To thee, O Theotokos, victorious leader of triumphant hosts, we thy servants, delivered from calamity, offer hymns of thanksgiving. In thin invincible power, keep us free from every peril, that we may cry to thee: Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
The opening lines of the Salutations for the First Friday of the Great Lent:
A prince of the angels was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos, ‘Hail!’ And seeing Thee, O Lord, take bodily form at the sound of his bodiless voice, he was filled with amazement and stood still, crying to her thus:
Hail, thou through whom joy will shine forth:
Hail, thou through whom the curse will cease.
Hail, thou restoration of fallen Adam:
Hail, thou redemption of the tears of Eve.
Hail, thou Height hard to climb for the thought of man:
Hail, thou Depth hard to perceive even for the eyes of angels.
Hail, thou that art the throne of the King:
Hail, thou who dost hold Him who holdeth all.
Hail, thou Star who dost make the Sun appear:
Hail, thou Womb of the divine incarnation.
Hail, thou through whom the creation is made new:
Hail, thou through whom the Creator becomes a newborn child.
Hail, thou Bride unwedded.
Ἄγγελος πρωστοστάτης οὐρανόθεν ἐπέμφθη εἰπεῖν τῇ Θεοτόκῳ τὸ Χαῖρε· καὶ σὺν τῇ άσωμάτῳ φωνῇ σωματούμενον σε θεωρῶν, Κύριε, ἐξίστατο καὶ ἵστατο κραυγάζων πρὸς αὐτὴν τοιαῦτα:
Χαῖρε, δι᾽ἧς ἡ χαρὰ έκλάμψει· χαῖρε, δι᾽ἧς ἡ ἀρὰ ἐκλείψει.
Χαῖρε, τοῦ πεσόντος Ἀδὰμ ἡ άνάκλησις· χαῖρε, τῶν δακρύων τῆς Εὔας ἡ λύτρωσις.
Χαῖρε, ὕψος δυσανάβατον ἀνθρωπίνοις λογισμοῖς· χαῖρε, βάθος δθσθεώρητον καὶ Ἀγγέλων ὀφθαλμοῖς.
Χαῖρε, ὅτι ὑπάρχεις Βασιλέως καθέδρα· χαῖρε, ὅτι βαστάζεις τὸν βαστάζοντα πάντα.
Χαῖρε, ἀστὴρ ἐμφαίνων τὸν Ἥλιον· χαῖρε, γαστὴρ ἐνθέου σαρκώσεως.
Χαῖρε, δι᾽ἧς νεουργεῖται ἡ κτίσις· χαῖρε, δι᾽ἧς βρεφουργεῖται ὁ Κτίστης.
Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.