When it is said
Barsanuphius gave it for the sins that slip from memory. Before confession it belongs at the end, once you have gone over all you can recall.
A Russian prayer book prints it on its own under the title “Prayer of St Barsanuphius the Great for the forgiveness of forgotten sins.”
Where it comes from
Author known
Who was Barsanuphius?
Barsanuphius was a hermit of the 6th century who lived shut away beside a monastery in Gaza. Its abbot Seridos passed the hermit’s answers on to the people who asked. Barsanuphius and another hermit named John left about AD 850 answers to hermits, monks, bishops and lay people.
The Questions and Answers of Barsanuphius and John, Russian translation, Azbyka
The question behind it
A disciple asked Barsanuphius what to do about sins that slipped from memory, some of them for good. Barsanuphius pointed to a person who cannot read, who simply promises a trusted lender to pay whatever the lender’s books show. No lender is more trustworthy than God, Who knows even what has not yet happened. So he told the disciple to hand God the account of the forgotten sins and pray these words.
Barsanuphius and John, Answer 393, Russian translation, Azbyka
The Scripture in it
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen”
He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Russian
Владыко! поскольку и забыть свои согрешения есть грех,
то я во всем согрешил Тебе, единому Сердцеведцу;
Ты и прости мне все по Твоему человеколюбию;
ибо тем-то и проявляется великолепие славы Твоей,
когда Ты не воздаешь грешникам по грехам их,
ибо Ты препрославлен во веки, аминь.