Ode IX

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “Hearken, ye women…” —

Irmos: Let every mortal leap for joy, enlightened by the Spirit; and let the nature of the incorporeal intelligences keep festival, honoring the sacred feast of the Mother of God, and let them cry aloud: Rejoice, O most blessed Theotokos, pure Ever-virgin!

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…” —

O exalted King Who sittest with the Father and art hymned by the seraphim: Look down upon the supplication of Thy Mother, which she offereth to Thee for us sinners, and wash away our sins. Save this city and multiply the people. Grant health of body and victory over all adversaries to the Orthodox, through the prayers of her who gave Thee birth.

We fall down before thee, O Lady, and rendering homage, we entreat thee with compunction: Rejoice, O Mistress blessed of God, O Virgin of great renown, who wast prefigured with honor by the prophets! For on thee did Christ God descend like dew, and thou gavest birth to Him without knowing wedlock, O pure one, and didst hold in thine arms the Creator and Lord of all. To Him do thou now pray for us who glorify the feast of thy protection with faith. Twice

O divinely chosen Virgin, we cry out to thee with the voice of the angel: Rejoice, thou who hast led Adam back into paradise! Rejoice, thou who drivest the demons away by thy name! Rejoice, O hope of Christians! Rejoice, sanctification of souls! Rejoice, preserver of our city!

The ranks of angels hymn thee, O Virgin Theotokos, the patriarchs and hierarchs glorify thee, and the holy apostles do thee homage with honor as the Mother of God, beholding thee making entreaty for the world to Christ God, the Savior of all. Unto Him do thou pray, that He deliver the city and people who glorify thee with faith and honor the feast of thy protection.

Remember us in thy supplications, O Virgin Lady and Theotokos, that we not perish because of the multitude of our sins. Protect us from all evil and grievous perils, for in thee do we place our trust, and, honoring the feast of thy protection, we magnify thee.

Through the Holy Spirit God sanctified thee wholly, O Theotokos, more than the ark of Aaron; and we are illumined by thine omophorion more than by the radiance of the sun: for thou dost enlighten the church and the people, dost drive away the darkness of our sins, and deliverest from misfortunes and sorrows those who with faith honor the feast of thy precious protection.

As Mother of God, thou hast received from God the gift to heal the infirmities of all Christians, to deliver them from misfortunes, to forgive their sins and save them from captivity and all want. Disdain us not, O Lady, for thou knowest that we are in need of health for our bodies and salvation for our souls.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI —

O all-holy Lady, Virgin Theotokos, cover us with thy wondrous omophorion, preserving the hierarchs and people from all evil, as the all-wondrous Andrew beheld thee praying in the Church of Blachernæ. And send down thy great mercy upon us, O Lady. Thrice

In that the all-wondrous Andrew beheld thee with a multitude of archangels, with the apostles and prophets, and the vast company of the martyrs, praying to thy Son and our God for the city and people, O Mistress, and covering them by thy precious omophorion, fail not, O all-pure one, to save the excellent inheritance of thy Son, which doth celebrate thine all-honored feast, O thou who art greatly hymned.

Great Doxology. Litanies. Dismissal. First Hour.