Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos and Ever-Vrgin Mary

Reverend Father, give

the blessing.

Blessed is our God,

always, now and ever

and forever.

Amen.

Through the prayers of our

holy fathers, O Lord Jesus

Christ, our God, have mercy

on us.

Amen.

Glory to you, our God,

glory to you!

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth,

everywhere present and filling all things.

Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life,

come and dwell within us,

cleanse us of all stain,

and save our souls, O gracious One.

Christ is risen from the dead! By death trampeled Death; and to those in the tombs he granted life.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal,

have mercy on us. (three times)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

now and ever and forever. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us;

Lord, cleanse us of our sins;

Master, forgive our transgressions;

Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities

for your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

now and ever and forever. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom

and the power and the

glory, Father, Son, and

Holy Spirit, now and

ever and forever.

Amen.

Through the prayers of our

holy fathers, O Lord Jesus

Christ, our God, have mercy

on us.

Amen.

O Victorious Leader of Triumphant Hosts, we Thy servants

delivered from evil sing our grateful thanks to Thee O Theotokos:

as Thou dost possess invincible might set us free from every

calamity, so that we may sing Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos:

Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was

amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to her such

things as these:

Rejoice, Thou through whom joy will shine forth:

Rejoice, Thou through whom the curse will cease!

Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam:

Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!

Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thoughts:

Rejoice, depth undiscernible even for the eyes of angels!

Rejoice, for Thou art the throne of the King:

Rejoice, for Thou bearest Him Who beareth all!

Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear:

Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!

Rejoice, Thou through whom creation is renewed:

Rejoice, Thou through whom we worship the Creator!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Seeing herself to be chaste, the holy one said boldly to Gabriel:

The marvel of thy speech is difficult for my soul to accept. How

canst thou speak of a birth from a seedless conception? And She

cried: Alleluia!

Seeking to know knowledge that cannot be known, the Virgin

cried to the ministering one: Tell me, how can a son be born from

a chaste womb? Then he spake to Her in fear, only crying aloud

thus:

Rejoice, initiate of God’s ineffable will:

Rejoice, assurance of those who pray in silence!

Rejoice, beginning of Christ’s miracles:

Rejoice, crown of His dogmas!

Rejoice, heavenly ladder by which God came down:

Rejoice, bridge that conveyest us from earth to heaven!

Rejoice, wonder of angels sounded abroad:

Rejoice, wound of demons bewailed afar!

Rejoice, Thou Who ineffably gavest birth to the Light:

Rejoice, Thou Who didst reveal Thy secret to none!

Rejoice, Thou Who surpassest the knowledge of the wise:

Rejoice, Thou Who givest light to the minds of the faithful!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

The power of the Most High then overshadowed the Virgin for

conception, and showed Her fruitful womb as a sweet meadow to

all who wish to reap salvation, as they sing: Alleluia!

Having received God into Her womb, the Virgin hastened to

Elizabeth whose unborn babe at once recognized Her embrace,

rejoiced, and with leaps of joy as songs, cried to the Theotokos:

Rejoice, branch of an Unfading Sprout:

Rejoice, acquisition of Immortal Fruit!

Rejoice, labourer that labourest for the Lover of mankind:

Rejoice, Thou Who givest birth to the Planter of our life!

Rejoice, cornland yielding a rich crop of mercies:

Rejoice, table bearing a wealth of forgiveness!

Rejoice, Thou Who makest to bloom the garden of delight:

Rejoice, Thou Who preparest a haven for souls!

Rejoice, acceptable incense of intercession:

Rejoice, propitiation of all the world!

Rejoice, good will of God to mortals:

Rejoice, boldness of mortals before God!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Having within a tempest of doubting thoughts, the chaste Joseph

was troubled. For knowing Thee to have no husband, he

suspected a secret union, O blameless one. But having learned

that Thy conception was of the Holy Spirit, he said: Alleluia!

