O Christ,
my Creator and Redeemer,
almighty Lord God,
forgive the sins of all
who are joined to me by friendship or blood,
and for whom I pray, or have resolved to pray, —
and all your faithful people.
Deliver them from all evil,
preserve them in all good,
and bring them to eternal joy;
for your honor and glory. Amen.
Source: Gregorian Sacramentary
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954
O God,
in your deep counsel
and foresight for humanity,
you sent your Son to heal the hearts of the weak[1]
and purify our souls and bodies.
You are the Savior of body and soul.
You are the loving bestower of eternal happiness!
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, fifth century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953, also in The New Ancient Collects, #100.
[1] “sent your Son…” Original translation: “…hast appointed holy fasts, whereby the hearts of the weak might receive salutary healing…”
O Lord,
incline your merciful ears to our prayers
and enlighten the darkness of our hearts
by the light of your visitation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, fifth century, Advent 3.
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953, also in The New Ancient Collects, #48.
Almighty God,
hear our prayers
and pour on us your loving tenderness,
that we who are afflicted by our sins
may be refreshed by the advent of our Savior;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gelasian Sacramentary
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953. Also in The New Ancient Collects, #45.
Almighty and eternal God,
the Comfort of the sad,
the Strength of sufferers,
hear the prayers of those who call to you in any trouble,
that they may rejoice to know
your mercy is with them in their afflictions;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, Good Friday
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953. Also in The New Ancient Collects, #382)
O Lord,
hear our prayers.
Just as we trust
that the Savior of humanity
is seated with you in your majesty,
we may also trust that he remains with us always
to the end of the age, as he has promised;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Source: Leonine Sacramentary, New Ancient Collects, #109
O Lord,
you teach us not to worry about earthly things,
but to love heavenly things.
Even now,
while we live among things that are passing away,
help us cling to those things that will remain forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Source: Leonine Sacramentary, New Ancient Collects, #259
O Lord,
be gracious to your people,
that they reject the things that displease you
and love your commandments.
Support them with your comfort in this mortal life
and bring them to the full enjoyment of life immortal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Leonine Sacramentary, New Ancient Collects, #281
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light,
look favorably on your whole Church,
which is a wonderful and sacred mystery.
In your eternal foreknowledge,
you peacefully do your saving work for humanity.
Let the whole world know
that things that were cast down are being raised up,
and things that had grown old are being made new,
and all things are being restored by him
in whom they have their beginning;
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Source: Gelasian, Holy Saturday, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright, p. 98#2
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly good and right,
with all powers of heart and mind,
and with the service of our lips,
to praise the invisible God,
the Father almighty, and his only Son
our Lord Jesus Christ,
who paid the debt of Adam for us to the eternal Father,
and erased the stain of ancient guilt
by his blood poured out in love.
For this is the Paschal festival
in which Christ, the true Lamb was slain,
and the door-posts hallowed by his blood,
by which you first brought our ancestors,
the children of Israel, out of Egypt,
and led them through the Red Sea with dry feet.
This is the night
which cleared away the darkness of sin with a pillar of light.
This is the night
which restores grace and unites believers in Christ
in holiness throughout the world,
separated from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin.
This the night
in which Christ broke the bonds of death
and ascended from the grave as a Conqueror.
Life itself would be no blessing to us
without his redemption.
O wondrous love!
To redeem your servants you gave up your Son.
This holy night,
drives off offences, washes away sins,
restores innocence to the fallen and joy to the sad.
O truly blessed night,
which spoiled the Egyptians and enriched the Hebrews —
the night in which heaven and earth are reconciled!
We pray therefore, O Lord,
that you would preserve your servants
in the peace and joy of this Easter happiness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Source: Gregorian, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright, p. 52.2. The New Ancient Collects, #159.
A Collection of Prayers 