THE ORDER FOR A HYMN OF SUPPLICATION FOR THE CONVERSION OF THOSE IN ERROR CHANTED ON THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY AND IN OTHER CASES OF NECESSITY

The Most Holy Governing Synod, in its decision to print The Order for a Hymn of Supplication for the Conversion of Those in Error, Chanted on the Sunday of Orthodoxy and in Other Cases of Necessity, prescribed that this Hymn of Supplication be served in monasteries, and in city and village churches, on the first Sunday of the Great Fast, also blessing missionaries to chant it: (a) before undertaking to converse with schismatics and sectarians; (b) when they reconcile to the Orthodox Church those who have returned to the path of Truth; and (c) before the opening sessions of diocesan missionary conferences and other similar events.

After the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy go forth from the sanctuary and, having made three bows, begin thus:

The Deacon saith: Bless, Master! The senior celebrating priest saith: Blessed is our GodЙ People: Amen. O heavenly KingЙReader: Trisagion through Our FatherЙLord, have mercy! (12 times), GloryЙNow and everЙO come, let us worship (thrice); and Psalm 74.

We will confess Thee, O God, we will confess Thee, and we will call upon Thy name. I will tell of all Thy wonders. When I am given the appointed time, I will judge uprightly. The earth is melted and all that dwell therein; it is I that made steadfast the pillars thereof. I said to the transgressors: Do not transgress; and to the sinners: Lift not up the horn. Lift not up your horn on high, and speak not unrighteousness against God. For judgment cometh not from the byways, nor from the west, nor from the desert mountains, for God is judge. This man He humbleth, and another He exalteth; for in the hand of the Lord there is a brimming cup of unmingled wine. And He hath inclined it from side to side, but the dregs thereof were not fully emptied out; all the sinners of the earth shall drink of them. But as for me, I will rejoice for ever; I will chant unto the God of Jacob. And all the horns of the sinners will I break, but the horn of the righteous man shall be exalted.

GloryЙ; Now and everЙ; Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! Thrice.

The deacon then intoneth the usual Great Litany, with additions, to each petition of which the people respond ТLord, have mercy!У:

In peace, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace from above, and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, the good estate of the holy churches of God, and the union of all, let us pray to the Lord. For this holy temple, and for them that with faith, reverence, and the fear of God enter herein, let us pray to the Lord. For the Orthodox episcopate of the persecuted Church of Russia; for our lord the Most Reverend Metropolitan N., First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad; for our lord the Right Reverend Bishop (Archbishop) N. (whose diocese it is); for the venerable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord. For the suffering land of Russia and its Orthodox people both in the homeland and in the diaspora, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. For this land and its authorities, let us pray to the Lord. For this city (town, holy monastery), for every city and country, and the faithful that dwell therein, let us pray to the Lord. For seasonable weather, abundance of the fruits of the earth, and peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord. For travelers by sea, land and air; for the sick, the suffering, the imprisoned, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. That Christ may look upon His Holy Church with a merciful eye, preserve it unharmed and invincible to heresies and superstitions, and protect it with His peace, let us pray to the Lord. That He may heal her divisions, turn all who have fallen away to a knowledge of the Truth by the power of the Holy Spirit, and number them among His chosen flock, let us pray to the Lord. That with the light of His divine understanding He may enlighten the minds of those who have become benighted by unbelief, and may strengthen His faithful and preserve them unwavering in the right Faith, let us pray to the Lord. That we may be delivered from all tribulations, wrath and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Calling to remembrance our most holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another and all our life to Christ our God. People: To Thee, O Lord. Priest: For unto Thee is due all glory, honor and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Then the Deacon intoneth "God is the LordЙ" and the following troparion are chanted in Tone IV: Glorifying Thee, O Lord, we, Thine unworthy servants, thankful for Thy great benefactions bestowed upon us, praise, bless, hymn, magnify and give thanks for Thy loving-kindness, and as servants we cry out to Thee with love: O our Savior and Benefactor, glory to Thee! GloryЙ, and this troparion, in Tone III:

As unprofitable servants who have been freely vouchsafed Thy benefactions and gifts, O Master, earnestly having recourse to Thee, we offer such thanksgiving as we are able, and, glorifying Thee as our Benefactor and Creator, we cry aloud: Glory to Thee, O all-compassionate God! Now and everЙ, and this troparion, in Tone IV: O Lord, Thou Life and Resurrection of all, make firm this habitation for ever, as Thou didst the majesty of the firmament on high, and hast shown forth the beauty of this holy habitation of Thy glory here below; and accept the prayers we offer Thee unceasingly there, through the Theotokos.

The foregoing troparia are the ones chanted on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. But on other occasions of need, we chant, at Now and everЙ, the troparion of Pentecost, in Tone VIII, Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who revealed the fishermen as all-wise, having sent down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them didst fish for the whole world! O Thou Who lovest mankind, glory to Thee!

