THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED

The Deacon: Bless, Master.

The Priest aloud:

Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

And the Proœmiac is said of the appointed Monk (See page 3); and after the Proœmiac, the Deacon saith the Eirenika:

In peace let us beseech the Lord.

And the rest of the Great Synapte (See page 17).

The Priest aloud:

For to thee becometh all glory, honour, and adoration, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Then is read the eighteenth Kathisma of the Psalter in three Antiphons; and the Priest saith secretly the Prayers of the Antiphons.

Prayer of the First Antiphon.

O Lord, compassionate and merciful, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy, give ear unto our prayer, and attend unto the voice of our entreaty: work with us a sign for good; guide us in thy way, that we may walk in thy truth; make glad our hearts, that we may fear thy holy Name; for thou art great, and doest wonders. Thou art God alone, and there is none among the gods like unto thee, O Lord; mighty in mercy, and excellent in strength, to aid, and comfort, and save all that hope in thy holy Name.

First Antiphon.

Unto the Lord cried I in my trouble (Pss. 119–123).

After, Glory … Both now … the Deacon saith:

Again, and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord.

And the rest of the Little Synapte (See page 21).

The Priest aloud:

For thine is the might, and 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 the ages of the ages.

The Chor: Amen.

Prayer of the Second Antiphon.

O Lord, rebuke us not in thine indignation, nor chastise us in thy wrath; but deal with us according to thy clemency, thou physician and healer of our souls, guiding us unto the haven of thy will; enlighten the eyes of our hearts, unto the knowledge of thy truth; and grant us that the remainder of the present day may be peaceful and sinless, also all the time of our life; at the intecessions of the holy Theotokos, and of all thy Saints.

Second Antiphon.

Those that have trusted in the Lord (Pss. 124–128).

After, Glory … Both now … the Deacon saith:

Again, and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord.

And the rest of the Little Synapte (See page 21).

The Priest aloud:

For a good God and lover of man art thou, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Prayer of the Third Antiphon.

O Lord our God, be mindful of us, sinners, and thine unprofitable servants, when we call upon thy holy and adorable Name, and put none of us to shame in our expectation of thy mercy; but grant us, O God, all petitions unto salvation; and deign that we may love, and fear thee with our whole heart, and do in all things thy will.

Third Antiphon.

Out of the depths have I cried to thee (Pss. 129–133).

After, Glory … Both now … the Deacon saith:

Again, and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord.

And the rest of the Little Synapte (See page 21).

The Priest aloud:

For thou art our God, a God of mercy and salvation, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Then is sung, O Lord, I have cried (See page 23); and the Deacon censeth (first the Prothesis-Table, where the holy Bread is, and then the holy Table, and the whole Sanctuary, and the Nave).

Now there are divided off ten Stichoi, and there are sung the Idiomelon of the day, twice, the Martyrikon, once, the three Prosomoia of the Triodion, and the three of the Menaion, in four: Glory … Both now … Theotokion (or Stavro-theotokion).

And there is made the Entrance with the Censer (or on Feasts with the Gospel).

And the Deacon having said in a low voice, Let us beseech the Lord, there is secretly said of the Priest the Prayer of the Entrance.

At evening, and morning, and noon-day (See page 29).

Then, at the request of the Deacon, he blesseth the Entrance.

And when the Choir have said the last Troparion the Deacon saith aloud:

Wisdom! upright!

O gladsome light (See page 31).

And the Deacon having said, The evening Prokeimenon, the Reader saith the Prokeimenon: and then:

The Lesson out of Genesis.

The Deacon: Wisdom! Let us attend.

The Reader saith the ‘Genesis’ of the day.

Then the second Prokeimenon.

And after this, the Deacon (or the Reader) saith aloud:

Command ye.

And the Priest holding the lamp, together with the Censer, in his right hand, and with them signing before the holy Table, in the form of a Cross saith aloud:

Wisdom! upright!

Then looking toward the holy Prothesis-Table:

The light of Christ:

And finally turning toward the people:

Shineth to all.

