Hymns of Glory and Supplication
O unchangeable Image of the Essence, unshakeable Seal, impassible Son, Wisdom and Word, right Arm and Power of the Most High: Thee we worship with the Father and the Spirit.
O most holy Theotokos, save us; thou who art higher than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, who didst bear the Word of God in the flesh: as thou art the Theotokos, we magnify thee in song.
The holy and precious Cross, which the angels and the powers of heaven praise, we also worship and glorify with them, and ask of it deliverance from all passions.
O greater than all born of women, we the assemblies of the faithful, standing at prayer, fall down before thee with compunction and tears, O Baptist of Christ: be the protector of those who trust in thee.
O Pillar raised up by God, we venerate thee — O Robe of the Lord and holy Myrrh, O Cross of Christ God — that thou mayest grant victory to our King, crowned through thee by anointing.
O Commanders of the host of the heavenly powers, fence about with the shelter of your wings us your suppliants, and at the departure of our soul deliver us from the hands of the dark aerial watchers.
O righteous, meek and pure-minded one, who didst mightily drown the godless and give drink to the thirsty, beholder of God, giver of the law, beginning of the prophets, O Moses, intercede for us.
O great and honourable prophet, who by thy prayer didst dry up the drops of rain and cast down the opposing enemies, O Elijah, greatly renowned, intercede for us.
Girded radiantly with the adornment of the priesthood, thou didst offer well-pleasing whole burnt offerings according to the law as a fair priest of God, O Zachariah; and thou becamest a luminary and seer of mysteries, and wast shown forth bearing in thyself the signs of grace, O all-wise one; and thou wast slain with the sword in the temple of God, O prophet of Christ: with the Forerunner intercede for the salvation of our souls.
O greater than all born of women, we the assemblies of the faithful, standing at prayer, fall down before thee with compunction and tears, O Baptist of Christ: be the protector of those who trust in thee.
Let us magnify the chiefs of the Apostles, the luminaries of the whole world: Peter, the rock of steadfastness, and Paul, the mouth of Christ and teacher of the gentiles, that through their intercession we may receive forgiveness of sins.
Thou didst eagerly follow Christ the King who called thee, leaving the tax-office, He who appeared to men on earth in His goodness; and thou wast shown forth a chosen apostle and didst proclaim the Gospel to the world with a loud voice; therefore we honour thy holy memory, O Matthew who speakest of God: entreat the merciful God to grant us forgiveness of sins and great mercy to our souls.
Taught by Peter, the summit of the apostles, thou didst receive the apostleship of Christ, and like the sun didst enlighten the ends of the world, and becamest the beauty of the Alexandrians, O blessed one; through thee Egypt was delivered from error, and by the teaching of thy Gospel shone forth as with light; wherefore we who honour thy memory brightly celebrate thy falling asleep, O Mark, herald of God: entreat Christ God to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.
O holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, entreat the merciful God to grant us forgiveness of sins and great mercy to our souls.
O thou who didst stand before the Cross at the time of the Passion, whom the King called His own brother and to whom He entrusted His immaculate Mother, O John the Theologian, intercede for us.
Let us magnify the Apostle Andrew, who brought us the icon of the All-holy and thereby turned the heathen to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
As a disciple of the Lord thou didst receive the Gospel, O righteous one; as a martyr thou hast confession; boldness, as the brother of God; and intercession, as a priest: entreat Christ God that He have mercy on our souls.
Thou didst gather, as a good shepherd, the scattered unbaptised sheep and lead the Georgians to the true God, O holy Mother Nino: entreat Christ God for thy children.
He saw the sign of Thy Cross in the heavens, and like Paul received his calling not from men; he who among kings was shown forth as Thine apostle, O Lord, entrusted the royal city into Thy hands: preserve it ever in peace, and through the intercessions of the Theotokos have mercy on us.
O chosen vessel, richly filled with holiness from that chosen vessel, crown of virgins, glorious among the first martyrs, O Thecla, intercede for us sinners.
O radiant and great adornment of the martyrs, invincible, conspicuous luminary, courageously patient Stephen, blessed warrior of Christ, intercede for us sinners.
Let us, O faithful, praise with divine songs him who forsook the base faith and walked the ways of truth, who counted as nothing many afflictions for Christ, illustrious among the martyrs, the luminary of Georgia, the great martyr Razhden, that through his intercession we may be delivered from temptations.
By virtue, as by the rays of the sun, thou didst enlighten the unbelieving wise men, and like the all-radiant moon didst dispel the darkness of unbelief from those walking in darkness; thou didst bring the queen to faith and together didst rebuke the tyrant, O God-called bride, blessed Catherine; and thou didst enter with joy into the heavenly bridal chamber, to thine all-beauteous Bridegroom Christ, and by Him wast crowned with a royal crown; and standing with the angels, entreat Him for us all who celebrate thy most honourable memory.
Thou didst courageously illumine the vaulted universe, having taken up the contests, O great chief of the martyrs, valiant George; therefore we entreat thee: deliver us from afflictions and intercede for us before God.
O victorious holy physician Panteleimon, entreat the merciful God to grant us forgiveness of sins and great mercy to our souls.
O thrice-blessed Demetrius, crown of martyrs, God-bearing one, remember before the Trinity those who magnify thee with praise, and ask of Christ great mercy for us.
