Ecumenical Service
On the Occasion of the Canonization of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide
Mercy and truth will meet. Justice and peace will embrace.
Psalm 84(85):10
Entrance Procession
Հրաշափառ աստուած
Wondrous and ever-provident God,
With foresight you granted salvation for the people of Armenia,
Having generated from the sinful nation of Bartev
An Enlightener for us.
Therefore by his intercession, O Savior,
Raise us to life now,
And at your awe-inspiring second coming.
Introit
DEACON
Again in peace let us beseech the Lord. Receive our prayers, raise us to life and have mercy on
us.
PRESIDING CLERGY
Blessing and glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto
the ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 84(85)
translated from the Armenian version
TWO CLERGY ALTERNATELY PROCLAIM THE VERSES . THE PEOPLE REPEAT THE REFRAIN .
REFRAIN
M ercy and truth will meet. Justice and peace will embrace.
Lord, you were pleased with your land • and you overturned the enslavement of Jacob. REFRAIN
You forgave the wrongdoing of your people • and you covered over all their sins. REFRAIN
You silenced all your wrath • and you turned back from the anger of your fury. REFRAIN
Turn toward us, O God our Savior • and turn your fury away from us. REFRAIN
Do not be angry with us forever • and do not prolong your anger toward us from generation to
generation. REFRAIN
God, raise us again to life • let your people rejoice in you! REFRAIN
Show us your loving mercy, Lord • and grant us your salvation. REFRAIN
We have heard what the Lord our God speaks: Let God speak peace to his people • to his saints
and to all that have turned to him in their hearts. REFRAIN
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His salvation is near those who fear him. • His glory dwells in our land. REFRAIN
Truth has sprouted from the earth. • Justice has appeared from heaven. REFRAIN
The Lord will grant what is sweet and our land will grant its fruits. • Justice will walk in God’s
presence, and set its footsteps in his path. REFRAIN
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Blessing of the Evening Lamp
The people and/or the deacons will light candles in the church while a soloist sings:
Ուրախ լեր սուրբ եկեղեցի
Rejoice, Holy Church
For Christ the King of heaven today has crowned you with his Cross,
And he has adorned your fortress with his wondrous glory.
Exult greatly, O Daughter of Zion
For by your second renewal the earth today has become heaven,
And the heavenly King was pleased to dwell within you.
Exalting with the choirs of the heavenly hosts,
Today we celebrate this unceasing glorification.
Be glad, immaculate Bride, by your inscrutable mystery.
When the candles have been lit, the following blessing is proclaimed:
CLERGY
Blessed Lord, who dwells on high, blessed as well is the glory of your greatness. You created the
lights on high and from the heavens you shined light throughout the universe. You created the
sun to give light to the day, and the moon and the stars to give light to the night, as well as the
light of the lamp. You are the Light to be praised, the holy and first Light. Darkness flees from
you. Let your living light dawn in our hearts, Lord. And together we shall say: Blessed is your
glorious, holy name. And we sing blessing and glory to you, to the Father and to the Son and to
the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Evening Petitions
DEACON
Let us all say together, “Lord have mercy.”
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For peace in the whole world and for the stability of the holy church let us ask the Lord.
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ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For all holy and orthodox bishops and Christian leaders, let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For the life of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II; for the life of the
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I; for the heads of all churches, and
for the salvation of their souls, let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For teachers of the church, priests, deacons, altar servers and all youth called to serve the church,
let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For devout rulers and God-loving leaders, for military commanders and their forces, that the
almighty Lord will make them prevail in all wars against hostile powers. Let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
For seasonable weather, gentle rains and abundant crops, let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
The great and mighty power of the holy cross to help us, let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
And also for our true and holy faith, together, let us ask the Lord.
ALL
Lord have mercy.
DEACON
Let us commit ourselves and one another to the almighty Lord God.
ALL
We commit ourselves to you, Lord.
DEACON
Have mercy on us, Lord our God, as befits your great mercy. Let us all say together:
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ALL
Lord have mercy. Lord haver mercy. Lord have mercy.
Prayer of the Evening Hour
CLERGY
O Lord our God, hear our voices and receive our requests, the lifting up of our hands, and the
words of our prayers, as you sanctify this evening offering that we have prepared as a sweet
fragrance for your pleasure. Almighty Lord, increase our faith, hope, love and all manner of
generous deeds, so that always leading a devout and disciplined life, day and night, according to
your gracious will, we may be privileged to call upon you for our salvation and spiritual life, and
receive grace and mercy from you. And with gratitude we will glorify the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
† Peace to all.
ALL
And with your spirit.
