[Concerning the Blessing of Water and Oil—The Constitution of Matthias.]

XXIX.  156  This chapter is not found in the Coptic and Syriac. One V. ms. has the following note: “Matthew (probably a mistake for Matthias) taught the doctrines of Christ in Judea, and was one of the seventy disciples. After the ascension of Christ he was numbered with the twelve apostles, instead of Judas, who was the betrayer. He lies in Jerusalem.” Concerning the water and the oil, I Matthias make a constitution. Let the bishop bless the water, or the oil. But if he be not there, let the presbyter bless it, the deacon standing by. But if the bishop be present, let the presbyter and deacon stand by, and let him say thus: O Lord of hosts, the God of powers, the creator of the waters, and the supplier of oil, who art compassionate, and a lover of mankind, who hast given water for drink and for cleansing, and oil to give man a cheerful and joyful countenance;  157  Ps. civ. 15. do Thou now also sanctify this water and this oil through Thy Christ, in the name of him or her that has offered them, and grant them a power to restore health, to drive away diseases, to banish demons, and to disperse all snares through Christ our hope, with whom glory, honour, and worship be to Thee, and to the Holy Ghost, for ever. Amen.

[29] Περὶ δὲ ὕδατος καὶ ἐλαίου ἐγὼ Ματθαῖος διατάσσομαι. Εὐλογείτω ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τὸ ὕδωρ ἤτοι τὸ ἔλαιον: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ παρῇ, εὐλογείτω ὁ πρεσβύτερος, παρεστῶτος τοῦ διακόνου: ἐπὰν δὲ ὁ ἐπίσκοπος παρῇ, παριστάσθω πρεσβύτερος καὶ διάκονος. Λεγέτω δὲ οὕτως: Κύριε Σαβαώθ, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων, κτίστα τῶν ὑδάτων καὶ χορηγὲ τοῦ ἐλαίου, οἰκτίρμον καὶ φιλάνθρωπε, ὁ δοὺς τὸ ὕδωρ πρὸς πόσιν καὶ κάθαρσιν, καὶ ἔλαιον τοῦ ἱλαρῦναι πρόσωπον εἰς ἀγαλλίαμα εὐφροσύνης: αὐτὸς καὶ νῦν διὰ Χριστοῦ ἁγίασον τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον ἐπ' ὀνόματι τοῦ προσκομίσαντος ἢ τῆς προσκομισάσης, καὶ δὸς δύναμιν ὑγείας ἐμποιητικήν, νόσων ἀπελαστικήν, δαιμόνων φυγαδευτικήν, οἴκου φυλακτικὴν, πάσης ἐπιβουλῆς διωκτικὴν διὰ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν, δι' οὗ σοὶ δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ σέβας ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας: ἀμήν.