Prayer to the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the highest powers, Queen of heaven and earth, Almighty Intercessor of our city and country! Accept this singing of praise and gratitude from us, unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of God Thy Son, that He may be merciful to our iniquities, and add His grace to those who honor Thy all-honorable name and with faith and love worship Thy miraculous image. We are not worthy of being pardoned by Him, unless You propitiate Him for us, the Lady, for everything is possible for You from Him. For this reason, we resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor: hear us praying to You, cover us with Your all-powerful protection, and ask God for Your Son: zeal and vigilance for our souls as our shepherds, wisdom and strength as city rulers, truth and impartiality for judges , the mentor is reason and humility, the spouse is love and harmony, the child is obedience, the offended is patience, the fear of God is offended, the sorrowful is complacency, the rejoicing is abstinence; for all of us is the spirit of reason and piety, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit of purity and truth. To her, Most Holy Lady, have mercy on Your weak people; Gather those who are scattered, guide those who have gone astray to the right path, support old age, raise young ones to be chaste, raise infants, and look upon us all with the gaze of Your merciful intercession, raise us from the depths of sin and enlighten our heartfelt eyes to the vision of salvation, be merciful to us here and there, in the land of earthly arrival and at the terrible judgment of Your Son; Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, our fathers and brethren began to live with the Angels and all the saints in eternal life. For you are, Lady, the Glory of heaven and the Hope of earth, You, according to God, are our Hope and Intercessor of all who flow to You with faith. We therefore pray to You, and to You, as the Almighty Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our whole life, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."
Read other prayers to the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.
“The veil covers and protects the whole earth”
Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Novgorod, 1401-1425. On October 1/14, the Church remembers the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Originally a Greek holiday, on Russian soil it becomes a favorite autumn celebration.
We offer readers of the website Pravoslavie.ru a theological and philological commentary on the troparion of this holiday.
The establishment of the celebration of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is usually attributed to the 12th century, when, under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, a beautiful temple, a masterpiece of Russian architecture, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, was rebuilt and consecrated. Afterwards, churches in honor of this church celebration will appear in many cities of Rus'.
The liturgical text of the Feast of the Intercession in Church Slavonic entered common church practice in the 14th century. It appears independently of Greek: there is no trace of such a holiday and its celebration in Byzantium[1]. Moreover, the troparion and kontakion were created already in the 13th century.
It is interesting to analyze the troparion of the Feast of the Intercession - an original work of liturgical creativity in Rus'.
Troparion is a short chant that expresses the essence of the church celebration.
The Church Slavonic text of the troparion for the Feast of the Intercession reads as follows:
Today, people of good faith, we brightly celebrate, overshadowed by Your coming, O Mother of God, and looking to Your most pure image, we tenderly say: Cover us with Your honorable Protection and deliver us from all evil, praying to Your Son, Christ our God, to save our souls[2 ].
In the 20th–21st centuries, the above text is repeatedly translated into modern Russian. Turning to these translations will allow us to examine more broadly, and in some places in contrast, the features of the Church Slavonic original. We will indicate translations made by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), Archpriest Vladimir Uspensky and Hieromonk Feofan (Adamenko).
Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev):
Today we, faithful people, brightly celebrate, overshadowed by Your presence, Mother of God, and, looking at Your most pure image, we say with tenderness: cover us with Your precious covering and deliver us from all evil, praying to Your Son, Christ our God, to save our souls [3].
Archpriest Vladimir Uspensky:
Today, faithful people, we celebrate solemnly, blessed by Your, Mother of God, coming (to us), and, looking at Your most pure image, we will sadly exclaim: cover (protect) us with Your honest cover and deliver us from all evil (disasters, misfortunes ), beseeching His Son, Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls[4].
Hieromonk Feofan (Adamenko):
Now, true believers, we solemnly celebrate, blessed by Your visit, Mother of God, and, looking at Your most pure image, we exclaim with tenderness: Cover us with Your honest Cover and deliver us from all evil, begging Your Son, Christ our God, for salvation our souls[5].
Today
The Troparion of the Intercession begins with the Church Slavonic word “today.” In Russian translations it most often sounds like “now” or “today”. The unknown author of the chant uses this word to introduce the faithful into a liturgical space where there is no time. When we participate in worship, we have the opportunity to touch eternity and at the same time be transported to the moment of a remembered event.
It’s as if we are in that Blachernae Church of Constantinople and are directly observing the vision of the holy fool Andrew: the Mother of God reveals Her veil over us, thereby protecting and preserving us.
