Canon of the Theotokos

Exapostilarion: Spec. mel.: “By the Spirit…”—

Irmos: Overwhelming power once laid low the whole army of Pharaoh in the deep, and the incarnate Word hath destroyed pernicious sin. All-glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.

Katavasia: I will open my mouth…

Kontakion, in Tone II—

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…”—

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

Theotokion: The choir of divine maidens hymn thee most divinely, O Mistress Theotokos, who art comely among women and art adorned with the beauties of divinity; for in manner past recounting thou gavest birth to the Word and Benefactor.

Choosing thee as one beautiful, all-comely and immaculate among women, God made His abode within thine immaculate womb. Him do thou beseech, O most immaculate one, that He deliver all who hymn thee from the reproach of sins.

Glory…: Another exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “Hearken, ye women…”—

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Illumined with the beauties of purity and virginity, O blessed John most wise, of all the disciples thou wast the one most loved with the abundant ardor of the love of Christ by the Word Who seeth all things and judgeth the whole world with the scales of justice, O divinely blessed one.

Theotokion: O pure one who didst conceive God Who became man for our sake, entreat Him, that on the day of judgment He take pity upon us who have committed many sins against Him.

As saith the psalm, thou didst stand as Queen at the right hand of the King Who shone forth from thy womb. Him do thou beseech, O most immaculate Bride of God, that He show me as standing on His right side on the day of retribution.

Irmos: Traversing the deep on foot, as though it were dry land, and seeing the tyrant Pharaoh drowned, Israel cried aloud: Let us chant unto God a hymn of victory!

With spiritual songs let us now praise the most honored John as the servant of Christ, the flowering of virginity, the pleasing habitation of precious virtues, the instrument of wisdom, the temple of the Spirit, the light-bearing mouth of grace, the most radiant eye of the Church.

Theotokion: We honor thee as the only Virgin Mother who hast been for us the mediatress of salvation, delivering the world by thy supplications.

O thou who gavest birth to the Rain of heaven, thou hast renewed all of human nature which hath withered utterly away through all manner of unseemly deeds; but pray thou, O Bride of God, and show forth as fertile the dry furrow of my soul.

Irmos: The desert, the barren Church of the nations, blossomed like a lily at Thine advent, O Lord; and therein hath my heart been established.

Reclining against the breast of Christ, thou didst draw forth wisdom, O most excellent John, and hast irrigated the world with the waters of theology, and dried up the sea of ungodliness with knowledge of the Trinity, guiding us to our heavenly inheritance like an animate pillar and cloud.

Theotokion: When the Word Who was ineffably incarnate of thee was lifted up upon the tree of the Cross, O Theotokos, He entrusted thee, as a Virgin Maiden, to the virginal disciple.

Slain by the tree of knowledge, O pure one, we have been restored to everlasting life by the Tree of life, Christ God, Who, through thee, O Theotokos, blossomed forth in manner past understanding. Him do thou entreat with boldness, that our souls be saved.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

O blessed evangelist, son of thunder, proclaiming the glad tidings, thou hast revealed to the world the wellspring of blessings, the unshakable kingdom, life everlasting and indescribable joy, the delight of divine vision, the plentiful gifts of Christ, and understanding which transcendeth the mind of man.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Canon I of the apostle, the acrostic whereof is: “With Christian beauty I hymn the son of thunder”, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone II—

Irmos: There is none as holy as Thee, O Lord my God, Who hast uplifted the horn of Thy faithful and established us on the rock of the confession of Thee, O Good One.

Glory…, idiomelon, in Tone VIII—

Theotokion: Healing the ancient crime of Eve, the All-divine One made His abode in thee, the most immaculate and all-pure one, to restore me, a fallen man.

Having received the kingdom of heaven which thou didst preach, O blessed one, and as a converser with the Word of heaven, by thy supplications preserve those who believe in thine honored preaching and theology.

