Presanctified Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory, Pope of Rome
At the appointed time, having received the blessing from the Priest, the Deacon goes out and stands in his customary place and exclaims:
Deacon: Arise! Bless, Master!
+Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Trisagion Prayers
If the Ninth-Hour has preceeded this liturgy, skip to "Come Let us Worship..."
Priest: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Im-mor-tal * have mer-cy on us.
All: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Im-mor-tal * have mer-cy on us.
Priest: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Im-mor-tal * have mer-cy on us.
All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spi-rit. * Now and ever and to the ages of a-ges. Amen.
Priest: O Most Holy Trinity have mercy upon us, Lord, cleanse us from our sins, Master, pardon our trans-gres-sions! * O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake.
All: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mer-cy. * Lord, have mer-cy.
Priest: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spi-rit. * Now and ever and to the ages of a-ges. Amen.
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 to the ages of ages.
Priest: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mer-cy. * Lord, have mer-cy.
All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spi-rit. * Now and ever and to the ages of a-ges. Amen.
Priest: Come, let us worship God our King. * Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God.
All: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Him-self, * our King and our God.
As Psalm 103 is chanted, the Deacon enters the Sanctuary through the South door and the Priest comes out of the Sanctuary through the North door and, standing before the Holy Doors with head uncovered, he prays the Vesperal Prayers, beginning with the fourth prayer. (The first three are said after the litanies.)
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, You are very great; * You are clothed with honor and ma-jesty.
You cover Yourself with light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a curtain and lay the beams of Your chambers in the waters. * You make the clouds for your ascent and You walk on the wings of the wind.
You make Your angels spirits, * Your ministers a bla-zing fire.
You laid the foundation of the earth * that it should ne-ver be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the moun-tains. * At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hur-ried away.
They go up by the moun-tains; * they go down by the valleys to the place that You e-stab-lished for them.
You have set a boundary that they may not pass, * that they never a-gain flood the earth.
He sends the springs into valleys * that run a-mong the hills.
They give drink to every beast of the field; * the wild donkeys quench their thirst;
By them live the birds of the air; * from among the rocks they pipe their calls.
He waters the hills from His chambers; * the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His labor.
He causes the grass to grow for the cattle and green plants for our nourish-ment, * that we may grow food from the earth.
Wine that gladdens our hearts, oil to make our faces shine * and bread that strength-ens our bodies.
The trees of the plain are full of sap; * the cedars of Lebanon, which He planted;
There the sparrows make their nests; * there the heron has made its abode.
The high mountains are a refuge for the deer and the rocks for the badgers. * You made the moon to mark the seasons: the sun knows its time for setting.
You make darkness and it is night, * in which all the beasts of the for-est creep forth.
The young lions roar after their prey * and seek their food from God.
The sun rises; they gather themselves to-gether * and lay down in their dens.
Mankind goes off to work * and to labor un-til the evening.
O Lord, how great are Your works. In wisdom, You have made them all: * the earth is full of Your creatures.
So is this great and wide sea, in which there are creeping things without number, * creatures, both small and great.
There go the ships; * there is that sea beast, which You made to sport therein.
All these wait upon You, * that You may give them their food in due season.
They gather what You give them; * when You open Your Hand, they are filled with good.
When You turn away Your Face, they are troubled. * You take away their breath and they shall cease and to their dust, shall they return.
You send out Your Spirit and they shall be created * and You shall renew the * of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord, endure through the ages; * the Lord shall re-joice in His works.
He looks on the earth and it trembles; * He touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord throughout my life; * I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
My meditation of Him shall be sweet; * I will be glad in the Lord.
Let the sinners be consumed from the earth and let the wicked be no more. * Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The sun knows its time for setting. * You make darkness and it is night.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. * In wisdom, You have made them all.
