious victories thou didst win by the weapon of the life-giving Cross; thou didst govern the passing kingdom wisely and adorn the Church of Kartli by thy struggle; and now thou rejoicest before the immortal King, O holy, great and pious King Vakhtang: be an intercessor for us sinners.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All-glorious victories thou didst win by the weapon of the life-giving Cross; thou didst govern the passing kingdom wisely and adorn the Church of Kartli by thy struggle; and now thou rejoicest before the immortal King, O holy, great and pious King Vakhtang: be an intercessor for us sinners.
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: Having passed through the water as on dry land and escaped the evils of Egypt, the Israelite cried aloud: Let us sing to our Redeemer and our God.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
We will not cease to entreat thee, O our swift helper and sovereign; we flee to thy precious and holy icon and ask thy help, O glorious one.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
We adorn thee with praise, O all-sweet and longed-for King Vakhtang, and make thee our intercessor before God, that in mercy He may stretch out His hand to us who flee to thee with faith.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Having received the honour and gift of kingship, thou didst set upon thy head the crown of wisdom, take into thy hand the sceptre of firmness of mind, and clothe thyself in godly wise with faith as with purple, O worthy one.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O gate of the divine East, open unto me the doors of repentance, and deliver me from the gates of deadly sin by thine intercession, O Theotokos.
Irmos: Be my strength, O Creator of heaven and of earth upon the waters; establish me, O Christ, upon the rock of the Church, for none is holy as Thou, O Lover of mankind.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
ზეგარდამოჲ შეგონებაჲ, ვითარ ქრისტჱს რჩეულმან, შეიწყნარენ, და მაზდეანთა ბომონნი ამაღლებითა პატიოსანისა ჯუარისაჲთა დაამჴუე, და ცეცხლ-მსახურნი განასხნე, ეგრეთვე აწ მტერთა ჩუენთა მზაკუვარებაჲ განაქარვე და წინა-აღდგომაჲ მათი დაჴსენ.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
ვითარცა განაქარვე შენ ცეცხლთაყუანისმცემელთა საცთური და კარი სარწმუნოებისაჲ განუღე მრავალთა ერთა, ეგრეთვე აწ მგალობელთა შენთაგან განსდევნე ბნელი ჭირთა და განსაცდელთა მრავალსახეთაჲ და გჳჴსენ ვნებათაგან.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By wisdom, beneficence and valour, O holy King Vakhtang, thou didst wondrously pacify thine adversaries, and the princes and nobles who had fallen out with one another thou didst bind and establish in one mind through love of God and of the fatherland.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I have fallen away from a holy way of life, O all-holy one, and have become like the beasts, and am condemned in every way; O Mother of the Judge, deliver me from all condemnation and save me.
Deliver from temptations them that praise thee, O great king clothed with struggle, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreachable wall and intercession.
Look upon us, O victorious great king, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, 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…. 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.
დიდებულებაჲ შენი ვინმე მიუთხრნეს, ჵ, სახელოვანო მეფეო ქართველთაო! რამეთუ დასთხიე სისხლი შენი ქრისტჱსთჳს, და არა ჰრიდე თავსა შენსა მისთჳს, აწ ითხოვე ყოვლისა სოფლისათვის მშჳდობით დაცვაჲ, ნეტარო ვახტანგ გორგასლანო, და ერსა ჩუენსა - ძლევაჲ და დამტკიცებაჲ მართმადიდებლობისაჲ ქრისტჱს ღმრთისაგან--, და სულთა ჩუენთა დიდი წყალობაჲ.
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 unwedded Theotokos, holy Virgin, only intercessor of the faithful, shelter us from temptations and afflictions and deliver all of us, O spotless one, from evil besetting, for we lay all our hope upon thee; and save our souls by thy divine entreaty.
Irmos: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thine ineffable dispensation; I have considered Thy works and confessed Thy Godhead.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
Thou didst appear, armed with the Cross, before the lawless tyrants and didst prevail by the power of the Crucified: entreat Him, O holy one, for them that sing to thee, for deliverance from the temptations of the evil one.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
Thou wast fearless as one bodiless and didst not fear the roaring of the enemies, but didst withstand the tyrants and bring to nothing all the deception of godlessness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou who restest in the heavens and standest before the King with the hosts of angels, ask of Him now for them that sing to thee deliverance from all afflictions and raging billows.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Make my soul bright as the morning, darkened as it is by the multitude of transgressions, O thou who didst bear the Sun of righteousness, ever-Virgin.
