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having fashioned salvation for men. Hail, throne. High-soaring in glory, the living seat, delineating the throne of God in herself, and giving rest to God above the intellectual powers. Hail, Cherubim, the fiery mind, who abounds in divine thoughts as in eyes, and flashes forth many-eyed graces, and through whom the unsetting light is conveyed to men. Hail, Mother without husband, who alone among mothers is pure, and possesses the things of mothers according to virgins, the newest wonder of all wonders. Hail, Virgin who has given birth, who alone among virgins gives birth, and bears the things of virgins according to mothers; the most awesome proclamation of all portents. Hail, royal seal, who impressed the King of all, who took substance from you, with a body like a mother's; for as is the one who gives birth, so indeed is the offspring. Hail, sealed book, who is unharmed by every corrupting device, from whom the Lord of the divinely-inscribed law is read virginally by him alone. Hail, volume of the new mystery, completely untouched by incorruption, in whom the formless Word has been depicted by the stylus of a human form, that is, has been embodied, he who became like us in all things, except sin. Hail, sealed spring, the fountain of incorruption, who gushed forth Christ, the stream of life, the seals of virginity having in no way been broken. By partaking of whom, having been made immortal, we return to the ageless paradise. Hail, enclosed garden, fruitful abundance unopened by virginity, whose fragrance is as a full field, which the Lord who came forth from you has blessed. Hail, unfading rose, who emits a ceaseless fragrance, in whom the Lord, smelling the fragrance, rested, and through whom, having blossomed, he withered the fragrance of the world. Hail, fragrant apple, the fruit grown from barrenness, and divinely beautiful, who says in the Songs, “Strengthen me with apples, for I am wounded by love.” Christ having plucked her purity, feasted upon an immaculate fragrance breathing through the world. Hail, lily, whose offspring is Jesus, who clothes these lilies of the field; sweet-breathing rose-garden of the Spirit, from whom Christ put on a garment un-woven from lack of seed, concealing the Solomonic garment. Hail, flower, more varied than any flower-dyed hue, a sweetness from every virtue, from whom comes forth a flower, like to like, according to the mother's likeness, upon whom rest the seven spirits, as says the Word. Hail, flowing nard, and watering according to the perfumed ointments of purity, whose diffusion is a sweet smell to him who said in the Songs: “My nard has given its fragrance.” Hail, myrrh, who from virginal balsam-making distilled for