Dear Otsheylnik,
Reader Isaac Lambertsen has translated this service into English. With his kind permission, I reproduce it here.
Yours in Christ,
Fr David Straut
Rite Performed at the Clothing with the Ryasa & Kamilavka
He who desireth to receive the ryasa cometh to the Abbot, and having made the usual prostration before him, is questioned by him as to whether he cometh to the monastic life with all sincerity, and if after many days’ consideration his purpose is unaltered; and when he hath answered that he wisheth to remain permanently in the monastery in fasting and prayer, and with the help of God to show forth the zeal to make progress day and night in the virtues and in all the tasks assigned him, the Abbot commandeth him firstly to enumerate all his offenses in order, and having brought to recollection all the things he had committed from his youth, to confess them to the monastery’s spiritual father, and to receive absolution from him, and at the command of the spiritual father to ready himself to partake of the divine Mysteries. When this hath been done, the Abbot straightway entrusteth him to one of the most experienced elders of the monastery, commanding him to take strict care of his soul and to teach him the monastic life. And the one who desireth to wear the ryasa he commandeth to submit unto the Elder in all things, to honor and obey him as his father and teacher, to accept instruction from the elder as from Christ Himself, and to have love for him; likewise, to examine his own conscience three times each day, and always to confess his deeds and thoughts to the Elder, and never to hide anything from him, as one would not from God Himself; and to receive the commands and teachings of the Elder with love, as from God, and to strive earnestly to keep and fulfill them; and above all these things, to do nothing unless it be ordered and blessed by the elder (even if it be the best of actions).
He is then commanded by the Abbot and the Elder to enter the church. And when he approacheth the Abbot and the brethren in church, at the beginning of the Hours, the aforementioned Elder bringeth before the Abbot him who desireth to receive the ryasa; and doing obeisance to him, they both kiss his right hand; and having taken a blessing, they bow to the brethren on both sides, and standing before the holy doors, they make over themselves the sign of the Cross, prostrating themselves thrice. Then, having kissed the holy icons and made their reverence, they go to their own places.
Straightway after this, the Hours are begun; and when they are concluded, the abbot vesteth in epitrachilion and phelonion, and he who desireth to receive the ryasa presenteth himself before him, in company with his Elder, in the narthex, before the doors of the nave. And the abbot beginneth as usual:
Abbot: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Brethren: Amen.
And the Ecclesiarch readeth: Trisagion through Our Father.
Abbot: For Thine is the kingdom…
Ecclesiarch: Amen. Lord, have mercy! Twelve times. Glory… Now & ever… O come, let us worship… Thrice, and Psalm 26:
The Lord is my light and my savior; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? When the wicked draw nigh against me to eat my flesh, they that afflict me and are mine enemies, they themselves became weak and they fell. Though a host should array itself against me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war should rise up against me, in this have I hoped. One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His tabernacle in the day of my troubles, He sheltered me in the secret place of His tabernacle, upon a rock hath He exalted me. And now, behold, He exalted my head above mine enemies.I went round about and I sacrificed in His tabernacle a sacrifice of praise and jubilation; I will sing and I will chant unto the Lord. Hearken, O Lord, unto my voice, wherewith I cried; have mercy on me, and hearken unto me. My heart said unto Thee: I will seek the Lord. My face hath sought after Thee; Thy face, O Lord, will I seek. Turn not Thy face from me and turn not away in wrath from Thy servant. Be Thou my helper; cast me not utterly away, and forsake me not, O God my Savior. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken me to Himself. Set me a law, O Lord, in Thy way, and lead me in the right path because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the souls of them that afflict me, for unjust witnesses are risen up against me, and injustice hath lied to itself. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be thou manful, and let thy heart be strengthened, and wait on the Lord.
And after this, he readeth Psalm 50:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my trans-gression. 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. Restore 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 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 afterwards, he readeth again: Trisagion through Our Father, whereupon these troparia are chanted, in Tone IV—
O God of our fathers, Who ever dealest with us according to Thy gentleness, withdraw not Thy mercy from us, but by their entreaties govern our life in peace.
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—
To the Theotokos we, the sinful and lowly, now earnestly have recourse; and we fall down in repentance, crying out from the depths of our heart: O Mistress, take pity and have mercy upon us! Haste thou, for we are perishing in the multitude of our transgressions! Turn not thy servants empty away, for thee do we have as our holy hope!
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
All the brethren: Lord, have mercy!
And straightway the Abbot readeth this prayer:
We thank Thee, O Lord our God, Who in Thy great mercy hast delivered Thy servant N. from the vain life of the world and hast called him to this honorable vow. Vouchsafe therefore that he live worthily in this angelic life; preserve him from the snares of the devil; keep his soul and body pure even unto death; vouchsafe that he may be Thy holy temple; give him the understanding ever to understand Thy precepts; and grant him love and meekness: through the supplications of our all-pure Mistress, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, and of all Thy saints.
And all the brethren say: Amen.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Brethren: Lord, have mercy!
And the Abbot readeth the second prayer:
Beneath Thy yoke receive Thou Thy servant N., O Master, and vouchsafe that he may be joined to the flock of Thine elect. Clothe him in the robe of sanctification; gird his loins about with chastity; and show him forth as a struggler for all temperance, perfecting in him and in us the grace of Thy Spirit: through the supplications of our all-holy Mistress, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, and of all Thy saints.
And the brethren say: Amen.
Then the Abbot taketh from him the scissors, and cutteth the hairs of his head in crosswise fashion, saying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us all say for him: Lord, have mercy!
And all the brethren chant: Lord, have mercy! Thrice
The Abbot then clotheth him in the ryasa and setteth the kamilavka on his head, saying nothing; and when he hath finished clothing him, the Abbot saith:
Abbot: Peace be to all.
Brethren: And to thy spirit.
Deacon: Bow your heads unto the Lord!
Brethren: To Thee, O Lord.
And while all bow their heads, the Abbot readeth this prayer quietly:
O holy, blessed Son of the blessed Father, Who cuttest down pride and settest at nought the warfare of the adversary, Who pourest out the glory of humble-mindedness upon the heads of the saints, and crownest them with the unfading and incorrupt crown of life and immortality, and Who guidest them to the narrow way whereby the holy fathers have entered in and received the very place of rest: Do Thou grant the power and grace of divinity, which is from Thee, O Master, Lord our God, unto the spirit, soul and body of Thy servant N., who cometh unto Thee and hath received the beginning of the holy habit in the name of Thee Who sanctifiest all things, that Thou mightest Thyself sanctify him by Thine omnipotent and good name.
Exclamation: For holy art Thou, O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory—to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit—now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Brethren: Amen.
And the Abbot intoneth the usual daily dismissal.
After the dismissal, he taketh by the hand him who hath received the ryasa, and giveth him over to his Elder, saying: to the latter:
Behold, in the sight of God I entrust to thee this beginner, whom do thou teach to live in the fear of God and in all the virtues. Watch carefully, lest by negligence thou cause his soul to perish; for thou must needs give answer to God for him on the day of judgment.
And to him who hath received the ryasa, he saith:
In all things submit thyself to the Elder, as to Christ, and in everything be patient, humble, obedient, meek and quiet; and thou shalt find grace before God, and shalt be saved.
Translated from the Church Slavonic by the reader Isaac E. Lambertsen, from The Euchologion (Kiev: Press of the Lavra of the Caves of Kiev, 1902), pp. 115a-118b. Copyright © 1997. All rights reserved by the translator.
