The Great Office of Thanksgiving (Te Deum)
Priest. Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir Amen.
O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O Good One.
O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. (Thrice, and three reverences.)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O most Holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name's sake.
Lord, have mercy (Thrice.)
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 the Evil One:
Priest. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times.)
Priest. O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before him. (Three reverences.)
Then the Choir chanteth the Imperial Psalm:
Psalm xxi.
The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord; exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. For thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness, and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him a long life, even for ever and ever. His honour is great in thy salvation: glory and great worship shalt thou lay upon him. For thou shalt give him everlasting felicity, and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance. And why? Because the King putteth his trust in the Lord; and in the mercy of the Most Highest he shall not miscarry. All thine enemies shall feel thine hand: thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in the time of thy wrath; the Lord shall destroy them in his displeasure, and the fire shall consume them. Their fruit shalt thou root out of the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. For they intended mischief against thee, and imagined such a device as they are not able to perform. Therefore shalt thou put them to flight, and the strings of thy bow shalt thou make ready against the face of them. Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to thee, O God. (Thrice.)
Then the Deacon saith the Litany:
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls:
For the peace of the whole world; for the welfare of God's holy Churches, and for the union of all:
For this holy Temple, and for those who with faith, devoutness and in the fear of God have entered therein:
For the Most Holy Synod, and for our Bishop, N., of N.; for the honourable Presbytery; for the Diaconate in Christ; and for all the clergy and laity:
For our most God-fearing Ruler, N., and all the Authorities:
That his authority may be strengthened by the right hand of the Most High:
That he may receive from heaven strength and wisdom, unto rule and righteous judgment:
That he may receive prosperity in all things, and length of rule:
That the Lord God will hear him in the day of trouble, and that the Name of the God of Jacob may defend him:
That the Lord will send him help from his holy dwelling-place, and defend him out of Zion:
That the Lord will give him the desire of his heart, and fulfil all his counsel:
That he will preserve free from venality and partiality the judges who are subject unto him:
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That the Lord of hosts will ever strengthen his armed hosts:
That he will subdue under his feet every foe and adversary:
For this city, and for every city and land; and for those who with faith dwell therein:
For healthful seasons; for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times:
For those who travel by sea or by land; for the sick and the suffering; for those who are in captivity, and for their salvation:
That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath and necessity:
Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.
Choir. Lord, have mercy.
Calling to remembrance our most holy, all-undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir. To thee, O Lord.
Exclamation.
Priest. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Then: God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
Verse (Stikh) i: O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious; because his mercy endureth forever.
Verse 2: All the nations compassed me about, but in the Name of the Lord have I driven them back.
Verse 3: I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
And these Hymns (Tropari), in Tone IV-
We, thine unworthy servants, O Lord, grateful for thy great benefits which thou hast shown upon us, glorifying thee, do praise, bless, give thanks, sing, and magnify thy loving-kindness, and do cry aloud unto thee in loving submissiveness: O our Benefactor and our Saviour, glory to thee!
Tone I. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, granting to the most God-fearing Ruler, N., victory over all adversaries, and by thy Cross preserving thine Estate.
Tone II. Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Do thou who, of thine own good will, upon the Cross wast lifted up, bestow thy bounties upon the new State which is called by thy Name, O Christ-God; make glad with thy might our most God-fearing Ruler, N., granting victory over his adversaries unto him who hath thine aid, which is a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible.
Deacon. Let us attend.
Priest. Peace be with you all.
Reader. And with thy spirit.
The Gradual (Prokimen), in Tone IV.: The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord; exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.
Verse (Stikh): Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips.
Deacon. Wisdom!
Reader. The Lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Romans.
Deacon. Let us attend.
Reader. (Rom. xiii. 1-8.) Brethren: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Alleluia. (Thrice.)
Deacon. Wisdom, O believers! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.
Priest. Peace be with you all. Choir. And with thy spirit.
Priest. The Lesson from the holy Gospel of Matthew.
Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee.
Deacon. Let us attend.
Priest. (Matt. xxii. 15-22.) Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But
Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
Choir. Glory to thee, O Lord; glory to thee.
Deacon. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, according to thy great mercy, we beseech thee: hearken, and have mercy.
Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.)
