Ieromonk Ghelasie Gheorghe: "Akathist of the Holy COMMUNION" (translation from Romanian by Alice Butnar)

It is read before Partaking of the HOLY EUCHARIST and even more often, as a direct Akathist to our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Kontakion 1

Before the birth of Ages, Thou, the Son and the WORD of GOD, hast in Thy IMAGE Conceived and Made everything, and then EMBODYING Thyself, Thou hast Transformed the World into Thine Own DIVINE BODY:

O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Ikos 1

Lest for Thy DIVINE BODY, LORD JESUS, and lest the World PARTOOK of IT, the World would have remained trapped in the depth of darkness and would nevermore See and Meet her CREATOR.

O JESUS, DIVINE BODY of the World;
O JESUS, ENCOUNTER between GOD and the World;
O JESUS, DIVINE BODY, the passage of the “unsurpassable borderland”;
O JESUS, Discovery of that which is Beyond all Revelation;
O JESUS, DIVINITY Pouring HIMSELF forth into the World;
O JESUS, DOOR opening up from GOD Himself;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 2

How can it be for the One of absolute Boundlessness to be Held within Bounds? This is the unfathomable Mystery, that Thou, the SON of GOD, are within both, for the World to be able to stand BEFORE GOD, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 2

In the Beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was made FLESH, HE made the World and in Him all are UNITED, in His DIVINE BODY.

O JESUS, DIVINE IMAGE of the WORLD;
O JESUS, the WORD that was made FLESH;
O JESUS, Twofold LOVE;
O JESUS, DIVINE LOVE and LOVE of the World;
O JESUS, the MYSTERY by which everything was MADE;
O JESUS, Thou Thyself dost TAKE BODY;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 3

Who can tell of the MYSTERY by which Thou, the SON of GOD, show Thyself in the IMAGE of the World, and even more, Thou hast taken her BODY, lest through the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 3

O, DIVINE LOVE, how is it that Thou Dost Pour Thyself Forth into a Love of Creation? O, JESUS, TWO LOVES at a time UNITING in Thy DIVINE BODY!

O JESUS, DIVINITY Holding Creation in His Arms;
O JESUS, Creation and GOD Embracing;
O JESUS, Son of GOD and Son of the World at once;
O JESUS, the GIFT descended from ABOVE;
O JESUS, the GIFT of Creation as well;
O JESUS, DIVINE BODY – the GIFT RECEIVED in Eternity;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 4

Thou hast Created Heaven and Earth, the Angels and Creatures beyond number, and Thou hast Chosen Man to be the Image of Thy INCARNATION, in the glorious Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 4

Thou hast United Heaven and Earth in the Image of Paradise, to later transform it into Thy BODY – the TREE of LIFE, but Man has fallen and Paradise was lost.

O JESUS, CREATOR of Heaven and Earth;
O JESUS, Who hast Descended from ABOVE;
O JESUS, Who dost Raise Up the World to the ABOVE;
O JESUS, Window from within DIVINITY Himself;
O JESUS, also the Window of the World towards GOD;
O JESUS, Double SIGHT beyond “the absolute borderland”;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 5

The Creation of Heaven and Earth foreshadowed Thy INCARNATION, and thus the MYSTERY beyond all words, is fulfilled through Thee, LORD JESUS, and thus we all Sing: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 5

The WORD by which Thou hast Created all, held in ITSELF the ANNUNCIATION of Thy INCARNATION, and behold, “the Word that was made FLESH” is the FULFILLMENT.

O JESUS, Who dost make the World Thy very BODY;
O JESUS, the LOVE of the World that can be altogether with GOD;
O JESUS, Who dost Bestow the Creation with the IMAGE of ADOPTION;
O JESUS, the overcoming of “the Twofold Nature”;
O JESUS, the Unseen and the Seen at a time;
O JESUS, the ALTAR between the “Two Worlds” that otherwise cannot Meet;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 6

The Mystery of the whole World is the Mystery of the DIVINE BODY, for everything Begins and Ends with Him, and all that is Born, GATHERS in His Eternity, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 6

All of Creation Foreshadows the DIVINE BODY, and all Creation is CLAD in Thy IMAGE and GATHERS for the “HOLY SUPPER ”.

