In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Every nation has treasured names that are never forgotten. On the contrary, the further the historical life of the people develops, the brighter and brighter becomes in the grateful memory of descendants the religious and moral image of those figures who, having given all their strength to the service of Holy Russia, fulfilled with their very lives the Gospel commandment, which reads: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
The holy and blessed Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky belongs to the number of such chosen ones of God. His name is one of the most glorious in the history of our Fatherland, one of the brightest and most beloved names by the Russian people.
A great feat fell to the lot of Saint Alexander: to save Russia, he had to simultaneously demonstrate the valor of a warrior and the humility of a monk. At the same time, the prince faced a feat of military glory on the banks of the Neva and on the ice of Lake Peipsi: the aggressors of other faiths (dog-knights of paramilitary Catholic orders) sought to enslave Rus' and desecrate the shrines of Russian Orthodoxy. Feeling with all his soul the “pillar and affirmation of Truth” in the Church, understanding the fateful significance of this Truth of Christ in Russian life, Holy Prince Alexander took upon himself the heavy cross of the sovereign defender of the purity of faith, guardian and preserver of the spiritual fullness of Russian Orthodox statehood.
A feat of humility awaited him in his relations with the arrogant and satiated Mongol Horde. Khan Batu sent to tell the prince: “God has conquered many nations to me: are you the only one who doesn’t want to submit to my power?” Seeing in what happened God's permission and punishment for the sins of internecine princely enmity, Saint Alexander decided to recognize the seniority of the khan, not wanting to torment his Fatherland with the horrors of another war.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, declares the Word of God. — Fear more the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna (Matthew 10:28). The soul of Russia has always lived and breathed the grace of the Church. Mongol slavery did not threaten it, bringing death only to the state body of fragmented appanage Rus'. But the heretical Latinism threatened mortal damage to Russian life. The noble prince knew this, and therefore the work of his whole life became the concern for maintaining peace in the East, under the cover of which he could throw all his strength into repelling the aggression of the insidious West.
Having made reliance on the truths of the Law of God and the commandments of Christ the main principle of his activity, Saint Alexander was the first to lead Rus' onto that path, following which it grew and strengthened year by year, turning as a result from a community of small warring principalities into a great and formidable Orthodox Empire, the defender and custodian of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. All our current troubles and turmoil, all the shame of today’s ruined, plundered and slandered Russia is the terrible result of the fact that in the 20th century we rejected the shrines of faith and, in the madness of our pride, turned away from the only saving path that was commanded to us by the blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky.
Even at the beginning of the century, the great prayer book of the Russian land, the holy righteous Father John of Kronstadt, threateningly warned the Russian people about the terrible consequences of apostasy. “In Russia,” he said, “in the space of centuries, what great miracles have been created, what signs have been sent from Heaven; what kind of figures the Lord raised up, the builders of Russia, its way of life and people’s piety! What great miracle workers: Sergius of Radonezh, Alexander Nevsky, Kirill of Beloozersky, Peter, Alexy - metropolitans of the Russian land - the Lord raised and glorified! Is all this in vain, and not for the strengthening of saving faith and Christian piety in us? How respectfully, all-mercifully, wisely the Lord creates our salvation!
And with all this, Russia, in the person of the intelligentsia, and part of the people, became unfaithful to the Lord, forgot all His blessings, fell away from Him... But think about it, Russian people, soberly, sensibly - what are you striving for? You forgot God and abandoned Him, and He abandoned you through His fatherly providence and gave you into the hands of your own unbridled wild tyranny! Come to your senses, come to your senses, repent, correct yourself! Start living peacefully and work out your salvation with the fear of God (Phil. 2:12). May there be glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and in Russia, and goodwill toward men.”
Today, more than ever, it is important for us to understand that our salvation, both personal and national, all-Russian, directly depends on whether we are able to overthrow the disgusting mental yoke of atheism that has tormented Rus' for almost eighty years in a row! I firmly believe that, by the great mercy of God, the prayers of the sovereign defender of the Russian Land, the blessed Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, will help us along this path.
Wake up, wake up! Amen.
Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga John (Snychev) Articles, conversations, appeals. - St. Petersburg: Tsarskoe Delo, 2006.
Glory to the Lord, for He is the source of all glory...
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, great Russian commander.
Not everyone considers themselves believers. Not many people live a church lifestyle. However, there are very few who would completely deny God for themselves. Often we don’t even suspect that faith and hope for God’s help are stored deep in our hearts and are just waiting in the wings. For some, this hour comes during periods of difficulty and testing, when we realize that our own strength is not enough, when we are tired, exhausted, when our human weakness is revealed and it seems that fierce enemies have risen against us. No wonder they say: “There are no unbelievers in trenches.”
The army today is not only a harsh school of life, in which the strength of a man is tested and tempered. In our cruel times, military service is associated with particular danger; in many cases, death stares a soldier in the face. Therefore, a warrior of any rank needs faith in God and all possible prayer. Then, in critical situations, God will share with us our natural human weakness, fear, pain, and this will become the basis of courage, wisdom, indestructible will and spirit. This is precisely what has always been the basis of the victories and fearlessness of the Russian army.
By calling on the Lord from the depths of our despair or mortal danger, we ask Him, in essence, to be both our God and Friend. And He never refuses those who ask.
You can pray anytime, anywhere, in any place, at any time, under any circumstances. And when everything is fine, and when sorrows overwhelm you. You can pray alone, when you have a free minute to collect your thoughts, and in the midst of people on the road, in the barracks, during training, praying silently to yourself. You can pray in your own words and with church prayers. For this there are short prayers for all occasions:
Lord, have mercy!
Lord help me!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
The prayer given here is called the “Jesus Prayer,” or “Smart Prayer,” because it is usually read in the mind, silently, and repeated many times. On the march, on guard, during a combat operation, ask with all your heart for help from God, repeating this prayer continuously in your mind.
Morning prayer of soldiers
O our God! Give us strength on this day to serve You and the Fatherland forever.
Evening prayer of soldiers
God! Save, preserve, have mercy on us, in the darkness of the night, the warriors and all of Russia, and protect them with Your Cross from the forces of the enemy, and send us a righteous dream.
Before going to bed, sign yourself with a cross and say a short prayer to the Honorable Cross:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.
When starting any task, including prayer, you need to make the sign of the cross - cross yourself. But when this cannot be done for some reason, it is enough to repeat to yourself: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. And then read the following prayers:
Lord's Prayer
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.
Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You, blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me by God from Heaven, I earnestly pray to you: enlighten me today (today), and save me from all evil, guide me to good deeds, and guide me on the path of salvation. Amen.
Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear
Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name of the saint), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and a prayer book for my soul.
Creed
I believe in One God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
And in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to whom all things were.
For our sake, man and our salvation came down from Heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human.
Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.
Prayer for the living
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my parents (names), relatives and friends (their names), and all Orthodox Christians.
Prayer for the departed
Rest in peace, Lord, the souls of your departed servants (here we pray for those people close to us who have already died, and we name their names) and all departed Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom Heavenly.
End of prayers
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
In difficulties and dangers
Read Psalm 90 in Church Slavonic
Living in the help of the Most High, he will dwell in the blood of the heavenly God. Says the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from the words of rebellion, His splash will overshadow you, and under His krill you hope that His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the things that pass in the darkness, from the grime and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, otherwise you will look at your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not approach your body, for His Angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but when you dash your foot against a stone, you will step on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver and cover, because I have known My name.
He will call to Me, and I will hear him, I am with him in sorrow, I will destroy him and glorify him, I will fulfill him with the length of days and show him My salvation.
You can read this psalm in Russian translation:
He who lives under the roof of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty, rests, says to the Lord: “My refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust!” He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the fatal plague, He will cover you with His feathers, and you will be safe under His wings; shield and fence are His truth. You will not be afraid of the terrors in the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that stalks in the darkness, the plague that devastates at noon. A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you: you will only look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked. For you said: “The Lord is my hope”; You have chosen the Most High as your refuge; no evil will befall you, and no plague will come near your dwelling; for He will command His angels for you, to guard you in all your ways; they will carry you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone; you will step on the asp and basilisk; You will trample on the lion and the dragon. “Because he loved Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he has known My name.
He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow; I will deliver him and glorify him, I will satisfy him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.”
Daily prayer of the Defender of the Fatherland
Lord Lord, You have granted me, unworthy and sinful, to serve my Motherland, to fulfill my duty as a defender of the Fatherland! I rely with all my being, heart and spirit on Your holy will. I pray to You, Most Lover of Mankind, that my hand and weapon may be directed to the right cause and that I, passionate and sinful, may not become an instrument of evil and untruth. Teach us to accept everything sent down by You with patience and meekness, for I am a weak and weak person, bearing the cross of service among those like me, but You alone can make up for our unworthiness, instill the gift of wisdom and humility, and, most of all, the greatest gift of love for your neighbor. I pray to You to guide me throughout the entire period of the ministry given to me, in all the trials, hardships and dangers that will befall me. Grant me to pass them safely and return home safe and sound. For to You belongs mercy and salvation, and to You I ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In the bullet-ridden overcoat of the Russian soldier of the Great Patriotic War, Alexander Zaitsev, who died in 1944, his last letter in earthly life, a farewell letter, was found.
It is not addressed to family and friends, but to Almighty God, in whom our warrior sacredly believed in his dying hour.
Listen, God... Never before in my life
I haven't talked to you, but today
I want to greet You.
You know, from childhood I was told,
That you are not there. And I, a fool, believed it.
I have never contemplated your creations.
And then last night I looked
From the crater that was knocked out by a grenade,
To the starry sky that was above me.
I suddenly realized, admiring the universe,
How cruel deception can be.
I don’t know, God, if you will give me your hand,
But I will tell you, and you will understand me:
Isn't it strange that in the midst of a terrifying hell
Suddenly the light opened up to me and I recognized You?
Apart from this I have nothing to say,
It’s just that I’m glad that I recognized you.
We are scheduled to attack at midnight,
But I’m not afraid: You’re looking at us...
Signal. Well then? I have to go.
I felt good with you. I also want to say
That, as You know, the battle will be fierce,
And maybe at night I’ll knock on You.
And so, even though I have not been your friend until now,
Will You let me in when I come?
But I think I'm crying. My God, you see
What happened to me is that today I have seen the light.
Farewell, my God, I'm leaving.
And I’m unlikely to return.
How strange, but now I am not afraid of death.
Rising from sleep, before doing anything else, stand reverently, presenting yourself before the All-Seeing God, and, making the sign of the cross, say:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Publican's Prayer (Luke 18:13)
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. (Bow)
Initial prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filthiness, and save us, Good, our souls.
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
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, even now.
Lord's Prayer
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.
Troparia Trinity
Rising from sleep, we fall down to Thee, the Blesser, and cry out the angelic song to Thee, the Stronger: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, O God, through the Mother of God have mercy on us.
Glory: From bed and sleep you raised me up, Lord, enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips, even singing to You, Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, God, Mother of God have mercy on us.
And now: Suddenly the Judge will come, and every deed will be exposed, but with fear we call at midnight: Holy, Holy, Holy art thou, God, by the Mother of God have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
Having risen from sleep, I thank You, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Your goodness and long-suffering, You were not angry with me, lazy and sinful, and below You destroyed me with my iniquities; but you loved mankind as a rule, and in the despair of a man who lay, you raised me up so that I could exercise and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my mouth, to learn Your words, and to understand Your commandments, and to do Your will, and to sing to You in confession of the heart, and sing Thy all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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)
Psalm 50
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 take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and 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, 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 your bullock on the altar.
Creed
I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to whom all things were.
For our sake, man and for our salvation, who came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human.
Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
Teaching the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the next century. Amen.
Prayer 1, Saint Macarius the Great
God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done no more good before You; but deliver me from the evil one, and let Your will be done in me, that I may open my unworthy mouth without condemnation and praise Your holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 2, of the same saint
Having risen from sleep, I bring the midnight hymn to Ti, O Savior, and falling down crying to Ti: do not let me fall asleep in a sinful death, but have mercy on me, crucify yourself with your will and hasten me lying in laziness, and raise save me in standing and in prayer, and in a dream at night, dawn on me a sinless day, O Christ God, and save me.
Prayer 3, of the same saint
To You, Lord, the Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil's haste, and save me and bring me into Your eternal Kingdom. For You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of all good, in You is all my hope, and I send glory to You, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 4, of the same saint
Lord, by Thy much goodness and Thy great bounties Thou hast given me, Thy servant, the passing time of this night to pass away without misfortune from all evil that is contrary; You Yourself, Master of all Creators, grant me with Your true light and an enlightened heart to do Your will, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. Basil the Great
Lord Almighty, God of hosts and all flesh, who lives in the highest and looks upon the humble, who searches the hearts and wombs and the innermost parts of men, Who is the forerunner, the Beginningless and the Everlasting Light, with Him there is no change, or change, overshadowing; Himself, Immortal King, accept our prayers, even at this time, for the multitude of Your generosity boldly, from the wicked we create to You, and forgive us our sins, whether we have sinned in deed, in word, in thought, in knowledge or ignorance; and cleanse us from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and grant us with a cheerful heart and a sober mind to pass through the night of this present life, awaiting the coming of the bright and revealed day Your only begotten Son, Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, will come with glory as the Judge of all, to reward everyone according to his deeds; let us not fall and become lazy, but be watchful and raised up to do what is to come, prepare for joy and the Divine palace of His glory, where those who celebrate will have an unceasing and endless voice The sweetness of those who see Your face is inexpressible kindness.
For You are the true Light, you enlighten and sanctify all things, and all creation sings to You forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 6th, of the same saint
We bless you, O highest God and Lord of mercy, who always does with us great and unexplored, glorious and terrible, the number of which is innumerable, who has given us sleep for the repose of our infirmity, and weakening of the labors of the arduous flesh. We thank Thee, for Thou didst not destroy us with our iniquities, but Thou didst love mankind as usual, and in desperation, Thou didst raise us up to glorify Thy power. Moreover, we pray for Your immeasurable goodness, enlighten our thoughts, clear our minds, and raise our minds from the heavy sleep of laziness: open our lips, and let me fulfill Your praise, so that we may Let us unwaveringly sing and confess to You, in all, and from all, to the glorified God, the Beginning Father, with Your Only Begotten Son, and Your All-Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 7, to the Most Holy Theotokos
I sing of Your grace, O Lady, I pray to You, my mind is filled with grace. Teach me to walk the right way, along the path of Christ’s commandments. Strengthen your vigil for the song, driving away despondency and sleep. Bound by the captives of the Falls, allow them through Your prayers, Bride of God. Preserve me by night and by day, delivering me from the fighting enemy. She who gave birth to God, the life-giver, was killed by my passions and revived. Even the One who gave birth to the non-evening Light, enlighten my blind soul. Oh, wondrous Lady of the palace, create for me the house of the Divine Spirit. You who gave birth to a doctor, heal my soul of many years of passion. Worried by the storm of life, guide me towards the path of repentance. Deliver me from eternal fire, and from evil worms, and from Tartarus. May the demon not show me joy, even though I am guilty of many sins. Create me again, having promised to be insensible, Most Immaculate, without sin. Show me the strangeness of all kinds of torment, and implore everyone to the Lord. Heavenly one, grant me joy, with all the saints. Most Holy Virgin, hear the voice of Your unneeded servant.
Give me tears, Most Pure One, that cleanse my soul of filth. I bring lamentations from my heart to You unceasingly, be diligent, Lady. Accept my prayer service and offer it to the gracious God. Greatest Angel, created me above the merging of the world. Light-bringing heavenly Sena, direct spiritual grace in me. I lift up my hands and lips to praise, defiled with filth, O All-Immaculate One. Deliver me from the dirty tricks that are choking me, diligently beseeching Christ; To him is due honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ
My most merciful and all-merciful God, Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of love you came down and became incarnate, so that you could save everyone. And again, Savior, save me by grace, I pray to You; Even if you save me from works, there is no grace and no gift, but more than debt. Hey, abundant in generosity and unspeakable in mercy! Believe in Me, O Christ, you will live and not see death forever. Even if faith, even in You, saves the desperate, behold, I believe, save me, for You are my God and Creator. Let faith instead of works be imputed to me, O my God, for you will not find works to justify me. But may my faith prevail in place of all, may it answer, may it justify me, may it show me to be a partaker of Your eternal glory. May Satan not snatch me away and boast, O Word, that he has torn me away from Your hand and fence; But either I want to save me, or I don’t want to, O Christ my Savior, foretell that I will soon perish: For you are my God from my mother’s womb.
