Priest: Blessed be our God at all times, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Glory be to You, our God, glory be to You!
Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life, come, and dwell with us; cleanse us of all that defiles us, and O Good One, save our souls.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Trinity most holy, have mercy on us. Cleanse us of our sins, O Lord; pardon our transgressions, O Master; look upon our weaknesses and heal them, O Holy One; for the sake of Your Name.
Lord, have mercy. (3)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by 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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (12)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Come, let us worship our God and King.
Come, let us worship Christ, our God and King.
Come, let us worship and fall down before the very same Lord Jesus Christ, our God and King.
PSALM 50
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness* In your compassion blot out my offence.• O wash me more and more from my guilt* and cleanse me from my sin.• My offences truly I know them;* my sin is always before me.• Against you, you alone, have I sinned;* what is evil in your sight I have done.• That you may be justified when you give sentence* and be without reproach when you judge.• O see, in iniquities was I born,* a sinner was I conceived.• Indeed you love truth in the heart;* then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.• O purify me, then I shall be clean;* O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.• Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,* that the bones you have crushed may thrill.• From my sins turn away your face* and blot out all my guilt.• A pure heart create for me, O God,* put a steadfast spirit within me.• Do not cast me away from your presence,* nor deprive me of your holy Spirit.• Give me again the joy of your salvation;* with a spirit of fervour sustain me,• that I may teach transgressors your ways* and sinners may return to you.• O rescue me, God, my helper,* and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.• O Lord, open my lips* and my mouth shall declare your praise.• For in sacrifice you take no delight,* burnt offering from me you would refuse,• my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.* A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.• In your goodness, show favour to Zion;* rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.• Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,* (burnt offerings wholly consumed),* then you will be offered young bulls on your altar.
TROPARIA
(Tone 6) Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.* We sinners bring this appeal to You, O Master, for we have no defence.* Have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Lord, have mercy on us, for we have put our trust in You.* Be not exceedingly angry with us and do not remember our transgressions,* but look upon us now with compassion.* Redeem us from our enemies, for You are our God, and we are Your people.* We are all the works of Your hands,* and we call upon Your name.
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Open the doors of mercy to us, O blessed Mother of God,* that we who hope in you may not perish* but be delivered by you from danger,* for you are the salvation of the Christian people.
LITANY
Deacon: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the peace from above; for the salvation of our souls; let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the remission of sins of the servants of God, and the forgiveness of all their transgressions, voluntary and involuntary; let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That the Lord our God may grant them remission of sins and time for repentance; let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That He will deliver them and us from all tribulation, wrath, danger and need; let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Help and save, have mercy and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Remembering our most holy and immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, together with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
All: To You, O Lord.
Priest: For all glory, honour and worship befit You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O God, our Saviour, Who through Your prophet Nathan granted remission of sins to the penitent David, and accepted the penitent prayer of Manasseh, do You Yourself, O loving Lord, accept these Your servants who lament over the transgressions which they have committed, overlooking all that they have done. You who forgive all unrighteousness and pass by all transgressions: for You, O Lord, have said, “You have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather he turn from his wickedness and live;” and that “sins shall be forgiven even unto seventy times seven.” For as Your greatness is incomparable, so is Your mercy immeasurable. For if You should mark iniquities, who shall stand? For You are the God of the penitent and to You do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, the Shepherd, the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world, Who gave remittance to the two debtors and granted pardon of her sins to the Harlot, You Yourself, O Master, remit, forgive and pardon the sins, transgressions, which, in knowledge or in ignorance Your servants have committed. And whatever they have done, as men bearing flesh and living in this world, being beguiled by the Devil; if in word, deed, or thought they have sinned, or despised the word of a Priest; or, under his anathema, or have fallen under their own anathema, or are bound under an oath, You, as the good Master Who do not requite evil, be pleased that these Your servants be loosed by Your word, forgiving them their own anathema and oath, according to Your great mercy. Yes, O Master, loving Lord, listen to our prayer beseeching Your Grace for these Your servants: and, as our most merciful God, overlook all their offenses and deliver them from everlasting torment, for You, O Master, have said, “Whatsoever You shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” For You alone are without sin, and to You do we send up glory; as to Your Eternal Father and Your All-Holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit, now and always, and for ages of ages.
All: Amen.
INSTRUCTION BY THE PRIEST
Behold, my children, Christ stands here invisibly, about to receive your confessions: therefore, do not be ashamed, neither be afraid, but conceal nothing from me your confessor (us, your confessors) without doubting tell me (us) all things which you have done, and thus you shall have pardon from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Look, his holy icon is before us, and I am only a witness ( we are only witnesses) bearing testimony before Him of all things which you say to me (us). If, however, you conceal anything from me (us), you shall have an even greater sin. Be careful, then, lest having come to the Physician, you go away unhealed. Concerning all these points just mentioned you must be on your guard. You have received a second baptism, according to the Christian Mystery. You must see to it, with God’s help, that you make a good beginning. But, above all, you must not treat these things lightly, lest you become a cause of scorn to men: for these things do not befit a Christian. But may God, by His grace, help you live honourably, uprightly and devoutly.
READING OF THE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
Deacon: Bowing our heads and bending our knees, let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O Lord God, the salvation of your servants, gracious, bountiful and long-suffering, who repent concerning our evil deeds, and do not desire the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live: show Your mercy now to Your servants who are about to confess their sins: grant them an image of repentance, forgiveness of sins and deliverance, pardoning their every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary. Reconcile and unite them to Your holy Church, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, with whom are also due to You dominion and majesty, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
DISMISSAL
All: It is truly right to bless you, O God-bearing One, as the ever-blessed and immaculate Mother of God. More honourable than the cherubim and by far more glorious than the seraphim; ever a virgin, you gave birth to God the Word, O true Mother of God, we magnify you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (3) Give the blessing.
Priest: Christ, our true God, through the prayers of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-praiseworthy Apostles, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers and of all the Saints, will have mercy on us and save us for He is good and the Lover of Mankind.
All: Amen:
The above Penance service was translated and arranged based on the Ukrainian Malyj Trebnyk (Rome, 1952) and other sources by Archpriest Charles A. Mezzomo, Eparchy of Stamford.
