Tone 8
Thou didst descend from on high, O Merciful One! Thou didst accept the three-day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection: glory to Thee!
Glory to the Father.... Now and ever....
By rising from the tomb, Thou didst raise the dead and resurrect Adam.
Eve exults in Thy Resurrection, and the world celebrates Thy rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
_NOTE: On the eve of Great Feasts of the Lord or the Theotokos, the Troparion and Kontakion of the Feast are read._
_After the Troparia, the Reader continues:_
Lord, have mercy! _(40 times)_
A Prayer of St. Basil the Great
O Christ G.o.d, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compa.s.sionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy! _(3 times)_
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim: without defilement you gave birth to G.o.d the Word: true Theotokos, we magnify you!
_When a priest is serving, the Reader concludes:_
Bless, father, in the name of the Lord!
_The priest exclaims:_
O G.o.d, be gracious to us and bless us! Shine Thy countenance upon us, and have mercy on us!
_In the absence of a priest, a layman says:_
"Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our G.o.d, have mercy on us. Amen".
_In either case, the Reader, after saying_ "Amen", _continues with the following:_
_NOTE: During Great Lent the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim is said at this point of most services during the week (not on Sat.u.r.day or Sunday). It is also appropriate for Morning Prayers and the Prayers Before Sleep on the same days._
Prayer of St. Ephraim
O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, l.u.s.t of power and idle talk. _(Prostration)_
But give rather the spirit of chast.i.ty, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. _(Prostration)_
Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages.
_(Prostration)_
O G.o.d, cleanse me a sinner. _(12 times)_
_(Then the entire Prayer of St. Ephraim is read and a single prostration is made at the end.)_
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos by the Monk Paul
O undefiled, immaculate, incorrupt and most pure Lady, the pure Virgin Bride of G.o.d! Through your most glorious birth-giving, you united G.o.d the Word to mankind and joined our fallen human nature to the heavenly. You are the only hope of the hopeless, the aid of the embattled a ready help to those who run to you and a refuge for all Christians. Do not turn away from me who am sinful and vile, even though I have made myself totally useless through defiled thoughts, words and deeds, and my mind has become enslaved to the lazy pleasures of this life. As Mother of the G.o.d Who loves mankind, have pity on me, a prodigal sinner, in that same love for mankind. Receive the prayer I offer to you with defiled lips and pray to your Son, our Master and Lord, with your maternal boldness. May He open even to me the goodness of His deep love for mankind. May He overlook my countless transgressions, turn me to repentance and make me an experienced accomplisher of His commandments. Stand by me always in your mercy, compa.s.sion and love of good. Be my fervent intercessor and help in this life, driving off the a.s.saults of enemies and guiding me to salvation. Guard my wretched soul at the time of my death, driving away the dark forms of the evil demons. Deliver me from eternal torments at the Day of Judgment and reveal me an heir of the inexpressible glory of your Son and our G.o.d. May I receive this, my Lady most glorious Theotokos, through your help and intercession: through the Grace and love for mankind of your only-begotten Son, our Lord, G.o.d and Savior Jesus Christ, to Whom belong all glory, honor and worship, with His Father Who is without beginning, and His most holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
A Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ by the Monk Antiochus
As we prepare for sleep, Master, grant rest to our bodies and souls. Keep us from the dark sleep of sin and from every dark and pa.s.sionate pleasure of the night. Still the impulses of pa.s.sions and put out the flaming arrows which the Evil One looses deceitfully against us. Still the rebellions of the flesh and put to sleep our worldly and material reasonings. O G.o.d, grant us an alert mind, chaste thoughts, a sober heart, and a light sleep, free of every satanic dream. Raise us at the time of prayer confirmed in Thy commandments--the memory of Thy judgments firmly in us. Grant that we may glorify Thee throughout this night, singing, blessing and glorifying Thy most honorable and majestic name: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
_NOTE: In churches, Compline concludes at this point with brief prayers and a Litany. (See the BOOK OF HOURS)_
_When read privately, Compline moves into PRAYERS BEFORE SLEEP, beginning with the Troparia: "Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us...." (page 68)._
BEFORE SLEEP
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of G.o.d, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our G.o.d, glory to Thee!
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things. Treasury of blessings and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy G.o.d! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us! _(3 times)_
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity: have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins.
Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy Name"s sake.