[anon

to our 'Venerab(e 9V[otlier

J-/um6{e 'Victor over [arna{ Passions

 [anon
to our <Venerab(e 9Vfotfier
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J[um6{e 'Victor
over [arna{ Passions
 Printe d in the year 2014
St. Paisius Orthod ox Monastery
P.O. Box 1075, Safford,Arizona 85548
www.stpaisiusmonastery.org

Printe d with the blessing of His Grace

MAXIM
Bishop of the Serbian Orthod ox Churc h
Western American Diocese

The First Canon, includi ng the Theotokia, Sessional Hymns ,

Kontakion, Ikos and Exapostilaria were all translated by the
Reader Isaac Lambertsen and used here with his gracious
permission. Copyright © by the Reader Isaac Lambertsen. All rights
reserved. Subtitle on cover has been added by the publishers.
The Second Canon and the texts on pages 28-30 were taken from
the Lenten Triodion, published by St. Tikhon's Seminary Press,
and used here with the kind permission of Abbot Sergius of St.
Tikhon's Monastery. All rights reserved.
The Prayer Against Interne t Pornography (page 31 ) was composed
by Abbot Damascene of St. Herma n Monastery and used here
with his gracious permission. All rights reserved.
 'Foreword
We set forth this publication, in honor of St. Mary,
as a means of intercession for those struggling against the
passion oflust; for this holy Saint, beloved by all, knew first-
hand what the battle entails and how to conquer it.
It is worth noting that through her powerful
repentance, and the grace of Christ Who washes away
all sins, St. Mary now shines with a profound chastity of
mind and body; thus, we look to her not as a harlot but as
a glittering star in the firmament of Christ's chosen ones.
St. Mary gives to us all an example of perseverance,
set purpose in our strivings against sins (whatever they
may be), and unbounded faith in Christ's holy Mother,
the Theotokos. We may recall that St. Gregory Palamas
made great use of the prayer of St. Mary to the Theotokos:
"O Lady, Lady, do not forsake me!" He made it a rule for
himself that before taking up a book, he would make three
prostrations before the icon of the Theotokos and, with
great compunction, say that prayer, begging the Theotokos
to enlighten his darkness and lead him by the hand.
It is our fervent desire that this little
publication may prove useful to all those
who find refuge under the protection of the
Theotokos, through the intercession of our
Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt.
-The Editors
 +
'Introduction
Know ye not that ye are God's temple, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(l C oR. 3:16)
several decades, especially the past 20 years, our
F OR
Nation has been, and continues to be, devastated
by an immense "tsunami:' However, unlike those in
recent years that brought massive destruction and death to
Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Japan, this unique, ongoing tidal
wave causes no loss of property, plant or animal life; and even
the physical loss of human life is fa r less than in the others.
The loss-and potential loss-of souls, however, has been
in untold millions and increases daily. The other tsunamis
originated from earthquakes in the oceans and lasted only a
few hours; but this spiritual tsunami is ongoing; and it has,
as one of its starting points, a most effective weapon of the
evil one: the demonic passion of lust.
With great skill, Satan exploits this passion of sexual lust
in a variety of ways, seeking to destroy the keystone of our
civilized society: the traditional family. St.John Damascene
reminds us that virginity was practiced in Paradise, not
sex. Therefore, as is the case with physical hunger, sexual
intercourse is a function of our fallen human nature. Neither
sex nor hunger are inherently evil, as long as they are being
4
carried out within God's established boundaries. But just as
hunger can lead one to being gluttonous, so also sex, even
within marriage, can become lus t. St. John describes love
of sensual pleasure as one of the three primary causes of all
the passions that are shared by the soul and the body. (The
other two are love of praise and love of material wealth.)
My brothers and sisters in Christ, our society is super-
saturated with pleasure-arousing attractions: provocative
movies, TV programs with commercials that openly
glorify promiscuity; graphic, unchristian sexual education
materials which many public middle schools are using
in their "health" classes (alas! even in some grammar
schools) ; a plethora of pornographic websites, which are
easily accessible to our youth; and cell phone apps created
specifically for sexually active teenagers. The pornographic
lifestyle assaults the senses wherever we look.
The fruits of this corruption are being harvested in
a nation that is replacing the worship of God with the
worship of fulfilling one's desires. And this sin affects not
only our own souls but also the souls of millions of the
unborn, along with the corruption passed down to entire
generations of our children. Each day more than 3,000
babies are legally slaughtered in the wombs of our teenagers
and women (not counting the unknown number caused by
abortifacient birth control methods) . And, in the midst of
it all, our children are being raised to believe
that homosexuality is normal, that traditional
marnage 1s equally replaceable by same-sex

