I sign my face and my whole being with the sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. Believing in the Holy Trinity and entrusting myself to Him, I renounce my enemy, Satan. Standing here before my Mother, the Holy Church, I renounce him; and my witness is Mary. In this world and in the world to come, I take her as my fortress and refuge, and I renounce him.

O Lord, we glorify You and we praise You. O Lord, we bless You and we entrust ourselves to You. O Lord, we serve Your holy name. We bow down and kneel before You, O You before whom every knee bows, and whom every tongue serves and glorifies. You are the God of gods, the Lord of lords, and the King of kings. You are God of all flesh and Lord of all souls. And we call upon You as Your holy Son taught us, saying: “But when you pray, you shall say…”

Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen. 

O our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, in the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel, we say: Hail to you. You are a virgin in mind and a virgin in body. O Mother of God, hail to you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb. Rejoice with great joy, O Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with you. Intercede for us before your beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that He may forgive our sins. Amen.

The Creed of Faith. We believe in one God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, who created heaven and earth, and all things, visible and invisible. We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light out of Light, true God of true God; begotten not created, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into the heavens and sits at the right hand of His Father, and He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, who proceeds from the Father, who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And in one holy, universal and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen.

Holy Holy Holy, Lord of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory and honor. We worship You, O Christ, with Your merciful and heavenly Father, and the life‑giving Holy Spirit, for You have come and saved us..

I worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (three times). Three in One, and One in Three. Three in hypostasis and one in essence. I venerate the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. I venerate the holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, consecrated by His precious Blood. The Cross is our power, the cross is our strength, the cross is our redemption, the cross is the salvation of our souls. We who believe in the power of the Cross receive salvation through it.

Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to the Holy Spirit (Three times). Glory to the Theotokos, our Lady the Virgin Mary. Glory to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. May Christ remember us in His mercy. And at His return, that He do not let us be ashamed. That He may awaken us to praise His name. That He may keep us steadfast in worshiping Him. Our Lady, lift up our prayers; intercede that our sins may be forgiven; before the throne of our Lord. That He gave us this bread; that He provided us this drink; that He provided all our sustenance and our necessities; that He forgave all our sins and has taken away our iniquities; that He granted us to partake of His precious blood and His holy body; that He has brought us safely to this very hour. Glory and praise be to the Most High God, and to His Mother, the holy Virgin, and to His honorable Cross. May the holy Name of God be perfectly glorified and exalted at all times and in every hour.

Hail to you, O Mary, our mother. We bow before you with reverence. We ask your protection over us; deliver us from every danger and from the predatory beasts that seek to harm us. O Virgin, for the sake of your righteous parents, Hannah your mother, and Joachim your father, bless our congregation today.

The Song of Praise of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary(Luke 1:46-55). And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors, forever and ever, Amen

1. While Adam was sad, God was pleased, to bring him back, to his authority. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. Eve who was tempted, by the serpent, was condemned, by the Lord. “For in abundance, I will greatly multiply, your sorrows, and your sighs.” Yet God felt compassionate, through his love for man, and was pleased, to free her once again. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. Jesus Christ the Word, who came and took flesh, He dwelt in us, and we saw His glory. Like the glory of the only Son, of His Father, He was pleased, to redeem us. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. Isaiah has seen, the mystery, of Emmanuel, with prophetic insight. Therefore, Isaiah, the great prophet, cried out proclaiming, and saying. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, the government shall be, upon His shoulder. The powerful God, of authority, and the Angel of, the great counsel.” Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. Rejoice and be happy, O human race, for God so revealed, His love to the world. That He gave, His beloved Son, for those who believe in Him, so that they may live forever. For He was overcome, by His compassion, and sent unto us, His almighty arm. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. He who is, and who was, who has come, who is to come again. Jesus Christ the Word, who was incarnate, without alteration, became a perfect man. Without alteration of His being, or mingling or separation, of any kind, after the unity. But He is of one nature, one hypostasis, and one person, for God the Word. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

7. Hail to Bethlehem, the city of the prophets, in which was born Christ, the second Adam. In order to bring Adam, the first man, who was made of dust, back to Paradise. And to absolve, the decree of death saying, “Adam you are from dust, and to dust you shall return.” For in the place, where sin has abounded, the grace of Christ, has abounded more. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

