The service of SMALL COMPLINE

1) Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, O Treasury of every good and Bestower of life: come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.

2) Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, be gracious unto our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infir­mities for Thy Name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Which art in the Heavens, hal­lowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord, have mercy (12).

 Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

3) O come, let us worship and fall down before our King and God.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Him, Christ the King and our God. 

 

PSALM 50

 HAVE mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression.

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.

Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightest be justified in Thy words and prevail when Thou art judged.

For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me.

For behold, Thou hast loved truth; the hid­den and secret things of Thy wisdom hast Thou made manifest unto me.

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Thou shalt make me to hear joy and glad­ness; the bones that be humbled, they shall rejoice.

Turn Thy face away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and with Thy governing Spirit establish me.

I shall teach transgressors Thy ways, and the ungodly shall turn back unto Thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness.

O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.

For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had given it; with whole-burnt offerings Thou shalt not be pleased.

A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise.

Do good, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be builded.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings.

Then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.

psalm 69

4)  O GOD, be attentive unto helping me; O Lord, make haste to help me.

 Let them be shamed and confounded that seek after my soul.

Let them be turned back and brought to shame that desire evils against me.

Let them be turned back straightway in shame that say unto me: Well done! Well done!

Let them be glad and rejoice in Thee all that seek after Thee, O God, and let them that love Thy salvation say continually: The Lord be magnified.

But as for me, I am poor and needy; O God, come unto mine aid.

My helper and my deliverer art Thou, O Lord; make no long tarrying.

psalm 142

5) O lord, hear my prayer, give ear unto my supplication in Thy truth; hearken unto me in Thy righteousness.

And enter not into judgment with Thy ser­vant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath humbled my life down to the earth.

He hath sat me in darkness as those that have been long dead, and my spirit within me is become despondent; within me my heart is troubled.

 I remembered days of old, I meditated on all Thy works, I pondered on the creations of Thy hands.

I stretched forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth after Thee like a waterless land.

Quickly hear me, O Lord; my spirit hath fainted away.

Turn not Thy face away from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Cause me to hear Thy mercy in the morn­ing; for in Thee have I put my hope.

Cause me to know, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for unto Thee have I lifted up my soul.

Rescue me from mine enemies, O Lord; unto Thee have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.

Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness; for Thy Name's sake, O Lord, shalt Thou quicken me.

In Thy righteousness shalt Thou bring my soul out of affliction, and in Thy mercy shalt Thou utterly destroy mine enemies.

And Thou shalt cut off all them that afflict my soul, for I am Thy servant.

DOXOLOGY

6) GLORY to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men.

We praise Thee; we bless Thee; we worship Thee; we glorify Thee; we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory:

O Lord, Heavenly King, God the Father Al­mighty, O Lord the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Fa­ther, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy on us, Thou that takest away the sins of the world.

Receive our prayer, Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father; and have mercy on us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Every day will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy Name for ever, yea, for ever and ever.

Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from gen­eration to generation. I said: O Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.

Lord, unto Thee have I fled for refuge; teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.

For in Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light shall we see light.

O continue Thy mercy unto them that know Thee.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy Name unto the ages. Amen.

Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, accord­ing as we have hoped in Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes.

Blessed art Thou, O Master, grant me un­derstanding of Thy statutes.

Blessed art Thou, O Holy One, enlighten me by Thy statutes.

O Lord, Thy mercy endureth for ever; dis­dain not the works of Thy hands.

Unto Thee is due praise, unto Thee is due song, unto Thee glory is due, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

THE CREED

 7) i believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made; being of one essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made;

Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the Heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and be­came man;

And was crucified for us under Pontius Pi­late, suffered and was buried;

And arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures;

And ascended into the Heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father;

And shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end;

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is wor­shipped and glorified; Who spake by the Prophets;

In One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

I look for the resurrection of the dead,

And the life of the age to come. Amen

IT is truly meet to call thee blest, the Theotokos, the ever-blessed and all-immaculate, and Mother of our God. More honourable than the   Cherubim,   and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thee who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Then the Troparion of the day, or the following:

O God of our Fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by their entreaties guide our life in peace.

Adorned in the blood of Thy Martyrs throughout all the world as in purple and fine linen, Thy Church, through them, doth cry unto Thee, O Christ God: Send down Thy compassions upon Thy people; grant peace to Thy commonwealth, and great mercy to our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

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With the Saints grant rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is neither pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life unend­ing.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

 By the intercession, O Lord, of all the Saints and the Theotokos, do Thou grant us Thy peace and have mercy on us, since Thou alone art compassionate.

