[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; {defend...: Heb. set thee on an high place}
Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; {thee help: Heb. thy help} {strengthen: Heb. support}
Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. {accept: Heb. turn to ashes: or, make fat}
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up {our} banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. {his holy...: Heb. the heaven of his holiness} {with...: Heb. by the strength of the salvation of}
Some {trust} in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked life of thee, {and} thou gavest {it} him, {even} length of days for ever and ever.
His glory {is} great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. {made him most...: Heb. set him to be blessings} {made him exceeding...: Heb. make him glad with joy}
For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, {which} they are not able {to perform}.
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, {when} thou shalt make ready {thine arrows} upon thy strings against the face of them. {shalt thou...: or, thou shalt set them as a butt} {back: Heb. shoulder}
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: {so} will we sing and praise thy power.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as it is in Heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Lord save Your people, / and bless Your inheritance, / granting victories to Orthodox Christians against the enemy, / and preserving Your life through Your Cross.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Ascend to the Cross by will, / grant to Your namesake new residence / Your bounty, O Christ God, / make us glad with Your power, / giving us victories for our peers, / allowance to those who have Your weapon of peace, / invincible victory.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Terrible and shameless intercession, / do not despise our good prayers, O All-Sung Mother of God, / establish the Orthodox residence: / save Thy people, and grant them victory from heaven, / before she gave birth You are God, you alone are blessed.
Lord have mercy, (12)
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men. Three times.
Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. Twice.
[A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.] LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many {are} they that rise up against me.
Many {there be} which say of my soul, {There is} no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O LORD, {art} a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. {for: or, about}
I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set {themselves} against me round about.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies {upon} the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation {belongeth} unto the LORD: thy blessing {is} upon thy people. Selah.
[A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.] O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
{There is} no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither {is there any} rest in my bones because of my sin. {rest: Heb. peace, or, health}
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink {and} are corrupt because of my foolishness.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. {troubled: Heb. wried}
For my loins are filled with a loathsome {disease}: and {there is} no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire {is} before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. {is gone...: Heb. is not with me}
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. {sore: Heb. stroke} {my kinsmen: or, my neighbours}
They also that seek after my life lay snares {for me}: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
But I, as a deaf {man}, heard not; and {I was} as a dumb man {that} openeth not his mouth.
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth {are} no reproofs.
For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. {in...: or, thee do I wait for} {hear: or, answer}
For I said, {Hear me}, lest {otherwise} they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify {themselves} against me.
For I {am} ready to halt, and my sorrow {is} continually before me. {to halt: Heb. for halting}
For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
But mine enemies {are} lively, {and} they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. {are lively...: Heb. being living, are strong}
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow {the thing that} good {is}.
Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation. {to...: Heb. for my help}
[A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.] O God, thou {art} my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; {thirsty: Heb. weary} {where...: without water}
To see thy power and thy glory, so {as} I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Because thy lovingkindness {is} better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
My soul shall be satisfied as {with} marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise {thee} with joyful lips: {marrow: Heb. fatness}
When I remember thee upon my bed, {and} meditate on thee in the {night} watches.
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
But those {that} seek my soul, to destroy {it}, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. {They shall fall...: Heb. They shall make him run out like water by the hands of}
But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
[A Song {or} Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.] O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day {and} night before thee: {for the sons: or, of the sons} {Maschil...: or, A Psalm of Heman the Ezrahite, giving instruction}
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man {that hath} no strength:
Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. {from: or, by}
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted {me} with all thy waves. Selah.
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: {I am} shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise {and} praise thee? Selah.
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? {or} thy faithfulness in destruction?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
LORD, why castest thou off my soul? {why} hidest thou thy face from me?
I {am} afflicted and ready to die from {my} youth up: {while} I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. {daily: or, all the day}
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, {and} mine acquaintance into darkness.
[{A Psalm} of David.] Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, {bless} his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good {things; so that} thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD {is} merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. {plentious...: Heb. great in mercy}
He will not always chide: neither will he keep {his anger} for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, {so} great is his mercy toward them that fear him. {as...: Heb. according to the height of the heaven}
As far as the east is from the west, {so} far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth {his} children, {so} the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we {are} dust.
{As for} man, his days {are} as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. {it is...: Heb. it is not}
But the mercy of the LORD {is} from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. {that excel...: Heb. mighty in strength}
Bless ye the LORD, all {ye} his hosts; {ye} ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
[A Psalm of David.] Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, {and} in thy righteousness.
And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul {thirsteth} after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. {lest...: or, for I am become like, etc}
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. {flee...: Heb. hide me with thee}
Teach me to do thy will; for thou {art} my God: thy spirit {is} good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I {am} thy servant.
Reader: Eighth voice: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Verse 1 From the night my spirit is drawn to You, O God, for the light of Your commandment is brought upon the earth. Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (And further for each verse)
Verse 2 You who dwell on the earth will learn righteousness.
Verse 3 Envy will take hold of people unpunished.
Verse 4 Do evil to them, O Lord, do evil to the glorious ones of the earth.
Reader: Having hearts in Heaven, we imitate the rank of the Angels and with the fear of the Judge we will fall, crying out victorious praise:
Chorus: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou our God, through the prayers of the saints, thy apostle and Saint Nicholas, have mercy on us.
Reader: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The cherubs, flying, do not dare to behold You, calling with an exclamation the Divine song of the Trisagion voice, with them we cry out to You:
Chorus: Holy, holy, holy art thou, our God, through the prayers of all thy saints have mercy on us.
Reader: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. We sing with the multitude of our sins and do not dare to look at the heights of Heaven, soul and body bow down, from the Angels we cry out to Ti:
Choir: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou our God, through the Mother of God have mercy on us.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy (three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Reader: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
[To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.] Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. {Michtam...: or, A golden Psalm of David}
Mine enemies would daily swallow {me} up: for {they be} many that fight against me, O thou most High. {enemies: Heb. observers}
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts {are} against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? in {thine} anger cast down the people, O God.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: {are they} not in thy book?
When I cry {unto thee}, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God {is} for me.
In God will I praise {his} word: in the LORD will I praise {his} word.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Thy vows {are} upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: {wilt} not {thou deliver} my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for my soul trusts in You, and I hope in the shadow of Your wing, until lawlessness will pass away. I will call to God Most High, the God who has done good to me. God sent His mercy and His truth, and delivered my soul from the midst of the Scimni. They are confused, sons of humanity, their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword. Ascend into Heaven, O God, and Thy glory is throughout all the earth. You have prepared a net for my feet and slush for my soul, digging a pit before me and falling into the nude. My heart is ready, God, my heart is ready, I will sing and sing in my glory. Arise, my glory, arise to the psaltery and harp, I will arise early. I will confess to You among the people, Lord, I will sing to You in the midst of the people, for Your mercy has been magnified to the heavens, and even to the clouds of Your truth. Ascend into Heaven, O God, and Thy glory is throughout all the earth.
If you truly speak the truth, you are the right judge, sons of humanity. For you do iniquity in your heart, on earth your hands intertwine iniquity. Having alienated the sinner from lies, having gone astray from the womb, I lie with the verb. Their rage is like a serpent, like a deaf asp, and one who stops his ears, so that he does not hear the voice of those who surround him, is possessed by wisdom. God will break their teeth in their mouth; the Lord has broken the limbs of lions. They will be humbled like flowing water, they will strain their bow until they are exhausted. As if the wax melted and was taken away, fire fell on them and you did not see the sun. First of all, understand that the thorns of your frame are alive, as they will devour me in wrath. The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance; he will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner. And the man says: If the righteous have fruit, then there is a God who judges them on earth.
Reader: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Chorus: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you God. (Thrice)
Lord, have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Reader: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Deliver me from my enemies, O God, and deliver me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from the blood of men. For behold, you have caught my soul and attacked me with strength, lower my iniquity, lower my sin, Lord. Having flown without iniquity and corrected it, arise to meet me and see. And you, Lord God of hosts, God of Israel, go out to visit all the nations, so that you do not restrain all those who practice iniquity. They will return in the evening and will hunger like a dog and will go around the city. These answer with their lips, and the sword is in their mouth, for who can hear? And You, Lord, laugh at them and destroy all languages. I will preserve my power towards You, for You, O God, are my protector. My God, His mercy will go before me, my God will show me in all my adversaries. Do not kill them, lest they forget Your law, scatter me with Your power and bring me down, my protector, Lord. The sin of their lips, the word of their lips, and let them be in their pride, and from oaths and lies they will be proclaimed in death. They will die in wrath, and they will not, but will make it known that God rules over Jacob and the ends of the earth.
They will return in the evening, and will hunger like a dog, and will go around the city. The food will be scattered. Or if they are not satisfied, they will grumble. I will sing of Thy power and rejoice in the morning over Thy mercy, for Thou art my protector and my refuge in the day of my tribulation. Thou art my helper, I sing to Thee: For thou art my God, my protector, my God, my mercy.
God, you rejected us and deposed us, you were angry and you showed mercy to us. Thou hast shaken the earth and troubled thou, heal her contrition, for thou hast moved. You showed your people how cruel you are, you gave us the wine of tenderness to drink. You have given a sign to those who fear You, even to flee from the face of the onion. For Thy loved ones may be delivered, save with Thy right hand and hear me. God said in His holiness: I will rejoice and divide Sikimah, and make a vale of dwellings. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the fortress of my head, Judah is my king. Moab is the horse of My hope; I will stretch My boot on Idumea; The foreign women have submitted to Me. Who will lead me into the city of enclosure? or who will guide me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who rejected us? And will you not go out, O God, in our strength? Give us help from sorrow, and human salvation is in vain. In God we will create strength, and He will subdue the cold that befalls us.
Hear, O God, my prayer, attend to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I cried to You, when my heart was always depressed, You lifted me up on a rock, You guided me. For you were my hope, a pillar of strength from the face of the enemy. I will dwell in Your village forever, I will be covered in the blood of Your wings. Because You, O God, have heard my prayers, You have given wealth to those who fear Your name. Add the days to the days of the king, his summer until the day of generation and generation. Who will abid forever before God, His mercy and truth? Thus I will sing to Your name forever, render my prayers day by day.
Reader: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Chorus: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you God. (Thrice)
Lord, have mercy. (Three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Reader: And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Does not my soul obey God? From Him is my salvation. For He is my God and my Savior, my protector, I move no more. How long will you stay with a person? You all kill, as the wall has been bowed and the bulwark has been raised. Otherwise, reject my advice, I am thirsty, I bless with my lips and curse with my heart. Moreover, obey God, my soul, for from Him is my patience. For He is my God and my Savior, my protector; I will not pass away. In God is my salvation and my glory, the God of my help, and my trust is in God. Trust in Him, all the multitude of people; pour out your hearts before Him, for God is our helper. Both vanity is the son of humanity, the lie of the son of humanity in Merilech is even untruthful, and from vanity together. Do not trust in untruth and do not desire admiration. Even if wealth flows, don’t apply your heart. God spoke with one word, hearing these two, the power of God, and Thy, O Lord, mercy, for Thou hast rendered unto each one according to his deeds.
O God, my God, I have thirsted for You in the morning; my soul has thirsted for You, since my flesh is abundant in You, in a land that is empty and impassable and without water. Thus I have appeared to You in the Holy One, to see Your power and Your glory. For Thy mercy is better than life, my lips praise Thee. Thus I will bless You in my belly, in Your name I will lift up my hands. For with fatness and ointment may my soul be filled, and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips. Even when I commemorated Thee on my bed, I learned from Thee in the morning. For You were my Helper, and in Your blood I will rejoice. My soul cleaves to You, but Your right hand accepts me less. They, seeking my soul in vain, will descend into the underworld of the earth, surrender themselves into the hands of weapons, and become parts of the fox. The king will rejoice in God, everyone who swears by Him will boast, for he has stopped the mouth of those who speak unrighteously.
