The Akathist Hymn to the Panagia Glykophilousa, as it was composed and is chanted at the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, Mount Athos.
Coming before the most precious Icon of the Glykophilousa, which sailed down to us from Byzantium, let us venerate it, crying out: As a compassionate Mother of the Almighty, grant unto us the gifts of your mercies, to those who cry: Rejoice, O Queen of all.
Angels invisibly escorted your Icon, O Maiden Glykophilousa, (thrice) when from Byzantium it wondrously came, having sailed the sea, to Athos, and put in at the Monastery of Philotheou, which cried out:
Rejoice, you who bear Christ in your arms;
Rejoice, you, the Sweetly-Kissing one;
Rejoice, you who sailed down to us past all wonder;
Rejoice, you who poured forth divine water at the birth-giving;
Rejoice, for as a queen you have come to us;
Rejoice, for you cast out the impious army;
Rejoice, divine glory of the Monastery of Philotheou;
Rejoice, protection and strength of all the Mountain;
Rejoice, fountain of abundant goodness;
Rejoice, our harbour untroubled by waves;
Rejoice, through whom all Athos dances;
Rejoice, through whom every dread thing flees.
Beholding the madness of the Iconoclasts, O Virgin, the holy woman cast your wondrous Icon into the sea, saying to you: Depart, O all-immaculate one, where they sing to your Son:
Knowing the wondrous fair voyage and course of your Icon over the sea, the monks of Philotheou received it with exultation, O Lady Glykophilousa, crying to you with longing:
Rejoice, the great wonder of wonders;
Rejoice, the living chariot of the Lord;
Rejoice, the God-uttered proclamation of the Prophets;
Rejoice, the tabernacle of heavenly virtues;
Rejoice, most manifest mountain of God’s good pleasure;
Rejoice, most calm haven of the God-minded people;
Rejoice, for you grant lavish bestowals;
Rejoice, for you well up saving energies;
Rejoice, the great deliverance of mortals;
Rejoice, the boast of all the Mountain;
Rejoice, through whom God was made flesh;
Rejoice, through whom Adam was deified.
Your holy Icon, O Maiden, as though recounting your greatest glory, shining with immaterial light, was beheld in the harbour of the Monastery, and all hymned its coming, crying out: Alleluia.
Filled with zeal by your grace, the leader of the Monastery took up from the sea your venerable Icon, O Maiden, glorifying you, O Virgin Glykophilousa; and all the monks cried to you with gladness:
Rejoice, the gladness of the Angels;
Rejoice, the salvation of mankind;
Rejoice, the fulfilment of the ancient counsel;
Rejoice, the exaltation of the mortal clay;
Rejoice, for you filled us with joy by your coming;
Rejoice, for you redeemed mankind from the curse;
Rejoice, O Glykophilousa, holding Christ as an infant;
Rejoice, you who scatter the cloud of despondency;
Rejoice, all-renowned meadow of purity;
Rejoice, our all-harmonious song;
Rejoice, through whom grief has vanished;
Rejoice, through whom all corruption departs.
With fervent reverence the modest Victoria placed your Icon upon the sea in prayer, O pure one; and it, sailing upright in a strange manner, O immaculate one, made worthy of strange graces those who cry:
A strange wonder was accomplished when your Icon came forth from the sea; for a sacred holy spring welled up in the place where it was set, O Lady Glykophilousa, sanctifying those who cry:
Rejoice, fountain of life-giving streams;
Rejoice, well-spring of manifold wonders;
Rejoice, precious myrrh-vessel of God;
Rejoice, life-bearing lampstand of many lights;
Rejoice, for strangely you gave your Icon to us;
Rejoice, for you gave body to the Maker of all;
Rejoice, O Glykophilousa, holding Christ as an infant;
Rejoice, you who rain down God-given strength;
Rejoice, you who rain the manna of life;
Rejoice, you who bedew parched souls;
Rejoice, lamp of thrice-shining divine radiance;
Rejoice, tongs which Isaiah beheld.
