Cannon of Preparation for Communion
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
O God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.
Having created me, O Lord, have mercy on me.
Countless times I have sinned, O Lord, forgive me.
My Queen, most holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner,
Holy Guardian Angel, protect me from all evil.
Holy Father, Raphael, pray to God for me.
Glory to you, our God, glory to you.
O heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth, everywhere present and filling all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and abide in us and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O good one.
(From Easter to Pentecost, say rather “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” 3x)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3x)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O, Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your Name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (3x)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, in heaven, holy be your Name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us this day the bread of Life; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, are yours: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy. (12x)
O come, let us fall down and worship God our King;
O come, let us fall down and worship Christ our King and our God, O come, let us fall down and worship Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, in your kindness; in your great tenderness, wipe out my sin. Over and over again, cleanse me of all malice; from my fault purify me.
For my sin is only too clear to me; my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your eyes, this I have done. You are just when you sentence, without reproach when you judge. For in guilt itself was I born; a sinner my mother conceived. But you love truth at the heart of my being; teach me wisdom deep within me.
Purify me: I shall be cleaner than spring water; wash me: I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear the sound of joy and feasting; let them dance, these bones you have crushed. Turn your face away from my sins; cleanse me of all malice.
O God, create in me a pure heart, in my belly, a new and constant spirit. Do not banish me from your presence; do not deprive me of your holy spirit. Give me back the joy of your help; insure within me a spirit of fervor, that I may teach sinners your ways, that the misguided may return to you. Rescue me from death, O God, my saving God, and my tongue shall ring out your justice! Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. For you take no delight in sacrifice; were I to make a burnt offering, you would want no part of it. The best sacrifice, a broken spirit; a heart broken and crushed you have never disdained, O God.
In your kindness, be good to Sion: Rebuild Jerusalem within its walls! Then you will delight in just sacrifices — burnt offerings completely consumed! — then will they lay calves upon your altar!
Song 1.
Come, O you people, let us sing a song to Christ our God, Who divided the sea, and made a way for the nation which He had brought up out of the bondage of Egypt; for He is glorious.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
May your holy Body be for me the bread of eternal life, O gracious Lord, and may your precious Blood be a remedy for my many forms of sickness.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Defiled by misguided deeds, wretched as I am, I am unworthy, O Christ, to partake of your immaculate Body and divine Blood, but make me worthy of them.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
O blessed Bride of God, O good land which produced the unploughed Corn which saves the world, grant that I may be saved by eating it.
Song 3.
By establishing me on the rock of faith, you have given me power over my enemies, and my spirit rejoices when I sing: There is none holy as our God, and none good but you, O Lord.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Grant me, O Christ, teardrops to cleanse the dross from my heart, that, purified and with a good conscience, I may come with fear and faith, O Lord, to the communion your divine gifts.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
May your immaculate Body and divine Blood be for the forgiveness of my transgressions, for communion with the Holy Spirit and for Eternal Life, O Lover of All, and for estrangement from passions and sorrows.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
O all-holy Lady, Altar of the Bread of Life, which for mercy’s sake came down from on high and gave new life to the world, make even me, who am unworthy, worthy now with fear to eat it and live.
Song 4.
From a Virgin you were born to us, not as an Ambassador, nor as an Angel, but the very Lord Himself incarnate, and saved me, the whole man. Therefore I cry to you: Glory to your power, O Lord!
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
O most merciful One, Who became incarnate for us, your will was to be slain as a Sheep for the sins of men; therefore I implore you to blot out my offenses.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Heal the wounds of my soul, O Lord, and wholly sanctify me, and make me worthy, O Lord, to partake of your divine mystical Supper, wretched as I am.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Intercede for me also, O Lady, with Him Who came from your womb, and keep me, your slave, pure and blameless that I may be sanctified by obtaining the spiritual pearl.
Song 5.
