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The Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church

The official website of the Moscow Metropolitanate.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Rogozhsky Poselok street, 1A, 5.
Phone: +7 (495) 361-51-91
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Small Night Prayer

The beginning of the small Night Prayer. After the priest blesses according to the custom, and we say. Amen.

King of heavens, Comforter, true Spirit, who is everywhere, and fills everything, treasure of good things, and ruler of life, come and settle in us, and purify us from all contamination, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us, thrice. And 3 bows. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and in the ages to ages, amen. Most holy Trinity have mercy on us. O Lord, purify us from sins. O Sovereign, forgive our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our weakness for the sake of your name. Then, Lord have mercy, thrice. Glory, now. Our Father, who are in heavens, let your name be glorified, let your kingdom come, let your wish come true as in heavens – so on earth. Give us today our bread for tomorrow, and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but help us avoid the knavish one. 0

Then, the priest, For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and in the ages to ages.

Then, Amen.

Lord have mercy, 12. Glory, now. Come let us bow to the king our God. Come let us bow to Christ our king and God. Come let us bow and fall down before the very Lord Jesus Christ our king and God. And bows, 3.              

Then, Psalm 50.

God, be merciful to me because of your great mercy. Because of your great generosity, cleanse me from iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I am aware of my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. I have sinned against you, the One, I have acted unfairly before you. So that you are justified in your words, and you will win when you judge.  See, I am conceived in iniquity, my mother gave birth to me in sins. See, you have loved the truth. You have revealed to me unknown and secret things of your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed, wash me, and I will become whiter than snow. Give gladness and joy to my hearing, the humble bones will rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins, and cleanse me from all iniquity. Create a pure heart in me, and renew the right spirit in my womb. Do not reject me from your face and do not bereave me of your Holy Spirit. Repay me with the gladness of your salvation, and strengthen me with the sovereign Spirit.  I will teach your ways to the lawless, and the ungodly will turn to you. Deliver me from the blood, God, God of my salvation: my tongue will rejoice about your fairness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise. For if you wanted a sacrifice, I would have given it: you do not favour a burnt offering. The sacrifice to God is the contrite spirit: you will not neglect a contrite and humble heart. Lord, do good to Zion, showing favour to it, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built up. Then you will favour the sacrifice of fairness, the offering that is raised up, and the burnt offering. Then they will place the calf upon your altar.

Psalm, 69

God pay attention and help me, O Lord, try hard to help me. Let those who seek for my soul be ashamed and disgrace themselves. Let those who scheme evil against me return back, and be ashamed. Let them immediately return in shame, those who say to me well, well. Let all those who seek you, O God, be glad and rejoice about you. And those who love your salvation always say, let the Lord be exalted. As for me, I am destitute and miserable, O God, то help me. You are my helper, and my deliverer, O Lord, do not be slow.                           

Psalm, 142.

Lord, hear my prayer, pay attention to my petition in your truth. Hear me in your righteousness. And do not take your slave to court, for no one alive will justify himself before you. For the enemy followed hard upon me, he humbled my life in the ground. He put me in the dark, like the dead people of the other age. My spirit was depressed in me, my heart was anxious in me. I remembered about the ancient days. I learned in all your doings. I learned in the creations of your hands. I raised my hands to you, my soul is like waterless ground for you. Hear me fast, O Lord, my spirit disappeared. Do not turn away  your face from me, and I will become like those going down to ditch. Let your mercy be heard by me in the morning, for I put my hope in you. Tell me, O Lord, the way for me to go, for I took my life to you. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, for I fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me to the right land. Make me alive, O Lord, for the sake of you name, lead my soul from the grief by your righteousness. And by your mercy exterminate my enemies. And destroy all who oppress my soul, for I am your slave.

