The Church, which has taken care of every Orthodox Christian from the moment of his birth, cannot abandon him even in this last terrible hour. Church rules oblige priests to do everything possible to ensure that the dying person is not left without the dying farewell of the Holy Gifts. The only requirement is that he must be conscious in order to bring final repentance to the Lord. “The abbot comes,” we read in the ancient Breviary, “his spiritual father comes to the worldly, and asks if there is a word, or a deed for the sake of oblivion, or cold, or what kind of malice towards a brother is unconfessed, or unforgiven, everything must be sought and asked one by one to the dying.”
Pre-mortem Communion can be performed at any time and without observing the conditions necessary for the healthy (fasting, prayer, etc.), according to the rite of Communion for the sick. Communion can be combined with Blessing of Anointing (Unction). After Communion, the priest reads at the bedside of the dying person (with obvious signs of approaching death) a special sequence for the “exodus of the soul”: “The canon of prayer to the Lord our God Jesus Christ and the Most Pure Theotokos, Mother of the Lord at the separation of the soul from the body of every faithful believer.”
In the absence of a priest, “The Canon... upon separation of the soul from the body...” can be read by the relatives themselves. Having omitted the initial exclamation of the priest: Blessed be God, the layman begins the reading with the words: Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers... The reading should begin at the first signs of impending death. When reading the Canon, a candle and a lamp are lit in front of the home icon.
The canon is read “on behalf of a person who is separated from his soul and cannot speak” and is found in Orthodox prayer books.
In addition to the “Canon for the separation of the soul from the body,” there is also the “Rite for the separation of the soul from the body when a person has suffered for a long time.” This rite is read over a person who is experiencing severe death torments and cannot die (as a rule, it is read by a priest).
“The prayer canon for the separation of the soul from the body” and “The rite performed for the separation of the soul from the body, when a person suffers for a long time” are two complementary sequences.
Saint Athanasius (Sakharov) points out that in the absence of a priest, both sequences: “The canon of prayer for the separation of the soul from the body” and “The rite performed for the separation of the soul from the body, when a person suffers for a long time” - can (and should) be read at the bedside of a dying person by a layman. In this case, as already noted, the initial exclamation should be replaced with “Through the prayers of our holy fathers...” and the prayers at the end of both sequences should be omitted, since they are read only by the priest.
For dying infants (children under seven years of age), due to the absence of sins listed in the sequences, which are unusual for them due to their infancy, the sequences are not read.
After the death of a person’s body, the Sequence on the departure of the soul from the body is immediately read over him.
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The hegumen comes, his spiritual father comes to the worldly, and asks if there is a word, or a deed for the sake of oblivion, or cold, or what kind of malice towards a brother is unconfessed, or is unforgiven, everything must be sought and asked one by one to the dying person.
Therefore the priest begins: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. (Or even worldly: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)
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. (Thrice)
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 Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy 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, have mercy (12 times).
Come, let us worship the King our God. (Bow)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.] Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin {is} ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done {this} evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, {and} be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. {conceive...: Heb. warm me}
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden {part} thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; {that} the bones {which} thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. {right: or, constant}
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me {with thy} free spirit.
{Then} will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: {and} my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. {bloodguiltiness: Heb. bloods}
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give {it}: thou delightest not in burnt offering. {else...: or, that I should}
The sacrifices of God {are} a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Irmos: As Israel walked on dry land, with footsteps in the abyss, seeing the persecutor of Pharaoh drowned, we sing a song of victory to God, crying out.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Drops like rain, the wickedness and misery of my days, becoming impoverished by summer circulation, are gradually disappearing. Lady, save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With Your compassion and Your many bounties, O Lady, we naturally bow before you at this terrible hour, the Invincible Helper.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Now my soul contains a great fear, an inscrutable and painful trembling, it will never leave my body, O Most Pure One, even comfort me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Known refuge to the sinful and the humble, let your mercy know about me, O Pure One, and deliver the hands of demons, as if many psychos have surrounded me.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
This is the time for help, this is the time of Your intercession, this, Lady, is the time for us, day and night, to feel the heat and pray to You.
Irmos: There is no one holy like You, O Lord my God, Who has lifted up the horn of Your faithful, O Great One, and established us on the rock of Your confession.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
From afar this day, O Lady, having foreseen, and having come, I thought ever after, and prayed with warm tears not to forget me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
My thoughts are roaring, and they seek to seize and tear me to pieces with the mountaineer, whose teeth are pure, and crush their jaws and save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I have lost my senses of speech, my tongue has been tied, and my voice has been closed; in a contrite heart I pray to Thee, my Savior, save me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Incline Your ear to me, Christ my God Mother, from the height of Your many glory, O Good One, and hear the final groaning and give me your hand.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Do not turn away Your many bounties from me, do not close Your humane womb, O Pure One; but stand before me today and remember me at the hour of judgment.
Irmos: Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the honest Church sings divinely, crying out, from a pure meaning, celebrating in the Lord.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
To wash away sin, put down the current of tears now, O Good One, who accept the contrition of my heart: in You I confirm my hope, O Good One, when you have delivered me from what is terrible fiery torment, for you are the source of grace, O Mother of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
A shameless and infallible refuge for everyone in need, Most Immaculate Lady, You be the Intercessor in the hour of testing.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Stretching out Your Most Pure and Most Honest hands, like a sacred dove to a krill, cover me under the roof and canopy of those, O Lady.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The airy prince of the rapist, the tormentor, the champion of terrible paths and the vain tester of these words, grant me permission to pass without restraint from the earth.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Behold, O Lady, you will put away the fear that you feared; Behold, a great feat has embraced me, in which be my Helper, the Hope of my salvation.
