THE GREAT BLESSING

OF WATER

Orthodox Church in America

Diocese of New York and New Jersey
Commission on Liturgical Music
[email protected]
http://nynjoca.org/liturgical_music.html

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 never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the
Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his trou-
bles. The angel of the Lord encamps around
those who fear him, and delivers them. O taste
and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man
who takes refuge in him! O fear the Lord, you his
saints, for those who fear him have no want! The
young lions suffer want and hunger; but those
who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, O
sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the
Lord. What man is there who desires life, and
covets many days, that he may enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from
speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord
are toward the righteous, and his ears toward
their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the
earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord
hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves
the crushed in spirit. many are the afflictions of
the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of
them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them
is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked; and those
who hate the righteous will be condemned. The
Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of
those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
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Blessed be the name of the Lord henceforth and
forevermore (3x)

Priest: May he who condescended to be baptized

by John in the Jordan for our salvation, Christ our
true God, at the prayers of his all-pure Mother, and
of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us,
for he is good and loves mankind.

It is customary to sing Psalm 34 but in many

parishes this is omitted.

PSALM 34
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall
continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its
boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be
glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt
his name together! I sought the Lord, and he
answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall

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 Old Testament Readings
The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah (35:1-
10)

Thus saith the Lord: The wilderness and the dry

land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and
blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abun-
dantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory
of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Car-
mel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the
LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the
weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong
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fear not! Behold, your God will come with venge- souls and bodies. For thou art the sanctifica-
ance, with the recompense of God. He will come tion of our souls and bodies ; and unto thee we
and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be ascribe glory, and thanksgiving and worship,
opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then together with Thy Father, who is from ever-
shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue lasting, and Thine all-holy, and good, and life
of the dumb sing for joy. For waters shall break -giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of
forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; ages.
the burning sand shall become a pool, and the
thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jack- Choir: Amen.
als shall become a swamp, the grass shall be- And blessing the water with the holy cross, the
come reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be priest dips three times into the water holding it up-
there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the un- right with both hands while the choir sings the fol-
clean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err lowing troparion:
therein. No lion shall be there, nor shall any rav-
enous beast come up on it; they shall not be found
there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the
ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to
Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon
their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah (55:1-

13)

Thus saith the Lord: Everyone who thirsts, come to

the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy
and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money
and without price. Why do you spend your money
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Save, 0 Lord, and show mercy upon the Most for that which is not bread, and your labor for that
Holy Synod, and keep them in peace beneath which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to me,
thy shelter. subdue under them every foe and and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in
adversary; grant all their petitions which are fatness. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear,
unto salvation and life eternal, that with the el- that your soul may live; and I will make with you
ements and men, and Angels, and with all an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love
things visible and invisible ; they may magnify for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the
Thy most holy Name, together with the Father ; peoples, a leader and commander for the peo-
and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ples. Behold, you shall call nations that you know
ages of ages. Amen: not, and nations that knew you not shall run to
you, because of the Lord your God, and of the
Priest: Peace be unto all. Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. "Seek
the Lord while he may be found, call upon him
Choir. And with thy spirit while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him re-
Priest. Bow your heads unto the Lord. turn to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Choir. To Thee, 0 Lord.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the
Incline Thy ear, 0 Lord, and hear us, 0 Thou
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my
who wast graciously pleased to receive bap-
ways higher than your ways and my thoughts
tism in Jordan, and didst sanctify the waters.
than your thoughts. "For as the rain and the
Bless all us who, by the bowing of our necks,
snow come down from heaven, and return not
do outwardly signify our humility of mind: and
thither but water the earth, making it bring forth
graciously grant that we may be filled with Thy
and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread
sanctification, through our partaking of this
to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth
water, and through sprinkling therewith. And
from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,
may it be for us, 0 Lord, the health of our
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but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and angelic might. And may it be unto all those
prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “For you who shall draw it, and shall partake of it unto
shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the the purification of their souls and bodies, unto
mountains and the hills before you shall break the healing of their passions, unto the sanctifi-
forth into singing, and all the trees of the field cation of their houses, and unto every expedi-
shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall ent service. For Thou art our God, who
come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall through water and the Spirit renewed our na-
come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for ture, which had fallen into decay through sin.
a memorial, for an everlasting sign which shall For Thou art our God, who with water didst
not be cut off." drown sin in the days of Noah. For Thou art
our God, who by the sea, through Moses,
The reading is from the Prophecy of Isaiah (12:3- didst set free from slavery to Pharaoh the He-
6) brew race. For Thou art our God, who didst
cleave the rock in the wilderness, so that Wa-
Thus saith the Lord: With joy you will draw water ter poured forth, and who made the floods to
from the wells of salvation. And you will say in well forth abundantly; and didst satisfy Thy
that day: "Give thanks to the Lord call upon his thirsty people. For Thou art our God, who by
name; make known his deeds among the na- fire and water ; through Elijah, didst set Israel
tions, proclaim that his name is exalted.” Sing free from the errors of Baal. Do Thou, the
praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let same Master and sanctify now also this water
this be known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for by Thy Holy Spirit.(3x) Grant also unto all
joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is who shall be sprinkled therewith, and shall
the Holy One of Israel." partake thereof, and shall anoint themselves
therewith, sanctification, blessing, purification
and bodily health: and save, 0 Lord, Thy serv-
ant ; our most God-fearing Bishop _________
and all the Authorities.

