Repentant prayers of Andrew of Crete during Lent. Great Lent. Reading the canon of Andrei Kritsky

A detailed description from several sources: “prayer for St. Andrew of Crete during Lent” - in our non-profit weekly religious magazine.

Lent- period in the Christian church calendar, which has considerable influence even on that part of the population that is usually called “unchurched.” This is a time of special abstinence, and gastronomic restrictions play almost the last role here - if anyone perceives fasting as a type of diet, they are deeply mistaken. From a Christian point of view, fasting is a period of mobilization, first of all, of a person’s spiritual strength, which consists of giving up some of his daily activities and habits and becoming more involved in communication with God. Therefore, prayers during Lent have special significance.

The Great Penitential Canon of Andrei of Crete

In fact, the question of what prayers to read during Lent reveals the lack of education of the person asking Christian life and causes bewilderment among believers. It is enough just to familiarize yourself with Orthodox prayer book to make sure that Christians have enough daily prayers. Moreover, during Lent it is customary for believers to intensify their prayer rule, for example, in addition to the morning and evening prayers read the psalms of King David. But if we talk about specifically Lenten prayers, there are two of them. Firstly, this is the great penitential canon of Andrei of Crete. Saint Andrew of Crete lived in the second half of the 7th - first half of the 8th centuries and was one of the most prominent church speakers and literary figures. He is the author of more than 70 canons, but the most famous is the Great Penitential Canon.

The Great Penitential Canon is one of the core prayer phenomena of Great Lent. During the period of fasting during divine services, it is read twice. First, in parts during Vespers services from Monday to Thursday of the first week of Lent. Then in full at the morning service on Thursday of the fifth week of Lent. For the second time, the penitential canon is read together with the reading of the life Venerable Mary Egyptian and this service is known in the church lexicon as the “Standing of Mary”. This is truly one of the longest services in the church year, especially if all the ancient recommendations for making prostrations at it are observed, which can currently be observed among the Old Believers. Old Believers: special Orthodox or a separate denomination?

. The combination of the penitential canon and the life of Mary of Egypt has a deep symbolic meaning - the Venerable Mary is one of the most striking examples of repentance for her own sins.

The Great Penitential Canon of Andrew of Crete is a philosophical and poetic work intended to remind believers of the sins they have committed and the need to repent of them and correct their consequences. To do this, Andrei Kritsky uses stories from Sacred history, citing examples from the Old and New Testaments. These examples are both positive and negative. In the first case, we remember the righteous who pleased God with their actions and their whole lives. The person is reminded that he himself has not done anything like this, although he also has his own strengths, talents and abilities for this.

In the second case, we are reminded of the negative characters of the Bible, inveterate sinners who angered the Lord and received a well-deserved punishment. A person is invited to remember that he himself has committed no less sins, is worthy of punishment and must sincerely repent in order to gain God's mercy. It is characteristic that the canon also remembers positive characters from the point of view of their sins - the pedagogical idea of the prayer says that even the righteous sinned, but their main difference from sinners is genuine repentance. The main spiritual message of the penitential canon is that hope is not lost for anyone if he repents of his sins and hopes for the mercy of God. At the same time, various “tricks” like the principle “I will sin, and then I will repent - the main thing is repentance anyway” are described as useless: you can deceive people and yourself, but not the Creator.

Great prayer during Lent from three lines

The penitential canon of Andrew of Crete is read twice during Lent. Another Lenten prayer, that is, used only during this period of the church year, is read every day throughout Lent - the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. Or rather, reading it goes beyond strict chronological framework Great Lent.

Firstly, this prayer begins to be read at services even before the start of Lent, during the preceding Cheese Week (Maslenitsa), on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
Secondly, Lent itself lasts six weeks - the seventh week, Holy Week, does not belong to fasting, but is itself fast due to memories last days earthly life of Jesus Christ and the Passion of Christ. During Holy Week, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read until Great Wednesday and then not read until Cheese Week of the following year.
Thirdly, during Lent itself, Lenten prayer is read from Monday to Friday, since Saturday and Sunday are not considered fast days. These days are subject to fasting restrictions, including gastronomic ones, but on Saturday and Sunday the Divine Liturgy is served, at which the Sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated. Such days cannot, according to the Christian worldview, be fast days of sorrow, since in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Christ himself meets with the believers. So Lenten prayer is not read on Saturdays and Sundays of Great Lent.

The text of the prayer itself, compiled by the 4th century Christian saint and one of the Church Fathers Ephraim the Syrian, reads as follows:

Lord and Master of my belly (that is, my life), do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness (that is, the desire for power, for control over people) and idle talk. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. To her, Lord the King, grant me to see (that is, to see) my sins and not to condemn my brother (that is, my neighbor), for Blessed are you forever and ever. Amen.

Thus, the Lenten prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a believer’s daily request to God to strengthen his spiritual strength. Attention is drawn to those spiritual phenomena and dangers from which a person asks to be delivered - idleness (aimless pastime), despondency, the desire to dominate and idle talk. On the other hand, they ask for the most valuable spiritual qualities and virtues - chastity, humility, patience and love for others. Finally, it is emphasized special character Lent as a period of special activity to identify one’s own sinful inclinations and actions and refuse to “look at the speck in someone else’s eye” in relation to other people.

Dementiev D. V.

Reading for every day of Lent

Tuesday of the first week of Lent

On Tuesday of the first week of Lent in churches they continue to read the great penitential canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

In the temple, both the black vestments and the special Lenten chanting of chants call for repentance and change in sinful life. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian constantly sounds:

“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk..

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Your servant.

To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.”

After each of the three requests for prayer, a prostration is made. Then, those praying with the words “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” make twelve bows from the waist. At the end, the prayer is repeated in full again and a prostration is made. “Humble my soul with fasting,” says David the Psalmist. The goal of every Christian is to prepare his soul for eternity, life with the Lord, therefore we must try to humble our soul, calm passions, and they are extinguished only by fasting and prayer. Humility is the most important thing for the salvation of the soul, everything else: exploits, fasts, prayer, bows - this is the means, the path by which the soul goes to humility.

There are such “ascetics” who impose strict fasting on themselves, but they themselves burn in passions - anger and hatred of their neighbor; such a fast is not pleasing to the Lord. During fasting, there should be abstinence in everything: food, actions, words, desires... What is abstinence in desires? Here, a person loves meat, but for the sake of the Lord he does not eat it at all, like the monastics. Another decides never to watch TV... All these are feats. In the fight against passions, a person develops patience, willpower, and most importantly, humility.

For the sake of the Lord, you can accomplish any feat - quit smoking, drinking, stop being irritated, and the Lord gives grace for these deeds, fills the soul with joy and peace, reveals the meaning of life. Some believe that such feats of abstinence can be accomplished by oneself, without the Lord. But it’s our pride that speaks to us; life shows us something else. There are many known cases when a person could not stop drinking, smoking, swearing, whatever he did: he relied on his own will, and friends helped, and relatives, some were coded... All in vain. And only when a person turned to the Lord, the Mother of God, repented, asked for help, promised to improve, the Lord gave strength to fight, and the person’s life changed.

Fasting heals the soul and body. Fasting - standing on guard, fighting evil spirits, passions. And if demons of despondency, despair, melancholy, anger, jealousy approach your soul, turn to the Lord in prayer, ask for strength to fight and prepare your flesh for battle by fasting: a burdened warrior cannot defeat the enemy. The Church calls us to abstinence, the Lord calls us to abstinence.

CHANTS FROM THE SERVICE FOR TUESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT

Lord, saving abstinence doubles as a cry to Ty: touch the hearts of us, Thy servants, and accept our prayers with fear, giving us the blessed course of fasting, purification and great mercy.

“Lord, for the second day, remaining in saving abstinence, we cry to You: send tenderness into the hearts of Your servants and accept our prayers offered with fear, grant us to successfully pass the fasting path, purification and rich mercy.”

Be sober, stay awake, sigh, shed a tear, cast off all the burden of sin on your soul with fasting, run away from the fire with warm repentance, and tear off the deplorable robe with the tears of passion, accept the Divine robe.

From the Tuesday service of the first week of Lent

Who will put out the fire? Who shuts up the mouths of beasts? Fasting, delivered the youths from the cave, and the prophet Daniel from the lions' food: whom we also kiss, brethren.

“Who put out the fire? Who blocked the mouths of wild animals? The fast that saved the youths from being burned in the oven, and the prophet Daniel from being eaten by lions. Let us, brothers, kiss this post.”

