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Concerning the meal of the widows. And if there is anyone who desires at any time to invite the widows and those who are aged, he shall satisfy them (with food) and send them away before it shall be evening. And if it is not possible because of the clergy who have been invited, he shall give to them food and wine, and having given then send them away immediately, and each of them shall do as they wish (with it) in their houses.

Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (lit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace (lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances: yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus (lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place: thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say: Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say: God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth: blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart: and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation. And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism): how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak: but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus: [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within: iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised: work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name: wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against. all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer: God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all: yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it): stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be baptised in it a washing of regeneration for cleansing from all sin. And prepare those whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (clothed) with incorruptible vesture they may rise at the resurrection of the dead; and may every evil spirit be removed from them, having been expelled according to thy holy infallible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to generation of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him: I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he who was baptised shall find then a clean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the early morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who baptises shall pour water upon his head, saying: I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens (lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick. God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say: With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say: (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus: Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit: when the world was gone astray thou savedst (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast given to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them: and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them (lit. him) for thee, while they (lit. he) call upon thee; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying: The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say: Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ: for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying: The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say: With thy spirit And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say: We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit: for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each: I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus: I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying: I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice: Amen. And he shall say thus stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this. faith in the Trinity: I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying: Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say: I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak: and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus: (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus: May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say: Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus: I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say: Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist: and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus: The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus: Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one: The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order (lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been given the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice: Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people: Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say: Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say: There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine: and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk: We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord,: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say: This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say: Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say: This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say: Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say: I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.

Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (lit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace (lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances: yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus (lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place: thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say: Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say: God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth: blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart: and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation. And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism): how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak: but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus: [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within: iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised: work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name: wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against. all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer: God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all: yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it): stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be baptised in it a washing of regeneration for cleansing from all sin. And prepare those whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (clothed) with incorruptible vesture they may rise at the resurrection of the dead; and may every evil spirit be removed from them, having been expelled according to thy holy infallible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to generation of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him: I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he who was baptised shall find then a clean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the early morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who baptises shall pour water upon his head, saying: I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens (lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick. God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say: With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say: (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus: Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit: when the world was gone astray thou savedst (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast given to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them: and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them (lit. him) for thee, while they (lit. he) call upon thee; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying: The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say: Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ: for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying: The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say: With thy spirit And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say: We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit: for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each: I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus: I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying: I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice: Amen. And he shall say thus stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this. faith in the Trinity: I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying: Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say: I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak: and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus: (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus: May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say: Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus: I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say: Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist: and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus: The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus: Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one: The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order (lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been given the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice: Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people: Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say: Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say: There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine: and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk: We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord,: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say: This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say: Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say: This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say: Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say: I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.

Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (lit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace (lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances: yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus (lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place: thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say: Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say: God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth: blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart: and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation. And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism): how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak: but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus: [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within: iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised: work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name: wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against. all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer: God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all: yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it): stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be baptised in it a washing of regeneration for cleansing from all sin. And prepare those whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (clothed) with incorruptible vesture they may rise at the resurrection of the dead; and may every evil spirit be removed from them, having been expelled according to thy holy infallible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to generation of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him: I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he who was baptised shall find then a clean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the early morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who baptises shall pour water upon his head, saying: I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens (lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick. God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say: With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say: (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus: Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit: when the world was gone astray thou savedst (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast given to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them: and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them (lit. him) for thee, while they (lit. he) call upon thee; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying: The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say: Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ: for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying: The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say: With thy spirit And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say: We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit: for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each: I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus: I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying: I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice: Amen. And he shall say thus stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this. faith in the Trinity: I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying: Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say: I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak: and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus: (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus: May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say: Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus: I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say: Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist: and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus: The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus: Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one: The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order (lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been given the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice: Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people: Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say: Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say: There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine: and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk: We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord,: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say: This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say: Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say: This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say: Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say: I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.

Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (lit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace (lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances: yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus (lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place: thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say: Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say: God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth: blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart: and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation. And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism): how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak: but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus: [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within: iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised: work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name: wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against. all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer: God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all: yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it): stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be baptised in it a washing of regeneration for cleansing from all sin. And prepare those whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (clothed) with incorruptible vesture they may rise at the resurrection of the dead; and may every evil spirit be removed from them, having been expelled according to thy holy infallible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to generation of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him: I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he who was baptised shall find then a clean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the early morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who baptises shall pour water upon his head, saying: I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens (lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick. God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say: With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say: (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus: Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit: when the world was gone astray thou savedst (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast given to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them: and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them (lit. him) for thee, while they (lit. he) call upon thee; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying: The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say: Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ: for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying: The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say: With thy spirit And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say: We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit: for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each: I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus: I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying: I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice: Amen. And he shall say thus stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this. faith in the Trinity: I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying: Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say: I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak: and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus: (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus: May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say: Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus: I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say: Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist: and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus: The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus: Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one: The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order (lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been given the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice: Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people: Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say: Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say: There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine: and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk: We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord,: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say: This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say: Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say: This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say: Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say: I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.

Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (lit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace (lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances: yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus (lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place: thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say: Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say: God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth: blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart: and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation. And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism): how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak: but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus: [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within: iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised: work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name: wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against. all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer: God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all: yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it): stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be baptised in it a washing of regeneration for cleansing from all sin. And prepare those whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (clothed) with incorruptible vesture they may rise at the resurrection of the dead; and may every evil spirit be removed from them, having been expelled according to thy holy infallible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to generation of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him: I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he who was baptised shall find then a clean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the early morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who baptises shall pour water upon his head, saying: I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens (lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick. God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say: With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say: (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus: Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit: when the world was gone astray thou savedst (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast given to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them: and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them (lit. him) for thee, while they (lit. he) call upon thee; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying: The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say: Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ: for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying: The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say: With thy spirit And the bishop shall say: Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say: We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit: for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each: I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus: I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying: I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice: Amen. And he shall say thus stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this. faith in the Trinity: I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying: Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say: I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak: and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus: (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus: May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say: Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus: I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say: Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist: and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus: The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus: Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one: The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say: Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order (lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been given the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice: Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people: Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say: Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say: There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine: and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk: We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord,: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say: This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say: Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say: This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say: Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say: I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.

