Part 6
_The priest, with a loud voice, this prayer._
O God most pure, and the Author of all creation, who, through thy love to man, didst transform a rib of Adam the forefather into a woman, and didst bless them, and say, Increase and multiply, and have dominion over the earth, and, by the conjoining, didst declare them both to be one member; for because of this a man shall forsake his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be in one flesh; and whom God hath joined together let man not put asunder; who didst also bless thy servant Abraham, and open the womb of Sara, and didst make him the father of many nations; who didst bestow Isaac upon Rebecca, and didst bless her offspring; who didst join Jacob unto Rachel, and from them didst make manifest the twelve patriarchs; who didst yoke Joseph and Aseneth together, and as the fruit of generation didst bestow upon them Ephrem and Manasse; who didst accept Zacharias and Elizabeth, and didst declare their offspring the Forerunner; who out of the root of Jesse, according to the flesh, didst produce the Ever-Virgin, and from her wast incarnate and wast born for the salvation of the human race; who through thine unspeakable grace and plenteous goodness, wast present in Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there, that thou mightest show that a lawful union, and a generation therefrom is according to thy will. Do thou thyself, O most holy Master, accept the prayer of us, thy servants, and, with thine invisible presence being here, as there, do thou bless this marriage, and give unto thy servants, _name_, _name_, a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, love for one another in the bond of peace, a long-lived seed, grace upon their children, and an unfading crown of glory. Count them worthy to see their children’s children; preserve their bed undefiled; and give them of the dew of heaven from above, and of the fatness of the earth. Fill their houses with corn, wine and oil, and with every bounty, that they may have to give to them that are in need, bestowing also unto them that are here assembled with us all desires that tend to salvation.
For a merciful, and compassionate, and man-loving God thou art, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
_The priest this prayer with a loud voice._
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, thou hierurgist of mystical and pure marriage and lawgiver of that of the body, thou guardian of incorruption, thou good provider of the means of life. Do thou thyself now, O Master, who in the beginning didst create man, and appoint him as the king of creation, and say, It is not good for man to be alone upon the earth, let us make him a helpmeet for him; and, taking one of his ribs, didst make woman, whom when Adam saw he said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of her man: for this cause a man shall forsake his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and two shall be in one flesh: and whom God hath joined, let not man divide: do thou thyself now, O Master, Lord our God, send down thy heavenly grace upon these thy servants, _name_, _name_, and grant unto this thine handmaid to be in all things subject unto the man, and to this thy servant to be at the head of the woman, that they may live according unto thy will. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Abraham and Sara. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Isaac and Rebecca. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Jacob, and all the patriarchs. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joseph and Aseneth. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Moses and Sepphora. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joakim and Anna. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Zacharias and Elizabeth. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Noe in the ark. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Jonas in the belly of the whale. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve the three holy children from the fire, sending down upon them dew from heaven; and may that joy come upon them which the blessed Helen had when she found the precious cross. Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remember Enoch, Sem, and Elias. Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remember thy holy forty martyrs, sending down upon them crowns from heaven. Remember, O God, the parents who have reared them; for the prayers of parents confirm the foundation of houses. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servants, the paranymphs, who are present at this rejoicing. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servant, _name_, and thine handmaid, _name_, and bless them. Give them fruit of the womb, fair children, and unanimity of soul and body. Exalt them as the cedars of Libanus, and as a well-cultured vine. Bestow upon them seed of corn, that, having every sufficiency, they may abound in every work that is good and acceptable unto thee; and let them behold their sons’ sons as newly planted olive-trees round about their table, and, being accepted before thee, may they shine as the luminaries in heaven unto thee, our Lord. And, together with thee, be glory, might, honour, and worship, to thine unbeginning Father, and to thy life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
_And again the priest saith this prayer with a loud voice._
O holy God, who didst form man from the dust, and from his rib didst fashion woman, and yoke her unto him a helpmeet for him, because so it was seemly unto thy majesty for man not to be alone upon the earth; do thou thyself now, O Master, stretch forth thy hand from thy holy dwelling-place, and conjoin this thy servant, _name_, and this thine handmaid, _name_; for by thee a woman is conjoined unto a man. Yoke them together in unanimity, crown them in one flesh, bestow on them fruit of the womb, and the gain of well-favoured children.