8. All the souls, rejoice and sing, with the angels, and praise Christ the King. Proclaiming and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men.” For He has destroyed, the middle wall, and killed the enmity, with perfection. He has torn, the verdict of slavery, pronounced on Adam and Eve, and He freed them. He who was born for us, in the city of David, is our Savior Jesus, as the angel said. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

9. O true Light, that shines upon, every man, that comes into the world. You have come into the world, through Your love for man, and all the creation, rejoiced at Your coming. You have saved Adam, from the seduction, and delivered Eve, from the pangs of death. You gave unto us, the Spirit of sonship, we praise and bless You, with Your angels. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

1. All the heavenly multitudes, declare your blessedness, for you are the second heaven, upon the earth. The door to the East, is the Virgin Mary, the pure bridal chamber, for the pure Bridegroom. The Father looked from heaven, and found no one like you, He sent His only-begotten, who came and took flesh from you. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. They spoke of you with honour, O city of God, for you are the dwelling place, of all the joyful. All the kings of the earth, walk in your light, and the nations in your brightness, O Mary the Mother of God. Every generation calls you blessed, and we also worship Him, to whom you gave birth, and we exalt Him. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. You are the light cloud, that has lead us to, the rain of the coming, of the only-begotten God. The Father created you, and the Holy Spirit came upon you, and the power of the Most High, overshadowed you O Mary. For you have given birth, to the true Word, the Son of the ever-existing Father, who came and redeemed us from our sins. Great is the honour, which you are worthy of O Gabriel, the messenger angel, your face beams with joy. For you announced to us the birth, of God who came to us, and you declared to Mary, the undefiled Virgin. Saying “Hail to you O full of grace, the Lord is with you. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. You have found grace, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you. The power of the Most High, will overshadow you Mary, you shall give birth to the Holy One, the Savior of the whole world.”  Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. A virginal feast, today inspires our tongues, to give praise to, Mary the Theotokos. On account of Him who was born, for us in the city of David, our Savior Jesus, Christ the Lord. Come all you nations, that we may bless her, for she has become a mother, and a virgin. Hail to you O Virgin, the pure and incorrupt one, the Word of the Father, came and took flesh from you. Hail to the chosen vessel, which is without blemish, that is of your true, and perfect virginity. Hail to the paradise, speaking for Christ, who became the second Adam, for the sake of Adam the first man. Hail to the uniting place, of the unparted natures, that came together in one place, without ever mingling. Hail to the bridal chamber, decorated in every way, for the true Bridegroom, who united with humanity. Hail to the soul of human nature, likened to the bush, which the fire of His divinity, did not burn any of it. Hail to the handmaiden and Mother, the Virgin and the heaven, who carried in the flesh, He who sits upon the Cherubim. For this we rejoice and sing, with the holy angels, and we joyfully proclaim, “Glory to God in the Highest. And on earth peace, goodwill towards men, for He who is glorified forever, was pleased with you.” Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. Great is the honour of Mary, above all the saints, for she was found worthy to receive, God the Word. The One feared by the angels, Mary the Virgin, has carried, in her womb. She is exalted above the Cherubim, more honoured than the Seraphim, she became a temple, for the One from the Trinity. She is Jerusalem, the city of our God, the joy of all saints, abides in her. The Galilee of the Gentiles, who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, had the great Light shine to them. God who rests, among His saints, became incarnate of the Virgin, for our salvation. Come behold and be amazed, joyfully sing on account, of this mystery, which was revealed unto us. For the Incorporeal was incarnate, and the Word became flesh, the One without beginning began, the Eternal came under time. The Incomprehensible has been touched, and the Unseen has been seen, and the Son of the living God, truly became the Son of Man.  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, in one hypostasis, we worship and glorify Him. The Galilee of the Gentiles, who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, had the great Light shine to them. God who rests, among His saints, became incarnate of the Virgin, for our salvation. Come behold and be amazed, joyfully sing on account, of this mystery, which was revealed unto us. For the Incorporeal was incarnate, and the Word became flesh, the One without beginning began, the Eternal came under time. The Incomprehensible has been touched, and the Unseen has been seen, and the Son of the living God, truly became the Son of Man. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, in one hypostasis, we worship and glorify Him. The Father looked from heaven, and found no one like you, He sent His only-begotten, who came and took flesh from you.Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

