Kiev, April 3, 2025
Photo: ivint.org
Since its establishment by the United Nations in 2007, World Autism Awareness Day has been observed annually on April 2.
For this day, the Liturgical Commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church composed a moleben for children suffering from the affliction of autism and for their prayers, reports the Church’s Information-Education Department.
The service entreats the intercessions of 
“Do Good As Long As Your Hands Are Warm”Whenever people came to Mother Alipia (Avdeeva; c. 1910-1988) of the Goloseevsky Hermitage [named after the Goloseevsky district in Kiev.—Trans.], a renowned twentieth-century holy eldress, and sought her help, she would tell them first to go to the grave of Hieromonk Alexei (Shepelev). “Go to the cemetery! A saint lies there,” the blessed nun used to say.
“>St. Alexei of Goloseevo, who was born mute and later miraculously healed and is venerated in the UOC as the patron of those with autism.
Autistic 12-year-old speaks for first time after venerating miraculous icon of St. Nicholas in UkraineHis teachers consider it a miracle.
“>In 2019, a miracle was recorded on the feast of St. Alexei when children and teachers from the Pearl Rehabilitation Center in Krivoy Rog, which works with children with autism and autism spectrum disorders, visited the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Having venerated a wonderworking icon of St. Nicholas there, a 12-year-old boy who had never spoken in his life uttered his first words.
***
Moleben for Children Suffering from the Affliction of Autism
Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Reader: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King… Trisagion through Our Father…
For Thine is the Kingdom… Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Glory both now. O come, let us worship…
Psalm 58
The Great Litany, with the added petitions:
That the parents of these suffering children may know the depth of Divine Love, bringing to mind the truth of Scripture: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, let us pray to the Lord.
That the glory and mercy of God may be manifest upon the innocent suffering children of the Church, afflicted with the illness of autism, let us pray to the Lord.
That Christ’s own right hand may wipe away tears from the faces of suffering infants and children, to assuage their pain and the broken hearts of their parents, let us pray to the Lord.
That the mouths of these infants and children suffering from autism may be opened with word and heart to sing the glory of God, let us pray to the Lord.
That He may send down upon His servants [names] the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and implant in their hearts the Divine fear, let us pray to the Lord.
That He may visit His servants, the parents [names], with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and fill them with patience, let us pray to the Lord.
For their relatives and acquaintances who weep and suffer, awaiting Christ’s consolation, and that their prayers and sighs may be received, let us pray to the Lord.
That we and they may be delivered from all tribulation, wrath, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.
Commemorating our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and glorious Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
Priest: For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
God is the Lord, Tone 4:
Deacon: God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.
Choir: God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
(And for each verse)
Verse 2: Surrounding me they compassed me, and by the name of the Lord I warded them off.
Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Troparion, Tone 4:
Choir: O Christ, Who alone art swift to help, show speedily Thy visitation from on high unto Thy suffering servants, fill them with Thy blessing, lead them unto salvation, and raise them up to life eternal in love for Thee, that they may sing and glorify Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos, O only Lover of mankind.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Troparion, Tone 1:
Angel of the earth and man of Heaven, who labored in the habitations of Kiev, and settled in the Goloseevo wilderness, O Elder Alexei, our venerable father: Through fasting, prayers, and Divine grace being enlightened, thou didst guide thy spiritual children to life eternal. And now, having boldness before the Holy Trinity, thou healest various infirmities of those who come with faith to the shrine of thy relics, granting peace and salvation to our souls.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Lady, receive the prayers of thy servants and deliver us from every necessity and sorrow.
Deacon: Let us attend. Wisdom!
Reader: The Prokimenon in the sixth tone:
Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, O my God, be not silent unto me.
Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: Save, O Lord, Thy people,
Choir: And bless Thine inheritance.
Deacon: Wisdom.
Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans.
Deacon: Let us attend.
And the deacon or reader reads Romans 5:1-10
Priest: Peace be unto thee.
Reader: And to thy spirit.
Deacon: Wisdom.
Reader: In the fourth tone: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Reader: My help cometh from the Lord, Who made Heaven and earth.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Reader: Bring my soul out of prison.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Deacon: That we may be accounted worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Deacon: Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.
Priest: Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Priest: The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (Matthew 17:14-23)
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Deacon: Let us attend.
And the deacon or priest reads Mt. 17:14-23
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
The Augmented Litany:
Deacon: Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice, at each petition)
Deacon: Again we pray for our lord and father, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, and for our lord (commemorates the ruling bishop), and for all our brethren in Christ.
Again we pray for this God-protected land, its authorities and armed forces, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and piety.
O Christ our God, who didst willingly suffer innocently for us, and compassionately helpest those who suffer, bless with Thy goodness these infants and children, who innocently suffer from the illness of autism (names), that Thy glory may be manifest in them; let us all say, O Merciful Lover of mankind, quickly hearken and have mercy.
O Lord, Knower of hearts, enlighten with Thy light the hearts of the parents of these infants and children, bless them with patience, and guide them to every virtue, that they may give thanks for Thy loving-kindness; we pray Thee, O Christ the King, quickly hearken and have mercy.
Priest: Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, concerning our sins, and have mercy upon us. For Thou art a merciful God and lovest mankind, and unto Thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who didst deign to serve the salvation of the human race, Who didst endure Thy terrible Passion, and even descended unto the Cross and burial; Who by Thy three-day Resurrection hast renewed human nature! Renew with Thy light the minds and hearts of these infants and children (names), who innocently suffer from the illness of autism, bless them, strengthen, establish and make them wise by Thy grace. O Lord, Who hast named those who serve their neighbors as Thy servants, bless with the virtue of patience the parents who serve these children, adorn them with the wisdom of the Gospel, subdue irritability and the ruin of anger, uproot the beginnings of envy, grant spiritual joy and complete trust in Thy good will, O God! With faith we fall down before Thee, O Good One, and offer the prayers of Thy favored one, our venerable and God-bearing father Alexei of Goloseevo; for in him Thy wondrous providence was made manifest, as by grace his mouth was opened, previously bound by illness, and he proclaimed the joy of Thy Resurrection. Therefore, hoping in Thy compassion and unspeakable mercy, understanding the depth of Thy love and the mystery of wisdom, we offer thanksgiving and glory to Thee, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Deacon: Wisdom.
Priest: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word, true Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to Thee.
Choir: Glory, both now. Lord, have mercy (Thrice). Father, bless.
Dismissal:
Priest: May Christ our true God, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother, by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, through the prayers of the holy Great-martyr and healer Panteleimon, of our venerable and God-bearing father Alexei of Goloseevo, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for as much as He is good and loveth mankind.
Choir: Amen.
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Source: Orthodox Christianity
