THE PROTECTION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD (OCTOBER 1) – GREAT VESPERS

The glorious feast of your Holy Protection has come, O most pure Virgin. Illuminate more brightly than the sun all your people who with faith and with a pure heart proclaim you to be truly the Mother of God. They likewise sing out to your Son: O Christ our God, through the prayers of the ever-Virgin, who immaculately gave You birth in the flesh, let not your inheritance be vanquished by the enemy; but because You are the merciful One, save our souls in peace.

The people desire to sing to you, most pure Lady, but they cannot sing praises worthy of your Son. For you always intercede for all the faithful and embrace them with your holy protection. You pray that all will be saved, all who honor you with faith, O most pure Mother of God.

Let us assemble today, O faithful, and praise the immaculate Queen of all, the most pure Virgin, the Mother of Christ our God; for she always mercifully extends her hands to her Son. In amazement, Andrew saw her in a cloud, protecting the faithful with her mantle. Let us fervently sing to her: Rejoice, O protection, defense, and salvation of our souls.

Having purified our minds and souls, we also rejoice with the angels, joyously singing the hymn of David to the virgin bride of Christ our God, the King of all: Arise, O Lord, in the place of your dwelling, You and the ark of your majesty. Because You have adorned her as a beautiful palace, receive her into your city that through her prayers, O Lord, and with your almighty power, she will order our lives and protect our Church from its enemies.

Higher than all beings in heaven or on earth, more glorious than the Cherubim, and more honorable than all creation, Christ has given you as the powerful protection of the Christian people to protect and save all sinners who hasten to you. Therefore, O Lady, we sing hymns to you because you are the refuge of all people, and we gloriously celebrate the honorable feast of your Protection. We ask Christ to grant us great mercy through you.

O people, let us gloriously sing David’s song to the young bride, to the mother of Christ our God and the King of all. O Master, the Queen stood at your right hand, clothed in golden robes and adorned with celestial beauty. You have affirmed her, chosen from among women, and deigned to be born of her because of your great mercy. You have given her as a help to your people to build up and protect your servants from all misfortunes, O only-blessed One.

O Theotokos, you are a mountain greater and more glorious than Mount Sinai. It could not bear God’s glory coming down in images and tents. It caught fire and shook with thunder and lightning. You likewise had the Divine Fire in you. Through the will of Him who holds all in the palm of his hand, you bore the Word of God in your womb without being burned. Since you have a mother’s confidence before Him, O Lady, help those who faithfully celebrate your precious feast. Do not forget in your mercy to visit us, for you have received a gift from God to build up and protect the Christian flock of your servants.

O all-pure Mother of God, the Church is clothed with your honorable protection as with a most glorious wreath. It radiantly rejoices today. It mystically dances with joy and sings to you, O Lady: Rejoice, honorable raiment and crown of God’s glory. Rejoice, unique perfection of glory and eternal joy; rejoice, refuge of all who hasten to you;

rejoice, our salvation and deliverance.