Involved
Immediately after the priestly exclamation “Holy of Holies,” the choir sings two hymns in a row: the first of them is “One Holy, One Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.
Amen" is unchanged, but the second chant is called sacrament (or, in Greek, kinonik) and changes depending on the nature of the liturgical day. There is a Sunday sacrament, the same for all voices (“Praise the Lord from heaven, praise Him in the highest”), an Easter sacrament, which is also sung by the people during the communion of the laity (“Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal Fountain”), and a sacrament for the feasts of the Mother of God (“I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord”), communion of the feasts of the apostles, the days of remembrance of saints. On days of other sacred remembrances, special sacraments are sung. During the communion of the clergy, after the singing of the sacrament has ended, the choir usually performs some kind of chant that corresponds to the spirit of the liturgical day. Such chants are often not canonical in the sense that they are not used during the service, but many of them are loved by Christians; they listen to them with pleasure outside of worship, at concerts and in recordings. These are the so-called liturgical “concerts”, which have become a noticeable phenomenon of choral performing culture and provide extensive space for composers to create on a religious theme. Instead of a “concert” or after it, the usual prayers are read before communion; also in many churches, it is at this moment that the preacher comes out and delivers a prepared sermon dedicated to the Gospel reading or the celebrated event. Of course, all this is not done in order to “fill the time” between the communion of the clergy and the removal of the Chalice with the Holy Gifts. No - hymns, prayers, and the sermon sounding from the pulpit, all of this prepares those preparing for communion, maintains in them a prayerful, reverent state, perhaps even tenderness, which is so necessary at the moment of the upcoming partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ.
“I believe, Lord, and I confess...”
Thus, while the people standing in the church are preparing for communion, the clergy are already receiving communion at the altar, but first perform the necessary preparatory actions on the Holy Gifts.
Firstly, the priest, with special attention and reverence, breaks the Holy Bread along the cut made during the proskomedia, and at the same time pronounces in an undertone: “The Lamb of God is broken and divided, crushed and undivided, always eaten and never consumed, but sanctifying those who partake.” Bishop Vissarion (Nechaev) cites very important words about this prayer from the teaching of the Church about Christ appearing in the Holy Gifts: “Although at the same time there are many sacred rites throughout the entire universe, there are not many bodies of Christ, but one and the same Christ present truly and truly. And this is not because the body of the Lord, which is in heaven, descends on the altars; but because the showbread, prepared separately in all the churches and transmuted and transubstantiated after consecration, becomes one and the same with the body that is in heaven. For the Lord always has one body, and not many in many places” [].
Secondly, one of the particles of the Holy Lamb (inscribed IC: Jesus) is immersed in the chalice with the words “the fullness of the Holy Spirit,” thus emphasizing that the grace of the Holy Spirit, who put bread into the Body of Christ and wine into His Blood, present in its entirety in the united Body and Blood. After this, warmth is poured into the chalice, while the deacon says: “Fill the warmth of faith with the Holy Spirit. Amen". Saint Nicholas Cabasilas says that pouring warm water into the Eucharistic Chalice means the Descent of the Holy Spirit onto the Church: “Then (i.e. on the day of Pentecost - etc.) the Spirit descended at the end of the Savior’s economy, and now descends after the offering of sacrifice and after sanctification gifts to those who worthily partake of them” [].
Then the particle with the seal XC (Christ) is crushed into as many parts as the clergy will receive communion. And after this, all the serving priests and deacons listen to the preparatory prayers pronounced by the primate, the main of which is the confession of faith in the Sacrament now being performed: “I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save sinners from I am the first of them. I also believe that this very thing is Your most pure Body and this very thing is Your honorable Blood. I pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance, and grant me to partake without condemnation of Your Most Pure Mysteries, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen". The same prayer is repeated exactly by the priest before the communion of the laity, when the deacon brings the Chalice into the church. After the prayers, the clergy ask each other for forgiveness and with the words “Behold, I come to the immortal King and our God,” they bow to the ground before Christ Himself, who is on His throne under the guise of the Holy Gifts, and with reverence and the greatest accuracy they first commune the Body of Christ, and then they partake of His Blood directly from the Chalice.
