The Priest divests him (her) that comes to be illuminated of robes and shoes and faces him (her) eastward, barefoot and clad in a single garment, hands down. Then, breathing thrice on his (her) face and signing him (her) thrice on the forehead and breast, the Priest says:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessed is our God always, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Laying his hand upon his (her) head, the Priest says:

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord have mercy.

Priest: In Your Name, O Lord God of Truth, and in the Name of Your Only-Begotten Son, and of Your Holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon this Your servant (Name), who has bee" accounted worthy to flee unto Your Holy Name and to be sheltered under the shadow of Your wings. Remove far from him (her) that ancient error, and fill him (her) I with faith and hope and love that is in You, that he (she) may know that You alone are the True God, and Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and Your Holy Spirit. Grant him (her) to walk in Your commandments, and to observe those things that are acceptable before You; for if a man does such he shall find life in them. Inscribe him (her) in Your Book of Life, and unite him (her) to the flock of Your inheritance. Let Your Holy Name be glorified in him (her) and that of Your well-beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of Your Life-creating Spirit. Let Your eyes look over him (her) in mercy, and Your ears be ever attentive unto the voice of his (her) prayer. Let him (her) ever rejoice in the works of his (her) hands, and in all his (her) generation, that he (she) may give thanks to You, worshipping and glorifying Your great and Most High Name, and may ever praise You all the days of his (her) life. For all the Powers of Heaven praise You, and Yours is the Glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

First Exorcism

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord have mercy.

Priest: The Lord rebukes you, O devil, He that came into the world and made His dwelling among men, that He might cast down your tyranny, and deliver men; He that upon the Tree triumphed over the opposing powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth was shaken, and the tombs were opened, and the bodies of the Saints arose; He that by death destroyed Death, and overcame him that held the might of death, that is, even you, O devil. I adjure you by the Living God, Who has shown forth the Tree of Life, and posted the Cherubim, and the flaming sword that turns about to guard this: be rebuked, and depart, for I forbid you, through Him that walks on the waves of the sea as upon the dry land, Who forbade the storm of the winds, Whose glance dries up the deep, and Whose threatenings melt the mountains; for it is He Himself that now forbids you through us. Be afraid, and depart, and absent yourself from this creature, and come not back, neither hide yourself in him (her), nor encounter him (her), nor influence him (her) either by night or by day, nor in the morning or at noon; but get you hence to your own Tartarus, until the appointed day of Judgment. Fear God , Who sits on the throne of the Cherubim, and looks upon the depths, before Whom tremble Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, the many-eyed Cherubim, and the six-winged Seraphim; Whom Heaven and earth fear, the sea, and all that live therein. Come forth, and depart from the sealed and newly-enlisted soldier of Christ our God; for I adjure you by Him that rides upon the wings of the winds, Who makes His Angels spirits and His Ministers a flame of fire. Come forth, and from this creature which He fashioned depart with all your power and might; for glorified is the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Second Exorcism

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord have mercy.

Priest: God, the Holy, the Terrible, and the Glorious, Who concerning all His works and strength is  incomprehensible and unsearchable, Who Himself has ordained for you O devil, the retribution of eternal torment, through us, His unworthy servants, commands you, and all your cooperating might to go forth from him (her) that is newly sealed in the Name of our Lord God and Savior Christ. Therefore, you all evil, unclean, abominable, loathsome and alien spirit, I adjure you by the power of Jesus Christ, Who has all authority in Heaven and on earth, Who says to the deaf and dumb demon, "Get out of the man, and enter no more into him." Depart, know the vainness of your might, which had not power even over the swine! Remember Him Who bade you, at your request, to enter into the herd of swine. Fear God, at Whose command the earth was established upon the waters; Who has founded the Heavens, and fixed the mountains with a line, and the valleys with a measure; Who has placed the sand for a boundary to the sea, and made safe paths through the waters; Who touched the mountains and they smoked; Who clothed Himself with Light as with a garment; Who has stretched out the Heavens as with a curtain; Who covers His upper rooms with waters; Who has founded the earth on her firm foundations, so that it shall not be moved forever; Who calls up the waters of the seas, and sprinkles it on the face of the earth. Come out! Depart from him (her) who is now being made ready for Holy Illumination; I adjure you by the saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His Precious Blood and All-Pure Body, and by His terrible Coming Again for He shall come and not tarry, to judge all the earth, and shall punish you and your cooperating might in the Gehenna of fire, consigning you to the outer darkness where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched; for of Christ is the Might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Third Exorcism

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord have mercy.

