The meaning of Paisius the Great in Orthodoxy
The holy elder, who lived a long life, is known in Orthodoxy as the intercessor of people who did not have time to repent before death. The Monk Paisius was born in Egypt, his family was large and rich - his parents raised seven children in total and taught them about the Christian faith from childhood.
The boy’s parents not only professed faith in one God in words, but also confirmed his mercy and love in practice, constantly distributing alms and helping those in need. For such pious behavior, the Lord blessed the family with even greater wealth.
When Paisiy was still small, his father died, and his mother lost heart and worried about the future of her children. To encourage the pious woman, the Creator sent her an angel in a dream, who predicted that one of her sons would become famous throughout the world for great deeds to the glory of the Lord. Having reached adolescence, Paisius decided to devote his life to God and become a monk. To do this, he went to the hermitage desert to Elder Pamvo, intending to repent and take monastic vows.
In his monastic service, Paisius grew from year to year, adhering to fasts, performing many hours of prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures. He gave particular preference to the prophecies of Jeremiah. At the same time, he helped the families of people who died unrepentant.
In search of solitude, the saint went to the Nitrian desert and settled in a cave he had carved out of the rock with his own hands. At this time, he had a vision from the Lord - the Creator showed him that for the sake of Paisius’s piety and obedience, the entire desert would be populated by ascetics. Over time, both monks and lay people began to join the hermit. At the same time, construction of a monastery began in the Nitrian desert.
The main covenant that the saint instilled in his followers was that nothing should be done according to one’s own will and understanding, but to ask the Lord and one’s mentors. The Monk Paisius himself demonstrated the greatest humility; he tried to hide his feats of prayer and fasting from those around him. The holy elder died at an old age and was buried by the monks on the territory of the monastery.
After some time, the relics of the Monk Paisius were honorably transferred to the Pelusiot monastery and placed next to the relics of Paul the Hermit, with whom the elder had a particularly close spiritual connection during his lifetime.
Prayer to Saint Paisius the Svyatogorets for help
Although Paisiy Svyatogorets has completed his earthly journey, he still continues to help people. Believers pray in front of his icons, and he heals their physical and mental illnesses. Saint Paisius the Svyatogorets taught that one must pray with feelings of humility and love, and grace and salvation come through these feelings. In this case, the human heart opens to the Highest and through it spiritual grace descends, which accomplishes all virtuous work.
O our reverend and God-bearing father, Paisius the Svyatogorets! You have acquired from God the gift of reasoning, prayer and compassion, to all people who come to you for advice and help. And now, accept from us, unworthy and sinful, the prayers offered to you. Pray to the Lord God to grant us mental and physical health. Heal the sick, comfort the despondent, send help to those in need. Strengthen pastors in the Orthodox faith, grant prayer to monastics. Feed widows and orphans and save all Orthodox Christians from the wiles of the enemy. Guide those who are lost on the true path and bring everyone to God. Grant peace and silence to our fatherland, its authorities and its army. May we please God through your holy prayers in this world and be worthy of Eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him belongs all Glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
When to read the saint's canon about those who died without repentance
If one of your close relatives did not reconcile with the Lord during life and did not accept baptism, after death family members can pray for him; the Orthodox Church does not prohibit this. Thanks to such a ritual, the living pray to the Almighty for the sins of a loved one and relieve the soul of the deceased from heaviness. The canon of Paisius the Great is read both alone and by a group of believers, by prior arrangement.
Prayer for help and support
Although Paisius himself was harsh towards himself: he worked a lot for the good of the Orthodox faith, prayed, wrote books on spiritual topics, but he was merciful towards people and was lenient towards their misdeeds, and did not denounce so much as kindly advised how not to give in sins. He understood how many temptations people have in worldly life and therefore, through his example and teachings, he directed people to seek meaning in spiritual life. In addition, Paisius had the gift of a miracle worker and there was much evidence of the healing of people and their salvation. And after his death, people received the help of the miracle worker in dangerous moments of their lives, and after that they began to turn in prayer to Paisius the Holy Mountain for help and support and grace came to them from him.
Receiving the fire of Divine love, you were all God in a superior feat, and you were the consolation of many people, you punished with divine words, worked miracles with prayers, Paisius the God-Bearer, and now you pray unceasingly for the whole world, reverend.
Full text of the canon of Paisius the Great and reading rules
In order for the reading of the canon about those who have died without repentance to ease the suffering of loved ones in the afterlife, it is necessary to carry out the ritual correctly:
- The seven-bow beginning must be accompanied by three bows from the waist. If the ritual is performed by a group of believers, it is performed by the eldest of the worshipers.
- Also, after each word “Amen,” everyone participating in the prayer for the dead without repentance bows to the waist.
- During the entire ritual, the words “Lord, have mercy” must be said 12 times.
- After the words “Come, let us bow,” all participants in the ritual make three bows from the waist.
Song 1
Irmos: Helper and Protector be my salvation, This is my God, and I will glorify Him, God of my father, and I will exalt Him, gloriously I will be glorified.
Chorus (during cell reading): Reverend Father Paisius, pray to God for us.
Whoever prayed to the wise God, Reverend Father, for his servant, may he open my lips of unworthiness and move my perplexed tongue, but open the tightness and thinness of voice, father, open with grace the Holy Spirit within you to sing your miracles.
I will begin your praiseworthy and soul-beneficial life from infancy, even as in ancient times Egypt, the great Moses, was a prophet, who was glorified to God by appropriation and great miracles, so now Egypt has been glorified again for your sake, Father Paisius, having been enriched by your honorable name and many virtues, God grant you, pray to Him, may He save our souls.
Having entered the Kingdom of Heaven by a narrow and sorrowful path, according to the commandment of my Lord Christ, Reverend Father Paisius, having hated the wide and spacious path, the darkness of my mind has spread, so that I may be able to bring my little prayer into your most honorable memory.
Theotokos: Grant me a contrite spirit, O Good One, a humble heart, and purity of mind and correction of life, and forgiveness of sins.
Song 3
Irmos: Establish, O Lord, my moving heart on the rock of Your commandments, for You alone are Holy and Lord.
You became like the Stone of Faith - Peter the Apostle - who were crucified in the world throughout your entire life, Venerable Paisius, and you guided your nose irrevocably to the Heavenly procession, and you reached the Mountain of Jerusalem, standing with the saints in the Holy Trinity, pray for me to the only Good Lover of Mankind.
The pious root of the blessed branch, the Lord has chosen for you, the Angel said to your mother: this one is pleasing to God. You have taken up your cross from infancy, following the irrevocable path and growing in years and in mind, together with the grace of God. Pray for forgiveness of sins.
Oh, Master Lord Jesus Christ, who will not be surprised at Your love for mankind, when the desire of the monk came to receive monastic life to do Your commandments, by Your grace, like a blameless lamb, he was led into the wilderness, and reached the verbal sheep, and was introduced to the shepherd, blessed Pamva, and Having clothed myself in the monastic image, strengthen me in it, O Lord, through the prayers of the Venerable Paisius, to do Your commandments.
Theotokos: Free me from fierce torment, and pitch darkness and hell, through Your prayers, O Virgin, who gave birth to the will and strength of the Lord, the One Most Good.
Sedalen
Having bound your soul with the love of Christ and hated everything earthly, wisely, you have settled, O Reverend Father, in the deserts and mountains, having tasted the wise tree, you have shone more gloriously and angelically. In the same way, having passed through the darkness of your flesh, you drove away the darkness of demons, Paisius, first to the monks, pray to Christ the God of sins to leave the tribute to those who honor your holy memory with love.
Song 4
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.
Let us accept the law-suffering life from soft nails, God-wise Paisius, even to the end you remained Divinely valiant, you received the crown of victory from all the Reigning Ones with your prayers to deliver sinners from torment, from them I am the first, do not forget me.
Having you as a strong prayer book, blessed Paisius, and a promiser to the sad, an intercessor and champion, and a pious intercessor, we are saved from all troubles, misfortunes and circumstances.
