Dogmatika

Let us praise the Virgin Mary, the glory of the whole world.

Born of man, she bore the Master.

She is the gate of heaven, the song of angels, and the adornment of the faithful.

She is heaven itself and the temple of God.

She tore down the dividing wall of enmity, bringing peace and opening the kingdom.

If we cling to her, then, as an anchor of faith, the Lord born of her will be our champion.

Take courage, then, take courage, people of God; for he who is all powerful will fight our enemies.

The shadow of the Law passed away when grace arrived, for, like the bush which burned but was not consumed, you gave birth as a virgin, and a virgin you remained.

Instead of a pillar of fire, the Sun of Justice dawned; instead of Moses, Christ, the salvation of our souls.

O most honorable one, how can we not marvel at your giving birth to God and man?

Most pure one, without knowing man, you gave birth in the flesh to the Son without a father, begotten before all ages of the Father without a mother.

He underwent no change, confusion, or division, but maintained the properties of each nature intact.

Therefore, O Lady, Virgin Mother, beg him to save the souls of those who rightly confess you as Theotokos.

O Theotokos, David the prophet and ancestor of God announced in song to the One who would do great things for you: The Queen stands at your right hand.

He revealed you as the Mother of Life and Intercessor.

God was pleased to become man from you without a father so that he might restore the image which passions had deformed and find the sheep straying in the hills, lift it on his shoulders, and bring it to his Father, uniting it to the heavenly powers.

Thus Christ will save the world, for he has abundant and great mercy.

The image of the bride who knew not man was traced in the Red Sea long ago. 

There, Moses parted the waters; here, Gabriel announced the miracle. 

There, Israel trod the depths and kept dry; here, the Virgin gave birth to Christ without seed. 

Then, the sea remained impassable after Israel’s passage; now the most pure one remains inviolate after Emmanuel’s birth. 

O God, existent, pre-existent, and now seen as man, have mercy upon us.

Who would not extol you, Most Holy Virgin? 

Who would not praise your giving birth without pain?  

For the only-begotten Son, Who shines forth from the Father timelessly, has Himself come forth from you, O Pure One. 

He took flesh from you in a manner beyond understanding.

Retaining divine nature but assuming human nature for our sake.

Not divided into two persons, but existing in two natures distinct and unconfused.

O honored and most blessed one, beseech Him to have mercy on our souls.

O Theotokos, we know that your maternity is supernatural, but how you remain a virgin, we can neither know nor say.

No tongue can explain the wonder of your giving birth, for your conception is a paradox, O pure one, and the way you gave birth is incomprehensible.

For whenever God wills, the order of nature is overturned.

Therefore, we all recognize you as the Mother of God, and we fervently beseech you: Intercede for the salvation of our souls.

In his love for all of us, the King of Heaven appeared on earth and dwelt among us, for he took flesh from a pure Virgin and came forth from her.

The only Son has two natures but is not two persons.

We proclaim the truth about Christ our God, professing him both perfect God and perfect man.

Beseech him, O unwedded Mother, to have mercy on our souls.