Part 3
Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord our God, who wast pleased to come down from heaven and to be born of the holy God-bearing and ever-virgin Mary for the salvation of us sinners, who knowest the feebleness of human nature; be gracious, according to the greatness of thy compassions, unto thine handmaid, _name_, who to-day hath borne a child. For thou hast said, O Lord, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. Therefore we, thy servants, beseech thee, and, trusting in thy forbearing love to man, with fear invoke the holy name of thy kingdom, Look down from heaven and behold the feebleness of us condemned ones, and be gracious unto thine handmaid, _name_, and to all the house in which the child hath been born, and to all who are connected with her; and to all that here assemble be thou gracious, as the good and man-loving God. For thou alone hast power to forgive sins, through the prayers of the most holy God-bearing one, and of all thy Saints. Amen.
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_Chapter II._
PRAYER AT THE SIGNING OF A CHILD WHEN IT RECEIVETH A NAME ON THE EIGHTH DAY AFTER ITS BIRTH.
_Be it known that on the eighth day after birth the babe is brought by the nurse to the temple, and she standeth before the doors of the temple._
_And the priest maketh,_
Blessed be our God... _Trisagion._ O most holy Trinity... _And after_ Our Father... For thine is the kingdom...
_Then the troparion of the day, or of the holy habitation. And the priest signeth its forehead, mouth, and breast, and saith the prayer._
Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord our God, to thee we pray, and on thee we call, Let the light of thy countenance be signed on this thy servant (_or_, on this thine handmaid), _name_, and be he signed with the cross of thine only-begotten Son in his heart and understanding, that he may flee the vanity of the world and every evil device of the enemy, and may keep thy commandments; and grant, O Lord, that thy holy name may remain upon him unrenounced, when at the fitting time he shall be conjoined with thy holy church, and be perfected with the terrible mysteries of thy Christ, that, living according to thy commandments and preserving the seal unbroken, he may attain unto the blessedness of thine elect in thy kingdom, through the grace and love to man 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. Amen.
_Then, taking the child in his hands, he standeth before the doors of the temple, or before the image of the most holy God-bearing one, and maketh the sign of the cross, saying,_
Hail, grace-accorded God-bearing Virgin! for out of thee the sun of righteousness, Christ our God, hath shined, enlightening them that are in darkness. And thou, O righteous elder, be thou glad, receiving in thine arms the deliverer of our souls, even him that granteth resurrection unto us.
_And the dismissal is made._
_It is necessary to know that, if the newly born babe, being exceedingly weak, do not suck, but appear likely to die, it behoveth not to wait six or eight days, and then to baptize it, as some wickedly say; but at the very hour of its birth to wash it only, and immediately to baptize it, that it die not unilluminated. Since they that are five months pregnant are, by the laws and canons, responsible for murder, if it happen that by any shock they abort the babe, so much the more is it necessary to avoid the condemnation of them that are brought forth, that they die not unilluminated._
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_Chapter III._
PRAYERS FOR A PARTURIENT WOMAN AFTER FORTY DAYS.
_On the fortieth day the child is again brought to the temple to be churched, that is, to make a beginning of attending church. It is brought by the mother, who hath already been cleansed and washed, accompanied by the intended sponsor at the baptism._
_And the priest maketh,_
Blessed be our God.... _Trisagion._ O most holy Trinity ... _and_ Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom....
_Then the troparion of the day, or of the commemorated saint._
_Glory. Both now._
Through the prayers, O Lord, of all the Saints, and of the God-bearing one, grant us thy peace, and have mercy upon us, as the alone compassionate one.
_And she, holding the child, boweth her head, and the priest maketh the sign of the cross over him, and, touching his head, saith the prayer._
Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy word hast made every rational and irrational creature, and hast led all things into being from non-existence; to thee we pray, and on thee we call, Cleanse this thine handmaid, _name_, whom thou hast saved by thy will, and who cometh into thy holy church, from every sin and from every defilement, that she may be counted worthy to partake uncondemnedly of thy holy mysteries.
_Be it known that if the babe be not among the living, the prayer is read thus far._
_Then, with a loud voice,_
For thou art a good and man-loving God....
