Sunday, October 30, 2011

Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Holy Unmercenaries


The following is an amateur translation of a "Paraklesis Canon to the Twelve Holy Unmercenaries: Kosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Panteleimon and Ermolaos, Sampson and Diomedes, Mokios and Aniketos, Thallelaios and Tryphon". I am unaware of who wrote this service, and when it was written. It should be noted that most Orthodox sources traditionally number at least twenty Unmercenary Physician Saints (two additional sets of Sts. Kosmas and Damian, Sts. Eutropios, Leontios and Anthimos, and St. Julian of Emesa are missing from the above list). Please note that in the service below, any mention of twelve Unmercenaries I have replaced with the generic "Band" of the Holy Unmercenaries.

According to the following site, the traditional feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries is celebrated in the Greek tradition on October 17th, for which a full service has been composed (in Greek): http://analogion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15637.

In honor of the upcoming feast of Sts. Kosmas and Damian the Unmercenaries of Asia Minor, I offer the following service. 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.

May the compassionate and wonderworking Unmercenaries grant us all healing of soul and body, as they are imitators of Christ, the great Physician and Shepherd of His sheep!

Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Holy Unmercenaries (amateur translation of the Greek text here: http://www.pigizois.net/latreia/paraklitikoi_kanones/paraklitikos_kanon_dodeka_agious_anargirous.doc)

The priest entones: “Blessed is our God...

Psalm 142 “Lord hear my prayer...”

God is the Lord...(x4 with verses)

Tone Four
You who trample upon the basest pleasures, and freely heal sicknesses, O all-famed Unmercenaries and divine Physicians, you were crowned by Christ with heavenly crowns, therefore we entreat you to deliver us from the darkness of sin and illnesses, as you intercede with the God of all.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Holy Unmercenaries and wonderworkers, visit our infirmities, freely you have received, freely give to us.

Tone Four
Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen
To the Theotokos all hasten with longing, crying out with fervor, Most-holy All-hymned Lady, deliver through your mercy from unexpected dangers, all kinds of trials, and speedy destruction, and every illness, O Good one, blessed Mary, Bride-of-God.

Psalm 50 “Have mercy on me, O God...”

The Canon in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Ode I “Crossing the water...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Surrounded by endless dangers, I entreat you to look upon us warmly, that through your intercessions to God, you might speedily deliver us, O Unmercenaries.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
The terrible flame of the passions enflames my heart and soul, O divine Unmercenaries, speedily extinguish it, through your intercessions for us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
A multitude of sicknesses and terrible passions, many from my sins, heal through your active medicine—your intercessions towards the Master—O Unmercenaries.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Grant understanding to your servant, O Mariam, and open to me the gates of repentance, and deliver me, through your intercessions, from the gates of death-bearing sin, O Lady.

Ode III “The vault of the heaven...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Through your divine protection, O Unmercenaries, deliver me from the confusion and storms of life that swell about me, for I have found you, after God, as pilots towards the safe and unassailable harbor.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
I entreat with fervor that you heal the illnesses of my soul and the sicknesses of my flesh, for you, O All-sacred ones, imitated the All-wise Physician of souls and bodies.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Terrible sicknesses and continuous passions each afflict me, O Unmercenaries, and through your fervent intercessions to the Lord, grant us soothing medicine.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I wretchedly lie on my bed of pain, and I ask of you, O Virgin, to lend me your ear. Hasten to save me and to deliver me speedily, for now the fire consumes my heart.

[Note: Most Parakleses include an ektenis at this point. The following hymns would then be used before the petitions:

Look down, O [band] of holy Unmercenaries, upon my sicknesses of soul and body, and grant me healing, through your prayers.

Turn to me, in your good favor All-praisworthy Theotokos, and do thou behold my body's grievous infirmity, and heal thou the cause of my soul's sorrow.]
Ode IV “I have heard, O Lord...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
The burning of my passions, and the afflictions of my wretched soul, through your prayers, O Unmercenaries, extinguish speedily and drive them away.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
We ever receive graces from your Icon, O Unmercenaries, and we praise the Greatly-good One Who glorified you.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I lie on my bed ill with sicknesses of soul and body. O Unmercenaries, raise me up, through your intercessions to the Savior.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Grant me deliverance, O All-pure One, who have taken refuge in your intercessions, and every sickness and burden, thoroughly drive away straightaway.

Ode V “Enlighten us...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Speedily fill my soul with divine grace, O sacred [band] of Unmercenaries, and those who take refuge in your protection and your icon.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Deliver me now through your prayers to the Lord from danger of sickness and every trial, O [band] of Physicians worthy to be praised.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Heal the many passions of soul and body, O [band] of Physicians All-blessed, of those who venerate your Icon with longing.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Every enemy which assails us, O All-pure One, make disappear for your servants through your divine power.

Ode VI “My voice, I pour forth...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Death and trials and all kinds of terrible tribulations and grave sicknesses you drive away, O free Physicians of the sick, for those who piously take refuge in you, O All-holy Ones.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
As an unassailable wall for those in dangers, we have found your icon, and from all kinds of dangers we are delivered, for we call you our redeemers and saviors after God, O most-famous divine Unmercenaries.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I lie on the bed of my incurable passions, O divine Unmercenaries, I entreat your fervent protection and help, do not neglect to intercede ceaselessly, that I find health and aid.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most-compassionate One who gave birth to God, O Virgin Mary Theotokos, through your endless intercessions to God, deliver me from trials, I who cry out to you and glorify you, O only Pure Lady, All-holy Bride-of-God.

