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I. THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

AS HELD ON THE EVE OF A FESTIVAL WHEN THE GREAT VESPERS AND THE GREAT MATINS ARE CONJOINED.

THE GREAT VESPERS.

When the time for the Service is come the Warden lighteth the lamps and tapers, and the Priest and Deacon put on their vestments. And the Priest taketh the censer, and, accompanied by the Deacon bearing a lighted taper, he censeth the Altar.

And the Deacon beginneth,

RISE ! Master, give the blessing.

The Priest saith,

GLORY to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

And the Choir answereth, Amen.

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Then saith the Priest,

O COME, let us worship God our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ God, our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our God and King.

And then he censeth the whole Church and the Congregation. And the Choir singeth the Prefatory Psalm, namely, Psalm 103 (104.), which is usually abbreviated as followeth,

LESS the Lord, O my soul: blessed art thou, O Lord.

O Lord my God, thou art very great: blessed art thou, O Lord.

Thou art clothed with honour and majesty: blessed art thou, O Lord.

Above the hills the waters stand: marvellous are thy works, O Lord.

Between the hills the waters flow: marvellous are thy works, O Lord.

In wisdom hast thou made them all: Creator of all things, glory to thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Creator of all things, glory to thee

Both now, and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. Creator of all things, glory to thee.

Then followeth the Eclenia of Peace.

Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord.

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Choir. Lord, have mercy. And so after the succeeding petitions.

Deacon. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord

For the peace of the whole world, the good estate of the holy Churches of God. and for the union of them all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy Church, and for them that with faith, piety and fear of God enter into it, let us pray to the Lord.

For the most holy governing Synod (or, For our Metropolitan N., as so subject), for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the laity, let us pray to the Lord.

Here follow petitions for the Sovereign and the other members of the Reigning House, mentioning them by name.

To aid them in battle and to put down under their feet every enemy and adversary, let us pray to the Lord.

For this city (or, if it is a Monastery, For this holy Habitation), for every city and country, and for the faithful dwelling in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For healthiness of weather, plentifulness of the fruits of the earth and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

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For them that are at sea, for travellers, for the siek, for them that are in bonds and captivity, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, passion and want, let us pray to the Lord.

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

Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed glorious Lady, the God-bearing ever-virgin Mary, together with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation.

Priest. For to thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Then is sung the First Antiphon of the Psalter on this wise:

LESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.

The way of the ungodly shall perish.

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before him with trembling.

Blessed are they that put their trust in him.

Arise, O Lord: save me, O my God.

Thy blessing is upon thy people.

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Glory. Both now.

And after every verse, Alleluia, thrice. Then, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to thee, O God, thrice.

Then followeth the Little Ectenia.

Deacon. Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

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

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Deacon. Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed glorious Lady, the God-bearing ever-virgin Mary, together with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation.

Priest. For thine is the strength and thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And singeth the Lord, I have cried in the proper Tone.

LORD, I HAVE CRIED.

ORD, I have cried unto thee, hear me.

Hear me, O Lord.

Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear

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me: attend to the voice of my prayer when I cry unto thee.

Hear me, O Lord.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Hear me, O Lord.

The ensuing verses are usually read.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door of defence about my lips.

Incline not my heart to evil words to make excuses for sins.

With men that work transgression, and I will not unite with their chosen ones.

The righteous shall chasten me in mercy and reprove me, but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

For my prayer also is still by their goodwill: their judges have been swallowed up in stony places.

They shall hear my words, for they have been strong: as a clod of earth is crushed upon the earth, their bones have been scattered beside hades.

For mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord: O Lord, in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul.

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the traps of the wicked doers.

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Sinners shall fall into their own net together: I am as one alone until I pass away.

I have cried unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord did I make my prayer.

I will pour out my prayer before him, I will declare before him mine affliction.

When my spirit went forth from me, then thou knewest my paths.

In the way wherein I walked they hid a snare for me.

I looked on my right hand and beheld, and there was none that knew me.

Refuge failed me, and there was no one caring for my soul.

I have cried unto thee, O Lord: I have said, Thou art my trust, my portion in the land of the living.

Attend unto my prayer, for I am brought low exceedingly.

Deliver me from them that persecute me, for they are stronger than I.

Here beginneth the singing of the Stichera, if there are 10 appointed.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy name.

The righteous wait for me until thou reward me.

Here, if 8.

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee O Lord, O Lord, hear my voice.

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O let thine ears be attentive unto the voice of my prayer.

Here, if 6.

If thou, O Lord, shouldest mark transgression, O Lord, who should stand? But with thee there is propitiation.

For thy name's sake have I waited for thee, O Lord: my soul hath waited for thy word, my soul hath trusted in the Lord.

Here, if 4.

From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel trust in the Lord.

For with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteons redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions.

Praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise him, all ye peoples.

For his mercy is confirmed upon us, and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

Glory. Both now.

When the singing of the Stichera is ended the Deacon saith with a loud voice,

Wisdom! Stand up!

And the Introit is made. And the Choir singeth the Evening Hymn to the Son of God.

RANQUIL Light of holy glory of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed, O Jesus Christ! We, having reached

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the setting sun, seeing the evening light, sing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. Worthy art thou at all times to be sung with reverent voices, Son of God, Life-giver. Wherefore the world doth glorify thee.

This being ended, the Deacon saith, Let us attend. Priest. Peace to all. Choir. And to thy spirit. Deacon. Wisdom! Let us attend. Reader. Prokimenon!

Here followeth the Prokimenon.

On Saturday Evening. "The Lord is king: he hath put on glorious apparel."

Verse. The Lord hath put on might and hath girded himself.

On Sunday Evening. Behold now bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord.

Verse. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

On Monday Evening. The Lord will hear me when I call upon him.

Verse. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness.

On Tuesday Evening. Thy mercy, O Lord, shall follow me all the days of my life.

Verse. The Lord is my shepherd, therefore shall I lack nothing: he shall feed me in a green pasture.

On Wednesday Evening. Save me, O God, for thy name's sake, and avenge me in thy strength.

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Verse. Hear my prayer, O God, hearken unto the words of my mouth.

On Thursday Evening. My help is from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth.

Verse. I have lifted up mine eyes to the hills, whence cometh my help.

On Friday Evening. God is my defence, the God of my mercy shall prevent me.

Verse. Deliver me from mine enemies, O God, defend me from them that rise up against me.

After the Prokimenon are read the Lections from the Old Testament, if any are appointed.

Then followeth the Great Ectenia.

Deacon. Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind let us say,

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Deacon. O Lord almighty, God of our fathers, we pray thee, hear and have mercy.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Deacon. Have mercy on us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hear and have mercy.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice. And so after the succeeding petitions, those immediately following being for the Sovereign and the other members of the Reigning House, mentioning them by name.

Again let us pray for the most holy Governing Synod (If subject to a Metropolitan, Again let us pray for our Metropolitan N.), and for all our brotherhood in Christ.

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Again let us pray for all their Christ-loving army.

Again let us pray for the blessed and ever memorable founders of this holy (Church, or) Habitation, and for all our right-believing fathers and brethren that have fallen asleep before us (that rest here and in every other place).

