[The Constitution of James the Brother of John, the Son of Zebedee.]

XII. And I James,  85  One V. ms. gives the following note: “James the son of Zebedee, brother of John, preached the Gospel in Judea, was slain with the sword by Herod the tetrarch, and lies in Cæsarea.” the brother of John, the son of Zebedee, say, that  the deacon shall immediately  say, Let none of the catechumens, let none of the hearers, let none of the unbelievers, let none of the heterodox, stay here . You who have prayed the foregoing prayer, depart.  86  [N.B.—No non-communicating attendance permitted.]  Let the mothers receive their children; let no one have anything against any one; let no one come in hypocrisy; let us stand upright before the Lord with fear and trembling, to offer. When this is done, let the deacons bring the gifts to the bishop at the altar; and let the presbyters stand on his right hand, and on his left, as disciples stand before their Master. But let two of the deacons, on each side of the altar, hold a fan, made up of thin membranes, or of the feathers of the peacock, or of fine cloth, and let them silently drive away the small animals that fly about, that they may not come near to the cups. Let the high priest, therefore  , together with the priests,  pray   87  The Coptic adds, “over the oblation, that the Holy Spirit may descend upon it, making the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ; and prayers being ended.” It then goes on with the words in italics in ch. xiii. by himself; and let him put on his shining garment, and stand at the altar, and make the sign of the cross upon his forehead with his hand,  88  The common text has, “before all the people,” omitted by one V. ms. and say: The grace of Almighty God, and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. And let all with one voice say: And with thy spirit. The high priest: Lift up your mind. All the people: We lift it up unto the Lord. The high priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord. All the people: It is meet and right so to do. Then let the high priest say: It is very meet and right before all things to sing an hymn to Thee, who art the true God, who art before all beings, “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named;”  89  Eph. iii. 15. who only art unbegotten, and without beginning, and without a ruler, and without a master; who standest in need of nothing; who art the bestower of everything that is good; who art beyond all cause and generation; who art alway and immutably the same; from whom all things came into being, as from their proper original. For Thou art eternal knowledge, everlasting sight, unbegotten hearing, untaught wisdom, the first by nature, and the measure of being, and beyond all number; who didst bring all things out of nothing into being by Thy only begotten Son, but didst beget Him before all ages by Thy will, Thy power, and Thy goodness, without any instrument, the only begotten Son, God the Word, the living Wisdom, “the First-born of every creature, the angel of Thy Great Counsel,”  90  Col. i. 15; Isa. ix. 6, LXX. and Thy High Priest, but the King and Lord of every intellectual and sensible nature, who was before all things, by whom were all things. For Thou, O eternal God, didst make all things by Him, and through Him it is that Thou vouchsafest Thy suitable providence over the whole world; for by the very same that Thou bestowedst being, didst Thou also bestow well-being: the God and Father of Thy only begotten Son, who by Him didst make before all things the cherubim and the seraphim, the æons and hosts, the powers and authorities, the principalities and thrones, the archangels and angels; and after all these, didst by Him make this visible world, and all things that are therein. For Thou art He who didst frame the heaven as an arch, and “stretch it out like the covering of a tent,”  91  Gen. i.; 4 Esd. xvi. 60; Ps. civ. 2. and didst found the earth upon nothing by Thy mere will; who didst fix the firmament, and prepare the night and the day; who didst bring the light out of Thy treasures, and on its departure didst bring on darkness, for the rest of the living creatures that move up and down in the world; who didst appoint the sun in heaven to rule over the day, and the moon to rule over the night, and didst inscribe in heaven the choir of stars to praise Thy glorious majesty; who didst make the water for drink and for cleansing, the air in which we live for respiration and the affording of sounds, by the means of the tongue, which strikes the air, and the hearings which co-operates therewith, so as to perceive speech when it is received by it, and falls upon it; who madest fire for our consolation in darkness, for the supply of our want, and that we might be warmed and enlightened by it; who didst separate the great sea from the land, and didst render the former navigable and the latter fit for walking, and didst replenish the former with small and great living creatures, and filledst the latter with the same, both tame and wild; didst furnish it with various plants, and crown it with herbs, and beautify it with flowers, and enrich it with seeds; who didst ordain the great deep, and on every side madest a mighty cavity for it, which contains seas of salt waters heaped together,  92  Job xxxviii. yet didst Thou every way bound them with barriers of the smallest sand;  93  Jer. v. 22. who sometimes dost raise it to the height of mountains by the winds, and sometimes dost smooth it into a plain; sometimes dost enrage it with a tempest, and sometimes dost still it with a calm, that it may be easy to seafaring men in their voyages; who didst encompass this world, which was made by Thee through Christ, with rivers, and water it with currents, and moisten it with springs that never fail, and didst bind it round with mountains for the immoveable and secure consistence of the earth: for Thou hast replenished Thy world, and adorned it with sweet-smelling and with healing herbs, with many and various living creatures, strong and weak, for food and for labour, tame and wild; with the noises of creeping things, the sounds of various sorts of flying creatures; with the circuits of the years, the numbers of months and days, the order of the seasons, the courses of the rainy clouds, for the production of the fruits and the support of living creatures. Thou hast also appointed the station of the winds, which blow when commanded by Thee, and the multitude of the plants and herbs. And Thou hast not only created the world itself, but hast also made man for a citizen of the world, exhibiting him as the ornament of the world; for Thou didst say to Thy Wisdom: “Let us make man according to our image, and according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the heaven.”  94  Gen. i. 26. Wherefore also Thou hast made him of an immortal soul and of a body liable to dissolution—the former out of nothing, the latter out of the four elements—and hast given him as to his soul rational knowledge, the discerning of piety and impiety, and the observation of right and wrong; and as to his body, Thou hast granted him five senses and progressive motion: for Thou, O God Almighty, didst by Thy Christ plant a paradise in Eden,  95  Gen. ii. 8. in the east, adorned with all plants fit for food, and didst introduce him into it, as into a rich banquet. And when Thou madest him, Thou gavest him a law implanted within him, that so he might have at home and within himself the seeds of divine knowledge; and when Thou hadst brought him into the paradise of pleasure, Thou allowedst him the privilege of enjoying all things, only forbidding the tasting of one tree, in hopes of greater blessings; that in case he would keep that command, he might receive the reward of it, which was immortality. But when he neglected that command, and tasted of the forbidden fruit, by the seduction of the serpent and the counsel of his wife, Thou didst justly cast him out of paradise.

