From the Grand Euchologion of the

Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church

Translation: Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin

The canon to call a sinner to repentance.

Psalm 41(42)

As a heart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me continually, "Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went to the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

6 My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of thy cataracts; all thy waves and thy billows have gone over me.

8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love; and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my rock: "Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"

10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?"

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Psalm 56 (57)

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in thee my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of thy wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

2 I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfils his purpose for me.

3 He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample upon me. God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 I lie in the midst of lions that greedily devour the sons of men; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen in to it themselves.

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!

8 Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!

9 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to thee among the nations.

10 For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 76 (77)

I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints.

4 Thou dost hold my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I consider the days of old, I remember the years long ago.

6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:

7 "Will the Lord spurn for ever, and never again be favourable?

8 Has his steadfast love for ever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"

10 And I say, "It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed."

11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; yea, I will remember thy wonders of old.

12 I will meditate on all thy work, and muse on thy mighty deeds.

13 Thy way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?

14 Thou art the God who workest wonders, who has manifested thy might among the peoples.

15 Thou didst with thy arm redeem thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

16 When the waters saw thee, O God, when the waters saw thee, they were afraid, yea, the deep trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; thy arrows flashed on every side.

18 The crash of thy thunder was in the whirlwind; thy lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.

19 Thy way was through the sea, thy path through the great waters; yet thy footprints were unseen.

20 Thou didst lead thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

I give thee thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing thy praise;

2 I bow down toward thy holy temple and give thanks to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness; for thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word.

3 On the day I called, thou didst answer me, my strength of soul thou didst increase.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, for they have heard the words of thy mouth;

5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 For thou the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou dost preserve my life; thou dost stretch out thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and thy right hand delivers me.

8 The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me; thy steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of thy hands.

Psalm 122 (123)

To thee I lift up my eyes, O thou who art enthroned in the heavens!

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he have mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.

4 Too long our soul has been sated with scorn of those who are at ease, the contempt of the proud.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger, nor chasten me in thy wrath!

2 For thy arrows have sunk into me, and thy hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thy indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.

5 My wounds grow foul and fester because of my foolishness,

6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning.

7 For my loins are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.

8 I am utterly spent and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 Lord, all my longing is known to thee, my sighing is not hidden from thee.

10 My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes-it also has gone

from me.

11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my kinsmen stand

afar off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares, those who seak my hurt speak of ruin, and meditate treachery all the day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, like a dumb man who does not open his mouth.

14 Yea, I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for thee, O Lord, do I wait; it is thou, O Lord my God, who wilt answer.

16 For I pray, "Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!"

17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.

18 I confess my iniquity, I am sorry for my sin.

19 Those who are my foes without cause are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

20 Those who render me evil for good are my adversaries because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me!

22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!"

2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem, built as a city which is bound firmly together,

4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones for the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they prosper who love you!

7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers!"

8 For my bretheren and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!"

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

Let us ask in faith and in one accord of the Lord, that it may please Him to bestow upon us the grace of His mercy. Almighty Lord our God save us and have mercy.

O beneficent God and bestower of mercy, receive the repentance of your sinful servants, who are directed toward your heavenly calling, through the enticement of thy undeceiving Word: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

And now through our supplications and the lifting up of our hands, O Lord, listen to our entreaty and receive the confession of our hearts. Cleanse our minds and our senses so that we may worship thee in holiness and in righteousness all the days of our lives.

With the flowing of tears, grant contrition unto repentance, so that we may thereby become a temple of thy Holy Spirit, O thou that art a willing participant and helper to thy saints during the time of their seclusion. O eternal High Priest, thou hast come to seek the estranged Adam, and to save the sick man from the poisonous dragon by thy two precious coins which thou gavest to the innkeeper, through which thou hast made payment until thy Second Coming, when thou wilt give to those who are seeking from thee the renewal of their life, whereby is glorified the all Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and unto the ages of ages, amen.