From the Tuesday service of the first week of Lent

Even though we have sinned, O Savior, we know that you are a lover of mankind, you punish mercifully, and you show mercy warmly: you see with tears, and you flow like a Father, calling on the prodigal.

“Although I have sinned, I know that You are humane, Savior: You punish mercifully and are passionately worried, you see me crying and run towards me, like the Father, calling the prodigal son.”

From the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete

Honest Andrew, and most blessed Father, Shepherd of Crete, do not cease praying for those who sing your praises, that we may be delivered from all anger, and sorrow, and corruption, and immeasurable sins, who faithfully honor your memory.

Troparion to Saint Andrew of Crete

Fasting reflects temptations, anoints (beautifies) those who strive in piety, and is accompanied by sobriety and chastity.

Poor post! How much reproach, slander, and persecution he endures! But everything is worth it by the grace of God. And how could it be otherwise? The support is strong! The Lord fasted, the Apostles fasted, and, moreover, not a little, but as the Apostle Paul says about himself: in their fasting they are abundant (2 Cor. 11:27); and all the saints kept a strict fast, so that if it were given to us to survey the abodes of paradise, we would not find a single one there who would shun fasting. That's how it should be. By breaking the fast, paradise is lost; initiating strict fasting should be among the means to return the lost paradise. Our Mother, the Holy Church, is compassionate, is she really our stepmother? Would she impose such a heavy and unnecessary burden on us? But it imposes! That's right, it can't be otherwise. Let us submit... And everyone who wants to be saved, submits... Whoever is dissuaded from fasting, surely, salvation is not dear to him.

Those who reject fasting and pursue luxury as bliss entail a great swarm of evils and, moreover, damage their own bodies.

Saint Basil the Great

He who fasts truly and unfeignedly imitates Christ, on earth becomes like the Angels, imitates the prophets, enters into communion with the Apostles, through fasting, having achieved the rebirth of his nature, becomes righteous from the unrighteous, good from the evil, pious from the unclean, and thus assimilates Christ, the treasure of life...

Glory to the Lord that He gave us repentance, and through repentance we will all be saved, without exception. Only those who do not want to repent will not be saved, and in this I see their despair, and I cry a lot, feeling sorry for them. They did not know by the Holy Spirit how great God’s mercy is. And if every soul knew the Lord, knew how much He loves us, then not only would no one despair, but they would never even complain.

Every soul that has lost peace must repent, and the Lord will forgive sins and then there will be joy in the soul and peace, and there is no need for other witnesses, but the Spirit Himself testifies that sins are forgiven. This is the sign of the forgiveness of sins: if you hated sin, then the Lord forgave you your sins.

If all people repented and kept the commandments of God, then there would be heaven on earth, for the Kingdom of God is within us. The Kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the same in heaven and on earth.

THE LIFE OF ST. ANDREW OF CRETE

Saint Andrew of Crete, nicknamed Jerusamlit, was born in the third quarter of the 7th century in the Middle East, in the city of Damascus, which then belonged to the Eastern Roman Empire. It is known that Andrei Kristky’s parents were pious Christians; The boy Andrei himself remained mute until the age of seven. One day, the gift of speech appeared to him after communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This miraculous healing greatly influenced the spiritual disposition of a young man raised in Christian piety. Without abandoning the knowledge of secular sciences, he carefully studies the works of the Holy Fathers, increasingly leaning towards a solitary monastic life. At the age of fourteen, Andrei retired to the famous Jordanian Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified, where, after a period of monastic probation, he was appointed a notary (i.e., clerk). The spiritual life of the young monk took place under the direct leadership of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Sophronius (634 - 644), after whose death in the Holy City captured by the Muslims, the ruler of the Patriarchate Theodore entrusted the monk Andrei with the position of singel (i.e. secretary). In 680, the learned monk Andrei had the opportunity to take part in the VI Ecumenical (Constantinople) Council, at which he severely denounced the Monophilite heresy (that is, the recognition in Jesus Christ of one will, and not two: Divine and, subordinate to it, human). Returning from the Council to Jerusalem, Monk Andrei continued his exploits. It was then, at the end of the 7th century, that the future Archbishop Andrei of Crete wrote wonderful liturgical works: the Great Penitential Canon, the canon of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Trisongs for Compline of the Week of Vai and for the first four days of Holy Week, the stichera of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and other sacred hymns.

The fame of the Jerusalem ascetic Andrew of Crete was so great that the Patriarch of Constantinople, Saint Theodore (683 - 686), summoned him to his place and ordained him as a deacon at the Great Sophia Church, also appointing him to the position of syrup-giver (i.e., dispenser of alms).

After some time, in 685, the Church of Constantinople unanimously elected Hierodeacon Andrew to the archbishopric see of the ancient Christian island of Crete on the Mediterranean Sea, which, according to custom, was approved by Emperor Justinian II.

Numerous words and teachings for various holidays are known from the works of St. Andrew of Crete at that time. Together with his flock, the Primate of Crete survived the invasion of the Saracens, who ingloriously retreated through the prayers of Archbishop Andrew. But his holy service in Crete was his last earthly career. While traveling on church business to Constantinople, on his way back near the island of Mytilene (Lesbos) in the Aegean Sea, Saint Andrew of Crete died in a certain town of Ieres in 712.

The holy relics of St. Andrew of Crete were transferred to Constantinople and preserved in the monastery named after him, where they were seen by pilgrims as early as 1350.

The memory of St. Andrew of Crete is celebrated on July 4/17, and the main work His - the Great Penitential Canon - according to the Rule, is read on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the first week of Great Lent at Great Compline (in parts) and on Thursday of the fifth week of Great Lent at Matins (in full).

New article: the prayer of St. Andrew of Crete repentance on the website - in all the details and details from the many sources that we were able to find.

Commemoration: July 4 / July 17

Saint Andrew of Crete is a great hierarch, theologian, teacher and hymn-maker, he wrote many liturgical hymns, and became the founder of a new liturgical form - the canon. Of the canons he compiled, the most famous is the Great Penitential Canon, read during Great Lent. They pray to him for the granting of a feeling of repentance, humility, the gift of prayer, and also for healing from dumbness, since being mute from birth, he received healing after Communion at the age of seven.

Troparion to Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, tone 4

Kontakion, St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, voice 2

Having clearly sounded the Divine sweet singing, you appeared as the brightest lamp of the world, the shining light of the Trinity, O Reverend Andrew. Moreover, we all cry out to you: do not stop praying for all of us.

Prayer to Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete

O most honorable and sacred head and filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, the abode of the Savior with the Father, great bishop, our warm intercessor, Saint Andrew! Standing at the throne of all the King and enjoying the light of the Consubstantial Trinity and cherubically with the Angels proclaiming the trisagion hymn, having great and unexplored boldness towards the All-Merciful Master, pray for the salvation of Christ's flock people, establish the well-being of the holy churches, decorate the bishops with the splendor of holiness, monastics for feat strengthen the good current , save this city and all cities and countries well, and keep the holy immaculate faith, pacify the whole world through your intercession, deliver us from famine and destruction, and save us from the attacks of foreigners, comfort the old, instruct the young, make the fools wise, have mercy on widows, orphans Intercede, infants, grow, return the captives, heal the infirm, and everywhere those who warmly call you and flow to you with faith from all misfortunes and troubles through your intercession, free. Pray for us (names) of the all-generous and philanthropic Christ our God, so that on the day of His terrible coming He will deliver us from this standing state and create the joys of the saints as partakers with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.

Hagiographic and scientific-historical literature about St. Andrew of Crete:

Saint Andrew Archbishop of Crete– Pravoslavie.Ru
Saint Andrew of Crete and his Great Canon– Orthodox Encyclopedia

Works of Saint Andrew of Crete:

The Great Penitential Canon of Andrei of Crete
"Discourse on the Fourth Day of Lazarus"- Saint Andrew of Crete
"Laudatory Word to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker"- Saint Andrew of Crete
"Homily on the All-Glorious Exaltation of the Cross"- Saint Andrew of Crete
"A Word for Christmas" Holy Mother of God" - Saint Andrew of Crete

Read other prayers in the "Orthodox Prayer Book" section

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Great Penitential Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete

On Monday of the First Week of Lent

Great Penitential Canon

On Tuesday of the first week of Lent

On Wednesday of the first week of Lent

On Thursday of the first week of Lent

Irmos: On the immovable, Christ, the stones of Your commandments, establish my thoughts.

My soul, my soul, arise, what are you writing off? the end is approaching, and you will be embarrassed: rise up, so that Christ God, who is everywhere and fulfills everything, will have mercy on you.