7. Ezekiel the prophet, has witnessed saying, “I saw a gate to the East, sealed with a mysterious seal. And no one else entered it, but the Lord of powers, He entered and went out, and the gate remained sealed.” Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

8. For the gate is the Virgin, who gave birth to our Savior, and after His birth, she remained a virgin. Blessed is the Fruit of your womb, O who gave birth to God for the world, so as to redeem us from the hands, of the unmerciful tyrant. Blessed and perfect are you, O who has found all grace, before the King of glory, our true Lord. You deserved all honour, more than any one on earth, for the Word of the Father, came and was incarnate of you. And He walked among men, as a compassionate Lover of Man, that He may save our souls, through His holy appearance. Let us worship our Savior, the good Lover of Mankind, for He had compassion upon us, as He came and saved us. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

1. The bush which Moses, has seen in the wilderness, and the fire that was in it, did not burn its branches. This is a symbol of Mary, the undefiled Virgin, which the Word of the Father, came and took flesh from her. The fire of His divinity, did not burn the womb of the Virgin, and after she bore Him, she remained a virgin. He did not cease to be divine, He came and became the Son of Man, for He is the true God, who came and saved us. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. The pride of all virgins, is Mary the Mother of God, for her sake He has revoked, the first curse. Which was pronounced upon our race, through the violation, incurred by the first woman, when she ate from the fruit of the tree. Because of Eve, the door of Paradise was closed, and through the Virgin Mary, it was opened to us once more. We have become worthy to have, the tree of life to eat from, which is the Body of God, and His true Blood. Let us worship our Savior, the good Lover of Mankind, for He had compassion upon us, He came and saved us. Which mind or which speech, or sound can attain, the unutterable expression, of Your love for mankind O God. The One and only Word, begotten before all ages, as the divinity without body, from the only Father. And He Himself also, was born bodily, without change or alteration, from His Mother only. And also after she bore Him, she remained a virgin, and thus He has showed, that she is the Theotokos. O the depth of the riches, and wisdom of God, for the womb under punishment, bore children with deep pain. He became the source of immortality, she gave birth to Emmanuel, without the seed of man, to revoke the corruption of our race. Let us proclaim and say unto Him, “Glory be to the Incomprehensible One, the good Lover of Man the Savior of our souls, He came and saved us.” Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. O what an honour to the conception, of the virginal womb, that bore God without seed, as the angel witnessed. When he appeared to Joseph, he likewise said, “The One she will give birth to, is from the Holy Spirit.” For the Word of the Father, came and took flesh from her, she bore Him without change, the angel said to him. “She shall give birth to a Son, and He shall be called Emmanuel, which means, God with us.” And you will also call, His name Jesus, for He will save His people, from their iniquities. So when we become His people, He will save us with power, He will forgive us our sins, let us be confirmed in Him. For He is God in truth, He became man without change, glory be to Him, both now and forever. O what mysterious contractions, of God that are for, Mary the Theotokos, the ever-Virgin. For she is where, two were united, the undefiled virginity, and the true Birth. For marriage, did not precede birth, neither did the Birth, loosen her virginity. For He who was born is God, born without pain from the Father, and He was also born according to the flesh, without pain from the Virgin. One nature out of two, divinity and humanity, therefore the Magi silently, worship uttering His divinity. They offered Him frankincense for He is God, and gold for He is King, and myrrh as a sign, of His life-giving Death. This He accepted was for our sake, through His own will, the One and only good Lover of Mankind the Savior of our souls, He came and saved us.Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. O what a great wonder, He took a rib, from Adam’s side, and created a woman from it. She gave all the form of humanity, with perfection to the Lord, the Creator, the Word of the Father. This is He who took flesh, from her without change, she gave birth to Him as a human, and He was called Emmanuel. Let us also entreat her, as the ever-Theotokos, to intercede on our behalf, before her beloved Son. For she is greatly honoured, by all the saints and patriarchs, for she has brought to them, the One whom they were waiting for. And likewise, all the prophets, who prophesied about Him, in many ways and various analogies, saying “He will come and save us.” And all the Apostles, for she is the Mother, of the One they preached about, all over the world. The struggling martyrs, for out of her came, the Founder of the true struggle, our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us glorify, the greatness of His wealth, and His infinite wisdom, pleading for His great mercy. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. The Lord has sworn in truth to David, and did not turn from it saying, “From the Fruit of your body, I will set upon your throne.” So, when the righteous one, asked with all his heart, that Christ be born there according to the flesh, he asked earnestly. To find a dwelling place, for the Lord God the Word, and this was completed, with a great mystery. And he instantly cried out, through the Spirit saying, “We have heard it in Ephrathah, which is Bethlehem.” The place where our God Emmanuel, has chosen to be born, according to the flesh, for our salvation. As Micah the prophet, also proclaimed saying, “You also O Bethlehem, the land of Ephrathah. Are by no means the least, among the rulers of Judah, for out of you shall come a ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.” Oh, what are these symphonies, of all these prophets, who prophesied with this one Spirit, for the coming of Christ. This is He who is worthy of glory, with His good Father, and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. When David’s enemies revolted against him, who was the king of Israel, he wished to drink fountain water from Bethlehem. Then his captains quickly got up, fought through his enemies’ camp and brought him what he wished to drink. And when David saw how they gave up their life boldly for him, he spilled the water and didn’t drink from it. And that is counted as righteousness for him. Martyrs ignored the pleasures of this world, spilled their blood for the sake of God, and endured the bitterness of death for the sake of heavenly kingdom. According to the greatness of Your compassion, have mercy on us. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