5
 unio ns, and that they can "choose thei r gender identity"
according to their liking. The goal is the sexualization of
young children, and the normalization of sexual activity
for older childre n and teens. And finally, the scourge of
addictio n to pornograph y-a modern form of rampant
adu ltery- is devas tating Christian marriages at an alarming
rate, and cultivating the corruption of our young boys at
the average age of 12.
Since the passion primaril y responsible for producing
and maintainin g the above soul-destroying fruits can
be set into actio n easily and speedily, through any of the
five senses, it is imperative that we strive to guard them
continually. For example, regarding the sense of sight, we
must be careful how we look at someone. Furthermor e, we
should''be modest in our personal attire, so that we do not
cause another person to sin. How it saddens my spirit when
I see young girls, even pre-teens, wearing such immodest
apparel. May God enlighten their parents to help their
daughters- through fervent (and daily!) prayer for their
souls, as well as through their own example-t o acquire a
spirit of modesty: in their dress, their vocabulary and what
they watch or read.
So many of our precious youth are losing their virginity
before they reach their junior year in high school (and not
a few before the 9th grade) . Children in the m iddle-school
grades are performing carnal acts that are considered by our
Church to be both immoral and unnatural, but they falsely
believe that they are still virgins; because many "experts" in
6
our pleasure-worshipping society are conviocing them that
they are not really having sex when they do these things!
How do we keep our children, and ourselves, from being
overwhelmed by this demonic, soul-destroying tsunami?
From a practical standpoint, we avoid as much as possible
the things that "feed" this demon: filthy language; sexual
jokes; books, magazines, movies, TV programs and websites
that contain sexual references and actions, whether imp! ied
or explicit. We must also avoid judging the actions of others.
(Our holy Church Fathers tell us that our Lord permits the
demon of lust to attack us when we judge the conduct of
others.) On the other hand, we need to embrace the things
that help us to block the demon of lust fro m having an
impact on ·o ur souls: the Jesus Prayer-Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me-both with and without the prayer rop e,
adherence to the Church's rule of fasting, daily prostrations,
and regular confession with our spiritual father.
In addition, we need both the example and the
intercession of saints who, by God 's grace, overcame the
tenacious demon of lust- like St. Mary of Egypt. She was
a beautiful young woman who used her body to lure great
numbers of men into fornication. Not having learned yet
that her body was a temple of the Holy Spirit, she was a
willing tool of the evil one to lead others into sin.
Nevertheless, our Most Sweet Lord Jesus, in His
infinite, never-ending and unconditional love
for His child, gave Mary the opportunity to
change her life in a most ·remarkable manner.
7
Upon hearing that pilgrims in Alexandria were heading to
Jerusalem to venerate the precious and life-giving Cross of
our Lord, she decided to make the journey as well. Not
having any money for purchasing a ticket, she confidently
entered the ship, knowing that her body would provide
ample recompense for the journey.
Once in Jerusalem, she was within the huge crowd
seeking to enter the church to venerate the Cross. However,
while everyone else entered without effort, Mary could not
pass through the door, no matter how hard she tried, for it
was as if an invisible force was preventing her. Leaving the
vestibule in sorrow, she looked up into the heavens and was
given the grace to see the holy face of the Mother of our
Life: our Most Beloved Panaghia! At that instant, she began
to weep copious tears of repentance; and God permitted
those tears to wash away the wall of the passion of lust, with
which the devil had surrounded her soul. Having begged
our Panaghia to intercede for her, and promising to change
her ways, she now entered the church with ease. And after
venerating the Cross of her Saviour, she picked up her cross,
and followed Him into the desert, where she remained for
47 years: the first 17 of which were fraught with demonic
assaults and strong memories of all the sins she committed
during her 17 years as a harlot. Therefore, St. Mary knows
both the tenacity of this demon and the courage needed
to overcome it; and she can be of great help to
those of us who are attacked by this monster of
the demonic passions.

