O Virgin Theotokos, thou Hope of all Christians,
protect, watch over and guard all those
who put their hope in thee.
In the shadow and the letter of the Law,
let us, the faithful, discern a figure:
every male child that openeth the womb
shall be sanctified to God.
Therefore do we magnify the firstborn Word
and Son of the Father without beginning,
the firstborn Child of a Mother
who had not known man.
[In the Greek usage, the first three lines are different.]
The Communion Hymn is: “I will take the Cup of salvation and I
will call upon the name of the Lord.”
to be continued with the “Services of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos”....
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ST. EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN’S PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
THOU DIDST ESTABLISH on earth the Holy Church in the
image of the Heavenly Kingdom; Thou didst build her with love, establish
Her with compassion, and Thou didst spiritually betroth Thyself to
Her, and gain Her by Thy suffering.
But the hater of mankind, in his shameless impudence, attacketh
Her in the person of Her servers.
O Lord, do not leave Thy Holy Church without Thy care, that the
promise that Thou didst utter concerning Her invincibility may not be
shown false. Do not let Her majestic beauty be disfigured or Her wealth
be stolen.
Fulfil Thy promise that Thou didst make to Peter; seal Thy words
with deeds. Fortify Her gates, strengthen Her bars, exalt Her horn, raise
up Her head. Bless Her sons, preserve Her children, give peace to Her
priests and subdue those who wish Her evil.
May Thy peace dwell in Her, and drive away from Her all evil
schism. Grant that we may lead a calm, peaceful life in fear of Thee.
May we maintain our Faith, with great confidence and perfect love. May
our life be pleasing to Thee and may we find compassion in Thee in the
day of reckoning. May we ceaselessly bring praise to Thee, O Lord, and
to Thy Father and to Thy Holy Spirit. Amen.
From the Spiritual Psalter of St Ephraim the Syrian - Psalm 86
