Prayers before the akathist - when and what to read

Akathist - hymn of praise

In Orthodoxy, an akathist is a special church chant, a kind of hymn of praise. Initially, this chant was dedicated to the Mother of God. Only it was called an akathist. The word “akathist” is translated from Greek as “unsaddled song,” that is, “a hymn that one does not sit while singing.” This has to do with the practical “fulfillment” of akathists to this day. In this regard, this chant differs from kathisma, that is, prayer reading, during which one is allowed to sit. Prayers before the akathist should prepare a person’s soul.

Based on the name itself, the Akathist is read standing. But for health reasons, an exception is made for those people who cannot stand. The Akathist can be read by both clergy and every believer.

Believers in an Orthodox church

The opinion of the clergy

During Lent, some Christians replace the recitation of Orthodox chants with the reading of psalms. In addition, many are faced with the fact that they are advised to abandon such joyful prayers, since the time of Lent is a mournful period, and there is no place for praising religious hymns. However, thoughts on this matter differ. Some say that everything depends on the opinion of the local priest. That is, if he is your spiritual mentor, you must obey him in everything. However, if you simply confess to him, you can listen to opinions on this matter from other followers of the church.

There will also be those among Orthodox priests who do not consider the reading of chants during such a period as something forbidden. Of course, at this time it is advisable to say more prayers that incite grief and repentance. At the same time, you need to think a lot about your sins. However, even if the word “Rejoice!” is often heard in the texts of prayers, such a call refers not to a person, but to a saint, because he is in paradise, and there is no longer room for sadness. A person only asks the saint for something for himself, and does not indulge in joyful motives.

If you want to strictly follow the church canons, it is worth remembering that there are some exceptions for Orthodox Christians regarding the reading of chants. For example, it is not recommended to recite them during Holy Week - at this time, replace such texts with scriptures from the Gospel. During Easter week, it is also recommended to give preference not to solemn songs, but to the Easter canon. On other days, it is allowed to read chants daily, and there is no sin in this.

What is an akathist in Orthodoxy?

There is no historically confirmed information about the author of the first akathist. How, according to Tradition, the pious desire of Christians to paint the image of the Mother of God was fulfilled by the Apostle Luke. Someone had to fulfill the desire that arose in the souls of believers to praise the Most Holy Theotokos with a hymn of thanksgiving. Church historians name the Venerable Roman the Sweet Singer (6th century) as a possible author.

As Tradition says, by special heavenly inspiration he wrote the first kontakion in honor of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Mother of God appeared to the Monk Roman in Constantinople in a dream vision. She ordered to eat the parchment scroll. When the monk woke up, he ascended to the pulpit (an elevated place in the church) and began to proclaim:

“Today a virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: angels with shepherds glorify, while wolves travel with a star: for for our sake the Young Child, the Eternal God, was born.”

Centuries later (13th century), similar hymns were written to the Lord, various icons of the Mother of God, Angelic powers and holy saints of God. Thus, the akathist turned into a special genre of church chants.

The authors of ancient akathists are often unknown. New songs of praise are being written right up to the present time. The desire to express feelings through an akathist testifies to the need of the Christian soul to bring praise and thanksgiving for the help provided.

“Thanksgiving to the one who receives gifts encourages the One who gives gifts to give even other gifts, greater than the first. Gifts remain without multiplication only when there is no thanksgiving for them” (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, 1807-1867).

Is it possible to read akathists during Lent?

Good afternoon, our dear visitors!
Reading the akathist is a special prayer appeal to the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos and the holy saints of God. Many Christians read akathists daily, coming into contact with God, the Mother of God and the saints.

But when Lent comes, something strange happens. Many people stop reading akathists, replacing them with reading the psalter, or do not replace them with anything at all. And everything is based on an illiterate conjecture: they say “Rejoice” (and this word is often used in akathists) cannot be read during Lent. After all, being happy is not good...