9
 In His great mercy, God sent the blessed Elder Zosimas
into the desert-so as to give her Holy Communio n before
He took her soul to Paradise, and also to record her life's
story for our own edification. The Life of St. Mary is read
during the the Service of the Great Canon of St. Andrew
of Crete in the fifth week of Great Lent. I suggest that you
soon read, or re-read, the life of this icon of true repentance,
and not wait until it is read in church.
Many of the hymns presented herein can be used as
sho rt prayers for her intercessions. For example:
Behold my sorrow and the groaning of my heart,
0 venerable one! Behold the imprisonment of my
life! Save me from my sin, and take pity on my soul
JJy thy mediations before the Lord! (9TH ODE)
Thou hast been given unto us as a model of
repentance, 0 Mary;far, having acquired Mary the
Theotokos as thy helper, thou didst achieve victory
through thy fervent compunction. With her, pray
thou in our behalf. (EXAPOSTILA RION)
I· The ikos of the Canon should give much hope to those
of us who may have fallen prey to this vicious demon, for
it reveals to us that the soul of St. Mary, the former harlot,
has been placed amongst the souls of the choir of virgins!
Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ for His great MERCY!
Beloved fellow strugglers on the narrow path to
Paradise, in order for us to prepare our souls for eternity
with Christ, we must experience true repentance, shedding
10
heart-originating tears, as we feel the pain of the wounds in
our soul caused by our succumbing to the demon of lust in
our thoughts, words and actions. Only then can we escape
the unnatural life of sin and embrace the life in Christ.
0 my beloved voyagers on the sea of life, our holy
Church Fathers remind us that the demon of lust "goes in
by the barrel, but comes out through a pinhole:' In other
words, it is very easy to enter into us, but very difficult
to get out of us. Furthermore, the demon of fornication
brings more people into hell than any other passion. May
this Canon to St. Mary, and the Spirit-filled prayers at the
end, help us in our efforts to keep our souls from sinking
under this soul-destroying tsunami. May we also offer it
as an intercession for others who are under the control of
this demonic weapon of mass destruction, and who-at
present-do not have the desire, or strength, to escape its
terrible impact on their souls. And may St. Mary of Egypt
intercede for all Orthodox Christians in our Nation: so that
God may grant us the grace to know truly that our bodies
are indeed God's temple; so that, through our words and
actions, we proclaim to our Nation that the Spirit of God
dwelleth within [us]; so that we can become His instruments
to restore the God-established family unit as the keystone
of our society.
St. Mary ofEgypt, pray for us!
Archimandrite Demetrios Carellas
Chaplain, Nativity of the Theotokos
Greek Orthodox Monastery
11
>
[anon
to our <Venerab(e 9\l(otfier
.1VCARY OF 'EGYPT
Two canons are here providedfor the Saint: the first one
talwn from her feastday service on April 1st, Tone 4;
the second one talwn from the Great Canon
of St. Andrew of Crete, Tone 6.
Refrain: 0 Saint of God, intercedefor us.