7. The One of the Trinity, co-essential to the Father, when He looked upon our tribulation, and our bitter slavery. He bowed the heaven of heavens, and came to the womb of the Virgin, He became man like us, save for sin only. When He was born in Bethlehem, according to the prophecies, He saved and redeemed us, for we are His people. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

1. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your Fruit, O Mary the Mother of God, the undefiled Virgin. For the Sun of Righteousness, shone unto us from you, with healing under His wings, for He is the Creator. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. You are blessed more favoured than heaven, and more honoured than earth, you exceed every thought, who can speak of your honour. No one is like you, O Mary the Virgin, the angels honour you, and the Seraphim glorify you. For He who sits upon the Cherubim, came and was incarnate of you, and He united us with Him, through His goodness. He took what is ours, and gave us what is His, we praise and glorify Him, and exalt Him. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. Blessed are you O Mary, and blessed is your Fruit, O Virgin Mother of God, the pride of virginity. He who existed before all ages, came and was incarnate of you, and the Ancient of Days, came out of your womb. He took our body, and gave us His Holy Spirit, and made us one with Him, through His goodness. Many women received honour, yet you exceeded them all, for you are the pride of virgins, O Mary the Theotokos. You are the soul’s city, where the Most High lived, who sits upon the throne, of the Cherubim. The Seraphim glorify Him, and you held Him in your arms, He who gives food to all flesh, through His great kindness. He held to your breasts, and you fed Him, for He is our God, and the Savior of everyone. He shepherds all of us, forever and ever, we praise and glorify Him, and exalt Him. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. Virgin Mary, the wise Mother of God, the garden of fragrance, the holy fountain of the living water. The Fruit of your womb, came and saved the world, and He abolished all enmity, and established for us His peace. Through His Cross, and His holy Resurrection, He restored man once again, to the Paradise. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. Virgin Mary, the holy Mother of God, the trusted advocate, of the human race. Intercede on our behalf, before Christ whom you have born, that He may grant unto us, the forgiveness of our sins. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. The Virgin Mary has proclaimed, in the altar, saying “My peace, God does know. For I know nothing, other than the voice of the angel, announcing the joy, coming to me from heaven.” What do I call you, O all-holy Virgin, who gave birth to the Incomprehensible, and Infinite One. Many are your praises, O who is adorned with honour, for you became a dwelling, for the wisdom of God. You are the rational net, that catches Christians, and teaches them to worship, the life-giving Trinity. You are the one who carried, the Pillar which Moses saw, who is the Son of God, who came and dwelt in your womb. You became the ark, for Him who created heaven and earth, you carried Him in your womb, for nine full months. You were also entrusted with, the fullness of heaven and earth, and you became our reason, to progress to heaven. You are brighter than the sun, you are the East, toward which the righteous look, with happiness and joy. Eve was sentenced, to give birth with deep pain, while to you it was said, “Hail to you O full of grace.” You gave birth to the King for us, the Lord of all creation, He came and redeemed us from our sins, as a Good One and Lover of Man. Therefore, we sing, with Elizabeth your cousin saying, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb.” Hail to you O Virgin, the very and true queen, hail to the pride of our race, who gave birth to Emmanuel. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

