A Grant rest to the departed; be mindful of those who offered gifts, and of those for whom they offered them. Save those who are in any tribulation or distress. Send forth thy grace upon us, and perfect us in the faith of the Trinity until our last breath; for every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from thee, the Father of lights. And to thee we send up glory, and thanksgiving, and adoration, to the Father, and to thine only-begotten Son, and to thy Holy Spirit, now, etc.
Deacon: The grace of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all. Go in peace.
People: Lord, have mercy (twice). Lord, bless. Amen.
The Priest says the benediction of dismissal.
Deacon: Again, go in peace.
Deacons say: Bless again, Lord. Amen. B
The Priest says the prayer of dismissal for the deacons.
Having performed the holy liturgy as we were commanded, O Lord, and having been made worthy of the reception of the holy, immaculate, immortal, heavenly, and awesome mysteries, let us proceed from strength to strength, we sinners and thy unworthy servants, who have been made worthy to minister at thy holy altar, and who have offered to thee the bloodless sacrifice, the immaculate body and precious blood of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ: to thy glory, O Father without beginning, and of thine only-begotten Son, and of the Holy Spirit, good, life-giving, and consubstantial with thee. We pray that we may be found worthy to stand at thy right hand on thy fearful and just day, C through the intercessions and supplications of our most glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, and all thy saints, for blessed art thou, now, etc.
The divine Liturgy of our holy Father Basil the Wonderworker is ended in peace.
It is to be noted that the priest does not say "Our mouth has been filled with joy" on Great Thursday, but in place of that prayer he says:
We give thee thanks, O Lord, lover of mankind, benefactor of our souls, who hast rendered us worthy on this present day of thy heavenly and immortal mysteries, which eye hath not seen, unto the end. D
LITURGY OF ST. BASIL TRANSLATED FROM THE COPTIC
A 688 PRAYER OF PREPARATION.
Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, holy and resting in the holy, alone without sin, and powerful to grant the remission of sins. Thou, O Lord, knowest my unworthiness and that I am less prepared, nor sufficiently disposed, that I should approach this thy holy ministry. Yet my confidence is not so great that I should approach and open my mouth before thy holy glory; but according to the multitude of thy mercy, forgive me a sinner, and grant me that I may find grace and mercy in this hour; and send me power from on high, that I may begin and be prepared, and perform, as is pleasing to thee, thy holy ministry, according to the good pleasure of thy will, with the odors of incense. Thus, O Lord, be with us, be a companion of our work; bless us; for thou art the remission of our sins, the light of our souls, our life, strength, and confidence; thou art he to whom we send up praise, glory and adoration, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of all ages. Amen. B
A Jesus Christ, because he himself has protected us, assisted us and saved us, and has taken us to himself, had mercy on us, and brought us to this hour. Let us now pray that he may guard us on this holy day and all the days of our life, in all peace, almighty our Lord God.
Deacon. (90) Stand for adoration.
Priest. O Lord God almighty, Father of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we give thanks to thee for all things, and on account of all things, and in all things, because thou hast protected us, assisted us, preserved us, received us to thyself, and had mercy on us, hast given us aid, and hast brought us to this hour.
Deacon. Pray that God may have mercy on us.
Priest. Therefore we seek and beseech thy goodness, O lover of mankind, that thou grant us to pass this holy day and all the days of our life in peace with thy fear. All envy, all temptation, all the operation of Satan and the counsel of wicked men, and the onslaught of enemies as well hidden as manifest, drive away from us, from all thy people, and from this holy place; but those things which are good and pleasing, command for us. For thou art he who hast given us power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and all the power of the enemy. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, C through the grace and mercy and love toward mankind of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom to thee is due honor, glory and dominion, with him, and the life-giving Holy Spirit, and consubstantial with thee, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of the oblation or the setting forth of the bread and chalice.
Priest. Tu, Domine, docuisti nos magnum this mystery of salvation; thou hast called us abject and unworthy servants of thine, that we might be ministers of thy holy altar. Thou, O Lord, make us worthy, through the power of thy holy Spirit, that we may perform this ministry, so that we may not fall into judgment before thy great glory, and that we may offer to thee this sacrifice of benediction, and glory and magnificence through it, in thy holy place. God the giver of grace, and the ordainer of salvation, who workest all in all, grant us that our sacrifice may be acceptable before thee, for my sins, and for the ignorances of thy people, because it is pure, as the gift of thy holy Spirit, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom to thee is fitting glory and honor, with him, and the life-giving Holy Spirit, and consubstantial with thee, now and always and unto all ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of thanksgiving.
Priest. Let us give thanks to the author of good things, the merciful, to God the Father of the Lord God and our Savior D of God the Father, and consubstantial with him, and coeternal with the Holy Spirit: thou art the living bread, who didst descend from heaven, and didst go before us, and didst spend thy soul perfect and without fault, for the life of the world: we beseech and entreat thy goodness, O lover of mankind, show thy face upon this bread, and upon this chalice, which we have placed upon this thy priestly table: bless them †,
†, A and sanctify them †: transfer them, so that this bread indeed may become thy holy body, and this mixture in this chalice thy precious blood, that they may be for us all a protection, medicine, and salvation of souls, bodies, and spirits; because thou art our God, and to thee is due praise and power, with thy good Father, and the life-giving Spirit, consubstantial with thee, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Then the priest shall cover the paten and the chalice, each with its own veil, and cover everything with the larger veil; then he shall kiss the altar, and having turned toward its southern side, he shall worship God and kiss the altar. Then, having completed the circuit, he shall descend before the altar, and shall pronounce the absolution over the ministers sitting before him. But if there is a fellow priest with him, he shall pronounce the absolution. B
Prayer of Absolution to the Son.
Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten Son, and Word of God the Father, who didst break all the bonds of our sins by thy saving and life-giving passion, who didst breathe upon the face of thy disciples and holy apostles, saying to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain, they are retained"; C thou also now, O Lord, through thy holy apostles, hast chosen those who should always serve in the priesthood in thy holy Church, to relax sins upon earth, and to bind and loosen all the bonds of iniquity. We beg and beseech thy goodness, O lover of mankind, for thy servants, my fathers, my brothers, and my own infirmity, who incline their heads before thy holy glory: grant us thy mercy, and loosen all the bonds of our sins. But if we have sinned against thee, wittingly or unwittingly, or through hardness of heart, by deed or word, or through pusillanimity, do thou, O Lord, who knowest human frailty, as a good God and lover of mankind, grant us the remission of our sins; bless us and purify us, and absolve us and all thy people; fill us with thy fear, and direct us to thy holy and good will, because thou art our God, and to thee is due glory, honor, and power, with thy good Father, and thy holy Spirit, now, etc. Thy servants here present in the ministry, the priest, the deacon, and the clergy, all the people and my own infirmity, may be absolved by the mouth of the holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and by the mouth of the one, only, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church; by the mouth of the twelve apostles, and by the mouth of the contemplative evangelist, the apostle and martyr Mark; as also by the mouth of the holy patriarch Severus, and of our doctor the holy Dioscorus, the holy John Chrysostom, the holy Cyril, the holy Basil, D and the holy Gregory, and also by the mouth of the three hundred and eighteen gathered at Nicaea, and the hundred and fifty who were at Constantinople, and the hundred who were at Ephesus: that also by the mouth of our venerable Father, the archbishop Anba N., and his partner in the apostolic ministry, our venerable Father, the bishop Anba N., and by the mouth of my humility, who am a sinner, because thy holy name is blessed and full of glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and always, etc.
Prayer of Incense.
The priest shall kiss the head of the ministering priest. But if there be a fellow priest with him, he shall kiss the steps of the altar, and ascending, shall kiss the altar, and shall take the incense boat and burn incense. They shall observe the order which is written concerning the evening incense, by offering incense five times, and these things being finished, the priest shall say the following prayer.
Eternal God, without beginning and end, great in thy precepts and powerful in thy works: who art everywhere and in all things: be with us sinners, O Lord, in this hour: stand in the midst of us all, purify our hearts, and sanctify our souls: cleanse us from all sins which we have committed, voluntarily or involuntarily. Grant us that we may offer before thee reasonable sacrifices, sacrifices of blessing, and spiritual incense.
Enter within the veil, into the Holy of Holies.
We beseech thee, O our God. Remember, O Lord, the peace of thy one and only holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Remember, O Lord, our blessed Father and venerable archbishop, Pope Anba N., and our Father, the bishop Anba N. Remember, O Lord, our congregations, and bless them; allow them to be without hindrance and disturbance, that we may celebrate them according to thy holy and blessed will, as houses of prayer, houses of purification, houses of holiness, houses of blessing. Grant that we may possess them, O Lord, we and thy servants who are to succeed us unto eternity. Arise, O Lord God, and may thy enemies be scattered, and may all who hate thy holy name flee from thy face. And thy people shall enjoy blessings by thousands of thousands and ten thousands of ten thousands, and they shall perform thy will, through the grace, mercy, and love toward mankind of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom, etc.
He shall circle the altar with incense once, shall kiss it, and shall descend with his left foot; he shall stand toward the east, in the area of the altar, and shall burn incense three times, saying the same things as before; then he shall incense the patriarch, if he be present, separately from the others; but if he be absent, he shall give incense to the priests, and to no others. Then he shall make a prostration: and when the Epistle of Paul has been read in Coptic, he shall say the following prayer in secret. If there be with him
co-priest, he shall recite it. The deacon shall read the Epistle in Coptic, and then in Arabic, as also the Catholicon, or the reading from the Catholic Epistles. Here incense is burned thrice around the altar by the celebrating priest. A
Prayer after the reading of the Apostle or the Epistle of Paul.
Priest. O Lord, bestower of knowledge and wisdom, who revealest the things that are hidden in profound darkness; who with great power hast implanted reason in men; who by thy goodness didst call Paul, when he was once a persecutor, that he might be a chosen vessel, and in him thou wert well pleased, that he might become an apostle, an announcer and preacher of the Gospel of thy kingdom, O Christ our God. Now also we beseech thee, O good one and lover of mankind, that thou wouldst give to us and to all thy people a mind free from all distraction, and a pure understanding, that we may learn and understand how great is the utility of thy holy doctrine, which has come to us through his ministry. And as he was like to thee, O author of life, so make us likewise worthy, that in work and in faith we may be like him, and may glorify thy holy name, and may glory in thy cross at all times. And thou art he to whom we render honor, glory, power, and adoration, with thy good Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, etc.