Hear, O God, my voice, always pray to You, take away my soul from the fear of the enemy. Cover me from the multitude of evildoers, from the multitude of those who do lies. He who has sharpened his tongues like a sword, who has strained his bow, a bitter thing, shoots in the secret places without blemish; they will suddenly shoot him and will not be afraid. Having confirmed to yourself the word of the evil one, you told them to hide the snare, deciding: who will see them? Having experienced lawlessness, the disappearance of the testing trials, man will approach, and the heart will be deep, and God will be exalted. The arrows came upon the child, and their tongues fell upon her. All who saw them were troubled, and every man was afraid, and declared the works of God, and understood His creation. The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and trust in Him, and all the rulers will boast in their hearts.
Reader: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you God. (Thrice)
Lord, have mercy. (Three times).
Chorus: Blessed are you, O Christ our God,/ who are all wise fishers of things,/ having sent down to them the Holy Spirit/ and with them you have caught the universe;// Lover of mankind, glory to you.
Verse: Their message went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
Choir: Lights of the world and teachers,/ the firstfruits of our salvation,/ the divine disciples of our God will sing,/ like the light of those who are in darkness has risen to us/ and the Sun of glory has spoken to everyone;/ even so the beauty the idolatrous destroyer,/ preaching the Trinity in the One Divinity./ For this reason we pray, apostles of Christ God,/ to grant forgiveness of sins // to those who celebrate love in your holy memory.
Verse: God is marvelous in His saints, the God of Israel.
Chorus: Having accomplished your valiant journey,/ resisted the martyr as a tormentor;/ having slain your body on earth,// received heavenly life, O saints.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Chorus: Rejoice, Angel who has received the joy of the world,/ Rejoice, who gave birth to Your Creator and Lord,// Rejoice, thou who was made worthy to be the Mother of God.
Reader: In this Palestinian monastery in the vicinity of Caesarea lived the venerable monk Zosima. Sent to a monastery from childhood, he labored there until he was 53 years old, when he was confused by the thought: “Will there be a holy man in the most distant desert who has surpassed me in sobriety and work?” As soon as he thought this way, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “You, Zosimas, have labored well in human measure, but among men there is not a single righteous one (Rom. 3:10). So that you understand how many other and higher forms of salvation there are, leave this monastery, like Abraham from his father’s house (Gen. 12:1), and go to the monastery located by the Jordan.” Abba Zosima immediately left the monastery and, following the Angel, came to the Jordan monastery and settled in it. Here he saw the elders, truly shining in their exploits. Abba Zosima began to imitate the holy monks in spiritual work. So a lot of time passed, and the Holy Pentecost approached. There was a custom in the monastery, for the sake of which God brought St. Zosima here.
On the first Sunday of Great Lent, the abbot served the Divine Liturgy, everyone partook of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ, then ate a small meal and gathered again in the church. Having made a prayer and the prescribed number of prostrations to the ground, the elders, having asked each other for forgiveness, took a blessing from the abbot and under the general singing of the psalm “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior: whom will I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: from whom shall I fear?” (Ps. 26:1) they opened the monastery gates and went into the desert. Each of them took with him a moderate amount of food, whoever needed what, some did not take anything into the desert at all and ate roots. The monks crossed the Jordan and dispersed as far as possible so as not to see anyone fasting and asceticism. When Lent ended, the monks returned to the monastery on Palm Sunday with the fruit of their work (Rom. 6:21,22), having examined their conscience (1 Pet. 3:16). At the same time, no one asked anyone how he worked and accomplished his feat. That year, Abba Zosima, according to monastic custom, crossed the Jordan.
He wanted to go deeper into the desert to meet one of the saints and great elders who were saving themselves there and praying for peace. He walked through the desert for 20 days and one day, when he was singing the psalms of the 6th hour and doing the usual prayers, suddenly a shadow of a human body appeared to his right. He was horrified, thinking that he was seeing a demonic ghost, but, having crossed himself, he put aside his fear and, having finished the prayer, turned towards the shadow and saw a naked man walking through the desert, whose body was black from the sun’s heat, and his short, bleached hair turned white like a lamb’s fleece. Abba Zosima was delighted, since during these days he had not seen a single living creature, and immediately headed in his direction. But as soon as the naked hermit saw the 3-axis coming towards him, he immediately started running from him. Abba Zosima, forgetting his old age's infirmity and fatigue, quickened his pace. But soon, exhausted, he stopped at a dry stream and began to tearfully beg the retreating ascetic: “Why are you running from me, a sinful old man, saving yourself in this desert?
Wait for me, weak and unworthy, and give me your holy prayer and blessing, for the sake of the Lord, who has never disdained anyone.” The unknown man, without turning around, shouted to him: “Forgive me, Abba Zosima, I cannot, having turned, appear to your face: I am a woman, and, as you can see, I don’t have any clothes on to cover my bodily nakedness. But if you want to pray for me, a great and damned sinner, throw me your cloak to cover yourself, then I can come to you for a blessing.” “She would not have known me by name if through holiness and unknown deeds she had not acquired the gift of clairvoyance from the Lord,” thought Abba Zosima and hastened to fulfill what was told him. Covering herself with a cloak, the ascetic turned to Zosima: “What did you think, Abba Zosima, to talk to me, a sinful and unwise woman? What do you want to learn from me and, sparing no effort, you spent so much work? He, kneeling down, asked her blessing. In the same way, she bowed before him, and for a long time both of them asked each other: “Bless.”
Finally, the ascetic said: “Abba Zosima, it is fitting for you to bless and say a prayer, since you have been honored with the rank of presbyterate and for many years, standing at the altar of Christ, you have offered the Holy Gifts to the Lord.” These words frightened the Monk Zosima even more. With a deep sigh he answered her: “O spiritual mother! It is clear that you, of the two of us, have come closer to God and died for the world. You recognized me by name and called me presbyter, having never seen me before. Your measure must also bless me. For God's sake." Finally yielding to Zosima’s stubbornness, the saint said: “Blessed is God, who desires the salvation of all people.” Abba Zosima answered: “Amen,” and they rose from the ground. The ascetic again said to the elder: “Why did you come, father, to me, a sinner, devoid of all virtue? However, it is clear that the grace of the Holy Spirit directed you to perform one service that my soul needed.
Tell me first, Abba, how do Christians live today, how do the saints of God’s Church grow and prosper?” Abba Zosima answered her: “Through your holy prayers, God gave the Church and us all perfect peace. But heed the prayer of the unworthy old man, my mother, pray, for God’s sake, for the whole world and for me, a sinner, so that this deserted walk will not be fruitless for me.” The holy ascetic said: “You should rather, Abba Zosima, having a sacred rank, pray for me and for everyone. That's why you were given the rank. However, I will willingly fulfill everything you commanded me for the sake of obedience to the Truth and from a pure heart.” Having said this, the saint turned to the east and, lifting her eyes and raising her hands to the sky, began to pray in a whisper. The elder saw how she rose in the air an elbow from the ground. From this wonderful vision, Zosima prostrated himself, praying earnestly and not daring to say anything other than: “Lord, have mercy!” A thought came into his soul - was it a ghost leading him into temptation? The venerable ascetic, turning around, lifted him from the ground and said: “Why are you so confused by your thoughts, Abba Zosima? I'm not a ghost.
I am a sinful and unworthy woman, although I am protected by holy Baptism.” Having said this, she made the sign of the cross. Seeing and hearing this, the elder fell with tears at the feet of the ascetic: “I beg you, by Christ our God, do not hide your ascetic life from me, but tell it all, in order to make the greatness of God clear to everyone. For I believe in the Lord my God, and by Him you also live, that for this reason I was sent into this desert, so that God would make all your fasting deeds obvious to the world.” And the holy ascetic said: “I am embarrassed, father, to tell you about my shameless deeds. For then you will have to run from me, closing your eyes and ears, as one runs from a poisonous snake. But still I will tell you, father, without keeping silent about any of my sins, but I conjure you, do not stop praying for me, a sinner, so that I will find boldness on the Day of Judgment.
Reader: Lord, have mercy. (Three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; For I know my iniquity, and I will bear away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You; for you may be justified in Your words, and you will always triumph over Your judgment. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have shown me Your unknown and secret wisdom. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. There is joy and gladness in my ears; the bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn away Your face from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked your way, and wickedness will turn to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God; the God of my salvation, my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had wanted sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a contrite and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Choir: Irmos, voice 6: Helper and protector/ be my salvation/ This is my God, and I will glorify Him/ God of my father, and I will exalt Him // gloriously for I am glorified.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Where shall I begin to weep/ about my accursed life and deeds?/ How shall I, O Christ, make the beginning of this present lamentation?/ But as I am gracious,// grant me remission of my sins.
Come, wretched soul, with your flesh,/ Confess to the Provider of all,/ And remain the rest of your former wordlessness,// And bring tears to God in repentance.
Having become jealous of the crime of the primordial Adam,/ I have known myself to be naked from God/ and the everlasting Kingdom and sweetness,// sin for my sake.
Alas for me, cursed soul, / that you were likened to the first Eve? / You saw evil, and you were wounded by the mountaineer, / and you touched the tree and you tasted boldly // wordless food.
Instead of the sensual Eve/ my mental Eve was,/ a passionate thought in the flesh,/ she showed sweet/ and tasted// the bitter drink.
It is worthy that I was expelled from Eden,/ for not preserving Thy one commandment, O Savior, Adam:/ why should I suffer,// always sweeping aside Thy words?
Cain overcame murder,/ by the will of the murderer of conscience,/ having revived the flesh, and fought against her// with my crafty deeds.
Abel Jesus, who were not like righteousness, / never received a gift pleasing to you, / neither divine deeds, nor pure sacrifices, / nor immaculate life.
Like Cain and we, a damned soul, / offered evil deeds to the Creator of all, / and a vicious sacrifice, / and an indecent life, together with // we are also condemned.
The Creator of earth has created life,/ you have given me flesh and bones,/ and breath and life:/ but O my Creator, my Deliverer, and Judge// accept me as you repent.
I inform You, Savior, of the sins I have committed, / both the ulcers of my soul and body, / even the murderous thoughts within me, / laid on me like a bandit.
Even though we have sinned, O Savior, / but we know that you are a Lover of Mankind, / you punish mercifully, and you are merciful warmly // you see tears, / and you flow like a Father, calling on the prodigal.
I am cast down, O Savior, before Thy gates, / in my old age, do not cast me into hell, / but before the end, as a Lover of mankind, / grant me forgiveness of sins.
I have fallen into thieves,/ by my thoughts,/ I am all wounded by them now, and filled with wounds,/ but having presented myself to me,// Christ the Savior healed me. The priest foresaw me passing by, / and the Levite, seeing the fierce ones, despised the naked, / but from Mary you rose up to Jesus, / / You, having presented yourself, were generous to me.
Lamb of God take away the sins of all,/ take away from me the heavy burden of sin,/ and as you are gracious,// give me tears of compunction.
It’s time for repentance,/ I come to You, my Creator,/ take away from me the heavy burden of sin,/ and as you are gracious,// give me tears of compunction.
Do not disdain me, O Savior, do not cast me away from Your face,/ take away from me the heavy burden of sin,/ and as I am good-tempered,// grant me remission of my sins.
My voluntary, Savior, and my involuntary sins,/ revealed and hidden/ both known and unknown,/ having forgiven all, like God,// cleanse and save me.
From my youth, Christ, I have transgressed Your commandments, / I have been passionately negligent, / I have passed away my life with despondency. / Moreover, I call You Savior: // from now on, save me.
My wealth, O Savior, having exhausted me in fornication, / I am empty of the fruits of piety, / I am greedy, I call: / Father of generosity, having foreshadowed // You are generous to me.
I bow down to you, Jesus,/ I have sinned, cleanse me,/ take away from me the heavy burden of sin,/ and as you are gracious,// give me tears of compunction.
