Comfortable Words › The Trisagion Prayers

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The Hospitality of Abraham, by Andrei Rublev.

About this picture …

A Russian icon of the Hospitality of Abraham, a story from the Old Testament. According to Genesis 18, three strangers came to the house of Abraham at Mamre, and were invited to dine. The story is told in a curious way, such that the three men and God seem to be the the same. In Orthodox Christian tradition, which rejects images of the invisible God himself as tending to idolatry, this scene is treasured as one of the few permissible representations of the Holy Trinity.

The Trisagion Prayers

These prayers are said at the start of many public service in the Church, and are often used for private prayer too. The name ‘trisagion’ means ‘thrice-holy,’ and comes from the song ‘Holy, holy, holy!’ which, so Isaiah and St John tell us, the angels cry ceaselessly before the throne of God.

A Prayer to the Holy Ghost.

HEAVENLY King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, which art everywhere present, and fillest all things, the Treasury of blessings and Giver of life: Come and make thy dwelling in us, and cleanse us from every stain; And, O Good One, save our souls!

The Trisagion (Thrice-Holy) Prayer.

HOLY God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal,
have mercy upon us!

Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal,
have mercy upon us!

Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal,
have mercy upon us!*

* According to tradition, this hymn was revealed to the people of Constantinople during an earthquake in 447, in the time of the Emperor Theodosius II (408-450). The event is commemorated on September 25th each year.

A Prayer to the Holy Trinity.

ALL-HOLY Trinity have mercy upon us.
Lord, be merciful to our sins.
Master, forgive our iniquities.
Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities,
for thy name’s sake.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

The Little Doxology

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.*

* ‘Now and forever and to the ages of ages’ is a translation of the original Greek. In England, this ‘little doxology’ traditionally runs: ‘As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.’

The Lord’s Prayer

OUR Father,* which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.* Amen.

* An ancient compilation from Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.

* The use of ‘trespasses’ instead of ‘debts’ (see Matthew 9:15) is peculiar to the English tradition. ‘Deliver us from evil’ perhaps should be ‘Deliver us from the Evil One’.

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