Order Before Holy Baptism
Prayers
at the Making of a Catechumen
The Priest
divests him (her) that comes to be illuminated of robes and shoes and faces him (her) eastward, barefoot and clad in a
single garment, hands down. Then, breathing thrice on his (her) face and
signing him (her) thrice on the forehead and breast, the Priest says:
In the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Blessed is our
God always, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Laying his
hand upon his (her) head, the Priest says:
Priest:
Let us pray to
the Lord.
Choir:
Lord have
mercy.
Priest:
In Your Name, 0
Lord God of Truth, and in the Name of Your Only-Begotten Son, and of Your Holy Spirit,
I lay my hand upon this Your servant (Name), who has bee" accounted
worthy to flee unto Your Holy Name and to be sheltered under the shadow of Your
wings. Remove far from him (her) that ancient error, and fill him (her) I with
faith and hope and love that is in You, that he (she) may know that You alone
are the True God, and Your Only‑Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and
Your Holy Spirit. Grant him (her) to walk in Your commandments, and to observe
those things that are acceptable before You; for if a man does such he shall
find life in them. Inscribe him (her) in Your Book of Life, and unite him (her)
to the flock of Your inheritance. Let Your Holy Name be glorified in him (her)
and that of Your well‑beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of Your
Life‑creating Spirit. Let Your eyes look over him (her) in mercy, and
Your ears be ever attentive unto the voice of his (her) prayer. Let him (her)
ever rejoice in the works of his (her) hands, and in all his (her) generation,
that he (she) may give thanks to You, worshipping and glorifying Your great and
Most High Name, and may ever praise You all the days of his (her) life. For all
the Powers of Heaven praise You, and Yours is the Glory, of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Amen.
First Exorcism
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord have mercy.
Priest: The Lord rebukes you, 0 devil, He that came into
the world and made His dwelling among men, that He might cast down your
tyranny, and deliver men; He that upon the Tree triumphed over the opposing
powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth was shaken, and the tombs were
opened, and the bodies of the Saints arose; He that by death destroyed Death,
and overcame him that held the might of death, that is, even you, 0 devil. I
abjure you by the Living God, Who has shown forth the Tree of Life, and posted
the Cherubim, and the flaming sword that turns about to guard this: be rebuked,
and depart, for I forbid you, through Him that walks on the waves of the sea as
upon the dry land, Who forbade the storm of the winds, Whose glance dries up
the deep, and Whose threatenings melt the mountains; for it is He Himself that
now forbids you through us. Be afraid, and depart, and absent yourself from
this creature, and come not back, neither hide yourself in him (her), nor
encounter him (her), nor influence him (her) either by night or by day, nor in
the morning or at noon; but get you hence to your own Tartarus, until the
appointed day of Judgment. Fear God , Who sits on the throne of the Cherubim,
and looks upon the depths, before Whom tremble Angels, Archangels, Thrones,
Principalities, Authorities, Powers, the many‑eyed Cherubim, and the six‑winged
Seraphim; Whom Heaven and earth fear, the sea, and all that live therein. Come
forth, and depart from the sealed and newly‑enlisted soldier of Christ
our God; for I abjure you by Him that rides upon the wings of the winds, Who
makes His Angels spirits and His Ministers a flame of fire. Come forth, and from
this creature which He fashioned depart with all your power and might; for
glorified is the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Second Exorcism
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord have mercy.
God, the Holy,
the Terrible, and the Glorious, Who concerning all His works and strength
is incomprehensible and unsearchable, Who Himself has ordained for you 0
devil, the retribution of eternal torment, through us, His unworthy servants,
commands you, and all your cooperating might to go forth from him (her) that is
newly sealed in the Name of our Lord God and Savior Christ. Therefore, you all
evil, unclean, abominable, loathsome and alien spirit, I adjure you by the
power of Jesus Christ, Who has all authority in Heaven and on earth, Who says
to the deaf and dumb demon, "Get out of the man, and enter no more into
him." Depart' Know the vainness of your might, which had not power even
over the swine! Remember Him Who bade you, at your request, to enter into the
herd of swine. Fear God, at Whose command the earth was established upon the
waters; Who has founded the Heavens, and fixed the mountains with a line, and
the valleys with a measure; Who has placed the sand for a boundary to the sea,
and made safe paths through the waters; Who touched the mountains and they
smoked; Who clothed Himself with Light as with a garment; Who has stretched out
the Heavens as with a curtain; Who covers His upper rooms with waters; Who has
founded the earth on her firm foundations, so that it shall not be moved
forever; Who calls up the waters of the seas, and sprinkles it on the face of
the earth. Come out! Depart from him (her) who is now being made ready for Holy
Illumination; I abjure you by the saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
His Precious Blood and All‑Pure Body, and by His terrible Coming Again
for He shall come and not tarry, to judge all the earth, and shall punish you
and your cooperating might in the Gehenna of fire, consigning you to the outer
darkness where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched; for
of Christ is the Might, with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, both
now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Third Exorcism
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord have mercy.