Priest Dimitry Sinyavin, answering a question from a visitor to our site: “Is it possible to read akathists during Lent? Our parish priest does not bless.”, writes the following:

“ If your parish priest is your spiritual father, then you must listen to him, whether he is right or wrong. If you simply confess to him, then you can ask advice not only from him, but also from other priests.

I graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary. I studied full-time for 5 years. We were taught doctrine according to the Church Charter - “Typikon”. I have now even specifically checked whether there is a prohibition in the Typikon on reading akathists during Great Lent. I didn't find any restrictions.

I have a lot of old books. In the prayer book there is an instruction for those preparing for communion: on Saturday it is appropriate to read the akathist to the Savior, on Sunday it is urgent to read the Mother of God. If a person, according to good tradition, reads an akathist every day, in turn to the Savior and the Mother of God, then let him read the akathist that falls on that day on Saturday and Sunday. Nothing is said about Lent.

There is a tradition, supported by many clergy, not to read the akathist during Lent. This tradition is based on fast church services. During Lent, the Psalter and prayers of repentance are mainly read in order to incite a person to repentance.

Yes, I agree that you cannot rejoice during fasting, you need to think more about your sins and grieve. The akathist repeats the word “Rejoice” many times. But this word does not refer to us, but to the saint to whom the akathist is read. Holy people are in Paradise and they have eternal joy there, eternal Easter. There is no longer room for sadness. When reading the akathist, we turn to the saint, praise him and ask him to help us.

My late father, Archpriest Mikhail Sinyavin, May the Kingdom of Heaven be his, always read akathists, especially during Great Lent. I read 5 akathists a day. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy, and was very strict about the Church Charter. I tried to strictly follow it, but in my home prayers I constantly read akathists, during Great Lent I did not stop reading them, and even increased them.

On Saturday of the 5th week of Great Lent, even in churches, according to the rules, it is necessary to read the akathist to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the divine service. That is, the Church Charter does not prohibit reading the akathist during Lent, but even prescribes when it is necessary.

If during Easter week there are instructions for replacing prayers, akathists, psalms and canons with the Easter rule (Easter hours and Easter canon), then for the days of Great Lent there is nothing like that.

I believe that in participating in general congregational prayer, in the reading of akathists during the period of Great Lent, there is not only no sin, but there is a spiritually beneficial and grace-filled thing!

I would like to make an exception for two weeks:

• During Holy Week, the akathist should be replaced by reading the Gospel (2-3 chapters per akathist).

• Also, during Easter week, let's replace the reading of the akathist with the Easter canon.

Because according to the Typikon, saints are not remembered during divine services from Lazarus Saturday until the end of Easter week. That is, only 2 weeks in the entire Church year.

If someone does not read my recommendation and reads the akathist during Holy and Easter Week, there will be nothing terrible about it. That is, it will not be considered a sin.

On the remaining days of Great Lent, the akathist can be read.

There is another proof of the permission of reading akathists during Lent. In churches, at fast services, those saints whose memory falls on this day are remembered. Many saints have a kontakion, which is read to them during the service. The word “Rejoice” appears in these kontakia.

Peace to all and God's blessing!

How to grow spiritually during Lent?

Akathist structure

The structure of the akathist includes 12 ikos and 13 kontakia, alternating with each other. The Ikos contain 12 hayretisms (greetings beginning with the Greek word "χαῖρε" - "rejoice"), which follow a short introductory part of the main text. It should be noted that the Russian translation of “rejoice” is not a literal call to joy. The meaning of this word in this case is as a greeting. Preface the reading of prayers before the akathist.

The rhythmic pattern is clearly expressed in the ikos. Hairetisms are combined into 6 pairs in such a way that in each pair one line mirrors the other. They contain paired rhyme: each word in one line is rhymed with its corresponding word in the other.