God all merciful, compassionate, and long suffering, sweet and forebearing who takes pity upon the evil deeds of man, and thou who condescendest to the supplications of thine servants who, calling upon thee, seek from thee expiation and forgiveness from their sins; release them from the guilt of their sins because apart from thou there is no god, and only thou art capable to remit sins, and to thee is befitting glory, dominion and honour, now and always and unto the ages of the ages, amen.

Alleluia, Alleluia. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,

17 "learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 "'Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20 "but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

21 "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My

statutes, and does what is lawful and

right, he shall surely live; he shall

not die.

22 "None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.

23 "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord God, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

The reading is from the epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians (6:10-23).

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

21 But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you;

22 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.

23 Peace to the bretheren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Amen.

Psalm 32:1 (to be chanted)

Alleluia, Alleluia Blessed is he who's sins were disolved and all his iniquities were covered.

"A certain man had two sons.

12 "And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 "But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."’

20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 "And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 "But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

24 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

27 "And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

29 "So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgresses your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

31 "And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32 'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’"

The Deacon shall intone the following bidding:

Let us, who in repentance have come for confession, in faith lay up in our hearts hope in the only-begotten Son of God, seeking from him remission and forgiveness of our sins. For he alone is the provident and eternal God, who came by the will of the Father to save all creatures, and declared himself to be expiator of sins, the hope of penitents, granting rest to them that labour, receiving them that are heavy-laden and weary with sins that they may repent and be forgiven. Therefore come, and let all of us, with humility and broken hearts, fall down and lament before the Lord our Creator, that he might lift from us the wrathful punishment of our transgressions through his loving-kindness. Almighty Lord our God, save and have mercy.

Pay heed, you men and women, who spiritually sowed to the four corners of your hearts, seed which bore for you fruits unworthy of the heavenly crown. Because with weeping and moaning, you have burdened yourselves with the yoke of penance. Now, behold this doctrine, that has been born unto you again today through

the illuminating font of repentance, through which the lanterns of your souls have been wonderfully brightened to illuminate your journey of repentance by fasting, prayer and seclusion, cleansing yourselves from sin and from slanderous deceit.

Therefore, Christ the Son of God has had compassion upon your seclusion, and has absolved your numerous transgressions, and has rejoiced over you as over the lost sheep that he bore, upon his shoulders, to the heavenly sheep-fold, having left behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness.

Therefore, according to the same example he has numbered you among the the Saints in the ranks of the illuminated righteous ones. And having clothed you with the fiery garb, and adorned you with heavenly feathers, he made you a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit resembling a radiant dove, and an heir to the radiant glory of the incorruptable crown of the heavenly kingdom, causing you to fly among the luminous clouds on the wings of the Holy Spirit, to behold the fiery scene of the light of the glorious day of his awesome Coming; where, in his name, together with the saints and his beloved ones, we may also be made worthy to hear those words of sweet news: "Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"; so that together with them, in thanksgiving, we may glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages, amen.

O Lord God, our Saviour, you who called King David to repentance from each of his transgressions by the hand of the prophet Nathan and granted him forgiveness, who received the supplications and the repentance of Mannaseh, who paid heed to the voice of the Prodigal Son, who had pity on Peter while he was excluded, who disregarded the guilt of the Publican, who wiped away the sins of the Harlot , who opened the door of heaven to the Theif on account of his true confession; out of sorrow, thou hast placed the lost sheep that thou hast found upon thy life-giving shoulders, and hast restored it to the safety of thy fold.

And now, O Lord, we beseech thee to receive the repentance of this thy penitent servant (name); so that according to thy love for mankind, disregarding what thou hast seen, forgive his transgressions commited willingly and unwillingly, just as thou hast commanded us to forgive men their trespasses seventy times seven. Thou art beneficent and man-loving, O God, on account of thy great magnitude and thy boundless mercy, and unto thee is befitting glory, dominion and honour, now and always and unto the ages of ages, amen.