Irmos: By Thy God's light, O Blessed One, illumine the souls of Thy morning with love, I pray, Lead Thee, the Word of God, the True God, from the darkness of sin, crying out.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not forget me, O Good One, turn away Your face from me, Your servant, but hear me as I grieve, and take in my soul, and deliver this.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Those who are according to the flesh, my relatives, and those who are according to the spirit, brothers, and friends, and people of common knowledge, weep, sigh, lament, for now I am separated from you.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Nowadays you deliver in no way and truly help no one. Help me, Lady, so that not like a man helpless, I will be shut up in the hands of my enemy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having entered, my holy Angels, present yourself to the judgment of Christ, bow your knees in thought, cry out to Him in tears: have mercy, O Creator of all, the work of your hands, O Greater One, and do not deny him.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Having worshiped the Lady and Most Pure Mother of my God, pray that He will kneel with you and bend Him to mercy: For the Mother of Being and the Nourisher will be heard.
Irmos: The sea of life, raised in vain by misfortunes and storms, has flowed to Your quiet refuge, crying out to You: lift up my life from aphids, O Many-Merciful One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
My lips are silent, and my tongue does not speak, but my heart speaks: for this fire of contrition is consuming within, and calls to You, O Virgin, unspoken voices.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Look down on me from above, Mother of God, and mercifully come to my visitation today, for having seen You, I will leave the body rejoicing.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By tearing apart the bonds, by tearing apart the laws of natural condensation, and the composition of the entire body, they create unbearable need and crowding.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Holy Angels offer me to sacred and honorable hands, O Lady, for having covered myself with those wings, I do not see the dishonest and stinking and gloomy image of demons.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O most honorable Lord of God, liken me to the heavenly intelligent palace, burning my faded and non-shining lamp with the holy oil of Thy mercy.
My soul, my soul, arise, that you are sleeping, the end is approaching, and you need to say: arise, so that Christ God, who is everywhere, will have mercy on you, and fulfill everything.
Seeing Christ's healing open, and from this Adam exuded health, the devil, having suffered, was wounded, as he accepted troubles, sobbing, and cried out to his friend: what will I do to the Son Marina? The Bethlehemite is killing me, who is everywhere and does everything.
Irmos: The angel made the furnace like a venerable youth, and the Chaldeans received the scorching command of God, admonishing the tormentor to cry out: Blessed are you, God our father.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The night of death is more than unprepared for me, it is gloomy and moonless, and unprepared for the long, terrible journey; May Your mercy travel with me, O Lady.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Behold, all my days have truly perished in vanity, as it is written, and my years have passed away with care, and the snares of death have truly and bitterly preceded my soul, even if they contain me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
May the multitude of my sins not be able to overcome Your many compassions, O Lady, but may Your mercy pass over me and cover all my iniquities.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Those who take me away from here find me containing me everywhere: my soul puts off and fears, it is filled with much rebellion, but be consoled, O Pure One, by Your appearance.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The one who saddened me in my sorrow, the one who comforted me below, O Lady, for my friends and knowledge together have left me today, but, my Hope, you will never leave me me.
Irmos: From the flame of the saints you poured out dew, and you burned the righteous sacrifice with water, for you did everything, O Christ, only as you wished. We exalt you to all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Like the Humanity-loving Mother of God, with a quiet and merciful eye, when my soul departs from the body, I glorify You forever, Holy Mother of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Let me escape the barbarian barbarian regiments, and the abysses of the air arise, and lift me up to Heaven, so that I may glorify You forever, Holy Mother of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having given birth to the Lord Almighty, the bitter ordeals of the ruler of the world are far from me, I always want to die, but I glorify You forever, Holy Mother of God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
On the great last trumpet, on the terrible and terrible resurrection of judgment, to all who are resurrected, remember me then, Holy Mother of God.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
High Lord of Christ, having sent Your grace from above, preceded me now on the day of embitterment, so that I may glorify You forever, Holy Mother of God.
Irmos: It is impossible for man to see God; the officials of the Angels do not dare to look at Worthiness. By you, O All-Pure One, the Word Incarnate appeared as a man. It is majestic, with the heavenly howls, we please you.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Oh, how will I see the invisible? What terrible vision will I endure? How dare I open my eyes? How can I dare to see my Lord, Who has never ceased to grieve from my youth?
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Holy Maiden, Mother of God, look mercifully on my humility, accept my tender and last prayer, and strive to deliver me from the tormenting eternal fire.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having desecrated the holy churches, having left the profane and corporeal church, to You, God's all-honorable church, I pray, O Young Virgin Mother, my soul, flee from the darkness and the fierceness of hell burning sensation.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In vain the end of my life is near, and contemplating placeless thoughts and deeds, O All-Pure One, my worker soul, I am fiercely wounded by the arrows of conscience, but bowing mercifully, wake me Representative.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Son will be given to us for mercy, the Son of God and the Eternal King of Angels, from the pure blood of Your Man has passed. Conciliate Him, O Young Lady, more passionately than my soul, torn out by the fury from my damned body.
Also: It is worthy to eat as truly the blessedness of Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to the God of the Word, the real Mother of God (bow).
1 Breviary.
2 Translation by Hieromonk Feofan (Adamenko).