Concerning the Order of the Priesthood. Each one of you knows what we have ordained for you, and further ye know that there are some whom we name bishops, and others whom we name presbyters, and others are named deacons. With prayer we laid hand upon them, and we appointed to each an Order according to its different name. And among us there is no one who desires a filling of our hand, nor will he receive from us that which he wishes for of priesthood, as the priests of the oxen of Iyurebe'am, which were made as an abomination to God. Unless there had been a special Order for each according to law, one name would have sufficed for all the world; but having been taught by God a guidance for all functions, we have separated for the bishops the ordination of the priesthood, for the presbyters the priesthood, for the deacons the service.... that the work of the service might be completed withal. It is not seemly for the deacons to offer the Oblation, or to baptise, or to give the Eulogia to small or to great. And the presbyter shall not ordain anyone, because he was not worthy (of anything) beside his Order. For God is not a God of confusion, so that the inferiors may not grasp (at office) with audacity. What work then will be completed by the imperfect } And they make a new law to their own destruction, and do not know that it is a small thing which is in their power (lit. with them); and they kick with their feet in the net And if thus, they do not oppose us, but they oppose the Bishop of all the world, the Son of God, the Chief Priest Jesus Christ our Lord, A chief priest, priests, and levites were ordained by Moses, the lover of God, and we the twelve Apostles were ordained by our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we ordained for us Klementos and Ya'ekob and others with them, that we might send ' each one of them, and further, we all of us ordained withal presbyters and deacons. And the first Presbyter, the only true Chief Priest, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not grasp for himself the honour, but the Father ordained him. And as he is the Chief Priest for us, so he offered spiritual sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified, and he commanded us to do likewise. And there were others with us who believe in him, but he does not grant to all who believe in him to be priests, nor to obtain the Order of ordination of priesthood like us. And after his Ascension we offered according to the ordinance of the holy bloodless Oblation. And we ordained bishops and presbyters and deacons in number seven, and amongst them Estifanos, the first martyr, who was not the least of us in his love of God: but he showed his service of God by faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord, so much that he gave his life up for his sake; and the wicked Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones for his name and killed him. But he was a man of such fervent spirit that he saw our Lord Christ at the right hand of God, and he saw the open gates of the heavens. And it is nowhere found that he did what was not suitable for him as deacon, that he offered sacrifice or laid hand upon anyone, but he kept to his Order of deacon unto the end. For thus it was proper for the martyr of our Lord Christ to fulfil the duties of his Order. And if there are any who blame Filepos the deacon and Hananya the faithful brother because the one baptised the eunuch and the other baptised even me, Pawlos, they are deluded as to what we say; for we say that no one should take by force the ordination of priesthood, but he obtained it from God, as Malkasedek and Ya'ekob; or from the chief priest, as Aron from IS Muse; therefore that Filepos and Hananya themselves took not ordination from themselves, but from our Lord Christ. They believed in the Chief Priest of God, with whom there is none to be compared. PRAYER OF EARLY MORNING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, while thanking him because he has kept us throughout the night, and brought us from darkness into light, from corruption into that which is incorruptible, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth, that throughout the day also he may cause us to be in all peace and health, and protect his people with the power of his angels, who has authority over all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. O Lord the almighty, do thou cause us to be in all peace and health throughout the day, for thou hast kept us throughout the night Thou, Lord, the almighty, send to us thine angel the good guide. And have mercy upon us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and according to the multitude of thy clemency blot out our wickedness. And none of us is an alien and a backslider, put us not away from thy favour, because of thy name which was named over us. Be forgiving to us and forsake us not. Grant us to obtain favour before thee and before Christ thy Son, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE SICK And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the sick brethren, that he may remove all sickness and all suffering from them. Having taken away the spirit of disease, may he who has authority for all healing give to them life, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the sick. God the almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee for the sick brethren. Grant to them life. Take away the spirit of sickness. Cause to pass away from them all disease and all suffering. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: Have mercy upon us. Physician of the soul and physician of the body, thou art the overseer of all flesh, and of those who are troubled with unclean spirits; deliver every tormented and IS oppressed soul, give health and give rest, drive away all disease from this house, and from those who call upon thy holy and blessed name. Having healed the disease of all of our souls, grant perfect soundness, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A JOURNEY And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, JO etc, for those our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey, whether by sea, or by rivers, or by the deeps, or by road, in whatever journey they may travel, that he may bring all into the safe harbour, the almighty Lord our God. IS The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey abroad; direct (them) as fellow (traveller) though we are many. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring them into the safe harbour. Restore them to their people with joy and with peace, rejoicing and causing to rejoice, through, etc PRAYER FOR RAINS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for rains, that he may send his rain into the place where it is needed, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, send thy rains into the place where they are needed. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Bring the sowing and the harvest, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all those who hope in thee, work with us according to thy clemency, and nourish our mind with the doctrine of the Godhead, and with understanding which is from thee, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father etc. for the fruit of the earth, that he may increase the fruit of the earth, and that he may be pleased to bring the sowing and the harvest. May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the fruit of the earth. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, increase the fruit of the earth, and be pleased (and) bring the sowing and the harvest, which is from thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE WATERS OF THE RIVERS And again we' beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the waters of the rivers, that he may cause (them) to rise up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth. May he bring the sowing and the harvest May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the waters of the rivers. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, cause to rise the waters of the rivers up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Multiply food, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE KING as And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, that he should keep his kingdom without trouble, in peace and righteousness, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the king. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the king of this land, the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, and grant to him what is useful for him. Cause to submit his enemy, the peoples who are against his wall& And speak in his heart for thy holy Church. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon him. Grant him without error to keep (his) understanding concerning the faith in the excellence of thy Godhead, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO OFFER AN OFFERING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, is etc. for those who offer an offering in the holy, one, catholic (lit. which is over all) Church, a sacrifice, first fruits, tithes, a thanksgiving, a memorial, whether much or little, secret and open. And as for those who have nothing and wish to give, (though) they have nothing to to give, accept their desire, and having accepted the longing of every one of them, grant to them the heavenly Spirit And as for those who have somewhat and do not wish to give, soften their heart to do good, thou (lit. he) who hast authority for all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for those who offer an offering. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for those who offer an offering to the holy, one, catholic Church, to the honour of thy name, an offering and a thanksgiving of first-fruits and of tithes, of much and of little, of secret and of open. And as for those who have nothing (yet) who wish to give, accept their desire as the offering of Abel: and as the Hebrew woman who offered the two mites, and as the sacrifice of the forefathers. And thus accept into the heavenly altar. Repay them with a reward of blessing, heavenly in return for earthly, and much in return for little, and open in return for secret, and life everlasting in Christ in return for food and drink, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE CATECHUMENS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. as regards his servants the catechumens, that he may impart to them in due time the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the catechumens, God the Lord almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee, have mercy upon thy servants the catechumens. Be kind, (and) remove from them all the remains of the idols. Impose upon their hearts thy law and thy commandment, and thy righteousness and thine ordinance. Speedily let thy mercy find us. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. In proper time (impart to them) the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin. Make them the shrine of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. Lord of the living, Life of the dead, and Hope of the desperate, Helper of the afflicted, Cleanser of sinners, who hast abolished death and burst the bonds of Satan (Sayetan). Thou hast granted life to the race of men, thee we pray and beseech, who wilt not die for ever and ever, with whom is the treasure of life, for those who have fallen asleep and rested in the faith; the forefathers, the bishops, (papasat), presbyters and deacons, and readers (anaguenestis), and monks, and virgins, and widows (of the order), infants, widows and orphans (lit. offspring of the dead); and for the soul of thy servant N(egale) and for the soul of all those who are there in that place, whom thou calledst from among thy people in righteousness and in uprightness. Give rest to their soul in the place of pasturage by the water of rest, in the bosom of Abreham, Yeshak, and Ya'ekob, in the garden of joy, among the guides of light, thine angels, having united (them) with thy holy ones. And raise up their body in the day which thou hast appointed, according to thy holy unlying promise of thy heavenly kingdom; for there is no death to thy servants, but rather a passing, and although one has sinned, and the law of man was hidden from them, be indulgent; for thou, God, art good and the lover of man; for there is none pure from uncleanness before thee, even though he lived one hour upon the earth. Do thou grant passings to their soul freely, without hindrance. Send the Spirit of the Comforter, and who gives consolation to their people. Comfort them, cause them to rejoice in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR PEACE And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church, that he may grant much peace upon all rulers (lit. shepherds) and peoples and upon all flocks, he who has authority for all peace, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for peace. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church. King of peace, give to us peace, because thou gavest to IS us everything. Possess us, God, and reward us, for beside thee there is no other whom we know. And thy holy name we name and we invoke. Do thou impart thy heavenly peace upon us all. Preserve (our) life (lit. soul) and our condition of this world peacefully. Give peace to the king of this land, and through thy holy name give counsel to the rulers of the neighbouring peoples. Guard our coming in and our going out in peace, that living in a quiet and tranquil life we may be found in all piety, in the fear of God and virtue in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE CONGREGATION And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the congregation, this as well as all our congregations, that he may grant that it may be according to his holy will, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for our congregation. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for this our congregation as well as all our congregations. Grant that it may be according to thy holy will, where we do this service of our congregation and other congregations also. And make it a house of prayer and a house of blessing. Vouchsafe to bestow upon us, and upon those who (come) after us, the everlasting salvation. Rise up, O Lord, and let all thine enemies be scattered, and let all flee away from before thy face who hate thy holy and blessed name, and make thy people ten thousand of ten thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE PAPAS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the blessed and holy Papas, Aba N(egale), that thou wilt in keeping keep him for us during many years and during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which has been entrusted to him by thee. May the Lord our God grant rich favour. The deacon shall say: Pray for Papas N. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the blessed Papas N. In keeping keep him for us during many years, during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which was entrusted to him by thee, together with all the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and with all the fulness of the holy, one, catholic Church. And the prayer which they make for us and for all thy people hear (it), and accept them; and open to them the treasury of thy clemency; and further, pour down upon him abundantly thy grace of thy Holy Spirit, thy heavenly blessing, that he may bless thy people; and moreover, cause to submit every enemy, visible or invisible, and bruise (them) under his feet; and himself indeed keep for thy Church in glory, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might, now and ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Concerning the Order of the Priesthood. Each one of you knows what we have ordained for you, and further ye know that there are some whom we name bishops, and others whom we name presbyters, and others are named deacons. With prayer we laid hand upon them, and we appointed to each an Order according to its different name. And among us there is no one who desires a filling of our hand, nor will he receive from us that which he wishes for of priesthood, as the priests of the oxen of Iyurebe'am, which were made as an abomination to God. Unless there had been a special Order for each according to law, one name would have sufficed for all the world; but having been taught by God a guidance for all functions, we have separated for the bishops the ordination of the priesthood, for the presbyters the priesthood, for the deacons the service.... that the work of the service might be completed withal. It is not seemly for the deacons to offer the Oblation, or to baptise, or to give the Eulogia to small or to great. And the presbyter shall not ordain anyone, because he was not worthy (of anything) beside his Order. For God is not a God of confusion, so that the inferiors may not grasp (at office) with audacity. What work then will be completed by the imperfect } And they make a new law to their own destruction, and do not know that it is a small thing which is in their power (lit. with them); and they kick with their feet in the net And if thus, they do not oppose us, but they oppose the Bishop of all the world, the Son of God, the Chief Priest Jesus Christ our Lord, A chief priest, priests, and levites were ordained by Moses, the lover of God, and we the twelve Apostles were ordained by our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we ordained for us Klementos and Ya'ekob and others with them, that we might send ' each one of them, and further, we all of us ordained withal presbyters and deacons. And the first Presbyter, the only true Chief Priest, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not grasp for himself the honour, but the Father ordained him. And as he is the Chief Priest for us, so he offered spiritual sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified, and he commanded us to do likewise. And there were others with us who believe in him, but he does not grant to all who believe in him to be priests, nor to obtain the Order of ordination of priesthood like us. And after his Ascension we offered according to the ordinance of the holy bloodless Oblation. And we ordained bishops and presbyters and deacons in number seven, and amongst them Estifanos, the first martyr, who was not the least of us in his love of God: but he showed his service of God by faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord, so much that he gave his life up for his sake; and the wicked Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones for his name and killed him. But he was a man of such fervent spirit that he saw our Lord Christ at the right hand of God, and he saw the open gates of the heavens. And it is nowhere found that he did what was not suitable for him as deacon, that he offered sacrifice or laid hand upon anyone, but he kept to his Order of deacon unto the end. For thus it was proper for the martyr of our Lord Christ to fulfil the duties of his Order. And if there are any who blame Filepos the deacon and Hananya the faithful brother because the one baptised the eunuch and the other baptised even me, Pawlos, they are deluded as to what we say; for we say that no one should take by force the ordination of priesthood, but he obtained it from God, as Malkasedek and Ya'ekob; or from the chief priest, as Aron from IS Muse; therefore that Filepos and Hananya themselves took not ordination from themselves, but from our Lord Christ. They believed in the Chief Priest of God, with whom there is none to be compared. PRAYER OF EARLY MORNING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, while thanking him because he has kept us throughout the night, and brought us from darkness into light, from corruption into that which is incorruptible, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth, that throughout the day also he may cause us to be in all peace and health, and protect his people with the power of his angels, who has authority over all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. O Lord the almighty, do thou cause us to be in all peace and health throughout the day, for thou hast kept us throughout the night Thou, Lord, the almighty, send to us thine angel the good guide. And have mercy upon us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and according to the multitude of thy clemency blot out our wickedness. And none of us is an alien and a backslider, put us not away from thy favour, because of thy name which was named over us. Be forgiving to us and forsake us not. Grant us to obtain favour before thee and before Christ thy Son, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE SICK And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the sick brethren, that he may remove all sickness and all suffering from them. Having taken away the spirit of disease, may he who has authority for all healing give to them life, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the sick. God the almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee for the sick brethren. Grant to them life. Take away the spirit of sickness. Cause to pass away from them all disease and all suffering. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: Have mercy upon us. Physician of the soul and physician of the body, thou art the overseer of all flesh, and of those who are troubled with unclean spirits; deliver every tormented and IS oppressed soul, give health and give rest, drive away all disease from this house, and from those who call upon thy holy and blessed name. Having healed the disease of all of our souls, grant perfect soundness, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A JOURNEY And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, JO etc, for those our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey, whether by sea, or by rivers, or by the deeps, or by road, in whatever journey they may travel, that he may bring all into the safe harbour, the almighty Lord our God. IS The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey abroad; direct (them) as fellow (traveller) though we are many. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring them into the safe harbour. Restore them to their people with joy and with peace, rejoicing and causing to rejoice, through, etc PRAYER FOR RAINS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for rains, that he may send his rain into the place where it is needed, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, send thy rains into the place where they are needed. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Bring the sowing and the harvest, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all those who hope in thee, work with us according to thy clemency, and nourish our mind with the doctrine of the Godhead, and with understanding which is from thee, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father etc. for the fruit of the earth, that he may increase the fruit of the earth, and that he may be pleased to bring the sowing and the harvest. May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the fruit of the earth. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, increase the fruit of the earth, and be pleased (and) bring the sowing and the harvest, which is from thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE WATERS OF THE RIVERS And again we' beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the waters of the rivers, that he may cause (them) to rise up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth. May he bring the sowing and the harvest May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the waters of the rivers. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, cause to rise the waters of the rivers up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Multiply food, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE KING as And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, that he should keep his kingdom without trouble, in peace and righteousness, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the king. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the king of this land, the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, and grant to him what is useful for him. Cause to submit his enemy, the peoples who are against his wall& And speak in his heart for thy holy Church. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon him. Grant him without error to keep (his) understanding concerning the faith in the excellence of thy Godhead, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO OFFER AN OFFERING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, is etc. for those who offer an offering in the holy, one, catholic (lit. which is over all) Church, a sacrifice, first fruits, tithes, a thanksgiving, a memorial, whether much or little, secret and open. And as for those who have nothing and wish to give, (though) they have nothing to to give, accept their desire, and having accepted the longing of every one of them, grant to them the heavenly Spirit And as for those who have somewhat and do not wish to give, soften their heart to do good, thou (lit. he) who hast authority for all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for those who offer an offering. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for those who offer an offering to the holy, one, catholic Church, to the honour of thy name, an offering and a thanksgiving of first-fruits and of tithes, of much and of little, of secret and of open. And as for those who have nothing (yet) who wish to give, accept their desire as the offering of Abel: and as the Hebrew woman who offered the two mites, and as the sacrifice of the forefathers. And thus accept into the heavenly altar. Repay them with a reward of blessing, heavenly in return for earthly, and much in return for little, and open in return for secret, and life everlasting in Christ in return for food and drink, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE CATECHUMENS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. as regards his servants the catechumens, that he may impart to them in due time the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the catechumens, God the Lord almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee, have mercy upon thy servants the catechumens. Be kind, (and) remove from them all the remains of the idols. Impose upon their hearts thy law and thy commandment, and thy righteousness and thine ordinance. Speedily let thy mercy find us. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. In proper time (impart to them) the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin. Make them the shrine of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. Lord of the living, Life of the dead, and Hope of the desperate, Helper of the afflicted, Cleanser of sinners, who hast abolished death and burst the bonds of Satan (Sayetan). Thou hast granted life to the race of men, thee we pray and beseech, who wilt not die for ever and ever, with whom is the treasure of life, for those who have fallen asleep and rested in the faith; the forefathers, the bishops, (papasat), presbyters and deacons, and readers (anaguenestis), and monks, and virgins, and widows (of the order), infants, widows and orphans (lit. offspring of the dead); and for the soul of thy servant N(egale) and for the soul of all those who are there in that place, whom thou calledst from among thy people in righteousness and in uprightness. Give rest to their soul in the place of pasturage by the water of rest, in the bosom of Abreham, Yeshak, and Ya'ekob, in the garden of joy, among the guides of light, thine angels, having united (them) with thy holy ones. And raise up their body in the day which thou hast appointed, according to thy holy unlying promise of thy heavenly kingdom; for there is no death to thy servants, but rather a passing, and although one has sinned, and the law of man was hidden from them, be indulgent; for thou, God, art good and the lover of man; for there is none pure from uncleanness before thee, even though he lived one hour upon the earth. Do thou grant passings to their soul freely, without hindrance. Send the Spirit of the Comforter, and who gives consolation to their people. Comfort them, cause them to rejoice in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR PEACE And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church, that he may grant much peace upon all rulers (lit. shepherds) and peoples and upon all flocks, he who has authority for all peace, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for peace. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church. King of peace, give to us peace, because thou gavest to IS us everything. Possess us, God, and reward us, for beside thee there is no other whom we know. And thy holy name we name and we invoke. Do thou impart thy heavenly peace upon us all. Preserve (our) life (lit. soul) and our condition of this world peacefully. Give peace to the king of this land, and through thy holy name give counsel to the rulers of the neighbouring peoples. Guard our coming in and our going out in peace, that living in a quiet and tranquil life we may be found in all piety, in the fear of God and virtue in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE CONGREGATION And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the congregation, this as well as all our congregations, that he may grant that it may be according to his holy will, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for our congregation. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for this our congregation as well as all our congregations. Grant that it may be according to thy holy will, where we do this service of our congregation and other congregations also. And make it a house of prayer and a house of blessing. Vouchsafe to bestow upon us, and upon those who (come) after us, the everlasting salvation. Rise up, O Lord, and let all thine enemies be scattered, and let all flee away from before thy face who hate thy holy and blessed name, and make thy people ten thousand of ten thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE PAPAS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the blessed and holy Papas, Aba N(egale), that thou wilt in keeping keep him for us during many years and during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which has been entrusted to him by thee. May the Lord our God grant rich favour. The deacon shall say: Pray for Papas N. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the blessed Papas N. In keeping keep him for us during many years, during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which was entrusted to him by thee, together with all the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and with all the fulness of the holy, one, catholic Church. And the prayer which they make for us and for all thy people hear (it), and accept them; and open to them the treasury of thy clemency; and further, pour down upon him abundantly thy grace of thy Holy Spirit, thy heavenly blessing, that he may bless thy people; and moreover, cause to submit every enemy, visible or invisible, and bruise (them) under his feet; and himself indeed keep for thy Church in glory, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might, now and ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Concerning the Order of the Priesthood. Each one of you knows what we have ordained for you, and further ye know that there are some whom we name bishops, and others whom we name presbyters, and others are named deacons. With prayer we laid hand upon them, and we appointed to each an Order according to its different name. And among us there is no one who desires a filling of our hand, nor will he receive from us that which he wishes for of priesthood, as the priests of the oxen of Iyurebe'am, which were made as an abomination to God. Unless there had been a special Order for each according to law, one name would have sufficed for all the world; but having been taught by God a guidance for all functions, we have separated for the bishops the ordination of the priesthood, for the presbyters the priesthood, for the deacons the service.... that the work of the service might be completed withal. It is not seemly for the deacons to offer the Oblation, or to baptise, or to give the Eulogia to small or to great. And the presbyter shall not ordain anyone, because he was not worthy (of anything) beside his Order. For God is not a God of confusion, so that the inferiors may not grasp (at office) with audacity. What work then will be completed by the imperfect } And they make a new law to their own destruction, and do not know that it is a small thing which is in their power (lit. with them); and they kick with their feet in the net And if thus, they do not oppose us, but they oppose the Bishop of all the world, the Son of God, the Chief Priest Jesus Christ our Lord, A chief priest, priests, and levites were ordained by Moses, the lover of God, and we the twelve Apostles were ordained by our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we ordained for us Klementos and Ya'ekob and others with them, that we might send ' each one of them, and further, we all of us ordained withal presbyters and deacons. And the first Presbyter, the only true Chief Priest, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not grasp for himself the honour, but the Father ordained him. And as he is the Chief Priest for us, so he offered spiritual sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified, and he commanded us to do likewise. And there were others with us who believe in him, but he does not grant to all who believe in him to be priests, nor to obtain the Order of ordination of priesthood like us. And after his Ascension we offered according to the ordinance of the holy bloodless Oblation. And we ordained bishops and presbyters and deacons in number seven, and amongst them Estifanos, the first martyr, who was not the least of us in his love of God: but he showed his service of God by faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord, so much that he gave his life up for his sake; and the wicked Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones for his name and killed him. But he was a man of such fervent spirit that he saw our Lord Christ at the right hand of God, and he saw the open gates of the heavens. And it is nowhere found that he did what was not suitable for him as deacon, that he offered sacrifice or laid hand upon anyone, but he kept to his Order of deacon unto the end. For thus it was proper for the martyr of our Lord Christ to fulfil the duties of his Order. And if there are any who blame Filepos the deacon and Hananya the faithful brother because the one baptised the eunuch and the other baptised even me, Pawlos, they are deluded as to what we say; for we say that no one should take by force the ordination of priesthood, but he obtained it from God, as Malkasedek and Ya'ekob; or from the chief priest, as Aron from IS Muse; therefore that Filepos and Hananya themselves took not ordination from themselves, but from our Lord Christ. They believed in the Chief Priest of God, with whom there is none to be compared. PRAYER OF EARLY MORNING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, while thanking him because he has kept us throughout the night, and brought us from darkness into light, from corruption into that which is incorruptible, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth, that throughout the day also he may cause us to be in all peace and health, and protect his people with the power of his angels, who has authority over all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. O Lord the almighty, do thou cause us to be in all peace and health throughout the day, for thou hast kept us throughout the night Thou, Lord, the almighty, send to us thine angel the good guide. And have mercy upon us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and according to the multitude of thy clemency blot out our wickedness. And none of us is an alien and a backslider, put us not away from thy favour, because of thy name which was named over us. Be forgiving to us and forsake us not. Grant us to obtain favour before thee and before Christ thy Son, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE SICK And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the sick brethren, that he may remove all sickness and all suffering from them. Having taken away the spirit of disease, may he who has authority for all healing give to them life, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the sick. God the almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee for the sick brethren. Grant to them life. Take away the spirit of sickness. Cause to pass away from them all disease and all suffering. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: Have mercy upon us. Physician of the soul and physician of the body, thou art the overseer of all flesh, and of those who are troubled with unclean spirits; deliver every tormented and IS oppressed soul, give health and give rest, drive away all disease from this house, and from those who call upon thy holy and blessed name. Having healed the disease of all of our souls, grant perfect soundness, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A JOURNEY And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, JO etc, for those our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey, whether by sea, or by rivers, or by the deeps, or by road, in whatever journey they may travel, that he may bring all into the safe harbour, the almighty Lord our God. IS The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey abroad; direct (them) as fellow (traveller) though we are many. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring them into the safe harbour. Restore them to their people with joy and with peace, rejoicing and causing to rejoice, through, etc PRAYER FOR RAINS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for rains, that he may send his rain into the place where it is needed, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, send thy rains into the place where they are needed. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Bring the sowing and the harvest, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all those who hope in thee, work with us according to thy clemency, and nourish our mind with the doctrine of the Godhead, and with understanding which is from thee, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father etc. for the fruit of the earth, that he may increase the fruit of the earth, and that he may be pleased to bring the sowing and the harvest. May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the fruit of the earth. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, increase the fruit of the earth, and be pleased (and) bring the sowing and the harvest, which is from thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE WATERS OF THE RIVERS And again we' beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the waters of the rivers, that he may cause (them) to rise up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth. May he bring the sowing and the harvest May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the waters of the rivers. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, cause to rise the waters of the rivers up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Multiply food, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE KING as And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, that he should keep his kingdom without trouble, in peace and righteousness, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the king. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the king of this land, the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, and grant to him what is useful for him. Cause to submit his enemy, the peoples who are against his wall& And speak in his heart for thy holy Church. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon him. Grant him without error to keep (his) understanding concerning the faith in the excellence of thy Godhead, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO OFFER AN OFFERING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, is etc. for those who offer an offering in the holy, one, catholic (lit. which is over all) Church, a sacrifice, first fruits, tithes, a thanksgiving, a memorial, whether much or little, secret and open. And as for those who have nothing and wish to give, (though) they have nothing to to give, accept their desire, and having accepted the longing of every one of them, grant to them the heavenly Spirit And as for those who have somewhat and do not wish to give, soften their heart to do good, thou (lit. he) who hast authority for all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for those who offer an offering. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for those who offer an offering to the holy, one, catholic Church, to the honour of thy name, an offering and a thanksgiving of first-fruits and of tithes, of much and of little, of secret and of open. And as for those who have nothing (yet) who wish to give, accept their desire as the offering of Abel: and as the Hebrew woman who offered the two mites, and as the sacrifice of the forefathers. And thus accept into the heavenly altar. Repay them with a reward of blessing, heavenly in return for earthly, and much in return for little, and open in return for secret, and life everlasting in Christ in return for food and drink, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE CATECHUMENS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. as regards his servants the catechumens, that he may impart to them in due time the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the catechumens, God the Lord almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee, have mercy upon thy servants the catechumens. Be kind, (and) remove from them all the remains of the idols. Impose upon their hearts thy law and thy commandment, and thy righteousness and thine ordinance. Speedily let thy mercy find us. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. In proper time (impart to them) the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin. Make them the shrine of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. Lord of the living, Life of the dead, and Hope of the desperate, Helper of the afflicted, Cleanser of sinners, who hast abolished death and burst the bonds of Satan (Sayetan). Thou hast granted life to the race of men, thee we pray and beseech, who wilt not die for ever and ever, with whom is the treasure of life, for those who have fallen asleep and rested in the faith; the forefathers, the bishops, (papasat), presbyters and deacons, and readers (anaguenestis), and monks, and virgins, and widows (of the order), infants, widows and orphans (lit. offspring of the dead); and for the soul of thy servant N(egale) and for the soul of all those who are there in that place, whom thou calledst from among thy people in righteousness and in uprightness. Give rest to their soul in the place of pasturage by the water of rest, in the bosom of Abreham, Yeshak, and Ya'ekob, in the garden of joy, among the guides of light, thine angels, having united (them) with thy holy ones. And raise up their body in the day which thou hast appointed, according to thy holy unlying promise of thy heavenly kingdom; for there is no death to thy servants, but rather a passing, and although one has sinned, and the law of man was hidden from them, be indulgent; for thou, God, art good and the lover of man; for there is none pure from uncleanness before thee, even though he lived one hour upon the earth. Do thou grant passings to their soul freely, without hindrance. Send the Spirit of the Comforter, and who gives consolation to their people. Comfort them, cause them to rejoice in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR PEACE And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church, that he may grant much peace upon all rulers (lit. shepherds) and peoples and upon all flocks, he who has authority for all peace, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for peace. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church. King of peace, give to us peace, because thou gavest to IS us everything. Possess us, God, and reward us, for beside thee there is no other whom we know. And thy holy name we name and we invoke. Do thou impart thy heavenly peace upon us all. Preserve (our) life (lit. soul) and our condition of this world peacefully. Give peace to the king of this land, and through thy holy name give counsel to the rulers of the neighbouring peoples. Guard our coming in and our going out in peace, that living in a quiet and tranquil life we may be found in all piety, in the fear of God and virtue in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE CONGREGATION And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the congregation, this as well as all our congregations, that he may grant that it may be according to his holy will, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for our congregation. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for this our congregation as well as all our congregations. Grant that it may be according to thy holy will, where we do this service of our congregation and other congregations also. And make it a house of prayer and a house of blessing. Vouchsafe to bestow upon us, and upon those who (come) after us, the everlasting salvation. Rise up, O Lord, and let all thine enemies be scattered, and let all flee away from before thy face who hate thy holy and blessed name, and make thy people ten thousand of ten thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE PAPAS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the blessed and holy Papas, Aba N(egale), that thou wilt in keeping keep him for us during many years and during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which has been entrusted to him by thee. May the Lord our God grant rich favour. The deacon shall say: Pray for Papas N. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the blessed Papas N. In keeping keep him for us during many years, during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which was entrusted to him by thee, together with all the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and with all the fulness of the holy, one, catholic Church. And the prayer which they make for us and for all thy people hear (it), and accept them; and open to them the treasury of thy clemency; and further, pour down upon him abundantly thy grace of thy Holy Spirit, thy heavenly blessing, that he may bless thy people; and moreover, cause to submit every enemy, visible or invisible, and bruise (them) under his feet; and himself indeed keep for thy Church in glory, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might, now and ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Concerning the Order of the Priesthood. Each one of you knows what we have ordained for you, and further ye know that there are some whom we name bishops, and others whom we name presbyters, and others are named deacons. With prayer we laid hand upon them, and we appointed to each an Order according to its different name. And among us there is no one who desires a filling of our hand, nor will he receive from us that which he wishes for of priesthood, as the priests of the oxen of Iyurebe'am, which were made as an abomination to God. Unless there had been a special Order for each according to law, one name would have sufficed for all the world; but having been taught by God a guidance for all functions, we have separated for the bishops the ordination of the priesthood, for the presbyters the priesthood, for the deacons the service.... that the work of the service might be completed withal. It is not seemly for the deacons to offer the Oblation, or to baptise, or to give the Eulogia to small or to great. And the presbyter shall not ordain anyone, because he was not worthy (of anything) beside his Order. For God is not a God of confusion, so that the inferiors may not grasp (at office) with audacity. What work then will be completed by the imperfect } And they make a new law to their own destruction, and do not know that it is a small thing which is in their power (lit. with them); and they kick with their feet in the net And if thus, they do not oppose us, but they oppose the Bishop of all the world, the Son of God, the Chief Priest Jesus Christ our Lord, A chief priest, priests, and levites were ordained by Moses, the lover of God, and we the twelve Apostles were ordained by our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we ordained for us Klementos and Ya'ekob and others with them, that we might send ' each one of them, and further, we all of us ordained withal presbyters and deacons. And the first Presbyter, the only true Chief Priest, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not grasp for himself the honour, but the Father ordained him. And as he is the Chief Priest for us, so he offered spiritual sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified, and he commanded us to do likewise. And there were others with us who believe in him, but he does not grant to all who believe in him to be priests, nor to obtain the Order of ordination of priesthood like us. And after his Ascension we offered according to the ordinance of the holy bloodless Oblation. And we ordained bishops and presbyters and deacons in number seven, and amongst them Estifanos, the first martyr, who was not the least of us in his love of God: but he showed his service of God by faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord, so much that he gave his life up for his sake; and the wicked Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones for his name and killed him. But he was a man of such fervent spirit that he saw our Lord Christ at the right hand of God, and he saw the open gates of the heavens. And it is nowhere found that he did what was not suitable for him as deacon, that he offered sacrifice or laid hand upon anyone, but he kept to his Order of deacon unto the end. For thus it was proper for the martyr of our Lord Christ to fulfil the duties of his Order. And if there are any who blame Filepos the deacon and Hananya the faithful brother because the one baptised the eunuch and the other baptised even me, Pawlos, they are deluded as to what we say; for we say that no one should take by force the ordination of priesthood, but he obtained it from God, as Malkasedek and Ya'ekob; or from the chief priest, as Aron from IS Muse; therefore that Filepos and Hananya themselves took not ordination from themselves, but from our Lord Christ. They believed in the Chief Priest of God, with whom there is none to be compared. PRAYER OF EARLY MORNING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, while thanking him because he has kept us throughout the night, and brought us from darkness into light, from corruption into that which is incorruptible, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth, that throughout the day also he may cause us to be in all peace and health, and protect his people with the power of his angels, who has authority over all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. O Lord the almighty, do thou cause us to be in all peace and health throughout the day, for thou hast kept us throughout the night Thou, Lord, the almighty, send to us thine angel the good guide. And have mercy upon us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and according to the multitude of thy clemency blot out our wickedness. And none of us is an alien and a backslider, put us not away from thy favour, because of thy name which was named over us. Be forgiving to us and forsake us not. Grant us to obtain favour before thee and before Christ thy Son, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE SICK And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the sick brethren, that he may remove all sickness and all suffering from them. Having taken away the spirit of disease, may he who has authority for all healing give to them life, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the sick. God the almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee for the sick brethren. Grant to them life. Take away the spirit of sickness. Cause to pass away from them all disease and all suffering. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: Have mercy upon us. Physician of the soul and physician of the body, thou art the overseer of all flesh, and of those who are troubled with unclean spirits; deliver every tormented and IS oppressed soul, give health and give rest, drive away all disease from this house, and from those who call upon thy holy and blessed name. Having healed the disease of all of our souls, grant perfect soundness, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A JOURNEY And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, JO etc, for those our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey, whether by sea, or by rivers, or by the deeps, or by road, in whatever journey they may travel, that he may bring all into the safe harbour, the almighty Lord our God. IS The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey abroad; direct (them) as fellow (traveller) though we are many. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring them into the safe harbour. Restore them to their people with joy and with peace, rejoicing and causing to rejoice, through, etc PRAYER FOR RAINS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for rains, that he may send his rain into the place where it is needed, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, send thy rains into the place where they are needed. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Bring the sowing and the harvest, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all those who hope in thee, work with us according to thy clemency, and nourish our mind with the doctrine of the Godhead, and with understanding which is from thee, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father etc. for the fruit of the earth, that he may increase the fruit of the earth, and that he may be pleased to bring the sowing and the harvest. May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the fruit of the earth. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, increase the fruit of the earth, and be pleased (and) bring the sowing and the harvest, which is from thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE WATERS OF THE RIVERS And again we' beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the waters of the rivers, that he may cause (them) to rise up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth. May he bring the sowing and the harvest May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the waters of the rivers. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, cause to rise the waters of the rivers up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Multiply food, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE KING as And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, that he should keep his kingdom without trouble, in peace and righteousness, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the king. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the king of this land, the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, and grant to him what is useful for him. Cause to submit his enemy, the peoples who are against his wall& And speak in his heart for thy holy Church. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon him. Grant him without error to keep (his) understanding concerning the faith in the excellence of thy Godhead, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO OFFER AN OFFERING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, is etc. for those who offer an offering in the holy, one, catholic (lit. which is over all) Church, a sacrifice, first fruits, tithes, a thanksgiving, a memorial, whether much or little, secret and open. And as for those who have nothing and wish to give, (though) they have nothing to to give, accept their desire, and having accepted the longing of every one of them, grant to them the heavenly Spirit And as for those who have somewhat and do not wish to give, soften their heart to do good, thou (lit. he) who hast authority for all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for those who offer an offering. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for those who offer an offering to the holy, one, catholic Church, to the honour of thy name, an offering and a thanksgiving of first-fruits and of tithes, of much and of little, of secret and of open. And as for those who have nothing (yet) who wish to give, accept their desire as the offering of Abel: and as the Hebrew woman who offered the two mites, and as the sacrifice of the forefathers. And thus accept into the heavenly altar. Repay them with a reward of blessing, heavenly in return for earthly, and much in return for little, and open in return for secret, and life everlasting in Christ in return for food and drink, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE CATECHUMENS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. as regards his servants the catechumens, that he may impart to them in due time the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the catechumens, God the Lord almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee, have mercy upon thy servants the catechumens. Be kind, (and) remove from them all the remains of the idols. Impose upon their hearts thy law and thy commandment, and thy righteousness and thine ordinance. Speedily let thy mercy find us. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. In proper time (impart to them) the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin. Make them the shrine of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. Lord of the living, Life of the dead, and Hope of the desperate, Helper of the afflicted, Cleanser of sinners, who hast abolished death and burst the bonds of Satan (Sayetan). Thou hast granted life to the race of men, thee we pray and beseech, who wilt not die for ever and ever, with whom is the treasure of life, for those who have fallen asleep and rested in the faith; the forefathers, the bishops, (papasat), presbyters and deacons, and readers (anaguenestis), and monks, and virgins, and widows (of the order), infants, widows and orphans (lit. offspring of the dead); and for the soul of thy servant N(egale) and for the soul of all those who are there in that place, whom thou calledst from among thy people in righteousness and in uprightness. Give rest to their soul in the place of pasturage by the water of rest, in the bosom of Abreham, Yeshak, and Ya'ekob, in the garden of joy, among the guides of light, thine angels, having united (them) with thy holy ones. And raise up their body in the day which thou hast appointed, according to thy holy unlying promise of thy heavenly kingdom; for there is no death to thy servants, but rather a passing, and although one has sinned, and the law of man was hidden from them, be indulgent; for thou, God, art good and the lover of man; for there is none pure from uncleanness before thee, even though he lived one hour upon the earth. Do thou grant passings to their soul freely, without hindrance. Send the Spirit of the Comforter, and who gives consolation to their people. Comfort them, cause them to rejoice in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR PEACE And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church, that he may grant much peace upon all rulers (lit. shepherds) and peoples and upon all flocks, he who has authority for all peace, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for peace. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church. King of peace, give to us peace, because thou gavest to IS us everything. Possess us, God, and reward us, for beside thee there is no other whom we know. And thy holy name we name and we invoke. Do thou impart thy heavenly peace upon us all. Preserve (our) life (lit. soul) and our condition of this world peacefully. Give peace to the king of this land, and through thy holy name give counsel to the rulers of the neighbouring peoples. Guard our coming in and our going out in peace, that living in a quiet and tranquil life we may be found in all piety, in the fear of God and virtue in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE CONGREGATION And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the congregation, this as well as all our congregations, that he may grant that it may be according to his holy will, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for our congregation. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for this our congregation as well as all our congregations. Grant that it may be according to thy holy will, where we do this service of our congregation and other congregations also. And make it a house of prayer and a house of blessing. Vouchsafe to bestow upon us, and upon those who (come) after us, the everlasting salvation. Rise up, O Lord, and let all thine enemies be scattered, and let all flee away from before thy face who hate thy holy and blessed name, and make thy people ten thousand of ten thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE PAPAS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the blessed and holy Papas, Aba N(egale), that thou wilt in keeping keep him for us during many years and during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which has been entrusted to him by thee. May the Lord our God grant rich favour. The deacon shall say: Pray for Papas N. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the blessed Papas N. In keeping keep him for us during many years, during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which was entrusted to him by thee, together with all the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and with all the fulness of the holy, one, catholic Church. And the prayer which they make for us and for all thy people hear (it), and accept them; and open to them the treasury of thy clemency; and further, pour down upon him abundantly thy grace of thy Holy Spirit, thy heavenly blessing, that he may bless thy people; and moreover, cause to submit every enemy, visible or invisible, and bruise (them) under his feet; and himself indeed keep for thy Church in glory, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might, now and ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Concerning the Order of the Priesthood. Each one of you knows what we have ordained for you, and further ye know that there are some whom we name bishops, and others whom we name presbyters, and others are named deacons. With prayer we laid hand upon them, and we appointed to each an Order according to its different name. And among us there is no one who desires a filling of our hand, nor will he receive from us that which he wishes for of priesthood, as the priests of the oxen of Iyurebe'am, which were made as an abomination to God. Unless there had been a special Order for each according to law, one name would have sufficed for all the world; but having been taught by God a guidance for all functions, we have separated for the bishops the ordination of the priesthood, for the presbyters the priesthood, for the deacons the service.... that the work of the service might be completed withal. It is not seemly for the deacons to offer the Oblation, or to baptise, or to give the Eulogia to small or to great. And the presbyter shall not ordain anyone, because he was not worthy (of anything) beside his Order. For God is not a God of confusion, so that the inferiors may not grasp (at office) with audacity. What work then will be completed by the imperfect } And they make a new law to their own destruction, and do not know that it is a small thing which is in their power (lit. with them); and they kick with their feet in the net And if thus, they do not oppose us, but they oppose the Bishop of all the world, the Son of God, the Chief Priest Jesus Christ our Lord, A chief priest, priests, and levites were ordained by Moses, the lover of God, and we the twelve Apostles were ordained by our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we ordained for us Klementos and Ya'ekob and others with them, that we might send ' each one of them, and further, we all of us ordained withal presbyters and deacons. And the first Presbyter, the only true Chief Priest, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not grasp for himself the honour, but the Father ordained him. And as he is the Chief Priest for us, so he offered spiritual sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified, and he commanded us to do likewise. And there were others with us who believe in him, but he does not grant to all who believe in him to be priests, nor to obtain the Order of ordination of priesthood like us. And after his Ascension we offered according to the ordinance of the holy bloodless Oblation. And we ordained bishops and presbyters and deacons in number seven, and amongst them Estifanos, the first martyr, who was not the least of us in his love of God: but he showed his service of God by faith and love of Jesus Christ our Lord, so much that he gave his life up for his sake; and the wicked Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones for his name and killed him. But he was a man of such fervent spirit that he saw our Lord Christ at the right hand of God, and he saw the open gates of the heavens. And it is nowhere found that he did what was not suitable for him as deacon, that he offered sacrifice or laid hand upon anyone, but he kept to his Order of deacon unto the end. For thus it was proper for the martyr of our Lord Christ to fulfil the duties of his Order. And if there are any who blame Filepos the deacon and Hananya the faithful brother because the one baptised the eunuch and the other baptised even me, Pawlos, they are deluded as to what we say; for we say that no one should take by force the ordination of priesthood, but he obtained it from God, as Malkasedek and Ya'ekob; or from the chief priest, as Aron from IS Muse; therefore that Filepos and Hananya themselves took not ordination from themselves, but from our Lord Christ. They believed in the Chief Priest of God, with whom there is none to be compared. PRAYER OF EARLY MORNING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, while thanking him because he has kept us throughout the night, and brought us from darkness into light, from corruption into that which is incorruptible, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth, that throughout the day also he may cause us to be in all peace and health, and protect his people with the power of his angels, who has authority over all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. O Lord the almighty, do thou cause us to be in all peace and health throughout the day, for thou hast kept us throughout the night Thou, Lord, the almighty, send to us thine angel the good guide. And have mercy upon us according to the greatness of thy mercy, and according to the multitude of thy clemency blot out our wickedness. And none of us is an alien and a backslider, put us not away from thy favour, because of thy name which was named over us. Be forgiving to us and forsake us not. Grant us to obtain favour before thee and before Christ thy Son, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE SICK And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the sick brethren, that he may remove all sickness and all suffering from them. Having taken away the spirit of disease, may he who has authority for all healing give to them life, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the sick. God the almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee for the sick brethren. Grant to them life. Take away the spirit of sickness. Cause to pass away from them all disease and all suffering. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: Have mercy upon us. Physician of the soul and physician of the body, thou art the overseer of all flesh, and of those who are troubled with unclean spirits; deliver every tormented and IS oppressed soul, give health and give rest, drive away all disease from this house, and from those who call upon thy holy and blessed name. Having healed the disease of all of our souls, grant perfect soundness, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A JOURNEY And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, JO etc, for those our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey, whether by sea, or by rivers, or by the deeps, or by road, in whatever journey they may travel, that he may bring all into the safe harbour, the almighty Lord our God. IS The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for our brethren who make a journey, and also for those who are about to make a journey abroad; direct (them) as fellow (traveller) though we are many. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Bring them into the safe harbour. Restore them to their people with joy and with peace, rejoicing and causing to rejoice, through, etc PRAYER FOR RAINS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for rains, that he may send his rain into the place where it is needed, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, send thy rains into the place where they are needed. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Bring the sowing and the harvest, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all those who hope in thee, work with us according to thy clemency, and nourish our mind with the doctrine of the Godhead, and with understanding which is from thee, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE FRUIT OF THE EARTH And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father etc. for the fruit of the earth, that he may increase the fruit of the earth, and that he may be pleased to bring the sowing and the harvest. May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the fruit of the earth. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, increase the fruit of the earth, and be pleased (and) bring the sowing and the harvest, which is from thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE WATERS OF THE RIVERS And again we' beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the waters of the rivers, that he may cause (them) to rise up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth. May he bring the sowing and the harvest May he grant rich favour, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the waters of the rivers. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee, cause to rise the waters of the rivers up to their (proper) measure. Make to rejoice the face of the earth, and water its furrows. Multiply food, and bless the circle of the year with thy goodness. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. For the poor of thy people, and for all who call upon thy holy and blessed name, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE KING as And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, that he should keep his kingdom without trouble, in peace and righteousness, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the king. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the king of this land, the lover of God, our king, Iyasu, and grant to him what is useful for him. Cause to submit his enemy, the peoples who are against his wall& And speak in his heart for thy holy Church. Speedily let thy mercy find us, O Lord. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon him. Grant him without error to keep (his) understanding concerning the faith in the excellence of thy Godhead, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO OFFER AN OFFERING And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, is etc. for those who offer an offering in the holy, one, catholic (lit. which is over all) Church, a sacrifice, first fruits, tithes, a thanksgiving, a memorial, whether much or little, secret and open. And as for those who have nothing and wish to give, (though) they have nothing to to give, accept their desire, and having accepted the longing of every one of them, grant to them the heavenly Spirit And as for those who have somewhat and do not wish to give, soften their heart to do good, thou (lit. he) who hast authority for all work of blessing, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for those who offer an offering. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for those who offer an offering to the holy, one, catholic Church, to the honour of thy name, an offering and a thanksgiving of first-fruits and of tithes, of much and of little, of secret and of open. And as for those who have nothing (yet) who wish to give, accept their desire as the offering of Abel: and as the Hebrew woman who offered the two mites, and as the sacrifice of the forefathers. And thus accept into the heavenly altar. Repay them with a reward of blessing, heavenly in return for earthly, and much in return for little, and open in return for secret, and life everlasting in Christ in return for food and drink, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE CATECHUMENS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. as regards his servants the catechumens, that he may impart to them in due time the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for the catechumens, God the Lord almighty, the Father, etc. we pray thee and we beseech thee, have mercy upon thy servants the catechumens. Be kind, (and) remove from them all the remains of the idols. Impose upon their hearts thy law and thy commandment, and thy righteousness and thine ordinance. Speedily let thy mercy find us. The deacon shall say: Let us all say. The people shall say: O Lord, have mercy upon us. In proper time (impart to them) the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin. Make them the shrine of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. Lord of the living, Life of the dead, and Hope of the desperate, Helper of the afflicted, Cleanser of sinners, who hast abolished death and burst the bonds of Satan (Sayetan). Thou hast granted life to the race of men, thee we pray and beseech, who wilt not die for ever and ever, with whom is the treasure of life, for those who have fallen asleep and rested in the faith; the forefathers, the bishops, (papasat), presbyters and deacons, and readers (anaguenestis), and monks, and virgins, and widows (of the order), infants, widows and orphans (lit. offspring of the dead); and for the soul of thy servant N(egale) and for the soul of all those who are there in that place, whom thou calledst from among thy people in righteousness and in uprightness. Give rest to their soul in the place of pasturage by the water of rest, in the bosom of Abreham, Yeshak, and Ya'ekob, in the garden of joy, among the guides of light, thine angels, having united (them) with thy holy ones. And raise up their body in the day which thou hast appointed, according to thy holy unlying promise of thy heavenly kingdom; for there is no death to thy servants, but rather a passing, and although one has sinned, and the law of man was hidden from them, be indulgent; for thou, God, art good and the lover of man; for there is none pure from uncleanness before thee, even though he lived one hour upon the earth. Do thou grant passings to their soul freely, without hindrance. Send the Spirit of the Comforter, and who gives consolation to their people. Comfort them, cause them to rejoice in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR PEACE And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc, for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church, that he may grant much peace upon all rulers (lit. shepherds) and peoples and upon all flocks, he who has authority for all peace, the Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for peace. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the peace of the holy, one, catholic Church. King of peace, give to us peace, because thou gavest to IS us everything. Possess us, God, and reward us, for beside thee there is no other whom we know. And thy holy name we name and we invoke. Do thou impart thy heavenly peace upon us all. Preserve (our) life (lit. soul) and our condition of this world peacefully. Give peace to the king of this land, and through thy holy name give counsel to the rulers of the neighbouring peoples. Guard our coming in and our going out in peace, that living in a quiet and tranquil life we may be found in all piety, in the fear of God and virtue in Christ, through, etc. PRAYER FOR THE CONGREGATION And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the congregation, this as well as all our congregations, that he may grant that it may be according to his holy will, the almighty Lord our God. The deacon shall say: Pray for our congregation. God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for this our congregation as well as all our congregations. Grant that it may be according to thy holy will, where we do this service of our congregation and other congregations also. And make it a house of prayer and a house of blessing. Vouchsafe to bestow upon us, and upon those who (come) after us, the everlasting salvation. Rise up, O Lord, and let all thine enemies be scattered, and let all flee away from before thy face who hate thy holy and blessed name, and make thy people ten thousand of ten thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, through, etc PRAYER FOR THE PAPAS And again we beseech the almighty God, the Father, etc. for the blessed and holy Papas, Aba N(egale), that thou wilt in keeping keep him for us during many years and during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which has been entrusted to him by thee. May the Lord our God grant rich favour. The deacon shall say: Pray for Papas N. Lord our God the almighty, we pray thee and we beseech thee for the blessed Papas N. In keeping keep him for us during many years, during times of peace, while he fulfils the priesthood which was entrusted to him by thee, together with all the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and with all the fulness of the holy, one, catholic Church. And the prayer which they make for us and for all thy people hear (it), and accept them; and open to them the treasury of thy clemency; and further, pour down upon him abundantly thy grace of thy Holy Spirit, thy heavenly blessing, that he may bless thy people; and moreover, cause to submit every enemy, visible or invisible, and bruise (them) under his feet; and himself indeed keep for thy Church in glory, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might, now and ever and for ever and ever. Amen.

