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.

Ieromonk Ghelasie: "The Spiritual Father, Image of the SON as Likeness of the FATHER" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

The IMAGE of the SON is eternity
And cannot change into
Another IMAGE,
The SON is eternally Reborn
Still as the IMAGE of the Son.
Yet the SON in His eternity,
Reveals from within Himself
The FATHER of Whom
He was born,
And He is His FATHER’S Likeness.

This is the Mystery
Of the SPIRITUAL TRINITY,
Where the Son
Has the Semblance
Of the FATHER
And of the ALLHOLY SPIRIT.
Yet each
In His Own Image
Of Depth,
With no confusion.

Whoever sees the SON,
Sees the FATHER,
And both SON and FATHER
Are Revealed
By the Light
Of the ALLHOLY SPIRIT.

Likewise, in the Created World,
Man, the Image of the SON,
Must open up in himself
The Image of the FATHER,
And thus the SON
Affirms in eternity
The FATHER,
The ABSOLUTE
Who has Born
And Created Everything!

Man, as Image of the SON,
Undergoes an Eternal Growth,
That is the Revealing of his Self,
In Likeness of the FATHER.
As a child, Man
Grows Big
When he Shows
More and more his Semblance
Akin
To the FATHER.

The Mystery of the SON’S PRIESTHOOD
Resides precisely in His Likeness with the FATHER’S IMAGE,
That bestows all those of the FATHER
Upon the SON,
Who in His turn makes them a GIFT,
ALTAR of GOD,
IMAGE of the SON
In PROSTRATION!

Thus, the SON
In His IMAGE of PRIESTHOOD,
Becomes the BEARER
Of all things to the FATHER,
And more than this,
The BEARER of the FATHER
Toward all, is the SON.
The FATHER Himself BLESSES,
The HAND is the SON’S,
Only the BLESSING
Is the FATHER’S,
And thus the SON,
As PRIEST and Spiritual Father,
Is the WORKING of the FATHER
That is done through the SON.

Oh, ICON of the Spiritual Father,
The FATHER is WORKING
Through the SON,
The SON is the BEARER of the FATHER
And of His Own GIFT.
The SON brings everything
Before the FATHER,
And HE Offers His BLESSING
Upon everything.


The Spiritual Father
Is the SON,
Who mirrors in everything
The IMAGE and WORK of the FATHER.
And thus the FATHER receives
His SON’S GIFT
In the most HOLY
PROSTRATION,
That receives the ABSOLUTE
BLESSING.
And there is no Absolute BLESSING
Lest through the Spiritual SON!

*

Avva, my Father,
Kneeling, under your Blessing I stand.

May your Hands descend Heaven to me,
May the GRACE shine through your Eyes,
May GOD Himself SPEAK to me through your Words.

Avva, be my Father,
A Father I can Faithfully Trust
That I myself shall be Saved.

Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 85-88. 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: "AVVA and the Neophyte" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Christ Pantocrator, fresco painting by monk Ilie


My AVVA, my AVVA.
You are the LIKENESS of GOD’S GRACE,
You are the Likeness of the Saint
Of whose GIFT I was Born.

Through you I DISCOVER the Saint who TOOK me
In his Arms when I was Begotten,
And made me his Son.

My AVVA, in your Icon
GOD, Saints, Parents,
Heaven and Earth
GATHER in a COMMUNION of MYSTERY.

Avva my Father,
Kneeling, under your BLESSING I stand.

Through your Hands Heaven is descending.
Through your Face GRACE is SHINING,
Through your WORDS,
GOD Himself is SPEAKING to me.

My AVVA, what Blessed DESTINY
To have FOUND you!...
Without you, long would I have wandered
With no Hope of Fulfillment and Salvation...

AVVA mine, AVVA mine,
You are my Holy CHAPEL,
Where seven times a Day
I kneel in humility,
Faithfully Hoping
That I too shall be Saved.

All that I have is a GIFT
From GOD’S GRACE,
From my Parents’ Inheritance
And the Virtues of the Saint who Adopted me,
From your Counsel, AVVA Father,
A Gift from Holy GIFTS.