Great Litany
Deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For this holy temple and for those who enter here with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For our Metropolitan, His Eminence Antony; for our Archbishop, His Eminence Daniel, for the reverend presbyters, for the deacons in Christ and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For our God-Loving and God-Protected country the United States of America, for the government and armed forces, and for all the people; for our God-Loving and God-Protected ancestral homeland Ukraine, and for all her people let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For this city, (village or holy monastery) and for every city and community and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For seasonable weather, an abundance of the fruits of the earth and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For those who travel by land, sea and air, for the sick, the suffering, for captives and for the salvation of them all, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Remembering our Most-Holy, Most-Pure, Most-Blessed and Glorious Lady, the Birth-Giver of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: O Lord, compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and of great mercy, give heed to our prayers, and attend to the voice of our supplications. Work upon us a sign for good. Guide us in Your way that we may walk in Your truth. Gladden our hearts that we may fear Your holy name, for You are great and You work wonders. You alone are God, and among the gods there is none like You, O Lord, powerful in mercy and good in might, to help and to comfort and to save all those who hope in Your holy name,
Priest: For to You are due all glory, honor and worship: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
During the First Stasis, the Priest and the Deacon make two prostrations before the Presanctified Lamb in the artophorion. The Priest takes the Holy Gospel and places it beyond the Antimension (at the right hand corner of the Altar Table). The Antimension is unfolded and the Diskos is placed on it. Taking the spoon in his right hand and the spear in his left, the Priest takes the Presanctified Lamb from the artophorion, and lays it with great reverence on the Holy Diskos, saying nothing. Then the Priest and the Deacon make a third prostration before the Altar Table.
Stasis I
Little Litany
Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Remembering our Most-Holy, Most-Pure, Most-Blessed and Glorious Lady, the Birth-Giver of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: O Lord, in Your displeasure, rebuke us not, neither chasten us in Your wrath, but deal with us according to Your tenderness, O physician and healer of our souls. Guide us to the haven of Your will. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the knowledge of Your truth, and grant that the remainder of the present day and the whole time of our life may be peaceful and sinless, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the saints.
Priest: For Yours is the Majesty and Yours the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
The Priest takes up the censer and the Deacon takes up a candle and stands, facing the Priest, on the Eastern side of the Altar Table. Together they go around the Altar Table three times, censing the Presanctified Lamb. After the censing, both make a third prostration before the Altar Table.
Stasis II
Little Litany
Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Remembering our Most-Holy, Most-Pure, Most-Blessed and Glorious Lady, the Birth-Giver of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: O Lord our God, remember us, Your sinful and unprofitable servants, when we call upon Your holy and venerable name, and put us not to shame in our expectation of Your mercy, but grant us, O Lord, all our petitions which are unto salvation, and make us worthy to love and fear You with all our hearts, and to do Your will in all things,and sinless, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the saints.
Priest: For You are a Good and Loving God and to You we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
During the Third Stasis the Presanctified Lamb is borne to the Table of Preparation in the following manner. After the Clergy make two prostrations before the Altar Table, the Priest takes the Diskos with the Presanctified Lamb reverently from the Altar Table with both hands and, raising it to the level of the brow of his head, bears it to the Table of Preparation, passing by way of the High Place. As he bears the Presanctified Lamb to the Table of Preparation, he is preceded by the Deacon who, holding a candle in his left hand and the censer in his right, walks backwards, censing the Holy Gifts. Upon reaching the Table of Preparation, the Priest pours into the Chalice the wine and water, censes the second veil three times and covers both the Diskos and the Chalice with it. At each action the Priest says quietly,
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
At the end, after the large veil has been put over the Diskos and the Chalice, the Priest prays:
Priest: Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.
Deacon: Amen.
The Deacon places the candle before the Holy Gifts and the Priest censes them.
Then both the Priest and the Deacon make a third prostration before the Presanctified Lamb.
The Priest goes to the Altar Table, folds the Antimension and places the Gospel again upon it.
Stasis III
Little Litany
Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Remembering our Most-Holy, Most-Pure, Most-Blessed and Glorious Lady, the Birth-Giver of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, together with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: For You are our God, a merciful and saving God, and to You we send up glory: to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Lord I Call
The Holy Doors are opened, the Deacon asks the Priest to bless the censer, they both kiss the Altar Table, and preceded by the Acolytes, passing by the High Place, they proceed out of the Sanctuary through the North door, and go to the solea in front of the Holy Doors. NOTE: When the Gospel is to be read, on the patronal feast of the church or monastery, or of a saint, or in Holy Week, the Entrance is made with the Gospel instead of the censer.
Entrance
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You: O Master of all, O Lord, the Lover of mankind, let our prayer arise in Your sight as incense, and incline not our hearts to words or thoughts of evil, but rescue us from all who seek after our souls. For our eyes are toward You, O Lord: Lord, in You we put our hope. Put us not to shame, O our God. For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Deacon: Amen.
Deacon points to the Holy Doors with his Orarion in his right hand, he says quietly:
Deacon: Amen. Bless, Master, the holy entrance.
Priest: Blessed is the entrance of Your Saints always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Deacon: Wisdom. Let us stand aright.
