Τὴν παγκόσμιον δόξαν, τὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων σπαρεῖσαν, καὶ τὸν Δεσπότην τεκοῦσαν, τὴν ἐπουράνιον πύλην, ὑμνήσωμεν Μαρίαν τὴν Παρθένον, τῶν Ἀσωμάτων τὸ ᾆσμα, καὶ τῶν πιστῶν τὸ ἐγκαλλώπισμα· αὕτη γὰρ ἀνεδείχθη, οὐρανὸς καὶ ναὸς τῆς Θεότητος, αὕτη τὸ μεσότοιχον τῆς ἔχθρας καθελοῦσα, εἰρήνην ἀντεισῆξε, καὶ τὸ βασίλειον ἠνέῳξε. Ταύτην οὖν κατέχοντες τῆς Πίστεως τὴν ἄγκυραν, ὑπέρμαχον ἔχομεν τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς τεχθέντα Κύριον. Θαρσείτω τοίνυν, θαρσείτω λαὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ γὰρ αὐτός πολεμήσει, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὡς παντοδύναμος.
Let us hymn the whole world’s glory, engendered from mankind and who gave birth to the Master, the Gate of heaven, Mary the Virgin, the song of the Bodiless Powers and adornment of the faithful; for she has been proclaimed Heaven and Temple of the Godhead. She by destroying the middle wall of enmity has brought peace instead and thrown open the King’s palace. Therefore, holding fast to her as anchor of the faith, we have as champion the Lord born from her. Take courage therefore, take courage, people of God; for he will make war on the foe as All-powerful.
As the universal glory, the Maiden born of human parents, and who gave birth to the Master, and is the gateway to heaven, let us extol the Virgin Mary, the song of the bodiless powers, and the believers’ ornament. She it is who was shown to be a heaven and a temple of the Godhead. She it is who, breaking down the middle wall of enmity, brought peace in its stead, and opened the Kingdom. Therefore, in possessing her, the anchor of our faith, we have as a Champion the Lord who was born of her. Take courage, therefore; take courage, O people of God. For surely He will make war against the enemies, as the Almighty One.
Παρῆλθεν ἡ σκιὰ τοῦ νόμου, τῆς χάριτος ἐλθούσης· ὡς γὰρ ἡ βάτος οὐκ ἐκαίετο καταφλεγομένη, οὕτω παρθένος ἔτεκες, καὶ παρθένος ἔμεινας, ἀντὶ στύλου πυρός, δικαιοσύνης ἀνέτειλεν Ἥλιος, ἀντὶ Μωϋσέως Χριστός, ἡ σωτηρία τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν.
The shadow of the law has passed now that grace has come, for as the Bush in flames was not consumed, so as a Virgin you bore a Child and remained a Virgin; instead of a pillar of fire the Sun of righteousness has dawned, instead of Moses Christ, the salvation of our souls.
The shadow of the Law has passed away with the coming of grace. For as the burning bush was not consumed, even though it was flaming, likewise you gave birth as a virgin and remained a virgin still. Instead of the pillar of fire has arisen the Sun of Righteousness; instead of Moses is Christ, the salvation of our souls.
Πῶς μὴ θαυμάσωμεν, τὸν θεανδρικόν σου Τόκον Πανσεβάσμιε; πεῖραν γὰρ ἀνδρὸς μὴ δεξαμένη Πανάμωμε, ἔτεκες ἀπάτορα Υἱὸν ἐν σαρκί, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων ἐκ Πατρός γεννηθέντα ἀμήτορα, μηδαμῶς ὑπομείναντα τροπήν, ἢ φυρμόν, ἢ διαίρεσιν, ἀλλ' ἑκατέρας οὐσίας τὴν ἰδιότητα, σώαν φυλάξαντα. Διὸ Μητροπάρθενε Δέσποινα, αὐτόν ἱκέτευε σωθῆναι, τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ὀρθοδόξως, Θεοτόκον ὁμολογούντων σε.
How should we not marvel at your Offspring, who is both God and man, all-honoured one? For without knowing man, O all-blameless, you gave birth in the flesh to a Son without father, begotten from the Father before the ages without mother, in no way undergoing change, or mixture or separation, but preserving intact the identity of either nature. Therefore, Sovereign Lady, Virgin Mother, implore him that the souls may be saved of those who with right belief acknowledge you as Mother of God.