*

On a timeless DAY, in DIVINITY,
As an Answer of LOVE,
The SON together with the HOLY SPIRIT,
Bring to GOD the FATHER
A GIFT of THANKS.
“Eternal FATHER,
Receive this Thanksgiving,
These Gifts from Your Own Gifts
We bring before You.”
And the FATHER Looks...
He sees one more Love
Of Creation.

“RECEIVE THE IMAGE OF LOVE
IT IS Your IMAGE, FATHER!”

And the FATHER BLESSES!

Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 83-84. 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: "DEVOTION" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

St. John the Forerunner, icon painting by monk Ilie



















My Saint, my Saint, great is your Faith
That I too shall be Saved!...

You Believe so strongly that I shall depart from sin,
That GOD Himself,
Due to your Love for HIM and HIS LOVE for you,
BELIEVES your Faith...
Hence He is patient with me,
Though I rightfully deserve nothing but death.

Oh my Saint, my Saint,
What a great GIFT it is to be Holy,
To have such FAITH as to RISE the dead from the grave.

*

Oh, MOTHER of GOD,
You are the EMPRESS of all Saints,
The GIFT of Holiness is in You as great as that of all humanity.
You have Born the very SPRING of Holiness,
You have held in Your Arms the SON of GOD,
Who makes You worthy of being the IMAGE of the CHURCH,
The Holiest Image of Creation,
The MOTHER of Holiness in Heaven and on Earth.

Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 82. 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: "Birth, the FIRST LITURGY of One’s Own Life" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Fresco painting by monk Ilie, Holy Monastery Slănic




















1

The Union of my Parents is begetting my Body,
The Dwelling Place
Of my New Created Soul.

Oh, what a Mystery is this Body!
Water-Earth, Flesh and Blood,
Which Relates me to the World!...

This Body is Sealed with my Parents’ Image,
With the Inheritance of an entire People...

I am also Related to the Stars Above,
To the tiniest blade of grass and the smallest Creature.

Flesh is the Mystery that gathers
The whole World as Memory,
And Blood is the Mystery
That makes this Relation Flow through everything.

Therefore, my Body is first Created,
Just as You, my LORD,
Have created first Adam’s Body.
The Body, Earth made Flesh and Water made Blood,
Is the first GATHERING of the World’s Image,
So that the Soul You create,
May have the Semblance of Creation.

The Body is the Seal of the Image of Creation,
And this is your MEASURE of the World.

My Parents give me the Image of Creation,
Yet they cannot give me a Soul,
And the Mystery of my Being is the Union of the two Likenesses,
Likeness of GOD and Likeness of Creation.

2

This is the Day of my Begetting,
It is the Day of my Birth LITURGY.

The Begetting from my Parents
Is the PROSPHORA that Ascends,
Reaching the HEAVENLY ALTAR,
Where the Saints’ LITURGY is celebrated.
Lots of PROSPHORA-Begettings are arriving,
And while celebrating, each Saint takes one...

Each Saint sees what Image is sealed on the PROSPHORA,
Aware that by choosing one, he will have to ADOPT that Soul,
Taking upon Himself the WOUNDS of that Soul’s “sins”...

The PROSPHORA of my Begetting thus enters
The CHURCH Above, the Image of the MOTHER of God
Who RECEIVES all the PROSPHORAS.
SHE is the FIRST to see the Image of the PROSPHORA
And how sinful it is...

Oh, MOTHER of GOD, You have seen my Image
And Look, You have started to cry...
You have seen the multitude of inherited sins,
And all the sins that I myself would do in my LIFE,
Yet You were the First to EMBRACE the PROSPHORA...
You KISSED it, thus becoming
My HEAVENLY MOTHER.

You, MOTHER OF GOD, chose an Angel,
And with Tearful Eyes You asked him...
“Please take this PROSPHORA,
Take it to the SERVICE and be its GUARDIAN”...

And the Angel took my PROSPHORA
To the LITURGY ALTAR,
Where a Saint was just Celebrating.
He took it in his Arms, regarded it pensively,
Wanted to refuse it several times...
But a Tear dropped down on it...

