The Akathist (Блаженній Ксенії Петербурзькій) is a liturgical hymn of praise and prayerful intercession.
Condak 1
We offer to you, O blessed Xenia, chosen vessel of Christ, hymns of praise, extolling your patient endurance and voluntary suffering. You, having boldness before the Lord, intercede for us, sinners, in all afflictions and tribulations, and pray to the Lord on our behalf:
Radiant, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Icos 1
Having lived on earth like an angel, O blessed mother, after the repose of your husband, who departed suddenly without preparation as a Christian, you rejected worldly life, praying to God to forgive his soul. You took upon yourself the asceticism of foolishness and attained spiritual perfection. Therefore, we offer to you these praises, which we sing to you:
Radiant, O vessel of Christ, you who lived in the world above;
Radiant, you who conquered the world and the devil.
Radiant, you who freely chose poverty for your entire life;
Radiant, you who desired to possess treasures in heaven.
Radiant, you who, in your life, were equal to Andrew, the fool-for-Christ’s sake;
Radiant, you who are loved and glorified by all Orthodox people.
Radiant, you who, at the hour of death, call us to mind;
Radiant, you who teach us to love our neighbor more than the world.
Radiant, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 2
Seeing your strange life, O blessed one, how you clothed yourself in the attire of your husband, who had departed, and took his name, saying that you had died, leaving behind your home and all the good things of the earth, and making yourself a wanderer, your relatives thought you were mad, but the God-loving people rejoiced:
Alleluia
Icos 2
You, O blessed Xenia, hid your reason, which was given to you by God, in apparent foolishness; but in the midst of the great city, you lived like a hermit, constantly offering your prayers to God. We, marveling at your life, sing to you:
Radiant, you who, with the weight of the cross of foolishness, received from God;
Radiant, you who concealed the radiance of grace in apparent foolishness.
Radiant, you who, taking the name of a man, renounced the weakness of a woman;
Radiant, you who patiently endured sorrows and afflictions.
Radiant, you who distributed all your possessions to the poor;
Radiant, you who prepared a dwelling for the Holy Spirit in your heart.
Radiant, you who bring comfort to all who come to you;
Radiant, you who deliver from sudden death.
Radiant, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 3
By the power bestowed upon you from above, blessed with grace and fortitude, you endured scorching heat and bitter cold, praying throughout the night and making prostrations; therefore, your blessedness, O Xenia, has been glorified in our afflicted homeland and in the entire Orthodox world, that we may call upon God with you:
Alleluia
Icos 3
You had a heavenly canopy and earthly bed, O blessed mother, yet you did not concern yourself with these things, for your heart was aflame with prayers to God; therefore, we sing to you thus:
Rejoice, O Xenia, who in your earthly life passed without a home;
Rejoice, who sought and obtained the heavenly dwelling.
Rejoice, who throughout the day and night prayed unceasingly;
Rejoice, who made prostrations on earth and in all the lands of the world.
Rejoice, who by your all-night vigil protected the city of Peter;
Rejoice, who many times averted the wrath of God from it.
Rejoice, who by the grace of the Holy Spirit was wonderfully warmed;
Rejoice, whose prayer has melted the bitter cold of our souls.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 4
You overcame the turmoil of life in the city of Peter, O blessed mother, with gentleness and meekness, and in the midst of the vain world, you acquired steadfastness and thus, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, you called upon the God who grants quietness of heart:
Alleluia
Icos 4
The people heard the wondrous gift of insight, which you revealed, O holy mother, and they were amazed. A certain woman said to you: “Take a penny, for the king is on horseback, and he will be extinguished.” But she did not know that you had seen the spark of her house, and she ran to her house and saw it ablaze, and immediately, by your prayer, the flame of fire was extinguished. Many who were suffering came to your aid, and those who obtained it, thus called upon you:
Rejoice, who by extreme humility acquired the gift of insight;
Rejoice, who revealed this gift for the benefit and salvation of the afflicted.
Rejoice, unquenchable lamp, that burned with fervent prayers to God;
Rejoice, who by your faith quenched the flame of fire in the houses.
Rejoice, who foresaw the future troubles of men, as if they were present;
Rejoice, who was a free and merciful physician to men.
