Akathist to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Akathist to the Dormition of the Mother of God Orthodoxy Akathist to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prayers for holy holidays Shevchenko V.
Akathist to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28)
Akathists for the Twelfth Holidays
Kontakion 1st
Chosen from the human race and born from barrenness, let us praise the Most Pure Virgin Mary, for with Her Nativity the beginning of our salvation was accomplished and the coming of the Savior into the world was heralded. Let us also joyfully cry out to Her: Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
A heavenly angel standing before God was sent quickly to the righteous Joachim and Anna to announce to them great joy, for through their barrenness they were about to give birth to the Most Blessed Daughter, from whom joy would come to the whole world. In the same way, we, who are partakers of the joy of sowing, will sing a song of praise to the Virgin: Rejoice, in the Trinity Council the Matter of the Son of God was chosen from time immemorial; Rejoice, thou who was foreshadowed by the ancient prophets and patriarchs in a variety of images and senech. Rejoice, you who have been servants of God for five thousand years since the creation of the world, as the awaited Mother of the Deliverer; Rejoice, in Jacob’s vision of the ladder, as God’s descent to man, foretold. Rejoice, foreshadowed by the burning bush seen in the desert of Sinai by Moses; Rejoice, who gave a dry path to Israel by the Red Sea and drowned Pharaoh, figuratively written. Rejoice, thou who helpest us in the lower part of the Eternal Belly; Rejoice, interceding for us the unrestricted entrance of the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 2nd
Seeing the righteous Joachim and Anna, the Angel appeared to them, proclaiming Thy Nativity, the Most Holy Virgin, giving thanks to God, who was ready to take away the reproach of their childlessness, and with all their hearts they cried out warmly: Alleluia.
The All-Good Lord will fulfill the mind of Divine construction and His descent onto earth, beginning with the message of His Angel to announce to Joachim and Anna about Your Nativity, Most Holy Virgin. We also cry out to You in praise: Rejoice, manifestation of the Divine mind; Rejoice, His fulfillment is marvelous to behold. Rejoice, predestined of old to serve the incarnation of the Son of God; Rejoice, chosen from all generations into the dwelling of all the King. Rejoice, foretold in Paradise by the saying of the tempter the serpent about the state of enmity between the Woman and Her Seed; Rejoice, after the fulfillment of times from unfruitful times, by the will of God you have become more glorious. Rejoice, you who made the human race glad with your Christmas; Rejoice, you who turned the lamentation of those who looked forward to the joy of Israel into joy. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 3rd
The power of the Most High resolved the barrenness of righteous Anna, who had become pregnant in her days: for Thee was conceived, O Most Pure One, and, anticipating Thy birth, joyfully sang a song of praise to the God of Israel: Alleluia.
Having the power to give birth to the Savior of our souls and bodies, You and Yourself, like a miracle before a great and incomprehensible miracle, were gloriously born from barren parents, O Most Holy Virgin. In the same way we sing to thee: Rejoice, thou who camet from the root of Jesse and David; Rejoice, you who were wondrously vegetated from the barren lies of righteous Anna. Rejoice, the Virgin Mother revealed by the prophecy of Isaiah before the ancient years; Rejoice, born according to the promise of an Angel. Rejoice, prefigured by the tabernacle of the meeting and the Ark of the Covenant; Rejoice, foreshadowed by the prosperous rod of Aaron. Rejoice, before Your Nativity, you were sanctified and prepared in the Mother of God the Word. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 4th
The storms of human reproach about their barrenness were delivered at Thy conception, O Most Holy Virgin, Thy righteous parents rejoiced, and in honor of Thy Nativity I created a great institution with relatives and known ones, and they rejoiced at them, crying out to God, who created His mercy, a song of praise: Alleluia.
The surrounding people heard that the daughter of Joachim and Anna was named Mary, the Lady, the Most Pure One, who was great and glorious not only among people, but also among God. We, who are well aware of this event, magnify Thee: Rejoice, Most Holy Virgin, who received Your name not from man, but from an Angel even before conception; Rejoice, having been honored by this name as the Lady of all creation. Rejoice, for Thy righteous parents gave thanks to God for Thy Birth, offering great gifts to Him; Rejoice, for as one who is related and known, you have created a supper of love for the poor too. Rejoice, as from the priests you are called to the house of Your parents for the celebration, blessed are You; Rejoice, for you were praised and glorified from all those who gathered for the joy. Rejoice, appearing above all honor and praise; Rejoice, thou who hast been honored with the existence of the Matter of God the Word. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 5th
The divine star, heralding the coming of the Sun of Truth, Christ our God, appeared at Your Nativity, O Most Holy Virgin; Likewise, the people of God, who had hoped for the coming of the Savior by faith, seeing You miraculously born of barrenness, mysteriously rejoiced and cried out: Alleluia.
Having seen the righteous Joachim and Anna, the Mother of God Mary, who was born of them, the Angel of God, some wondrous and wondrous one, proclaimed that she served as the Ark of God, serving as the one who nourishes and preserves You, like the apple of your eye. In the same way, we praise the Fathers of God, who were honored to be the parents of such Daughters, and joyfully sing to the Virgin Mary: Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, for at Thy Nativity, Thy parents rejoiced greatly; Rejoice, for at Your appearance into the world Angels and men rejoiced in agreement. Rejoice, for all the prophets spoke about You in many different ways; Rejoice, for you are alone from them with the gates closed, and also by the mountain overshadowed by your name. Rejoice, for all that was glorious in ancient times was spoken of mysteriously about You; Rejoice, for the psalm lips called Thee the city and village of God. Rejoice, thou seventh-luminous lamp, for thou filledst with the seventh gifts of the Holy Spirit; Rejoice, having a golden table with showbread, as the Bread of Life, Christ, who had to give birth. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 6th
Preacher of God-bearing broadcasts and fulfilling verbs, by the will of the Creator of creation, you appeared on earth, the Most Holy Virgin, the color of our nature, the invocation of Adam and Eve and the erection of the first kindness. In the same way, having found all the faithful joy in Your Nativity, we triumph spiritually, singing to the wondrous God in His Council: Alleluia.
The Ascension in Your Nativity, Most Pure One, the dawn of our salvation, in fulfillment of the Divine Look, in which You alone of all generations are worthy of the flesh of a loan to Your Creator, who came to save our race from the ancient forefathers’ oath. For this reason we cry out to You: Rejoice, call to Adam and Eve; Rejoice, permission of the ancient oaths. Rejoice, the end of the high law and the beginning of new grace; Rejoice, Providence of the Divine Mystery. Rejoice, the only Matter of God the Word that has been found is worthy of being; Rejoice, and Mother appeared to us as new people in Christ. Rejoice, O Mother who leaves us no longer under Your care; Rejoice, you who are well pleased to prepare us as children of Your Son. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 7th
Desiring to repay your vows to the Lord, Your righteous parents, the Most Holy Virgin, brought Your triennial maiden to the temple of the Lord with glory and much joy. The High Priest Zechariah, embraced by the Spirit of God, introduced Thee into the Holy of Holies, even as the prototype of Thy Holiness: for Thou didst contain within Thee the saints of the Most Holy Son of God. To whom you sang from the faces of the maidens: Alleluia.
A new and glorious Divine Providence came about You, O Virgin, as in the temple of God You received food from the hands of Angels, O Most Holy One. In the same way, we pray to You: feed us with food of grace, so that we may grow spiritually and to You, the All-Tsarina, we cry out in praise: Rejoice, adorned with virtues, O Young Lady, honored to live in the temple of God and honored to be an Angel Interlocutor; Rejoice, you who received heavenly food from the Angels into the Holy of Holies. Rejoice, miraculously nourished in the temple with Divine bread; Rejoice, you who were there prepared for the great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. Rejoice, for by the command of God the Angels on earth diligently serve You; Rejoice, for in heaven now I bow to You like a Queen in reverence. Rejoice, for we also magnify Thee with unworthy songs of praise; Rejoice, for we always please the Godfathers who gave birth to You. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 8th
Having seen the strange Nativity of the Most Pure Virgin, let us withdraw from the vanity of the world, turning our minds to heaven, where the Mother of God in glory stands before Her Son and God, interceding before Him for all the faithful, celebrating Her all-glorious Nativity with love and crying out to God: Alleluia.
All creation in Your Nativity, Most Pure One, will find joy, consuming the sorrow of our forefathers: having come from You as Christ God, our nature fell into the sin of disobedience from the fall of the rise and was again created kindly to the Creator. The same touchingly we cry out to You: Rejoice, forerunner of world joys; Rejoice, sacrament revealed from the ages of secrecy. Rejoice, for we have risen from our fall; Rejoice, Our previously rejected nature has been offered to God. Rejoice, thou who Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness; Rejoice, Who turned the barrenness of our hearts into fruitfulness. Rejoice, for an abundance of eternal blessings is given to the faithful from the Lord; Rejoice, thanksgiving to the Lord is brought to her by the faithful. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 9th
All the Angels of God, not knowing the mystery of God's Incarnation in the Trinitarian Council, hidden from the ages and finally revealed by the Virgin Mary, were greatly amazed, seeing how the Daughters of Joachim and Anna, against the nature of women, were introduced into the Holy of Holies. In the same bewilderment I embraced the former, reverently crying out: Alleluia.
The most ancient Vitia, among the kings of Israel, the all-wise Solomon, foreseeing Your Nativity, O Most Pure One, in the Song of Songs exclaimed with surprise: Who is this, the penetrating one, like the morning, good like the moon, chosen like the sun? Moreover, the Church, rejoicing in Your feast, joyfully cries out to You: Rejoice, brightest morning of the uneven day of the knowledge of God, in the canopy of the law, as in darkness, shining forth; Rejoice, sun-shaped Virgin, who enlightened all things with the virgin incarnation of the true Sun Christ. Rejoice, light-like element, which has essentially accepted God, who lives in the unapproachable light; Rejoice, having declared with your small womb the Infinite One, who embraces all the ends of the universe. Rejoice, full moon, receiving the Divine Light and thereby illuminating us; Rejoice, purest mirror, reflecting the many perfections of God. Rejoice, thou who by Thy perfection encourages us to acquire virtues; Rejoice, strengthening our weak strength in doing good deeds. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 10th
To save the human race from the original oath, the Lord created a wondrous Sacrament of His Look: for He chose You, the Most Pure One, from the race of Abraham and David, and from You He deigned to be incarnate without seed, conquering the statutes of nature. Moreover, today we celebrate Your Christmas and praise those who gave birth to You, we cry out to God: Alleluia.
The Heavenly King, for the sake of our salvation, although He will appear on earth and live with man, the holy palace of Thee, the Most Pure One, was prepared in advance, giving fruit to the childless Anna, who tearfully prayed with Her husband for the resolution of barrenness. We also pray to Thee, Mother of God: resolve the barrenness of our souls, so that we may bring to God the fruits of good deeds, crying out to Thee: Rejoice, most luminous devil of God’s seedless incarnation; Rejoice, animated chamber, prepared for the dwelling of all the King. Rejoice, brightest cloud, in whom He who sits on the Throne of the Divine has descended to us; Rejoice, Mediatrix of law and grace, sealing of the Old and New Testaments. Rejoice, unfading vine, beautiful flower, who brought forth the Savior of the world; Rejoice, fragrant fruit, which grew from barrenness and appeared pleasingly to Christ. Rejoice, you who represent Your singers are pleasing to Christ; Rejoice, and do not deprive us, who are fruitless of good deeds, of consolation. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 11th
Do not reject the song of praise for Your Nativity, O Good Lady, but for those who gave birth to You, be kind to us, praying for us to Your Son and our God, that He may grant forgiveness of sins and correction of life, even as we gratefully sing to Him in tearful repentance: Alleluia.
The Light-receiving and pre-worldly Light of the Divine Light, the only-begotten Daughter of Joachim and Anna, the chosen Mother of the Only Begotten Son of God, has now gloriously emerged from barrenness and enlightens with Her Nativity those who faithfully celebrate and reverently cry out: Rejoice, luminous candle, shining with the Divine flame; Rejoice, who thereby graciously warms and enlightens us. Rejoice, mystical mite, divine coal, Christ the Lord, who bore in your womb and in your arms; Rejoice, making us worthy to receive Him in the Sacrament of Communion. Rejoice, temple of the Lord, glorified by David, a tabernacle raised by grace; Rejoice, holy censer, who made all creation fragrant with the birth of His Son. Rejoice, exalted throne, animated seat of the Great King, reigning with Him; Rejoice, Queen of heaven and earth, who does not forget us poor ones. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 12th
The action of grace was manifested in Your Nativity, Most Pure One; For the Lord heard the prayer of Thy childless parents, and gave Thee to them as a consolation, as He did to Abraham and Sarah Isaac, desiring to fulfill the mystery of His Seeing and to prepare Thee to be the Mother of the promised Redeemer, to whom we gratefully sing: Alleluia.
Singing Your glorious birth from a barren birth, we praise You, the Most Pure One, as the Mystery of God’s saving Look upon us, and we cry out to Tisitsa: Rejoice, pure Noah’s Dove, who by Your birth announced the end of the mortal flood; Rejoice, you who brought the branch of the gospel of Christ to the human race. Rejoice, thou only blessed among women, who by Thy obedience to God corrected the disobedience of the foremother Eve; Rejoice, having turned the sorrow of Adam and the forefathers into joy through Your Nativity. Rejoice, for Your Christmas is a joy to proclaim throughout the entire universe; Rejoice, for at Your Nativity mothers rejoice and barrens rejoice. Rejoice, Thy Christmas is faithful and worthy of joy for those who celebrate piously; Rejoice, thou who beseech the Father to seat us with Thy Son in His glory. Rejoice, Most Pure Virgin, the Mother of the Savior of the world, chosen from time immemorial.
Kontakion 13th
All-sung and Most Pure Mother, accept this song of our praise, offered in honor of Thy glorious Nativity, revive in us the desire for eternal blessings, and deliver the Holy Church and our Fatherland from all troubles and misfortunes, from enemies visible and invisible, and take away the torment that will come from us, and vouchsafe the Heavenly Kingdom, so that forever and ever we cry to God to You: Alleluia.