Having great destinies, I say to you: behold, I give you a gift, so that everything you ask from My Father in My name will be given to you, if you pray for any sinner, that person’s sins will be forgiven; For this reason, I fall down to you, Father Paisius, having an abyss of sins, so that through your prayers you will be forgiven of the vows that you are good and a lover of mankind.
Theotokos: Proclaim the verb, when the right of the imam is judged, to the Mother of God, to Thy Son, Most Immaculate, that I may then find Thee refuge and intercession, freeing the torments of all.
Song 5
Irmos: From the morning night, O Lover of mankind, enlighten me, I pray, and guide me in Thy commandments, and teach me, O Savior, to do Thy will.
By fasting, Father Paisios, depressing his body, sometimes after communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, as an angel, you remained seventy days without bodily food, having ineffable Divine power, and was able to contain in yourself animal strength by grace, more than food strengthening, glory to your power, Lord.
As John the Baptist chose to walk the narrow and sorrowful path, but he on the Jordan, seeing his Creator, was afraid and cried out: I dare not approach the Fire; But you, Father Paisius, in the desert sometimes the Lord appeared, unable to behold His most pure face, fell, overcome with trembling. He said to you: do not be afraid, I will fill this desert with fasting people for you. With them we pray to you, father: do not forget us, your prayer book, to be shown mercy.
Because at the beginning of my sins before You, I beg Your mercy for my iniquities, so that You forgive and cover with Your compassion the multitude of my sins and give me the rest of this life to spend sinlessly, yes, make the path to salvation convenient for me to flow, I will reach Your good end without stumbling With help, apart from Your help and instruction, nothing good can be accomplished, and whoever can receive mercy from You.
Theotokos: I offer a slavish prayer to You, foolish one, and I resort to Your gracious mercy, do not turn me away, Pure One, I am put to shame.
Song 6
Irmos: I cried out with all my heart to the generous God, and heard me from the underworld and raised my belly from aphids.
The soulless creature, Jordan, was ashamed of her Creator, crying out: I cannot wash the Sinless One. The saint saw the Lord, received the water, touched the Untouchable One, touched His mind, and, drinking the water, received the gift of healing ailments and driving away demons from people; For this reason, we fall down before you, father: with your prayers, have mercy on us from all demonic guidance.
According to the word of our Lord Jesus Christ, I found you, Father Paisius, a great refuge, and an intercessor, and a warmth for the prayer book for our sins, just as I had never before rejected the monk and alienated myself from Christianity, and was brought down into the depths of hell by destructive unbelief, and was never felt. flowing to you, beg the All-Merciful. The generous Lord appeared to you and said: My servant, goodness is likened to My love, caring for sinners, deigning to accept torment for their deliverance.
Bring your prayer and tears to God, as fragrant incense and an immaculate and favorable sacrifice, and do not forget me through your intercession to the Most Holy Theotokos, give me tears of tenderness, wash away the abyss of my sins, deliver me from the depths of death, and grant great mercy to those who do not hope, and forgive their sins.
I am completely overcome with bewilderment, when I take in my mind that hour of terrible testing of the Judge and God, and I cry, and lament, and sob, remembering the abyss of my evils. Likewise, save, O Lover of Mankind, through the prayers of Your saint, the Venerable Paisius, and deliver me from torment, for He is Compassionate.
Theotokos: From my heart I offer lamentation to You, Most Immaculate, asking for Your abiding intercession. Have mercy on my all-passionate soul, have mercy, Mother of the Most Merciful God, deliver me from Judgment and the fiery lake.
Kontakion, tone 2
Abandoning everyday rumors, you loved silent life, becoming like the Baptist in all images, with whom we honor you, Father of the Fathers Paisius.
Ikos
Having heard the voice of Christ, you walked in the footsteps of His commandments, being naked in life, you rejected care, and all acquisitions, and possessions, and your brothers, and your love mother, God-bearing Pais, alone in the deserts of God, conversing with your mind, you accepted the gifts that were sent to me singing in songs, leader of the fathers, Paisie.