Grant me, Lord, now to love Thee, as sometimes I have loved that very sin; and working again for you without laziness is as boring as the work you did before to the flattering Satan. Most of all, I will serve You, my Lord and God Jesus Christ, all the days of my life, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 9, to the Guardian Angel
Holy Angel, standing before my damned soul and the passions of my life, do not forsake me, a sinner, and depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the crafty demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything that I have offended you with in so many ways all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me this day, and keep me from every temptation of the enemy, so that in no sin I anger God, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may confirm me in His fear, and show me worthy servant of His goodness. Amen.
Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos
My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, through Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, Your humble and accursed servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all foul, evil and blasphemous thoughts from my accursed heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and damned. And deliver me from many and cruel memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions. For blessed art thou from all generations, and glorified is thy most honorable name unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear
Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and a prayer book for my soul.
Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.
Troparion to the Cross and prayer for the Fatherland
Save, Lord, Your people, and bless Your heritage, granting victories to Orthodox Christians against the enemy, and preserving Your life through Your Cross.
Prayer for the living
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (name), my parents (names), relatives (names), leaders, mentors, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians.
Prayer for the departed
Rest in peace, Lord, the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom Heavenly.
End of prayers
It is worthy that You are truly blessed, 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 God the Word without corruption.
Glory to this day:
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, our holy and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filthiness, and save us, Good, our souls.
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. (Thrice)
Glory to this day:
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.
Tropari
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Bewildered by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sins: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if we are well-behaved, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, may we not perish, but may we be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Prayer 1, St. Macarius the Great, to God the Father
Eternal God and King of every creature, who has made me worthy even at this hour, forgive me the sins I have committed on this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, the humble my soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, in the night of this dream to pass away in peace, so that, having risen from my humble bed, I may please Your most holy name, all the days of my life, and overcome the enemies who fight me carnal and incorporeal. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 2, Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ
To the Almighty, the Word of the Father, who is perfect himself, Jesus Christ, for the sake of Your mercy, never leave me, Your servant, but always rest in me. Jesus, good Shepherd of Your sheep, do not betray me to the sedition of the serpent, and do not leave me to the desire of Satan, for the seed of aphids is in me. You, O Lord God, worship the Holy King, Jesus Christ, by sleeping me with unflickering light, by Your Holy Spirit, in Whom You sanctified Your disciples. Grant, Lord, to me, Thy unworthy servant, too, Thy salvation on my bed: enlighten my mind with the light of the mind of Thy Holy Gospel, my soul with the love of Thy Cross, my heart with the purity of Thy word, preserve my body with Thy passionless passion, preserve my thought with Thy humility, and raise me up in time like unto Thy praise. For thou art glorified with Thy Eternal Father and with the Most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Prayer 3, to the Holy Spirit
Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, have mercy and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant, and forgive me the unworthy, and forgive all that You have sinned today. a man, moreover, not like a man, but also more woeful than cattle, my sins, voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown: those that are evil from youth and science, and those that are from insolence and despondency.
If I swear by Your name, or blaspheme in my thoughts; or reproach someone; or slandered someone with my anger, or made me sad, or got angry about something; either he lied, or he slept in vain, or he came to me as a beggar and despised him; or I made my brother sad, or I got married, or I condemned someone; or became proud, or became proud, or became angry; or I stand in prayer, my mind is moved by the wickedness of this world, or the corruption of my thoughts; or got too drunk, or got drunk, or laughed madly; either I had evil thoughts, or I saw someone else’s kindness, and my heart was wounded by it; or dissimilar to the verbs, or they laughed at my brother’s sin, but mine is a countless sin; Or I didn’t remember about prayer, or I don’t remember what other evil things I did, because I did everything and more than these.
Have mercy on me, my Creator Master, Thy sad and unworthy servant, and leave me, and let me go, and forgive me, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind, so that I may lie down in peace, sleep and rest, prodigal, sinner and accursed one, I will worship, and sing, and glorify Your most honorable name, with the Father and His Only Begotten Son, now and ever and unto the ages. Amen.
Prayer 4, Saint Macarius the Great
What will I bring to You, or what will I repay to You, the great-gifted Immortal King, the generous and humane-loving Lord, as I was lazy to please You, and having created nothing good, I brought Are you at the end of this past day, the conversion and salvation of my soul? Be merciful to me, a sinner and naked of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul, defiled in immeasurable sins, and take away from me all the evil thoughts of this. lives. Forgive my sins, O One Sinless One, even those who have sinned this day, in knowledge and ignorance, in word, and deed, and thought, and with all my feelings. You Yourself, covering me, save me from every opposing situation with Your Divine power, and ineffable love for mankind, and strength. Cleanse, O God, cleanse the multitude of my sins.
Deign, Lord, to deliver me from the snare of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and let me be overshadowed by the light of Your countenance, when You come in glory, and not condemned now by sleep Make me fall asleep, and without dreaming, and keep the thoughts of Your servant undisturbed, and drive away all the work of Satan from me, and enlighten the intelligent eyes of my heart, so that I may not fall asleep into death. And send me an Angel of peace, guardian and mentor of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies; May I rise from my bed and offer you prayers of thanksgiving. Yes, Lord, hear me, your sinful and wretched servant, with your will and conscience; Grant that I have risen to learn from Your words, and the despondency of demons will be driven away from me, and be created by Your Angels; May I bless Your holy name, and glorify, and glorify the Most Pure Mother of God Mary, who You have given us sinners to intercede, and accept Her who prays for us; We know that Your love for mankind imitates, and those who pray do not cease.
By intercession, and the sign of the Honorable Cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, preserve my poor soul, Jesus Christ our God, for Thou art holy, and glorified unto the ages. Amen.
Prayer 5
Lord our God, even if I have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep. Thy guardian angel was sent, covering and keeping me from all evil, for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 6
Lord our God, in God of faith, and we call on His name above every name, grant us, as we go to sleep, weakened soul and body, and keep us from all dreams and dark sweets except; stop the desire of passions, extinguish the kindling of bodily rebellion. Grant us to live chastely in deeds and words; Yes, a virtuous life is receptive, your promised good things will not fall away, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
(24 prayers, according to the number of hours of the day and night)
Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly blessings.
Lord, deliver me from eternal torment.
Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or in thought, in word or in deed, forgive me.
Lord, deliver me from all ignorance and oblivion, and cowardice, and petrified insensibility.
Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
Lord, enlighten my heart, even if it darkens evil lust.
Lord, as man has sinned, You, as a generous God, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.
Lord, send Your grace to help me, so that I may glorify Your holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ, write the name of your servant in the book of living creatures and grant me a good end.
Lord, my God, even if I have done nothing good before You, let me, by Your grace, make a good beginning.
Lord, sprinkle the dew of Your grace into my heart.
Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, cold and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.
Lord, accept me in repentance.
Lord, don’t leave me.
Lord, don’t lead me into trouble.
Lord, give me a good thought.
Lord, give me tears and mortal memory and tenderness.
Lord, give me the thought of confessing my sins.
Lord, give me humility, chastity and obedience.
Lord, give me patience, generosity and meekness.
Lord, plant in me the root of good things, Thy fear in my heart.
Lord, grant me to love You with all my soul and thoughts and to do Your will in everything.
Lord, protect me from some people, and demons, and passions, and from all other inappropriate things.
Lord, weigh that you do as you will, that your will be done even in me, a sinner, for blessed are you forever. Amen.
Prayer 8, to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Thy most honorable Mother, and Thy incorporeal Angels, Thy Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, and God-speaking Apostles, bright and virtuous martyr, holy and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints, through the prayers, deliver me from the present demonic situation. Yes, my Lord and Creator, do not want the sinner to die, but as he turned and lived, grant me conversion too, the accursed and unworthy; take me away from the mouth of the destructive serpent, who yawns to devour me and bring me to hell alive. Here, my Lord, is my consolation, Who for the sake of the accursed one is clothed in corruptible flesh, pluck me from accursedness, and give consolation to my accursed soul. Plant in my heart to do Thy commandments, and forsake evil deeds, and receive Thy blessedness: in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, save me.
Prayer 9, to the Most Holy Theotokos, Peter of Studium
To Thee, Most Pure Mother of God, I fall down and wretchedly pray: Weigh, O Queen, for I continually sin and anger Thy Son and my God, and many times I repent, lie before I am found by God, and I repent in trembling: will the Lord strike me, and hour by hour I do the same again; these leaders, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, I pray, have mercy, strengthen, and grant me good deeds. Believe me, my Lady Theotokos, as I hate my evil deeds, and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God; But we don’t know, Most Pure Lady, why even though I hate, I also love, but I transgress what is good.
Do not, O Most Pure One, allow my will to be done, for it is not pleasing, but let the will of Your Son and my God be done: may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, that I may be from here ceased from filthiness, and so on lived in the commandment of Your Son, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, with His Father who is without beginning, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving One By the Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 10, to the Most Holy Theotokos
Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Your Son and our God on my passionate soul and guide me through Your prayers good deeds, so that I may pass the rest of my life without blemish and through You I will find heaven, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure and Blessed One.
Prayer 11, to the holy Guardian Angel
To the Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and patron of my soul and body, forgive me in every way I have sinned this day, and deliver me from all the wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, and in no way By sin I anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.
Kontakion to the Mother of God
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 Ti; Rejoice, Unbridled Bride.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.
Mother of God Virgin, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
Prayer of Saint Ioannikios
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
It is worthy to eat as the truly blessed 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 God the Word without corruption.
Glory, and now: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John of Damascus
Master, Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed, or will you still enlighten my damned soul during the day? For seven the grave lies ahead, for seven death awaits. I fear Your judgment, Lord, and endless torment, but I do not stop doing evil: I always anger Your Lord my God, and Your Most Pure Mother, and all the heavenly powers, and my holy guardian angel. We know, Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind, but I am worthy of all condemnation and torment. But, Lord, either I want it or I don’t want it, save me. If you save the righteous, nothing great; and even if You have pure mercy, nothing is marvelous: for you are worthy of Your mercy. But on me, a sinner, surprise Thy mercy: for this show Thy love for mankind, so that my malice may not overcome Thy ineffable goodness and mercy: and as You will, arrange a thing for me.
Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, lest I fall asleep into death, lest my enemy say: I have strengthened myself against him.
Glory: O God, protector of my soul, as I walk in the midst of many networks; deliver me from them and save me, O Blessed One, as the Lover of Mankind.
And now: Let us ceaselessly sing with our hearts and lips the Glorious Mother of God and the Most Holy Angel of all saints, confessing to this Mother of God that she truly gave birth to God incarnate, and praying unceasingly for our souls.
Mark yourself with a cross and say a prayer to the Honorable Cross:
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear; As wax melts in the presence of fire, so let demons perish on behalf of those who love God and sign themselves with the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our drunken Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away everyone adversary. Oh, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Or briefly:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.
Prayer
Ease, forgive, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and not in knowledge, even in days and in nights, even in mind and in thought: all Forgive us, for you are Good and Lover of Mankind.
Prayer
Forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord, the Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do charity. Grant to our brothers and relatives the same petitions for salvation and eternal life. Visit those who are infirm and grant healing. Manage the sea too. For those who travel, travel. Contribute to the Orthodox Christians. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and have mercy on us. Have mercy on those who commanded us unworthy to pray for them according to the greatness of Your mercy. Remember, Lord, first of all our fathers and brothers who have fallen asleep and give them rest, where the light of Your countenance shines. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers and deliver me from every situation. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and give them also petitions for salvation and eternal life.
Remember, Lord, us, humble and sinful and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy understanding, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of the Most Pure Lady Our Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary and all Your saints: for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Everyday confession of sins
I confess to You, my Lord God and Creator, in the One Holy Trinity, glorified and worshiped, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins, which I have committed all the days of my life, and at every hour, and at the present time, and in previous days and nights, by deed, word, thought, overeating, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talk, despondency, laziness, discord, disobedience, slander, condemnation, negligence, pride, covetousness, theft, unspeaking, foul profit, money-grabbing, jealousy, envy, anger, resentment, hatred, covetousness and with all my senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and my other sins, spiritual and physical, in the name of You, my God and Creator of wrath, and neighbor my untruthful widows: regretting these, I present my guilt to You, my God, and I have the will to repent: then, Lord my God, help me, with tears I humbly pray to You: the one who has passed By Thy mercy forgive me my sins, and forgive me from all these things that I have said before You, as You are Good and Lover of Mankind.
When you go to bed, say:
In Your hand, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: You bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.
Song 1
Irmos: As Israel walked on the dry land, with footsteps in the abyss, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing a song of victory to God, crying out.
Lord Jesus Christ
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Now I, a sinner and burdened, have come to You, my Master and God; I don’t dare look at the sky, I just pray with the verb: give me, Lord, mind, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Oh, woe to me, a sinner! I am more damned than all other people; there is no repentance in me; Give me, Lord, tears, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Foolishly, wretched man, you waste time in laziness; think about your life, and turn to the Lord God, and weep bitterly for your affairs.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Most Pure Mother of God, look at me, a sinner, and deliver me from the snare of the devil, and guide me on the path of repentance, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Holy Mother of God
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We suffer from many misfortunes, I resort to You, seeking salvation: Oh, Mother of the Word and the Virgin, save me from heavy and cruel ones.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Passions confuse me, and many despondencies fill my soul; die, O Young Lady, with the silence of the Son and Thy God, O All-Immaculate One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Who gave birth to You and God, I pray, Virgin, to be delivered from the cruel ones: for now, running to You, I extend both my soul and my thoughts.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Sick in body and soul, visits from the Divine and provision from You, the only God of God, as the Good Mother of the Good.
Guardian Angel
Lord Jesus Christ, my God, have mercy on me.
Sing a song and praise, O Savior, Your servant is worthy of the likeness of the disembodied Angel, my mentor and Guardian.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Only I now lie in foolishness and laziness, my mentor and Guardian, do not leave me, perishing.
Glory: Direct my mind with your prayer, do God’s commandments, so that I may receive remission of sins from God, and teach me to hate the evil ones, I pray to you.
And now: Pray, O Maiden, for me, Thy servant, to the Benefactor, with my guardian Angel, and instruct me to do the commandments of Thy Son and my Creator.
Song 3
Irmos: There is nothing holy like You, O Lord my God, Who has lifted up the horn of Your faithful, O Good One, and established us on the rock of Your confession.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Someday thrones will be established at the Last Judgment, then the deeds of all people will be exposed; woe will be the sinner who is sent to torment; and then you know, my soul, repent of your evil deeds.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
The righteous will rejoice, and the sinners will weep, then no one will be able to help us, but our deeds will condemn us; Moreover, before the end, repent of your evil deeds.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Woe to me, the great sinner, who have been defiled by deeds and thoughts, and have not a drop of tears from hard-heartedness; now arise from the earth, my soul, and repent from your evil deeds.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Behold, O Lord, Thy Son calls us, and teaches us to do good, but I, a sinner, always run from goodness; but You, O Merciful One, have mercy on me, so that I may repent of my evil deeds.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I entrust the representation and cover of my life to Thee, the Virgin Mother of God: You feed me to Thy refuge, You are guilty of good things; true statement, the All-Singing One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I pray, Virgin, to destroy my spiritual confusion and sorrows in the storm: for you, O Blessed One of God, gave birth to the ruler of the silence of Christ, the only Most Pure One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having given birth to the good of the guilty, the benefactor has given birth to wealth to everyone, for all you can, as you have given birth to the mighty one in the fortress of Christ, O blessed One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Help me with fierce ailments and painful passions, O Virgin, for I know your inexhaustible treasure, Most Immaculate, Inexhaustible.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
I place all my thoughts and my soul towards you, my guardian; Deliver me from every misfortune of the enemy.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
The enemy tramples me, and embitters me, and teaches me to always do my own desires; but you, my mentor, do not leave me perishing.
Glory: Let me sing a song with gratitude and zeal to the Creator and God, and to you, my good Guardian Angel: my deliverer, rescue me from the enemies who embitter me.
And now: Heal, O Most Pure One, my much-worn scabs, even in my soul, the enemies who constantly fight with me.
Lord, have mercy. (Three times).
Sedalen
I think about the terrible day and weep for the deeds of my evil ones: how will I answer the Immortal King, or with what boldness will I look at the Judge, you prodigal one? Gracious Father, Only Begotten Son and Holy Soul, have mercy on me.
Glory: From the love of my soul I cry out to you, the guardian of my soul, my all-holy Angel: cover me and keep me from the evil trap always, and guide me to life in heaven, admonishing and enlightening and strengthening me.