Irmos: Enlighten us with Thy light, O Lord, and with Thy high arm grant from heaven Thy peace to us the faithful, O Lover of mankind.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
He who seeth what is hidden saw thy virtues, hidden and manifest, and made thy deeds to shine forth like the light of the sun, O King Vakhtang, wondrous among men.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
Thou shinest brighter than the sun, O guide and lamp of them that seek the truth, and givest light to all the ends of our land by pouring forth unfailing light.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
გამოუჩნდი ვითარცა მთიები ქუეყანასა შენსა, და განაცისკროვნე ღამჱ სპარსთა საცთურებისაჲ, ეგრეთვე აწ მომეც გულისჴმის-ყოფაჲ შეცოდებათა ჩემთაჲ და მიჴსენ მარადის საბრჴეთაგან ეშმაკისაჲთა და მზაკუვარებათაგან კაცთაჲსა.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Intercede with thy Son, O Theotokos, that He may send down upon us a multitude of mercies, for thou hast boldness.
Irmos: I will pour out my prayer unto the Lord and will ever confess to Him my transgressions, for my soul is filled with evils and my strength hath drawn near to hell; and like Jonah I cry: Bring me up, O my God, from the abyss of sin.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
Thou didst fulfil the desire of the holy King Mirian and didst raise up in godly splendour the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem; and in thy land thou didst build glorious churches and monasteries, and didst renew and adorn the apostolic church, Svetitskhoveli.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
რომელმან ივერიელთა მტერობისთჳს ყოველნი შეაძრწუნე და დაამჴუე, ხოლო ღირსებაჲ და დიდებაჲ ერისა შენისაჲ აღამაღლე, აწ სიმჴნჱ, სიბრძნჱ და მძლეველობაჲ ყოველთა მაჭირვებელთა ზედა გარდამოგვივლინე და დაჴსნილებისა წყუდიადი განჴადე.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When thou didst found our glorious city of Tbilisi, thou didst lay holy churches as its spiritual foundation after the likeness of Jerusalem: Gethsemane on the rock of Metekhi, the Holy Cross as Golgotha, Bethlehem at Narikala and Sion on the right bank of the river Mtkvari; and thou becamest the protector of the capital city.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heal my heart, that is past healing, weak, held fast by evil and cruelly wounded, O Maiden; count me worthy of healing from thee, and save me who trust in thee by thine intercession, O all-holy one.
Deliver from temptations them that praise thee, O great king clothed with struggle, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, for we all flee to thee as to an unbreachable wall and intercession.
Look upon us, O victorious great king, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, 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.
ღუაწლი კეთილი მოიღუაწე სრულითა სარწმუნოებითა ქრისტჱსითა და ცეცხლმსახურნი განასხნენ საღმრთოჲთა გულსმოდგინებითა, ხოლო კლდეთა ზედა მაღალთა და ადგილთა მათ წმიდათა აღაშენე ეკლესია-მონასტერნი და განამაგრე ციხენი და ქალაქნი უბრძოლველნი, დიდებით დიდებულო, ვინაჲცა გჳრგჳნი სიმართლისაჲ ღირსად მიიღე და მსხუერპლად სათნოდ ღმრთისა შეიწირე, მას ევედრე ჴსნად ჩუენდა ყოვლისაგან ჭირისა და საფრჴეთაგან მტერისაჲთა, რომელნი გიღაღადებთ: გიხაროდენ, კაცთა შორის საკჳრველო მეფეო და ახოვანო მოღუაწეო, წმიდაო ვახტანგ გორგასლანო!
O thou sent from on high for the sanctifying of thy people and the strengthening of Iberia, who didst preach to thy people and bid them: “Stand firm in the faith and seek death for Christ”, soften now our hard hearts by thy sweet mercy and direct our steps on the royal way, that we may be made worthy of grace and mercy through thine intercession and may say according to our strength: Rejoice, O king wondrous among men and valiant contender, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali!
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon, Tone 4.
I have exalted one chosen out of My people.
Verse: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee.
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 John.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let us attend.
The Lord said to the Jews who came unto Him, 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.
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 all-praised great King Vakhtang, 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.
გერი: დღეს განათლდების ივერთა ეკლესიაჲ დიდებითა შენითა და იხარებს და განსცხრების კრებული მორწმუნეთაჲ მომჴსენებელი ღუაწლისა შენისაჲ და ითხოვს წყალობასა, ჵ, მართლმადიდებელთა გჳრგჳნო და სიქადულო, კეთილმსახურო მეფეო, წმიდაო ვახტანგ, ითხოვე ქრისტჱს მიერ შეურყეველად დაცვაჲ ეკლესიათაჲ, და მოცემად ჯუარითა ძლევაჲ ერსა ჩუენსა, სიმტკიცჱ მორწმუნეთა და ამაღლებაჲ რქისა მათისაჲ, მწვალებელთა მათ ზედა, მშჳდობაჲ სოფელსა და მგალობელთა შენთა დიდი წყალობაჲ.
