_The priest entereth, and vesteth himself with the white sacerdotal
garment, and the maniples, and all the tapers are lighted, and he taketh
the censer, and goeth to the font and censeth round, and giveth up the
censer, and boweth himself._
_Then saith the deacon,_
Bless, master.
_And the priest, with a loud voice,_
Blessed be the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_And the deacon straightway saith the 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 Most Holy Governing Synod....
For our Most Pious....
That this water may be hallowed by the might, and operation, and descent
of the Holy Ghost, let us pray to the Lord.
That there may be sent down into it the grace of redemption, the blessing
of Jordan, let us pray to the Lord.
That there may come down into this water the cleansing operation of the
supersubstantial Trinity, let us pray to the Lord.
That we may be illuminated with the illumination of understanding and
piety through the descent of the Holy Ghost, let us pray to the Lord.
That it may be manifested the averting of every counsel of visible and
invisible enemies, let us pray to the Lord.
That he that is baptized therein may be worthy of the incorruptible
kingdom, let us pray to the Lord.
For him that now cometh to holy illumination, and for his salvation, let
us pray to the Lord.
That he may be manifested a son of light, and an inheritor of eternal
good things, let us pray to the Lord.
That he may be planted with, and become a partaker of the death and
resurrection of Christ our God, let us pray to the Lord.
That he may preserve the garment of baptism, and the earnest of the
Spirit undefiled and unblameable in the terrible day of Christ our God,
let us pray to the Lord.
That this water may be to him the bath of regeneration, unto the
forgiveness of sins, and the putting on of incorruption, let us pray to
the Lord.
That the Lord God may hearken unto the voice of our prayer, let us pray
to the Lord.
That he may deliver him and us from all affliction, passion, and want,
let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy....
Commemorating our most holy, most pure....
_And while the deacon is saying these, the priest saith this prayer to
himself secretly._
O loving-kind and merciful God, who triest the hearts and reins, and who
alone knowest the secrets of men, for nothing is unmanifest before thee,
but all things are naked and exposed in thine eyesight; do thou thyself,
who perceivest that which concerneth me, loathe me not, neither turn
away thy face from me; but overlook mine offences in this hour, O thou
that overlookest the sins of men that they may repent. And wash me from
the defilement of my body and from the stain of my soul, and sanctify
me wholly by thine all-effectual invisible might, and by thy spiritual
right hand, lest, preaching liberty to others, and offering this in the
perfect faith of thine unspeakable love to man, I myself may be condemned
as a servant of sin. Nay, O Master, who alone art good and man-loving,
let me not be turned back humbled; but send unto me power from on high,
and strengthen me for the ministration of this thy present great and most
heavenly mystery; and form the image of thy Christ in him who is about to
be born again through my humility; and build him upon the foundation of
thine apostles and prophets; and cast him not down, but plant him as a
plant of truth in thy holy, catholic, and apostolic church; and pluck him
not up, that, by his advancing in piety, by the same may be glorified thy
most holy name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now
and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.
_It behoveth to know that he maketh no exclamation, but saith even the
Amen to himself._
_Then he saith this prayer with a loud voice,_
Great art thou, O Lord, and wonderful are thy works, and no word shall be
sufficient for the praise of thy wonders.
_Thrice._
For thou by thy will hast from nothingness brought all things into being,
and by thy power thou sustainest creation, and by thy foreknowledge,
directest the world. Thou from four elements hast formed creation, and
hast crowned the circle of the year with four seasons. All the spiritual
powers tremble before thee, the sun praiseth thee, the moon glorifieth
thee, the stars make intercession with thee, the light hearkeneth unto
thee, the depths shudder at thy presence, the springs of water serve
thee. Thou hast stretched out the heaven as a curtain, thou hast founded
the earth upon the waters, thou hast bounded the sea with sand, thou hast
diffused the air for breathing. The angelic powers minister unto thee,
the choirs of archangels worship thee, the many-eyed cherubim and the
six-winged seraphim, standing and flying around, cover themselves with
fear of thine unapproachable glory. For thou, being the uninscribable,
unbeginning, and unspeakable God, didst come down upon earth, taking
the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; for thou, O
Master, through the tenderness of thy mercy, didst not endure to behold
the race of men tormented by the devil, but thou didst come and save
us. We confess thy grace, we proclaim thy mercy, we conceal not thy
beneficence. Thou hast set at liberty the generations of our nature,
thou didst hallow the virginal womb by thy birth. All creation praiseth
thee who didst manifest thyself; for thou, O our God, wast seen upon
earth, and didst dwell together with men. Thou didst hallow the streams
of Jordan, sending down from heaven thy Holy Ghost, and didst crush the
heads of the dragons that lurked therein.
