Lenten Prayers
Like the dawn, the season of the all-holy Fast hath shed upon us the light of repentance.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. *
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.
Behold, the Bridegroom cometh at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, but woe to the servant whom He shall find heedless. Behold, then, O my soul, and be not weighed down with sleep, lest thou be cast out of the kingdom; but rise at midnight and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O our God; through the Theotokos have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now the time of struggle hath shone forth; the Judge hath drawn near to the doors of the Fast. Let us arise, then, let us fast and gain tears, compunction and almsgiving, and let us cry: We have sinned more than the sand of the sea; but be merciful, O Creator of all, that we may receive the crown of incorruption.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The fair season of the Fast is come, brethren. Let us make haste to purify our souls and bodies, that we may appear in purity before the Creator and be made worthy to behold His longed-for beauty, through the prayers of her who bore Him, His only immaculate Mother; and, enlightened, let us praise with thanksgiving His mercy, which granteth our souls great and countless mercy.
O Saviour, Lover of mankind, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
The powers of heaven and the ranks of angels praise Thee and say: Holy God, have mercy on us; the churches of the saints and the multitude of the faithful praise Thee and say: Holy Mighty, have mercy on us; the sons of men praise Thee with psalms and blessings and say: Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
O Lord, look upon me with a merciful eye, for Thou art good, and accept my confession.
Let us begin, O ye people, the immaculate Fast, which is the salvation of souls; let us serve the Lord with fear, anoint our heads with the oil of gladness and wash our faces with the water of purity, and as we have been taught, so let us cry: Our Father, who art in heaven, forgive us our transgressions, as Thou lovest mankind.
Accept our prayer, O holy Lord, and grant us the forgiveness of sins.
This light-filled season of the Fast, which Thou hast appointed and granted us, O Christ God, make us all worthy to fulfil with zeal and with a contrite mind; and by Thy Cross, O only Lover of mankind, grant us Thy peace.
My soul, grieved by sin, flees to Thee, O Lord; have mercy on me.
O Lord, direct these days of fasting for us to fulfil in purity; shine upon us the holy light of Thy judgements, and make us worthy to offer Thee prayer with bended knees and tears; and we entreat Thee: for Thou art our Father, and we all are Thy children; we magnify Thee with trembling and call upon Thy name, which is named upon us: O All-good One, forget the multitude of our sins.
Let us depart from the dark frost of gluttony and clothe ourselves in the light of the Fast, radiant and fair.
Fasting and purity, prayer, humility and undefiled mourning, fervent labour in the virtues and the keeping of the divine commandments and precepts: let us offer these to Christ as a spiritual sacrifice and an offering shining with divine light.
The grace of the Fast hath appeared to us; it hath mightily dispelled the darkness of the passions, and light hath shone upon us.
Shake thyself and awake, O soul; sigh in spirit and shed tears; by fasting cast off the burden of sins, and by fervent repentance escape the fire; by mourning rend the garment of the passions, which bringeth mourning, and put on the grace of ascetic struggle.
O my soul, cleanse thyself of loathsome passions and so fast, that thy fast may be acceptable before God.
The Fast hath shone forth brighter than the sun; it announceth to us all the power of the mighty Cross, and showeth us the light of the divine Passion and the gladness of the holy Resurrection.
By the grace of the Fast let us cleanse our souls and cry to the Lord with a contrite heart: Have mercy on us according to Thy great mercy.
O Cross of Christ, who didst guide the thief to faith, strengthen me also to run the course of the Fast, that I may be counted worthy to venerate thee and be made alive in soul.
By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, strengthen us, that we may fulfil this season of the holy Fast purely and in holiness.
Let us keep a fast holy and pleasing to the Lord. True fasting is estrangement from evil, restraint of the tongue, the bridling of anger, separation from evil desires, from slander, lying and perjury. Abstinence from these is the true fast, well-pleasing, and forgiving a multitude of sins.
Keep, O Lord, those who sing to Thee, whom Thou hast saved by Thy Resurrection.
The Saviour fasted forty days and afterwards He hungered, to show the property of human nature; and thou, O soul, grow not faint if the tempter assail thee, for thou hast fasting and prayer as weapons against him.
Look down from heaven, O Lord, in Thy mercy, and save us.
Fasting first revealed Moses as the beholder of God, made Elijah master of the fiery chariot, and raised Paul to the third heaven; let us also, O my soul, fast from evil things, that we may be caught up to the height of dispassion. As our Deliverer overthrew the enemy by fasting, brethren, so let us also by fasting break his arrows and snares; and when he would tempt us, let us cry to him: Get thee back from us, thou unclean spirit; Christ rebuke thee.
Hear, O Lord, the supplication of Thy servants, and have mercy on us.
Hate the works of sin, O soul, and delight in keeping the commandments of Christ and in fasting, that so thou mayest gain delight that passeth not away, and He may grant thee mercy when He cometh to judge mankind.
Let us delight in the Fast as in a feast, and exalt God unto the ages.
Thou didst turn away the wrath from the Ninevites because of their fasting and repentance, but didst burn the Sodomites with fire, who sinned through gluttony; therefore I entreat Thee, O Christ, turn me, unworthy as I am, and deliver me from their destruction.
We seek Thy face, O Lord; put us not to shame.
