The Canon to the Theotokos is a structured hymn of nine odes asking the Mother of God to intercede for us before her Son. We call it the Paraklesis, which means “supplication” or “comfort” in Greek.
Think of it as a formal prayer service built around poetry. Not just any poetry, these are carefully crafted hymns that move through nine sections, each based on a biblical song from the Old Testament. When we pray “Most Holy Theotokos, save us,” we’re not asking Mary to save us herself. We’re asking her to pray for our salvation, to intercede with Christ on our behalf.
What’s Actually in It
A canon isn’t something most Protestants in Southeast Texas have encountered. It’s not a spontaneous prayer or a recited psalm. It’s a specific form that developed in the seventh century, perfected by hymnographers like St. John of Damascus. Each of the nine odes starts with an irmos, a model stanza that sets the tone, followed by several troparia, which are shorter hymns with refrains woven between them.
The Canon to the Theotokos comes in two versions. The Small Paraklesis is shorter, attributed to a ninth-century monk named Theosterictus (though scholars aren’t completely certain). The Great Paraklesis is longer and more penitential, traditionally credited to Emperor Theodore II Laskaris in the thirteenth century. Both contain the same basic structure but the Great Paraklesis digs deeper into themes of repentance and our desperate need for the Theotokos’ prayers.
You’ll hear phrases like “Let us, sinful and humbled, now earnestly run to the Mother of God, and let us fall down in repentance.” The language is urgent. We’re not casually mentioning Mary in a prayer list. We’re running to her as people in real trouble run to someone who can help.
When Do We Pray It
The Paraklesis has a special place during the Dormition Fast, August 1-14, when we prepare for the feast of the Theotokos’ falling asleep. Many Antiochian parishes serve it every evening during those two weeks, alternating between the Small and Great versions. An icon of the Theotokos is placed on a stand, and the priest reads names of the living who need prayers, people facing surgery, struggling with addiction, dealing with job loss at the refineries, whatever the need might be.
But it’s not limited to August. We serve the Paraklesis anytime there’s tribulation. Illness, natural disasters (and if you live in Beaumont, you know about those), family crises, temptation. Some parishes offer it regularly on Wednesday or Friday evenings. It’s a service for the living, specifically, we have other services for commemorating the departed.
Praying It at Home
You don’t need a priest to pray the Paraklesis. Many Orthodox Christians keep the text at home and pray it privately. You can read it quietly or chant it if you know the melodies. Some people pray the whole thing, others just sections. When you’re overwhelmed at 2 AM and can’t form your own words, having these ancient prayers already written can be a lifeline.
The refrains alone can become part of your daily prayer rule. “Most Holy Theotokos, save us” takes five seconds to say. You can pray it driving to work, waiting for test results, standing in line at the grocery store. It’s not magic words, it’s turning your heart toward the one who stands closest to Christ and asking her to bring your needs before Him.
Why It Matters Theologically
This isn’t just devotional fluff. When we call Mary Theotokos, God-bearer, we’re making a statement about who Jesus is. The Third Ecumenical Council settled this in 431. If Mary is the Mother of God, then the child she carried was fully God from the moment of conception. Not a man who later became divine, not God pretending to be human. The Incarnation happened in her womb.
So when we ask her intercession, we’re acknowledging that she said yes to God in a way that changed everything. Her consent at the Annunciation made our salvation possible. She’s not a distant figure from ancient history. She’s alive in Christ, part of the Church, and her prayers carry weight because of her unique relationship to the Savior.
We venerate her, we don’t worship her. That distinction matters. Worship belongs to God alone. But honor? Asking her prayers? That’s no different than asking your Baptist grandmother to pray for you, except Mary’s prayers are offered from within the Kingdom of God where she already dwells.
If you’ve never heard the Paraklesis chanted, come to St. Michael’s during the Dormition Fast next August. Bring your needs, your fears, your gratitude. Run to the Mother of God. She’s listening.
