The Midnight Office
(For Saturdays)
As a Reader Service
Note:
The translation used is primarily that of Fr. Lawrence of Jordanville. The
order of service is based primarily on the Reader Service Typikon by Bishop
Daniel (the Old Rite Bishop of the ROCA) and translated by Fr. George Lardas. All the psalms are from The Psalter According to
the Seventy, © Copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by
permission. Some other material, such as prayers and hymns, are also Copyright
HTM, used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further
reproduced, beyond printing out a single copy for personal non-commercial use,
without the prior written authorization of Holy Transfiguration Monastery. In
the Jordanville Horologion, the prayers found in the Morning prayers in the
Russian Prayer book are inserted at two points, but this is not found in other
sources. Those who wish to follow the Jordanville practice are referred to the
Jordanville Horologion text, which is available online also. What is presented
here is in accordance with the order found in the standard Slavonic Horologion,
which does not have these morning prayers at the points at which they are found
in the Jordanville Horologion.
Senior
Reader:
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have
mercy on us.
Reader: Amen. Glory to
Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of
Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good
things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity,
and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have
mercy on us. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O
Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and
heal our infirmities for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. Thrice.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to
the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in the Heavens,
hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in
Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the
evil one.
Senior
Reader:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.
Reader: Amen. Lord, Have
mercy. Twelve times.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King.
O come, let us worship and fall down before
Christ our King and God.
O come, let us worship and fall down
before Christ Himself, our King and God.
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy
great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my
transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. For I know mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only
have I sinned and done this evil before Thee, that Thou mightest be justified
in Thy words, and prevail when Thou art judged. For behold, I was conceived in
iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me. For behold, Thou hast loved
truth; the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom hast Thou made manifest unto
me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt
wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me to hear joy
and gladness; the bones that be humbled, they shall rejoice. Turn Thy face away
from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O
God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence,
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation,
and with Thy governing Spirit establish me. I shall teach transgressors Thy
ways, and the ungodly shall turn back unto Thee. Deliver me from
blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in
Thy righteousness. O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare
Thy praise. For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had given it; with
whole-burnt offerings Thou shalt not be pleased. A sacrifice unto God is a
broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise. Do
good, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure unto Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be
builded. Then shalt Thou be pleased with a sacrifice
of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings. Then shall they
offer bullocks upon Thine altar.
The Ninth Kathisma
Psalm 64
To Thee is due praise, O God, in Zion; and
unto Thee shall a vow be rendered in Jerusalem. Hearken unto my prayer, for
unto Thee shall all flesh come. The words of lawless men have overpowered us,
but to our ungodliness shalt Thou be merciful. Blessed is he whom Thou hast
chosen and hast taken to Thyself; he shall dwell in Thy courts. We shall be
filled with the good things of Thy house; holy is Thy temple, wonderful in
righteousness. Hearken unto us, O God our Savior, Thou hope of all the ends of
the earth and of them that be far off at sea, Who settest
fast the mountains by Thy strength, Who art girded round
about with power, Who troublest the hollow of
the sea; as for the roar of its waves, who shall withstand them? The heathen
shall be troubled, and the dwellers of the farthest regions shall be afraid at
Thy signs; Thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and the evening to
delight. Thou hast visited the earth and abundantly watered her; Thou hast
multiplied the means of enriching her. The river of God is filled with waters;
Thou hast prepared their food, for thus is the preparation thereof. Do Thou
make her furrows drunk with water, multiply her fruits; in her showers will she
be glad when she sprouteth forth. Thou shalt bless
the crown of the year with Thy goodness, and Thy plains shall be filled with
fatness. Enriched shall be the mountains of the wilderness, and the hills shall
be girded with rejoicing. The rams of the flock have clothed themselves with
fleece, and the valleys shall abound with wheat; they shall cry aloud, yea,
they shall chant hymns unto Thee.
Psalm 65
Shout with jubilation unto the Lord all
the earth; chant ye unto His name, give glory in praise of Him. Say unto God:
How awesome are Thy works! In the multitude of Thy power shall Thine enemies be
proved false unto Thee. Let all the earth worship Thee and chant unto Thee; let
them chant unto Thy name, O Most High. Come and see the works of the Lord, how
awesome He is in His counsels, more than the sons of men. He turneth the sea into dry land; in the river shall they pass
through on foot. There shall we rejoice in Him, in Him that is ruler in His
sovereignty for ever. His eyes look upon the nations;
let not them that embitter Him be exalted in themselves. O bless our God, ye
nations, and make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who hath established my
soul in life, and permitteth not my feet to be
shaken. For Thou hast proved us, O God, and by fire hast Thou tried us even as
silver is tried by fire. Thou hast brought us into the snare, Thou hast laid
afflictions upon our back, Thou madest men to mount upon our heads. We went
through fire and water, and Thou didst bring us out into refreshment. I will go
into Thy house with a whole-burnt offering; to Thee will I pay my vows which my
lips pronounced and which my mouth had spoken in mine affliction. Whole-burnt
offerings full of marrow will I offer unto Thee, with incense and rams; oxen
and goats will I offer unto Thee. Come and hear, and I will declare unto you,
all ye that fear God, what things He hath done for my soul. Unto Him with my
mouth have I cried, and I exalted Him with my tongue. If in my heart I regarded
unrighteousness, let the Lord not hear me. Wherefore God hath hearkened unto
me, He hath been attentive to the voice of my supplication. Blessed is God Who
hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy away from me.
Psalm 66
God be gracious unto us and bless us, and
cause His face to shine upon us and have mercy on us, That we may know upon the
earth Thy way, among all the nations Thy salvation. Let the peoples give Thee
praise, O God, let all the peoples praise Thee. Let the nations be glad and
rejoice, for Thou shalt judge peoples with uprightness; and nations shalt Thou
guide upon the earth. Let the peoples give Thee praise, O God, let all the
peoples praise Thee; the earth hath yielded her fruit. Let God, our God, bless
us; let God bless us, and let all the ends of the earth fear Him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to
Thee, O God. Thrice.
Lord have mercy. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Second Stasis
Psalm 67
Let God arise and let His enemies be
scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face. As smoke
vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before
the fire, so let sinners perish at the presence of God. And let the righteous
be glad; let them rejoice in the presence of God, let them delight in gladness.
Sing unto God, chant unto His name; prepare ye the way for Him that rideth upon
the setting of the sun. Lord is His name; yea, rejoice before Him. Let them be
troubled at His presence, Who is a father of orphans and a judge to the widows.
God is in His holy place, God settleth the solitary
in a house, Mightily leading forth them that were shackled, and likewise them
that embitter Him, them that dwell in tombs. O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst traverse
the wilderness, The earth was shaken and the heavens dropped dew, at the
presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel. A rain
freely given shalt Thou ordain, O God, for Thine inheritance; yea, it became
weak, but Thou shalt restore it. Thy living creatures shall dwell therein; Thou
hast prepared it in Thy goodness for the poor man, O God. The Lord shall give
speech with great power to them that bring good tidings. He that is the King of
the hosts of His beloved one shall divide the spoils for the beauty of the
house. Even if ye sleep among the lots, ye shall have the wings of a dove
covered with silver, and her pinions of sparkling gold. When He that is in the
heavens ordaineth kings over her, they shall be made
snow-white in Selmon. The mountain of God is a butter
mountain, a curdled mountain, a butter mountain. Why suppose ye that there be
other curdled mountains? This is the mountain wherein God is pleased to dwell,
yea, for the Lord will dwell therein to the end. The chariot host of God is ten
thousandfold, yea, thousands of them that abound in
number; the Lord is among them at Sinai, in His holy place. Thou hast ascended
on high, Thou leddest captivity captive, Thou didst
receive gifts among men (yea, for they were disobedient) that Thou mightest
dwell there. Blessed is the Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day; the God
of our salvation shall prosper us along the way. Our God is the God of
salvation, and the pathways leading forth from death are those of the Lord's
Lord. But God shall crush the heads of His enemies, the hairy crown of them
that continue in their trespasses. The Lord said: I will return from Basan. I will return in the deeps of the sea, That thy foot
may be dipped in blood, yea, the tongue of thy dogs in that of thine enemies. Thy
processionals have been seen, O God, the processionals of my God, of my King
Who is in His sanctuary. Princes went before, and after them the chanters, in
the midst of timbrel-playing maidens. In congregations bless ye God, the Lord
from the well-springs of Israel. Yonder is Benjamin the younger in rapture, the
princes of Judah their rulers, the princes of Zabulon,
the princes of Nephthalim. Give Thou command, O God,
unto Thy hosts; strengthen, O God, this which Thou hast wrought in us. Because
of Thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall bring gifts unto Thee. Rebuke the wild
beasts of the reed, that congregation of bulls among the heifers of the
peoples, lest they exclude them that have been proved like silver. Scatter the
nations that desire wars; ambassadors shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall
hasten to stretch out her hand unto God. Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto
God; chant ye unto the Lord, unto Him that rideth the heaven of heaven towards
the dayspring. Lo, He will utter with His voice a voice of power. Give ye glory
unto God; His magnificence is over Israel and His power is in the clouds. Wondrous
is God in His saints; the God of Israel, He will give power and strength unto
His people. Blessed is God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to
Thee, O God. Thrice.
Lord have mercy. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Third Stasis
Psalm 68
Save me, O God, for the waters are come in
unto my soul. I am stuck fast in the mire of the deep, and there is no sure
standing. I am come into the deeps of the sea, and a tempest hath overwhelmed
me. I am grown weary with crying, my throat is become hoarse; from my hoping in
my God, mine eyes have failed me. They that hate me without a cause are
multiplied more than the hairs of my head. Mine enemies are grown strong, they
that persecute me unjustly; then did I restore that which I took not away. O
God, Thou knowest my foolishness, and my transgressions are not hid from Thee. Let
not them that wait on Thee be ashamed for my sake, O Lord, Thou Lord of hosts. Nor
let them that seek after Thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. Because
for Thy sake I have borne reproach, shame hath covered my face. I am become a
stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto the sons of my mother. For the
zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproach Thee
are fallen on me. Yea, with fasting I covered my soul, and it was turned into a
reproach for me. And I made sackcloth my clothing, and I became a proverb to
them. And they prated against me, they that sit in
the gates; and they made a song about me, they that drink wine. But as for me,
with my prayer I cry unto Thee, O Lord; it is time for Thy good pleasure. O
God, in the multitude of Thy mercy hearken unto me, in the truth of Thy
salvation. Save me from the mire, that I be not stuck therein; let me be delivered
from them that hate me and from the deeps of the waters. Let not the tempest of
water overwhelm me, nor let the deep swallow me up, nor let the pit shut its
mouth upon me. Hearken unto me, O Lord, for Thy mercy is good; according to the
multitude of Thy compassions, look upon me. Turn not Thy countenance away from
Thy servant, for I am afflicted; quickly hearken unto me. Attend unto my soul
and deliver it; because of mine enemies, rescue me. For Thou knowest my
reproach, my shame and my humiliation. Before Thee are all that afflict me; my
soul hath awaited reproach and misery. And I waited for one that would grieve
with me, but there was no one; and for them that would comfort me, but I found
none. And they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar
to drink. Let their table before them be for a snare,
for a recompense and for a stumbling-block. Let their eyes be darkened that
they may not see, and their back do Thou continually bow down. Pour out upon
them Thy wrath, and let the fury of Thy wrath take hold upon them. Let their
habitation be made desolate, and in their tents let there be none to dwell. For
they persecuted him whom Thou hast smitten, and to the pain of my wounds have
they added. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not enter into Thy
righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and with the
righteous let them not be written. Poor and in sorrow am I; may Thy salvation,
O God, be quick to help me. I will praise the name of my God with an ode, I
will magnify Him with praise. And this shall please God more than a young calf
that hath horns and hooves. Let beggars behold it and be glad; seek after God,
and your soul shall live. For the Lord hath hearkened unto the poor and hath
not despised them that are fettered for His sake. Let the heavens and the earth
praise Him, the sea and all the creeping things therein. For God will save
Zion, and the cities of Judea shall be builded; and
they shall dwell therein and inherit it. And the seed of Thy servants shall
possess it, and they that love Thy name shall dwell therein.
Psalm 69
O God, be attentive unto helping me; O
Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be shamed and confounded that seek after
my soul. Let them be turned back and brought to shame that desire evils against
me. Let them be turned back straightway in shame that say unto me: Well done!
Well done! Let them be glad and rejoice in Thee all that seek after Thee, O
God, and let them that love Thy salvation say continually: The Lord be
magnified. But as for me, I am poor and needy; O God, come unto mine aid. My
helper and my deliverer art Thou, O Lord; make no long tarrying.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Symbol of
Faith
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, begotten of the Father
before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made; of
one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and
for our salvation came down from the heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy
Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; And was crucified for us under
Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And arose again on the third day
according to the Scriptures; And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And shall come
again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall
have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son
together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. In One, Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of
sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the age to come.
Amen.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have
mercy on us. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O
Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and
heal our infirmities for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. Thrice.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to
the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in the Heavens,
hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in
Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the
evil one.
Senior
Reader:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.
Reader: Amen.
Tone 2: O Thou Who art by nature Uncreated,
the Fashioner of all, do Thou open our lips that we may proclaim Thy praise
while we cry: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O God; through the Theotokos, have
mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and
to the Holy Spirit.
Imitating on earth the Hosts on high,
we offer Thee, O Good One, the triumphant song: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O
God; through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages
of ages. Amen.
From bed and sleep hast Thou raised me up,
O Lord; enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips that I may hymn Thee, O
Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O God; through the Theotokos, have
mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy. Forty times.
And the Prayer of the Hours:
Thou Who at all times and at every hour,
in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ God, Who art
long-suffering, plenteous in mercy, most compassionate, Who lovest the
righteous and hast mercy on sinners; Who callest all
men to salvation through the promise of good things to come: Receive, O Lord,
our prayers at this hour, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify
our souls, make chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our intentions,
and deliver us from every sorrow, evil, and pain. Compass us about with Thy
holy angels, that, guarded and guided by their array, we may attain to the
unity of the faith and to the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory: For
blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
More honorable than the Cherubim, and
beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim; who without corruption gavest
birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
Senior
Reader:
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have
mercy on us.
Reader: Amen. Then
this prayer:
O Master God, the Father Almighty, O Lord,
the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and O Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power:
Have mercy on me a sinner, and by the judgments which Thou knowest, save me,
Thine unworthy servant; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And this Prayer of St. Eustratius:
Most highly do I magnify Thee, O Lord,
for Thou didst take notice of my lowliness and hast not delivered me into the
hands of mine enemies, but relieved my soul from wants. And now, O Master, let
Thy hand shelter me and let Thy mercy descend upon me, for my soul is
distracted and pained at its departure from this my wretched and filthy body,
lest the evil design of the adversary overtake it and make it stumble into the
darkness for the unknown and known sins amassed by me in this life. Be merciful
unto me, O Master, and let not my soul see the dark countenances of the evil
spirits, but let it be received by Thine Angels bright and shining. Glorify Thy
holy name and by Thy might set me before Thy divine judgment seat. When I am
being judged, suffer not that the hand of the prince of this world should take
hold of me to throw me, a sinner, into the depths of hades, but stand by me and
be unto me a savior and mediator, for these bodily torments gladden Thy
servants. Have mercy, O Lord, on my soul defiled through the passions of this
life and receive it cleansed by penitence and confession, for blessed art Thou
unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King.
O come, let us worship and fall down
before Christ our King and God.
O come, let us worship and fall down
before Christ Himself, our King and God.
Psalm 120
I have lifted up mine eyes to the
mountains, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Who hath
made heaven and the earth. Give not thy foot unto moving, and may He not
slumber that keepeth thee. Behold, He shall not
slumber nor shall He sleep, He that keepeth Israel. The
Lord shall keep thee; the Lord is thy shelter at thy right hand. The sun shall
not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep thee from all
evil, the Lord shall guard thy soul. The Lord shall keep thy coming in and thy
going out, from henceforth and for evermore.
Psalm 133
Behold now, bless ye the Lord, all ye
servants of the Lord. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of
the house of our God, in the nights lift up your hands unto the holies, and
bless the Lord. The Lord bless thee out of Zion, He that made heaven and the
earth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have
mercy on us. Thrice.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O
Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and
heal our infirmities for Thy name's sake.
Lord
have mercy. Thrice.
Glory
to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our
Father, Who art in the Heavens, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy
will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Senior
Reader:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.
Reader: Amen. And
these troparia:
Tone 2: Remember, O Lord, for Thou art
good, Thy servants and forgive them whatsoever sins they have committed in
life; for none is sinless but Thee Who art able to give repose unto them that
are departed.
O
Thou Who by the depth of Thy wisdom dost provide all things out of love for
mankind, and grantest unto all that which is profitable, O only Creator: Grant
rest, O Lord, to the souls of Thy servants; for in Thee have they placed their
hope, O our Creator and Fashioner and God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to
the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion: With the saints
give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is neither
sickness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting.
Both
now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion:
In all generations we call thee blessed, O Virgin Theotokos, for in thee the
uncontainable Christ our God was pleased to be contained. Blessed are we also,
having thee as mediatress; for day and night pleadest
thou for us, and the scepters of kingdoms are strengthened by thine
intercessions. Wherefore in hymns we cry unto thee: Rejoice! O thou who art
full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Lord,
have mercy. Twelve times. And this Prayer:
Remember,
O Lord, our fathers and brethren who fell asleep in the hope of resurrection
unto life eternal, and all those who ended this life in piety and faith, and
pardon them every transgression which they have willingly or unwillingly, in
word or deed or thought committed, and settle them in a place of light, a place
of refreshment, a place of repose, wherefrom every sickness, sorrow and sighing
are banished, and wherein from eternity the light of Thy countenance shineth
and gladdeneth all Thy saints. Grant unto them and
unto us Thy kingdom, and participation in Thine ineffable blessings, and the
enjoyment of Thine endless and blessed life. For Thou art the life, and the
resurrection, and the repose of Thy departed servants, O Christ our God, and to
Thee we send up glory, with Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy most holy and
good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Most glorious, Ever-Virgin, Mother of
Christ God, present our prayer to thy Son and our God, that through thee, He
may save our souls.
My
hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: O
Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
Choir: Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the
ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Thrice.
O Lord, bless.
Senior
Reader
(Facing the East, rather than facing the people): O Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, our holy and
God-bearing fathers, and all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for Thou
art good and the Lover of mankind.
Choir: Amen.
Senior
Reader:
Remit, pardon, forgive, O God, our offenses, both voluntary and involuntary, in
deed and word, in knowledge and ignorance, by day and by night, in mind and
thought; forgive us all things, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind.
Choir: Amen.
Senior
Reader:
O Lord, Lover of mankind, forgive them that hate and wrong us. Do good to them that
do good. Grant our brethren and kindred their saving petitions and life
eternal; visit the infirm and grant them healing. Guide those at sea. Journey
with them that travel. Help Orthodox Christians to struggle. To them that serve
and are kind to us grant remissions of sins. On them that have charged us, the
unworthy, to pray for them, have mercy according to Thy great mercy. Remember,
O Lord, our fathers and brethren departed before us, and grant them rest where
the light of Thy countenance shall visit them. Remember, O Lord, our brethren
in captivity, and deliver them from every misfortune. Remember, O Lord, those
that bear fruit and do good works in Thy holy churches, and grant them their
saving petitions and life eternal. Remember also, O Lord, us Thy lowly and
sinful and unworthy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy
knowledge, and guide us in the way of Thy commandments; through the
intercessions of our most pure Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and of
all Thy saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen. Lord, have
mercy. Thrice.
Senior
Reader:
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have
mercy on us.
Choir: Amen.
The End of the Midnight Office