The East Syriac Order for the Burial of Priests (Badger translation)
The East Syriac Order for the Burial of Priests (Badger translation)
Church of the East
The East Syriac service for the burial of a priest, in Badger’s English translation from the Syriac: the washing of the body, the Moutwas (cathismata) of psalms and anthems, the procession, the burial itself and the service of consolation. It is a long cycle of psalms, hymns and prayers on death and the hope of the resurrection.
1 ¶ On the death of one of the Church they shall wash him, and put on his clothes, and shall say over him this first Moutwa, [or Cathisma] of the Washing when the corpse is laid out. Prayer. Let us thank, worship, and praise, the hidden and adorable power of Thy glorious Trinity, for Thou art the LORD of the two worlds which Thou hast created, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Prokimenon. Psalm xx. i—5. Prayer. O Thou Who didst form Adam out of clay, Who didst raise his children from the dust, and didst restore him from his fall after he had become corrupt;—unto Thee we give thanks, worship, and praise, in the two worlds which Thou hast created, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Prokimenon. Psalm xliii. Prayer to be said over the incense.
2 O CHRIST, Who when Thou enteredst into sheol the dead smelled Thy savour and returned unto life, accept, O LORD, this incense which is presented before the throne of Thy Majesty, and be favourable to the dead for whom it is offered up, and bestow upon them the pardon of their sins, and the forgiveness of their follies, and in Thy righteousness, O LORD, cause them to dwell in Thy glorious bridal chamber of light in that day when every man shall be rewarded according to his works; for to Thee praise is due from all, and unto Thee it is meet and right that thanks should be offered up by every creature, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Prayer.
3 O Thou Who formedst us in Thy grace, and causedst the sentence of death to be passed upon us in Thy justice, and shalt make us to rise again in the abundance of Thy mercies,—unto Thee we give thanks, worship, and praise, for Thou art the LORD of the two worlds which Thou hast created, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
First Moutwa [or Cathisma.]
4 Ant. O LORD Thou GOD of my salvation. Thou hast clothed us with a mortal nature which is ever tormented by sin and pain, and if we cast off this abode of misery in a grievous death, the garment of our actions still defiles us; therefore have mercy upon us. Thou hast brought us into the dust of death. [Repeat the foregoing sentence.] His breath goeth forth, and he returneth to his earth. Thou hast clothed us with a mortal nature which is ever subject to pain and trouble, and when we depart out of this world in awful death, Thy righteous judgment terrifies us; therefore have pity upon us. It has become the head-stone of the corner. Thy advent to our race, O LORD, has been the restoration of sinners through repentance; and now grant that Thy grace may pardon me who am their chief, and be unto me a defence in the day of judgment.
5 LORD, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Or ever Thou didst bring us into this world Thou didst know our frame, and that we are perversely inclined to evil, and Thou didst appoint us an abode full of temptation, that therein our pride might be humbled through the troubles and pains which befall us every day, and that we might fear and hate sin through those very trials which afflict our mortal nature. And after Thou hast chastised us as a Father, Thou wilt make us meet for that place which Thou hast prepared for Thy children, that we may ever give thanks unto Thee. Thou hast fashioned and laid Thy hand upon me. O LORD, before Thou didst bring us into this state it was known to Thy wisdom that our vile race loved evil, and Thou didst set us in a world of stumbling-blocks in order that our free-will might be tried through the miseries and lusts which come upon us every day, and that we might dread and hate sin through the afflictions which vex our life, and when Thou hast proved us Thou wilt make us to enjoy that bliss which Thou hast prepared for Thy children, that we may ever give thanks unto Thee.
6 O LORD, rebuke me not in Thine anger. O LORD, because I have angered Thee by my actions, therefore would I appease Thee with a voice full of thanksgivings; and because I have vexed Thee by my misdeeds every day, therefore would I cause Thee joy with alleluias and songs of praise. And like as the woman who was a sinner drew near unto Thee, and Thou didst forgive her her sins, even so do I now call upon Thee with a contrite heart; answer me, O LORD, in Thy pity, and in Thy grace forgive me my sins, and through the abundance of Thy mercies justify me, for in my affliction I cry unto Thee and say: O LORD, compassionate me, and have mercy upon me. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, after Thy great goodness. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I have sinned against Thee, and have not done the thing that I would, but the evil that I hate that have I done; for I love repentance, but lusts wage war against me; and I rejoice in Thy commandments, but sin prevails against me. Therefore have pity upon my soul, O Thou Lover of mankind, and draw me out of the sea of transgressions which will not suffer me to take rest.
7 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am weak. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am weak. With a broken heart I cry unto Thee, O my SAVIOUR, save me from the rebel who ever setteth himself in bitter array against me, and entangleth me in his net; for I admire Thy commandments, nevertheless the wicked one overcometh me with his snares. Be grieved for me, O Thou Lover of mankind, and save me from the hand of the destroyer who ceases not to threaten me. Help, LORD, for the godly man ceaseth. Since it behoveth us to eschew all sins which are begotten of us, and above all to guard against the words of the tongue because life and death are in the power thereof, and therewith every man shall give an account of what he has done in this abode of our pilgrimage; therefore let us first of all supplicate the righteous Judge before Whom everything is naked and open, and say with the prophet: Let the grace of Thy help set a watch over our lips, and have mercy upon us.
8 By thy words thou shalt be justified. Seeing that it behoveth us to eschew all sin which is done of us, and to put away from us a deceitful heart, because judgment and punishment are set before us, which the righteous Judge Who knoweth our secrets will pass upon us; therefore let us cry unto Him as did the thief on the cross, and beseech Him to pardon our shortcomings, to bless us through His body, and to have mercy upon us. Shall dust praise Thee, or shall it declare Thy truth? The mind cannot comprehend, neither can any heart understand, Thy power and might in the creation; for all the hosts of heaven and earth, and all creatures conjoined cannot fathom Thee. Let such, therefore, as vex Thee be confounded, for Thou art very gracious, even as every creature created by Thy power doth testify. In Thy mercy we pray Thee to compassionate us, and to have mercy upon us.
9 Open unto me the gates of righteousness. The gates of the chamber of the Bridegroom are opened for the pardon of mankind, and through the gift of the Spirit from on high mercy and forgiveness are given unto every man. Enter therefore, O ye who are called, into the kingdom prepared for you, and with a pure and sanctified heart, and in true faith, give thanks unto CHRIST our SAVIOUR. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought. The women who came unto the sepulchre were astonished and perplexed because they had seen the grave in which CHRIST was laid, and the guards who were set to watch His tomb; but they were glad when they saw the angel who had come down and rolled the stone away from the sepulchre, having clothed the watchmen with a deep sleep. Again they wept because they knew not what had become of Him; but then JESUS accosted them, and they, thinking that He was the gardener, said unto Him: Sir, if thou hast taken Him away, tell us where we may find Him. We pray Thee, therefore, to have mercy upon us.
10 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. All creation was moved and amazed when they saw the SAVIOUR hanging upon the cross to set us free, and beheld His shame. The glorious sun darkened the light of his rays, and veiled his splendour, when he saw his LORD suspended on the tree, suffering at the hands of the daring; and the moon turned into blood to rebuke the temerity of His people who rashly slew her LORD. But who is this who in His death rent the Temple, at whose voice the dead were raised, and who promised the kingdom to the malefactor? Perchance it is the Messiah, He who giveth life to our mortality? Come then, my brethren, let us hasten to worship Him because He hath tasted death for all our race. Come, and let us praise Him and say: Glory be to Thee.