Then:

Lord, have mercy. (40)

9) THOU Who at all times and at every hour, in Heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ God, Who art long-suffering, plenteous in mercy, most compas­sionate, Who lovest the righteous and hast mercy on sinners, Who callest all to salvation through the promise of good things to come: receive, O Lord, our prayers at this hour, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our intentions, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil, and pain. Compass us about with Thy holy Angels, that, guided and guarded by their array, we may attain to the unity of faith, and the knowl­edge of Thine unapproachable glory; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

MOPE honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thee who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Then:

10) Lord, have mercy. (3)

Save, help, and protect us, O Virgin Theo­tokos.

A PRAYER TO THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS

By Paul, a monk of the Monastery of the Benefactress

O SPOTLESS, undefiled, incorrupt, immac­ulate, pure Virgin, Lady Bride of God, who by thy wondrous conceiving hast united God the Word to man, and joined the outcast nature of our race to heavenly things, O only hope of the hopeless, and succour of the em­battled, the ready help of them that have re­course to thee, and refuge of all Christians: abhor me not, the sinner, the accursed one, who have altogether made myself unprofitable by shameful thoughts, words, and deeds, and with the heartsease of life's pleasures am be­come a thrall in mind. But as the Mother of the man-befriending God, do thou, in man-befriending wise, take pity upon me a sinner and prodigal, and receive my supplication, of­fered thee on unclean lips. And using thy bold­ness as a mother, entreat thy Son, our Master and Lord, that He may open even unto me the loving compassions of His goodness, and that, overlooking mine innumerable trespasses, He would turn me to repentance, and make me the approved doer of His commandments. And be thou ever with me, as thou art merciful, and compassionate, and the lover of good, being in this life a fervent protectress and help, to defend me from the assaults of adversaries, and guide me unto salvation; and in the hour of my departure, to care for my wretched soul, and drive far from it the dark countenances of evil demons; and in the terrible day of judg­ment, to deliver me from eternal torment, and show me forth as an heir of the unspeakable glory of thy Son and our God. This be my lot, O my Lady, most holy Theotokos, by thy me­diation and help, through the grace and love for man of thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, to Whom is due all glory, honour, and worship, with His Father which is without beginning, and His All-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

11)             A PRAYER TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

By Antiochus, a monk of Pandectis

AND grant us, O Master, when we go to ii sleep, repose of body and soul; and keep us from the murky slumbering of sin and every dark voluptuousness of night. Calm the vio­lence of the passions, quench the fiery darts of the evil one, which are treacherously hurled against us. Subdue the rebellions of our flesh, and quell our every earthly and material thought. And grant unto us, O God, a watchful mind, a chaste thought, a sober heart, and sleep light and free from all satanic phantasies. And raise us up at the hour of prayer, established in Thy commandments and holding the re­membrance of Thy judgments unshakeable within us. Grant us to hymn Thy glory all the night long, that we may praise and bless and glorify Thine all-honoured and majestical Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

12) Most glorious, Ever-virgin, blessed Theotokos, present our prayer to thy Son and our God, and pray that through thee He would save our souls.

13) My hope is the Father, my refuge the Son, my shelter the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, glory be to Thee.

14) Unto thee do I commit mine every hope, O Mother of God; guard me under thy shelter.

15) ΙΝ thee, O Full of Grace, all creation-both the company of angels and the race of men-doth rejoice. O hallowed temple and spiritual para­dise, boast of virgins: from thee God was in­carnate, and became a child, He, our God Who existed before the ages; for He made thy womb a throne, and He made thee more spacious than the heavens. In thee, O Full of Grace, all cre­ation doth rejoice. Glory be to thee.

A PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGEL

 16) O HOLY Angel, attendant of my wretched soul and of mine afflicted life, forsake me not, a sinner, neither depart from me for mine incontinency. Give no place to the evil demon to subdue me with the oppression of this mortal body; but take me by my wretched and outstretched hand, and lead me in the way of salvation. Yea, O holy Angel of God, the guardian and protector of my hapless soul and body, forgive me all things whatsoever where­with I have troubled thee, all the days of my life, and if I have sinned in anything this day. Shelter me in this present night, and keep me from every affront of the enemy, lest I anger God by any sin; and intercede with the Lord in my behalf, that He might strengthen me in the fear of Him, and make me a worthy servant of His goodness. Amen.

17) o theotokos and Virgin, rejoice, O Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb; for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls. (3)

Then the following Theotokion in Third Tone:

18) AWED by the beauty of Your virginity and the exceeding radiance of your purity, Gabriel called out unto You, O Theotokos: What worthy hymn of praise can I present to You? And what shall I name You? I hesitate standing in wonder. Wherefore, as commanded, I cry to You: Rejoice, You who are Full of Grace.

19) Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.