Chapter XV · PRAYERFUL CANON TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND TO THE MOST HOLY GOD-BEARING MOTHER OF THE LORD AT THE PARTING OF THE SOUL FROM THE BODY OF EVERY RIGHT-BELIEVER.

The abbot cometh, but to a layman his spiritual father, and asketh if through forgetfulness or shame he have any word or deed, or any malice against a brother, unconfessed, or unforgiven: it is obligatory to examine and interrogate the dying concerning all things one by one.

After this he beginneth, Blessed be our God.... Trisagion. After Our Father.... Lord, have mercy, xii. O come, let us worship.... thrice. Psalm l. Have mercy upon me O God....

A prayerful canon to the Most Holy God-bearing one, with the irmi to vi, from the person of a man who is being parted from his soul, and who is not able to speak.

Tone vi. Ode i. Irmos.

Passing as on dry land....

Refrain. God-bearing one most holy, save thou us.

Like unto drops of rain, mine evil and brief days, becoming scant with summer’s roll, already well-nigh vanish’d are: do thou save me, O Queen.

In thy benignity and many mercies, O thou Queen, in this dread hour, when nature faileth, stand by me, an aid invincible.

Now mighty fear constrains my soul, it trembleth inexpressibly and grieves: console it, thou Most Pure, as it the body quits.

Glory.

Known refuge of the sinful and the low, make known to me thy mercy, O thou Pure, and me from demons’ hands set free; for like as many dogs they me surround.

Both now.

Lo, ’tis the time for help: lo, for thy mediation ’tis the time: lo, O thou Queen, it is the time concerning which I have both day and night with fervour cast me down and pray’d to thee.

Ode iii. Irmos.

There is none holy like to thee, O Lord....

From long ago this day, O Queen, have I foreseen, and, ever musing thereupon as though it had arriv’d, with fervent tears I thee have pray’d, Forget me not.

They, roaring, me surround, the mental lions, and seek to seize and rend me bitterly; but crush their teeth and jaws, O Pure, and save thou me.

Although henceforward be my vocal organs dumb, my tongue be bound, my speech be stay’d, in heart’s contrition thee I pray, O my deliverer, save thou me.

Glory.

Thine ear to me incline, Mother of Christ my God, from thy great glory’s height, thou blessed one, and hear my latest sigh, and reach thy hand to me.

Both now.

Thy many mercies take thou not from me, nor close thy loving tenderness for man ’gainst me, O Pure; but stand thou by me now, and in the hour of judgment think on me.

Ode iv. Irmos.

Christ is my might, the God and Lord....

Now make a flood of tears offences’ bath, thou that art good; my heart’s contrition take; yea, blessed one, confirm my trust in thee, that thou wilt free me from the fearful fiery pain; for thou, God-bearing one, thyself art grace’s fount.

Thou that for all in need a refuge art, that put to shame is not, and all offenceless is; be thou, O Queen most undefil’d, an advocate for me in trial’s hour.

Thou stretchest forth thy most rever’d and precious hands in guise of wings of dove divine, and ’neath their shade and shelter coverest me, O Queen.

Glory.

By him, the prince of air, and him that violent is, and him that torturer is, and him that standeth in the fearful ways, and by the false accusing words of these, grant me to pass unovercome, when I depart from earth.

Both now.

Lo, terror meeteth me, O Queen, and I have dread thereof. Behold, a great event befalleth me, and O be thou therein a helper unto me, O trust of my salvation thou.

Ode v. Irmos.

With thy divine light, O blessed one....

Thou that art good, forget me not, nor from thy servant turn thy face; but hear thou me, for I am griev’d, and O attend unto my soul, and rescue this.

O ye my kinsfolk in the flesh, and ye my brethren in the spirit, and ye my friends and comrades known, weep, sigh, lament; for lo, I now depart from you.

Now none delivereth, and in truth nothing affordeth aid: be thou mine aid, O Queen, lest I be as a man that hath no help, and in mine enemies’ hands enclos’d.

Glory.

Go, ye my holy Angels, stand at the judgment-seat of Christ, and bend your spiritual knees, and tearfully exclaim to him, Have mercy, Maker of all things, and, blessed one, reject thou not the work of thine own hands.

Both now.

Unto the Queen bow ye yourselves, and my God’s most pure Mother pray that she may bend her knees with you, and unto mercy him incline; for hearken’d unto she will be, as Mother and as nurturer.

Ode vi. Irmos.

Life’s sea perturbed....

My lips are silent, and my tongue speaks not, but my heart cries, because, contrition’s fire consuming it within, it burns, and, with a voice unutterable, invoketh thee, O Virgin.

