The Great Blessing of Waters

The Great Blessing of Waters

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the Prayer before the Tribune : O Lord, who blessest those who bless thee : hath been said by the Priest, we all go forth to the Baptismal Font, preceded by the taper-bearers, after whom go the Deacon and the Priest bearing the book of the Holy Gospels and the censer, and the Brethren, singing the following Hymn, in Tone VHI. :

The voice of the Lord crieth out over the waters, saying : Come, receive ye all the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of the fear of God, even Christ who is made manifest. (Thrice.)

To-day is the nature of water sanctified, and Jordan is cloven asunder, and roUeth back the current of its flood, as it beholdeth the Lord baptized. (Twice.)

As a man didst thou come unto that river, O Christ our King, and didst earnestly desire to receive the baptism of a servant, O Good One, at the hands of the Forerunner, because of our sins, O thou who lovest mankind. (Twice.)

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

In the same Tone :

Unto the voice of him crying in the wilderness : Prepare ye the way of the Lord : thou didst come forth, O Lord, having taken on the form of a servant, and asking baptism, though thou knewest not sin. The waters beheld thee and were affrighted. The Baptist became all trembling, and cried aloud, saying : How shall the candlestick illumine the light How shall a slave lay hands upon his Lord Sanctify thou me and these waters, O Saviour, who takest away the sins of the world.

And taking his stand beside the Font, the Deacon imTnediately saith :

Wisdom !

The Reader. The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Thus saith the Lord (ch. xxxv.) : The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear

not : behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water : in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called. The way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there : and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Deacon: Wisdom !

Reader: The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Thus saith the Lord (ch. Iv.) : Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy, and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live ; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near : let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater : so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and* instead of the brier shall

come up the myrtle-tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Deacon: Wisdom !

Reader: The Parable from the Prophecy of Isaiah.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Thus saith the Lord (ch. xii. j-6) : Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things : this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion : for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Priest: Peace be with you all.

Reader: And with thy spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom !

Reader: The Gradual (Proktmen), in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear

Verse : The Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid

Deacon: Wisdom !

Reader: The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.

Deacon: Let us attend.

Brethren Cor. I-4) : I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink the same spiritual drink (for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them ; and that Rock was Christ).

Priest: Peace be with thee.

Reader: And with thy spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom !

Alleluia. (Tone IV.)

Verse : The voice of the Lord upon the waters, the God of glory hath thundered : the Lord upon many waters.

Deacon: Wisdom, O believers ! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace be with you all.

People: And with thy spirit.

Priest: The Lesson from the holy Gospel of Mark.

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

Deacon: Let us attend.

(Ch. i. g-ll.) Priest. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. And there

came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

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

Then the Deacon reciteth the Litany.

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 ;

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

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

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

For our most God-fearing Sovereign, N. ; and for all the Reigning House ; and for all their Council and Army and Navy:

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

For this city (if in a monastery, for this holy habitation), and for those who' in the faith dwell therein :

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

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 :

That these waters may be sanctified by the power, and effectual operation, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit : IJ

That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing operation of the super-substantial Trinity : IJ

That he will endue them with the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan, the might, and operation, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit :

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And while this is being said, the Priest saith, secretly, the following Prayer :

O Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son, who art in the bosom of the Father, the true God, Source of Life and of Immortality, Light of Light, who art come into the world to illuminate it : Enlighten our minds with thy Holy Spirit, and accept us who offer unto thee majesty and thanksgiving for thy marvellous mighty works, which are from all eternity ; as, also, for thy saving providence in these latter ages, in which thou hast clothed thyself in our frail and lowly substance, and hast condescended to the stature of a servant ; who yet art King of all ; who also didst receive baptism in Jordan at the hands of a servant : that thou, O Sinless One, having sanctified the nature of water, mightest make for us a way which should be unto a new

That Satan may speedily be crushed under our feet, and that every evil council directed against us may be brought to nought :

