The Great Canon of St. Andrew is appointed to be read in four parts on the first four days of Lent during Great Compline. It is also read on the Fifth Thursday of Lent with the Life of St. Mary of Egypt. An explanation about the Great Canon can be found here.
Monday of the First Week of Lent [pdf]
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent [pdf]
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent [pdf]
Thursday of the First Week of Lent [pdf]
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent [pdf]
O Lord and Master of my Life, take me from me the spirit of despondency, negligence, avarice, and idle talk. Prostration.
Grant unto me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love. Prostration.
Yea, O Lord and King grant me to see my own sins and faults and not to judge my brother for blessed and glorified art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prostration.
Then twelve metanias (bows from the waist with the sign of the Cross). With each one we say:
O God, cleanse me a sinner.
And then the entire prayer:
O Lord and Master of my Life, take me from me the spirit of despondency, negligence, avarice, and idle talk. Grant unto me the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love. Yea, O Lord and King grant me to
see my own sins and faults and not to judge my brother for blessed and glorified art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. Prostration.
In joy of heart let us hymn with songs the newly revealed star of Orthodoxy, the newly erected bulwark of the Church; for, glorified by the activity of the Spirit, he pours forth the abundant grace of healings upon those who cry: Rejoice, O Father Nektarios, model of patience and lover of virtue.
In the world thou wast shown to be a man of heavenly mind, O Nektarios, hierarch of Christ; for having passed through life in holiness, thou wast shown to be blameless, venerable and God-pleasing in all things. Wherefore, thou hearest from us such praises as these:
Rejoice, thou by whom the faithful are edified; (more…)
Take away from me, O Virgin, the fetters of sin,
of my lusts and other transgressions:
the terrible carelessness and the overcaring,
the evil curiosity and the talkativeness,
the useless incontinence and the haughtiness,
the negligence, the drunkenness and the lack of mercy,
the bad desires, the terrible impurity,
the extravagance, the darkness,
the great insensitivity.
Take away the tendency to say jokes,
the enjoyment, the prodigality.
The laughter of immorality and every evil.
Give me, O maiden, fasting,
carefulness, vigilance and perfect obedience.
Give me carefulness in all
and acute discernment,
silence, order and holy patience.
Grant to me, O Lady, eagerness to work
and to attain my perfection,
and zeal for virtues and exercise.
Keep, O most-holy One,
my soul, my heart and my mind
in holiness and guard it in virginity.
Source: Edited and translated from the Greek by Nikolaos S. Hatzinikolaou, Holy Cross Orthodox Press, Brookline, Massachusetts, reprint 2002, pp. 221-225
The Akathist to the Theotokos is a spiritual weapon to wield against the various afflictions that trouble us — suffering through trials and temptations, trying to overcome the passions, or being in a state of indecision or uncertainty about God’s will. Typically the personal prayers of intercession (for yourself or on the behalf of others) are offered at the end of the Akathist. It is also a custom for Orthodox Christians to (more…)
The holy Apostle Paul has told each of us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Most of us know that we are far from achieving this goal: to pray without ceasing, we must first at least pray frequently; and to pray frequently most of us must first pray regularly according to some rule. The Church gives us many helpful rules of prayer. Most prayer books include useful sets of morning and evening prayers, prayers at mealtimes, and so on.
The following short rule is sometimes called the “Rule of St. Pachomius,” sometimes “The Little Rule of St Seraphim.” It is said to have been given by an angel (more…)
It has been said that it is a good practice to read this akathist in its entirety in one sitting at least once, and then to read some each day during the Nativity Fast. Download a pdf version here.
By Metropolitan Tryphon of Turkestan (+1934)
Found in the effects of Hieromartyr Gregory Grigori Petroff (+1942)
Everlasting King, Thy will for our salvation is full of power. Thy right arm controls the whole course of human life. We give Thee thanks for all Thy mercies, seen and unseen. For eternal life, for the heavenly joys of the Kingdom which is to be. Grant mercy to us who (more…)
O Lord my God, may Thy holy gift and Thy holy water be unto the enlightenment of my mind, unto the strengthening of my spiritual and physical powers, unto the health of my soul and body, unto the taming of my passions and weaknesses, according to Thy limitless mercy, through the prayers of Thy Most-pure Mother and of all Thy Saints. Amen.