1. O chaste and undefiled, holy in everything, who brought God for us, carried in her arms. The whole creation rejoiced with you, proclaiming and saying, “Hail to you O full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. Hail to you O full of grace, hail to you who has found grace, hail to you who has given birth to Christ, the Lord is with you. We are blessed by your greatness, O prudent Virgin, and send unto you greetings, with Gabriel the angel. For through your Fruit, salvation came to our race, and God has reconciled with us once again, through His goodness. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. Like a bridal chamber without blemish, the Holy Spirit came upon you, and the power of the Most High, overshadowed you O Mary. For you have given birth, to the true Logos, the Son of the ever-existing Father, who came and redeemed us from our sins. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. You are the offspring, and root of David, who has given birth for us according to the flesh, our Savior Jesus Christ. The only-begotten of the Father, before all ages, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, from you for our salvation. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. You became a second heaven, on earth O Mother of God, for out of you the Sun of Righteousness, shone upon us. You gave birth to Him according to the prophecy, without seed or corruption, for He is the Creator, and the Word of the Father. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. The tabernacle, which is called, the holy of holies, which contains the ark, overlaid roundabout with gold. Wherein are the tablets, of the covenant, and the golden vessel, wherein the manna was hidden. This is a symbol of the Son of God, who came and dwelt in Mary, the undefiled Virgin, and was incarnate of her. She gave birth to Him unto the world, in unity without separation, for He is the King of glory, who came and saved us. Paradise rejoiced, at the coming of the Lamb, the Word the Son of the ever-existing Father, who came and redeemed us from our sins. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

7. You are called the Mother of God, the true King, and after He was born from you, miraculously you remained a virgin. Emmanuel whom you have born, has kept you, without corruption, and your virginity remained sealed. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

8. You were likened to the ladder, which Jacob saw, rising up to heaven, with the awesome God standing above it. We hail the one who did accept, the Infinite One in her womb, and her virginity, was sealed from all sides. You have become our intercessor, before God our Savior, who became incarnate of you, for our salvation. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

9. Behold the Lord came out of you, O blessed and perfect one, to save the world which He has created, according to His many tender mercies. We praise and glorify Him, and exalt Him above all, as a Good One and Lover of Man, have mercy on us according to Your great mercy. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

10. Hail to you O full of grace, the undefiled Virgin, the chosen vessel, for all the world. The unextinguished lamp, the pride of virginity, the indestructible altar, and the scepter of the faith. Ask of Him whom you have born, our good Savior, to take away our troubles, and grant us His peace. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

1. You are called righteous, O blessed one, among women, the second tabernacle. Which is called, the holy of holies, wherein are the tablets, of the covenant. Whereupon is, the ten commandments, these which are written, by the finger of God. They have directed us, to the Iota, the name of salvation, of Jesus Christ. Who was incarnate, of you without change, and became the Mediator, of a new covenant. Through the shedding, of His holy Blood, He purified the faithful, to be a justified people. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

2. Wherefore everyone, magnifies you, O our Lady the Mother of God, the ever-holy. And we too, hope to win mercy, through your intercessions, with the Lover of Mankind. The ark overlaid, roundabout with gold, that was made, with wood that would not decay. It foretold the sign, of God the Word, who became man, without separation. One nature out of two, a holy divinity, co-essential with the Father, and incorruptible. A holy humanity, begotten without seed, co-essential with us, according to the Economy. This which He has taken, from you O undefiled, He made one with Him, as a hypostasis. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