Let the husband not be insolent nor arrogant towards his wife; but compassionate, bountiful, willing to please his own wife alone, and treat her honourably and obligingly, endeavouring to be agreeable to her; (III.) not adorning yourself in such a manner as may entice another woman to you. For if you are overcome by her, and sinnest with her, eternal death will overtake you from God; and you will be punished with sensible and bitter torments. Or if you do not perpetrate such a wicked act, but shakest her off, and refusest her, in this case you are not wholly innocent, even though you are not guilty of the crime itself, but only in so far as through your adorning you enticed the woman to desire you. For you are the cause that the woman was so affected, and by her lusting after you was guilty of adultery with you: yet are you not so guilty, because you did not send to her, who was ensnared by you; nor did you desire her. Since, therefore, you did not deliver up yourself to her, you shall find mercy with the Lord your God, who has said, You shall not commit adultery, and, You shall not covet. For if such a woman, upon sight of you, or unseasonable meeting with you, was smitten in her mind, and sent to you, but you as a religious person refused her, if she was wounded in her heart by your beauty, and youth, and adorning, and fell in love with you, you will be found guilty of her transgressions, as having been the occasion of scandal to her, and shall inherit a woe. Wherefore pray to the Lord God that no mischief may befall you upon this account: for you are not to please men, so as to commit sin; but God, so as to attain holiness of life, and be partaker of everlasting rest. That beauty which God and nature has bestowed on you, do not further beautify; but modestly diminish it before men. Thus, do not permit the hair of your head to grow too long, but rather cut it short; lest by a nice combing your hair, and wearing it long, and anointing yourself, you draw upon yourself such ensnared or ensnaring women. Neither do you wear over-fine garments to seduce any; neither do you, with an evil subtlety, affect over-fine stockings or shoes for your feet, but only such as suit the measures of decency and usefulness. Neither do you put a gold ring upon your fingers; for all these ornaments are the signs of lasciviousness, which if you be solicitous about in an indecent manner, you will not act as becomes a good man: for it is not lawful for you, a believer and a man of God, to permit the hair of your head to grow long, and to brush it up together, nor to suffer it to spread abroad, nor to puff it up, nor by nice combing and platting to make it curl and shine; since that is contrary to the law, which says thus, in its additional precepts: You shall not make to yourselves curls and round rasures. Nor may men destroy the hair of their beards, and unnaturally change the form of a man. For the law says: You shall not mar your beards. For God the Creator has made this decent for women, but has determined that it is unsuitable for men. But if you do these things to please men, in contradiction to the law, you will be abominable with God, who created you after His own image. If, therefore, you will be acceptable to God, abstain from all those things which He hates, and do none of those things that are unpleasing to Him.

