The Acathist Hymn to the Mother of God
Blessed is our God at all times, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Canon - First Ode
I shall open my mouth, and it shall be filled with the Spirit, and I shall sing a hymn of praise to the Mother and Queen; with great joy I shall celebrate and sing her praise.
Troparia
O Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
As the Archangel beheld you, immaculate one, a living scroll of Christ which the Spirit had sealed, he cried out to you: "Hail, vessel of joy, in whom the curse of Eve is lifted!"
O Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, O Virgin, bride of God, restoration of Adam and destruction of Hades! Hail, all-blameless one, unique palace of our King! Hail, fiery throne of the Almighty!
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Hail, O you who alone gave rise to the unfading Rose! Hail, O you who bore the fragrant Apple in such perfume as to be pleasing to the King of All! Hail, salvation of the word, O you, the ever-Virgin!
Now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.
Hail, treasury of purity who raised us from our fall! Hail, O Lady, fragrant lily perfuming all the faithful, sweet scented incense and ointment of great price!
THIRD ODE (note: There is no second ode)
O Mother of God, living and overflowing fountain, strengthen those who sing your praise and who gather now to honor you, and on this occasion of your diving commemoration, deem them worthy of the glorious crown of heaven.
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, mystical earth, who without plowing have given forth a Wheat divine! Hail, living table who support the Bread of life! Hail, O Lady, unfailing fountain of the Living Water!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, O Maiden who have borne a Child unto the faithful and yet remained immaculate! Hail, O you who have borne unto the world the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the whole world! Hail, O fervent intercessor for the remission of sins!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Hail, O radiant dawn who alone have borne Christ the Sun, Source of Light! Hail, O dwelling-place of Light! Hail, dispeller of darkness and terror of the demons of gloom!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hail, O Lady, unique gateway through whom the Lord along has passed! Hail, O you who, through your maternity, have shattered the locks of Hades! Hail, divine access towards salvation for the saved, O you so perfectly worthy of our praise!
FOURTH ODE
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
With faith, we raise our voices in melodious hymns to you who are worthy of all praise: Hail, fertile mountain raised aloft by the Spirit! Hail, lighthouse! Hail, vessel containing the Manna, O you so sweet to the taste of pious men!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, Immaculate Lady who have brought pardon to the world! Hail, O ladder who through grace have lifted us from the earth! Hail, O bridge who in truth do lead from death to life those who sing your praise.
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, O pure one, more lofty than the heavens! Hail, for without pain you have borne within your womb the Foundation of the earth! Hail, O murex shell, who with your blood have dyed a robe of purple for the King of Hosts!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Hail, O Lady, true Mother of the Lawgiver Who granted pardon to those who broke His Law! Hail, O Lady, unfathomable depth, inaccessible summit, O ever-Virgin through whom we have been made divine!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
We sing a hymn of thanksgiving to you who have plaited for the world a crown no other hand can fashion, and we cry out to you: O Virgin Hail! O fortress and protection, shelter and blessed haven unto all!
FIFTH ODE
The whole universe is rapt in amazement at the sight of your divine glory, for you are a virgin, and have not known man, and yet in your womb you have borne God, the Master of all; you have given birth to a Son Who is not bound by time, a Son Who grants salvation to those who sing your praise.
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, all-blameless one who have borne the Way of Life, and have saved the world from the flood of sin! Hail, immaculate one! Hail, betrothed of God to whom was spoken an awesome mystery! Hail, O dwelling-place of the Master of creation!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, immaculate one, strength and fortress of mankind! Hail, temple of glory and destruction of Hades! Hail, light of every bride and joy of every angel! Hail, assistance of those who pray to you with faith!
O most holy mother of God, save us!
Hail, O Lady, fiery chariot of the Word, living paradise holding in your midst the Tree of Life, The Lord Himself! The Lord whose sweetness revives the sinners who partake of Him with faith!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Strengthened through your power, we cry out to you with faith: Hail, city of the King of the Universe, of whom songs and praise and glory have been sung and are worth hearing. Hail, O mountain unhewn and depth never fathomed!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hail, immaculate Mother of God, spacious tent of the Word! Hail, O wondrous shell from whom came forth the Pearl divine! Hail, O you who are all-magnificent, and who have reconciled with God all those who bless your name, O Mother of God!