Deacon: Let us attend! Priest: Peace be unto all! Reader: And to thy spirit. Deacon: Wisdom! Reader: The Prokimenon in Tone IV: They that are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God shall they blossom forth. Stichos: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. Deacon: Wisdom! Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans. Deacon: Let us attend!

Reader: Brethren, now I beseech you: Mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For those who are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own body, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad, therefore, on your behalf; but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Priest: Peace be to thee who readest. Reader: And to thy spirit. Deacon: Wisdom! Reader: Alleluia, in Tone IV: O Shepherd of Israel, attend, Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. People: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Deacon: Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Priest: Peace be unto all! People: And to thy spirit. Deacon: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. People: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee. Deacon: Let us attend. Priest: The Lord said: ТTake heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father, Who is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more over that sheep than over the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father, Who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen and a tax collector. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

People: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee. The Deacon then intoneth the following litany: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy. (And after each petition, all respond Lord, have mercy! Thrice.)

Again we pray for the Orthodox episcopate of the persecuted Church of Russia; for our lord the Most Reverend Metropolitan N., First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad; for our lord the Right Reverend Bishop (Archbishop) N. (whose diocese it is); and all our brethren in Christ. O Thou Who desirest not the death of sinners, but awaitest their conversion and repentance, turn all who have fallen away to Thy Holy Church, we pray Thee, O merciful Lord, hearken and have mercy. O Thou Who in Thy glory hast ordered this world, cause those who oppose Thy word to convert and, together with all the faithful, to glorify Thee, our God, with true faith and piety, we pray Thee, O almighty Creator, hearken and have mercy. O Thou Who gavest us the commandment to love Thee, our God, and our neighbor, cause hatred, enmity, strife, vengeance, oath-breaking and other iniquities to cease, and let true love reign in our hearts, we pray Thee, O our Savior, hearken and mercifully have mercy. Priest: Hearken unto us, O God our Savior, Thou hope of all the ends of the earth and of those who be far off at sea; and be gracious, be gracious, O Master, unto our sins, and have mercy on us; for a merciful God art Thou, Who lovest mankind, and unto Thee do we send up glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. People: Amen.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord People: Lord, have mercy! And the Priest then readeth the following Prayer:

O God Most High, Master and Author of all creation, Who hast filled all things with Thy majesty and sustainest all things by Thy power! To Thee, our most generous Lord, do we offer thanksgiving, unworthy though we are, for Thou dost not turn away from us because of our iniquities, but dost even anticipate us in Thy compassions. Thou didst send Thine only-begotten Son for our deliverance, and madest known Thine immeasurable condescension toward the human race, in that Thou greatly desirest and awaitest that we turn to Thee and be saved. Condescending to the weakness of our nature, Thou dost strengthen us with the all-powerful grace of Thy Holy Spirit, dost console us with saving faith and perfect hope in eternal blessings, and, guiding Thy chosen ones to the heavenly Sion, dost keep us like the apple of Thine eye. We confess Thy great and incomparable love for mankind and Thy lovingkindness, O Lord. But seeing manifold stumbling blocks, we earnestly entreat Thee, O God most good: Look upon Thy Church, and behold how, though we have joyously received Thy Gospel of salvation, yet the thorns of vanity and the passions let it bear but little fruit in certain places, and no fruit in others; and with the increase of iniquities, some opposing the truth of Thy Gospel by heresies, others by schism, fall away from Thy dignity, reject Thy grace, and incur the judgement of Thine all-holy word. O all-compassionate and omnipotent Lord Who art not utterly angered: Be merciful, Thy Church beseecheth Thee, putting forward as intercessor before Thee Jesus Christ, the Author and Accomplisher of our salvation. Be merciful unto us; strengthen us in the right Faith by Thy power, and with Thy divine light illumine the spiritual eyes of those in error, that they may come to understand Thy Truth. Soften the hardness of their hearts and open their ears, that they may recognize Thy voice and turn to Thee, our Savior. O Lord, set aright their division and their life which is not in accord with Christian piety; cause all to live holy and blameless lives, and thus root the saving Faith firmly and make it to bear fruit in our hearts. Turn not Thy face away from us, O Lord; grant us the joy of Thy salvation; impart holy zeal to the pastors of Thy Church, and season their care for the salvation and conversion of those in error with the spirit of the Gospel: that, guided thus, we may all attain the place where are perfection of faith, fulfillment of hope and true love, and may there, with the choirs of the most pure hosts of heaven, glorify Thee, our LordЬthe Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: unto ages of ages. People: Amen.

Deacon: Wisdom! People: More honorable than the cherubimЙ

And the customary ending and dismissal.

Translated by Isaac E. Lambertsen from the Church Slavonic service (St. Petersburg: Synodal Press, 1902; reprinted at Jordanville, NY: St. Job of Pochaev Press, 1967). Revised translation copyright © 1998. All rights reserved by the translator.