O JESUS, HOLY SUPPER of DIVINITY;
O JESUS, the ultimate FULFILLMENT of all;
O JESUS, the DIVINE FEAST of Thy INCARNATION into the World;
O JESUS, PASSAGE into Eternity of the World itself;
O JESUS, ACCEPTANCE of the World “NEXT to” GOD;
O JESUS, endless JOY of Creation to stand face to FACE with GOD;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 7

“Take, Eat, this is my BODY . . . Drink, this is my BLOOD . . . ” these are the GREAT WORD in Heaven and on Earth, the BOOK of LIFE that becomes the TREE of LIFE, and then “the DIVINE BREAD”, for the Singing of : ALELLUIA!

Ikos 7

“Unless you Eat the FLESH of the SON of MAN, and Drink His BLOOD, you have no LIFE in yourselves” this is the tremendous CALLING of us all.

O JESUS, the very FIRST WORD;
O JESUS, the BOOK of LIFE in Heaven;
O JESUS, the TREE of LIFE in Heaven;
O JESUS, BODILY BIRTH from the VIRGIN;
O JESUS, the EMBODIED – BREAD of LIFE;
O JESUS, the CRUCIFIED and RESURRECTED, the EUCHARIST BODY;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 8

The entire Creation of the World, its Life and Growth, is “the WORK of the DIVINE BODY” and all long for the EMBODIMENT into HIM, UNITING in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 8

Unless the BOOK of LIFE becomes the TREE of LIFE, and unless this TREE Bears the Fruit of the INCARNATION from the VIRGIN, the DIVINE BODY does not FULFILL.

O JESUS, the very FATE of the World;
O JESUS, the very DIVINE WORK in His Creation;
O JESUS, Who were not “intimidated” by sin;
O JESUS, Who hast vanquished sin by the CROSS;
O JESUS, Who art complete only in the DIVINE BODY;
O JESUS, only EMBODIED art Thou truly the Son of GOD and of the World;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 9

“GOD FATHER, behold, these Gifts from Thy own Gifts” have been and are “the GREAT SPEECH” at which the ALLHOLY SPIRIT Descends in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 9

Everything in Heaven and on Earth is the LITURGY of the COMPLETION of Your DIVINE BODY, JESUS, and the HOLY SPIRIT Himself COMES to FULFILL this COMPLETION, Gathering the whole of Creation.

O JESUS, Who hast burned away sin;
O JESUS, Who hast Restored the World to its First Image;
O JESUS, LOVE that has wiped away murderous evil;
O JESUS, Who hast not bereft us of Thy DIVINE BODY;
O JESUS, the BREAD of LIFE, more than “heavenly manna”;
O JESUS, the SAVIOUR and the Eternity of Creation;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 10

LIFE in Heaven and on Earth is the “LITURGY of Your DIVINE BODY” and if one Day this LITURGY stopped, then would the World perish, for only due to LITURGY can there be LIFE and the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 10

Come all to the LITURGY of CHRIST’S DIVINE BODY, come to the Spring of Immortality and to the FULFILLMENT of Eternity.

O JESUS, together with the HOLY SPIRIT, the LITURGY of DIVINE LOVE;
O JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, the MERCY of Eternity;
O JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, do not forsake us in the depth of darkness;
O JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, Give us the ever-shining LIGHT;
O JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, do not be Disgusted by our slothfulness;
O JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, RECEIVE us into Thy DIVINE BODY;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 11

Who is worthy of PARTAKING of the DIVINE BODY? O, JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, only by Thy MERCY are we allowed to “TOUCH” the ALTAR, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 11

The HOLY COMMUNION with the DIVINE BODY is not for this World, but for the NEXT ETERNAL WORLD, yet Thou dost give us the NEXT World in “EARNEST”, for us to also ENTER the Lofty.

O JESUS, DIVINE BODY, the World’s TRUE CHRIST;
O JESUS, Crucified as the REDEEMER;
O JESUS, RESURRECTED as Sanctified Creature;
O JESUS, as DIVINE BODY, the UNION of all and everything;
O JESUS, as DIVINE BODY, the ICON of ABOVE and Below;
O JESUS, as DIVINE BODY, the Eternalising of the WORLD;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 12

LORD JESUS CHRIST, ONLY IN Thy BODY do I have LIFE, and thus do not deprive me of the UNION with Thee, for me also to have the FULFILLMENT of Thy WORK, in the Singing of : ALELLUIA!

