HYMN OF PRAISE from The Prologue of Ohrid
VENERABLE MOSES THE BLACK [THE ROBBER]
Blessed is he upon whom God shows mercy!
The mercy of God is joy,
In both worlds joy.
Moses Murin [the Black] as a prodigal son
Repented and to God returned,
By much weeping, many sins repaid
By much fasting, himself withered,
Black in the face, shining in the soul.
By many all-night vigils, passions he tamed,
Of demons authority, freed himself.
While his soul, as a lake became
Atop the mountains that, into the heavens gaze.
In which heaven mirrors its face.
When once, they asked Moses
“Do not the sins of others sadden you?”
“Sinful men, do they not concern you?”
Saint Moses tearfully replied:
“Whoever has a corpse in the house
That one does not weep over someone else’s corpse
Rather weeps over his own corpse.”
The lion, into a lamb, often changes,
Such a miracle, only Christ performs.
Moses, a lion in the mountain was
And, a gentle lamb became.
By his holy prayers, let
God grant salvation to us also.
Filed under: Eastern Orthodox, saints Tagged: gentle lamb, holy prayers, hymn of praise, Martyr, St Moses the Black