Again let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness and remission of sins for the servants of God, the brethren of this holy Habitation. (Or, the servants of God here present and praying unto thee).

Again let us pray for them that bring forth fruit and do good works in this holy and all venerable Church, serving and singing in it, and for all the people standing about, expecting from thee great and rich mercy.

Exclamation.

Priest. For a merciful and man-loving God thou art, and we ascribe glory to thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Then is read the following Prayer.

OUCHSAFE, O Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and blessed and hallowed is thy name to ages. Amen. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, like

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as we have put our trust in thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: O teach me thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Master: make me to understand thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Holy One: enlighten me with thy statutes. O Lord, thy mercy endureth for ever: despise not thou the works of thine own hands. To thee is due praise, to thee is due a hymn, to thee is due glory, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

Then the Ectenia of Supplication.

Deacon, Let us accomplish our evening prayer to the Lord. Choir, Lord, have mercy.

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

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Deacon. That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us ask of the Lord. Choir. Vouchsafe, O Lord. And so after the succeeding petitions.

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

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

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

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

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A Christian end to our life, without pain and shame, peaceful, and a good confession before the terrible judgment-seat of Christ let us ask.

Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed glorious Lady, the God-bearing ever-virgin Mary, together with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation.

Priest. For a good and man-loving God thou art, and we ascribe glory to thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Priest. Peace to all. Choir. And to thy spirit.

Deacon. Let us bow our heads to the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation.

Priest. Blessed and glorified be the might of thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And singeth the Stichera according to the day.

Then is read the Prayer of S. Simeon.

ORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, to be a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Then,

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HOLY God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us, thrice.

Glory. Both now.

O MOST Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, cleanse our sins. O Master, forgive our transgressions. Visit us, O Holy One, and heal our infirmities, for thy name's sake. Lord, have mercy, thrice.

Glory. Both now.

UR Father, which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.

Priest. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And continueth,

HAIL! Virgin Mother of God. O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb; for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

Otherwise the proper Troparion of the Day is sung.

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They sing also,

BLESSED be the name of the Lord from henceforth, and to all ages, thrice.

Then is read Psalm 33 (34).

WILL bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Ye came unto him and were enlightened, and your faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his afflictions. The Angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him, and shall deliver them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, all ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The rich do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

Priest. The blessing of the Lord, by his own divine grace and love to man, be upon you always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

And now immediately followeth the Great Matins, the Reader beginning forthwith to read the Six Psalms.

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THE GREAT MATINS.

THE SIX PSALMS.

GLORY to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men, thrice.

0 Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise, twice.

ORD, why are they that afflict me multiplied? many are they that rise up against me. Many one there be that say of my soul, There is no salvation for him in his God. But thou, O Lord, art my defender, my glory and the lifter up of my head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and slept: I rose up again, for the Lord defended me. I will not be afraid for ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God. For thou hast smitten all that without cause are mine enemies, thou hast broken the teeth of sinners. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and thy blessing is upon thy people.

I laid me down and slept: I rose up again, for the Lord defended me.

LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thine anger. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. For there is no

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health in my flesh because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sins. For my transgressions have gone over my head, as a heavy burden they are heavy upon me. My wounds have become noisome and corrupt because of my foolishness. I am wretched and bowed down continually, I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with illusions, and there is no health in my flesh. I have been wrought evil and humbled exceedingly, I have cried bitterly, because of the groaning of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee. My heart is troubled, my strength hath failed me, and the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. My friends and my neighbours drew near and stood against me, and my nearest of kin stood afar off. And they that sought my soul used violence, and they that sought my hurt spake vanities and imagined deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not, and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. And I became as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O Lord, have I trusted, thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God. For I said, Lest at any time mine enemies rejoice against me, and when my feet slipped they spake great things

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against me. For I am ready for scourges, and my grief is continually before me. For I will confess my transgression, and be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies live and are mightier than I, and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They that render me evil for good slandered me, because I followed goodness. Forsake me not, O Lord, my God, be not thou far from me. Attend unto my help, O Lord of my salvation.

Forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me. Attend unto my help, O Lord of my salvation.

GOD, my God, for thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted, for thee my flesh how simply, in a barren, untrodden and waterless land. Thus in the sanctuary have I appeared before thee, to see thy power and thy glory. For thy mercy is better than life: my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live, and in thy name will I lift up my hands. Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Forasmuch as I have remembered thee upon my bed, and meditated on thee in the morning, because thou hast been my helper; and under the covert of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hath cleaved unto

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thee, and thy right hand hath upholden me. But they that vainly sought after my soul, they shall go into the lowest parts of the earth. They shall be delivered up to the hand of the sword, they shall be portions for foxes. But the king shall rejoice in God: every one that sweareth by him shall be commended, for the mouth of them that speak unjustly shall be stopped.

I have meditated on thee in the morning, because thou hast been my helper, and under the covert of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hath cleaved unto thee, and thy right hand hath upholden me.

Glory. Both now. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to thee, O God, thrice. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Glory. Both now.

LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee. O let my prayer come in before thee, incline thine ear to my petition. For my soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh to hades. I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am as a man without help, free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut away from thy hand. They laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness and in the shadow of death. Thy

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wrath hath pressed heavily upon me, and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me. Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, they have made me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up and came not forth, mine eyes were dimmed through poverty. I cried unto thee, O Lord, all the day long, I stretched forth my hands unto thee. Wilt thou work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise them up, and they confess thee? Shall any one declare thy mercy in the grave, and thy truth in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the darkness, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee. Wherefore, O Lord, dost thou reject my soul, and turn away thy face from me? I am poor and in troubles from my youth up, and having been exalted, I have been brought low and into despair. Thine anger hath passed over me, and thy terrors have disquieted me. They came round about me like water, all the day they beset me together. Friend and neighbour hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance from my misery.

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee. Let my prayer come in before thee, incline thine ear to my petition.

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LESS the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thy transgressions, who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from corruption, who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. Who satisfieth thy desire with good things, so that thy youth is renewed as an eagle's. The Lord executeth mercy and judgment for all that suffer wrong. He made known his ways unto Moses, his will unto the children of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, longsuffering and of many mercies. He will not always be angry, neither will he be wrathful for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our transgressions, nor rewarded us according to our sins. For according to the height of heaven above the earth, so hath the Lord confirmed his mercy upon them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. As a father hath compassion upon his sons, so hath the Lord compassion upon them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are but dust. As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field so shall he flourish. For the spirit passeth through in him, and he is not, and

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shall know his place no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from ages and unto ages upon them that fear him. And his righteousness upon sons' sons, to them that keep his testament, and remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, all ye his Angels, mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his orders. Bless the Lord, all ye his Hosts, ye Ministers of his that do his will. Bless the Lord, all ye his works, in every place of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

In every place of his dominion, bless the Lord, O my soul.

