Akathist of the Heavenly Father by Father Saint Nil Dorobanțu

For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was recently provided in English by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance.

Written by Father Saint Nil Dorobanțu

Icon of Saint Stephen’s vision of Christ sitting at the right hand of God the Father (from Acts chapter 7) – in a Greek manuscript from the 9^th Century.

Russian icon of God the Father with Christ in His lap.

Kontakion 1

Defender, Creator, Protector, Sanctifier, Judge, All-Knowing, Almighty, Heavenly Father, the greatest Principle, the Maker of all things visible and invisible, as those who are delivered from death and brought from non-existence into being, we, Your servants and Your creation, in Your image and likeness, offer praise to You.

But, as the One who has countless mercies, deliver us from all the persecutions of the atheists, who cry out to You:

Father, Heavenly Father, God, All-Powerful, unbegotten and without procession by anyone, have mercy on me!

Ikos 1

To the heavenly Father, the Unbegotten, we offer praise, singing such things as these:

Heavenly Father, You who are the First Cause, strengthen us in salvation;

Heavenly Father, You who are the Uncreated Principle, show us Your love again;

Heavenly Father, You who are Eternal, send us Christ, the eternal Bridegroom;

Heavenly Father, give us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, for immortality;

Heavenly Father, Protector, take care of us too;

Heavenly Father, Giver of life, do not turn Your face away from Your sheep;

Heavenly Father, Creator, do not forsake us as You did Christ in His hour of need;

Heavenly Father, Infinite One, grant us eternal life and happiness;

Heavenly Father, You who are one, lead us to eternal freedom;

Heavenly Father, You who are Spirit, forgive us all our sins;

Heavenly Father, whom we worship in Spirit and in Truth, bring justice to the world;

Heavenly Father, You who are eternal, forgive us all our transgressions;

Heavenly Father, You who are Being, make the good and holy things be unbound ;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, All-Powerful, unbegotten by anyone and without procession, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 2

Living God, You who are Essence and Uncreated Substance, receive our song: Alleluia!

Ikos 2

One God, Almighty, All-powerful, Who sustains us every moment, we praise You, we bless You, singing songs such as these:

Heavenly Father, Most High, Who gives light, enlighten us;

Heavenly Father, Who created the visible and invisible, strengthen us;

Heavenly Father, Who made the heavens and the earth by Your word, strengthen us;

Heavenly Father, Who said, “Let there be light,” love us;

Heavenly Father, You who set the Holy Spirit upon the waters, water us;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from all dangers;

Heavenly Father, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, do not forsake us;

Heavenly Father, You who are all-good and all-powerful, do not punish us;

Heavenly Father, You who sustain us as our protector, keep us forever happy and alive;

Heavenly Father, You who have revealed Yourself to us, be with us always;

Heavenly Father, You who love us infinitely, do not leave us orphaned;

Heavenly Father, You who fulfill all things, have mercy on us who are poor;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, All-Powerful, unbegotten and without procession, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 3

We worship the Father without beginning and God, singing: Alleluia!

Ikos 3

All-powerful Father, Lightning from the East above with shining rays, shine upon us so that we may sing to You:

Heavenly Father, Beginner of light, Giver of life, You are ever praised;

Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, be blessed forever;

Heavenly Father, above the world, Who created us from nothingness into being;

Heavenly Father, Who with care rules all things, deliver us;

Heavenly Father, Who with care and unspeakable blessings saves us;

Heavenly Father, Who has given us repentance until death, forgive us;

Heavenly Father, do not let us die in evil deeds;

Heavenly Father, do not let Satan mock us, but let Your grace wash us clean;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from the envy of the originator of grave evil;

Heavenly Father, You who know our passion and weakness, do not let the devil sift us;

Heavenly Father, do not deprive us of Your goodness, lest we fall into evil;

Father, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, unbegotten and without procession by anyone, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 4

It is truly fitting to praise the Most Holy Trinity above Godhead, to praise the heavenly Father, the One without beginning, the Worker of all things, singing: Alleluia!

Ikos 4

Father, Who begot Christ from eternity and spirated the Holy Spirit from eternity, accept this song:

Heavenly Father, forgive us for angering You by breaking Your commandments;

Heavenly Father, grant us to fulfill Your life-giving laws;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from all evil;

Heavenly Father, make us worthy of eternal life;

Heavenly Father, strengthen us to keep Your commandments;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from deceit and useless things;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from deceitful desires;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from anger and passions, and bring us into the life to come;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from vices, persecutions, and slipping;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from evil and cunning habits, and bring us relief;

Heavenly Father, grant us vigilance and awakening;

Heavenly Father, grant us to do Your will with good pleasure in preaching;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, Almighty, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 5

It is truly fitting to glorify You, God, whom the cherubim fear and tremble before, and whom the heavenly powers glorify, singing: Alleluia!