And now: To the Mother of God, Blessed, Most Pure, Who without seed gave birth to all the Lord, Pray to Him with my Guardian Angel, to rid me of all bewilderment, and to give tenderness and light to my soul and sin is cleansed, even though one quickly intercedes.
Song 4
Irmos: Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the Honest Church sings divinely, crying out from a pure meaning, celebrating the Lord.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
The path here is wide and pleasing to create sweets, but it will be bitter on the last day, when the soul will be separated from the body: beware of these, men, of the Kingdom for the sake of God.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why do you offend the poor, withhold bribes from a mercenary, dislike your brother, persecute fornication and pride? Forsake this, my soul, and repent of the Kingdom for the sake of God.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
O foolish man, how long will you scrabble like a bee, collecting your wealth? Soon he will perish like dust and ashes: but seek more the Kingdom of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen me in virtue, and keep me, so that insolent death does not snatch me away unprepared, and bring me, O Virgin, to the Kingdom of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The confusion of my passions, the helmsman who gave birth to the Lord, and the storm that calmed my sins, O Bride of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I call upon the abyss of Thy mercy to wait for me, Who gave birth to the Blessed One and the Savior of all who sing Thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Enjoying, O Most Pure One, Your gifts, we sing songs of thanksgiving, Our Lady leading You.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
On the bed of my illness and infirmity I am cast down, as God-loving, help, O Theotokos, the only Ever-Virgin.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We give hope and affirmation and salvation to the immovable wall of You, the All-Singing One, from every inconvenience we get rid of.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Pray to God, the Lover of Mankind, my guardian, and do not forsake me, but keep my life everlasting in the world and grant me irresistible salvation.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
As the intercessor and guardian of my life, you are received from God, Angel, I pray, holy one, to free me from all troubles.
Glory: Cleanse my filthiness with your holiness, my Guardian, and may I be excommunicated from a part of Shuiya by your prayers and become a partaker of glory.
And now: I am bewildered by the evils that have befallen me, O Most Pure One, but deliver me from them quickly: for I alone have come to You.
Song 5
Irmos: By Thy God's light, O Blessed One, illumine Thy souls with love, I pray, Lead Thee, the Word of God, the true God, from the darkness of sin, crying out.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Remember, accursed man, how you were enslaved by lies, slander, robbery, infirmity, by a fierce beast for the sake of sins; My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
They tremble with me, for I have caused guilt to all: I have seen with my eyes, I have heard with my ears, I have spoken with an evil tongue, I have betrayed everything to myself to hell; My sinful soul, is this what you desire?
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
You have received the fornicator and the repentant thief, O Savior, but I am the only one burdened with sinful laziness and enslaved to evil deeds, my sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Wonderful and quick helper to all people, Mother of God, help me, unworthy, for my sinful soul desires it.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill, O Pure One, my heart with joy, Your incorruptible joy that gives birth to the joy of the Guilty One.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Deliver us from troubles, O Pure Mother of God, having given birth to eternal deliverance and peace that prevails over all minds.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Resolve the darkness of my sins, Bride of God, with the enlightenment of Your Serene Highness, Who gave birth to the Divine and Eternal Light.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Heal, O Pure One, the infirmity of my soul, make Thy visits worthy, and grant me health with Thy prayers.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
As if I had boldness towards God, my holy guardian, I begged Him to deliver me from the evils that offend me.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
O bright light, brightly enlighten my soul, my mentor and guardian, given to me by Angela from God.
Glory: Sleeping me with the evil burden of sin, keep me vigilant, Angel of God, and raise me up for praise through your prayer.
And now: Mary, Lady of the Blessed Mother of God, the hope of the faithful, lay down the offerings of the enemy, and those who sing make you glad.
Song 6
Irmos: The sea of life, raised up in vain by misfortunes and storms, has flowed to Your quiet refuge, crying out to You: lift up my life from aphids, O Most Merciful One.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Having lived fornication on earth and given my soul into darkness, now I pray to You, Gracious Master: free me from the work of sowing the enemy, and give me the mind to do Your will.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Who creates things like I do? Just as a pig lies in the dung, so I serve sin. But You, Lord, pluck me from this vileness and give me the heart to do Your commandments.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Arise, damned man, to God, remembering your sins, falling to the Creator, crying and groaning; He, who is merciful, will give you the mind to know His will.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Mother of God Virgin, save me from visible and invisible evil, Most Pure One, and accept my prayers, and I will convey them to Your Son, that He may give me the mind to do His will.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As He saved death and aphids, He Himself gave away death, corruption and death my former nature, Virgin, pray to the Lord and Thy Son, to deliver me from the enemies of crime.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I am your representative and steadfast guardian, O Virgin, and I will solve rumors of adversity and drive away taxes from demons; and I always pray to deliver me from the corruption of my passions.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Like a wall of refuge for money-grubbers, and all-perfect salvation for souls, and space in sorrow, O Young Lady, and through Thy enlightenment we always rejoice: O Lady, save us even now from passions and troubles.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
On my bed now I lie infirm, and there is no healing for my flesh: but, having given birth to the God and Savior of the world and the Deliverer of ailments, I pray to You, O Good One: raise me from aphids and ailments.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Free me from all misfortunes, and save me from sorrows, I pray to you, Holy Angel, given to me by God, my good guardian.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Sanctify my mind, O blessed one, and enlighten me, I pray to you, Holy Angel, and always instruct me to think usefully.
Glory: Tire my heart from the present rebellion, and be vigilant, strengthen me in good things, my guardian, and guide me wonderfully to the silence of the living.
And now: The Word of God dwells in Thee, Mother of God, and man shows Thee the heavenly ladder; Because of you, the Most High came down to us to eat.
Kontakion:
My soul, why are you rich in sins, why do you do the will of the devil, why do you put your hope in? Stop from these things and turn to God weeping, calling: Merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Kontakion to the Guardian Angel:
Appear to me, merciful, holy Angel of the Lord, my guardian, and do not separate from me, the filthy one, but enlighten me with untouchable light and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ikos:
My humiliated soul is tempted by many, you, holy representative of the ineffable glory of heaven, and singer from the face of the disembodied powers of God, have mercy on me and preserve my thoughts Enlighten my soul with good things, so that with your glory, my angel, I may be enriched, and overthrow my evil-minded enemies, and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Song 7
Irmos: The angel made the furnace like a venerable youth, and the Chaldeans, the scorching command of God, admonished the tormentor to cry out: Blessed are you, God our father.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Do not trust, my soul, in corruptible wealth and in unrighteous gatherings, for do not leave all this to anyone, but cry out: have mercy on me, O Christ God, who is unworthy.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Do not trust, my soul, in bodily health and fleeting beauty, for you see how the strong and the young die; but cry: have mercy on me, O Christ God, who is unworthy.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Remember, my soul, Eternal Life, the Kingdom of Heaven, prepared for the saints, and the total darkness and the wrath of God for the wicked, and cry: have mercy on me, O Christ God, who is unworthy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Come, my soul, to the Mother of God and pray to her, for she is a quick helper to the repentant, she will beg the Son of Christ God, and will have mercy on me, the unworthy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Our salvation, as you desired, O Lord, to arrange, you entered into the womb of the Virgin, and you showed the world a representative: our father, God, blessed are you.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Commander of mercy, Whom You gave birth to, O pure Mother, beg to be delivered from sins and spiritual defilements by faith, calling: Our Father God, blessed are You.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Treasure of Salvation and the Source of Incorruption, You Who Gave Birth, and the Pillar of Confirmation, and the Door of Repentance, You showed to those calling: Our Father, God, blessed are You.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Bodily weaknesses and mental ailments, Mother of God, through the love of those who approach Your blood, Virgin, heal the graces, Who gave birth to the Savior Christ for us.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Be merciful to me, and pray to God, O Lord Angel, for I have you as an intercessor in my whole life, a mentor and guardian, given to me by God forever.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Do not leave my accursed soul on its way to be killed by a robber, holy Angel, who was betrayed by God without blemish; but guide her on the path of repentance.
Glory: I bring all my disgraced soul away from my evil thoughts and deeds: but first, my mentor, grant me healing with good thoughts, so that I always deviate to the right path.
And now: Fill everyone with wisdom and Divine strength, Hypostatic Wisdom of the Most High, for the sake of the Mother of God, who cry out with faith: Our Father, God, blessed are you.
Song 8
Irmos: From the flames of the saints you poured out dew and you burned the righteous sacrifice with water: you did everything, O Christ, only as you wished. We exalt you to all ages.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why shouldn’t I cry when I think about death, when I see my brother lying in the grave, inglorious and ugly? What am I hoping for, and what am I hoping for? Just grant me, Lord, before the end, repentance. (Twice).
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
I believe that you will come to judge the living and the dead, and all will stand in their rank, old and young, rulers and princes, virgins and priestesses; where will I find myself? For this reason I cry: grant me, Lord, before the end, repentance.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Most Pure Mother of God, accept my unworthy prayer and save me from insolent death, and grant me repentance before the end.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not despise those who demand help from You, O Virgin, who sing and extol You forever.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You heal the infirmity of my soul and bodily illnesses, O Virgin, that I may glorify You, O Pure One, forever.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You pour out a wealth of healings to those who faithfully sing to Thee, O Virgin, and to those who extol Your ineffable Nativity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You drive away adversity and drive away passions, O Virgin: therefore we sing of You forever and ever.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Sent from God, strengthen the life of my servant, O most good Angel, and do not leave me forever.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
You are a good angel, my soul’s mentor and guardian, most blessed, I sing for ever.
Glory: May I protect and take away all men on the day of testing, since good and evil deeds are tempted by fire.
And now: Be my helper and silence, O Ever-Virgin Mother of God, Thy servant, and do not leave me deprived of Thy dominion.
Song 9
Irmos: It is impossible for man to see God; the officials of Angels do not dare to look at Worthiness; By You, O All-Pure One, the Word Incarnate, Who magnifies Him as a man, we please You with the heavenly howls.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Now I come running to you, Angels, Archangels and all the heavenly powers standing at the Throne of God, pray to Your Creator that He may deliver my soul from eternal torment.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Now I cry to you, holy patriarchs, kings and prophets, apostles and saints and all the chosen ones of Christ: help me at the Judgment, that He may save my soul from the power of the enemy.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Now I will lift up my hand to you, holy martyrs, hermits, virgins, righteous women and all the saints who pray to the Lord for the whole world, that he may have mercy on me at the hour of my death.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Mother of God, help him who trusts most strongly in You, beg Your Son to place me, unworthy, at His right hand, when the judge of the living and the dead sits. Amen.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You will not turn away my tears, Even though you have taken away every tear from every face, O Virgin who gave birth to Christ.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill my heart with joy, O Virgin, who accepts fulfillment and consumes sinful sadness.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Be a refuge and representation for those who come running to You, O Virgin, and an unbreakable wall, refuge and cover and joy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Illuminate the dawnings of Your light, O Virgin, driving away the darkness of ignorance, faithfully confessing Theotokos to You.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In the place of the bitterness of the infirmity of the humbled one, O Virgin, heal, transforming from ill health to health.
Lord Jesus Christ my God, have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, my only Savior, for you are merciful and merciful, and make me a partaker of righteous faces.
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
May the Lord grant us good and useful thoughts and creation, for He is strong in weakness and immaculate.
Glory: Because you have boldness towards the Heavenly King, pray to Him with the rest of the disembodied to have mercy on me, the accursed one.
And now: Having much boldness, O Virgin, to Him who became incarnate from You, turn me from my bonds and grant me permission and salvation through Your prayers.
Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
Master Christ God, who healed my passions with His passions and healed my ulcers with His wounds, grant me, who have sinned much against You, tears of compunction; dissolve my body from the smell of Your Life-Giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, from which the enemy gave me a drink; lift up my mind to You, which has fallen to the ground, and lift me up from the abyss of destruction: for there is no repentance, no compunction, no comforting tears that lead a child to his own. heritage. My mind has been darkened by worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even with love for You. But, Lord Jesus Christ, treasury of good things, grant me complete repentance and a laborious heart to seek Yours, grant me Your grace and renew in me the eyes of Your image.
Leave you, don’t leave me; come to seek me, lead me to Your pasture and number me among the sheep of Your chosen flock, raise me with them from the grain of Your Divine Sacraments, through the prayers of the Most Pure One Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen.
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Blessings to my Queen, My Hope to the Mother of God, Friend of the orphans and the strange to the Representative, the grieving to Joy, the offended to the Patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow, help me as I am weak, feed me as I am strange. Weigh my offense, resolve it, as if I were wrong: for I have no other help except You, no other Representative, no good Comforter, only You, O Mother of God; May you preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel
Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, given to me for the preservation of my soul and body, a sinner from holy baptism, and through my laziness and my own By evil custom, I angered your most pure lordship and drove you away from me with all the evil deeds: lies, slander, envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, brotherly hatred, and resentment, love of money, adultery, rage, stinginess, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, excessive talking, evil thoughts and craftiness, proud custom and lustful rage, self-lust for all carnal lust. Oh, my evil will, even the beasts do not do it without words! How can you look at me, or approach me like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, O angel of Christ, look upon me, entangled in evil in vile affairs? How can I ask for forgiveness for my bitter and evil and evil deeds, in which I fall all day and night and at every hour?
But I pray to you, my holy guardian, to have mercy on the flesh of your sinful and unworthy servant (name), be my helper and intercessor against the evil of my opponent, through your holy prayers, and make me a partaker of the Kingdom of God with all the saints, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
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. (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 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)
And psalms:
Psalm 22
The Lord feeds me and deprives me of nothing. In a green place, they settled me there, raised me in peace on the water. Convert my soul, guide me on the path of righteousness, for Your name’s sake. Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your club are the comfort of me. Thou hast prepared a table before me against those who were cold to me, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty power. And Your mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and will bring me into the house of the Lord for a long time.
Psalm 23
The earth is the Lord, and its fullness, the universe, and all who live on it. He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who will stand in the place of His saints? He is innocent in his hand and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear by his sincere flattery. This one will receive blessings from the Lord, and alms from God, his Savior. This is a race of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up the gates of your princes, and lift up the eternal gates; and the King of Glory will come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up the gates of your princes, and lift up the eternal gates, and the King of Glory will come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory.
Psalm 115
I believed, I also exclaimed, but I was greatly humbled. And I said in my frenzy: every man is a lie. What shall we repay to the Lord for all that I have repaid? I will accept the cup of salvation, and I will call on the name of the Lord, I will offer my prayers to the Lord before all His people. The death of His saints is honorable before the Lord. O Lord, I am Your servant, I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid; You have torn my bonds to pieces. I will devour a sacrifice of praise for you, and in the name of the Lord I will call. I will offer my prayers to the Lord before all His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of you, Jerusalem.
Glory, even now: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to You, God. (Three times with three bows).
Troparion, tone 8
Despise my iniquities, O Lord, be born of a virgin, and cleanse my heart, creating a church to Your most pure Body and Blood, below, cast me away from Your face, without number great mercy.
Glory: In the communion of Your holy things, how dare I [become], unworthy? Even if I dare to approach You with those who are worthy, the tunic convicts me, as if I have not carried the evening, and condemnation comes from my many-sinful soul. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now: Many of my many sins, Mother of God, have come to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God to give me abandonment, even of cruel deeds, is the Blessed One.
[On Holy Pentecost:
When the glory of the disciple is enlightened at the supper, then the wicked Judas becomes darkened by the love of money, and betrays the righteous Judge to You by the lawless judges. See, the zealot of wealth, who used strangulation for these sakes: flee the unsatiated soul, such a daring Teacher. O good Lord for all, glory to Thee.]
Psalm 50
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 bear away my sin against me. You alone have I sinned and done evil before You; for you may be justified in Your words, and be victorious at any time in judging Ty. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed Your unknown and secret wisdom to me. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; 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 the spirit of rights 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, 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 desired 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 your bullocks on the altar.
Canon, voice 2
Song 1
Irmos: Come, people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who parted the sea and taught the people, even from the work of the Egyptians, as if he were glorified.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
The bread of the eternal life may Thy Holy Body, most gracious to the Lord, be mine, and the Honest Blood, and the healing of manifold ailments.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
The accursed one has been defiled by unplaceable deeds, I am unworthy, O Christ, of Your Most Pure Body and Divine Blood, to receive communion, His blessing to me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Good Earth, blessed Bride of God, vegetated, untouched and saving class of the world, grant me this poison to be saved.
