Orthodoxy and
Ecology
ORTHODOX
SERVICES FOR THE CREATION
Office of Vespers for the Preservation
of Creation
Composed on the Holy Mountain by Monk
Gerasimos of the Skete of Saint Anne. Hymn writer of the Great Church of
Christ(+1991). Translated into English by Archimandrite Ephrem (Lash).
D = Deacon P = Priest B = Bishop C =
Choir R = Reader A =All
(P) Blessed is our God, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
(C) Amen.
(A) O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit
of truth, present in all places and filling all things; treasury of good things
and giver of life, come and dwell in us and purify us from every stain, and of
your goodness save our souls.
(All) Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy
Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and
to the ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O
Lord, cleanse us from our sins.
O Master, pardon our iniquities.
O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities
for thy Name's sake. Lord have merry, Lord have merry, Lord have merry.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be
thy Name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those
who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy (12 times).
(R) O come
let us worship and bow down to our King and God.
O come let us worship and bow down to
Christ, our King and God.
O come let us worship and bow down before
Christ himself, our King and our God.
(Psalm of Preparation)
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God,
you are very great. You are clothed with honour and majesty, wrapped in light
as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams
ofyour chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on
the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your
ministers. You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be
shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the
mountains. At your rebuke they flee; at the sound ofyour thunder they take to
flight. They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place
that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that
they might not again cover the earth. You make springs gush forth in the
valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the
wild asses quench their thirst. By the streams the birds of the air have their
habitation; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water
themountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruitof your work. You cause the
grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food
from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face
shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart. The trees of the Lord are
watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds
build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains
are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys. You have made
the moon to mark the seasons; thesun knows its time for setting. You make
darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping
out. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the
sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens. People go out to their
work and to their labor until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In
wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is
the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things
both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to
sport in it. These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when
you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled
with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take
away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your
spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory
of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works -who looks on the
earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to
the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be
consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my
soul. Praise the Lord! O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom have you made
them all.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to
you, our God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to
you, our God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Glory to
you, our hope, 0 Lord, glory to you.
(D) In peace let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For the peace that is from above and
for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. (A) Lord have mercy.
(D) For peace in the world, for the
stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to
the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For our Metropolitan / Archbishop /
Bishop (N.), the honourable presbyters, the deacons in the service of Christ,
and all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For this city, for every city and
country, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For favourable weather, an abundance
of the fruits of the earth, and temperate seaons, let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For travellers by land, sea and air,
for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray
to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For our deliverance from all
affliction, wrath, danger and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) Help us, save us, have merry upon us,
and protect us, O God, by Your Grace.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) Remembering our most holy, pure blessed,
and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints,
let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
(A) To you O Lord.
(P) Lord, our God, whose power is beyond
compare, and glory is beyond understanding; whose mercy is boundless, and love
for us is ineffable: look upon us and upon this holy house in Your compassion.
Grant to us and to those who pray with us Your abundant merry.
(D) For to You belong all glory, honour
and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to
the ages of ages.
(C) Amen.
(Tone 1)
(C)O Lord, I have cried out to you, hear
me, O Lord. Lord I have cried out to you, hear me, give heed to the voice of my
prayer. When I cry out to you, hear me, O Lord.
Let my prayer rise like incense before
you; and the lifting of my hands an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord.
Verse: If you, O Lord, should mark
iniquities, Lord who could stand? For with you there is forgiveness.
O Christ, who brought all things into
existence from nothing, and with ineffable wisdom gave to each one to
accomplish unerringly the goal which you laid down in the beginning, O Saviour,
Lover of humankind, as you are powerful, bless the whole creation which you
fashioned.
Verse: For your name's sake I have waited
for you, O Lord; my soul has waited for your word, my soul has hoped in the
Lord.
Give peace to all the nations, Lord, and
understanding in all things, so that we may lead our life in tranquillity and
always keep the laws which you laid down for all creation for the unalterable
maintenance and government of the universe.
Verse: From the watch of dawn until the
night, from the watch of dawn, let Israel hope in the Lord. Lover of humankind,
keep unharmed the environment that clothes the earth, through which, by your
will, we who inhabit the earth live and move and have our being, that we, your
unworthy suppliants, may be delivered from destruction and ruin.