Do not go into court with me/ bearing my deeds,/ searching for words, and correcting aspirations,/ but in Your bounties my fierce one despises// save me, Omnipotent.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Give me radiant grace / from the Divine providence from above, / to avoid the passions of darkness, / and sing diligently, your life to Mary, / / red correction.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Having bowed to Christ’s Divine Law,/ you began to this,/ leaving uncontrollable desires for sweets,/ and all virtue with all reverence,// having corrected only one you are.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: Through your prayers we, Andrei, / deliver us from dishonest passions / and the Kingdom is now partakers of Christ / / singing thee with faith and love, more glorious, show us, we pray.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinitarian: Most subsisting Trinity, worshiped in Unity,/ take away from me the heavy sinful burden,/ and as you are gracious,// give me tears of tenderness.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: Mother of God, to the hope and intercession of those who sing to You,/ take away from me the heavy sinful burden,/ and as the Pure Lady,// accept me in repentance.
Chorus: Irmos: Look up, O heaven, and I will shout,/ and sing of Christ// from the Virgin who came in the flesh.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Listen to the sky, and I will shout,/ to the earth, inspire a voice, // repenting to God and praising Him.
Look at me, O God, my Saviour, with Your merciful eye, // and accept my warm confession.
I have sinned more than all men, / only I have sinned against You: / but as God, O Savior, have mercy on / Your creation.
The storm will hold me back from the wicked,/ the gracious Lord:/ but like Peter,// stretch out your hand to me too.
Tears of a harlot, O Generous One,/ and I offer:/ cleanse me, O Savior,// with Thy compassion.
I darkened the beauty of my soul/ with sweet passions,/ and in every possible way created dust/ all my mind.
Now my first garment has been torn apart/ from where the Creator came from the beginning,// and from there I lie naked.
I have put on a torn robe,/ even from the serpent’s advice, // and I am ashamed.
I looked at the beauty of the garden/ and was deceived by my mind // and from there I lie naked and am ashamed.
The deeds on my ridge/ are all the leaders of passions,// their lawlessness continues on me.
I destroyed my pristine goodness/ and my beauty,// and now I lie naked and ashamed.
Sewing the garments of skin is a sin for me,/ exposing me to the first // richly woven garments.
I am surrounded by a robe of cold,/ like fig leaves,// to expose my autocratic passions.
Dressed in a shameful robe, / and bloody cold, / with the flow of a passionate and lusty belly.
I have desecrated my flesh’s robe/ and stained/ in the image, O Savior,// and in the likeness.
I fell into passionate destruction/ and into material aphids,// and from then until now the enemy annoys me.
A loving and loving life, / I prefer now to intemperance for the Savior, / I am burdened with a heavy burden.
I decorated the carnal image/ of foul thoughts with various overlays, // and I am condemned.
We diligently took care of the outer decoration/ and despised the inner// god-like tabernacle.
Imagining the ugliness of my passions,/ I destroyed the beauty of my mind with lustful aspirations.
The cellar of the first image of the kindness of the Savior with passions, / just like sometimes a drachma, / / seeking the find.
I have sinned, like the harlot I cry to You:/ I have sinned only against You,/ as the Savior accepted the ointment// and my tears.
Like David, I crawled fornically and became defiled, // but washed my Savior with tears.
Cleanse me, as the publican cries to Thee,/ O Savior, cleanse me:/ none of them that are from Adam, even as I// have sinned against Thee.
No tears, below repentance imam, below tenderness:/ I am the Savior myself, // as God grant.
Do not close Your door to me then,/ Lord, Lord,/ but open this door to me// to You who repent.
More humanely, if you want everyone to be saved, / You call on me, / and accept as the Good of the one who repents.
Inspire the sighs of my soul,/ and receive with my eyes the drops of the Savior,// and save me.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Most Pure Virgin Mary, / One All-Singing One, / / Pray diligently that we may be saved.
Choir: Irmos: You see, you see, for I am God,/ who rained manna/ and brought forth water from the stone/ of old in the desert by my people,// by one right hand and by baptism Mine.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
You see, for I am God:/ inspire my soul to cry out to the Lord,/ and depart from the former sin,/ and fear the unwashed,/ and as the Judge and God.
To whom were you likened, this many-sinful soul, / only to the first Cain, and to Lamech, / who stoned the body of villainy, / / and killed the mind with wordless aspirations.
All things were accomplished before the law, O soul! / You were not like Seth, / You did not imitate Enos, / You did not imitate Enoch, nor Noah, / But you appeared to the wretchedness of the righteous life.
You alone opened the abysses of wrath, / of your God, my soul, / and you drowned all flesh, like the earth, and deeds and life, / / and you remained outside the ark of salvation.
I killed a man, he says,/ for my wound, and a young man for a scab,/ Lamech cried out, weeping,/ but you do not tremble for my soul,// having hardened your flesh and desecrated your mind.
Oh how I was jealous of Lamech, the first murderer, / I have a soul like a husband, a mind like a youth, / like I killed my brother’s body, / like Cain the murderer, with lustful aspirations.
Thou didst wisely create a pillar for the soul, / and set up a stronghold by Thy lusts, / lest the Creator withhold thy counsel, / and cast down Thy devices to the earth.
I am wounded, wounded,/ behold the arrows of the enemy that have wounded my soul and body:/ behold the scabs, the putrefaction, the darkness,// the wounds of my self-willed passions cry out.
O Lord, sometimes rain from the Lord fire, / because of the wrathful iniquity, the Sodomites were burned: / but you burned the fire of Gehenna // in it, imashi, O soul, burned.
Understand and see that I am God, / testing hearts, and torturing thoughts, / convicting deeds, and scorching sins, / and judging the sire, and the humble, and the poor.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: You stretched out your hand/ to the generous God, Mary,/ immersed in the abyss of evil:/ and like Peter, lovingly extending your Divine hand,// seeking your conversion in every possible way.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: With all your zeal and love/ you flowed to Christ,/ turning away the first sin,/ and feeding in impassable deserts,// and fulfilling Him more purely than the Divine commandments.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: We see, we see love for mankind, about the soul, / of God and the Lord: / for this sake, before the end, let us fall crying with tears // Andrei’s prayers, Savior, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity: Beginningless, uncreated Trinity,/ indivisible Unity,/ accepting me in repentance,/ having sinned, saving me:/ I am your creation, do not despise,/ but have mercy, and deliver me// fiery condemnation.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: Most Pure Lady Theotokos,/ the hope of those who flow to You,/ and the refuge of those in the storm,/ the Merciful and Creator, and Your Son,/ propitiate me too // with Your prayers.
Choir: Irmos: On the immovable stone of Your commandments, O Christ, // establish my thoughts.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Listen to the sky, and I will shout,/ to the earth, inspire a voice, // repenting to God and praising Him.
Fire from the Lord sometimes/ The Lord rained down,/ the land of Sodom// fell first.
Save yourself on the mountain, O soul,/ like Lot,/ and take him to Zoar.
Flee the flames, O soul,/flee the burning of Sodom,//flee the corruption of the Divine flame.
I confess to You, Savior:/ I have sinned, I have sinned:/ But weaken, leave me alone,// For I am kind.
I have sinned only against You,/ I have sinned more than all, O Christ the Savior,// but do not despise me.
You are the good shepherd, / seek me the lamb, / and do not despise me when he goes astray.
You are sweet, Jesus, / You are my Creator // in You, the Savior, I will be justified.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: O Trinity Unity God!/ Save us from delusion, // and temptations, and circumstances.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Rejoice, God-pleasing womb,/ Rejoice, throne of the Lord,// Rejoice, Mother of our Life.
Chorus: Irmos: Establish, O Lord, on the rock of Your commandments/ my moving heart,// for You and the Lord alone are Holy.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
The source of the life of gain is to You,/ the destroyer of death,/ and I cry to You from my heart before the end of my sins, cleanse and save me.
Under Noah, the Savior,/ imitating fornication,/ they inherited condemnation,// in the flood of immersion.
I have sinned, Lord,/ I have sinned against You, cleanse me:/ for there is no one who has sinned among men,// whom I have not exceeded in sins.
Hama to your soul,/ imitating the parricide,/ did not cover your sincere shame,// returning back in vain.
The blessing of Shem was not inherited by your damned soul,/ nor by extensive possession,// as Japheth had when you were abandoned on earth.
From the land of Haran,/ come from sin, my soul,/ come to the land that wears out ever-living incorruptibility,// Abraham’s inheritance.
You heard Abraham, my soul, / having long ago left the land of your fatherland, / and having been a stranger, // imitate this will.
At the oak of Mamre/ the Patriarch of the Angels established/ inheritance in old age// the promises of catching.
Isaac, my accursed soul,/ having understood the new sacrifice,/ the secretly burnt offering to the Lord,// imitate his will.
Ismaila heard you, my soul is sober, / expelled like the birth of a slave, / see, but not like that / you will suffer kindly.
Hagar, the ancient soul of the Egyptians, became like you, / enslaved by will, and giving birth // to the new Ishmael, contempt.
Jacob’s ladder/ meant my soul, / appearing from earth to heaven,/ why did you not have// the rise of firmness, piety?
The priest of God and the king of solitude, / Christ’s likeness, // in the world of life, imitate in men.
Do not awaken the glorious pillar of the soul, / returning back: / let the image of Sodom frighten you, / / woe to Zoar, save yourself.
Burn like Lot,/ my soul flee from sin:/ flee Sodom and Gomorrah,// flee the flame of every wordless desire.
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy on me, I cry to You,/ when you come with Your angels,// to reward everyone according to the merits of their deeds.
Prayers, Master,/ Do not turn away those who sing to You,/ but be generous, O Lover of mankind,// and grant forgiveness by faith to those who ask.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: We contain the storm and the anxiety of sins,/ but save me now, mother herself, // and lead me to the haven of Divine repentance.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Slave prayer and now the venerable one / brought to the blessed Mother of God with your prayers, / / open the Divine entrances for me.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
To Andrey: Through your prayers grant/to me also forgiveness of debts,/O Andrew of Crete, the chairman!//of repentance, for you are a most despicable hiding place.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity: The Trinity is simple, uncreated,/ the beginningless Nature,/ in the Trinity sung by the Hypostases,/ we are saved by faith who worship/ Thy power.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: From the Father the flightless Son,/ in the summer of the Mother of God/ you unknowingly gave birth to,/ a strange miracle, // the Virgin remained milking.
Chorus: Establish, O Lord, on the rock of Your commandments/ my moving heart,// for You and the Lord alone are Holy.
Divine luminaries, Savior's apostles, / enlighten us in the darkness of life, / as we walk gracefully in the days of today, / with the light of abstinence from the nightly passions, // and the bright Passion Let us see Christ, rejoicing.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Apostolic Duodenath, chosen by God, / now bring a prayer to Christ / let all pass through the Lenten field, / those who perform prayers in tenderness, / those who diligently practice virtues; / as if we were to precede this see Christ God the Glorious Resurrection, // bringing glory and praise.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The incomprehensible God, the Son and the Word, / born from You more than the mind, / pray, Mother of God, with the apostles, / the pure peace of the universe, / and grant us forgiveness of sins before the end, / and the Kingdom of Heaven for the sake of goodness // grant Thy servants.
Reader: I was born in Egypt and while my parents were still alive, when I was twelve years old, I left them and went to Alexandria. There I lost my chastity and indulged in uncontrollable and insatiable fornication. For more than seventeen years I indulged in sin without restraint and did everything for free. I didn't take money not because I was rich. I lived in poverty and made money from yarn. I thought that the whole meaning of life was to satisfy carnal lust. While leading such a life, I once saw a multitude of people from Libya and Egypt going to the sea to sail to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I also wanted to sail with them. But not for the sake of Jerusalem and not for the sake of the holiday, but, forgive me, father, so that there would be more with whom to indulge in debauchery. So I boarded the ship. Now, father, believe me, I myself am surprised how the sea tolerated my debauchery and fornication, how the earth did not open its mouth and bring me alive to hell, which deceived and destroyed so many souls... But, apparently, God desired my repentance, not even the death of a sinner and patiently awaiting conversion.
