The Service of
The Supplicatory Canon to
ST. SILOUAN THE ATHONITE

based on a translation of the “Service of our Holy and God-bearing Father Silouan of Athos,” the 1995 edition from the Sacred Monastery of Simonos Petras on Mt. Athos. The translation was made by Mrs. Theoduli Karambatakis and Fr. Seraphim Bell. It has been set to the Byzantine tones by Fr. Seraphim Bell, priest of the parish of St. Silouan the Athonite, of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Walla Walla, Washington.

Pascha 2002

The Service of
The Supplicatory Canon to
ST. SILOUAN THE ATHONITE

People: Amen.

Priest: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee.

O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear unto my supplication in Thy truth; hearken unto me in Thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath humbled my life down to the earth. He hath sat me in darkness as those that have been long dead, and my spirit within me is become despondent; within me my heart is troubled. I remembered days of old, I meditated on all Thy works, I pondered on the creations of Thy hands. I stretched forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth after Thee like a waterless land. Quickly hear me, O Lord; my spirit hath fainted away. Turn not Thy face away from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in Thee have I put my hope. Cause me to know, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for unto Thee have I lifted up my soul. Rescue me from mine enemies, O Lord; unto Thee have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness; for Thy Name’s sake, O Lord, shalt Thou quicken me. In Thy righteousness shalt Thou bring my soul out of affliction, and in Thy mercy shalt Thou utterly destroy mine enemies. And Thou shalt cut off all them that afflict my soul, for I am Thy servant.

Troparion – Tone 1

By prayer didst thou receive Christ for thy teacher

In the way of humility and the Spirit bare witness to salvation in thy heart. Wherefore all peoples called unto hope rejoice this day of thy memorial; O sacred Father Silouan, pray unto Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion – Tone 3

Thou wast given to the world to declare the love of Christ, O blessed Silouan, most comforting of divines. For thou didst see Him that is meek and lowly and didst learn of Him the same heart. Wherefore all we, enlightened by the words inspired of God, glorify the Spirit that hath glorified thee.

He always had his mind kept within hell and he was raised to the heights by his humility. Seeing God by grace holy Silouan, receive those who run to you with your fatherly intercessions. Give the Holy Spirit and repentant thoughts. So that through the knowledge of God, we may be worthy of the heavenly life.

Glory … Now and ever… Amen.

O Theotokos we shall never be silent, of your mighty acts, all we the unworthy; had you not stood to intercede for us, who would have delivered us from the numerous perils? Who would have preserved us all until now with our freedom? O Lady, we shall not depart form you; for you always save your servants, from all tribulation.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great goodness and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified in Thy sentence, and vindicated when Thou art judged. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquities, and in sins my mother conceived me. Behold, Thou desireth truth in the inward being, and in the hidden part Thou wilt make me to know wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt fill me with joy and gladness, that the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice. Hide Thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy face, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy ruling Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners will return to Thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Thy praise. For Thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give Thee an offering, Thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, these, O God Thou wilt not despise. Do good to Zion in Thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with burnt offerings and oblations. Then they shall offer bulls on Thine altar.

Ode 1 – Tone 8

Being thirsty for the grace of the Lord Jesus, we run to you in faith. O holy Father Silouan through your holy intercessions give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

O Father ask our good Master to show us His mercy and to give the renewal of peace to our hearts which are seeking the tranquility which the Holy Spirit brings.

Cleanse our souls of the passions, thrice blessed Father and fill our homes with light; dedicated to the Holy Spirit, just as you cleansed completely your own soul.

Grant O Virgin to dwell in your servants the true humility which is your very own, that by grace we may become dwelling places for your sweetest Son.

Ode 3

You have shown your deepest love, O most blessed One, to God through your great repentance aiming not to offend Him anymore neither voluntarily nor involuntarily.

You were saved through your powerful calling upon Jesus’ Name, when the rabid dog attacked you, O Father Silouan, so set me free also from the devil’s dog, teaching me the unceasing prayer.

Make me to stand upright and immovable again through your intercessions, O Father, for I am too weary from my evil deeds, for you are a lover of man. Show me your gift of mercy that I may glorify you.

As you drove away from Symeon in his dream the evil snake, O Virgin, so also always drive away all of my unclean thoughts from my heart, to present me as the cleanest vessel.

Save, O Silouan, those who petition you from all of the evil influences through your blessed prayers and intercessions and keep them, O Father, in the grace of the Lord.

Turn to me in your good favor all praiseworthy Theotokos; look upon my grave illnesses which painfully sting my flesh and heal the cause of my soul’s pain and suffering.

Being rich through your intercessions most blessed One, we your servants have been delivered from dangers, and knowing God through grace most blessed One, Silouan, from our souls we send up hymns to you.

Ode 4

As your own will was shown to be constantly devoted to God, so always make your servant to live according to God’s own will.

While you were repenting, the flames of Hell, O Father, encircled your own heart; deliver me the miserable one and grant to me the dew of divine grace.

Holy One, you became unknown, bearing the cross of the divine schema; having Christ as your own relative, through your boldness make me also known to God.

You received in holy Athos, as a sacred offering, your servant, protecting him with your maternal care. Holy Mother please protect me also.

Ode 5

Christ was revealed to you, since you were weakened by the warfare and He strengthened your soul. I am weakened too, give the same Christ to me as my helper.

When your body and your soul received the divine vision, they were renewed immediately. O Father, therefore I cry out for my inner man to be renewed.

Melting like a candle in the vigils, yet always watchful, you kept the eyes of your soul like an angel. Therefore holy Father make me also worthy to be vigilant.

