The Priest and Deacon wash their hands at the appointed place; and having done reverence together, the Priest shall pronounce the Dismissal. And giving thanks unto God for all things, they shall say, also, the proper Hymn for the Day. Then Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times.)

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.

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

THE OFFICE OF THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED (GIFTS) *

PREFATORY NOTE

During the Holy and Great Fast, when the Priest is to celebrate the LITURGY on THE PRESANCTIFIED, at the Ofiice (f Oblation on the Sunday preceding, (1) after he hath cut the first altar-bread, and sacrgflced and pierced it (as indicated in the Ritual of the preceding Liturgy), he cutteth the extra breads, saying over each one of them these words following:

In commemoration of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a spotless lamb before its shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth.

Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and for its salvation.

One of the soldiers did pierce his side with a spear, and straightway there came forth blood and water. And he that saw it bare witness, and his witness is true.

Then he poureth the wine and water into the holy chalice, saying the customary words; and covereth them with the holy veil, and censeth them, repeating t e Prayer of Oblatian. And then he beginneth the Divine Liturgy and celebrateth as usual.

And when he is to sign the breads, at the invocation of the Holy Spirit, he saith: Make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ, in the singular, and he doth not speak of the breads in the plural. And when he make/h the ablation, he offereth them all together. And he brcaheth only the first bread, and layeth the portion in the holy chalice, and pourclh in the warm water as usual. Then, taking the holy spoon in his right hand, he dippeth it in the Holy Blood. With his left hand he taketh one of the breads, and toucheth it with the holy spoon, which hath been wetted with the Holy Blood. in the form of a cross, on the side whereon is depicted the cross, under the soft portion, and placeth it

in the tabernacle.

Then he doth the same with the other breads, and placcth them all in the tabernacle. Thereafter the Priest praycth as usual, and communicate/h as usual, and performeth the Divine Liturgy as usual.

When a Priest is to celebrate the Liturgy of the Presanctified, after he hath read the Entrance Prayer, as in the ordinary Liturgy (except: Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord: at the end of the Hours and the Typical Psalms, and what is generally read before the Liturgy †) he entereth the Chapel of Oblation, and vesteth himself, signing with the cross and kissing each vestment, but saying Lothing at he doth so, except: Lord, have

Bishop.

At a Pontifical Service the Bishop
is met in the usual manner, and the
usual Entrance Prayers are read,
with the exception of: Stretch forth
thy hand, O Lord. He is vested, as
usual, in the centre of the Temple,
but without the Verses, and only
with the exclamations: Let us pray
to the Lord.

Before Vespers is begun, the Bishop
standeth in his place, in the centre
of the Temple, and bestoweth his
blessing on the Rector and the Deacon

" For Explanation of the Symbolism. see Appendix B, V.
↑ See the ordinary Liturgy.

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mercy over each of them. And the Deacon, taking the time from him, goeth and taheth his stand at his appointed place. and (the Holy Door being closed, and the curtain drawn aside), exclaimeth:

Deacon. Bless, Master.

to begin Vespers, he himself remaining on his dais until the Little Entrance. The Priest readeth the Prayers of Light in the bane/nary. The Holy Door is opened at the Exclamations, and during the Litanies, but remaineth closed the rest of the time until the Entrance.

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Priest. Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Reader. 0 come, let us worship God our King. 0 come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. 0 come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God.

Then the Preliminary Psalm, civ., is read. And in the mean while the Priest reciteth in front of the Holy Door the Prayers of Light (see Vespers); that is to say, the Vesper Prayers, beginning with the fourth Prayer; the first three being said later on, after the Litanies. (The Priest entereth the Sanctuary.) And when the Psalm is finished, the Deacon saith the

GREAT 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 peace of the whole world; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of them all: R

For this holy Temple, and for all those who with faith, devoutness, and in the fear of God have entered therein: R

For our Holy Synod (or Patriarch); for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N., for the honourable Presbytery, the Diaconate in Christ; for all the clergy and the laity: R

Here follow petitions for the Ruler of the Land and for all the Authorities (Emperor, or King, and Reigning House, or President, according to the elements and nationalities of which the Parish is constituted).

That he will aid them, and subdue under their feet every foe and adversary: R

For this city, for this holy Temple, and

let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

And the Priest re

citeth, secretly, the
PRAYER on THE
FIRST ANTIPHON

(The first of the
Vesper Prayers).

O Lord, bountiful and compassionate, long-suf

fering and plenteous in mercy, give ear unto our prayer, and attend to the voice of our supplication. Work upon us a sign for good. Lead us in thy way, that we may walk in thy truth. Make glad our hearts, that we may fear thy holy Name. For thou art great, and doest wonders. Thou alone art God, and among all

Secretly.

for every city and land, and for those who with faith dwell therein: R

For healthful seasons; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times: B

For those who travel by sea or by land; for the sick and the suffering; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation: B

That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity: R Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, 0 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 unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

emies unto peace. I labour for peace; but when I speak unto them thereof, they make them ready to battle.

sin; through the intercessions of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints.

PSALM CXXIII.

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Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, 0 thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, 0 Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are utterly despised. Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy; and with the despitefulness of the proud.

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, 0 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.

Exelamalion.

For thine is the majesty, and thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

The Reader continueth the Selection of Psalms:
THE SECOND ANTIPHON (Psalms cxxiv., cxxix.).

PSALM CXXIV.

If the Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; if the Lord himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us; they had swallowed us up quick; when they were so wrathfully displeased at us. Yea, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul. The deep waters of the proud had gone our soul. But praised be the Lord, who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we are delivered.

The Priest, accom-
panied by the Deacon
holding a taper, or
alone, censeth the Al-
tar.
Then he saith, secretly,
the PRAYER OF THE
THIRD ANTIPHON
(the third Vesper
Prayer).

O Lord our God, remember us sinners and thine unprofitable servants, when we call upon thy holy Name, and put us not to shame in our expectation of thy

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