Paraklesis and Prayers to St. Markella of Chios, the Virgin Martyr
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
Come, those in dangers and temptations,
let us take refuge in the wondrous help of Markella, crying out: O
Champion, deliver those who hasten to your protection in faith, for
you stand with boldness before Christ through the crimson and
martyrical radiance of your garment, O Virgin Martyr.
Glory. Apolytikion of the Saint in the First Tone.
Submitting to the laws of the Lord's divine teachings, you strove to keep them blamelessly, O Martyr Markella. And fearing the violence of your father, you fled from him and dwelt in the mountains. Pursuing you he found you and slew you, O undefiled bride of Christ. Glory to Him who strengthened you. Glory to Him who crowned you. Glory to Him who works healings for all through you.
(http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=494)
Both now. Tone Four.
O Theotokos, we shall never be silent...
Then Psalm 50, followed by the Canon in the Plagal of the Fourth
Tone
Ode I
O Saint of God, intercede for us!
Entreat the Savior and God of all
ceaselessly, O Markella, and deliver from trials we who approach you with
reverence, and shelter all under your protection, O all-glorious
martyr of the Lord.
O Saint of God, intercede for us!
I am full of persistence, as I behold
my life that passes by and mortality. Raise up my nous to behold the
things on high, for you dwell upon the Holy mountain.
Glory.
Heal the many passions of all, granting
health to the body and the soul, to those who cry to you in fervor, O
Markella, the comely martyr by your presence.
Both Now. Theotokion.
Hail, the only hope of all. Deliver all
those who in unflinching faith take refuge in the hope of your
compassion, O Virgin Theotokos.
Ode III
Save, O martyr of the Lord, those who
hymn you in truth and fervor, O all-chaste Markella, that being saved
through your intercessions from the wiles of the evil one, we might
glorify Christ.
Being fully illumined through noetic
light, and beholding theoria, O victorious Markella, you reclined
your head to your brutal father, and proceeded with joy towards
heaven.
You were truly shown to be a divine
haven on the Island of Chios by Christ the Lord. Therefore, we take
refuge in your Church, O Markella, receiving endless peace therein.
Theotokion
Most-holy Virgin Theotokos, O unwedded
one: visit my soul that is totally sick, O pure one, and purify it,
granting tears of repentance, and thereby becoming glad through them.
Deliver from every kind of temptation,
O Champion, those who hasten to your boldness in faith, and who call
upon you, O victorious martyr Markella.
Look down on me, in your good favor, O all-hymned Theotokos...
And the Priest says the ektenis.
Kathisma in the Second Tone
The rock that received you, O chaste
Markella, has become a wondrous spring of healings, healing all those
who with faith partake of, or are sealed with, the water that springs
forth, to the glory of Christ your Bridegroom.
Ode IV
Those on earth cry to you, O Markella:
deliver from the evil dragon, and keep those you hymn you unharmed.
You became a beautiful bride of the
Lord, O all-precious Markella, arrayed with the stole of your blood,
and holding the lamp of Virginity.
Those who hasten to your holy Church
from all places, awake from the sleep of ignorance to the working of
the commandments of your Master.
Theotokion.
Grant me deliverance, All-spotless One,
in soul and body, and make the skipping of evil to disappear, and
dissipate the cloud.
Ode V
Your head, having been thrown into the sea, sanctifies the waters, for you were beheaded by your father's hand, on behalf of your Creator.
Deliver us now, O Markella glorified by
God, that we might ever proclaim your wonders, having been delivered
from every tribulation.
Having loved Christ, the Savior of the
whole world, you hearkened to His calling to the next life, and took
up the Cross of martyrdom, O Virgin Martyr Markella.
Theotokion
Having struggled, O Pure
Mother of God and Bride of God, I call to you and say with fervor: O
Theotokos, in my time of need, help me with your help.
Ode VI
You were pierced by the arrows fired at
you by the enemy, O martyr, through the bow of your father's hand,
therefore I entreat you, O godly-minded Markella, heal my wounds,
and in the end, with your hand make the sicknesses of soul disappear.
The adornment and boast of Chios, and a
divine sanctification, you were shown to be through your many
unconquerable intercessions, and as a true refuge and firm protection
from him who works scandals among us.
Your temple has appeared as a free
hospital for the illnesses all, and dangers and multitudes of evils,
for therein we receive deliverance, O champion bride of Christ the
Lord, for those who hasten there with faith.
Theotokion.
I am amidst many temptations, O
unwedded Mother Theotokos, save me, O Lady, in your sympathy, through
the intercessions of Markella, for she has been made the true boast
of Chios, and a divine treasure of Grace.
Deliver from every kind of temptation,
O Champion, those who hasten to your boldness in faith, and who call
upon you, O victorious martyr Markella.
Spotless one, who by a word did
bring to us the Word eternal...
The priest says the ektenis.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
The reliquary of your sacred rock has
now become a hospital for illnesses, and a surrounding wall for those
in storms, O Markella, but ever keep unharmed those who hasten to it
and partake of the water, protecting them from dangers, and the wiles
of the evil, as you look down from heaven on them with sympathy, O
victorious martyr.
Prokeimenon
God is wondrous among His Saints. (2)
Verse: The Saints that are on the
earth, the Lord has shown wondrous.
God is wondrous among His Saints.
Gospel according to St. Luke (21:12-19)
The Lord said to His Disciples, “Beware
of men, for they will lay their hands upon you...
Glory.
