Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Paraklesis to St. John the Theologian

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
St. John the Theologian - Commemorated September 26 / May 8 (http://194.177.217.107/scanned/icons/32_B_8bit_PE-IC14-DS2-Q4.jpg)
  
Paraklesis to the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
written by Fr. Gerasimos Mikragiannanitou (of Little St. Anne's Skete, Mount Athos)

Note: The following is an amateur translation from the Greek, and as such, I request reviewing the translation before any public/liturgical use. Also note that the meter of this translation is not set to match the original music.

The Priest says the “Blessed...”, and the Psalm “O Lord hear my prayer...”, followed by “God is the Lord...” as in the Paraklesis, then the following:

Tone Four
As the beloved disciple of the Lord, and the pinnacle of the Apostles, O Theologian, and the most-ready protector of the faithful, deliver us from every danger and want, and entreat that we might be granted remission of offenses, and the divine light from above, for those who in fervent faith hasten to your holy intercessions.
Glory. The same.

Both Now.
O Theotokos, we shall never be silent of your mighty acts, all we the unworthy; had you not stood to intercede for us, who would have delivered us, from the numerous perils? Who would have preserved us all until now with our freedom? O Lady, we shall not depart from you; for you always save your servants, from all tribulation.

We read Psalm 50, followed by the Canon, whose acrostic reads:
“Grant us your protection, O blessed one. Gerasimos”
Ode I in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
O Apostle of Christ, intercede on our behalf.
Shining with divine wisdom, O wise Theologian, as an Apostle of Christ, deliver, from the dangerous traps of Belial, those who hasten to you with fervor.

O Apostle of Christ, intercede on our behalf.
Shining, O blessed one, with the rays of the noetic sun, drive away the darkness of the passions from my soul, O Theologian, through your light-bearing intercessions.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
You were shown to be a nous of bodiless theorias, you who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, O Theologian, therefore raise up my mind to desire the things of heaven.

Theotokion
Both now and for ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Purify me in body and soul, and guide each of my senses, and my words and thoughts, O All-pure Virgin, that I may hymn your many wonders.

Ode III
Deliver us from every want, and anguish, O glorious one, and from the dangers of life and trials, we pray, and fill our souls, O all-wise John, with the light of grace.

As the treasury of purity, deliver us from wretched deeds and desires from the evil one, O Theologian, and grant us a godly mind, and strengthen our life, O blessed one.

You became a godly sower of piety. Therefore, O Theologian, sow within us divine thoughts, and grant us, through your help, the fear of the Judgment towards true salvation.

Theotokion
O Lady with the form of the sun, O Spotless Mother of God, I entreat you to enlighten my soul, darkened by offenses, through your radiant intercessions, and purify my nous from every guile.

Deliver us, O Beloved Apostle John, from every danger and terrible trial, those who take refuge in faith in your intercessions.

Turn to me, in your good favor, all praise-worthy Theotokos; look upon my grave illnesses, which painfully sting my flesh and heal the cause of my soul's pain and suffering.

The entreaty, and the Kathisma in the Second Tone.
A fervent protector and great refuge, and divine torch that illumines with the light of grace as lightening, become for us, O Saint, and lead us towards the harbor of the divine will, through the terrible sea, O wise John, for those who honor you.

Ode IV
Noetically you appear to those who hasten to your Cave, and grant to them, O Saint, the grace of your help.

May your intercessions become a spring of joy and supplication, delivering from many passions, O blessed John, those who entreat you.

Do not cease, O Apostle, to ever protect your sacred and famed Monastery, and visit with your grace the island of Patmos.

Theotokion
Ask for us forgiveness and deliverance from offenses, O Ever-virgin Theotokos, for those who sincerely bless you.

Ode V
Drive away from us, O Apostle, the terrible cloud of the many-varied needs of life, through the consolation of your fervent presence.

You were shown to be, O Apostle, a great defender of the faithful, and a special help to Patmos, which you deliver from every trial.

Ever grant us from above, O Theologian, the gift of your fervent protection, for those who take refuge with faith in your protection.

Theotokion
O Pure One, lull the storm of my heart, and grant peace and fervent repentance to your wretched entreator, and save me.

Ode VI
Being the pinnacle of the famed Apostles, who reclined upon the bosom of Christ, entreat Him with fervor, O Theologian, that we be granted forgiveness of sins, and training in virtue, and the radiance of a pure life.

Pour forth divine thoughts in a godly-minded manner, and grant us the strength to seek the things from on high, O Theologian, and we who hasten to your sacred temple, and your Cave, O wise one, ever offer a divine hymn to you.

Ever strengthen us, O John, with the power of your holy intercessions, and deliver those who dwell in your holy Monastery from the wiles and scandals of the evil one, and make them steadfast, as we preach of your protection.

Theotokion
Wash the den of my soul from the many forms of sins, and the unclean passions, O Virgin, with the water of your compassion, and once I am clean, stand beside be, O Spotless One, when your Son and my Creator Who loves mankind comes to judge us.

