Confession and Communion are the most important Sacraments in life Orthodox Christian. But not every parishioner knows how to properly prepare for them. Prayers before confession and communion - important stage thorough preparation for the purification of the soul and the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
How to prepare for the Sacraments
This is cleansing human soul from her sinful state and preparation for the Sacrament of Communion, in which the Christian is reunited with Christ, he tastes Divine grace, strength of spirit and the power of faith.
Sacrament of Confession
Before communion, it is necessary to fast for 3-4 days: refuse to eat food of animal origin, entertainment, or watch TV programs. During the preparation period, you should read the Bible, attend divine services, and pray fervently in church and at home.
Preparing for Communion requires mandatory reading:
- prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos;
- canon to the guardian angel;
The canons can be read on any day, and the following can be read in the morning of the day on which the Sacrament will be performed. In most churches it is customary to make confession during the evening service, but in some parishes it is held in the morning on the eve of the Liturgy.
Important! Infants under 7 years old can receive communion without confession, and they are not even forbidden to have a light breakfast. Ladies are prohibited from receiving communion during menstruation. Young mothers can receive communion only after 40 days after giving birth, and the cleric must read a special prayer over them.
What prayers should you read?
Holy Communion is the Greatest Sacrament, which gives every person the opportunity to merge with Christ and come closer to eternal life.
Simeon the New Theologian
And God’s grace, bestowed after confession and communion, will certainly awaken a person’s soul, strengthen his faith and reduce his vulnerability to sinful passions.
Read also:
Prayer of Simeon the New Theologian (before confession)
God and Lord of all, who has the power of every breath and soul, is the only one who can heal me! Hear the prayer of me, the accursed one, and the serpent nesting in me, consume by the influx of the All-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit. And grant me, poor and naked, all virtues, to fall at the feet of my holy (spiritual) father with tears, and draw his holy soul to mercy, to have mercy on me.
And grant, Lord, in my heart humility and good thoughts, befitting a sinner who has agreed to repent to You; and may not completely abandon the one soul that united with You and confessed You, and instead of the world chose and preferred You. Be aware, Lord, that I want to be saved, even if my evil custom is an obstacle: but what is possible for You, O Lord, is all that is possible; what is impossible is from man. Amen.
Prayer of St. John of Damascus (before communion)
Master Lord Jesus Christ, Our God, merciful and humane, who alone has the power to forgive the sins of people, despise (forget), forgive all my sins, conscious and unconscious, and grant me, without condemnation, to partake of Your divine, glorious, most pure and life-giving Mysteries not in punishment, not for the multiplication of sins, but for cleansing, sanctification, as a pledge of future life and kingdom, as a strong stronghold, for protection, and the defeat of enemies, for the destruction of many of my sins. For YOU are the God of mercy and generosity, and love for mankind, and we glorify You with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
Voice 6
Irmos: As Israel walked across the dry land, with footsteps across the abyss, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing a victorious song to God, crying out.
Now I, a sinner and burdened, have come to You, my Master and God; I don’t dare look at heaven, only I pray, saying: give me, O Lord, understanding, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Oh, woe to me, a sinner! I am the most damned man of all; there is no repentance in me; Give me, Lord, tears, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Foolish, wretched man, you waste time in laziness; think about your life, and turn to the Lord God, and weep bitterly about your deeds.
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.
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.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Whenever thrones are set at the terrible judgment, then the deeds of all people will be exposed; woe there will be a sinner, sent to torment; and then, my soul, repent from your evil deeds.
Chorus: 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, so before the end, repent of your evil deeds.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Alas for me, a great sinner, having been defiled by deeds and thoughts, I have not a drop of tears from hard-heartedness; now arise from the earth, my soul, and repent from your evil deeds.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Behold, O Lady, Thy Son calls and teaches us to do good, but the sinner always runs from good; but You, Merciful One, have mercy on me, so that I may repent of my evil deeds.
Sedalen, voice 6th
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, the prodigal one? Compassionate Father, Only Begotten Son and Holy Soul, have mercy on me.
Theotokos
Bound now by many captives of sins and held by fierce passions and troubles, I resort to You, my salvation, and cry out: help me, Virgin, Mother of God.
Song 4
Irmos: Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the honest Church sings divinely, crying out from a pure meaning, celebrating in the Lord.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
The path here is wide and pleasing to create sweetness, but it will be bitter on the last day, when the soul will be separated from the body: beware of this, man, from the Kingdom for the sake of God.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why do you offend the poor, withhold bribes from a mercenary, do not love your brother, persecute fornication and pride? Forsake this, my soul, and repent for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Oh, foolish man, how long will you gather your wealth like a bee? Soon it will perish like dust and ashes: but seek rather the Kingdom of God.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen me in virtue, and protect me, so that insolent death does not snatch me away unprepared, and bring me, O Virgin, to the Kingdom of God.
Song 5
Irmos: With God's light, O Blessed One, illumine the souls of You in the morning with love, I pray, lead You, the Word of God, the true God, calling out from the darkness of sin.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Remember, accursed man, how you were enslaved to lies, slander, robbery, weakness, a fierce beast, for the sake of sins; My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
They tremble, for I have committed guilt by all: with my eyes I behold, with my ears I hear, with my evil tongue I speak, I betray everything to myself to hell; My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You have received the fornicator and the repentant thief, O Savior, but I am the only one burdened with sinful laziness and enslaved by evil deeds, my sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Wonderful and quick helper to all people, Mother of God, help me, unworthy, for my sinful soul desires it.
Song 6
Irmos: The sea of life, raised in vain by misfortunes and storms, has flowed to Your quiet refuge, crying to You: lift up my belly from aphids, O Omni-merciful One.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Having lived fornication on earth and given my soul into darkness, now I pray to Thee, Merciful Master: free me from the work of this enemy, and give me the understanding to do Thy will.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Who creates something like me? Just as a pig lies in feces, so I serve sin. But You, Lord, pluck me from this vileness and give me the heart to do Your commandments.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Rise up, accursed 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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Virgin Mother of God, save me from visible and invisible evil, Most Pure One, and accept my prayers, and convey them to Your Son, that He may give me the mind to do His will.
Kontakion
My soul, why are you rich in sins, why do you do the will of the devil, why do you place your hope in this? Stop from this and turn to God with tears, calling: Merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Ikos
Thoughts, my soul, the bitter hour of death and doomsday Thy Creator and God: For the angels of menace will understand thee, O soul, and will lead thee into eternal fire: for before death repent, crying: Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.
Song 7
Irmos: The angel made the furnace of the venerable youth, and the Chaldeans, the scorching command of God, admonished the tormentor to cry out: Blessed are you, O God of our fathers.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Do not trust, my soul, in perishable wealth and in unrighteous gatherings, for you will not leave all this to anyone, but cry out: have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy.
Chorus: 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, unworthy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Remember, my soul, eternal life, the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for the saints, and the total darkness and the wrath of God for the evil, and cry: have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, my soul, to Mother of God and pray to the One, for she is a quick helper to the repentant, she will pray to the Son of Christ God, and have mercy on me, the unworthy.
Song 8
Irmos: From the flames of the saints you poured out dew and burned the righteous sacrifice with water: for you did everything, O Christ, only as you willed. We extol You forever.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why shouldn’t the Imam cry when I think about death when I see my brother lying in the grave, inglorious and ugly? What do I lose and what do I hope for? Just grant me, Lord, before the end, repentance. (Twice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I believe that you will come to judge the living and the dead, and everyone 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, repentance before the end.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Pure Mother of God, accept my unworthy prayer and save me from insolent death, and grant me repentance before the end.
Song 9
Irmos: It is impossible for man to see God; the angels do not dare to look at Worthiness; By You, O All-Pure One, the Word Incarnate as man, Who magnifies Him, with the heavenly howls we please You.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: 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 trial, so that my soul will be saved from the power of the enemy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Mother of God, help me, 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.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Master Christ God, who healed my passions with His passions and healed my ulcers with His wounds, grant me, who have sinned much to You, tears of tenderness; dissolve my body from the smell of Your Life-Giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, with which the enemy gave me a drink; raise my mind to You, which has fallen down, and lift me from the abyss of destruction: for I am not the imam of repentance, I am not the imam of tenderness, I am not the imam of comforting tears, leading children to their inheritance. Having darkened my mind in worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even love for You. But, Master Lord Jesus Christ, treasure of the good, grant me complete repentance and a laborious heart to seek Thy, grant me Thy grace and renew in me the images of Thy image. Leave Thee, do not leave me; go forth to seek me, lead me to Thy pasture and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, educate me with them from the grain of Thy Divine Sacraments, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen.
Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos
Sung in every spiritual sorrow and situation.
The creation of Theostiriktus the monk.
Troparion to the Mother of God, tone 4
Let us now diligently approach the Mother of God, sinners and humility, and let us fall down in repentance calling from the depths of our souls: Lady, help us, having had mercy on us, struggling, we are perishing from many sins, do not turn away your slaves, for you are the only hope of the imams. (Twice )
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us never, O Mother of God, be silent in speaking of Your strength and unworthiness: if You had not stood before us, praying, who would have saved us from such troubles, who would have kept us free until now? We will not retreat, O Lady, from You: for Your servants always save you from all evil ones.
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, 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 and done evil before You alone; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and you will always be victorious when You judge. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. 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 hearing; The bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, 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 away from me. Reward into the world the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked 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 broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, tone 8
Song 1
Irmos: Having passed through the water like dry land, and having escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried out: Let us drink to our deliverer and our God.
Contained by many misfortunes, I resort to You, seeking salvation: O Mother of the Word and the Virgin, save me from heavy and cruel things.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Passions trouble me and many despondencies fill my soul; die, O Young Lady, with the silence of Your Son and God, All-Immaculate.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having given 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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sick in body and soul, grant the Divine visitation and providence from You, the only Godmother, as a good, good Mother.
Song 3
Irmos: O Supreme Creator of the heavenly circle, O Lord, and the Creator of the Church, Thou strengthen me in Thy love, the desires of the land, the true affirmation, the only Lover of Mankind.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I entrust the intercession and protection of my life to Thee, the Virgin Mother of God: Thou feed me to Thy refuge, guilty of the good; true statement, the All-Singing One.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I pray, Virgin, to destroy the storm of my spiritual confusion and sorrow: You, O Blessed One of God, gave birth to the ruler of the silence of Christ, the only Most Pure One.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having given birth to good and guilty benefactors, pour out wealth of good deeds to all, for all you can, as you have given birth to the mighty one in the strength of Christ, O blessed One.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Help me with fierce ailments and painful passions, O Virgin, for I know You’s inexhaustible treasure, Immaculate, inexhaustible.
Save Thy servants from troubles, Mother of God, for we all run to You according to God, as an unbreakable wall and intercession.
Look with mercy, O all-sung Mother of God, on my fierce body, and heal the illness of my soul.
Troparion, tone 2
Warm prayer and an insurmountable wall, source of mercy, refuge of the world, we diligently cry out to Thee: Mother of God, Lady, advance and deliver us from troubles, the only one who will soon appear.
Song 4
Irmos: I heard, O Lord, Thy sacrament, I understood Thy works and glorified Thy Divinity.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The confusion of my passions, the helmsman who gave birth to the Lord, and the storm of my sins, O Bride of God, calmed the storm.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Grant me the abyss of Thy mercy, which gave birth to the Blessed One and the Savior of all who sing to Thee.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Enjoying, O Most Pure One, Your gifts, we sing in thanksgiving, Our Lady leading Thee.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
On the bed of my illness and infirmity, for those who prostrate me, as the Compassionate One, help the Mother of God, the only Ever-Virgin.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hope and affirmation and salvation are the wall of the immovable property of You, the All-Singing One, we get rid of every inconvenience.
Song 5
Irmos: Enlighten us with Your commandments, O Lord, and with Your high arm grant us Your peace, O Lover of Mankind.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill, O Pure One, my heart with joy, Thy incorruptible joy that gives birth to joy, which gave birth to the guilty.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Deliver us from troubles, pure Mother of God, having given birth to eternal deliverance, and peace that prevails over all minds.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Resolve the darkness of my sins, Bride of God, with the enlightenment of Your Grace, Who gave birth to the Divine and Eternal Light.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Heal, O Pure One, the infirmity of my soul, worthy of Thy visitation, and grant me health through Thy prayers.
Song 6
Irmos: I will pour out a prayer to the Lord, and to Him I will proclaim my sorrows, for my soul is filled with evil, and my stomach is approaching hell, and I pray like Jonah: from aphids, O God, lift me up.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As if 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.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We know You as your representative and steadfast guardian, O Virgin, and I solve rumors of misfortunes and drive away taxes from demons; and I always pray to deliver me from the aphids of my passions.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Like a wall of refuge for money-grubbers, and all-perfect salvation for souls, and space in sorrows, O Youth, and through Your enlightenment we always rejoice: O Lady, save us now from passions and troubles.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Now I lie on my sickbed, and there is no healing for my flesh: but, having given birth to the God and Savior of the world and the Savior of ailments, I pray to You, O Good One: raise me from aphids.
Kontakion, tone 6
The intercession of Christians is shameless, 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 who faithfully call upon Ty; hasten to prayer, and strive to supplicate, ever interceding, the Mother of God, those who honor Thee. Another kontakion, same voice
There are no imams of other help, no imams of other hope, except for You, Most Pure Virgin. Help us, we rely on You, and we boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.
Stichera, same voice
Do not entrust me to human intercession, Most Holy Lady, but accept the prayer of Thy servant: for sorrow will hold me, I cannot endure demonic shooting, there is no protection for the imam, below where I will resort, the accursed one, we are always defeated, and there is no consolation for the imam, except for You, the Lady of the world, the hope and intercession of the faithful, do not despise my prayer, make it useful.
Song 7
Irmos: The youths who came from Judea, in Babylon, sometimes, by the faith of the Trinity, asked the fire of the fire, singing: God of the fathers, blessed art thou.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Just as you wanted to arrange our salvation, O Savior, you moved into the Virgin’s womb, and you showed the world a representative: our father, God, blessed are you.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Commander of mercy, Whom you gave birth to, O pure Mother, implore him to get rid of sins and spiritual defilements by faith: our father, God, blessed are you.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The treasure of salvation and the Source of incorruption, who gave birth to You, and the pillar of affirmation, and the door of repentance, you showed to those calling: our father, God, blessed are you.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Bodily weaknesses and mental ailments, O Theotokos, with the love of those who approach Thy blood, O Virgin, vouchsafe to heal, Who gave birth to us the Savior Christ.
Song 8
Irmos: Praise and extol the Heavenly King, Whom all the angels sing to all ages.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not despise those who demand help from You, O Virgin, who sing and extol You forever.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You heal the infirmity of my soul and bodily illnesses, Virgin, may I glorify You, Pure, forever.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You pour out a wealth of healings faithfully to those who sing of Thee, O Virgin, and to those who extol Thy ineffable Nativity.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
You drive away adversity and the onset of passions, O Virgin: therefore we sing of You forever and ever.