“Oh, You Saint who took my PROSPHORA,
You have received me as Your Son for ever”

3

And the Saint who chose my PROSPHORA
Starts LITURGISING,
He lifts it UP
Where the LORD CHRIST Himself receives it
In His DIVINE HANDS,
UTTERING a WORD of MYSTERY.
At that, the HOLY SPIRIT comes
And takes the PROSPHORA on His HANDS
With a DEEP SIGH of MERCY...

“HEAVENLY FATHER,
Give Life to yet one more Soul.
My WORD has Conceived it
And the HOLY SPIRIT too,
Only Your BLESSING must Be
For one more Being to Live”...

The Celebrating Saint is CUTTING the AMNOS
Out of the PROSPHORA,
And from the AMNOS is flowing BLOOD,
That the Saint puts in the CHALICE...

Oh, what awesome MYSTERY,
The AMNOS is full of WOUNDS
And bitter sorrows...
These are my Wounds from inherited sins,
Wounds, from sins that I will do,
Which are now foreseen and revealed...
And these Wounds also WOUND CHRIST’S BODY
From which DIVINE BLOOD is Flowing
And mingling with my own Blood,
And in the CHALICE of MYSTERY
They UNITE and BECOME RELATED...


I, as a Soul, am Born
Here, in the CHALICE of MYSTERY.
A BABY Born to Life,
How frightening! I am wearing CHRIST’S BODY,
While HE is wearing my Body...
Like an Embodiment of ONE into the OTHER.

Suddenly the Two Entwine...

Oh, MYSTERY of the LITURGY of LIFE!...

SON of GOD, through a CERTAIN WORD
You have Created my Soul,
SEALING it with Your WORD in eternity,
As a HEART-IMAGE of GOD.

Oh, ALLHOLY SPIRIT,
A CERTAIN BREATH of Yours
Was SEALED on and enlivened my HEART.

Oh, FATHER, Your Absolute BLESSING
United the TRINITARY SEAL,
And thus my Soul was Begotten.

And through the AMNOS cut out from the PROSPHORA,
GOD’S BLOOD and Created Blood,
My Soul Embodied.

The AMNOS, THREEFOLD LOVE of GOD,
The AMNOS, Creation Love as well,
The AMNOS, Love of the CHURCH,
The AMNOS, Heaven and Earth UNITED,
The AMNOS, KINDRED Soul and Body,
The AMNOS, MYSTERY beyond Nature,
The AMNOS, MYSTERY of the LITURGY,
The AMNOS, MYSTERY of MYSTERIES – EUCHARIST.

4

What am I, the New Born?
I am a Body begotten from my Parents,
Endowed with the Image of Creation
And my People’s Kinship,
With a Legacy of both Virtues and “sins”,
All united in my flesh and blood,
The PROSPHORA of the Earthly CHURCH.

And the DESTINY of this PROSPHORA is to ASCEND to HEAVEN.

To Heaven, where the CHURCH ABOVE is,
Where the Soul is Born.

The Body is the Seal of the Image Below
The Soul is the Seal of the Image ABOVE,
And thus I am a UNION of HEAVEN and Earth.

My Soul is begotten
Through a CREATING WORD

And through the BREATH of the HOLY SPIRIT
In the FATHER’S BLESSING,
The SEAL of GOD’S IMAGE.

The WORD is the Image of the HEART and BLOOD,
Of the PROSPHORA and the CHALICE,
Of the Earth and Water.
The SPIRIT is the Image of LIFE-the RITUAL,
The BLESSING is the Image of Being.

Thus my New Born Soul
Has got the SEAL-LIKENESS of the WORD,
The LIFE-LIKENESS of the SPIRIT,
In a UNION of BLESSING.

And the DESTINY of my Created Being
Is Life of the Earth and Life of HEAVEN,
In the SINGING of the WORD and VOICE of the SPIRIT,
All united in the EUCHARIST-COMMUNION.

5

I THANK You LORD for Creating me,
Though You have seen me unworthy to LIVE...
You were the FIRST to take me in Your CRUCIFIXION,
And the MOTHER of GOD was the FIRST,
Who ADOPTED me as a Son of the CHURCH,
An Angel offered to be my Guardian,
While a Saint became my PROTECTOR...
And below, my Parents and my People
Made me the inheritor of the MYSTERY of LIFE.