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 Abo of Tbilisi; of the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; of the holy great-martyr Bidzina and the martyrs Shalva and Elizbar, eristavis of Ksani; of the priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; of the holy great-martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe, the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians and the holy martyrs, the six thousand monks of Gareja; of the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Shushanik, Ketevan and Luarsab; of our holy, pious and great kings Ashot the Kuropalates, David the Builder and Solomon; of the holy and right-believing Queen Tamar; of our venerable Athonite fathers John, Gabriel, John-Tornike, Euthymius and George; of the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma and Gregory of Khandzta; 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 holy Ilia the Righteous; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna; of the holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali, 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 Hebrew youths walked in the furnace, boldly trampling the fire, and, bedewed, they cried out and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, unto the ages.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
ვითარცა არცხვინე შენ მძლავრთა მათ უკეთურთა, ეგრეთვე აწ დაამ-ჴუნე მაჭირვებელნი ჩუენნი, ახოვანო მეფეო ქართველთაო, რომელნიცა მტრობენ ღუაწლ-დიდებულსა ერსა შენსა.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
მეფეო, ქრისტესა შედგომილო, იმეოხენ წინაშე მისა, მოჰმადლოს ქართველთა სარწმუნოებაჲ შენებრი, და დაიფაროს ქუეყანაჲ ივერიისაჲ წვალებისაგან და სჯულისაგან უცხოჲსა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As the father of the Georgian people we proclaim thee, and fervently we cry to thee: deliver our mothers and sisters from all-destroying passions and keep them from shamelessness.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having sinned by my own will and become enslaved to unseemly habits, I flee in despair to thy mercy: save me, O all-holy Theotokos.
Irmos: The Chaldean tyrant in his fury heated the furnace sevenfold for the youths, but, seeing them saved by a higher power, unharmed and untouched by the fire, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Bless Him, ye youths; sing His praises, ye priests; ye people, supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
მწყემსო კეთილო პირმეტყუელთა ცხოვართაო, ემსგავსე შენ მნესა მას გონიერსა და მიიღე ტალანტი უფლისა შენისაჲ და განამრავლე იგი და მიუძღუანე მრავალწილად მომნიჭებელსა, მას ევედრე, ღირსო, მოგუანიჭოს მწყემსი სარწმუნოჲ და მართალი, მმართებელად და წინამძღურად, ვითარცა დავით ისრაელთა.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
აწ მთავარნი უსჯულოებისანი აღძრულ არიან ჩუენ ზედა, და იღუწიან განხრწნასა და აღსპობასა ერისა ჩუენისასა, ხოლო ჩუენ ვეძიებთ ღონესა განრინებად მძლავრებისა მისგან, დიდებულო, და ვედრებითა ვითხოვთ შენგან შეწევნასა, რაჲთა უღმრთოთა ნებისაებრ არა მივიდრიკოთ უსჯულოებისადმი და ბჭენი სასუფეველისანი არა დაგვეხშას სამწყსოთა შენთა.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
ვითარი ზარი დაეც მძინარესა ერსა შენსა, სულითა განბრძნობილო, და განაღჳძებდი ღრმისა ძილისაგან, ეგრეთვე აწ მოგვფინე მადლი ლოცვისა შენისაჲ, დიდებით დიდებულო, და შეჰკრიბე განბნეული ერი ქართველთაჲ, რაჲთა მსწრაფლ განჳღჳძოთ მსგავსად ნინეველთაჲსა და ერთობით ვილოცოთ გადარჩენისათჳს საქართველოჲსა.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Enlighten, O Theotokos, the eyes of my soul, blinded by transgression; calm my mind and heart, troubled in manifold ways, I pray thee; save me who sing: Ye youths and priests, praise Him; ye people, supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Irmos: Heaven was amazed at this, and the ends of the earth marvelled, that God appeared bodily to men, and thy womb became more spacious than the heavens; therefore, O Theotokos, the ranks of angels and of men magnify thee, as is meet.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
When thou wast wounded in battle with the Persians, thou didst sink very near to death, O most illustrious among the bearers of the sceptre, and didst leave to thy people a God-inspired rule: that they stand firm in the faith and seek death for Christ, that they may gain unfading glory.
Holy, great and pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali, pray to God for us.