Christ, a drop of sanctification, that is, of milk, who sings in the Songs: “A bundle of myrrh is my beloved 96.693 to me, he shall lie between my breasts.” Hail, cinnamon, the aroma coming forth from the noetic paradise of purity, whose smell is sweet to him who says in the Songs: “Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with the fruit of choice trees; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of Lebanon.” Hail, daughter, the sacrificing maiden, whose immaculate loveliness, and wondrous adornment are praised by him who said in the Songs: “How beautiful are your steps in sandals, O daughter of Aminadab! Your belly is a heap of wheat, hedged in with lilies.” Hail, sister, named after the good brother and all-lovely, whose voice is such in the Songs: “You have ravished our heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished our heart.” Hail, bride, whose bridgeroom's attendant is the Holy Spirit, and bridegroom is Christ, who says in the Songs: “You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you; come from Lebanon, my bride.” Hail, myrrh, the priceless token of virtues, who is fragrant with the ointments of all-purity, from whom the Lord came forth, named like you. For, he says, “Your name is ointment poured forth”; from which the royal priesthood is anointed. Hail, incense, the oratory directed before the Lord on behalf of the whole world, who has been filled from the fragrance of the

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σωτηρίας ἀνθρώποις δημιουργησάμενος. Χαῖρε, θρόνε. ὁ μετεωροπόρητος ἐν δόξῃ, ὁ ἔμψυχος θῶκος ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ καθέδραν ἐν ἑαυτῇ διαγράφουσα, καὶ ὑπὲρ νοερὰς δυνάμεις Θεὸν ἀναπαύουσα. Χαῖρε, Χερουβὶμ, ὁ πυροειδὴς νοῦς, ἡ ὡς ὄμματα τὰ θεῖα νοήματα πλήθουσα, καὶ πολυφάτους χάριτας ἀναστράπτουσα, καὶ δι' ἧς τὸ ἀνέσπερον φῶς ἀνθρώποις διαπορθμεύεται. Χαῖρε, Μήτηρ ἄνανδρε, ἡ ἐν μητράσι μόνη ἁγνεύουσα, καὶ τὰ μητέρων κατὰ παρθένους ἔχουσα, θαυμάτων ἁπάντων τὸ καινότατον θαῦμα. Χαῖρε, Παρθένε γεννήσασα, ἡ ἐν παρθένοις μόνη τοκεύουσα, καὶ τὰ παρθένων κατὰ μητέρας φέρουσα· τεράτων ἁπάντων τὸ φρικωδέστατον λάλημα. Χαῖρε, σφραγὶς βασιλικὴ, ἡ τὸν ἐκ σοῦ οὐσιωθέντα Βασιλέα τῶν ἁπάντων ἀποτυποῦσα μητρομοίῳ σώματι· εἴπερ οἵα ἡ γεννῶσα, τοιοῦτον δηλαδὴ καὶ τὸ γέννημα. Χαῖρε, βιβλίον ἐσφραγισμένον, ἡ πάσῃ φθοροποιῷ ἐπινοίᾳ ἀπήμαντος, ἐξ ἧς ὁ θεοχαράκτου νόμου κύριος πρὸς αὐτοῦ μόνου παρθενικῶς ἀναγινώσκεται. Χαῖρε, τόμος καινοῦ μυστηρίου, ἡ τῇ ἀφθαρσίᾳ παντάπασιν ἄθικτος, ἐν ᾗ ὁ ἀνείδεος Λόγος γραφίδι ἀνθρωπικῆς ἰδέας ἐζωγράφηται, εἴτουν σεσωμάτωται, ὁ κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιος ἡμῖν πλὴν ἁμαρτίας γενόμενος. Χαῖρε, πηγὴ ἐσφραγισμένη, ὁ βρυτὴρ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἡ τὸ ῥεῖθρον