O Lord our God, who, by thy foreknowledge sendest the gift of thy holy Spirit on them that are destined, by thine unsearchable might, to be ministers, and to serve at thy spotless mysteries; do thou thyself, O Master, preserve in every virtue this man whom thou art well-pleased to lay hands upon by me for the ministry of the diaconate, he holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Give unto him the grace which thou gavest to thy protomartyr Stephen, whom thou didst first call to the work of thy ministry; and make him worthy to use, as may be acceptable unto thee, the degree which, by thy goodness, is given unto him (for they that minister well prepare for themselves a good degree); and do thou declare him thy perfect servant.
Exclamation.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
now and ever, and to
ages of ages.
Amen.
And the protodeacon readeth that which is of peace in a low voice. In peace let us pray to the Lord. And they answer to each petition, Lord have mercy, once. For the peace that is from above.... For the peace of the whole world.... For our archpriest, name, for his priesthood, assistance, continuance, peace, health, salvation, and for the work of his hands, let us pray to the Lord. For the servant of God, name, now receiving the laying on of hands for deacon, and for his salvation, let us pray to the Lord. That the man-loving God may bestow on him a spotless and blameless diaconate, let us pray to the Lord. For our Most Pious, Autocratic Great Lord, THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER ALEXANDROVITCH of all Russia, and for all HIS palace and army, let us pray to the Lord. For this city.... For our deliverance.... Help us, save us, have mercy on us.... Commemorating our most holy, most pure.... They answer, To thee, O Lord.
And the Archpriest, holding his hand on the
head of him that is receiving the laying on of hands,
saith the second prayer.
O God our Saviour, who, by thine incorruptible voice, didst appoint the law of the diaconate unto thine apostles, and didst declare the protomartyr Stephen of such rank, and proclaim him the first to fulfil the work of a deacon, as it is written in thy holy gospel, Whosoever desireth to be the first among you, let him be your minister; do thou, O Master of all, fill this thy servant, whom thou hast made worthy to enter on the ministry of a deacon, with all faith, and love, and power, and sanctification, through the visitation of thy holy and life-creating Spirit (for it is not by the imposition of my hands, but by the presence of thy compassions, that grace is given unto them that are worthy of thee), that he, being without any sin, may stand blameless before thee in the fearful day of thy judgment, and may receive the unfailing reward of thy promise.
Exclamation. For thou art our God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.