Song 9
Irmos: We truly confess Thee, Theotokos, saved by Thee, Pure Virgin, with the bodiless faces magnifying Thee.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not turn away from the current of my tears, Even though you have taken away every tear from every face, the Virgin who gave birth to Christ.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill my heart with joy, O Virgin, who accepts the fulfillment of joy and consumes sinful sadness.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Be a refuge and intercession for those who come running to You, O Virgin, and an unbreakable wall, a refuge and cover and joy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Enlighten your light with the dawns, O Virgin, driving away the darkness of ignorance, faithfully confessing the Theotokos to you.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In the place of embitterment of the humbled one, O Virgin, heal, transforming ill health into health.
Stichera, tone 2
The highest of the heavens and the purest of the lordships of the sun, who delivered us from the oath, Let us honor the Lady of the world with songs.
Because of my many sins my body is weak, my soul is also weak; I come running to You, Most gracious, the hope of the unreliable, You help me.
Mistress and Mother of the Deliverer, accept the prayer of Your unworthy servants, and intercede with Him who was born of You; Oh, Lady of the world, be the Intercessor!
Let us diligently sing a song to You now, the all-sung Mother of God, joyfully: with the Forerunner and all the saints, pray to the Mother of God to be generous to us.
All the angels of the army, the Forerunner of the Lord, the twelve apostles, all the saints with the Mother of God, say a prayer that we may be saved.
Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Most Holy Theotokos, save me.
To my most blessed queen, my hope to the Mother of God, friend of the orphans and strange representatives, the sorrowful with joy, the offended 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 you will: for I have no other help except You, no other representative, no good comforter, except You, O God of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.
To whom shall I cry, Lady? To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, Most Immaculate, the hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners? Who will protect you more in adversity? Hear my groaning, and incline Your ear to me, the Lady of the Mother of my God, and do not despise me, who requires Your help, and do not reject me, a sinner. Enlighten and teach me, Queen of Heaven; do not depart from me, Thy servant, O Lady, for my murmuring, but be my Mother and intercessor. I entrust myself to Your merciful protection: lead me, a sinner, to a quiet and serene life, so that I may weep for my sins. To whom shall I resort when I am guilty, if not to You, the hope and refuge of sinners, with the hope of Your ineffable mercy and Thy generosity? Oh, Lady Queen of Heaven! You are my hope and refuge, protection and intercession and help. To my most kind and speedy intercessor! Cover my sins with Your intercession, protect me from enemies visible and invisible; soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against me. O Mother of the Lord my Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Oh, Mother of God! Give me help to those who are weak with carnal passions and sick at heart, for one thing is Yours and with You, Your Son and our God, the imam intercession; and through Your wonderful intercession may I be delivered from all misfortune and adversity, O most immaculate and glorious Mother of God, Mary. In the same way I say and cry out with hope: Rejoice, full of grace, rejoice, full of joy; Rejoice, most blessed one, the Lord is with you.
Canon to the Guardian Angel
Troparion, tone 6
Angel of God, my holy guardian, keep my life in the passion of Christ God, strengthen my mind in the true path, and wound my soul to heavenly love, so that I may be guided by you, I will receive great mercy from Christ God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos
Holy Lady, Mother of Christ our God, who perplexedly gave birth to all the Creator, pray to His goodness always, with my guardian angel, to save my soul, possessed by passions, and grant me remission of sins.
Canon, tone 8
Song 1
Irmos: Let us praise the Lord, who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone was gloriously glorified.
Sing and praise the song, Savior, worthy of Your servant, the disembodied Angel, my mentor and guardian.
I am the only one lying in foolishness and laziness now, my mentor and guardian, do not leave me, perishing.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Direct my mind with your prayer, to 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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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: You are the affirmation of those who flow to You, Lord, You are the light of the darkened, and my spirit sings of You.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
I place all my thoughts and my soul on you, my guardian; Deliver me from every misfortune of the enemy.
Chorus: 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 to perish.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Sing a song with thanksgiving and zeal to the Creator and God give me, and to you, my good guardian Angel: my deliverer, rescue me from the enemies who embitter me.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Heal, O Most Pure One, my many painful scabs, even in my soul, and heal the enemies who are constantly fighting against me.
Sedalen, voice 2
From the love of my soul I cry out to you, the guardian of my soul, my all-holy Angel: cover me and always protect me from evil deception, and guide me to heavenly life, admonishing and enlightening and strengthening me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos:
The Blessed Most Pure Mother of God, Who without seed gave birth to all the Lord, Pray Him with my Guardian Angel to deliver me from all bewilderment, and to give tenderness and light to my soul and purification through sin, Who alone will soon intercede.
Song 4
Irmos: I heard, O Lord, Thy mystery, I understood Thy works, and glorified Thy Divinity.
Chorus: 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 in peace forever and grant me invincible salvation.
Chorus: 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 to you, holy one, free me from all troubles.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Cleanse my depravity with your shrine, my guardian, and may I be excommunicated from the part of Shuiya through your prayers and become a partaker of glory.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
I am bewildered by the evils that have happened to me, O Most Pure One, but deliver me from them quickly: I am the only one who has come to You.
Song 5
Irmos: We cry out to You in the morning: Lord, save us; For you are our God, don’t you know anything else?
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Bright light, brightly enlighten my soul, my mentor and guardian, given to me by God to the Angel.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Mary, Lady of the Brideless Mother of God, the hope of the faithful, cast down the heaps of the enemy, and those who sing make you glad.
Song 6
Irmos: Give me a robe of light, dress in light like a robe, O most merciful Christ our God.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Illuminate my mind, O blessed one, and enlighten me, I pray to you, holy Angel, and always instruct me to think usefully.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Tire my heart from real rebellion, and be vigilant, strengthen me in good things, my guardian, and guide me wonderfully to the silence of animals.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Word of God dwelled in Thee, Mother of God, and man showed Thee the heavenly ladder; Because of you, the Most High has come down to us to eat.
Kontakion, tone 4
Appear to me, merciful, holy Angel of the Lord, my guardian, and do not separate from me, the foul one, but enlighten me with inviolable light and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ikos
My humble soul has been tempted by many, you, holy representative, vouchsafe the ineffable glory of heaven, and singer from the faces of the disembodied powers of God, have mercy on me and preserve my thoughts kind soul Enlighten me, so that with your glory, my Angel, I will be enriched, and overthrow my evil-minded enemies, and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Song 7
Irmos: The youths came from Judea, in Babylon, sometimes, by the faith of the Trinity, they asked the fire of the fire, singing: God of the fathers, blessed art thou.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Do not leave my accursed soul on its journey, killed by a robber, holy Angel, who was betrayed by God without blame; but I will guide you on the path of repentance.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I bring all my disgraced soul away from my evil thoughts and deeds: but precede, my mentor, and grant me healing with good thoughts, so that I always deviate onto the right path.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Fill everyone with wisdom and Divine strength, Hypostatic Wisdom of the Most High, for the Mother of God, for the sake of those who cry out with faith: Our father, God, blessed art thou.
Song 8
Irmos: Praise and exalt the Heavenly King, Whom all the angels sing to all ages.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Sent from God, strengthen the belly of my servant, your servant, most blessed Angel, and do not leave me forever.
Chorus: 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 to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Be my protection and take away all people on the day of testing; good and evil deeds will be tempted by fire.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Be a helper and silence for me, O Ever-Virgin Mother of God, Thy servant, and do not leave me deprived of Thy dominion.
Song 9
Irmos: We truly confess You, the Mother of God, saved by You, pure Virgin, with your incorporeal faces magnifying You.
To Jesus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Grant me to think and create continually, O Lord Angel, who is good and useful, as she is strong in weakness and blameless.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
As if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King, pray to Him, along with other incorporeal ones, to have mercy on me, the accursed one.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Having much boldness, O Virgin, to Him Who was incarnate from You, turn me from my bonds and grant me permission and salvation through Your prayers.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, given to me for the protection of my sinful soul and body from holy baptism, but with my laziness and my evil custom I angered your most pure lordship and drove you away from me with all the cold deeds: lies, slander , envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, brotherly hatred, and resentment, love of money, adultery, rage, stinginess, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, verbosity, evil thoughts and crafty ones, proud custom and lustful indignation, driven by self-will for all carnal lust. Oh, my evil will, which even dumb animals cannot do! How can you look at me, or approach me like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, angel of Christ, look upon me, entangled in evil in vile deeds? How can I already ask for forgiveness with my bitter and evil and crafty deed, I fall into misery all day and night and at every hour? But I pray to you, falling down, my holy guardian, have mercy on me, your sinful and unworthy servant (name), be me a helper and intercessor against the evil of my opponent, with your holy prayers, and make me a partaker of the Kingdom of God with all the saints, always, and now and ever and ever. Amen.
Following to Holy Communion
Through the prayers of the saints, our 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.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship our King 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 22
The Lord shepherds me and will deprive me of nothing. In a green place, there they settled me, on the calm water they raised me. Convert my soul, guide me on the paths 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 will comfort me. Thou hast prepared a table before me to resist those who are cold to me, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty one. And Thy mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and make me dwell in the house of the Lord for the length of days.
Psalm 23
The earth is the Lord's, and its fulfillment, 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 His holy place? He is innocent in his hands 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 the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting 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 your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting 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 said the same things, and I was greatly humbled. I died in my frenzy: every man is a lie. What shall I 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 apart my bonds. 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 to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hallelujah. (Three times with three bows)
Troparion, tone 8
Despise my iniquities, O Lord, be born of a Virgin, and cleanse my heart, creating a temple to Your most pure Body and Blood, lower me from Your face, having great mercy without number.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In the communion of Thy holy things, how dare I [become], unworthy? Because I dare to approach You with the worthy, the robe denounces me as if it were not the evening, and I intercede for condemnation of my many-sinful soul. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
My many and many sins, Mother of God, I have come running to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the evil deeds, O Blessed One.
[On Holy Pentecost:
When the glorious disciple is enlightened at the thought of the supper, then the evil Judas, sickened by the love of money, becomes darkened, and betrays Your righteous Judge to the lawless judges. See, the steward of the property, who used strangulation for these sakes: flee the unsatiated soul, such a daring Teacher. O good Lord of all, glory to Thee.]
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, 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. To You alone have I sinned and done evil before You; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and you will always triumph over Your judgment. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, 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 away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked 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 broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Canon, voice 2. Song 1
Irmos: Come, people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who divided the sea, and taught the people, even from the work of Egypt, as if he was glorified.
May Thy Holy Body, O most gracious Lord, be the bread of the eternal life, and the Honest Blood, and healing of manifold ailments.
The accursed one, defiled by unplaceable deeds, am unworthy, O Christ, of Your Most Pure Body and Divine Blood, to receive communion, which you have vouchsafed to me.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Good Earth, blessed Bride of God, vegetating untouched and saving the world, vouchsafe me this food to be saved.
Song 3
Irmos: Having established me on the rock of faith, you have enlarged 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.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Grant me tearful drops, O Christ, that cleanse the filth of my heart: for as I have been purified by a good conscience, I come by faith and fear, O Master, to partake of Thy Divine Gifts.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May Thy Most Pure Body and Divine Blood be with me for the remission of sins, the communion of the Holy Spirit, and into eternal life, Lover of mankind, and alienation from passions and sorrows.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: The Most Holy Bread of the Animal Table, from above the mercy of which came down, and gave the world a new life, and now vouchsafe to me, the unworthy, to taste this with fear, and live to be.
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 whole man. Thus I call to Thee: glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Thou didst desire, for our sake, to be incarnated, O Omni-merciful One, to be slain like a sheep, sin for the sake of men: I also pray to Thee, and cleanse my sins.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Heal my ulcers, Lord, and sanctify everything: and grant, O Master, that I may partake of Your secret Divine Supper, the accursed one.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Compassionate me also from Thy womb, O Lady, and keep me undefiled and undefiled by Thy servant, like the reception of clever beads, I will be sanctified.
Song 5
Irmos: Light to the Giver and Creator of ages, O Lord, instruct us in the light of Your commandments; Don’t we know any other god for You?
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
As You foretold, O Christ, that it would be done to Your evil servant, and abide in me, as You promised: Behold, Your Body is Divine, and I drink Your Blood.
Chorus: Do not cast 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, who is darkened, into enlightenment, and the purification of my defiled soul may Your Blood.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Mary, Mother of God, sweet-smelling village, make me a chosen vessel through Your prayers, so that I may partake of Your Son of sanctification.
Song 6
Irmos: Lying in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy mercy: lift me up from aphids, O God.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Sanctify my mind, soul and heart, O Savior, and my body, and grant me, without condemnation, O Lord, to approach the terrible Mysteries.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I have withdrawn from passions, and may Thy grace be applied and confirmed in life by the communion of the Saints, Christ, and Thy Mysteries.
Chorus: 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, Master, and Thy terrible Mysteries, may the accursed partake, may it not be for me in judgment, may it be for me in the eternal and immortal life.
Song 7
Irmos: The wise children did not serve the golden body, and they themselves went into the flames, and cursed their gods, and cried out in the midst of the flames, and I sprinkled the angel: the prayer of your lips has already been heard.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
May the source of good things, communion, Christ, of Thy immortal Mysteries now be light, and life, and dispassion, and for the advancement and increase of the most Divine virtue, intercessionfully, the only Good One, for I glorify Thee.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be delivered from passions, and enemies, and needs, and all sorrows, with trembling and love with reverence, O Lover of mankind, approach now Your immortal and Divine Mysteries, and vouchsafe to You to sing: Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Who gave birth to the Savior Christ more than the mind, God-gracious, I pray to You now, Thy servant, the Pure Unclean One: who now wants me to approach the most pure Mysteries, cleanse me all from the defilement of the flesh and spirit.
Song 8
Irmos: Who descended into the fiery furnace to the Jewish youth, and who turned God into flames into dew, sing the works of the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, 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 Supper to be a fellow-companion and vouchsafe to me the desperate one, O God, my Savior.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Beneath Your compassion, O Good One, I call upon You with fear: abide in me, O Savior, and I, as you said, in You; Behold, daring in Thy mercy, I eat Thy Body and drink Thy Blood.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: I tremble, accepting 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 of clay and become incorruptible?
Song 9
Irmos: The Son, the God and the Lord, without beginning, became incarnate from the Virgin, appearing to us, the darkened one to enlighten, the scattered brethren: with this we magnify the all-sung Mother of God.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Christ is, taste and see: the Lord for our sake, having been for us of old, brought Himself alone, as an offering to His Father, He is ever slain, sanctifying those who partake.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be sanctified with soul and body, Master, may I be enlightened, may I be saved, may Thy house be a communion of the sacred Mysteries, having You living within me with the Father and the Spirit, O Most Merciful Benefactor.
