The Great Canon v On Tuesday of the First Week - Page 1 of 1



On Tuesday of the First Week of Lent, during Great Compline, after Psalm
69, the Canon is sung. The Eirmosi are sung twice, at the beginning and
end of each Song. Before each Troparion we make the sign of the Cross
and bow three times. 



Song 1. Tone 6. 



Eirmos: He is my Helper and Protector, and has become my salvation. This
is my God and I will glorify Him My father's God and I will exalt Him.
For gloriously has He been glorified. (Exodus 15:2, 1; Psalm 117:14) 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



I have willfully incurred the guilt of Cain's murder, since by
invigorating my flesh I am the murderer of my soul's awareness, and have
warred against it by my evil deeds. (Genesis 4:8) 



I have not resembled Abel's righteousness, O Jesus. I have never offered
Thee acceptable gifts, nor divine actions, nor a pure sacrifice, nor an
unblemished life. (Genesis 4:4) 



Like Cain, we too, O wretched soul, have likewise offered to the Creator
of all foul deeds, defective sacrifice and a useless life. Therefore we
too are condemned. (Genesis 4:5; Hebrews 11:4) 



In molding my clay into life, O Potter, Thou didst put in me flesh and
bones, breath and vitality. But, O my Creator, my Redeemer and Judge,
accept me who repent. (Genesis 2:7; Jeremiah 18:1-10; Rom. 9:21) 



I confess to Thee, O Savior, the sins I have committed, and the wounds
of my body and soul which murderous thoughts like robbers within have
inflicted upon me. (Luke 10:30) 



I have sinned, O Savior, yet I know that Thou art the Lover of men. Thou
strikest compassionately and pitiest warmly. Thou seest me weeping and
runnest towards me as the Father recalling the Prodigal. (Luke 15:20) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: Superessential Trinity, adored in Unity, take from me
the heavy yoke of sin, and in Thy compassion grant me tears of
compunction. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: Mother of God, hope and intercessor of those who sing of
thee, take from me the heavy yoke of sin, and as thou art our pure Lady,
accept me who repent. 



Song 2. 



Eirmos: Attend, O heaven, and I will speak, and will sing of Christ who
came to dwell among us in flesh which He took from the Virgin. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



Sin which stripped me of my former God-woven clothing has also sewn on
me coats of skin. (Genesis 3:21) 



I am wrapped in a garment of shame as with fig leaves, in reproof of my
selfish passions. 



I am clad in a coat that is spotted and shamefully blood-stained by the
flow of my passionate and pleasure-loving life. 



I fell under the burden of passions and corruption of matter, and from
then until now I am oppressed by the enemy. 



Having preferred a possessive and pleasure-loving life to spiritual
poverty, O Savior, I am now harnessed with a heavy yoke. (Matthew 5:3) 



I have adorned the idol of my flesh with the many-colored clothing of
shameful thoughts, and I am condemned. (1 John 5:21) 



I have been anxiously concerned only about outward adornment, and have
neglected the inner temple made in the image of God. (I Peter 3:3-4) 



I have buried with passions the beauty of the original image, O Savior.
But seek and find it, like the lost coin. (Luke 15:8) 



Like the harlot I cry to Thee: I have sinned, I alone have sinned
against Thee. Accept my tears also, O Savior, as perfume. (Luke 7:37-50)




Like the publican I cry to Thee: Be merciful, O Savior, be merciful to
me; for no child of Adam has sinned as I against Thee. (Luke 18:13) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: One in three Persons I praise Thee, O God of all, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: Spotless Mother of God, only all-hymned Virgin, pray
intensely that we may be saved. 



Song 3. 



Eirmos: Establish, O Lord, my unstable heart on the rock of Thy
commandments, for Thou only art Holy and Lord. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



In Thee the Conqueror of death, I have found the Source of Life, and
from my heart I cry to Thee before my end: I have sinned, be merciful,
save me. 



I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against Thee. Be merciful to me.
For there is no one who has sinned among men whom I have not surpassed
by my sins. 



