IN THE GREAT FAST - COMPLINE, MIDNIGHT OFFICE AND THE HOURS

THE GREAT FAST

At Great Compline, after the Symbol of the Faith, the priest says these verses before the holy doors:

    All-holy Lady Theotokos, intercede for us sinners.
    All ye heavenly Powers of the holy Angels and Archangels, intercede for us sinners.
    O holy John, Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist of our Lord Jesus Christ, intercede for us sinners.
    Ye holy glorious Apostles, Prophets, and Martyrs, and all Saints, intercede for us sinners.
    Ye our saintly God-bearing Fathers, Pastors and Teachers of the world, intercede for us sinners.
    And here is said the name of the patron saint of the temple.
    O invincible and incomprehensible and divine power of the precious and life-creating Cross, forsake not us sinners.
    O God, cleanse us sinners.
    O God, cleanse us sinners and have mercy on us.

    Each verse is repeated by the choir or the reader with prostrations.

    At Midnight Office, Matins, and toward the end of each Hour, after More honorable than the Cherubim . . . , and the exclamation, the priest says the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:

    O Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of idleness, of meddling (faintheartedness or despondency in Slavonic), of love of power, and of idle words, grant me not. reverence
    But the spirit of continence, of humility, of patience, and of love, do thou grant unto me, thy  servant. reverence
    Yea, O Lord and King, grant unto me to perceive mine own offenses, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. reverence

    Then twelve lesser reverences, saying at each: O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner.

    Then again without interruption the whole prayer until the end with one reverence.

    At First Hour, after the Psalms, Alleluia and Lord, have mercy, the priest:

    In the morning do thou hear my voice, my King and my God.
    Verse A: Give heed to my words, O Lord; understand my cry.
    Verse B: For unto thee will I pray, O Lord.
    Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

 At Third Hour, the priest:

    O Lord, who at the third hour didst send down thine all-holy Spirit upon thine Apostles, take not the same from us, O Good One, but renew Him in us who pray unto thee.
    Verse A: A clean heart create in me, O God, and a right spirit renew in my inmost parts.
    Verse B: Cast me not away from thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
    Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

At Sixth Hour, the priest:

    O thou who on the sixth day and hour didst nail to the Cross the sin which Adam, through presumption, committed in Paradise, tear asunder also the handwriting of our iniquities, O Christ God, and save us.
    Verse A: Give heed to my prayer, O God, and disregard not my supplication.
    Verse B: I have called unto God, and the Lord hath heartened unto me.
    Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

At Ninth Hour, the priest:

    O thou, who at the ninth hour, for our sake didst taste of death in the flesh, mortify the presumption of our flesh, O Christ God, and save us.
    Verse A: Let my prayer come nigh before thee, O Lord; give me understanding, according to thy word.
    Verse B: Let my petition come before thee, O Lord; according to thy word, deliver me.
    Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

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