* * *
[This page begins with the final portion of the liturgy, serving as the opening of this translation.]
...amator, pure et perfecte ministremus omnibus diebus vitæ nostræ. Memento, Domine, pacis, etc.
He completes it from the prayer of the incense of Paul, with nothing taken away or added; which being finished, he alone shall go around the choir with incense. The reading of the Acts being finished in Coptic and Arabic, they shall say thrice, Holy: which being finished the priest shall say this prayer. B
Prayer of the Holy Gospel
Lord and Master Jesus Christ our God, who saidst to thy divine holy apostles and disciples: "Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see them, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear them: but blessed are your eyes that see, and your ears that hear": make us worthy to hear and to perform in deed thy holy Gospels, through the prayers of thy saints.
Deacon. Pray for the holy Gospel.
Priest. Remember also, O Lord, all those who have commanded us to remember them in our prayers and supplications unto thee. O Lord, grant rest to those whose sleep has preceded us; heal the sick, for thou art the life of us all, the salvation of us all, the hope of us all, the healing of us all, and the resurrection of us all: and thou art he to whom we render glory, honor, and adoration, with thy good Father, and the Holy Spirit the life-giver, and consubstantial with thee, now and ever, etc.
Then one of the deacons shall read the Catholicon in Coptic and Arabic, and after it has been read in Coptic, the celebrating priest shall say this prayer: but if the patriarch himself performs the sacred rites, the priest shall say it.
Prayer after the Catholicon
Priest. O Lord God, who through thy holy apostles hast manifested unto us the mystery of the Gospel of the glory of thy Christ, and C hast given to them according to the greatness of the gift of thy infinite grace, to preach to the whole world the abundance of thy unsearchable mercy; we beseech thee, O Lord, make us worthy of their share and lot. Grant unto us always to walk in their footsteps, that we may imitate their struggles, and may communicate with them in the labors and sweats which they endured for piety. Preserve thy holy Church, which thou hast founded through them, bless the lambs of thy flock, and multiply this vineyard D which thy right hand has planted, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom, etc.
The reading of the Catholicon being finished in Arabic, the priest shall ascend to the altar and burn incense once, then the following prayer shall be recited.
Prayer of the Acts of the Apostles
Priest. O God, who didst accept the sacrifice of Abraham, and didst prepare for him the ram for Isaac, so accept also from us, O Lord, this sacrifice of incense, and for it send unto us thy rich mercy. Cleanse us from all stench of sin, and make us worthy, that before thy goodness, O lover of mankind...
Then he shall say the psalm, and after the third verse the priest shall incense the Gospel. He shall ascend to the altar, and again offer incense, signing the boat once with the sign of the cross; then he shall go around the Gospel with incense, then the altar once: he shall descend from the altar, receive the Gospel from the deacon, and shall turn toward the west. All the priests shall approach, and shall kiss it: he himself shall kiss it last, and shall give it to the ministering deacon, whom he shall also incense. And when the deacon says: Stand, the priest, having turned to the east, shall say: In the name of God. Presently he shall burn incense thrice at the sanctuary. The deacon shall say: Bless, O Lord, and he shall say: The beginning of the holy Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. And when the interpreter of the Gospel says, Stand with the fear of God, the priest turns toward the west, [and incenses] the Gospel three times. Then, having turned toward the sanctuary, he incenses it also three times, then the priests once, standing in his place, reciting meanwhile something from the prayer of the Gospel. Then he incenses the deacons once: nor does he cease meanwhile to burn the censer before the Gospel, right up to the end of its reading in Coptic; and at the last verse he incenses three times, but he gives the Gospel to the deacon to be read, if he knows how to read it properly; but if not, the priest himself shall read it. But if the deacon reads the Gospel from the ambo, the incensing of the Gospel shall be done first and last at the threshold of the choir. And when the interpreter says, Of our Lord and God, he shall return to the sanctuary.
A And he shall burn incense three times, and shall recite the following prayer in secret, while the Gospel is being read in Arabic, with his face turned toward the east. But if an assisting priest, to whom the recitation pertains, be present, he shall give the censer to him, and he himself shall recite it.
Prayer after the Gospel, to be said in secret
Long-suffering, and of great mercy, and truthful, receive our prayers, supplications, and requests, and our penance and confession upon Thy holy, pure, and celestial altar, that we may be made worthy hearers of Thy holy Gospels, and that we may observe Thy precepts and commandments, and in them bring forth the hundredfold, the sixtieth, and the thirtieth fruit, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Remember, O Lord, the sick of Thy people, look upon them with mercy and clemency, and heal them. Remember, O Lord, our fathers and brethren who are absent abroad; bring them back to their homes safe and sound.*At the time of the rising of the Nile and of rain, let it be said:* Remember, O Lord, the waters of the river, and bless them, increasing them according to their measure.
*At the time of sowing, from the first of Paophi until the first of Baini, let it be said:* Remember, O Lord, the seeds and plants, that they may grow and multiply.
