For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was recently provided in English by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance.
Translator’s Note: This Akathist is written by Father Dimitrie Ivașco from the Straja Skete in Romania together with his parishioners.
I also want to take the opportunity to give a shout out to my Orthodox friend, Nicolae-Alin Radu (and also his Instagram page), who also contributed with 2 “Rejoices” in this Akathist and also request fellow Orthodox Christians to pray continually for him and his family daily.
Thank you very much. – Maxim
Feast Day: January 28
Kontakion 1
From your youth, you loved our Savior Jesus Christ, Holy One of God. Seeking only Him with fervor to follow Him in fasting and prayer always, struggling in the desert with a heart full of humility and acquiring the love of God, you showed yourself to be a chosen vessel of theology about the mercy of the Creator and toward all His creation. For this we pray to you, intercede for us, Holy Father, with your prayers pleasing to God, that we may sing to you: Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Ikos 1
Human by nature, angelic in your conduct, you were seen, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, and therefore, marveling at your life pleasing to God, we say to you:
Rejoice, Father, that Christ has revealed you to us;
Rejoice, you who entered the monastery of the Great Matthew as a young man together with your brother;
Rejoice, for you show us the way to our hearts;
Rejoice, discoverer of divine mysteries;
Rejoice, you who teach us to accept with humility and patience the bitter medicine of temptations;
Rejoice, for you are our example of holy asceticism;
Rejoice, guide of Christians toward repentance;
Rejoice, you who teach us that no one has ascended to heaven without the cross;
Rejoice, inexhaustible fountain of tears and holy joy;
Rejoice, outpouring of amazing miracles;
Rejoice, for you nourish us with your prayers;
Rejoice, for from early childhood you chose the good deed;
Rejoice, Saint Isaac, chosen by Christ to be the guide of monks;
Rejoice, high humility, for you fled the honor of abbotship and let your brother receive this honor before the brothers of the monastery;
Rejoice, great intercessor for all mankind and for all creation;
Rejoice, for in our trials and tribulations you intercede for us before the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, for you have chosen good deeds and diligence as your companions;
Rejoice, O Most Reverend One, spiritual trumpet that proclaims divine love to all creation;
Rejoice, for you have shown us the word of the true faith;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 2
The eyes of your soul reaching out to Christ, the Light of all, and despising all worldly worship, you followed the light of God’s commandments through hardship, for He called you to sing to Him unceasingly: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Knowing, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, that the life of the desert dwellers is a happy one, you were filled with the divine desire that gave you hope for the sweetness of the eternal goodness of the kingdom of heaven, and you became a spiritual illuminator of the world. For this we sing to you:
Rejoice, lover of silence;
Rejoice, gentleness, humility, and deep thought;
Rejoice, word of correction for all;
Rejoice, you who lived in solitude, nourishing yourself with fasting and prayer;
Rejoice, lover of humility;
Rejoice, receiver of good and perfect gifts from the Father of Lights;
Rejoice, for you have urged us to tears of repentance;
Rejoice, you who have shown us prayer as a medicine for all suffering;
Rejoice, lover of harsh fasting;
Rejoice, you who teach us to love and suffer with the poor;
Rejoice, intercessor for all creation;
Rejoice, for your heart was filled with mercy;
Rejoice, for you had fervent prayer even for demons;
Rejoice, bearer of God;
Rejoice, gatherer of spiritual pearls;
Rejoice, great guide to the understanding of God’s mercy;
Rejoice, for you taught us to increase mercy in our souls;
Rejoice, for you clothed yourself in humility as in a bright garment;
Rejoice, you who taught us that humility is God’s wonderful garment;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 3
The light of grace shone brightly upon you as a servant of the Word, Saintly Abba, you were filled without burning by the fire of God, and you warmed the souls of the powerless. For the gift of virtues, we sing to God with holy joy: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
For your wonderful life and deeds, Father Isaac, wise in God, you were chosen as bishop of Nineveh, but not wanting to stay too long in the city, you withdrew again to the sweet wilderness, praying for all and for the salvation of all. Therefore, seeing the image of your humility and gentleness, we say with love:
Rejoice, you who were made bishop of Nineveh for the holiness of your life;
Rejoice, for seeing the cruelty of the inhabitants and the disobedience of the city, you wept because of the longing for solitude;
Rejoice, for you were deemed worthy of the gift of righteous judgment;