O Most Holy Lady Theotokos! Look with mercy at the prayer of us sinners and Your humble servants and beg God Your Son to bestow upon us and all those who flow to You mental and physical health, and everything necessary for eternal and temporal life, may He forgive us all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and deliver us from all sorrows and illnesses, and misfortunes, and all evil circumstances. To her, our Queen, our Blessing, our indestructible Hope and our invincible Intercessor! Do not turn Your face away from us for our many sins, but extend to us the hand of Your Motherly mercy and create a sign for our good. Show us Thy rich help and success in every good deed, turn us away from every sinful undertaking and evil thought, so that we may always glorify Thy most honorable name and, grateful to Thy Nativity, we worship God the Father, and His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with all the saints, forever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion 1st
Come, people of Christ, let us praise the Honest Cross, on which Christ, the King of Glory, stretched out his hand, raising us to the first bliss, from which we fell through the deception of the serpent. But you, O Most Holy Cross, as if you have the inherent power of the Crucified Christ, save and preserve from all troubles those who lovingly call you: Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
The faces of angels, like God’s servants, glorify the Cross in reality, the free passion of Christ the Giver of Life. By His suffering we have been delivered from eternal death, imitating the heavenly Powers, and joyfully cry out: Rejoice, Cross, for on you Christ our God, with His will, His hand spread out, created our salvation; Rejoice, for by Christ, who laid upon you the crime of Adam and Eve, who stretched out their hands to the forbidden tree, has been abolished. Rejoice, for the ancient oath that was against us has been taken away from the Lawgiver, who was raised against you like a criminal; Rejoice, for through a strange sacrament that happened to you, the human race was freed from mortal aphids. Rejoice, for the sting of death has been broken upon you by those who suffered and died; Rejoice, for the sake of suffering, God is reconciled with people. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 2nd
Seeing fallen men, O Lord, You became human, and You freely endured the cross and death in your flesh for our race, so that You might deliver from eternal death those who confess Thee, the Son of God, and cry out to Thee: Alleluia.
The human mind is exhausted in comprehending the greatness of Thy mystery, Christ, the incarnation and free suffering for us: how You, this impassive God, endured the passion of the cross as a man and made this instrument of Thy death a source of life and salvation for all who piously believe in You and those who sing in praise: Rejoice, O Cross, on which the sacrament, predestined from the ages, was performed; Rejoice, for in you our redemption has been accomplished, presented in many forms and symbols. Rejoice, for the Giver of Life who died upon you, flowed out Blood and water, in the image of which our sins are washed away; Rejoice, for with drops of His Holy Blood the sinful scabs of our souls are cleansed. Rejoice, O Cross, like the living tree that is in the midst of God's paradise, desired by Christians; Rejoice, who intelligently nourishes us with the fruits of immortality and encourages our cowardice with the hope of eternal life. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 3rd
Thy Cross, even though the tree is visible in substance, but is clothed in Divine power, and the sensory ointment is revealed, cleverly works our miracles of salvation, striving to sing to You: Alleluia.
Having the Most Holy Cross before our eyes, we honor with holy veneration the Savior Christ crucified on it for the sake of it, and, kissing us, we cry out: Rejoice, Cross, glorified by the obedience and suffering of Christ; Rejoice, exalted by the exaltation of the Son of God upon you, Who raised up the whole world from the fall of Adam. Rejoice, for the terrible mystery that came to pass upon you made the earth horrified and tremble, as if it wanted to devour the lawbreakers; Rejoice, for the veil of the temple that was sacrificed for you to the Lamb of God was rent and the sacrifice of the Old Testament was abolished. Rejoice, Cross, for as the stone that crumbled under you, the stony-hearted Jews who gave birth to unbelief fell away from God and lost the grace of the priesthood and the kingdom; Rejoice, for having been darkened by the sun in the passion of Christ, the night of polytheism has passed away and the light of faith has risen. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 4th
Breathing in a storm of malice and driven by envy, the high priestess of Judaism hid Thy Cross in the ground, O Christ God, may their folly not be a reproof; but to that one, like a precious treasure, arose from the bowels of the earth, acquired through the diligence of the pious Queen Helen and revealed to the joy of the whole world, with the red song of God: Alleluia.
Having then seen the Christian people finding the Honest Cross, they glorified Christ God crucified on it: Lord, have mercy, crying out. Now, imitating them, we glorify His Holy Cross with titanic praises: Rejoice, Cross, who has sanctified our earthly nature, hidden in the earth and desecrated by sins; Rejoice, having disgraced the blasphemers of the Incarnation and Divinity of Christ by your appearance from the depths of the earth. Rejoice, for He who suffered in your flesh has received all power in heaven and on earth, so that he may lead everyone and everything to God the Father; Rejoice, for He who died on you as a man, by the power of His Divinity, broke the rivets of hell and brought out the souls of the righteous from there. Rejoice, O Cross, as a prudent thief, who was crucified with Christ, who confessed Him, through you, like a ladder, ascended to heaven; Rejoice, for by cutting off the passions of Christ you have raised all those who are crucified into the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 5th
Lord, under Moses, sometimes the prophet, we show the image of Your Cross, victorious against Your enemies, now we have Your very Cross, we ask for help: strengthen Your Church and grant it victories over its enemies, so that all Your enemies, not crying out to You, may be scattered: Alleluia.
The Honest Cross, Christ, prefigured the action of Amalek in the desert of Sinai: when people stretched out their hands and created an image of the cross, people became stronger; now all things have come into being in us: today the cross is erected, and demons are running away, today all creation is freed from aphids, as if all the gifts of the Cross have risen for us. Moreover, we rejoice and cry out: Rejoice, Cross, the terrible weapon of Christ, whose demons tremble; Rejoice, for by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, the hordes of demons are driven far away. Rejoice, for by the power of the Divine grace acting in you, victories against those who resist are granted to Christ-loving people; Rejoice, for from you, as from the tall and fruitful tree of Christ, suffering on you, the fruits of life and salvation grow for us. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 6th
Sometimes the life-giving tree of the Cross appeared as a preacher of the power and Divinity of Christ, when with your touch you raised the dead and raised him to life, having seen many from Jews and pagans, he learned the great mystery of piety: for the sake of human salvation, God appeared in the flesh and endured the passion of the cross, and He will save those who cry to Him: Alleluia.
Like the great tree of paradise, the Honest Cross of Christ rose on Calvary, from which the mental branches of grace spread throughout the entire universe and were crucified on it: under its canopy they find the coolness of the palimia with the heat of passions and those who want to live piously in Christ Jesus. In the same way, we, partakers of His grace, joyfully cry out: Rejoice, holy Cross, tree of life, planted in Eden for Adam’s sake, transfigured; Rejoice, new Adam, who stretched out his hand on you and revealed himself to the world. Rejoice, for under the canopy of your blessed protection all the faithful come running; Rejoice, for through the mercy of the One who has given us to you, repentant sinners escape the fire of Gehenna. Rejoice, Cross, our consolation in sorrows and sorrows; Rejoice, life-giving consolation and help to those who are exhausted in the fight against the temptations of passions, the world and the devil. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 7th
Although You have shown the unsearchable abyss of Your goodness and mercy to the human race, Your Cross, O Lord, has given us a strong guardian and drive away demons. In the same way, all of us who believe in You glorify the greatness of Your passion, gratefully singing to You: Alleluia.
Thou hast revealed wondrous deeds, O Lord, by Thy Honest Cross: for I have crucified myself upon Thy flesh, the whole creation has changed: the sun has hidden its rays, the foundations of the earth have shaken, hell has been crushed by the power of Thy power and has brought forth the enemies that they have held for centuries. For this reason, let us tie flowers with these song songs: Rejoice, Cross, for all creation has compassion upon You who suffered, as for His Creator and Master; Rejoice, for the sun bears witness to His power and divinity through darkness and the earth through shaking. Rejoice, for the One who died on you was not kept dead, but, having destroyed the power of death, rose again on the third day; Rejoice, for I have resurrected the preaching of the gospel, which began from the face of the apostle, and has gone forth to all the ends of the earth. Rejoice, O Cross, for through you idolatry and pagan polytheism have been abolished; Rejoice, for for your sake the right faith in the One God, glorified in the Trinity, has been established throughout the entire earth. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 8th
It is strange that God became human and was crucified on the Cross, having mentally seen, we will withdraw from the vanity of the world, we will transfer our mind to Heaven. For this reason, God descended to the earth and ascended to the Cross, so that, like a ladder, he would lead to heaven those who cry to Him: Alleluia.
Today Adam and Eve rejoice, presently seeing the Cross, by which the adversary was struck down, who of old in paradise by eating the forbidden fruit of those who deceived and created captives for themselves. In the same way, we, rejoicing at our forefather’s deliverance from our spiritual captivity, reverently sing: Rejoice, Cross, for upon you is the good Shepherd laid down His soul for His sheep and even went down to hell, looking for the lost; Rejoice, for He did not despise the work of His hand, Adam and Eve, but with the other I snatched the righteous from hell, like from the jaws of a mighty beast, and installed them in paradise. Rejoice, for upon you, the flaming weapon of Christ, who is nailed down, has given you the cloaks and the Cherub, who guards the Eden, retreat from the Tree of Life; Rejoice, for we, now through baptism of rebirth, new people in Christ, partake without restraint of the food of heaven. Rejoice, Cross, rod of the power of Christ, sent from Zion, by whom we feed in the pastures of the gospel teachings; Rejoice, for through you we are preserved unharmed from the murderous wolves, who roar like lions and seek whom to devour. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 9th
We are delivered from all troubles and snares of the enemy, blessed on the Cross, as we have received grace and power from Christ nailed to you, to whom we sing with gratitude and praise as our God and Savior: Alleluia.
All the orgy of earthly beings does not suffice for the glorification of Thy Cross, O Lord, on which Thou hast made our salvation; At the same time, perplexed to praise her according to her heritage, we cry out to her: Rejoice, Cross, for as the Savior of the world, exalted on you, has called many people into His knowledge and calls to this day; Rejoice, for having shone on you, like on a candlestick, the true Light illuminates all the ends of the earth with the light of the knowledge of God. Rejoice, for now the East and West glorify the One who suffered in you; Rejoice, for you, as the footstool of Christ, are glorified by all the faithful, elevating. Rejoice, for from you, as from the inexhaustible source of Christ, people will draw an abundance of eternal blessings. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 10th
For those who want to be saved and come running under the shadow of your protection, be your helper, the Most Holy Cross, preserving us from all evils by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, to Him, as to our God and Savior, we sing with gratitude and praise: Alleluia.
You are the wall that protects us from troubles and misfortunes, the All-Honorable Cross, and a strong pillar against the face of the enemy; the invisible fighters do not dare to approach them, afraid to look at Your power. For this reason, with faith, we are protected by your holy sign and joyfully sing: Rejoice, Most Honorable Cross of Christ, protect us from the attack of spirits of evil; Rejoice, keep us safe from various arrows. Rejoice, for from your sign, which we do piously with faith, all the powers of hell, like smoke from the wind, disappear; Rejoice, for through you all their strength, like wax before the fire, melts away. Rejoice, as a holy martyr, protected by your sign and calling on the name of Christ, courageously enduring every type of torment; Rejoice, for the reverend fathers, with the help of the power of the Divine, inherent in your sign, have overcome demonic fears and passions of rebellion. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 11th
We offer all-contrite singing to Thee, O All-Honorable Cross, and humbly pray to Christ our God crucified on you, Who has given us joy and consolation in sorrow, that through His passion He will deliver us from harmful passions and teach us to faithfully chant to Him: Alleluia.
With the light of the grace of God, inherent in the mysteries, enlighten our spiritual feelings, the Most Holy Cross, so that we are illuminated and instructed, so that we may not stumble over the stone of temptation, but may be able to follow the path of God’s commandments in our entire life, singing to you: Rejoice, messenger of the unceasing miracles of Christ and His mercy towards the human race is a preacher; rejoice. The Cross, the renewal of the human race and the New Testament of Christ is the seal and confirmation. Rejoice, triumph of the Christian faith and trustworthy anchor of our hope; Rejoice, decoration of the holy temples of God and protection of the houses of the pious. Rejoice, blessing of the fields and vertograds; Rejoice in the sanctification of all elements. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 12th
Grant us Your all-powerful grace, O Lord, so that we may follow You, our Master, taking up our cross, not by nailing it down with nails, but by labor, abstinence and humility. Yes, we will be partakers of Your sufferings, from them flow the sweat of eternal life, feeding all the faithful, piously singing to You: Alleluia.
Singing your greatness, all-honored Cross, we all praise you, like the victorious scepter of the Heavenly King, an all-joyful sign of our salvation, and we also cry out: Rejoice, Cross, the power of Orthodox Christians and their indestructible fence; Rejoice, adornment of the saints and strength and reinforcement of all ascetics of faith and piety. Rejoice, Cross, protect us from the cradle to the grave on all the paths of life, and after death in the air ordeals protect us from the spirits of evil; Rejoice, for under your sign those who rest, who died in faith and piety, will rise on the last day to eternal life. Rejoice, O Cross, who by your appearance in Heaven preceded the glorious second coming of Christ; Rejoice, for those who have crucified Christ and all the unfaithful will then see you and the mountaineers will weep, but those who love the Lord, seeing you, will rejoice greatly. Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 13th
O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, consolation to all Christians! Seeing You now, we raise our thoughts to Christ crucified on you, and we humbly pray to Him, that for your sake He may have mercy on us sinners, and make us worthy in the villages of paradise to sing to Him: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then Ikos 1st and Kontakion 1st)
O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! In ancient times you were a shameful instrument of execution, but now you are a sign of our salvation, ever revered and glorified! How worthily can I, an unworthy one, praise you and how dare I bend the knees of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins? But the mercy and inexpressible love for mankind of the humble Boldness crucified on you gives me, so that I will open my mouth to glorify you; For this reason I cry to you: Rejoice, Cross, the Church of Christ is the beauty and foundation, the entire affirmation of the universe, the hope of all Christians, the power of kings, the refuge of the faithful, the glory and singing of angels, the fear of demons, the destruction and driving away, the shame of the wicked and unfaithful, the righteous delight, the burdened the weak, the overwhelmed refuge, the lost mentor, the passionate repentance, the enrichment of the poor, the floating helmsman, the weak strength, victory and overpowering in battle, the faithful protection of the orphans, the intercessor of widows, the protection of virgins of chastity, the hopeless hope, the sick doctor and the resurrection of the dead! You, typified by the miraculous rod of Moses, are a life-giving source, watering those thirsty for spiritual life and delighting our sorrows; You are the bed on which the Risen Conqueror of hell rested royally for three days. For this reason, morning, evening, and noon, I glorify you, the blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of Him who has been crucified on you, may He enlighten and strengthen my mind with You, may He open in my heart a source of more perfect love, and may all my deeds and my paths be overshadowed by You, May I exalt Him who is nailed to you, for my sin, the Lord my Savior, amen.