Song 3
Irmos: Having established me on the rock of faith, you have given permission to my mouth against my enemies. For my spirit is glad, always singing: none is holy like our God, and none is righteous more than Thee, O Lord.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Give me tears, O Christ, drops that cleanse the filthiness of my heart: because I have been cleansed by a good conscience, I come with faith and fear, O Master, to partake of the Divine Gifts Yours.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Let Thy Most Pure Body, and the Divine Blood, and the Holy Spirit be in my remission of sins, and into eternal life, Lover of mankind, and alienation from passions and sorrows.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: The Most Holy Bread of the living Table, for the sake of mercy from above, for the sake of what has come, and for the new life of the world who gives, and now give me the like of the unworthy, with fear of tasting this, and I will live.
Song 4
Irmos: You came from the Virgin, not an intercessor, nor an Angel, but the Lord Himself, incarnate, and you saved me as a man. To these I call Thee: glory to Thy power, Lord.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
For our sake, Thou hast wished to be incarnate, O Omni-merciful One, to be slain like a sheep, sin for the sake of men: I also pray to Thee and mine to cleanse my sins.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Heal my souls and ulcers, Lord, and sanctify everything: and grant, O Master, that I may partake of Your secret Divine Supper, O accursed one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Appease me also from Thy womb, O Lady, and keep me undefiled and undefiled by Thy servant, so that I may be sanctified by the reception of clever beads.
Song 5
Irmos: Light to the Giver and Creator of ages, Lord, instruct us in the light of Your commandments; Do we know no other God to You?
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
As you have prophesied, O Christ, that it would be for your wicked servant, and abide in me, as you have promised: behold, Your Body is Divine, and I drink Your Blood.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Word of God and God, may the coal of Your Body be for me darkened in enlightenment, and the cleansing of my defiled soul may Your Blood.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Mary, Mother of God, fragrance of the honest village, through Your prayers make me the chosen vessel, so that I may partake of Your Son in sanctifications.
Song 6
Irmos: Lying in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unsearchable abyss of Your mercy: lift me up from aphids, O God.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Sanctify my mind, soul and heart, O Savior, and my body, and grant me permission, without condemnation, O Master, to approach the terrible Mysteries.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
So that I would be removed from passions, and Your grace would be applied, and life affirmed, by the communion of the Saints, Christ, Your Mysteries.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: God, God, Holy Word, sanctify me entirely, now coming to Thy Divine Mysteries, Thy Holy Mother with prayers.
Kontakion, voice 2
Bread, O Christ, do not despise me, take Thy Body, and now Thy Divine Blood, most pure, O Lord, and partake of Thy terrible Mysteries. Let me not be in judgment, but let me be in an eternal and immortal life.
Song 7
Irmos: The wise children did not serve the golden body, and they themselves fell into the flames, and their gods cursed them, in the midst of the flames they cried out, and I irrigated the Angel: having already heard your lips prayer.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Source of good things, communion, O Christ, of Thy immortal Sacraments now, may there be light, and life, and dispassion for me, and for the success and increase of virtue, the most Divine intercessors, one and all Good, for I glorify Thee.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I get rid of passions, and enemies, and needs, and all sorrows, with trembling and love with reverence, Lover of mankind, approach now Your immortal and Divine Mysteries, and sing Blessed be you, O Lord, God of our father.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Who gave birth to the Savior Christ more than the mind, O God-gracious One, I pray to Thee now, Thy servant, the pure unclean one: who wish me now to approach the most pure Mysteries, cleanse all from filth flesh and spirit.
Song 8
Irmos: Into the fiery furnace of the Jewish youths who came down, and into the flame into the dew of the Lord, sing the works of the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Heavenly, and terrible, and Thy saints, Christ, now the Mysteries, and Thy Divine and Last Suppers are a fellow being and a blessing to me in despair, O God, my Savior.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
I have taken refuge under Your compassion, O Blessed One, with fear I call upon You: abide in me, O Savior, and I, as You said, in You; Behold, daring in Your mercy, I eat Your Body and drink Your Blood.
Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to You.
Trinity: I tremble, receiving fire, lest I be scorched like wax and like grass; Ole terrible sacrament! Ole of God's mercy! How do I partake of the Divine Body and Blood and become incorruptible?
Song 9
Irmos: Beginningless is the Parent, the Son, God and Lord, having become incarnate from the Virgin, appearing to us, darkened to enlighten, gathered scattered: thus we magnify the all-sung Mother of God.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Christ exists, taste and see: For our sake, the Lord, who was of old for us, brought Himself alone, as an offering to His Father, is ever tempered, sanctifying those taking communion.
Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be sanctified in soul and body, Master, may I be enlightened, may I be saved, may I be Your house through the communion of the Holy Mysteries, having You living in me with the Father and the Spirit, O Great Benefactor.
Give me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit.
Let me be like fire, and like light, Your Body and Blood, my most honorable Savior, scorching the sinful substance, burning thorns of passion, and enlightening me in all, worship Your Divinity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: God became incarnate from Your pure blood; Moreover, every race sings to Thee, the Lady, and the intelligent multitudes glorify, for through Thee they have seen the Ruler of all, who has come into existence by mankind.
It is worthy to eat... the Trisagion. The Most Holy Trinity... Our Father... Troparion of the day or holiday. If it is a week, the Sunday troparion according to the tone. If not, real troparia, tone 6:
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Bewildered by any answer, we offer this prayer to You, like the Master, sinners: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, in You we trust; Do not be angry with us today, remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if we are blessed, and deliver us from our enemies. For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call on Thy name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who hope in You, may we not perish, but may we be delivered from troubles by You: For You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord, have mercy. (40 times) And bows as much as you want.
And poems:
Although I am, O man, the Body of the Lord,
Approach with fear, so as not to get burned: there is fire.
Drinking the Divine Blood for communion,
First, reconcile those who have grieved you.
Also daring, mysterious food.
Before communion there are terrible sacrifices,
Lady of the Life-Giving Body,
Hereby pray with trembling:
Prayer 1, St. Basil the Great
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, all creatures, visible and invisible, to the Creator, the beginningless Father, co-existent with the Son and co-meaning, much for the sake of goodness in the last days, clothed yourself in flesh, and crucified, and buried for us, ungrateful and malicious, and with your blood renewing the corrupted Our nature is sin, O Immortal King Himself, accept my sinful repentance, and incline Your ear to me, and hear my words. For I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned in heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Your glory: for I have angered Your goodness, having transgressed Your commandments, and not having obeyed Your commands. But You, Lord, are gentle, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, and did not let me perish with my iniquities, waiting for my conversion in every possible way. For Thou art, O Lover of mankind, Thy prophet: for by will I do not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live.
You do not want, Master, to destroy your creation by hand, and you are pleased with the destruction of mankind, but you want to save everyone, and come to the understanding of the truth. Moreover, I am, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth, and have sowed temporary lives, having subjected myself to sin, and enslaved myself with sweets, and desecrated Your image; but Thy creation and creation have been, I do not despair of my salvation, the accursed one, but daring and coming to Your immeasurable compassion. Accept me too, O Lord who loves mankind, as a harlot, as a thief, as a publican and as a prodigal, and take away my heavy burden of sins, take away sin He heals the world and the infirmities of men, calls the toiling and burdened to Himself and gives them rest, not coming to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And cleanse me from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to perform holiness in Thy passion: for with the clear knowledge of my conscience, Thy holy things are part of Having received, I am united to Your holy Body and Blood, and I have You living and abiding in me, with the Father and Your Holy Spirit. Hey, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, and may the communion of your most pure and life-giving Mysteries not be a judgment upon me; let me be weak in soul and body, for that is unworthy therefore receive communion, but grant me, even until my final breath, to uncondemnably receive part of Your holy things, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the path of the eternal life, and in a favorable answer at Thy Last Judgment: for I, and I, with all Thy chosen ones, will share in Thy incorruptible blessings, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord, Herewith art thou glorified forever. Amen.
Prayer 2 of St. John Chrysostom
Lord my God, we know that I am not worthy, I am pleased below, and you will bring my soul under the roof of the church of my soul, for all is empty and fallen, and there is no place in me She is worthy even of bowing her head: but just as from on high you humbled yourself for our sake, humble yourself now to my humility; and as you received in the den and in the wordless manger of those who reclined, let us also take in the wordless manger my soul, and bring it into my defiled body. And just as you did not fail to listen and shine from the sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so deign to come into the house of my humble soul, lepers and sinners; and even though you did not reject a harlot and a sinner like me, who came and touched You, you were also compassionate about me, a sinner, who came and touched You; And just as you did not abhor the foul and unclean lips that kissed You, below mine, abhor the foul and unclean lips, below my vile and unclean walls, and my foul and unclean tongue.
But may the coal of Your Most Holy Body and Your honest Blood be for the sanctification and enlightenment and health of my humble soul and body, for the alleviation of the burdens of my many sins, in keeping from all the devil's actions, in driving away and forbidding my evil and evil custom, in mortifying passions, in supplying Your commandments, in the application of the Divine Your grace, and Your Kingdom's appropriation. I do not come to You despisingly, O Christ God, but because I am bold in Your ineffable goodness, and let me not withdraw from Your fellowship, I will be hunted down by the mental wolf.
Moreover, I pray to You: for you alone are Holy, Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, wombs and wombs, and renew me in all things, and instill fear Thine is in my lands, and Thy sanctification is inseparable from me; and be my helper and intercessor, nourishing my life in the world, making me worthy and at Your right hand to stand with Your saints, through the prayers and supplications of Your Most Pure One Mother, Your immaterial servants and most pure powers, and all the saints who have pleased You from time immemorial. Amen
Prayer 3, Saint Simeon Metaphrastus
O Lord alone, pure and incorruptible, for the ineffable mercy of our love for mankind, we have received all the mixture, from pure and virgin blood, more than the nature that gave birth to Thee, the Divine Spirit by the invasion and favor of the ever-present Father, Christ Jesus, the wisdom of God, and peace, and power; By your perception of life-giving and saving suffering perceived, cross, nails, spear, death, put to death my soul-destroying bodily passions. By Your burial, O captive kingdom of hell, bury my good thoughts, evil counsels, and destroy the wicked spirits. By Thy three-day and life-giving resurrection of the fallen forefather, raise up me by the sin that has crawled, offering me images of repentance. Through Your glorious ascension, the carnal perception of God, and through the graying of the Father’s gums, grant me, through the communion of Your holy Mysteries, to receive a portion of those saved.
Through the revelation of Your Comforter Spirit, the holy vessels of Your disciples have been made, friend and show me that coming. Although you come again to judge the universal truth, deign me also to place You on the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Your saints: may I endlessly glorify and glorify You, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 4, St. John of Damascus
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone has the power to forgive man’s sins, for he is good and the Lover of mankind, despise all sins in knowledge and in ignorance, and Grant me to uncondemnably partake of Your Divine, and glorious, and most pure, and life-giving Mysteries, not into burden, nor into torment, nor into the addition of sins, but for cleansing, and sanctification, and the betrothal of the future life and the kingdom, for the wall and help, and for the objection of those who oppose, for the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy, and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we ascribe glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. Basil the Great
We know, Lord, that I am unworthy to partake of Your most pure Body and Your honorable Blood, and I am guilty, and I judge myself to eat and drink, without discussing the Body and Blood of Christ and You. My God, but in Thy bounty I boldly come to Thee, who said: Eat My flesh, and drink My blood, abides in Me, and I am in him. Be merciful, O Lord, and do not expose me as a sinner, but deal with me according to Your mercy; and may this holy light be unto me for healing, and purification, and enlightenment, and preservation, and salvation, and for the sanctification of soul and body; to drive away every dream, and evil deed, and the work of the devil, acting mentally in my lands, into boldness and love, even towards You; for the correction of life and affirmation, for the restoration of virtue and perfection; in fulfillment of the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the direction of the eternal life, in response to Thy Last Judgment: not into judgment or condemnation.
Prayer 6, Saint Simeon the New Theologian
From unclean lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a soul defiled, accept prayer, my Christ, and do not despise my words, below images, below lack of understanding. Let me boldly say what I want, my Christ, and teach me what it is right for me to do and say. Having sinned more than the harlot, even though I knew where you were, having bought the ointment, I came boldly to anoint Your nose, my God, my Master and Christ. Even though he did not reject you who came from your heart, abhor me below, the Word: Thy give to my nose, and hold and kiss, and with streams of tears, as if they are so valuable with peace, boldly anoint this. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, the Word. Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness. Weigh many evils, weigh my scabs and see my wounds, but also weigh my faith, see my will, and hear my groaning. It is not hidden to You, my God, my Creator, my Savior, below is a drop of tears, below the drop is a certain part.
Thy eyes have seen my undone work, and in Thy book the essence of what has not yet been done is written to You. See my humility, see my labor, and forgive me all my sins, O God of all: let a pure heart, a reverent thought, and a contrite soul, Thy undefiled I will partake of the Most Holy Mysteries, in which everyone who eats and drinks with a pure heart is revived and adored; For you have said, my Lord: whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, he abides in Me, and in Him I am. Truly is the word of all my Lord and God: partake of the divine and adoring graces, not because I am one, but with You, my Christ, the Trisunlar Light, enlightening the world. May I not abide alone except You, the Giver of Life, my breath, my belly, my joy, the salvation of the world.
For this reason, I come to You, as I have seen, with tears, and with a contrite soul, I ask you to accept the deliverance of my sins, and to partake of Your life-giving and immaculate Sacraments without condemnation, may you abide, as you did, with me, the three-repentant: may I not find Thy grace, may the deceiver delight me more flatteringly, and deceivingly lead away those who idolize Your words. For this reason I fall down to You and cry out to You warmly: just as You received the prodigal and the harlot who came, so receive the meat of the prodigal and the filthy, Generous. With a contrite soul, now coming to You, O Savior, as another, like I, do not sin against You, below the deeds I committed.
But we know this again, because it is not the greatness of sins, nor the multitude of sins that exceeds my God’s long-suffering, and extreme love for mankind; but with the mercy of warmly repentant compassion, and cleanses, and brightens, and creates light, the participants, the commoners of Your Divinity, do unenviously, and strange things both with Angels and with humans We think and talk to them many times, as if we were Your true friend. This is the boldness they create for me, this is the one who trusts me, my Christ. And daring in Thy rich kindness to us, rejoicing and trembling together, the grass partakes of the fire, and, strangely, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old not burning. Now with a grateful thought, with a grateful heart, with grateful hands, my soul and my body, I worship and magnify and praise Thee, my God, for blessed is the being, now and forever.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
God, weaken, forgive, forgive me my sins, if you have sinned, whether in word, whether in deed, whether in thought, willfully or unwillingly, by reason or foolishness, all Forgive me, as I am good and a lover of mankind, and through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, Your wise servants and holy powers, and all the saints from the ages who have pleased You, without condemnation deign to accept Your holy and most pure Body and honorable Blood for the healing of soul and body, and for the cleansing of my evil thoughts. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
His same, 8th
I am not pleased, Master Lord, may you come under the roof of my soul; but even though You, as the Lover of Mankind, want to live in me, I dare to approach; You command that I open the doors that You alone created, and come in with love for mankind, as you do, come into and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that you did this: you did not drive away the harlot who came to You with tears; below the publican you rejected you, having repented; below the thief, having known Thy Kingdom, Thou didst drive away; Below the persecutor, you left the repentant, who was born: but from repentance you who came to you, in the person of your friends, you made all your friends, the only blessed son is always, now and forever eyelids. Amen.
His same, 9th
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forgive, cleanse and forgive me, a sinner, and an unworthy, and unworthy servant of Thy, my trespasses, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, O Lord Ti. from my youth, even to this day and hour, I have sinned: both in reason and in foolishness, and in words or deeds, or thoughts and thoughts, and undertakings, and all my feelings.
And through the prayers of thee, the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, without seed, who gave birth to the only unshameful hope and intercession and salvation of my life, grant me uncondemned to partake of Your most pure, immortal, life-giving and terrible Mysteries, for the remission of sins and eternal life: for sanctification, and enlightenment, strength, healing, and health of the soul and body, and for the consumption and complete destruction of my evil thoughts, and thoughts, and enterprises, and nightly dreams, dark and crafty spirits; For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, and the honor, and the worship, with the Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 10, St. John of Damascus
I stand before the doors of Your church, and I do not retreat from evil thoughts; but You, Christ God, justified the publican, and had mercy on the Canaanites, and opened the doors of paradise to the thief, open for me the womb of Your love for mankind and receive me coming and touching You, like a harlot and one who has a problem with blood, have touched the hem of Your robe and received healing, and have held Your most pure souls and received the remission of sins. But I, the accursed one, dare to perceive Your entire Body, so that I will not be scorched; but accept me as they do, and enlighten my spiritual feelings, burning away my sinful guilt, with the prayers of the seedless One who gave birth to You, and the Heavenly powers; for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
I believe, Lord, and I confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, from whom I am the first. I also believe that this is Your most pure Body, and this is Your most honest Blood. I pray to You: have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance, and grant me uncondemned partake of Your most pure Sacraments, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.