So I arrived in Jerusalem and all the days before the holiday, as on the ship, I was engaged in bad deeds. When the holy holiday of the Exaltation of the Venerable Cross of the Lord arrived, I still walked around, catching the souls of young people in sin. Seeing that everyone went to the church very early, where the Life-Giving Tree was located, I went with everyone and entered the church vestibule. When the hour of the Holy Exaltation arrived, I wanted to enter the church with all the people. Having made my way to the doors with great difficulty, I, damned, tried to squeeze inside. But as soon as I stepped on the threshold, some divine force stopped me, not allowing me to enter, and threw me far from the door, while all the people walked unhindered. I thought that, perhaps, due to female weakness, I could not squeeze through the crowd, and again I tried to push the people away with my elbows and make my way to the door. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t get in. As soon as my foot touched the church threshold, I stopped. The church accepted everyone, did not forbid anyone to enter, but I, the accursed one, was not allowed in. This happened three or four times. My strength is exhausted.
I walked away and stood in the corner of the church porch. Then I felt that it was my sins that prevented me from seeing the Life-Giving Tree, my heart was touched by the grace of the Lord, I began to sob and began to beat my chest in repentance. As I lifted up sighs to the Lord from the depths of my heart, I saw before me an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and turned to her with a prayer: “O Virgin, Lady, who gave birth to God the Word in the flesh! I know that I am unworthy to look at Your icon. It is righteous for me, a hated harlot, to be rejected from Your purity and to be an abomination to You, but I also know that for this purpose God became man, in order to call sinners to repentance. Help me, Most Pure One, may I be allowed to enter the church. Do not forbid me to see the Tree on which the Lord was crucified in His flesh, shedding His innocent Blood for me, a sinner, for my deliverance from sin. Command, Lady, that the doors of the holy worship of the Cross may be opened for me too. Be my valiant Guarantor to Him who was born of You.
I promise You from this time on no longer to defile myself with any carnal defilement, but as soon as I see the Tree of the Cross of Your Son, I will renounce the world and immediately go to where You, as the Surety, will guide me.” And when I prayed like that, I suddenly felt that my prayer had been heard. In the tenderness of faith, hoping in the Merciful Mother of God, I again joined those entering the church, and no one pushed me aside or prevented me from entering. I walked in fear and trembling until I reached the door and was honored to see the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. This is how I learned the mysteries of God and that God is ready to accept those who repent. I fell to the ground, prayed, kissed the shrines and left the church, hastening to appear again before my Surety, where I had made a promise. Kneeling before the icon, I prayed before it: “O our Benevolent Lady, Mother of God! You did not abhor my unworthy prayer. Glory to God, who accepts the repentance of sinners through You. The time has come for me to fulfill the promise in which You were the Guarantor. Now, Lady, guide me on the path of repentance.”
And so, without finishing my prayer, I hear a voice, as if speaking from afar: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find blessed peace.” I immediately believed that this voice was for me, and, crying, I exclaimed to the Mother of God: “Lady Lady, do not leave me, a nasty sinner, but help me,” and immediately left the church vestibule and walked away. One man gave me three copper coins. With them I bought myself three loaves of bread and from the seller I learned the way to the Jordan. At sunset I reached the Church of St. John the Baptist near the Jordan. Having bowed first of all in the church, I immediately went down to the Jordan and washed his face and hands with holy water. Then I took communion in the Church of St. John the Baptist of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ, ate half of one of my breads, washed it down with holy Jordanian water and slept that night on the ground near the church. The next morning, having found a small canoe not far away, I crossed the river in it to the other bank and again fervently prayed to my Mentor that She would guide me as She herself would please. Immediately after that I came to this desert.
Abba Zosima asked the monk: “How many years, my mother, have passed since you settled in this desert?” “I think,” she answered, “47 years have passed since I left the Holy City.” Abba Zosima asked again: “What do you have or what do you find for food here, my mother?” And she answered: “I had two and a half loaves with me when I crossed the Jordan, little by little they dried up and turned to stone, and, eating little by little, I fed from them for many years.” Abba Zosima asked again: “Have you really been without illness for so many years? And didn’t you accept any temptations from sudden excuses and temptations?” “Believe me, Abba Zosima,” answered the venerable woman, “I spent 17 years in this desert, as if fighting with fierce beasts with my thoughts... When I began to eat food, the thought immediately came of meat and fish, to which I was accustomed in Egypt. I also wanted wine, because I drank a lot of it when I was out in the world. Here, often without simple water and food, I suffered fiercely from thirst and hunger.
I also suffered more severe disasters: I was overcome by the desire for fornicating songs, as if I heard them, confusing my heart and ears. Crying and beating my chest, I then remembered the vows that I made while going into the desert, before the icon of the Holy Mother of God, my Helper, and cried, begging to drive away the thoughts that were tormenting my soul. When repentance was accomplished through prayer and crying, I saw a Light shining for me from everywhere, and then, instead of a storm, a great silence surrounded me. Forgone thoughts, forgive me, Abba, how can I confess to You? A passionate fire flared up inside my heart and scorched me all over, arousing lust. When cursed thoughts appeared, I threw myself to the ground and seemed to see that the Most Holy Surety Herself was standing before me and judging me for breaking my promise. So I did not get up, lying prostrate day and night on the ground, until repentance was accomplished again and I was surrounded by the same blessed Light, driving away evil confusion and thoughts. This is how I lived in this desert for the first seventeen years. Darkness after darkness, misfortune after misfortune befell me, a sinner.
But from that time until now, the Mother of God, my Helper, guides me in everything.” Abba Zosima asked again: “Did you really need neither food nor clothing here?” She answered: “My bread ran out, as I said, in these seventeen years. After that, I began to eat roots and what I could find in the desert. The dress that I was wearing when I crossed the Jordan had long been torn and decayed, and then I had to endure a lot and suffer from both the heat, when the heat scorched me, and the winter, when I was shaking from the cold. How many times have I fallen to the ground as if dead. How many times have I been in immeasurable struggle with various misfortunes, troubles and temptations. But from that time until this day, the power of God has kept my sinful soul and humble body in unknown and varied ways. I was nourished and covered with the word of God, which contains all things (Deut. 8:3), for man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word of God (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4), and those who have no covering will be clothed with stone (Job 24:8), if they are stripped of the garment of sin (Col. 3:9).
As I remembered how much evil and what sins the Lord had delivered me from, I found inexhaustible food in that.” When Abba Zosima heard that the holy ascetic was speaking from the Holy Scriptures in memory - from the books of Moses and Job and from the Psalms of David - then he asked the venerable one: “Where, my mother, did you learn the psalms and other Books?” She smiled after listening to this question and answered: “Believe me, man of God, I have not seen a single person except you since I crossed the Jordan. I had never studied books before, I had never heard church singing or Divine reading. Unless the Word of God itself, living and all-creative, teaches man all understanding (Col. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13). However, enough, I have already confessed to You all my life, but where I began is where I end: I conjure you as the incarnation of God the Word - pray, holy Abba, for me, a great sinner. And I also adjure you by the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, do not tell anything that you have heard from me until God takes me from the earth. And do what I tell you now.
Next year, during Lent, do not go beyond the Jordan, as your monastic custom commands.” Again Abba Zosima was surprised that their monastic order was known to the holy ascetic, although he did not say a single word about it to her. “Stay, Abba,” the saint continued, “in the monastery. However, even if you want to leave the monastery, you cannot. . . And when the holy Great Thursday of the Lord’s Last Supper comes, put the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ our God into the holy vessel and bring it to me. Wait for me on the other side of the Jordan, at the edge of the desert, so that when I come, I will receive communion of the Holy Mysteries. And say to Abba John, abbot of your monastery: take heed to yourself and to your flock (Acts 20:23; 1 Tim. 4:16). However, I don’t want you to tell him this now, but when the Lord indicates.” Having said this and asking for prayers again, the saint turned and went into the depths of the desert. All year Elder Zosima remained in silence, not daring to reveal to anyone what the Lord had revealed to him, and he diligently prayed that the Lord would grant him the privilege of seeing the holy ascetic once again.
When the first week of Holy Great Lent began again, the Monk Zosima, due to illness, had to remain in the monastery. Then he remembered the prophetic words of the saint that he would not be able to leave the monastery. After several days, the Monk Zoshima was healed of his illness, but still remained in the monastery until Holy Week. The day of remembering the Last Supper has approached. Then Abba Zosima fulfilled what he was commanded - late in the evening he left the monastery to the Jordan and sat down on the shore, waiting. The saint hesitated, and Abba Zosima prayed to God that He would not deprive him of a meeting with the ascetic. Finally the saint came and stood on the other side of the river. Rejoicing, the Monk Zosima stood up and glorified God. A thought occurred to him: how could she get across the Jordan without a boat? But the saint, having crossed the Jordan with the sign of the cross, quickly walked on the water. When the elder wanted to bow to her, she forbade him, shouting from the middle of the river: “What are you doing, Abba? After all, you are a priest, a bearer of the great Mysteries of God.” Having crossed the river, the monk said to Abba 3osima: “Bless, father.”
He answered her with trepidation, horrified by the wondrous vision: “In truth, God is false, promising to make all those who purify themselves, as far as possible, like mortals. Glory to Thee, Christ our God, who showed me through His holy servant how far I fall from the standard of perfection.” After this, the saint asked him to read “I Believe” and “Our Father.” At the end of the prayer, she, having communed the Holy Terrible Mysteries of Christ, stretched out her hands to heaven and with tears and trembling said the prayer of St. Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Then the monk again turned to the elder and said: “Forgive me, Abba, and fulfill my other desire. Go now to your monastery, and next year come to that dried-up stream where we first talked to you.” “If it were possible for me,” answered Abba Zosima, “to continually follow you to behold your holiness!” The venerable woman again asked the elder: “Pray, for the Lord’s sake, pray for me and remember my curse.”
And, making the sign of the cross over the Jordan, she, as before, walked across the waters and disappeared into the darkness of the desert. And Elder Zosima returned to the monastery in spiritual jubilation and awe, and reproached himself for one thing: that he had not asked the name of the saint. But he hoped next year to finally find out her name. A year passed, and Abba Zosimas again went into the desert. Praying, he reached a dried-up stream, on the eastern side of which he saw a holy ascetic. She lay dead, with her arms folded, as it should be, on her chest, her face turned to the East. Abba Zosima washed her feet with his tears, not daring to touch her body, wept for a long time over the deceased ascetic and began to sing psalms appropriate for mourning the death of the righteous, and read funeral prayers. But he doubted whether the saint would be pleased if he buried her. As soon as he thought this, he saw that at its head there was an inscription: “Bury, Abba 3osima, in this place the body of the humble Mary. Give dust to dust.
Pray to the Lord for me, who reposed in the month of April on the first day, on the very night of Christ’s saving suffering, after communion of the Divine Last Supper.” Having read this inscription, Abba Zosima was at first surprised who could have made it, for the ascetic herself did not know how to read and write. But he was glad to finally know her name. Abba Zosima understood that the Venerable Mary, having received the Holy Mysteries on the Jordan from his hands, in an instant walked her long desert path, which he, Zosima, had walked for twenty days, and immediately departed to the Lord. Having glorified God and wet the earth and the body of the Venerable Mary with tears, Abba Zosima said to himself: “It’s time for you, Elder Zosima, to do what you were commanded. But how can you, damned one, dig up a grave without having anything in your hands?” Having said this, he saw a fallen tree lying nearby in the desert, took it and began to dig. But the ground was too dry, no matter how much he dug, sweating profusely, he could not do anything. Straightening up, Abba Zosima saw a huge lion near the body of the Venerable Mary, who was licking her feet.
