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Lord, God of hosts, and
creator of all, You who created man in Your own Image, and placed him in
the garden of Eden, and made them male and female, and blessed them,
saying: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it;
and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky and
over every living thing that moves on the earth." We beseech You, O
Lord, bless this marriage as You blessed the marriage of the holy
patriarchs, and keep this couple spotless in spiritual love and in one
accord during their lives in this world. Bless, O Lord, and make their
marriage fruitful with offspring, if it is Your will, so that they may
inherit a life of virtuous conduct for the glory of Your All Holy Name.
Grant them a peaceful life and lengthen their time in this world, and
make them worthy to attain the imperishable joys of the heavenly
nuptials, together with all Your saints, by the grace and the loving
kindness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom You are blessed,
Oh Father Almighty, together with the life-giving and liberating Holy
Spirit, now and always and forevermore, Amen.
Now, as you blessed the wedding of our forebears, bless, O Lord, the
crowning of these Your servants into marriage. For You have given these
Your children Your blessing of sweetness, and You have placed upon their
heads a crown of precious gems.
You blessed the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and showed Your divine glory
to Your disciples by changing the water into wine, and did not despise
marriage but blessed it as a High Priest and established it with Your
word, which cannot lie, saying: "Therefore what God has joined
together, let no man separate." In the same way, You who are holy and
rest in Your saints, keep the marriage of these Your servants
(Groom’s name) and (Bride’s name) holy, and unite them under
the yoke of Your dispensation in the spirit of meekness, that they may
love one another with modest behavior, purity in spirit, without giving
cause for shame, without impudence, but always ready for good works, so
that escaping the snare of the evil one, they may be preserved in health
of soul and body, under the protection of Your angels, and under the
sign of Your triumphant Cross.
Our Lord and God, be the protector of these Your servants and shelter
them all the days of their lives with Your mercy. Save them from evil
thoughts and protect and guard them by day and by night according to
Your mercy. Plant them as a fruitful olive tree in the House of God, so
that living in righteousness, in purity and godliness according to the
pleasure of Your beneficent will they may live to see the children of
their children. May they be a people unto You and glorify Your holy
Name, and bless the all-holy Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and always and forevermore,
Amen. |
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