For all Akathists published on our site, click here. This Akathist was translated by Maxim, who kindly asks all Orthodox Christians to keep him in their prayers for his repentance. See bottom for original source. Explore more prayer: Akathists for Spiritual Struggles, Akathists to Christ and the Holy Trinity
Compiled with great effort by Hieromonk Ghelasie Gheorghe and Brother Vasile Dragoş Pâslaru (now known as Valerian the Monk, ed.), Holy Monastery of Frăsinei, 2001.
Troparion:
Lord Jesus Christ, You who created the world with Your love, sealing within us the life without death, which we have corrupted; but through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and the Saints, we hope in Your mercy that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion 1
Woeful and bitter is the weeping of Cain, who killed his brother, and the accursed sin that seeks to make us murderers as well: O Lord God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Ikos 1
Why should I hate my brother (sister), why should I bear him (her) enmity, even if he (she) stands against me? It is the curse of Cain’s murder; it lies in wait to swallow us up as well.
Lord, deliver me from the terrible sin of murder;
Lord, let the curse of Cain terrify me;
Lord, let me hear the wailing of death;
Lord, let me stop and forgive my brother;
Lord, even if he has wronged me, let me forgive him;
Lord, if I have wronged him, let him forgive me;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too be like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 2
Sin has broken the “good nature” created by You, Lord, and so within us there is always the war of death, and with this we struggle from birth, in the song of Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Lord, anger toward my brother is a terrible poison, and the resentment boiling within me, in both body and soul, is a deadly venom:
Lord, help me to escape the war of anger;
Lord, quench the fire of my anger;
Lord, let me see my own fault first;
Lord, let me see my own weakness;
Lord, give me the strength to take everything upon myself;
Lord, lift me up again to the image of Heaven;
Lord, my God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 3
A devilish mist seeks to darken my mind, to take away my good will, and as if caught in the web of an unseen spider with the poison of enmity, I let myself be bitten, forgetting: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Lord, you created the world in the image of peace and immortal life, but the fallen angels and man have added the image of murder:
Lord, restore to me the divine spirit of peace;
Lord, let me not lose the light of life;
Lord, lift me up from the abyss of death;
Lord, let me tremble at the fear of murder;
Lord, let this be my correction;
Lord, deliver me from the madness that has overtaken me;
Lord, my God, save me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 4
Cain was possessed by the devil when he conceived and carried out the murder of his brother Abel, and he went mad, for day and night the wretched sin tormented him, devoid of: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
O, terrible madness of enmity, anger, resentment, and vengeance against my brother (sister), for it leads to murder that destroys the image of life:
Lord, let the madness of murder terrify me;
Lord, deliver me from this demonic madness;
Lord, help me to quell my anger;
Lord, cool the fire of malice within me;
Lord, I want to drive all enmity from myself;
Lord, I try to promise to fulfill these things;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too be like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 5
Lord Jesus, who forgave all those who crucified You, help me too to forgive my brother, so that I may sing once more: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Most Holy Spirit, who burns away and purifies all the wickedness of creatures, have mercy on me too, that I may not remain in the corruption that haunts me:
Lord Jesus, with your help I will overcome;
Lord Jesus, I am ashamed of my weakness;
Lord Jesus, yet I do not give up on it;
Most Holy Spirit, have mercy on me;
Most Holy Spirit, I no longer wish to mock you;
Most Holy Spirit, bring me to the haven of life;
Lord, my God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 6
Father God, absolute love, how can I still call myself Your created son, if I lose the very image of love? I return to You, Father, like the prodigal son, in the song of: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Lord, if I did not have “wickedness” within me, neither my brother nor I would have become enemies, but I am truly the terrible beginning of evil:
Lord, I weep over the wickedness within me;
Lord, I ask forgiveness for my sin;
Lord, I acknowledge that I am the cause of the enmity;
Lord, I acknowledge the cunning within me;
Lord, I know that I must take the first step toward forgiveness;
Lord, I know that reconciliation must begin with me;
Lord, my God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 7
The angels who fell from heaven could not destroy and kill the world until they “sowed sin” in the man Adam, and behold, Lord, the dreadful death and killing through man has come to pass, without the song of: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
