Chapter 54

1On the Saturday let the bishop assemble them who receive the laver, and let him bid them to kneel while the deacon proclaimeth.° And when there is silence let him exorcise [them], laying a hand on them, and saying: EXORCISM BEFORE THE LAVER O God of heaven, God of the lights," God of the arch1 Or: being instructed. 2 Eph. v. 2. 8 Tit. ii, 14, angels who are under Thy power, God of the angels who are under Thy might, King of glories and of dominions,’ God of saints, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ;* who hast loosed the souls that were bound by‘ death; who hast enlightened him that was bound in darkness and fixed firm, by the firm-fixing ® of the suffering of Thy Only-begotten ; who hast loosed our cords and hast loosed every weight from [off] us; who hast repelled from us every attack® of the Evil One; O Son and Word of God, who hast made us immortal by Thy death ; who hast glorified us with Thy glory; who hast loosed all the bands of our sins by Thy passion; who hast borne the curse of our sins by Thy cross, and by Thy resurrection hast taught [mankind] to pass from [being] sons of men to become gods; who hast taken on Thee our humiliation’; who hast trodden the way to heaven for us; who hast changed us from corruption to incorruptibility §; hear me, O Lord, who cry to Thee in pain and fear,O Lord God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,? before Him before whom stand the holy hosts of archangels and of cherubim and armies without number, of princes and of seraphim ; whose veil [is] the light, and before whose face ™ [is] fire; the throne of whose glory is ineffable ; the habitations of whose delights, which Thou hast prepared for Thy saints, are ineffable, the raiments and treasures of which are visible to Thee alone and to Thy holy angels; before whom all things tremble, giving praise!?; whose glance measureth the mountains, and whose Name, when uttered, cleaveth the depths; whom the heavens which are shut up by Thy hand, hide from view ; before whom the earth and the depths together tremble; before whom the sea and 1Col. i. 16. 2 Not Rev. xv. 3 (Syr. as R.V.). same root as in II. 24, below. between ‘‘ that which is not in a state of corruption,” and ‘ incorruptibility.” the dragons that [are] in it quake; of whom the wild beasts? trembling, stand in awe; through whom the mountains and the firmament? of the earth melt with fear; at whose power the tempest of the winter quaketh and trembleth, and the raging whirlwind keepeth its limits; because of whom the fire of vengeance doth not overpass that which hath been prescribed to it, but abideth when reproved by Thy commandment; because of whom the whole creation travaileth, groaning ° with groans, being bidden to tarry till its time; from whom all nature and creation that opposeth itself fleeth; because of whom the whole army of the adversary is subdued, and the Devil is fallen, and the serpent is trodden down, and ,the dragon is killed; because of whom the nations which have confessed Thee are enlightened‘ and strengthened in Thee, O Lord; because of whom life is revealed and hope confirmed, and faith strengthened and the Gospel® preached; because of whom corruption is brought to naught and incorruptibility waxeth strong; through whom man °® was fashioned from the earth, but having believed in Thee he is no longer” earth; O Lord God Almighty, I exorcise these in the Name of Thee and of Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. Drive away from the souls of these Thy servants every disease and illness, and every stumbling block and all unbelief, all doubt and all contempt,’ every unclean spirit that worketh,? that is a witch, that killeth, that is under the earth, that is fiery, dark, evil-smelling, given to witchcraft, lascivious, loving gold, uplifted, money loving, wrathful. Yea, O Lord God,!? overthrow from these Thy servants who have been named in Thee the weapons of the Devil, all magic, witchcraft, fear of idols, divination, astrology,” necromancy, observation of the stars, astronomy,” pleasure of the 4Lit.: shine; or: burn. 5 Lit.: annunciation. passions, love of disgraceful things, sadness, love of money, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, lasciviousness, contumacy, contentiousness, wrath, confusion, wickedness, evil suspicion.' Yea, O Lord God, hear me, and breathe on these Thy servants the spirit of tranquillity, that, being guarded by Thee, they may bring forth in Thee fruits of faith, of virtue, of wisdom, of purity, of self-discipline? of patience, of hope, of concord, of modesty,’ of praise. For by® Thee they have been called as servants, in the Name of Jesus Christ, being baptized in the Trinity, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the angels, glories, dominions, all the heavenly army being witnesses. O Lord, the real-essence® of our life and theirs, guard their hearts, O God, for Thou art mighty and glorious’ for ever and ever. And let all the people, also the priests, say: Amen, So be it, If any one be in the endurance of any thing, rise suddenly while the bishop is saying [these words], and weep or cry out, or foam [at the mouth] or gnash with his teeth, or stare’ or be much uplifted or altogether run away, being quickly carried off, let such an one be put aside® by the deacons, so that there be no disturbance while the bishop is speaking, and let such an one be exorcised by the priests until he be cleansed, and so let him be baptized. After the priest exorciseth those who have drawn near, or him who is found unclean, let the priest breathe on them and seal them between their eyes,!° on the nose, on the heart, on the ears; and so let him raise them up.