Priest: 0 Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Who heals
every sickness and every wound, Look down upon this Your servant (Name); search
out and try him (her), driving away from him (her) every operation of the
devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, cleansing the work of Your
hands; and, using Your trenchant energy, beat down Satan under his (her) feet,
giving him (her) victory over him, and over his unclean spirits; so that,
obtaining the mercy that comes from You, he (she) may be accounted worthy of
Your Immortal and Heavenly Mysteries, and may send up all glory to You, to
Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of
ages. Amen.
Prayer
You, the
Existing Sovereign Master and Lord, Who made man after Your own image and
likeness and gave to him power of eternal life; and when he had fallen through
sin did not disdain him, but did provide for him through the Incarnation
of Your Christ, the salvation of the world. Redeeming this Your creature from
the yoke of the Enemy, receive him (her) into Your heavenly Kingdom. Open the
eyes of his (her) understanding, so that the Illumination of Your Gospel may
dawn upon him (her). Yoke unto his (her) life a shining Angel to deliver him
(her) from every plot directed against him (her) by the Adversary, from
encounter with evil, from the noon‑day demon, and from evil dreams.
And the
Priest breathes on his (her) forehead, on his ‑(her) mouth, and on his
(her) breast, saying:
Drive out from
him (her) every evil and unclean spirit, hiding and lurking in his (her) heart.
(This he does and says thrice.) The spirit of error, the spirit of evil,
the spirit of idolatry and of all covetousness that works according to the
teaching of the devil. Make him (her) a reason‑endowed sheep of the holy
Flock of Your Christ, and honorable member of Your Church, a hallowed vessel, a
child of Light, and heir of Your Kingdom. So that, having ordered his (her)
life according to Your commandments, and having guarded the Seal and kept it
unbroken, and having preserved his (her) garment undefiled, he (she) may attain
unto the blessedness of the Saints of Your Kingdom.
Through the
Grace and Compassion and Manbefriending Love of Your Only-Begotten Son, with
Whom You are blessed, together with Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating
Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Then the
Priest turns him (her) that is to be baptized to face westward, unclothed,
barefoot hands upraised. If the person is a child, the Sponsor holding him
(her) faces West. the Priest then says thrice:
Do you renounce
Satan, and all his works, and all his worship, and all his angels, and all his
pomp?
Each time the Catechumen (or the Sponsor if the person to be baptized is a
child or a foreigner) answers and says:
I do renounce
him.
Again the
Priest asks him (her) that is to be baptized:
(3 times)
Have you
renounced Satan?
And the
Catechumen or the Sponsor answers (3 times):
I have
renounced him.
After the
third time, the Priest says:
Then blow and
spit upon him.
And this
being done, the Priest turns the Catechumen to the East with lowered hands, and
repeats the following three times:
Do you join
Christ?
The question
is answered three times:
I do join Him.
Again the
Priest asks three times:
Have you joined
Christ?
Catechumen
(or Sponsor):
I have joined
Him.
Again the
Priest asks:
And do you believe in Him?
Catechumen
(or Sponsor):
I believe in
Him as King and as God.
After the
completion of the Creed, the Priest asks thrice:
Have you joined
Christ?
Catechumen
(or Sponsor):
I have joined
Him.
Then the
Priest says:
Then bow before
Him and worship Him.
Catechumen
(or Sponsor) bows down, saying:
I bow down
before the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; Trinity One in Essence and
Undivided.
Priest: Blessed is God Who desires that all people should
be saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth; both now and ever, and to the
ages of ages. Amen.
Let us pray to
the Lord.
Choir: Lord have mercy.
Priest: Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call this Your
servant! (Name) to Your Holy Illumination, and account him (her) worthy
of this great Grace and Your Holy Baptism. Put off from him (her the old man,
and renew him unto everlasting life; fill him (her) with the power of Your Holy
Spirit, unto union with Your Christ; that he (she) may no longer be a child of
the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the good pleasure and Grace of
Your! Only‑Begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your
All‑Holy, Good, and Life‑creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to
the ages of ages. Amen.
Apolysis
Glory to You, 0
Christ our God and our Hope, glory to You. Christ our True God...
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers
...
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