THE DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JAMES (12)
The priest, bowing, says (the Embolism):
And lead us not into temptation, Lord, God of Hosts, who knows all, but deliver us from the evil one and his works, and from all his malice and craftiness, for the sake of Your holy name, which has been invoked upon our lowliness and bestowed upon our misery:
(Aloud)
For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.
People: Amen.
Priest: Peace be with all.
People: And with your spirit.
Deacon: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.
People: To You, O Lord.
The priest prays: O Lord, we Your servants have bowed our heads before Your holy altar, waiting for the rich mercies that are from You.
Send forth, O Lord, Your plenteous grace and blessing upon us; and sanctify our souls, bodies, and spirits, that we may become worthy communicants and partakers of Your holy mysteries, for the forgiveness of our many sins, and for life everlasting:
(Aloud)
For adorable and glorified are You, our God, and Your only begotten Son, and Your all holy Spirit, now and ever.
People: Amen.
The priest prays aloud: And the grace and the mercies of the holy, consubstantial, and uncreated, and adorable Trinity, shall be with us all.
People: And with Your spirit.
Deacon: In the fear of God, let us attend.
The priest prays secretly: O holy Lord, sanctify us by the word of Your grace, and by the visitation of Your all-holy Spirit: For You, O Lord, have said, “You shall be holy, for I am holy...”
O Lord Jesus Christ, incomprehensible Word of God, one in substance with the Father and the Holy Spirit, coeternal and indivisible, accept this pure hymn, together with Your holy and bloodless sacrifice; from the cherubim, and seraphim, and from me, a sinful man, crying and saying...
He takes up the gifts and says aloud:
Holy things unto the holy.
People: One only is Holy, one is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, to whom be glory for all eternity.
Deacon: For the remission of our sins, and the propitiation of our souls, and for every soul in tribulation and distress, needing the mercy and succor of God, and for the return of the erring, the healing of the sick, the deliverance of the captives, the rest of our parents and ancestors, together with our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep before us;
Let us all say fervently, Lord, have mercy:
People (twelve times): Lord, have mercy.
Then the priest breaks the sanctified bread, holding half in his right hand, and half in his left, and dips that in his right hand in the chalice, saying:
The union of the all holy body and precious blood of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
He then makes the sign of the cross over the sanctified bread in his left hand: and then, with that which has been signed, the other half. Then he begins to divide the sanctified bread, and to place a single piece in each chalice, saying:
It has been made one, and sanctified, and perfected, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever.
And when he makes the sign of the cross on the bread, he says:
Behold the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, who takes away the sin of the world, sacrificed for the life and salvation of us all.
And while he places a single piece in each chalice he says:
A holy portion of Christ, full of the grace and truth of the Father, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory and power for all eternity.
Then he begins to divide the sanctified bread, saying:
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. In green pastures, [and so on.]
Then: I will bless the Lord at all times, [and so on].
Then: I will extol You, my God, O King, [and so on.]
Then: O praise the Lord, all ye nations, [and so on.]
Deacon: Father, pronounce the blessing.
Priest: The Lord will bless us, and keep us without con-demnation for the communion of His pure gifts, now and always, and forever.
The chalices are filled for holy communion.
When they are filled, the deacon says: Father, pronounce the blessing.
The priest says: The Lord will bless us, and make us worthy, by the pure touching of our fingers, as we take the live coal of Christ, and place it upon the mouths of the faithful, for the purification and renewal of their souls and bodies, now and always.
Then: O taste and see that the Lord is good; who is parted and not divided; distributed to the faithful and not expended; for the remission of sins, and life everlasting; now and always, and for ever.
Deacon: In the peace of Christ, let us sing:
Singers: O taste and see that the Lord is good!
The priest says the prayer before communion: O Lord our God, You who are the heavenly Bread, the Life of the universe, I have sinned against heaven, and before You, and am not worthy to partake of Your pure mysteries; but as a merciful God, make me worthy and without condemnation by Your grace, to partake of Your holy body and precious blood, for the remission of my sins, and life everlasting.
The priest receives Communion. Then he distributes to the clergy; then the deacons take the patens and the chalices for distribution to the people.
The deacon says: Father, pronounce the blessing.
The priest replies: Glory to God who has sanctified and is sanctifying us all.
The deacon says: Be You exalted, O God, over the heavens, and Your glory over all the earth, for Your kingdom endures for all eternity.
The priest says: Blessed be the name of the Lord our God forever.
Deacon: In the fear of God, and in faith and love, draw nigh.
People: Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Here the laity receive Communion.
When he replaces the paten on the credence table, the deacon says:
Father, pronounce the blessing.
Priest: Save Your people, O God, and bless Your inheritance.
The priest again:
Glory to our God, who has sanctified us all.
And when he has put the chalice back on the holy table, he says:
Blessed be the name of the Lord for all eternity.
The deacon and the People say: Fill our mouths with Your praise, O Lord, and fill our lips with joy, that we may sing of Your glory, and of Your greatness all the day.
And again: We render thanks to You, O Christ our God, that You have made us worthy to partake of Your body and blood, for the remission of our sins, and for life everlasting. Do You, in Your goodness and love, keep us, we pray You, without condemnation.
The prayer of incense at the last entrance:
We render thanks to You, the Savior and God of all, for the countless good things You have given us, and for the parti-cipation in Your holy and pure mysteries, and we offer to You this incense, praying:
Keep us under the shadow of Your wings, and count us worthy till our last breath to partake of Your holy rites for the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven:
For You, O God, are our sanctification, and we lift up praise and thanksgiving to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The deacon prays, in the entrance: Glory to You, glory to You, glory to You, O Christ the King, only-begotten Word of the Father; for You have counted us, Your sinful and unworthy servants, worthy to enjoy Your pure mysteries for the remission of sins, and for life everlasting: Glory to You!
And when he has made the entrance, the says:
Again and again, and at all times, in peace, let us beseech the Lord.
That the participation of His holy rites may be to us for the turning away from all wickedness, for our support on the journey to life everlasting, and for the com-munion and gift of the Holy Spirit; Let us pray.
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