And the Reader:

The Lesson out of Proverbs.

The Deacon: Wisdom! Let us attend.

The Reader saith the ‘Proverb’ of the day:

And at the conclusion, the Priest saith:

Peace to thee.

The Deacon: Wisdom!

And there is sung. Let my prayer be directed, as followeth:—first of the Priest, as he censeth the holy Table in the front: then, as he censeth it all round and saith the Stichoi, four times of the Choirs; and lastly of the Priest as far as, as incense before thee, as he censeth the people from the holy Doors, the rest being finished by the Choirs.

Let my prayer be directed, as incense before thee; the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

i. Stichos. O Lord, I have cried unto thee, hearken to me; attend to the voice of mine entreaty, when I cry unto thee.

ii. Stichos. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door of enclosure about my lips.

iii. Stichos. O incline not my heart unto words of wickedness, to contrive excuses for sins.

And after this (unless it be a feast day, and there be read an Apostle and Gospel), straightway the Deacon saith:

Let us say with our whole soul.…

O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers.…

Have mercy on us, O God, according …

Prayer of the earnest supplication, which the Priest saith secretly.

O Lord, our God, accept this …

The Deacon saith the rest of the Ektenê (See page 267).

Exclamation by the Priest.

For a merciful God and lover of man art thou, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Deacon:

Pray to the Lord, ye Catechumens.

And the other biddings for the Catechumens (See page 269).

Prayer for the Catechumens, which the Priest saith secretly.

O God our God, the creator and maker of all things, who wouldest all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth: look upon thy servants the Catechumens, and redeem them from their ancient error, and from the wiles of the adversary; and call them unto life eternal, illuminating their souls and bodies, and numbering them together with thy rational flock, upon which thy, holy Name is called.

Exclamation.

That they also together with us may glorify thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Deacon:

As many as are Catechumens, go forth: ye Catechumens, go forth.

As many as are Catechumens, go forth: let there be none of the Catechumens.

As many as are Faithful.

Thus much only is said to the Third-day of the fourth Week of the Fasts. But from the Fourth-day of the Mid-fast, after the Priest hath said, That they also, the biddings of the Deacon for the Catechumens are said with addition thus:

As many as are Catechumens, go forth: ye Catechumens, go forth.

As many as are ready for Illumination, go forth (more correctly perhaps come forward): pray ye that are ready for Illumination: let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Ye Faithful,—for the brethren that are preparing for the holy Illumination, and their salvation, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That the Lord our God would stablish them, and strengthen them, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That he would illuminate them with the illumination of knowledge and piety, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That he would vouchsafe them, in due season, the laver of regeneration, the remission of sins, and the garment of incorruption, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That he would beget them again through water and the Spirit, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That he would bestow on them the perfection of the Faith, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That he would number them together with his holy and elect flock, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Save them, have mercy on them, succour them, and keep them, O God, by thy grace.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Ye that are ready for Illumination, bow down your heads to the Lord.

The Choir: To thee, O Lord.

Prayer for those that are preparing for the holy Illumination, which the Priest saith secretly.

Cause, O Master, thy face to shine upon those that are preparing for the holy Illumination, and longing to shake off the defilement of sin: enlighten their understanding; comfirm them in the Faith; stablish them in hope; perfect them in love; make them honourable members of thy Christ, who gave himself a ransom for our souls.

Exclamation.

For thou art our illumination, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Deacon:

As many as are ready for Illumination, go forth: ye that are ready for Illumination, go forth.

As many as are Catechumens, go forth: let there be none of the Catechumens.

As many as are Faithful.

Thus far what is said from the Fourth-day of the Mid-fast.

Again, and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

First Prayer of the Faithful, which the Priest saith secretly.

O God who art great and to be praised, who, by the life-giving death of thy Christ, hast translated us out of corruption into incorruption; do thou deliver all our senses from the death of passion, having set over them, as a good governour, the reason that is within us; and let the eye be pure from every evil look, and the ear be inaccessible to all idle words, and the tongue be clear from all unseemly sayings. Purify our lips, which praise thee, O Lord; make our hands to abstain from evil deeds, and to work only such things as are pleasing to thee, preserving all our members, and our understanding by thy grace.

