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CANON TO THE MOST
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
A Composition by Monk Theostiriktos,
or, as some say, Theophanes.
Ode 1, Tone 8. The
Irmos.
On crossing the water as though dry land,
escaping from Egypt
and its miseries in his flight,
the Israelite raised his voice and cried aloud,
‘To our Redeemer and our God now let us sing!’
Troparia.
By many temptations I am held fast,
and seeking salvation
come for refuge in flight to you
O Mother of God’s own Word and Virgin,
from my dread dangers and troubles now rescue me.
The passions torment with their assaults,
despondency’s burden
presses heavily on my soul,
with the calm of your Son and God, pure Maiden,
O All-immaculate Virgin, now give me peace.
To God and our Saviour, you once gave birth,
pure Maiden, I beg you,
from dread troubles may I be saved,
for as I now run to you for refuge,
it is to you that I lift both my soul and mind.
In body and soul, sick as I am,
consider me worthy,
only Mother of our true God,
of your godly providence and kindness,
for you are good and the one who gave birth to Good.
Ode 3. The Irmos.
You constructed the heavens’ high vault, O Lord, and the Church,
has you as its builder, do you establish me in your love,
you are the pinnacle
of all desires, and foundation,
mankind’s only Lover, of all who believe in you.
Troparia.
As protection I set you and as the shield of my life,
you gave birth to God, Virgin Mother, guide me as a pilot now
into your anchorage,
you the support of the faithful,
source of all good things, you alone the one all-praised.
I entreat you, O Virgin, dispel the strife in my soul,
pacify, I pray you, the tempest of my despondency,
for you, O Bride of God,
gave birth to him who is calm’s source,
you gave birth to Christ, you alone are the one all-praised.
Benefactor is he whom you bore and cause of all good,
pour out then for all the abundant wealth of his benefits,
power to do all things,
is yours who bore Christ the mighty,
powerful in strength is he, O greatly blessed by God.
Cruel illnesses test me, and passions most damaging,
help me, I beseech you, O Virgin, aid me, all-blameless one,
for I know you to be
the inexhaustible treasure,
never failing storehouse, of healings that have no price.
Ode 4. Irmos.
I have heard, Lord, the mystery
of your dispensation, I heard and was afraid,
I have meditated on your works
and exalt and glorify your Deity.
Troparia.
I entreat you, O Bride of God,
still my passions’ tumult, the tempest of my faults,
still the raging turmoil in my soul;
you who brought to birth my pilot and my Lord.
As I call on you grant to me
your compassion’s depths, let me know your tenderness,
you who bore the Saviour of all those
who now lift their voices and who sing your praise.
All-Immaculate Virgin,
we acknowledge you as the Mother of our God
as we offer you our hymns of thanks,
for your many gracious gifts which we enjoy.
As our hope and assurance,
rampart of salvation which none can overthrow
we have gained you, highly honoured one,
and from every trouble you deliver us.
Ode 5. The Irmos.
Lord, enlighten us,
with your ordinances and commands,
and with your upraised arm grant unto us your peace,
for you alone, O Lord, are Lover of humanity.
Troparia.
Fill my heart, I pray,
with your gladness and unsullied joy,
Virgin most pure, the only Mother of our God,
for you who gave birth to him who is the cause of gladness.
Come, deliver us
from all dangers, Mother of our God,
you bore eternal liberation, Maid most pure,
the peace which passes all understanding came to birth from you.
Dissipate the fog,
Bride of God, the murk of my misdeeds,
with the illumination of your radiance,
you who gave birth to the divine and pre-eternal light.
Heal me, O Most Pure,
heal the sickness that afflicts my soul,
making it worthy of your kindness and your care,
and by your fervent intercession grant me health, I pray.
Ode 6. Irmos.
I pour out
my supplication to the Lord,
and to him I shall declare my afflictions,
for, see, my soul has been filled up with evils
and now my life has been drawn very close to Hell.