*From Epiphany until the first of the same month:* Remember, O Lord, the air of the heavens and the fruits of the earth, and bless them. Remember, O Lord, the safety of this Thy holy place, and of all places and monasteries, and of our holy orthodox Fathers. Remember, O Lord, the safety of men and beasts. Remember, O Lord, Thy servant the king of our land, and preserve him in peace and dignity. Remember, O Lord, our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep and rested in the orthodox faith. B Remember, O Lord, the sacrifices and offerings, and give a reward to those who have brought these offerings to Thee, and receive them unto Thyself. Remember, O Lord, the captives who have been led into slavery, and bring back their captivity. Remember, O Lord, those who are oppressed by calamities and straits. Remember, O Lord, the catechumens of Thy people; have mercy upon them, confirm them in Thy faith, and take away all remnants of idol worship from their hearts; establish Thy law, Thy fear, Thy precepts, Thy truths, and Thy commandments in their hearts; grant them firm knowledge of the Word in which they have been instructed through catechesis; and prepare them to be a dwelling-place for Thy Holy Spirit through grace, that at the appointed time they may be made worthy of the laver of regeneration for the remission of their sins.
*After the reading of the Gospel, the deacon shall bring it to the priest, who shall kiss it, as shall also the clergy and the people, and meanwhile the priest shall recite the Prayer of the Veil in secret, standing at the side of the veil, with head inclined.*
Prayer of the Veil
God, who because of Thine ineffable love for mankind didst send Thine only-begotten Son into the world, that He might bring back to Thee the wandering sheep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, do not reject us forever, as we offer unto Thee this tremendous and unbloody sacrifice; for we do not trust in our own righteousness, but in Thy mercy, by which Thou hast quickened our race. We ask and beseech Thy goodness, O lover of mankind, that this mystery, which Thou hast instituted for our salvation, may not be for judgment C to us or to Thy people, but for the cleansing of our sins and the remission of our neglects. Glory and honor to Thy holy name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and always, etc.Meanwhile, as this prayer is being completed, the priest shall kiss the steps of the altar, ascend to the sanctuary, kiss the altar, and, having turned toward the west, shall begin to recite the three greater prayers. While the priest says, "Peace be to all," he salutes his brother priests with an inclination of the head, and, turned toward the west, signs the people with the cross.
Prayer for Peace
Priest. (94) Let us again pray to Almighty God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We ask and beseech Thy goodness, O lover of mankind, remember, O Lord, Thy one only, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which is spread from the ends of the earth to the ends; bless all the people and the lands. Send down that heavenly peace into our hearts, but also graciously grant us the peace of this life: the orthodox kings (95), the army, the leaders (96), the counselors, the common multitude, and our neighbors; adorn our coming in and our going out with all peace. O King of peace, give us Thy peace, Thou who hast given us all things. Possess us, O God our Savior: for besides Thee we know no other, and we call upon Thy holy name. May our souls therefore live by Thy Holy Spirit, and may the sin of death not have dominion over us Thy servants, nor over all Thy people. Lord, have mercy.For the patriarch and bishops
Again we pray to Thee, O Lord Almighty, Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we ask and beseech Thy goodness, O lover of mankind.*If the patriarch himself is celebrating, the associate priest shall say:* Remember, O Lord, our blessed Father, and supreme archbishop Pope N., and his ministry in...
the apostolic seat of our venerable Father Bishop N. Guard and preserve them for us for many years and peaceful times, that they may fulfill and perfect the holiness of the episcopate which was entrusted to them by You, according to Your holy and blessed will; and may they rightly dispense the word of truth, guiding Your people with holiness and justice, together with the rest of the orthodox bishops, hegumens, presbyters, and deacons, and the entire fullness of Your unique, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Grant to us and to them peace and salvation in every place, and accept all the prayers which they offer for us and for all Your people, as well as those which we offer for them.
B *Here the priest shall offer incense once, saying the things declared above: but if he has an associate priest, he shall do it in his stead.*
Upon Your holy, spiritual, and heavenly altar, as also the fragrance of incense; crush and trample quickly under their feet all their enemies, visible and invisible; but keep them in peace and justice in Your holy Church. Lord, have mercy.
*For the congregation.*
Again we pray You, almighty God, Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we ask and beseech Your goodness, O lover of mankind: remember, O Lord, our congregations and bless them. Grant that they may be for us without disturbance and impediment, so that we may celebrate them according to Your holy and blessed will, as houses of prayer, houses of blessing, houses of holiness; grant us, O Lord, to be in them, and to Your servants who shall be after us unto the ages to come.
*Prayer for the Church, which the priest shall recite in this place on days of fasting.*
C Remove far from the whole world the worship of idols; crush Satan and all his wicked power, and cast him quickly under our feet; restrain heresies and their authors, that all heretical depravity, the enemy of Your holy Church, may be cut off and broken. Lord, as formerly, so now suppress them; take them away from the heretics; show them clearly the darkness of their heart and their own misery: restrain their envy, counsels, machinations, deceits, and slanders, and command that the right hands which they abuse against us be rendered utterly powerless. Suppress their conventicles, divide their consultations, O God, who dissipated the counsel of Ahithophel. 692 *He shall offer incense toward the east three times.*
Arise, O Lord God, let all Your enemies be scattered, and let all who hate Your holy name flee from Your countenance. 60
*Turning to the west, he will incense the priests, deacons, and the people.*
And may Your people, crowned with a thousand thousand and ten thousand ten thousand blessings, fulfill all Your wills.
*Then, turning to the east, he will say:*
By the grace, mercy, and love for mankind of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, etc.