When you come to receive communion, mentally recite these verses of Metaphrast:
I now begin Divine Communion.
Creator, do not scorch me with communion:
For you are fire, unworthy to burn.
But cleanse me from all filth.
Then:
Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, receive me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies a secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.
And poems:
It is in vain to be horrified by the idolizing Blood:
There is fire, unworthy to burn.
The Divine Body both adores and nourishes me:
He loves the spirit, but he feeds the mind strangely.
Then the troparia:
You have sweetened me with love, O Christ, and you have changed me with Your Divine care; but my sins fell into immaterial fire, and I may be satisfied with the pleasures of You: let me exultingly magnify, O Blessed One, Your two comings.
In the light of Thy Saints, how is there an unworthy one? If I dare to go into the chamber, my clothes will convict me, as if I am not married, and I will be bound and cast out from the angels. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
Also prayer:
Master, Lover of Mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, let this Holy One not come into judgment for me, for I am unworthy to be: but for the purification and sanctification of the soul and body, and betrothal to the future life and kingdom. It is good for me, even if I cleave to God, to place the hope of my salvation in the Lord.
And one more thing:
Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, receive me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies a secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.
Glory to You, God. Glory to You, God. Glory to You, God.
Thanksgiving Prayer, 1st
I thank You, Lord, my God, for You did not reject me as a sinner, but You made Me a fellow-companion to be Your holy things. I thank You, for You have vouchsafed me, unworthy, to partake of Your Most Pure and Heavenly Gifts.
But the Lord, the Lover of Mankind, for our sake died and rose again, and gave us this terrible and life-giving Sacrament for the benefit and sanctification of our souls and bodies, so that we may be for the healing of my soul and body, for the driving away of everyone who is opposed, for the enlightenment of the eyes of my heart, for the peace of my spiritual strength, for faith that is not shameful, for love that is not hypocritical, for the fulfillment of wisdom, in keeping Your commandments, in the application of Your Divine grace and the appropriation of Your Kingdom; Yes, in Thy holiness we preserve them, I always remember Your grace, and I live not for myself, but for You, our Lord and Benefactor; and so from this life I have come from the hope of the eternal life, in the everlasting peace I will achieve, where those who celebrate the unceasing voice and endless sweetness, who behold the kindness of Your face indescribable. For You are the true desire and the inexpressible joy of those who love You, Christ our God, and all creation sings to You forever. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Basil the Great, 2nd
Master Christ God, King of the ages, and Creator of all, I thank Thee for all the good things He has given me, and for the communion of Thy most pure and life-giving Sacraments. I pray to You, the Kinder and the Lover of Mankind: keep me under Your roof, and in the shadow of Your wing; and grant me, with a clear conscience, even until my last breath, to partake worthily of Your holy things, for the remission of sins and unto eternal life. For You are the living bread, the source of holiness, the Giver of good things, and to You we send glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Simeon Metaphrastus, 3rd
You have given me Thy flesh to eat by your will, O fire and scorch of the unworthy, do not scorch me, my Creator; rather, go into my heart, into all my parts, into my womb, into my heart. The thorns of all my sins fell. Cleanse your soul, sanctify your thoughts. Confirm the compositions with the bones together. Enlighten the simple five of your feelings. Just nail me to Your fear. Cover me always, keep me, and keep me from every deed and word that is suffocating. Cleanse and wash and adorn me; Fertilize, enlighten, and enlighten me. Show me Your village of the one Spirit, and not to anyone the village of sin. Yes, like Your house, the entrance of communion, like fire, every evildoer, every passion flees from me. I offer prayer books to You, all the saints, the orders of the bodiless, Your Forerunner, the wise Apostles, and to these Your undefiled, pure Mother, and also prayers to the Compassionate One Accept, my Christ, and make Your servant a son of light.
For you are our sanctification and our only, Good One, soul and lordship; and like unto You, as unto God and the Master, we ascribe all glory to you every day.
Prayer 4
May Thy Holy Body, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, be unto me for everlasting life, and Thy Honest Blood for the remission of sins: be this thanksgiving unto me joy, health and cheerfulness; At Thy terrible and second coming, grant me, a sinner, to be placed at the right hand of Thy glory, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all the saints.
Prayer 5, to the Most Holy Theotokos
Most Holy Lady Theotokos, light of my darkened soul, hope, protection, refuge, consolation, my joy, I thank You, for You have vouchsafed me unworthy, a participant in the being of the Most Pure Body and Honest Blood of Your Son. But She who gave birth to the true Light, enlighten my intelligent eyes of the heart; You who gave birth to the Source of immortality, revive me, deadened by sin; Even the merciful God, loving Mother, have mercy on me, and give me peace and contrition in my heart, and humility in my thoughts, and appeal in captivity my thoughts; and grant me, until my last breath, to uncondemnably receive sanctification of the most pure Mysteries for the healing of soul and body. And give me tears of repentance and confession, so that I may sing and praise Thee all the days of my life, for blessed and glorified are Thou forever. Amen.
Now let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word, in peace: for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a light in the revelation of nations and the glory of your people, Israel.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory, even now.
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, even now.
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.
Troparion to Saint John Chrysostom, tone 8
Your lips, like the brightness of fire, shining with grace, enlighten the universe: not the love of money and the treasures of the world, showing us the height of humility, but punishing with your words, father John Chrysostom, pray to the Word of Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 6
Glory: You have received Divine grace from heaven, and through your lips you teach us all to worship the one God in the Trinity, John Chrysostom, all-blessed, reverend, we worthy of praise you: you are a mentor, like a divine manifestation.
And now: The representation of Christians is unashamed, the intercession to the Creator is immutable, do not despise the voices of sinful prayers, but advance, as the Good One, to the aid of us, faithfully calling Ty: hasten to prayer, and strive for supplication, interceding everlastingly, the Mother of God, who honor Thee.
If the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great was celebrated, read the troparion to St. Basil the Great, tone 1:
Thy message went out into all the earth, because thou hast taught the people that have received thy word, thou hast clarified the nature of beings, thou hast adorned human customs, Royal consecration, Reverend Father, pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4
Glory: You have appeared as an unshakable foundation for the Church, giving to all inseparable dominion by man, sealing with your commands, the unappeared Reverend Basil.
And now: The representation of Christians is unashamed, the intercession to the Creator is immutable, do not despise the voices of sinful prayers, but advance, as the Good One, to the aid of us, faithfully calling Ty: hasten to prayer, and strive for supplication, interceding everlastingly, the Mother of God, who honor Thee.
If the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was celebrated, read the troparion to Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov, tone 4:
And from God above we have received Divine grace, O glorious Gregory, and by His strength we strengthen Him, You deigned to march in the Gospel, from whom Christ received the reward of labor Thou art all-blessed: pray unto Him that He may save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 3
Glory: The sub-chief seemed to you to be the shepherd of Christ, the monks of the succession, Father Gregory, instructing the flock of heaven, and from there you taught the flock of Christ His commandments: now you rejoice with them, and rejoice in the blood of heaven.
And now: Representation of Christians is unshameful, Intercession to the Creator is immutable, do not despise the voices of sinful prayers, but advance, like the Good One, to help us, faithfully calling Ty: hasten to prayer, and strive for supplication, interceding everlastingly, the Mother of God, who honor Thee.
Lord have mercy (12 times)
Glory, even now.
We magnify the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
After communion, let everyone remain in purity, abstinence and laconicism, in order to worthily preserve within themselves the Christ received.
Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death and giving life to those in the tombs. (Thrice)
Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only Sinless One. We worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Your holy Resurrection: For You are our God, do we know You no other, We call Your name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the holy Resurrection of Christ: behold, through the Cross joy has come to the whole world. Always blessing the Lord, we sing His Resurrection: having endured crucifixion, destroy death by death. (Thrice)
Having anticipated the morning about Mary, and the found stone was rolled away from the tomb, I heard from the Angel: in the light of the ever-present Being, with the dead, why do you seek as a man? You see the grave linens, preach to you and the world that the Lord has arisen, the one who put death to death, as he is the Son of God, saving the human race.
Even though you descended into the grave, Immortal, you destroyed the power of hell, and you rose again as the Victor, Christ God, to the myrrh-bearing women, “Rejoice,” and to your give peace as an apostle, give resurrection to the fallen.
In the tomb carnally, in hell with the soul like God, in paradise with the thief, and on the throne you were, Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, fulfilling everything, the Indescribable One.
Glory: Like the Life-Bearer, like the reddest of Paradise, truly the brightest appears in the palace of every king, Christ, Your tomb, the source of our resurrection.
And now: O most sanctified Divine village, rejoice. You have given joy, O Mother of God, to those who call: blessed art Thou among women, O All-Immaculate Lady.
Lord, have mercy. (40 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word, who gave birth to the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death and giving life to those in the tombs (Three times).
Prepare for war, stir up the brave; let them speak out, let all the warriors rise up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your sickles into spears; let the weak say: “I am strong.” Joel.3:9-10
The first prayer of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, read by him before the Battle of the Neva
God, praiseworthy and righteous! Great and mighty God! Eternal God, who created the heavens and the earth and set the boundaries of the languages, and commanded them to live without trespassing into other people’s parts, and gave to His servants the hope that is Thy Eternal. Word, the little flock should not be afraid from those who kill the body; But for the sake of Thy unspeakable mercy, You sent Your Only Begotten Son for the salvation and deliverance of the human race. And now, O most generous Master, hear the words of this barbarian, who proudly boasts of destroying Your Holy Church, and consuming the Orthodox faith, and shedding blood Christian, look down from Heaven and see and visit Your vineyard, judge those who offend me and rebuke those who fight with me; Take a weapon and a shield and stand to help me, so that our enemies do not cry: where is their God? For You are our God, and we trust in You, and we ascribe glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The second prayer of the holy noble prince Dimitry Donskoy, read by him before the Battle of Kulikovo
O great name of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Trinity! Most Pure Lady Theotokos, help us against our hostile enemies, through the prayers of Your saint, the Reverend Abbot Sergius, save our souls!
Prayer three
May God rise again and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear; As wax melts before the fire, let sinners perish before the presence of God, and let righteous women rejoice. Blessed be the Lord God, God will hasten our salvation. God is divine in His saints, the God of Israel, He will give strength and power to His people. Amen.
Prayer four
Creation of St. Vmch. Theodore Stratelates
Lord God Almighty, do not abandon all those who trust in Your mercy, but protect them, be merciful to me, and protect me from the charm of the enemy by Your protection, lest I fall before my opponents mine, and let not my enemy rejoice over me: stand before me, my Savior, in this labor, into which I desire to enter for Thy holy name. You strengthen and confirm me, and give me the strength to stand courageously for You to the blood and lay down my soul for Your love, just as You, having loved us, laid down Your soul on the Cross for us. Amen.
Fifth prayer
Creation of St. Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky
Lord, look at my weakness and see my humility, and my evil sadness, and my sorrow that overcomes me today! Yes, I hope and endure for all of these. I thank Thee, Lord, for Thou hast humbled my soul, and made me a partaker in Thy Kingdom! And now, Lord, even if they shed my blood, count me among your saints, Thy martyr. Amen.
Common prayer during enemy invasion
Creation of St. Tikhon of Zadonsky
Arise, Lord, help us and deliver us in Your name. God, have mercy on us and bless us, enlighten your face on us and have mercy on us! Thou hast favored, O Lord, Thy land; Thou hast returned the captivity of Jacob.
Thou hast forsaken the iniquities of Thy people, Thou hast covered all their sins. Thou hast tamed all Thy anger, thou hast returned from the wrath of Thy wrath. Bring us back, O God of our salvation, and turn away Your wrath from us. Are you angry with us forever? Or will You spread Your wrath from generation to generation? God, You turn and revive us, and Your people will rejoice in You. Show us, Lord, Your mercy, and give us Your salvation.
The Holy and Great Archangel of God Michael, the first primate of the inscrutable and essential Trinity, the primate of the human race, the guardian and guardian, crushing the hosts with your head the proud Lucifer in heaven and put to shame I will bring down his malice and deceit on earth! We resort to you with faith and we pray to you with love: be an indestructible shield and firmly protect the Holy Church and our Orthodox Fatherland, protecting them with your lightning sword from everyone enemy, visible and invisible. Be the Guardian Angel, the wise light giver and the assistant to those in power. Be the leader and companion of our invincible Christ-loving army, crowning it with glory and victories over our adversaries, so that all who oppose us may know that God and His holy angels are with us.
Do not forsake us, O Archangel of God, through your help and intercession, who today glorify your holy name: behold, even though we are many sinners, we do not want to perish in our iniquities, but turn to the Lord and be quickened by Him to do good deeds. Illuminate our minds with the light of God, which shines on your lightning-shaped brow, so that we may understand that there is God’s will for us, good and perfect, and carry out everything that is right for us to do and even despise and abandon. Strengthen our weak will and weak will with the grace of the Lord, so that, having been established in the law of the Lord, we will cease to be dominated by earthly thoughts and the lusts of the flesh, carried away, like senseless children, by the perishing beauties of this world, as if for the sake of the corruptible and the earthly it is madness to forget the eternal and the heavenly.
Over all of these, ask us from above for the spirit of true repentance, unfeigned sorrow for God and contrition for our sins, so that the remaining number of days of our temporary life will not please us feelings and work with our passions, but in erasing the evils committed by us, with tears of faith and contrition of the heart, deeds of purity and holy deeds of mercy.
When the hour of our death and liberation from the bonds of this mortal body approaches, do not leave us, Archangel of God, defenseless against the spirits of wickedness in high places, which are habitual barriers to the soul humanity ascends to the mountain, and, guarded by you, we will without stumbling reach those glorious villages of paradise, where there is no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life, and, blessed behold the bright face of our All-Good Lord and Master, falling with tears at His feet, in joy and tenderness let us exclaim: glory to Thee, our dearest Redeemer, Who for much Thy love for us, unworthy, thou hast deigned to send Thy angels to serve our salvation. Amen.
Quick helper to all those who diligently come running to you and our warm representative before the Lord, holy and faithful Grand Duke Alexandra! Look mercifully upon us, unworthy, who have created many iniquities that we have created, to the race of your relics (or: to your icon) now flowing and from the depths of the heart to you calling: in your life you were the zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith: and you established us in it with your warm prayers to God, unshakable. You have carefully carried out the great service entrusted to you: and with your help, instruct us to abide in those times when we are called to eat. You, having defeated the regiments of adversaries, drove them away from the Russian borders, and brought down all visible and invisible enemies against us.
You, having abandoned the corruptible crown of the earthly kingdom, chose a silent life, and now, righteously crowned with an imperishable crown, you reign in Heaven, intercede for us too, We humbly pray to you, a quiet and serene life, and through your intercession arrange for us a steady march towards the Eternal Kingdom. Standing with all the saints before the Throne of God, praying for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God preserve them with His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the coming years, may we ever glorify and bless God in the Trinity of Saints, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy, glorious and all-praised Great Martyr George! Gathered in your church and before your holy icon, worshiping people, we pray to you, known to the desires of our intercessor: pray with us and for us, begging from Your mercy May God mercifully hear us asking for His goodness, and may He not abandon all our needful petitions for salvation and life; and again we pray to you, holy Victorious, strengthen the Orthodox army in battle with the grace given to you, destroy the forces of the rising enemies, so that they will be ashamed and disgraced, and Let their insolence be crushed, and let them know that we have Divine help: and let everyone in sorrow and the present situation show their powerful intercession. Pray to the Lord God, Creator of all creation, to deliver us from eternal torment, so that we may always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we confess your intercession, now and ever and ever eyelids of centuries. Amen.
The Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious was a major military leader at the court of Emperor Diocletian. For his faith he was brutally tortured for eight days and beheaded on May 6, 303. Since the time of Prince Dimitri Donskoy, he has been considered the patron saint of Moscow; later, the image of St. George on a horse became part of the Russian state emblem. The patronage of St. George extends to all branches of the military.