After the communion of all the priests and deacons, the senior deacon reads a prayer of thanks, in which, following the thanksgiving, the clergy asks Christ: “Correct our path, establish all of us in Thy Passion, guard our belly, strengthen our feet...”. Then, before bringing out the Gifts for the communion of the laity, two still unused particles of the Holy Lamb with the seals NI and KA (together making up the Greek word NIKA, winner) are crushed using a copy into many small particles, which are then immersed in the chalice in the Blood of Christ. Thus, particles of the Body are saturated with Blood and in this form can be offered for communion to the laity.
Following to Holy Communion
The service to Holy Communion is read the day before communion, or in the morning on the day of communion. Previously, three canons should be read: the Penitential Canon, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel >>
Following to Holy Communion
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
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 souls.
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. (Bow)
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)
Psalm 22
The Lord shepherds me and deprives me of nothing. In a green place, there they settled me, on the calm water they raised me. Convert my soul, guide me on the paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake. Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your club will comfort me. Thou hast prepared a table before me to resist those who are cold to me, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty one. And Thy mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and make me dwell in the house of the Lord for the length of days.
Psalm 23
the Lord's, and its fullness, the world, and all who live on it. He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who will stand in His holy place? He is innocent in his hands and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear by his sincere flattery. This one will receive blessings from the Lord, and alms from God, his Savior. This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates; and the King of Glory will come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory.
Psalm 115
In the same words, I have greatly humbled myself. I died in my frenzy: every man is a lie. What shall I repay to the Lord for all that I have repaid? I will accept the cup of salvation, and I will call on the name of the Lord; I will offer my prayers to the Lord before all His people. The death of His saints is honorable before the Lord. O Lord, I am Your servant, I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid; You have torn apart my bonds. I will devour a sacrifice of praise for you, and in the name of the Lord I will call. I will offer my prayers to the Lord before all His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of you, Jerusalem.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, thank you God. (Three times with three bows)
Tropari
Despise my iniquities, O Lord, be born of a Virgin, and cleanse my heart, creating a temple for Your most pure Body and Blood, lower me from Your face, having great mercy without number.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
to partake of Thy holy things, unworthy? Because I dare to approach You with the worthy, the robe denounces me as if it were not the evening, and I intercede for condemnation of my many-sinful soul. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen
I, O Mother of God, of my many sins, have come running to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God, to grant me forgiveness for the evil deeds, O Blessed One.
[During the days of Great Lent: When the glorious disciple is enlightened at the end of the supper, then the evil Judas, sickened by the love of money, becomes darkened and betrays the righteous Judge to the lawless judges. See, the steward of the property, who used strangulation for these sakes: flee the unsatiated soul, such a daring Teacher. O good Lord of all, glory to Thee.]
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. To You alone have I sinned and done evil before You; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and you will always triumph over Your judgment. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.
Canon, voice 2
Song 1
Come , people, let us sing a song to Christ God, who divided the sea, and taught the people, even from the work of Egypt, for he was glorified,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
The bread of the eternal life may Thy Holy Body be unto me, O most gracious Lord, and Honest Blood, and healing of manifold ailments.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Oh, desecrated deeds of placeless accursed one, I am unworthy, O Christ, of Your Most Pure Body and Divine Blood, to receive communion, which you have vouchsafed to me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
to the earth, blessed Bride of God, vegetating untouched and saving the world, grant me this food to be saved.
Song 3
me on the rock of faith, you enlarged my mouth against my enemies. For my spirit is glad, always singing: none is holy like our God, and none is righteous more than Thee, O Lord.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Grant me, O Christ, drops that cleanse the filthiness of my heart: as if I have been cleansed by a good conscience, I come by faith and fear, O Master, to partake of Thy Divine Gifts.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Let Thy Most Pure Body and Divine Blood be with me for the remission of sins, the communion of the Holy Spirit, and into eternal life, Lover of mankind, and alienation from passions and sorrows.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Most Holy Table of animal flesh, from above mercy came down and gave peace to the new life, and now vouchsafe me, the unworthy, to taste this with fear, and live to be.