LORD, hear my prayer, give ear unto my supplication in thy truth, hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall none living 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 dark places as them that have been long dead, and my spirit is vexed within me, my heart within me is desolute. I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy doings, I muse on the works of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee, my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land Hear me, O Lord,

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and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint. Hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. O let me hear thy mercy betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust. Make known unto me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk, for I have lifted up my soul unto thee, Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for I fly unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness: thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake. In thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction, and in thy mercy thou shalt cut off mine enemies, and shalt destroy all them that afflict my soul, for I am thy servant.

Hear me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, and enter not into judgment with thy servant, twice. Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness.

Glory. Both now.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to thee, O God, thrice.

Then followeth the Ectenia of Peace, as in the Vespers. Vide page 2.

Then saith the Reader,

THE Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

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The Choir repeateth the same, likewise also after every one of the following verses.

Verse. O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.

Verse. They compassed me about, yea, they compassed me about, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.

Verse. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

Verse. The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Then are sung the Troparia proper to the day. And, Lord, have mercy, thrice. Glory.

Reader. Both now. And beginneth to read the Kathisms of the Psalter.

After the Kathisms, the Little Ectenia, with the Exclamation, For thou art a good and man-loving God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen. And singeth the Many mercies, that is, Psalms 134 (135) and 135 (136), usually on this wise:

RAISE ye the name of the Lord, alleluia. Praise him, all ye servants of the Lord, alleluia. Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth in Jerusalem, alleluia.

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O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is good, alleluia, alleluia: because his mercy endureth for ever, alleluia.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven, alleluia, alleluia: because his mercy endureth for ever, alleluia.

And on the Sundays of Meat Fare and of Cheese Fare they add the following verses from Psalm 136 (137).

Y the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Sion, alleluia.

Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children and dasheth them against the stones, alleluia.

Here on Festivals of the Lord, or of the Mother of God, or of the Saints, is sung the Magnifying with the appointed verses.

But on Sundays they sing the following Troparia in Tone 5.

Refrain. Blessed art thou, O Lord: O teach me thy statutes.

HE assembly of Angels were amazed seeing thee numbered among the dead, thee, O Saviour, that didst destroy the might of death, that didst raise Adam together with thyself, and deliver us all from hades. Why, O ye disciples, do ye mingle the myrrh with pitying tears? said the radiant Angel at the grave to the myrrh-bearing

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women. Behold ye the grave, and be glad, for the Saviour is risen from the tomb.

Very early in the morning the myrrh-bearing women came to thy tomb lamenting, but the Angel stood before them and said, The time of wailing is past, weep not, but go and tell the Resurrection to the Apostles.

The myrrh-bearing women, coming with myrrh to thy tomb, O Saviour, wept, but an Angel spake unto them and said, Why think ye that the Living is among the dead? For, as God, he is risen from the tomb. Glory.

Let us worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Holy Trinity in One Substance, crying with the Seraphim, Holy, holy, holy art thou, O Lord. Both now.

Thou, O Virgin, didst bring forth the Giver of life, hast delivered Adam from sin, and given joy to Eve instead of sorrow; for he that was incarnate from thee, being God and man, hath restored to life them that had fallen from it.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to thee, O God, thrice.

After the Magnifying, or the foregoing Troparia, followeth the Little Ectenia, with the Exclamation, For blessed is thy name and glorified is thy kingdom, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages

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of ages. Choir. Amen. And singeth the Gradual. That for Festivals is,

ROM my youth up many passions have afflicted me, but thou, my Saviour, thyself deliver me and save me.

They that hate Sion shall be confounded by the Lord, like grass by fire so shall they be withered.

Glory. Both now.

Every soul is quickened by the Holy Ghost, and by his purity is elevated, and is mystically enlightened by the Trinal Unity.

Then saith the Deacon, Let us attend. Wisdom!

Reader. Prokimenon. And readeth the appointed verse from one of the Psalms.

And the Choir repeateth the same thrice.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Priest. For holy art thou, our God, and thou restest in the holy places, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

The Choir repeateth the same.

Deacon. O praise God in his holy places, praise him in the firmament of his power.

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Choir. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Deacon. Let every thing that hath breath.

Choir. Praise the Lord.

Deacon. And let us pray to the Lord God that he would make us worthy to hear the holy Gospel.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice.

Deacon. Wisdom! Stand up! Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Priest. Peace to all.

Choir. And to thy spirit.

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

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

The Priest readeth the Gospel.

At its conclusion the Choir again singeth,

Glory to thee, Lord, glory to thee.

Here the order of the Service is somewhat varied according to the day.

A. On Sundays after the Glory to thee, Lord, glory to thee, they sing,

AVING seen the Resurrection of Christ, we adore the holy Lord Jesus, who alone is without sin. Thy Cross, O Master, we worship, and sing and glorify thy holy Resurrection; for thou art our God, we know none other beside thee, we call upon thy name. O come, all ye faithful, let us

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adore Christ's holy Resurrection; for, by the Cross great joy is come into all the world. Therefore, ever blessing the Lord, we sing his Resurrection; for, enduring crucifixion, death by death he overthrew.

Then is read Psalm 50 (51).

AVE mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of thy compassions, cleanse my transgression. Wash me throughly from my transgression, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgression, and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in thy words and mightest overcome when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in transgressions, and in sins did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou hast loved truth, thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness, and the bones which thou hast broken shall rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins, and cleanse all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

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Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and stablish me with thy free Spirit. I will teach thy ways unto transgressors, and the wicked shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would have given it, but thou delightest not in burnt offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. Be gracious, O Lord, in thy good pleasure unto Sion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be well pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the oblations and holocausts. Then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

After this the Choir singeth, Glory.

Through the prayers of the Apostles, O Merciful One, cleanse the multitude of our transgressions.

Both now.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Merciful One, cleanse the multitude of our transgressions.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy

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great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies cleanse mine offences.

Jesus hath risen from the grave, as he foretold, granting us eternal life and great mercy.

B.On the Festivals of the Lord, after the Gospel and the Glory to thee, Lord . . . Psalm 50 (51) is read, and the Choir singeth, Glory, and the Verse for the Festival, for example, All things to-day are filled with joy, Christ is born of the Virgin, or, is baptized in Jordan, according to the day. Both now. And repeateth the Verse, All things to-day .... continuing, Have mercy upon me, 0 God, after .... and the appointed Sticheron or Hypacoë of the Festival.

C. On the Festivals of the Mother of God, or of the Saints, after Psalm 50 (51), Glory. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, (or, of thy Martyr, or, of thy Saint, N.) , O Merciful One, cleanse the multitude of our transgressions. Both now. And repeateth the Verse, continuing, Have mercy upon . . . and the appointed Sticheron or Hypacoë.

D. On the Sunday of the Publican, and thence until the Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast, after the Hymn, Having seen the Resurrection .... and the reading of Psalm 50 (51), they sing,

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Glory. Open thou, O Life-giver, the gates of repentance to me, for my soul longeth for thy holy temple, though its own bodily temple is wholly defiled, but thou, in thy bounty, cleanse it according to thy loving-kindness.

Both now.

O Mother of God, lead me into the path of salvation, for I have hardened my soul by shameful sins, and I have spent all my life in sloth. Save me then by thy prayers from all impurity.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies cleanse mine offences.

