God is our refuge and our strength...

[J. Thomas Shelley]

Prayer posted on FB by my Bishop, Metropolitan Savas of the Greek Metropolis of Pittsburgh:

Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord of the Powers, be with us,
for in times of distress, we have no other help but you.
Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us.

O God, our help in time need, who are just and merciful, and who incline to the cries of your people,

Look down open us and have mercy on us, and deliver us from the trouble that now besets us, for which we acknowledge we are deservedly suffering.

Deal with us not according to our iniquities, but according to your manifold mercies, for we are the work of your hands, and you know our weakness.

Grant, we beseech you, your divine grace, and endow us with patience and strength to endure our tribulations with submission to your will.

To you, our only hope and refuge, we flee for relief and comfort, trusting in your love and compassion, that in your good time, you will deliver us from this unrest, and restore to us your peace, when we shall rejoice in your mercy and praise your holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

[Weedon]

From the crafts and assaults of the devil;
From sudden and evil death;
From pestilence and famine;
From war and bloodshed;
From sedition and rebellion...

Good Lord, deliver us.

[J. Thomas Shelley]

From the Litya service, encorporated into Great Vespers on the eve of certain feasts or appended to the Divine Liturgy, depending on parish circumstance:

DEACON:

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

Let us pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

Again we pray for (episcopal rank) (name).

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and remission of the sins of all pious and Orthodox Christians living and visiting in this city, the parishioners, the members of the Parish Council and every Ministry of this Parish, and the donors and benefactors of this holy church, and the servants of God [names] who celebrate this holy feast.

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

Again we pray for the protection of this holy church, this city and every city and land, from wrath, famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, sword, foreign invasions, civil strife, and accidental death. That our good and loving God may be merciful, gracious and favorable to us by turning and keeping from us all wrath and sickness, and deliver us from His just rebuke, and have mercy on us.

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

Again we pray that the Lord our God may hear the prayer of us sinners, and have mercy on us.

(Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.)

PRIEST

Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all those who live everywhere on earth and those far out at sea or in the air. Be gracious toward our sins, Master, and have mercy on us.

For you are a merciful and loving God, and to you we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

(Amen.)

[J. Thomas Shelley]

Much to my surprise we did serve a Litya today for the Synaxis of John the Forerunner and Baptist.  Many of those named John in this community are named for the Forerunner (although there is at least one named for John Chrysostom) and celebrate today as their name-day.

Much to my delight, as the sole cantor one of the five loaves of artoklesia was given to me to take home.