Song 4
came from the Virgin, not an intercessor, nor an Angel, but the Lord Himself, incarnate, and you saved me as a whole man. Thus I call to Thee: glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
desire , for the sake of us, to incarnate, O Omni-merciful One, to be slain to be like a sheep, sin for the sake of men: I also pray to Thee, and cleanse my sins.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
And heal the ulcers of my soul, O Lord, and sanctify everything: and grant, O Master, that I may partake of Thy secret Divine Supper, the accursed one.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Have mercy on me from Thy womb, O Lady, and keep me undefiled and undefiled by Thy servant, like the reception of clever beads, I will be sanctified.
Song 5
In honor of the Giver and the Creator of ages, O Lord, instruct us in the light of Your commandments; Don’t we know any other god for You?
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
I have prophesied to the skin, O Christ, that it shall be for Thy evil servant, and abide in me, as Thou hast promised: for behold Thy Body is Divine, and I drink Thy Blood.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
With the word of God and God, let the coal of Your Body be for me, who is darkened, into enlightenment, and the cleansing of my defiled soul through Your Blood.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Mary , Mother of God, fragrant venerable village, make me a chosen vessel through Your prayers, so that I may partake of Your Son of sanctification.
Song 6
in the abyss of sin, I call upon the unfathomable abyss of Thy mercy: lift me up from aphids, O God.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
my soul and heart, O Savior, and my body, and grant me, without condemnation, O Master, to approach the terrible Mysteries.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
So that I would withdraw from passions, and would have the application of Your grace, the affirmation of my life, through the communion of the Saints, Christ, of Your Mysteries.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O God, God, Holy Word, sanctify me entirely, now coming to Thy Divine Mysteries, Thy Holy Mother with prayers.
Kontakion
Bread , O Christ, do not despise me, Thy Body, and now Thy Divine Blood, most pure, O Lord, and Thy terrible Mysteries, may the accursed partake, may it not be for me in judgment, may it be for me in the eternal and immortal life.
Song 7
The wise children did not serve the golden body, but they themselves went into the flames, and cursed their gods, and cried out in the midst of the flames, and the angel sprinkled them: the prayer of your lips has already been heard.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
And may the source of good things, the communion, O Christ, of Thy immortal Mysteries now be for me light, and life, and dispassion, and for the advancement and increase of the most Divine virtue, through intercession, the only Good One, for I glorify Thee.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
May I deliver myself from passions, and enemies, and need, and all kinds of sorrow, with trembling and love with reverence, Lover of mankind, approach now Your immortal and Divine Mysteries, and vouchsafe to sing to You: Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
From the shepherd of Christ, who gave birth to more than the mind, God-gracious, I now pray to You, Thy servant, the Pure and Unclean One: who now wants me to approach the most pure Mysteries, cleanse me all from the defilement of the flesh and spirit.
Song 8
into the fiery furnace to the Jewish youth, and who turned God into flames into dew, sing the works of the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Not heavenly, and terrible, and Thy saints, Christ, now the Mysteries, and Thy Divine and Last Supper to be a fellow-companion and vouchsafe to the desperate me, O God, my Savior.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Under Thy compassion, O Good One, I have come running, with fear I call upon Thee: abide in me, O Savior, and I, as Thou hast said, in Thee; Behold, daring in Thy mercy, I eat Thy Body and drink Thy Blood.
Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.
I tremble, accepting the fire, lest I be scorched like wax and like grass; Ole terrible sacrament! Ole of God's mercy! How do I partake of the Divine Body and Blood of clay and become incorruptible?
Song 9
The original Parent, the Son, God and Lord, having become incarnate from the Virgin, appeared to us, the darkened one to enlighten, the squandered brother: with this we magnify the all-sung Mother of God.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.