Yet of Thy goodness Thou didst not overlook him, nor suffer him to perish utterly, for he was Thy creature; but Thou didst subject the whole creation to him, and didst grant him liberty to procure himself food by his own sweat and labours, whilst Thou didst cause all the fruits of the earth to spring up, to grow, and to ripen. But when Thou hadst laid him asleep for a while, Thou didst with an oath call him to a restoration again, didst loose the bond of death, and promise him life after the resurrection. And not this only; but when Thou hadst increased his posterity to an innumerable multitude, those that continued with Thee Thou didst glorify, and those who did apostatize from Thee Thou didst punish. And while Thou didst accept of the sacrifice of Abel  96  Gen. iv. as of an holy person, Thou didst reject the gift of Cain, the murderer of his brother, as of an abhorred wretch. And besides these, Thou didst accept of Seth and Enos,  97  Ecclus. xlix. 16. and didst translate Enoch:  98  Gen. iv. and v. for Thou art the Creator of men, and the giver of life, and the supplier of want, and the giver of laws, and the rewarder of those that observe them, and the avenger of those that transgress them; who didst bring the great flood upon the world by reason of the multitude of the ungodly,  99  Gen. vi. and vii. and didst deliver righteous Noah from that flood by an ark,  100  1 Pet. iii. 20. with eight souls, the end of the foregoing generations, and the beginning of those that were to come; who didst kindle a fearful fire against the five cities of Sodom, and “didst turn a fruitful land into a salt lake for the wickedness of them that dwelt therein,”  101  Gen. xix.; Wisd. x. 6; Ps. cvii. 34 but didst snatch holy Lot out of the conflagration. Thou art He who didst deliver Abraham from the impiety of his fore-fathers, and didst appoint him to be the heir of the world, and didst discover to him Thy Christ; who didst aforehand ordain Melchisedec an high priest for Thy worship;  102  Gen. xii., etc. who didst render Thy patient servant Job the conqueror of that serpent who is the patron of wickedness; who madest Isaac the son of the promise, and Jacob the father of twelve sons, and didst increase his posterity to a multitude, and bring him into Egypt with seventy-five souls.  103  Gen. xlvi. 27, LXX. Thou, O Lord, didst not overlook Joseph, but grantedst him, as a reward of his chastity for Thy sake, the government over the Egyptians. Thou, O Lord, didst not overlook the Hebrews when they were afflicted by the Egyptians, on account of the promises made unto their fathers; but Thou didst deliver them and punish the Egyptians.  104  Ex. 1, etc. And when men had corrupted the law of nature, and had sometimes esteemed the creation the effect of chance, and sometimes honoured it more than they ought, and equalled it to the God of the universe, Thou didst not, however, suffer them to go astray, but didst raise up Thy holy servant Moses, and by him didst give the written law for the assistance of the law of nature,  105  See Isa. viii. 20, LXX. and didst show that the creation was Thy work, and didst banish away the error of polytheism. Thou didst adorn Aaron and his posterity with the priesthood, and didst punish the Hebrews when they sinned, and receive them again when they returned to Thee. Thou didst punish the Egyptians with a judgment of ten plagues, and didst divide the sea, and bring the Israelites through it, and drown and destroy the Egyptians who pursued after them. Thou didst sweeten the bitter water with wood; Thou didst bring water out of the rock of stone; Thou didst rain manna from heaven, and quails, as meat out of the air; Thou didst afford them a pillar of fire by night to give them light, and a pillar of a cloud by day to overshadow them from the heat; Thou didst declare Joshua to be the general of the army, and didst overthrow the seven nations of Canaan by him;  106  Josh. iii. 10, etc. Thou didst divide Jordan, and dry up the rivers of Etham;  107  Ps. lxxiv. 15 Thou didst overthrow walls without instruments or the hand of man.  108  Josh. vi For all these things, glory be to Thee, O Lord Almighty. Thee do the innumerable hosts of angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, and powers, Thine everlasting armies, adore. The cherubim and the six-winged seraphim, with twain covering their feet, with twain their heads, and with twain flying,  109  Isa. vi. 2 say, together with thousand thousands of archangels, and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels,  110  Dan. vii. 10 incessantly, and with constant and loud voices, and let all the people say it with them: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of His glory: be Thou blessed for ever. Amen.”  111  Isa. vi. 3; Rom. i. 25. And afterwards let the high priest say: For Thou art truly holy, and most holy, the highest and most highly exalted for ever. Holy also is Thy only begotten Son our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, who in all things ministered to His God and Father, both in Thy various creation and Thy suitable providence, and has not overlooked lost mankind. But after the law of nature, after the exhortations in the positive law, after the prophetical reproofs and the government of the angels, when men had perverted both the positive law and that of nature, and had cast out of their mind the memory of the flood, the burning of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the slaughters of the inhabitant of Palestine, and being just ready to perish universally after an unparalleled manner, He was pleased by Thy good will to become man, who was man’s Creator; to be under the laws, who was the Legislator; to be a sacrifice, who was an High Priest; to be a sheep, who was the Shepherd. And He appeased Thee, His God and Father, and reconciled Thee to the world, and freed all men from the wrath to come, and was made of a virgin, and was in flesh, being God the Word, the beloved Son, the first-born of the whole creation, and was, according to the prophecies which were foretold concerning Him by Himself, of the seed of David and Abraham, of the tribe of Judah. And He was made in the womb of a virgin, who formed all mankind that are born into the world; He took flesh, who was without flesh; He who was begotten before time, was born in time; He lived holily, and taught according to the law; He drove away every sickness and every disease from men, and wrought signs and wonders among the people; and He was partaker of meat, and drink, and sleep, who nourishes all that stand in need of food, and “fills every living creature with His goodness;”  112  Ps. cv. 16. “He manifested His name to those that knew it not;”  113  John xvii. 6, 4. He drave away ignorance; He revived piety, and fulfilled Thy will; He finished the work which Thou gavest Him to do; and when He had set all these things right, He was seized by the hands of the ungodly, of the high priests and priests, falsely so called, and of the disobedient people, by the betraying of him who was possessed of wickedness as with a confirmed disease; He suffered many things from them, and endured all sorts of ignominy by Thy permission; He was delivered to Pilate the governor, and He that was the Judge was judged, and He that was the Saviour was condemned; He that was impassible was nailed to the cross, and He who was by nature immortal died, and He that is the giver of life was buried, that He might loose those for whose sake He came from suffering and death, and might break the bonds of the devil, and deliver mankind from his deceit. He arose from the dead the third day; and when He had continued with His disciples forty days, He was taken up into the heavens, and is sat down on the right hand of Thee, who art His God and Father.