Rejoice, for you strengthen the weak in faith;
Rejoice, for you enlighten the Orthodox people with the radiance of your holiness.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Conakion 5
A God-bearing star, thy holiness hath appeared upon the firmament of the city of Peter, O beloved of God, illuminating the hearts of men with thy dawn; for the people, perishing in the madness of sin, thou hast shown the path of salvation, leading them to repentance, that they might cry out to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 5
Seeing thy feats of prayer, and thy great patience in cold and heat, the people desired to alleviate thy sufferings; but thou didst distribute the garments and all things which thou brought to the poor, keeping thy own poverty as though a treasure. For this reason, hear from us these words:
Rejoice, thou who hast placed thy wealth only in love for God and neighbor;
rejoice, having possessed nothing of this earth yet having enriched all spiritually.
Rejoice, thou who suffered in sympathy with thy merciful heart;
rejoice, having sent them help through good people.
Rejoice, thou who, estranged from the world, didst do good living within it;
rejoice, having taught to reject the foolishness of this age.
Rejoice, thou who didst move us to weep with those who weep;
rejoice, awakening us from the heavy sleep of sin.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessrix for our souls.
Conakion 6
The holiness of thy life was proclaimed, O blessed one, by the inhabitants of thy city, when thou—caring for an infant not yet born, O kindest of wives, dwelling in the house granted unto thee—didst hear a voice: “God hath sent thee a son; go to the Smolensk cemetery.” That woman, having come with care, took the orphan, born of a mother who had suffered suddenly on the way and passed away, into her own house; and throughout all the years of her her life, giving thanks to thee, this blessed family cried out to God the Philanthropos:
Alleluia
Ikos 6
The glory of thy feats hath shone, O blessed mother Xenia, when at night thou didst carry stones being laid upon the roof of the temple of Smolensk, assisting in the rebuilding of the house of the Most Holy One. Now therefore all who pray in this holy temple and throughout the whole world of God, looking upon thy icon, sing to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who hast taught to do good in secret;
rejoice, calling all to the feats of piety.
Rejoice, thou who didst help the builders of God’s temples;
rejoice, having loved the church sanctuary.
Rejoice, thou who hast shown diligent haste in good deeds;
rejoice, being the relief of our labors on the path of salvation.
Rejoice, thou who didst perform feats under the protection of the Mother of God and so fell asleep;
rejoice, now being with Her in the Heavens praying to Christ for us.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessrix for our souls.
Condak 7
Although thou didst ordain human destinies for good, thou didst command the Virgin, more gentle than any other, to go to the Oak, to prophesy, saying, “Your husband will bury you there.” Although she was perplexed, she did not disobey thy word, and there she met a young widower, mourning by his wife’s grave, and she comforted him with prayer. And after that time, she was blessed, and thus many years she lived in love and harmony, and she taught her children to honor thee, O holy Mother, and to sing a hymn to God:
Alleluia
Icos 7
Thou didst show a new wonder, O blessed one, in the midst of human corruption, thy soul, hidden in humility, preserved in the angelic virtues. Teach us, O Mother Xenia, and the little ones who cannot endure sorrows, and who spend their days in complaining against God and their neighbor, to bear all things patiently, sent from above, looking upon thy deeds, and with a pure heart, we call to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who hast revealed blessed wisdom in a cold world;
Rejoice, thou who hast tasted the bliss of spiritual poverty.
Rejoice, thou who dost bestow upon us the image of patience and kindness;
Rejoice, thou who dost teach us to be freed from troubles by humility and repentance.
Rejoice, thou who dost bless children with prayer and love;
Rejoice, thou who dost heal them miraculously with thy hand.
Rejoice, thou who dost drive away heavy sorrow, crushing the soul;
Rejoice, thou who dost surround us with unshakeable hope in God’s mercy.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 8
As a stranger without a home, thou didst pass through the sorrowful path of thy life in this great city of our Fatherland, O blessed Mother, seeking the heavenly city of Jerusalem; now, however, thou dost sing to God with the Angels and all the saints:
Alleluia
Icos 8
Thou didst live, O holy Mother, in constant prayer to the Creator, until thy repose, passing from sufferings and labors to a blessed and eternal life, unimpeded. Therefore, bowing our hearts in reverence, we offer to thee this hymn:
Rejoice, thou who dost rejoice in the heavenly dwellings with the holy angels;
Rejoice, and do not forget us, who pray to thee.