Verse: For with the Lord there is mercy, and
with him abundant redemption, and he will redeem Israel from all his
iniquities.
Fence round the whole creation, O Christ
Saviour, with the mighty strength of your love for humankind, and deliver the
earth we inhabit from the corruption which threatens it; for we, your servants,
have set our hopes on you.
Verse: Praise the Lord all nations! extol
him all peoples!
Put an end, O Saviour, to the evil designs
which are being devised against us by senseless intent, and turn aside from the
earth every destructive action of the works ofhuman hands which contrive
corruption leading to perdition.
Verse: For great is his merry to us, and
the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
O Lord, who wraps creation in clouds, as
godly David sang, watch over the environment of the earth, which you created
from the beginning for the preservation of mortals, and give us the breath of
the winds and the flow of waters.
(Tone 6)
Glory be to the Father, to theSon and to
the Holy Spirit.
Almighty God, who created all things with
wisdom and who watches over and guides them by your all-powerful hand, grant
well-being that all creation may prosper and remain unharmed by hostile
elements; for you, Master, commanded that the works ofyour hands should remain
unshaken until the ends of the age; for you spoke and they came into being and
they receive from you merry for the turning away of all harm, and for the
salvation of the human race which glorifies your name which is praised above
all.
Now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.
Who will not call you blessed, all-holy
Virgin? Who will not hymn your child-birth without labour? For the
only-begotten Son, who shone from the Father beyond time, came forth from you
pure Maiden, ineffably incarnate. By nature he became man for our sakes, not divided
in a duality of persons, but known without confusion in a duality of natures. O
honoured and all-blessed, implore him to have mercy on our souls.
(D) Wisdom. Let us attend.
O Jesus Christ, the joyful Light of the
holy glory, of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father! Now that we have
come to the setting of thesun, and behold the evening light, we sing in praise
to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For you are worthy to be praised at
every hour with songs of worship, O Son of God, giver of life. Wherefore the
world doth glorify you.
(P) Wisdom.
(R) The Reading is from Leviticus
The Lord spoke to the children of Israel
saying: If you walk in my ordinances and keep my commandments and do them, I
will give you rain in its season and the earth will give its produce and the
trees of the plains their fruit. And your threshing time will overtake the
vintage, and the vintage will overtake the sowing. And you will eat your bread
to the full and dwell in safety on your land. And no one shall make you afraid;
and I will destroy the evil before you. And five of you will pursue a hundred
and a hundred of you will pursue tens of thousands. And I will look upon you
and bless you and make you increase and multiply and I will establish my
covenant with you. And you will eat what is old and very old, and bring out the
old to make way for the new. And I will set my tabernacle among you and my soul
shall not abhor you; and I will walk among you; and I will be your God and you
shall be my people. But if you will not listen to me, nor observe these
ordinances of mine, but disobey them, and if your soul loathes my judgements,
so that you do not keep all my commandments, I in turn will do thus to you: I
will bring distress upon you, and you will sow your seed in vain and your
enemies will devour your labours. And I will set my face against you and you
will fall before your foes and they will pursue you and you will flee though no
one pursues you; and I will smash the arrogance of your pride. And I will make
the heaven like iron for you and your earth like solid bronze. And your
strength will be in vain and your land will not give its fruit, and the trees
of the field will not give their fruit. And I will send the wild beasts of the
earth against you, and they will consume your cattle, and the sword will come
against you and make you few in number. And your land will be desert and your
farms will be desert; because you have walked against me crookedly, and I will
walk against you with crooked rage, says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel.
(P) Wisdom.
(R) The Reading is from the prophecy of
Isaiah
Look down, Lord, from heaven and see, from
your holy house and your glory. Where is the abundance of your mercy and of
your acts of pity, that you have withheld yourself from us? For you are our
Father, because Abraham has not known us, nor Israel acknowledged us. But do
you Lord, our Father, deliver us; from the beginning your name is upon as. Why
have you made us wander from your way, Lord? Why have you hardened our hearts
not to fear you? Return for the sake of your servants, for the sake of the
tribes that are your heritage, that for a little while we may inherit your holy
mountain. Our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary, we have become as at
the beginning when you did not rule over us, nor had your name been invoked
upon us. If you open the heaven, trembling from you will seize the mountains
and they will melt as wax melts before the fire, and fire will burn up your
adversaries, and your name will be manifest among your adversaries; nations
will be troubled at your presence. When you do glorious deeds, trembling from
you will seize the mountains. From eternity we have not heard, nor have our
eyes seen any God but you. And your works are true, and you will perform mercy
for those who wait for you. For mercy will meet with those who do right and
remember your ways. And now, Lord, you are our Father; while we are clay and
you are our Fashioner; we are all the work of your hands. Do not be exceedingly
angry with us, Lord, and do not remember our sins for ever. And now, look upon
us, Lord, because we are all your people.
