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of the Apostles, and we are like those who killed them? Who then will not weep for us in such a condition? Who will not lament our so great captivity? For this reason we, the "precious" sons of God, were accounted as "earthen vessels." For this reason the "gold" has grown dim; the "good" silver has been changed.

For this reason, the Nazirites of Zion, who shone "brighter than snow," we have become like Ethiopians; those who were made whiter "than milk," have become darker than blackness. For this reason "our appearance has become blacker than soot." We who were nourished "in scarlet," have embraced "dunghills;" (14__418> and our iniquity has become greater than the "iniquities of Sodom." For this reason, we who were "sons of the day and" of the "light, have become sons of night and darkness." For this reason, we sons of the kingdom have become sons of Gehenna. For this reason, we "sons of the Most High, die like men, and fall like one of the princes." For this reason we were delivered into "the hands of lawless enemies," I mean the wild demons, "and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the earth," that is, to their ruler, "for we have sinned and have transgressed," having transgressed the commandments of the Lord our God, and having trampled under foot the Son of God and having considered the blood of the covenant a common thing.

But "do not deliver us up completely for your name’s sake," O Lord, "and do not scatter your covenant; and do not take your mercy away from us," for the sake of your compassions, "Our Father who art in heaven," and for the sake of the tender mercies of your only-begotten Son, and for the sake of the mercy of your Holy Spirit. "Do not remember our former iniquities," but "let your compassions speedily prevent us, for we have become very poor. Help us, O God our Savior. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us, and be merciful to our sins for your name’s sake," O Lord, being mindful of our first-fruits which your only-begotten Son, having taken from us through love for mankind, holds for us in heaven, that he might grant us the sure hope of salvation; and that we might not become worse through (14__420> despair, for the sake of his precious blood, which he poured out for the life of the world; for the sake of his holy Apostles and Martyrs, who poured out their own blood for his name; for the sake of the holy Prophets and Fathers and Patriarchs, who strove to be well-pleasing to your holy name.

Do not overlook our supplication, O Lord, nor abandon us completely. For we do not trust in our righteousness, but in your mercy, by which you preserve our race. We supplicate and entreat your goodness, that the mystery of salvation administered to us by your only-begotten Son may not become a judgment for us; and "cast us not away" from "your presence." Do not abhor our unworthiness, but have mercy on us according to your great mercy, and according to the multitude of your compassions, pass over our sins, that approaching without condemnation before your holy glory we may be deemed worthy of the protection of your only-begotten Son, and not be rejected as wicked servants for our sins.

Yes, almighty Master, Lord, hear our prayer, for besides you we know no other. We call upon your name; for you are "the one working all things in all," and we all seek help from you. Look down then from heaven, O Lord, "and see from your holy and glorious habitation. Where is your zeal and your strength? Where is the (14__422> multitude of your mercy and your compassions," that you have held back from our fall? "For you are our Father, for Abraham did not know us, and Israel did not acknowledge us; but you, O Lord, our Father, deliver us," for from the beginning your holy "name is upon us," and that of your only-begotten Son, and of your Holy Spirit. "Why have you made us wander, O Lord, from your way?" "Do not chastise

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τῶν Ἀποστόλων, καὶ ἐσμὲν ὅμοιοι τῶν ἀποκτεινάντων αὐτούς; Τίς οὖν οὐ κλαύσει ἡμᾶς οὕτως διακειμένους; Τίς οὐ θρηνήσει τὴν τηλικαύτην ἡμῶν αἰχμαλωσίαν; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο υἱοὶ Θεοῦ "οἱ τίμιοι», ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς "ἀγγεῖα ὀστράκινα». ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἠμαυρώθη τὸ "χρυσίον»· ἠλλοιώθη τὸ ἀργύριον "τὸ ἀγαθόν».

∆ιὰ τοῦτο οἱ Ναζωραῖοι Σιών, οἱ "ὑπὲρ χιόνα" λάμψαντες, γεγόναμεν ὡς Αἰθίοπες· οἱ "ὑπὲρ γάλα" λευκανθέντες, ὑπὲρ μέλαν ἐζοφώθησαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο "ἐσκότασεν ὑπὲρ ἀσβόλην τὸ εἶδος" ἡμῶν. Οἱ τιθηνούμενοι "ἐπὶ κόκκων», περιεβαλόμεθα "κοπρίας· (14__418> καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ἀνομία ἡμῶν, ὑπὲρ" ἀνομιῶν "Σοδόμων». ∆ιὰ τοῦτο "οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ" τοῦ "φωτός, υἱοὶ" γεγόναμεν "νυκτὸς καὶ σκότους». ∆ιὰ τοῦτο υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας, υἱοὶ γεέννης γεγόναμεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οἱ "υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου, ὡς ἄνθρωποι" ἀποθνήσκομεν, "καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων" πίπτομεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο παρεδόθημεν εἰς "χεῖρας ἐχθρῶν ἀνόμων», τῶν ἀγρίων λέγω δαιμόνων, "καὶ βασιλεῖ ἀδίκῳ καὶ πονηρωτάτῳ παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν», δηλαδὴ τῷ τούτων ἄρχοντι, "ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν καὶ ἠνομήσαμεν», παραβάντες τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ καταπατήσαντες τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης κοινὸν ἡγησάμενοι.

