Part 7
_And, taking 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.
Let us pray to the Lord.
_Then 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 he 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 the 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 dismissal is made._
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]
[Illustration]
_Chapter XIII._
THE ORDER OF HOLY UNCTION SUNG BY SEVEN PRIESTS ASSEMBLED IN A CHURCH OR IN A HOUSE.
_A table is prepared, and on this they place the holy gospel and a dish of wheat, and on the wheat an empty oil cruet, and round it in the wheat seven twigs wrapped with cotton wool for the anointing; and they give tapers to all the priests. And, all standing round the table vested in phelonia, the first of the priests taketh the censer with incense, and censeth the table upon which the oil is round about, and all the church, or the house, and the people; and, standing before the table, looking towards the east, he beginneth,_
Blessed be our God.... _And_ Trisagion. O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom.... Lord, have mercy, _xii_. O come, let us worship.... _thrice_.
_And psalm cxlii._ O Lord hear my prayer....
Glory. Both now. Alleluia, _thrice_.
_And the deacon, the ectenia._
Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy....
Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed....
_Priest._ For to thee is due....
_Choir._ Amen.
_And straightway they sing Alleluia in tone vi._
_Verse i._ O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy fury.
_Verse ii._ Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak.
_Then troparia._
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for, destitute of all defence, we sinners offer unto thee, as Master, this prayer, Have mercy upon us.
_Glory._
O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we have put our trust in thee. Be not exceedingly wroth against us, neither remember our transgressions; but, as being loving-kind, look now upon us, and deliver us from our enemies: for thou art our God, and we are thy people, we are all the work of thy hand, and we call upon thy name.
_Both now._
Open unto us the gates of loving-kindness, O blessed God-bearing one, that we perish not who put our trust in thee, but through thee may we be delivered from calamities; for thou art the salvation of the christian race.
_After this_, Have mercy upon me, O God....
_And the canon, whereof the acrostic is,_
A song of prayer oil by Arsenius.
_Ode i. Irmos. Tone iv._
Through the red sea’s depth....
O Master, who with oil of loving-kindness dost mortals’ souls and bodies alway tranquilize, and them that faithful be preserv’st with oil; do thou thyself now have compassion upon those approaching thee by means of oil.
The earth, O Master, is of thy mercy full. Therefore to-day anointed with thy sacred precious oil, in faith we pray thee to bestow thy mercy that surpasseth thought on us.
_Glory._
O lover of mankind, who mercifully thine apostles didst command to minister thy priestly unction on thine ailing servants; do thou, at their entreaties, through thy seal, have mercy upon all.
_Both now._
O only pure one, who didst bear the boundless sea of peace, by thine entreaties alway unto God, thy servant free from ailings and from griefs, that he may magnify thee ceaselessly.
_Ode iii. Irmos._
In thee thy church is glad....
Thou that alone art wonderful to faithful men, merciful Christ, grant from on high thy grace to him that suffereth grievously.
O Lord, who once, for thy divine token that the flood had ceas’d, didst shew an olive branch, in mercy save the afflicted one.
_Glory._
With a lamp of light divine, in mercy lighten him, O Christ, who now, in faith through the anointing, to thy mercy maketh speed.
_Both now._
O Mother of the Maker of all things, look from on high with favour, and release, by thine entreaties, the sufferer from his bitter pain.
_Kathisma, tone viii._
_Like_, The pastoral reed....
Thou that art a divine river of mercy, a depth of abundant sympathy, O compassionate one; manifest the divine streams of thy mercy, and heal all: let the springs of wonders flow plenteously, and wash all; for, ever betaking ourselves to thee, we fervently entreat thy grace.
_Another, tone iv._
_Like_, Thou that wast lifted up....
Physician and helper of them that are in sufferings, redeemer and Saviour of them that are in sicknesses; do thou thyself, O Master and Lord of all, grant healing unto thine afflicted servant: have compassion and mercy upon him who hath greatly offended, and deliver him, O Christ, from iniquities, that he may glorify thy divine power.
_Ode iv. Irmos._
Seeing thee lifted up....
Thou, Saviour, that, as myrrh corruptless, dost, through thy grace, thyself outpour and cleanse the world; compassionate be, yea, merciful to him, who doth, in faith divine, the body’s sores anoint.
With the tranquility of thy mercy’s seal, O Master, sign now the senses of thy servants, and make the way thereto accessless and approachless to all opposing powers.
_Glory._
Thou who dost bid that thy divine hierurgists be call’d to them whose strength hath fail’d, and these by prayer and unction with thine oil to save; do thou, O lover of mankind, save, by thy mercy, the afflicted one.