Again we pray for our most God-fearing Ruler, N.; for his might, victory, maintenance, peace, health, salvation; and that the Lord our God will abundantly aid and prosper him in all things, and subdue under his feet every foe and adversary.
Furthermore we pray for all the Authorities (and for the Ruler of the Land, by his title, if it be in a foreign country). ty
Furthermore we pray for the Most Holy Synod (or Patriarch); for our Bishop (or Archbishop, or Metropolitan), N., of N.; and for all our brethren in Christ,
Furthermore we pray for all their Christ-loving Army and Navy.
Returning thanks with fear and trembling, as unprofitable servants, unto thy loving-kindness, O Lord, our Saviour and our Master, < for thy benefits, which thou hast poured out abundantly upon thy servants, we fall down in worship, and offer unto thee praise as God, and with fervour do cry aloud unto thee: Deliver thou thy servants from all calamities, and in that thou are merciful fulfil thou always the desires of us all, as may be expedient for us, we diligently entreat thee: hearken, and have mercy
O Lord our God, inscrutable in mercy, grant unto thy servant, our most God-fearing Ruler, whom thou hast appointed to rule over us, the prosperity vouchsafed to Moses, the valour of David, and the wisdom of Solomon, to the glory of thy Name, we beseech thee, O King all-Holy: hearken, and have mercy.
O Master, who art the Creator of all wisdom and the Ruler of all created things, establish thou the Supremacy of thy servant, our Ruler, N Fulfil the desire and petitions of his heart; and exalt the horn of thy Christ, we beseech thee: hearken, and have mercy.
Exclamation.
Priest. Hear us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of those who are far off upon the sea; and show mercy, show mercy, O Master, upon us sinners, and be merciful unto us.
For thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto thee we
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ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.
Then the Bishop or the Priest, kneeling down, shall recite this Prayer: O God, great and wonderful, who by thine inscrutable goodness and rich providence rulest all things; by whose all-wise yet unsearchable judgments the life and sojourn upon earth of mankind receiveth different bounds: With gratitude we acknowledge that not according to our iniquities hast thou dealt with us, neither according to our sins hast thou rewarded us. We have sinned, O Lord, we have wrought evil, and have rendered ourselves worthy of thine extreme displeasure. But thou, O Ineffable Loving-kindness! art merciful and long-suffering, and grievest over the wickedness of men, O Master. Having chastened us with a brief visitation of sorrow, lo! thou hast filled our hearts abundantly with joy and gladness, in that thou hast appointed to rule over us thy beloved servant, our most God-fearing Ruler, N. Wherefore, endue thou him with wisdom, and direct thou him, that without hindrance he may discharge this great service unto thee. Grant him reason and understanding, that he may judge thy people uprightly; and preserve this thine inheritance in tranquillity, and without affliction. Make him victorious over his enemies; terrible to evil-doers, gracious unto those who are good and worthy to be trusted. Kindle his heart unto consideration of the needy, unto hospitality to strangers, unto the defence of those who are assailed; that, guiding those who are subject to his rule in the v/ay of truth and of righteousness, and putting aside all dissembling and venality, he may maintain in loyalty unfeigned all the people whom thou hast committed to his authority Make him to be a joyful father of children, and show forth thy marvellous mercies upon us. Multiply thou the days of his life in health unalterable and prosperity unchangeable. Vouchsafe, also, in his day and unto us all peace, tranquillity and prosperity, favourable seasons, abundance of the fruits of the earth, and all things necessary to life both temporal and eternal. O our Lord all-merciful, the God of Bounties, and Father of all consolation! turn not thy face from us, and put not to confusion in our sure hope us, who, in firm expectation, make our supplications unto thee, and entreating thee, do set our trust upon thy bounties. For thou only knowest our necessities, and givest before we ask, and confirmest thy gifts: and every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from thee, the Father of lights. Unto thee be glory and dominion, together with thine Only-begotten Son, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir. Amen,
Then immediately is sung the Great Hymn of Praise: Glory be to God on high,... (See page 34.)
Or, in its stead, the Anthem of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan:
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord....
(See page 539.)
And when it is finished, the Priest bestoweth the customary Benediction. May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most holy Mother; of Saint N. (the Saint of the day); and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, forasmuch as he is gracious, and loveth mankind.
And after the Benediction, the Deacon proclaimeth