The most important sacraments in life Orthodox Christian Confession and communion are considered to help the human soul to cleanse itself and draw closer to God. From our article you will learn what prayers should be read before confession and communion.
General information
In daily prayers, Orthodox Christians turn to the Savior with requests to forgive the human race for their sins. The culmination of a believer’s repentance is forgiveness and remission of sins, called the sacrament of confession.
Church officials call the confession of faith in the Savior Jesus Christ the second baptism. During the sacrament of baptism, the baby is cleansed from original sin; the second baptism provides the opportunity to atone, repent and be cleansed of wrongdoings committed during the journey of life.
Sin is not only actions, but also thoughts that contradict the commandments of God. There are sins against God, those who condemn the Holy Spirit, against one’s neighbor, against oneself, and against mortals. Sin is spiritual dirt generated by passion, which is located in the depths of the human soul. According to the clergy, by committing atrocities, speaking against the Lord God and the Holy Spirit, a person becomes an accomplice in the crucifixion of Christ on the cross.
Confession helps the soul to cleanse itself of the wrongdoings it has committed. A believer who believes in God and repents becomes closer to the Savior and receives His mercy and grace.
In Orthodoxy, confession is held in a church, but if necessary, you can confess to a clergyman in any other place. Before performing the sacred ceremony, an Orthodox Christian reads:
- morning and evening prayer rule;
- canon of repentance to our Savior Jesus Christ;
- prayer of Simeon the New Theologian.
There is no need to be embarrassed and afraid of your sinfulness. All offenses for which a person sincerely repents will be heard and forgiven by God. As stated in Holy Scripture, some saints used to be sinners. Sincere repentance and sincere faith helped them to cleanse themselves, take the righteous path and draw closer to the Lord.
The Eucharist, or the sacrament of communion, is an opportunity for a Christian believer to touch the most intimate, tasting the bread and wine in the temple, which are given to those who have repented of their sins and confessed righteous people, and which represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Some parishioners consider themselves unworthy of communion, forgetting that this sacrament exists specifically for previously unworthy people who have realized their sinfulness.
Women should not receive communion during their menstrual cycle. Also, a woman who has recently become a mother is not allowed into the church. Before entering the temple and performing the sacrament of communion for a woman in labor, the clergyman must read a special prayer over her.
Before communion, an Orthodox Christian reads:
- morning prayer rule;
- evening prayer rule;
- canon of repentance to the Savior;
- prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos;
- canon to the Guardian Angel;
- Akathist to the Sweetest Jesus;
- following to Holy Communion.
The Orthodox Church allows the reading of all canons to be distributed over several days preceding the sacrament of communion.
At the end of the ceremony, a prayer of thanks to Jesus Christ, a prayer to St. Basil the Great and a prayer after communion to the Most Holy Theotokos are said. Reading sacred texts gives a believer spiritual food and the opportunity to meet God.
Video “Preparing for Confession and Communion”
How to properly prepare for the most important Sacraments in life, what prayers should be read, and how to repent at confession.
What prayers to read
Confession and Communion are important Sacraments for an Orthodox Christian. The main point is proper preparation to the purification of the soul and the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. It is very important to know and read the prayers before confession and communion.
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.
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 deposit future life and kingdoms, 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.
The practice of confession has existed in churches since ancient times, but not many parishioners decide to undergo the sacrament of repentance. There are many reasons: they don’t understand what kind of action it is, they don’t know how to prepare for it. In fact, preparation does not take much time and does not require any money. Find out more about what to do before confession.
How to prepare for confession
A person who wants to confess must understand that he will repent not before the priest, who is only a witness, but before God. He is faced with the task of blaming himself for sins without justifying them. It is not enough to briefly talk about what was done; you need to be aware of everything that was said and understand that it is ruining your life. As a rule, preparing for confession takes certain time so that a person can collect his thoughts.
An important point preparation is considered a fast, the duration of which is discussed individually with the priest. If a sick person, a pregnant or nursing woman, or someone who frequently receives communion is going to confess, they are given a relaxation. For everyone else, fasting lasts approximately 3 days. Dairy products, any meat, eggs are prohibited. If these days fall during a church fast, fish should also be excluded from the diet. Cereals, vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, and nuts are allowed.