ODE ONE
Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea dryshod,
Israel ofold overcame the power ofAmalek in the wilderness
by Moses' arms outstretched in the form of the Cross.
With Thy mercy, 0 Christ, wash away the
defilement of transgressions from my lowly soul, and
by the supplications of Thy venerable one dispel the
darkness and gloom of the passions.
 Having polluted the nobility of thy soul with
carnal passions, thou didst enlighten thy mind again
by abstinence , making thy soul radiant through the
outpourin g of thy tears.
Thou didst flee from the passions of Egypt as from
a well of sin; and having freed thyself of the defilement
of the cruel Pharaoh, thou hast now come to dwell in
the land of dispassion and ever joinest chorus with the
angels.
Second Canon
Give me the light of grace, from God's providence
on high, that I may flee from the darkness of the
passions and sing fervently the joyful story of thy life,
0 Mary.
Bowing before the divine laws of Christ, thou hast
drawn near to Him, forsaking the unbridled longings
of sensual pleasure; and in fear of God thou hast gained
all the virtues as if they were one.
Theotokion
Gazing upon the icon of thee and the Word Who
was born of thine all-pure womb, 0 pure Virgin
Theotokos and Mistress, the all-glorious one fervently
entreated thee to stand as surety for herself before Him.
 ODE THR EE
Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, 0 Christ, crying aloud:
Thou art my strength, 0 Lord, my refuge and confirmation!
The sores of thy soul stank and festered; but by the
outpouring of thy tears thou didst fervently cleanse
them.
Legions of demons were vanquished by thee, and
thou didst rout the rebellions of the passions with thy
tears.
Thou hast become like a cloud of the morning and
like a trickling droplet, letting fall the waters of saving
repentance upon all.
Second Canon
I am held fast, 0 Mother, by the tempest and
billows of sin: but do thou keep me safe and lead me
to the haven of divine repentance.
0 holy Mary, offer thy prayer of supplication to
the compassionate Theotokos, and through thine
intercessions open unto me the door that leads to God.
Theotokion
Having thee as our intercessor, salvation and
strength, 0 pure one, the honored Mary bowed down
in worship before the tree of the holy Cross.
 SESSJONAL HYMN
Toi1e 8, Spec. Mel: ''Of the Wisdom"

Restraining all the uprisings of the flesh with the

pangs of fasting, thou didst show forth the manly
wisdom of thy soul; for, desiring to behold the form
of the Cross, 0 ever-memorable one, thou didst
crucify thyself to the world, and thus didst fervently
raise thyself up to the zeal for a life undefiled, 0 most
blessed and all-glorious Mary. Entreat Christ God, that
He grant remission of sins unto those who with love
honor thy holy memory.
G lory. Both now.

Theotola'on
All of us, the generations of men, bless thee as the
Virgin who, alone among women, gavest birth without
seed unto God in the flesh; for the fire of the Godhead
dwelt within thee, and thou hast given suck unto the
Creator and Lord as a babe. Wherefore , we, the race of
angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving as
is meet, and together cry out to thee: Entreat Christ
God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those
who with faith worship thine all-holy Offspring.
 ODE FOUR
Irmos: Beholding Thee, the Sun of righteousness, lifted up
upon the Cross, the Church stood in place, crying out as is
! meet: Glory to Thy power, 0 Lord!
I

Fleeing all the pleasurable things in the world, thou

l
I
I
didst betake thyself far away, and through extreme
abstinence and the endurance of those things thou
didst do, in a pure manner thou didst cleave unto One
alone.
The uprisings and burnings of the body didst thou
truly quell through abstinence; wherefore, thou didst
adorn thy so.ul with divine visions and deeds, 0 most
glorious Mary.
Through the power of thy virtue, thy tears and
extreme fasting, by prayer, heat, winter's cold and
nakedness, thou didst become a precious receptacle
for the Holy Spirit.
Second Canon
Thou hast lived a bodiless life in the body, 0 holy
Mary, and thou hast received great grace from God.

l Protect us who honor thee with faith and, we entreat

thee, deliver us by thy prayers from every trial.
Thou wast brought down into an abyss of great
iniquity, yet not held fast within it: but with better
intent thou hast mounted through action to the height
of virtue, past all expectation; and the angels, 0 Mary,
were amazed at thee.
Theotokion
Having had recourse unto the icon of thee and
Him Who was born of thee, 0 Virgin Mary, Mary of
Egypt hath now found immortal life through thee,
joining chorus in Paradise.

