Ode 3. The Irmos.

The choir of Prophets truly named you the sealed fountain and the shut gate, clearly depicting for us the symbols of your virginity, O All-praised, which you preserved even after childbirth.

You alone know the weakness of mortals and in compassion took its form; gird me with power from on high, to cry to you: Holy the living temple of your ineffable glory, O lover of mankind!

As you are my God, O Good one, you pitied me, fallen as I was, and were well pleased to come down to me. you have raised me up through your crucifixion to cry to you: Holy the Lord of glory, in goodness beyond compare!

O Christ as Life empersonned and as compassionate God, having clothed yourself with me, corrupted one, you came down, Master, to the dust of death, tearing apart mortality, and rising on the third day you clothed the dead with incorruption.

Having conceived God in the womb through the All-holy Spirit, O Virgin, you remained unconsumed by the flame; for to Moses the lawgiver the bush burning yet unconsumed clearly foretold you who received the unendurable fire.

Of Cross and Resurrection.

To the Son begotten.

To Christ God, who took the wandering sheep upon his shoulders and through a tree destroyed his sin, let us cry aloud, you that exalt our horn, Holy are you, O Lord!

To the One who brought from Hell Christ the great shepherd and by his priestly power, through the Apostles, shepherded in wisdom all the nations, let us in truth by the divine Spirit give adoration.

To the Son who without seed was incarnate by his will from a Virgin, and who by his divine power kept her a pure Virgin after bearing child, to the God of all, let us cry aloud, Holy are you, O Lord!

Another, of the Mother of God.

You alone know.

Truthfully, O Virgin, following the words of the Prophet, we name you the light cloud; for on you the Lord came to destroy the Egypt’s idols of error and to enlighten those who served them.

All-blameless Virgin, Gabriel, enabled as far as is lawful to know the mind of God, brought you a message of great gladness, plainly disclosing the conception of the Word, and proclaiming your ineffable child-bearing.