Glory to God in the heaven, and on earth peace benevolence in the people. We praise you, bless you, bow to you, glorify you, thank you for the sake of your great glory, O Lord, King of heaven, O God, Father Ruler of everything, and Lord the only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit, O Lord, God Lamb of God Son of the Father. You, who take the sins of the world upon himself, have mercy upon us. You, who take the sins of the world upon himself, accept our prayers. You, who sit on the right hand of the Father have mercy upon us. For you are the only one holy, you are the only Lord Jesus Christ, into the glory of God the Father, amen. I will bless you every night, and praise your name for ever, and in the age of age. O Lord you have been our refuge into generation and generation. I said, O Lord have mercy upon me, and heal my soul, for I have sinned before you. O Lord, I fled to you for a refuge, teach me to do your will, for you are my God, for the source of life is from you, in your light we will see the light. Extend your mercy to those who know you. Honour us, O Lord, to be preserved this night without sin. You are blessed, O Lord, God of our fathers, and your name is praised and glorified for ever, amen. Let you mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have put our hope in you. You are blessed, O Lord, teach us your justification. You are blessed, O Sovereign, make us wise by your justification. You are blessed, O Holy One, enlighten us by your justification. O Lord, your mercy is for ever, do not despise the creation of your hands. You deserve praise. You deserve hymns. You deserve glory, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and in the ages to ages, amen.

The Confession of the Orthodox Faith, of the First Council.

I believe in one God Father ruler of all, creator to the heaven and the earth, everything visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Son of God, who was born of the Father before all ages. Light of light, true God, of true God, born and not created, of one essence with the Father, by whom everything came into being. Who came down from the heaven for the sake of us, men, and for our salvation, and incarnated from the Holy Spirit, and from Mary the virgin became one of men. Who was crucified for us in the times of Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures. Who ascended into the heavens, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And is coming again with glory, to judge the living and the dead, for whose kingdom there is no end. Of the second council. And in the Holy Spirit, true and life-creating Lord, proceeding from the Father. Who is worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets. And in the one holy universal and apostolic church. I profess one baptism for the release from sins. I look forward to the resurrection for the dead, and the life of the future age, amen.

Then, canon, to the Most Holy Mother of God. In Oktai according to the voice. In cells we say canon to the Most Holy Mother of God. Creation of Theophanes. Voice, 8. Song, 1, Irmos. Having crossed water as on the dry land, having avoided from the Egyptian evil, an Israelite called out, we sing to the deliverer our God.

Refrain. O Most Holy Lady, Mother of God, save us. Being contained by many adversities, I flee to you, looking for salvation, O Mother to the Word and Virgin, save me from cruel and painful ones.

Attacks of passions disturb me, and fill my soul with a lot of grief, pacify, O Maiden, by the quietness of your son and God, the one having no vice.

Glory. I beg you O Virgin, who gave birth to the Saviour and God, to deliver me from hardships. For I flee to you as a refuge now, directing my soul and thought to you.

Now. Honour me, the one who is in sorrow and  anguish with the visitation of Divine providence which is from you, the only Mother of God, for you are good, being the mother of the Good One.

Song, 3, Irmos. Being the highest creator to the circle of heaven and the builder of the church, confirm me in your love, being the end for the wishes and the confirmation for the faithful, the only one who loves the humankind.

I have put you as the intercession and the protection of my life, O Virgin, who gave birth to God, you pilot me to your haven, being the reason for the good things, and the confirmation for the faithful, the only one being praised in songs.

I beg you, O Virgin, to destroy me the disturbance of soul and the tempest of griefs. For you, the bride of God, gave birth to the ruler of quietness Christ, being the only Most Pure.

Glory. Having given birth to the giver of the good things, the reason of the kind things, exude the wealth of beneficence to everybody. For you can do anything, being strong in fortitude. Having given birth to Christ and being blissful in God.