Chorus: Reward me with 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 the thorns of passions, and enlightening all of me, let me worship Your Divinity.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: God became incarnate from Your pure blood; In the same way, every race sings to Thee, the Lady, and the intelligent multitudes glorify, as through Thee they have clearly seen the Ruler of all, who existed among humanity.
It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
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 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Your name, 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.
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; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You, as the Lord, sinners: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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 you are kind, 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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may 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.
Although eat, O man, the Body of the Lord,
Approach with fear, but don’t get burned: there is fire.
I drink the Divine Blood for communion,
First of all, reconcile those who have grieved you.
Also daring, mysterious food.
Other verses:
Before communion there is a terrible sacrifice,
Lady of the Life-Giving Body,
Hereby pray with trembling:
Prayer 1, Basil the Great
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, of all creation, visible and invisible, and the Creator, of the beginningless Father, co-eternal with the Son and co-originating, much for the sake of goodness in the last days, he clothed himself in flesh, and was crucified, and was buried for us, ungrateful and malicious, and Yours. With the blood of renewing our nature, corrupted by sin, Himself, Immortal King, accept my sinful repentance, and incline Your ear to me, and hear my words. For I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned in heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Your glory: I have angered Your goodness, having transgressed Your commandments, and not listened to Your commands. But You, Lord, are kind, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, and did not give me up to perish with my iniquities, waiting for my conversion in every possible way. For You have declared, O Lover of Mankind, as Your prophet: for by will I do not want the death of a sinner, but the hedgehog will turn and live to be him. You do not want, Master, to destroy your creation by hand, and you are less than pleased with the destruction of mankind, but you want to save everyone and come into the mind of truth. Likewise, I, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth, and sow temporary life, having subjected myself to sin, and enslaved myself with pleasure, and desecrated Your image; but having become Thy creation and creature, I do not despair of my salvation, the accursed one, but daring to receive Thy immeasurable compassion, I come. Accept me, 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 the sin of the world, and heal the infirmities of man, call those who labor and are burdened to Yourself and give rest to those who did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And cleanse me from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to perform holiness in Thy Passion: for by the pure knowledge of my conscience, having received part of Thy holy things, I may unite with Thy holy Body and Blood, and have You living and abiding in me, with the Father, and Your Holy Spirit. To her, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, may the communion of Thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries not be in judgment for me, nor may I be weak in soul and body, so that I am not worthy to receive communion, but grant me, even until my final breath, to accept without condemnation part of Thy holy things, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the path of eternal life, and in a favorable answer at Thy Last Judgment: for I, too, with all Thy chosen ones, will be a partaker of Thy incorruptible blessings, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord, in which Thou art glorified in eyelids. Amen.
Prayer 2, St. John Chrysostom
Lord my God, in knowing that I am not worthy, I am below satisfied, and you have brought the temple of my soul under the roof, all empty and fallen, and there is no place in me worthy of bowing your head: but as from on high you humbled us for your sake, humble yourself and now to my humility; and as you received it in the den and in the wordless manger, reclining, take it in the wordless manger of my soul, and bring it into my defiled body. And just as you did not fail to bring in and shine a light on the sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so deign to bring 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, have mercy on me, a sinner, who comes and touches You; and just as you did not abhor her foul and unclean lips kissing Thee, below mine, abhor those defiled and unclean lips, below my vile and unclean lips, and my foul and unclean tongue. But may the coal of Your most holy Body, and Your honorable Blood, be for me, for the sanctification and enlightenment and health of my humble soul and body, for the relief of the burdens of many of my sins, for the protection from every devilish action, for the driving away and prohibition of my evil and evil customs, for the mortification of passions, for the supply of Thy commandments, for the application of Thy Divine grace, and the appropriation of Thy Kingdom. It is not because I come to You, O Christ our God, that I despise You, but because I dare you in Your ineffable goodness, and let me not withdraw from Your fellowship in the depths, I will be hunted down by the mental wolf. In the same way, I pray to You: as the only Holy One, Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, womb and womb, and renew all of me, and root Your fear in my hearts, and create Your sanctification inseparably from me; and be my helper and intercessor, feeding my belly in the world, making me worthy to stand at Your right hand with Your saints, the prayers and supplications of Your Most Pure Mother, Your immaterial servants and the Most Pure Powers, and all the saints who have pleased You from the ages. Amen.
Prayer 3, Simeon Metaphrastus
One pure and incorruptible Lord, for the ineffable mercy of our love for mankind, we have received all the mixture, from pure and virgin blood, more than the nature, who gave birth to Thee, the Divine Spirit by invasion, and by the good will of the ever-present Father, Christ Jesus, the wisdom of God, and peace, and power; By your perception of the life-giving and saving suffering perceived, cross, nails, spear, death, mortify my soul-smothering bodily passions. By Your burial of the hellish kingdoms, bury my good thoughts, evil advice, and destroy the spirits of wickedness. By Thy three-day and life-giving resurrection of the fallen forefather, raise me up in the sin that crawled, offering me images of repentance. By Thy glorious ascension, the carnal perception of God, and honor this on the right hand of the Father, grant me the gift of receiving the communion of Thy holy Mysteries on the right hand of those who are being saved. By bringing forth the Comforter of Thy Spirit, Thy disciples have made honorable sacred vessels, friend and show me That coming. Although you would like to come again to judge the universe with righteousness, deign me too to place You on the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Your saints: may I endlessly glorify and sing Your praises, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 4, his
For in Thy Terrible One, who is unaccepting of persons, I stand before the Judgment Seat, O Christ God, and raise condemnation, and create a word about the evil things I have done; This day, before the day of my condemnation has even come, standing at Your holy Altar before You and before Your terrible and holy Angels, I bow down from my conscience, I offer my wicked and lawless deeds, reveal this and reprove. See, Lord, my humility, and forgive all my sins; see how my iniquity has multiplied more than the hair of my head. Why haven't you done evil? What sin have I not committed? What evil have I not imagined in my soul? I have already committed deeds: fornication, adultery, pride, arrogance, reproach, blasphemy, idle talk, inappropriate laughter, drunkenness, guttural rage, gluttony, hatred, envy, love of money, covetousness, covetousness, selfishness, love of glory, theft, untruth, ill-gaining, jealousy , slander, lawlessness; I have created every feeling and every evil that is defiled, corrupted, and indecent, and has become a work of the devil in every way. And I know, Lord, that my iniquities have surpassed my head; but the multitude of Thy bounties is immeasurable, and the mercy of Thy kindness is inexpressible, and there is no sin, conquering Thy love for mankind. Moreover, wonderful King, kindly Lord, surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy, show Thy goodness the power and show the strength of Thy gracious mercy, and when you turn, accept me, a sinner. Receive me as you received the prodigal, the robber, the harlot. Receive me, having sinned You beyond measure in word and deed, with placeless lust and wordless thought. And just as at the one and tenth hour you accepted those who came, having done nothing worthy, so also accept me, a sinner: for many have sinned and become defiled, and have grieved Thy Holy Spirit, and grieved Thy humane womb in deed, and in word, and in thought, in the night and in the days, both manifest and unmanifest, willingly and unwillingly. And we know that you have presented my sins before me as such as I have committed, and have spoken with me about those who have sinned unforgivenly in their minds. But Lord, Lord, do not reprove me with Thy righteous judgment, nor with Thy wrath, nor punish me with Thy wrath; have mercy on me, Lord, for I am not only weak, but also Your creation. For Thou, O Lord, hast Thou established Thy fear upon me, and I have done evil before Thee. For You alone have sinned, but I pray to You, do not enter into judgment with Your servant. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For I am the abyss of sin, and I am not worthy, below I am content to look up and see the heights of heaven, from the multitude of my sins, which are innumerable: every atrocity and deceit, and the cunning of Satan, and corruption, resentment, advice to sin and other countless passions are not destitute of me. Why haven't my sins been corrupted? Are Kiimi not kept evil? Every sin I have committed, every uncleanness I have put into my soul, would be undesirable for You, my God, and man. Who will raise me up, in the face of evil and a bit of fallen sin? Lord my God, I have trusted in You; If I have hope of salvation, if Thy love for mankind overcomes the multitude of my iniquities, be my savior, and according to Thy bounties and Thy mercy, weaken, forgive, forgive me all that I have sinned, for my soul is filled with many evils and is not in me. saving hope. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy and do not reward me according to my deeds, and do not judge me according to my deeds, but convert, intercede, and deliver my soul from the evils and cruel perceptions that co-increase with it. Save me for the sake of Thy mercy, that where sin multiplies, Thy grace abounds; and I will praise and glorify You always, all the days of my life. For You are the God of those who repent and the Savior of those who sin; and we send glory to You with Your Originless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. John of Damascus
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone have the power to forgive man’s sins, for as he is good and a lover of mankind, I have despised all sins in knowledge and not in knowledge, and grant me without condemnation to partake of Thy Divine, and glorious, and most pure, and life-giving Mysteries, not in heaviness, neither torment, nor to the addition of sins, but to cleansing, and sanctification, and the betrothal of the future Life and kingdom, to the wall and help, and to the objection of those who resist, to the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy, and generosity, and love for mankind, and we send up glory to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 6, St. Basil the Great
We know, Lord, that I unworthily partake of Thy most pure Body and Thy honorable Blood, and I am guilty, and I condemn myself to pit and drink, not judging the Body and Blood of You of Christ and my God, but in Thy bounty I boldly come to You who said: You eat My flesh and drink My blood, he abides in Me, and I in him. Have mercy, O Lord, and do not expose me, a sinner, but do with me according to Your mercy; and may this saint be mine 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 action of the devil, acting mentally in my lands, into boldness and love, even towards You; for the correction of life and affirmation, for the return of virtue and perfection; in fulfillment of the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the guidance of the eternal life, in response to a favorable response at Thy Last Judgment: not in judgment or condemnation.
Prayer 7, Saint Simeon the New Theologian
From vile lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a soul defiled, accept this prayer, my Christ, and do not despise my words, below images, below lack of study. Grant me to boldly say what I want, my Christ, and even more so, teach me what I should do and say. Having sinned more than the harlot, even though I knew where you were, having bought myrrh, I came boldly to anoint Your nose, my God, my Lord and Christ. Just as you did not reject the one that came from your heart, abhor me below, the Word: Give yours to my nose, and hold and kiss, and boldly anoint this with streams of tears, like a valuable ointment. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, O Word. Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness. Weigh a multitude of evils, weigh my scabs, and see my ulcers, but also weigh my faith, and see my will, and hear my sighing. There is no hidden part of you, my God, my Creator, my Savior, below a drop of tears, below a drop of a certain part. Thy eyes have seen what I have not done, and in Thy book the essence of what has not yet been done is written to You. See my humility, see my great labor, and forgive me all my sins, O God of all: so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought, and a contrite soul, I may partake of Your undefiled and most holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats poison and drinks with a pure heart is revived and adored; For you have said, my Lord: everyone who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, he abides in Me, and in Him I Am. The word of all my Lord and God is true: for you partake of the divine and adoring graces, for I am not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Trisunlar Light, enlightening the world. May I not be alone besides You, the Life-Giver, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world. For this reason, I come to You, as if I saw you, 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 Mysteries without condemnation, so that You may remain, as You have promised, with me, the repentant one: may I not only find Your grace, the deceiver will delight me with the flatterer, and deceiving will lead away those who idolize Your words. For this reason I fall down to You, and cry out to You warmly: as You received the prodigal, and the harlot who came, so receive me, the prodigal and the defiled, Generously. With a contrite soul, now coming to You, we know, Savior, as another, like I, did not sin against You, lower than the deeds I did. But we know this again, because not the greatness of sins, nor the multitude of sins exceeds my God’s great patience and extreme love for mankind; but by the grace of compassion, warmly repentant, and purifying, and brightening, and creating light, you are partakers, associates of Your Divinity, doing unenviably, and strange things with both the Angel and human thought, conversing with them many times, as if with Your true friend. This is the bold thing they do to me, this is what they force me to do, O my Christ. And daring to show us Your rich kindness, rejoicing and trembling together, we partake of the fire and partake of this grass, and a strange miracle, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old did not burn without burning. Now with a grateful thought, with a grateful heart, with grateful hands, my soul and my body, I worship and magnify and glorify Thee, my God, for being blessed, now and forever.
Prayer 8, St. John Chrysostom
God, weaken, forsake, forgive me my sins, those who have sinned, whether in word, whether in deed, whether in thought, will or involuntarily, by reason or foolishness, forgive me all, as you are good and a lover of mankind, and through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, your intelligent 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 venerable 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 ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
His same, 9th
I am not pleased, Master Lord, that you may bring me under the roof of my soul; but since You, as a Lover of Mankind, want to live in me, I boldly approach; You command that I open the doors that You alone created, and with love for mankind, like You, you will see and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that You have done this: You did not drive away the harlot who came to You with tears; You have rejected below the publican, having repented; below the thief, having come to know Your kingdom, You drove away; Thou hast left the repentant lower than the persecutor; but from repentance Thou hast brought all who have come to Thee, in the person of Thy friends Thou hast made the One, the Blessed One always, now and unto endless ages. Amen.
His same, 10th
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forsake, cleanse and forgive my sinful, and indecent, and unworthy servant, my sins, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, since I have sinned from my youth, even to this day and hour: if in my mind and in foolishness, or in words or deeds, or thoughts and thoughts, and undertakings, and all my feelings. And through the prayers of the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, who without seed gave birth to Thy one unashamed hope and intercession and salvation, grant me to uncondemnedly partake of Thy most pure, immortal, life-giving and terrible Mysteries, for the remission of sins and for eternal life: for sanctification and enlightenment, strength, healing, and health of soul and body, and in the consumption and complete destruction of my evil thoughts, and thoughts, and enterprises, and nightly dreams, dark and crafty spirits; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, and the honor, and the worship, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 11, St. John of Damascus
I stand before the doors of Your temple, and I do not retreat from fierce thoughts; but You, Christ God, have justified the publican, and had mercy on the Canaanites, and opened the doors of paradise to the thief, open to me the womb of Your love for mankind, and accept me, coming and touching You, like a harlot who is bleeding: and having touched the hem of Your robe, make it easy for you to receive healing, Thy most pure ones restrained their noses and bore the remission of sins. But I, the accursed one, dare to perceive Your whole Body, so that I will not be scorched; but accept me as you do, and enlighten my spiritual feelings, burning away my sinful guilt, with the prayers of You who gave birth without seed, and the Heavenly powers; for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom
I believe, Lord, and 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 pure 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, without condemnation, to partake of Your most pure Sacraments, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.
