The Canons for Holy Communion

Ode VII

Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped in the plain of Dura, Thy three children despised the godless order. Thrown into the fire, they were bedewed and sang: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

Canon to our Lord Jesus Christ

Refrain: O sweetest Jesus, save me.

O Christ Jesus, no one on earth hath ever sinned, O my Jesus, as I, the wretched one and prodigal, have sinned. Wherefore, I cry to Thee, my Jesus, have compassion on me as I sing: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

O Christ Jesus, I cry: Nail me down with the fear of Thee, O my Jesus, and pilot me to Thy calm haven now, O my compassionate Jesus, that as one saved I may sing to Thee: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

O Christ Jesus, ten thousand times have I, the passionate one, promised Thee repentance, O my Jesus, but wretch that I am, I deceived Thee. Wherefore, I cry to Thee, my Jesus: Enlighten my soul which remaineth unfeeling: O Christ, the God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Theotokion: O thou who gavest birth to Jesus awesomely and above nature, O all-blameless one, implore Him, O Maiden, to forgive me all the sins that I have committed against my nature, that as one saved I may cry: Blessed art thou who didst give birth to God in the flesh.

Canon to the Theotokos

Refrain: O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Having willed to accomplish our salvation, O Saviour, Thou didst dwell in the womb of the Virgin, and didst show her to the world as the mediatress; O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

The Dispenser of mercy, Whom thou didst bear, O pure Mother, do thou implore to deliver from transgressions and defilements of the soul, those who with faith cry out: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

A treasury of salvation, and a fountain of incorruption is she who gave Thee birth; a tower of safety, and door of repentance hast Thou proved her to them that shout: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

For weakness of body and sickness of soul, O Theotokos, do thou vouchsafe healing to those who with love draw near to thy protection, O Virgin, who for us gavest birth to Christ the Saviour.

Canon to the Guardian Angel

Refrain: Holy Angel of the Lord, my Guardian, pray to God for me, a sinner.

Be merciful to me and entreat God, O Angel of the Lord; for I have thee as my defender for the whole of my life, a guide and guardian given me by God forever.

Holy Angel of the Lord, my Guardian, pray to God for me, a sinner.

Leave not my wretched soul, which was given thee blameless by God, to be slain by robbers along the way, O holy Angel, but guide it to the way of repentance.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

My whole soul is disgraced by the evil thoughts and deeds I have brought upon me, but make haste, O my guide, and grant me healing with good thoughts, that I may be inclined always to the right way.

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

Theotokion: O Wisdom of the Most High Personified, for the sake of the Theotokos, fill with wisdom and divine strength all that faithfully cry: O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

Ode VIII

Irmos: O ye works, praise the Lord God, Who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children and changed the flame into dew, and supremely exalt Him unto all ages.

Canon to our Lord Jesus Christ

Refrain: O sweetest Jesus, save me.

I implore Thee, O my Jesus: As Thou didst redeem the harlot from many sins, O my Jesus, likewise redeem me, O Christ my Jesus, and cleanse my foul soul, O my Jesus.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

O Jesus, having yielded to irrational pleasures, I have become irrational, O my Jesus; and wretch that I am, I have truly become like unto the beasts, O Saviour. Wherefore, O Jesus, deliver me from irrationality.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

Having fallen, O Jesus, into the hands of soul-corrupting thieves, I have been stripped now of my divinely-woven garment, O my Jesus, and I am lying all bruised with wounds. O my Christ, do Thou pour on me oil and wine.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Theotokion: O Theotokos Mary, who ineffably didst carry the Christ, my Jesus and God: Do thou ever implore Him to save from perils thy servants and them that praise thee, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock.

Canon to the Theotokos

Refrain: O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Disdain not those who need thy help, O Virgin, and who hymn thee and supremely exalt thee unto the ages.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou healest the infirmities of my soul and the pains of my body, O Virgin, that I may glorify thee, O pure one, unto the ages.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou pourest forth a wealth of healing, on those who with faith hymn thee, O Virgin, and supremely exalt thine ineffable Offspring.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou drivest away the assaults of temptations, and the attacks of the passions, O Virgin; wherefore we hymn thee unto the ages.

Canon to the Guardian Angel

Refrain: Holy Angel of the Lord, my Guardian, pray to God for me, a sinner.

O good Angel, sent by God, support me, thy servant, in my life and forsake me not unto the ages.

Holy Angel of the Lord, my Guardian, pray to God for me, a sinner.

O most blessed one, I hymn thee, O good Angel, guide and guardian of my soul unto the ages.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Be unto me a protection and fortification in the judgment day of all men, in which all deeds, both good and evil, shall be tried by fire.

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

Theotokion: Be unto me, thy servant, a helper and a calmness, O Ever-Virgin Theotokos, and leave me not bereft of thy protection.

Ode IX

Irmos: God the Word, Who came forth from God, and Who by ineffable wisdom came to renew Adam after his grievous fall to corruption through eating, and Who ineffably took flesh from the holy Virgin for our sake, Him do we the faithful with one accord magnify with hymns.

Canon to our Lord Jesus Christ

Refrain: O sweetest Jesus, save me.