The Deacon:

Succour us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

The Deacon: Wisdom!

Exclamation by the Priest.

For to thee becometh all glory, honour, and adoration, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Deacon:

Again, and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Second Prayer of the Faithful, which the Priest saith secretly.

O holy Master, exceedingly good, we implore thee, who art rich in mercy, to be propitious to us, sinners, and to make us worthy of the reception of thine Only-begotten Son, and our God, the King of glory. For, behold, his undefiled Body, and live-giving Blood, at the present hour entering, are about to be set forth on this mystic Table, by a multitude of the heavenly Army being escorted; of which grant us an uncondemned participation; that, through them the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, we may become children of the light and of the day.

The Deacon:

Succour us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

The Deacon: Wisdom!

Exclamation by the Priest.

According to the gift of thy Christ, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine All-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Then is sung of the Choir the following to the 4th plagal Tone.

Now the Powers of the heavens with us do invisibly minister: for, behold, there entereth the King of Glory. (Here is the Entrance.) Behold, the mystic accomplished Sacrifice is escorted: with faith and longing let us draw near, that we may become partakers of life eternal. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

And there is made the Entrance of the Mysteries. In which the Priest having the Aer on both shoulders, carrieth the Presanctified Gifts upon his head, held by the left hand, in fear and silence, bearing withal the holy Chalice in his right, the Deacon preceding with a lamp, and censing gently. And the People falling down in reverence, adore, and remain bending until the Priest hath entered the holy Bema.

And after the Entrance, the Deacon saith:

Let us complete our evening entreaty to the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

For the precious Gifts that have been set forth and presanctified, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That our God the lover of man, who accepteth them at his holy, and heavenly, and intellectual Altar, for an odour of a spiritual sweet smell, would in return send down on us the divine grace, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us beseech.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, peril, and necessity, let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

The Priest prayeth secretly:

O God of ineffable and invisible Mysteries, with whom are the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who hast revealed to us the service of this Ministry, and hast, of thy great love to man, appointed us, sinners, to offer to thee both gifts and sacrifices for our own sins, and for the errors of the people: do thyself, O invisible King, who doest things great and unsearchable, glorious and marvellous, of which there is no number, look upon us, thine unworthy servants, who are standing at this holy Altar, as at thy Cherubic throne, on which thine Only-begotten Son, and our God is resting, through the terrible Mysteries which are laid out; and, having freed ‘us and thy faithful people from all uncleanness, sanctify the souls and bodies of us all with a sanctification which cannot be taken away; that with a clear conscience, unashamed face, and illuminated heart, partaking of these divine hallowed things, and by them being made alive, we may be united to thy Christ himself, our true God, who hath said:—He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, abideth in me, and I in him; that thy Word, O Lord, dwelling in us, and walking in us, we may become the temple of thine All-holy and adorable Spirit, having been redeemed from all the wiles of the devil, wrought either in deed, or in word, or by thought; and may obtain the good things which are promised us, with all thy Saints that have ever pleased thee.

The Deacon:

Succour us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

An Angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

Forgiveness and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

What is good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

That the remaining time of our life may be spent in peace and penitence, let us ask of the Lord.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

A Christian end to our life, painless, without shame, peaceful, and a good defence at the fearful Tribunal of Christ, let us ask.

The Choir: Grant, O Lord.

For the unity of the Faith, and the communion of the Holy Spirit making request, ourselves and one another, and all our life, let us commend to Christ the God.

The Choir: To thee, O Lord.

The Priest aloud:

And deign, O Master, that we may with boldness, without condemnation, dare to call upon thee, the heavenly God, as Father, and to say:

The People:

Our Father that art in the heavens (See page 315).

The 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 the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Priest: Peace to all.

The Choir: And to thy spirit.

The Deacon: Let us bow down our heads to the Lord.

The Choir: To thee, O Lord.