For thine is the might, and 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.
_Choir._ Amen.
_And after the Amen the priest, taking the crowns, crowneth first the bridegroom, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is crowned for the handmaid of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_Then he crowneth also the bride, saying,_
The handmaid of God, _name_, is crowned for the servant of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_Then he blesseth them thrice, saying thrice,_
O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honour.
_Then the prokimenon of the epistle, tone viii._
Thou hast set upon their heads crowns of precious stones; they asked life of thee, and thou gavest it them.
_Verse._ For thou wilt give them a blessing to ages of ages, thou wilt make them glad through joy with thy countenance.
_The epistle to the Ephesians, section cci._
Brethren, give thanks.... _ending_, that she reverence her husband.[13]
_Alleluia._
_Verse._ Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and shalt protect us, from this generation, and to ages.
_Deacon._ Wisdom, standing, let us hear....
_The gospel from John, section vi._
At that time there was a marriage.... _ending_, believed on him.[14]
_Deacon._ Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind let us say.
O Lord Almighty, the God....
Have mercy upon us, O God....
Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and visitation for the servants of God, _names_, _and he commemorateth whom he wisheth_.
_Exclamation._ For a merciful....
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord have mercy.
_Priest, this prayer._
O Lord our God, who, in thy saving providence, didst vouchsafe in Cana of Galilee to declare marriage honourable by thy presence; do thou now thyself preserve in peace and unanimity thy servants, _name_, and, _name_, whom thou art well-pleased should be conjoined to one another: declare their marriage honourable: preserve their bed undefiled: be pleased that their mutual life may be unblamable, and count them worthy to attain unto a ripe old age, keeping thy commandments in a pure heart.
For thou art our God, the God to have mercy and to save, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and with thine all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Deacon._ Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
That the whole day may be perfect, holy....
_Choir._ Vouchsafe, O Lord.
An angel of peace....
Pardon and forgiveness of our sins....
What is good and profitable for our souls....
That the remaining time of our life....
A christian end of our life....
Having prayed for the unity of the faith, and the communion of the Holy Ghost....
_Choir._ To thee, O Lord.
_The priest exclaimeth,_
And count us worthy, O Master, with boldness to dare without condemnation to call upon thee, our heavenly Father God, and say,
_And the people_, Our Father.... _all to the end_.
_The priest exclaimeth_, For thine is the kingdom....
Peace to all.
Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Then the common cup is brought, and the priest blesseth it, and saith this prayer._
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
O God, who by thy might createst all things, and confirmest the universe, and adornest the crown of all things created by thee; do thou, with thy spiritual blessing, bless also this common cup given for the community of marriage unto them that are conjoined.
_With a loud voice_, For blessed is thy name, and glorified thy kingdom....
_Choir._ Amen.
_Then the priest, taking in his hand the common cup, giveth them to drink thrice, first to the man, and then to the woman. And straightway the priest taketh them, while the groomsman holdeth the crowns behind, and leadeth them in the form of a circle. And the priest, or the people, sing the present troparion in tone v,_
Rejoice, O Esaias, the virgin is with child, and bringeth forth a son, Emmanuel, God and man: the orient is his name, whom magnifying, we call the virgin blessed.
_Another, tone vii._
O holy martyrs, who valiantly contended, and are crowned; pray ye the Lord for mercy on our souls.
Glory to thee, Christ God, apostles’ boast, and martyrs’ joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.
_Then, taking the crown from the bridegroom, he saith,_
Be thou magnified, O bridegroom, as Abraham, and blessed as Isaac, and increased as Jacob, walking in peace, and performing in righteousness the commandments of God.
_And when he taketh the crown from the bride, he saith,_
And thou, O bride, be thou magnified as Sara, and rejoiced as Rebecca, and increased as Rachel, being glad in thy husband, and keeping the paths of the law, for so God is well-pleased.
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
_Priest, The prayer._
O God, our God, who wast present in Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there; do thou bless also these thy servants, who, by thy providence, are conjoined in the community of marriage. Bless their incomings and outgoings, replenish their life with good things, accept their crowns in thy kingdom unsullied and undefiled, and preserve them without offence to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Priest._ Peace to all.
Bow your heads to the Lord.