But if you refuse to receive him that repents, you expose him to those who lie in wait to destroy, forgetting what David says: Deliver not my soul, which confesses to You, unto destroying beasts. Wherefore Jeremiah, when he is exhorting men to repentance, says thus: Shall not he that falls arise? Or he that turns away, cannot he return? Wherefore have my people gone back by a shameless backsliding? And they are hardened in their purpose. Turn, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Receive, therefore, without any doubting, him that repents. Be not hindered by such unmerciful men, who say that we must not be defiled with such as those, nor so much as speak to them: for such advice is from men that are unacquainted with God and His providence, and are unreasonable judges, and unmerciful brutes. These men are ignorant that we ought to avoid society with offenders, not in discourse, but in actions: for the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. And again: If a land sins against me by trespassing grievously, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of bread upon it, and send famine upon it, and destroy man and beast therein: though these three men, Noah, Job, and Daniel, were in the midst of it, they shall only save their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord God. The Scripture most clearly shows that a righteous man that converses with a wicked man does not perish with him. For in the present world the righteous and the wicked are mingled together in the common affairs of life, but not in holy communion: and in this the friends and favourites of God are guilty of no sin. For they do but imitate their Farther which is in heaven, who makes His sun to rise on the righteous and unrighteous, and sends His rain on the evil and on the good; and the righteous man undergoes no peril on this account. For those who conquer and those who are conquered are in the same place of running, but only those who have bravely undergone the race are where the garland is bestowed; and no one is crowned, unless he strive lawfully. For every one shall give account of himself, and God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked; for with Him it is a constant rule, that innocence is never punished. For neither did He drown Noah, nor burn up Lot, nor destroy Rahab for company. And if you desire to know how this matter was among us, Judas was one of us, and took the like part of the ministry which we had; and Simon the Magician received the seal of the Lord. Yet both the one and the other proving wicked, the former hanged himself, and the latter, as he flew in the air in a manner unnatural, was dashed against the earth. Moreover, Noah and his sons with him were in the ark; but Ham, who alone was found wicked, received punishment in his son. But if fathers are not punished for their children, nor children for their fathers, it is thence clear that neither will wives be punished for their husbands, nor servants for their masters, nor one relation for another, nor one friend for another, nor the righteous for the wicked. But every one will be required an account of his own doing. For neither was punishment inflicted on Noah for the world, nor was Lot destroyed by fire for the Sodomites, nor was Rahab slain for the inhabitants of Jericho, nor Israel for the Egyptians. For not the dwelling together, but the agreement in their sentiments, alone could condemn the righteous with the wicked. We ought not therefore to hearken to such persons who call for death, and hate mankind, and love accusations, and under fair pretences bring men to death. For one man shall not die for another, but every one is held with the chains of his own sins. And, behold, the man and his work is before his face. Now we ought to assist those who are with us, and are in danger, and fall, and, as far as lies in our power, to reduce them to sobriety by our exhortations, and so save them from death. For the whole have no need of the physician, but the sick; since it is not pleasing in the sight of your Father that one of these little ones should perish. For we ought not to establish the will of hard-hearted men, but the will of the God and Father of the universe, which is revealed to us by Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