Ikos 5

Let us praise as is fitting the heavenly Father, the Lordship, the Essence, the Substance of Godhead, one Kingdom and one Dominion, singing:

Heavenly Father, You who are in divine perichoresis, unite us with You;

Heavenly Father, infinite Substance and Essence, give us eternal good;

Heavenly Father, Principle and Beginning without beginning, save us;

Heavenly Father, Cause of first causes, deliver us from all temptations;

Heavenly Father, whom all mortals praise, do not deprive us of Heaven;

Heavenly Father, Beginning and Dominion, make us worthy of holy living;

Heavenly Father, the One without beginning, whom we honor;

Heavenly Father, Divine Lightning, help us to glorify You;

Heavenly Father, All-Maker, show us the abode of Your unapproachable glory;

Heavenly Father, Light-bearing and unchanging;

Heavenly Father, All-Powerful Father, Who can do all things;

Heavenly Father, Who carry Yourself on the nine orders of angels;

Father, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, unborn and unbegotten, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 6

It is fitting to sing to You, God, in heaven and in the holy altars, for which we cry out: Alleluia!

Ikos 6

Glory to You, King God, Who with Your divine and loving care have made us worthy to sing to You:

Heavenly Father, accept the voice of prayer like that of the thief;

Heavenly Father, do not turn me away from the Eucharist of the cup;

Heavenly Father, receive us among the saints and among the rational powers;

Heavenly Father, accept our praise from the silence of the earth;

Heavenly Father, make us partakers with the wise virgins;

Heavenly Father, All-Powerful, Most Righteous;

Heavenly Father, do not let the torch of the soul be extinguished;

Heavenly Father, we glorify You, Who gives us the gift of eternal life to come;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from the cunning devil and give us the Holy Eucharist;

Heavenly Father, make us worthy to see You eternally in theophany;

Heavenly Father, let Your will be done in us;

Heavenly Father, open our mouths without condemnation to praise You;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, Almighty, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 7

Master, Lover of mankind, help us at all times and in all things, that we may cry out to You: Alleluia!

Ikos 7

Heavenly Father, bring us into Your eternal Kingdom, Creator, Caretaker, and Giver of all good things, for in You is all our hope, and we praise You forever, singing:

Heavenly Father, Who with great kindness created us, have mercy on us;

Heavenly Father, make us worthy to glorify You and enlighten us;

Heavenly Father, give us Your light so that we may praise You always;

Heavenly Father, Lord, receive our holy song;

Heavenly Father, whom heaven and earth fear;

Heavenly Father, God of powers and of all flesh, have mercy on us in our needs;

Heavenly Father, Who dwells on high, deliver us from war;

Heavenly Father, Who looks upon the humble, do not leave Your sheep orphaned;

Heavenly Father, You who test our hearts and minds, have mercy on us;

Heavenly Father, You who truly know all mysteries, give us Your Holy Mysteries;

Heavenly Father, Light without beginning and everlasting;

Heavenly Father, in whom there is no change, nor shadow of turning;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, All-Powerful, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 8

We bless You, God of mercies and Lord, Who always does great and difficult things for us, crying out: Alleluia!

Ikos 8

Lord, do not deprive us of the supreme heavenly good, but make us worthy to sing to You:

Heavenly Father, Lord of heaven and earth, give us wisdom;

Heavenly Father, make us partakers of the heavenly Kingdom and share it with us;

Heavenly Father, we flee to You to deliver us;

Heavenly Father, deliver us from all persecutions to save us;

Heavenly Father, You who have made counsel in the Trinity, counsel us;

Heavenly Father, You who have always defended us, cover us;

Heavenly Father, You who rule the elements, guide us;

Heavenly Father, You who provide everything for salvation, give us good words;

Heavenly Father, You who have divine foreknowledge, deliver us from the world;

Heavenly Father, come as over the Jordan and Tabor and speak to us;

Heavenly Father, lover of all that is good and worker of all that is good, have mercy on us;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, All-Powerful, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 9

In the beginning, You made heaven and earth, then You created the mineral kingdom, flora, and fauna, and finally You created us in Your image and likeness, for which we sing to You: Alleluia!

Ikos 9

Father, Who said by word, “Let there be light,” and Who moved the Holy Spirit over the waters, accept from us, the unfaithful, from our unclean lips, this song:

Heavenly Father, Who saw that light was good;

Heavenly Father, Who separated light from darkness, so that light would not perish;

Heavenly Father, Who called light day and morning;

Heavenly Father, Who separated the waters from the waters and gave us the sweetness of the Eucharist;

Heavenly Father, Who called the firmament heaven;

Heavenly Father, You who showed the dry land and the waters above from whence come snow and frost;

Heavenly Father, You who gave greenery to the earth You created;

Heavenly Father, You who commanded the plants to bear fruit according to their kind and seed;

Heavenly Father, You who named the sun and made the stars;

Heavenly Father, You who commanded the waters and the earth to bring forth living creatures;

Heavenly Father, You who created us to gain eternal life;

Father, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 10

“Let us make man in our image and likeness,” you said to the Son and the Holy Spirit, so that we may cry out: Alleluia!

