The following is the text of the Moleben blessed to be served in parishes when the Kursk-root icon visits. It is, in form, the General Moleben to the Theotokos according to the parish-use rubrics of the Church Abroad, with the particular hymns and prayers for the Kursk icon inserted, including the Akathist to the Kursk icon (linked). This service is also available here на церковнославянском языке and en français.
NOTE: We also have bilingual editions as PDF files designed for printing, in Church Slavonic-English and Church Slavonic-French editions, available here.
| Deacon: | Bless, Master. |
| Priest: | Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. |
| Clergy: | Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. |
| People: | O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. |
| Deacon: | God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. |
| Verse 1: | O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever. |
| Verse 2: | Surrounding me they compassed me, and by the name of the Lord I warded them off. |
| Verse 3: | I shall not die, but live, and I shall tell of the works of the Lord. |
| Verse 4: | The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. |
| People: | Tropar of the Kursk Icon, Tone 4: Having obtained thee as an unassailable rampart and wellspring of miracles, / O Most Pure Mother of God, / thy servants quell the assaults of enemies; / Wherefore, we pray to thee: // Grant peace to our land, and to our souls great mercy. Glory… Both now…: Kondak of the Kursk Icon, Tone 6: Come you faithful, / let us radiantly celebrate the wondrous appearance of the most precious image of the Mother of God, / and drawing grace therefrom, / let us cry out with compunction: // Rejoice, O blessed Mary, Theotokos and the Mother of God! |
Upon which we sing the refrains of the odes, as follows:
Ode 1
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. |
Ode 3
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Save thy servants from harm, O Theotokos, / for all we, after God, flee unto thee, // as to an unassailable wall and intercessor. Look with loving-kindness, O all-hymned Theotokos, / upon my cruel bodily suffering, // and heal the sickness of my soul. |
| Deacon: | Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for our great lord and father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; and our lord the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; and our lord the Most Reverend Bishop Irenei; and all our brethren in Christ. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for the God-preserved Russian land and its Orthodox people in the homeland and in the diaspora; and for this land, its authorities and armed forces, and for their salvation. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for all our brethren, and for all Christians. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Priest: | For a merciful God art Thou and the Lover of mankind, and unto Thee do we offer up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. |
Ode 4
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. |
Ode 5
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. |
Ode 6
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Save thy servants from harm, O Theotokos, / for all we, after God, flee unto thee, // as to an unassailable wall and intercessor. Look with loving-kindness, O all-hymned Theotokos, / upon my cruel bodily suffering, // and heal the sickness of my soul. |
| Deacon: | Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. |
| Deacon: | Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. |
| Deacon: | Calling to remembrance our most holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commit ourselves and one another, and all our life unto Christ our God. |
| People: | To Thee, O Lord. |
| Priest: | For Thou art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls, and unto Thee do we offer up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. And we sing the Akathist to the Kursk-root icon. |
| Deacon: | Let us attend. Wisdom. Let us attend. Prokeimenon, Tone 4: I shall commemorate thy name / in every generation and generation. |
| People: | I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation. |
| Deacon: | Hearken, O daughter, and see and incline thine ear. |
| People: | I shall commemorate thy name in every generation and generation. |
| Deacon: | I shall commemorate thy name: |
| People: | In every generation and generation. |
| Deacon: | Let us pray to the Lord. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. |
| Priest: | For holy art Thou, O our God, and Thou restest in the saints, and unto Thee do we offer up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. |
| Deacon: | Let every breath / praise the Lord. |
| People: | Let every breath / praise the Lord. |
| Deacon: | Praise ye God in His saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power. |
| People: | Let every breath / praise the Lord. |
| Deacon: | Let every breath: |
| People: | Praise the Lord. |
| Deacon: | And that He will vouchsafe unto us the hearing of the Holy Gospel, let us pray unto the Lord God. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Wisdom, aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel. |
| Priest: | Peace be unto all. |
| People: | And to thy spirit. |
| Priest: | The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke. |
| People: | Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee. |
| Deacon: | Let us attend. |
And the Priest reads the Fourth pericope of the Gospel of Luke:
In those days, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
| People: | Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee. |
Ode 7
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. |
Ode 8
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. |
Ode 9
| Clergy: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Clergy: | Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. |
