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THE OFFICE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A READER AND SINGER IS PERFORMED ON
THIS WISE.
_He that is to be made a taper-bearer is brought by two subdeacons into
the middle of the church, and he maketh three reverences. And, turning
himself, he boweth thrice to the Archpriest; and, having been conducted
to the Archpriest, he boweth his head, and the Archpriest signeth him
crosswise with the hand upon his head thrice. And after this, placing his
hand upon his head, he saith this prayer._
Lord, who with the light of thy wonders enlightenest all Creation, who
knowest the intention of each before it is formed, and strengthenest them
that desire to serve thee; do thou thyself adorn with thine unspotted
and undefiled robes thy servant, _name_, who is minded to precede thy
holy mysteries as a taper-bearer, that, being enlightened and meeting
thee in the world to come, he may obtain an incorruptible crown of life,
rejoicing with thine elect in everlasting blessedness.
_Exclamation._ For hallowed is thy name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to
ages of ages. Amen.
_And be it noted that, if the liturgy be not celebrated, the Archpriest
maketh the beginning_, Blessed be our God.... _and then is sung_, O
heavenly King.... _Trisagion._ O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For
thine is the kingdom.... _And the troparion of the day is said._
_But if the liturgy be celebrated_, O heavenly King.... _and Trisagion
and_ Our Father.... _are not sung, and only these troparia are said._
O holy apostles, pray the merciful God that he may grant our souls
remission of sins.
The grace of thy mouth, shining forth like fire, hath illuminated the
universe, hath offered the world treasures of liberality, and hath shewed
to us the height of humility. And as thou instructest by thy words, O
father John Chrysostom, pray Christ, the Word of God, to save our souls.
Thy sound is gone forth into all the earth, which hath received thy word,
whereby thou hast divinely taught, hast explained the nature of things
that are, and brightened the customs of men, O royal divine, venerable
father: pray thou Christ God to save our souls.
The shepherd’s reed of thy divinity hath overcome the trumpets of the
orators; for as to him that seeketh the deep things of the spirit, so
was the grace of language accorded thee. Then, father Gregory, pray
Christ God to save our souls.
_Glory. Both now._
Through the prayers, O Lord, of all the saints, and of the God-bearing
one, grant thy peace to us, and have mercy upon us, as being alone
compassionate.
_Then the Archpriest sheareth his head crosswise, saying_, In the name
of the Father. _A protodeacon and a reader, or a singer, say_, Amen.
_Archpriest._ And of the Son. _Protodeacon._ Amen. _Archpriest._ And of
the Holy Ghost. _Protodeacon._ Amen.
_Then the Archpriest putteth the short phelonion on him, and again thrice
signeth him crosswise on his head with the hand, and layeth his hand upon
him, and prayeth thus,_
O Lord God almighty, elect this thy servant, and sanctify him, and grant
unto him, in all wisdom and understanding, to practise the study and
reading of thy divine words, preserving him in a blameless course of life.
_Exclamation._
Through the mercy, and compassions, and love to man of thine
only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine
all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages
of ages. Amen.
_And after the prayer the Archpriest openeth the book of the apostles
over the head of the reader. And the subdeacons conduct him from the
Archpriest, and place him in the middle of the church, with his face
towards the east, and give him the book of the apostles, and he readeth
thus, The reading of the message of the holy apostle Paul to the Romans
(or, to others). And he readeth the portion of the epistle that is
appointed, from the beginning to the end, and turneth himself and boweth
thrice to the Archpriest according to rite. And the subdeacons take
off from him the phelonion, and conduct him to the Archpriest. And the
Archpriest again signeth his head thrice with the hand. And they bring
the sticharion to the Archpriest, and he signeth the sticharion with
his hand over the cross. And he that hath been appointed, having signed
himself with his hand, kisseth the cross upon the sticharion, and the
hand of the Archpriest; and the subdeacons vest him with the sticharion.
And the Archpriest addresseth him on this wise,_
Child, the first degree of the priesthood is that of reader. Therefore
it becometh thee to read every day in the divine scriptures, that they
that hear, considering thee, may receive edification, and that thou, in
nowise shaming thine election, mayest prepare thyself for a more advanced
degree. For, living temperately, holily, and righteously, thou shalt gain
the mercy of the man-loving God, and make thyself worthy of a higher
ministry, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory to ages of ages.
Amen.
_Then the Archpriest saith on this wise,_
Blessed be the Lord, lo, the servant of God, _name_, becometh reader of
the most holy church, _name_, in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost.
_And the Archpriest giveth him a lamp, and he standeth before the
Archpriest with the lamp in the indicated place._
_And if there be several readers to receive the laying
on of hands they receive this together,
and the prayer is said in the
plural._