Ikos 12

O, ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, Who dost Descend “over and into” the World through CHRIST’S BODY, be MERCIFUL to me, for me also to bow in WORSHIP in Eternity.

O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, the LITURGY of the DIVINE BODY;
O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, the LOVE of Eternity;
O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, LOVE that UNITES everything;
O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, please burn away my sins as well;
O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, do not deprive me of the ultimate UNION;
O JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, KNEELING I PARTAKE of the EUCHARIST;
O JESUS, in Thy DIVINE BODY the Beginning and the End are Fulfilled!

Kontakion 13

TREASURE of Heaven and Earth, o, DIVINE BODY of Thy LITURGY, JESUS and ALL-HOLY SPIRIT, we Bow in WORSHIP, so as to be also worthy of the Great MERCY of COMMUNION and thus be able to Stay BEFORE GOD the FATHER, in the Eternal Singing of: ALELLUIA!

(repeated three times)

Then the first Ikos and first Kontakion are also repeated.

(published in the volume "Isihasm" ("Hesychasmus"), Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 124-134. Translation from Romanian: Alice Butnar)

Copyright: Platytera Publishing House

The Romanian (Original) Version can be found here.
The German Version can be found here.

Ieromonk Ghelasie Gheorghe: "Akathist to the Holy Guardian Angel" (translation from Romanian by Alice Butnar)

Icon painting by St. Andrew (Andrei) Rublev



















(It is read individually as a Prayer Rule, daily or at least once a week)

Kontakion 1

Honored is the Angel-Image in Thee, Guardian Angel, who wilt descend from ABOVE to the earthly, for Heaven and Earth to Meet, and thus let us Sing:
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Ikos 1

Heaven is the Angel-Image, while Earth is the Man-Image, and they are both UNITED in the IMAGE of CHRIST, and thus all Creation can Talk with the CREATOR Himself.

Holy Guardian Angel, Thou didst Choose me when I was Born;
Holy Guardian Angel, at my Birth Thou didst Ask for me from the LORD;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thou hast gained my Obedience;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thou hast strengthened me with Thy Heavenly Power;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thou hast clad me in Your Love;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thou didst take me in Your Arms from GOD’S very HANDS;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 2

Thou hast taken care of me from my Mother’s womb, and always secretly told me about those ABOVE, and ever since then I know of the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 2

Thou hast taught me so much, and coming into my Life Thou hast raised me like a Child, for me to know myself the Creator of all.

Holy Guardian Angel, Thou didst know that I would sin in my life;
Holy Guardian Angel, yet Thou also didst believe in my Return;
Holy Guardian Angel, Love diminished by nothing;
Holy Guardian Angel, Eager to gain me as a GOD-loving soul;
Holy Guardian Angel, tireless to deliver me from the evil;
Holy Guardian Angel, Protector at all times;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 3

How can it be that Thou, Who art more Radiant than the Sun, didst come to me the earthly and darkened one? . . . O, Heavenly Love, I offer up my Song with Love: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 3

O, Ever-Patient Holy Angel, Who art not disgusted by my small-spiritedness, my hard-heartedness and all my passions and infirmities.

Holy Guardian Angel, Heavenly Mercy on Earth;
Holy Guardian Angel, endless Patience from ABOVE;
Holy Guardian Angel, steadfast, unfaltering Faith in my SALVATION;
Holy Guardian Angel, Confidence in Man’s Restoration;
Holy Guardian Angel, Intercessor for the Remission of my sins;
Holy Guardian Angel, unfailing Helper;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 4

You Angels are a great GIFT to us Men, for because of sin we are ever prone to falling into deception, and it is Your Help that drives away all perils, so that we can Sing: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 4

Grant me Thy Help, Holy Guardian Angel, for me not to wallow in my passions, and Pray to the All-Kind GOD to have Mercy on me.

Holy Guardian Angel, under Whose Protection I am Day and Night;
Holy Guardian Angel, Who dost Witness all my deeds;
Holy Guardian Angel, Who art often saddened by me;
Holy Guardian Angel, Who dost veil Thy Sight at my corruption;
Holy Guardian Angel, Who dost endure my slothful deeds;
Holy Guardian Angel, Who dost not dismiss me from Thy Sight;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 5

Thou didst ever advise me to become a true Believer, to do my duty and obedience with all sincerity, to depart from all deception and wickedness, and to sing: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 5

O, Holy Guardian Angel, Thou dost so much wish to see my true Image that GOD has GIVEN me, and how glad Thou wouldst be if I were Your follower!