That the Lord our God will free us from every aspersion and temptation of the enemy, and make us worthy of the good things which he hath promised :

That he will illumine us with the light of understanding and of piety, and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit :

That the Lord our God will send down the blessing of Jordan and sanctify these waters : Yjc

That this water may be unto the bestowing of sanctification ; unto the remission of sins ; unto the healing of soul and body : and unto every expedient service : '

That this water may be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal : IJ

That it may manifest itself effectual unto the averting of every machination of our foes, whether visible or invisible:

For those who shall draw of it and take of it unto the sanctification of their homes :

That it may be for the purification of the souls and bodies of all those who, with faith, shall draw and partake of .it:

That he will graciously enable us to perfect sanctification by participation in these waters, through tlie invisible manifestation of the Holy Spirit :

That the Lord God will hearken unto the voice of petition of us sinners, and will have mercy upon us :

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

Succor 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

birth, through water and the Spirit, and unto the deliverance then first instituted for us. Celebrating the memory of which divine mystery, we beseech thee, O Lord who lovest mankind, sprinkle us, thine unworthy servants, according to thy divine promise, with pure water, the gift of thy tenderness of heart. And may the supplications of us sinners over this holy water be well pleasing unto thy goodness : and may thy blessing through it be vouchsafed unto us, and unto all thy faithful people, to the glory of thy holy and adorable Name.

For unto thee belongeth all glory, honour and worship, 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.

And he saith within himself : Amen.

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.

Choi7'. To thee, O Lord.

And when the Deacon hath finished the Litany, the Priest reciteth, aloud, the following Prayer :

Great art thou, O Lord, and marvellous are thy works, and speech sufficeth not to sing the praises of thy wonders. (Thrice.)

For thou, by thy will, from nothingness hast brought all things into being ; by thy majesty thou dost uphold all creation, and by thy providence thou dost direct the world. When thou hadst framed the universe out of four elements, thou didst crown the circle of the year with four seasons. All the reason-endowed powers tremble before thee. The Sun singeth thy praises, and the Moon glorifieth thee ; the Stars, also, stand before thy presence. The Light obeyeth thee. The deeps shudder with awe before thee ; the water-springs do thy bidding. Thou hast spread out the heavens like a curtain. Thou hast established the earth upon the waters. With sand hast thou walled in the sea. Thou hast shed abroad the air for breathing. The Angelic Powers serve thee. The Archangelic hosts adore thee. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, as they stand round about and do fly, veil their faces with awe before thine unapproachable glory. For thou, the God which cannot be circumscribed, who art from everlasting and ineffable, didst come down upon earth, taking on the form of a servant, and being -made in the likeness of men. For thou couldst not endure, O Master, because of thy tender-hearted mercy, to behold the children of men tormented by the devil ; but thou didst come, and didst save us. We confess thy grace ; we proclaim thy mercy ; we conceal not thy gracious deeds. Thou hast set at liberty the generations of our race ; by thy birth thou hast sanctified a Virgin's womb. All creation singeth praises unto thee, who didst reveal thyself ; for thou art our God, who hast been seen upon earth, and didst dwell among men. Thou didst hallow, also, the . streams of Jordan, in that thou didst send down from heaven thy Holy Spirit, and didst crush the heads of the serpents which lurked there.

Then the Priest repeateth, thrice, the following, and blesseth the water with his hand at each repetition.

Wherefore do thou, O King who loveth mankind, come down now also through the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water. (Thrice.')

And impart unto it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it a fountain of immortality, a gift of sanctification, a remission of sins, a healing of iniirmities, a destruction of demons ; unapproachable by hostile powers, filled with angelic might. And may it be unto all those who shall draw it, and shall partake of it unto the purification of their souls and bodies, unto the healing of their passions, unto the

sanctification of their houses, and unto every expedient service. For thou art our God, who through water and the Spirit dost renew our nature, which had fallen into decay through sin. For thou art our God, who with water didst drown sin in the days of Noah. For thou art our God, who by the sea, through Moses, didst set free from slavery to Pharaoh the Hebrew race. For thou art our God, who didst cleave the rock in the wilderness, so that water gushed forth, and who madest the floods to well forth abundantly ; and didst satisfy thy thirsty people. For thou art our God, who by fire and water, through Elijah, didst set Israel free from the errors of Baal.