11 All my delight is in them. With my own will I have suffered the lust of transitory riches, and the love of worldly glory, to separate me from my obedience unto Thee, and I fear lest I shall be judged like the barren fig tree; therefore I beseech Thee to set me up, and to establish me upon the branches of Thy cross, that humility of mind and penitence of soul may spring up and bear fruit in me, in hope, in faith, and in perfect love, and have Thou mercy upon me. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints shout for joy. The priests of the holy SON obtain crowns by righteously persevering in preaching the truth, and now they rejoice and praise GOD with the angels in heaven, and are constituted supplicants in our behalf. Good and upright is the LORD. Recount to us, O Daniel, thou child of GOD greatly beloved, the semblance of the SON when thou sawest Him. Thou didst behold Him flying in the clouds of heaven like unto the Ancient of Days, Whose power is supreme in heaven and in earth.
12 Grace is poured into thy lips. Tell us, O thief, what is the beauty of paradise, and show us the tree of life, that we may derive profit therefrom, and learn to love, fast, and pray, as a sacrifice to the King of kings. They looked upon Him and were lightened. O ye priests, when ye saw the Anointed bearing the cross upon His shoulders, ye also took up the cross and went forth to the four quarters of the world, and discipled all nations in the name of the Trinity. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is. How good and pleasant is this holy house, wherein are prophets and apostles, martyrs, priests, and doctors, and wherein is set up a holy table for the forgiveness of the sins of Adam. All wait upon Thee. All who sleep in CHRIST shall in the day of the great resurrection offer up praise and thanksgiving to the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, who raiseth us from the dead, and clotheth our bodies with glory.
13 Come and hearken, and I will declare unto you. Mary saw the LORD after He had arisen in glory from the grave, and she spake and said unto Him: Show me my GOD and LORD, for my soul hath gone forth to seek Him, that I may rejoice in once more beholding Him. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is. How sweet is the voice of the priests who love CHRIST when they sing unto our SAVIOUR, Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O LORD, who magnifiest Thy servants in heaven and on earth. Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest. Blessed are ye, O ye blessed ones, when ye shall stretch forth your hands, and shall say unto the SAVIOUR, Who is the LORD of those who watch and labour: Give us the recompense of the service wherewith we have served Thee, and make us to enter with Thee into the chamber of the Bridegroom.
14 I will make the horn of David to bud. The Creator chose Him out a Virgin from the house of David and Abraham, and in her He caused His hidden power to dwell, and by the power of the HOLY GHOST she conceived and brought forth the MESSIAH, Who is the Judge in the heights above and in the lowest depths. Praise the LORD, O ye righteous. O ye priests, why did you not spare your bodies? All men fear death, why then did you love it? We saw the unsheathed swords, and the wreathed crowns, and heard the voice of CHRIST calling out and saying: Suffer and ye shall live. Sing unto the LORD with the voice of a psalm. The priests say unto the LORD: What wilt Thou give us for having forsaken the world and its possessions, and for having followed Thee? I will give you the chamber of the Bridegroom above, a kingdom which shall not pass away, and withal eternal life.
15 They are but as yesterday when it is past. When the priests saw that this world passeth away, and that every created thing endureth not, they chose the fear of the LORD which abideth for ever; and now their remembrance is recorded in the earth below and in heaven above. May their prayers be to us a wall in this world, and in that which is to come. Come, ye children, hearken unto me. The priests listened to the voice of our LORD which saith: O thou faithful one, be not afraid of those who kill the body; and they despised and contemned the world and its lusts, and gave their bodies to torture, and submitted to every species of persecution. They looked upon Him and were lightened. With the eye of their minds the priests beheld CHRIST the King, and with one accord they cried out unto Him, saying: Glory be to Thee, O LORD; we have believed on Thee, and have fled unto Thee for refuge; therefore leave us not in the hands of the unbelieving who hate the truth.
16 The LORD will give strength unto His people. The blessed priests were strengthened by the power of the HOLY GHOST, and confounded and overcame the Rebel, and triumphed over him; and behold they are [now] as springs to the whole world, and from their bones go forth life and help. Let the hearts of them rejoice that fear the LORD. Like the odour of spikenard, myrtle, and jasmine, like the tulip and the kingly lily, like the lemon and citron, like the rose and sweet basil, so is the all-rejoicing savour of your bones, and such as smell thereof shall wreathe for you crowns of praise. Glory be to the FATHER, &c. O CHRIST our King and SAVIOUR, vouchsafe to raise me up in the day of Thy coming, and to place me on Thy right hand with all the righteous who were approved before Thee, and who believed and confessed Thy cross, that with them I may inherit everlasting life.
Prayer.
17 O LORD, let the infinite mercies, which had pity upon the thief on the cross, and gave him the promise of the kingdom, plead with Thy justice in our behalf in the great and glorious day when Thy judgment shall be revealed from heaven, O Thou righteous Judge Who art full of mercy, and Who forgivest our sins, the LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Doxology. Psalm cxvi. 1—6. Akkapta, [or Connection.] Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the way of life. O Thou Who quickenest the dead, glory be to Thee.
Concluding Prayer.
18 Glory to Thy sweet-sounding voice, and to Thy sovereign word, which in Thy grace and mercy shall summon us from the grave, and gather together our dust from every quarter, and shall make us a new creation, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
19 Blessed art Thou upon earth, and praised art Thou in heaven, O Thou Who art the Cause of our life, and the righteous Hope of our souls, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. ¶ Then shall follow three hymns.*
Third Moutwa. — Prayer.
20 We worship, adore, and praise, Thy hidden Divinity, Thy creative mercy, and Thy glorious Trinity, in the two worlds which Thou hast created, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Prokimenon. Psalm cxxxix. 1—15.
Prayer.
21 O LORD, Thou didst create us by Thy grace, and in Thy wisdom Thou dost bring us to nothing; raise Thou us up in Thy mercy, that we may arise and sing befitting praises to the reverence of Thy Majesty, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Anthem.
22 Whither shall I go from Thy presence? When the trumpet of Thy sudden coming shall sound with great terror, and the circles of angels shall fly from heaven and shall descend in haste, and when all men shall rise out of their graves, in fear, to give an account of themselves, then shall the powers above be shaken because of the severity of that judgment wherewith those of earth shall be judged, and the cherubim who shall hear Thy voice shall praise Thee, O Thou righteous Judge. In that awful judgment when Thou shalt judge every one according to his works, have mercy upon me, O Thou Lover of mankind. Where shall I hide me from Thy Presence? In that hour when the angelic hosts shall surround Thy Majesty, and shall with one accord, and with the sound of the trumpet, praise and glorify Thee, then shall severe pangs seize upon the earth and cause it to bring forth the dead, and the mortal children of Adam shall rise to meet Thee, O LORD, with loud hosannas, and the righteous shall be exalted, and the wicked shall be left upon the earth. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, in that great day of Thine when Thou shalt come to judgment. Have mercy upon me, O Thou Lover of mankind.
23 And they shall praise Thy name for ever. When JESUS our King shall appear, and shall set His throne in the highest, and shall command all the good and the bad together to come to the trial of His judgment, and shall separate the good to the light of His kingdom, and the bad to everlasting fire, then shall the angelic hosts praise and magnify Thee. In that hour, O LORD, make all those who have met Thee in Thy sacraments meet for Thy glory. With trumpets we praise before the LORD the King. In the great day of Thy coming, the trumpets and shawms shall be sounded, and the angels shall come down out of their place, and shall sing praises to Thy Divinity; and thereupon those who sleep shall awake suddenly, and shall join in the song with their glorified voices, and such as have done righteously shall enter with Him into the bridal chamber, and the door shall be shut in the face of sinners. Shut not, O LORD, the wide door of Thy pity against Thy worshippers, but have Thou compassion upon us.
24 The earth is moved and is shaken. In the great day of Thy appearance the earth and the inhabitants thereof shall be shaken, and the unbelieving who denied the due glory of Thy Divinity shall tremble, and the profane shall be terrified, but all those who have persevered shall joy and rejoice. Then shall the hosts above and below cry out exultingly, and shall say: Glorious is Thy revival and resurrection, O CHRIST our King, who by Thy grace hast raised up the race of the dying. Unto Thee be praise. Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, and they are created. O LORD, when Thou shalt raise our bodies from corruption, and when all those who sleep shall rise up out of their graves, and shall come to Thy righteous judgment, and when the actions of all men shall be tried as by fire, and those who have wrought righteousness shall attain unto bliss at Thy right hand in the dew of light, then have pity upon me, and give rest unto my soul in Thy kingdom with all Thy saints, and have mercy upon me.
25 Who shall declare the wonders of the LORD? The grace which Thy love hath manifested toward our race is unutterable: in the beginning Thou didst create us in Thine own illustrious image, and when this had become corrupt through the sin of Adam, the head of human kind, who transgressed the law, Thou didst humble Thyself in Thy love, and by Thy coming didst raise us up from the dust through Thy blessed appearance. Glory be unto Thee, O Thou righteous One, Who of old didst redeem us by the first-fruits which Thou didst assume from our race. In the days of old. When the LORD of all created Adam He called him His own image and likeness, and introduced him into an Eden full of blessed fruits and all good things, and there He placed him; but the evil one envied him, and cast him down from his exalted estate, and stripped him of his goodly glory. But the Creator would not that the wicked one should despise His image, therefore He sent His Son and restored him to His paradise, and made Him LORD in the heights above and in the depths beneath. We therefore praise our King Who has raised us up by His resurrection.
26 Praise the LORD all the whole earth. The congregations of the heavenly and earthly ones stand in amazement and joy whilst the sacrifice for the life of the world is offered up. With wings stretched out before their eyes, lest they should look upon the awful and incomprehensible sight, they tune their voices, and cry out with their tongues, Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O LORD, for this tremendous gift which Thou hast given that thereby we may obtain the forgiveness of our sins. Vouchsafe unto us, O LORD, in Thy pity, and fit us by Thy grace, that we may give thanks unto Thee for the same, and say: Glory be to Thee. Those who stand in the house of the LORD. Let us all who have been called to feast upon the glorious and divine sacraments, in fear and love praise and worship the LORD of all, and in love and faith receive the body of the Anointed Son, who was put to death that we might live, who atoned for our sins, and reconciled the FATHER unto us through the shedding of His blood, and now, behold, He is praised and magnified sitting on the right hand of the FATHER who sent Him; and since He is one and indivisible, above and in the Church, He is offered up every day without suffering pain. Come, therefore, and let us in purity approach the sacrifice of His all-sanctifying Body, and cry out with one accord, and say: Glory be to Thee.
27 The LORD preserveth all such as trust in Him. Let us all who believe in Him through the renewing of the SPIRIT, thankfully and undoubtedly approach when we see the Lamb of GOD Who is daily sacrificed sacramentally upon the altar, and Who, seeing that He is alive for evermore, is imparted unto every man without becoming less, and without being consumed. Therefore with fear and trembling let us cry out and say: Holy, holy, holy, art Thou, O GOD, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. The King's daughter is all glorious. O Church, the Bride of CHRIST, Him Whom the wicked slew on Golgotha, Who redeemed her with His precious blood, and gave her the living food of His body, and into whose hands He put the cup of salvation in the precious blood which flowed from His spear-riven side,—incline thine ear, and hearken to the voice of the Bridegroom, cease to wander after vanities, and cry out to Thy SAVIOUR with the voice of thanksgiving, and say: Glory be to Thee.
28 Let us magnify the LORD our GOD. O Church, magnify, honour, and praise, the heavenly Bridegroom Who descended and dwelt in our humanity to work out salvation for thee, and Who hath set up priests in thee, and the order of Levites, to minister before thine altar with all reverence. Thy children with all the hosts above cry aloud with a glorious voice, and say: Holy is He in the heights above, and praised is He in the depths beneath, the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, One Essence, unto Him be glory. They shall praise Thy name for ever. The spiritual choirs cry aloud with unbounded praise on the great festival of Thy celebration, O thou glorious and holy Church, and the sacred priests lift up their voices in thee and say: Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD, who caused His glory to rest upon thee, and gave thee the pledge of His sacraments. Come, therefore, and let us also sing and give praise, and let us say: O LORD, keep the Church, and her children through Thy grace, and have mercy upon her.
29 Glory be to the FATHER, and to the SON, and to the HOLY GHOST. The rebellious devils and the wicked shall stand with fear and trembling in that day when the sign of the SAVIOUR shall appear, when all the spiritual hosts shall run before Him, singing praises unto Him, and when all the archangels shall precede Him in great glory to confound the unbelieving. All these shall sound their trumpets, and shall play upon their harps; then the earth shall quake under the inhabitants thereof, and severe pangs shall seize upon it, and it shall bring forth the dead which are buried in it. Then the last trump shall sound, and the graves shall be rent, and the dead shall rise out of them, and greedy Death, that devouring lion, shall look on in sorrow, for his kingdom shall be dissolved and destroyed. Then all the dead shall cry out unto him, saying: Where is thy sting, O thou swallower up of all? behold, the hard yoke whereby thou didst rule over us without pity is broken. Then, under the mandate of CHRIST the King, he shall summon all the children of the earthly Adam together, and the angels shall run with loud songs to the door of the King CHRIST, Who it is that quickeneth them and raiseth them up. And He shall command that the righteous be separated unto light, and the wicked to the darkness of hell, and all the devils shall tremble when they see the glory which the just shall put on.
30 There shall they see Adam, the head of the nations, standing in front of his children in glory and great majesty.43 There they shall also see Abel, Seth, Noah, and Shem, clothed in incorruptible garments, there they shall see Moses bearing the tables of the law which he received by revelation on Mount Sinai; there they shall see Aaron, Eliezer, Melchizedek, Zechariah, and John the tried priest, who were not defiled; there they shall see Joshua, the son of Nun, who made the sun to stand still in the valley of Elon; there they shall see Enoch and Elijah exulting above the clouds; there they shall see Abraham and Isaac his heir, Jacob and Joseph, and all the believers who became inheritors of the kingdom; there they shall see David, the harp of the soul, who sang psalms and alleluias: there they shall see all the prophets standing on the right hand of GOD; there they shall see the choirs of chaste priests exulting in the spiritual feast; there they shall see the twelve Apostles clothed in light which no darkness can approach unto; and they shall see there the delectable crowns which shall be placed upon the heads of martyrs and confessors in the majesty of great glory; and they shall see there all the righteous and just, doctors and pastors, and the wonderful ranks of holy men rejoicing in the bridal chamber of light;
31 and they shall see there all who have ministered and laboured in the vineyard of CHRIST, Who shall give them the denarius of an endless life. And such as have wrought iniquity and sin, and have not kept His words, neither obeyed His commandments, shall be left in the lower gulf where the wicked and the devils who rebelled shall be tormented, and from whence there is no road unto the righteous. And there those who have sinned and wrought iniquity in this world shall be punished in darkness and in fire, and they shall call upon the Merciful, but He shall not turn His face unto them. And they shall weep bitterly, and shall have no respite from their tortures, because they did not exercise mercy towards their fellow creatures. In that day, O LORD, fit all those who have partaken of Thy Body and Blood, and who have lighted their lamps with the oil of mercy and pity, to go forth to meet Thee, and to praise Thee with one accord, saying : True is Thy judgment, and righteous Thy summons, O Thou just Judge ; and to glorify Thee together, saying : Glory be to Thee.
32 As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. The hosts above, and the spiritual ranks shall stand in awe and amazement when the hour of the last sun-setting shall arrive, when light shall flee away, and darkness shall prevail, and the earth return to its primeval state. When the sun shall be blotted out, and the moon shall be annihilated, and the bright shining of the stars shall for ever set, and the race of the lights shall come to an end, and the air shall no longer be, and the winds shall cease to blow, and the pillars which support this world shall quake and fall, and the excellency of the firmament and the waters thereof shall be dissolved, and the glory of the planets shall be abolished, and the flow of the springs shall be stopped, and the rivers and seas shall be dried up, and the palaces and cities shall pass away, and all places shall be uninhabited by man or beast. Then there shall be a great rebuke, and the angelic hosts above shall be shaken with the awe, and power, and fear, of His coming. Then shall appear the Divine Sign of the King, and the King Himself shall be revealed amidst the rejoicings and alleluias of the heavenly hosts, and the veil shall be lifted up, and darkness shall be cast over the universe, and all the ends thereof shall tremble ;
33 and the trumpet of the resurrection of the dead shall sound in the midst of its streets, and through the strong palaces of sheol, the mother of the dead, and they shall rejoice in the dust, and shall lift up their heads above the strong one who had reduced them to his sway, and the slain shall exult over those who slew them, and they shall throw off and cast away from them the garments of mortality, and shall put on the garments of the resurrection. 34 Then the throne of death shall be overturned, and the arm of the adversary shall be broken, and death shall be trodden down at the gate of sheol, as was the great man at the entrance into Samaria, by the crowds of the dead who shall come forth thereat, and the mouth of all-devouring sheol shall be stopped, and the graves shall vomit out the bodies of men, and the tombs shall give birth to goodly bodies of the children of Adam which had become corrupt. And Adam himself shall stand up in the midst of his offspring, like a king in the midst of his armies, and he shall lift up his eyes and behold all his children gathered together in ranks round about him, myriads upon myriads shall there be, and he shall rejoice and be glad, and shall put on glory, when he shall see his descendants of every degree surrounding him on every side: tried, chaste, and undefiled prophets, apostles, priests, martyrs and fathers; and he shall praise and worship the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, Who raised them up from the dust. Then shall the throne of judgment be set, and the King shall sit to judge the world and the inhabitants thereof in righteousness. Then all hearts shall be confounded, and all imagination shall disappear, and every mouth and tongue shall be stopped, and every vile sin shall be brought to light; and truth shall stand as a balance, and shall weigh and apportion to every man according to his works.
35 Then the righteous shall rejoice, but the wicked shall weep; then the just shall exult, but the evil-doers shall inherit blackness; then the children of Israel who persecuted the children of the kingdom shall weep and lament, with bitter grief and with a desolate cry shall they lament, when the King shall enter into His palace, and the door shall be shut, and the veil of the holy of holies shall be drawn, and the righteous shall inherit eternal happiness. Fit us, O LORD, in that day for the enjoyment of the bliss which is at Thy right hand, that with all the saints, the children of the kingdom, we may praise Thee, and say: Glory be to Thee.
Prayer.
36 Praise be to Thy sweet voice, and to Thy sovereign command, wherewith in Thy mercy Thou shalt call us out of our graves, and gather our dust from every quarter, and make us a new creation, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Doxology. Psalm cxxx. 1—8. Connection. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto Thy name. Praise be to Thy Name, O Thou Who quickenest the dead.
Prayer.
37 Raise up our dead, O LORD, and make them to stand at Thy right hand, and clothe them with a goodly glory in Thy kingdom with all the just and righteous who approved themselves before Thee, O Thou merciful One, Who forgivest iniquities and sins, Thou LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
38 Blessed is He Who made us, our adorable Creator; and magnified and praised is He Who raised us up, and Who saved us from death when we fell, the LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. ¶ Then shall follow two hymns. ¶ These five Cathismata are to be said in the house where the corpse is laid out, after which they shall take up the bier, and shall proceed to the church,* singing the following
Processional Chant.
39 From this time forth and for ever. My harp is turned into mourning, and my lute into the voice of them that weep. Abide in peace, O temporary dwelling place, which canst not deliver those who possess thee; I am now going to a region of light, the abode of the righteous, who have ceased from their labours. Ye are the blessed of the LORD. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. Abide in peace, O my brethren and friends, the LORD requite your labour of love, and when you stand in the holy place remember me in your prayers. The blessing of the LORD be upon you. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Abide in peace, O my companions: the LORD comfort your hearts with a sure and certain hope, and put far from you sorrow and pain.
40 You and your children. Weep sore for him that goeth away, for he shall no more return, nor see his native country. Abide in peace, O temporary dwelling place; I go forth from thee mourning, but the Good [God] Who formed me out of the dust shall give me joy in the bridal chamber of light. We did eat in the house of God in company. Remember me, O my friends, for I am now going the way of death, and pray that I may deserve mercy in that day when CHRIST the King shall appear. All ye servants of the LORD. By that sacramental service, wherein I ministered with you in the house of the LORD, pray for me that I may deserve mercy when the SON of GOD shall be revealed. Thy blessing is upon Thy people for ever. Stretch forth thy right hand, O thou pure priest, and bless the assembly which celebrates thy death, and entreat of thy LORD that we may enter with thee into the bridal chamber of light.
41 Seek the LORD and His strength. Pray for me that I may deserve mercy in the day when CHRIST the King shall appear; and when the throne of glory shall be set for the trial of all, then have thou mercy upon me. Salvation is from the LORD. Mourn not, neither be grieved, O thou pure priest, because death has dissolved thee and reduced thee to nothing; but hearken unto the preachers who preach unto thee of the renewal through the resurrection of the dead. Seek the LORD and call upon Him. O thou pure priest, pray of thy LORD, that mercy and peace may dwell with thy flock, and that in the day when His mercy shall appear, we all may be counted worthy to enter into the chamber of the supper. From this time forth for evermore. Abide in peace, O ye my friends, for I am going the way of death. The LORD bestow upon you a good reward for the tears which you have shed over my unworthy self.
42 Seek His face evermore. Supplicate for me in your prayers when ye stand in the holy place, that the Body and Blood of the LORD JESUS may plead for me. Now and ever. May thy prayers, O priest, be a wall around the congregation which celebrates the day of thy death, and through thy supplications, may the LORD cause peace and mercy to dwell with our souls. Give me a token for good. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, when those who sleep in the dust shall rise, and when the heights and depths shall pass away, that I may meet thee with open face. From the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same. The glorious rays of the LORD's SON have shined throughout the world like lightning, giving life to the dead, and raising them up from the grave, that they may sing praises unto Him Who raised them up.
43 Unto those who are true of heart a light has arisen in darkness. The light of the LORD, like lightning, has arisen upon and lightened the whole world, and the incomparable radiance thereof has rent the graves, and the dead have gone forth out of them. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings. Unto Thee, O MESSIAH the King, shall all the dead give praise in that great day, when Thou shalt come to reward every man according to his works. The LORD grant all thy requests. Depart in peace, O our pure brother; Enoch and Elijah shall come forth to meet thee, and shall receive thee into their tabernacle to dwell with them in that life which is there. From this time forth and for evermore. Abide in peace, O holy Church, the LORD be a defence to thy children; and pray thou and thy children that I may deserve mercy on the day of the resurrection.
44 This is the gate of the LORD, the righteous shall enter in by it. Go in peace, O our pure brother, for the gates of the highest are open before thee, and the FATHER invites thee, saying: Come in, thou righteous one, since the will of My Majesty is satisfied with thee. Wash me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Sprinkle our faces, O LORD, with the dew of Thy mercies, for we are drowned in the gulf of death, and draw us up out of its waves lest we be swallowed up through the weight of our sins. Wash me throughly from my sins. Sprinkle my face, O LORD, with the dew of Thy mercies, for I am faded away and withered, I am destroyed and ruined; and in the abundance of Thy grace pity me, and have mercy upon me. He bowed the heavens and came down. The LORD of Angels flew and came down to the sainted daughter of David, and gave her a writing of peace and salvation for the children of men.
45 Their words have gone out into all the world. O ye chosen Apostles who went forth and preached a new Gospel in the four quarters of the globe, supplicate CHRIST your Saviour on our behalf that He may have mercy upon us in the day of His coming.*
Prayer.