_And the priest prayeth._
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the all-holy, and consubstantial, and life-originating Trinity, one Godhead and sovereignty, bless you, and vouchsafe unto you long life, well-favoured children, progress in life and faith, and replenish you with all the good things of earth, and count you worthy of the obtaining of promised blessings, through the prayers of the holy God-bearing one, and of all the Saints. Amen.
_Then they come and congratulate them, and they kiss one another, and the full dismissal is made by the priest._
_Saith the deacon_, Wisdom.
_Choir._ The more honourable than the Cherubim....
_Priest, the dismissal._
He that by his presence in Cana of Galilee declared marriage to be honourable, Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother; of the holy, glorious, and all-praised apostles; of the holy god-crowned sovereigns and equals of the apostles, Constantine and Helen; of the holy great martyr Procopius, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, as being good and the lover of mankind.
[Illustration]
_Chapter XI._
PRAYER AT THE TAKING OFF OF THE CROWNS ON THE EIGHTH DAY.
O Lord our God, who blessest the crown of the year, and permittest these crowns to be put on them that are conjoined to one another by the law of marriage, vouchsafing them to them as the reward of chastity; for they are pure that are conjoined in the lawfully appointed marriage that is from thee; do thou thyself also bless, in the taking off of these crowns, them that have been conjoined together, and preserve their union unbroken, that they may ever give thanks unto thine all-holy name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Priest._ Peace to all.
O Lord, thy servants, having met in concord and accomplished the order of marriage as at Cana of Galilee, and contracted the signs according thereto, ascribe glory to thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_And the dismissal._
[Illustration]
_Chapter XII._
THE ORDER FOR A SECOND MARRIAGE.
_The priest beginneth_, Blessed be our God.... _Then_, Trisagion. _After_ Our Father.... _the troparion of the day_.
_Then, ectenia._
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace that is from above....
For the peace of the whole world....
For this holy temple....
For the servants of God, _name_, and, _name_, and for their protection by God and mutual life, let us pray to the Lord.
That they may live together virtuously in unanimity, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy....
Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed....
For to thee is due....
_Then_, Let us pray to the Lord.
_Priest, the prayer._
O God eternal, who bringest things that are divided unto unity, and imposest upon these two an indissoluble bond of love, who didst bless Isaac and Rebecca, and declare them to be the inheritors of thy promise; do thou thyself also bless these thy servants, _name_, and, _name_, directing them in every good work.
For a merciful and man-loving God thou art, 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.
_Priest._ Peace to all.
_Deacon._ Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Priest, the prayer._
O Lord our God, who hast espoused the church as a pure virgin from among the gentiles; do thou bless these espousals, and unite and keep these thy servants in peace and unanimity.
For to thee is 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.
_Then the priest, taking the rings, giveth first the golden one to the man, and the silver one to the woman, and saith to the man,_
The servant of God, _name_, is betrothed to the handmaid of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_And in like manner to the woman_, The handmaid of God, _name_, is betrothed to the servant of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_And he maketh a cross with the rings upon their heads, and placeth them on the fingers of their right hands. Then the sponsor changeth the rings of the bridal pair._
_After this, the deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Priest, the prayer._
Master, Lord our God, who sparest all, and providest for all, who knowest the secrets of men, having knowledge of all things; do thou cleanse our sins, and pardon the transgression of thy servants, calling them to repentance: vouchsafe unto them remission of iniquities, cleansing of sins, pardon of voluntary and involuntary transgressions, O thou that knowest the weakness of human nature, thou Fashioner and Creator. O thou who didst forgive Raab the harlot, and accept the repentance of the publican, remember not our sins of ignorance from our youth up. For if thou, O Lord, shouldest mark transgressions, who should stand before thee, O Lord? or what flesh should be justified in thy sight? For thou only art just, sinless, holy, of abundant mercy, plenteous beneficence, and repentest thee concerning the evils of men. Do thou thyself, O Master, who claimest thy servants, _name_, _name_, unite them to one another in love; give unto them the conversion of the publican, the tears of the harlot, and the confession of the thief, that, through repentance from all their heart, performing thy commandments in unanimity and peace, they may be counted worthy of thy heavenly kingdom.
For thou art the provider for all, and to thee we ascribe glory....
_Priest._ Peace to all.
