The Order for the Lesser Sanctification of the Water
Items needed for
the celebration of the Lesser Sanctification of' Water are a small table,
upon which the Priest places the Gospel; a wooden, silver‑bound Cross; a
censer; a bowl of water; two candlesticks with their candles; a few branches of
basil and a clean white towel. The Priest wears his cassock and stole.
Priest
Blessed is our God always, both now and ever, and to the
ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 142
O Lord, hear my prayer; give ear unto my supplication in
Your truth; hear me in Your righteousness and enter not into judgment with Your
servant, for before, You shall not any man be justified. For the enemy has
persecuted my soul: he has humbled my life to the earth. He has made me dwell
in darkness like dead men of old; and anguished within me is my spirit, and
within me my heart is troubled. I remembered the days of old, and I meditated
on all Your works, I mused on the creations of Your hands. I stretched forth my
hands to You; my soul like a waterless land thirsts for You. Quickly hear me, O
Lord; my spirit has fainted away, turn not Your face from me lest I be like
them that go down into the pit. Cause me to know, O Lord, the way wherein I
should walk, for to You have I lifted up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O
Lord; to You for refuge have I fled‑, teach me to do Your Will, for You
are my God; Your good Spirit shall guide me in the land of uprightness. For
Your Name's sake, O Lord, shall You quicken me. In Your righteousness shall You
lead forth my soul out of tribulation, and in Your mercy shall you destroy my
enemies; and You shall cut off all them that afflict my soul, for I am Your
servant.
We then sing.
Tone 4
o
God is the Lord, and
He has become manifest unto us; blessed is He who comes in the Name of the
Lord.
o
Give thanks to the
Lord and call upon His Name.
o
God is the Lord…
o
All the nations
encompassed me, and in the name of the Lord I crushed them.
o
God is the Lord ...
o
This was done by the
Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
o
God is the Lord…
Troparia
Tone 4
To you, O Theotokos, we sinners now flee. In repentance we
bow down before you, saying: "O Sovereign Lady, help us: have compassion
on us, make haste to help, for we perish in the multitude of our sins Turn us
not empty away, for we have you as our only hope.
Glory. . . both now and ever ...
Never, O Theotokos, will we, unworthy, cease to proclaim
your powers: for if you did not hasten to our aid, making intercession, who
would have delivered us from our manifold adversities? Who would have preserved
us free to this day? We will not forsake you, O Lady, for you save your
servants from all malicious foes.
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy: and
according to the multitude of Your compassions blot out my transgressions. Wash
me thoroughly of my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my
iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against You only have I sinned, and
done this evil in Your sight, that You might be justified in Your words, and
victor when You are Judge. For behold I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did
my mother conceive me. For behold You love truth; the unclear and secret lore
of Your wisdom have You made clear to me. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean; You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. For
You shall make me hear of joy and gladness: the bones which were humbled shall
rejoice. Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me
not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to
me the joy of Your salvation, and with a guiding Spirit establish me. I will
teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver
me from blood ‑guiltiness, O God, You that are the God of my salvation: O
Lord, You shall open up my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For
if You had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; with holocausts shall You
not be pleased, a sacrifice for God is a broken spirit, a heart that is broken
and humbled God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your pleasure unto Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; then shall You be pleased with a Sacrifice of
Righteousness, with Oblations and Holocausts; then shall they lay young
bullocks upon Your altar.
Then is chanted the following verse: All-Holy Theotokos, guard, protect and keep your servants.
Troparia, Tone 6
O Virgin who from the Angel received, hail! And gave birth
to the Life‑giver Himself, your Creator, save them that magnify you. (3)
We sing of your Son, O Theotokos, and cry aloud: from all
adversities save your servants, O Immaculate.
The praise of Kings, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs are
you, and Intercessor of the world, O All‑Immaculate One.
Every Orthodox tongue praises, blesses, and glorifies your
immaculate Birth‑giving, O Mary, Bride of God.
I beseech You, O my Christ, give to me also, though
unworthy, remission of offenses, I beseech You; through the intercessions of
her that bore You, in that You are compassionate.
In you, O Theotokos, have I put my hope. Save me by your
prayers; grant for me remission of sins.
Give me life, you that have borne the Life‑giver and
Savior: save me through your prayers, O blessed Hope of our souls.
O Virgin immaculate, who did conceive in your Womb the
Creator of all people: through your prayers save our souls.
All-praised Theotokos, who through the word of an Angel, in
a manner beyond reason, gave birth to the Word, pray that He will save our
souls.
Through your intercessions, O Lady, make your Son a
merciful Judge unto me, who am a sinner above all people.