When you come to receive communion, say this prayer mentally:
O Master, Lover of Mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, let this Holy One not be brought into judgment against me, because I am unworthy of being: but for the purification and sanctification of soul and body, and for the betrothal of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me, if I cleave to God, to place the hope of my salvation in the Lord.
Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.
Preparation for Confession of Sins
During confession, a person is reconciled with Christ; he reveals his sins to Him in the presence of a cleric, who is a “mediator” between God and man. At the end of the confession, the cleric reads a prayer of permission over the confessor - he prays to God for the forgiveness of the sins of the penitent.
During confession, you need to talk only about your sins.
You should carefully prepare for confession, and for this you need to realize the sinfulness of your life and understand that there is sin - any action or thought that contradicts the Commandments.
- Disbelief in God, creating idols for oneself, worshiping idols, communicating with magicians;
- Disregard for people, condemnation of their shortcomings, fornication and depraved acts;
- Murder;
- Carrying out abortions, which is equivalent to murder (except for termination of pregnancy for medical reasons);
- Theft of other people's property, lies and slander.
During the celebration of the Sacrament, it is necessary to talk only about one’s sins, there is no need to downplay them or look for justification for them. You should not look for “church” words; you should describe your sins in ordinary language. There is no need to be ashamed of the priest when describing his misdeeds: the cleric accepts a lot of confessions and is not surprised by anything for a long time, and sins do not change over the centuries, each person just describes them differently. The priest will never condemn the repentant, he can only give advice on what to do in a given situation, and will definitely pray for every sinner.
There is no need to start confession with “light” sins: breaking the fast, not attending divine services, wearing, for example, trousers (for women). God doesn't need to dig into daily minutiae. He expects from every confessor renunciation of sin, love and complete dedication of the heart, patience and forgiveness. It is important to confess possible mortal sins: murder, theft, renunciation of faith, adultery.
Important! The priest may order penance. This means a ban for some time on communion, prayer, and prostrations. This is not a punishment for sins, but a means to destroy sin and cleanse the soul.
Reminder for those preparing for Holy Communion
Communion must be performed “not for judgment or condemnation”; for this, a number of conditions must be met.
Confession
- A person must understand that he will not just taste the Blood and Flesh of Christ, but will soon unite with the Creator for his sanctification and cleansing of sins.
- The communicant must be completely free of hypocrisy and have the Fear of God, which is the beginning of human wisdom.
- The human soul should experience peace, it should be free from malice, enmity and hatred. Only in this state can one approach the Chalice.
- It is forbidden to violate church canons, it is necessary to be within the framework of moral life. Only such people are given grace.
- Before performing the Sacrament, absolution of sins is required.
- It is necessary to observe liturgical fasting: from 24 o'clock the night before until the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, it is forbidden to eat or drink anything. It is necessary to start Communion on an empty stomach. On the days of night services before great holidays, the duration of liturgical fasting should be at least 6 hours. Relaxation is given only to seriously ill people: they are allowed to take medications and wash them down with a sip of water (but before communion it is necessary to notify the priest about this).
- It is important to observe marital fasting for several days. But it should be taken into account family circumstances, so that this fast would not be harmful to the communicant and his family. During Bright Week, physical fasting is not permitted.
In the temple, after reading the prayer “Our Father,” the communicant should go to the altar and wait for the priest to bring out the Chalice with the Gifts. After the clergy exits the royal gates, you should cross your arms over your chest ( right hand put on the left) and approach the Chalice in order of turn. The priest needs to voice his name given at baptism, and then reverently accept the Body and Blood of Christ, kiss the edge of the Chalice, and go to the table where pieces of prosphora and warmth are distributed to the communicants. But you can’t go home yet; after the sermon, the priest will bring out the Crucifix, which you need to touch with your lips.
Video about preparing for confession
Preparation for Communion includes fasting, prayer and repentance for sins. Fasting is a refusal of both food of animal origin (meat, milk, eggs, and fish during strict fasting) and various types of entertainment (watching films, TV shows, reading certain literature, etc.). The freed time must be used for reading spiritual literature, the Gospel, attending divine services, and praying at home. Usual preparation includes, in addition to morning and evening prayers, reading
The named canons can be read several days in advance, and the Follow-up can be read on the eve of Communion. On the eve of communion, it is necessary to confess - in some churches confession is performed during the evening service, in others - immediately before the Liturgy.
Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
Tone 6, Song 1Irmos: As Israel walked across the dry land, with footsteps across the abyss, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing a victorious song to God, crying out.
Now I, a sinner and burdened, have come to You, my Master and God; I don’t dare look at heaven, only I pray, saying: give me, O Lord, understanding, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Oh, woe to me, a sinner! I am the most damned man of all; there is no repentance in me; Give me, Lord, tears, so that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Foolish, wretched man, you waste time in laziness; think about your life, and turn to the Lord God, and weep bitterly about your deeds.
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.
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.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Whenever thrones are set at the terrible judgment, then the deeds of all people will be exposed; woe there will be a sinner, sent to torment; and then, my soul, repent from your evil deeds.
Chorus: 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, so before the end, repent of your evil deeds.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Alas for me, a great sinner, having been defiled by deeds and thoughts, I have not a drop of tears from hard-heartedness; now arise from the earth, my soul, and repent from your evil deeds.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Behold, O Lady, Thy Son calls and teaches us to do good, but the sinner always runs from good; but You, Merciful One, have mercy on me, so that I may repent of my evil deeds.
Sedalen, voice 6th
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, the prodigal one? Compassionate Father, Only Begotten Son and Holy Soul, have mercy on me.
Theotokos
Bound now by many captives of sins and held by fierce passions and troubles, I resort to You, my salvation, and cry out: help me, Virgin, Mother of God.
Song 4
Irmos: Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the honest Church sings divinely, crying out from a pure meaning, celebrating in the Lord.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
The path here is wide and pleasing to create sweetness, but it will be bitter on the last day, when the soul will be separated from the body: beware of this, man, from the Kingdom for the sake of God.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why do you offend the poor, withhold bribes from a mercenary, do not love your brother, persecute fornication and pride? Forsake this, my soul, and repent for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Oh, foolish man, how long will you gather your wealth like a bee? Soon it will perish like dust and ashes: but seek rather the Kingdom of God.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen me in virtue, and protect me, so that insolent death does not snatch me away unprepared, and bring me, O Virgin, to the Kingdom of God.
Song 5
Irmos: With God's light, O Blessed One, illumine the souls of You in the morning with love, I pray, lead You to the Word of God, the true God, calling out from the darkness of sin.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Remember, accursed man, how you were enslaved to lies, slander, robbery, weakness, a fierce beast, for the sake of sins; My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
They tremble, for I have committed guilt by all: with my eyes I behold, with my ears I hear, with my evil tongue I speak, I betray everything to myself to hell; My sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You have received the fornicator and the repentant thief, O Savior, but I am the only one burdened with sinful laziness and enslaved by evil deeds, my sinful soul, is this what you wanted?
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Wonderful and quick helper to all people, Mother of God, help me, unworthy, for my sinful soul desires it.
Song 6
Irmos: The sea of life, raised in vain by misfortunes and storms, has flowed to Your quiet refuge, crying to You: lift up my belly from aphids, O Most Merciful One.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Having lived fornication on earth and given my soul into darkness, now I pray to Thee, Merciful Master: free me from the work of this enemy, and give me the understanding to do Thy will.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Who creates something like me? Just as a pig lies in feces, so I serve sin. But You, Lord, pluck me from this vileness and give me the heart to do Your commandments.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Rise up, accursed 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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Virgin Mother of God, save me from visible and invisible evil, Most Pure One, and accept my prayers, and convey them to Your Son, that He may give me the mind to do His will.
Kontakion
My soul, why are you rich in sins, why do you do the will of the devil, why do you place your hope in this? Stop from this and turn to God with tears, calling: Merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Ikos
Think, my soul, the bitter hour of death and the terrible judgment of your Creator and God: For threatening angels will understand you, my soul, and will lead you into eternal fire: for before death, repent, crying: Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.
Song 7
Irmos: The angel made the venerable furnace a venerable youth, and the Chaldeans, the scorching command of God, admonished the tormentor to cry out: Blessed are you, O God of our fathers.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Do not trust, my soul, in perishable wealth and in unrighteous gatherings, for you will not leave all this to anyone, but cry out: have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy.
Chorus: 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, unworthy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Remember, my soul, eternal life, the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for the saints, and the total darkness and the wrath of God for the evil, and cry: have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, my soul, to the Mother of God and pray to her, for she is a quick helper to the repentant, she will pray to the Son of Christ God, and have mercy on me, the unworthy.
Song 8
Irmos: From the flames of the saints you poured out dew and burned the righteous sacrifice with water: you did everything, O Christ, only as you wished. We extol You forever.
Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Why shouldn’t the Imam cry when I think about death when I see my brother lying in the grave, inglorious and ugly? What do I lose and what do I hope for? Just grant me, Lord, before the end, repentance. (Twice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I believe that you will come to judge the living and the dead, and everyone 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, repentance before the end.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Pure Mother of God, accept my unworthy prayer and save me from insolent death, and grant me repentance before the end.
Song 9
Irmos: It is impossible for man to see God; the Angels do not dare to look at the Worthless One; By You, O All-Pure One, the Word Incarnate as man, Who magnifies Him, with the heavenly howls we please You.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: 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 trial, so that my soul will be saved from the power of the enemy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Mother of God, help me, 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.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Master Christ God, who healed my passions with His passions and healed my ulcers with His wounds, grant me, who have sinned much to You, tears of tenderness; dissolve my body from the smell of Your Life-Giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, with which the enemy gave me a drink; raise my mind to You, which has fallen down, and lift me from the abyss of destruction: for I am not the imam of repentance, I am not the imam of tenderness, I am not the imam of comforting tears, leading children to their inheritance. Having darkened my mind in worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even love for You. But, Master Lord Jesus Christ, treasure of the good, grant me complete repentance and a laborious heart to seek Thy, grant me Thy grace and renew in me the images of Thy image. Leave Thee, do not leave me; go forth to seek me, lead me to Thy pasture and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, educate me with them from the grain of Thy Divine Sacraments, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen.
Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos
Troparion to the Mother of God, tone 4Let us now diligently approach the Mother of God, sinners and humility, and let us fall down in repentance calling from the depths of our souls: Lady, help us, having had mercy on us, struggling, we are perishing from many sins, do not turn away your slaves, for you are the only hope of the imams. (Twice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us never, O Mother of God, be silent in speaking of Your strength and unworthiness: if You had not stood before us, praying, who would have saved us from such troubles, who would have kept us free until now? We will not retreat, O Lady, from You: for Your servants always save you from all evil ones.
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, 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 and done evil before You alone; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and you will always be victorious when You judge. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. 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 hearing; The bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, 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 away from me. Reward into the world the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked 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 broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, tone 8
Song 1
Irmos: Having passed through water like dry land, and having escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried out: Let us drink to our deliverer and our God.
Contained by many misfortunes, I resort to You, seeking salvation: O Mother of the Word and the Virgin, save me from heavy and cruel things.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Passions trouble me and many despondencies fill my soul; die, O Young Lady, with the silence of Your Son and God, All-Immaculate.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having given 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.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sick in body and soul, grant the Divine visitation and providence from You, the only Godmother, as a good, good Mother.
Song 3
Irmos: O Supreme Creator of the heavenly circle, O Lord, and the Creator of the Church, Thou strengthenest me in Thy love, the desires of the land, the true affirmation, the only Lover of Mankind.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I entrust the intercession and protection of my life to Thee, the Virgin Mother of God: Thou feed me to Thy refuge, guilty of the good; true statement, the All-Singing One.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I pray, Virgin, to destroy the storm of my spiritual confusion and sorrow: You, O Blessed One of God, gave birth to the ruler of the silence of Christ, the only Most Pure One.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having given birth to good and guilty benefactors, pour out wealth of good deeds to all, for all you can, as you have given birth to the mighty one in the strength of Christ, O blessed One.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Help me with fierce ailments and painful passions, O Virgin, for I know You’s inexhaustible treasure, Immaculate, inexhaustible.
Save Thy servants from troubles, Mother of God, for we all run to You according to God, as an unbreakable wall and intercession.
Look with mercy, O all-sung Mother of God, on my fierce body, and heal the illness of my soul.
Troparion, tone 2
Warm prayer and an insurmountable wall, source of mercy, refuge of the world, we diligently cry out to Thee: Mother of God, Lady, advance and deliver us from troubles, the only one who will soon appear.
Song 4
Irmos: I heard, O Lord, Thy sacrament, I understood Thy works and glorified Thy Divinity.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The confusion of my passions, the helmsman who gave birth to the Lord, and the storm of my sins, O Bride of God, calmed the storm.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Grant me the abyss of Thy mercy, which gave birth to the Blessed One and the Savior of all who sing to Thee.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Enjoying, O Most Pure One, Your gifts, we sing in thanksgiving, Our Lady leading Thee.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
On the bed of my illness and infirmity, for those who prostrate me, as the Compassionate One, help the Mother of God, the only Ever-Virgin.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hope and affirmation and salvation are the wall of the immovable property of You, the All-Singing One, we get rid of every inconvenience.
Song 5
Irmos: Enlighten us with Your commandments, O Lord, and with Your high arm grant us Your peace, Lover of mankind.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill, O Pure One, my heart with joy, Thy incorruptible joy that gives birth to joy, which gave birth to the guilty.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Deliver us from troubles, pure Mother of God, having given birth to eternal deliverance, and peace that prevails over all minds.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Resolve the darkness of my sins, Bride of God, with the enlightenment of Your Grace, Who gave birth to the Divine and Eternal Light.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Heal, O Pure One, the infirmity of my soul, worthy of Thy visitation, and grant me health through Thy prayers.
Song 6
Irmos: I will pour out a prayer to the Lord, and to Him I will proclaim my sorrows, for my soul is filled with evil, and my stomach is approaching hell, and I pray like Jonah: from aphids, O God, lift me up.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As if 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.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We know You as your representative and steadfast guardian, O Virgin, and I solve rumors of misfortunes and drive away taxes from demons; and I always pray to deliver me from the aphids of my passions.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Like a wall of refuge for money-grubbers, and all-perfect salvation for souls, and space in sorrows, O Youth, and through Your enlightenment we always rejoice: O Lady, save us now from passions and troubles.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Now I lie on my sickbed, and there is no healing for my flesh: but, having given birth to the God and Savior of the world and the Savior of ailments, I pray to You, O Good One: raise me from aphids.
Kontakion, tone 6
The intercession of Christians is shameless, 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 who faithfully call upon Ty; hasten to prayer, and strive to supplicate, ever interceding, the Mother of God, those who honor Thee.
