Prayers To Thee

"O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who has trampled down Death and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto Your world, give, we beseech You, eternal rest to the soul of Your departed servant, in a place of brightness, in a place of verdure, in a place of repose, from whence all pain, sorrow, and sighing, have fled away.

Pardon, we beseech You, every transgression which may have been committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For there is no man who lives and does not commit a sin. You only are without sin, Your righteousness is everlasting, and Your word is the Truth.

For You are the Resurrection, and the Life, and the repose of Your departed servant, O Christ our God, and unto You we ascribe glory, together with eternal the Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever, and for ages to come." Amen

"May our gracious and merciful Lord, who rose from the dead, Christ, our True God, through the intercessions of His Holy Mother and of all the Saints, establish the soul of His departed servant in the mansions of the righteous; give rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number his soul among the just, and have mercy upon us and save us".

Eternal be Your memory.

These prayers are customarily read for 40 days after the falling asleep of the servant of God.

O Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Physician of souls and bodies, who become man and suffer death on the Cross for our salvation, and through Your tender love and compassion did heal all manner of sickness and affliction; visit me O Lord in my suffering, and grant me grace and strength to bear this sickness with which I am afflicted, with Christian patience and submission to Your will, trusting in Your loving kindness and tender mercy. Bless, I pray to You, the means used for my recovery, and those who administer them. I know O Lord, that I justly deserve any punishment You might inflict upon me for. I have so often offended You and sinned against You, in thought, word and deed. Therefore, I humbly pray to You, look upon my weakness, and deal not with me after my sins, but according to the multitude of Your mercies. Have compassion on me, and let mercy and justice meet; and deliver me from this sickness and suffering I am undergoing. Grant that my sickness may be the means of my true repentance and amendment of my life according to Your will, that I may spend the rest of my days in Your love and fear: that my soul, being helped by Your grace and sanctified by Your Holy Mysteries, may be prepared for its passage to the Eternal Life, and there, in the company of Your blessed Saints, may praise and glorify You with Your Eternal Father and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.

O Lord our God, good and merciful, I acknowledge all my sins which I have committed every day of my life, in thought, word and deed; in body and soul alike. I am heartily sorry that I have ever offended you, and I sincerely repent; with tears I humbly pray to You, O Lord: of Your mercy forgive me all my past transgressions and absolve me from them. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your Grace, to amend my way of life and to sin no more; that I may walk in the way of the righteous and offer praise and glory to the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Before Meals

+ In the Name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your Name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Then

O Christ our God, bless the food and drink of Your servants, for You are Holy always;

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

After Meals

+ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Then

Blessed is God, who is merciful unto us and nourishes us from His bounteous gifts by His grace and compassion, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Pray before the icon of Christ

We reverence Your spotless icon, O gracious Lord, and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ our God: for of Your own good will You was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that You might deliver from bondage to the enemy those whom You have fashioned. Wherefore, we cry aloud unto You: You have filled all things with joy, O our Saviour, for You come to save the world.

Hymn to the Theotokos

From the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos, who are ever blessed and all-blameless, and the mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, you who without stain barest God the Word, and are truly Theotokos: we magnify you.

Rejoice, thou through whom joy shall shine forth.

Rejoice, thou through whom the curse shall be blotted out.

Rejoice, thou the restoration of fallen Adam.

Rejoice, thou the redemption of the tears of Eve.

Rejoice, height hard to climb for human thought.

Rejoice, depth hard to explore, even for the eyes of Angles.

Rejoice, for thou art the Throne of the king.

Rejoice, for thou sustainest the Sustainer of all.

Rejoice, star the causest the Sun to appear.

Rejoice, womb of the divine Incarnation.

Rejoice, thou through whom creation is renewed.

Rejoice, thou through whom the creator becomes a babe.

Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded.

Troparion of St. Seraphim, Tone 4

Thou didst love Christ from thy youth, O blessed one, and longing to work for Him alone thou didst struggle in the wilderness with constant prayer and labour. With penitent heart and great love for Christ thou wast favoured by the Mother of God. Wherefore we cry to thee: Save us by thy prayers, O Seraphim our righteous Father.

Kontakion of St. Seraphim, Tone 2

Having left the beauty of the world and what is corrupt in it, O saint, thou didst settle in Sarov Monastery. And having lived there an angelic life, thou wast for many the way to salvation. Wherefore Christ has glorified thee, O Father Seraphim, and has enriched thee with the gift of healing and miracles. And so we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Seraphim, our righteous Father.