When I, accursed, meditate on the number of evils I have wrought, I tremble for the terrible day of judgement. Still, trusting in the mercy of thy loving-kindness, I cry to thee as David, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

And now the Deacon saith the following Prayer.

GOD, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, visit the world with thy mercy and bounties, exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians, and send down upon us thy rich mercies, through the prayers of our most holy Lady, the God-bearing

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ever-virgin Mary, through the might of the honourable and life-giving Cross, through the intercessions of the honourable, immaterial, heavenly Hosts, of the honourable glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, of the glorious and all-praised Apostles, of our Fathers among the Saints, great Hierarchs and ecumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Divine and John Chrysostom, of our Father among the Saints, Nicolas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker, of the Russian Wonderworkers, Peter, Alexis, Jonas, and Philip, of the glorious and victorious Martyrs, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, of the holy and righteous Progenitors of God, Joakim and Anna, and of all the Saints, we beseech thee, O most merciful Lord, hearken unto us sinners praying unto thee, and have mercy upon us.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, twelve times.

Priest. Through the mercy, and bounties, and loving-kindness of thine only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And beginneth to sing the Canon. *

*) CANON: — An ecclesiastical composition, commemorative of the occasion, based upon the Nine

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After the Third Ode of this occurreth the Little Ectenia, with the Exclamation, For thou art our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And singeth the Kathisma, or the Hypacoë.

After the Sixth Ode, the Little Ectenia, with the Exclamation, For thou art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And singeth the Condakion and the Icos.

At the close of the Eighth Ode, the Reader exclaimeth, Let us bless the Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And we answer, Let us praise, let us bless, let us

_________________________________________

¹

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worship the Lord, singing unto him and setting him up for ever. And we sing the Katavasia, that is, the Irmos of the Eighth Ode.

Then saith the Deacon with a loud voice,

Let us magnify in hymns the Mother of God and the Mother of Light.

And the Choir singeth,

Y soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name, and his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

He hath shewed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and he hath exalted the lowly: he hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He, remembering his mercy, hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

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And after every verse is added,

THE more honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who didst bear without corruption God the Word, thee, verily the Mother of God, we magnify.

And they sing the Ninth Ode.

Then the Little Ectenia, with the Exclamation, For all the Hosts of heaven praise thee, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Holy is the Lord our God.

The Choir repeateth the same.

Deacon. For holy is the Lord our God.

Choir. Holy is the Lord our God.

Deacon. Above all nations is our God.

Choir. Holy is the Lord our God.

And singeth the Exapostilarion of the Festival.

Then they sing the Psalms of Praise, namely, Psalms 148, 149 and 150.

ET every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest.

To thee is due a hymn, O God.

Praise him, all ye his Angels: praise him, all ye his Hosts.

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To thee is due a hymn, O God.

The ensuing verses are usually read.

Praise him, O sun and moon, praise him, all ye stars and light.

Praise him, ye heaven of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he spake and they were made, he commanded and they were created.

He hath founded them to ages, and to ages of ages: he hath made a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps.

Fire, hail, snow and ice, stormy winds that fulfil his word.

Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars.

Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and feathered fowls.

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth.

Young men and maidens, let the old with the young praise the name of the Lord, for his name only is exalted.

His confession is above earth and heaven, and he shall exalt the horn of his people.

A hymn to all his saints, to the children of Israel, a people that draw nigh to him.

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O sing unto the Lord a new song: his praise is in the Church of his saints.

Let Israel rejoice in him that made him, and let the children of Sion he joyful in their King.

Let them praise his name in the choir, let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and psaltery.

For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, and will exalt the meek unto salvation.

The saints shalt exult in glory, and shall rejoice upon their beds.

The high praises of God shall be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands;

To execute vengeance upon the nations, and chastisement upon the peoples;

To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with links of iron:

To do unto them the judgment written, This glory shall be for all his saints.

Here beginneth the singing of the Stichera.

O praise God in his saints, praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts, praise him according to the greatness of his majesty.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, praise him with psaltery and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and choir, praise him with stringed instruments and organ.

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Praise him with well-tuned cymbals, praise him with loud cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Glory. Both now.

And the following Verse to the Virgin.

MOST blessed art thou, Virgin Mother of God, for by him that was incarnate of thee hades hath been led captive, Adam hath been recalled, the curse hath been made void, Eve hath been set free, death hath died and we have been made alive. Wherefore praising thee we cry, Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who so willed it, glory to thee.

This Verse is sung on Sundays only. On other days they sing the proper appointed Verse.

Then saith the Priest, Glory to thee who hast shewed light unto us.

And the Choir singeth the Great Doxology.

LORY to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men. We hymn thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord, King of heaven, God the Father almighty, O Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ, and O Holy Ghost. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that

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takest away the sins of the world, accept our prayer. Thou that sittest on the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy, thou only art Lord, O Jesu Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Every day will I bless thee, and praise thy name to ages, and to ages of ages.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is thy name to ages. Amen.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, like as we do put our trust in thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord, O teach me thy statutes, thrice.

Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation. I have said, O Lord, have mercy upon me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Lord, I flee unto thee. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. For in thee is the fountain of life, in thy light shall we see light. O continue forth thy loving mercy to them that know thee.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us, thrice.

Glory. Both now.

Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us.

And, in a louder tone,

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Holy God. Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us.

Then the proper Troparion of the Day.

Sunday Troparia. In Tones I, 3, 5 & 7.

TO-DAY is salvation come unto the world. Let us sing unto him that arose from the grave, the Author of our life; for, having vanquished death by death, he hath given victory unto us and many blessings.

But in Tones 2, 4, 6 & 8.

O LORD, thou didst arise from the grave and burst the bonds of hades; thou didst destroy the sentence of death and deliver all from the snares of the enemy; thou didst appear to thine Apostles and send them forth to preach, and, through them, hast granted thy peace to the world, O thou most Merciful One.

Here followeth the Great Ectenia.

Have mercy on us, O God .... Vide page 10.

Then that of Supplication.

Let us accomplish our morning prayer to .... Vide page 12.

Exclamation.

Priest. For thou art the God of mercies and bounties, and that lovest mankind, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

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Choir. Amen.

Priest. Peace to all.

Choir. And to thy spirit.

Deacon. Let us bow our heads to the Lord. Choir. To thee, O Lord.

Exclamation.

Priest. For it is thine to pity and to save us, O our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Wisdom! Choir. Give the blessing.

Priest. Blessed be Christ our God, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And continueth, Stablish, O God, our pious (Emperor, or King, or Queen, or Prince N .), and the orthodox faith of all Orthodox Christians to ages of ages.

Priest. Save us, O most holy Mother of God.

Choir. The more honourable than the Cherubim ....

Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ, our God, our Hope, glory to thee.

Choir. Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing.

Priest. (He that arose from the dead, or, that ascended with glory into the heavens, and sat down at the right hand of our God and Father, or, that sent down from heaven

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the most Holy Spirit in the likeness of fiery tongues upon his holy Disciples and Apostles, or, that was transfigured in glory on mount Tabor before his holy Disciples and Apostles, or, that was born in a cave and laid in a manger for our salvation, or, that vouchsafed to be circumcised in the flesh on the eighth day for our salvation, or, that vouchsafed to be baptized by John in Jordan for our salvation, or, that vouchsafed to sit on the foal of an ass for our salvation, according io the occassion of the Festival), Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-praised Apostles, of the holy N., whose memory we this day celebrate, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, and save us; for he is good, and the Lover of men.