_But if it be alive, read also this to the end._
Bless also the child which hath been born of her; increase it, sanctify it, give it understanding, and a prudent and virtuous mind; for thou hast brought it into being, and hast shewn unto it perceptible light; that at the time which thou hast appointed it may be counted worthy of spiritual light, and may be numbered together with thy holy flock, through 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. Amen.
Peace to all.
Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Prayer for the mother of the child._
O Lord our God, who didst come for the salvation of the human race; come also unto thine handmaid, _name_, and, through thine honourable presbytery, count her worthy of an entrance into the temple of thy glory: wash her from bodily defilement and from spiritual stain in the completion of the forty days, and make her worthy of the communion of thy precious body and blood.
For hallowed and glorified is thy most honourable and majestic name, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Prayer ii., for the child, which, signing it, the priest prayeth._
Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord our God, who on the fortieth day wast brought as a child into the temple of the law by Mary, thine unmarried and holy Mother, and wast carried in the arms of righteous Symeon; do thou thyself, O omnipotent Master, bless this presented babe, that it may appear before thee, the Creator of all things; and do thou increase it in every work that is good and acceptable unto thee, removing far from it every opposing might by the sign of the likeness of thy cross; for thou art he that guardeth babes, O Lord; that, being counted worthy of holy baptism, it may attain unto the part of the elect of thy kingdom, being protected with us by the grace of the holy, and consubstantial, and undivided Trinity. For to thee is due all glory, thanksgiving, and worship, with thine unbeginning Father, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
Peace to all.
Bow your heads to the Lord.
O God, Father Almighty, who by the loud-voiced prophet Esaias, hast fore-announced unto us the incarnation from a Virgin of thine only-begotten Son and our God, who, in the latter days, by thy good pleasure and by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, hath willed, through immeasurable loving-kindness, to become a child of her for the salvation of us men; and, according to the custom of thy holy law, after the fulfilment of the days of purification, submitted to be brought into the sanctuary, being himself a true lawgiver, and willed to be carried in the arms of righteous Symeon; of which mystery we have a prototype declared in the aforementioned prophet by the taking of coals with tongs from the altar, and of which we faithful also have an imitation in grace; do thou now, who art he that guardeth babes, thyself, O Lord, bless this child, together with its parents and sponsors, and count it worthy, at the fitting time, to be born again of water and of the spirit: number it with thy holy flock of rational sheep, who are called by the name of thy Christ. For thou art he who livest on high, and who regardest the lowly, 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. Amen.
_(And if the babe be baptized, the priest performeth the act of reception into the church; but if not, he doeth this after the baptism. And, after the prayer, he here maketh the dismissal.) Then, taking the child, the priest traceth the cross with it before the gates of the temple, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, or the handmaid of God, _name_, is received into the church, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_Then he bringeth it into the temple, saying,_
He entereth into thy house, he worshippeth towards thy holy temple.
_And he bringeth it into the midst of the temple, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is received into the church....
_Then he saith,_
In the midst of the church he singeth praise unto thee.
_Then he bringeth it before the doors of the altar, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is received into the church....
_And he bringeth it into the holy altar, if it be of the male sex; but, if of the female, only as far as the royal gates, saying,_
Now dismiss thy servant, O Master....
_And after these things he layeth it before the doors of the altar, and there the sponsor, bowing thrice, taketh it up, and departeth. And the priest, as is customary, maketh the dismissal._
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_Chapter IV._
PRAYER FOR A WOMAN WHEN SHE HATH ABORTED A CHILD.
_The priest maketh_, Blessed be our God.... _Trisagion._ O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom....
_And the troparion of the day. Then,_
Let us pray to the Lord.
