First Friday of Lent

THE CANON

Canon
CANTICLE FIVE:

                TONE 2


Seeing the sinfulness that is in me,
the deceitful enemy urges me on to sin and works with me:
for he truly rejoices over my perdition.
But I entreat You, Savior,
grant me amendment of life that I may destroy him!

By Your Cross You have triumphed over the powers of darkness.
Deliver me from their wickedness,
for I am fallen into a depth of sin and a pit of iniquity;
but by Your mercy, I hope to be saved.

You hung dead upon the Cross:
restore life to my soul, deadened through sin, O Christ,
count me worthy to attain Your holy Resurrection tn peace,
obediently fulfilling Your commandments.

Pure Maiden, you are a light to me in my infirmity
and the salvation of my darkened soul;
save me, O save me, for I perish!
Clothe me, corrupted by my grievous sins,
in a garment of incorruption!

CANTICLE EIGHT:


In Your compassion You humbled Yourself, and were lifted on the Cross,
Raising up with Yourself
the one who had fallen of old through eating from the tree.
Therefore You are glorified, Lord, alone greatest in love,
and we sing Your praises for ever!

I have fallen into the heavy sleep of sin through heedlessness,
but, my Christ, Who for my sake fell asleep on the Cross,
awaken me, that the night of death not come on me.

Blinded by sensual pleasures,
I bear within me a darkened soul,
and the crafty enemy laughs when he sees me.
But give me light, O Christ, and deliver me forever from his malice.

I have wasted my life in carelessness,
and my soul is heavy with the drowsiness of sin.
I fly to your unsleeping intercession, all-pure Virgin:
do not let me slumber in the sleep of death!

CANTICLE NINE:


Hateful thoughts have covered my soul with leprosy:
cleanse it, Word of God, with the sprinkling of Your blood.
Christ, for my sake You have suffered shameful Crucifixion:
make me a partaker in Your glory.

I am bowed down to the earth, O Christ,
by the burden of my sinful deeds,
and in dark discouragement I cry to You, Lover of mankind:
By Your precious blood heal the incurable wounds of my soul
that I may sing the praises of Your Divinity.

I have made iniquity my food and heedlessness my drink,
and I continue without any change.
I take pleasure in abstaining from food to no purpose,
for such is not the fast the Lord has chosen.


You have destroyed the sentence of condemnation
passed upon mankind of old;
You are the restoration of our first Mother Eve,
the cause of our reconciliation to God, our bridge to the Creator!
We magnify you, Theotokos!

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos,
ever blessed and most pure and the Mother of our God!
More honorable than the Cherubim,
And more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim!
Without corruption you gave birth to God the Word:
True Theotokos, we magnify you!