THE TALE OF THE FIVE PRAYERS
From the times of the Apostles, Christians of all ages, when entering
upon a task, began it with prayer, and the end of it they also
hallowed with prayerful thanksgiving to the Lord, in Whom we live and
move and have our being. And let us do the same, beloved reader.
But not having the gift of effectual prayer, let us recall and commit
to memory what once was offered to the Lord by the grace of the Holy
Spirit out of the inspired heart of the great Russian man of prayer,
our father among the Saints, Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov and
Yaroslav.
I am sure that for you, as for me, in offering to your attention "The
Tale of The Five Prayers" the work of the great Bishop, it will be
both welcome and useful, especially in the view of the wonderful
promises which it contains. So hear this tale, my beloved reader.
You will not blame me for offering you in this Tale something new - it
is not mine, and not new, but only fundamentally and completely
forgotten, forgive me that I have disturbed the dust of ages: but this
dust is holy ...
***
One of the holy fathers, standing in prayer and being in ecstasy,
heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to the Immaculate
and Holy Mother of God, His Mother, saying to her: "Tell me, My
Mother, which were the greatest of your sufferings, when you lived in
the world, which you suffered for My sake?" The Immaculate One
replied: "My Son and God, five times I have endured my greatest
suffering for you: First, when I heard from the Prophet Simeon that
you were to be killed; Second, when I looked for you in Jerusalem, and
did not see you for three days; Third, when I heard that you were
seized and bound by the Jews; Fourth, when I saw you on the Cross
crucified between the robbers; Fifth, when I saw you placed in the
Tomb." And the Lord said to her: "I tell you. My Mother, whoever reads
every day each of your sufferings with My prayer, i.e. 'Our Father,'
for the first suffering I will give the knowledge of his sins and
sorrow for them; for the second, I will give the forgiveness of all
his sins; for the third, I will restore to him the virtues lost
through sin; for the fourth, I will refresh him at death with my
Divine Body and Blood; for the fifth, I will appear to him Myself at
his death, and receive his soul into eternal life. Amen."
***
After this vision of the Holy Father, the following prayers were added
by St. Dimitri:
At the beginning of the five prayers:
"Glory to Thee, Christ my God, that Thou hast not destroyed me a
sinner, with my sins, but even till now hast borne -with my sin."
Bow
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this day without sin. Grant, O Lord,
that I may not anger Thee, my Creator, in thought, word or deed, but
that all my actions, counsels and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy
Holy Name."
Bow
"God be merciful to me, a sinner, throughout my whole life. In my
passing and after death, forsake me not."
Bow
Falling low on the earth, say:
"Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, accept me, dead in mind and soul,
accept me, a sinful prodigal, impure in soul and body. Take from me
all shameless enmity and resistance, and turn not Thy Face from me, O
Lord, nor say: I know not who thou art. But hear the voice of my
prayer: save me, for Thou hast a wealth of compassion and desirest not
the death of a sinner. I will never leave Thee nor depart from Thee,
my Creator, till Thou hearest me and givest me forgiveness of all my
sins, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, the intercession of
the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven, of my holy and glorious
Guardian Angel, of Thy Forerunner and Prophet, the Baptist John, of
the God-speaking Apostles, of the holy and victorious martyrs, of our
Reverend and God-fearing fathers, and all Thy Saints, have mercy and
save me, a sinner."
Heavenly King, Comforter,...
Holy God, Holy Mighty,...
Our Father...
Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Mary full of grace; the Lord is with
thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.
First Prayer
"O merciful Mother, Virgin Mary, I thy sinful and unprofitable
servant, remembering thy suffering on hearing from the Prophet Simeon
of the merciless murder of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, offer thee
this prayer and the Angelic Salutation. Accept it in honour and memory
of thy suffering, and pray thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant me
the knowledge of my sins and sorrow for them."
Bow
Second Prayer
Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother ...
"O Divinely-blessed and Immaculate Maiden, Mother and Virgin, accept
from me, thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the
Angelic Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou
didst lose thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple, and for three
days didst not see Him. Pray and beg of Him the forgiveness and
remission of all my sins, O only Blessed One."
Bow
Third Prayer
Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother ...
"O Mother of Light, most blessed Virgin Mother of God, accept from me,
thy sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic
Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering on hearing that thy
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, had been seized and bound. Pray Him to
restore to me the virtues lost through sin, that I may magnify thee, O
Most Pure One, for ever."
Bow
Fourth Prayer
Our Father ...
Virgin Mother ...
"O Fountain of Mercy, Virgin Mother of God, accept from me, thy sinful
and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic Salutation, in
honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see thy GOD, our
Lord Jesus Christ, on the Cross between the robbers. Pray Him, O Lady,
to grant me the gift of His mercy in the hour of my death, and to
refresh me with His Divine Body and Blood, that I may glorify thee, my
Defender, for ever."
Bow
Fifth Prayer
Our Father .. .
Virgin Mother . ..
"O my Hope, Most Pure Virgin, Mother of God, accept from me, thy
sinful and unprofitable servant, this prayer and the Angelic
Salutation, in honour and memory of thy suffering when thou didst see
thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, placed in the Tomb. Pray Him, O Lady,
to appear to me in the hour of my death, and to receive my soul into
eternal life. Amen."
Bow
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