Chapter XIX · THE OFFICE OF THE BURIAL OF A BABE.

After the priest hath given the blessing, the singers sing,

Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High....[48]

And after this, Alleluia, in tone viii.

Verse. Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen....

Verse. And his remembrance is to generation and generation.

Trisagion. And after Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom.

Then, Thou who man-lovingly in depth of wisdom....

Glory.

Our Maker, and our Author, and our God.

Both now.

We have thee as a fortress and a haven....

Then psalm l.

And after this the requiem canon over a departed babe is begun.

Ode i. Tone viii.

Crossing the sea as on dry land....

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

O Word of God, who in the flesh didst poor become, and, without change, wast pleas’d a babe to be; we pray thee place in Abraham’s bosom the babe thou hast receiv’d.

Thou wast beheld a babe who ere all ages art, and, as the blessed one, thy kingdom promis’d hast to babes: O number thou therein the present babe.

Glory.

The undefiled babe, O Saviour Christ, whom thou received hast ere earthly pleasures’ trial, vouchsafe eternal blessedness, as lover of mankind.

Both now.

Thou who unspeakably didst bear him who the Father’s Wisdom is and Word; heal thou my soul’s sore wound, and my heart’s pain appease.

Ode iii. Irmos.

O Lord, creator of the vault of heaven and builder of the church; thou me hast stablish’d in thy love, thou ending of desire, the faithful’s confirmation, sole lover of mankind.

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

O thou most perfect Word, who didst appear a perfect babe, thou hast removed to thyself a babe imperfect in its growth, whom do thou rest with all the just who have been welcome unto thee, sole lover of mankind.

Him taken hence, not tasting of the pleasures of the world, of supermundane blessings make participant we pray, O thou Compassionate One, even the uncorrupted babe, whom thou hast chang’d by thy divine command.

Glory.

Of heavenly dwellings, and of shining lot, and of the sacred choir of Saints, O Lord, make the pure babe participant, even him, whom, Saviour, as thou wast well-pleas’d, thou hast remov’d.

Both now.

Bereft of all, to thy sole shelter, most pure Queen, I fly, O aid thou me; for I unto much sinful riches cleave, but with a poverty of virtues am altogether fill’d.

Then the irmos. And after the irmos the priest saith this ectenia.

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Furthermore let us pray for the repose of the happy babe, name, and that to him may be vouchsafed, according to thine undeceiving promise, thy heavenly kingdom.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice.

That the Lord our God may place his soul where all the just repose.

Choir. Lord, have mercy, thrice.

The mercy of God, the kingdom of heaven, and repose among the Saints, for him and for ourselves let us ask of Christ, our immortal King and God.

Choir. Vouchsafe, O Lord.

Priest. Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

Priest.

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who hast promised to bestow the kingdom of heaven upon them that are born again of water and of the spirit and in a blameless life are translated onto thee, and hast said, Suffer the children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven; we humbly beseech thee to grant, according to thine undeceiving promise, the inheritance of thy kingdom unto thy servant, the blameless babe, name, now removed from us; and count us worthy to continue and end an unblamable and christian life, and to be stablished in heavenly abiding-places with all thy Saints.

And he exclaimeth,

For thou art the resurrection, the life, and the repose of all thy servants, and of thy servant, the babe, name, now removed from us, O Christ our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.

Then troparion.

Verily everything is vain, and life a shadow is, a dream; for vainly every earth-born one disquieteth himself, as saith the scripture. When we have gain’d the world, then dwell we in the grave, where kings and beggars, elders and babes together are. Therefore, Christ God, as lover of mankind, rest the departed babe.

Ode iv. Irmos.

I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of thy dispensation....

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

We wail not for the babes, but rather for ourselves do we lament, we, who have always sinn’d, that we may be delivered from gehenna.

Thou, Master, hast depriv’d the babe of the delights of earth: do thou, as righteous judge, vouchsafe him heavenly blessings.

Glory.

He hath declared thee a citizen of paradise, O truly happy babe, he who hath taken thee from earth and ranged thee among the choirs of Saints.

Both now. Theotokion.

All we that are illuminated, O all-pure, own thee God-bearing, thou, O Ever-virgin; for thou the Sun of righteousness hast borne.

Ode v. Irmos.

Why hast thou rejected me....

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

By thy just dooming, ere he waxed perfectly in growth, thou hast, as new grown herb, cut down the babe whom thou hast taken, Lord; but, leading him, O Word, to hill divine of everlasting blessings, plant him there.

As a young branch the sword of death hath come and cut thee off, thou who of worldly sweets no trial hast sustain’d, thou happy one! but, lo, to thee the gates of heaven Christ open’d hath, counting thee with th’ elect, as being loving-kind.

Glory.

Concerning me, lament ye not; for I in nowise have begun for weeping to be meet; but rather weep ye alway for yourselves, ye who have sinn’d, O kinsfolk and O friends, the dead babe cries, so that of torment ye have no essay.

Both now.