Christ is, taste and see: the Lord for our sake, who was for us of old, brought Himself alone, as an offering to His Father, He is ever slain, sanctifying those who partake.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
May I be sanctified with my ears and body, Master, may I be enlightened, may I be saved, may Thy house be a communion of the sacred Mysteries, having You living within me with the Father and the Spirit, O Most Merciful Benefactor.
Reward me with the joy of Your salvation, and strengthen me with the Master’s Spirit.
May fire be upon my skin, and like light, Thy Body and Blood, my most honorable Savior, scorching the sinful substance, burning the thorns of passions, and enlightening all of me, worship Thy Divinity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
God was incarnate from Your pure blood; In the same way, every race sings to Thee, the Lady, and the intelligent multitudes glorify, as through Thee they have clearly seen the Ruler of all, who existed among humanity.
Worthy to eat
It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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.
Lord have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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.
Tropari
Troparion of the day or holiday. If it is a week, the Sunday troparion according to the tone. If not, real troparia, tone 6:
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You, as the Lord, sinners: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:
Lord , have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies. For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call upon Thy name.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen
Open the doors of mercy to us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, so that we may not perish, but may be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord have mercy. (40 times) And bows as much as you want.
And poems:
X eat, O man, the Master's Body, approach with fear, lest you be scorched: for there is fire. Drinking the Divine Blood for communion, first reconciling those who have grieved you.
Also daring, the mysterious food is delicious. Before the communion of the terrible sacrifice, the Life-giving Body, the Lady, prayed with trembling in this image:
Prayer 1, Basil the Great
In the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, the Creator of all creation, visible and invisible, co-essential with the Son and co-originating with the beginningless Father, much for the sake of goodness in the last days, he clothed himself in flesh, and was crucified, and was buried for us, ungrateful and evil-willed, and With Your Blood, having renewed our nature, corrupted by sin, Himself, the Immortal King, accept my sinful repentance, and incline Your ear to me, and hear my words. For I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned in heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Your glory: I have angered Your goodness, having transgressed Your commandments, and not listened to Your commands. But You, Lord, are kind, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, and did not give me up to perish with my iniquities, waiting for my conversion in every possible way. Thou art, O Lover of mankind, Thy prophet: for by will I do not want the death of a sinner, but the hedgehog will turn and live to be him. You do not want, Master, to destroy your creation by hand, and you are less than pleased with the destruction of mankind, but you want to save everyone and come into the mind of truth. Likewise, I, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth, and sow temporary life, having subjected myself to sin, and enslaved myself with pleasure, and desecrated Your image; but having become Thy creation and creature, I do not despair of my salvation, the accursed one, but daring to receive Thy immeasurable compassion, I come. Accept me, O Lord, who loves mankind, as a harlot, as a thief, as a publican, and as a prodigal, and take away my heavy burden of sins, take away the sin of the world, and heal the infirmities of man, call those who labor and are burdened to Yourself and give rest to those who did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And cleanse me from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to perform holiness in Thy Passion: for by the pure knowledge of my conscience, having received part of Thy holy things, I may unite with Thy holy Body and Blood, and have You living and abiding in me, with the Father, and Your Holy Spirit. To her, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, may the communion of Thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries not be in judgment for me, nor may I be weak in soul and body, so that I am not worthy to receive communion, but grant me, even until my final breath, to accept without condemnation part of Thy holy things, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the path of eternal life, and in a favorable answer at Thy Last Judgment: for I, too, with all Thy chosen ones, will be a partaker of Thy incorruptible blessings, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord, in which Thou art glorified in eyelids. Amen.