(P) Wisdom.
(R) The Reading is from the Prophecy of
Jeremiah.
Thus says the Lord: I have remembered the
mercy of your youth and the love of your marriage, of your following the Holy
One of Israel, says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. To the Lord was the
beginning of his produce. All those who devoured him will offend and evils will
come upon them, says the Lord. Hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob, and
every family of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: What offence did your
fathers find in me, that they revolted far from me and went after vanities and
became vain? And they did not say: Where is the Lord who brought us up out of
the Land of Egypt, who guided us in the wilderness, in a boundless and
trackless land, without water or fruit, and in the shadow of death, in a land
through which no man had passed, nor had any son of man dwelt there? And I led
you to Carmel to eat its fruits and its good things; and you went in and you
defiled my land and made my inheritance an abomination. The priests did not
say: Where is the Lord? And those who ding to the law did not know me, and the
shepherds acted impiously towards me; and the prophets prophesied Baal and went
after that which does not profit. Therefore I will be brought to trial before
you again, says the Lord; and I will be brought to trial before your children's
children. Cross to the islands of Kittim and look; and to Kedar and send and
observe carefully, and see if such things have been done; if the nations will
change their gods, though they are no gods. But my people have changed their
glory for something from which they will gain nothing. Heaven was amazed at
this and trembled exceedingly, says the Lord.
(D) Let us say with all our soul and with
all our mind, let us say.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) O Lord almighty, the God of our
fathers, we pray you, hear and have mercy.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) Have mercy upon us, O God, according
to your great mercy, we pray you, hear and have mercy.
(A) Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord
have mercy.
(D) Again we pray for our Metropolitan /
Archbishop / Bishop (N), for the priests, deacons, and all other clergy; and
for all our brethren in Christ.
(A) Lord have mercy, Lord have merry, Lord
have mercy.
(D) Again we pray for the civil
authorities, and for our armed forces everywhere.
(A) Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord
have merry.
(D) Again we pray for the blessed and
ever-memorable holy Orthodox patriarchs; and for the blessed and ever-memorable
founders of this holy house; and for all our fathers and brethren, the Orthodox
departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the
Lord.
(A) Lord have merry, Lord have mercy, Lord
have mercy.
(D) Again we pray for mercy, life, peace,
health, salvation, and visitation for the servants of God that lie ill, and for
the pardon and remission of their sins.
(A) Lord have mercy, Lord have merry, Lord
have mercy.
(D) Again we pray for those who bring
offerings and do good works in this holy and all-venerable house; for those who
labour and those who sing; and for all the people here present, who await your
great and rich mercy.
(A) Lord have merry, Lord have mercy, Lord
have merry.
(P) For you are a merciful God, and love
humankind, and to you we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.
(A) Amen.
(A) Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this
evening without sin. Blessed are you O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised
and glorified is your name for ever.: Amen. Let your merry come upon us, O
Lord, even as we have set our hope on you, Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me
your statutes. Blessed are you, O Master, make me to understand your statutes.
Blessed are you, O Holy one, enlighten me with your statutes. Your merry, O
Lord, is for ever. Do not overlook the works of your hands. To you belong
praise; to you is due song; to you is due glory; to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit now and ever, and to the ages of ages, Amen.
(D) Let us complete our evening prayer to
the Lord.
(A) Lord have mercy.
(D) For our deliverance from all
affliction, wrath, danger and distress, let us pray to the Lord.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) Help us, save us, have mercy upon us,
and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
(A) Lord have merry.
(D) For a perfect, holy, peaceful, and
sinless evening, let us ask the Lord.
(A) Grant this O Lord.
(D) For an angel of peace, a faithful
guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.
(A) Grant this O Lord.
(D) For forgiveness and remission of our
sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.
(A) Grant this O Lord.