A short ikos in the Slavic tradition is called a kontakion. At the end of it, the refrain “Hallelujah” (“praise God”) is sung. The text of the kontakion itself reveals the meaning of the holiday. Thus, in the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in Kontakion 2 it is sung:

“Seeing the Holy One in purity, he says to Gabriel boldly: the glorious thing of your voice is inconvenient to my soul: the birth of a seedless conception, as you say...”.

When is the akathist read?

The reading of the akathist is not a statutory, obligatory liturgical rite. In the church there is only the reading of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos “To the Mounted Voivode...” on the Feast of the Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos (Saturday of the fifth week of Great Lent).

The Church has not established any other specially designated time for reading the akathist. Nor have special prayers been compiled before the akathist. Everyone can resort to singing thanks and praise according to the desire of their soul. As Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov (1919-2017) said:

“Not to see all the blessings of God means not to be aware of one’s very existence, not to feel one’s own life, to become a completely stone, insensitive and lifeless person... Nature itself draws our heart to gratitude to its benefactor. After all, both dumb animals and wild animals express, as best they can, their gratitude to the person who benefits them.”

You can read akathists for everyday needs, calling on the saints for help.

“Like a song imbued with the spirit of cheerfulness and joy, the akathist is attractive to every prayer-minded soul... In each akathist there are several strong expressions that poured out from the depths of the author’s heart, and they, like a ray of grace, will sink into the depths of the hearts of those praying, especially those thirsting for encouragement and consolation” ( professor, doctor of theology Alexey Vasilievich Popov, 1856-1909).

Prayers before reading the akathist

Before reading the akathist, it is necessary to read the initial prayers, as at the beginning of the main prayers or before starting a new task. There are no special prayers for this occasion. Reading the akathist can be combined with reading the morning or evening prayer rules. Then the opening prayer before the akathist is not read. Prayers before the akathist are needed to “warm the heart” and prepare the soul for doxology and thanksgiving.

At the end of the akathist, a prayer is read.

Initial prayers before the akathist

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee
Heavenly 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.
(From Easter to the Ascension, instead of this prayer it is read: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs” (three times). From the Ascension to Trinity, it is not read at all.)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
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. (Three times).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father…
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 50

Symbol of faith

Akathist of repentance for wives who destroyed babies in their wombs

Kontakion 1

Lamb of God, take away the sins of the world, hear my groaning and take in the sorrows of my heart, take my heavy burden of sin, bear our infirmities, accept the one who falls to You in repentance, praying from the depths of my soul, crying out: My Lord, Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, fallen.

Ikos 1

God and Lord! Yours is a creation, but alas for me, Adam’s sin, committed in paradise, lives in me and in my body, and like a slave I always work diligently for him, now I pray to You: have mercy on me, Creator of the heavenly world; have mercy on me, the Creator of the earthly nature; have mercy on me, Lord of the heavenly powers; have mercy on me, the ruler of bodily creatures; have mercy on me, Provider of all; have mercy on me, bringing my tears for my sins to you; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 2

All-merciful Master, how dare I such a vile sinner come to You with my prayer, having transgressed Your commandment, which You commanded me through Moses your prophet: Thou shalt not kill; I am a murderer, and alas, a hundredfold crueller, of a serpentine disposition, who, although for a short time allows his children to see the light, devours the next, and I, the accursed one, mercilessly deprived my children not only of the sensual, but especially of the true Light, the Lord our Jesus Christ, illuminating through the Sacrament of Baptism; and for the sake of temporary bodily peace, avoiding many children, she killed while still in her womb. And therefore, I, darkened by these and many countless sins, hope only for the mercy of Your mercy, and with boldness I call to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Having despised the words of your life, O Lord, and walking according to the will of my heart, from my very youth even to this day, now in repentance I call to you, my All-Bountiful Savior: have mercy on me, conceived in iniquity; have mercy on me, born in sins; Have mercy on me, who have not kept Your commandments; have mercy on me, who have lost Thy grace; have mercy on me, who does not care about my salvation; have mercy on me, who have caught me in the network of passions; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 3

