Supplicatory Canon to our Holy and Godbearing Father

Joseph the Hesychast

A Composition of Elder Joseph of Vatopedi

If a priest be present, he giveth the blessing: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages
of ages.
The reader: Amen. But if there be no priest, then say: Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord
Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Psalm 142

O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear unto my supplication in Thy truth; hearken unto me in Thy
righteousness.
  And enter not into judgement 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.
And straightway, both choirs, alternating: Fourth Tone.

The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon His holy Name.

The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Verse 2: All the nations compassed me round about, and by the Name of the Lord I warded them
off.

The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Verse 3: This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Fourth Tone. Thou Who wast raised up

Example unto hesychasts and their summit
who through watchful conduct faithfully labored,
among the saints exceptional, thou reach’d ascetic heights *
guard now all thy children from * deprivation of spirit, *
Joseph, Father of us all, * we implore thee, do not cease, *
to supplicate most strongly for our sake, *
unto the Master, *
thus finding His mercy for us. *

Glory.
Second Mode. Be quick to anticipate
For strugglers, a champion didst thou become in the flesh, by raising thy mental gaze from earth to
heaven above, * o, Joseph, all-brilliant. * Thou camest to behold God, thereby saving thy neighbors, *
showing to those with longing the hard path to salvation, * do also make secure all those who keep * thine
all-blessed memory.

Both now.
O Theotokos, we shall not cease from speaking * of thy mighty acts, all we the unworthy; * for if thou
hadst not stood to intercede for us, * who would have delivered us from such numerous dangers? * Who
would have preserv’d us all * until now in true freedom? * O Lady, we shall not depart from thee; * for
thou dost always save thy servants * from all manner of grief.

Fiftieth Psalm:

PSALM 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy
compassions blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know mine iniquity and my
sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightest
be justified in Thy words, and prevail when Thou art judged

Then, we chant the Canon.

Ode i. Plagal of the Fourth Mode. The Heirmos.
Traversing the water as on dry land, * and thereby escaping * from the toils of Egypt’s land, * the
Israelites cried aloud, proclaiming: * Unto our God and Redeemer let us now sing.

Troparia.
O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.
Surrounded by troubles on ev’ry side, unto thee I run now, Elder Joseph, for thou art kind, petitioning for
pray’rs of thine, o Father, unto the ransom of me the afflicted one.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Irrational thoughts beat against my soul, o Joseph, my Father, I continue to lose control, but quell all this
by means of the tranquility from thine acceptable pray’rs unto God our King.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

My passions most sinister and replete, ceaselessly afflict me, I whose guilt is now plain to see* but firmly
put a stop to these, o blest one, by the pow’r of thy prayers wrought with pain of heart.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

The Gateway of God and the Queen of All, show forth thy compassion, since thou birth’d the Deliverer,
and spare me now from ev’ry tribulation, from the relentless harasser of humankind.

Ode iii. The Heirmos.

Of the vault of the heavens art Thou, O Lord, Fashioner; * so, too, of the Church art Thou founder; do
Thou establish me * in unfeigned love for Thee, * Who art the height of things sought for, * and staff of
the faithful, O Thou only Friend of man.

Troparia
O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.
O, the vault of the heavens, in reaching out thou didst grasp, and thou didst behold light unending, and
wast enwrapped in it, and thou didst overthrow the flesh’s frightful dominion, and further didst thou raise
thy nous, unto dispassion’s plain.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

O, the passionate sprinkling of tears didst thou then blot out, by means of thy fervent supplication, we
now with longing chant, that thou wouldst deign to save, all those who honour thy mem’ry, deliv’ring
from adversity and every attack now waged.

Glory.

Tossed about by the waves of* all of our sins, Holy One, deliver us from these, we now ask thee, and
passions most profound, thy zeal enabling, a sacred welling of virtue, flowing by thy fervent prayers unto
our strengthening.

Both now.
I now ask thee, o Virgin, thy servant brought very low, that thou not abandon me, Mother, at this most
grave impasse, gripped by my passions’ hold, but by thy holy provision, gently steer me t’ward the port,
past fears which lie in wait.

