Chapter 89

A General Service of Prayer

(molieben)

Deacon. Bless, Master.

Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. 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.

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, alid 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 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.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Blessed be he who cometh in the Name of the Lord.

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.

Choir. God is the Lord, . . . {as above).

And if it be a Prayer Service to the Saviour \ this Hymn ;

We do homage to thy pure image, O Good One, entreating forgiveness 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.

If it be a Prayer Service to the Birth-giver of God, this Hymn (Bogordditchen):

Unto the Birth-giver of God let us sinners and humble ones now diligently have recourse ; and let us fall down in penitence exclaiming, from the bottom of our souls : O Sovereign Lady, help us, having compassion on us! Show zeal, for we perish with the multitude of our sins; turn not thy servants empty away ; for we have thee as our only hope.

If it be a Prayer Service to a Saint, the Hymn ( Tropdr) of the Saint to whom appeal is being made.

Refrains.

Priest and Deacon. {To the Saviour.) Glory to thee, our God; glory to thee.

Priest and Deacon. { To the Birth-giver of God.) O most holy Birthgiver of God, save us.

Priest and Deacon. {To a Saint.) O holy Saint N., pray unto God for us.

Priest and Deacon. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Choir. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Then they sing:

{To the Saviour.) Deliver from distress thy servants, O greatlymerciful One ; for we have diligent recourse unto thee, the merciful Deliverer of all men, O Lord Jesus Christ

{To the Birth-giver of God.) Deliver from distress thy servants, Birth-giver of God ; for unto thee in God we have recourse, as to a Wall Impregnable, and to thy intercession. Look with benignity, O allhymned Birth-giver of God, upon my dire Tjodfly suffering, and heal thou the sickness of my soul.

{To a Saint.) Pray thou unto God for us, O holy N. ; for we diligently have recourse unto thee, who art a speedy help and intercessor for our souls.

Deacon. 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 our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias ; for his might, victory, maintenance, peace, health, salvation ; and that the Lord our God will abundantly aid and succour him in all things, and subdue under his feet every foe and adversary ; and for all the Reigning House (and for the Ruler of the Land, if it be in a foreign country). ft

Furthermore we pray- for the Most Holy Synod (or Patriarch) and for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N. ; and for all our brethren in Christ, ft

Furthermore we pray for the mercy, life, peace, health and salvation of the servants of God, NN., and for the persons here present, and who pray, ft

Furthermore we pray for all the brethren and for all Christians, ft

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.

The Refrains {see page 560) are then repeated. 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 pur God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord.

Exclamation.

Priest. For blessed be thy Name, and glorified be thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let us attend.

Priest Peace be with you all.

Deacon. Wisdom ! The Gradual (Prokimen).

To the Saviour: Lord, we will walk in the light of thy countenance and rejoice in thy Name forevermore.

To the Birth-giver of God : I will call upon thy name from generation to generation.

To a Saint: Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.

The Choir then singeth the Gradual, in the usual manner.

Deacon, Let us pray to the Lord. Choir, Lord, have mercy.

Exclamation.

Priest. For holy art thou, O our God, and restest in the Saints, 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 everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Verse: Praise the Lord from heaven, praise him in the heights.

The Choir repeattth the same. ( Thrice.)

Deacon. And that he will vouchsafe us grace to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Choir. Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.)

Priest. Peace be with you all.

Choir. And with thy spirit

Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel according to N.

Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee.

Deacon. Let us attend.

Here the Gospel is read, appropriate to the Saint, or to the petition. Matt. vii. 8-1 1. If the Service is to the Saviour, Matt xii. 27-30. If to the Birth-giver of God, Luke i. 39-49, s6.

Then the Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord ; glory to thee.

Then again the Refrains, as above.

Then the Choir singeth : Meet is it of a truth to bless thee, O Birthgiver of God, ever-blessed, and all-undefiled, and Mother of our God. 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.

Deacon. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, . . . {See pages 560-561.)

Exclamation.

Priest. 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 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. Wisdom !

Priest 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 defilement 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. ^

Priest. May Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother ; of Saint N. {the Patron Saint of the Temple) ; (of Saint N., to whom the Service is said) ; and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and loveth mankind.

Choir. Lord, have mercy. ( Thrice.)

And the Priest holdeth the cross to be kissed.