Kontakion 1st
Chosen by the Eternal King Mary, the Virgin of God, the Queen of Angels and men, who sometimes came to the temple of the Lord in the Holy of Holies for the betrothal of her virginity to the Heavenly Bridegroom, be brought up in God’s Dwelling Place, we diligently offer worthy worship to You, but You, as our many-powerful Intercessor, free us from all troubles and sorrows , and with love and tenderness we cry to You: Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
The faces of Archangels and Angels from the heavenly heights flocked to see Your glorious, O Mother of God, into the temple of the Lord. Introduction and, together with the earthly face of pure virgins, the invisible face of disembodied minds walking with joy, You, the Most Pure Virgin, escorting, and like a vessel chosen by God by the command of the Lord, surrounding , and as I serve my Lady, even though I have not seen the mystery of Your power, seeing You, I am indescribably filled with heavenly purity, and everything that was in You, I was terrified and with many fears hastened to You like this: Rejoice, overjoyed Virgin, Mother of the Tsar having to be; Rejoice, you who are preferred to the Queen, who will live in the temple of the Kings. Rejoice, chosen and exalted Daughter of God the Father; Rejoice, Mother of God the Son, foretold from the ages. Rejoice, Bride of God, the All-Holy Spirit, unmade; Rejoice, most beloved Lady of all Creatures, visible and invisible. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 2nd
Seeing Thy righteous parents, O Most Holy Virgin, as three years have passed since Thy birth, they desire to fulfill in deed their promise, which they first uttered in words, that they may bring Thee as a gift to God. For this reason, having called to Nazareth all your relatives from the royal and bishop's family, and many priests, you also invited the face of the pure virgins, and with burning candles they escorted You, as the Scripture foretold: “The virgins will be brought to the King in Her wake, Her sincere ones will be brought to You, They will be brought in with joy and joy, they will be brought into the Temple of the Kings.” And so they all joined together and prayed to God for You, hurrying to Him: Alleluia.
Opening the Heavenly Mind, O Lady of God, you were pleased, for you would not appear in poor rags at the temple of the Heavenly King, for this reason you were pre-dressed with much glory and beauty, so that the prophecy of David of your forefather may be fulfilled on You: The Queen appears at Your right hand, in robes of gilded garments , overspread. When, as the Bride of God, You were adorned and everything was worthy of Your all-honorable Presentation, Your parent brought You, like a three-year-old lamb to Jerusalem, singing to You like this: Rejoice, dressed in the golden cassock of virginity and purity; Rejoice, adorned with all the goodness of heavenly beauty. Rejoice, Daughter of the Tsar, having within Yourself all the virgin glory; Rejoice, Bride of God, present yourself at the right hand of the Heavenly Bridegroom. Rejoice, animated by the Icon of God, you arrange your procession in the midst of the virgin tympani; Rejoice, most pure Temple of the Savior, direct your lawful path to the temple. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 3rd
The power of the Most High Autumn of You and the Holy Spirit came upon You, and Your Leader was, when after three days of travel you reached the city of Jerusalem, and as the Ark of God was led to the temple of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, that the word of the Psalm might be fulfilled, which says: There was seen Thy processions, O God, the processions of my God the King, Who is in the Holy One. And so, for Your great heavenly purity, You were worthy of being the temple of God, so that another Scripture might be fulfilled on You, which says: You have sanctified Your Village, O Most High, Holy is Your temple, O Lord, wondrous in righteousness. For this reason, let us all sing to God: Alleluia.
For three years, O Most Holy Virgin, You were brought to the temple, and Your holy parents, from one country and from another, took You by the hands, His God-given Daughter, meekly and honestly leading You to the temple, saying: Begin the Virgin luminous ones, precede the Mother of God. Still, many known relatives and neighbors and the priest followed with joy, holding candles in their hands and surrounding Thee, like the stars and the bright moon. And all Jerusalem came together, seeing this new arrival with astonishment, the Three-year-old Maiden, clothed with such glory and revered with such light, and hurried to Thee like this: Rejoice, thou who hast trifled in body, who has expanded the heavens; Rejoice, perennial in spirit, exceeding the powers above. Rejoice, Immaculate Lamb, who offered her virginity to God as a pure sacrifice; Rejoice, Undefiled Dove, who surprised the Angels with Her purity. Rejoice, brought to the Lord with virgin faces; Rejoice, you who were led to the temple with burning lamps. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 4th
Having a storm inside with doubtful thoughts, the high priest Zechariah was confused, in vain Your, Most Pure One, is leading to the temple of the Lord with much glory and to the gates to the east who see the closed beings, approaching. When I remember Ezekiel’s ancient prophecy: This gate will be closed and no one will pass through it, as the Lord God will pass through it, and it will be closed, filled with the Holy Spirit and having received revelation from above, may the closed gate be opened to the brought Virgin Mary, cry out to God: Alleluia.
Hear, O Daughter, and see, and incline Your ear, and forget Your people and Your father’s house, and the King will desire Your kindness. This is what I said to You, O Most Holy Virgin, Your parents, when You were brought to the temple of the Lord. The priests performing the services, seeing Thy coming, came out to meet Thy glorious introduction, and with songs received Thee, as the Mother of the Great Bishop of the Great One who has passed through heaven, saying: Rejoice, the good will of God, foreshadowed by the prophets; Rejoice, preaching of the salvation of men, now revealed to us. Rejoice, accompanied in glory by the heavenly angels; Rejoice, welcomed by the priests of God with joy. Rejoice, O Thy Father's house and Thy people forsaken; Rejoice, you who sanctified the house of God by Your appearance. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 5th
The former temple of God, the Virgin Mother of God, was led to the lawful temple with much glory, so that the prophecy of Haggai the prophet would be fulfilled: And I will fill this temple with glory, for the glory of this last temple will be greater than the first, says the Lord Almighty. Your Mother will bring You to the church entrance, saying: Come, O Dshi, to Whom You bestowed upon me. Come, O Irk of consecration, to the blessed Lady. Come, Door of Life, to the Merciful Giver. Come, O Irk of the Word, to the temple of the Lord. Come into the Church of the Lord, peace and joy, that I may sing to God about You: Alleluia.
Having seen Your Mother, the Virgin Mother of God, the priests of God leaving the temple, and the great saint Zechariah, at Your coming meeting, they spoke to him: Receive, Zechariah, the Undefiled Canopy; accept, priest, the Immaculate Ark; accept, prophet, the Censer of immaterial Coal; accept, O righteous one, the Spiritual Censer. Receive, O prophet, my God-given Daughter and bring her into the temple of your Creator, and bring her in, plant her in the mountain of shrines, in the ready dwelling of God, experiencing nothing, for for her sake there will be deliverance, and with her we will cry out to you like this: Rejoice, the heavenly faces rejoiced at Your entry; Rejoice, priests of God, who rejoiced at Your appearance. Rejoice, Heavenly Village, you who sanctified the lawful temple more than the first with grace; Rejoice, earthly heaven, having prepared for Yourself the dwelling of Christ with purity. Rejoice, Bride of God, for Your presence is great and wondrous; Rejoice, O Pure Virgin, for how fearful and glorious is Your dwelling in the temple. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 6th
The preacher of Your entry into the temple of the Lord, the righteous Zechariah, was greatly surprised when he saw You, the Virgin Mary, along the church ladder, having fifteen degrees, a wondrous ascent: having been placed by Your parents on the first degree, You yourself ascended to the highest degree, strengthened by the invisible power of God. Saint Zechariah, seeing this, was embraced by the Holy Spirit, saying to Your mother: Blessed is the Fruit of your womb, O woman, for you bring forth the true Mother of Life: how can the temple accommodate You?” Also thanking God, I sang to Him: Alleluia.
Great joy arose for all the coming of the lawful temple, when the great saint Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, received Thee, O Mother of God, before the church gates, holding Thee with his hands and leading Thee into the Holy of Holies, saying this: O Undefiled Maiden! O Heavenly Virgin! About the Beautiful Maiden! O adornment for wives! O fertilizer for daughters! You are Blessed among women, You are glorified by purity, You are sealed with virginity, You are the permission of Adam’s vows. Come, the fulfillment of my prophecy. Come, fulfillment of the promises of the Lord. Come, seal of that covenant. Come, the expression of That council. Come, the fulfillment of the Mysteries. Come, all the prophets are mirrored. Come, renewal of the dilapidated. Come, light in the darkness of those who lie. Come, newest and most Divine gift. Enter into joy, into the Church of Your Lord, now into the valley, the entrance of men, not by many into the mountainous and inaccessible. With him we will also sing to You: Rejoice, animated Ladder, who ascended to the temple of the Lord along the level of the high ladder; Rejoice, Door, impenetrable by human thoughts, who entered into the door of the temple. Rejoice, for through the degree of virtues you have risen to the height of the Heavenly Altar; Rejoice, for on the wings of virginity and purity you have reached the city of the Great King. Rejoice, reaching the House of God on the top of the mountain; Rejoice, you who have passed through the closed gate. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 7th
Although the Lord is a lover of mankind to save the human race, He chose You as His only Mother and brought You into His holy temple, and there, in solitude and deep silence, far from the temptations of this world, you were brought up in the shrine of the Lord in God’s dwelling. But you, playing and greatly rejoicing, as if in the devil, you walked in the house of the Lord, even though you were small in age, three years old, yet you were perfect by grace, as if you were foreknown and chosen from God before the foundation of the world, and there you sang to Him : Alleluia.
The Lord, O God-gracious One, created a new, wondrous and terrible thing for You, when the great saint Zechariah, according to the mysterious revelation of God, introduced You, more than the law, into the inner tabernacle, where not only the female sex, but lower than a priest, fit to enter, but only a bishop alone in the summer . It is more fitting for You, as God’s animated ark, more than any other nature, full of purity, to take the place of the ark of God, the hidden Jeremiah, so that the temple of the Lord may again be filled with glory. This wonderful entry of Yours is visible, we cry to You like this: Rejoice, in the Holy of Holies, as you have ascended into earthly heaven; Rejoice, great Holy of Holies, for you have come to the Throne of God. Rejoice, you astonished the Angels, how gloriously you ascended into the Holy of Holies; Rejoice, thou who has made men glad, for thou hast filled the temple of the Lord with glory. Rejoice, Most Red Drawing, in which the Most Essential One makes the dwelling of the Holy Trinity; Rejoice, Holy Throne, the Divine One is preparing to ascend in the flesh. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 8th
Your conception and birth are strange. Strange is the image of Your growth. Strange and glorious, Bride of God, Your entrance into the Sanctuary, and your continued presence in prayer, and all that is Your essence: from the morning, even until the third hour, You stood all day in prayer inside the Sanctuary, therefore with the other virgins in the vestibule in handicrafts You practiced, and from the ninth hour in the temple in the Holy of Holies you stood before God in prayer, in the thought of God and in the teaching of the Divine Scriptures, until the Angel of the Lord appeared to nourish You with heavenly food. Marveling at such an equal life with Your angels, we cry out to God, who was so well pleased with you: Alleluia.
Bless you all, the All-Holy Spirit, who dwells inside the temple, O Most Holy Virgin. For this reason, let nothing from earthly defilement touch You, you were nourished by heavenly and incorruptible food, and you distributed the earthly food served to the poor and strange. And so, having received heavenly bread from the Angel all day, you have prospered in wisdom and grace, rejoicing in body and spirit, so that you may immaculately contain the inconceivable Word of God. And the Archangel Gabriel was the persistent guardian of Your virgin purity and often appeared to You with other Angels of God, strengthening You in spiritual struggles, in prayer and fasting, in meekness and humility and kindly conversing with You, revealing the Eternal Council of the Most High about You, so that you would be ready for acceptance of God, the following cry to You: Rejoice, wonderful fulfillment of the ineffable mysteries of God; Rejoice, all-wonderful accomplishment of the Eternal Council of the Most High. Rejoice, indescribably raised by heavenly bread from the Angel; Rejoice, strengthened beyond words by the grace of God from heaven. Rejoice, even as many eyes of Cherubim are placed in the Holy of Holies; Rejoice, the six-winged Seraphim continually converse with Neyuzhe. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
Kontakion 9th
Every angelic nature was amazed at the great beauty of Your virginity, O All-Holy Virgin. You are with the Angels in the Holy of Holies, You Yourself longed for the purity of angelic life. For this reason, you have become engaged to the everlasting service of God and have become ignorant to Him, so that by the Holy Spirit you will be prepared into an imperishable village for the Word of God, singing to Him day and night: Alleluia.
The divinely spoken oracles cannot utter the mystery of Your virgin life, O Theotokos. You, day by day, strengthened in spirit and stretched, with diligence, multiplied your prayer, until the Power of the Most High fell upon You. For this reason, with astonishment, we call to You this: Rejoice, Holy of Holies, Most Holy Virgin, who offered Her pure virginity to God as a sacrifice; Rejoice, purest Palato of the Holy Spirit, who raised Herself in the Dwelling Place of Christ. Rejoice, Door of Heaven, in the temple, as if you were in heaven; Rejoice, O Goro, imbued with the Spirit, flourishing in the Sanctuary with all virtues. Rejoice, even as the Angels of God deliver their messages faithfully; Rejoice, for all the faithful always praise with gratitude. Rejoice, God-chosen Youth, who opens the doors of heaven to us by entering the temple.
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Celebration:
Troparion, tone 1
At Christmas you preserved your virginity, at your dormition you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God: you reposed yourself to the belly, Mother of the Being of the Belly, and through your prayers you delivered our souls from death.
Kontakion, tone 2
In the prayers of the never-sleeping Mother of God and in intercessions, the immutable hope, the coffin and mortification cannot be restrained: like the Mother of the Life, rest in the life, indwelling the Ever-Virgin Womb.
Greatness
We magnify You, Most Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and glorify Your Dormition all-gloriously.