I have imitated those who were licentious in Noah's time, and I have
earned a share in their condemnation of drowning in the flood. (Genesis
6) 



You have imitated Ham, that spurner of his father, my soul. You have not
concealed your neighbor-s shame by returning to him looking backwards.
(Genesis 9:20 27) 



Run, my soul, like Lot from the fire of sin; run from Sodom and
Gomorrah; run from the flame of every irrational desire. (Genesis 19) 



Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on me, I implore Thee, when Thou comest
with Thy Angels to requite us all as our actions deserve. 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: Simple, uncreated Unity, unoriginate Nature praised in a
Trinity of Persons, save us who with faith worship Thy power. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: O Mother of God, unwedded thou gavest birth in time to the
timeless Son of the Father. And - O strange wonder! - thou remainest a
Virgin while suckling Him. 



Song 4. 



Eirmos: The Prophet heard of Thy coming, O Lord, and was afraid that
Thou wast to be born of a Virgin and appear to men, and he said, "I have
heard the report of Thee and am afraid." Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
(Habbakuk 3:2) 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



Watch, my soul! Be courageous like the great Patriarchs, that you may
acquire activity and awareness, and be a mind that sees God, and may
reach in contemplation the innermost darkness, and be a great trader.
(Genesis 32:28; Luke 19:13-15) 



The great Patriarch, by begetting the twelve Patriarchs, mystically set
up for you, my soul, a ladder of active ascent, having wisely offered
his children as rungs, and his steps as ascents. 



You have emulated the hated Esau, my soul, and have given up your
birthright of pristine beauty to your supplanter, and you have lost your
father's blessing, and have been tripped up twice in action and
knowledge. Therefore, O wretch, repent now. (Genesis 25:31; 27:37) 



Esau was called Edom for his extreme passion of madness for women. For
ever burning with incontinence and stained with pleasures, he was named
Edom which means a red-hot sin-loving soul. (Genesis 25:30) 



Have you heard of Job who was made holy on a dunghill, O my soul? You
have not emulated his courage, nor had his firmness of purpose in all
you have learned or known, or in your temptations, but you have proved
unpersevering. (Job 1) 



He who was formerly on a throne is now naked on a dunghill and covered
with sores. He who had many children and was much admired is suddenly
childless and homeless. Yet he regarded the dunghill as a palace and his
sores as pearls. (Job 2:7-8) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: I confess Thee to be undivided in essence, unconfused in
persons, One Triune Divinity, co-enthroned and co-reigning. I sing Thee
the great song thrice sung on high. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: Thou givest birth and livest a virgin life, and in both
remainest a virgin by nature. He Who is born of thee renews the laws of
nature, and a womb gives birth without travail. Where God wills, the
order of nature is overruled; for He does whatever He wishes. 



Song 5. 



Eirmos: Out of the night watching early for Thee, enlighten me, I pray,
O Lover of men, and guide even me in Thy commandments, and teach me, O
Savior, to do Thy will. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



You have heard, my soul, of Moses' ark of old, borne on the waters and
waves of the river as in a shrine, which escaped the bitter tragedy of
Pharaoh's edict. (Exodus 1:22 - 2:3) 



If you have heard of the midwives, wretched soul, who of old killed in
infancy the manly issue and practice of chastity, then like the great
Moses, suck wisdom. (Exodus 1:16 - 2:9; Acts 7:22) 



You, wretched soul, have not struck and killed your Egyptian mind, like
great Moses. Say, then, how will you dwell in that desert solitude where
the passions desert you through repentance? (Exodus 2:12) 



Great Moses dwelt in the wilds, my soul. So go and imitate his life,
that you too may attain by contemplation to the vision of God in the
bush. (Exodus 3:1) 



Imagine Moses' staff striking the sea and fixing the deep as a type of
the divine Cross, by which you too, my soul, can accomplish great
things. (Exodus 14:16) 



Aaron offered to God the fire pure and undefiled; but Hophni and
Phinehas, like you, my soul, offered to God a foul and rebellious life.
(Leviticus 9:21-24; I Kings 2:12-34) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: Thee, O Trinity, we glorify, the one God: Holy, Holy,
Holy art Thou, Father, Son and Spirit, simple Being, Unity ever adored. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: From thee, O pure maiden Mother and Virgin, God Who created
the worlds and ages was clad in my clay and united to Himself human
nature. 



Song 6. 



Eirmos: I cried with my whole heart to the merciful God, and He heard me
from the lowest hell and raised my life out of corruption. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



The waves of my sins, O Savior, as in the Red Sea recoiled and covered
me unawares, like the Egyptians of old and their charioteers. (Exodus
14:7-31) 



Like Israel of old, my soul, you have had a foolish affection. For like
a brute you have preferred to divine manna the pleasure-loving gluttony
of the passions. (Numbers 21; 5: I Corinthians 10: 9) 



The wells of Canaanite thoughts, my soul, you have prized above the Rock
with the cleft from which the river of wisdom like a chalice pours forth
streams of theology. (Genesis 21:25; Exodus 17:6) 



Swine's flesh and hotpots and Egyptian food you, my soul, have preferred
to heavenly manna, as of old the senseless people in the wilderness.
(Exodus 16:3; Numbers 11:4-7) 



When Thy servant Moses struck the rock with his staff, he mystically
typified Thy life-giving side, O Savior, from which we all draw the
water of life. (Numbers 20:11; I Corinthians 10:4) 



Explore and spy out the Land of Promise like Joshua the Son of Nun, my
soul, and see what it is like, and settle in it by observing the laws.
(Josh. 2) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: I am the Trinity, simple and undivided, divided
Personally, and I am the Unity, united in nature, says the Father, the
Son, and the Divine Spirit. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: Thy womb bore God for us Who took our form. Implore Him as
the Creator of all, O Mother of God that through thy intercessions we
may be justified. 



Kontakion, tone 6: 



My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near,
and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and, be watchful, that Christ
our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things. 



Song 7. 



Eirmos: We have sinned, transgressed, done wrong before Thee, we have
not watched or done as Thou hast commanded us. But do not give us up
utterly, O God of our Fathers. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



When the Ark was being carried on a wagon, and when one of the oxen
slipped, Uzzah only touched it and experienced the wrath of God. But
avoid, my soul, his presumption and truly reverence divine things. (II
Kings 6:6) 



You have heard of Absalom, how he rose against nature. You know his
accursed deeds and how he insulted the bed of his father David. But you
have imitated his passionate and pleasure-loving cravings. (II Kings 15;
16:21) 



You have enslaved your free dignity to your body, my soul, for you have
found in satan another Ahitophel and have consented to his counsels. But
Christ Himself scattered them, that you may at all events be saved. (II
Kings 16:20) 



Wonderful Solomon, who was full of the grace of wisdom, at one time did
evil in God's sight and fell away from Him. And you, my soul, have
resembled him by your accursed life. (III Kings 11; Ecclus. 47:12-20) 



Carried away by the pleasure of his passions, he defiled himself. Alas,
the lover of wisdom is a lover of loose women and estranged from God!
And you, my soul, have in mind imitated him by your shameful pleasures.
(III Kings 3:12; 11:4-12) 



You, my soul, have rivaled Rehoboam who would not listen to his father's
advisors, and that vicious slave Jeroboam the apostate of old. But shun
such mimicry and cry to God: I have sinned, have compassion on me. (III
Kings 12:13-20) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: O Trinity simple and undivided, of one essence and one
nature, Lights and Light, three Holies and one Holy, God the Trinity is
hymned. But sing, my soul, and glorify the Life and Lives, the God of
all. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: We sing of thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, O Mother of
God, for thou gavest birth to one of the inseparable Trinity, the one
Son and God, and to us on earth thou hast opened the heavenly realms. 



Song 8. 



Eirmos: Him Whom the heavenly hosts glorify and before Whom Cherubim and
Seraphim tremble, let every breath, and all creation praise, bless and
exalt throughout all ages. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



Having emulated Uzziah, my soul, you have his leprosy in you doubled.
For you think disgusting thoughts and do outrageous things. Let go of
what you are holding and run to repentance. (IV Kings 15:5; II
Chronicles 26:19) 



Have you heard, my soul, of the Ninevites, who repented before God in
sackcloth and ashes? You have not imitated them, but appear to be more
crooked than all who have sinned before and after the law. (Jonah 3:5) 



You have heard of Jeremiah in the mud pit, my soul, how he cried out
with lamentations against the City of Zion, and was seeking tears.
Imitate his life of lamentation and you will be saved. (Jeremiah 38:6) 



Jonah fled to Tarshish, foreseeing the conversion of the Ninevites; for,
being a Prophet, he was aware of God's compassion, and was anxious that
his prophecy should not prove false. (Jonah 1:3) 



You have heard, my soul, of Daniel in the lion's den. and how he shut
the beasts' mouths. You know how the Children who were with Azariah
extinguished the flames of the burning furnace by faith. (Dan. 6:16-22;
3:23) 



I have reviewed all the people of the Old Testament as examples for you,
my soul. Imitate the God-loving deeds of the righteous and shun the sins
of the wicked. 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: Eternal Father, co-eternal Son, gracious Comforter,
Spirit of Truth; Father of the Divine Word, Word of the Eternal Father,
living and creative Spirit, Trinity Unity, have mercy on us. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: As from scarlet silk, O spotless Virgin, within thy womb the
spiritual purple was woven, the flesh Of Emmanuel. Therefore we honor
thee as in truth Mother of God. 



Song 9. 



Eirmos: Ineffable is the childbearing of a seedless conception,
unsullied the pregnancy of a Virgin Mother, for the birth of God renews
natures. So in all generations we magnify thee in orthodox fashion as
the Mother and Bride of God. 



Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. 



Troparia: 



Christ was tempted, the devil was tempting Him, showing Him stones to be
turned into bread; and he led Him up a mountain to see all the kingdoms
of the world in a flash. Dread, my soul, the scene; watch and pray at
every hour to God. (Matthew 4:3-9; 26:41) 



The desert-loving dove, the lamp of Christ, the Voice crying in the
wilderness sounded, preaching repentance; while Herod sinned with
Herodias. See, my soul, that you are not caught in the toils of sin, but
embrace repentance. (Mark 1:3; Matthew 14:3) 



The Forerunner of grace dwelt in the desert and all Judea and Samaria
ran to hear him; and they confessed their sins, and eagerly received
baptism. But you, my soul, have not imitated them. (Matthew 3:5-6) 



Marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled, for Christ earlier blessed
both, eating in His flesh at the marriage in Cana and changing water
into wine, and showing His first miracle so that you, my soul, might be
changed. (Hebrews 13:4; John 2:1-11) 



Christ braced the paralytic and he carried his bed; He raised up the
dead young man, the son of the widow, and the Centurion's servant; and
by revealing Himself to the Samaritan woman, He traced in advance for
you, my soul, how to worship in spirit. (Matthew 9:2-7; Luke 7:14;
Matthew 8:6-13; John 4:26; Josh. 4:24) 



The Lord healed the woman with hemorrhage by the touch of His hem,
cleansed lepers, gave sight to the blind, and cured cripples; the deaf
and the dumb and the woman bent earthward he healed with His word, that
you, wretched soul, might be saved. (Matthew 9:20-22; 10:8; 11:5; Luke
13:11-13) 



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 



To The Trinity: Let us glorify the Father, exalt the Son, and faithfully
worship the Divine Spirit, inseparable Trinity, Unity in essence, as the
Light and Lights, the Life and Lives, giving life and light to the ends
of the earth. 



Now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. 



Theotokion: Protect thy city, spotless Mother of God, for in thee it
faithfully reigns, and in thee is made strong, and through thee it
conquers and routs every trial and temptation, and spoils its foes and
rules its subjects. 



Refrain: Holy father Andrew, pray for us. 



To St. Andrew of Crete: Venerable Andrew, thrice-blessed father,
shepherd of Crete, cease not to pray to God for those who sing of thee,
that He may deliver from anger, oppression, corruption and our countless
sins, all of us who faithfully honor thy memory . 



And again the Eirmos: 



Ineffable is the childbearing of a seedless conception, unsullied the
pregnancy of a Virgin Mother, for the birth of God renews natures. So in
all generations we magnify thee in orthodox fashion as Mother and Bride
of God. 



Then the rest of Great Compline.