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And when the readings are being read the brethren are seated. 7 A cross-shaped illumination and sealing of the people. 10 Then the priest, taking the censer and a lighted candle with his right hand

exclaims: Wisdom, stand aright. The light of Christ shines upon all. Then the Proverb, after which: The priest: Peace be to you.

The deacon: Wisdom. And immediately the "Let my prayer be directed." 8 The Ektenia. 9. And after the entrance and the readings and the "Let my prayer be directed" he says:

Let us all say from our whole soul and from our whole mind, let us say: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy. For the holy. For our deliverance. Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, O Lord, hearken and have mercy. 10, K etc. Again we pray for our most pious and God-protected emperors, for their power, victory, perseverance, peace, health, and salvation, and that the Lord our God may in all things further co-operate with and prosper them, and subdue under their feet every enemy and adversary. 10 Again we pray for our most pious and Christ-loving emperors, N. and N., for their health and For the health of our Archbishop N. For the remission of sins of the servant of God N. and of all our brotherhood in Christ. And for those who minister. Exclamation: For Thou art a merciful and man-loving God.

10 Prayer of the Fervent Supplication. 9 O Lord our God, accept this fervent supplication from Thy servants, and have mercy on us according to the multitude of Thy mercy, and send down Thy compassions upon us and upon all Thy people who await the rich mercy that is from Thee.

Aloud: For Thou art a merciful and man-loving God, and to Thee we send up glory, to the Father …

9 Prayers for the catechumens and for those being enlightened K. The deacon. 9, 10, K, L etc. Let the catechumens pray to the Lord. Let us, the faithful, pray for the catechumens, that the Lord may have mercy on them, may teach them the word of truth, may reveal to them the gospel of righteousness, may unite them to His holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. 10, K, M, a Save, have mercy, help, and protect them, O God, by Thy grace. Ye catechumens, bow your heads to the Lord.

9 The priest prays: O God, our God, the creator ... (p. 53). Save, have mercy, raise up, and protect. Ye catechumens, bow your heads to the Lord. That they also with us may glorify. All who are catechumens, depart; catechumens, depart;

These diaconal litanies are said from the first week until Mid-Lent; but from the fourth week of Mid-Lent, the following are said: All who are catechumens, depart; catechumens, depart; all who are for enlightenment, draw near. Let those who are for enlightenment pray. Let us, the faithful, pray to the Lord for our brethren who are preparing for holy enlightenment and for their salvation; that the Lord our God may strengthen and empower them; may enlighten them with the light of knowledge and truth; may count them worthy in due season of the laver of regeneration, the remission of sins, and the garment of incorruption; may regenerate them through water and the spirit; may grant to them the perfection of the faith; may number them among His holy and elect flock. Save, have mercy, raise up, and protect them, O God, by Thy grace. Ye who are for enlightenment, bow your heads to the Lord.

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Καὶ τῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων ἀναγνωσκομένων οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἐφιζάνουσι. Ζʹ Σταυροειδὴς φωτισμὸς καὶ σφράγισις τοῦ λαοῦ. Ι Εἶτα λαβὼν ὁ ἱερεὺς μετὰ τῆς δεξιᾶς αὐτοῦ χειρὸς τὸν θυμιατὸν καὶ κηρὸν

ἅπτοντα, ἐκφωνεῖ· Σοφία, ὀρθοί. Φῶς Χριστοῦ φαίνει πᾶσιν. Εἶτα ἡ παροιμία, μεθ' ἥν· Ὁ ἱερεύς· Εἰρήνη σοι.

Ὁ διάκονος· Σοφία. Καὶ εὐθὺς τὸ Κατευθυνθήτω. Ηʹ Ἐκτενής. Θ. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν εἴσοδον καὶ τὰ ἀναγνώσματα καὶ τὸ Κατευθυνθήτω λέγει·

