First Kneeling Prayer of Pentecost

O Lord, Who art immaculate, undefiled, unoriginate, invisible, incomprehensible, inscrutable, unchanging, unsurpassable, immeasurable, forbearing, Who alone hast immortality, Who dwellest in light unapproachable, who hast made heaven and earth and the sea, and all created things therein, Who grantest unto all men their petitions before they ask, we pray Thee and beseech Thee, O Master, Who lovest mankind, the Father of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of Mary, the ever-virgin and most glorious Theotokos, Who first taught in words and afterwards did show by deeds by enduring the saving passion, Who gave us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants, an example, whereby we should offer unto Thee prayers with the bending of the neck and knees, both for our own sins and for the ignorance of the people: Do thou thyself, Who art great in mercy and lovest mankind, hearken to us in that day when we shall call upon thee, and especially on this day of Pentecost, on which, after our Lord Jesus Christ had ascended into the heavens and had sat down at the right hand of Thee, the God and Father, He sent down upon His holy disciples and apostles the Holy Spirit, which did also sit upon each of them, and they were filled with His inexhaustible grace, and they spake with other tongues of Thy greatness, and they prophesied.

Hearken, therefore, to us now who pray to Thee, and remember us, humble and condemned as we are, and turn again the captivity of our souls, Thou Who hast Thine own compassion as intercessor for us. Receive us who fall down before Thee and cry: We have sinned. We have cleaved unto Thee from our birth, even from our mother’s womb. Thou art our God, but since our days have passed in vanity, we have been stripped of Thine aid; we have been deprived of every defense. But emboldened by Thy compassions, we call out: Remember not the sins of our youth and our ignorance. Cleanse Thou us of our secret sins, cast us not away in time of old age; when our strength faileth, forsake us not. Before we return to the earth, make us worthy to turn again unto Thee, and attend to us in favor and grace. Measure our transgressions according to Thy compassion, set the depth of Thy compassions against the multitude of our offenses. Look down from Thy holy heights, O Lord, upon Thy people here present Who await of Thee rich mercy. Visit us in Thy goodness. Deliver us from the power of the devil. Make firm our lives with Thy holy and sacred laws. Entrust Thy people to a faithful guardian angel. Gather us all into Thy kingdom. Grant pardon to those that hope in Thee. Forgive them and us our sins. Purify us by the operation of Thy Holy Spirit. Destroy the snares set for us by the enemy.

Blessed art thou, O Lord, Master Almighty, Who hast lightened the day with the light of the sun and hast illuminated the night with flashes of fire, Who hast vouchsafed us to pass through the length of the day and to draw near to the beginning of the night; hearken to our prayer and to that of all Thy people; and having pardoned us all our voluntary and involuntary sins, receive our evening supplications; and send down the multitude of Thy mercy and compassions upon Thine inheritance. Wall us in with Thy holy angels. Arm us with the armor of Thy righteousness. Make a bulwark about us with Thy truth. Guard us with Thy power. Deliver us from every oppression and every plot of the adversary. Grant us also that the present evening with the coming of the night and all the days of our life may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, without stumbling-blocks, without fantasy, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the saints, who have in all ages been well-pleasing unto Thee.