Now. O Virgin, help me, being tortured by cruel ailments and painful passions, for I know you as the inexhaustible treasure, which cannot be stolen or spent. Lord have mercy,

3. Glory, now, Kathisma hymn. Voice, 8. As a bride to the Creator, having no vice, as the mother who did not experience a man and accepted the deliverer, as being the one of the Comforter and being praised in songs by everybody, hurry to deliver me, who became the defiled dwelling of iniquity and a playground for demons in my mind, from evil actions of these, making me a bright dwelling by virtues, O giver of light and incorruptible one, disperse the cloud of passions and honour me with the higher communion and unfading light by your prayers.

Song, 4, Irmos. O Lord, I heard about the mystery of your providence, I understood your doings, and glorified your Divinity.

O Bride of God, the one who gave birth to the Pilot Lord, pacify the disturbance of my passions, the tempest of my transgressions.

The one who gave birth to the Good-hearted Saviour of all those who praise you in songs, grant your abyss of mercy to me, who calls upon you.

Glory. Having acquired you, the one who has no vice, as hope and reinforcement, and the immovable wall of salvation, we get rid of all the evil and cruel ones.

Now. I am lying on the bed of my illness, help me, O Mother, Ever-Virgin Mother of God, who loves the humankind.

Song, 5, Irmos. Enlighten us with your ordinance, O Lord, and by your high muscle grant us your peace, O the only one who loves the humankind.

O Pure one, fill our life with joy, giving your incorruptible gladness, having given birth to the reason of joy.

Deliver us from troubles, O Pure Mother of God, having given birth to the eternal deliverance, and the peace surpassing any peace.

Glory. Disperse the haze of my transgressions, O Bride of God, by the light of your radiance, O the one who gave birth to the Divine and most eternal light.

Now. Heal, O Pure one, the infirmity of my soul, so that I am convinced by your visitation, and grant me health by your supplications.

Song, 6, Irmos. I will shed a prayer to the Lord, and I will let him know about my grief, for my soul has filled with evils, and my life has approached the hell. But I pray like Jonas, raise me up from corruption, O God.

O Virgin, pray to your Lord and son, to deliver me from the evil doings of enemies. For having given away himself to death, he has saved my nature, which had been taken by corruption and death, from death and corruption.

I know you as the intercessor to my life and the reliable custodian, O Virgin, destroying the noise of attacks, and fighting off the oppression of the demons. And I always pray, to deliver me from passions, O the one having no vice.

Glory. We have acquired you as the wall and the refuge, and perfect salvation for souls, and spaciousness in sorrows. We always rejoice by your light, O Lady, save us now from passions and calamities.

Now. Now I lie down on bed by infirmity, and there is no healing to my flesh. But I pray to you, O good one, who gave birth to God, and the Saviour of the world, and the deliverer from ailments, raise me from the corruption of illnesses. Lord have mercy, 3. Glory, now.

Kontakion, voice, 6. O intercessor for Christians who cannot be put to shame, constant advocate before the Creator, do not despise the voices of the supplication of sinners. But hasten to help us, who call out to you faithfully. Hurry to pray and try hard to implore, interceding always, O Mother of God, for those who honour you. Ikos. Stretch out your hands, into which you accepted the Master of all as an infant, for a lot of goodness, do not leave us, who always rely on you. By your cheerful prayer and immeasurable forgiveness be generous to us, and give mercy to our souls, exuding it forever. For we, sinners, have you as an intercessor, from calamities and evils attacking us. So, having generosities of mercy, hurry up for prayer and try hard to supplicate, always interceding, O Mother of God, those who honour you.

Song, 7, Irmos. The youths, having gone from Judaea to Babylon in ancient times, being strengthened by faith trampled the fire of furnace saying, O God of our fathers, you are blessed. You settled in the womb of the Virgin because you wanted to arrange our salvation. You showed her to be the intercessor of the world. O God of our fathers, you are blessed. O Mother, pray to the One who wishes to give mercy, that he delivers me from transgressions and defilement of my soul, calling out to your Son, O God of our fathers, you are blessed. Glory. You have shown the one who gave birth to you to be the treasure of salvation, and the source of incorruption, the pillar of firmness, and the door of repentance, to those calling out, O God of our fathers, you are blessed. Now. Honour those who come with love to your protection, O Mother, of God with healing of their bodily ailments, and sins of the soul, for it is for us that you gave birth to the Saviour Christ.

