Let us pray to the Lord.
Master, Lord Almighty, who healest every sickness, and every weakness; do
thou thyself heal this thine handmaid, _name_, who to-day hath borne a
child, and raise her from the bed upon which she lieth; for, according to
the words of thy prophet David, we were conceived in transgressions, and
are all defiled before thee. Protect her, and this child which she hath
borne: shelter her under the covering of thy wings from this day even
unto her last end, through the prayers of the most holy God-bearing one,
and of all the Saints; for blessed art thou to ages of ages. Amen.
Let us pray to the Lord.
Master, Lord our God, who wast born of our most holy Lady, the
God-bearing and ever-virgin Mary, and as a babe wast laid in a manger,
and as a child wast carried in arms; do thou thyself have mercy upon
this thine handmaid, who to-day hath borne this child, and be gracious
unto her voluntary and involuntary offences, and protect her from every
diabolical cruelty; and preserve the child which she hath borne from
every bane, from every harm, from every hostile rage, from evil spirits
of the day and night; and preserve her under thy mighty hand; and grant
unto her a speedy recovery, and cleansing from defilement, and healing
of suffering; and vouchsafe to her health, and strength of soul and
body; and surround her with bright and shining angels; and preserve her
from every approach of invisible spirits; yea, O Lord, from sickness and
infirmity, from jealousy and envy, and from the glance of eyes; and have
mercy upon her, and upon the child, according to the greatness of thy
mercy; and cleanse her from bodily defilement, and from diverse inward
travail befalling her; and, by thy quick mercy, lead her to recovery
in her bodily affliction. And vouchsafe unto the child which she hath
borne to worship the earthly temple which thou hast prepared for the
glorification of thy holy name. 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. Amen.
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.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_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._
[Illustration]
_Chapter III._