Service of Supplication (Moleben)
for 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
“Called to proclaim the mighty acts of God” (1 Peter 2.9)
Introduction
This Eastern Rite service incorporates the service for the 2016
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity prepared by Latvian
Christians into the general moleben (or supplicatory service)
format as served in Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.
Representatives from different churches may enter carrying a
Bible, a lighted candle and a bowl of salt. These symbols are
intended to express visually the mighty acts of God that we are
called to proclaim to the world. Both salt and light are images
that Jesus uses to describe our Christian identity and mission:
‘You are the salt of the earth... you are the light of the world...’
The Bible may be placed on a service table in the middle of the
church for the readings, along with the salt and candle. A basket
of small candles is set out for use for the ‘gesture of commitment’
at the end of the service.
Opening Prayers
Priest:
Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto
ages of ages.
Reader:
Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth;
who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury
of blessings, and Giver of life; come and abide in us,
and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our
souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy
on us. (3 times)
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 on us. O Lord,
cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our
transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our
infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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.
Reader:
Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship God our King.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ,
our King and our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ
Himself, our King and our God.
Psalm 133
Reader:
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers
dwell in unity.
It is like the precious oil upon the head, running
down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the
mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has
commanded the blessing, life for evermore.
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. (3
times)
Great Litany
Deacon:
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For the peace from above and for the salvation of
our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of
the holy churches of God, and for the union of all, let
us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For this holy house and for those who enter with
faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to
the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For __________ (the presiding hierarchs of the host
church), for the honourable priesthood, the
diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people,
let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For the government of our country, for all civil
authorities and for those who serve in the armed
forces, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For this city, for every city and country, and for the
faithful dwelling in them, especially the Christians
of Latvia, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For seasonable weather, for an abundance of the
fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray
to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For travellers by land, by sea, and by air; for the sick
and the suffering; for captives and their salvation,
let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That we may be cleansed of our sins and
transgressions which have dried up in us love for
God and for our neighbour, and that it may be
established by the power, action and grace of the
most-holy Spirit, and rooted in all our hearts,
earnestly let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That there may be planted and rooted in us by the
grace of the most-holy Spirit the new
commandment of His New Testament: that we love
one another, and not merely satisfy ourselves, but
rather always strive for His glory and the building
up of our neighbour, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That there may be uprooted in us hatred, envy, and
jealousy, and all other passions, which destroy
brotherly love, and that there may be planted
unfeigned love, fervently let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That there may be kindled in us the fervent love of
God, and our neighbour, by the grace of His mostholy Spirit, and thus burn out to the very roots the
passions of all our souls, and bodies, let us pray to
the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That there may be uprooted in us the passion of
self-love, and rooted instead the virtue of selfless
love, by the power of His most-holy Spirit; with
broken, and contrite hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That we may not love the world, and that which is
in the world; but rather, have true love for God, and
for His glory, and that we may love that which is
profitable, and for the salvation of our neighbour, so
that we may ever gaze on the good things prepared
in heaven; and that we may seek all these with all
our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That truly we may love, not just our friends, and
brethren, but also our enemies; and do that which is
good to those who hate us, with the power, action,
and grace of His most-holy Spirit moving us, let us
pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That we may examine ourselves, condemn
ourselves, and, ever looking upon our own
transgressions, humble ourselves before God, and
before everyone, never condemning our brothers or
sisters, but loving them as our very selves, by the
power, action, and grace of His most-holy Spirit, let
us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That we may imitate the burning love of the
Christians in ancient times, for God, and neighbour;
and that we may be their heirs, and successors, not
only in image, but in true action, by the power,
action, and grace of the most-holy Spirit, let us pray
to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That He may keep us immovable in the Faith, in
peace, and the unity of burning love, increasing in
all virtues; and preserve us unharmed from all soulcorrupting passions, by the power, action, and grace
of the most-holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath,
danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O
God, by Thy grace.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most
blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and evervirgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend
ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ
our God.
People:
To Thee, O Lord.
Priest:
O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who gavest a new
commandment to Thy disciples, that they should
love one another: accept this offering for the
remission of all the sins of Thy servants. And by Thy
Holy Spirit renew love for Thy goodness and for our
neighbours, which has waxed cold in us. Establish
this love with strength in our hearts, that, fulfilling
Thy commandments, we seek not on earth our own
ends, but that which is to Thy glory, the building up
of our neighbour, and for salvation.