Rejoice, great lover of the desert;
Rejoice, profound singer of grace;
Rejoice, for you have become the bearer of the light of understanding;
Rejoice, contemplation of the living word;
Rejoice, for you turn hearts to simplicity;
Rejoice, discoverer of hidden mysteries;
Rejoice, for you give good thoughts to the humble;
Rejoice, chosen one of God, who wept for our transgressions;
Rejoice, for you have left us much light of divine thoughts in your writings;
Rejoice, torch lit by the fire of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, for with wisdom from above you were a good guide to monks;
Rejoice, unquenchable light in the darkness of this world;
Rejoice, great saint of Syria who gave the Church of Christ many martyrs for the glory of God;
Rejoice, joy of the righteous believers;
Rejoice, ray of sunshine of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness;
Rejoice, illuminator and preacher of the divine word;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 4
Like Abraham, who became a friend of God, so you, holy one, have become holy through your love for all, and like Isaac, you have been likened to sacrifice, obedience, and blessing, through which you have brought glory and thanksgiving to the Holy Trinity, singing ceaselessly with your heart: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Lover of the desert and of Christ’s commandments, you humbly sought the mountains as a refuge for prayer and despised the vanities of this passing world, becoming a vessel of the Holy Spirit. For this, with faith and humility, we say to you:
Rejoice, great lover of Christ;
Rejoice, for you have found peace of soul;
Rejoice, illuminator of good deeds;
Rejoice, our most good counselor;
Rejoice, for you were persistent in prayer and weeping;
Rejoice, gentleness desired by God;
Rejoice, for you urge us toward things above the heavens;
Rejoice, you who fled from worldly troubles;
Rejoice, gatherer of wisdom from those who came before;
Rejoice, bearer of holy joy;
Rejoice, you who rejoice with the angels in heaven and with all the saints;
Rejoice, torch of the desert and light of those whose souls are deserted;
Rejoice, lofty spiritual life that is difficult to attain;
Rejoice, golden pen of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, source of joy for angels and men;
Rejoice, in whom the light of the Holy Trinity shone;
Rejoice, for you followed the spiritual struggles of the fathers of the desert;
Rejoice, ascetic of unceasing prayer and living humility;
Rejoice, gentle light of the desert who shows us the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit shining in boundless love;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 5
You have taught us through your writings, holy one of God, to flee from the sadness inspired by the devil who always wants to throw us into despair because of our sins, telling us that the deceiver’s effort is to convince all people that God does not care for them, but we should never believe his cunning deception, but have all our hope in God’s goodness and love for all His creation, because true repentance is not born of fear but of tasting God’s merciful forgiveness, singing to Him always: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
How wonderful we find in your writings, holy Father Isaac the Syrian, about the mysteries of God, showing that God’s gift is the true bond that can unite us with Him, and not threats and fear of punishment, but understanding God must start not from our smallness but from His greatness. We, the unworthy, rejoice in all your holy teachings and with love we say to you:
Rejoice, for you did not desire exaltation before men;
Rejoice, easy conqueror of the cunning serpent;
Rejoice, for you took Christ as your helper and savior;
Rejoice, good father, for you left us examples to follow;
Rejoice, joy of spiritual people;
Rejoice, for you guide our lives toward salvation;
Rejoice, for your love for God was so great that you prayed even for the fallen angels;
Rejoice, strengthener of prayer;
Rejoice, tireless guide to spiritual things;
Rejoice, healer of despair;
Rejoice, comforter of passions;
Rejoice, intercessor for salvation;
Rejoice, mediator for the oppressed;
Rejoice, destroyer of evil;
Rejoice, corrector of the wrongdoers;
Rejoice, you who strengthened us with prayer;
Rejoice, you who calm the powerful;
Rejoice, you who labored in silence and solitude;
Rejoice, you who taught us to always trust in God’s care;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 6
If we always remember your words, Holy One, in which you told us that God is righteous precisely because he is merciful, we would dare more to run with humility and repentance before the All-Forgiving One to receive forgiveness for our sins and abundant Grace, singing together with you to the merciful God an unceasing: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
