Master, give the blessing.
Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
The Deacon begins the Great Litany of Peace:
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For our Metropolitan, our Archbishop, for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
COMMON
As you say this response
“Lord, have mercy.”
Lord, have mercy.
Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
The First, Second, and Third Antiphons are sung. These change based on the day: Sundays use Psalms 103, 145, and the Beatitudes. Weekdays and feasts use different selections.
The antiphon texts and refrains change based on whether it is a Sunday, weekday, or feast day. The choir will sing them; follow along with the melody.
OPTIONAL
During the Small Entrance
Congregation:
Stand reverently.The Deacon carries the Gospel book in procession from behind the altar through the north door, around, and back through the Royal Doors.
CHOIR
OPTIONAL
While singing the invitation
“O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.”
O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save, O Son of God, who art wonderful in the Saints, us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.
The Troparion and Kontakion of the day are sung here. These are short hymns honoring the saint or feast being celebrated today. On Sundays, the resurrectional Troparion of the current tone is always sung first.
PRIEST
While the day's hymns are sung, the Priest prays silently: O holy God, who restest in the Saints; who art hymned by the Seraphim with a thrice-holy cry, and glorified by the Cherubim, and adored by every heavenly Power; who out of nothingness hast brought all things into being; who hast created man after thine own image and likeness, and hast adorned him with every gift of thine; who givest unto those that ask of thee wisdom and understanding; who despisest not the sinner, but hast appointed repentance unto salvation; and hast vouchsafed unto us, thy humble and unworthy servants here, at this hour, to stand before the glory of thy holy Altar, and to render unto thee that adoration and praise which are thy due: Do thou, the same Lord, accept from the mouths of us sinners, the Thrice-Holy song, and visit us with thy beneficence. Pardon us every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary. Sanctify both our souls and bodies, and grant that we may serve thee in uprightness all the days of our life: through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints of all the ages who have been well-pleasing unto thee.
DEACON
Let us pray to the Lord.
PRIEST
For holy art thou, our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever,
DEACON
And to ages of ages.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
The Prokeimenon (a psalm verse) is chanted before the Epistle. It changes based on the day and the tone of the week.
Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.
Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You.
The Choir sings the Cherubic Hymn while the Priest prepares for the Great Entrance:
Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside every worldly care. So that we may receive the King of all. Who is invisibly escorted by the angelic hosts. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
OPTIONAL
During the Great Entrance
Congregation:
Stand reverently.The Great Entrance: The prepared gifts are carried from the table of oblation to the altar.
Litany after the Entrance
DEACON
Let us accomplish our prayer to the Lord.
DEACON
For the honourable Gifts that have been proposed, let us pray to the Lord.
DEACON
For this holy Church, and for them that with faith, piety and fear of God enter into it, let us pray to the Lord.
DEACON
For our deliverance from all affliction, passion and want, let us pray to the Lord.
DEACON
Help us, save us, have mercy on us and keep us, O God, by thy grace.
DEACON
That the 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
Pardon and remission of our sins and of our transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.
DEACON
What is good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.
DEACON
That the remaining time of our life may be spent in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.
DEACON
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.
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.
PRIEST
Through the compassions 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.
DEACON
Let us love one another, that with one mind we may confess,
CHOIR
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity consubstantial and undivided.
The doors! The doors! In wisdom, let us be attentive!
Everyone recites the Nicene Creed together:
OPTIONAL
During the Creed
Congregation:
Stand reverently.I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen.
Let us stand aright! Let us stand in awe! Let us be attentive, that we may present the Holy Offering in peace.
A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord.
The Priest offers the great thanksgiving prayer silently, then the Choir sings:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
The Words of Institution. The Priest speaks aloud:
Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.
Drink of it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.
The Anamnesis (Remembrance):
Remembering, therefore, this saving commandment and everything that was done for our sake: the Cross, the tomb, the Resurrection on the third day, the ascent into the heavens, the seating at the right hand, and the glorious coming again.
Your own of Your own we offer to You, in all and for all.
We praise You. We bless You. We give thanks to You, O Lord; and we pray to You, our God.
The Epiclesis (Invocation of the Holy Spirit). The Priest prays:
Send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here presented.
And make this bread the precious Body of Your Christ.
And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Your Christ.
Changing them by Your Holy Spirit.
The Priest commemorates the Theotokos:
Especially for our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary.
The Hymn to the Theotokos. On Great Feasts, this is replaced by the Magnification of the feast.
It is truly proper to glorify you, O Theotokos, the ever-blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim. Without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you.
And grant us, Master, with boldness and without condemnation, to dare call You, the heavenly God, Father, and to say:
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 those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages.
PRIEST
Peace be with you all.
CHOIR
And with thy spirit.
DEACON
RUBRIC
When invited to bow your head
“Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.”
Congregation:
Incline the head.Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.
PRIEST
The Priest prays silently: We give thanks unto thee, O King invisible, who by thine illimitable power hast made all things, and by the plenitude of thy mercy hast called into being all things from nothingness. Do thou, the same Lord, look down from heaven upon those who have bowed their heads before thee; for they have not bowed down unto flesh and blood, but unto thee, the terrible God. Do thou, therefore, O Lord, render this oblation efficacious to us all, according to the individual need of each. Voyage with those who sail upon the seas; journey with those who travel on dry land. Heal the sick, O thou who art the healer of our souls and bodies.
Through the grace, and bounties, and love toward mankind of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
PRIEST
The Priest prays silently: Give heed from thy holy dwelling-place, and from the throne of glory of thy kingdom, and come and sanctify us, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who sittest on high with the Father, and art invisibly here with us. And deign, with thine own mighty hand, to impart thine all-pure Body and most precious Blood unto us, and through us unto all the people.
PRIEST
The Holy Gifts for the holy people of God.
CHOIR
One is Holy, one is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Communion Hymn is sung while the clergy commune. On Sundays it is: 'Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia.'
With the fear of God, faith, and love, draw near.
OPTIONAL
While approaching to receive Communion
The faithful approach to receive Communion. The Priest says to each person: 'The servant of God (name) partakes of the precious and holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and life eternal.'
Thanksgiving and Dismissal
Save, O God, Your people, and bless Your inheritance.
Arise! Having partaken of the divine, holy, pure, immortal, heavenly, life-creating, and awesome Mysteries of Christ, let us worthily give thanks to the Lord.
The Priest prays the Prayer of Thanksgiving, then:
For You are our sanctification, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Let us go forth in peace.
O Lord, who blesses those who bless You and sanctifies those who put their trust in You, save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Protect the whole body of Your Church. Sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house. Glorify them in return by Your divine power, and forsake us not who have set our hope in You. Grant peace to Your world, to Your churches, to the clergy, to our civic leaders, to the armed forces, and to all Your people. For every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from You, the Father of lights. To You we offer up glory, thanksgiving, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore.
The Dismissal. The Priest commemorates Christ, the Theotokos, the saint(s) of the day, and St. John Chrysostom.
May the blessing and the mercy of the Lord come upon you by His divine grace and love for humankind, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Lord, protect for many years the one who blesses and sanctifies us.