Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice.)
I have not yet told you, children, about who composed the prayers with which we turn to God. So listen, I’ll tell you about this today. Some prayers were compiled by the holy fathers, others were given to us by God Himself. A short prayer, which is read after the prayer to the Holy Spirit, is given to Christians from Heaven. You have heard this prayer; it is not only read in church more often than others, but is also sung.
Here it is, cross yourself and repeat it with me: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. A small prayer was given to us from Heaven, because God loves when people pray to Him and not for long, but from a pure heart and with zeal. To whom and how, children, did God give this prayer? Here's how: during the reign of a Greek king, a terrible earthquake occurred in Constantinople. Everyone expected that they were about to fall underground and be crushed by it. What to do? People gathered in the church, took the holy icons there and went out into the street with them to pray to God for mercy. They pray to God, but the earthquake and underground rumble continue. Suddenly, a strong wind, in full view of everyone, lifted one boy high into the sky. A few minutes later, the boy sank to the ground completely calm and unharmed and said that he heard people singing up there: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal... Immediately this heavenly song was sung on earth, adding to it: have mercy on us. And what would you children think? The earthquake stopped and no underground rumble was heard.
Here, for a short prayer, what great mercy God showed people! He saved them from a terrible death. - Probably the boy was kind and pious if God gave this prayer to people through him? - Certainly. Otherwise God would have taken someone else to heaven. Whose singing do you think the boy heard in the sky? - He heard the singing of the Angels, who in heaven sang and sing with the incessant voices of the Triune God. Now let's look at what the Angels sang in heaven, as the boy heard it.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal. In the angelic song, as you hear, the word Holy is repeated three times. Can't you guess, children, why the word holy is repeated three times? — In honor of the Triune God? - Yes. What does the word holy mean? Holy means pure, sinless. No one, children, is holy as much as God is holy. Although people can be saints, they do not become so on their own, but with the help of God, and holy people, although a little, sin. God can never sin, as the most holy and pure Spirit. The prayer goes on to say: Holy Mighty, in other words, holy Almighty. In these words, the Angels sing of the omnipotence of God. God is called omnipotent because he can do everything with one word and for God there is nothing impossible either on earth or in heaven. Finally it is said: Holy Immortal, that is, never dying, never ceasing to live, Eternal God. - So, children, the Angels in heaven sang the holiness, omnipotence and eternity of the Triune God.
What can we, sinners and mortals, add to this prayer if not to ask the Most Holy, Almighty and Eternal God to have mercy on us sinners? So on earth Christians began to speak and sing the angelic song with the addition of the words: have mercy on us. This short prayer is called the angelic song, it is also called the Trisagion, from the repetition of the word saint three times. The prayer is repeated three times, as a sign that all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity equally belong to holiness, omnipotence and eternity.
Who composed the prayers with which we turn to God? To whom and how was the Trisagion prayer given? Why is the word holy repeated three times? What does it mean? What does strong mean? Immortal? Why was it added: have mercy on us? What is this prayer called and why? How many times does it repeat?