With binding duty we cry to you, Hail! O immaculate
Theotokos Ever-Virgin; through your intercessions are saved those that pray to
you.
Deliver me from the fire eternal, and the torments that
await me, O all-praised Lady, that I may be delivered from all tribulation.
All-praised Sovereign Lady, we pray You: do not overlook
the prayers of Your servants, so that we might be delivered from all tribulation.
From every sickness and infirmity. Deliver us, who have
recourse unto you and your holy Protection.
Marvelous wonder shown to you, O Theotokos: for our sake
the Creator of All and our God was in our likeness born to you.
Your Temple, O Theotokos, was shown forth as remedy without
price of ills‑the consolation of our wounded souls.
O All-Holy Theotokos, who has borne the Savior, save your
servants from adversity and from all other necessity.
From every ban under which they labor deliver your
servants; from every ailment of body and spirit, O you most Holy.
Through your intercessions, O Virgin Theotokos, save all
that have recourse unto you; deliver all from sorrow and necessity.
Who, having recourse unto your Temple, O Theotokos, does
not receive speedy healing both of soul and body, O All-immaculate?
Entreated by the Saints and heavenly Hosts, O Merciful
One, through her that bore You, do You cleanse me.
Spare, O Savior, the souls of our brethren, who died in the
Hope of Life; loose, and remit their sins.
Hail! O Virgin, Mercy‑Seat of the world; Hail! O
Receptacle of the Manna and Candelabrum all‑golden of the light divine, O
Bride of God unwedded.
Triadikon
We sing unto You, O God in Three Persons, crying aloud the
thrice‑Holy Hymn, entreating that we may receive salvation.
Theotokion
O Virgin, who has borne the Savior, the Sovereign of the
world: pray unto Him that He will save our souls.
Hail! O Mount, Hail! O Bush that burned and yet was not
consumed; Hail! O Gate, Hail! O Ladder and Altar Divine, Hail! Sovereign Lady,
the Helper of all.
Through the prayers of Your Holy Mother, and of Your Holy
Saints, O Merciful God, to Your people grant Your great mercies.
Through the prayers of the glorious Archangels, the Angels,
and all the heavenly Hosts, mightily preserve Your servants, O Savior.
Through the prayers of the glorious Prophet and Forerunner
John the Baptist, and of all Your Saints, mightily preserve Your servants, O my
Christ and Savior.
Through the prayers of the glorious Apostles, and the
victorious Martyrs, and of all Your Saints, grant Your mercies to Your
servants.
Through the prayers of the glorious Unmercenaries, O
Theotokos, preserve your servants, in that you are Intercessor and Confirmer of
the world.
Glory ...
The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit we glorify
saying: O Holy Trinity, save our souls.
Both now and ever ...
Theotokion
O Virgin who in mystery did conceive and bring forth in
these latter days Your Creator: save us who magnify you:
Open for us the door of your tender compassion , O blessed
Theotokos; and as we set our hope in you, let us never be confounded; through
you may we be delivered from all adversity; you, who are the salvation of all
good Christian folk.
Priest
Let us pray to the Lord .
Choir:
Lord have mercy.
Priest:
For Holy are You, O God, and to You are due all glory,
honor, and adoration: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both
now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
And the following
Troparia
Tone 8
Now draws nigh the time that sanctifies all men, and a just
Judge awaits us; turn then, O my soul, to repentance, like the Adulteress
tearfully crying: have mercy on me, O Lord.
O Christ, the Fountain, Who did sprinkle the waters of
healing in the all‑holy Temple of the Virgin, You, today, through the
sprinkling of blessing did expel the maladies of ailing, O You Physician of our
souls and bodies.
As a Virgin you knew not man, but gave birth; and as a
Mother unwedded, a Virgin did you remain; entreat then, O Mary Theotokos,
Christ our God that He will save us.
O All‑Holy Theotokos Virgin, guide aright the works
of our hands, and entreat pardon for our transgressions, when we chant the
angelic Hymn:
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3)
Glory. . . both now and ever ...
Holy Immortal: have mercy on us.
Again
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us.
Priest:
Let us attend.
The Epistle
The Prokeimenon, in Tone 4
The Lord is my Light and my Savior; whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
Priest:
Wisdom.
Reader:
The Lesson from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the
Hebrews. (Heb. 2:11-18)
Priest:
Let us attend.
Reader
Brethren, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified
have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
saying: "I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the
congregation I will praise you. And again: "I will put my trust in
him." And again: "Here am 1, and the children God has given me."
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise
partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the
power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of
death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that
he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be
made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and
faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of
the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to
help those who are tempted.
Priest
Peace be to you who read.
Choir
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Priest
Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.