Priest: O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Who heals every sickness and every wound, Look down upon this Your servant (Name); search out and try him (her), driving away from him (her) every operation of the devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, cleansing the work of Your hands; and, using Your trenchant energy, beat down Satan under his (her) feet, giving him (her) victory over him, and over his unclean spirits; so that, obtaining the mercy that comes from You, he (she) may be accounted worthy of Your Immortal and Heavenly Mysteries, and may send up all glory to You, to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

You, the Existing Sovereign Master and Lord, Who made man after Your own image and likeness and gave to him power of eternal life; and when he had fallen through sin did not disdain him, but did provide for him through  the Incarnation of Your Christ, the salvation of the world. Redeeming this Your creature from the yoke of the Enemy, receive him (her) into Your heavenly Kingdom. Open the eyes of his (her) understanding, so that the Illumination of Your Gospel may dawn upon him (her). Yoke unto his (her) life a shining Angel to deliver him (her) from every plot directed against him (her) by the Adversary, from encounter with evil, from the noon-day demon, and from evil dreams.

And the Priest breathes on his (her) forehead, on his (her) mouth, and on his (her) breast, saying:

Drive out from him (her) every evil and unclean spirit, hiding and lurking in his (her) heart. (This he does and says thrice.) The spirit of error, the spirit of evil, the spirit of idolatry and of all covetousness that works according to the teaching of the devil. Make him (her) a reason-endowed sheep of the holy Flock of Your Christ, and honorable member of Your Church, a hallowed vessel, a child of Light, and heir of Your Kingdom. So that, having ordered his (her) life according to Your commandments, and having guarded the Seal and kept it unbroken, and having preserved his (her) garment undefiled, he (she) may attain unto the blessedness of the Saints of Your Kingdom.

Through the Grace and Compassion and Manbefriending Love of Your Only-Begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Then the Priest turns him (her) that is to be baptized to face westward, unclothed, barefoot hands upraised. If the person is a child, the Sponsor holding him (her) faces West. the Priest then says thrice:

Do you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his worship, and all his angels, and all his pomp?

   Each time the Catechumen (or the Sponsor if the person to be baptized is a child or a foreigner) answers and says:

I do renounce him.

Again the Priest asks him (her) that is to be baptized: (3 times)

Have you renounced Satan?

And the Catechumen or the Sponsor answers (3 times):

I have renounced him.

After the third time, the Priest says:

Then blow and spit upon him.

And this being done, the Priest turns the Catechumen to the East with lowered hands, and repeats the following three times:

Do you join Christ?

The question is answered three times:

I do join Him.

Again the Priest asks three times:

Have you joined Christ?

Catechumen (or Sponsor):

I have joined Him.

Again the Priest asks:

 And do you believe in Him?

Catechumen (or Sponsor):

I believe in Him as King and as God.

After the completion of the Creed, the Priest asks thrice:

Have you joined Christ?

Catechumen (or Sponsor):

I have joined Him.

Then the Priest says:

Then bow before Him and worship Him.

Catechumen (or Sponsor) bows down, saying:

I bow down before the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; Trinity One in Essence and Undivided.

Priest: Blessed is God Who desires that all people should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth; both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord have mercy.

Priest: Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call this Your servant! (Name) to Your Holy Illumination, and account him (her) worthy of this great Grace and Your Holy Baptism. Put off from him (her the old man, and renew him unto everlasting life; fill him (her) with the power of Your Holy Spirit, unto union with Your Christ; that he (she) may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the good pleasure and Grace of Your Only-Begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Apolysis

Glory to You, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to You. Christ our True God...

Through the prayers of our holy Fathers ...

 

Related Liturgical Texts The Service of Holy Baptism

 

 

Liturgical Texts courtesy and copyright of Holy Cross Press, Brookline, MA