Ode 1. The Heirmos.

Plagal of the 4th Tone

Crossing the waters as on dry land,
In that way escaping
From the evils of Egypt's land,
The Israelites cried out exclaiming:
Let us sing to our Redeemer and our God
Most Holy Theotokos save us.

With my temptations surrounding me,

Searching for salvation,
I have sought refuge in you;
O Mother of the Word, and ever-Virgin,
From all distresses and dangers deliver me.

Most Holy Theotokos save us.

Assaults of the passions have shaken me,

My soul to its limits
Has been filled with much despair;
Bring peace, O Maiden, in the calmness,
Of your Son and your God, all-blameless One.

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

To God and the Savior you've given birth;

I ask you, O Virgin,
From the dangers deliver me;
For now I run to you for refuge,
With both my soul and my reasoning.

Now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Diseased is the body and the soul;

Deem me truly worthy
Of divine guidance and your care;
For you alone are God's Mother,
As the good and the birthgiver of the Good.

Ode 3. The Heirmos.

The apse of the heavens,
Are you O Lord, Fashioner,
And the Holy Church's great Founder,
Likewise establish me,
In constant love for You
For You're the height of our longing;
Support of the faithful,
The only Friend of all.

Most Holy Theotokos save us.

A protection and shelter,

I have with you in my life,
You, the Theotokos and Virgin,
Pilot me towards your port;
For you are the cause,
The cause of that which is good,
Support of the faithful,
The only all-praised One.

Most Holy Theotokos save us.

I entreat you, O Virgin,

Disperse the storm of my grief,
and the soul's most inward confusion,
Scatter it far from me;
You are the Bride of God,
For you have brought forth the Christ,
the Prince of Peace;
Oh, all-blameless One.

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

Having brought forth unto us

the cause and giver of good,
From your great abundance of kindness,
Pour forth upon us all;
For all is possible,
For you who carried the Christ,
Who is mighty in power;
You, who are blessed of God.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen

With most serious ailments,

And with the passions so dark,
I am being tested, O Virgin,
Come and bring help to me;
For I have known of you,
That you are without fail
the endless treasure of cures,
Only all-blameless One.

Deliver us,
All of your servants, from danger, O Theotokos;
After God, we all flee to you,
For shelter and covering,
As an unshakable wall and our protection.

Turn to me,
In your good favor, all praise-worthy Theotokos;
Look upon my grave illnesses,
Which painfully sting my flesh
and heal the cause of my soul's pain and suffering.

Tone 2.

A fervent prayer, and wall most unshakable

A merciful spring and shelter of all mankind;
Fervently, we cry to you:
Theotokos, our Lady,
Come to us
And from all dangers now deliver us
The only protection who speeds to us.

Ode 4. The Heirmos.

O Lord, I have heard of
the wondrous mystery of Your salvation;
I have contemplated all Your works
And I have glorified Your great divinity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Still the darkest of passions,

Calm the sea of errors
In your great peacefulness;
It was you who bore the guiding Lord,
And you who are the blessed bride of God.

Most Holy Theotokos save us.

Your depth of compassion

Grant unto me
As one beseeching you;
You have carried the Compassionate One
The Savior of those praising you.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit

We are thankful for all the gifts

Which we have been given
by you the Spotless One;
And to you, we sing a hymn of praise,
Knowing you to be the Mother of God.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

As a hope and foundation,

And a wall unshaken
Of our salvation;
we have you, the all-lauded One,
And from afflictions you rescue us.

Ode 5. The Heirmos.

Lord, enlighten us,
With Your precepts that can guide our lives,
And with Your arm most powerful
Grant to us Your peace,
O You Who are the Friend of all.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Pure one, fill my heart

with a merriment, a happiness;
Bestow on me your spotless joy,
For you have given birth
to Him Who is the cause of joy.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Deliver all of us
From the dangers, Theotokos, most pure,
For you bore the timeless deliverer,
And you bore the peace,
the peace which has surpassed all thought.

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

Dissipate the cloud

Of my sinfulness, O bride of God,
With the brightness of your eminence;
For you brought forth the Light,
Divine Light, which was before all time.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Heal me from the ills

Which the passions bring, Most Pure One,
Make me worthy of your guiding care,
And unto me grant health,
Through your intercessions and your prayers.

Ode 6. The Heirmos.

My petition, I pour out to the Lord,
And to Him I will confess all my sorrows;
For many woes
Fill my soul to its limits,
And unto Hades my whole life has now approached,
Like Jonah, I pray to You,
O God, now raise me from corruption.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

From death and corruption He has saved

My nature, held by death and corruption;
For unto death
He Himself has surrendered;
For which reason, O Virgin, please intercede
With Him who is your Lord and Son,
From the enemies' evils deliver me.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

I know you as the protection of my life,

A steadfast shelter and refuge, O Virgin;
Disperse the host
Of my many temptations,
And force away the demonic attacks from me;
I pray to you unceasingly,
From corruption of passions deliver me.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We have you as a wall of refuge,
And our soul's most perfect salvation;
You are an aid,
In affliction, O Maiden,
And in your light we rejoice to eternity;
O Lady, also now,
From the passions and dangers deliver us.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

I lie now on a bed of infirmities,

And there is no healing at all for my body
Except for you,
Who has brought forth our Savior,
God, the healer of all our infirmities;
Of your goodness, I pray to you,
From corruption of sicknesses raise me.

