May Thy compassion be praised, O Christ our King, O Son of God worshipped by all! Thouart our King, Thou art our God, Thou art the author of our life and our great hope.
With one soul do both the heavenly hosts and the ranks below praise Thee and sing unto Thee a song of thanks, for Thou Who wast concealed hast in the last days appeared in the flesh of us mortals.
When Thy compassion was aroused and when it pleased Thy love to do so, Thou didst come for our redemption and liberate our race.
Thou didst cure our afflictions, cleanse our sins and, according to Thy Compassion, Thou didst raise those who were dead.
Thou didst establish on earth the holy Church in the image of the heavenly kingdom: Thou didst build her with love, establish her with compassion, and
Thou didst spiritually betroth Thyself to her, and gain her by Thy suffering.
But the hater of mankind, in his shameless impudence, attacks her in the person of her servers.
O Lord, do not leave Thy holy Church without Thy care, that the promise that Thou didst utter concerning her invincibility may not be shown false.
Do not let her majestic beauty be disfigured or her wealth be stolen.
Fulfill Thy promise that Thou didst make to Peter; seal Thy words with deeds.
Fortify her gates, strengthen her bars, exalt her horn, raise up her head.
Bless her sons, preserve her children, give peace to her priests and subdue those who wish her evil.
May Thy peace dwell in her and drive away from her all evil schisms.
Grant that we may lead a calm, peaceful life in fear of Thee.
May we maintain our faith with great confidence and perfect love.
May our life be pleasing to Thee and may we find compassion in Thee in the day of reckoning.
May we ceaselessly bring praise to Thee, O Lord, and to Thy Father and to the Holy Spirit.
‘Psalm’ 86, from ‘A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God Excerpted by Bishop Theophan the Recluse from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian.
Icon of Christ ‘The King of Kings and Great High Priest’ by the hand of Konstantin Antonov, cell of Hieromonk Mark.