Song 7
Irmos: We have sinned, we have sinned, we have acted untruthfully before You, we have been inferior to observance, inferior to those who have done as You commanded us, but do not betray us to the end, O Fathers God.
I am filled with many sins, and your prayer, like a fragrant censer, is corrected, Father, consume the abyss of my sins, and dry up the stormy sea of evil life, and ward off the wrathful drink, and strengthen a chaste mind with your prayers, Father Paisius.
Having a warm mentor and a prayer book, and a quick helper, like a solid and immovable wall, and a strong and invincible commander, we pray to you: do not forget your prayer book, delivering you from all sorrow and the slander of the enemy.
Oh, great miracle, in one of the days of my sitting, Father Paisius, in the cave, there came a voice saying: peace to you, my beloved saint. But you, having risen with fear and trembling, fell, bowed down and said: behold your servant, God. For this reason, we pray to you: pray to the Lover of Mankind, that he may save our souls.
Give me, O Christ, reason and patience, so as not to condemn those who sin with the arrogance of the Pharisees, but, like a publican, accept repentance, and like the prodigal son, O God, Thy supper is worthy of showing me, through the prayers of St. Paisius, and grant me forgiveness of sins.
Theotokos: Arise, O passionate soul, arise, cursed one, strike from the depths of the heart and let out springs of tears, so that the Merciful Mother of Christ God may have mercy on you, cursed one.
Song 8
Irmos: Whose heavenly armies praise and tremble Cherubim and Seraphim, every breath and creature, sing, bless and exalt forever.
Do not despise this singing that is gratefully brought to you, Father Paisius, but rather accept it and fill it with spiritual joy, so that without obscurity I worship your image, where it is written, giving healing to everyone.
Having become jealous of the all-venerable life of the God-pleasing father, who has lived for centuries, Father Paisios, in the humility and fasting of Christ for the sake of Christ, you died a martyr all your life, and you suffered many attacks from demonic attacks, and defeated them. For this reason, I pray to you, father: take away violence, rage and neglect of your prayers from me.
Master Christ the All-Generous God, who weighs in destinies, grant me to hate the deeds of the evil one, for You are our God, the river: ask and you will receive. Grant love from all my soul, through the prayers of the Reverend Father Paisius, to do Your saving will.
Pray: be patient with me, a sinner, O Lord, and do not sow me, like a barren tree, by cutting mortals, sending me into the fire, but make me fruitful, beseech me through the prayers of the venerable one, grant me a time of repentance, like a Lover of Mankind.
Theotokos: Send down streams of tears and create lamentations from my soul, O Pure One, to always fall under Your protection, so that I may find the resolution of my sins by Your mercy.
Song 9
Irmos: Rejoice, having received from the Angel and given birth to Your Creator, O Virgin, save You who magnify You.
You were a quick helper, reverend, even in this life, sometimes the reverend elder’s disciple died in disobedience and was taken to hell, and he fell down, asking, and begging the All-Bounteous for his disciple. You, as a quick obedient and guardian of love, place your hope in the All-Bountiful God by stretching out in prayer, and He who is Many-merciful and unfaithful in his vows, create a will for those who fear Him and, having heard your prayer, brought your soul out of hell. For this reason, I, unworthy, fall down and pray to you: Reverend Father, with your prayers deliver me from torment and unquenchable fire.
I became a demon of laughter, a man of humiliation, a righteous weeping, an angel of weeping, desecration of the air, and the earth, and the waters, my body was stained and my mind was defiled by deeds more than words, I was an enemy of God. Woe to me, those who have sinned! Through the prayers of St. Paisius, forgive me.
Just as I have fallen into the hands of robbers and am vulnerable, so I have fallen from many sins, and my soul is vulnerable; to whom shall I resort when I am guilty, except to You, the Merciful Physician of souls, accept the prayer book of warmth of the Venerable Paisius and through his prayers pour out Your great mercy on me.
Theotokos: My sins have multiplied, I am worthy of rebuke and Judgment, O Pure One, falling down I call to You: before the end, grant me purification, and tenderness, and correction of morals.
