THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE DIVINE AND SACRED LITURGIES, (COMMONLY CALLED: THE order of thE PROSKOMIDE,) AS CELEBRATED IN THE GREAT CHURCH, AND IN THE HOLY MOUNTAIN OF ATHOS. The Priest and Deacon standing before the Holy Doors, the Deacon saîth: MASTER, give a Blessing. ages of the ages. Amene. our GOD, always, now, and ever, and to the Deacon. Glory to Thee, our GOD; Glory to Thee. O Heavenly King, O Comforter, the SPIRIT of the Truth, Who art everywhere present, and fillest everything; Who art the Treasury of the Good-things, and Supplier-of-the-means of life: come, and tabernacle in us, and cleanse us from all impurity, and save, O Good, our souls. The Trisagion. Holy GoD, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy upon us. All-Holy TRINITY, have mercy upon us. O LORD, be gracious unto our sins; O MASTER, concede our transgressions; O HOLY, look down, and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake. LORD, have mercy. LORD, have mercy. LORD, have mercy. Our FATHER, Who art in the Heavens: Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy Will be done, as in Heaven, so on the earth; Give us this day our Bread for subsistence; And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from the evil-one. Priest. For of Thee is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the Holy GHOST, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. Troparia. Deacon. Have mercy upon us; O LORD, have mercy upon us: for, destitute of all defence, we sinners offer to Thee, as MASTER, this supplication: Have mercy upon us. Glory to the FATHER, and to the SON, and to the Holy GHOST. O LORD, have mercy upon us, for in Thee do we put our trust. Be not exceedingly angry with us, neither remember our transgressions: but look down upon us, also now, as Tender-hearted, and deliver us from our enemies. For Thou art our GOD, and we Thy people all, the work of Thy Hands, and we call upon Thy Name. Both now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. Theotokion. From tenderness-of-heart, open to us the gate, O blessed Theotokos; let not our hope in thee fail; through thee let those who stand around be delivered: for thou art the salvation of the race of Christians. Troparion (with salutation of Eikon). We worship Thy spotless Eikon, O Good, seeking concession of our stumblings, O CHRIST the GOD: for of Thy Will, Thou wast well-pleased with Thy Flesh to ascend the Cross, to deliver those whom Thou hast made from the servitude of the enemy. Therefore, we thankfully cryaloud to Thee: Thou hast filled all with joy, O our Saviour, Thou Who camest to save the world. Theotokion (with salutation of Eikon). Thou who art the fountain of tenderness-of-heart, make us worthy of thy sympathy, O Theotokos: look down on the people who have sinned; shew, as ever, thy power; for trusting in thee, we cry-aloud to thee, Hail! as once did Gabriel the Bodiless Chieftain. Prayer (with Bowing-down the head). Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. Priest. O LORD, stretch-forth Thy Hand from the height of Thy dwelling, and strengthen me for this Thy present service, that I may stand without condemnation in Thy fearful Bema, and execute the unbloody Sacred-administration. For Thine is the Power and the Glory, to the ages of the ages. Amene. ¶Entering the Bema, the Priest and Deacon say Psalm 5/8. I will enter into Thy House; I will worship in Thy fear toward Thy Holy Temple. Lead me, O LORD, in Thy righteousness; because of mine enemies, make my way plain before Thee. For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain; their throat is an open grave; with their tongues have they used deceit. Judge them, O GOD; let them fall from their counsels; cast them out according to the fulness of their impiety, for they have provoked Thee, O LORD. And all who hope in Thee shall be glad; they shall exult for ever, and Thou shalt dwell in them : and all who love Thy Name shall make their boast in Thee, for Thou shalt bless the righteous. O LORD, Thou hast crowned us as with the armour of good-will. ¶Taking each his Stoicharion in his hand, preparatory to robing, they bow to the East three times, and say: O GOD, be gracious to me, the sinner. Deacon. Master, bless the Stoicharion with the Orarion. Priest. Blessed is our GOD, always, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. STICHOI SAID AT THE TIME OF ROBING. For the Stoicharion. Priest and Deacon. My soul shall exult in the LORD, for He hath clothed me with a garment of salvation, and with a vesture of gladness hath He girded me; He hath put on me, as a bridegroom, a mitre, and adorned me, as a bride, with comeliness. For the Epitrachelion. Priest. Blessed is God, Who poureth His grace upon His Priests, as ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, that ran down upon the skirt of his garment. For the Zone. Priest. Blessed is GOD, Who girdeth me with power, and keepeth my way blameless. For the Right Epimanikion. Priest and Deacon. Thy Right Hand, O LORD, is glorified in might; Thy Right Hand, O LORD, hath shattered enemies, and with the fulness of Thy Glory Thou didst crush the adversaries. For the Left Epimanikion. Priest and Deacon. Thy Hands have made me, and formed me: instruct me, and I shall learn Thy Commandments. For the Hypogonation. Priest, if of the rank of Proto-pope, or of Archimandrite. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Powerful-one, with thy bloomingness and with thy beauty; and stretch on and prosper, and reign, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall lead thee wonderfully always, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. For the Phelonion. Priest. Thy Priests, O LORD, shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy religious-ones shall exult with exultation: always, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. The Priest and Deacon then wash their hands, and say Psalm 25/6. I will wash my hands in innocent-things, and compass Thine Altar, O LORD: that I may hear the voice of Thy praise, and tell of all Thy wonders. O LORD, I have loved the beauty of Thy House, and the place of the tabernacle of Thy Glory. Take not away my soul with impiousones; nor my life with men of bloods, in whose hands are transgressions their right hand is filled with gifts. But I have walked in my guilelessness: redeem me, O LORD, and have mercy upon me. My foot standeth in an even-place: in the Churches I will bless Thee, O LORD. ¶ Bowing three times before the Table of Prothesis, they say: O GOD, be gracious to me, the sinner, and have mercy upon me. Priest. Thou hast, for us, triumphed over the curse of the law by Thy precious Blood, being nailed to the Cross, and wounded with the Spear; and didst pour-forth streams of immortality to men: Glory to Thee, O our Saviour. Deacon. Master, give a Blessing. Priest. Blessed is our GOD, always, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. ¶Taking in his hand the First Prosphora, the Priest signs it three times, saying: In remembrance of our LORD, and GOD, and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. In remembrance of our LORD, and GOD, and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. In remembrance of our LORD, and GOD, and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. Preparation of the Holy Lamb. Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. Priest. As a sheep, He was led to slaughter. Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. Priest. And as a blameless Lamb, dumb before his shearers, so He opened not His Mouth. Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. Priest. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away. Deacon. Of the LORD let us pray. Priest. But who shall tell of His generation? Deacon. Master, Lift up. The Priest places the prepared Lamb upon the Holy Disk, saying: For His life was lifted up from the earth. Priest. Sacrificed is the Lamb of GOD, that taketh away the sins of the world, for the life and salvation of the world. Deacon. Master, Pierce. Priest. One of the soldiers with a Spear pierced His Side, and there came-out forthwith Blood and Water: and he that saw it bare witness, and his witness is true. Pouring Wine and Water into the Holy Cup, the Deacon saith: Master, Bless the Holy Union. Priest. Blessed is the Union of Thy Holy-things, always, now, and ever, and to the ages of the ages. Amene. Taking in his hand the Second Prosphora, the Priest signs it, saying: In honour and memory of our Mistress, the most-blessed and glorious Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary: through whose intercessions, receive, O LORD, this Sacrifice to Thy Heavenly Altar. And placing the Virgin's portion upon the Holy Disk, he saith: At Thy Right Hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of gold, arrayed in divers colours. ¶He then takes in his hand the Third Prosphora, and commemorates the Nine Orders, saying for each according to the following numerals. I. In honour and memory of the most-great Archangels Michael and Gabriel, and of all the Heavenly Bodiless Powers. II. Of the honourable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist, John; of the Holy, glorious Prophets, Moses and Aaron, Elias, Eliseus, David and Jesse; of the Holy Three Children, and Daniel the Prophet; and of all the Holy Prophets. III. Of the Holy, glorious, and all-celebrated Apostles, Peter and Paul; of the Twelve, and Seventy; and of all the Holy Apostles. IV. Of our Fathers among the Saints, the great Hierarchs and Eecumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John the Goldenmouthed; of Athanasius and Cyril; of Nicolas, among the Myrians; and of all the Holy Hierarchs. V. Of the Holy Proto-martyr and Archdeacon Stephen; of the Holy great Martyrs, Demetrius, George, Theodore; and of all the Holy Martyrs, male and female. VI. Of our religious and God-bearing Fathers, Antony, Evthymius, Savvas, Onouphrius, Athanasius of the Athos; and of all the Religious, male and female. VII. Of the Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries, Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Panteleëmon and Hermolaüs; and of all the Holy Unmercenaries. VIII. Of the Holy and just Parents-of-God, Joakim and Anna; of the Holy [Apostle Thomas; *] and of all the Saints, through whose supplications look upon us, O GOD. [IX. Of our Father among the Saints, John the Goldenmouthed, Archbishop of Constantinople. †] ¶ Taking in his hand the Fourth Prosphora, he saith : Remember, O MASTER, Lover-of-men, all Orthodox Bishoprics, our Archbishop- the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in CHRIST, and every Sacred Order; our Brethren and fellow-ministers, Priests, Deacons, and all our brethren whom Thou hast called to Thy communion through Thy tenderness-of-heart, O All-Good MASTER. And commemorates whom he will of the Living; as does also the Deacon, saying: For mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, concession and forgiveness of sins, of the servants of GOD, the brethren of this Holy House. ¶The Priest then takes in his hand the Fifth Prosphora, saying: For memory and forgiveness of sins of the blessed Founders of this Holy House. And of all our Orthodox fathers and brethren, who repose in hope of Resurrection to eternal Life, in Thy communion, O LORD, Lover-of-men. And commemorates whom he will of the Departed; as does also the Deacon, saying: For repose, resurrection, blessed memory, and forgiveness of sins, of all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here piously repose; and the Orthodox everywhere. On all the Sundays of Lent excepting March 25th and Sunday of the Palms; on December 25th, and January 1st and 6th, ‡ on which days the Liturgy of St. Basil is said, the Priest substiutes for the above; IX. Of our Father among the Saints, Basil the Great, of Cæsarea, in Cappadocia. * The Saint of the Day is here named. St. BASIL's Liturgy is said on December 25th and January 6th when those Festivals fall on Sunday or Monday: when they fall on other days, it is said on December 24th and January 5th. It is said also on Great Thursday, and on the Great Sabbath or Easter Eve. |