Let us offer good works to God through fasting and depart from evil deeds, that we may be made worthy to attain the divine and eternal delights.
The wounds of my soul are multiplied; bring me up from corruption, O my God.
By fasting Elisha raised the dead child; and now let us also, O faithful, put the passions to death by fasting, that we may find life everlasting and gain eternal immortality.
O true Light, Christ God, have mercy on us.
Bring my dead soul to life, O Deliverer, for through fasting and prayer it ever looketh to Thee and hopeth in Thee, that we may cry: Glory to Thine all-glorious crucifixion, by which Thou hast saved us.
Moses, when he beheld the Lord on Mount Sinai, stretched out his hands: O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us keep a spiritual fast, brethren: let us speak no guile with our tongue, nor lay snares or stumbling blocks for our brethren, but let us kindle by repentance the lamps of our soul and cry to Christ with fervent tears: Forgive us our transgressions, O Lover of mankind.
I wait for Thy mercy from heaven, O Lord; save me.
Cleanse us by fasting, O Merciful One, who art an abyss of mercy; look upon us who entreat Thee, and regard the lifting up of our hands, Thou who didst stretch out Thine incorrupt arms upon the tree of the Cross, O Christ, for all mankind, O only Creator of the angels.
We offer prayer to Thee, O God, for Thy commandments are light.
Let us make the flesh bright by fasting, enrich the soul with virtue and feed the poor, that we too may find eternal riches and exalt God.
With a strengthened heart and a humbled spirit I cry to Thee, O Merciful One: My God, have mercy on me.
O soul, fast from evil things and delight in the virtues, and open not the door to the passions, that thou mayest receive Christ the King to dwell with thee.
Strengthen me, O Christ, that the enemy may not shake me from Thy commandments; my God, have mercy on me.
My soul, slain by the fruit of disobedience, bring to life by true fasting and repentance, O Christ God, for Thou art most merciful; and grant me ever to walk in the good and straight ways of Thy holy commandments. With tears I fall down before Thee, that I may behold Thy glory with all who love Thee and magnify Thee with words of glory, O All-good One.
Have mercy on me, O Christ; deliver me from the evil one and direct me to Thy will.
Of old Elijah was caught up in a chariot of fire, and by fasting he shone with light; be thou his rival, O my soul, and put to death the passions of the flesh by fasting.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, go with us all the days of our life.
Behold, the season of the Fast is come, which maketh the light of life to shine upon us; but thou, O soul, be not heedless through sloth, but cry out with zeal: O Good One, have mercy on me.
Grant pardon and forgiveness of sins, O Saviour, to those who sing to Thee, for Thou art merciful.
O how blessed is this season of the Fast, O most merciful Christ, which Thou hast given to all the faithful for the overcoming of the passions and the cleansing of sins! Grant us these saving gifts of grace; therefore we entreat Thee, O Saviour: make us partakers of all good things.
Like a sheep I have gone astray, and I have angered Thee, my Shepherd; seek me, O Lord, Thy sinful servant, I entreat Thee.
O holy powers of the angels and all ye divine and all-glorious assemblies of the saints, entreat now with zeal the good God, that we may pass this divine season of the Fast without stumbling and overcome him who tempteth us.
I offer Thee my contrite and humbled heart, O Saviour; accept it, I entreat Thee, look upon me and have mercy on me.
Let us depart from temptation and enter the arena of the holy Fast; let us seek God with prayer and fasting, forget all malice, and cry with sighing: We have sinned, O Christ the King; have mercy on us as on the Ninevites, and make us worthy of Thy heavenly kingdom with those who love Thee.
Grant me a time of repentance to cry, O Saviour: I have sinned; have mercy on me.
Let us gain purity by fasting and draw near to the mountain of the virtues, and hear the divine command, for it speaketh mercy to us.
Remember the throne of Christ, that thou be not put to shame there, O my soul.
Thy grace hath shone forth, O Lord; the light of our souls hath shone forth, giving them light. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the time of repentance: let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the divinely shining armour of light, that we may cross this wide and great sea of the Fast and reach the radiant haven, the third-day Resurrection of our Saviour, who granteth our souls great mercy.
Thou who knowest the secrets of all, deliver me from my iniquities and have mercy on me.
On Mount Horeb Elijah, cleansed by fasting, beheld God in the still, small breeze; and now let us also cleanse our hearts by fasting and enlighten our minds by repentance, that we may behold Christ the King.
Be strong in the Lord, ye hearts that sing to Him; open your mouths to praise Him.
As we have hastened to abstain from those foods and from meat, so let us also hate envy and enmity towards our neighbours, fornication and lying, boasting and every evil.
Disregard not the voice of those who sing to Thee, O Lover of mankind, but have mercy on us.
This is the time, O my soul, to show forth fruits worthy of repentance; make haste, be watchful, and cry to God in supplication: Through fasting and prayer and streams of tears, forgive, O Deliverer, my countless sins.
Raise us up from our poverty, O Christ, and enlighten those who are in darkness.
O Theotokos, hope of all who entreat thee, from thee we have our hope, in thee we boast, in thee is all our hope; intercede with Him who was born of thee for our souls.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing fathers and of all Thy saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Selected from the Lenten Triodion and from the most ancient Iadgari.
The text was selected and prepared for publication by Tinatin Mchedlishvili
