Akathist Service to the Theotokos in the Presence of the Kursk-Root Icon

Troparion of the Kursk Icon, Tone 4:

Having obtained thee as an unassailable rampart and wellspring of miracles, / O Most Pure Mother of God, / thy servants quell the assaults of enemies; / Wherefore, we pray to thee: // Grant peace to our land, and to our souls great mercy.

Glory... Both now...:

Kondak of the Kursk Icon, Tone 6:

Come you faithful, / let us radiantly celebrate the wondrous appearance of the most precious image of the Mother of God, / and drawing grace therefrom, / let us cry out with compunction: // Rejoice, O blessed Mary, Theotokos and the Mother of God!

Kondak I

To the champion leader and good directress, who guideth us to the heavenly kingdom, come ye, let us all bow down who here have no continuing city, entreating her all-powerful aid, recalling the miracles that from times past till now have been wrought through her icon; and let us cry out with a loud voice: Rejoice, O Mistress, who ever revealest signs of thy mercy unto the world!

Ikos I

The angels marvelled, beholding thee going before us in thine icon, as in a pillar of fire, in our great exodus from a land enslaved by the iniquitous, O Mistress. For it is not Moses, but thee thyself whom we have as a guide in our sorrowful journey. Wherefore, we cry out to thee in gratitude:

Kondak II

We have seen, we have continually beheld thy signs and wonders, O Mistress. And we confess thy mercy and conceal not thy benefactions, but cry out with a loud voice: Alleluia!

Ikos II

Who can comprehend the mind of God, and who can recount the mystery of His judgments? For He raiseth up and casteth down, He humbleth and exalteth, He afflicteth and healeth. Who is privy to His counsel? Wherefore, He hath humbled us also because of our sins, and cast down our kingdom, scattering our children over all the face of the earth. To whom, then, shall we flee in our sorrow, to whom shall we stretch forth our hands, if not to thee, O all-good one? Therefore, with contrite hearts we cry to thee:

Kondak III

Mighty works are shown forth in thee, and grace is poured forth in abundance from thy precious icon, O most blessed Virgin, moving all to cry to thee: Alleluia!

Ikos III

In that thou art possessed of ineffable loving-kindness, O most good one, thou shinest forth thy grace where darkness groweth thick and sorrows are multiplied. Wherefore, thou hast not left us orphans, but in thine icon art come to us paupers who glorify thy condescension and cry thus:

Kondak IV

When the storm of temptations assaileth us, when sorrows and pain are visited upon us, when patience faileth within us and our soul is troubled, let us run to the image of the all-pure Virgin and, pouring forth tears before her, cry out from our hearts: Stretching forth thy God-bearing hands unto us, lead us up from the depths of evil, that with grateful lips we may cry: Alleluia!

Ikos IV

Of old, the people of Russia heard report of the appearance of thy holy image amid the groves of Kursk and, making haste unto it with zeal, they cried out in compunction: Why is this granted to us, that the Mother of our Lord hath come to us? And beholding thine icon lying at the root of the tree, O Mistress, they took it up as a great treasure, and cried out to thee, its prototype:

Kondak V

Like unto a divinely guided star, thy precious icon traversed the Russian land and its cities, O Lady. Kings reverently bowed down before it, queens adorned it with love, hierarchs greeted it with awe, and multitudes of the faithful, spiritually keeping festival, cried out: Alleluia!

Ikos V

Seeing the wicked plot of the godless to destroy thine icon confounded by thee, O most pure Virgin, and recovering thy holy image unharmed by any destructive force, with fear and love monks and laity cried out to thee such things as these:

Kondak VI

The entire world proclaimeth the mercies that pour forth from thine icon, O Queen of all! For since in it thou didst depart from the land of Russia, there is no city or village wherein thy might hath not been made manifest. Wherefore, those who have been saved by thee from the midst of all the nations cry out to God in thanks: Alleluia!

