A Widow’s Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, Almighty, Thou art the comfort of the mourning and the protector of widows and orphans. Thou hast said: “Call upon Me in the day of thy trouble, and I will hear thee.” In the time of my sorrow I flee to Thee and entreat Thee: turn not Thy face from me, and hear my prayer, which I bring to Thee with my tears.

O Lord, Master of all, as Thou wast pleased to unite me with Thy servant (name), that we might be one spirit and one flesh, and as Thou didst give me this Thy servant as my companion and protector, so by Thine all-wise and good will Thou hast willed to take that servant from me and to leave me alone. I bow my knees before Thy will, and in the time of my sorrow I flee to Thee. Still, O Lord, the grief of my soul at the parting from Thy servant and my friend (name); and though I have been deprived of him, deprive me not of Thy mercy; and as Thou didst accept the widow’s two mites, so accept also this my prayer.

Remember, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant (name); forgive him all his transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, if he hath sinned against Thee in word or deed, knowingly or in ignorance; destroy not Thy servant in his iniquities and give him not over to eternal torment, but forgive and blot out all his transgressions by Thy mercy and compassion, and make him dwell with Thy saints, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no grief, no sighing, but life everlasting.

I entreat Thee, O Lord, grant me strength with unceasing prayer, until the end of my life, to ask of Thee, the Judge of all the world, forgiveness of the transgressions of Thy servant (name), and that he may dwell in the kingdom which Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee. Though he sinned against Thee, O Lord, he did not depart from Thee, but until his last breath confessed unwaveringly and in Orthodoxy the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; therefore be merciful to him, and reckon his faith in Thee as a great struggle; for there is no man who shall live and not sin, for Thou alone art a stranger to all sin, and Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.

I believe, O Lord, and confess that Thou wilt accept my supplication and not turn Thy face from me; and as Thou didst have mercy on the weeping widow and didst raise her son, who was being carried to burial, so have mercy on me also, a sinner, and still my sorrow; and as Thou didst accept the prayers and alms of that widow, and through the prayer of Thy holy Church didst open the doors of Thy mercy to Thy departed servant Theophilus and forgive him all his transgressions, so I entreat Thee: accept my prayer and make the soul of Thy servant (name) worthy of life everlasting; for Thou art our hope, who hast mercy and savest, and to Thee we send up glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.