ODE FIVE
Irmos: Thou hast come, 0 my Lord, a Light unto the world,
a holy Light which turneth from the gloom of ignorance
thostf who hymn ·Thee with faith.
Rejoicing, thou didst follow after Christ, bearing
thine own cross upon thy shoulder, 0 Mary; and thou
didst wound the demons.
Thou hast shown us the medicine of repentance,
and hast likewise shown us the path that leadeth again
to life which perisheth not.
Be thou for me an invincible helper, 0 honored
one, and deliver me from the passions and from all
pain by thine entreaties to the Lord.
"O Lady, Lady,
do not forsake
me!"

The Icon of the

Theotolws
before which St.
Mary prayed thus
prior to setting
out on her journey
across the Jordan.
 Second Canon
0 blessed saint, with a love beyond compare thou
hadst longed to venerate the Wood of life, and thy
desire was granted. Make me also worthy to attain the
glory on high.
Crossing the stream of Jordan, thou hast found
peace, escaping from the deadening pleasures of the
flesh. Del iver us also from them, holy Mary, by thine
intercessions.
Theotokion
Ever beseeching thee, the venerable one gazed
upon thine icon, 0 pure Mistress, and set at naught
the assaults of the passions.

ODE SIX
Irmos: I shall sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, 0
Lord, to Thee the Church crieth out, cleansed of the blood of
demons by the Blood which, for mercy's sake, flowed from
Thy side.
With sweat thou didst wash away the defi lement
of sin; and, directing thy gaze mentally towards that
glory which corrupteth not, thou hast now found
fruitfulness through thy pangs, 0 glorious one.
 Thy life, 0 Mary, hath been shown to be a model
for all sinners who have sinned beyond measure
in life, that they, too, may arise and wash away their
defilement with tears.
Take pity, 0 Thou Who lovest mankind, on my
lowly soul, which I have polluted by giving rein
to the impure desires of my flesh; and through the
supplicatio ns of the venerable one have mercy on
me.

Second Canon
Thy soul on fi re, 0 Mary, thou hast ever shed streams
of tears, to quench the burning of the passions. Grant
the grace of these thy tears to me also, thy servant.
Through the perfection of thine earthly life, 0
Mother, thou hast gained a heavenly freedom from the
sinfulness of passion. In thine intercessions pray that
this same freedom may be given to those who sing thy
praises.
Theotokion
With all thy heart and soul thou didst love the
living Word of God Who was born incarnate of the
Virgin, and Who spake unto thee, 0 venerable one.
 KONTAKION
Tone 4, Spec. Mel: "Having been lifted up"
Having fled the gloom of sin and illumined
thine heart with the light of repentance, 0 glorious
one, thou didst go to Christ and didst bring His all-
immaculate and holy Mother before Him as a merciful
intercessor; wherefore, thou didst find remission of thy
transgressions and now dost rejoice with the angels
forever.

Ikos
The serpent who of old caused Eve to fall through
the deception of the tree in Eden, thou didst cast down
into the pit through the tree of the Cross, 0 glorious
Mary; and, fleeing from pleasure, thou didst desire
purity. Wherefore, with the virgins thou hast been
accounted worthy to enter the chamber of thy Master
and to share in their delight as is meet. Him do thou
earnestly beseech, that He grant us remission of many
sins and account us worthy of His life, that we may
rejoice with the angels forever.
 ODE SEVEN
Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace,
consumed with love ofpiety more than by the flame, cried
out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, 0 Lord!
Having manifestly trodden the narrow path of
tribulation and made thy soul radiant with the beauty
of the virtues, thou didst attain unto the endless life of
heaven, where Christ is the never-endi ng Light.
Having trampled down all the transitory things
in the world, thou dost now join chorus with all the
armies of the angels, chanting: Blessed art Thou in the
temple of Thy glory, 0 Lord!
With thy fasting, prayer and tears, 0 venerable one,
thou didst cause all the wiles and devices of the enemy
to fail; therefore, the uprisings of the passions have
now been driven away from thee, 0 honored Mary.