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of men. For Thou couldst not endure, 0 Master, Prokeimenon (Tone 3)
because of Thy tender-hearted mercy, to be-
hold the children of men tormented by the The Lord is my Light and my Savior, whom shall I
devil; but Thou didst come, and didst save us. fear? (Ps 26/27:1)
We confess Thy grace; we proclaim Thy mer-
cy; we conceal not Thy gracious deeds. Thou
has set at liberty the generations of our race;
by Thy birth Thou has sanctified a virgin's
womb. All creation sings praises unto Thee,
who didst reveal thyself; for Thou, our God,
didst manifest Thyself upon earth, and didst The reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle
dwell among men. Thou didst hallow the Paul to the Corinthians (I Cor.10:1-4)
streams of the Jordan, in that Thou didst send
down from heaven Thy Holy Spirit, and didst Brethren, I want you to know that our fathers were
crush the heads of the serpents which lurked all under the cloud, and all passed through the
there. sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud
Then the Priest repeats three times the following, and
and in the sea, and all ate the same supernatural
blesses the water with his hand at each repetition. food and all drank the same supernatural drink.
For they drank from the supernatural Rock which
Wherefore 0 King who lovest mankind, come followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
down now also through the descent of Thy Ho-
ly Spirit, and sanctify this water. (3x) And im- Alleluia
part unto it the grace of redemption, the bless-
ing of the Jordan. Make it a fountain of immor- v: The voice of the Lord is upon the waters (Ps
tality, a gift of sanctification, a remission of 28:3)
sins, a healing of infirmities, a destruction of v: The God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon
demons; unapproachable by hostile powers, many waters.
filled with
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 Great art thou, 0 Lord, and marvelous are
Thy works, and no words suffices to hymn
Thy wonders. (3x) For Thou, by Thy will, from
nothingness hast brought all things into being;
The Great Litany by Thy majesty Thou dost uphold all creation,
and by Thy providence Thou dost direct the
In peace, let us pray to the Lord world. When Thou hadst formed the universe
out of four elements, Thou didst crown the cir-
Choir: Lord, have mercy. cle of the year with four seasons. All the rea-
son-endowed powers tremble before Thee.
For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare The Sun sings Thy praises, and the Moon glo-
of the holy churches of God, and for the union of rifies Thee; the Stars, also, stand before Thy
all, let us pray to the Lord. presence. The Light obeys Thee. The deeps
For this holy house and for those who enter with shudder with awe before Thee; the water-
faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray springs do Thy bidding. Thou hast spread out
to the Lord. the heavens like a curtain. Thou hast estab-
lished the earth upon the waters. With sand
For our Metropolitan _______, for our Bishop hast Thou walled in the sea. Thou hast shed
________, for the honorable priesthood, the dea- abroad the air for breathing. The Angelic Pow-
conate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, ers serve Thee. The Archangelic hosts adore
let us pray to the Lord. Thee. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-
winged Seraphim, as they stand round about
For the President of our country, for all civil au- and do fly, veil their faces with awe before
thorities, and for the armed forces, let us pray to Thine unapproachable glory. For Thou, the
the Lord. God which cannot be circumscribed, who art
from everlasting and didst come down upon
For this city, for every city and country, and for the earth, taking on the form of a servant, being
faithful dwelling in them, let us pray to the Lord. made in the likeness
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 Thee majesty and thanksgiving for Thy marvelous For seasonable weather, for abundance of the
