☦ From The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese: Prayers Against the Pandemic
Last edited Wed Apr 29, 2020, 01:11 AM - Edit history (1)
[I had to condense this lengthy service. Did keep the sections and petitions addressing the pandemic.]
God is Lord and has revealed Himself to us. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Verse: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Holy Name.
This came about through the Lord and it is wonderful in our eyes.
Physician of those grievously ill and help to those who hope, O Lord who desire the salvation of all mortals, look down upon us from Your throne of glory. Hear our cry from the bottom of our depths. Deliver us from the threat of this plague as compassionate God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
O all-holy Trinity, our one God, * show Your great compassion towards us who have been debased. * Drive away the awful scourge that found us, * and end the deadly pandemic afflicting us.
Blessed is our God, now and always and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
PSALM 142
O Lord, hear my prayer; in your truthfulness give heed to my plea, and in your righteousness answer me; and enter not into judgment with your servant, since of all the living, none is just in your sight. The enemy has hunted me down; he has crushed my life into the ground; he has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead. My spirit faints with grief, and within me, my heart is in despair.
I recalled the days of old, I meditated on all your deeds, I pondered the works of your hands. I stretched out my hand to you; like a parched land, my soul thirsts for you.
Make haste to answer me, O Lord: my spirit has failed me. Turn not your face away from me, lest I be like those in the pit; grant that I may hear your steadfast love at dawn, for I have put my hope in you.
O Lord, teach me the way I should go, for I have lifted up my soul to you. O Lord, deliver me from my enemies: it is to you I have fled. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your good Spirit lead me on a straight path. For the sake of your compassion, O Lord, you will keep me alive; in your righteousness you will deliver me from affliction. And in your loving kindness you will destroy my enemies, and bring to naught all those who oppress me, for I am your servant.
God is Lord and has revealed Himself to us. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Verse: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Holy name.
PSALM 50
READER: Have mercy on me, O God, in the greatness of your love; in the abundance of your tender mercies, wipe out my offense. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I am well aware of my iniquity, and my sin is before me always. It is you alone I have offended; I have done what is evil in your sight; wherefore you are justified in your charges and triumphant in your judgment. Behold, I was born in iniquities, and in sins my mother conceived me. But you are the lover of truth: you have shown me the hidden depths of your wisdom. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be pure; cleanse me, and I shall be whiter than snow; let me hear sounds of joy and feasting: the bones that were afflicted shall rejoice. Turn your face away from my offenses, and wipe off all my sins.
A spotless heart create in me, O God! Renew a steadfast spirit in my breast. Cast me not away from your face; take not your blessed Spirit out of me; restore to me the joy of your salvation, and let your guiding Spirit dwell in me. I will teach your ways to the sinner, and the wicked shall return to you. Deliver me from blood-guilt, O God, my saving God, and my tongue will joyfully sing your justice. O Lord, you will open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise. Had you desired sacrifice, I would have offered it, but you will not be satisfied with whole-burnt offerings. Sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit, a crushed and humble heart God will not spurn. In your kindness, O Lord, be bountiful to Sion; may the walls of Jerusalem be restored. Then will you delight in proper oblation, in sacrifice and whole-burnt offerings. Then shall they offer calves upon your altar.
THE CANON
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
O all-holy Trinity, our one God, * show Your great compassion towards us who have been debased. * Drive away the awful scourge that found us, * and end the deadly pandemic afflicting us.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
Compassionate Master, the current plague * suddenly assailed us; it afflicts us in heart and soul. * Come quickly, deliver us and save us. * We are Your people, whose hope rests in You alone.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
We Your servants are weeping within our hearts. Hear our sighs, * in Your tender love and great mercy, Lord, most compassionate. * Obliterate the threat of the pandemic and virus * quickly from the cities of Your children everywhere.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
Holy Trinity, one God, O most benevolent Lord, * faithfully we fall to our knees and implore You earnestly. * Come to us, whom you made, in Your compassion have mercy. * Free us from the injury and hardship of the plague.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You behold now Your servants’ humiliation, O Lord. * Hear us as we pray, and forgive us our many trespasses. * O Master, in Your great and most abundant compassion, * rescue all humanity from this calamity.