Irmos: Thou didst come forth from the Virgin, neither a mediator nor an angel, but Thyself incarnate, O Lord, and hast saved me, the whole man; wherefore, I cry to thee: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!

O evangelist John, peer of the angels, virgin theologian instructed by God, in Orthodox manner thou didst preach to the world the all-pure side which poured forth blood and water, whereby we obtain life everlasting for our souls.

Theotokion: Let us hymn the divine temple of God, and, deified and delivered from evils, let us all manifestly bless the holy Virgin.

Exhibiting a mighty mind, thou didst spurn all things on earth and the bonds of nature, O most wise one, and abiding noetically and spiritually with the Word thou hast freed from irrationality those who live senselessly.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

O Mistress, accept the supplications of thy servants, and deliver us from all want and grief.

Theotokion: Mindful of thy words, we now call thee blessed; for through thee, O most immaculate one, we have truly received ineffable blessedness and life which groweth not old.

Receiving most theologically an understanding of heavenly things, thou didst preach God the Word; and, proclaiming the glad tidings, thou didst teach: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with His Father, and the Word was God!

Irmos: Christ is my power, my God and my Lord, the honored Church doth sing, crying out in godly manner with a pure mind, keeping festival in the Lord.

And we chant whichever idiomelon sticheron of the saint the ecclesiarch desireth. And the priest goeth forth with the censer, preceded by a candle-bearer, and censeth the icon of the saint on the analogion; and when he hath set aside the censer, he standeth to the right of the analogion. Then the superior approacheth the analogion and maketh two prostrations, and kisseth the icon; and after he has venerated it, he maketh another prostration and, taking the wand reserved for such use, he anointeth himself with holy oil from the lamp, making the sign of the Cross therewith on his forehead. And the faithful likewise venerate the icon of the saint. The superior anointeth the priest and the faithful with the oil. After the anointing with holy oil, the First Hour is chanted. At the First Hour, the troparion and kontakion of the saint are read. Then cometh the final dismissal.

Theotokion: When thou didst stand with the beloved disciple at the Cross of thy Son, O most immaculate one, thou didst sigh, weeping, and didst marvel at His surpassing sympathy for men.

Canon II of the apostle, the acrostic whereof is: “I bear entreaties to the divine initiate of the mysteries”, the composition of Joseph, in Tone VI—

Irmos: Thou art a Mediator between God and man, O Christ God; for by Thee, O Master, are we led up out of the night of ignorance to Thy Father, the Source of light.

Such an anointing taketh place whenever there are feasts of major saints whose services merit the holding of vigil.

Theotokion: He Who stretched forth heaven, O pure Mother of God, hath stretched thee forth as another, earthly heaven, and, shining forth from thee, hath revealed Himself.

Illumined in mind, thou didst penetrate the depths of the Spirit, O theologian, and hast manifestly told us of the awesome begetting, crying out: In the beginning was the Word of God!

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Theotokion: Through thee, O most immaculate one, God appeared to men in the likeness of the flesh. Him do thou ever entreat, that He slay the pernicious wisdom of our flesh, O most pure one.

Crushed beneath a multitude of temptations and sufferings, tribulations and grievous assaults, we flee with faith to thee. O theologian, be thou a helper to thy servants!

Irmos: With Thy divine light illumine the souls of those who with love rise at dawn unto Thee, O Good One, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, to be the true God Who calleth all forth from the darkness of sin.

Theotokion: Thou alone didst show forth thy conceiving as all-pure and thy birthgiving as incorrupt, remaining a virgin; for thou didst conceive God Who is over all and Who became man, O pure one, thou salvation and deliverance of the faithful.

Healing the cruel sufferings of our souls as an excellent physician, O wise one, deliver us from everlasting condemnation and fire through thy mediation.

Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy loving-kindness: Lead me up from corruption, O God!

Theotokion: O most immaculate one, we bless thee who gavest birth to the blessed Lord, Who with divine blessings hath annulled the curse on human nature, and hath renewed us, who have grown old through corruption.