GLORY to You LORD, GLORY to YOU
MYSTERY of the LOVE-EUCHARIST!

Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 74-80. 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: "Hymn to all Saints" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Mother of God, the Theotokos (detail), icon painting by monk Ilie



















After the rightful PROSTRATION before GOD,
The ONE in TRINITY beyond all,
To Whom shall I first dedicate my Devotion?...
What Saint should I first bow to?
For they all have the same Image of Saint,
Though each with a different Face.

The SAINT of the Saints is sitting on the THRONE,
He, CHRIST, GOD and Creature,
The IMAGE of ARCH-PRIESTHOOD.

And all others around, in different Orders.
First the MOTHER of GOD,
Image of the Saints’ CHURCH.

Angels in all the Colours of Heaven,
Nature with all the Fragrance of Flowers and Light of the Stars,
And Holy Men, in all their Virtues.

Humble and sinful, I stand in awe at so much GLORY!
Who should I regard first?...

On CHRIST’S BODY
I see a WOUND that frightens and pains me to my very bones.

It is the WOUND of my sins...

I can see a deep scar on the Face of the MOTHER of GOD,
On which the Tears of my sins are trickling, dropping out . . .
Amidst the countless number of Angels
I see a sad yet Smiling Face,
It is my Kind Guardian Angel...

In the multitude of Saints I discern my Saint,
I Recognize Him due to my very WOUNDS,
That are at the same time his Wounds...

Oh, what Praise should I sing before this SIGHT?
I Bow, Regard and keep silent...

I am not worthy of PARTAKING of this MARVEL

And yet it is Gifted to me...
Only through my PROSTRATION can I bring my Answer.


Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 71-72. 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: "Hymn of One’s Own Life" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Christ the Saviour (detail), painting by monk Ilie, Holy Monastery Slănic




















Oh, MYSTERY beyond Nature, MYSTERY of my Being,
You, my GOD and CREATOR.

Oh, Joy of my Life,
You, MOTHER of GOD and my Saint.

Oh, Song of my Being,
The CHURCH of GOD and of all Saints.

Oh, Hallowing of my Life,
My Parents and a Certain Earth
With a Certain CROSS
That helps me ASCEND to HEAVEN.

Oh, GOD’S BLESSING!
You CREATE me and GIVE me Life.

Oh, CHURCH of the Image of the MOTHER of GOD,
My Cosmic MOTHER.

Oh, Paternity of one Saint,
I am begotten due to your Gift.

Oh, Family of Certain Parents,
Who give me birth on Earth.

Oh, what HONOR, to be GOD’S CREATION!

Oh, what Beauty, to be the GIFT of a Saint!

Oh, what Virtue for me to be
The BEARER of a CROSS,
Image of my People’s REDEMPTION.

*

At my Birth You, LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Were the FIRST to receive me,
Though, because of the sins you foresaw that I would do,
A bleeding WOUND was added to You,
A WOUND that GIVES me Life.

Likewise, GOD the ALLHOLY SPIRIT
Uttered a SIGH, with overwhelming MERCY.

Not to mention the MOTHER of GOD,
Who Deeply Crying took me in Her Arms...

Not to mention my Saint,
What Prayer He Raised...

Oh my Saint, You keep Hoping
That I, the sinner, will depart from sin.

And thus, in this Belief you take me as your Son,
And GOD gives me the RIGHT to Live.

Oh, my Saint, I am Born from Your Prayer!...

“LORD, my Heart is telling me,
That this sinner will depart from sin.
And thus do I receive him, though
I do pay his Right to Live
With a deep WOUND that is added to me.”

Oh, Saints’ DESTINY,
To RE-HALLOW all sinners,
A DESTINY that allows even the sinners to be Created,
And thereby to become Saints themselves...
In this Ideal of Creation resides the Mystery of Creation,
Even of those who should not have been created.

Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 68-70. 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: "HESYCHASM, MYSTERY OF THE SAINTS" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

St. John the Russian, painting by nun Andreea (Holy Monastery Nera)


















Each Saint has the Destiny of being the REHALLOWING Father of many “unholy” people.
Herein resides the Mystery of the Saints’ Celebration. We, the “sinners”, are born due to GOD’S GRACE-GIFT, and at the same time due to the Gift of the Saints, who take us under their protection and “vouch for us.” Both the GIFT of GOD and the Gift of the Saints are of capital importance.


MOTTO:
Oh, my Saint, your Faith in my Salvation
Is HELD by GOD Himself,
FAITH I myself Believe in.


On a timeless DAY, in DIVINITY,
As an Answer of LOVE,
The SON together with the HOLY SPIRIT,
Bring to GOD the FATHER
A GIFT of THANKS.
“Eternal FATHER,
Receive this Thanksgiving,
These Gifts from Your Own Gifts
We bring before You.
And the FATHER Looks . . .
Seeing one more Love
Of Creation.”

“RECEIVE THE IMAGE OF LOVE
IT IS Your IMAGE, FATHER!”


And the FATHER BLESSES!

*

“Look FATHER, along
With my Gift of LOVE,
Also an Image of Creation,
In which I Pour Myself Forth
And through Me
You Pour Yourself Forth.

I am Your very LOVE,
And in this IMAGE I also create
An Image of Created Love
That will Love You
LIKE I do.

You, FATHER, are the IMAGE of LOVE,
And before YOU may stand
Only one more Image of Love.”
And GOD the FATHER sees
An Image of Created Love
But also an “anti-Image of evil” . . .

“FATHER,” says the SON,
“Regard the ONES who LOVE You,
These are the Saints
You give LIFE to.

Your BLESSING
Is only upon your Saints
And these I bring before You
As a Gift of LOVE.”


*

The SON brings forth
The Conception of Creation,
“The Book of Life”.
GOD the FATHER reads
The Names of all Beings,
Keeping the Holy ones,
“Wiping out” the sinful ones.

“FATHER, only the Saints
Can indeed be Written
Into the Book of Life . . .
Yet Each Saint
Is like a Father of Creation,
And how can they ‘allow their Sons to die’
Despite their being sinful?”

“Yes,” says the FATHER,
“I will not wipe out
Any of the Saints’ Sons,
However they may be,
But only those
Who are under their Holy PROTECTION.
The Saints must take upon themselves
One more Holiness
For those who do no fulfill it themselves.
Because the Created World cannot exist
Unless it is Holy.”

“FATHER, as this Creation is of my Conception,
I shall EMBODY
As the FIRST SAINT of Creation,
And under MY PROTECTION
All Sons of Creation will be born,
For ‘death does not exist’ . . .
And even if sin invents death
I shall RISE all the dead.”

And the FATHER BLESSES.


*

LORD, I the sinner
Should not have been Created,
My Parents should not have born me . . .

Oh, LIFE, what JOY!
Oh, LIFE, what DIVINE MYSTERY!
I, as a sinner,
Cannot have the Right to LIVE . . .
For sin is the “denial” of LIFE.

Oh, what Mystery,
For me, the unworthy,
To be still Created and born . . .
This is the Mystery of the Saint.

*

LORD, in me there is first Your MERCY,
Then the Prayer of the MOTHER of GOD and the Prayer of the Saints,
Especially that of my Saint and of my Guardian Angel,
In whose Gift I was Created and born.
There is also the sigh of my earthly people,
And especially the sigh of my Parents, my Destiny being to Redeem them.

Your IMAGE is like a DIVINE SUN in me,
There is an Icon Light, the Image of the MOTHER of GOD.
There is the Saint-Holder of the Light and the Flame of my Parents,
And in these Lights is my Life.

I must Worship Your IMAGE,
Fill up the Icon Light with the Oil of my Faithfulness,
In the Holder I must always kindle the Flame,
And keep celebrating my Service.

I myself must be like a Church,
With the ALTAR of Your PRIESTHOOD-IMAGE.


Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 63-67. 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: "LAUD to All Saints" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Holy Ap. Peter, tempera painting by monk Ilie




















Oh, Saints who Love GOD
And are unconquered by evil,
You alone are truly worthy
Of the One Who Created You...