Honest Andrew and most blessed Father, Shepherd of Crete, do not stop praying for those who sing your praises: may we be delivered from all anger and sorrow, corruption, and immeasurable sins, who faithfully honor your memory.

THE GREAT CANON OF REPENTANCE

Tuesday of the first week of Lent

Irmos: Helper and Protector become my salvation, This is my God, and I will glorify Him, God of my Father, and I will exalt Him: gloriously will I be glorified.

Irmos: Look, O Heaven, and I will speak and sing of Christ, who came in the flesh from the Virgin.

Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my moving heart on the rock of Your commandments, for You alone are Holy and Lord.

Irmos: The prophet heard Thy coming, O Lord, and feared, for Thou wouldst be born of a Virgin and appear as a man, and said: I heard Thy hearing and feared, glory to Thy power, O Lord.

Irmos: From the morning night, O Lover of mankind, enlighten me, I pray, and instruct me in Thy commandments, and teach me, O Savior, to do Thy will.

Irmos: I cried out with all my heart to the generous God, and heard me from the underworld, and raised my belly from aphids.

Irmos: We have sinned, we have sinned, we have acted untruthfully before You, we are inferior to observance, inferior to those who have done what You commanded us; but do not betray us to the end, Fathers God.

Irmos: Whom the armies of Heaven praise, and tremble with cherubs and seraphim, every breath and creature, sing, bless and exalt to all ages.

Irmos: The birth of the seedless conception is an unspeakable Christmas, the fruit of the husbandless mother is imperishable, the Birth of God renews natures. In the same way, we all give birth to You, like the Blessed Mother of God.

Saint Andrew of Crete. The Great Penitential Canon. On Wednesday of the first week of Lent

The Great Penitential Canon. Thursday of the first week of Lent

Do not go into court with me, bearing my deeds, seeking words and correcting aspirations. But my fierce one despises Your bounties, save me, O All-Powerful One.

Comments (5)

Fresco, 17th century

Birth: 660 Damascus

Revered: in the Orthodox Church

In the face: saints

Prayer to Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete.

O most honorable and sacred head and filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, the abode of the Savior with the Father, great bishop, our warm intercessor, Saint Andrew! Standing at the Throne of all the King and enjoying the light of the consubstantial Trinity and cherubically with the angels proclaiming the trisagion hymn, having great and unexplored boldness towards the all-merciful Master, pray for the salvation of Christ's flock people, establish the well-being of the holy churches: adorn the bishops with the splendor of holiness, monastics with the feat of goodness Strengthen your beliefs , the reigning city and all cities and countries, preserve well, and keep the holy immaculate faith, pacify the whole world through your intercession, deliver us from famine and destruction, and save us from the attacks of foreigners, console the old, instruct the young, make the fools wise, have mercy on widows, orphans Intercede, infants, grow up, return the captives, free those who are weak and pray to you from all misfortunes and troubles through your intercession: pray for us to the All-Bountiful and Humane-loving Christ our God, so that on the day of His Terrible Coming He will deliver us from this evil state, and He will create the joys of the saints as partakers. all the saints forever and ever. Amen.

O great bishop, our warm intercessor, Saint Andrew! Hear the humble prayer of your servant (name). Incline God's mercy towards me and help me in my sorrow (content of the petition). May the All-Merciful Lord deliver us from troubles and misfortunes and create the joys of the saints as partakers with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion to Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete

You have gladdened the Church of Christ with the crown of your tongue, tenderly hymning songs, and with the theology of the Holy Trinity you have clearly spoken the glory to everyone, so we sing to you, like the secret verb, Andrew, the shepherd of Crete, and we magnify your memory, the gloriously wondrous Christ in His saints.

Having labored in fasting on the mountain, you destroyed the intelligent enemies of the militia with the full armor of the Cross, O all-blessed one. Thou didst manfully clothe himself with suffering, having killed Copronymus with the sword of faith; and for the sake of both you were married by God, O venerable martyr Andrew of ever-memorable.

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Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

During Great Lent, from Monday to Thursday of the first week, at Great Vespers, the penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read. This Canon is called Great both by the multitude of thoughts and memories contained in it, and by the number of troparia it contains - about 250 (in ordinary Canons there are about 30). For reading during the first week of Lent, the Canon is divided into four parts, according to the number of days. On Wednesday and Thursday, several troparions are added to the Great Canon in honor of the Venerable Mary of Egypt, who came from a deep spiritual decline to high piety. The Great Canon ends with troparions in honor of its creator, Saint Andrew of Crete.

Listen on-line to the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Monday of the first week of Great Lent.

Listen on-line to the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Tuesday of the first week of Great Lent.

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Listen on-line to the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Wednesday of the first week of Great Lent.

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Listen on-line to the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Thursday of the first week of Great Lent.

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Listen on-line Matins with reading of the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Thursday of the fifth week of Great Lent.

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Moscow Sretensky Monastery.

Choir of Sretensky Monastery and Sretensky Theological Seminary.

The recordings were made during the first and fifth weeks of Lent.

Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian

The Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer of repentance, compiled in the 4th century. by St. Ephraim the Syrian (Syrian), which is read at the services of Great Lent:

Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

On Great Wednesday at the end of the liturgy for “Be the name of the Lord.” "prayer of Rev. Ephraim the Syrian is read for the last time. Special services for Holy Week begin.

You can also download an audio fragment of the Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian to your computer, which you can listen to at a time convenient for you

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The Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

“Open the doors of repentance, O Life-Giver,” - with these words brought into life Orthodox people a foretaste of Lent enters. The preparatory weeks have just begun, and the church service has already clearly defined for each of us the goal and task of the coming fast - repentance. Repentance as a true change of mind, as a return to To a Loving Father, as the acquisition of lost closeness to God.

And in order to more tangibly emphasize the main point of fasting, the service itself changes, the temple and the clergy put on black vestments, the melody and rhythm of the chants become more strict and drawn-out, more kneeling prayers appear, and the service time becomes much longer.

The entire semantic content of Lenten worship also attracts a person to repentance. The typikon introduces special chants, prayers and rites into the system of worship. Such, for example, as the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, “Open the doors of repentance”, the psalm “On the rivers of Babylon”, special troparia on the hours, repeated reading of the Psalter, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, passion, etc. Among all this abundance of means with the help of which the Church tries to bring a person to a feeling of repentance, the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete can be especially highlighted.

This unique work of church hymn-making, meeting believers on the threshold of fasting, immediately forces them to strictly and impartially assess their spiritual state, calls for a decisive and serious struggle with passions, and motivates them to sincerely and selflessly undergo the feat of bodily fasting. It is difficult even for non-believers or people close to the church to remain callous and indifferent during the singing of the Great Canon. And a churchgoer strives to attend the reading of the Great Canon at least once during the first week of Lent. Because from the experience of past posts, he is familiar with those feelings of grace-filled experience that invariably touch the repentant strings of the soul while reading this canon.

Creator of the Great Canon

The author of the canon, Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, was born in the city of Damascus around 660, to Christian parents George and Gregory. From birth the child was mute and spoke only at the age of seven after Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

He received his initial training in literacy and philosophy in Damascus. At the age of fifteen, the young man moved to Jerusalem and joined the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood of St. Savva the Sanctified at the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord. Here he takes monastic vows. The young monk lived in Jerusalem for about ten years, was ordained a reader and bore the obedience of a steward and secretary.

In 685, the conciliar acts of the VI Ecumenical Council were sent to Jerusalem from Byzantium so that the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was not present at this Council, could familiarize himself with them and sign them. After this, the signed acts were instructed to deliver back to Constantinople to three monks from the brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchres. Among them was St. Andrey. In Byzantium he was left at the Church of Hagia Sophia and ordained to the rank of deacon. He held this rank for more than twenty years.

At approximately fifty years of age, St. Andrew was ordained bishop and sent to the see of the city of Gortyn on the island of Crete with the title of archbishop.

In 712, Emperor Philippi convened a council to restore the heretical doctrine of Monothelitism. The Archbishop of Crete was also present at the council; among many champions of monothelitism, he also signed the conciliar acts and anathematized the VI Ecumenical Council. Later he repented of this and again accepted the definitions of the VI Ecumenical Council. According to Church Tradition, it was this temporary falling away from the purity of Orthodoxy that became the reason for the writing of the Great Penitential Canon, in which the saint laments his errors and the sin of apostasy.

Being an archpastor, St. Andrei did a lot of improvement of the Church, built new churches, took care of the opening of shelters and almshouses, and at the same time visited Constantinople more than once. Returning to the island of Crete after another trip, the saint on the island of Lesbos fell ill and died. This happened in 740.