When thou wast slain by the hand of the Persians, O sweet father of the Georgians, thou didst stand before Christ radiantly adorned together with the hosts of heaven: ask of Him now for them that sing to thee deliverance from the raging billows which the envious enemy stirreth up against us, and count us worthy of unending joy with thee.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When thou didst die at Ujarma, O invincible champion of our people, they buried thy precious body in Svetitskhoveli, “the mother of all churches”; yet by the power of Christ, even after death, thou grantest to all that entreat thee an abundant gift from the unfailing fountain of grace.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst conceive and bear the Maker and Lord of all, O Virgin, and behold, now thou standest at the right hand of the Father as Queen, O holy one; therefore we entreat thee: deliver me from the portion on the left in the day of judgment and number me with the sheep on the right.
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and all-spotless, and the Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
The priest censes.
O thy glorious courage, O peerless king of the Georgians, thy valour of soul and firmness of mind and magnanimity in all things, the simplicity of thy heart, thy rich wisdom and thy thirst for death for Christ's sake! Therefore thou didst receive in heaven a crown of glory and the grace to deliver from afflictions and to heal the infirm.
Behold, we the faithful have the tomb of thy bones as a wall of strength, a treasury of grace and a driver-away of demons; therefore our heart longeth to go to Svetitskhoveli, that we who praise thee may cherish this holy thing fervently and draw healing from it.
ჵ, ღირსო მეფეო, ვახტანგ სანატრელო, ჰსუფევ წინაშე ქრისტჱსსა ელვითა სულისაჲთა განათლებული და დიდთა მათ ღუაწლთა შენთა სიმტკიცითა შემკული; იმეოხენ წინაშე მისსა, განგვიმრავლდეს ყოვლისა ქართველთ ზნეობითა სრულ-ყოფილნი ერის-მძღუარნი, რაჲთა ზრუნვიდეს ერისა ჩუენისათჳს და ჴმითა მადლობისაჲთა ჰნატრიდეს სიმჴნეთა შენთა.
ჵ, საჩინოო, ბრძენ-მჴნეო, მეფეო ბრწყინვალეო, ვითარცა სპარსთა მრავალ ღონენი დააცხრვენ ჭირთა მძჳნვარებანი, მოწევნადი ერსა შენსა ზედა, ეგრეთვე აწ გარე წარაქციე ყოველნი მტერნი და მაჭირვებელნი ჩუენნი, რომელთა განიგდეს წილი სამკჳდრებელსა ჩუენსა ზედა და აღგჳ-დგუნე მამული ჩუენი - საქართველო - პირველსავე დიდებასა და დაიცევ სახლეულნი მისნი უცხო თესლთა ზედა მოსლვისაგან.
O king clothed with struggle, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, as of old thou didst show wondrous protection to thy people, so now commend us to the Protectress of our people, the Virgin Mary, 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 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 servants (or handmaids) of God and for all the children of our Church, that the Lord our God may preserve this our royal city and this holy 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.
O unshaken tower of the Church and divine pillar of Orthodoxy, martyr of truth, who didst shed thy blood for Christ and the fatherland, boast of warriors, strength of kings, glory of princes, might of the weak, exalter of the lowly, enricher of the poor, invincible in battles and unashamed in afflictions, swift helper of those who entreat thee and giver of mercy, holy, right-believing, righteous and great King Vakhtang Gorgasali!
O great king clothed in the struggle, holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, with pious boldness entreat Christ God to guard our fatherland from the snare of the enemy and from enmity among brothers, and to look with mercy on our people, the lot of His Mother, which beareth the Cross of the Lord upon the earth, and to renew again our faith and grant us, as to thee, the warmth of faith, brotherly love for neighbour and divine zeal for the fatherland enriched with thy blood, and to raise up for us without hindrance from the root of David the anointed of God, who by firm faith shall wall about all the borders of Georgia and shall exalt and restore our height and strength from the land of forgetfulness, that we may be one flock and the Lord may be our Shepherd. 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 holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, crowned by God from on high! As thou hast power granted by God, intercede before God, 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 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. (3 times) Bless.
The priest gives the dismissal.
Choir: Amen.
A layman: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thine all-holy Mother, of the holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
While his icon is kissed we sing thus:
We have all gained thee as an intercessor with the Lord, O king of the Georgians who didst shed thy blood for Christ and in defence of the fatherland; and from the depth of our heart, praying on bended knee, we fall down before thy precious icon and entreat thee: holy Vakhtang Gorgasali, by thy help heal us of the sicknesses of the body and of the sin of the soul, and deliver from all afflictions and pains them that honour thee and sing to thee without ceasing.
O Lady Mary, look upon them that bow down with faith and kiss with longing the precious icon of the holy king; and may his grace and thy mercy go with us all the days of our life.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
