The Litany of Peace and the Antiphons

The beginning and the Litany of Peace

The priest lifts up the Gospel, makes the sign of the cross with it over the altar and says in a loud voice: ‘Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages’. The choir, or the people, reply ‘Amen’– (May it be so).

Then the priest- or the deacon if there is one- begins to say the Litany of Peace. He encourages us to pray to God with the words: ‘In peace let us pray to the Lord’, and we submit our supplications regarding our salvation and also our everyday life. We entreat God to grant us health, peace, an abundance of the fruits of the earth and temperate weather, and that He will preserve us from sorrow and danger and will protect those who are travelling. To all the intercessions of the priest, the choir and we, the people, respond ‘Lord have mercy’. This very short prayer contains everything we need to say. We call God our Lord. He created us and He has authority over us. We ask Him to have mercy on us, in other words to understand our pain, to forgive us, and to give us all His love and compassion.

After the Litany of Peace we have the Antiphons. These are verses from the Psalms accompanied by a short hymn or refrain.

In the first antiphon, the refrain is: ‘Through the intercessions of the Mother of God, Savior, save us’. We ask our Savior to save us by the intercessions, that is the intervention and prayers, of the Mother of God, who is His mother, the mother of all of us, and who always prays for us.

In the second antiphon, the refrain is: ‘Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to you: Alleluia’.

Then we have a hymn which is a confession of our faith in the Triune God, rather like a short Creed: ‘Only-begotten Son and Word of God…’.

In the third antiphon the refrain is the Resurrection dismissal hymn of Sunday or the dismissal hymn of the feast.

The Liturgy of the Catechumens

Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and to the ages of ages

The people respond with Lord, have mercy, after each petition.

Deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For all devout and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

For our Archbishop (Name), for the honorable order of presbyters, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For (the head of State), and for all in public service, let us pray to the Lord.

For this city, and for every city, town and village, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, God, by Your grace.

Deacon: Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of

God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

People: To You, Lord.

THE PRAYER OF THE FIRST ANTIPHON

Priest (in a low voice): Lord, our God, Whose dominion is incomparable and glory incomprehensible; Whose mercy is immeasurable, and love for mankind ineffable: Look upon us and upon this holy house in Your loving kindness, and grant to us and to those who pray with us Your abundant mercy and compassion.

(loudly): For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

1st verse: Bless the Lord, my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

People: Through the intercessions of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.

2nd verse: Bless the Lord, my soul and forget none of his benefits

People: Through the intercessions of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.

3rd verse: The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all

People: Through the intercessions of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.

SMALL LITANY

Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, God, by Your grace.

Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

People: To You, Lord.

THE PRAYER OF THE SECOND ANTIPHON

Priest (in a low voice): Lord, our God, save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Protect the fullness of Your Church. Sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house. Glorify them in return by Your divine power, and do not forsake us who have set our hope in You.

(loudly): For Yours is the dominion, and Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

1st verse: Praise the Lord my soul; while I live I will praise the Lord; while I have any being I will praise my God

People: Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead (or, if it’s not a Sunday, Easter or a feast of the Lord, Who are wondrous in Your saints), who sing to You, Alleluia.

2nd verse: Blessed are those whose helper is the God of Jacob; whose hope is in the Lord their God.

People: Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead who sing to You, Alleluia.

3rd verse: The Lord will be King for ever; your God, Zion, will reign throughout all generations.

People: Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead who sing to You, Alleluia.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who, being immortal, condescended, for our salvation, to take flesh from the holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary and, without change, became human. Christ, our God, You were crucified and conquered death by death. Being one with the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.

SMALL LITANY

Deacon: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, God, by Your grace.

Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

People: To You, Lord.

THE PRAYER OF THE THIRD ANTIPHON

Priest (in a low voice): Lord, You have allowed us to offer these common prayers in unison and have promised that when two or three agree in Your name, You will grant their requests. Fulfill now, Lord, the petitions of Your servants as may be of benefit to them, granting us in the present age the knowledge of Your truth, and in the age to come eternal life.

(loudly): For You, God, are good and love mankind, and to You we offer glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.