Prayer Service
For the Increase of Love and
Eradication of Hatred and Malice
Priest: Blessed
is our God always, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
People: Amen.
Priest: Glory to You, O our God, glory to You.
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the
Spirit of Truth who are everywhere and fill all things. Treasury of
Blessings, and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every
impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.
People: Holy
God! ¡ Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have
mercy on us. 3 times
Glory
to the Father, @ and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O
most holy Trinity, have
mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our
transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your
name's sake.
Lord,
have mercy. 3 times
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto
ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil.
Priest: For
Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory: of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
People: Amen.
THE GREAT LITANY
Deacon: In
peace let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord,
have mercy.
Deacon: For
the peace from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the
Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For
the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for
the union of them all, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For
those who have assembled here with faith, reverence, and with the fear of God,
let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For
the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church, for our lord the Right/Most Reverend
(Arch)Bishop Name, for the honorable Priesthood, the Diaconate in Christ, for all the
clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That
we may be given grace to admit that we now know but in part, let us pray to the
Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That
we may be given the humility to see how limited our own understand is, let us
pray to the Lord.
Deacon: That
we may be given faith to accept that only God Himself fully knows the hearts
and minds of all, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That
we may be given hope that others seek after the Kingdom of God and
righteousness as strongly as ourselves, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That
we may be given love towards others who understand us not, that we may all be
drawn together in true fraternal charity, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: That
with faith and hope unashamed and love unfeigned, we may draw all unto Christ
Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: That
Satan may be swiftly crushed beneath our feet, and that every counsel that is
directed against us by the Evil One may be made of no effect, let us pray to
the Lord.
Deacon: That
we may be delivered from all tribulation, wrath, danger and adversity, let us
pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Protect
us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by Your grace.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Calling
to remembrance our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the
Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves,
and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.
People: To You, O Lord.
Priest: For
to You are due all glory, honor and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
People: Amen.
Deacon: In Tone
4:
God is the Lord and has appeared
unto us. * Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
People: God is the Lord and has appeared
unto us. * Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
And so after each verse of the
Deacon.
⁄ O
give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.
⁄ All
the nations surrounded me, but in the Name of the Lord have I driven them back.
⁄ I
shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
⁄ The stone which the builders
rejected has become the head of the corner. This is of the Lord, and it is
marvelous in our eyes.
Troparia, Tone 4:
O Christ, who bound Your Apostles in
a union of love,
And have likewise bound us, Your
believing servants to You,
Grant us unfeigned love to do Your
commands,
And to love one another through the
prayers of the Theotokos, ***
O only Lover of mankind!
Glory to the Father @ and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit.
As Your first Martyr Stephen
prayed to You for his murderers, O Lord,
So we ball before You and pray:
Forgive all who hate us and mistreat
us,
And let not one of them perish
because of us, ***
But may all be saved by Your grace,
O all-bountiful God!
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
Set our hearts on fire with
love for You, O Christ our God,
That in its flame we may love
You with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength,
And love our neighbors as ourselves,
That keeping Your commandments, we
may glorify You, ***
The Giver of all good gifts.
Reader: The Prokeimenon in Tone 4:
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and
may prosperity be with those who love you.
People: Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem, and may prosperity be with those who love you.
Reader: May peace be within your walls, and prosperity on your towers.
People: Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem, and may prosperity be with those who love you.
Reader: Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem.
People: And
may prosperity be with those who love you.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The Reading from the First Epistle
of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (13)
Deacon: Let us
attend.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though
I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and
though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me
nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not
parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in
the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;
whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will
vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which
is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a
child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but
when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as
I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest
of these is love.
Priest: Peace to you, Reader.
Reader: And
to your spirit. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
People: Alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia.
Reader: For
the sake of my brethren and my friends, I have asked peace for you.
People: Alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia.
Reader: For
sake of the house of the Lord our God, I have earnestly sought your good.
People: Alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia.
Deacon: And that
we may be made worthy of hearing the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.
People: Lord,
have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Deacon: Wisdom.
Let us attend. Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.
Priest: Peace @ be unto all.
People: And
to your spirit.
Priest: The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (13:31–35)
People: Glory
to You, O Lord, glory to You!
Deacon: Let us
attend.
@ At that time: The
Lord said: "Now the Son of Man is glorfied, and God is gloried in
Him. If God is gloried in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and
glorify Him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little while
longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you
cannot come,' so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this
all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another."
People: Glory
to You, O Lord, glory to You!
Deacon:
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we
pray You, hearken and have mercy.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray for our lord the Right/Most Reverend
(Arch)Bishop Name
and all our brethren in Christ.
People:
Lord @, have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray for our divinely protected country, its
authorities, and armed forces.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray for misunderstand us, hate us, slander us, and
say all manner of evil against us for the sake of Christ and His holy Gospel,
we pray You, O God, hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray for those whom our own thoughtlessness have
caused to stumble and be turned from the way of salvation, that they may be
restored, we pray You, O God, hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray that we may be granted to see, judge, and
repent of our own sins and not those of our neighbors, we pray You, O God, hear
us and have mercy.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Deacon:
Again we pray that where there is hatred, injury, doubt,
ignorance, confusion, and despair, the All-holy Spirit will sow love, pardon,
faith, wisdom, understanding, and hope, we pray You, O God, hear us and have
mercy.
People:
Lord @,
have mercy. 3 times
Priest:
For You are a merciful God and love
mankind, and to You do we send up glory: to the Father @, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
People:
Amen.
Priest: Wisdom!
People:
Father, bless!
Priest:
He Who is is blessed, even Christ
our God, always, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
People:
Amen. Establish, O God, the Holy Orthodox Faith and
Orthodox Christians unto ages of ages.
Priest:
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
People:
More honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare
more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to the Word
of God: true Theotokos, we magnify you.
Priest:
Glory to You, O Christ God, our
Hope, glory to You!
People:
Glory to the Father @ and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and
unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord,
have mercy. 3 times
Father,
bless!
Priest: May Christ our true God, who showed
us the more excellent way of love, through the intercessions of His
all-immaculate and all-blameless holy Mother; of the holy and righteous
ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; of the holy proto-martyr the Archdeacon Stephen,
and the holy new martyrs Elizabeth the Abbess and Sister Barbara, and of all the saints: have mercy on
us and save us, for He is good and loves mankind.
People:
Amen.