(D) For all that is good and beneficial to
our souls, and for peace in the world, let us ask the Lord. (A) Grant this O
Lord.
(D) For the completion of our lives in
peace and repentence, let us ask the Lord.
(A) Grant this O Lord.
(D) For a Christian end to our lives,
peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good account before the
awesome judgement seat of Christ, let us ask the Lord.
(A) Grant this O Lord.
(D) Remembering our most holy, pure,
blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever virgin Mary, with all
the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to
Christ our God.
(A) To You O Lord.
(P) For you are a good God who loves
humankind, and to you we send up glory; to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
(A) Amen.
(B) Peace be with all.
(A) And with your spirit.
(D) Let us bow our heads to the Lord.
(A) To You O Lord.
(P) May the might of your kingdom be
blessed and glorified; of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now
and ever, and to the ages of ages.
(A) Amen.
(Tone 1)
O Lord, who created the universe at the
beginning and gave to each thing his own rank, do not despise the works of your
hands, but with an eye of merry look from heaven upon this vine and restore it
according to your will, turning aside from it every purpose that brings
corruption and every destroyer; for you are our Shepherd and Deliverer and
Saviour and from you we receive helpin mercy and acts of compassion, as we
glorify you, O Master.
(Tone 2)
O Lord and Master who fenced about the
domain of the earth and made it sure with an enveloping band, deliver its whole
structure from harm and disaster; for you are a treasury of strength and the
source of life, and all things minister and are subject to your will as your
servants, Lord. And so grant us your mercies and turn away from us every
disaster, and save our souls as you love humankind.
(Tone 3)
Threats and scourges and destruction hang
over us, Lord, because of the multitude of our transgressions; for we have
sinned and transgressed and gone far from you, and we are affected and
afflicted by dire perils; but deliver us, Lord from dangers that beset us, and
keep the whole structure of the earth unharmed, granting equable breaths of
wind and ever-flowing springs ofwater for our safe-keeping and salvation, O
Lover of humankind.
(Tone 4)
Glory to the Father to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit.
O Lord, who holds the circle of the earth
and establishes its foundations, as the Prophet says, accept our suppliant
entreaties, as our guardian and protector and Saviour; for we are your people
and the sheep of your pasture and by your infinite merry we shall be delivered
from expected dangers. Do not then utterly destroy us, Master, but may your
goodness conquer the mulitude of our offences, that we may glorify the ocean of
your acts of pity.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen
From dangers ofevery kind protect your
servants, blessed Mother of God, that we may glorify you, the hope of our
souls.
The Lity
(D)Have merry upon us, O God, according to
your great merry, we pray you hear and have merry.
(A) Lord have merry, Lord have merry, Lord
have merry.
(D) Again we pray for all those
responsible for our churches and communities, and for all brothers and sisters
in Christ, and for every Christian soul afflicted and weary, in need of God's
mercies and help; for the protection of this city and those who dwell in it;
for the peace of the whole world; for the well-being of the holy churches of
God; for the servants of God here present; for the salvation and help of all
who labour and serve; for those who travel; for the healing of the sick; for
the repose, refreshment and blessed memory of and forgiveness of sins of all
who have gone to rest before and lie here and everywhere; for the deliverance
of captives and refugees, let us say:
(A) Lord have mercy, Lord have merry, Lord
have merry.
Again we pray that God will keep
this city and every city and country from famine, pestilence, earthquake,
flood, fire, pollution, war and civil strife, and that our good God who loves
humanity will be gracious and merciful and deliver us from his righteous
chastisement which impends against us, and have merry on its.
(A) Lord have merry, Lord have merry, Lord
have merry.
(D) Again we pray that the Lord God hear
the prayer of us sinners and have merry on us.' (A) Lord have merry, Lord have
mercy, Lord have merry.
(B) Hear us, O God our
Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are far off
upon the sea; and be gracious, be gracious, O Master, unto us sinners and have
merry on us. (A) Lord have merry, Lord have merry, Lord have merry.
(D) For you are a merciful God who loves
humanity and all your creation, and unto you do we give glory, to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
(A) Amen.
(B) Peace be to all.
(A) And with your spirit.
(D) Let us pray to the Lord.
(B) Lord, Jesus Christ our God, who
blessed the five loaves in the wilderness, and from them five thousand were
fed, bless also these loaves, this oil, this wine and all the fruits of the
earth, and multiply them in this city and everywhere in your world; sanctify
your faithful who will receive them.
