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THE EUCHOLOGION

THE SERVICE

OF THE LESSER SANCTIFICATION

OF WATER 

 

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Note: The service is incomplete in that I have not as yet translated the Canon and the hymns that follow. In practice the Canon is rarely sung, but the hymns are and so hope to add these at a later date.

 

PRIEST

Blessed is our God always, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

PSALM 142 [143]

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness. And enter not into judgement with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have long been dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto Thee to hide me. Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy name’s sake: for Thy righteousness’ sake: bring my soul out of trouble. And of Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am Thy servant.

Then immediately the following:

God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us: blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon His holy Name.

God is the Lord…

All nations compassed me about; but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.

God is the Lord…

This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

God is the Lord...

Then the following troparia

                 Tone 4. Lifted up upon the Cross.

To the Mother of God let us run now most earnestly,

We sinners all and wretched ones and fall prostrate,

In repentance calling from the depths of our souls,

O Lady, come unto our aid, have compassion upon us,

Hasten thou, for we are lost, in a throng of transgressions;

Turn not thy servants away with empty hands,

For thee alone do we have as our only hope.

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

The same or the Apolytikion Hymn of the saint to whom the Church is dedicated.

 

APOLYTIKION FOR ST. GEORGE Tone 4

As the one renowned for setting captives free, * and for defending those in poverty, * the physician of the sick and the champion of kings, * do thou, o Victory-bearer and Great Martyr George, * intercede to Christ our God * for the salvation of our souls.

 

Now and for ever world without end. Amen.

O Mother of God, we shall not cease from speaking,

Of all Thy mighty acts, all we the unworthy ones,

For if thou hadst not stood to intercede for us,

Who would have delivered us, from such numerous dangers?

Who would have preserved us all, until now, in true freedom?

O Lady, we shall not turn away from thee;

For thou dost always save thy servants, from all manner of grief.

 

PSALM 50 [51]

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned: and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and clear when Thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in 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. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou will not despise. Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.

 

PRIEST: Let us pray unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Kyrie eleison.

PRIEST

For Thou our God art holy, and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

O Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. (3)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Now and for ever world without end. Amen.

Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.

O Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.

READER: The Lord is my light and my Saviour.

PRIEST: Let us give heed.

READER: The Lord is the defender of my life.

PRIEST: Wisdom.

READER: The reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews.

PRIEST: Let us give heed.

READER

Brethren, He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.

PRIEST: Peace unto thee.

Wisdom. Stand steadfast. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace unto all.

CHOIR: And unto thy spirit.

PRIEST: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. Let us give heed.

CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O God, glory be to Thee.

PRIEST

At that time, there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O God, glory be to Thee.

PRIEST

In peace let us pray unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Kyrie eleison or Lord have mercy. And after each petition.

For the peace from on high, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray unto the Lord.

For the peace and union of the whole world, and for the

good estate of the holy churches of God, let us pray unto the Lord.

For this holy temple and for them that enter therein with faith, reverence and fear of God, let us pray unto the Lord.

For our Archbishop (…..), for the honourable order of priesthood, and for the diaconate which is in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray unto the Lord.

For this city [town, community, village, monastery]; For every city and land, and for them that dwell therein with faith, let us pray unto the Lord.

For fair seasons and the abundance of the fruits of the earth, let us pray unto the Lord.

For them that travel by land, by water, by air; For the sick and the suffering, For those in captivity, And for their salvation, let us pray unto the Lord.

For this water, that it may be sanctified by the might and operation and descent of the Holy Spirit, let us pray unto the Lord.

For these waters, that the cleansing operation of the Trinity Supreme in Being may come down upon them, let us pray unto the Lord.

That this water may be for the healing of souls and bodies and for the averting of every hostile power, let us pray unto the Lord.

That there may be sent down upon it the grace of redemption, and the blessing of the Jordan, let us pray unto the Lord.

For all those who need from God help and comfort, let us pray unto the Lord.

That we may be enlightened by the light of knowledge of the consubstantial Trinity, let us pray unto the Lord.

That the Lord our God may show us forth as sons and daughters and heirs of His kingdom, through the partaking and sprinkling of these waters, let us pray unto the Lord.

That He may deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, danger and necessity, let us pray unto the Lord.

Succour, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Thy grace.

Mindful of our Most Holy and undefiled, Most Blessed and glorious Lady, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, and of all the saints; Let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR: To Thee, O Lord.

PRIEST

For unto Thee belong all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Let us pray unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Kyrie eleison.