*The people shall say the Symbol of the orthodox faith.* B *The priest shall offer incense three times toward the east, and shall give the censer to him who is accustomed to bear it; then they shall say the Symbol: during which time the priest shall wash his hands three times, and before he dries them, he shall turn to the people, and draw his hands out of the water before them, and shall diligently purge them of any filth.*
*After the recitation of the Symbol, he shall say: Peace be to all.*
*And the people shall answer: And with your spirit.*
*Then turning, he shall sign the people once in the manner of a cross, and shall say this prayer.*
*Priest.* Great and eternal God, who created man without fault, and destroyed death which had entered the world by the envy of Satan, 61 through the life-giving advent of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and filled the earth with heavenly peace: You whom the hosts of angels celebrate, saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and among men good will," 62 fulfill according to Your good pleasure, O Lord, our hearts with Your peace, and cleanse us from every stain, every animosity, every fraud, every evil, and every deadly remembrance of injuries. Grant, O Lord, that we may all be worthy to embrace one another in a holy kiss, and thus be partakers of it, that You may not reject us from Your immortal and celestial gift in judgment, through Christ Jesus our Lord.
*Another prayer of the kiss of peace.*
*Priest.* They surpass every faculty of speech and every power of the mind, the riches of Your gifts, D O Lord, who have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to us little ones, 63 which the prophets and kings desired to see, and did not see. 64 These things You have graciously bestowed upon us sinners, that we might administer them, and through them be sanctified, when You exhibited to us the dispensation of Your Son, and the sacred rite of this unbloody sacrifice: for it is not that of legal blood, or of corporeal justice, but the Lamb
that is spiritual, and a sword rational and incorporeal, in this sacrifice which we offer to You. We ask and beseech Your goodness, O lover of mankind, purify our lips, and free our minds from every material contagion; send to us the grace of Your Holy Spirit, and make us worthy to greet one another with a holy kiss, so that, not falling into judgment, we may partake of Your immortal and heavenly gift, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer of Peace of the Apostle James.
Sacerdos. O God, Lord of all, make us, the most unworthy sinners, worthy of this salvation, that we may be purified from every stain and all hypocrisy, and may greet one another with a holy kiss; and that we may be made one body and one spirit in the bond of charity and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom You are blessed, and with Your life-giving Spirit, consubstantial with You, now and always, and unto all ages of ages. Amen.ANAPHORA OF SAINT BASIL.
Deacon. (99) Approach, stand, O men, with trembling, and look to the east. Let us attend. People. (1) Mercy, peace, and the sacrifice of praise. The sign of the cross is made here, first by the priest over himself; second over the ministering deacons; third over the people. Sacerdos. (2) The Lord be with you. People. (3) And with your spirit. Sacerdos. (4) Lift up your hearts. People. (5) We lift them up unto the Lord. Sacerdos. (6) Let us give thanks to the Lord. People. (7) It is meet and right. Sacerdos. It is meet and right, it is meet and right, it is truly meet, becoming, and necessary; it is meet and right, O Lord who exist, Lord God truly, who are before the ages, reigning unto eternity, who dwell in the heights and look upon the lowly, who created heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, Father of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who created through Him all things visible and invisible, sitting upon the throne of Your glory, whom all the holy powers adore. Deacon. (8) You who are sitting, arise. Sacerdos. Around whom stand angels and archangels, principalities, powers, thrones, dominions, virtues. Deacon. (9) Look to the east. Sacerdos. For in your circuit stand cherubim A full of eyes, and seraphim equipped with six wings, singing the hymn of glory unceasingly saying: People. « Holy, holy, holy Lord 66. » The priest shall sign three times in the form of a cross, first himself, second the ministers, third the people; then he shall say: Holy, holy, holy are You indeed, O Lord our God, who formed us, made us, and placed us in the paradise of pleasure 67. But when we had violated Your commandments concerning the tree of life through the deception of the serpent, we fell from eternal life, and had been cast out of the paradise of pleasure 68, You did not leave us to the end, but continued to publish promises to us through Your holy prophets: and in the final days, while we were sitting in darkness and the shadow of death B, You manifested Your only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ 69, who was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the holy Virgin Mary, and was made man, who taught us the way of salvation, and bestowed upon us that heavenly birth through water and spirit, and made us a gathered people, and cleansed us by His Holy Spirit. He, having loved His own who were in the world 70, gave Himself for our salvation unto the death which reigned over us 71, whereby we were held bound on account of our sins: He descended into the lower regions through the cross, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and sat at Your right hand, O Father, and appointed the day of retribution, in which He shall appear to judge the world in justice 72 and render to everyone according to his works 73. People. (10) According to Your mercy, O Lord, and not according to our sins. Sacerdos. He instituted for us this great mystery of piety and religion, when He had purposed to deliver Himself to death for the life of the world. People. (11) We believe that it is so in truth. Sacerdos. He took bread in His holy, pure, and immaculate, blessed and life-giving hands, and looked up to heaven to You, O God, His Father and Lord of all. Then he shall take the oblation upon his hands, and remove the veil from off the disc. People. Amen. Sacerdos shall lift his eyes saying: And He gave thanks †. People. Amen. Sacerdos. And He blessed it †. People. Amen. Sacerdos shall sign his oblation three times with his finger in the form of a cross.Sacerdos. And He sanctified it †. People. Amen. A Sacerdos. He tasted, and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying: ‹ Take, drink of it all of you. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins; do this in my memory. › Sacerdos shall move the chalice in the form of a cross, yet so that it does not shake. People shall say: Amen, it is so. Sacerdos. As often as you shall eat of this bread and drink of this chalice, you shall proclaim my death, and confess my resurrection, and shall be mindful of me until I come. People. (12) We proclaim your death, O Lord, and confess your resurrection. Sacerdos. We make the memorial of His holy passion, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His sitting at Thy right hand, O Father; also of His second coming from heaven, terrible and full of glory, and we offer unto Thee these gifts from Thine own gifts, for all, through all, and in all. Diaconus. B Adore God with fear and trembling. (13) Sacerdos shall say the invocation. We beseech Thee, Christ our God, we Thy unworthy sinful servants; and we adore Thee by the good pleasure of Thy goodness, that Thy Holy Spirit may come upon us, and upon these proposed gifts, and sanctify them, (14) and make them the Holies of Thy holies. C The Priest shall meanwhile hold his hands expanded and lifted on high, interceding for the descent. The People shall say: Amen. Sacerdos, raising his voice. And this bread, indeed—he shall sign the bread three times with the cross—may He make it the holy body, he shall incline his head and indicate the body with his hand, of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, which is given for the remission of sins and eternal life to him who shall receive it. People. Amen. Sacerdos shall sign the chalice three times with the cross and shall say: And this chalice, the precious blood of Thy new testament—then he shall designate the precious body and blood—of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, which is given for the remission of sins and eternal life to those who shall receive it. People. Amen. Sacerdos. Make, O Lord, that we may be worthy to communicate of Thy holy things, for the sanctification of our bodies, souls, and spirits, that we may be one body, and one spirit, and may obtain our lot and portion with all Thy saints who from the beginning have pleased Thee. Be mindful, O Lord, of the peace of Thy one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Diaconus. Pray for, etc. Sacerdos. Which Thou hast acquired for Thyself with the precious blood of Thy Christ, preserve it in peace, and all the orthodox bishops who are in it. First indeed, be mindful, O Lord, of our most blessed Father and venerable archbishop, Pope Anba N. Diaconus. Pray for, etc. Sacerdos. And those who have rightly dispensed the word of truth with them, grant them to Thy holy Church, that they may feed Thy flock in peace. Be mindful, O Lord, of the hegumens, the orthodox presbyters, and the deacons. Diaconus. Pray for, etc. Sacerdos. And of all the ministers, and of all who cultivate virginity and purity, and of all Thy faithful people. Be mindful, O Lord, that Thou mayest have mercy on us all. Diaconus. Have mercy on us, God the Father Almighty. 694 People. Kyrie eleison (three times). Sacerdos. Be mindful, O Lord, of the salvation of this Thy holy place, and of every place and monastery of our orthodox Fathers. D Diaconus. Pray for, etc. Sacerdos. And of those dwelling therein with the faith of God. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to bless the air of heaven and the fruits of the earth. He shall say this in the time of the inundation of the Nile, from the twelfth of Baini to the ninth of Paoph.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to fill the waters of the rivers this year, and to bless them. A At the time of sowing, namely from the tenth of Paophi to the twentieth of Tybi: Remember, O Lord, the seed of the herbs and the green of the field this year; cause them to grow as much as is possible, by Thy grace. Gladden the face of the earth, that its fecundity may be manifest, and its fruits multiplied; prepare for it both sowing and harvest; govern our life as is expedient; bless the crown of the year through Thy kindness, for the sake of the poor of Thy people, for the sake of the widows and orphans, for the sake of the strangers and those who suffer necessity, and for the sake of us all who trust in Thee and ardently seek Thy holy name, because the eyes of all hope in Thee, that in His time Thou wilt be the bestower of good upon them. Deal with us according to Thy goodness, Thou who givest food to all flesh; fill our hearts with joy and sweetness, that we may always have necessary things in all things, and may abound in every good work.
*Deacon.* Pray for, etc.
*The priest here makes a gesture of blessing over the bread and wine with his hands, and shall say:*
Remember, O Lord, those who have offered these gifts to Thee, and those for whom they have offered them, and those who have offered them for themselves and in their own name; give them all a reward from heaven.
*The assistant priest shall go around the altar with the censer, and from the lower part shall burn incense, and shall wash his hands and wrap them in a silk veil.*
*Then the celebrating priest shall say:*
Now, O Lord, by the command of Thy only-begotten Son, we communicate in the memory of Thy saints, who have pleased Thee from the beginning, and of our holy Fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, preachers, evangelists, and all the spirits of the just who have finished their life in faith. Especially, however, and above all, the holy and glory-filled ever-Virgin Mother of God, the divine holy Mary; Saint John the Baptist, the precursor and martyr; Saint Stephen, the first deacon and first martyr, and beholder of God; the evangelist Mark, the holy apostle and martyr; the patriarch Saint Severus, and our doctor Dioscorus; Saint John B Chrysostom, Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, Saint Cyril, Saint Basil, Saint Gregory, and our father the holy abbot Antony, a man of supreme holiness, and the just father Paul, and the three holy Macarii, and our holy father John the hegumen, our father Bischoi the perfect man, and the holy fathers of Rome, Maximus and Diomedes, the forty-nine martyrs, and the powerful holy father Moses, and our fathers Isidore and Arsenius; our father John the Black the priest; our father Daniel the hegumen, our father the just Junii, and our father Ephrem, and our C father Pacomius, the father of the coenobitic life, and Theodore his disciple, and our father Sanutius the archimandrite, and abbot Veisa his disciple. Likewise our father Abuniferi or Onuphrius the anchoret, our father Simeon Stylites, our father Samuel the confessor, and the just Apollo his disciples, and our father Barsoma the Wise, our father Benitius the priest, and abbot John his disciple, and our father the abbot Barsoma the nudes, and our father the abbot Fegius the nude, and Saint N., whose memory we celebrate today, and all the choir of Thy saints, by whose prayers and supplications have mercy upon us all, and deliver us for the sake of Thy holy name which is invoked upon us.
