Evening Prayers
(Before going to sleep)
Before going to sleep, stand reverently and consider thyself being in the presence of God the Almighty, and the lover on mankind, and say:
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then say:
Glory to You, our God, glory to You (three times).
Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art present everywhere filling all things, the treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, gracious Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
All Holy Trinity have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy Name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heavens, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
If you are a Priest, add the usual exclamation: For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
If not a Priest, say: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Troparia of repentance
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for laying aside all excuse, we sinners offer to Thee, as to our Master, this supplication: Have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Lord, have mercy on us, for in You have we put our trust. Do not be angry with us, nor remember our iniquities, but look down on us even now, since You are compassionate, and deliver us from our enemies. For You are our God, and we are Your people; we are all the work of Your hands, and we call on Your name.
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
And of the Mother of God
O blessed Mother of God, open the doors of compassion to us whose hope is in you, that we may not perish but be delivered from adversity through you, who art the salvation of the Christian people.
First Prayer
By Saint Macarius the Great, to God the Father
O Eternal God, King of every creature, Who hast enabled me to attain to this hour, forgive me the sins which I have committed this day by thought, word and deed. Cleanse my humble soul, O Lord, from every defilement of flesh and spirit. Grant me, O Lord, to pass through the sleep of this night in peace, that I may rise from my humble bed and please Your most Holy Name all the days of my life, vanquishing the enemies both fleshly and bodiless that contend against me. Deliver me from vain thoughts that defile me, O Lord, and from evil desires. For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Second Prayer
By Saint Antiochus, to our Lord Jesus Christ
O Almighty Word of the Father, Jesus Christ, Who art Thyself perfect: Because of Your great mercy, do not ever depart from me, Thy servant, but always abide in me. O Jesus, Good Shepherd of Your sheep, let me not fall into the disobedience of the serpent, nor leave me to the will of Satan, for the seeds of corruption are in me. O Lord God adorable, O Holy King Jesus, guard me while I sleep with the unfading light, Your Holy Spirit, through Whom Thou didst sanctify Your disciples. Grant even to me, Thy unworthy servant, O Lord, Your salvation upon my bed. Enlighten my mind with the light of the understanding of Your Gospel; my soul with love of Your Cross; my heart with the purity of Your word; my body with Your passionless passion; preserve my thought in Your humility, and raise me at the time proper for Your glorification. For You art most glorified with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and Your Most Holy Spirit, unto the ages. Amen.
Third Prayer
To the Holy Spirit
O Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, be compassionate and have mercy on me, Your sinful servant. Remit and forgive me, the unworthy one, all the things which I have sinned as a man (and even as a beast), both voluntary and involuntary, in knowledge and in ignorance: from my youth, from learning of evil, and from emptiness or despair. If I swore with Your name, or stained it in my reasoning; or dishonored someone; or cursed someone with my anger; or saddened him; or if I have become angry over something; or lied; or slept unfittingly; or if a poor man came to me and I despised him; or if I saddened my brother; or frustrated or judged someone; or became puffed up and proud; or if while standing in prayer my mind was moved by the evil of this world; or contemplated suicide; or overate and overdrank, or laughed without reason; or thought of evil; or if I saw another’s good and was bound by it in my heart; or spoke unseemly; or laughed at my brother’s sin; my sins are countless in number. If I have forsaken prayer, or done anything evil – I do not remember, for I have committed even more! Have mercy on me, O Master my Creator, Your unworthy and unprofitable servant. Forgive, remit, and release me from my sins, for You art gracious and lover of mankind; that I may rest in peace and sleep, though a prodigal, sinful and wretched; that I may adore and praise and glorify Your most honorable Name, together with the Father and His Only-Begotten Son, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Fourth Prayer
Lord, our God, whatever I have done wrong during this day, in word, deed, and thought, as a good God and lover of mankind, forgive me. Grant me good sleep, without any sorrow. Send me your guardian angel to cover me and protect me from all harm. For You are the Protector of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Fifth Prayer
Lord, our God, in Whom we believe and Whose name above all other names we call, grant us, those who go to sleep, forgiveness for the sins of our soul and body; protect us from all imaginary sin and, without any devilish sweetness, cast away our desire for lust, end the fire of our carnal craving, and grant us to have the purity of life in our acts and words, so that we may live a life of good deeds, and not depart from Your promised good, for You are ever blessed. Amen.
Sixth Prayer
To the Most Holy Mother of God
Most pure and blessed Mother of God, Mary the good Mother of the good King, pour the mercy of your Son and our God on my unrighteous soul and, through your prayers, guide me on the road of good deeds, so that I may live the rest of my life blamelessly, and due to you, may I be welcomed into Heaven, O Virgin Mother of God, who art pure and blessed.
Seventh Prayer
To the Guardian Angel
O Angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me every transgression which I have committed this day and deliver me from every craft of my enemy and adversary so that I may I not anger my God by any sin. Pray for me to the Lord, His sinful and unworthy servant that He may make me worthy of the grace of the All-Holy Trinity, and of the Most Holy Mother of God and of all the Saints. Amen.
Kontakion of the Annunciation to the Mother of God (Plagal of the 4th Tone)
To you, Pure Lady and Mother of God, invincible Defender, we your servants, give thanks for the victory. And as you possess invincible might, set us free from every calamity, so that we may sing to you: Rejoice, unwedded Bride!