Do thou thyself therefore, O man-loving King, be present now also through
the descent of thy Holy Ghost, and sanctify this water.
_Thrice._
And give it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it a
fountain of incorruption, a gift of sanctification, a loosing of sins,
a healing of sicknesses, a destruction of demons, unapproachable by
hostile powers, fulfilled with angelic strength, and let them that take
counsel together against thy creature flee therefrom; for I have called
upon thy name, O Lord, which is wonderful, and glorious, and terrible to
adversaries.
_And he signeth the water thrice, dipping his fingers therein, and,
breathing upon it, saith,_
Let all the hostile powers be crushed beneath the sign of the image of
thy cross.
_Thrice._
We pray thee, O Lord, let every airy and invisible spectre withdraw
itself from us, and let not a demon of darkness conceal himself in this
water, neither let an evil spirit, bringing obscurity of purpose and
rebellious thoughts, descend thereinto with him that is to be baptized.
But thou, O Master of all, declare this water water of redemption,
water of sanctification, a cleansing of flesh and spirit, a loosing of
bonds, a forgiveness of iniquities, an illumination of soul, a bath of
regeneration, a renewal of the spirit, a gift of sonship, a garment of
incorruption, a fountain of life. For thou hast said, O Lord, Wash you,
and be ye clean, put away evil from your souls. Thou hast bestowed upon
us regeneration from on high by water and the spirit. Manifest thyself,
O Lord, in this water, and grant that he that is to be baptized may be
transformed therein to the putting away of the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts, and to the putting on of the new, which
is renewed according to the image of him that created him, that, being
planted in the likeness of thy death through baptism, he may become a
sharer of resurrection; and, preserving the gift of thy Holy Ghost, and
increasing the deposit of grace, he may attain unto the prize of his high
calling, and be counted among the number of the first-born, whose names
are written in heaven, to thee our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, to whom
be glory and might, together with thine unbeginning Father, and 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.
_And he breatheth thrice upon the cruet of oil, and signeth this thrice,
while it is held by the deacon, who saith,_
Let us pray to the Lord.
_And the priest saith the prayer._
Master, Lord, O God of our fathers, who didst send to them that were in
the ark of Noe a dove bearing a twig of olive in its mouth as a sign
of reconciliation and salvation from the flood, and by the same didst
fore-image the mystery of grace, and who hast provided the fruit of the
olive for the completion of thy holy mysteries, and thereby hast filled
them that were under the law with the Holy Ghost, and perfected them
that are under grace; do thou thyself bless this oil by the might, and
operation, and descent of thy Holy Ghost, that it may become an anointing
of incorruption, a shield of righteousness, a renewal of soul and body,
an averting of every diabolical operation, to the removal of all evils
from them that are anointed with it in faith, or that are partakers of
it to thy glory, and to that of thine only-begotten Son, and of thy most
holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of
ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Deacon._ Let us attend.
_And the priest, singing Alleluia thrice with the people, maketh three
crosses with the oil upon the water._
_Then he exclaimeth,_
Blessed be God, who enlighteneth and sanctifieth every man that cometh
into the world, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_And he that is to be baptized is brought forward; and the priest taketh
of the oil with two fingers, and maketh the sign of the cross on his
forehead, and breast, and between his shoulders, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is anointed with the oil of gladness, in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever,
and to ages of ages. Amen.
_And he signeth his breast and between the shoulders. On the breast
saying,_
For the healing of soul and body.
_And on the ears_, For the hearing of faith.
_On the hands_, Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me.
_On the feet_, That he may walk in the path of thy commandments.
_And when he hath anointed the whole body, the priest baptizeth him,
holding him erect and looking towards the east, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen.
And of the Son. Amen. And of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Now and ever, and to
ages of ages. Amen.
_At each invocation he immerseth him, and raiseth him again. And after
the baptism the priest washeth his hands, singing with the people psalm
xxxi._
Blessed are they whose transgressions....