While the angels were chanting, the shepherds heard of Christ’s

coming in the flesh, and having run to the Shepherd, they beheld

Him as a blameless Lamb that had been pastured in Mary’s

womb, and singing to Her, they cried:

Rejoice, Mother of the Lamb and the Shepherd:

Rejoice, fold of rational sheep!

Rejoice, torment of invisible enemies:

Rejoice, opening of the gates of Paradise!

Rejoice, for the things of heaven rejoice with the earth:

Rejoice, for the things of earth join chorus with the heavens!

Rejoice, never-silent mouth of the Apostles:

Rejoice, invincible courage of the passion-bearers!

Rejoice, firm support of faith:

Rejoice, radiant token of Grace!

Rejoice, Thou through whom hades was stripped bare:

Rejoice, Thou through whom we are clothed with glory!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Having sighted the divinely-moving star, the Magi followed its

radiance; and holding it as a lamp, by it they sought a powerful

King; and having reached the Unreachable One, they rejoiced,

shouting to Him: Alleluia!

The sons of the Chaldees saw in the hands of the Virgin Him Who

with His hand made man. And knowing Him to be the Master,

even though He had taken the form of a servant, they hastened to

serve Him with gifts, and to cry to Her Who is blessed:

Rejoice, Mother of the Unsetting Star:

Rejoice, dawn of the mystic day!

Rejoice, Thou Who didst extinguish the furnace of error:

Rejoice, Thou Who didst enlighten the initiates of the Trinity!

Rejoice, Thou Who didst banish from power the inhuman

tyrant:

Rejoice, Thou Who didst show us Christ the Lord, the Lover of

mankind!

Rejoice, Thou Who redeemest from pagan worship:

Rejoice, Thou Who dost drag us from the works of mire!

Rejoice, Thou Who didst quench the worship of fire:

Rejoice, Thou Who rescues from the flame of the passions!

Rejoice, guide of the faithful to chastity:

Rejoice, gladness of all generations!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Having become God-bearing heralds, the Magi returned to

Babylon, having fulfilled Thy prophecy; and having preached

Thee to all as the Christ, they left Herod as a babbler who knew

not how to sing: Alleluia!

By shining in Egypt the light of truth, Thou didst dispel the

darkness of falsehood; for its idols fell, O saviour, unable to

endure Thy strength; and those who were delivered from them

cried to the Theotokos:

Rejoice, uplifting of men:

Rejoice, downfall of demons!

Rejoice, Thou who didst trample down the dominion of

delusion:

Rejoice, Thou who didst unmask the fraud of idols!

Rejoice, sea that didst drown the Pharaoh of the mind:

Rejoice, rock that doth refresh those thirsting for life!

Rejoice, pillar of fire that guideth those in darkness:

Rejoice, shelter of the world broader than a cloud!

Rejoice, sustenance replacing manna:

Rejoice, minister of holy delight!

Rejoice, land of promise:

Rejoice, Thou from whom floweth milk and honey!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

When Symeon was about to depart this age of delusion, Thou

wast brought as a Babe to him, but Thou was recognized by him

as perfect God also; wherefore, marveling at Thine ineffable

wisdom, he cried: Alleluia!

The Creator showed us a new creation when He appeared to us

who came from Him. For He sprang from a seedless womb, and

kept it incorrupt as it was, that seeing the miracle we might sing

to Her, crying out:

Rejoice, flower of incorruptibility:

Rejoice, crown of continence!

Rejoice, Thou from whom shineth the Archetype of the

Resurrection:

Rejoice, Thou Who revealest the life of the angels!

Rejoice, tree of shining fruit, whereby the faithful are nourished:

Rejoice, tree of goodly shade by which many are sheltered!

Rejoice, Thou that has carried in Thy womb the Redeemer of

captives:

Rejoice, Thou that gavest birth to the Guide of those astray!

Rejoice, supplication before the Righteous Judge:

Rejoice, forgiveness of many sins!

