PRIEST (in a low voice)
Master Lord, our God, do not bring me to
naught, for stained by many sins, I have come
to Your sacred and heavenly sacrament not as
one worthy, but counting on Your goodness,
I raise my voice to You: O God, have mercy
on me, a sinner. I have sinned against heaven
and before You, and I am not worthy to cast
my eyes toward Your sacred and spiritual
table upon which Your only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, is mystically offered in
sacrifice for me the sinner, defiled as I am by
every blemish. Therefore, I bring before You
this supplication and thanksgiving: send upon
me Your Spirit, the Comforter, to strengthen
and prepare me fully for this liturgy. Let Your
word spoken to the people be again proclaimed
by me worthily, without condemnation in
Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom You are
blessed, together with Your all-holy, good,
life-giving, and consubstantial Spirit, now and
forever into the ages of ages. Amen.
PRIEST (aloud)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, the triune and single light of the
Godhead, who exists singly in Trinity and is
divided undividedly. For the one God almighty
is a Trinity: the heavens declare His glory,
the earth His Lordship, the sea His dominion,
and every living creature His magnificence.
For to Him belong all glory, honor, power,
magnificence, and splendor, now and forever
and to the ages of ages.
( Amen. )
Benefactor, King of the ages, and Creator
of all creation, receive Your Church which
approaches You through Your Christ. To each
grant what is useful. Bring us all to perfection
and render us worthy of Your sanctifying
grace bringing us together in Your holy,
catholic, and apostolic Church, adorned with
the precious blood of Your only-begotten Son,
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom
You are blessed and glorified, together with
Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit,
now and forever and to the ages of ages.
( Amen. )
The Deacon, always facing the people, exclaims:
DEACON
Let us pray to the Lord.
( Lord, have mercy. )
PRIEST
O God, You received the gifts of Abel,
the sacrifice of Noah and Abraham, and the
offerings of incense of Aaron and Zechariah
Receive now from our sinful hands this
incense as a sweet fragrance, granting
forgiveness of sins to us and to all Your
people. For You are blessed and to You
belongs glory, to the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the
ages of ages.
( Amen. )
The Priest censes the Holy Table, then takes up to
the Holy Gospel Book and gives it to the Deacon. Then,
preceded by a candlebearer, they exit the Holy Sanctuary
and make the Entrance, chanting the hymn:
PRIEST
Only begotten Son and Logos of God,
being immortal, You condescended for our
salvation to take flesh from the holy Theotokos
and ever-virgin Mary and, without change,
became man. Christ, our God, You were
crucified and conquered death by death. Being
one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the
Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us. [GOA]
When they arrive at the middle of the solea, where there
is a stand, the Deacon places the Holy Gospel Book on it
and they continue towards the Holy Doors before which the
Priest says the following prayer
PRIEST
O God, the Almighty, Lord of the exalted
name, He who has given us the entrance to
the Holy of Holies through the coming of
Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and
Savior Jesus Christ, we entreat and beseech
Your goodness. Filled with fear and trembling
as we prepare to stand before Your Holy
Altar, send us, O God, Your good grace and
sanctify our souls, bodies, and spirits. Direct
our thoughts to those of piety, so that with
a clear conscience we may offer You gifts,presents,
and fruits for the abolition of our
offenses and forgiveness of all Your people,
through the grace, compassion, and love of
Your only-begotten son, with whom You are
blessed to the ages of ages
( Amen. )
After this, he enters the Holy Sanctuary, bows his head,
and prays in a low voice.
PRIEST (in a low voice)
Compassionate and merciful, patient
and loving, the true Lord, look down upon
us from Your holy dwelling place and hear
us, Your servants, and deliver us from every
diabolical and human temptation. Do not take
Your help from us, nor bring upon us greater
tests that are beyond our power to endure, for
we are incapable of overcoming the attacks.
But You, O Lord, are strong to save us from
all adversities. Save us, O Lord, according
to Your goodness, from the tribulations of
this world, so that having entered with a clear
conscience into Your Holy Sanctuary, we may
sing the blessed thrice-holy hymn without
condemnation, together with the heavenly
powers. And having celebrated the divine
liturgy which is well pleasing to You, we may
be deemed worthy of eternal life. Amen.
While the Priest enter the Holy Sanctuary, the Deacon,
facing the people, says:
DEACON
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
( Lord, have mercy. )
For the peace and love of God and the
salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
( Lord, have mercy. )
For peace in the whole world, and unity
among all the holy Churches of God, and for
the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
( Lord, have mercy. )
For the salvation and divine help of our
most-holy father and Archbishop (name), and
all the clergy and Christ-loving people, let us
pray to the Lord.
( Lord, have mercy. )
For the remission of sins and forgiveness
of our offenses and for our deliverance from
all affliction, wrath, danger, necessity, and
distress and the rising of enemies, let us pray to
the Lord
( Lord, have mercy. )
Let us remember our most holy, pure,
blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos
and ever-virgin Mary, Saint John the glorious,
prophet, forerunner, and baptist; the divine
and praiseworthy apostles; the glorious
prophets; the triumphant martyrs; and all the
saints and righteous that by their prayers and
intercessions we may all find mercy.
( Lord, have mercy. )
PRIEST
For You are holy, O Lord our God,
dwelling and resting in Your saints, and to You
we give glory and sing the thrice-holy hymn:
to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever and to the ages of ages.
( Amen. )
CHOIR
THE TRISAGION HYMN
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,
have mercy on us. (3) [GOA
Glory to the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages
of ages. Amen
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
DEACON
Dynamis.
The Priest, turning towards the Prothesis, says in a low
voice:
PRIEST (in a low voice)
Blessed is He Who comes in the name of
the Lord.
Towards the Holy Table:
Blessed are You upon the throne of the
glory of Your kingdom, enthroned upon the
Cherubim always, now and forever and to the
ages of ages. Amen.
CHOIR
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,
have mercy on us.
While the Trisagion is being sung, the Priest and the
Deacon exit from the Holy Doors of the Sanctuary, go to
the center of the Solea, and say at the completion of the
Trisagion
PRIEST
Peace be with all
( And with your spirit. )
THE EPISTLE
The reader reads from the Epistle, standing near the
Pulpit. The Deacon censes while the Priest says in a low
voice
For the Apostle.
DEACON
Let us be attentive
READER
Prokeimenon. Mode pl. 4. Psalm 18.
His proclamation went forth into all the
earth. [SAAS]
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of
God. [SAAS]
DEACON
Wisdom.
READER
The reading is from Paul's Letter to the
Galatians.
DEACON
Let us be attentive
READER
Brethren, I would have you know that the
gospel which was preached by me is not man's
gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor
was I taught it, but it came through a revelation
of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my
former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the
church of God violently and tried to destroy
it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of
my own age among my people, so extremely
zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
But when he who had set me apart before I was
born, and had called me through his grace, was
pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that
I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did
not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go
up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles
before me, but I went away into Arabia; and
again I returned to Damascus. Then after three
years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas,
and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw
none of the other apostles except James the
Lord's brother.
PRIEST
Peace be with you.
PRIEST (inaudibly)
To You, Lord our God, who are filled
with all fragrance and gladness which You
have given us, we offer this incense. Let It rise
before You, we pray, from our lowly hands
to Your holy and heavenly Altar, as a sweet
fragrance for the remission of our sins and the
forgiveness of Your people, through the grace,
compassion, and love of Your only-begotten
Son, with whom You are blessed, together
with Your all-holy, gracious, and life-giving
Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
Amen
After the completion of the Epistle.
CHOIR
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia
