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Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church
tr. Hapgood, 1906
The Ordination of Sub-Deacons
If the Candidate is to receive the Laying-on of Hands to the Sub-Diaconate (see page 79) on the same day, after he hath been invested with the tunic, the Sub-Deacons bring the dalmatic and the dalmatic-girdle (that is the stole) to the Bishop. And when the Bishop hath signed the girdle with the cross, and he who is to receive Ordination hath kissed it, and the hand of the Bishop, they gird him therewith. And the Bishop signeth him with his hand, in the form of a cross; after which the Archpriest saith:
Let us pray to the Lord.
And the Bishop laying his hand on the Candidate’s head, reciteth the following Prayer:
O Lord our God, who, through one and the same Holy Spirit distributing gifts of grace to each one of those whom thou hast chosen, hast given to thy Church divers Orders; who, through thine inscrutable providence hast appointed degrees of ministry therein, for the service of thy holy, spotless Mysteries; and who, through thine ineffable foreknowledge, hast ordained this thy servant to be worthy to serve in thy Holy Church: Do thou, the same Lord, preserve him uncondemned in all things. And grant that he may love the beauty of thy house, stand before the doors of thy holy Temple, and kindle the lamps in the tabernacle of thy glory. And plant him in thy holy Church like a fruitful olive-tree, which bringeth forth the fruits of righteousness. And make him thy perfect servant in the time of thine advent, that he may receive the recompense of those who are well-pleasing in thy sight. For thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
And after the Prayer, the Sub-Deacons give the ewer and basin to him who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands, and lay a towel on his shoulders. And the Bishop washeth his hands. And he who is to be ordained Sub-Deacon poureth water over the hands of the Bishop. Then he and the Sub-Deacons kiss the hand of the Bishop, and depart to their appointed place. And he who is to be ordained Sub-Deacon standeth, holding the ewer and basin, with the towel, until the Cherubimic Hymn. And he saith, secretly:
Secretly.
O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . (Thrice). Glory . . now, and ever, . . . O all-holy Trinity, . . Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Our Father, who art in heaven, . . . For thine is the kingdom, . . Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) I believe in one God, . . .
Pardon, remit, forgive, O God, our transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, whether of word or of deed, whether of knowledge or of ignorance, whether of the day or of the night, whether of the mind or of the intentions: forgive us all, inasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind.
* For explanation, see Introductory Chapter on the Symbolism of the Church. Also, Appendix B, VIII (1).
And if he desireth to say anything further, he doth so secretly.
At the time of the Cherubimic Hymn, he is led in front of the Holy Doors, to the Bishop: and the Bishop washeth his hands, according to the rite, and saith the Prayer. Then he signeth the water with his hand, in the form of a cross, thrice. And the Bishop, with this holy water, wetteth the Candidate’s eyes and ears nostrils, and lips. And at the Great Entrance, the Candidate for Holy Orders walketh behind all the clergy. Then the Bishop saith:
And may the mercy of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you all. (See Liturgy, page 79.)
And after the Exclamation he is led into the Sanctuary by the Sub-Deacons, according to the rubric, and having received the Bishop’s blessing, he taketh his stand with the Sub-Deacons. (2)