46 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, pardon, blot out, and pass by, our transgressions, and in Thy overflowing mercies and pity cleanse us from all our sins, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. ¶ Then the following Scripture shall be read: First Lesson. Numbers xx. 22, to the end of the chapter. Second Lesson. Acts xx. 17—38. Epistle. 1 Cor. xv. 34—38. Gospel. S. John v. 19—30. ¶ Then the deacon shall say the following Litany: Let us all stand in sorrow and sadness, and let us say: LORD, have mercy upon us. O GOD, the Father of Spirits, and the LORD of all those who are in the body; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us. O THOU, Who in Thy wisdom createdst us mortal, and by Thy will bringest us to nothing in hope of the resurrection; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us.
47 O Thou, Who in Thy inscrutable wisdom causedst the threatened sentence to be passed upon us all; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us. O Thou, Who hast prepared an abode in the Jerusalem above for all such as perfect Thy Will; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us. O Thou, Who in Thy grace madest ready a Church for the righteous first-begotten who call upon Thee, that their names may be written in heaven; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us. We pray for the welfare of our saintly fathers Mar ———, Catholicos and Patriarch, and Mar ———, Bishop and Metropolitan, and for all who serve under their ministry; and we beseech Thee, O LORD, to have mercy upon us. O Thou merciful GOD, Who upholdest all in Thy mercy; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us. O Thou Who art praised in heaven, and adored on earth; we pray Thee to have mercy upon us.
48 Save us all, O CHRIST, at Thy coming, and restore to us in glory the garment of the soul which has been separated from us, that it may mingle with the souls of the just made perfect, and have mercy upon us. Another. Let us pray. Peace be with us. 49 Let us at this sorrowful time beseech GOD the LORD of all, the Creator of our nature, and the Former of it out of clay, Who in the beginning made man mortal and corruptible for the trial of his free-will, and now in these last times has promised the resurrection from the dead by the advent of GOD the Word, the Saviour of all, Who destroyed death in His human person, in a wonderful and ineffable manner, and hath set up in its place, in the city of this world, a living and reasonable image* for freedom from corruption and from inclination to evil.—Let us, therefore, my brethren, strive to attain newness of life and purity of conversation, such as befits the growth of faith, and let us prepare a viaticum for this long journey to the abode of light, and the place of life. And let us also pray for this our brother, the associate and companion of our ministry and faith, the priest ———, who is dead and has departed out of this world, that GOD Who approved of his sincere faith and took him away, may guide him to the haven of all the righteous, so that when CHRIST our King shall come in the glory of His angels to restore us from our fall, to raise up our mortality, to set us free from our captivity, and to gather together our dust, He may call him and set him on His own right hand, write his name in the book of life, number him with His elect, and join him to the assembly of those who praise Him with all the righteous and just who were approved before Him, and who lived according to His will, through the grace of CHRIST, for ever and ever. Amen.
50 ¶ After which the deacon shall say: Let us pray. Peace be with us.
Prayer.
51 When this one world shall be dissolved, and the two lights shall be extinguished, and the three trumpets shall sound, and the four winds shall cease to blow, and the five senses shall fail, and the six days shall flow into one day, and the seven thousand years shall come to an end, and the eight tones of music shall sound and shout aloud, and the nine circles of the angels shall be amazed, and the ten commandments shall be inquired of, and the eleven Apostles with him to whom the ministry fell by lot shall sit upon thrones, and the twelve tribes of Israel shall be judged, and the righteous shall inherit light, but the wicked shall be confounded,—in that bitter and awful hour, fit this Thy servant, O LORD, to hear the welcome voice: Come, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy LORD; O LORD of all, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
52 Blessed, adorable, magnified, and exalted, are the eternal mercies of Thy glorious Trinity, whereby Thou dost freely pardon sinners, O our righteous Hope, and our all-merciful Refuge, O LORD of all, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Deacon. Praise the living GOD. ¶ The following anthem of the Bema is to be said whilst the people are communicating:* O LORD, Who hast exalted the memory of the pure and sainted priests, accept the memorial of this our brother who ministered before Thee in righteousness. O GOD, give us a good hope of him who worshipped Thee, and make him to rejoice at Thy right hand in Thy kingdom. Since Thy decree has cut me off from the ministry of Thy sanctuary, grant that I may glorify Thy name in the Church of Thy First-Begotten above.
Doxology.
53 May these sacraments of which we have partaken, O LORD, in faith be effectual to the forgiveness of our sins; for Thou, O CHRIST, Who art in the form of a servant and the Image of the LORD, art the Sovereign of the two worlds, and by Thy Body and Blood Thou hast pardoned and passed by the transgressions of all those who believe in Thee. Fit us, O LORD, to stand before Thee and to go forth to meet Thee with confidence, in the day of Thy appearance, that with the heavenly hosts we may glorify Thee. Amen and Amen. ¶ Then the deacon shall say: All we who through the grace of the HOLY GHOST have drawn nigh, and were made meet to partake in the communion of these glorious, holy, life-giving, and divine sacraments, let us all heartily give thanks and praise unto GOD Who gave them.
54 ¶ The communion ended, the priest shall lift up the bier, and shall carry it in procession on this wise: Whilst the precentor intones the following anthem, the procession shall stop, and the bier is to be borne only whilst the response is being chanted. The first verse is to be said at the step of the chancel; the second, at the door of the bema where the priest received ordination; the third, at the north side of the nave: the fourth, at the south side of the nave; and the fifth, at the entrance to the church. If the deceased be a priest, he shall be borne by priests; if a deacon, by deacons.
Anthem.
55 Abide in peace, O Church, for I am going away, and let those who dwell in thee in righteousness pray for me. O my brethren, companions, and dearly beloved, keep me in remembrance, for I am now separated from you for ever, and pray for me. I am going away and yet I am not afraid, for my LORD call-eth for me; a crown of joy and glory will He place upon my head. The angel who came and took thee away, may he guide thee to paradise, and present thee as an offering unto the King. Depart in peace. O my brethren, companions, and dearly beloved, with those of my ministry, forget not to remember me in the holy Church. Mourn not because the sound of thy harp is silenced; for, behold, with the angels thou dost now sing glory to JESUS thy LORD. Depart in peace, thou pure priest who didst minister well; the LORD Whose service thou lovedst, He will repay thee.
56 The angel who came and took thee away, may he guide thee to paradise, and set a crown of joy and glory upon thy head. Rejoice, O priest who didst minister well in the church below; for, behold, thou shalt put on glory in the Church above. Depart in peace, O pure priest of the household of GOD, for, behold, thy companions Moses and Aaron come forth to meet thee. Thy hire, and thy labour and worship before the altar, they shall plead for thee with thy LORD Who elected thee. Depart in peace. The Spirit Which thou didst call down over the font of baptism, He shall make thee to fly with spiritual wings to the heights above. O ye fathers and pastors, remember me what time the sacrament of the Body and Blood is offered up. The Church deplores thee, O priest, the altar has put on mourning, and the veil of the sanctuary weeps for thee with a broken heart.
57 ¶ Then all shall go forth into the court of the church,* where the following chants shall be said: Chant the tenth. O LORD, Thou GOD of my salvation. O LORD GOD, the LORD of life and death, let Thy good Spirit lead me in the way of life when Thou shalt come in Thy Kingdom. And his memorial endureth throughout all generations. Blessed is the Anointed who humbled Himself and tasted death, and gave us His Body and Blood, and quickened Adam, and saved his children by His cross. All ye servants of the LORD. Pray for me, all ye my friends and dearly beloved, that I may be meet for the bosom of Abraham, and rejoice with Lazarus in the kingdom. We did eat in the House of GOD in company. Remember to pray for me in the holy temple, for death hath suddenly snatched away my life, wiped out my image, dissolved me, and cast me into the grave.