Rejoice, robe of boldness for the naked:

Rejoice, love that doth vanquish all desire!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Having beheld a strange nativity, let us estrange ourselves from

the world and transport our minds to heaven; for the Most High

God appeared on earth as a lowly man, because He wished to

draw to the heights them that cry to Him: Alleluia!

Wholly present was the Inexpressible Word among those here

below, yet in no way absent from those on high; for this was a

divine condescension and not a change of place, and His birth was

from a God-receiving Virgin Who heard these things:

Rejoice, container of the Uncontainable God:

Rejoice, door of solemn mystery!

Rejoice, report doubtful to unbelievers:

Rejoice, undoubted boast of the faithful!

Rejoice, all-holy chariot of Him Who sitteth upon the

Cherubim:

Rejoice, all-glorious temple of Him Who is above the Seraphim!

Rejoice, Thou Who hast united opposites:

Rejoice, Thou Who hast joined virginity and motherhood!

Rejoice, Thou through whom transgression hath been absolved:

Rejoice, Thou through whom Paradise is opened!

Rejoice, key to the kingdom of Christ:

Rejoice, hope of eternal good things!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

All the angels were amazed at the great act of Thine incarnation;

for they saw the Unapproachable God as a man approachable to

all, abiding with us, and hearing from all: Alleluia!

We see most eloquent orators mute as fish before Thee, O

Theotokos; for they are at a loss to tell how Thou remainest a

Virgin and could bear a child. But we, marveling at this mystery,

cry out faithfully:

Rejoice, receptacle of the Wisdom of God:

Rejoice, treasury of His Providence!

Rejoice, Thou Who showest philosophers to be fools:

Rejoice, Thou Who exposest the learned as irrational!

Rejoice, for the clever critics have become foolish:

Rejoice, for the writers of myths have faded away!

Rejoice, Thou Who didst rend the webs of the Athenians:

Rejoice, Thou Who didst fill the nets of the fishermen!

Rejoice, Thou Who drawest us from the depths of ignorance:

Rejoice, Thou Who enlightenest many with knowledge!

Rejoice, ship for those who wish to be saved:

Rejoice, harbor for sailors on the sea of life!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Desiring to save the world, He that is the Creator of all came to it

according to His Own promise, and He that, as God, is the

Shepherd, for our sake appeared unto us as a man; for like calling

unto like, as God He heareth: Alleluia!

A bulwark art Thou to virgins, and to all that flee unto Thee, O

Virgin Theotokos; for the Maker of heaven and earth prepared

Thee, O Most-pure one, dwelt in Thy womb, and taught all to call

to Thee:

Rejoice, pillar of virginity:

Rejoice, gate of salvation!

Rejoice, leader of mental formation:

Rejoice, bestower of divine good!

Rejoice, for Thou didst renew those conceived in shame:

Rejoice, for Thou gavest wisdom to those robbed of their minds!

Rejoice, Thou Who didst foil the corrupter of minds:

Rejoice, Thou Who gavest birth to the Sower of purity!

Rejoice, bridechamber of a seedless marriage:

Rejoice, Thou Who dost wed the faithful to the Lord!

Rejoice, good nourisher of virgins:

Rejoice, adorner of holy souls as for marriage!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Every hymn is defeated that trieth to encompass the multitude of

Thy many compassions; for if we offer to Thee, O Holy King,

songs equal in number to the sand, nothing have we done worthy

of that which Thou hast given us who shout to Thee: Alleluia!

We behold the holy Virgin, a shining lamp appearing to those in

darkness; for, kindling the Immaterial Light, She guideth all to

divine knowledge, She illumineth minds with radiance, and is

honoured by our shouting these things:

Rejoice, ray of the noetic Sun:

Rejoice, radiance of the Unsetting Light!

Rejoice, lightning that enlightenest our souls:

Rejoice, thunder that terrifiest our enemies!

Rejoice, for Thou didst cause the refulgent Light to dawn:

Rejoice, for Thou didst cause the river of many streams to gush forth!