I have surpassed, O my Jesus, Manasseh and the publican, the harlot and the prodigal, O compassionate Jesus, and the robber, O my Jesus, through all my shameful and unseemly deeds, O Jesus; but do Thou forestall me, O my Jesus, and save me.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

By my passions, O my Jesus, have I, the wretched one, surpassed all those from Adam who have sinned both before the Law and in the Law, O Jesus, and after the Law and Grace, O my Jesus; but by Thy judgments save me, O my Jesus.

O sweetest Jesus, save me.

May I not be parted from Thine ineffable glory, my Jesus, nor may the portion on the left fall to me, O sweetest Jesus; but set me on the right hand with Thy sheep and give me rest, O Christ my Jesus, since Thou art compassionate.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Theotokion: O Theotokos, who didst carry Jesus, O only unwedded Virgin Mary who knewest not wedlock, O pure one invoke Him, thy Son and Creator, to deliver them that hasten to thee from temptation and perils, and the fire that is to come.

Canon to the Theotokos

Refrain: O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Turn not away from the torrent of my tears, O Virgin, who didst give birth to Christ, Who doth wipe away all tears from every face.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Fill my heart with joy, O Virgin, who didst receive the fullness of joy and didst banish the grief of sin.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Be the haven and protection, and a wall unshaken, a refuge and shelter and the gladness, O Virgin, of those who flee to thee.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

Illumine with the rays of thy light, O Virgin, those who piously confess thee to be the Theotokos, and do thou banish away all darkness of ignorance.

O most holy Theotokos, save us.

In the place of affliction, O Virgin, do thou heal me, transforming mine illness into healthfulness.

Canon to the Guardian Angel

To Jesus: O Lord Jesus Christ my God, have mercy on me.

Have mercy on me, O my only Saviour, for Thou art merciful and kind–hearted, and make me a member of the choirs of the righteous.

Refrain: Holy Angel of the Lord, my Guardian, pray to God for me, a sinner.

Grant me ever to think and do only what is useful, O Angel of the Lord, that I may be blameless and strong in infirmity.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As one having boldness toward the Heavenly King, do thou, with the rest of the bodiless ones, entreat Him to have mercy on me the wretched one.

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

Theotokion: Having great boldness towards Him Who took flesh of thee, deliver me from fetters and grant me absolution and salvation through thine intercessions.

Hymn to the Theotokos, Tone 8

It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless, and Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thee who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ

O Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, my God, Who for the sake of Thine ineffable love for mankind, at the end of the ages wast wrapped in flesh from the Ever–Virgin Mary, I glorify Thy saving providence and care for me, Thy servant, O Master. I praise Thee, for through Thee I have learned to know the Father; I bless Thee through Whom the Holy Spirit came into the world. I bow to Thy most pure Mother who served for the dread mystery of Thine Incarnation. I praise the angelic choir as the servants and singers of Thy majesty. I bless Saint John the Forerunner who baptized Thee, O Lord. I honour also the prophets who announced Thee, I glorify Thy holy Apostles, I celebrate the martyrs, I glorify Thy priests, I venerate Thy saints and praise all Thy righteous ones. This such countless and unutterable divine choir I, Thy servant, in prayer offer to Thee, O all-compassionate God, and therefore I ask the forgiveness of my sins, which do Thou grant me for the sake of all Thy saints, but especially for the sake of Thy holy compassion, for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

O my most blessed Queen, O Theotokos my hope, guardian of orphans, intercessor for strangers, joy of the sorrowful, protectress of the wronged: Thou seest my misfortune, thou seest mine affliction; help me, for I am weak; feed me, for I am a stranger. Thou knowest mine offence: Absolve it as thou wilt, for I have no other help beside thee, no other intercessor, nor good consoler, except thee, O Mother of God. Do thou preserve and protect me unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angel

O holy Angel, my good guardian and protector! With broken heart and ailing soul I stand before thee, entreating: Hearken unto me, thy sinful servant Name; with loud wailing and bitter weeping I cry: Remember not mine iniquity and unrighteousness, through which I, a wretched one, have angered thee every day and hour, and have made myself loathsome before our Lord the Creator; show me loving–kindness and leave not me, the defiled, even until mine end. Awaken me from sleep of sin, and enable me, through thine intercessions, to pass the remaining time of my life without stain, and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; and above all preserve me from deadly falls into sin, lest I perish in despair, and mine enemy rejoice in my ruin. I know truly and confess with my mouth that there is no other friend and intercessor, protector and champion, such as thou, O holy Angel; for standing before the throne of the Lord, thou intercedest for me the useless and most sinful of all, lest the Most Good One take my soul in the day of my despair and in a day of evil doing. Cease not, therefore, to entreat mercy of my most kindhearted Lord and God, that He forgive mine offences, which I have committed throughout all my life, in deed, word, and all my senses, and by judgments which He knoweth, that He save me; that He may chasten me here according to His ineffable mercy, but that He may not expose and put me to trial there in accordance with His simple justice; that He may deem me worthy to bring repentance, and with penitence to worthily receive Divine Communion; for this above all I make entreaty, and I desire such a gift with all my heart. And in the terrible hour of death, be not far from me, my good guardian, driving away the demons of darkness, who have the power to terrify my trembling soul; defend me from their net, when I shall pass through the aerial toll–houses, in order that being guarded by thee, I may attain the desired paradise, where the choirs of the saints and the celestial hosts unceasingly praise the all–honourable and majestic name in Trinity of God glorified: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to Whom is due honour and worship, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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Trisagion

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, blot out 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 the heavens, 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 the evil one.

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.

More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.Amen.