_And this whole psalm is said thrice; and, vesting him with the robe, he
saith,_
The servant of God, _name_, is invested with the robe of righteousness,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_And the troparion is sung in tone viii._
Give unto me a shining robe, thou that art invested with light as with a
garment, O most merciful Christ our God.
_And after investing him, the priest prayeth, saying this prayer._
Blessed art thou, O Lord God Almighty, fountain of good things, sun
of righteousness, who shinest to them that are in darkness the light
of salvation, through the manifestation of thine only-begotten Son,
and our God, and grantest unto us, unworthy ones, blessed cleansing in
holy water, and divine sanctification in life-effecting anointing; and
who art now well-pleased for thy servant, the newly-illuminated, to
be born again through water and the spirit, and who grantest unto him
remission of voluntary and involuntary sins; do thou thyself, O Master,
thou loving-kind supreme King, bestow upon him also the seal of thine
omnipotent and adorable Holy Ghost, and the communion of the holy body
and the precious blood of thy Christ; keep him in thy sanctification,
confirm him in the orthodox faith; deliver him from the evil one and all
his devices; and preserve his soul, through thy saving fear, in purity
and righteousness, that, in every work and word, being acceptable unto
thee, he may become a son and heir of thine heavenly kingdom.
_With a loud voice._ For thou art our God, the God of mercy and
salvation, 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, after the prayer, he anointeth the baptized with the holy myrrh,
making the sign of the cross, On the forehead, and eyes, and nostrils,
and lips, And both ears, and breast, And hands, and feet, and saying,_
The seal of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_Then the priest maketh, together with the sponsor and the child, a
circumambulation. And we sing,_
As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia,
_thrice_.
_Then the prokimenon, tone iii._
The Lord is mine illumination, and my saviour, whom shall I fear?
_Verse._ The Lord is the defence of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
_The epistle to the Romans, section xci._
Brethren, as many of us as were baptized.... _ending_, through Jesus
Christ our Lord.[9]
_Priest._ Peace to thee.
_Deacon._ Wisdom, let us attend.
_Reader._ Alleluia.
_After this the deacon._ Wisdom, standing, let us hear the holy gospel.
_Priest._ The reading of the holy gospel from Matthew.
_Deacon._ Let us attend.
_The priest readeth, section cxvi._ At that time, the eleven
disciples.... _ending_, the end of the world. Amen.[10]
_Then the ectenia._
Have mercy upon us, O God....
Furthermore let us pray for our Most Pious Autocratic Great Lord, THE
EMPEROR ALEXANDER ALEXANDROVITCH of all Russia.
Furthermore let us pray for His Consort, the Most Pious Lady, THE EMPRESS
MARIA THEODOROVNA.
Furthermore let us pray for His Heir, the Right-believing Lord, the
Cesarevitch and Grand Duke, NICOLAUS ALEXANDROVITCH.
Furthermore let us pray for the Most Holy Governing Synod.
Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and
forgiveness of sins for the servant of God, _name_, the sponsor.
Furthermore let us pray for the newly-illuminated servant of God, _name_.
That he may be preserved in the faith of a pure confession, in all piety,
and in the fulfilment of the commandments of Christ throughout all the
days of his life.
For a merciful and man-loving God thou art....
_Choir._ Amen.
_Priest._ Glory to thee, O Christ God, our hope, glory to thee.
_Glory. Both now._
Lord, have mercy, _thrice_. Bless.
_And the priest maketh the dismissal._
_Note. And on the eighth day they bring him again to the church for the
ablution. And the priest looseth his garment and girdle, saying these
prayers._
Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
Thou that by holy baptism hast granted forgiveness of sins unto thy
servant, and bestowed upon him a life of regeneration; do thou thyself,
O Master Lord, be pleased that the light of thy countenance may evermore
shine in his heart, Keep the escutcheon of his faith undefamed by
enemies: preserve for him the garment of incorruption, which he hath put
on, undefiled and unstained: preserve unbroken in him the spiritual seal
by thy grace; and be gracious unto him and unto us, according to the
plenitude of thy compassions.
For blessed and glorified is thy most honourable and majestic name, of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to
ages of ages. Amen.
_Prayer ii._
Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord, have mercy.
Master, Lord our God, who, through the font, bestowest heavenly
illumination upon them that are baptized, who hast regenerated thy
servant, the newly-illuminated, by water and the spirit, and bestowed
upon him forgiveness of his voluntary and involuntary sins; do thou lay
upon him thy mighty hand, and keep him in the power of thy goodness;
preserve his pledge inviolate, and count him worthy of eternal life, and
of thine approval.