The elder was overcome with fear, but he made the sign of the cross, believing that he would remain unharmed by the prayers of the holy ascetic. Then the lion began to caress the elder, and Abba Zosima, inflamed in spirit, ordered the lion to dig a grave in order to bury the body of Saint Mary. At his word, the lion dug a ditch with its paws, in which the body of the saint was buried. Having fulfilled his will, each went his own way: the lion into the desert, and Abba Zosima into the monastery, blessing and praising Christ our God. Arriving at the monastery, Abba Zosima told the monks and the abbot what he had seen and heard from the Venerable Mary. Everyone was amazed, hearing about the greatness of God, and with fear, faith and love they established the memory of the Venerable Mary and honor the day of her repose. Abba John, abbot of the monastery, according to the word of the monk, with God’s help, corrected what needed to be done in the monastery. Abba Zosima, having lived a life pleasing to God in the same monastery and not quite reaching the age of one hundred, ended his temporary life here, passing into eternal life.
Thus, the ancient ascetics of the glorious monastery of the holy, all-praised Forerunner of the Lord John, located on the Jordan, conveyed to us the wondrous story of the life of the Venerable Mary of Egypt. This story was not originally written down by them, but was reverently passed on by the holy elders from mentors to disciples. “I,” says Saint Sophronius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, the first descriptor of the Life, “what I received in my turn from the holy fathers, have committed everything to written history.” May God, who works great miracles and rewards with great gifts all who turn to Him with faith, reward both those who read and listen, and those who conveyed this story to us, and grant us a good share with the blessed Mary of Egypt and with all the saints, who have pleased God with their thoughts and labors from the ages. Let us also give glory to God the Eternal King, and let us also be granted mercy on the Day of Judgment in Christ Jesus our Lord; to Him belongs all glory, honor, and power, and worship, together with the Father, and the Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
(You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
Irmos and chants of the Tripes are not sung, but read by readers, and in the opinion of St. Athanasius (Sakharov), the irmos of the tripongs are not pronounced at all, but are given in the Triodion in full in order to serve as similar ones for the singing of subsequent troparions of the tripongs, since in ancient times the troparions of the canons were sung in voice and similar to the irmos; Irmos are sung only in those cases when biblical songs are versified or when there is a special indication of the Typikon (see: Afanasy (Sakharov), bishop. On the commemoration of the departed according to the Charter of the Orthodox Church. St. Petersburg: Satis, 1995. pp. 172-174).
Irmos: I have heard, O Lord,/ seen Your sacrament,/ understood Your works, // and glorified Your Divinity.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
Through abstinence, the enlightenment of Christ's apostles, the abstinence of our time, the Divine intercessions calm us down.
The two-stringed organ sings the song of salvation, the face of the Divine disciples, the crafty, indignant voices.
By spiritual clothing we have drunk all the sunflowers, the dry land has driven away polytheism, all-blessedness.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: She who humbled herself to save me, who lived haughtily, who gave birth to the Ascension of a humble nature, the All-Pure Virgin.
Irmos: (You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
I have heard, O Lord, / seen Your sacrament, / understood Your works, // and glorified Your Divinity.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
Apostolic all-honorable standing, begging for the support of all, asking for mercy on us who praise you.
As workers of existence, Christ’s apostles, who have cultivated the Divine word throughout the world, always bear fruit to Him.
Grapes faster than Christ, truly beloved, pour out spiritual wine into the world, apostles.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: Primordial, Corresponding, All-Powerful Holy Trinity, Father, Word and Soul, Holy God, Light and Life, save Your flock.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Rejoice, fiery throne, Rejoice, luminous lamp, Rejoice, city of sanctification, ark of Life, holy hay of saints.
Chorus: Irmos: The prophet/ heard your coming, O Lord, and feared,/ because you wanted to be born of a virgin/ and appear as a man, and said:/ I heard your rumor and were afraid,// Glory to Your power, Lord.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Do not despise Your works, / Do not forsake Your creation, O Justice, / even if you have sinned just like a man, / more than any other man, O Lover of mankind, / but imash, like the Lord everyone, // the power to forgive sins.
The end is approaching, soul, approaching, / and careless, no preparation: / time is shortening, arise, near at the door there is a Judge: / like sleep, like color, the time of life flows // that in vain Are we worried?
Arise, O my soul,/ thy deeds which thou hast done, meditate,/ and bring these before thy face,/ and let forth drops of thy tears:/ pray with boldness deeds and thoughts to Christ,// and justify yourself.
There was no sin in life, no deed, no malice,/ and I, O Savior, did not sin/ in mind and word and will/ and sentence, and thought, and deed, // like no one else has ever sinned.
From here I was condemned, / from here I was despised, damned from my own conscience, / there is nothing more needed in the world: / Judge, my Deliverer, and above all, / / spare and deliver, and save me Your servant.
The ladder, as ancient as the ancient/ great in the patriarchy,/ is an indication for my soul,/ of an active ascent, a reasonable ascent:/ if you will, by action and by reason,// and live by sight, be renewed.
He endured the heat of the day/ deprivation for the sake of the patriarch,/ and bore the filth of the night,/ creating provisions for every day,/ shepherding, toiling, working, // and combining two wives.
I mean two wives, / action and understanding in sight, / I believe in action, like one with many children: / Rachel is intelligence, like one who has many labors // for apart from labor, there is neither action nor vision of the soul, will get better.
Be vigilant about my soul!/ Be as great as the ancients in the Patriarchs,/ so that you achieve deeds with reason,/ so that your mind is blind to God,/ and you reach the never-ending darkness in your vision,// and you will great merchant.
Twelve patriarchs,/ the great child-creator of all the patriarchs,/ secretly establish for you // the ladder of my active soul’s ascent:/ children, like the foundations: degrees, // like the ascent, having placed it wisely.
You imitated the hated Esau's soul, / you gave the first kindness primacy to your charmer, / and you fell away from your fatherly prayers, / and you crawled twice accursed, / in deed and in mind // therefore repent now.
Esau was called Edom,/ for the extreme sake of misogynistic confusion:/ we constantly kindle with intemperance,/ and defile ourselves with sweets,/ we are called Edom,// even the word for kindling sinful souls.
When Job heard in the pit, / about my soul being justified, / you were not jealous of that courage, / you did not have a firm offer, in all things you weighed, / and you were tempted by the same You are, // but You appeared impatient.
Who was first on the throne,/ is now naked and rotting in the pits:/ many in children and glorious,/ childless and homeless in vain:/ the ward is a rotting place,// and the scabs of the beads are not accounted for.
With royal dignity, with a crown and scarlet robes,/ a man of many names and a righteous one/ boiling with wealth and flocks,/ suddenly lost the wealth, the glory of the kingdom// having become impoverished.
Even if he were righteous and blameless above all, / and he would not escape the catch of the flatterer and the net: / you are a sin-loving creature, damned soul, what have you done, / even if many things happen about the unknown / / will happen what do you think?
The body is defiled, the spirit is calcified,/ it is all cut off,/ but like Christ the physician,/ with my repentance, heal both,/ wash, cleanse,/ show my Savior,// purer than snow.
Thy Body and Blood, crucified for all, Thou hast laid down in the Word:/ Body, therefore, that Thou mayest renew me:/ Blood, that Thou mayest wash me:/ Thou hast given up the spirit,/ That Thou mayest bring me to Christ,// Thine To the parent.
Thou hast wrought salvation/ in the midst of the earth, Generously,/ that we may be saved./ By will thou art crucified on the Tree./ We go, the closed one is opened,/ the creature above and below,/ all the nations are saved// They worship You.
May there be a font for me,/ the blood from Thy side,/ together with the drink,/ which has flowed out the water of the remaining water,/ may I be cleansed by both,/ anointed and drunk:/ as anointing and drink of the Word,// animal Your words.
Naked am I of the palace,/ naked am I of the marriage, of the feast and of the supper:/ the lamp is extinguished, like an oilless one,/ the palace is closed for me to sleep,/ the supper is eaten:/ I am hand and foot I am bound, // I am cast out.
Cup of the Church of the Covetous,/ Thy life-giving ribs,/ from below flow forth for us currents,/ abandonment and reason,/ in the image of the ancient and the new// two covenants together, Our Savior.
The time of my life is short, / and is filled with illnesses and wickedness, / but in repentance, accept me, / and call me to reason, / so that I will not be covetous, nor cruel to strangers, / / Savior, Me Himself be generous.
Nowadays I am lofty-verbal,/ but cruel in heart,/ in vain and in vain,/ let not judge me with the Pharisee,/ rather, give me the publican’s humility/ alone to Generosity, Justice,// and this count me.
I have sinned, having vexed the vessel of my flesh,/ I am generous,/ but in repentance, accept me,/ and call me to reason,/ so that I will not be covetous, nor cruel to strangers, // Savior, be generous to me.
I was self-immolated by passions, / harming my soul generously, / but in repentance, accept me, / and call me to reason, / so that I will not be covetous, nor cruel to strangers, / / O Savior, be generous to me yourself.
I did not listen to Your voice,/ I disobeyed Your scripture, the Lawgiver,/ but in repentance, accept me,/ and call me to reason,/ so that I will not covet, nor covet a stranger,/ Savior, Himself be generous.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: The disembodied dwelling in the flesh is transitory,/ You have truly received grace like unto God,/ faithfully intercede for those who honor you./ Moreover, we pray to you,// from all misfortunes and deliver us with your prayers.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Having descended into the depths of great misery, / you were uncontrollable, / but you rose with a better thought, / to the extreme manifestation of virtue, gloriously, / / the angelic nature of Mary, surprising.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: Andrei, fatherly praise, / do not cease praying with your prayers, / standing before the Most Divine Trinity, / so that we may be delivered from torment, / by the love of your divine representative, the all-blessed calling, // Fertilizer for Krit.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinitarian: Indivisible Being,/ unfused Persons,/ I theologize Thee, the One and Only Trinity Deity,/ As the one-royal and co-throne,/ I cry out to Thee a great song,// in the highest, most hymn-worthy.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: And you give birth, and you are virgins,/ and you remain in both the nature of the Virgin:/ The one who is born renews the laws of nature,/ the womb gives birth without giving birth./ Whatever God wants, the order of nature is overcome: // He does what he wants.
Choir: Irmos: From the morning night,/ O loving man, enlighten me, I pray,/ and guide me in Thy commandments,/ and teach me, O Savior,// to do Thy will.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Jesus, visit the wounds of my soul,/ just like the fallen robbers of old in the hand,// and heal my illness, Christ, I pray.
In the night my life passed away forever, / for the darkness was swift and deep for me, the night of sin, / / but like the day of the son of the Savior, show me.
Reuben, imitating the accursed Az,/ committed lawless and lawless counsel against the Most High God,// desecrating my bed, like his father.
I confess to You, Christ the King,/ I have sinned, I have sinned,/ like the brethren who sold the fruit of purity and chastity before Joseph.
The righteous soul is bound by its relatives,/ selling itself into sweet work,/ in the image of the Lord:/ you are the whole soul, you have sold yourself// to your evil ones.
Joseph’s righteous and chaste mind / imitate the cursed and unskillful soul, / and do not be defiled by wordless aspirations / always lawless.
Even though sometimes Joseph lived in the ditch, / Master of the Lord, / but in the image of Your burial and rising // what shall I bring to You when I bring calico?
Moses heard the ark of the soul, / carried by the waters, the waves of the river, / as in the devil of old, running the affairs of the bitter // Council of the Pharaohs.
And women have heard of you, sometimes killing/ an ageless man, a damned soul, an act of chastity,/ now like the great Moses// this is wisdom.
Like the great Moses/ of the Egyptian, having wounded/ the accursed mind, you did not kill your soul:/ and how did you dwell, they say,// in the desert of passions through repentance?
The great Moses settled in the desert,/ come and imitate that life,/ and in the bush of theophany your soul// will be in a vision.
The rod of Moses is imagined by the soul, / striking the sea, and thickening the depths, / in the image of the Divine Cross: / which you too can // accomplish great things.
Aaron offered fire to God, immaculate, unflattering:/ but Hophni and Phinehas, as you are to the soul,// offered to the Lord a defiled life alien to God.
Like a heavy disposition,/ the bitter Pharaoh was Master,/ Janni and Jambre, soul and body, // and immersed in mind, but help me.
The feces mixed with the accursed mind, / wash me, Master, in the bath of my tears, / I pray to Thee, my clothes of flesh, / making them white like snow.
If I test my deeds, O Savior,/ I see every man who has exceeded his own sins,/ that through reason he sins,// not through ignorance.
Have mercy, O Lord, Thy creation,/ for our sins, weaken us,/ for He Himself is pure by nature,/ and except for You// there is no one except filth.
For my sake, this God,/ you imagined in me,/ you showed miracles, healing lepers,/ and tightened the weakened one,/ you stopped the bleeding current of your Savior,// with a touch piz.
Imitate the bleeding cursed soul, / priests, hold back the marks of Christ, / so that you will be freed from wounds, / and hear from Him // your faith will save you.
Imitate your soul below, / come, fall at the feet of Jesus, / so that he will correct you, / and may you walk in the right direction // in the paths of the Lord.
Even if you are a deep well, O Lord,/ let flow out water from your pure veins,/ but like the Samaritan woman, no one drinks the thirst of // life, for the streams flow out.
Let Siloam/ be my tears, Lord Lord,/ let me wash the apple of my heart,// and see You wisely, Eternal Light.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: O all-rich with incomparable desire,/ having desired to worship the tree of the animal,/ thou hast been granted the desire,/ grant that I also// may gain the highest glory.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Having passed over the streams of the Jordan,/ you found painless peace,/ having escaped the sweetness of the flesh,/ you also extinguished us// through your prayers, Reverend.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: As shepherds are most noble, / And the wisest, / you are chosen, / I pray with great love and fear, / through your prayers, you will improve salvation, / and eternal life.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity: We glorify Thee Trinity, One God,/ Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou/ Father, Son and Soul,/ simple Being,// One ever worshiped.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: From You put on my mixture,/ the incorruptible, husbandless Mother of the Virgin,/ God who created the eyelids,// and unite to Yourself human nature.
Chorus: Irmos: I cried out with all my heart/ to the generous God,/ and heard me from hell,// and raised my life from aphids.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
I bring tears to my Savior,/ and from the depths of my sighs/ I bring them pure, crying out to my heart:/ God, I have sinned/ cleanse me.
Thou soul has strayed from thy Lord,/ like Dathan and Aviron:/ but have mercy, call from the underworld,// lest the earthly abyss cover thee.
Like a young soul enraged,/ you became like Ephraim,/ like a chamois, preserving your life from the snares,// having fixed your mind and sight in action.
May the hand of Moses assure our souls that God can whiten and cleanse the life of a leper:/ and do not despair of yourself, // even though you are a leper.
The waves of the Savior of my sins/ like the Black Sea returning to the sea,/ covering me suddenly,// like the Egyptians sometimes, and three hundred.
You had an unreasonable will for your soul, / like Israel before: / You ordained the divine manna wordlessly, / / lustful gluttony of passions.
Dear souls, you preferred Canaanite thoughts,/ rather than veins of stone,/ from which the river flows like a cup, compared to wisdom, // sheds the currents of theology.
Pork meat and cauldrons, and Egyptian food,/ Thou hast ordained my soul above all things in heaven,// Like the foolish people of old in the desert.
As Moses struck Thy servant/ with a rod the stone,/ Thy life-giving ribs symbolized,/ from below all// the drink of life of the Savior, let us draw.
Test your soul and see, like Joshua/ the promises of the land as it is, // and indwell it with goodness.
Arise and conquer, / like Jesus Amalek, carnal passions, / and the Gibeonites, flattering thoughts // ever victorious.
Pass over the present nature of time, / as the ark was first, / and the earth thereof, be in possession of the promise of the soul, / / God commands.
For Thou didst save Peter, who cried out/save, having preceded me as Saviour/from the beast, and having stretched out Thy hand//and brought me up from the depths of sin.
We are your comforting haven,/ Master, Master Christ,/ but from the unquenchable depths of sin and despair// delivered me beforehand.
I am, Savior, / you have already destroyed the ancient royal coin, / but you have burned the lamp of the Forerunner of Your Word, // seek and find Your image.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: May you extinguish the flame of passions,/ you may shed drops of tears to Mary,/ your soul is inflamed,/ and grant grace to me,// your servant.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: You have acquired heavenly dispassion,/ through your mother’s extreme life on earth./ Moreover, those who sing to you,/ will be freed from passions// by your prayers, praying.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
To Andrew: I am the shepherd of Crete, and the leader,/ and the leader of the prayer book of the universe,/ I come to Andre, and cry out to you, Father, for me, from the depths of sin.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity: The Trinity is simple, indivisible, / separate from the Personality, / and the Unit is united by Nature, / / the Father speaks, and the Son, and the Divine Spirit.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: Thy womb of God gave birth to us,/ imagined for us:/ Him, as the Creator of all, pray to the Mother of God,// that through Thy prayers we may be justified.
Chorus: I cried out with all my heart/ to the generous God,/ and heard me from hell,// and raised my life from aphids.
My soul, my soul, / arise, what are you sleeping? / The end is approaching, / and you will be confused. / Arise, / may Christ God, who is everywhere and fulfills everything, have mercy on you.
Seeing Christ’s medicine open,/ and Adam’s health flowing from him,/ the devil suffered, he was wounded,/ and wept in misery,/ and he cried out to his friend:/ what will I do to the Son Marina,/ the Bethlehemite is killing me,/ who fulfills everything everywhere.
The singing of the blessed with troparia is a feature of Matins on Thursday of the Great Canon and Matins on Good Friday (with the reading of the 12 Gospels), and therefore should in no case be omitted.
Chorus: In Your Kingdom, remember us, Lord, when you come to Your Kingdom.
You created the thief Christ, a resident of paradise, / on the Cross, crying out to you: remember me, / make me unworthy of that repentance.
Verse: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Manoah, my soul heard of old, / God in the manifestation, / and from the barrenness then received the fruit of the promise, / / imitate that piety.
Verse: Blessed are the mourners, for they will be comforted.
Jealous of Sampson’s laziness,/ you cut off the head of your soul of your deeds,/ betraying to a foreigner, lust for // a chaste and blessed life.
Verse: Blessed are the Crocs, for they will inherit the earth.
First I will destroy the victorious foreigners with my jaws, / now you will find captivity to passionate kindness, / but my soul, avoid imitation, / / deeds and weaknesses.
Verse: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Barak and Jephthah, the military leaders,/ the judges of Israel preferred the former,/ with them, the courageous Devorrah:/ those souls with valor// strengthened in courage.
Verse: Blessed are the mercy, for you will receive mercy.
Thou hast known the courage of Jaelin, my soul,/ Sisera, who strove of old,/ and wrought salvation, with a sharp tree, hear,// by which the Cross is formed for thee.
Verse: Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God.
Devour your soul a praiseworthy sacrifice, / offer an act like a daughter, / from Jephthah, the purest, / and slaughter like a sacrifice, the passions of the flesh // to your Lord.
Verse: Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called the sons of God.
My soul shall meditate on the fleece of Gideon,/ pick up the dew from heaven,/ and come down like a dog, and drink the water/ that flows from the law,// by the written oppression.
Verse: Blessed Ones drive out righteousness for the sake of them, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Or did you accept the priest’s condemnation for my soul, by deprivation of your mind/ having acquired passions for yourself,// like he is a child, doing lawless things.
Verse: Blessed are you, when they revile you, and marry you, and speak every evil word against you, who lie for My sake.
In the judges, Levite, through negligence/ has divided his wife into the twelve tribes, O my soul,/ so that he may expose the filthiness// of the lawless Benjamin.
Verse: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven.
The beloved Anna prayed, / with her lips she moved towards praise, / but her voice was not heard, / but she was still barren, / / she gives birth to a son worthy of prayer.
Verse: Remember us, Lord, when you come to Your Kingdom.
Among the judges are counted/ Anna’s offspring, the great Samuel,/ who was raised by Armafema in the house of the Lord,/ my soul is jealous of him, judge// first your deeds.
Verse: Remember us, Master, when you come to Your Kingdom.
David was chosen for the kingdom,/ was anointed royally with the horn of the Divine peace:/ for thou, my soul, if thou desirest the kingdom above,// be anointed with the world with tears.
Verse: Remember us, O Holy One, when you come to Your Kingdom.
Have mercy on Your creation, O Merciful One,/ spare Your hand for Your creation,/ and have mercy on all who have sinned,/ and least of all,// on those who despised Your commands.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinitarian: Without beginning, and birth and origin, / I worship the Father who begot, / I glorify the Son who is born, / I sing to the Father and the Son, / / the Holy Spirit.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: We worship Your most natural Nativity,/ according to the nature of the glory of Your Child/ without dividing the Mother of God:/ Who has but one person,// is confessed by the very nature.
Chorus: Irmos: I have sinned, I have sinned, I have acted unrighteously before You, I am inferior to the observant, inferior to the creator, as You commanded us; but do not betray us to the end, Fathers God.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
I have sinned, lawlessly,/ and rejected Your commandment,/ as if I have committed sins/ and have applied scabs to my own wounds:/ but have mercy on me,// For the Good-hearted God of the Fathers.
The secret of my heart/ I confess to You, my Judge,/ see my humility,/ see my sorrow,/ and listen to my judgment today,/ and have mercy on me, as you are Compassionate,// fathers God.
Saul sometimes, as if he had destroyed his father’s soul, the donkey’s soul,/ suddenly you would gain the kingdom to serve,/ but beware, do not forget to yourself,/ your bestial lusts// are desiring more than the Kingdom of Christ.
David is sometimes the Father of God, / even though my soul had sinned, / he was shot with an arrow through adultery, / he was captured by a spear, he was captured by murder by languor, / but you yourself dealt with the heaviest deeds you are ill, // with self-indulgent aspirations.
For David sometimes brought together iniquity:/ having dissolved fornication through murder,/ showing deep repentance:/ but you yourself, the most crafty soul, have done this,// without repenting to God.
David sometimes imagines,/ having copied a song on an icon,/ denouncing what he did, calling out:/ have mercy on me. For you alone have all sinned, God, // cleanse me yourself.
The ark, as if carried on a chariot,/ 3an this,/ when I turn into a calf,/ touches the point, I am tempted by the wrath of God:/ but having fled that boldness,// honor the Divine more honestly.
You heard Absalom,/ how did you rise up in nature?/ You knew his evil deeds,/ you desecrated the bed of David your father,/ but you imitated him passionately// and lustful desire.
Thou hast subdued thy unworkable dignity to thy body:/ other than Ahithophel, having found an enemy, O soul,/ thou didst descend with this advice,/ but this scattering is Christ Himself,// and you in every way be saved.
Wonderful Solomon,/ and filled with the grace of wisdom,/ having sometimes created this evil thing before God,/ depart from Him:/ to whom you are cursed by your life, your soul// you have become like.
Desecrated by the lures of my passions, / woe is me, the healer of wisdom, / the healer of prodigal women, and strange from God: / whom you imitated in your mind about the soul! / / With voluptuousness nasty.
You were jealous of Rehoboam/ who did not listen to the father’s advice,/ and also of your wicked servant Jeroboam, the former apostate soul,/ but avoid imitation, and call to God // those who have sinned, be generous me.
You are jealous of Ahaav’s filthiness, my soul, woe is me, you were the abode of carnal filth, and the vessel was disgraced by passions, but from your depths sigh, and you told your sins to God yours.
Elijah sometimes fell upon two/ fifty Jezebels,/ when he destroyed the cold prophets,/ in the reproof of Ahaab,/ but avoid imitating two souls,// and be strengthened.
Heaven is closed to your soul,/ and the hunger of God comprehends you:/ when Elijah the Tishbite was like Ahaab,/ sometimes you did not submit to words,/ but you became like Saraphia,// nourish your prophesying soul.
Manasseh collected your sins by will,/ setting them up as abominations of passion,/ and multiplying the soul’s indignation,/ but those who are jealous of repentance are warm,// gain tenderness.
