Rule Against Defilement (Purity Rule)

Shorter Version, with 50 Prostrations

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of Life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3X)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in the heavens, 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord, have mercy. (12X)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Come, let us worship God, our King. O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our King and God.

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightest be justified in Thy words, and prevail when Thou art judged. For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me. For behold, Thou hast loved truth; the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom hast Thou made manifest unto me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me to hear joy and gladness; the bones that be humbled, they shall rejoice. Turn Thy face away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Rest ore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and with Thy governing Spirit establish me. I shall teach transgressors Thy ways, and the ungodly shall turn back unto Thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness. O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise. For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had given it; with whole-burnt offerings Thou shalt not be pleased. A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be builded. Then shalt Thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings. Then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.

And these troparions:

O Kind Shepherd, Who layed His life for us, Thou who knowest all hidden deeds, that I have done, O Only Good One, guide me, who have lost the mind, and save me from the wolf, O Lamb of God, and have mercy on me.

It is I who am that unfruitful tree, O Lord, bearing no fruit of compunction at all; I fear being cut down at my very roots, and I cringe at that fire that is never quenched. Wherefore I beseech Thee: Before that fearfull moment give me repentance and save me.

In that valley of tears, in that place which Thou hast ordained, when Thou sittest, O Merciful One, to make that just judgment, do not make public all my hidden deeds, nor shame me before the Angels: but spare me, O God , and have mercy on me.

As he who fell among the thieves and was sorely wounded, I too have fallen because of mine own sins, and my soul is gravely wounded. Unto Whom shall I flee for refuge, I who have brought this upon myself, except unto Thee, the compassionate healer of souls. Pour out upon me, O God, Thy great mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

I have come unto Thee, O Compassionate One, as did the Prodigal Son. Receive me, as I fall down before Thee, as one of Thy hired servants, O God, and have mercy on me.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou art the good hope of the world, O Virgin Theotokos; Thy fearsome protection only do I seek. Have compassion on me, a sinner, and entreat the merciful God to save my soul from every threat, thou only blessed One.

Lord, have mercy. (40X)

And 50 prostrations, saying at each one:

O God be gracious to me, and forgive me the prodigal, for Thy holy Name's sake.

And A Prayer of Saint Basil:

Again have I the wretched one been tripped up in my mind by serving my evil and sinful habits. Again I am dragged as a captive by the prince of darkness and the father of passionate pleasure; and as aslave, humiliatedby his will, he forces me to serve the desires of the flesh. And what am I to do, O My Lord, redeemer and defender of all who hope in Thee; but to turn again to Thee, and sigh, and beg forgiveness for the things which I have done. But I fear and tremble that perhaps even though I confess daily and try to avoid harmfull things, yet still I cease not to sin every hour, and fail to render my prayer to Thee, my God, I might yet incite Thy patience unto wrath. And who can bear Thine anger, O Lord? Wherefore, knowing the multitude of Thy compassions and abyss of Thy love for mankind, again I throw myself upon Thy mercy, and I cry unto Thee saying: I have sinned, O Lord; have mercy upon me, the fallen one. Grant unto me Thy hand in help, who am sunk in the pit of pleasures; and do not abandon me, O Lord, Thy servant, to be destroyed by mine iniquities and my sins. Rather, in Thy usual goodness deliver me from the pollution and the stain of my flesh and from my passionate thoughts which in every day defile my miserable soul. Behold, O Lord my God, there is not even one place in it that is clean, but it is altogether leprous; my body is itself one great wound. Let Thou Thyself, therefore, as the healer of souls and the wellspring of life, cleanse my soul with tears which Thou shalt pour out upon me abundantly. Grant me healing and cleansing, and turn not Thy face from me, lest the darkness of despair consume me as fire. But as Thou Thyself, the all-true God, hast said that there is joy in heaven at the return of a sinner, let this be unto me, a sinner. Close not the ears of Thy compassion against the prayer of my repentance; but open them unto me and direct my prayer before Thee as incense. Thou, the Creator, knowest the weakness of our nature, how easily we slip in our youth; yet Thou overlookest the sins and Thou acceptest the repentance of those who confess to Thee in truth. For Thou alone art sinless, and unto Thee we send up glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Another Prayer of Saint Basil:

O all-merciful, incorrupt, pure, undefiled, only sinless Lord, cleanse me, Thy useless servant from all defilements of body and soul, and from this impurity which hath happened to me because of my carelessness and indifference, together with all mine other iniquities. Purify me of every stain by the grace of Thy Christ; sanctify me by sending down Thy Holy Spirit; so that, rising up from the fog of mine impurities and the fantasies of the devil, and from every diabolical defilement, I might be made worthy in pure conscience to open my foul and polluted mouth to praise Thine all-holy Name of The Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy (3X).

O Lord, bless.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, and all the saints, save me a sinner. Amen.