What
follows is directions on how to set up a private commemoration book for use in
one's private prayers (for commemorations at the liturgy, one should either use
the slips provided at the candle counter in their parish, or use a book
designed for that purpose). I make no claims to this being the way to organize
private commemorations, but it is the way I was shown when still a relatively
new convert, and it may be of help to others.
First
off, one should either use spiral notebook (probably best to use a smaller size
than 8 1/2 by 11) or one of those blank books that usually can be found in most
bookstores.
At the
top of each section, put:
Below the
cross, each section begins with a prayer, and then you list those in that
category that you wish to pray for. Leave a healthy amount of blank pages
between each section for additions.
1) For
the Orthodox living:
For the
first section, on the first line beneath the Cross, write the prayer:
"Grant, O Lord, health and salvation to Thy servants..." And then list
your family members, your Heirarchs, those in your parish, your God-children
(if you have any), people who have requested prayers, and then any other
Orthodox people you wish to pray for.
2) For
the Orthodox Reposed:
Begin
with the prayer, "Grant, O Lord, repose with the Saints to Thy
servants..."
3) For
the Catechumens:
Begin
with the prayer, "Grant, O Lord, that Thy holy will be done with thy
servants..."
4) For
the Non-Orthodox living:
Begin
with the prayer, "Grant, O Lord, that thy servants will be illumined with
the light of the Orthodox Faith, and numbered with Thy one, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic Church..."
5) For
the Non-Orthodox reposed:
Begin
with the prayer, "Have mercy, O Lord, if it be possible on the souls of
Thy departed servants (names), who have departed into eternal life in
separation from Thy Holy Orthodox Church: unsearchable are Thy decrees. Do not
account this, my prayer as a sin, but may Thy holy will be done."
For
awhile I wondered what the origin of this prayer was, but found out when I read
The Soul After Death by Father Seraphim Rose. It was the response of a Russian
Saint (if I recall correctly it was either the New Martyr Metropolitan Joseph
or the New Martyr Metropolitan Benjamin) to the question of how one should pray
for a non-Orthodox loved one who has reposed.
This
prayer is from St. Lev (Leo) of Optina (1768-1841), who is perhaps more
commonly known as Elder Leonid of Optina. He was baptized Lev, became Leonid as
a monk, and became Lev again as a schemamonk. He is commemorated on Oct. 11/24,
the anniversary of his repose and the day after the commemoration of the Elders
of Optina (Oct. 10/23).
The
English-speaking world knows him best from the biography by Fr. Clement
Sederholm translated into English and published by the St. Herman of Alaska
Brotherhood (1990), Elder Leonid of Optina.
The
publishing house of the Optina Monastery published in 1994 in Russian Life of
the Optina Elder Hieromonk Leonid (in schema Lev), a reprint of a 1917 edition,
also from Optina. I got my copy of this by mail from Jordanville.
The
prayer is from St. Leo's consolation of his young disciple Pavel Petrovich
Tambovtsev, who was in despair over the suicide of his father and seems to have
died from the effects of this depression soon after, at age twenty-six. He had
seen this suffering-to-come in a dream of his own crucifixion.
The
prayer is given in the Platina edition on p. 196: "Seek out, O Lord, the
lost soul of my father, if possible, have mercy! Thy judgements are
unfathomable. Do not account this prayer of mine as a sin. May Thy holy will be
done."
That
first sentence is an example of the importance of proper punctuation, as the
Russian original shows that it needs a semi-colon after "possible"
for the importantly correct meaning. So it should be:
"Seek
out, O Lord, the lost soul of my father; if possible, have mercy! Thy
judgements are unfathomable. Do not account this prayer of mine as a sin. May
Thy holy will be done."
In the
1994 Russian reprint of the Life from Optina, there is a footnote that
Hieroschemamonk Amvrosy in his time suggested this prayer to those Orthodox who
asked him whether and how it was possible to pray for reposed Catholics and
Protestants who had been close to them.
And of
course the version you have reprinted is an appropriate adaptation.
That
concludes the format I was taught, but I have added two things to the back of
my commemoration book:
1) From
the Old Rite Prayer Book under the heading, "To pray for someone more
diligently":
"Save,
O Lord, and have mercy on Thy servant(s)________ [bow], Deliver him (her, them)
from every tribulation, wrath and need [bow], From every sickness of soul and
body [bow], Forgive him (her, them) every transgression, voluntary and
involuntary [bow], And do whatever is profitable for our souls [bow]."
If you
wish to pray more diligently for someone who is departed, say this Troparion:
"Grant
rest, O Lord, to the soul(s) of Thy departed servant(s) (name(s)). [bow]
Forgive and have mercy on him (her, them), for whatever sins he (she) hath (or:
they have) humanly committed, as Thou art a God who loveth mankind. [bow] And
deliver him (her, them) from eternal torment. [bow] Make him (her, them) a
sharer(s) of the Kingdom of heaven. [bow] And do whatever is profitable for our
souls. [bow]"
2) From
Fr. Anthony Nelson's Moleben for the victims of abortion. It is adapted for
private prayers from the additions to the Great Ektenia:
"Grant,
O Lord, mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, and visitation for those who
strive against the evil of abortion and pardon and remission of their sins.
[bow] Have mercy on Thy servants who strive to save the lives of thine innocent
children. Fulfill their saving petitions and forgive all their transgressions,
whether voluntary or involuntary. Protect them from every visible and invisible
enemy; deliver them from all misery, sickness, and affliction; and grant them
health and length of days. [bow]
"Have
mercy on all those who have fallen into the hands of the Godless civil
authority for the sake of Thy Children, and who languish in courts and prisons;
look upon them with compassion; comfort, strengthen, and preserve them, deliver
them speedily from bondage and oppression. [bow]
"By
thine infinite power, O Lord, move to compassion and mercy the hearts of those
who hold Thy servants in cruel captivity; restrain them from doing harm or
permitting evil to befall Thy servants but rather cause them to relent and to
release them; free the captives whole and unharmed, O Lord, and bestow Thy
mercy upon them.
"By
thy great mercy, O Lord our God, bring to repentance those who contemplate
killing their children and those who would aid them in doing so; revive the
natural feelings of these mothers and fathers for their children; and prevent
them committing this great sin against innocent blood. Render not unto them
according to their deeds, but by Thy great mercy convert them, and unite them
to Thy Church. [bow]
"Have
mercy, O God, on Thy children condemned to death by the unjust judgement of
men. Soften the hearts of those that seek their violent destruction and rescue
them that are being led forth to the slaughter. [bow]
"Thy
vile enemies, O Lord, have annihilated Thy children and persecuted those that
would speak out against their murderous deeds. Look down from heaven,
therefore, and behold, and forsake us not up utterly, but quickly cleanse this
land and the whole world of the wickedness of those that oppose thee, O God,
who art mighty in strength and wondrous in wisdom." [bow]
Deacon [now Father] John Whiteford
Source: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/commemoration.aspx
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