Supplicatory Canon / Paraclesis to
our Lord Jesus Christ
A poem by Theoctistus, a Monk of Stoudion
The Monastery of St. John the Forerunner at Stoudion in Constantinople as it is today.
Second Tone
ODE ONE
Heirmos
In the deep of old, the Power supreme to all weaponry overwhelmed Pharaoh’s whole army. And when the Word became incarnate, He destroyed exceedingly pernicious sin; for the glorified Lord has gloriously been glorified.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Sweetest Jesus Christ, long-suffering Jesus, heal the wounds of my soul, O Jesus, and make sweet my heart, O most Merciful One, I pray to You, O Jesus my Saviour, that, as one saved, I may magnify You.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Sweetest Jesus Christ, O Jesus, open to me the portals of repentance, O Jesus, You the Friend of man, and accept me, O Jesus my Saviour, as I fall down before You and fervently implore the forgiveness of my sins.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Sweetest Jesus Christ, O Jesus, snatch me from the hand of deceitful Belial, O Jesus, and make me stand at the right of You glory, O Jesus my Saviour, delivering me from the lot of those on the left.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O Lady, who has given birth to Jesus our God, pray for us worthless slaves, that by your intercessions, O immaculate one, we who are defiled may be delivered from torment, O spotless one, and enjoy everlasting glory.
ODE THREE
Heirmos
Establishing me on the rock of faith, You have enlarged my mouth over my enemies; for my spirit rejoices in chanting: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous save You, O Lord.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Hearken, O my man-befriending Jesus, unto You servant calling with compunction; and deliver me, O Jesus, from condemnation and punishment, O only long-suffering, sweetest and most merciful Jesus.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Receive You servant, O my Jesus, who falls prostrate with tears, my Jesus, and save me as one repentant, O my Jesus, delivering me from Gehenna, O Master, sweetest and most merciful Jesus.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The time which You gave me, O my Jesus, have I squandered in passions, my Jesus. Cast me not away, O my Jesus, but call me back again, I pray, O Master, O sweetest Jesus, and save me.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O Virgin, who has given birth to my Jesus, implore Him to ‘rescue me from Gehenna. You alone are the protectress of the afflicted, O you who are full of divine grace. And make me worthy of the life that ages not. O all-blameless one.
SESSIONAL HYMN
First Tone. Thy tomb, O Saviour
O Jesus my Saviour, Who has saved the prodigal, O Jesus my Saviour, Who has accepted the harlot: Have mercy on me also, O most Merciful Jesus; have compassion and save me, O Jesus my Benefactor, even as You had compassion on Manasses, O my Jesus, the only Friend of man.
ODE FOUR
Heirmos
From a Virgin did You come, not as an ambassador, nor as an angel, but the very Lord Himself incarnate, and saved me, the whole man. Therefore, I cry to You: Glory to Your power, O Lord.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Heal. O my Jesus, the wounds of my soul, my Jesus, I pray, and snatch me from the hand of soul-corrupting Belial, O my compassionate Jesus, and save me.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
I have sinned, O my sweetest Jesus; my compassionate Jesus, save me who flee to Your protection. O long-suffering Jesus, and make me worthy of Your Kingdom.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
No one, O my Jesus, has sinned as have I, the wretched one; but now I fall prostrate and pray: Save me, O my Jesus, and bequeath me life, O my Jesus.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O all-hymned one, who has given birth to the Lord Jesus, implore Him to deliver from torment all who hymn you and rightly call you the Mother of God.