Despite the many good deeds accomplished by St. Andrew, and a righteous life, most of all he became famous as a church hymn-maker. Many liturgical hymns belong to him. Among them are canons for most of the twelve holidays: the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Candlemas, Annunciation, Holy Week, Easter, Transfiguration, Nativity of the Virgin. As well as canons for other, less significant holidays: the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Beheading of John the Baptist, etc. In addition, he compiled various canons, tripongs, self-vocal stichera for some days of the Lenten and Colored Triodeum singing period.

In the Greek manuscript and printed Minologies, Synaxarions and homiletical collections there are about 60 sermons on church holidays attributed to Andrew of Crete, of which about 30 were published. Andrew of Crete's sermons are written in the Attic dialect, the language is full of metaphors and symbols. Andrew of Crete is also known as a melod, i.e., the author of texts and melos, many irmos, self-vocal troparions and self-vocal stichera, preserved in handwritten and printed Irmologia, Menaions, Triodions, Stichirari.

In total there are about seventy canons attributed to St. Andrew, and most of them are still used during worship and are printed in modern liturgical books. Moreover, most researchers of the history of Orthodox worship believe that it was St. Andrei Kritsky is the founder of the genre of the nine-song canon, which gradually replaced the previously widespread Kontakion from liturgical use.

Today the name of St. Andrew of Crete is widely known precisely in connection with the Great Canon of Penitence. This canon differs from most canons used today during divine services by the presence of a second song and the number of troparions. There are two hundred and fifty of them in total: two hundred and ten were written by the saint himself, another forty were added by later hymn-makers, and in content they glorify St. Andrey and etc. Mary of Egypt.

After the sixth song of the canon, the kontakion is sung: “My soul, arise, what have you written off? The end is approaching and Imashi is confused. Rise up, so that Christ God, who is everywhere and fulfills everything, will have mercy on you.” Although it was written by Saint Roman the Sweet Singer, in its penitential character it is very close to the themes of the Great Canon and has been used together with it for a very long time. The earliest texts of the canon can be found in several written monuments of the 10th century. These are the Lenten Triodi in Greek and Slavic.

Image of true repentance

Initially, the Rule prescribed that the canon should be sung on the fifth week of Lent, and not necessarily on Thursday (as is customary now), it could also be performed on Sunday. In some statutes there is an instruction to divide the Great Canon into four parts, but also to sing in the fifth week. Since this week is associated with the memory of St. Mary of Egypt, then, apparently, this is why the canon of Andrew of Crete was supplemented with troparia, similar in nature to the main theme of the week; they appear in handwritten liturgical books after the 11th century.

The instruction to sing the Great Canon in the first four days of Great Lent at Compline was first found around the 12th century. in the Jerusalem Rule. In the XIV century. under Metropolitan Cyprian Russian Orthodox Church switched to the Jerusalem Rule and accordingly adopted this tradition of singing the Great Penitential Canon. Today, an established and generally accepted practice is to perform the canon in parts on the first four days of the first week of Lent and on Thursday of the fifth week. On this day it is sung in its entirety, and the service is called “Standing of Mary.”

In composition, the canon represents a conversation between a repentant person and his soul. He calls her to repentance, lamenting that the soul, when sinning, becomes like various sinners from the Old Testament, the images of whose fall he colorfully paints before her. For example: “Imitating the primordial Adam in crime, I recognize myself as deprived of God, the eternal Kingdom and bliss for my sins” (this is how the third troparion of the first song of the canon sounds in Russian). Also, from numerous events of the Old Testament, the author cites as an example to himself images of the repentance of the righteous, for example, King David: “David once... wrote a song with which he denounces the offense he had committed, crying out: have mercy on me, for I have sinned before You. " In the eighth song, the author sums up the visual lessons of the Old Testament: “I have cited everyone from the Old Testament as an example for you, soul; imitate the godly deeds of the righteous, and avoid the sins of wicked people.”

The themes of the New Testament are certainly touched upon in the Great Canon, for example: “Imitating the Canaanite woman, I also cry out to the Son of David: have mercy on me; I touch His garment as if it were bleeding, I weep like Martha and Mary over Lazarus.” “I am now arrogant in words, insolent in heart, in vain and in vain; do not judge me with the Pharisee, but grant me the humility of a publican and number me with him, O One Merciful and Just.” “Let my tears be Siloam to me, Lord Lord, so that I too may wash the eyes of my heart and mentally contemplate You, Eternal Light.”

The purpose of these examples is the same: to show the soul an image of true repentance, to turn away from sin, to make one think about eternal life: “From the New Testament Scripture I give you examples, soul, that arouse tenderness in you; So imitate the righteous and turn away from the example of sinners and propitiate Christ with prayer, fasting, purity and immaculateness.”

These biblical events and images are not just a successful creative find of St. Andrew of Crete, this is a living transmission of the spiritual experience of life with God and a warning indicating sad examples of falling away from Him. This poetic interpretation of events from the lives of the most striking and memorable characters of Sacred History actually sets people up for sincere repentance and serious internal work above oneself.

The nine songs of the Canon speak again and again about the spiritual history of the world, which at the same time is the history of every soul. The words of the Canon call a person to account, for they speak about events and deeds of the past, the meaning and power of which are eternal, since each human soul- the one and only - goes through the same path of testing, faces the same choice, meets the same highest and most important reality. The meaning and purpose of the Great Canon is precisely to reveal sin to us and thereby lead us to repentance.

However, today it has become a great difficulty to adequately perceive the meaning of the Great Canon. This especially applies to people who have recently come to church, and is associated with a low level of church culture and poor knowledge Church Slavonic language. In addition, the text of the canon itself in Church Slavonic is quite difficult even for a churchgoer, because the canon uses figures of speech and expressions that are difficult to find an exact semantic translation in Russian. For example, the above-mentioned third troparion of the first song in Church Slavonic sounds as follows: “Having been jealous of the crime of the Primordial Adam, I have known myself to be naked from God and the ever-present Kingdom and sweetness, a sin for my sake.” It is impossible to select from two words of the Russian language an adequate translation of the expression “naked of God” in terms of emotionality, meaning and strength of spirit. And there are many similar expressions in the Great Canon.

Of course, the very setting in which the canon is read in the church (lack of light, lit candles, kneeling) already speaks of the seriousness of the moment, but, unfortunately, this does not make the meaning of the text perceived by ear any clearer. But at the same time, translation into Russian will largely deprive the canon of imagery and poetry. A solution to the problem can be an early, thorough analysis of the Church Slavonic text using interlinear translations, of which many are published today. As well as the study of Sacred History, a more complete acquaintance with the worship of the Orthodox Church. This will help not only to gain aesthetic pleasure from singing the special irmos of the canon and to become imbued with reverence for a highly revered, but little understood church text, but in fact to learn an invaluable spiritual lesson and gain a living experience of true repentance.

Priest Pavel Usov

The Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is one of the most significant and famous works Byzantine hymnography of the 6th century, read at services during Lent. This canon brings together the events of Old Testament and New Testament history from the fall of Adam to the Ascension of Christ in such a way that numerous examples of virtuous life for imitation and examples of wicked life for warning oneself from them are revealed to the Christian, as well as saving lessons of repentance and active ascent to God . Everything is collected here with the goal of awakening the soul from sinful sleep and disposing it towards self-examination, self-condemnation and repentance.

Canon of St. Andrei is a fairly large work, consisting of 36 songs, each including 1–2 ikos, several troparions and a chorus. Many of these chants are prayers of repentance, petition and praise to the Lord, the Holy Trinity, and the Mother of God. In Russian poetry, attempts have been made to only partially translate it in the poems of A.N. Apukhtin “From the Great Canon” (1; 152–153) (19th century) and our contemporary Hieromonk Roman (Matyushin) “Fasting with prayer will warm the heart” (1987) (2).

A comparison of the two named works will make it possible to understand the features of paraphrasing, the transposition of the canon into a poetic work of modern times, and its role in the creation internal form poems. In this comparison, it is important to rely on the original text, because it is this that is truly canon (already in the meaning of “sample”) and “criterion”:

Song 1, tone 6

Irmos: Helper and patron

He came to me for salvation;

He is my God, and I will glorify him;

God of my father, and I will exalt Him, for

He was solemnly glorified.

My assistant and patron!

He appeared to me, and I was delivered from torment,

He is my God, gloriously He is glorified,

And I will lift Him up with a sorrowful soul.

