BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF Hetirg 18. Sage 189X fi.S.lZlA'i.. .sisJ.ij^o.Y... 7673-2 DATE DUE DECie^TrOR "A PHINTEOINU.S.A. Cornell University Library BX350.A5 H25 1906 Service book of the Holv OrthfJiil"?,?;;^?,?''"' din 3 1924 029 363 128 j4^^ it PREFACE Some explanation is necessary touching the aim and scope of this Service Book, and my methods in compiling it. It has always been the policy of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church of the East to have her services celebrated in the languages of the countries inhabited by her members. In accordance with this policy it is desired, eventually, to make English the language, in this country, of the Russian Church, which was the first to bring Christianity to Alaska, and now has more parishes in all sections of the land than either of the other representatives of that Communion, — the Greek and Syro-Arabian branches. Moreover, the adoption of the English language is the sole solution of many difficulties encountered by the priests of that church in admin- istering to the spiritual wants of their flocks, who come from many countries, each of which has its own language or dialect, — Great Rus- sia, Little Russia, Galicia (in Eastern Austria), Hungary, Servia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Rumania, Syria, Greece, and, possibly, other localities. English is the Pan-Slavonic language in America, as Ger- man is the Pan-Slavonic language on the Continent of Europe. The children are reared in our American public schools, as a rule, and it will be difficult to teach them their church services in the original tongue, under the prevailing conditions. An English version of the services is also desirable for the pupils in such parish schools as exist, where much attention is given to instruction in English. I have used the Old Church-Slavonic books of the Russian Church, rather than the original Greek, because my work has been done, prima- rily, for the use of the Russian Church in America. Slight differences in arrangement and practice (not in dogma) have arisen between the Russian Church and the Greek Church, similar to those between the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. I have carefully compared everything with the original Greek. My object has been to make a book which shall show, as precisely and clearly as possible, all the services in general use ; and that in a manner which shall be practical, not only for the ecclesiastics who are familiar with them and their congregations, but also for students of Liturgies and for travellers in the various lands where the Orthodox Church exists, as well as visitors to the churches in America and in numerous capitals and cities of Europe. To that end I have adopted an arrangement of my own devising. The difficulty and intricacy of the undertaking have been very great, owing to this arrangement and to other factors in the case. The treasure of services in the Orthodox- iv PREFACE Catholic Church is so vast and so rich that a complete version, within a reasonable, convenient compass, is utterly out of the question. Accord- ingly, I have selected those services which are generally used, and in- clude, practically, all that are ordinarily required. For instance, 1 have omitted even the skeleton of such services as the Midnight Service {Polunoshtclmitsa), Little Vespers, the Blessing of a Ship (at launching), and many of a private nature, such as the Blessing of a Pectoral Cross, the Blessing when a Well is dug, and so forth. In the original the Litanies, Prayers, and certain of the Hymns in the unchanging framework of the Liturgies, Vespers, Compline, and Matins are printed consecutively. The movable portions and specially appointed Hymns are inserted according to the rubrics, at the proper points, from various other volumes. I have combined the fixed parts and have arranged them in such way as to show what takes place simultaneously within the Sanctuary and outside. I have also indicated the usual variations during pontifical Services, Feasts, Fasts, and so forth, selecting these and the most important representative Hymns for various occasions from the numer- ous volumes in which they are dispersed. For the sake of convenien'ce, I have combined the Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, and the Pontifical Liturgy, thus avoid- ing repetition, but keeping them as distinct, otherwise, as in the original. I have been obliged to leave the service for Vespers almost in a skeleton state, as it appears in the original service books (instead of filling it out, as in the case of the other services), because of its very great flexibility, which causes immensely wide variations dependent upon the- seasons — the proximity of Fasts, Feasts, and so forth. If in actual practice it shall prove desirable to have the more infrequent services (or others, which are abbreviated here) in fuller form, I shall endeavour to complete them, either in a new edition of the present work, should there be a demand for it, or in special volumes. In that case I shall hope to take advantage of all competent and unprejudiced criticism for the perfecting of a book which has long been so near my heart; also of any new translation into the Old Church- Slavonic, or revised edition of the Russian Service Books. In several cases I have preferred for this volume the older, rather than the more recent, editions. It has seemed practical and advisable to retain the Slavonic nomen- clature for the parts of the service, in addition to the corresponding English terms. Had I introduced the original Greek terms also, great confusion would have ensued. But the omission of the Greek is unim- portant. Most of the Slavonic terms are sufficiently near those from which they were borrowed to make comprehension perfectly easy. In \he exceptional cases there is no difficulty in determining the corre- spondence. Thus the book will be as useful for a comprehension of the Greek services as of those in the Slavonic countries. PREFACE V There have been two or three previous translations, from the Greek or Slavonic, of portions of these services, by other persons than myself. But in practice they have proved unsatisfactory, either in language or arrangement or both, or because neither singly nor combined do they furnish the services in that completeness which is imperatively neces- sary. My aim has been to remedy these defects. A list of the service books which have entered into the composition of my volume will afford some idea of the difHculties of the problem. (i) The Slushibnik, or Service Book, which contains most of the fixed portions of the Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great, and of the Presanctified Gifts ; also the Litanies and Prayers of Vespers and Matins, together with the Graduals and Benedictions appropriate to all occasions. This is used by the Priest and the Choir. (2) The Tchdsoslov, or Book of the Hours (Horologion), which con- tains, in addition to the Hours and the Typical J'salras, those fixed por- tions of Vespers, Compline, Matins, Midnight Service, and so forth, which are used by the singers and the readers ; also a selection of Hymns for various occasions. (3) The Pontifical Service Book {Tchinovntk'), which contains the fixed portions of the Liturgies above mentioned, as celebrated by a Bishop ; together with all the Offices of Ordination, ecclesiastical pro- motion, the blessing of an antimfns (corporal), and so forth. (4) The Oktoikh, or Book of the Eight Tones, which contains the Canons and certain of the Hymns used during Little and Great Vespers, Compline, Midnight Service, and Matins; the Hymn for the Day and the Collect-Hymn from the Canons being used also at the Liturgy on the following morning. There are eight complete sets for each service mentioned, for every day in the week, all during one week being sung in the same Tone. (5) The Monthly Mm^ya, in twelve.volumes, which contain the order of services for all the fixed days in the year celebrating some special event in the history of the faith or the Church, or commemorating a Saint or Saints. All the Min^ya contain the Prayers for Vespers and Matins, while some have special Prayers for the Hours, Liturgies, Compline, and the Midnight Service. (6) The volume known as the Anthologion, or Prdzditchnaya Min^ya (Festival Min^yd) contains the Services for the Twelve Great Feasts. (7) The Fasting Triodion [Postnaya Triad) contains the variable portions of the services on the movable days which constitute the pre- paration for the Great Fast (Lent), and during the entire Great Fast. It is so called because the Canons have only Three Odes (or Theme- Songs), instead of the customary nine — practically eight — which are in the Book of the Eight Tones {Oktoikh). (8) The Tzvystndya Triad (Flowery Triodion), or Penticastdrion, contains the order of services during Easter-tide, beginning with Easter and ending with Pentecost, including the following day, — Whitsun vi PREFACE Monday, — which is the real Pentecost, or Day of the Spirit, Sunday being called Trinity Day. (9) The Apostol contains the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Graduals, Introits and Anthems for the Feasts. For their guidance in the use of these complicated volumes the ecclesiastics have a volume entitled the Typikon, Ustdv, or Rule, which provides regulations for all possible contingencies. (10) The Great Tr^bnik, or Book of Needs, which contains all the Sacraments (except the Holy Communion and Ordination), — Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Matrimony, Unction of the Sick ; together with various other services, such as the Reception of Converts from various other Churches, the Tonsure of Monks, the Anointment of the Emperor at his Coronation, and so forth ; also private services, such as Prayers at the Birth of a Child, the several Funeral Services, the Consecration of a Church, the Blessing of a New Dwelling, and so forth. (11) A Book of Te Deums and Prayer Services {Moli^bny) for dif- ferent occasions. ( 1 2) The Irmologion, which contains the Theme-Songs of the Canons, and certain Services of Song in honour of Our Lord, the Birth-giver of God, St. Nicholas, and others. It will be seen that I have been confronted with the problem of re- jection, as well as of judicious selection. I may add, that many things are done or said "by custom " which are not mentioned in the printed books. These I have included. I have used the King James version of the Bible for the Scripture lessons ; and the Psalter contained in the Book of Common Prayer for the Psalms and Verses, with occasional exceptions, when the exigencies of the Slavonic version or adaptation to special cases or services re- quired slight changes. My book has been revised by a very able and thoroughly competent priest, to whom I am greatly indebted for indispensable services in supplying me with the unrecorded points of the ritual (established by usage) referred to above, and for making sure that I have accurately expressed the dogmas of his Church, and have properly carried out the complicated arrangement entailed by my plan for rendering the services intelligible. I alone am personally responsible for everything : the suggestion that the book was needed, and the plan without which it v^ould have been impossible ; for the execution ; for occasional invented words, and for the language, in general and in particular, except in the case of the incomparable rendering of the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, which I have taken from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer ; and of course the passages from the Bible, as above stated. His Grace, the Most Reverend Tikhon, Archbishop of North Amer- ica and the Aleutian Islands, has, by his deep interest and practical aid, been of inestimable service, and I thank him most warmly. PREFACE Vii His High Excellency, K. P. Pobyedonostzeff, formerly Procurator of the Holy Synod of Russia, has for years past shown sympathetic and practical interest in my work, which has encouraged me during serious difficulties, and has been profoundly appreciated. The Holy Synod of Russia has defrayed in part the cost of publish- ing this volume ; and his High Excellency Count Sergius I. Witte has contributed very liberally to this object. I am sincerely grateful to them. I wish, also, to express my obligations to the late mitred Archpriest, Father Feodor Pavlovitch, of Tzarskoe Selo, for many books and much important information. Memory Eternal ! It is fitting that I should commemorate last of all my book's first friend, — his Grace, the Most Reverend Archbishop Nicholas, formerly Bishop of Aleutia and Alaska, now appointed a member of the Council of the Empire, and of the Holy Synod. He was the first person to whom I imparted my intention of making this gift of love to his Church, the first to see and to approve of my systematic arrangement and of the manuscript. He gave me a complete set of the valuable Slavonic Service Books above mentioned, and others, and has constantly used his power to the fullest extent to render possible this publication, affording me, meanwhile, the invaluable help of his fervent sympathy in my long and difficult task. To all these friends I now say, with sincerest gratitude, in the lan- guage of the Church which they love so well. Many Years ! It is my earnest hope that this Service Book may not only be of some use to the Russian Church in North America, for the use of which, in public worship, it is designed, but that it may help the other Churches — especially those of the Anglican Communion, to one of which I am myself attached — • to a right understanding of the Holy Orthodox- Catholic Apostolic Church of the East. Isabel F. Hapgood. New York, October, 1906.' |l Cornell University J Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31924029363128 CONTENTS PAGE Annunciation, Special Service 201 Artos (Blessing), Breaking of the 240 Ascension, Special Service ......... 243 Assumption (Falling Asleep), Special Service 264 Baptism : Prayers at the Reception of Catechumens 272 Baptism ........... 277 Chrismation 282 Explanation (Appendix) 601 Blessing, of any object 557 of Bread, Wine, and Oil (Litiya) ....... 13 of Cheese and Eggs (Easter) 241 of Fruit (Transfiguration) 263 2 of Grapes (Transfiguration) . ^ . . . . . . .26 for a Journey (by land) . . . . . . . .524 (by water) ......... 529 of Meat (Easter) 241 of Palms (Palm Sunday) 205 of the Waters (Grand, at Epiphany) 189 (Lesser) 470 Burial of the Dead : Child 424 At Easter 435 Laymen 3^9 Priests 394 Explanation (Appendix) 609 Canons for the Eight Tones 577 Chrismation : Ordinary 282 of Converts . . « - . . • • • • • ■ 403 Explanation 603 Christmas (see Nativity of Christ). Church, Consecration of a 493 Founding (Laying Corner-stone) 479 Explanation (Appendix) 613 CONTENTS Churching of Women Collect-Hymns in the Eight Tones Communion, Prayers in preparation for of Thanksgiving after . ..... Compline (Grand) ......... Confession ........... Converts, Reception of ....... . Chrismation of ......... Jews, Mahometans, Heathen ...... Easter, Special Service ......... Blessing ; Breaking ; of the Artos Cheese and Eggs j Meat . . ... Burial at ......... . Table to find Eight Tones, Hymns and Canons in the ..... Elevation of the Cross, Special Service ...... Entrance into Temple of the Birth-giver of God, Special Service Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), Special Service Epiphany, Special Service . ..... Blessing of Waters at . . . Epistles and Gospels, Matins and the Liturgy Requiem Services .... Great Feasts . ... Saints in general .... Falling Asleep (Assumption), Special Service Fasts and Seasons ..... Feasts and Fasts (Table) .... Friday, Great (Good), Special Service . Hours. First Third . .... Sixth .... . . Ninth Explanation (Appendix) ..... House, Prayers at Founding of a ; Taking up abode in New . Hymns, for the Eight Tones ...... Journey, Blessing for a . . . . . » • by Water ..... Litiya ........ .... Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, Pontifical Catechumens (beginning of visible service) Prefatory Note and Directions 269 577 57° 123 147 , 287 454 463 467 , 226 240 241 435 xix 577 . 167 171 . 204 182 . 189 xxi . xxii xxiii . xxiv 264 . XV xiii . 214 38 • 43 48 • 53 596 • 557 577 • 524 529 1 1 80 64 CONTENTS xi Office of Oblation 67 Explanation (Appendix) 597 Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 127 Explanation (Appendix) 600 Many Years (Long Life), Grand (for the Emperor) .... 556 for the Holy Synod and others ...... 85 Matins (Alone) ..... ..... 15 in Vigil Service 18 Explanation (Appendix) 594 Matrimony : Betrothal 292 Crowning (Marriage) ......... 294 Removal of Crowns ......... 302 Second Marriage .......... 303 Explanation (Appendix) ..... . . 604 Meeting of the Lord (Purification of the Virgin), Special Service . .198 Molieben (see Prayer Service). Naming of a Child .......... 268 Nativity of the Birth-giver of God, Special Service ..... 164 of Christ (Christmas), Special Services : Vigil and Liturgy. ......... 174 Thanksgiving (Te Deum) ........ 541 New Year, Thanksgiving Service (Te Deum) ..... 534 Ordinations : Abbot 321 Archdeacon or Proto-Deacon . . . . . . .316 Archimandrite ........... 323 Archpriest ........... 320 Bishop, Election 324 Consecration ......... 326 Explanation (Appendix) 606 Deacon . . . 312 Priest 317 Readers and Chanters ......... 307 Sub-Deacons 3'° Explanations (Appendix) 605 Palm Sunday, Special Service 204 Panikhida (General Requiem) 564 Panikhidi (Requiem) 437 Canon for Dead Warriors 449 Explanation (Appendix) 612 xii CONTENTS Parting of the Soul from the Body 361 Pentecost (Whitsunday), Special Service 246 Petition for Rulers 616 Prayer Service : at the Birth of a Child . . 267 at the Naming of a Child, on the Eighth Day . . . .268 for Children beginning Instruction ....... 519 General (Molieben) 559 for a Woman on the Fortieth Day after Childbirth .... 269 Presentation in the Temple of the Birth-giver of God, Special Service 171 Psalms, Selections of, Table xx Purification of the Birth-giver of God, Special Service . . . 198 Requiem for the Dead (see Panikhidi). Saturday, Great (Holy), Special Service 220 Symbolism of the Church xxvi Thanksgivings (Te Deums) : for an Answer to Prayer . . . . . . . . -512 Christmas ........... 541 Great Office (Anniversary of Emperor's Accession, Coronation) . 550 New Year 534 Thursday, Great (Holy), Special Service 208 Transfiguration, Special Service 259 Blessing of Fruit . 263 of Grapes 262 Typical Psalms 58 Explanation (Appendix) ........ 597 Unction, Holy 333 Explanation .......... 607 Vespers, Great ........... i Explanation (Appendix) 59i Vigil, All-Night i Explanation .......... 592 Whitsunday (see Pentecost). TfiE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH {The Church Year begins on September I— 1 4.) The Feasts are divided into several categories, consisting of three prin- cipal grades, which, again, are subdivided into Lesser and Greater. The Twelve Great Feasts are classified as follows : the feasts of our lord and saviour jesus christ. IThe Feast of Feasts, Easter. a. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. December 25 (Jan. 7, N. S.). b. The Manifestation of God (Epi- phany). Jan. 6-19. c. The Meeting of the Lord. Feb. 2-15. (The Purification of the Virgin.) d. fPalm Sunday. e. fThe Ascension of our Lord Je- sus Christ. f. j- Pentecost. (Trinity Sunday, and the Day of the Spirit.) g. The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. Aug. 6-19. h. The Exaltation (Setting-up) of the Precious and Life-giving Cross. Sept. 14-27. t Movable. THE feasts of OUR MOST HOLY LADY, THE BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD, AND EVER-VIRGIN MARY. a. The Nativity of the Birth-giver of God. September 8 (21, N. S.). b. The Presentation in the Temple of the Birth-giver of God. Nov. 21 (Dec. 4, N. S.). c. The Annunciation of the Birth- giver of God. March 25 (April 7, N. S.). d. The Falling-asleep (Assump- tion) of the Birth-giver of God. Aug. IS (28, N. S.). OTHER FEASTS AND HOLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH. Jan. 1-14. The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Feast of St. IBasil the Great. Jan. 30 (Feb. 12, N. S.). The Feast of the Three Saints (Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom). May 9-22. The Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas, the Wonder- worker, from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy, A. D. 1096. May 11-24. The Feast of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the Evangelizers of the Slavic races. June 24 (July 7, N. S.). The Nativity of St. John the Forerunner. June 29 (July 12, N. S.). The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. xiv THE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH July 15-27. The Feast df St. Vladfmir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Evangelizer of Russia. Aug. 29 (Sept. 1 1, N. S.). The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Sept. 26 (Oct. 9, N. S.). The Death of St. John the Divine. Oct. 1-14. The Protection of the most holy Birth-giver of God. Nov. 8-21. The Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, and of the other Bodiless Powers of Heaven. Dec. 6-19. The Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In addition to the Feasts enumerated above, every day in the Church Calendar is a minor feast, dedicated to the memory of various Saints, Apostles, Martyrs, sacred events, and so forth. IMPERIAL FEASTS In Russia the following Imperial Days are celebrated : The Birthdays of : The Emperor, the Empress, and the Heir. The Days of the Angel (Name-days) of : The Emperor, the Em- press?, and the Heir. The Anniversaries of : The Accession to the Throne, and the Cor- onation. The Designations of the Church Movable Seasons are as follows : The Sunday of : The Publican and 1 the Pharisee Ten weeks The Prodigal Son is Nine weeks Meat Fast Eight weeks Cheese Fast Seven weeks Before The Great Fast (Lent) begins Seven weeks Easter. Orthodoxy is Six weeks The Adoration of the Cross Four weeks Lazarus's Saturday, and • are One week Palm Sunday Easter. The Sunday of : St. Thomas One week The Myrrh-bearing Women Two weeks The Impotent Man Three weeks The Woman of Samaria Four weeks The Blind Man j Five weeks t (Thursday) Ascension Day The Holy Fathers of the Coun- Jc! J After cil of Nicasa IS * Six weeks Easter Trinity Day Seven weeks The Day of the Spirit (Pentecost) (Monday) All Saints Eight weeks The Fast of St. Peter and St. Paul . (Monday) THE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH THE FASTS AND SEASONS OF THE CHURCH The Movable Feasts and two Fasts are regulated by the date upon which Easter falls. At times this coincides with its date in the West- ern Church. See the table for Easter, page xvii. The Great Fast (Lent) begins on Monday ; not, as in the Western Church, on Ash Wednesday. (There is no Ash Wednesday.) It lasts for forty-eight days. As a chieftain, before the battle, encourages his warriors with wise and timely words, so the Church prepares us in advance for feats of fasting and penitence, and then bids us to the per- formance of those feats. This preparation begins on the Sunday pre- ceding that which is known in the Western Church as Septuagesima Sunday, and is called " The Sunday of the PubHcan and the Pharisee." Because pride, conceit of one's own righteousness, and scorn of his neighbour is the first and chiefest obstacle to repentance, the Church has appointed the condemnation of this sin as the theme of her hymns and readings on that day, taking the Gospel narrative of the Publican and the Pharisee as the key-note. In like manner, the next week of preparation (coinciding with Sep- tuagesima Sunday) is called after the Prodigal Son, and the sinner is reminded that, when he scrupulously examines his evil deeds, he will perceive how deeply he has offended God. Hence he is encouraged to repentance and confession. The Prodigal Son is made the theme of the hymns and readings for the day. On the Saturday preceding the following Meat-fast Sunday a Re- quiem Liturgy is celebrated for all Orthodox believers departed this life, who are awaiting the Last Judgment. Therefore this Saturday is known as " Ancestors' Saturday." On the Sunday corresponding to Sexagesima Sunday begins the Meat-fast Week. After this day no more meat may be eaten. The Second Coming of the Lord, founded upon the Lesson from the Gospel about the Last Judgment, is the special theme of this Sunday : in order that the sinner may not fall into carelessness concerning his salvation through too secure a trust in the ineffable loving-kindness of God, but may call to mind that the Lord God is also a righteous Judge. After the Sunday (corresponding to Quinquagesima) on which begins the Cheese Fast, no more cheese, eggs, butter, or milk may be eaten. The services of this Sunday aim to impress upon us that only by strict abstinence can we hope to recover that Paradise which Adam lost through the lack of abstinence. Therefore Adam, fallen and banished, is the special theme of the Church. It is customary on this day to ask and accord mutual forgiveness, and to effect mutual reconciliation. This custom is founded on the words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel lesson for the day : " For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father xvi THE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH will also forgive you." Hence it is generally called " Forgiveness Sun- day." More reverences to the earth are appointed for the Great Fast (Lent) than for the services at other seasons, and the penitential char- acter of the Offices is augmented. In the songs and prayers the moan of the contrite soul, bitterly bewailing its sins, is audible. The first week is the most severe of all as to restrictions upon food and drink : and the Offices have less of a triumphal and festival character than during the remaining weeks. Hence, during the Fast the full Liturgy is celebrated only on Saturday and on Sunday, while on the remaining days the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is used. The strictest fasting is prescribed, although the Orthodox Church usually prescribes abstinence during all fasts, not only frorr. meat, but also from cheese, eggs, milk, butter, and so forth. On the evenings of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the first week of the Great Fast, the Great Canon — the Penitential Canon — of St. Andrew of Crete is read. The first Sunday in the Great Fast is known as " Orthodoxy Sun- day," and thereon is celebrated the triumph of the Church over the Iconoclasts, and the reestablishment of reverence for Holy Pictures (Images — Ikoni), in the year 842 ; as also the victory of the Church over other heresies. In some Cathedral Churches the Office of Orthodoxy is celebrated by the Bishop before the Divine Liturgy, or near the end thereof. In this Office athletes and champions of Orthodoxy are extolled, and Anathema is proclaimed upon their opponents. On the third Sunday, and during the week which follows, is celebrated the Adoration of the Holy Cross, which is brought forth from the Sanc- tuary for the refreshment and strengthening of the faithful. On the evening of Saturday in the Fifth Week is chanted the Can- ticle {Akdfist) of the most holy Birth-giver of God, in especial com- memoration of her aid during two assaults from the Saracens upon Constantinople, in the years 673 and 716. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday the Church commemorates the resurrection of Lazarus, wherein the Lord Jesus showed forth His divine might to the people before His suffering and death ; thus assuring them of His own Resurrection, and of the universal Resurrection of all the dead. On the Eve of Lazarus's Saturday the Great Fast proper (called "the Forty Days ") comes to an end, and on the Monday next follow- ing the " Fast of Christ's Passions " begins, lasting until Easter. OTHER FASTS. On Monday after the Sunday of All Saints, which follows Pentecost, begins the Fast of St. Peter and St. Paul, ending on June 29 (July 12, N. S.). The length of this fast is regulated by the date of Easter and of Pentecost ; and therefore it varies from two weeks to five weeks and five days. THE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH xvii The Fast which precedes the Feast of the Falling-asleep of the Holy Birth-giver of God (called "The Assumption " in the Western Church), on August 15-28, begins on August 1-14. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (the Setting-up), that of the Beheading of St. John the Forerunner, and the Eve of the Bap- tism of Christ (Epiphany), are reckoned as fasts. (See the Table, for the dates). The Fast preparatory to Christmas, corresponding to Advent, is called "The Christmas Fast," and begins on November 15-2^, In addition to these Chief Fasts and the Great Fast, all Wednesdays and Fridays are fast-days, except during what are known as the " com- pact weeks; " from Christmas to the Eve (Fast) of the Epiphany ; the Week between the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and the Sunday of the Prodigal Son ; Meat-fast Week, when cheese, eggs, and milk are permitted ; the Bright Easter week ; and the week preceding the Fast of St. Peter and St. Paul. The joyous character of the Offices at the great Feast of Feasts, Easter, can be seen on page 226. The second Sunday after Easter Day is called St. Thomas's Week, or " Anti-Paskha," from the Gospel Lesson for the day, and commemorates the appearance of the Lord to His disciples after the Resurrection, and the viewing of His wounds by Thomas. The third Sunday after Easter is called after the Myrrh-bearing Wo- men, who witnessed the burial and resurrection of Christ. And with them are commemorated Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Here, as on the Sunday which precedes and the Sundays which follow, the special title is derived from the Gospel Lesson for the day. On the fourth Sunday is commemorated the Impotent Man whom Christ healed at the Pool of Bethesda. The Lesson for the fifth Sunday, about the Woman of Samaria, shows Jesus Christ as One who knows the secrets of the heart, and as the true Messiah. The Sunday of the Blind Man (the sixth after Easter) commemorates the healing by Christ of the man who was born blind. Ascension Day falls on the following Thursday, and, as in the West- ern Church, is followed, ten days later, by the Feast of Pentecost. But what is called Whit-Sunday in the Western Church is Trinity Sunday in the Eastern Church, and the next day is The Day of the Holy Spirit (or Ghost), that is Pentecost. The seventh Sunday after Easter is the Day of the Holy Fathers of the Council of Nicaea. The first Sunday after Pentecost is All Saints' Day. xviii THE FEASTS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH TONES. There are eight Plain Chants, or Tones. During the Bright Easter week the Tone changes in regular order every day. On the second Sunday after Trinity Sunday (Pentecost), and during the week which follows, the First Tone is used, with its appointed Gradual {^Prokimen'), Canon, Hymns {Tropari), Verses {Stikkera of the Stikhovni), Hymns to the holy Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchni, or Dogmdtiki), Collect- Hymn {Konddk), and so forth. Thereafter the Tone changes on each successive Sunday, until all eight Tones have been used. On the tenth Sunday after Pentecost, the First Tone is used again; and so on, throughout the year. A TABLE TO FIND EASTER DAY FROM THE YEAR OF OUR LORD I906 TO THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2000, INCLUSIVE Easter Day, on which all the Movable Feasts and Holy-days depend, is the first Sunday after the Full Moon which happens upon or next after the Twenty-first of March ; and if the Full Moon happen upon a Sunday, Easter Day is the Sunday after. This is the same rule which is used in the Western Church, but Easter Day does not always coin- cide in the Holy Catholic Church of the East with that Feast in the Western Church. The Eastern Church still observes the rule laid down by the Council of Nicsea (a. d. 325), and now disregarded by the Western Church, that the Christian Easter shall never either precede or coincide with the Jewish Passover, but must always follow it. Easter cannot fall earlier than March 23, O. S., or later than April 25, O. S. The Eastern Church still uses the Julian Calendar, which, since March i, 1901, has been thirteen days behind the Gregorian Calendar. The years in which the Easter Feast falls on the same day in the Eastern and the Western Churches are indicated by a cross in the fol- lowing Table. The Full Moon used for the purposes of the Easter reckoning is the Fourteenth Day of a Lunar Month reckoned according to the ancient Ecclesiastical computation, and not the real Astronomical Full Moon. YEARS NEW STYLE OLD STYLE YEARS NEW STYLE OLD STYLE tl906 April 15 April 2 1926 May 2 April 19 1907 May 5 22 1927 April 24 II 1908 April 26 13 1928 IS 2 ti909 II March 29 1929 May 5 22 1910 31 April 18 ti93o April 20 7 191 1 23 10 1931 12 March 30 tl9I2 7 March 25 1932 31 April 18 1913 27 April 14 ti933 16 3 1914 19 6 1934 8 March 26 t'QiS 4 March 22 1935 28 April 15 ti9i6 23 April 10 ti936 12 March 30 1917 15 2 1937 May 2 April 19 1918 May 5 22 1938 April 24 II 1919 April 20 7 ti939 9 March 27 1920 II March 29 1940 28 April 1 5 1921 31 April 18 1941 20 7 tl922 16 3 ti942 5 March 23 1923 8 March 26 ti943 ^ April 12 1924 27 April 14 1944 16 3 1925 19 6 1945 May 6 23 A TABLE OF THE SELECTIONS OF PSALMS YEARS NEW STYLE OLD STYLE YEARS NEW STYLE OLD STYLE ti946 April 21 April 8 ti974 April 14 April I 1947 13 March 31 197s M ay 3 20 1948 May 2 April 19 1976 April 25 12 1949 April 24 II ti977 10 March 28 ti95o 9 March 27 1978 30 April 1 7 1951 29 April 16 1979 22 9 1952 20 7 1980 6 March 24 ti953 5 March 23 1981 26 April 13 I9S4 25 April 1 2 1982 18 S 195s 17 4 1983 May 8 25 1956 May 6 23 11984 April 22 9 ti9S7 April 21 8 1985 14 I 1958 13 March 31 1986 May 3 20 1959 May 3 April 20 ■ ti987 April 19 6 ti96o April 17 4 1988 IP March 28 1961 9 March 27 1989 30 April 1 7 1962 29 April 16 11990 IS 2 ti963 14 I 1 991 7 March 25 1964 May 3 20 1992 26 April 13 1965 April 25 12 1993 18 5 11966 10 March 28 1994 31 18 1967 30 April 1 7 199s 23 10 1968 21 8 1996 14 I 1969 13 March 31 1997 27 14 1970 26 April 1 3 1998 19 6 1971 18 5 1999 II March 29 1972 9 27 2000 May I April 17 1973 29 16 A TABLE OF THE SELECTIONS OF PSALMS I. Psalms i.-ix. 8. Psalms Ivi.-Ixv. I?- Psalms cvi.-cx. 2. ix.-xviii. Q. Ixv.-lxxi. 16. cx.-cxix. 3. xviii.-xxv. 10. Ixxi.-lxxviii. 17- cxix. 4- xxv.-xxxin. II. Ixviii.-lxxxvi. 18. cxx.-cxxxv. •;. XXXlll.-XXXVlU. 12. Ixxxvi.-xcii. 19. cxxxv.-cxliv 6. xxxviii.-xlvii. 13- XCU.-Cll. 20. cxliv.-cl. 7- xlvii.-lvi. 14. Cll.-CVl. The whole Psalter is read through every week. During seasons of more fervent devotion, as in the Great Fast, it is read through twice every week. On Feasts less is read. On Easter Day and during Easter Week none is i:ead. A TABLE OF LESSONS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE A TABLE OF LESSONS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE TO BE READ AT MATINS AND THE LITURGY, ON SUNDAYS, THROUGH- OUT THE YEAR. THE PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE APPOINTED FOR THE EPISTLES AND GOSPELS Easter. Liturgy : Epistle : Acts i. i-8. Gospel: John i. 1-17. Vespers : John xx. 19-25. MATINS THE GOSPEL : (Saturday Evening.) For the First Week after Easter Matt, xxviii. 16-20 Second Mark xvi. 9-20 Third Luke xxiv. 1-12 Fourth John xx. i-io Fifth Sixth John xx. 11-18 John xxi. 1-14 Seventh John xx. 19-23. First Week of All Saints Matt, xxviii. 16-20 Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Sixteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-first Twenty-second Twenty-third Twenty-fourth Twenty-fifth Twenty-sixth Twenty-seventh Twenty-eighth Twenty-ninth Thirtieth Thirty-first Thirty-second Mark xvi. 1-8 Mark xvi. 9-20 Luke xxiv. 1-12 Luke xxiv. 12-35 Luke xxiv. 36-53 John XX. i-io John XX. 1 1-18 John XX. 19-31 John xxi. 1-14 John xxi. 15-25 Matt, xxviii. 16-20 Mark xvi. 1-8 Mark xvi. 9-20 Luke xxiv. 1-12 Luke xxiv. 12-35 Luke xxiv. 36-53 John XX. I-IO John XX. 11-18 John XX. 19-31 John xxi. 1-14 John xxi. 15-25 Matt, xxviii. 16-20 Mark xvi. 1-8 Mark xvi. 9-20 Luke xxiv. 1-12 Luke xxiv. 12-35 Luke xxiv. 36-53 John XX. i-io John XX. 11-18 John XX. 19-31 John xxi. 1-14 THE LITURGY Acts V. 12-20 Acts vi. 1-7 Acts ix. 32-42 Acts xi. 19-26; 29-30 Acts xvi. 16-34 Acts XX. 16-18; 28-36 Acts ii. i-il Heb. xi. 33-xii. 2 Rom. ii. 10-16 Rom. V. i-io Rom. vi. 18-23 Rom X. i-io Rom. xii. 6-14 Rom. xiii. 1-7 I Cor. i. 10-18 I Cor. iii. 9-17 I Cor. iv. g-i6 I Cor. ix. 2-12 I Cor. XV. i-ii 1 Cor. xvi. 13-24 2 Cor. i. 2l-ii. 4 2 Cor. iv. 6-15 2 Cor. vi. i-io 2 Cor. vi. i6-vii. i 2 Cor. ix. 6-1 1 2 Cor. xi. 31-xii. 9 Gal. i. 11-19 Gal. ii. 16-20 Gal. vi. 11-18 Eph. ii. 4-10 Eph. ii. 14-22 Eph. iv. 1-6 Eph. v. 9-19 Eph. vi. 10-17 Col. i. 12-18 Col. iii. 4-1 1 Col. iii. 12-16 I Tim. i. 15-17 I Tim. iv. 9-15 GOSPEL John XX. 19-31 Mark xv. 43-xvi. 8 John v. 1-15 John iv. 5-42 John ix. 1-38 John xvii. 1-13 John vii. 37-52; viii. 12 Matt. X. 32-33: 37- 38; xix. 27-30 Matt. iv. 18-23 Matt. vi. 22-33 Matt. viii. 5-13 Matt. viii. 28-ix. I Matt. ix. 1-8 Matt. ix. 27-35 M.att. xiv. 14-22 Matt. xiv. 22-34 Matt, xviii. 14-23 Matt, xviii. 23-35 Matt. xix. 16-26 Matt. xxi. 33-42 Matt. xxii. 1-14 Matt. xxii. 35-46 Matt. XXV. 14-30 Matt XV. 21-28 Luke V. i-i I Luke vi. 31-36 Luke vii. 11-16 Luke viii. 5-15 Luke xvi. 19-31 Luke viii. 26-39 Luke viii. 41-56 Luke X. 25-37 Luke xii. 16-21 Luke xiii. 10-17 Luke xiv. 16-24 Luke xvii. 12-19 Luke xviii. 18-27 Luke xviii. 35-43 Luke xix. 1-10 xxii EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FOR REQUIEM SERVICES MATINS THE LITURGY THE GOSPEL EPISTLE GOSPEL Sunday before the Exal- tation of the Cross Gal. vi. 11-18 John iii. 13-17 Sunday after the Exalta- tion of the Cross Gal. ii. 16-20 Mark viii. 34-38 ; Sunday before Christmas Heb. xi. 9-10, 17- ix. I 40 Matt. i. 1-25 Sunday after Christmas Gal. i. 11-19 Matt. ii. 13-23 Sunday before Epiphany 2 Tim. iv. 5-8 Mark i. 1-8 Sunday after Epiphany (The Gospels in the regular Eph. iv. 7-13 Matt. iv. 12-17 Week of Publican and Weekly S e- Pharisee quenceof eleven 2 Tim. iii. 10-15 Luke xviii. 10-14 Week of Prodigal Son ► Lessons — as I Cor. vi. 12-20 Luke XV. 11-32 Meat-fast Week shown above — I Cor. viii. 8-ix. 2 Matt. XXV. 31-46 Cheese-fast Week beginning with Rom. xiii. i i-xiv. Matt. vi. 14-21 All Saints.) 4 Great Fast [Lent) : First Week Heb. xi. 24-26, 32- xii. 2 Heb. i. 10; ii. 3; John i. 43-51 Second Week Mark ii. 1-12 vii. 26-viii. 2 John X. 9-16 Third Week Heb. iv. 14-V. 6 Mark viii. 34-ix. r Fourth Week Heb. vi. 13-20 Mark ix. 17-31 Eph. V. 9-19 Matt. iv. 25-v. 12 Fifth Week Heb. ix. 11-14 Mark x. 32-45- , Gal. iii. 23-29 Luke vii. 36-50 Passion- Week : matins Monday Matt. xxi. 18-43 Tuesday Matt. xxii. 15-23; 39 Wednesday John xii. 17-50 For Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, .see the Special Services for these days. LITURGY Matt. xxiv. 3-15 Matt. xxiv. 36-xxvi. 2 Matt. xxvi. 6-16 EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FOR REQUIEM SERVICES Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday LITURGY Epistles Rom. xiv. 6-9 1 Cor. XV. 39-57 2 Cor. V. i-io I Cor. XV. 20-28 I Cor. XV. 46-57 I Thess. iv. 13-17 Gospels John V. 17-24 John V. 24-30 John vi. 35-39 John vi. 40-44 John vi. 48-54 John V. 24-30 A TABLE OF LESSONS FOR THE TWELVE GREAT FEASTS xxiii A TABLE OF LESSONS FOR THE TWELVE GREAT FEASTS Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of our Lord. Matins. Luke i. 39-49, 56. Liturgy. Epistle. Phil. ii. 5-1 1. Gospel. Luke x. 38-42 ; xi. 27, 28. Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross. Matins. John xii. 28-36. Liturgy. Epistle, i Cor. i. 18-24. Gospel. John xix. 5-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35- Presentation of the Virgin. Matins. Luke i. 39-49, 56. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. ix. 1-7. Gospel. Luke x. 38-42, xi. 27-28. Christmas : The Nativity of Jesus Christ. Matins. Matt. i. 18-25 Liturgy. Epistle. Gal. jv. 4-7. Gospel. Matt. ii. 1-12. Epiphany. Matins. Mark i. 9-1 1. Liturgy. Epistle. Titus ii. 11-14; iii. 4-7. Gospel. Matt. iii. 13-17. Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Purification of the Virgin). Matins. Luke ii. 25-32. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. vii. 7-17. Gospel. Luke ii. 22-40. The Annunciation. Matins. Luke i. 39-49, 56. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. ii. 11-18. Gospel. Luke i. 24-38. The Transfiguration Matins. Luke ix. 28-36. Liturgy. Epistle. 2 Peter i. 10-19. Gospel. Matt. xvii. i-g. Falling-asleep (Assumption) of the Virgin. Matins. Luke i. 39-49, 56. Liturgy. Epistle. Phil. ii. 5-11. Gospel. Luke x. 38-42 ; xi. 27, 28. Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). Matins. Matt. xxi. i-l I, 15-17. Liturgy. Epistle. Phil. iv. 4-9. Gospel. John xii. 1-18. The Ascension of the Lord. Matins. Mark xvi. 9-20. Liturgy. Epistle. Acts i. 1-12. Gospel. Luke xxiv. 36-53. Holy Pentecost (Trinity Day, and the Day of the Spirit). Matins. Trinity Day. John xx. Liturgy. Epistle. Actsii. i-il. 9-23. Gospel. Luke xvi. 15-18; xvii. 1-4. Day of the Spirit. Epistle. Eph. v. 9-19. Gospel. Matt, xviii. 10-20. xxiv TABLE OF EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FOR THE SAINTS TABLE OF EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FOR THE SAINTS IN GENERAL Service of the Most Holy Birth-giver. Matins. Liturgy. Gospel. Luke i. 39-49, 56. Epistle. Phil. ii. 5-1 1 ; or Heb. ix. 1-7. Gospel. Luke x. 38-42; xi. 27, 28. Service of all the Holy Bodiless Powers of Heaven. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. ii. 2-10. Gospel. Luke x. 16-21; or Matt. xiii. 24-30, 36-43. General Service of the Holy Prophets. Epistle. I Cor. xiv. 20-25 ; or Heb. vi. Gospel. Matt, xxiii. 29-39 ; or Luke xi. 13-20; or James v. 10-20. 47-54- General Service of the Holy Apostles. Epistle. I Cor. iv. 9-16. Gospel. Luke x. 1-15 ; or x. 16, 21. Service of a Sainted Prelate. Epistle. Heb. vii. 26-viii. 2. Gospel. John x. 9-16. General Service of Sainted Prelates. Matins. Liturgy. Gospel. John x. 1-9. Epistle. Heb. xiii. 17-21. Gospel. Matt. v. 14-19 ;orJohnx. 9-16. Service of Venerable Saints, and of Fools for Christ's Sake, (i Cor. iv. 10.) Liturgy. Epistle. Gal. v-. 22-vi. 2. Gospel. Matt. xi. 27-30 ; or Luke vi. 17-23. Service of a Martyr. Liturgy. Epistle. 2 Tim. ii. i-io. Gospel. Luke xii. 2-12; or John xv. 17-xvi. 2. General Service of Martyrs. Liturgy. ; Epistle. Rom. viii. 28-39 ! "^ Heb. xi. Gospel. Matt. x. 16-22 ; or Luke xxi. 33-40. 12-19. Service of a Martyred Priest. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. xiii. 7-16. Gospel. Luke xii. 32-40. General Service of Martyred Priests. Matins. Liturgy. Epistle. Heb. V. 4-10 ; or Phil. iii. 20-iv. 3. Gospel. Luke vi. 17-23 ; or x. 22-24; or xiv. 25-35. Service of a Martyred Monk or Nun. Liturgy. Epistle. 2 Tim. i. 8-18. Gospel. Mark viii. 34-ix. i. TABLE OF EPISTLES AND GOSPELS FOR THE SAINTS xxv General Service of Martyred Monks or Nuns. Liturgy. Epistle. Rom. viii. 28-39. Gospel. Matt. x. 32-33, 37, 38 ; xix. 27-30 ; or Luke xii. 8-12. General Service of Holy Women Martyrs. Liturgy. Epistle. 2 Cor. vi. i-io ; or GaL iii. 23-29. Gospel. Matt. xv. 21-28 ; or Mark v. 24-34- General Service of Martyred Nuns. Liturgy. Epistle. Gal. iii. 23-29. Gospel. Matt. xxv. 1-13 ; or Luke vii. 36-50. Service of Confessors. Liturgy. Epistle. Eph. vi. 10-17. Gospel. Luke xii. 8-12. Service of Unmercenaries. Liturgy. Epistle. I Cor. xii. 27-xii. 8. Gospel. Matt. x. i, 5-8. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH* The Exterior. A Temple has sometimes a single dome, sometimes many domes. One dome serves as a symbol of the One Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Three domes typify the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. Five are symbolical of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Four Evangelists. Each dome — and where there is no dome the apex of the Temple — is crowned by a Cross, the emblem of victory. Bells. A Belfry is generally constructed in connection with the church, either in a separate tower or in one of the domes. The direct use of the belfry is to summon the faithful to worship, although the rubric concerning the use of the different bells and their manner of chiming and pealing is very detailed and complicated. It is impossible to make it clear, in a foreign language, to those who are not personally acquainted with the beautiful Russian bells, which are treated in a pecul- iar way, wholly unknown in the Western Church. They are rung at certain points in the service, in order that the faithful who, for any reason, are not in church, may unite their prayers with those of the worshippers in the Temple at the niost solemn mo- ments. At Matins, for ex- ample, they are rung before the Gospel is read, while the lights are being kin- dled, and the choir is sing- ing : Praise ye the Lord. At the Divine Liturgy one bell is rung while the Holy Gifts are being conse- crated. The Interior. The Temple is usually built in the form of a ship (the ship of salvation), or of a cross (the emblem of sal- vation). The Temple is divided into four parts : I. The Sanctuary (Altar), beyond the Image-screen {Ikonostds). 2. The pro- * These explanations are derived chieily from the valuable work of Archpriest Konstantin Nikolsky : An Aid to the Study of the Orthodox Church. St. Petersburg, 1894. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH xxvii longation of the Sanctuary platform outside the Image-screen, called the Soled, which consists of : (a) the Amvon, or Tribune, which is the portion immediately in front of the Holy Door, in the centre of the Screen, and (b) the railed Kliros, or places for the two choirs, on either side of the Amvon. 3. The Body of the church. 4. The Porch (Pritvor). The Sanctuary must be built, except when that is impossible, at the eastern end of the church. The Altar {Prestot) represents the throne of God in heaven, and the ilr ..J' O" ;'. -.'-.'i:- Corporal Lord God Almighty himself is present thereon. It also represents the tomb of Christ, since his Body is placed thereon. The first covering of the Altar, the white linen Sratchitza, represents the winding-sheet in which the body of our Lord was wrapped. The upper Altar-cloth {Inditia), of rich and brilliant material, represents the glory of God's throne. Both cloths cover the Altar to the ground. On the Altar is placed the Corporal {Antimins), a silken (formerly a linen) cloth, having upon it the representation of the Deposition of Christ in the tomb and the four Evangelists. This is spread out only in the Divine Liturgy, at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faith- ful, and is folded up again as soon as that is finished. If any accident THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH Dik£ri Trilcfri should happen to the holy Altar, the Holy Oblation can be made upon the Corporal alone, in an unconsecrated building or suitable place. In this Corporal {Antimins), or Vice-Altar, are placed relics of the Saints. Other relics are placed under and in the Altar itself, in a specially pre- pared coffer ; because the blood of the Martyrs, after that of Christ himself, serves as the foundation of the Church. And also because, in the early days of Christianity, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated in the Catacombs, on the tombs of the Martyrs. Under the Corporal, and upon the upper Altar-cloth is placed a square of fine linen or rich material called the Iliton, which symbolizes the swaddling-clothes wherein the Lord was wrapped after his birth ; and also the winding-sheet wherein his body was enveloped in the tomb, as the Altar repre- sents the gravestone. Behind the Altar a seven-branched can- delabra is usually placed (seven being the customary sacred number) ; and, sometimes a large Cross, for carrying in processions. The Book of the Holy Gospels, being the Word of God, is laid upon the Altar, to denote that God himself is mystically present thereon ; and the Cross stands on the Altar as upon the place where is celebrated the unbloody sacrifice offered up to God. As the Altar represents the sepulchre of the Lord, an Ark (Kovtch^g) is set thereon, being the Tabernacle in which are placed the Holy Gifts, the Body and Blood of Christ reserved for the sick, and (during the Great Fast — Lent) for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Upon the Altar is kept the Holy Chrism for Chrismation after Baptism. Tapers are placed upon the Altar to typify the light of Christ, which illu- mines the world ; and, at Pontifical Services, the double and triple branched candle- sticks {Dikiri, Trikiri) — re- presenting, respectively, the dual nature of Christ (human and divine) and the Holy Trinity — wherewith the Table of Oblation THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH Bishop bestows his blessing on the people. It is strictly for- bidden to place anything whatsoever on the 'Altar save the objects which are here enumerated. A sponge is usually placed beside the Corporal, for the more careful brushing off of the particles from the Paten into the Chalice. In some places a Canopy (5y/«) is suspended over the Altar, to re- present the heavens outspread above the earth, upon which was offered up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Behind the Altar is the High Place {Gornoye My^std), an elevation upon which stands the Bishop's throne. At cer- tain times during the service the Bishop sits thereon, re- presenting the King of Glory. On either side of the " High Place" are seats for those who celebrate with the Bishop, and represent the Apostles and their successors. At either side of the " High Place," during Pontifical services, are placed the Sacramental Fans {Ripidi), representing the six-winged Seraphim, with which the Holy Gifts are fanned to keep away insects. The Credence (Table of Oblation — ZJiMvennik) is in the northern part of the Sanctuary, and on it the Holy Gifts are pre- pared for consecration. Paten Star-Cover Altar-Bread For their preparation and for communicating them the following sacred vessels and implements are used : The Paten {Diskos), for the bread ; the Star-cover {Zvyez- ditzd), which supports the Veil above the Paten so that it may not touch the Holy Body ; the Chalice [Potir], for the wine ; the Spear {KopyS), with which the particles are taken from the Altar- breads {Prosfori), and represents the spear with which the Saviour's Chalice (0) Spear Spoon side was pierced ; the sacramental Spoon {Lskttza), with which the Holy Body and Blood are administered to the laity ; the Sponge {Gubka) THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH with which the ChaHce is wiped out at the end of the Communion ; three Veils {Pokrovy) ; two smaller, for covering the Paten and Chalice, and one which is called the Air ( VSzdukh), for covering both Paten and Chalice ; the Ladle {Kovsk), in which the holy tepid water and wine are offered (together with portions of the bread), to the communicants, after they have received the Holy Gifts ; two salvers for the Altar-breads. The Censer {Kadilo), which, with the incense placed therein, is symbolical of the gifts offered by the Wise Men to the infant Christ, — gold, frank- incense, and myrrh,- — is also necessary for most services. The southern side of the Sanctuary is usually appointed as the Repository {Didkonnik) for the vestments, church books, and the vessels used in the divine service. The Sanctuary is separated from the choir-place and the body of the Temple by a solid Image-screen {Ikonostds), which corresponds to the chancel-rail in the Western Church. Three doors give access through it to the different parts of the Sanctuary above mentioned. The central opening is called the Royal Gate (Tzdrs- kiya Vratd), because through it, at the Divine Liturgy, the King of Glory comes forth to feed his faithful people with his own Divine Body and Blood ; or the Holy Door {Svyatya Vratd), because the Mystery of the Eucharist is celebrated in the Sanctuary, and through this door (or gate) the Holy Gifts are brought forth. Unordained men are not permitted to pass through it. No woman may enter the Sanctuary at any time. The opening and closing of the Holy Door, at different points of the various services, signify several things : sometimes the opening of the gates of Paradise ; some- tinies the throwing open of the entrance into the King- dom of Heaven. The Entrances and Exits through it of the clergy symbolize the progress to and from those places where the Saviour of the world abode ; since the priest, at different points, represents the Saviour himself or the Angel of God proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ ; while the Deacon represents the Angel of the Lord, or John the Baptist. The Curtain inside the Holy Door is drawn or with- drawn at appointed times during divine service. The Image-screen {^Ikonostds) portrays those who dwell in heaven. In the Image-screen are the Holy Pictures (Images — Ikoni) of the Lord God magnified in the Trinity ; of the most holy Birth-giver of our THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH xxxi Lord ; of the Holy Angels, Prophets and Apostles, and other Saints of God; and presentments of sacred events which have happened for our salvation. The customary arrangement of the holy Images is as follows : On the right of the Holy Door is placed the image of the Saviour, and next it (or next the south door, if that be next), the Image ^ of the Temple, or of the Patron Saint of the Temple. On the left of the Holy Door is the Image of the holy Birth-giver of God. On the leaves of the Holy Door itself (which represents the Entrance into Heaven) is the Image of the Annunciation, that being the forefront of our salvation ; together with the Images of the Four Evangelists, who also, like the Archangel Gabriel, announced to the world the glad tidings of the Saviour. Over the Holy Door is the Image {Ikona) of the Last Supper ; because in the Sanc- tuary is celebrated the Mystery of the Eu- charist, reminding us that those who wish to follow Christ and obtain entrance to the kingdom of heaven must be accounted worthy to partake of the Lord's Supper, which is prepared within the Holy Door, and offered to the laity in front of that door. On the northern and southern doors are depicted the mes- sengers of God, the Angels, sent to serve those who desire to follow after salvation ; or holy Deacons, the types of the Angels, who have charge of those parts of the Sanctuary into which these doors lead. At each Kliros (Choir-place) stands a holy 'QiLxm&r{Khortigv) ; that is, a holy picture mounted upon a staff, typifying the victorious Banner of Christ's Church, which wages incessant warfare with the enemies of salvation. In large churches, in line with the Images of the Saviour and the holy Birth-giver of God in the Image-screen, are placed Images of the more especially revered Saints. Above them, in the second row, are the Images of the Feasts of our Lord, and of the holy Birth-giver of God. In the third row are the Images of those Saints who, on earth as in heaven, were deemed worthy to be nearest to the Saviour, namely : Over the Image of the Last Supper is placed the Image of Jesus Christ himself, in royal or episcopal robes, having on his right hand the holy Birth-giver of God, and on his left St. John the Baptist. This Image is called theZJ/ww (Prayer), the Holy Mother and St. John being turned toward the Saviour in supplication ; and on either side it has the Images of the Apostles. In the next row are placed the Images of the Old Testament Saints, THE SYMBOLISM Of THK CHURCH — the Prophets : and among them is placed the holy Birth-giver of God with the Divine Child, who is from everlasting, and who was their hope, their consolation, and the subject of their prophecies. Images and the fittings of the Temple are used in accordance with the command of God : Exodus xxv. 18-20; xxvi. i, 31.* The Body of the Church. The space extending from the Sanc- tuary platform {Soled) to the Porch {Pritvor) is appointed for the lay worshippers, who generally stand throughout the service, — usually in two groups, — the men on the right and the women on the left. In this part of the church, during Pontifical services, in the centre there is placed a raised dais, called the Kdthedra. Here the Bishop is vested, and here, also, he performs a portion of the service ; and sometimes, even, the entire service, praying like a father surrounded by his children. [ffMiinff'i I 'ii"iir'i iniringnnniaM Winding-Sheet In spacious churches, there is also placed, close to the Sanctuary platform, the Tomb for the Winding-sheet {Plashtschanitza) ; and a small table for Requiem services, with the Requiem-stand {Panikhid- nik),^ with places for tapers and a vessel for grain. The Vestibule {Pritvor), or inner porch, was appointed, in early times, for the Catechumens, or learners, and for penitents. Here they listened to exhortations and instruction, and here they prayed. The rubric decrees that the Office for the Reception of Converts shall be performed in this Vestibule. Several of the penitential Offices, also, are appointed to be said here, such as the Litiyd (a litany of fervent supplication, with oft-repeated "Lord, have mercy" in response) at Vespers. Lights. Lights are always used during divine service, even though it be performed in full sunlight. This is done not only for illumination, but also to show that the Lord, who dwells in light ineffable, illumines the world with spiritual radiance ; to denote that the hearts of faithful believers are warmed by a flame of love toward God and his Saints ; and, also, to show forth spiritual joy and the triumph of the Church. Wax and olive oil, as the purest of substances, and free from animal * Concerning the use and significance of these Holy Images (IkSni), see the Office for the Reception of Converts, t See Appendix B, XII. aqX -uoiptpauaq am SaiJio^ssq ui joj puBq jqSu am jO sjaSuij aqi jo uoijisoj ssojD am JO uSis am SuiJiBui u( puEq ;q3u aq} jo siaSuy aqi j'o uoi^isoj uaqM ap^iu si 'ssojq aqi jo uSis sqi Xq psiuBduioooBun 'aousaaAaJ V ,/jBau MBjp qiTBj qiiM puB po^ jo ; saSB JO ssSb ojun puB 'J3A3 puB 'Mou 'sXbavi;v „ : spaoM gq} qiiM 'XSaniiq suiaiq aqi Suijnp 'qiaoj iqSnoaq SI aoqnqo Apq'gqi uaqM puB ,,!u3AB3q ui ijb oqM 'a'aq^^j jnQ,, ,.! saqi ssg^q 3m. 'aaq; asread SyW,, ,,'33 V aaop^ o; ^i si iqSu puB ;33]A[ .. '^uis saaSuis aqj uaqM ao ,, ! pjoq aqi oiun SJiuBq'i 3Ai§ sn 13T „ „ '. uMop u^J puB diqsJOAv sn ^aq „ : jnooo spaoAV. SuiMo'noj aqi uaqM apBUi si 'qiJBa Xi3A aq^ o:i sDuaaaASJ b Xq paiu -BdtuoDDB 'SS0J3 aq; jo uSis aqx •q;ioj OS puB ,/pJoq aqi o^ fxx^ sn laq „ ,/sn UI spoqB auiq; dn 3>[b; puB 'auioo",, ,/pJoT o '1! lu^-^D'' ./^^-la"! 3ABq 'pjoT „ ,/pu3i5B sniaq „ : spaoM aqi JO saiuBjq puB sjaABjd ui aousj -jnDDO aqi ;b s/(-em|b 'Xpoq puB pEsq aqi JO uoijBuipui aydtuis b fs\ paiuBdiuoDOB 'apBui si II "POO P aoiAag's aq; oj pajBDipap aaB q;Su3a;s puB inos ';jB3q 'puim jo jSMod XjSAa ^eqi U3>i0} ui laap -poqs ;j3i aq; puB aapinoqs iqSu aqj 'jSB3jq aqi 'Moaq aqi Suiqono; Xq 'Xjiuux ^Hl P pqixiXs b sb '(uiiBd aq? uo paso[D Suiaq sjaSug qiJnoj puB paiqj aq;) sdp aqi xz pauiof puBq iqSiJ aqi jo saaSuij OM^ isiij aqi puB quinq; aqi qjiM. apBui si ssojiq 3^11 Jo uSis am •Suqaa'u5{ oi sidiuojd qoiqM 'uis joj aouajiuad X[M0| JO asuas Jiaqj uaAa qSiaMjno oj ppq si uosBas iBq; jb saad -diqsjOM aqj jo ko\ aqx 'pa^uioddB si Suijaau:}^ ou (^Bpung Xjiupx) jsooajuaj |ijun Xbq -lajsBg Aioq uiojj; -q^JBa aqj oj saouaaaAaa 'si jBqi ! Suipauji ;iiuaad jou saop qojnqQ aqj jo Duqni aqi 'suoiidaaxa Avaj qjiM'SiCBQ isBaj puB sXBpung uq 'ssauJiBaAv poisjCqd o; uoissao -uoo B SB k\Mo pajBjapj SI ji yC^Bnsn ing uadojd si Sutj^is uaqM. aoiAJas aqj JO siuauiom aiuos aJB aJaqx 'SuqaauJi puB SuipuBjs : pof) jo asnoq aqj Suingaq sb paziuSoaaa a-iB sapnjijjB om; Xiuq •sptniwv ■aini B SB 'saoiAaas jaqjo aqj ;b uBqj XSan^iq auiAiQ aqi jb pasn 3iB siqSi{ ^xo^i 'aspajd puB pa^iBjap ajB s^uiod asaqi uo souqnj aqx 'sSuipBaJ puB suui/q ucuaps jsom aqj jo qoBOiddB aq; IB ;nq 'aoiAjas aq; jo SuiuuiSaq aq; ;b pajpui^i ;ou ajB s;q2n aq; ip s;sBaj[ ;Baaf) uq ■s;qSit aq; aaB snoaauinu ajoui aq; 'aoiAjas aq; uiuaps ajoui aq; 'pjoq aq; ui qaanq^ aq; jo XoC aq; piAiA aaoui aqx "saaiAjas puB s3uos aq; q;iiw aouBpaoooB ui paypui->i aaB aiduiax am ui s;qSq aqx ■po£) JO auiB^ Xpq aq; ui apBui 'uiaq; apiAOjd qoiqM s;jiS aq; jo Xjuaouis puB j(;ijnd aq; jo ^BoqcquijCs ajB ^lo puB xbav aqx ■uopBuiiunm joj ^luo ;nq 'pa;;.iuiaad si osiB ;qSij [Bpijpav 'sSuiq; pa-iDBS ajojaq §ui;qSn Joj pasn aaB •aa;;Biu HDHAHD 3H1 JO WSnOaiMAS SHX xxxiv THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH the Priest pronounces the words, "Peace be with you all," "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all," " The blessing of the Lord be upon you;" or when he exclaims, " Bow your heads unto the Lord." Bishops and Priests, in bestowing the Benediction, hold the fingers in such a manner as to represent the Greek letters IC, XC — the first and last letters of Jesus Christ. Incense. The Holy Images {Ikoni), the Holy Things, and the people who are present at the divine service, are honoured with incense. The censing before the Holy Door signifies the desire of the worshippers that their prayers shall be borne up to the throne of God, as the in- cense from the censer is wafted heavenward ; and that their petitions shall be well-pleasing to God like fragrant incense. The censing of the people is symbolical of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which is shed abroad everywhere, upon all men. The censer [Kadilo) represents the Divine Ember, even Christ. For the special significance of the censing at different points of the services, see the Explanations provided in Appendix B. SACERDOTAL VESTMENTS. Reader. A short Tunic {Felon), which barely covers the shoulders, is put upon the Reader when he is set apart by the Bishop, and (at the present time) is rarely worn except upon that day. It symbolizes his coming under the yoke of the Priest- hood, and his- dedica- tion to the service of God. His usual vest- ment is a Dalmatic {Stikkdr). Sub-Deacon and Deacon. The Dal- matic {Stikkdr) and the Stole {Ordr). The Dalmatic, a long, straight vestment with wide sleeves, which covers the whole person, is called "the robe of salvation and the garment of joy." It is symbolical Dalmatic {Siikhdr) Stole {Ordr) of a pure and tranquil conscience, a spotless life, and the spiritual joy in the Lord which flows therefrom, in him who wears it. The Stole is a long, wide band of material which is sometimes worn over the left THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH xxxv shoulder^ sometimes crossed upon the breast and back, in the case of the Deacon. The Sub-Deacon wears his Stole always crossed, for conven- ience in the fulfilment of his duties. But the Deacon binds his Stole about him in the form of a cross shortly before the Holy Gifts are con- secrated, thus typifying the wings of the Angels who serve about the Altar, as the Deacons themselves typify the Cherubim and Seraphim. Sometimes the Angelic song, " Holy, Holy, Holy," is embroidered upon the Stole. The Stole is bound about the Sub-Deacon in the form of a cross at his Ordination, as a symbol that, through the meekness and continence of his members and the purity of his heart, he is to put upon him the robe of purity. The Deacon wears, also, the Gauntlets Zone, or Girdle Cassock Stole (Epitrakhil) {Porutcki), for convenience during the service, and to remind him that he must not put his trust in his own strength alone, but in the right hand of the Lord, the Almighty and merciful God, and in His strength and aid. Priests. The Priest's stikhdr, or cassock [Podrtznik), has close sleeves. His Stole {Epitrakhil) consists of a long piece of stuff like the Deacon's, but broader than the latter, which passes round his neck, is joined in front for its entire length, and falls low upon his cassock. It typifies the consecrating grace of the Priesthood. The Priest, like the Deacon, can celebrate no Office without his Stole. In it, without the Chasuble, he celebrates the less solemn Offices : Lesser Vespers, ordi- nary Compline, Lauds {Polunotchnitzd), the Hours (if the Gospel be not appointed to be read in them) ; also various Prayer-services in private dwellings, such as that at the birth of a child, and the like. The Zone {Pdyas) is sort of belt wherewith the Priest girds himself xxxvi THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH above his cassock and stole, for convenience in serving the Altar. It is symbolical of the gift of strength, wherewith God aids him in his ser- vice, and exhorts him to blamelessness of life. His Gauntlets {Porutchi) typify the bonds wherewith the hands of our Lord were bound. The Epigonation {NabMrennik) is an oblong piece of brocade, which is suspended upon the hip of a priest, and signifies the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It is also explained as being sym- bolical of the towel wherewith the Saviour girded himself to wash the disciples' feet. The Pdlitza is identical with the Epigondtion, except that it is sus- Epigon^tion Pdlitza Biretta (SkiifyA) Chasuble pended by one corner instead of by two corners. It is always worn on the right hip. The Epigondtion is worn on the right hip ; but if the Priest have also a Palitza, the Epigonation is worn on the left hip. Both the Epigondtion and the Palitza are typical of profound zeal for the faith, and for the salvation of Christ's flock, and are conferred as rewards of honour. The distinguishing vestment of the Priest is the Chasuble {FeUn), a long, ample garment without sleeves, short in front and with an open- ing for the head, which is put on over the other vestments. Archpriests and Priests also receive,. as tokens of distinguished ser- vice, the pointed and the upright Biretta — the skufyd and the kami- Idvka. A Bishop wears all the vestments of a Priest, save the Chasuble and Epigondtion, his biretta being perpendicular, black, and draped with A, Dalmatic {Sdkkos). B, Pall THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH the monastic veil or cowl. In place of the Chasuble a Bishop wears a Dalmatic, which closely resembles the wide- sleeved Dalmatic of the Deacon. This Dalmatic {Sdkkos) is symbolical of Christ's coat without a seam, woven from top to bottom. The Bishop's Stole {Omofor — Pall) is very broad, and hangs down in front and behind over his other vestments. His Pall typ- ifies the wandering sheep, and the Prelate, when arrayed in this vestment, bears the image of the Saviour Christ, who, as the Good Shepherd, took upon his shoulders the wandering sheep and bare it to those who wander not ; that is, to the Angels, in his Father's house. The Mitre is typical of a diadem or crown, and serves as an emblem of the power bestowed upon a minister of the Church. (The Mitre is conferred also upon Archimandrites, or Abbots, and upon certain Archpriests.) The Panagta, which is worn on his breast by a Bishop, is generally a small, circular Holy Image, or Ikona, of our Sa- viour and the Birth-giver of God. The Panagia (or "all-holy") reminds the Bishop that he must al- ways bear in his heart our Lord and his holy Mother, the Intercessor with God ; and, to that end his heart must be pure, and his spirit upright. The Bishop's Mantle {Mdntiyd) is a monastic vestment, which covers the whole person with the exception of the head. Its freely flowing lines typify the wings of the Angels ; hence it is called "the Angelic vestment." The folds of the Mantle are symbolical of the all-embracing power of God ; and also of the strictness, piety and meekness of the monastic life ; and that the hands and other ^^^^^^^^ members of a monk do not live, and are not fitted for worldly activity, but are all dead. All monks, when present at divine service, must be robed in their mantles. Mitre THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CHURCH The peculiarity of a Bishop's man- tle is that it is not black in hue, like the monastic mantle, but of purple, or some other colour ; and upon it are sewn the so-called "Tables of the Law " {Skrizhdli), and, in particular, the " Fountains " {Istotckniki). The Tables (squares of velvet at neck and foot) typify the Old and the New Testament, whence the ministers of God should draw their doctrine. The " Fountains " are ribbons, usually red and white in hue, sewn horizontally round the Mantle, and represent the streams of teaching which flow from the mouth of the Bishop. Small bells are attached to the Mantle of a Bishop, and to his Dalma- tic, as to the upper robe of the High Priest of the Jews. The Crozier, or Pastoral Staff {Posokk), is given to Bishops and to Archiman- drites, in token of their spir- itual, authority over the monasteries or cities which they rule ; and as a sign that it behooves them to feed the flock of Christ. The Eagle {OrUtz) is a small circular rug, with the representa- tion of a one-headed eagle soaring over a battlemented city. A Bishop stands on this rug during divine service, and to him alone is its use accorded. H e is led upon a large " Eagle ' ' at his Consecration, as the Office of Consecration sets forth. (See that Office.) The view of the city betokens the Prelate's rule over the city; the Eagle denotes the lofti- ness and purity of his teach- ing. Thus the Eagle-rug spread for a Bishop to stand upon signifies that he, by his life Crozier and doctrine, must resemble the eagle, which soars above all lower things, and aspires unto heaven. Bishop's Mantle Eagle THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE (i)* The Holy Doors are open. The Priest stands before the A liar with the censer, and the Deacon with the taper. GREAT VESPERS Deacon. Arise, Master, give the blessing. Priest. Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving and Undi- vided Trinity always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. (2) Choir. Amen. Priest. O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us wor- ship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship arid fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before him. ( Three rever- ences.') From Easter until Ascension Day, in place of, O come, let us worship, shall be sung : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, Easter- and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. ■ ****■ Then shall be said or sung Psalm civ. ; and the Priest, preceded by the Deacon bearing a taper, shall cense the whole temple, after which the Holy Door is closed. (3) Psalm civ. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Blessed art thou, O Lord. O Lord my God, thou art become exceed- ing glorious. Blessed art thou, O Lord. In wisdom hast thou made them all. Glory to thee, O Lord, who hast made them all. Thus much is generally used. But sometimes the whole is read or sung, as follow- eth: Praise the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, The Priest now taketh his stand before the Holy Door, with head uncovered, and recit- eth the Prayers of Light, secretly. (4) O Lord, bountiful and compassionate, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy, give ear unto our prayer, and attend to the voice of our supplication. Work upon us a sign for good.- Lead us in thy way, that we may walk in thy truth. Make glad our hearts, that we may fear thy holy Name. For thou art great and doest wonders. Thou alone art God, and among all the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord, mighty in mercy, gracious in strength, to aid and Co ^ * For an explanation of the Symbolism indicated by reference-numerals in the text, see Appendix B, I. THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE thou art become exceed- ing glorious ; thou art clothed with majesty and honour. Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment, and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain. Who lay- eth the beams of his cham- bers in the waters, and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind. He maketh his angels spir- its, and his ministers a flaming fire. He laid the foundations of the earth, that it never should move at any time. Thou cover- edst it with the deep like as a garment ; the waters stand in the hills. At thy rebuke they flee ; at the voice of thy thunder they are afraid. They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath ; even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them. Thou hast set them their bounds, which they shall not pass, neither turn again to cover the earth. He sendeth the springs into the rivers, which run among the hills. All the beasts of the field drink thereof, and the wild asses quench their thirst. Be- side them shall the fowls of the air have their hab- itation, and sing among the branches. He water- eth the hills from above ; the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works. He to comfort and save all those who put their trust in thy holy Name. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. B. O Lord, rebuke us not in thy displea- sure, neither chasten us in thy wrath : but deal with us according to thy mercy, O Physician and Healer of our souls. Guide us unto the haven of thy will. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the knowledge of thy truth, and vouchsafe that the residue of this day and our whole life may be peaceful and without sin ; through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. c. O Lord our God, remember us sin- ners and thine unprofitable servants when we call upon thy haly Name, and put us not to shame in our expectation of thy mercy : but grant us, O Lord, all our petitions which are unto salva- tion, and vouchsafe that we may love and fear thee with all our hearts, and do thy will in all things. For thou art a gracious 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 ages of ages. Amen. D. O thou who, with never-silent hymns and never-ceasing songs of praise to thy glory, art hymned by the holy Powers : Fill our mouths with thy praise, that we GREAT VESPERS bringeth forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men; That he may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man: and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart. The trees of the Lord also are full of sap, even the cedars of Li- banus which he hath plant- ed ; wherein the birds make their nests ; and the fir-trees are a dwelling for the stork. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and so are the stony rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for certain seasons, and the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest dark- ness that it may be night; wherein all the beasts of the forests do move. The lions, roaring after their prey, do seek their meat from God. The sun aris- eth and they get them away together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour, until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all ; the earth is full of thy riches. So is the great and wide sea also ; wherein are creeping things innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan, may magnify thy holy Name. And grant unto us part and inheritance with all those who fear thee in truth and keep thy commandment ; through the inter- cessions of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all thy Saints. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. E. O Lord, Lord, who upholdest all things in the all-pure hollow of thy hand; who showest long-suffering upon us all, and repentest thee at our calamities : Remember thy bounties and thy mercy. Visit us with thy loving-kindness : and grant that, through the residue of thy day, by thy grace, we may avoid the divers subtle snares of the Evil One, and preserve our lives unassailed ; through the grace of thine all-holy Spirit. Through the mercy and love toward mankind of thine Only-begotten Son,- with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life- creating Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O God, great and wonderful, who with wisdom inscrutable and great riches of providence orderest all things, and be- stowest upon us earthly good things ; who hast given us a pledge of the promised kingdom through the good things already bestowed upon us, and hast made us to shun all evil during that part of the day which is past : Grant that we may also fulfil' the residue of this day without reproach before thy holy glory, and hymn thee, the only good one, our God, who lovest mankind. For thou art our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein. These all wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them meat in due season. When thou givest it them, they gather it; and when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good. When thou hidest thy face, they are troubled ; when thou takest away their breath, they die, and are turned again to their dust. When thou lettest thy breath go forth, they shall be made : the Lord shall rejoice in his works. The earth shall tremble at the look of him ; if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live ; I will praise my Go'd while I have my be- ing. And so shall my words please him : my joy shall be in the Lord. As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth, and the ungodly shall come to an end. Praise thou the Lord, O my sohI. Praise the Lord. the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. G. O great and most high God, who alone hast immortality, and dwellest in light unapproachable ; who hast made all cre- ation in wisdom ; who hast divided the light from the darkness, and hast ap- pointed the sun to rule the day, the moon and stars also to rule the night ; who hast vouchsafed unto us sinners at this present hour also to come before thy presence with confession, and to offer unto thee our evening sacrifice of praise : Do thou thyself, who lovest mankind, direct our prayer as a censer before thee, and accept it for a savour of sweet incense ; and grant that we may pass this present evening and the coming night in peace. Endue us with the ar- mour of light. Deliver us from the terror of the night, and from everything that walketh in darkness ; and grant that the sleep, which thou hast appointed for the repose of our weakness, may be free from every imagination of the Devil. Yea, O Master, Bestower of all good things, may we, being moved to compunction upon our beds, call to remembrance thy holy Name in the night season : that, enlight- ened by meditation on thy statutes, we may rise up in joyfulness of soul to glo- rify thy goodness, offering up prayers and supplications unto thy tender love for our own sins and for those of all thy people : whom do thou visit in mercy, through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God. For thou art a gracious 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 ages of ages. Amen. GREAT VESPERS 5 Then the Priest {or the Deacon, if there be one) shall come out through the North Door, and taking his stand in the ustial place, shall recite The Great Litany ( Velikaya Ektkniyd). In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : IJ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : IJ; For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : IJ For our Holy Synod ((7r Patriarch) ; for our Bishop i(d)r Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity : IJ Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). That he will aid them and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary : IJ For this city, for this holy Temple, and for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein : ]J For healthful seasons ; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times : IJ For those who travel by sea or by land ; for the sick and the suf- fering ; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation : ^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : ^ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace : ^ Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. " Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. (5) Choir. Amen. Then shall be said or sung several verses from, the First Selection of the Psalms {Stikhosldvie Kafismi). (6) Psalms i., ii. Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the un- godly. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. r o p < 3 •-{ O THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish. Alleluia. ( Thrice^ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Alleluia. (Thrice^ Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Alleluia. ( Thrice?) (7) Arise, O Lord : Save me, O my God. Alleluia. {Thrice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O Lord. {Thrice.) Then the Deacon saith The Little Litany {Mdlaya Ektkniyd). Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And here shall be sung immediately^ Lord, I have cried unto thee, with its Verses (Stikhi), as appointed. And in the mean time the Deacon censeth the Sanctu- ary and all the Temple. PSALMS CXLI., CXLII., CXXX., CXVII. Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear me : receive the voice of my prayer when I call upon thee. Hear me, O Lord. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. The Canticles {Stikhiry ; see Appen- dix A) are then sung or read in the proper Tone, as appointed, pre- ceded- by Verses {Stikhi). The Priest prayeth, secretly. In the evening, and in the morning, and at noonday we praise thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, and we pray unto thee, O Lord of all : Direct thou our prayer before thee as incense, and incline not our hearts unto words or thoughts of wickedness ; but deliver us from all who seek after our souls. For unto thee, Lord, O Lord, lift we up our eyes, and in thee have we trusted. Put us not to shame, O our God. ^ GREAT VESPERS (On the Lord's Day and the For unto thee are due all glory, Great Feasts) : Bring my soul out honour and worship, to the Fa- of prison, that I may give thanks ther, and to the Son, and to the unto thy Name. Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and ?i, unto ages of ages. Amen. The righteous await me, until thou shalt requite me. (On Feast Days) : Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord : O Lord, hear my voice. O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. (^On Ordinary Days): If thou. Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it. For thy Name's sake I have patiently waited for thee, O Lord ; my soul hath waited patiently for thy word ; my soul hath trusted in the Lord. (Or) : My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous re- demption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Tken shall be sung the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Dogrndtik) (8) in the proper Tone. Tone I.* (Example.) Let us sing the praises of Mary, Vir- gin, Door of heaven. Glory of all the world, sprung forth from man, who also bare the Lord ; the Song of the Bodi- less Powers, and the Enriching of the faithful. For she revealed herself as Heaven and the Temple of the Godhead. She destroyed the bulwarks of enmity, and ushered in peace, and threw open the kingdom. Wherefore, in that we possess this confirmation of our faith we have a defender, even the Lord who was born of her. Be bold, therefore, be bold, ye people of God, for he, the All- Powerful, will vanquish your foes. While the Dogrndtik is being sung, the Holy Door is opened, and the Priest and Deacon pass before the High Place, through the Left Door, and stand before the Holy Door. (9) Then the Deacon, having censed the Holy Pictures {ikdni), shall say in a low -voice to the Priest : Bless, Master, the Holy En- trance. And the Priest, blessing with the sign of the cross, shall say : Blessed is the Entrance of thy Holy Ones, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Amen. And when the Dogrndtik is finished the Deacon shall lift up the censer, as he standeth in the middle of the Holy Door, and shall say aloud: Wisdom, O believers ! * For the Dogmdtiki, see Appendix A. 8 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Then shall be sung the Hy?nn {Tropdr) composed by Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. O gladsome radiance of the holy glory of the Father immortal, hea- venly, holy, blessed, Jesus Christ ! In that we now are come unto the setting of the sun, and behold the light of even, we hymn thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. For meet is it that at all times thou shouldest be magnified by voices propitious, O Son of God, who be- stowest life. For which cause all the world doth glorify thee. The Priest and the Deacon enter the Sanctuary and go to the High Place. Deacon. Let us attend. Wisdom! Priest. Peace be unto all. Reader. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Let us attend. ■ — ■ The Gradual {Prokimen) of the . . . Tone. (lo) O71 Sunday Evening, Tone VIII. : Behold now, praise the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord. Verse (Siikk) : Ye that stand in the temple of the Lord, even in the courts of the house of our God. On Monday Evening, Tone IV. . When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me. Verse : Hear me^when I call, O God of my righteousness. On Tuesday Evening, Tone I. : Thy mercy, O Lord, shall follow me all the days of my life. Verse : The Lord is my shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing : he hath led me in a green pasture. On Wednesday Evening, Tone V. : Save me, O God, for thy Name's sake, and judge me in thy strength. Verse : Hear my prayer, O God, and hearken unto the words of my mouth. On Thursday Evening, Tone VI. . My help cometh even from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. Verse : I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. On Friday Evening, Tone VII. . Thou art my defence, O God, and thy goodness preventeth me. Verse: Deliver me from mine enemies, O God, and save me from them that rise up against me. On Saturday Evening (the Lord's Day) : The Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel. Verse : The Lord hath put on his apparel, and hath girded himself with strength. GREAT VESPERS 9 Verse : For he hath made the round world so sure that it shall not be moved. Ve7'-se: Holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, forever. Here, on certain Feasts and appointed days only, are read the Parables (ii) (Paremiz), the Deacon having said before each Parable. Wisdom! Let us attend ! The Gradual being finished, the Deacon shutteth the Holy Door, and goeth out through the North Door, and saith The Augmented Litany (Sugubaya Ekteniyd). Let us say, with all our soul and with all our mind let us say. Choir. Lord, have mercy. O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers, we beseech thee, hearken and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. 5^ Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). Furthermore we pray for our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; and for all our brethren in Christ. Furthermore we pray for all their Christ-loving Army and Navy. 5 Furthermore we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy Temple ; and for all our devout fathers and brethren, Orthodox believers, departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord. 5> Furthermore we pray for mercy, Hfe, peace, health, salvation, for- giveness and remission of sins for the servants of God, our brethren of this holy Temple. 5s Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple ; for those who labour in its service ; for the singers ; and for the people here present, who await in firm hope thy great and rich mercies. 5> Exclamation.. Priest. For thou art a merciful God, who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Reader. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glori- fied is thy name forever. Amen. Let thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, even as we have set our hope on thee. Blessed art thou, Lord; teach me thy statutes. Blessed TSi, o <; n> 3 tn o lo THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE art thou, O Master ; make me to understand thy commandments. Blessed art thou, O Holy One; enlighten me with thy precepts. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever : O despise not the works of thy hands. To thee belongeth worship, to thee belongeth praise, to thee belongeth glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, unto ages of ages. Amen. Deacon. Let us complete our evening prayer unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, be merciful unto us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. An evening all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us be- seech of the Lord : 5^ An Angel of Peace, the faithful guide and guardian both of our souls and bodies : IJ The'pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions : ^ All things which are profitable to our souls and bodies, and peace to the world : ^ That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and peni- tence : IJ A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful ; and a good defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ : 5> Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our'God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. i Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a gracious God, and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. v^. en 3 fD rj-i Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. The Priest, secretly. O Lord our God, who didst bow the heavens and comedown for the salvation of mankind : Look upon thy servants and thine inheritance ; for unto thee, the awful Judge, who yet lovest man- kind, have thy servants bowed their heads, and submissively inclined their necks, awaiting not succour from men, but expecting thy mercy and looking confidently for thy salvation. Guard them at all times, both during this present evening and in the approaching night, from every foe, from all adverse powers of the Devil, and from vain thoughts and from evil imaginations. Co GREAT VESPERS Aloud. Blessed and glorified be the majesty of thy kingdpm, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Stikhiry na Stikhdvne {Selected Verses) shall be sung, and the Song of St. Simeon followeth : Lord, now lettest: (See page 13.) THE LITIYA. (12) But sometimes {especially on the Eve of a Great Feast) there followeth the Litiyd, that is, the 'Petitions of Fervent Devotion. When there is a Litiyd, the Priest and Deacon, preceded by taper bearers, come together to the end of the Temple opposite the Sanctuary, -while the Choir is singing the Canticles {Stikhiry Litiyiny) of the Tet?iple or of the Feast. Then the Deacon saith, aloud, the following Prayer : O God, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Visit thy world with mercy and bounties ; exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians, and send down upon us thy rich mercies. Through the prayers of our all-undefiled Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary : through the might of the precious and life- giving Cross : through the protection of the honourable Bodiless Powers of heaven ; of the honourable, glorious Prophet, Fore- runner and Baptist, John ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; of our Holy Fathers, great Hierarchs and CEcumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Divine and John Chry- sostom ; of our Holy Father Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker ; of our Holy Fathers of All-Russia, Wonderworkers, Peter, Alexis, Jonah and Philip ; of the holy, glorious, right-victorious Martyrs ; of our reverend and God- bearing Fathers, the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna ; of Saint N. {Ike Patron Saint of the Temple) ; and of all thy Saints : We beseech thee, O all-merciful Lord, give ear unto us sinners, who make our supplications unto thee, and have mercy upon us. - ^ -"' Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authori- f" ties (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according n to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). a Furthermore we pray for our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop ((7^ Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; for the honour- able Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; and for all our brethren in Christ ; and for every Christian soul that is afflicted and weary, in need of God's mercies and succour; for the protection of this holy Temple, and for those who dwell therein ; for the peace and quietness of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches ; for the salvation and assistance of our fathers and brethren who, with diligence and in the fear of God, do labour ^ S K C>l a St. ^ ^ ^ ?«' s J^ f^ f «**. o ?^ ►-1 -p- ^ cr P < ^-^ n ^ 3 ^ m i n f^. ^ ^ 12 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE and serve.; for those who are absent and abroad ; for the heal- oq ing of those who He in sickness ; for the repose, refreshment, blessed memory and remission of sins of all our devout fathers and brethren, Orthodox believers, departed this life before us, who here, and in all the world, lie asleep in the Lord ; for the deliverance of captives; and for our brethren who are taking part in these ministrations ; and for all who minister and have minis- tered in this holy Temple, let us say : ^ Furthermore we pray that he will preserve this city and this holy Temple, and every city and land from pestilence, famine, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of enemies, and from civil war; and that our good God, who loveth mankind, will be graciously favourable and easy to be entreated, and will turn away from us all the wrath stirred up against us, and deliver us from all his righteous chastisement which impendeth against us, and have mercy upon us. ]J Furthermore we pray that the Lord God will hearken unto the voice of petition of us sinners, and show mercy upon us. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Then the Priest maketh mentio7i, secretly, of whomsoever he will, both of the living and of the dead. Priest, aloud. Hear us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are far off upon the sea ; and show mercy, show mercy, O Master, upon us sinners, and be merciful unto us. For thou art a merciful God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord. Then, as all bow their heads, the Priest reciteth the following Prayer, so that all may hear : O most merciful Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, through the prayers of our all-undefiled Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary (and thence as in the preceding prayer, page 1 1, ending with) : and of all thy Saints : Make our prayer acceptable ; grant us remission of our transgressions ; hide us under the shadow of thy wings ; drive far from us every foe and adversary ; make our life peaceful, O Lord. Have mercy upon us and upon thy world; and save our souls : for thou art gracious and lovest mankind. Here are sung the appointed Canticles (Stikhiry) in the proper Tone, or Endol of the Feast ; and so singing we return to the centre of the Temple, LlUy^. where in special vessels the bread, wine, oil and wheat are already prepared. GREAT VESPERS 13 Choir. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, Great according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salva- ^^'w^"- tion, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Reader. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice!) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon oUr transgressions. O Holy Oiie, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then shall be sung the Hytnn ( Tropdr) of the Feast.* Hail, O Virgin Birth-giver of the Lord ! Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. For thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls. After the Deacon hath censed about the table whereon stand the bread. Blessing wheat, wine and oil, (12) the Priest, taking one of the loaves, shall olBreai, make therewith the sign of the cross over the other loaves, and shall oii^*^" say aloud the following Prayer, pointing with his right hand to the Great loaves, wheat, wine, and oil, as he uttereth the words, Do thou, the Feasts, same Lord, bless : O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who didst bless the five loaves and didst therewith feed the five thousand : Do thou, the same Lord, bless these loaves, wheat, wine and oil ; and multiply them in this holy habitation, and in all thy world ; and sanctify all the faithful who shall partake of them. For it is thou, O Christ our God, who dost bless and sanctify and nourish all things ; and unto thee we ascribe glory, with thy Father which hath no beginning, and thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. * For Hymns of the Twelve Great Feasts, see the Special Services. 