*Priest.* Remember also, O Lord, all who have slept and rested in the priesthood and in every order of the laity. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to grant their souls rest in the bosom of the holy Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: lead them into a green place upon the waters of refreshment, into the paradise of delight, into a place whence pain of heart, sorrow, and sighing flee away, in the light of Thy saints.
*The deacons shall say the diptychs, and shall recite the names of the deceased.*
*The priest says after the diptych:*
Those, O Lord, whose souls Thou hast received, bid them rest in this place, and us also, pilgrims here, guard in Thy faith, and graciously grant us Thy peace even unto the end.
*People.* As it was, etc.
*Priest.* And direct us into Thy kingdom, that as in this, so also in all things, Thy great name may be praised, blessed, and extolled, in all ways holy, excellent, venerable, and blessed, even of Jesus Christ Thy beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit.
*Priest.* Peace to all. *People.* And with thy spirit.
*(15) Prelude before the fraction.*
*Priest.* Again we give thanks to Thee, God almighty, Father of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, because Thou hast made us worthy to stand in this holy place, and to lift up our hands, D and to serve Thy holy name. We pray Him again, that He may make us worthy of communion and participation in His divine and immortal mysteries, the holy body and the precious blood of His Christ, the almighty Lord our God.
*People.* Amen.
*When the priest shall say this blessing, carrying the silk veil in his right hand and turned towards the west, he shall make the sign over the people with that veil, holding his hand over the disk; but when the blessing is recited, the deacons shall say the deprecation, while the priest shall turn his face and eyes towards the body which is placed on the disk, and shall say:*
A May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He illuminate His face upon us, and have mercy on us.
Then the priest shall take the holy body with his right hand, and shall place it upon his left, and shall place his finger upon the body, on the side of the lordly or greater 695 particle, at the place where it is broken, and shall say: The holy body.
And he shall take his finger from off the body and shall put it into the chalice, and shall dip the tip of his thumb in the precious blood: then he shall take out his finger from the blood, and shall again mark the blood with blood, in the manner of the glorious cross, and shall say: And the precious blood of Christ Himself, the almighty Lord our God.
Then he shall take his finger, dipped in the precious blood, from the chalice, and shall mark the body with it with one cross over the fracture on the side of the greater particle, and below on the outer part of the body, forming one cross over the blood, and two over the body. The deacon shall say, Pray. The priest. Peace be to all. The people. And with thy spirit.
(16) Prayer of the fraction to the Father. Priest. O Lord our God, great, eternal, of wondrous glory, who observest Thy covenant and Thy promises to those who love Thee with all their heart: who hast given us salvation from our sins through Thy only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; who art the life of all, the aid of those who flee to Thee; the hope of those who cry to Thee, before whom stand ten thousand times ten thousand angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, and the whole innumerable multitude of the heavenly powers; who hast sanctified these set-forth oblations by the descent upon them of Thy Holy Spirit: cleanse us, O Lord, from our hidden and manifest sins, and from every thought which is not pleasing to Thy goodness. O God, lover of men, repel such from us: purify our bodies and our souls, our hearts and our consciences, that with a pure heart and lucid soul, with an unconfused face, with perfect charity and secure hope, we may dare with confidence and without fear to pray to Thee, O God, holy and heavenly Father, and to say: Our Father.
(17) Another prayer of the fraction, by Basil. God, parent of light, source of life, bestower of knowledge, creator of gifts, source of grace, benefactor of our souls; B treasure of wisdom, teacher of the holy, founder of the ages, receiver of pure prayers, bestower of those gifts which the angels desire to behold upon those who trust in Him with all their heart; who hath led us from the depths into the light, who hath given us life from death; who hath granted us liberty and manumission from servitude; who hath illuminated the darkness of error which was in us, through the presence in the flesh of Thy only-begotten Son. Do Thou, therefore, even now, O Lord, illuminate the eyes of our heart, and make us perfect in our souls, bodies, and spirits, that with a holy heart and pure lips we may dare to pray to Thee, O God, holy Father who art in heaven, and say.
Prayer of the fraction of John Chrysostom.
Thou hast given us the grace of adoption, through the laver of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit; now, however, make us worthy that, without hypocrisy, with a pure heart, a conscience full of faith, and lips free from all offense, we may pray to Thee, O Father, C rejecting those follies which are of the wordiness of the Gentiles and of Jewish pride, and that we may offer to Thee prayers and supplication, according to the most wholesome institution of Thy only-begotten Son, with a pure voice, such as befits Christians; and with the holiness of soul, body, and spirit, may we dare without fear to cry to Thee, the uncreated, without beginning, unbegotten, our Lord and the Lord of all, the holy God, the Father who is in heaven, and say: Our Father who art in heaven, etc.Prayer after the Pater Noster.