Choir. Lord have mercy, thrice. And singeth the Many Years for the Reigning House.

Here followeth the First Hour.

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II. THE GREAT VESPERS

AS SAID ON THE EVE OF A FESTIVAL WHEN A VIGIL IS NOT HELD.

At the conclusion of the Ninth Hour the Priest saith,

LESSED be our God, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Reader. Amen. O come, let us worship God, our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ God, our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our God and King.

And the Prefatory Psalm, the Ectenia and the rest follow, as in the Great Vespers at page 2.

After the Troparion of the Day, the Deacon saith, Wisdom! Choir. Give the blessing.

Priest. Blessed be Christ our God ....

As at the conclusion of the Great Matins. Then shall be read the Little Compline.

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III. THE NOCTURNS ON SUNDAYS.

The Priest beginneih, Blessed be our God ....

Reader. Amen. Glory to thee, our God, glory to thee.

HEAVENLY King, O Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, that art every where present and that fillest all things, that art the Treasury of blessings and the Giver of life; come, and make thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every defilement, and save our souls, O Blessed One.

HOLY God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us, thrice.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, both now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

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O MOST Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, cleanse our sins. O Master, forgive our transgressions. Visit us, O Holy One, and heal our infirmities, for thy name's sake.

Lord, have mercy, thrice. Glory. Both now.

UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.

Priest. For thine 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 ages of ages.

Reader. Amen. Lord, have mercy, twelve times. Glory. Both now.

O come, let us worship God, our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ God, our King.

O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our God and King.

Then Psalm 50 (51). Vide page 29.

After this shall be sung the Canon to the Holy Trinity according to the Tone.

At the conclusion of the Canon follow these verses of Gregory of Sinai.

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is very meet to praise the super-divine Trinity, the unbeginning Father and Creator of all things, and the co-unbeginning Word, who was unspeakably begotten of the Father before all time, and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father from eternity.

It is very meet to glorify thee, O God the Word, before whom the Cherubim fear and tremble, and whom the heavenly Hosts glorify. Let us glorify with fear Christ the Life-giver, who rose the third day from the dead.

Let us all, with divine songs becoming unto God, sing the Father, and the Son, and the Divine Spirit, the tri-personal Might, the one Kingdom and Lordship.

Thee that all the earth-born sing and heavenly Powers glorify, by all things art faithfully worshipped, O Unity in essence and tri-personal.

O sovereign Lord of Cherubim and incomparable divine King of Seraphim, O undivided Trinity in Unity, thou divinely ruling Essence, we magnify thee.

I worship the unbeginning Father and God, and the co-unbeginning Word, with the Spirit. The undivided Oneness, the united Essence, the tri-numbered Unity, let us honour with songs.

Let thy radiant splendour illuminate me,

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O my God, tri-personal Maker of all things, and make me the dwelling-place of thine unapproachable glory, thou that art light, and light-bearing, and unchangeable.

Him before whom the Cherubim fear and tremble, and angel Hosts glorify, of the Virgin unspeakably became incarnate, even Christ the Life-giver, whom with fear let us glorify.

Trisagion. O most holy Trinity. Our Father. The Hypacoë of the Tone. Lord, have mercy, forty times. Glory. Both now. The more honourable .... In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and shine the light of his countenance upon us, and have mercy upon us.

Reader. Amen. And saith the following Prayer.

MNIPOTENT and quickening and light-originating holy Trinity, who, by thy goodness alone, hast from nothing produced all creatures visible and invisible, and providest for them and dost keep them, and among other thine unspeakable bounties to mankind dost grant us, even until death, repentance on account of our carnal weakness; leave thou not us to die condemned in our evil deeds, neither to be the scorn of the author of evil, of the envious one,

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of the destroying one. Thou seest, O Bountiful One, on the one hand his snares and enmity against us, and on the other our passions, weakness and forgetfulness. But we pray thee that thy merciful grace may be granted unto us, who offend thee every day and hour by transgressing thy holy and life-giving commandments. And pardon and forgive us all wherein we have sinned during our past life, and until the present hour, in deed and word and intention. And grant that we may finish the remaining time of our life in repentance and contrition, and in obedience to thy holy precepts. If, captivated by pleasure, we have sinned in divers manners, or, deceived by wicked desires, useless and harmful, we have been overcome; if, excited by anger and foolish passion, we have injured our brother; if we have bound ourselves by our tongue in inevitable, injurious and strong snares; if, by any of our senses or by all, willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly, by surprise or habit, we have foolishly transgressed; if, by evil and vain imaginations, we have defiled our conscience, and if in any other manner, by evil chance or custom, we have sinned; do thou pardon and forgive us, O most Compassionate, most Good and most Merciful One, and grant us future watchfulness and strength to do according

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to thy good and acceptable and perfect will. Let nightly and dark evil deeds be changed to shining repentance, and so, walking honestly as in the day, may we, though unworthy, be found clean before thee, O Lover of mankind, and praise and magnify thee for ever. Amen.

Here followeth the Dismissal.

Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ, our God, our Hope, glory to thee.

Reader. Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing.

Priest. Christ our true God, through the prayers of his all-pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-praised Apostles, of Saint N., whose memory we this day celebrate, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and the Lover of men.

Reader. Amen.

Priest. Bless me, holy fathers and brethren, and pardon me, a sinner, wherein I have sinned, in words, deeds, thoughts, and with all my senses.

People. God pardon thee, holy father.

Priest. Let us pray for our God-fearing and God-protected Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N.

Choir. Lord, have mercy. And so after the succeeding petitions.

Priest. For (the most holy Governing Synod and for) our Bishop N.

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For the prosperity and strength of the Christ-loving army.

For our father {the Abbot of the Monastery) N., and for all our brotherhood in Christ.

For them that hate us, and them that love us.

For them that are beneficent and minister unto us.

For them that have bidden us, unworthy ones, to pray for them.

For the deliverance of captives.

For our absent fathers and brethren.

For them that are at sea.

For them that lie in sickness.

Let us also pray for plentifulness of the fruits of the earth.

And for every Orthodox Christian soul.

Let us bless pious kings.

Orthodox bishops.

The founders of this holy Monastery.

Our parents, and teachers, and all our before-departed fathers and brethren, that lie here, and the Orthodox everywhere. And let us say for them, Lord, have mercy.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice.

Priest. Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us.

Choir. Amen.

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IV. THE GREAT MATINS

AS SAID ON A FESTIVAL WHEN A VIGIL IS NOT HELD.

At the conclusion of Nocturns the Priest beginneth,

Blessed be our God ....

Reader. Amen. O come, let us worship ... thrice. Psalms 19 (20) and 20 (21). Glory. Both now. Trisagion. O most holy Trinity. Our Father. And the following Troparia.