If any determine to invite elder women to an entertainment of love, or a feast, as our Saviour calls it, let them most frequently send to such a one whom the deacons know to be in distress. But let what is the pastor's due, I mean the first-fruits, be set apart in the feast for him, even though he be not at the entertainment, as being your priest, and in honour of that God who has entrusted him with the priesthood. But as much as is given to every one of the elder women, let double so much be given to the deacons, in honour of Christ. Let also a double portion be set apart for the presbyters, as for such who labour continually about the word and doctrine, upon the account of the apostles of our Lord, whose place they sustain, as the counsellors of the bishop and the crown of the Church. For they are the Sanhedrin and senate of the Church. If there be a reader there, let him receive a single portion, in honour of the prophets, and let the singer and the porter have as much. Let the laity, therefore, pay proper honours in their presents, and utmost marks of respect to each distinct order. But let them not on all occasions trouble their governor, but let them signify their desires by those who minister to him, that is, by the deacons, with whom they may be more free. For neither may we address ourselves to Almighty God, but only by Christ. In the same manner, therefore, let the laity make known all their desires to the bishop by the deacon, and accordingly let them act as he shall direct them. For there was no holy thing offered or done in the temple formerly without the priest. For the priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, as the prophet somewhere says, for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty. For if the worshippers of demons, in their hateful, abominable, and impure performances, imitate the sacred rules till this very day (it is a wide comparison indeed, and there is a vast distance between their abominations and God's sacred worship), in their mockeries of worship they neither offer nor do anything without their pretended priest, but esteem him as the very mouth of their idols of stone, waiting to see what commands he will lay upon them. And whatsoever he commands them, that they do, and without him they do nothing; and they honour him, their pretended priest, and esteem his name as venerable in honour of lifeless statues, and in order to the worship of wicked spirits. If these heathens, therefore, who give glory to lying vanities, and place their hope upon nothing that is firm, endeavour to imitate the sacred rules, how much more reasonable is it that you, who have a most certain faith and undoubted hope, and who expect glorious, and eternal, and never-failing promises, should honour the Lord God in those set over you, and esteem your bishop to be the mouth of God!

Consider even the judicatures of this world, by whose power we see murderers, adulterers, wizards, robbers of sepulchres, and thieves brought to trial; and those that preside, when they have received their accusations from those that brought them, ask the malefactor whether those things be so. And though he does not deny the crimes, they do not presently send him out to punishment; but for several days they make inquiry about him with a full council, and with the veil interposed. And he that is to pass the final decree and suffrage of death against him, lifts up his hands to the sun, and solemnly affirms that he is innocent of the blood of the man. Though they be heathens, and know not the Deity, nor the vengeance which will fall upon men from God on account of those that are justly condemned, they avoid such unjust judgments.

For God, being a God of mercy from the beginning, called every generation to repentance by righteous men and prophets. He instructed those before the flood by Abel and Sem, and Seth, also by Enos, and by Enoch that was translated; those at the flood by Noah; the inhabitants of Sodom by hospitable Lot; those after the flood by Melchizedek, and the patriarchs, and Job the beloved of God; the Egyptians by Moses; the Israelites by him, and Joshua, and Caleb, and Phineas, and the rest; those after the law by angels and prophets, and the same by His own incarnation of the Virgin; those a little before His bodily appearance by John His forerunner, and the same by the same person after Christ's birth, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; those after His passion by us, the twelve apostles, and Paul the chosen vessel. We therefore, who have been vouchsafed the favour of being the witnesses of His appearance, together with James the brother of our Lord, and the other seventy-two disciples, and his seven deacons, have heard from the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by exact knowledge declare what is the will of God, that good, and acceptable, and perfect will which is made known to us by Jesus; that none should perish, but that all men with one accord should believe in Him, and send unanimously praise to Him, and thereby live forever.

And how can he be other than an adversary to God, who takes pains about temporary things night and day, but takes no care of things eternal? Who takes care of washings and temporary food every day, but does not take care of those that endure for ever? How can such a one even now avoid hearing that word of the Lord, The Gentiles are justified more than you? as He says, by way of reproach, to Jerusalem, Sodom is justified rather than you. For if the Gentiles every day, when they arise from sleep, run to their idols to worship them, and before all their work and all their labours do first of all pray to them, and in their feasts and in their solemnities do not keep away, but attend upon them; and not only those upon the place, but those living far distant do the same; and in their public shows all come together, as into a synagogue: in the same manner those which are vainly called Jews, when they have worked six days, on the seventh day rest, and come together into their synagogue, never leaving nor neglecting either rest from labour or assembling together, while yet they are deprived of the efficacy of the word in their unbelief, nay, and of the force of that name Judah, by which they call themselves — for Judah is interpreted Confession, — but these do not confess to God (having unjustly occasioned the suffering on the cross), so as to be saved on their repentance;— if, therefore, those who are not saved frequently assemble together for such purposes as do not profit them, what apology will you make to the Lord God who forsakest His Church, not imitating so much as the heathen, but by such your absence growest slothful, or turnest apostate, or actest wickedness? To whom the Lord says by Jeremiah: You have not kept my ordinances; nay, you have not walked according to the ordinances of the heathen, and you have in a manner exceeded them. And again: Israel has justified his soul more than treacherous Judah. And afterwards: Will the Gentiles change their gods which are not gods? Wherefore pass over to the isles of Chittim, and behold, and send to Kedar, and observe diligently whether such things have been done. For those nations have not changed their ordinances; but, says He, my people has changed its glory for that which will not profit. How, therefore, will any one make his apology who has despised or absented himself from the church of God?

We do not permit our women to teach in the Church, but only to pray and hear those that teach; for our Master and Lord, Jesus Himself, when He sent us the twelve to make disciples of the people and of the nations, did nowhere send out women to preach, although He did not want such. For there were with us the mother of our Lord and His sisters; also Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus; Salome, and certain others. For, had it been necessary for women to teach, He Himself had first commanded these also to instruct the people with us. For if the head of the wife be the man, it is not reasonable that the rest of the body should govern the head. Let the widow therefore own herself to be the altar of God, and let her sit in her house, and not enter into the houses of the faithful, under any pretence, to receive anything; for the altar of God never runs about, but is fixed in one place. Let, therefore, the virgin and the widow be such as do not run about, or wander to the houses of those who are alien from the faith. For such as these are wanderers and impudent: they do not make their feet to rest in one place, because they are not widows, but purses ready to receive, triflers, evil-speakers, counsellors of strife, without shame, impudent, who being such, are not worthy of Him that called them. For they do not come to the common station of the congregation on the Lord's day, as those that are watchful; but either they slumber, or trifle, or allure men, or beg, or ensnare others, bringing them to the evil one; not suffering them to be watchful in the Lord, but taking care that they go out as vain as they came in, because they do not hear the word of the Lord either taught or read. For of such as these the prophet Isaiah says: Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxen gross, and they hear heavily with their ears .

Let not therefore either a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or any one else of the sacerdotal catalogue, defile his tongue with calumny, lest he inherit a curse instead of a blessing; and let it also be the bishop's business and care that no lay person utter any curse: for he ought to take care of all — of the clergy, of the virgins, of the widows, of the laity. For which reason, O bishop, ordain your fellow-workers, the labourers for life and for righteousness, such deacons as are pleasing to God, such whom you prove to be worthy among all the people, and such as shall be ready for the necessities of their ministration. Ordain also a deaconess who is faithful and holy, for the ministrations towards women. For sometimes he cannot send a deacon, who is a man, to the women, on account of unbelievers. You shall therefore send a woman, a deaconess, on account of the imaginations of the bad. For we stand in need of a woman, a deaconess, for many necessities; and first in the baptism of women, the deacon shall anoint only their forehead with the holy oil, and after him the deaconess shall anoint them: for there is no necessity that the women should be seen by the men; but only in the laying on of hands the bishop shall anoint her head, as the priests and kings were formerly anointed, not because those which are now baptized are ordained priests, but as being Christians, or anointed, from Christ the Anointed, a royal priesthood, and an holy nation, the Church of God, the pillar and ground of the marriage-chamber, who formerly were not a people, but now are beloved and chosen, upon whom is called His new name as Isaiah the prophet witnesses, saying: And they shall call the people by His new name, which the Lord shall name for them.