Ikos VI

Shine forth on us again the light of hope, O most pure Theotokos, who in thy birthgiving hast proclaimed the splendor of salvation to the world. Leave us not in the hands of the enemy forever, and quickly set at naught the counsels of the ungodly and cruel apostates. May the Russian land be thy home as of old; may piety flourish therein; may the holy monasteries and churches be richly adorned; and may the people, delivered from the cruel atheists, celebrate with gladness, glorifying thine aid and crying out to thee:

Kondak VII

Desiring to admonish men who had forgotten Him, God, the righteous Judge, permitted great wars to be raised on the earth. And the nations were in upheaval; kingdoms tottered and fell; death and terror roamed the face of the earth; and weeping and lamentation rent the air. Then all who placed their hope on thee, O Theotokos, fled earnestly to thine image and, awaiting salvation through thee alone, cried out to God Who had given thee to the people as a helper: Alleluia!

Ikos VII

New signs and wonders didst thou show forth through thy precious icon, O Mother of God, when the din of battle was heard. For though cities burned, the earth quaked, palaces were destroyed and locusts filled the air, thou didst preserve unharmed the church wherein thine image was kept, O Queen of all. And, beholding this miracle, all praying therein cried out to thee with one voice:

Kondak VIII

A strange and fearsome sign didst thou make manifest, O most holy one. For when the house was destroyed, thou didst keep intact the little room which thou hadst earlier sanctified by the presence of thine icon, and didst preserve unharmed the aged woman and her son who found shelter therein. Therefore, beholding and hearing of this, all were filled with fear and cried out in awe: Alleluia!

Ikos VIII

Thou dost embrace the whole world with thy divine love, O Ever-virgin, visiting those near and far and traversing the whole earth in thine icon, which is ever venerated. Wherefore thy journey hath been from the East even unto the West, that all might bow down before it without hindrance, and chant unto thee, its prototype, such things as these:

Kondak IX

Men of every age and rank hasten to thee, O Mistress, divine Bride, for thy hands which held God are extended unto all; thou dost enlighten and comfort all, and dost bounteously bestow all [good] things upon everyone, O Queen of all. Wherefore, rejoicing in thee, we cry to God: Alleluia!

Ikos IX

The most eloquent of orators fall silent and skilled rhetors fall mute, desiring to glorify thee fittingly, O Mary Theotokos; for every mind is at a loss how to extol thee as is meet. Yet, if we be silent, the very stones will cry out. Wherefore, though unworthy, with lips of clay we dare to cry out to thee:

Kondak X

Pray thou fervently that the world be saved, O Theotokos, for it is in need of thine aid, the snares of the evil one being spread over all the face of the earth, the nations raging and storms of temptations rising up against the Church of God. Wherefore, as thou once didst in Cana of Galilee, speak thou a word to thy Son and God, that He transform the water of temptations and sorrows into the wine of compunction and divine gladness, that we may continually chant unto Him: Alleluia!

Ikos X

Be thou an invincible rampart for us, O immaculate one, withstanding the legions of enemies, visible and invisible, and fighting mightily for us who with love sing to thee such things as these:

Kondak XI

Accept our hymns as thy Son did the widow's mite, O most holy one, and grant that we may ever offer them to thee, guiding our life in the world and granting remission of sins; that, entering into the heavenly mansions, we may cry out to God: Alleluia!

Ikos XI

Thy splendid omophorion do thou invisibly spread over all the earth, O most good one, dispelling the moonless night of impiety and illumining creation with splendor once more, that we may unceasingly cry out in joy:

Kondak XII

We have received grace upon grace from thine icon, O most pure Theotokos. For none who approacheth it with faith departeth empty away, but each receiveth a gift from God according to his need, and is crowned with joy, crying to God: Alleluia!

Ikos XII

We hymn thee, we magnify thee, we bow down before thee, O all pure Lady, knowing not all the abundance of thy praises; and falling prostrate before thy precious image, in compunction we cry thus to thee:

Kondak XIII

O all-hymned mother, Mother of all Christians, imitating thy Son and God in thy love, thou dost mercifully cry to us: "Fear not, little flock! I am with you and no one is against you!" Wherefore, falling down before thee with love and giving thanks with tears, we cry aloud: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

This Kontakion is recited thrice, whereupon Ikos I & Kontakion I are repeated.