Song, 8. Irmos. Laud the King of heavens, who is praised in songs by heavenly warriors, and extol him in all ages.

Do not despise those who demand help from you, praising in songs and extolling Christ for ever.

You heal the infirmity of my soul and bodily illnesses, O Virgin, so that we praise you in songs, and extol the Pure one for ever.

Glory. You pour the wealth of healings, to those who faithfully praise you in songs, O Virgin, and extolling Christ for ever.

Now. You dispel the attacks of adversities and invasions of passions, so that we praise you in songs and extol the Pure one for ever.

Song, 9, Irmos. Truly confessing you, the Mother of God, having been saved by you, O Pure Virgin, we glorify you together with the warriors of heaven.

Do not turn away from the flow of my tears, O Virgin, who gave birth to Christ who took away all tears from all faces.

Fill my heart with gladness, O Virgin, who accepted the fulfilling of gladness annihilating the sinful grief.

Glory. Enlighten by the dawns of your light, O Virgin, those who in good faith confess you as the Mother of God, driving away the gloom of ignorance.

Now. Instead of anguish and infirmity, O Virgin, heal the lying one, turning from ill health to health.

After the canon, It is right to properly laud you, Mother of God, eternally blissful and fully irreproachable Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, the one who was not affected by any corruption and gave birth to God the Word, the true Mother of God – we glorify you.

Holy God and until Our Father, Troparion for the day, and the saint, to whom the church is dedicated. If it is a church in the name of Christ, of the Mother of God, then say the prayer of the church first. Then. 

O God of our fathers, who always acts with us according to your providence, do not remove your mercy from us. But by their prayers, arrange our life in peace.

Another Troparion, same voice. Your church, O Lord, having decorated itself in all the world, like with scarlet and sea silk, with the blood of your martyrs, calls out through them to you, O Christ God, send down your bounties to your people, and grant peace to your city, and great mercy to our souls. Glory. Set at rest, O Christ, the souls of your slaves with the saints, where there is no illness, no grief, no sigh, but eternal life. Now. By the prayers of all saints, and the Mother of God, O Lord, give us your peace, and have mercy on us, for you are the only one generous.

If it is Friday evening, the following troparia are said. Apostles prophets and martyrs, holy hierarchs venerable and righteous ones, who have accomplished the feat properly, and kept the faith, you are daring before Christ, we beseech you, pray for us to him, the Good One, to save our souls. Than, Troparion, to the one to whom the church is dedicated. Glory. Set at rest, O Christ, the souls of your slaves with the saints, where there is no illness, no grief, no sigh, but eternal life. Now,

Kontakion, Voice, 8. The universe offers to you the God-bearing martyrs as the first fruits of nature, O Maker of creation Lord. But their prayers, keep your church in deep peace, and your city, for the sake of the Mother of God, O the only one having lots of mercy.  If it is a feast of the Lord, or a well-known saint, we say its Kontakion.

Lord have mercy, 40.

Then, the prayer of the Great Basil.

O God, good, having lots of patience and mercy, the one who is worshipped and glorified at all times, in every hour, in the heaven and on earth. The one who loves the righteous, and having mercy on sinners, who calls everyone to salvation, for the sake of the promise of the future good things, O Lord, accept our prayers in this hour yourself, and correct our life in goodness, to your commandments. Sanctify our souls, and purify bodies, correct thoughts, and purify ideas, make our minds chaste, and sober, and deliver us from all sorrow, evils and illnesses, and passions of the soul. And surround us by your holy angels, so that being guarded and directed by their army, we will reach into the unity of faith, and into the mind of your untouchable glory, for you are blessed for ever, amen. Lord have mercy, thrice. Glory, and now, More honourable than the Cherubim. By the name of the Lord bless, O father. Priest, For the prayers of our holy fathers Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us. And then, amen. Prayer to the Most Holy Mother of God, of saint Great Basil.