Let not therefore either a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or any one else of the sacerdotal catalogue, defile his tongue with calumny, lest he inherit a curse instead of a blessing; and let it also be the bishop's business and care that no lay person utter any curse: for he ought to take care of all — of the clergy, of the virgins, of the widows, of the laity. For which reason, O bishop, ordain your fellow-workers, the labourers for life and for righteousness, such deacons as are pleasing to God, such whom you prove to be worthy among all the people, and such as shall be ready for the necessities of their ministration. Ordain also a deaconess who is faithful and holy, for the ministrations towards women. For sometimes he cannot send a deacon, who is a man, to the women, on account of unbelievers. You shall therefore send a woman, a deaconess, on account of the imaginations of the bad. For we stand in need of a woman, a deaconess, for many necessities; and first in the baptism of women, the deacon shall anoint only their forehead with the holy oil, and after him the deaconess shall anoint them: for there is no necessity that the women should be seen by the men; but only in the laying on of hands the bishop shall anoint her head, as the priests and kings were formerly anointed, not because those which are now baptized are ordained priests, but as being Christians, or anointed, from Christ the Anointed, a royal priesthood, and an holy nation, the Church of God, the pillar and ground of the marriage-chamber, who formerly were not a people, but now are beloved and chosen, upon whom is called His new name as Isaiah the prophet witnesses, saying: And they shall call the people by His new name, which the Lord shall name for them.

If any Christian, on account of the name of Christ, and love and faith towards God, be condemned by the ungodly to the games, to the beasts, or to the mines, do not overlook him; but send to him from your labour and your very sweat for his sustenance, and for a reward to the soldiers, that he may be eased and be taken care of; that, as far as lies in your power, your blessed brother may not be afflicted: for he that is condemned for the name of the Lord God is an holy martyr, a brother of the Lord, the son of the Highest, a receptacle of the Holy Spirit, by whom every one of the faithful has received the illumination of the glory of the holy Gospel, by being vouchsafed the incorruptible crown, and the testimony of Christ's sufferings, and the fellowship of His blood, to be made conformable to the death of Christ for the adoption of children. For this cause do you, all you of the faithful, by your bishop, minister to the saints of your substance and of your labour. But if any one has not, let him fast a day, and set apart that, and order it for the saints. But if any one has superfluities, let him minister more to them according to the proportion of his ability. But if he can possibly sell all his livelihood, and redeem them out of prison, he will be blessed, and a friend of Christ. For if he that gives his goods to the poor be perfect, supposing his knowledge of divine things, much more is he so that does it on account of the martyrs. For such a one is worthy of God, and will fulfil His will by supplying those who have confessed Him before nations and kings, and the children of Israel; concerning whom our Lord declared, saying: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father. And if these be such as to be attested to by Christ before His Father, you ought not to be ashamed to go to them in the prisons. For if you do this, it will be esteemed to you for a testimony, because the real trial was to them a testimony; and your readiness will be so to you, as being partakers of their combat: for the Lord speaks somewhere to such as these, saying: Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer, and say, Lord, when saw we You an hungered, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink? When saw we You naked, and clothed You? Or sick, and visited You? When saw we You a stranger, and took You in? Or in prison, and came unto You? And He will answer and say unto them, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me. And these shall go away into life everlasting. Then shall He say unto them on His left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and you visited me not. Then shall they also answer and say, Lord when saw we You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto You? Then shall He answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have not done it unto one of the least of these, neither have you done it unto me. And these shall go away unto everlasting punishment.

If, therefore, this prophetess confesses the resurrection, and does not deny the restoration of all things, and distinguishes the godly from the ungodly, it is in vain for them to deny our doctrine. Nay, indeed, they say they can show a resemblance of the resurrection, while they do not themselves believe the things they declare: for they say that there is a bird single in its kind which affords a copious demonstration of the resurrection, which they say is without a mate, and the only one in the creation. They call it a phœnix, and relate that every five hundred years it comes into Egypt, to that which is called the altar of the sun, and brings with it a great quantity of cinnamon, and cassia, and balsam-wood, and standing towards the east, as they say, and praying to the sun, of its own accord is burnt, and becomes dust; but that a worm arises again out of those ashes, and that when the same is warmed it is formed into a new-born phoenix; and when it is able to fly, it goes to Arabia, which is beyond the Egyptian countries. If, therefore, as even themselves say, a resurrection is exhibited by the means of an irrational bird, wherefore do they vainly disparage our accounts, when we profess that He who by His power brings that into being which was not in being before, is able to restore this body, and raise it up again after its dissolution? For on account of this full assurance of hope we undergo stripes, and persecutions, and deaths. Otherwise we should to no purpose undergo such things if we had not a full assurance of these promises, whereof we profess ourselves to be the preachers. As, therefore, we believe Moses when he says, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth; and we know that He did not want matter, but by His will alone brought those things into being which Christ was commanded to make; we mean the heaven, the earth, the sea, the light, the night, the day, the luminaries, the stars, the fowls, the fishes, and four-footed beasts, the creeping things, the plants, and the herbs; so also will He raise all men up by His will, as not wanting any assistance. For it is the work of the same power to create the world and to raise the dead. And then He made man, who was not a man before, of different parts, giving to him a soul made out of nothing. But now He will restore the bodies, which have been dissolved, to the souls that are still in being: for the rising again belongs to things laid down, not to things which have no being. He therefore that made the original bodies out of nothing, and fashioned various forms of them, will also again revive and raise up those that are dead. For He that formed man in the womb out of a little seed, and created in him a soul which was not in being before — as He Himself somewhere speaks to Jeremiah, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; and elsewhere, I am the Lord who established the heaven, and laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the spirit of man in him, — will also raise up all men, as being His workmanship; as also the divine Scripture testifies that God said to Christ, His only-begotten, Let us make man after our image, and after our likeness. And God made man: after the image of God made He him; male and female made He them. And the most divine and patient Job, of whom the Scripture says that it is written, that he was to rise again with those whom the Lord raises up, speaks to God thus: Have you not milked me like milk, and curdled me like cheese? You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and favour, and Your visitation has preserved my spirit. Having these things within me, I know that You can do all things, and that nothing is impossible with You. Wherefore also our Saviour and Master Jesus Christ says, that what is impossible with men is possible with God. And David, the beloved of God, says: Your hands have made me, and fashioned me. And again: You know my frame. And afterward: You have fashioned me, and laid Your hand upon me. The knowledge of You is declared to be too wonderful for me; it is very great, I cannot attain unto it. Your eyes did see my substance, being yet imperfect; and all men shall be written in Your book. Nay, and Isaiah says in his prayer to Him: We are the clay, and You are the framer of us. If, therefore, man be His workmanship, made by Christ, by Him most certainly will he after he is dead be raised again, with intention either of being crowned for his good actions or punished for his transgressions. But if He, being the legislator, judges with righteousness; as He punishes the ungodly, so does He do good to and saves the faithful. And those saints who for His sake have been slain by men, some of them He will make light as the stars, and make others bright as the luminaries, as Gabriel said to Daniel. All we of the faithful, therefore, who are the disciples of Christ, believe His promises. For He that has promised it cannot lie; as says the blessed prophet David: The Lord is faithful in all His words, and holy in all His works. For He that framed for Himself a body out of a virgin, is also the Former of other men. And He that raised Himself from the dead, will also raise again all that are laid down. He who raises wheat out of the ground with many stalks from one grain, He who makes the tree that is cut down send forth fresh branches, He that made Aaron's dry rod put forth buds, will raise us up in glory; He that raised Him up that had the palsy whole, and healed him that had the withered hand, He that supplied a defective part to him that was born blind from clay and spittle, will raise us up; He that satisfied five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, and caused a remainder of twelve baskets, and out of water made wine, and sent a piece of money out of a fish's mouth by me Peter to those that demanded tribute, will raise the dead. For we testify all these things concerning Him, and the prophets testify the other. We who have eaten and drunk with Him, and have been spectators of His wonderful works, and of His life, and of His conduct, and of His words, and of His sufferings, and of His death, and of His resurrection from the dead, and who associated with Him forty days after His resurrection, and who received a command from Him to preach the Gospel to all the world, and to make disciples of all nations, and to baptize them into His death by the authority of the God of the universe, who is His Father, and by the testimony of the Spirit, who is His Comforter, — we teach you all these things which He appointed us by His constitutions, before He was received up in our sight into heaven, to Him that sent Him. And if you will believe, you shall be happy; but if you will not believe, we shall be found innocent, and clear from your incredulity.

But when we went forth among the Gentiles to preach the word of life, then the devil wrought in the people to send after us false apostles to the corrupting of the word; and they sent forth one Cleobius, and joined him with Simon, and these became disciples to one Dositheus, whom they despising, put him down from the principality. Afterwards also others were the authors of absurd doctrines: Cerinthus, and Marcus, and Menander, and Basilides, and Saturnilus. Of these some own the doctrine of many gods, some only of three, but contrary to each other, without beginning, and ever with one another, and some of an infinite number of them, and those unknown ones also. And some reject marriage; and their doctrine is, that it is not the appointment of God; and others abhor some kinds of food: some are impudent in uncleanness, such as those who are falsely called Nicolaitans. And Simon meeting me Peter, first at Cæsarea Stratonis (where the faithful Cornelius, a Gentile, believed on the Lord Jesus by me), endeavoured to pervert the word of God; there being with me the holy children, Zacchæus, who was once a publican, and Barnabas; and Nicetas and Aquila, brethren of Clement the bishop and citizen of Rome, who was the disciple of Paul, our fellow-apostle and fellow-helper in the Gospel. I thrice discoursed before them with him concerning the true Prophet, and concerning the monarchy of God; and when I had overcome him by the power of the Lord, and had put him to silence, I drove him away into Italy.

But because this heresy did then seem the more powerful to seduce men, and the whole Church was in danger, we the twelve assembled together at Jerusalem (for Matthias was chosen to be an apostle in the room of the betrayer, and took the lot of Judas; as it is said, His bishopric let another take). We deliberated, together with James the Lord's brother, what was to be done; and it seemed good to him and to the elders to speak to the people words of doctrine. For certain men likewise went down from Judea to Antioch, and taught the brethren who were there, saying: Unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he ordained, you cannot be saved. When, therefore, there had been no small dissension and disputation, the brethren which were at Antioch, when they knew that we were all met together about this question, sent out unto us men who were faithful and understanding in the Scriptures to learn concerning this question. And they, when they had come to Jerusalem, declared to us what questions were arisen in the church of Antioch — namely, that some said men ought to be circumcised, and to observe the other purifications. And when some said one thing, and some another, I Peter stood up, and said to them: Men and brethren, you know how that from ancient days God made choice among you that the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel by my mouth, and believe; and God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness. For an angel of the Lord appeared on a certain time to Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Roman government, and spoke to him concerning me, that he should send for me, and hear the word of life from my mouth. He therefore sent for me from Joppa to Cæsarea Stratonis; and when I was ready to go to him, I would have eaten. And while they made ready I was in the upper room praying; and I saw heaven opened, and a vessel, knit at the four corners like a splendid sheet, let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the heaven. And there came a voice out of heaven to me, saying, Arise, Peter; kill, and eat. And I said, By no means, Lord: for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And there came a voice a second time, saying, What God has cleansed, call not common. And this was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. But as I doubted what this vision should mean, the Spirit said to me, Behold, men seek you; but rise up, and go your way with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them. These men were those which came from the centurion, and so by reasoning I understood the word of the Lord which is written: 'Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' And again: 'All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the families of the heathen shall worship before Him: for the kingdom is in the Lord's, and He is the governor of the nations.' And observing that there were expressions everywhere concerning the calling of the Gentiles, I rose up, and went with them, and entered into the man's house. And while I was preaching the word, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and upon those that were with him, as it did upon us at the beginning; and He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And I perceived that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness, will be accepted with Him. But even the believers which were of the circumcision were astonished at this. Now therefore why do you tempt God, to lay an heavy yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But by the grace of the Lord, we believe we shall be saved, even as they. For the Lord has loosed us from our bonds, and has made our burden light, and has loosed the heavy yoke from us by His clemency. While I spoke these things, the whole multitude kept silence. But James the Lord's brother answered and said: Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon has declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: 'Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will again set it up, that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does these things.' Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn unto God: but to charge them that they abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles, and from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; which laws were given to the ancients who lived before the law, under the law of nature, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and if there be any other of the same sort. Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to the brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of the Gentiles, send greeting: Since we have heard that some from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no such commandment, it has seemed good to us, when we were met together with one accord, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom you sent unto us. We have sent also with them Judas and Silas, who shall themselves declare the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no other burden upon you than these necessary things; that you abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare well. We accordingly sent this epistle; but we ourselves remained in Jerusalem many days, consulting together for the public benefit, for the well ordering of all things.

But because this heresy did then seem the more powerful to seduce men, and the whole Church was in danger, we the twelve assembled together at Jerusalem (for Matthias was chosen to be an apostle in the room of the betrayer, and took the lot of Judas; as it is said, His bishopric let another take). We deliberated, together with James the Lord's brother, what was to be done; and it seemed good to him and to the elders to speak to the people words of doctrine. For certain men likewise went down from Judea to Antioch, and taught the brethren who were there, saying: Unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he ordained, you cannot be saved. When, therefore, there had been no small dissension and disputation, the brethren which were at Antioch, when they knew that we were all met together about this question, sent out unto us men who were faithful and understanding in the Scriptures to learn concerning this question. And they, when they had come to Jerusalem, declared to us what questions were arisen in the church of Antioch — namely, that some said men ought to be circumcised, and to observe the other purifications. And when some said one thing, and some another, I Peter stood up, and said to them: Men and brethren, you know how that from ancient days God made choice among you that the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel by my mouth, and believe; and God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness. For an angel of the Lord appeared on a certain time to Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Roman government, and spoke to him concerning me, that he should send for me, and hear the word of life from my mouth. He therefore sent for me from Joppa to Cæsarea Stratonis; and when I was ready to go to him, I would have eaten. And while they made ready I was in the upper room praying; and I saw heaven opened, and a vessel, knit at the four corners like a splendid sheet, let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the heaven. And there came a voice out of heaven to me, saying, Arise, Peter; kill, and eat. And I said, By no means, Lord: for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And there came a voice a second time, saying, What God has cleansed, call not common. And this was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. But as I doubted what this vision should mean, the Spirit said to me, Behold, men seek you; but rise up, and go your way with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them. These men were those which came from the centurion, and so by reasoning I understood the word of the Lord which is written: 'Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' And again: 'All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the families of the heathen shall worship before Him: for the kingdom is in the Lord's, and He is the governor of the nations.' And observing that there were expressions everywhere concerning the calling of the Gentiles, I rose up, and went with them, and entered into the man's house. And while I was preaching the word, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and upon those that were with him, as it did upon us at the beginning; and He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And I perceived that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness, will be accepted with Him. But even the believers which were of the circumcision were astonished at this. Now therefore why do you tempt God, to lay an heavy yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But by the grace of the Lord, we believe we shall be saved, even as they. For the Lord has loosed us from our bonds, and has made our burden light, and has loosed the heavy yoke from us by His clemency. While I spoke these things, the whole multitude kept silence. But James the Lord's brother answered and said: Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon has declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: 'Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will again set it up, that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does these things.' Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn unto God: but to charge them that they abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles, and from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; which laws were given to the ancients who lived before the law, under the law of nature, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and if there be any other of the same sort. Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to the brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of the Gentiles, send greeting: Since we have heard that some from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no such commandment, it has seemed good to us, when we were met together with one accord, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom you sent unto us. We have sent also with them Judas and Silas, who shall themselves declare the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no other burden upon you than these necessary things; that you abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare well. We accordingly sent this epistle; but we ourselves remained in Jerusalem many days, consulting together for the public benefit, for the well ordering of all things.