It is good and good for brethren to live together and to love one another, as You commanded us, our Savior, as one who is angry with his brother is a murderer, and in his anger he surpassed all those born from the beginning of time, especially murderers, whose victims were for various reasons, lives and ages in time, but I, the accursed one, took the lives of those who had only received time to live from You, the Giver of life for their existence, but in my madness I mercilessly took it away even in my womb, without the fear of God, rejecting Your will and the gift of childbearing blessed by You. I willfully snatched my innocent children from Your creative hands and, before Your eyes, I killed them without shame. But their fate is in Your right hand, O Lord, and I will take away my sin before me. I repent to You alone, and I pray to You, O Blessed One, direct my feet onto the path of repentance, so that with all repentant sinners I will sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Knowing only human weakness, weigh all my sins, do not remember the sins of my youth, and cleanse me from my secrets, calling to You: have mercy on me, a great sinner; have mercy on me, a transgressor of God's law; have mercy on me, the breaker of your covenant; have mercy on me, as You, my Master, have repaid the reward of evil; have mercy on me, who came to You in repentance at the tenth hour; have mercy on me, accursed child killer; My Lord, Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 4

Giver of life, Heavenly King, come and dwell in me, defiled by sins, and cleanse me from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, my soul, so that I may call to You, the one who is being saved: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Lost, like a lost sheep, seek me, Thy servant, my God, who has wandered away from Thy commandment into the impenetrable wilderness of passions and self-will, save me, unworthy, moaning warmly to you, praying and crying: have mercy on me, aggravated by self-willed sins; have mercy on me, darkened by passions; have mercy on me, delighted with pride; have mercy on me, consumed by envy; have mercy on me, filled with unrighteousness; have mercy on me, you who do not want the death of a sinner; have mercy on me, the deliberate killer of my children; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 5

Wherever you want, my Almighty God, there the order of nature is conquered, conquer my living, sinful nature in me, and its forces that draw me to sin, for You are the Creator of all things and the Creator of nature, by Your Divine grace renew the spirit of rights in my womb, do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit away from me, and erase the death seal of the child killer that is worthily placed on my soul, imposed by Thy justice according to the sixth commandment of Thy law, “Thou shalt not kill,” and restore again by my sins Thy eternal covenant to us, broken , Lord, and restore my former virtues, lost through sin, so that I may sing to You without restraint: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Who has ever sinned as I have sinned, the accursed one, which sin I have not committed, which evil I have not imagined in my soul, but with a repentant heart and with tears I come to You, All-Bountiful Lord, crying out: have mercy on me, Your unfaithful servant; have mercy on me, petrified of sins; have mercy on me, who hates my neighbor; have mercy on me, who has offended me in word and deed; have mercy on me, foul in soul and body; have mercy on me, my conscience is seared; have mercy on me, a child killer, like Herod; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 6

With the rays of Your grace, O Lord, enlighten the robe of my soul, Light-Giver, and save me, so that, rejoicing, I will sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Many are my many sins, O Christ, and like the dark night of all my life, but not despairing of Thy mercy, my Savior, like David, cry out to Thee: have mercy on me, who spent all my life in laziness; have mercy on me, about prayer for negligent sins; have mercy on me, ungrateful for Your good suggestions of repentance; Have mercy on me, who did not honor Your law and did not keep Your commandments; have mercy on me, as I have loved the world and have loved everything in the world; have mercy on me, who spent the days of my age in the vanity of the world; have mercy on me, because imitating the laws of this age and abhorring the childbearing blessed by You, I committed infanticide; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 7

I lift my eyes to heaven to You, the Word of God, but my mortal nature draws me down, my Savior. O Creator of heaven and earth and everything in them! Raise me to the things above with the way I think and act, so that I may always sing victoriously with my heart and lips: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