_Both now._
Most holy and God-bearing ever-virgin, strong shelter and defence, thou ladder and thou wall, have mercy and compassion on the sufferer; for he hath fled to thee, and thee alone.
_Ode v. Irmos._
Thou, Lord, my light....
Thou, good one, that art mercy’s depth, do thou, O merciful, have mercy, in thy mercifulness divine, on him that suffereth; for thou art loving-kind.
Sanctifying unspeakably from on high, O Christ, our souls and bodies with the divine impression of thy seal, with thine own hand heal all.
_Glory._
O most good Lord, who, through thine untold love, acceptedst myrrh-anointing from the sinful woman; compassionate thy servant.
_Both now._
All-praised, pure, and most good Queen, have mercy upon them that are anointed with the oil divine, and save thy servant.
_Ode vi. Irmos._
I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice....
O lover of mankind, who shewest by thy words anointing is for kings, and this performest by highpriests; save thou the sufferer by thy seal, for thou art loving-kind.
Let no communicating act of bitter demons touch his senses who is sign’d with the divine anointing, Saviour; but with the safeguard of thy glory him surround.
_Glory._
Stretch from on high thy hand, O lover of mankind, and sanctify thine oil, and grant this to thy servant, Saviour, for healing and deliverance from all sicknesses.
_Both now._
Mother of the Creator, thou, in thy sacred temple, hast appear’d a fruitful olive tree, whereby the world appeareth fill’d with mercy. Therefore save the sufferer by the touching of thy prayers.
_Condakion, tone ii._
_Like_, Seeking the things above....
Thou that art the fountain of mercy, O thou that art most good, do thou deliver from every calamity them that with fervent faith fall down before thine unspeakable mercy; and, O thou that art loving-kind, taking away their ailings, do thou grant unto them thy divine grace from on high.
_Ode vii. Irmos._
The abrahamic children in the furnace....
Thou, Saviour, that alone art God, who in thy mercy and compassions, healest the spiritual passions and bodily wounds of all; physician be thou for this sufferer with disease, and make him whole thyself.
Since with anointing oil the heads of all anointed are, so give to this one joy of gladness, Christ, granting the mercy of thy redemption unto him that seeketh this, for thy rich mercy’s sake, O Lord.
_Glory._
Thy seal, O Saviour, against demons is a sword, and prayers of priests a fire that burneth passions of the soul. Therefore in faith we praise thee, we, who have healing gain’d.
_Both now._
O thou, the Mother of God, who didst conceive within thy womb, in wise befitting God, him that doth all things hold within his hand, and flesh didst give to him unspeakably; we pray thee, Be thou gracious to this suffering one.
_Ode viii. Irmos._
With hands extended, Daniel....
O Saviour, have mercy upon all, according to thy mercy mighty and divine; for, for this cause, we all are gather’d here to image forth in mystic wise the condescension of thy mercies, and to bring the unction with the oil in faith unto thy servant, whom visit thou likewise.
With thy mercy’s streams, O Christ, and by thy priests’ anointing wash away, as Lord the loving-kind, the pains and wounds, and overwhelmings of affliction of him tormented with the stress of sufferings, that he, being sav’d, may praise thee with thanksgiving.
_Glory._
The sign of condescension from on high and of tranquility being drawn on us, O Master, through thy godlike mercy; do thou thy mercy not withdraw, nor him reject who ever crieth faithfully, O bless the Lord, all ye his works.
_Both now._
Glorious as a crown, O pure one, nature hath gain’d thy sacred giving-birth, which crusheth hosts of foes, and mightily doth vanquish them. Therefore, with festal brightness crowned through thy grace, we thee extol, O most extolled Queen.
_Ode ix. Irmos._
Unquarried rock....
Look down from heaven, O compassionate one, and shew thy mercy unto all; and thine assistance and thy strength bestow on him who now approacheth thee through the divine anointing by thy priests, O lover of mankind.
O Saviour, thou most good, we have, rejoicing, seen the oil divine, which, through thy godlike condescension for them that are recipients, thou thyself accepted hast, and typically hast given to them that have
## participated in the font divine.
_Glory._
O Saviour, be compassionate and have mercy: deliver out of dangers and afflictions—deliver from the arrows of the evil one the souls and bodies of thy servants, and heal them, as the Lord, the merciful, by thy divine anointing.
_Both now._
Accept thy servants’ songs and prayers, O Virgin, and, by thy supplications, from sufferings and from ills deliver us, even us who to thy sacred shelter us betake, O thou most pure.
It is very meet....
_Exapostilarion._
_Like_, He hath visited us....
In mercy, O thou good one, with thine eyes regard our prayer, ours, who to-day are gather’d in thy holy temple to anoint with oil divine thy suffering servant.
_Then stichera, tone iv._
_Like_, Thou hast given a sign....