O Most Holy Lady Bride of God, having no defilement, no temptation, no corruption, the one united God the Word to humans by your most glorious birth. Who is the only hope for those who do not have hope, and helper to those who are defeated. Ready to intercede those who flee to you, refuge for all Christians, do not shun me, sinful and defiled. The one who made all of himself useless by defiled thoughts and words, acts and actions, and became a slave to the sweetness of despondency, and laziness in my character. But as the Mother of God who loves the humankind, and loving the humankind yourself,  have mercy on me sinner and fornicator, and accept my supplication, brought to you from a defiled mouth. And embracing your son, and our Master, and Lord by your motherly boldness, entreat to open his human-loving mercy of his goodness to me. So that despising my countless transgressions, he will turn me to repentance. And show me a skilful keeper of his commandments. Always stand for me, O Merciful and human-loving one, in this present life, warm intercessor and helper, dispelling the armies of the adversaries. And directing me to salvation. And in the time of my passage, guarding my wretched soul: and driving far away from her, the dark images of knavish demons. And in the dreadful day of the righteous trial, delivering me from eternal torment. And showing me a heir to the ineffable glory of your Son and our God. Let me receive it, O My Lady Most Holy Mother of God, through your intercession and protection, by the grace and love of humankind of your Son our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who is worthy of all glory, honour and worship, with his beginningless Father, and the Most Holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and in the ages to ages, amen. Prayer, of saint

Antioch the monk. O Master, give us, going to sleep, the rest for soul and body, and preserve us from gloomy sinful sleep, and all dark and nightly voluptuousness. Calm down the onslaught of passions, and quench the flaming of the body, and the arrows on the knavish one, knavishly moved at us. And quench the raising of our flesh, and put to sleep all earthly and material aspiration. And grant us, O God, cheerful mind and chaste thought, sobering heart, light sleep, and not tempted by any satanic dream. Raise us in the time of prayer, established in your commandments. And always having the remembrance of your judgements in myself, and give us all-night glorification, to sing, and bless, and glorify, your most honourable and magnificent name, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and in the ages to ages, amen. O most glorious and ever Virgin Mother of God Mary, Mother of Christ our God, accept our prayers, and bring them to your Son and our God, so that he would save and enlighten our souls for your sake. Our hope is God, our refuge is Christ, our protector is the Holy Spirit. Glory, now. Lord have mercy twice. Bless, O Lord. And dismissal. And forgiveness. Written in the Big Night Prayer all in a row. If a simple monk says the dismissal, it is in this way. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of your Most Pure Mother, and our venerable and God-bearing fathers, and all the saints, have mercy on me and save me a sinner, for you are good and love the humankind.

Then the forgiveness according to the custom. Then instead of Ektenia he says the following prayer. O Lord, who love the humankind, forgive those who hate and hurt us. Do good, to those who do good. Grant our brothers and all relatives, including those who secluded themselves, all their requests appropriate for salvation, and eternal life. Visit and heal those who are in illnesses, free those who are in prisons. Be the pilot, of those who sail on waters, direct and help, those who walk along the roads. Remember, O Lord, captives our brothers, of the same orthodox faith, and deliver them from all evil predicament. Lord have mercy, on those who gave us charity, and commanded us unworthy ones to pray for them, forgive them and have mercy. Have mercy on those who labour and serve us, who are merciful to us and feed us, and grant them all requests appropriate for salvation, and eternal life. Remember, O Lord, also our misery and worthlessness, and enlighten our mind, by the light of your holy Gospel. And direct us onto the path of your commandments. By the prayers of your Most Holy Mother, and all your saints, amen.

Then forgiveness according to the custom.


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