PRIEST

O Lord our God, Thou who art great in counsel and wondrous in Thy deeds, the creator of all things visible and invisible, who keeps Thy covenant and Thy mercy upon those that love Thee and observe Thy commandments: who receives the pitiful tears of all those that are in need: For this reason didst Thou appear in the form of a servant, scorning not our image, but giving true health to the body and saying, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more.” But also with clay didst Thou make the blind man’s eyes whole, commanding him to wash and by Thy word, didst make the light to dwell therein; who puts to confusion the corrupt passions of enemies and suppresses the bitter sea of this life, and calms the waves heavy laden with carnal pleasures: Therefore, do Thou, O King and lover of mankind, who hast granted unto us to be clothed in a snow bright garment by water and the Spirit, also send down Thy blessing upon us through the partaking and sprinkling of this water and wash away the stain of our passions. Yea, O good Lord and Master, we pray Thee, visit our infirmity and heal our sicknesses of the spirit and the body: through Thy mercy, by the prayers of our most pure, Lady, Mother of God, and ever-Virgin Mary, by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, by the protection of the heavenly bodiless hosts, through the supplications of the glorious Prophet and Forerunner, John the Baptist, of the holy and all-glorious Apostles, of our sacred fathers among the saints, the great Hierarchs, of the holy and glorious Great Martyrs, of the holy and righteous progenitors of God, Joachim and Anna, of the holy glorious and wonderworking physicians, and all Thy saints. Remember, O Lord, all Orthodox bishops that they may rightly divide the word of Thy truth, and every sacerdotal and monastic order and their salvation. Remember, O Lord, those that hate us and those that love us, our brothers who serve, the people here present, and those who for a just cause are absent, and those who have asked us, the unworthy ones, to pray for them. Remember also, O Lord, our brethren in captivity and affliction and have mercy upon them and us according to Thy great mercy, delivering us from every necessity.

For Thou art the Wellspring of healing, O Christ our God, and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thine eternal Father, and Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

This shorter prayer may be said instead of the above prayer.

O God, thou whose name is great, who hast created wondrous things that are without number, do thou also now come to these thy servants who call upon thee and send down thy Holy Spirit and sanctify this water (3). And give to those that partake thereof and are sprinkled with this water, deliverance from all evil; an unassailable and purified home and the expulsion of every diabolical action.
For blessed and glorified be Thy most honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. Amen.
CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace unto all.

CHOIR: And unto thy spirit.

PRIEST: Let us bow down our heads before the Lord.

CHOIR: To Thee, O Lord.

PRIEST

Bow down Thine ear and hear us O Lord, Thou who didst deign to be baptized in the Jordan, and thereby sanctified the waters. Bless us all who by the bowing of our heads do show forth our apprehension that we are Thy servants. Grant that we may be filled with Thy sanctification through the partaking and sprinkling of this water, and let it be for us, O Lord, for the health of soul and body.

For Thou art the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and to Thee we ascribe glory, thanksgiving, and worship, together with Thine eternal Father, and Thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

The Priest, holding the Cross upright in both hands [and a bouquet of basil],  shall plunge it into the water, and lift it from the water once again. As he does this he shall sing:           

 Tone1

Save O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting us victory over our enemies, and by Thy Cross do Thou protect Thy commonwealth. (3)

The Priest shall then plunge the Cross a second and a third time in the water, doing as before. At each plunge the Choir shall repeat the  troparion.

Then the people shall approach and kiss the Cross, and the Priest shall sprinkle water on the head of each one with the basil. Clergy and people shall also drink from the water, which has been blessed. All the while, the choir shall sing:

Tone 2

Make us worthy of thy gifts, O Virgin Mother of God, overlooking our transgressions, and give healing unto them who with faith accept thy blessing, O thou who art Immaculate.

Tone 4

Having a fountain of healings, O Holy Selfless Physicians, ye grant healing to all who beseech you, for ye have been accounted worthy of great gifts, from the eternal fountain of our Saviour Christ, for in that your zeal is equal to that of the Apostles, the Lord hath said unto you: Behold, I have given you power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease., therefore having well lived according to his commandments, freely ye have received, freely ye have given, healing the passions of our souls and bodies. 

Glory... Now and for ever...Theotokion

Tone 4

Incline unto the prayers of thy servants O All-blameless one, put an end to the terrible attacks upon us, release us from every affliction, for thee only do we have as our safe and sure anchor, and have attained thy protection. That we may not be put to shame, we beseech thee, O Lady, make haste to the supplications of them that cry to thee in faith, Hail, O Lady, the help of all, the joy and protection, and salvation of our souls.   

 

PRIEST

Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR: Kyrie eleison or Lord have mercy. [3] And after each petition.

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and remission of the sins of the servants of God [the name(s) of those for whom the service was served] or [all those that work in this establishment and all those that enter therein.] or [all the pious Orthodox Christians who dwell or visit this city (town, village, monastery), the parishioners, the Church committee, those who give help and those who have dedicated gifts in this holy temple].

Again we pray for the preservation of this church (or monastery, home or establishment), for this city (village or community), all cities and land, from destruction, pestilence, famine, earthquakes, flood, fire and the sword, from invasion of enemies, civil war and sudden death. We pray also that our good God and lover of mankind will be merciful, compassionate and easily reconciled and will turn away and dispel all wrath and sickness agitated against us and deliver us from His justified and impending admonition and have mercy upon us.

Again we pray that the Lord our God hear the voice of the supplication of us sinners, and have mercy upon us.

Hear us, O God and our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and those far off at sea, and be merciful, yea, be merciful, O Master, upon our sins and have mercy upon us.

For Thou art a merciful God and a lover of mankind, and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

Glory be to Thee, O Christ, our God and our hope, glory be to Thee.

May [He who is risen from the dead] Christ our true God, through the prayers of His most holy Mother, of the holy and glorious Apostles, and of all the saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for He is good and loving-kind.

By the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

CHOIR: Amen.

 

The Priest shall then sprinkle the Sanctuary and all the Church, or if the service was performed at a house or workplace, then he shall sprinkle all the rooms singing the troparion  'Save, O Lord, thy people...'