The imam's evil eye is filled with all kinds of impurity, I am seduced by the charms of this world, with the same I pray to Thee, O All-Blessed One, turn away my eyes from seeing my vanity, and I pray to Thee: have mercy on me, who yearns to serve Thee faithfully; have mercy on me, who desires to worship You in spirit and truth; have mercy on me, bringing tears of my repentance as a sacrifice for my sins to You; have mercy on me, asking You for forgiveness for the murder of my children; have mercy on me, who awaits deliverance from my passions from You; have mercy on me, who weep bitterly for my grave and mortal sins; have mercy on me, a murderer guilty of divine and human judgment; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 8

Have mercy on me, Lord, my Savior, who came into the world to save sinners, from whom I am the most vile of all, but I pray to Thee, my All-merciful God, bow to the mercy of Thy compassion, hear my heartfelt sighs, accept the sources of my tears, warm spiritual prayers, Savior soul my, let me sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Robbery evil thoughts attacked me, my sleeping conscience, alas for me, the bright clothes given to me at my baptism, for the heinousness of my sins, I lost, that’s why I committed childicide, I still remain naked of virtues, with the same greatness I strive to lift up my grief, which has fallen to the ground for the multitude cruel things done before You, Lord, and thus I cry to You: have mercy on me, who have committed a mortal sin; have mercy on me, hitherto stuck in sins; have mercy on me, full of all abomination; have mercy on me, tainted by unnatural vices; have mercy on me, who did not preserve the purity of my virginity; have mercy on me, for I have deprived myself of pious motherhood; have mercy on me, who from my womb spewed out my child without time; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 9

Give me tears, O my God, that I may weep for my sin, and so rejoicing, I cry: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

She has defiled my body with vile secrets, she has darkened my soul with my placeless deeds, my body is weak, my soul is also weak. To You, the Only Unmemorable, Merciful Judge and my God, falling down, I pray: have mercy on me, a murderer, for the memory of the fate of my expelled children brings me into awe and horror and unspeakable surprise: what Mercy, Lord and Most Righteous Judge, bear with me and do good to me, the hellish the prisoner, even to this day and hour, in every possible way awaiting my repentance; have mercy on me, who repeatedly promised to reform, and again returned to sins, like a dog to its vomit; have mercy on me, who has committed many murders; have mercy on me, as without the fear of God and maternal love for my children, but with the ferocity of a wild beast, I tore my children to pieces; have mercy on me, for I have committed my sins by my own will; have mercy on me, who have defiled my spirit with vile thoughts; have mercy on me, as I continue to lead my sinful life to this day; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 10

I was wounded by the charms of this world and bowed my knees before it, choosing the destructive path of its vile law, forgetting my promises given at Baptism and committing my crimes one after another, which only the world suggested to me, I finally reached the very pinnacle of mortal sins - child murder , but open my arms, Father, my God, striving until at the end of my life I bring the sacrifice of praise to Thee, crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Predators, murderers, thieves and all unrepentant sinners will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But I have desecrated my body and soul with all unrighteousness and all sorts of vile sins, and for the sake of my spiritual distress, falling down, I call to You: have mercy on me, born in the New Testament of Your gracious Kingdom; have mercy on me, in the Church created by You, in the Church; have mercy on me, sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit; have mercy on me, nourished by Your Most Pure Body and Life-Giving Blood; have mercy on me, baptized in Christ, clothed in Christ; have mercy on me, who have rejected all these blessings and chosen a vicious life; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 11

Grant me the spirit of chastity, Lord and Master of my life, since from my very youth I have been deprived of virtue, I have enslaved myself entirely to passion, I have desecrated my spirit and soul and corrupted my body. God of bounty and mercy! Do not disdain to cleanse me, such a vile sinner, Thy creation I am, have mercy on me; and cleanse me from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and make me boldly sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Do not reject the aspirations of my heart, which trusts in You, O Lord, and do not disgrace me before angels and men at Your righteous and Last Judgment. Do not judge me then according to my deeds, but by Your mercy forgive all my sins, crying to You: have mercy on me, having an unclean heart; have mercy on me, captured by demonic captivity; have mercy on me, born in sins, washed by baptism and again, like a pig, fallen into iniquity; have mercy on me, the wounds of the fall of my soul stink; have mercy on me, who have fallen into despondency and despair from my grave and mortal sins; have mercy on me, who have committed every sin and am worthy of every punishment; have mercy on me, my Creator, and in repentance accept me, the fallen one; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 12

