Supplications in the First Tone

Again, Supplications in the First Tone — Rabbula of Edessa Again, I write supplications of every kind in the first tone, from the first to the last. Before the first canon, before the Mother of God: Hail to you with all the holy ones. Mother of God, Mary, hidden and precious treasure of the whole inhabited world, for the salvation of the just one who is without beginning and end, the pure vessel of the Creator of the whole creation. Hail to you, through whose hands was accomplished that which took away the sin of the world and redeemed it. Another: Upon the dry mountains Moses saw you, the prophet of wonder in your virginity, a fire that dwelt in the bush and was kindled in it, yet the bush did not burn. To you again she was a sign. The ladder that Jacob saw, the sorrowful one, in the wilderness, by which the watchers ascend and descend to heaven. And thus the son of Jesse took his cithara, spiritual, and began to play upon it, that like a gentle rain that fell upon the earth, so God descended and dwelt in virginity. Then the companies of young women and Hebrew virgins, with palms in their hands, and dancing in the Holy Spirit before the king's son, said to you: Blessed are you, Mary, whose like no mother bore. The chosen martyrs, eloquent ones, blessed martyrs, you were seen, and from your wine the Church was gladdened. O shining ones, glorious and divine, who openly made war on all afflictions, and by your exile you conquered the enemies of the curse and put them to shame. Hush! To the power of your strength in your contests. God came to save his creation; have mercy on us. When, then, the saints went up and entered into the furnace of pains, with the Lady who helped the people at Golgotha, they all drank and learned the hidden mysteries of the house of God. And concerning her they sing and say in praises: Blessed is the Christ who watered the holy martyrs with blood from his side.

of repentance, O God of abundant mercy and compassion. O pure one, the cleansing of all sinners. Purify me by your pure and merciful victory. And like a covering, O sinful one, show me mercy in your compassion. Christ died for sinners from their debts, for you are the receiver of all repentance. Savior of the race of humanity, save me by your mercy. O righteous one, to be saved is fitting. For what shall I do, I who am a sinner? The weight of the sea and the heat of the sun I could not bear. But with the works of the eleven hours, save me and have mercy on me. My sins have overwhelmed me, and from the height where I stood, I fell. And as if into a pit, I was cast toward destruction. And from that, again, adorned beauties have surrounded me. But you, the swift Creator, from the beginning, in your image and likeness, you formed me. And by my own will, I became a companion to error and a servant to sin. By your mercy, my Lord, free me and have mercy on me. Of the departed, the departed who put on your garment from baptism, O Lord. They clothed their bodies with the stole of the departed. When you come, when you come with the sound of the trumpet and the shofar, you are ready to renew and restore the entire race. Spare, my Lord, their debts and their sins, and let them pass in the abundance of your grace. The departed, to the power of your being, Lord of lords, God who came to save his creation, have mercy on your servants. When, then, Jesus the Savior entered the city of the dead, a multitude was heard in Sheol, and the foundations of the earth trembled. And the inhabitants of the graves rejoiced, for they saw the light that shone upon them. And with praise, he renewed and raised up the departed with him. And upon them, with praises, hymns, and songs. Blessed is he who renews and again restores from destruction the race of the dead. On the chariots of glory, he is ready to come in great glory, Jesus the Savior.

When he comes to make a new covenant of the penitents who lie in hope of him. And he sits in judgment, and the supplications are placed before him, the branches of the cleansing of repentance. Again, he opens his books. The good ones rejoice and are gladdened in eternal life. That they may be, my Lord Jesus, for your servants who lie in hope of your coming on the day of your advent. And that they may not be cast out from your divine vision. O abundant mercy. But that they may ascend to you, a new praise, when you come. Have mercy on humanity. For the resurrection was established, my Lord, on the cross with the wicked. And with the palm of your two hands, you grasped the four extremities. The sun became dark in the firmament, because it saw you, my Lord, who were stripped. At midday, in the daytime, night arose in its dominion. The sound of your cry upon the wood shook the earth and the heavens. Among the dead you were moved by your mercy, and you rose from the tomb as you willed. And you raised up Adam with you, and you redeemed Eve. That which had gone out from her. Good is your grace, O Lord of all. Praise to you. End of the first of Rabbula, bishop.