It is important not only to limit yourself in food, but also to change your lifestyle. It is unacceptable to continue going to places of entertainment, watching entertainment programs, and spending days doing nothing. Preparing for confession is to talk to your soul, finish things put off for later, remember forgotten people, refuse bad habits.
List of sins before confession
For those who have not previously attended the sacrament, it is recommended that when preparing, make a list of sins on a piece of paper so as not to forget. When finished, the paper can be given to the priest to be burned. You don’t have to voice your sins yourself, but give the list of sins to the priest to read. In the note, laconic, brief entries with listings without decoding are desirable. For example, if a husband cheated on his wife, the list should be written briefly, without explanation – adultery. If a person is constantly at odds with relatives, there is no need to talk about the cause of the conflict, but write condemnation of the relatives.
There is an opinion that leaves with sins only interfere with concentration and turn the sacrament into something formal. For this reason, if a person copes well without a list, it is advisable not to use it. During preparation, you can make short notes using the recommended samples. For example, compile separate lists of sins against God and sins against humanity. Call a spade a spade using non-broken church language, but native (in our case – Russian).
What to read before confession
How to prepare for confession? The purpose of a conversation with a priest is not a story about your life, but repentance of the heart. If you go without preparation, without the intention to correct yourself and repent, confession will be fruitless and empty. Very important to read Orthodox literature: New Testament, Gospel, Prayer Book, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the book “The Experience of Constructing a Confession” by I. Krestyankin. Before the sacrament, it is necessary to read prayers.
Prayer before confession
During preparation for confession and communion, the believer’s physical and spiritual nature is cleansed. The first is achieved by abstinence and repentance, the second by prayer. It is imperative to pray in the mornings and evenings at home, in addition to attending evening services. Among the prayers, the “Prayer before Confession” is obligatory - it can be found in any prayer book. By reading it, the believer will receive humility in his soul, draw closer to God, and so on.
Canon of repentance before confession
The unwritten rules of confession are such that the believer needs to become familiar with the canon of repentance, which fully reveals the essence of repentance. The work can be found in the Orthodox prayer book. The penitential canon is a kind of lament, calling on a person to mourn his sins and all the bad deeds of mankind from the very beginning of the world. The work is composed in such a way that the author considered himself a sinner, and this idea sounds like a leitmotif from beginning to end. The commandments encourage the reader to become aware of his soul and throw out dark thoughts from it.
How to confess in church
If a person comes to the temple for the first time, it is worth choosing a time when the priest is not very busy. The fewest people are on weekdays. You need to personally contact the priest, ask to set up a time for a conversation and ask about preparations for confession. In churches they also practice worship in front of a crowd of people. In this case, you need to wait your turn, then approach the priest, introduce yourself, and bow your head. Sins should be listed when addressing the Lord God. At the end, the priest reads a prayer, after which one should kiss the cross and the clergyman’s hand.
If the priest does not have the opportunity to receive everyone, he can use general confession. How does confession go in church in this case? Having gathered people, the priest lists the most common sins and they repent. Next, everyone approaches the priest for a prayer of permission. General confession is not suitable for those who have never confessed or have grave sin.
What sins to list in confession
It is necessary to repent of sins committed in deeds, words or thoughts. It is recommended to remember those that appeared in the time after the last repentance. For the first time, you need to try to remember everything important that has happened since you were six years old. You shouldn’t talk about everything in detail; it’s better to just voice specific sins without hiding a single secret. For those who find it difficult, priests recommend compiling full list and read it if necessary. It is imperative to include sins against Christ and against others.
How to behave in confession
- In church, you should treat the sacred place with respect: do not make noise, do not attract attention to yourself.
- Women are forbidden to enter the altar, men - only with the permission of the clergyman.
- When asked to give a name for confession, one should name the one given at baptism.
- If the sacrament is performed in front of a crowd of people, there is no need to confuse those confessing. You shouldn’t crowd around and listen to other people’s sins.
- If this is your first confession, you should warn about this - the priest will definitely provide all possible assistance.
Video: how to prepare for confession
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.
Texts of prayers can be downloaded from. Below we'll talk about how to properly prepare, what prayers to read before confession and 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 spiritual and physical life 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;
- stay on evening worship on the eve of the sacrament;
- utterance a certain set 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;
- on 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 plant origin(vegetables, fruits, grains, flour products) should be consumed in moderation.
