office houseblessing_new.doc

The Order of the Blessing of a New Home

And the Priest reads this Prayer secretly:

Note: The translation used is primarily that of Fr. Lawrence of Jordanville. All the psalms are from The Psalter According to the Seventy, Copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by permission. Some other material, such as prayers and hymns, are also Copyright HTM, used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, beyond printing out a single copy for personal non-commercial use, without the prior written authorization of Holy Transfiguration Monastery.

At the completion of the anointing with oil, lit candles are set before each Cross on each wall. And the Singers sing this sticheron:

And after the Psalm, the following Troparion is sung:

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

O Lord, our God, do Thou look down now with mercy on the prayer of me, Thy lowly and unworthy servant, and send down the grace of Thy Most-holy Spirit on this oil, and sanctify it, that it may be for the sanctification of this place and of this house that has been constructed, and for the expelling of every contrary power and satanic snare: For Thou art He that blesseth and sanctifieth all things, O Christ, our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Tone 5: Bless this house, O Lord, / and fill it with Thine earthly good things. / And keep unharmed from every evil circumstance / them that are about to live in it with piety. / And grant unto them every heavenly abundance / and Thine earthly blessings. / And as Thou art compassionate, // have mercy, according to Thy great mercy.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

And after the Prayer, he takes the Holy Water and sprinkles, with it, all the walls of the house in crosswise form, and all the rooms, saying:

Reader: Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

And at the completion of the anointing, the Priest stands toward the east, and reads the Gospel from Luke:

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

After this, the Priest (or Deacon) says this Litany:

Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory; of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacch us, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacch us, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacch us stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name's sake.

Reader: Amen.

And immediately Psalm 100 is read; and the Priest, saying the Psalm to himself, censes the whole house:

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Psalm 100 Of mercy and judgment will I sing unto Thee, O Lord; I will chant and have understanding in a blameless path. When wilt Thou come unto me? I have walked in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house. I have no unlawful thing before mine eyes; the workers of transgressions I have hated. A crooked heart hath not cleaved unto me; as for the wicked man who turned from me, I knew him not. Him that privily talked against his neighbor did I drive away from me. With him whose eye was proud and his heart insatiate, I did not eat. Mine eyes were upon the faithful of the land, that they might sit with me; the man that walked in the blameless path, he ministered unto me. The proud doer dwelt not in the midst of my house; the speaker of unjust things prospered not before mine eyes. In the morning I slew all the sinners of the land, utterly to destroy out of the city of the Lord all them that work iniquity.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The priest reads aloud this prayer:

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Our Father, Who art in the Heavens, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Choir: Amen.

Father, bless.

Lord have mercy. (12 times)

Priest: Peace be unto all.

And the priest makes the Daily Dismissal: On Saturday evening and Sunday Morning: My Christ our True God, Who arose from the dead, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother; of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles, [of the saint(s) whose temple it is and whose day it is]; of the holy and righteous Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

On Sunday evening and Monday Morning: My Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, the mediations of the honorable heavenly bodiless hosts, the intercessions of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles, On Monday evening and Tuesday Morning: My Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of the honorable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles, On Tuesday and Thursday evening and Wednesday and Friday Morning: My Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, through the power of the precious and life-creating Cross, the intercessions of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles,

O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God.

Deacon: Bow your heads unto the Lord.

On Wednesday evening and Thursday Morning: My Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles; of our father among the saints, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, On Friday evening and Saturday Morning: My Christ our True God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-praised apostles; of the holy, glorious, and right victorious martyrs; of our holy and God-bearing fathers; [of the saint(s) whose temple it is and whose day it is]; of the holy and righteous Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind.

Psalm 90 He that dwelleth in the help of the Most High shall abide in the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say unto the Lord: Thou art my helper and my refuge. He is my God, and I will hope in Him. For He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunters and from every troubling word. With His shoulders will He overshadow thee, and under His wings shalt thou have hope. With a shield will His truth encompass thee; thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, Nor for the thing that walketh in darkness, nor for the mishap and demon of noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but unto thee shall it not come nigh. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and thou shalt see the reward of sinners. For Thou, O Lord, art my hope. Thou madest the Most High thy refuge; No evils shall come nigh thee, and no scourge shall draw nigh unto thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. On their hands shall they bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Upon the asp and basilisk shalt thou tread, and thou shalt trample upon the lion and dragon. For he hath set his hope on Me, and I will deliver him; I will shelter him because he hath known My name. He shall cry unto Me, and I will hearken unto him. I am with him in affliction, and I will rescue him and glorify him. With length of days will I satisfy him, and I will show him My salvation.