_Deacon._ Bow your heads to the Lord.
_And this prayer._
O Lord Jesus Christ, Word of God, who wast lifted up upon the precious and life-effecting cross, and didst tear up the handwriting that was against us, and deliver us from the power of the devil; do thou cleanse the transgressions of thy servants, for, unable to bear the burden and the heat of the day, and the burning of the flesh, they are come to a second community of marriage, in accordance with that which thou hast lawfully appointed by thy chosen vessel, Paul, the apostle, saying, because of our low estate, It is better to marry in the Lord than to burn. Do thou thyself, as being good and man-loving, have mercy and pardon, cleanse, remit, and forgive our debts; for thou art he that took our weaknesses on thy shoulders: for there is none sinless, or without defilement for even one day of his life: thou only art the one who didst bear flesh sinlessly, and thou bestowest upon us eternal passionlessness.
For thou art God, the God of the penitent, 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.
_People._ Amen.
Let us pray to the Lord.
_Priest, the prayer._
O holy God, who didst form man from the dust, and from his rib didst fashion woman, and yoke her unto him a helpmeet for him, because so it was seemly unto thy majesty for man not to be alone upon the earth; do thou thyself, now, O Master, stretch forth thy hand from thy holy dwelling-place, and conjoin this thy servant, _name_, and this thine handmaid, _name_; for by thee a woman is conjoined to a husband. Yoke them together in unanimity, crown them in one flesh, bestow on them fruit of the womb, and the gain of well-favoured children.
For thine is the might, and thine is the kingdom, and the power....
_And, taking the crowns, he crowneth the bridegroom, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is crowned for the handmaid of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_In like manner he crowneth also the bride, saying,_
The handmaid of God, _name_, is crowned for the servant of God, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_Then he blesseth them, saying thrice,_
O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honour.
_Then he saith the epistle and gospel, as they are written in the first coronation. Vide page 67._
_Then the deacon._
Let us all say with our whole soul....
O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers....
Have mercy upon us, O God....
Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and visitation for the servants of God, _names_, _and he commemorateth whom he wisheth_.
_Exclamation._ For a merciful....
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Priest, this prayer._
O Lord our God, who, in thy saving providence, didst vouchsafe in Cana of Galilee to declare marriage honourable by thy presence; do thou now thyself preserve in peace and unanimity thy servants, _name_, and, _name_, whom thou art well-pleased should be conjoined to one another: declare their marriage honourable: preserve their bed undefiled: be pleased that their mutual life may be unblamable, and count them worthy to attain unto a ripe old age, keeping thy commandments in a pure heart.
For thou art our God, the God to have mercy and to save, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and with thine all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_Deacon._
Help us, save us, have mercy....
That the whole day may be perfect, holy....
An angel of peace, a faithful....
Pardon and forgiveness of our sins....
What is good and profitable for our souls....
That the remaining time of our life....
A christian end of our life....
Having prayed for the unity of the faith, and the communion....
_The priest exclaimeth,_
And count us worthy, O Master....
_People._ Our Father....
_Priest_, For thine is the kingdom....
Amen.
_Priest._ Peace to all.
Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Then the common cup is brought, and the priest blesseth it, and saith this prayer._
O God, who by thy might createst all things, and confirmest the universe, and adornest the crown of all things created by thee; do thou, with thy spiritual blessing, bless also this common cup given for the community of marriage unto them that are conjoined.
_With a loud voice,_
For blessed is thy name, and glorified thy kingdom....
_Then the priest, taking in his hand the common cup, giveth them to drink thrice, first to the man, and then to the woman. And straightway the priest, taking them, leadeth them in the form of a circle, and singeth in tone v,_
Rejoice, O Esaias, the virgin is with child, and bringeth forth a son, Emmanuel, God and man: the orient is his name, whom magnifying, we call the virgin blessed.
_Another, tone vii._
O holy martyrs, who valiantly contended and are crown’d; pray ye the Lord for mercy on our souls.
Glory to thee, Christ God, apostles’ boast and martyrs’ joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.
_And, taking the crown from the bridegroom, he saith,_
Be thou magnified, O bridegroom, as Abraham, and blessed as Isaac, and increased as Jacob, walking in peace, and performing in righteousness the commandments of God.