Being mindful, therefore, of those things that He endured for our sakes, we give Thee thanks, O God Almighty, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able, and fulfil His constitution: “For in the same night that He was betrayed, He took bread”  114  1 Cor. xi. 23. in His holy and undefiled hands, and, looking up to Thee His God and Father, “He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, This is the mystery of the new covenant: take of it, and eat. This is my body, which is broken for many, for the remission of sins.”  115  Matt. xxvi.; Mark xiv.; Luke xxii. In like manner also “He took the cup,” and mixed it of wine and water, and sanctified it, and delivered it to them, saying: “Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood which is shed for many, for the remission of sins: do this in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth my death until I come.” Being mindful, therefore, of His passion, and death, and resurrection from the dead, and return into the heavens, and His future second appearing, wherein He is to come with glory and power to judge the quick and the dead, and to recompense to every one according to his works, we offer to Thee, our King and our God, according to His constitution, this bread and this cup, giving Thee thanks, through Him, that Thou hast thought us worthy to stand before Thee, and to sacrifice to Thee; and we beseech Thee that Thou wilt mercifully look down upon these gifts which are here set before Thee, O Thou God, who standest in need of none of our offerings. And do Thou accept them, to the honour of Thy Christ, and send down upon this sacrifice Thine Holy Spirit, the Witness of the Lord Jesus’ sufferings, that He may show this bread to be the body of Thy Christ, and the cup to be the blood of Thy Christ, that those who are partakers thereof may be strengthened for piety, may obtain the remission of their sins, may be delivered from the devil and his deceit, may be filled with the Holy Ghost, may be made worthy of Thy Christ, and may obtain eternal life upon Thy reconciliation to them, O Lord Almighty. We further pray unto Thee, O Lord, for thy holy Church spread from one end of the world to another, which Thou hast purchased with the precious blood of Thy Christ, that Thou wilt preserve it unshaken and free from disturbance until the end of the world; for every episcopate who rightly divides the word of truth. We further pray to Thee for me, who am nothing, who offer to Thee, for the whole presbytery, for the deacons and all the clergy, that Thou wilt make them wise, and replenish them with the Holy Spirit. We further pray to Thee, O Lord, “for the king and all in authority,”  116  1 Tim. ii. 2. for the whole army, that they may be peaceable towards us, that so, leading the whole time of our life in quietness and unanimity, we may glorify Thee through Jesus Christ, who is our hope. We further offer to Thee also for all those holy persons who have pleased Thee from the beginning of the world—patriarch, prophets, righteous men, apostles, martyrs, confessors, bishops, presbyters, deacons, sub-deacons, readers, singers, virgins, widows, and lay persons, with all whose names Thou knowest. We further offer to Thee for this people, that Thou wilt render them, to the praise of Thy Christ, “a royal priesthood and an holy nation;”  117  1 Pet. ii. 9. for those that are in virginity and purity; for the widows of the Church; for those in honourable marriage and child-bearing; for the infants of Thy people, that Thou wilt not permit any of us to “become castaways.” We further beseech Thee also for this city and its inhabitants; for those that are sick; for those in bitter servitude; for those in banishments; for those in prison; for those that travel by water or by land; that Thou, the helper and assister of all men, wilt be their supporter. We further also beseech Thee for those that hate us and persecute us for Thy name’s sake; for those that are without, and wander out of the way; that Thou wilt convert them to goodness, and pacify their anger. We further also beseech Thee for the catechumens of the Church, and for those that are vexed by the adversary, and for our brethren the penitents, that Thou wilt perfect the first in the faith, that Thou wilt deliver the second from the energy of the evil one, and that Thou wilt accept the repentance of the last, and forgive both them and us our offences. We further offer to Thee also for the good temperature of the air, and the fertility of the fruits, that so, partaking perpetually of the good things derived from Thee, we may praise Thee without ceasing, “who gavest food to all flesh.”  