Do you renounce Satan and his every deceit, his ministers, his ways, and his evil demons?

I renounce Satan, and his world of vain deceit.

Do you believe in the All-Holy Trinity, in the Father and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, in the catholic church, in baptism and in the forgiveness of sins?

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of God the Father, only-begotten, that is of the substance of the Father.

God from God, Light from Light, very God from very God, begotten and not made; of the selfsame nature of the Father, by whom all things came into being in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible;

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, was incarnate, was made man, was born perfectly of the holy virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit:

By whom he took body, soul and mind and everything that is in man, truly and not in semblance.

He suffered and was crucified and was buried and rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven with the same body and sat at the right hand of the Father.

He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father to judge the quick and the dead; of whose kingdom there is no end.

We believe also in the Holy Spirit, the uncreate and the perfect; who spoke in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Gospels;

Who came down upon the Jordan, preached in the apostles and dwelt in the saints.

We believe also in only one catholic and apostolic [holy] Church;

In one baptism with repentance for the remission and forgiveness of sins;

In the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgment of souls and bodies, in the kingdom of heaven and in the life eternal.

Lord thou wast favourable to thy land; thou didst restore the fortunes of Jacob.

2 Thou didst forgive the iniquity of thy people; thou didst pardon all their sin.

3 Thou didst withdraw all thy wrath; thou didst turn from thy hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away thy indignation toward us!

5 Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou prolong thy anger to all generations?

6 Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Show us thy steadfast love O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to His people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

11 Fathfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

12 Yea, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way.

Incline thy ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save thy servant who trusts in thee. Thou art my God;

3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to thee do I cry all the day.

4 Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication.

7 In the day of my trouble I call on thee, for thou dost answer me.

8 There is none like thee among the gods, O lord, nor are there any works like thine.

9 All the nations thou hast made shall come and bow down before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name.

10 For thou art great and doest wondrous things, thou alone art God.

11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name.

12 I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever.

13 For great is thy steadfast love toward me;thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of She’ol.

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life, and they do not see thee before

them.

15 But thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and take pity on me; give thy strength to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.

17 Show me a sign of thy favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because thou, LORD, hast helped me and comforted me.

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.

2 Because he has inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on himas long as I live.

3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of She’ol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD; "O LORD, I beseech thee, save my life!"

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.

6 The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return, O my soul to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;

9 I walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

3 Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

4 Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.

6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can man do to me?

7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD then to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD then to put confidence in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

12 They surrounded me like bees, they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

15 Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous; "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD is exalted, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"

17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.

18 The LORD has chastened me sorely, but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD we beseech thee, give us success!

26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

28 Thou art my God, and I will give thanks to thee; thou art my God, I will extoll thee.

29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Open unto me the gates with righteousness.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;

2 he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;

3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Joel (2:12-16).

Yet even now," says the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

13 and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.

14 Who knows wether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly;

16 gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.

Return, O faithless children, says the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion

15"’And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The Reading is from the Prophet Isaiah (55:6-13).

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near;

7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 "For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their

hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off."

St. Peter (2:1-10).

So put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander.

2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation;

3 for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

4 Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious;

5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."

7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,"

8 and "A stone that will make them stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

10 Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.

Aleluia, aleluia. I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue."

Priest: Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmered, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

3 So he told them this parable:

4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’

7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’

10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Bless and glorify Almighty God, who has attired you with the clothing of salvation and the garment of happiness, and like a groom, he placed a crown on you, and like a bride, he adorned you with adoration; he placed the helmet of salvation upon your heads, and gave you an indestructible weapon against the deceiver; for which we all glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages, amen.