Ἀλλὰ "μὴ παραδῴης ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου», Κύριε, "καὶ μὴ διασκεδάσῃς τὴν διαθήκην σου· καὶ μὴ ἀποστήσῃς τὸ ἔλεός σου ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν», διὰ τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς σου, "Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς», καὶ διὰ [τὰ] σπλάγχνα τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ ἁγίου σου Πνεύματος. "Μὴ μνησθῇς ἡμῶν ἀνομιῶν ἀρχαίων», ἀλλὰ "ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα. Βοήθησον ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν. Ἕνεκεν τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, Κύριε, ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου», Κύριε, μνησθεὶς τῆς ἀπαρχῆς ἡμῶν ἣν ἐξ ἡμῶν διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν λαβὼν ὁ μονογενής σου Υἱὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἔχει ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ἵνα ἡμῖν βεβαίαν τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας χαρίσηται· καὶ μὴ διὰ τὴν (14__420> ἀπόγνωσιν χείρους γενώμεθα, διὰ τὸ τίμιον αὐτοῦ αἷμα, ὃ ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς ἐξέχεεν· διὰ τοὺς ἁγίους αὐτοῦ Ἀποστόλους καὶ Μάρτυρας, οἳ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ τὸ ἴδιον αἷμα ἐξέχεον· διὰ τοὺς ἁγίους Προφήτας καὶ Πατέρας καὶ Πατριάρχας, οἵτινες ἠγωνίσαντο εὐαρεστῆσαι τῷ ἁγίῳ σου ὀνόματι.

Μὴ παρίδῃς τὴν δέησιν ἡμῶν, Κύριε, μηδὲ ἐγκαταλίπῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ταῖς δικαιοσύναις ἡμῶν πεποιθότες ἐσμέν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ ἐλέει τῷ σῷ, δι᾽ οὗ τὸ γένος ἡμῶν περιποιῇ. Ἱκετεύομεν καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν τὴν σὴν ἀγαθότητα, ἵνα μὴ γένηται εἰς κρῖμα ἡμῖν τὸ οἰκονομηθὲν ἡμῖν ὑπὸ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ πρὸς σωτηρίαν μυστήριον· καὶ "μὴ ἀπορρίψῃς" ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ "τοῦ προσώπου σου». Μὴ βδελύξῃ ἡμῶν τὴν ἀναξιότητα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὸ μέγα σου ἔλεος, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου παράγαγε τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἀκατακρίτως προσελθόντες κατενώπιον τῆς ἁγίας σου δόξης ἀξιωθῶμεν τῆς σκέπης τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ, καὶ μὴ ὡς δοῦλοι πονηροὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἀποδόκιμοι γενώμεθα.

Ναί, ∆έσποτα παντοδύναμε Κύριε, εἰσάκουσον τῆς δεήσεως ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐκτὸς σοῦ ἄλλον οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Τὸ ὄνομά σου ὀνομάζομεν· σὺ γὰρ εἶ "ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι», καὶ τὴν παρά σου πάντες ἐπιζητοῦμεν βοήθειαν. Ἐπίβλεψον οὖν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Κύριε, "καὶ ἴδε ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τῆς ἁγίας δόξης σου. Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ ζῆλός σου καὶ ἡ ἰσχύς σου; Ποῦ ἐστι τὸ (14__422> πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλέους σου καὶ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου», ὅτι ἠνέσχες τῆς πτώσεως ἡμῶν; "Σὺ γὰρ ἡμῶν εἶ Πατήρ, ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ οὐκ ἔγνω ἡμᾶς, καὶ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἐπέγνω ἡμᾶς· ἀλλὰ σύ, Κύριε, Πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς», ὅτι ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς τὸ ὄνομά σου" τὸ ἅγιον ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐστι, καὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου σου Πνεύματος. "Τί ἐπλάνησας ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ σου;" "Μὴ παιδεύσῃς