Canon of Repentance
As Israel walked on dry land through the depths of the sea, and beheld Pharaoh the pursuer drowned, we cry to God, singing a song of victory:
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Now I fall down before Thee, a sinner accursed, O my King and God; not daring to look up to heaven, I entreat Thee, saying: Give me understanding, O Lord, that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Woe is me, a sinner! For I am blinded more than all men, and there is no repentance in me. Give me tears, O Lord, that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O foolish, blinded man, squandering thy time in sloth! Consider thy life, and turn to the Lord thy God, and weep bitterly for thy deeds.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-immaculate Mother of God, look upon me, a sinner, and deliver me from the snares of the devil, and set me on the way of repentance, that I may weep bitterly for my deeds.
There is none holy as Thou, O Lord my God: exalt the horn of Thy righteous ones, O Good One, and establish us upon the rock of the confession of Thee.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
When the thrones are set for the dread judgement, then the deeds of all men shall be laid bare; there shall be woe to the sinners sent away to torment. Knowing this, O my soul, repent of thine evil deeds.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
The righteous shall rejoice, but the sinners shall weep; then none shall be able to help us, but our deeds shall condemn us. Rather, before the end, repent of thine evil deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Woe is me, the great sinner, for I am defiled in deeds and thoughts, and I have not even a drop of tears because of my hardness of heart. Now rise up from the earth, O my soul, and repent of thine evil deeds.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thy Son calleth us now, O Lady, and teacheth us what is good; but I, a sinner, ever flee from the good. But do thou, O merciful one, have mercy on me, that I may repent of my evil deeds.
I think upon that dread day and weep for my evil deeds: what answer shall I give to the immortal King, or with what boldness shall I, the harlot, look upon the Judge? O good Father, only-begotten Son and Holy Spirit, have mercy on me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
I am now bound by many sins, taken captive and enmeshed in cruel passions and afflictions; I flee to thee, my salvation, and I cry: Help me, O Virgin, Mother of God.
Christ is my strength, my God and Lord, the honourable Church singeth in a manner pleasing to God, crying from a pure mind, keeping feast in the Lord.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Broad is this way and pleasant for the working of pleasures, but bitter shall it be on that last day, when the soul goeth forth from the body; guard thyself from these, O man, for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Why dost thou oppress the poor, withhold the wages of the labourer, and not love thy brother, but run after fornication and pride? Leave these things, O my soul, and repent for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O foolish man, how long wilt thou busy thyself like a bee, gathering thy wealth, which will swiftly perish like dust and ashes? But rather seek the kingdom of God.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, a sinner, and strengthen me in piety, and keep me, lest sudden death snatch me away unprepared; and lead me, O Virgin, to the kingdom of God.
With Thy divine light, O Blessed One, make radiant with love the souls of those who rise early to Thee, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, the only true God, calling Thee out of the darkness of sins, I pray Thee.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Remember, O wretched man, how thou art enslaved to lies, slanders, robbery, infirmities, and to the fierce beasts of sin. O my sinful soul, is this what thou desirest?
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
My members tremble, for I have become guilty through them all: with the eyes by looking, with the ears by hearing, with the tongue by evil speaking; I have given myself wholly to Gehenna. O my sinful soul, is this what thou hast chosen?
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou didst receive the harlot and the thief when they repented, O Saviour; but I am weighed down by the one sin of sloth and enslaved to evil deeds. O my sinful soul, is this what thou didst wish?
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O wondrous and swift helper of all men, O Mother of God, help me, the unworthy; my sinful soul desireth this.
The sea of the world is stirred up by the storm of sins, and dreadfully overwhelmeth me; seeing this, I flee to Thy calm haven, and thus I cry to Thee: Raise up my life from corruption, O Most Merciful.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
I have passed my life on earth in fornication and have given my soul over to darkness; now I entreat Thee, O merciful Master: set me free from this bondage to the enemy, and give me understanding to do Thy will.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Who doeth such things as I? As a swine lieth in the mire, so do I serve sin. But do Thou, O Lord, bring me up from these defilements, and give me a heart to do Thy commandments.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Look up to God, O wretched man, and remember thy sins; fall down before the Creator, weeping and sighing; and He, as the Merciful One, will grant thee understanding to know His will.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin Theotokos, deliver me from evil visible and invisible, O most holy one; accept my prayers and bring them to thy Son, that He may grant me understanding to do His will.
