♰الْمَجْدُ للهِ! ♰Praise be to God always!♰ܬܶܫܒܽܘܚܬܳܐ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ! ♰
Entrance Hymn
To the Lord the Priesthood Said
Syriac: msheeho natareh l’eedtokh
or msheeho natareh l’eedtokh (Abdallah)
To the Lord the priesthood said:
“Lift me high; exalt me, Lord.”
And the Lord gave this reply:
“Yours is greater than all ranks.
Not Michael, nor Gabriel, nor all their choirs
have a rank so high.”
Priesthood guides us on the way,
leading us to heaven’s heights.
The priesthood is blest! O how fair and beautiful!
At the altar priests implore the heart of God,
that he may forgive all sins.
Greater than the seraphim
is the priesthood of the Lord;
in their hands priests hold the power
of the mighty Lord of hosts.
And now we remember all the faithful priests
who have served your Church.
Keep them with your angels, Lord,
in the paradise of light.
May they find their joy with you in eternity,
giving you, your Father, and your Spirit praise,
worshipping the Trinity.
Opening Prayers
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus, our true High Priest, make us worthy to commemorate the bishops and the priests who have passed from this life. They cared for your flock, served at your altars, and celebrated your Mysteries. May they share in the heavenly reward of the faithful bishops and priests, that with them they may sing glory and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, forever.
Prayer of Forgiveness (Husoyo)
Proemion
Let us raise glory, honor, and praise to the Father, who chose priests; and to the Son, who entrusted the service of his Mysteries to them; and to the Holy Spirit, who sanctified their offerings. To the Good One be glory and honor, on this day of their blessed commemoration, and all the days of our lives, and forever. Amen.
Sedro
Glory and thanks to you, O High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, for your priesthood is eternal. Today we remember our faithful bishops and priests who have finished their service and have departed from this world. How precious in your eyes is the death of your righteous ones!
They carried you in their hands, and they invited your faithful people to your banquet. They proclaimed your word and your Good News, and they diligently cared for your flock.
Now, O Lord, we ask you, with the fragrance of this incense, to receive them and forgive them for any shortcomings in their service. As you honored them in this life, clothe them with the glory of your priesthood and the robe of the righteous, in the sanctuary of your apostles Peter and Paul, who faithfully served you. Count them among the children of light in the Church of the firstborn.
May they enjoy the graces of your Holy Mysteries that they celebrated, in the company of the blessed prophets, apostles, bishops, and priests. With them they raise glory and thanks to you, to your Father, and to your Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Hymn (Qolo)
You Chose Priests to Praise You
Syriac: bo‘ooto dmor ya‘qoob (Minor)
or bo‘ooto dmor ya‘qoob (Departed)
You chose priests to praise you, O Lord.
Hear our prayers for the priests
who have died in your hope;
show them mercy.
These priests offered pure sacrifice
and forgave all our sins.
May they sing in the choirs
of your glory.
May priests, who had changed bread and wine
into your flesh and blood,
now hold branches of praise
as they meet you.
May priests who sang glory to you
now exalt you, O Lord,
as they join all your saints
in the kingdom.
All praise to the Father above,
who has called faithful priests;
let the Son be adored,
who has taught them;
give thanks to the Spirit, who comes
when they call him to rest
on their pure sacrifice.
Give God glory!
Etro
O Lord, accept our prayers and the fragrance of our incense, and may the priests, who have celebrated your Mysteries and have departed from us, receive the reward of the good and faithful servant. In the abundance of your grace, forgive their sins, and remember on your heavenly altar all the good things they offered to you. May they share in the reward of your saints and with them may we raise glory and thanks to you, forever. Amen.
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
May the priests who have served you
in your holy temple, Lord,
enter heaven in glory
on the day the just shall rise.
May the just who were faithful
and the priests who served you, Lord,
find their rest in your glory,
in Jerusalem on high.
Lord our God, you accepted
what the just had offered you;
now accept, in your mercy,
our pure sacrifice and prayers.
Epistle
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy. 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:
If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. These are the things you must insist on and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.
(1 Timothy 4:6-16)
Praise be to God always!
Gospel
Alleluia! Alleluia! “I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful shall ring out their joy.” (Psalm 132:16) 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 Luke, 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.
Jesus said:
“Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.
(Luke 12:42-48)
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.