Holy Guardian Angel, I thank Thee for Thy Heavenly Love;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thy Faith in my Salvation is burning me;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thy enduring Waiting for me to be Restored is paining me;
Holy Guardian Angel, Thy Forgiveness is overwhelming me;
Holy Guardian Angel, I truly see myself through Thee;
Holy Guardian Angel, I realize who I am;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 6

Days are passing and I approach my grave, and seeing the “emptiness” of my Life I am frightened. Thou, my Holy Angel, art my only Comfort and Courage, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 6

The world of ETERNITY is “fire and burning”, and what will remain of me the slothful? Holy Angel, stay by my side for ever.

Holy Guardian Angel, what am I to do, for I do not have the FULFILLMENT of Life;
Holy Guardian Angel, how can I remain Fruitless;
Holy Guardian Angel, how am I to pass into ETERNITY without “the GARB of Immortality”;
Holy Guardian Angel, I am terrified for not being received;
Holy Guardian Angel, I shudder at the rightful Judgment;
Holy Guardian Angel, I stand in bitter shame;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 7

O, my Holy Angel, Thou didst take me from GOD’S very HANDS to TAKE me UP to GOD again, as Thou hast boldness towards GOD, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 7

Only if Thou, my Holy Angel, dost “Clothe” me in Thy Image, will I be able to safely pass “the redeeming borderland”.

Holy Guardian Angel, please do not return to Heaven without me;
Holy Guardian Angel, do not forsake me, leaving me with the lost;
Holy Guardian Angel, Pray more than ever for me;
Holy Guardian Angel, Ask GOD for my Forgiveness;
Holy Guardian Angel, may I fulfill the path of my Life by Thy Holiness;
Holy Guardian Angel, by Thy Love I shall reach safe haven;
Holy Guardian Angel, Spiritual Joy!

Kontakion 8

O my Holy Guardian Angel, Love descended from ABOVE, lift me up, the earthly one, to the KINGDOM of GOD, as this is the utmost last FULFILLMENT, for me to also sing: ALELLUIA!

(repeated three times)

Then the first Ikos and first Kontakion are also repeated.


(published in the volume "Isihasm" ("Hesychasmus"), Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 119-123. Translation from Romanian: Alice Butnar)

Copyright: Platytera Publishing House

The Romanian (Original) Version can be found here.
The German Version can be found here.

Ieromonk Ghelasie Gheorghe: "Akathist of Repentance" (translation from Romanian by Alice Butnar)

"The Transfiguration", icon painting by monk Ilie



















For individual reading, as a prayer rule.

Kontakion 1

LORD, I have fallen away from Thy LOVE and have sunk in my passions, in the outer darkness, where I am separated from Thee; but LORD, I cannot be without Thee, I cannot forget Thee, and thus I cry out from my very corruption:
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Ikos 1

Lord, I, Your Being, am the BEARER of Thy IMAGE, and the meaning of my Life is to Mirror this DIVINE IMAGE through my own IMAGE, to have Thy IMAGE grow within me and to be in Thy LIKENESS; but I have fallen away from virtue, and buried in my passions, I have darkened Thy IMAGE.

Lord, forgive me for falling away from Thy IMAGE;
Lord, forgive me, for I have ‘emptied’ myself of Thy IMAGE;
Lord, forgive me, for I have sinned;
Lord, forgive me, for I cannot stay separated from Thee;
Lord, forgive me, for blinded by sin, I can SEE Thee no longer;
Lord, forgive me, I shall cry out in Eternity, forgive me;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 2

There is no “wiping out of sins”, nothing can wipe out sins, for sins are the “killing of the DIVINE IMAGE”, and only Thou LORD can OVERLOOK sins with Thy “FORGIVENESS” and I with my “WORSHIP”, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 2

I am “a sinner in Eternity”, but Thou wilt CLOTHE me in Eternity with Thy Forgiveness, and only my WORSHIP will be my EYE, through which I shall SEE and LOVE Thee.