Regard me from on high, O Mother of God, and mercifully now attend to come and visit me, that, seeing thee, I may rejoice, departing from the body.

When broken are the bonds, dissolv’d the laws of natural setting, and those of every bodily substance, to need importable and straight they subject me.

Glory.

Place me, O Queen, in holy Angels’ sacred and revered hands, that cover’d by their wings, I may not see the forms devoid of grace, and foul, and dark of demons.

Both now.

Thou all-revered bridal-room of God, me worthy count to enter in the heavenly spiritual bridal-room, enkindling with thy mercy’s holy oil my quenched and unshining lamp.

Condakion, tone vi.

My soul, my soul, arise, why sleepest thou? The end draws very near, and thou hast need to pray. Then rouse thyself, that Christ God may compassionate thee, he who is present everywhere, and filleth everything.

Icos.

Beholding open Christ’s remedial fount, and Adam drawing healing thence, the devil, suffering, wounded was, wailed as they who ill receive, and cried to those conjoin’d with him, What shall I do to Mary’s Son? He killeth me, the Bethleemite, he who is present everywhere, and filleth everything.

Ode vii. Irmos.

The angel made the furnace to bedew....

Me unprepar’d death’s dark and moonless night o’ertaken hath, and journeying unprepar’d, along that straight and fearful way, O may thy mercy company me, O Queen.

Lo, verily, all my days in vanity wasted are, as hath been written, and my years with care, and deadly bitter snares, in truth, prevented have my soul, and these me still constrain.

Let not the number of my sins thy great beneficence exceed, O Queen; but let thy mercy come on me, and all mine oversteppings do thou hide.

Glory.

Leading me hence they go, on all sides binding me, and, fill’d with much rebellion, quelled is my soul, and fears; but, O thou Pure, with thine appearance, do thou it appease.

Both now.

In mine affliction have I no one found to mourn with me and comfort me, O Queen; for mine acquaintances and friends have now together quitted me; but, thou who art my trust, do thou forsake me not.

Ode viii. Irmos.

From flame thou didst a dew outpour on reverend ones....

As God’s man-loving Mother, be man-loving thou, with gentle eyes and merciful regarding me, as from the body goes my soul, that thee I ever may extol, thou holy Bringer-forth of God.

Me worthy count to overcome the hosts of bodiless foes, to mount th’ aërial space and enter heaven, that thee I ever may extol, thou holy Bringer-forth of God.

Thou who didst bear th’ Almighty Lord, from me far keep away the world-controlling prince of bitter guiles when I approach mine end, that thee I ever may extol, thou holy Bringer-forth of God.

Glory.

When the great final trump shall sound, arousing all to resurrection menacing and dread, O then do thou remember me, thou holy Bringer-forth of God.

Both now.

Palace high rais’d of Christ the Lord, send from on high thy grace, and now in trouble’s day prevent thou me, that I may ever thee extol, thou holy Bringer-forth of God.

Ode ix. Irmos.

Mortals may not see God....

O how shall I th’ invisible behold? how that most dreadful vision bear? how venture to lift up mine eyes? how dare my Master to regard, whom, from my youth, I never ceased have to give offence?

Thou holy maiden, Bringer-forth of God, look on my lowliness with tender heart; accept thou this, my last and penitential prayer; and make thou speed to rescue me from the tormenting endless fire.

My soul, that temples holy hath defil’d, having a stain’d and bodily temple left, beseecheth thee, O maiden, Virgin Mother, that it may ’scape the gloom profound, and fierce gehenna’s flame.

Glory.

Seeing the end of life draw near, and on my most unseemly thoughts and deeds bethinking me, O thou All-pure, the darts of conscience fiercely wound mine active soul; but O in mercy turn thyself to me, and be mine advocate.

Both now.

The Son in mercy gave himself for us, the Son of God and angels’ King eterne, becoming man from thy pure blood; move him to mercy on my passionate soul, O Maid, which is with violence from my wretched body torn.

Then, It is very meet....

Prayer said by the priest at the departure of a soul.

O Master, Lord Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desirest that all men should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth; who desirest not the death of a sinner, but that he should return and live; we pray and make supplication unto thee, Loosen the soul of thy servant, name, from every bond, and deliver him from every curse: forgive him the iniquities, known and unknown, which from youth up, in deed and word, he hath confessed sincerely, or, through forgetfulness or shame hath hidden; for thou alone art he that looseth them that are in bonds, and setteth upright them that are crushed down, thou hope of them that have no hope, who canst remit the sins of every man that hath a trust in thee. Yea, O man-loving Lord, bid that he be set free from carnal and sinful bonds, and receive in peace the soul of this thy servant, name, and rest it in the eternal habitations with thy Saints, through the grace of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, with whom also thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.