LORD, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting victory to our God-fearing Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N., over enemies, and preserving thine estate by thy Cross.

Glory.

Thou that wast of thine own will raised on the Cross, bestow thy bounties on the new estate called by thy name, O Christ

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our God. Rejoice in thy strength our Godfearing Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N., granting him victory over his enemies; for he hath thine assistance, a shield of peace, a trophy that cannot be overcome.

Both now.

Refuge terrible in strength, and that cannot be put to confusion, Mother of God, good and all-praised; confirm the estate of the Orthodox. Preserve our God-fearing Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince) N., whom thou hast chosen to rule, and give him the victory from heaven; for thou, the blessed one, didst bring forth God.

Priest. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hear and have mercy.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice. And so after the succeeding petitions.

Priest. Again let us pray for our Godfearing and God-protected Sovereign (Emperor, or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince, according to the country) N.

Again let us pray for (the most holy Governing Synod, or, our Metropolitan, or, Archbishop) our Bishop N.

Again let us pray for all our brotherhood in Christ.

Exclamation.

For a merciful and man-loving God thou art, and we ascribe glory unto thee, Father,

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Son, and Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And continueth,

In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. Glory to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Reader. Amen. And beginneth the Six Psalms, saying,

Glory to God in the highest .... thrice.

O Lord, open thou my lips .... twice.

And the rest of the Great Matins. Vide page 16, et seq.

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V. THE LITTLE DAILY VESPERS.

At the conclusion of the Ninth Hour the Priest saith,

Blessed be our God ....

Reader. Amen. O come, let us worship ....thrice. And Psalm 103 (104).

Then followeth the Ectenia of Peace. Vide page 2. After this the proper Kathism of the Psalter. Then the Lord, I have cried, with the Stichera of the day. These being ended, the Reader saith the Tranquil Light, and the proper Prokimenon is sung. Vide page 9. Then immediately, without Ectenia preceding, the Prayer, Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening ....

Then the Ectenia, Let us accomplish our evening prayer .... Vide page 12.

After this are sung the proper Stichera of the Day. And the Reader then readeth the

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Prayer of S. Simeon, Trisagion, &c. After the Our Father followeth the Troparion of the Day.

Then is said the Great Ectenia, Have mercy upon us, O God .... Vide page 10.

After the Ectenia the Dismissal is given, as at the close of the Great Matins. Vide page 42.

Then is read the following Prayer of Basil the Great.

LESSED art thou, O Lord almighty, who hast lit up the day with the sun's light and brightened the night with shining stars, who hast granted unto us to pass the length of the day and to reach the limits of night. Hearken unto our prayer, and to that of all thy people, and forgive us all our voluntary and involuntary sins. Accept our evening prayers, and send down the riches of thy mercies and bounties upon thine estate. Guard us, as with a wall, by thy holy Angels. Arm us with the armour of righteousness. Preserve us by thy truth. Save us by thy power. Deliver us from all misfortune, and from all malice of the enemy. Grant that this present evening, with the coming night, as well as all the days of our life, may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, and free from temptations

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and imaginings of evil, through the prayers of the holy Mother of God and of all the Saints who from ages have found favour before thee.

 

NOTE I. In the Fasts, and on Days of Remembrance for the Departed, the second part of the Vespers is somewhat varied, thus,

After the Tranquil Light, instead of the Prokimenon the following Verses are substituted.

On Monday. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten, me in thy fury. Alleluia.

Verse 2. And to ages of ages. Alleluia.

On Tuesday and Thursday. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 1. Worship the Lord our God, and adore his footstool, for he is holy. Alleluia.

Verse 2. And to ages of ages. Alleluia.

On Wednesday. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 1. Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words to the end of the world. Alleluia.

Verse 2. And to ages of ages. Alleluia.

On Friday and Saturday Alleluia is never sung.

After the Alleluia, the Reader saith,

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening ....

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Then followeth the Ectenia, Let us accomplish our evening prayer .... Vide page 12.

After this the Stichera, with which the following verses are said.

UNTO thee have I lifted up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of a servant are towards the hand of his master and the eyes of a maidservant are towards the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are towards the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we have been greatly filled with contempt. Our souls have been exceedingly filled with the reproach of the rich and the contempt of the proud.

Then the Prayer of S. Simeon. Trisagion. O most holy Trinity. Our Father. And the following Troparia are sung.

HAIL! Virgin Mother of God, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb; for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

O Baptist of Christ, remember us all, that we may be saved from our iniquity; for to thee hath been given grace to pray for us.

Glory.

Pray for us, ye holy Apostles, aud all ye

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Saints, that we may be saved from danger and sorrow; for in you we have warm advocates before our Saviour.

Both now.

To thy protection we betake ourselves, O Mother of God. Despise not our prayers in our necessities, but save us from dangers, thou all-pure, all-blessed one.

Reader. Lord, have mercy, forty times.

Glory. Both now. The more honourable...

In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. Blessed be Christ our God, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Reader. Amen. O heavenly King, stablish our faithful Sovereign, confirm the faith, quiet the heathen, give peace to the world, place our departed fathers and brethren in the tabernacles of the just, and accept us sorrowers and penitents; for thou art good and the Lover of men.

Then we all bow down lowly to the earth three times, while the Priest prayeth

The Prayer of S Ephrem the Syrian.

ORD and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of indolence, despair, ambition and vain speaking.

Genuflection.

But rather the spirit of chastity, humble-

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mindedness, patience and love do thou grant unto me, thy servant.

Genuflection.

Yea, O Lord King, let me see my own faults, and let me not judge my brother; for thou art blessed to ages of ages. Amen.

Genuflection.

Now all bow, but not so lowly, twelve times, and every time say,

0 God, cleanse me, a sinner.

Then again the entire Prayer,

Lord and Master of my life .... And one lowly Genuflection.

Then followeth, Trisagion. O most holy Trinity. Our Father. Lord, have mercy, twelve times. And the Dismissal as at Nocturns. Vide page 50.

And the Prayer of S. Basil, as at page 56, is read.

NOTE 2. So endeth the Vespers in the ordinary Fasts, but in the Great Quadragesima, after the Our Father and Lord, have mercy, twelve limes, the following Prayer is read,

MOST holy Trinity, that art might in one substance and kingdom undivided, be gracious unto me, a sinner. Confirm and instruct my heart, and take from me all my defilement. Illuminate my thoughts, that I may ever praise, sing and

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worship, and say, One holy, one Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

BLESSED be the name of the Lord, from henceforth and to all ages, thrice. Glory. Both now.

Then Psalms 33 (34) and 144 (145). And in conclusion.

t is very meet to bless thee, the holy Virgin, the ever blessed, the entirely spotless, and Mother of our God. The more honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who didst bear without corruption God the Word, thee, verily the Mother of God, we magnify.

And the Dismissal and the Prayer of S. Basil as before indicated.

And now in the Great Fasts shall be read the Great, but in ordinary times, the Little Compline.

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VI. THE GREAT COMPLINE.

The beginning is as at Nocturns on Sundays. Vide page 45.

In the First Week of the Great Quadragesima, after, O come, let us worship.......thrice. Psalm 50 (51). And immediately shall follow the Great Canon of S. Andrew of Crete.