I am despairing of myself when on the number of my deeds I muse; but when in mind I bear thee, Mother of God, who above mind didst bear the Lord, I am refresh’d with hope; for we have thee a sole defence.

Ode vi. Irmos.

I will pour forth a prayer before the Lord, and to him will I tell my grief; for my soul is full of evils, and my life draweth nigh unto hades, and I pray as Jonas, O God, raise me out of corruption.

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

Thou was laid in a manger as a babe, and wast plac’d in an elder’s arms, who generatest babes in the womb; and ere this one attain’d perfect growth, thou hast bidden him to thee. Then we with thanksgiving extol thee.

Thou didst say to the apostles, O Word, Let the children come unto me; for my kingdom is for them that are such in wiseness. Then count the babe remov’d to thee of thy light worthy.

Glory.

Thou of earth’s blessings hast depriv’d thy babe, that thou of heaven’s might’st make him sharer, who hath not overstepp’d thy bid divine. O Good One, we extol thy judgments’ depth unmeasur’d.

Both now. Theotokion.

We have thee, Maiden, as a sheltering wall, for souls a full salvation, and in afflictions ample room; and in thy light we aye rejoice, and in this save us now, O Queen, from passions and from dangers.

Then the irmos. And after the irmos the priest saith the previously written ectenia and the prayer. Page 139.

Then the condakion, tone viii.

Rest with the Saints, O Christ, thy servant’s soul, where is no pain nor grief, nor sighing, but life that endeth not.

Icos.

Thyself alone immortal art, who madest and didst fashion man; for out of earth we mortals fashion’d were, and unto that same earth shall go, as thou who madest me hast given command, and sayest unto me, Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return. And thither all we mortals go, making the funeral wail, even the song, the Alleluia.

And these following icosi.

More sympathetic than a mother there is none, and than a father more compassionate none; for vexed are their inward parts when they the babes accompany hence: great is the sting which for the children’s sake their hearts receive, and still the more when these sweet-spoken are, and they their words remember with the song, the Alleluia.

For oft beside the grave they smite their breasts, and say, O thou my son and sweetest child! hearest thou not thy mother what she saith? lo, ’tis the womb that thee hath borne: why dost thou speak not as thou wert wont to speak to us? But so thou silent art, even to say with us the Alleluia.

O God, O God, who callest me, be now the comfort of my house, for great the wailing is befalling them; for they all have regard to me, even they who have me as a sole-begotten one. But thou who wast of Virgin Mother born, refresh the bowels of my mother, and bedew my father’s heart, even with this, the Alleluia.

Then the condakion, tone viii.

Rest with the Saints....

Ode vii. Irmos.

The hebrew children in the furnace.

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

Write in the book of them that saved be, as lover of mankind compassionate, thy babe, that he rejoicing may exclaim to thy might’s glory, Thou art bless’d.

By, O thou Word, thy countenance’s light, illuminate thy babe, who now to thee in faith, at an untimely age, is gone, and sings to thee, Thou blessed art, O Lord, O God.

Glory.

Affliction’s cause thy going hence now seemeth unto them that thee have lov’d, but unto thee procuracy in truth of gladness and of joy; for thou, O babe, inheritest eternal life.

Both now. Theotokion.

Behold my grief, O Virgin, which th’ abundance of mine ills doth bring on me, and ere my going hence give me refreshment by thy mother prayers to make God merciful to me.

Ode viii. Irmos.

The furnace seven times more....

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

In Abraham’s bosom, in tabernacles of repose, where is their joy who ever festal keep, in places of refreshment where living water is, may Christ thee place, yea, he who for our sake became a child, even ours who unto him cry ceaselessly, O priests, extol him, and, O people, set him up for aye.

A constant cause of grief to us, yea, and for tears, thine ever thought on parting is in truth become; for ere the tasting in this life of things that give delight thou hast left earth, yea, and thy parents’ breasts. But Abraham’s bosom hath received thee, as babe, and unparticipant of every stain.

Glory.

Why mourn ye me, a babe, that hence is gone? lying he cries invisibly: for I am wont not to be mourn’d; for destin’d is the joy of all the just for babes: to them that works perform not there meetness is for tears. But those the song upraise to Christ, O priests, extol him, and, O people, set him up for aye.

Both now. Theotokion.

To mine assistance, O God-bearing one, arise, attend unto my prayer, and me deliver from the dreadful doom, the grave essay, the darkness, and the fire, the gnashing of the teeth, the contumely of demons, and from every need, thou hope of them that have no hope, thou, the despairing’s life.

Ode ix. Irmos.

Be thou in dread concerning this, O heaven, and let earth’s limits be amaz’d: for God hath shewn himself in flesh to men, and wider than the heavens thy womb becomes. Therefore the principals of Angels and of men thee magnify, God-bearing one.

Refrain. Rest thou the babe, O Lord.

Christ, who unchang’d becam’st a babe, and willingly didst bear the cross, and the maternal pain didst see of her that gave thee birth; assuage the grief and bitter pain of faithful parents of a babe deceas’d, that we thy might may glorify.

