ts its tone and spirit, it gives us-from the very beginning- the true dimension of repentance.
2. The Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian
"O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk." Prostration.
"But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant." Prostration.
"Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother; for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen." Prostration.
Then all bow twelve times saying: "O God cleanse me, a sinner."
And the whole prayer is read again, with one prostration at the end.
This prayer, constantly repeated throughout the services, is the simplest and purest expression of repentance in all its dimensions: desire for purification, desire for improvement, desire for a real change in relations with other people. The Lenten rules of the Orthodox Church pay great attention to prostrations: through them the body participates in the effort of "breaking down" our pride and self-satisfaction.
3. Biblical Readings
4. The Lenten Hymns
"Let us begin, O people the spotless fast, for it is the salvation of our souls.
Let us make our devotion to the Lord in fear, anointing our heads with the oil of good works and washing our faces with pure water,
Not many worded in prayer, but saying as we have been taught to say.
Our Father Who art in heaven! Forgive us our trespasses,
For Thou art the lover of mankind."
(Tuesday Matins, First Week)
"O come ye faithful, let us work the works of God in light,
Let us walk honestly as in the day, let us cast away from ourselves every unjust writing against our neighbor, and not put a stumbling block as an occasion for his falling on the way;
Let us put away the pleasures of the flesh;
Let us increase the graces of our souls;
Let us give bread to those in need; Let us draw near to Christ in penitence, crying out:
"Have mercy on us, O our God!"
(Friday Vespers, First Week)
"Why art thou idle, O my soul? And why dost thou dedicate thyself to sin?
Why art thou weak yet not come to the physician?
Now is the fruitful time, and now is the real day of salvation.
Arise! Wash thyself in the tears of repentance and enlighten thy lamp with the oil of good works,
That thou mayest obtain from God forgiveness and great mercy."
(Tuesday Matins, Second Week)
"Arriving midway on that road of fasting which leads to Thy venerable cross,
And hoping for a glimpse of that day when Abraham caught up Isaac from the grave
We entreat Thee to make us partakers of Thy mystical supper
Who are saved by faith and cry out to Thee:
O our Light and our Saviour, glory to Thee."
(Wednesday Matins, Fourth Week)
5. The Psalter
6. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
"... When Thou has freed us and Thy faithful people from all impurities, sanctify the souls and bodies of all of us with a sanctification not to be taken away; that with a clear conscience, peaceful presence and enlightened hearts we may participate in those divine Sacraments, and be quickened through them and become one with Thy Christ Himself, our true God, Who said: Who so eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, abides in Me and I in Him. So that by Thy Word dwelling in us and walking with us we may become, O Lord, a temple of Thine all-holy and adored spirit..."
(Prayer at the Presanctified Liturgy)
7. Liturgical Music and Vestments
And finally, as an external symbol of this state of repentance, preparation and humility, dark purple vestments are used in the Church.
8. Saturdays and Sundays of Lent
Lenten Saturdays, with the exception of the first, dedicated to the memory of the Holy Martyr Theodore Tyron, and the fifth, the Saturday of the Akathistos, are days of commemoration of the departed. And it would be good o restore this practice of one weekly universal commemoration of all Orthodox Christians departed this life, of their integration in the Eucharist which is always offered "on behalf of ill and for all."
Each Sunday in Lent, although it preserves ts basic meaning: that of the weekly feast of Resurrection, has its own special th