3. The mercy seat was overshadowed by, the forged Cherubim, from all sides. Was a symbol of God the Word, who was incarnate, of you without change, O undefiled. He became the purification, of our sins, and the forgiveness, of our iniquities. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

4. You are the pot, made of pure gold, wherein was hidden, the true Manna. The Bread of life, which came down from heaven, and gave life, unto the world. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

5. You are the lampstand, made of pure gold, carrying, the ever-burning Lamp. That is the unapproachable, Light of the world, that proceeds from, the unapproachable Light. The true God, out of true God, who was incarnate, of you without change. By His appearing, He gave light to us, we who sit in the darkness, and in the shadow of death. And He guided our feet, in the path of peace, through the communion, of His holy sacraments. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

6. You are the censer, made of pure gold, carrying the blessed, and live coal. That is taken, from the altar, to purge the sins, and take away the iniquities. Which is God the Word, who took flesh from you, and offered Himself as incense, to God His Father. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

7. Hail to you Mary, the beautiful dove, who gave birth to, God the Word. You are the flower, of incense, that has blossomed, from the root of Jesse. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

8. The rod of Aaron, which blossomed, without planting or watering, resembles you. O who gave birth to Christ, our true God, without the seed of man, and remained a virgin. Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

9. You are more worthy, than all of the saints, to ask on our behalf, O full of grace. You are exalted, more than the patriarchs, and honoured more, than the prophets. And you have a seeking, more special, than the Cherubim, and the Seraphim. For you are truly, the pride of our race, and the intercessor, of our souls. Intercede for us, before our Savior, that He may keep us firm, in the upright faith. That He may grant us, the forgiveness of our sins, in order to win mercy, through your intercessions.Intercede for us, O Holy Theotokos!

[The daily Theotokia are adapted from the Coptic Theotokia, attributed to St. Ephraim the Syrian]

1. Praise and thanksgiving to the Mother of Adonai. Holy and blessed, glorious and gracious, honoured and exalted, O our Lady, the Virgin Mary, you are the gate of light, the ladder of life, the dwelling place of Divinity, and the Holy of Holies. The Father loved you, the Son was incarnate from your flesh, the Holy Spirit overshadowed you. O blessed above every creature, you replaced the Highest heaven, for you are the Highest heaven on earth.. In your likeness the holy prophets, priests and kings made the Holy of Holies and within it the Tablets of the Covenant. O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

2. Since the Son of God incarnated from you and through you we who are of the earth have been brought to the Highest Heaven. In your name and in the name of your Son, we have been brought to the Highest Heaven. The Ten commandments, written by His fingers, the Lord of all creation, the Son of God, He dwelt in your womb. The Father, in His authority, established you; the Holy Spirit overshadowed you; the power of the Most High strengthened you; and Jesus put on from you that very flesh. With a great voice He proclaimed, as the scripture said “Out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water,” He said “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

3. The Father, from the beginning, proclaimed through the commandments that were written by the fingers of God. Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, taught us that You alone are His Father, and that He alone is Your Only‑Begotten Son. And we believe that in His divinity He has no mother, and in His humanity He has no father. He came down from heaven, known only to His Father and to the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete. O Mary, we believe that He dwelt in your womb, and that you carried Him for nine months. At His birth the heavens rejoiced, and the earth was delighted. The angel proclaimed the good news; and the hosts of heaven, the angels, glorified God saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and goodwill among men.”

The shepherds were astonished at what they saw and heard in Bethlehem. The wise men, having seen the star, came from a far country to worship your Son and to serve you. That star which rose in the East and guided them to Bethlehem, stood over the place where you were with your Child. When those wise men saw it, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They entered in to Him, your Child, stood before Him, and falling to the ground, they worshiped Him. They opened their treasures and offered to Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And they said: “You who have come to accept the supplication and sacrifice of Your people, and to forgive them their sins, O our God, we have brought You an offering; and for Your glorious Name we present to You the incense which is from You.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