Joyful light
Readings
The Priest stands before the Altar Table, holding the censer. The Deacon opens the Holy Doors and exclaims:
Deacon: Wisdom!
Great Prokeimenon
The Prayer of Saint Ephraim
Priest: O Lord and Master of my life, do not permit me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. (prostration)
Priest: But give, rather, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant. (prostration)
Priest: O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed are You to the ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)
The Litany of Fervent Supplication
Deacon: Let us say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us say:
Deacon: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers: we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, in Your great loving kindness; we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
The Antimension is partly unfolded by the Priest; the upper portion is left folded.
Deacon: Again we pray for our Metropolitan, His Eminence Antony, Our Archbishop, His Eminence Daniel, for our brother presbyters, hieromonks and for all our brethren in Christ.
Deacon: Again we pray for our God-loving and God-protected country the United States of America, for the Government and armed forces and for all the people; for our God-loving and God-protected ancestral and spiritual homelands, especially Ukraine, and for all the people, that the Lord God may help and aid them in all things and protect them from every enemy and adversary.
Deacon: Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, God's visitation and the forgiveness and remission of sins for the servants of God,
and for all members of this holy temple -- that they may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, danger, spiritual or physical need and that they may live in peace, good health and well-being all the days of their life: All-Merciful Lord hear us and have mercy.
War In Ukraine
Deacon: We pray especially that our ancestral homeland Ukraine may be spared from invasion. May Your peace reign in throughout world, especially in Ukraine, so that the shedding of blood in warfare, violence, terrorism, tyranny, and all manner of strife may come to an end. May aggression between neighbors and nations fade away. May love reign in the lives of families. May we become partakers of Your abundant life, together with all the saints whose lives have pleased You from the beginning, Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy.
Deacon: Lord Jesus Christ, you commanded us to love our enemies, and those who defame and injure us, and to pray for them and forgive them; You prayed for your enemies who crucified You: Grant us, we pray, the spirit of Christian reconciliation and meekness, that we may heartily forgive every injury and be reconciled with our enemies. Grant us to overcome the malevolence and offences of people with Christian meekness and true love of our neighbor. We further beseech You, O Lord, to grant to the enemies of Ukraine true peace and forgiveness of sins; do not allow them to leave this life without true faith and sincere conversion. And help us repay evil with goodness, and to remain safe from the temptations of the devil and from all the perils which threaten us, in the form of visible and invisible enemies. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy.
Deacon: Again we pray for those who bring offerings and do good works in this holy and all-venerable temple; for those who serve and those who sing; and for all the people here present, who await Your great and abundant mercy.
Priest: For You are a Merciful and Loving God and to You we give glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
The Litany for the Catechumens
Deacon: Catechumens, pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Let us the faithful, pray for the catechumens, that the Lord will have mercy on them.
Deacon: That He will teach them the Word of Truth.
Deacon: That He will reveal to them the Gospel of Righteousness.
At these words the priest unfolds the top of the antimins.
Deacon: That He will unite them to His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Deacon: Help them, save them, have mercy on them and preserve them, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Catechumens, bow your heads to the Lord.
Antiminsion is now fully unfolded...
...That with us they may also glorify Your most honorable and majestic Name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Priest: O God, great and praiseworthy, Who, by the life-creating death of Your Christ, have translated us from corruption to incorruption, free all our senses from deadly passions, set over them as a good guide the understanding that is within us. And let our eyes abstain from every evil sight, our hearing be inaccessible to idle words, and our tongues be purged of unseemly speech. Make clean our lips which praise You, O Lord; make our hands refrain from base deeds, and to work only that which is well-pleasing to You, fortifying our members and minds by Your grace,...
Priest: For to You are due all glory, honor and worship; to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Second Litany of the Faithful
Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
If priest serves alone go to Help us, save us...
Deacon: For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the Holy Churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For this holy temple and for those who enter here with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Priest: O Master, holy and exceedingly good, rich in mercy, we implore You: be gracious to us sinners, and make us worthy of the reception of Your only-begotten Son and our God, the King of glory. For behold, His immaculate Body and life-creating Blood, entering at this present hour, are about to be set forth on this mystical table, invisibly escorted by multitudes of heavenly hosts. Grant us to partake of them without condemnation, that through them our mental sight may be illumined and we may become children of the light and of the day,...