Thus, indeed, we ask Thee, O holy and good Father, seeker of goodness, "lead us not into temptation," nor permit any iniquity to have dominion over us, but rather deliver us from useless actions, and from their thoughts, their motions, D their glances, their enticements; and extinguish and repel from us temptation. Restrain likewise the motions of those things which are stirred up in us, and remove from us the causes which impel us to sin: deliver us through Thy holy power through Christ Jesus our Lord. The deacon shall say, (19) Bow your heads to the Lord. The people. Before Thee, O Lord.(20) The priest shall say the prayer of inclination to the Father. The grace of the good things of the Architect of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, has superabounded. We confess His saving passion, we announce His death, and we believe in His resurrection, the complement of the mystery. We give thanks to Thee, O Lord God almighty, because Thy mercy has been great toward us, when Thou hast prepared for us those things which the angels desire to see. We ask and beseech Thee, lover of men, that Thou wouldst purify us all and gather us to Thee through our communion
of Thy divine mysteries, and let us be filled with Thy Holy Spirit, and let us be confirmed in the right faith; and may we also be filled with the desire for Thy true charity, and recount Thy glory at all times through Jesus Christ our Lord.
*Deacon.* (21) Let us attend to God with fear.
Prayer of Absolution to the Father
*Priest.* Lord, Lord God almighty, who healest our souls, bodies, and spirits, it is Thou who saidst to Peter our father, through the mouth of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven.” A May also now, O Lord, my fathers and brothers be absolved by my mouth, through Thy Holy Spirit, O good One and lover of men. O God, who takest away the sins of the world, 80 come before them, receiving the repentance of Thy servants from them, which may be a light unto knowledge, and a remission of our sins, because Thou art a compassionate and merciful God, long-suffering and of great mercy, and just. If we have sinned against Thee in word or deed, spare and forgive us, O good One and lover of men. O Lord, absolve us, and may Thy people be absolved.
*Here the priest makes remembrance of the living and the dead.*
Remember, O Lord, Thy peace, the unique, holy, catholic and Apostolic Church; confirm it in goodness until the last breath of life, and keep in peace all our orthodox fathers, bishops, hegumens, priests, deacons, subdeacons, readers, cantors, exorcists, monks, virgins, widows, orphans, continent, laity, servants, free, those absent on travels, and the people of this place, as well men as women, old and young, small and great, who have come and who have not come: those who asked us to remember them, and those who did not ask; those whom we know, and whom we do not know; those who pursue us with hatred, and those who pursue us with love. C Keep the living through the angel of peace, and cause the souls of the dead, O Lord, to rest in the bosom of our holy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the paradise of delight. And all orthodox Christians, from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof, and from the right to the left, every one, O Lord, keep in peace; and loose my infirmity from every sin, and every curse, and every abnegation and perjury, and every foolishness, as well of heretics as of heathens. Grant us, O Lord, understanding, strength, and intelligence, that until the end we may flee from every evil thing towards that which is opposite, and grant us that we may do at all times that which is acceptable to Thee. D Write our names with all choirs of Thy saints, in the kingdom of heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
*Deacon.* Let us attend to God with fear. *The people shall say, (22) One holy Father.* *When the deacon has said, With fear, etc.* *The people.* Kyrie eleison.
*The priest lifts the despotikon with raised hands, and bows himself, then cries out with a loud voice, Holy things to the holy.* *And all the people shall be prostrate on the earth on their faces; and the priest shall put the despotikon into the blood, at its extreme part, and shall form with it one cross in the blood: then he shall take it out, and therewith sign the holy body on the disk, with one cross: then he shall sign it once with the precious blood in the manner of a cross, and thus he shall fulfill three [signings] from the blood over the body. Having finished the three signings, he shall put the despotikon into the blood, within the chalice, saying:*
Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
*Then the priest shall take the third part in which the despotikon was, and shall divide it into three parts: but if they are large, he shall break them on the disk, and shall place the three parts on his right hand, which he shall hold raised: the left, however, within the disk, and he shall say:*
The holy body and precious blood, pure, true, of Jesus Christ our God's Son. Amen. The body and blood of our Emmanuel God, this is in very truth. Amen. I believe, I believe, I believe and confess, unto the last breath of life, that this is the life-giving body of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ: He accepted it from our Lady, the Theotokos, the divine and holy Mary, of all of us, and made it one with His own divinity, without confusion, commixture, or alteration. He confessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and delivered Himself for us upon the wood of the holy cross, by His own will alone, for all of us. I truly believe that His divinity was not separated from His humanity, not even for one hour or the twinkling of an eye: He delivered it for us unto salvation, remission of sins, and eternal life for him who shall receive it. I believe that this is so in very truth.
*Then the priest shall cover the holy body with a silk veil, with another he shall wrap his hands: likewise the deacon shall cover the chalice with a silk cloth; then the priest shall bow his head, and shall say:*
All honor, glory, and adoration is due to the holy Trinity, to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
*Then the priest shall kiss the altar, and shall bow his head to his brother priests, and to the people to the right and to the left; he shall uncover the side of the disk before him, and singing from the psalm, and the priest shall say in secret:*
Make us all worthy, O Lord, that we may receive Thy holy body and Thy precious blood.