O Holy Trinity, Lord of mercy, safeguard from plague and sorrow those who in Your benevolence You desire to save.
PETITIONS
Have mercy on us, O God, in Your great goodness; we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
For You are a merciful and loving God, and to You we give glory: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages.
O Holy Trinity, One God and Lord, deliver Your people from this invasive man-ravaging affliction. Grant them all health; for the earth is full of Your mercy and You do we worship, O Almighty.
O compassionate Lord and God, * as an inexhaustible sea of tender love, * please do not allow humanity * to languish and perish from contagious disease.
Now we tearfully pray to You: * Savior, have compassion on our society, * and eventually change the grief * of this deadly outbreak of disease to joy.
In Your love for humanity, * take pity on us, Lord, and hear us when we pray. * Being merciful, deliver us * from the great distress.
Earnestly we pray, * O our Savior very merciful: * Straight away avert the spread of the disease, * for we know no other God and Lord except for You.
Shelter us, we pray, * in the shelter of Your wings, O Lord, * and preserve our life in happiness and health, * in the wealth of Your compassion, O almighty God.
Righteous are You, Lord, * and Your judgment is upright as well. * Yet, we pray You quickly rescue all mankind, * which You love, from the pandemic.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
Ineffable is Your love for humankind, * whereby You took our infirmities, O Savior. * We now entreat You, O good One, to free us * from the pandemic and thoughts of complete despair * that we inevitably have; * and we pray You forgive our offenses all.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
The marvelous signs and wonders that You do * are innumerable, merciful Master. * We pray You stop the onset of pandemic * as You rebuked winds and seas and You calmed the storm; * and navigate us back to health, * like a ship to a calm port and anchorage.
Confronted with the likelihood of widespread death * from the current pandemic, O Savior, * we turn to You, and with tears we implore You * with hands uplifted, and cry out, O loving Lord, * as Your disciples did of old, * “Master, help us, for now we are perishing!”
Have mercy on us, O God, in Your great goodness.
Again, we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, safekeeping, protection, pardon and remission of sins of the servants of God, (names) all suffering from the illness of plague, for their health and healing and for the forgiveness of their sins and offenses both voluntary and involuntary.
For You are a merciful and loving God, and to You we give glory: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages.
Greatly cast Your love upon the abyss, Almighty Lord. Have mercy, salvation, compassion; and free Your people from this plague who implore You in hymn.
Verse: O God, listen to my prayer, hear the words of my mouth.
O God, save me through Your name, and vindicate me by Your might.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Verse: Have mercy on me, O God, in the greatness of Your love; in the abundance of Your tender mercies, wipe out my offense.
Loving Lord, whose will it is that all be saved, O humane God, * You came that we may have life, * and have it abundantly. * You do not want death. * We, who are wretched now, * often have provoked You; * but we worship You exclusively. * We hope in You alone; * we have no protector except for You. * And so we run to You for help. * Praying in repentance, we cry to You: * Loving Lord, be gracious to us who have committed many sins, * and save Your people, and rescue us, * from the storm of deadly plague.
Through the mercy, compassion and love of Your only-begotten Son, with whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, good and lifegiving Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
We entrust to You only * every hope of salvation, O Lord who gives us life. * We pray that You will save us * from this deadly pandemic, * in Your mercy, as we cry out * and say: “O blessed are You * the God of our fathers.”
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
You have worked many wonders * for the sake of mankind, Lord who loves humanity. * We pray You now deliver * Your people from this current * pandemic, as we cry out * and sing: "O blessed are You * the God of our fathers."
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Under threat of a deadly * pandemic, we find ourselves in profound distress. * We pray to You: Have mercy, * O Life-Giver, and save us! * We Your people cry out to You * and say: “O blessed are You * the God of our fathers.”
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
Merciful Savior, * we hope and trust in You only, * and we pray to You and earnestly implore You: * Save us from the harm of the deadly pandemic.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
Arise, O Master, * and save mankind from this crisis * that befell us. You, O Savior, are the only * hope of those who suffer from illness and misfortune.
Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on Your servants.
O Savior, hear our voices * when we call upon You; * for we Your servants are troubled and cry to You. * Deliver us from the danger of a contagious disease.