Let's celebrate brightly
By celebrating the celebration of the Intercession, we brightly celebrate this church event. In the Church Slavonic language, the word “light” means “brilliant, bright, cheerful, joyful, solemn, heartfelt”[6]. And the authors of the Russian translations - Archpriest Vladimir Uspensky and Hieromonk Feofan (Adamenko) - convey the Church Slavonic “light” as “solemnly”.
It is only by abiding in Christ that we are in the light. This is the only way we can brightly celebrate the Protection of the Blessed Virgin
For Christians, God Himself is the Light. The Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount calls those who listen the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). And Saint John the Theologian writes in his epistle:
God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, but walk in darkness, then we are lying and not walking the truth (1 John 1:5-6).
Only by abiding in Christ can we say that we are in the light. This is the only way we can brightly celebrate the Protection of the Blessed Virgin.
Under the shadow of the Virgin Mary
In the Blachernae Church, Saint Andrew and his disciple Epiphanius, during the all-night vigil, were privileged to contemplate the Holy Mother of God in the air, who came with the angels, the Baptist and John the Theologian and many other saints. The Most Pure Virgin, according to the legend, “extended Her venerable omophorion, shining brighter than the sun, over the people who were in the church”[7].
And in the troparion of the holiday, those praying recognize that they are overshadowed by the coming of the Mother of God Herself. Let's dwell on the Church Slavonic words "Osenyaemy" and "Coming".
The first - overshadowed - is formed from the verb overshadow, which has multiple meanings: it means “to shine, shine, cast a reflection”, and “to cover with oneself, with one’s shadow”, and “to overshadow with the sign of the cross”, and “to describe, outline”[8].
Of course, in the troparion itself we glorify the Mother of God for covering us with Her omophorion and protecting us. It is interesting that the translators of the troparion strive to show the spiritual blessing of the Most Holy Lady.
The second – advent – has the meaning of coming, the arrival of someone [9]. We, who remember the appearance of the holy fool Andrew, ourselves experience a meeting with the Mother of God. From this we exclaim joyfully, or in Church Slavonic, we say touchingly.
Joyful sadness
Tenderness in Russian means a touching, tender feeling, and in Church Slavonic it means sadness, contrition, pardon, condolences[10]. This word conveys what St. John Climacus calls joyful crying:
“Reflecting on the property of tenderness, I am amazed at how crying and so-called sadness contain joy and joy, just as honey is contained in a honeycomb.”[11]
Why, looking at the Mother of God, do we simultaneously celebrate brightly and speak touchingly? The answer is this: experiencing a meeting with the Most Pure Virgin, we rejoice that we are privileged to look at Her, and we realize our sinfulness and unworthiness of such a meeting.
Omophorion and/or maphorion of the Virgin Mary
Understanding our spiritual situation, we sometimes, through tears and with all our hearts, begin to pray to the Mother of God: Cover us with Your honest Protection and deliver us from all evil. The prayerful intercession of the Most Pure Virgin is felt as covering us with an omophorion, or a covering.
Omophorion is a Greek word that most often denotes the item of bishop's vestments - a wide ribbon with the image of crosses[12].
The omophorion should be distinguished from the maforium - a plate covering the head and shoulders[13]. It is he who is depicted in Orthodox iconography on icons of the Mother of God. The Maphorium of the Mother of God has been kept in the Blachernae Church of Constantinople since 473, when it was transferred from Palestine by the patricians Galbius and Candide[14].
Due to the consonance of the words omophorion and maforium, the first option is mainly used in Church Slavonic texts. But in the troparion we are considering, a synonym is fixed - cover. At the same time, in the chorus of the akathist for the Feast of the Intercession the following chant:
“Rejoice, our Joy, cover us from all evil with Your honest omophorion”[15].
And in the novel “The Summer of the Lord” by I.S. Shmelev, the old carpenter Gorkin explains to Vanya the meaning of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary:
“The Most Pure One herself stands at a great height, with the Baptist of the Lord and your Angel - Ivan the Theologian, and with the angelic hosts, and holds the great Veil-omophorion over the whole earth, and heaven and earth are sanctified, and all the churches will light up, and people will rejoice.”[16 ].
Your Son is our God
Her Son is our God: here is also our confession: the Only Begotten Son was incarnate from the Most Pure Virgin
At the end of the troparion we sing: Praying Thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls. The short Church Slavonic participle is most often translated into Russian by the gerund: pleading - beseeching.
