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.
(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.
The priest then judiciously questions the person who has come to confession and assigns a penance. Then he says: Bow your head.
If he chooses, he may say this prayer:
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O Lord, God of Your servants’ salvation, merciful and gracious and patient, You grieve over our wicked deeds, and desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn to You and live: Come now and show compassion to Your servant, N., and grant him (her) a disposition of repentance, forgiveness of sins and pardon; absolving him (her) of every fault, deliberate and indeliberate. Reconcile and unite him (her) to Your holy Church through Christ Jesus our Lord with Whom power and majesty belong to You, now and for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
And then the prayer of absolution:
May our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, by the grace and mercies of His love for mankind, pardon you, my child, N., all your faults, and I, an unworthy priest, by His authority given e, pardon and absolve you of all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
When the priest comes to the end of the words of absolution, he makes the sign of the cross over the penitent with his right hand.
After everyone has confessed:
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.
Priest: Glory be to You, O Christ, our God, glory be to You.
All: 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, 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 Rite is taken from the Malyj Trebnyk (Rome, 1952). The English translation is taken from The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship (MASI: Ottawa, 2004), 23-27.
