Moleben Prayer against Abortion
- Silouan & All Saints GBI
- Jan 10
- 4 min read
At the end of December 2025, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved the publication of a number of prayers and services. Among them, was a moleben / молебенъ (i.e. Intercessory Prayer) for the "enlightenment of those contemplating abortion." This service is intended to be sung on the 11th January (29th December), commemorating the 14,000 holy innocents slaughtered on King Herod's orders, though it can be sung at any other time as the need may present itself. The specific prayers against abortion ask for the support and enlightenment of any family members contemplating abortion (not just the mother herself, as often partners and other family members may put pressure on women to carry out an abortion), as well as for civil authorities and medical professionals to be guided towards right actions.
The prayer service has been published in Russian, which is shared here (I). An unofficial English translation is also attached (II), along with a "Reader's Service" that can be said privately (III).
(I) ЧИН МОЛЕБНАГО ПЕНИЯ О ВРАЗУМЛЕНИИ ИМУЩИХ НАМЕРЕНИЕ ПОГУБИТИ МЛАДЕНЦА ВО ЧРЕВЕ.
(II) ORDER of the MOLEBEN (INTERCESSORY PRAYER) for the ENLIGHTENMENT of those CONTEMPLATING ABORTION.
(III) READER’S MOLEBEN (INTERCESSORY PRAYER) for the ENLIGHTENMENT of those CONTEMPLATING ABORTION.
Notes for Reader's Service:
The reader's service can be said in church without a priest or privately at home. If there are more than two people present, the most senior person (e.g. reader or head of the family) takes the role of "senior reader", with the other parts divided between those present. If said alone, the person praying reads (or sings) all the parts.
The Reader's service contains a canon, as is customary for a moleben. The canon is dedicated to the Holy Innocents and is found in the matins service for that day.
The Martyred 14,000 Infants
The Holy Martyred 14,000 Infants were killed by king Herod in Bethlehem. When the time was come for the fulfilling of the greatest of events – the Incarnation of the Son of God and His Birth of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Magi in the East beheld a new star in the heavens, foretelling the Nativity of the King of the Jews. They set off immediately to Jerusalem to worship the Born-Child, and the star showed them the way. Having worshipped the Divine Infant, they did not return to Jerusalem to Herod, as he had ordered them to, but rather receiving a revelation from on high – they went back to their country by another way. Herod finally realised that his scheme to find the Infant would not have success, and he gave orders to kill all the male children two years and younger at Bethlehem and its surroundings. He reasoned, that among the dead children would be also the Divine-Infant, Whom he considered a rival. The murdered infants became the first martyrs for Christ. The rage of Herod fell also on Simeon the God-Receiver, who declared in witness in front of everyone in the Temple that the Messiah had been born. When the holy elder died, Herod would not give permission that he be properly buried. And on the orders of king Herod, the holy prophet and priest Zachariah also was killed: they murdered him in the Jerusalem Temple betwixt the Offertory and the Altar – because he would not tell the whereabouts of his son John, the future Baptist of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The wrath of God soon fell upon Herod himself: a horrid condition struck him down and he died – devoured by worms while still alive. Before his death the impious king accomplished full measure of his wicked deeds: he murdered chief-priests and scribes among the Jews, and also his brother by birth, and his sister and her husband, and also his own wife Mariam and three of his sons, and likewise 70 men of wisdom that were members of the Sanhedrin.
Святые мученики 14 000 младенцев
Святые мученики 14 000 младенцев убиты царем Иродом в Вифлееме. Когда пришло время совершения величайшего события - Воплощения Сына Божия и Рождения Его от Пресвятой Девы Марии, восточные волхвы увидели на небе новую звезду, предвозвещавшую рождение Царя Иудейского. Тотчас они направились в Иерусалим для поклонения Родившемуся, а звезда указывала им путь. Поклонившись Богомладенцу, они не вернулись в Иерусалим к Ироду, как он приказывал им, но, получив откровение свыше, ушли в свою страну иным путем. Тогда Ирод понял, что замысел его найти Младенца не осуществился, и приказал убить в Вифлееме и окрестностях всех детей мужского пола от двух лет и младше. Он рассчитывал, что среди убитых детей будет и Богомладенец, в Котором видел соперника. Погубленные младенцы стали первыми мучениками за Христа. Гнев Ирода обрушился и на Симеона Богоприимца, который всенародно свидетельствовал в храме о Родившемся Мессии. Когда святой старец скончался, Ирод не допустил, чтобы его достойно погребли. По повелению царя был убит святой пророк священник Захария: его умертвили в Иерусалимском храме между жертвенником и алтарем за то, что он не указал, где сын его, Иоанн, будущий Креститель Господа Иисуса Христа.
Гнев Божий вскоре покарал самого Ирода: его постигла лютая болезнь, и он умер, заживо съеденный червями. Перед смертью нечестивый царь довершил меру своих злодеяний: убил первосвященников и книжников иудейских, родного брата, сестру и ее мужа, свою жену Мариамну и трех сыновей, а также 70 мудрейших мужей, членов Синедриона.
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