OH, You GOD Loving Saints,
You are just as prone to weaknesses as we are,
Yet You BELIEVE so strongly
In the boundless LOVE,
That Your Nature turns into OVER-NATURE
And thus You nevermore fall out of GOODNESS.

Oh, You Saints, You never fall out of LOVE!
Yet the Greatest MIRACLE of all
Is that in Your Holiness You TAKE ALONG
Sinners as well, to Redeem...


Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 81. 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: "Song to my Saint" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Sfântul Ioan Botezătorul, tempera painting by Georgeta Marioara


















Oh, my Saint, my Saint,
You are the Father that GOD chose as intercessor
To Create me from His GIFT.

It is you also by Your intercession
That my Parents Begot me,
For lest You adopted me first,
My Begetting would never have been.

You, my Saint, are the first
To Believe that I the sinner
Will depart from sin in the end...

Oh, my Saint, Your Faith in my Salvation
Is held by GOD Himself,
And in your Faith I do believe myself!


Published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, p. 73. 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: "The Mystery of the LITURGY" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

Lord JESUS, my Heart beats in the RITUAL LONGING for You.
IN CELEBRATING the LITURGY-EUCHARIST.
Come, Godly SPIRIT, into me with God’s LONGING,
Come into me, oh JESUS, where I too shall sing for you,
Come, Godly FATHER, so I may fall into YOUR ARMS,
So I may partake of the HOLY SUPPER.

Rejoice, oh HESYCHY,
The Mystery LITURGY of Christ’s LOVE.
You Heart aflame with the LONGING God,
Open up your Depths,
Open your door for God-the WORD to step in,
Light up, oh my Heart, for the One Who is LITURGY, is slowly approaching,
Be the CHALICE whereto the Divine EUCHARIST is descending,
Be the Holy Table of the IMAGE Above,
So the great PRIEST JESUS may Celebrate the LITURGY of DIVINE LOVE.

Come, Mind, and kneel down into my Heart
And listen to the LITURGY of LOVE.
Take off the shoes of all “natural moves”,
Bow thy forehead beyond the floor of flesh,
Step into the Heart of the Treasury of Mysteries.
You Heart, Church of Creation,
Be the Shed of Bethlehem,
Be the Temple where the curse-Redeeming LAMB is sacrificed,
Be the tomb of the Crucified,
So you may Resurrect with the One Who vanquished sin.

Oh JESUS, the Singing of Divine LOVE,
JESUS, Come LITURGISE into my Heart,
JESUS, descend Your Peace onto the earthly,
Rejoice, oh HESYCHY,
Mystery of Christ’s LITURGY OF LOVE.


*

A certain Word of Yours EMBODIES, Creating my Being,
And this Word is the sparkle that Creates me,
An Icon of God Embodied into an Icon of Creation.
A certain Icon-Word of Yours Created me,
My Being is the Icon-Image of this Word of Yours
And in this ICON we MEET and find each other.

*

Lord, the mystery of my Creation fills me with awe.
A Word-Image of Yours
Also Creates an Image of Creation for me.
You Yourself become my Brother
And my Life goes along with YOUR LIFE,
And my Life and Yours go apart no more.
My Life of Creation must be along YOUR LIFE
For You descend into me, Creating my Life,
And I ascend into You, Partaking of YOUR LIFE.
YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE and mine,
And I must live likewise,
You Embody in me in Eternity.
And so do I endlessly “Ascend” into You.

*

Before God the FATHER everything must be Perfect.
The Perfect State of Creation is the very Image of Christ,
For through the Vestment of HIS IMAGE all those below can reach perfection.

The imperfection of sin brings on the “Cry of sorrow”
Brings about the grief of death-the contrary.
LOVE struggles between Life and death,
Yet LOVE can never die.

LOVE’S Impossibility to die
Becomes the Altar of the LITURGY-the RESSURECTION,
The Altar of Immortality Reborn to LIFE.
LOVE SACRIFICED on the Altar of Sorrow
Brings back to Life the IMAGE OF LOVE out of the fallen grave.

Oh Lord, LOVE is LIFE lived in Never-ending LOVE,
LOVE and LIFE are the Ceaseless LITURGISING,
And both MEET in Reciprocal COMMUNION.
Not one moment may the LITURGY OF LOVE stop.