Preserve and save, O Theotokos, thy servants from every danger; after God do all of us for refuge flee
unto thee; a firm rampart art thou and our protection.

In thy good will, look thou on me, O all-praise-worthy Theotokos; and look down upon my body’s most-
grievous infirmity, and heal thou the cause of my soul’s sorrow.

Upon the conclusion of the petitions, the First Choir chants the following Kathisma.
Second Mode. In seeking the heights
Protector with fervor, excellent champion* revealed unto us who longingly cry to thee* and with faith do
supplicate* our most holy Father Joseph, run to meet* those who now suffer and do grant relief * from
thy place at our Lord’s right hand.

Ode iv. The Heirmos.

I have hearkened and heard, O Lord, * of Thy dispensation’s most awesome mystery: * and I came to
knowledge of Thy works, * and I sang the praise of Thy Divinity.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Thy most God-loving way of life, quelleth the afflictions of our suff’ring flesh, and the surging swells
within the souls, of the ones who flock to thee for Grace Divine.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

A divine light and holy rest, unto those with illness and a speedy cure, and the granting of forgiveness
bring, o our holy Father, through thy fervent prayers.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Thou possessest the gift to heal, deep within the temple of thy holy bones, we now joyfully come near to
draw, from the wellspring and to glorify thy care.
Glory.

Thou didst journey through ascesis, past the fleshly passions unto godly sight, thus didst thou partake of
things divine, and of that most holy light of thy desire.

Both now.

Godly dwelling didst thou become, Spotless One possessing thy virginity* and repository of God’s Grace,
wast thou shown to be unto the faithful monk.

Ode iv.
Heirmos.

Illumine all of us* keep us in the fear of thy commands; * and by the power of thine upheld arm * bestow
on us Thy peace, as One that art the Friend of man.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Shelter each of us, * by thine awesome pray’rs, o Holy One, * and the boldness that thou hast before the
Lord, * thus displacing him who with bitterness doth tempt us all.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Grant to all of us * by thy supplication, blessed one, * illumination and deliverance, * that we may be
spared * from adversities of every kind.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Fill up to the brim, * the intentions of thy suppliants * and the ones that keep thy memory, * Father
Joseph, who* hast beheld and who now contemplatest God.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Sure and firm support, * and assurance of deliverance, * we now pray to Thee, the Queen of All, * that
we would be freed, * o our Lady, out of every kind of snare.

Ode 6. Heirmos.
Have mercy on me, o God, behold my offenses multiply, and from the pit of evil deeds, release
me, for thus I pray to Thee, I lifted my voice to Thee, I ask Thee to hearken, as true God and the
one who savest man.

Troparia.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

The psalmist once cried aloud, my acts of lawlessness, Holy One, are henceforth a heavy load,
and they take away my breath, deliver me, o God-rapt one, by thy supplications, and thine all-
surpassing boldness at God’s throne.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

My nous sickened by my sins, since thou art rich in the speedy cures thou bring’st, our Father the
hesychast, would’st thou speed now to reinstate, grant to me thy grace from God, in a way God-
pleasing, so that I may recommit myself to Him.

Glory to the Father…

Do quell now the circling storm of all our passions, o holy Father, traps laid out by our foe, and
ev’ry adversity, afflicting believers all who with honour hymn thee, * through the prayers of
thine before our Master, God.

Both now and ever…

Indebted I flock to thee, and to thy temple, o Lady pure, and as one laid bare, exposed, I stand
within, o Queen of all, receive my tears as widow’s mites, though they be few and meager, and
present them unto Christ our Lord.

Deliver us, all of thy children from danger now, holy Father, who with faith and with tenderness
now eagerly flock to thee, and grant us all thy most needful protection.
Spotless One, who by a word inexplicably bearest God’s Word, in these last days call out to Him
whom thou heldest in thy womb, as the one with all motherly boldness.

Kontakion.

Second Tone. A protection.