The words of this song were sung by Moses and the people of Israel after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 14–18). “The passage of the Jews across the Black Sea, the waters of which separated and delivered the Jews... from Egyptian slavery, prefigured baptism, through which we are freed from... slavery to sin” (3; 184). Perhaps that is why Apukhtin made some additions: “and I am freed from torment,” i.e. delivered from sins by baptism and a “sorrowful soul” (this sorrow is that the soul did not maintain baptismal purity and again fell into sins).

Hieromonk Roman does not have this irmos, and the poem begins with a discussion about the importance of fasting and prayer, which warm a cold, indifferent heart, and an appeal to St. Andrey Kritsky. “Bitterly” here is akin to A. Apukhtin’s “sorrowful soul”:

Fasting with prayer will warm your heart,

Bells are ringing above the earth.

Reverend Our Father Adreus,

I bitterly read your holy canon.

Continuation of Song 1, tone 6:

“Where should I begin to mourn the deeds of my ill-fated life? What beginning, O Christ, shall I make for my present lamentation? But You, being merciful, grant me forgiveness of sins.”

Where should I begin to mourn my deeds?

What a start for crying

About the sinful path traveled? But,

Merciful, forgive me

About the damned days gone by?

Cry out with both heart and mouth:

God, have mercy, do not reject me!

Both options are close to canon. The concept of the “Merciful God” is present everywhere, i.e. God not only forgives, but heals sinful ulcers, pouring blessed oil on them. (Greek - oil, oil). However, Fr. In the novel, the definition of “merciful” is transformed into the imperative “have mercy.” This imperative, together with the call to the soul: “Cry out with both heart and lips,” turns into a repentant cry for salvation and, undoubtedly, has a stronger impact on the reader than “But, Merciful One, forgive me!” at Apukhtin's.

Two verses of the 1st Monday hymn of the canon of St. Andrew are dedicated to the memory of the Fall of Adam:

1) “Imitating the primordial Adam in crime, I realized that for my sins I was naked from God (deprived of God - note by our I.B.), from the eternal kingdom and sweetness (of this kingdom).”

Apukhtin does not have this verse, and Hieromonk Roman took from it only the idea of \u200b\u200bforsakenness by God, softening the verb, “to expose” (“to deprive”) to “to stand far away”:

O Adam, the first man,

Fell in paradise and cried endlessly.

Cry, my soul, and you stand far away

From your Lord and Creator.

2) “Savior! Adam was worthily expelled from Eden, as having not kept one of Your commandments; What must I endure, always rejecting Your life-giving instructions?

Adam was worthily expelled from Paradise.

For not keeping one commandment:

And what kind of punishment did I deserve?

Always breaking your orders?

For only one commandment Adam.

Oh, soul, we will be with you where we are,

Breaking everything for many years?

The antinomy “one sin of Adam” - “many sins of his descendants” is conveyed in this way: “violation of one commandment by Adam” (canon, A. Apukhtin, hieromonk Roman) - “always rejecting Your life-giving instructions” (canon), “Forever violating Your commands "(A. Apukhtin), "Breaking everything for many years" (hieromonk Roman).

Two verses of the 1st song of Monday are also dedicated to the memory of Eve’s sin. However, in both versions only one verse is dedicated to Eve:

“Alas, unfortunate soul! Why did you become like the first (wife) Eve? (Compare with the Church Slavonic version: Alas for me, wretched soul, that you have become like the first Eve?) You did not look kindly, you were cruelly wounded, you touched a tree, you thoughtlessly tasted reckless food.”

Unhappy soul! Like Eve

You are full of fear and shame...

Why, why, touching the tree,

Have you tasted the thoughtless fruit?

Like Eve, she fell into sin.

Bring repentance now

Lord God and Master of all.

Formally, Apukhtin's version is closer to the original. But let us pay attention to the lexemes “cursed” and “repentance” by Hieromonk Roman. These Church Slavonic words come from the verb “kayati”, which means: “1) to scold, blame, 2) to accuse with regret, 3) to confess someone.” Hence “cursed” - worthy of condemnation and at the same time regret, unfortunate, and not damned. St. Apostle Paul calls himself a “damned” man, i.e. unhappy in the sense that he often does not what his new man of Christ wants, but what his old man, Adam’s, wants” (4; 247). One of the meanings of the verb “kayati” is “to confess someone.” “Repentance (or confession) is a sacrament in which the penitent, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved of sins by Christ himself” (4; 446). In other words, a damned person receives forgiveness and absolution from sins. Hieromonk Roman in this stanza managed to succinctly and accurately reflect the essence of not only one verse, but the entire canon: a person must go through a difficult path from damnation to repentance.

The semantics of the expression “unfortunate soul” in Apukhtin is narrowed in comparison with the “damned soul” in Hieromonk Roman. In addition, in Apukhtin’s arrangement “Unfortunate Soul!” - this is the only appeal to the soul, while Fr. In the novel, as in the canon, such an appeal occurs repeatedly. Moreover, the poet’s entire poem is built on an appeal to the soul; it is present in almost every stanza: “What, soul, why should we cry / About the damned days that have passed?”, “Cry, soul, and you stand far away / From your Lord and Creator “,” “Oh, soul, we will be with you where we are / Having transgressed everything for many years,” “You, soul, have lived cunningly since childhood / Did evil, forgetting Christ”; “Oh, soul, what is your hope? / Take fasting and weeping with weapons, / She put on torn clothes, / Those that the ancient serpent sought for advice.” (See St. Andrew in the 2nd song: “I have put on tattered clothes, which the serpent wove for me by deceit, and (therefore) I am ashamed”). And finally, two stanzas repeat the verses of the canon of St. Andrei Kritsky, addressed directly to the soul:

From the 4th song of Monday

"Soul! The end is approaching, approaching, and you are not happy, you are not preparing, time is shortening; - recover! The Judge is close - at the door (Compare with the Church Slavonic version: “The Judge is near at the door”); time passes like a dream, like a color; Why are we fussing in vain? (Tsl. option: “we are fussing in vain”).

Wed. from Hieromonk Roman:

Oh, soul, the end is not far away, Rise up, the Judge is at the door, You and I have nothing to justify ourselves with, Why are you worried, about my soul?!

Kontakion, tone 6 (Song 6)

My soul, my soul! Wake up, why are you sleeping?

The end is approaching and you will be confused.

So, be sober, so that you may be spared

Christ is everywhere and fulfills everything.

This most touching kontakion could not go unnoticed by the poet-clergyman:

Oh, my soul, my soul, arise,

The end is near and you have no tears.

Call with your heart and lips,

May Jesus Christ have mercy on you!

The call to “cry both with heart and lips” (cf. “cry with both heart and lips” in the 2nd stanza of the poem), which is absent in the canon, indicates that, according to the author, prayer should be not only the physical utterance of certain words , but spiritual, heartfelt doing.

The use of verbs with the Church Slavonic prefix voz¬(res¬): “cry out”, “rise up”, “rise up”, “call out” corresponds to the vocabulary of the original (“rise up”, “recover”).

Fasting and crying about your sins helps you overcome your damnation: “What, soul, why should we cry / About the past damned days?”, “About Adam, the first man, / Fell in paradise and cried endlessly. / Cry, my soul, and you stand far away / from your Lord and Creator,” “Take fasting and crying as a weapon,” “O soul, my soul is rising, / The end is near and you have no tears.”

The verb “cry”, the nouns “crying”, “tear” are very characteristic of works of the prayer genre.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is refracted as follows in the canon:

From the 1st song of Wednesday:

“Noticing me, the priest passed by, and the Levite also despised me, seeing me in a terrible position, naked. But you, who have shone forth from Mary, Jesus, come and have mercy on me!”

The Good Samaritan is Christ himself here.

Wed. from A. Apukhtin:

All covered with ulcers and wounds,

I suffer unbearably;

Seeing me, the priest passed by,

And the devout Levite turned away...

The appeal to the merciful Savior is absent here, but it appears in the stanzas about the prodigal son.

From the 1st song of Wednesday:

Having wasted my nature on debauchery, I

Savior, - desert according to the fruits of piety,

Having no food, I cry: “Merciful Father!

Hurry up and have mercy on me!”

From the 1st song of Thursday:

“Having squandered the wealth of my soul in sin, I am deprived of pious deeds; but, feeling hungry, I cry out: “Lord, giver of mercy, save me!”

Wed. from A. Apukhtin:

From my youth I was mired in passions,

I lost my wealth like a pathetic spendthrift,

But do not reject me, cast into the dust.

At least at the end save me, Savior!

And the last stanza, not directly related to the canon, but connected with the parable of the prodigal son:

But You, who brought the world out of the darkness of the grave, Oh, have pity on me! - my end is approaching... Accept me as the prodigal son, Father! Save, save me, Almighty!