A God-given gift the Enclosure of Philotheou received with exultation — truly, O Glykophilousa, your sacred and venerable Image; and, glorifying you with longing, it cries to Him who was born of you:
Healing of both souls and bodies your truly wondrous Icon pours forth by your overshadowing, O Virgin; encircling it with faith, we hymn your wonders and cry out with joy:
Rejoice, hearth of boundless glory;
Rejoice, the downfall of the enemy’s madness;
Rejoice, you who pour forth the streams of wonders;
Rejoice, you who dry up the wounds of sicknesses;
Rejoice, fiery throne of Christ the King of all;
Rejoice, golden jar of the life-giving manna;
Rejoice, for as an infant you nurse the Master;
Rejoice, for you award every gift to the faithful;
Rejoice, you who ask forgiveness for us;
Rejoice, you who mortify the pain of the passions;
Rejoice, wondrous harmony of good things;
Rejoice, concord of all that is good.
Bowing your divine head, O Theotokos, you kiss with a divine kiss, as an infant, your Son — which, beholding in your Icon, we are led to your glory, and in amazement cry out: Alleluia.
Shining with divine radiance, your Icon noetically sailed upright, O Virgin, over the many depths of the sea, steered by your guidance; and, bringing us to rest, it roused us to cry to you:
Rejoice, you who came to us in a strange manner;
Rejoice, you who escaped the laws of nature;
Rejoice, inexhaustible fountain of holiness;
Rejoice, our protection and champion;
Rejoice, queen of the Angels and Lady of all;
Rejoice, deliverance of mortals and giver of graces;
Rejoice, for you pour forth the sweetness of salvation;
Rejoice, for you turn aside the crushing of perdition;
Rejoice, the deliverance of many sufferers;
Rejoice, the perfect recovery of souls;
Rejoice, the glory of the Monastery of Philotheou;
Rejoice, the crown of all Mount Athos.
You chose, O Maiden, that your wondrous Icon should remain in the Monastery of Philotheou for our care; wherefore we proclaim your grace to all, for ever you help us, O Glykophilousa, to cry: Alleluia.
Teaching those formerly disorderly to attend with seemliness to the laws of self-control, by the stillness of your Icon you corrected their wrongdoing; and those who fell before you in faith cried to you in compunction:
Rejoice, the wealth of compassion;
Rejoice, the spring of tender mercy;
Rejoice, you who chastened the disorderly with prudence;
Rejoice, you who corrected them in a strange way;
Rejoice, compassionate Mother of the merciful Christ;
Rejoice, sea of goodness and image of all that is fair;
Rejoice, for in fear they took up your Icon;
Rejoice, for they bore it to your Monastery;
Rejoice, the chastening of disorderly men;
Rejoice, the guidance of the venerable unwed;
Rejoice, the splendour of the choir of monks;
Rejoice, the radiance of this present Monastery.
Strange are the wonders of your venerable icon, O Maiden Glykophilousa; for everywhere its grace, coming swiftly, bestows the things of salvation; therefore every tongue, hymning you, cries to Christ: Alleluia.
With his whole mind falling before you, O Virgin, he who served in your church entreated you fervently; and, standing by him, you spoke fitting words, and he, filled with zeal, hymned you, crying in reverence:
Rejoice, the hymnody of the Angels;
Rejoice, the consolation of sufferers;
Rejoice, the comfort of grieving souls;
Rejoice, the fervent propitiation of the erring;
Rejoice, you who plainly confirmed Ioannikios;
Rejoice, wondrous provider and guardian of your Monastery;
Rejoice, for you grant divine gifts mystically;
Rejoice, for you remove soul-destroying afflictions;
Rejoice, you who quench the burning of the passions;
Rejoice, you who gladden every faithful one;
Rejoice, sure way of the Orthodox;
Rejoice, joy of the monks who cry out.
Full of folly, the hands of a temple-robber sacrilegiously took away all the offerings from your Icon; but he who did this, taking experience of your power, O all-hymned one, cried out in repentance: Alleluia.
