THE PREPARATION OF THE HOLY RELICS

The Celebrant Hierarch arrives at the Church to be consecrated and is received by the clergy in the Portico. After the petitions, the Hierarch reads the following prayers.

HIERARCH

THE FIRST PRAYER BY PATRIARCH KALLISTOS

Lord our God, you created all things by your word alone and adorned your creation with diversity in ways unknown to us. You poured forth the light of the sun for its renewal. You inspired your servant Moses to offer exaltations and praises to the excellence of your creation and say: “You saw the light and it was good and you called it day.” We have also seen this brilliant sun renewing the creation every day and we glorify you the true light. Lord, by your Son, you have commanded us to renew our nature by your Holy Spirit, and through this gift your just people shine like the sun. We pray and entreat you, Father of the Word, our Lord and our God Jesus Christ, because creation has been renewed by your indescribable love and abundant mercy for us. You manifested your love and mercy in the Old Testament as the image of the New, the miraculous burning bush, the tabernacle of assembly and the beautiful Temple of Solomon. Lord look upon us also, your sinful and unworthy servants with merciful eyes, who worship in this holy house, which is as broad as heaven, the pride of the universe, the true altar of your ineffable glory. Send down on us your most Holy Spirit and in the words of David, “renew a right spirit within our hearts and make us strong with your sovereign spirit.” Make the leaders of our nation victorious over visible and invisible enemies and grant us tranquility and peace. Forgive the sins of those who have worked with diligence and love for you toward the erection and consecration of this Church. Fulfill Lord, all their requests which are for their salvation. Help them to perform your commandments. Give them the gift of renewal through your Holy Spirit, that they, without condemnation, may worship you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent, through the prayers of the most Holy Mother of God and all your Saints. ( Amen. )

SECOND PRAYER BY PATRIARCH KALLISTOS

Eternal Word and only Son of God, true God of the material and spiritual creation. You adorned all of creation with divine wisdom. You joined together the fluid and vague nature of water with your Holy Spirit, that moved over the water, and you beautified all the earth and renewed the whole world. You established the Tabernacle through Moses and consecrated it by your Holy Spirit. You inspired Solomon the Wise to erect a Holy Temple, in honor of your indescribable and ineffable glory. You consecrated it by your Holy Spirit and enabled the Judges of Judah at that time to see the glory and the grace of your Holy Spirit hovering over it. We pray and entreat you, at this time, eternal Word, and Son of the eternal Father, send down the same gift of your most Holy Spirit upon us and upon this Church erected for your glory and praise. Establish and strengthen this Church, protecting it to the end of the world. Renew this Church by your Holy Spirit, that as we offer the bloodless sacrifices in it, we might become partakers of your Holy Spirit. Make us sharers in the Holy Spirit, which renews us, upholds us with a willing heart and mystically grants us the cleansing of our mind, that we might offer you, Master, glory and honor, to the eternal Father, the only-begotten Son and the all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. ( Amen. )

The Celebrant Hierarch brings the relics of the three holy Martyrs to the Church on the eve of the Consecration, that will be deposited in the Altar Table the next day. The Clergy will escort the Hierarch and proceed to the Altar. The Celebrant places the holy relics on the paten, covers them with a communion veil and says:

HIERARCH

Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages. ( Amen. )

PEOPLE

Trisagion Prayers.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; both 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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

HIERARCH

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages. ( Amen. )

CHOIR

The Choirs sing the Apolytikia for the Saints whose relics were received and also the Apolytikion of the Church.

Apolytikion of the Parish Church

Mode pl. 2.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Godly choir of Martyrs, you are the foundation of the Church, the perfect accomplishment of the Gospel. By your deeds you have fulfilled the words of the Savior; for in you the gates of Hades, which were opened against the Church, have now been shut. The spilling of your blood dried up the libations poured out to idols. Your slaughter gave birth to the membership of the faithful. You amazed the choirs of bodiless Angels. You were crowned by God, and now you stand near Him. Unceasingly pray to Him on behalf of our souls. [SD]

Mode pl. 2.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Theotokos, you are the true vine that produced the fruit of life. Lady, we fervently entreat you to intercede along with the Apostles and all the saints, that our souls be treated mercifully. [SD]

DISMISSAL

HIERARCH

Glory to You, O Christ God, our hope. Glory to You.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

PEOPLE

Amen.