The Sunday of Forgiveness is the last Sunday prior to the commencement of Holy and Great Lent. During the pre-Lenten period, the services of the Church include hymns from the Triodion, a liturgical book the contains the services from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the tenth before Pascha (Easter), through Holy and Great Saturday. On the Sunday of Forgiveness focus is placed on the exile of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, an event that shows us how far we have fallen in sin and separated ourselves from God. At the onset of Holy and Great Lent and a period of our need for God's forgiveness and guides our hearts, minds, and spiritual efforts on returning to him in repentance.

(6) With this everything is done. All that remains is to fall at God's feet with feelings of thankfulness for His unspeakable mercy, and kiss the Cross and Gospels as a sign of you vow. Go unwaveringly along the path shown to you in the Gospels, with the commitment to follow Christ the Savior, as described in the Gospels, under His blessed yoke, only now taken upon yourself. Having completed this, go in peace, with the intention to intently act according to what you have promised, remembering that the judgment over you from now on will be from your own words.

(3) Shame and fear will come up--let them! That is why this Sacrament (Mystery) was created, to bring shame and fear upon us--and the more shame and fear, the more it will save us. Desire this Sacrament, desire great shame and great trembling. If someone wants to be healed, does he not know how painful the treatment is? He knows, but resolving to be healed, he also determines to endure the attendant pain in the hope of recovering. And you, when you were tormented by the feelings of regret that came upon you and you rushed to come closer to God, did you not say: "I am ready to endure anything, only have mercy on me and forgive me!" Well, now it is happening according your wish.

When during prayer you doubt in the possibility of the fulfillment of any of your petitions, then remember that to God it is possible to give you all things, excepting direct evil, which is only proper to the Devil--that the word itself, or your petition itself concerning anything, is already a sure guarantee on your part that its fulfillment is possible; for if you can only think of something, either possible or impossible to the Lord, to Whom the thought is already deed, if He pleases to fulfill it.

Do not pay attention to the darkness, fire, and distress proceeding from the enemy during prayer, and steadfastly trust with all you heart in the very words of the prayer, being assured that the treasures of the Holy Spirit are concealed in them--that is, truth, light, life-giving, forgiveness of sins, expansion, peace and joy of the heart, and blessedness.