14 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE And immediately after the Amen : Great Choir. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, henceforth and for- vespers. ^^^^ {Thrice) Psalm xxxiv. Reader. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord ; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord ; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O praise the Lord with me, and let us magnify his Name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me ; yea, he delivered me out of all my fear. They had an eye unto him, and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed. Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him ; yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints ; for they that fear him lack nothing. The lions do lack, and suffer hunger ; but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good. And the Priest cometh forth, and standeth before the Holy Door. And when the Psalm isfnished, he turneth and saith to the People : The blessing of the Lord, through his grace and loving-kindness, be upon you always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And at Eastertide : Easter- Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, *■ and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. And if it be the Vigil Office, and not Vespers only., the Reader i7nm.ediately beginneth the Six Psalms of the Matins office. (See page i8.) But if it be Great Vespers alone : Deacon. Wisdom. Choir. Bless, Master. Priest. The Existing is blessed, even Christ our God, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Establish, O Lord, the Holy Orthodox Faith, and Orthodox Christians, unto ages of ages. Priest. Save us, O most pure Birth-giver of God. Choir. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ our God, our sure hope ; glory to thee. Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Bless, Master. MATINS 15 And the Priest, turning from the Holy Door towards the people, pronounceth the Benediction : May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most-holy Mother ; of Saint N. (the saint of the day) ; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, in that he is gracious and loveth man- kind. THE ORDER FOR MATINS* When the All-Night Vigil is celebrated consecutively, as is the general custom, on the Eve of the Lord's Day or of a Feast, all that here followeth, down to Glory to God in the highest [see page iS), shall be omitted. When, however, from necessity or for co?ivenience, Matins are celebrated separately, the Priest shall begin {the Holy Door is being closed) : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. ( Thrice. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Reader. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O come, let us worship God our King. O come let, us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before him. While the following Psalms are being read, the Priest censeth the Holy Altar, (i) and coming forth through the North Door, he censeth the Holy Images and the People. Psalm xx. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee : send thee help from the sanctuary, and * For an explanation of the Symbolism, see Appendix B, II. i6 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Strengthen thee out of Sion : remember all thy offerings, and ac- cept thy burnt-sacrifice : grant thee thy heart's desire, and fulfil all thy mind. We will rejoice in thy salvation, and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God : the Lord perform all thy petitions. Now know I that the Lord helpeth his Anointed, and will hear him from his holy heaven, even with the wholesome strength of his right hand. Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses ; but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen ; but we are risen and stand upright. Save, ^ Lord ; and hear us, O King of heaven, when we call upon thee. Psalm xxi. The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord; exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. For thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness, and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head. He asked life of thee ; and thou gavest him a long life, even for ever and ever. His honour is great in thy salvation ; glory and great worship shalt thou lay upon him. For thou shalt give him everlasting felicity, and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance. And why.? because the King putteth his trust in the Lord ; and in the mercy of the Most High-i est he shall not miscarry. All thine enemies shall feel thy hand ; thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in time of thy wrath : the Lord shall de- stroy them in his displeasure, and the fire shall consume them. Their fruit shalt thou root out of the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. For they intended mischief against thee, and imagined such a device as they are not able to perform. Therefore shalt thou put them to flight, and the strings of thy bow shalt thou make ready against the face of them. Be thou exalted. Lord, in thine own strength ; so will we sing, and praise thy power. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice.^ O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.') Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temp- tation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : MATINS 17 Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And the following Hymns {Tropari) : O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, granting to the most God-fearing (Emperor, King, or President), N., victory over all adversaries, and by thy Cross preserving thine Estate. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. , Do thou who, of thine own good will, upon the Cross wast lifted up, bestow thy bounties upon the new State which is called by thy Name, O Christ, our God ; make glad with thy might our most God- fearing (Emperor, King, or President), N., granting victory over his adversaries unto him who hath thine aid, which is a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogor'oditcheii). ' O Champion dread, who cannot be put to confusion, despise not our petitions. O Good One, all-lauded Birth-giver of our God, stab- lish thou the State of those who hold the Orthodox faith: save the (Emperor), N., whom thou hast called to rule over us ; bestow upon him victory from heaven : for thou didst give birth unto God, O only-blessed One. Then shall the Priest say : Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authori- ties (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Furthermore we pray for our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; and for our Bishop {or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Furthermore we pray for all our brethren, and for all Christians. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a merciful God, who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Bless, Father, in the name of the Lord. Priest. Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving and Un- divided Trinity, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. i8 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE VIGIL. When the All-Night Vigil is celebrated in its usual form, all the foregoing shall be omitted; and after the Blessing (see page 14) the Holy Doors shall be closed, and the Reader shall immediately say : Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. {Thrice}) O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. {Twice!) Eaator- Christ is risen, from the dead, trampling down Death by death. tide. and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. {Thrice.) The Reader then readeth the Six Psalms. Psalm hi. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me ! many are they that rise against me. Many one there be that say of my soul, There is no help for him in his God. But thou, O Lord, art my defender; thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head. I did call upon the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and slept, and rose up again; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people, that have set themselves against me round about. Up, Lord, and help me, O my God ! For thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone ; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord ; and thy blessing is upon thy people. I will lay me down in peace and take my rest : for it is thou. Lord, only that maketh me dwell in safety. Psalm xxxviii. Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger ; neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure ; neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin. For my wickednesses are gone over my head, and are like a sore bur- den, too heavy for me to bear. My wounds stink, and are corrupt, through my foolishness. I am brought into so great trouble and misery, that I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a sore disease, and there is no whole part in my body. I am feeble and sore smitten ; I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart. Lord, thou khowest all my desire ; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me, and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me. My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble, and my kinsmen stood afar off. They also that sought after my life laid snares for me ; and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long. As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not ; and as one that is dumb, who MATINS 19 doth not open his mouth. I became even as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust ; thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God. I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me ; for when my foot slipt, they rejoiced greatly against me. And I truly am set in the plague, and my heaviness is ever in my sight. For I will confess my wickedness, and be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies live, and are mighty ; and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number. They also that reward evil for good are against me ; because I follow the thing that good is. Forsake me not, O Lord my God ; be not thou far from me. Haste thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation. Psalm lxiii. O God, thou art my God ; early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee ; my flesh also longeth after thee, in a barren and dry land where no water is. Thus have I looked for thee in holiness, that I might behold thy power and glory. For thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself : my lips shall praise thee. As long as I live will I magnify thee in this manner, and lift up my hands in thy Name. My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness, when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips. Have I not remembered thee in my bed, and thought upon thee when I was waking.'' Because thou hast been my helper ; therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hangeth upon thee ; thy right hand hath up- holden me. These also that seek the hurt of my soul, they shall go under the earth. Let them fall upon the edge of the sword, that they maybe a portion for foxes. But the King shall rejoice in God ; all they also that swear by him shall be commended ; for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. In the night watches have I trusted in thee : For thou hast been my helper, and under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul cleaveth unto thee : and thy right hand shall uphold me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. {^Thrice, without reverences. ) Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 20 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Psalm lxxxviii. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee : O let my prayer enter into thy pre- sence, incline thine ear unto my calling ; for my soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh unto hell. I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit, and I have been even as a man that hath no strength. Free among the dead, like unto them that are wounded, and lie in the grave, who are out of remembrance, and are cut away from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in a place of darkness,andin the deep. Thine indigna- tion lieth hard upon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms. Thou hast put away mine acquaint- ance far from me, and made me to be ab- horred of them. I am so fast in prison that I cannot get forth. My sight faileth for very trouble; Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretch edforth my hands unto thee. Dost thou show won- ders among the dead .' or shall the dead rise The Priest now saith, secretly, the Mokning Prayers ; the first three in the Sanctuary . I. We give thanks unto thee, O Lord our God, who hast raised us up from our beds, and hast put into our mouths the word of praise, that we may adore and call upon thy holy Name. And we entreat thee, by thy mer- cies which thou hast exercised always in our life, send down now also thine aid upon those who stand before the presence of thy holy glory, and await the rich mercy which is from thee. And grant that they may always with fear and love worship thee, praise thee, hymn thee, and adore thine inexpressible goodness. , For unto thee is due all honour, glory and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. II. From the night season our soul awaketh early unto thee, O our God ; for thy precepts are a light upon the earth. Teach us to per- fect righteousness and holiness in thy fear ; for we glorify thee, our God, who existest in verity. Incline thine ear and hear us ; and call to remembrance by their names all those who are with us and pray with us ; and save them by thy might. Bless thy people and sanctify thine inheritance. Grant peace to thy world, to thy Churches, to the priests, to the Authorities, and to all thy people. For blessed and glorified is thine all-hon- ourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. III. In the night season our soul awaketh early unto thee, O God, for thy precepts are light. Teach us thy righteousness, thy command- ments and thy statutes, O God. Enlighten the eyes of our understanding, lest at any time we sleep unto death in sins. Dispel all MATINS up again, and praise thee? Shall thy loving- kindness be showed in the grave ? or thy faithfulness in de- struction ? Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten ? Unto thee have I cried, O Lord ; and early shall my prayer come before thee. Lord, why abhorrest thou my soul, and hidest thou thy face from me ? I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die ; even from my youth up thy terrors have I suf- fered with a troubled mind. Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me, and the fear of thee hath undone me. They came round about me daily like water, and compassed me together on every side. My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me, and hid mine acquaint- ance out of my sight. O Lord God of my salvation I have cried day and night be- fore thee : O let my prayer enter into thy presence, incline thine ear unto my calling. darkness from our hearts. Graciously give unto us the Sun of Righteousness, and pre- serve our life unassailed, by the seal of thy Holy Spirit. Guide our steps into the way of peace. Grant us to behold the dawn and the day with joy, that we may raise our morning prayers unto thee. For thine is the dominion, and thine are the majesty and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Priest now cometh forth, and standing with uncovered head before the Holy Door, he saith the remaining Prayers. IV. O Lord God, holy and unsearchable, who didst command the light to shine forth from the darkness ; who hast refreshed us by the slumber of the night, and hast raised us up to glorify and supplicate thy goodness, being implored of thine own tender loving-kindness : Accept us also now who bow down in adora- tion before thee, and render thanks unto thee according to the measure of our strength ; and grant us all our petitions which are unto sal- vation. Make us children of the light, and of the day, and heirs of thine everlasting good things. Call to remembrance, O Lord, in the multitude of thy bounties, all thy people here present with us who make their supplications unto thee, and all our brethren on land, on the sea, and in every place of thy dominion, who are in need of thy loving-kindness and of thy succour, and vouchsafe unto them all thy great mercy, that being always pre- served in safety of soul and body, we may with boldness magnify thy wondrous and blessed Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. For thou art the God of bounties and of lov- ing-kindness, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Psalm cm. Praise the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, praise his holy Name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits : who forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities ; who saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving- kindness ; who satis- fieth thy mouth with good things, making thee young and lusty as an eagle. The Lord executeth right- eousness and judg- ment for all them that are oppressed with wrong. He showed his ways unto Moses, his works unto the children of Israel. The Lord is full of com- passion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding ; neither keep- eth he his anger for- ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins ; nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses. For look how high the heaven is in compar- ison of the earth ; so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look how Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. V. O Treasury of good things, Fountain eter- nal, O Father all-holy who workest wonders, all-powerful and almighty : We all adore thee and entreat thee, calling thy mercies and thy compassion to the aid and defence of our lowliness. Call to remembrance thy suppli- ants, O Lord ; accept the morning prayers of us all as incense before thee ; and let none of us be found reprobate, but encompass us with thy bounties. Call to remembrance, O Lord, those who watch and sing praises to thy glory, and to the glory of thine Only-be- gotten Son who is our God, and of thy Holy Spirit. Be thou their helper and their sup- port. Receive thou their supplications upon thy most heavenly and spiritually discerning altar. For thou art our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. VI. We give thanks unto thee, O Lord God of our salvation ; for thou doest all things which are for the welfare of our life, that we may ever look upward unto thee, our Saviour and the Benefactor of our souls. For thou hast refreshed us in that part of the night which is past, and hast raised us up from our beds, and hast led us to stand here in adoration of thy precious Name. Wherefore we entreat thee, O Lord, vouchsafe unto us grace and power, that we may be enabled with under- standing to sing praises unto thee, and to pray without ceasing, in fear and trembling working out our own salvation, through the succour of thy Christ. Call to remembrance, O Lord, those who cry aloud unto thee in the night season ; hearken unto them and have mercy, and crush under their feet in- visible and warring enemies. For thou art the King of Peace and the MATINS 23 ■wide also the east is from the west : so far hath he set our sins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children ; even so is the Lord mer- ciful unto them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we are made; he remem- bereth that we are hut dust. The days of man are but as grass ; for he flourisheth as a flower of the field. For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone ; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But themerciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him ; and his right- eousness upon chil- dren's children ; even upon such as keep his covenant, and think upon his command- ments to do them. The Lord hath pre- pared his seat in hea- ven, and his kingdom ruleth over all. O praise the Lord, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength ; ye that fulfil his com- mandment and heark- en unto the voice of his word, O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye servants of his that do his plea- Saviour of our souls, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. VII. O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast raised us up from our beds, and hast gathered us together at this hour of prayer : Grant us grace in the opening of our lips, and accept our thanksgivings as we have power to make them; and instruct us in thy statutes. For we know not how to pray as we ought unless thou, O Lord, by thy Holy Spirit, dost guide us. Wherefore we beseech thee : Par- don, remit, forgive whatsoever sins we may have committed unto this present hour, whether by word, or deed, or thought, whether voluntarily or involuntarily ; for if thou wilt be extreme to mark iniquity, O Lord, Lord, who shall stand .' For with thee is redemp- tion. For thou only art holy, a mighty helper and the defender of our life ; and our song shall be ever of thee. Blessed and glorified be the might of thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. VIII. O Lord our God, who hast banished from us the sluggishness of sleep, and hast as- sembled us together by a holy bidding, that in the night-season also we may lift up our hands, and make unto thee thankful acknow- ledgment of thyrighteous judgments: Accept our prayers, petitions, confessions of thanks and nocturnal worship ; and grant unto us, O God, faith invincible, love unwavering, hope unfeigned. Bless our goings out and our comings in ; our deeds and works, and words and thoughts. And grant that we may come to the beginning of this day praising, singing and blessing the goodness of thine ineffable beneficence. For blessed is thine all-holy Name, and all- 24 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE sure. O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his, in all places of his domin- ion : praise thou the Lord, O my soul. In all places of his do- minion, praise thou the Lord, O my soul. Psalm cxliii. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire ; hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake. And enter not into judgment with thyservant ; for in thy sight shall no man liv- ing be justified. For the enemy hath per- secuted ray soul ; he hath smitten my life down to the ground ; he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, and my heart within me is desolate. Yet do I remember the time past : I muse upon all thy works ; yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee ; my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon ; for my spirit waxeth faint : hide not thy face from magnified is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. IX. Illumine our hearts, O Sovereign Master, who lovest man, with the pure light of thy wisdom, and open the eyes of our understand- ing to the comprehension of the proclama- tion of thy Gospel. Implant in us, also, the fear of thy blessed commandments; that trampling down all carnal appetites, we may lead a godly life, both thinking and doing always such things as are well pleasing in thy sight. For thou art the sanctification and the illumination both of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto thee We ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who hath no beginning, and thine all-holy and blessed and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, andunto ages of ages. Amen. X. O Lord our God, who hast granted unto men pardon through repentance, and hast set us, as an example of the acknowledgment of sin and of the confession which is unto forgiveness, the repentance of the Prophet David : Do thou, the same Lord, have mercy upon us according to thy great mercy, not- withstanding the manifold and great iniqui- ties into which we have fallen ; and through the multitude of thy bounties, blot out our transgressions. For unto thee have we sinned, O Lord, who knowest the secret and hidden things of the heart of man, and who alone hast power to remit sins ; and as thou hast created a clean heart within us, and established us with thy guiding Spirit, and made known unto us the joy of salvation, cast thou us not away from thy presence. But inasmuch as thou art good and lovest man, graciously vouchsafe unto us that even until our uttermost breath, we may offer unto thee the sacrifice of righteousness, and an offering upon thy holy altars. me, lest I be like unto them that go down intp the pit. O let me hear thy loving-kind- ness betimes in the morning ; for in thee is my trust : show thou me the way that I should walk in ; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine ene- mies ; for I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee ; for thou art my God : let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of right- eousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name's sake : and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, and de- stroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant. Hearken unto me in thy righteousness, O Lord, and enter not into judgment with thy servant (twice). Thy gracious spirit shall direct my paths upon earth. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. MATINS Through the mercies and bounties and love toward mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. XI. O God, our God, who hast brought into subjection to thy will all thepov^ers endowed with speech and reason, we beseech thee and supplicate thee: Accept our praises, which together with>all thy creatures we offer ac- cording to our strength ; and reward us with the rich gifts of thy goodness. For unto thee every knee doth bow, whether in heaven or on the earth, 91" in the regions under the earth, and every breath and created being doth sing thine ineffable glory. For thou only art the true and most merciful God. For all the powers of heaven magnify thee, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. XII. We praise thee, we hymn thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, O God of our fathers, that thou hast brought us in safety through the shades of night, and hast shown unto us once again the light of day. And we entreat of thy goodness : Be gracious unto our sins, and accept our prayer in thy great tenderness of heart. For we flee unto thee, the merciful and almighty God. Shine in our hearts with the true Sun of thy Righteous- ness ; enlighten our mind and guard all our senses ; that walking uprightly as in the day, in the way of thy statutes, we may attain unto life eternal (for with thee is the source of life) ; and graciously be permitted to come unto the fruition of the light unapproachable. For thou art our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 25 26 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Then the Deacon, or if there be none, the Priest, standing in the customary place, in front of the Holy Door, shall recite The Great Litany ( Velikaya Ektiniya). In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : IJ; For the peace, of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy churches, and for the union of them all : IJ For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : ^ For our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Arch- bishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity : IJ Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). That he will aid them and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary : ^ For this city, for this holy Temple, and for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein : 5^ For healthful seasons ; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times : 5> For those who travel by sea or by land ; for the sick and the suf- fering ; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation : ~^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : ^ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace : ^ Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then immediately the Deacon exclaimeth, and the Choir singeth . (3) God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Blessed is he that Cometh in the Name of the Lord. {Four times.) MATINS 27 And the Deacon, meanwhile, interposeth the following Verses (Stikhi): (4) Verse i : O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious ; because his mercy endureth forever. Verse 2 : All the nations compassed me about, but in the Name of the Lord have I driven them back. 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 marvellous in our eyes. Then shall be sung the Hymn (Tropdr) of the Feast, or of the Saint, or of the proper Tone for the Sunday {twice); and the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogordditchen) of the same Tone {Appendix A). Then shall be read the Selection of Psalm-s appointed {Stikhosldvie Kafism-i). And after the first portion of the Selection shall be said The Little Litany {Mdlaya Ektkniyd). Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then shall be read the second portion of the Selection of Psalms. A nd when it is finished, there shall be said The Little Litany. Again, yet again : . . . Succour us, save us : . . . Calling to re- membrance : Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a good God, who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. ^ .s^ 28 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Then the Holy Door is opened, and the Priest, accompanied by the Deacon (5) bearing a lighted taper, censeth the Sanctuary, the Holy Images, and the People, and all the Temple (Polieliy). (6) And the Poliel^y is sung: Psalms cxxxv., cxxxvi. 1. Praise ye the Name of the Lord, O ye servants of the Lord. Alle- luia. ( Thrice.) 2. Praised be the Lord out of Zion, who dwelleth at Jerusalem. Alleluia. (Thrice.) 3. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, for his mercy endureth forever. Alleluia. [Thrice.') 4. O give thanks unto the God of heaven ; for his mercy endureth forever. Alleluia. ( Thrice. ) And if it be a Great Feast, or other appointed Saint's Day, the proper Great EXALTATION* shall be chanted, /irst by the Priest and the Deacon, and Feasts. then by the Choir, before the Holy Image of the Day, as the Priest censeth it where it lieth on the folding-stand. Then shall be sung the Hymns {Tropari), with the Refrain; but only on the Lord's Day. \ Refrain. Blessed art thou, O Lord : teach me thy statutes. The company of the Angels was amazed, when they beheld thee numbered among the dead, yet thyself, O Saviour, destroy- ing the power of death, and with thee raising up Adam and releasing all men from Hell. 5^ Wherefore, O Women Disciples, do ye mingle sweet-smelling spices with your tears of pity .' the radiant Angel within the sepulchre cried unto the Myrrh-bearing Women : Behold the grave, and understand ; for the Saviour is risen from the tomb. 5> Very early in the morning did the Myrrh-bearing Women run lamenting unto thy tomb ; but an Angel came toward them, saying : The time for lamentation is passed ; weep not ; but announce unto the Apostles the Resurrection. IJ The Myrrh-bearing Women mourned as, bearing unguents, they drew near thy tomb, O Saviour. But the Angel spake unto them, saying : Why number ye the living among the dead .'' In that he is God he is risen from the grave. 5> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Hymn to the Trinity (Trbitchny). We adore the Father, as also his Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity in One Essence, crying with the Seraphim: Holy, holy, holy art thpu, O Lord. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. * For Exaltations (or Magnifyings), see the Special Services of the Great Feasts. ^ a '^. c-f s O) p n S fT 3 w p en ft ft) r-^ D- tr ^ CO n- r-t ct P 'S' C C d V f MATINS 29 Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (JBogorbditchen). In that thou didst bear the Giver of Life, O Virgin, thou didst redeem Adam from sin, and didst give to Eve joy in place of sadness; and He who was incarnate of thee, both God and man, hath restored to life those who had fallen therefrom. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. {Thrice.) Theti the Little Litany. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. * Priest. For blessed is t'hy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Degrees of the Antiphon {Stepinny AntifSni) are sung, according to the Tone of the week. Antiphon. Tone IV. From my youth up many passions have warred against me. But do thou succour and save me, O my Saviour. Ye who hate Zion shall be put to confusion of the Lord ; like grass in the fire shall ye be withered up. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Through the Holy Spirit is every soul quickened and exalted in purity, and illumined by the Triune Unity in mystic holiness. Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. Peace be with you all. Deacon. Wisdom ! The Gradual {Prokimen) of the . . . Tone. The Graduah (Prokimend) in the Eight Tones. Tone I. : Now will I arise, saith the Lord : I will set myself for salva- tion, I will make no tarrying therein. Verse : The words of the Lord are pure words. Tone II.: Rise up for me, O Lord, in the judgment that thou hast commanded. And so shall the congregation of the people come about thee. Verse: O Lord my God, I have put my trust in thee : save me. Tone III. : Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King, and 30 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE that it is he that hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved. Verse: O sing unto the Lord a new song. Tone IV. : Arise, O Lord, and help us, and deliver us, for thy Name's sake. Verse: O God, we have heard with our ears. Tone V : Arise, O Lord my God, and let thy hand be lifted up, for thou reignest forever. Verse : I will confess unto thee, O Lord : with my whole heart, I will proclaim all thy wondrous works. Tone VI. : O Lord, stir up thy might, and come and save us. Verse: Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, who leadeth Joseph like a sheep. Tone VII. : Arise, O Lord, my God, and let thy hand be lifted up : forget not thy poor forever. Verse: I will confess unto thee, O Lord: with my whole heart, I will proclaim all thy wondrous works. Tone VIII. : Tie Lord shall reign forever ; thy God, O Zion, from generation to generation. Verse : Praise the Lord, O my soul : wfiile I live will I praise the Lord. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. The Priest exclaimeth . For holy art thou, O our God, who restest in the Saints, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Deacon and the Choir sing : Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. {Four times}) Verse: Praise ye God in his Saints. Praise him in the firm founda- tion of his power. Then the Deacon proclaimeth : And that he will graciously vouchsafe unto us to hear his Holy Gos- pel, let us pray to the Lord God. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.') Deacon. Wisdom, O believers. Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Priest. Peace be with you all. The People. And with thy spirit. Immediately he addeth : Priest. The Lesson from the Holy Gospel according to N.* (7) * See Table of the Gospel Lessons, page xix. MATINS 31 Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Deacon. Let us attend. Then the Priest readeth the Holy Gospel. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. The Choir then singeth, while the book of the Holy Gospels is laid upon the table at the centre of the Temple : In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us bow down before the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection we laud and glorify : for thou art our God, and we know none other beside thee ; we call upon thy Name. O come, all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's holy Resur- rection. For lo, through the Cross is joy come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing his Resurrection : for in that he endured the Cross he hath destroyed Death by death. This Hymn is always sung at the Lord's Day Matins, with rare exceptions. It is sung on Lazarus's Saturday', and on all week-days from Easter U7itil Ascen- sion-Day. (8) And if it be the Eve of Palm Sunday, Psalm li. is read, and the Priest palmSun- censeth the Palms. And when it is finished, he blesseth the Palms.* flay. But if it be the ordinary Vigil Office : "J ,- „ ,-1 , Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Through the prayers of the Apostles, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. On the Lord's Day : Jesus, having risen from the grave as he foretold, hath given unto us life eternal and great mercy. On Feast Days, instead of this, the Canticles {Stikhiry) of the Feast. F^jg^"** Deacon. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Visit thy world with mercies and bounties. Exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians, and send down upon us thy rich mercies. Through the in- tercessions of our all-undefiled Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever- virgin Mary; through the might of the precious and life-giving Cross; through the protection of the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven ; * See the Service for Blessing the Palms, at end of Service for Palm Sunday (Special Services). 32 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE of the honourable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; of our Holy Fathers, great Hierarchs and CEcumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom ; of our Holy Father Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonder-worker ; of our Holy Fathers of All-Russia, Wonder-workers, Peter, Alexis, Jonah and Philip ; of the holy, glorious and right-victorious Martyrs ; of our reverend and God-fearing Fathers, the holy and righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna ; of Saint N. {tlie holy patron of the Temple) ; and of all thy Saints, we beseech thee, O most merciful Lord, give ear unto the petitions of us sinners who make our supplications unto thee, and have mercy upon us. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Tzvelve times.) Priest. Through the mercies and bounties of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Priest, the Deacon and the People now salute the Holy Gospels and the Holy Image of the Feast. Oreat And if the bread and wine and oil have been blessed during Vespers, Feasts. before the Matins, the Priest now anointeth the faithful with the oil, and the bread is distributed. (9) The Canon of the proper Tone,* or of the Feast, is then sung. (10) After the Third Theme-Song (Irmds) the Little Litany {see page 2g)followeth. Exclamation. Priest. For thou art our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. After the Sixth Theme-Song of the Canon also the Little Litany (see page 29) followeth, with the Exclamation at the end: For thou art the King of the world, and the Saviour of our souls, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Before the Ninth Ode the Magnificat (or the Refrain appointed for Matins on certain of the Great Feasts) is sung. The Deacon comet h and standeth before the Holy Image of the Birth-giver of God, and censing it, he saith : The Birth-giver of God and Mother of the Light let us honour and extol in song. Choir. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. * See Appendix A. MATINS 33 Refrain. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden ; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. More honourable than the Cherubim, . . . For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his Name ; and his mercy is on them that fear him, throughout all generations. ^ He hath showed strength with his arm ; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ^ He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the empty with good things, and the rich hath he sent empty away. IJ He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever. ]J Also the Song of Zacharias (Luke i. 68-79). Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people ; and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, in the house of his servant David ; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began ; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and to remember his holy covenant ; to perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham that he would give us ; that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear; in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ! To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, for the remis- sion of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us : to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. The Ninth Ode followeth, and then : The Little Litany. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. ' Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. 34 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Exclamation. Priest. For all the powers of heaven praise thee, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The ExAPOSTiLARiON of the Lord's Day. (il) Verse i : Holy is the Lord our God. {Thrice.) Verse 2 : Over all men is our God. Let everything which hath breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord of heaven : praise Him in the height. Refrain. To thee, O God, is due our song. Praise him all ye Angels of his : praise him all his host. Refrain. To thee, O God, is due our song. And here begin the Verses {StikMry) of the Tone, or of the Feast. And then : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Bogordditchen). {On the Lord's Day Evening) : Most blessed art thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God : For through him who became incarnate of thee Hell is led captive, Adam is re- called from the dead, the curse is made void. Eve is set free. Death is slain, and we have been endowed with life. Wherefore we cry aloud, extolling in song : Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, in whose sight it is thus well-pleasing. Glory to thee. Priest. Glory to thee, who hast shown us the light. (12) Choir. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only -begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that . takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy ; thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Every day will I give thanks unto thee, and praise thy Name for- ever and ever. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified be thy holy Name forever. Amen. Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we do put our trust in thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord : O teach me thy statutes. {Thrice.) Lord, thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. I said : Lord, be merciful unto me ; heal my soul, for I have sinned MATINS 35 against thee. Lord, I flee unto thee. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee ; for thou art my God. For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light. O continue forth thy loving-kind- ness unto those who know thee. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. ( TJu'ice. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. Then in a loud voice : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. Then shall be sung the appointed Hymn of Dismissal. The Saturday Evening (Sunday) Hymns : In Tones I., III., V., VII. . To-day is salvation come into the world. Let us sing praises unto him who rose again from the grave, the Author of our life : For in that by death he hath destroyed Death, he hath given unto us the victory and great mercy. In Tones II., IV., VI., VIII. . When thou hadst risen again from the tomb, and hadst burst the bonds of Hell, thou didst loose the condemnation of death, O Lord, redeeming all men from the snares of the enemy. When thou hadst revealed thyself to thine Apostles, thou didst send them forth to proclaim thee. And through them thou hast granted thy peace unto the universe, O only All-merciful One. Then the Augmented Litany {Sugubaya Ekt^niya). Deacon. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities, (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). Again we pray for our Holy Synod (tr Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; and for all our brethren in Christ. Furthermore we pray for all their Christ-loving Army and Navy. 5; Furthermore we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable found- ers of this holy Temple ; and for all our devout fathers and brethren, Orthodox believers, departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord. ]J Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple ; for those who labour in its service ; for the singers ; and for the people here present, who await in firm hope thy great and rich mercies. ^ s < 3 m n y 36 THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL SERVICE Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a good and merciful God, who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us complete our morning prayer unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. s-fe • XX a OS P-. o ^ ft o o CL a. A day all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us beseech of the Lord : ty An Angel of Peace, the faithful guide and guardian of our souls : ^ The pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions: ]J All things which are profitable to our souls and bodies, and peace to the world : ^ That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and peni- tence : 5> A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful ; and a good defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ. ^ Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God, Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For thou art the God of mercies and of bounties, and of love toward mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. People. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord. Choir. Unto thee, O Lord. And the Priest saith this Prayer, secretly : O holy Lord, who dwellest on high, and regardest the humble of heart, and with thine all-seeing eye dost behold all creation, unto Thee have we bowed the neck of our soul and body, and we entreat thee : Stretch forth thine invisible hand from thy holy dwelling- place and bless us all. And if in aught we have sinned, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, forgive, inasmuch as thou art a good God, and lovest mankind ; vouchsafing unto us thy earthly and heavenly good things. ^ ^ ;? MATINS 37 Exclamation. For thine it is to show mercy and to save us, O our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Wisdom ! Choir. Bless. Priest. He who in verity existeth, even Christ our God, is blessed always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Establish, O Lord, most God-fearing (Emperor, King, or President), N., and the Holy Orthodox faith, and Orthodox Christians, unto ages of ages. Priest. Save us, O most holy Birth-giver of God. Choir. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, in very truth the Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ our God, our sure hope ; glory to thee. Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. Then the Priest bestoweth the Benediction. On Saturday Evening: May he who rose again from the dead, Christ our true God ; through the prayers of his most holy Mother, of the holy, glorious and all- praiseworthy Apostles, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us ; inasmuch as he is good and loveth mankind. Then the Choir singeth the Many Years : Preserve, O Lord, our (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President) ; our (Patriarch, or Holy Synod) ; our (Metropolitan, Arch- bishop, or Bishop), N. ; and all Orthodox Christians, for many years. The Holy Doors or curtain shall be closed, and The First Hour is then read. THE FIRST HOUR* O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. {Three reverences. ) Psalm v. Ponder my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God : for unto thee will I make my prayer. My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord ; early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness ; neither shall any evil dwell with thee. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight ; for thou hatest all them that work vanity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies : the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man. But as for me, I will come into thine house, even upon the multitude of thy mercy ; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies ; make thy way plain before my face. For there is no faith- fulness in his mouth ; their inward parts are very wickedness. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God ; let them perish through their own imaginations ; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness ; for they have rebelled against thee. And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice : they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them ; they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee ; for thou. Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous, and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him, as with a shield. Psalm xc. Lord, thou hast been our refuge, from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting, and world without end. Thou turnest man to destruction ; again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yes- terday ; seeing that is past as a watch in the night. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep ; and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green, and groweth up ; but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered. For we consume away in thy displeasure, and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation. Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee ; and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For when thou art angry all our days are gone : we bring * See Appendix B, III. THE FIRST HOUR 39 our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told. The days of our age are threescore years and ten ; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sor- row ; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath ? for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last, and be gra- cious unto thy servants. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon : so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us ; and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity. Show thy servants thy work, and their children thy glory. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us : prosper thou the work of our hands upon us ; O pros- per thou our handy-work. Psalm ci. My song shall be of mercy and judgment ; unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. O let me have understanding in the way of godliness ! When wilt thou come unto me } I will walk in my house with a perfect heart. I will take no wicked thing in hand ; I hate the sins of unfaithfulness ; there shall no such cleave unto me. A froward heart shall depart from me ; I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy. Whoso hath also a proud look and high stomach, I will not suffer him. Mine eyes look upon such as are faith- ful in the land, that they may dwell with me. Whoso leadeth a godly life, he shall be my servant. There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house ; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the land ; that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. {Thrice ; three reverences. ) Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Then the Hymn {Tropdr) for the Day, in the proper Tone, is read.* Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditcheri). What shall we call thee, O thou who art full of grace } Heaven, for from thee shone forth the Sun of Righteousness ; Paradise, for thou hast budded forth the Flower of Immortality ; Virgin, for thou hast remained undefiled: Pure Mother, for thou hast held in thy holy em- brace thy Son, who is God of all. Beseech thou him that he will save our souls. * For the Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A. 40 THE FIRST HOUR But if it be during Great Fast {Lent), we say the Hymn (Tropdr) in Tone VI- Then: O hearken thou betimes unto the voice of my calling, my King and my God. Verse {Stikh) i : Ponder my words, O Lord : consider my medi- tation. Verse 2 : For unto thee will I make my prayer. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And again the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God : What shall we call thee : Order my steps in thy word, and so shall no wickedness have do- minion over me. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men, and so shall I keep thy commandments. Show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.^ Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. If it be not the Great Fast {Lent), the Collect-Hymn {Konddk) of the Tone, or of the Saint for the Day, or of the approaching Feast, is then read* But if it be the Great Fast, or if there be no special Collect-Hymn, on Mon- day, Tuesday and Thursday, the following Hymn to the Birth-giver OF God {Bogordditchen) shall be read : ^ With heart and lips let us continually magnify the glorious Mother of God, more holy than the Angels, confessing her to be the true Birth-giver of God, who did, in very truth, bring forth God incarnate, and who unceasingly doth intercede for our souls. But on Wednesday and Friday the following shall be read : Speedily prevent, ere he lead us into captivity, the enemy which * For Collect-Hymns for the Twelve Great Feasts, see the Special Services. THE FIRST HOUR 41 blasphemeth thee and constraineth us, O Christ our God : Over- come by thy Cross those who war against us, that they may know what power hath the faith of Orthodox beHevers ; through the inter- cessions of the Birth-giver of God, O thou who alone lovest man- kind. On Saturday the following shall be said : Unto thee, O Lord, the Author of Creation, the universe doth offer the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. By whose supplications, through the Birth-giver of God, do thou pre- serve in peace profound thy Church, which is thine estate, O most merciful One. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.) Thou who, at all times, and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion ; who lovest the just and showest mercy to those who are hardened in sin ; who callest all men to repentance through the promise of good things to come : Do thou, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to thy commandments. Sanctify our souls ; purify our bodies; set aright our minds; and deliver us from all calamity, wrath and distress. Compass us round about with thy holy Angels ; that, guided and guarded by their host, we may attain unto the unity of the faith, and unto the comprehension of thine ineffable glory. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. In the Name of the Lord bless. Father. Priest. God be bountiful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us. And if it be the Great Fast, we make three great reverences to the earth, reciting the prescribed Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothfulness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverence^ But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meek- ness, of patience, and of love. [Reverence.') Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own trans- gressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence. Then twelve lesser reverences, saying at each : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated ; with one great reverence in conclusion.) 42 THE FIRST HOUR O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. [Thrice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times ^ And this Prayer : O Christ, the true Light, which illumineth and sanctifieth every man who Cometh into the world ! Let the light of thy countenance be showed upon us, that in it we may behold the light ineffable ; and guide our footsteps aright, to the keeping of thy commandments ; through the intercessions of thine all-pure Mother, and of all the Saints. Amen. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. Priest. Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditcheri). We, thy servants, in that we have been delivered from calamities, do offer unto thee, O Birth-giver of God, who as victorious Chieftain warrest for us, songs of triumph and thanksgiving : Do thou also, in that thou hast might invincible, free us from all assaults, that we may cry unto thee : Hail, O Bride unwedded ! Priest. Glory to thee, O Lord, our hope ; glory to thee. Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. Benediction. Priest. May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his all- pure Mother ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles {and of THE THIRD HOUR 43 the Saint to whom the church is dedicated; and of the Saint for the day) ; of the holy ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, and save us : for he is gracious and he alone loveth mankind. Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) THE THIRD HOUR.* After the Priest hath bestowed the blessing, we say : Amen. Glory to thee, our God ; glory to thee. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. ( Thrice, and three reverences. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice!) O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. (Three reverences. ) Psalm xvii. Hear the right, O Lord, consider my complaint, and hearken unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence ; and let thine eyes look upon the thing that is equal. * See Appendix B, III. 44 THE THIRD HOUR Thou hast proved and visited mine heart in the night-season ; thou hast tried me, and shalt find no wicke^iness in me ; for I am utterly pur- posed that my mouth shall not offend. Because of men's works that are done against the words of thy lips, I have kept me from the ways of the destroyer. O hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my foot- steps slip not. I have called upon thee, O God, for thou shalt hear me : incline thine ear to me, and hearken unto my words. Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, thou that art the Saviour of them which put their trust in thee, from such as resist thy right hand. Keep me as the apple of an eye ; hide me under the shadow of thy wings, from the ungodly, that trouble me ; mine enemies compass me round about, to take away my soul. They are inclosed in their own fat, and their mouth speaketh proud things. They lie waiting in our way on every side, turning their eyes down to the ground ; like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a lion's whelp lurking in secret places. Up, Lord, disappoint him, and cast him down ; deliver my soul from the ungodly, which is a sword of thine ; from the men of thy hand, O Lord, from the men, I say, and from the evil world ; which have their 'portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure. They have children at their desire, and leave the rest of their substance for their babes. But as for me, I will behold thy pre- sence in righteousness ; and when I awake up after thy likeness, I shall be satisfied with it. Psalm xxv. Unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my soul ; my God, I have put my trust in thee : O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me. For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed; but such as transgress without a cause shall be put to confusion. Show me thy ways, O Lord, and teach me thy paths. Lead me forth in thy truth, and learn me : for thou art the God of my salvation ; in thee hath been my hope all the day long. Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth ; but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Gracious and righteous is the Lord ; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment ; and such as are gen- tle, them shall he learn his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant, and his testimonies. For thy Name's sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin ; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is among them that fear him ; and he will show them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord ; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me ; for I am desolate, and in misery. The THE THIRD HOUR 45 sorrows of my heart are enlarged : O bring thou me out of my troubles. Look upon my adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sin. Con- sider mine enemies, how many they are ; and they bear a tyrannous hate against me. O keep my soul, and deliver me : let me not be con- founded, for I have put my trust in thee. Let perfectness and right- eous dealing wait upon me ; for my hope hath been in thee. Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Psalm li. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight ; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make 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. O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health ; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall show thy praise. For thou desirest no sacri- fice, else would I give it thee ; but thou delightest not in bumt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion ; build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and obla- tions ; then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O Lord. {Thrice.') Lord, have mercy. {Thrice^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Then the Hyvinfor the Day {Tropdr) : * Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. * For Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. 46 THE THIRD HOUR Hymn to the Birth-Giver of God iBogorbditcheti). O Birth-giver of God, thou art the true Vine who didst bud forth the Fruit of Life : Implore thou him, we beseech thee, O Lady, together with the Apostles and all the Saints, that he will have mercy on our souls. But if it be the Great Fast (Lent), then this Hymn [Tropdr), in To7ie VI., is said : O Lord, who at the Third Hour didst send down upon thine Apostles thy Holy Spirit : Take not the same from us, O Good One, but renew it in us who make our supplications unto thee. Verse {Stikk) i : Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Verse 2 : Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. And to these we add : O Lord, who at the Third Hour: and the rest of the Hymn again, to the end, making one reverence for each. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And again the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen) : O Birth-giver of God, thou art the true Vine. . . . Praised be God, praised be God daily, even the God who helpefh us and poureth his benefits upon us. He is our God, even the God of our salvation. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . , O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Then (as at the beginning of the Hour) : Glory now, and ever. . . . Our F"ather, who art in heaven . . Then the Collect-Hymn (Konddk) of the Day, or of the Saint.* But if it be a Fast, we say the following Hymns (Tropari), in Tone VHI. : Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. O Christ our God, who lovest mankind, glory to thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Grant speedy and steadfast consolation unto thy servants, O Jesus, when our spirit is cast down within us. Depart not from our souls in affliction ; be not far from our thoughts in time of trouble ; but always defend us. Draw near unto us, draw near unto us, thou who art omnipresent! As thou art ever with thine Apos- tles, so, also, O Bountiful One, unite thyself unto those who long for thee ; that with one accord we may sing praises unto thee, and laud thy most holy Spirit. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. * For Collect-Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. THE THIRD HOUR 47 The Hope and Chieftain, and Wall Impregnable of Christians art thou, and the Haven unvexed by storms, O pure Birth-giver of God ; but in that thou dost save the world by thine unceasing inter- cessions, call thou us also to remembrance, O Virgin, all-lauded. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.) Thou who, at all times, and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and compassion ; who lovest the just and showest mercy to those who are hardened in sin ; who callest all men to sal- vation through the promise of good things to come : Do thou, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to thy commandments ; sanctify our souls ; purify our bodies ; set aright our minds ; and deliver us from all calamity, wrath and distress. Compass us round about with thy holy Angels ; that, guided and guarded by their host, we may attain unto the unity of the faith, and unto the comprehension of thine ineffable glory. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. i-ord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond com- pare than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. In the Name of the Lord bless, Father. Priest. Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy upon us. And if it be the Great Fast {Lent), we make three great reverences, reciting the prescribed Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothfulness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverence.) But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meek- ness, of patience, and of love. {Reverence.) Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own trans- gressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence. Then twelve lesser reverences, saying at each : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated; with one great reverence in conclusion^ And when we have finished the reverences, we say this Prayer of St. Mardarius. O Lord God, Father almighty, O Lord the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and O Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power, have THE SIXTH HOUR mercy upon me, a sinner. And by the judgments which thou hast (>, established, save me, thine unworthy servant. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. THE SIXTH HOUR.* O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. ( Three reverences. ) Psalm liv. Save me, O God, for thy Name's sake, and avenge me in thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God, and hearken unto the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me ; and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul. Behold, God is my helper ; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies : destroy thou them in thy truth. An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O Lord ; because it is so comfortable. For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble, and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. P,SALM LV. Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my petition. Take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed. The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh on so fast ; for they are minded to do me some mischief, so maliciously are they set against me. My heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me. And I said. Oh that I had wings like a dove ! for then would I flee away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I get me away far off, and remain in the wilderness. I would make haste to escape, because of the stormy wind and tempest. Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and divide them, for I have spied un- righteousness and strife in the city. Day and night they go about within the walls thereof : mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is therein ; deceit and guile go not out of their streets. For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonour ; for then I could have borne it : neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me ; for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him : but it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend. We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends. Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell ; for wickedness is in their dwellings, * See Appendix B, III. THE SIXTH HOUR 49 and among them. As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly ; and he shall hear my voice. It is he that hath de- livered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me ; for there were many with me. Yea, even God, that endureth forever, shall hear me, and bring them down ; for they will not turn, nor fear God. He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him, and he brake his covenant. The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart ; his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords. O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee, and shall not suffer the righteous to fall forever. And as for them, thou, O God, shalt bring them into the pit of destruction. The blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days : never- theless, my trust shall be in thee, O Lord. Psalm xci. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold ; my God, in him will I trust. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers ; his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; for the pestilence that walketh in dark- ness, nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand ; but it shall not come nigh thee. Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the ungodly. For thou, Lord, art my hope ; thou hast set thine house of defence very high. There shall no evil happen unto thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder : the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him ; I will set him up, because he hath known my Name. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him ; yea, I am with him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alelluia, alleluia, alleluia; glory to thee, O Lord. {Thrice) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. And the Hymn for the Day {Tropdr). * * For Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. so THE SIXTH HOUR But if it be the Great Fast [Lent), we recite the following Hymn, in Tone III. : O thou who, on the sixth day and Hour didst nail to the Cross the sin which Adam, through presumption, committed in Paradise : Tear asunder also the handwriting of our iniquities, O Christ our God, and save us. Verse {Stikh) i : Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my petition. Verse 2 : As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God iBogorbditcheti). Seeing that we have no boldness, because of the multitude of our sins, do thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, fervently entreat him who was born of thee : for the prayer of a Mother availeth much to the good will of the Lord. Despise not the supplications of sinners, O all- pure One ; for merciful and mighty to save is he who graciously deigned to suffer for us. With thy bounties speedily prevent us, O Lord, for we have griev- ously sinned; help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of thy Name. O Lord, deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy Name's sake. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.^ Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Collect-Hymn (Konddk) of the Day or of the Tone.* But if it be the Great Fast, we say these Hymns (Tropari), in Tone II. : Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth, O Christ our God. Thou didst stretch out thine all-pure hands upon the Cross ; thou hast gathered together all the nations, who cry aloud unto thee : Glory to thee, O Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * For Collect-Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; £or the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. 8 THE SIXTH HOUR 51 We bow down in reverence before thy holy Image, O Good One, entreating forgiveness for our transgressions, O Christ our God ; for of thine own good will thou didst graciously deign to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that thou mightest deliver from the works of the enemy those whom thou hadst fashioned. Wherefore we cry aloud unto thee in thanksgiving : With joy thou didst fill all things, O our Saviour, when thou didst come to save the world. And then immediately, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday : Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditchen). Vouchsafe unto us thy mercy, O Birth-giver of God, thou who art a Fount of tender compassion. Look upon the people who have sinned ; manifest, as always, thy power. For trusting in thee we cry unto thee : Hail ! as did aforetime Gabriel, Chief of the Bodi- less Powers. On Wednesday and Friday : Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Cross-Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Krestobogorbditchen). Exceedingly blessed art thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, and we sing thy praise : for by the Cross of thy Son was Hell over- thrown and Death was slain ; and we who were dead have risen again, and have mercifully been deemed worthy of life, and have received Paradise, which was our delight of old. For which cause, with thanksgiving we magnify Christ our God, in that he is mighty and in that he alone loveth mankind. Lord, have mercy. ( Twelve times. ) Thou who, at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and compassion ; who lovest the just and showest mercy to those who are hardened in sin ; who callest all men to re- pentance through the promise of good things to come : Do thou, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to thy commandments. Sanctify our souls ; purify our bodies ; set aright our minds ; and deliver us from all ca- lamity, wrath and distress. Compass us round about with thy holy Angels ; that, guided and guarded by their host, we may attain unto the unity of the faith, and unto the comprehension of thine ineffable glory. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. [Forty times.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more 52 THE SIXTH HOUR glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. In the Name of the Lord, bless, Father. Priest. Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. And if it be a Fast, we make three great reverences to the very earth and say the prescribed Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothfulness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverence^ • ^ But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meek- ness, of patience, and of love. (Reverence.) Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own trans- gressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. (Reverence. Then twelve lesser reverences, saying at each : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated; with one great reverence in conclusion.) Then this Prayer or St. Basil the Great. O God and Lord of hosts, and Maker of all things created, who through the tender-hearted compassion of thine incomparable mercy didst send down thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the redemption of our race, and by his precious Cross didst destroy the handwriting of our sins, and didst thereby triumph over the Origin and Powers of darkness : Do thou, the same Lord, who lovest mankind, ac- cept ^Iso these thanksgivings and fervent prayers of us sinners. And deliver us from every harmful and gloomy transgression, and from all enemies, both visible and invisible, who seek after us to destroy us. Nail our flesh to the fear of thee, and incline not our hearts to words or thoughts of guile : but wound our souls with the love of thee ; that looking ever unto thee, and guided by thee in the light, beholding thee, the Light Ineffable and Everlasting, we may ascribe unto thee cease- less praise and thanksgiving : unto the Father who hath no beginning, together with thine Only-begotten Son, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Generally the Divine Liturgy beginneth here. But if it be the Great Fast (Lent), after this is read the Ninth Hour; and the Ninth Hour, when it followeth the Sixth Hour, beginneth thus : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice.) O all-holy Trinity, . . . t> THE NINTH HOUR 53 THE NINTH HOUR* Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. And We. Amen. Glory to thee, O our God ; glory to thee. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places, and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. ( Thrice. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One: Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times ^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. , O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us wor- ship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. { Three I'everences. ) Psalm lxxxiv. O how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hosts ! My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord ; my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest, where she may lay her young ; even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that * See Appendix B, III. 54 THE NINTH HOUR dwell in thy house ; they will be alway praising thee. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ; in whose heart are thy ways. Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well ; and the pools are filled with water. They will go from strength to strength, and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer ; hearken, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God our defender, and look upon the face of thine Anointed. For one day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness. For the Lord God is a light and defence ; the Lord will give grace and worship; and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life. O Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee. Psalm lxxxv. Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land ; thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people, and covered all their sins. Thou hast taken away all thy dis- pleasure, and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation. Turn us then, O God our Saviour, and let thine anger cease from us. Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever ? and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another .' Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us, that thy people may rejoice in thee ? Show us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me ; for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again. For his salvation is nigh them that fear him ; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall flourish out of the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven. Yea, the Lord shall show loving-kindness ; and our land shall give her increase. Righteousness shall go before him ; and he shall direct his going in the way. Psalm lxxxvi. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me ; for I am poor, and in misery. Preserve thou my soul, for I am holy : my God, save thy ser- vant that putteth his trust in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord ; for I will call daily upon thee. Comfort the soul of thy servant ; for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou. Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear. Lord, unto my prayer, and ponder the voice of my humble desires. In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee ; for thou hearest me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord ; there is not one that can do as thou doest. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee, O Lord ; and shall glorify thy Name. For thou art great ahd doest wondrous things ; thou art God alone. Teach me THE NINTH HOUR SS thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth : O knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name. I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart ; and will praise thy Name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me ; and thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell. O God, the proud are risen against me : and the con- gregations of naughty men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee before their eyes. But thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth. O turn thee then unto me, and have mercy upon me : give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thine handmaid. Show some token upon me for good ; that they who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, be- cause thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. And again: Show some token upon me for good ; that they who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia ; glory to thee, O God. ( Thrice.) Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. And we read the Hymn for the Day (Tropdr).* But if it be the Great Fast {Lent), this Hymn, in Tone VIII., is used: O thou who, at the Ninth Hour, for our sake didst taste of death in the flesh : Mortify thou the presumption of our flesh, and save us, O Christ our God. Verse {Stikh) i : Let my complaint come before thee, O Lord : give me understanding, according to thy word. Verse 2 : Let my supplication come before thee, O Lord : deliver me according to thy word. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God. Thou who for our sake wast born of a Virgin, and didst suffer cruci- fixion, O Good One, and didst despoil Death through death, and as God didst reveal Resurrection : Despise not those whom thou hast created with thine own hand ; show forth thy love for mankind, O Merciful One ; accept the Birth-giver of God who bare thee, and who entreateth thee for us ; and save thy despairing people, O our Saviour. Forsake us not utterly, for thy holy Name's sake, and destroy not thy covenant ; and take not thy mercies from us, for the sake of Abra- ham whom thou lovedst, and for the sake of Isaac thy servant, and of Israel, thy Holy One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . {as at the beginning of the Hour) * For Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendik A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. 5% 56 THE NINTH HOUR . . . Glory . . now, and ever . . . O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) . . . Glory . . . now, and ever . . . Our Father, who art in heaven, . . . And if it be a Feast., we say the Collect-Hymn {Kondak) thereof.* But if not, this Hymn, in Tone VHI. . When the thief beheld the Author of life hanging upon the Cross, he said : If thou wert not God incarnate, who art here crucified with us, then had the Sun not veiled its rays, neither would the earth have shaken with trembling. But do thou, who sufferest for all men, remem- ber me, O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. In the midst, between two thieves, was thy Cross found the balance- beam of righteousness ; for while the one was led down to hell by the burden of his blaspheming, the other was lightened of his sins, unto the knowledge of things divine. O Christ our God, glory to thee. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. When she who bare thee beheld upon the Cross thee, the Lamb, and Shepherd, and Saviour of the world, she weeping said : The world re- joiceth, in that it hath received redemption, but my heart kindleth with yearning as I look upon thy crucifixion, which thou sufferest for all men, O my Son and my God. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times. ) Thou who, at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and compassion ; who lovest the just and showest mercy to those who are hardened in sin ; who callest all men to repent- ance through the promise of good things to come : Do thou, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to thy commandments. Sanctify our souls ; purify our bodies ; set aright our minds ; and deliver us from all calamity, wrath and distress. Compass us round about with thy holy Angels ; that, guided and guarded by their host, we may attain unto the unity of the faith, and unto the comprehension of thine ineffable glory. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Priest. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us, * For Collect-Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services. THE NINTH HOUR 57 Then the INTERHOUR. In the holy Great Fast {Lent), three great reverences shall be made, and the Prayer of St. Ephraim shall be recited once. But otherwise, after the Exclamation, God be merciful unto us, there shall be said this Prayer of St. Basil the Great. O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, who art long-suffering toward our sins, and who hast led us even to the present hour, in the which, as thou didst hang upon the life-giving Tree thou didst make a way into Paradise for the penitent thief, and by death didst destroy Death : Cleanse us sinners and thine unworthy servants ; for we have sinned and have dealt iniquitously, and we are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look upon the heights of heaven, inasmuch as we have de- parted from the path of thy righteousness, and have walked after the desires of our own hearts. But we implore of thy boundless goodness : Spare us, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy mercies, and save us, for thy holy Name's sake ; for our days have passed away in vanity. Wrest us out of the hand of the adversary, and forgive our sins, and mortify in us carnal imagination ; that putting off the old man we may be clothed upon with the new man, and may live unto thee, our Master and our Benefactor ; and that so following after thy commandments, we may attain unto rest eternal, where is the abode of all those who rejoice. For thou art, in verity, the true joy and exultation of those who love thee, O Christ our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with the Father, who is without beginning, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. When the Ninth Hour is read separately from the Typical Psalms : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.^ Bless. Then the Benediction. Priest. May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most holy Mother (of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles) ; of Saint N. {the Saint of the day) ; of Saint N. {the Saint of the church) ; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us : for he is gracious and loveth mankind. But if it be the Great Fast {Lent), then the Typical Psalms immediately fol- low, and Psalms ciii. and cxvi. are omitted. THE TYPICAL PSALMS* The beginning of the Typical Psalms shall be said thus . Bless the Lord, O my soul : blessed art thou, O Lord. Psalm ciil Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits : who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases ; who redeem- eth thy life from destruction ; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies ; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things ; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth right- eousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide ; neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his chil- dren, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass ; as a flower of the field, so he fiourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone ; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children ; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord all works of his, in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit : The first Choir, with heightened voices. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages : The second Choir. The First Choir. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Blessed art thou, O Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * See Appendix B, III. THE TYPICAL PSALMS 59 Psalm cxlvi. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord ; I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God : which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is ; which keepeth truth forever : which exe- cuteth judgment for the oppressed : which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners : the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind : the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down : the Lord loveth the right- eous : the Lord preserveth the strangers ; he relieveth the fatherless and widow : but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. The Lord shall reign forever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son, and Word of God ! Thou who art immortal yet didst deign for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Birth- giver of God and ever-virgin Mary ; and without change of essence wast made man ; who also wast crucified for us, O Christ our God, tramphng down Death by death ; who art one of the Holy Trinity and art glori- fied with the Father and the Holy Spirit : Save us. In the Great Fast, after the Ninth Hour, and the Prayer, O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God {page 57), we sing, in Tone VIII. . The Beatitudes. In thy kingdom remember us, O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heavefi. And if it be the Great Fast, to every verse is added the Refrain : Remember us, O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. \ Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. ^ Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. ^ Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteous- ness : for they shall be filled. 5 Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. Ijc Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. ^ Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called the chil- dren of God. ^ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 1^ Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ^ Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. ]J c 3 ft 3 3 a> n CO -1 ^-^ ►-■. c 3 u) rt- 3- -r f^ ■-1 Q- B' 6o THE TYPICAL PSALMS Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Remember us, O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. Remember us, O Master, when thou comest into thy kingdom. Remember u^, O Holy One, when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Aftd one reverence at each.) The heavenly choir doth hymn thee, and doth cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts : heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Verse : Come unto him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed. The heavenly choir doth hymn thee, and doth cry : Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts : heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. The Choir of holy Angels and Archangels, with all the Powers of heaven, sing thy praises and do cry. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Hosts : heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And of all things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begot- ten of his Father before all worlds ; Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made ; Being of one Essence with the Father ; By whom all things were made ; Who, for us men, and for our salva- tion, came down from heaven. And was incarnate by. the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead ; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is wor- shipped and glorified. Who spake by the Prophets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead. And the Life of the world to come. Amen. Loose, remit, pardon, O God, our transgressions, voluntary and involuntary ; whether of word or of deed ; whether of knowledge or of ignorance ; whether of the day or of the night ; whether of the mind, or of the intention : Forgive us all, for thou art good and lovest man- kind. Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : THE TYPICAL PSALMS 6i Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. If it be Saturday : Unto thee, O Lord, the Author of Creation, the universe doth offer the God-bearing Martyrs as the first-fruits of nature : By whose prayers, through the Birth-giver of God, do thou preserve in peace profound thy Church, which is thine estate, O most merciful One. Collect-Hymn (Konddk) of the Transfiguration. Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, and in so far as they were able to receive it, thy disciples, with wonder, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God. And when they beheld thee crucified, they understood thy volun- tary Passion, and proclaimed unto the world that thou art, of a truth, the Radiance of the Father. Collect- Hymns for: Monday : Hymn of the Bodiless Powers, Tone II. : O ye Chieftains of God, servitors of the divine glory, Guides of men and Captains of the Bodiless Powers : Entreat that which is profitable for us, and great mercy ; in that ye are the Chieftains of the Bodiless Powers. Tuesday : Hymn of the Forerunner, Tone II. . O Prophet of God, and Forerunner of Grace, in that we have found thy holy head as a most sacred rose budding forth from the earth, we receive always thy healing. For still, as aforetime in the world, thou dost preach repentance. Wednesday and Friday : Tone HI. : Do thou who, of thine own good will, upon the cross wast lifted up, bestow thy bounties upon the new State which is called by thy Name, O Christ our God ; make glad with thy might our most God-fearing (Emperor, King, ■ President), N., granting victory over his adversaries unto him who hath thine aid, which is a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible. Thursday : the Holy Apostles, Tone II. : Thou hast received thy steadfast Preachers, God-inspired in speech, the Crown of thy Disciples, O Lord, into the delights and the repose of thy blessed ones ; for thou hast accepted their labours and their death as greater than any whole burnt-offerings, O thou who alone knowest the secrets of the heart. The same day : the Collect-Hymn {Konddk) of St. Nicholas, Tone III. : In Myra, O Saint, wast thou shown forth a sacrificing priest ; for ful- filling the Gospel of Christ, O Holy One, thou didst lay down thy life 62 THE TYPICAL PSALMS for thy people, and didst save the innocent from death. For which cause thou wert proclaimed a Saint, as one deeply initiated into the mys- teries of the goodness of God. Theti, on every day : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. To the souls of thy servants, O Lord, give rest with thy Saints, where there is neither sickness nor sighing, but life everlasting. TAen immediately, on every day except Saturday, is said : Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Protection of Christians that maketh not ashamed, O Mediatrix never-failing with the Creator : Despise not the sinners' voice of sup- plication ; but in that thou art good, come speedily to the aid of us who faithfully call upon thee ; make haste to our petition and further our prayer, O Birth-giver of God, who ever protectest them that do thee honour. And if it be the Great Fast : Lord, have mercy. {Eight times.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. In the Name of the Lord, bless. Father. Priest. God be merciful to us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us. Then the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothful- ness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {A great riverence to the earth.) But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meekness, of patience, and of love. {Reverence.) Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own trans- gressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence. Then twelve lesser reverences, saying at each reverence : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated, with one great reverence in conclusion^ Lord, have mercy. ( Twelve times.) ^ And the Prayer : O all-holy Trinity, Might one in Essence, Kingdom undivided. Origin of all good things, be graciously inclined also unto me, a sinner. Es- tablish thou me ; give understanding unto my heart, and purge away all my vileness. Enlighten my mind, that I may glorify, sing praises, and THE TYPICAL PSALMS 63 adore thee, and say : Thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, O Jesus Christ, in the glory of the Father. Amen. Meet is it in very truth to bless thee, O Birth-giver of God, ever- blessed and all-undefiled One, and the Mother of our God. Priest. Wisdom ! O most holy Birth-giver of God, save us. Choir. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without corruption barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ God our hope ; glory to thee. Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. Then the Benediction. Priest. May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most holy Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us ; for he is gracious and loveth mankind. THE DIVINE LITURGY PREFATORY NOTE AND DIRECTIONS The word Liturgy, which in the Greek means " A public work " or " Min- istry," is particularly applied (heightened by the adjective " Divine ") to the chief service of the day, in which the Holy Eucharist, or Service of Thanks- giving, is celebrated. Three Liturgies are used in the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church of the East : That of St. John Chrysostom ; that of St. Basil the Great ; and that of the Presanctiiied Gifts. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and that of St. Basil the Great are divided into three parts. In the first part, the clergy prepare the bread and wine, and it is called The Office of Oblation. The second part consists of prayers, reading and singing, with which the faithful prepare themselves for the Holy Sacrament, and at which alone Catechumens (or learners) were allowed, in former times, to be present: it is, called The Liturgy of the Cate- chumens. The third part, called The Liturgy of the Faithful, is the celebration of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist ; and in the early Church only the Faithful — that is to say, members of the Christian Church — were permitted to be present at it. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great differs from that of St. John Chrysostom only in certain of the Secret Prayers, one Hymn, and three phrases in the Consecration of the Holy Gifts (as duly indicated at the proper places), the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom being a later and abbreviated form of St. Basil's Liturgy, as the latter, in turn, was a later and abbreviated form of a still earlier Liturgy. It is appointed to be used on the Sundays of the Great Fast (Lent), except on Palm Sunday; on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday; and on Christmas Day and the Epiphany, when those feasts fall upon Sunday or Monday ; other- wise, on the days preceding those feasts. Also, on St. Basil's Day, January i; in all, ten times in the course of the year. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, so called because the Holy Gifts which have previously been consecrated are used for the Holy Communion, has existed from ancient times, although, in its present form, it is ascribed to St. Gregory Homiliastes of Rome (sixth century). The Orthodox Church de- crees that this Liturgy shall be celebrated during the Great Fast (but at no other time), since the triumphantly joyous feelings associated with the com- plete Liturgy and the consecration of the Holy Gifts are incompatible with the strictness of the Fast. Hence it is ordained that the complete Liturgy shall be celebrated only on Saturdays and Sundays during the weeks of the Great Fast (Lent). The customary days for the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts are Wednesday and Friday of every week, and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Passion Week. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts consists of Vespers (and therefore is THE DIVINE LITURGY 65 appointed for a late hour in the day), and of a portion of the ordinary Liturgy, omitting the most essential part of the latter, namely, the consecration of the Gifts. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is usually preceded by the read- ing of the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours, and of the Typical Psalms. Under certain circumstances an earlier celebration is admissible. The usual hour for celebrating the ordinary Liturgy is, not earlier than dawn, and not later than noon. For the celebration of the Mystery of the Eucharist the following are indis- pensable : A Priest or a Bishop regularly ordained, and having a steadfast will and intention to fulfil the Mystery of the Lord's Body and Blood. Of material things : five Altar-breads, made of pure wheaten flour, and leavened ; wine of the grape. The accomplishment of the Mystery through prayer and words, with the blessing of the Priest's hand : " And make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ, and also that which is in this cup the precious Blood of thy Christ, transmuting them by thy Holy Spirit." In addition to the above, the following things are indispensable for the Liturgy : A Corporal {Antimins)* consecrated by a Bishop ; vestments for the Priest, consisting of a cassock (stikhdr), a stole (epitrakhil), gauntlets {pbrutchi), girdle (^pbyas), and chasuble {felon) ; vessels, — a chalice, a paten, a star-cover, a spear, a spoon ; veils, a censer, a service book ; lights burning on the altar ; and an acolyte. Only one Liturgy may be celebrated on any Altar in the course of one day ; and no Bishop or Priest may celebrate more than one Liturgy in the course of one and the same day. The Priest who enters upon the celebration of the Liturgy must be free from inhibition, and from mortal sin, and must prepare himself, — spiritually, by reconciling himself with all men, by penitence, and the appointed devo- tions ; bodily, by abstinence from food and drink (from midnight at the least), and from fleshly desires, and by cleanliness of body and garments. The appointed devotions consist of the celebration or the hearing of the Evening and Morning Services and Prayers ; and there must also be read : On Monday: The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Invocation to the Birth-giver of God, the Canon to the Archangels ; and, if he so desire, to his Guardian Angel. On Tuesday : The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Invocation to the Birth-giver of God, to John the Forerunner, and to his Guardian Angel. On Wednesday : The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Canon to the Birth-giver of God, and to his Guardian Angel. On Thursday : The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Invocation to the Birth-giver of God, to his Guardian Angel, to the Holy Apostles ; and, if he so desire, to St. Nicholas. On Friday, the Canon to the Life-giving Cross, the Invocation to the Birth-giver of God, and to his Guardian Angel. On Saturday : The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Chant of Prayer and Praise {Akdfist) to the Birth-giver of God, to his Guardian Angel, and to all the Saints. On Sunday : The Canon to the Lord Jesus, the Invocation to the Birth-giver of God, and to his Guardian Angel. In addition to these, on every occasion, the Canon of the Communion, and the Prayers before the Communion. {See Index?) * For explanation, see introductory chapter on The Symbolism of the Church, page xxiv. 66 THE DIVINE LITURGY The Curtain and the Holy Door. At Divine Service the curtain is drawn aside before the beginning of the Liturgy, when the benediction is given at the end of the Oblation. The Holy Door is opened before the Lesser Entrance, and closed before the Litany of the Catechumens. Lt is opened again before the Cherubimic Hymn, and closed after the Great Entrance, at which time the curtain also is drawn. The curtain is drawn aside at the words : The Doors ! The Doors \ ... It is drawn again at the Exclamation : Holy Things to the Holy. The curtain is drawn aside and the Holy Door is opened before : In the fear of God . . . ; and is finally closed after the Dismissal. At a Pontifical Service : The Holy Door is opened at the beginning of the service, and so remains until the Exclamation : Let us attend 1 Holy Things to the Holy. After that it is opened and closed as usual. The Bishop's Pall and Mitre. At a Eontifical Service, the pall (omofbr) is removed before the Epistle ; is put on while the particles are being taken from the sacred breads before the Great Entrance, and is immediately laid aside again. After the prayer : With them also . . . (and the Hymn: Holy, holy, holy . . .), it is put on ; and it is removed when the Holy Spirit is invoked. At the Excla- mation : Let us attend ! Holy things to the holy : it is put on, and is then worn until the Dismissal. In addition to the above, the Bishop puts on his pall when he ordains a Deacon or a Priest. The Mitre is removed while the particles are being taken from the holy breads, and at the Commemoration of Persons at the Great Entrance ; while : Let us love one another . ... is being said, and while the Creed is being chanted; also, from : Take, eat . . . ; and until : More especially for the Most Holy . . . {and during the reception of the Holy Communion by the Bishop). THE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM THE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT (i)* I. THE OFFICE OF OBLATION When the time is come to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, the Priest entereth the Temple, and, in company with the Deacon, maketh three lowly reverences before the Holy Door. Then the Deacon saith : Bless, Master. Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Deacon. O .heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And then shall they say : Have mercy upon us, O God, have mercy upon us. For in that we sinners are devoid of all defence, we offer unto thee, as to our Master, this supplication : Have mercy upon us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for in thee have we trusted, and be not very wroth with us, neither call thou to remembrance our * See Appendix B, IV. 68 THE DIVINE LITURGY iniquities ; but look down even now upon us, inasmuch as thou art of tender compassion, and deliver us from our enemies : for thou art our God, and we are thy people, we are all the work of thy hand, and we call upon thy Name. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Birth- giver of God. In that we set our hope on thee may we not fail, but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities ; for thou art the salvation of all Christian people. Then shall they approach the holy picture (ikdna) of Christ, and shall kiss it., saying : We do homage to thy pure image, O Good One, entreating for- giveness of our transgressions, O Christ our God ; for of thine own good will thou wast graciously pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that thou mightest deliver from bondage to the enemy those whom thou hadst fashioned; for which cause we cry aloud unto thee with thanksgiving : With joy hast thou filled all things, O our Saviour, in that thou didst come to save the world. In like manner they shall kiss also the holy picture of the Birth-giver of God, reciting the while this Hymn, secretly : Birth-giver of God, in that thou art a well-spring of loving-kind- ness, vouchsafe unto us thy compassion. Look upon the people who have sinned. Manifest thy power as ever ; for trusting in thee we cry aloud unto thee : Hail ! as aforetime did Gabriel, Chief Cap- tain of the Bodiless Powers. ; Then, with bowed heads, they say the following Prayer : Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord, from thy holy dwelling-place on high, and strengthen me for this, thine appointed service ; that standing uncondemned before thy dread Altar, I may fulfil the sacred, unbloody rite. For thine is the power, unto ages of ages. Amen. Then they make one reverence to the People, (2) and enter the Sanctuary saying, secretly : 1 will enter into thy house, I will worship toward thy holy Tem- ple in thy fear. Guide me, O Lord, with thy righteousness ; make straight my path before thee, because of mine enemies. For there is ;no truth in their mouth ; their heart is vanity ; their throat is 'an open sepulchre ; with their tongues have they dealt deceitfully. Judge them, O God. Let them fall through their own counsels : according to the multitude of their iniquities cast thou them out, for they have provoked thee exceedingly, O Lord. And let all those who trust in thee .be joyful ; and so shall they rejoice evermore ; and thou shalt dwell in them forever. And those who love thy THE DIVINE LITURGY 69 Name shall make their boast of thee. For thou, O Lord, wilt bless the upright man. As with the panoply of thine approval hast thou crowned us. When they enter the Sanctuary, they make three lowly reverences of adora- tion before the Holy Altar, and kiss the book of the Holy Gospels, and the Holy Altar, saying: I O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the Deacon approacheth the Priest, holding in his right hand his dal- matic * {siikhdr), his stole {ordr), and his gauntlets [pdrutchi) ; and bow- ing his head before the Priest, he saith : (3) Bless, Master, the dalmatic and the stole. Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Deacon then retireth, kisseth the cross on his dalmatic, and putteth it on, praying thus : My soul shall exult in the Lord. For he hath endued me with the ' robe of salvation, and with the garment of joy hath he clothed me. He hath set a crown upon my head, like unto a bridegroom, and as a bride hath he adorned me with comeliness. Then, having kissed his stole, he layeth it on his right shoulder. And when he putteth the gauntlets on his wrists, he saith, as he putteth that on the right : Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath shattered the enemy, and through the multitude of thy glory hast thou crushed the adversaries. And with the left he saith : Thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Enlighten my mind, and I shall learn thy commandments. (The clergy usually kiss each vestment before putting it on.) Then, going to the Table of Oblation, he prepareth the Holy Things. The holy paten he setteth on the left side ; the holy chalice, which is the holy cup, on the right ; and with them the other holy utensils. And the Priest vesteth himself in this wise : Taking his dalmatic {podriz- nik) in his left hand, attd making three lowly reveretices toward the east, as aforesaid, he signet h it with the sign of the cross, saying : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then he putteth it on, saying : My soul shall exult in the Lord : ... as the Deacon hath said. Then taking his priestly stole [epitrakhil), and signing it with the sign of the cross, he putteth it on, saying : Blessed is God, who poureth out upon his priests his grace, like * For explanation, see introductory chapter on The Symbolism of the Church, p. xxiv. 70 THE DIVINE LITURGY unto the precious mntment on the head, which ran down upon the beard, even upon the beard of Aaron ; which ran down to the skirts of his garment. Then, taking the girdle, and girding himself, he saith : Blessed is God, who girdeth me with strength, and hath made my path blameless, and hath given me feet like unto those of a hart, and hath set me on high. ^ Then he putteth on the gauntlets, as already described for the Deacon. And taking his epigondtion, if he hath that dignity, he blesseth it, saying : Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One, in thy vigour, and in thy beauty : and go forth, and prosper, and reign, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness ; and thy right hand shall guide thee wondrously always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then, taking his chasuble {feldn), he blesseth it, and, kissing it, he putteth it on, saying : Thy priests, O Lord, shall clothe themselves with righteousness, and thy Holy Ones shall rejoice with exultation always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then they shall wash their hands, saying : I will wash my hands among the innocent, and so will I compass thine Altar, O Lord ; that I may hear the voice of thy praise, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the beauty of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Destroy not my soul with the ungodly, nor my life with the men of blood, in whose hands is iniquity, and their right hand is full of gifts. But I have walked in mine innocency : Deliver me, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. My foot hath been set on righteousness. In the churches will I bless thee, O Lord. And thus they go forth to the Chapel of Oblation, making three lowly rever- ences before the Table of Oblation. And each saith within himself : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner, and have mercy upon me. And : By thy precious Blood hast thou redeemed us from the curse of the Law: in that thou wast nailed to the Cross, and wast pierced with a spear, thou hast poured forth immortality upon man- kind, as from a fountain, O our Saviour. Glory to thee. If it be not a Pontifical Service, the Hours are now read, while the Holy Gifts are ^refiared for the Holy Sacrament. Honrs. i- r j j But if it be a Pontifical Service, then the Hours are read later, as indicated. Deacon. Bless, Master (aloud, if it be not a Pontifical Service). Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Amen. THE DIVINE LITURGY 71 Then the Priest taketh in his left hand one . of the altar-breads, and in his right hand the holy spear; and making therewith the sign of the cross, thrice, above the seal of the bread, he saith : In remembrance of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. {Thrice.^ And immediately he thrusteth the spear into the right side of the seal and as he cutteth it, he saith : He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. And as he cutteth the left side : And as a spotless Iamb before his shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth. And at the top of the seal : In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. And at the bottom : For his generation, who shall declare it ? And the Deacon, gazing reverently at the Holy Mystic Rite, as each incision is made saith, holding his stole in his hand the while : Let us pray to the Lord. And when the Priest, having thrust the spear, obliquely , from below, into the right side of the bread, taketh away the whole part with the seal, thus cut, the Deacon saith : Master, take away. After that, he saith : For his life is taken away from the earth. And having laid it, inverted, on the holy paten, and the Deacon having said : Sacrifice, Master. He sacrificeth, cutting it crosswise, and saying : Sacrificed is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and for its salvation. He then turneth upward the other side, which hath upon it the emblem of the Cross. And as he pierceth the right side with the spear, the Deacon saith ; Pierce, Master. And the Priest: One of the soldiers did pierce his side with a spear, and straightway there came forth blood and water. And he: that saw it bare witness, and his witness is true. 72 THE DIVINE LITURGY Then the Deacon poureth into the holy chalice the mingled wine and water, in aTnount according to the number of communicants, having first said to the Priest : Bless, Master, the holy union. And the Priest blesseth it, saying : Blessed be the union of thy Holy Things always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then, taking in his hand another altar-bread, the Priest shall say : In honour and commemoration of our most blessed Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary ; through whose inter- cessions accept, O Lord, this sacrifice upon thy most heavenly Altar. ■, And with the spear taking out a portion, he layeth it on the right side of the Holy Bread, near the centre thereof, saying : On thy right hand stood the Queen, clothed in a vesture wrought with gold and divers colours. Then taking the third altar-bread, he saith : In commemoration of the most honourable and glorious prophet. Forerunner and Baptist, John. And taking out the first particle, he placeth it on the left hand of the Holy Bread, making the beginning of the first row. Then he saith : Of the holy, glorious Prophets, Moses and Aaron ; Elijah and Elisha; David and Jesse; of the Three Holy Children, also of Daniel the Prophet ; and of all the holy prophets. THE DIVINE LITURGY 73 And taking out another particle, he placeth it below the first, in due order. Then he saith : Of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles, Peter and Paul ; and of all the other holy Apostles. In the same manner, he placeth a third particle below the second, thus con:- pleting the first rank. And he saith : Of our holy Fathers and Saints, the Prelates Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom ; Athanasius and Cyril, Nicholas of Myra in Lycia ; Peter, Alexis, Jonah and Philip of Moscow ; Niki'ta, Bishop of Novgorod, Leonty, Bishop of Ros- toff ; and of all thy holy Prelates. And taking out a fourth particle, he placeth it beside the first particle, m.ak- ing a second beginning. And he saith : Of the holy Apostle and First Martyr and Archdeacon, Stephen ; of the holy Great Martyrs Demetrius, George, Theodore of Tyre, Theodore the Strategist ; and of all holy Martyrs, both men and women ; of Thekla, Barbara, Euphemia, Kyriaka, Paraskeva, Kather- ine ; and of all other holy martyred women. And taking out a fifth particle, he placeth it below the first, which is in the second row. And he saith : Of our devout and God-bearing Fathers, Anthony, Euthymius, Sabba, Onuphrius, Athanasius of Mount Athos, Anthony and Theo- dosius of the Catacombs, Sergius of Radonezh, Barlaam of Khutinsk; and of all our devout fathers ; and of our devout mothers in God, Pelagia, Theodosia, Anastasia, Eupraxia, Fevronia, Theodulia, Eu- phrosyne, Mary of Egypt ; and of all our holy and devout mothers. And in like manner, taking out a sixth particle, he placeth it below the second, completing the second row. After which he saith : Of the holy and wonder-working Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Panteleimon, Hermolaus ; and of all the Holy Unmercenaries. And taking out a seventh particle, he placeth it above, making the beginning of the third row. Then he saith . Of the holy and righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna. And of Saint N. (the Saint of the day); and of Saint Methodius and Saint Cyril, the Equals of the Apostles ; and of all the Saints ; through whose supplications do thou visit us, O Lord. Then he layeth the eighth particle below thefortner, in due order. And there- after he saith : Of our Father in the Saints, John Chrysostom, Bishop of Con- stantinople (if his Liturgy is to be celebrated. But if the Liturgy of 74 THE DIVINE LITURGY St. Basil the Great is to be celebrated, then shall he be commemorated instead). Then taking out the ninth particle, he placeth it at the end of the third row, completing it. And taking the fourth altar-bread, he saith : Remember, O Lord, Lover of mankind, every Bishopric over Or- thodox Christians ; the Most Holy Governing Synod, and Orthodox Patriarchs ; and our Bishop, N. ; the honourable Priesthood, the Diaconate in Christ, and every Sacerdotal Order ; our brethren and fellow-ministers, the priests, the deacons, and all our brethren whom thou hast called into thy communion, through thy tenderness of heart, O all-good Lord. And taking out a portion, he layeth it below the Holy Bread. Then he com- memorateth the Emperor, saying : Call to remembrance, O Lord, our most God-fearing Sover- eign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias ; and all the Reigning House. (4) Then, he maketh mention, by name, of the living who are to be prayed for, if any such there be ; and at each name he taketh out a particle, saying : Call to remembrance, O Lord, N. Having thus taken out the particles, the Priest placeth the?n below the Holy Bread. Then taking the fifth altar-bread, he saith . In memory, and for the remission of sins, of the most holy patri- archs ; of the Orthodox and God-fearing Tzars and God-fearing Tzarftzas ; and of the blessed founders of this holy Temple. Then shall he m.ake mention of the Bishop who ordained him ; and of what- soever persons he may desire, who have departed this life, by name. And at each name, he shall take out a particle, saying : Call to remembrance, O Lord, N. And, in conclusion, he shall say as followeth : And of all our Orthodox fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection, of life eternal, and of communion with thee, O Lord, who lovest mankind. And he taketh out a particle. Thereafter he saith : Call to remembrance, O Lord, my unworthy self, and pardon me every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary. And he taketh out of the fourth prosford a particle. Then, taking the sponge, , he gathereth together the particles taken from the fourth and fifth prosfori on the paten, below the Holy Bread, so that they may be in safety, and ' that none of them may fall. Then the Deacon taketh the censer, and having placed incense therein, he saith to the Priest : Bless, Master, the censer. THE DIVINE LITURGY 75 And straightway he saith : Let us pray to the Lord. Then the Priest saith the Prayer of the Censer. Unto thee, O Christ our God, do we offer incense for an odour of spiritual fragrance : which do thou accept upon thy most heavenly Altar, and pour forth upon us in return the grace of thine all-holy Spirit. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Then the Priest, having censed the star-cover, placelh it over the Holy Bread, saying : And the Star came and stood over the place where the young Child was. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. The Priest, having censed the first veil, covereth therewith the Holy Bread, saying : The Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel ; the Lord hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength. He hath made the round world so sure, that it cannot be moved. Ever since the world began hath thy seat been prepared : thou art from everlasting. The floods are risen, O Lord, the floods have lift up their voice ; the floods lift up their waves. The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly ; but yet the Lord, who dwelleth on high, is mightier. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure : holiness becometh thine house forever. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Cover, Master. The Priest, having censed the second veil, covereth therewith the holy chalice, saying : Thy virtue, O Christ, hath covered the heavens, and the earth also is full of thy praise. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Shelter, Master. The Priest, having censed the veil, that is to say, the air {vdzdukh), covereth therewith the paten and chalice, saying : Shield us with the shelter of thy wings, and drive away from us every foe and adversary. Order our lives in peace, O Lord ; have mercy upon us, and upon thy world, and save our souls ; for thou art good and lovest mankind. Then, taking the censer, the Priest censeth the Table of Oblation, saying thrice : Blessed art thou, O our God, who herein art well pleased. Glory to thee. ; ; 76 THE DIVINE LITURGY And each time the Deacon shall respond : Always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then both fnake three devout reverences. And the Deacon., taking the censer, saith : For the Precious Gifts now offered up, let us pray to the Lord. Then the Priest maketh the Prayer of Oblation : , O God our God, who didst send forth the Heavenly Bread, the Nourishment of the whole world, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour and Redeemer and Benefactor, blessing and sanc- tifying us : Do thou, the same Lord, bless also this oblation, and accept it on thy most heavenly Altar. Call to remembrance those who offer it, and those for whom it is offered, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind ; and preserve us blameless in the holy ministry of thy Divine Mysteries. For sanctified and glorified be thy most honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Priest pronounceth the Dismissal, j<2yz'«g- .• Glory to thee, O Christ our God ; glory to thee. Deacon. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Master, bless. Then the Priest pronounceth the Benediction. If it be Sunday : May he who rose again from the dead, Christ our true God, . . . But if it be not Sunday : May Christ, our true God, through the intercessions of his all- undefiled Mother ; of our Father among the Saints, John Chrysos- tom. Bishop of Constantinople {or, if the LiUirgy of St. Basil be used: of Basil the Great, of Caesarea in Cappadocia) ; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, and save us : for he is good and loveth mankind. Deacon. Amen. After the Benediction, the Deacon censeth the Holy Oblation. Then (if the Pontifical Service is to follow, see page 78. If not .•) he goeth and censeth the Holy Altar round about, in the form of a cross, saying, secretly: (5) In the grave with the body, but in Hell with the soul, in that thou art God ; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit, wast thou, O Christ, filling all things, in that thou art infinite. THE DIVINE LITURGY ^^ Then he shall recite Psalm li. : Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; . . . (See page /^i). Meanwhile, he censeih the Sanctuary ajidall the Tetnple, andreturneth again to the Holy Altar j and having again censed it and the Priest, he putteth the censer aside in its place, and approacheth the Priest. And standing together before the Holy A Itar, they make three lowly reverences, praying secretly, and saying : O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things, and Giver of life : Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O Good One. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. (Twice.) O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. Then the Priest kisseth the book of the Holy Gospels, and the Deacon kisseth the Holy Altar. Then the Deacon, bowing his head before the Priest, and holding his stole with three fingers, saith : It is time to sacrifice unto the Lord. Bless, Master. And the (Bishop or the) Priest, signing him with the sign of the cross, saith : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Pray for me, holy Master. (Bishop or) Priest. May the Lord direct thy steps unto every good work. Deacon. Remember me, holy Master. (Bishop or) Priest. May the Lord God remember thee in his iingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Amen. And having made a humble reverence, he goeth out through the north door, and standing in his accustomed place before the Holy Door, he thrice boweth his head reverently, and saith, secretly : O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. Thereafter he beginneth, aloud : Bless, Master. (See page 79.) If the Priest celebrate without a Deacon, the words assigned to the Deacon in the Office of Oblation and in the Liturgy, before the Gospel is read; and in response : Bless, Master; and: Pierce, Master; and: It is time to sacrifice : shall not be said. As, likewise, the litany and oblation of ranks. But if many Priests serve, as in a Cathedral, only one Priest shall perform the Office of Oblation, and shall say what is herein set forth ; but no other of the Priests shall say that Office separately. They • are allowed only to take out the particles for the living and the dead. 78 THE DIVINE LITURGY If a Pontifical Service is to follow, then, after the Benediction of the Bishop. Office of Oblation, the Priest who hath celebrated the Office of Oblation (and the other Priests, in their cassocks'), bearing a cross upon a salver, accompanied by the Proto-Deacon or Deacon with the censer and taper, the crozier-bearer with the Bishop's crazier, and the Sub-Deacons with the mantle and the eagle-rugs, go forth to meet the Bishop at the western door. As the Bishop entereth the Temple, the Deacon exclaimeth : Wis- dom ! And the Bishop saith, secretly : 1 will enter into thy house . . . (see page 68). He is then vested in his Tnantle, and kisseth the cross, and giveth it to be kissed by all the Priests who are preparing to celebrate the Liturgy ; and then, while the Choir singeth : Meet is it: ... More honourable . . . {see page 107), supporting himself on his crazier, he approacheth the Holy Door, and there giveth the blessing for the Prayer OF Entrance, as shown above. (See page 68.) After the Prayer : Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord . . . (see page 65), the Bishop turneth his face towards the People, and blesseth the worshippers, while the Choir singeth : Ton Despotin kai Arkhierea imon, Kj^rie f;^]atte. Eis polla 6ti, Ddspota. (Preserve, O Lord, our Master and Bishop. For many years, O Master.) The Bishop then goeth to his dais ; the Clergy ask his blessing, and withdraw into the Sanctuary to vest themselves. The Priest who hath celebrated the Office of Oblation blesseth the beginning of the Hours : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. And he readeth the Third Hour and the Sixth Hour. Meanwhile the Sub-Deacons begin to vest the Bishop, having first removed his mantle, cowl, pectoral holy image, and outer cassock. While the Bishop's vestments are being put upon hitn, the Proto-Deacon, censer in hand, re- citeth the same Verses which the Priests recite as they vest themselves. (See above.) Or, sometimes, they are chanted by the Choir, the Proto- Deacon exclaiming before each : Let us pray to the Lord ; and using the second person, and substituting for " Priests " the word " Bishops'' and so forth. When the pall (omofdr) is put on, the Deacon saith : When thou hadst taken upon thy shoulders human nature which had gone astray, O Christ, thou didst bear it to heaven, unto thy God and Father, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And with the pectoral holy image he saith : May God create in thee a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within thee, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. At the second pectoral image (if there be one), he saith : Thy heart is inditing of a good matter ; thou shalt speak of thy deeds unto the King, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE DIVINE LITURGY 79 A?id with the cross he saith : If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, saith the Lord, and take up his cross and follow me, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And with the mitre he saith : The Lord hath set upon thy head a crown of precious stones. Thou askedst life of him, and he shall give thee length of days, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Proto-Deacon standeth aside, and the Sub-Deacons enter the Sanctu- ^ ary, and taking from the Clergy the dikiri and the trikiri, they bear thetn to the Bishop. And the Proto-Deacon saith : ^S May thy light so shine before men that they may see thy good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And the Bishop bestows th the blessing, in cross-form, with the dikiri and the trikiri, to the east, and the west, and the south, and the north, while the Choir singeth slowly : Ton Despotin kai Arkhierea imon, Kj^rie f^latte. Eis polla eti, Despota. (Preserve, O Lord, our Master and Bishop. For many years, O Master.) (6) Then the ewer and basin are brought by the Proto-Deacon and the Dea- Settlng- con, and the Bishop washeth his hands, if there be no Setting-apart apart ot of a Reader or Chanter, or the Ordination of a Sub-Deacon. But ^4 if there be a Setting-apart or an Ordination, then he who is to be set Cliaiiters; apart or ordained bringeth the ewer and basin, after he hath been 2™*??" ■vested in his dalmatic, in the manner set forth in the Order for the Suli- Laying-on of Hands. Deacons. When the Sixth Hour approacheth its close, all the Clergy, having vested them- selves, come forth from the Sanctuary through the north door, and taking their stand beside the Bishop, begin to pray . O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. {Thrice?) Bishop. O Heavenly King . . . {See page 67), with hands up- lifted. Glory to God in the highest, . . {Twice.) O Lord, open thou my lips, . . . Proto-Deacon. It is time to sacrifice unto the Lord. Bless, Right Reverend Master. {See page 80.) The First Priest and the Proto-Deacon kiss the Bishop'' s hand, and the Priest goeth into the Sanctuary, and openeth the Holy Door, while the Proto-Deacon remaineth standing outside, in front of the holy picture of the Saviour. The Bishop remaineth on his dais (kdthedra), until the Little Entrance. The other Clergy enter the Sanctuary after the Exclamations at the Great and Little Litanies. THE DIVINE LITURGY II. THE LITURGY OF THE CATECHUMENS Deacon. Bless, MasterT Priest [bestowing the blessing, in cross-form, with the book of the Gospels from the Altar). Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And if it be at Eastertide : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, Easter tme. and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. The Great Litany {Velikaya Ektiniyd). Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. ^ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : ^ For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, de- voutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : 5 For our Holy Synod {or Pa- triarch) ; for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; for the honourable Presby- tery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity: ^ Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Au- thorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and natio7tatities of which the Parish is constituted). < 3 n >-{ o If a Bishop be the celebrant, he jj^. saith here, secretly, the Prayer OF Oblation. O God our God, who didst send forth the Heavenly Bread, the Nourishment of the whole world, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour and Redeemer and Benefactor, blessing and sanctifying us: Do thou, the same Lord, bless also this oblation, and accept it on thy most heavenly Altar. Call to remembrance those who offer it, and those for whom it is offered, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind ; and preserve us blameless in the holy ministry of thy Divine Mysteries. For sanctified and glorified be thy most honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. C/5 THE DIVINE LITURGY o, ^^ f~. CD ^ c (/a r ■a o (i; ^ V; D- r+ ^ O rr s (T> fD H r IT) o ?! D- *<; That he will aid them and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary : ^ For this city, for this holy Temple, and for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein : ^ For healthful seasons ; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times : IJ For those who travel by sea or by land ; for the sick and the suffering; for those who are in captivity, and for their salva- tion: ^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : IJ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And the Deacon, having made a reverence, shall leave his place, and shall go and stand before the holy picture (ikdna\ of Christ, holding his stole with three fingers of his right hand. Here shall be sung the First Anti- PHON, Psalm ciii. (or on the Great Feasts its appointed substitute).* Bless the Lord, O my soul : Blessed art thou, O Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering and of great good- ness. He will not alway be chiding, neither keepeth he his wrath forever. He hath not dealt And the Priest saith, secretly, the Prayer of the First Antiphon. O Lord our God, whose might is ineffable, whose glory is incon- ceivable, whose mercy is infinite, and whose love toward mankind is unutterable : Look down, O Master, in thy tender compas- sion, upon us and upon this holy Temple ; and deal with us and with those people who here pray with us, according to the riches of thy mercies and thy bounties. with us after our sins, nor rewarded * See the Special Services for the Great Feasts. THE DIVINE LITURGY us according to our iniquities. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name. Blessed art thou, O Lord. While the Priest {likewise the Bishop) saith, secretly, the Prayer of the Second Antiphon. O Lord our God, save thy peo- ple, and bless thine heritage. Preserve the fulness of thy Church : sanctify those who love the beauty of thy house : glorify them by thy divine might in recompense ; and forsake not us who put our trust in thee. On >$■ And at the conclusion of the Anti- phon, the Deacon shall come and stand again iit his accustomed place, and shall say : The Little Litany {Malaya Ek- tkniya). Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life, unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Deacon shall do as he hath done at the First Antiphon. Here shall be sung the Second Antiphon, Psabn cxlvi. {or on the Great Feasts its appointed substitute).* Praise the Lord, O my soul : while I live, will I praise the Lord ; yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God. Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, and whose hope is in the Lord his God ; who made the sea, and all that therein is j who keepeth his promise forever. Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong ; who feedeth the hungry. The Lord looseth men out of prison ; the Lord giveth sight to the blind. The Lord helpeth them that are fallen ; the Lord careth for the righteous. The Lord careth for the strangers ; he defendeth the fatherless and widow : as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down. The Lord thy God, O Sion, shall be King forevermore. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Here shall be sung the Anthem. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God ! Thou who art immortal yet * See the Special Services for the Great Feasts. THE DIVINE LITURGY 83 didst deign for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary ; and without change of essence wast made man ; who also wast crucified for us, O Christ our God, tram- pling down Death by death ; who art one of the Holy Trinity, and art glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit : Save us. Deacon. Again, yet again, in j-i^.^ i,y (^^^ bishop and) the Priest is said, secretly, the Prayer of the peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us com- mend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Third Antiphon. O thou, who hast given us grace at this time, with one ac- cord, to make our common suppli- cations unto thee ; and dost pro- mise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests. Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them ; granting them in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life ever- lasting. ^ Exclamation. Priest For thou art a good God, and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Deacon then entereth the Sanc- tuary, and the Choir chanteth the Third Antiphon. In thy Kingdom remember us, O Lord, when thou comest into thy Kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteous- ness : for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. Blessed are the The Priest saith the Prayer of the Little Entrance -while the last p>ortion of the Beatitudes is being sung. O Master, Lord our God, who hast appointed in heaven ranks and hosts of Angels and Arch- angels for the ministry of thy glory : Cause that with our en- trance may enter also the holy Angels with us serving thee, and with us glorifying thy good- ness. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Fa- ther, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. ^ 84 THE DIVINE LITURGY peacemakers : for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are per- secuted for righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of hea- ven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Then the Priest, taking the book of the Holy Gospels from the Altar, giveth it to the Deacon ; and pre- ceded by a light, they both 7nake the Lesser Entrance. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven. The Deacon, taking his stand before the Holy Door, saith : Deacon. Bless, Master, the Holy Entrance. Priest. Blessed is the En- trance of thy Holy Ones always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Deacon shall go to the Priest, and the Priest shall kiss the book of the Holy Gospels ; and the Deacon shall come to the centre of the Holy Door, and there standing in front of the Priest, he shcdl elevate the Holy Gospels, and shall say, so that all may hear : Wisdom, O believers ! (8) Then shall they go to the Holy Al- tar ; and the Deacon shall lay the Gospels on the Altar, and the Choir shall sing : O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save, O Son of God, who didst rise again from the dead,* us who sing unto thee: Alleluia. b3 Oidlnatlon of Proto- Deacons and Arcb- Fiiests. If it be a Pontifical Service, the head Priest giveth the book of the Holy Gospels to the Proto-Deacon, who beareth it, preceded by the Sub- Deacons with the dikiriand tri- kiri and the sacramental fans [ripidi). The Priests follow, in the order of their rank ; and the whole pro- cession, while the Beatitudes are being sung, maketh the circuit of the Altar, and com- ing forth, through the north door, goeth to the Bishop's dais. And there the Proto-Deacon standeth in front of the Bishop. Proto-Deacon. Bless, Right Reverend Master, the Holy En- trance. Bishop. Blessed is the En- trance of thy Holy Ones, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Bishop kisseth the Holy Gos- pels. Proto-Deacon. Wisdom, O Be- lievers ! The Clergy who are taking part in the service sing : O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save, O Son of God, who didst rise again from the dead,* us who sing unto thee : Alleluia. The Bishop bestoweth the blessing with the dikiri and trikiri, oti all four sides, as after his vesting. And all proceed to the Sanctu- ary, where the Bishop, bearing the dikiri and censer, accompanied by the Proto-Deacon bearing the trikiri, censeth the Holy Altar, the image-screen, and the People, while the Choir chanteth : Eispollaeti, Despota. {Thrice.') b3 Then shall be sung the proper Hymn {Tropdr) and Collect-Hymn (KonddK)for the Day. (See Appendix A.) * If it be a week day : . . . who art wonderful in the Saints. Or, at Feasts, the froper Refrain, from the Antiphon of the Feast. THE DIVINE LITURGY 85 The Prayer of the Thrice- Holy. The Priest, secretly. O holy God, who restest in the Saints ; who art hymned by the Seraphim with a thrice-holy cry, and glorified by the Cherubim, and adored by every hea- venly Power ; who out of nothingness hast brought all things into being ; who hast created man after thine own image and like- ness, and hast adorned him with every gift of thine ; who givest unto those that ask of thee wisdom and un- derstanding ; who despisest not the sinner, but hast appointed repentance unto salvation ; and hast vouch- safed unto us, thy humble and unworthy servants here, at this hour, to stand before the glory of thy holy Altar, and to render unto thee that adoration and praise which are thy due : Do thou, the same Lord, accept from the mouths of us sinners, the Thrice-Holy song, and visit us with thy beneficence. Pardon us every transgres- sion, whether voluntary or involuntary. Sanctify both our souls and bodies, and grant that we may serve thee in uprightness all the days of our life : through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God,' and of all the Saints of all the ages who have been well-pleasing unto thee. ^ If it be at a Pontifical Service, the last Collect-Hymn is omitted, and the Proto-Deacon, coming forth from the Sanctuary , saith : O Lord, save the God-fearing. And the Choir singeth the same. Proto-Deacon. And hear us. Choir. And hear us. Then {in Russian Churches') the Proto- Deacon saith the Great Eulogy. To the Most Holy Synod of Russia, many years ! And the Clergy and the Choir repeat the same. Proto-Deacon. To our Most God- fearing Sovereign, N.,the Emperor of All the Russias, and to all the Reigning House {and to the Ruler of the Land, if it be in a foreign country, mentioning his name and title), many years ! And the Choir singeth the same. Proto-Deacon. To our Lord, the Right Reverend, N., of N., many years ! And the Clergy and the Choir repeat the same. Proto-Deacon. To the Right Re- verend Patriarchs, Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, many years ! And the Clergy and the Choir sing the same. To the Orthodox Governing Council, and Commanders of the Army and the Navy ; to Governors of Towns, apd the Christ-loving Army ; and to all Orthodox Chris- tians, many years ! The Choir repeat the same, and the Bishop, after each " many years ! " blesseth all, and then reciteth, secretly, the Prayer of the Thrice-Holy. 86 THE DIVINE LITURGY And when the Choir come to the last Hymn, the Deacon shall say to the Priest, as both bow their heads, and he holdeth his stole with three fingers : Bless, Master, the time of the Thrice-Holy. And the Priest shall bless him, with the sign of the cross, and shall say, aloud : For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever ; And when the Hymn is finished, the Deacon shall come close to to the Holy Door, and pointing with his stole, first to the holy picture of Christ, he shall say : O Lord, save the God-fear- ing, and hear us. Thejt shall he point, in like man- ner, to those who stand without, and shall say : Even unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And then the Choir : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mer- cy upon us. {Five times. y* (9) The Clergy in the Sanctuary : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. We, thy servants, in that we have been delivered from calamity, do offer unto thee, O Birth-giver of God, who as a victorious Chieftain warrest for us, songs of triumph and thanksgiving. Do thou also, in that thou hast might invincible, free us from all assaults, that we may cry unto thee : Hail, O Bride Un- wedded ! Proto-Deacon. Bless, Right Re- verend Master, the time of the Thrice-Holy. And standing in front of the Holy Door, he shall say : Let us pray to the Lord. Bishop. For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever ; And the Proto-Deacon, standing near the Holy Door, and holding his stole with three fingers, and pointing there- with to the People, saith : Even unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Once.) The Priests repeat the same once.* The Choir repeateth the same once. After the third repetition, the Bishop, holding the cross and the dikiri, saith, with his face towards the People : Look down from heaven, O God, * At Christmas, the Epiphany, on the Eve of Palm Sunday, oji Holy Saturday, during Eastertide and at Pentecost, in place of the Thrice-Holy shall be sung: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia. (10) At the Feast of the Setting-up {Exaltation") of the Holy Cross; and at the third week of the Great Fast {Lent), when is the Feast of the Adoration of the Cross, in place of the Thrice-Holy there shall be sung : Thy Cross do we worship, O Master, and we glorify thy Resurrection. THE DIVINE LITURGY 87 And the Deacon shall say to the Priest : Command, Master. Then shall they approach the Holy Throne, and as he ap- proacheth, the Priest shall say Blessed is he that com- eth in the Name of the Lord. Deacon. Bless, Master, the seat on high. Priest. Blessed art thou on the throne of glory of thy kingdom, who sittest on the Cherubim always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. The Priest doth not ascend the High Place, nor sit upon it, but taketh his seat beside it, to the south. b3 and behold and visit this vine which thou hast planted with thy right hand, and establish it. And while the Choir singeth the Thrice- Holy for the fourth time, the Bishop bestoweth the blessing with the cross and the dikiri. Then the Clergy and the Choir each repeat the Thrice-Holy once more. Here Bishops are ordained. ?/Blshopa. Proto-Deacon. Bless, Right Re- verend Master, the seat on high. Bishop. Blessed art thou on the throne of glory of thy kingdom, who sittest on the Cherubim all- hymned and exalted forever. (11) The Bishop then ascendeth the High Place, and standeth there, looking towards the People. And he giveth the dikiri to the Deacon. And the Proto-Deacon giveth the trikiri to the Bishop, reciting the Hymn. In Jordan was the Trinity made manifest ; for the Most-Divine Per- son of the Father Himself pro- claimed : He that is baptized, the same is my beloved Son. And the Spirit descended upon Him that was like unto Himself. For which cause men shall bless Him and exalt him forever. The Bishop taketh the trikiri, andbless- eth thrice with the trikiri, as usual. After the Thrice-Holy, the Deacon shall say : Let US attend. (Bishop or) Priest. Peace be with you all. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Gradual (Prok /men), in the . . . Tone. (12) Tone I. : Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have set our hope on thee. Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for it becometh the just to be thankful. Tone II. : The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation. to 88 THE DIVINE LITURGY Verse : The Lord hath chastened and corrected me ; but he hath not given me over unto death. To7te III. : O sing praises, sing praises unto our God : O sing praises, sing praises unto our King. Verse : O clap your hands together, all ye people : O sing unto God with the voice of melody. Tone IV. : O Lord, how manifold are thy works : in wisdom hast thou made them all. Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art be- come exceeding glorious. Tone V. : Thou shalt keep us, O Lord : thou shalt preserve us from this generation henceforth forever. Verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is not one godly man left. Tone VI. : O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Verse: Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my strength: keep thou not silence towards me. Tone VII. : The Lord shall give strength unto his people : the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace. Verse: Bring unto the Lord, O ye sons of God, bring young rams unto the Lord. Tone V III. : Pray ye unto the Lord our God, and render thanks. Verse : In Jewry is God known, his Name is great in Israel. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle (N. to the N.). Deacon. Let us attend. Andwhile the Epistle is being read., the Deacon shall take the censer, and approaching the Priest shall receive his blessing., and shall cense the Holy Altar round about, and all the Sanctuary, and the Priest, and the Peo- pie. (13) The Reader then readeth the Epistle : * Brethren . . If a Bishop be the celebrant, the Proto-Deacon taketh the censer, and a Deacon the incense, and they approach the Bishop. And the Bishop, put- ting incense into the censer, reciteth the while the Prayer of the Censer. We offer unto thee the censer, O Christ our God, for the savour of a sweet spiritual odour; which do thou.accept upon thy most heavenly Altar, requiting us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit. And when the Epistle is finished, the Priest shall say . to The Prayer before the Gospel. The Priest, secretly. Illumine our hearts, O God who lovest mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our under- * While the Epistle is being read the Bishop sitteth on the High Place, and the Priests sit beside it. And while the Gospel is being read, they stand at their places. Peace be with thee. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom 1 Reader. Alleluia. ^ 0-, a - ft S- THE DIVINE LITURGY 89 standing to the comprehension of the proclamation of thy Gospel. Implant in us, likewise, the fear of thy blessed commandments ; that, trampling down all carnal desires, we may pursue a godly life, both thinking and performing such things as are well-pleasing unto thee. For thou art the light of our souls, and of our bodies, O Christ our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thy holy, and blessed, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Deaco?t, having set the censer in its proper place, shall come to the Priest, and bowing his head, and holding his stole and the book of the Holy Gospels with the tips of his fingers, at the Holy Altar, shall say : Bless, Master, him who proclaimeth the good tidings of the holy Apostle and Evangelist, N. (For a Bishop : Bless, Right Reverend Master, him who proclaimeth . . .) And the Bishop or the Priest, blessing him with the sign of the cross, shall say : May God, through the intercessions of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostle and Evangelist, N., grant utterance with great power unto thee, who proclaimest the good tidings ; unto the ful- filment of the Gospel of his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Deacon. Amen. Then the Deacon doeth reverence to the book of the Holy Gospels, and taketh it, and goeth out through the Holy Door, preceded by a taper, and standeth on the tribune, or on the place prepared. And the Priest, standing before the Holy Altar, with his face to the west, proclaitneth . Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. The Bishop. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. The Lesson from the Holy Gospel according to N. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Priest. Let us attend. And the Deacon, or the Priest, if there be no Deacon, readeth the Gospel ; and when he hathftnished, the Priest shall say : (14) Peace be unto thee, who hast announced the good tidings. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. And if it be a Pontifical Service, the Choir singeth . Bishop. Eis polla 6ti, D^spota. (Many years, O Lord.) While the Bishop blesseth the People with the trikiri and the dikiri. Then the Deacon shall go to the Holy Door, and shall give the book of the Gos- pels to the Priest, who placeth it on the Altar, behitid the corporal (aniimins). go THE DIVINE LITURGY And the Deacon, standing in his accustomed place, shall say . Let US all say, with all our soul and with all our mind let us say: (15) Choir. Lord, have mercy. O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers, we beseech thee, hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Kra- peror, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the eletnents and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). For our Holy Synod {or Patri- arch) ; for our Bishop ((7r Arch- bishop, or Me- tropolitan), N. ; for the honour- The Prayer of the Litany of Fervent Sup- plication. The Priest, secretly. O Lord our God, accept this, the fervent sup- plication of thy servants, and be gracious unto us, according to the multitude of thy mercy ; and send , , p , down thy bounties upon us, and upon all thy ., T^• ^ • people, who here await the rich mercy which is tlie iJiaconatein fr A trom thee. The corporal (antimins) is now unfolded, except the upper IS r o the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity. ?; Furthermore we pray for all their Christ-loving Army and Navy. IJ; Furthermore we pray for our brethren the Priests ; for or- dained Monks, and for all our brotherhood in Christ. ^ Furthermore we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable most holy Orthodox Patriarchs, and God-fearing Tzars and Tzaritzas ; and for the founders of this holy Temple ; and for all our devout fathers and brethren. Orthodox believers, departed this life be- fore us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord. ^ Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple ; for those who labour in its service ; for the singers ; and for the people here present, who await in firm hope thy great and rich mercies. IJ Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a merciful God, who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. ^ < 3 ft n THE DIVINE LITURGY 91 Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. \^And, if it be in Russia, the Priest saith this Prayer : O Lord our God, who art great and full of compassion, in meekness of heart we make our humble sup- plication unto thee : Preserve beneath the shelter of thy loving-kindness from every calamity our most God-fearing Emperor, N. Guard him in his ways by thy holy Angels, and let no enemy by any means prevail against him, nor any son of iniquity aim to offend him. Satisfy him with length of days and plenitude of strength ; and enable him to accom- plish all things to thy glory, and to the welfare of his people. So we, rejoicing in thy abounding grace toward him every day and every hour, shall bless and glorify thy most holy Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the floly Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen.] And if there be offerings on behalf of the dead, the Deacon or the Priest shall say the following Litany : Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. ( Thrice. ) Furthermore we pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God departed this life, NN. ; and that thou wilt pardon all their sins, both voluntary and involun- tary. IJ That the Lord God will estab- lish, their souls where the just re- pose. 5^ The mercies of God, the king- dom of heaven, and the remission of our sins we entreat of Christ, our King Immortal and our God. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. , Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. The Priest, secretly. O God of spirits, and of all flesh, who hast trampled down death, and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto thy world : Do thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of thy departed servants, NN., in a place of brightness, a place of ver- dure, a place of repose, whence all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away. Pardon every transgression which they have committed, whether by word, or deed, or thought. For thou art a good God, and lovest mankind ; because there is no man who liveth and sinneth not ; for thou only art without sin, and thy righteousness is to all eternity, and thy word is true. t>) v^ Exclamation. Priest. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and the Repose of thy departed servants, NN., O Christ our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. — Choir. Amen. 92 THE DIVINE LITURGY The Litany of the Cate- chumens. Deacon. Pray ye unto the Lord, ye Catechumens. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Ye faithful, pray ye unto the Lord for the Catechu- mens ; that the Lord will have mercy upon them. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he will teach them the word of truth. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he will reveal to therh the gospel of righteousness. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he will unite them unto his Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Save them, have mercy upon them, succour them, and keep them, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Bow your heads lyito the Lord, ye Catechumens. Choir. To thee, O Lord. the laver of regeneration, the corruption, unto the knowledj The Prayer for the Catechumens. The Priest, secretly. O Lord our God, who dwellest on high, and dost regard the humble of heart ; who hast sent forth as the salvation of the race of men thine Only-begotten Son and God, our Lord Jesus Christ : Look down upon thy servants the Catechumens, who have bowed their necks before thee. Grant unto them in due season the laver of regeneration, remission of sins, and the robe of incorruption. Unite them unto thy Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and number them with thy chosen flock. Here the last edge of the corporal is spread out. lOr, if it be at the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great : O Lord our God, who dwellest in the heavens, and lookest down upon all thy works : Look upon thy ser- vants, the Catechumens, who have bowed their necks before thee, and grant them the light yoke. Make them honourable members of thy holy Church ; and vouchsafe unto them remission of sins, and the robe of in- ;e of thee, our true God.] Exclamation. ^ ^ C> Priest. That with us they may magnify thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Priest 7naketh the sign of the cross over the corporal with the sponge, which he then kisseth, and layeth 07i one side. Deacon. Depart, all ye Catechumens, depart. Depart, all ye Cate- chumens : let no Catechumen remain : but let us who are in the faith again, yet again, in peace pray unto the Lord. (i6) Choir. Lord, have mercy. THE DIVINE LITURGY 93 III. THE LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Co The First Prayer of the Faithful. The Priest, secretly. We give thanks unto thee, O Lord God of the Powers, who hast graciously vouchsafed unto us to stand now before thy holy Altar, and fall down in adoration before thy compas- sion toward our sins, and the errors of the people. Accept our supplications, O God ; make us worthy to offer unto thee prayers and supplications, and unbloody sacrifices for all thy people. And enable us, whom thou hast appointed to this thy ministry, by the power of thy Holy Spirit, at all times, and in every place, blamelessly, without offence' and in the witness of a pure con- science, to call upon thee ; that hearing us thou mayest show mercy upon us, according to the plenitude of thy goodness. [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : Thou, O Lord, hast shown us this great mystery of salvation. Thou hast graciously permitted us, thy humble and unworthy ser- vants, to be the ministrants of thy holy Altar. Do thou enable us with the power of thy Holy Spirit for this ministry ; that, stand- ing uncondemned before thy holy glory, we may offer unto thee an oblation of praise. For thou art he who worketh all things in all men. Grant, therefore, O Lord, that our sacrifice for our own sins, and for the errors of thy people, may be acceptable and well-pleas- ing in thy sight.] Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due all honour, glory and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. When the Priest serveth without a Deacon, the following part of this Litany is omitted as indiccited. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have ?^ : mercy. The Second Prayer of the Faithful. The Priest, secretly. Again and oftentimes we fall down before thee, and beseech thee, O Good One who lovest man- kind, that, looking down upon our petition, thou wilt purify both our souls and bodies from all defile- ment of the flesh and of the Spirit ; and grant that in blameless- ness and without condemnation we v^ 94 THE DIVINE LITURGY For the peace of the whole world; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, de- voutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. may stand here before thy holy Altar. Grant also, O God, unto us and unto those who here with us make their supplications unto thee, prosperity of life and increase of faith, and of spiritual understand- ing. Grant that they may serve thee continually with love and fear, and that they may partake of thy Holy Mysteries in blamelessness of heart and without condemna- tion, and be deemed worthy of thy heavenly kingdom. [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : I O God, who in mercy and boun- ties hast visited our lowliness ; who hast set us, thy humble, and sinful, and unworthy servants be- fore thy holy glory, to serve thy holy Altar : Strengthen us by the power of thy Holy Spirit for this ministry, and grant us utter- ance, in the opening of our lips, to invoke the grace of thy Holy Spirit upon the Gifts which we are about to set forth.] Deacon. Wisdom ! Theti shall the Deacon enter through the north door. Exclamation. Priest. That being kept always by thy might, we may ascribe glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Cherubimic Hymn. Choir. Let us, the Cherubim mystically representing, and unto the Life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy chant intoning, all cares terrestrial now lay aside. (17) (Here the Great Entrance, with the Holy Gifts, is made. And after it the Hymn is finished :) That we may raise on high the King of all, like conqueror on shield and spears, by the Angelic Hosts invisibly up-borne. The Prayer of the Cherubimic Hymn. The Priest, secretly. No one who is in bondage unto carnal desires and sensual pleasures is worthy to approach, or to come near, or to serve thee, O King of Glory : For to serve thee is a great and terrible thing even to the Heavenly Powers. Nevertheless, through thine unutterable and boundless love toward mankind thou didst become man, yet without change, and without transmutation, THE DIVINE LITURGY 95 and art become our High Priest, and hast committed unto us the ministry of this unbloody Sacrifice, in that thou art Lord over all. For thou alone, O Lord our God, rulest over those in heaven and on earth ; who art borne on the throne of the Cherubim ; who art Lord of the Seraphim and King over Israel ; who alone art holy and restest in the Saints. Therefore do I now make my entreaty unto thee, who alone art good and art ready to listen : Look down upon me, a sinner, and thine unprofitable servant, and cleanse my soul and my heart from an evil conscience ; and by the might of thy Holy Spirit enable me, who am endued with the grace of the priest- hood, to stand before this thy holy Altar, and perform the sacred Mystery of thy Holy and Pure Body and Precious Blood. For unto thee do I draw near, and bowing my neck I implore thee : turn not thy face from me, neither cast me out from among thy children ; but graciously vouchsafe that 1, a sinner and thine unworthy ser- vant, may offer unto thee these Holy Gifts. For it is thou who offerest and art offered, who receivest and art thyself received, O Christ our God : and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. {Ai a Pontifical Service the Bishop washeth his hattds.) Then the Bishop. Deacon taketh the censer, and having received the Priest's blessing, he censeth the Holy Altar round about, and the Satictuary, saying, secretly, to himself, Psabn li. : Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great goodness. Then the Priest and Deacon stand before the A Itar, and make three reverences, saying : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. The Priest, elevating his hands, saith in a low voice : Let us, the Cherubim • mystically representing . . . now lay aside. (Thrice) {See page 94.) Then eachfinisheth the Hymn : That we may raise on high . . . And they kiss the Altar, and go tp the Chapel of Oblation, which the Priest censeth. If it be a Pontifical Service, the Bishop taketh out the particles at the gj^j^ Table of Oblation, making mention of the living, and the dead, and his fellow-clergy. Then shall the Deacon say to the Priest : Take up. Master. And the Priest, taking the air {vdzdukh), shall lay it on the Deacon's left shoulder, and shall say : Lift up your hands unto the Holy Things,, and bless the Lord. Then taking the holy paten (diskos), in like manner, he shall set it on the Co head of the Deacon, with all reverence, the Deacon holding the censer the •while on one of his fingers. But the Priest himself shall take in his hand the holy chalice {potir), and they shall go forth through the north door, preceded by a taper, and shall stand facing the People. {But the Bishop remaineth in the Sanctuary) 96 THE DIVINE LITURGY The Great Entrance (following the Russian Service Book). Deacon. Our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias, may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Priest. And all the Reigning House [and the Rider of the country), may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. The most Holy Synod of Russia, and our Archbishop, N., may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. If it be a Pontifical Service, the Bishop tiow Bishop. Cometh forward in the Sanctuary, to the Holy Door, and taketh the holy paten from the Priest. All you Or- thodox Christians, may the Lord God remem- ber in his kingdom al- ways, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Choir finisheth the Cherubimic Hymn : That we may raise on high the King of all, like conqueror on shield and spears, by the Angelic Hosts in- visibly upborne. Then the Deacon shall enter in through the Holy Door, and shall take his stand on the right, and shall say to the Priest, as the latter enter- eth: May the Lord God remember thy priesthood in his kingdom. And the Priest shall say to him : May the Lord God remember thy diaconate in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. ^ Deacon. {^Deacon. Thy Bishopric may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.) And exclaimeth : Our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias, and all the Reigning House, may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Bishop, having placed the paten on the Al- tar, censeth the chalice, and taketh it froTn the Priest. {Priest. Thy Bishopric may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. — Bishop. Thy priesthood may the Lord God remem- ber in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.) Bishop. The Most Holy Governing Sy- nod may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. The right Reverend Patriarchs, Metro- politans, Archbishops, Bishops, and all or- ders of the clergy and of monks may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. The Faithful Governing Councils, and Commanders of the Army, Chiefs of Cities, and the Christ-loving Army and the Navy Then the Priest shall set the holy chalice upon the Holy Al- tar, to the right ; taking the holy paten from the head of the Dea- con, he shall place it also upon the Holy Altar, to the left, sayi?ig : THE DIVINE LITURGY (and the Ruler of the land, if in a foreign country, N.), may the Lord God remember in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Atid all Cleigy enter the Sanctuary . The Bishop shall set the holy chalice upon the Holy Altar, saying : 97 _ Noble Joseph, when he had taken thy pure Body from the tree, did wrap it in fine linen and spices, and sorrowing did lay it in a new sepulchre. In the Grave with the body, but in Hell with the soul, in that thou art God ; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit, wast thou, O Christ, filling all things, in that thou art infinite. How life-giving, how than Paradise more fair and, of a truth, more splendid than any king's chamber, O Christ, is shown forth thy tomb, the fountain of our resurrection. Then shall he take the veils from the holy paten and the holy chalice, and shall lay them on one side of the Holy Altar ; and having taken the air from the Deacon's shoulder, and censed it, he shall cover therewith the Holy Gifts, and shall say : Noble Joseph, when he had taken thy pure Body from the tree, did wrap it in fine linen and spices, and sorrowing did lay it in a new sepulchre. Then taking the censer from the hands of the Deacon, he shall thrice cense the Holy Gifts, saying : Exalt thou Zion in thy favour, O Lord, and let the walls of Jeru- salem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with sacrifices and burnt-offerings ; then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. Then he shall give the censer to the Deacon, and shall bow his head, saying : Remember me, O brother, and fellow-minister. And the Deacon shall say to him : May the Lord God remember thy priesthood in his kingdom. The Deacon also, bowing his head, and holding his stole with three fingers of his right hand, shall say to the Priest : Pray for me, holy Master. If a Bishop be the celebrant, he Blsbop. saith to those who serve with him : Brethren, fellow-servitors. Ab- bots and Priests, pray for me. And they all answer : . 98 THE DIVINE LITURGY complete our prayer unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For these Holy Elements now spread forth, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For this holy Tem- ple, and for all those who with faith, de- voutness, and in the fear of God have en- tered therein, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he will deliver us from all tribula- tion, wrath, peril and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. A day all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us beseech of the Lord. aie Oiaained. The Priest (or all the Clergy). May the Holy Spirit come upon thee, and the power of the Most High overshadow thee. Deacon. May the Holy Spirit himself minister together with us, and with you, all the days of our life. And again : Pray | Bishop. May the Lord direct your steps, for me, holy Master. | Clergy. Remember us, holy Master. Bishop or Priest. May the Lord God remember you (thee) ^°,^ in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Let us The Bishop blesseth with the diMri and trikiri, ■while the Choir chanteth : Eis polld dti, D^spota. The Bishop, or Priest, secretly. O Lord God Almighty, who alone art holy; who acceptest the sacrifice of praise from those who call upon thee with their whole heart : Accept also the prayer of us sinners, and bear it to thy holy Altar ; and enable us to offer unto thee gifts and spiritual sacri- fices for our sins and for the errors which thy people have committed through igno- rance. And graciously grant us to obtain grace in thy sight, that our sacrifice may be acceptable unto thee ; and that the good spirit of thy grace may rest upon us, and upon these Holy Gifts, now offered up unto thee, and upon all thy people. \_0r, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used: O Lord our God, who hast created us, and hast brought us into this life ; who hast shown us the way of salvation, graciously bestowing upon us the revelation of heavenly Mysteries : Thou art he who hath appointed us to this ministry in the power of thy Holy Spirit. Graciously grant us, therefore, O Lord, to be servitors of thy new Covenant, minis- ters of thy Holy Mysteries. Accept us who draw near to thy holy Altar, according to the plenitude of thy mercy, that we may be worthy to offer unto thee this reasonable and unbloody sacrifice, for our own sins, and for the errors of thy people : which do thou ac- cept upon thy holy, and heavenly, and super- sensual Altar for the savour of a sweet odour. THE DIVINE LITURGY 99 Send down upon us the grace of thy Holy Spirit. Look upon us, O God, and behold this our service, and accept it as thou didst accept the gifts of Abel, the sacrifices of Noah, the burnt-offerings of Abraham, the priestly offices of Moses and Aaron, the peace-offerings of Samuel. Even as thou didst accept at the hands of the holy Apos- tles this true ministry, so also do thou in thy beneficence, O Lord, accept from the hands of us sinners these gifts ; that having been accounted worthy blamelessly to minister at thy holy Altar, we may receive the recom- pense of wise and faithful stewards, in the terrible day of thy just requiting.] ^ Choir. Grant it, O Lord. An Angel of Peace, the faithful guide and guardian both of our souls and bodies, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. The pardon and re- mission of our sins and transgressions, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. All things which are profitable to our souls and bodies, and peace to the world, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and penitence, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful ; and a good, defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Through the bounties of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art glorified, together with the most holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Let us love one another, that with one accord we may con- f CSS '. Choir. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided. THE DIVINE LITURGY Deacon. The Doors ! The Doors ! Wisdom ! Let us attend. (i8) The Symbol of the Faith. Choir. I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds ; Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made ; Being of one Essence with the Father ; By whom all things were made ; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was cruci- fied also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven. And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead ; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified. Who spake by the Pro- phets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead. And the Life of the world to come. Amen. Deacon (or Priest). Let us stand aright, let us stand with fear, that we may offer in peace the Holy Oblation. Choir. A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise. The Priest shalt do reverence, and shall say privately, within himself: I will love thee, O Lord my strength ; the Lord is my firm foundation, and my deliverer. ( Thrice.) And he shall kiss the Holy Gifts, they being still covered ; first the top of the holy paten, and likewise the top of the holy chalice, and the edge of the Holy Altar before him. If there be several Priests, they shall both kiss all the Holy Things, and each other on the shoulder. And if a Bishop be the cele- brant, he saith, secretly, aj ^f kisseth the paten .-OH oly God ; and the holy chalice : O Holy Mighty ; and the Holy Altar: O Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. Then the Bishop or Priest shall say : Christ is in the midst of us. And having been kissed on the shoulder and on the hand, he is answered : He is and shall be. The Priest shall fan the Holy Elements with the air. If several Priests take part in the service, they shall all fan the Holy Elements with the air, in like manner, and shall repeat, as do the Peo- ple also, the Symbol of the Faith. Then the Priest shall take the air from the Holy Elements, and having kissed it, he shall lay it aside. THE DIVINE LITURGY Priest. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest {^pointing upward). Lift up your hearts. Choir. We lift them up unto the Lord. Priest. Let us give thanks unto the Lord. Choir. Meet and right is it that we should adore the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided. If a Bishop celebraieth, as Bishop. he saith this he turneth to the People, and blesseth with the dikiri and the trikiri. The {Bishop) Priest shall offer this Prayer, secretly. It is meet and right that we should laud thee, bless thee, praise thee, give thanks unto thee, and adore thee in all places of thy dominion : for thou art God ineffable, incomprehensible, invisible, inconceivable ; thou art from everlasting and art changeless, thou, and thine Only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit. Thou from nothingness hast called us into being ; and when we had fallen away from thee, thou didst raise us up again ; and thou hast not ceased to do all things until thou hadst brought us back to heaven, and hadst endowed us with thy kingdom which is to come. For all which things we give thanks unto thee, and thine Only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit ; for all the things whereof we know, and whereof we know not ; for all thy benefits bestowed upon us, both manifest and unseen. And we render thanks unto thee for this ministry which thou dost deign to accept at our hands, although before thee stand thousands of Archangels and myriads of Angels, with the Cherubim, and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, who soar aloft, borne on their pinions. \0r, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used, this Prayer: O thou who in verity existest. Master, Lord God, Father Almighty adorable : Meet is it, in truth, and just and befitting the majesty of thy holiness, that we should magnify thee, praise thee, bless thee, adore thee, give thanks unto thee and glorify thee, the only God which verily existeth, and offer unto thee, with contrite heart and hum- bleness of spirit, this our reasonable service : for it is thou who hast graciously bestowed upon us the knowledge of thy truth. And who hath power enough to express thy mighty acts, to make all thy praises to be heard, or to utter forth all thy wonders at all times, O Master.? O Sovereign Master of all things. Lord of heaven and earth, and of all created things both visible and invisible; who sittest on the throne of glory and beholdest the depths ; who art from everlasting, invisible, inscrutable, ineffable, immutable, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great God and the Saviour, our hope, who is the image of thy goodness, the seal of equal type, in himself showing forth thee, the Father, the living Word, the true God, the Wisdom THE DIVINE LITURGY before all the ages, the Life, the Sanctification, the Might, and the true Light, through whom, also, the Holy Spirit was manifested ; the Spirit of Truth, the Gift of Adoption, the Earnest of an inheritance to come, the First-fruits of eternal good things, the life-giving Power, the Fountain of holiness ; by whom enabled every creature en- dowed with reason and intelligence doth serve thee, and evermore doth send up unto thee an everlasting tribute of praise; for all things are thy servants. For Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Do- minions, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, and the many-eyed Cher- ubim do laud thee. Before thee, round about, stand the Seraphim, having each six wings ; for with twain do they cover their faces, and with twain their feet, and with twain do they fly, crying one to another continually, with never-ceasing praises.] Exclamation. Priest. Singing the triumphant song, cry- ing, calling aloud, and saying : Choir. Holy, holy, holy. Lord of Sab- aoth ; heaven and earth are full of thy glory : Hosanna in the highest: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The Deacon now taking the holy star-cover from the holy paten, shcill make the sign of the cross above it, and shall kiss it, and lay it on one side. He shall then go and stand on the right of the Holy Altar. The Priest prayeth, secretly. And we also, O Lord who lovest man- kind, in company with these blessed Powers do cry aloud and say : Holy art thou, and all-holy thou, and thine Only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit ; holy and all- holy and majestic is thy glory. Who hast so loved thy world that thou gavest thine Only- begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but should have ever- lasting life ; who, when he had come and had performed all the dispensation for us, in the night in which he was given up, — in the which, rather, he did give himself for the life of the world, — took bread in his holy and pure and sinless hands ; and when he had given thanks, and blessed it, and so sanctified it, he gave it to his holy disciples and apostles, saying : [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used, this Prayer ■ With these blessed Powers, O Master who lovest mankind, we sinners also do cry aloud and say : Holy art thou, of a truth, and all- holy, and there are no bounds to the majesty of thy holiness, and just art thou in all thy works ; for in righteousness and true judgment hast thou ordered all things for us. When thou hadst created man, and hadst fashioned him from the dust of the earth, and hadst hon- oured him with thine own image, O God, thou didst set him in the midst of a Paradise of plenty, promising him life eternal and the enjoyment of everlasting good things in keeping thy commandments. THE DIVINE LITURGY 103 But when he disobeyed thee, the true God, who had created him, and was led astray by the guile of the serpent, and rendered sub- ject to death through his own transgressions, thou didst banish him, in thy righteous judgment, O God, from Paradise into this present world, and didst turn him again to the earth from which he was taken, providing for him the salvation of regeneration, which is in thy Christ himself. For thou didst not turn thyself away forever from thy creature, whom thou hadst made, O Good One, neither didst thou forget the work of thy hands ; but thou didst visit him in divers manners, through the tender compassion of thy mercy. Thou didst send forth Prophets ; thou didst perform mighty works by thy Saints who, in every generation, were well-pleasing unto thee ; thou didst speak to us by the mouths of thy servants the Prophets, who foretold unto us the salvation which was to come ; thou didst give us the Law to aid us ; thou didst appoint guardian Angels. And when the fulness of time was come, thou didst speak unto us by thy Son himself, by whom also thou madest the ages ; who, being the Brightness of thy glory, and the Express Image of thy Person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, thought it no robbery to be equal to thee, the God and Father. But albeit he was God before all the ages, yet he appeared upon earth and dwelt among men ; and was incarnate of a Holy Virgin, and did,' Inynoirl" hij ^ndhnmrli taking on the form of a servant, and becom- ing conformed to the fashion of our lowliness, that he might make us conformable to the image of his glory. For as by man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, so it seemed good unto thine Only-begotten Son, who is in thy bosom, our God and Father, to be born of a woman, the holy Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary; to be born under the Law, that he might condemn sin in the flesh ; that they who were dead in Adam might be made alive in thy Christ. And becoming a dweller in this world, and giving commandments of salvation, he released us from the delusions of idols, and brought us unto a knowledge of thee, the true God and Father, having won us unto himself for a pecuHar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation ; and having purified us with water, and sanctified us with his Holy Spirit, he gave himself a ransom to Death, whereby we were held, sold into bondage under sin. And having descended into Hell through the Cross, that he might fill all things with himself, he loosed the pains of death, and rose again from the dead on the third day, making a way for all flesh through the Resurrection from the dead — for it was not possible that the Author of Life should be holden of corruption — that he might be the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep, the first-born from the dead; and he shall be all things, the first in, all things. And ascending into heaven, he sat down at the right hand of thy Ma- jesty on high ; and he shall come again to render unto every man ^^ •^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 104 THE DIVINE LITURGY according to his works. And he hath left with us, as memorials of his saving Passion, these Things which we have spread forth according to his commandment. For when he was about to go forth to his voluntary, and ever-memorable, and life-creating death, in the night in which he gave himself for the life of the world, he took bread in his holy and stainless hands, and when he had shown it unto thee, his God and Father, he gave thanks, blessing it, sanctifying it, and breaking it, he gave it to his holy disciples and apostles, saying :] £xc/amaiion. Priest. Take, eat, this is my Body which is broken for you, for the remission of sins. As he saith this., the Deacon shall point out the holy paten to the Priest, holding his stole with three fingers of his right hand. Priest. And in like manner, after supper he took the cup, saying : As he saith this, the Deacon pointeth to the holy chalice. {At the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great : The Priest, secretly. " In like manner, having taken the Cup of the fruit of the vine, and mingled it, given thanks, blessed it, and sanctified it, Exclamation. He gave it to his holy disciples and apostles, saying :] Exclamation. Priest. Drink ye all of this : for this is my Blood of the New Testa- ment, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. The Priest, secretly. Bearing in remembrance, therefore, this commandment of salva- tion, and all those things which came to pass for us ; the Cross, the Grave, thfe Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into Heaven, the Sitting on the right hand, the Second and glorious Coming-again : \Or, if the Liturgy op St. Basil the Great be used: This do, in remembrance of me : for as often as ye shall eat this Bread and drink of this Cup ye do proclaim my death and confess my Resurrection. Wherefore, we also, O Master, having in remembrance his re- deeming Passion and life-giving Cross, his three days' Burial, and his Resurrection from the dead, his Ascension into Heaven, and his Sitting on the right hand of thee, the God and Father, and his glorious and terrible Coming-again :] ^ ^ ^ THE DIVINE LITURGY 105 Exclamation. Priest. Thine own, of thine own, we offer unto thee, in behalf of all, and for all. Here the Deacon, crossing his hands, shall lift up the holy paten and the holy chalice, and making with the7n the sign of the cross, he shall himself make a humble reverence. Choir. We praise thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and we pray unto thee, O our God. The Priest prayeth, secretly. Again we offer unto thee this reasonable and unbloody service. And we beseech and implore thee, and offer our supplications unto thee, that thou wilt send thy Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these Gifts here spread forth. [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : Wherefore, O all-holy Master, we also, thy sinful and unworthy servants, whom thou hast graciously permitted to minister at thy holy Altar, not through our own righteousness (for we have done no good deed on earth), but because of thy mercies and bounties, which thou hast richly poured out upon us, now have boldness to draw near unto this, thy holy Altar; and presenting unto thee the holy emblems of the sacred Body and Blood of thy Christ, we pray thee and implore thee, O Holy of Holies, by the favour of thy goodness, that thy Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these Gifts here spread forth before thee, and bless them, and sanctify and manifest them.] Then the Deacon shall approach the Priest ; and standing side by side, they shall both make three lowly reverences before the Holy Altar, praying silently thus : Priest. O Lord, who at the Third Hour didst send down upon thine Apostles thy Holy Spirit : Take not the same from us, O Good One, but renew it in us who make our supplications unto thee. Deacon. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Priest. O Lord, who at the Third Hour . . . Deacon. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Priest. O Lord, who at the Third Hour . . . Then the Deacon, bowing his head and pointing with his stole to the Holy Bread, shall say : Bless, Master, the Holy Bread. And the Priest, standing erect, shall sign the Holy Bread with the sign of the cross, and shall say : And make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ. io6 THE DIVINE LITURGY lOr, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used: For this bread is in very truth the precious Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ.] Deacon. Amen. Bless, Master, the holy chalice. And the Priest shall bless it, and shall say : And make that which is in this chalice the precious Blood of thy Christ. [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : For this chalice, in very truth the precious Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ {Deacon. Amen), which was poured out for the life of the world.] Deacon. Amen. And again, the Deacon, pointing to both the Holy Ele7nents, shall say : Master, bless both. And the Priest, blessing both, shall say : Transmuting them by thy Holy Spirit. Deacon. Amen, amen, amen. And bowing his head to the Priest, the Deacon shall say : Bear me in remembrance, holy Master. A nd the Priest shall say: May the Lord God remember thee in his kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Deacon. Amen. ^ -^ If a Bishop be the celebrant, the Proto-Deacon saith : Bear us in remembrance, holy Master. Bishop. May the Lord God remember you in his kingdom always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Priest and Deacon. Amen. Bishop. And if a Priest hath been ordaitied at this same Liturgy, the Bishop now bid- deth him to draw near, and taking the Holy Bread, and breaking the por- tion XC from the top thereof, where the cross is, he giveih it to him, saying : Receive thou this pledge, and preserve it whole and unharmed until thy last breath, because thou shalt be held to an accounting therefor in the second and terrible Coming of our great Lord, God, and Saviour, "Jesus Christ. And taking it, the Priest kisseth the Bishop's hand, and withdrazving he standeth behind the Holy Altar ; and placing his hand on the Holy Altar, he prayeth, saying : Have mercy upon me, O God. {Psahn li.). And when : Holy things to the holy : is to be said, he who hath received Or- dination restoreth the Bread, and the Bishop layeth it on the holy paten ; and the newly ordained Priest is communicated before the other Priests. , fca v> THE DIVINE LITURGY 107 The Priest prayeth. That to those who shall partake thereof they may be unto sober- ness of soul, unto the remission of sins, unto the fellowship of thy Holy Spirit, unto the fulfilling of the kingdom of Heaven, and unto bold- ness toward thee ; and not unto judgment or unto condemnation. And again we offer unto thee this our reasonable service, for all thy servants departed this life before us in the faith ; for our an- cestors, fathers, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evan- gelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Ascetics ; and for every righteous soul who hath died in the faith : Cd \0r, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used: And unite all us who partake of the one Bread and the one Cup, one to another in the communion of the Holy Spirit ; and grant that no one of us may partake of that holy Body and Blood of thy Christ unto judgment or unto condemnation ; but that we may find mercy and grace, together with all the Saints who, in all the ages, have been acceptable unto thee, our ancestors, fathers, the Patri- archs, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Teach- ers ; and with the spirits of just men made perfect in the faith :] And the Deacon shall cense the Holy Altar round about, and shall make men- tion of the living and of the dead. Then the Priest shall say, aloud : Especially our most holy, all-undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary : And Saint John, the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist ; the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; Saint N. {the Saint of the day), whose memory we commemorate ; and all thy Saints : through whose prayers visit thou us, O God, and call to remembrance all those who have fallen asleep in the hope of Resurrection unto life eternal. {Here he m.aketh mention o^he Names, in the order of their rank.) If it be at the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom : Choir. Meet is it, in truth, to bless thee, the Birth-giver of God, ever -blessed, and all-undefiled, and the Mother of our God. More honour- able than the Cheru- bim, and beyond com- pare more glorious than the Seraphim, Furthermore we beseech thee, O Lord, that thou wilt call to remembrance all Bishoprics of Orthodox Christians, which rightly dispense the word of thy truth ; all the Priesthood, the Diaconate in Christ, and every order of the Clergy. Furthermore we offer unto thee this our reasonable worship on behalf of the whole universe; of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church ; of those who continue in chastity and soberness of life ; of our most God-fear- io8 THE DIVINE LITURGY thou who without de- filement barest God the Word, true Birth- giver of God, we mag- nify thee. ing Sovereign, N. (in Russia, the Emperor of All the Russias) ; and all the Reigning House, and all their Council and Army and Navy. Grant unto them, O Lord, a peaceful reign, and that we, through their tranquillity, may pass our time in rest and quietness, in all godliness and soberness of life. {But if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : And give them rest where the light of thy countenance shall visit them. Have in remembrance, also, O Lord, we beseech thee, thy Holy Catholic and Apos- tolic Church, which is from end to end of the Universe ; and give peace unto Her whom thou hast purchased with the precious Blood of thy Christ : and establish thou firmly this holy Temple, even unto the end of the world. Remember, O Lord, those who have offered unto thee these Gifts ; and those for whom, and by whom, and in behalf of whom they have offered them. Have in remembrance, O Lord, those who bear fruit and do good works in thy holy churches, and those who are mindful of the poor. Requite them with thy rich and heavenly gifts. Give them things heavenly for things earthly ; things eternal for things temporal ; things incorruptible for things corruptible. Have in remembrance, O Lord, those who are in the deserts, and mountains, and cav- erns, and in the subterranean pits of the earth. Have in remembrance, O Lord, all those who continue in virginity and godliness, and in asceticism and devoutness of life. Have in remembrance, O Lord, our most God-fearing and Christ-loving Sovereign, N. (in Russia, the Emperor of All the Russias), to whom thou hast given the right to reign in the earth. Crown him with the armour of truth, with the panoply of contentment. Overshadow his head in the day of battle. Strengthen his arm, exalt his right hand ; make mighty his kingdom ; subdue under him all barbarous nations which seek wars ; grant unto him peace profound and inviolate ; inspire his heart with good deeds toward thy Church, and toward Choir. In thee re- joiceth, O thou who art full of Grace, ever)'^ created being, the Hierarchy of the Angels, and all man- kind, O Consecrated Temple and super- sensual Paradise, Glory of Virgins, of whom God, who is our God before all the ages, was incarnate and became a little child. For he made of thy womb a throne, and thy belly did he make more spacious than the heavens. In thee doth all Crea- tion rejoice, O thou who art full of Glory : Glory to thee. Or, at the different Feasts, there shall be sung the appointed Hymn to the Birth- giver of God. THE DIVINE LITURGY 109 all thy people ; that through his serenity we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, in all godliness and soberness. Remember, also, O Lord, all the Reigning House. Have in remembrance, O Lord, all Rulers and Authorities, as also our brethren who are in their Council ; and all their Army and Navy. In their goodness, preserve thou the good, and through thine own goodness make thou the evil good. Have in remembrance, O Lord, this congregation here present, and those who are absent for reasonable cause ; and have mercy upon them and upon us, according to the multitude of thy mercies. Fill their treasuries with every good thing; maintain their marriage- bond in peace and concord ; rear the infants ; guide the young ; sup- port the aged ; encourage the faint-hearted. Collect the scattered, and turn them from their wandering astray, and unite them to thy Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Set at liberty those who are vexed by unclean spirits ; voyage with those who voyage, journey with those who journey ; defend the widows ; protect the orphans ; free the captives ; heal the sick. Have in remembrance those who are under trial, and in the mines, and in exile, and in bitter slavery, and in all affliction, distress and tribulation. Have in remembrance, O God, all those who invoke thy great loving-kindness ; those also who love us, and those who hate us, and those who have enjoined us, unworthy though we are, that we should pray for them ; and all thy people, O Lord our God : And upon them all pour out thy rich mercy, granting unto all such of their petitions as are unto salvation. And those whom we, through ignorance, or forgetfulness, or the multitude of names, have not remembered, do thou thyself call to mind, O God, who knowest the age and the name of each, and knowest every man even from his mother's womb. For thou, O Lord, art the Helper of the helpless, the Hope of the hopeless, the Saviour of the storm- tossed, the Haven of the voyager, the Healer of the sick. Be thyself all things unto all men, O thou who knowest every man, his petition, his abode, and his need. Deliver, O Lord, this city, and every city and land from famine, plague, earthquake, flood, fire, sword, the invasion of enemies, and from civil war.] And -when the Hymn is finished, the Priest shall say, aloud : Among the first have in remembrance, O Lord, the Most Holy Governing Syn- od (or Patriarch) ; and grant that they {or he) may rightly If a Bishop be the celebrant, the Proto-Deacon, standing at the Holy Door, and looking on ^"^"P- the People, saith . And all the people. Choir. And all the people. And the Bishop reciteth the Prayerfor the Synod : Among the first . . . The Senior Priest then saith : Have in remembrance, O Lord, our Right dispense unto thy Church the word of thy truth, in peace, safety, health, honour and length of days. And the Choir singeth : And all the people. THE DIVINE LITURGY Reverend Bishop, N., granting that in peace, safety, honour, health and length of days he may guide thy holy Church, rightly ad- ministering the word of thy truth. //e kisseth the ■ Bishop' s mitre ^ and the Bishop, blessing him, saith : May the Lord have in remembrance thy priesthood. The Senior Deacon, turning to the People {in Russia) : The Most Holy Governing Synod, and the Right Reverend N., who offereth these Holy Elements unto the Lord our God. For the salvation of our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., Em- peror of All the Russias ; and for all the Reigning House ; and for all their Council and Army and Navy. Choir. And for all the people. The Deacon then commemorateth the living, while the Priest prayeth,&ccr6t\y. Have in remembrance, O Lord, this city in which- we dwell ; and every city and country, and all those who with faith dwell therein. Have in remembrance, O Lord, all those who journey by sea or by land, all sick persons and sufferers and captives, and their salvation. Have in remembrance, O Lord, those who bear fruit and do good works in thy holy Churches, and those who are mindful of the poor ; and send down thy grace upon us all. [//" the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used, this Prayer is said, secretly : Priest. Have in remembrance, O Lord, every Bishopric of the Orthodox which rightly administereth the word of thy truth. Have in remembrance, also, O Lord, my unworthiness, according to the multitude of thy bounties ; pardon me every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary, and withhold not, because of my sins, the grace of thy Holy Spirit from the Gifts now spread forth unto thee. Have in remembrance, O Lord, the Priesthood, as also the Diaconate in Christ, and all sacerdotal orders, and put not to con- fusion any one of us who stand about thy holy Altar. Visit us with thy loving-kindness, O Lord ; manifest thyself unto us in thy rich bounties. Vouchsafe unto us temperate and healthful seasons. Give gentle showers upon the earth, unto fruitfulness. Bless the crown of the year of thy beneficence. Make schisms to cease in the Church. Quench the ragings of the nations ; speedily destroy, by the might of thy Holy Spirit, all uprisings of heresies. Receive us all into thy kingdom, making us children of the light and of the day ; and grant unto us thy peace, and thy love, O Lord our God ; for all things hast thou given unto us.] THE DIVINE LITURGY Exclamation. Priest. And grant that with one mouth and one heart we may glorify and praise thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And turning to the People and blessing them, the Priest saith : And may the mercy of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. A tid the Deacon shall stand at his accustomed place, and shall say Calling to remembrance all the Saints, again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. IJ For the Precious Gifts which have been offered and sanctiiied, let us pray to the Lord. ^ That our God, who loveth mankind, will accept them upon his holy, and most heavenly, and supersensual Altar, for an odour of spiritual fragrance ; and will send down upon us in return his divine grace and the gift of his Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord. ^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. ^ Here Dea- oona are ordained. ■a ."^ ft p -1 o O -I Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. A day all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us beseech of the Lord. Choir. Grant it, O Lord. An Angel of Peace, the faithful guide and guardian both of our souls and bodies, let us beseech of the Lord. ^ The pardon and re- mission of our sins and transgressions, let us beseech of the Lord. Bi All things which D The Priest prayeth, secretly. Unto thee do we commit our whole life and hope, O Lord, who lovest man- kind. And we entreat thee, and beseech thee, and implore thee: Vouchsafe that we may partake of thy lieavenly and tllr- rible Mysteries, of this sacred and spirit- ual food, with a pure conscience, unto the remission of our sins, unto the pardon of our transgressions, unto the commun- ion of the Holy Spirit, unto inheritance of the kingdom of Heaven, and unto boldness toward thee; not unto judgment or condemnation. {Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used : O our God, the God of salvation, do thou teach us how we may worthily give thanks unto thee for thy benefits, which thou hast ever bestowed and yet dost be- stow upon us. Do thou, O our God, who acceptest these Gifts, purify us from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and t>) ^ THE DIVINE LITURGY ^ are profitable to our souls, and peace to "the world, let us be- seech of the Lord. ]J That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and peni- tence, let us beseech of the Lord. ^ A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful ; and a good defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us beseech of the Lord. ^ Having made our peti- tion for the unity of the faith, and the commun- ion of the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Pnest. And vouchsafe, O Lord, that boldly and without condemna- tion we may call upon thee, God the heavenly Father, and say : Here the Deacon bindeth his stole about him in the The People: form of a cross. (19) Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Exclamation. Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of ■ the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. teach us to perfect holiness in thy fear ; that we, receiving a portion of thy Holy Things in the witness of a pure con- science toward thee, may be made one with the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ ; and that having received them worthily, we may have Christ abiding in our hearts, and may become a Temple of thy Holy Spirit. Yea, O our God, cause also that none of us may be guilty of these thy terrible and heavenly Mysteries, or sick in soul or in body through an unworthy partak- ing of the same : but enable us, even unto our last breath, worthily to receive a por- tion of thy Holy Things, which is a sup- port upon the road to life eternal, an acceptable defence at the dread Judgment Seat of thy Christ. That we also, to- gether with all the Saints who, in all the ages, have been acceptable unto thee, may be made partakers of thine everlast- ing blessedness, which thou hast prepared for those who love thee, O Lord.] THE DIVINE LITURGY 113 Deacon. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. The Priest prayeth, secretly. We give thanks unto thee, O King invisible, who by thine illimit- able power hast made all things, and by the plenitude of thy mercy hast called into being all things from nothingness. Do thou, the same Lord, look down from heaven upon those who have bowed their heads before thee ; for they have not bowed down unto flesh and blood, but unto thee, the terrible God. Do thou, therefore, O Lord, render this oblation efficacious to us all, according to the individual need of each. Voyage with those who sail upon the seas ; journey with those who travel on dry land. Heal the sick, O thou who art the healer of our souls and bodies. \0r, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used, the following Prayer : O Master, Lord, the Father of bounties, and the God of all com- fort, bless, sanctify, guard, strengthen, fortify those who have bowed their heads unto thee ; withdraw them from every evil work ; unite them to every good work ; and graciously grant that, without con- demnation, they may partake of these, thy pure and life-giving Mysteries, unto the remission of their sins, and unto the communion of the Holy Spirit] Exclamation. Priest. Through the grace, and bounties, and love toward mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Ciioir. Amen. The Priest prayeth, secretly : Give heed from thy holy dwelling-place, and from the throne of glory of thy kingdom, and come an^ sanctify us, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who sittest on high with the Father, and art invis- ibly here with us. And deign, with thine own mighty hand, to im- part thine all-pure Body and most precious Blood unto us, and through us unto all the people. Then the Priest shall do homage, and the Deacon, standing before the Holy Door, shall repeat, secretly, thrice : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. When the Deacon seeth the Priest stretch out his hand and touch the Holy Bread in the act of making the Holy Oblation, he shall say, tt , r, loudlv ■ I Here the Holy Door ■' ' is closed, and the cur- Let us attend. tain is drawn. ^ 114 THE DIVINE LITURGY And the Priest, as he elevate th the Holy Bread, shall say : Holy things unto the Holy. Choir. One only is holy, one only is the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Then shall the Choir chant the Anthem for the Day {or of the Saint, or of the Feast) : Praise ye the Lord from heaven : praise him in the height. Alleluia. And the Deacon shall enter the Sanctuary, and standing at the right hand of the Priest, who holdeth the Holy Bread, he shall say : Break, Master, the Holy Bread. And the Priest, breaking it in four pieces, with all heedfulness and awe, shall say : Broken and divided is the Lamb of God, which is broken, yet not disunited ; which is ever eaten, yet never consumed, but sancti- fieth those who partake thereof. Concerning the Partition of the Holy Lamb. After dividing the Holy Lamb, the Priest must place the portions in the form of a cross upon the holy paten, with a profound reverence, such as he hath m.ade before whert censing. He shall lay the IMC at the upper part of the holy paten, which lieth towards the east. The XC shall he place in a line beneath it, on that side of the paten which lieth to the west ; and the NI upon the north side, while the KA shall be opposite, upon the south side, as is here set forth. (20) T[)is ^is placed iip portiop^ Witl;)t()esetu]oportio)]s tlje people are communicated N\'itI)t|)i5portioi^ nahicatetl} 'ii!?eC!ergy NNjDlth tl)eIVie5ta)m- Ijimseifancf lubpserue^ THE DIVINE LITURGY "S When the portion IHC hath been removed, it shall be placed in the holy chalice. The portion XC shall be partaken of by the Clergy who take part in the Liturgy. The two other portions, namely, the NI and the KA, are broken for the communion of the laity. Andfrom the portion which repre- senteth the Holy Birth-giver of God, or from the particles representing the nine ranks of the Heavenly Hierarchy, which ar-e upon the holy paten, shall no one be cominunicated : but only from the two portions of the Holy Lamb which remain shall the laity be communicated. Then the Deacon, pointing with his stole to the holy chalice, shall exclaim : Fill, Master, the holy chalice. And the Priest, taking the portion IHC from the place where it lieth, shall make therewith the sign of the cross above the holy chalice, saying : The fulness of the Holy Spirit : and shall place it in the holy chalice. Deacon. Amen. (21) And taking the warm water, he shall say to the Priest : Bless, Master, the warm water. And the Priest shall bless it, saying : Blessed is the fervour of thy Saints always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Deacon shall pour into the holy chalice, in the form of a cross, what is required, saying : The warmth of faith, full of the Holy Spirit. Amen. When the divine Blood of the Lord is tningled with the holy warm water, it must be done with heed, and in amount according to the number of those who desire to receive the Holy Sacrament. The Priest breaketh the portion XC into a number of pieces, correspond- ing 10 the number of Clergy who take part in the Liturgy. Then the Priest saith : Deacon, draw near. And the Deacon shall approach, and shall make a devout reverence, en- treating forgiveness ; and having kissed the Altar, he shall say : Lo, I draw near unto the King Immortal and to God. Impart unto me. Master, the precious and holy Body of our Lorc^, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And the Priest shall give him a portion of the Holy Body, and shall say : To N., Deacon, is imparted the When a Bishop is the celebrant, he divideth the portion XC, and hav- ing prayed : I believe, O Lord, and I confess, that thou art, in very truth, the Christ, the Son of the liv- ing God ; . . he consumeth part of the portion XC, saying : The precious, and all-holy, and most pure Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is imparted to me, the unworthy, N., Bishop, unto the remission of my sins, and unto life eternal. (In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.) ii6 THE DIVINE LITURGY precious, and holy, and all-pure Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unto the remission of his sins, and unto life everlasting. And the Deacon shall kiss the Priest's hand as he taketh the Holy Body, and shall -withdraw behind the Holy Altar ; a?id bowing his head over the Holy A Itar, he shall pray like the Priest : I believe, O Lord, and I con- fess, that thou art, in very truth, the Christ, the Son of the living God : . . . All the Priests, in the order of their seniority, fir St tnake an obeisance to each other, and to the People ; and having besought forgiveness : Forgive me, fathers and brethren : and kissed the side of the A Itar, they say : Lo, I draw near unto the King Immortal, and to God. The precious and all-holy Body of our Lord, and God, and Sa- viour, Jesus Christ, is imparted to me, N., Priest, unto the re- mission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. Then each taketh a piece of the Holy Body, and bowing low over the Holy Altar, and gazing devoutly upon the Holy Body of Christ, they say privately, each to him- self : I believe, O Lord, and I con- fess, that thou art, in very truth, the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to savfe sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is, of a truth, thine all-pure Body, and that this is thine own precious Blood. Wherefore, I be- seech thee, have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions. Then, taking the sponge, he wipeth his hand ; and having kissed the sponge, he layeth it aside. 'I hen, taking the holy veil and the chal- ice with both hands, he comtnuni- cateth himself therefrom thrice, saying : The precious, and holy, and life-giving Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is imparted to me, the unworthy, N., Bishop, unto the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. (In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.) Then he wipeth his lips and the chalice with the veil which is in his hand, saying : Lo, this hath touched my lips, and shall take away mine ini- quities, and shall purge away my sins. Then kissing the holy chalice, he saith ; Glory to thee, O God. ( Thrice^ Proto - Deacon. Archiman- drites, Archpriests, Priests, Dea- cons, draw near. Then the other Clergy approach the Bishop in the order of their se- niority and kiss the edge of the Altar, and having said: Lo, I draw near unto the King Immortal and to God, Impart to me, Right Rever- end Master, the precious and holy Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour Jesus Christ : Each receiveth from him a portion of the Holy Body, the Bishop say- ing to each : To thee. Priest (or Deacon, or as his rank may be), is imparted the precious, and all-pure, and THE DIVINE LITURGY 117 immortal Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, unto the i-emission of thy sins, and unto life everlasting. (In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.) And they kiss the hand and the shoul- der of the Bishop ; and to his greet- ing ; Christ is in the midst of us, They reply : He is, and shall be. Then he giveth to each of them thrice the holy chalice, saying ; Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and shall take away thine iniqui- ties, and shall purge away thy sins. whether voluntary or involun- tary; whether of word or of deed ; whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance. And vouchsafe that I may partake without condemnation of thine all-pure Mysteries, unto the re- mission of my sins, and unto life eternal. Of thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me to-day as a communicant : for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither, like Judas, will I give thee a kiss ; but like the thief will I confess thee : Re- member me, O Lord, in thy kingdom. And let not this participation in thy Holy Mysteries be unto judgment upon me, or unto con- demnation, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body. And so shall they partake of the Holy Body which they hold in their hands, with awe, and all godly fear. And when they have partaken thereof, the Priests partake, in due order, of the Holy Blood from the chalice, thrice, saying each time : The precious and holy Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is imparted to me, the servant of God, Priest, N., unto the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Sometimes : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. Then liaving wiped his mouth and the holy chalice with the veil, which he holdeth in his hand, the Priest shall say : Lo, this hath touched my lips, and shall take away mine iniqui- ties, and shall purge away my sins. Then the Senior Priest saith again : Deacon, draw near. And the Deacon shall approach, and shall make one reverence, saying : Lo, I draw near unto the King Immortal, and to God. ii8 THE DIVINE LITURGY A nd the Priest, giving him the chalice, shall say : The servant of God, N., Deacon, partaketh of the precious and all-holy Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unto the remission of his sins, and unto life everlasting. And having communicated the Deacon, the Priest shall say . Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and shall take away thine iniqui- ties, and shall purge away thy sins. If there be any who desire to partake of the Holy Mysteries, the Priest shall divide the remaining portions, the NI and the KA, into small particles, sufficient for all, and place the7n in the chalice. Then the Deacon, setting the holy paten above the holy chalice, saith these Hymns of the Resurrection : In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us bow down before the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection we laud and glorify : for thou art our God, and we know none other beside thee ; we call upon thy Name. O come, all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's holy Resurrection. For lo, through the Cross is joy come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing his Resurrection : for in that he endured the Cross he hath destroyed Death by death. Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee ! Shout now and be glad, O Zion ! And do thou, O Pure One, Birth-giver of God, rejoice in the Rising-again of him whom thou didst bear. O Christ, Passover great and most Holy ! O Wisdom, Word, and Power of God ! Vouchsafe that we may more perfectly partake of thee in the days which know no evening of thy kingdom. While with the sponge he wipeth all the particles into the chalice with all care and reverence.^ he saith : Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all who are here commemorated, by thy precious Blood, through the prayers of thy Saints. And he shall cover the holy chalice with the veil; and in like maimer he shall cover the holy paten with the star-cover and the veil. Then the Priest shall recite the Prayer of Thanksgiving, secretly. We give thanks unto thee, O Lord, who lovest mankind. Bene- factor of our souls and bodies, for that thou hast vouchsafed this day to feed us with thy heavenly and immortal Mysteries. Guide our path aright ; stablish us all in thy fear ; guard our life ; make sure our steps : through the prayers and supplications of the glori- ous Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, and of all thy Saints. [Or, if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used, this Prayer : We give thanks unto thee, O Lord our God, for the participation Co THE DIVINE LITURGY 119 in thy holy, pure, immortal and heavenly Mysteries, which thou hast given unto us for the welfare and sanctification and healing of our souls and bodies. Do thou, the same Lord of all, grant that the communion of the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ may be for us unto faith which cannot be put to confusion, unto love unfeigned, unto increase of wisdom, unto the healing of soul and body, unto the turning aside of every adversary, unto the fulfilment of thy com- mandments, unto an acceptable defence at the dread Judgment Seat of thy Christ.] Then the Holy Door is opened, and the Deacon, making a reverence, shall approach the Holy Door j and he taketh from the Bishop or the Priest the holy chalice, anc^ elevating it, he saith . In the fear of God and with faith draw near. Choir. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord ; God is the Lord and hath revealed himself unto us. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by Easter- death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. *"''■ Those who desire to communicate shall then approach. They shall come sin- gly, and shall do reverence, with all devoutness and awe, with their hands crossed on their breasts : and in this manner shall they receive the Holy Mysteries, after the Priest hath said aloud the Prayer : I believe, O Lord, and I confess, . . . {See page 116.) And as he cojnmunicateth each one, the Priest shall say : The servant of God, N., partaketh of the precious and holy Body and Blood of ^our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unto the remission of his {or her) sins, and unto life everlasting. (22) And as each person is comtnunicated, the Choir singeth : Receive ye the Body of Christ ; taste ye of the Fountain of Life. Then the communicanf s mouth shall be wiped with the holy veil, and he shall kiss the holy chalice, and making a reverence, he shall go aside, where he is given the antiddron and the holy warm water. Aiid when all have finished, the Choir singeth . Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. And the Priest shall set the chalice on the Altar, and shall bless the People, saying : O God, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Eis polla eti, Despota. Bishop. {The Bishop blesseth with the dikiri and the trikiri.) •^ THE DIVINE LITURGY Then the Priest and the Deacon shall turn to the Holy Altar ; and the Priest shall cense it, saying thrice, to himself: Be thou exalted in heaven, O God, and thy glory above all the earth. The Priest, taking the holy paten, shall then set it ufon the head of the Deacon j and the Deacon, hold- ing it reverently, shall go to the Table of Oblation, and set it down there. Co I Choir. We have beheld the true Light ; we have received the heavenly Spirit ; we have found the true faith. Let us bow down in worship to the Trinity Undi- vided, for it hath saved us. Or, at Eastertide : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. The Priest, having done reverence also, shall take the holy chalice [from the Bishop, if it be a Pontifical Service) ; and turning to face the Holy Door, he sha.ll look upon the People, while he saith, secretly : (23) Blessed is our God ! Tken, aloud: Always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Let our mouths be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that we may extol thy glory, for that thou hast deigned to make us partakers of thy holy, divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Establish us in thy Sanctification, that all the day long we may meditate upon thy right- eousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Easter- Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by "**■ death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. And the Deacon, coming forth through the north door, and standing in his accus- tomed place, saith : Having received the divine, holy, pure, immortal, heavenly, life-giving and terrible Mysteries of Christ, O believers, let us worthily give thanks unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. ' Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Beseeching that this whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Then the Priest, folding the corporal (antimins), shall make over it, with the book of the Holy Gospels, the sign of the cross. Exclamation. Priest. For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. THE DIVINE LITURGY Choir. Amen. Priest. Let us depart in peace. Choir. In the Name of the Lord. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Then the junior Priest cometh forth, and, standing at the foot of the Tribune, readeth the Prayer before the Tribune. O Lord, who blessest those who bless thee, and sanctifiest those who put their trust in thee : Save thy people and bless thine inherit- ance. Preserve the fulness of thy Church ; sanctify those who love the beauty of thy house ; glorify them in recompense with thy divine might, and forsake not us who set our hope on thee. Give peace to thy world, and to thy Churches, and to thy Priests: and {if in Russia, to our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias), to the Army and Navy, and to all thy people. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh from thee, the Father of Lights. And unto thee we ascribe glory, and thanksgiving, and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Blessed be the Name of the Lord henceforth and forever. (Thrice.) Reader: Psalm xxxiv. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord : Come, ye children, and hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that lusteth to live, and would fain see good days .' Keep thy tongue from evil, and do good : seek peace, and ensue it. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. The coun- tenance of the Lord is against them that do evil, to root out the remem- brance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of all. He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them is broken. But misfortune The Deacon shall stand at the right side of the image-screen [ikonostds), before the holy picture (ikdna) of our Lord Christ, holding his stole in his hand, and with bowed head, until the conclusion of the Prayer before the Tribune. And when this hath been said, the Priest shall enter through the Holy Door, and going to the Table of Oblation, he shall say, secretly, the following Prayer : Thou who art the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets, O Christ our God, and hast accomplished all the dispensa- tion of the Father ; Fill thou our hearts with joy and glad- ness always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. And the Deacon, entering through the north door, shall consume the Holy Gifts, with all rever- ence and awe. THE DIVINE LITURGY shall slay the ungodly, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord delivereth the -souls of his servants, and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. Easter tide. When the Deacon hath consumed the Holy Elements, so that no smallest morsel of the broken Bread is allowed to fall or re- main ; and hath poured into the holy chalice of the water and the wine, and hath wiped away with the sponge all the mois- ture, he shall lay the holy ves- sels together, and set them in their accustomed place, saying : Lord, now lettest thou thy ser- vant depart : . . . ^ ^ ^ And when the Psalm hath been read, the Priest shall say : The blessing of the Lord, through his grace and love towards man- kind, be upon you always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ our God ; glory to thee. Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice^ Master, bless. Easter- Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by ^^- death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. {The Bishop or) the Priest saith the Benediction.* May {Sunday: he who rose from the dead) Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his all-holy Mother ( Wednesday and Friday: through the might of the precious and life-giving Cross), {^Monday: through the intercessions of the honourable Bodiless Powers of Heaven), ( Tuesday : of the honourable and glorious Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, John), of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles {Saturday: of the holy, glorious and right victorious Martyrs ; of our reverend and God-bearing Fathers) ; [according to the Liturgy used : of our Father among the Saints, Basil the Great (?r John Chrysostom), (Thursday : of our Father among the Saints, Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonder-worker), of Saint N. (of the Temple), of Saint N. (of the day), of the holy and righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and loveth mankind. Bishop. At a Pontifical Service : Choir. Eis polld ^ti, Ddspota. Choir. Preserve, O Lord (if in Russia: our most God-fearing Sov- ereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias; and all the Reigning House ; the Most Holy Governing Synod), our Master, the Right Re- verend N., Bishop of N., and all Orthodox Christians, for many years. * For Benedictions at the Feasts, see Special Services of the Feasts. THE DIVINE LITURGY 123 The Priest holdeth the cross for the People to kiss, and distributeth the anti- ddron (24), after which he withdraweth to the Sanctuary, and the Holy Door is closed. And {if he have celebrated without a Deacon) the Priest consumeth the Holy Gifts ; after which he reciteth the Post-Communion Prayers. Glory to thee, O God. {Thrice.) I thank thee, O Lord my God, that thou hast not rejected me, a sin- ner, but hast deemed me worthy to become a partaker of thy Holy Things. I thank thee that thou hast graciously granted unto me, though unworthy, to receive thy pure and heavenly Gifts. But, O Master who lovest mankind, who for our sake didst die, and didst rise again, and hast graciously bestowed upon us these terrible and life-giving Mysteries, for the blessing and sanctification of our souls and bodies : Vouchsafe that they may be efficacious for me also unto the healing of my soul and body, unto the averting of everything contrary thereto ; unto the en- lightenment of the eyes of my heart ; unto the peace of my spiritual powers ; unto faith invincible ; unto love unfeigned ; unto the fulfilling of wisdom ; unto the keeping of thy commandments ; unto the increase of thy divine grace and the attainment of thy kingdom : that by thee preserved in thy holiness I may ever bear in mind thy grace, and live not unto myself, but unto thee, our Master and Benefactor. And so, this life ended in the hope of life everlasting, I may come unto that rest eternal, where the voice of those who keep high festival ceaseth never, and where endless is the sweetness of those who behold the beauty inexpressible of thy countenance. For thou art the true desire and the happiness unutterable of those who love thee, O Christ our God, and every created being shall laud thee unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. Basil the Great. O Lord Christ, God, King of the Ages, and Maker of all men, I thank thee for all the goqd things which thou hast bestowed upon me, and for this Communion of thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries. Therefore I entreat thee, O Good One who lovest mankind, keep me in thy taber- nacle and under the shadow of thy wings ; and grant that, with a pure conscience, even unto my uttermost breath, I may worthily partake of thy Holy Things, unto the remission of my sins, and unto life eternal. For thou art the Bread of Life, the Fountain of all holiness, the Giver of good things ; and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. Simeon Metaphrastis. O thou who, of thine own good will, dost give me thy body as my food ; thou who art a Fire consuming the unworthy : Consume me not, O my Creator. But enter thou rather into my members, into my whole being, all my joints, my reins, my heart. Consume thou the thorns of all mine iniquities. Cleanse my soul. Sanctify my thoughts. Make stable my knees, and my bones likewise. Enlighten my five simple 124 THE DIVINE LITURGY senses. Knit me wholly to the fear of thee. Ever cover me, guard me and keep me from every word and deed which may hurt the soul. Purify me and wash me clean, and bring me into concord. Adorn me, give me understanding and enlighten me. Manifest me as the dwelling of thy one Spirit, and in nowise as the dwelling of sin. That being made thy tabernacle through the reception of thy holy Communion every evil thing, every carnal passion may flee away from me. I offer unto thee as intercessors all the Saints, the Chieftains of the Bodiless Powers, thy Forerunner, the wise Apostles, and joined with them thy Mother pure and undefiled ; whose prayers do thou accept, in thy tender loving- kindness, O my Christ, and make thy servant to be a child of the light. For thou art the only sanctification and splendour of our souls, O Good One, and unto thee, as God and Lord over all, do we, as it behooveth us, every day ascribe all glory. • Another Prayer. May thy holy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, profit me unto life eternal, and thy precious Blood unto the remission of my sins. May this Eucharist be unto me for joy, and health, and gladness, and render me, a sinner, worthy to stand at the right hand of thy glory in thy terrible and second Coming-again ; through the intercessions of thine all-pure Mother, and of all the Saints. Another Prayer, to the Most Holy Birth-giver of God. O all-holy Lady, Birth-giver of our God, of my darkened soul the light, hope, shelter, refuge, the consolation and the joy : I thank thee that thou hast deemed me, all unworthy as I am, worthy to be a partaker of the pure Body and precious Blood of thy Son. O thou who didst bring forth the true Light, enlighten the intellectually-discerning eyes of my heart ; O thou who didst bear the Fountain of Immortality, quicken thou me, who lie dead in sin. O compassionately loving Mother of the merciful God, have mercy upon me, and grant unto me repentance and contrition of heart, and humbleness of mind, and de- liverance from bondage to evil thoughts. And vouchsafe that even unto my last breath I may, without condemnation, receive the sancti- fication of these Holy Mysteries, unto the healing of both soul and body. And grant me tears of penitence and of confession, that I may laud and glorify thee all the days of my life. For blessed art thou and all-glorified unto all the ages. Amen. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. To be a light to lighten the Gentil£s, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE DIVINE LITURGY 125 O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Hymn {Tropdr) of Dismissal, in Tone V. : The grace of thy lips, shining forth like a beacon-fire, hath illu- mined the universe, and hath bestowed upon the world the treasure of non-avariciousness, and hath shown us the height of humility. But as thou instructest us with thy words, O Father John Chrysos- tom, so also intercede thou with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Collect-Hymn {Konddk), in Tone VI. : From heaven hast thou received grace divine, and with thy lips dost thou teach all men to adore the One God in three Persons. O John Chrysostom, all-blessed Saint, we rightly praise thee : for thou art our Teacher, in that thou dost reveal things divine. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. \_But if the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great hath been used, this Hymn {Tropdr), in Tone I. : Thy voice is gone out into all the world, in that it hath received thy word, wherewith thou hast taught in manner well pleasing unto God, hast expounded the nature of existing things, and hast adorned the customs of mankind. O Royal Priesthood, Sainted Father, pray thou unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved. Collect-Hymn {Konddk), in Tone IV. : Thou hast shown thyself a foundation immovable of the Church, dispensing unto all men the dominion inviolate, sealing it with thy decrees, O Saint Basil, who wast manifested from heaven.] Hymn to the Holy Birth-giver of God (^Bogorbditcheti). O Protection of Christians that maketh not ashamed, O Mediatrix never-failing with the Creator : Despise not the sinners' voice of supplication ; but in that thou art good, come speedily to the aid of us who faithfully call upon thee ; make haste to our petition and further our prayer, O Birth-giver of God, who ever protectest them that do thee honour. 126 THE DIVINE LITURGY The Priest and Deacon wash their hands at the appointed place ; and having done reverence together, the Priest shall pronounce the Dismissal. And giving thanks unto God for all things, they shall say, also, the proper Hymn for the Day. Then ; Lord, have mercy. ( Twelve times) More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE OFFICE OF THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED (GIFTS) * PREFATORY NOTE During the Holy and Great Fast, when the Priest is to celebrate the Liturgy of THE PRESANCTIFIED, at the Office of Oblation Oil the Sunday preceding, (l) after he hath cut the first altar-bread, and sacrificed and pierced it (as indicated ih the Ritual of the preceding Liturgy), he cutteth the extra breads, saying over each one of them these -words following : In commemoration of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a spotless lamb before its shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth. Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and for its salvation. One of the soldiers did pierce his side with a spear, and straightway there came forth blood and water. And he that saw it bare witness, and his witness is true. Then he poureth the wine and water into the holy chalice, saying the customary words ; and covereth them with the holy veil, and censeth them, repeating the Prayer of Oblation. And then he beginneth the Divine Litmgy and celebrateth as usual. A nd when he is to sign the breads, at the invocation of the Holy Spirit, he saith : Make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ, in the singular, and he doth not speak of the breads in the plural. And when he maketh the oblation, he offereth them all together. And he breaketh only the first bread, and layeth the portion in the holy chalice, and poureth in the warm water as usual. Then, taking the holy spoon in his right hand, he dippeth it in the Holy Blood. With his left hand he taketh one of the breads, and toucheth it with the holy spoon, which hath been wetted with the Holy Blood, in the form of a cross, on the side whereon is depicted the cross, under the soft portion, and placeth it in the tabernacle. Then he doth the saine with the other breads, and placeth them all in the taber- nacle. Thereafter the Priest prayeth as usual, and communicateth as usual, and performeth the Divine Liturgy as usual. When a Priest is to celebrate the Liturgy of the Presanctified, after he hath read the Entrance Prayer, as ill the ordinary Liturgy (ex- cept : Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord : at the end of the Hours and the Typical Psalms, and what is generally read before the Liturgy X) he entereth the Chapel of Obla- tio7i, and vesteth himself, signing with the cross a7id kissing each vestment, but saying nothing as he doth so, except: Lord, nave At a Pontifical Service the Bishop Bishop. is met in the usual manner, and the usual Entrance Prayers are read, with the exception of: Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord. He is vested, as usual, in the centre of the Temple, but without the Versed, and only with the exclamations : Let us pray to the Lord. Before Vespers is begun, the Bishop standeth in his place, in the centre of the Temple, and bestoweth his blessing on the Rector and the Deacon ^ * For Explanation of the Symbolism, see Appendix B, V. t See the ordinary Liturgy. 128 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED mercy : over each of them. And the Deacon, taking the time from him, goeth and iaketh his stand at his appointed place, and (the Holy Door being closed, and the curtain draivn aside), exclaim- eth: ^ to begin Vespers, he himself rem.ain- ing on his dais until the Little En- trance. The Priest readeth the Prayers of Light in the Sanctuary. The Holy Door is opened at the Ex- cla>nations, and during the Litanies, but remaineth closed the rest of the time until the Entrance. Deacon. Bless, Master. Priest. Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. C/ioir. Amen. Reader. O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us wor- ship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. Then the Preliminary Psalm, civ., is read. And in the m.ean while the Priest reciteth in front of the Holy Door the Prayers of Light (see Vespers) ; that is to say, the Vesper Prayers, beginning with the fourth Prayer ; the first three being said later on, after the Litanies. (The Priest enter eth the Sanctuary^ And when the Psalm is finished, the Deacon saith the Great Litany. Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : ^ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : IJ For this holy Temple, and for all those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : 5^ For our Holy Synod (or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Archbishop, or Metropoli- tan), N., for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity : ]J Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the eletnents and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). That he will aid them, and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary : 5> For this city, for this holy Temple, and *n And the Priest re- citeth, secretly, the Prayer of the First Antiphon (The first of the Vesper Prayers). O Lord, bounti- ful and compas- sionate, long-suf- fering and plente- ous in mercy, give ear unto our prayer, and attend to the voice of our suppli- cation. Work upon us a sign for good. Lead us in thy way, that we may walk in thy truth. Make glad our hearts, that we may fear thy holy "Name. For thou art great, and doest wonders. Thou alone art God, and among all ^ ^ THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 129 c^ ^_^ ^ ni '.^ ^-^ ^ m r *T3 u P a. v; ^-^ cr p <-h < rr a fti 3 n •-{ •-1 the gods there is none Hke unto thee, O Lord, mighty in mercy, gracious in strength, to aid, and to comfort and save all those who put their trust in thy holy Name. Co for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein : IJ For healthful seasons ; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peace- ful times : ^ For those who travel by sea or by land; for the sick and the suffering; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation : ^ That he will deliver. us from all tribu- lation, wrath, peril and necessity : 5^ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth -giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Reader then readeth the Eigh- teenth Selection of Psalms {Ka- -fisma): First Antiphon {Psalms cxx., cxxiii.). Psalm cxx. When I was in trouble, I called upon the Lord, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What re- ward shall be given or done unto thee, thou false tongue.' even mighty and sharp arrows, with hot burning coals. Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar ! My soul hath long dwelt among them that are en- The Priest unfoldeth the corporal {which lieth upon the Altar), and setteth the holy paten thereon. Then he openeth the tabernacle, and placeth the Presanciified Lamb upon the paten, m.aking a lowly reverence. And the Priest reciteth, secretly, the Prayer of the Second Anti- phon {the second Vesper Prayer). O Lord, rebuke us not in thy dispeasure, neither chasten us in thy wrath : but deal with us according to thy mercy, O Phy- sician and Healer of our souls. Guide us unto the haven of thy will. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the knowledge of thy truth, and vouchsafe that the residue of this day and our whole life may be peaceful and without Co ^ 13° THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED emies unto peace. I labour for peace; but when I speak unto them thereof, they make them ready to battle. sin ; through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints. Oo Psalm cxxiii. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the band of their mas- tery, and as the eyes ef a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us ; for we are utterly despised. Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy; and with the despitefulness of the proud. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. , Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. L For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Reader continueth the Selection of Psalms : The Second Antiphon (Psalms cxxiv., cxxix). Psalm cxxiv. If the Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say ; if the Lord him- self had not been on our side, when men rose up against us ; they had swallowed us up quick ; when they were so wrathfully dis- pleased at us. Yea, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul. The deep waters of the proud had gone even over our soul. But praised be the Lord, who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we are delivered. The Priest, accom- panied by the Deacon holding a taper, or alone, cettseth the Al- tar. Then he saith, secretly, the Prayer of the Third Antiphon {the third Vesper Prayer). O Lord our God, remember us sinners and thine unprofit- able servants, when we call upon thy holy Name, and put us not to shame in our expectation of thy C> THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 131 Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. Psalm cxxix. Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, may Israel now say : yea, many a time have they vexed me from my youth up ; .but they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed upon my back, and made long furrows. But the righteous Lord hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces. Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil will at Sion. Let them be even as the grass growing upon the house-tops, which wither- eth afore it be plucked up ; whereof the mower filleth not his hand, neither he, that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom. So that they who go by say not so much as, The Lord prosper you ; we wish you good luck in the Name of the Lord. The Little Litany. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace . . . Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us . . . Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled . . . {page 130). Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. For thou art our God, the God of mercy and salvation, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Third Antiphon {Psalms cxli., cxlii., cxxx., cxvii.). Choir. Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear me. Receive the voice of my prayer, when I call upon thee. Hear me, O Lord. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Reader. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. O let mercy : but grant us, O Lord, all our petitions which are unto salvation, and vouchsafe that we may love and fear thee with all our hearts, and do thy will in all things. Priest. For thou art a good God, and lov- est mankind, and un- to thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Priest makeih three lowly reverences to the Holy Gifts, setteth the paten on his head, and beareth it to the Table of Ob- lation, preceded '^y the Deacon with the taper and censer. Then, on the Table of Oblation he poureth wine and water into the chal- ice, censeth the star- cover and the veil, and covereth there- with the paten and the chalice, saying the while : Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Then he goeth to the Al- tar, foldeth the cor- poral, and setteth the Gospels thereon. The Priest saith, se- cretly, the Prayer of THE Entrance. In the evening, and 132 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing ; let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them. Let the righteous rather smite me friendly, and re- prove me. But let not their precious balms break my head ; yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness. Let their judges be over- thrown in stony places, that they may hear my words ; for they are sweet. Our bones lie scattered before the pit, like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth. But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God ; in thee is my trust ; O cast not out my soul. Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me, and from the traps of the wicked doers. Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together, and let me ever escape them. Psalm cxlii. I cried unto the Lord with my voice ; yea, even unto the Lord did I make my suppli- cation. I poured out my complaints before him, and showed him of my trouble. When my spirit was in heaviness, thou knewest my path ; in the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked also upon my right hand, and saw there was no man that would know me. I had no place to flee unto, and no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord, and said. Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living. Consider my complaint, for I am brought very low. O deliver me from my persecutors ; for they are too strong for me. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name ; which thing if thou wilt grant me, then shall the righteous resort unto my company. Then shall be sung Hymns to the Martyrs, and Hymns from the Triddion {the HyTnns for the Great Fast\ and from the Miniya. (2) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Hym7i to the Birth-giver of God (Bogordditchen or Dogmdtik), in the proper Tone.* in the morning, and at noon-day we praise thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, and we pray un- to thee, O Lord of all : Direct thou our pray er before thee asincense, and incline not our hearts unto words or thoughts of wicked- ness : but deliver us from all who seek after our souls. For unto thee, Lord, O Lord, lift we up our eyes, and in thee have we trusted. Put us not to shame, O our God. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. * For these Hymns, in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A. THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 133 The Holy D'oor is now opened, and the Entrance is made with the Censer. But when the Gospel is to be read (at the Feast Day of the Temple, or of a Saint), the En- trance is made with the Holy Gospels. At a Pontifical Service the En- Bishop. trance is always made with the book of the Gospels,and in precisely the same manner as the Entrance at the Lit- urgy ; except that the Evening Prayer of the Entrance is read, arid that in place of: O come, let us worship; there is sung : O gladsome radiance : When the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God is finished, the Deacon shall m.ake with the censer the sign of the cross, as he standeth in the middle of the Holy Door, and shall enter the Sanctuary, and shall say, aloud : Wisdom, O believers ! Choir. O gladsome radiance of the holy glory of the Father immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed, Jesus Christ ! In that we now are come unto the setting of the sun, and behold the light of even, we hymn thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. For meet is it that at all times thou shouldest be magnified by voices propitious, O Son of God, who bestowest life. For which cause all the world doth glorify thee. The Priest and the Deacon now go to the High Place. Deacon. Let us attend. Wisdom ! Priest. Peace be unto all. Reader. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Let us attend. The Gradual, in the . . . Tone. The Choir then singeth the Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day, thrice. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from Genesis. Deacon. Let us attend ! The Reader then readeth the Lesson, as appointed. {The Holy Door is closed^ When the Lesson from Genesis is finished, the Holy Door is opened. And the Reader jaith, and the Choir repeateth, in the usual manner, the Second Gradual (Prokimen). The Deacon exclaimeth : Command ! And the Priest taketh the candlestick with its taper, and the censer, in his hands. If it be a Pontifical Service, Bishop. the Bishop taketh the trikiri and the censer, and standing before the Holy A Itar, and making therewith the sign of the cross, he exclaim.eth : Wisdom, O believers ! Then, turning to the People, he saith : The light of Christ illumineth all men. (3) And the People kneel. Deacon. Wisdom! (The Holy Door is closed.') Reader. The Lesson from the Proverbs. Deacon. Let us attend ! 134 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED Then the Reader readeth the appointed Lesson. And when he hath finished, the Priest saith : Peace be unto thee. Reader. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! ( The Holy Door is opened.) The Choir then chanteth : Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. 2: O Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear me; give ear unto the voice of my petition, when I cry unto thee. 3 : Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door of enclosure about my lips. 4 : Incline not my heart to the words of wicked- ness, to contrive excuses for sins. 5 : Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense. And let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. When the Choir chanteth : Let my prayer. (1-5), ait who are present in the Temple, and they who are in the Sanctuary, kneel and pray . And the Priest taketh the censer and censeth before the Holy Altar {verses 1-3); and before the Table of Oblation {verse 4). And during verse 5 he putteth aside the censer, and kneeleth and prayeth. Priest: The Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothful- ness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverence!) But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meekness, of patience, and of love. {Reverence.') Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own transgres- sions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence.) If it be the Feast of a Saint, or of the Temple, then the Priest or the p.„. Deacon saith : * Days. Let us attend ! Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Gradual, in the . . . Tone. Then the Reader readeth the appointed Gradual {Proklmen), and the Choir singeth it, in the usual manner. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from the holy Apostle, N. (to the Romans ; or to the Corinthians ; or otherwise, as appointed). Deacon. Let us attend ! And when it is finished, the Priest saith : Peace be unto thee. Reader. And to thy spirit. to THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 135 And the Priest saith, secretly, the Prayer before the Gospel. Deacon. Wisdom ! Illumine our hearts, O God who lovest Choir. Alleluia. mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our under- standing to the comprehension of the proclamation of thy Gospel. Implant in us, likewise, the fear of thy blessed commandments ; that, trampling down all carnal desires, we may pursue a godly life, both thinking and performing such things as are well pleasing unto thee. For thou art the light of our souls and of our bodies, O Christ our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thy holy, and blessed, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Priest. Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Peace be with you all. People. And with thy spirit. Deacon. The Lesson from the Holy Gospel according to N. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. The Deacon then readeth the Gospel. And when it is finished: Priest. Peace be with thee, who hast announced the tidings. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee. good The Litany of Fervent Peti- tion. Deacon. Let us all say, with all our soul and with all our mind, let us say, Choir. Lord, have mercy. O Lord Almighty, the God of our father?, we beseech thee ; hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee, hearken and have mercy. 5^ {Thrice^ Again we pray for (the Ruler of the Land, Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted^ ; for his might, victory, maintenance, peace, health, salvation ; and that the Lord our God will abundantly aid and prosper them in all things, and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary. 5^ Here the Priest Again we pray for our Holy Synod {or Patri- unfoldeth the arch); for our Bishop (ur Archbishop, or Metro- corporal, except politan), N., and for all our brethren in Christ. B^ '^^ ^pper edge. Furthermore we pray for all their Christ-loving Army and Navy. 5i ^ ^ ;? "^H. ^ And the Priest saith, secretly, the Prayer OF THE Litany of Fervent Petition. O Lord our God, accept this, the fervent supplication of thy servants, and be gracious unto us, according to the multitude of thy mercy. And send down thy bounties upon us, and upon all thy people, who here await the rich mercy which is from thee. Co ^ ft ft) i-i o 136 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED Furthermore we pray for our brethren the Priests ; for or- dained Monks ; and for all our brotherhood in Christ. ^. Furthermore we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable most holy Orthodox Patriarchs, and God-fearing Tzars and Tzari'tzas ; and for the founders of this holy Temple ; and for all our devout fathers and brethren, Orthodox believers, departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord. ^ Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple ; for those who labour in its service ; for the singers ; and for the people here present who await in firm hope thy great and rich mercies. ]J Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. ■I, I- ^< 3 (D 1-! O The Litany of the Catechumens. Deacon. Pray ye unto the Lord, ye Catechumens. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Ye faithful, pray ye unto the Lord for the Catechumens, that the Lord will have mercy upon them. 5; That he will teach them the word of truth. ^ That he will reveal to them the Gospel of righteousness. ^ (Here the Priest unfoldeth the last edge of the corporal) The Priest saith, secretly, the Prayer for the Cate- chumens. O God, our God, the Cre- ator and Maker of all things ; who wiliest that all men should be saved, and should come unto the knowledge of the truth : Look upon thy servants the Catechumens, and deliver them from their ancient errors, and from the wiles of the adversary. And call them unto life eternal, illumining their souls and bodies, and numbering them with thy reason-endowed flock, which is called by thy holy Name. Amen. ^ ^ That he will unite them unto his Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. 5^ Save them, have mercy upon them, succour them, and keep them, O God, by thy grace. 5^ Bow your heads unto the Lord, ye Catechumens. Choir. To thee, O Lord. JExclamation. Priest. That with us they may magnify thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. — Choir. Amen. THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 137 {The Priest maketh the sign of the cross over the corporal with the sponge, which he then kisseth and layeth on one side.) Then the following Exhortation to the Catechumens is said ; but only from Wednesday of the Fourth Week of the Great Fast until the end of the Fast. (4) Deacon. As many as are Catechumens, depart. Catechumens, depart. Ye who are ready for Illumination, depart. Pray, ye who are preparing for Illumination.* Choir. Lord, have mercy. Ye faithful, for these who are preparing for holy Illumination, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That the Lord our God will stablish and strengthen them. ^ That he will illumine them with the light of wisdom and of piety. IJ That he will vouchsafe unto them, in his own good time, the laver of regeneration, the remis- sion of sins, and the garment of The Priest saith, secretly, the Prayer for those who are preparing for illumination. Show the light of thy coun- tenance, O God, upon those who are preparing for holy Illumina- tion, and who desire to put away the defilement of sin. Enlighten their understanding. Establish them in the faith. Strengthen them in hope. Perfect them in love. Make them honourable members of Christ, who gave himself a ransom for our souls. incorruption. IJ; That he will beget them with water and the Spirit. IJ; That he will grant unto them the perfection of the faith. ^ That he will number them with his holy and chosen flock. ^, Save them, have mercy upon them, succour them, and keep them, O God, by thy grace. ^ Ye who are ready for Illumination, bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. For thou art our illumination, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. As many as are preparing for Illumination, depart. De- part, ye who are preparing for Illumination. * Baptism. 138 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED Catechumens, depart. Let none of the Catechumens remain ; but let us who are in the faith again, yet again, in peace pray unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Deacon. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. The Priest saith, secretly, the FIRST Prayer of the Faithful. O God, great and worthy to be praised, who through the life- giving death of thy Christ hast translated us from corruption to incorruption : Deliver thou all our senses from death-dealing carnal desires, setting over them as a good ruler the understanding that is in us. Let our eye have no part in any evil sight ; let our hearing be inaccessible to all idle words ; and let our tongue be purged from unseemly speech. Purify our lips which praise thee, O Lord. Make our hands to ab- stain from evil deeds, and to work only such things as are accept- able unto thee, establishing all our members and our minds by thy grace. Deacon. Wisdom ! Exclamation. Priest. For unto thee are due Father, and to the Son, and to unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. 5 If there be no Deacon, the fol- lowing Litany is omitted. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : IJ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : IJ For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered there- in : ]J That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : ]J D all glory, honour and worship, to the the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and The Priest saith, secretly, the Second Prayer of the Faithful. O Master, holy and exceeding good, we beseech thee, who art rich in mercy, that thou wilt show compassion on us sinners, and render us worthy to receive thine Only-begotten Son and our God, the King of glory. For behold, his most pure Body and his life-giving Blood, entering at this present hour, are about to be spread forth upon this mystical Altar, invisibly escorted by a great multitude of the Heavenly Host. Enable us to partake of them in blamelessness ; that, the eyes of our understand- ing being enlightened thereby, we may become children of the light and of the day. ^ THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 139 Succour US, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Deacon. Wisdom ! Exclamation. Priest. Through the gift of thy Christ, with whom thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. (Here the Holy Door is opened) In place of the Cherubimic Hymn there shall now be sung : Now the Powers of Heaven with us invisibly do minister. For lo ! the King of Glory en- tereth now. Behold the Mystical Sacrifice, all accomplished, is ushered in. {Here the Great Entrance is made.) Let us with faith and love draw near, that we may become partakers of life everlasting. Al- leluia, allduia, alleluia. At a Pontifical Service the Bishop washeth his hands in front of the Holy Door. Then his pall {omofdr) is put on him, and he m.aketh three lowly reverences before the Holy Altar, saying : Now the Powers of Heaven. . . . Then he goeth to the Table of Oblation, and inaketh three rev- erences, saying : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner ; removeth his mitre, giveth his pall to the Dea- con, and censeth the Table of Oblation thrice, after which he giveth the censer to the Proto- Deacon; and taking the air in both hands, he layeth it on the shoulder of the Proto-Deacon. The Bishop then taketh , the holy paten with both hqnds, and having kissed it, he setteth it on the head of the senior Priest, but saith nothing. The Priest kisseth the Bishop's hand. Another Priest, after making a reverence to the Bishop, taketh from him the holy chalice, and kisseth his hand. The other Priests who take part in the celebration carry the cross, the spoon, the spear, and the rest of the holy utensils, and kiss the Bishop'' s hand. And all come forth in the same order as at the Great Entrance in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom or St. Basil the Great. ta A nd while this is being sung the Dea- con entereth the Sanctuary through the north door, and censeth the Holy Altar and the holy oblation and the Priest. And they stand there, saying : Now the Powers of Heaven. . . . And having made three lowly reverences, they go to the Chapel of Oblation; and the Priest bringeth the Holy Gifts, as usual, after he hath made three lowly reverences before the Table of Oblation, saying : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. While the Di- vine Mysteries are being borne in solemn silence from the Chapel of Oblation to the Altar, all the Peo- ple and the Singers, kneeling hum.- bly, render divine reverence to Christ our God, who is in the Holy Mysteries ; for they are presancti- fied. After the Holy Gifts have been brought to the A Itar, all stand, and the Singers finish the Hymn, as indicated : Let us with faith and love draw near ■ After the Holy Gifts have been placed on the Altar, the Priest taketh the veil from the Holy Gifts and the air froTn the shoulder of the Dea- con, approacheth the air to the cen- ser, and covereth therewith with fragraitce the Holy Gifts. 140 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED When the Bishop comeih to the Holy Door, the Proto-Deacon taketh his stand opposite him and censeth hitn. The Bishop, taking the censer, censeth the Holy Gifts thrice, and having made a reverence, he receiveth the holy paten from the head of the Senior Priest, kisseth it, and shoiveth it to the People, without saying a7iything. And the Priest bearing the chalice en- tereth the Sanctuary, saying nothing. But the Bishop setteth the holy chalice ^lpon the Altar. The other Priests enter the Sanctuary without saying anything. The Bishop removeth the air from the shoulder of the Proto-Deacon, holdeth it over the censer, and covereth the paten and the chalice with fragrance, saying nothing. Then he putteth on his mitre, and censeth the Holy Gifts only, and maketh three reverences, atid giveth the censer to the Deacon, without censing any one. And he bestoweth his blessing on the People, as usual, with the dikiri and the trikiri, while the Choir singeth : Eis polM dti, Ddspota. Then the Priest saith, aloud, the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian ; maketh the prescribed reverences, the People kneeling with him. O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothful- ness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverence.) But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meekness, of patience, and of love. {Reverence.) Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own trans- gressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence.) Here the Holy Door is closed, and the curtain is drawn halfway. (5) Then the Deacon goeth to his accustomed place, and saith : Let us complete our evening prayer unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. to kSi ^ and For the Precious Gifts spread forth and sancti- fied : ^ That our God, who loveth mankind, accepting them up- on his holy and most heavenly and supersensual Altar, in the odour of a spiritual sweet savour, will send down upon us in return his divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit : 5^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : 5^ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Cs 1 . &. rc n> 3 r a> n V! The Priest prayeth, secretly. O God of ineffable and in- visible Mysteries, with whom are the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who hast revealed unto us the ser- vice of this Ministry, and hast appointed unto us sinners, through thy great love towards mankind, to offer unto thee gifts and sacrifices for our sins, and for the errors of thy people : Do thou, the same Invisible . King, who doest things great and inscrutable, glorious and marvellous, which cannot be numbered, look up- on us, thine unworthy ser- vants who stand at this Holy THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 141 An evening all perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless : ^ An Angel of Peace, the faith- ful guide and guardian both of our souls and bodies : 5= The pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions : ]J All things which are profita- ble to our souls and bodies, and peace to the world : ^ That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and peni- tence : 5i A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peace- ful ; and a good defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ: ^ Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever- virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. ^ J^ v$- Altar as at the Cherubimic throne, upon which lieth thine Only-begotten Son and our God, in the dread Mysteries spread forth thereon ; and having delivered us and all thy faithful people from every impurity, hallow all our souls and bodies with the sanctifica- tion which cannot be taken away. That partaking with a pure conscience, with faces unashamed, with hearts illu- mined, of these divine, conse- crated Gifts, and being quick- ened through them, we maybe united unto thy Christ him- self, our true God, who hath said : Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him ; that thy Word, O Lord, making its abode in us and accompany- ing our path, we may become the temple of thine all-holy and adorable Spirit, redeemed from every wile of the Devil, wrought either by deed or word or thought ; and may ob- tain the good things promised unto us, with all thy Saints, who in all the ages have been acceptable in thy sight. Exclamation. And vouchsafe, O Lord, that with boldness, and without condemna- tion, we may dare to call upon thee, the God of heaven and our Father, and say : Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you. 142 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. The Priest, bowing his head, prayeth secretly. O God, who alone art good and of tender compassion ; who dwellest on high and regardest the humble of heart : Look with the eye of thy tender loving-kindness upon all thy people, and pre- serve them. And graciously enable us all to partake without con- demnation of these thy life-giving Mysteries : for unto thee have we bowed our heads, in the hope of thy rich mercies. Exclamation. Priest. Through the grace, and bounties, and love towards mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Priest, secretly. Attend, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from thy holy dwelling- place, and from the throne of glory of thy kingdom ; and come and cleanse us, O thou who sittest on high with the Father, and art here invisibly present with us : and graciously vouchsafe, by thy mighty hand, to impart unto us thy most holy Body, and thy most precious Blood, and by us to all thy people. And after the Prayer, the Priest and Deacon make three reverences, saying: O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the Priest, the Holy Gifts being still covered, laying on his hand doth (6) touch the life-giving Bread with great reverence and fear. A nd the Dea- con saith ; Let us attend. The Priest exclaimeth : The Presanctified Holy Things to the holy. Choir. One only is holy, one only is the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. {The rest of the curtain is now drawn.) And when the Priest hath said: The Presanctified Holy Things to the holy: he layeth aside the holy veil, and the Deacon entereth the holy Sanctuary ; and standing near the Priest, he saith : Break, Master, the holy Bread. And the Priest, with great heedfulness, breaketh it into four pieces , saying: Broken and divided is the Lamb of God, which is broken, yet not disunited ; ever eaten, yet never consumed, but sanctifieth those who partake thereof. Co THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 143 And he layeth a portion on the paten, saying nothing : and the Deacon pour- eth the warm water into the chalice, saying nothing. And he standeth a little apart. Then the Priest saith : Deacon, draw near. And the Deacon, approaching, maketh a devout reverence, asking forgive- ness, and saith : Lo, I draw near unto the King immortal, and to God. Impart unto me. Master, the precious and holy Body of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And the Priest, taking a portion of the Holy Mysteries, giveth it to the Dea- con, saying : To N., Deacon, is imparted the precious, and holy, and all-pure Body and Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unto the remission of his sins, and unto life everlasting. A7id the Deacon, having kissed the Priest's hand, shall withdraw, and stand behind the Holy Altar j and bowing his head, he shall pray , like the Priest, 1 believe, O Lord, and I confess. . ; . And the Priest also, taking in the same manner a portion of the Holy Mysteries, saith : The precious and all-holy Body and Blood of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is imparted to me, N., Priest, unto the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. And bowing his head, he prayeth, saying : T believe, O Lord, and I confess, that thou art, in very truth, the Christ the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is, of a truth, thine all-pure Body, and that this is thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I beseech thee, have mercy upon me, and for- give my transgressions, whether voluntary or involuntary ; whether of word or of deed ; whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance. And vouchsafe that I may partake without condemna- tion of thine all-pure Mysteries, unto the remission of my sins, and unto life eternal. Of thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me to-day as a communicant : for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine en- emies, neither like Judas will I give thee a kiss ; but like the thief will I confess thee : Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom. And let not this participation in thy Choir. The Short Canon. O taste, and see how good the Lord is. Alleluia, alleluia, alle- luia. Holy Mysteries be unto judgment upon me, or unto condemnation, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body. And in this manner they partake of the Holy Mysteries, with awe and all godly fear. ^ ^ ^ 144 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED Then he taketh the holy chalice with the veil in both hands, and drinketh from it, saying nothing ; and wipeth his mouth and the holy chalice with the veil which is in his hands, setteth it on the Holy Altar, and saith, secretly, the Prayer of Thanksgiving : We give thanks unto thee, O God, the Saviour of all men, for all the good things which thou hast vouchsafed unto us, and for the Communion of the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ. And we be- seech thee, O Lord, who lovest mankind, to keep us under the shelter of thy wings. And grant that, even to our last breath, we may worthily partake of thy Holy Things, unto the illumination of soul and body, and unto the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. The Deacon doth not drink from, the chalice at this time, but after the Prayer before the Tribune, and after the remaining particles of the Holy Mysteries have been consumed. {But if the Priest celebrate alone, without a Deacon, he, also, doth not drink from the chalice after his Communion, but after the Lit- urgy is finished, and after the Holy Mysteries have been consumed. For if the wine be sanctified by placing in it the particles, yet hath it not been trans- m.uted into the Divine Blood, seeing that the words of consecration are not recited over it in this service, as they are in the Liturgies of Basil the Great and John Chtysosiom.) And the Deacon, taking the holy paten, approacheth if to the holy chalice, and putteth i7i the Holy Gifts, saying nothing. And hav- ing made three reverences, he draweth aside the curtain, and openeth the Holy Door. But if there be Co-mmunicants from the People, the Deacon, having covered the Holy Things as usual, and drawn aside the curtain, and opened the Holy Door, taketh the sacred chalice from the hands of the Priest or the Bishop, and saith : In the fear of God, and with faith, draw near. And the Communion is administered as usual. (As a rule, infants are not adTnitted to this Communion.) Choir. I will bless the Lord at all times. Exclamation. Priest. O God, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Choir. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Taste ye the heavenly Bread and the Cup of Life, and see how good the Lord is. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. And when he hath censed the Holy Things, he giveth the censer to the Deacon. And taking the holy paten, he setteth it 07i the head of the Deacon. And the Deacon, taking it with all reverence, gazeth out through the Holy Door, but doth not say anything ; and he goeth to the Chapel of Oblation, and there setteth it down. Then the Priest taketh' the holy chalice, attd turning towards the Holy Door, he looketh forth upon the People, saying, secretly: Blessed is our God. And aloud : Always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED 145 Andhe beareth the Holy Things to the Chapel of Oblation. Choir. Amen. Let our mouths be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that we may extol thy glory: for that thou hast deigned to make us partakers of thy holy, divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Establish us in thy Sanctification, that all the day long we may meditate upon thy right- eousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Deacon. Having received the divine, holy, pure, immortal, heavenly, life-giving and terrible Mysteries of Christ, O believers, let us worthily give thanks unto the, Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Having besought an evening all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. (Here the corporal is folded, and the book of the Holy Gospels is set upon it.) Exclamation. Priest. For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Let us depart in peace. Choir. In the Name of the Lord. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. The Prayer before the Tribune is then said, aloud : O Almighty Lord, who hast made all created things in wisdom, and by thine inexpressible P.rovidence and great goodness hast brought us to these all-holy days, for the purification of body and soul, for the con- trolling of carnal passions, and for the hope of the Resurrection; who, during the forty days didst give into the hand of thy servant Moses the Tables of the Law, in characters divinely traced by thee : Enable us also, O Good One, to fight the good fight ; to accomplish the course of the Fast ; to preserve inviolate the faith ; to crush underfoot the heads of invisible serpents ; to be accounted victors over sin ; and uncon- demned to attain unto and adore the holy Resurrection. For blessed and glorified is thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. 146 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED The Priest, secretly : Choir. Amen. Blessed be the Name of the Lord henceforth and for ever. ( Thrice. ) And Psalm xxxiv. : I will alway give thanks. . . . {See page I2I.) O Lord our God, who hast brought us to these all-holy days, and hast made us partakers of thy terrible Mysteries : Unite us to thy rational flock, and make us heirs of thy kingdom, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Co Then the Priest cometh forth, and standing in his accustomed place, he saith : The blessing of the Lord, through his grace and love towards man- kind, be upon you always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then he bestoweth the Benediction. May Christ our true God, through the prayers of his all-holy Mother ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; and of Saint N. (the Saint of the day) ; and of our father in the Saints, Gregory Homiliastes, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and loveth mankind. After this Final Benediction, the rest of the ceremony followeth as at the ordinary Liturgy ; except that instead of the Hymns there used, the Hymn here follow- ing is read: Hymn in Tone IV. That which constituteth the verity of things revealeth thee as a Rule of the faith, a Pattern of meekness and a Preceptor of continence to thy flock : wherefore thou, through humility, didst win exaltation, and by poverty didst win wealth. O Father Gregory, sainted Leader, pray thou unto Christ our God, that he will save our souls. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Holy Birth-giver of God. O Protection of Christians that maketh not ashamed, O Mediatrix never-failing with the Creator : Despise not the sinners' voice of sup- plication ; but in that thou art good, come speedily to the aid of us who faithfully call upon thee ; make haste to our petition and further our prayer, O Birth-giver of God, who ever protectest them that do thee honour. END. (General Note. — If a Bishop be the celebrant, he commu7iicateth himself and the Clergy as indicated in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil ; and the Choir chanteth at the usual places : Eis polli dti, D^spota.) THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE* The Priest saith : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. Glory to thee, our God ; glory to thee. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice, and three reverences}) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. ( Three reverences. ) Andifit be during the first week of the Great Fast {Lent), we begin : Psalm lxx. Haste thee, O God, to deliver me ; make haste to help me, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul ; let them be turned backward and put to confusion that wish me evil. Let them for their reward be soon brought to shame, that * Grand Compline is said not only alone, but also in conjunction with Matins (Vespers being said separately) to form the All-Night Vigil Service on the Eves of Christmas and the Epiphany ; and sometimes on the Eve of the Annunciation. 8 148 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE cry over me, There ! there ! But let all those that seek thee be -joyful and glad in thee : and let all such as delight in thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised. As for me, I am poor and in misery : haste thee unto me, O God. Thou art my helper and my redeemer : O Lord, make no long tarrying. And when this is finished, the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is chanted. But otherwise, the beginning is as followeth . Psalm iv. Hear me, when I call, O God of my righteousness : thou hast set me at liberty, when I was in trouble ; have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour, and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after falsehood .' Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly ; when I call upon the Lord he will hear me. Stand in awe, and sin not ; commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still. Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say. Who will show us any good .' Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put glad- ness in my heart, since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil increased. I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest ; for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety. Psalm vi. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation, neither chasten me in thy displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak ; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. My soul also is sore troubled : but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me.' Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul ; O save me, for thy mercy's sake. For in death no man remembereth thee ; and who will give thee thanks in the pit 1 I am weary of my groaning : every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears. My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine enemies. Away from me, all ye that work vanity ; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my petition ; the Ldrd will receive my prayer. All mine en- emies shall be confounded, and sore vexed ; they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly. Psalm xiii. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord ; for ever } how long wilt thou hide thy face from me 1 How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart .? how long shall mine enemies triumph over me.? Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God ; lighten mine 6yes, that I sleep not in death ; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him : for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it. But my trust is in thy mercy, and my heart is joyful in thy salvation. I will THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 149 sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me ; yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest. Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God : lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death ; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. (Thrice, and three reveretices. ) Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Psalm xxv. Unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my soul ; my God, I have put my trust in thee : O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me. For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed ; but such as transgress without a cause shall be put to confusion. Show me thy ways, O Lord, and teach me thy paths. Lead me forth in thy truth, and learn me : for thou art the God of my salvation ; in thee hath been my hope all the day long. Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth ; but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness. Gracious and righteous is the Lord ; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment : and such as are gentle, them shall he learn his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy Name's sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin ; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the Lord.? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is among them that fear him ; and he will show them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord ; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me ; for I am desolate, and in misery. The sor- rows of my heart are enlarged : O bring thou me out of my troubles. Look upon my adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sin. Con- sider mine enemies, how many they are ; and they bear a tyrannous hate against me. O keep my soul, and deliver me ; let me not be con- founded, for I have put my trust in thee. Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me ; for my hope hath been in thee. Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Psalm xxxi. In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust ; let me never be put to con- fusion ; deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me ; make haste to deliver me. And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence, that thou mayest save me. For thou art my strong rock, and ISO THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE my castle : be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name's sake. Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me ; for thou art my strength. Into thy hands I commend my spirit ; for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. I have hated them that hold of superstitious vanities, and my trust hath been in the Lord. I will be glad, and rejoice in thy mercy ; for thou hast con- sidered my trouble, and hast known my soul in adversities. Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy ; but hast set my feet in a large room. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble, and mine eye is consumed for very heaviness; yea, my soul and my body. For my life is waxen old with heaviness, and my years with mourning. My strength faileth me, because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.. I became a reproof among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours ; and they of mine acquaintance were afraid of me ; and they that did see me without, conveyed themselves from me. I am clean forgotten as a dead man out of mind ; I am be- come like a broken vessel. For I have heard the blasphemy of the multitude, and fear is on every side ; while they conspire together against me, and take their counsel to take away my life. But my hope hath been in thee, O Lord ; I have said, Thou art my God. My time is in thy hand ; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Show thy servant the light of thy countenance, and save me for thy mercy's sake. Let me not be confounded, O Lord, for I have called upon thee ; let the ungodly be put to confusion, and l^e put to silence in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speak against the righteous. O how plentiful is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee, even before the sons of men ! Thou shalt hide them privily by thine own presence from the provoking of all men : thou shalt keep them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues. Thanks be to the Lord ; for he hath showed me marvellous great kindness in a strong city. And when I made haste, I said, I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes. Nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, all ye his saints ; for the Lord pre- serveth them that are faithful, and pletiteously rewardeth the proud doer. Be strong, and he shall establish your heart, all ye that'put your trust in the Lord. Psalm xci. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold ; my God, in him will I trust. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pesti- lence. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers ; his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 151 buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noonday. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand ; but it shall not come nigh thee. Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the ungodly. For thou. Lord, art my hope ; thou hast set thine house of defence very high. There shall no evil happen unto thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder : the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him up, because he hath known my Name. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; yea, I am with him in trouble ; I will deliver him and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia : glory to thee, O God. ( Thrice, and three reverences.') Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Then the Choir chanteth the Verses, singing them with sweet melody, slowly and loudly. God is with us : understand, ye nations, and submit yourselves : for God is with us. A nd the second Choir repeateth the same. Then each Choir singeth a Verse in turn. And to each Verse the Refrain is sung : For God is with us. Hear ye, even unto the uttermost ends of the earth : ?; If again ye shall rise up in your might, again shall ye be over- thrown : 5i If any take counsel together, them shall the Lord destroy : B* And the word which ye shall speak shall not abide in you : ^ For we fear not your terror, neither are we troubled : ^ But the Lord our God, he it is to whom we will ascribe holiness, and him will we fear : ^ And if I put my trust in him, he shall be my sanctification : ^ I will set my hope on him, and through him shall I be saved : 5^ Lo, I and the children whom God hath given me : ]J The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light : 5^ And they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, on them hath the light shined : IJ For unto us a son is born, unto us a child is given : 5i And the government shall be upon his shoulder : 5^ o <-t O o c o 152 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE And of his peace there shall be no end : ^ And his Name shall be called in the great Council of the Angels : B> Wonderful, Counsellor : ^ The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace : ^ The Father of the world to come : ^ And when the Verses have been sung by the Choirs alternately, as ordered, there is sung : God is with us : understand, ye nations, and submit yourselves : for God is with us. Then both Choirs sing, once : Glory . . . First Choir. For God is with us. Now, and ever, . . . Second Choir, For God is with us. Then both Choirs. For God is with us. And immediately , the following Hymns : The day is past ; I thank thee, O Lord : Grant me, I entreat thee, that this evening and this night I fall into no sin ; and save me, O my Saviour. Second Choir. Glory . . . The day is past ; I sing praises unto thee, O Master. Grant, I entreat thee, that this evening and this night I may be without guile ; and save me, O Saviour. Both Choirs. Now, and ever, . . . The day is past : I hymn thee, O Holy One. Grant, I entreat thee, that this evening and this night I may be assailed by no temptation ; and save me, O Saviour. The Choirs, in u?tiso9i: With songs unceasing the Bodiless Powers of the Cherubim glorify thee ; the six-winged beings, the Seraphim, with voices perpetual, extol thee exceedingly. With thrice-holy songs, all the Host of the Angels laud thee. For thou art the Father before all worlds, and hast with thee thy Son, who also is from everlasting ; and hast also the Spirit of Life, coequal in honour, and showest forth the Trinity Undivided. O most holy Virgin, Mother of God, and ye eye-witnesses and servants of the Word, with all the company of the Prophets and the Martyrs, who have attained unto life immortal : Pray ye zealously for us all, for all we are in dire distress ; that, being delivered from the wiles of the Evil One, we may loudly sing the Angelic Song : Holy, Holy, Holy Thrice-Holy Lord, have mercy upon us, and save us. Amen. And itnmediately, in a lower voice : I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begot- ten of his Father before all worlds ; Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made. Being of one Essence with the Father ; By whom all things were made ; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 153 came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate ; and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven. And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who pro- ceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified. Who spake by the Prophets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the • Life of the world to come. Amen. Then straightway the All-Holy : O all-holy Sovereign Lady, Birth-giver of God, pray for us sinners. (Thrice.') O all ye heavenly Host of Angels and Archangels, pray for us sin- ners. {Twice.') O holy John, Prophet, and Forerunner, and Baptist of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us sinners. {Twice.') O holy, glorious Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs, and all Saints, pray for us sinners. {Twice.') O ye, our reverend and God-fearing Fathers, Pastors and CEcumenical Teachers, pray for us sinners. {Twice?) Then the Patron Saint of the Church is invoked : O invincible, and ineffable, and divine power of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross, forsake not us sinners. {Twice.) O God, cleanse us sinners. {Twice.) O God, cleanse us sinners, and have mercy upon us. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. {Thrice^ Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Our Father, . . . Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . {See page 147.) And if a Feast 4>e impending, then the Hymns for that Feast are sung. Other- wise, the following Hymns are used : • On Monday and Wednesday Evenings, Tone II. . Lighten mine eyes, O Christ my God, that I sleep not unto death ; lest mine enemy say : I have prevailed against him. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Be thou the defender of my soul, O God, for I walk amid a multitude of snares. Deliver me from them and save me, O Good One: for thou lovest mankind. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And since, through our manifold iniquities, we have no boldness, do 154 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, make fervent entreaty unto him who was born of thee : for the prayer of a mother availeth much unto the benignity of the Master. Despise not the petitions of sinners, O All- Pure One ; for gracious and mighty to save is he who deigned to suffer for us. On Tuesday and Thursday Evenings the following Hymns shall be sung, Tone VIII. . Thou knowest, O Lord my Creator, the sleepless vigilance of mine invisible enemies, and the frailty of my miserable flesh. Into thy hands, therefore, will I commit my spirit. Cover me with the wings of thy goodness, that I sleep not unto death ; and enlighten the eyes of my spiritual understanding, that I may delight in thy divine words : and make me, in a time, acceptable unto thee, to glorify thee in praise, as the only Good One, who loveth mankind. Verse: Look upon me, and give ear unto me, O Lord my God. How terrible is thy Judgment, O Lord, when the angels stand round about, and men are led before thee ; and the books are opened, and deeds are tried ; and all thoughts are searched out. What judgment shall then be awarded unto me, who was <;onceived in sins .■• Who shall quench the flame for me .' Who shall enlighten my darkness, if not thou, O Lord, who showest mercy upon me because of thy love towards mankind } Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Grant me tears, O God, as once to the sinning woman of old : And graciously vouchsafe that I may wash thy feet which delivered me from the path of straying, and that I may offer unto thee an incense of sweet savour, even a pure life, fashioned by my repentance. And so shall I, also, hear thy voice which I long for, saying : Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God. In that I have in thee, O Birth-giver of God, that hope which maketh not ashamed, I shall be saved ; in that I possess thy intercession, O All-Pure One, I will not fear. I will follow hard afte# mine enemies, and put them to flight, invested only, as it were in a cuirass, with thy protection and all-powerful aid. Fervently imploring I cry unto thee : O Lady, save me by thy prayers, and raise me up again from gloomy sleep to glorify thee in song, by the might of the Son of God, who through thee was made flesh. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.) Glory . . . now, and ever . . . More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 155 Bless, Father, in the Name of the Lord. Priest. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, have mercy upon us, O Lord Jesus Christ our God. Amen. Then shall this Prayer of St. Basil the Great be said : O Lord, Lord, who deliverest us from all the arrows that fly by day, deliver thou us, also, from all the things that infest the darkness. Accept our evening sacrifice, even the lifting-up of our hands. Grant that we may pass through the course of the night without sin, untempted of evil things ; and deliver us from every alarnn and cowardice that cometh to us from the Devil. Grant unto our souls contrition, and unto our minds anxiety concerning that strict searching out of the thoughts which shall come in the dread and just Day of Judgment. Nail our flesh to the fear of thee, and mortify our earthly members : that, in the quietness of sleep, we may be illuminated by the vision of thy judg- ments. Remove from us, also, every unseemly imagination and hurtful carnal passion. Raise us up again at the hour of prayer fortified in the faith, and advancing in thy commandments ; through the favour and goodness of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art glorified, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then immediately the Priest shall exclaim : O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us wor- ship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. ( Three reverences. ) Psalm ll Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight ; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make 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. O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health, and my iS6 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall show thy praise. For thou desirest no sacri- fice, else would I give it thee ; but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, God, shalt thou not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion : build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and obla- tions : then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. Psalm cii. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble ; incline thine ear unto me when I call ; O hear me, and that right soon. For my days are consumed away like smoke, and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand. My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass ; so that 1 forget to eat my bread. For the voice of my groaning, my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh. I am become like a pelican in the wilder- ness, and like an owl that is in the desert. I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow, that sitteth alone upon the house-top. Mine enemies revile me all the day long; and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me. For I. have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping ; and that, because of thine indig- nation and wrath ; for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down. My days are gone like a shadow, and I am withered like grass. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever, and thy remembrance throughout all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion ; for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come. And why .■" thy servants think upon her stones, and it pitieth them to see her in the dust. The heathen shall fear thy Name, O Lord : and all the kings of the earth thy majesty ; when the Lord shall build up Sion, and when his glory shall appear ; when he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute, and despiseth not their desire. This shall be writ- ten for those that come after, and the people which shall be born shall praise the Lord. For he hath looked down from his sanctuary: out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth ; that he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity, and deliver the children appointed unto death ; that they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion, and his worship at Jerusalem ; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord. He brought down my strength in my journey, and shortened my days. But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age ; as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations. Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt, endure : they all shall wax old as doth a garment ; and as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they Shall be changed ; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 157 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight. The Prayer of Manasses, King of Judah. O Lord Almighty, thou God of our fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, and of their righteous seed ; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the firmament thereof ; who hast bound the sea with the word of thy commandment ; who hast shut up the deep and sealed it with thy terrible and glorious Name : All creatures fear thee, yea, they do tremble before the presence of thy power ; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and not to be resisted is the anger of thy threatening toward sinners; but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearch- able. For thou art the Lord most high, of tender compassion, long- suffering, rich in mercy, and grievest over the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy loving-kindness, hast pro- mised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against thee ; and in the plenitude of thy compassions hast appointed repent- ance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou, therefore, the Lord God of Hosts, hast not appointed repentance to the just, to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, who have not sinned against thee ; but thou hast appointed repentance to me a sinner : for my sins are more in number than the sands of the sea. My transgressions are multiplied, Lord, my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, so that I cannot lift up my head by reason of my sins, neither have I any respite : for I have provoked thy wrath, and have done that which is evil in thy sight : I have not done thy will, neither have I kept thy commandments. Now, therefore, I bow the knees of my heart, supplicating grace of thee. 1 have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniqui- ties : but I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not together with mine iniquities, neither preserve thou thy divine wrath against my evil deeds forever ; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou, O Lord, art the God of those who are penitent ; and in me wilt thou manifest all thy goodness ; for thou wilt save me, unworthy though I be, because of thy great mercy, and I will praise thee henceforth, all the days of my life. For all the Host of heaven doth sing thy praise, and thine is the glory, unto ages of ages. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . {See page 147.) {Thrice, with three reverences.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. ( Thrice.) Our Father, . . . Lord, have mercy. ( Twelve times. ) Glory . . . now, and ever . . . Then shall be sung., in Tone VI., the following Hymns : Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us. For we sinners, 158 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE void of all defence, do offer unto thee this petition, as unto our Master : Have mercy upon us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, O God, for we have put our trust in thee. Be not exceeding wroth with us, neither call to mind our iniquities ; but look down upon us now, also, in thy loving-kindness, and deliver us from our enemies. For thou art our God, and we are thy people, we are all the work of thy hands, and we call upon thy Name. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditchen). Open unto us the gate of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Birth-giver of God. In that we have set our hope on thee, may we not fail ; but through thee may we be delivered from adversities; for -thou art the salvation of the race of Christians. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.) . . Glory . . . now, and ever . . . More honourable than the Cherubim, . . . {See page 154.) In the Name of the Lord bless. Father. Priest. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Amen. And the Prayer : O Sovereign Master, God, O Father Almighty, O Lord, the Only- begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power, have mercy upon me, a sinner ; and by means which are known unto thee, save me, thine unworthy servant : for blessed art thou unto ages,of ages. Amen. Then: O come, let us worship . . . {See page 147.) And then shall be read {except when the Great Canon is used) : Psalm lxx. Haste thee, O God, to deliver me ; make haste to help me, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul ; let them be turned backward and put to confusion that wish me evil. Let them for their reward be soon brought to shame, that cry over me. There ! there ! But let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee : and let all such as delight in thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised. As for me, I am poor and in misery : haste thee unto me, O God. Thou art my helper, and my redeemer : O Lord, make no long tarrying. Psalm cxliii. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire ; hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake. And enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul ; he hath smitten my life down THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 159 to the ground ; he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, and my heart within me is desolate. Yet do I remember the time past : I muse upon all thy works ; yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee ; my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon ; for my spirit waxeth faint : hide not thy face from me, lest I be like ufito them that go down into the pit. O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning ; for in thee is my trust : show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies ; for I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee ; for thou art my God : let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name's sake ; and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that vex ray soul ; for I am thy servant. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord, O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Every night will I give thanks unto thee : and praise thy Name for ever and ever. Lord, thou hast been our refuge, from one generation to another. I said. Lord, be merciful unto me : heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. I flee unto thee. Teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God. For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light. O continue forth thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is thy Name forever. Amen. Let thy mercy, be upon us, O Lord, even as we have set our hope on thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord ; teach me thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Master ; make me to understand thy commandments. Blessed art thou, O Holy One ; enlighten me with thy precepts. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever : O despise not the works of thy hands. To thee belongeth worship, to thee belongeth praise, to thee belongeth glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, unto ages of ages. Amen. If it be the Eve of Christmas, the Epiphany, or the Annunciation, then shall be sung the Canon of the Saint of the day, or of the Birth-giver of God. i6o THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE And at the conclusion of the Canon and the Hymns : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . {Thrice, with three reverences.') Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. {Thrice) Our Father, . . . For thine is the kingdom, . . . Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . {See page 147.) Then shall be sung, in Tone VI. . O Lord of Hosts, be with us, for beside thee we have no other helper in adversity. Have mercy upon us, O Lord of Hosts. Psalm cl. First Choir, Verse i : O praise God in his holiness : praise him in the firmament of his power. Refrain. O Lord of Hosts, be with us ; for beside thee we have no other helper in adversity. Have mercy upon us, O Lord of Hosts. Second Choir, Verse 2 : Praise him in his noble acts : praise him according to his excellent greatness. And the Refrain after every Verse. Praise him in the sound of the trumpet : praise him upon the lute and harp. Praise him in the cymbals and dances : praise him upon the strings and pipe. Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals : praise him upon the loud cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. O praise God in his holiness : praise him in the firmament of his power. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. O Lord, if we had not thy Saints as our intercessors, and thy gracious loving-kindness which showeth mercy upon us, how should we presume, O Saviour, to sing unto thee, whom the Angels unceasingly do glorify in song .■• O thou who knowest hearts, spare thou our souls. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Exceeding great, O Birth-giver of God, is the multitude of my transgressions ; I have fled unto thee, O Pure One, entreating salva- tion. Visit thou my feeble soul, and pray to thy Son and our God that he will grant me remission of the terrible deeds which I have wrought, O Only-Blessed One. O all-holy Birth-giver of God, forsake me not all the days of my life : Give me not over to the protection of men, but do thou thyself defend me and have mercy on me. In thee put I my whole trust, O Mother of God : Keep me under thy protection. Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.) Thou who, at all times and at every hour, . . . {See page 51.) Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . More honourable than the Cherubim, . . . {See page 154.) THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE i6i Bless, Father, in the Name of the Lord. Priest. God, be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us. Then we make three great reverences, and recite the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. (See page 41.) Then: O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . (Thrice, with three reverences.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . O all-holy Trinity, . . . Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Our Father, . . . For thine is the kingdom, . Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times.) Glory . . now, and ever, . . . (See page 147.) And the Prayer of Supplication to the Most Holy Birth-giver of God, of Paul, a Monk of the Monastery of the Benefactress. O Virgin, pure, spotless, incorrupt, undefiled, all-pure ; thou Bride of God and Sovereign Lady, who didst unite the Word of God with men through thy most glorious birth-giving, and hast yoked the apostate nature of our race with the heavenly ; who art the sole hope of the hopeless, and the helper of the assailed, a speedy defender of those who flee unto thee, and the refuge of all Christians : Hold not in loathing me, a sinner and polluted, who have made myself of no worth through my shameful thoughts, and words, and deeds, and who, through sloth- fulness of mind have been a slave to the carnal lusts of life. But, in that thou art the Mother of the God who loveth mankind, have com- passion upon me, a sinner and a prodigal, and accept my prayer which is offered unto thee with lips impure ; and exercising thy maternal bold- ness, importune thou thy Son, who is also our Master and our Lord, that he will open unto me also the compassionate loving-kindness of his goodness, and disregarding my countless wickednesses, will turn me again unto repentance, and show me forth a well-skilled doer of his commandments. And be thou ever present with me, in that thou art gracious, and pitiful, and full oi loving-kindness : For thou art a fer- vent Mediatrix and Helper who, in this present life, repellest theassaults of adversaries, and guidest me unto salvation, and at the hour of death carest diligently for my wretched soul, driving far from it the dark forms of evil spirits ; and in the dread Judgment Day thou shalt deliver me from punishment eternal, and shalt manifest me an heir of the glory ineffable of thy Son and our God : All which I shall obtain, O Lady and most holy Birth-giver of God, by thy mediation and inter- cession, through the mercy and love toward mankind of thine Only- begotten Son, to whom are due all glory, honour and worship, together with his Father, who is from everlasting, and his all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Another Prayer, To our Lord Jesus Christ, by Antiochus, a Monk of the Monastery of the Pandect. And grant unto us, O Master, as we lay us down to sleep, repose i62 THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE both of body and of soul, and preserve us from the gloomy slumber of sin, and from every dark and nocturnal sensuality. Calm thou the impulses of carnal desires : quench the fiery darts of the Evil One which are craftily directed against us. Assuage the rebellions of our flesh. Still our every earthly and material anxiety ; and vouchsafe unto us, O God, a watchful mind, a chaste reason, a sober heart, sleep gentle and free from every vision of the Devil ; and raise us up again at the hour of prayer, strengthened in thy precepts, and holding steadfastly within us the memory of thy commandments. Grant that all the night long we may sing praises unto thee, and that we may hymn, and bless, and glorify thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O exceeding glorious, ever-virgin Mother of Christ our God, bear thou our petitions unto thy Son and our God, and implore thou him that, through thee, he will save our souls. Another Prayer., by St. loannikius . The Father is my hope ; the Son is my refuge ; the Holy Spirit is my protector. O Holy Trinity, glory to thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. And immediately the Priest saith, aloud, while we kneel humbly : O Master, great in mercy. Lord Jesus Christ our God : through the prayers of our all-pure Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary ; through the might of the precious and life-giving Cross ; through the prayers of the Bodiless Powers of Heaven ; of the honourable, glo- rious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; of the holy, glorious and gloriously triumphant Martyrs ; of our venerable and God-bearing fathers ; of the holy, right- eous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna ; and of all the Saints : Make our prayer acceptable. Grant unto us remission of our iniquities. Hide us under the shadow of thy wings. Drive far from us every foe and adversary. Give peace to our life. Have mercy upon us and upon thy world, O Lord, and save our souls, in that thou art merciful and lovest mankind. / Then the Superior maketh a reverence to the earth {if it be in a tnottastery), and saith to the Brethren : Bless me, holy Fathers. Pardon me, a sinner. And ^he Brethren : May God pardon thee, holy Father. Let us pray for our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N., for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the laity : Choir. Lord, have mercy. D r o a- <: THE OFFICE OF GRAND COMPLINE 163 //ere follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authori- ties (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted). For the welfare and strengthening of the Christ-loving Army and Navy: IJj For our Father (N)., and for all our brethren in Christ : IJ For those who hate us and who love us : ]J For those who are kind to us and who serve us : IJ For those who have enjoined us to pray for them, unworthy though we be : ^ For the release of prisoners : ^ For our departed fathers and brethren : ]J For those who sail upon the sea : ]J For those who lie sick : ]J Let us pray, also, for abundance of the fruits of the earth : ]J And for every soul of Orthodox Christians : ^ Let us intercede for our God-fearing Tzars : % For Orthodox Bishops, and for the wardens of this holy Temple (or habitation) : IJ For our parents and brethren, and for all Orthodox believers, de- parted this life before us, who here, and in all the world, lie asleep in the Lord : ]J Superior. Let us say also for ourselves. We. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.') Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. And we go forth after we have said this Prayer : Forgive, O Lord who lovest man, those who hate us, and those who have wronged us. Do well unto those who do well. Grant unto our brethren and our kin those petitions which are unto salvation and life eternal. Visit the sick, and grant them healing. Guide thou those who sail upon the sea. Journey with those who journey. Succour thou our Sovereign. Unto those who have served us and have been kind to us, grant forgiveness of their sins. Upon those who have enjoined us, un- worthy though we be, to pray for them, have mercy, according to thy great gopdness. Have in remembrance, O Lord, our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep, and give them rest where the light of thy coun- tenance shall visit them. Remember, O Lord, our brethren who are in captivity, and release them from all the difficulties which beset them. Remember, O Lord, those who bring gifts, and the benefactors of thy holy churches, and grant them those petitions which are unto salvation and life eternal. 'Remember, also, O Lord, us, thy humble, and sinful, and unworthy servants, and illumine our minds with the light of thy wisdom, and guide us in the way of thy commandments. Through the prayers of our all-pure Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, and of all thy Saints : For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. SPECIAL SERVICES VARIABLE PORTIONS OF THE SERVICES ON THE GREAT FEASTS IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF THE CHURCH YEAR THE NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH- GIVER OF GOD At the All- Night Vigil. The Stanza {Stikhira) for : Lord, I have cried : In Tone VI. To-day hath God who sitteth on supersensual thrones prepared for himself upon earth a holy throne. He who in wisdom established the heavens hath, in his love toward mankind, made a living heaven ; for from a barren root hath he made to bourgeon forth to us a life-bearing garden, even his Mother. Thou who art the God of wonders, and the hope of the hopeless, O Lord, glory to thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And again the Stanza: To-day hath God who sitteth . . . The Gradual (^Prokimen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Genesis xxviii. 10-17 j Ezek. xliii. 27, xliv. 1-4; Prov. ix. i-ii. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone VIII. {by Patriarch Sergius). On this blessed illustrious day of our Feast, let us sound the spiritual trumpets : for she who is of the seed of David is born this day as the Mother of Life, dispersing darkness ; who also is the renewal of Adam and the recall of Eve, the fountain of incorruption, and the annihilation of corruption ; through whom, also, we have become godlike, and have been delivered from death. And unto her, with Gabriel, let us cry, O ye faithful : Hail, thou that art full of grace ! The Lord is with thee, for thy sake giving unto us great mercy. The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr), in Tone TV. Thy holy Nativity, O virgin Birth-giver of God, hath proclaimed joy unto all the universe; for from thee is risen the Sun of Righteousness, even Christ our God. And having destroyed the curse, he hath bestowed a blessing; and having brought Death to naught, he hath given unto us life eternal. The Exaltation ( Veliichdnie). We magnify thee, O most holy Virgin, and do homage to thy holy Parents, and exalt thy glorious Nativity. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. I will call to remem- brance thy name from generation to generation. Verse (Stikh) : My heart is inditing of a good matter. NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD 165 Verse : Praise ye God in his Saints. The Gospel. Luke i. 39-49, 56. THE CANON. The First Cano?i. Tone II. {St. John of Damascus.) Theme-Songs {Irmost). I. Come, O ye people, let us sing a song unto Christ-God, who parted asunder the Sea, and guided through it the nation which he had brought forth from the bondage of Egypt : for gloriously hath he been glorified. III. Establish us in thee, O Lord, who through the Tree didst anni- hilate sin, and implant the fear of thee in the hearts of us who sing praises unto thee. IV. I have heard, O Lord, the fame of thy dispensation, and have glorified thee, who alone lovest mankind. V. O thou who didst dispel the dim obscurity of the dark sayings in the Scriptures, and didst illumine the hearts of the faithful by the advent of truth through the God-Maiden : Guide thou us, also, by thy light, O Christ. VI. From within the whale Jonah cried unto the Lord : Lead me forth, I beseech thee, from the depths of Hell unto thee ; that unto thee, as the deliverer, with the voice of praise, and in the spirit of truth, I may offer sacrifice. VII. The bush which upon the mount burned with fire and the Chaldaean furnace which dropped dew, clearly foreshadowed thee, the Bride of God : for, unconsumed by the flame, thou didst receive the immaterial Fire Divine in thy material womb. For which cause we cry unto him who was born of thee : Blessed be thou, O God of our fathers. VIII. In the furnace of the Children thou didst, of old, foreshadow thy Mother, O Lord, and this foreshadowing saved from the fire those who walked in the midst thereof unconsumed. Her who, through thee, is manifested unto the ends of the world, to-day we hymn and magnify exceedingly. IX. Thee, who from thy Virgin womb didst incarnate God, the Light which shone forth before the Sun was made, and came down to us in the flesh, O blessed, all-pure Birthgiver of God, we magnify. In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord : the Refrains : Magnify, O my soul, the most glorious Nativity of the Mother of God. Magnify, O my soul, Mary the Virgin, who of the barren one was born. At the Liturgy. The Introit: The Hymn for the Day. {See page 164.) The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). Joachim and Anna were delivered l66 NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD from the reproach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the cor- ruption of death, at thy holy Nativity, O All-pure One. This do thy people celebrate, being redeemed from the guilt of transgressions, when they cry unto thee : The barren giveth birth to the Birth-giver of God and the Nourisher of our Life. The Gradual [Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Verse {Stikh)': For he hath regarded the lowliness of his hand- maiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. The Epistle. Phil. ii. 5-1 1. Alleluia. {Tone VIII.) Hearken, O Daughter, and behold, and incline thine ear. Verse : A rich nation shall worship before thy presence. The Gospel. Luke x. 38-42, xi. 27, 28. The Hymn in place of: Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song of the Second Canon. Alien to mothers is virginity, and strange unto virgins is child-birth ; in thee, O Birth-giver of God, were both achieved. Wherefore all we nations of the earth unceasingly do magnify thee. The Comm.union Hymn. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. THE ELEVATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF THE LORD (the I4TH OF SEPTEMBER. A STRICT FAST.) At the Ail-Night Vigil The Stanza {Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried : In Tone VI. The Cross, being set up, doth command every created being to sing the most pure Passion of him who was lifted up thereon. For having upon the same slain him who had slain us, he endowed with life those who were slain, and adorned them, and vouchsafed that they might dwell in heaven, forasmuch as he is compassionate, through the rich abundance of his goodness. Wherefore, rejoicing, let us exalt his Name, and magnify his exceeding condescension. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O come, all ye nations, let us adore the blessed Tree, through which the righteousness eternal hath come to pass : for he who beguiled our forefather Adam with the tree is himself beguiled by the Cross, and he who, like a tyrant, did lord it over that which the King had fashioned, falleth, being overthrown by a downfall strange. The poison of the ser- pent is washed away by the blood of God, and the curse of just condem- nation is abolished, in that the Righteous One hath been condemned by unrighteous judgment : for it was meet that the tree should be healed by the Tree, and that by the passion of the Passionless One upon the Tree, the passions of the condemned one should be destroyed. But glory, O Christ our King, unto thy wise providence to usward, whereby thou hast saved all men, forasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind. The Gradual {Proktmen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Exodus xv. 22-27, xvi. i ; Prov. iii. 11-18 ; Isaiah Ix. 11 -16. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone I. To-day, of a truth, hath the sacredly prophetic saying of David received its fulfilment ; for lo ! we visibly bow down before the footstool of thine all-spotless feet, and putting our trust under the shadow of thy wings, O all-bountiful One, we cry aloud unto thee : Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Exalt thou the horn of thine Orthodox people through thy precious Cross, O greatly merciful Christ. The Hymn ( Tropdr), in Tone I. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, grantingvictory over enemies unto our Sovereign, N., and through thy Cross preserving thine Estate. {Thrice.) l68 ELEVATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF THE LORD The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and do homage to thy holy Cross, whereby thou hast saved us from the works of the enemy. The Gradual {Prokunen), in the Fourth Tone. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Verse [Stikh) : Sing unto the Lord a new song, for the Lord hath done marvellous things. Verse: Praise ye God in his Saints. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. The Gospel. John xii. 28-36. THE CANON. The First Canon. Tone VIII. (St. Cosmas of Maium.) Theme-Songs (Irmosi'). L Moses, having with his rod made a long line, divided the Red Sea for Israel journeying on foot ; and having again struck the same with a transverse blow, thus tracing the Cross which is the weapon invincible, he united it against the armies of Pharaoh. Wherefore we sing unto Christ our God, for he hath been glorified. III. The Rod is accepted as the symbol of a mystery; for by its budding-forth it designated the Priest ; and in the Church, which of late was barren, there now hath budded forth the Tree of the Cross for her power and strengthening. IV. I have given heed to the mystery of thy dispensation, O Lord, I have understood thy works, and have glorified thy divinity. V. O Tree thrice blessed, whereon was crucified Christ our King and our Lord ! Through thee he is fallen who by a tree did beguile, having himself been beguiled by Him who was nailed upon thee in the flesh, even God, who granteth peace unto our souls. VI. Jonah, when he stretched forth his arms in the form of a cross within the belly of the sea-monster, did clearly typify the Redeeming Suffering ; and when he came forth thence after three days, he imaged forth by anticipation the supernatural Resurrection of Christ our God, who was crucified in the flesh, and hath illumined the world by his rising on the third day. VII. The mad behest of the impious tyrant breathing forth threats and horrible blasphemies troubled the people : yet neither the brutal rage nor the roaring fire terrified the Three Children ; but when, as they stood amid the flames, a dew-bearing breath was wafted against it, they sang : Blessed be thou, O God of our fathers, exceedingly praised, and our God! VIII. O Children, in number equal to the Trinity ! Bless ye God the Father, the Creator ; sing ye the Word who came down and turned the fire into dew ; and magnify ye the Spirit all-holy, who giveth life unto all men, unto all the ages. ELEVATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF THE LORD 169 In f lace of: My soul doth magnify the Lord : the Refrains . Magnify, O my soul, the all-precious Cross of the Lord. Magnify, O my soul, the Elevation of tl^e life-giving Cross of the Lord. IX. Thou art the mystical Paradise, O Birth-giver of God, who though untilled didst bud forth Christ, by whom the life-bearing Tree of the Cross was planted upon earth. For which cause, now, at its Elevation, adoring it, we magnify thee. While the Canon is being sung, the Senior Priest putteth on all his vestments, and after the Great Glory (Glory be to God on high) hath been sung slowly and melodiously, and he hath censed all about the Altar whereon lieth the pre- cious Cross, while: h Holy God, Holy Mighty : is being chanted: he placeth the Cross on his head, and making the circuit of the Altar therewith, pre- ceded by a Taper-bearer, he halteth in front of the Holy Door, and having pro- claimed : Wisdom, O believers ! he goeth to the folding-stand, which is in the middle of the Temple, while the Choir chanteth the Hymn : O Lord, save thy people : After this, the Priest^ censeih round about the Cross, and havijig m,ade the customary reveretices, he beginneth : Thy Cross do we adore, O Master, and thy holy Resurrection do we glorify. {Thrice^ The Choir also singeth this thrice ; and the Stanza, in Tone VIII. : To-day is the Master of creation and the Lord of glory nailed upon the Cross, and is pierced in the side, and of gall and vinegar doth the Sweetness of the Church partake. With a crown of thorns is he invested who covereth the heavens with clouds, and with the robe of scorn is he endued ; and he who with his hand did fashion man is smit- ten by a human hand. He who clotheth the heavens with clouds is beaten upon his shoulders, and receiveth spitting and wounds, indignities and buffetings in the face ; and he, my Redeemer and my Saviour, doth endure all these things for the sake of me, the accursed, that He may save the world from guile, forasmuch as he is compassionate. Then the Litanies ; and the Benediction : May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother ; through the might of the precious and life-giving Cross : and so forth, as usual. At the Liturgy. In place of: Bless the Lord, O my soul: Antiphon I., Tone II. Verse i : O God, my God, hear me : why hast thou forsaken me ? Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : Far from my salvation are the words of my transgres- sion : ^ Verse 5 : O my God, I cry in the daytime and thou hearest not, and in the night-season also I take no rest : R Verse 4 : And thou continuest holy, O thou Worship of Israel : ^ I70 ELEVATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS OF THE LORD Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen : ^ Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse i : O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long ? Refrain. Save, O Son of God, who wast crucified in the flesh, us who sing unto thee. Alleluia. Verse 2 : O think upon thy congregation, whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old : ]J Verse 3 : And Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt : IJ Verse 4 : F"or God is our King before the ages : he hath done salva- tion upon earth : 5^ * Glory . . now, and ever. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God ! Thou who art immortal yet didst deign for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary ; and without change of essence wast made man ; who also wast crucified for us, O Christ our God, tram- pling down Death by death ; who art one of the Holy Trinity, and art glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit : Save us. Antiphon III, Tone I. Verse i : The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient. Refrain : The Hymn for the Day ( Tropdr). O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting victory over enemies unto our Sovereign, N., and through thy Cross preserving thine Estate. Verse 2 : The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient : he sitteth between the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet : ]J Verse 4 : The Lord is great in Zion, and high above all people : 5> In place of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty : 77^1? Introit. O magnify the Lord our God, and fall down before his footstool, for he is holy. Thy Cross do we adore, O. Master, and thy holy Resurrection do we glorify. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). Do thou who, of thine own good will, . . {See page 61). The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone (the same as the Introit). Verse: The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient. Alleluia. ( To7te I. ) Verse: O think upon thy congregation, whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old. Verse: God is our King before the ages: he hath done salvation upon earth. , The Epistle, i Cor. i. 18-24. The Gospel John xix. 6-1 1, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35. The Communion Hymn. The light of thy countenance hath been showed upon us, O Lord. THE ENTRANCE INTO (PRESENTATION IN) THE TEMPLE OF OUR MOST HOLY LADY, THE BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD AND EVER-VIRGIN MARY At the All-Night Vigil Service. The Stanza {Stikhird) for : Lord, I have cried : In Tone I. To-day let us faithful exult, singing unto the Lord in psalms and songs, and doing honour unto his holy Tabernacle, the Ark imbued with life, which containeth the uncontainable Word : for in wise supernatural is she brought unto the Lord, being still of tender age in the flesh, and Zach- arias, the High Priest, doth with joy receive her, as the abode of God. (Twice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. After thy nativity, O Lady, Bride of God, thou didst come into the temple of the Lord, as one consecrated, to be reared in the Holy of Holies. Then, also, was Gabriel sent unto thee, O all-undefiled One, bearing jiourishment unto thee. All the powers of Heaven were amazed when they beheld the Holy Spirit take up its abode in thee. Wherefore, O most pure and undefiled Mother of God, who art glori- fied in heaven and on earth, save thou our race. The Gradual (Prokiineii) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Exodus xl. 1-5, 9, 10, 16, 34, 35 ; i Kings viii. I, 3-7, 9-1 1 ; Ezek. xliii. 27, xliv. 1-4. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone IV. To-day is the Tabernacle which containeth God, even the Birth-giver of God, brought into the temple of the Lord, and Zacharias receiveth the same : To-day doth the Holy of Holies rejoice, and the Angelic Choir doth mystically triumph. With them also keeping festival to-day, let us cry aloud with Gabriel : Hail, thou that art full of grace ! The Lord most merciful is with thee. The Hymn for the Day [Tropdr). To-day is the foreshadowing of the beneficence of God which is to come, and the heralding of man's salva- tion. The Virgin is clearly manifested in the temple of God, and in anticipation announceth Christ unto all men. Unto her let us, also, cry, aloud : Hail, thou who art the fulfilment of the Creator's providence ! ( Thrice. ) The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O all-holy Virgin, Maiden chosen by the Lord, and do homage to thy Presentation in the temple of the Lord. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Hearken, O daughter, and behold, and incline thine ear. 172 ENTRANCE OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD Verse (Sttk/i) : My heart is inditing of a good matter. TAe Gospel. Luke i. 39-49, 56. THE CANON. The First Canon. Tone IV. {The Blessed George^ Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. I will open my mouth, and it shall be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a saying to the Queen-Mother ; I will reveal myself, as one keeping high festival, and with joy will I sing her Presentation. III. O Birth-giver of God, Fountain living and inexhaustible, estab- lish thou those who hymn thee, convoked in a spiritual choir, and vouch- safe unto them crowns of glory for thine august Presentation. IV. As he contemplated the unfathomable counsel of God concern- ing the incarnation by a Virgin, of thee, the Most High, Habakkuk the Prophet cried aloud : Glory to thy power, O Lord ! V. All creation marvelled at thine august Presentation ; for thou, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock, didst enter into the temple of God as the Temple most pure, giving peace unto all those who sing thy praises. VI. In celebration of this divine and all-honourable feast of the Mother of God, come, O ye godly-minded, let us clap our hands and glorify God, who was born of her. VII. The godly-minded ones worshipped not the creature rather than the Creator, but valiantly trampling under foot the threatened fire, they rejoiced in song, saying : Blessed be thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceedingly praised. VIII. Hearken, O Maiden, Virgin pure ! Let Gabriel announce the true will of the Most High, which was from of old. Make thou ready to receive God ; for through thee the Uncontainable hath dwelt among men : For which cause I cry aloud with joy : O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord ! IX. Let no hand profane in any wise touch the living Ark of God ; but let the lips of the faithful unceasingly chanting the Salutation of the Angel to the Birth-giver of God, cry aloud with rejoicing : Thou art, in very truth, higher than all men, O Virgin pure ! In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord : The Refrains : The Angels marvelled when they beheld the Presentation of the All- pure One : how that with glory she entered into the Holy of Holies. The Angels marvelled when they beheld the Presentation of the Virgin : how that with glory she entered into the Holy of Holies. O ye Angels and men, let us do homage to the Presentation of the Virgin : for with glory hath she entered into the Holy of Holies. The Angels marvelled when they beheld the Presentation of the Virgin : how she who was well-pleasing unto God did enter into the Holy of Holies. ENTRANCE OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD 173 Ye Angels, with the Saints, leap for joy! Ye Virgins, sing together with exultation ! For the God-Maiden hath entered into the Holy of Holies. O ye Angels and men, let us magnify the Virgin in Hymns : for in godlike wise hath she entered into the Holy of Holies. At the Liturgy. The Introit: The Hymn for the Day. {See page 171.) The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). The all-pure Temple of the Saviour, the most precious Bridal-chamber and Virgin, the Treasure-house of the glory of God, to-day is led into the temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace which is in the Divine Spirit ; whom also the Angels of God do celebrate in song : This is the Abode of Heaven. The Gradual ( Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Verse {Stikh) : For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden : for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. The Epistle. Heb. ix. 1-7. Alleluia. {Tone V HI.) Hearken, O daughter, and behold, and incline thine ear. Verse: A rich nation shall worship before thy presence. The Gospel Luke x. 38-42, xi. 27, 28. The Hym.n in place of: Meet is it : The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon: Let no hand profane . . . {See above.) The Communion Hymn. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST (CHRISTMAS) The faithful prepare themselves for this great Feast by a prolonged Fast, which beginneth on November 15, and is called the Christmas Fast, or the Fast of St. Philip. The Eve of the Feast [Sotchelnik) is dedicated to a specially strict abstinence. On Christmas Eve the customary festival Compline service is celebrated. If the Eve falleth on any day except Saturday or Sunday, then on the morning of that day the Imperial Hours are read, and, later on, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated, preceded by Vespers. But if the day before the Feast be Saturday or Sunday, then the Imperial Hours are read on Friday, while the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on the preceding day (Sotchelnik). If the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great be used on the precediiig day {Sotchelnik) then on the Feast of the A'ativiiy itself the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is used ; a7id contrariwise. The other general differences of this festival service are as followeth : Matins are preceded, not by Vespers, but by Grand Compline : and after the Liturgy, on the day of the Feast, in Russian churches, u service of thanksgiving is celebrated, in commemoration of Russia's victory over Napoleon I. and the French. The Imperial Hours,* to precede Christmas. In addition to many of the Prayers and so forth which are used in the daily Hours, and the Christmas Hymns, the following are read : First Hour. Psalms v., xlv., xlvi. The Parable {Paremiya). Micah V. 2-4. The Epistle. Heb. i. 1-12. The Gospel. Matt. i. 18-25. Third Hour. Psalms Ixvii., Ixxxvii., li. The Parable {Paremiya). Jer. (Baruch iii. 36-38, iv. 1-4). The Epistle. Gal. iii. 23-29. The Gospel. Luke ii. 1-20. Sixth Hour. Psalms Ixxii., cxxxii., xci. The Parable {Paremiyd). Isaiah vii. 10-16, viii. 1-4, 9, 10. 1 he Epistle. Heb. i. 10-14, ii- i~3- The Gospel. Matt. ii. 1-12. Ninth Hour. Psalms ex., cxi., Ixxxvi. /;z Russia, Many Years are proclaimed for the Emperor, the Holy Synod, the Bishop, the Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and others ; and the Choir respondeth : Many years ! ON THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS At the Vespers which immediately precede the Liturgy, the Stanza {Stikhira) for : Lord, I have cried: In Tone II. O come, let us rejoice in the Lord, as we declare this present mystery : The partition wall of disunion hath been destroyed, the flaming sword is turned back, and the Cherubim withdraw from the * The Emperors of Byzantium were wont to attend the Hours on certain of the great Feasts of the Church, which received their name of " the Imperial Hours " from that cir- cumstance, as well as from their extraordinary splendour and importance. THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST 175 Tree of Life, and I partake of the food of Paradise, whence, because of .disobedience, I was expelled. For the Image Immutable of the Father, the Image of his Eternity, taketh the form of a servant, having come forth from a Mother unwedded, yet having suffered no change : for that which he was, that he remaineth, being very God ; and that which he was not he hath assumed, becoming very man because of his love toward mankind. Unto him let us cry aloud : O God, who wast born of a Virgin, have mercy upon us. {Twice.) When Augustus reigned alone upon the earth, the polygarchy of men came to an end : and when thou didst become incarnate of the Pure One, the polytheism of idols was annulled. Under one earthly sway were the cities, and in one dominion of the Godhead did the Gentiles believe. By the command of Caesar were the people inscribed ; and we faithful have been inscribed with the name of the Godhead, of thee our God, who hast become man. Great is thy mercy. O Lord, glory to thee. The Entrance is made with the book of the Holy Gospels, and the Hymn : O gladsome radiance ! . Tke Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Gen. i. 1-13; Num. xxiv. 2, 3, 5-9, 17, 18; Micah iv. 6, 7, v. 2-4 ; Isaiah xi. i-io ; Jer. (Baruch iii. 36-38, iv. 1-4) ; Dan. ii. 31-36, 44-46; Isaiah ix. 6, 7, vii. 10-15, viii. 1-4, 9-1 1. , The Little Litany : Again, yet again, in peace . . . : with the Excla- mation : For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Gradual {Prokimeii), in the First Tone. The Lord said unto me. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Verse {Stikh) : Ask of me, and I will give the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. The Epistle. Heb. i. 1-12. Tke Gospel. Luke ii. 1-20. CHRISTMAS EVE. Compline and Matins. Compline is read in the usual order, with the Hymns atid Collect-Hymn of the Feast in place of the ordinary ones. After: Glory be to God on high: hath been read, the Clergy come forth to the centre of the Temple, and perform the Litiyd, with the Blessing of the Loaves. The Stanzas {Stikhiri) of the Litiyd, in Tone I. Let heaven and earth to-day prophetically exult, and let Angels and men spiritually rejoice : for God hath revealed himself in the flesh unto those who were in darkness and sat in the shadow, and hath been born of a Virgin. The cavern and the manger have received him; Shepherds proclaim the 176 THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST marvel, and Magi from the Orient bring gifts unto Bethlehem. And we, also, with lips unworthy, do bring unto him praise in Angelic wise : Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace : for the Hope of the nations is come, and having come hath saved us from bondage to the enemy. The Hymn at the Blessing of the Loaves, and : God is the Lord : Tone lY. Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath arisen upon the world as the light of wisdom. For at it, they who worshipped the stars were, by a Star, taught to adore thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know thee, the Orient from on high. O Lord, glory to thee. The Exaltation of the Feast. We magnify thee, O Life-giving Christ, who for our sakes now art born in the flesh of the Virgin Mary, un- wedded and most pure. The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Out of the womb, before the morning star, have I begotten thee. The Lord sweareth and will not repent. Verse {Stikh) : The Lord said unto my Lord : Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Gospel Matt. i. 18-25. THE CANON. In Tone I. (Composed by St. Cosmas, about 760.) Canticle I. Theme-Song (Jrmos). Christ is born : extol him ! Christ from heaven : go to meet him ! Christ on earth : be ye lifted up ! Sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth, and praise him in song with joy, O ye people : For he hath glorified himself. Hymns {Tropari). Man who, being made in the image of God, had become corrupt through sin, and was full of vileness, and had fallen away from the better life divine, doth the wise Creator restore anew : For he hath glorified himself. When the Creator beheld man, whom he had made with his hands, about to perish, he bowed the heavens and came down ; and was en- dued with man's nature in very truth, becoming incarnate of a Virgin divinely pure : For he hath glorified himself. The Wisdom, Word, and Might, the Son and Effulgence of the Father, Christ our God, without the knowledge of the supramundane Powers, and the Powers of the earth, is become incarnate and hath renewed us : For he hath glorified himself. Canticle III. Theme-Song {Irmos). Unto the Son who, in wise immortal, was born of the Father before all the ages, and in these latter days is become incarnate without seed of a Virgin, Christ our God, let us cry aloud : O Lord, who hast exalted our horn, holy art thou ] THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST 177 Hymns {Tropari). Adam, mortal, made of clay, yet a participant of the divine inspiration, who had become subject to corruption through a woman's seduction, when he beheld Christ sprung from a woman, exclaimed : Holy art thou, O Lord, who for my sake hast made thyself like unto me. O Christ, who hast conformed thyself unto our base, mortal mould, and by that participation in our lowly flesh hast imparted unto us a share of the nature divine ; who, though thou didst become earth- born, yet didst remain still God, and hast exalted our horn : Holy art thou, O Lord. Rejoice, O Bethlehem, which art King over the princes of Judah; for he who feedeth Israel and is borne on the shoulders of the Cheru- bim is visibly come forth from thee ; and he who exalteth our horn is enthroned over all. Canticle IV. Theme-Song (Irmos). The Rod of the Root of Jesse and its Flower, from a Virgin didst thou bud forth, O most-lauded Christ. From the Mount covered with dense shadow art thou come, being incarnate of a Maid who knew not man, O thou Immaterial One and God : Glory to thy might, O Lord. Hymns {Tropari). Thou, O Christ, the Expectation of the nations, whom Jacob did foretell of old, art risen from the tribe of Judah, and art come to annihilate the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria, turning error into truth meet for God : Glory to thy might, O Lord. By thy rising as a Star from Jacob, O Lord, thou didst fill with joy the wise initiates in the word of Balaam the Prophet of old, the Watchers of the Stars, who were led unto thee as the first-fruits of the Gentiles, and didst manifestly receive them : Glory to thy might, O Lord. Like the rain upon the fleece, and like drops of dew falling upon the earth, O Christ, didst thou descend into the Virgin's womb. Ethiopia and Tarshish, the Isles of Araby, and Sheba of the Midians, the Rulers of all the earth, fell down in adoration before thee, O Saviour : Glory to thy might, O Lord. Canticle V. Theme-Song {Irmos'). O God of peace, the Father of mercies, thou hast sent unto us the Angel of thy Great Council, who giveth peace : where- fore we, in that we have been led unto the light of godly wisdom, waking right early from the night, do sing praises unto thee, O thou who lovest mankind. Hymns {Tropari). In obedience to the command of Caesar, O Christ, thou didst enroll thyself among the slaves, and didst set free us who were slaves of the enemy and of sin ; and didst make thyself a beggar, in every way like unto us ; and through that same union and community didst render the mortal divine. 178 THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST Lo, a Virgin, as it was foretold of old, having conceived in her womb, hath brought forth God incarnate, yet remaineth Virgin still. Let us sinners, in that we have become reconciled unto God through her, mag- nify her in song as the true Birth-giver of the Lord. Canticle VI. Theme-Song {[rmos). The sea-monster cast forth Jonah from its belly unharmed as it had swallowed him. And when the Word took up his abode in a Virgin, and was made flesh, He came forth preserving her undefiled. For in that He Himself suffered not corruption. He pre- served unharmed her who bare Him. Hymns {Tropari). Christ our God, whom the Father begat of his own loins before the morning star, is come in the flesh. He who ruleth the most pure Powers lieth in a manger of dumb beasts, and is wrapped in swaddling-bands of rags ; yet doth he loose the thick-entangled bonds of transgression. Born of Adam's nature and given unto the faithful as a little child is the Son : yet he is also the Father and the Ruler of the world to come, and is called the Angel of the Great Council. He is the mighty God who ruleth the Universe by his power. Collect-Hymn {Konddk). To-day a Virgin bringeth forth the Supersubstantial, and earth offereth a cavern to the Unapproachable ; Angels together with the Shepherds sing praises ; the Wise Men journey on with the Star. For, for our sakes, God, who is before all the ages, is born a little Child. Jkos. Bethlehem hath opened Eden : O come, let us gaze ! We have found nourishment in a secret place : O come, let us receive the things of Paradise within the cavern! There hath appeared the Root Unwatered which buddeth forth remission. There hath been found the Well Un- digged, from which David of old longed that he might drink. There a Virgin hath brought forth a Child ; and straightway the thirst of Adam and of David hath been assuaged. Wherefore let us go unto him where He is born a little Child, yet is God before the ages. Canticle VII. Theme-Song {Irmos). The youths reared together in godliness, despising the unrighteous command, were not terrified by the threat- ened fire, but standing in the midst of the flames did sing : O God of our fathers, blessed art thou. Hymns {Tropari). The shepherds skilled upon the tuneful pipes beheld a revelation marvellous of light ; for the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and the Angel proclaimed : Sing praises, for Christ is born. O God of our fathers, blessed art thou. Suddenly, at the word of the Angel, the Heavenly Hosts began to THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST 179 cry aloud : Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men ; Christ hath shone forth : O God of our fathers, blessed art thou ! What meaneth this saying ? spake the shepherds : Let us go, let us gaze upon that which is come to pass, upon Christ divine. And when they were come unto Bethlehem, they fell down in worship before him, together with her who had given him birth, singing : O God of our fathers, blessed art thou. Canticle VIII. Theme-Song {Irmos). The dew-shedding, fiery furnace imaged forth the type of a marvellous wonder : for its flames scorched not the Holy Children whom it had received, even as the fire of the Godhead scorched not the Virgin when it entered into her womb. Therefore let us raise the song : Let all creation bless the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages. Hymns {Tropari). The Daughter of Babylon doth bear away unto herself the children of David as captives, out of Zion : but she sendeth her children, the Magi, bearing gifts, to do homage unto the Daugh- ter of David, who had received within her God : wherefore, chanting songs of praise, let us sing : Let all creation bless the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages. Grief put aside the instruments of song ; for the children of Zion sang not in alien lands. But Christ, in that he hath shone forth in Bethlehem, setteth free every error, and the musical harmony of Baby- lon. Wherefore let us sing the song : Let all creation bless the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages. Babylon carried the spoil and the spear-won wealth of the kingdom of Zion into captivity. But Christ draweth unto Zion the treasures of the same and its Kings, the Watchers of the Stars, guiding them by a Star. Wherefore, let us sing the song : Let all creation bless the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages. Canticle IX. With the Ninth Theme-Song, instead of: More honourable than the Cherubim : the Refrains of the Feast are sung : Refrain r. Magnify, O my soul, the Virgin, the all-pure Birth-giver of God, more honourable and more glorious than the hosts on high. Theme-Song {Irmos). A mystery strange and most glorious I behold : The cavern. Heaven ; the Virgin, the Cherubimic Throne ; the manger, the receptacle wherein lieth Christ our God, whom nothing may con- tain. Him, therefore, do we magnify, praising him in song. Refrain 2. Magnify, O my soul, God born in the flesh of a Virgin. Refrain 3. Magnify, O my soul, the King born in a cavern. Hymn {Tropdr). When the Wise Men beheld the unwonted course of the wondrous, newly revealed Star, illuminating the heavens with i8o THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST exceeding brightness, they divined that Christ the King was born on earth in Bethlehem, for our salvation. Refrain 4. Magnify, O my soul, God who was worshipped by the Magi. Refrain 5. Magnify, O my soul, him who was announced unto the Wise Men by a Star. Hymn. When the Wise Men said : Where is the new-born Infant King whom the Star hath revealed .' For we are come to worship him. Then the wrathful Herod was troubled, and, raging against the Lord, that impious man sought to slay Christ. Refrain 6. Magnify, O my soul, the pure Virgin and only Birth- giver of God, who gave birth unto Christ the King. Refrain 7. The Wise Men and the shepherds came to worship Christ who was born in the town of Bethlehem. Hymn. Herod inquired the time of the Star, through whose guiding the Wise Men were come to Bethlehem to worship Christ with gifts. But being by it led again unto their own country, they left confounded behind them the dread slayer of the children. The Benediction. {See page 181.) At the Liturgy. Antiphon I., Tone II. Verse i : I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart. Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth -giver, of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : In the council of the faithful and in the congregation, the great works of the Lord. ]J Verse 3 : Sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 5^ Verse 4 : His work is honour and majesty, and his righteousness endureth forever. ]J Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse i : Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that hath great delight in his commandments. Refrain. O Son of God, who wast born of a Virgin, save us who sing unto thee : Alleluia. Verse 2 : His seed shall be mighty upon earth, the generation of the faithful shall be blessed. ]J Verse 3 : Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever. ^ Verse 4 : Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness : he is merciful, loving and righteous. ^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . {See page 170.) THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST i8i Aniipfwn III., Tone II. Verse i : The Lord said unto my Lord : Sit thou on my right hand. Hymn. Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, . . . {See page 176.) Verse 2 : Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. ]J {Hymn.) Verse 3 : The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Zion : be thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies. ^ {Hymn.) Verse 4 : In the day of thy power with an holy worship. Introit. Out of the womb, before the morning star have I begotten thee : the Lord hath sworn and will not repent : thou art a Priest for- ever, after the order of Melchizidech. Instead of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty : is sung : As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Eighth Tone. Let all the earth wor- ship thee, and hymn thee, yea, let it hymn thy Name, O Most Highest. Verse : Shout unto the Lord, all ye lands, sing unto his Name, give glory to his praise. Verse : The heavens declare the glory of God, and the dry land pro- claimeth the work of thy hands. Verse : Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night pro- claim eth knowledge. The Epistle. Gal. iv. 4-7. The Gospel. Matt. ii. 1-12. Instead of: Meet is it : The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon : A mystery strange . . . (Seepage 179.) The Communion Hymn. The Lord hath sent deliverance unto his people. The Benediction. May he who was born in a cavern, and lay in a manger, for the sake of our salvation, Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; of our holy and God-bearing fathers ; of the holy and right- eous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, forasmuch as he is good, and loveth man- kind. THE EPIPHANY (9» the Eve of the Epiphany the same strict fast is observed, and the same ser- vices are celebrated as on the Eve of Chrisfs Nativity {Christmas). That is to say : The Imperial Hours are read, and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated (if the Eve doth not fall upon Saturday or Sunday), preceded by Vespers ; while in the evening the service consisteth of Grand Compline joined to Matins. The differences between these services and those of Christmas lie in the festival hymns and the consecration of the water. At this Feast there are two Blessings of the Waters : the first, on the Eve, in Church ; the secofid, after the Divine Liturgy, on the day of the Feast, under the open sky, of rivers, lakes, pools and wells. Ln ancient times the former was intended for the Catechumens who were prepared to receive baptism, and were then baptized. The second was instituted later, in imitation of the custom among the Christians of Jerusalem, who were wont to go forth to the fordan to celebrate the festival, and to pray : also in memory of the consecration of the waters of the Jordan at the time our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized therein. This Blessing of the Waters is often called " The Jordan Festival " for that reason. The Imperial Hours, to precede the Epiphatiy. First Hour. Psalms v., xxiii., xxvii. ; Isaiah xxxv. i-io. The Epistle. Acts xiii. 25-33. The Gospel. Matt. iii. 1-12. Third Hour. Psalms xxix., xlii., li. ; Isaiah i. 16-20. The Epistle. Acts xix. 1-8. The Gospel. Mark i. 1-8. Sixth Hour. Psalms Ixxiv., Ixxvii., xci. ; Isaiah xii. 3-6. The Epistle. Rom. vi. 3-11. The Gospel. Mark i. 9-15. Ninth Hour. Psalms xciii., cxiv., Ixxxvi. ; Isaiah xlix. 8-15. The Epistle. Titus ii. 11-14, iii. 4-7. The Gospel. Matt. iii. 13-17. Then the Typical Psalms. Vespers and the Liturgy, on 'jFanuary ^th. The Stanzas {Stikiri) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone //. The Forerunner, beholding our Illuminator who ilium ineth every man, coming to be baptized, rejoiceth in his soul; and he trembleth, and with his hand doth he point Him out to the people, saying : Lo, this is he who redeemeth Israel, setting us free from corruption. O Christ our God, the Sinless One, glory to thee ! {Twice.') Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. ' ■ Thou didst bow thy head unto the Forerunner, and thereby didst crush the heads of the serpents. And having entered into the streams, thou didst illumine all things, that they might glorify thee, O Saviour, even the Illuminator of our souls. THE EPIPHANY 183 The Entrance is made with the book of the Gospels. The Gradual {Prokimeti) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Genesis i. 1-13 ; Exodus xiv. 15-18, 21-25, 27-29, XV. 22-27, xvi. I ; Joshua iii. 7, 8, 15-17; 2 Kings ii. 6-14, v. 9-14; Isaiah i. 16-20; Genesis xxxii. i-io ; Exodus ii. 5-10; Judges vi. 36-40 ; I Kings xviii. 30-39 ; 2 Kings ii. 19-22 ; Isaiah xlix. 8-15. The Little Litany. Again, yet again, . . Exclamation. For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my salvation : whom shall I fear .'' Verse {Stikh) : The Lord is the strength of my life : of whom shall I be afraid } The Epistle, i Cor. ix. 19-27, x. 1-4. The Gospel Luke iii. 1-18. After the Prayer before the Tribune the Blessing of the Water taketh place. Grand Compline and Matins. Compline is celebrated in its usual order, the Hymn for the Day and the Collect- Hymn being substituted for the ordinary ones. After : Glory be to God on high : the procession from the Sanctuary for the Litiyd taketh place. (See the All-Night Vigil Office, page 1 1 .) The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone VIII. To-day is creation illu- mined, to-day do all things both heavenly and earthly rejoice. Angels and men are intermingled ; for whithersoever the King cometh, there also cometh orderliness. Let us make haste then unto Jordan, and we shall all behold John, as he baptizeth the head not made with hands and sinless. Wherefore, singing the song of the Apostles, let us cry with one accord: The grace of God, which is saving unto all men, hath manifested itself, illumining the faithful and bestowing upon the same great mercy. The Hym-n ( Tropdr) at the Blessing of the Loaves : The Hymn of the Feast. When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a Dove, confirmed the steadfastness of tha,t word : O Christ our God, who didst manifest thyself, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee. The Exaltatiofi ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, for our sakes now baptized of John in the waters of the Jordan. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. The sea saw that and fled : Jordan was driven back. Verse {Stikh) : What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest, and Jordan that thou wast driven back ? The Gospel. Matt. i. 9-1 1. i84 THE EPIPHANY THE CANON. In Tone II. {St. Cosmas of Maium.) Canticle I. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Lord mighty in battle hath laid bare the depths of the sea, and hath led forth his people on dry ground, after having overwhelmed therein their adversaries : For he hath glorified himself. Hymns ( Tropari). The Lord, the King of the ages, reneweth cor- rupt Adam by the waters of Jordan, and crusheth the heads of the dragons which lurked therein : For he hath glorified himself. The Lord having become incarnate of a Virgin and clothed the imma- terial fire of the Godhead in material flesh, is encompassed by the River Jordan : For he hath glorified himself. The Lord, who, through his own cleansing in Jordan, washeth away the vileness of men, to whom he was graciously pleased to conform himself, remaining still as he was before, giveth light unto those who are in darkness : For he hath glorified himself. Canticle III. ■ Tkeme-Song {Irmos). The Lord, who giveth strength unto our Kings and exalteth the horn of his Anointed, is born of a Virgin, and cometh unto Baptism. Unto him will we faithful cry aloud : There is none holy like unto our God. Hymns (Tropari). Rejoice thou to-day, O Church of Christ, which aforetime wast sterile and barren of children ; for through water and the Spirit have sons been born unto thee, who with faith do cry aloud : There is none holy like unto our God. With a loud voice crieth the Forerunner in the wilderness : Prepare ye the way for Christ, and make straight the paths for our God, crying aloud with faith : There is none holy like unto our God. Canticle IV. Theme-Song (Irmos). I have heard, O Lord, thy voice which thou didst call the voice of one crying in the wilderness, which, when thou didst thunder over many waters, bearing witness to thy Son, being filled with the Spirit which had revealed itself, did cry aloud : Thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God. Hymns (Tropari). Hath any one — crieth the Messenger — beheld the Sun, which is by nature radiant, cleansed .' Shall I then wash clean with the waters thee who art the Brightness of Glory, the Express Image of the Father who is from everlasting .' And shall I, who am but grass, touch the fire of thy divinity .? For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God. Moses, when he drew near to thee, manifested the God-inspired awe wherewith he was seized. When he understood that it was thou speaking THE EPIPHANY 185 from the bush, he straightway turned aside his face. How then shall I gaze openly upon thee, and how shall I lay my hand upon thee ? For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God. In that I have a rational soul, and am honoured with the gift of speech, I stand in fear of things without a soul ; for if I baptize thee, the mountain which smoked with fire, the sea which was parted in twain, and that Jordan which rolleth back its waves shall be my accusers : For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God. Canticle V. Theme-Song {Irmos). Jesus, the Chieftain of Life, cometh to abol- ish the condemnation of Adam the first-created ; and though, in that he is God, he hath no need of cleansing, yet for the fallen is he cleansed in Jordan, where, having slain enmity, he bestoweth the peace which passeth understanding. Hymns. When a multitude innumerable of people had gathered to- gether to be baptized of John, he stood in their midst and cried aloud unto those who were present : Who hath warned you, ye disobedient, to flee from the wrath to come .'' Bring ye worthy fruits unto Christ ; for now revealing himself he bestoweth peace. The Husbandman and Creator, standing in the midst as one of the throng, searcheth hearts ; and having taken in his hand the winnowing fan, with exceeding wisdom doth he purge the threshing-floor of the universe, burning up the chaff, but granting unto the fruitful grain life eternal. Canticle VI. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Voice of the Word, the Candlestick of the Light, the Morning Star, the Forerunner of the Sun, crieth aloud in the wilderness unto all men : Repent ye, and be ye cleansed in preparation. For lo ! Christ cometh, who redeemeth the world from corruption. Hymns. Christ, whose latchet — when the Word had taken our form upon Him — it is impossible to unloose, as the Forerunner teacheth, in that he was born without corruption of God the Father, is without defilement made flesh of a Virgin : For he redeemeth the earth-born from their guile. With extirpating fire doth Christ baptize the froward and those who acknowledge him not as God. But with the Spirit, by means of water, doth he graciously renew those who confess his divinity, freeing them from their sins. Canticle VII. Theme-Song (Irmos). A rushing mighty wind bearing dew, and the descent of the Angel of God preserved unscathed the Children who held converse together in the fiery furnace. When, therefore, they were bedewed amid the flames, with gratitude did they sing aloud : Blessed be thou, O exceeding glorious God of our fathers and our God ! i86 THE EPIPHANY Hymns. With trembling and amazement, as over heaven itself, did the Angelic Host stand over Jordan, gazing down upon such conde- scension of God ; beholding how he who ruleth the firmament of the waters on high, the God of our fathers, bearing bodily form, stood in the water. The marvel of the baptism divine was foreshadowed of old by the cloud and the sea, wherein as they journeyed onward the ancient people were baptized into the Tables of the Law. The sea was the symbol of the water, and the cloud of the Spirit ; being made perfect in which, let us cry : Blessed be thou, O Lord God forever ! Let all us faithful, speaking perpetually of God in whom we have received sanctification, in company with the Angels glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit : for it is a Trinity in Persons, but one in Essence, one God ; to whom, also, let us sing : Blessed be thou, O Lord God forever ! Canticle VIII. Tkeme-Song {Irmos). The Babylonian furnace, dew-dropping, fore- shadowed the image of the wondrous mystery that Jordan was to receive into its waters the Fire Immaterial, and contain the Creator when he should be baptized in the flesh ; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages. Hymns. Put away all fear, said the Redeemer to the Forerunner ; obey me, come unto me, as unto the Gracious One, for that am I in my Essence. Submit thyself to my command, and baptize me, who have condescended to come down hither ; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages. The Baptist, when he heard the words of the Lord, stretched forth his hand with trembling ; but when he had touched the crown of his Creator's head, he cried unto him who was receiving baptism : Sanctify thou me, for thou art my God ; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages. In Jordan was the Trinity made manifest ; for the Most Divine Person of the Father Himself proclaimed : He that is baptised, the same is my beloved Son. And the Spirit descended upon him that was like unto Himself. For which cause men shall bless Him and exalt Him forever. Canticle IX. Before the Ninth Theme-Song : More honourable than the Cherubim : is not sung, but instead thereof the Refrain of the Feast : Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honourable than the hosts on high, even the most pure Virgin Birth-giver of God. Theme-Song {Irmos). No tongue hath power worthily to praise thee, and even the supra-mundane mind is perplexed how to hymn thee, O Birth-giver of God. But inasmuch as thou art gracious, accept thou our faith ; and our God-inspired love thou knowest. For thou art the Intercessor of Christians. We magnify thee. THE EPIPHANY 187 And the remaining six Refrains are sung once with each Hymn. Refrain 2. Magnify, O my soul, him who desireth baptism of the Forerunner. Refrain 3. Magnify, O my soul, him who is come unto the Jordan to be baptized. Hymn. Come thou in spirit, O David, unto those who are being illu- mined by the Spirit, and sing, saying : Draw near now unto God and be ye illumined by faith. That poor man, Adam, cried in his fall, and the Lord heard him as he came, and in the waters of Jordan did he renew that corrupted one. Refrain 4. Magnify, O my soul, him to whom the voice of the Father bare witness. Refraiti 5. Magnify, O my soul. One of the Trinity who hath bowed his neck and accepted baptism. Hymn. Wash you, make you clean, saith Isaiah ; put away the evil of your doings before the Lord. Ye who thirst, come ye unto the Liv- ing Water ; for Christ sprinkleth with water which giveth new life those who make supplication unto him in faith, and baptizeth them with ' the Spirit unto the life which waxeth not old. Refrain 6. O Prophet, come thou unto me ; stretch forth thy hand, and baptize me quickly. Refrain 7. O Prophet, lay aside now all other things, and baptize me who desire it ; for I am come to fulfil all righteousness. Hymn. May the grace and seal (of the Spirit) preserve us, O faith- ful ! For as the Hebrews of old were delivered from destruction when their door-posts were smeared with blood, even so also shall this divine bath of regeneration be made a deliverance for us, and even so also shall we behold the light of the Trinity which knoweth no setting. At the Liturgy. Antiphon /., Tone I. Verse i : When Israel came out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among the strange people : Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion : ^ Verse 3 : The sea saw it and fled ; Jordan was driven back : ]J Verse 4 : Why hast thou fled, O sea : and why art thou driven back, O Jordan .? ^ Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse i : I am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice o^ my prayer. Refrain. O Son of God, who wast baptized in Jordan, save us who sing unto thee, Alleluia. i88 THE EPIPHANY Verse 2 : That he hath inclined his ear unto me : therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. ]J Verse 3 : The snares of death compassed me round about, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord : O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul : ]J Verse 4 : Gracious is the Lord, and righteous : yea, our God is mer- ciful : ^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God ! . . . {Seepage 170.) Antiphon III., Tone I. Verse i : O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious : his mercy endureth forever. Refrain: The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr). When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. ■For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word. O Christ our God, who didst manifest thy- self, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee. Verse 2 : Let Israel now confess that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever : IJ Verse 3 : Let the house of Aaron now confess that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever : IJ Verse 4 : Yea, let them that fear the Lord now confess that his mercy endureth forever : ^ The Introit. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord : God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). To-day hast thou revealed thyself unto the universe, and thy Light, O Lord, hath showed a sign unto us, who with understanding sing unto thee : Thou art come, and hast revealed thyself, O Light Unapproachable. In place of: O Holy God : As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The Gradual {Prokim.en^y itt the Fourth Tone. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Verse {Stikh) : Confess unto the Lord that he is gracious, that his mercy endureth forever. The Epistle. Titus ii. 11-14, iii. 4-7. Alleluia. {Tone IV.) Offer thanks unto the Lord, ye sons of God. Verse: The voice of the Lord upon the waters. The Gospel. Matt. iii. 13-17. THE EPIPHANY 189 The Communion Hymn {Pritckdsten). The saving grace of God hath manifested itself unto all men. For the Benediction, j^^/a^i? igy, Epiphany {end of Great Blessing of Waters). THE OFFICE AT THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATERS AT THE HOLY EPIPHANY At the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the Prayer before the Tribune : O Lord, who blessest those who bless thee : hath been said by the Priest, we all go forth to the Baptismal Font, preceded by the taper-bearers, after whom go the Deacon and the Priest bearing the book of the Holy Gospels and the censer, and the Brethren, singing the following Hymn, in Tone VHI. : The voice of the Lord crieth out over the waters, saying : Come, re- ceive ye all the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of the fear of God, even Christ who is made manifest. {Thrice.) To-day is the nature of water sanctified, and Jordan is cloven asun- der, and roUeth back the current of its flood, as it beholdeth the Lord baptized. {Twice.) As a man didst thou come unto that river, O Christ our King, and didst earnestly desire to receive the baptism of a servant, O Good One, at the hands of the Forerunner, because of our sins, O thou who lovest mankind. {Twice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. In the same Tone : Unto the voice of him crying in the wilderness : Prepare ye the way of the Lord : thou didst come forth, O Lord, having taken on the form of a servant, and asking baptism, though thou knewest not sin. The waters beheld thee and were affrighted. The Baptist became all trem- bling, and cried aloud, saying : How shall the candlestick illumine the light .■" How shall a slave lay hands upon his Lord 1 Sanctify thou me and these waters, O Saviour, who takest away the sins of the world. And taking his stand beside the Font, the Deacon imTnediately saith : Wisdom ! The Reader. The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah. Deacon. Let us attend. Thus saith the Lord {ch. xxxv.) : The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excel- lency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear I90 THE EPIPHANY not : behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water : in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called. The way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there : and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah. Deacon. Let us attend. Thus saith the Lord {ch. Iv.) : Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy, and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread } and your labour for that which satisfieth not .' hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live ; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Be- hold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and com- mander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near : let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater : so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and* instead of the brier shall THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATERS 191 come up the myrtle-tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah. Deacon. Let us attend. Thus saith the Lord {ch. xii. j-6) : Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things : this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion : for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. Peace be with you all. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Gradual {Proktmen), in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear .' Verse : The Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid .? Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. Deacon. Let us attend. Brethren (/ Cor. x. I-4) : I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink the same spiritual drink (for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them ; and that Rock was Christ). Priest. Peace be with thee. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Alleluia. {Tone IV.) Verse : The voice of the Lord upon the waters, the God of glory hath thundered : the Lord upon many waters. Deacon. Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Priest. Peace be with you all. People. And with thy spirit. Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel of Mark. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Deacon. Let us attend. {Ch. i. g-ll.) Priest. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. And there 192 THE EPIPHANY came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Then the Deacon reciteth the Litany. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls ; ^ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : ]J For this holy temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : ]J For our Holy Synod {or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop (or Archbishop, c^r Metro- politan), N. ; for the honourable Presby- tery, the Diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the laity : ^ For our most God-fearing Sovereign, N. ; and for all the Reigning House ; and for all their Council and Army and Navy: 5; That he will aid them and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary : ^l^^ For this city {if in a monastery, for this holy habitation), and for those who' in the faith dwell therein : 5 For healthful seasons; for abundance of the fruits of the earth ; and for peace- ful times : ]J For those who travel by sea or by land ; for the sick and the suffering ; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation : 5^ That these waters may be sanctified by the power, and effectual operation, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit : IJ That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing operation of the super-substantial Trinity : IJ That he will endue them with the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan, the might, and operation, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit : ]J <: fi 3 (T> •-I O And while this is being said, the Priest saith, secretly, the follow- ing Prayer : O Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-be- gotten Son, who art in the bosom of the Father, the true God, Source of Life and of Immortality, Light of Light, who art come into the world to illuminate it : En- lighten our minds with thy Holy Spirit, and accept us who offer unto thee ma- jesty and thanksgiv- ing for thy marvel- lous mighty works, which are from all eternity ; as, also, for thy saving providence in these latter ages, in which thou hast clothed thyself in our frail and lowly sub- stance, and hast con- descended to the stat- ure of a servant ; who yet art King of all ; who also didst receive baptism in Jordan at the hands of a ser- vant : that thou, O Sin- less One, having sanc- tified the nature of water, mightest make for us a way which should be unto a new THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATERS 193 That Satan may speedily be crushed under our feet, and that every evil coun- cil directed against us may be brought to nought : ^ That the Lord our God will free us from every aspersion and temptation of the enemy, and make us worthy of the good things which he hath pro- mised : ]J That he will illumine us with the light of understanding and of piety, and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit : 5 That the Lord our God will send down the blessing of Jordan and sanctify these waters : Yjc That this water may be unto the be- stowing of sanctification ; unto the remis- sion of sins ; unto the healing of soul and body : and unto every expedient service : '^ That this water may be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal : IJ That it may manifest itself effectual unto the averting of every machination of our foes, whether visible or invis- ible : 5 For those who shall draw of it and take of it unto the sanctification of their homes : ^ That it may be for the purification of the souls and bodies of all those who, with faith, shall draw and partake of .it: ^ That he will graciously enable us to perfect sanctification by participation in these waters, through tlie invisible mani- festation of the Holy Spirit : ]J That the Lord God will hearken unto the voice of petition of us sinners, and will have mercy upon us : ^ That he will deliver us from all tribu- lation, wrath, peril and necessity : ?; Succor us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and birth, through water and the Spirit, and unto the deliverance then first instituted for us. Celebrating the memory of which divine mystery, we beseech thee, O Lord who lovest mankind, sprinkle us, thine un- worthy servants, ac- cording to thy divine promise, with pure water, the gift of thy tenderness of heart. And may the suppli- cations of us sinners over this holy water be well pleasing unto thy goodness : and may thy blessing through it be vouch- safed unto us, and unto all thy faithful people, to the glory of thy holy and ador- able Name. For unto thee be- longeth all glory, honour and worship, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. And he saith within himself : Amen. 194 THE EPIPHANY glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choi7'. To thee, O Lord. And when the Deacon hath finished the Litany, the Priest reciteth, aloud, the following Prayer : Great art thou, O Lord, and marvellous are thy works, and speech sufficeth not to sing the praises of thy wonders. (Thrice.) For thou, by thy will, from nothingness hast brought all things into being ; by thy majesty thou dost uphold all creation, and by thy provi- dence thou dost direct the world. When thou hadst framed the uni- verse out of four elements, thou didst crown the circle of the year with four seasons. All the reason-endowed powers tremble before thee. The Sun singeth thy praises, and the Moon glorifieth thee ; the Stars, also, stand before thy presence. The Light obeyeth thee. The deeps shudder with awe before thee ; the water-springs do thy bidding. Thou hast spread out the heavens like a curtain. Thou hast established the earth upon the waters. With sand hast thou walled in the sea. Thou hast shed abroad the air for breathing. The Angelic Powers serve thee. The Arch- angelic hosts adore thee. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, as they stand round about and do fly, veil their faces with awe before thine unapproachable glory. For thou, the God which cannot be circumscribed, who art from everlasting and ineffable, didst come down upon earth, taking on the form of a servant, and being -made in the likeness of men. For thou couldst not endure, O Master, because of thy tender-hearted mercy, to behold the children of men tormented by the devil ; but thou didst come, and didst save us. We confess thy grace ; we proclaim thy mercy ; we conceal not thy gracious deeds. Thou hast set at liberty the generations of our race ; by thy birth thou hast sanctified a Virgin's womb. All creation singeth praises unto thee, who didst reveal thyself ; for thou art our God, who hast been seen upon earth, and didst dwell among men. Thou didst hallow, also, the . streams of Jordan, in that thou didst send down from heaven thy Holy Spirit, and didst crush the heads of the serpents which lurked there. Then the Priest repeateth, thrice, the following, and blesseth the water with his hand at each repetition. Wherefore do thou, O King who loveth mankind, come down now also through the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water. {Thrice.') And impart unto it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it a fountain of immortality, a gift of sanctification, a remission of sins, a healing of iniirmities, a destruction of demons ; unapproach- able by hostile powers, filled with angelic might. And may it be unto all those who shall draw it, and shall partake of it unto the purification of their souls and bodies, unto the healing of their passions, unto the THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATERS 195 sanctification of their houses, and unto every expedient service. For thou art our God, who through water and the Spirit dost renew our nature, which had fallen into decay through sin. For thou art our God, who with water didst drown sin in the days of Noah. For thou art our God, who by the sea, through Moses, didst set free from slavery to Pharaoh the Hebrew race. For thou art our God, who didst cleave the rock in the wilderness, so that water gushed forth, and who madest the floods to well forth abundantly ; and didst satisfy thy thirsty people. For thou art our God, who by fire and water, through Elijah, didst set Israel free from the errors of Baal. Do thou, the same Master, sanctify now also this water by thy Holy Spirit. {Thrice.) Grant also unto all who shall be sprinkled therewith, and shall par- take thereof, and shall anoint themselves therewith, sanctification, blessing, purification and bodily health. (/« Russia .•) And save, O Lord, thy servant, our most God-fearing Sovereign, the Emperor N., and all the Reigning House. Save, O Lord, and show mercy upon the most holy Governing Synod, and keep them in peace beneath thy shelter. Subdue under them every foe and adversary ; grant unto them all their petitions which are unto salvation and life eternal ; that with the elements, and men, and Angels, and with all things visible and invisible, they may magnify thy most holy Name, together with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. And the Priest, bowing his head., prayeth : Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear us, O thou who wast graciously pleased to receive baptism in Jordan, and didst sanctify the waters. Bless all us who, by the bowing of our necks, do outwardly signify our humility of mind : and graciously grant that we may be filled with thy sanctification, through our partaking of this water, and through sprin- kling therewith. And may it be unto us, O Lord, for the health of our souls and bodies. Exclamation. Priest. For thou art the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and unto thee we ascribe glory, and thanksgiving and worship, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And again blessing the water i>i cross-form with the holy cross, he dippeth it therein, upright, elevating and lowering, it, holding it with both hands, and singing the following Hymjt in Tone I. : When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the 196 THE EPIPHANY Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word. O Christ, who didst manifest thyself, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee. And the Choir singeth the same. Then he blesseth the waters a second time, in like manner. And the Singers repeat. And likewise, a third time. Then the Priest taketh of the holy water in a vessel, and turneth his face toward the People, holding the cross in his left hand, and in his right the aspergillus. And the People approach, and kiss the precious cross ; and the Priest blesseth them, and signeth them, on the _f ace, with the sign of the cross, with the holy water on the aspergillus. Then they enter the Church again, singing, in Tone VI. : Let us praise in song, ye faithful, the greatness of God's favour to usward. For, having become man because of our transgressions, by our purification is he purified in Jordan, he, the only pure and spotless One, who sanctifieth me and the waters, and crusheth the heads of the serpents in the water. Wherefore, O brethren, let us draw of that water with joy ; for the grace of the Spirit is invisibly imparted unto him who, with faith, doth draw thereof, by Christ our God, who also is the Saviour of our souls. Choir. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, henceforth, and forever. {Thrice^ Psalm xxxiv. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord ; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord ; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O praise the Lord with me, and let us mag- nify his Name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me ; yea, he delivered me out of all my fear. They had an eye unto him, and were lightened ; and their faces were not ashamed. Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him ; yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and deliver- eth them. O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints ; for they that fear him lack nothing. The lions do lack, and suffer hunger ; but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good. Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that lusteth to live, and would fain see good days t Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips, that they speak no guile. Eschew evil, and do good ; seek peace, and ensue it. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil ; to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the THE GREAT BLESSING OF WATERS 197 Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth him out of all. He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them is broken. But misfortune shall slay the ungodly ; and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants ; and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute. And having first drunk of the holy water, the People take the Antidoron, that is, the blessed bread, from the Priest. Then the Benediction is pronounced : May he who was graciously pleased to accept baptism from John, in Jordan, for the sake of our salvation, Christ our very God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us ; for he is gracious and loveth mankind. THE MEETING OF THE LORD THE PURIFICATION OF THE HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD 77^1? Stanza {Stikkira) for : Lord, I have cried: In Totie I. Let us also come : with hymns divine let us meet Christ and receive him whose salvation Simeon beheld. For this is he of whom David prophesied : This is he who spake by the prophets ; who for our sakes became incarnate, and proclaimed the law. Him let us worship. ( Tzvice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Tone VI. To-day let the door of heaven be opened : for the Father's Word, which is from everlasting, having taken his beginning in time from a Virgin, without renouncing his Godhead, is of her own free will brought by his mother, as a babe of forty days, into the temple under the law : and an aged man receiveth him in his arms, crying : Let thy servant depart, O Lord ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which is come into the world to save the race of men. Glory to thee, O Lord. The Parables {Paremit). Exodus xii. 51, xiii. 1-3, 11-12, 14-16; Lev. xii. 2-4, 6, 8 ; Isaiah vi. 1-13, xix. i, 3-5, 12, ig-21. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone I. {by Anatolms). The Ancient of Days, who of old gave the Law unto Moses, on Sinai, to-day is seen as a little Child ; and in accordance with the Law, as the creator of the Law, fulfilling the Law, is brought into the temple, and given to an aged man. And Simeon the Righteous, having received him, and perceived the fulfilment of the promises accomplished, cried aloud with joy : Mine eyes have seen the mystery hidden from eternity in these latter days revealed, the light which destroyeth the darkness of unbelieving heathen, and giveth glory unto newly chosen Israel. Wherefore, release thou thy servant from the bonds of this flesh unto the life which waxeth not old, marvellous and unending ; granting unto the world great mercy. The Hymn for the Day ( Tropdr), in Tone I. Hail, O Virgin Birth- giver of God : for from thee hath shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, who giveth light to those who are in darkness. And rejoice, thou aged, righteous man, that didst receive in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, who giveth unto us resurrection. The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and we do homage to thy Mother most pure, by whom thou hast now been brought into the Temple of the Lord, according to the Law. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. I will call to remem- brance thy Name from generation to generation. THE MEETING OF THE LORD 199 Verse ( Stikk) : My heart is inditing of a good matter. T/ie Gospel. Luke ii. 25-32. T/ie Benediction. May he who, for the sake of our salvation, deigned to be held in the arms of the righteous Simeon, Christ our true God: mid the rest. {See page 122.) THE CANON. The First Canon. Tone III. {St. Cosmas of Malum.') Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. The sun once, of old, rose over the dry land born of the deep: for the water was hardened into walls upon either side, and the people passed on foot over the sea, and sang, in man- ner well-pleasing unto God : Let us sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath he been glorified. III. O Lord, the Confirmation of those who set their hope on thee, confirm thou thy Church, which thou hast bought with thy precious blood. IV. Thine excellence, O Christ, hath covered the heavens ; for when thou hadst come forth from the ark of thy Holy Place, even thy Mother undefiled, thou didst appear in the temple of thy glory as a little Child borne in arms : and all things were filled with thy glory. V. When Isaiah symbolically beheld God borne on high upon the throne, attended by a body-guard of Angels of glory, he exclaimed : O miserable man that I am, I have foreseen God Incarnate, who hath dominion over the Light which knoweth no setting, and the Peace which reigneth forever. VI. The Aged Man, when with his eyes he beheld the salvation which was come from God unto the nations, cried aloud unto thee : Thou art my God, O Christ ! VII. Thee, O God the Word, who didst shed dew upon the Children which sang praises unto God in the fire, and who didst take up thine abode in a Virgin undefiled, do we hymn, devoutly singing : Blessed is the God of our fathers ! VIII. The Youths supreme in godliness, when they were thrust into the fire insupportable yet suffered no hurt from the flame, sang aloud the song divine : O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages ! ht place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord ; The Refrains : O Virgin Birth-giver of God, the Hope of Christians, protect, guard and save thou those who put their trust in thee. O Virgin Birth-giver of God, gracious Helper of the world, protect and keep us from all need and distress. O God-bearing Simeon, come and take in thine arms Christ, to whom Mary the Virgin Pure hath given birth. Simeon the aged encompasseth in his embrace the Creator of the Law, and the Lord of all. 200 THE MEETING OF THE LORD The Aged Man holdeth not Me, but I hold him : for he entreateth of Me that he may depart in peace. Ye Pincers mystical, how shall ye bear the coal of fire ? How shall ye nourish the Nourisher of all ? O Daughter of Phanuel, come and abide with us, and bless Christ the Saviour, the Son of God. Anna the Chaste foretelleth terrible things, confessing Christ to be the Maker of heaven and earth. Incomprehensible unto Angels and unto men is that which is born of thee, O Virgin Mother Pure. A pure dove, a spotless lamb bringeth into the Church the Lamb and the Shepherd. O Christ, King of all ! Grant me burning tears, and I will weep for my soul which is all ruined. IX. In the Law — in the shadow and in the Scriptures — do we, the faithful, behold the symbol. Every male child which first opened the womb was consecrated to God : wherefore, also, the first-born Word of the Father, who is from everlasting, the first-born Son of his Mother who knew not man, do we magnify. At the Liturgy. The hitroit. The Lord hath declared his salvation, he hath revealed his righteousness in the presence of the nations. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). Thou who by thy birth didst sanctify the Virgin's womb, and didst bless the arms of Simeon, as it was meet, having preserved us in anticipation from condemnation, hast now also saved us, O Christ-God. But grant tranquillity amid the alarms of war unto our Emperor, whom thou hast adopted into thy love, O thou who alone lovest mankind. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Verse : For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. The Epistle. Heb. vii. 7-17. Alleluia. {Tone VIII ^ Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. Verse : A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. The Gospel. Luke ii. 22-40. The Communion Hymn. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. The Benediction. (Seepage 199.) THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN This Feast almost always falleth iti the Great Fast {Lent). If the Feast of the Annunciation fall upon any day upon the eve whereof Vespers hath been celebrated alone, or in conjunction with the Liturgy of the Presanc- tified Gifts, then the Vigil Service beginneth with Great Compline. If it fall upon Sunday or Monday, the Vigil Service beginneth with Great Ves- pers. But if it fall upon Great (Good) Friday, or Great (Holy) Saturday, the Vigil Service beginneth directly with Matins. The Stanza {Stikkira) for : Lord, I have cried: In Tone VI. Ga- briel, when he revealed unto thee, O Maiden, the counsel of God which was from everlasting, did stand before thee, saluting thee, and pro- claiming : Hail, O Earth Unsown! Hail, O Bush which Burned, yet was not consumed ! Hail, O Abyss Unfathomable ! Hail, O Bridge which leadeth unto heaven, and Ladder lofty, which Jacob saw ! Hail, O Pot Divine of Manna ! Hail, O Abrogation of the curse ! Hail, O Recall of Adam ! The Lord is with thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Gabriel the Archangel was sent from heaven to announce the glad tidings of conception unto a Virgin ; and when he was come to Naza- reth, he mused within himself, being astonished at the marvel : O, how can he who on high is beyond comprehension be born of a Virgin ! He who hath heaven for his throne, and earth for his footstool, taketh up his abode in the womb of a Virgin ! He upon whom the Six-winged and the Many-eyed are unable to gaze deigneth, by his word alone, to become incarnate of her, and he is the frue Word of God. Wherefore then stand I thus, and say not unto the Virgin : Hail, O pure Virgin ! Hail, O Bride unwedded, the Lord is with thee ! Hail, O Mother of the Life, blessed is the fruit of thy womb ! The Parables {Paremii) are the same as at the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin {see page 164), ««<^ Exodus iii. 1-8; Prov. viii. 22-30. At Great Compline. There is a procession from the Sanctuary, for the Lilly d (see page 11), after: Glory to God in the highest : hath been read. The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone I. In the sixth month was the Chieftain of the Archangels sent unto thee, a Virgin undefiled, to an- nounce unto thee the word of salvation and to proclaim unto thee : Hail, thou who art made glad, the Lord is with thee ! Thou shalt bear the Son of the Father who was before the ages, and he shall save his people from their sins. 202 THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr), iii Tone IV. To-day is the crown of our salvation, and the manifestation of that mystery which is from ever- lasting : The Son of God becometh the son of a Virgin, and Gabriel announceth the glad tidings of grace. Wherefore let us also cry aloud with him unto the Birth-giver of God : Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee ! The Exaltation ( Veliichdnie). The song of the Archangel sing we unto thee, O Pure One : Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee! 1 he Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God. Verse {Sttkh) : Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth. The Gospel Luke i. 39-49, 56. THE CANON. The First Canon. In Tone IV. {The Blessed Theophanius and St. John of Datnascus.) Theme-Songs {Irinosi'). I. I will open my mouth, and it shall be filled with the Spirit, and I will utter a saying to the Queen-Mother. I will reveal myself radiantly keeping high festival, and with rejoicing will I sing her marvels. W\. O Birth-giver of God, Fountain living and inexhaustible ! Es- tablish thou those who hymn thee, convoked in a spiritual choir, and vouchsafe unto them crowns of glory in thy glory divine. IV. Jesus, the Most Divine, who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, is come, upon a light cloud borne by a palm undefiled, and hath saved those who cry : Glory to thy power, O Christ ! V. All things marvelled at thy glory divine ; for thou, O Virgin, though thou knewest not wedlock, didst have in thy womb God who is over all, and didst give birth to the timeless Son, who granteth peace unto all that sing praises unto thee. VI. Jonah the Prophet, typifying the three days' burial, exclaimed, as he prayed within the whale : Deliver me from corruption, O Jesus, King of the Powers ! VII. The godly-minded ones worshipped not the creature rather than the Creator, but valiantly trampling under foot the threatened fire, they rejoiced in song, saying: Blessed art thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceedingly praised ! VIII. Hearken, O Maiden, Virgin Pure, and let Gabriel announce the true will of the Most High, which was from of old : Make thou ready to receive God ; for through thee the Uncontainable shall dwell among men. For which cause, also, I cry aloud with joy: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord ! In place of : My soul doth magnify the Lord : The Refrain : O Earth, THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN 203 proclaim the great gladness ! and ye Heavens, praise ye the glory 0^ God ! 'St IX. Let no hand profane in anywise touch the living Ark of Godt, but let the lips of the faithful unceasingly singing the Salutation of the Angel to the Birth-giver of God, cry aloud with rejoicing : Hail, thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee ! The Liturgy at the Feast of the Annunciation beginneth with Vespers on those days when the HOURS OF the Great Fast are celebrated; but on the Saturdays- and Sundays of the third, fourth^ fifth and sixth weeks of the Fast Vespers is celebrated after the Liturgy. The Liturgy used is either that of St. John Chrysostotn or of St. Basil the Great ; never that of the Presanctified Gifts. The Stanza {Stikkira) for : Lord, I have cried : /« Tone TV. In the sixth month was an Archangel sent unto a Virgin pure ; and when he had said unto her. Hail ! he announced unto her the glad tidings that from her should come forth the Redeemer. Wherefore, having received the salutation, she conceived thee, the God who is before the ages, who in wise unutterable didst deign to become man for the sal- vation of our souls. The Entrance is made with the book of the Holy Gospels. O gladsome radiance . . . The Gradual {Prokimen) for the Day. {See Vespers, page 8.) The Parables {Paremii). The same as on the Eve. (See page 164.) The Little Litany. Again, yet again, . . . The Exclamation. For holy art thou, O our God ; and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Choir. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice}} At the Liturgy. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). We, thy servants, . . . {See page 4.2.) The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone : Proclaim ye, from day unto day, the glad tidings of the salvation of our God. Verse {Stikh) : Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the whole earth. He shall descend like dew upon the fleece, and like drops of rain dropping upon the earth. Verse: His Name shall be blessed forevermore: his Name endureth before the sun. The Epistle. Heb. ii. 11-18. Alleluia. {Tone VI.) The Gospel. Luke i. 24-38. The Hymn in place of: Meet is it : The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon : Let no hand profane . . . {See above.) The Communion Hymn {Pritchdsten). For the Lord hath chosen Zion : he hath desired it for his habitation. ou hi 'the entrance of the lord into JERU- SALEM. (PALM SUNDAY.) A( Vespers, on the Eve. The Stanzas {Stikkiri) for: Lord, I have cried : In Tone VI. To-day hath the grace of the Holy Spirit assembled us together, and taking up thy cross let us all say : Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest ! He who hath the heavens for his throne, and the earth for his foot- stool, the coeternal Word and Son of God the Father, to-day is come to Bethany, to humble himself upon the dumb foal of an ass. For which cause the Hebrew children, taking branches of trees in their hands, exalted him with the shout : Hosanna in the highest ! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. To-day hath the grace of the Holy Spirit . . . {See above.) The Parables {Par emit). Genesis xlix. i-i 2 ; Zeph. iii. 14-19 ; Zech. ix. 9-15. At the Litiyd, in Tone I. The all-holy Spirit, which taught the Apostles to speak in other and strange tongues, the same commandeth the Hebrew children devoid of guile to cry in words : Hosanna in the highest ! Blessed is the King of Israel who cometh. ' The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr). Thou didst raise Lazarus from the ■dead, O Christ our God, making certain the universal resurrection, before thy Passion. For which cause we also, like unto the children, bearing the emblems of victory, cry aloud unto thee, the Conqueror of Death : Hosanna in the highest ! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Another. Having been buried with thee in baptism, O Christ our God, we have acquired life immortal through thy Resurrection, and singing praises unto thee, we cry : Hosanna in the highest ! Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. The Exaltation. We magnify thee, O Life-giving Christ ! Hosanna in the highest ! And we cry aloud unto thee : Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. The Gradual {Prokimen), in Tone IV. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained praise. Verse : O Lord, the Lord our God, how wonderful is thy Name in all the earth. The Gospel. Matt. xxi. i-ii, 15-17. THE ENTRANCE OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM 205 After the Gospel^ Psalm li., and the Prayer at the Blessing of the Palms. Priest. O Lord our God, who sittest upon the Cherubim, who didst restore the might of thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that through his Cross and Grave and Resurrection he might save the world ; whom, also, when to-cjay he was come into Jerusalem, unto his voluntary Passion, the people who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, taking the symbols of victory, even boughs of trees and branches of palms, emblematical of the Resurrection, did go forth to meet : Do thou, the same Lord, preserve us also who on this eve of the feast in imitation of them do bear in our hands palms and branches of trees.. And may we also, who like unto those multitudes and chil- dren offer unto thee Hosanna! in hymns and spiritual songs, attain unto the life-giving Resurrection on the third day, through the same Christ Jesus our Lord ; with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Priest distributeth the palms to the People, after they have saluted the Gos- pels and received his benediction. The people then light their tapers and so stand until the end of the service, holding their palms. PALM SUNDAY. The First Canon. In Tone IV. {St. Cos^nas of Malum.) Tkeme-Sojigs {Irmosi). I. The springs of the deep were seen to be bereft of water, and the foundations of the sea surging with a tempest were laid bare. For thou, by a sign, didst lay thine interdiction upon it, and didst save thy chosen people, who sang a song of victory unto thee, O Lord. III. The Children of Israel drank from the solid rock which, when its edge was cleft at thy command, poured forth water abundantly. But that rock and that life art thou, O Christ, upon whom is founded the Church which crieth : Hosanna! Blessed art thou who comest. IV. Christ our God, who cometh visibly, shall come and shall not tarry, from the Mount grove-shadowed, born of a Maiden without hus- band, saith the Prophet of old : wherefore, let us all cry aloud : Glory to thy might, O Lord ! V. O thou who announcest the good tidings, get thee up into the Mount Zion, and lift up thy voice with strength, thou who proclaimest unto Jerusalem : Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God ; peace upon Israel, and salvation unto the nations. VI. The spirits of the righteous have cried aloud with joy : Now is a new covenant appointed unto the world, and all people shall be renewed through sprinkling with the blood divine. VII. Thou who didst save thy children of Abraham in the fire, and didst annihilate the Chaldseans, who were overtaken by that righteous judgment : Blessed art thou, O Lord and God of our fathers, exceed- ingly praised ! 2o6 THE ENTRANCE OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM VIII. Rejoice, O Jerusalem ! Keep high festival, O ye who love Zion ! For the Lord of Hosts is come, who reigneth throughout the ages. Let all the earth fall down in adoration before his presence, and cry aloud : O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord ! IX. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. O come, let us make ready a feast, let us magnify Christ with gladness and with palms and branches of trees, crying aloud unto him in hymns : Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord our Saviour. The Benediction. May he who, for the sake of our salvation, did deign to sit upon the foal of an ass, Christ our true God : and the rest, as usual. {See page 122.) At the Liturgy. Antiphon /., Tone II. Verse 1 : I am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer. ^ Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. 2 : He hath inclined his ear unto me : therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. ^ 3 : The snares of death compassed me round about, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. IJ 4': I found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the Name of the Lord. IJ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse i : I believed, and therefore have I spoken : but I was sore troubled. Refrain. Save, O Son of God, who didst sit upon the foal of an ass, us who sing unto thee : Alleluia. 2 : What reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all the benefits he hath done unto me .-' ^ 3 : I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. ?i 4 : I will pay my vows unto the Lord now, in the presence of all his people. 5i Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . . {See page 170.) Antiphon III., Tone I. Verse i : O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, because his mercy endureth forever. Refrahi : The Hymn for the Day ( Tropdr). Thou didst raise Laz- arus . . . {See page 204.) THE ENTRANCE OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM 207 2 : Let the house of Israel now confess that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever. IJ 3 : Let the house of Aaron now confess that his mercy endureth for- ever. ^ 4 : Yea, let all that fear the Lord confess that his mercy endureth forever. IJ TAe Introit. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord : we have blessed ye from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. {Tone IV.) Having been buried with thee in baptism, . . . {See page 204.) Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). O Christ-God, who in heaven art borne upon the throne, and on earth upon the foal of an ass, thou didst accept the praises of the Angels, and the hymns of the children that cried unto thee : Blessed art thou who art come to recall Adam from the dead ! Tke Epistle. Phil, iv, 4-9. The Gospel. John xii. 1-18. In place of: Meet is it : Tke Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon. The Communion Hym,n. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. GREAT THURSDAY On Great Thursday the Church corruftemorateth the Lord's humbling of himself for our sakes : his washing the feet of his disciples, and the institution of the dread Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ j his prayer in the garden, and his betrayal by jfudas. On this day, in some cathedral churches, the cerem.ony of the Washing of Feet is performed, as a lesson to us that we should serve one another. In the Cathedral of the Falling-asleep of the Birth-giver of God {the Assump- tion), in Moscow ; and in the Monastery of the Catacombs, in Kieff, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday is consecrated the Holy Chrism, which is used in all Russian churches, in the Sacrament of Chrisma- iion, after Baptism : also at the Coronation of the Emperor and Empress of Russia, when they are anointed to their high office, as God commanded his prophets of old to anoint the'kings over Israel. The Consecration of the Chrism taketh place at the Altar, after the Great Entrance. MATINS. Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Then as usual {see Matins) until : God is the Lord : in place of which Alleluia, in the Fifth Tone, is sung. The Deacon readeth the Verses {Stikhi). I. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, O God ; before the dawn : thy judgments are in the earth. Choir. Alleluia. {Thrice.') II. The inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness. ^ III. Envy shall seize the people who have not been chastised. 5i IV. Thou hast increased evil, O Lord, thou hast increased evil to the high ones of the earth. 5^ Hymn. When the glorious disciples were illumined by the Washing at the Supper, then was the impious Judas, ailing with covetousness, darkened. And to the unjust judges doth he betray thee, the just Judge. Behold his money beloved, for the sake of which he hanged himself. Flee the insatiate soul which dared such things against the Master. O Lord who art good above all men, glory to thee. (Tone VIII.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. When the glorious disciples . . . Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. When the glorious disciples . . . Then the Deacon exclaimeth : And that he will vouchsafe us grace to hear the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice^ GREAT THURSDAY 209 Deacon. Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Priest.- Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel of Luke. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Deacon. Let us attend ! The Priest readeth the Gospel : Luke xx. 1-39. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Then Psalm li. is read : Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy. . . . {See page ^S-) The Prayer : O God, save thy people : is not read but the Singers immediately begin THE CANON. In Tone V. {St. Cosmas of Malum ^ The Theme-Songs {Irmost). I. The Red Sea by a stroke is parted in twain, and the depth which feedeth the waves is dried up, the same being trodden by the unarmed, and becoming a grave to those fully armed. And a song well-pleasing unto God is sung : Gloriously hath Christ our God been glorified ! in. He who is the Lord of all, and God the Creator, the Passionless One, united the creature with himself, in that he did humble himself ; and himself becoming the Passover, did offer himself in anticipation unto those on behalf of whom it was his will to die, crying : Eat ye my body, and ye shall be strengthened in faith. IV. The Prophet, when he beheld the ineffable secret of thy Mys- tery, O Christ, cried out in anticipation : Thou, O merciful Father, didst appoint the firm love of thy might : for thou didst give thine Only-begotten Son to the world as an Atonement, O Good One. V. The Apostles, united in the bond of love, having dedicated them- selves unto Christ, who reigneth over all, made beautiful their feet to go and proclaim the glad tidings of peace unto all the world. VI. The nethermost abyss of sins hath compassed me about, and unable to endure the billows thereof, like Jonah I cry aloud unto thee, O Master : Lead me forth from corruption. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk), Tone II. The Traitor, having taken bread in his hand, privily stretcheth forth the same, and taketh a price for him who with his hands had made man ; and Judas, the slave and the deceiver, remaineth reprobate. VII. The Children in Babylon felt no fear of the furnace's flames ; but when they were cast into the midst of the fire, being besprinkled with dew, they cried aloud in song : Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers ! VIII. The blessed Youths in Babylon, braving danger for the laws of their fathers, despised the mad behest of the potentate ; and when they were encompassed by the fire in which they were not consumed, 2IO GREAT THURSDAY they sang a worthy song unto the Almighty : O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, and magnify him -unto all the ages. Let us praise, bless and worship the Lord, hymning and magnifying him unto all the ages. IX. Come, O ye faithful, let us enjoy the hospitality and the ban- quet immortal of the Lord, in the upper chamber, with minds uplifted, in that we have learned the Word from the Word who hath gone up on high : Whom also we do magnify. Then the Choir: Exapostildrion. I behold thy richly adorned dwelling-place, O my Saviour, and I have no festal raiment, that I may enter in. Illumine thou the raiment of my soul, O Light-giver, and save me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. I behold . . . Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. I behold . . . Then the Reader readeth the three customary Psalms : O praise the Lord of heaven (Psalm cxlviii.) ; O sing unto the Lord a new song (^Psalm cxliz.) ; O praise God in his holiness {Psalm cl.). Glory to thee who hast shown us the light. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will toward men : We praise thee : and the rest, as usual, to the end, as shown in the Office for Matins, when celebrated separately. THE FIRST HOUR. The Order for the First Hour is as usual (see First Hour, page 38), with the Hymn for the Day (Tropdr). When the glorious disciples . . . {See page 208.) And then : What shall we call the'e, . . . {See page 39.) The Reader readeth the Hymn OF Prophecy, in Tone IV. O Lord, who wast buffeted in the face for the sake of the human race, and yet waxed not wroth, deliver thou our life from corruption, and save us. {Twice.) Priest. Let us attend. Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the First Tone. Let the heathen understand that thy Name is the Lord. The Choir repeateth. Verse {StikJi) : Who is like unto thee, O God. Priest. Wisdom ! Reader. The Parable {Paremiyd) from the Prophecy of Jeremiah. Priest. Let us attend. The Reader then readeth the Parable: Jer. xi. 18-23, xii. 1-5, 9-1 1 {selected), 14-15. Priest. Let us attend. Wisdom ! GREAT THURSDAY 211 Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Eighth Tone. Pray and return thanks unto the Lord our God. Yerse : We have seen God in Judah ; great is his Name in Israel. Reader. Order my steps in thy word, and so shall no wickedness . . . {See First Hour, /a^i? 40.) The Benediction. May the Lord who, for the sake of our salvation, cometh to his vol- untary Passion, Christ, our true God ; through the prayers . . . {See page 122.) And the Many Years. THE LITURGY. The Liturgy, which is always that of St. Basil the Great, beginneth with Vespers. Vespers is celebrated as usual, with the following exceptions : The Verses {Stikktri) for : Lord, I have cried: In Tone I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name. The whole multitude of the Jews assembleth together, and delivereth over unto Pilate the Maker and Creator of all men. O iniquitous ! O faithless ! They prepare for judgment him who shall come to judge both the quick and the dead ; him who healeth passions they prepare for his Passion. O Lord long-suffering, great is thy mercy : glory to thee. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord : O Lord, hear my voice. Judas the impious, when he had dipped his hand in the salt with thee, O Lord, stretched forth to the impious his hand to receive the pieces of silver ; and having meditated upon the price of the ointment, was not afraid to betray thee, the Priceless One : For he stretched forth his foot to be washed, he deceitfully kissed the Master, that he might betray him to the impious ones ; he was cast out from the company of the Apostles, and flung down the thirty pieces of silver, and beheld not thy rising on the third day : Through which show thou mercy upon us. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, Lord, who may abide it 1 Judas the traitor, being deceitful, with a deceitful kiss did betray the Saviour, and Lord and Master of all men, in that he sold him like a slave to the Jews ; like a sheep to the slaughter even so went the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, the only All-Merciful One. My soul doth wait upon the Lord, before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch. Judas showed himself a slave and deceiver, a disciple and a calumni- ator, a friend and a devil in his deeds ; for having followed the Teacher and learned the doctrine from him, he said within himself: I will betray him, and acquire the possessions which he hath accumulated; for he sought to sell the ointment, and to take Jesus by guile. He gave a kiss. 212 GREAT THURSDAY he betrayed Christ. And like a sheep to the slaughter, even so went the Lamb of God, the only Compassionate One who loveth mankind. O praise the Lord, all ye heathen : praise him, all ye nations. The Lamb which was prophesied by Isaiah cometh to his voluntary slaughter, and giveth his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and his face hath he not turned away from the ignominy of the spitting, and he is condemned to a shameful death. The Sinless One of his own will accepteth all things, and unto all men giveth he resurrection from the dead. Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Tone VI. Judas was, of a truth, the descendant of the vipers who ate manna in the wilderness, and murmured against Him who fed them : for while the food was still in their mouths, the ingrates spake evil against God. And this godless man, while he bare in his mouth the heavenly bread, committed treachery against the Saviour. O nature insatiable, and audacity inhuman ! He selleth the One who feedeth him, and betray- eth unto death the Master who loveth him. Of a truth is he the son of the impious, and with them hath he inherited perdition. But spare thou our souls, O Lord, from such inhumanity, O thou who alone art of ineffable long-suffering. The Entrance is then made with the Gospels. Deacon. Wisdom, O believers ! Choir. O gladsome radiance . . . {See page 8.) Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. Peace be with you all. Deacon. Wisdom ! Let us attend. Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the First Tone. Deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man, O Lord. Verse (Stikh) : Who hath imagined evil in his heart all the day long. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Parable (Paremiyd) from Exodus. Deacon. Let us attend. The Reader then readeth the Parable (Paremiyd) : Exodus xix. 10-19. Reader. The Gradual {Prokimeii), in the Seventh Tone. Remove me from mine enemies, O God, and deliver me from them that rise up against me. Verse {Stikh) : Deliver me from them that work wickedness. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Parable {Paremiyd) from Job. Deacon. Let us attend. The Reader then readeth the Parable : Job xxxviii. 1-22, xlii. 1-5. Deacon. Wisdom ! GREAT THURSDAY 213 Reader. The Parable {Paremiyd) from the Prophecy of Isaiah. Deacon. Let us attend. The Reader then readeth : Isaiah 1. 4-1 1. Then the Little Litany, with the Exclamation : For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty : and the rest, as usual. {See page 86.) Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone. The princes of the people are assembled together against the Lord, and against his Anointed. Verse {Stikh) : Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing ? Reader. The Lesson from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. And the Reader readeth the Epistle : i Cor. xi. 23-32. Deacon. The Lesson from the holy Gospel of Matthew. And the Deacon readeth the Gospel: Matt. xxvi. 1-20; John xiii. 3-17; Matt, xxvi. 21-39 > Luke xxii. 43-45 ; Matt. xxvi. 40, xxvii. 1-2. In place of the CherubiTnic Hymn, the Choir singeth, in Tone VI. : Of thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me to-day as a com- municant ; for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither like Judas will I give thee a kiss ; but like the thief will I confess thee : Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom. And in place of: Meet is it : Come, O ye faithful, let us enjoy the hospitality and the banquet immortal of the Lord, in the upper chamber, with minds uplifted, in that we have learned the Word from the Word who hath gone up on high : Whom we do magnify. ^ And in place of the Comtnunion Hymn . Of thy Mystical Supper, . . . {See above) Also, in place of: Let our mouths be filled : Of thy Mystical Supper, . . . The Benediction. Priest. May he who, because of his surpassing graciousness, showed unto us the most excellent way of humility, when he washed the dis- ciples' feet, and condescended even unto the Cross, and burial, Christ our true God : and the rest, as usual. {See page 123.) GREAT (GOOD) FRIDAY On Great Friday we commemorate the redeeming sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sakes voluntarily endured being spat upon, beaten, buffeted in the face, jeered at, pierced with the nails and the spear, and, in conclusion, — death upon the Cross. Wherefore, the Service for Matins is entitled: The Office of the holy and redeeming Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and its characteristic feature consisteth in the reading of the Twelve Gospels, which narrate the same. Matins beginneth in the same manner as on Thursday. While : Alleluia, and : When the glorious disciples . . . (see Great Thursday) are being sung, the Clergy come forth from the Sanctuary with the book of the Gospels to the centre of the Temple, place the book on the lectern, light tapers (as do the People also), and cense the Temple and those present. Then the Little Litany : Again, yet again, . . . with the Exclamation : For thine are the kingdom and the power . . That he will graciously vouchsafe unto us : and the rest. {See page 30.) Glory to thy Passion, O Lord. {Before each Gospel.') Then the Gospels. (l) John xiii. 31-xviii. i. (2) John xviii. 1-28. (3) Matt. xxvi. 57-75- (4) John xviii. 28-xix. 16. (5) Matt, xxvii. 3-32. (6) Mark xv. 16-32. (7) Matt, xxvii. 33-54. (8) Luke xxiii. 32-49. (9) John xix. 25-37. (10) Mark xv. 43-47- (11) John xix. 38-42. (12) Matt, xxvii. 62-66. Glory to thy long-suffering, O Lord. {After each Gospel.') After the first Gospel, the Antiphon, in Tone VLLI. The Princes of the people are assembled against the Lord, and against his Christ. Thou hast laid upon me the word of transgression, O Lord : Lord, forsake me not. Let us offer unto Christ our pure affections, and as his friends let us sacrifice our souls for his sake ; and let us not be oppressed, like unto Judas, with the cares of life, but in our closets let us cry aloud : Our Father, who art in heaven, from the Evil One deliver thou us. After the second Gospel, the Antiphon, in Tone V. To-day doth Judas abandon the Master, and accept the devil : he is blinded by the passion of cupidity ; being darkened, he falleth away from the light. For how can he see who, for thirty pieces of silver, hath sold the Light .? But he who hath suffered for the world hath shone upon us. Unto him let us cry aloud : O Lord, who hast suffered, and who hast compassion upon men, glory to thee. After the third Gospel, the Antiphon, in Tone VLII. Unto those who unlawfully did seize thee, having suffered much, thus didst thou cry, O Lord : If ye smite the Shepherd, and scatter GREAT FRIDAY 215 abroad the twelve sheep, my disciples, I might present more than twelve legions of Angels. But I will forbear, that the obscure and secret things, which I have revealed unto you through my prophets, may be fulfilled. Glory, O Lord, to thee. After the fourth Gospel, the Antiphon, in Tone VI. He who decketh himself with light as it were with a garment, stood naked at the judgment seat, and received buffetings upon the cheek from the hands of those whom he had created. The iniquitous people, also, did nail to the Cross the Lord of glory. Then was the veil of the Temple rent in twain, and the sun was darkened, for it could not endure to behold God affronted, before whom all things do quake. Unto him let us bow down. After the fifth Gospel, the Antiphon, in Tone VI. The assembly of the Jews besought Pilate to crucify thee, O Lord. For though they found no fault in thee, they liberated the guilty Barab- bas, and condemned thee, the Just One, and became guilty of the sin of foul murder. But grant, O Lord, their reward unto those who vainly wrought evil against thee. But besides the above Antiphons, between the reading of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth Gospels, are sung three more Antiphons. The Little Litany and a Sitting-Hymn {Syeddlen) are said and sung ; and the customary censing of the Temple is performed. After the sixth Gospel, the Beatitudes, with their Hymns ( Tropari), are chanted, and the Gradual (Prokitnen) : They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. After the seventh Gospel, Psalm h. js read. After the eighth Gospel, is sung the Three-Song Canon, in Tone VI. Theme-Song V. {Irmos). My soul awaketh early unto thee, O God, who through tenderness of heart didst exhaust thyself for the fallen, yet without change of Essence ; and being thyself without passion, didst condescend unto thy Passion. Grant peace unto me who have fallen, O thou who lovest mankind. {Twice.) Refrain. Glory to thee, O our God ; glory to thee. And its two Hymns, each six times, with the Refrain : Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . / the Theme-Song ; the Little Litany j the Collect-Hymn {Konddk){see page T.i'j); and the Ikos. Then, Theme- Song VII L {Irmos). The divine Children put to shame the monument of blasphemous wrath. And the unlawful Council, raging against Christ, took counsel in vain, when they sought to slay him who holdeth life in the hollow of his hand ; whom, also, let all creation bless, magnifying him unto all the ages. 5^ 2i6 GREAT FRIDAY And its four Hymns, with the Refrain. Theme-Song IX. {Irmos). More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. And its four Hymns, with the Refrain. The Exapostildrion. In one moment thou didst graciously vouchsafe Paradise unto the wise thief, O Lord : Illumine thou me, also, by the tree of the Cross, and save me. After the ninth Gospel: Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord: wiBi its Stanzas {Stikhiri). As : Two treacherous things hath my first-born son, Israel, done : He hath abandoned my fountain of living water, and hath digged for him- self a well of contrition ; he hath crucified me on the Cross, and hath asked for himself and hath released Barabbas. Heaven was affrighted thereat, and the sun hid its rays, but thou, O Israel, hast not been ashamed, but hast delivered me over unto death. Forgive them, Father ; they know not what they have done. After the tenth Gospel : Glory be to God on high, . . . (see page 34) is read; then the Litany : Let us complete our morning prayer . . . After the eleventh Gospel, the Canticles of the Psalms. As : All creation . was confounded with terror when it beheld thee sus- pended on the Cross, O Christ. The sun was darkened, and the foun- dations of the earth were shaken : all things suffered in sympathy with him who had created all things. O Lord, who of thine own good will didst suffer for us, glory to thee. Then the final censing. After the twelfth Gospel, the ending of Matins. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, . . . O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . Our Father, . . . The Hymn {Tropdr'), in Tone IV. Thou hast ransomed us from the Tcurse of the law by thy precious blood ; when thou wast nailed to the Cross and pierced with a spear, thou didst pour forth immortality for men, O our Saviour : glory to thee. The Augmented Litany, and the Benediction. May he who, for the sake of us men, and for our salvation, deigned to endure terrible suf- ferings, and the life-giving Cross, and voluntary burial, Christ, our true God : and the rest, as usual. {See page 122.) The First Hour is not joined to Matins, but is read separately, together with the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours. The Imperial Hours. {Composed by Cyril of Alexandria^ First Hour. Psalms v., ii., xxii. GREAT FRIDAY 217 Hymn (Tropdr). When thou wast crucified, O Christ, the tormentor was overcome, the power of the enemy was shattered ; for neither Angel nor man, but the Lord himself hath saved us : Glory to thee. The Parable {Paremiyd). Zech. xix. 10-13. Ihe Epistle. Gal. vi. 14-18. The Gospel. Matt, xxvii. 1-56. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk), in Tone VHI. Come, all ye, let us sing him who was crucified for us. For him did Mary behold on the Tree, and say : Even though thou sufferest crucifixion, yet art thou my Son and my God. Third Hour. Psalms xxxv., cix., li. The Hymn, in Tone VI. The Jews who had passed through the Red Sea by the rod, condemned to death and crucified on the Cross thee, O Lord, the life of all men ; and they who had sucked honey from the rock brought gall unto thee ; but of thine own good will didst thou suffer, and free us from the works of the enemy. O Christ, glory to thee. The Par able {Pare miyd). Isaiah 1. 4-1 1. The Epistle. Rom. v. 6-10. The Gospel. Mark xv. 1-41. The Collect-Hymn. Come, all ye, . . . {See First Hour, above.) Sixth Hour. Psalms liv., cxl., xci. The Hym.n, in Tone //. Thou hast effected salvation on earth, O Christ our God, thou hast stretched out thy most pure hands on the Cross, collecting together all the Gentiles, who cried : Glory to thee, O Lord. The Parable {Paremiyd). Isaiah lii. 13-15, liii. 1-12, liv. i. The Epistle. Heb. ii. 11-18. The Gospel. Luke xxiii. 32-49. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). Come, all ye, . . . {See above.) Ninth Hour. Psalms Ixix.,' Ixx., Ixxxvi. The Hymn {Tropdr). When the thief beheld the Author of Life hanging upon the Cross, he said : If thou, who art crucified with us, wast not God incarnate, the sun would not have hidden its rays, neither would the earth have quaked with trembling. But do thou, who sufferest all things, remember me in thy kingdom, O Lord. The Parable {Paremiyd). Jer. xii. 18-23, xii. 1-15. The Epistle. Heb. x. 19-31. The Gospel. John xviii. 28- xix. 1-37. The Collect-Hymn. {See above.) The Typical Psalms are as usual. In order that the fast which the Holy Church imposeth upon the faithful in her great affliction at the removal of her Bridegroom tnay not be broken, the Liturgy is not celebrated on Great Friday. The sacrifice, on that day, is offered on Golgotha. {Only in case ihe Feast of the Annunciation falleth on that day the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated.) 2i8 GREAT FRIDAY VESPERS. Especially affecting is Vespers, which is celebrated on Great Friday at four o'clock, when the winding-sheet {plashtschanitza) is brought into the centre of the Temple. Before the beginning of the service the winding-sheet is laid on the Altar. The Senior Priest vesteth himself in all the ecclesiastical vestments pertaining to his rank. The beginning of the service is as usual. The Stanzas (Stikhiri) of: Lord, I have cried : I. Tone I. All creation was confounded with terror when it beheld thee suspended on the Cross, O Christ. The sun was darkened, and the foundations of the earth were shaken : all things suffered in sympathy with him who had created all things. O Lord, who of thine own good will didst suffer for us, glory to thee. II. Tone II. To-day the Virgin undefiled, beholding thee, the Word, uplifted upon the Cross, weeping with the tender love of a mother, was sore wounded in the heart, and moaned grievously from the depths of her soul, wiping her face with her hair. Wherefore also beating her hands, she cried piteously : Woe is me, O my Son divine ! Woe is me, O Light of the World ! Why hast thou departed from mine eyes, O Lamb of God.' For which cause also the host of the Bodiless Powers were seized with trembling, and said : O Lord Ineffable, glory to thee! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. III. Tone VI. A mystery dread and most glorious to-day is seen to be accomplished : he who is intangible is held fast ; he who loosed Adam from the curse is bound ; he who trieth the heart and reins un- lawfully is tried ; he is confined in darkness who confined the abyss ; b)efore Pilate standeth he before whom stand the Powers of Heaven ; the Creator is buffeted in the face by the hand of the creature ; to the Tree is adjudged he who judgeth the living and the dead ; the Destroyer of Hell is confined in the tomb. O Benigimnt Lord, who compassionately endurest all things, and savest all men from the curse, glory to thee. The Entrance with the Gospels. O gladsome radiance . . . (Pa£-e8.) The Gradual {Prokimen^. They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. The Parables {Paremii). Exodus xxxiii. 11-23; Jobxlii. 12-17; Isaiah lii. 13-15, liii. 1-12, liv. i. The Epistle, i Cor. i. 18-, ii. i, 2. The Gospel Matt, xxvii. 1-38 ; Luke xxiii, 39-43 ; Matt, xxvii. 39- 54; John xix. 31-37; Matt, xxvii. SS-61. The Augmented Litany. Let us all say, . . .; The Litany of Suppli- cation. Let us complete . . . {^See page 35.) When Joseph, together with Nicodemus, had taken from the Tree thee, who clothest thyself in light as in a garment, and beheld thee dead, naked and unburied, that compassionate man was seized with weejjing, and with lamentation said : Woe is me, O sweetest Jesus, whom so GREAT FRIDAY 219 little while ago the sun beheld hanging on the Cross, wrapped in dark- ness, while the earth did quake and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain ! But lo, now I behold thee, who for my sake, of thine own good will, hast endured death. How shall I bury thee, O my God ? Or with what winding-sheet shall I enshroud thee ! With what hands shall I touch thy body incorruptible ? Or what songs shall I sing at thy forth- going, O Bountiful One ? I exalt thy sufferings. In song also will I glorify thy burial, with Resurrection, crying : O Lord, glory to thee ! During this time, the Senior Priest, accompanied by the Deacon with a taper, censeth round about the Altar, thrice. • Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, . . . O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . Our Father, . . . For thine is the king- dom, . . . {See page 13.) And the Choir singeth : •Noble Joseph, when he had taken thy pure Body from the Tree, did wrap it in fine linen and spices, and sorrowing did lay it in a new sepulchre. An Angel stood before the Myrrh-bearing Women at the tomb, cry- ing : Spices are meet for the dead, but Christ hath revealed himself as a stranger to corruption. While these Hymns are being sung, the Clergy lift the winding-sheet from the Altar, and preceded by assistants bearing tapers, they make the circuit of the Altar, bearing the winding-sheet on their heads. And they go to the centre of the Temple and lay it on the tomb there prepared. Then followeth a triple censing of the winding-sheet, and of the whole Temple, and of those present. An address appropriate to the day is generally made here. Then the Benediction. May he who for the sake of us men, and for our salvation, deigned to endure terrible sufferings, and the life-giving Cross, and voluntary burial, Christ, our true God : and the rest, as usual. {See page 122.) The faithful, following the example of the Priest, approach the grave of the Lord, kneeling and kissing it. GREAT SATURDAY On Great Saturday the Church commemorateth the Burial of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his descent into Hell. As a watch was set over the tomb of the Saviour, in like inanner, during the whole course of the Matins ' service the Clergy hardly depart froin the tomb of the winding-sheet ; while during the Hours and the Liturgy, all the exits from the sanctuary are per- formed around the winding-sheet ; as, for example, the Little and Great Entrances. The beginning of Matins is as usual. While: God is the Lord: is being sung, the Holy Door is opened, and the Clergy come forth to the centre of the Temple. The winding-sheet and the Temple are censed. The Hymns {Tropari), in Tone II. I. Noble Joseph, when he had taken thy pure Body from the Tree, did wrap it in fine linen and spices, and sorrowing did lay it in a new sepulchre. II. When thou didst descend into Hell, O Life Immortal, then didst thou annihilate Hell with the radiance of thy divinity. And when thou hadst raised up all the dead from the nethermost regions, all the Powers of heaven cried aloud : O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory to thee ! III. An Angel stood before the Myrrh-bearing Women at the tomb, crying : Spices are meet for the dead, but Christ hath revealed himself as a stranger to corruption. Then, directly in front of the winditig-sheet, the Seventeenth Selection of Psalms is read iPsalm cxix.), each verse being followed by Eulogies of the dead and buried Lord. This selection of Psalms is divided into three parts, separated by the Little Litany, and an Exclamation. Examples of the Eulogies. Tone V. Part I. I. Thou didst lay down thy life in the grave, O Christ, and the Angelic Host was affrighted, glorifying thy condescension. II. O Life, how shalt thou die .' How shalt thou dwell in the grave ? But thou shalt annihilate the kingdom of Death, and shalt raise up the dead out of Hell. III. We magnify thee, O Jesus the King, and we reverence thy burial and thy sufferings, whereby thou hast saved us from corrup- tion. Exclamation. {After the Litany.^ For blessed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Part //. Eulogies. I. Meet is it that we should magnify thee, the Life-giver, who hast stretched out thy hands upon the Cross, and hast shattered the dominion of the enemy. GREAT SATURDAY 221 Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me ; give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. II. Meet is it that we should magnify thee, the Creator of all men : for by thy sufferings we have immortality, O thou who deliverest us from corruption. III. The earth was affrighted, and the sun hid itself, O Saviour, when it beheld thee, the light which knoweth no setting, O Christ, entering into the grave in the flesh. IV. Thou didst fall asleep in the grave, O Christ, with sleep which is natural to creatures, and from the heavy sleep of sin didst raise up the human race. Exclamation. {After the Litany.) For holy art thou, O our God, who restest on the cherubimic throne of glory, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all- holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Part in. Tone III. Eulogies. I. All nations bring a song to thy burial, O my Christ. O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name. II. He of Arimathea, having taken thee from the Tree, and wrapped thee in a winding-sheet, interreth thee in the tomb. III. The Myrrh-bearing Women came, most wisely bringing spices unto thee, O my Christ. IV. O come, all creation, let us bring the parting songs to the Creator. Exclamation. For thou art the King of Peace, O Christ our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir.- Amen, The Eulogies are followed by the Hymns, The company of the Angels . . (See Sunday Matins, page 28), Psalm li., and THE CANON. Tone VI. Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. The children of those that were saved, hid under the earth Him who of old drowned in the waves of the sea the tormentor pursuing. And let us like the virgins sing unto the Lord, for gloriously hath he glorified himself. HI. When Creation beheld thee, who didst suspend the whole earth immovably upon the waters, hanging upon Calvary, it quaked with great amaze, and cried : There is none holy, save thou, O Lord. IV. When Habakkuk by anticipation beheld thy exhaustion divine upon the Cross, he cried in amaze : Thou hast destroyed the dominion of the mighty, O Good One, in that hast joined thyself unto the com- pany of those who were in Hell : for thou art almighty. 222 GREAT SATURDAY V. When Isaiah beheld the light which knoweth no setting of thy divine manifestation, that was graciously made unto us, O Christ, his soul longed for thee in the night-season, and he cried : The dead shall rise, and those who lie in the grave shall be awakened, and all the earth-born shall rejoice. VI. Jonah was seized but was not held in the belly of the whale, in that he represented the type of thee, who didst suffer and give thyself over unto burial ; and he came forth from the monster as from a cham- ber of repose, and spake unto the guards : Ye that regard lying vanities have forsaken your own mercy. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). The Immortal One who imprisoned the deep is beheld dead, and, wrapped with spices and a winding-sheet, is laid in the tomb as he were mortal ; and the women have come to anoint him with spices, weeping bitterly and crying : This is the blessed Sat- urday whereon Christ, having fallen asleep, shall rise again on the third day. VII. O marvel unutterable ! He who delivered the Holy Children in the fiery furnace from the flames, is laid dead, bereft of breath, in the grave, for the salvation of us who sing : O God our Redeemer ! Blessed art thou. VIII. Feat with trembling, O ye heavens, and let the foundations of the earth be shaken ! For lo, he who dwelleth on high is numbered among the dead and is lodged in the narrow grave. Ye Children, bless ; ye Priests, sing praises ; ye People, magnify him unto all the ages ! IX. Lament not for me, O Mother, when thou beholdest in the tomb the Son whom, without seed, thou didst conceive in thy womb, for I shall rise again, and glorify myself ; and in that I am God, I will raise in glory that hath no ending those who, with faith and love, do magnify thee. \ (While the Canon is being sung, the Senior Priest array eth himself in his full vestments) Holy is the Lord our God. . . . Let everything which hath breath praise the Lord. . . . {Tone II.) Most blessed art thou, O Virgin Birth-giver . . . {See page 34.) Priest. Glory to thee, who hast shown us the light. Choir. Glory be to God on high, . When the Gloria in Excelsis hath been fitiished, and ■while the affecting 7';4r?«- .^13/)' (O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . ) is being sung, and all the bells are rung, the Senior Priest taketh from the winding-sheet the book of the Holy Gospels which lieth thereon, and with it, beneath the winding-sheet, which is upheld by the Priests, while the Deacons cense, he performeth the procession of bearing the winding-sheet arou7id the Church. When the circuit hath been completed, they carry the winding-sheet back into the Church, and the procession halteth in front of the Holy Door. Here the Exclamation : Wisdom ! is made, and the Hymn : Noble Joseph, . . . (see page 126) is sung. The winding-sheet is then replaced on the tomb, and upon the winding-sheet is laid the book of the Holy Gospels. GREAT SATURDAY 223 Then follow : The Parables {Paremii), Ezek. xxxvii. 1-14; (he Epistle, i Cor. v. 6-8 ; the Gospel, Matt, xxvii. 62-66; the Aug?nented Litany, Let us say, . . .; and the Litany of Supplication, Let us complete . . . {See page 36.) The Benediction. May he who, for the sake of us men, and for our salvation, endured dire sufferings, and the life-giving Cross, and vol- untary burial in the flesh, Christ our true God : and the rest. {See page 122.) The Choir then singeth the Stanza (Stikhira), in Tone V. O come, let us bless Joseph ever-memorable, who came by night unto Pilate, and begged the Life of all men : Give me this stranger, who hath not where to lay his head ; give me this stranger, whom a crafty disciple hath betrayed unto death ; give me this stranger, whose Mother, when she beheld him hanging on the Cross, cried with weep- ing, and with maternal feeling exclaimed : Woe is me, woe is me, my child ! Woe is me, my Light, and the beloved of my bosom ! that which was foretold in the church by Simeon to-day hath come to pass ! A weapon shall pierce thy heart, but into the joy of the Resurrection shall thy lament be changed. We worship thy sufferings, O Christ ; we wor- ship thy sufferings, O Christ ; we worship thy sufferings, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection. The7i the First Hour is read. On Great Saturday, the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours, as usual; the Hymn : Noble Joseph, . . . (see page 220); the Collect-Hymn (Konddk): The Im- mortal One who imprisoned the deep . . . {See page 222.) The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is used, and is celebrated after Vespers. But as the Vespers refer to the following day, in it the joyous songs of the Resurrection are united with the songs of Great Saturday. Vespers beginneth : Blessed is the kingdom ; the Sunday Verses (Stikhiri) of the First Tone, to : Lord, I have called ; the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogordditchen) : Let US sing the praises of Mary, Virgin, Door of heaven. Glory of all the world, sprung forth from man, who also bare the Lord ; the Song of the Bodiless Powers, and the Enriching of the faithful. For she revealed herself as Heaven and the Temple of the Godhead. She destroyed the bulwarks of entriity, and ushered in peace, and threw open the kingdom. Wherefore, in that we possess this confirmation of our faith, we have a defender, even the Lord who was born of her. Be bold, therefore, be bold, ye people of God, for he, the All-Powerful, shall vanquish your foes. The Entrance is made with the Gospels. After : O gladsome radiance . . . {page 8); the Parables {Paremii), Genesis i. 1-13 ; Isaiah Ix. 1-16; Exodus xii. i-ii ; Jonah i. 1-16, ii. i-ii, iii. i-io, iv. i-ii ; Joshua v. 10-15; Exodus xiii. 20-22, xiv., XV. 1-19. During the reading of the concluding verses of the sixth Parable {Paremiyd), the Choir singeth : For gloriously hath he glorified himself. 224 GREAT SATURDAY The Parables {Paremii). Zeph. iii. 8-15; i Kings xvii. 8-24; Isaiah Ixi. 10, 11, Ixii. 1-5; Genesis xxii. 1-18; Isaiah Ixi. 1-9; 2 Kings iv. 8-37 ; Isaiah Ixiii. 11-19, xliv. 1-5; Jer. xxxi. 31-34; Dan. iii. 1-23 {and the Song of the Holy Children, Apocrypha). During the reading of the concluding verses of the Fifteenth Lesson, the Choir singeth : Sing ye unto the Lord, and exalt him forever. The Little Litany ; Exclamation : For holy art thou .... In place of the Thrice- holy : Ye who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The Gradual, in the Fifth Tone : Let all the earth worship thee, and sing thee, yea, let it sing unto thy Name, O Most Highest. 7'he Epistle. Romans vi. 3-1 1. Instead of: Alleluia: Arise, O God, judge the earth ; for thou shalt inherit all nations : with its Verses {Stikhi) ; (Psalm Ixxxii.). While these are being sung, the Clergy change their sombre vestments for light vestments, in preparation for the reading of the Gospel concerning Christ's Resurrection : Matt, xxviii. 1-20. In place of the Cherubimic Hym.n . Let all mortal flesh hold its peace, and stand with fear and trembling, and meditate nothing earthly within itself : for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords cometh to be slain, and to give himself to be the food of the faithful. And before him also come the Angelic Hosts with all dominion and power, the many-eyed Cherubim, and the six-winged Seraphim, covering their faces, and crying aloud the song : Alleluia. The Communion Hymn. The Lord is risen, as though he slept, and he who saveth us is risen from the dead. In place of: Meet is it : Lament not for me, O Mother, when thou beholdest in the tomb the Son whom, without seed, thou didst conceive in thy womb : for I shall rise again and glorify myself ; and in that I am God, I will raise in glory that hath no ending those who with faith and love do magnify thee. After the Liturgy it is customary to have the Blessing of the Loa^ies and the Wine, wherewith the faithful may strengthen themselves before they listen to the reading of the Acts of the Apostles. In the evening the reading of the Acts of the Apostles taketh place. The Priest bestoweth the blessing : Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Then followeth the reading of the Acts. It is the custom to have a number of readers, who succeed one another, and read the Acts until the very beginning of the Easter Midnight Service {P olundtchnitza), which precedeth the Easter Matins. The Easter Midnight Service generally beginneth in such a way that it shall be finished at midnight, as the beginning of the Easter Refrain is always made to coincide with the midnight stroke of the bells. The order of the Midnight Ser- vice is as followeth : Priest. Blessed is our God . . . Reader. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . ; Our Father, . . .; O come, let us worship . . .; the Canon of Great Saturday : The children of those . . . {See page ill ^ GREAT SATURDAY 225 While : Lament not for me, O Mother, . . . {iAe Ninth Theme-Song) is being sung, the Priest reverently beareth the winding-sheet from the centre of the Temple to the Sanctuary, and layeth it on the Altar. Then the doors are closed. The Litany : Have mercy upon us, O God, . . . ; O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . .; Our Father, . . .; the Hymn {Tropdr) in Tone II., When thou didst descend into Hell, . . (see page ■2.io)for Sunday ; the Little Benediction. EASTER Easter, the Feast of Feasts, is celebrated by the Church with special solemnity. The Temple is filled with the fragrance of i?icense and myriads of lights ; the Clergy are arrayed in their choicest light-hued vestments. All the People hold lighted tapers in their hands. All these things denote the flood of joy and grace which proceeded from the Resurrection of the Saviour. At midnight the Holy Door is opened ; and it remaineth open for the whole of Easter week. The Rector, with the censer and the triple candlestick and cross, censeth the Altar ; then, accompanied by his fellow-clergy , who bear the book of the Holy Gospels and the holy images, and the Deacons who cense, and pre- ceded by a procession of the cross with the church banners and lights, he goeth forth from the church, all singing with him the chant of joy : The Angels in heaven, O Christ our Saviour, sing thy Resurrection. This chant is taken up and continued by the Choir and the People thus : And do thou enable us on earth to glorify thee with a pure heart. They triumphantly make the circuit of the church, the bells pealing the while, and then all enter the porch, the doors leading therefrom into the Temple re?naining closed. Across this western door the procession rangeth itself with the Gospels, and images ; and the Priest, holding the censer in his right hand, and the triple candlestick with the cross in his left, censeth the Holy Things, and the Brethren, and all the People, and also the closed door, in the form of a cross. After this he beginneth : Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving and Undivided Trinity, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. {Thrice.) And the Choirs sing this thrice also. Then the Priest intoneth the Verses: 1 : Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and let them also that hate him flee before him. Andafter each Verse the Choirs respond : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. 2 : Like as the smoke vanisheth, so shall they vanish, and like as wax melteth at the fire. 5^ 3: So let the ungodly perish at the presence of God, but let the righteous rejoice. ^ 4: This is the day which the Lord hath made : we will rejoice and be glad in it. ^^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. B Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 5^ Then the Priest chanteth, in a louder voice : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death. EASTER 227 Then the closed doors are opened, and the Priest entereth with the honourable cross, preceded by the tapers, and by the Brethren singing : And upon those in the tomb bestowing life. And thereupon the Priests go to the holy Sanctuary.* Then the Deacon saith the Litany of Peace {page 26). Exclamation. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the principal Priest beginneth the Canon, composed by St. yohn of Damas- cus. And at the beginning of the Canon the Priest censeth the holy pictures, and the Choirs, and the Brethren, according to their rank. And if the Feast of the Annunciation chance to fall on Easter Day {in which case the Feast is called Kiriopaskha), the Hymns for the Annunciation are added to those for Easter. THE CANON. {During each Theme-Song the Priest censeth^ Canticle I., Tone I. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Day of Resurrection ! Let us be illumined, O ye people ! The Passover, the Passover of the Lord ! From death unto Irfe, and from earth unto heaven hath Christ our God brought us over, singing a song of victory!. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn {Tropdr). Let us purify our senses and we shall behold Christ, radiant with the light ineffable of the Resurrection, and shall hear him say, in accents clear : Rejoice ! as we sing the song of victory. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn. For meet is it that the heavens should rejoice, and that the earth should be glad, and that the whole world, both visible and invis- ible, should keep the Feast. For Christ is risen, the everlasting joy ! The Choirs. The Day of Resurrection ! . . . Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. [Thrice.) The Little Litany. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. * It is customary to make the circuit of the church outside, to typify the women who came, very early in the morning, bearing spices, to anoint the body of our Lord. The Easter Matins are thus begun outside the church, in memory of the Myrrh-bearing Women and the disciples having first received tidings of Christ's resurrection before the entrance to his tomb. 228 EASTER Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. Priest. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Canticle III. Theme-Song {Irmos). O come, let us quaff a beverage new, not from a barren rock miraculously called forth ; but the Fountain of Im- mortality springing from the tomb of Christ : on whom also we are founded. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn (Tropdr). Now are all things filled with light; heaven, and earth, and the places under the earth. All Creation doth celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, on whom also it is founded. 5* Hymn. Yesterday, O Christ, was I buried with thee, and to-day I rise again with thy rising. Yesterday was I crucified with thee : Do thou thyself glorify me, O Saviour, in thy kingdom. ^ Then the Choirs repeat, thrice, the Theme-Song ; O come, let us quaff . . . and : Christ is risen . . . trampling down Death . . . (Thrice). The Little Litany {see page 227). Exclamation. Priest. For thou art our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Ipakdi, Tone III. When they who with the Marys came, forestalling the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as he were mortal, him who abideth in everlasting light .' Behold the grave-clothes. Go quickly, and proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath slain Death. For he is the Son of God who saveth mankind. Canticle IV. Theme-Song {Irmos). May Habakkuk, divinely speaking, now stand with us in watch divine, and show the radiant Angel crying clearly : EASTER 229 To-day is salvation come into the world : For Christ is risen, in that he is almighty. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn (J'ropdr). Christ revealed himself as of the male sex when he opened the Virgin's womb, and as mortal was called the Lamb. With- out blemish, also, is our Passover, in that he tasted not corruption ; and as very God perfect was proclaimed. ^ Hymn. Christ, the blessed Crown, like unto a yearling Lamb, of his own good will did sacrifice himself for all, a Passover of purification : and from the grave did he, the glorious Sun of Righteousness, shine forth again upon us. IJ Hymn. David, the ancestor of our God, danced with leaping before the symbolical Ark of the Covenant. Let us also, the holy people of God, beholding the fulfilment of the symbol, rejoice in godly wise: For Christ is risen, in that he is almighty. 5^ The7t the Choirs sing the Theme- Song : May Habakkuk . . . and: Christ is risen . . . trampling down Death . . . (Thrice.) The Little Litany {see page ■zi'j). Exclamation. Priest. For thou art a gracious 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Canticle V. Theme-Song {Irmos). Right early let us wake, and unto the Lord bring a song instead of myrrh, and we shall behold Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who lighteth the life of all mankind. Refrain. Christ is risen frorti the dead! Hymn {Tropdr). When they who were led captive in the bonds of Hell beheld thy loving-kindness infinite, O Christ, they hastened to the light with joyful feet, exalting the Passover Everlasting. ^ Hymn. Bearing lights, let us go forth to meet Christ, who cometh forth from the grave like a bridegroom. And with the hierarchy of Angels who love and praise, let us celebrate the ransoming Passover of God. ^ Then the Choir repeat the Theme-Song : Right early let us wake . . . and: Christ is risen . . . trampling down Death . . . [Thrice) The Little Litany {see page 227). Exclamation. Priest. For sanctified and glorified be thine honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. 230 EASTER Canticle VI. Theme-Song {Irmos). Thou didst descend into the nethermost parts of the earth, O Christ, and didst shatter the bonds eternal which held the prisoners in captivity : and after three days thou didst rise again from the grave, like Jonah from the whale. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn (Tropdr). O Christ, who didst not break the Virgin's gate by thy birth, thou didst rise again from the dead, having kept intact the seals ; and thou hast opened unto us the gates of Paradise. 5^ Hymn. O my Saviour, the sacrifice living and unslain, which, inas- much as thou art God could not be slain ! When thou, of thine own will, hadst offered up thyself unto the Father, thou didst raise up with thee also, in that thou thyself didst rise from the grave, Adam, the father of our race. 5^ Then the Choirs sing the Theme-Song : Thou didst descend . . . and: Christ is risen . . . trampling down Death .... (Thrice^ The Little Litany {see page 227). Exclamation. Priest. For thou art the King of Peace and thi Saviour of our souls, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. The Collect-Hymn (JConddk). Though thou didst descend into the grave, O Deathless One, yet didst thou annihilate the power of Hell, and didst rise again as con- queror, O Christ our God, announcing unto the Myrrh-bearing Women : Rejoice! and giving peace unto thine Apostles, and bestowing Resur- rection upon the fallen. The Ikos. The Myrrh-bearing Women forestalled the dawn, ere the rising of the sun, seeking, as it were day, the Sun which had once set in the tomb, and crying one to another : O friends ! Come, let us anoint with sweet- smelling spices the life-bringing and buried body of him who raiseth again in the flesh fallen Adam, which lieth in the grave. Let us go, let us seek, like the Wise Men, and let us fall down in vi^orship before him, and bring unto him an offering of myrrh ; not unto him in swaddling- clothes, but in his winding-sheet. And let us weep and cry aloud : Arise, O Master, who givest Resurrection unto the fallen ! In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us bow down before the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection we laud and glorify : for thou art our God, and we know none other beside thee, we call upon thy Name. O come, all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's holy Resur- EASTER 231 rection : for lo, through his Cross is joy come into all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing his Resurrection : for in that he endured the Cross, he hath destroyed Death by death. Hymn. Jesus having risen from the grave, as he foretold, hath given unto us life eternal, and great mercy. {Thrice.) Canticle VII. Theme-Song {Irmos). He who delivered the Holy Children from the fiery furnace, when he was made man did suffer like unto a mortal; and through his Passion he doth clothe the mortal in the dignity of immortality, he, the only God of our fathers, blessed and exceedingly glorified. Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn {Tropdr). The godly- wise women followed after thee in haste with sweet-Smelling spices. But him whom they sought with tears as dead, they joyfully adored as the living God, and announced unto thy disciples, O Christ, the glad tidings of the mystical Passover. IJ Hymn. We celebrate the death of Death, the annihilation of Hell, the beginning of a life new and everlasting. And in ecstasy we sing praises unto the author thereof, the only God of our fathers, blessed and exceeding glorious. ^, Hymn. For holy, in very truth, and worthy of all solemn triumph, is this redeeming and radiantly effulgent night, the harbinger of the bright-beaming Day of the Resurrection, on which the Light Eternal that hath no bounds shone forth in the flesh from the grave for all mankind. Then the Choir sing the Theme-Song : He who delivered the Holy Children . . . and : Christ is risen . . . trampling down Death . . . (Thrice.) The Little Litany {see page 22^). Exclamation. Priest. For blessed and all-glorified be the majesty of thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Canticle VIII. Theme-Song {Irmos). This is the chosen and holy Day, like unto no other, the King and Lord of Sabbaths, the Feast of Feasts, and the Triumph of Triumphs : Wherein let us bless Christ forever- more ! Refrain. Christ is risen from the dead ! Hymn {Tropdr). O come, on this auspicious day of the Resur- rection, let us partake of the fruit from the new vine of divine gladness , of the kingdom of Christ, in song magnifying him as God forevermore. ^s- 232 EASTER Hymn. Cast thine eyes about thee, O Zion, and behold ! For \o ! from the West and from the North, and from the Sea and from the East, as to a light by God illumined, have thy children assembled unto thee, blessing Christ forevermore. Refrain. O most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to thee ! Hymn. O Father Almighty, the Word and the Spirit, one Essence in Three Persons, exceeding high and most divine ! Into thee have we been baptized, and thee will we bless unto all the ages. Then the Theme-Song : This is the chosen and holy Day, . . . Verse 3 : Say unto God : How wonderful art thou in thy works : through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee. ]J Verse 4 : For all the world shall worship thee, sing of thee, and praise thy Name. IJ Glory . . . now, and ever, ^ Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse 1 : O God, be merciful unto us, and bless us. Refrain O Son of God, who rose again from the dead on the third day, save us who sing unto thee, Alleluia. . EASTER 239 Verse 2 : That thy way may be known upon earth : thy saving health among all nations. ^ Verse 3 : Let the people praise thee, O God : yea, let all the people praise thee. 1^ Glory . . now, and ever, . . . 5^ Antiphon III., Tone V, Verse i : Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered : let them also that hate him flee before him. Refrain. Christ is risen . . . and upon those in the tomb . . . Verse 2 : Like as smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away, and like as wax melteth at the fire, so let them perish. 5^ Verse 3 : Even so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous rejoice and be glad, yea, let them rejoice before God. ^ The Introit. Bless the Lord in his temples, the Lord from the sources of Israel. Iti place of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . is used : As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The Gradual {Proktmen), in the Eighth Tone. This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it. Verse : Praise ye the Lord, for he is gracious : for his mercy endur- eth forever. T/ie Lesson from the Apostle : Acts i. 1-12. Alleluia. {Tone IV.) Thou, O Lord, art risen, and hast been bounti- ful to Zion. Verse : The Lord looked down from heaven upon the earth. The Gospel is : John i. 1-19 : which setteth forth the divinity of our Lord fesus Christ. And, as our Lord gave command that his Gospel should be preached throughout the world, to every creature, it is customary, on Easter Day, to read it in as many languages as possible ; especially in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, the tongues in which was written the superscription on the cross. In place of : Meet is it : ... The Angel cried: {See Refrain ^, page 7.y2.); and the Theme-Song of the Ninth Canticle: Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem! . .; The Com^munion Hymn : Receive ye the Body of Christ ; taste ye of the Foun- tain of Life. After the Exclamations : In the fear of God . . . ; O God, save thy people . . . ; Always, now, and ever, . . . ; and in place of: Blessed be the Name of the Lord : is sung the Hymn : Christ is risen . . . In place of; Glory to thee, O Christ our God, . . . is sung : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death. Choir. And upon those in the tomb bestowing life. The Benediction is the same as at the end of Matins. 240 EASTER After the Prayer before the Tribune, at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Artos is brought to the Priest in the Sanctuary. The A rtos, or universal altar-bread, beareth the image of the cross, and, sometimes, a representation of Chrisfs Resurrection. As the Paschal Lamb, by God''s command, co7nmemorated in the Old Testament the deliverance of his people from bofidage to Pharaoh, and, also, the Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world ; so, in commemoration of the Resurrection in the New Testa?nent of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby we are freed from eternal bondage to the enemy, the A rtos is offered, symboliz- ing the angelic bread, the Bread of Eternal Life, which came down from heaven ; even our Lord Jesus Christ. During the whole of Easter week the Artos lieth on the Altar, or on the lectern, with the holy picture [ikdna) of the Lord^s Resurrection. On Saturday, after the Liturgy, the Artos is broken up and distributed. The Prayer at the Blessing of the Artos. O God Omnipotent and Lord Almighty, who by thy servant Moses, at the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and the liberation of thy people from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh, didst command that a Lamb be slain, foreshadowing the Lamb which, because of our deeds, of his own good will, was slain on the cross, and taketh away the sins of the whole world, thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ : Do thou now, also, we humbly entreat thee, look upon this bread, and bless and sanctify it. For we thy servants, in honour, and glory, and commemoration of the glorious Resurrection of the same, thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, also, we have received freedom and release from the eternal works of the enemy and the unalterable bonds of Hell, now before thy majesty, on this exceeding bright, and all-glorious, and sav- ing day of Easter, do offer this. Vouchsafe that we who offer it, and those who shall kiss it and shall taste of it, may be partakers of thy heavenly benediction ; and by thy might root out from us all sickness and infirmity, granting health unto all. For thou art the source of blessing, and the bestower of health, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father who is from everlasting, together with thine Only- begotten Son, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And imtnediately the Priest sprinkleth the Artos with holy water, saying : This Artos is blessed and hallowed by the sprinkling of this holy water^ in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. {Thrice.^ Then he comeih forth, and layeth it on the folding stand ; and the People, as they receive the Antidoron, kiss the Artos. The Prayer at the Breaking of the Artos on Saturday of the Bright Week. After the Divine' Liturgy, when, in front of the stand upon which the Artos lieth, Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life: hath been sung thrice; and after : Our Father, who art in heaven : hath been read, with a reverence, the Deacon saith : EASTER 241 Let us pray to the Lord. The Brethren. Lord, have mercy. Then the Priest saith this Prayer over the Artos : O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Angelic Bread, the Bread of life eternal, who came down from heaven, and hast fed us on these most- bright days with the spiritual food of thy divine benefits, for the sake of thy three days' burial and redeeming Resurrection : Look now also, we humbly entreat thee, upon our prayers and thanksgivings ; and as thou didst bless the five loaves in the wilderness, so now also do thou bless this bread, that all who shall partake of it may be vouchsafed bodily and spiritual blessing, through the grace and bounties of thy love toward mankind. For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. The Brethren. Amen. And having broken the Artos in the usual manner, he distributeth it to all, before their meal. He Tnay also break it during the Liturgy, after the Prayer before the Tribune, and distribute it to the faithful, instead of the Antiddron. The Prayer at the Blessing of Flesh-Meat in the Holy and Great Week of Easter. Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. {Thrice.') Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, upon these flesh-meats, and sanctify them, as thou didst sanctify the ram which faithful Abraham offered unto thee, and the lamb which Abel brought unto thee as a holo- caust ; likewise the fatted calf which thou didst command to be slain for thy son who had gone astray, and had returned again to thee ; that even as he was accounted worthy to enjoy thy good things, so may we, also, enjoy these things which are sanctified and blessed by thee, to the nourishment of us all. For thou art our true nourishment, and the Giver of all good things, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Prayer at the Blessing of Cheese and Eggs. O Master, Lord our God, the Creator and Maker of all things : Bless thou this curdled milk, and likewise these eggs ; and preserve us in thy loving-kindness. That as we partake of them, even so, also, we may be filled with thy gifts, which ungrudgingly thou bestowest, and with thine 242 EASTER unspeakable goodness. For thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Special Features of the Easter Vespers. The Vesper service is celebrated in full vestments. At the beginning, the Verses (as at the beginning of Matins), accompanied by censing. Entrance with the book of the Holy Gospels. The Grand Gradual {Prokimen) : What God is so great as our God ; thou art the God which doest wonders. After the Gradual the Gospel : John xx. 19-26. After the Litany, the Easter Verses : Let God arise, . . . (See Matins, page 226.) THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (the fortieth day after faster) The Stanza {Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried : In Tone VI. The Lord hath ascended into heaven, that he may send the Comforter unto the world. The heavens have prepared his throne, the clouds his ascension. The Angels marvel, beholding a man exalted over them. The Father awaiteth him whom, as coeternal, he hath in his bosom ; and the Holy Spirit commandeth all his Angels : Lift up your gates, ye Princes ; clap your hands, all ye people, for Christ is ascended up to the place where he was before. {Twice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Tone VI. O sweetest Jesus, who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast, as a man, dwelt among the earth-born, to-day art thou ascended in glory from the Mount of Olives, and graciously hast borne on high our fallen nature, and hast sat down with the Father. For which cause the Bodiless Powers of heaven, amazed at the marvel, were affrighted with dread, and seized with trembling, they magnified thy love toward mankind. With them also, we earth-born, glorifying thy condescension toward us, and thine Ascension from us, pray, saying : Do thou, who, at thine Ascension, didst fill with joy unutterable thy disciples and the Birth-giver of God who bare thee, vouchsafe unto us, thine elect, joy also, through their prayers, because of thy great mercy. The Gradual {Prokimen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Isaiah ii. 2-3, Ixii. 10-12, Ixiii. 