Holy and glorious Great Martyr of Christ Demetrius, quick helper and warm intercessor of those who flow to you with faith! Standing boldly before the Heavenly King, ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, so that we may be delivered from the all-destructive plague, cowardice, flood, fire, sword and eternal punishment. Pray for His goodness to take care of this city, this monastery and every Christian country. Ask the Tsar of those who reign in our Russian country for peace, silence, firmness in faith and advancement in piety; For us, who honor your honorable memory, ask for grace-filled strengthening for good deeds, so that what is pleasing to our Lord Christ God, who works here, may be worthy to inherit through your prayers The Kingdom of Heaven is for His eternal glorification, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica is a Greek commander who was killed for his faith after monstrous torture by Emperor Diocletian in 306. Heavenly patron of the blessed Prince Dimitri Donskoy, assistant to the Russian army in the victory over Mamai. After the Battle of Kulikovo, in 1380, the noble prince Dimitry Donskoy established the commemoration of the killed Russian soldiers on Dimitrievskaya Saturday (closest before October 26). From then until now, every year on this day the Church commemorates all the soldiers “who laid down their lives in battle.”
O holy passion-bearer of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas, the Lord has chosen you as His anointed one, for the mercifulness and right to judge your people, and the guardian of the kingdom of the Orthodox being: royal service You carried out this care for souls with the fear of God. Having tested you like gold in a furnace, the Lord allows you bitter sorrows, like long-suffering Job, and after the throne of the king sends deprivation and martyrdom. Having endured all this meekly, as a true servant of Christ, now enjoying the highest glory at the Throne of all the King, together with the holy martyrs: the holy Queen Alexandra, the holy Tsarevich Alexi, the holy princesses Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Anastasia and with your faithful servants.
But since we have great boldness towards Christ the King, for whose sake He also suffered, pray with them that the Lord will forgive the sin of the people who did not forbid your murder, the king and anointed of God, yes The Lord will deliver the suffering Russian country from the cruel atheists, for our sins and apostasy from God, and will restore the throne of the Orthodox kings, and will grant us forgiveness of sins and for all virtue He will instruct us so that we may acquire humility, meekness and love, like these martyrs who appeared, so that we may be made worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, where we are united with you and all the saints, the new martyrs and Russian confessors will glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Rarely does a saint, even before his official glorification, be accompanied by such widespread popular veneration and such a multitude of miracles as (albeit secretly) already accompanied the last Russian Emperor and his family from the moment of his martyrdom. In 1917, our righteous Tsar did not want to fight for power, fearing to become the cause of new bloodshed on the Russian land, already torn by war and civil strife. But he never renounced his people, slandered and betrayed by almost everyone. Now the Russian Orthodox people have two Nicholas the Wonderworker: next to each of us, Saint Nicholas, who is dear to each of us, stood Tsar Nicholas II. The Holy Royal Martyrs were glorified at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000.
O holy, glorious and all-praised Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates! Gathering today in the church and before your holy icon, worshiping people, we pray to you, known to the desires of our intercessor: pray with us and for us, beseeching God from His mercy, yes He will mercifully hear us asking for blessings from Him, and may He fulfill all our requests for salvation and life, may He grant victory to the enemy, and may He preserve our country in peace. We also pray to you, holy victorious Theodore Stratelates: strengthen our Orthodox army in battle with the grace given to you, destroy the forces of the enemies who rise up against us, so that they will be ashamed and They will be put to shame on behalf of the faithful, and let their insolence be crushed, and let them know that the Imam’s Divine help is ever present. Thus, to everyone, in sorrow and the current situation, your powerful intercession will be revealed.
Pray to the Lord God, Creator of all creation, to deliver us from eternal torment, so that we may always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we confess your intercession, now and forever, and in eyelids of centuries. Amen.
The commander and ruler of the city of Herakleia of Pontus, Saint Theodore Stratilates was crucified on the cross and then beheaded by the sword under the emperor Licinius in 319. He is one of the heavenly patrons of the Imperial House of Romanov and the Russian army.
Come, O righteous warrior Theodora, from the mountain villages to those who flow to you, and heed their prayer: beg the Lord God to grant to all of us what we ask of Him for our salvation in the presence of your holy representation. You have carried out the great service entrusted to you carefully, and with your help, instruct us to remain in what we are called to eat. You, having defeated the many adversaries, will also bring down all visible and invisible enemies against us. Ask the All-Merciful God: may the atheist free the suffering Russian country from the cruel ones and free their power, and may the throne of the Orthodox kings be restored. Pray to the Lord God to grant strong and unbreakable peace and fruitfulness to the earth, holiness for the shepherd, truth and power for the law, wisdom and invincible valor for the military leader, the mayor of the court, to your Russian fleet and to all our army, devotion to faith and the Fatherland, and invincible courage, and to all Orthodox Christians health and piety.
Save our Russian country and this holy monastery from all the slander of the enemy, so that in word and deed the all-holy name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages, may be glorified. centuries. Amen.
Admiral, naval commander, diplomat, strategist, politician, do-gooder Feodor Feodorovich Ushakov (1745–1817) patron of the Russian fleet. During his entire brilliant military career, Ushakov did not receive a single defeat. This was facilitated by his truly ascetic and highly spiritual life: he lived in the world as a monk, his ships were called floating monasteries, they all had names in honor of saints and Christian holidays. Ushakov’s main parting words to the sailors before the battle were: “Brothers! Read Psalms 26, 50, 90, and neither a bullet nor a saber will take you.” In 1804, he compiled a detailed note about his service to the Russian fleet, in which he summed up his activities: “Thanks be to God, during all the above-mentioned battles with the enemy and during the entire time that fleet was under my command at sea, preserving the Most High Goodness, not a single ship from it was lost and not a single person from our servants was captured by the enemy.” The admiral spent the rest of his days with extreme abstinence and ended his life as a true Christian and faithful son of the Holy Church should.
O holy servant of God, equal to the Apostles to the First Martyr Theklo! Having fought a good fight on earth, you received the crown of righteousness in heaven, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. Moreover, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that we may be delivered from sorrows and illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, let us live piously and righteously in the present world and be worthy of your intercession, even though we are unworthy, to see good things on the earth of the living, glorifying the One in glorify His saints God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Holy First Martyr Equal to the Apostles Thekla, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, was condemned to be devoured by beasts, but through prayer the beasts did not touch her. She died at the age of 90. He has the utmost grace to save from death in war and to help those in mortal danger.
Oh, All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, all-powerful Intercessor, our shameless hope! We thank You for all the good deeds that have been revealed to the Russian people from You, from ancient times to this day from Your miraculous icon. And now, O Blessed Lady, look upon us, Thy sinful and unworthy servants, show us Thy mercy and pray to Thy Son, Christ and our God, to free us from all evil and to preserve every city and village, and our entire country, from famine, destruction, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, foreign invasion and internecine warfare. Ask everyone in power for a prosperous and peaceful life, health, long life, good haste and salvation in everything.
Preserve and make wise the shepherds of the Church, who are worthy to shepherd the flock of Christ and the right to rule the word of truth; strengthen the Christ-loving All-Russian army, give the spirit of advice and reason to the military commander and mayor; send down Your holy blessing to all Orthodox Christians who worship You and pray before Your celibate icon. Be our Intercessor and Intercessor before the Throne of the Most High, where you stand. To whom shall we then resort, if not to You, Lady? To whom shall we bring tears and sighs, if not to You, Most Holy Theotokos? There are no other help for imams, no other hope for imams, except for You, Heavenly Queen. We flow under Your protection: through Your prayers send us peace, health, fruitfulness of the earth, prosperity in the air, deliver us from all troubles and sorrows, from all ailments and illnesses, from sudden death and from all the bitterness of enemies, visible and invisible. Learn and teach, O All-Merciful Intercessor, how to sinlessly pass the path of this earthly life.
You weigh our infirmities, weigh our sins, but you also weigh our faith and see our hope: also grant us correction of our sinful lives and soften our evil hearts. Strengthen the right faith in us, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, patience and love, prosperity in good deeds: deliver us from temptations, from harmful souls teachings, from unbelief, corruption and eternal destruction. We ask You, Most Pure Lady, and falling before Your holy icon, we pray: have mercy on us and have mercy on us, on the Terrible Day of Judgment through the intercession and intercession of Your grace We are now at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, to Whom is due all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father, and the Most Holy and Good and Consubstantial with His Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love before Your honest (and miraculous) icon, we pray to You: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You. Pray, merciful Mother, to Your Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep our country peaceful, to keep His Holy Church unshakable and from unbelief and heresies and let him save the schism. There are no other help, no other hope, except You, Most Pure Virgin: You are the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver all those who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, illnesses, troubles and from sudden death.
Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful life and remission of sins, and all of us, gratefully chanting Your greatness and mercy that appear over by us here on earth we will be made worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom, and there with all the saints we will glorify the most honorable and magnificent name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
We thank You, O Most Blessed and Most Pure, Most Blessed Virgin, Lady, Mother of Christ our God, for all Your good deeds, which You have shown to the human race, especially to us, Christ-named people of the Russian people, about them below the most angelic language for praise will be pleased, as even now You have surprised Your ineffable mercy on us, unworthy Thy servants, by the natural self-coming of Thy Most Pure Icon, Thou hast enlightened the entire Russian country.
Likewise, we, sinners, worshiping with fear and joy, cry out to Thee: O Most Holy Virgin, Queen and Mother of God, save and have mercy on His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Cyril, the bishops and all the people, and grant them victory over all their enemies, and save all Christian cities and countries, and deliver this holy church from every slander of the enemy, and grant all benefits to everyone, now to those who come with faith and pray to Your servant, and to those who worship Your Most Holy Image, for You are blessed with the Son and God born of You, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
To whom shall I cry, Lady? To whom shall I turn in my grief, if not to You, Lady Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, O Most Immaculate One, the Hope of Christians and the Refuge for sinners? Incline, O Most Pure Lady, Your ear to my prayer, Mother of my God, do not despise me, requiring Your help, hear my groaning and inspire the cry of my heart, oh Madam Mother of God Queen. And give me spiritual joy, strengthen me who is impatient, sad and careless towards Your praise. Understand and teach me how it is fitting for You to pray, and do not depart from me, Mother of my God, for my grumbling and impatience, but be my protection and intercession in my life and bring me to the quiet haven of blessed peace, and count me among the face of Your chosen flock and there honor me to sing and glorify You forever and ever. Amen.
Most of the words and speeches of Metropolitan Philaret, excerpts from which are posted here, were spoken during the Sevastopol campaign of 1854–1855. This is the precious testament of the great saint to our Christ-loving army. From the addition to the Catechism made by Metropolitan Philaret, it is clear how this caring and wise saint, on the basis of Holy Scripture, ordered soldiers to behave and behave in general, and on the battlefield face to face with the enemy, in particular.
From the Preface to the Long Catechism by Metropolitan Philaret, Moscow Synodal Printing House, 1828.
I. A Brief Science of Morality for Warriors
The Gospel says: The soldiers also asked him (John the Baptist): what should we do? And he said to them: Do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary (Luke 3:14).
Question. On what occasion did the soldiers have this conversation with John the Baptist?
Answer. When John the Baptist, denouncing the sins of people of different ranks who came to him, called them brood of vipers and demanded from them fruits worthy of repentance, that is, correction of life, then the whole people, and especially the soldiers, asked him what they should do to save their souls.
Question. From what words of John the Baptist can one draw a conclusion about the rank of soldiers in general?
Answer. Of those in which he approves and honors the rank of warriors in the same way as other ranks that contribute to piety, virtue and the salvation of the soul, for he does not advise warriors to leave their rank.
Question. Which of the words of John the Baptist can be borrowed as special instructions for soldiers?
Answer. Those that clearly state three special moral rules for warriors:
1) do not offend anyone, that is, do not act arrogantly and violently towards anyone;
2) do not slander, that is, when, for example, while on guard, you will have to testify to what happened during the guard before your eyes;
3) be content with your salary, that is, the content that is determined for you by the position and what is assigned to you by the title in which you are placed.
<…> God loves a good-natured world, and God blesses righteous warfare. For since there are non-peaceful people on earth, peace cannot be achieved without military help. An honest and trustworthy world for the most part must be conquered. And to preserve the acquired peace, it is necessary that the winner does not allow his weapons to rust.
So, Orthodox warriors, the Holy Church speaks to you in the word of David, inviting you at the same time to speak with her:
Blessed is the Lord, my rock, who teaches my hands to fight and my fingers to fight (Ps. 143:1).
It is with consolation that we see you going to defend the Fatherland. Fulfill your sacred duty, and do it all the better because you were freely called to this feat by your good will and love for the Fatherland. The more God, who loves voluntary sacrifices, will bless you, the more grateful the Fatherland will be to you if you continue and complete the feat so zealously begun.
If a house were attacked by robbers, who from the family, having the strength and opportunity, would not rise up to defend themselves, their loved ones and the common property? Shouldn’t we rebel with great self-sacrifice against the enemies who attacked our great home, Russia, without truth and, violating the laws of a fair war, allow themselves to commit predatory crimes and devastation?
Once upon a time, during an attack by foreigners on the land of the people of God, Jesse sent his three eldest sons to fight for the Fatherland; and then he sent the younger David to deliver food to them on the campaign, and this food bearer became a sudden warrior and conqueror of enemies. Just as the righteous sacrifice to the Fatherland what they love most, so the righteous God gives wondrous help and strength to noble self-sacrifice.
Brethren, by faith you too are the people of God, continue to demonstrate the people of God within yourself through your deeds. For such a people, God’s wondrous help will never fail.
II. Encouraging soldiers to live according to God's commandments
If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, then... you will drive out your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will drive out a hundred, and a hundred of you will drive out darkness, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword (Lev. 26:3,7-8).
Question. What is contained in these words?
Answer. God promises to make His chosen people victorious as a reward for keeping His commandments.
Question. What advice does this have for a warrior?
Answer. A warrior must live according to God’s commandments in order to obtain God’s blessing and help in time for the time of battle.
Once upon a time in Jerusalem, the same people at the same time had to build the city walls and be ready every minute to repel enemies: with one hand they did the work, and with the other they held the spear (Neh. 4:17). And such a particularly difficult feat was endured and accomplished by love for the native city. With both hands you can safely and unhindered do the work assigned to you as a villager or citizen. Do your peaceful work calmly, hardworkingly, honestly, for the contentment and good of your own life, but do not forget your sword, which the Fatherland may still need.
Keep the spirit of order, perfect obedience, and precision in performing duties, which is one of the distinctive advantages of a military rank, in your civil position, and easily extend it to others through a good example.
Do not forget that a good warrior, a lion against his enemies, must be a lamb among his own. Live meekly and lovingly, and save anger and thunder for the enemies of the Fatherland.
III. The Importance of Prayer for Warriors
…When Moses raised his hands, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed (Ex. 17:11).
Question. What event is this saying talking about?
Answer. The Amalekites attacked the Israelites in the desert, who were tired of their journey. Moses sent the Israeli soldiers under the leadership of Joshua to repel the attack, and he himself went to the mountain to pray with the raising of his hands. When his weary arms gave way and he weakened in prayer, then victory leaned towards the enemy, but when he renewed his prayer with renewed vigor, the Israelites gained the upper hand, until at last they achieved a complete victory.
Question. What advice can be drawn from this example for warriors?
Answer. A warrior, going against enemies, must pray and strengthen his courage with prayer. But to achieve success in battle, the prayerful feats of those who are not drafted into the military camp and are unarmed are important.
How is this? Look into it and you will understand.
If, during a war, prayer is required for this particular occasion and subject, then, of course, it is assumed that prayer for war can be useful. But it is known that not every prayer is equally effective. So, if our prayer for our brothers struggling in battle is unanimous, zealous, strong, pure, worthy, then it is capable of more or less assisting them in acquiring the surest guarantee of victories, God’s blessing and help. Thus, by laboring in prayer, we become real spiritual associates of the ascetics of warfare. But if our prayer for them is not unanimous, not zealous, not strong, not pure, not worthy, then because of these shortcomings it will be devoid of effect, and we will deprive our brothers who struggle for us of a certain share of the assistance (help) that could and should have been provided to them. If we completely avoid praying for them, then we become like cowardly warriors fleeing from the battlefield, who confuse and complicate the courageous.
In saying this, we do not in the least diminish the importance of independence, natural strength and ability, or the importance of military talents, art, and jealousy. Let us give justice to the fidelity, nobility, art, and courage of our leaders and warriors, but if prayer, God’s blessing and God’s help are also not words without meaning, then the Church and the people praying for the army are an important reinforcer for the army, and perhaps, in the eyes of the spirit, a troop that precedes victory, which depends on the strength and dignity of prayer.
