The Orthodox Pages THE EUCHOLOGION
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN
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For all children up to the age of 7 years old.
IN THE HOME
DEACON Master, give the blessing.
PRIEST
READER Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, world without end. Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us; O Lord, cleanse us from our sins; O Master, pardon our transgressions; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name’s sake. Kyrie eleison or Lord have mercy. [3] Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. Amen. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
PRIEST CHOIR: Amen. Together with the spirits of the righteous made perfect, give rest to the soul of Thy servant, O Saviour; and preserve it in that life of blessedness near to thee, O Lover of mankind. In the place of Thy rest, O Lord, where all the saints repose, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant, for Thou only art Immortal. Glory to the Father, and to the Son. And to the Holy Spirit. Thou art our God, who didst descend into Hades, and didst loose the pains of those held captive: do Thou also give rest to the soul of Thy servant, O Saviour. Now and for ever: world without end. Amen. O Virgin, who alone art pure and immaculate, and didst mystically bring forth God, intercede for the salvation of the soul of thy servant. For infants (up to the age of 2) we do not say the petitions, but only
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen. If the child is older then we say:
DEACON
DEACON
Let the Lord God establish his/her soul where the just repose; the mercies of God, the kingdom of the heavens, and the remission of his/her sins, let us beseech of Christ, our immortal King and our God.
CHOIR
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen. Glory be to Thee, O our God, glory be to Thee.
May
He, who as the immortal King, hath dominion over the living and the dead
and is risen from the dead, Christ our true God, by the prayers of His
most holy Mother; of the holy and all-glorious Apostles; of our holy
God-bearing Fathers; of the holy and glorious forefathers Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob; of his holy and righteous friend Lazarus the four days dead;
and of all the saints, assign to the dwelling place of the righteous the
soul of his departed servant (…..) who
has departed from us, grant it rest in the bosom of Abraham and number
it among the righteous, and may he have mercy upon us, for He is good
and loving-kind.
CHOIR:
Everlasting
be the memory, everlasting be the memory, everlasting be his/her memory.
By
the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy
upon us and save us.
IN THE TEMPLE DEACON
Master, give the blessing.
FIRST STASIS The blameless in the way, Alleluia. Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach me Thy statutes. Alleluia. My soul hath longed greatly to desire Thy judgments at all times. Alleluia. My soul hath slumbered for heaviness; strengthen Thou me in Thy words. Alleluia. Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Alleluia. Despondency hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law. Alleluia.
I
am
a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy
commandments. Alleluia. For infants (up to the age of 2) we do not say the petitions, but only
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen. If the child is older then we say:
DEACON
DEACON
Let the Lord God establish his/her soul where the just repose; the mercies of God, the kingdom of the heavens, and the remission of his/her sins, let us beseech of Christ, our immortal King and our God.
CHOIR
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen.
SECOND
STASIS Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, and I shall learn Thy commandments. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. For I am become like a wineskin in the frost, yet have I not forgotten Thy statutes. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. I am Thine, save me; for I have sought Thy precepts. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. I have not departed from Thy judgments, for Thou hast appointed a law for me. Have mercy upon me, O Lord. I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes for ever, for a recompense. Have mercy upon me, O Lord.
It
is time for the Lord to act, for they have made void Thy law. Have mercy
upon me, O Lord.
If there is more than one Priest, at the end of each stasis the Deacon
will say
“Let us pray unto the Lord”
and every priest according to rank will say
“For only thine is the kingdom of
heaven...” CHOIR: Kyrie eleison.
PRIEST CHOIR: Amen.
THIRD STASIS And have mercy upon me. Alleluia. Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, according to the judgment of those that love Thy name. Alleluia. I am young and despised, yet have I not forgotten Thy statutes. Alleluia.
Hear
my voice according unto Thy mercy, O Lord; quicken me according to Thy
judgment. Alleluia. My soul shall live, and it shall praise Thee, and Thy judgments shall help me.
I
have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I have not
forgotten Thy commandments.
EVLOGITARIA Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes.
The
Choir of saints has found the fountain of life and the door of Paradise.
