O Master, Lord Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desirest that all men should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth; who desirest not the death of a sinner, but that he should return and live; we pray and make supplication unto thee, Loosen the soul of thy servant, _name_, from every bond, and deliver him from every curse: forgive him the iniquities, known and unknown, which from youth up, in deed and word, he hath confessed sincerely, or, through forgetfulness or shame hath hidden; for thou alone art he that looseth them that are in bonds, and setteth upright them that are crushed down, thou hope of them that have no hope, who canst remit the sins of every man that hath a trust in thee. Yea, O man-loving Lord, bid that he be set free from carnal and sinful bonds, and receive in peace the soul of this thy servant, _name_, and rest it in the eternal habitations with thy Saints, through the grace of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, with whom also thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen. [Illustration] [Illustration] _Chapter XVI._ THE MORTUARY ORDER OVER LAY BODIES. _On the decease of one of the right-believers, his kinsfolk straightway send for the priest, who cometh to the house in which the remains of him that hath fallen asleep lie, and putting on the epitrachelion, and putting incense into the censer, censeth the body of the dead, and them that stand by, and beginneth as customarily,_ Blessed be our God.... _And the bystanders begin,_ Holy God.... O most holy Trinity.... Our Father.... For thine is the kingdom.... _And straightway they sing these troparia. Tone iv._ With the spirits of the righteous dead, O Saviour, rest thy servant’s soul, keeping it in that blessed life which is with thee, thou lover of mankind. In thy resting-place, O Lord, where all thy Saints repose, O rest thy servant’s soul; for thou alone art lover of mankind. _Glory._ Thou art the God that wentest down to hades, and didst burst the captives’ bonds: rest also thou thyself thy servant’s soul. _Both now._ O only pure and spotless Virgin, who without seed didst bring forth God, pray that his soul be sav’d. _The deacon saith,_ Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hear, and have mercy. Lord, have mercy, _thrice_. Furthermore let us pray for the repose of the soul of the servant of God, _name_, who hath fallen asleep, and that to him may be remitted every transgression, voluntary and involuntary. Lord, have mercy, _thrice_. The mercy of God, the kingdom of heaven, and the forgiveness of his sins, we ask of thee, O Christ, our immortal King and God. Vouchsafe, O Lord. _Deacon._ Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.