118  Ps. cxxxvi. 25. We further beseech Thee also for those who are absent on a just cause, that Thou wilt keep us all in piety, and gather us together in the kingdom of Thy Christ, the God of all sensible and intelligent nature, our King that Thou wouldst keep us immoveable, unblameable, and unreprovable: for to Thee belongs all glory and worship, and thanksgiving, honour and adoration, the Father, with the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, both now and always, and for everlasting, and endless ages for ever. And let all the people say, Amen. And let the bishop say, “The peace of God be with you all.” And let all the people say, “And with thy spirit.” And let the deacon proclaim again:—

[12] Φημὶ δὴ κἀγὼ Ἰάκωβος, ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ἰωάννου τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου, ἵνα εὐθὺς ὁ διάκονος λέγῃ: Μή τις τῶν κατηχουμένων, μή τις τῶν ἀκροωμένων, μή τις τῶν ἀπίστων, μή τις τῶν ἑτεροδόξων. Οἱ τὴν πρώτην εὐχὴν εὐχόμενοι προσέλθετε: τὰ παιδία προσλαμβάνεσθε, αἱ μητέρες: μή τις κατά τινος, μή τις ἐν ὑποκρίσει: ὀρθοὶ πρὸς Κύριον μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἐστῶτες ὦμεν προσφέρειν. Ὧν γενομένων οἱ διάκονοι προσαγέτωσαν τὰ δῶρα τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων στηκέτωσαν, ὡς ἂν μαθηταὶ παρεστῶτες διδασκάλῳ: δύο δὲ διάκονοι ἐξ ἑκατέρων τῶν μερῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου κατεχέτωσαν ἐξ ὑμένων λεπτῶν ῥιπίδιον ἢ πτερὸν ταῶνος ἢ ὀθόνης, καὶ ἠρέμα ἀποσοβείτωσαν τὰ μικρὰ τῶν ἱπταμένων ζῴων, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἐγχρίμπτωνται εἰς τὰ κύπελλα. Εὐξάμενος οὖν καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἅμα τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν καὶ λαμπρὰν ἐσθῆτα μετενδὺς καὶ στὰς πρὸς τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, τὸ τρόπαιον τοῦ σταυροῦ κατὰ τοῦ μετώπου τῇ χειρὶ ποιησάμενος εἰπάτω: Ἡ χάρις τοῦ παντοκράτορος Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἔστω μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Καὶ πάντες συμφώνως λεγέτωσαν, ὅτι: Καὶ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου. Καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεύς: Ἄνω τὸν νοῦν. Καὶ πάντες: Ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον. Καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεύς: Εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ πάντες: Ἄξιον καὶ δίκαιον. Καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰπάτω: Ἄξιον καὶ δίκαιον ὡς ἀληθῶς πρὸ πάντων ἀνυμνεῖν σε τὸν ὄντως ὄντα Θεὸν τὸν πρὸ τῶν γενητῶν ὄντα, ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται, τὸν μόνον ἀγέννητον καὶ ἄναρχον καὶ ἀβασίλευτον καὶ ἀδέσποτον, τὸν ἀνενδεῆ, τὸν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ χορηγόν, τὸν πάσης αἰτίας καὶ γενέσεως κρείττονα, τὸν πάντοτε κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχοντα: ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καθάπερ ἔκ τινος ἀφετηρίας, εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρῆλθεν. Σὺ γὰρ εἶ ἡ ἄναρχος γνῶσις, ἡ ἀΐδιος ὅρασις, ἡ ἀγέννητος ἀκοή, ἡ ἀδίδακτος σοφία, ὁ πρῶτος τῇ φύσει καὶ μόνος τῷ εἶναι καὶ κρείττων παντὸς ἀριθμοῦ: ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παραγαγὼν διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ σου, αὐτὸν δὲ πρὸ πάντων αἰώνων γεννήσας βουλήσει καὶ δυνάμει καὶ ἀγαθότητι ἀμεσιτεύτως, Υἱὸν μονογενῆ, Λόγον Θεόν, σοφίαν ζῶσαν, πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως, ἄγγελον τῆς μεγάλης βουλῆς σου, ἀρχιερέα σὸν καὶ προσκυνητὴν ἀξιόχρεων, βασιλέα δὲ καὶ Κύριον πάσης νοητῆς καὶ αἰσθητῆς φύσεως, τὸν πρὸ πάντων, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα. Σὺ γάρ, Θεὲ αἰώνιε, δι' αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποίηκας καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τῆς προσηκούσης προνοίας τὰ ὅλα ἀξιοῖς: δι' οὗ γὰρ τὸ εἶναι ἐχαρίσω, δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ εὖ εἶναι ἐδωρήσω: ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ σου, ὁ δι' αὐτοῦ πρὸ πάντων ποιήσας τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸν τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὑποφήτην καὶ διάκονον, καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὰ Σεραφίμ, αἰῶνάς τε καὶ στρατιάς, δυνάμεις τε καὶ ἐξουσίας, ἀρχάς τε καὶ θρόνους, ἀρχαγγέλους τε καὶ ἀγγέλους, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα ποιήσας δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν φαινόμενον τοῦτον κόσμον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ. Σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ τὸν οὐρανὸν ὡς καμάραν στήσας καὶ ὡς δέρριν