Consecration of the Church

If the First of November falls on a Monday or Tuesday,
the first Sunday of November is the Consecration and Renewal of the Church,
otherwise, the first Sunday of November is the Consecration of the Church,
and the second Sunday of November is the Renewal of the Church.




♰الْمَجْدُ للهِ! ♰Praise be to God always!♰ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ! ♰



Entrance Hymn

Come and Shine in Purity

Syriac: msheeho natareh l’eedtokh

or msheeho natareh l’eedtokh (Abdallah)

Come and shine in purity at the altar of the Lord,
where the priest stands in between God and all humanity.
He takes what the people give and lifts it up,
heavenward on high.
And the Spirit, full of light, is called down to sanctify
the cup and the bread. Great and awesome Sacrifice!
Sinners, come receive the flesh and blood of Christ
for the pardon of your sins.
In Jerusalem was built Solomon’s great temple there,
where you showed your face on earth, merciful and loving One;
and now you have given us your Son’s own flesh,
food that gives us life.
Sanctify, renew us, Lord. Clothe us in your Spirit’s grace;
may we be for you dwelling places of pure love.
Your elect will then approach to seek the light
of your bright and shining face.
In your Church, O Lord our God, love and mercy flow from you,
and your peace protects the Church, from division keeps her free.
Sustain her, remove all sin, and fill her, Lord,
with your righteousness.
Let her not be overwhelmed by destructive storms or harm.
O Lord, keep her safe. Drive from her the Evil One.
Hold her children as your own, the flock you saved,
who for ever sing your praise.

Opening Prayers

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ our Lord, by your coming you perfected the Old Covenant and inaugurated the New Covenant.
In your love, you betrothed the Church of all nations, and, by your grace, you built her foundation on Peter and the twelve apostles. Now make us worthy, on this feast of the Consecration and Renewal of the Church, to raise a hymn of praise and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Prayer of Forgiveness (Husoyo)

Proemion

Let us raise glory, honor, and praise to the Wise Builder, who, by his grace and in his divine providence and mercy, built the Church to be an invincible and secure fortress and a tower of salvation, so that those who have been saved by his cross may find refuge in her. To the Good One be glory and honor, on this feast, and all the days of our lives, and forever. Amen.

Sedro

Blessed are you, O Christ! You established the spiritual Jerusalem as a holy Church and promised to be with her to the end of time, confirming her in holiness, strengthening her foundations on faith, and laying her stones with love, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. Today, as we celebrate the Consecration and Renewal of the Church, we cry out, proclaiming:
Rise up and shine, O Church, for the Savior of the world has made you his dwelling!
Rise up and shine, for the mighty Redeemer has saved you by his victorious cross!
Rise up and shine, for the Holy Lord has chosen the saints from among your children!
Now, O Lord, we implore you, with the fragrance of this incense, to remember the Church you have built and protect your flock from evil. Grant rest to our departed in your kingdom, and unite us with them in your heavenly glory, that we may glorify you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Hymn (Qolo)

Blessèd Are You, Holy and Most Faithful Church

Syriac: toobaik ‘eedto

Blessèd are you, holy and most faithful Church,
for the Groom, betrothed to you,
brought you into pastures green.
At your feast he mixed a cup;
those who drink it thirst no more.
Come and eat fire in the bread.
Drink the Spirit in the wine.
Clothed in Spirit and in fire,
you shall be with him, his bride.
I was amazed at the feast that Christ prepared
for the blessèd Church, his bride.
As I entered, I saw there:
prophets, martyrs, and the just,
the apostles with the priests;
then Baptism and the cross;
on the altar there was placed
Christ’s own Body and his Blood
for the pardon of all sins.
Grant peace, O Lord,
to your Church throughout the world.
Keep all scandal far from her.
Guard your flock from harm and strife.
Send good shepherds who will lead
in accordance with your will.
Gather and unite in love
all her children in true faith.
Then she will rejoice with you
in your kingdom when you come.

Etro

O Christ, you are the fragrant Chrism, and we ask you to accept the fragrance of this incense as a pledge of our gratitude. May the bishops, priests, and deacons who serve at your altars guide the Church in your Spirit. We glorify and thank you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen.

Qadishat Aloho (Trisagion)

ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ. ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܚܰܝܶܠܬܳܢܳܐ. ܩܰܕܺܝܫܰܬ ܠܳܐ ܡܳܝܽܘܬܳܐ. ܐܶܬܪܰܚܰܡ ܥܠܰܝܢ.
Qadishat Aloho. Qadishat Hayeltono. Qadishat lo moyuto. EtraHam 3alayn.
You are holy, O God. You are holy, O Strong One. You are holy, O Imortal One. Have mercy on us.
قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا الله، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا قَوِي، قُدُوسٌ أَنْتَ يا مَنْ لا يَموتْ، إِرْحَمْنا

Holy and immortal Lord, sanctify our minds and purify our consciences, that we may praise you with purity and listen to your Holy Scriptures. To you be glory forever. Amen.

Psalm of the Readings

Syriac: ramremain

Priests and deacons are standing
at the altar of God’s peace,
and they offer sweet incense
as the Spirit hovers there.
Hear, O peoples and nations,
at the altar priests now stand.
All on earth, be attentive
as the Spirit hovers there.
On the rock of Saint Peter,
Jesus built his holy Church.
He completed her structure
through the labors of Saint Paul.

Epistle

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. Your blessing, Father.

Glory to the Lord of Paul and the apostles! May the mercy of God descend upon the reader and the listeners and upon this parish and her children forever. Amen.

Brothers and Sisters:
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was constructed, the outer one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, in which were the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant entirely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of expiation. Now is not the time to speak of these in detail. With these arrangements for worship, the priests, in performing their service, go into the outer tabernacle repeatedly, but the high priest alone goes into the inner one once a year, not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people. In this way the holy Spirit shows that the way into the sanctuary had not yet been revealed while the outer tabernacle still had its place. This is a symbol of the present time, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper in conscience but only in matters of food and drink and various ritual washings: regulations concerning the flesh, imposed until the time of the new order. But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
(Hebrews 9:11-15)

Praise be to God always!

Gospel

Alleluia! Alleluia!
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.
(Matthew 16:18)
Alleluia!

Before the proclamation of the Gospel of our Savior, announcing life for our souls, we offer this incense and ask for your mercy, O Lord.

Peace be with you.

And with your spirit.

From the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew, who proclaimed life to the world.
Let us listen to the proclalation of life and salvation for our souls.

Remain silent, O listeners, for the Holy Gospel is about to be proclaimed to you.
Listen and give glory and thanks to the Word of the living God.

The Apostle wrote:
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
(Matthew 16:13-20)

This is the truth! Peace be with you!

Praise and blessings to Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, for giving us his words of life.