Look down, O [band] of holy Unmercenaries, upon my sicknesses of soul and body, and grant me healing, through your prayers.

O 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.

And the priest entones the ektenis.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
O fervant protectors and unsleeping watchmen, those who hymn you in faith cry out to you: O all-sacred defenders, hasten to deliver us from from dangers, for you have boldness towards the Lord.

Prokeimenon
The Saints who are on the earth, the Lord has shone wondrous. (2)
Verse: Hear this, all nations.
The Saints who are on the earth, the Lord has shone wondrous.

Gospel according to St. Matthew (10:1, 5-8)
"At that time, Jesus called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay."

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of the Unmercenaries, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my offenses.

Both now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of my offenses.

Prosomoion
Verse: Have mercy upon me O God according to Your Mercy, and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgressions.
The transformation of all trials, and the deliverers from every sickness you are, O holy famed [band] of sacred Unmercenaries, save us all from the movements and influence and evil of the enemy, through your divine intercessions towards the Lord.

Priest: "Save O God Your people..."

Ode VII “Out of Judea...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
My grave illness, transform now into health, O Saints, and totally heal soul and body of those who cry to the Lord: O the God of our Fathers, blessed are You, O God.

O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Desiring mercy, you preached Christ, O divine Unmercenaries, entreat Him to deliver from dangers those who cry: You Who are wondrous among Your Saints, blessed are You, O God.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The healers of bodies and saviors of souls you are, and we entreat you to heal and to save those who cry to Christ, the Savior of all: O the God of our Fathers, blessed are You, O God.
  
Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
From the winter comes spring, and from confusion comes calmness, O Pure one, from the darkness of passions to the light of dispassion, and repentance proceeds, for those who fervently take refuge in you.

Ode VIII “The King of Heaven...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Do not neglect those who seek your help, O divine Unmercenaries, but deliver from every sickness and danger.
  
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
You drive away the many assaults of temptations, O Unmercenaries, through your fervent intercessions towards the Master.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You were shown to be ready Healing of illnesses, O [band] of Unmercenaries, wise and truly wondrous.

Both now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
That I might honor you, I hymn with fervor your name most longed-for, O Mary, and speedily deliver me from sicknesses and dangers.
  
Ode IX “Saved through you, O Theotokos...”
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
The streams of my tears, you receive with joy, and through your intercessions you wash away all the filth of sicknesses, O Unmercenaries.
  
O Saints of God, intercede for us.
Receiving eternal joy with the angels, O divine Unmercenaries, fill our hearts with endless joy.


Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The honorable Icon of the wise Physicians has become a harbor and clinic for the sick, for those who hasten with faith are delivered from illnesses.

Both now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mary Theotokos, deliver the choir of the Faithful from visible and invisible foes, and save from all corruption, dangers and trials.

“Truly it is meet...”, followed by the Megalynaria

Physicians of all the ailing, and spring of healings, O famed Unmercenaries, come let us hasten to them, O lovers of feasts, and worthily glorify them in hymns.

Divine Unmercenaries, wonderworkers, Physicians of the sick, heal those who fervently call upon you, of many passions, through your intercessions towards the Lover-of-mankind.

Do not cease to entreat the Holy Trinity, O Unmercenary Physicians of souls and bodies, to deliver from dangers, and every sickness and sadness.

You are a spring of healings that flows ceaselessly with gifts from God, the all-bright treasuries of the uncreated light, the divine Unmercenaries let us praise.

Come, those in all kinds of sickness, and those assailed by terrible dangers, let us hasten with longing to the haven of the divine Unmercenaries, and we will be saved.

Tryphon, [Saints] Kosmas and Damian, with Thallelaios, and Mokios the wise ones, Sampson, Diomedes, with Cyrus, John, and Aniketos, let us praise.

The noble Panteleimon, with his teacher, Ermolaos the wondrous, Julian the light of the Church, and the salvation of the faithful, let us honor in hymns.

You impart deliverance alone for piety towards God, O most-holy band of Unmercenaries, in hymns of honor we praise you.

With the hosts of Angels, God's messangers, with the Lord's Forerunner, and Apostles the chosen Twelve, with the Saints most holy, and with you the Theotokos, we seek intercession for our salvation.

Trisagion, followed by:
Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Holy Unmercenaries and wonderworkers, visit our infirmities, freely you have received, freely give to us.

Ektenis, apolysis, and then we chant the following prosomoion:
Second Tone “From the tree...”
Come, O multitude of the Orthodox, come O choirs of the Faithful, let us embrace the all-sacred icon of the Unmercenaries of Christ, Physicians of our passions, and let us cry out to them: deliver us who honor you, O Unmercenaries, from dangers, sicknesses and incurable passions, through your prayers to the Creator, O All-honored ones.

Lady, O do receive, from thy servants their many prayers, and deliver all of us, from all sadness and necessity.

My numerous hopes are placed before you, O Most-holy one, Mother of our God, guide me with care within your sheltered arms.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
  
The Holy Unmercenaries (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)

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