Kontakion 1
To the Mother of God chosen from all generations and to the Queen, ascending from earth to Heaven, we offer reverent singing of Your most honorable Dormition, Your servants, Theotokos. But you, who have victory over death, free us from all deadly troubles, let us call You:
Ikos 1
A representative angel was sent to quickly proclaim to the Mother of God Her ascendance to the worldly Ones and to come, presenting Her Son and God to Her, shining brightly about Her and standing, calling like this:
Rejoice, overjoyed Mati Tsareva.
Rejoice, Heavenly Queen, Mother of God and Lord of Heaven and earth.
Rejoice, preferred by the majesty of the coming to You of Your Son and God.
Rejoice, exalted by the announcement of Your departure to the Son.
Rejoice, chosen by God from all generations.
Rejoice, holy receptacle of the Word of God.
Rejoice, fulfillment of the prophetic prophecy.
Rejoice, most honorable crowned Apostle.
Rejoice, ornament of the saint and goodness of the priest.
Rejoice, ruler of fertilizer and power.
Rejoice, raising the godly monks to the Heavenly Kingdom.
Rejoice, opening the doors of heaven to the Christian race, ever blessed by You.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the face of the Apostles, with an omnipotent wave from the ends of the earth to the clouds, they presented themselves to Your Most Honorable, Most Immaculate Dormition, the hierarchs: Dionysius - the heavenly secret one, the wondrous Hierotheus and Timothy, with the Divine honor of the priesthood, bowing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
All rational creation, the oldest of the angelic ranks, came with their King, who in His most life-giving hand accepted the soul of His Mother; Peter, warm with faith, spoke to Her with many tears, calling:
Rejoice, to the worldly Ones, Mother of the Creator of the world, ascending.
Rejoice, to the most heavenly, most expansive of heaven, who soars.
Rejoice, thou who sanctified the fourfold elements by Thy ascension.
Rejoice, who made the heavenly ones gladdened by Your passing.
Rejoice, you have been welcomed into the beautiful Jerusalem above.
Rejoice, thou who joyfully entered into temples not made by hands.
Rejoice, O Queen of Cherubim and Seraphim.
Rejoice, Lady of the Archangels.
Rejoice, refuge of the faithful and deliverance.
Rejoice, Your inheritance is a help and protection.
Rejoice, for the whole world of Christians we come to God the Intercessor.
Rejoice, all blessings to the All-Blessed Giver.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High to snatch up Thomas from India, for some will of God I will not be accepted into the most honorable Dormition of the Mother of God, and present her to the life-receiving tomb, who came to see the Reposed One, ascended into Heaven with her body in her mind and, having believed, cried out about this: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having in himself the thought that through God's vision he would not be able to accompany the Mother of God with the others, he was rejoiced at Her immortal dormition, and cried out to Her:
Rejoice, received from the earth by the hand of Your Son.
Rejoice, you who ascended to the highest to enjoy His glory.
Rejoice, escorted from all the angelic ranks to the mountain.
Rejoice, lifted up by the Cherubim into Heaven and above Heaven.
Rejoice, in the heavenly gates from the elder Powers, magnificently lifted up in songs.
Rejoice, surrounded and blessed by all Heavenly citizens.
Rejoice, earthly heaven, to the sublime village above.
Rejoice, Throne of the Lord, lifted up from the earth into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, our intercession and strong intercession.
Rejoice, sinner Helper for salvation.
Rejoice, Christian Queen and according to God the Hope of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Rejoice, Mother of the Belly, and through the Lord we have the hope of eternal life.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 4
The Jew Affoniy, having the thoughts of the unfaithful, is storming inside, and in vain the God-bearing Apostles of the Mother of God, the Most Honorable Body, were carried to the grave, rushing to refutation; suddenly, when his hand was taken away from his hanging bed with blinding eyes, he confessed by faith the Mother of God, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Having heard the mysteries and self-witnesses the Words of the Angels, singing with the highest hymns at the burial of the God-pleasing body of God to the Mother, and wanting to give the honor of a tax pleasing to God, laboring according to the song, saying:
Rejoice, thou who received the good news of Thy passage into the Heavenly Kingdom.
Rejoice, you who received joyful paradise from Gabriel who preached the gospel.
Rejoice, you who enlightened the most honorable multitude of Cherubim.
Rejoice, you who have rejoiced the glorious Seraphim nature.
Rejoice, foreshadowed from the patriarchs.
Rejoice, foretold by the prophets.
Rejoice, Affoniev’s evil insolence was soon avenged.
Rejoice, you who gave healing to that one.
Rejoice, thou who converted Athos' unbelief to faith.
Rejoice, you who received the true confession.
Rejoice, you who raise to Heaven the love and faith of those who have You.
Rejoice, you who save through faith those who call on Your name.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 5
The God-rich stars, the holy Apostles, in the heavenly scattering for the sake of the Gospel, were caught up in the clouds, in the breadth of the air, for the burial of the Mother of the Lord, who saw off with stumps and songs, with the Immaterial cry: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen the God-seers of their Lord, receiving His soul in the hands of the Mother, and understanding the Lord, they were at pains to sing the blessed songs of Yu:
Rejoice, Queen, who bore the Reign over all.
Rejoice, even carried by the hand of His Son.
Rejoice, royal sceptre in the right hand of Christ.
Rejoice, in Noah’s hand there is a branch of a dove.
Rejoice, rod of Aaron, who has vegetated incorruption.
Rejoice, unfading one, prosperous immortality.
Rejoice, God-inspired Godfather of David.
Rejoice, thou who has risen up the word of his prophecies, psalms and beautiful harp.
Rejoice, animated holy shrine of the Lord.
Rejoice, our resurrected belly into the rest of the Lord.
Rejoice, tabernacle, overshadowed by the Cherubim.
Rejoice, Holy of Holies, spoken by the Seraphim.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 6
Preachers of the God-bearing Apostles, after departing to the worldly Mother of God, in the common sitting of the usual meal and the offering of a portion of bread in the name of the Lord, lifting up, suddenly from above the Mother of God Queen, who came with the luminous Angels, in vain and, peace to those from the Son and God, having heard, shouted about sem: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The Sun of Truth has risen to us, Christ God from Your most pure will and the prudence of preaching through the Apostles, enlighten the world and glorify You, Mother of God, from generation to generation. In the same way, we all please Thee, crying out to Thee:
Rejoice, Ever-Blessed One from all generations forever.
Rejoice, full of grace and mercy to men.
Rejoice, you who fulfilled your promise to the disciple’s face.
Rejoice, having given peace to this through Your presence from Your Son and God.
Rejoice, all-desiring sweet vision of the saints.
Rejoice, O venerable mothers and virgin saints, all-enjoying joy.
Rejoice, transitory paradise of the righteous.
Rejoice, you who visit all beings in heavenly glory.
Rejoice, the beginning of human salvation.
Rejoice, fulfillment of all good wishes.
Rejoice, according to God, King of kings, Mother of God Queen.
Rejoice, according to the Lord of lords, Lady and Mistress.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 7
You always save those who want to enter Your holy temple with faith, O Mother of God, and free those who glorify You from all misfortunes and troubles; In the same way, grant to the faithful people, who ever bless You, victories against resistance and give us all petitions for salvation, for this they pray to You and sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
A new creation has shown itself to us, the Creator of all, the Lord, through You, the Mother of God. You, who have a kindred providence for us towards Him, who honestly honor Your most honorable Dormition, accept those who cry out to You:
Rejoice, Mother of God, chosen from the earthly.
Rejoice, you who are above earthly and heavenly things.
Rejoice, you who have overcome the grief of the Cherubim and Seraphim.
Rejoice, the disciple's face like a cloud for the burial of Ti's merging place.
Rejoice, Thou who, after Thy burial, provided Thomas with greater abundance by the power of God.
Rejoice, through him you assured your transmigration into Heaven with the flesh.
Rejoice, adorned with the beauty of all virtues.
Rejoice, more red than the sons of men, you are numbered among your Sons.
Rejoice, as the phoenix has flourished through resurrected flesh.
Rejoice, as the cedar has multiplied in heavenly Lebanon.
Rejoice, tree of life, planted in the midst of the highest paradise.
Rejoice, ark of thought, exalted into the Highest from the flood of death.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 8
It is strange in the highest leading You, Chosen, like the sun, the Lady, into the heavenly inconceivable beauties and indescribable kindnesses, touchingly towards the Son and God, I hold His hand, ascended and joyfully bowing to His life-giving right hand, about this we cry incessantly: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All the former grief was taken to the Heavenly Ones and, not leaving the earthly, the Mother of God, the hand of the Son is carried, into the never-ending, all-luminous and beautiful city, Jerusalem on High, the Cherubim stand with all the Heavenly powers, where this hears those singing:
Rejoice, even the most holy soul dwells in the highest, all-bright Zion.
Rejoice, even as the incorruptible body and soul are together glorified.
Rejoice, thou who has entered into the throne city of the Almighty Samago.
Rejoice, thou who art ascended into the beautiful paradise of the Most High Planter.
Rejoice, brought into the city founded on the all-luminous stones.
Rejoice, brought into the enclosure guarded by the forces of the highest.
Rejoice, taken above Heaven into the splendor of God.
Rejoice, venerable one above all immaterial minds.
Rejoice, bringing the prayer of the faithful to Your Son and God.
Rejoice, and You Yourself unceasingly praying for everyone at the Throne of Your Son and God.
Rejoice, Representative to God, saving the world.
Rejoice, Intercessor, given to the Christian race by God.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 9
Every angelic nature extols Thee, O Mother of God, but to humanity we all give birth to Thee, Mother of God, we glorify and honor Thy most honorable dormition, O Queen: For for Thee, for the sake of earthly things, the Heavenly Ones copulate, according to the singing of God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
Vetius of the prophetic sayings of God, now we see the fulfillment of You, O Mother of God, as You truly gave birth to God in the flesh. Believing in the sacrament of the word of God, we cry out:
Rejoice, supremely perfect of the Law and the Prophets.
Rejoice, star of Jacob, prophesied by Balaam.
Rejoice, O bed of the Great King, prophesied by Solomon.
Rejoice, fleece watered by Jesus, formed by Gideon.
Rejoice, Burning Kupino, foreseen by the lawgiver.
Rejoice, holy city, provided for by the husband of desire.
Rejoice, heavenly ladder, foreseen by Jacob.
Rejoice, impenetrable door, foreseen by Ezekiel.
Rejoice, sun of the village of Christ, presented by the psalmist.
Rejoice, sacrament, ordained by the diverse prophets.
Rejoice, you who brought the end of all the prophetic words prophesied about You.
Rejoice, thou who hast accomplished all the works of the Most High for the salvation of the world.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 10
To save the world, even though the Lord chose You from the earthly race to be His Mother and, for our sake, having become a Man, ascended, descending from nowhere, to Heaven from the earth, and brought You with Him to abide in eternal glory and to reign with Himself, having no end . Moreover, like God, he hears from everyone: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Thou art the wall of the faithful, O Virgin Mother of God, and the intercession of all who come running to Thee, for the Creator of Heaven and earth, having passed from Thee in flesh, the Most Pure One, has entered into the Heavenly One in spirit and body, to the nearest intercession for all, and teach them to invite:
Rejoice, city of the Great King at the top of the Heavenly Mountain.
Rejoice, wall and cover, not hidden from our influx.
Rejoice, thou who helpest the enemies of the faithful.
Rejoice, conqueror of the Hagarian invasions.
Rejoice, immovable preservation of pious faith.
Rejoice, destruction of the heretical regiments.
Rejoice, you who bring joy and peace to the world.
Rejoice, thou who hast corrected the all-destroying hell.
Rejoice, for those who wage war on the flesh with chastity are a fair wedding.
Rejoice, all-honorable glorification of martyrdom.
Rejoice, venerable intercessor of blessed repose through your labors.
Rejoice, monk who grieves the Giver of eternal joy.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 11
Singing all kinds of God-inspired songs does not suffice from us to praise Thy all-honorable Dormition, O All-Praised Lady, Queen Theotokos, but we diligently offer to Thee, as the Mother of the King of all, our humble prayer, singing with the Heavenly rites to the One God who worthily glorifies Thee: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
The light-receiving light of the true Light appeared to us on earth, enlightening the souls and instructing those who honor Your all-honorable repose to the Divine mind, so that we sing Tisitsa:
Rejoice, brighter than the unquenchable fire of the immaterial.
Rejoice, never-setting dawn of the never-evening Light.
Rejoice, moon, illuminated by the Sun of Truth.
Rejoice, lightness, shining in the darkness.
Rejoice, lampstand, set on the candlestick above.
Rejoice, fountain of life, brought forth from the grave into the light.
Rejoice, Mother of the intelligent Light, enlightening the pious souls.
Rejoice, Mother of all God, who comforts embittered souls.
Rejoice, you who give a shameless end to those who trust in You.
Rejoice, thou who establishest the heritage of God and His servant at the Judgment of Thy Son at His right hand.
Rejoice, Most Blessed One, for through You we are also blessed, like Your Helper, the imams.
Rejoice, Most Blessed One to all generations, for the Lord is with You, and with You with us.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 12
The grace of the high-throned glory, bestowed in heaven upon the Mother of God, venerable, sitting at the right hand of Her Son and God, seeing the minds above, raising up the Thrones and Powers, surrounding the Beginning and Power, falling in fear with the Cherubim, Seraphim and Dominion, with the Archangels and Angels crying out: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your all-honorable Dormition, we all praise Your ascension to the heights of heaven, O Queen of God. You sanctify, glorify and save all who sing to You with love:
Rejoice, having cleansed the earth with Your most pure feet.
Rejoice, having sanctified the air with Your ascension to Heaven.
Rejoice, you who have ascended to the circle of heaven.
Rejoice, beholder of all unspeakable kindness.
Rejoice, thou who sittest in glory before the Throne of Thy Son and God.
Rejoice, forever reigning with the Son and God.
Rejoice, beauty in the right hand of the Lord, adorning all the Heavenly Ones who bless You.
Rejoice, overjoyed by the hope of all earthly people in You.
Rejoice, clothed in the sun, shining with grace and glory throughout the entire universe.
Rejoice, you who promised to preserve and save those who call upon You in all the heavens.
Rejoice, revered Mother of God and called Mother of God from Christian generations.
Rejoice, gloriously and orthodoxly glorified by all the pious from the east of the sun to the west.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 13
O All-Singing Mother of the Immortal King of Heaven and earth, Christ our God, living and after death, accepting this present offering for Your all-honorable dormition from us, in this life and in our mortal dormition from all misfortunes, troubles and torment, deliver us from the Heavenly Kingdom, Queen , grant those who cry for You: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1).