How can we not marvel at your theandric childbirth, O most reverend Maid? For while having had no spousal congress, all-blameless one, you gave birth unto a Son unfathered in the flesh, Who had, unmothered, been begotten of the Father before all ages. He in no way underwent any change, intermingling or division; but He preserved each nature’s distinct identity in its totality. Therefore, O Virgin Mother and Lady, entreat Him for the salvation of the souls of those confessing you, in Orthodox manner, to be Theotokos.
Ὁ διὰ σὲ Θεοπάτωρ προφήτης Δαυΐδ, μελῳδικῶς περὶ σοῦ προανεφώνησε, τῷ μεγαλεῖά σοι ποιήσαντι. Παρέστη ἡ Βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου. Σὲ γὰρ μητέρα πρόξενον ζωῆς ἀνέδειξεν, ὁ ἀπάτωρ ἐκ σοῦ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι εὐδοκήσας Θεός, ἵνα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀναπλάσῃ εἰκόνα, φθαρεῖσαν τοῖς πάθεσι, καὶ τὸ πλανηθὲν ὀρειάλωτον εὑρών, πρόβατον τοῖς ὤμοις ἀναλαβών, τῷ Πατρὶ προσαγάγῃ, καὶ τῷ ἰδίῳ θελήματι, ταῖς οὐρανίαις συνάψῃ Δυνάμεσι, καὶ σώσῃ Θεοτόκε τὸν κόσμον, Χριστὸς ὁ ἔχων, τὸ μέγα καὶ πλούσιον ἔλεος.
The Prophet David, through you the ancestor of God, spoke of you in song beforehand to him who has done great things for you: the Queen stood at your right hand. For he, the God who was well pleased without father to become man from you, declared you to be mother, source of life, that he might refashion his own image, corrupted by passions, and, having found the lost sheep wandering on the mountain and laid it on his shoulders, he might bring it to his Father; and by his own will unite it to the heavenly Powers and save the world, O Mother of God, Christ who has great and rich mercy.
In former times, Prophet David – God’s forebear by you – proclaimed melodiously concerning you, saying unto Him who has done great things for you: The Queen stood at Your right hand. For God showed you forth to be His Mother and agent of life, since from you, without a father, He was pleased to become a man, so that He might himself form anew His own image corrupted by the passions, and, after finding the lost sheep which had gone astray on the mountains and taking it upon His shoulders, He might bring it to the Father, and by His own will unite it with the heavenly Powers, and save the world, O Theotokos, as Christ who possesses the great and rich mercy.
Ἐν τῇ Ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάσσῃ τῆς ἀπειρογάμου Νύμφης εἰκὼν διεγράφη ποτέ. Ἐκεῖ Μωϋσῆς διαιρέτης τοῦ ὕδατος, ἐνθάδε Γαβριὴλ ὑπηρέτης τοῦ θαύματος, τότε τὸν βυθόν ἐπέζευσεν ἀβρόχως, Ἰσραήλ, νῦν δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐγέννησεν ἀσπόρως ἡ Παρθένος, ἡ θάλασσα μετὰ τὴν πάροδον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ἔμεινεν ἄβατος, ἡ ἄμεμπτος μετὰ τὴν κύησιν τοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ, ἔμεινεν ἄφθορος, ὁ ὢν καὶ προών, καὶ φανεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος, Θεὸς ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.
In the Red Sea was once depicted an image of the Bride who knew not wedlock. There Moses the parter of the water, here Gabriel the servant of the marvel; then Israel marched dry shod through the deep, but now the Virgin has given birth to Christ without seed; the sea after Israel’s passage remained untrodden; the Blameless one after bearing Emmanuel remained incorrupt. O God, who exists and pre-exists, and appeared as man, have mercy on us.
In the Red Sea, an image of the Bride who knew not wedlock was depicted once. For there, of old, did Moses sever the water; and here is Gabriel, the server of the wonder. At that time Israel traversed the deep, without getting wet; and now, the Virgin gave birth to Christ, without seed. The sea, after the passage of Israel, remained impassable; the blameless Maid remained incorrupt after the conception of Emmanuel. O God, the One who is and ever was and appeared as man, have mercy on us.