Like Jonas I appeal to you,
‘O my God, bring me up from corruption!’
Troparia.
As from death
and from corruption and decay,
when to death and to decay it captive,
he saved my nature held fast by corruption
giving himself over into the hand of death,
O Virgin, beg your Lord and Son
from the malice of foes to deliver me.
I know you
to be my life’s sure guardian
its protection and shield, O pure Virgin,
you who dispel the great throng of temptations,
and drive away assaults of demon hordes,
unceasingly I plead with you,
‘From the passions’ corruption deliver me’.
O Maiden,
complete salvation of our souls,
we have gained you as our rampart of refuge,
as our relief in afflictions and torment,
and in your light evermore we are filled with joy.
O Sovereign Lady, save us now
from the passions and dangers besetting us.
In sickness
and with no healing in my flesh
now I lie upon my bed, yet I implore you,
as you gave birth to our God and the world’s Saviour,
to him who frees us from sickness and malady,
O good one, hear me, I implore,
‘From disease’s corruption now raise me up’.
Ode 7. Irmos.
The Three Youths from Judea
who attained to the faith of the holy Trinity
in Babylon of old,
sang out as they trampled
on the furnace’s raging flames,
‘Blessed are you, O God,
the God of our Fathers!’
Troparia.
With the will to accomplish
our salvation, O Saviour, you made your dwelling place
within the Virgin’s womb,
revealed her as the champion
and protection for all the world.
‘Blessed are you, O God,
the God of our Fathers!’
O pure Mother implore him
who desires to grant mercy, the one you brought to birth,
that they may be set free
from faults and soul’s defilements,
those who cry out with faith and sing,
‘Blessed are you, O God,
the God of our Fathers!’
You revealed her who bore you
as a tower of safety, as incorruption’s fount,
salvation’s treasure store
and doorway to repentance
for all those who now cry aloud,
‘Blessed are you, O God,
the God of our Fathers!’
As you bore Christ the Saviour
for our sake, deign to heal from all sicknesses of the soul
and weakness of the body
those who with love and longing,
O most pure, who gave birth to God,
come close to you, to draw near
to your divine protection.
Ode 8. Irmos.
The King of heaven,
whose praise the Angels are singing,
all the hosts of the bodiless powers
praise him and exalt him most highly to all ages.
Troparia.
Do not despise those
who beg your help, O pure Virgin,
as their raise their song up in your honour,
praising and exalting you, Maiden, to the ages.
Unending rivers
of healings you pour, O Virgin,
for all those who him and extol and praise you,
those whose songs exalt your Birth-Giving beyond language.
You cure, O Virgin,
all my soul’s weakness and sickness,
and the flesh’s tormenting afflictions,
so that I may sing of your glory, Highly Favoured.
The passions’ onslaughts
and the assaults of temptations
you, O Virgin, repel and drive from us,
wherefore we shall praise and hymn you to all ages.
Ode 9. Irmos.
We who through you, O Virgin,
have been saved confess you
to be most truly the one who gave birth to God,
with all the choirs of the heavens you we now magnify.
Troparia.
Do not reject my weeping,
tears that flow unceasing,
for you, O Virgin, gave birth to our Saviour Christ,
and it he who has wiped every tear from every face.
Come, fill my heart, O Virgin,
fill my heart with gladness,
for you received in his fullness the joy of all,
and made the pain and the sadness of sin now disappear.
O Virgin, be the haven,
shelter and protection
of those who flee to you, rampart unshakeable,
may they have as their refuge, their gladness and their joy.
Dispel the fog of error,
ignorance’s darkness,
and let your light’s rays, O Virgin, illumine those
who with devotion proclaim you the Mother of our God.
Heal one laid low and wretched,
in a place of sickness,
a place, O Virgin, of ill and of wretchedness,
grant transformation from weakness and feebleness to health.
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