Issuing forth from thy womb, O most immaculate one, the Creator clothed Himself in me, a man, granting the vesture of incorruption unto one stripped naked by many unseemly deeds.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Theotokion: That Thou mightest annul the primal curse and the ancient condemnation of our first mother to death, O Word of God, thou wast born of the Virgin Mother of God, granting indestructible immortality unto all.

O Mistress, thou gavest birth to God, the all-honored Word. Him do thou earnestly beseech, that He have pity on my lowly soul, which is downcast because of the indignities of pleasures.

Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, fleeing to Thy calm haven I cry unto Thee: Lead up my life from corruption, O greatly Merciful One!

Theotokion: O divinely joyous one, beseech Jesus the Savior, Who was incarnate of thy pure blood, that He take pity on us, thy servants, and rescue us from everlasting torment.

O all-pure one, heal thou the wounds of my soul; and my lowly heart, which hath been poisoned by the venom of the serpent, cure thou with the medicine of thine activity.

Irmos: The command of the iniquitous tyrant, opposed to God, raised up a lofty flame; but Christ, Who is blessed and all-glorious, spread a spiritual dew upon the pious youths.

Theotokion: Amid the night of life thou wast found to be like the break of dawn, O most pure Mother of God, shining forth with rays of virginity and revealing to us the Orient of the noetic Sun of righteousness.

As thou hast boldness before thy Son, in that thou art His Mother, O Mistress, ask thou help for the oppressed people, and cast down the arrogance of the iniquitous.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Theotokion: With splendor we offer a cry of thanksgiving to thee, the Mother of God, and we cry aloud: Rejoice, O most exalted throne of God! Rejoice, cloud of the Light! Rejoice garden of paradise, whereby we have been vouchsafed the sweetness of paradise!

With the tongue of thy theology thou didst reveal the mystery of the Trinity which passeth understanding, O divinely blessed John; and therein hath my heart been established.

Irmos: The Angel caused the furnace to pour forth dew upon the pious youths, and the command of God, which consumed the Chaldæans, prevailed upon the tyrant to cry out: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Thy tongue became the scribe’s pen of the most Holy Spirit, recording thy precious and divine Gospel with godly script.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fiery furnace divided its activity at the command of God, consuming the Chaldæans, but bedewing the faithful, who chant: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—

Reclining against the Well-spring of wisdom with divinely wise boldness, O most wise one, thou didst draw forth an abyss of wisdom; and thou becamest His godly herald.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Conversing with the Word with radiant and pure mind, O thrice-blessed theologian, thou wast taught mysteries by Him which manifestly transcend human speech; and thou hast enlightened all creation.

Irmos: From the flame didst Thou pour forth dew upon the venerable ones, and didst consume the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou, O Christ, dost do all things soever Thou desirest. Thee do we exalt supremely for all ages!

Deliver me from the cruel bonds of sin, O thrice-blessed one, binding me with love to God the Master, Whom thou didst fervently love, for thou hast been called His theologian.

Irmos: God the Lord, the Son of the unoriginate Father, hath revealed Himself to us incarnate of the Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness and to gather the dispersed. Wherefore, we magnify the all-hymned Theotokos.

Thou hast been given to us as a defender, a mediator and deliverer, an intercessor before the Lord, a worker of miracles and a source of healings, O theologian. Wherefore, we honor thee.

Irmos: Same as that of the preceding canon.

Having reclined against the breast of Wisdom and learned an understanding of things, thou didst thunder forth divinely: “In the beginning was the Word!”, being the first to record the begetting which hath no beginning; and thou hast proclaimed to all the incarnation of the Word. Wherefore, fishing for the nations, using thy tongue as a net, thou teachest the ends of the earth by the grace of the Spirit, and dost enlighten them with miracles. O theologian and apostle, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love celebrate thy holy memory. Twice

Irmos: It is not possible for men to behold God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O most pure one, hath the Word appeared incarnate unto men; and magnifying Him with the armies of heaven, we call thee blessed.