The Mother of God, being the Intercessor of the Christian race, prays and implores Her Son for the salvation of our souls. Her Son is our God, Lord and Savior. This idea is often found in Orthodox hymnography. The songwriters appeal to the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son for the Mother of God, and God for us. Through this we begin to boldly ask the Most Pure One for prayerful help and intercession.
This is also our confession: the Only Begotten Son was incarnate from the Most Pure Virgin, He is our Lord and Savior, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
***
The troparion of the Intercession intertwines the memory of a historical event that took place in the Blachernae Church of Constantinople and our experience of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. In joyful weeping, we tenderly appeal to the Most Holy Lady with prayer for intercession and protection.
The unknown author of the chant creates a unique mood: there is joy, contrition, and prayerful boldness. In the text, every word becomes important because it has deep meaning and edification for those praying.
Foreign greatness
We magnify You,/ Most Holy Virgin,/ Mother of Christ our God, // and we glorify Your Protection all-gloriously.
We magnify Thee,/ Most Holy Virgin,/ Mother of Christ, our God,/ who stretches out her hand to the Son, and prays for peace,/ and with her honest omophorion protects // the city and people from the enemies of shih.
Troparion, tone 4
Today, faithful people, let us brightly honor/ the seven honorable royal passion-bearers,/ Christ’s one home Church:/ Nicholas and Alexander,/ Alexy, Olga, Tatian, Maria and Anastasia./ They, who were not afraid of the bonds and sufferings of many different kinds,/ died from those who fought against God and accepted the desecration of bodies/ and improved boldness towards the Lord in prayer./ For this sake, let us cry out to them with love:/ O holy passion-bearers,/ listen to the voice of repentance and the lamentation of our people,/ confirm the Russian land in love for Orthodoxy,/ save from internecine warfare ,/ ask God for peace and peace // and great mercy for our souls.
Kontakion, tone 8
Chosen by the King of those who reign and by the Lord of those who rule/ from the line of the Russian kings,/ the faithful martyr,/ who accepted mental torment and bodily death for Christ/ and crowned with heavenly crowns,/ to you, as the patron of our merciful ones,/ we cry out with love and gratitude:/ Rejoice, you royals passion-bearers, // zealous prayer books for Holy Rus' before God.
We magnify you,/ holy royal passion-bearers,/ and honor your honorable sufferings,/ which you naturally endured for Christ.
Prayer
Oh, holy seven, royal passion-bearers, Nicholas, Alexandro, Alexia, Maria, Olgo, Tatiano and Anastasia!
You, bound by the union of the love of Christ, have piously built your house, like a small church, and naturally adorned it with humility in the midst of earthly greatness. In the time of fratricidal warfare and persecution of the godless in our fatherland, placing all their trust in God, the image of patience and suffering of the entire Russian land showed to nature and, praying for the tormentors, slander, bonds and exile, mockery, ridicule and slander, murder and desecration of the body courageously endured naturally. For this reason, natural intercessors for us came from the earthly kingdom to the heavenly kingdom.
Oh, holy saints of God! Pray to God for us, that the Church may preserve our unanimity and strong faith, protect our country with peace and prosperity and deliver it from internecine warfare and division, make the powers that be wise, embellish the army with courage, save the people from ruin, strengthen Christian spouses in fidelity and love, children He will increase in piety and obedience, and all of us together with you will be worthy to sing the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Life-Giving Trinity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Another prayer to the passion-bearer Tsar Nicholas
Oh, holy passion-bearer to Tsar Nicholas the Martyr!
The Lord has chosen you as His anointed one, to be merciful and right to judge your people and to be the guardian of the Orthodox Church. For this reason, with the fear of God, you performed royal service and cared for souls. The Lord, testing you like Job the Long-Suffering, allows you reproach, bitter sorrow, betrayal, betrayal, alienation of your neighbors and abandonment of the earthly kingdom in mental anguish. All this for the good of Russia, as her faithful son, having endured, and as a true servant of Christ, receiving a martyr's death, you have reached the Heavenly Kingdom, where you enjoy the Highest glory at the Throne of all the Tsar, together with your holy wife Queen Alexandra and your royal children Alexy, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. Now, having great boldness in Christ the King, pray that the Lord will forgive the sin of the apostasy of our people and grant forgiveness of sins and instruct us in all virtues, so that we may acquire humility, meekness and love and be made worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom, where the new martyrs and all the saints are together. Russian confessors let us glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
