Canon of Supplication To the Venerable Paisius the Great, To Whom God Hath Granted the Grace To Deliver from Torment Those Who Have Died without Repentance Troparion, in Tone II: Consumed by divine love from thy youth, O venerable one, thou didst despise all the beautiful things in the world, and didst love Christ alone. Wherefore, thou madest thine abode in the desert, where thou wast vouchsafed a visitation of God, upon Whom the eyes of the angels found in impossible to gaze, and didst fall prostrate. And He Who loveth mankind, as the great Bestower of gifts, said unto thee: Fear not, my beloved! Thy works are pleasing unto Me! Behold, I grant thee a boon: For whichsoever sinner thou shalt pray, I will remit his sins. And afire in the purity of thy heart, thou didst take water and touch the Intangible One, washing His feet; and when thou didst drink that water thou wast enriched with the gift of miracles, so that thou wast by thine entreaty able to deliver sinners from torment, to heal the sick, and to expel demons from men, O venerable father Paisius. Wherefore since I am first among such sinners, I beseech thee to entreat Him Who made thee this promise, that He grant me time to repent and forgive mine offenses, in that He is good and loveth mankind, that with all others I may chant unto Him: Alleluia! Twice Glory, Now & ever Theotokion: All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, thou art known to be a true Mother, having given birth unto God. Him do thou entreat, that our souls may be saved. Canon, in Tone VI Ode I Irmos: A helper and protector hath He been unto me for my salvation. He is my God, and I shall glorify Him. He is the God of my fathers, and I shall exalt Him, for gloriously hath He been glorified. Unto God, Who maketh all wise, do thou pray, O venerable father, that He open mine unworthy lips and move mine ignorant tongue in behalf of His servant [handmaid]. By the grace of the Holy Spirit which abideth in thee, O father, overcome my reluctance and lack of eloquence, that I may hymn thy wonders. Let me therefore begin by recounting thy right laudable and spiritually profitable life from infancy. Egypt of old produced Moses, great among the prophets, who was glorified by His closeness to God and his great miracles. And now Egypt hath shown itself to be glorified a second time, for thy sake, O father Paisius, enriched by thine honorable name and the many virtues, which the Lord bestowed upon thee. Him to thou entreat, that He save our souls. Glory : Entering the kingdom of heaven by the narrow and onerous path, according to the commandment of the thy Master Christ, O venerable father Paisius, having hated the wide and spacious road, dispel the darkness which hath spread over my mind, that I may be able to offer this meager supplication in thine all-pure memory. Now & ever : O good one, grant me a contrite spirit, a humble heart, a pure mind, correction of life and remission of transgressions.
Katavasia: Deliver from everlasting torment thy departed servant [handmaid] N., O venerable father Paisius, for after God it is to thee that we all flee, for thou dost entreat Christ our God in our behalf. (Prostration) Or this katavasia: Deliver from everlasting torment thy departed servants NN., O venerable father Paisius, for after God it is to thee that we all flee, for thou dost entreat Christ our God in our behalf. (Prostration) Lord, have mercy! Thrice, with prostrations. Ode III Irmos: On the rock of Thy commandments, O Lord, establish Thou mine unsteady heart, for Thou alone art our holy Lord. Thou wast a rock of faith like the Apostle Peter, O venerable Paisius, having crucified thyself to the world throughout all thy life; and thou didst direct thy feet straight to the heavenly path and didst attain the Jerusalem on high. Standing with the saints before the Holy Trinity, in my behalf entreat the Good One Who loveth mankind. The Lord chose thee as a most splendid shoot sprung forth from a pious root; for an angel told thy mother: This one is pleasing unto God! And taking up thy cross from childhood, thou didst follow Him without turning back, and by the grace of God didst grow in age and understanding. Pray thou that He grant me remission of sins. Glory : O Master Lord Jesus Christ, who doth not marvel at Thy love for mankind? For when the desire came upon the venerable one to undertake the monastic life so as to fulfill Thy commandments, like an unblemished lamb he was led by Thy grace into the wilderness, where he camer upon the reason-endowed flock and was brought to the blessed shepherd Pambo and clothed in the monastic habit. O Lord, through the supplications of the venerable Paisius make me steadfast also in the doing of Thy commandments! Now & ever : By thy supplications, O Virgin, free me from grievous torments, from outermost darkness and Gehenna; for thou hast the will and the power so to