Supplicatory Canon to the Lady, Queen and our Merciful Mother of God ... A poem by Hieromonk Athanasius of Simonopetra

 

Ode 1.

Irmos.  After crossing the sea as if it were dry ground and escaping the wickedness of Egypt, the Israelite cried out:  Let us sing to our redeemer and God.

Pure Virgin, as you have borne the God of mercy, entreat him on behalf of all who reverently honor your divine icon, which pours out streams of healings.

We have obtained your august icon as a harbor, O kind Virgin, amid dangers and trials, knowing how it always gushes forth everlasting streams of divine mercy.

Have mercy on all who reverently venerate your image, merciful Mother of God, and give to each what is profitable for the attainment of the salvation of our souls.

Your icon has been given to us as a heavenly gift, merciful Virgin, for therein your favor began to dwell, which you distribute to those who affectionately honor you.

Ode 3

Irmos.  O Lord, who covered the vault of the sky with a roof and built the church:  confirm me in your love, O summit of desires, support of the faithful and only merciful one.

Raise your hands to God, all-holy Virgin, and beseech him on behalf of us who venerate you, for even if we err, nevertheless we have in you our hope of correction.

Bring an end to the intrigues of our enemy, O merciful Virgin, and give your unshakable peace to our souls, so that we may glorify your invincible favor, which the Lord gave to you, his mother.

By your supplications heal the sick who lie abed and suffer from diseases, venerable and merciful Virgin, so that we may always offer to you grateful thanksgiving from our hearts as to our benefactress.

Merciful Virgin, make all those who ask unceasingly for your help be victorious over their passions; we need your help, because the weight of habit, which has become a second nature, hangs over us.

Protect from the harmful dangers of the adversary those who run to your holy icon in faith and give them your maternal favor, merciful Virgin.

Prayer between Odes 3 and 4 

Tone 2.  Fervent supplication.
Having borne the Lord, the fountain of mercy, you also supply gifts of mercy, all-holy and merciful Mother of God, to those who honor your sacred icon, and you are the indestructible protection, all-holy Mother of God, of your monastery.

 

Ode 4

Irmos.  I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of your dispensation.  I have meditated on your works and glorified your divinity.

O merciful Mother, whenever clouds darken the souls of your children and bring in problems, give us the sunshine of your love.

O merciful physician, appear to us who languish amid diseases of soul and body, and furnish unshakable strength to those who honor you.

Make us, who have been exiled by our offences, return again to the love of your divine Son, and preserve us ever unfallen.

O merciful Mother of God, from nowhere else do we hope for any help than yours amid our dangers and afflictions, which the outward pomp and circumstances of life beget. 

 

Ode 5

Irmos.  Illumine us with your commandments, O Lord, and by your lofty arm grant us your peace, O merciful God.

Make my mind a holy temple, merciful Virgin, where the abiding name of the Lord Jesus will hallow all my nature.

O merciful Mother of God, by your holy prayers deem those who honor your icon to be worthy of the glory of God, which the saints enjoy.

Remain with us, merciful Virgin, in the afflictions and unexpected misfortunes of life, bestowing on us the hope of your love.

In order that we may ever magnify you, merciful Mother of God, crush the arrows of the destroyer who from of old has waged war against us with temptations.

 

Ode 6

Irmos.  I will pour out my supplication to the Lord and to him will I declare my afflictions, for my soul has been filled with troubles and my life has approached Hades, so like Jonah I pray:  Raise me up from death, O God.

Guard our youth from wars, merciful and all-immaculate Maiden; mysteriously spread your protection over them, give them your invincible protection in the hour of trials, and cause those temptations to disappear quickly like clouds.

Have mercy on us all, merciful Master, by the intercessions of your merciful mother, for we have been baptized into you and are rich with your all-honorable calling; even if we always fall, we entreat your great mercy.

We pain you daily, merciful Lord, by our many sins; nevertheless, in our defense we bring forward as our advocate the merciful and immaculate Queen, trusting that she is mightily influential with you as your mother.

O merciful Virgin, we have found a sure refuge in your holy icon, from which an abundance of favors is ever conveyed to those who venerate you and ever seek in faith the granting of many requests.

Prayers after Ode 6

Kontakion
Heaven and Earth are full of the mercy of the Lord, merciful Virgin, from whose pure womb was born the merciful God; therefore, do not cease to fervently seek out the fulfillment of the requests of all who venerate your divine icon, Mother, and to deem them worthy to partake of the divine favor of the saints.

Prosomoion
Merciful Lord, by the fervent supplications of your merciful mother, open the door of your mercy to all who faithfully fall before her icon.  Cure every disease of soul and body, and destroy the arrows of the enemy; give us unshakable peace and the forgiveness of our sins.  In the last day, deem us worthy of your longed for kingdom, along with your saints.  You are the improvement of the distressed and the deliverance of the sick, merciful Virgin:  save your sacred monastery, O peace of the embattled, calm of the tempest-tossed and only protection of the faithful.

Ode 7. 

Irmos.  The youths from Judea, having come to Babylon of old, by their faith in the Trinity trampled down the flame of the furnace, chanting, O God of our fathers, blessed are you.

Heaven and Earth proclaim the mercy of the almighty God, on account of which he gave you to us who are named after Christ as a merciful refuge amid the terrors of life and complicated diseases.

O merciful Virgin, on behalf of your flock, which honors your wholly august icon, entreat the merciful master to show us his boundless mercy, for we always glorify him.

Put an end to the agitation of the doubting thoughts of those who hymn you and grant peace to their souls, which are agitated by afflictions, O merciful Mother of God, and give us joy by your holy intercessions.

Quickly disperse our anguish by your supplications, merciful Virgin, as if it were a mere cloud; set free from the disease of cancer as many as lie abed, so that they may ever honor your divine icon.

 

Ode 8.

Irmos.  The king of Heaven whom the hosts of angels hymn, hymn and exalt him above all forever.

Merciful Virgin, quickly deliver those enslaved by attachment to wealth and grant them freedom of soul.

What other refuge, merciful Virgin, than yours can we gratefully find amid the dangers of life?  For we are rich in your icon.

This monastery peacefully proclaims the very great number of your miracles, merciful Virgin; ever protect it from all manner of afflictions. 

Merciful Virgin, grant victory over the passions which afflict the souls of those who venerate your divine icon with all reverence.

What other refuge, merciful Virgin, than yours can we find amid the dangers of life, who are gratefully rich in your icon?

 

Ode 9.

Irmos.  O Mother of God, we who have been saved through you fittingly confess you, and with the incorporeal choirs magnify you, O pure Virgin.

Pray for the whole world, merciful Virgin, and favorably receive the entreaty of our requests; grant us the solutions of our difficulties and thereby confer on us your kind favor. 

Fill your people with mercy, merciful Mother of God, for they flee to you for refuge, and overlook their sins, so that having attained to Paradise they may greatly extol you.

Very great is your favor, merciful Maiden, and boundless is the strength of your prayers which you grant to those who honor your venerable icon.

Night and day, lift up your hands to the Master, O Queen worthy of all praise, and draw down the favor of your mercy upon us.

Prevail upon the all-merciful Lord with your arms which held him as a baby, O merciful Mother, and ask for the forgiveness of our sins and offences.