God and King,
by your mercy,
pardon the sins of your servant __________.
Deliver him from all the bonds of the enemy
that he may cling to your commandments with all his heart,
and always love you alone with all his strength,
and one day be counted with your blessed ones;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Old Rheims Manuscript, 9th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (New Ancient Collects, #370)
Lord God Almighty,
shaper and ruler of all creatures,
we pray for your great mercy,
that you guide us towards you,
for we cannot find our way.
And guide us to your will, to the need of our soul,
for we cannot do it ourselves. [1]
And make our mind steadfast in your will
and aware of our soul’s need.
Strengthen us against the temptations of the devil,
and remove from us all lust and every unrighteousness,
and shield us against our foes, seen and unseen.
Teach us to do your will,
that we may inwardly love you before all things with a pure mind.
For you are our maker and our redeemer,
our help, our comfort, our trust, our hope;
praise and glory be to you now and forever.
Source: Alfred the Great, 9th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (New Ancient Collects, #264)
[1] Original translation: “that Thou guide us better than we have done, towards Thee, and guide us to Thy will, to the need of our soul, better than we can ourselves.”
O most merciful God,
incline your loving ears to my prayers
and enlighten my heart with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
that I may worthily administer your sacraments,
love you with an everlasting love,
and be received to everlasting joys;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gallican Collect/York Missal, Eighth Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (The New Ancient Collects, #557)
Hear us,
never-fading Light, Lord our God,
our only Light, Fountain of light,
Light of your angels,
thrones, dominions, principalities, powers,
and of all intelligent beings.
You created the light of your saints.
May our souls be your lamps,
kindled and enlightened by you.
May they shine and burn with the truth,
and never go out in darkness and ashes.
May we be your house,
shining from you, shining in you.
May we shine without fail.
May we ever worship you.
In you may we be kindled and not be extinguished.
Being filled with the splendor
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
may we shine forth inwardly.
May the gloom of sins be cleared away,
and the light of constant faith abide within us.
Source: Mozarabic Sacramentary, 7th Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (New Ancient Collects, #158)
O Lord,
make us flourish like pure lilies
in the courts of your house,
and make us display to your people
the fragrance of good works
and the example of a godly life;
through your mercy, O our God,
you are blessed,
and live and govern all things,
now and forever. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Sacramentary, 7th Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (The New Ancient Collects, #282)
O Lord,
our redemption.
Be our protection.
Direct our minds by your gracious presence.
Watch over our paths
and guide us with your love
through the hidden snares of life.
Fix our hearts on you as we go forward,
and following in faith,
arrive at your goal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954, also in The New Ancient Collects, #292
O Christ our God,
you will come to judge the world
in the humanity you have taken on yourself.
Sanctify us wholly,
that in the day of your coming
our whole spirit, soul, and body
may arise to a fresh life in you,
that we may live and reign with you forever,
to your honor and glory;
you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953. The New Ancient Collects, #54
O God,
by making the evening to follow the day
you have given the gift of rest for human weakness.
Grant that as we enjoy your timely blessings,
we may acknowledge you
from whom they come;
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953. The New Ancient Collects, #32
O God,
you are the well of life,
and in your light we see light.
Shine the light of your holy knowledge on us
and show us your flowing fountain.
Give our thirsty souls living water
and shine your light from heaven on our darkened minds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953. The New Ancient Collects, #176
O God,
Son of God,
so loving, yet hated,
so patient, yet assaulted and killed,
you showed yourself gentle and merciful
even to your persecutors.
You have atoned for our sins
through the wounds of your Passion.
As you humbled yourself and suffered death for us,
now, in your glory,
shine on us with the eternal brightness of your grace.
Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953 also, The New Ancient Collects, #143
A Collection of Prayers 