Prayer 2, St. John Chrysostom
Lord my God, in knowing that I am not worthy, I am below pleased, and you have brought the temple of my soul under the roof, all empty and fallen, and there is no place in me worthy to bow my head: but as from on high you humbled us for your sake, humble yourself now to my humility; and as you received it in the den and in the wordless manger, reclining, take it in the wordless manger of my soul, and bring it into my defiled body. And just as you did not fail to bring in and shine a light on the sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so deign to bring into the house of my humble soul, lepers and sinners; and even though You did not reject a harlot and a sinner like me, who came and touched You, have mercy on me, a sinner, who comes and touches You; and just as you did not abhor her foul and unclean lips kissing Thee, below mine, abhor those defiled and unclean lips, below my vile and unclean lips, and my foul and unclean tongue. But may the coal of Your most holy Body, and Your honorable Blood, be for me, for the sanctification and enlightenment and health of my humble soul and body, for the relief of the burdens of many of my sins, for the protection from every devilish action, for the driving away and prohibition of my evil and evil customs, for the mortification of passions, for the supply of Thy commandments, for the application of Thy Divine grace, and the appropriation of Thy Kingdom. It is not because I come to You, O Christ our God, that I despise You, but because I dare you in Your ineffable goodness, and let me not withdraw from Your fellowship in the depths, I will be hunted down by the mental wolf. In the same way I pray to You: as the only One who is Holy, Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, womb and womb, and renew all of me, and root Your fear in my hearts, and create Your sanctification inseparably from me; and be my helper and intercessor, feeding my belly in the world, making me worthy to stand at Your right hand with Your saints, the prayers and supplications of Your Most Pure Mother, Your immaterial servants and the Most Pure Powers, and all the saints who have pleased You from the ages. Amen
Prayer 3, Simeon Metaphrastus
Once pure and incorruptible Lord, for the ineffable mercy of our love for mankind, we have received all the mixture, from pure and virgin blood, more than the nature of the one who gave birth to You, the Divine Spirit by invasion, and by the good will of the ever-present Father, Christ Jesus, the wisdom of God, and peace, and power; By your perception of the life-giving and saving suffering perceived, cross, nails, spear, death, mortify my soul-smothering bodily passions. By Your burial of the hellish kingdoms, bury my good thoughts, evil advice, and destroy the spirits of wickedness. By Thy three-day and life-giving resurrection of the fallen forefather, raise me up in the sin that crawled, offering me images of repentance. By Thy glorious ascension, the carnal perception of God, and honor this on the right hand of the Father, grant me the gift of receiving the communion of Thy holy Mysteries on the right hand of those who are being saved. By bringing forth the Comforter of Thy Spirit, Thy disciples have made honorable sacred vessels, friend and show me That coming. Although you would like to come again to judge the universe with righteousness, deign to seat You on the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Your saints: may I endlessly glorify and sing Your praises, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 4, St. John of Damascus
In the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, you alone have the power to forgive man’s sins, for as he is good and a lover of mankind, I have despised all sins in knowledge and not in knowledge, and have made me worthy to partake without condemnation of Your Divine, and glorious, and most pure, and life-giving Mysteries, not in heaviness, nor in torment, nor in the addition of sins, but in cleansing, and sanctification, and the betrothal of the future Life and kingdom, in the wall and help, and in the objection of those who resist, in the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy, and generosity, and love for mankind, and we send up glory to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. Basil the Great
In this, O Lord, as I unworthily partake of Thy most pure Body and Thy honorable Blood, and I am guilty, and I condemn myself to pit and drink, not judging the Body and Blood of Thee of Christ and my God, but in Thy bounty I boldly come to Thee who said: My poison. the flesh, and the one who drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him. Have mercy, O Lord, and do not expose me, a sinner, but do with me according to Your mercy; and may this saint be mine for healing, and purification, and enlightenment, and preservation, and salvation, and for the sanctification of soul and body; to drive away every dream, and evil deed, and the action of the devil, acting mentally in my lands, into boldness and love, even towards You; for the correction of life and affirmation, for the return of virtue and perfection; in fulfillment of the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the guidance of the eternal life, in response to a favorable response at Thy Last Judgment: not in judgment or condemnation.