On other days, after, O come, let us worship..... thrice.

Psalms 4, 6 & 12 (13). Glory. Both now. Alleluia, &c.

Psalms 24 (25), 30 (31) & 90 (91). Glory. Both now. Alleluia, &c.

Then shall be sung antiphonally.

OD is with us. Let the nations know and be discomfited.

For God is with us. These words are repeated after every verse.

Hear ye, even to the ends of the earth.

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Though ye were strong ye were made weak.

And if again ye shall strengthen yourselves, again ye shall be discomfited.

And if ye take counsel and devise it, the Lord shall scatter it.

And the word which ye shall speak, it shall not stand with you.

And we will not be afraid of your terror, neither will we be troubled.

But we will hallow the Lord our God, and he shall be our fear.

And if I trust in him, he will be to my sanctification.

And I will trust in him, and I shall be saved by him.

Behold me, and the children that God hath given me.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.

To us that dwell in a far country and in the shadow of death light is sprung up.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.

And the government shall be upon his shoulder.

And there shall be no end of his peace.

And his name shall be called the Angel of the Great Counsel,

The wonderful Counsellor,

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The mighty God, the Potentate, the Prince of peace,

The Father of the world to come.

God is with us. Let the nations know and be discomfited.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

God is with us. Let the nations know and be discomfited.

Both now, and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

God is with us. Let the nations know and be discomfited.

Likewise the following Troparia.

I HAVE passed through the day and I thank thee, O Lord, and I pray that the evening and the night may be sinless. Grant me this, O Redeemer, and save me.

Glory. I have come through the day and I praise thee, O Master, and I pray that the evening and the night may be void of offence. Grant me this, O Redeemer, and save me.

Both now. I have finished the day and I sing to thee, O Holy One, and I pray that the evening and the night may be guileless. Grant me this, O Redeemer, and save me.

Then they sing,

THE bodiless powers of Cherubim praise thee with loudest songs. The six-winged living Seraphim extol thee with ceaseless

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voices. And all the hosts of Angels sing thrice-holy hymns to thee. For thou, O Father, wast from everlasting, and with thee is thine unbeginning Son, and from thee cometh the living Spirit, and the Oneness of the Trinity is shewn. Most holy Virgin Mother of God, ye witnesses and servants of the Word, ye choirs of Prophets and of Martyrs who have found eternal life, pray earnestly for us, for we are all in need, that evil beset us not, so we may sing the Angels' hymn, O holy, holy, holy, thrice-holy Lord, save us, and have mercy on us. Amen.

And now shall be said the Confession of the Faith.

BELIEVE in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, who was begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were made; Who for us men, and for our salvation, come down from the heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary, and was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And rose again

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the third day according to the Scriptures; And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is together worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the life in the ages to come. Amen.

After the Confession of Faith, these Verses

O MOST holy Lady, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

All ye heavenly hosts of holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us sinners.

Ye holy and glorious Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs, and all ye Saints, pray for us, sinners,

Ye our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, Pastors and Teachers of the world, pray for us sinners.

O thou invincible, incomprehensible and divine might of the honourable and life-giving Cross, forsake us not sinners.

O God, cleanse us sinners.

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O God, cleanse us sinners, and have mercy upon us.

Then, Trisagion. O most holy Trinity. Our Father. And the Troparion of the Festival.

But if not a Festival, the following.

On Monday and Wednesday Evenings.

LIGHTEN mine eyes, O Christ my God, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him.

Glory.

O God, be the defender of my soul, for I walk in the midst of many snares. Deliver me from these and save me, O good Lover of mankind.

Both now.

As we have not daring on account of our many sins, do thou, O Virgin Mother of God, pray him that was born of thee. For thy maternal prayer availeth much to gain the clemency of the Lord. Despise not, O most pure one, the prayers of sinners, for he that vouchsafed to suffer for us is merciful and powerful to save.

But on Tuesday and Thursday Evenings.

LORD, thou knowest the watchfulness of mine invisible enemies, and thou who madest me seest the weakness of my flesh.

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Therefore into thine hands do I commit my spirit. Keep me under the shadow of the wings of thy goodness, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Enlighten the eyes of my mind with thy divine words, and in due time awaken me to praise thee, O good Lover of mankind.

Verse. Look upon me and have mercy upon me, O Lord my God.

How fearful shall thy judgment be, O Lord, when Angels stand around and men be there, when the books be opened and our actions shewn, and our intentions tried. What then shall be my sentence, for I was born in sin? Who shall quench the flame for me? Who shall make my darkness light, if thou, O Lord, the Lover of mankind, do not have mercy on me?

Glory.

Give to me tears, O God, as once thou gavest to the sinful woman, and let me wash thy feet therewith, thy feet that saved me from the path of sin. And let me cleanse my life with penitence, and so bring thee fragrant myrrh. And let me hear thy sacred words, Go thou in peace, thy faith hath made thee whole.

Both now.

O Mother of God, I have an unashamed trust in thee and shall be saved. I have

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thine help, most pure one, and have no fear. I shall chase mine enemies and subdue them, with thy protection for my armour. And asking for thy mighty help I say, Save me, O Lady, by thy prayers, and rouse me from darkly sleep to praise thee, through the might of God the Son, who took his flesh from thee.

Lord, have mercy, forty times. Glory. Both now. The more honourable .... In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us.

Reader. Amen.

Prayer of Basil the Great.

ORD, O Lord, who savest us from every arrow that flieth by day, save us from every danger that lurketh in darkness. Accept the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice. Let us pass through the watches of the night without defilement and without temptation, and deliver us from restlessness and fear of the devil. Let the repentance of our souls and the examination of our intentions in the light of thy terrible and righteous judgment be pleasing before thee. Penetrate our flesh with fear of thee,

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and mortify our earthly members, so that in our sleep we may be enlightened with the vision of thy judgment. Remove far from us every unseemly imagination and every harmful lust. And rouse us at the hour of prayer, strengthened in faith and advanced in thy commandments. Through the satisfaction and goodness of thine only-begotten Son, with whom, and with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, thou art blessed, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

Then forthwith, O come, let us worship.... thrice.

Psalms 50 (51) and 101 (102).

And the Prayer of Manasses, King of Juda.

LORD almighty, God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable; but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for thou art the most high

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Lord, of great compassion, long-suffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness, hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee; and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release; for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee; I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments; I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities. Wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not

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with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness; for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life. For all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

Trisagion, &c. After, Our Father, the following Troparia.

HAVE mercy upon us, OLord, have mercy upon us; for knowing not what to say, we sinners offer this to thee, our Master, this one prayer, Have mercy upon us.

Glory.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have put our trust in thee. Be not very angry with us and remember not our transgressions; but look down upon us now as ever mercifully, and deliver us from our enemies. For thou art our God, and we are thy people: all of us are the work of thy hands, and we call upon thy name.

Both now.

O blessed Mother of God, open unto us the gates of mercy, that, trusting in thee, we

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perish not, but be delivered from evils by thee, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord, have mercy, forty times. Glory. Both now. The more honourable .... In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Reader. Amen.