Through the intercessions of the
Champion, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my offenses.
Both now.
Through the intercessions of the
Theotokos...
Verse: Have mercy on me, O God...
Plagal of the Second Tone
O comely virgin and bride of the Bridal
Chamber of glory above, O victorious Markella, being first pierced by
the arrow, for your Creator, you then noetically beheld your
Bridegroom within you, sanctifying the wound, O Chaste one, making
your blood that ran from the wound to sparkle like the waters of the
sea, and you left this life by the sword of your father. Not being
unable to flee, the rock covered you, and your head was severed.
The Priest: Save, O God, Your people,
and bless Your inheritance...
Ode VII
O Markella, deliver from all pains, and
dangers of the enemy, and every trial, and the corruption of the
demons, and the hate of men, those who ever hasten the rock that was
rent.
O victorious martyr, deliver those who
hasten to your water from various afflictions, and terrors and
dangers, and preserve all those who honor you in faith, in every evil
hour.
Your reliquary has become a harbinger
of divine sanctification, and a spring of healings, O Markella, in
which the island of Chios ever takes refuge, O much-suffering Martyr,
where is the rock that covers your sacred body.
Theotokion.
You are honored more than all the
Seraphim and Cherubim and the powers above, the martyrs and the
righteous, and all the Saints, the Prophets, the Apostles, the
Hierarchs, and the Patriarchs, O Mother of Christ God.
Ode VIII
Protect from heaven ceaselessly, in
ever hour, those who hasten to your holy Church, where you struggled
and the rock was rent.
Being enriched with your intercessions
from heaven, O martyr, and the healings that you grant through your
water, heal me at the end, I cry to you.
Heal my all-wretched soul, O Bride of
the Lord, along with the body, making it a temple of Christ God, your
Bridegroom.
Theotokion.
Drive away all evils and difficulties
and corrupting trials, O Virgin, by the power of your divine
intercessions.
Ode IX
Deliver, O martyr, from all dangers,
enemies invisible and bodily, and from every evil, those who take
refuge in you.
Kneel before the throne of the Trinity,
and deliver me from all evils, as you were granted boldness, O
Markella, at the Divine throne.
Angels above praise and join chorus,
and join with the rejoicing of those here. Look down from heaven, O
Markella, on those who honor you.
Theotokion.
Makarios of Corinth, with Nikodemos,
came before the rock which covered you, and later the divine
Nektarios came. Through the All-pure Theotokos, cover us, O
Markella.
It is truly right to bless you the
Theotokos...
Followed by the rest of the Megalynaria
to the Theotokos. Then the Trisagion, followed by the
Apolytikion of the Saint. The Priest then says the ektenis, and
commemorates those on behalf of whom the Paraklesis is offered,
followed by the Apolysis, and then the final hymns to the Theotokos
in the Second Tone:
All those whom you protect, O Good
One...
For those in great sorrow you are
joy...
Lady, do you receive...
My numerous hopes are placed...
The Priest: Through the prayers of our
Holy Fathers...
Prayer at the partaking of the Holy
Water of St. Markella
O spotless bride of the Lord, Markella,
as another spring of Siloam, your Bridegroom showed forth the rock
that was rent and received your Holy Relic, which gladdened God, and
those who approach this with faith are saved. Here it is not the
first one who is healed, but all are. An angel does not come to trouble
the waters, but it is your presence. Also heal, therefore, my soul
and body, who have come last instead of first, through fear of
offenses (thrice). You, therefore, O all-blessed Markella, who
appear as an awesome sight to behold, in compassion grant us to drink of
the water from your spring, we who are approaching death, and lift us
out through your hand by this water. For you again said to the woman:
"I sent you your healing", and the next day, through your water, she received
deliverance of her affliction.
In this water have holy hands baptized.
In this water, holy people, both known and unknown, have been
confirmed in the faith. With this water, the holy Nikephoros of Chios
was anointed in fear. Of this water, Makarios of Corinth partook with
reverence. With this water, Nektarios of Aegina, who taught in Chios,
protected himself with fervor. With this water, so many saints have
been healed, and so many of the faithful have been delivered from
sicknessess! Heal me also, therefore, O Champion, of the wounds of my
soul and body, O wonderworker Markella, by the partaking of your
water (thrice).
This water springs forth from your
Precious Relic, and those who pray here with fervent faith are also
warmed. This water has become like the Jordan on Chios. This water
has been shown as the spring of Moses on Chios. This water is a
divine gift from above, and a great treasure. This spring is not a
mere spring of water, but a spring freely pouring forth wonders and
grace, through your intercessions, O comely Markella, to Christ, to
Whom belongs the dominion unto the ages.
Drowning in the abyss of ignorance, O
martyr,
Deliver me who pray to you,
And speedily show me
The riches of your intercessions.
Prayer to St. Markella
O holy martyr of Christ Markella,
hearken to my prayer, as I call upon your protection in reverence.
Extend your hand, O bride of the Lord, O spotless one, amd entreat your
sweetest Bridegroom Christ on behalf of us, seeking the fulfillment
of our requests unto salvation. As a martyr, grant us progress in the
faith and correction of our life. As one possessing the grace of
healing, grant us healing from above. As one truly glorious in
working wonders, wondrously save us from every dangerous
circumstance, tribulation and want, that through you, we might hymn
Christ God, He Who is, unto the ages of ages.
(http://www.analogion.com/psaltologion/George_Sepkas/akolouthia_agias_markelis.pdf)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