Thou hast given thy grace through thine apostles, O good physician, lover of mankind, to heal the wounds and sicknesses of all men through thy holy oil. Therefore, as being loving-kind, him that now faithfully to thy mercy hieth sanctify, have mercy upon him, and cleanse him from all sickness, and count him worthy of thy corruptless sweetness, Lord.
O lover of mankind incomprehensible, who, with thine unseen hand, as being loving-kind, sealest our senses with thine oil divine; look down from heaven, and give to him that faithfully betaketh him to thee, and asketh pardon of iniquities, healing of soul and body, that he may glorify thee lovingly, and magnify thy might.
Through the anointing with thine oil, and through the touching of thy priests, O lover of mankind, hallow thy servant from on high, free him from sicknesses, cleanse him from soul’s defilement, wash him, O Saviour, and deliver him from scandals manifold; tranquilize his grief, remove his hindrances, and banish his afflictions, as being merciful and loving-kind.
_Glory. Both now. Theotokion._
O most pure royal palace much extoll’d, I pray thee, cleanse my mind defil’d by every kind of sin; and make it a meet dwelling-place for the most holy Trinity, that I thy worthless servant, being sav’d, may magnify thy might and mercy measureless.
_Then_, Trisagion. O most holy Trinity.... _After_ Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom....
_Then troparion, tone iv._
Thou that alone art quick to help, O Christ, make manifest from on high a speedy visitation to thine ailing servant: deliver him from sicknesses and bitter pains, and raise him up, that, without ceasing, he may praise and glorify thee, through the God-bearing one’s entreaties, O thou sole lover of mankind.
_And after these the deacon, or the first of the priests, saith this 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, and for them that with faith....
That this oil may be blessed by the might, and operation, and descent of the Holy Ghost, let us pray to the Lord.
For the servant of God, _name_, and for his visitation by God, and for the coming upon him of the grace of the Holy Ghost, let us pray to the Lord.
For his deliverance and ours from every affliction, passion, and want.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God....
Commemorating our most holy, most pure....
_Then the first of the priests saith the prayer of oil over the cruet._
_Note. Be it known that in the great church they pour wine instead of water into the cruet of prayer-unction._
Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
O Lord, who, through thy mercy and compassions, healest the infirmities of our souls and bodies; do thou thyself, O Master, sanctify this oil, that it may be to them that are anointed therewith for healing, and for the removal of every passion, of defilement of flesh and spirit, and of every ill, and that thereby may be glorified thy holy name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_And the other priests likewise read this prayer, but quietly to themselves._
_And while the prayer is being said by the priests, they sing these troparia._
_Tone iv._
Thou that alone art quick to help, O Christ, make manifest from on high a speedy visitation to thine ailing servant: deliver him from sicknesses and bitter pains, and raise him up, that, without ceasing, he may praise and glorify thee, through the God-bearing one’s entreaties, O thou sole lover of mankind.
With blinded spiritual eyes to thee, O Christ, I come, as he that from his birth was blind; and penitentially to thee I cry, Be merciful to us, thou that alone the good physician art.
_Tone iii._
My soul, that, Lord, by every kind of sin and unbecoming deeds is paralys’d, O by thy godlike intervention do thou raise, as thou of old a paralytic didst upraise, that I, being sav’d, may cry to thee, Give healing unto me, O Christ compassionate.
_Tone ii._
O just one, as the Lord’s disciple, thou the gospel didst receive; as martyr, dost possess that which unwritten is; a daring, as God’s brother, hast; as hierarch, hast to pray: do thou beseech Christ God to save our souls.
_Tone iv._
The Father’s sole-begotten, who is God the Word, in latter days hath come to us, O James divine, declaring thee first pastor and instructor of them that of Jerusalem were; a faithful steward too of ghostly mysteries. Therefore, apostle, we all reverence thee.
_Tone iii._
To them of Myra, saint, thou didst appear a hierurgist; for Christ’s evangel, thou, O venerated one, fulfilling, didst for thy people yield thy soul, and save the innocent from death. For this cause art thou sanctified as a great mystic of the grace of God.
_The same tone._
O pain-enduring one, that overcame the heathen, in dangers hath the world thee found a champion great. Therefore, as thou didst humble Lyev’s pride, and in the strife make Nestor brave, so, saint Demetrius, pray Christ God to give great mercy unto us.
_The same tone._
Thou holy pain-enduring one, physician too, O Pantelimon, mediate with God the merciful, that he may grant our souls remission of iniquities.
_Tone viii._
Ye saints that were unmercenary and wonders wrought, make visitation in our weaknesses. Freely ye have receiv’d: O freely give to us.
