Chapter X · THE ORDER OF THE CORONATION.

Now if at the same time they desire to be crowned, they go into the temple with burning tapers, preceded by the priest with the censer, and singing psalm cxxvii thus. And the people say after each verse,

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

They that walk in his ways.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy labours.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the gables of thine house.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Thy sons shall be as newly-planted olive trees round about thy table.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

The Lord shall bless thee out of Sion, and thou shalt see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

And thou shalt see thy son’s sons: peace be upon Israel.

Glory to thee, O our God, glory to thee.

After this the priest saith a word of instruction, telling them what is the mystery of marriage, and how in marriage they have to live acceptably unto God, and honourably. And after the conclusion of this, the priest interrogateth the bridegroom, saying,

Hast thou, name, a good and unconstrained will, and a firm intention to take unto thyself this woman, name, whom here thou seest before thee?

And the bridegroom answereth, saying, I have, reverend father.

The priest again, Thou hast not vowed thyself to another bride?

Bridegroom. I have not vowed myself, reverend father.

And straightway the priest, regarding the bride, interrogateth her, saying, Hast thou a good and unconstrained will, and a firm intention to take unto thyself this man, name, whom thou seest here before thee?

And the bride answereth, saying, I have, reverend father.

The priest again, Thou hast not vowed thyself to another man?

And the bride answereth, I have not vowed myself, reverend father.

Then the deacon saith, Bless, master.

Priest. Blessed be the kingdom....

Choir. Amen.

Deacon, the ectenia.

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace that is from above....

For the peace of the whole world....

For this holy temple....

For the Most Holy Governing Synod.

For our Most Pious....

For the servants of God, name, name, who are now being conjoined to one another in the community of marriage, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

That this marriage may be blessed as was that in Cana of Galilee, let us pray to the Lord.

That there may be vouchsafed unto them chastity, and fruit of the womb for their benefit, let us pray to the Lord.

That they may be rejoiced in the beholding of sons and daughters, let us pray to the Lord.

That there may be granted unto them the acquisition of fair children, and a blameless course of life, let us pray to the Lord.

That there may be granted unto them and unto us all desires that tend unto salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For their deliverance and ours from every affliction.

Help us, save us, have mercy....

Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed....

Priest, with a loud voice,

For to thee is due all glory....

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord have mercy.

The priest, with a loud voice, this prayer.

O God most pure, and the Author of all creation, who, through thy love to man, didst transform a rib of Adam the forefather into a woman, and didst bless them, and say, Increase and multiply, and have dominion over the earth, and, by the conjoining, didst declare them both to be one member; for because of this a man shall forsake his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be in one flesh; and whom God hath joined together let man not put asunder; who didst also bless thy servant Abraham, and open the womb of Sara, and didst make him the father of many nations; who didst bestow Isaac upon Rebecca, and didst bless her offspring; who didst join Jacob unto Rachel, and from them didst make manifest the twelve patriarchs; who didst yoke Joseph and Aseneth together, and as the fruit of generation didst bestow upon them Ephrem and Manasse; who didst accept Zacharias and Elizabeth, and didst declare their offspring the Forerunner; who out of the root of Jesse, according to the flesh, didst produce the Ever-Virgin, and from her wast incarnate and wast born for the salvation of the human race; who through thine unspeakable grace and plenteous goodness, wast present in Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there, that thou mightest show that a lawful union, and a generation therefrom is according to thy will. Do thou thyself, O most holy Master, accept the prayer of us, thy servants, and, with thine invisible presence being here, as there, do thou bless this marriage, and give unto thy servants, name, name, a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, love for one another in the bond of peace, a long-lived seed, grace upon their children, and an unfading crown of glory. Count them worthy to see their children’s children; preserve their bed undefiled; and give them of the dew of heaven from above, and of the fatness of the earth. Fill their houses with corn, wine and oil, and with every bounty, that they may have to give to them that are in need, bestowing also unto them that are here assembled with us all desires that tend to salvation.

For a merciful, and compassionate, and man-loving God thou art, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

The priest this prayer with a loud voice.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, thou hierurgist of mystical and pure marriage and lawgiver of that of the body, thou guardian of incorruption, thou good provider of the means of life. Do thou thyself now, O Master, who in the beginning didst create man, and appoint him as the king of creation, and say, It is not good for man to be alone upon the earth, let us make him a helpmeet for him; and, taking one of his ribs, didst make woman, whom when Adam saw he said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of her man: for this cause a man shall forsake his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and two shall be in one flesh: and whom God hath joined, let not man divide: do thou thyself now, O Master, Lord our God, send down thy heavenly grace upon these thy servants, name, name, and grant unto this thine handmaid to be in all things subject unto the man, and to this thy servant to be at the head of the woman, that they may live according unto thy will. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Abraham and Sara. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Isaac and Rebecca. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Jacob, and all the patriarchs. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joseph and Aseneth. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Moses and Sepphora. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Joakim and Anna. Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Zacharias and Elizabeth. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Noe in the ark. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve Jonas in the belly of the whale. Preserve them, O Lord our God, as thou didst preserve the three holy children from the fire, sending down upon them dew from heaven; and may that joy come upon them which the blessed Helen had when she found the precious cross. Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remember Enoch, Sem, and Elias. Remember them, O Lord our God, as thou didst remember thy holy forty martyrs, sending down upon them crowns from heaven. Remember, O God, the parents who have reared them; for the prayers of parents confirm the foundation of houses. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servants, the paranymphs, who are present at this rejoicing. Remember, O Lord our God, thy servant, name, and thine handmaid, name, and bless them. Give them fruit of the womb, fair children, and unanimity of soul and body. Exalt them as the cedars of Libanus, and as a well-cultured vine. Bestow upon them seed of corn, that, having every sufficiency, they may abound in every work that is good and acceptable unto thee; and let them behold their sons’ sons as newly planted olive-trees round about their table, and, being accepted before thee, may they shine as the luminaries in heaven unto thee, our Lord. And, together with thee, be glory, might, honour, and worship, to thine unbeginning Father, and to thy life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

And again the priest saith this prayer with a loud voice.