If a person has only recently joined the Church, or for a long time did not turn to her, forgetting about God, or did not observe 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 in full. 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 - an integral part of goveniya. 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 allowed to go to the Chalice first. 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 Cup you need to name your full name, received at baptism, and then, with reverence in the soul, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and swallow. 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.
Spiritual renewal is an important task of life for every Christian. As a rule, this is achieved through confession and Communion. With the help of confession, you can cleanse your soul and prepare to accept the Mysteries of Holy Scripture. During Communion, every believer is reunited with the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that he receives all the benefits associated with Divine life, is filled with strength that will help him do good. Both Confession and Communion require special prayer preparation.
What prayers to read before confession and communion
Confession in its essence is repentance for committed voluntary or involuntary sins. The purpose of this ritual is to obtain remission of one's sins, to obtain eternal life after death in the Kingdom of God. The Holy Fathers consider confession to be the second baptism. This is due to the fact that during the baptismal ritual the child is cleansed of original sin, and in the process of confession, a believer is given the opportunity to be cleansed of the sins he has committed along the path of life.
So that confession is accepted and has positive result You must be aware of your sins and have a sincere desire to sincerely repent of them and not repeat your sins in the future. There must be a sincere faith in the mercy of God in the soul. You also need to believe that even the most serious sins will be forgiven by the Great Heavenly Lover of Mankind - Jesus Christ.
When a person prepares for confession or communion, he must strictly follow the morning and evening rules. The obligatory prayers included in it must be read in full. Preparation for Communion includes confession itself and fasting. Generally, the church requires that preparation be carried out over a period of 3-7 days.
Moreover, every day, in addition to morning and evening prayers, it is required to read one canon, among which must be:
- Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ;
- Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos;
- Canon to the Guardian Angel.
During the period of preparation for confession and communion, attention should be paid to spiritual abstinence. You cannot attend any entertainment or social events during this period. It is important to spend as much time alone as possible. It should be devoted to reading the Holy Letter and thinking about your life. It is necessary to strictly control before confession and Communion own actions and thoughts. For cleansing to be successful, you need to avoid quarrels and conflicts with people from your inner circle. And if you are in a quarrel with someone, then you need to make peace with this person as quickly as possible. At the same time, it is very important to remember that this should be done out of sincere motives, and not for show.
Immediately before the communion ritual, “Proceeding to Holy Communion” is read. It is also necessary to attend a church service on this day.
Confession and Communion are sacraments Orthodox Church. In preparation for these rituals, special prayers should be offered that will help cleanse the soul from sins.
Repentant prayers before confession in church
Sincere prayers of repentance before communion and confession are considered especially important. It is these prayer texts, spoken with deep sincerity, that indicate that a person repents of his sins and is ready to ask the Lord for their forgiveness and cleansing of the soul.
Prayer one - text in Russian
A prayer of repentance in a temple may sound like this:
“Heavenly Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, I ask You to accept the repentant prayer of Your sinful servant ( given name). With your mercies, heal my mental ulcers and heal my soul. Grant me, O Lord, All-Merciful, tears of tenderness. Let me touch Your Life-Giving Body and enjoy Your Honest Blood. Help me, a repentant one, get rid of spiritual grief, raise my mind to myself, do not let me sink in my sins and approach the disastrous abyss. Hear, Lord, my repentance, grant me tears of consolation and tenderness from Your mercy. My mind is darkened by worldly passions, so I cannot turn to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with my own tears. I want to deserve Your love, so grant me repentance and your grace, about which give a sign. Forgive me my sins and cleanse my soul, so that I can hope for eternal life after death in the Kingdom of God. Raise me in the Mysteries of God and let me live according to Your commandments. Amen".
Second prayer
Another strong prayer of repentance that can be said in church sounds like this:
“Have mercy on me, Lord, according to Your great mercy, and according to the enormous amount of Your mercies, I ask you to cleanse my soul from my iniquity. I repent of my sins and realize my guilt. I offer my prayer to You alone and ask for justification for myself. Only You, Lord, have the great power to forgive the sins of those who have loved the truth and have expressed a desire to know Your wisdom. Sprinkle me with your goodness and cleanse my soul so that it is purer white snow she became. Grant me the joy of life and grace, may my bones rejoice and be filled with strength. Turn my face away from everything sinful that I may not commit. servant of God (proper name) of sins. Fill my heart with true love, renew my soul. Do not reject me, Lord, do not take away my hope in Your mercy. Give me the joy of salvation, strengthen me with your Sovereign Spirit. Teach me how to push away lawlessness from myself. Have mercy on me, Lord, and save me. Amen".