...through the gift of Your Christ, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Great Entrance
Deacon censes only the Altar Table, the Table of Preparation, and the Priest. When the Deacon finishes his censing, he gives up the censer and stands to the right of the Priest before the Altar Table and both recite the Hymn of the Entrance three times, with metanias:
Now the powers of heaven do serve invisibly with us. Behold, the King of glory enters. Behold, the mystical sacrifice is upborne, fulfilled.
Deacon: Let us draw near in faith and love and become communicants of eternal life. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Clergy go to the Table of Preparation. They both make three prostrations before the Holy Gifts, saying each time: Clergy: O God, cleanse me, a sinner. The People prostrate (or kneel) during the entire Entrance. The Priest receives the censer and censes the Holy Gifts three times and then gives up the censer to the Deacon. He then puts the large veil on the Deacon's left shoulder. Then he takes the Diskos with the Holy Lamb in his right hand and the Chalice in his left hand, and, holding the Diskos head-high and the Chalice breast-high, leaves the Sanctuary through the North door, preceded by the Servers carrying candles and the Deacon with the censer who, facing the Priest at all times, censes frequently. Having entered the Sanctuary through the open Holy Doors, the Priest places the Holy Gifts on the Altar Table while the Deacon stands at the right side. The Entrance is accomplished in solemn silence. When the Priest, preceded by the Deacon, enters the Sanctuary, the People sing:
The Prayer of Saint Ephraim
Priest: O Lord and Master of my life, do not permit me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. (prostration)
Priest: But give, rather, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant. (prostration)
Priest: O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed are You to the ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)
The Holy Doors are closed, and the curtain is drawn halfway.
Litany Before the Lord's Prayer
Deacon: Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.
Deacon: For the precious Gifts offered and presanctified, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: That our loving God Who has received them at His Holy, Heavenly and Noetic Altar as a fragrant spiritual offering, may in return send upon us Divine Grace and the Gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray.
Deacon: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: That this whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: Forgiveness and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: All that is good and beneficial to our souls and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: That we may live out our lives in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: A Christian end to our life – painless, blameless and peaceful – and a good defense before the Dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.
Deacon: Having asked for the unity of the Faith, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: O God of unutterable and unseen Mysteries, with Whom are the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge, You have revealed the service of this liturgy to us. You have set us sinners, through Your great love of mankind, to offer to You gifts and sacrifices for our sins and for the ignorance of the people. O invisible King, You do things great and inscrutable, glorious and marvelous, which cannot be numbered. Look upon us, Your unworthy servants who stand at this holy altar as the Cherubic throne, upon which rests Your only-begotten Son and our God, in the dread Mysteries that are set forth. Having freed us all and all Your faithful people from uncleanness, sanctify all our souls and bodies with the sanctification which cannot be taken away, that partaking with a clean conscience, with faces unashamed, with hearts illumined, of these divine, sanctified Things, and by them being given life, we may be united to Your Christ Himself, our true God, Who has said, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him,” that by Your Word, O Lord, dwelling within us and sojourning among us, we may become a temple of Your all-holy and adorable Spirit, redeemed from every diabolical wile, wrought either by deed or word or thought, and may obtain the good things promised to us with all Your saints who have been well-pleasing to You...
...And count us worthy, Master, with boldness and without condemnation, to dare call upon You, the Heavenly God, as Father and to say:
The Lord's Prayer
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 to the ages of ages.
Priest: + Peace be to all.
Deacon: Bow your heads to the Lord.
Priest: O God, You alone are good and tenderhearted. You dwell on high and look upon the humble. Look with the eye of Your tenderheartedness upon all Your people and keep them. Make us all worthy, without condemnation, to partake of these Your life-creating Mysteries, for to You have we bowed our heads, awaiting from You Your rich mercy,...
...through the grace and compassion and love toward Mankind of Your only-begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your allholy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Priest: Attend, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Your holy dwelling-place, from the throne of glory of Your kingdom, and come to sanctify us, O Lord, You sit on high with the Father, and are here invisibly present with us; and by Your mighty hand impart to us Your most pure Body and precious Blood, and through us to all the people.
The Priest (standing before the Altar Table) and the Deacon make three metanias before the Altar Table, saying each time:
Priest: O God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. (3x)
The Priest, the Divine Gifts being covered, puts his hands under the large veil and touches the life-creating Bread with great reverence and fear.
Deacon: Let us attend!
Priest: The Presanctified Holy Things are for the holy!
The curtain is fully drawn. Then the Priest lays aside the large veil. The Deacon, pointing toward the Diskos, says:
Deacon: Master, break the Holy Bread.
The Priest divides the Lamb into four parts, with proper reverence.