4. Your are the purest of the pure, the chosen Virgin, like the Ark made of incorruptible wood, overlaid with gold, adorned with precious and radiant stones. You were chosen to live in the Holy temple, and the angels continually brought you your food. For twelve years the angels ministered to you, visiting you without ceasing. Your drink was the drink of life, and your food was the bread of heaven. Your father David praised God with the Lyre, and in prophecy by the Holy Spirit, he sang saying: “Hear, O daughter, and incline your ear; forget your people and your father’s house, and the King shall desire your beauty. For He is your Lord, and you shall worship Him.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

5. From the ranks of the undefiled angels, from the company of those without sin who stand before the Lord of all, the Archangel Gabriel, one of the mighty and exalted, came and announced to you, saying: “Rejoice with great joy, for the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and you have found grace before the Lord of all. Behold, you shall conceive, and you shall bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. Therefore, the One who shall be born of you is holy and called the Son of the Lord of all.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

6. You are the holy sanctuary, that is the holiest of the holies of the temple. You are the veil of light, the throne of glory that is beyond human expression. O holy Mary, we likened you by the Holy of Holies of the temple because the Holy Spirit came upon you and the power of the Most High overshadowed you. You are the veil of light as our Savior Jesus Christ, the Word of the Father, was concealed in your womb. He is the Lord above all, whom angels and archangels, dominions and authorities, thrones and powers, principalities and hosts of heaven continually glorify. When you brought forth your Son into this world, the many‑eyed Cherubim and the Seraphim with six wings surrounded you in the manger. Clouds of light encircled you; the chiefs of the angels, the armies of heaven, and the celestial hosts stood before you in fear and trembling. The Cherubim and Seraphim offered you a new praise, different from the praise they give in heaven, and unlike any they had offered before.

They saw He who upholds all creation was seen sitting upon your arm, and the Lord who feeds every creature nursing at your breast like an infant. They looked for Him in the highest, and there they found Him again as before, with His Father and the Holy Spirit. When they saw the humility of their Lord, they lifted their eyes on high, up to highest, and spread out their wings and glorified their Lord, saying: “O the Lord of all, glory to you in the highest,” and when they saw you in the manger with your Child, they said: “Peace upon the earth.” And when they saw Him incarnated in our own flesh which He took from you, they worshiped Him, saying: “He has greatly loved mankind!” The prophet David also spoke in prophecy, saying: “The Lord looked down from heaven, from the place of His dwelling, and beheld all who dwell on the earth; He saw all the children of men. The King desired your beauty. ‘This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired her,’ says the Lord.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

7. O you who are holy and blessed, glorified and gracious, honoured and exalted, we have likened you to the golden vessel that held the Bread of Life, that came down from heaven, who gives life to all who believe in Him, and partake of Him in faith and loving heart, together with the righteous who stand at His right side. O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

8. You are the golden lampstand, wrought by no human craftsmanship, and holding no created flame, for the Light of the Father Himself shines forth in you. The Light that is Light from Light came to you and dwelt in you, and by His divinity He illumined the whole world. He drove out the darkness that lay upon mankind, and He saved us by His life‑giving word, saying: “I am the Light of the world. Believe in My light; walk while you have the light.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

9. The Lord of all from the Lord of all, the Light from Light, the true Lord from the true Lord of all, begotten, not created, who is of one essence with His Father, by whom all things in heaven and on earth were made, is the One who came down for our salvation. Christ became perfectly human from the holy Virgin Mary. By His coming He enlightened us, He filled us with perfect joy, He brought us near to His Father, He guided us on the path of life, and He granted us eternal life. The prophet Isaiah, believing in Him and marvelling in prophecy through the Law, proclaimed: ‘Your Law on the earth is light.” And the elder priest Zechariah, righteous and pure, who kept the commandment of the Lord, was utterly amazed and began to speak, saying: “Our God, in His mercy and compassion, has visited us in the highest. He is born to reveal His light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He directed our feet into the way of peace to have mercy on us.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

10. Our Lady, we liken you to the golden censer that is in the hands of the heavenly high priests, by which the prayers of all the saints and believers are lifted up from earth to heaven. So also, by the invocation of your name, the supplications of humanity are borne up to the throne of Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You have been granted permission by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to intercede and obtain the forgiveness of the sins of your people, and to become a bridge for humanity unto eternal life. O Mother of our Savior, it is fitting that you should be called the salvation‑bearer of your faithful people. O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