Thou appearest as a star without parallel, *

and art sleepless intercessor for pupils all, *
shine most brightly for those now trapped amidst the passions’ depths,
for them thou art a director true *
and for monastics leader sure
and they faithfully supplicate, *
crown with Grace from the heavens
that thou wonnest from the Master, *
us who now sing thy holy songs
thou our Father, compassionate.

And straightaway the Prokeimenon. Mode 4.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saint. (x3)

Verse: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Reader: Lord have mercy.

Priest:

For Holy is our God who resteth among the saints and unto Thee do we send up Glory, to the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.
Let every breath praise the Lord. (x3)

Priest: That we may be found worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, let us entreat the Lord our God.

Choir: Lord have mercy. (x3)

Priest: Wisdom, arise. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace be to all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Priest: The reading is according to the Gospel of St. Matthew. Let us attend!

Priest:

(Matt. 11: 27-30)

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father;
neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal
Him.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

And the Choirs thus:

Glory to the Father… Mode 2.

By the prayers, o Merciful, of thy Holy One, blot out the great multitude of crimes we have
committed.

Both now…

By the prayers, o Merciful, of The Mother of God, blot out the great multitude of crimes we have
committed.

And the Prosomoion.

Pl. 2nd Mode All those who lay up their hope

Verse: Have mercy on me o God, according to thy great mercy and according to multitude of thy
compassions blot out my transgression.

Shipwrecked and most paralyzed and weighed down by indecision

and by dread despondency
am I who cry out to thee
and worn to my bones,
but thou hast won things divine
by thine own sacred struggle,
and thy journey through the furnace fire,
and the holy love which thou foundest deep therein
Thus by the tempest of thy life
And the eschewing of comforts
Didst thou also burn the demon which
could not help but testify to thee
Now by thy prayers we hope to be spared
who with faith hymn and honour thee.

Ode vii. Heirmos.

Those who hailed from Judea * pious Children did enter the land of Babylon; * the fire of the furnace *
they overcame while chanting * through their faith in the Trinity: * O the God of our Fathers, blessed art
Thou, O Lord.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Full of mirth from the heavens and the joy from the Father thou show’d thyself to be, O godly-minded
Joseph, the ones who supplicate thee do thou also now show the way, toward the harmony of prayer,
since thou hast truly won it.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

From all trials and dangers, and demonic delusion do now deliver us, and every type of illness, who run to
thee for courage, * who at all times do cry to thee* that the never-ceasing prayer, wouldst thou grant to
thy children.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

To the darkness of passions, and of sins am I truly now found to be enslaved, * but shine upon me, Father,
* who longingly approach thee, * make me worthy to cry aloud* blessed art Thou, o Lord, the God of our
Fathers.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

The Creator of mankind, in thy womb didst thou host, o Maiden and Queen of All, protectress of all
people, against the sinful frenzy, do thou show forth now once again, * thy most maternal approach and
thy divine protection.

Ode viii. Heirmos.

The King of Heaven, * hymned by the armies of Heaven* with their chants and their doxologies, we join
them* in offering Thee praises from now unto the ages.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Do not disdain us * who need the help that thou off’rest, * Father Joseph, we now bless and extol thee, *
and we seek and ask thy most holy intercession.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Wouldest thou pour out * thy most abundant compassion, on those who faithfully ask thee, o Father * and
all those who hymn thy life’s struggles in seclusion.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

To thine inheritance,* o blessed Joseph, our Father, from all dangers, tribulations, and sorrows, by thy
prayers to Jesus, do seek to bring deliv’rance.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

From thou was brought forth, * the One Before all the Ages, as was written from the Father without
changing, * save, o Theotokos, the ones who now exalt thee.

Ode ix. The Heirmos.

Thou bearest God our Savior, and now do we confess thee, who have been saved by thine action, O
Virgin Maid, and with the bodiless choirs, we offer praise unto Thee.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

My tears as endless rivers, * do not overlook now, as one compassionate and as a father who* dost grant
us all acquisition* through prayer of blest compunction.

O Holy One of God, Intercede on our behalf.

Resolve and holy healing, * deliv’rance from incaution, and from unfortunate habits wouldst thou become
for me * and the injured soul of mine, * that heal’d, I may give glory.