ODE FIVE
Heirmos
O Christ my Saviour, You are the Light of those that lie in darkness and Salvation of the despairing, unto You do I rise early, O King of peace. Enlighten me with Your illumination, for besides You I know none other God.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
You are the Light of my mind, O my Jesus; You are the Salvation of my despairing soul, O Saviour. O my Jesus, deliver me from torment and Gehenna, as I cry: Save me, the wretched one, O Christ my Jesus.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
Utterly cast down to shameful passions, O my Jesus, I now cry: Stretch down to me a helping hand, O my Jesus, and pluck me out as I cry: Save me, the wretched one, O Christ my Jesus.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Carrying about a mind defiled, I call to You, O Jesus: Cleanse me of the defilement of sin, and redeem me who have slipped down into the depths of evil through ignorance, and save me, O Saviour, my Jesus, I pray.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O Maiden Mother of God, who has given birth to Jesus, implore Him to save all Orthodox monastics and laity, and to deliver from Gehenna those who cry: We know no certain protection save yours.
ODE SIX
Heirmos
Encompassed round about by an abyss of offences, I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Your compassion: Raise me up from corruption, O God.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
O most merciful Christ, my Jesus, accept me who confess my sins, O Master, and save me, O Jesus, and snatch me from corruption, O Jesus.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
O my Jesus, no one else has been so prodigal as I, the wretched one, O man-befriending Jesus; but do save me, O Jesus.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
O my Jesus, with my passions I have surpassed the harlot and the prodigal, Manasses and the publican, O my Jesus, and the thief and the Ninevites, O Jesus.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O you who did conceive my Jesus Christ, O only undefiled and immaculate Virgin: even now, by the hyssop of your intercessions, cleanse me, the defiled one.
KONTAKION
Fourth Tone
O Sweetest Jesus, Light of the world, enlighten the eyes of my soul, O Son of God, with Your divinely radiant splendour, that I may praise You, the unwaning Light.
ODE SEVEN
Heirmos
When the golden image was adored in the plain of Deira, Your three Children trampled underfoot the ungodly decree; and though cast into the midst of the fire, as ones refreshed they chanted: Blessed are You, the God of our Fathers.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
O Christ Jesus, no one on earth has ever sinned, O my Jesus, as have I, the wretched one and prodigal. Therefore, I cry to You, my Jesus, have compassion on me as I sing: Blessed are You, the God of our Fathers.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
O Christ Jesus, I cry: Nail me down with the fear of You, O my Jesus, and guide me to Your calm haven now, O my compassionate Jesus, that as one saved I may sing to You: Blessed art You, the God of our Fathers.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
O Christ Jesus, ten thousand times have I, the hapless one, promised You repentance, O my Jesus, but, wretch that I am, I lied to You. Therefore, I cry to You, my Jesus: Enlighten my soul which yet remains unfeeling, O Christ, the God of our Fathers.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O you who gave birth to Jesus Christ awesomely and supernaturally, O all-blameless one, implore Him, O Maiden, to forgive me all my sins which I have committed against my human nature, that as one saved I may cry: Blessed are you who conceived God in the flesh.
ODE EIGHT
Heirmos
O you works, praise you the Lord God Who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew Children and changed the flame into dew; and supremely exalt Him unto all the ages.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
I implore You, O my Jesus: As You redeemed the harlot from many sins, O my Jesus, likewise redeem me, O Christ my Jesus, and cleanse my foul soul, O my Jesus.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
O Jesus, having yielded to irrational pleasures. I have become irrational, O my Jesus; and wretch that I am, I have truly and pitifully become like the beasts, O Saviour. Therefore, O Jesus, deliver me from irrationality.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having fallen, O Jesus, into the hands of soul-corrupting thieves, I have been stripped now of my divinely-woven garment, O Jesus, and prostrate I lie all bruised with wounds, O my Christ, do pour on me oil and wine.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O Theotokos Mary, who inexplicably held the Christ, my Jesus and God: Implore Him to save from perils your servants and them that praise you, O Virgin who knew no wedlock.
ODE NINE
Heirmos
With one accord, let us the faithful magnify with hymns God the Word, Who came forth from God, and Who was inexpressibly incarnate of the holy Virgin for our sakes, and Who in His ineffable wisdom came to renew Adam who fell grievously when he partook of corruption.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
I have surpassed, O my Jesus, Manasses and the publican, the harlot and the prodigal, O compassionate Jesus, and the thief, O my Jesus, through all my shameful and unbecoming deeds, O Jesus; but do forestall me, O my Jesus, and save me.