But because this heresy did then seem the more powerful to seduce men, and the whole Church was in danger, we the twelve assembled together at Jerusalem (for Matthias was chosen to be an apostle in the room of the betrayer, and took the lot of Judas; as it is said, His bishopric let another take). We deliberated, together with James the Lord's brother, what was to be done; and it seemed good to him and to the elders to speak to the people words of doctrine. For certain men likewise went down from Judea to Antioch, and taught the brethren who were there, saying: Unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he ordained, you cannot be saved. When, therefore, there had been no small dissension and disputation, the brethren which were at Antioch, when they knew that we were all met together about this question, sent out unto us men who were faithful and understanding in the Scriptures to learn concerning this question. And they, when they had come to Jerusalem, declared to us what questions were arisen in the church of Antioch — namely, that some said men ought to be circumcised, and to observe the other purifications. And when some said one thing, and some another, I Peter stood up, and said to them: Men and brethren, you know how that from ancient days God made choice among you that the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel by my mouth, and believe; and God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness. For an angel of the Lord appeared on a certain time to Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Roman government, and spoke to him concerning me, that he should send for me, and hear the word of life from my mouth. He therefore sent for me from Joppa to Cæsarea Stratonis; and when I was ready to go to him, I would have eaten. And while they made ready I was in the upper room praying; and I saw heaven opened, and a vessel, knit at the four corners like a splendid sheet, let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the heaven. And there came a voice out of heaven to me, saying, Arise, Peter; kill, and eat. And I said, By no means, Lord: for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And there came a voice a second time, saying, What God has cleansed, call not common. And this was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. But as I doubted what this vision should mean, the Spirit said to me, Behold, men seek you; but rise up, and go your way with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them. These men were those which came from the centurion, and so by reasoning I understood the word of the Lord which is written: 'Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' And again: 'All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the families of the heathen shall worship before Him: for the kingdom is in the Lord's, and He is the governor of the nations.' And observing that there were expressions everywhere concerning the calling of the Gentiles, I rose up, and went with them, and entered into the man's house. And while I was preaching the word, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and upon those that were with him, as it did upon us at the beginning; and He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And I perceived that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness, will be accepted with Him. But even the believers which were of the circumcision were astonished at this. Now therefore why do you tempt God, to lay an heavy yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But by the grace of the Lord, we believe we shall be saved, even as they. For the Lord has loosed us from our bonds, and has made our burden light, and has loosed the heavy yoke from us by His clemency. While I spoke these things, the whole multitude kept silence. But James the Lord's brother answered and said: Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon has declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: 'Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will again set it up, that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does these things.' Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn unto God: but to charge them that they abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles, and from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; which laws were given to the ancients who lived before the law, under the law of nature, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and if there be any other of the same sort. Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to the brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of the Gentiles, send greeting: Since we have heard that some from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no such commandment, it has seemed good to us, when we were met together with one accord, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom you sent unto us. We have sent also with them Judas and Silas, who shall themselves declare the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no other burden upon you than these necessary things; that you abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare well. We accordingly sent this epistle; but we ourselves remained in Jerusalem many days, consulting together for the public benefit, for the well ordering of all things.

But because this heresy did then seem the more powerful to seduce men, and the whole Church was in danger, we the twelve assembled together at Jerusalem (for Matthias was chosen to be an apostle in the room of the betrayer, and took the lot of Judas; as it is said, His bishopric let another take). We deliberated, together with James the Lord's brother, what was to be done; and it seemed good to him and to the elders to speak to the people words of doctrine. For certain men likewise went down from Judea to Antioch, and taught the brethren who were there, saying: Unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he ordained, you cannot be saved. When, therefore, there had been no small dissension and disputation, the brethren which were at Antioch, when they knew that we were all met together about this question, sent out unto us men who were faithful and understanding in the Scriptures to learn concerning this question. And they, when they had come to Jerusalem, declared to us what questions were arisen in the church of Antioch — namely, that some said men ought to be circumcised, and to observe the other purifications. And when some said one thing, and some another, I Peter stood up, and said to them: Men and brethren, you know how that from ancient days God made choice among you that the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel by my mouth, and believe; and God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness. For an angel of the Lord appeared on a certain time to Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Roman government, and spoke to him concerning me, that he should send for me, and hear the word of life from my mouth. He therefore sent for me from Joppa to Cæsarea Stratonis; and when I was ready to go to him, I would have eaten. And while they made ready I was in the upper room praying; and I saw heaven opened, and a vessel, knit at the four corners like a splendid sheet, let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the heaven. And there came a voice out of heaven to me, saying, Arise, Peter; kill, and eat. And I said, By no means, Lord: for I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And there came a voice a second time, saying, What God has cleansed, call not common. And this was done thrice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. But as I doubted what this vision should mean, the Spirit said to me, Behold, men seek you; but rise up, and go your way with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them. These men were those which came from the centurion, and so by reasoning I understood the word of the Lord which is written: 'Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' And again: 'All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the families of the heathen shall worship before Him: for the kingdom is in the Lord's, and He is the governor of the nations.' And observing that there were expressions everywhere concerning the calling of the Gentiles, I rose up, and went with them, and entered into the man's house. And while I was preaching the word, the Holy Spirit fell upon him, and upon those that were with him, as it did upon us at the beginning; and He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And I perceived that God is no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness, will be accepted with Him. But even the believers which were of the circumcision were astonished at this. Now therefore why do you tempt God, to lay an heavy yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But by the grace of the Lord, we believe we shall be saved, even as they. For the Lord has loosed us from our bonds, and has made our burden light, and has loosed the heavy yoke from us by His clemency. While I spoke these things, the whole multitude kept silence. But James the Lord's brother answered and said: Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon has declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: 'Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will rebuild its ruins, and will again set it up, that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does these things.' Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we do not trouble those who from among the Gentiles turn unto God: but to charge them that they abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles, and from what is sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; which laws were given to the ancients who lived before the law, under the law of nature, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and if there be any other of the same sort. Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to the brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of the Gentiles, send greeting: Since we have heard that some from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no such commandment, it has seemed good to us, when we were met together with one accord, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom you sent unto us. We have sent also with them Judas and Silas, who shall themselves declare the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay no other burden upon you than these necessary things; that you abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which things if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare well. We accordingly sent this epistle; but we ourselves remained in Jerusalem many days, consulting together for the public benefit, for the well ordering of all things.

Great are you, O Lord Almighty, and great is Your power, and of Your understanding there is no number. Our Creator and Saviour, rich in benefits, long-suffering, and the bestower of mercy, who does not take away Your salvation from Your creatures: for You are good by nature, and sparest sinners, and invitest them to repentance; for admonition is the effect of Your bowels of compassion. For how should we abide if we were required to come to judgment immediately, when, after so much long-suffering, we hardly get clear of our miserable condition? The heavens declare Your dominion, and the earth shakes with earthquakes, and, hanging upon nothing, declares Your unshaken steadfastness. The sea raging with waves, and feeding a flock of ten thousand creatures, is bounded with sand, as standing in awe at Your command, and compels all men to cry out: How great are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom have You made them all: the earth is full of Your creation. And the bright host of angels and the intellectual spirits say to Palmoni, There is but one holy Being; and the holy seraphim, together with the six-winged cherubim, who sing to You their triumphal song, cry out with never-ceasing voices, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts! heaven and earth are full of Your glory; and the other multitudes of the orders, angels archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, and powers cry aloud, and say, Blessed be the glory of the Lord out of His place. But Israel, Your Church on earth, taken out of the Gentiles, emulating the heavenly powers night and day, with a full heart and a willing soul sings, The chariot of God is ten thousandfold thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sinai, in the holy place. The heaven knows Him who fixed it as a cube of stone, in the form of an arch, upon nothing, who united the land and water to one another, and scattered the vital air all abroad, and conjoined fire therewith for warmth, and the comfort against darkness. The choir of stars strikes us with admiration, declaring Him that numbers them, and showing Him that names them; the animals declare Him that puts life into them; the trees show Him that makes them grow: all which creatures, being made by Your word, show forth the greatness of Your power. Wherefore every man ought to send up an hymn from his very soul to You, through Christ, in the name of all the rest, since He has power over them all by Your appointment. For You are kind in Your benefits, and beneficent in Your bowels of compassion, who alone art almighty: for when You will, to be able is present with You; for Your eternal power both quenches flame, and stops the mouths of lions, and tames whales, and raises up the sick, and overrules the power of all things, and overturns the host of enemies, and casts down a people numbered in their arrogance. You are He who art in heaven, He who art on earth, He who art in the sea, He who art in finite things, Yourself unconfined by anything. For of Your majesty there is no boundary; for it is not ours, O Lord, but the oracle of Your servant, who said, And you shall know in your heart that the Lord your God He is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath, and there is none other besides You: for there is no God besides You alone, there is none holy besides You, the Lord, the God of knowledge, the God of the saints, holy above all holy beings; for they are sanctified by Your hands. You are glorious, and highly exalted, invisible by nature, and unsearchable in Your judgments; whose life is without want, whose duration can never alter or fail, whose operation is without toil, whose greatness is unlimited, whose excellency is perpetual, whose habitation is inaccessible, whose dwelling is unchangeable, whose knowledge is without beginning, whose truth is immutable, whose work is without assistants, whose dominion cannot be taken away, whose monarchy is without succession, whose kingdom is without end, whose strength is irresistible, whose army is very numerous: for You are the Father of wisdom, the Creator of the creation, by a Mediator, as the cause; the Bestower of providence, the Giver of laws, the Supplier of want, the Punisher of the ungodly, and the Rewarder of the righteous; the God and Father of Christ, and the Lord of those that are pious towards Him, whose promise is infallible, whose judgment without bribes, whose sentiments are immutable, whose piety is incessant, whose thanksgiving is everlasting, through whom adoration is worthily due to You from every rational and holy nature.

O Lord Almighty You have created the world by Christ, and hast appointed the Sabbath in memory thereof, because that on that day You have made us rest from our works, for the meditation upon Your laws. You have also appointed festivals for the rejoicing of our souls, that we might come into the remembrance of that wisdom which was created by You; how He submitted to be made of a woman on our account; He appeared in life, and demonstrated Himself in His baptism; how He that appeared is both God and man; He suffered for us by Your permission, and died, and rose again by Your power: on which account we solemnly assemble to celebrate the feast of the resurrection on the Lord's day, and rejoice on account of Him who has conquered death, and has brought life and immortality to light. For by Him You have brought home the Gentiles to Yourself for a peculiar people, the true Israel beloved of God, and seeing God. For You O Lord, brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt, and delivered them out of the iron furnace, from clay and brick-making, and redeemed them out of the hands of Pharaoh, and of those under him, and led them through the sea as through dry land, and bore their manners in the wilderness, and bestowed on them all sorts of good things. You gave them the law or decalogue, which was pronounced by Your voice and written with Your hand. You enjoined the observation of the Sabbath, not affording them an occasion of idleness, but an opportunity of piety, for their knowledge of Your power, and the prohibition of evils; having limited them as within an holy circuit for the sake of doctrine, for the rejoicing upon the seventh period. On this account was there appointed one week, and seven weeks, and the seventh month, and the seventh year, and the revolution of these, the jubilee, which is the fiftieth year for remission, that men might have no occasion to pretend ignorance. On this account He permitted men every Sabbath to rest, that so no one might be willing to send one word out of his mouth in anger on the day of the Sabbath. For the Sabbath is the ceasing of the creation, the completion of the world, the inquiry after laws, and the grateful praise to God for the blessings He has bestowed upon men. All which the Lord's day excels, and shows the Mediator Himself, the Provider, the Lawgiver, the Cause of the resurrection, the First-born of the whole creation, God the Word, and man, who was born of Mary alone, without a man, who lived holily, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died, and rose again from the dead. So that the Lord's day commands us to offer unto You, O Lord, thanksgiving for all. For this is the grace afforded by You, which on account of its greatness has obscured all other blessings.

Now, after what manner those ought to live that are initiated into Christ, and what thanksgivings they ought to send up to God through Christ, has been said in the foregoing directions. But it is reasonable not to leave even those who are not yet initiated without assistance.