So that what has been said does not seem like a game of inference, let us turn to the Divine Word. God Himself spoke through the mouth of the prophet: Oh, that My people would listen to Me and Israel would walk in My ways! I would quickly humble their enemies (Ps. 80:14,15). We are talking here about easy and sure victory over enemies. God attributes such a victory to Himself, that is, to His blessing and His invisible or, when necessary, visible miraculous help sent down to the chosen people. Help is given not simply, not as an arbitrary distinction to the chosen people, but under a certain condition, moral and spiritual: ... if My people listened to Me and Israel walked in My ways. Israel could have warriors, weapons, leaders, an abundance of strength, art, very well, but that's not all. His enemies could have been more numerous, more skillful, cunning, daring, it didn’t matter. It is especially important that he listen to God, that he walk in the ways of the Lord.
Believe, Israel, in God, pray to Him, listen to His Word, act according to His commandments: justly, decently, lovingly; if you have sinned, do not hesitate to repent and correct yourself; trust not in yourself, but in God, and He is ready to quickly humble your enemies and grant you an easy and sure victory over them.
With what clear, what striking experiences did Israel learn the Divine destiny of battles!
Joshua fights the Amalekites, and Moses prays on the mountain. Moses prays more powerfully, Israel fights more powerfully and overcomes the Amalekites. Moses faints in prayer, the Israelites faint in battle, and victory leans on the side of the Amalekites: And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed. As a sign of the special power of public prayer, Aaron and Hur supported Moses' raised hands in prayer. And Joshua overthrew Amalek and his people (Ex. 17:13).
At another time, Joshua fights with five kings, and the sky allied with him throws a hail of stones at his enemies, and he, out of extraordinary hope in God, cried out to the Lord and, by his own command, stopped the sun in order to have time to complete his victory before dark (Joshua 10:12).
The times of the judges of Israel represent a whole series of incidents in which the same fate is revealed. And the children of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord... and He delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Then the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a savior for the children of Israel (Judges 3:7,9). Here you can see, among other things, how victory sometimes comes to those who do not honor God. It is not, in fact, given to them, but is taken away from those who have done evil before the Lord and deserved punishment and falls into the hands of the nations, serving as an instrument of punishment until it is again returned to those who have received punishment and correction.
Thus, the Israelites worship idols and are destroyed by the Midianites. But Gideon, prompted by the Angel, replaces the altar of Baal with the altar of the True God, and after that, with three hundred unarmed, with one night war cry: “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” creates confusion and civil strife in the camp of the Midianites, as a result of which there is no longer a need to fight, but only to pursue and destroy the enemy army (Judges ch. 6–7).
Who does not know David and his shepherd's sling, which against Goliath and the Philistines was more victorious than troops and weapons of war? The power was not in the sling and the stone, but in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God with whom David was armed (1 Samuel 17:45).
There was also a war in which the main battle, which decided its fate, was given in words, and in which the unjustly attacking enemy was returned the same way he came (2 Kings 19:33), without weapons or combat on the part of the one who suffered the attack. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, attacked Judah; took the fortress and, without encountering any obstacles for his army, even reached Jerusalem. The Jewish king Hezekiah had already admitted his powerlessness and appeased the winner with tribute. But Sennacherib sought the complete enslavement of the Jews and, in order to reduce their decline of spirit to the last degree, he decided to shake their hope in God and for this, verbally and in writing, he fired arrows of blasphemy at Jerusalem: Let not your God, in whom you trust, deceive you (2 Kings 19:10). Hezekiah realized that the war was being transferred from earth to Heaven, and in the church before God, unfolding the blasphemous handwriting, he prayed and said: Open, O Lord, Thy eyes and look, and hear the words of Sennacherib, who sent to revile (You), the Living God! (2 Kings 19:16). God answered through the prophet Isaiah that He Himself would guard Jerusalem.
And it happened that night: the Angel of the Lord went and smote one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp (2 Kings 19:35).
IV. Loyalty and Subordination of a Warrior
...Be subject therefore to every human authority, for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to rulers, as those sent by him to punish criminals and to reward those who do good (1 Pet. 2:13-14).
Let no soldier bind himself with the affairs of this life in order to please the commander of the army (2 Tim. 2:4).
Question. What do these two sayings say?
Answer. The first speaks of subordination to superiors at any rank, and the second speaks of subordination to superiors especially in the military rank.
Question. What should be noted when talking about the importance of subordination?
Answer. The fact that the apostolic word commands to observe subordination, for the Lord's sake. Consequently, whoever violates subordination, and even more violates fidelity, not only violates the order of human society, but precisely violates the will of God and is a rebel against God.
Question. What should be noted when talking about subordination in a military rank?
Answer. The word apostolic represents the subordination of a soldier in greater severity than other members of society, for for a soldier, out of obedience to the military leader, some things that are permitted to other citizens are considered impermissible.
Question. Why should a warrior’s subordination be especially precise and strict?
Answer. Because a warrior’s disobedience can be especially harmful not only for the entire army, but also for the state.
To devote oneself to exploits for the Fatherland for life and death - what a wonderful, sublime calling!
If the feat at the will of the father is understandable, and the more pleasant it is, the more it gives exercises of filial devotion in overcoming difficulties, how joyful the feat at the will of the Father of millions of people should be! And isn’t he more joyful the more connected with self-sacrifice?
If it is pleasant to stay awake and work for the good and tranquility of the family, how desirable it should be to stand on guard and in heroic deeds for the tranquility and security of the Fatherland!
Earthly life is given to people for a time, and for many time takes it back for nothing. What is the advantage of turning your life into a talent for acquiring peace, victory, glory for your homeland, making your life a sacred sacrifice of loyalty and love for the Fatherland, approaching through self-sacrifice to the highest degree of holy love, according to the judgment of the Heavenly Judge Himself: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
If it is common for the soul to receive the strongest movement towards goodness, when the commanding voice of duty is joined by the affectionately persuasive voice of heartfelt feeling, then does not this voice rise up in you, especially now? Are not the noble movements of your hearts receiving new strength?
The more solemn the favor of the Fatherland appears to you, the more ardent should be your zeal to serve it and your readiness to sacrifice yourself for it. The more majestic the Motherland honors your rank, the more vigilantly you must preserve the honor of your rank everywhere: in battle, on a campaign, in a peaceful city, in military life and in moral life. The honor of a warrior lies not only in ardent courage, but also in strict obedience to his superiors, in unanimity with his comrades, in unshakable steadfastness, in vigilant caution against an attacker with a weapon and against one sneaking up with a deadly word, in meekness towards the unarmed, in respect for property, even that of the enemy, in moderation, being content, as John the Baptist taught, with one’s salary. The highest strength of a warrior is faith and trust in the Lord of Hosts.
V. Rule for the hike
When you go on a campaign against your enemies, beware of everything evil (Deut. 23:9).
Question. What is the instruction for a warrior in these words?
Answer. The fact that during the campaign he must especially carefully avoid every lawless and dishonest deed, both so that through vicious and unrighteous deeds he does not lose the favor of God and invisible protection in battle, and so that, if he is destined to end his life in a military feat, with a peaceful and clear conscience he will appear at the Judgment of God and undoubtedly receive the crown of righteousness.
God, our protector! Come close and behold the face of Your anointed. For behold, Thy enemies make a noise, and those who hate Thee have lifted up their heads; They have formed an insidious plot against Your people and are taking counsel against those whom You have guarded. May Your hand find all Your enemies, May Your right hand find all those who hate You. Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of Your name (see Ps. 83, 82, 20, 78). You understand that I am speaking about the present state of affairs in the words of the ancient people of God. It is fortunate for us that circumstances themselves place us in the position of the people of God against the enemies of God. Our enemies are the enemies of the Cross of Christ. Therefore, we can ask God for protection and victory not only for ourselves, but also for the glory of the name of Christ. Help us, O God, our Savior, for the glory of Your name! (Ps. 79:9).
It is only necessary that we, approaching God with this prayer, present ourselves to Him in the traits of the true people of God, which are: pure faith in God, strong hope in God, unfeigned love for God and neighbor, faithfulness to the commandments of God, devotion to the authority that comes from God, love for the Orthodox Fatherland, raised to the degree indicated by Christ’s word: There is no greater love than if someone lays down his life for his friends their own (John 15:13).
The thought of the people of God also arouses the thought that we are no longer the old people of God. It was not said to us: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Matt. 5:38). We were recognized as the new people of God, and we were given a new commandment, a new law of love and peace: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another (John 13:34). At the very birth of the King of God's new people, Jesus Christ, Heaven proclaimed peace to the earth. And when He sent His messengers to invite them into His subjects, or, even more, into the children of His Kingdom, then He commanded that peace be given to every house and every city. And when He went to a free, saving death, He left peace as a universal heritage to His Kingdom. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you (John 14:27). Shouldn't the peace of Christ be stronger than human warfare? And why didn’t He destroy the war? Why does she raise her head against the sons of the Kingdom of Christ, and even set Christians against Christians? Let him who understands understand.
Heaven, of course, did not deceive the earth, announcing peace to it along with the Coming of Christ. And Christ the Lord, having granted peace to His Kingdom, of course, did not take it back. And the peace of God, which is above all understanding, like a cloud of supersensible light, floats over the earth and is ready to overshadow every soul and all souls who sincerely desire to receive it, and really overshadows them, and fulfills them, and observes them (see Phil. 4:7), and no one can steal this inner peace from them. He is ready to descend through them into the outer world, to overshadow external life, to fill houses, cities, and kingdoms and drive away all warfare from the face of the earth. But the trouble is that there are too many people who do not accept Christ and, consequently, His peace; and what is even more sad, there are people who approach Christ with their lips, but in their hearts and lives they are far from Him and, therefore, from His world.
And therefore, to the shame of Christianity and humanity, there are people who, calling themselves Christians, go to assist the frantic and inhuman enemies of the name of Christ at the very time when their frenzy is especially incited against Christianity and humanity.
What shall we say to them? Let us encourage our zeal to be faithful to Christ in life and deeds, and as a result of this, the spiritual victory that has already overcome the world, our faith (1 John 5:4), will not fail to bring us visible victory and victorious peace over our enemies. Just as the new people of God, the Christians, were promised and given peace by God and Christ, the ancient people of God, the Israelites, were also promised the peaceful possession of the Promised Land through the expulsion from it or the extermination of pagan hostile peoples. And this promise was fulfilled, but not completely. After the miraculous victories won by Joshua over the Canaanite tribes, after the occupation of the Promised Land by the people of Israel, it seemed that it would not be difficult to completely cleanse it of the pagans. But after the difficult thing was done, the easy thing was not completed: And the Lord forsook these nations and did not quickly drive them out and deliver them into the hands of Jesus... They were left to tempt the Israelites with them and to find out whether they obey the commandments of the Lord (Judges 2:23; 3:4). What does it mean? Experience explained this.
When the Israelites remained faithful to God and His commandments, then He granted them victories over the pagans and thereby confirmed His people in the faith. But when the Israelites succumbed to the seductions of the pagans and imitated their vanity, luxury, vices, and finally idolatry, then the power of God was hidden from the people of God; The pagans grew stronger, and the people of God were encouraged by sorrows and suffering through repentance and turning to God to regain His grace and help, and with it victory, peace and prosperity.
The past is a good adviser to the present and the future, if we know how to understand it well. Take advantage of the edifying experience of ancient Israel in a timely and prudent manner, O new blessed Israel. Strive continually to be actively faithful to God and His commandments. Be careful not to weaken and enslave your spirit with the charms of vanity, luxury, sensual pleasures not controlled by reason, charming spectacles, useless and infectious readings, and finally, the charm of imaginary curiosity, which thinks more about itself than it should think (Rom. 12:3), easily turning into reprehensible curiosity and dangerous inquisitiveness. For such activities and amusements are not only beneath Christian dignity, but in part actually stem from the muddy source of pagan traditions and are imbued with a pagan spirit.
If in any way we find ourselves deviating from vigilant caution in keeping the saving commandments, let us not hesitate to return to them through repentance and the best previous intentions and deeds, to sincerely approach God and place our hearts in His strength. And may the Lord see that we have obeyed His commandments, and thus in God we will create power, and He will destroy the visible and invisible enemies that oppress us (Ps. 59:14).
Especially do not forget that a good soldier must be a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3). To confirm this, is it necessary to again remind you of the ancient victors and assure you with the apostolic word that they conquered kingdoms by faith? You know this more closely and simply from the deeds of our ancestors, our kings, our elected leaders.
That true warrior is invincible, to whom the crown of martyrdom for faith and Fatherland is as dear as the crown of victory. The best servant and most reliable defender of the Fatherland, who in a heart faithful to God, in a clear conscience, carries the true hope of the Heavenly Fatherland.
VI. A surefire remedy against the strongest enemy
When you go out to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots [and] a people greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you (Deut. 20:1).
Question. What does this saying teach?
Answer. Because the surest remedy against the strongest enemy is firm and undoubted hope in God.
If, according to the fate of God, you should stand against the enemy, you think that you are fighting for your dear Fatherland, for the Holy Church against non-Christians, against persecutors of Christianity, against oppressing peoples of the same faith and partly of our fellow tribes, against insulters of the shrine of the worshiped places of the Nativity, Passion and Resurrection of Christ.
Under these special conditions, blessing and glory to those who overcome, blessing and bliss to those who sacrifice their lives with faith in God, with love for the Fatherland.
It is said in the Holy Scriptures about the ancient ascetics for the Fatherland: By faith they conquered kingdoms (Heb. 11:33). By faith you too will be victorious.
For this purpose, we guide you with prayer and signs of faith.
The ancient strong prayer book for Russia, our reverend father Sergius, abbot of Radonezh, wonderworker of all Russia, blessed the once victorious war against the oppressors of Russia. His image walked with our regiments under Tsar Alexei, under Peter I and, finally, under Alexander I during the great battle against twelve nations. The image of St. Sergius also accompanies you, as a sign of his promoting, protecting, and strong prayers before God for you. Take also and have with you the military and victorious word of the king and prophet David: In God is my salvation and my glory (Ps. 62:8).
Conclusion
Wandering Israel needed a military structure, because along the way it met enemies and had to acquire the Promised Land with weapons. Therefore, when the tabernacle of meeting together with the entire camp was raised on the march, Moses uttered a military prayer: Arise, O Lord, and Thy enemies will scatter (Num. 10:35). In front of the essential shrine of this church, in front of the Irk of the Covenant of God, Israel went to battle against the Midianites and destroyed them all, without losing a single warrior. In front of the same shrine of the church, the Jordan dried up to open the way for Israel to conquer the Promised Land. In front of this shrine of the church, the walls of besieged Jericho and thirty kings of Palestine fell. This was the case when Israel was faithful to the holiness of the Lord.
Let us extract from these ancient legislative orders and the acts and events that followed them the thoughts and rules that are contained in them and which we now need. The warrior and army of the people of God received education and guidance through the protection and beckons of God.
Wouldn’t it be pleasant for the militant Russian to see from this that he walks within the immutable limits of the fathers, that he holds the tradition rightfully inherited from deep and sacred antiquity, when he has, honors and diligently visits the temple of God among his regiments and military institutions, when he goes to battle under the banner consecrated by the Church, under the shadow of the Life-giving Cross of Christ, when the object and purpose of his title is determined by the duty to strive for the faith, people and the Fatherland, when they place faith and trust in God as the basis of their courage, victories and invincibility?
And for the non-militant sons of the Fatherland, isn’t it comforting to know that the title intended to stand guard over state security, ensuring this security through courage, loyalty and military education, has the deepest foundation of firmness and security for itself and for us, in the hopeful image of the ancient people of God, in faith and trust in God and, accordingly, in the almighty protection of God’s Providence?
God of peace and Lord of hosts, Lord mighty and mighty, Lord mighty in battle, to overthrow those who rebel against Thy peace, bless Thy people with peace and, if it is not too late to appeal to Thy invincible patience, establish and prolong the peace of the world. But let not the sons of enmity and iniquity arise and prevail; Give also strength to Your people, just as Your chosen people of old, like our fathers; and Your Spirit will continue to walk in our armies; may the sons of Russia take up arms before You, Lord, calling upon You with faith, prayer, hope, may they walk before Your face, in the light of Your commandments and Your Law.
Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (Matt. 3:2).
Repentance is a Sacrament in which a believer confesses (orally reveals) his sins to God in the presence of a priest and through the priest receives forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus Christ gave the holy apostles, and through them, all the priests, the power to resolve (forgive) sins: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; On whomever you leave it, it will remain on him (John 20:22–23).
Even John the Baptist, preparing people to accept the Savior, preached baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And everyone was baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins (Mark 1:4-5).
The holy apostles, having received authority to do this from the Lord, performed the Sacrament of Repentance: many of those who believed came, confessing and revealing their deeds (Acts 19:18).