Prayer
O Most Holy Theotokos, Virgin, Lady, the highest Angel and Archangel and all creatures, the Most Honest, angelic great surprise, prophetic high sermon, apostolic glorious praise, fair adornment of saints, strong affirmation of martyrs, saving instruction for monks, inexhaustible abstinence for fasters, virgins in purity and glory, mothers quiet joy, infants wisdom and punishment, widows and orphans to the Nurse, naked clothes, sick in health, deliverance of captives, floating on the sea in silence, overwhelmed by a calm refuge, wandering not difficult for the Mentor, traveling easy passage, toiling good rest, in the troubles of the present Intercessor, the offended Protection and refuge, hope for those who do not hope, those who require a Helper, those who are sad, ever-present consolation, those who are hated, loving humility, salvation for sinners and appropriation to God, firm protection for the faithful of all, invincible help and intercession! By You, Lady, we see the Invisible One, and we offer a prayer to You, Lady, Thy sinful servants: O Most Merciful and Most Wonderful Light of the intelligent Queen, who gave birth to the King Christ, our God, the Life-Giver of all, glorified from heavenly and praised from earthly, angelic mind, radiant star, the Most Holy One, the Lady of all creatures, the Godly Maiden, the Undefiled Bride, the chamber of the Most Holy Spirit, the fiery Throne of the Invisible King, the heavenly ark, the carrier of the Word of God, the fiery chariot, the chamber of the Living God, the ineffable composition of the flesh of Christ, the nest of the Heavenly Eagle, the God-voiced Turtle, Dove meek, quiet and gentle, Mother of children, an abyss of mercy, dispelling the cloud of God’s wrath, immeasurable depth, ineffable secret, unknown miracle, not made by hands to the Church of the One King of all ages, fragrant censer, honest scarlet, God-woven purple, spiritual paradise, life-giving garden branch, beautiful color, heavenly joy that has blossomed for us, the cluster of our salvation, the cup of the Heavenly King, in which the wine of inexhaustible grace has dissolved from the Holy Spirit, Mediator of the Law, the conception of the true faith of Christ, an unshakable pillar, destructive of heretics, the sword of God’s wrath against those who oppose God, intimidation of demons, Braneh victory, the unfaithful Guardian of all Christians and the known salvation of the world! O All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Lady, Mother of God, hear us praying to You, and show Your mercy to Your people, pray to Your Son to deliver us from all evil and save (our monastery and) every monastery, and city, and country of the faithful, and people who piously resort and call on Your holy name, from every adversity, destruction, famine, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare, from every illness and every situation, May your servants be humbled neither by wounds, nor by rebuke, nor by pestilence, nor by any righteous wrath of God. But observe and save with Your mercy, O Lady, praying for us, and grant us the beneficial dissolution of the air at the time of the fruitful offering. Ease, uplift and have mercy, O most merciful Lady, the Mother of God, in every trouble and need that exists. Remember Your servants and do not despise our tears and sighs, and renew us with the goodness of Your mercy, so that we may be comforted with thanksgiving, having found You as a Helper. Have mercy, O Most Pure Lady, on Your weak people, our Hope. Gather those who are scattered, guide those who have gone astray to the right path, bring back those who have fallen away from the pious faith of their fathers, support old age, bring understanding to the young, bring up babies and glorify the glorifying Thee, and most importantly, preserve the Church of Thy Son and preserve the length of days. O Most Merciful and Most Merciful Queen of Heaven and Earth, Ever-Virgin Mother of God! By Your intercession, have mercy on our country and its army and all Orthodox Christians, preserving them under the roof of Your mercy, protect with Your honest robe and pray from You, who was incarnate without the seed of Christ, our God, to gird us with strength from above against all our visible and invisible enemies. Save and have mercy, O Lady, Your Holiness the Orthodox Patriarchs, Your Eminence metropolitans, Orthodox archbishops and bishops, the priests and deacons and the entire clergy, and the entire monastic order, and all the Orthodox people who worship and pray before Your honorable icon. Look upon us all with the gaze of Your merciful intercession, raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of the heart to the vision of salvation, be merciful to us here and at the Last Judgment of Your Son, pray for us, having reposed in piety from this life, Your servants in eternal life with the Angels and The Archangels and with all the saints may appear at the right hand of Your Son God, and through Your prayer grant all Orthodox Christians to live with Christ and enjoy the joys of angels in the Heavenly villages. For You are, Lady, the glory of Heaven and the hope of the earthly, You are our Hope and Intercessor of all those who flow to You and ask Your holy help. You are our warm prayer book for Your Son and our God. Your obscene prayer can do much to implore the Lord, and through Your intercession we dare to approach the Throne of Grace of the Most Holy and Life-giving Mysteries, even if we are unworthy. Moreover, seeing Your all-honorable image and Your hand holding the Almighty on the icon, we rejoice, sinners, falling with tenderness, and kissing this love, hoping, Lady, with Your holy, God-pleasing prayers to reach Heavenly endless life and shamelessly stand on the day of judgment at the right hand of Your Son and our God , glorifying Him together with the Originless Father and the Most Holy, Good, Life-Giving and Consubstantial Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
By blessing
Kontakion 1
And to the Mother of God chosen from all generations and to the Queen, who ascends from earth to heaven, we bring reverent singing of Your most honorable Dormition to Your servants, Mother of God. But you, who have victory over death, free us from all deadly troubles, let us call You:
Ikos 1
And the intercessor angel was sent to quickly announce Her ascension to the worldly Ones and come presenting Her Son and God to Her, shining brightly about Her and standing, calling like this:
Rejoice, overjoyed Mati Tsareva; Rejoice, Heavenly Queen, Mother of God and Lord of heaven and earth.
Rejoice, preferred by the majesty of the coming to You of Your Son and God; Rejoice, exalted by the announcement of Your departure to the Son.
Rejoice, chosen by God from all generations; Rejoice, holy receptacle of the Word of God.
Rejoice, fulfillment of the prophetic prophecy; Rejoice, most honorable crowned apostle.
Rejoice, ornament of the saint and goodness of the priest; Rejoice, ruler of fertilizer and power.
Rejoice, raising the godly monks to the heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, opening the doors of heaven to the Christian race, ever blessed by You.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 2
In the walking face of the apostles, with an omnipotent wave from the ends of the earth to the clouds, they presented themselves to Your most honorable, Most Immaculate Dormition, the hierarchs: Dionysius, the heavenly secret one, the wondrous Hierotheus and Timothy, with the magnificent honor of the priesthood, bowing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
All rational creation, the oldest of the angelic ranks, came with their King, Who in His most life-giving hand accepted the soul of His Mother; Peter, warm with faith, spoke to Her with many tears, calling:
Rejoice, to the worldly, Mother of the Creator of the world, ascending; Rejoice, to the most heavenly, most expansive of heaven, who soars.
Rejoice, thou who sanctified the fourfold elements by Thy ascension; Rejoice, who made the heavenly ones gladdened by Your passing.
Rejoice, you have been received into the beautiful Jerusalem above; Rejoice, thou who joyfully entered into temples not made by hands.
Rejoice, Queen of cherubim and seraphim; Rejoice, Lady of the Archangels.
Rejoice, refuge of the faithful and deliverance; Rejoice, Your inheritance is help and protection.
Rejoice, intercessor to God for the whole world of Christians; Rejoice, all blessings to the all-good giver.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 3
With the power of the Most High, snatch up Thomas from India, for some will of God I will not be accepted into the most honorable dormition of the Mother of God, and present her to the tomb of Her life-receiver, who, having passed away, came to see, mindfully ascended to heaven with her body and, having believed, cried out about this: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
And the disciple, having in himself the thought that through God’s vision he would not be able to accompany the Mother of God with the others, was overjoyed about Her immortal dormition, and cried out to Her:
Rejoice, received from the earth by the hand of Your Son; Rejoice, you who ascended to the highest to enjoy His glory.
Rejoice, escorted from all the angelic ranks to heaven; Rejoice, lifted up by the cherubim into heaven and above heaven.
Rejoice, in the heavenly gates from the ancient powers, splendidly lifted up in songs; Rejoice, surrounded and blessed by all heavenly citizens.
Rejoice, earthly sky, exalted to the mountain village; Rejoice, throne of the Lord, lifted up from the earth into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, our intercession and strong intercession; Rejoice, helper of sinners to salvation.
Rejoice, Christian Queen and according to God the hope of the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, Mother of the Belly, and through the Lord we have the hope of eternal life.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 4
I storm inside, having Afphonius of unfaithful thoughts and in vain the God-bearing apostles of the Mother of God, the most honorable body carried to the grave in honor, I strive to refute it; suddenly, when his hand was taken away from his hanging bed with blinding eyes, he confessed by faith the Mother of God, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Having heard the mysteries and self-witnesses, the Words of the angels singing with sublime songs at the burial of the God-pleasing body of God to the Mother, and the honor of giving the tribute pleasing to God, laboring according to the song, saying:
Rejoice, thou who received the good news of Thy passage into the heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, you who received the joyful paradise from Gabriel who preached the gospel.
Rejoice, you who enlightened the most venerable multitude of cherubs; Rejoice, you who have rejoiced the glorious seraphim nature.
Rejoice, foreshadowed from the patriarchs; Rejoice, foretold by the prophets.
Rejoice, thou who hast quickly avenged Affoniev’s evil insolence; Rejoice, you who gave healing to that one.
Rejoice, thou who converted the unbelief of Athonius to faith; Rejoice, you who received the true confession.
Rejoice, raising to heaven the love and faith of those who have You; Rejoice, you who save through faith those who call on Your name.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 5
The blazing stars, the holy apostles, in the scattering of the heavens for the sake of the Gospel, were caught up in the clouds, in the breadth of the air, for the burial of the Mother of the Lord, who saw off with stumps and songs, with immaterial cries: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
The God-seers went to their Master, received His soul in the hands of the Mother and, understanding the Lord, took pains to sing the blessed songs of Yu:
Rejoice, Queen, who bore the Reign over all; Rejoice, and carried by the very hand of His Son.
Rejoice, royal sceptre in the right hand of Christ; Rejoice, in Noah’s hand there is a branch of a dove.
Rejoice, rod of Aaron, who has grown incorruptible; Rejoice, unfading one, flourishing immortality.
Rejoice, God-inspired girl of the Father David; Rejoice, the glory of his prophecies, the psalms and the beautiful harp.
Rejoice, animated holy shrine of the Lord; Rejoice, our risen belly into the rest of the Lord.
Rejoice, tabernacle, overshadowed by the cherubim; Rejoice, holy of holies, spoken by the seraphim.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 6
The preachers of the God-bearing apostles, after departing to the divine Mother of God in a common sitting, having had the usual meal and offering a portion of bread in the name of the Lord, lifting up, suddenly from above the Mother of God Queen, who came with light-bringing angels, in vain and, having heard peace from the Son and God, cried out about sem: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Into us is the sun of righteousness, Christ God from Your most pure will, and through the prudence of preaching through the Apostles, enlighten the world, and glorify You, Mother of God, from generation to generation. In the same way, we all please Thee, crying out to Thee:
Rejoice, ever blessed from all generations forever; Rejoice, thou who art most gracious and merciful to men.
Rejoice, you who fulfilled your promise to the disciple’s face; Rejoice, having given peace to this through Your presence from Your Son and God.
Rejoice, all-willing saints and sweet vision; Rejoice, venerable mothers and virgin saints, all-cheerful joy.
Rejoice, transitory paradise of the righteous; Rejoice, you who visit all beings in heavenly glory.
Rejoice, beginning of human salvation; Rejoice, fulfillment of all good desires.
Rejoice, according to God, King of kings, Mother of God Queen; Rejoice in the Lord of lords, our Master, Lady and Mistress.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 7
For those who choose to enter Thy holy temple with faith, O Theotokos, Thou dost ever save those who glorify Thee from all misfortunes and troubles; In the same way, grant to the faithful people, who ever bless You, victories against resistance and give us all petitions for salvation, for this they pray to You and sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
A new creation, appear to us, the Creator of all, the Lord, through You, the Mother of God. But You, who have a kindred providence for us towards Him, who honestly honor Your most honorable Dormition, accept, speaking to You those who cry out:
Rejoice, Mother of God, chosen from the earthly; Rejoice, exceeding those on earth and heaven.
Rejoice, thou who hast surpassed the grief of the cherubim and seraphim; Rejoice, the disciple's face like a cloud for the burial of the merciful part of Ti.
Rejoice, Thou who, after Thy burial, gave Thomas more by the power of God; Rejoice, through him you assured your transmigration into heaven with the flesh.
Rejoice, adorned with the beauty of all virtues; Rejoice, more red than the sons of men, you are numbered among your Sons.
Rejoice, like a phoenix, blossoming through the risen flesh; Rejoice, like a cedar in heavenly Lebanon, multiplied.
Rejoice, tree of life, planted in the midst of the highest paradise; Rejoice, ark of thought, exalted into the heavens from the flood of death.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 8
With strangeness in the highest leading You, Chosen, like the sun, the Lady, into the heavenly unimaginable beauties and unspeakable kindnesses, tenderly towards the Son and God, I hold His hand ascended and joyfully bowing to His life-giving right hand, about this we cry incessantly: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
In all that was the mountain, taken to the heavenly and not leaving the earthly, the Mother of God, carried by the hand of the Son, into the never-ending, all-illuminating and beautiful city, Jerusalem on High, the cherubim stand with all the heavenly powers, where this hears those singing:
Rejoice, even the most holy soul dwells in the highest, all-bright Zion; Rejoice, even as the incorruptible body and soul are together glorified.
Rejoice, thou who has entered into the throne city of the Almighty Samago; Rejoice, thou who art ascended into the beautiful paradise of the highest Planter.
Rejoice, brought into the city founded from the all-luminous stones; Rejoice, brought into the enclosure guarded by the forces of the highest.
Rejoice, taken above the heavens into the splendor of God; Rejoice, venerable one above all immaterial minds.
Rejoice, bringing the prayer of the faithful to Your Son and God; Rejoice, and You Yourself unceasingly praying for everyone at the throne of Your Son and God.
