Canon the Mother of God at Compline
Tone 8 – Wednesday

Ode I, Irmos.

Pharaoh armed for battle it drowned; and of old the wonderworking rod of Moses, striking crosswise, divided the sea, and saved Israel, fleeing and passing through on foot, as they sent up a song unto God.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

The Word of God hast thou borne incarnate, Who before was bodiless, beyond nature, O all-immaculate Virgin Theotokos, Who lived in the world as God and man. Wherefore we all glorify thee, who art, after God, our intercession.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Adorned with a diversity of colors, O divinely-graced one, thou hast borne the Father’s Word, Who through ineffable mercy became flesh, beyond mind and word, O blessed one, remaining an undefiled Virgin.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

From a royal root hast thou sprung forth, O pure one; and the King Christ, the Word of God, beyond mind and understanding, hast thou borne incarnate from thy pure blood, revealed in two natures and one hypostasis.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

He who proclaimeth thee Theotokos, O most pure one, beareth victory over every heresy; for thou hast borne Him Who without change became flesh, O Birthgiver of God, who art higher than every creature, the ever-existing Word of God.

Ode III, Irmos.

Thou Who in the beginning didst establish the heavens by understanding, and didst found the earth upon the waters, establish me, O Christ, upon the rock of the Church, for there is none holy besides Thee, O Lover of mankind.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Into thy holy womb God entered, and was incarnate as He knoweth, O Mother of God, and saved us by His life-giving sufferings. Wherefore we glorify thee as the door of salvation.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

He Who breathed the soul into all men became incarnate upon earth and dwelt with men; the all-divine One came forth from thy womb without seed. Wherefore all we faithful bless thee with hymns, O pure one.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Him Who was begotten of the Father before the ages, having conceived in thy womb, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock, thou hast borne for us as both God and man, perfect in both natures and indivisible.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

We all know thee, O pure one, as the rod which blossomed forth Christ, the flower of incorruption, and as the golden censer, bearing upon thine arm the divine One, the Coal, O divinely-blessed Virgin.

Ode IV, Irmos.

Thou art my Lord, O Christ, Thou also art my strength; Thou art my God, Thou art my rejoicing; Who, not leaving the bosom of the Father, didst in Thy mercy visit our poverty. Wherefore with the Prophet Habakkuk I cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

The Ark foreshadowed thee from afar, having received the divinely-written Law; for thou, O all-immaculate one, didst ineffably conceive within thy womb the life-originating Word, Who richly nourisheth the souls of those who sing: Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Thou alone, O Mother of God, becamest the true cause of salvation, having lent flesh from thy most pure blood unto the Creator and Fashioner, whereby the gates of death were shattered and life was given unto men.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

That Thou mightest seek out the image buried by the passions, through the riches of Thy goodness Thou didst dwell within the Virgin’s womb; from her Thou, the Wisdom of God, didst fashion a temple, wherein Thou didst dwell among men, O Compassionate One, and hast saved the ends of the world.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

After God we have acquired thee as our intercessor, O all-immaculate one; for thou becamest the Mother of God, of the Creator and Fashioner, Who took upon Himself our form, and saved it from corruption and afflictions, and glorified it with divine glory.

Ode V, Irmos.

Why hast Thou cast me away from Thy face, O Light that setteth not? The alien darkness of the wretched one hath covered me. But turn me, and direct my paths unto the light of Thy commandments, I pray Thee.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Having conceived God, O most pure one, the Fashioner, Maker, and Lord, the generations of all men bless thee, and the noetic leaders of the bodiless hosts glorify thee as the Mother of God.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

The hosts of the powers on high bless thee, O most pure one; for through thee alone we who are upon earth, having been united with the heavenly ones, hymn thy childbearing.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

In an ineffable manner, O Virgin, the Word dwelt within thee and became man, He Who before the ages shone forth from the Father, delivering men from corruption and leading them unto incorruptible life, the only Compassionate One.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Thou wast adorned, O most pure Virgin, with the beauties of virginity, and hast put away the deformity of the first Eve, having borne Christ and bestowing the garment of immortality upon those who hymn thee.

Ode VI, Irmos.