do, O thou who gavest birth to the one all-good Lord. Sessional Hymn, in Tone II Having bound thy soul with the love of Christ and hated all earthly things, O wise and venerable father, thou madest thine abode among the deserts and mountains; and tasting of the noetic tree, thou didst shine forth like an angel. Wherefore, having traversed the gloom of thy flesh, thou didst drive away the darkness of the demons. O Paisius, foremost among monastics, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who with love honor thy holy memory. Glory, Now & ever Theotokion Speedy protection, help and mercy do thou show thy servant, O pure one. Still thou the waves of vain imaginings, and lift up my soul, O Theotokos, for I know that thou canst do whatsoever thou desirest. Ode IV Irmos: The prophet heard of Thine advent, O Lord, and was afraid, for Thou didst desire to be born of the Virgin and reveal Thyself to men; and he said: I heard report of Thee and was afraid. Glory to Thy power, O Lord! 2
Taking up the ascetic life from thine earliest years, O divinely wise Paisius, thou didst persevere to the end of thy days, receiving as a divine victor the crown of triumph from the King of all, that by thy supplications thou mayest deliver sinners from torment, of whom I am the first. Forget me not! Having thee as a mighty advocate and comforter of the grieving, an intercessor, ally and pious mediator, we are saved from all misfortunes, perils and evil circumstances. Glory : He Who hath a great abyss of judgments said unto thee: Behold, I give thee a gift: Whatsoever thou shalt ask of My Father in My name will be given thee: for whichever sinner thou shalt pray, his sins will be forgiven. Wherefore, I who have an abyss of offenses fall down before thee, O father Paisius, praying that He Who made thee this promise may through thy supplications remit my sins, in that He is good and loveth mankind. Now & ever : Direct thy words to thy Son, O all-immaculate one, when I will be justly judged, that I may then find thee to be a refuge and most mighty help, delivering me from all torments. Ode V Irmos: Enlighten me who rise at dawn out of the night, I pray, O Thou Who lovest mankind, and guide me in Thy precepts; and teach me to do Thy will, O Savior. Having laid waste to thy body by fasting, O father Paisius, thou didst once abide for seventy days without bodily food, possessing ineffable divine strength after communing of the Body and Blood of Christ, able to maintain the power of life by thy grace more than the strengthening of food. Glory to Thy might, O Lord! Like John the Baptist thou didst desire to walk the straight and narrow path. He, seeing thy Creator at the Jordan, was afraid and cried aloud: I who am straw cannot approach Fire! And once, in the desert, thou, O father Paisius, unable to look upon the face of the Lord Who appeared unto thee, didst fall down, overcome by trembling. But He said to thee: Fear not! I will fill this desert with ascetics for thee. And with them we pray to thee: In thy prayers forget us not, O father, that we may find mercy. Glory : To begin I admit to Thee mine offenses; and I entreat Thy lovingkindness toward mine iniquities, that Thou mayest forgive and cover the multitude of my sins with Thy compassion, and grant me to pass the remaining time of my life without sin, that having easily walked the path to salvation, I may without hindrance attain unto a good end with thy help, for without Thine aid and guidance I can accomplish naught that is good, and can receive mercy only with Thee. New & ever : I, who am a fool, offer thee this servile entreaty and flee unto thy compassionate loving-kindness: Turn me not away, ashamed, O pure one. Ode VI Irmos: With all my heart I cry out to the compassionate God, and He heard my cry from the uttermost depths of Hades, and hath led my life up from corruption. 3
Jordan, a creation which lacketh a soul, stood in awe of its Creator and cried aloud: I cannot wash the Sinless One! But when thou, O saint, didst see the Lord, thou didst take water and touch the Untouchable One, washing His feet. And when thou didst drink of that water, thou didst receive the gift to heal infirmities and to drive demons away from men. Wherefore, we fall down before thee, O father, praying: By thy supplications have mercy on us, delivering us from every demonic assault. To the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ we have found in thee, O father Paisius, a great refuge and a fervent advocate and helper amid our sins. For once, a monk died who had apostasized from Christianity and was brought down into the depths of hell for his pernicious unbelief; but when his elder sensed this, he had recourse unto thee, begging thee to pray to the most Merciful One. And the Compassionate Lord appeared to thee, and said: O my favored one, it is a good thing that, emulating My love, thou carest for