Having fallen into perils of great complexity through enemies visible and invisible, beset by the tempest of my countless offenses, I flee to the haven of thy goodness as to my fervent help and protection, O pure one. Wherefore, pray thou earnestly to Him Who became incarnate of thee without seed, in behalf of thy servants, O all-pure one, ever beseeching Him to grant remission of offenses unto those who hymn thy glory as is meet.

Rain down drops of compunction upon me, O Mistress, removing the burning heat from my heart, and driving away my grief and the assaults of vexation.

Disdain me not, O all-pure one, who have been pierced with the sword of pleasure and lie in my wounds, but heal me with the spear and blood of thy crucified Son, our God.

O thou who hast been enriched by dominion over every created thing, count me worthy of divine grace who have been reduced to grievous beggary, that I may magnify thee as my good intercessor, O most immaculate one.

Christ, the effulgence of the Father, shone forth from thy womb, O Maiden who tasted not of wedlock, and, crucified, hath illumined the world and destroyed the darkness of the demons.

Having taught thee most excellently the mysteries of His divinity and instructed thee in His ineffable dispensation for man, as is meet the Word showed thee forth as His theologian.

Thou didst acquire a godly mind and a virginal body, O glorious one, and becamest the living and animate temple and most sacred dwelling-place of the most hymned Trinity.

O blessed virgin apostle, thou wast honored in being appointed the son of the all-pure Virgin, and wast shown to be the brother of Him Who chose thee and made of thee His disciple and theologian.

With the Word, as with drops of rain, thou didst water the whole earth, O glorious one, and didst piously dry up the turbid waters of impiety; wherefore, we honor thee.

With strength and might, O most wise one, gird thou my soul, which hath been paralyzed by many assaults by unclean enemies, and hath recourse to thy protection, I pray.

As thou art the temple of the divine Spirit, O theologian, by thy mediation show forth as temples of God those who present themselves with faith in thy divine temple.

O all-pure one who gavest birth to the Path of light, guide me now to the straight path, who have irrationally fallen among trackless wastes and defiles.

Mindlessly estranging myself from the understanding of God, I have prodigally squandered my substance in a far land, straying through the passions; but return and save me through thy consolations, O pure Virgin.

With thy life-giving waters drench me, thy servant, who am burning with the flame of sins and am set afire by the assaults of the demons, O all-pure Virgin Mother.

Behold! in manner past recounting, O all-pure Theotokos, thou didst contain Christ God in thy womb, as Isaiah proclaimed beforehand, and thou gavest birth to Him supernaturally, O Theotokos.

Through grace thou wast shown to be a heavenly mind, O theologian, becoming wholly light through drawing nigh unto the Origin of light, deified by the pure sight of Him.

Thou didst preach thy Gospel with pure mind, holy lips and an all-pure mouth, O divinely inspired one, and thou hast set forth universal salvation before all the faithful.

Living with Christ from thy childhood, instructed in theology and having learned the glory of the Trinity which transcendeth nature, thou becamest an instrument of grace set forth by Him.

Thou didst shine forth like the dawn upon those on earth, manifestly proclaiming to the world the noetic Orient Who hath come in the flesh and destroyed the darkness of polytheism.

With thy sacred theology thou hast given drink to every soul, O sacred herald and apostle; wherefore, I cry to thee: Water my whole heart, which hath been withered by sins.

I have been wounded by the darts of the enemy. By thine intercession, O wise one, heal me wholly, I pray, and guide to the path of God me who have ever gone astray in iniquities.

O Mistress, show me not to be a joy to the demons at the coming judgment, but lifting thy gaze kindly upon me, entreat the Judge, thy Son.

By my wicked and iniquitous thoughts and acts I have angered Thee, O Lord. Yet do I bring Thy Mother before Thee to intercede. Taking pity, save me!

In that thou gavest birth to the Judge, the God of all, O most hymned Mistress, from condemnation deliver me, who have condemned myself through my transgressions.