SIXTH ODE (celebrates the feast of the Annunciation)
Come, all you people whose mind is upon God: Come, let us clap our hands and celebrate this divine and glorious feast of the Mother of God. Let us send up glory to God Who was born of her!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, O perfect purity, immaculate bridal-chamber of the Word, cause of the deification of us all, sweet-sounding echo of the voice of the prophets! Hail, O glory of the apostles!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
From you, O Virgin, came forth the dew through which the flame of paganism was made to die, and so we cry out to you: Hail, O Virgin, dewy fleece whom Gideon in olden times had seen.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Behold, we cry out Hail to you! Be unto us a haven and a shelter, for we are tossed by heavy seas; Be a refuge in the ocean of our troubles, save us from the snares of our enemy!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O cause of our joy, be gracious to us: enlighten our minds, so that we may cry out to you: Hail, O burning and unconsumed bush, all-brilliant cloud spread out above the faithful!
SEVENTH ODE
The three young men divinely inspired refused to offer worship to creatures instead of the Creator: they had the courage to overcome the threatening fire, and sang out joyfully: "You are worthy of all praise, O Lord, God of our Fathers: Blessed are You!"
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
We praise you and cry out to you: Hail, mystical chariot of the living Sun! True vine who have given forth a full-grown cluster, Dripping with spiritual wine to fill with joy those who faithfully sing your praise!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Hail, O spouse of God who have borne the Healer of mankind! O mystical rod on whom there came to blossom a Flower that never fades! Hail, O our Lady: In you we find the fullness of Joy; through you, we inherit eternal Life!
O most holy mother of God, save us!
O Lady, the most brilliant speakers fall short when they sing your praise, for you are set above the Seraphim for having given birth to Christ the King! Oh, beg Him to deliver from every snare all those who come with faith to bow before you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The extremities of the earth bless you and sing your praise: in their love, they cry out to you: Hail, immaculate one, holy book in whom the Word is written by the hand of the Father. O Mother of God, pray him to write the names of your servants in the Book of Life!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
We your servants implore you, O immaculate one: we bow before you and surrender our hearts to you. Be kind to us, and save us who are drowning in countless sorrows: Protect your flock against the snares of the enemy.
EIGHTH ODE
The maternity of the Mother of God, prefigured by the three young men in he furnace, preserved them against the power of fire: But now that this maternity has come to be accomplished, it brings the whole universe together and makes it sing: "Praise the Lord, all you His works, and exalt Him forever!"
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Immaculate one, you have received in your womb The Word Himself, and have borne the Sustainer of the universe; you have fed with your milk the Nourisher of creation! To Him therefore we sing: "O works of the Lord, praise Him and exalt Him forever!"
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
O holy and all-immaculate Virgin, Moses foresaw in the burning bush the mystery of your tremendous maternity; and the three young men foretold it and described it in clear words as they stood unscathed in the midst of the flames. Therefore we praise you forevermore.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Through you, the dead are returned to life, for you have given birth to the Author of Life! Through you, the dumb are made eloquent, the lepers whole; sicknesses are driven away, and the multitude of evil spirits that roam around the world are vanquished, O Virgin, salvation of manking!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O you who have given to the world the Salvation through whom we have been lifted from the earth: Hail! blessed and immaculate one, our protection and our strength, refuse and shelter of those who cry out: "O works of the Lord, praise the Lord and bless Him forever."
NINTH ODE
Let every human being take up a torch, and let him dance with joy in his spirit! Let the whole immaterial creation celebrate this feast of the Mother of God, and cry out: Hail, glorious Mother of God, ever-pure and ever-virgin!
TROPARIA
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
O Maiden, deliver us who through you have become partakers of the Eternal Joy, so that we may be worthy to hail you: deliver us from all temptations, from cruel assaults, and from all the miseries that threaten us because of our many sins!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
You are for us an illumination and a safeguard, and so we cry out to you: Hail, unwaning star, heralding the great Sun into the world! Hail, immaculate one who have opened the gates of Eden! Hail, heavenly pillar guiding mankind towards the life of heaven!
O most holy Mother of God, save us!
Let us reverently stand in the house of God, and let us sing: Hail, Queen of the universe! Hail, Mary, the Lady of us all! Hail, only immaculate one, most beautiful among women! Hail, vessel who have contained the everlasting perfume that was poured into you!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Hail, eternal Virgin, dove in whom Mercy was born! Hail, pride of every saint, and crown of every martyr! Hail, divine beauty of the just, salvation unto all of us the faithful!
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Lord, spare your inheritance and dismiss our sins; O Christ, accept the supplication of the Woman who, without seed, conceived You in her womb, when in your great mercy you deigned to assume a human form.
Byzantine Daily Worship, Alleluia Press, 1969, p. 964-966
Melkite Catholic Church service book.