For you are the One who blesses and feeds
and sanctifies all creation, O Christ our God, and to you we give glory,
together with your eternal Father, and your all-holy, good and life-creating
Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Verse: The rich have become poor and
hungry; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
(
Tone 5)
Merciful God, who loves humankind, look
with an eye of compassion upon the works of your hands and set free the expanse
of the atmosphere from dread destruction and death-dealing emissions and every
poisonous pollution, through which death and danger threaten. Take pity then on
what you have fashioned and give to all prudence not to act senselessly, the
result of which is corruption, granting to all pardon and salvation and divine
merry.
Verse: With my voice I cried to the Lord,
and he heard me from his holy mountain.
Accept, O Saviour, the entreaties of your
Mother, which she offers for all creation, and the supplications of all your
Saints. Grant to all your mercies, and keep unharmed the firmament which you
spread out from the beginning with wisdom, Lord, and brought into being for the
benefit of mortals. Keep undamaged, O Word, the whole environment which girds
the earth from harmful influences, granting to all pardon and salvation and great
merry.
Verse: When I called you hearkened to me,
O God of my justice, in all affliction you set me at large.
With humility of our soul we entreat you,
Lord, and we fall down before you: At your command deliver the earth on which
we dwell from every harm and from harsh ruin, and speedily avert from it and
abolish by your will destructive emanations and pour out the fresh dew of
life-sustaining air. Fence about the whole enclosure of the environment, Master
and Saviour, with your mighty power, granting to all pardon and salvation and
divine merry.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to
the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Through compassionate pity, O Word, you
took another form, refashioned corrupted nature and brought it back to
incorruption; and now we beseech you, yield to the supplications of your most
pure Mother and grant stability to the inhabited world and well-being to all
creation and deliverance from perils for the salvation for the salvation of our
souls.
(C) Lord, now let your servant depart in
peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you
have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.
(A) Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,
have merry on us. (3 times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, cleanse us from our sins.
O Master, pardon our iniquities.
O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities
for thy Name's sake.
Lord have merry, Lord have merry, Lord
have merry.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, 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 trespasses as we forgive those
trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the
evil one.
(P) For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
(C) Amen.
(Tone 4)
(C)Lord and Saviour, who as God brought
all things into being by a word, establishing laws and governing them
unerringly to your glory, keep secure and unharmed, at the prayers of the
Mother of God, all the elements which hold the earth together, and save the
universe.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The mystery hidden from all eternity and
unknown to Angels has been revealed to those on earth through you, O Mother of
God: God being made flesh in a union without confusion, and willingly accepting
the Cross for us, though which he raised the first-formed man and saved our
souls from death.
(D) Let us pray to the Lord
(A) Lord have merry.
(B) The blessing of the Lord, through his
grace and loving-kindness, be upon you always, now and ever, and to the ages of
ages.
(A) Amen.
(P) Wisdom.
(C) Master give the blessing.
(B) Blessed be He that Is, even Christ our
God, always, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
(C) Amen. Confirm, O God, the Holy
Orthodox faith of Orthodox Christians, unto the ages of ages.
(P) Most holy Mother of God, save us.
(C) More honourable than the Cherubim,
incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who undefiled gave birth to God
the Word, true Mother of God, we magnify you.
(P) Glory to you, O Christ our God, our
sure hope, glory to you.
(C) Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy, Lord have merry, Lord
have mercy. Master, give the blessing.
(P) May Christ our true God, as a good,
loving, and merciful God, have merry upon us and save us, through the
intercessions of His most pure and holy Mother; the power of the precious and
life-giving cross; the protection of the honourable, bodiless powers of heaven,
the supplications of the honourable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the
Baptist; the holy, glorious and praiseworthy apostles; the holy, glorious and
triumphant martyrs, the holy and righteous ancestors Joachim and Anna; Saint x
whose memory we commemorate today, and all the saints, for he is good and loves
humankind.
(A) Amen
(P) Through the prayers of our holy
fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have merry on us and save us.
(A)
Amen.
AN AKATHIST IN PRAISE
OF GODS CREATION
An Akathist in Praise of God's Creation
Metropolitan Tryphon (Turkestanov),1934
Kontakion 1
Incorruptible Lord, your right hand
controls the whole course of human life, according to the decrees of your
Providence for our salvation.