And then as is done with the newly chrismated, have them bow before the holy Altar and the Holy Cross saying:

(name), coming from the baptism of repentance, now offers prostration to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

O God, exalted, praised and glorious, awesome, formidable, ineffable, unapproachable by all thy creatures, who art above the heavens and unseen by the seraphim; thou makest poor and thou magnifiest, thou beatest and thou healest, thou art the diverter of danger and the life-giver of those who believe in thee. Accordingly, O Lord, receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer thee with great groaning, imploring thee not to chastize us in wrath nor to scold us in anger, as thou would otherwise deem necessary due to the filth of our bodies and souls full of unlawful evil works; as we come before thy holy name and before thy holy altar.

Heavenly Father, thou art holy, thy Only-Begotten Son is forgiving of sinners and thy Holy Spirit is truthful, coming to the world, sayest by thy all-holy mouth, that "if a sinner turns to me, I will not remember his evil before me ."

Now, therefore O Lord, do not remember their evil deeds nor their lawlessness either committed willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly, nor the sins they have forgotten. Now, O Lord, just as thou, according to thy mercy, left the ninety-nine in the wilderness, setting off to return the lost one, look [also] upon the supplication of these, thy servants, and account their repentance as a work of righteousness. Open their eyes and their ears, also our own and those of all [people], because we have known thee as the true God, unto whom is befitting the power and the glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages, amen.

O beneficent and merciful God, have mercy upon these thy servants who take refuge in thee, and establish them under thine all-powerful and holy right hand, and give [them] wisdom to walk in thy way in holiness, together with thy saints and thy righteous ones; do not allow Satan to inhibit their will or render them lethargic, under deceitful pretence of good deeds.

But, in benevolence, keep them from all the machinations of the deceiver, leading them toward the desire to fast and to pray.

I implore thee, O Lord, give them at all times the refuge of fatherly advice, of spiritual direction, and of success in all godly works. In whatsoever they may be found sinful, whether in thought or in will, grant forgiveness according to thy benevolance. I beg of thee O beneficent Lord, grant unto them repentance, and account them righteous. For they have turned to thee, the king, according to thy undeceiving Word, through which thou hast said, "Turn to me and I will turn to you."

And like the obligation that thou gave to us that "If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Also telling thy disciples, with the threat of punishment, that "unless you forgive the sin of thy friend in thine heart, nor will thy Father forgive thee , thy sins."

And now, O beneficent Lord, I, thy unworthy servant, having been accounted worthy by thy grace, and according to thy command and invoking thy abundant and benevolant mercy, forgive their sins and bless them according to thy Word and absolve all the bonds of their sins, according to thy beneficent mercy.

As they gaze upon thee in thy plenteous mercy, absolve them just as thou didest for the elderly Simeon, who received the incarnate Word of God, upon his lap.

Send the angel of peace to guard them by day and by night, and keep them holy and sinless and in fear of thy holy name, because remaining vigilant, they came to confession in repentance, seeking with all their minds and all their power, the forgiveness of their sins.

Lord, make them worthy, to reach thy heavenly kingdom among thy saints. Lord, lover of mankind, who called thy servants to the illuminating light of obedience, receive them by the grace of thy beneficence, with holiness and righteousness, because they have put their hope in thee, and gave themselves unto thee, the Father, and to our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and to the grace-giving Holy Spirit. O Lord of life and God of mercy, in thy love of mankind, have mercy on them, and give them power and wisdom.

O Lord, we beseech and implore thee in thy beneficence, to keep them from all the snares of the enemy. Bless them, looking upon them in holiness and protecting them from all danger. Make bare all [their] sins, renew them by thy Holy Spirit, and number them in the rank of thy righteous ones.

According to thy love of mankind Lord, have pity upon the pleas of thyy servant, because unto thee only, O Lord, do I lift up my eyes and my hands, unto thee O merciful God.

Lower thy ear to the supplications of thy servants, and make them vigilant in their seclusion as was the great Elijah and the holy forerunner John, and the Enlightener, and the blessed Anthony, and all thy saints, on whom rested virtuous graces, and who through prayer and blessedness founded themselves in the holiness of thy love.