Rejoice, thou who hast shown countless wonders after thy repose;
Rejoice, thou who hast healed the dying, left behind by physicians.
Rejoice, thou who dost bring fear and correction to those who are perishing in drunkenness;
Rejoice, thou who dost bring a good and speedy solution to those who have lost their place of service.
Rejoice, thou who art a protector of widows and women left by their husbands;
Rejoice, thou who art a nourisher of strangers and the homeless.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 9
Thou dost comfort all who suffer, blessed Mother Xenia, those who have recourse to thee with hope and who hasten to thy aid with fervor: even as thou didst remember the soul of those who had remembered thine own soul for the sake of their own salvation, according to thy promise, so also now remember all who glorify thee, O God, wonderfully glorified in thee, and who cry out to thee unceasingly:
Alleluia
Icos 9
The cunning of the wicked cannot comprehend how thou didst expose the foolishness of the world by thy own foolishness and didst shame the strong and the mighty by thy own weakness: for they do not know that in thee is the power and wisdom of God. We, who reverence thee, call out to thee with love:
Rejoice, thou habitation of the Divine Spirit;
rejoice, thou great boldness towards God.
Rejoice, thou who dost appear to those who pray at thy tomb and dost help them;
rejoice, thou who hast consecrated many with earth and oil and hast healed many from sickness.
Rejoice, thou who dost save those possessed by passions from destruction;
rejoice, thou who dost teach us to renounce ourselves.
Rejoice, thou who dost show us the path of love and humility leading to salvation;
rejoice, thou who dost dwell with us unperceptibly in the temple of God.
Rejoice, blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 10
Thou dost save those who desire to be saved, blessed Mother Xenia, by thy wonderful intercession. Behold, a devout maiden, a widow, her mother, prayed fervently at thy tomb on the eve of her wedding, and thou didst deliver her from marriage to a wicked man who had killed a man in a duel, and he took to himself the name and dignity of the one he had killed. On the day of his own death, he was suddenly convicted and, overcome with fear, confessed before all that the power of God had delivered the orphan from marriage to him. We, marveling at the power of thy prayers, which save us, sing to God:
Alleluia
Icos 10
Thou art an unshakeable wall, O blessed Mother, and the house of the Orthodox. Do not forsake us, the separated spouses, now; help the parents who weep for their children because of their own sins; teach the youths and maidens to preserve themselves in chastity and to reverence the sacredness of family life, that we may all sing to thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who dost deliver the devout from marriage to the unfaithful;
rejoice, thou who dost help them to find a good companion in life.
Rejoice, thou who dost bring about good reconciliation between relatives;
rejoice, thou who dost dry the tears of children.
Rejoice, thou who dost avert the threat of abortion for women in childbirth;
rejoice, thou who dost establish the foundation of love and faith in the homes.
Rejoice, thou who dost bring comfort to spouses separated by death;
rejoice, thou who dost establish their eternal union in life.
Rejoice, blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 11
Thou dost receive the hymn of thanksgiving, O blessed Mother, from the faithful Orthodox people, who have been delivered from afflictions and diseases by thy prayers; and now, if the All-Righteous Lord shall permit us to suffer tribulations on account of our sins, we shall hasten to thee with tears, trusting in thy merciful intercession before God, that we may sing to Him:
Alleluia
Icos 11
Thou hast shone forth as a radiant beam of light in the darkness of this life, O wise Xenia, illuminating the path to the Unapproachable Light, and by thy numerous miracles, thou hast shone forth. And in the midst of the fierce persecution of the impious, the faithful did not depart from thy church, but, despising even the fear of death, they hastened to thee with faith and hope, singing with their hearts:
Rejoice, O hope of the hopeless;
Rejoice, O salvation of those who are perishing in the depths of despair.
Rejoice, O protector of the lowly and the oppressed;
Rejoice, O defender of the innocent and the righteous.