Master, Lord our God, who wast born of the holy God-bearing and ever-virgin Mary, and as a babe wast laid in a manger; do thou thyself, according to thy great mercy, have mercy upon this thine handmaid, who to-day is in sins, having fallen even unto voluntary or involuntary murder, and hath aborted that conceived in her; and be gracious unto her willing and unwilling iniquities, and preserve her from every diabolical wile, and cleanse her defilement, heal her suffering, and grant unto her, O lover of mankind, health and strength of body and soul; and guard her by a shining angel from every assault of invisible demons, yea, O Lord, from sickness and weakness; and cleanse her from bodily defilement, and from diverse inward travail befalling her; and, by thine abundant mercy, rouse her in her humbled body, and raise her from the bed whereon she lieth. For we were conceived in sins and in transgressions, and are all defiled before thee, O Lord; and with fear we cry and say, Look down from heaven and see the helplessness of us accursed, and be gracious unto this thine handmaid, _name_, who is in sins, having fallen even unto voluntary or involuntary murder, and hath aborted that conceived in her; and, according to thy great mercy, as the good and man-loving God, have mercy upon her and be gracious unto her in all things that have surrounded her and have come in contact with her; for thou alone hast power to forgive sins and transgressions, through the prayers of thy most pure Mother, and all the Saints.
For to thee is due all glory, honour, and worship, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_And the dismissal is made._
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_Chapter V._
PRAYERS AT THE MAKING OF A CATECHUMEN.
_The priest looseth the girdle of him that cometh to be illuminated, and divesteth him of his robes and his shoes, and placeth him looking towards the east, clad in one garment only, without girdle or head-dress, and barefooted, and with his hands down; and breatheth thrice in his face, and signeth him thrice upon the forehead and the breast, and layeth his hand upon his head, saying,_
Let us pray to the Lord.
In thy name, O Lord, God of truth, and in the name of thine only-begotten Son, and of thy Holy Ghost, I lay mine hand upon thy servant, _name_, who hath been counted worthy to betake himself to thy holy name, and to be protected under the shadow of thy wings. Remove far from him that old error, and fill him with faith that is in thee, and with hope and charity, that he may understand that thou alone art the true God, and thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and thy Holy Ghost. Grant him to walk in all thy commandments, and to observe those things which are acceptable unto thee; for, if a man do these, he shall find life in them. Inscribe him in thy book of life, and unite him to the flock of thine inheritance. May thy holy name be glorified in him, and that of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and that of thy life-creating Spirit. Let thine eyes ever regard him in mercy, and thine ears be ever attentive unto the voice of his prayer. Let him rejoice in the works of his hands, and in all his generation, that he may give thanks unto thee, worshipping and glorifying thy great and most high name, and may ever praise thee all the days of his life,
_Exclamation._
For all the powers of heaven praise thee, and thine is the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_First exorcism._
Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
The Lord forbiddeth thee, O devil, he that came into the world and made his dwelling among men, that he might cast down thy tyranny, and deliver men; he that upon the tree triumphed over the opposing powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth was shaken, and the tombs were opened, and the bodies of the saints arose; he that by death destroyed death, and overcame him that held the might of death, that is, even thee, O devil. I forbid thee by God, who showeth forth the tree of life, and rangeth the cherubim, and the flaming sword that turneth about to guard this. Be thou forbidden! for I forbid thee by him that walketh upon the waves of the sea as upon dry land, who forbiddeth the storm of winds, whose glance drieth up the depths, and whose threatenings melt the mountains; for it is he himself that now forbiddeth thee through us. Be thou afraid, and depart, and absent thyself from this creature, and come thou not back, neither hide thyself in him, nor encounter him, nor influence him, either in the night, or in the day, or in the morning, or at noon; but get thee away to thine own tartarus, until the appointed great day of judgment. Fear God, who sitteth upon the cherubim, and looketh upon the depths, before whom tremble angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, principalities, virtues, powers, the many-eyed cherubim, and the six-winged seraphim; whom heaven and earth fear, the sea, and all that in them is. Get thee away and depart from the sealed newly-elected soldier of Christ our God; for I forbid thee by him that rideth upon the wings of the winds, that maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire; get thee away and depart from this creature with all thy might and angels.
_Exclamation._
For glorified is the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Second exorcism._
Let us pray to the Lord.