Thy lamb, O Jesus, Irene, crieth with a loud voice: Thee do I desire, O my Bridegroom, and seeking Thee I shed my blood; I am crucified with Thee and buried with Thee in Thy baptism; I suffer for Thee, that I may reign with Thee; I die for Thy name, that I may be glorified with Thee; accept me as a spotless sacrifice, who flee to Thee with longing. Through her intercession, O Christ God, save our souls.
Thou didst brightly adorn thy lamp with the oil of blood, with the wise virgins awaiting the Bridegroom, O glorious among virgins, martyr Marina: intercede for us.
Tiron delighteth and exulteth in the multitude of thy contests, O valiant Theodore, worthy one; healing springeth up from thy miracles; ask of Christ great mercy for us who sing to thee.
Thy martyrs, O Lord, David and Constantine, in their contest received from Thee, our God, the crowns of incorruption; for having Thy strength they cast down the tyrant and crushed the powerless might of the idols. Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls.
Thou didst hate the glory of this world and didst become a partaker with the Queen of heaven and earth, O Queen Ketevan; thou didst give thy flesh to be burned for Christ thy Bridegroom: entreat Him for us thy servants, the Georgians.
Adorned with virginity and made radiant by martyrdom, worker of miracles, healer of diseases and sores, great virgin-martyr Barbara, intercede for us sinners.
Thou didst become like the apostles in thy deeds and wast counted worthy of their thrones; thou didst find in practice, O blessed one, the ascent to contemplation; wherefore thou didst rightly proclaim the word of truth, and didst contend for the faith even unto the shedding of blood, O holy hierarch Cyprian: entreat Christ God that He have mercy on our souls.
Adorned with radiant light, valiant warrior of Christ, chief of martyrs, O Eustathius, with thy sons and thy spouse intercede before God for those who honour thee.
Thou wast adorned with the crown of martyrdom at the hands of thy husband, O holy Queen Shushanik, and in place of a passing queenship thou didst gain the unpassing kingdom; and now thou standest boldly before thy Bridegroom, the immortal Christ: intercede for those who praise thee, O blessed one.
O holy unmercenary physicians and wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian, visit and heal the infirmities of our souls and bodies: freely ye have received, freely give to us.
O victors of the Lord, blessed is the earth that was enriched with your blood, and holy the tombs that received your bodies; for in the stadium ye overcame the enemy and boldly preached Christ God: entreat Him, as the Good One, to have mercy on our souls.
O radiance of the city of Myra, adornment of Lycia, wealth of the poor, deliverer of the innocent from death, great hierarch Nicholas, intercede for us.
Thou wast shown forth as the healing of all diseases and the redeemer of sinful souls, O all-blessed Basil, treasury of the divine priesthood: entreat Christ God that He have mercy on our souls.
The peoples delight and the Church exulteth, and the assembly of the holy wise men rejoiceth: O Gregory, treasury of the Word of God, intercede for those who honour thee.
O sweet-voiced organ, golden pipe, river of divine teachings, ask for us thy suppliants the remission of sins, O John Chrysostom; be our intercessor before the Trinity.
Thou wast a pillar of Orthodoxy, confirming the Church with divine dogmas, O hierarch Athanasius; for by proclaiming the Son consubstantial with the Father thou didst put Arius to shame, O venerable father: entreat Christ God that He have mercy on our souls.
The wonder which Thou didst work, O Lord, in Thy saint, the right-believing King David, surpasseth the mind of those who would speak of it; for Thou didst glorify him for Thy name’s sake, until the expulsion of the Saracens, by radiant and all-wondrous victories, and after the expulsion of the Saracens didst glorify him by wondrous signs: through his intercession grant great mercy to our souls.
Thou didst guide all-glorious victories by the weapon of the life-giving Cross, didst govern the earthly kingdom in wisdom, and didst adorn the Church of Kartli by thy labours; and now thou rejoicest before the immortal King, O holy great and right-believing King Vakhtang: intercede for us sinners.
O God of our fathers, who ever dealest with us according to Thy goodness, take not Thy mercy from us, but through his intercession guide our life in peace.
In thee, O wondrous mother, the image was well preserved; for taking up the cross thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds didst teach to disregard the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal; wherefore thy soul rejoiceth with the angels, O blessed Mary.
O all-radiant morning star, protector of those who glorify thee and refuge of those who hope in thee and sing to thee, blessed Sabbas, shelter us from temptations.
Thou wast nourished by the food of dumb beasts, and in wisdom and life didst live like an angel, O blessed David of Gareji: cast down our enemies, as thou didst those serpents.
The Georgian people rejoice today at thy feast and offer worship to God, who gave them such a father, carer and intercessor; and they embrace thy shrine, and through thee receive rich mercy from God, O venerable Joseph.
Thou didst make the cave thy wings, and the earth a cleaver of the ether, a ladder dug to the vaults of heaven; and at once thou wast lifted up above the heights to reign, O Father Shio the Syrian; the Georgians long for thee and flee to thy tomb: intercede for us.
The land of Kartli breathes with the fragrance of thy translations of the Scriptures; and we, the Georgian people, parched by the drought of ignorance and thirsting for the showers of the rain of thy teachings, flee to thee: ask of God peace for our people and its deliverance from the yoke of enemies.
O Apostles and Prophets, Hierarchs, Martyrs and blessed Fathers, Patriarchs and Virgins, and all ye saints of God, intercede for us before God.
