Chapter 26

1At early dawn, let the bishop assemble the people so that the service may be finished before sunrise. When he says the First Hymn of Praise for the Dawn, with the presbyters, deacons, the rest, and the faithful standing close by, let him say:

2Praise to the Lord.

3And let the people say:

4It is fitting and right.

5HYMN OF PRAISE FOR THE DAWN

6The bishop:

7It is fitting and right that we should praise, laud, and give thanks to you, ineffable God, who made all things. Stretching our souls upward, we raise to you, O Lord, a hymn of praise for the morning—to you who are all-wise, powerful, and great in mercy, O God, the Strengthener and Raiser of our souls. We praise you, the Word who was begotten of the Father before the worlds and rests alone with your saints, who are praised with the hymns of the archangels—you, the Maker who was not made by hands and who reveals holy things that are invisible, pure, and spotless—you who have revealed to us the hidden mysteries of wisdom and promised us immortal light. In pure holiness we, your servants, O Lord, lift up praise to you.

8And let the people say:

9We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, O Lord, and we beseech you, O our God.

10Also let the bishop say:

11O God, Begetter of light, Principle of life, Giver of knowledge, Gift of grace, Maker of souls, who make things beautiful, Giver of the Holy Spirit, Treasure of Wisdom, Maker of good things, Lord and Teacher of holiness, who rule the worlds by your will and receive pure prayers: we praise you, the Only-Begotten Son, the Firstborn and Word of the Father, who bestowed all your grace upon us who call upon you, the Helper, and upon the Father who begot you; whose essence cannot be harmed, where neither moth nor worm corrupts; who give to all who trust in you with all their heart those things that the angels have desired to behold; who are the Guardian of eternal light and incorruptible treasures; who, by the will of your Father, shed light upon the darkness within us; who raised us from the depths into light; who gave us life out of death and freedom out of slavery; who through the cross made us members of your Father’s household, through your gospel guided us to the heights of heaven, and through your prophets comforted us; who in your own person made us members of the household of God, the Father of lights. Grant us, O Lord, that we may praise you, our God, so that we, your servants, O Lord, may always speak praises to you with unceasing thanksgiving.

12The people:

13We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, and we beseech you, O our God.

14Let the bishop also say:

15With our mouths we sing to you this threefold hymn of praise as a figure of your kingdom, O Son of God, who are by eternity, who are above all with the Father, whom all creation praises, trembling in fear of your Spirit, at whom all nature trembles in fear, and whom every righteous soul blesses; with whom we have all taken refuge; who have made confusion, storms, and wind cease from us; who have been for us a haven of rest and a refuge from corruption; in whom we have hope of eternal salvation; who bring the peace of fair weather to those buffeted on the seas and by tempests; who are entreated in sickness and heal without payment; who are with those shut up in prison; who have freed us from the bonds of death; who are the Comforter of the poor, of those who mourn, and of those who have labored and wearied themselves with the cross; who turn every threat away from us; who for our sake have rebuked the craft of Satan; who drive away his threats and give us courage; who thrust away all error from those who trust in you; whom the prophets and apostles praised secretly. We praise you, O Lord, and lift up a doxology to you, so that, having known you, we may rest in the habitations of life, always doing your will.

16And grant us, O Lord, to walk according to your commandments, and in mercy visit us all, both small and great, the prince and his people, the shepherd and his flock. For you, O Lord, are our God, and blessed and praised is your kingdom—the kingdom of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—before the worlds, now and always, through the ages, and forever and ever without end.

17And let the people say:

18Amen.

19Let them sing psalms and four hymns of praise: one by Moses, one by Solomon, and others by the prophets. Thus: little singing boys, two virgins, three deacons, and three presbyters.

20Then let the hymn of praise be said by the bishop or by one of the presbyters. Let it be said thus:

21The grace of our Lord be with you all.

22And let the people say:

23And with your spirit.

24And let the priest say:

25Let us also praise our Lord.

26And let the people say:

27Fittingly and rightly.

28Let the priest say:

29Let your hearts be fixed.

30And let the people say:

31We have them fixed upon the Lord.

32HYMN OF PRAISE OF THE SEAL

33O Lord, the Father, the Giver of light, the Author of all power and all spirits, the Sealer of eternal light, the Guide of life, and the Maker of happiness and immortality, who have made us pass through material darkness and bestowed immaterial light upon us; who have loosed the bonds of disobedience and crowned us with the faith that is yours; who do not remain far from your servants but are always within them; who do not neglect those souls that labor and beseech you in fear; who know all things before they are thought, search out all things before they are considered, and give what you will give before we ask you; who are pleased to hear those who serve you with an undoubting heart, O King of the highest lights and the host of heaven, who hear the archangels when they praise you and are pleased with them: answer us, O Lord, we beseech you. Grant us boldly and with unceasing voice to praise you, laud you, and lift up a doxology to you, so that, guarded by you and guided in light, we, your servants, O Lord, may continually praise you.

34The people:

35We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, O Lord, and we beseech you, O our God.

36The priest:

37O Lord Jesus, hear us, O Holy One, who before we ask you to give, were the Voice of the mute and irrational, the Strength of the paralyzed, the Giver of light to the blind, the Guide of the lame, the Cleanser of lepers, the Healer of bodily discharges, the Healer of the deaf and mute, the Rebuker of death, the Tormentor of darkness, the Ray of light, the Lamp that is not quenched, and the Sun that is not darkened and does not rest, but always gives light to your saints; who established all things together in the good likeness of beauty; who are well-tempered Reason; who have plainly given light to all; who are the Savior of the children of humanity and the Converter of souls; who provide all things rightly; the Maker of angels, who adorn all things; the Thought of the Father; who founded the worlds in prudence and wisdom and established them together; and who were sent to us from your eternal Father; the Intelligence of the Spirit, who cannot be apprehended or understood; the Revealer of invisible things. You are glorious, and your name is Wonderful. Therefore we also, your servants, O Lord, give praise to you.

38The people:

39We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, O Lord, and we beseech you, O our Lord.

40The priest:

41We sing this threefold hymn of praise to you, O holy Lord, who gave us an unbreakable faith in you, by which you enabled us to conquer the bonds of death; who created upright minds in those who trust in you, that they might be gods; who through the Spirit enabled us to trample underfoot all the power of the enemy, so that we might not profane those things that may not be profaned; who through your mediation made friendship for us with your Father.

42Answer us, your servants, O Lord, whom we entreat without ceasing, who at our supplication give us power against the adversary, whom we always implore for the overthrow of the Evil One. Hear us, O Eternal King. Comfort the widows, help the orphans, have pity on and cleanse those possessed by unclean spirits, give wisdom to the unwise, turn back those who go astray, deliver those in prison, and guard us all. For you, O Lord, are our God; blessed and glorious is your kingdom.

43The people:

44Amen.