Prayer 6, Saint Simeon the New Theologian
From vile lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a soul defiled, accept this prayer, my Christ, and do not despise my words, below images, below lack of study. Grant me to boldly say what I want, my Christ, and even more so, teach me what I should do and say. Having sinned more than the harlot, even though I knew where you were, having bought myrrh, I came boldly to anoint Your nose, my God, my Lord and Christ. Just as you did not reject the one that came from your heart, abhor me below, the Word: Give yours to my nose, and hold and kiss, and boldly anoint this with streams of tears, like a valuable ointment. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, O Word. Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness. Weigh a multitude of evils, weigh my scabs, and see my ulcers, but also weigh my faith, and see my will, and hear my sighing. There is no hidden part of you, my God, my Creator, my Savior, below a drop of tears, below a drop of a certain part. Thy eyes have seen what I have not done, and in Thy book the essence of what has not yet been done is written to You. See my humility, see my great labor, and forgive me all my sins, O God of all: so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought, and a contrite soul, I may partake of Your undefiled and most holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats poison and drinks with a pure heart is revived and adored; For you have said, my Lord: everyone who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, he abides in Me, and in Him I Am. The word of all my Lord and God is true: for you partake of the divine and adoring graces, for I am not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Trisunlar Light, enlightening the world. May I not be alone besides You, the Life-Giver, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world. For this reason, I come to You, as if I saw you, with tears, and with a contrite soul, I ask you to accept the deliverance of my sins, and to partake of Your life-giving and immaculate Mysteries without condemnation, so that You may remain, as You have promised, with me, the repentant one: may I not find Your grace except, the deceiver will delight me with the flatterer, and deceiving will lead away those who idolize Your words. For this reason I fall down to You, and cry out to You warmly: as You received the prodigal, and the harlot who came, so receive me, the prodigal and the defiled, Generously. With a contrite soul, now coming to You, we know, Savior, as another, like I, did not sin against You, lower than the deeds I did. But we know this again, because not the greatness of sins, nor the multitude of sins exceeds my God’s great patience and extreme love for mankind; but by the grace of compassion, warmly repentant, and purifying, and brightening, and creating light, you are partakers, associates of Your Divinity, doing unenviably, and strange things with both the Angel and human thought, conversing with them many times, as if with Your true friend. This is the bold thing they do to me, this is what they force me to do, O my Christ. And daring to show us Your rich kindness, rejoicing and trembling together, the grass partakes of the fire, and a strange miracle, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old burned without burning. Now with a grateful thought, with a grateful heart, with grateful hands, my soul and my body, I worship and magnify and glorify Thee, my God, for being blessed, now and forever.
Prayer 7, St. John Chrysostom
God , weaken, forsake, forgive me my sins, those who have sinned, whether in word, or in deed, or in thought, willingly or unwillingly, by reason or unreason, forgive me all, as you are good and a lover of mankind, and through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, your intelligent servants and the holy powers, and all the saints from the ages who have pleased You, without condemnation, deign to accept Your holy and most pure Body and venerable Blood, for the healing of soul and body, and for the cleansing of my evil thoughts. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 8, St. John Chrysostom
not pleased, Master Lord, that you may come under the roof of my soul; but since You, as a Lover of Mankind, want to live in me, I boldly approach; You command that I open the doors that You alone created, and with love for mankind, like You, you will see and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that You have done this: You did not drive away the harlot who came to You with tears; You have rejected below the publican, having repented; below the thief, having come to know Your kingdom, You drove away; Thou hast left the repentant lower than the persecutor; but from repentance Thou hast brought all who have come to Thee, in the person of Thy friends Thou hast made the One blessed, always, now and unto endless ages. Amen.