Entreat Jesus the Savior, to Whom thou didst supernaturally give birth in the flesh, O all-pure Virgin Mother, that thy servants be delivered from tribulations.

Jesus, my God and Lord, accepting thy purity and most perfect holiness, received thee as His brother, O theologian.

Having crowned thy life with holiness, and trusting therein, O glorious one, thou didst recline against the breast of Wisdom, and didst draw forth grace therefrom.

The great and divine radiance of thy theology hath enlightened the whole world, O glorious one, and hath illumined it with the light of the threefold Sun.

Thy tongue of theology was truly like a writer’s pen, inscribing on the tablets of our hearts true understanding and the law which is truly new, O theologian.

O glorious one who, like a most excellent husbandman, hast caused the offshoots of impiety to wither at the root, plant thou the fear of God in my soul, the blossoming fruitfulness of the virtues.

He Who had most manifestly issued forth from the Virgin called thee her son. With her make thou entreaty, that those who do that which is well-pleasing unto Him become children of God by adoption, O ever all-memorable one.

Who can recount thy mighty works, O virgin apostle? For thou pourest out miracles and dost cause healings to flow forth; and thou prayest for our souls, in that thou art a theologian and the friend of Christ.

Ikos: It is a bold and unattainable thing to study the heights of heaven and to plumb the depths of the sea; for as it is impossible to calculate the number of the stars and the sands of the shore, so is it impossible to speak sufficiently of the theologian, whom Christ loved and hath crowned with so many crowns. For, reclining against His breast, he ate with Him at the mystical supper, in that he is a theologian and friend of Christ.

As thou art my strength and song, my salvation and steadfast aid, and an invincible rampart, O Mistress, do battle with the demons who make war upon me and ever seek to slay me.

Having given flesh to God, O Virgin, thou hast deified mankind by thy virginal blood. Wherefore, I beseech thee: By thy supplications deliver me, who have been defiled by the passions and ruined by the wiles of the enemy.

The furnace prefigured thy birthgiving, O most immaculate one; for it did not consume the youths, just as the unbearable Fire did not consume thy womb. Wherefore, we beseech thee: Deliver thy servants from everlasting fire.

Thou alone didst show forth thy conceiving as all-pure and thy birthgiving as incorrupt, remaining a virgin; for thou didst conceive God Who is over all and Who became man, O pure one, thou salvation and deliverance of the faithful.

Shining with divine effulgence, thou didst manifestly theologize concerning the Holy Spirit Who proceedeth from the unoriginate Father and resteth inseparably in the Son, in that He is consubstantial with them.

In thee, O blessed one, Christ, the all-glorious Sun of righteousness appointed His dwelling, Who hath made thee an ever-moving heaven, and is proclaimed by the tongue of thy theology.

The power of thy words hath sent forth a divine sound, O most blessed and right wondrous one, and thy universal Gospel hath embraced the whole earth with the magnificence of thy dogmas.

Let us hymn the theologian, the thunder which hath resounded to all the ends of the earth, whereby every ear is truly caught up from the earth, and Christ, the Creator of all, is magnified.

The manifest splendor of thy house illumineth every mind; and, ever assembling therein, we hymn the Creator of all in godly manner, and praise thee with faith, who art our intercessor.

We know thee to be a star of radiant light, O disciple of Christ, and we pray that we will be enlightened by thy luminous radiance, and delivered from the darkness of the passions and all manner of perils by thy mediation.

Be zealous for the good, avoiding what is evil, by care for godly works, O my soul, having the Mother of God praying for thee, the unashamed intercessor for all, who is merciful and loveth mankind.

Thou hast released mankind from the bonds of the ancient condemnation, O Theotokos. Wherefore, I pray to thee: Loose every evil bond of my heart, O all-pure one, binding me with the divine love of the Creator.

Having given birth to the Effulgence of the Father’s glory, O Theotokos, illumine my heart, which is weighed down by the disgrace of transgressions; and show me forth as a partaker of everlasting glory, that I may glorify thee with love.