We give you thanks for all your blessings,
known and unknown:
for our earthly life and for the heavenly
joys of your kingdom which is to come. Henceforth extend your mercies towards
us as we sing:
Glory to you, O God, from age to age!
Ikos 1
I was born a weak, defenceless child, but
your angel, spreading his radiant wings, guarded my cradle. From my birth, your
love has illumined my paths, and has wondrously guided me towards the light
ofeternity. From my first day until now, the generous gifts ofyour providence
have been wonderfully showered upon me. I give you thanks, and with all those
who have come to know you, I exclaim:
Glory to you for calling me into being,
Glory to you for spreading out before me
the beauty of the universe,
Glory to you for revealing to me through
heaven and earth the eternal book of wisdom,
Glory to your eternity within this
fleeting world,
Glory to you for your mercies, seen and
unseen,
Glory to you for every sigh of my sorrow,
Glory to you for every step in my life's
journey, for every moment of joy, Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 2
O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest:
Breeze full of scent; mountains reaching
to the skies; Waters like a boundless mirror,
Reflecting the sun's golden rays and the
scudding clouds.
All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing
depths of tenderness, Birds and beasts bear the imprint of your love,
Blessed are you, mother earth, in your
fleeting loveliness, Which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last for
ever In the land where, amid beauty that grows not old,
Rings out the cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
You brought me into this life as into an
enchanted paradise. We have seen the sky, like a deep blue cup ringing with
birds in the azure heights. We have listened to the soothing murmur of the
forest and the sweet-sounding music of the waters. We have tasted fragrant
fruit of fine flavour and sweet-scented honey. How pleasant is our stay with
you on earth: it is a joy to be your guest.
Glory to you for the feast-day of life,
Glory to you for the perfume of lilies and
roses,
Glory to you for each different taste of
berry and fruit,
Glory to you for the sparkling silver of
early morning dew,
Glory to you for each smiling, peaceful
awakening,
Glory to you for eternal life in us, a
messenger of heaven, Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 3
In the strength of the Holy Spirit each
flower gives out its scent - sweet perfume, delicate colour, beauty of the
whole universe revealed in the tiniest thing. Glory and honour to God the Giver
of life, who covers the fields with their carpet of flowers, crowns the plains
with harvest of gold and the blue of corn-flowers, and our souls with the joy
of contemplating him. O be joyful and sing to him: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
How glorious you are in the triumph of
spring, when every creature awakes to new life and joyfully sings your praises
with a thousand tongues: you are the source of life, the conqueror of death. By
the light ofthe moon nightingales sing: the plains and the woods put on their
wedding garment, white as snow. All the earth is your promised bride awaiting
her bridegroom who does not know decay. If the grass of the field is clothed
like this, how gloriously shall we be transfigured in the coming age of the
resurrection: how radiant our bodies, how resplendent our souls!
Glory to you, bringing from the darkness
of the earth an endless variety of colours, tastes and scents,
Glory to you for the warmth and tenderness
of the world of nature, Glory to you for surrounding us with thousands of your
works, Glory to you for the depth of your wisdom: the whole world is a living
sign of it, Glory to you: on my knees, I kiss the traces of your unseen hand,
Glory to you for setting before us the
dazzling light of eternal life,
Glory to you for the hope of the
unutterable, imperishable beauty of immortality,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 4
How filled with sweetness are those whose
thoughts dwell on you: how life-giving your holy Word; to speak with you is
more soothing than anointing with oil, sweeter than the honeycomb. Praying to you
refreshes us and gives us wings: our hearts overflow with warmth; a majesty
filled with wisdom permeates nature and all of life! Where you are not, there
is only emptiness. Where you are, the soul is filled with abundance, and its
song resounds like a torrent of life: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
When over the earth the light of the
setting sun fades away, when the peace of eternal sleep and the quiet of the
declining day reign over all, I see your dwelling-place like tents filled with
light, reflected in the shapes of the clouds at dusk: fiery and purple, gold
and blue, they speak prophet-like of the ineffable beauty of your heavenly
court, and solemnly call: let us go to the Father!