Deacon: Let us attend. Wisdom. Let us attend.

The prokimenon, in the 4^th tone: I shall commemorate thy name / in every generation and generation.

Choir: I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation.

Deacon: Hearken, O daughter, and see and incline thine ear.

Choir: I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation.

Deacon: I shall commemorate thy name:

Choir: In every generation and generation.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: For holy art Thou, O our God, and Thou restest in the saints, and unto Thee do we offer up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Choir: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Deacon: Praise ye God in His saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power.

Choir: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Deacon: Let every breath:

Choir: praise the Lord.

Deacon: And that He will vouchsafe unto us the hearing of the Holy Gospel, let us pray unto the Lord God.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. Thrice.

Deacon: Wisdom, aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace be unto all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Priest: The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Priest: In those days, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon: Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.

Again we pray for our great lord and father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; and our lord the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; and all our brethren in Christ.

Again we pray for the God-preserved Russian land and its Orthodox people in the homeland and in the diaspora; and for this land, its authorities and armed forces, and for their salvation.

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, pardon and remission of the sins of the servants of God, N., and for the protection of this holy temple.

Again we pray for all our brethren and all Orthodox christians.

Priest: Hearken unto us, O God our Saviour, Thou hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that be far off at sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, regarding our sins, and have mercy on us; for a merciful God art Thou, and the Lover of mankind, and unto Thee do we offer up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Deacon: To our Most Holy Mistress, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with tender hearts let us pray.

Choir: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Prayer to the Theotokos, before the Kursk-root icon:

O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of Christ our God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! Hearken unto the much-suffering sighs of our souls, look down from thy holy heights upon us who with faith and love bow down before thy most-holy and wonderworking image. For behold, submerged in sins and beset by the tempest of sorrows, gazing upon thine image, we offer unto thee our humble prayers as to one alive with us. For we have no other help, nor other intercessor, nor comfort; only thee, O Mother of all who sorrow and are burdened. Help us who are infirm, assuage our sorrows, guide to the right path us who have gone astray, heal our ailing hearts and save the hopeless; grant us to pass the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance; grant us a Christian ending to our lives, and at the dread judgement of thy Son be thou unto us a merciful intercessor, that always we may hymn, magnify and glorify thee, for thou art the good Mediatress of the Christian race, with all the saints who are pleasing unto God, unto the ages of ages.

Or this prayer before the Kursk-root icon may be said:

O Heavenly Queen! Who can count the great multitude of thy miracles, or who can number the prayerfully petitioned cries, the streams of tender tears or the grateful sighs poured forth before thine icon? For by the sorrow of thy people, the weeping of the oppressed and the joyful praise of the comforted is it wholly adorned. The people who suffered the yoke of Hagar’s line* fell down before it; Moscow cried out to it in troubled times; Kursk appealed to it in when faced with invasion of enemies. The whole domain cried out in days of deadly disease and trouble, and thou didst turn all the sorrows of those days into joy. Bless now also the Russian land; save our nation from sin, destruction and temptation. Pour forth thy grace upon our labours for the land, and on every blessed social enterprise. Remember by name, All-Holy Virgin, all those here present who pray and who are in need of thy consolation, help and mercy; for thou knowest the hidden secrets of our hearts. Grant unto all the fulfillment of their petitions according to their need; turn to repentance those who have gone astray; grant that we all may be wise by the light of the Gospel of love and good deeds. Keep our archpastors and pastors, and all believers, firm in Orthodoxy until death; and reign in the Kingdom of Heaven with Christ the Creator of life, unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

We venerate thee, / O All-Holy Lady, / and we honour thy venerable image, / which shows thee forth // as a glorious sign.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Priest: Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim; who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God our hope, glory to Thee.

Choir: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (thrice). Father, bless.

Priest: May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious, and all praised apostles, of the holy and Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.

Choir: Amen.