Rejoice, representative to God, saving the world; Rejoice, intercessor of the Christian race, bestowed by God.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 9
In every angelic nature He extols Thee, O Mother of God, and to humanity all Mother of God gave birth to Thee, we glorify and honor Thy most honorable Dormition, O Queen: For for Thee, for the sake of the earthly things in heaven, they copulate, according to the singing of God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
In the manifestations of divinely prophesied prophetic utterances, we now see the fulfillment of You, O Mother of God, as truly You gave birth to God in the flesh for us. Believing in the sacrament of the word of God, we cry out:
Rejoice, master of the law and the prophets, perfect; Rejoice, star of Jacob, prophesied by Balaam.
Rejoice, O bed of the Great King, prophesied by Solomon; Rejoice, fleece watered by Jesus, formed by Gideon.
Rejoice, burning bush, foreseen by the lawgiver; Rejoice, holy city, provided for by the husband of desire.
Rejoice, heavenly ladder, foreseen by Jacob; Rejoice, impenetrable door, foreseen by Ezekiel.
Rejoice, sun of the village of Christ, presented by the psalmist; Rejoice, sacrament, spoken of in many ways by the prophets.
Rejoice, you who brought the end to all the prophetic words prophesied about You; Rejoice, thou who hast accomplished all the divine vision for the salvation of the world.
Rejoice, joyful one, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 10
From the shepherd of the world, who is the Lord of all, He chose You from the earthly race to become His Mother and, for our sake, having become a Man, ascended, from nowhere, to heaven from the earth, and brought You with Him to abide in eternal glory and to reign with Himself, there is no end to the possessor. Moreover, like God, he hears from everyone: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
You are the faithful, Virgin Mother of God, and the intercession of all who come running to You, for the Creator of heaven and earth, who came from You in the flesh, the Most Pure One, presided over You in spirit and body, to the nearest intercession for everyone, and teach them to invite:
Rejoice, city of the Great King at the top of the mountain of heaven; Rejoice, wall and cover, not hidden from our influx.
Rejoice, thou who helpest the enemies of the faithful; Rejoice, conqueror of the Hagarian invasions.
Rejoice, immovable preservation of pious faith; Rejoice, destruction of the heretical regiments.
Rejoice, you who bring joy and peace to the world; Rejoice, you who have corrected the omnipresence of hell.
Rejoice, for those who wage war on the flesh through chastity have been crowned with a fair amount; Rejoice, all-honorable glorification of martyrdom.
Rejoice, venerable intercessor of blessed repose through labor; Rejoice, you grieving monk, giver of eternal joy.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 11
Singing all kinds of God-inspired songs does not suffice from us to praise Thy all-honorable Dormition, O all-praised Lady, Queen Theotokos, but we earnestly offer to Thee, as the Mother of the King of all, our humble prayer, singing with the heavenly rites to the only God worthily glorifying Thee: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
From the wind-receiving light of the true Light you have appeared to us on earth, enlightening the souls and instructing those who honor Your all-honorable repose to the Divine mind, so that we sing Tisitsa:
Rejoice, unquenchable light of the immaterial fire; Rejoice, never-setting dawn of the never-evening Light.
Rejoice, moon, illuminated by the Sun of Truth; Rejoice, lightness, shining in the darkness.
Rejoice, lampstand, set on the candlestick above; Rejoice, source of life, brought forth from the grave into the light.
Rejoice, Mother of the intelligent Light, enlightening the pious souls; Rejoice, Mother of all God, who comforts embittered souls.
Rejoice, you who give a shameless end to those who trust in You; Rejoice, you who have established God's heritage and His servant at the Judgment of Your Son at His right hand.
Rejoice, Most Blessed One, for through You we are also blessed, like Your helper imams; Rejoice, Most Blessed One to all generations, for the Lord is with You, and with You with us.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 12
The grace of the high-throned glory, bestowed in heaven upon the Mother of God, venerable, seated at the right hand of Her Son and God, seeing the heavenly minds, lifting up thrones and powers, encircling the principalities and powers, falling in fear with the cherubim, seraphim and dominion, with the archangels and angels crying out: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your all-honorable Dormition, we all praise Your ascension to the heights of heaven, O Queen of God. You sanctify, glorify and save all who sing to You with love:
Rejoice, having cleansed the earth with Your most pure feet; Rejoice, having sanctified the air with Your ascension to heaven.
Rejoice, you who have ascended to the heavenly circle; Rejoice, seeing all unspeakable kindness.
Rejoice, thou who sittest in glory before the throne of Thy Son and God; Rejoice, reigning forever with the Son and God.
Rejoice, beauty in the right hand of the Lord, adorning all those in heaven who bless You; Rejoice, overjoyed by the hope of all earthly people in You.
Rejoice, clothed in the sun, shining with grace and glory throughout the entire universe; Rejoice, who promised to preserve and save those who call upon You in all the heavens.
Rejoice, revered Mother of God and called the Mother of God from Christian generations; Rejoice, gloriously and orthodoxly glorified from all the pious from the east of the sun to the west.
Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Dormition.
Kontakion 13
O all-sung Mother of the immortal King of heaven and earth, Christ our God, who lives and after death, has received this present offering for Your all-honorable dormition from us, in this life and in our mortal dormition, from all misfortunes, troubles and torment, deliver us from the Heavenly Kingdom, O Queen , grant those who cry for You: Alleluia.
This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos “The representative angel...” and the 1st kontakion “To the chosen one from all generations...”.
Prayer
O Most Holy Theotokos, Virgin Lady, the highest angel and archangel and the most honest of all creatures, angelic great surprise, prophetic high sermon, apostolic glorious praise, fair adornment of saints, strong affirmation of martyrs, saving instruction for monks, inexhaustible abstinence for fasters, virgin purity and glory, quiet mothers joy, infants, wisdom and punishment, widows and orphans to nurse, naked clothes, sick in health, deliverance of captives, floating on the sea in silence, overwhelmed by a calm refuge, wandering without difficulty for a mentor, traveling with an easy passage, toiling in good rest, in the troubles of the present, a quick intercessor, the offended by protection and refuge, hope for those who do not hope, those in need of help, the sorrowful, ever-present consolation, the hated, loving humility, salvation for sinners and appropriation to God, firm protection for the faithful of all, invincible help and intercession! By You, Lady, we see the Invisible One, and we offer a prayer to You, Lady, Thy servants’ sins: O most merciful and wonderful Light of the intelligent, Queen, who gave birth to the King Christ, our God, the Life-Giver of all, glorified from the heavenly and praised from the earthly, angelic mind . God-voiced, meek dove, quiet and gentle, Child-loving Mother, an abyss of mercy, opening the cloud of God's wrath, immeasurable depth, inexpressible secret, unknown miracle, not made by hands in the temple of the One King of all ages, fragrant censer, honest scarlet, richly woven purple, spiritual paradise, life-giving Garden branch, a beautiful flower, heavenly joy that has blossomed for us, the grape of our salvation, the cup of the Heavenly King, in which the wine of inexhaustible grace has dissolved from the Holy Spirit, intercessor of the law, the conception of the true faith of Christ, an unshakable pillar, the sword of God’s wrath against those who oppose God, intimidation of demons, in battle victory, true keeper of all Christians and the known salvation of all peace!
O all-merciful Lady Virgin and Lady Theotokos, hear us praying to You, and show Your mercy on Your people, pray to Your Son to deliver us from all evil and save our monastery and every monastery, and the city, and the country of the faithful, and people who piously resort and calling on Your holy name, from every adversity, destruction, famine, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and civil strife, from every illness and every situation, so that neither wounds, nor rebuke, nor pestilence, nor any righteous wrath of God will diminish Thy servants. But observe and save with Your mercy, O Lady, praying for us, and grant us the beneficial dissolution of the air at the time of the fruitful offering. Ease, uplift and have mercy, having mercy on the Lady, the Mother of God, in every trouble and need that exists. Remember Your servants and do not despise our tears and sighs, and renew us with the goodness of Your mercy, so that we may be comforted with thanksgiving, having found You as a helper. Have mercy, O Most Pure Lady, on Your weak people, our hope. Gather those who are scattered, guide those who have gone astray to the right path, bring back those who have fallen away from the pious faith of their fathers, support old age, bring understanding to the young, raise children and glorify the glorifying Thee, and preserve the Church of Thy Son to the fullest extent and preserve the length of days.
O merciful and most merciful Queen of heaven and earth, Ever-Virgin Mother of God! By Your intercession, have mercy on our country and its army and all Orthodox Christians, preserving them under the roof of Your mercy, protect with Your honest robe and pray from You, who was incarnate without the seed of Christ, our God, to gird us with strength from above against all our visible and invisible enemies. Save and have mercy, O Lady, on the great lord and father of our Kirill, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops of the Orthodox, priests and deacons, and the entire church clergy, and the entire monastic rank, and all the faithful people who worship and praying before Your honorable icon. Look upon us all with the gaze of Your merciful intercession, raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of the heart to the vision of salvation, be merciful to us here and at the Last Judgment of Your Son, pray for us, having reposed in piety from this life, Your servants in eternal life with the angels and archangels and with all the saints come, so that they may appear at the right hand of Your Son and God, and through Your prayer grant all Orthodox Christians to live with Christ and enjoy the joys of angels in heavenly villages. For You are, Lady, the glory of heaven and the hope of earth, You are our hope and intercessor of all those who come to You and ask Your holy help. You are our warm prayer service to Your Son and our God. Your Motherly prayer can do much to entreat the Lord, and through Your intercession we dare to approach the throne of grace of His most holy and life-giving Mysteries, even though we are unworthy. Moreover, seeing Your all-honorable image and Your hand holding the Almighty on the icon, we rejoice, sinners, falling with tenderness, and kiss this love, longingly, Lady, with Your holy, God-pleasing prayers, milk the heavenly endless life and shamelessly stand on the day of judgment at the right hand of Your Son and God ours, glorifying Him, together with the Originless Father and the Most Holy, Good, Life-Giving and Consubstantial Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Troparion, tone 1
At Christmas you preserved your virginity, at your Dormition you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God, you reposed yourself to the belly, Mother of the Being of the Belly, and through your prayers you delivered our souls from death.
Kontakion, tone 2
In the prayers of the never-sleeping Mother of God, and in intercessions, the immutable hope, the grave and mortification cannot be restrained: like the Mother of the Life, rest in the life, indwelling the ever-virgin womb.
Greatness
We glorify Thee, the Immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and glorify Thy dormition all-gloriously.