I fall down to Thee,/ and bring to You, like my tears:/ I have sinned, as the harlot has not sinned,/ and I am lawless, as there is no one else on earth,/ but have mercy, O Master, creation. Yours, // and call me.
I have buried Your image, / and I have corrupted Your commandment, / all goodness has been darkened, / and quenched by passions, O Savior, O light, / but having spared my reward, / as David sings, joy.
Turn, repent, open the hidden, / say to God who knows everything: / You weigh my secret, O Savior alone, / but have mercy on me, as David sings // according to Your mercy.
My days have passed away, like the sleep of one who rises:/ even as Hezekiah climbs down on my bed,/ I will be kissed in the summer of my life./ But which Isaiah will appear to your soul,/ if not the God of all?
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Having cried out to the Most Pure Mother of God, / you first rejected the fury of passions, / the need for cold, / and you put to shame your enemy, / but give now help from sorrow, // and to me, your servant.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Whom thou didst love, Whom thou didst desire,/ For whose sake thou didst wear out the flesh,/ pray now to Christ for the servants:/ for having been merciful to all of us,/ a state of peace grants // to those who worship Him.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: On the rock of faith/ strengthen me with your prayers, father,/ protecting me with the fear of the Divine,/ and repentance Andrei, grant me, I pray to you,/ and deliver me from the network of enemies// looking for me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity: The Trinity is simple, indivisible,/ consubstantial, and the Nature is one,/ Light, and Light, and three Holy, and one Holy/ God the Trinity is sung:/ but sing glorify, Life and Lives, soul, // all God.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: We sing to Thee, let us bless Thee, / we worship Thee, Mother of God, / as the indivisible Trinity gave birth to the one Christ God / and you Herself opened to us // to those who are on heavenly earth.
(You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
Irmos: The beginningless King of glory,/ Whom the heavenly powers tremble,/ sing, O priests,// people, extol to all ages.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
Like coals of an immaterial fire, burn away my material passions, the desire for Divine love now kindling in me, apostles.
Let us honor the trumpets of the blessed Word, in the image of the fall of the walls of the unestablished enemy and the established wisdom of God.
Destroy the idols of my passionate soul, just as you crush the churches and pillars of the enemy, apostles of the Lord, church consecration.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Thou didst contain the inconceivable nature, thou didst bear all that bearest, thou didst milk the pure, nourishing creature of Christ the Giver of Life.
(You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
Irmos: The beginningless King of glory,/ Whom the heavenly powers tremble,/ sing, O priests,// people, extol to all ages.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
The Spirit began by cunning to create the whole Church, apostles of Christ, in it bless Christ forever.
Having sounded the trumpet of teachings, the apostles cast down all the flattery of idols, exalting Christ to all ages.
Apostles, good emigration, observer of the world and inhabitant of Heaven, who ever praise you, deliver you from troubles.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: Trisolar All-Light Godhead, One-Glorious and One-Throne Nature, Father Almighty, Son and Divine Soul, I sing to Thee forever.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: As we are honorable and above the throne, let us praise the Mother of God without ceasing, O people, One Mother and Virgin after the Nativity.
Choir: Irmos: His armies of Heaven glorify, / and the Cherubim and Seraphim tremble, / every breath and creature, / sing, bless, / and exalt to all ages.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
Having sinned, O Savior, have mercy, / raise my mind to conversion, / accept me, who repent, and show mercy when I cry: / You who have sinned, save, / / those who have sinned, have mercy on me.
The charioteer Elijah, / entered the chariot of virtues, / as if into heaven, sometimes carrying more than earthly things: // therefore, my soul, think about the ascent.
The stream of the Jordan flows first, the mercy of Elisha/ Elisha, a hundred here and here:/ but you, O my soul, have not partaken of grace// for intemperance.
Elisha sometimes receives Elisha’s mercy,/ receives greater grace from God:/ but you, O my soul, have not partaken of grace// for intemperance.
Somanitis sometimes/ established the righteous, about the soul, good morals:/ you did not bring you into the house,/ neither a stranger, nor a traveler.// Meanwhile the palace burst out, weeping.
Gehazi was imitated by the accursed one/ a bad mind is always in the soul,/ whose love of money is now put aside until old age:/ flee the fire of hell,// having retreated from your evil ones.
You are jealous of Uzziah’s soul, / you have acquired this leprosy in yourself: / you have thought without place, but you have acted lawlessly: / leave them alone, / and those who are leading to repentance.
The souls of the Ninevites heard you / repenting to God, with sackcloth and ashes, / these you did not imitate, but you appeared, most evil of all, / / before the law, and according to the law of those who sinned.
In the ditch of Blata you heard Jeremiah’s soul,/ the city of Zion crying out with sobs,/ and seeking tears,// imitate this pitiful life and be saved.
Jonah will flee to Tarshish,/ having foreseen the conversion of the Ninevites,/ knowing that he is a prophet of God's compassion:/ even more jealous// the prophecy cannot be lied to.
In the ditch you heard of Daniel,/ how you stopped your mouth, about the soul of the beasts:/ you heard, like the youths about Azariah,// you extinguished the burning fire of the furnace with faith.
All the Old Testament / brought to your soul, / imitate the righteous, God-loving deeds, / / avoid the pack of evil sins.
Have mercy on the justice of the Savior, / and deliver me from fire, punishment, / even I am to endure righteously in judgment: / weaken me before the end, / / through virtue and repentance.
Like a robber I cry to You: remember me./ Like Peter I cry to the mountaineer:/ Weaken me Savior. 3 I say like a publican:/ I cry like a harlot./ Accept my weeping,// like the Canaanite sometimes.
Festering, Savior, heal/ my humble soul: I am the only Physician,/ apply a plaster to me, and oil and wine, works of repentance,// tenderness with tears.
Canaanite and I imitate,/ have mercy on me, I cry, O Son of David:/ I touch the hem of the robe, like one that bleeds // I cry, like Martha and Mary over Lazarus.
The tearful glass of the Savior, / like the ointment that drains the head, / I call Thee, like a harlot seeking mercy, / I bring a prayer, / / and I ask you to accept your abandonment.
And no one else, even as I have sinned against You, / but accept me both, O Compassionate Savior, / repenting with fear, and calling out to love: / I have sinned to You alone, / / have mercy on me Merciful.
Spare Thy Savior creation,/ and seek as the Shepherd the lost,/ before the erring one was snatched from the wolf,/ make me a sheep// to pasture Your sheep.
When the Judge sat down as if He were Compassionate, / and showed the terrible glory of Your Savior: / oh, what fear then! The burning furnace, // to all who fear Your unbearable judgment.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Light of the never-setting Mother, having enlightened you,/ from the darkening of passions./ Moreover, having entered into spiritual grace,/ enlightened Mary,// who truly praises you.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Having seen a new miracle, the truly divine mother Zosima in you was terrified:/ the angel was seen in the flesh,/ and everything was filled with horror,// Christ girded forever.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: As I have boldness in the Lord, / Andrei of Crete, honest praise, / I pray, praying for permission from the bonds of lawlessness, / now find me through your prayers, / as a teacher of repentance, / and glory to the saints.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord.
Trinity: Father without beginning, Son without beginning,/ Good Comforter, Right Soul:/ Words of God to the Parent,/ Father without meaning to the Word,/ Living and Creator of the Soul,// Trinity Unit, have mercy on me.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: As from the conversion of the scarlet, the Most Pure One,/ the intelligent scarlet of Immanuel,/ the flesh was consumed within in Thy womb./ Moreover, the Mother of God// we truly honor Thee.
Choir: Let us praise, bless, and worship the Lord, singing and exalting ourselves forever.
Even the armies of Heaven glorify, / and the Cherubim and Seraphim tremble, / every breath and creation, / sing, bless, / and exalt to all ages.
My soul magnifies the Lord,/ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
As I have looked upon the humility of My servants, / behold, from now on all my generations will bless Me.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
For the Mighty One has done unto Me greatness,/ and holy is His Name, and His mercy from generation to generation to those who fear Him.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Create power with Your arm, / squander their hearts with proud thoughts.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Dethron the mighty, and exalt the humble;/ Fill the hungry with good things, and let the rich let go of their vanity.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Israel will receive His servant, remember his mercies, / like a word to our fathers, Abraham and His seed, even unto the ages.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
(You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
Chorus: Irmos: We confess Thee, truly the Mother of God,/ through Thy salvation, O pure Virgin,// with the bodiless faces magnifying Thee.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
The springs of saving water that appeared to the apostles, watered my exhausted soul with sinful thirst.
Floating in the abyss of destruction and in immersion, having already been Your right hand, like Peter, Lord, save me.
Like salt, the delicious essence of teachings, dry up the rottenness of my mind and drive away the darkness of ignorance.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Mother of God: Give me the joy that I gave birth to, crying, so that I can find Divine consolation, O Lady, in the days to come.
(You can read it, you can skip it and start with the chorus:)
Irmos: You, the Intercessor of Heaven and earth/ we please all generations:/ carnally for dwelling // in You the fulfillment, the Virgin, the Divinity.
Chorus: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.
We magnify you, blessed apostolic assembly, with songs: for the bright lights have appeared to the universe, driving away delusion.
Having caught your verbal fish in the blessed sea, always bring food to Christ, apostles of blessedness.
With your petition to God, remember us, apostles, to be delivered from every temptation, we pray, praising you with love.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: Thee, the Trinitarian Unit, the Father, the Son with the Spirit, the One God Consubstantial, I sing, the One-Powered, Beginningless Trinity.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: You, the Schoolmaster and the Virgin, we please all our families, as through You we have been delivered from the oath: for you have given us joy, the Lord.
Choir: Irmos: The birth of a seedless conception is an unspeakable Christmas,/ To the mother of the husbandless, imperishable Fruit,/ For the birth of God renews the nature./ Moreover, give birth to all of you,/ like the Blessed Mother of God,// Orthodoxy we magnify.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. (for each troparion)
The mind is weakened, the body is sick, / the spirit is sick, the word is weak, / life is dead, the end is at the door. / Moreover, my damned soul, what have you done, / / when the Judge comes to test yours?
Moses brought to your soul, the world-being, / and from this all the covenant scriptures, / telling you the righteous and the unjust: / from below, the second, O soul, imitated you, and not the first, / into God having sinned.
The Law is faint, the Gospel celebrates, / the scriptures are all careless in you, / the prophets are faint, and all the righteous word: / your scabs, O souls, multiplying, / / I am not a healing physician cha.
Now I bring these instructions to the scriptures, / leading your soul, to tenderness: / be jealous of the righteous, but turn away from sinners, / and appease Christ with prayers and pity, // and purity, and fasting.
Christ became human, / calling the thieves and harlots to repentance: / repent, the door of the Kingdom has already opened, / and the Pharisees and tax collectors anticipate it, / and adulterers who repent.
Christ became human,/ having joined the flesh with me,/ and all that is of nature by desire/ filled with sin except,/ like you, O soul,// and foreshadowing the image of His descent.
Christ saved the Magi,/ convened the shepherds,/ showed the baby to many martyrs,/ glorified the elders, and the old widows,/ whose soul you were not jealous of, neither in deed, nor in life,// but woe to you, you will never be sued.
The Lord fasted for fourty days in the desert, / the last hunger, showing what is human: / let the soul not become lazy, lest an enemy come to you, / / let your prayer and fasting be reflected from your feet.
Christ was tempted,/ the devil was tempted,/ showing the stone,/ so that there would be bread:/ brought up to the mountain/ see all the kingdoms of the world in an instant./ Fear for the soul, catches,// sober pray to God at every hour.
The desert-loving turtledove, / the voice of a cry, / Christ’s lamp, preaching repentance, / Herod the lawless with Herodias. / Behold, my soul, lest thou be drawn into lawless snares, / / but kiss repentance.
The grace of the Forerunner moved into the desert,/ and all of Judea and Samaria/ heard the flow,/ and confessed their sins,/ zealously being baptized // whose soul you did not imitate.