Cleanse me, O Saviour, for many are mine iniquities; and raise me up from the depths of evils, I pray Thee; for unto Thee have I cried: hear me, O God of my salvation.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

He Who by His almighty power sustaineth all things was clothed from thee in the weakness of the flesh, O all-immaculate Virgin, for the benefit of mankind, as the Lover of mankind.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

The all-creating Spirit came upon thee, O all-immaculate one, and the Word of God dwelt within thee and ineffably became flesh, remaining unchanged.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Enlighten the souls of those who rightly hymn thee; for the sayings of the prophets proclaimed beforehand thy most pure conception and, O Bride of God, thy childbearing beyond words.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

As the dwelling-place of God, truly divine and most honourable, we piously hymn most pure Mary; for, having received God, she contained the Uncontainable and Incomprehensible One.

Sedalen, Tone 8.
As the all-immaculate Bride of the Creator, as the Mother of the Deliverer who knewest not man, and as the dwelling-place of the Comforter, O all-hymned one, make haste to deliver me, who through lawlessness have knowingly become a filthy dwelling-place and a playground of demons, from their evil working. Make me a radiant dwelling-place through the virtues, O light-giving and incorrupt one; dispel the cloud of the passions, and by thy prayers make me worthy of communion with the things on high and of the Light that knoweth no evening.

Ode VII, Irmos.

The fire was ashamed before the condescension of God in Babylon of old. Therefore the youths in the furnace, with rejoicing foot, danced as in the light, singing: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

O most pure Lady, having conceived the Deliverer of all, the ineffable and divine One, make me worthy of deliverance, who cry aloud and sing: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Refrain: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Now all things have been filled with divine light through thee, O most pure one; for thou wast revealed as the door through which God held converse with the world, enlightening those who cry in faith: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Behold, now hath the divine prophecy of David been fulfilled: they truly make supplication before thy face, O pure Birthgiver of God, and having acquired the riches of grace, they now bless the God of our fathers.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Thou didst conceive, O most pure one, God and Lord Who is above all, Who was well pleased to save the race of man from death and corruption. Hymning Him worthily, we cry: Blessed is the God of our fathers.

Ode VIII, Irmos.

The Chaldean tyrant fiercely heated the furnace sevenfold for the godly youths; but seeing them saved by a mightier power, he cried unto the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him above all for ever.

Refrain: O Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

O blessed and most pure one, cleanse the wounds of my soul and the sores of sin, O pure Maiden, who hast borne from thy virginal womb which knew not wedlock God Who is above all. Him, ye children, bless and exalt above all for ever.

Refrain: O Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Thou becamest the receptacle of the Light that setteth not, O all-honourable one, shining with the beauties of virginity, and hast illumined all who from the soul confess thee to be the true Theotokos and cry: Ye children, bless; ye priests, exalt Him above all for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Sanctified by the Holy Spirit, O all-immaculate Theotokos, thou didst truly receive within thy womb the beginningless Son, co-eternal with the Father, Who was incarnate in thee, O pure one, for the benefit of those who cry in faith: Ye children, bless; ye priests, exalt Him above all for ever.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Having borne God beyond word and understanding, entreat Him, O most pure Mother of God, to be favourable unto all us unworthy ones at His fearful and terrible Coming, when He shall judge human nature, all standing naked and being judged with fear.

Ode IX, Irmos.

Heaven was amazed at this, and the ends of the earth were astonished, for God appeared unto men in the flesh, and thy womb became more spacious than the heavens. Wherefore the ranks of Angels and of men magnify thee, O Theotokos.

Refrain: O Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Having become the Mother of the Deliverer, O most pure one, through Him we who had been cast away from eternal abiding and miserably fallen into death have been called back and made worthy to hasten toward our former fatherland; wherefore we magnify thee unceasingly, O Mother of God.

Refrain: O Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us. (Bow)

Grant me, O Theotokos, to pass through the wave of life’s temptations and the assaults of the passions, calming them in thy goodness and guiding me upon the heavenly course of virtue, that I may magnify thee unceasingly as my benefactress.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O pure and most glorious Mother of God, save from afflictions those who hymn thee with love, mercifully dispelling their tumult; for having borne God, whatsoever thou willest thou art able to accomplish unhindered, O Virgin. Wherefore we all magnify thee.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Show the honourable Church victorious over heresies, O thou who art full of grace, which Christ thy Son in His goodness acquired with His precious Blood; and save her from afflictions and from the violence that oppresseth us, O Lady.

Then at Compline, “It is truly meet,” and the rest as usual, followed by the Dismissal.

30 September 2026