works which are from all eternity, and for Thy fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us
saving providence in these latter days in which pray to the Lord.
Thou hast clothed Thyself in our frail and lowly
substance, and hast condescended to the stature For travelers by land, by sea, and by air; for the
of a servant; who yet art King of all; who also didst sick and the suffering; for captives and their salva-
receive baptism in the Jordan at the hands of a tion, let us pray to the Lord.
servant: that Thou, O Sinless One, having sancti- That this water may be sanctified by the power,
fied the nature of the water might make for us a action and descent of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to
way which should be unto a new birth, through wa- the Lord.
ter and the Spirit, and unto the deliverance first in-
stituted for us. Celebrating the memory of which That the purifying operation of the Holy Trinity may
divine mystery, we beseech Thee, O Lord who descend on this water, let us pray to the Lord.
loves mankind; sprinkle us, Thine unworthy serv-
ants, according to Thy divine promise, with pure That it may be given the grace of redemption and
water, the gift of Thy tenderness of heart. May the the blessing of the Jordan, let us pray to the Lord.
supplications of us sinners over this holy water be
well pleasing unto Thy goodness; and may thy That Satan may speedily be crushed under our
blessing through it be given to us and all Thy faith- feet and that every evil council directed against us
ful people to the glory of Thy holy and adorable may be brought to nothing, let us pray to the Lord.
Name. For unto Thee belong glory, honor and wor-
ship, together with Thy Father who is from ever- That the Lord our God will free us from every at-
lasting and Thine all-holy, good and life-creating tack and temptation of the enemy and make us
Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. worthy of the good things which He hath promised,
let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Amen

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That we may be enlightened by the light of For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, dan-
knowledge and piety through the descent of the ger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.
Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most
That this water may become a gift of sanctification, blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-
remission of sin, for the healing of soul and body, virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend
and for every good thing, let us pray to the Lord. ourselves and each other, and all our life unto
Christ our God.
That this water may spring up to eternal life, let us
pray to the Lord. Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us,
O God, by Thy grace.
That it may become a cleansing of souls and bod-
ies for all those who draw in faith and drink it, let Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
us pray to the Lord.
For to Thee belong all glory, honor, and worship,
That it may serve for banishing every plot of the to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
enemy, both visible and invisible, let us pray to the Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Lord.
Choir: Amen.
That the Lord our God will listen to the voice of us
sinners as we plead and have mercy on us, let us
Prayer of Patriarch Sophronios of Jerusalem
pray to the Lord.
O Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten Son, Thou art
That we may become worthy to be filled with holi-
in the bosom of the Father, the true God, source
ness through the use of this water by the invisible
of life and immortality, Light of Light, who art come
revelation of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
into the world to illuminate it. Enlighten our minds
with Thy Holy Spirit and accept us who offer unto
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