Choir: To Thee, O Lord.

Revised 7/26/2013 The translation used is primarily that of Fr. Lawrence of Jordanville. All the psalms are from The Psalter Copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by permis other material, such as prayers and hymns, are also Copyright HTM, used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, beyond printing out a single copy for personal non uthorization of Holy Transfiguration Monastery. Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls,

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. (Thrice)

Choir: Amen.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, Who art in the Heavens, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. G this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Tone 8: As salvation came unto the house of Zacchaeus at Thine entrance, O Christ, / and likewise now at the entrance of Thy sacred ministers, / and, with them, Thy holy Angels, do Thou grant Thy peace unto this house, // and mercifully bless it, saving and illumining all that are about to live in it.

And he reads over it this Prayer:

And a table is prepared, covered with a fine cloth, and on it the Book of the Gospels, the Cross, lit candles, and the vessels of Holy Water and oil. The Priest stands, facing east, and the Deacon says:

Choir: Amen.

Let us pray to the Lord.

Deacon: And that He will vouchsafe unto us the hearing of the Holy Gospel, let us pray unto the Lord God.

O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Who wast pleased to enter under the roof of Zacchaeus the Publican, and didst bring salvation unto him and all his house: Do Thou Thyself now also preserve unharmed by any evil thing them that have desired to live here, and offer unto Thee prayers and supplications through us who are unworthy, blessing them and this habitation, and keeping their life always free from snares, abundantly granting them, by Thy blessing, every good thing that is profitable for them. For unto Thee is due all glory, honor and worship, together with Thy Father, Who is without beginning, and Thy Most-holy, Good, and Lifegiving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

O Master, Lord our God, Who livest on High and lookest down upon the lowly; Who didst bless the house of Laban at the entrance of Jacob, and the house of Potiphar at the coming of Joseph; Who didst bless the house of Abinadab with the carrying in of the Ark; and Who, in the days of the Advent in the flesh of Christ, our God, didst grant salvation unto the house of Zacchaeus: Do Thou Thyself bless also this house, and compass with the fear of Thee them that are about to live in it, and keep them unharmed by adversaries; and send down Thy blessing from Thy dwelling on High; and bless and increase every good thing in this house.

Deacon: Wisdom, Aright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.

Exclamation: For Thine it is to be merciful and to save us, O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Priest: Peace be unto all.

And immediately having signed the oil three times with the Sign of the Cross, he says:

Choir: And to thy spirit.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Priest: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke [19:1-10].

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, by the sprinkling of this Holy Water, let every evil demonic activity be put to flight. Amen. And having sprinkled the whole house, taking the oil, he anoints, with it, the walls of the house where the Cross was traced in its middle, beginning with the eastern wall of the home, then the western wall, and after this the northern wall, ending with the southern wall, saying at each:

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

This house is blessed through the anointing of this Holy Oil, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Deacon: Again we pray that He will send down His blessing on this house and on His servant(s), N., and everyone that is about to live in it in piety, and that He will send unto them His Angel of mercy, who will preserve and protect them from every evil thing, and will guide them to the performing of every virtue and the fulfilling of the holy commandments of Christ; and that He will protect them from famine, destruction, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword and the invasion of aliens, and from every death-bearing wound, and that He will grant them health and will encompass them with length of days, and will grant them abundance in everything, let us all say: O Lord, hearken and have mercy.

Deacon: Again we pray for all the brethren and for all Christians.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Priest: Hearken unto us, O God our Savior, Thou hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that be far off at sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, regarding our sins, and have mercy on us; for a merciful God art Thou, and the Lover of mankind, and unto Thee do we send up glory; to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Wisdom!

Priest: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim; who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.

Choir: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: A prosperous and peaceful life, health and salvation, and good success in all things, grant, O Lord, to servant(s) N.(N.), and preserve them for many years!

Choir: Many Years! Thrice.