Master, thou King of all, who from on high didst send and take the happy babe as a pure bird to heavenly nest, thou hast from diverse snares preserv’d his soul, and join’d it with the righteous souls thy kingdom’s sweets that taste.

Glory.

To babes that nothing have perform’d, O Word of God, thou hast vouchsaf’d a heavenly dwelling-place; for so thou art well-pleas’d, O blessed one, with these to count up thy creation; and, taking now the babe to thee, do thou thyself alleviate the parents’ pain, as all-compassionate and lover of mankind.

Both now. Theotokion.

The heart’s eyes turn I ever unto thee, who hast maternal prayer with him who birth receiv’d from thee; for I entreat thee, O All-pure, Quell thou the passions of my soul, rouse me betimes to penitence, O maid, and with thy light enlighten me.

Then the little ectenia.

And the exapostilarion.

Now am I at rest, and much forgiveness have receiv’d; for I have passed from corruption, and am translated unto life: glory to thee, O Lord.

And the people the same.

Verse. Man is as grass, his day is as a flower of the field.

Verse. For his spirit goeth forth through him, and he shall not be.

Verse. And the mercy of the Lord shall endure to ages.

And to each verse the exapostilarion.

Then, Glory. Both now.

Now have I chosen the maiden Mother of God; for Christ, redeemer of all, was born of her: glory to thee, O Lord.

And straightway the priest exclaimeth,

For holy art thou, O our God, and thou restest on the Saints, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen. And they sing, Holy God....

Prokimenon, tone vi.

Blessed is the way in which thou goest to-day, O soul....

Verse. Return, O my soul, unto thy rest.

The epistle to the Corinthians, section clxii.

Brethren, all flesh is not the same.... ending, a quickening spirit.[49]

Verse. Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and received, O Lord.

Verse. His soul shall dwell in good things.

The gospel from John, section xxi.

The Lord spake unto the Jews that came unto him, I am the bread of life.... ending, at the last day.[50]

And straightway the last kiss is given, while the singers sing these stichera. Tone viii.

Like, O most glorious wonder!

Who would not weep, my child, because of thy lamented taking from this life; for thou, a babe unwax’d in growth, from the maternal arms, like to a bird, hast quickly flown, and unto all things’ Maker hast betaken thee. O child! who would not weep, beholding faded thy clear face, which erewhile beauteous as a lily was? Who would not sigh, my child, and would not cry with wailing because of thy much comeliness, and for the charm of thine estate? for as a ship that leaves no track thou quickly from the eyes art gone. Come, ye, my friends, kinsfolk, and neighbours, and, along with me, let us him kiss whom send we to the grave.

Death is the freeing of the babes; for unparticipants of ills of life they are declar’d, and unto rest attain, and they in Abraham’s bosom with heavenly joys are glad, and now along with holy babes in choirs divine rejoice, and festal high in faith they keep; for from corruption, through the love of sin, they, being pure, translated are.

Glory. Tone vi.

On Adam pain befell of old in Eden through the tasting of the tree, when bane the serpent spued; for thereby death hath come on the omnigenous man who ate. But the Lord came, subdued the serpent, and repose bestow’d on us. Then let us cry to him, O Saviour, spare, and rest with thine elect him whom thou hast receiv’d.

Both now. Theotokion.

Thou that alleviation art for those in grief, deliverance of the weak, God-bearing Virgin, save the city and the folk, thou that for those at enmity art peace, for tempest-tost a calm, the faithful’s sole defence.

Then, Trisagion. O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For thine is the Kingdom....

Then the troparion, With the spirits of the righteous.... Page 138.

And he commemorateth according to custom, saying the previously written ectenia, and the prayer. Page 139.

Then the deacon. Wisdom.

Choir. The more honourable than the Cherubim.... Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Bless.

And the priest maketh this dismissal.

Thou that didst arise from the dead, and hast dominion over quick and dead, Christ our true God, through the prayers of thy most pure Mother, and of all thy Saints, place the soul of the babe, name, removed from us, in holy tabernacles, and number it with the just, as being good and the lover of mankind.

Choir. Amen.

And after the dismissal the priest saith,

Thy remembrance is everlasting, O thou deservedly blessed and ever remembered babe, name.

And the choir singeth thrice, Everlasting remembrance.

After this the priest saith this prayer, the deacon having said, Let us pray to the Lord, and the singers, Lord, have mercy.

O Lord, who guardest babes in the life that now is, and in the world to come preparest for them the amplitude of Abraham’s bosom, and, for their purity, bright angelic places where the souls of the righteous are established; do thou thyself, O Lord Christ, accept in peace the soul of thy servant, the babe, name. For thou hast said, Suffer the children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. For to thee is due all glory, honour, and worship, with the Father, and with the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

And, taking up the body, they go to the grave, preceded by the priests and deacons and all the clergy, singing, Holy God....

And, the remains having been laid in the grave, the presiding priest, taking a shovel, scattereth earth in the grave, saying,

The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein.

And they depart giving thanks unto God.

End of the burial of a babe.