| People: | Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, / ever blessed and most blameless, and Mother of our God. / More honourable than the Cherubim, / and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, / who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, // the very Theotokos: thee do we magnify. |
| Deacon: | Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for our great lord and father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; and our lord the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; and our lord the Most Reverend Bishop Irenei; and all our brethren in Christ. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for the God-preserved Russian land and its Orthodox people in the homeland and in the diaspora; and for this land, its authorities and armed forces, and for their salvation. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, pardon, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, the brethren of this holy temple. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray Thee, O Lord our God, that Thou wouldst hearken unto the voice of our supplication and prayer, and have mercy on Thy servants (names, from commemoration lists), through Thy grace and compassions, and forgive all their petitions, and pardon them all transgressions voluntary and involuntary; let their prayers and alms be acceptable before the throne of Thy dominion, and protect them from enemies visible and invisible, from every temptation, harm and sorrow, and deliver them from ailments, and grant them health and length of days: let us all say, O Lord, hearken and have mercy. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Deacon: | Again we pray also that the Lord God may hearken unto the voice of the supplication of us sinners, and have mercy on us. |
| People: | Lord, have mercy. Thrice. |
| Priest: | Hearken unto us, O God our Saviour, Thou hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that be far off at sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, regarding our sins, and have mercy on us; for a merciful God art Thou, and the Lover of mankind, and unto Thee do we offer up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. |
| Deacon: | To our Most Holy Mistress, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with tender hearts let us pray. |
| People: | Most Holy Theotokos, save us. |
| Priest: | Prayer to the Theotokos, before the Kursk-root icon: O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of Christ our God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! Hearken unto the much-suffering sighs of our souls, look down from thy holy heights upon us who with faith and love bow down before thy most-holy and wonderworking image. For behold, submerged in sins and beset by the tempest of sorrows, gazing upon thine image, we offer unto thee our humble prayers as to one alive with us. For we have no other help, nor other intercessor, nor comfort; only thee, O Mother of all who sorrow and are burdened. Help us who are infirm, assuage our sorrows, guide to the right path us who have gone astray, heal our ailing hearts and save the hopeless; grant us to pass the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance; grant us a Christian ending to our lives, and at the dread judgement of thy Son be thou unto us a merciful intercessor, that always we may hymn, magnify and glorify thee, for thou art the good Mediatress of the Christian race, with all the saints who are pleasing unto God, unto the ages of ages. Or this prayer before the Kursk-root icon may be said: O Heavenly Queen! Who can count the great multitude of thy miracles, or who can number the prayerfully petitioned cries, the streams of tender tears or the grateful sighs poured forth before thine icon? For by the sorrow of thy people, the weeping of the oppressed and the joyful praise of the comforted is it wholly adorned. The people who suffered the yoke of Hagar’s line* fell down before it; Moscow cried out to it in troubled times; Kursk appealed to it in when faced with invasion of enemies. The whole domain cried out in days of deadly disease and trouble, and thou didst turn all the sorrows of those days into joy. Bless now also the Russian land; save our nation from sin, destruction and temptation. Pour forth thy grace upon our labours for the land, and on every blessed social enterprise. Remember by name, All-Holy Virgin, all those here present who pray and who are in need of thy consolation, help and mercy; for thou knowest the hidden secrets of our hearts. Grant unto all the fulfilment of their petitions according to their need; turn to repentance those who have gone astray; grant that we all may be wise by the light of the Gospel of love and good deeds. Keep our archpastors and pastors, and all believers, firm in Orthodoxy until death; and reign in the Kingdom of Heaven with Christ the Creator of life, unto the ages of ages. * a reference to the Arab / Mongol yoke, Arabs being biblically described as the descendants of Hagar. Or yet this customary moleben prayer to the Theotokos may be said: O Theotokos, our most gracious Queen, our hope, haven for orphans and intercessor for strangers, joy of those who sorrow, protection of the oppressed! Thou seest our misfortune, thou seest our sorrow. Help us, for we are weak; guide us, for we are gone astray; feed us, for we are strangers. Thou knowest our offense: resolve it as thou wilt, for we have none other help than thee, none other intercessor, nor gracious comforter save thee, O Mother of God, to preserve and protect us unto the ages of ages. |
| People: | Amen. We venerate thee, / O All-Holy Lady, / and we honour thy venerable image, / which shows thee forth // as a glorious sign. |
| Deacon: | Wisdom. |
| Priest: | Most holy Theotokos, save us. |
| People: | More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim; who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify. |
| Priest: | Glory to Thee, O Christ God our hope, glory to Thee. |
| People: | Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (thrice). Master, bless. |
And the Priest pronounces the the dismissal.