Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/286

232 O Thou compassionate One, have mercy upon us at this time, and accept from us this service. Hear our prayers and supplications, O Thou heavenly One, hasten to our help, and save our life from death, we sinners who have strayed, O Thou Blessed; we wicked and perverse, O Thou Strong One; we adulterers and liars, O Thou Upholder; we fornicators and plunderers, O Thou Helper; we sinners and blind, O Thou who dost give light; we vile and proud, O Thou pitiful One; we unjust and unmerciful, O Thou who art full of mercy; for if Thou shouldest weigh our sins the mountains would be found lighter than they. Woe unto us since we have become the companions of Satan!

On Thy great name, O Thou who art compassionate to all, do Thy servants call; have pity upon our life, O Thou who art the Quickener of all; put away from us all evil, cold, heat, locusts, grasshoppers, and blight, O Thou who dost avert adversity from all, through the prayers of the righteous who approved themselves unto Thee. Have mercy upon us, O Thou who art glorified of all, through the intercessions of the martyrs Mar Gheorghees and Mar Serghees, and of S. Mary the blessed, who put away all devouring insects, frost and death which destroy all, and who became a mother and parent to the of the  of all.

Accept from us this oblation which we have offered unto Thee with a joyful heart, through Thy own name, O, , and , the great and Eternal King, at whose command the glorious sun and moon go forth, and by whose hand all creation is upheld. On this day may the souls of Thy servants mix in glory and blessedness with Elijah and Enoch the meek, and in exultation and joy with Titus and Onesimus, and with the martyr Kuriakòs; may they rise up from their graves and put on glory, and ascribe honour and praise to Thy name.

Accept, O the mighty, the oblation which Thy servants offer up unto Thee this day as Thou didst the oblation of Abel in the field, and that of the blessed Noah after the deluge, and that of Elijah the righteous prophet, and Melchizedeck the high priest and priest, and Moses with whom  spake in a vision.—Even so, O , in Thy mercy accept this oblation.

Accept, O, this sacrifice as Thou didst the widow's two