Kontakion 1
To the Mother of God chosen from all generations and to the Queen, who ascends from earth to Heaven, we offer reverent singing of Your most honorable Assumption, Your servants, Theotokos. But You, who have victory over death, free us from all deadly troubles, let us call You: Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Ikos 1
A representative angel was sent to quickly proclaim to the Mother of God Her ascendance to the worldly Ones and come to present Her Son and God to Her, shining brightly about Her and standing, calling like this: Rejoice, overjoyed Mother of the Tsar; Rejoice, Heavenly Queen, Mother of God and Lord of Heaven and earth. Rejoice, preferred by the majesty of the coming to You of Your Son and God; Rejoice, exalted by the announcement of Your departure to the Son. Rejoice, chosen by God from all generations; Rejoice, holy receptacle of the Word of God. Rejoice, fulfillment of the prophetic prophecy; Rejoice, most honorable crowned Apostle. Rejoice, ornament of the saint and goodness of the priest; Rejoice, ruler of fertilizer and power. Rejoice, raising the God-wise monks to the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, opening the doors of heaven to the Christian race, ever blessed by You. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the face of the Apostles, with an omnipotent wave from the ends of the earth to the clouds, the hierarchs presented themselves to Thy Most Honorable, Most Immaculate, Dormition: Dionysius - the heavenly secret one, the wondrous Hierotheus and Timothy with the Divine honor of the priesthood, bowing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
All rational creation, the oldest of the angelic ranks, came with their King, Who in His most life-giving hand accepted the soul of His Mother; warm with faith, Peter, with many tears, spoke to Her, calling: Rejoice, to the worldly, Mother of the Creator of the world, ascending; Rejoice, to the most heavenly, most expansive of heaven, who soars. Rejoice, thou who sanctified the fourfold elements by Thy ascension; Rejoice, who made the heavenly ones gladdened by Your passing. Rejoice, you have been received into the beautiful Jerusalem above; Rejoice, thou who joyfully entered into temples not made by hands. Rejoice, Queen of Cherubim and Seraphim; Rejoice, Lady of the Archangels. Rejoice, refuge of the faithful and deliverance; Rejoice, Your inheritance is a help and protection. Rejoice, O Christian Intercessor for the whole world; Rejoice, all blessings to the All-Blessed Giver. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High to snatch up Thomas from India, for some will of God I will not be accepted into the most honorable Dormition of the Mother of God, and present her to the life-receiving tomb, who came to see the Reposed One, ascended into Heaven with her body in her mind and, having believed, cried out about this: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having in himself the thought that through God's vision he would not be able to accompany the Mother of God with the others, he was rejoiced at Her immortal Assumption, and cried out to Her: Rejoice, thou who was taken up from the earth by the hand of Thy Son; Rejoice, you who ascended to the highest to enjoy His glory. Rejoice, escorted from all the angelic ranks to the Mountain; Rejoice, lifted up by the Cherubim into the heavenly and under heavenly places. Rejoice, in the heavenly gates from the elder Powers, magnificently lifted up in songs; Rejoice, surrounded and blessed by all Heavenly citizens. Rejoice, earthly heaven, exalted to the mountain village; Rejoice, Throne of the Lord, lifted up from the earth into the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, our intercession and strong intercession; Rejoice, sinner Helper for salvation. Rejoice, Christian Queen and according to God the Hope of the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, Mother of the Belly, and through the Lord we have the hope of eternal life. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 4
The storm within, having the thoughts of the unfaithful, the Jew Afphonius and in vain the God-bearing Apostles of the Mother of God, the Most Honorable Body, was carried to the grave, rushing towards refutation; suddenly, when his hand was taken away from his hanging bed with blinding eyes, he confessed by faith the Mother of God, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Having heard the mysteries and self-witnesses of the Word of the Angels, singing in sublime hymns at the burial of the God-pleasant body of God to the Mother, and the honor of giving a tax pleasing to God, we strived according to the song, saying: Rejoice, thou who received the good news of Thy passage into the Heavenly Kingdom; Rejoice, you who received joyful paradise from Gabriel who preached the gospel. Rejoice, you who enlightened the most venerable multitude of cherubs; Rejoice, you who have rejoiced the glorious seraphim nature. Rejoice, foreshadowed from the patriarchs; Rejoice, foretold by the prophets. Rejoice, you who soon noted the evil insolence of Affoniev; Rejoice, you who gave healing to that one. Rejoice, thou who converted the unbelief of Athonius to faith; Rejoice, you who received the true confession. Rejoice, you who raise to Heaven the love and faith of those who have You; Rejoice, you who save through faith those who call on Your name. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 5
The God-rich stars, the holy Apostles, in the heavenly scattering for the sake of the Gospel, were caught up in the clouds, in the breadth of the air, for the burial of the Mother of the Lord, who saw off with stumps and songs, with the Immaterial cry: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen the God-seers of their Lord, receiving His soul in the hand of the Mother, and understanding the Lord, trying to sing sacred songs with blessings: Rejoice, Queen, who bore the Reign over all; Rejoice, even carried by the hand of His Son. Rejoice, royal sceptre in the right hand of Christ; Rejoice, in Noah’s hand there is a branch of a dove. Rejoice, rod of Aaron, who has grown incorruptible; Rejoice, unfading one, prosperous immortality. Rejoice, God-inspired Godfather of David; Rejoice, thou who has risen up the word of his prophecies, psalms and beautiful harp. Rejoice, animated holy shrine of the Lord; Rejoice, our resurrected belly into the rest of the Lord. Rejoice, tabernacle, overshadowed by the Cherubim; Rejoice, Holy of Holies, spoken by the Seraphim. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 6
The Preachers of the God-Bearing Apostles, after departing to the worldly Mother of God in the common village, having had the usual meal and offering part of the bread in the Name of the Lord, lifting up, suddenly from above the Mother of God Queen, who came with the luminous Angels, in vain and, having heard peace from the Son and God, cried out about this : Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The Sun of Truth has arisen to us, Christ God from Your most pure falsehood, by the will and prudence of preaching through the Apostles, enlighten the world and glorify You, Mother of God, from generation to generation. In the same way, we all please Thee, crying out to Thee: Rejoice, Ever-blessed One from all generations forever; Rejoice, full of grace and mercy to men. Rejoice, you who fulfilled your promise to the disciple’s face; Rejoice, having given peace to this through Your presence from Your Son and God. Rejoice, all-desiring sweet vision of the saints; Rejoice, O venerable mothers and virgin saints, all-enjoying joy. Rejoice, transitory paradise of the righteous; Rejoice, you who visit all beings in heavenly glory. Rejoice, beginning of human salvation; Rejoice, fulfillment of all good wishes. Rejoice, according to God, King of kings, Mother of God Queen; Rejoice, according to the Lord of lords, our Master, Lady and Mistress. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 7
You always save those who want to enter Your holy temple with faith, O Mother of God, and free those who glorify You from all misfortunes and troubles; In the same way, grant to the faithful people, who ever bless You, victories against resistance and give us all petitions for salvation, for this they pray to You and sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
A new creation has shown itself to us, the Creator of all, the Lord, through You, the Mother of God. You have a kindred providence for us to Him, who honestly honor Your most honorable Dormition, accept those crying out to You: Rejoice, Mother of God, chosen from the earthly; Rejoice, you who are above earthly and heavenly things. Rejoice, thou who hast surpassed the grief of the Cherubim and Seraphim; Rejoice, the disciple's face like a cloud for the burial of Ti's merging place. Rejoice, Thou who, after Thy burial, gave Thomas more by the power of God; Rejoice, through him you assured your transmigration into Heaven with the flesh. Rejoice, adorned with the beauty of all virtues; Rejoice, more red than the sons of men, you are numbered among your Sons. Rejoice, like a phoenix, blossoming through the risen flesh; Rejoice, like a cedar in heavenly Lebanon, multiplied. Rejoice, tree of life, planted in the midst of the highest paradise; Rejoice, thou art exalted in the ark of thought in the Highest from the mortal flood. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 8
It is strange in the highest leading You, Chosen, like the sun, the Lady, into the heavenly inconceivable beauties and indescribable kindnesses, touchingly towards the Son and God, I hold His hand, ascended and joyfully bowing to His life-giving right hand, about this we cry incessantly: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All the former grief was taken to the Heavenly Ones and, not leaving the earthly, the Mother of God, the hand of the Son is carried, into the never-ending, all-illuminating and beautiful city, Jerusalem on High, the Cherubim stand with all the Heavenly powers, where this one hears those singing: Rejoice, O Most Holy Soul dwells in the highest, all-bright Zion; Rejoice, even as the incorruptible body and soul are collectively glorified. Rejoice, thou who has entered into the throne city of the Almighty Samago; Rejoice, thou who art ascended into the beautiful paradise of the Most High Planter. Rejoice, brought into the city founded from the all-luminous stones; Rejoice, brought into the enclosure guarded by the forces of the highest. Rejoice, taken above Heaven into the splendor of God; Rejoice, venerable one above all immaterial minds. Rejoice, bringing the prayer of the faithful to Your Son and God; Rejoice, and You Yourself unceasingly praying for everyone at the Throne of Your Son and God. Rejoice, Representative to God, saving the world; Rejoice, Intercessor, given to the Christian race by God. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 9
Every angelic nature extols Thee, O Mother of God, but to humanity we all give birth to Thee, Mother of God, we glorify and honor Thy most venerable Dormition, Queen: For thee for the sake of earthly things the heavenly ones copulate, according to the singing of God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The Vetian prophetic sayings of God are now beheld fulfilled in You, O Mother of God, as truly You gave birth to God in the flesh. Believing in the sacrament of the word of God, we cry: Rejoice, thou who art chiefly perfect in the law and the prophets; Rejoice, star of Jacob, prophesied by Balaam. Rejoice, O bed of the Great King, prophesied by Solomon; Rejoice, fleece watered by Jesus, formed by Gideon. Rejoice, Burning Kupino, foreseen by the lawgiver; Rejoice, holy city, provided for by the husband of desire. Rejoice, heavenly ladder, foreseen by Jacob; Rejoice, impenetrable door, foreseen by Ezekiel. Rejoice, sun of the village of Christ, presented by the psalmist; Rejoice, sacrament, ordained by the diverse prophets. Rejoice, you who brought the end to all the prophetic words prophesied about You; Rejoice, thou who hast accomplished all the works of the Most High for the salvation of the world. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 10
To save the world, even though the Lord chose You from the earthly race to be His Mother and, for our sake, having become a man, ascended, descending from nowhere, to Heaven from the earth, and brought You with Him to abide in eternal glory and to reign with Himself, having no end , Moreover, like God, he hears from everyone: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Thou art the wall of the faithful, O Virgin Mother of God, and the intercession of all who come running to Thee, for the Creator of Heaven and earth, having passed from Thee in flesh, the Most Pure One, hast come to the Heavenly One in spirit and body, to the nearest intercession for all, and teach them to invite: Rejoice, city of the King Great at the top of the Heavenly Mountain; Rejoice, wall and cover, not hidden from our influx. Rejoice, thou who helpest the enemies of the faithful; Rejoice, conqueror of the Hagarian invasions. Rejoice, immovable preservation of pious faith; Rejoice, destruction of the heretical regiments. Rejoice, you who bring joy and peace to the world; Rejoice, thou who hast corrected the all-destroying hell. Rejoice, for those who wage war on the flesh through chastity have been crowned with a fair amount; Rejoice, all-honorable glorification of martyrdom. Rejoice, venerable intercessor of blessed repose through labor; Rejoice, monk who grieves the Giver of eternal joy. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 11
Singing all kinds of God-inspired songs does not suffice from us to praise the all-honorable Dormition of Thy, All-praiseworthy Lady, Queen Theotokos, but we earnestly offer to Thee, as the Mother of the King of all, our humble prayer, with the Heavenly rites singing to the only God worthily glorifying Thee: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
The light-receiving light of the true Light has appeared to those who exist on earth, enlightening the souls and instructing those who honor Your all-honorable repose to the Divine mind, so that we sing from Tisitsa: Rejoice, unquenchable light of the immaterial fire; Rejoice, never-setting dawn of the never-evening Light. Rejoice, moon, illuminated by the Sun of Truth; Rejoice, brightness, holy in darkness. Rejoice, lampstand, set on the candlestick above; Rejoice, fountain of life, brought forth from the grave into the light. Rejoice, Mother of the intelligent Light, enlightening the pious souls; Rejoice, Mother of all God, who comforts embittered souls. Rejoice, you who give a shameless end to those who trust in You; Rejoice, thou who establishest the heritage of God and His servant at the Judgment of Thy Son at His right hand. Rejoice, Most Blessed One, for through You we are also blessed, like Your Helper, the imams; Rejoice, Most Blessed One to all generations, for the Lord is with You, and with You with us. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 12
The grace of the high-throned glory, bestowed in heaven upon the Mother of God, venerable, sitting at the right hand of Her Son and God, seeing the minds above, raising up the Thrones and Powers, surrounding the Beginning and Power, falling in fear with the Cherubim, Seraphim and Dominion, with the Archangels and Angels crying out: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your all-honorable Dormition, we all praise Your ascension to the heights of heaven, O Queen of God. Thou sanctify, glorify and save all who sing to Thee with love: Rejoice, thou who hast cleansed the earth with Thy most pure feet; Rejoice, having sanctified the air with Your ascension to Heaven. Rejoice, you who have ascended to the Heavenly circle; Rejoice, beholder of all unspeakable kindness. Rejoice, thou who sittest in glory before the throne of Thy Son and God; Rejoice, forever reigning with the Son and God. Rejoice, beauty in the right hand of the Lord, adorning all the Heavenly Ones who bless You; Rejoice, overjoyed by the hope of all earthly people in You. Rejoice, clothed in the sun, shining with grace and glory throughout the entire universe; Rejoice, you who promised to preserve and save those who call upon You in all the heavens. Rejoice, revered Mother of God and called the Mother of God from Christian generations; Rejoice, gloriously and orthodoxly glorified by all the pious from the east of the sun to the west. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption.
Kontakion 13
O All-Singing Mother of the Immortal King of Heaven and earth, Christ our God, living and after death, accepting the present offering of Your all-honorable Dormition from us, in this life and in our mortal Dormition from all misfortunes, troubles and torment, deliver us from the Heavenly Kingdom, Queen , grant those who cry for You: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
Beloved believers!
All holidays in the Orthodox Church of Christ, established in honor of saints, bring great joy to Orthodox Christians. But no matter how great the praise that we give to the saints, it cannot be compared with that which we should give to God, who created the saints.
Today is not a holiday of saints or angels. Today the Orthodox Church of God celebrates and honors the Queen of all angels and all saints. It is impossible to equate the honoring of slaves and kings. Today is a royal holiday, for the Queen of all creation is now leaving us.
However, it will be good for you to know how everything happened at the Dormition of the Mother of God, how the Mother of Life moved from us to heaven. And here's how.
Three days before the Dormition of the Mother of God, the Most Holy and All-Powerful God and our Savior Jesus Christ sent the Archangel Gabriel from heaven to announce to His Mother about Her transference into carelessness. This divine archangel, who was once sent by God to announce to Her that She would give birth to Christ, the Savior of the world, comes now and announces Her departure from this earthly life into eternal rest and into the unspeakable glory and honor that awaits Her in heaven.
And having arrived, the Archangel Gabriel brought a date branch to the Most Pure Virgin Mary as a sign, just as he brought Her a lily at the Annunciation. The Most Holy Mother of God, having learned from the Archangel Gabriel that it was necessary to leave the world and this earth, returned home in great joy and decorated Her house with candles and incense; and, praying, she left the house and went to, where she often used to pray to Her Sweetest Son Jesus Christ.
Every time She bowed, the trees bowed to the ground as a sign of great reverence and veneration.
So, when the Most Holy Mother of God went to the Mount of Olives and prayed, a great and glorious miracle happened: the olive trees and all the trees on that mountain and all the fruitful trees there, when She bowed, they also bowed with Her to the very ground. And every time She bowed, the trees also bowed to the ground as a sign of great reverence and veneration offered to the Most Holy Mother of God, the Mother of Life.
Then She returned, and there was a strong earthquake, so that the place on which Her house stood shook. And She fell on her face in prayer, and again lit candles and incense, and called all the holy women who lived with Her, the holy myrrh-bearers and Her friends, and said to them:
Behold, the time has come for Me to leave you, to go to My Son and My God.
And the holy women and myrrh-bearers and all the holy widows and virgins who followed the Most Holy Theotokos and Her teachings were greatly saddened and wept bitterly.
And this miracle was followed by another miracle. Suddenly there arose a great whirlwind and a strong wind, and it carried on the clouds of heaven the twelve apostles (from those ends of the earth where they were sent to preach), so that they too would become partakers of the honor and burial of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Apostles were carried on the clouds by God the Word Himself in order to give even greater honor and glory to His Most Holy Mother.
And when they arrived, She said to them:
Holy disciples of Mine and of My Son, apostles and disciples, this is the reason why the clouds brought you here to Gethsemane. I need to move from here; I received news from the Archangel Gabriel that I must leave you, but not forever, but go to heaven and from there help you.
And all the divine apostles began to cry. And finally, the great Apostle Paul came and, shedding tears, said:
O Mother of Life and God of the Word! I did not see my God Jesus Christ in the flesh, and when I saw You in the flesh, it seemed to me that He Himself always abides with us and I see Him Himself. And it was a great consolation for us, the apostles, to have You with us. And now you are leaving too! This is a great joy for You, for You are leaving for eternal joy. And we both rejoice and mourn. We rejoice in Your joy, for You are leaving for these most holy places and the joy is boundless, but we also grieve, for we remain here on earth without seeing You, and without Your meekness, and without Your sacred instructions and Your holy prayers.
The other apostles said the same thing. Then the Most Pure Mother of God spoke to them the last word, saying:
Behold, I will lie down on My bed and lay My body as My will will be, and you leave it like that.
And, having said this, she asked forgiveness from everyone who was there, from the divine apostles and holy women, and, making the sign of the cross, she lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, folded her hands on her chest and gave up her spirit.
