The Priest saith this Prayer:

0 Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who wast lifted up on the precious and life-giving cross, and didst thereby destroy the handwriting against us, and deliver us from the dominion of the Devil Cleanse thou the iniquities of thy servants; because they, being unable to bear the heat and burden of the day and the hot desires of the flesh, are now entering into the bond of a second marriage, as thou didst render lawful by thy chosen vessel, the Apostle Paul, saying, for the sake of us humble sinners, It is better to marry in the Lord than to burn. Wherefore, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind, do thou show mercy and forgive. Cleanse, put away, pardon our transgressions; for thou art he who didst take our infirmities on thy shoulders; for there is none sinless, or without uncleanness for so much as a single day of his life, save only Thou, who without sin didst endure the flesh, and bestowest on us passionlessness eternal.

For thou art God, the God of the contrite in heart, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

People. Amen.

Dem-on. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Then the Priest saith the Prayer :

O holy God, who didst create man out of the dust,

And the rest, a: in the First Rite of Marriage, page 297.

THE OFFICE OF SETTING APART READERS AND CHANTERS *

He who is to be made a Taper-bearer is led by the Sub-Deacon into the centre of the Church, before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy (see page 7 ), and there maketh three reoerences: and turnin , he saluteth the Bishop, t rice. Then, drawing near to the Bishop, he boweth his head; and the Bishop signeth him on the zead with his hand. Then, laying his hand upon the candi ate’s head, the Bishop saith the following Prayer :

O Lord, who enlightenest all created beings with the light of thy marvels, and knowest the intent of every man before it is formed, and strengthenest those who are desirous of serving thee: Do thou, the same Lord, array in thy fair and spotless vesture this thy servant who desireth to become a Taper-bearer (these thy servants who desire to become Taper-bearers) before thy Holy Mysteries; that he (they) may be illumined; and that attaining unto the world to come be (they) may receive the incorruptible crown of life, and rejoice with thine elect in bliss everlasting.

For hallowed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

But when there is no Liturgy the Bishop beginneth as follows: Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Then shall be sung:

O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O Good One.

0 Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. 0 Lord, wash away our sins. 0 Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Glory now, and ever,

Our Father, who 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

* See page xxxii.

those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from the Evil One:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages

of ages.

Choir. Amen. — Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Then the Hymn (Tropdr) for the Day shall he read.

But if there he a Litur_ , then 0 Heavenly King, and 0 Holy God, and Our Father shall he omitte , and only the following Hymns shall be read:

O holy Apostles, entreat the merciful God that he will grant our souls remission of their sins.

The grace of thy lips, shining forth like a beacon-fire, hath illumined the universe, and hath bestowed upon the world the treasure of nonavariciousness, and bath shown us the height of humility. But as thou instructest us with thy words, 0 Father John Chrysostom, so also intercede thou with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

Thy voice is gone out into all the world, in that it hath received thy word, wherewith thou hast taught in manner well-pleasing unto God, hast expounded the nature of existing things, and hast adorned the customs of mankind. 0 Royal Priesthood, Sainted Father, pray thou unto Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

The shepherd's reed of thy divine theology hath confounded the trumpets of the rhetoricians, the same being bestowed upon thee as upon one who hath searched out the deep things of the spirit, and grace of proclamation. Wherefore, 0 Father Gregory, entreat thou ChristGod that our souls may be saved.

Glory... now, and ever,

Through the prayers of all the Saints, and of the Birth-giver of God, 0 Lord, grant us thy peace, and have mercy upon us: for thou only lovest mankind.

Then the Bishop sheareth the candidate’s head in the form of a cross, saying: In the Name of the Father.

Then the Proto~Deae0n, and the Reader, or a Chanter. shall say:

Amen.

Bishop. And of the Son.

Praia-Deacon. Amen.

Bishop. And of the Holy Spirit.

Proto-Deaeon. Amen.

Then the Bishop putteth upon him the short ehasuhle, and again maketh, thrice. with his hand, the sign of the cross upon his head, and reciteth this Prayer " 0 Lord God Almighty, elect this thy servant (these thy servants), and

sanctify him (them); and enable him (them), with all wisdom and understanding, to exercise the study and reading of thy divine words, preserving him (them) in blamelessness of life.