It is difficult for people to comprehend the spiritual and profound meanings you have revealed to us about God’s inexpressible love when you said: “Through love He brought the world into existence, through love He guides it in its existence in time, through love He will lead it to that wonderful transformation, and through love the world will be swallowed up in the great mystery of the One who accomplished all these things,” and we, daring, say to you with humility and love:
Rejoice, you who received wisdom from God;
Rejoice, you who gave holy teaching to men;
Rejoice, you who were chosen to bring peace;
Rejoice, you who proclaim Christ;
Rejoice, Holy One, for leaving the episcopal throne and retreating into the wilderness;
Rejoice, for retreating into the wilderness of Mount Mataot;
Rejoice, pearl polished by fasting, prayer, and the study of Holy Scripture in the wilderness of the anchorites;
Rejoice, spiritual eye, beholder of goodness;
Rejoice, height of love, who interceded in prayer even for demons;
Rejoice, star shining from the harshness of the desert;
Rejoice, cedar grown on the mountain of faith;
Rejoice, you who have ascended to spiritual heights;
Rejoice, joy of Christ the Lord;
Rejoice, light of those who pray;
Rejoice, you who have faced the desert with the harshness of fasting;
Rejoice, you who have quenched your thirst with living water;
Rejoice, you who show us the way to God;
Rejoice, deep understanding of spiritual meanings in the mysteries of Scripture;
Rejoice, mind enlightened by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 7
We have learned from your writings that to see unceasingly God’s care for all the works of His hands is true spiritual vision, and that the mind of man will then be overwhelmed with wonder and amazement, throwing us face down in prayer and saying: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
You have spoken, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, when you said, “This shall be a bright sign that your soul has attained clarity when, examining yourself with all your attention, you find that you are full of mercy for all mankind and your heart suffers and burns like a fire with the strength of your mercy for people without making distinctions between them.” You have filled us with holy joy to sing to you thus:
Rejoice, for Christ has lifted your mind from the depths of the earth to the throne of His Being;
Rejoice, for His love has filled you with wonder;
Rejoice, for the time spent in solitude and prayer has brought you understanding of the holy things;
Rejoice, for this understanding was followed by the discovery of God’s immeasurable love for His entire creation;
Rejoice, for you pray unceasingly for the salvation of the whole world;
Rejoice, you for whom hell is God’s greatest teaching;
Rejoice, for you had holy boldness filled with divine love;
Rejoice, for from this boldness and hope in God’s great mercy, you prayed for the salvation of the world’s greatest sinners;
Rejoice, for in your humility you considered yourself the most sinful of all men;
Rejoice, you who attained peace of mind and heart;
Rejoice, you who make us partakers of heavenly grace through your intercession;
Rejoice, lover of the solitary and of lovers of God;
Rejoice, penetrating mind of the divine mysteries;
Rejoice, peace and joy of our souls;
Rejoice, for you bring prayers and intercessions for all;
Rejoice, for you have labored with fasting, vigils, and unceasing prayers;
Rejoice, great Isaac, whose life and name are wonderful;
Rejoice, guide of prayer and perfect tranquility;
Rejoice, you who teach us that mercy brings the soul closer to God;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 8
Due to many hardships and daily, in-depth study of the Holy Scriptures, in his old age Saint Isaac the Syrian lost his physical sight, but his spiritual eyes were opened and enlightened with divine grace, saying to God with gratitude: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
The fruit of humility, right judgment, and obedience was seen in Saint Isaac when he gratefully accepted his brothers’ invitation to take him out of the desert and care for him in their monastery, having him as a spiritual shepherd and teacher among them, listening to him as a father and learning from the example of his holy and God-pleasing life, and we who have been deemed worthy to compose hymns to you say these things:
Rejoice, great holy father who loves Christ;
Rejoice, bearer of great heavenly gifts;
Rejoice, for your pure life is angelic and wonderful;
Rejoice, great lover of God;
Rejoice, for you chose to live an angelic life in the desert;
Rejoice, for you considered the desert a treasure of great value;
Rejoice, for losing your physical sight, you delighted in spiritual sight;
Rejoice, you who delighted in spiritual sight more than physical sight;
Rejoice, humble soul united with God;
Rejoice, heart perfumed with the love of the Savior;
Rejoice, healing spring of spiritual blindness;
Rejoice, for through your faith in Christ you have greatly rejoiced Him;
Rejoice, you who are celebrated in heaven and on earth together with Saint Ephrem the Syrian;
Rejoice, you who rejoice with the saints in the glory of the Lord;
Rejoice, hope of my soul;
Rejoice, Holy One, luminous icon with rays of love and hope in God;
Rejoice, father of divine love and teacher of self-condemnation for complete humility;