Do thou, the same Master, sanctify now also this water by thy Holy Spirit. (Thrice.)

Grant also unto all who shall be sprinkled therewith, and shall partake thereof, and shall anoint themselves therewith, sanctification, blessing, purification and bodily health.

Russia And save, O Lord, thy servant, our most God-fearing Sovereign, the Emperor N., and all the Reigning House.

Save, O Lord, and show mercy upon the most holy Governing Synod, and keep them in peace beneath thy shelter. Subdue under them every foe and adversary ; grant unto them all their petitions which are unto salvation and life eternal ; that with the elements, and men, and Angels, and with all things visible and invisible, they may magnify thy most holy Name, together with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Priest: Peace be with you.

Choir: And with thy spirit.

Deacon: Bow your heads unto the Lord.

Choir: To thee, O Lord.

And the Priest, bowing his head., prayeth : Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear us, O thou who wast graciously pleased to receive baptism in Jordan, and didst sanctify the waters. Bless all us who, by the bowing of our necks, do outwardly signify our humility of mind : and graciously grant that we may be filled with thy sanctification, through our partaking of this water, and through sprinkling therewith. And may it be unto us, O Lord, for the health of our souls and bodies.

Exclamation.

Priest: For thou art the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and unto thee we ascribe glory, and thanksgiving and worship, 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. Amen.

And again blessing the water i>i cross-form with the holy cross, he dippeth it therein, upright, elevating and lowering, it, holding it with both hands, and singing the following Hymjt in Tone I. :

When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the

Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word. O Christ, who didst manifest thyself, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee.

And the Choir singeth the same.

Then he blesseth the waters a second time, in like manner. And the Singers repeat.

And likewise, a third time.

Then the Priest taketh of the holy water in a vessel, and turneth his face toward the People, holding the cross in his left hand, and in his right the aspergillus. And the People approach, and kiss the precious cross ; and the Priest blesseth them, and signeth them, on the ace, with the sign of the cross, with the holy water on the aspergillus.

Then they enter the Church again, singing, in Tone VI. :

Let us praise in song, ye faithful, the greatness of God's favour to usward. For, having become man because of our transgressions, by our purification is he purified in Jordan, he, the only pure and spotless One, who sanctifieth me and the waters, and crusheth the heads of the serpents in the water. Wherefore, O brethren, let us draw of that water with joy ; for the grace of the Spirit is invisibly imparted unto him who, with faith, doth draw thereof, by Christ our God, who also is the Saviour of our souls.

Choir: Blessed be the Name of the Lord, henceforth, and forever. (Thrice

Psalm xxxiv.

I will alway give thanks unto the Lord ; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord ; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O praise the Lord with me, and let us magnify his Name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me ; yea, he delivered me out of all my fear. They had an eye unto him, and were lightened ; and their faces were not ashamed. Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him ; yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints ; for they that fear him lack nothing. The lions do lack, and suffer hunger ; but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good. Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that lusteth to live, and would fain see good days Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips, that they speak no guile. Eschew evil, and do good ; seek peace, and ensue it. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil ; to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the

Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit. Great are the troubles of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth him out of all. He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them is broken. But misfortune shall slay the ungodly ; and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants ; and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

And having first drunk of the holy water, the People take the Antidoron, that is, the blessed bread, from the Priest.

Then the Benediction is pronounced :

May he who was graciously pleased to accept baptism from John, in Jordan, for the sake of our salvation, Christ our very God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us ; for he is gracious and loveth mankind.