Rejoice, O comfort of the afflicted and the sorrowful;
Rejoice, O warning to those who oppress.
Rejoice, O intercessor for the holy city of Peter;
Rejoice, O Mother and nourisher of the children of the Russian land.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 12
Thou dost abundantly pour forth the gift of consolation, O blessed Xenia, upon all who honor thy memory and hasten to thy intercession. Therefore, we, who are sinful, place our hope in thee before God, and we beseech thee with fervor: do not forsake us in times of tribulation, and pray to the Lord of power, that we may not depart from the Orthodox faith, in which thou hast established us, and we shall call out to Him with sincerity:
Alleluia
Icos 12
Singing thy many miracles, O blessed Mother Xenia, we extol thee as our warm intercessor and swift advocate. And, receiving from thee the gift of thy merciful aid, we unceasingly sing to thee:
Rejoice, O light of thy gentleness, which hath illuminated all the ends of the earth;
Rejoice, O one who, by thy life of asceticism, hast put to shame the pride of the devil.
Rejoice, O helper and blessing of the royal house;
Rejoice, O sower of the peace of God in the hearts of the faithful.
Rejoice, O one who, with unceasing prayer, dost beseech the salvation of our Fatherland;
Rejoice, O guide to the Heavenly Fatherland.
Rejoice, O comfort of our souls in times of sorrow and grief;
Rejoice, O forgiveness of our sins and eternal salvation before God.
Rejoice, O blessed Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 13
Oh, holy blessed Mother Xenia, in your life you bore the heavy cross. Accept from us, sinners, this prayer, offered to you, and guard us with your prayers from the wiles of the spiritual darkness, from afflictions and misfortunes. Implore the All-Merciful God to grant us strength and courage, that, taking up our cross, we may follow Christ, singing to Him with you forever:
Alleluia
[This condak is recited three times.]
[We then repeat the first ikos and condak:]
Icos 1
You lived on earth like an archangel, holy Mother Xenia, after the repose of your husband, who died suddenly without preparation as a Christian. You rejected worldly life, praying to God to forgive your husband’s soul, and, taking up the ascetic life, you attained spiritual perfection. Therefore, hear from us these praises, offered to you:
Rejoice, servant of Christ, who lived in the world above;
rejoice, conqueror of the world, flesh, and devil.
Rejoice, who freely chose voluntary poverty for all your life;
rejoice, who desired to possess treasures in heaven.
Rejoice, equal to Andrew, the fool-for-Christ;
rejoice, loved and glorified by all Orthodox people.
Rejoice, who at the hour of death remind us;
rejoice, who teach us to love our neighbor more than the world.
Rejoice, holy Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Condak 1
Chosen servant of Christ, holy blessed Xenia, we offer to you hymns of praise, honoring your patience and voluntary suffering. You, having boldness before the Lord, intercede for us, sinners, in all afflictions and misfortunes:
Rejoice, holy Xenia, intercessor for our souls.
Prayer
Oh, holy all-blessed Mother Xenia! You lived under the shelter of the Almighty, guided and strengthened by the Mother of God. You endured hunger and thirst, cold and heat, reproaches and persecutions. You received the gift of prophecy and miracles from God and rested under the shade of the All-Powerful. Now, the Holy Church, like a fragrant flower, glorifies you. Standing before your tomb, before your holy icon, as if you were living with us, we pray to you: accept our petitions and bring them to the Throne of the Merciful Father. Implore the Savior, our Savior, for eternal salvation for those who come to you, for abundant blessing on our good deeds and endeavors, for deliverance from all afflictions and sorrows. Intercede before the All-Merciful Savior on our behalf, through your holy prayers. Help, holy blessed Mother Xenia, to enlighten infants with the light of holy baptism and seal them with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Educate boys and girls in faith, chastity, and reverence, and grant them success in their studies. Heal the sick and the afflicted, bring love and harmony to families, grant monks the strength of good asceticism, and protect them from reproach. Establish pastors in the strength of the Holy Spirit, preserve our people and our land in peace and tranquility, and implore the Savior to grant us the Holy Mysteries at the hour of death. You are our hope and trust, our swift hearing and deliverance. We offer you thanks and praise, and with you, we glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.