Lord Jesus, through Your incarnation on earth You conquered death and forgave Adam, and we, all people, through Your image can conquer the sting of murder and death:
Lord, I acknowledge that I am overcome by murder;
Lord, I acknowledge that I am a bringer of death;
Lord, the sin of Cain seeks to take root in me;
Lord, do not let me fall into the terrible abyss;
Lord, I do not want to become a dwelling place for demons;
Lord, I want to stop every devilish delusion;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 8
I must first offer “forgiveness”; I must first transform the enmity within me back into love; within myself I must regain the image of immortal life, in the song of: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Even if my brother apparently remains in his anger, I must all the more cast out all enmity from myself and accept his rebuke as a worthy punishment:
Lord, enlighten my mind;
Lord, awaken my mind to understanding;
Lord, I acknowledge the wickedness within me;
Lord, I want to ask forgiveness of everyone;
Lord, may I be the least;
Lord, may I consider myself the lowest;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too be like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 9
Where are you, “justice” of death and killing? Where are you, “justice” that can permit the destruction of life and peace? Where are you, “justice” born of sin, without the song of: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
Only the one sinless God can “judge,” but His judgment is love, and His justice is mercy and forgiveness:
Lord, I know I have no righteousness;
Lord, I know my wickedness has no foundation;
Lord, I acknowledge my deceit;
Lord, my anger is self-love;
Lord, my wrath is the desire for domination;
Lord, my vengeance is my shame;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 10
No matter how much harm my brother may do to me, I must not respond with evil, but “stop” his killing with the offering of my forgiveness, in the song of: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Love and forgiveness transcend all “justice,” and thus evil is “stopped,” the madness of killing is dispelled, and the mysterious light gives life:
Lord, what happiness it is to escape from evil;
Lord, what joy forgiveness brings;
Lord, it is a true new birth;
Lord, it is a true holy bath;
Lord, it is a cleansing by the divine Spirit;
Lord, it is a resurrection after the crucifixion of death;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too be like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 11
The terrible storm of anger, wrath, and malice against my brother first arises within me, and flashes of lightning and thunderclaps of fury shatter my mind and heart, which can no longer sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Lord Jesus and Most Holy Spirit, do not be disgusted by my weakness, for here I am, I who have fallen, rising with resolute determination to “bow in forgiveness” to my brother and to “willingly accept” his rebuke:
Lord, what a terrible storm is the rage of anger;
Lord, what earth-shattering thunderbolts are enmities;
Lord, I want to stop all wickedness;
Lord, I promise to rise from my fall;
Lord, I no longer want to mock the image of love;
Lord, help me with Your strength;
Lord, my God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 12
I turn the fury of anger and strife into a fury against my own wickedness, and so, with reverence, I bow down to forgiveness, crying out with all my might within myself: Lord, I do not want to be my brother’s murderer, but to sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
All the saints in heaven and on earth, I beg you from the depths of my being, help me to emerge from the darkness of the sin of death. My holy guardian angel, my holy patron, do not leave me to the mercy of bitter destruction:
Lord, we run to the protection of Your Mother;
Lord, we run to the intercession of Your saints;
Lord, do not be disgusted by our weaknesses;
Lord, bear with us and do not punish us;
Lord, despite our sin, we still strive for repentance;
Lord, we believe in Your mercy above all else;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 13
O Most Holy Trinity, God of immortal life, Father of boundless Love, Son, Love that surpasses all “justice,” and Most Holy Spirit, Mercy that never fails, grant us the divine blessing of forgiveness and reconciliation, that, having emerged from the abyss of death, we may sing: Alleluia! (This Kontakion is repeated 3 times)
Ikos 1
Why should I hate my brother (sister), why should I bear him (her) enmity, even if he (she) stands against me? It is the curse of Cain’s murder; it lies in wait to swallow us up as well.
Lord, deliver me from the terrible sin of murder;
Lord, let the curse of Cain terrify me;
Lord, let me hear the wailing of death;
Lord, let me stop and forgive my brother;
Lord, even if he has wronged me, let me forgive him;
Lord, if I have wronged him, let him forgive me;
Lord, God, deliver me, lest I too be like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Kontakion 1
Woeful and bitter is the weeping of Cain, who killed his brother, and the accursed sin that seeks to make us murderers as well: O Lord God, deliver me, lest I too become like Cain, a murderer of my brother!
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen.