ἐκτείνας καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐπ' οὐδενὸς ἱδρύσας γνώμῃ μόνῃ, ὁ πήξας στερέωμα καὶ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν κατασκευάσας, ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν φῶς ἐκ θησαυρῶν καὶ τῇ τούτου συστολῇ ἐπαγαγὼν τὸ σκότος εἰς ἀνάπαυλαν τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ κινουμένων ζῴων, ὁ τὸν ἥλιον τάξας εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ τὴν σελήνην εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ τὸν χορὸν τῶν ἀστέρων ἐν οὐρανῷ καταγράψας εἰς αἶνον τῆς σῆς μεγαλοπρεπείας. Ὁ ποιήσας ὕδωρ πρὸς πόσιν καὶ κάθαρσιν, ἀέρα ζωτικὸν πρὸς εἰσπνοὴν καὶ ἀναπνοὴν καὶ φωνῆς ἀπόδοσιν διὰ γλώττης πληττούσης τὸν ἀέρα καὶ ἀκοὴν συνεργουμένην ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐπαΐειν εἰσδεχομένην τὴν προσπίπτουσαν αὐτῇ λαλιάν: ὁ ποιήσας πῦρ πρὸς σκότους παραμυθίαν, πρὸς ἐνδείας ἀναπλήρωσιν καὶ τὸ θερμαίνεσθαι ἡμᾶς καὶ φωτίζεσθαι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ: ὁ τὴν μεγάλην θάλασσαν χωρίσας τῆς γῆς καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀναδείξας πλωτήν, τὴν δὲ ποσὶ βάσιμον ποιήσας, καὶ τὴν μὲν ζῴοις μικροῖς καὶ μεγάλοις πληθύνας, τὴν δὲ ἡμέροις καὶ ἀτιθάσσοις πληρώσας, φυτοῖς τε διαφόροις στέψας καὶ βοτάναις στεφανώσας καὶ ἄνθεσι καλλύνας καὶ σπέρμασι πλουτίσας: ὁ συστησάμενος ἄβυσσον καὶ μέγα κύτος αὐτῇ περιθείς, ἁλμυρῶν ὑδάτων σεσωρευμένα πελάγη, περιφράξας δὲ αὐτὴν πύλαις ἄμμου λεπτοτάτης: ὁ πνεύμασί ποτε μὲν αὐτὴν κορυφῶν εἰς ὀρέων μέγεθος, ποτὲ δὲ στρωννύων αὐτὴν εἰς πεδίον, καί ποτε μὲν ἐκμαίνων χειμῶνι, ποτὲ δὲ πραΰνων γαλήνῃ ὡς ναυσιπόροις πλωτῆρσιν εὔκολον εἶναι πρὸς πορείαν: ὁ ποταμοῖς διαζώσας τὸν ὑπὸ σοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ γενόμενον κόσμον καὶ χειμάρροις ἐπικλύσας καὶ πηγαῖς ἀενάοις μεθύσας, ὄρεσιν δὲ περισφίγξας εἰς ἕδραν ἀτρεμῆ γῆς ἀσφαλεστάτην. Ἐπλήρωσας γάρ σου τὸν κόσμον καὶ διεκόσμησας αὐτὸν βοτάναις εὐόσμοις καὶ ἰασίμοις, ζῴοις πολλοῖς καὶ διαφόροις, ἀλκίμοις καὶ ἀσθενεστέροις, ἐδωδίμοις καὶ ἐνεργοῖς, ἡμέροις καὶ ἀτιθάσσοις, ἑρπετῶν συριγμοῖς, πτηνῶν ποικίλων κλαγγαῖς, ἐνιαυτῶν κύκλοις, μηνῶν καὶ ἡμερῶν ἀριθμοῖς, τροπῶν τάξεσιν, νεφῶν ὀμβροτόκων διαδρομαῖς, εἰς καρπῶν γονὰς καὶ ζῴων σύστασιν, σταθμὸν ἀνέμων: διαπνεόντων ὅτε προσταχθῶσιν παρὰ σοῦ, τῶν φυτῶν καὶ τῶν βοτανῶν τὸ πλῆθος. Καὶ οὐ μόνον τὸν κόσμον ἐδημιούργησας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν κοσμοπολίτην ἄνθρωπον ἐν αὐτῷ ἐποίησας, κόσμου κόσμον αὐτὸν ἀναδείξας: εἶπας γὰρ τῇ σῇ Σοφίᾳ: »Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.« Διὸ καὶ πεποίηκας αὐτὸν ἐκ ψυχῆς ἀθανάτου καὶ σώματος σκεδαστοῦ, τῆς μὲν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, τοῦ δὲ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων: καὶ δέδωκας αὐτῷ κατὰ μὲν τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν λογικὴν διάγνωσιν, εὐσεβείας καὶ ἀσεβείας διάκρισιν, δικαίου καὶ ἀδίκου παρατήρησιν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ σῶμα τὴν πένταθλον ἐχαρίσω αἴσθησιν καὶ τὴν μεταβατικὴν κίνησιν. Σὺ γάρ, Θεὲ παντοκράτορ, διὰ Χριστοῦ παράδεισον ἐν Ἐδὲμ κατὰ ἀνατολὰς ἐφύτευσας παντοίων φυτῶν ἐδωδίμων κόσμῳ, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἂν ἐν ἑστίᾳ πολυτελεῖ, εἰσήγαγες αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν νόμον δέδωκας αὐτῷ ἔμφυτον, ὅπως οἴκοθεν καὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ ἔχοι τὰ σπέρματα τῆς θεογνωσίας. Εἰσαγαγὼν δὲ εἰς τὸν τῆς τρυφῆς παράδεισον, πάντων μὲν ἀνῆκας αὐτῷ τὴν ἐξουσίαν πρὸς μετάληψιν, ἑνὸς δὲ μόνου τὴν γεῦσιν ἀπεῖπας ἐπ' ἐλπίδι κρειττόνων, ἵνα, ἐὰν φυλάξῃ τὴν ἐντολήν, μισθὸν ταύτης τὴν ἀθανασίαν κομίσηται. Ἀμελήσαντα δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς καὶ γευσάμενον ἀπηγορευμένου καρποῦ ἀπάτῃ ὄφεως καὶ συμβουλίᾳ γυναικὸς τοῦ μὲν παραδείσου δικαίως ἐξῶσας αὐτόν, ἀγαθότητι δὲ εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀπολλύμενον οὐχ ὑπερεῖδες, σὸν γὰρ ἦν δημιούργημα, ἀλλὰ καθυποτάξας αὐτῷ τὴν κτίσιν δέδωκας αὐτῷ οἰκείοις ἱδρῶσιν καὶ πόνοις πορίζειν ἑαυτῷ τὴν τροφήν, σοῦ πάντα φύοντος καὶ αὔξοντος καὶ πεπαίνοντος: χρόνῳ δὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον αὐτὸν κοιμίσας ὅρκῳ εἰς παλιγγενεσίαν ἐκάλεσας, ὅρον θανάτου λύσας ζωὴν ἐξ ἀναστάσεως ἐπηγγείλω. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτοῦ εἰς πλῆθος ἀνάριθμον χέας, τοὺς ἐμμείναντάς σοι ἐδόξασας, τοὺς δὲ ἀποστάντας σου ἐκόλασας, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Ἄβελ ὡς ὁσίου προσδεξάμενος τὴν θυσίαν, τοῦ δὲ ἀδελφοκτόνου Καῒν ἀποστραφεὶς τὸ δῶρον ὡς ἐναγοῦς: καὶ πρὸς τούτοις τὸν Σὴθ καὶ τὸν Ἐνὼς προσελάβου καὶ τὸν Ἐνὼχ μετατέθεικας. Σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ δημιουργὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῆς ζωῆς χορηγὸς καὶ τῆς ἐνδείας πληρωτὴς καὶ τῶν νόμων δοτὴρ καὶ τῶν φυλαττόντων αὐτοὺς μισθαποδότης καὶ τῶν παραβαινόντων αὐτοὺς ἔκδικος, ὁ τὸν μέγαν κατακλυσμὸν ἐπαγαγὼν τῷ κόσμῳ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀσεβησάντων, καὶ τὸν δίκαιον Νῶε ῥυσάμενος ἐκ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἐν λάρνακι σὺν ὀκτὼ ψυχαῖς, τέλος μὲν τῶν παρῳχηκότων, ἀρχὴν δὲ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιγίνεσθαι: ὁ τὸ φοβερὸν πῦρ κατὰ τῆς σοδομηνῆς πενταπόλεως ἐξάψας καὶ γῆν καρποφόρον εἰς ἅλμην θέμενος ἀπὸ κακίας τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ τὸν ὅσιον Λὼτ ἐξαρπάσας τοῦ ἐμπρησμοῦ. Σὺ εἶ ὁ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ῥυσάμενος ἐκ προγονικῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ κληρονόμον τοῦ κόσμου καταστήσας καὶ ἐμφανίσας αὐτῷ τὸν Χριστόν σου, ὁ τὸν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερέα σῆς λατρείας προχειρισάμενος, ὁ τὸν πολύτλαν θεράποντά σου Ἰὼβ νικητὴν τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου ὄφεως ἀναδείξας, ὁ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίας υἱὸν ποιησάμενος, ὁ τὸν Ἰακὼβ πατέρα δώδεκα παίδων καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτοῦ εἰς πλῆθος χέας καὶ εἰσαγαγὼν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐν ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε ψυχαῖς. Σύ, Κύριε, τὸν Ἰωσὴφ οὐχ ὑπερεῖδες, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν τῆς διὰ σὲ σωφροσύνης ἔδωκας αὐτῷ τὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἄρχειν: σύ, Κύριε, Ἑβραίους ὑπὸ Αἰγυπτίων καταπονουμένους οὐ περιεῖδες διὰ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν ἐπαγγελίας, ἀλλ' ἐρρύσω, κολάσας Αἰγυπτίους. Παραφθειράντων δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον καὶ τὴν κτίσιν ποτὲ μὲν αὐτόματον νομισάντων, ποτὲ δὲ πλεῖον ἢ δεῖ τιμησάντων καὶ σοί, τῷ Θεῷ τῶν πάντων, συνταττόντων, οὐκ εἴασας πλανᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἀναδείξας τὸν ἅγιόν σου θεράποντα Μωϋσῆν, δι' αὐτοῦ πρὸς βοήθειαν τοῦ φυσικοῦ τὸν γραπτὸν νόμον δέδωκας, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν ἔδειξας σὸν ἔργον εἶναι, τὴν δὲ πολύθεον πλάνην ἐξώρισας: τὸν Ἀαρὼν καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἱερατικῇ τιμῇ ἐδόξασας, Ἑβραίους ἁμαρτόντας ἐκόλασας, ἐπιστρέψαντας προσεδέξω. Τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους δεκαπλήγῳ ἐτιμωρήσω, θάλασσαν διελὼν Ἰσραηλίτας διεβίβασας, Αἰγυπτίους ἐπιδιώξαντας ὑποβρυχίους ἀπώλεσας, ξύλῳ πικρὸν ὕδωρ ἐγλύκανας, ἐκ πέτρας ἀκροτόμου ὕδωρ ἀνέχεας, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τὸ μάννα ὗσας, τροφὴν ἐξ ἀέρος ὀρτυγομήτραν, στῦλον πυρὸς πρὸς φωτισμὸν τὴν νύκτα καὶ στῦλον νεφέλης ἡμέρας πρὸς σκιασμὸν θάλπους: τὸν Ἰησοῦν στρατηγὸν ἀνέδειξας, ἑπτὰ ἔθνη Χαναναίων δι' αὐτοῦ καθεῖλες, Ἰορδάνην ἔρρηξας, τοὺς ποταμοὺς Ἠθὰμ ἐξήρανας, τείχη κατέρρηξας ἄνευ μηχανημάτων καὶ χειρὸς ἀνθρωπίνης. Ὑπὲρ πάντων σοι ἡ δόξα, Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ. Σὲ προσκυνεῖ πᾶν ἀσώματον καὶ ἅγιον τάγμα: σὲ προσκυνεῖ ὁ Παράκλητος: πρὸ δὲ πάντων ὁ ἅγιός σου Παῖς Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, σοῦ δὲ ἄγγελος καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως ἀρχιστρατηγὸς καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς αἰώνιος καὶ ἀτελεύτητος: σὲ προσκυνοῦσιν ἀνάριθμοι στρατιαὶ ἀγγέλων, ἀρχαγγέλων, κυριοτήτων, θρόνων, ἀρχῶν, ἐξουσιῶν, δυνάμεων, στρατιῶν αἰωνίων: τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὰ ἑξαπτέρυγα Σεραφὶμ ταῖς μὲν δυσὶν κατακαλύπτοντα τοὺς πόδας, ταῖς δὲ δυσὶ τὰς κεφαλάς, ταῖς δὲ δυσὶ πετόμενα, καὶ λέγοντα ἅμα χιλίαις χιλιάσιν ἀρχαγγέλων καὶ μυρίαις μυριάσιν ἀγγέλων ἀκαταπαύστως καὶ ἀσιγήτως βοώσαις, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἅμα εἰπάτω: Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος Κύριος Σαβαώθ, πλήρης ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εὐλογητὸς εἰ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας: ἀμήν. Καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἑξῆς λεγέτω: Ἅγιος γὰρ εἶ ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ πανάγιος, ὕψιστος καὶ ὑπερυψούμενος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἅγιος δὲ καὶ ὁ μονογενής σου Υἱός, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός, ὃς εἰς πάντα ὑπηρετησάμενός σοι τῷ Θεῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ Πατρὶ εἴς τε δημιουργίαν διάφορον καὶ πρόνοιαν κατάλληλον οὐ περιεῖδεν τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπολλύμενον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ φυσικὸν νόμον, μετὰ νομικὴν