Second Canon
Raising thy cry to the pure Mother of God, thou
hast driven back the fury of the passions that violently
assailed thee, and put to shame the enemy who sought
to make thee stumble. But give thy help in trouble
now to me also, thy servant.
 He Whom thou hast loved, 0 Mother, Whom thou
hast desired, in Whose footsteps thou hast followed:
He it was Who found thee and gave thee repentance,
for He is God compassionate. Pray to Him without
ceas ing, that we may be delivered from passions and
distress.
Theotol<ion
0 most pure one, who without knowing wedlock
truly gavest birth unto the incorporeal God yet didst
remain truly Virgin, by thy power thou hast driven
away the passions and legions of demons.

ODE EIGHT
Irmo~x Stretchingforth his hands, Daniel shut the mouths
of the lions in the pit; and, girded about with virtue, the
young lovers ofpiety quenched the power of the fire, crying
out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Having illumined thy whole mind with the
radiance of the virtues, 0 glorious Mary, and conversed
with God, and broken down thy flesh with great fasting
and pious intent, rejoicing thou didst chant: Bless the
Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Protecting thyself with the sign of the Cross,
traversing with faith the waters of Jordan with thy
dryshod feet, having received communio n of the Body
and Blood of the heavenly Christ, thou didst say: Bless
the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
The godly priestZosimas,an initiate of the mysteries
of grace, when he beheld thee crossing Jordan's stream
with dryshod feet, 0 glorious one, seized with fear and
trembling chanted, rejoicing: Bless the Lord, all ye
works of the Lord!

Second Canon
The Mother of the Light that never sets illumined
thee and freed thee from the darkness of the passions.
0 Mary, who hast received the grace of the Spirit, give
light to those who praise thee with faith.
The holy Zosimas was struck with amazement, 0
Mother, beholding in thee a wonder truly strange and
new. For he saw an angel in the body and was filled
with astonishment, praising Christ unto all ages.
Theotohion
Through thee, 0 all-undefiled one, did the
venerable one put off corruption and defilement; by
thee, 0 Mistress, was she clothed in the garment of
incorrupti on; and with thee did she cry out to thy Son:
Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
 ODEN/NE
lrmos: Christ, Who united the two disparate natures, the
chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, was cut from
thee, the unquarried mountain, 0 Virgin. Wherefore, in
gladness we magnify thee, 0 Theotokos.
Thou art now nourished with truly incorruptible and
divine food, delighting in the noetic and unwaning
Light in the mansions of heaven, where the ranks of
angels entreat God in our behalf.
Disdaining transient and corruptible glory, 0
Mary, thou didst inherit blessed life and glory. Entreat
Christ in behalf of those who ever celebrate thy most
holy memory.
Behold my sorrow and the groaning of my heart, 0
venerable one! Behold the imprisonment of my life!
Save me from my sin, and take pity on my soul by thy
mediations before the Lord!
Second Canon
By thy strange way of life thou hast struck all with
wonder, both the hosts of angels and the gatherings of
mortal men; for thou hast surpassed nature and lived
as though no longer in the body. Like a bodiless angel
thou hast walked upon the Jordan with thy feet, 0
Mary, and crossed over it.
 0 holy Mother, call down the gracious mercy of
the Creator upon us who sing thy praises, that we may
be set free from the sufferings and afflictions that assail
us; so without ceasing, delivered from temptations, we
shall magnify the Lord Who has glorified thee.
Theotokion
0 pure Mistress Theotokos, salvation of sinners,
accept this entreaty, and, by the supplications of thy
venerable one, from my transgressions deliver me who
flee unto thy Son.