And the Priest prayeth secretly:

O God, who only art good and tender hearted, who dwellest on high, and regardest the lowly; look with thy tender countenance upon all thy people, and keep them; and deign that we may all without condemnation partake of thy life-giving Mysteries: for to thee have we bowed down our heads, expecting the rich mercy that is from thee.

Aloud:

Through the grace, and compassions, and love toward man, of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine All-holy and good and live-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Priest prayeth secretly:

Attend, O Lord Jesu Christ (See page 317).

And after the Prayer, both the Priest and the Deacon adore thrice, saying:

O God, be gracious to me a sinner.

And the Priest, while the divine Gifts are yet covered, putting forth his hand, toucheth the life-giving Bread with reverence, and much fear; and the Deacon having said, Let us attend, he saith aloud:

The presanctified Holy Things are for the holy.

The Choir: One Holy, one Lord, Jesus Christ, unto the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Then is sung the Koinonikon, to the 1st Tone.

Taste ye, and see, that the Lord is bounteous: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Now the Priest uncovering the Presanctified Things, breaketh the holy Bread, and completeth the participation of the divine Gifts.

And the participation being ended, and the holy Remains wiped into the holy Chalice, the Priest prayeth secretly:

We give thanks to thee, O God, the Saviour of all, for all the good things which thou hast granted us, and for the participation of the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ; and we beseech thee, O Master, lover of man:—Keep us under the shelter of thy wings; and grant us until our last breath, worthily to partake of thy hallowed things, unto illumination of soul and body, unto inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven.

The Deacon:

With fear of God, faith, and love, approach ye.

The Choir: Amen. Amen.

Then: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us.

The Priest:

Save thy people, O God, and bless thine inheritance.

And there is sung to the 2nd Tone.

I will bless the Lord at every season, continually shall his praise be in my mouth. Of the heavenly Bread, and of the Chalice of life, taste ye, and see, that the Lord is bounteous: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Priest secretly:

Blessed is our God.

Then aloud:

Always: now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Then the following Troparion.

Filled be our mouth (See page 331).

The Deacon:

Upright! having partaken of the divine, holy, undefiled, immortal, heavenly, life-giving, terrible Mysteries of Christ, let us worthily give thanks to the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Succour us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless making request, ourselves and one another, and all our life, let us commend to Christ the God.

The Choir: To thee, O Lord.

The Priest aloud:

For thou art our sanctification, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

The Priest: In peace let us go forth.

The Choir: In the Name of the Lord.

The Deacon: Let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Prayer behind the Ambon said aloud by the Priest.

O Master, Almighty, who hast made the whole creation in wisdom; who, by thine ineffable providence, and great goodness, hast brought us unto these all-venerable days, for purification of our souls and bodies, for restraining of the passions, for hope of the resurrection; who, during the space of forty days didst give into the hand of thy servant Moses tables, even letters formed of God; grant unto us also, O Good One, to fight the good fight, to accomplish the course of the Fast, to keep the Faith inviolate, to crush the heads of the invisible dragons, to be accounted conquerors of sin, and without condemnation to attain to adore the holy Resurrection. For blessed and glorified is thine all-honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages.

The Choir: Amen.

Then: Be the Name of the Lord blessed, from henceforth, and for ever. Thrice.

Prayer at the gathering up of the Holy Things, which the Priest saith secretly.

O Lord our God, who hast brought us unto these all-venerable days, and hast made us communicants of thy terrible Mysteries, unite us to thy rational flock, and make us inheritors of thy Kingdom, now, and ever, and unto the ages of the ages. Amen.

The Deacon: Let us beseech the Lord.

The Choir: Lord, have mercy.

The Priest: The blessing of the Lord (See Page 59).

The Choir: Amen.

And Dismission is made, as usual (See page 47); and after this, there is said the Psalm:

I will bless the Lord (See page 69).

And:

I will extol thee, O my God (See page 73).

And the Priest going out of the holy Bema, and standing in the accustomed place, giveth the Antidoron; and at the end saith:

Through the prayers (See page 47).