παραίνεσιν, μετὰ προφητικοὺς ἐλέγχους καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐπιστασίας_παραφθειρόντων σὺν τῷ θετῷ καὶ τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον καὶ τῆς μνήμης ἐκβαλλόντων τὸν κατακλυσμόν, τὴν ἐκπύρωσιν, τὰς κατ' Αἰγυπτίων πληγάς, τὰς κατὰ Παλαιστινῶν σφαγάς, καὶ μελλόντων ὅσον οὐδέπω ἀπόλλυσθαι πάντων_εὐδόκησεν αὐτὸς γνώμῃ σῇ ὁ δημιουργὸς ἀνθρώπου ἄνθρωπος γενέσθαι, ὁ νομοθέτης ὑπὸ νόμους, ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἱερεῖον, ὁ ποιμὴν πρόβατον: Καὶ ἐξευμενίσατό σε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ κατήλλαξεν γενόμενος ἐκ παρθένου, ὀργῆς τοὺς πάντας ἠλευθέρωσεν γενόμενος ἐκ παρθένου, γενόμενος ἐν σαρκὶ ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, ὁ ἀγαπητὸς Υἱός, ὁ πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, κατὰ τὰς περὶ αὐτοῦ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ προρρηθείσας προφητείας ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ καὶ Ἀβραάμ, φυλῆς Ἰούδα: καὶ γέγονεν ἐν μήτρᾳ παρθένου ὁ διαπλάσσων πάντας τοὺς γεννωμένους, καὶ ἐσαρκώθη ὁ ἄσαρκος, ὁ ἀχρόνως γεννηθεὶς ἐν χρόνῳ γεγέννηται. Πολιτευσάμενος ὁσίως καὶ παιδεύσας ἐνθέσμως, πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀπελάσας, σημεῖά τε καὶ τέρατα ἐν τῷ λαῷ ποιήσας, τροφῆς καὶ ποτοῦ καὶ ὕπνου μεταλαβὼν ὁ τρέφων πάντας τοὺς χρῄζοντας τροφῆς καὶ ἐμπιπλῶν πᾶν ζῷον εὐδοκίας, ἐφανέρωσέν σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν αὐτό, τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἐφυγάδευσεν, τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀνεζωπύρωσεν, τὸ θέλημά σου ἐπλήρωσεν, τὸ ἔργον ὃ ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐτελείωσεν. Καὶ ταῦτα πάντα κατορθώσας, χερσὶν ἀνόμων κατασχεθεὶς ἱερέων καὶ ἀρχιερέων ψευδωνύμων καὶ λαοῦ παρανόμου προδοσίᾳ τοῦ τὴν κακόνοιαν νοσήσαντος καὶ πολλὰ παθὼν ὑπ' αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν ἀτιμίαν ὑποστὰς σῇ συγχωρήσει, παραδοθεὶς Πιλάτῳ τῷ ἡγεμόνι καὶ κριθεὶς ὁ κριτὴς καὶ κατακριθεὶς ὁ σωτήρ, σταυρῷ προσηλώθη ὁ ἀπαθὴς καὶ ἀπέθανεν ὁ τῇ φύσει ἀθάνατος καὶ ἐτάφη ὁ ζωοποιός, ἵνα πάθους λύσῃ καὶ θανάτου ἐξέληται τούτους, δι' οὓς παρεγένετο, καὶ ῥήξῃ τὰ δεσμὰ τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ ῥύσηται τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκ τῆς ἀπάτης αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν συνδιατρίψας τοῖς μαθηταῖς, ἀνελήφθη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν σου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. Μεμνημένοι οὖν ὧν δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπέμεινεν, εὐχαριστοῦμέν σοι, Θεὲ παντοκράτορ, οὐχ ὅσον ὀφείλομεν, ἀλλ' ὅσον δυνάμεθα, καὶ τὴν διάταξιν αὐτοῦ πληροῦμεν. Ἐν ᾗ γὰρ νυκτὶ παρεδίδοτο, λαβὼν ἄρτον ταῖς ἁγίαις καὶ ἀμώμοις αὐτοῦ χερσὶν καὶ ἀναβλέψας πρὸς σέ, τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ Πατέρα, καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ εἰπών: »Τοῦτο τὸ μυστήριον τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης, λάβετε ἐξ αὐτοῦ, φάγετε, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου τὸ περὶ πολλῶν θρυπτόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.« Ὡσαύτως καὶ τὸ ποτήριον κεράσας ἐξ οἴνου καὶ ὕδατος καὶ ἁγιάσας ἐπέδωκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων: »Πίετε ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ αἷμά μου τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυνόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν: τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν: ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ πίνητε τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο, τὸν θάνατον τὸν ἐμὸν καταγγέλλετε, ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἔλθω.« Μεμνημένοι οὖν τοῦ πάθους αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως καὶ τῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἐπανόδου καὶ τῆς μελλούσης αὐτοῦ δευτέρας παρουσίας, ἐν ᾗ ἔρχεται μετὰ δόξης καὶ δυνάμεως κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς καὶ ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, προσφέρομέν σοι, τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Θεῷ, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ διάταξιν τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο, εὐχαριστοῦντές σοι δι' αὐτοῦ ἐφ' οἷς κατηξίωσας ἡμᾶς ἑστάναι ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἱερατεύειν σοι. Καὶ ἀξιοῦμέν σε, ὅπως εὐμενῶς ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὰ προκείμενα δῶρα ταῦτα ἐνώπιόν σου, σὺ ὁ ἀνενδεὴς Θεός, καὶ εὐδοκήσῃς ἐν αὐτοῖς εἰς τιμὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου καὶ καταπέμψῃς τὸ ἅγιόν σου Πνεῦμα