Marriage is truly honest, and the bed is unclean:/ Christ blessed both of them first,/ the poison of the flesh,/ and at Cana, on the marriage, making water into wine,/ and showing the first miracle: // yes, you have changed, oh soul.
I will take the weakened one, Christ, / the bed of the earth, / and the young man who died, raised up, the birth of a widow, / and the centurion youth, / and the Samaritans did not appear, / in Dus, service // To you, soul pre-painting.
The Lord healed the bleeding/ with the touch of the hem of the vestment:/ cleansed the lepers:/ enlightened the blind and lame:/ healed the deaf and dumb, and the needy below in a word: may you be saved, you damned soul.
Healing ailments,/ preaching the good news to the poor, O Christ the Word,/ healing the harmful, eating with tax collectors,/ talking with sinners,/ Jair’s daughter the soul that died // return touch of the hand.
The publican escaped, and the harlot remained chaste,/ and the Pharisee boasted and was condemned:/ O wo, cleanse me:/ O oh, have mercy on me./ This majestic cry: O God, I thank Thee // and other crazy verbs.
Zacchaeus was a publican, but both escaped, / and the Pharisee Simon, who was relieved, / and the harlot took leave of permission, / from Him who had the strength to leave sins // even with the soul's desire imitate.
The harlot, O my accursed soul, / You were not jealous, / Even after you received the world of Alavaster, / with tears you smeared Noze Spasov, / cut off your hair / / of ancient sins manuscript tearing her apart.
The cities to which Christ gave the gospel,/ my soul, thou hast known how to curse the being./ Fear the commandment, lest thou be like them,/ also the Lord of Sodom having likened it,//condemn you even to hell.
Let my soul not grieve, / who appeared in despair, the Canaanites / who heard faith, / who were healed by the word of God. / Son of David, save me too, / call from the depths hearts, // like she is to Christ.
Be merciful and save me, / Son of David, have mercy, / those who are maddened with a word, healing, / a voice of kindness, like a thief saying to me: / Amen, I say to you, you will be with me in heaven, // when I come in My glory.
The thief spoke of Thee,/ the thief theologized Thee,/ both hung on the cross,/ but O the Good Morning, as to Thy faithful thief,/ who knew Thee God,/ and to me open the door// Your glorious Kingdom.
The trembling creation is crucified, seeing You, / the mountains and stones are disintegrating with fear, / and the earth is shaking, and hell is being laid bare, / and the light is darkened in the days, / in vain, Jesus, / nailed to the Cross.
Do not extract fruits worthy of repentance from me, / for my strength within me is failing, / grant me an ever-contrite heart, / but spiritual poverty, / so that I may bring this to you, / / as a pleasant sacrifice, the Savior alone.
My judge, and my leader, / though you come again from the angels, / judge the whole world, / then having seen me with your merciful eye, / have mercy and mercy on me, Jesus, / more than anyone else human nature having sinned.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: You surprised everyone/ with your strange life,/ the ranks of angels, and the councils of men,/ having lived immaterially, and having passed on from nature:/ likewise, as if an immaterial leg had entered Mary,// The Jordan has passed.
Chorus: Reverend Mother Mary, pray to God for us.
Mary: Appease the Creator/ for those who praise you, O holy mother, get rid of bitterness and sorrows/ around those who attack:/ so that having been delivered from adversity, let us unceasingly glorify// the Lord who glorified you.
Chorus: Reverend Father Andrew, pray to God for us.
Andrei: Most honorable Andre, and most blessed Father,/ the shepherd of Crete,/ do not cease to pray for those who sing your praises:/ that we may be delivered from all anger and sorrow, and corruption,/ and immeasurable sins,// those who worship your memory is correct.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Trinitarian: Let us glorify the Father, exalt the Son,/ let us faithfully worship the Divine Spirit,/ the indivisible Trinity, the Unity in Essence,/ as Light and Light, and Life and Life, // life-giving and enlightening the ends.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: Preserve Your City/ To the Most Pure Mother of God:/ in You this one reigns faithfully,/ in You he is established:/ and by You he conquers,/ conquers every temptation,/ and captivates warriors,// and passes obedience.
Chorus: Irmos: The unspeakable Christmas of the seedless conception,/ To the mother of the husbandless, imperishable fruit,/ For the birth of God renews the nature./ Moreover, give birth to all of you,/ Like the Blessed Mother of God,// Orthodoxy we magnify.
Reader: This light, Christ, enlighten me with You,/ through your prayers, O Lord, Thy Apostle and St. Nicholas,// and save me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
This light, O Christ, enlighten me with Thee,/ through the prayers, O Lord, of Thy saints,// and save me.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
This light, Christ, enlighten me with You,/ through the prayers of the Lord, the Mother of God,// and save me.
Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. {Praise ye the LORD. Praise: Heb. Hallelujah, etc}
Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that {be} above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: {flying...: Heb. birds of wing}
Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory {is} above the earth and heaven. {excellent: Heb. exalted}
He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; {even} of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, {and} his praise in the congregation of saints. {Praise...: Heb. Hallelujah}
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. {in him...: Heb. in his Makers}
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. {in...: or, with the pipe}
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
{Let} the high {praises} of God {be} in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; {mouth: Heb. throat}
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, {and} punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. {Praise ye...: Heb. Hallelujah}
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. {trumpet: or, cornet}
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. {dance: or, pipe}
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we bow to Thee, we praise Thee, we thank Thee great for the sake of Thy glory. Lord, Heavenly King, God, Father Almighty, Lord Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Soul. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Take away the sins of the world, accept our prayer. Sit at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For You are the only Holy One; You are one Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, amen.
I will bless You every day and praise Your name forever and ever.
Lord, you have been our refuge forever and ever. Az reh: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. Lord, I have come to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God, for You are the source of life, in Your light we will see light. Show Thy mercy to those who lead Thee.
Lord grant that on this day we may be preserved without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, our Father God, and praised and glorified is your name forever, amen.
May Thy mercy be upon us, Lord, as we trust in Thee. Blessed are You, Lord, teach me by Your justification. Blessed are You, Master, enlighten me with Your justification. Blessed are You, Holy One, enlighten me with Your justification.
Lord, Your mercy endures forever, do not despise the work of Your hand: Praise is due to You, Singing is due to You, Glory is due to You, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever forever and ever, amen.
Lord, have mercy, (12).
Chorus: My soul has fallen into the path of robbery,/ you are fiercely wounded by your sins,/ having given yourself over to an unreasonable enemy./ But as one who has time, he cries out in compunction:/ the hope of the unreliable, the belly of the despairing, // Savior, raise up and save me.
Verse: In the morning we were filled with Thy mercy, Lord, and we rejoiced and rejoiced: all our days we rejoiced, for the days in this day you have humbled us, in this day we have seen evil. And look upon Thy servants, and upon Thy works, and instruct their sons.
My soul has fallen into the path of robbery,/ you are fiercely wounded by your sins,/ having given yourself over to a foolish enemy./ But as one who has time, cries out in compunction:/ hope unreliable, desperate, // Savior, raise up and save me.
Verse: And bring the lordship of the Lord our God upon us, and restore the work of our hands upon us, and restore the work of our hands.
Having wrapped yourself in the armor of faith,/ and armed yourself with the image of the Godfather,/ you showed yourself to the warriors of goodness,/ you courageously resisted the tormentor,/ and you consumed the devil’s charms,/ the former winner, You have been granted crowns:/ pray to Christ for us,/ so that our souls may be saved.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos: Receive the voices of Thy servant,/ All-pure Virgin Mary,/ and pray unceasingly,// for the remission of sins, and to grant us peace.
Reader: It is good to confess to the Lord, and to sing to Your Name, O Most High: to proclaim Your mercy in the morning, and Your truth throughout the night. (Twice)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as it is in Heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Reader: In the church worth Thy glory, in heaven we stand, O Mother of God, door of heaven, open to us the doors of Thy mercy.
Reader: Lord, have mercy. (40 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Heavenly King, establish the faith, tame the tongues, pacify the world, preserve this holy church well: first, the departed fathers and our brothers taught the righteous in the villages, and us in repentance and Accept your confession, as you are Good and Lover of Mankind.
Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness, and idle talk. (Bow to the ground)
Grant me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Your servant. (Bow to the ground)
Hey, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. (Bow to the ground)
* * *
Come, let us worship the King our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
[To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.] Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct {my prayer} unto thee, and will look up.
For thou {art} not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. {in...: Heb. before thine eyes}
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. {bloody...: Heb. man of bloods and deceit}
But as for me, I will come {into} thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: {and} in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. {thy holy...: Heb. the temple of thy holiness}
Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. {mine...: Heb. those which observe me}
For {there is} no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part {is} very wickedness; their throat {is} an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. {faithfulness: or, stedfastness} {their mouth: Heb. his mouth, that is, the mouth of any of them} {very...: Heb. wickednesses}
Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. {Destroy...: or, Make them guilty} {by...: or, from their counsels}
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. {defendest...: Heb. coverest over, or, protectest them}
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as {with} a shield. {compass: Heb. crown}
[A Prayer of Moses the man of God.] Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. {A Prayer...: or, A Prayer, being a Psalm of Moses} {in...: Heb. in generation and generation}
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou {art} God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight {are but} as yesterday when it is past, and {as} a watch in the night. {when...: or, when he hath passed them}
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are {as} a sleep: in the morning {they are} like grass {which} groweth up. {groweth...: or, is changed}
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret {sins} in the light of thy countenance.
For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale {that is told}. {passed...: Heb. turned away} {as a...: or, as a meditation}
The days of our years {are} threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength {they be} fourscore years, yet {is} their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. {The days...: Heb. As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years}
Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, {so is} thy wrath.
So teach {us} to number our days, that we may apply {our} hearts unto wisdom. {apply: Heb. cause to come}
Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days {wherein} thou hast afflicted us, {and} the years {wherein} we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
[A Psalm of David.] I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; {it} shall not cleave to me. {wicked...: Heb. thing of Belial}
A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked {person}.
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Mine eyes {shall be} upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. {in a...: or, perfect in the way}
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. {shall not tarry: Heb. shall not be established}
I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.
What shall we call You, O Blessed One? / Heaven, as if you have risen as the Sun of Truth. / Paradise, as if you have vegetated, the color of incorruption. / Virgin, for you remain incorruptible. / Pure Mother, as You had in Your holy embrace the Son, all God. / Pray to him for the salvation of our souls.
Direct my steps according to Thy word / and let not all iniquity possess me. / Deliver me from the slander of men, / and I will keep Your commandments. / Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant / And teach me by Thy justification.
Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, O Lord, / for I will sing of Your glory, / Your splendor all day long.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as it is in Heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
My soul, my soul, / arise, what are you sleeping? / The end is approaching, / and you will be confused. / Arise, / may Christ God, who is everywhere and fulfills everything, have mercy on you.
Lord, have mercy, (40).
And at all times and at every hour, in Heaven and on earth, worshiped and glorified, Christ God, Long-suffering, Many-merciful, Many-compassionate, Who loves the righteous and sinners Dear God, Who calls everyone to salvation with promises for the sake of future blessings. Himself, Lord, accept our prayer at this hour and correct our life to Your commandments, sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our thoughts and deliver us from all sorrow, evil and illness, protect us with Your holy Angels, so that by guarding and instructing them, we may reach the unity of faith and the mind of Your unapproachable glory, as Blessed are you forever and ever, amen.
Lord have mercy, three times.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The most honorable Cherub/ and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim,/ who gave birth to God the Word without corruption,/ the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk. (Bow to the ground)
Grant me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Your servant. (Bow to the ground)
Hey, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. (Bow to the ground)
Christ, the True Light, enlighten and sanctify every person coming into the world, may the light of Your countenance appear upon us, so that in it we will see the Unapproachable Light: and straighten our steps to action Your commandments, the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, and all Your saints, amen.
To the chosen Voivode, victorious, / as having been delivered from the evil ones, / let us write thanksgiving to Thy servants, O Mother of God, / but as having an invincible power, / free us from all troubles, let us call to Thee; / Rejoice, Unbridled Bride.
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
End