Another kontakion, same voice
There are no imams of other help, no imams of other hope, except for You, Most Pure Virgin. Help us, we rely on You, and we boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.
Stichera, same voice
Do not entrust me to human intercession, Most Holy Lady, but accept the prayer of Thy servant: for sorrow will hold me, I cannot endure demonic shooting, there is no protection for the imam, below where I will resort, the accursed one, we are always defeated, and there is no consolation for the imam, except for You, the Lady of the world, the hope and intercession of the faithful, do not despise my prayer, make it useful.
Song 7
Irmos: The youths who came from Judea, in Babylon, sometimes, by the faith of the Trinity, quenched the fire of the fire, singing: God of the fathers, blessed art thou.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Just as you wanted to arrange our salvation, O Savior, you moved into the Virgin’s womb, and you showed the world a representative: our father, God, blessed are you.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Commander of mercy, Whom you gave birth to, O pure Mother, implore him to get rid of sins and spiritual defilements by faith: our father, God, blessed are you.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The treasure of salvation and the Source of incorruption, who gave birth to You, and the pillar of affirmation, and the door of repentance, you showed to those calling: our father, God, blessed are you.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Bodily weaknesses and mental ailments, O Theotokos, with the love of those who approach Thy blood, O Virgin, vouchsafe to heal, Who gave birth to us the Savior Christ.
Song 8
Irmos: Praise and extol the Heavenly King, Whom all the angels sing, praise and extol forever.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not despise those who demand help from You, O Virgin, who sing and extol You forever.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You heal the infirmity of my soul and bodily illnesses, Virgin, may I glorify You, Pure, forever.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You pour out a wealth of healings faithfully to those who sing of Thee, O Virgin, and to those who extol Thy ineffable Nativity.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
You drive away adversity and the onset of passions, O Virgin: therefore we sing of You forever and ever.
Song 9
Irmos: We truly confess You, the Mother of God, saved by You, pure Virgin, with your disembodied faces magnifying You.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not turn away from the current of my tears, Even though you have taken away every tear from every face, the Virgin who gave birth to Christ.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Fill my heart with joy, O Virgin, who accepts the fulfillment of joy and consumes sinful sadness.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Be a refuge and intercession for those who come running to You, O Virgin, and an unbreakable wall, a refuge and cover and joy.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Enlighten your light with the dawns, O Virgin, driving away the darkness of ignorance, faithfully confessing the Theotokos to you.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In the place of embitterment of the humbled one, O Virgin, heal, transforming ill health into health.
Stichera, tone 2
The highest of the heavens and the purest of the lordships of the sun, who delivered us from the oath, Let us honor the Lady of the world with songs.
Because of my many sins my body is weak, my soul is also weak; I come running to You, Most gracious, the hope of the unreliable, You help me.
Mistress and Mother of the Deliverer, accept the prayer of Your unworthy servants, and intercede with Him who was born of You; Oh, Lady of the world, be the Intercessor!
Let us diligently sing a song to You now, the all-sung Mother of God, joyfully: with the Forerunner and all the saints, pray to the Mother of God to be generous to us.
All the angels of the army, the Forerunner of the Lord, the twelve apostles, all the saints with the Mother of God, say a prayer that we may be saved.
Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Most Holy Theotokos, save me.
To my most blessed queen, my hope to the Mother of God, friend of the orphans and strange representatives, the sorrowful with joy, the offended 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 you will: for I have no other help except You, no other representative, no good comforter, except You, O God of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.
To whom shall I cry, Lady? To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, Most Immaculate, the hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners? Who will protect you more in adversity? Hear my groaning, and incline Your ear to me, the Lady of the Mother of my God, and do not despise me, who requires Your help, and do not reject me, a sinner. Enlighten and teach me, Queen of Heaven; do not depart from me, Thy servant, O Lady, for my murmuring, but be my Mother and intercessor. I entrust myself to Your merciful protection: lead me, a sinner, to a quiet and serene life, so that I may weep for my sins. To whom shall I resort when I am guilty, if not to You, the hope and refuge of sinners, with the hope of Your ineffable mercy and Thy generosity? Oh, Lady Queen of Heaven! You are my hope and refuge, protection and intercession and help. To my most kind and speedy intercessor! Cover my sins with Your intercession, protect me from enemies visible and invisible; soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against me. O Mother of the Lord my Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Oh, Mother of God! Give me help to those who are weak with carnal passions and sick at heart, for one thing is Yours and with You, Your Son and our God, the imam intercession; and through Your wonderful intercession may I be delivered from all misfortune and adversity, O most immaculate and glorious Mother of God, Mary. In the same way I say and cry out with hope: Rejoice, full of grace, rejoice, full of joy; Rejoice, most blessed one, the Lord is with you.
Canon to the Guardian Angel
Troparion, tone 6Angel of God, my holy guardian, keep my life in the passion of Christ God, strengthen my mind in the true path, and wound my soul to heavenly love, so that I may be guided by you, I will receive great mercy from Christ God.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos
Holy Lady, Mother of Christ our God, who perplexedly gave birth to all the Creator, pray to His goodness always, with my guardian angel, to save my soul, possessed by passions, and grant me remission of sins.
Canon, tone 8
Song 1
Irmos: Let us praise the Lord, who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone was gloriously glorified.
Sing and praise the song, Savior, worthy of Your servant, the disembodied Angel, my mentor and guardian.
I am the only one lying in foolishness and laziness now, my mentor and guardian, do not leave me, perishing.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Direct my mind with your prayer, to 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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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: You are the affirmation of those who flow to You, Lord, You are the light of the darkened, and my spirit sings of You.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
I place all my thoughts and my soul on you, my guardian; Deliver me from every misfortune of the enemy.
Chorus: 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 to perish.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Sing a song with thanksgiving and zeal to the Creator and God give me, and to you, my good guardian Angel: my deliverer, rescue me from the enemies who embitter me.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Heal, O Most Pure One, my many painful scabs, even in my soul, and heal the enemies who are constantly fighting against me.
Sedalen, voice 2
From the love of my soul I cry out to you, the guardian of my soul, my all-holy Angel: cover me and always protect me from evil deception, and guide me to heavenly life, admonishing and enlightening and strengthening me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokos:
The Blessed Most Pure Mother of God, Who without seed gave birth to all the Lord, Pray Him with my Guardian Angel to deliver me from all bewilderment, and to give tenderness and light to my soul and purification through sin, Who alone will soon intercede.
Song 4
Irmos: I heard, O Lord, Thy mystery, I understood Thy works, and glorified Thy Divinity.
Chorus: 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 in peace forever and grant me invincible salvation.
Chorus: 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 to you, holy one, free me from all troubles.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Cleanse my depravity with your shrine, my guardian, and may I be excommunicated from the part of Shuiya through your prayers and become a partaker of glory.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
I am bewildered by the evils that have happened to me, O Most Pure One, but deliver me from them quickly: I am the only one who has come to You.
Song 5
Irmos: We cry out to You in the morning: Lord, save us; For you are our God, don’t you know anything else?
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Bright light, brightly enlighten my soul, my mentor and guardian, given to me by God to the Angel.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Mary, Lady of the Brideless Mother of God, the hope of the faithful, cast down the heaps of the enemy, and those who sing make you glad.
Song 6
Irmos: Give me a robe of light, dress in light like a robe, O most merciful Christ our God.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Illuminate my mind, O blessed one, and enlighten me, I pray to you, holy Angel, and always instruct me to think usefully.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Tire my heart from real rebellion, and be vigilant, strengthen me in good things, my guardian, and guide me wonderfully to the silence of animals.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Word of God dwelled in Thee, Mother of God, and man showed Thee the heavenly ladder; Because of you, the Most High has come down to us to eat.
Kontakion, tone 4
Appear to me, merciful, holy Angel of the Lord, my guardian, and do not separate from me, the foul one, but enlighten me with inviolable light and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ikos
My humble soul has been tempted by many, you, holy representative, vouchsafe the ineffable glory of heaven, and singer from the face of the disembodied powers of God, have mercy on me and preserve me, and enlighten my soul with good thoughts, so that with your glory, my Angel, I will be enriched, and overthrow the evil-minded enemies of me , and make me worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Song 7
Irmos: The youths who came from Judea, in Babylon, sometimes, by the faith of the Trinity, asked the fire of the fire, singing: God of the fathers, blessed art thou.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Do not leave my accursed soul on its journey, killed by a robber, holy Angel, who was betrayed by God without blame; but I will guide you on the path of repentance.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I bring all my disgraced soul away from my evil thoughts and deeds: but precede, my mentor, and grant me healing with good thoughts, so that I always deviate onto the right path.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Fill everyone with wisdom and Divine strength, Hypostatic Wisdom of the Most High, for the Mother of God, for the sake of those who cry out with faith: Our father, God, blessed art thou.
Song 8
Irmos: Praise and extol the Heavenly King, Whom all the angels sing, praise and extol to all ages.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Sent from God, strengthen the belly of my servant, your servant, most blessed Angel, and do not leave me forever.
Chorus: 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 to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Be my protection and take away all people on the day of testing; good and evil deeds will be tempted by fire.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Be a helper and silence for me, O Ever-Virgin Mother of God, Thy servant, and do not leave me deprived of Thy dominion.
Song 9
Irmos: We truly confess Thee, Theotokos, saved by Thee, Pure Virgin, with disembodied faces magnifying Thee.
To Jesus: 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.
Chorus: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Grant me to think and create continually, O Lord Angel, who is good and useful, as she is strong in weakness and blameless.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
As if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King, pray to Him, along with other incorporeal ones, to have mercy on me, the accursed one.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Having much boldness, O Virgin, to Him Who was incarnate from You, turn me from my bonds and grant me permission and salvation through Your prayers.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.
Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, given to me for the protection of my sinful soul and body from holy baptism, but with my laziness and my evil custom I angered your most pure lordship and drove you away from me with all the cold deeds: lies, slander , envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, brotherly hatred, and resentment, love of money, adultery, rage, stinginess, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, verbosity, evil thoughts and crafty ones, proud custom and lustful indignation, driven by self-will for all carnal lust. Oh, my evil will, which even dumb animals cannot do! How can you look at me, or approach me like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, angel of Christ, look upon me, entangled in evil in vile deeds? How can I already ask for forgiveness with my bitter and evil and crafty deed, I fall into misery all day and night and at every hour? But I pray to you, falling down, my holy guardian, have mercy on me, your sinful and unworthy servant (name), be me a helper and intercessor against the evil of my opponent, with your holy prayers, and make me a partaker of the Kingdom of God with all the saints, always, and now and ever and ever. Amen.
Following to Holy Communion
Through the prayers of the saints, our 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.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship our King 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 22
The Lord shepherds me and will deprive me of nothing. In a green place, there they settled me, on the calm water they raised me. Convert my soul, guide me on the paths 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 will comfort me. Thou hast prepared a table before me to resist those who are cold to me, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty one. And Thy mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and make me dwell in the house of the Lord for the length of days.
Psalm 23
The earth is the Lord's, and its fulfillment, 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 His holy place? He is innocent in his hands 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 the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting 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 your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting 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 said the same things, and I was greatly humbled. I died in my frenzy: every man is a lie. What shall I 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 apart my bonds. 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 to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hallelujah. (Three times with three bows)
Troparion, tone 8
Despise my iniquities, O Lord, be born of a Virgin, and cleanse my heart, creating a temple to Your most pure Body and Blood, lower me from Your face, having great mercy without number.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In the communion of Thy holy things, how dare I (below), unworthy? Because I dare to approach You with the worthy, the robe denounces me as if it were not the evening, and I intercede for condemnation of my many-sinful soul. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
My many and many sins, Mother of God, I have come running to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the evil deeds, O Blessed One.
On Holy Pentecost:
When the glorious disciple is enlightened at the thought of the supper, then the evil Judas, sickened by the love of money, becomes darkened, and betrays Your righteous Judge to the lawless judges. See, the steward of the property, who used strangulation for these sakes: flee the unsatiated soul, such a daring Teacher. O good Lord of all, glory to Thee.
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, 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. To You alone have I sinned and done evil before You; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and you will always triumph over Your judgment. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, 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 away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked 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 broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Canon, voice 2. Song 1
Irmos: Come, people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who divided the sea, and taught the people, even as he learned from the work of Egypt, for he was glorified.
May Thy Holy Body, O most gracious Lord, be the bread of the eternal life, and the Honest Blood, and healing of manifold ailments.
The accursed one, defiled by unplaceable deeds, am unworthy, O Christ, of Your Most Pure Body and Divine Blood, to receive communion, which you have vouchsafed to me.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Good Earth, blessed Bride of God, vegetating untouched and saving the world, vouchsafe me this food to be saved.
Song 3
Irmos: Having established me on the rock of faith, you have enlarged 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.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Grant me tearful drops, O Christ, that cleanse the filth of my heart: for as I have been purified by a good conscience, I come by faith and fear, O Master, to partake of Thy Divine Gifts.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May Thy Most Pure Body and Divine Blood be with me for the remission of sins, the communion of the Holy Spirit, and into eternal life, Lover of mankind, and alienation from passions and sorrows.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: The Most Holy Bread of the Animal Table, from above the mercy of which came down, and gave the world a new life, and now vouchsafe to me, the unworthy, to taste this with fear, and live to be.
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 whole man. Thus I call to Thee: glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Thou didst desire, for our sake, to be incarnated, O Omni-merciful One, to be slain like a sheep, sin for the sake of men: I also pray to Thee, and cleanse my sins.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Heal my ulcers, Lord, and sanctify everything: and grant, O Master, that I may partake of Your secret Divine Supper, the accursed one.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Compassionate me also from Thy womb, O Lady, and keep me undefiled and undefiled by Thy servant, like the reception of clever beads, I will be sanctified.
Song 5
Irmos: Light to the Giver and Creator of ages, Lord, instruct us in the light of Your commandments; Don’t we know any other god for You?
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
As You foretold, O Christ, that it would be done to Your evil servant, and abide in me, as You promised: Behold, Your Body is Divine, and I drink Your Blood.
Chorus: Do not cast 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, who is darkened, into enlightenment, and the purification of my defiled soul may Your Blood.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Mary, Mother of God, sweet-smelling village, make me a chosen vessel through Your prayers, so that I may partake of Your Son of sanctification.
Song 6
Irmos: Lying in the abyss of sin, I call upon the abyss of Thy unfathomable mercy: from aphids, O God, lift me up.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Sanctify my mind, soul and heart, O Savior, and my body, and grant me, without condemnation, O Lord, to approach the terrible Mysteries.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I have withdrawn from passions, and may Thy grace be applied and confirmed in life by the communion of the Saints, Christ, and Thy Mysteries.
Chorus: 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, Master, and Thy terrible Mysteries, may the accursed partake, may it not be for me in judgment, may it be for me in the eternal and immortal life.
