The Canon of Repentance
Like Israel, who walked on dry ground through the depths of the sea and beheld the pursuer Pharaoh drowned, we cry aloud, singing a song of victory unto God:
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Now I, a sinner and accursed, fall down before Thee, my Master and my God; I dare not lift up my eyes to heaven, but I pray, saying: Give me understanding, O Lord, that I may weep bitterly over my deeds.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Woe is me, a sinner! For I am more blinded than all men, and there is no repentance in me. Give me tears, O Lord, that I may weep bitterly over my deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O foolish, blinded man, wasting thy time in sloth: consider thy life, and turn unto the Lord thy God, and weep bitterly over thy deeds.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, all-immaculate, look upon me, a sinner, and deliver me from the snares of the devil, and set me upon the path of repentance, that I may weep bitterly over my deeds.
There is none holy as Thou, O Lord my God, Who hast exalted the horn of Thy righteous ones, O Good One, and hast established us upon the rock of Thy confession.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
When the thrones are set at the dread Judgment, then the deeds of all men shall be laid bare; there shall be woe for 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 sinners shall weep; then none shall be able to help us, but our deeds shall condemn us. Rather, then, before the end repent of thine evil deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Woe is me, a great sinner, for I am defiled in deeds and in thoughts, and I have not a drop of tears because of the hardness of my 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.
Behold, O Lady, thy Son calls us and teaches 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 over my evil deeds: what answer shall I give to the immortal King, or with what boldness shall I, the profligate, 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.
Bound now, taken captive by many sins, and held fast by cruel passions and afflictions, I flee unto thee, my salvation, and cry aloud: Help me, O Virgin, Mother of God.
Christ is my power, my God and Lord, the honourable Church sings in godly wise, crying out with a pure mind, keeping festival unto the Lord.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Broad is this way and pleasant for the doing of delights, but bitter shall it be on that last day, when the soul departs from the body. Beware of these things, 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 wage of the labourer, and not love thy brother, and pursue 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 toil like a bee, gathering thy wealth? It shall soon 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 godliness, and keep me, lest sudden death snatch me away unprepared; and bring me, O Virgin, to the Kingdom of God.
With Thy divine light, O Blessed One, illumine with love the souls of those who rise early unto Thee, that they may know Thee, O Word of God, the only true God; crying out of the darkness of sins, I pray unto Thee.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Remember, O blinded man, how because of sins thou art enslaved to lies, slanders, robberies, infirmities and fierce beasts. O my sinful soul, is this what thou desirest?
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
My members tremble, for with all of them I have become guilty: with the eyes by looking, with the ears by hearing, with the tongue by speaking evil, I have given myself wholly over 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.
The harlot and the thief who repented Thou didst receive, O Saviour; but I alone am weighed down by the sin of sloth and enslaved to evil deeds. O my sinful soul, is this what thou hast willed?
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O wondrous and speedy helper of all men, Mother of God, help me, the unworthy one; for this my sinful soul desireth.
The sea of this world is stirred up by the billows of sin and terribly engulfs me; seeing this, I flee unto Thy calm haven and cry to Thee thus: Bring 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 given my soul over to darkness; now I pray Thee, O merciful Master: free me from the bondage of this enemy, and give me understanding to do Thy will.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Who does such things as I? As a swine lies in the mire, so do I serve sin. But do Thou, O Lord, draw me up out of these abominations, and give me a heart to do Thy commandments.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Lift up thine eyes unto God, O blinded man, and remember thy sins; fall down before the Creator, weeping and groaning; and He, as merciful, 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 seen and unseen, O all-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 whom hast thou thy hope? Cease from these deeds and turn unto God with lamentation, crying out: O merciful Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Consider, O my soul, the bitter hour of death and the dread judgment of thy Creator and God: when fearsome angels shall take thee up, O soul, and cast thee into the eternal fire. Therefore, before death, repent, crying out: O Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
When the angel made the fiery furnace pour forth dew for the holy youths, and the command of God consumed the Chaldeans, they taught the tyrant to sing, and cried aloud: 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 without God, for thou knowest not to whom all this will be left; but cry aloud: Have mercy on me, O Christ God, the unworthy one.
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, the unworthy one.
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, the unworthy one.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Fall down, O my soul, before the Mother of God and pray to her, for she is the speedy helper of the repentant; she entreats her Son, Christ God, and He will have mercy on me, the unworthy one.
Thou didst make dew pour forth from the fire for the holy ones, and didst kindle the sacrifice of the righteous one with water; for Thou canst do all things, O Christ, whatsoever Thou willest. We magnify Thee and exalt Thee 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 or comeliness? What then do I care for, or in what do I hope? But grant me, O Lord, repentance before death. (twice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I believe that Thou wilt come to judge the living and the dead, and all shall stand in their order, old and young, kings and princes, virgins and holy ones. Where shall I be found? Therefore I cry aloud: Grant me, O Lord, repentance before 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 death.
It is impossible for men to see God, upon Whom the ranks of angels dare not gaze; but through thee, O all-holy one, the Word made flesh appeared unto men; Him we bless with the bodiless hosts, and thee we magnify:
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
Now I flee unto 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 the chosen of Christ: help me at the dread Judgment, that God may save my soul from the power of the enemy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now unto you I stretch out my hands, O holy martyrs, desert-dwellers, virgins, righteous ones and all ye saints who pray before God for the whole world: entreat Him to have mercy on me in the hour of my death.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, help me who hope greatly in thee; entreat thy Son to set me, the unworthy one, at His right hand when He shall sit to judge the living and the dead. Amen.
O Master Christ God, Who by Thy passion hast healed my passions and by Thy wounds hast cured my wounds: grant me, who have sinned greatly, tears of compunction; temper my body with the fragrance of Thy life-giving Body, and sweeten my soul with Thy precious Blood from the bitterness with which the adversary has given me to drink; lift up to Thee my mind, bowed down to the earth, and bring me up out of the abyss of perdition; for I have no repentance, I have no compunction, I have no consoling tears that lead children up to their inheritance. Darkened in mind by the passions of this world, I cannot look up to Thee in my sickness, I cannot warm myself with tears of love. But, O Master Lord Jesus Christ, Treasury of good things, grant me complete repentance and a heart that labours in seeking Thee; grant me Thy grace and renew in me the lineaments of Thine image. I have forsaken Thee; forsake Thou not me. Come forth to seek me, lead me up to Thy pasture and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock; nurture me with them on the good things of Thy divine Mysteries, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all Thy saints. Amen.
