(An abbreviated Vespers Service for retreats & Youth Gatherings.)
Priest: Blessed is our God, always, both now and forever and to the ages of ages.
People: Amen
Prayer for the Acceptance of God’s Will
Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You alone know my true needs. You love me more than I know how to love. Help me to see clearly my real needs which I do not see. I open my heart to You. Visit and help me, for Your Great Mercy’s sake. Examine and reveal to me my faults and sins. I put all my trust in You. I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray in me. Amen.
The Evening Thanksgiving
People: O Joyful Light! Holy Glory of the immortal Father, the heavenly, holy, and blessed One! O Jesus Christ! Now that we have reached the setting of the sun and have seen the evening light, we sing to God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is fitting at all times to praise You with glad voices, Son of God, the Giver of life. Behold, the universe sings Your glory!
The Evening Prayer
Grant, Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are You O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your Name for ever. Amen. Lord, let Your mercy come upon us, O Lord, for we have trusted in You. Blessed are You O Lord, teach me Your commandments. Blessed are You O Master, make me to understand Your commandments. Blessed are You, O Holy One, enlighten me with Your commandments. Lord, Your love endures forever; Do not turn away from the work of Your hands. To You belong praise, song; and glory, to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The Petitions
Priest: Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and protect us, O God by Your grace.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: That the whole evening may be holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For forgiveness and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For all that is good and beneficial to our souls, and for peace in the world, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For our Youth Program, all those who participate and help and for their families, that the Holy Spirit may protect and strengthen their faith, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For the completion of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: For a Christian end to our lives, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good account before the awesome judgement seat of Christ, let us ask the Lord.
People: Grant this, O Lord.
Priest: Remembering our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
People: To You, O Lord.
Priest: For You are a good and loving God, and to You we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages
People: Amen.
Priest: Peace be with all.
People: And with Your spirit.
Priest: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.
People: To You, O Lord.
Priest: (In a low voice)
Lord our God Who bent the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance. Your servants have bowed their heads and bent their necks before You, the awesome and merciful judge. It is not from human beings that they expect help, but from You they hope for mercy and salvation. Protect them at all times, both during this evening and throughout the coming night from every enemy, from every assault of the powers of hell, from vain deliberations, and from evil thoughts.
Priest: Blessed and glorified is the power of Your Kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
People: Amen.
The Prayer of St. Symeon
Priest: Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples; a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.
The Trisagion Prayers
People: Amen
Holy God. Holy Mighty. Holy Immortal Have mercy on us.(3)
Glory to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for the glory of Your name.
Lord, have mercy.(3)
Glory to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages.
People: Amen
The Dismissal
Priest: Glory to You, O God, our hope, glory to You.
May Christ our true God, as a good, loving, and merciful God, have mercy on us and save us, through the intercessions of His most pure and holy Mother; the power of the precious and life-giving cross; the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist; the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles; the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs; the holy and righteous ancestors Joachim and Anna; our holy and God-bearing Fathers; Saint (Saint of the Day) whose memory we commemorate today, and all the saints.
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.
People: Amen.