ἐπὶ τὴν θυσίαν ταύτην, τὸν μάρτυρα τῶν παθημάτων τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, ὅπως ἀποφήνῃ τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου καὶ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου: ἵνα οἱ μεταλαμβάνοντες αὐτοῦ βεβαιωθῶσιν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν, ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν τύχωσιν, τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῆς πλάνης αὐτοῦ ῥυσθῶσιν, Πνεύματος ἁγίου πληρωθῶσιν, ἄξιοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου γένωνται, ζωῆς αἰωνίου τύχωσιν, σοῦ καταλλαγέντος αὐτοῖς, δέσποτα παντοκράτορ. Ἔτι δεόμεθά σου, Κύριε, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁγίας σου Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἀπὸ περάτων ἕως περάτων, ἣν περιεποιήσω τῷ τιμίῳ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου, ὅπως αὐτὴν διαφυλάξῃς ἄσειστον καὶ ἀκλυδώνιστον ἄχρι τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος: καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσης ἐπισκοπῆς τῆς ὀρθοτομούσης τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἔτι παρακαλοῦμέν σε καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐμῆς τοῦ προσφέροντός σοι οὐδενίας καὶ ὑπὲρ παντὸς τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου, ὑπὲρ τὼν διακόνων καὶ παντὸς τοῦ κλήρου, ἵνα πάντας σοφίσῃς καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου πληρώσῃς. Ἔτι παρακαλοῦμέν σε, Κύριε, ὑπὲρ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ καὶ παντὸς τοῦ στρατοπέδου, ἵνα εἰρηνεύωνται τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅπως ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ὁμονοίᾳ διάγοντες τὸν πάντα χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν δοξάζωμέν σε διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν. Ἔτι προσφέρομέν σοι καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων τῶν ἀπ' αἰῶνος εὐαρεστησάντων σοι ἁγίων, πατριαρχῶν, προφητῶν, δικαίων, ἀποστόλων, μαρτύρων, ὁμολογητῶν, ἐπισκόπων, πρεσβυτέρων, διακόνων, ὑποδιακόνων, ἀναγνωστῶν, ψαλτῶν, παρθένων, χηρῶν, λαϊκῶν καὶ πάντων ὧν αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι τὰ ὀνόματα. Ἔτι προσφέρομέν σοι ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ἵνα ἀναδείξῃς αὐτὸν εἰς ἔπαινον τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον: ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν παρθενίᾳ καὶ ἁγνείᾳ, ὑπὲρ τῶν χηρῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν σεμνοῖς γάμοις καὶ τεκνογονίαις, ὑπὲρ τῶν νηπίων τοῦ λαοῦ σου, ὅπως μηδένα ἡμῶν ἀπόβλητον ποιήσῃς. Ἔτι ἀξιοῦμέν σε καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης καὶ τῶν ἐνοικούντων, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ἀρρωστίαις, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν πικρᾷ δουλείᾳ, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ἐξορίαις, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν δημεύσει, ὑπὲρ πλεόντων καὶ ὁδοιπορούντων, ὅπως πάντων ἐπίκουρος γένῃ, πάντων βοηθὸς καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ. Ἔτι παρακαλοῦμέν σε ὑπὲρ τῶν μισούντων ἡμᾶς καὶ διωκόντων ἡμᾶς διὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔξω ὄντων καὶ πεπλανημένων, ὅπως ἐπιστρέψῃς αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν αὐτῶν πραΰνῃς. Ἔτι παρακαλοῦμέν σε καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηχουμένων τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν χειμαζομένων ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν μετανοίᾳ ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν, ὅπως τοὺς μὲν τελειώσῃς ἐν τῇ πίστει, τοὺς δὲ καθαρίσῃς ἐκ τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ πονηροῦ, τῶν δὲ τὴν μετάνοιαν προσδέξῃ, καὶ συγχωρήσῃς αὐτοῖς τε καὶ ἡμῖν τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν. Ἔτι προσφέρομέν σοι καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐκρασίας τοῦ ἀέρος καὶ τῆς εὐφορίας τῶν καρπῶν, ὅπως ἀνελλειπῶς μεταλαμβάνοντες τῶν παρὰ σοῦ ἀγαθῶν αἰνῶμέν σε ἀπαύστως τὸν διδόντα τροφὴν πάσῃ σαρκί. Ἔτι παρακαλοῦμέν σε καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν δι' εὔλογον αἰτίαν ἀπόντων, ὅπως ἅπαντας ἡμᾶς διατηρήσας ἐν τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ ἐπισυναγάγῃς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σου, τοῦ Θεοῦ πάσης αἰσθητῆς καὶ νοητῆς φύσεως, τοῦ βασιλέως ἡμῶν, ἀτρέπτους, ἀμέμπτους, ἀνεγκλήτους. Ὅτι σοὶ δι' αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δόξα, σέβας καὶ εὐχαριστία: καὶ διὰ σὲ καὶ μετά σε αὐτῷ τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀνελλειπεῖς καὶ ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς λεγέτω: Ἀμήν.