Εἴπωμεν πάντες ἐξ ὅλης ψυχῆς καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας, Κ εἴπωμεν Κύριε παντοκράτορ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, δεόμεθά σου ἐπάκουσον καὶ ἐλέησον. Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἁγίου. Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ῥυσθῆναι. Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου, δεόμεθά σου Κ, Κύριε ἐπάκουσον καὶ ἐλέησον. Ι, Κ κλπ. Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων καὶ θεοφυλάκτων βασιλέων ἡμῶν, κράτους, νίκης Κ διαμονῆς, εἰρήνης, ὑγείας, σωτηρίας αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν ἐπὶ πλέον συνεργῆσαι, κατευοδῶσαι αὐτοὺς ἐν πᾶσι καὶ ὑποτάξαι ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν πάντα ἐχθρὸν καὶ πολέμιον. Ι Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων βασιλέων ἡμῶν τοῦ δεῖνος καὶ τῆς δείνα, ὑγείας καὶ Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀρχιεπισκόπου ἡμῶν τοῦ ∆ δεῖνος ὑγείας. Ὑπὲρ ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ∆ δεῖνο καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἡμῶν ἀδελφότητος. Καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν διακονούντων. Ἐκφ. Ὅτι ἐλεήμων καὶ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς ὑπάρχεις.

Ι Εὐχὴ τῆς ἐκτενοῦς ἱκεσίας. Θ Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τὴν ἐκτενῆ ταύτην ἱκεσίαν πρόσδεξαι παρὰ τῶν δούλων σου καὶ ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλέους σου καὶ τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς σου κατάπεμψον ἐφ' ἡμᾶς καὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν σου, τὸν ἀπεκδεχόμενον τὸ παρὰ σοῦ πλούσιον ἔλεος.

Ἐκφώνως· Ὅτι ἐλεήμων καὶ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς ὑπάρχεις καὶ σοὶ τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν τῷ Πατρί …

Θ' Εὐχαὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηχουμένων καὶ τῶν φωτιζομένων Κ. Ὁ διάκονος. Θ, Ι, Κ, Λ κλπ. Εὔξασθαι οἱ κατηχούμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ. Οἱ πιστοὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηχουμένων δεηθῶμεν, ἵνα ὁ Κύριος αὐτοὺς ἐλεήσῃ, κατηχήσῃ αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀποκαλύψῃ αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ἑνώσῃ αὐτοὺς τῇ ἁγίᾳ αὑτοῦ καθολικῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ι, Κ, Μ, α Σῶσον, ἐλέησον, ἀντιλαβοῦ καὶ διαφύλαξον αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς τῇ σῇ χάριτι. Οἱ κατηχούμενοι τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ κλίνατε.

Θ Ὁ ἱερεὺς εὔχεται· Ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ κτίστης ... (σελ. 53). Σῶσον, ἐλέησον, ἀνάστησον καὶ διαφύλαξον. Οἱ κατηχούμενοι τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ κλίνατε. Ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ σὺν ἡμῖν δοξάζωσι. Ὅσοι κατηχούμενοι προέλθετε, οἱ κατηχούμενοι προέλθετε·

Ταῦτα τὰ διακονικὰ λέγονται ἀπὸ τῆς αʹ ἑβδομάδος ἕως τῆς μεσονηστίμου· ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς δʹ τῆς μεσονηστίμου λέγονται ταῦτα τὰ ὑποτεταγμένα· Ὅσοι κατηχούμενοι προέλθετε, οἱ κατηχούμενοι προέλθετε· ὅσοι πρὸς τὸ φώτισμα προέλθετε. Εὔξασθαι οἱ πρὸς τὸ φώτισμα. Οἱ πιστοὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν πρὸς τὸ ἅγιον φώτισμα εὐτρεπιζομένων ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν· ὅπως Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν στηρίξῃ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐνδυναμώσῃ· φωτίσῃ αὐτοὺς φωτισμῷ γνώσεως καὶ ἀληθείας· καταξιώσῃ αὐτοὺς ἐν καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ τοῦ λουτροῦ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας, τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ τοῦ ἐνδύματος τῆς ἀφθαρσίας· ἀναγεννήσῃ αὐτοὺς δι' ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος· χαρίσῃ αὐτοῖς τὴν τελειότητα τῆς πίστεως· συγκαταριθμήσῃ αὐτοὺς τῇ ἁγίᾳ αὑτοῦ καὶ ἐκλεκτῇ ποίμνῃ. Σῶσον, ἐλέησον, ἀνάστησον καὶ διαφύλαξον αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς τῇ σῇ χάριτι. Οἱ πρὸς τὸ φώτισμα τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ κλίνατε.