Deliver us, O Beloved Apostle John, from every danger and terrible trial, those who take refuge in faith in your intercessions.

Spotless one, who by a word, did bring to us the Word eternal, in the last days ineffably; do you now plead with him as the one with the motherly favor.

The entreaty, and the Kontakion in the Second Tone
As the bosom friend of your Teacher Christ, O Apostle, ever entreat Him, that we be delivered from every trial, and terrible danger of the enemy, for you are our great defender.

Prokeimenon
His voice has gone out into all the earth, and his words to the ends of the world.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork.

The Gospel according to St. John (19:25-28, 21:24-25)
At that time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Glory.
Through the intercessions of the Apostle, O Lord of mercy, blot out my many offenses.

Both now.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Lord of mercy, blot out my many offenses.

Prosomoion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
Verse: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the abundance of Your compassions, blot out my offenses.
You were shown to be, O Apostle, a mystic taught by God, beloved virgin, and bosom friend of Christ, and as you have great boldness before Him, we pray that you entreat Him, that we might ever be delivered from sicknesses and dangers and trials of soul and body, for those who praise you sincerely, and make us worthy to pass our lives in repentance, O wise one, that we might become partakers of the radiance from above.

The Priest: Save, O God, Your people, and bless Your inheritance...”
 
St. John the Theologian, with scenes from his life (source)
 
Ode VII
You were shown to be a revealer of the divine glory of the Holy Trinity, therefore, I pray that you deliver me from the inglorious uncleanliness of the passions, and enlighten my nous with the light of dispassion.

Those who hasten with faith to your sacred Cave, O wise Apostle, in which you wrote the Gospel of the Savior through the Holy Spirit, fill with sanctification, as they hymn your grace.

O communicant with the mysteries from God on high, O divine Apostle, send down upon us on earth light and grace and mercy from above, through your intercessions, and raise up our minds.

Theotokion.
Grant me divine knowledge, and guidance to my heart and nous, O godly-minded one, that I might, with repentance and every reverence, pass the rest of my life, O Pure One, and be granted divine glory.

Ode VIII
The island of Patmos has you as her great protection and boast, therefore she ever hastens to you, O Theologian, entreating your help.

Through the noetic streams of your holy intercessions, purify our minds, O John, that we might hymn your grace.

Look down from above, upon those who hasten with reverence to your Cave of unspeakable mysteries, and grant to them your blessing.

Theotokion
We entreat Him to Whom you gave birth, the King of glory, O Virgin Theotokos, that we might be granted your fervent protection.

Ode IX
O blessed John, you pour forth healings for all; heal the wounds of our souls and deliver us from the pains of our bodies.

Do not cease to visit your island, which faithfully dwells in your grace, and cover those who dwell in her, O blessed one.

The friend of the Lord, and beloved, and recliner on His bosom, O blessed Apostle, make me worthy to embrace Him with all my soul.

Theotokion
Show my nous to soar above the bonds of nature, and from things of the world, and unite it with divine love, O Virgin.

The “It is truly right to bless you, O Theotokos...”, and the Megalynaria.

Hail, O beauty of the Apostles, and the mystic of Theology led by God, hail O John, the beloved of Christ, the most-ready protector of the faithful.

Wholly dedicated to Christ, as the radiant vessel of virginity and love, you reclined upon His bosom, O godly-minded one, and from Him drew forth from the abyss of wisdom.

You fervently abandoned your nets and boats, O John, and followed Christ, and received the illumination of the Divine light, you then became a catcher of men, through the word of grace.

You who stood beside Christ upon the Cross, and from Him received she who bore Him in purity, you were proved an adopted son of the Theotokos, whose glory, O John, make us worthy of.

Patmos rejoices in you, O Theologian, and as a true and calm harbor, your sacred Monastery you enrich with those who seek to be delivered from the storms of life, through your intercessions.

Having great boldness towards Christ, O Theologian, ever entreat Him that we be delivered from dangers and every disgust, we who who call upon your help.

With the hosts of Angels, God's messengers, with the Lord's Forerunner, and Apostles, the chosen twelve, with the saints most holy, and with you, the Theotokos, we seek your intercession for our salvation.

The Trisagion, the troparia, the entreaty and apolysis, followed by the following:

Prosomoion in the Second Tone
A great help and protector you were shown to the Church of Christ, as His Disciple, O glorious John, the spring of Theology. Therefore we fall before your protection, and in faith cry out to you from the depths of our souls: protect and deliver all, through your intercessions, O blessed one, from every attack and trial.

Lady, do you receive, from your servants, their many prayers; and deliver all of us, from all sadness and necessity.

My numerous hopes are placed before you, most holy One; Mother of our God, guard me with care, within your sheltered arms.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers...
  
Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!
Truly the Lord is risen!
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