Glory.

Through prayers of thine do loosen, * the chains of my transgressions, * and the writ of my trespasses, do
thou cast way * since I have fled to thy shelter, * do now deliver me.

Both now.

O Lady, let me not be * the laughing stock of demons, at that dread hour to come, o Mother and Queen of
all, but with benevolence request that Christ would grant me pardon.

And, straightaway:

It is truly worthy…

Greater in honor…

With Glory befitting monastic saints, standest thou beside the* throne of God, our Deliverer,* now
recognize the fervor of those who keep thy mem’ry,* O Joseph, the Most Blessed, Father of ours, divine.

All of them that piously chant of thy* sanctifying struggles and enclosure’s most valiant fights, * all those
who practice stillness and also keep thy mem’ry, * o Joseph, the Thrice-Blessed, save by thy holy prayers.

Supplicate our Master His peace to send, * calming of temptations, and forbearance until the end, *
salvation of the souls of * the ones who hymn thee, Father, * and with faith await the help coming forth
from thee.

Hail to thee who art for the Mount a boast, hail the all-wise healer hid among the monastic host, hail thee,
hesychia’s exemplar who wast God-taught, and safeguard of exactness who keptest tradition sound.

Of the Annunciation of the Theotokos:

Now with tidings cometh the archangel, and with wonder crieth the “Rejoice” unto Mariam* O, the
foreign manner* by which thy womb conceiveth * without seed the Maker who saveth the ones he
form’d.

Of the Venerable Belt of the Theotokos:

O Ven’rable Belt worn by the All-Pure, a wellspring of wonders, and a treasure of Grace-filled cures,
save thy lowly servants, from ev’ry kind of danger, since thou didst once encircle the vessel containing
life.

Of the Wonder-Working Icons:

To thy sacred icons do I bow down, Comfortess and Lady of the Altar, the venerable, the One Who Gave
an Answer, the One Pierced by a Bullet, the One Who Bled When Cut and the Giver of Oil divine.

Seated on a throne granted by the Lord, also granting Grace to thy fine image’s holy form, protectest thou
thy sucklings* from ev’ry tribulation,* o Queen of all, as they now hymn all of thine awesome works.

And finally:

All angelic armies in one array, thou the Lord’s Forerunner and Apostles, in number twelve, ye the cloud
of Saints and the One Who Bore our Saviour, raise up your great petition effecting our salvation.

Reader: Amen.

Trisagion. Holy God…

Priest: For thine is the Kingdom…

Reader: Amen.
The Dismissal Hymn of the Saint of the day is chanted, or this one for St. Joseph:

Mode 4. Come quickly.

A flow’r bud upon The Mountain, of monastics a boast, a champion of ascesis and hesychia’s deep sound,
didst thou show thyself to be* by thy life demonstrating Grace’s delicate manner, thou sav’d by thy
prayers, those who faithfully sought thee, pray thou therefore unto the Lord, Joseph our Father, example
in piety.

Glory. Both now.

Dismissal Hymn of Panagia Pantanassa. Same.

O image that gusheth grace depicting our precious Queen, our rescue we ask of thee, and grace we
fervently seek, from Thee, Lady ever-pure. Loosen all preventing those who fervently seek thee, shelter
all thy flock from ev’ry manner of danger, as we are the ones who never cease beseeching assistance from
thee.

Mode 2. Οτε εκ του ξυλου

Speed thou, to deliver me from trials, Joseph most concerned for thy children, I make entreaty to thee,
vainly do they move about, who wage invisible war, against me, demons ill-resolved, all seeking to make
off, with thy humble servant’s soul, which like a bird is exposed, do not spurn me always, but know that,
God-bearer, thou art for me shelter and thou art become for me mine only hope.

Lady, do now accept all the prayers of thy suppliants, and deliver all of us, out of every kind of need and
all despair.

All of my hope I bring to thee that thou woulds't grant help to me, Mother of our God, grant protection
and do now shelter me.

Priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers…

Reader: Amen.