O Thy miracles, Most Pure Mother of God! As soon as the Most Holy Mother gave up Her most holy and pure spirit into the hands of Her Son, all the blind and all the crippled, the lame and the sick, who had gathered there from the city and all the surrounding areas, became healthy! The dumb spoke, the deaf heard, the lepers were cleansed, the lame walked, for the Most Holy God and Savior Christ so deigned to honor the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother with His glorious miracles, so that everyone would know that it was not an ordinary woman who died, but the Mother of the Word, the Mother of God, the God of miracles.
And as soon as the Mother of God betrayed Her most pure soul, the divine apostles heard thousands and millions of angels singing in the air, praising and singing the descent of the Mother of the Most Holy God. And they themselves began to sing, like angels in the air.
And taking the bed with the most pure and holy body of the Mother of God, they began their journey to the Garden of Gethsemane, carrying it there to put it in the grave. And they were accompanied by angelic songs from the air, and the apostles with many Christians and all the disciples of Jesus Christ sang on earth. And there arose a common singing of the verbal flock of Jesus Christ on earth and the intelligent flock in heaven, that is, angels. And so both heaven and earth - that is, both people and angels - escorted the Mother of God to Her most holy tomb.
And when they walked like this, and hymns were heard, and a fragrance emanated from the most holy body, filling the places through which they passed, the envy of the Jews was aroused, and some of them rushed with great audacity to throw that most holy bed from the shoulders of the apostles to the ground. And one even dared to come up and raise his hands on the holy bed. But - oh Your miracles, Mother of God! - everyone who wanted to throw the stretcher off the shoulders of the apostles became blind and could no longer see where they came from or where they were going!
And the one who wickedly dared to touch the stretcher with the body of the Mother of God had his hands immediately cut off by an angel
And the one who dared - it was a Jew named Anthony - to touch the most pure stretcher, on which the most holy body of the Mother of God rested, both hands were immediately cut off by the invisible angelic right hand, and they hung, clinging to the stretcher, and he himself collapsed unconscious and half dead.
And both the blind and the one whose hands were cut off began to ask forgiveness from the Mother of God. And then the divine Apostle Peter, taking from the breast of the Mother of God, from the stretcher, a palm branch brought to Her by the Archangel Gabriel, applied it to the eyes of the blind, and immediately they became healthy, and when he touched the hands cut off by an invisible angel, the hands grew together again!
And so the glorious miracles of the Mother of God took place. That's why everyone exclaimed with one voice:
Great is God Jesus Christ and great is His Most Pure Mother, the Most Holy Virgin Mary!
And we all moved on together. Those who were envious earlier also walked, singing and confessing their sins to Christ God, and, repenting of their previous sins, they sang the Mother of mercy, the Mother of the Lord, who did not restrain their sin, but forgave everyone and gave them healing.
And, having come to the Garden of Gethsemane, they laid the most pure body of the Mother of God in a stone coffin, new, carved in advance, and, placing the stone on the door of the tomb, for three days and three nights they heard the singing of angels around the tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Then another wonderful thing happened. The Apostle Thomas, who was not present at the Resurrection of the Lord and therefore did not believe that the Risen Savior appeared to the ten disciples, was late now, according to the Providence of God. And he was not brought on the clouds of heaven along with the rest, but his cloud brought him after the burial of the Mother of God. Therefore, he was sad and very sorrowful, thinking: “For what sins did I not deserve to see the Mother of God one day in the flesh? For what sin did I delay in faith for the Resurrection, and now I am late for the Dormition of the Mother of God?
And then God inspired the apostles, that they, with a general council, should open the tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos, so that Thomas would kiss the feet of the Most Holy Mother of God in the tomb and receive consolation and firm hope that his preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was also accepted.
And when they opened the grave and coffin of the Mother of God - oh Your miracles, Most Holy Theotokos! - they did not find the body of the Most Holy Virgin Mary there, but only one shroud, as it remained in the tomb of the Savior Christ after the Resurrection, for the Most Holy God and our Savior Jesus Christ took His Most Holy Mother with the body into heaven and planted it in a place that He Himself knows.
This is a genuine event, brethren, and this truth about what happened at the Dormition of the Mother of God has been passed down to this day.
But pay attention to the fact that during the terrible suffering of our Savior Jesus Christ, during His crucifixion and death, great miracles also occurred. There there was darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth over the whole earth. There the earth shook and the stones split in two in Jerusalem. There the coffins opened and the dead were resurrected.
And so, just as at the death of our Savior Jesus Christ, glorious and great miracles were performed, so Her Most Holy God and Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, deigned to honor the Dormition of His Most Holy Mother with glorious miracles. Those were: the coming of the Archangel Gabriel, the bowing of the trees bowing to Her on the Mount of Olives, the arrival of the divine apostles on the clouds, the blinding and cutting off of the hands of the daring and their healing after repentance, angelic chants heard from all sides in an invisible way, accompanying the Mother of God to the tomb, and then Her ascension with flesh to heaven and leaving the holy shroud in the tomb, as a consolation to those remaining on earth.
Why did God crown the Dormition of His Most Pure Mother with so many miracles?
But why did so many miracles happen? Why, when the Mother of God gave up Her spirit, were so many deaf, lepers, lame, one-armed, withered and all other sick people healed? Why did the Most Holy God crown the Dormition of His Most Pure Mother with so many glorious miracles? This is why: for us and for our faith, so that we know until the very end of the world who the Mother of God was on earth, who then moved to heaven.
She who then moved into heaven is the Daughter of God, for do you hear what the Holy Spirit says? “Hear, O Daughters, and see, and incline Your ear, and forget Your people,” and so on. And at the same time, She is the Mother of the Word according to the flesh. This again the Holy Spirit tells us: that then the Most Immaculate Bride, the Royal Palace of the Most Holy Spirit, the most holy and pure chamber of the Spirit, came to heaven.
And if we ask the holy prophets and each of them separately, we will hear from all of them: now the spiritual and verbal Dove has settled into heaven, bringing into the world a sign of the end of the flood of sin - the olive branch that Noah’s dove carried, a sign of the propitiation of God for the salvation of the human race . The divine prophets would have told us this: now the intellectual ladder, the spiritual ladder, has settled into heaven, along which human nature rose from earth to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father through O the married body of Jesus Christ.
Let us ask David, Her blessed ancestor and parent, the father of God according to the flesh, and he will also tell us: now the Queen has settled into heaven, standing at the right hand of the Holy Trinity in robes of gold, clothed and adorned.
Ezekiel the prophet will tell us: now the door of God has moved into heaven, enclosed, through which no one has passed, only the Lord God, and He left Her imprisoned, without breaking the seals of Her virginity.
If we ask the prophet Isaiah, he will also tell us: now the Virgin has moved into heaven, giving birth to Immanuel, that is, Christ God, who always is and will be with us.
If we ask Gideon, he will tell us: now a fleece full of the dew of the Holy Spirit has dwelt into heaven.
If we ask Habakkuk the prophet, he will tell us in turn: now the mountain of God, overshadowed by a thick shadow, has moved into heaven.
And David will tell us again: now the mountain in which God was pleased to live has moved into heaven.
If we ask the prophets, everyone will say that now the Mother of God the Word, the Mother of Life, the Mother of mercy and mercy has moved from us to heaven.
Yes, brethren, how much more could be said about the Mother of God, but this cannot be retold at one Liturgy, for the time is too short and no one can praise Her according to her worth. Let us know that today our Mother, the Mother of mercy and mercy, has moved into heaven. For all of us to whom God is the Father, the spiritual Mother is the Mother of the Lord, Who always prays and always intercedes for us and for the salvation of the human race.
God would have destroyed the world long ago, as the divine fathers say, for the many sins with which people anger God; but the Mother of the Lord, just as she bound Jesus Christ with her arms and swaddled Him in a manger, now also binds the wrath of God and stops Him so that He does not destroy the human race. For the Mother of mercy and mercy does not want God to destroy the souls of people, for she knows that if the wrath of God flared up, he would destroy the whole world, which has become the abode of so many sins and evils.
The Most Holy Virgin Mother of God, who served the Father as a Daughter, Christ as a Mother and as a holy Servant - the Holy Spirit, always remaining a Servant and Servant of the Lord, as stated in the Gospel, always now serving the Most Holy Trinity in heaven along with all the saints and angels after unceasingly served Him on earth until her last breath, now she always intercedes and always prays for us and our salvation.
We have there, in heaven, a kind and merciful Mother. Do not think that if the Mother of the Lord moved into heaven today, then She has left the world. No! Having once gone there, She has O greater power and with b O helps us with greater strength. She is now closer to the Throne of the Divine, She has gone there to always look after the needs of the poor, the prayers of widows, the poor, the prisoners, the persecuted, the suffering, the sick. There She became the Mother, helping everyone in trouble, everyone who is oppressed and everyone who loves Her and calls for help with all their hearts. We have in heaven a most blessed Mother, a Mother of mercy and mercy, Who always prays for the entire Church of Christ and each child of the Church of Christ individually.
Blessed and thrice blessed are the Christians who keep the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in their home
Blessed and thrice blessed are the Christians who keep the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in their home and every day read and other prayers of the Mother of God. There is no stronger Person in heaven or on earth, after the Holy Trinity, than the Mother of God, who can help us.
If the memory of the righteous is praised, then how much praise should we bring to the Mother of God - the Queen of all the righteous, all the saints and all the angels of God? And if She is the Queen, then from the Most Holy God she has great power to help us, to patronize the world, to come to the aid of both small and large, rich and poor, wise and simple, sick and healthy, and all believers, appearing at the same time time our Heavenly Mother.
Blessed are those Christians who, after the Holy Trinity, honor the Mother of God with all their hearts and, wherever they go, say this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
I’ll tell you one story so that you can see how quickly the Mother of God is a Helper.
I’ll tell you one story so that you can see how quickly the Mother of God is a Helper to those for whom She is the Mother and who reveres Her as the Mother of God the Word, and how close She is to those who believe in Her and always call on Her for help.
There lived a widow woman whose husband died when she was still young, and she was left with two small children. And the poor woman also had a household. But she revered God and the Most Holy Theotokos, holding Her icon with the Divine Child in her arms in her house. And she taught children from an early age to bow before the icon, read “Our Father,” read “I Believe,” and, to begin with, at least the shortest prayers to the Mother of God. And the children, like babies, which they were, asked:
Mom, who is that on the icon?
And she told them:
This is your Mother, your true Mother.
Aren't you our mother?
She said:
No, your true Mother is in heaven, and Her name is the Mother of God.
Who is this Child She is holding in her arms? - they asked.
This is our Lord Jesus Christ, who created us and was carried in the womb of the Mother of God. She gave birth to Him by the Holy Spirit, and He was God and perfect Man.
So the poor mother taught the children who the Mother of God is, and taught them with all her heart that the Mother of God is their real Mother. Therefore, children, waking up in the morning, before speaking to their mother, ran to the Mother of God, made several prostrations to the ground, read the “Our Father” and then prayers to the Mother of God, honoring Her according to the strength of their childish understanding.
And then one day the poor woman had to go to the field to harvest, and there was no one to leave her children with. And it was her custom, leaving her children, to lock them in the house. And so she called the children, left them something to eat and said:
You are left at home alone; I’ll go to work, because I have a lot to do.
And the children asked:
Who will we be left with?
“Behold, you remain with your Mother,” and she showed them the icon of the Mother of God, in front of which a lamp was burning.
And she also said:
Your Mother stays with you and will protect you, and you be smart and pray if you find yourself in trouble. Call on Her, for She will protect you!
The children believed their mother that they were not left alone, but remained with their Heavenly Mother. And the poor woman hurriedly went to her work, into the field. And the children prayed, and their minds kept moving from one thing to another, not stopping at one thought.
So, they forgot about their mother’s advice. They prayed for a while, then took up games and began to play with fire. Mom, I said, locked them in the house so that they wouldn’t go outside and get lost, knowing that she herself would hardly return home in half a day.
And when the children began to play with fire, the house caught fire. And they, seeing that household things, carpets and whatever else they had, were on fire, and when they saw that the whole house was on fire, and there was no one to come put it out, for it was summer time and everyone was at work, they ran to the icon of the Mother of God, grabbed her with their little hands and shouted:
Mom, don't leave us!
The house burned down, but the fire did not touch the wall where the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos hung, which the children clung to!
And - oh Your miracles, Mother of God! - the whole house burned down, but the fire did not touch the wall on which hung the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos with the children clinging to it!
The woman heard in the field, for someone brought this news to her:
Oh, woman, your house burned down!
And she, poor thing, says:
Oh woe is me, I left the children at home!
But the one who spoke did not know about the miracle that happened to the children, and all he said to her was: “Run, for I heard that this is your house!”
When she heard it, poor thing, and knowing that she had locked her children in the house, she began to run, and her heart was ready to jump out of her chest from this running and fear. And when she reached the outskirts, she asked:
Did my house burn down?
Yes,” they answered her, “your house burned down.” We saw a big fire in your place, and people ran to put it out, but the house was already burned down.
And she cried:
Mother of God, how did You abandon my children, I left them with You!
And, sobbing and wailing, she ran like crazy. And, having come running, she saw that people were standing and looking at the glorious miracle: the whole house had burned down, and the wall with the icon of the Mother of God stood untouched, and the children were holding the icon with their little hands and shouting: “Mom, Mom!”
And seeing this, the poor woman rushed through the fire to the icon of the Mother of God and with great gratitude thanked the Mother of God for keeping these babies, whom she entrusted to Her, alive and healthy.
Whatever sorrow befalls you and whatever misfortune, call on the Mother of God!
I told you this to show: whoever honors the Mother of God as his Mother and Patroness, She will protect him: him, and his children, and livestock, and all his acquisitions. Always have this faith, let the akathist and honest prayer service to the Mother of God not be omitted in your house, and no matter what sorrow befalls you and what misfortune, call on the Mother of God with all your heart, and She will certainly come with Her ambulance, with most holy and most powerful prayers Our own.
Know that there is no soul under heaven that would place its trust in the Mother of God and would remain ashamed to the end. Through her prayers she will have peace, consolation, protection and refuge in this century, and at the moment of death the mercy of the Mother of God will not leave her. And on the day of Judgment, the Most Holy Mother will kneel before Her Most Holy and Sweetest Son and our God Jesus Christ and say: “Lord God and My Son, this tormented soul, even if she sinned, always asked Me to pray to You. Forgive her, have mercy and show mercy to her.”
And so, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, we will find mercy both in this century, and at the time of death, and on the day of Judgment.