O Holy Virgin, who art always glorified, Mary the Mother of Christ our God, accept our prayers and offer them to your Son and our God, for due to your intercessions, He may save and enlighten our souls.
I put all my hope in you, Mother of God, guard me under your protection.
O Holy Virgin and Mother of God, do not overlook me, the sinner, for I need your help and your care, because my soul yearns for you, please have mercy on me.
Prayer of Saint Joannicius the Great
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my shelter is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, Glory to You.
Hymn to the Mother of God
It is truly meet to bless you, O Birthgiver of God, 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 defilement you gave birth to God the Word. True Mother of God we magnify you!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Father, give the blessing (It is being said only if a Priest is present):
The Dismissal
If you are a Priest, say the Lesser Dismissal: May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of our holy and God-bearing fathers, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and Lover of mankind. Amen.
If not a Priest, say: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John of Damascus
(Said while pointing at the bed)
O Master and Lover of mankind, is this bed to be my coffin? Or will You grant my wretched soul to see the light of the day? Behold: before me lies the tomb, before me stands death. I fear Your judgement and eternal torment, and yet, O Lord, I do not cease from doing evil. I always anger thee, O Lord my God, and Your most pure Mother, and all the heavenly pure powers, and my holy guardian angel. I know, O Lord, that I am unworthy of Your love for mankind; rather, I am worthy of every condemnation and torment. Yet save me, O Lord for the multitude of Your graciousness. For to save the righteous is no great thing, and to have mercy on the pure is nothing wonderful, for they are worthy of Your mercy. But make marvelous Your mercy towards me, a sinner, and so reveal Your love for mankind and let not my wickedness overcome You inexpressible goodness and mercy. Order my live as You please.
Then, while bowing all the way to the ground, say the following:
I fall down to You, All-Holy Trinity, Who art a life-making and undivided Being: Father and Son and Holy Spirit; I believe in You and confess You and glorify You, I thank You and praise You, I honor You, I exalt You and I ask from You: please have mercy on me, Your unworthy servant, for Your name’s sake (three times).
I honor you, Most Holy Mother of God, who hast showed us the true light with your birth, Queen of heaven and earth, hope of the hopeless people, helper of the helpless and reconciliation with God of all sinners. I ask you to protect me and defend me from all the burdens and encumbrances of my soul and body. And please help me with your mighty prayers (one bow).
O Most Holy Lady and Mother of God, accept this little prayer and offer it to your Son and our God, for due to your intercessions, He may save and enlighten our souls (one bow).
All heavenly powers: Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, Cherubim, Seraphim, Archangels and Angels, pray to God for me, a sinner (one bow).
O Holy and great Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptizer of the Lord, you who suffered for Christ and now gained boldness to the Master, please pray for me, a sinner, that I may be saved by your prayers (one bow).
O Saints of God: Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Hierarchs, Fasters, God-fearers, Righteous, Fathers of the Desert, Monks, Patriarchs and all the Saints who suffered for Christ and gained boldness to the Master, pray for me, a sinner, that I may be saved by your prayers (one bow).
O Saint John Chrysostom, with Saint Basil the Great, with Saint Gregory the Theologian, and with the wonder worker Saint Nicholas, together with all the Holy Hierarchs, help me and have mercy on me with your prayers and support (one bow).
All Holy Women: Myrrh-bearers, Martyrs, God-fearers and Virgins, who have deeply served Christ our Saviour, pray to God for me, a sinner (one bow).
O undefeated and godly power, of the venerated and life-giving Holy Cross of our Lord, do not abandon me, a sinner, but protect me from all bodily and spiritual temptation (one bow).
O most pure Queen and Mother of God, the hope of all Christians, for I have no other audacity and hope, apart from you, who are completely innocent; my Queen and my Lady, Mother of Christ our God, I pray to you: have mercy on me and deliver me from all my evils and pray to your Merciful Son and my God to have mercy on my wicked soul, and deliver me from the eternal torments, and make me worthy of His Kingdom (one bow).
O my Holy Angel and guardian, cover me with the wings of your goodness and cast away from me all the evil work of the devil and pray to God for me, a sinner.
Next, as you are to lay on your bed, say:
Open my eyes, Christ our God, that I may not fall asleep in death, so that my enemy may not say: I have strengthened myself against him.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
O God, straighten my soul, for I walk in the midst of great danger; O Good One, deliver me from it and save me, for You are the Lover of mankind.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most glorified Mother of God, who are holier than the holy angels, we sing to you unceasingly with our hearts and mouths, confessing that you are the Mother of God, for truly you gave birth to God incarnate and you pray unceasingly for our souls.
Then kiss the Holy Cross and make the sign of the Cross over the bed, head to toes and the sides, saying this:
Prayer, of the precious Holy Cross
Let God arise; let His enemies be scattered. Let those who hate Him flee from before His face. As smoke vanishes so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire: so let the demons flee at the presence of those who love God and sigh themselves with the sign of the Holy Cross, and say joyfully: Rejoice, most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, which drivest demons away through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was crucified on thee, Who descended into hell, trampled down the power of the devil, and gave to us His precious Cross for the routing of all enemies. Help me forever, most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord, together with the Holy Lady and ever Virgin Mother of God, and with all the Saints. Amen.
And, before falling asleep, say:
Into Your hands, O Lord Jesus Christ my God, I give my spirit. Protect me, bless me, and by your infinite generosity, have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen.
Then make the sign of the Holy Cross
and fall asleep with prayer, contemplating the
Day of Judgment, when you will sit before God.