58 The LORD is faithful in His sayings. Be not cast down, O ye who love the heavenly Bridegroom, because death has reduced your bodies to corruption; for, behold, ye are called to the kingdom to receive the reward of your labours. There the LORD commanded a blessing and life for evermore. Behold all the just and righteous dwell and walk in the light of paradise, and await the appearance of the Bridegroom from on high. There shall thy abode and rest be. The LORD will give thee rest, O thou happy one, with all the saints in the kingdom, and will reward thy labours in the bridal chamber of light with all the righteous who have approved themselves before Him. There is no end of His greatness. How glorious and terrible is the day of Thy appearing, O our SAVIOUR; for by Thy voice the graves shall be rent, the gates of sheol shall be broken, and all those who sleep in the dust shall awake.
59 They shall bear thee up in their hands. The living cross of CHRIST is borne by the priests of the Highest, who shall go forth to meet Him with hosannas, and He shall receive them into glorious habitations, far above all danger, in the lightsome bridal chamber of His kingdom, for ever and ever. For Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake. All the heathen shall praise Thee, and all creatures shall worship Thee, O Thou Son of the Highest, Who endured the cross, and by Thy death hast destroyed death, and redeemed us out of the captivity thereof. Praised art Thou of all tongues, O JESUS our Saviour and King. Bless the LORD, all ye His angels. The holy Church doth glorify CHRIST by her priests as do the cherubim; she bears the living cross and sings praises unto Him, that He may turn towards her, help her, and give her joy in the bridal chamber of light.
Prayer.
60 He will be merciful to His land and to His people. Pardon and save all sinners, for Thou art the merciful One, and canst forgive sins, and blot out the iniquities of such as repent and come unto Thee. Create in me a clean heart, O GOD. Give us, O CHRIST, to praise Thee at all times, and fit us at all times, O LORD, to keep Thy commandments, and to thank and worship Thee, O our SAVIOUR, with all Thy saints in heaven. O LORD, Thou knowest. Thou knowest, O LORD, better than any what is profitable for us. In Thy grace direct us how to live, and let Thy mercies pardon our sins, Thy pity be our physician, and Thy great love our teacher. Unto Thee be glory, and upon us be Thy mercy. For Thou, O LORD, art good. Thou, O LORD, at all times art just and compassionate, and a well-spring of help, and a depth of tenderness towards our nature. O Thou Who didst create us in Thy grace, have pity upon us, and pardon our sins, that we may praise and give thanks to Thy holy name.
61 One generation to another declareth His works. Throughout every generation we have moved Thee to anger, yet throughout every generation Thou hast forgiven our sins, and hast not restrained Thyself from doing us good. The earth bringeth forth food, and the heavens produce clouds and rain, and Thou dost visit everything by Thy motions. Therefore in Thy grace make us to be thankful. O LORD, Thy mercies are from everlasting. We beseech the overflowing mercies of Thy grace, O CHRIST our King, to give help to our weakness, and because the times are troublous, and the world is confused and tossed about with sin, give us fixed rest that we may ever praise Thee. Rich and poor together. Body and soul together cry out for mercy and salvation from the treasury of Thy compassion; pardon the sins of both as Thy grace is wont, O Thou Who art the LORD of both, that they may ever be the abode of Thy will.
62 Our help is in the name of the LORD. Send forth help, O LORD, to the congregation of Thy blessed worshippers through the great power of the cross; save them, by Thy grace, and sow Thy peace among them, that they may give thanks to Thy holy name, O Thou glorious One Who dwellest in the heavens. He is thy LORD, worship thou Him. O Mary, the sainted Virgin, the Mother of JESUS our Saviour, plead and supplicate for mercy upon the sinners who flee to thy prayers, that they may not be lost. Let thy prayers be to us a wall of defence in this world, and in that which is to come. Let Thy mercy keep those who draw nigh unto Thee. May the prayers of the righteous who appeased Thee, and of the just who approved themselves before Thee, of the prophets, apostles, doctors, martyrs, priests, and hermits, keep all Thy worshippers, that they may offer unto Thee a new song of praise, O FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST.
63 And let their prayers be upon us all. May the prayers of Mar Sawr-Yeshua the saint, Mar Hnan-Yeshua the conqueror, John bar Hazzâyé, Maran Ammé of Zeena, Mar Shooha 'l Mâran, (peace be to him,) Rabban Fransé, Mar Yosep, Mar Knoobâya, and of Jeshua Sawran, be to us a wall of defence. ¶ The following chant shall be sung whilst the bier is being borne from the church to the grave: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go up to the house of the LORD. The LORD shall come to raise up the departed, and to fulfil the hope of the dead. His name endureth for ever. Blessed is He Who hath made death incapable of being bribed, for it taketh away the righteous and the wicked together. My feet stand in thy gates, O Jerusalem. At the opening of their graves shall all the souls stand looking for the Son Who shall appear from heaven.
64 From this time forth and for evermore. Thy will has been perfected, and Thy decree has taken me away; quicken me, in Thy mercy, that I may rise and praise Thee. Both small and great. Cease to weep, all ye my friends, for CHRIST shall awaken us from our sleep. Thou hast fashioned me and laid Thine hand upon me. O FATHER, Who in the beginning didst form us out of the dust, in Thy pity have mercy upon us, that we may give thanks to Thy grace. Preserve me, O LORD, for in Thee have I put my trust. O our LORD, make the mourning of Thy servants to cease, and raise up the dead who confessed Thee. For His merciful kindness is great towards us. Come and let us give thanks unto the Son, Who hath redeemed us from subjection to all-destroying death. He lifted up His voice and the earth shook. He called Lazarus and raised him up from the grave. Thee also will He call and raise thee up with him.
65 Come and I will declare unto you. The voice of the Son will cause death to tremble, and will demand the children of Adam from him. Joy in the whole earth. Death shall be annihilated when the resurrection shall be, and when the hope of all the dead shall be perfected. Both small and great. The companions of thy ministry no longer hear thy harmony, nevertheless they rejoice, because thy bark has reached its haven. There shall thy abode and thy rest be. Amidst the delectable trees of paradise, there shall thy abode and thy rest be. They shall bear thee up in their hands. Moses and Elijah shall come forth to meet thee, and shall receive thee into tabernacles of light. All ye servants of the LORD. By the prayers which ye offer, remember me in the holy Church. I sought him but did not find him. I looked among the congregation assembled on a solemn festival, but the Priest was not there, because he had been removed to his LORD.
66 The sun knoweth his going down. The sun has set, the shadows have declined, but the priest has not come to his ministry. The people which He chose for an heritage. O all ye priests with whom I ministered in the sanctuary, remember me at all times in your prayers. The blessing of the LORD be upon you. Stretch out thy right hand, O holy priest, and bless the assembly which hath done honour to thy members. As far as the house of GOD. Behold, thy bark has reached its haven. Blessed art thou, for the reward of thy labours is laid up for thee. From this time forth for evermore. The altar mourns, the Church also mourns, and the place of thy worship awaits thy prayers. Come, ye children, hearken unto me. The Church weeps, the Church is sorrowful, and all thy disciples are clothed with deep mourning. The LORD preserve thy soul. Depart in peace, O our happy brother; CHRIST, Who hath taken thee away, receive thee into His bridal chamber.
67 O Thou Who art the hope of all the ends of the earth. The hope of life which thou didst wait for, now awaits thee at the door of the kingdom. There shall thy abode and rest be. Give rest, O LORD, to the soul of Thy servant, who has slept in Thy hope, in the bridal chamber of light. Thou hast set a crown of glory upon my head. Thy crown shines among the saints, O Thou pure Priest and lover of CHRIST. We did eat in the house of GOD in company. When ye enter the holy temple, then remember me in your prayers. Glory be to the FATHER, and to the SON, and to the HOLY GHOST. Glory be unto the FATHER, and thanks be unto the SON and HOLY GHOST, Who raiseth us up. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Unto Thee be glory, O JESUS our Saviour, for death is in Thine hands, and life in Thy will.
68 ¶ After the bier is placed beside the grave, the deacon shall say the following litany: Let us pray. Peace be with us. Pray for our brother, the Priest, the son of our faith, who has departed out of this world, that GOD, Who approved of him and took him away in the true faith, may guide him to the haven of all the righteous, so that when he shall awaken and raise up all those who sleep in the dust, and when the righteous and just shall attain a good end, He may call him and exalt him to His own right hand. R. Amen. And write his name in the book of life. R. Amen. And number him with His elect. R. Amen. And mingle him, through the grace of CHRIST, with the assembly of those who praise Him, and with all the just and righteous, who were approved before Him, for ever and ever. Amen.
69 R. Amen.
Prayer.
70 In Thy compassion, O LORD, visit our life; and through the overflowing mercies of Thy grace forgive and blot out all our follies; and give a good resurrection to the dead who have slept in the hope of Thy resurrection, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
71 Blessed is the mighty decree of Thy Majesty which killeth and maketh alive, which bringeth down to sheol and raiseth up, and which clotheth our bodies with glory in the resurrection, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. ¶ Whilst the following anthem is being said, all present shall take leave of the Priest.* Give me your peace, O my brethren, and ye also abide in peace, for this is your last salutation for ever. [Repeat.] I give peace and have peace,—a peace which shall not be taken from me for ever. The peace which CHRIST gave to His disciples, that peace be with you until the day of resurrection. Abide in peace, my brethren and associates, the LORD in His grace comfort you in your sorrow. Depart in peace, O happy brother, for the LORD will give thee eternal life. Abide in peace, O Church, and her children, the LORD in His grace keep all thy flocks.
72 Depart in peace to the abode of bliss: the LORD Whom thou lovedst mingle thee with the angels. Abide in peace, O ye priests and believers, the LORD grant you the reward of your labours. O my brethren and dearly beloved, pray and beseech CHRIST in my behalf. Depart in peace, thou busy workman: the LORD Whom thou servedst, give thee bliss in His kingdom. Abide in peace, all ye of the Church: the LORD in His grace preserve your ranks. Depart in peace, thou victorious priest: the LORD, Whom thou lovedst give thee joy in His kingdom. Abide in peace, my brethren and dearly beloved; for I am now separated from you henceforth and for ever. Abide in peace, O world full of trouble; how tried and vexed is he who labours in thee. Abide in peace, my country, town and its inhabitants: may peace increase in thee henceforth and for ever.
73 Thou art separated from our company, O our brother; but we shall see thee again in the assembly of the saints in the kingdom. ¶ Whilst the Priests are putting the corpse into the grave, the following anthem shall be said. Peace be with you, my brethren and friends who sleep; open the gate to me, that I may enter in and rest among you. Come, enter in, and see how many giants sleep here, and are become as dust for the moths and worms in the pits of sheol. Come, enter in, and see how the spoils of death have become like miry clay in the heart of sheol. Come, enter in, thou child of the earthly race of Adam, behold and consider what mortality is reduced to. Come, enter in, and see our mournful state, and give glory to Him, Who shall raise up the children of Adam.
74 Come, enter in, and see the ranks of human kind, how their mouths are stopped up with dust in the bosom of sheol. Come, enter in, and see how goodly bodies have here become as chaff, and have turned into putrefying clay, in the heart of sheol. Come, enter in, O our brother; bid farewell to thy dearly beloved, and ask them to pray for thee. I conjure you in love, O my brethren, to remember me, and to pray for me, and for the brethren deceased. In Thy mercy, O our LORD, raise up all the dead, and give them bliss at Thy right hand in Thy kingdom. And thou, O our beloved, who art separated from us to-day, may the LORD mingle thee in the ranks of the assemblies above. ¶ The following shall then be said. O LORD of Priests, keep the Priests, the Church, and her children, and may they ever be kept in Thy mercy. And the soul of this our brother, who has this day separated from us, may it be numbered with the assembly of the just.
75 O my brethren, companions, and associates, abide in peace, for death hath separated me from your company. Pray for me. O ye children of the Church with whom I ministered, abide in peace, for I am separated from you for ever. Pray for me. O ye children of the town from which I have gone forth, abide in peace; the peace of the LORD be with you. Pray for me. O ye pure Priests and Deacons with whom I ministered, when ye stand in the sanctuary then pray for me. Remember me in the ministry in which I ministered with you, and in the divine oblation. Pray for me. When the table of the awful sacraments shall be spread, then, O my beloved, do not forget me, but pray for me. When ye give the salutation of peace one to another in the sanctuary, let not my name be forgotten, and pray for me.
76 We offered the pure sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Son of God upon the same holy altar, therefore pray for me. We ministered together in the same sanctuary, and there we sang the praises of God in company, therefore pray for me. Behold, my feet are restrained from walking to the sanctuary, and my tongue has ceased to sing with the voice of praise, therefore pray for me. Behold, I am now far removed from the ministry of the awful sacraments, and have become an alien to your company, therefore pray for me. I have begun to walk in the fearful way of death, therefore, O my companions and associates, pray for me. My days and the years of my life have been spent in vanity, and who shall have pity upon me in the judgment? Pray for me. The degree which I received I did not exercise as I ought, and who will plead for me in the judgment? Pray for me.
77 In the day when the living sign of the Son of God shall appear, lest I should meet Him with confusion of face, pray for me. In that day when He shall reward those who have served Him, lest I should not meet Him with open face, pray for me. The weight of my sins keepeth me from the reward which those shall receive who laboured well for Him, therefore pray for me. The number of my iniquities preventeth me from having the open face of those who served Him, therefore pray for me. In the hour when the judgment shall be set, who shall mediate for me? therefore pray for me. When my stains shall be disclosed before the Searcher of all, whom shall I then ask to intreat for me? therefore pray for me. When the righteous shall be sent into light, and the wicked into darkness, who shall save me from hell? therefore pray for me.
78 I conjure you, my beloved, by the one only God, to plead for me in sorrow and tears. Pray for me. Most dreadful is the judgment of God, upright is His searching out, and blessed is he upon whom He shall have mercy. Pray for me. All of you entreat Him for my unworthy self, perchance He may have pity upon me, and fit me for mercy. Pray for me.
Conclusion.
79 Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Son, for there is none like unto Thee. The righteous wait for Thy appearing. [Repeat.] R. May Christ bless the reader and hearers, through the grace of His mercy, for ever. Amen. ¶ Then the priest shall take earth in his right hand, and shall say this
Prayer.
80 God, the Lord of all, Who passed this sentence upon mortal man: Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, may He raise thee up therefrom rejoicing in the resurrection of the dead; and the holy sacraments of which thou hast been a partaker, may they stand up for thee and be to thee for the forgiveness of sins; and in that fearful judgment of righteousness when the righteous shall receive the reward of their labours, and the just their recompense, mayest thou meet Jesus with them with open face, and ascribe thanksgiving and praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. ¶ Whilst naming the Trinity the priest shall cast the earth into the grave in the form of a cross, and the people shall respond: Give rest to the soul of this Thy servant in the place where the righteous dwell. [To be repeated thrice.]
81 ¶ Whilst the grave is being covered in the following two anthems* shall be said. After which the priest shall say this
Prayer.
82 Thy living and life-giving voice, O LORD, which called and raised up Lazarus to a temporary resurrection, may it call and exalt this Thy servant to Thy right hand in that great and glorious day when Thy Majesty shall be revealed from heaven, O Thou just, all-merciful, and forgiving Judge, the LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
83 In Thy pity raise up the dead, and in the abundance of Thy mercy keep the living, and give a good resurrection to the dead who have slept in hope of Thy resurrection, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Conclusion.
84 We supplicate Him Who through His Cross hath redeemed us from death and corruption, and by His own resurrection hath promised us life and resurrection;—we pray the depth of His mercies in behalf of this believer, who has been loosed from this fleeting life, and put in the road in which all generations must walk, that He would number him with all the true children of His sacraments; and comfort those who mourn and weep for him with the hope of His heavenly promises; and sprinkle their hearts with the cooling dew of His mercies; and that the right hand of His mercies may rest upon all this assembly which has honoured his burial, both here and there, so that we all may be meet to ascribe praise to the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymns.