Τίς μὴ μακαρίσει σε, Παναγία Παρθένε; τίς μὴ ἀνυμνήσει σου τὸν ἀλόχευτον τόκον; ὁ γὰρ ἀχρόνως ἐκ Πατρὸς ἐκλάμψας Υἱὸς μονογενής, ὁ αὐτὸς ἐκ σοῦ τῆς Ἁγνῆς προῆλθεν, ἀφράστως σαρκωθείς, φύσει Θεὸς ὑπάρχων, καὶ φύσει γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος δι' ἡμᾶς, οὐκ εἰς δυάδα προσώπων τεμνόμενος, ἀλλ' ἐν δυάδι φύσεων, ἀσυγχύτως γνωριζόμενος. Αὐτὸν ἱκέτευε, σεμνὴ Παμμακάριστε, ἐλεηθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.
Who will not call you blessed, All-holy Virgin? Who will not hymn your child-birth without labour? For the only-begotten Son, who shone from the Father beyond time, came forth from you, pure Maiden, ineffably incarnate. By nature he is God, by nature he became man for our sakes, not divided in a duality of persons, but known without confusion in a duality of natures. O honoured and all-blessed, implore him to have mercy on our souls.
Who would not pronounce you blest, O all-holy Virgin? Who would not sing praises of your childbirth without travail? For He who timelessly shone forth from the Father, the Only-begotten Son, did himself come forth from you the pure one, ineffably incarnated. As He was God by nature, He likewise by nature for us became man. He was not thus divided into two persons, but now is rather known in two natures without confusion. To Him pray fervently, O august and all-blessed Maid, that His mercy come upon our souls.
Μήτηρ μὲν ἐγνώσθης, ὑπὲρ φύσιν Θεοτόκε, ἔμεινας δὲ παρθένος, ὑπὲρ λόγον καὶ ἔννοιαν, καὶ τὸ θαῦμα τοῦ τόκου σου, ἑρμηνεῦσαι γλῶσσα οὐ δύναται· παραδόξου γὰρ οὔσης τῆς συλλήψεως Ἁγνή, ἀκατάληπτός ἐστιν ὁ τρόπος τῆς κυήσεως· ὅπου γὰρ βούλεται Θεός, νικᾶται φύσεως τάξις. Διό σε πάντες Μητέρα τοῦ Θεοῦ γινώσκοντες, δεόμεθά σου ἐκτενῶς. Πρέσβευε τοῦ σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.
You were known as a Mother beyond nature, O Mother of God; you remained a Virgin beyond reason and understanding; no tongue can expound the marvel of your child-bearing; for while your conceiving, Pure One, was wondrous, the manner of your bearing child cannot be comprehended, for wherever God wills the order of nature is overthrown. Therefore as we all acknowledge you to be Mother of God we implore you insistently: Intercede that our souls may be saved.
You were known to be a mother passing nature, O Theotokos, and still you remained a Virgin, in a way passing speech and thought. And no language is capable of explaining the wonder of your childbirth. O pure Maid, your conception was paradoxical, hence the manner of your pregnancy is also incomprehensible. For whenever God so wills, nature’s order is overridden. Therefore, acknowledging you as the Mother of God, to you we all intently pray: Intercede for the salvation of our souls.
Ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῶν οὐρανῶν, διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη· ἐκ Παρθένου γὰρ ἁγνῆς, σάρκα προσλαβόμενος καὶ ἐκ ταύτης προελθὼν μετὰ τῆς προσλήψεως, εἷς ἐστιν Υἱός, διπλοῦς τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλ' οὐ τὴν ὑπόστασιν· διὸ τέλειον αὐτὸν Θεόν, καὶ τέλειον ἄνθρωπον, ἀληθῶς κηρύττοντες, ὁμολογοῦμεν Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, ὃν ἱκέτευε Μήτηρ ἀνύμφευτε, ἐλεηθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.
The King of heaven through love for mankind appeared on earth and lived among men; for taking flesh from a pure Virgin and coming forth from her with the addition, he is one Son, double in nature, but not in person; therefore proclaiming him as truly perfect God and perfect man, we confess Christ our God; implore him, Mother without bridegroom, to have mercy on our souls.
The King of heaven, out of love for mankind, appeared on earth and lived among men. He is one Son, twofold in nature, but not in hypostasis, for He took on flesh from a pure Virgin, and came forth from her with that which He had assumed. Therefore we confess Christ our God, truly proclaiming that He is one and the same, perfect God and perfect man. Intently pray to Him, O unwedded Mother, to have mercy on our souls.