Holy Pleasant of God (name). You are in heaven, and, standing before the throne of the Unapproachable Light, you enjoy His Trinitarian Glory; - I, on earth, in the darkness of sins and in the torment of my conscience, do not dare to lift my eyes to heaven! You have boldness before the Lord to pray to Him for people, among whom you have become famous for your God-pleasing life, purity of deeds and holy deeds of mercy, but I, weak from sins, do not dare to raise the voice of my prayer to Him, and only, like a harlot, I stand before Him with tears! But if such an abyss separates you and me (Luke 16:26), then I still know that you, the Holy One of God, in your compassion, grieve for me, as someone related to you in the former flesh and as an unworthy heir to your holy name! And therefore, I zealously resort to your protection and beg you to intercede for me before the Lord! My good fellow-name!
Strengthen, with the strength given to you, my weak will and weak arbitrariness; Confirm in me the spirit of sincere repentance and unfeigned attraction to God and ask Him with your prayers for forgiveness of the sins I have committed and salvation for my soul.
Prayer for the Tsar and the Fatherland
Slavic text
Russian translation
Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance, victories to our Blessed Emperor, Alexander Nikolaevich, granting against resistance and preserving Thy residence through Thy cross.
Save, Lord, Your people and bless Your heritage (Christians), granting victories over the enemies to our Blessed Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich and preserving Your Residence (i.e., the Christian Church and our public life) by Your Cross.
Explanation
Save, O Lord, from the troubles and misfortunes of Your chosen people (Christians), who are marked by Your Most Holy Name, and endow them with Your blessings and mercies, as those who have been worthy, through Your atoning sacrifice, to become Your inheritance! For You bought them with Your blood from slavery to the devil. (Rev.5:9). Grant victory over enemies (external and internal) to our Blessed Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich, and preserve by the power of Thy Cross, the Holy Church (i.e., the community of believers), under the banner of the same Cross, militant in Thy Name, in peace, harmony of faith and unanimity, for the destruction of wisdom and schism, and for establishment in piety.
This prayer, although it is listed in the division of liturgical prayers under the name “Troparia” for the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross, is also called “Prayer for the Tsar and the Fatherland”, because its historical and religious significance gives it full right to this. Namely: the sign of the Cross, so formidable and humiliating in pagan times, when the cross was a shameful instrument for executing the worst criminals, was first miraculously revealed to the Tsar (Constantine); worthily glorified by him both for his faith in this phenomenon and for his victorious success over his enemies, and for the sincere conversion of the king from paganism to Christianity and the glorious acquisition of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, with the help of his Christ-loving Mother Helen. Therefore, the participation of the King in all parts of this prayer is integral, as the herald of the Cross, as the father of the people chosen by God and as the anointed one of God, standing at the head of the Church of believers.
— From here flows the sacred duty of every loyal subject to pray for the health, long life and well-being of the King, which is supported by the words of the Apostle: Fear God - honor the King (1 Pet. 2:17) and by the teaching of the Savior Himself, who said: Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s (Matthew 22:21).
Prayer for the spiritual father, for parents, relatives and neighbors
Slavic text
Russian translation
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my Spiritual Father (name), and with his holy prayers forgive my sins. Save, Lord, and have mercy on my parents (names), brothers, and sisters, and my relatives according to the flesh, and all the neighbors of my family, and others, and grant them Your peaceful and most peaceful goodness.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual Father (name) and through his prayers (according to the power granted from You to forgive sins), forgive my sins. Save, Lord, and have mercy on my parents (names), brothers, sisters, blood relatives, all relatives and all good acquaintances, and grant them all earthly well-being and heavenly salvation.
Explanation
God! Save my Spiritual Father (name) from all troubles and misfortunes and forgive him all the sins he has committed. You, Lord, through the omnipotence of Your Holy Spirit, sent down on the Apostles and bestowing the power of succession, through the laying on of hands on the performers of Your sacraments, endowed them with the power to resolve and bind human sins: grant me also to get rid of my sins through the prayers of my Spiritual Father (name) and to be an heir to eternal life. Save and preserve, Lord, from all troubles and misfortunes, and forgive all the sins of my parents (names), blessed by You with the Holy Sacrament of marriage, the fruit of which, by Your mercy and inscrutable destinies, I came into the world. Impute to them. Lord, all sorrows in the flesh and spirit, and all their love for me, into the feat of humility and submission to Your will: for You said that everyone who believes is born of God, and everyone who loves him who begot him loves him also who is born of Him (1 John 5:1)! Save, Lord, and have mercy on all those who are related to me by blood and in the flesh; all the good people I know, and all Christians!
Grant to all of them, according to Your love for mankind and mercy, all earthly well-being and honor them, after death, with heavenly life in Your Kingdom.
Prayer for the departed
Slavic text
Russian translation and explanation
Remember, Lord, the souls of Your departed servants, my blood and relatives (names), and all Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep in the faith: and forgive them all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, giving them the Kingdom and the communion of Your eternal good things, and Your endless and blissful life of pleasure.
Remember, Lord (in Your Kingdom), the souls of Your deceased servants, my blood relatives and distant relatives (names) and all the children of the Orthodox Church who died with faith in the future life: forgive them all their sins committed in knowledge and ignorance, granting them the right to enter Your Heavenly Kingdom and join the face of the Saints who have pleased You from the ages, and Your endless life, complete bliss and pleasure.
The Orthodox Church calls the dead deceased, out of confidence that they are not destroyed, but only, as it were, fall asleep here in a temporary sleep and awaken to a new, eternal life, during the general resurrection.