Deliver us,
All of your servants, from dangers, O Theotokos;
After God, we all flee to you,
For shelter and covering,
As an unshakable wall and our protection.

Spotless one,
Who by a word, did bring to us the Word eternal,
In the last days ineffably;
Do you now plead with Him
As the one with the motherly favor.

Kondakion. Tone 2.
A protection of Christians unshamable,
Intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering,
Reject not
The prayerful cries of those who are in sin.
Instead, come to us, for you are good;
Your loving help bring unto us,
Who are crying in faith to you: Hasten to intercede
And speed now to supplicate,
As a protection for all time,
Theotokos, for those who honor you.

(Then the 1st Antiphon of the Anavathmoi of the

4th Tone.)

From the years of my youth, many passions combat

me; but You, Who are my Savior, assist me and save
me. (2)

You haters of Zion shall be put to shame by the Lord

Almighty, for as grass in the fire, you shall all be
withered. (2)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

By the Holy Spirit, every soul is made living, is

exalted, and made shining through purification, by
the Threefold Oneness, in a hidden manner.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

By the Holy Spirit, the streams of grace are flowing,

watering, all of the creation, granting life upon it.

I shall remember your Holy Name from generation

to generation. (2)

Verse: Listen, O Daughter, and see, and incline your

ear, and forget your people and your father's house
and the King will desire your beauty.
I shall remember Your Holy Name from generation
to generation.
Tone 2.

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

Father, Word, and Spirit, Trinity in oneness, wash

away my many personal offenses.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos,

merciful One, wash away my many personal
offenses.

Verse: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to

Your great mercy; and according to the multitude of
Your compassions blot out my transgressions.
Plagal of the 2nd Tone
Put me not into the hands
Of any human protection,
O our Lady, most holy,
But do now receive the prayers of your supplicant;
Sorrow has taken me,
And I am unable
To withstand and bear the demon's darts;
Shelter I do not have,
Nor a place to go, worthless that I am;
Lady of humanity,
The shelter of the faithful and their hope,
Do not reject my prayers to you,
Do the things that profit me.

The Theotokia
No one is turned away from you, Ashamed and
empty, who flee unto you, O pure virgin Theotokos;
But one asks for the favor, And the gift is received
from you, to the advantage of their own request.

The transformation of the afflicted, You are the cure

of those in sickness, Theotokos, O Virgin; Save your
people and your town. You are the peace of those
in conflict, the calm of those in turmoil, the only
protection of the faithful.

Ode 7. The Heirmos

Coming out of Judea,
Once the young men did go to the land of Babylon;
The flame of the furnace,
They trampled down while chanting,
With their faith in the Trinity:
O the God of our Fathers, Blessed are You, our God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

As You willed, O our Savior,
To dispense our salvation through Your economy
Inside the Virgin's womb;
You showed to all the people
That she was our own guardian;
O the God of our fathers,
Blessed are You, our God.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The bestower of mercy

That you bore, O pure Mother, entreat on our
behalf;
From sins deliver us,
And from the soul's defilement,
We who cry out most faithfully:
O the God of our fathers,
Blessed are You, our God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

A fountain of pureness

And a tower of safety is she who carried You,

A treasure of salvation
And the door of repentance,
She has been shown to those that cry;
O the God of our fathers,
Blessed are You, our God.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The illnesses of body,

and the soul's ailing sickness, of those who run to
you.
For divine protection,
As God's holy Mother,
Make them worthy of remedy:
For the Savior Christ
Was born from you.

Ode 8. The Heirmos

The King of heaven, Who is praised,
And is hymned by the host of the angels;
Praise Him and exalt Him
Throughout the many ages.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Do not neglect those who seek the help you grant

They hymn you, O Virgin Maiden,
And they do exalt you
Throughout the many ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

O Virgin, you pour a wealth of healing

On those who faithfully hymn you,
And those who exalt your
Childbearing wonder.

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

The infirmities of my soul are healed by you,

And the pains of my body, O Virgin,
So that I may praise you,
O Lady, in God's favor.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

You drive away the assaults of temptations,
And attacks of the passions, O Virgin,
Therefore we do praise you
Throughout the many ages.

Ode 9. The Heirmos.

Saved through you, O pure Virgin,
Hence we do confess you
To be most truly the birthgiver of our Lord;
With choirs of bodiless Angels,
You do we magnify.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The streams of my many tears,

Reject not, Holy Virgin;
For you gave birth to the One who dried all the
tears,
From all the faces of people;
The Christ was born of you.