For Thou art a merciful and man-befriending God,
and unto Thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and
unto the ages of ages.
People:
Amen.
God is the Lord (Tone 4)
Deacon:
In the fourth tone, God is the Lord and has revealed
Himself to us. Blessed is He that comes in the name
of the Lord. O give thanks to the Lord for He is good;
His mercy endures forever.
People:
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us.
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Deacon:
All nations surrounded me, but in the name of the
Lord I destroyed them.
People:
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us.
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Deacon:
I shall not die, but live; and recount the works of the
Lord.
People:
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us.
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Deacon:
The stone which the builder rejected has become
the cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is
wonderful in our eyes.
People:
God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us.
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.
Troparion and Kontakion (Tone 4)
People:
Thou didst bind Thine apostles in the bond of love,
O Christ, and hast firmly bound us, Thy faithful
servants, to Thyself, that we may fulfil Thy
commandments and have unfeigned love for one
another, through the prayers of the Theotokos, O
only Friend of man.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Kindle our hearts with the flames of love for Thee, O
Christ God, that being inflamed by this, in heart,
mind and soul, we may love Thee with all our
strength, and our neighbour as ourselves,
and that keeping Thy commandments, we may
glorify Thee, the Giver of all good.
The Reading from the Old Testament (Isaiah 55.1-3)
Deacon:
Wisdom.
Reader:
The reading from the prophecy of Isaiah.
Deacon:
Let us attend.
Reader:
Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and he
who has no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy
wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not
bread, and your labour for that which does not
satisfy? Hearken diligently to me, and eat what is
good, and delight yourselves in fatness.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your
soul may live; and I will make with you an
everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for
David.
The Prokeimenon (Psalm 145) and Epistle (I Peter 2.9-10)
Deacon:
Let us attend.
Priest:
Peace be unto all.
Reader:
And to thy spirit.
Deacon:
Wisdom.
Reader:
The prokeimenon in the fourth tone: The Lord is
gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding
in steadfast love.
People:
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love.
Reader:
The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over
all that he has made.
People:
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love.
Reader:
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
People:
Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Deacon:
Wisdom.
Reader:
The reading from the First Epistle of the Holy
Apostle Peter.
Deacon:
Let us attend.
Reader:
Brothers and sisters, you are a chosen people, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging
to God, that you may declare the praises of him who
called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the
people of God; once you had not received mercy, but
now you have received mercy.
Priest:
Peace be unto thee, reader.
Reader:
And to thy spirit. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
People:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Reader:
The eyes of all look to Thee, and Thou givest them
their food in due season. Thou openest Thy hand,
Thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
People:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Reader:
The Lord is just in all His ways, and kind in all His
doings. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to
all who call upon Him in truth.
People:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The Gospel
Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Priest:
Illumine our hearts, O man-befriending Master, with
the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the
eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel
teaching. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed
commandments, that trampling down all carnal
desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of
living, both thinking and doing such things as are
well pleasing to Thee.
For Thou art the illumination of our souls and
bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe
glory, together with Thy Father, who is from
everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and lifecreating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
People:
Amen.
Deacon:
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
People:
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Deacon:
Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His
mighty firmament.
People:
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Deacon:
Let everything that breathes.
People:
Praise the Lord.
Deacon:
And that He will grant us the grace to hear His Holy
Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Priest:
Wisdom. Let us attend. Let us listen to the Holy
Gospel.
Priest:
Peace be unto all.
People:
And to thy spirit.
Priest:
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint
Matthew.
People:
Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Deacon:
Let us attend.
Priest:
At that time, when Jesus saw the crowds, He went
up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples
came to him, and He began to teach them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be
filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be
shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute
you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you
because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is
your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.
‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no
longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled. You are the light of the world. A city
on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a
lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on
its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before all
people, that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven.’
People:
Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
A homily may be given following the Gospel.