Prayer before communion to receive bread and wine (prosphora and holy water)
The prayer before communion to receive the bread and wine is very important. This contributes to the sanctification of the body and spirit of a believer. At this moment, a desire to do good arises and thoughts are illuminated towards sincere service to the Lord. Prayer protects a person from evil spirits and nothing bad can ever come close to him.
“Prosphora” means “offering” in Greek. This specially baked bread consists of two parts. They symbolize the earthly and heavenly world. Each part is baked separately. This is done in the temple and the Jesus Prayer is read during the baking process. Two separately baked parts are joined together. Top part Holy bread symbolizes the heavenly world; it is stamped with the image of a four-pointed cross, on which there is the inscription XC or IC, which means Jesus Christ.
Every person who has submitted a note “On health” or “On repose” can order prosphora. After the end of the liturgy, small pieces of the antidora prosphora are taken out in the church. You need to take them on your palms folded with a cross, while right hand placed on the left. You must kiss the hand of the church minister who brings the gift. Antidor should be eaten in church, washed down with holy water.
Having brought the prosphora home, it should be placed on a clean tablecloth next to the icons, and holy water should be placed next to it.
Before eating the prosphora, the following prayer is read:
“Lord Almighty, let Your holy gift be for the remission of my sins: prosphora and holy water. May he help me enlighten my mind and strengthen my mental and physical strength. May the prosphora and holy water be for the health of my body and soul, for deliverance from my passions and infirmities, according to Your boundless mercy, prayers Holy Mother of God and all Your saints. Amen".
Prosphora should be eaten over a clean white plate or over a sheet of paper. At the same time, it is very important that not a single crumb of heavenly bread falls on the floor. The prosphora only needs to be broken; it is strictly forbidden to cut it with a knife. It should also not be offered to unbaptized people.
Prosphora and holy water can be eaten in small pieces every day in the morning on an empty stomach. In this case, each time you need to pronounce the words of the above prayer.
Prayer before communion and confession is a mandatory ritual for a person who strives to be cleansed of sins.
The prayer appeal in this case consists of three canons:
- Repentant to our Lord;
- Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary;
- Canon to the Guardian Angel.
It is better to take all the listed prayers from the prayer book and say them in the version closest to the original source. This must be done with full concentration on your own thoughts. You can't be distracted by anything. These prayers are needed so that the Lord hears you and forgives all your sins after Communion. In addition, such prayers before the cleansing ritual allow a person to receive peace of mind.
In addition to the prayers listed, clergy recommend reading additionally the prayer of St. Basil the Great before Communion.
It sounds like this:
“Heavenly Lord, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, You are the creator of everything around and the source of all life. You, the Son of the beginningless Father, who, out of your great mercy, took on flesh, was crucified and buried for us, sinners, ungrateful and insensitive. You have renewed our sinful nature with Your Holy Blood! You yourself are the immortal King without beginning, hear me, Your sinful servant, and accept my sincere repentance. Hear with your ear what I will say: I have sinned, O Most High, before heaven and before You. After my sin, I am not worthy to raise my eyes to the height of Your heavenly glory; I realize that I have greatly angered You by breaking Your commandments and disobeying Your commands.
But I sincerely believe that You, Lord, Lover of mankind, kind, patient and merciful, will not leave me to perish in my committed sins after my conversion. For You said through the mouth of Your prophet that You do not want the sinner to die, but want him to turn to You and remain alive. You do not want the death of the people you created. You want everyone to be saved and are ready to forgive all the sins of those who sincerely repented of them and came to the knowledge of the truth of God. Therefore, I, unhappy and sinful, hope for my salvation, and offer my prayer of repentance. Accept me, Lord, as a thief, and as a harlot, and as a tax collector, and forgive me my sin. For You, who take the sins of people upon yourself, heal any human infirmities, call honest workers to yourself and calm the suffering. Teach me. Lord, righteous life, cleanse my body and soul from all uncleanness. Let me do my deeds with reverence for You, let me unite with Your Holy Body and Blood. Let Communion not become a condemnation for me, a sinner and unworthy, but be a forgiveness for me. Grant me, Lord, the opportunity to partake of Your holy things until the end of my days, so that I can receive Your parting words before the Last Judgment and wait for Your Great mercy. Amen".
