THE LITURGY OF ETERNAL MEMORY

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Icon Used for All-Souls Saturdays and Liturgies of Commemoration of the Faithfully Departed, and the Icon for the Great and Holy Pascha of Our Lord

A Memorial Office for the Faithfully Departed from the St. James of Jerusalem Prayerbook, According to the Use of the Ancient Church of the West

Opening Sentences

Priest:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited and redeemed His people.

People:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach us Thy commandments.

Priest:

The choir of Thy Saints hath found the fountain of life and the gate of Paradise.

People:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach us Thy commandments.

Priest:

Grant unto us also, O merciful Savior, that through repentance we may find the way of life; for we are as lost sheep: call us back, O Shepherd of Israel, and save us.

People:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach us Thy commandments.

The Prayer of the Image Restored

Priest:

Of old Thou didst create man of nothing, and didst honor him with Thine own Image divine; but when through disobedience he fell, Thou didst return him unto the dust from whence he was taken.

Restore us again, O Lord, unto Thy likeness; renew in us the ancient beauty; refashion that which hath been marred by sin; and bring us to the glory prepared from the foundation of the world.

People:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach us Thy commandments.

Prayer for the Departed

Priest:

We are the image of Thine ineffable glory, O Master, though wounded by transgression. Look in mercy upon the work of Thine own hands; cleanse us by Thy compassion; and grant unto Thy departed servant(s) N. the desired homeland for which we long, even the Paradise of delight.

Place Thy servant(s) among the righteous, where the souls of the faithful shine as the stars of heaven; and forgive, O Lord, whatsoever he (she/they) hath committed, whether in word, or deed, or thought.

People:

Grant rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

The Doxology

People:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

Priest:

Let us adore the Holy Trinity, one God in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance.

Holy art Thou, O Father unbegotten; Holy art Thou, O Son only-begotten; Holy art Thou, O Spirit eternal and life-giving.

Deliver us from everlasting darkness, and number us with Thy Saints in light.

People:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Priest:

Rejoice, O blessed and glorious Lady, Mother of our God, who didst bear in the flesh the Savior of the world. May Christ Our True God, hear thy intercessory prayer before His throne, O pure and blessed Theotokos, and may the faithfully departed obtain mercy, forgiveness, and entrance into Paradise.

People:

Amen.

The Alleluia

People (thrice):

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Glory be to Thee, O God.

Antiphon of Rest

People:

With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul(s) of Thy servant(s), where there is neither pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting.

Among the spirits of the righteous made perfect, grant rest, O Savior, to Thy servant(s), preserving them in the blessed life which is from Thee, O Lover of mankind.

In Thy place of rest, O Lord, where all Thy Saints repose, grant rest also unto Thy servant(s), for Thou only art immortal.

The Descent into Hades

People:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Priest:

Thou art our God, who didst descend into Hades and didst loose the bonds of those held captive; grant rest also unto Thy servant(s), O Savior, and bring them into the light of Thy countenance.

People:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Great Litany for the Departed

Priest:

Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; we beseech Thee, hear us, and have mercy.

People (thrice):

Lord, have mercy.

Priest:

Again we pray for the repose of the soul(s) of the departed servant(s) of God, N., and for the remission of all his (her/their) sins, both voluntary and involuntary.

People (thrice):

Lord, have mercy.

Priest:

That the Lord God may establish his (her/their) soul(s) where the righteous rest; that He may grant the mercies of His Kingdom, and the forgiveness of sins.

People:

Grant this, O Lord.

The Prayer of Commendation

Priest:

O God of spirits and of all flesh, who hast trampled down death, destroyed the power of the devil, and given life unto Thy world:

Give rest, we humbly beseech Thee, to the soul(s) of Thy servant(s), N., in a place of light, in a place of refreshment, in a place of verdure, where all pain, sorrow, and sighing are fled away.

Forgive every sin committed in word, deed, or thought; for there is none that liveth and sinneth not; Thou only art without sin, and Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy word is truth.

For Thou art the Resurrection and the Life and the Repose of Thy servant(s), O Christ our God; and unto Thee we ascribe glory, with the Father who is without beginning, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit; world without end.

People:

Amen.

The Dismissal

Priest:

Glory be to Thee, O Christ our God and our Hope; glory be to Thee.

May Christ our true God, the Lord of the living and the dead, who rose triumphant from the grave, through the prayers of His all-pure and spotless Mother; of the holy, glorious, and all-praiseworthy Apostles; of the holy and righteous Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; of His friend Lazarus whom He raised from the tomb; and of all the Saints;

Place the soul(s) of His servant(s), N., in the dwelling-place of the righteous; give rest in the bosom of Abraham; number them among the Saints; and have mercy upon us, for He is good and loveth mankind.

People:

Amen.

Eternal Memory

Priest (for one man):

May his memory be eternal, brother worthy of blessedness and everlasting remembrance.

For one woman:

May her memory be eternal, sister worthy of blessedness and everlasting remembrance.

For many:

May their memory be eternal, brethren worthy of blessedness and everlasting remembrance.

People (thrice):

Eternal be his (her/their) memory.

Eternal be his (her/their) memory.

May his (her/their) memory be eternal.

Priest:

May the memory of the faithful departed be eternal, and may we be found worthy to stand with them in the Light of the Uncreated Glory.

Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

People:

Amen.