The First Kneeling Prayer of Pentecost
most pure, undefiled, unoriginate, invisible, incomprehensible, inscrutable, immutable, invincible, immeasurable, gentle Lord, Who alone dost possess immortality, Who dwellest in light unapproachable, Who hast created heaven, the earth and the sea, and all things fashioned in them, Who before being asked dost grant everyone his requests: Thee do we entreat, Thee do we beseech, O Master Who lovest mankind, Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from the heavens and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Ever-virgin Mary, the all-glorious Theotokos; Who, having first taught with words, and afterwards showed by works, when He endured the saving Passion, gave an order unto us, Thy humble, sinful and unworthy servants, to offer entreaties unto Thee while bending our necks and knees, for our own sins and for the ignorant acts of the people. Do Thou Thyself, O greatly Merciful One Who lovest mankind, hearken unto us on the day whereon we call upon Thee, and especially on this day of Pentecost, whereon, after the ascent of our Lord Jesus Christ into the heavens, and His sitting at the right hand of Thee, God the Father, sent down upon His holy disciples and apostles the Holy Spirit, Who rested upon each of them, so that they were all filled with His inexhaustible grace, and spake in other tongues of Thy mighty works, and prophesied. Wherefore, do Thou now hearken unto us who pray unto Thee, and remember us, the lowly and condemned, and return our souls from captivity, having Thy mercy interceding for us. Accept us who fall down before Thee and cry out: We have sinned; we have been cast down before Thee from the womb. From the belly of our mothers Thou art our God. But as our days have vanished in vanity, we have been stripped of Thine aid and are bereft of any answer; yet daring to hope in Thy compassions, we cry out: Be Thou not mindful of the sins of our youth and ignorance, but cleanse us of our secret deeds, and turn us not away in our old age, when our strength faileth. Forsake us not before we return to the earth, but vouchsafe that we may return to Thee; and hearken to us in Thy kindness and grace. Measure our iniquities by Thy compassions, and set against the abyss of the multitude of our offenses, the abyss of Thy compassions. Look down from Thy holy heights, O Lord, upon Thy people, who stand here and await rich mercy of Thee. Visit us with Thy goodness, deliver us from the oppression of the devil; make our life steadfast by Thy holy and sacred laws. Appoint Thou an angel, a faithful guardian, for Thy people, and gather all into Thy kingdom. Grant the petitions of those who hope on Thee; remit their sins, and our own. Purify us through the activity of Thy Holy Spirit, and destroy the snares which the enemy hath laid for us.
Translated from the Church Slavonic by Monk Joseph (Isaac) Lambertsen.