Repentance is God's greatest gift to man. This is the second baptism, in which we are washed from our sins and again put on clean white clothes, receiving the grace lost after the Fall.
To repent means to change your lifestyle, first of all, to “come to your senses,” that is, to see sin in yourself, realize it, hate it, then repent to God in the presence of a priest and make a promise not to sin again.
To receive forgiveness (resolution) of sins from the confessor (repentant), the following is required: reconciliation with all neighbors, sincere contrition for sins and verbal confession of them, a firm intention to correct one’s life, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His mercy.
In special cases, “penance” (a Greek word meaning “prohibition”) is imposed on the penitent, consisting of pious deeds and some deprivations aimed at overcoming sinful habits.
Sin not only infects our soul with evil, but also poisons everything around us. “Every sin, even the smallest one, affects the fate of the world,” says the great elder, Venerable Silouan of Athos. And, on the contrary, our repentance has a beneficial effect on those around us and makes them happy.
Sin is the greatest evil in the world. Our unrepentant sins are new wounds that we inflict on Christ the Savior. These are terrible ulcers of our soul, and the scars from them remain for life.
Only in the Sacrament of Repentance can the soul be cleansed and healed. Repentance pulls us out of the abyss of sin, vices and passions and leads us into the gates of heaven. The Lord Himself opens His arms to us and accepts us as prodigal children. The Lord Himself outlined the image of repentance in the parable of the prodigal son.
One man had two sons. The younger demanded that his father divide the estate and give him a part of it, and when he received what was due, he went to a distant country and there squandered everything, living dissolutely. But the time came, there was famine in that country, and he had to go look for food for himself. He hired himself to graze pigs from a resident and would have been glad to eat even their feed, but they did not give him any. Great sorrow came for him, and then he came to his senses, remembered his father and decided: I will go to my father, fall at his feet and say: “Father, I have sinned in Heaven and before you and am no longer worthy to be called your son, accept me at least as one of your workers.” So he put it in his heart and went to his father. And when he was still far away, his father saw him and took pity, and running, fell on his chest and kissed him. The son said: “Forgive me, I am not worthy to be called your son.” And his father forgave him, and ordered his servants to dress him in his best clothes and prepare a feast, because his son was dead and came to life, he was lost and was found (Luke 15:11-24).
The Holy Fathers distinguish three moments of repentance in this Gospel parable. The first - a person came to his senses, that is, he looked into his soul, realized that he was terribly sinful, guilty before God, he had a feeling of repentance. Second, the person made a decision: he got up and went, that is, he went to church for confession. And the third is repentance itself, confession, when a person in the presence of a priest says to God: Forgive me, listing all his sins, and makes a promise not to repeat them. And then the Lord, a loving Father, forgives him and accepts him, like a prodigal son, into His arms.
Repentance begins only when a person realizes that he is sinful, that sins prevent him from living and poison his soul. If a person does not see his sins, it means that he is seriously spiritually ill and his soul has died to God. She is no longer tormented by sins, the devil has tied this soul hand and foot, her spiritual eyes are closed, her ears cannot hear, her lips are numb. Like a man in a coffin: he doesn’t hear, he doesn’t see, he doesn’t feel. When a person gets sick, the first sign that he is unhealthy is an aversion to food. Likewise, someone who is spiritually ill has an aversion to prayer and everything spiritual. He doesn’t want to read the Holy Scripture, where the Lord speaks to us, he doesn’t want to go to church, and if he forces himself and comes, he’s late for the service, doesn’t stay until the end, suffers during the service and thinks: I wish it would end soon. And he does not see his sins. Because he has gone far from God, from the Light. So, if you run through puddles at night, all your clothes will be covered in mud, and you can’t see it in the dark, but as soon as you step into the light, everything will immediately open up: we’ll look and be horrified.
Until we come to God, we do not live according to His will, we are in darkness and do not see our sins. Our soul is black, and every new sin is a new black spot on it, but black cannot be seen on black...
Great sinners always consider themselves righteous, and saints always consider themselves great sinners. They live in the light of Christ, see even the smallest spots in their souls and realize their unworthiness before God.
Why don't we see our sins? Because we do not control ourselves, our actions, words and thoughts, we do not observe the Law of God, we are entrenched in sins, so accustomed to them that we no longer consider sin to be sin. We know that the Apostle Peter was at first weak in spirit and denied Christ, and when the rooster crowed, he wept bitterly, repented and was forgiven. In the life of each of us there is a night when, among our iniquities, the voice of conscience begins to “crow”, denouncing us, who have denied our Savior and crucified Him with our sins. Woe to him who stops his ears so as not to hear this voice. Joy to the one who begins to cry bitterly about his sins and cleanses his soul with repentance.
No matter what sins we commit, we should never fall into despair, fear that the Lord will not forgive us. “The despair of man is a great joy for the devil,” notes the holy Venerable Barsanuphius the Great. We must not despair, but remember that our Heavenly Father has such love for us as no mother has had for her child in the entire history of the human race. Redemption took place, and the Lord, in His great mercy, left us with faith and repentance. As a child-loving Father, He with great love and joy accepts every prodigal son, every repentant sinner into His arms, and He will not remember our sins forever, but we must not abuse the love of the Lord.
How to prepare for confession
We must prepare for confession in advance: think through everything, remember all our sins, go through the convolutions of our soul and be sure to write everything down, otherwise we will go to the priest for confession, and the enemy may darken our minds and forget everything. Better yet, develop the habit of writing down every day rather than sin. Before going to bed, you can mentally imagine the past day, how we spent it: how we prayed in the morning, were we absent-minded, where were our thoughts - in the words of prayer or in the kitchen, in the store; Didn’t you offend anyone that day, didn’t you quarrel, weren’t you offended if someone scolded us, weren’t you envious, weren’t you vain? How were you sitting at the table? Surely you ate too much? Have you read the Jesus Prayer, prayed before each task, or thought at least a little about your soul? Or only about the flesh? How was the night? Maybe we had unclean dreams because we spent the day in uncleanness... And if we learn to control ourselves like this, we will know what to say in confession.
“Whoever gets used to giving an account of his life in confession here will not be afraid to give an answer at the Last Judgment of Christ,” says the holy righteous John of Kronstadt.
Anyone who has never repented or repented uncleanly must make a general confession - remember and write down all the sins committed since childhood. Others write down only those sins that they did not repent of before, but if these sins were repeated, they need to be repented of again. Then we need to make peace with our neighbors: both with those whom we have offended and with those who have offended us. Ask them for forgiveness.
When we come to confession, we must not justify ourselves, but expose, recognize our sins, condemn them, reveal them to our confessor and believe that the Lord has forgiven them in the Sacrament of Repentance. The priest, seeing sincere repentance, places the end of the stole on the bowed head of the penitent and reads a prayer of permission. Having kissed the cross and the Gospel, the confessor departs with a calmed conscience and prays to the Lord to honor him with communion of the Holy Mysteries.
No person can justify himself before God: we can only repent and confess our sins. But sins must be confessed firmly, without hiding anything. If a person deliberately keeps silent about any of his sins during confession, then he makes his spiritual state even more painful and hopeless. If we do not find the strength within ourselves to repent of all our sins, then we need to try, through prayer from a contrite and humble heart, to ask God for gracious help in our spiritual impotence. “Listen,” the priest addresses the penitents before the Sacrament of Confession, “for you have come to the hospital (where you can receive healing from your suffering), and do not leave unhealed.”
To help those preparing for confession
Sins against the Lord God:
- were proud;
- did not fulfill the holy will of God, violated the commandments and vows given to God;
— sinned through unbelief and lack of faith, doubt;
- they had no hope for God’s mercy, they despaired;
— continuing to sin, they overly hoped for the mercy of the Lord;
— they resisted the will of God, insisted on their own;
— hypocritically worshiped God;
- did not have the love and fear of God;
- they did not thank the Lord for all His blessings, for sorrows, illnesses;
— turned to psychics, astrologers, fortune tellers, sorcerers; practiced black and white magic, witchcraft, fortune telling, spiritualism;
— they sinned with superstition: they believed in dreams, omens, and wore talismans;
- they blasphemed and grumbled against the Lord in their souls and in words;
- did not fulfill the vows given to God;
- called on the name of God in vain (unnecessarily), swore by the name of the Lord;
- treated icons, relics, candles, saints, Holy Scripture, etc. blasphemously, without due reverence;
- read heretical books and kept them at home, watched heretical TV shows;
— were ashamed to be baptized and profess the Orthodox faith;
- did not wear a cross;
— carelessly crossed themselves;
- did not fulfill or poorly fulfilled the prayer rule: morning and evening prayers, other prayers, bows, etc., did not read the Holy Scriptures, spiritual literature;
- missed Saturday, Sunday and holiday services without good reason;
- went to church without diligence and diligence;
- were lazy to pray, prayed absent-mindedly and coldly;
- talked, dozed, laughed, walked around the church during church services; they listened inattentively and absent-mindedly to readings and chants, were late for services and left the church before dismissal;
- rarely confessed sins, deliberately concealed them; sinned by self-justification;
- received communion without contrition and fear of God, without proper preparation, without reconciliation with neighbors, after fornication;
— they did not obey their spiritual father, they condemned the clergy and monastics, they grumbled and took offense at them, they were jealous;
- they did not honor God’s holidays, they worked on holidays;
- broke fasts, did not observe fast days Wednesday and Friday;
— listened to Western preachers, sectarians, became interested in Eastern religions;
— thought about suicide and tried to commit suicide.
Sins against one's neighbor:
- they did not know how to forgive, to endure, they repaid evil for evil, they were angry, they did not want to give in;
— disrespectful to elders and superiors (in charge), to parents; upset and offended parents;
- did not fulfill what was promised;
- did not pay debts;
— openly or secretly appropriated someone else’s property;
- robbed, extorted, poisoned, set fire to;
- they refused to stand up for the weak and innocent, to help those who were drowning, freezing, burning, or in trouble;
— sinned with infidelity, deceit, double-mindedness, flattery;
- were lazy to work and help others;
- did not respect other people's work;
— they sinned with wastefulness, throwing away food and clothes;
— they sinned through unmercifulness: they despised and condemned the poor;
- they sinned through stinginess and did not give alms;
- did not visit patients in hospitals or at home;
- sinned by hardness of heart;
— were cruel to homeless and sick animals, needlessly killing livestock, birds, insects, and destroying trees;
- they argued, did not give in to their neighbors, argued;
- slandered, condemned, slandered, gossiped, retold the sins of others;
- they offended, insulted, were at enmity with their neighbors;
- they made trouble, threw tantrums;
- cursed;
- they behaved impudently, brazenly and freely towards their neighbors;
— they were hypocrites, they said barbs;
— were angry, suspected their neighbors of unseemly acts;
- they deceived, bore false witness, behaved seductively, wanting to seduce;
- were jealous;
- idle talk; told indecent jokes;
- did not pray for mentors, relatives, enemies;
— they sinned through selfish friendship and betrayal.
Sins against yourself:
— they sinned by forgetting Eternal Life, not remembering their death and the Last Judgment, and unreasonable attachment to earthly life and its pleasures;
- were proud, vain, considered themselves better than everyone else;
- they sinned with pride, ambition;
- wished harm to your neighbor, took revenge;
— sinned by lack of humility and obedience, arrogance;
- lied;
- were jealous;
— idle talk, foul language;
- were irritated, indignant, remembered evil; insisted on their own, were offended, upset;
— despondent, sad, sad;
- did good deeds for show;
- stingy;
- were lazy;
- spent time in idleness, slept and ate a lot (gluttony, secret eating, delicacy);
- strived for earthly honors and glory;
— sinned by fornication (lived outside of a church marriage), sinned by adultery (cheating in marriage), unnatural types of fornication (sodomy, etc.);
- allowed liberties to the crown and perversions in marriage;
— sinned by fornication (they desecrated themselves with prodigal touches);
- smoked, used drugs, alcohol (got drunk);
- played cards, gambling, decorated themselves to seduce, engaged in pimping, prostitution, sang obscene songs, told jokes, used foul language, laughed, danced, watched pornographic films, read pornographic books, magazines, entertained lewd thoughts, became defiled in their sleep;
- they forgot about Christian humility, virtues, death and hell, lived carelessly and carelessly, did not correct themselves;
- loved earthly, material things more than heavenly, spiritual things;
- addicted to money, things, luxury, pleasures, games, shows and amusements;
- overly attentive to the flesh.
Communion is a Sacrament in which a believer (Orthodox Christian), under the guise of bread and wine, receives (tastes) the very Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Christ and becomes a partaker of Eternal Life.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself during the last, Last Supper, on the eve of His suffering and death. He Himself performed this Sacrament, taking bread and thanking (God the Father for all His mercies to the human race), broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Then, taking the cup of wine, giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying: Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me (Matt. 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–24).
So Jesus Christ, having established the Sacrament of Communion, commanded his disciples to always perform it.
In a conversation with the people, Jesus Christ said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has Eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53–54).
According to the commandment of Christ, the Sacrament of Communion is constantly celebrated in the Church of Christ and will be celebrated until the end of the century during a divine service called the Liturgy, during which bread and wine, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, are transformed, or transubstantiated, into the true Body and true Blood of Christ. This Sacrament is incomprehensible to the limited human mind, and only by faith can a Christian partially comprehend it.
By partaking of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ (also called the Holy Mysteries), every Christian enters into the closest communion with the Lord. The Holy Mysteries of Christ are the true Body and Blood of Christ, but for the bodily senses they retain the external appearance of bread and wine. This great Sacrament is perceived by faith, and it is revealed and revealed through its action: just as natural bread strengthens a person’s bodily strength, so spiritual Bread - the Body of Christ - strengthens a person’s entire being: his will, mind, heart; brings correctness to the wishes and desires of the soul and body, frees the natural properties of a person from those ailments with which they are infected during the fall. Spiritual Drink - the all-holy Blood of Christ - promotes spiritual food, it imparts to the soul of a Christian the properties of Christ.
It is useful for those preparing for Communion to reflect on the insignificance, sinfulness, and tendency to fall of man and about the greatness of God, the ineffable love of the Savior, who feeds Christians with His Flesh and Blood and thereby brings the fallen being of man into the closest communion with Himself. From these reflections, the heart of a Christian will come into contrition and a sincere consciousness of his unworthiness to receive the Holy Mysteries will appear. Sincere consciousness of one's unworthiness is an indispensable condition for accepting the Mysteries of Christ not for judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.
The feelings that every Christian should have before communion are fully expressed by the holy fathers in their prayers for Communion. With these prayers the saints will help our dullness and bitterness; with them they clothe our souls, as in wedding garments, in the humility so beloved of our Savior.
The first Christians, whose entire lives were devoted to serving God, were worthy of receiving communion daily. By daily receiving the Sacrament of Communion, they revived their spiritual life from the Source of life - Jesus Christ.
Those blessed early Christian times have long passed, and none of the people living in the world can lead such a strict life as to take Communion daily. However, true Christians, who care about their spiritual life, at all times try to approach the Source of life more often.
All generally faithful children of the Orthodox Church must begin Communion at least four times a year during the period of four fasts. If any life conditions prevent this, then at least a Christian is obliged to cleanse his soul once a year with confession and begin the Holy Mysteries. Not only before Communion, but also after accepting this great Gift, every Christian must lead the most attentive lifestyle.
It is impossible to express in words the enormous significance that Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ has in the spiritual life of a Christian. Communion is the guarantee of a future blessed life with Christ and in Christ.
How to prepare for Communion
1. On the eve of Communion, you should try to be at the evening service, which usually consists of a combination of Vespers and Matins. In the daily liturgical circle of the Orthodox Church, there is one more service - Little Compline, which is usually not served in parish churches, and therefore there is a pious custom on the eve of communion to read at home three canons from this Compline: the penitential canon, the canons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel.
On the morning of Communion day, “Following to Holy Communion” is read.
2. Preparation for Communion in church practice is usually combined with abstinence in food (fasting).
3. On the day of Communion, out of reverence for this Sacrament, it is customary not to eat or drink anything before Communion.
4. On the eve of Communion, spouses must abstain from marital relations. It is not customary for women to receive the Holy Sacraments during their menstrual cycles.
5. Before Communion, the Sacrament of Confession is performed. It is better to confess the day before at the evening service.
If necessary, you can confess in the morning, on the day of Communion.
After Communion, you cannot bow to the ground until the morning; you also cannot spit out anything or rinse your mouth. Participants must try to protect themselves from idle talk, especially from condemnation, and to avoid idle talk, they must read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, and the Holy Scriptures.