DEACON
Let us bow down before God.
ALL
Before you, Lord.
CLERGY
Lord our God, as we bow down to you, we thank you for sending this long day peacefully on its
way. Lord, we ask you to send us on our way through this evening and the coming night without
sin and without stumbling. Let us remain steadfast in faith, in hope, and in love, always keeping
your commandments, asking you for peace in the whole world, stability in your holy church, and
salvation for our selves. And so having received what we ask from you, we will always send up
duly majestic glory in the highest to your all-powerful lordship, O Christ our God, now and
always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Hymn for the Holy Martyrs of 1915
THE CHOIR
Ով երանեալ սուրբ վկայք՝ իմաստնացեալք երկնաւոր լուսով,
որք զօրինակ հատին ցորենոյ յանձինս ձեր բերեք
եւ պտղաւորեցէք բազմապատիկ հաւատովք
զՀայաստան աշխարհս.
Աղաչեցէ՛ք զաստուած՝ պահել զսա ի խաղաղուեան։
O blessed and holy martyrs, made wise by the heavenly light;
you became like the grain of wheat,
and harvested a bountiful crop of faith,
bearing fruit for our land of Armenia.
Beseech God to keep her in peace.
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Զինուորեցայք զգեղեցիկ զինուորութիւնն,
եւ մղեցէք զբարւոք պատերազմ.
զի առէք զսաղաւարտ փրկութեան եւ սուսեր հոգւոյն,
եւ զգեցայք զզրահսն արդարութեան եւ առէք զվահան հաւատոյ,
որով զնետս մուխս չարին շիջուցէք.
աղաչեցէ՛ք զաստուած՝ պահել զաշխարհս մեր յանվտանգութեան։
You were enrolled as fine soldiers,
and you fought the good fight;
for you took the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit;
you put on the breastplate of righteousness and took up the shield of faith,
with which you extinguished the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Beseech God to keep our world secure.
Փառաւորեցայք գերազանց փառօք առ ի հօրէ,
եւ քան զարեգակն պայծառացեալք՝
արժանի եղէք թագաւորել ընդ քրիստոսի.
աղաչեցէ՛ք զաստուած՝ պահել զաշխարհս մեր պայծառութեան։
You have been glorified with exceeding glory by the Father;
and become more resplendent than the sun.
You became worthy to reign with Christ.
Beseech God to keep our world radiant.
Litany of the Saints
CLERGY
Christ our God, fort the sake of your holy and precious Cross, Lord, grant us peace.
CHOIR
Grant it, Lord.
CLERGY
For the sake of the holy Mother of God and of John the Forerunner and of St. Stephen the first
martyr, Lord, grant us peace.
CHOIR
Grant it, Lord.
CLERGY
For the sake of your holy apostles, prophets, teachers, martyrs, heads of churches, hermits, nuns,
solitaries and the heavenly powers, Lord, grant us peace.
CHOIR
Grant it, Lord.
CLERGY
And for the sake of our first enlighteners, the apostles Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, and of
the blessed apostles, the Saints James, and of St. Gregory our Enlightener, and of Saints James
the Bishop of Nisibis, Marugeh the Hermit, Meletius the Bishop, and George the Captain, Lord,
grant us peace.
CHOIR
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Grant it, Lord.
CLERGY
Loving Lord, through the intercession, memory and prayers of the holy martyrs who gave their
lives during the Armenian Genocide for faith and for the homeland, whom we commemorate
today, grant us the gift of peace and of your great mercy.
CHOIR
Amen.
DEACON
Let us beseech the Lord through the prayers of the holy martyrs, who defeated evil and endured
anguish, and became worthy of the luminous, heavenly and everlasting crowns. Through their
prayers and intercession may the Lord have mercy on us and raise us to life.
ALL
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
CLERGY
Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and you do the will of all who fear you,
looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm
by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially
the holy martyrs who gave their lives during the Armenian Genocide for faith and for the
homeland, whom we commemorate today. Hear us Lord, and show us your mercy. Forgive,
cancel and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with
the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Homily
The Lord’s Prayer and Dismissal
PRESIDING CLERGY
Blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE CHOIR WITH THE PEOPLE
Our Father, who art in heaven, 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 trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
PRESIDING CLERGY
For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever. Amen.
† May you be blessed by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Depart in peace and may our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all. Amen.
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Recession
Գովեա երուսաղէմ
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Christ has risen from the dead. Alleluia!
Come all people. Sing a song to the Lord. Allelauia!
To the One risen from the dead. Alleluia!
Who has shined light in our world. Alleluia!
s
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