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Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church
tr. Hapgood, 1906
The Blessing for a Journey
The Priest, vested in his priestly stole and chasuble, if the rite be said apart from the Liturgy, beginneth as usual:
Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Reader. O heavenly King, . . . O Holy God, Holy Mighty, . . . Our Father, . . . Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times.) Glory . . . now, and ever, . . O come, let us worship . . . (Thrice.) (See page 512.)
Psalm cxliii
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire; hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake. And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, and my heart within me is desolate. Yet do I remember the time past: I muse upon all thy works; yea I exercise myself in the works of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee; my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon; for my spirit waxeth faint: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust: show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; for I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God: let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake; and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. (Thrice.)
And the Deacon, if there be one, or the Priest himself readeth the Litany:
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Choir. Lord, have mercy. (See page 80.)
And the rest, as far as:
let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy.
For those who travel by sea or by land; for the sick and the suffering; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation: ℟
That he will show mercy upon his servant(s), and pardon him (her, them) every sin, both voluntary and involuntary, and bless his (her, their) journey: ℟
That he will send him (her, them) an Angel of Peace, as fellow-traveller and guide, to guard, defend and succour him (her, them), and preserve him (her, them) unharmed of every evil assault: ℟
That he will shield him (her, them) from all attacks and assaults of enemies, and bring him (her, them) to his (her, their) journey’s end and home again unharmed: ℟
That he will give him (her, them) a sinless and peaceful journey, and a prosperous return in health, and in all piety and honour: ℟
That he will preserve him (her, them) unharmed and invincible against all foes, both visible and invisible, and from the wrath of wicked men: ℟
That he will bless his (her, their) good intention, and prosper it, through his grace, unto spiritual and bodily profit: ℟
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 Lord.
Exclamation.
For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Then: God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. (Tone II. And the Verses. See page 515.)
And this Hymn (Tropar).
O Christ, who art the Way and the Truth, send now thine Angel as a fellow-traveller to thy servant(s), preserving him (her, them) like Tobias of old, and guarding him (her, them) unharmed of every evil thing, and in all prosperity, unto thy glory: through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O thou who alone lovest mankind.
In the same Tone.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Saviour, who didst accompany Luke and Cleopas unto Emmaus, accompany thou now also thy servant who is (servants who are) minded to travel, delivering him (her, them) from every evil assault: For thou canst do all things whatsoever thou wilt, in that thou lovest mankind.
Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Protection of Christians that maketh not ashamed, O Mediatrix never-failing with the Creator: . . . (See page 521.)
Deacon. Let us attend.
Priest. Peace be with you all.
Deacon. Wisdom! Let us attend.
The Choir singeth the Gradual (Prokimen), Tone IV.
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk therein, for unto thee have I lifted up my soul.
Verse: Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; unto thee have I fled for refuge.
The Epistle: Acts viii. 26-39. And in those days the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is a desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning; and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Alleluia. (According to the Tone.)
Verse 1: The footsteps of a man are guided by the Lord: he hath longed greatly for his ways.
Verse 2: Reveal thy path unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
Deacon. Wisdom, O believers! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.
Priest. Peace be with you all.
Choir. And with thy spirit.
Deacon. The Lesson from the holy Gospel according to John.
Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee.
Priest. Let us attend.
(John xiv. 1-10). The Lord said unto his disciples: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?
And after the Gospel the Deacon or the Priest saith this Litany (Ektenia).
let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy.
O Lord, who dost guide the footsteps of man, graciously look upon thy servant, N. (servants, NN.); and pardoning him (her, them) every sin, both voluntary and involuntary, bless the good intention of his (her, their) counsel, and guide his (her, their) goings out and comings in on the journey, we earnestly pray: hearken, and have mercy. ℟.
O Lord, who didst most gloriously deliver Joseph from the wrath of his brethren, and didst lead him to Egypt, and through the blessing of thy goodness didst make him to prosper in all things: Bless also this thy servant (these thy servants) who purposeth (purpose) to travel, and cause his (her, their) journey to be tranquil and prosperous, we pray thee: hearken, and have mercy. ℟
O thou who didst send an Angel as companion on their way unto Isaac and Tobias, and thereby didst ensure unto them a peaceful and prosperous journey, and return: Send now also, O Most Gracious One, thine Angel of Peace unto thy servant who through us entreateth (servants who entreat) thee, that he may guide him (her, them) unto every good deed; and deliver him (her, them) from enemies both visible and invisible, and from every evil assault; and enable him (her, them) to return in safety, peace and prosperity, unto thy glory, we earnestly pray thee: hearken and have mercy. ℟
O thou who didst accompany Luke and Cleopas on the way to Emmaus, and didst make them to return rejoicing unto Jerusalem through that most glorious knowledge of thee: Accompany thou now also, with thy grace and thy blessing divine, this thy servant who earnestly prayeth (these thy servants who earnestly pray) with us; and prosper him (her, them) in every good work, to the glory of thine all-holy Name, preserving him (her, them) in health and well-being, and bringing him (her, them) back again in due season, we pray unto thee, as unto an all-bountiful benefactor: hearken, and have mercy. ℟
And the Priest exclaimeth: Hear us, O God our Saviour, . . . (See page 517.)
Deacon. Bowing our heads and our knees devoutly unto the Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.)
And all kneeling, the Priest turneth toward them; and the Holy Door being open, he readeth, in a loud voice, this Prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the true and living Way, who didst deign to journey with thine ostensible father Joseph, and thine All-pure Virgin Mother, into Egypt, and didst accompany Luke and Cleopas on their way to Emmaus: We now humbly entreat thee, O all-holy Master, accompany now with thy grace this thy servant (these thy servants). And send unto him (her, them), as unto thy servant Tobias, an angel guardian and guide, preserving and delivering him (her, them) from every evil assault of enemies both visible and invisible; and directing him (her, them) unto the fulfilment of thy commandments; and prospering him (her, them) in peace, happiness and health; and bringing him (her, them) back again in safety and tranquillity. And grant that he (she, they) may fulfil all his (her, their) good purpose unto thy good pleasure, and favourably to thy glory. For thine it is to show mercy and to save us, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who hath no beginning, and thine all-holy, and blessed, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Then the Priest, taking the holy cross, giveth it to him (her, them) to kiss, and sprinkleth him with holy water, saying:
May the Lord bless thee (you) out of Zion; and so shalt thou (shall ye) behold the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy (your) life: and may he direct thy (your) journey in peace, unto the glory of his holy Name. Amen.
And immediately he pronounceth the customary Benediction for the day.