O Sweetest Jesus, save me.
By my passions, O my Jesus, pitifully have I, the wretched one, surpassed all those from Adam who have sinned, both those before the Law and in the Law, O Jesus, and after the Law and Grace, O my Jesus; but by Your judgments save me, O my Jesus.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
May I not be parted from Your ineffable glory, my Jesus, nor may the portion on the left, O Jesus, fall to me, O sweetest Jesus; but set me on the right hand with Your sheep and give me rest, O Christ my Jesus, since You are compassionate.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O Theotokos, who alone held Jesus, O Virgin Mary who knew not wedlock: O pure one, implore Him, your Son and Creator, to be gracious to us, that we who have recourse to you may be delivered from temptations and perils, and from the fire that is to come.
Stichera (a poem of Theoctistus):
Plagal of Second Tone. Having placed their every hope
O my sweetest Jesus, You the joy and Gladness of my soul, Jesus, You the cleansing of my mind, O my Master and Lord most merciful: Jesus, save me, O Jesus my Saviour; O my Jesus, You Almighty One, do not abandon me; O my Saviour Jesus, have mercy and deliver me from punishment, O my Jesus, and deem me worthy of the lot of the saved, O my Jesus, and number me with the choir of all Your blessed and chosen ones, O Jesus, Friend of man.
O my sweetest Jesus, You the glory of the Apostles, O my Jesus, You the boast of the Martyrs, Master Who are omnipotent: Jesus, do save me, O Jesus my Saviour; my Jesus, You the most beautiful One, have mercy on me, O Saviour Jesus, who runs to You, by the entreaties of her that carried You and, O Jesus, of all Your Saints, and of all the Prophets, O Saviour Jesus, and give the Paradise of delight to me, O Jesus, Friend of man.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
O my sweetest Jesus, You the glory of the monastics, O long-suffering Jesus, You the ascetics’ blest adornment and great delight: Jesus, save me, O Jesus my Saviour; my Jesus You are supremely good, snatch me out of the hand of the dragon, O Saviour Jesus Christ, and free me from his snares, O my Saviour Jesus, and now lead me up, my Saviour, out of the lowest pit, O Jesus, and number me, O Jesus, with Your sheep at Your holy, blessed right hand.
Both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion
O entrust me not, I pray, to any human protection, O our Lady, holy one, but accept the prayer of your supplicant. Sorrow has fettered me, and I am unable to endure and bear the demons’ darts; a shelter have I not, neither place to run, I, the wretched one; embattled from all sides am I, and no consolation have I but you, Mistress of creation, protection and hope of faithful ones: Turn not away when I pray to you; do that which will profit me.
A prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
O Master Christ God, Who by Your Passion has healed my passions, and by You wounds has healed my wounds: grant tears of compunction unto me who have greatly offended; temper my body with the fragrance of Your life-creating Body, and sweeten my soul with Your precious Blood, taking away the bitterness which the contending adversary has made me drink. Lift my mind up to You, since it has been drawn down below, and lead me up from the pit of destruction; for I have no repentance, I have no compunction, I have not a tear of supplication as children which shall lead me up unto my inheritance. I have been darkened in mind by the passions of life and I am not able to look up to You in my travail; I cannot rouse myself to fervour with tears of love for You. But, O Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Treasury of good things, grant me complete repentance, and a suffering heart that shall seek You out. Grant Your grace to me and renew in me the likeness of Your image. I have abandoned You; do not abandon me. Come forth and seek me out, lead me into Your pasture, number me together with the sheep of Your elect flock, and nourish me together with them on the verdure of Your divine Mysteries, by the intercessions of Your all-pure Mother and of all Your Saints. Amen.