By the might of your wondrous appearing he who fell from the window was saved, O Maiden; for, appearing as a nun, you held him by the hand, O pure one; and he, delivered from death, cried to you, O Glykophilousa:
Rejoice, the deliverer of those in danger;
Rejoice, the protectress of those who call on you;
Rejoice, you who snatched the fallen one from the cliff;
Rejoice, you who held him fast by your hand;
Rejoice, you who come swiftly to all in pains and troubles;
Rejoice, you who grant salvation to the faithful who call you;
Rejoice, for you work the powers of wonders;
Rejoice, for you grant healings to all;
Rejoice, through whom man is saved;
Rejoice, through whom your flock rejoices;
Rejoice, joy of God-loving souls;
Rejoice, strength of monks and laity.
Shelter and salvation, O pure Glykophilousa, you are for the Monastery of Philotheou; wherefore with much reverence we fall before your holy Icon, proclaiming your grace and crying to your Son: Alleluia.
From certain death, from the tempest, O Maiden, those with Kallinikos, delivered by your fervent watch, came unharmed to your Monastery, recounting the wonder and crying to you with one voice:
Rejoice, sweet Glykophilousa;
Rejoice, you who gladden all;
Rejoice, you who saved us from the sea;
Rejoice, you who fulfilled our entreaties;
Rejoice, you who delivered the ship from the sea-tempest;
Rejoice, you who distil to those in sorrow the sweetness of hope;
Rejoice, sure helmsman of seafarers;
Rejoice, salvation and deliverer of sailors;
Rejoice, God-fashioned vehicle of Christ;
Rejoice, you who repel the assault of the enemy;
Rejoice, you who deliver many from dangers;
Rejoice, most fragrant myrrh of God.
With most thankful hymns the woman formerly barren, having given birth by your care, hymned with joyful soul your grace, O Virgin Glykophilousa, and, proclaiming the wonder, cried to Him who was born of you: Alleluia.
The Enclosure of Philotheou, the God-loving Maiden, rejoices in your wondrous succour, and all Athos with it proclaims your many wonders, O all-pure Glykophilousa; and all of us cry to you:
Rejoice, light-bearing lampstand;
Rejoice, life-bearing irrigation;
Rejoice, the hope and deliverance of monks;
Rejoice, the most venerable boast of us all;
Rejoice, cloud overshadowing holy Athos;
Rejoice, shelter sheltering the Monastery of Philotheou;
Rejoice, for you fulfil the requests of all;
Rejoice, for you heal the sufferings of souls;
Rejoice, sweet both in deed and in name;
Rejoice, the meditation that monks behold;
Rejoice, through whom I am redeemed from despondency;
Rejoice, through whom I am filled with gladness.
Grace sweeter than honey, according to the God-inspired Prophet, your all-honoured Icon distils, O Glykophilousa, and it sweetens our souls; falling before it with reverence, we cry to your Son: Alleluia.
Singing each day the many magnificences of your grace, O Glykophilousa, we cry to you from the depth of soul: cease not, we beseech, to protect ever this your Monastery, which always fervently cries to you:
Rejoice, the protection of your Monastery;
Rejoice, the salvation of all;
Rejoice, the divine delight of the Angels;
Rejoice, the swift invocation of monks;
Rejoice, wall and diadem of the Monastery of Philotheou;
Rejoice, support and sweetness of every pious soul;
Rejoice, O Glykophilousa, the joy of my life;
Rejoice, the salvation of my wretched soul;
Rejoice, through whom I shall be delivered from bitterness;
Rejoice, through whom I shall be brought to your Son;
Rejoice, the loosing of my soul’s passions;
Rejoice, the deliverer from the troubles of this life.
O Bride of God, O pure Mother of God, O grace-pouring Glykophilousa (thrice), receive these voices of supplication, and give help to each one; for ever we run to you, and cry to your Son:
Coming before the most precious Icon of the Glykophilousa, which sailed down to us from Byzantium, let us venerate it, crying out: As a compassionate Mother of the Almighty, grant unto us the gifts of your mercies, to those who cry: Rejoice, O Queen of all.
Written at the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, Mount Athos, in the 1st Week of Holy and Great Lent. P.M.F.