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.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. ( Three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. ( Three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be it 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.
Lord have mercy. ( 12 times)
Come, let us worship our King God. ( Bow)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. ( Bow)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our 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 words, 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, even now: Alleluia. ( 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: In the communion of Your 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: 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. Repel your face Cleanse me from my sins and 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
Come, people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who divided the sea, and taught the people, even from the work of Egypt, for he was glorified,
May the bread of the eternal belly be my Body Your Sacred, gracious Lord, and Honest Blood, and healing of manifold illnesses.
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.
Theotokos: Good Earth, blessed Bride of God, vegetating unearthed and saving the world, grant me this food to be saved.
Song 3
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.
Give 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.
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.
Theotokos: The Most Holy Table of Animal Bread, from above the mercy of which came down, and gave the world a new life, and now grant me the unworthy, with fear, to taste this, and live to be.
Song 4
You came from the Virgin, not an intercessor, nor an Angel, but Himself, Lord, incarnate, and you saved me as a whole man. Thus I call to Thee: glory to Thy power, O Lord.
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.
Heal my ulcers, Lord, and sanctify everything: and grant, O Master, that I may partake of Your secret Divine Supper, the accursed one.
Theotokos: Compassionate me also from Thy womb, O Lady, and keep me undefiled and undefiled by Thy servant, even as the reception of clever beads may be sanctified.
Song 5
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?
As you foretold, O Christ, that it would be done to your evil servant, and abide in me, as you promised: for behold, Your Body is Divine, and I drink Your Blood.
Word of God and God, may the coal of Your Body be for me, who is darkened, into enlightenment, and the cleansing of my defiled soul may Your Blood.
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
Lying in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy mercy: lift me up from aphids, O God.
Sanctify my mind, soul and heart, O Savior, and my body, and grant me, without condemnation, O Lord, to approach the terrible Mysteries.
So that I may withdraw from passions, and have the application of Your grace, the affirmation of my life, through the communion of the Saints, Christ, of Your Mysteries.
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
The wise children did not serve the golden body, and they themselves went into the flames, and cursed their gods, cried out in the midst of the flames, and I sprinkled an angel: the prayer of your lips has already been heard.
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, through intercession, the only Good One, for I glorify Thee.
May I get rid of passions, and enemies, and needs, and all sorrows, with trembling and love with reverence, Lover of mankind, approach now Your immortals and Divine Mysteries, and vouchsafe to You to sing: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers.
Theotokos: Who gave birth to the Savior Christ more than the mind, O God-gracious One, I pray to Thee now, Thy servant, the Pure Unclean One: who now wishes me to approach the most pure Mysteries, cleanse all from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit.
Song 8
Who came down 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.
Heavenly, and terrible, and Thy saints, Christ, now the Mysteries, and Thy Divine and Last Supper are the guardian of being and vouchsafed to me the desperate one, O God, my Savior.
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 blessing! How do I partake of the Divine Body and Blood of clay and become incorruptible?
Song 9
The Son, God and Lord, without beginning, became incarnate from the Virgin, appeared to us, darkened to enlighten, 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 in 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...the Trisagion. Holy Trinity... Our Father... Troparion of the day or holiday. If it is a week, the Sunday troparion according to the tone. If not, real troparia, tone 6:
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You, as the Lord, sinners: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, 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 upon Thy name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may 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, the mysterious food is delicious.
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 evil-willed, 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. Thou art, O Lover of mankind, Thy 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 One who is Holy, 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 Thy burial of the kingdoms of hell, captive, bury mine good intentions evil advice, and destroy the spirits of deceit. 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 to seat 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, 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 5, 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 6, 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: yes with a pure heart With a trembling thought and a contrite soul, I will partake of Your undefiled and most holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats 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 I am seven in Him. The word of every Master and my 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, the grass partakes of the fire, and a strange miracle, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old burned 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 7, 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, 8th
I am not pleased, Master Lord, that you may come 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 blessed, always, now and unto endless ages. Amen.
His same, 9th
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forgive, cleanse and forgive my sinful, and indecent, and unworthy servant, my sins, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, from my youth, even to this day and hour, those who have sinned: if in 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 seedless One who gave birth to Thee, the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, the only shameless hope and intercession and salvation of mine, 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 10, 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 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.