Being mindful, therefore, of those things that He endured for our sakes, we give You 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 in His holy and undefiled hands, and, looking up to You His God and Father, He broke 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. 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 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 you eat this bread and drink this cup, you 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 You, our King and our God, according to His constitution, this bread and this cup, giving You thanks, through Him, that You have thought us worthy to stand before You, and to sacrifice to You; and we beseech You that You will mercifully look down upon these gifts which are here set before You, O God, who standest in need of none of our offerings. And accept them, to the honour of Your Christ, and send down upon this sacrifice Your Holy Spirit, the Witness of the Lord Jesus' sufferings, that He may show this bread to be the body of Your Christ, and the cup to be the blood of Your 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 Your Christ, and may obtain eternal life upon Your reconciliation to them, O Lord Almighty. We further pray unto You, O Lord, for your holy Church spread from one end of the world to another, which You have purchased with the precious blood of Your Christ, that You will 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 You for me, who am nothing, who offer to You, for the whole presbytery, for the deacons and all the clergy, that You will make them wise, and replenish them with the Holy Spirit. We further pray to You, O Lord, for the king and all in authority, 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 You through Jesus Christ, who is our hope. We further offer to You also for all those holy persons who have pleased You 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 You know. We further offer to You for this people, that You will render them, to the praise of Your Christ, a royal priesthood and an holy nation; 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 Your people, that You will not permit any of us to become castaways. We further beseech You 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 You, the helper and assister of all men, will be their supporter. We further also beseech You for those that hate us and persecute us for Your name's sake; for those that are without, and wander out of the way; that You will convert them to goodness, and pacify their anger. We further also beseech You for the catechumens of the Church, and for those that are vexed by the adversary, and for our brethren the penitents, that You will perfect the first in the faith, that You will deliver the second from the energy of the evil one, and that You will accept the repentance of the last, and forgive both them and us our offenses. We further offer to You also for the good temperature of the air, and the fertility of the fruits, that so, partaking perpetually of the good things derived from You, we may praise You without ceasing, who gave food to all flesh. We further beseech You also for those who are absent on a just cause, that You will keep us all in piety, and gather us together in the kingdom of Your Christ, the God of all sensible and intelligent nature, our King that You would keep us immoveable, unblameable, and unreprovable: for to You 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 forever. 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 your spirit. And let the deacon proclaim again:—

And it was in the third day that the king sent to Terah, saying, Send me thy son for a price as I spoke to thee; and shouldst thou not do this, I will send and slay all thou hast in thy house, so that thou shalt not even have a dog remaining.

And it was in the third day that the king sent to Terah, saying, Send me thy son for a price as I spoke to thee; and shouldst thou not do this, I will send and slay all thou hast in thy house, so that thou shalt not even have a dog remaining.

And he said, I beseech thee my lord, to hear me--Now fifty years back a child was born to me, and thus has he done to my gods and thus has he spoken; and now therefore, my lord and king, send for him that he may come before thee, and judge him according to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil.

And now therefore if thou wilt hearken to my voice and keep my commandments, my statutes and my laws, then will I cause thy enemies to fall before thee, and I will multiply thy seed like the stars of heaven, and I will send my blessing upon all the works of thy hands, and thou shalt lack nothing.

But go to my land and to my birthplace, and take from thence a wife for my son, and the Lord God of Heaven and earth who took me from my father's house and brought me to this place, and said unto me, To thy seed will I give this land for an inheritance for ever, he will send his angel before thee and prosper thy way, that thou mayest obtain a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.

And Abraham said unto him, Take heed that thou bring not my son hither again, for the Lord before whom I have walked he will send his angel before thee and prosper thy way.

And Eliezer, Abraham's servant, prayed and said, O God of Abraham my master; send me I pray thee good speed this day and show kindness unto my master, that thou shalt appoint this day a wife for my master's son from his family.

And Eliezer rose up in the morning, he and the men that were with him, and he called to the whole household of Bethuel, saying, Send me away that I may go to my master; and they rose up and sent away Rebecca and her nurse Deborah, the daughter of Uz, and they gave her silver and gold, men servants and maid servants, and they blessed her.

And these are the names of the sons of Nebayoth the first born of Ishmael; Mend, Send, Mayon; and the sons of Kedar were Alyon, Kezem, Chamad and Eli.

At that time, the other seven years which Jacob served Laban for Rachel were completed, and it was at the end of fourteen years that he had dwelt in Haran that Jacob said unto Laban, give me my wives and send me away, that I may go to my land, for behold my mother did send unto me from the land at Canaan that I should return to my father's house.

At that time, the other seven years which Jacob served Laban for Rachel were completed, and it was at the end of fourteen years that he had dwelt in Haran that Jacob said unto Laban, give me my wives and send me away, that I may go to my land, for behold my mother did send unto me from the land at Canaan that I should return to my father's house.

And thou didst not suffer me to kiss them and send them away with joy, and thou didst steal my gods and didst go away.

And behold our sister is in your house, but keep away from her until we send to our father Isaac concerning this matter, for we can do nothing without his consent.

But if thou wilt send to all the kings that surround us, and let them come together, then we will go with them and fight against the sons of Jacob; then wilt thou prevail against them.

And Judah and his brothers heard the words of the inhabitants of Gaash and their anger was greatly roused, and Judah was jealous of his God in this matter, and he called out and said, O Lord, help, send help to us and our brothers.

And the sons of Jacob answered the king of Hebron, saying, Send thou to all these kings, and if thou speakest truth unto us, let them each come singly before us, and if they come unto us unarmed, we shall then know that they seek peace from us.

And send it to our father and when he seeth it he will say an evil beast has devoured him, therefore tear ye his coat and behold his blood will be upon his coat, and by your doing this we shall be free of our father's murmurings.

And the priests said unto Potiphar, Send, we pray thee, and let them bring before us Joseph's torn garment, and let us see the tear in it, and if it shall be that the tear is in front of the garment, then his face must have been opposite to her and she must have caught hold of him, to come to her, and with deceit did thy wife do all that she has spoken.

If it pleaseth the king let him send for him that he may come before thee and he will make known to thee, the correct interpretation of the dream which thou didst dream.

Now we pray thee send for him, and let him come before thee, and prove him in all things, and do as thou see fit.

And the old men of the Ishmaelites sent a record to the king of Egypt, saying, Send I pray thee unto thy servants officers and hosts to help us to fight against the children of Tarshish, for we have been consuming away for a long time.

It is the pleasure of the king, of his second and of their great men, that any person who wishes to buy corn in Egypt shall not send his servants to Egypt to purchase, but his sons, and also any Egyptian or Canaanite, who shall come from any of the stores from buying corn in Egypt, and shall go and sell it throughout the land, he shall die, for no one shall buy but for the support of his household.

And Joseph placed sentinels at the gates of Egypt, and commanded them, saying, Any person who may come to buy corn, suffer him not to enter until his name, and the name of his father, and the name of his father's father be written down, and whatever is written by day, send their names unto me in the evening that I may know their names.

And the sons of Jacob went forth and they went to Egypt, and the sons of Jacob did all as their father had commanded them, and Jacob did not send Benjamin, for he said, Lest an accident might befall him on the road like his brother; and ten of Jacob's sons went forth.

And Joseph gave the written names of his brethren to him that was set over the open store, and he said unto him, Whosoever shall come to thee to buy corn, ask his name, and when men of these names shall come before thee, seize them and send them, and they did so.

And Joseph continued to send sixteen servants to seek his brothers, and they went and spread themselves in the four corners of the city, and four of the servants went into the house of the harlots, and they found the ten men there seeking their brother.

Only hereby shall I know that you are true men; if you will send home one from amongst you to fetch your youngest brother from your father, and to bring him here unto me, and by doing this thing I will know that you are right.

And Judah answered and said unto his father, If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy corn for thee, and if thou wilt not send him then we will not go down, for surely the king of Egypt particularly enjoined us, saying, You shall not see my face unless your brother be with you, for the king of Egypt is a strong and mighty king, and behold if we shall go to him without our brother we shall all be put to death.

And Judah answered and said unto his father, If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy corn for thee, and if thou wilt not send him then we will not go down, for surely the king of Egypt particularly enjoined us, saying, You shall not see my face unless your brother be with you, for the king of Egypt is a strong and mighty king, and behold if we shall go to him without our brother we shall all be put to death.

Now therefore father, send we pray thee the lad with us, and we will go down and buy thee food for our support, and not die through hunger. And Jacob said, Why have you dealt so ill with me to tell the king you had a brother? what is this thing that you have done unto me?

Hast thou seen all our infants weeping over thee through hunger and there is no power in thy hand to satisfy them? now let thy pity be roused for them and send our brother with us and we will go.

Now therefore rise up and go to the man, and take for him in your hands a present from what can be obtained in the land and bring it before him, and may the Almighty God give you mercy before him that he may send Benjamin and Simeon your brethren with you.

And Jacob rose up from his sons and spread forth his hands and he prayed unto the Lord on account of his sons, saying, O Lord God of heaven and earth, remember thy covenant with our father Abraham, remember it with my father Isaac and deal kindly with my sons and deliver them not into the hands of the king of Egypt; do it I pray thee O God for the sake of thy mercies and redeem all my children and rescue them from Egyptian power, and send them their two brothers.

Now I have told thee all that is in my heart, and behold my sons are coming to thee with their brother, examine the face of the whole earth for their sake and send them back in peace with their brethren.

And Benjamin said unto Joseph, I can see by this that Joseph my brother sitteth here with me upon the throne, and Joseph said unto him, I am Joseph thy brother, reveal not this thing unto thy brethren; behold I will send thee with them when they go away, and I will command them to be brought back again into the city, and I will take thee away from them.

Now therefore let the king hear my words, and send I pray thee our brother that he may go along with us to our father, lest thy soul perish this day with all the souls of the inhabitants of Egypt.

And I with my strength, who am greater and mightier than both of them, come this day upon thee and thy land if thou art unwilling to send our brother.

Now therefore hear my words that I have this day spoken unto thee, and send our brother that he may go away lest thou and the people of thy land die by the sword, for you cannot all prevail over me.

And Joseph said, Not to you only is strength given, for we are also powerful men, and why will you boast over us all? and Judah said unto Joseph, Send I pray thee our brother and ruin not thy country this day.

And his fright increased when he heard all these things, and he sent unto Joseph, saying, Thou hast brought unto me the Hebrews to destroy all Egypt; what wilt thou do with that thievish slave? send him away and let him go with his brethren, and let us not perish through their evil, even we, you and all Egypt.

Therefore have I approached thee from amongst all my brethren, for I saw that thou wast unwilling to suffer him to go from thee; now therefore may I find grace in thy sight that thou shalt send him to go with us, and behold I will remain as a substitute for him, to serve thee in whatever thou desirest, for wheresoever thou shalt send me I will go to serve thee with great energy.

Therefore have I approached thee from amongst all my brethren, for I saw that thou wast unwilling to suffer him to go from thee; now therefore may I find grace in thy sight that thou shalt send him to go with us, and behold I will remain as a substitute for him, to serve thee in whatever thou desirest, for wheresoever thou shalt send me I will go to serve thee with great energy.

Send me now to a mighty king who has rebelled against thee, and thou shalt know what I will do unto him and unto his land; although he may have cavalry and infantry or an exceeding mighty people, I will slay them all and bring the king's head before thee.

However, on this condition will I send your brother, if you will bring before me his brother the son of his mother, of whom you said that he had gone from you down to Egypt; and it shall come to pass when you bring unto me his brother I will take him in his stead, because not one of you was security for him to your father, and when he shall come unto me, I will then send with you his brother for whom you have been security.

However, on this condition will I send your brother, if you will bring before me his brother the son of his mother, of whom you said that he had gone from you down to Egypt; and it shall come to pass when you bring unto me his brother I will take him in his stead, because not one of you was security for him to your father, and when he shall come unto me, I will then send with you his brother for whom you have been security.

And Joseph observed all their acts, and said unto them, Why do you look here and there? I am Joseph whom you sold to Egypt, now therefore let it not grieve you that you sold me, for as a support during the famine did God send me before you.

Send unto us some of thy men and let them come unto us, and we will fight together with the children of Seir the Horite, for they have resolved to fight with us to drive us away from the land.

Send unto us again other men that with them we may fight with the children of Seir, for they have already twice been heavier than we were.

And by your doing this, when all the male children of Israel shall have died, the evil of their wars will cease; let the king do so and send for all the Hebrew midwives and order them in this matter to execute it; so the thing pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Job.

And Balaam answered the king, saying, Send now and call thy two counsellors, and we will see what their advice is upon this matter and afterward thy servant will speak.

Now therefore if it seem good in thine eyes, cease from destroying the children of Israel, but if it be not thy will that they shall dwell in Egypt, send them forth from here, that they may go to the land of Canaan, the land where their ancestors sojourned.

If it please the king let the king send for men who shall bring before him an onyx stone and a coal of fire, and place them before the child, and if the child shall stretch forth his hand and take the onyx stone, then shall we know that with wisdom has the youth done all that he has done, and we must slay him.

And they took each man his young one in his hand, and they went away, and when they came to the place of the serpents the king said to them, Send forth each man his young stork upon the serpents.

Now therefore, if it seem good in thy sight, let us send and see whether he is living or dead, but her father knew not that she had supported him.

And Moses was greatly astonished at this sight, wherefore the bush was not consumed, and he approached to see this mighty thing, and the Lord called unto Moses out of the fire and commanded him to go down to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to send the children of Israel from his service.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, return to Egypt, for all those men who sought thy life are dead, and thou shalt speak unto Pharaoh to send forth the children of Israel from his land.

And Aaron said to Moses, Send away the woman and her children that they may go to her father's house, and Moses hearkened to the words of Aaron, and did so.

And Pharaoh said to Moses, What do you require? and they answered him, saying, The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent us to thee, to say, Send forth my people that they may serve me.

Now therefore send for them, and let them come and we will try them, and the king did so.

Thus said the Lord God of the Hebrews, Send my people that they may serve me.

And Pharaoh turned to Moses and Aaron and said to them, I know not the Lord whom you have declared, neither will I send his people.

And they answered and said to the king, The Lord God of Gods is his name, and he proclaimed his name over us from the days of our ancestors, and sent us, saying, Go to Pharaoh and say unto him, Send my people that they may serve me.

Now therefore send us, that we may take a journey for three days in the wilderness, and there may sacrifice to him, for from the days of our going down to Egypt, he has not taken from our hands either burnt offering, oblation or sacrifice, and if thou wilt not send us, his anger will be kindled against thee, and he will smite Egypt either with the plague or with the sword.

Now therefore send us, that we may take a journey for three days in the wilderness, and there may sacrifice to him, for from the days of our going down to Egypt, he has not taken from our hands either burnt offering, oblation or sacrifice, and if thou wilt not send us, his anger will be kindled against thee, and he will smite Egypt either with the plague or with the sword.

And Moses returned to the Lord and said, Why hast thou ill treated thy people? for since I came to speak to Pharaoh what thou didst send me for, he has exceedingly ill used the children of Israel.

And the Lord said to Moses, Behold thou wilt see that with an outstretched hand and heavy plagues, Pharaoh will send the children of Israel from his land.

And at the end of two years, the Lord again sent Moses to Pharaoh to bring forth the children of Israel, and to send them out of the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh ordered the children of Israel to be sent away, and all the Egyptians strengthened themselves to send them, for they said, We are all perishing.

At that time, the Lord spoke to Moses to send twelve men from the children of Israel, one man to a tribe, to go and explore the land of Canaan.