Song 7
Irmos: The wise children did not serve the golden body, and they themselves went into the flames, and cursed their gods, and cried out in the midst of the flames, and I sprinkled the angel: the prayer of your lips has already been heard.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
May the source of good things, communion, Christ, of Thy immortal Mysteries now be light, and life, and dispassion, and for the advancement and increase of the most Divine virtue, intercessionfully, the only Good One, for I glorify Thee.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be delivered from passions, and enemies, and needs, and all sorrows, with trembling and love with reverence, O Lover of mankind, approach now Your immortal and Divine Mysteries, and vouchsafe to You to sing: Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: Who gave birth to the Savior Christ more than the mind, God-gracious, I pray to You now, Thy servant, the Pure Unclean One: who now wants me to approach the most pure Mysteries, cleanse me all from the defilement of the flesh and spirit.
Song 8
Irmos: Who descended into the fiery furnace of the Jewish youth, and who turned God into the dew, sing the works of the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, 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 Supper to be a fellow-companion and vouchsafe to me the desperate one, O God, my Savior.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Beneath Your compassion, O Good One, I call upon You with fear: abide in me, O Savior, and I, as you said, in You; Behold, daring in Thy mercy, I eat Thy Body and drink Thy Blood.
Chorus: Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
Trinity: I tremble, accepting 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 of clay and become incorruptible?
Song 9
Irmos: The Son, God and Lord, who is without beginning, appeared to us incarnate from the Virgin, who was darkened to enlighten, who was squandered by his fellow-creatures: with this we magnify the all-sung Mother of God.
Chorus: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Christ is, taste and see: the Lord for our sake, having been for us of old, brought Himself alone, as an offering to His Father, He is ever slain, sanctifying those who partake.
Chorus: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be sanctified with soul and body, Master, may I be enlightened, may I be saved, may Thy house be a communion of the sacred Mysteries, having You living within me with the Father and the Spirit, O Most Merciful Benefactor.
Chorus: Reward me with 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 the thorns of passions, and enlightening all of me, let me worship Your Divinity.
Chorus: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Theotokos: God became incarnate from Your pure blood; In the same way, every race sings to Thee, the Lady, and the intelligent multitudes glorify, as through Thee they have clearly seen the Ruler of all, who existed among humanity.
Next
It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
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; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You, as the Lord, sinners: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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 you are kind, 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 and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may 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 eat, O man, the Body of the Lord,
Approach with fear, but don’t get burned: there is fire.
I drink the Divine Blood for communion,
First of all, reconcile those who have grieved you.
Also daring, mysterious food.
Other verses:
Before communion there is a terrible sacrifice,
Lady of the Life-Giving Body,
Hereby pray with trembling:
Prayer 1, Basil the Great
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, of all creation, visible and invisible, and the Creator, of the beginningless Father, co-eternal with the Son and co-originating, much for the sake of goodness in the last days, he clothed himself in flesh, and was crucified, and was buried for us, ungrateful and malicious, and Yours. With the blood of renewing our nature, corrupted by sin, Himself, Immortal King, accept my sinful repentance, and incline Your ear to me, and hear my words. For I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned in heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Your glory: I have angered Your goodness, having transgressed Your commandments, and not listened to Your commands. But You, Lord, are kind, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, and did not give me up to perish with my iniquities, waiting for my conversion in every possible way. For You have declared, O Lover of Mankind, as Your prophet: for by will I do not want the death of a sinner, but the hedgehog will turn and live to be him. You do not want, Master, to destroy your creation by hand, and you are less than pleased with the destruction of mankind, but you want to save everyone and come into the mind of truth. Likewise, I, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth, and sow temporary life, having subjected myself to sin, and enslaved myself with pleasure, and desecrated Your image; but having become Thy creation and creature, I do not despair of my salvation, the accursed one, but daring to receive Thy immeasurable compassion, I come. Accept me, 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 the sin of the world, and heal the infirmities of man, call those who labor and are burdened to Yourself and give rest to those who did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And cleanse me from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to perform holiness in Thy Passion: for by the pure knowledge of my conscience, having received part of Thy holy things, I may unite with Thy holy Body and Blood, and have You living and abiding in me, with the Father, and Your Holy Spirit. To her, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, may the communion of Thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries not be in judgment for me, nor may I be weak in soul and body, so that I am not worthy to receive communion, but grant me, even until my final breath, to accept without condemnation part of Thy holy things, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the path of eternal life, and in a favorable answer at Thy Last Judgment: for I, too, with all Thy chosen ones, will be a partaker of Thy incorruptible blessings, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord, in which Thou art glorified in eyelids. Amen.
Prayer 2, St. John Chrysostom
Lord my God, in knowing that I am not worthy, I am below satisfied, and you have brought the temple of my soul under the roof, all empty and fallen, and there is no place in me worthy of bowing your head: but as from on high you humbled us for your sake, humble yourself and now to my humility; and as you received it in the den and in the wordless manger, reclining, take it in the wordless manger of my soul, and bring it into my defiled body. And just as you did not fail to bring in and shine a light on the sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so deign to bring 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, have mercy on me, a sinner, who comes and touches You; and just as you did not abhor her foul and unclean lips kissing Thee, below mine, abhor those defiled and unclean lips, below my vile and unclean lips, and my foul and unclean tongue. But may the coal of Your most holy Body, and Your honorable Blood, be for me, for the sanctification and enlightenment and health of my humble soul and body, for the relief of the burdens of many of my sins, for the protection from every devilish action, for the driving away and prohibition of my evil and evil customs, for the mortification of passions, for the supply of Thy commandments, for the application of Thy Divine grace, and the appropriation of Thy Kingdom. It is not because I come to You, O Christ our God, that I despise You, but because I dare you in Your ineffable goodness, and let me not withdraw from Your fellowship in the depths, I will be hunted down by the mental wolf. In the same way, I pray to You: as the only Holy One, Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, womb and womb, and renew all of me, and root Your fear in my hearts, and create Your sanctification inseparably from me; and be my helper and intercessor, feeding my belly in the world, making me worthy to stand at Your right hand with Your saints, the prayers and supplications of Your Most Pure Mother, Your immaterial servants and the Most Pure Powers, and all the saints who have pleased You from the ages. Amen.
Prayer 3, Simeon Metaphrastus
One pure and incorruptible Lord, for the ineffable mercy of our love for mankind, we have received all the mixture, from pure and virgin blood, more than the nature, who gave birth to Thee, the Divine Spirit by invasion, and by the good will of the ever-present Father, Christ Jesus, the wisdom of God, and peace, and power; By your perception of the life-giving and saving suffering perceived, cross, nails, spear, death, mortify my soul-smothering bodily passions. By Your burial of the hellish kingdoms, bury my good thoughts, evil advice, and destroy the spirits of wickedness. By Thy three-day and life-giving resurrection of the fallen forefather, raise me up in the sin that crawled, offering me images of repentance. By Thy glorious ascension, the carnal perception of God, and honor this on the right hand of the Father, grant me the gift of receiving the communion of Thy holy Mysteries on the right hand of those who are being saved. By bringing forth the Comforter of Thy Spirit, Thy disciples have made honorable sacred vessels, friend and show me That coming. Although you would like to come again to judge the universe with righteousness, deign me too to place You on the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Your saints: may I endlessly glorify and sing Your praises, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 4, his
For in Thy Terrible One, who is unaccepting of persons, I stand before the Judgment Seat, O Christ God, and raise condemnation, and create a word about the evil things I have done; This day, before the day of my condemnation has even come, standing at Your holy Altar before You and before Your terrible and holy Angels, I bow down from my conscience, I offer my wicked and lawless deeds, reveal this and reprove. See, Lord, my humility, and forgive all my sins; see how my iniquity has multiplied more than the hair of my head. Why haven't you done evil? What sin have I not committed? What evil have I not imagined in my soul? I have already committed deeds: fornication, adultery, pride, arrogance, reproach, blasphemy, idle talk, inappropriate laughter, drunkenness, guttural rage, gluttony, hatred, envy, love of money, covetousness, covetousness, selfishness, love of glory, theft, untruth, ill-gaining, jealousy , slander, lawlessness; I have created every feeling and every evil that is defiled, corrupted, and indecent, and has become a work of the devil in every way. And I know, Lord, that my iniquities have surpassed my head; but the multitude of Thy bounties is immeasurable, and the mercy of Thy kindness is inexpressible, and there is no sin, conquering Thy love for mankind. Moreover, wonderful King, kindly Lord, surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy, show Thy goodness the power and show the strength of Thy gracious mercy, and when you turn, accept me, a sinner. Receive me as you received the prodigal, the robber, the harlot. Receive me, having sinned You beyond measure in word and deed, with placeless lust and wordless thought. And just as at the one and tenth hour you accepted those who came, having done nothing worthy, so also accept me, a sinner: for many have sinned and become defiled, and have grieved Thy Holy Spirit, and grieved Thy humane womb in deed, and in word, and in thought, in the night and in the days, both manifest and unmanifest, willingly and unwillingly. And we know that you have presented my sins before me as such as I have committed, and have spoken with me about those who have sinned unforgivenly in their minds. But Lord, Lord, do not reprove me with Thy righteous judgment, nor with Thy wrath, nor punish me with Thy wrath; have mercy on me, Lord, for I am not only weak, but also Your creation. For Thou, O Lord, hast Thou established Thy fear upon me, and I have done evil before Thee. For You alone have sinned, but I pray to You, do not enter into judgment with Your servant. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For I am the abyss of sin, and I am not worthy, below I am content to look up and see the heights of heaven, from the multitude of my sins, which are innumerable: every atrocity and deceit, and the cunning of Satan, and corruption, resentment, advice to sin and other countless passions are not destitute of me. Why haven't my sins been corrupted? Are Kiimi not kept evil? Every sin I have committed, every uncleanness I have put into my soul, would be undesirable for You, my God, and man. Who will raise me up, in the face of evil and a bit of fallen sin? Lord my God, I have trusted in You; If I have hope of salvation, if Thy love for mankind overcomes the multitude of my iniquities, be my savior, and according to Thy bounties and Thy mercy, weaken, forgive, forgive me all that I have sinned, for my soul is filled with many evils and is not in me. saving hope. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy and do not reward me according to my deeds, and do not judge me according to my deeds, but convert, intercede, and deliver my soul from the evils and cruel perceptions that co-increase with it. Save me for the sake of Thy mercy, that where sin multiplies, Thy grace abounds; and I will praise and glorify You always, all the days of my life. For You are the God of those who repent and the Savior of those who sin; and we send glory to You with Your Originless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. John of Damascus
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone have the power to forgive man’s sins, for as he is good and a lover of mankind, I have despised all sins in knowledge and not in knowledge, and grant me without condemnation to partake of Thy Divine, and glorious, and most pure, and life-giving Mysteries, not in heaviness, neither torment, nor to the addition of sins, but to cleansing, and sanctification, and the betrothal of the future Life and kingdom, to the wall and help, and to the objection of those who resist, to the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy, and generosity, and love for mankind, and we send up glory to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 6, St. Basil the Great
We know, Lord, that I unworthily partake of Thy most pure Body and Thy honorable Blood, and I am guilty, and I condemn myself to pit and drink, not judging the Body and Blood of You of Christ and my God, but in Thy bounty I boldly come to You who said: You eat My flesh and drink My blood, he abides in Me, and I in him. Have mercy, O Lord, and do not expose me, a sinner, but do with me according to Your mercy; and may this saint be mine 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 action of the devil, acting mentally in my lands, into boldness and love, even towards You; for the correction of life and affirmation, for the return of virtue and perfection; in fulfillment of the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the guidance of the eternal life, in response to a favorable response at Thy Last Judgment: not in judgment or condemnation.
Prayer 7, Saint Simeon the New Theologian
From vile lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a soul defiled, accept this prayer, my Christ, and do not despise my words, below images, below lack of study. Grant me to boldly say what I want, my Christ, and even more so, teach me what I should do and say. Having sinned more than the harlot, even though I knew where you were, having bought myrrh, I came boldly to anoint Your nose, my God, my Lord and Christ. Just as you did not reject the one that came from your heart, abhor me below, the Word: Give yours to my nose, and hold and kiss, and boldly anoint this with streams of tears, like a valuable ointment. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, O Word. Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness. Weigh a multitude of evils, weigh my scabs, and see my ulcers, but also weigh my faith, and see my will, and hear my sighing. There is no hidden part of you, my God, my Creator, my Savior, below a drop of tears, below a drop of a certain part. Thy eyes have seen what I have not done, and in Thy book the essence of what has not yet been done is written to You. See my humility, see my great labor, and forgive me all my sins, O God of all: so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought, and a contrite soul, I may partake of Your undefiled and most holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats poison and drinks with a pure heart is revived and adored; For you have said, my Lord: everyone who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, he abides in Me, and in Him I Am. The word of all my Lord and God is true: for you partake of the divine and adoring graces, for I am not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Trisunlar Light, enlightening the world. May I not be alone besides You, the Life-Giver, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world. For this reason, I come to You, as if I saw you, 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 Mysteries without condemnation, so that You may remain, as You have promised, with me, the repentant one: may I not only find Your grace, the deceiver will delight me with the flatterer, and deceiving will lead away those who idolize Your words. For this reason I fall down to You, and cry out to You warmly: as You received the prodigal, and the harlot who came, so receive me, the prodigal and the defiled, Generously. With a contrite soul, now coming to You, we know, Savior, as another, like I, did not sin against You, lower than the deeds I did. But we know this again, because not the greatness of sins, nor the multitude of sins exceeds my God’s great patience and extreme love for mankind; but by the grace of compassion, warmly repentant, and purifying, and brightening, and creating light, you are partakers, associates of Your Divinity, doing unenviably, and strange things with both the Angel and human thought, conversing with them many times, as if with Your true friend. This is the bold thing they do to me, this is what they force me to do, O my Christ. And daring to show us Your rich kindness, rejoicing and trembling together, we partake of the fire and partake of this grass, and a strange miracle, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old did not burn without burning. Now with a grateful thought, with a grateful heart, with grateful hands, my soul and my body, I worship and magnify and glorify Thee, my God, for being blessed, now and forever.
Prayer 8, St. John Chrysostom
God, weaken, forsake, forgive me my sins, those who have sinned, whether in word, whether in deed, whether in thought, will or involuntarily, by reason or foolishness, forgive me all, as you are good and a lover of mankind, and through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, your intelligent 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 venerable 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 ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
His same, 9th
I am not pleased, Master Lord, that you may bring me under the roof of my soul; but since You, as a Lover of Mankind, want to live in me, I boldly approach; You command that I open the doors that You alone created, and with love for mankind, like You, you will see and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that You have done this: You did not drive away the harlot who came to You with tears; You have rejected below the publican, having repented; below the thief, having come to know Your kingdom, You drove away; Thou hast left the repentant lower than the persecutor; but from repentance Thou hast brought all who have come to Thee, in the person of Thy friends Thou hast made the One, the Blessed One always, now and unto endless ages. Amen.