Peace be to all.
Choir:
And to your spirit.
Priest
The Holy Gospel according to St. John. Let us attend.
Choir:
Glory to You, O God; Glory to You.
The Gospel
At that time, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went
up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew
called Bethesda, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of
invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an
angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and troubled the
water. And whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed
of whatever disease he had.
Choir
Glory to You, O God; Glory to You.
The Ektenia of Blessing
Following each petition, the Choir responds with "Lord have mercy" and, at the end, with
"To You, O Lord."
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace from above; for the salvation of our souls;
let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace of the whole world; for the stability of the
holy Churches of God; and for the union of all; let us pray to the Lord.
[For this holy House; and for them that with faith, reverence,
and the fear of God enter therein; let us pray to the Lord.)
For our Most Reverend Archbishop (Name), for all the
Clergy, and the people; let us pray to the Lord.
[For the President of the United States and for all civil
authorities; let us pray to the Lord.]
For this city, for every city and land, for the faithful
that dwell in them; let us pray to the Lord.
For seasonable weather; for abundance of the fruits of the
earth, and for peaceful seasons; let us pray to the Lord.
For all them that travel by land or sea, or in the air; for
the sick, and the afflicted; for captives, and for their salvation; let us pray
to the Lord.
That this water might be hallowed by the might, and
operation, and descent of the Holy Spirit; let us pray to the Lord.
That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing
operation of the supersubstantial Trinity; let us pray to the Lord.
That this water may be to the healing of souls and bodies,
and to the banishment of every hostile power; let us pray to the Lord.
That there may be sent down upon it the Grace of
Redemption, the blessing of the Jordan; let us pray to the Lord.
For all of them who need God to help and give protection;
let us pray to the Lord.
That He will illuminate us with the Light of understanding
of the Consubstantial Trinity; let us pray to the Lord.
That the Lord our God will show us forth as sons and
daughters and heirs of His Kingdom through the partaking and sprinkling of
these waters; let us pray to the Lord.
That He will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath,
danger, and necessity; let us pray to the Lord.
Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by
Your Grace.
Calling to remembrance our all-Holy, pure, exceedingly
blessed glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints; let
us commend ourselves and one another and all our life to Christ our God.
Choir:
To You, O Lord.
Priest:
For to You do we send up all glory, honor, and worship: to
the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the
ages of ages. Amen.
Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir:
Lord have mercy.
Priest:
O Lord our God, Who are mighty in counsel and wondrous in
all Your deeds: the Creator of all things: Who keep Your Covenant and Your
mercy upon all those who love You and keep Your commandments: Who receive the
devout tears of all that are in distress: for this cause did You come in the
similitude of a servant, scorning not our image but giving true health to the
body and saying, "Lo! you are healed, sin no more." And with clay did
make man's eyes whole, and having commanded him to wash, made him by Your word
rejoice in the light, putting to confusion the floods of passions of enemies;
and drying up the bitter sea of life of the same, subduing the waves of sensual
desires heavy to be endured: do You, the same Lord and King Who loves mankind,
Who has granted to us to clothe ourselves in the garment of snowy whiteness, by
water and by Spirit: send down on us Your blessing, and through the partaking
of this water, through sprinkling with it, wash away the defilement of
passions. Yea, we beseech You visit our weaknesses, O Good One, and heal our
infirmities both of spirit and of body through Your mercy; through the prayers
of the all‑pure, exceedingly blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever‑Virgin
Mary; Through the intercessions of the precious and life-creating Cross;
through the protection of the glorious bodiless . Powers of the Heavens;
through the intercessions of the glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the
Baptist; of the holy, glorious and all‑praiseworthy Apostles; of the holy
and theophoric Fathers; of our Fathers among the Saints, the great Hierarchs
and ecumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John
Chrysostom; of our Fathers the Saints, Athanasios, Kyrillos, and John the
Merciful, Patriarchs of Alexandria; of Nicholas Bishop of Myra in Lycia; of
Spyridon the Wonderworker Of Trymitheus; of the holy, glorious Martyrs, George
the Victorious, Demetrios the Exhaler of Myrrh, Theodore of Tyron and Theodore
Stratilatis; and of the holy and glorious Hieromartyrs Charalambos and
Eleutherios, and of all the righteous Martyrs; of the holy and righteous
forefathers Joakim and Anna; of the holy wonderworking Unmercenaries, Kosmas
and Damian, Kyros and John, Panteleimon and Hermolaus; Samson and Diomedes,
Mokios and Anekitas, Thallelaios and Tryphon; of Saint (Name of the Saint of
the Day), whose memory we commemorate; and of all Your Saints. Preserve,
Lord, the president of the United States, and all the other Civil Authorities
enabled by the American people; save, O God, all Orthodox Bishops who rightly
divide the word of Your truth, granting unto them spiritual and bodily health;
be merciful unto this Christian habitation which labors for You; have in
remembrance, O God, every priestly and monastic order and their salvation; have
in remembrance, O God, both those that hate us and those who love us, the
brethren who serve with us; the people here present; and who for any cause are
worthy of blessing and have gone forth having empowered us, unworthy though we
are, to pray, for them; have in remembrance, O God, our brethren who are in
captivity and affliction, and show mercy unto them according to Your great
Mercy, delivering them from every tribulation.
