ODE 1

Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I

TONE 6

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: O Theotokos, the hope and protection of those who praise thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin and as thou art our Most-pure Lady, accept me in repentance.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, the hope and protection of those who praise thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin and as thou art our Most-pure Lady, accept me in repentance.

Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? How shall I begin, O Christ, to relieve my present tears? But as Thou art deeply compassionate, grant me forgiveness of sins. Come, O wretched soul, and together with thy body confess to the Creator of all so that henceforth, thou shalt abstain from thy past foolishness and offer tears of repentance to God. Having rivaled the first-formed Adam by my transgressions, I have found myself stripped naked of God, of the everlasting kingdom and all of its delights, because of my sins. Woe is me, O wretched soul, for thou art become like the first Eve! For thou hast looked in wickedness and wast bitterly wounded; for thou hast touched the tree and rashly tasted the forbidden fruit.

Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I

will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, the hope and protection of those who praise thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin and as thou art our Most-pure Lady, accept me in repentance.

In the place of the physical Eve, the temptation of Eve hath taken flesh in my mind, showing me what seems to be sweet; but making me taste and swallow bitterness. Adam was rightly banished from Eden, O Savior, because he disobeyed one of Thy commandments. What then shall I suffer, for constantly rejecting Thy words of life? Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O Trinity, Who surpasses all creation and is adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of compunction.

Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I

Theotokion: O Theotokos, the hope and protection of those who praise thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin and as thou art our Most-pure Lady, accept me in repentance.

TONE 6

Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I

will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I

Of mine own free will have I incurred Cain’s guilt of murder; for I have murdered my own conscience by cultivating my flesh and making war upon my soul’s awareness by my wicked actions. I have refused to imitate Abel’s righteousness, O Jesus: never have I offered Thee any acceptable gift or godly work; neither a pure sacrifice nor a blameless life. Like Cain, we are condemned, O wretched soul, for we have offered to the Creator of all only our defiled actions, a polluted sacrifice and a useless life. As a potter molds his clay, Thou hast fashioned my flesh and my bones, giving me breath and life. Now accept me in repentance, O my Maker and Redeemer and my Judge. I confess to Thee, O Savior, all the sins I have committed and the wounds

(SAME TONE AND IRMOS)

of my soul and body, which my murderous thoughts, like thieves, have inflicted upon me. Though I have sinned, O Savior, yet I know that Thou art the Lover of mankind. Thou dost chastise with mercy and art fervent in compassion. Thou dost see my tears and Thou dost run to meet me, like the Father toward his Prodigal Son. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O Trinity, Who surpasses all creation and is adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of compunction. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

TONE 6

will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

From my youth, O Christ, I have rejected Thy commandments. Being entirely ruled by my passions, I have passed my entire life in indolence and sloth. Therefore I cry to Thee, O Savior, even now at the end: Save me! I lay prostrate now before Thy gates, O Savior. Oh, cast me not into hell in my old age, but before the end comes, grant me remission of sins, as Thou art the Lover of mankind. Like the Prodigal, I have squandered all my riches in riotous living, O my Savior, and I am left barren of virtue and piety; but in my hunger I cry: O Bountiful Father, run quickly out to meet me and take pity on me. I am the man who fell in among robbers who now lies wounded in body, beaten and bruised because of my thoughts. But come to me, O Christ my Savior,

and heal me.

The Priest first saw me and passed me by, then the Levite looked on me in

my distress but despised my nakedness. But do Thou, O Jesus, Son of Mary, come to me and take pity on me. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: Grant me that illuminating Grace which was given thee by Providence on High, that I may escape the darkness of my passions and praise

the glorious feats of thy life, O Mother Mary.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O Trinity, Who surpasses all creation and is adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of compunction. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 21

TONE 6

will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of all, take from the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. I fall down before Thee, O Jesus, for I have sinned against Thee. Be merciful to me; take away from me the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. Enter not into judgement with me by recalling all my deeds, demanding an account of all my words or by examining my motives and desires. But in Thy compassion, O Almighty One, disregard my terrible past and save me.

The time for repentance has come and I draw near to Thee, O my Creator.