God, the holy, the terrible, and the glorious, who concerning all his works and strength is incomprehensible and unsearchable, who himself hath ordained for thee, O devil, the retribution of eternal torment, through us, his unworthy servants, biddeth thee, and all thy co-operating might to depart from him that is newly sealed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our true God. I forbid thee therefore, O most evil, and impure, and foul, and abominable, and alien spirit, by the might of Jesus Christ, who hath all power in heaven and upon earth, who spake unto the deaf and dumb demon, Get thee out of the man, and enter no more into him. Depart, know the vainness of thy might, which had not power even over swine. Remember him who bade thee, at thy request, enter into the herd of swine. Fear God, at whose command the earth was stablished upon the waters; who hath founded the heaven, and fixed the mountains with a line, and the valleys with a measure; who hath placed the sand as a bound for the sea, and made a safe path in the raging water; who toucheth the mountains and they smoke; who investeth himself with light as with a garment; who hath stretched out the heaven as a curtain; who covereth his upper-chambers with waters; who hath founded the earth on firm foundations, so that it shall not be moved for ever; who calleth up the water of the sea, and poureth it upon the face of the earth. Get thee hence and depart from him who is being prepared for holy illumination. I forbid thee by the saving passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his precious body and blood, and by his terrible advent; for he shall come, and shall not tarry, to judge all the earth, and shall punish thee and thy co-operating might in the gehenna of fire, consigning thee to outer darkness, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. For of Christ our God is the might, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Third exorcism._
Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, who healest every sickness and every wound; look down upon thy servant, search out and try him, and drive away from him every operation of the devil. Forbid the unclean spirits, and expel them, and cleanse the work of thy hand, and, using thy swift efficacy, beat down satan shortly under his feet; and give him victory over him, and over his unclean spirits; that, obtaining mercy from thee, he may be counted worthy of thine immortal and heavenly mysteries, and may ascribe glory unto thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Fourth prayer._
Let us pray to the Lord.
Thou that art, Master, Lord, who madest man after thine image and likeness, and gavest him the power of eternal life, and when he had fallen through sin didst not disdain him, but didst provide, through the incarnation of thy Christ, for the salvation of the world; do thou thyself also, delivering this thy creature from the yoke of the enemy, receive him into thy heavenly kingdom: open his mental eyes, that the light of thy gospel may dawn upon him: join to his life a shining angel, who may deliver him from every adverse snare, from evil encounters, from the noon-day demon, and from wicked illusions.
_And the priest breatheth on his mouth, on his forehead, and on his breast, saying,_
Drive from him every evil and unclean spirit, hiding and lurking in his heart.
_And he saith this thrice._
The spirit of error, the spirit of evil, the spirit of idolatry and of all covetousness, the spirit of lying and of all uncleanness, that worketh according to the instruction of the devil. And make him a rational sheep of the holy flock of thy Christ, an honourable member of thy church, a son and inheritor of thy kingdom; that, living according to thy commandments, and keeping the seal unbroken, and preserving the garment undefiled, he may attain unto the blessedness of the saints in thy kingdom.
_With a loud voice._
Through the grace, and compassions, and love to man 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. Amen.
_And he that is to be baptized, being unvested and barefooted, the priest turneth him looking towards the west, with his hands uplifted, and saith,_
Dost thou renounce satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pomp?
_And the catechumen answereth, or his sponsor, if he that is to be baptized be a barbarian, or a child, and saith_, I renounce.
_Again the priest saith a second time,_
Dost thou renounce satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pomp?
_And he answereth_, I renounce.
_Again the priest saith a third time._
Dost thou renounce satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pomp?
_And he answereth_, I renounce.
_Again the priest interrogateth him that is to be baptized._
Hast thou renounced satan?
_And the catechumen answereth, or his sponsor_, I have renounced.
_Again the priest interrogateth,_
Hast thou renounced satan?
_And he answereth_, I have renounced.
_Again the priest interrogateth a third time,_
Hast thou renounced satan?
_And he answereth_, I have renounced.
_Then the priest saith,_
Blow upon him, and spit upon him.
_And this being done, the priest turneth him looking towards the east, with his hands down; and the priest saith to him,_
Dost thou join Christ?
_And the catechumen answereth, or his sponsor, saying_, I join.
_Again the priest saith a second time,_
Dost thou join Christ?
_He answereth a second time_, I join.
_Again the priest saith a third time,_
Dost thou join Christ?
_He answereth a third time_, I join.
_Then again the priest saith to him,_
Hast thou joined Christ?
_And he answereth_, I have joined.
_And again he saith_, Dost thou believe in him?
_And he saith_, I believe in him, as King and God.
_And he saith,_