EXAPOSTILARION
Spec. Mel: "O Light immutable"
Thou hast been given unto us as a model of
repentance, 0 Mary; for, having acquired Mary the
Theotokos as thy helper, thou didst achieve victory
through thy fervent compuncti on. With her pray thou
in our behal£
Glory. Both now.
Theotokion
The timeless Light which shone forth from the
Father before the ages hath now in these latter days
manifested Himself in time for the salvation of the
world, 0 Virgin. Never cease to pray to Him in behalf
of thy people.
 +
Prayer to tlie Tlieotokos
AM held fast in the mire of sin, and there is
'1 no strength or courage in me; the tempest of
my trespasses hath overwhelmed me. Look upon me,
Virgin, I entreat thee, for thou hast borne the Word
Who alone loveth mankind. Deliver me from every sin,
from all the passions that destroy my soul, and fro m
every ill inflicted by the enemy, that I may sing with
joy: Iptercede with thy Son and God, 0 Undefiled,
that remission of transgressions may be given to those
who in faith take refuge beneath thy protection.

"O Lady, Lady, do notforsake me!"

 +
Prayers ef [o11'!J'unction
From the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

KNOW, 0 compassionate Lord, that I have sinned

'1 and violated the vessel of my flesh. But accept
me in repentance and call me back to knowledge. Let
me not become the possession and food of the enemy;
but do Thou, 0 Saviour, take pity on me.
Flee from the flames, 0 my soul, flee from the
burning heat of Sodom, flee from destruction by the
fire of God. I confess to Thee, 0 Saviour; I have sinned,
I have sinned against Thee. But in Thy compassion
absolve and forgive me.
Woe is me! I have defiled my mind with filth. I
pray to Thee, 0 Master: wash me clean in the waters
of my tears and make the garment of my flesh white
as snow.
 +
On tne Har(ot Wnom Cnrist <Forgave
From the Service of Holy Wednesday in Holy Week

("7'.l!tE HARLOTwashed Thy pure and precious

.1. feet with her tears, and she urgeth all men to
approach Thee and receive the remission of their sins.
Unto me also grant her faith, 0 Saviour, that I may cry
to Thee: Before I perish utterly, save me, 0 Lord.
Drowning in sin, the harlot found in Thee a haven
of salvation, and pouring out the oil of myrrh with her
tears, she cried to Thee: 'Lo, Thou art He Who doth
accept the repentance of the sinful. 0 Master, save me
from the waves of sin in Thy great mercy.
Full of despair on account of her life, her evil ways
well known, she came to Thee, bearing oil of myrrh,
and cried aloud: 'Harlot though I am, cast me not out,
0 Son of the Virgin; despise not my tears, 0 Joy of the
angels; but receive me in repentance, 0 Lord, and in
Thy great mercy reject me not, a sinner~
 +
Prayer Agains t Internet Pornog npliy
Before turning on the computer,
make three bows, kiss the holy icons, and say:

LORD JEsus CHRIST, my God and Saviour,

0 through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother
and of my Patron Saint and Guardian Angel [and St.
Mary of Egypt], preserve me from all sinful pleasures
in all my senses; help me not to look at evil and
impure images that will harm my soul and separate
me from Thee; help me to cut off the desire to indulge
in such unchaste activity; and help me rather to do
work that is productive and pleasing to Thee and to
Thy Church, that I may glorify Thee, together with
Thine Unoriginate Father and the Most Holy, Good
and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the
ages of ages. Amen.
 THIS SERIES ALSO INCLUDES:
Akathist to the Mother of God,
Nurturer of Children
Akathist to the Mother of God,
The Inexhaustible Cup
Akathist to the Mother of God,
Healer of Cancer
Akathist to the Mother of God,
The Milkgiver
Akathist to Almighty God
for Help in Trouble
Akathist to Jesus, Conqueror ofDeath
Akathist to Jesus Christ for a Loved One
Who Has Fallen Asleep
Canon to the Lordfor a Sick Child
Akathist to the Guardian Angel
Who Keepeth Unceasing Watch
Over One's Soul
Akathist to Martyr Varus, Holy Intercessor
for Family Members Who Departed
Outside the Orthodox Faith
Akathist to the Righteous Joachim & Anna,
for Blessed Married Life
Akathist of Repentance
for One Who Has Aborted a Child