Giver of light and Sovereign Creator of the worlds, guide us in the light of your commandments, for we know no God than you.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
As you foretold, O Christ, let it be to your wicked servant. Abide in me as you promised; for, I am eating your divine Body and drinking your Blood.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
O Word of God, and God, may the live coal of your Body be for the enlightenment of me who am darkened, and may your Blood be the cleansing of my sinful soul.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
O Mary, Theotokos, holy tabernacle of the scent of Heaven, through your prayers make me a chosen vessel, that I may partake of the Mystery of your Son.
Song 6.
Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Thy compassion: Raise me up from corruption, O God.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
O Saviour, sanctify my mind, soul, heart and body, and grant me uncondemned, O Lord, to approach the fearful Mysteries.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Grant estrangement from passions, and the assistance of your grace, and assurance of life by the communion of your Holy Mysteries, O Christ.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
O Holy Word of God and God, sanctify the whole of me as I now approach your divine Mysteries, by the prayers of your Holy Mother.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice).
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Kontakion
Disdain me not to receive now, O Christ, the Bread which is your Body and the Cup of your divine Blood, and to partake, O Lord, of your most pure and dread Mysteries, wretched as I am, and may it not be to me for judgment, but for eternal and immortal life.
Song 7.
The wise children did not adore the golden idol, but went themselves into the flame and defied the pagan gods. They prayed in the midst of the flame, and an Angel bedewed them: The prayer of your lips has been heard.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
May the communion of your immortal Mysteries, the source of all goodness, O Christ, be to me light and life and dispassion and the means of progress and proficiency in divine virtue, O only Good One, that I may glorify you.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
That I may be redeemed from passions, enemies, wants, and every sorrow, I now draw near with trembling, love and reverence, O Lover of All, to your immortal and divine Mysteries, singing: Blessed art you, O God of our fathers and mothers.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Hail, full of Divine Grace and birth-giver of Christ our saviour. I am your servant, and I beg you, unclean as I am, O pure one: Cleanse me from all defilement of body and spirit for I pray to approach the immaculate Mysteries,
Song 8.
Sing of the acts of God Who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children, and changed the flame into dew, and exalt Him as Lord throughout all ages.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Grant me, who am desperate, to be a participant now of your heavenly, dread and holy Mysteries, O Christ, and of your divine Mystical Supper, O my Saviour and God.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
I fly for refuge to your compassion, O Good One, and I cry to you with fear: Abide in me, O Saviour, and I in you as you have promised; for lo, trusting in your mercy, I eat your Body and drink your Blood.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
I tremble, taking fire, lest I should burn as wax and hay. O dread Mystery! O Divine Compassion! How can I who am clay partake of the divine Body and Blood and become incorruptible!
Song 9.
The Son of the Eternal Father, God and Lord, has appeared to us incarnate of a Virgin, to enlighten those in darkness, and to gather the dispersed; therefore the all-hymned Mother of God we magnify.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
The Lord is good. O taste and see! For of old He became like us for us, and once offered Himself as a sacrifice to His Father and is perpetually slain, sanctifying communicants.
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
May I be sanctified in body and soul, O Lord; may I be enlightened and saved; may I become by the communion of the Holy Mysteries your dwelling, having you with the Father and the Spirit living within me, O most merciful Benefactor.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
May your most precious Body and Blood, my Saviour, be to me as fire and light, consuming the fuel of sin and burning the thorns of my passions, enlightening the whole of me to adore your Divinity.
Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
God took flesh of your pure blood. Therefore, all generations sing to you, O Lady, and throngs of heavenly minds glorify you. For through you we have clearly seen Him Who is Lord of all united essentially with mankind.
And in the morning the special psalms and prayers to be read before Holy Communion.
Glory to you, O Jesus Christ, Our God and Our Hope, Glory to you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Theotokos Save us!
More honourable than the Cherumbim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you.
Lord, have mercy. (3x)
Lord, bless!
O Jesus Christ, Our God, through the prayers of our holy fathers and mothers have mercy upon us. Amen.