For You are the Fountain of healing, O Christ our God, and
to You do we send up all glory, together with Your Eternal Father and Your
All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of
ages. Amen.
Peace be to all. (+)
Choir:
And to your spirit.
Priest
Let us bow our heads before the Lord.
Choir:
To You, O Lord.
Priest (inaudibly)
Bow down Your ear and listen to us, O Lord, Who deigned to
be baptized in the river Jordan, and there sanctified the water. Bless us all
who by the bowing of our heads do show forth our apprehension that we are Your
servants. Grant that we may be filled with Your sanctification through the
partaking of this water, and let it be for us, O Lord, for the health of soul
and body.
(Aloud)
For You are the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and
to You do we send up all glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Then the Priest, taking up the venerable Cross, dips it
crosswise in the Water thrice, singing the Troparion:
Tone I
Save, O Lord, Your people, and bless Your inheritance,
giving us victory over all who assail us and protecting the Church of Your
faithful by Your Cross. (3)
Then the Priest sprinkles the Holy Water in the form of the
Cross and sings: Tone 2
Make us worthy of your gifts, O Virgin Theotokos,
overlooking our transgressions; give healing through faith to them that accept
your blessing, O Immaculate One.
Then the Priest kisses the Precious Cross and blesses all
the people, and he sprinkles all with the Holy Water, the Altar, and all the
Temple. Meanwhile the Choir sings the following Troparia:
Tone 4
O holy Unmercenaries, who had a fountain of healing, give
healing to all that ask; in that you have been given gifts most excellent from
the everlasting Font of the Savior. For the Lord has said to you: Lo! to you
and your fellows has been given power over all unclean spirits, to drive them
off with healing and free from every ill and wound; wherefore, abiding in that
command, freely have you received, freely give healing of all our passions.
Glory ... both now and ever ...
Regard the prayer of your servants, O all‑immaculate
One; allay the fierce risings against us, and assuage our every woe; for in you
have we a certain hope secured; so by your intercessions, O Lady, put us not to
shame when we cry to you: listen when we plead: Hail! O Lady, Helper of men,
the Joy and Protection of our souls.
Accept, O Lady, the prayers of your servants, delivering us
from every pain and sorrow.
Priest
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great Mercy, we
beseech You: listen and have mercy.
Choir:
Lord have mercy. (And after each petition)
Priest:
Again we pray for our Most Reverend Archbishop (Name) and
for all our brethren in Christ.
Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation,
protection, pardon and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious
and Orthodox Christians who dwell in this city, and of the servants of God, the
members, trustees, contributors, and benefactors of this Holy Church.
Again we pray for the servants of God (names of those
for whom the service is being conducted).
Furthermore, we pray that He will save this our city and this
Holy Temple, and every city and countryside from pestilence, famine,
earthquake, flood, fire, and the sword; from invasion of enemies, and from
civil war; and that our good God, Who loves mankind, will be graciously
favorable and easy to be entreated with, and will turn away all wrath stirred
up against us and deliver us from all His righteous chastisement which impends
against us, and have mercy on us.
Again we pray that the Lord our God listens to the voice of
the supplication of us sinners, and has mercy on us.
Priest
Hear us, O God our Savior, the Hope of all the ends of the
earth and of those far off at sea, or in the air: show mercy, show mercy O
Master, upon our sins, and have mercy on us. For You are a merciful God and
love mankind, and to You do we send up all Glory: to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Apolysis
Glory to You, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to You.
Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all‑pure Mother; of
the holy, glorious, and all-praiseworthy Apostles; of the holy, glorious, and
right-victorious Martyrs; of the holy and theophoric Fathers; of Saint (Name of
the Saint of the Temple); of the holy and righteous forefathers Joakim
and Anna; of Saint (Saint of the Day) whose memory we commemorate, and
of all Your Saints, have mercy on us and save us, as our good and loving Lord.
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Loki Jesus Christ,
our God, have mercy on us and save us.
Choir: Amen.
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