Glory to you in the quiet hour of evening,
Glory to you, covering the world with deep
peace,
Glory to you for the last ray of the
setting sun,
Glory to you for the rest of blissful
sleep,
Glory to you for your mercy in the midst
of darkness, when the whole world has parted company with us,
Glory to you for the tender emotion of a soul
moved to prayer,
Glory to you for the pledge of our
awakening on the day which has no evening, Glory to you, O God, from age to
age.
Kontakion 5
The storms of life do not frighten those
whose hearts are ablaze with the light of your flame. Outside is the darkness
of the whirlwind, the terror and howling of the storm. But in their souls reign
quiet and light. Christ is there, and the heart sings: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
I see your heaven glowing with stars. How
rich you are, how much light is yours! Eternity watches me by the rays of the
distant stars: I am small, insignificant, but the Lord is with me, his loving
hand protects me wherever I go.
Glory to you for the trouble you take for
me at all times,
Glory for the people your Providence gave
me to meet,
Glory to you for the love of my dear ones,
the faithfulness of friends,
Glory to you for the gentleness of the
animals which serve me,
Glory to you for the light-filled moments
of life,
Glory to you for the radiant joy in my
heart,
Glory to you for the joy of living, moving
and seeing, Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 6
How great and how close you are in the
powerful track of the storm; how mighty your right arm in the blinding flash of
the lightning; how awesome is your greatness! The voice of the Lord is over the
fields and amid the rustling forests, the voice of the Lord is in the birth of
thunder and of rain, the voice of the Lord is over the many waters. Praise to
you in the roar of mountains ablaze. You shake the earth like a garment. You
pile up to the sky the waves of the sea. Praise to you, bringing low the pride
of man, bringing from his heart the cry of repentance: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
When the lightning flash has lit up the
feasting-hall, how feeble seems the light of the lamps. Likewise, amidst the
strongest joys of my existence, you suddenly flashed in my soul. After your
blinding light, how drab, dull and unreal seemed all those joys! Passionately,
my soul would run after you.
Glory to you, the Goal in whom mankind's
highest dreams come true,
Glory to you, for our unquenchable thirst
for communion with God,
Glory to you, making us dissatisfied with
earthly things,
Glory to you, clothing us with the finest
rays of your light,
Glory to you, destroying the power of the
spirits of darkness, dooming all evil to destruction, Glory to you for the joy
of hearing your voice, for the happiness of your presence and of living in your
love,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 7
In the wondrous blending of sounds it is
your call we hear. In the harmony of many voices, stirred by the musical tones,
dazzled by art's creativeness, we learn from you the splendour of melody and
song, and receive a foretaste of the coming kingdom. All true beauty draws the
soul towards you in powerful invocation, and makes it sing triumphantly:
Alleluia!
Ikos 7
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit
enlightens the thoughts of artists, poets, and scientists. Their great minds
receive from you prophetic insights into your laws, and reveal to us the depth
of your creative wisdom. Unwittingly, their works speak of you; how great you
are in all you have created, how great you are in man!
Glory to you, showing your unfathomable
might in the laws of the universe!
Glory to you, for all nature is permeated
by your laws,
Glory to you for what you have revealed to
us in your goodness,
Glory to you for all that remains hidden
from us in your wisdom,
Glory to you for the inventiveness of the
human mind,
Glory to you for the invigorating effort
of work,
Glory to you for the tongues of fire which
bring inspiration,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 8
How near you are in the days of sickness;
you yourself visit the sick; you bend over the sufferer's bed: his heart speaks
to you. With your peace you enlighten the soul burdened with affliction and
pain: you send unexpected help. You comfort, you are Love, bringing trial and
salvation, and to you we sing the hymn: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
When in childhood I called upon you
consciously for the first time, you heard my prayer and sacred peace came down
into my soul. Then I understood that you are good; blessed are those who turn
to you. Unceasingly, I started to call upon you, and now I call upon your Name:
Glory to you, satisfying my desires with
good things,
Glory to you, watching over me day and
night,
Glory to you, calming tribulations and
bereavement with the healing flow of time,
Glory to you, no loss is irreparable when
you are there, to all you give eternal life, Glory to you, making immortal all
that is lofty and good, promising to welcome the dead, Glory to you, O God,
from age to age.