Priest: The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but not divided. He is forever eaten yet is never consumed, but He sanctifies those who partake of Him.
The Priest arranges the pieces on the Diskos. The Priest places the portion IC in the Chalice, saying nothing. The portion XC is for the Communion of the celebrants. The other two portions, NI and KA are broken for the Communion of the faithful. The Priest then blesses the warm water, making the sign of the Cross, but saying nothing. The Deacon then pours a sufficient quantity of water into the Chalice cross-wise, saying nothing.
Priest: Deacon, approach.
Deacon: Behold, I approach our Immortal King and God; Forgive and bless me Master and give me the Precious, Most Holy and Most Pure Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Priest: The servant of God, Deacon __________ receives the Most Precious, Holy and Most Pure Body and Blood of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ for remission of his sins and life everlasting.
Priest: The Precious, Most Holy and Most Pure Body and Blood of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is given to me the unworthy servant of God, priest __________ for remission of my sins and life everlasting.
Precommunion Prayer
All: I believe, O Lord and I confess that you are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first. I believe also that this is truly Your Most-Pure Body and that this is truly Your Precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive my transgressions -- both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, committed in knowledge and in ignorance and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Your Most Pure Mysteries for the remission of sins and for life eternal. Amen.
Of Your Mystical Supper, O Son of God, receive me today as a communicant. I will not speak of Your mystery to Your enemies, neither like Judas will I give You a kiss; but like the Thief will I confess to You: "Remember me, O Lord, in Your Kingdom."
May the Communion of Your Holy Mysteries, O Lord, be neither to my judgment nor condemnation but to the healing of soul and body. Amen.
O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me.
O Lord, forgive me, for I have sinned without number.
Deacon: With fear of God and with faith and love draw near.
During the reception of Communion by the people, they sing: O taste and see that the Lord is good. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Post Communion
Priest: O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance.
The Priest covers the Chalice with one veil. He puts all others on the Diskos, and covers this also. He censes the Chalice 3 times and then gives the censer to the Deacon. The Priest gives the Diskos to the Deacon, who holds it above his forehead and, passing in front of the Altar Table, pauses before the Holy Doors, and carries it with reverence to the Table of Preparation. The Priest. having made a metania, takes the Chalice in his right hand, and says, as he faces the people:
Priest: + Blessed is our God...
...always, now and ever, and to the ages of
Let Our Mouths Be Filled
The Priest carries the Chalice to the Table of Preparation. Returning to the Altar Table, the Priest folds the Antimension
The Litany of Thanksgiving
Deacon: Let us stand aright. Having partaken of the Divine, Holy, Most Pure, Immortal, Heavenly, Life-Creating and Awesome Mysteries of Christ, let us worthily give thanks to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Your grace.
Deacon: Having asked for a perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless day, let us commend ourselves, one another and all our life, to Christ our God.
Priest: We give thanks to You, O Savior, God of all, for all the good things You have granted to us, and for the communion of the holy Body and Blood of Your Christ, and we implore You, O Master, Who love mankind: keep us under the shelter of Your wings. And grant that even to our last breath we may worthily partake of Your holy Things, to the illumination of soul and body, and inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven...
Priest: For You are our sanctification and to You we give glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Priest: Let us depart in peace.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
The Prayer Before the Ambo
Priest: O Almighty Master, Who in wisdom have fashioned all creation, Who, through Your ineffable providence and great goodness, have led us to these holy days for purification of souls and bodies, for restraint of passions, and for hope of the Resurrection, Who, during the forty days, did put into the hands of Your servant Moses the divinely inscribed tablets of the Law: grant unto us also, O Good One, to fight the good fight, to complete the course of the Fast, to preserve the Faith undivided, to crush the heads of invisible serpents, to be shown to be conquerors of sins and, without condemnation, also to attain to and to worship the holy Resurrection. For blessed and glorified is Your most honorable and majestic name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Psalm 33
Standing before the Altar Table, the Priest prays quietly
Priest: O Lord our God, Who have led us to these solemn days, and Who have made us communicants of Your dread Mysteries: join us to Your rational flock, and show us to be heirs of Your Kingdom, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Priest: The blessing of the Lord be upon You, by His Grace and Love for mankind, always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
The Dismissal
Priest: Glory to You, O Christ, our God and our hope, glory to You.
whom we commemorate today; of our Holy Father among the Saints, Gregory Dialogus, Pope of Rome, of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us for He is good and loves mankind.
Index