Axion Estin — It is truly meet to bless thee
A fundamental Marian hymn of the Byzantine Liturgy, sung at the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (and of St Basil) after the Anaphora, at the moment when Mary is commemorated among the saints. The second part of the hymn (More honourable than the Cherubim…) is the more ancient and is attributed to St Cosmas of Maiuma (8th c.); the first part was added, according to Greek tradition, by an angel who appeared to the monk Gabriel on Mount Athos in 980 — hence the title Axion Estin, It is meet. In universal use in the Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine rite.
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God.
More honourable than the Cherubim,
and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim,
thou who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word,
true Theotokos,
we magnify thee.
In Latin
Greek (original):
Ἄξιόν ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς μακαρίζειν σε τὴν Θεοτόκον,
τὴν ἀειμακάριστον καὶ παναμώμητον καὶ μητέρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν.
Τὴν τιμιωτέραν τῶν Χερουβὶμ
καὶ ἐνδοξοτέραν ἀσυγκρίτως τῶν Σεραφίμ,
τὴν ἀδιαφθόρως Θεὸν Λόγον τεκοῦσαν,
τὴν ὄντως Θεοτόκον, σὲ μεγαλύνομεν.
Latin (versio liturgica):
Dignum est, ut vere beatam te dicamus, Dei Genitricem,
beatam semper et omni macula carentem, et Matrem Dei nostri.
Honorabiliorem Cherubim et gloriosiorem incomparabiliter Seraphim,
incorrupte Dei Verbum quae peperisti, veram Dei Genitricem te magnificamus.