May I also find the way through repentance: I am the sheep that was
lost; call me back and save me, O Saviour. Of old Thou hast created me from nothing and honoured me with Thy divine image; but when I disobeyed Thy commandments, Thou hast returned me to the earth from whence I was taken: lead me back again to Thy likeness, refashioning my ancient beauty. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes. I am an image of Thine ineffable glory, though I bear the scars of my transgressions. Take pity on Thy creature, O Master, and cleanse me in Thy loving-kindness. Grant me the fatherland for which I long, making me once more a citizen of Paradise. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes. Give rest, O God, unto Thy servant, and establish him/her in Paradise; where the Choirs of the saints and the righteous, O Lord, shine as the stars of heaven; to Thy reposed servant do Thou give rest, overlooking all his/her offences. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. The threefold radiance of the one Godhead let us with reverence praise and cry aloud: Holy art Thou, O Father without beginning, O co-eternal Son and Divine Spirit. Enlighten us who with faith worship Thee, and snatch us from the eternal fire. Now and for ever: world without end. Amen. Hail, O Virgin, who gave birth to God in the flesh for the salvation of all. Through thee the human race hath found salvation, through thee may we find Paradise, O Mother of God, pure and blessed. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. [3] TONE 8 With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Thy servant, where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor any sighing, but life everlasting. The usual hymns in the eight tones are omitting and straightway say:
Prokheimenon. Tone 3 Blessed is the way wherein thou dost walk today, for there is prepared for thee, a place of eternal rest. (3) DEACON: Let us give heed. READER: Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my God. DEACON: Wisdom. READER The reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. 6: 9-11 DEACON: Let us give heed.
READER PRIEST: Peace unto thee. CHOIR: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. DEACON: Wisdom. Stand steadfast. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. PRIEST: Peace unto all. CHOIR: And unto thy spirit. PRIEST The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. 18:15-17, 26-27 DEACON: Let us give heed CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O Lord, glory be to Thee.
PRIEST CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O Lord, glory be to Thee.
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen. If the child is older then we say:
DEACON
DEACON
Let the Lord God establish his/her soul where the just repose; the mercies of God, the kingdom of the heavens, and the remission of his/her sins, let us beseech of Christ, our immortal King and our God.
CHOIR
DEACON
CHOIR: Kyrie eleison. PRIEST O thou O Lord, who dost watch over children in the present life, and because of their simplicity of mind and innocence, dost reward them in the world to come with a place in Abraham’s bosom and cause them to dwell in bright and radiant places where the souls of the righteous dwell, do thou receive in peace the soul of thy servant (.....) for thou didst say: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. For only thine is the kingdom of heaven and to thee we ascribe glory, together with thine eternal Father, and thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without end. CHOIR: Amen. Glory be to Thee, O our God, glory be to Thee.
May
He, who as the immortal King, hath dominion over the living and the dead
and is risen from the dead, Christ our true God, by the prayers of His
most holy Mother; of the holy and all-glorious Apostles; of our holy
God-bearing Fathers; of the holy and glorious forefathers Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob; of his holy and righteous friend Lazarus the four days dead;
and of all the saints, assign to the dwelling place of the righteous the
soul of his departed servant (…..) who
has departed from us, grant it rest in the bosom of Abraham and number
it among the righteous, and may he have mercy upon us, for He is good
and loving-kind.
CHOIR:
Everlasting
be the memory, everlasting be the memory, everlasting be his/her memory.
By
the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy
upon us and save us. At the farewell we sing the following hymns instead of the usual “Let us give a parting farewell...”
TONE 8 Ὤ τοῦ παραδόξου θαύματος! Who would not lament for thee, my child, who art mournfully transported from our life? For while still an infant, untimely from thy mother’s arms, like a sparrow’s speedy flight, to the Creator of all thou didst depart. O child, who cannot grieve when beholding thy face visibly fading which before was like a delightful rose?
Who would not sigh and groan, my child, and would not make a tearful sound, at the wealth of thy comeliness and the beauty and purity and innocence of thy life? For like a sailing boat which leaves no trace behind, thou hast speedily sailed from my eyes. Come therefore my friends, my kin and neighbours and join with me, and let us give him/her a farewell kiss, as we bear him/her to his/her grave.
AT THE GRAVESIDE The Priest recites the Trisagion for the departed child as in the home. Before "By the Prayers of our holy fathers" the Priest pours on the body olive oil saying: Sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Then taking some earth with the shovel he spreads it on the body crosswise, saying: The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, thou art earth and to earth shalt thou return.
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