_Tone ii._
Who can narrate thy mightiness, O virgin one? for thou dost wonders gush, and pourest cures, and prayest for our souls, O thou divine and friend of Christ.
Warm advocate and assailless wall, the spring of mercy and the world’s defence, to thee unceasingly we cry, God-bearing Queen, prevent thou us, and us from dangers free, thou that alone art quick to intercede.
_Deacon._ Let us attend.
_The first priest._ Peace to all.
_Choir._ And to thy spirit.
_Deacon._ Wisdom, let us attend.
_Reader, the prokimenon, tone i._
Let thy mercy, O Lord, come upon us like as we have put our trust in thee.
_Verse._
Rejoice, O ye righteous, in the Lord, for praise becometh the upright.
_The epistle._
The lection of the catholic message of James.
_And be it known that the epistle is read by the deacon, section lvii,_
Brethren, take for an example.... _ending_, availeth much.[15]
_The first priest._ Peace to thee. Alleluia.
_Tone viii. Verse._ I will sing unto thee of mercy and judgment, O Lord.
_The gospel from Luke, section liii._
At that time, a certain lawyer.... _ending_, do thou likewise.[16]
_Then_, Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hear and have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, _thrice_.
Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, and forgiveness of sins for the servant of God, _name_.
Lord, have mercy, _thrice_.
That to him may be remitted every iniquity, voluntary and involuntary, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy, _thrice_.
_And the exclamation._
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.
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
_Priest, the prayer._
O thou that art unbeginning, eternal, and in the holy of holies, who didst send down thine only-begotten Son, who healeth every infirmity and every wound of our souls and bodies; do thou send down thy Holy Ghost, and sanctify this oil, and let it be unto thine anointed servant, _name_, for a perfect deliverance from his sins, and for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven.
_Be it known that some say this prayer only thus far, with the exclamation,_
For it is thine to have mercy.....
_But others say even unto the end,_
For thou art God great and wonderful, who keepest thy testament and thy mercy unto them that love thee, granting deliverance from sins through thy holy child, Jesus Christ, who regenerateth us from sin, enlighteneth the blind, setteth up them that are cast down, loveth the righteous, and is merciful to sinners, who hath called us out of darkness and the shadow of death, saying unto them that are in bonds, Come forth, and to them that are in darkness, Be ye unveiled. For he hath shined in our hearts the light of the knowledge of his countenance, in that for our sake he was made manifest upon earth, and dwelt among men; and to them that accepted thee gave he power to become the children of God; and hath bestowed upon us a sonship through the laver of regeneration, and made us to have no participation in the domination of the devil. For thou wast not pleased that we should be cleansed through blood, but hast given, through holy oil, an image of his cross, that we may be a flock of Christ, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, cleansing us by water, and sanctifying us by thy holy spirit. Do thou thyself, O Master Lord, give grace unto us in this thy service, as thou didst give unto Moses, thine accepted, and unto Samuel, thy beloved, and unto John, thine elect, and unto all who in every generation have been acceptable unto thee. And so make us to be ministers of thy new testament upon this oil, which thou hast made thine own through the precious blood of thy Christ, that, putting away worldly lusts, we may die unto sin and live unto righteousness, so that we may be led of the proposed oil to be invested in him with the anointing of sanctification. May this oil, O Lord, be an oil of gladness, an oil of sanctification, a royal investiture, a cuirass of power, an averting of every diabolical operation, an inviolable seal, a rejoicing of the heart, an eternal joy, that they that are anointed with this oil of regeneration may be terrible to adversaries, and may shine in the brightness of thy saints, having no spot or wrinkle; and may they attain unto thine eternal rest, and gain the prize of the calling from on high.
For it is thine to have mercy, and to save us, O our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine only-begotten Son, and with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages, Amen.
_And after the prayer; the priest taketh a twig, and, dipping it in the holy oil, anointeth the sick person in the form of a cross, on the forehead, on the nostrils, on the cheeks, on the lips, on the breast, on the hands on both sides, saying this prayer._
Holy Father, physician of souls and bodies, who didst send thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who healeth every infirmity, and delivereth from death; do thou heal thy servant, _name_, from the bodily and spiritual weakness that presseth upon him, and quicken him by the grace of thy Christ; through the prayers of our most holy Lady, the God-bearing and ever-virgin Mary; through the intercession of the honourable, heavenly bodiless powers; through the power of the precious and life-effecting cross; of the honourable glorious prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious, and all-praised apostles; of the holy glorious, and excellently victorious martyrs; of our venerable and god-bearing fathers; of the holy and unmercenary physicians, Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Pantelimon and Hermolaus, Sampson and Diomed, Photius and Anicetas; of the holy and righteous god-progenitors, Joakim and Anna, and of all the Saints.