1-3, 7-10; Zech. xiv. i, 4, 8-1 1. The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone I. Being ascended up into hea- ven, whence also thou hadst come down, leave us not comfortless, O Lord. But let thy Spirit come, bearing peace unto the world, and show the works of thy might upon the sons of men, O Lord who lovest mankind. The Hymn for the Day {Trofdr), in Tone I. Thou art ascended up into glory, O Christ our God, having made joyful thy disciples by the promise of thy Holy Spirit, the blessing which was announced unto them. For thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). When thou hadst accomplished thy dispensation to usward, and hadst united things earthly with things heavenly, thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, yet in -no wise departing but abiding uninterruptedly with us, and crying unto those who love thee : I am with you, and none shall prevail against you. 244 THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and do homage to thy divine Ascension into heaven in thy holy flesh. The Gradual (^Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. Verse {Stikh) : O clap your hands together, all ye people : cry aloud unto God with the voice of gladness. The Gospel. Mark xvi. 9-20. THE CANON. The First Canon. In Tone V. (St. John of Damascus^ Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. Unto God the Saviour, who led his people through the sea with foot unwet, and drowned Pharaoh with all his host, — unto him alone will we sing : For he hath glorified himself. III. By the might of thy Cross, G Christ, establish thou my mind, that I may sing and glorify thy redeeming Ascension. IV. I heard the fame of the might of thy Cross, how that through it Paradise was opened ; and I cried : Glory to thy might, O Lord ! V. In the morning, waking early, we cry aloud unto thee, O Lord, Save us ! For thou art our God : we know none other beside thee. VI. The abyss compassed me round about, the whale became unto me a tomb : but I cried unto thee who lovest mankind, and thy right hand saved me, O Lord. VII. Blessed is the God of our fathers, who saved the Youths which sang in the fiery furnace. VIII. The Son of God, who was born of the Father before the ages, and in these latter days became incarnate of a Virgin-Mother, sing, O ye Priests ; and ye people, magnify him unto all the ages. In place of : My soul doth magnify the Lord : the Refrains : Magnify, O, my soul, the Life-giver, who hath ascended up from earth into heaven. The Angels, when they beheld the Ascension of the Lord, were amazed with awe to see how that he, with glory, was taken up from earth on high. IX. Thee, who above understanding and speech didst become the Mother of God, and ineffably didst bring forth in time him who know- eth not time, we faithful, with one accord, do magnify. The Benediction. May he who is ascended up in glory from us into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, Christ our true God : and the rest. {See page 122.) At the Liturgy. Aniiphon I., Tone II. Verse I : O clap your hands together, all ye people : cry aloud unto God with the voice of gladness. THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 245 Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : For the Lord is high and to be feared : he is the great King upon all the earth. B Verse 3 : He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. 5^ Verse 4 : God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. IJ Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse I : Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill. Refrain. Save, O Son of God who art ascended up in glory, those who sing unto thee : Alleluia. Verse 2 : Upon the north side of the hill of Zion lieth the city of the great King. 5> Verse 3 : God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge. 5^ Verse 4 : For lo, the kings of the earth are gathered and gone by together. 5^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God ! . . . {See page 170.) Antiphon III., Tone IV. Verse i : O hear ye this, all ye people ; ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world. Refrain: The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr). Thou art ascended up into glory, O Chris* our God, having made joyful thy disciples by the promise of thy Holy Spirit, the blessing which was announced unto them. For thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. Verse 2 : My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and my heart shall muse of understanding. ^ Verse 3 : I will incline mine ear to the parable, and show my dark speech upon the harp. ^ The Introit. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. IJ The Gradual {Proktmen), in the Seventh Tone. Be thou exalted in heaven, O God, and thy glory above all the earth. Verse {Stikh): My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give thanks. The Epistle. Acts i. i-ii. The Gospel. Luke xxiv. 36-53. In place of : Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon . Thee, who above understanding . . . [See page 244.) The Communion Hymn. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. PENTECOST (WHITSUNDAY) The date of Pentecost is regulated by the date of Easter. But that Sunday is called The Day of the Holy Trinity. The Feast of the Holy Spirit {in that He is separate, yet equal in essence, honour and glory with the Father and the Son) is celebrated on the following day , Monday, and is called the Day of the Spirit. It is customary to decorate churches and houses at this Feast with freshly cut trees and flowers, and to stand at the Divine Liturgy holding flowers. This custom is founded upon that of the Old Testament Church {Lev. xxiii. JO-iy; Num. xxviii. 16). The trees and flowers, the tokens of the renewal of Nature in the Spring, typify also the renewal of mankind through the ittdwelling of the Holy Spirit. The special features in the celebration of this Feast consist of certain petitions in the Litany ; and of Prayers recited kneeling at Vespers, which, as a rule, immediately followeth the Liturgy. At the Ail-Night Vigil. The Stanza {Stikhird) for: Lord, I have cried : In Tone I. Let us celebrate Pentecost, and the coming of the Spirit, and the appointed day of the promise, and the fulfilment of hope, and the mystery which is as great as it is precious. Wherefore unto thee, O Lord, the Maker of all things, do we cry : Glory to thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Come, O ye people, let us worship the Godhea^d in three Persons, the Son in the Father with the Holy Spirit. For the Father before time was begat the Son, who is coeternal and is equally enthroned, and the Holy Spirit who was in the Father, and was glorified together with the Son ; one Might, one Essence, one Godhead. Adoring the same let us all say : O Holy God, who by the Son didst make all things through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit : O Holy Mighty One, through whom we have known the Father, and through whom the Holy Spirit came into the world : O Holy Immortal One, the Spirit of comfort, who proceedest from the Father, and restest in the Son : O Holy Trinity, glory to thee. The Gradual {Prokimen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Num. xi. 16, 17, 24-29 ; Joel ii. 23-32 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 24-28. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone YIII. When thou didst send thy Spirit, O Lord, while the Apostles sat, then were the Hebrew children affrighted with dread as they gazed ; for they heard them speak one to another in strange tongues, as the Spirit gave them utter- ance. For though unlearned they were made wise, and bringing the Gentiles unto the faith, proclaimed things divine. Wherefore, we also PENTECOST 247 do cry unto thee, O Lord, who hast revealed thyself upon earth, and hast saved us from guile : Glory to thee. The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr), in Tone VIII. Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. O Christ our God, who lovest mankind, glory to thee. The Collect-Hymn {Konddk). When the Most High confounded the tongues, he dispersed the nations : but when he distributed the tongues of fire, he called all men unto unity. Wherefore, with one accord, we glorify the All-holy Spirit. The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and do homage to thine all-holy Spirit, whom thou didst send from the Father upon thy disciples divine. The Gradual {Proklmen), in the Fourth Tone. Thy good spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness. Verse {Stikh) : O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear to my petition. The Gospel. John xx. 19-23. THE CANON. Tone IV. {St. Cosmos of Maiu?n.) Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. He who shattereth the enemies with his lofty arm overwhelmed with the sea Pharaoh and his chariots : To him let us sing, for gloriously hath he been glorified. ni. Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye shall be endued with power from on high, thou didst say unto thy disciples, O Christ ; for I will send another, like unto myself, even the Comforter, my Spirit and the Father's, in whom ye shall be established. IV. When he foresaw thy coming in the latter days, O Christ, the Prophet exclaimed : I have heard of thy power, O Lord, that thou art come to save all thine anointed. V. The Spirit of salvation, through thy fear, O Lord, conceived in the womb of the Prophets, and born upon earth maketh pure the hearts of the "Apostles, and in that it is righteous, is renewed in the faithful. For thy statutes are light and peace. VI. Sailing on the stormy sea of earthly cares, drowning in the bil- lows of the sins which compass me round about, and cast forth unto the soul-destroying monster, like Jonah I cry unto thee, O Christ : Lead thou me forth from the death-dealing abyss. VII. When they were cast into the fiery furnace, the God-fearing Children transmuted the fire into dew, crying aloud, after this manner, in song : Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our Fathers. VIII. The bush which could not be consumed, though surrounded by fire, on Sinai revealed God unto Moses, slow of tongue and halting of speech : and the zeal toward God of the Three Children showed the singers untouched of the fire. O all ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages. 248 PENTECOST IX. O Maiden Birth-giver of God, who in birth-giving suffered not defilement, and didst lend flesh unto the All-creating Word ; Mother Unwedded, Receptacle of Him who cannot be contained. Abode of thy Maker illimitable, we magnify thee. Benediction. May he who sent down the Most Holy Spirit, in the form of fiery tongues, upon his holy disciples and apostles, Christ, our true God : and so Jorth, as usual. {See page 122.) At the Liturgy. Antiphon I., Tone II. Verse i : The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 5; Verse 3 : Their voice is gone out into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world. IJ; Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse i : The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble : the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee. Refrain. Save, O blessed Comforter, us who sing unto thee. Al- leluia. Verse 2 : Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion. 5^ Verse 3 : Grant thee thy heart's desire, and fulfil all thy mind. 5^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God ! . . . {See page 170.) Antiphon III, Tone VIII. Verse i : The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord : exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. Refrain : The Hymn for the Day ( Tropdr). Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them thy Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. Glory to thee, O thou who lovest mankind. Verse 2 : Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. ]J Verse 3 : Thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness, and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head. ^ The Introit. Exalted be thou, O Lord, in thy power. We will praise and sing thy mighty acts. ^ PENTECOST 249 In place of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty, ... As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Eighth Tone. Their voice is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Verse : The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. The Epistle. Acts ii. 1-12. Alleluia. {Tone I.) By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the word of his mouth. Verse {Stikh) : The Lord looked down from heaven, and beheld all the children of men. The Gospel. John vii. 37-52, viii. 12. In place of: Meet is it : The Ninth Theme-Song of the Second Canon. Hail, O Queen, thou glory of motherhood and maidenhood ! For every mouth, however eloquent and sweet of speech, is incapable of worthily singing thy praise ; and every mind reeleth when it would fain under- stand thy birth-giving. For which cause, with one accord, we glorify thee. The Communion Hymn. Thy good Spirit shall guide me into the land of righteousness. Vespers. (Which followeth immediately after the Liturgy^ After the customary beginning, and the Prefatory Psalm, the Litany : In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. And the rest. After the Petition : For those who travel by sea or by land : ]J For the people here present who await the grace of the Holy Spirit : ^ For those who have bowed their knees and their hearts before the Lord : 5 That he will strengthen us in the performance of those things which are well pleasing in his sight : 5^ That he will send down upon us the riches of his grace : IJ; That he will accept this, the bending of our knees, as incense before him : 5 For those who entreat from him his aid : ^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : ^ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Ch::ist our God. I3-0 i ^ 250 PENTECOST Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Stanza {Stikhird) for : Lord, I have cried : In Tone IV. Marvel- lous things have all the nations beheld this day in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire, as Luke, preaching the word of God, doth relate ; for he saith : The disciples of Christ being assembled in one place, there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And they all began to speak in strange tongues with strange doctrines, by the strange tornmands of the Holy Trinity. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. The Entrance is made with the censer. O gladsome radiance . . . The Great Gradual {Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone.. Who is so great a God as our God 1 Thou art God who doest wonders. Verse {Stikh) i : Thou hast declared thy power unto the nations. Verse 2 : And I said: Now have I made a beginning ; these are the charges of the right hand of the Most High. Verse 3 : I have remembered the works of the Lord, as I have remem- bered thy marvels from the beginning. Then the Priest exclaimeth {or the Deacon) : Again, yet again, on bended knees let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) The First Prayer. Priest. O Lord most pure, spotless, who art from everlasting, invisible, ineffable, unsearchable, unchanging, unsurpassable, immeasurable, long- suffering ; who alone hast immortality ; who dwellest in light unapproach- able ; who hast made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that therein is ; who grantest unto all men their petitions before they ask : We pray thee, and beseech thee, O Master who lovest mankind, the Father of our Lord, and God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of Mary the ever-virgin and exceeding-glorious Birth-giver of God ; who first did teach in words and afterwards did manifest himself in deeds, when he had suffered his redeeming Passion ; who hast given unto us, thy humble, and sinful, and^unworthy servants, a command that we should offer supplications unto thee with bending of the neck PENTECOST 251 and of the knees, both for our own iniquities and for the ignorances of the people : Do thou, the same all-merciful God who lovest mankind, hear us in that day when we shall call upon thee, and more especially upon this day of Pentecost, whereon, after that our Lord Jesus Christ had ascended up into heaven, and had sat down at the right hand of thee, who art both his God and his Father, he did send down the Holy Spirit upon his holy disciples and apostles : which also did rest upon each one of them, so that they were all filled with its inexhaustible grace, and did declare thy majesty in divers unknown tongues, and did prophesy. Wherefore we beseech thee to hear us, and to remember us, humble and condemned as we are, and to turn again the captivity of our souls, exercising thy loving-kindness toward us who now offer up our petitions unto thee. Accept us who fall down before thee, and who cry aloud unto thee. We have sinned ! For we have cloven unto thee even from our mother's womb : thou art our God. But because we have passed our days in vanity, we have stripped ourselves of thine aid, we have deprived ourselves of every valid defence. But confidently trusting in thy pity, we call unto thee : Remember not the sins of our youth and our ignorances ; and cleanse thou us from our secret sins ; and forsake us not in the days of our old age, when our strength faileth us. Even until we return again into the earth, abandon us not ; vouchsafe us grace to have recourse unto thee ; and receive us, because of thy favour and graciousness. Measure our wickedness according to the measure of thy bounties. Set over against the multitude of our transgressions the abyss of thy compassions. Look down from thy holiness on high, O Lord, upon thy people now present before thee, who await thy rich mercies. Visit us with thy loving-kindness: deliver us from the assaults of the Devil. Establish our life in thy holy and sacred commandments. Com- mit thy people unto an Angel, a faithful guardian. Gather us all into thy kingdom. Grant pardon unto those who put their trust in thee. Put away from them and from us all sins. Purify us by the operation of thy Holy Spirit ; bring to naught the machinations of the enemy against us. A nd thereto is added the following Prayer : Blessed art thou, O Lord, Master Almighty, who hast illumined the day with the light of the sun, and hast made bright the night with the brilliant flashes of the lightning; who hast graciously enabled us to pass through the long day, and to draw near to the beginning of the night. Hear our petitions, and the petitions of all thy people, and grant pardon unto us for all our sins, both voluntary and involuntary. Accept our evening prayers, and send down the multitude of thy mercy and thy bounties upon thine inheritance. Guard us with thy holy Angels. Arm us with the armour of thy righteousness. Encompass us round about with the ramparts of thy truth. Guard us by thy might. Deliver us from every assault, and from every treacherous plot of the adversary. And grant unto us that this present evening and the approaching night, 252 PENTECOST and all the days of our life, may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, with- out stumbling, untroubled of dreams ; through the prayers of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints, who, in all the ages, have been acceptable in thy sight. Then the Little Litany. Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth -giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Then the Priest maketh the Exclamation : For thine it is to show mercy upon us and to save us, O Lord our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Priest, or the Deacon, saith this Litany . Let us all say, with all our soul and with all our mind let us say : Choir. Lord, have mercy. Deacon. O Almighty "Lord, the God of our fathers, we beseech thee: hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the ele- Tnents and nationalties of which the Parish is constituted). For our Holy Synod [or Patriarch) ; for our Bishop {or Arch- bishop, or Metropolitan) N. ; for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity : IJ Furthermore we pray for all theirChrist-loving Armyand Navy : ]J Furthermore we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy Temple : ]J Furthermore we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and remission of the sins of the servants of God, the brethren of this holy Temple {or habitation : if it be a monastery) : IJ; Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple ; for those who labour in its service ; for the singers ; and for the people here present, who await the great and rich mercies which are from thee : IJ PENTECOST 253 For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages." Choir. Amen. And immediately the Deacon saith : Again, yet again, on bended knees let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) The Second Prayer. O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who hast bestowed upon men thy peace and the gift of thy Holy Spirit; who, while thou wast yet with us in this present life, didst give unto thy faithful people an inheritance which shall not be taken away from them forever ; who this day didst send down thy grace upon thy disciples and apostles, in manner most clear, and didst furnish their lips with fiery tongues ; by whom now, we also, together with all mankind, having received, through the hear- ing of our own ears divine knowledge in our own tongues, have been illumined with the light of the Spirit, and have put away the delusion of darkness by the distribution of the material and visible tongues of fire, as also by the marvellous operation of the same, whereby we have been inspired unto faith toward thee, and to glorify thee, together v/ith the Father and the Holy Spirit in one Godhead and might ; and have been enlightened with power : Do thou, who art the Brightness of the Father, of his Essence and his Nature the Express and Immutable Image, the Fountain of Wisdom and of Grace, open the lips of me, a sinner, and teach me in what manner and for what needs I ought to pray; for thou knowest the great multitude of my sins, but thy loving- kindness shall overcome the enormity thereof. For lo ! I stand in awe before thee, and have cast into the great deep of thy mercy the despair of my soul. Govern my life, O thou who governest all creation by a word, with the unutterable might of thy wisdom, O tranquil Haven of the storm-tossed ; and make known unto me the way in which I should walk. Grant unto my understanding the spirit of thy wisdom, bestow- ing upon my ignorance the spirit of thy understanding. Overshadow my deeds with the spirit of thy fear, and renew a right spirit within me; and by thy sovereign Spirit make stable the instability of my thoughts. That being daily guided by thy good Spirit in that which is profitable for me, I may be enabled to keep thy statutes, and ever bear in mind thy glorious Coming-again, and those things worthy of torment which I have committed. And give me not over to be led astray by the corrupt pleasures of this present world, but strengthen in me the de- sire to strive for the treasures to come. For thou hast said, O Master: whatsoever a man shall ask in thy Name, that shall he freely receive from thy coeternal God and Father, who is from everlasting. Where- fore I, also, a sinner, at this descent of thy Holy Spirit, do entreat thy 254 PENTECOST goodness, that thou wilt grant me whatsoever things I have asked which are unto salvation. Yea, O Lord, the bounteous Giver of every benefit, and the Distributor of blessings, — for it is thou who givest most bountifully unto those who ask of thee, — thou art pitiful and gracious, and also wast made a partaker of our flesh, yet without sin, and dost incline thine ear with infinite loving-kindness unto those who bow the knee before thee ; who, also, wast made the Propitiation for our sins. Wherefore, O Lord, grant thy bounties unto thy people. Hearken unto us from thy holy heaven. Sanctify us by the saving might of thy right hand. Cover us with the shelter of thy wings; and despise thou not the work of thy hands. Unto thee alone have we sinned, but thee alone do we serve. We know not to adore a strange god, neither have we stretched out our hands, O Lord, unto any other god. Pardon our iniquities, and accept this our prayei;, which we make unto thee on bended knees. Extend unto us all the hand of thine aid. Receive the petitions of all men, as it were incense well-pleasing, acceptable before thine all-blessed kingdom. And thereto is added the following Prayer ; O Lord, Lord, who deliverest us from all the arrows that fly by day, deliver thou us, also, from all things that infest the darkness. Accept our evening sacrifice, even the lifting-up of our hands. Grant that we may pass through the course of the night without sin, untempted of evil things ; and deliver us from every alarm and cowardice that cometh to us from the Devil. Grant unto our souls contrition, and unto our minds anxiety concerning that strict searching out of the thoughts which shall come in the dread and just Day of Judgment. Nail our flesh to the fear of thee, and mortify our earthly members : that, in the quietness of sleep, we may be illuminated by the vision of thy judg- ments. Remove from us, also, every unseemly imagination and hurtful carnal passion. Raise us up again at the hour of prayer, fortified in the faith, and advancing in thy commandments. And the Deacon saith : Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. And the Priest maketh the Exclamation : Through the loving-kindness and goodness of thine Only-begotten PENTECOST 255 Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin. . . . {Page lo.) Then the Deacon saith . Again, yet again, on bended knees let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) And the Priest readeth the Third Prayer. O I;ountain, ever-flowing, living, illumining ; Power creative, coeternal with the Father, O Christ our God, who hast most excellently fulfilled all the plan for the salvation of mankind ; who didst shatter the bonds indestructible of Death, and the bolts of Hell, and didst trample under foot a host of evil spirits ; who didst offer thyself a blameless victim for us, giving thine all-holy body for a sacrifice inviolate, and unassailed of every sin, and who, through that terrible and ineffable act of sacrifice, didst bestow upon us life eternal ; who didst descend into Hell, and break the everlasting bars, and show a way up unto those who abode in the lower world ; and having enticed, by divinely wise allurements, the origin of mischief and the serpent of the abyss, and bound him with cords of nethermost gloom and fire unquenchable in Tartarus, and in outer darkness, through thine infinite and fettering might, O Wisdom greatly glorified of the Father, thou didst manifest thyself as a mighty helper of the abused ; and didst enlighten those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. O Lord of the everlasting glory and Son beloved of the Father most high. Light Eternal of Light Eternal, the Sun of Righteousness : Hear thou us, who now make our fervent sup- plications unto thee, and give rest to the souls of thy servants our fathers and brethren, and our other kinsmen after the flesh, and of all who are of the household of faith, who have fallen asleep, and whom we now call to remembrance. For thou hast power over all things, and in thy hand thou upholdest all the ends of the earth. O Master Almighty, the God of our fathers and Lord of mercy, Creator of the race of mortals and immortals, and of every nature of man ; of that which is brought together and is again put asunder; of life and of death; of sojourn in the world that now is, and of translation to the world which is to come : thou metest out the years of life, and appointest the time of death ; thou bringest down to Hell, and again raisest up ; thou bindest unto impotency and loosest unto power, ordering things present according to their necessity, and appointing things to come as is expedient, quickening with the hope of Resurrection those who were smitten with the sting of death. For thou art, of a truth, the Master of all men, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are afar off upon the sea ; Who, on this last, and great, and redeeming day of the Pentecostal feast, didst reveal unto us the 2s6 PENTECOST mystery of the Holy Trinity, one in Essence, coeternal, undivided and unmingled ; and didst pour out the inspiration and descent of the holy and life-giving Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, upon thy holy apos- tles ; and didst appoint the same to be the heralds of the glad tidings of our holy faith ; and didst make them confessors and teachers of the true divine knowledge ; who, also, on this all-perfect and saving Feast, art graciously pleased to accept propitiatory prayers for those who are imprisoned in Hell, promising unto us who are held in bondage great hope of release from tfie vileness that doth hinder us and did hinder them ; and that thou wilt send down thy consolation. Hear us, thy humble ones, who make our supplications unto thee, and give r^st to the souls of thy servants who have iallen asleep, in a place of light, a place of verdure, a place of refreshment whence all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away : And speedily establish thou their souls in the mansions of the Just ; and graciously vouchsafe unto them peace and pardon ; for the dead shall not praise thee, neither shall they who are in Hell make bold to offer unto thee confession. But we who are living will bless thee, and will pray, and offer unto thee propitiatory prayers and sacrifices for their souls. And thereto is added the following Prayer : O God great and eternal, who art holy and lovest mankind ; who hast vouchsafed unto us at this present hour to stand before thine ineffable glory, and to sing and to praise thy wonders : Purify us, thine unworthy servants, and grant us grace that, with a contrite heart, and without presumption, we may offer unto thee the Thrice-Holy hymn of praise and thanksgiving for thy great gifts, which thou hast bestowed and always dost bestow upon us. Remember, O Lord, our weakness, and destroy us not in our iniquity, out show great mercy upon our humility ; that, fleeing from the darkness of sin, we may walk in the daylight of righteousness ; and that, putting on the armour of light, we may remain unassailed by any despiteful attack of the Evil One, and with boldness may glorify in all things thee, the only true God, who also lovest mankind. For thine, O Lord and Creator of all men, is that great and veritable mystery, the dissolution of thy creatures for a season, and thereafter their redintegration and their rest forever. We acknow- ledge thy grace in all things ; for our coming into this world and our going out of it ; for our hopes of resurrection and of the life immortal faithfully pledged unto us through thine unfailing promises, the which we shall receive hereafter in thy Second Coming. For thou art the Chieftain of our Resurrection, and the Judge impartial and benignant of the dead, and the Master and Lord of recompense, who cJidst become a partaker, on equal terms, of our flesh and blood, because of thine exceeding great condescension ; and when, of thine own will, that thou' mightest place thyself under temptation, thou didst accept our un- avoidable passions, because of thy compassion, and didst suffer through PENTECOST 257 them, being thyself untempted thereby, thou didst become for us who are tempted the helper which thou thyself hadst promised ; and thereby hast thou led us to thy passionlessness. Wherefore, O Master, receive thou our prayers and supplications, and give rest unto the fathers, mothers, children, brothers and sisters, blood-relations and kinsfolk of each and all of us, and unto all souls which have fallen asleep before us ; and establish their spirits in the hope of Resurrection unto life eternal; and inscribe their names in the Book of Life, in the bosom of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and in the land of the living, in the kingdom of heaven, in the Paradise of sweetness ; by thy radiant Angels guiding all into thy holy mansions ; raising up with thee, also, our bodies, in that day which thou hast appointed by thy holy and faithful promise. Because there is no death, O Lord, for thy servants when we depart from the body and come unto thee, our God, but a change from things very sorrowful unto things most benignant and most sweet, and unto repose and gladness. If, therefore, we have in aught transgressed against thee, be merciful unto us and unto them ; because there is no one pure from stain in thy sight, even for a single day of life, save thou alone, who didst manifest thyself sinless upon earth, O our Lord Jesus Christ ; through whom also we all trust to receive mercy and the remission of our sins. Wherefore, in that thou art a gracious God and lovest mankind, do thou, both to them and to us, pardon, remit, forgive our sins, both voluntary and involuntary, which we have committed whether wilfully or through ignorance ; whether those which are manifest or those which have escaped our notice ; whether of deed, or of thought, or of word, whatsoever they may be, in all our acts and lives. And unto the departed also grant thou release and pardon ; and bless us who are here present, granting unto us, and to all thy peojile, a good and peaceful ending, and opening unto us the tenderness of thy mercy and love toward mankind at thy dread and terrible Coming-again ; and make us worthy of thy kingdom. And thereto is added the Seventh Evening Prayer. (See Vespers, Prayer G, page 4.) Then the Deacon saith : Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. For thou art the repose of our souls and bodies, and imto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. ?58 PENTECOST Deacon. Let us complete our evening prayer unto the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. And the rest, as usual. {See f age lo.) The Priest then saith, secretly, the customary Prayer. O Lord our God, who didst bow the heavens and come down . . . {See page lO.) Exclamation. For thou art a gracious God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all nations ; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. The Hymn for the Day {Tropdr). Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them thy Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. Glory to thee, O thou who lovest mankind. Then the Priest pronounceth the Benediction. May he who emptied himself from the bosom of God and the Father, and descended from heaven upon the earth, and took upon himself all our nature, and rendered it divine ; and after that ascended again into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God and the Father ; who also sent down upon his holy disciples and apostles the divine and holy Spirit, which is of one Essence, equal in power, and equal in glory with himself, and thereby enlightened them, and through them the whole universe — even Christ our true God ; through the prayers of his most pure and all-undefiled Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-laudable preachers of God and Spirit-bearing apostles, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, forasmuch as he is good and loveth mankind. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD At Vespers, on the Eve. The Stanzas {Stikhiri) for: Lord, I have cried : In Tone IV. Be- fore thy Crucifixion, O Christ, the Mount became Uke unto the heavens, and a cloud was outspread like a canopy, while thou wast transfigured, and while the Father bare witness unto thee. There was Peter, together with James and John, inasmuch as they desired to be with thee at the time of thy betrayal also ; that, having beheld thy marvels, they might not be affrighted at thy sufferings. Make us also worthy to adore the same in peace, for the sake of thy great mercy. Before thy Crucifixion, O Lord, having taken thy disciples into a high mountain, thou wast transfigured before them, dazzling them with rays of might ; being desirous to show unto them the radiance of the Resurrection, both because of thy love toward mankind and for the sake of thy power. Make us also worthy of the same, O God, inasmuch as thou art merciful and lovest mankind. The mountain that of old was gloomy and smoking is now honourable and holy, for thereon thy feet have stood, O Lord; for the mystery which was hidden from eternity, even thy dread Transfiguration, was made manifest in these last days unto Peter and John and James, who, unable to endure such splendour of thy countenance and radiance of thy garments, fell with their faces to the earth, and covered themselves : and overcome with dread, they beheld Moses and Elijah talking with thee, touching those things which should happen unto thee. And there came, also, a voice from the Father, bearing witness unto thee, and say- ing : This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased : hear ye him, who also giveth unto the world great mercy. When the Saviour was transfigured on the high mountain, having with him the chief disciples, be made them most gloriously radiant, showing that inasmuch as they were radiant with the height of virtues, they shall be accounted worthy also of divine glory. Moses and Elijah, who talked with Christ, made manifest that he ruleth both the quick and the dead, and that he is the God who spake of old through the Law and the Prophets. And unto him also did the voice of the Father from the cloud bear witness, saying: Hear ye him, who hath taken Hell captive by his Cross, and giveth life everlasting unto the dead. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. {By Anatolius.) Tone VI. Thou didst prefigure thy Resurrection, O Christ our God, when thou didst take three of thy disciples, Peter and James and John, and didst ascend Mount Tabor. And when thou 26o THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD wast transfigured, O Saviour, Mount Tabor was covered with light, and thy disciples, O Word, did throw themselves prone upon the earth, being unable to bear the sight of the form which may not be looked upon. Angels ministered with fear and trembling ; the heavens were affrighted, and the earth did quake, when they beheld on earth the Lord of glory. The Gradual i^Prokimen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii). Exodus xxiv. 12-18, xxxiii. 11-23, xxxiv. 4-6, 8; I Kings xix. 3-9, 11-13, 15-16. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone II. Thou who didst illumine the whole universe with thy light, wast transfigured on a high mountain, O Good One, manifesting unto thy disciples thy power, inasmuch as thou deliverest the world from transgression : For which cause we cry aloud unto thee :' O merciful Lord, save thou our souls. The Hymn (Tropdr), in Tone VII. Thou wast transfigured upon the M6unt, O Christ-God, revealing unto thy disciples thy glory in so far as they were able to bear it. Let thy light everlasting illumine us sinners also ; through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God. O Light- giver, glory to thee ! The Collect-Hymn {Konddk), in To7te VII. Upon the Mount wast thou transfigured, and thy disciples, in so far as they were qualified, beheld thy glory, O Christ-God ; that when they should see thee crucified they might comprehend that thy suffering was voluntary, and proclaim it unto the world : For thou art, of a truth, the effulgence of the Father. The Exaltation. We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and we do homage to the exceedingly glorious Transfiguration of thy Body most pure. The Gradual {Proktmen), in the Fourth Tone. Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name. Verse [Stikh) : Thine are the heavens, and the earth is thine. The Gospel. Luke ix. 28-36. THE CANON. The First Canon. Tone IV. (St. Cosmas of Malum.) Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. The hosts of Israel, when they had passed with foot unwet through the watery abyss of the Red Sea, and beheld the warriors and the horsemen of the enemy drowned therein, sang aloud with joy : Let us sing praises unto our God, for gloriously hath he been glorified ! III. The bow of the mighty is become feeble, and those who had no strength have girded themselves with might. For which cause my heart is become steadfast in the Lord. IV. I have given heed to thy glorious providence, O Christ our God, how that thou wast born of a Virgin, to the end that thou mightest deliver from error all those who cry unto thee : Glory to thy might, O Lord. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD 261 V. O thou who didst divide primeval chaos from the light, that thy works might sing thee in the light, O Christ their Creator : Guide thou our paths in thy light: VI. I cried unto the Lord in my trouble, and the God of my salva- tion heard me. VII. The Children of Abraham in Babylon of old trampled upon the flame of the furnace, and raised the song of praise : Blessed be thou, O God of our fathers ! VIII. The Children in Babylon, flaming with zeal divine, valiantly trampled under foot the threat of their tormentor, and the flame ; and when they were cast into the midst of the fire, being watered with dew, they cried : O all ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord ! In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord : The Refrain : Magnify, O my soul, the Lord who was transfigured on Tabor. IX. Thy birth-giving was shown to be without defilement ; God came forth from thy loins, manifested himself as a bearer of the flesh upon earth, and dwelt among men : Wherefore we all do magnify thee, O Birth-giver of God. TAe Benediction. May he who on Mount Tabor was transfigured in glory in the presence of his holy disciples and apostles, Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most holy Mother : and the rest, as usual. ( See page 122.) At the Liturgy. Antiphon I., Tone II. Verse i : O be joyful in the Lord all ye lands : sing praises unto the honour of his Name; make his praise to be glorious. Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us. Verse 2 : The voice of thy thunder was heard round about, thy light- nings illumined the universe; the earth was moved and shook withal. IJ Verse 3 : Thou art clothed with majesty and confession : thou deck- est thyself with light as it were a garment. 5^ Antiphon II., Tone II. Verse 1 : On the north side of Mount Zion lieth the city of the great King. Refrain. O Son of God who wast transfigured upon the Mount, save us who sing unto thee. Alleluia. Verse 2 : And he brought them unto the mount of his sanctuary, even the mountain which he had purchased with his right hand. ?; Verse 3 : The hill of Zion which he loved, and built there like the unicorn his sanctuary. ?; 262 THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . . {Seepage 170.) Antiphon III., Tone VII. Verse I : They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the Mount Zion, which may not be removed forever. Refrain: The Hymn {Tropdr), in Tone II. Thou vi^ast transfigured upon the Mount, O Christ-God, revealing unto thy disciples thy glory in so far as they were able to bear it. "Let thy light everlasting illumine us sinners also ; through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God. O Light-giver, glory to thee ! Verse 2 : The hills stand about it, and the Lord about his people, for- evermore. ]J Verse 3 : Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, or who shall rest upon thy holy hill .' IJ Verse 4 : Who shall .ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall rise up in his holy place 1 IJ The Introit. O Lord, send forth thy light and thy truth, and they shall instruct me and shall lead me unto thy holy hill. The Gradtial {Proktjnen), in the Fourth Tone. O Lord, how marvel- lous are thy works : in wisdom hast thou made them all. Verse : Bless the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, thou art greatly exalted. The Epistle. 2 Peter i. 10-19. Alleluia. {Tone VIII.) The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine. Verse : Blessed are the people who understand the shout of joy. The Gospel. Matt. xvii. 1-9. In place of : Meet is it : Tlie Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon. Thy birth-giving was shown to be without defilement ; . . . {See page 261.) The Conim.union Hymn {Pritchdsten). O Lord, in the light of thy countenance will we walk, and in thy Name will we rejoice forever- more. After the Liturgy on this day it is customary to bless the fruits. The Prayer at the Partaking of Grapes, on August 6th. Let US pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. Bless, O Lord, this new fruit of the vine, which thou hast graciously been pleased to permit to come to maturity, through salubrious seasons, and drops of rain, and peaceful times : and let it be unto joy for those of us who shall partake of this offspring of the vine ; and may we offer it as a gift to thee unto the purification of our sins, through the sacred and holy Body of thy Christ : with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD 263 This Prayer is said over grapes which are brought into the Temple to be blessed on the sixth day of August, at places where there are vineyards. But in Great Russia, where the}-e are 710 vineyards, apples are brought into the Temple on that day, and the Prayer for those who bring the first-fruits of vegetables is said. Each vegetable is brought to the Temple in its season, and the Prayer is said over it also. The Prayer for those who bring the firstfruits of vegetables. O Lord our God, who hast commanded that we should bring unto thee an offering of each of thine own things, and who requitest the same with the gift of thine eternal good things ; who didst graciously accept the offering of the widow, according to her ability : Accept thou now also these things which are offered unto thee by thy servant, N., and vouchsafe to place the same among thine eternal treasures ; grant- ing unto him {he?^ an abundant harvest of thy worldly benefits, together with all things profitable unto him {Iter'). For blessed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE FALLING-ASLEEP (ASSUMPTION) OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD (august 15) {This Feast is preceded by a Fast of two weeks^ duration) At Vespers. The Stanza {Stikhira) for : Lord, I have cried: In Tone I. O marvel wonderful ! The Source of life is laid in the grave, and the tomb becometh the ladder unto heaven. Rejoice, O Gethsemane, thou holy abode of the Birth-giver of God ! In that we have Gabriel for our chieftain, let us cry aloud, ye faithful : Hail, thou that art full of grace ! The Lord is with thee, through thee granting unto the world great mercy. {Twice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. At the sovereign command of God were the God-bearing apostles caught up on high in the clouds from every place ; and when they were come to thine all-holy and life-originating body, they kissed the same with love. The heavenly powers most high also, when they were come with their Master, were seized with dread as they escorted the all-pure body which had received God ; with stately mien, also, they went before, and invisibly cried aloud unto the Powers most high : Lo, the Queen over all, and the Maiden of God cometh. Be ye lifted up, O gates, and lift ye up, in more than earthly wise, Her who is the Mother of the Everlasting Light. For through her was salvation universal brought to pass for men : and we cannot gaze upon her, and it is not possible to render unto her the honour that is meet : for her surpassing merit exceedeth all understanding. Wherefore, O Birth-giver of God most pure, who abidest ever with the life-bearing King, who also is thy Son, entreat thou him that he will ever preserve thy new people, and save them from every hostile assault ; for we have acquired thine interces- sion, blessing thee both in light and darkness forever. The Gradual {Prokhnen) for the Day. The Parables {Paremii), the same as for the Nativity of the Birth-giver op God. The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone V. Sing, O ye people, sing the Mother of our God ; for to-day she doth yield up her all-radiant soul into the palms most pure of Him who, without seed, was incarnate of her : Whom, also, she doth unceasingly entreat that he will give unto the world peace and great mercy. The Hymn for the Day ( Tropdr), in Tone I. In Birth-giving thou THE FALLING-ASLEEP OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER 265 didst preserve thy virginity ; in thy Falling-asleep thou hast not for- saken the world, O Birth-giver of God. Thou hast passed over into life, thou who art the Mother of Life, and through thine intercessions dost deliver our souls from death. The Exaltation ( Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O Mother all-unde- filed of Christ our God, and we glorify thine all-glorious Falling- asleep. The Gradual {Proktmeit), m the Fourth Tone. I will call to mind thy name from generation to generation. Verse {Stikh) : Hearken, O daughter, and behold, and incline thine ear. The Gospel. Luke i. 39-49, 56. THE CANON. The First Canon. Tone I. (St. Cosmas of Maium) Theme-Songs {Irmosi). I. Adorned with glory divine thy holy and illustrious memory, O Virgin, hath gathered together all the faithful unto joy ; that under the leadership of Miriam, with choirs and cymbals, they may sing thine Only-born : For gloriously hath he been glorified. IIL O Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God, who createth and maintaineth all things, establish thou the Church steadfast and immov- able. For thou only art holy who restest in the Saints. IV. The predictions and dark sayings of the Prophets proclaimed beforehand thine incarnation of a Virgin, O Christ : The splendour of thy flashing forth shall come for the enlightenment of the nations ; and the deep with joy shall cry unto thee : Glory to thy might, O thou who lovest mankind. V. The beauty divine and ineffable of thy perfection will I declare, O Christ ; for thou who didst shine forth from the Glory eternal, as an effulgence coeternal and one in Essence, when thou didst become incarnate of a Virgin's womb, didst shine as the sun upon those who sat in darkness and the shadow. VL The fire within the whale of the sea, the denizen of the deep, in which the Prophet Jonah was found, was the prototype of thy three days' burial ; for remaining unscathed, as before the swallowing, he cried aloud : With the voice of praise will I sacrifice unto thee, O Lord. VII. Love divine, resisting the wrath audacious and the fire, did sprinkle the fire with dew, but laughed to scorn the wrath, resounding above the instruments of music upon the God-inspired, supersensual and triple-stringed lyre of the Righteous Ones amid the flame : Blessed be thou, O God of our fathers, and our God, exceeding glorious ! VIII. As dew-dropping for the Godly Ones, but as consuming to the impious, did the all-powerful Angel of God manifest forth the flame to the Children. And the Birth-giver of God did he make a life-originating Fountain, pouring forth destruction to Death and life to those who 266 THE FALLING-ASLEEP OF THE MOST HOLY BIRTH-GIVER sing : The only Creator do we, who have been delivered, praise in song and magnify unto all the ages. In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord : The Refrain : We, even all the nations, do bless thee, the only Birth-giver of God. Or: When the all-holy Angels beheld thine Assumption they marvelled how a Virgin should ascend from earth into heaven. IX. The laws of Nature were conquered in thee, O Virgin pure; for in birth-giving was virginity preserved, and with death is Hfe con- joined. Thou who, after birth-giving, a Virgin didst remain, though dead, art yet alive, O Birth-giver of God, and savest always thine inherit- ance. At the Liturgy. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Third Tone. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Verse: For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. The Epistle. Phil. ii. S-ii. Alleluia. {Tone II.) Arise, O Lord, in thy rest, thou, and the taber- nacle of thy holiness. Verse: The Lord sware truth unto David, and he shall not abjure it. The Gospel. Luke x. 38-42, xi. 27, 28. The Hymn in place of : Meet is it : The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon: The laws of Nature were conquered in thee, . . . {See above.) The Communion Hymn. I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. PRAYERS ON THE FIRST DAY AFTER A WOMAN HATH GIVEN BIRTH TO A CHILD Priest. Let us pray to the Lord. O Master, Lord Almighty, who healest every infirmity and every weakness : Heal thou also this thy servant, N., who this day hath given birth to a child, and raise her up from the bed whereon she lieth. For, according to the words of the Prophet David, in sin are we conceived, and we are all vile in thy sight. Preserve her and this child which she hath borne. Cover her with the shadow of thy wings, from the day that now is even unto her last end ; through the prayers of the all-pure Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. Let us pray to the Lord. O Master, Lord our God, who wast born of our all-pure Lady, the Birth-giver of God, and as a babe didst lie in a manger, and as a little child wast held in arms : Show mercy also upon this thy servant, who to-day hath borne a child ; and forgive her sins, both voluntary and involuntary ; and preserve her from every oppression of the Devil ; and preserve the child which hath been born of her from every poison and perplexity, from every storm of adversity, and from evil spirits, whether of the day or of the night. Keep her under thy mighty hand, and grant that she may speedily arise, and purify her from uncleanness, and heal her sickness ; and vouchsafe unto her health and strength both of soul and body ; and hedge her round about with bright and shining Angels ;. and preserve her from every invasion of invisible spirits. Yea, Lord, and from infirmity and weakness, from jealousy and envy, and from the evil eye; and have mercy upon her and upon the child, according to thy great mercy ; and purify her from bodily uncleanness, and from the divers inward troubles which assail her. And lead her forth by thy speedy mercy, in submissiveness of her body, unto recovery. And grant that the child that hath been born of her may do reverence to the earthly temple which thou hast prepared to glorify thy holy Name. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. ,Amen. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord our God, who wast graciously pleased to come down from heaven, and to be born of the holy Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, for the salvation of us sinners, and who knowest the frailty of 268 AT THE NAMING OF A CHILD man's nature : Forgive thy servant, N., who to-day hath given birth, according to the multitude of thy bounties. For thou hast said, O Lord : Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth, and possess it. For which cause also do we, thy servants, pray, and emboldened by thy long-suffer- ing love towards mankind, with awe do cry aloud to the kingdom of thy holy Name : Look down from heaven and behold the weakness of us who are condemned ; and pardon this thy servant, and all the house wherein the child hath been born, and those who have touched her, and all those who are here present ; inasmuch as thou art a good God and lovest mankind ; for thou only hast power to remit sins. Through the prayers of the all-holy Birth-giver of God and of all the Saints. AT THE NAMING OF A CHILD, WHEN HE RECEIVETH HIS NAME, ON THE EIGHTH DAY AFTER HIS BIRTH The Priest maketh the sign of the cross upon the forehead, lips and breast of the Infa?it, and saith this Prayer : Let US pray to the Lord. O Lord our God, we pray unto thee, and we beseech thee, and im- plore thee, that the light of thy countenance may be shown upon this thy servant, N. ; and that the cross of thine Only-begotten Son may be graven in his {tier) heart, and in his ijier) thoughts : that he {she) may fiee from the vanity of the world and from every evil snare of the enemy, and may follow after thy commandments. And grant, O Lord, that thy holy Name may remain unrejected by him {her) ; and that he {she) may be united, in due time, to thy holy Church ; and that the dread Sacraments of thy Christ may be administered unto him {Iier) : That, having lived according to thy commandments, and preserved without flaw the seal, he {she)vm.y receive the bliss of the elect in thy kingdom ; through the grace and love towards mankind of thine Only- begotten Son, with whom also thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then, taking the Infant in his arms, he standeth before the door of the Temple, or before the holy image of the most holy Birth-giver of God, and maketh the sign of the cross, saying : Hail, O blessed Virgin Birth-giver of God ! For from thee hath shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, who giveth light to them that are in darkness. And rejoice, thou aged, righteous man, that didst receive in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, who giveth unto us resurrection ! Then the Benediction. FOR A WOMAN ON THE FORTIETH DAY 269 FOR A WOMAN ON THE FORTIETH DAY AFTER CHILD- BIRTH 0}i the fortieth day the Infant is brought to the Temple to be churched ; that is, to make a begin/ting of being taken into the Church. And it is brought by the Mother, who, being already cleansed and washed, standeth there at the Entrance, and desireth to receive the Rite, after Baptism. Bending down his head to the Mother, as she standeth with the Infant, the Priest makeih the sign of the cross over the Infant ; and touching its head, he saith the Prayer : Let US pray to the Lord. O Lord God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy word hast created all things, both men endowed with speech and dumb animals, and hast brought all things from nothingness into being, we pray and implore thee : Thou hast saved this thy servant, N., by thy will. Purify her, therefore, from all sin and from every uncleanness, as she now draweth near unto thy holy Church ; and make her worthy to partake, uncondemned, of thy Holy Mysteries. (And if the Child be not living, the Prayer is read only thus far. Then theExclor mat ion. For thou art a good God, who 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 ages of ages. Amen. But if the Child be alive, the following is added, to the end .•) And bless thou the child which hath been born of her. Increase him (her) ; sanctify him (her) ; enlighten him ijter) ; render him {her) chaste, and endow him {her) with good understanding. For thou hast brought him {Iter) into being, and hast shown him (Iter) the physical light, and hast appointed him {her) to be vouchsafed in due time spiritual light, and that he {she) may be numbered among thy chosen flock. Through thine Only-begotten Son, with whom, also, thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Peace be unto all. Bow your heads unto the Lord. The Prayer for the Mother of the Child. O Lord our God, who didst come for the redemption of the human race, come thou also upon thy servant, N., and grant unto her, through the prayers of thine honourable Priest, entrance into the temple of thy glory. Wash away her bodily uncleanness, and the stains of her soul, in the fulfilling of the forty days. Make her worthy of the communion of thy holy Body and of thy Blood. For sanctified and glorified is thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 270 FOR A WOMAN ON THl^ FORTIETH DAY T/i£ Prayer for the Child. The Priest, makittg over the Child the sign of the cross, prayeth : Let US pray to the Lord. O Lord our God, who wast brought, on the fortieth day, as an infant into the Temple according to the Law, by Mary the Bride Unwedded, who also was thy holy Mother ; and wast borne in the arms of Simeon the Just : Do thou, O Master all-powerful, bless also unto every good deed this infant which hath been brought hither, that he {she) may pre- sent himself {herself) unto thee, the Creator of all men, and may grow up well-pleasing unto thee in all things ; and drive far from him {her) every adverse power, through sealing with the sign of thy cross ; for thou art he who preserveth infants, O Lord. And grant that having been vouchsafed holy Baptism, he {she) may receive the portion of the elect ones of thy kingdom, and be preserved, together with us, through the grace of the holy, and con substantial, and undivided Trinity. For unto thee are due all glory, thanksgiving and worship, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Peace be with you all. Bow your heads unto the Lord. O God the Father Almighty, who by thy trumpet-voiced Prophet Isaiah didst foretell unto us the incarnation through a Virgin of thine Only-begotten Son and our God ; who in these latter days, by thy good pleasure and the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of us men, and because of thy boundless compassion, didst graciously deign to become a babe by her; and according to the custom of the holy Law didst suffer thyself to be brought into thy holy Sanctuary, after that the days of purification were fulfilled, being thyself the true law-giver ; and didst condescend to be borne in the arms of the right- eous Simeon, of which mystery we have recognized the prototype, re- vealed by the coal in the tongs to the prophet aforesaid ; which thing, also, we faithful, by grace do imitate : Do thou now also, O Lord, who preservest children, bless this Infant, together with his {her) parents and his {her) sponsors; and grant that, in due season, he {she) may be united, through water and the Spirit of the new birth, unto thy holy flock of reason-endowed sheep, which is called by the name of thy Christ. For thou art he who dwelleth on high, and looketh down upon the humble of heart; and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And if the Child be already baptised, the Priest performeth the churching. But if not, he doth this after the Baptism. And the Benediction to the Prayers is made here. May Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles {and of the FOR A WOMAN ON THE FORTIETH DAY 271 Patron Saint of tJie Temple ; and of the Saint of the day) ; of the holy and righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, and save us, in that he is good and loveth mankind. Then the Priest taketh the Infant, and tnaketh with it the sign of the cross in front of the door of the Tetnple, saying : The servant of God, N., is churched: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then he beareth him into the Temple, saying : He {she) entereth into thy house, to worship towards thy holy Temple. And going to the middle of the Temple, he saith . The servant of God is churched: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then he saith . In the midst of the church shall he {she) sing praises unto thee. Then he beareth him before the door of the Sanctuary, saying : The servant of God is churched : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And he beareth it into the holy Sanctuary, if it be a male child; but if it be a female child, to the Holy Door only, saying : Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people ; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy peo- ple Israel. And after this, at the door of the Sanctuary, he giveth the Child to the Sponsor, who tnaketh three lowly reverences, and taketh the Child. And the Priest pronounceth the customary Benediction. {See above) THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM* THE PRAYERS AT THE RECEPTION OF CATECHUMENS The Priest loose th the girdle of the Person who desireth Illumination, and re- moveth it, and putteth it ojffrojn him ; and placeth him with his face towards the east, clothed in one garment only, unshod, and with head uncovered, and •with his arms hanging by his sides ; and he breatheth thrice in his face ; and signeth his brow and his breast thrice with the sign of the cross ; and layeth his hand upon his head, saying : Let US pray to the Lord, (i) Choir. Lord, have mercy. In thy Name, O Lord God of truth, and in the Name of thine Only- begotten Son, and of thy Holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon thy servant, N., who hath been found worthy to flee unto thy holy Name, and to take refuge under the shelter of thy wings. Remove far from him (^her^ his (Jier) former delusion, and fill him {her) with the faith, hope and love which are in thee ; that he {she) may know that thou art the only true God, with thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and thy Holy Spirit. Enable him {her) to walk in all thy commandments, and to fulfil those things which are well-pleasing unto thee ; for if a man do those things, he shall find life in them. Inscribe him {her) in thy Book of Life, and unite him {her) to the flock of thine inheritance. And may thy holy Name be glorified in him {her), together with that of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of thy life-giving Spirit. Let thine eyes ever regard him {her) with mercy, and let thine ears attend unto the voice of his (/?^r) supplication. Make him {her) to rejoice in the works of his {her) hands, and in all his {her) generation ; that he {she) may render praise unto thee, may sing, worship and glorify thy great and exalted Name always, all the days of his {her) life. Exclamation. For all the Powers of Heaven sing praises unto thee, and thine is the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The First Exorcism. Let us pray to the Lord. The Lord layeth thee under ban, O Devil : He who came into the world, and made his abode among men, that he might overthrow thy tyranny and deliver men ; who also upon the Tree did triumph over the adverse powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth did quake, and the graves were opened, and the bodies of the Saints arose ; who also by * For explanations, indicated by numbers in text, see Appendix B, VI. THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 273 death annihilated Death, and overthrew him who exercised the dominion of Death, that is thee, the Devil. I adjure thee by God, who hath revealed the Tree of Life, and hath arrayed in ranks the Cherubim and the flaming sword which turneth all ways to guard it : Be thou under ban. For I adjure thee by him who walketh upon the surface of the sea as it were dry land, and layeth under his ban the tempests of the winds ; whose glance drieth up the deep, and whose interdict maketh the moun- tains to melt away. The same now, through us, doth lay thee under ban. Fear, begone and depart from this creature, and return not agajn, neither hide thyself in him (^lier), neither seek thou to meet him {Iter), nor to influence him (^^r), either by night or by day; either in the morn- ing, or at noonday : but depart hence to thine own Tartarus, until the great Day of Judgment which is ordained. Fear thou God who sitteth upon the Cherubim and looketh upon the deeps ; before whom tremble Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim; before whom, likewise, heaven and earth do quake, the sea and all that therein is. Begone, and depart from this sealed, newly-enlisted warrior of Christ our God. For I adjure thee by him who rideth upon the wings of the wind, and maketh his Angels spirits, and his ministers a flaming fire : Begone, and depart from this creature, with all thy powers and thine angels. Exclamation. For glorified is the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Second Exorcism. Let us pray to the Lord. God, holy, terrible and glorious, who is unsearchable and inscrutable in all his works and might, hath foreordained for thee the penalty of eternal punishment, O Devil : the same, through us, his unworthy ser- vants, doth command thee, with all thy confederate hosts, to depart hence, from him {her) who hath been newly sealed in the Name of our • Lord Jesus Christ, our true God. Wherefore I adjure thee, O most crafty, impure, vile, loathsome and alien spirit, by the might of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath all power, both in heaven and on earth, and who said unto the deaf and dumb demon, Come out of the man, and in nowise enter thou a second time into him : Depart ! Acknowledge the vainness of thy might, which hath not power even over swine. Call to mind him who, at thy request, commanded thee to enter into the herd of swine. Fear God, by whose decree the earth is established upon the waters ; who hath made the heavens, and hath set the mountains with a line, and the valleys with a measure; and hath fixed bounds to the sands of the sea, and a firm path upon the stormy waters; who toucheth the mountains and they smoke ; who clotheth himself with light as with a 274 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM garment ; who spreadeth out the heavens as it were a curtain ; who cov- ereth his exceeding high places with the waters ; who hath made fast the earth upon its foundations, so that it shall not be removed unto ages of ao-es ; who collecteth the water of the sea and poureth it out upon the face of the whole earth : Begone, and depart from him {^hei') who hath made himself (Jiersdf) ready for holy Illumination. I adjure thee by the redeeming Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his precious Body and Blood, and by his terrible Coming-again ; for he shall come, and shall not tarry, to judge the whole earth ; and he shall chastise thee and thy confederate host with burning Gehenna, committing thee to outer darkness, where the worm ceaseth not, and the fire is not quenched. For of Christ our God is the dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Third Exorcism. Let US pray to the Lord. O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, who healest every malady and every infirmity : Look upon thy servant ; prove him (Jier') and search him (Jier), and root out of him Qier) every operation of the Devil. Re- buke the unclean spirits and expel them, and purify the works of thy hands ; and exerting thy trenchant might, speedily crush down Satan under his {Jier') feet ; and give him (Jier) victory over the same, and over his foul spirits ; that, having obtained mercy from thee, he (she) may be made worthy to partake of thy heavenly Mysteries ; and may ascribe unto thee glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. A Fourth Prayer. Let us pray to the Lord. Thou who in verity existest, O Lord the Master ; who hast created man in thine own likeness, and hast bestowed upon him the power of life eternal ; who also despisest not those who have fallen away through sin, but hast provided salvation for the world through the incarna- tion of thy Christ : Do thou, the same Lord, delivering also this thy creature from the bondage of the enemy, receive him (Jier) into thy heavenly kingdom. Open the eyes of his (Jier) understanding, that the light of thy Gospel may shine brightly in him (Jier). Yoke unto his (Iter') life a radiant Angel, who shall deliver him {her) from every snare of the adversary, from encounter with evil, from the demon of the noon- day, and from evil visions. Then the Priest brealheth upon his mouth., his brow, and his breast, saying : Expel from him {her) every evil and impure spirit which hideth and maketh its lair in his {her) heart. {And this he saith thrice.') The spirit of error, the spirit of guile, the spirit of idolatry and of every concupiscence ; the spirit of deceit and of every uncleanness THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 275 which operateth through the prompting of the Devil. And make him (her) a reason-endowed sheep (2) in the holy iiock of thy Christ, an honourable member of thy Church, a consecrated vessel, a child of the light, and an heir of thy kingdom ; that having lived in accordance with thy commandments, and preserved inviolate the seal, and kept his (Jier) garment undefiled, he {she) may receive the blessedness of the Saints in thy kingdom. In a loud voice. Through the grace, and bounties, and love towards mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Priest turneth the person who is come to Baptism to face the west, (3) unclad, unshod, and having his hands uplifted. And he saith : Dost thou renounce Satan, and all his Angels, and all his works, and all his service, and all his pride.' And the Catechumen maketh answer, or his Sponsor for him, and saith : I do. {And this question and answer are thrice repeated.) Again the Priest questioneth the Catechumen. Hast thou renounced Satan.' And the Catechumen, or his Sponsor for him, maketh answer: I have. (And this question and answer, likewise, are thrice re- peated.) Then saith the Priest : Breathe and spit upon him. And when he hath done this, the Priest turneth him to the east, (4) with his hands lowered, and saith : Dost thou unite thyself unto Christ ? And the Catechumen, or his Sponsor for him, maketh answer: I do. {And this question and answer are thrice repeated) Then the Priest saith to him ; Hast thou united thyself unto Christ } And he replieth : I have. Dost thou believe in him ? I believe in him as King and as God. 276 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM And he reciteth The Holy Symbol of the Faith. I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begot- ten of his Father before all worlds; Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made; Biing of one Essence with the Father; By whom all things were made ; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is wor- shipped and glorified. Who spake by the Prophets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead. And the Life of the world to come. Amen. And when he hath finished the Holy Symbol of the Faith the Priest inquireth of him : Hast thou united thyself unto Christ ? I have. (T/iis question and answer are thrice repeated.^ Bow down also before him. And the Catechutnen boweth himself, saying : I bow down before the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided. Priest. Blessed is God, who willeth that all men should be saved, and should come to the knowledge of the truth, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then he reciteth this Prayer : Let us pray to the Lord. O Master, Lord our God, call thy servant, N., to holy Illumination, and grant unto him {/ler) that great grace of thy holy Baptism. Put off from him {/ler) the old man, and renew him {/ler) unto life everlasting; and fill him (/z^r) with the power of thy Holy Spirit, in the unity of thy Christ : that he (s//e) may be no more a child of the body, but a child of thy kingdom. Through the good will and grace of thine Only-begot- ten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 277 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM The Priest eniereth the Sancticary a>id putteth on white vestments, and his gauntlets. And when he hath lighted all the tapers, (5) he taketh the censer, and goeth to the Font, and censeth round about it ; and having given the censer to be held, he maketh a reverence. Bless, Master. Then the Deacon saith . And the Priest saith, aloud : Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen ! And straightway the Deacon saith the Litany. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That this water may be sanc- tified with the power, and effec- tual operation, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit : IJ That there may be sent down into it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan : % That there may come upon this water the purifying oper- ation of the supersubstantial Trinity : 5 Thatwe may be illumined by the light of understanding and piety, and by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit : ^ That this water may prove effectual unto the averting of every snare of enemies, both visible and invisible : B; That he {she) who is bap- tized therein may be made worthy of the kingdom incor- ruptible : 5^ For him {Jier) who is now come unto holy Baptism, and for his (Jier') salvation : 5^ That he ishe) may prove And the Priest prayeth, secretly. O compassionate and merci- ful God, who triest the heart and the reins, and who alone knowest the secret thoughts of men (for no deeds are hidden before thee, but all things are naked and manifest before thine eyes); Thou who knowest all things concerning me, re- gard me not with loathing, neither turn thou thy face from me ; but consider not mine in- iquities at this present hour, O thou who disregardest man's sins unto his repentance. And wash away the vileness of my body, and the pollution of my soul. And sanctify me wholly by thine all-perfect, invisible might, and by thy spiritual right hand ; lest, while I proclaim liberty unto others, and admin- ister this rite with perfect faith in thine unutterable love toward mankind, I myself may become the base slave of sin. Yea, O Master, who alone art good and full of love toward mankind, let not thy humble servant be led astray ; but send thou down upon me power Co ^ 278 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM himself {herself) a child of the light, and an heir of eternal good things: IJ That he {she) may be a mem- ber and partaker of the death and resurrection of Christ our God: ^ That he {she) may preserve his baptismal garment and the earnest of the Spirit pure and undefiled unto the dread Day of Christ our God : IJ That this water may be to him {her) a laver of regen- eration, unto the remission of sins, and a garment of incor- ruption : ^ That the Lord God will hearken unto the voice of our petition : 5^ That he will deliver him {her) and us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : 5^ D from on high, and strengthen thou me in the administration of thine impending Mystery, which is both great and most heavenly : and create the image of thy Christ in him {her) who now desireth to be born again through my unworthy ministry. And build him {her) up upon the foundation of thine Apostles and Prophets, that he {she) may not be overthrown ; but im- plant him {her) firmly as a plant of truth, in thy Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, that he {she) be not plucked out. That, as he {she) increaseth in godli- ness, through him {her) may be glorified thine all-holy Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. The Priest saith also the following Prayer, but aloud : Great art thou, O Lord, and marvellous are thy works, and there is no word which sufficeth to hymn thy wonders. ( Thrice. ) For thou, of thine own good will, hast brought into being all things which before were not, and by thy might thou upholdest creation, and by thy providence thou orderest the world. When thou hadst joined together the universe out of four elements, thou didst crown the circle of the year with four seasons. Before thee tremble all the Powers en- dowed with intelligence. The sun singeth unto thee. The moon glori- fieth thee. The stars meet together before thy presence. The light obeyeth thee. The deeps tremble before thee. The water-springs are subject unto thee. Thou hast spread out the heavens as it were a cur- tain. Thou hast established the earth upon the waters. Thou hast set round about the sea barriers of sand. Thou hast shed abroad the air THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 279 for breathing. The Angelic Powers serve thee. The Choirs of the Archangels fall down in adoration before thee. The many-eyed Cheru- bim and the six-winged Seraphim, as they stand and fly, do veil their faces in awe before thine ineffable glory. For thou, who art God inex- pressible, existing uncreated before the ages, and ineffable, didst descend upon earth, and didst take on the semblance of a servant, and wast made in the likeness of man : for, because of the tender compassion of thy mercy, O Master, thou couldest not endure to behold mankind oppressed by the Devil ; but thou didst come, and didst save us. We con- fess thy grace. We proclaim thy mercy. We conceal not thy gracious acts. Thou hast delivered the generation of our mortal nature. By thy birth thou didst sanctify a Virgin's womb. All creation magnifieth thee, who hast manifested thyself. For thou, O our God hast revealed thy- self upon earth, and hast dwelt among men. Thou didst hallow the streams of Jordan, sending down upon them from heaven thy Holy Spirit, and didst crush the heads of the dragons who lurked there. Wherefore, O King who lovest mankind, come thou now and sanc- tify this water, by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit. {Thrice.) And grant unto it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it the fountain of incorruption, the gift of sanctification, the remission of sins, the remedy of infirmities; the final destruction of demons, unassailable by hostile powers, filled with angelic might. Let those who would ensnare thy creature flee far from it. For we have called upon thy Name, O Lord, and it is wonderful, and glorious, and terrible unto adversaries. Then he signeth the water thrice with the sign of the cross, dipping his fingers therein. And breathing upon it, he saith : Let all adverse powers be crushed beneath the sign of the image of thy cross. {Thrice!) We pray thee, O God, that every aerial and obscure phantom may withdraw itself from us ; and that no demon of darkness may conceal himself in this water ; and that no evil spirit which instilleth darken- ing of intentions and rebelliousness of thought may descend into it with him {her) who is about to be baptized. But .do thou, O Master of all, show this water to be the water of re- demption, the water of sanctification, the purification of flesh and spirit, the loosing of bonds, the remission of sins, the illumination of the soul, the laver of regeneration, the renewal of the Spirit, the gift of adoption to sonship, the garment of incorruption, the fountain of life. For thou hast said, O Lord : Wash ye, be ye clean ; put away evil things from your souls. Thou hast bestowed upon us from on high a new birth through water and the Spirit. Wherefore, O Lord, manifest thyself in this water, and grant that he {she) who is baptized therein may be transformed ; that he {she) may put away from him {her) the old man, which is corrupt through the lusts of the flesh, and that 28o THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM he {she) may be clothed upon with the new man, and renewed after the image of him who created him {her) : that being buried, after the pat- tern of thy death, in baptism, he {she) may, in like manner, be a partaker of thy Resurrection ; and having preserved the gift of thy Holy Spirit, and increased the measure of grace committed unto him {her), he {she) may receive the prize of his {her) high calling, and be numbered with the first-born whose names are written in heaven, in thee, our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. For unto thee are due glory, dominion, honour and worship, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen. Peace be with you all. Bow your heads unto the Lord. * And he breatheth thrice upon the vessel containing the oil, and maketh thrice over it the sign of the cross, as it is held by the Deacon. And when the Dea- con hath said: Let us pray to the Lord. The Priest saith the following Prayer : O Lord and Master, the God of our fatheus, who didst send unto them that were in the ark of Noah thy dove, bearing in its beak a twig of olive, the token of reconciliation and of salvation from the flood, the foreshadowing of the mystery of grace ; and didst provide the fruit of the olive for the fulfilling of thy Holy Mysteries ; who thereby fillest them that were under the Law with thy Holy Spirit, and perfectest them that are under grace : Bless also this holy oil with the power, and operation and indwelling of thy Holy Spirit, that it may be an anoint- ing unto incorruption, an armour of righteousness, to the renewing of soul and body, to the averting of every assault of the devil, to deliver- ance from all evil of those who shall be anointed therewith in faith, or who are partakers thereof ; unto thy glory and the glory of thine Only- begotten Son, and of thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us attend. Then the Priest, singijig Alleluia {thrice), with the People, maketh three signs of the cross in the water with the oil. And he saith : Blessed is God, who illumineth and sanctifieth every man that cometh into the world, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Person who hath been baptized is presented. The Priest taketh of the oil with two fingers, and maketh the sign of the cross upon his brow, his breast, and between his shoulders, saying : The servant of God, N., is anointed with the oil of gladness; (5) in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 281 And he anointeth his breast and shoulders. On the breast, saying : Unto the healing of soul and body. On the ears. Unto the hearing of faith. On the hands. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me. On the feet. That he may walk in the way of thy commandments. And when his -whole body is thus anointed, the Priest baptizeth him, holding him upright, and looking toward the east, as he saith : The servant of God, N., is baptized, in the name of the Father, Amen. And of the Son, Amen. And of the Holy Spirit, Amen. At each invocation he immerseth him, and raiseth him again. And after the Bap- tism the Priest washeth his hands, singing with the People Psalm xxxii. Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile. For whilst I held my tongue, my bones consumed away through my daily complaining. For thv hand is heavy upon me day and night, and my moisture is like the drought in sum- mer. I will acknowledge my sin unto thee; and mine unrighteousness have I not hid. I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord ; and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin. For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found ; but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him. Thou art a place to hide me in ; thou shalt preserve me from trouble ; thou shall compass me about with songs of deliverance. I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding ; whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, lest they fall upon thee. Great plagues remain for the ungodly; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth him on every side. Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart. Then, as he putteth his garment upon him, the Priest saith : The servant of God, N., is clothed with the robe of righteousness; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then shall be sung the following Hymn (Tropdr). in Tone VIII. Vouchsafe unto me the robe of light, O thou who clothest thyself ■with light as with a garment, O Christ our God, plenteous in mercy. 282 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM THE OFFICE OF HOLY CHRISMATION And when he hath put the garment on him the Priest prayeth thus : Blessed art thou, O Lord God Almighty, Source of all good things, Sun of Righteousness, who sheddest forth upon them that were in darkness the light of salvation, through the manifestation of thine Only- begotten Son and our God; and who hast given unto us, unworthy though we be, blessed purification through hallowed water, and divine sanctification through life-giving Chrismation ; who now, also, hast been graciously pleased to regenerate thy servant that hath newly received Illumination, by water and the Spirit, and grantest unto him {her') remis- sion of sins, whether voluntary or involuntary. Do thou, the same Mas- ter, compassionate King of kings, grant also unto him {her) the seal of the gift of thy holy, and almighty, and adorable Spirit, and participation in the holy Body and the precious Blood of thy Christ. Keep him {her) in thy sanctification ; confirm him {her) in the Orthodox faith ; deliver hism {her) from the Evil One, and from the machinations of the same. And preserve his {her) soul in purity and uprightness, through the saving fear of thee ; that he {she) may please thee in every deed and word, and may be a child and heir of thy heavenly kingdom. Exclamation. For thou art our God, the God who showeth mercy and saveth ; and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And after this Prayer he anointeth with the holy Chrism {6) the person who hath been baptized, making the sign of the cross : On the brow, and on the eyes, and the nostrils, and the lips, and on both ears, and the breast, and the hands, and the feet, saying, each time : The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then the Priest, accompanied by the Sponsors, bearing the Infant, maketh the circuit of the Font. (7} And all sing : As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia. {Thrice.) Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. Peace be with you all. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my salvation : whom then shall I fear .'' Yerse : The Lord is the strength of my life : of whom then shall I be afraid } Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Romans. THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 283 Deacon. Let us attend. Reader. (Rom. vi. J-II.) Brethren: Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death ? There- fore we are buried with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even-so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resur- rection : knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him : knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once : but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be, dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Priest. Peace be unto thee. Reader. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. Alleluia. Deacon. Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. ' Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. {Matt, xxviii. l6-20.) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him : but some doubted. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of tlie world. Amen. Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. + Then shall be said the Litany {usually omitted). Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Furthermore we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation and remission of sins of the servant of God, N., the Sponsor. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Furthermore we pray for the newly-illumined servant of God, N. 284 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM Choir. Lord, have mercy. That he may be kept in the faith of a pure confession, in all godli- ness, and in the fulfilling of the commandments of Christ all the days of his life. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ-God our hope ; glory to thee. ChoiK Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Bless. And the Priest bestoweth the Benediction (usually omitted). May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his all-pure Mother ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles ; of Saint N. [the Patron Saint of the Temple') ; of Saint N. (the Saint of the day) ; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna ; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, in that he is good and loveth ma.nkind. And on the eighth day the Baptized Person is brought again to the church for Ablution. (8) And the Priest looseth his girdle and his garment, saying this Prayer which followeth : Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. O thou who, through holy Baptism, hast given unto thy servant remis- sion of sins, and hast bestowed upon him (fier) a life of regeneration : Do thou, the same Lord and Master, ever graciously illumine his {her) Iieart with the light of thy countenance. Maintain the shield of his {her) faith unassailed by the enemy. Preserve pure and unpolluted the gar- rhent' of incorruption wherewith thou hast endued him {her), upholding inviolate in him {her), by thy grace, the seal of the Spirit, and showing mercy unto him {her) and unto us, through the multitude of thy mercies. For blessed and glorified is thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. A Second Prayer. . ,. Let u;s pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. O Master, Lord our God, who through the Font bestowest heavenly Illumination upon them that are baptized; who hast regenerated- thy THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM 285 newly-baptized servant by water and the Spirit, and hast granted unto him {her) remission of his {her) sins, whether voluntary or involuntary : Lay thine almighty hand upon him {her) and preserve him {her) by the power of thy goodness. Maintain unassailed the earnest of the Spirit, and make him {her) worthy of life everlasting, and of thy favour. For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. ^ Priest. Peace be witl| you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. He {she) who hath put on thee, O Christ our God, boweth also his {her) head with us, unto thee. Keep him {her) ever a warrior invincible in every attack of those who assail him {her) and us ; and make us all victors, even unto the end, through thy crown incorruptible. For thine it is to show mercy and to save us, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Priest dippeth the sponge in pure water, and sprinkleth the child, say- ing: Thou art justified. Thou art illumined. Thou art sanctified. Thou art washed : (9) in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. And with the sponge he washeth the face and head of the child therewith, and his breast, and the rest, saying : Thou art baptized. Thou art iUumined. Thou hast received anoint- ment with the holy Chrism. Thou art sanctified. Thou art washed : in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer at the cutting of the hair. (10) Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. O Master, Lord our God, who hast honoured man with thine own image, thou hast fashioned him from a speech-endowed (2) soul and a comely body (inasmuch as the body serveth the speech-endowed soul) : for thdu didst set the head on high, and endow it with the chiefest portion of the senses, which, nevertheless, impede not one another : and thou hast covered the head with hair, that it be not injured with the changes of the weather, and hast fitly joined together all his mem- bers, that with them all he may give thanks unto thee, the Great Artificer. Thou, the same Master, through thy chosen vessel, the 286 THE OFFICE OF HOLY BAPTISM Apostle Paul, hast given us a commandment that we should do all things to thy glory : Bless, now, thy servant, N., who is come to make a first offering shorn from the hair of his head, and likewise his Sponsor ; and grant that they may all exercise themselves in thy law, and do those things which are well pleasing in thy sight. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Then the Priest shall recite this Prayer. O Lord our God, who, through the fulfilling of the baptismal font, by thy goodness dost sanctify them that believe on thee: Bless this child here present, and let thy blessing descend upon his (her) head. And as thou didst bless David the King by the hand of thy Prophet Samuel, bless also the head of thy servant, N., by the hand of me, a sinner, inspiring him (her) with thy Holy Spirit ; that as he (she) increaseth in stature, and even unto hoary old age, he (she) may ascribe glory unto thee, and behold the good things of Jerusalem all the days of his (her) life. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then he sheareth the hair in the form of a cross, saying : N., the servant of God, is shorn : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Furthermore we pray for the jiewly-illumined servant of God, N. 5> That he (she) may be kept in the faith of a pure confession, in all godliness, and the fulfilling of the commandments of Christ, all the days of his (her) life. 5^ For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And he maketh the customary Benediction. (See page 284.) THE RITE OF CONFESSION The Spiritual Father leadeth the Person who desireth to confess before the holy image (jkdna) of our Lord Jesus Christ-Not-tnade-with-Hands. And he saith : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. [Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. ( Twelve times. ) O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. {Three reverences. ) Psalm li. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness ; and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight ; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness ; and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts ; and shalt make me to un- derstand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean : thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness ; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my mis- deeds. Make 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. O give me the. comfort of thy help again; and stablish me 288 THE RITE OF CONFESSION with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked ; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health ; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord ; and my mouth shall show thy praise. For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee : but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion : build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of right- eousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations : then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. And the following Hymns {Tropari), in Tone VI. : Have mercy upon us, O God, have mercy upon us. For in that we sinners are devoid of all defence, we offer unto thee, as to our Master, this supplication : Have mercy upon us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for in thee have we trusted, and be not very wroth with us, neither call thou to remembrance, our iniquities ; but look down even now upon us, inasmuch as thou art of tender com- passion, and deliver us from our enemies ; for thou art our God, and we are thy people, we are all the works of thy hand, and we call upon thy Name. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Birth-giver of God. In that we set our hope on thee may we not fail, but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities ; for thou art the salva- tion of all Christian people. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.') Then the Priest saith : Let us pray to the Lord. O God our Saviour, who by thy Prophet Nathan didst grant unto re- pentant David pardon of his transgressions, and didst accept Manasses' prayer of penitence : Do thou, with thy wonted love towards mankind, accept also thy servant, N., who repenteth him {her) of the sins which he {she) hath committed ; overlooking all that he (j^^) hath done, par- doning his {her) offences, and passing by his {her) iniquities. For thou hast said, O Lord : With desire have I desired not the death of a sin- ner, but rather that he should turn from the wickedness which he hath committed, and live ; and that even unto seventy times seven, sins ought to be forgiven ; forasmuch as thy majesty is incomparable, and thy mercy is illimitable. For if thou shouldest regard iniquity, who^ should stand ">. For thou art the God of the penitent, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. THE RITE OF CONFESSION 289 Then another Prayer ■ Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of thy living God, both Shepherd and Lamb, who takest away the sins of the world ; who didst remit the loan unto the two debtors, and didst vouchsafe to the woman who was a sinner the remission of her sins : Do thou, the same Lord, loose, remit, forgive the sins, transgressions and iniquities, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether of wilfulness or of ignorance, which have been committed unto guilt and disobedience by these thy servants. And if they, bearing flesh and dwelling in the world, in that they are men, have in any way been beguiled of the devil ; if in word or deed, whether wittingly or unwittingly, they have sinned, either contemning the word of a priest, or falling under his anathema, or have broken their oath : Do thou, the same Master, in that thou art good and cherishest not ill-will, graciously grant unto these thy servants the word of absolution, remit- ting unto them their anathema and oath, according to thy great mercy. Yea, O Lord and Master, who lovest mankind, hear thou us who make our petitions imto thy goodness on behalf of these thy servants, and disregard thou all their errors, inasmuch as thou art exceedingly merci- ful ; and loose them from punishment eternal. For thou hast said, O Master : Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. For thou alone art without sin, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then shall the Priest say to the Penitent : Behold, my child, Christ standeth here invisibly, and receiveth thy confession : wherefore, be not ashamed, neither be afraid, and con- ceal thou nothing from me : but tell me, doubting not, all things which thou hast done ; and so shalt thou have pardon from our Lord Jesus Christ. Lo, his holy image is before us : and I am but a witness, bearing testimony before him of all things which thou dost say to me. But if thou shalt conceal anything from me, thou shalt have the greater sin. Take heed, therefore, lest, having come to the physician, thou depart unhealed. And then shall he question him diligently, point by point, and shall await his reply to every question. And first of all he shall inquire concerning his faith : Tell me, my child, dost thou believe that which hath been transmitted and is taught by the Catholic, Apostolic Church, which was planted and nurtured in the East, and hath spread from the East throughout the world, and which abideth even unto this day, immovable and unchange- able .' And dost thou doubt any of her doctrines >. 290 THE RITE OF CONFESSION And if he believeth rightly and undoubtingly he shall repeat The Symbol of THE Faith : I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible : And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Be- gotten of his Father before all worlds ; Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made ; Being of one Essence with the Father ; By whom all things were made ; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven. And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is wor- shipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead. And the Life of the world to come. Amen. And when he hath finished, the Priest shall interrogate him in detail. Note. The Priest doth not use the questions of olden days, which are still re- tained in the Ritual, but interrogateth the Penitent discreetly ; and at the last, when he hath questioned him concerning the seven deadly sins, he saith the fol- lowing Exhortation : In all these points thou must henceforth be upon thy guard. For thou hast received a second Baptism, according to the Christian Mys- tery. And thou must see to it that, God helping, thou make a good beginning. But, above all, thou must not bear thyself lightly towards these things, lest thou become a cause of scorn to men ; for these things do not befit a Christian. But may God, by his grace, aid thee to live honourably, uprightly and devoutly. And when the Priest hath said all these things unto him; and when he hath revealed all things concerning himself concealing nothing, the Priest shall say to him : Kneel down. Then the Person who hath 7nade his Confession boweth his head, and the Confes- sor reciteth this Prayer : Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord God of the salvation of thy servants, gracious, bountiful and long-suffering, who repentest thee concerning our evil deeds, and desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wick- edness and live : Show thy mercy now upon thy servant, N., and grant THE RITE OF CONFESSION 291 unto him {her) an image of repentance, forgiveness of sins, and deliver- ance, pardoning his {Jier) every transgression, whether voluntary or in- voluntary. Reconcile and unite him (Jier) unto thy holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom also are due unto thee dominion and majesty, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. After this Prayer the Priest pronounceth the Absolution over the Penitent, who kneeleth hiunbly, saying as follows, in completion of the Holy Sacrament of Confession . May our Lord and God Jesus Christ, through the grace and bounties of his love towards mankind, forgive thee, my child, N., all thy trans- gressions. And I, his unworthy Priest, through the power given unto me by him, do forgive and absolve thee from all thy sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And having finished the Absolution, the Priest rnaketh with his hand over the Penitent the sign of the cross. THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY* THE BETROTHAL SERVICE After the Divine Liturgy, the Priest being in the Temple, those who desire to be joined together take their stand before the lectern. The two rings lie on the right- hand side of the Holy Altar. The Priest maketh, thrice, the sign of the cross over the heads of the bridal pair j and giveth them lighted tapers, (i) And the Deacon saith . Bless, Master. Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and eVer, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the servant of God, N., and for the handmaid of God, N., who now plight each other their troth, and for their salva- tion : 5^ That there may be granted unto them children for the con- tinuation of their race, and all their petitions which are unto sal- vation : IJ That he will send down upon them perfect and peaceful love, and succour : '^l That he will preserve them in oneness of mind, and in stead- fastness of faith : 5^ That he will bless them with a blameless life : 5^ That the Lord our God will grant unto them an honourable marriage, and a bed undefiled : ^ That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : 5> Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. , Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. * Appendix B, VII. D ^ ^ fB ^ r+ V*. ^ c * (A r T) o ^ >-{ PJ S.^ c-f p-o 01 3 r 2 o ^ ►i o O. THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 293 O eternal God, who hast brought into unity those who were sun- dered, and hast ordained for them an indissoluble bond of love ; who didst bless Isaac and Rebecca, and didst make them heirs of thy pro- mise : Bless also these thy servants, N. and N., guiding them unto every good work. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. O Lord our God, who hast espoused the Church as a pure Virgin from among the Gentiles : Bless this Betrothal, and unite and maintain these thy servants in peace and oneness of mind. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then taking the rings, the Priest blesseth the bridal pair therewith, making the sign of the cross with the ring of the Bride over the Bridegroom, and with that of the Bridegroom over the Bride, saying to the Man . (2) The servant of God, N., is betrothed to the handmaid of God, N.: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And to the Woman : The handmaid of God, N., is betrothed to the servant of God, N.: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I > And when he hath spoken thus to each one thrice, he placeth the rings on their right hands. Then the bridal pair exchange the rings, and the Priest saith the following Prayer : Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord our God, who didst accompany the servant of the patriarch Abraham into Mesopotamia, when he was sent to espouse a wife for his lord Isaac ; and who, by means of the drawing of water, didst reveal unto him that he should betroth Rebecca : Do thou, the same Lord, bless also the betrothal of these thy servants, N. and N., and confirm the word which they have spoken. Establish them in the holy union which is from thee. For thou, in the beginning, didst make them male and female, and by thee is the woman joined unto the man as a helpmeet, and for the procreation of the human race. Wherefore, O Lord our God, who hast sent forth thy truth upon thine inheritance, and thy covenant unto thy servants our fathers, even thine elect, from generation to generation : Look thou upon thy servant, N., and upon thy handmaid, N., 294 T-HE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY and establish and make stable their betrothal in faith, and in oneness of mind, in truth and in love. For thou, O Lord, hast declared that a pledge should be given and confirmed in all things. By a ring was power given unto Joseph in Egypt ; by a ring was Daniel glorified in the land of Babylon ; by a ring was the uprightness of Tamar revealed ; by a ring did our heavenly Father show forth his bounty upon his Son ; for he saith : Put a ring on his hand, and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and eat, and make merry. By thine own right hand, O Lord, didst thou arm Moses in the Red Sea ; by the word of thy truth were the heavens established, and the foundations of the earth were made firm ; and the right hands of thy servants shall be blessed also by thy mighty word, and by thine upraised arm. Wherefore, O Lord, do thou now bless this putting-on of rings with thy heavenly benediction : and let thine Angel go before them all the days of their life. For thou art he who blesseth and sanctifieth all things, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. THE ORDER OF MARRIAGE, OR OF CROWNING (3) Priest and Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord our God ; glory to thee. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord. ]J All they who walk in his paths. IJ; Thou shalt eat of the fruit of thy labours. ^ blessed art thou, and happy shalt thou be. IJ; Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine upon the walls of thine house. ]J Thy children like a newly-planted olive-orchard round about thy table. B; Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. IJ The Lord in Zion shall so bless thee, that thou shalt see the good things of Jerusalem all thy life long. 5i Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel. ]J • Then the Priest shall make them an exhortation, telling them wherein the Sacra- fnent of Marriage consisteth, and how they ought to live godly and uprightly in the wedded state. And when his exhortation is finished, the Priest shall inquire of the Bridegrooin, saying : Hast thou, N., a good, free and unconstrained will and a firm intention to take unto thyself to wife this woman, N., whom thou seest here before thee ? And the Bridegroom maketh answer : 1 have, reverend Father. Priest. Thou hast not promised thyself to any other bride .'' The Bridegroom. I have not promised myself, reverend Father. THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 295 And straightway the Priest, looking at the Bride, shall inquire of her, saying: Hast thou, N., a good, free and unconstrained will and a firm inten- tion to take unto thyself to husband this man, N., whom thou seest here before thee ? And the Bride maketh answer, saying : I have, reverend Father. Priest. Thou hast not promised thyself to any other man ? The Bride. I have not promised myself, reverend Father. Then the Deacon saith : Bless, Master. Priest. Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the servants of God, N. and N., who are now being united to each other in the community of marriage, and for their salva- tion : 5^ That he will bless this marriage, as he blessed that in Cana of Galilee : IJ That he will grant unto them chastity, and of the fruit of the womb as is expedient for them : ^ That he will make them glad with the sight of sons and daughters : ^ That he will grant unto them the procreation of virtuous off- spring, and an upright life : IJ That he will grant to them and to us all our petitions which are unto salvation : 5 Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priist. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Then the Priest reciteth, aloud, the following Prayer : O God most pure, the Creator of every living thing, thou didst 85* o 3 n n 296 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY transform the rib of our forefather Adam into a wife, because of thy love towards mankind, and didst bless them, and say unto them : In- crease, and multiply, and have dominion *over the earth ; and didst make of the twain one flesh : for which cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be one flesh : and what God hath joined together, that let no man put aSunder. Thou who didst bless thy servant Abraham, and opening the womb of Sarah didst make him to be the father of many nations ; who didst give Isaac to Rebecca, and didst bless her in child-bearing ; who didst join Jacob unto Rachel, and from that union didst make known the twelve Patriarchs; who didst unite Joseph and Asenath, giving untO' them as the fruit of their procreation Ephraim and Manasses ; who didst accept Zacharias and Elizabeth, and didst make their offspring to be the Forerunner ; who, from the Root of Jesse according to the flesh, didst bud forth the ever-Virgin One, and wast incarnate of her ; and wast born of her for the redemption of the human race; who, through thine unutterable gift and manifold goodness didst come to Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there, that thou mightest make manifest that it is thy will that there should be lawful marriage and the begetting of children : Do thou, the same all-holy Master, ac- cept the prayer of us thy servants. As thou wert present there, so likewise be thou present here, with thine invisible protection. Bless this marriage, and vouchsafe unto these thy servants, N. and N., a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, mutual love in the bond of peace, long-lived seed, gratitude from their posterity, a crown of glory which f adeth not away. Graciously grant that they may behold their children's children. Preserve their bed unassailed, and give them of the dew of heaven from on high, and of the fatness of the earth. Fill their houses with wheat, and wine, and oil, and with every beneficence, that they may bestow in turn upon the needy; granting also unto those who are here present with them all those petitions which are for their salvation. For thou art the God of mercies, and bounties, and love towards 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Then the Priest reciteth, aloud, the following Prayer : Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the Priest of mystical and pure marriage, and the Ordainer of the law of the marriage of the body, the Preserver of immortality, and the Provider of good things ; do thou, the same Master, who in the beginning didst make man and set him to be, as it were, a King over thy creation, and didst say : It is not good for man to be alone on the earth ; let us make a helpmeet for him ; and taking one of his ribs didst fashion Woman, which when Adam beheld. THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 297 he said : This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh ; she shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of man ; for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the twain shall be one flesh ; and those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder : — Do thou now also, O Master, our Lord and our God, send down thy heavenly grace upon these thy servants, N. and N. ; and grant that this thy handmaid may, in all things, be subject unto her husband ; and that this thy servant may be the head of his wife, that they may live according to thy will. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Abraham and Sarah : Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Isaac and Rebecca : Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Jacob and all the patriarchs : Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joseph and Asenath : Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Moses and Sepphora: Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joachim and Anna : Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Zacharias and Eliza- beth : Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Noah in the ark : Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Jonah in the belly of the whale : Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve the three Holy Children from the fire, sending down upon them dew from heaven ; and let that gladness come upon them which the blessed Helena had when she found the precious Cross. Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remember Enoch, Shem, Elijah : Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remem- ber thy Forty Holy Martyrs, sending down upon them crowns from heaven : Remember them, O Lord our God, and the parents who have nurtured them ; for the prayers of parents make firm the foundations of houses. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servants the groomsman and the bridesmaid of the bridal pair, who are come together in thi^ joy. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servant, N., and thy handmaid, N., and bless them. Grant them of the fruit of their bodies, fair chil- dren, concord of soul and of body : Exalt them like the cedars of Lebanon, like a luxuriant vine. Give them seed in number like unto the full ears of grain ; that, having sufficiency in all things, they may abound in every work that is good and acceptable unto thee. And let them behold their children's children, like a newly-planted olive-orchard, round about their table; that, obtaining favour in thy sight, they may shine like the stars of heaven, in thee, our God. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. And again the Priest prayeth, aloud, as followeth : O holy God, who didst create man out of the dust, and didst fashion his wife out of his rib, and didst yoke her unto him as a helpmeet ; for 298 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY it seemed good to thy majesty that man should not be alone upon earth : Do thou, the same Lord^ stretch out now also thy hand from thy holy dwelling-place, and conjoin this thy servant, N., and this thy handmaid, N. ; for by thee is the husband united unto the wife. Unite them in one mind : wed them into one flesh, granting unto them of the fruit of the body and the procreation of fair children. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And after the Amen, the Priest taketh the crowns (4), and crowneth first the Bridegroom, saying : The servant of God, N., is crowned unto the handmaid of God, N. : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Choir. Amen. In like tnanner he then crowneth the Bride, saying : The servant of God, N., is crowned unto the servant of God, N. : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Choir. Amen. Theji he blesseth them, thrice, saying, thrice : O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honour. Deacon. Let us attend. Priest. P.eace be with you all. Reader. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! ^ Reader. The Gradual {Prokimen), in Tone VIII. Thou hast set upon their heads crowns of precious stones ; they asked life of thee, and thou gavest it them. Verse : For thou wilt give them thy blessing forever and ever: thou wilt make them to rejoice with gladness through thy presence. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. Deacon. Let us attend. Reader. {Eph.v.20-Jj.) Brethren : Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ; sub- mitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church : and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Hus- bands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives, as their THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 299 own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh ; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church : for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery : but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Never- theless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as him- self : and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Priest. Peace be unto thee. Reader. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom ! Reader. Alleluia. Deacon. Wisdom, O believers! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. ^ Priest. Peace be with you all. i^ Cinm- And with thy spirit. ^ Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel according to John. I' \. fiterr. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee. Deacon. Let us attend. {John a. I-I2.) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee ; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her. Woman, what have I to do with thee.' mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them. Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them. Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants which drew the water knew), the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him. Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine ; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse : but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory ; and his disciples believed on him. p Gkmr. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee. Deacori. Let us all say, with all our soul and with all our mind let us say : ^ O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy : ^ Have mercy upon us according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee : hearken, and have mercy : ?; Furthermore we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation and visitation for the servants of God, N. and N. {and he also maketk mention of whomsoever else he will) : 5; 300 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY Priest. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And the Priest reciteth this Prayer. O Lord our God, who in thy saving providence didst vouchsafe by thy presence in Cana of Galilee to declare marriage honourable : Do thou, the same Lord, now also maintain in peace and concord thy ser- vants, N. and N., whom it hath pleased thee to join together. Cause their marriage to be honourable. Preserve their bed blameless. Merci- fully grant that they may live together in purity ; and enable them to attain to a ripe old age, walking in thy commandments with a pure heart. For thou art our God, the God whose property it is to show mercy and to save, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Deacon. A day all-perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless : 5^ An Angel of Peace, the faithful guide and guardian both of our souls and bodies : ]J The forgiveness and remission of our sins and transgres- sions : IJ All things which are good and profitable to our souls, and peace to the world : IJ That we may pass the residue of our life in peace and peni- tence : ]J A Christian ending -to our life, painless, blameless, peace- ful ; and a good defence before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ : ^ , The unity of the faith, and the communion of the Holy Spirit let us beseech of the Lord : and let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. And the Priest maketh the Exclamation : And vouchsafe, O Lord, that boldly and without condemnation, we may dare to call upon thee, God, the heavenly Father, and to say : And the People recite the Lord's Prayer to the end. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those ^* Si ."^ W cr •-{ a> ft -< 2 - D- <$■ THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 301 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But de- liver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Then the Common Cup (5) is brought, and the Priest blesseth it, and reciteth this Prayer : Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. -Choir. Lord, have mercy. O God, who hast created all things by thy might, and hast made fast the round world, and adornest the crown of all things which thou hast made : Bless now, with thy spiritual blessing, this common cup, which thou dost give to those who are now united for a com- munity of marriage. Aloud : For blessed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then, takirig the Cup in his hand, the Priest giveth it thrice to them ; first to the Man, and then to the Woman. Then i?nmediately the Priest taketh them, the groomsmen behind them holding their crowns, and leadeth them in a circle (6) round about the lectern. And the Priest, or the People, sing the following Hymn, in Tone V. : Rejoice, O Isaiah ! A Virgin is with child, and shall bear a Son, Emmanuel, both God and man : and Orient is his name ; whom magni- fying we call the Virgin blessed. Another, in Tone VII. O Holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns : Entreat ye the Lord that he will have mercy on our souls. Glory to thee, O Christ our God, the Apostles' boast, the Martyrs' joy, whose preaching was the Con substantial Trinity. -^ Then, taking the crown of the Bridegroom, he saith : Be thou exalted, O Bridegroom, like unto Abraham ; and be thou blessed, like unto Isaac ; and do thou multiply like unto Jacob, walking in peace, and keeping the commandments of God in righteousness. Then, taking the crown of the Bride, he saith . And thou, O Bride : Be thou exalted like unto Sarah ; and exult thou, like unto Rebecca ; and do thou multiply, like unto Rachel : 302 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY and rejoice thou in thy husband, fulfilling the conditions of the law : for so is it well-pleasing unto God. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. -^sxir. Lord, have mercy. The Priest prayeth : O God, our God, who didst come to Cana of Galilee, and didst bless there the marriage feast : Bless, also, these thy servants, who through thy good providence are now united together in wedlock. Bless their goings out and their comings in : replenish their life with good things : receive their crowns into thy kingdom, preserving them spotless, blameless, and without reproach, unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. And the Priest prayeth: May the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the all-holy, consubstantial and life-giving Trinity, one Godhead, and one King- dom, bless you ; and grant unto you length of days, fair children, prosperity of life, and faith : and fill you with all abundance of earthly good things, and make you worthy to obtain the blessings of the pro- mise : through the prayers of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints. Amen. And the Deacon saith : Wisdom ! More honourable than the Cherubim, . . (See page 303.) -^ Then the Priest bestoweth the final Benediction. May he who by his presence at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee did declare marriage to be an honourable estate, Christ our true God ; through the prayers of his all-holy Mother; of the holy, glorious and all- laudable Apostles ; of the holy, God-crowned Kings and Saints-equal- to-the- Apostles Constantine and Helena; of the holy Great Martyr, Procopius ; (7) and of all the Saints, have mercy upon you and save you : for he is good, and loveth mankind. Then the Priest maketh an exhortation to the newly-married pair. Afid the People come and congratulate them ; attd they kiss each other. PRAYER AT THE REMOVAL OF THE CROWNS ON THE EIGHTH DAY (8) O Lord our God, who hast blessed the crown of the year, and per- mittest these crowns to be laid upon those who are united to one another by the law of marriage, and thus grantest unto them, as it were THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 303 a reward of chastity ; for they are pure who are united in the marriage which thou hast made lawful : Do thou bless also in the removal of these crowns those who have been united to one another, and pre- serve their union indissoluble ; that they may evermore give thanks unto thine all-holy Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. These thy servants having come together in concord, O Lord, and having accomplished the compact of marriage, as at Cana of Galilee, and contracted the pledges thereof, ascribe glory unto thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And the Dismissal. Wisdom ! Choir. O most holy Birth-giver of God, save us. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice!) Bloa s. And the Priest bestoweth the Benediction. {See page 302.) THE ORDER OF SECOND MARRIAGE (9) The Priest beginneth : Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. { Thrice. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth. As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : 304 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord. For the servants of God, N. and N., and for the protection which is from God ; and for their life together : let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. That they may dwell together uprightly and in oneness of mind : let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever- Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. The Priest saith this Prayer : O eternal God, who hast brought into unity those who were sun- dered, and hast ordained for them an indissoluble bond of love ; who didst bless Isaac and Rebecca, and didst make them heirs of thy promise : Bless also these thy servants, N. and N., directing them unto every good work. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Deacon. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. The Priest prayeth : O Lord our God, who hast espoused the Church as a pure Virgin from among the Gentiles : Bless this Betrothal, and unite and maintain these thy servants in peace and oneness of mind. For unto thee are due all honour, glory and worship, to the Father, THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY 305 and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then the Priest, taking the rings, giveth one first to the Man, and to the Woman another, and saith to the Man : The servant of God, N., is betrothed to the handmaid of God, N. : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And in like manner to the Woman : The handmaid of God, N., is betrothed to the servant of God, N. : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then he maketh with the rings the sign of the cross over their heads, and put- teth the rings on the fingers of their right hands. The Sponsor of the bridal pair exchangeth them. Then the Deacon : Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Priest. O Master, Lord our God, who showest pity upon all men, and whose providence is over all thy works ; who knowest the secrets of man, and understandest all men : Purge away our sins, and forgive the transgressions of thy servants, calling them to repentance, granting them remission of their iniquities, purification from their sins, and pardon of their errors, whether voluntary or involuntary. O thou who knowest the frailty of man's nature, in that thou art his Maker and Creator ; who didst pardon Rahab the harlot, and accept the contrition of the Publican : remember not the sins of our ignorance from our youth up. For if thou wilt consider iniquity, O Lord, Lord, who shall stand before thee .■* Or what flesh shall be justified in thy sight.' For thou only art righteous, sinless, holy, plenteous in mercy, of great com- passion, and repentest thee of the evils of men. Do thou, O Master, who hast brought together in wedlock thy servants, N. and N., unite them to one another in love : vouchsafe unto them the contrition of the Publican, the tears of the Harlot, the confession of the Thief; that, repenting with their whole heart, and doing thy commandments in peace and oneness of mind, they may be deemed worthy also of thy heavenly kingdom. For thou art he who ordereth all things, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit. Priest. Bow your heads unto the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. 3o6 THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY The Priest saiih this Prayer : O Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who wast lifted up on the precious and life-giving cross, and didst thereby destroy the handwrit- ing against us, and deliver us from the dominion of the Devil : Cleanse thou the iniquities of thy servants ; because they, being unable to bear the heat and burden of the day and the hot desires of the flesh, are now entering into the bond of a second marriage, as thou didst render law- ful by thy chosen vessel, the Apostle Paul, saying, for the sake of us humble sinners. It is better to marry in the Lord than to burn. Where- fore, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind, do thou show mercy and forgive. Cleanse, put away, pardon our transgressions ; for thou art he who didst take our infirmities on thy shoulders ; for there is none sinless, or without uncleanness for so much as a single day of his life, save only Thou, who without sin didst endure the flesh, and bestowest on us passionlessness eternal. For thou art God, the God of the contrite in heart, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. People. Amen. Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Then the Priest saith the Prayer : O holy God, who didst create man out of the dust, . . . And the rest, as in the First Rite of Marriage, page 297. THE OFFICE OF SETTING APART READERS AND CHANTERS* He who is to be made a Taper-bearer is led by the Sub-Deacon into the centre of the Church, before the beginniiig of the Divine Liturgy {see page 79), and there tnaketh three reverences : and turning, he saluteth the Bishop, thrice. Then, drawing near to the Bishop, he boweth his head ; and the Bishop signeth him on the head with his hand. Then, laying his hand upon the candidate's head, the Bishop saith the following Prayer : O Lord, who enlightenest all created beings with the light of thy marvels, and knowest the intent of every man before it is formed, and strengthenest those who are desirous of serving thee : Do thou, the same Lord, array in thy fair and spotless vesture this thy servant who desireth to become a Taper-bearer {these thy servants who desire to become Taper-bearers) before thy Holy Mysteries; that he {they) may be illumined ; and that attaining unto the world to come he {they) may receive the incorruptible crown of life, and rejoice with^thine elect in bliss everlasting. For hallowed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. But when there is no Liturgy the Bishop beginneth as follows : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then shall be sung : O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life : Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have. mercy upon us. ( Thrice. ) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom, come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive * See page xxxii. 3o8 OFFICE OF SETTING APART READERS AND CHANTERS those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.^ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Hymn {Tropdr)for the Day shall be read. But if there be a Liturgy, then O Heavenly King, and O Holy God, and Our Father shall be omitted, and only the following Hymns shall be read: O holy Apostles, entreat the merciful God that he will grant our souls remission of their sins. The grace of thy lips, shining forth like a beacon-fire, hath illumined the universe, and hath bestowed upon the world the treasure of non- avariciousness, and hath shown us the height of humility. But as thou instructest us with thy words, O Father John Chrysostom, so also inter- cede thou with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved. Thy voice is gone out into all the world, in that it hath received thy word, wherewith thou hast taught in manner well-pleasing unto God, hast expounded the nature of existing things, and hast adorned the cus- toms of mankind. O Royal Priesthood, Sainted Father, pray thou unto Christ our God, that our souls may be saved. The shepherd's reed of thy divine theology hath confounded the trumpets of the rhetoricians, the same being bestowed upon thee as upon one who hath searched out the deep things of the spirit, and grace of proclamation. Wherefore, O Father Gregory, entreat thou Christ- God that our souls may be saved. Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Through the prayers of all the Saints, and of the Birth-giver of God, O Lord, grant us thy peace, and have mercy upon us : for thou only lovest mankind. Then the Bishop sheareth the candidate's head in the form of a cross, saying : In the Name of the Father. Then the Proto-Deacon, and the Reader, or a Chanter, shall say : Amen. Bishop. And of the Son. Proto-Deacon. Amen. Bishop. And of the Holy Spirit. Proto-Deacon. Amen. Then the Bishop putteth upon him the short chasuble, and again maketh, thrice, with his hand, the sign of the cross upon his head, and reciteth this Prayer : O Lord God Almighty, elect this thy servant {these thy servants), and OFFICE OF SETTING APART READERS AND CHANTERS 309 sanctify him (them) ; and enable him {them), with all wisdom and under- standing, to exercise the study and reading of thy divine words, pre- serving him {them) in blamelessness of life. Through the mercies and bounties and love towards mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom also thou art glorified, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and ujjto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And after the Prayer, the Bishop openeth the book of the Epistles upon the head of the Reader. And the Sub-Deacons lead him from the Bishop, and place him in the middle of the Church, with his face to the east ; and the book of the Epistles is given to him, and he readeth, a little, wheresoever it may chance to befall, and turning, he boweth to the Bishop thrice, according to the rubric. Then the tunic is brought to the Bishop, and he signeth it with his hand, over the cross. And he who hath been set apart {or ordained), having signed himself with the cross, kisseth the cross upon the tunic, and the hand of the Bishop : And the Sub-Deacons vest him in the tunic ; and the Bishop exhorteth him thus : My son(j), the first degree in the Priesthood is that of Reader. It behooveth thee {you) therefore, to peruse the divine Scriptures daily, to the end that the hearers, regarding thee {you) may receive edifica- tion ; that thou {ye) in nowise shaming thine {your) election, mayest prepare thyself {m.ay prepare yourselves) for a higher degree. For by a chaste, holy and upright life thou shalt {ye shall) gain the favour of the God of loving-kindness, and shalt render thyself {shall render your- selves) worthy of a greater ministry, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; to whom be glory unto ages of ages. Amen. Then shall the Bishop say : Blessed is the Lord. Lo, the servant(j) of God, N. {NN.), is {are) become a Reader {Readers) of the most holy Church of N. : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Then the Bishop giveth him (or them) a holy lamp, and he standeth (they stand) before the Bishop with the lamp, in the appointed place. THE MANNER OF ORDAINING SUB-DEACONS* If the £andidate is to receive the Laying-on of Hands to the Sub-Diaconate {see page 79) on the same day, after he hath been invested with the tunic, the Sub- Deacons bring the dalmatic and the dalmatic-girdle (that is the stole) to the Bishop. And when the Bishop hath signed the girdle with the cross, and he who is to receive Ordination hath kissed it, and the hand of the Bishop, they gird him therewith. And the Bishop signeth him with his hand, in the form of a cross ; after which the Archpriest saith : Let US pray to the Lord. And the Bishop laying his hand on the Candidate's head, reciteth the following Prayer : O Lord our God, who, through one and the same Holy Spirit distrib- uting gifts of grace to each one of those whom thou hast chosen, hast given to thy Church divers Orders ; who, through thine inscrutable providence hast appointed degrees of ministry therein, for the service of thy holy, spotless Mysteries ; and who, through thine ineffable fore- knowledge, hast ordained this thy servant to be worthy to serve in thy Holy Church : Do thou, the same Lord, preserve him uncondemned in all things. And grant that he may love the beauty of thy house, stand before the doors of thy holy Temple, and kindle the lamps in the tabernacle of thy glory. And plant him in thy holy Church like a fruitful olive-tree, which bringeth forth the fruits of righteousness. And make him thy perfect servant in the time of thine advent, that he may receive the recompense of those who are well-pleasing in thy sight. For thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And after the Prayer, the Sub-Deacons give the ewer and basin to hitn who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands, and lay a towel on his shoulders. And the Bishop washeth his hands. And he who is to be ordained Sub-Deacon poureth ■mater over the hands of the Bishop. Then he and the Sub-Deacons kiss the hand of the Bishop, and depcfrt to their appointed place. And he who is to be ordained Sub-Deacon standeth, holding the ewer and basin, with the towel, until the Cherubimic Hymn. And he saith, secretly : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . {Thrice). Glory . . now, and ever, . . . O all-holy Trinity, . . Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.') Our Father, .who art in heaven, . . . For thine is the kingdom, . . Lord, have mercy. ( Thrice^ I believe in one God, . Pardon, remit, forgive, O God, our transgressions, both voluntary * For explanation, see Introductory Chapter on the Symbolism of the Church. Also, Appendix B, VIII (i). THE MANNER OF ORDAINING SUB-DEACONS 311 and involuntary, whether of word or of deed, whether of knowledge or of ignorance, whether of the day or of the night, whether of the mind or of the intentions : forgive us all, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind. Andif he desireth to say anything further, he doth so secretly. At the time of the Cherubimic Hymn, he is led in front of the Holy Doors, to the Bishop : and the Bishop washeth his hands, according to the rite, and saith the Prayer. Then he signeth the water with his hand, in the form of a cross, thrice. And the Bishop, with this holy water, wetteth the Candidate''s eyes and ears nostrils, and lips. And at the Great Entrance, the Candidate for Holy Orders walketh behind all the clergy. Then the Bishop saith : And may the mercy of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you all. (See Liturgy, page 79.) And after the Exclamation he is led into the Sanctuary by the Sub-Deacons, according to the rubric, and having received the Bishop's blessing, he taketh his stand with the Sub-Deacons. (2) THE FORM WHICH IS USED AT THE ORDI- NATION OF A DEACON* After the Bishop hath said: {See the Liturgy, page ni.) And may the mercy of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you all: The Sub- Deacons bring the Bishops s pontifical seat and place it in front, and somewhat toward the left side of the Holy Altar, that he may not turn his back upon the Holy Things. And the Bishop seateth himself thereon ; and two Sub-Deacons take him who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands from, the mid- dle of the Church, having him between them, and each laying one hand upon his neck, and holding him by the hands with the other : and they bow him down as low as possible. And one Deacon in the Sanctuary saith : Command. And leading him forward a little, they bow him down again. And another Deacon saith : Command (3). And thereupon they draw near to the Holy Door, bowing him. down before the Bishop. Then the Proto-Deacon saith : Command, Most Reverend Master. Then the Sub-Deacons leave him who is to receive Ordination at the Holy Door : whereupon two others, a Proto-Deacon and a Deacon, take him., the one by the right hand, the other by the left ; and he boweth before the Bishop. Then the Bishop signet h him with his hand in the form of a cross, and they walk round the Holy Altar, (4) they that lead him and the rest, singing : O holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns : Entreat ye the Lord that our souls may be saved. Then those who are without the Sanctuary sing the same, once. And he who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands kisseth the four corners of the Holy Altar, and the hand and knee of the Bishop. (5) Then they compass about the Altar again, singing : Glory to thee, O Christ our God, the Apostles' boast, the Martyrs' joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity. And the Choir without singe th the same, once. And again he who is to receive Ordination kisseth the Holy Altar, and the epigonation and hand of the Bishop. Then they cotnpass about the Altar again, singing : Rejoice, O Isaiah! A Virgin is with child, and shall bear a Son, Emmanuel, both God and man : and Orient is his name; whom magnify- ing we call the Virgin blessed. * See Appendix B, VIII {2). THE FORM USED AT THE ORDINATION OF A DEACON 313 And they do according to the Ritual. And those without sing the same. Then the Bishop riseth, and the pontifical chair is removed; and he who is to receive the laying-on of hands goeth to the right side of the Bishop, and boweth down before the Holy Altar, thrice, saying : Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner. And bending the right knee (6) he layeth his palms upon the Holy Altar, in the form of a cross, and placeth his brow between his hands on the Holy Altar. Then the Bishop layeth the end of his stole upon his head, and (7) blesseth him, thrice, upon the head, and when the Proto-Deacon, or the Deacon, hath said : Let US attend : The Bishop, laying his hand on the Candidate's head, saith, aloud, z« the hearing of all those who are in the Church ; The grace divine, which always healeth that which is infirm, and completeth that which is wanting, elevateth, through the laying-on of hands, N., the most devout Sub-Deacon, to be a Deacon : Wherefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him. Then the Priests in the Sanctuary, on the right side, chant : Lord, have mercy. (Thrice^ Likewise, those on the left : Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) And the singers without in the right and left Choirs : Kyrie eleison (thrice, slowly), while the Bishop reciteth this (8) The Proto-Deacon hav- ing said, in a low voice : Let US pray to the Lord. And the Bishop bless- eth, thrice, the head of him that is receiv- ing Ordination. ^ Prayer. O Lord our God, who by thy foreknow- ledge dost send down the fulness of the Holy Spirit upon those who are ordained by thine inscrutable power to be thy servitors, ' and to administer thy spotless Sacraments : Do thou, the same Sovereign Master, pre-' serve also this man, whom thou hast been pleased to ordain, through me, by thfe Lay- , ing-on of Hands, to the service of the Di- aconate, in all soberness of life, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Vouchsafe unto him the grace which thou didst grant unto Stephen, thy first Martyr, whom, also, thou didst call to be the first in the work of thy ministry ; and make him worthy to administer after thy pleasure the degree which it hath seemed ■ good to thee to confer upon him. For they who ininister well pre- pare for themselves a good degree. Aild fnaniftest himas wholly thy ■ sei*vant: ;'' ■ ' .' - ■■ ■ ' ■'' ' ' ' ; . ' ; For thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory,, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and eVer, arid unto ages of ages. Amen. 314 THE FORM USED AT THE ORDINATION OF A DEACON Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God, and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O God. And the Bishop, keeping his hand on the head of him who is receiv- ing Holy Orders, prayeth the while : O God our Saviour, who by thine incorruptible voice didst appoint unto thine Apostles the law of the Diaconate, and didst manifest the first Martyr, Ste- phen, to be of the same ; and didst proclaim him the first who should exercise the ofSce of a Deacon, as it is written in thy Holy Gospel : Whosoever de- sireth to be first among you, let him be your servant : Do thou, O Master of all men, fill also this thy servant, whom thou hast graciously permitted to enter upon the ministry of a Deacon, with all faith, and love, and power, and holiness, through the inspiration of thy holy and life-giving Spirit ; for not through the Laying-on of my hands, but through the visitation of thy rich bounties, is grace bestowed upon thy worthy ones : That he, being devoid of all sin, may stand blameless before thee in the ter- rible Day of thy Judgment, and receive the unfailing reward of thy promise. Exclamation. The Bishop. For thou art our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, THE FORM USED AT THE ORDINATION OF A DEACON 315 to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Then they raise the Candidate, and loose his stole, which is bound cross-wise. And taking the stole, the Bishop layeth it on his left shoulder, saying in a loud voice : Axios ! (Worthy !) (8) And they within the Sanctuary sing, thrice : Axids. And likewise they without, i>i both Choirs, sing, thrice : Axios. Then the gauntlets are given to him, and the Bishop saith : Axios. And they within the Sanctuary , and they without, sing the same, as before. Then the sacramental fan is given to him, and the Bishop saith : Axios. And they who are within, and without, the Sanctuary, sing, as before. And he kisseth the Bishop on the shoulder, and placeth himself at the Altar, and fanneth the Holy Gifts. THE OFFICE USED AT THE ELEVATION OF AN ARCHDEACON, OR A PROTO-DEACON He that is to be raised to the A rchdiaconate is led, by a Proto-Deacon and a Dea- con, to the Reverend Bishop, in the middle of the Church, nihere the Bishop standeth, at the titne when the Lesser Entrance with the book of the Holy Gos- pels is made. {See page 84.) And he boweth, thrice, before the Bishop, even to his girdle, and bendeth his head. Then the Bishop, sitti?ig, maketh the sign of the cross, thrice, with his hand, upon his head ; and rising, layeth his hand upon his head. And when the Deacon hath said : Let US pray to the Lord : The Bishop reciteth the following Prayer : O Master, Lord our God, who hast bestowed upon our race the Arch- deaconship, granting, through thine unspeakable providence, that they who are endued therewith may order and serve thy Divine Mysteries as lesser ministers : Do thou, the same Lord, endue with this grace of the Archdeaconship this thy servant, N., and adorn him v/ith thine integ- rity, to stand at the head of the Deacons of thy people, and to be an example of good to those who are under him. Cause him to attain unto a ripe old age, that he may magnify thy glorious Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Then the Bishop maketh the sign of the cross upon his head, saying : Blessed is God. Lo, the servant of God, N., becometh an Arch- deacon {or a Proto-Deacon) : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And laying his hand upon the head of him that is elevated, the Bishop ex- claimeth : Axios ! ( Thrice. ) * And the Choir singeth, thrice: Axios. And then they enter the Sanctuary, according to the Ritual. * See Appendix B, VIII (8). THE FORM AND MANNER OF ORDAINING A PRIEST* After the Cherubimic Hymn hath been finished (see page 98), he who is to be ordained Priest is led by an Archdeacon, or another Deacon, in the same manner, and after the same exclamations of Command and Command, as at the ordination of a Deacon, through the Holy Door, to the Holy Altar, before the Bishop, at the right hand side thereof. The Bishop signeth hijti with his hand, in the form of a cross : and he is led thrice round the Altar, as is described i?i the Office fok making a Deacon, while all within the Sa?ictuary sitig the following Hymns : O holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns : Entreat ye the Lord that our souls may be saved. Glory to thee, O Christ our God, the Apostles' boast, the Martyrs' joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity. Rejoice, O Isaiah ! A Virgin is with child, and shall bear a Son, Emmanuel, both God and man : and Orient is his name ; whom magni- fying we call the Virgin blessed. Then he who is to be ordained bendeth both knees, and placeth his palms cross- wise upoti the Holy Altar, and the Bishop layeih the end of his stole upo7i the head of him who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands, and blesseth him, thrice, upon the head. And when the principal Priest hath said: Let us attend : The Bishop, laying his hand upon his head, pronounceth, aloud, in the hearing of all those who stand in the Church : The grace divine, which always healeth that which is infirm, and completeth (i) that which is wanting, elevateth through the laying-on of hands, N., the most devout Deacon, to be a Priest. Wherefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him. Then the Proto-Deacon saith in a low voice : Let us pray to the Lord. And the Priests within the Sanc- tuary sing : Lord,- have mercy, \ thrice on the right side, and again ' thrice on the left side. And the Singers without, in the right and left Choirs, sing : K\Tie el-'ison {thrice, slowly), while the Bishop reciteth the Prayer. A7id the Bishop reciteth, secretly, the following Prayer : O God, who hast no beginning and no ending; who art older than every created thing ; who crown- est with the name of Presbyter those whom thou deemest worthy to serve the word of thy truth in the divine ministry of this degree : Do thou, the same Lord of all men, deign to preserve in pureness of life and in unswerv- * Appendix B, VIII (10). 318 THE FORM AND MANNER OF ORDAINING A PRIEST ing faith this man also, upon whom, through me, thou hast gra- ciously been pleased to lay hands. Be favourably pleased to grant unto him the great grace of thy Holy Spirit, and make him wholly thy servant, in all things acceptable unto thee, and worthily exercis- ing the great honours of the priesthood which thou hast conferred upon him by thy prescient power. f Exclamation. For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And the Proto-Deacon saiih, in a low voice : Let us pray to the Lord. T/ien the Priest, in a low voice, reciteth the Litany of Peace. In peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : 5; For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : 5^ For our Bishop, N. of N., his priesthood, succour, main- tenance, peace, health and sal- vation ; and for the works of his hands : ]J For the servant of God, N., who now hath received the Laying-on of Hands to the Priesthood, and for his salva- tion : ]J That the God who loveth mankind will vouchsafe unto him a pure and blameless min- istry : ]J For our most God-fearing Sovereign Lord, N. : IJ For this city ; and for every city and land ; and for faith dwell therein : ^ t-' o rr < 3 Furthermore we pray for our most God-fearing Sovereign Lord, N., the Emperor of All the Russias ; and for all the Reigning House. 5^ Furthermore we pray for the Most Holy Governing Synod. 5= Furthermore we pray for the all-honourable Archimandrite (^or Hiero-Monk), N., the newly-elected Bishop of the God-saved cities, NN. ^ Furthermore we pray for all the brotherhood, and for all Orthodox Christians. 5^ Exclamation. For thou art a merciful God, who 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 ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Deacon. Wisdom ! Choir. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice^ Bless, Master. s ^ ^*». ^ -^ o — ' n 326 ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP And the Benediction. May he who, in the form of tongues of fire, sent down from heaven the Holy Spirit upon his Disciples and Apostles, Christ our true God; throuo-h the prayers of his all-pure Mother, of the honourable, glorious Prophet, the Forerunner and Baptist, John, and of Saint N. (zvhose day it is), and of all Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and loveth man. Then the Choir chanteth Many Years to his most God-fearing Iinperial Majesty the Emperor, to the Most Holy Governing Synod, and to the Bishop-elect. And when this is finished, the Chief Bishop riseth and blesseth the Bishop-elect with the cross, and sprinkleth him with holy water, and each one of the/n then departeth to his own abode. CONSECRATION On the day when the Consecration is to take place, the bells are pealed for the Vigil Service, according to the Ritual : and at the Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon the great bell peals. And the Bishops and others assemble in the Cathedral Church, and having vested themselves according to the Ritual, they ascend the tribune, preceded by the Archimandrite, the Abbot, and the Archpriest, and all the Clergy. And in the middle of the Church, near the tribune, on the ecclesiastical carpet, there is placed the figure of a one-headed eagle, having its wings outspread, standing upright on its feet ; and under its feet is a city with walls and towers, and the eagle, as it were, treading upon the towers thereof. And this is guarded so that no one may step upon the eagle. (12) Then the Bishops command the Archpriest and the Proto-Deacon to summon him who is to receive consecration : and they, doing reverence and kissing the hands of the Bishops, take the Candidate for consecration, who is in the Sanctuary, clad in all the vestments of a Priest, and lead hi>7i upon the tail of the eagle ; and he inaketh three reverences. The Proto-Deacon first leadeth the Bishop- elect, proclaiming and saying, in an audible voice, these things following : The God-beloved, elect and confirmed Archimandrite {or Hiero- Monk), N., is led forth for consecration to the Bishopric of the God- saved city, N. (cities NN.). And to the Bishop-elect, holding in his hands the holy writing of the Orthodox faith, the Chief Bishop saith : Wherefore art thou come, and what dost thou ask of our meekness.' The Bishop-elect maketh answer, saying : The laying-on of hands, unto the grace of the Bishop's office, Most Reverend Sirs. And the Bishop questioneth him, saying : And how believest thou .' And the Bishop-elect reciteth, aloud, The Symbol of the Faith : I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible : ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP 327 And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, begot- ten of his Father before all worlds ; Light of Light, Very God of very God ; Begotten, not made ; Being of one Essence with the Father; By whom all things were made; Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead ; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is wor- shipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead. And the Life of the world to come. Amen. And when he hath said this, the Bishop blesseth him with the sign of the cross, and saith : The grace of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, be with thee. The Bishop-elect is then led to the middle of the eagle, the Proto-Deacon proclaim- ing his being led, as was explained above : The God-beloved ... is led . . . and so forth, as before. And when the Bishop-elect hath been placed upon the centre of the eagle, the Chief Bishop directeth his words to him, and saith : Reveal unto us more particularly how thou believest concerning the properties of the three Persons of the ineffable Godhead, and concern- ing the Incarnation of the Person of the Son and Word of God And the Bishop-elect immediately readeth, aloud, the Second Confession of Faith, as followeth : I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible ; For he is without begin- ning, unbegotten, and without cause, but is himself the natural begin- ning and cause of the Son, and of the Spirit. And I believe in his Only-begotten Son, without mutation and without time begotten of him, being of one Essence with Him by whom all things were made. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceedeth from the same Father, and with him is glorified as coeternal, being of one Essence with him, and equal in glory, and enthroned together with him, the Author of crea- ■ tion. I believe that one of the same supersubstantial and life-giving Trinity, the Only-begotten Word, came down from heaven, for us men, and for our salvation, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin 328 ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP Mary, and was made man ; that is to say, was made perfect man, yet remaining God, and in nowise changing his divine essence by his participation in the flesh, neither being transmuted into anything else : but without mutation assuming man's nature, he therein endured suffering and death, being free in his divine nature from every suffer- ing. And on the third day he rose again from the dead ; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of his God and Father. And I believe those traditions and narrations concerning the one Catholic and Apostolic Church which we have received from God and the men of God. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Furthermore I confess the one Person, the Word made flesh ; and I believe and proclaim that Christ is one and the same in two natures after his incarnation, preserving those things which were in them and from them. Therefore, also, I adore two wills, in that each nature retaineth its own special will and its own action. I reverence, relatively, but not in the way of worship, the images divine and reverence-worthy of Christ himself, and of the all-undefiled Mother of God, and of all the Saints, addressing to their originals the honour shown to them. I reject as ill-advised those who think otherwise. And I literally and truly con- fess our Sovereign Lady, Mary the Birth-giver of God, as having borne in the flesh one of the Trinity, even Christ our God. And may the same be my helper, protector, and defender all the days of my life. Amen. And immediately the Bishop saith, blessing in the form of a cross him who is receiving Consecration . The grace of the Holy Spirit be with thee, enlightening, strength- ening and endowing thee with wisdom all the days of thy life. Then the Bishop-elect is led upon the head of the eagle, and after the Proto-Deacon hath proclaimed his preferment, as above described, and hath placed him on the head of the eagle, the Bishop saith to him : Declare unto us, also, what thou thinkest concerning the Canons of the holy Apostles and the holy Fathers, and the traditions and regula- tions of the Church. And the Bishop-elect im.m.ediately readeth, in a loud voice, the Third Confession OF Faith : In this my confession of the holy faith, I promise to observe the Canons of the holy Apostles, and of the Seven CEcumenical Councils, and of the pious Provincial Councils, the traditions of the Church, and the decrees, orders and regulations of the Holy Fathers. And all things whatsoever they have accepted I also accept ; and whatsoever things they have rejected those will I also reject. I promise also to preserve the peace of the Church, and firmly to hold and zealously to teach the people entrusted to me, and not to devise any- thing whatsoever which is contrary to the Orthodox Catholic Christian ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP 329 faith of the East all the days of my life ; and that I will, in all things, follow and always obey the Most Holy Governing Synod of All the Russias, recognized and confirmed by the Four Patriarchs of the Catholic Church of the East as equal in dignity and power with them- selves ; and to be, in all things, of one mind with the Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, my brethren, and conjointly with them submissive to the divine law, and the sacred rules of the Holy Apostles and Holy Fathers ; and with all sincerity to cherish towards them spiritual affection ; and to regard them as brethren. And I promise to rule the flock committed unto me in the fear of God and in devoutness of life; and with all diligent heed to guard it against all heresies of doctrine. And I also confess, in this my written profession of faith, that neither by the promise nor by the gift of gold or of silver am I come to this ministry ; but, on the contrary, I have received it by the election of the Most Holy Governing Synod of All the Russias, and by the election of our most God-fearing Emperor, N., the Sovereign of All the Russias. And herewith I promise also to do nothing through constraint,' whether coerced by powerful persons,* or by a multitude of the people, even though they should command me, under pain of death, to do some- thing contrary to divine and holy laws : nor to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in another diocese than my own, nor to exercise any other priestly function without the permission of the Bishop of that diocese ; and that I will not ordain either a Priest, or a Deacon, or any other ecclesiastic in another's diocese, nor receive such into my diocese with- out letters of dismissal from their own Bishops. I will deal with the opponents of the Holy Church with reasonable- ness, uprightness and gentleness, according to the Apostle Paul ; And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves ; if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. I promise to visit and watch over the flock now confided to me, after the manner of the Apostles, whether they remain true to the faith, and in the exercise of good works, more especially the Priests ; and to inspect with diligence, and to exhort and inhibit, that there may be no schisms, superstitions and impious veneration, and that no customs con- trary to Christian piety and good morals may injure Christian conduct. And all those things, my bounden duty, which I have this day pro- mised in word, I also promise to perform in deed unto my uttermost breath, for the sake of the covenanted good things to come. And may God, who seeth the heart, be the witness to my vow. And may our Saviour himself be my helper, in my sincere and zealous government and my performance thereof; and unto Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, honour and worship, now, and eveK, and unto ages of ages. Amen. 330 ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP And when this is completed, the Presiding Bishop, blessing hi?n, saith : The grace of the Holy Spirit, through my humility, exalteth thee, most God-beloved Archimandrite (or Hiero-Monk), N., to be the Bishop-elect of the God-saved cities, NN. And the Bishop-elect maketh three reverences to the Presiding Bishop ; and the Proto-Deacon leadeth him to the Bishops. And he, delivering to the satne the written statement of his faith ajtd his promise, kisseth their right hands. And thus he descendeth from the tribune (amvdn), and maketh a reverence. And the Presiding Bishop, signing him with his hand, in the form of a cross, saith : The grace of the Most Holy Spirit be with thee. And they lead him upon the eagle, and the Choir chanteth Many Years to His Imperial Majesty, to the Synod, and to the newly-elected Bishop. {The Divine LitJirgy is then begun, the Bishop-elect standing until his Consecra- tion (or Ordination) in the JJeacon's chapel (Diakdnnik), or the chapel on the south of the Altar, fully vested as a Priest). And after the Thrice-Holy hath been sung,(i2,) he who is to receive Ordination is led forth by the Archpriest and the Proto-Deacon, in front of the Holy Door (see page 87) ; and is received by tf^e Bishops in the holy Sanctuary, before the Holy Altar. And he straightway kneeleth down on both knees, in the midst of the Bishops. A nd they take the book of the Holy Gospels, afid opening it, they lay it, with the writing downward, upon his head, holding it here and there. (14) Then the Presiding Bishop saith, so that all may hear : By the election and approbation of the most God-loving Bishops, and of all the consecrated Council, " The grace divine, which always healeth that which is infirm, and completeth that which is wantit^g, through the laying-on of hands elevateth thee, the most God-loving Archimandrite (cr Hiero-Monk) N., duly elected, to be the Bishop of the God-saved cities, NN. Wherefore let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him. A7id a Priest saith : Let us pray to the Lord. {Thrice.) And while the Bishops hold the book of the Holy Gospels, the Presiding Bishop maketh three crosses above the head of hiin who is being consecrated, blessing him : In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. And while the Bishops lay their right hands upon his head, the Presiding Bishop saith this Prayer : O Master, Lord our God, who through thine all-laudable Apostle Paul hast established for us an ordinance of degrees and ranks, unto the service and divine celebration of thine august and all-spotless Mys- teries upon thy holy Altar ; first, Apostles, secondly. Prophets, thirdly, teachers : Do thou, the same Lord of all, who also hast graciously ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP 331 enabled this chosen person to come under the yoke of the Gospel and the dignity of a Bishop through the laying-on of hands of us, his fellow Bishops here present, strengthen him by the inspiration and power and grace of thy Holy Spirit, as thou didst strengthen thy holy Apostles and Prophets ; as thou didst anoint Kings ; as thou hast con- secrated Bishops : And make his Bishopric to be blameless ; and adorn- ing him with all dignity, present thou him holy, that he may be worthy to ask those things which are for the salvation of the people, and that thou mayest give ear unto him. For blessed is thy Name, and glori- fied thy Kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ro\y Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And after the Amen, one of the other consecrating Bishops reciteth the following petitions in a low voice, so that only the Prelates there present can hear and respond : In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : IJ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : IJ For the Most Holy Governing Synod, their holiness, suc- cour, maintenance, peace, health and salvation, and for the work of their hands : IJ For the servant of God, N., now ordained to be a Bishop, and for his salvation : IJ That our God who loveth mankind will grant him to exercise his episcopal oiifice without stain or blame : IJ; For our most God-fearmg Sovereign Lord, N., the Em- peror of All the Russias ; and for all the Reigning House ; and for all their Council and their Army and Navy : IJ For this city, and for every city, and for all those who entreat of God aid and protection : ]J That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity ; IJ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our mo.st holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. To thee, O Lord. And when these things have been said, the Presiding Bishop, who also hath his hand upon the head of hiin who is receiving Ordination, prayeth thus : O Lord our God, who, forasmuch as it is impossible for the nature of ^ f\» ^ ^^ Ul "d r c^ 1 :^ P' r-^ s-ty 1 p n < r g n> P- -1 •-^ •^ 332 ORDER OF ELECTING AND CONSECRATING A BISHOP man'to endure the Essence of the Godhead, in thy providence hast instituted for us teachers of like nature with ourselves, who maintain thine Altar, that they may offer unto thee sacrifice and oblation for all thy people ; Do thou, the same Lord, make this man also, who hath been proclaimed a steward of the episcopal grace, to be an imitator of thee, the true Shepherd, who didst lay down thy life for thy sheep ; to be a leader of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a reprover of the unwise, a teacher of the young, a lamp to the world : that, having perfected the souls entrusted unto him in this present life, he may stand unashamed before thy throne, and receive the great reward which thou hast prepared for those who have contended valiantly for the preaching of thy Gospel. For thine it is to show mercy, and to save us, O our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. And after the Amen they lay the book of the Holy Gospels upon the Altar. And the Presiding Bishop then putteth the dalmatic {sdkkos) and the other epis- copal vestments upon him who hath received Consecration., saying : Axios ! (is) And the Choir singeth the same. Then the Bishops kiss hi7n who hath received consecration ; and when the customary thanksgivings have been said, the Presiding Bishop proclaimeth the Peace before the Epistle. Afid the Bishops go to the episcopal seats in the apse, and sit there. And the celebration of the Divine Liturgy is continued. And when it is finished, they tinvest in the holy Sanctuary, and lead the newly- consecrated Bishop to the Presiding Bishop, who putteth upon him the cassock of a Bishop; also the pectoral holy image, the mantle and cowl, blessing him with his hand as he doeth it ; and he giveth him the rosary. Then the Bishops come forth from the Sanctuary, and ascend the dais (kdthedra) which hath been prepared; and the Archpriest and the Proto-Deacon lead him who hath received Consecration upon the dais ; and the Presiding Bishop delivereth to hijn the pastoral staff {pdsokh), with an Exhortation. Right Reverend Bishop N. : . . . Or, when the Bishop delivereth the staff', he useth this brief Exhortation : Receive thou the pastoral staff, that thou mayest feed the flock of Christ entrusted unto thee: and be thou a staff and support unto those who are obedient. But lead thou the disobedient and the wayward unto correction, unto gentleness, and unto obedience ; and they shall con- tinue in due submission. Then they depart to their abodes, the Archpriest and the Proto-Deacon escorting the newly-ordained Bishop to his home. THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION, SUNG BY SEVEN PRIESTS ASSEMBLED IN A CHURCH, OR IN A HOUSE* (THE ORDER FOR THE VISITATION OF THE SICK) A small table is prepared, upon which is set a "vessel coniainitig wheat : and on the wheat an empty shrine-lamp. And round about are set seven wands, wrapped with cotton for the Anointing, and thrust into the wheat : and the book of the Holy Gospels lieth there also :■ and tapers (2) are given to all the Priests. These stand round about the table vested in their chasubles. Then the first Priest taketh a censer with incense therein, and censeth round about the table of the Holy Oil and the whole church or house : and taking his stand before the table, with his face to the east, he beginneth : Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And we begin : O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy king- dom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from the Evil One : Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.) O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us wor- ship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. {Three reverences.) * See Appendix B, IX (i). 334 THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION Psalm cxliii. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire ; hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake. And enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul ; he hath smitten my life down to the ground ; he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit vexed within me ; and my heart within me is desolate. Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works ; yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee; my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon ; for my spirit waxeth faint : hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust ; show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; for I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God ; let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name's sake ; and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy good- ness slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that vex my soul ; for I am thy servant. Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia; glory to thee, O Lord. (Thrice.) And the Deacon reciteth the Little Litany : Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And immediately Alleluia, in Tone VI., is sung. Verse {Stikh) i : O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure. Verse 2 : Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak. Then the Hymns ( Tropari) : Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us. For we sinners, THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION 335 void of all defence, do offer unto thee this petition, as unto our Master: Have mercy upon us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for in thee have we trusted, and be not very wroth with us, neither call thou to remembrance our iniquities ; but look down even now upon us, inasmuch as thou art of tender compas- sion, and deliver us from our enemies ; for thou art our God, and we are thy people, we are all the work of thy hand, and we call upon thy Name. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Open unto us the door of thy loving-kindness, O blessed Birth-giver of God. In that we set our hope on thee, may we not fail, but through thee may we be delivered from all adversities ; for thou art the salva- tion of all Christian people. Psalm li. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to under- stand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make 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. O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guilti- ness, O God, thou that art the God of my health ; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall show thy praise. For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee ; but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice ' of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion ; build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations ; then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. And the Canon, of which the cross-acrostic is ; The Prayer of the Oil, a Song of Arsenius. Canticle /., Tone IV. Theme-Song {Irmos). When Israel of old had passed through the 336 THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION Red Sea's abyss with foot unwet, through the cross-wise stretching forth of Moses' hands, they overthrew the host of Amalek in the wilderness. Hymns {Tropari). O Master, who ever makest glad the souls, and likewise also the bodies of mortal men, with the oil of loving-kindness, and preservest also thy faithful by oil : Show compassion also unto those who now draw near unto thee through the Oil. The whole earth is full of thy mercy, O Master : Wherefore we, in faith, do beseech thee, that thou wilt bestow upon us, who to-day shall be anointed with thy divine and precious Oil, thy mercy which passeth understanding. Glory . . . O thou who lovest mankind, who through thine Apostles didst mer- cifully give us a command to perform Holy Unction upon thy sick servants : Do thou, through the prayers of the same, have mercy upon us all, by thy seal. Now, and ever, . . . Hymn to the Birtk-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). O only Pure One, who didst give birth to the fathomless Abyss of Peace : By thine unceasing prayers unto God deliver thou thy servant from infirmities and afflictions ; that he {she) may unceasingly magnify thee. Canticle III. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Church rejoiceth in thee, O Christ, cry- ing : Thou art my fortress, O Lord, my refuge and my strength. Hym.ns {Tropari). Thou who alone art wonderful and merciful unto faithful men : Grant thy grace from on high unto thy servant who lieth in sore sickness, O Christ. O Lord, who once didst show forth an olive-branch unto the abating of the Flood, through thy divine command : Save the sufferer, through thy mercy. Glory . . . With the lamp of light divine, in thy mercy make bright, through this Unction, O Christ, him {her) who now, in faith, maketh haste to thy mercy. Now, and ever, . . . Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). Graciously look down from heaven, O Mother of the Creator of all men, and through thy prayers dispel the sufferer's bitter pangs. Sitting-Hymn {Syeddlen), in Tone VHI. Thou art like a river divine of mercy, like a bottomless gulf of great loving-kindness, O Bountiful One. Show forth the god-like streams of thy mercy, and heal all men. Pour forth abundantly floods of wonders, and wash clean all men : For resorting ever unto thee, we fervently implore thy grace. Another, in Tone TV. O Physician and Helper of the suffering, O Redeemer and Saviour of the sick: Do thou, the same Master and Lord of all, grant heahng unto thy sick servant. Show compassion, have THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION 337 mercy upon him {her) who hath grievously sinned. And deliver him {her), O Christ, from his {her) iniquities, that he {she) may glorify thy might divine. Canticle IV. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Church, beholding thee uplifted upon the Cross, O Sun of Righteousness, standeth in its stateliness, worthily crying : Glory to thy might, O Lord. Hymns {Tropari). O Saviour, who like unto chrism incorruptible dost empty thyself utterly in grace and purify the world : Show mercy and bounty, in god-like wise, upon the bodily wounds of him {her) who, wiih faith, is now about to receive Unction. Forasmuch as, with the tranquillity of thy mercy's seal, thou hast now signed the senses of thy servant, O Master, make inaccessible, impenetrable the entrance of all adverse powers. Glory . . . Thou who hast commanded the ailing to summon thine inspired ministers, and to procure salvation through prayers, and the anointing with thy holy Oil by the same : Save the sufferer by thy mercy, O thou who lovest mankind. Now, and ever, . Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). O .Birth-giver of God, ever-virgin, all-pure, steadfast Refuge and Fortress, Haven and Wall, Ladder and battlemented Bulwark : Have mercy and show com- passion upon this sick person ; for unto thee alone hath he {she) fled for refuge. Canticle V. Theme-Song {Irmos). Thou art come, O my Lord, for a light to the world, a holy light, which turneth from the darkness of ignorance those who with faith sing praises unto thee. Hymns {Tropari). O Good One, who art a great deep of mercy; through thy mercy divine, O Merciful One, show thou mercy upon this sufferer : For thou art tender of heart. O Christ who, in wise ineffable, hast sanctified both our souls and bodies from on high, by the divine impress of thy seal : Heal us all by thy hand. Glory ... O Lord, exceeding good, who, through thine unspeakable love, didst accept anointing with precious ointment at the hands of the woman who was a sinner : Have compassion upon thy servant. Now, and ever, Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). O all-lauded, pure, exceeding gracious Birth-giver of God, have mercy upon those who are now to be anointed with the Oil divine : and save thy servant. Canticle VI. Theme-Song{Irm6s). I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanks- 338 THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION giving, O Lord, the Church crieth aloud unto thee, in that she hath purified herself from the blood of demons by the blood which for the sake of mercy flowed from thy side. Hymns ( Tropari). O thou who lovest mankind, who didst institute anointment for kings by thy words, and by the hands of High Priests didst accomplish the same : Save also this sufferer by thy seal ; foras- much as thou art of great loving-kindness. Let no interposition of malignant demons, O Saviour, touch the senses of him {her) who is marked with thine anointing divine ; but hedge him {her) about with the bulwark of thy glory. Glory . . .■ Stretch forth thy hand from on high, O thou who lovest mankind, and having sanctified thine Oil, bestow it, O Saviour, on thy servant, unto healing, and unto release from all his {her) ills. Now, and ever, . . . Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). Thou hast mani- fested thyself a fruitful olive-tree, in the abode of thy God, O Mother of the Creator, and thereby the world is seen to be filled with mercy. And thereby, also, thou dost save the sensibility of thy sufferer by thy prayers. Collect-Hymn {Konddk), in Tone 11. O Fountain of mercy, who art exceeding good : Deliver thou from every adversity these persons who, with fervent faith, adore thy mercy unspeakable, O Tenderly-compas- sionate One ; and taking away their maladies, vouchsafe thou unto them grace divine from on high. Canticle VIl. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Abrahamic Children in the Persian fur- nace, fired rather by love of godliness than by the flame, cried aloud : Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the tabernacle of thy glory. Hymns {Tropari). Thou who in thy mercies and. compassions, O Saviour and only God, dost heal both the passions of the soul and the bodily afflictions of all men : Do thou, the same God, restore this per- son who suffereth from bodily infirmities, and heal thou him {Iter). When the heads of all men are anointed with the oil of Unction, vouch- safe thou the joy of gladness unto this person, who seeketh the mercy of thy redemption, O Christ, bestowing the riches of thy grace, O Lord. Glory . . . Thy seal is a sword against demons, O Saviour, a fire that consumeth the passions of the soul, through the prayers of priests. Wherefore, we who have received healing, in faith, do sing praises unto thee. Now, and ever, . . . Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). O Mother of God, who within thy womb, in god-like wise didst hold, and ineffably didst incarnate him who holdeth all things in the hollow of his hand, merci- fully assuage the pangs of this sufferer, we beseech thee. THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION 339 Canticle VIII. Theme-Song {Innos). Daniel stretched forth his hand, and stopped the gaping mouths of the lions in the pit. And the Holy Children, zealous in piety, girding themselves with virtue, quenched the raging fire, as they cried : O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord. Hymns ( Tropari). Thou showest mercy on all men, O Saviour, be- cause of thy mercy infinite and divine : For which cause all we have assembled ourselves together, mystically representing the worship of thy bounties, and have brought in faith the anointing with the holy Oil unto thy servant : whom also do thou visit. By the streams of thy mercy, O Christ, and through anointing by thy priests, wash away, in that thou art full of loving-kindness, O Lord, the pains and hurts, and the sudden assaults of suffering of him {her) who is tormented by the violence of passions ; that he {she) may glorify thee with thanksgiving, in that he {she) hath been saved. Glory . . . Forasmuch as thy mercy divine hath been decreed to us from on high, O Master, as a token of condescension and of tranquillity : Take not away thy mercy, neither despise thou him {her) who, with faith, contin- ually doth cry unto thee: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord. Now, and ever, . . . Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). Nature accepted thy divine birth-giving, O Pure One, as a crown exceeding glorious, which crushed the hosts of the adversary, and conquered their dominion. Wherefore, crowned with the joyful radiance of thy grace, we sing praises unto thee, O all-hymned Lady. Canticle IX. Theme-Song {Irmos). The Corner-stone unhewn by hands from thee was hewn, O Virgin Mount unquarried, even Christ, who hath bound together Nature that had been divided. Therefore, rejoicing, we mag- nify thee, O Birth-giver of God. Hymns {Tropari). Look down from heaven, O Bountiful One, and show forth thy mercy upon all men. Give now thy succour and thy strength unto him {her) who draweth near unto thee through divine Unction at the hands of thy priests, O thou who lovest mankind. O Saviour most good, rejoicing have we beheld the Oil divine, which by thy condescension inspired thou hast received, and above the merits of the participants hast symbolically imparted unto those who have shared in the laver divine. Glory . . . Show thy bounty, have mercy, O Saviour ; deliver from terrors and pains, rescue from the darts of the Evil One the souls and bodies of thy servants : Forasmuch as thou art a merciful Lord, who healest by thy grace divine. Now, and ever. 340 THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION Hynm lo the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditcheti). As thou receivest the songs and supplications of thy servants, O Virgin, so also deliver thou from irksome ills and maladies, him {her) who, through us, fleeth unto thy divine protection, O All-pure One. For meet is it, in truth, to bless thee, the Birth-giver of God, ever- blessed, and all-undefiled, and the Mother of our God. More honour- able than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee. Exapostildrion. In mercy, O Good One, cast thine eyes upon the petitions of us who to-day are come together in thy holy temple, to anoint thy sick ser- vant (j) with thine Oil divine. Then the Stanzas {Stikhiri), in Tone IV. Thou hast given thy grace, O thou who art easy to be entreated and lovest mankind, through thine apostles, by thy holy Oil, for the healing of the wounds, as also the in- firmities of all men. Have mercy, therefore, upon him {her') who now, with faith, hath recourse unto thine Oil, and sanctify, and show mercy, in that thou art of tender compassion. Purge him {her) from every ail- ment, and vouchsafe unto him {licr) thy food incorruptible, O Lord. Look down from heaven, O Ineffable One, in that thou art of tender loving-kindness, who with thy hand invisible hast sealed our senses, O thou who lovest mankind, upon him {lier) that, through thine Oil divine, in faith appealeth unto thee, and asketh remission of his {her) transgressions. And grant healing for both soul and body, that with love he {she) may glorify thee, magnifying thy sovereign power. Through anointing with thine Oil, and the touch of thy priests, O thou who lovest mankind, sanctify thou from on high thy servant. Free him {her) from his {Jier) infirmities. Purge away his {her) spiritual vileness. Wash him {her), O Saviour, and deliver him {her) from greatly entan- gling temptations. Assuage his {her) maladies. Banish all obstacles. Utterly destroy thou all his {her) afflictions; forasmuch as thou art bountiful and full of loving-kindness. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogoroditchen). O most pure Pal- ace of the King, O greatly extolled One, purify, I implore thee, my mindj which is stained with all manner of sin, and make it the fair abode of the Trinity exceedingly divine ; that, being saved, I, thine unpro- fitable servant, may magnify thy power, and thy boundless mercy. O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . {See page 333.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . O all-holy Trinity . . . Lord, have mercy." {Thrice.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . Our Father, . . . For thine is the kingdom, . . . Then the Hymn, in Tone lY. Thou who alone art a speedy succour, O Christ, manifest thy speedy visitation from on high upon thy sick THE OFFICE OF HOLY UNCTION 341 servant ; deliver him {her) from his (Jier) infirmities, and cruel pain ; and raise him {her) up again to sing praises unto thee, and without ceasing to glorify thee : through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O thou who alone lovest mankind. Then the Deacon, or the principal Priest, saith the following Litany : In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls : ^ For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all : ]J For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devout- ness, and the fear of God have entered therein : IJ That he will bless this Oil by the power, and operation, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit : % For the servant of God, N., and for his {her) visitation in God ; and that the grace of the Holy Spirit may come upon him {her) : IJ That he will deliver him {her) and us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity : IJ Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Choir. Lord, have mercy. Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God, and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Then the principal Priest reciteth the Prayer of the Oil o-uer the shrine- lamp. And in some churches, wine is poured into the shrine-latnp, with the oil, instead of water. (3) c^ , ■ 5^i