sinners, willing to assume torment for their deliverance. Thy prayers and tears were borne aloft to God like incense of sweet savor and a sacrifice without blemish and right acceptable. Forget me not in thy mediation before the all-holy Theotokos. Grant me tears of compunction; wash away the depths of my sins; deliver me from the abyss of death; grant great mercy to the hopeless, and forgive them their offenses. Glory : I am seized by incomprehension when I ponder in mind the dread hour of my trial by my Judge and God; and I weep, groan and lament, mindful of the abyss of my sins. Wherefore, at the supplications of Thy favored one, the venerable Paisius, O Thou Who lovest mankind, save and deliver me from torment, in that Thou art full of loving-kindness. Now & ever : From the depths of my heart I offer thee groans, I all-immaculate one, begging thy timely aid. Have mercy on my passion-fraught soul, O greatly merciful Mother, and take pity and deliver me from damnation and the lake of fire. Glory, Now & ever : Kontakion, in Tone II Forsaking the tumults of life, thou didst love the life of stillness, emulating the Baptist in all ways; and we honor thee with him, O Paisius, chief among the fathers. Ikos: Hearkening to the voice of Christ, thou didst follow His commandments; and stripping thyself bare of life, thou didst put aside all cares, all possessions and property, and thy brethren and the love of thy mother, O God-bearing Paisius. And in the desert thou didst in mind converse alone with God, and didst receive gifts, which do thou send also unto me who praise thee in hymns, O Paisius, chief among the fathers. Ode VII Irmos: We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have dealt unjustly before Thee. We have neither done nor acted as Thou hast commanded us. But forsake us not utterly, O God of our fathers. Full of many sins am I; wherefore let thy prayer ascend like incense of sweet savor, O father. Abolish the abyss of my sins, still the raging sea of mine evil life, drive away the flood of rage, and with thy chaste supplications make steadfast my mind, O father Paisius. 4
5 Having thee as an instructor, a fervent advocate, a speedy helper, a firm rampart and unshakable bulwark, and a mighty and invincible commander, we beseech thee: Forget not those who pray to thee, deliver us from ever grief and assault of the enemy! O great wonder! One day, while thou wast sitting in thy cave, O father Paisius, there came to thee a voice, saying: Peace be unto thee, my beloved favorite! And overcome with fear and trembling, thou didst arise and fall prostrate, saying: Behold, I am Thy servant, O Lord! Wherefore, we beseech thee: Entreat Him Who loveth mankind, that He save our souls. Glory : O Christ, grant me understanding and patience, that I may not judge sinners with the arrogance of the Pharisee; but accept my repentance as Thou didst that of the publican and the prodigal son, O God; and through the prayers of the venerable Paisius show me to be worthy of Thy Supper, and grant me forgiveness of sins. Now & ever : Arise, O my passion-fraught soul! Stand forth, O wretched one! Beat thy breast, and from thine inner depths put forth springs of tears, that the kindhearted Mother of Christ God may have mercy on thee, who art accursèd. Ode VIII Irmos: Let every creature that hath breath hymn, bless and supremely exalt for all ages Him Whom the armies of heaven glorify and before Whom the cherubim and seraphim tremble. Disdain not this grateful hymnody which I offer thee, O father Paisius; rather, accept it, and fill it with spiritual joy, that without hindrance I may venerate thine icon, where it is inscribed: He who imparteth healings unto all. Emulating the most venerable life of the God-pleasing fathers who in ages past lived in humility and asceticism for the sake of Christ, O father Paisius, thou didst live thy whole life martyrically, and didst suffer greatly from the attacks of the demons, vanquishing them. Wherefore, I beseech thee, O father: By thy supplications drive far from me violence, wrath and indifference. O Master Christ God, most Compassionate One: By the judgments which Thou knowest grant that I may hate the works of the evil one, for Thou art our God, Who didst say: Ask, and ye shall receive. Grant me love, that through the supplications of the venerable father Paisius I may do Thy saving will with all my soul. Glory : I beseech Thee: O Master: Be Thou long-suffering to me, a sinner, and do not visit me with the severing of death as Thou wouldst a barren tree, sending me into the fire; but, entreated by the supplications of the venerable one, show me to be fruitful, and grant me time for repentance, in that Thou lovest mankind. Now & ever : Send me streams of tears and groans from the depths of my soul, O pure one, that when I fall down before thy protection I may find remission of my sins at thy supplication.
