To Thee the Champion Leader | Mother of God | Theotokos with Sword IconoGraphic | Christian Spiral Notebook

To thee, the Champion Leader, we thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: but as thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do thou deliver us, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

A Prince of the Angels was sent from Heaven to say to the Theotokos, Rejoice! And seeing Thee, O Lord, take bodily form at the sound of his bodiless voice, filled with amazement he stood still and cried aloud to her:

Rejoice! For through thee joy shall shine forth.
Rejoice! For through thee the curse shall cease.
Rejoice! Recalling of fallen Adam.
Rejoice! Deliverance from the tears of Eve.
Rejoice! Height hard to climb for the thoughts of men.
Rejoice! Depth hard to discern even for the eyes of angels.
Rejoice! For thou art the Throne of the King:
Rejoice! For thou holdest Him Who upholds all.
Rejoice! Star causing the sun to shine.
Rejoice! Womb of the Divine Incarnation.
Rejoice! For through thee the creation is made new.
Rejoice! For through thee the Creator becomes anew born child.

Rejoice! O Unwedded Bride! 

- The Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos (excerpt)