With the breadth of Your love, my God, cover all the sins of my iniquity, accept my repentance, so that in love for You I always call: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

My youth was spent in my madness, my whole life was spent in sins, in laziness and negligence to repentance, but my old age, with the horror of death of Your inevitable Judgment, brought me to repentance. Do not reject me, my Savior, who at the tenth hour came into Your Father’s embrace and called in repentance: have mercy on me, as the blood of my innocent children cries out to You, testifying to my murder of them; have mercy on me, my God, with the Triune nature; have mercy on me, O Lord, admirable in your mercy; have mercy on me, Master, long-suffering for our sins; have mercy on me, Holy King, who heals infirmities; have mercy on me, O loving one, and who warms desperate sinners with your love; have mercy on me, O Almighty, who bore our infirmities; My Lord, my Lord, my joy, have mercy on me, the fallen one.

Kontakion 13

To appear as a sign of the Son of Man in Heaven, on that terrible day and the second coming of the Judge alive and dead, the Son of God, the Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. Oh, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Judge and King of all! Give me before this day tears of repentance, so that I cry warmer than my evil and destructive deeds, because I have detested my soul and your Most Pure Blood of Your Covenant! Yes, then with the angels, and with all the saints and righteous, I sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 1

Kontakion 1

First prayer

O Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! Much of Your goodness, for our sake and for our salvation, man was clothed in flesh and crucified and buried, and with Your Blood renewing our corrupted nature, accept my repentance of sins and hear my words: I have sinned, Lord, in heaven and before You, in word, in deed , soul and body, and the thoughts of my mind, I transgressed Your commandments, did not listen to Your command, I angered Your Goodness, my God, but as Your creation exists, I do not despair of salvation, but I boldly come to Your immeasurable Compassion and pray to You: Lord! in repentance, give me a contrite heart and accept me as I pray and give me a good thought, give me the thought of confessing my sins, give me tears of compunction, Lord, let me, by Thy grace, make a good beginning. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, the fallen one, and remember me, Thy sinful servant, in Thy Kingdom, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer

O God, most merciful Christ Jesus, Redeemer of sinners, for the sake of the salvation of the human race, You left us, O All-Merciful, glorious Heaven, and You moved into this deplorable and sinful vale. You took on Your Divine shoulder our infirmities, and You bore our illnesses; You, O Holy Sufferer, were wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities, and therefore we, O Lover of Mankind, offer our humble prayers to You: accept them, O Most Good Lord, and condescend to our weaknesses and do not remember our sins, and Turn away the angry intention to avenge our sins from us. By Thy All-Honorable Blood, having renewed our fallen nature, renew, O Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, us, in the ashes of our sins, and comfort our hearts with the joy of Thy forgiveness. With a cry and immeasurable tears of repentance, we fall at the feet of Your Divine mercy: cleanse us all, our God, with Your Divine grace from all the untruths and iniquities of our life. May we, in the holiness of Your love for mankind, praise Your all-holy name, with the Father, and the Most Good, and the Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer of a believing mother to the Merciful Lord for the deliberately ruined souls in her womb.

Lord, have mercy on my children who died in my womb, for my faith and tears, for the sake of Your mercy, Lord, do not deprive them of Your Divine Light.

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Prayers after reading the akathist

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. The most honorable cherub and the most glorious seraphim without comparison, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, the real Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
(From Easter to Ascension, instead of this prayer, the chorus and irmos of the 9th song of the Easter canon are read:
The angel cried out with grace: Pure Virgin, rejoice! And again the river: Rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the grave and raised up the dead; people, have fun! Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion. You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy. (Three times).
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy and save us sinners, for you are Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.