His same, 10th
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forsake, cleanse and forgive my sinful, and indecent, and unworthy servant, my sins, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, since I have sinned from my youth, even to this day and hour: if in my mind and in foolishness, or in words or deeds, or thoughts and thoughts, and undertakings, and all my feelings. And through the prayers of the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, who without seed gave birth to Thy one unashamed hope and intercession and salvation, grant me to uncondemnedly partake of Thy most pure, immortal, life-giving and terrible Mysteries, for the remission of sins and for eternal life: for sanctification and enlightenment, strength, healing, and health of soul and body, and in the consumption and complete destruction of my evil thoughts, and thoughts, and enterprises, and nightly dreams, dark and crafty spirits; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, and the honor, and the worship, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 11, St. John of Damascus
I stand before the doors of Your temple, and I do not retreat from fierce thoughts; but You, Christ God, have justified the publican, and had mercy on the Canaanites, and opened the doors of paradise to the thief, open to me the womb of Your love for mankind, and accept me, coming and touching You, like a harlot who is bleeding: and having touched the hem of Your robe, make it easy for you to receive healing, Thy most pure ones restrained their noses and bore the remission of sins. But I, the accursed one, dare to perceive Your whole Body, so that I will not be scorched; but accept me as you do, and enlighten my spiritual feelings, burning away my sinful guilt, with the prayers of You who gave birth without seed, and the Heavenly powers; for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom
I believe, Lord, and 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 pure 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, without condemnation, to 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:
Here I begin to receive Divine Communion.
Co-creator, do not scorch me with communion:
You are fire, unworthy of scorching.
But cleanse me from all filth.
Then:
And poems:
It is in vain, O man, that you should be horrified by the worshiping Blood:
There is fire, you unworthy ones burn.
The Divine Body both adores and nourishes me:
She loves the spirit, but she 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 am vouchsafed to be filled with pleasure in You: let me rejoice, O Blessed One, magnify Your two comings.
In the light of Thy Saints, what is there who is unworthy? Even if I dare to go into the palace, my clothes will expose me as if I am not a bridegroom, and I will be cast out from the Angels, bound and bound. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
Also prayer:
O Master, Lover of Mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, let this Holy One not be brought into judgment against me, because I am unworthy of being: but for the purification and sanctification of soul and body, and for the betrothal of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me, 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, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.
Anyone who wishes to receive communion must adequately prepare for this holy sacrament. This preparation (in church practice it is called fasting) lasts several days and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. The body is prescribed abstinence, i.e. bodily purity (abstinence from marital relations) and food restriction (fasting). On fasting days, food of animal origin is excluded - meat, milk, eggs and, during strict fasting, fish. Bread, vegetables, fruits are consumed in moderation. The mind should not be distracted by the trifles of everyday life and have fun.
On the days of fasting, one should attend services in church, if circumstances permit, and more diligently follow the household prayer rule: whoever usually does not read all morning and evening prayers, let him read everything in full; whoever does not read the canons, let him read at least one on these days canon. On the eve of communion, you must be at the evening service and read at home, in addition to the usual prayers for the future, the canon of repentance, the canon to the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel. The canons are read either one after the other in full, or combined in this way: the irmos of the first song of the penitential canon is read (“As Israel walked on dry land, with footsteps across the abyss, seeing the persecutor of Pharaoh drowned, we sing a victorious song to God, crying out”) and the troparia, then the troparia of the first songs of the canon to the Theotokos (“I am overcome by many adversities, I resort to You, seeking salvation: O Mother of the Word and the Virgin, save me from the heavy and cruel”), omitting the irmos “Water has passed...”, and the troparia of the canon to the Guardian Angel, also without irmos (“Let us praise the Lord, who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone was gloriously glorified”). The following songs are read in the same way. The troparia before the canon of the Theotokos and the Guardian Angel, as well as the stichera after the canon of the Theotokos, are omitted in this case.
The canon for communion is also read and, for those who wish, an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus. After midnight they no longer eat or drink, for it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach. In the morning, the morning prayers and the entire sequence for Holy Communion are read, except for the canon read the day before.
Before communion, confession is necessary - either in the evening or in the morning, before the liturgy.
What prayers should you read before confession and Communion?
The task in the life of any believer is spiritual renewal. This can be done with the help of two powerful means given by the Lord himself - confession and Communion. The purpose of confession is to cleanse the human conscience of everything unclean, to prepare a person to accept the Holy Mysteries. In Communion, the believer unites with Jesus, accepts Divine life and all the benefits associated with it: strength and cheerfulness of spirit, good thoughts and feelings, strength and desire to do good. These two sacraments - confession and Communion - require careful preparation, first of all, preparation through prayer.
General principles of preparation for Communion
A believer is allowed to the sacrament of Holy Communion only after certain preparatory measures, including prayer, fasting and repentance. The Church calls preparation for Communion a fasting. Fasting usually takes 3-7 days and is directly related to both the spiritual and physical life of a person. During the days of fasting, a person prepares for a meeting with the Lord, which will occur during the sacrament of Communion.
In total, preparation for Communion consists of the following stages:
- fasting immediately before Communion;
- attending the evening service on the eve of the sacrament;
- saying a specific set of prayers;
- abstaining from food and drink on the day of Communion - from midnight until the sacrament itself;
- confession with a clergyman, during which he makes a decision on a person’s admission to Communion;
- attending the Divine Liturgy.
Retreat is aimed at making a person aware of his sins, confessing them before the clergy and God, and beginning the fight against sinful passions. During preparation for Communion, a believer must distance himself from everything that fills his soul with unnecessary vanity. The Lord dwells only in a pure heart, so fasting must be approached with the utmost seriousness and concentration.
Fasting and its features
During the days of fasting, the believer must observe bodily purity - in other words, abstain from intimacy and marital relations. Restriction in food (fasting) is mandatory. A few words about the post:
- the duration of the fast must be at least 3 days;
- These days you should avoid any food of animal origin (meat and dairy products, eggs). If the fast is strict, fish is also excluded;
- products of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, grains, flour products) should be consumed in moderation.
If a person has only recently joined the Church, or has not turned to it for a long time, forgetting about God, or has not observed all the established fasts, the clergyman in this case can assign him an additional fast of 3-7 days. Strict dietary restrictions at this time should also be combined with moderation in eating and drinking, with abstinence from visiting establishments and entertainment events (theaters, cinemas, clubs, etc.), with abstinence from watching entertainment television programs, films and listening to popular secular music . The mind of a person preparing for Communion should not be entertained and wasted on everyday trifles.
The strictest fast occurs on the day before the sacrament of Communion, starting at midnight. During this time, abstinence from food and drink must be absolute. You should go to Communion on an empty stomach. Also during this period, a person must completely stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Women are not allowed to take Communion on days of purification (during menstruation).
About behavior and mood before Communion
A person who is preparing for Communion should let go of everything negative feelings and emotions (hatred, anger, irritation, anger, etc.). You also need to forgive your offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were once offended by you, and reconcile with those with whom your relationship was not on good terms. Consciousness must be free from condemnation and obscene thoughts. You should also discard disputes and empty talk. Time is best spent in silence and solitude, reading the Gospel and spiritual books. If possible, you should definitely attend services held in the church.
About the prayer rule
Prayer is a personal conversation between a person and God, which consists of turning to Him with requests for forgiveness of sins, for assistance in the fight against sinful passions and vices, for the granting of mercy in everyday and spiritual needs.
A person preparing for Communion during the days of fasting should more carefully and diligently observe the daily home prayer rule. Morning and evening prayers must be said at in full force. It is also necessary to read at least one canon every day.
Prayerful preparation for Communion includes the following prayers:
- morning prayer rule;
- prayers for the future;
- “Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ”;
- “Canon of Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos”;
- “Canon to the Guardian Angel”;
- “Following to Holy Communion.”
The texts of the prayers can be found in the Appendix to this article. Another option is to approach the clergyman with a “Prayer Book” and ask him to mark everything you need.
Saying all the prayers before the sacrament of Communion requires calm, attentiveness, concentration and a lot of time. To make it easier to comply with this condition, the Church allows the reading of all canons to be distributed over several days. “Following to Holy Communion” should be read on the eve of the day of the sacrament, in the evening, before prayers for the coming sleep. The remaining three canons can be recited within three days, after reading morning prayers.
About Confession
Confession is an integral part of fasting. You can confess either in the morning or in the evening, but always before the start of the service, so you should come to church in advance (lateness is an expression of deep disrespect). Without confession, no one is allowed to receive Holy Communion, the only exceptions being children under 7 years of age and people in mortal danger.
On the day of Holy Communion
On the day of Communion, after reading the “Our Father,” the believer should approach the altar and wait for the Holy Gifts to be brought out. You shouldn’t rush forward - children, old people and sick people should be the first to go to the Chalice. Having waited your turn, approaching the Chalice, you should bow from a distance and cross your arms on your chest (put your right hand on your left). There is no need to make the sign of the cross in front of the Holy Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it. Before the Chalice, you need to say your full name received at baptism, and then, with reverence in your soul, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and swallow it. When the Holy Mysteries have been received, you should, without crossing yourself, kiss the edge of the Chalice and go to the table, eat the prosphora and wash it down with warmth.
After receiving Communion, you cannot immediately leave the church - you need to wait until the priest walks around with the altar cross and kiss this cross. It is highly advisable to attend prayers of thanksgiving, but in extreme cases they can be read at home.
On the day of Communion, the behavior of the person receiving communion must remain decorous and reverent.
Frequency of Communion
The first Christians took Communion every Sunday. Now, due to changes in people’s lifestyles, the Church recommends taking communion, if possible, during each fast, but not less than once a year.
I’m just getting ready for Communion, getting ready. Thanks for the necessary clarifications!
I try to take communion at least once a year, usually during Lent. I started doing this about 7 years ago, and since then Communion has been a mandatory sacrament for me.
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Sacrament of Confession and Communion
Confession or repentance is one of the seven Christian Sacraments, during which the penitent confesses his sins to the priest, the representative of the Lord on earth, after which the forgiveness of sins is carried out. It is believed that these Sacraments were established by Jesus Christ himself. To achieve the best result, prayers are read before confession and communion, as Orthodoxy claims, this allows the believer to tune in to the right mood.
In order for the ritual to go according to all the rules, you need to prepare before communion:
- It is necessary to realize your sinfulness, to sincerely and heartily repent of your sins.
- You need to realize the desire to leave sin and not repeat it again, believing in Jesus Christ, hoping for his mercy.
- One must believe that confession is powerful enough to cleanse sins.
To receive remission of sins, you will need to undergo the Sacrament of baptism in the church before communion, becoming an Orthodox Christian.
In addition, there are some simple rules:
- Remember all the evil words, starting from the age of 7 or the moment of baptism, admit solely your guilt in uttering them.
- Offer prayers to God, promise that with his help you will make every effort to prevent the repetition of sin and will try to do good.
- If sin has caused harm to your neighbor, you need to make amends for the harm caused.
- Forgive the sins of those who caused moral or material damage to you before communion occurs.
You must feel sincere repentance during confession, only then will the Lord be able to illuminate your soul with light. And if you decide to confess “for show,” it’s better not to do it at all. This is a great Sacrament, not a formality.
To undergo the communion ritual you need:
- Understand the meaning of the ritual. Your goal is to become a partaker of the Divine, to unite with Christ, to be cleansed from sin.
- Realize the need for ritual. Say your prayers, make a heartfelt wish to pass it.
- Find peace of mind, a state opposite to anger, enmity, hatred.
- Do not violate church canons.
- Conduct confession in a timely manner.
- Stick to fasting.
- Participate in worship services, pray at home.
- Keep your body and spirit clean.
Prayers will help you prepare for the Sacraments
One must prepare for the sacrament of holy confession and communion by repentance and fasting; in addition, prayers are also read at this time. There are several types of prayers, some of which can be read at home or in church. Reading the prayer for communion will help you cleanse yourself spiritually, prepare for the ritual, and make it much simpler.
Orthodox Christians note that this kind of preparation really makes the process more enjoyable, allows you to better understand its meaning, frees you from anxious thoughts, and bestows understanding. You can even pray for your loved ones who are about to undergo a ritual, without a doubt, this will allow them to go through it much easier.
Examples of Orthodox prayers
Familiarize yourself with the three canons and akathists, they include the “canon of the repentant to the Lord,” the “prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos,” and the “canon to the Guardian Angel.”
On the eve of Easter, it is recommended to read the Easter Canon. There are several prayers that must be read before the Sacrament of Confession. It is recommended to read them at home, or within the walls of a church, placing candles in front of the icon of Jesus Christ.
Some rules for offering prayers
In order for the procedure of reading prayers to be successful and have an effect, you need to follow some rules and turn to the Lord before the ritual. The rules include awareness of the need to communicate with the Lord, understanding the meaning of prayers, and maintaining concentration.
It doesn’t matter where the ritual will take place, at home or in church, the main thing is to remember what you are doing and why. It is recommended to memorize the texts of the prayers themselves, this will allow you not to be distracted.
Read about other prayers for the sacraments:
Prayers before confession and communion: comments
Comments - 3,
I learned a lot of prayers. Special thanks for the design, everything was done simply and tastefully. I especially liked the video at the end, very informative. I learned a lot for myself, both about confession and communion. I will soon be putting into practice what I have learned. I didn’t even know about some of the rules for offering prayers. In general, thank you for the article and God bless you. AMEN.
Read better about how to prepare for confession and Communion on Orthodox websites. And Communion is not a ritual, but a sacrament. And before confession there is no need to read any prayers. And not the canon of REPENTANCE to the Lord, but the canon of REPENTANCE. And the sequence for Holy Communion is not written in full - only one prayer is written, in fact it is very long. The same goes for the canons - they wrote only one prayer here, and not the entire canon. In general, read on Orthodox websites, and not here - they wrote some kind of nonsense...
I haven’t gone to confession or received communion for a long time, it’s hard to walk after the surgery I can’t wait tomorrow I’m going to confession to God, I’m very sick, please pray for my health, it’s very hard on my soul
Prayer to be read before confession and communion
You must prepare yourself for the sacrament of Holy Communion through prayer, fasting and repentance.
“... let the bishop receive communion, then the presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, singers, ascetics, and among the women - deaconesses, virgins, widows, then children, and then all the people in order, with modesty and reverence, without noise.”
Preparation for Communion on Bright Week
The Church does not forbid making significant concessions to children. It would be most correct in each specific case to consult with a priest - while keeping in mind the main thing: visiting church, prayer, Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ should bring joy to the child, and not become a difficult and unwanted duty.