Ikos 10

“Let us go down and confuse their language in Babylon, so that they may no longer understand one another’s speech”; thus did You speak in the Trinity in Unity; and at the fulfillment of the time of Pentecost, You gave the gift of tongues, for which we praise You:

Heavenly Father, You who blessed us to work in Heaven and guard it;

Heavenly Father, You who looked upon all creation and said to protect it;

Heavenly Father, You who gave us Sunday to rest;

Heavenly Father, You who breathed into our nostrils the breath of life, the spirit of life;

Heavenly Father, You who planted the Tree of Life and the Tree of True Knowledge in Eden;

Heavenly Father, You who gave us the living water in four divine rivers;

Heavenly Father, You who created Eve, the mother of life, from Adam’s rib;

Heavenly Father, You who gave us the Mother of God as the Mother of Christ;

Heavenly Father, You who established the Mother Church from the side of Christ;

Heavenly Father, You who saved us through the Holy Eucharistic Blood of Christ;

Heavenly Father, You who crushed the head of Satan, who tempted Eve;

Heavenly Father, You who revealed the way to the heavenly paradise;

Father, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 11

Three men stood at Mamre, near Abraham; and when he saw them, he ran before them and bowed down to the ground, saying, “Lord!” Therefore, we sing to You, Father: Alleluia!

Ikos 11

“I will go down to see whether Sodom has indeed done according to the cry that has come to Me, and if not, I will know.” So let us also repent, singing to You with longing for salvation:

Heavenly Father, You who received the symbolic lamb, the lamb of Abel;

Heavenly Father, You who gave Christ as the Lamb King;

Heavenly Father, You who foreshadowed Christ through Melchizedek;

Heavenly Father, You who chose Enoch, Elijah, and John from among the lowest;

Heavenly Father, You who chose Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, Joseph, and Moses;

Heavenly Father, You who cast the sickle and the reaper for the harvest;

Heavenly Father, You who sent the flood upon the giants and fire upon Gomorrah;

Heavenly Father, You who gave all means of salvation to all;

Heavenly Father, You who placed the rainbow in the clouds as a sign;

Heavenly Father, You who created the visible and invisible world;

Heavenly Father, You who promised a Savior;

Heavenly Father, You who did not reject anyone who came to You;

Father, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 12

“The rainbow in the clouds of heaven shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.” You said this, pointing to the Holy Cross, for which we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 12

“Do what is pleasing before Me, be blameless, and keep My crucial covenant!” Thus did You say to all who sing to You:

Heavenly Father, You who tested the faith of the saints beginning with Aaron;

Heavenly Father, Creator and Protector of Adam;

Heavenly Father, You who gave the Law at Sinai;

Heavenly Father, You who revealed the hierarchy, the sacrifice, and the ceremony;

Heavenly Father, You who showed the truth through the Law and the prophets;

Heavenly Father, You who incarnated Christ, Your Son;

Heavenly Father, Who art One with Christ and the Holy Spirit;

Heavenly Father, Who condemns falsehood at the Last Judgment;

Heavenly Father, Who has called all to eternal life and salvation;

Heavenly Father, Who has raised Christ, exalted Him, and revealed Him;

Heavenly Father, Who has shown the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove and Tongues of Fire;

Heavenly Father, You who revealed Yourself to those who are truly pure;

Heavenly Father, You who appeared to the prophet Daniel in a vision as the Ancient of Days;

Heavenly Father, You who were seen with Christ in a vision by Saint Stephen, the first martyr;

Father, Heavenly Father, God, Almighty, unbegotten and unspirated, have mercy on me!

Kontakion 13

O Heavenly Father, Oneness, Divinity, Essence, Spirituality, Infinity, Freedom, Aseity, Providence and Creator, Judge and Sanctifier, All-powerful, All-knowing, Principle, Cause, Existence and Eseity, Existing, You who are unbegotten and unspirated, uncaused by anything, and who guide all things to good with providence, receiving this humble ode from lips, hearts, and thoughts of human creatures, deliver us from all needs, temptations, illnesses, old age, death, hell, Tartarus, Gehenna, and the lake of fire, so that we may sing to you forever from the triumphant Heaven: Alleluia!

This Kontakion is said 3 times.

Then again:

Ikos 1

To the heavenly Father, the Unbegotten, we offer praise, singing such things as these:

Heavenly Father, You who are the First Cause, strengthen us in salvation;

Heavenly Father, You who are the Uncreated Principle, show us Your love again;

Heavenly Father, You who are Eternal, send us Christ, the eternal Bridegroom;

Heavenly Father, give us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, for immortality;

Heavenly Father, Protector, take care of us too;

Heavenly Father, Giver of life, do not turn Your face away from Your sheep;

Heavenly Father, Creator, do not forsake us as You did Christ in His hour of need;

Heavenly Father, Infinite One, grant us eternal life and happiness;