Though You have RISEN from Your Cross,
Our sins still “pain” Your LOVE
And “open the Wounds of Your Passions” . . .

Oh, LORD, DIVINE LOVE beyond words,
Through YOUR endless LITURGISING
From “sin” YOU “bring us back” to LOVE again.

*

The LITURGY is Endless RESURRECTION,
LOVE is an Endless “opening” of LIFE
AND BOTH GIVE Image to one’s HEART and BREATHING,
In LITURGISING Together at the same time,
Eternal LIFE and Eternal LOVE.

(published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 21-24. 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: "The ICONIC Prayer" (English translation: Alice Butnar)

I

LORD,
I STAND before You
In PROSTRATION!
I cannot SEE You,
For I am blinded by sin.

I try to REGARD You
With my Mind,
Yet I avoid
Thinking of You,
Lest I fall for delusions.

I try to feel You
Yet I fear
My sinful senses.

I STAND TO Your FACE
I Call for You in PRAYER...

I wish I could stretch my Arm,
And TOUCH You.
Bow my head,
And simply know that You ARE PRESENT
Forever.


II

All of a sudden I startle...
It is as if I see my Image
REFLECTED in You
And likewise
Your IMAGE in me...
Without confusion,
Still FACE to FACE,
I stand in PROSTRATION
Unmoved,
In awe for Your PRESENCE.

My Mind and senses
STAND still...

Where ARE You, LORD,
In me,
Or “outside” of me?
Where am I?...
One thing I KNOW though:
That we STAND FACE to FACE,
And in-between US
There IS BOTH OF US.

I Bear You SEALED
Onto my Image,
Where You
Yourself are PAINTED,
Where I myself Reflect,
Like a CROSS of ENCOUNTER
A SILVER ICON
RADIANT Token of GRACE
That KINDLED between Us.


III

I wish I could STAND
Like this FOREVER.
As in an ICON
Un-moved,
With Mind and senses
STANDING still,
Just in PROSTRATION.
CRUCIFIED on the CROSS
Between Us,
As an EMBRACE
Of LOVE.
MYSTERY of the ICON
And of PRAYER,
Over the BORDERLAND
No one can pass,
The ENCOUNTER
In the UNSEEN,
And the SEEING
Into a STILL MYSTERY,
The ALTAR of PARTAKING
THE HOLY SUPPER!

(published in the volume "Hesychasm", Platytera Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007, pp. 45-48. Translation from Romanian: Alice Butnar.

Copyright: Platytera Publishing House.

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

matryoshka (jam session Florin Caragiu and Monica Lassaren, English translation: Simona Sumanaru)

in the beginning there was the weeping
days were hills between the apparitions of the same face
that buried all things in your voice
displaced from light

sometimes I used to cling to its sharp edge
and cut myself, but no blood would come out, only a silence
filled with open mouths waiting for the word
that would take out one of my ribs
slowly rotating the universe, following the code
hidden behind it
long before the grass grew

your gaze alone would bend my bars
and they became strings
upon which a song would push you out

while you were coming out, a part of me
somehow remained painted inside you
a rock art shape moving opposite the arrow
I remained half in you
you were half open
into the body smeared with seeping visions
with a cross nailed to the back
so that the colors would keep calm

the unborn half was struggling to come out
that’s why with every backlash
you looked more and more like a child
wherever you went trees touched your head
with their tops
and hawks drank the night from your collarbones


*

I can no longer feel where you are, my flesh has been ripped off
I only stretch out my arms into the night to catch the rainbow
wet rags are shivering inside
towards a seal put on a crater

do you still know me? lip edges are calling you
do you recognize me? I cut myself with the echo

I don’t even know when you crush the glaciers under my eyelids
the color spreads out when you withhold
the outburst into words

I am the child left floating on the waters inside the tiny boat
with fists full of mud
between the oars that hold my quarter of the sun

all these because you have the face
I have never seen before


(poem published in the volume "catacombe. aici totul e viu" ("catacombs. everything is alive here"), Vinea Publishing House, Bucharest, 2008, pp. 78-80. English translation: Simona Sumanaru.)