85 1. Antiphon. The LORD, Whose cross thou hast confessed, He give rest to thy soul, O our brother; and when He shall come in His great glory, may He give thee bliss in His kingdom. [Repeat.] Depart in peace, O our brother, the LORD accompany thee, and the cherub who keepeth the door of paradise open the gate thereof before thee. By the ministry in which I served with you, let not my remembrance be forgotten from among you, and when you stand in the sanctuary think of me in your prayers. 2. Ant. Go, thou true priest, thou corporel angel, go and possess glorious happiness in the bosom of Abraham. [Repeat.] The kingdom which passeth not away, and spiritual bliss, are reserved for thee in the heavenly abode with all the tried and elect priests. The company of the household of Ananias, of Aaron the priest, and of Zecharias, receive thee forthwith in the city not made with hands.
86 3. Ant. Show me, show me, O Jerusalem, the way in which the righteous do walk. The road in which the righteous walk, and whereby they enter into bliss, is like the King's highway. The seraph calleth, and stretcheth out his wings for thee, [saying,] Come now, for thou hast passed over the place of fear. 4. Ant. O Thou Living Voice, which callest the righteous to the kingdom, grant me, O LORD, Thy pity when Thy Majesty shall be revealed. [Repeat.] Thou, O LORD, Who art full of mercy and compassion towards sinners, in Thy great love guide me to the city of bliss. O JESUS our King, in the day of Thy appearance quicken and raise me up that I may give thanks to Thy Majesty.
The Consolation,
87 to be said over priests and deacons on the morrow after their burial. ¶ All the church shall assemble at the grave, and dividing themselves into two choirs, the priest shall first say this
Prayer.
88 We praise Thy grace, O Thou Good GOD Who doest good, and doest not injustice; and we praise Thy mercy, O Thou Who art merciful and upbraidest not; and we praise Thy adorable TRINITY, O Thou glorious One, whose glory passeth not away, and endeth not, O LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Prokimenon. Psalm xxvi. ¶ Then shall be said the following. From the beginning of his formation love dwelt in him, and did not depart from him, neither shall it leave him for ever or pass away. From his childhood he hired himself in the vineyard of his LORD, and actively bore the heat and burden of the day. From his youth the LORD chose him as His portion, for He knew him before he had any being that he was a child of His right hand. From his youth he laid hold of the way of holiness, and did not grow weary in well-doing.
89 From his youth he was separated from his father's house by a token which showed him the good way of eternal life. How long wilt thou sleep, thou greedy one, who lovest sleep? Listen to the voice of the birds rebuking the idle. How long wilt Thou forget me, O LORD, like the wicked? How long wilt Thou turn away Thy face from the child of Thy household? The idle love the sleep of iniquity overmuch, and love not to hear the voice of the morning. Our good deeds have been short like the days in the month of December, and our iniquities have increased as the length of its nights. How long wilt thou sleep, thou sluggard? Rise up, and pray, and listen to the notes of the birds reproving the idle. The circles of the spiritual ones pray for mercy upon sinners, and truth is gone far from us through the weight of our iniquities.
90 The troubled call upon Thee, O Thou compassionate One: and the afflicted flee to Thee for mercy, O Thou merciful One; and the mourners seek comfort from Thee, O Thou Comforter. Comfort Thy servants with the hope of Thy righteous promises, for Thou art the LORD of the two worlds which Thou hast created, O LORD of all, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen.
Another.
91 Have mercy upon us, O LORD our GOD, and forgive and blot out all our follies, through the overflowing mercies of Thy grace, O Thou merciful One, Who forgivest iniquities and sins, the LORD of our death and life, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. Amen. Canon. Psalm lxvii. ¶ After which shall be said the following. When Thou shalt appear to judge the works of all men, cast me not out of Thy presence, O LORD. Let the soul of Thy servant, O LORD, mix with the ranks of the assemblies clothed in light. When Thou shalt appear to reward Thy labourers, give Thy servant joy in the kingdom which passeth not away. In that hour when Thy great day shall appear, then have pity upon us, O LORD, that through Thy grace we may find mercy. Fit me, O LORD, to meet Thee with the thief, and to enter into Thy bridal chamber of light.
92 Judgment draweth nigh, and I have no answer to give before Thy seat. May the loving-kindness which formed me have mercy upon me. Have compassion, O LORD, upon Thy servant who hath slept in Thy hope: give him to enjoy bliss in the kingdom which passeth not away. O Thou Chief of the high priests, through Whose blood we are cleansed and sanctified, receive, O LORD, the soul of Thy servant departed. ¶ Then shall follow a doxology, after which this Anthem. Bitter, O our brother, is thy death, and sad is the day of thy separation from us; for death took thee suddenly away, and hath shut thee up in the darkness of the grave. CHRIST give thee bliss with all the priests thy associates, and to all who have assembled at thy funeral may bliss be given with thee in the kingdom. How fatal is greedy Death, which like a hungry lion hastened and carried away the pure priest, and snatched him from temporary life!
93 CHRIST shall give him bliss in His bridal chamber with the sheep at His right hand, and to those who have bewailed his death He will give joy through His compassion and mercy. ¶ Then shall be said the Trisagion. After which shall follow two prayers, and then this
Anthem.
94 Mourn not, ye children of Adam, for CHRIST the King has lifted up your heads. Mourn not in the day of your death, O ye prudent ones, for death is but a sleep in which the righteous and wicked rest. It is a cup which justice has mingled for the children of Adam, and all his children must drink of it. It is a bridge over which all generations must pass from this world to the next where no fear is. Behold how every man tastes the cup of death, and not one is free from its power and sovereignty. Where is Adam whom the LORD formed out of the dust, and called him His image, and made heaven and earth subject to him? Where is Abel the first-begotten, the righteous and just, whose righteous blood crieth unto GOD? Where is the goodly Seth, the likeness of Adam, who became the father of all the righteous after him?
95 Where is the meek Noah, the new world; and where is the righteous Shem and his two brothers? Where is Abraham who offered up his only son in sacrifice; and where is Isaac in whose stead GOD sent a lamb? Where is Moses who saw his Maker on mount Sinai, Who strengthened him by His Spirit, and spake with him face to face? Where is the son of Nun who stayed the sun, and stopped the moon, and who slew thirty-one kings by his might? Where is David who was called the Heart of the LORD: and where is the learned Solomon the first among the wise? Where is Goliath the giant, the captain of the Philistines; and where is Samson who slew the Philistines? Where are the wise who made proverbs, and who filled the earth with the narratives of their writings? Where are the kings who have ruled the world, and laid up their possessions in treasure-houses?
96 Where are those whose mandates were terrible, and whose majesty reduced the earth to their sway? Where are those who were clothed with sumptuous garments, and who revelled in beds of silk? Where are the necks on which hung wrought gold, and the hands which were adorned with pearls? Where are the generations which have been since the beginning, and the nations from Adam until now? Behold all these, O ye prudent ones, and see to what the beauty of their persons is reduced. Ask of Sheol and she will tell you where they are: ask of the earth and she will show you the place of their burial. They all are embosomed in the ground, and there shall they remain till the resurrection-day. One decree shall go forth to the four quarters of the world, and shall gather together and separate the dust of man from the dust of earth.
97 One decree shall shake the earth, the mother of the dead, and they shall rise from the dead and sing praises. Whilst there is space for repentance let us labour a little, and now that the door of mercy is open let us pray for mercy; That in the day when the Son of God shall appear in His glory, we may meet Him at His right-hand in the kingdom. And to Thee, with the FATHER, and the HOLY SPIRIT, be glory and worship, and upon us Thy mercy, for ever and ever. Amen.