The Augmented Litany
Deacon:
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great
goodness, we pray Thee, hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Again we pray that the Lord will listen to the
prayers of us sinners, and have mercy on us.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Holy Spirit, gift of the Father through His Son Jesus
Christ, dwell in us all, open our hearts and help us to
listen to Thy voice. We beseech Thee, hear us and
have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Holy Spirit, Divine Love, source of unity and
holiness, show us the love of God. We beseech Thee,
hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Holy Spirit, Fire of Love, purify us, removing all the
divisions in our hearts, in our communities and in
the world, and so make us one in Jesus’ name. We
beseech Thee, hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
O Lord, who didst create us in Thine own image,
forgive us when we do not respect that image and
the world that Thou gavest us. We beseech Thee,
hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
O Lord, Thou didst invite us to be perfect as our
heavenly Father is perfect. Forgive us when we fail
to be holy, to be people of integrity, and to respect
human rights and dignity. We beseech Thee, hear us
and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Holy Spirit, strengthen our faith in Christ Jesus our
Lord, truly divine and truly human, who carried our
sins of division to the Cross and brought us to
communion in His Resurrection. We beseech Thee,
hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Deacon:
Lord of life, of peace, and of justice, forgive us when
we transmit the culture of death, of war, and of
injustice, and fail to build a civilization of love. We
beseech Thee, hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Priest:
Merciful God, fill us with Thy grace and holiness.
Make us apostles of love wherever we go. Lord,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, dwell in us so that we
may become a communion of love and holiness.
Make us one in Thee, who livest and reignest now
and ever, and unto ages of ages.
A Gesture of Commitment to be Salt and Light
The priest makes the following invitation to the congregation:
Priest:
We have listened to the scriptures, and we have
been nourished together at one table of the Word.
Let us carry this holy Word out into the world with
us, for we are joined in one mission, to be salt of the
earth, to be light to the world, and to proclaim the
mighty acts of God.
As a sign of this mission in which we share, we invite those who
wish to come forward and taste a small pinch of salt from the bowl,
and to light an individual candle from the principal flame.
Litany of Supplication and the Lord’s Prayer
Deacon:
Let us complete our prayer unto the Lord.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O
God, by Thy grace.
People:
Lord, have mercy.
Deacon:
That the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful,
and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.
People:
Grant it, O Lord.
Deacon:
That we as God’s children, aware of our identity and
mission, may raise our prayers and affirm our
desire to be a holy people of God, let us ask of the
Lord.
People:
Grant it, O Lord.
Deacon:
That our loving God may transform our hearts, our
families, our communities and our society, making
His people holy and one in Him, let us ask of the
Lord.
People:
Grant it, O Lord.
Deacon:
That our God, who is the Water of life, may quench
the thirst that exists in our society, the thirst for
dignity, for love, for communion and holiness, let us
ask of the Lord.
People:
Grant it, O Lord.
Deacon:
That the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of joy and peace, may
heal the divisions caused by our misuse of power
and money, and reconcile us across different
cultures and languages, and unite us as God’s
children, let us ask of the Lord.
People:
Grant it, O Lord.
Deacon:
Having asked for the unity of the Faith, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commend
ourselves and each other, and all our life until Christ
our God.
People:
To Thee, O Lord.
Priest:
And make us worthy, O Master, that with boldness
and without condemnation we may dare to call on
Thee, the heavenly God, as Father, and to say:
People:
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.
People:
Amen.
The Sharing of Peace
Deacon:
Our Lord Jesus says: ‘You are the salt of the earth;
you are the light of the world. Let your light shine
before others, so that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father in heaven.’ Be salt of
the earth. Be light to the world.
Priest:
Peace be unto all.
People:
And to thy spirit.
Priest:
Christ is in our midst.
People:
He is and ever shall be.
The people may greet one another with the peace.
Dismissal
Deacon:
Wisdom.
Priest:
Most holy Theotokos, save us.
People:
More honourable than the cherubim, and more
glorious beyond compare than the seraphim;
without corruption thou gavest birth to God the
Word; true Theotokos, we magnify thee.
Priest:
Glory to Thee, O Christ, our God and our hope, glory
to Thee.
People:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (3 times)
Father, bless.
Priest:
May Christ our true God, through the prayers of His
most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and alllaudable apostles, through the prayers of our
patron, Saint __________, of Saint(s) __________, whom
we remember today, of the holy and righteous
ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna, and of all the
saints: have mercy on us and save us, for He is good
and the Friend of man.
People:
Amen.