τῆς ζωῆς Χριστὸν ἐκβλύσασα, τῶν σημάντρων μηδαμῶς τῆς παρθενίας λυμανθέντων. Οὗ τῇ μεθέξει ἀπαθανισθέντες, παλινδρομοῦμεν, εἰς τὸν ἀγήρω παράδεισον. Χαῖρε, κῆπος κεκλεισμένος, ἡ τῇ παρθενίᾳ ἀδιάνοικτος εὐκαρπία, ἧς ἡ ὄσφρησις ὡς ἀγροῦ πλήρους, ὃν εὐλόγησεν ὁ ἐκ σοῦ προελθὼν Κύριος. Χαῖρε, ῥόδον ἀμάραντον, ἡ τὸ ἀμήρυτον εὐωδιάζουσα, ἧς ὁ ὀσφρανθεὶς Κύριος ἐπανεπαύσατο, καὶ δι' ἧς ἀνθήσας τὴν εὐωδίαν τοῦ κόσμου ἀπεμάρανε. Χαῖρε, μῆλον εὐωδιάζον, ὁ στειροφυὴς καρπὸς, καὶ ὡραιόθεος, ἡ λέγουσα ἐν Ἄσμασιν, Ἐν μήλοις με στοιβάσατε, ὅτι τετρωμένη ἀγάπης ἐγώ εἰμι. Ἧς δρεψαμένης τὴν καθαρότητα Χριστὸς, εἱστιάσατο εὐοδμίαν ἄχραντον τῷ κόσμῳ διαπνέουσαν. Χαῖρε, κρῖνον, οὗ ὁ γόνος Ἰησοῦς, ταῦτα τὰ κρῖνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἀμφιεννύντος· ἡδύπνους ῥοδωνία τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἐξ ἧς Χριστὸς ἀνήθευτον ἐξ ἀσπορίας στολὴν περιεβάλετο, τὴν Σολομωντικὴν στολὴν ἀποκρύπτουσαν. Χαῖρε, ἄνθος, τὸ πάσης ἀνθοβαφικῆς χροιᾶς ποικιλώτερον ἐξ ἀρετῆς ἁπάσης ἥδυσμα, ἐξ ἧς ἄνεισιν ἄνθος ὁμοίῳ ὅμοιον κατὰ μητρικὴν ἐμφέρειαν, ἐφ' ᾧ ἑπτὰ τὰ ἀναπαυόμενα πνεύματα, ὡς ὁ Λόγος. Χαῖρε, νάρδος νάουσα, καὶ ἀρδεύουσα κατὰ τὰ μυρεψικὰ τῆς ἁγνείας ἀρώματα, ὧν ἡ διάδοσις ὀσμὴ ἡδεῖα τῷ φήσαντι ἐν Ἄσμασι· Νάρδος μου ἔδωκεν ὀσμὴν αὐτοῦ. Χαῖρε, στακτὴ, ἡ ἐκ παρθενικῆς βαλσαμουργίας ἀποστάξασα Χριστῷ, στακτὴν ἁγιάσματος, ἤτοι γάλακτος, ἡ ψάλλουσα ἐν Ἄσμασιν· Ἀπόδεσμος τῆς στακτῆς ἀδελφιδοῦς μου 96.693 ἐμοὶ, ἀναμέσον τῶν μαστῶν μου αὐλισθήσεται. Χαῖρε, κιννάμωμον, τὸ ἐκ νοητοῦ παραδείσου τῆς ἀχραντίας ἐξιὸν ἄρωμα, οὗ ἡ ὀσμὴ ἡδεῖα τῷ λέγοντι ἐν Ἄσμασιν· Ἀποστολαί σου παράδεισος ῥοῶν μετὰ καρπῶν ἀκροδρύων· κάλαμος καὶ κιννάμωμον μετὰ πάντων ξύλων τοῦ Λιβάνου. Χαῖρε, θύγατερ, ἡ θυηπόλος νεᾶνις, ἧς τὸ ἄχραντον ἐράσμιον, καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράδοξος τῷ φήσαντι ἐν Ἄσμασι· Τί ὡραιώθησαν διαβήματά σου ἐν ὑποδήμασι, θύγατερ Ἀμιναδάβ; Ἡ κοιλία σου θημωνία σίτου πεφραγμένη ἐν κρίνοις. Χαῖρε, ἀδελφὴ, ἡ τοῦ καλοῦ ἀδελφοῦ παρώνυμος καὶ πανέραστος, οὗ ἡ φωνὴ τοιάδε ἐν Ἄσμασιν· Ἐκαρδίωσας ἡμᾶς, ἀδελφή μου νύμφη, ἐκαρδίωσας; Χαῖρε, νύμφη, ἧς νυμφοστόλος τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ νυμφίος ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ λέγων ἐν Ἄσμασιν· Ὁλοκάλη ἡ πλησίον μου, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν σοί· δεῦρο ἀπὸ Λιβάνου, νύμφη. Χαῖρε, μύρον, τὸ τῶν ἀρετῶν μυριότιμον σύνθημα, ἡ παναγνείας μύροις μυρίζουσα, ἐξ ἧς ὁμωνύμως σοι προῆλθεν ὁ Κύριος. Μύρον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σου· ἀφ' οὗ κέχρισται τὸ βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα. Χαῖρε, θυμίαμα, τὸ ὑπὲρ κόσμου παντὸς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατευθυνόμενον προσευκτήριον, ἡ ἀποπεπληρωμένη ἐξ εὐωδίας τοῦ