About the frequency of Communion
Having fasted during this Lent, you wrote that you are dissatisfied with your fasting, although you love fasting and would like to do this work of Christian piety more often. - Since you didn’t indicate why you are dissatisfied with your fasting, I won’t say anything about it, I’ll just add: try to bring your fasting to the point that it satisfies you. You can ask your confessor how to improve your fasting. As for more often, there is no need to increase the frequency, because this frequency will take away not a small part of the reverence for this greatest work, I mean fasting and communion. It seems that I have already written to you that it is enough to talk and take communion in every major post out of 4. And in the fasts before Easter and Christmas twice. And look no more. Try to better organize and perfect your inner self.”
Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ with translation into Russian
What prayers to read before confession and communion
The sacrament of confession is one of the most important seven sacraments for the believer Orthodox man. At the same time, you cannot just come to confession and take communion; you need to prepare for this sacrament. Prayers before confession and communion will prepare the soul for the purification of the soul, will help to turn to God, to become closer to him.But this is not the only thing that needs to be done in order to prepare for confession and communion. Every person who visits an Orthodox church and follows the faith must know how to prepare for confession and communion.
Sacrament of Confession
Every person is sinful, but these sins can be redeemed. After all, cleansing the soul from evil and sins is the only way to God, that is, cleansing occurs through repentance. This repentance and forgiveness can be obtained through the sacrament of Confession and Communion, and this is the essence of these rituals.
All those who want to undergo repentance and purification should know the basic canons before Confession and Communion:
Only Orthodox baptized Christians can undergo the sacrament. The sacrament of baptism must be carried out by a priest; if grandparents were baptized, then this issue must be discussed individually with your spiritual mentor.
- In addition to the fact that you need to be baptized, you must firmly and sincerely believe and accept the Revelation of God, which is the book of the Bible. The essence of God's Revelation is set out in the Creed, which must be learned by heart.
- Before Confession and Communion, you need to remember all your evil deeds, thoughts and thoughts, starting from the age of 7. You should be frank with yourself and understand that in all sinful matters the fault lies not with anyone, but with you.
- You cannot remember the sins of others, even if they gave rise to a chain that forced you to do bad deed. Remembering the sins of others, as well as talking about them at Confession, is also equated to a sinful act.
- In the prayers that are read before the sacrament, you must promise God that with the help of his blessing you will no longer repeat your sins.
- Also, if the sinful act resulted in damage loved one, then before Confession and Communion, every effort must be made to correct this damage.
- It is important not only to ask forgiveness from the Lord in prayers, but also to forgive all the insults that other people have inflicted on us.
After this reflection and preparation, you should go to confession to a priest. At the same time, it is important to be as frank with him as with yourself. There is no need to be afraid to shock the priest with your actions, since only priests know about all mental and non-mental sins. There is a secret of Confession, this means that everything said to the priest will not leave him, this secret remains only between the confessor and the priest. For disclosing this secret, the priest may lose his rank.
Preparation for the sacrament
After realizing your sins (and you can even write them down so that you don’t forget or miss anything), you should prepare for the sacrament. To do this, you need to adhere to a three-day fast, during which you cannot eat eggs, meat products, or dairy products. During Lent you need to pray a lot and be sure to read the Bible.
The sacrament is carried out in the morning, therefore, after three days of fasting, the night before you must visit the temple and listen to the evening service. During the evening service one must confess one's sins. On the day of communion itself, when the clock strikes midnight, you cannot eat or drink anything. In the morning, during the Liturgy, one must approach the Holy Chalice, remembering the Death and Resurrection of Christ. When the service ends, you should thank God and go out into the world with a pure soul to perform good deeds and not commit past sins.
What prayers should you read?
But if this is not possible, then here are the names of the prayers that must be read before the sacrament:
- "Prayer of Simeon the New Theologian"
- "Prayer of St. John of Damascus before communion"
- “Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ”;
- “Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos”;
- "Canon to the Guardian Angel";
- “Following to Holy Communion.”
Appropriate preparations are required for any sacrament. But, most are not familiar with the process and are afraid of doing something wrong.
What prayers should be offered before confession and communion?
Communion is a sacrament designed to save the soul and which helps to unite with God. In the church it is held during the Eucharist, in the morning from 7 to 10 o'clock. Then the Akathist to the Sweetest Jesus is read.
Those who have passed:
- baptism or acceptance of God as the One Sovereign, my ruler over the soul;
- confession - after it a person acquires a pure heart and can accept God's mercies.
Not only adults, but also children can receive communion (the latter, no preparation required). Actions for which a person has repented are completely forgiven, and pure faith allows one to free oneself and merge with the Almighty.
What is Confession?
It is not for nothing that confession is called the second baptism, because after it a person seems to be born again. Therefore, the ceremony becomes one of the main events in everyone’s life.
It is carried out in 2 stages: preparation and confession before a priest in the church. The prayer before confession is read independently, thereby preparing the heart for purification, awareness of wrongdoings and their acceptance.
There is a direct connection between the two named sacraments, because they are elements of the same aspiration. Their main task is to help the parishioner forgive sins and gain strength against the temptation to commit them in the future.
It is worth remembering that one is not allowed to take communion without confession. The only exceptions are infants and adults who have been baptized the day before.
Preparation for Communion
Internal preparation is considered a serious stage: it is necessary to take control of emotions, not judge or use foul language. You should also offer prayers before communion 3-5 days in advance. But, if the parishioner has not come to services before and does not know the appeals to the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel, then the preparation will take up to 7 days.
A person can also be blessed for a week-long fast with an appeal to the triune God: Father and Son and Holy Spirit. The process is called “fasting,” which implies a spiritual struggle with duties and refusal to eat.
“... cleanse me for iniquity... Turn away Your face from my sins... cleanse my iniquity...”
At the end, they ask for favor from the church (Your Zion).
Preparing for Confession
Religious people want to atone for their crimes and understand that without repentance this is impossible.
Prayers before confession provide a good guide, but internal preparation is also important when required:
- confess to misconduct, wrong behavior and stop making excuses for yourself;
- apologize for what you have done (the repentance of Basil the Great about disobedience to “Your commands” and the request to save the soul helps a lot);
- believe in divine mercy;
- to be convinced that the sacrament will help the sinful and indecent to save their soul.
Preparation also includes making a list of offenses on paper. There is no need to describe the details, just the essence.
The list is given to the holy father, who reads prayers to the word of God. Terrible and serious sins are told out loud.
Is it necessary to pray before rituals?
Preparation for the sacrament is considered mandatory, but some skip this important stage. Even when reading the usual prayers “Lord have mercy” and “Our Father”, understanding, purification and forgiveness come to a person. He comes to the ceremony prepared, with a pure and open soul.
Orthodox prayers help you rise higher spiritually and change your life better side. The power of turning to God increases during holy communion, as it is accomplished through a minister.
Do not neglect prayers - they are for the good of your soul.
Prayers before confession
People often have confusion about what prayers should be read before confession. Their list is wide and don't worry if you miss any call. The main thing is to read consciously, sincerely and with a pure heart. All of them prepare the consciousness for confession.
These are the following prayers:
- to the Father God with the words “...Thy Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit”;
- John of Damascus, especially revered in Christianity. His main address begins with the words: “I stand before the doors of Your temple...”;
- Basil the Great, where they express gratitude to the Almighty for the gifts “that You have given me” and praise his name “with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever...”;
- St. Simeon, which talks about repentance and salvation for the world;
- St. Simeon, which speaks of the bridling of the soul “the one that was combined with You”;
- Ecumenical Saint John Chrysostom, who asks for renewal of the spirit, heart and the use of “Your Body” for dedication.
All appeals speak of awareness of wrongdoing and end with the cry of “Glory to Thee!” In addition to the above list, psalms 22, 23, the above-mentioned 50th and 115 are read.
A separate chapter is dedicated to the appeal-request of I. Damascene for communion of the divine, glorious, most pure Mysteries, which will be for every believer in the purification of the kingdom and in a strong stronghold. The call ends with the same words as the others: “ever and ever. Amen".
Prayers before communion
Even if a parishioner has confessed according to all the conditions, he may not be allowed to attend the Eucharist. Sometimes, he himself is not ready for the sacrament - then it is necessary to perform godly deeds (help, bows, etc.). If you don’t have a prayer book at hand, you are allowed to read “Amen. Our Father etc.”
The address talks about many important things, especially about debts “as we leave them.” After this, preparation for the ceremony will begin - reading the canons.
But this must be done correctly: thoughtfully, in a quiet room, without rushing and without distractions.
Basic canons:
- the canon of repentance for Jesus Christ: collected songs to the Savior that help soften the soul;
- canon of prayer to the Mother of God, consisting of the warmest invocations: Mother of the Word, Thy Most Pure One and others. No other people have ever given so many tender and beautiful names;
- canon to the Heavenly patron, the Guardian Angel, which emphasizes the role of the spiritual patron of every believer.
The canons contain 8-9 songs: each song to Christ carries human feelings - hope for forgiveness, regret for sins, gratitude for mercy and patience.
The canons have a clear structure, even if they differ slightly from each other. It should be noted that they are sung not only before communion, but also in any spiritual sorrow.
Additionally read:
- 3rd address of Symeon Metaphrastus, where you can meet the following words: “...Thy sacred disciples have done...”;
- 2nd call of St. John Chrysostom, in which he asks to direct “my life” (the life of a believer) in the right direction;
- 9th petition of St. John Chrysostom, containing thanksgiving addresses to the Savior: “...to Thy servant, sins and transgressions...”.
Prayers after Communion
The further behavior of the parishioner after communion is very important: you cannot repeat actions that have been forgiven and lead a wild life.
Thank you texts will help you maintain your fortitude:
- 1st, in which Christians thank the Lord for their acceptance: “...in the enlightenment of my heart... I remembered Your mercy...”;
- St. Basil, where Christ My God is glorified for the gifts sent down to ordinary people;
- St. Simeon Metaphrastus helps to protect oneself from sins “Master, forgive...”;
- 4th about the sending down of eternal life and forgiveness on the day of judgment: “... and Your precious blood...”.
In conclusion, you can turn to the Mother of God “... save us, Mother of God...”, protector of believers before the Lord. It is advisable to contact the saints every day.
Child at confession and communion
Children under 7 years old do not need to undergo training - they have a pure and bright soul. Anyone can bring a child to church to partake of the Gifts of Christ. At the same time, there is no need to fast and go to confession.
But it is advisable to prepare your baby at home:
- learn the appeal to the Angel, if the child likes singing more, then you can learn the part “... vouchsafe me” and the chorus “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”;
- accustom to church rules, but this must be done gently so as not to cause rejection in the baby.
Older children and teenagers should have conversations, together analyze the prayers “...be the multitude of my iniquities, be my Savior, and according to Your compassions...” and explain incomprehensible words.
We are all sinners before our Lord, but according to the Bible, everyone deserves forgiveness. Unfortunately, today you rarely meet honest, truthful and sinless people. But this does not mean that it is too late to fix everything.
By confessing and repenting of your Sins, you can truly earn forgiveness. After all, repentance and sincere regret for what you have done will help cleanse the soul. The only question is how to do it correctly?
Repentance and Confession
As is known, confession is a sacrament, occurring between the sinner and God through repentance before himself and the clergyman. Of course, as before any other ritual, the ritual of repentance requires appropriate preparation.
For those who know nothing about confession or communion, it is recommended that they familiarize themselves with the very principle of this sacrament.
The very essence of confession lies in repentance, so before you go to church, you should think carefully about your sins.
You will have to remember and rethink your most terrible and sinful atrocities. The main sins requiring repentance include:
- Sins against God (anger at the Lord and his providence, doubts in faith...);
- Sins against your neighbor (theft, adultery, murder...);
- Sins against oneself (despondency, envy, pride, foul language...).
Some priests recommend writing down everything mentioned on a piece of paper. Such a sheet should be carefully re-read, each time repenting of every sin, and sincerely promising God and yourself to leave the unrighteous path.
As soon as a person manages to truly realize the untruth of his actions, repent of them and stop committing such acts, he can move on to the next part of preparation for confession and communion.
In addition to repentance, you should ask for forgiveness not only from the Lord, but also from yourself. A person must come to terms with his own sins and let them go, promise himself to follow faith and its laws, and never anger God and himself.
In addition to sincere atonement for sinful acts, those who ask God for mercy must necessarily believe in the remission of their sins and forgiveness, otherwise confession will not give the desired result.
Getting rid of sins means not only cleansing the spirit from filth , but also the body from everything aggravating. Before proceeding to confession, you should undergo a week-long (at most three-day) holy fast.
You should avoid eating foods of animal origin: dairy products, meat, eggs. Fish should also be excluded from the diet. The use of alcoholic beverages, drugs and tobacco is strictly prohibited.
Physical intimacy should be avoided. Women should not prepare for confession during menstruation.
In addition, fasting before the sacrament implies the exclusion of all entertainment (computer games, watching TV, gambling).
Fasting and repentance for sins, although the most important, are not the final stage of preparation for repentance. Preparation for the sacrament requires reading prayers. You should first familiarize yourself with what prayers to read before confession and communion before you begin to fast. Each stage of cleansing is accompanied by certain prayers or canons, which must be read with faith in the Lord’s forgiveness of you.
Prayer is a person’s personal appeal to God. It helps to turn to the Lord with a request for atonement and forgiveness of sinful actions and thoughts. Having sincerely repented and said a prayer, people ask for the gift of strength to fight sinful passions and vices, as well as for mercy in simple human needs.
In preparation for Confession and Communion On days of fasting, a person must read the appropriate prayers, and they read them both in the morning and before going to bed. In addition to prayers, at least one of the canons is required for daily reading.
Penitential canons
Common preparation for communion for beginners includes reading:
Before the ritual of communion itself, you should additionally read “Following to Holy Communion.” As for morning and evening prayers, you can read any prayer of repentance. You can also read the “Our Father” with deep repentance and faith in forgiveness.
Before visiting the temple
The evening before confession and communion is one of the most difficult stages of preparation.
From midnight until the very end of the service in the Temple, you should refuse any food and water.
In addition to the usual reading of the canons of repentance and prayers, you should read the canons of repentance before confession and a prayer for repentance.
In the morning, after reading the canons and prayers, should go to the Temple to participate in the service. It is important to remember that until the end of Confession and Holy Communion, you cannot eat or drink. It is imperative to defend the entire service, carefully listening and perceiving every word of the clergyman. As soon as the service is over, you can turn to the priest for confession.
God should lay out all his sins and repent of them again. Precisely to God, because the priest is only a mediator and grants forgiveness exclusively on behalf of Our Lord.
Having made peace with yourself and God, you should also be sure to thank him for his forgiveness and ask for strength to lead an honest and Orthodox life. After you have confessed, you can start communion.