Lord, forgive me, for I have opened up the “abyss” of sin;
Lord, forgive me, for I have extinguished the “LIGHT”,
Lord, forgive me, for I have “spoiled” Thy INCORRUPTION;
Lord, forgive me, for I have killed what Thou hast Made;
Lord, forgive me, for instead of LOVE I have kindled a “hellish fire”;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 3

The FULFILMENT of Life is for me to give Thee an ANSWER in the LIKENESS of Thy DIVINE IMAGE, but I, “devoid of IMAGE”, commit things that are “image-less”, and sinking deeper in corruption I do not “despair”, but “CRY OUT breaking Earth and Heaven and all below”: FORGIVE me, ALELLUIA!

Ikos 3

In the “SCALES of ETERNITY” there are hanging on one side “my sin”, corruption and impermanence; on the other side Thy FORGIVENESS and my WORSHIP, and both parts are rocking the scales.

Lord, forgive me, for I always sin;
Lord, forgive me, for I always fall into self-delusion;
Lord, forgive me, for I still run to Thee;
Lord, forgive me, for I still “dare” entreat Thee;
Lord, forgive me, for I am left only with my WORSHIP;
Lord, forgive me, for all I can do is “CRY OUT”;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 4

LORD, I pray not to end up in “the hell where I cannot WORSHIP Thee”, the hell where “I cannot CRY OUT for Thy FORGIVENESS”, but instead in “the hell of FORGIVENESS”, in the Singing of: ALLELUIA!

Ikos 4

The IMAGE of DIVINE LOVE is beyond words, and cannot ever be wiped away. It bears the Mystery of FORGIVENESS and WORSHIP, that allows us LORD to “MEET” again.

Lord, forgive me, for I do not “despair”;
Lord, forgive me, for despite my sin I still “dare” entreat Thee;
Lord, forgive me, for I trust Thy LOVE ABOVE all;
Lord, forgive me, for I cling to my WORSHIP;
Lord, forgive me, for I “wallow in my own hell”;
Lord, forgive me, “I cry out till I break myself out”;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 5

The fallen angel, the devil, cannot “WORSHIP” Thee any longer and “will stay in his own eternal darkness”, but MAN has got the very “Eternal WORSHIP, despite his eternal guilt”, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 5

Both the “hellish cry of sin” and “the consuming CRY of WORSHIP” are terrible, shattering, and both are rocking “the SCALES of Eternity”.

Lord, forgive me, I will cry out endlessly;
Lord, forgive me, for despite my sin I still WORSHIP Thee;
Lord, forgive me, I cry out from my suffering;
Lord, forgive me, my only “All-Holy WORD”;
Lord, forgive me, my only “IMAGE of LIGHT”;
Lord, forgive me, ICON of the ultimate redemption;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 6

Sin cannot “kill” the Eternity of DIVINE LOVE, but stops at “the borderland of FORGIVENESS” and “the FIRE of WORSHIP” fills all “emptiness”, in the Singing of: ALELLUIA!

Ikos 6

There is a Mystery in “Sin that is stopped in Eternity” by the Saints and by those FORGIVEN, for it becomes “ETERNAL un-sinningness”, “unsurpassable borderland, allowing no second trespass”, the ENTRANCE into the “Endless LOVE that never looks back”.

Lord, forgive me, for I myself live in Hope of Your FORGIVENESS;
Lord, forgive me, for I believe in Your FORGIVENESS;
Lord, forgive me, and help me “stop the sin within me”;
Lord, forgive me, for still, I run after the Eternity of LOVE;
Lord, forgive me, I cry out from the “hell of my sins”;
Lord, forgive me, I cry out so that nobody can stop me;
Lord, forgive me, despite my sin, I still bow in WORSHIP before Thee!

Kontakion 7

LORD, LORD, LORD, THREESOME NAME of DIVINE LOVE, THREEFOLD FORGIVENESS: LOVE of THE FATHER, MERCY of THE HOLY SPIRIT and DEVOTION of THE SON, TO THEE we sing: ALELLUIA!

(This Kontakion is repeated three times)

Then the first Ikos and the first Kontakion are also repeated.

(published in the volume "Isihasm" ("Hesychasmus"), Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 113-118. Translation from Romanian: Alice Butnar)

Copyright: Platytera Publishing House

The Romanian (Original) Version can be found here.
The German Version can be found here.