Furthermore we pray for our most God-fearing Sovereign, N., the Emperor of All the Russias; for his might, victory, maintenance, peace, health, salvation; and that the Lord our God will abundantly aid and succour him in all things, and subdue under his feet every foe and adversary; and for all the Reigning House (and for the Ruler of the Land, if it be in a foreign country). R Furthermore we pray for the Most Holy Synod (or Patriarch) and for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N.; and for all our brethren in Christ. R

Furthermore we pray for the mercy, life, peace, health and salvation of the servants of God, NN., and for the persons here present, and who pray. R

Furthermore we pray for all the brethren and for all Christians. R

Exclamation.

(Thrice.) Choir. Lord, have mercy

Priest. For thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

The Refrains (see page 560) are then repeated.

The LITTLE LITANY.

Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord.

Exclamation.

Priest. For blessed be thy Name, and glorified be thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let us attend.

Priest. Peace be with you all.

Deacon. Wisdom! The Gradual (Prokimen).

To the Saviour: Lord, we will walk in the light of thy countenance and rejoice in thy Name forevermore.

To the Birth-giver of God: I will call upon thy name from generation to generation.

To a Saint: Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.

The Choir then singeth the Gradual, in the usual manner.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Exclamation.

Priest. For holy art thou, O our God, and restest in the Saints, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Verse: Praise the Lord from heaven, praise him in the heights.

The Choir repeateth the same. (Thrice.)

Deacon. And that he will vouchsafe us grace to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.)

Priest. Peace be with you all.

Choir. And with thy spirit.

Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel according to N.

Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee.

Deacon. Let us attend.

Here the Gospel is read, appropriate to the Saint, or to the petition, Matt. vii. 8-11. If the Service is to the Saviour, Matt. xii. 27-30. If to the Birth-giver of God, Luke i. 39–49, 56.

Then the Choir.

Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee.

Then again the Refrains, as above.

Then the Choir singeth: Meet is it of a truth to bless thee, O Birthgiver of God, ever-blessed, and all-undefiled, and Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee.

Deacon. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, (See pages 560-561.)

Exclamation.

Priest. Hear us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are far off upon the sea; and show mercy, show mercy, O Master, upon us sinners, and be merciful unto us.

For thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Wisdom!

Priest. O most holy Birth-giver of God, save us.

Choir. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee.

Priest. Glory to thee, O Christ-God our hope; glory to thee.

Choir. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Bless.

Priest. May Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother; of Saint N. (the Patron Saint of the Temple); (of Saint N., to whom the Service is said); and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for he is good and loveth mankind.

Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.)

And the Priest holdeth the cross to be kissed.

THE GENERAL PANIKHÍDA OR REQUIEM

SERVICE

(This service is celebrated, as a rule, in the centre of the Church, in front of a movable stand, whereon are placed a vessel containing rice, and lighted tapers. The censing continueth, almost uninterruptedly, throughout the service.)

Deacon. Bless, Master.

Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

The Litany.

Deacon. In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls: R

For the remission of the sins of those who have departed this life in blessed memory: R

For the ever-memorable servants of God, NN.; for their repose, tranquillity and blessed memory: R

That he will pardon them every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary: R That they may present themselves blameless before the dread throne of the Lord of glory: R

For the sorrowing and the sick who have set their hope in the consolation of Christ: R That he will release them from all sickness, sorrow and sighing, and make them glad where the light of God's countenance shall visit them: R

That the Lord our God will establish their souls in a place of verdure, a place of repose, where all the Righteous dwell: R That they may be numbered with those who are in the bosom of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob: R

That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity R

Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Having implored for them the mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven, and remission of sins, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Choir. To thee, O Lord.

And when the Litany is finished the Priest, bowing his head, readeth, secretly, the Prayer:

O God of spirits, and of all flesh, who hast trampled down Death, and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto thy world: Do thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of thy departed servants, NN., in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, whence all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away. Pardon every transgression which they have committed, whether by word, or deed, or thought. For thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who liveth and sinneth not: for thou only art without sin, and thy righteousness is to all eternity, and thy word is

true.

Secretly.

Exclamation. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and the Repose of thy departed servants, NN., O Christ our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Alleluia, in the Eighth Tone.

Verse 1: Blessed are those whom thou hast chosen and taken, O Lord.

Verse 2: The remembrance of them is from generation to generation.

Verse 3: Their souls shall dwell with the blessed.

Choir. Alleluia. (Thrice.)

O Thou who, with wisdom profound, mercifully orderest all things, and who givest that which is expedient unto all men, thou Only Creator: Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of thy servants who have fallen asleep; For they have set their hope on thee, their Maker, the Author of their being, and their God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Thee have we as a Wall and a Defence, and a Mediatrix well-pleasing unto God whom thou hast borne, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, the salvation of the faithful.

Then the Requiem Hymns (Tropart), with the following Refrain: Blessed art thou, O Lord; teach me thy statutes.

The Choir of the Saints have found the Fountain of Life and the Door of Paradise. May I also find the right way, through repentance. I am a lost sheep. Call me, O Saviour, and save me. R.

Ye who preached the Lamb of God, and like unto lambs were slain, and are translated unto the life eternal, which waxeth not old: ye holy Martyrs, pray ye unto him that he will vouchsafe us remission of our sins. R

Ye who have trod the narrow way most sad; all ye who, in life, have