Rejoice, for your teachings are food and healing for our souls;
Rejoice, for your prayers are well received by God;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 9
You brought great joy to the whole world with your holy example and your teachings about God and the mysteries of His providence, so that, filled with wonder, we thank God for you and sing to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
We rejoice in the great gift given to you, holy one, in God’s goodness in revealing to you great divine mysteries for the spiritual benefit of those who seek God out of love for God and not out of love or esteem for themselves, those who strive in fasting and prayer for the sake of God and to remain in communion of love with Him, and do not strive to show that they are better than others, for those who have understood your love for God and for all people, we dare to bless you, saying:
Rejoice, great spiritual guide of monks and lay people alike;
Rejoice, lover of harsh asceticism, silence, and spiritual contemplation;
Rejoice, wise father, great spiritual guide of those who seek God with all their hearts;
Rejoice, great ascetic of Christianity and theologian of the true faith given by God;
Rejoice, pure water of the desert;
Rejoice, lover of silence and divine mysteries;
Rejoice, mind full of spiritual thought;
Rejoice, giver of deep joy to hearts thirsting for the love of the Creator;
Rejoice, lamp of true humility lit by the fire of love for God;
Rejoice, ceaseless intercessor before the Holy Trinity for our sins;
Rejoice, lover of the desert where you withdrew to pray for the whole world;
Rejoice, for the multitude of holy teachings you have left us as a legacy;
Rejoice, for you taught us to pray for everyone, even our enemies;
Rejoice, for together with your brother you labored to teach all the brothers the holy faith;
Rejoice, Holy Father, for as bishop of Nineveh you lived like a hermit;
Rejoice, for holy prayer was your most useful nourishment;
Rejoice, for from reading and studying the Holy Scriptures you nourished yourself with mysteries that are not of this world;
Rejoice, you who always pray for the salvation of Orthodox Christians;
Rejoice, you who pray unceasingly for the salvation of the whole world, that all may come to the knowledge of the truth;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 10
Swimming in the sea of this life, we have strong hope, most reverend father, for we know that we will not be overwhelmed by the turbulent waves of danger, having you as our powerful help in prayer and with the voice of joy at the harbor of salvation, we will sing to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
With the rivers of your piety, divine shepherd, you rejoiced like a city in the wilderness, gathering around the example of your life the godly multitude of pious and faithful Christians, who lovingly cry out to you:
Rejoice, servant of the living God;
Rejoice, you who have known the peace of God that surpasses all understanding;
Rejoice, you who love us all with divine love;
Rejoice, you who said: “Lord my God, send comfort to all those who are without fault in all kinds of bitter afflictions”;
Rejoice, holy one of God, who kindles in us sinners the gift of prayer;
Rejoice, for you have taught us to keep God’s commandments as we ought;
Rejoice, pious and great teacher, who has reached the highest degree of love for God;
Rejoice, for receiving spiritual nourishment and divine contemplation, you took the path of the desert to devote yourself to fasting and prayer;
Rejoice, swift helper of those who cry out to you, kneeling before the cross;
Rejoice, holy foundation of Christians, lay people, and monks;
Rejoice, wisdom inspired by God to give to all;
Rejoice, inexhaustible source of divine teachings;
Rejoice, for the precious treasure you have left us through your teachings that love beauty;
Rejoice, for teaching us to clothe ourselves more in the garment of humility;
Rejoice, for all your teachings that are of great use to us on our path to Christ;
Rejoice, you who brought great joy to the holy angels and all the saints with your love for God and your asceticism;
Rejoice, great helper and dear intercessor for those who call upon you for help;
Rejoice, for you said so wonderfully: “The living martyr is he who truly repents”;
Rejoice, you who teach us that this life was given to us for repentance;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 11
Pray, holy one of Christ the Savior, for the whole world, that we may all attain your true repentance, that of the Ninevites, with deep humility, to escape the bitter suffering of those who do not humble themselves, so that, saved by your prayers and those of all the saints, we may sing unceasingly to God with all our love and gratitude: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Receiving the heavenly light, father, leaving behind earthly vanities and troubles, you became an heir of Christ, bearing the fruits of goodness, for this reason intercede with your prayers for the deliverance from passions of those who lovingly sing to you:
Rejoice, you who always longed inwardly for the love and desire of God;
Rejoice, you who withdrew into the desert to flee from all worldly vanities;
Rejoice, joy of my soul and of all those tormented by temptations, thoughts, worries, and storms in this world;
Rejoice, you who said that fasting is the crown of those who restrain themselves;
Rejoice, you who said, “Man, descend with your mind into the chamber of your heart, and then you will have reached heaven”;
Rejoice, spiritual mirror in which we can all see our spiritual weaknesses;
Rejoice, for you mirror to us as it should be the life that is godly;
Rejoice, food of the desert for souls hungry for salvation;
Rejoice, father of love and humble prayer;
Rejoice, you who were enlightened by God with the light of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, lover of Christ and all His creation;
Rejoice, pearl and precious flower of prayer for all;
Rejoice, for you teach us patience in suffering;
Rejoice, for you teach us to desire the salvation of all so that we may escape the thought of condemning our neighbor;
Rejoice, spiritual fragrance of the desert even in the midst of the city;
Rejoice, spiritual support of hermits and those who struggle with solitude even in the midst of the world;
Rejoice, you who are full of love for God and for all that He loves;
Rejoice, rare flower of humility;
Rejoice, you who have attained spiritual perfection through divine love;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 12
Pour out upon us the divine grace of Christ, Lord of Glory, stop the division in the church that is always caused by the scheming of the enemy devil and his deception, dispelling with your prayers all his vain works and disturbances, extinguish the oppression of our enemies and direct our lives so that in unity and deep peace we may all sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing your praises with humility and reverence, we bow down before your holy spiritual struggles, rejoicing in the torments of your desert life that you endured for our Savior Jesus Christ, and thanking you for all your blessings, we say these things:
Rejoice, honorable vessel of the Holy Spirit and of divine revelations;
Rejoice, comforter of the souls of those who truly repent of their sins;
Rejoice, spiritual flower of the Syrian land;
Rejoice, mighty sword of the spirit in a world enslaved by sin;
Rejoice, you who pray for us that we may all come to the true knowledge of God;
Rejoice, great enlightener of minds and hearts thirsting for God’s goodness;
Rejoice, most reverend shining star of Christ’s church, who dispels all the darkness of devilish plots;
Rejoice, you who withdrew from the bishop’s seat to avoid the quarrels of people troubled by disputes over faith;
Rejoice, you who preached the word of Christ’s Gospel with great piety through your words and the example of your humble life;
Rejoice, you who, longing for harsh asceticism, withdrew into the depths of the desert for gentleness and humility;
Rejoice, gentle light guiding those who are lost through your writings and holy life;
Rejoice, mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit to help open the minds of those who desire to understand the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures;
Rejoice, you who, through your teaching, virtues, and life pleasing to God, have become a beautiful example to monks and are a wonderful intercessor in prayer for all;
Rejoice, Holy One of God, who is counted among the firstborn enrolled in heaven in the Kingdom of Heaven;
Rejoice, for you teach us how to reach the company of the saints through the joy of love and humility;
Rejoice, for through your earthly and spiritual life you have shown us the image of true repentance;
Rejoice, for from your youth you have dedicated your life to God, and now in the everlasting life you dwell with all the wonderful saints of Christ;
Rejoice, holy gentleness, who came to see all people through the merciful eyes of Christ;
Rejoice, our dear and wonderful spiritual father;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 13
O Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, wonderful in wisdom and beautified in every way by your life, help us also to make a good start in repentance and to endure with faith all the trials of this life, and through God’s mercy, may we reach the harbor of impassivity and divine love, following the model of your holy life in this world in which we also find ourselves. But being full of all kinds of passions and weaknesses, we do not despair of the mercy and help of our Savior Jesus Christ, and through your intercession and that of all his saints, accept this collection of songs that we have brought in honor of you and your godly struggles. Be always in prayer, our intercessor and that of the whole world for the merciful salvation of all in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, that together with you and all the saints who have pleased God from ages past, we may sing with holy gratitude in the kingdom of love and of the Most Holy Trinity an unceasing Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
This Kontakion is repeated 3 times.