O holy God, who didst form man from the dust, and from his rib didst fashion woman, and yoke her unto him a helpmeet for him, because so it was seemly unto thy majesty for man not to be alone upon the earth; do thou thyself now, O Master, stretch forth thy hand from thy holy dwelling-place, and conjoin this thy servant, name, and this thine handmaid, name; for by thee a woman is conjoined unto a man. Yoke them together in unanimity, crown them in one flesh, bestow on them fruit of the womb, and the gain of well-favoured children.

For thine is the might, and thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

And after the Amen the priest, taking the crowns, crowneth first the bridegroom, saying,

The servant of God, name, is crowned for the handmaid of God, name, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Then he crowneth also the bride, saying,

The handmaid of God, name, is crowned for the servant of God, name, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Then he blesseth them thrice, saying thrice,

O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honour.

Then the prokimenon of the epistle, tone viii.

Thou hast set upon their heads crowns of precious stones; they asked life of thee, and thou gavest it them.

Verse. For thou wilt give them a blessing to ages of ages, thou wilt make them glad through joy with thy countenance.

The epistle to the Ephesians, section cci.

Brethren, give thanks.... ending, that she reverence her husband.[13]

Alleluia.

Verse. Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and shalt protect us, from this generation, and to ages.

Deacon. Wisdom, standing, let us hear....

The gospel from John, section vi.

At that time there was a marriage.... ending, believed on him.[14]

Deacon. Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind let us say.

O Lord Almighty, the God....

Have mercy upon us, O God....

Furthermore let us pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and visitation for the servants of God, names, and he commemorateth whom he wisheth.

Exclamation. For a merciful....

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord have mercy.

Priest, this prayer.

O Lord our God, who, in thy saving providence, didst vouchsafe in Cana of Galilee to declare marriage honourable by thy presence; do thou now thyself preserve in peace and unanimity thy servants, name, and, name, whom thou art well-pleased should be conjoined to one another: declare their marriage honourable: preserve their bed undefiled: be pleased that their mutual life may be unblamable, and count them worthy to attain unto a ripe old age, keeping thy commandments in a pure heart.

For thou art our God, the God to have mercy and to save, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and with thine all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Deacon. Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

That the whole day may be perfect, holy....

Choir. Vouchsafe, O Lord.

An angel of peace....

Pardon and forgiveness of our sins....

What is good and profitable for our souls....

That the remaining time of our life....

A christian end of our life....

Having prayed for the unity of the faith, and the communion of the Holy Ghost....

Choir. To thee, O Lord.

The priest exclaimeth,

And count us worthy, O Master, with boldness to dare without condemnation to call upon thee, our heavenly Father God, and say,

And the people, Our Father.... all to the end.

The priest exclaimeth, For thine is the kingdom....

Peace to all.

Bow your heads to the Lord.

Then the common cup is brought, and the priest blesseth it, and saith this prayer.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

O God, who by thy might createst all things, and confirmest the universe, and adornest the crown of all things created by thee; do thou, with thy spiritual blessing, bless also this common cup given for the community of marriage unto them that are conjoined.

With a loud voice, For blessed is thy name, and glorified thy kingdom....

Choir. Amen.

Then the priest, taking in his hand the common cup, giveth them to drink thrice, first to the man, and then to the woman. And straightway the priest taketh them, while the groomsman holdeth the crowns behind, and leadeth them in the form of a circle. And the priest, or the people, sing the present troparion in tone v,

Rejoice, O Esaias, the virgin is with child, and bringeth forth a son, Emmanuel, God and man: the orient is his name, whom magnifying, we call the virgin blessed.

Another, tone vii.

O holy martyrs, who valiantly contended, and are crowned; pray ye the Lord for mercy on our souls.

Glory to thee, Christ God, apostles’ boast, and martyrs’ joy, whose preaching was the consubstantial Trinity.

Then, taking the crown from the bridegroom, he saith,

Be thou magnified, O bridegroom, as Abraham, and blessed as Isaac, and increased as Jacob, walking in peace, and performing in righteousness the commandments of God.

And when he taketh the crown from the bride, he saith,

And thou, O bride, be thou magnified as Sara, and rejoiced as Rebecca, and increased as Rachel, being glad in thy husband, and keeping the paths of the law, for so God is well-pleased.

Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Priest, The prayer.

O God, our God, who wast present in Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there; do thou bless also these thy servants, who, by thy providence, are conjoined in the community of marriage. Bless their incomings and outgoings, replenish their life with good things, accept their crowns in thy kingdom unsullied and undefiled, and preserve them without offence to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Priest. Peace to all.

Bow your heads to the Lord.

And the priest prayeth.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the all-holy, and consubstantial, and life-originating Trinity, one Godhead and sovereignty, bless you, and vouchsafe unto you long life, well-favoured children, progress in life and faith, and replenish you with all the good things of earth, and count you worthy of the obtaining of promised blessings, through the prayers of the holy God-bearing one, and of all the Saints. Amen.

Then they come and congratulate them, and they kiss one another, and the full dismissal is made by the priest.

Saith the deacon, Wisdom.

Choir. The more honourable than the Cherubim....

Priest, the dismissal.

He that by his presence in Cana of Galilee declared marriage to be honourable, Christ our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother; of the holy, glorious, and all-praised apostles; of the holy god-crowned sovereigns and equals of the apostles, Constantine and Helen; of the holy great martyr Procopius, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, as being good and the lover of mankind.