TENTH CENTURY PRAYERS
Reading edition
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Benediction
May our Lord Jesus Christ be near us to defend us, within us to refresh us, around us to preserve us, before us to guide us, behind us to justify us, above us to bless us, who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, God for evermore. Amen.
—Anonymous
For a Birthday
We beseech Thee, Lord, open Thy heavens; from thence may Thy gifts descend to him. Put forth Thine own hand from heaven and touch his head. May he feel the touch of Thy hand, and receive the joy of the Holy Spirit, that he may remain blessed for evermore. Amen.
—Ethelwold of York
Confession and Prayer for Forgiveness
O Lord, O King, resplendent on the citadel of heaven, all hail continually; and of Thy clemency upon Thy people still do Thou have mercy.
Lord, Whom the hosts of cherubim in songs and hymns with praise continually proclaim, do Thou upon us eternally have mercy.
The armies aloft, O Lord, do sing high praise 43 to Thee, even they to whom the seraphim reply, “do Thou have mercy.”
O Christ, enthroned as King above, whom the nine orders of angels in their beauty praise without ceasing, deign Thou upon us, Thy servants, ever to have mercy.
O Christ, whom Thy one only Church throughout the world doth hymn, O Thou to whom the sun, the moon, and stars, the land and sea, do service ever, do Thou have mercy.
O Christ, those holy ones, the heirs of the eternal country, one and all with utter joy proclaim Thee in a most worthy strain: do Thou have mercy upon us.
O Lord, O gentle Son of Mary free, O King of Kings, blessed Redeemer, upon those who have been ransomed from the power of death, by Thine own blood, ever have mercy.
O noblest unbegotten, yet begotten Son, having no beginning of age, yet without effort (in the weakness of God) excelling all things, upon this Thy congregation in Thy pity, Lord have mercy.
O Sun of Righteousness, in all unclouded glory, supreme dispenser of justice, in that great day when Thou shalt strictly judge all nations, we earnestly beseech Thee, upon This Thy people, who here stand before Thy presence, in Thy pity, Lord, then have mercy upon us. Amen.
—Dunstan of Canterbury
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Dying Words
Glory be to Thee, Almighty Father, who hast given to them that fear Thee the heavenly bread of life, that we may be mindful of the marvels which Thou hast wrought upon the earth, by sending us Thy only begotten Son, very man, born of a pure virgin. We give thanks, as is most justly due, to Thee, O Holy Father, who didst create us ere yet we were, and whilst we were yet sinners didst make us partakers of Thy heavenly grace, through the same Thy Son, our Lord and God, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost maketh, ordereth, and ruleth all things for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.
—Dunstan of Canterbury
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