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

With gladness fill my heart,

Most holy Virgin lady,
For you are she who received the abundant joy;
Take the grief of my sinfulness,
And make it disappear.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

A shelter and protection

And a wall unshaken,
Become, O Virgin, for those who flee to you,
A sheltered cover and refuge,
And a place of joy.

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

O Virgin, from the brightness

Of your light illumine
The ones who call you most piously God's Mother,
Take all the gloom of our ignorance
And banish it away.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Oppressed I am, O Virgin;

In a place of sickness, I have been humbled;
I ask you: bring remedy,
Transform my illness, my sickness,
Into a wholesomeness.

Truly you are worthy to be blessed,

Mother of our God, the Theotokos,
You the ever blessed one, and all blameless one,
And the Mother of our God.
You are honored more than the Cherubim,
And you have more glory, when compared, to the
Seraphim;
You, without corruption,
Did bear God, the Logos;
You are the Theotokos;
You do we magnify.

Higher than the heavens above are you,

And you are much purer
Than the radiance of the sun;
You who have redeemed us
From the curse which is upon us;
The Lady of all people,
In hymns, do we honor you.

From the great multitude of my sins,

Ill am I in body, Ill am I also in my soul;
I am fleeing to you,
The one who is all-blessed,
The hope of all the hopeless,
Please come bring help to me.

Lady and the Mother of Him who saves,

Receive the supplications
Of the lowly who pray to you;
Mediate between us
And the One you brought forth;
O Lady of all people, Intercede for us.
Now with zeal we chant this Ode to you;
You, the all praised Lady,
Theotokos, we hymn with joy;
With the saints most holy,
Together with the Baptist,
Beseech, O Theotokos,
For God's mercy on us

Speechless be the lips of impious ones,

Those who do not reverence
Your great icon, the sacred one
Which is called Directress,
And was depicted for us
By one of the apostles,
Luke the Evangelist.
With the hosts of Angels, God's messengers,
With the Lord's Forerunner,
And Apostles, the chosen twelve,
With the saints most holy,
And with you, the Theotokos,
We seek your intercession
For our salvation.

Plagal of the 2nd Tone.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us,
For we are empty of all defense,
As sinners we offer this supplication to You;
O Master, have mercy on us.

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

Lord, have mercy on us,

For in You we have put our trust;
Be not exceedingly angry with us,
Nor remember our many iniquities;
But look upon us now as the Compassionate,
And deliver us from our enemies;
For You are our God, and we Your people,
We are all the work of Your hands,
And upon Your Name we have now called.

Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Theotokion:
The doors of caring do now open unto us,
O most blessed Theotokos,
So that hoping in you we shall not fail;
Through you may we be delivered from adversities,
For you are the salvation of the Christian faith.
Tone 2.

All those
Do you shelter, O Good One,
Those who in their faith flee unto you,
With your strong hand, you protect;
We who sin have no one else,
Who intercedes for us
Before God, praying endlessly,
In ills and all dangers,
For us who are laiden with
Our many sins and mistakes;
Mother, of our God in the Highest
Therefore, we fall down to you, humbly;
From all the misfortunes, keep your servants safe.
For those
In great sorrow you are joy,
And for the oppressed, a protection,
And for the hungry, their food,
Comfort unto those estranged;
You are a staff to the blind,
Visitation of all those sick,
And to those held by pain
Shelter and a comforting,
And to the orphaned, an aid;
Mother, of our God in the highest,
You who are the Spotless One, hasten,
Save your servants from their sin, we ask of you.

Plagal of the 4th Tone

Lady, oh do receive,
From your servants, their many prayers;
And deliver all of us,
From all sadness and necessity.

Tone 2

My numerous hopes are placed

Before you, most holy One;
Mother of our God,
Guard me with care, within your sheltered arms.

During the period from the 1st to the 15th of

August, instead of chanting the previous
Theotokion, we chant the following Exsapostilaria:

Tone 3.

O You Apostles from far off,

Being gathered together
in the village of Gethsemane,
Lay my body in burial,
And You, my Son, and my God,
Receive now my spirit from me.

You are the sweetness of Angels,

The gladness of the afflicted ones,
A protection of all Christians,
O Virgin Mother of our Lord;
Grant me now help and save me
From the eternal torments.

I have you as Mediator

Before God who loves mankind;
May He not question my action
Before the hosts of the Angels,
I ask of you, O Virgin,
Hasten now quickly to my aid.

You are a tower adorned with gold,

A city surrounded by twelve walls,
A shining throne touched by the sun,
A royal seat for the King,
O unexplainable wonder,
How do you nurse the Master?

-Holy Cross Orthodox Press offers this edition of the

Paraklesis to the Orthodox faithful, a labor of love
on the part of Fathers Demetri Kangelaris and
Nicholas Kasemeotes, recent graduates of Holy
Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, now
serving the Church in Los Angeles and St. Louis
respectively.