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THE EUCHOLOGION

 

    SERVICE at the  making of a

Spiritual Father

 

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Note: The service may be performed as a small service on its own, but in practice it is said at the end of Vespers after the Trisagion or Mattins after the Doxology. When the service is joined to these services, the Bishop shall not say the opening blessing Blessed is our God, neither is it necessary to repeat the Trisagion or to have a separate dismissal from the main service.

 

BISHOP

Blessed is our God, always, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

READER

O Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. (3)

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.

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.

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.

BISHOP

For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

The candidate Priest is held by two Deacons or a Priest and Deacon and led to the middle of the Church [or Solea]  facing the Bishop's throne. The Deacon shall then exclaim:

DEACON: The servant of God the reverent Priest [Name] is offered to be appointed a Spiritual Father.

Command.

Give the Command.

Command Holy Master.

And the Priest is brought before the Bishop. The Bishop shall then place his Epitrakhelion upon the kneeling Priest's head and the Deacon shall say:

DEACON: Let us pray unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord have mercy.

BISHOP:

O Lord, Jesus Christ our God,  who didst grant apostolic and spiritual ministry unto Peter and the other eleven disciples, and gave them command to loose and to bind the transgressions of men, Through my wretchedness, do Thou also now, show forth thy servant [Name] who verily has been elected by me, but also through all grace made prefect, to also be accounted worthy of Thine apostolic and spiritual ministry, to loose and to bind the transgressions of the unworthy. 

For  Thou art the giver of all good and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.

CHOIR: Amen.

And straightway the Reading from the Gospel.
DEACON:
Wisdom. Stand steadfast. Let us hear the Holy Gospel.
BISHOP: Peace unto all.
        The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. John.
DEACON: Let us give heed.

CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O our God, glory be to Thee.
BISHOP

  St John 20:19-31

The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
CHOIR: Glory be to Thee, O our God, glory be to Thee.
And then again the Bishop prays:
Our humbleness, through the grace of the all holy and consummating Spirit, appoints [ordains] the Reverent [Name] Spiritual father, unto the office of spiritual paternity, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And the Dismissal.
BISHOP:  Glory be to Thee, O our God, glory be to Thee.

May [He who 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 the holy and righteous Progenitors of God Joachim and Anna, [Name of the saint to whose memory we dedicate this day], and of all the saints, have mercy upon us and save our souls, for He is good and loving-kind.

CHOIR: Amen.

BISHOP

By the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

By the prayers of our holy Master [Bishop], Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

CHOIR: Amen.