Renew my mind and heart, sowing the seed of the Prayer, O Bride of God, just as you planted it in the blessed One, Theotokos, as he stood praying to the Lord.

Ode 6

You served your brothers zealously because you thought of them as your own life. Through them you found God the Father, and received for them the grace of the Spirit. Therefore I entreat you, make me able to see each one in the same manner.

Having no regard for your mortal body and having struggled beyond your measure, fearing lest you fall away from Jesus’ love, O blessed One, grant through your holy prayers that my soul may always be dependent upon this same love.

Keeping your mind entrapped in Hell, most blessed Father, you kept from losing the good hope of the Savior, O blessed One. Therefore I also cry to you from the depths of my soul that I may accomplish the same kind of work.

O Virgin Lady, your servant enjoyed your maternal mercy; because no one who with longing bows down to you departs without grace, I the neglectful one beseech you that I may enjoy this grace in all of my life.

O Silouan, keep your servants through your intercessions from all evil influences and keep them in the grace of the Lord.

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.

Learning the Holy Mysteries through experience, you have shown your good love to everyone; show this love, O Silouan, to those who are in need and who hasten to your intercessions, casting out the passions from souls and bodies, and granting the joy of the Spirit.

Prokeimenon: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints

Verse: I waited patiently on the Lord and He helped me.

Gospel: St. Matthew 11:27-30

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. By the intercessions of Your blessed One, have mercy on me. Now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, merciful One, wash away my many personal offenses.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions, blot out my transgressions.

You are now truly rich with the treasure of the Gospel; offering up all your will, gathering bouquets of grace by your zeal. O Father most blessed, you finished the course of asceticism. Through the streams of your words give to those who hasten unto you, refreshing of the heart and means of true repentance, O Silouan, you possessor and teacher of the Holy Spirit.

You completed the sacred life of the monks, O Father, in much piety, always having before your eyes the presence of the Lord. Make me worthy also to see Him before me.

You kept your mind as a stranger to all worldly ideas and activities, O God-bearer, by the Holy Spirit, condescending to embrace and make prayers for the sufferings of the world. Please make those prayers also now.

Adam’s lamentation has come to an end, O blessed One, because now you enjoy the God whom you had desired. Therefore, now that you have great boldness, please remember your people, O lover of our souls.

O pure and blameless One, when you were standing before the cross, you drank an ocean of pain and sorrow, but you were filled with joy when you saw your son risen; make those who hymn you worthy of this same joy.

Ode 8

Being now in heaven, intercede unceasingly for all the world, choir of all the saints, having as your fellow intercessor the divine Silouan.

He found victory, who humbled the arrogance of the heart to the end; may we hymn this victory, O Father Silouan.

O how marvelous, the lovingkindness of the Master, who gives consolation to servants, the grace of the Comforter, the intercessions of the Saints.

Receive me again, O Virgin, falling down before you and asking for your unconquerable intercession through which I hope to be saved.

Ode 9

I beg you, Silouan, treasury of love, to give to me a double portion of this love through your intercessions, O most blessed One.

You overcame nature by the Holy Spirit and you lived like an angel beyond nature; O Father intercede that those who hymn you may live this same life also.

I am gladdened by the study of your life, O thrice blessed One, and by the vision of the great mercy of the Lord; O Father Silouan, make me worthy to be saved.

Having no words, I lift up my pleading voice, O blessed Father, that all the world may know the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

To me who am full of darkness and asking for your light, send me a beam, O Creator of the light, and make of me a participant in your kindom of light.

Truly you are worthy to be blessed, Mother of our God, the Theotokos, you the ever blessed one and all blameless One, and the Mother of our God.

You are more honorable than the Cherubim, and you have more glory when compared to the Seraphim. You without corruption, did bear God the Logos; you are the Theotokos, you do we magnify.

You are the instructor in repentance, and the true initiator in the uncreated light; teacher and the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit; O blessed Father Silouan, in hymns do we honor you.

You did sow abundantly in tears, O God-bearing Father, Silouan the Athonite, having now the bouquets of the holy virtues, give to those who ask you the fruits of divine grace.

Through your prayers implant within those who honor you with reverence, O Father Silouan, the All Holy Spirit, and make the whole world to be worthy to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, most blessed One.

To those who venerate in faith your relics, O Father Silouan, fill with life-creating gifts and enlighten them with the warmth of love, so that all may glorify you with gratitude.

With the hosts of Angels, God’s messengers, with the Lord’s Forerunner, and Apostles, the chosen Twelve, with the saints most holy, and with you the Theotokos, we seek your intercession for our salvation.

Troparia – Tone 6

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are empty of all defense; as sinners we offer this supplication to You, O Master have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Lord, have mercy on us, for in You we have put our trust; be not exceedingly angry with us, nor remember our many iniquities, but look upon us now as the Compassionate One and deliver us from our enemies; for You are our God and we Your people, we are all the work of Your hands, and upon Your Name we have now called.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The doors of caring do now open unto us, O most blessed Theotokos, so that hoping in you we shall not fail; through you we may be delivered from adversities, for you are the salvation of the Christian race.

Give me the joy of the Spirit, the completeness of love, O Father, the desire of the sweetest Christ, the fullness of the virtues, divine humility, so that completely full of the Holy Spirit, I may glorify you who are the glory of the Holy Mountain and the mouth of the Church, O Silouan blessed of God.

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

Tone 2

My numerous hopes are placed before you, most blessed One; Mother of our God, guard me with care within your sheltered arms.

Through the intercessions, O Lord, of all the Saints and the Theotokos, grant us your peace and have mercy on us, sinceYou alone are compassionate.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

Fill the ways of my miserable life, O Silouan, with the All Holy Spirit.