Prayer 9, St. John Chrysostom
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forgive, cleanse and forgive my sinner, and indecent, and unworthy servant, my trespasses, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, who have sinned from my youth, even to this day and hour: if in in reason and in unreason, whether in words or deeds, or thoughts and thoughts, and undertakings, and all my feelings. And through the prayers of the seedless One who gave birth to Thee, the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, the only shameless hope and intercession and salvation of mine, grant me to uncondemnedly partake of Thy most pure, immortal, life-giving and terrible Mysteries, for the remission of sins and for eternal life: for sanctification and enlightenment , strength, healing, and health of soul and body, and in the consumption and complete destruction of my evil thoughts, and thoughts, and enterprises, and nightly dreams, dark and crafty spirits; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, and the honor, and the worship, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 10, St. John of Damascus
before the doors of Your temple, and I do not retreat from fierce thoughts; but You, Christ God, have justified the publican, and had mercy on the Canaanites, and opened the doors of paradise to the thief, open to me the womb of Your love for mankind, and accept me, coming and touching You, like a harlot who is bleeding: and having touched the hem of Your robe, make it easy to receive healing, Thy most pure ones restrained their noses and bore the remission of sins. But I, the accursed one, dare to perceive Your whole Body, so that I will not be scorched; but accept me as you do, and enlighten my spiritual feelings, burning away my sinful guilt, with the prayers of You who gave birth without seed, and the Heavenly powers; for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom
In faith, Lord, I confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is Your most pure Body, and this is Your most pure Blood. I pray to You: have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance, and grant me, without condemnation, to partake of Your most pure Sacraments, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.
When you come to receive communion, mentally recite these verses of Metaphrast:
With this I begin Divine Communion. To the creator, do not scorch me with communion: For thou art a fire, unworthy of scorching. But cleanse me from all filth.
Then:
In Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.
And poems:
It is in vain to be horrified by the deifying Blood, O man: For there is Fire, it burns the unworthy. The Divine Body both adores and nourishes me: It adores the spirit, but it strangely nourishes the mind.
Then the troparia:
You have sweetened me with love, O Christ, and you have changed me with Your Divine care; but my sins fell into immaterial fire, and I am vouchsafed to be filled with pleasure in You: let me rejoice, O Blessed One, magnify Your two comings.
In the light of Thy Saints, what is there who is unworthy? Even if I dare to go into the palace, my clothes will expose me as not being for marriage, and I will be cast out from the Angels, bound and bound. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
Also prayer:
O Master, Lover of Mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, let this Holy One not be brought into judgment against me, because I am unworthy of being: but for the purification and sanctification of soul and body, and for the betrothal of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me, if I cleave to God, to place the hope of my salvation in the Lord.
And further:
Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.
Memo for the communicant
Anyone who wishes to receive communion must adequately prepare for this holy sacrament. This preparation (in church practice it is called fasting) lasts several days and concerns both the physical and spiritual life of a person. The body is prescribed abstinence, i.e. bodily purity (abstinence from marital relations) and food restriction (fasting). On fasting days, food of animal origin is excluded - meat, milk, eggs and, during strict fasting, fish. Bread, vegetables, fruits are consumed in moderation. The mind should not be distracted by the trifles of everyday life and have fun.
On the days of fasting, one should attend services in church, if circumstances permit, and more diligently follow the household prayer rule: whoever usually does not read all morning and evening prayers, let him read everything in full; whoever does not read the canons, let him read at least one on these days canon. On the eve of communion, you must be at the evening service and read at home, in addition to the usual prayers for the future, the canon of repentance, the canon to the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel. The canons are read either one after the other in full, or combined in this way: the irmos of the first song of the penitential canon is read (“As Israel traveled on dry land, in the abyss with its feet, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing a victorious song to God, crying out”) and the troparia, then the troparia of the first songs of the canon to the Theotokos (“I am overcome by many adversities, I resort to You, seeking salvation: O Mother of the Word and the Virgin, save me from the heavy and fierce”), omitting the irmos “The water has passed...”, and the troparia of the canon to the Guardian Angel, also without the irmos ( “Let us praise the Lord, who led His people through the Red Sea, for He alone has been gloriously glorified.” The following songs are read in the same way. The troparia before the canon of the Theotokos and the Guardian Angel, as well as the stichera after the canon of the Theotokos, are omitted in this case.
The canon for communion is also read and, for those who wish, an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus. After midnight they no longer eat or drink, for it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach. In the morning, the morning prayers and the entire sequence for Holy Communion are read, except for the canon read the day before.
Before communion, confession is required - in the evening or in the morning, before the liturgy.
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