For thou art our sanctification, 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.
_Choir._ Amen.
Peace to all.
_Choir._ And to thy spirit.
_Deacon._ Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Choir._ To thee, O Lord.
He that hath put on thee, O Christ our God, with us boweth his head to
thee; and do thou keep him that he may abide a combatant unovercome
against them that bear vain enmity against him and us, and by thy crown
of incorruption at the last declare us all to be victorious ones. For
it is thine to have mercy and to save, and to thee we ascribe glory,
with thine unbeginning Father, and with thy most holy, and good, and
life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
_Choir._ Amen.
_And he looseneth the child’s girdle and garment, and, joining the ends
of these, soaketh them with clean water, and sprinkleth the child,
saying,_
Thou art justified. Thou art illuminated. Thou art sanctified. Thou art
washed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our
God.
_And he taketh a new sponge dipped in water, and wipeth his face, as also
his head, and breast, and the rest, saying,_
Thou art baptized. Thou art illuminated. Thou art anointed with myrrh.
Thou art sanctified. Thou art washed. In the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_Prayer at the tonsure of the hair._
_Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord.
_Choir._ Lord have mercy.
Master, Lord our God, who didst honour man with thine image, providing
him with a rational soul and comely body, that the body might serve the
rational soul; for thou didst place the head in superiority, and therein
emplant the greater number of the senses, which impede not one another,
and didst cover the head with hair that it might not be injured by the
changes of weather, and didst fit all the members serviceably thereunto,
that by all it might render thanks unto thee, the excellent artist; do
thou thyself, O Master, who, by thy chosen vessel, Paul, the apostle,
hast bidden us to do all things to thy glory, bless thy servant, _name_,
who is come to make the first offering by the cutting of the hair of
his head; and with him also his sponsors; and grant unto them all that
they may exercise themselves in thy law, and do those things that are
acceptable unto thee.
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.
_Choir._ Amen.
Peace to all.
_Choir._ And to thy spirit.
_Deacon._ Bow your heads to the Lord.
_Choir._ To thee, O Lord.
_And the priest saith this prayer._
O Lord our God, who, through the completion of the bath, hast, by thy
goodness, sanctified them that believe in thee; do thou bless the present
child, and may thy blessing come down upon his head. And as by Samuel the
prophet thou didst bless David the King, so also bless the head of thy
servant, _name_, by the hand of me, a sinner, visiting him with thy Holy
Ghost, that he may increase unto maturity, and in the grey hairs of old
age may ascribe glory unto thee, and may see the good things of Jerusalem
all the days of his life.
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.
_Choir._ Amen.
_And he sheareth him in the form of a cross, saying,_
The servant of God, _name_, is shorn, in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_Choir._ Amen.
_Then the ectenia, in which after THE EMPEROR, the sponsor is
commemorated together with the newly-illuminated._
Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy....
Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, and for the
salvation of the servant of God, _name_, the sponsor, and, _name_, the
newly-illuminated.
_Priest._ For a merciful....
_And the customary dismissal is made._
[Illustration]
A PRAYER FOR HOLY BAPTISM, THAT IS, HOW BRIEFLY TO BAPTIZE A CHILD
BECAUSE OF FEAR OF DEATH.
_The priest saith_, Blessed be the kingdom.... _Then_, Trisagion. O most
holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For thine is....
Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord God Almighty, the author of all creation, visible and invisible, who
didst make heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, who
didst gather the waters unto one gathering together, who didst shut up
the depth and seal it by thy terrible and glorious name, who didst raise
up the waters to be above the firmament: thou hast founded the earth upon
the waters, thou hast stablished the sea by thy power, thou hast crushed
the heads of the dragons in the waters: terrible art thou, and who shall
oppose thee? Do thou, O Lord, regard this thy creature, and this water,
and give it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan: make it a
fount of incorruption, a gift of sanctification, a loosing of sins, a
healing of sicknesses, a destruction of demons, an inaccessibility to
hostile powers, a fulness of angelic strength, that they may flee from it
that plot against thy creature; for I have called upon thy name, O Lord,
which is wonderful and glorious, and terrible to adversaries.
_And straightway he poureth oil upon the water. Then he baptizeth,
saying,_