Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir. Lord have mercy.
The priest, with a loud voice, this prayer.
O God most pure, and the Author of all creation, who, through thy love to man, didst transform a rib of Adam the forefather into a woman, and didst bless them, and say, Increase and multiply, and have dominion over the earth, and, by the conjoining, didst declare them both to be one member; for because of this a man shall forsake his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be in one flesh; and whom God hath joined together let man not put asunder; who didst also bless thy servant Abraham, and open the womb of Sara, and didst make him the father of many nations; who didst bestow Isaac upon Rebecca, and didst bless her offspring; who didst join Jacob unto Rachel, and from them didst make manifest the twelve patriarchs; who didst yoke Joseph and Aseneth together, and as the fruit of generation didst bestow upon them Ephrem and Manasse; who didst accept Zacharias and Elizabeth, and didst declare their offspring the Forerunner; who out of the root of Jesse, according to the flesh, didst produce the Ever-Virgin, and from her wast incarnate and wast born for the salvation of the human race; who through thine unspeakable grace and plenteous goodness, wast present in Cana of Galilee, and didst bless the marriage there, that thou mightest show that a lawful union, and a generation therefrom is according to thy will. Do thou thyself, O most holy Master, accept the prayer of us, thy servants, and, with thine invisible presence being here, as there, do thou bless this marriage, and give unto thy servants, name, name, a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, love for one another in the bond of peace, a long-lived seed, grace upon their children, and an unfading crown of glory. Count them worthy to see their children’s children; preserve their bed undefiled; and give them of the dew of heaven from above, and of the fatness of the earth. Fill their houses with corn, wine and oil, and with every bounty, that they may have to give to them that are in need, bestowing also unto them that are here assembled with us all desires that tend to salvation.
For a merciful, and compassionate, and man-loving God thou art, and to thee we ascribe glory, with thine unbeginning Father, and thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.
Choir. Amen.
Deacon. Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir. Lord, have mercy.