Ode IX Irmos: O Virgin who received the angel's salutation and gavest birth to thine own Creator, save those who magnify thee. Even during thy lifetime thou wast a speedy helper, O venerable one: for once a certain elder had a disciple who died in disobedience and was led down into hell; but that elder fell prostrate, entreating the most Compassionate One in behalf of his disciple; and thou, as a speedy listener and maintainer of love, didst set thy hope on the most compassionate God and stretched forth thy hands in prayer. And the greatly Merciful One, Who is true to His promises, did the will of those who feared Him and hearkened to thy supplications, and led forth that soul from hell. Wherefore, I the unworthy one, falling down, beseech Thee: O father Paisius, by thy prayers deliver me from torment and from unquenchable fire. I have become the object of the demons mockery, the disparagement of men, the lamentation of the righteous, the weeping of the angels, the defilement of air, earth and water. By mine actions I have sullied my body and rendered my mind vile beyond description, and have made myself an enemy to God. Woe is me! I have sinned! At the supplications of the venerable Paisius forgive me! Glory : Like the one who fell among thieves and was wounded, so have I also fallen through many sins, and my soul hath been wounded. To whom can I flee, guilty as I am, if not to Thee, the merciful Physician of souls? Accept the venerable Paisius as a fervent advocate, and by his supplications pour forth the oil of Thy great mercy upon me. Now & ever : My transgressions have multiplied, and I deserve threatening and condemnation. O pure one, falling down, I cry unto thee: Before the end grant me cleansing, compunction and the correction of my ways. It is truly meet Trisagion through Our Father Jesus Prayer Troparion, in Tone II: Consumed by divine love from thy youth, O venerable one, thou didst despise all the beautiful things in the world, and didst love Christ alone. Wherefore, thou madest thine abode in the desert, where thou wast vouchsafed a visitation of God, upon Whom the eyes of the angels found in impossible to gaze, and didst fall prostrate. And He Who loveth mankind, as the great Bestower of gifts, said unto thee: Fear not, my beloved! Thy works are pleasing unto Me! Behold, I grant thee a boon: For whichsoever sinner thou shalt pray, I will remit his sins. And afire in the purity of thy heart, thou didst take water and touch the Intangible One, washing His feet; and when thou didst drink that water thou wast enriched with the gift of miracles, so that thou wast by thine entreaty able to deliver sinners from torment, to heal the sick, and to expel demons from men, O venerable father Paisius. Wherefore since I am first among such sinners, I beseech thee to entreat Him Who made thee this promise, that He grant me time to repent and forgive mine offenses, in that He is good and loveth mankind, that with all others I may chant unto Him: Alleluia! 6
7 Glory, Kontakion, in the same tone: Forsaking the tumults of life, thou didst love the life of stillness, emulating the Baptist in all ways; and we honor thee with him, O Paisius, chief among the fathers. Now & ever Theotokion: All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, thou art known to be a true Mother, having given birth unto God. Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved. Lord, have mercy! Forty times Glory, Now & ever Father, bless! Dismissal: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the supplications of Thy Mother, of our venerable father Paisius the Great, and of all the saints, have mercy and save us, in that Thou art good and lovest mankind. Amen. Lord, have mercy! Thrice, and the usual prostrations on departing. Translated from the Church Slavonic by the reader Isaac E. Lambertsen, from The Prayerbook (Moscow: Old Ritualist Archdiocese of Moscow & All Rus, 1985), pp. 154-160. Copyright 2001. All rights reserved by the translator.