O Lord, display the ocean * of Your love for mankind, * and let Your mercies, O Savior, be magnified; * and from the plague of contagious diseases rescue us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Haralambos the Martyr * is known for combating * the plague. O Lord, by his prayers rescue us from it, * and we shall sing, glorifying your mighty power, O God.
Now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Physician of bodies and souls alike, * compassionate Master, we implore You and we entreat, * forgive and remit every sin of ours, O Savior, * and rescue us Your servants from the pandemic's wrath.
Fear of the pandemic has gripped the hearts * of all of Your servants, O compassionate Lord and God. * Quickly come and save us, we earnestly entreat You, * invoking Your great mercy, Savior most merciful.
Savior, we will all never cease to be * the sheep of Your pasture, even though we have many sins. * Please do not despise or ignore our supplication; * end, rather, the upheaval caused by the current plague.
Truly from the ages, O gracious God, * and unto the ages is Your mercy and love for man. * Therefore, now, according to its abundance, rescue * a multitude of people from the impending plague.
Lord, do not ignore us in our distress, * anxious as we are now, and beside ourselves with the fear * of catching a painful disease that may be fatal. * We pray You quickly save us from this calamity.
Join the Theotokos, all you arrays * of angelic powers, honored Forerunner of the Lord, * holy Twelve Apostles * and all the Saints together, * and pray for our salvation, and intercede for us.
THE TRISAGION
READER: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; at a loss how to defend ourselves, we sinners offer You, as Master, this entreaty: Have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us, for it is in You we have put our trust; do not be sorely provoked with us, nor remember all our iniquities. But even now regard us out of compassion, and ransom us from our enemies. For You are our God, and we Your people, all of us shaped by Your hands, and it is Your name we invoke.
Have mercy on us, O God, in Your great goodness; we pray You, hear us and have mercy.
Again, we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, safekeeping, protection, pardon and remission of sins of the servants of God, all suffering from the illness of plague, for their health and healing and for the forgiveness of their sins.
Again, we pray that the Holy Great Church of Christ, this city, and every city and land, will be kept safe against violence and pestilence, famine and earthquake, flood and fire, against the sword and enemy invasion, civil strife and sudden death; that our good and loving God will be merciful and gracious and open to our entreaties, to turn back all violence and evil aroused against us, deliver us from His impending righteous chastisement and be merciful to us.
As merciful, remove fear of the threatening plague from us the afflicted, according to Your great mercy; come and cause to be acceptable the prayerful voice of Your servants, O Loving One. Accept by the richness of Your compassion to aid Your people who trust in You in faith.
PRAYER FOR THIS CURRENT PANDEMIC OF PESTILENCE
PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.
CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.
PRIEST: Forbearing and merciful, loving and compassionate, Almighty Lord, who brought our nature into being and having fallen once again raised us. Who sent Your only-begotten Son, Savior and Redeemer, and Benefactor healing the passions of body and soul. Do You, forbearing Master, look down upon us and hearken to our entreaty in our day of sorrow. Safeguard us from the coming upon all the earth of the plague-bearing threat. Lord, take away affliction and fear. The darkness of death surrounds us. Remember Your innumerable acts of compassion; reveal to us the depths of Your mercy; do not let us be destroyed because of the multitude of our sins. Hearken unto the voice of our prayer from deep within us as it cries out to You. Do not turn Your face away from us nor turn away from your creatures in wrath. Be our aid and deliverer. O our God and Savior, do not reject or abandon us but come and redeem us. Draw near in Your customary kindness. Crush the power of the illness-bearing plague; disgrace its violence, pain and dejection, transforming it to joy. Preside over calm for humanity. By Your power greatly aid those serving in the field of health.
Raise us from our bed of pain and from our bedding of affliction. Grant health to those who have contracted the illness. Give rest in the tentings of the Saints to those who have surrendered their lives to the virus. Grant consolation to their families. For You are the physician of our souls and bodies and to You we offer glory: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
~Orthodox Worship~
The Orthodox Christians inhabit and measure time by a calendar itself touched by the Incarnate Word of God. The recurring rhythms of the year, the months, the weeks, and the days alternating with nights mean much more than the simple passage of time.