The Most High, the true Sun of righteousness, hath appeared to us incarnate of thee, O Theotokos, illumining all things with the rays of His divinity. To Him do we chant hymns.

Issuing forth like dazzling lightning, thou wast revealed to the whole world in the radiance of purity and the brilliance of virginity, O beloved of Christ God, illumining the world with the dogmas of piety.

Having purified body, soul and mind, thou didst proclaim the glad tidings of the heavenly Gospel of Christ; and, dwelling with the angels in the heavens, thou now criest out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thou wast a pillar of light, a divine oblation of the heavenly temple, a throne of perception, a receptacle of wisdom and an instrument of theology, chanting: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!

Thou didst bring forth goodly abundance through the speech of thy tongue, O blessed one, and thou didst bring to life those dead through evil, who accepted thy sacred preaching. Wherefore, we honor thee as an initiate of ineffable mysteries.

Thy house, O apostle, hath been shown to be another divine garden of paradise, gladdening the souls of all with miracles, as with flowers, and dispelling the fœtor of the passions.

O God, my God, hearken unto me and deliver me from the enemies who assail me every day and crush my lowly heart, for I have Thy divine disciple praying to Thee.

Tasting of the forbidden fruit of the tree, Adam bitterly found death through the tree; but thy Son, Who was nailed to the Tree, O all-pure one, hath poured forth the sweetness of immortality. Wherefore, we honor thee.

Thou art a Queen, having in manner past recounting given birth to Christ the King and Lord Who hath destroyed the kingdom of hell. Him do thou earnestly entreat, O Maiden, that He count those who honor thee worthy of the heavenly on high.

O Mistress, in that thou gavest birth to the Good One, and art thyself good, make my lowly heart good, which hath been vexed by inundations of pleasures, and open unto me the doors of goodness, that I may repent.

He Who was lifted up, dead, upon the Cross hath slain the serpent thereby; wherefore, I cry out to Thee: Have mercy on my soul, which hath been slain by wicked deeds, O Word, and bring it to life through the supplications of her who gave Thee birth.

Thou hast now been counted worthy to behold the Torrent of sweetness, the River of peace and the Well-spring of immortality, not in indistinct images, but face to face; and, watered thereby, thou dost now enjoy deification.

Thou didst ask Christ for a throne on earth, but He gave thee His breast instead; and, reclining against it, thou wast enriched with a steadfast, abiding and goodly seat, O theologian, thou adornment of the apostles.

Thou didst burn up the ungodliness of pagan wisdom, O wise one, proclaiming: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was truly God, through Whom all things came into being, visible and invisible!”

As the Lord of times and seasons, the Deliverer hung upon the Cross at noontime, and entrusted the Ever-virgin to thee, O blessed one, in that thou art virginal, granting immutable glory to those who magnify thee.

Dwelling with the hosts of God on high, and giving utterance with them to divine hymnody, O apostle of Christ, by thine honored mediations save those who chant and hymn the All-good One in thy holy house.

From all misfortunes save us who entreat thee with faith, O blessed theologian, directing our steps to the Lord through the Spirit, and guiding us to the path of peace by the commandments of the Almighty.

O blessed virgin theologian, the Word chose thee as one virginal in soul and body, and showed thee to be a wondrous recorder and servant of His divinity; and when thou didst pass away from the earth, thou didst not die, but livest in God, remaining immortal.

As a son of thunder thou didst proclaim theology to men, saying: “In the beginning was the Word!”, O Apostle John; for, reclining against the breast of thy Master with faith and drawing forth therefrom streams of theology, thou waterest all creation.

Standing before the Cross of thy Son and God with the virginal disciple, the most pure one heard the Creator say: “Behold thy son!” And He said to the disciple: “Behold thy Mother!” With him we all hymn thee, O Virgin Theotokos.

Great Doxology. After the Trisagion prayers, the troparion of the apostle; Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion. Litanies. Dismissal.