Prayer.

ASTER, God, Father almighty; Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Ghost, one God-head, one Might! be gracious unto me, a sinner; and, by ways thou knowest, save me, thine unworthy servant; for thou art blessed to ages of ages. Amen.

Then again, O come, let us worship .... thrice. Psalms 69 (70) and 142 (143).

And the Doxology.

LORY to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. We hymn thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord, King of heaven, God the Father almighty, O Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and O Holy

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Ghost. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us; thou that takest away the sins of the world, accept our prayer; thou that sittest on the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy, thou only art Lord, O Jesu Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Every evening will I bless thee, and praise thy name to ages, and to ages of ages.

Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation. I have said, O Lord, have mercy upon me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. Lord, I flee unto thee, teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. For in thee is the fountain of life, in thy light shall we see light. O continue forth thy loving-mercy to them that know thee.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is thy name to ages. Amen.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, like as we do put our trust in thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, O teach me thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Master, make me to understand thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Holy One, enlighten me with thy statutes.

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O Lord, thy mercy endureth for ever, despise not thou the works of thine own hands. To thee is due praise, to thee is due a hymn, to thee is due glory, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

Then is sung the Canon of the Day.

At its conclusion, Trisagion, &c. Our Father. And the following Verses are sung antiphonally.

O LORD of hosts, be thou with us, for we have no other help but thee in sorrows. O Lord of hosts have mercy on us, twice.

Praise God in his Saints, praise him in the firmament of his power. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Praise him for his mighty acts, praise him according to the greatness of his majesty. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, praise him with psaltery and harp. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Praise him with timbrel and choir, praise him with stringed instruments and Organ. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Praise him with well-tuned cymbals, praise him with loud cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

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Praise God in his Saints. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Praise him in the firmament of his power. O Lord of hosts, be thou with us.

Glory. O Lord, if we had not thy Saints to pray for us, and thy goodness so merciful to us, how could we dare, O Saviour, to sing to thee, whom Angels unceasingly glorify? O thou that knowest the hearts, spare our souls.

Both now. O Mother of God, to thee do I approach on account of the great multitude of my transgressions, desiring salvation. Visit thou my ailing soul, and beseech thy Son and our God to grant me remission of the evil I have wrought, for thou art the blessed one.

O most holy Mother of God, forsake me not during the course of my life, give me not over to the intercession of man, but thyself protect and have mercy upon me.

All my trust do I place in thee, O Mother of God, keep me under thy protection.

Reader. Lord, have mercy, forty times.

And this Prayer.

HOU that in all times and at every hour, in heaven and upon earth, art worshipped and glorified, Christ God, long-suffering, most merciful and of great tenderness, who lovest the righteous and

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art merciful to sinners, who hast called all men to salvation by the promise of future blessings; do thou, O Lord, accept our prayers at this hour, and guide our life in thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, govern our thoughts, purify our intentions, and deliver us from every affliction and pain, and from all evil. Surround us by thy holy Angels, that, preserved and guided by their hosts, we may come to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of thine inaccessible glory; for blessed art thou to ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy, thrice. Glory. Both now. The more honourable than the Cherubim.... In the name of the Lord, father, give the blessing.

Priest. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and shine the light of his countenance upon us, and have mercy upon us.

Then the Prayer of S. Ephrem, with the Genuflections. Vide page 59.

After this the Reader saith Trisagion, &c. After the Our Father followeth Lord, have mercy, twelve times, and this Prayer to the Mother of God.

THOU Virgin, spotless, undefiled, incorruptible, most chaste and pure, Lady, Bride of God, who by thy glorious giving birth hast united God the Word with men,

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and linked our apostate nature with heavenly things; who art the one hope of the hopeless, the helper of the oppressed, the ready protection of them that flee unto thee, and the refuge of all Christians; despise not me, a denied sinner, who, by my impious thoughts, words and deeds, have made myself an unprofitable servant, and, by reason of my sloth, am become a slave of sensual life. But thou, O Mother of the man-loving God, have mercy and compassion upon me, a sinner and a prodigal. Accept this my prayer offered unto thee by unhallowed lips, and using thy maternal influence with thy Son, our Lord and Master, beseech him to open unto me the loving tenderness of his grace, and, despising my numberless transgressions, to bring me to repentance, and make me a zealous doer of his commandments. Be ever present with me, as the merciful, compassionate, good and loving helper and advocate in this present life, turning aside the assaults of enemies and guiding me unto salvation. And at the hour of my death preserve my miserable soul, and drive far from it all dark visions of evil demons. Deliver me on the terrible day of judgment from everlasting punishment, and make me an inheritor of the unspeakable glory of thy Son, our God. Grant me to obtain this,

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O most holy Lady and Mother of God through thine intercession and protection, by the grace and loving-kindness of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to whom with his Father everlasting, and the most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, is due all honour, glory and worship, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

ND grant unto us, O Master, now retiring to sleep, repose of body and soul, and keep us from the dark sleep of sin, and from every dark and nightly lust Subdue our unruly passions, and quench the fiery darts of the evil one that are treacherously thrown against us. Quell the commotions of our flesh, and lull our earthly and sinful thoughts to sleep. And give unto us, O God, a watchful mind, pure thoughts, a temperate heart, and quiet sleep free from every illusion of Satan. And rouse us at the hour of prayer confirmed in thy commandments, and with the remembrance of thy judgment strong within us. And make us worthy to sing thy nocturnal song, and to bless and glorify thy most honourable and majestic name, of the Father, and of

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the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

O most glorious, ever-virgin Mother of Christ our God, bring our prayers to thy Son and our God, that, for thy sake, he may save our souls.

The Father is my trust, the Son is my refuge, the Holy Ghost is my protection. O holy Trinity, glory to thee.

Glory. Both now.

Lord, have mercy, thrice. Give the blessing.

Priest. O Lord Jesus Christ our God, for the sake of the prayers of thy most holy Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, for thou art good and the Lover of men.

Reader. Amen. And the Absolution and Ectenia follow, as at Nocturns. Vide page 50.

Then all depart, and say this Prayer.

LORD, forgive them that hate and injure us. Do good to them that do good to us. To our brethren and kinsfolk grant their desires for salvation and eternal life. Visit them that are in sickness and heal them. Guide them that are on the sea. Journey with the travellers. War with our Emperor [or, King, or, Queen, or, Prince, according to the country). To them

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that minister and are beneficent unto us grant forgiveness of sins. According to thy great mercy, have mercy upon them that have desired us, unworthy ones, to pray for them. Remember, O Lord, our fathers and brethren that have fallen asleep before us, and give them rest where the light of thy countenance shineth. Remember, O Lord, our brethren that are in captivity, and deliver them from all their bonds. Remember, O Lord, them that bring forth fruit and do good works in thy holy Churches, and grant them their desires for salvation and eternal life. Remember us also, O Lord, thine humble, sinful and unworthy servants; and enlighten our minds with the light of thy knowledge, and guide us in the way of thy commandments. Through the prayers of our most holy Lady, the God-bearing ever-virgin Mary, and of all thy Saints; for thou art blessed to ages of ages. Amen.

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