O my soul, why dost thou grow rich in sins? Why dost thou do the will of the devil? In what hast thou thy hope? Cease from these deeds and turn to God with lament, crying: O merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Consider, O my soul, the bitter hour of death and the dread judgement of thy Creator and God; when the wrathful angels shall take thee up, O soul, and cast thee into the eternal fire. Therefore, before death, repent and cry: O Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
The furnace of fire was made to pour forth dew by the angel for the venerable youths, and the command of God consumed the Chaldeans; they taught the tyrant to sing, crying: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Trust not, O my soul, in corruptible wealth and in treasure gathered unrighteously, for thou knowest not to whom all this shall be left; but cry aloud: Have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy as I am.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Trust not, O my soul, in bodily health and in swiftly passing beauty; for thou seest that the strong and the young also die; but cry aloud: Have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy as I am.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Remember, O my soul, eternal life and the kingdom of heaven prepared for the saints, and the outer darkness and the wrath of God upon the wicked; and cry aloud: Have mercy on me, O Christ God, unworthy as I am.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Fall down, O my soul, before the Mother of God, and entreat her; for she is a swift helper of the repentant; she maketh her Son, Christ God, merciful, and will have mercy on me, unworthy as I am.
Thou didst make dew pour forth from the fire for the venerable ones, and didst kindle the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; Thou canst do all things, as many as Thou willest, O Christ: Thee we magnify and exalt unto the ages.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
How shall I not weep, when I think upon death and behold my brother lying in the grave without honour and without form? For what then do I care, or in what do I hope? But grant me, O Lord, repentance before my death. (Twice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I believe that when Thou comest to judge the living and the dead, all shall stand in their order, old and young, kings and princes, virgins and saints. Where shall I be found? Therefore I cry: Grant me, O Lord, repentance before my death.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O most holy Theotokos, accept this my unworthy prayer, and keep me from sudden death, and grant me repentance before my death.
To see God is impossible for men, on whom the ranks of the angels dare not look; but through thee, O all-holy one, the Word made flesh appeared to men; and with the bodiless hosts we bless Him and magnify thee:
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Now I flee to you, O Angels, Archangels and all ye heavenly powers who stand before the throne of God: entreat your Creator to deliver my soul from eternal torment.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Now I weep before you, O Patriarchs, Kings and Prophets, Apostles and luminaries, and all ye elect of Christ: help me at the dread judgement, that God may save my soul from the powers of the enemy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now I stretch out my hands to you, O holy martyrs, hermits, virgins, righteous ones, and all ye saints who pray to God for the whole world: entreat Him to have mercy on me at the hour of my death.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, help me, who hope greatly in thee; make thy Son merciful, that He may set me, the unworthy, at His right hand, when He sitteth to judge the living and the dead. Amen.
O Master Christ God, who by Thy passion didst heal my passions and by Thy wounds didst cure my wounds: grant me, Thy servant who hath sinned much, tears of compunction; mingle my body with the fragrance of Thy life-giving Body, and sweeten my soul with Thy precious Blood from the gall with which the adversary hath given me to drink; lift up to Thee my mind, bowed down to the earth, and bring me up from the abyss of perdition; for I have no repentance, I have no compunction, I have no consoling tears that bring children back to their inheritance. Darkened in mind by the passions of this world, I cannot look up to Thee in my sickness; I cannot be warmed by tears of love. But, O Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Treasury of good things, grant me complete repentance and a heart that loveth toil and seeketh Thee; grant me Thy grace, and renew in me the likeness of Thine image. I have forsaken Thee: forsake not me; come forth to seek me, lead me up to Thy pasture and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock; nourish me with them from Thy divine Mysteries, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all Thy saints. Amen.
