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Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church
tr. Hapgood, 1906
The Ordination of a Deacon
After the Bishop hath said: (See the Liturgy, page 111.)
And may the mercy of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you all:
The Sub-Deacons bring the Bishop’s pontifical seat and place it in front, and somewhat toward the left side of the Holy Altar, that he may not turn his back upon the Holy Things. And the Bishop seateth himself thereon; and two Sub-Deacons take him who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands from, the middle of the Church, having him between them, and each laying one hand upon his neck, and holding him by the hands with the other: and they bow him down as low as possible. And one Deacon in the Sanctuary saith:
Command.
And leading him forward a little, they bow him down again. And another Deacon saith:
Command (3).
And thereupon they draw near to the Holy Door, bowing him down before the Bishop. Then the Proto-Deacon saith:
Command, Most Reverend Master.
Then the Sub-Deacons leave him who is to receive Ordination at the Holy Door: whereupon two others, a Proto-Deacon and a Deacon, take him, the one by the right hand, the other by the left; and he boweth before the Bishop. Then the Bishop signeth him with his hand in the form of a cross, and they walk round the Holy Altar, (4) they that lead him and the rest, singing:
O holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns: Entreat ye the Lord that our souls may be saved.
Then those who are without the Sanctuary sing the same, once. And he who is to receive the Laying-on of Hands kisseth the four corners of the Holy Altar, and the hand and knee of the Bishop. (5)
Then they compass about the Altar again, singing:
Glory to thee, O Christ our God, the Apostles’ boast, the Martyrs’ joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.
And the Choir without singeth the same, once. And again he who is to receive Ordination kisseth the Holy Altar, and the epigonation and hand of the Bishop. Then they compass about the Altar again, singing:
Rejoice, O Isaiah! A Virgin is with child, and shall bear a Son, Emmanuel, both God and man: and Orient is his name; whom magnifying we call the Virgin blessed.
* See Appendix B, VIII (2).
And they do according to the Ritual. And those without sing the same.
Then the Bishop riseth, and the pontifical chair is removed; and he who is to receive the laying-on of hands goeth to the right side of the Bishop, and boweth down before the Holy Altar, thrice, saying:
Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
And bending the right knee (6) he layeth his palms upon the Holy Altar, in the form of a cross, and placeth his brow between his hands on the Holy Altar. Then the Bishop layeth the end of his stole upon his head, and (7) blesseth him, thrice, upon the head, and when the Proto-Deacon, or the Deacon, hath said:
Let us attend:
The Bishop, laying his hand on the Candidate’s head, saith, aloud, in the hearing of all those who are in the Church;
The grace divine, which always healeth that which is infirm, and completeth that which is wanting, elevateth, through the laying-on of hands, N., the most devout Sub-Deacon, to be a Deacon: Wherefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him.
Then the Priests in the Sanctuary, on the right side, chant: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Likewise, those on the left: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) And the singers without in the right and left Choirs: Kyrie eleison (thrice, slowly), while the Bishop reciteth this (8)
The Proto-Deacon having said, in a low voice:
Let us pray to the Lord.
And the Bishop blesseth, thrice, the head of him that is receiving Ordination.
Prayer.
Secretly.
O Lord our God, who by thy foreknowledge dost send down the fulness of the Holy Spirit upon those who are ordained by thine inscrutable power to be thy servitors, and to administer thy spotless Sacraments: Do thou, the same Sovereign Master, preserve also this man, whom thou hast been pleased to ordain, through me, by the Laying-on of Hands, to the service of the Diaconate, in all soberness of life, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Vouchsafe unto him the grace which thou didst grant unto Stephen, thy first Martyr, whom, also, thou didst call to be the first in the work of thy ministry; and make him worthy to administer after thy pleasure the degree which it hath seemed good to thee to confer upon him. For they who minister well prepare for themselves a good degree. And manifest him as wholly thy servant.
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.
Then the Proto-Deacon saith softly, in a low voice:
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Choir. Lord, have mercy.
let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy.
For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls: ℟
For the peace of the whole world; for the welfare of God’s holy Churches, and for the union of them all: ℟
For our Bishop N., of N., and for his priesthood, succour, maintenance, peace, health and salvation; and for the work of his hands: ℟
For the servant of God, N., who hath now received the Laying-on of Hands to be a Deacon, and for his salvation: ℟
That the God who loveth mankind will vouchsafe unto him a pure and blameless Diaconate: ℟
For our most God-fearing sovereign Lord, N. ℟
For this city, and for every city and land; and for those who with faith dwell therein: ℟
That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, peril and necessity: ℟
Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.
Choir. Lord, have mercy.
Calling to remembrance our most holy, undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God, and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir. To thee, O God.
And the Bishop, keeping his hand on the head of him who is receiving Holy Orders, prayeth the while:
Secretly.
O God our Saviour, who by thine incorruptible voice didst appoint unto thine Apostles the law of the Diaconate, and didst manifest the first Martyr, Stephen, to be of the same; and didst proclaim him the first who should exercise the office of a Deacon, as it is written in thy Holy Gospel: Whosoever desireth to be first among you, let him be your servant: Do thou, O Master of all men, fill also this thy servant, whom thou hast graciously permitted to enter upon the ministry of a Deacon, with all faith, and love, and power, and holiness, through the inspiration of thy holy and life-giving Spirit; for not through the Laying-on of my hands, but through the visitation of thy rich bounties, is grace bestowed upon thy worthy ones: That he, being devoid of all sin, may stand blameless before thee in the terrible Day of thy Judgment, and receive the unfailing reward of thy promise.
Exclamation.
The Bishop. For thou art our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Then they raise the Candidate, and loose his stole, which is bound cross-wise. And taking the stole, the Bishop layeth it on his left shoulder, saying in a loud voice:
Axios! (Worthy!) (8)
And they within the Sanctuary sing, thrice:
Axios.
And likewise they without, in both Choirs, sing, thrice:
Axios.
Then the gauntlets are given to him, and the Bishop saith:
Axios.
And they within the Sanctuary, and they without, sing the same, as before.
Then the sacramental fan is given to him, and the Bishop saith:
Axios.
And they who are within, and without, the Sanctuary, sing, as before. And he kisseth the Bishop on the shoulder, and placeth himself at the Altar, and fanneth the Holy Gifts.