Hieromonk Roman, following Rev. Andrei Kritsky recalls the sin of Joseph’s wicked brothers and the adultery of King David - all in addition to his own soul.

From the 5th song of Monday:

“Christ the King! I will confess before You; I have sinned, I have sinned, just like the brothers who sold Joseph once - the fruit of purity and chastity.”

Wed. from Hieromonk Roman:

The waters closed over me again,

Life passes like incense smoke.

Joseph was sold by his brothers,

You sold your soul to the evil ones.

From the 7th song of Monday:

“My soul! If Godfather David sinned once upon a time, being wounded by the arrow of adultery, (Compare with the main version: “My soul, he was shot by the arrow of adultery”) - struck by the spear of vengeance for murder, but you yourself suffer from much worse acts than these - arbitrary aspirations "

Shot by the arrow of adultery

David fell, but rose up through repentance.

You, my soul, have lived cunningly since childhood,

She did evil, forgetting Christ.

Each song of the canon contains an appeal to the Mother of God (a prayer of repentance or a doxology). However, Hieromonk Roman does not translate any of these prayers, but creates his own:

I will fall to the Undefiled Dove.

Full of sins, the Most Pure One has a fit.

Do not leave, All-Singing Queen,

You see our sorrow and our misfortune.

Here the semantically contrasting components reveal themselves very clearly - the “Undefiled”, “Most Pure” Mother of God on the one hand, and the poet praying to Her, who is in a state of sinful defilement “all in sins”. This is very typical for the genre of prayer in general.

The opposition between the heavenly and the earthly, the spiritual and the physical, good and evil, and, as researcher O.A. notes, is intensifying. Prokhvatilov, - “This opposition leads to semantic symmetry of individual fragments of the prayer” (5; 69).

At the end of each day of reading the canon, a prayer is given to its creator - Rev. Andrew of Crete: “Honorable Andrew and most blessed father, shepherd of Crete, do not cease praying for those who sing your praises, that we may be delivered from all anger and sorrow, and corruption, and immeasurable sins, who faithfully honor your memory.”

O. Roman, completing his transcription, reproduces this prayer quite close to its Church Slavonic original:

Oh, Andrey, blessed father,

Shepherd of Crete, I sing to you.

May they avoid new sins

Those who honor your memory faithfully.

Thus, having considered two options for transcriptions of the Great Canon of St. Andrey Kritsky - A.N. Apukhtin (XIX century) and Hieromonk Roman (XX century). In our opinion, the transcription of the canon undertaken by Hieromonk Roman more accurately reflects the essence of this work of Byzantine hymnography. This is primarily due to the widespread use of the Church Slavonic syllable (including reminiscences), which was “modernized” by A. Apukhtin. The opposition “damned” - “repentance”, reflecting a person’s saving path and his moral choice, the repeated use of appeals to one’s own soul in the vocative case of the Church Slavonic language, as well as imperatives with the Church Slavonic prefix voz¬ (vo¬), encouraging a real change in one’s sinful life , to effective repentance - all this testifies to a deeper comprehension of the idea of the canon by Hieromonk Roman.

In addition, the poem of a modern poet seems more complete. In addition to the verses dedicated to biblical characters, the transcription also uses other important parts of the canon: the touching kontakion “My soul, my soul, arise,” prayers to the Mother of God and to St. Andrey, which is completely omitted from Apukhtin.

The creation of Hieromonk Roman could be called the “canon of St. Andrei Kritsky in miniature,” which cannot be said about Apukhtin’s poem, where many important spiritual and moral “keys” are missing. It should also be noted that in Apukhtin the energy of direct prayer is hardly perceptible; His “From the Great Canon” is perceived as a poetic work, while Hieromonk Roman’s poem “Fasting with prayer will warm the heart” is living prayer, addressed to God, indicating the prayerful Lenten standing of a person.

1. Apukhtin A.N. From the Great Canon // Holy Lamp. Poetry. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. - 2000.

2. Hieromonk Roman (A. Matyushin) “Heeding God’s command.” - Minsk, 2000.

3. God's law. - M., 1989.

4. Dyachenko G., archpriest. Complete Church Slavonic dictionary. - M., 2005.

5. Prokhvatilova O.A. Orthodox preaching and prayer as a phenomenon of modern sounding speech. Volgograd, 1999.

We will try to answer the question in detail: prayer during Lent in Crete on the website: the site is for our dear readers.

Great Lent is a period of abstinence from the usual pleasures to which an Orthodox Christian is accustomed. The Orthodox Church includes not only food as pleasures, but also entertainment - spiritual and physical.

What is the point of the post?

If the meaning of this Christian tradition was only food restrictions, then fasting would be little different from a regular diet. It is believed that only in a state of restraining bodily needs does a person become especially receptive to spiritual work on himself, therefore fasting is a period of abstinence and repentance. And repentance is unthinkable without reading a prayer. What prayers should you read during Lent? The most famous Lenten prayers and prayer books are “For every request of the soul,” the penitential canon of St. Andrew of Crete. The most famous and revered prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent is read in all churches and in the homes of Christian believers throughout Lent.

Prayer reading during fasting

The famous Saint Theophan the Recluse said that a person is not complete without a body, just as prayer is not complete without a prayer rule. Prayer Rule, in turn, is that it follows:

Pray with your soul, delving into every phrase.
Pray slowly, slowly, as if in a chant.
Pray during the time allotted exclusively for this task, so that nothing distracts the person praying during this time.
Think about prayer throughout the day, noting in advance to yourself where you manage to observe it and where you fail.
Read prayers with breaks, separating them with prostrations.
Observe prayer times - they should be held in the morning and evening, before and after meals, on the eve of each new task, before taking prosphora and holy water.

All these rules should be strictly observed during fasting, and, in addition, the volume of prayer readings during this period should be increased and special spiritual attention should be given to them.

The significance of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

The repentant prayer of Ephraim the Syrian consists of only three dozen words, but contains all the most important elements of repentance and indicates what the praying person should put the main efforts to. Thanks to this prayer, the believer determines for himself the path to deliverance from ailments that prevent him from getting closer to God.

In addition, this prayer is accessible and succinctly expresses the meaning and meaning of Lent. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian reflects the main commandments given by the Lord and helps in an accessible form to understand one’s attitude towards them. It is read by Orthodox Christians in their homes and churches at the end of every service during the Lenten period.

Who is Ephraim the Syrian

But it was not only the Lenten prayer of Ephraim the Syrian that made him a revered saint; this man is known as a church speaker, thinker and theologian. He was born in the 4th century in Mesopotamia, into a family of poor peasants. For a long time Ephraim did not believe in God, but by chance he became one of the best preachers of that time. According to legend, Ephraim was accused of stealing sheep and sent to prison. While in prison, he heard the voice of God, calling him to repent and believe in the Lord, after which he was acquitted by the court and released. This event turned the young man’s life upside down, forcing him to repent and retire to life away from people.

Veneration of the saint today

Today Ephraim the Syrian is called the father of the church, the teacher of repentance. All his works are imbued with the idea that repentance is the meaning and engine of the life of every Christian. Sincere repentance, combined with tears of repentance, according to the saint, completely destroys and washes away any human sin. The spiritual heritage of the saint includes thousands of works, but only a small part of them has been translated into Russian. The most famous are the prayers of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent, as well as his tearful prayers, prayers for different cases life and conversation about human free will.

The history of prayer

How Ephraim the Syrian created this prayer, no one can reliably tell. According to legend, one desert hermit saw angels holding in their hands a large scroll covered with inscriptions on both sides. The angels did not know to whom to give it, they stood in indecision, and then God’s voice came from heaven, “Only Ephraim, My chosen one.” The hermit brought Ephraim the Syrian to the angels, they gave him a scroll and ordered him to swallow it. Then a miracle happened: Ephraim spread the words from the scroll like a wondrous vine. Thus, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent became known to every Orthodox Christian. This prayer stands out among all other Lenten hymns, it is read more often than others in church, and most often it is during this prayer that the entire church kneels before God.

Prayer text

The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, the text of which is presented in this article, is easy to remember and read, despite the presence of Old Church Slavonic words.

Spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness

and don’t give me idle talk.

The spirit of chastity, humility,

Grant me, Your servant, patience and love.

Yes, Lord the King, grant me my vision

sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages.

