Order of Renouncing Heresy and Joining the Spasov Consent of the Small Beginning. #

From a debate between A.A. Antipin and Pomor apologist V.A. Voykin

For the necessity of the one coming from heresy into the Orthodox faith, and the prayers to be said.

God, be merciful unto me, a sinner. (Bow)

O Lord, who created me, have mercy on me. (Bow)

I have sinned without number, O Lord, have mercy on me, and forgive me, a sinner. (Bow)

It is worthy, for in truth to bless thee, O God-bearer, ever blessed and most unblemished, and the mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and truly more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption, having borne God the Word; who art the God-bearer, thee do we magnify. (Prostration)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. (Bow)

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. (Bow)

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord, bless. (Bow)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of thy Most-Pure Mother, by the power of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross, and of my holy guardian Angel, and for the sake of all the saints, have mercy and save me a sinner, for thou art Good, and the Lover of mankind. (Prostration without the sign of the cross)

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen. (Bow to the waist)

O Heavenly King, Comforter, True Spirit, which art everywhere and fillest all, Treasury of blessings and giver of life: come and dwell in us; and cleanse us from every defilement, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice with bows)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us of our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for thy names sake.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Glory. Now and ever.

Our Father, which art in the heavens, hallowed may thy name be. May thy kingdom come. May thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our essential bread. And forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. (Bow) Amen.

Lord have mercy. (12 times) Glory. Now and ever.

Come, let us worship the King, our God. (Bow)

Come, let us worship Christ, the King and our God. (Bow)

Come, let us worship and fall down before the very Lord Jesus Christ, the King and our God. (Bow)

Psalm 50. Have mercy on me, O God, by thy great mercy. And by thine abundant compassions, cleanse my transgression. Above all, wash me from my transgression, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Unto thee alone have I sinned, and before thee I did evil. That thou mightest be shown righteous in thy words, and prevail when thou judgest. For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bare me. For behold, thou hast loved truth; thy hidden and secret wisdom hast thou revealed to me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whitened beyond snow. Thou shalt give joy and gladness to mine ear; the humbled bones shall rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and cleanse all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my being. Cast me not from thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a sovereign spirit. I shall teach the iniquitous in thy way; and the impious shall return unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguilt O God, O God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim thy praise. For if thou didst will sacrifice, I would surely have given it; thou delightest not in burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in thy goodwill unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be builded. Then shalt thou delight in the sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and burnt sacrifices. Then shall they lay a bullock upon thine altar.

Then, the following prayers and Symbol of Faith are read three times in full:

I, [name], this day come forth from the Nikonian heresy into the Orthodox Christian Faith, which was preached, taught, and established by the holy fathers. I come of my own good will, with the desire of my heart, from the depths of my soul — not for any bodily comfort, but solely for the salvation of my soul. I renounce all heretics: the Nikonians and all others, and I desire to have no communion with them whatsoever; and in this conviction I desire to spend all the days of my life.

I believe in the Holy Trinity — the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost — and in confirmation of this my promise, I recite the confession of the Orthodox faith:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all the visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, who from the Father is begotten before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, but not created, of one essence with the Father; by him all things came to be. For us men and for our salvation he came down from the heavens, and was made flesh of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary became man. Who was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried. And resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And is coming again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom has no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, True and Life-giving, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son art worshipped and glorified, who spake the prophets. And in one holy, conciliar, and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism unto remission of sins. I await the resurrection for the dead. And of the life of the age to come. Amen.

O Merciful Lord, look upon Thy servant, [name], who hath come unto Thee: save him and have mercy on him. (Bow)

Lord, have mercy (40 times with three bows). Glory. Now and ever.

Psalm 31: Blessed are they to whom iniquities were forgiven and to whom sins were covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin, neither is guile upon his lips. For I kept silent, my bones waxed old as I cried out all the day long. For day and night thy hand pressed sore upon me. I was turned unto affliction, while a thorn hath pierced me. I knew mine iniquity and I hid not my sin. I said, I will confess upon me mine iniquity unto the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the ungodliness of my heart. For this shall pray every venerable man in a well-suited time. Yet, in the flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my refuge from the tribulation that overtaketh me. O my joy, save me from those that have compassed me about. I shall give thee understanding and lead thee on the way wherein thou shalt go; mine eyes shall I set upon thee. Be not like a horse, a mule in which is no understanding. With bit and bridle thou shalt bind their jaws, that draw not near unto thee. Many are the wounds of the sinner, but he that hopeth on the Lord, shall mercy encompass. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous, and exult, all ye upright of heart. (This psalm may be read once or thrice).

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

Tropar: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for on thee have we hoped. Be not exceedingly wroth with us, neither remember our iniquities. But look upon us as merciful, and deliver us from our enemies. For thou art our God, and we are thy people. And all (are) the works of thy hand, and we call upon thy name.

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

The doors of mercy open unto us, O blessed Virgin God-bearer. Those hoping in thee shall not perish. But let us be delivered by thee from misfortunes. For thou art the salvation of the Christian race.

Now lettest thou thy servant depart, O Master, in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

From this point, the one being received begins to pray together with the faithful:

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice with bows)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us of our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for thy names sake.

Lord have mercy. (Thrice) Glory. Now and ever.

Our Father, which art in the heavens, hallowed may thy name be. May thy kingdom come. May thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our essential bread. And forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. (Bow) Amen.

Tropar: When being baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, Trinitarian worship was revealed, for the voice of the Father bore witness unto thee, naming thee the beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove, made known the certainty of the words. O Christ God, who hast appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee.

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Grant victories to the Russian realm over adversaries, and by the Cross, preserving thy people.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

Thou didst appear today unto the world, and thy light, O Lord, hath been signed upon us, in the understanding of those praising thee: the Light unapproachable hath come and hath been revealed.

Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou who wast lifted up upon the Cross of thine own will, to thy namesake dwelling now, grant thy mercies, O Christ God. Gladden our realm by thy power, granting it victories over adversaries; having for aid thy weapon of peace, an invicible victory.

Then the one coming makes three prostrations, saying twice:

Glory, O Lord, to Thy precious Cross.

Then kisses the Cross. Then one more prostration:

Glory, O Lord, to Thy precious Cross.

Then venerate all the icons: the Savior, the Cross, the God-bearer, and the saints (as available).

O Merciful Lord, look upon Thy servant, [name], who hath come unto Thee: save him and have mercy on him. (Bow)

Lord, have mercy (40 times with three bows).

Thou who at every time and every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O gracious God; O Lord, do thou thyself receive our prayers at this hour, and in goodness make straight our life unto thy commandments. Sanctify our soul and purify our bodies; set aright our reasonings, and cleanse our thoughts. Make chaste and sober the mind, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil, and pain, and the passions of the soul; and surround us with thy holy angels, so that guarded and guided by their host, we may attain unto the unity of faith, and unto the understanding of thine unapproachable glory. For thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen

Lord have mercy (Thrice) Glory. Now and ever.

More honourable than the Cherubim, and truly more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption, having borne God the Word; who art the God-bearer, thee do we magnify. (Bow)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. (Bow)

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. (Bow)

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord, bless. (Bow)

And the dismissal.