Chapter 83

The Office of Thanksgiving At

NEW YEAR

After the Liturgy is ended, the Deacon saith ;

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.

Choir, Amen.

Reader. 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. {Three reverences!)

And Psalm lxv.

Thou, O God, art praised in Sion ; and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem. Thou that hearest the prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. My misdeeds prevail against me : O be thou merciful unto our sins. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee : he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Thou shalt show us wonderful things in thy righteousness, O God of our salvation ; thou that art the hope of the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea. Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains, and is girded about with power. Who stilleth the raging of the sea, and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens, thou that makest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee. Thou visitest the earth and blessest it ; thou makest it very plenteous. The river of God is full of water : thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth. Thou waterest her furrows ; thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof ; thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness ; and thy clouds drop fatness. They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness, and the little hills shall rejoice on every side. The folds shall be full of sheep ; the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.

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.)

Then the Deacon 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 : ft

For the peace of the whole world ; for the welfare of God’s holy Churches, and for the union of them all : ft

For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein : ft

For our Holy Synod (or Patriarch); for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ ; for all the clergy and the laity : ft

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 in all things, and subdue under their feet all heathen who are hateful unto Christ, and every foe and adversary : ft

For this city, and for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein : ft

That he will graciously accept this present thanksgiving and supplication of us unworthy sinners on his most heavenly Altar, and in his compassion have mercy upon us : ft

That our prayers may be well-pleasing in his sight, and that he will forgive us and all his people their transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, which we have wickedly committed in the year that is past : ft

That he will bless the beginning and continuance of this year with the grace of his love for mankind : and will grant unto us peaceful times and favourable temperatures, and that we may live without sin, in health and plenty : ft

That he will turn aside from us his wrath, which hath been justly kindled against us because of our sins : ft

That he will banish from us all soul-destroying passions and corrupting usages : and that he will implant in our hearts his divine fear, unto the fulfilment of his commandments: ft

That he will renew a right spirit within us, and confirm us in the Orthodox faith ; and make us to be zealous in the performance of good deeds, and the fulfilment of all his commandments : ft

That he will overthrow all heresies and schisms, and everywhere plant right belief and piety, and convert all who have departed from the true faith unto a knowledge of his truth, and unite them all unto his holy Orthodox Church : ft

That he will deliver his holy Church, and us all, from every tribulation, calamity, wrath and distress, and from all enemies, both visible and invisible ; and that he will always hedge about his faithful people with health, long life and peace, and the host of his holy Angels : ft

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