Take from me the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. Having squandered the substance of my soul in sin, I am bereft of every holy virtue, and in my hunger, like the Prodigal I cry: O compassionate Father, have mercy on me and save me. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: By submitting to Christ’s divine laws, thou hast drawn near to Him, O Mother Mary; and by forsaking thy unbridled longings for pleasure, thou hast gained as one, all of the godly virtues. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O Trinity, Who surpasses all creation and is adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of

compunction. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

TONE 6

will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

1. Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? How shall I begin, O Christ, to relieve my present tears? But as Thou art deeply compassionate, grant me forgiveness of sins. 2. Come, O wretched soul, and together with thy body confess to the Creator of all so that henceforth, thou shalt abstain from thy past foolishness and offer tears of repentance to God. 3. Having rivaled the first-formed Adam by my transgressions, I have found myself stripped naked of God, of the everlasting kingdom and all of its delights, because of my sins. 4. Woe is me, O wretched soul, for thou art become like the first Eve! For thou hast looked in wickedness and wast bitterly wounded; for thou hast touched the tree and rashly tasted the forbidden fruit.

5. In the place of the physical Eve, the temptation of Eve hath taken flesh in my mind, showing me what seems to be sweet; but making me taste and swallow bitterness. 6. Adam was rightly banished from Eden, O Savior, because he disobeyed one of Thy commandments. What then shall I suffer, for constantly rejecting Thy words of life? 7. Of mine own free will have I incurred Cain’s guilt of murder; for I have murdered my own conscience by cultivating my flesh and making war upon my soul’s awareness by my wicked actions. 42

8. I have refused to imitate Abel’s righteousness, O Jesus: never have I offered Thee any acceptable gift or godly work; neither a pure sacrifice nor a blameless life. 9. Like Cain, we are condemned, O wretched soul, for we have offered to the Creator of all only our defiled actions, a polluted sacrifice and a useless life. 10. As a potter molds his clay, Thou hast fashioned my flesh and my bones, giving me breath and life. Now accept me in repentance, O my Maker and Redeemer and my Judge. 11. I confess to Thee, O Savior, all the sins I have committed and the wounds of my soul and body, which my murderous thoughts, like thieves, have inflicted upon me. 12. Though I have sinned, O Savior, yet I know that Thou art the Lover

of mankind. Thou dost chastise with mercy and art fervent in compassion. Thou dost see my tears and Thou dost run to meet me, like the Father toward his Prodigal Son. 13. I lay prostrate now before Thy gates, O Savior. Oh, cast me not into hell in my old age, but before the end comes, grant me remission of sins, as Thou art the Lover of mankind. 14. I am the man who fell in among robbers who now lies wounded in body, beaten and bruised because of my thoughts. But come to me, O Christ my Savior, and heal me. 15.

The Priest first saw me and passed me by, then the Levite looked

on me in my distress but despised my nakedness. But do Thou, O Jesus, Son of Mary, come to me and take pity on me. 16. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of all, take from the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. 17.

The time for repentance has come and I draw near to Thee, O my

Creator. Take from me the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. 18. Reject me not, O my Savior, neither cast me away from Thy presence. Take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me remission of sins. 19. Forgive, O Savior, all my transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, whether done in knowledge or in ignorance, and as God, have mercy on me and save me. 20. From my youth, O Christ, I have rejected Thy commandments. Being entirely ruled by my passions, I have passed my entire life in indolence and sloth. Therefore I cry to Thee, O Savior, even now at the end: Save me!

21. Like the Prodigal, I have squandered all my riches in riotous living, O my Savior, and I am left barren of virtue and piety; but in my hunger I cry: O Bountiful Father, run quickly out to meet me and take pity on me. 22. I fall down before Thee, O Jesus, for I have sinned against Thee. Be merciful to me; take away from me the heavy burden of sin, and in Thy compassion, grant me tears of repentance. 23. Enter not into judgement with me by recalling all my deeds, demanding an account of all my words or by examining my motives and desires. But in Thy compassion, O Almighty One, disregard my terrible past and save me.

ANOTHER CANON, TO SAINT MARY OF EGYPT

Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: Grant me that illuminating Grace which was given thee by Providence on High, that I may escape the darkness of my passions and praise the glorious feats of thy life, O Mother Mary. Venerable Mother Mary, pray to God for us. To St Mary of Egypt: By submitting to Christ’s divine laws, thou hast drawn near to Him, O Mother Mary; and by forsaking thy unbridled longings for pleasure, thou hast gained as one, all of the godly virtues. Venerable Father Andrew, pray to God for us. To Saint Andrew: Deliver us from our shameful passions, O Andrew, through thine intercessions, and, we pray thee, make us now partakers of the Kingdom of Christ; for with faith and love we sing thy praises.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. To the Trinity: O Trinity, Who surpasses all creation and is adored in Unity, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of compunction. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Theotokion: O Theotokos, the hope and protection of those who praise thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin and as thou art our Most-pure Lady, accept me in repentance.