Ikos 1
Human by nature, angelic in your conduct, you were seen, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, and therefore, marveling at your life pleasing to God, we say to you:
Rejoice, Father, that Christ has revealed you to us;
Rejoice, you who entered the monastery of the Great Matthew as a young man together with your brother;
Rejoice, for you show us the way to our hearts;
Rejoice, discoverer of divine mysteries;
Rejoice, you who teach us to accept with humility and patience the bitter medicine of temptations;
Rejoice, for you are our example of holy asceticism;
Rejoice, guide of Christians toward repentance;
Rejoice, you who teach us that no one has ascended to heaven without the cross;
Rejoice, inexhaustible fountain of tears and holy joy;
Rejoice, outpouring of amazing miracles;
Rejoice, for you nourish us with your prayers;
Rejoice, for from early childhood you chose the good deed;
Rejoice, Saint Isaac, chosen by Christ to be the guide of monks;
Rejoice, high humility, for you fled the honor of abbotship and let your brother receive this honor before the brothers of the monastery;
Rejoice, great intercessor for all mankind and for all creation;
Rejoice, for in our trials and tribulations you intercede for us before the Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, for you have chosen good deeds and diligence as your companions;
Rejoice, O Most Reverend One, spiritual trumpet that proclaims divine love to all creation;
Rejoice, for you have shown us the word of the true faith;
Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Kontakion 1
From your youth, you loved our Savior Jesus Christ, Holy One of God. Seeking only Him with fervor to follow Him in fasting and prayer always, struggling in the desert with a heart full of humility and acquiring the love of God, you showed yourself to be a chosen vessel of theology about the mercy of the Creator and toward all His creation. For this we pray to you, intercede for us, Holy Father, with your prayers pleasing to God, that we may sing to you: Rejoice, Holy Father Isaac the Syrian, great intercessor for the whole world!
Prayer of Saint Isaac the Syrian
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Who searches Your creation, To Whom my passions and the weakness of our human nature and the strength of our enemy are revealed, You Yourself cover me from his wickedness, for his power is strong, and our nature is passionate and our strength is weak. But You, O Good One, Who know our weakness, Who bear the burden of our weakness, protect me from the turmoil of my thoughts and the flood of my passions, and make me worthy of this holy service of Yours, lest, in my defiled desires, I lose its sweetness and find myself without shame and without fear before You. But, Lord, my sweet Jesus, have mercy on me and save me.
Prayer of repentance by Saint Isaac the Syrian
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Who wept for Lazarus and shed tears of sorrow and mercy for him, accept my tears. With Your passions, heal my passions. With Your wounds, heal my wounds. With Your blood, cleanse my blood and mix in my body the fragrance of Your life-giving body.
The gall with which Your enemies fed You, sweeten the bitterness with which my adversary has fed me. Your body stretched out on the Cross, stretch out to You my mind, which is pulled down by the devils. May Your head, which You bowed on the Cross, lift up my head, which has been struck by my adversaries. May Your most holy hands, nailed to the Cross by the lawless, draw me to You from the abyss of perdition, as Your most holy mouth has promised. Your face, mocked with slaps and spittle, fill with radiance my face, defiled by iniquity. Your Spirit, which You entrusted to the Father when You were on the Cross, guide me to You, through Your grace. I do not have a heart full of sorrow to seek You. I have no repentance or humility, which return sons to their inheritance.
I have no comforting tears, Master. My mind has been darkened by worldly things and cannot seek You with sorrow. My heart has grown cold from so many temptations and cannot be warmed by tears of love for You. But You, Lord Jesus Christ, God, Treasurer of goodness, grant me unblemished repentance and a sorrowful heart, that I may set out with all my soul in search of You, for without You I will be estranged from all good. Therefore, give me, O Good One, Your grace. May the Father, Who begot You from His bosom without years and before all ages, renew in me the image of Your icon. I have forsaken You, Lord, do not forsake me. I have strayed from You, come out in search of me. Take me to Your spiritual pasture. Count me among the sheep of Your chosen flock. Feed me together with them from the greenery of Your divine Mysteries, for their pure hearts are Your dwelling place, and the radiance of Your revelations is seen in them. Your radiance is the comfort and rest of those who have labored for You in tribulations and all kinds of torments. Grant this radiance to me, the unworthy, through the grace and love for mankind of our Savior Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.
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