Deliver us Lord from temptation and from unlawfull deeds, and from all dark thoughts. Grant peaceful life from now on,and power to trample the asp and the

serpent and to crush Satan and his every deceptive power by Your Holy Sign. And direct them to walk in the paths of righteousness with unwavering faith, so that they might thereby become worthy to attain to thy heavenly kingdom among all

thy saints, to the glory of the All Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

May God, the lover of mankind, forgive all thy sins that thou hast committed, whether they be in word, in deed, in thought, or in deliberation, willingly and unwillingly, knowingly and unknowingly, or by reason of forgetfulness and or shame. According to the Lord’s command,

May your sins be forgiven as were those of the prodigal son, of the harlot, of the publican, of the canaanite, of the thief and of all sinners who have turned to the Lord, who is the physician of souls, healing the filth of your souls, keeping your feet away from the paths of iniquity, dressing your tired feet, your pillow, and cleaning and anointing your sensitive and wounded knees with divine balm. May your brutal and hardened innerds and heart, become gentle and meek, like those of the merciful righteous ones.

May your heads become worthy to receive the everlasting crown, and your ears worthy to hear the call to "come ye blessed of my father." May your eyes, which are accustomed to abundance, become worthy to see the light of God. May your mouths which were full of useless vanity, become worthy to sing angelic hymns. May your palates which hunger with hearty appetites, become worthy to taste the holy body and blood of the Lord.

May your noses which receive the smells of deadly sins, become worthy to receive the smell from life to Life.

May your shameless and brazen faces, be turned away from the public places of shame. May your fruitless hands become a cause for good works in the house of the Lord and be put to use in the chancel of our God. May your disturbed and blurred minds, like the scattering of the clouds become as a clear day. May your sins heaped up like mountains, plummet into the depths of the abyss. May your guilt become adorned with the newness of the winged dove, so that you may venture to inherit the eternal kingdom beyond the the grasp of demons. In the stead of your earthly labours, may you attain to the heavenly rest in the bosom of Abraham, in the company of the prophets, the seated apostles among whom are gathered all the company of saints, where receiving favour from the Lord, they all unceasingly bless and glorify the All-Holy Trinity, now and always and unto the ages of ages, amen.

Endnotes:

2The classical crapar or krapar Armenian text is translated from the Greek text of the Septuagint Bible and thus follows the Septuagintal numeration rather than the Masoretic numeration found in English translations. For this reason the Psalms are quoted in the LXX with the Masoretic numeration in brackets. It ought also to be noted that the Psalms are therefore at times found to be at variance with the English versions that were translated from Hebrew.

12As with other ancient languages, letters of the alphabet, in Armenian, have corresponding numerical values. The letter L signifies the number 30.

13The word wartabedagankn is a compound word comprised of the words vartabed which means teacher, doctor or professor, in the sense of rabbi from the scriptures, and gankn from the verb ganknil which means to stand. Therefore from the context I have chosen to translate it as doctrine, viz. a teaching on which we can have firm footing.

16This is a very loose translation as the Armenian word norapedovr is a compound word literally meaning "new feather" an expression synonimous with the advent of the Holy Spirit revealed in the form of a dove.

18I have translated this as "fiery scene" because the word hraqazax seems to be a compound word made up of the words for fire, hovr and scene or stage, qaz. The word in this sense then trys to give a description of the context for the awsome day of Christ’s Second Coming.

39The use of words found in this composition seem synonimous in at least three cases. While this may be coincidental, it may be true that the author was utilizing a play on words with his use of syntax. The expression, "zcyxo3x 2yz hantyr2 'rgov;yan & badmovjan" has three words, those italicised, which mean clothing, garment or attire. The word hantyr2 means clothes or attire, in some cases, although it can also mean "with" when used as a preposition, which in this context it seems to imply.