Through the mercies and bounties and love towards mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom also thou art glorified, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

And after the Prayer, the Bishop openeth the book of the Egistles upon the head of the Reader. And the Sub-Deacons lead him from the Bishop, and place him in the middle of the Church, with his face to the east; and the book of the Epirtles is given to him, and he readeth, a little, wheresoever it may chance to befall, and turnin , he boweth to the Bishop thrice, according to the rubric. Then the tunic is brought to the Bishop, and he si neth it with his hand, over the cross. And he who hath been set apart (or ordained), having signed himself with the cross. hisseth the cross upon the tunic, and the hand of the Bishop: And the Sub-Deacons vest him in the tunic; and the Bishop exhorteth him

thus:

My son(s), the first degree in the Priesthood is that of Reader. It behooveth thee (you) therefore, to peruse the divine Scriptures daily, to the end that the hearers, regarding thee (you) may receive edification; that thou (ye) in nowise shaming thine (your) election, mayest prepare thyself (may prepare yourselves) for a higher degree. For by a chaste, holy and upright life thou shalt (ye shall) gain the favour of the God of loving-kindness, and shalt render thyself (shall render yourselves) worthy of a greater ministry, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom be glory unto ages of ages. Amen.

Then shall the Bishop say:

Blessed is the Lord. L0, the servant(s) of God, N. (NN.), is (are) become a Reader (Readers) of the most holy Church of N. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Then the Bishop giveth him (or them) a holy lam), and he standeth (they stand) before the Bishop with the lamp, in the appointed place.

THE MANNER OF ORDAINING SUB—DEACONS

If the Candidate is to receive the Laying-on of Hands to the Sub-Diaconate (see page 79) on the same day, after he hath been invested with the tunic, the Sub Deaeons hring the dalmatie and the dalmatie-girdle (that is the stale) to the Bishop. And when the Bishop hath signed the girdle with the cross, and he who iv to receive Ordination hath hissed it, and the hand of the Bishop, they gird him therewith. And the Bishop signeth him with his hand, in the form qf a cross; after which the Arehpriest saith:

Let us pray to the Lord.

And the Bishop laying his hand on the Candidate’s head, reeiteth the following Prayer:

O Lord our God, who, through one and the same Holy Spirit distributing gifts of grace to each one of those whom thou hast chosen, hast given to thy Church divers Orders; who, through thine inscrutable providence hast appointed degrees of ministry therein, for the service of thy holy, spotless Mysteries; and who, through thine ineffable foreknowledge, hast ordained this thy servant to be worthy to serve in thy Holy Church: Do thou, the same Lord, preserve him uncondemned in all things. And grant that he may love the beauty of thy house, stand before the doors of thy holy Temple, and kindle the lamps in the tabernacle of thy glory. And plant him in thy holy Church like a fruitful olive-tree, which bringeth forth the fruits of righteousness. And make him thy perfect servant in the time of thine advent, that he may receive the recompense of those who are well-pleasing in thy sight. For thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

And after the Prayer, the Sub-Deacons give the ewer and basin to him who is to rereive the Laying-on of Hands. and lay a towel on his shoulders. And the Bishop washeth hrs handr. And he who is to he ordained Sub-Deacon poureth water over the hands of the Bishop. Then he and the Sub-Deacons kiss the hand of the Bishop, and depart to their appointed plaee. And he who is to be ordained Sub—Deacon standeth, holding t e ewer and basin. with the towel. until the Cherubimie Hymn. And he saith, secretly :

O Holy God, Holy Mighty,

ever,

O all-holy Trinity,

Our Father, who art in heaven,

(Thrice). Glory.

now, and Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) For thine is the kingdom,

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) I believe in one God, .

Pardon, remit, forgive, O God, our transgressions. both voluntary

Secretly.

* For explanation, see Introductory Chapter on the Symbolism of the Church. Also. Appendix B, VIII (I).