This is the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian. The text of the prayer may not be understandable to all Christians due to the presence of Church Slavonic words, and behind the modest petitions in this prayer there is hidden a meaning so deep that not every Christian manages to comprehend it from the first reading. For complete understanding, below is the interpretation of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

As can be seen from the text of the prayer, it is divided into two types of petitions: in some the petitioner asks the Lord “not to give” - that is, to free him from shortcomings and sins, and in another series of petitions the petitioner, on the contrary, asks the Lord to “give” him spiritual gifts. The interpretation of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian has a deep spiritual meaning, let's consider the meaning of each of them.

It would seem that idleness is not such a great sin compared to envy, murder and theft. However, it is the most sinful negative state of man. The translation of this word from Church Slavonic means emptiness and passivity of the soul. It is idleness that is the cause of a person’s sad powerlessness before spiritual work on himself. In addition, it invariably gives rise to despondency - the second terrible sin human soul.

They say that idleness symbolizes the absence of light in a person’s soul, and despondency symbolizes the presence of darkness in it. Despair is the impregnation of the soul with lies regarding God, the world and people. The devil in the Gospel is called the father of lies, and therefore despondency is a terrible devilish obsession. In a state of despondency, a person distinguishes only the bad and evil around him; he is unable to see kindness and light in people. That is why the state of despondency is equivalent to the beginning of spiritual death and the decomposition of the human soul.

The repentant prayer of Ephraim the Syrian also mentions such a state of soul as covetousness, which means a person’s desire for power and domination over other people. This desire is born out of despondency and idleness because, while remaining in them, a person breaks off his relationships with other people. Thus, he becomes internally lonely, and those around him turn for him only into a means of achieving his goals. The thirst for power is dictated by the desire to humiliate another person, to make him dependent on himself, his freedom is denied. They say that there is nothing more terrible in the world than such power - disfigured by the emptiness of the soul and its loneliness and despondency.

The Lenten prayer of Ephraim the Syrian also mentions such a sin of the human soul as idle talk, that is, idle talk. The gift of speech was given to man by God, and therefore it can only be used with good intentions. The word used to commit evil, deceit, express hatred, impurity carries great sin. The Gospel says about this that at the Great Judgment, the soul will answer for every idle word spoken during life. Idle talk brings lies, temptation, hatred and corruption to people.

The meaning of this word is broad, and it means two basic concepts - “integrity” and “wisdom”. When a person asking the Lord for chastity for himself, it means that he is asking for knowledge, experience to see good, wisdom to lead a righteous life. The integrity of these petitions represents human wisdom and allows a person to resist evil, decay and departure from wisdom. By asking for chastity, a person dreams of returning to life in peace and harmony for the mind, body and soul.

Humility and humble wisdom are not the same concepts. And if humility can be interpreted as impersonal submission, then humility is humility that has nothing to do with self-abasement and contempt. A humble person rejoices in the comprehension revealed to him by God, in the depth of life that he discovers in humility. A humble, fallen person needs constant self-exaltation and self-affirmation. A humble person does not need pride, since he has nothing to hide from other people, that is why he is humble and does not rush to prove his importance to others and himself.

“All that remains is to endure” is not Christian patience. True Christian patience is manifested by the Lord, who believes each of us, trusts us and loves us. It is based on the belief that good always triumphs over evil, life conquers death in the Christian faith. It is this virtue that the supplicant asks for himself from the Lord when he speaks of patience.

In fact, all prayer comes down to a request for love. Idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk are an obstacle to love; they are the ones who do not allow it into a person’s heart. And chastity, humility and patience are a kind of roots for the germination of love.

When reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, you should adhere to some rules:

Reading is performed on all days of Great Lent, except Saturday and Sunday.
If the prayer is read for the first time, then after each petition one should bow to the ground.
Subsequently, the church charter requires prostration three times during the reading of the prayer: before petitions for deliverance from illnesses, before petitions for gifts, and before the beginning of the third part of the prayer.
If the soul requires it, prayer can be performed outside the great fast days.

What prayers are read during Lent?

In addition to the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, the church recommends other prayers to believers. In the first days of Lent, Christians are advised to pay attention to the Great Penitential Canon of Andrew of Crete. The Holy Canon is read on the evening before Lent and on the first four days.

Conclusion

The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent represents the quintessence of the spiritual requests of the person praying to God. She teaches him to love, enjoy life and helps him observe the fasting regime.

Dementiev D. V.

Reading for every day of Lent

Tuesday of the first week of Lent

On Tuesday of the first week of Lent in churches they continue to read the great penitential canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

In the temple, both the black vestments and the special Lenten chanting of chants call for repentance and change in sinful life. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian constantly sounds:

“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk..

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Your servant.

To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.”

Fasting heals the soul and body. Fasting is standing on guard, fighting evil spirits and passions. And if demons of despondency, despair, melancholy, anger, jealousy approach your soul, turn to the Lord in prayer, ask for strength to fight and prepare your flesh for battle by fasting: a burdened warrior cannot defeat the enemy. The Church calls us to abstinence, the Lord calls us to abstinence.

CHANTS FROM THE SERVICE FOR TUESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT

Lord, saving abstinence doubles as a cry to Ty: touch the hearts of us, Thy servants, and accept our prayers with fear, giving us the blessed course of fasting, purification and great mercy.

From the Tuesday service of the first week of Lent

Who will put out the fire? Who shuts up the mouths of beasts? Fasting, delivered the youths from the cave, and the prophet Daniel from the lions' food: whom we also kiss, brethren.

From the Tuesday service of the first week of Lent

“Although I have sinned, I know that You are humane, Savior: You punish mercifully and are passionately worried, you see me crying and run towards me, like the Father, calling the prodigal son.”

From the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete

Troparion to Saint Andrew of Crete

Fasting reflects temptations, anoints (beautifies) those who strive in piety, and is accompanied by sobriety and chastity.

Those who reject fasting and pursue luxury as bliss entail a great swarm of evils and, moreover, damage their own bodies.

Saint Basil the Great

THE LIFE OF ST. ANDREW OF CRETE

Saint Andrew of Crete, nicknamed Jerusamlit, was born in the third quarter of the 7th century in the Middle East, in the city of Damascus, which then belonged to the Eastern Roman Empire. It is known that Andrei Kristky’s parents were pious Christians; The boy Andrei himself remained mute until the age of seven. One day, the gift of speech appeared to him after communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This miraculous healing greatly influenced the spiritual disposition of the young man raised in Christian piety. Without abandoning the knowledge of secular sciences, he carefully studies the works of the Holy Fathers, increasingly leaning towards a solitary monastic life. At the age of fourteen, Andrei retired to the famous Jordanian Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified, where, after a period of monastic probation, he was appointed a notary (i.e., clerk). The spiritual life of the young monk took place under the direct leadership of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Sophronius (634 - 644), after whose death in the Holy City captured by the Muslims, the ruler of the Patriarchate Theodore entrusted the monk Andrei with the position of singel (i.e. secretary). In 680, the learned monk Andrei had the opportunity to take part in the VI Ecumenical (Constantinople) Council, at which he severely denounced the Monophilite heresy (that is, the recognition in Jesus Christ of one will, and not two: Divine and, subordinate to it, human). Returning from the Council to Jerusalem, Monk Andrei continued his exploits. It was then, at the end of the 7th century, that the future Archbishop Andrei of Crete wrote wonderful liturgical works: the Great Penitential Canon, the canon of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Trisongs for Compline of the Week of Vai and for the first four days of Holy Week, the stichera of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and other sacred hymns.

The holy relics of St. Andrew of Crete were transferred to Constantinople and preserved in the monastery named after him, where they were seen by pilgrims as early as 1350.

The memory of Saint Andrew of Crete is celebrated on July 4/17, and his most important work - the Great Penitential Canon - according to the Rule, is read on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the first week of Great Lent at Great Compline (in parts) and on Thursday of the fifth week of Great Lent at Matins (fully).

The Akathist of St. Andrew of Crete is read for the first few days of the first week of Lent. This is a song about sin and repentance.

History and meaning of the akathist

Andrew of Crete is a great hierarch, theologian and church poet. From birth the saint was mute. When he was 7 years old, during communion he received healing from dumbness. They pray to him that the Lord would grant him humility and the desire to pray, as well as for healing from dumbness.

The Great Canon includes 200 short prayer chants in all 9 cantos. Reverend Andrei did not know that the work would become generally recognized in the Orthodox world, so its content is not related to Great Lent. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that the canon was written by the author in his old age before his death.

The chants sound a call to repentance. The text can be found in Greek and Slavic manuscripts (triodion). The Church today maintains the tradition of performing this Orthodox hymnographic work on Thursday of the fifth week of Lent.