11. You are the blessed tree, the tree of life and salvation. In place of the tree of life that was in heaven, you became in this world the Tree of Life for us; and the fruit you bore is the Fruit of Life Himself. From you appeared the fragrant flower whose sweet aroma is desired and known among all peoples of the earth. For it was of you that the prophet David spoke in prophecy, saying: “Myrrh, aloes, and cassia are upon Your garments.” And your father Solomon said of you: “The scent of your breath is like pure incense. My sister, my bride, you are a garden enclosed, a sealed fountain.” Your path is a garden enclosed, a sealed spring; with every fragrance of sweet spices, myrrh and aloes, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, and all the chief spices. Above them all are frankincense and aloes, the choicest of perfumes, which are found with you. O fountain of Paradise, you are the wellspring from which flows the water of life for all who come to you. O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

12. The rod of Aaron, which blossomed without being planted and without being watered, was kept in the Holy temple as a sign prepared for the priesthood. And so, you, O Mary, steadfast in holiness and purity, you dwelt in the Temple in righteousness and grace. From the Temple you came forth in honour and in great joy. O Holy One, from you came forth our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the true Fruit of Life, without the seed of man, as the angel said to you: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.” O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

13. O you who are full of grace, the abode of joy, it is fitting that, for us who believe in the name of your Son, you should intercede, for us, your male and female servants. For you possess the grace of love more glorious than the Cherubim with their many eyes, and the Seraphim with six wings. They cover their faces, and their feet are a sign of the mystery of the Cross, that they might be preserved from the fire that proceeds from the divinity of your Son. But you became the dwelling place of the Lord, and the divine nature did not consume you. You are like the bush which Moses saw, burning with fire yet not consumed. The Lord of powers, who is a consuming fire, did not burn you, and you became in truth a pride for the Christians. Since the Son of God became man from you, through you we who are of the earth have been brought to heaven. O you who obtain God’s mercy for all the faithful through your intercession, you are the one who entreats life for our souls. Intercede for us before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that He may strengthen us in true faith, in believing in Him, in His Father, and in the Holy Spirit; that He may grant us His forgiveness and His mercy, and in the abundance of His compassion blot out our sins. O you who gave birth to the Lord of all, praise is due to you. O Holy Lady, intercede for us, that your Son may grant us His mercy.

[Note: This Gate of Light was translated from the Ge’ez አንቀጸ ብርሃን, attributed to St Yared]

The angels praise you, O Mary, in the heights of heaven they exalt you, saying, “O Mother of the Lamb of God, praise be to you.” The angel said to Mary, “Receive the Word. He shall come to you, and He shall dwell in your womb.” How did He dwell among us by embracing the full poverty of our humanity? Emptying Himself and taking the very nature of a servant, He descended from heaven and, taking her nature, was born.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

The holy angel said to Mary: Hail to you. The archangel Gabriel said to her, Hail to you. Hail to you, O Virgin Mary; Hail to you, O Theotokos; Hail to you, for you are holy; Hail to you, for you are the most praised; Hail to you, for you are the dwelling place of the divinity; Hail to you, for you are the overshadowed tabernacle; Hail to you, sister of the angels; Hail to you, mother of all the people; Hail to you, Mary, the Lady of all; Hail to you, Mary, the peace of all; Hail to you, for He chose you to be His exalted dwelling; Hail to you, adorned with gold; Hail to you, the wings of the dove ornamented with silver. Hail to you, whose sides are overlaid with pure gold; Hail to you, the Gate of the East, the Mother of the Light; Hail to you, whose glory shines brighter than the seven-fold radiance of the sun, exalted above all the ranks; Hail to you, O Mary, chosen above the chosen, honoured above the honoured.

Intercede for us before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that He may grant us mercy. When He comes in the glory of His Father and with His holy angels, when He sets the righteous at His right side and the sinners at His left, intercede that we may stand at His right with Stephen the archdeacon, with John the Baptist, with all the saints and martyrs, and that He may forgive us forever and ever. Amen.