The service of the Small Paraklesis is chanted in times of distress and sorrow of soul and during the first fourteen days of August.
Priest: Blessed is our God always, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
People: Amen.
Psalm 142
O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications in Your truth; hear me in Your righteousness. Do not enter into judgment, with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead, and my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed. I remembered the days of old; I meditated on all Your works: I pondered on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, like a thirsty land.
Hear me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not turn Your face away from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear Your mercy in the morning, for in You I have put my trust. Cause me to know, O Lord, the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Rescue me, lord, from my enemies; to You have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Your good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, You shall quicken me. In Your righteousness You shall bring my soul out of trouble, and in Your mercy, You shall utterly destroy my enemies. And you shall destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.
Tone 4
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Vs. 1. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His holy name.
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Vs. 2. All the nations have surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord, I have overcome them.
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Vs. 3. This has been done by the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Tone 4
To the Theotokos, let us run now most fervently,
As sinners and lowly ones,
Let us fall down in repentance,
Crying from the depths of our soul:
Lady, come and help us,
Have compassion upon us;
Hasten now for we are lost
In the host of our errors;
Do not turn your servants away,
For you alone are a hope to us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
(Repeat the above or the Apolytikion of the Church.)
Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O Theotokos, we shall never be silent.
Of your mighty acts, all we the unworthy;
Had you not stood to intercede for us
Who would have delivered us,
From the numerous perils?
Who would have preserved us all
Until now with our freedom?
O Lady, we shall not depart from you;
For you always save your servants,
From all tribulation.
Then we read:
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the multitude of Your compassion blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight, that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. For behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother bore me.
For behold, You have loved truth: You have made known to me the secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean: You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that bones which You have broken may rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation: And establish me with Your governing Spirit.
I shall teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, my tongue shall rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For if You had desired sacrifice, I would give it: You do not delight in burnt offering. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, God will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
Do good in Your good pleasure to Sion; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then You shall be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole burnt offerings. Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
Ode 1. The Heirmos. Plagal of the 4th Tone
Crossing the waters as on dry land,
In that way escaping
From the evils of Egypt's land,
The Israelites cried out exclaiming:
To our Redeemer and God, now let us sing.
Most Holy Theotokos save us.
With many temptations surrounding me,
Searching for salvation,
I have hastened unto you;
O Mother of the Word, and ever-Virgin,
From all distresses and dangers deliver me.
Most Holy Theotokos save us.
Assaults of the passions have shaken me,
My soul to its limits
Has been filled with much despair;
Bring peace, O Maiden, in the calmness,
Of your own Son and your God, all-blameless One.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
To God and the Savior you've given birth;
I ask you, O Virgin,
From the dangers deliver me;
For now I run to you for refuge,
With both my soul and my reasoning.
Now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Diseased is the body and the soul;
Deem me truly worthy
Of divine guidance and your care;
For you alone are God's Mother,
As the good and the birthgiver of the Good.
Ode 3. The Heirmos.
The apse of the heavens,
Are you O Lord, Fashioner,
And the Holy Church's great Founder,
Likewise establish me,
In constant love for You
For You're the height of our longing;
Support of the faithful,
The only Friend of all.
Most Holy Theotokos save us.
A protection and shelter,
I have with you in my life,
You, the Theotokos and the Virgin,
Pilot me towards your port;
For you are the cause,
The cause of that which is good,
Support of the faithful,
The only all-praised One.
Most Holy Theotokos save us.
I entreat you, O Virgin,
Disperse the storm of my grief,
and the soul's most inward confusion,
Scatter it far from me;
You are the Bride of God,
For you have brought forth the Christ,
the Prince of Peace;
Only, all-blameless One.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Having brought forth unto us
the cause and giver of good,
From your great abundance of kindness,
Pour forth upon us all;
For all is possible,
For you who carried the Christ,
Who is mighty in power;
You, who are blessed of God.
Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
With most serious ailments,
And with the passions so dark,
I am being tested, O Virgin,
Come and bring help to me;
For I have known of you,
That you are without fail
the endless treasure of cures,
Only all-blameless One.
Deliver us,
All of your servants, from danger, O Theotokos;
After God, we all flee to you,
For shelter and covering,
As an unshakable wall and our protection.
Turn to me,
In your good favor, all praise-worthy Theotokos;
Look upon my grave illnesses,
Which painfully sting my flesh
and heal the cause of my soul's pain and suffering.
(The priest commemorates those for whom the Paraklesis is sung.)
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great love, we pray You, hearken, and have mercy.
People: Lord have mercy (3).
Priest: Again we pray for our Archbishop (Name), our Bishop (Name), and all the clergy and the laity in Christ.
People: Lord have mercy (3).
Priest: Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious and Orthodox Christians, those who reside and visit in this city, the members, council members, contributors, and benefactors of this holy church.
People: Lord have mercy (3).
Priest: Again we pray for the servants of God. . . (At this time the Priest commemorates those for whom the Paraklesis is sung.)
People: Lord have mercy (3).
Priest: For You are a merciful and loving God, and to You we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
People: Amen.
(After the petitions, we chant the following Kathisma:)
Tone 2.
A fervent prayer, and wall most unshakable
A merciful spring And shelter of all mankind;
Fervently, we cry to you:
Theotokos, our Lady,
Come to us
And from all dangers now deliver us
The only protection who speeds to us.
Ode 4. The Heirmos.
O Lord, I have heard of
the wondrous mystery of Your salvation;
I have contemplated all Your works
And I have glorified Your great divinity.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Still the darkest of passions,
Calm the sea of errors
In your great peacefulness;
It was you who bore the guiding Lord,
And you who are the blessed bride of God.
Most Holy Theotokos save us.
Your depth of compassion
Grant unto me
As one beseeching you;
You have carried the Compassionate
The Savior of those praising you.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
We are thankful for all the gifts
Which we have been given
by you the Spotless One;
And to you, we sing a hymn of praise,
Knowing you to be the Mother of God.
Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
As a hope and foundation,
And a wall unshaken