Akathist can be described as a cry of repentance before God. It reveals the immensity and abyss of a sinful thought or act, it shakes the soul with despair, repentance and hope for mercy. It is as if a conversation is being conducted with one’s own soul, to which the saint appeals to cleanse himself and live holy.

The work intertwines the images of the first man and woman, describing the Fall, the Flood, and the Promised Land. Events being considered Holy Scripture like events own life concerning personal salvation and the tragedy of sin.

Gradually, personal sins are revealed as a severance of relationship with God. Over the course of four evenings, nine songs tell about the tragedy of the world and personal spiritual tragedy.

The meaning of the work is not only to point out sin, but also to lead to repentance. But sin is revealed through deep contemplation of the biblical narrative, which is the story of the Fall, repentance and forgiveness. Transgression is presented as a refusal to live for God. The work is filled with denunciations leading to repentance.

Video “The Penitential Canon of Andrei Kritsky”

In this video, the archpriest will tell you whether it is possible to read the penitential canon of Andrew at the Cretan House.

Text of prayer of repentance

Lord, Lord, behold, I stand before You like the prodigal son, confessing my sins to Your goodness. You have sinned, my Savior, you have sinned. Since my youth I have committed sin and desecrated my soul and body with cruel deeds. You have sinned, like our forefathers Adam and Eve, by disobeying Your commandments; sinned like Cain and like all human sinners in the Old and New Testaments.

Their minds have been blackened by inappropriate thoughts, their hearts have been filled with impurity and every sinful feeling, their will has been weakened by laziness and an inclination to sin. I am completely covered with sinful plagues, like one who fell among the robbers; all the wounds of my soul exude pus. Who will heal me? Or who will raise me up from the depths of a sinful life, if not You, O Blessed Physician? For this reason I have come running to You, my King and my God, praying tearfully. Heal and heal me. Cleanse my mind from obscene thoughts, free my heart from sinful impurity, so that I can with a pure heart and with my mind glorify Thee, my Creator and God.

Strengthen my will for good deeds, to do exactly what is pleasing to You and worthy of Your Shrine. Forgive me every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and everything I have done, whether in knowledge or in ignorance. You are Goodness Itself and Love Itself and You have the power to forgive sins, and to You we send glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Everything about religion and faith - “prayer for Lent to Cretan” with detailed descriptions and photographs.

Prayer for Lent every day and before Easter. Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during fasting before meals

Photo gallery: Prayer for Lent every day and before Easter. Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during fasting before meals

Lent, which begins immediately after the end of Maslenitsa week, is accompanied not only by strict abstinence from meat and even dairy foods, but also by prayer. Prayer during Lent – this is a personal appeal to God, asking him for forgiveness for committed unseemly acts and humility. Of course, there is no prayer without faith - those who kneel before icons in public, those who sin outside the church after the end of the service are pseudo-believers, hypocrites. Prayer lives in the soul, in the heart - next to God, and not in public, next to show. During the longest fast of Orthodoxy - Great Lent - believers read prayers every day, reread the Old and New Testament, attend worship services. For Orthodox Christians who abstain from rich food for forty days before Easter, there is a prayer by Ephraim the Syrian, said not only before meals, but also at other times of the day, starting from Sunday evening until Friday.

Orthodox prayer for every day during Lent

Saying prayer, believers turn to God, the saints, and the Most Holy Theotokos. On holidays, Orthodox Christians read joyful prayers, during Lent they ask the Almighty to grant them the strength to abstain from sins, and glorify the Lord God. The duration of prayers for each day varies depending on the person’s beliefs. For some, it is considered normal to pray for a long time in the morning, afternoon and evening; for others, a few minutes every day are enough for this; others pray exclusively at significant days before Easter and during Lent.

Examples of prayers for each day of fasting

The most main prayer Christian - Our Father - is familiar to many by heart. It can be read on days of fasting, every day. It is also correct to say prayers of praise to the Lord, to pray to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. The Tresagrine Prayer, also called the angelic song, is read three times. In it, believers turn to the Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity dedications and separate prayer glorifying the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Or: The eyes of all trust in You, O Lord, and You give them food in due season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every living good will (lines from Ps. 144).

For the blessing of food and drink for the laity

Lord, Jesus Christ, our God, bless our food and drink with the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints, for He is blessed forever and ever. Amen. (And cross food and drink)

Prayers after meals

We thank You, Christ our God, for You have filled us with Your earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came in the midst of Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.

Orthodox prayer during the fast before Easter

Many believers admit that the sensations they experience during Lent before Easter are incomparable to anything else. At this time, the Orthodox have a bright hope that life was not given to them in vain; they begin to understand the true meaning of the days given to them on earth. Many people kneel, praising the Almighty in prayers and asking him for forgiveness for their sins. Fasting gives hope, defines the goal: Easter and the resurrection of Christ are ahead. Fasting also gives a taste for life. A person who limits himself in food and joys begins to feel real joy from the most modest food. If fasting people abstain from marital relations, later this strengthens the family, strengthens the love of husband and wife, and produces healthy offspring.

Examples of prayers before Easter during Lent

Great Lent, which begins the day after the end of Maslenitsa, lasts forty days. At this time, daily services are held in churches, and Orthodox Christians pray for salvation and forgiveness. In the first week of Lent, the Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read. The indefatigable Psalter is read both for the peace and health of loved ones; Such prayers can be ordered in churches or read in person. The most famous of all pre-Easter prayers - Ephraim the Syrian - is read daily, except Saturday and Sunday. Our Father and prayers to the saints during the fast before Easter are read more often, spoken both silently and out loud.

God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us (show mercy to us). Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our soul.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Almighty, Holy Immortal, be merciful to us.

Christian prayer of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent

Among other prayers of Lent, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is better known than others and is said daily, with the exception of Sunday and Saturday. This prayer of repentance is read both at services and at home. In a few short lines of appeal to God, the believer is asked to eradicate the spirit of idleness and idle talk in them and to grant them patience, chastity and love.

When and how is the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian read during Lent?

You should begin reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian on the evening of Forgiveness Resurrection before Lent. After asking for prayer, churchgoers bow and read the prayer “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” twelve times. In churches, the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is read on Cheese Week on Wednesday and Friday, on Holy Pentecost and on Holy Week, on the first three days. The last time during Lent this prayer is said on Great Wednesday, four days before Easter.

Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian

Lord and Master of my life,

Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, Your servant.

Hey, Lord, King!

Grant me to see my sins,

And don't judge my brother

For blessed art thou unto the ages of ages.

What prayer to read during Lent

Fasting and prayer enable the believer to change and give hope for change. A person is given the opportunity to become better if he wants to. General Orthodox prayer and the awareness that everyone is fasting Orthodox world gives you the feeling that you are not alone. By fasting and praying, a person cleanses not only his body, but also his soul and thoughts. During Lent, you need to read the Psalter and Akathist, asking for forgiveness from God and praising him. At home, believers can read any Christian prayers that are close to their soul.

Examples of Orthodox prayers during Lent

Unlike churches, where specific prayers are read for each day of fasting, in ordinary life believers can turn to God in their own words. There is no need to believe that by saying the words of the prayer incompletely, you exclude the possibility of conveying your thoughts to the Lord. The main thing in prayer is faith, humility and zeal

Prayer of praise to the Lord God

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Doxology to the Most Holy Trinity

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

Praise be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to endless ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake.

Prayer during fasting before meals - Appeal to God

Lent is a time of abstinence from meat and dairy foods, renunciation of earthly pleasures, prayers and cleansing of the soul. During the forty days of fasting, prayers are said both before and after meals. They thank the Lord for the food sent in well-known Orthodox prayers or in their own words.

Examples of fasting prayers before meals

Before meals, in many Christian families during Lent and on other days, it is customary to pray before meals, saying “Our Father” before eating food and thanking the Lord for the food sent. During fasting, prayers also ask to strengthen faith in God, granting strength to abstain and renounce animal food.

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer before eating food

The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every animal’s good will.

Prayer after eating food

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.

(We thank You, Christ our God, that You have nourished us with Your earthly blessings; do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom).

Prayer in the post-mortem helps believers understand the strength of spirit granted through bodily abstinence and cleansing from sinful acts. When praying during Lent, Orthodox Christians also thank Jesus Christ, the saints and the Mother of God for the gift of life and the opportunity to turn to the Almighty. Since prayer is always a sincere appeal to God, you can pray before Easter and during Lent before meals in your own words and with Christian prayers learned by heart. One of the most famous prayers - Ephraim the Syrian - is read both during Lent and on the last day of Maslenitsa week. While reading prayers during Lent, a person’s faith is strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.