Rejoice, Thou Who paintest the image of the font:

Rejoice, Thou Who blottest out the stain of sin!

Rejoice, laver that washest the conscience clean:

Rejoice, cup that drawest up joy!

Rejoice, aroma of the sweet fragrance of Christ:

Rejoice, life of mystical gladness!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

When the Absolver of all mankind desired to blot out ancient

debts, of His Own will He came to dwell among those who had

fallen from His Grace; and having torn up the handwriting of their

sins, He heareth this from all: Alleluia!

While singing to Thine Offspring, we all praise Thee as a living

temple, O Theotokos; for the Lord Who holdeth all things in His

hand dwelt in Thy womb, and He sanctified and glorified Thee,

and taught all to cry to Thee:

Rejoice, tabernacle of God the Word:

Rejoice, saint greater than the saints!

Rejoice, ark gilded by the Spirit!

Rejoice, inexhaustible treasury of life!

Rejoice, precious diadem of pious kings:

Rejoice, venerable boast of reverent priests!

Rejoice, unshakable fortress of the Church:

Rejoice, inviolable wall of the kingdom!

Rejoice, Thou through whom victories are obtained:

Rejoice, Thou through whom foes fall prostrate!

Rejoice, healing of my flesh:

Rejoice, salvation of my soul!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

O all-praised Mother Who didst bear the Word, holiest of all the

saints, accept now our offering, and deliver us from all

misfortune, and rescue from the torment to come those that cry to

Thee: Alleluia!

An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos:

Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was

amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to her such

things as these:

Rejoice, Thou through whom joy will shine forth:

Rejoice, Thou through whom the curse will cease!

Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam:

Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!

Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thoughts:

Rejoice, depth undiscernible even for the eyes of angels!

Rejoice, for Thou art the throne of the King:

Rejoice, for Thou bearest Him Who beareth all!

Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear:

Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!

Rejoice, Thou through whom creation is renewed:

Rejoice, Thou through whom we worship the Creator!

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

O most holy Sovereign Lady Theotokos! Higher art thou than all

the angels and archangels, and more honourable than all creation,

a helper of the wronged art thou, the hope of the hopeless, an

intercessor for the poor, the consolation of the sorrowful, a

nourisher of the hungry, a robe for the naked, healing for the sick,

the salvation of sinners, the help and protection of all Christians.

O all-merciful Sovereign Lady Virgin Theotokos! Through thy

mercy save and have mercy on the most holy Orthodox

patriarchs, the most holy metropolitans, archbishops and bishops,

and all the priestly and monastic orders, the military leaders, civic

leaders, and Christ-loving armed forces, and well-wishers, and all

Orthodox Christians do thou defend by thy precious omophorion,

and entreat, O Lady, Christ our God Who was incarnate of thee

without seed, that He gird us with His power from on high against

our enemies, visible and invisible, O all-merciful Sovereign Lady

Theotokos! Raise us up out of the depths of sin, and deliver us

from famine, destruction, from earthquake and flood, from fire

and the sword, from invasion of aliens and civil war, and from

sudden death, and from noxious winds, and from death-bearing

plagues, and from all evil. Grant, O Lady, peace and health to thy

servants, all Orthodox Christians, and enlighten their minds, and

the eyes of their hearts unto salvation; and vouchsafe unto us, thy

sinful servants, the kingdom of thy Son, Christ our God; for

blessed and most-glorified is His dominion, together with His

unoriginate Father, and His Most-Holy and good and life-creating

Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Glory to you, O

Christ God, our

hope; glory to

you!

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.

Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Give the blessing.

Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death;

and to those in the tombs he granted life.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Give the blessing

May Christ our true God, [risen from the dead,] have mercy on us and save us

through the prayers of his most pure Mother and of the holy, glorious,

and illustrious apostles, [through the prayers of (Name,) whom we

commemorate today,] and of all the saints; for Christ is good and loves us all.

Amen.