Ode 8. The Irmos.

Of the Mother of God. Another Irmos.

Babylonian furnace did not burn the Youths, nor the fire of the Godhead destroy the Virgin; and so with the Youths let us believ-ers cry: Bless the Lord, works of the Lord!

When you were crucified Paradise was opened again, and the sword that was turned against us withdrew, fearing the lance which had pierced your holy side, O Christ, most merciful.

The enemy was wounded by your lance and fell, while fallen Adam was brought back crying out to you, O Christ, who were willingly slain: Blessing, I glorify you, God most merciful!

Of the Martyrs.

The world is made radiant by your struggles and your deeds of valour, O Athletes, and by your infinite wonders, and is delivered from the darkness of diseases as it cries: Bless the Lord works of the Lord.

He who of old boasted of obliterating land and sea appears a laughing stock, lying at your feet, O Saints; while Christ with his life bearing right hand adorns you, All revered, with unfading crowns.

The One who is above time you bore in time, who looses the time-less bonds of Adam the first formed by his bonds, O Immaculate, and bound him to himself with the bonds of his sweet love.

As wholly fair and neighbour to the Universal King, O Mother of God, fill me with good works, for I have lived in wickedness and passed through my whole life in sloth, that I may glorify you to all the ages.

As you snatched the Prophet marvellously from the belly of the whale of old, O Word of God, so deliver my soul, which has slipped down into a deep of destruction, O Saviour, for you have to implore you the Virgin who gave you birth without wedlock.

The workers of wickedness, finding that I had been clothed with a fair robe by the birth of God, stripped me naked of it; but do you, O Virgin, by your prayers make me radiant with godlike robes through repentance