When it is said
It closes a moleben, a short service of prayer led by a priest, held for children who have strayed.
A mother or father might also pray it at home.
Where it comes from
No author known
Who wrote it?
No author is named. The Moscow Patriarchate publishes the service, which the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved on 13 October 2022.
The service for straying children, approved 13 October 2022 (Azbyka.ru)
The prodigal son
The service reads Jesus’s parable of the prodigal son. One of its petitions asks that parents may one day say with joy what the father in the parable said: their children were dead and are alive again, were lost and are found (Luke 15:24).
The service for straying children, the petitions and the Gospel (Azbyka.ru)
The Scripture in it
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
“to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Господи, Иисусе Христе, Сыне Единородный Безначальнаго Твоего Отца, в мир пришедый погибшее овча взыскати, грешныя к покаянию обратити, падшия воздвигнути, во тьме седящия просветити, малодушныя укрепити и вся на путь спасения наставити!
Призри и ныне на моление нас, недостойных рабов Твоих, о заблуждших чадех наших приносимое, яже от соблазнов мира сего, или от невежества, или от нагльства и уныния, или от недостатка любве нашея на страну далече отшедших и родителей своих презревших, наипаче же дом Отца своего Небеснаго, оставивших.
Ей, Владыко Всемилостиве! Виждь скорбь нашу и не даждь погибнути чадом нашим, но обрати их от пути греховнаго и настави на путь истины и благочестия, да, мирския сласти оставивше, сладость любве Твоея познают и в покаяние приидут. Мы же, возвращение их радостне восприимше, купно с ними прославим Тя, Спасителя нашего Иисуса Христа, со Безначальным Твоим Отцем и Пресвятым и Благим и Животворящим Твоим Духом ныне, и присно, и во веки веков. Аминь.