Kontakion 9
Why is it that on a feastday the whole of
nature mysteriously smiles? Why does a marvellous lightness then fill our
hearts, to which nothing earthly can be compared? The very air in the altar and
in God's house becomes luminous. It is the breath of grace, the reflection of
the glory of Mount Tabor; heaven and earth then sing this praise: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
When you inspire me to serve my neighbour,
and make humility shine in my soul, one of your deep-piercing rays of light
falls into my heart: it then becomes glowing, like iron in the furnace. I have
seen your Face, mysterious and elusive.
Glory to you, transfiguring our lives with
deeds of love,
Glory to you, making wonderfully sweet
each one of your commandments,
Glory to you, clearly present in fragrant
compassion,
Glory to you, sending us failures and
afflictions to make us sensitive to other people's sufferings,
Glory to you, promising high rewards for
precious good deeds,
Glory to you, welcoming the impulse of our
heart's love,
Glory to you, for raising love above
everything on earth or in heaven,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 10
No one can put together what has crumbled
into dust, but you can heal men whose conscience has become twisted; you give
the soul its former beauty, which long ago it had lost without a hope of
change. With you, nothing is hopeless. You are Love. You are the creator and
the redeemer of all things. We praise you with this song: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
My God, you know the fall of proud
Lucifer. Save me through the power of your grace; do not allow me to fall away
from you, do not allow me to doubt you. Sharpen my ear, that at every minute of
my life I may hear your mysterious voice; and I call upon you, who are
everywhere present.
Glory to you for providential
circumstances,
Glory to you for helpful forebodings,
Glory to you for the teaching of your
secret voice,
Glory to you, for revelations you give us
in dreams or awake,
Glory to you for scattering our vain
imaginations,
Glory to you, freeing us from the fire of
passions through suffering,
Glory to you, who for our salvation,
brings down proudness of heart,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 11
Beyond the icy sequence of the ages, I
feel the warmth of your divine Breath, I hear the throbbing of your blood. You
are already near: part of time has already gone by. I see your Cross: it is
there for my sake. My spirit is but dust before your Cross: here is the triumph
of love and redemption, here throughout the ages unceasingly rises the praise:
Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Blessed is he who will share your mystical
supper in your kingdom; but even here on earth you have granted me this
blessedness. How many times, with your divine hand, you offered me your Body
and your Blood; while I, a great sinner, received these sacred Gifts and felt
your ineffable and supernatural love.
Glory to you for the inconceivable and
life-giving power of grace,
Glory to you who established your Church
as a haven of peace for a tormented world,
Glory to you for giving us new birth in
the life-giving waters of baptism,
Glory to you, restoring to those who repent
purity white as the unstained lily,
Glory to you, unfathomable abyss of
forgiveness,
Glory to you for the cup of life, for the
bread of eternal joy,
Glory to you who raise us to heaven,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 12
More than once have I seen the reflection
of your glory in the faces of the dead. What beauty, what heavenly joy shone in
them! How light their features, now made spiritual! This was the triumph of
happiness and peace found once again; in their silence they were calling on
you. At the hour of my death, illumine also my soul which calls to you:
Alleluia!
Ikos 12
How poor is my praise before you! I have
not heard the song of the Cherubim, a joy reserved to the souls on high, but I
know the praises nature sings to you. In winter, I see how in the moonlit
silence the whole earth offers you prayer, wrapped in its white mantle of snow,
sparkling like diamonds. I see the rising sun rejoice in you, and I hear the
chorus of birds raise a hymn of glory. I hear the forest mysteriously rustling
in your honour, the winds sing of your, the waters murmur and the processions
of stars proclaim you as they move in harmony for ever in the depths of
infinite space. What is my poor worship? All nature obeys you, I do not; yet while
I live, I see your love. I long to thank you, pray to you and call upon your
Name.
Glory to you, who has shown us the light,
Glory to you, who loved us with a deep
unfathomable and divine love,
Glory to you, who blesses us with the
light, with a host of angels and saints,
Glory to you, Father most holy, revealing
us your kingdom in your commandments,
Glory to you, Holy Spirit, life-giving Sun
of the world to come,
Glory to you for all things, divine and
most merciful Trinity,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
Kontakion 13
Life-giving and most merciful Trinity,
receive our thanksgiving for all your kindnesses; make us worthy of your
blessings, so that, when we have brought a profit from the talents you have
entrusted to us, we may enter into the eternal joy of our Lord, singing the
triumphal hymn: Alleluia!