CONSECRATION OF A CEMETERY. The Bishop, with the Ministers, Clerks, and people, shall make the circuit of the Cemetery, singing, Ant. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Ps. 51. Have mercy, &c. Ant. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. If the circuit of the Cemetery occupy more time, others of the Penitential Psalms may be added. Then the Bishop, kneeling down at a faldstool placed in the centre of the Cemetery, and facing east,shall likewise perpetual consolation on their bodies which rest in this Cemetery, and await the trump of the Archangel. Through. Ant. The LORD hath said, I will bring My people again, as I did from Basan. Ps. 68. Let God arise, &c. Ant. The LORD hath said, I will bring My people again, as I did from Basan: Mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deep of the sea. LORD, have mercy, &c. sing the Litany, with the follow- Then the Bishop, turning to the ing suffrage (said standing), after that for the Church Universal. That it may please Thee to bl+ess, hal+low, and con+secrate this Cemetery ; Ans. We beseech Thee, &c. The Litany may be concluded at this point; the Bishop continuing as follows: LORD, have mercy, &c. Let us pray. 661. O GOD, Creator of the world, Redeemer of mankind, absolute Ruler of all creatures visible and invisible; we humbly and devoutly beseech Thee that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to purify, hallow, and bless this Cemetery, wherein the bodies of Thy servants and handmaidens are to rest after the brief course of this life, and as Thou hast granted of Thy great mercy remission of all their sins to them who put their trust in Thee, bestow west, shall say, Let us pray. 662. O LORD, Holy FATHER, Triune Majesty and one Godhead, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, Author of Righteousness, Bestower of pardon, Giver of good things, Fount of holiness, Distributor of graces; Who dost lovingly welcome all who come unto Thee; mercifully grant that this Cemetery, set apart in Thine honour [and in the name of Thy Saint N.] may be blessed and sanctified, as Thou didst bless the ground purchased for a burial place from the children of Heth, by Thy servant blessed Abraham the Patriarch; and as Thou gavest the land of promise unto Thy people Israel, so of Thy gracious bounty grant a quiet abode and safety from all attack of evil spirits to the bodies of Thy servants and handmaidens, which come into this Cemetery, that after the resurrection of their souls and bodies they may obtain everlasting blessedness, of Thy bounty. Who livest. Ant. He shall defend thee under of Thy faithful; mercifully look His wings. Ps. 91. Whoso dwelleth, &c. Ant. He shall defend thee under His wings, and thou shalt be safe under His feathers. LORD, have mercy, &c. Then the Bishop, turning to the Let us pray. be upon our humble service, that at our coming in, this Cemetery may puri+fied,bless+ed,hal+lowed, and con+secrated, so that the bodies of men which rest here in Thee may, after the troubles of this life, attain unto the joys of life everlasting. Through. . The LORD, &c. Ry. And with, &c. . Lift up your hearts. Ry. We lift them up unto the LORD. . Let us give thanks unto our LORD GOD. Ry. It is meet and right so to do. 663. O LORD GOD, Shepherd of everlasting Glory, Light and Honour of wisdom, Guardian and and our bounden duty, that we Bishop. It is very meet, right, Might of prudence, Help of the should at all times, and in all places, sick, Power of the strong, Comfort give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, of the sad, Boast of the lowly; we Holy FATHER, Almighty, Everlasthumbly beseech Thee to blessing GOD, through CHRIST our LORD, this Cemetery of Thy servants, and to guard and purify it from all defilement and craft of evil spirits, and grant that the bodies which are brought into this place may remain undisturbed; that whoso have received the Sacraments, have persevered in the Catholic faith, and at the end of this life have been laid to rest in this Cemetery, may have here of Thy bounty a peaceful habitation for their bodies, till on the day of judgment, at the Angelic summons, Thou biddest their souls and bodies together rise, and join the Saints on Thy right hand. Through. Ant. Thou art my Hope and my portion. &c. Ps. 142. I cried unto the LORD, Ant. Thou art my Hope and my portion in the land of the living. LORD, have mercy, &c. Then the Bishop, turning to the 664. Almighty GOD, Who art the Keeper of the bodies and souls Who is the Everlasting, unwaning Day, the Eternal Glory, Who commanded His followers so to walk that they may escape the darkness of everlasting night, and come happily to the land of brightness, Who, in the Manhood which He took upon Him, wept over Lazarus, and by the power of His Godhead restored him to life, and Who brought to salvation mankind, which had been crushed under the fourfold weight of sin: through Whom we humbly beseech Thee, O LORD, that they who are buried in this Cemetery may at the last day, when the trump of the Angels shall sound, be loosed from the chains of their sins, be restored to everlasting bliss, be numbered in the assembly of the Saints, may find Thee, Who art the Everlasting Life, gracious and merciful, and joyfully praise Thee with all Thine Elect for evermore. Who livest. Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight. Ps. 141. LORD, I call upon Thee, &c. Ant. Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense. Ry. And obtain the reward of everlasting blessedness, of Thy mercy, O SAVIOUR of the world. Who. 665. Assist us, we beseech Thee, O LORD GOD, in our office and ministry as we visit this place, and as Thou didst bless the land of burial by the hands of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and afterwards, betrayed for our salvation, scourged and crucified, Thou didst Thyself hallow the earthly sepulchre which Joseph made ready for Thee; so now vouchsafe to bless, hal+low, and con+secrate this Cemetery, and defend it from the snares of our unseen enemies, that all they whose bodies rest here after the toils of life may 666. O LORD JESU CHRIST, Who hadst compassion on the widow of Nain, and saidst unto her, Weep not, and Who, by Thine Apostle, didst bid us not to be sorry as men without hope for those that sleep in Thee; visit, we pray Thee, with Thy compassion all who mourn here, and wipe away all tears from their eyes. Who livest. The Bishop shall then give the Blessing, and with the Choir return to the Church, singing Psalm 130, Out of the deep, &c. REOPENING OF A CHURCH. The parts in [] shall be used when the Church has been desecrated. The Bishop, Clergy, and Choir, after Ps. 48. Great is the LORD, &c. bitation of Thine House, and the On arriving at the Church door the Peace be to this House, and to all that dwell therein; peace be to them that come in, and to them that go out. Alleluia. LORD, have mercy, &c. Let us pray. ness that Thou wouldst visit what- [Take away from us, O LORD, we beseech Thee, our iniquities, that Thy House to purify and reconcile we may with pure minds enter into Through.] it. As the procession passes up the Ps. 51. Have mercy upon me, &c. Ant. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. The Bishop shall then kneel at a faldstool placed outside the screen, That it may please Thee to accept this our service and offering in the restoration and adornment of Thy House; [That it may please Thee to purify, reconcile, hal+low, and consecrate this Church and Altar;] Ans. We beseech Thee, &c. The Precentor may omit the remainder of the suffrages, continuing the Litany at "O SON of GOD," &c. When the Clergy and Choir have returned to their former position, the Bishop, standing at the faldstool, the rest kneeling, shall say, &c. . The LORD, &c. Ry. And with, . Let us pray. 668. O GOD, Who didst create man in Thine own Image, and, through the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST in the Flesh, didst restore that Image when defaced by the sin of our first parents; look graciously, we beseech Thee, on this Thy holy place, which we have re-edified and adorned anew to the glory of Thy Name. Remember us, O our GOD, concerning this, and wipe not out our good deeds that we have done for Thy House and for the Offices thereof. Through. Before the Prayer of S. Chrysos-[If the Church have been used by tom the following prayer may be inserted. 667. O God, Whose goodness hath neither beginning nor end, Whose property is to purify that which is defiled, to restore that which hath been neglected, and to rebuild that which is decayed; vouchsafe to hear our prayers, that Thou wouldst graciously receive this Church, and hallow by the outpouring of Thy heavenly grace, whatsoever in it has been defiled by the craft of our adversary the devil, and keep it pure from all stain, by Thine unspeakable lovingkindness for evermore. Through. At the conclusion of the Litany the procession shall again be formed, and the Bishop, Clergy, and Choir, passing round the aisles of the Church, shall sing as follows: Ant. Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove. Ps. 68. Let GOD arise, &c. Ant. Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove, that is covered with silver wings, and her feathers like gold. schismatics, the following may be added. 669. O Almighty GoD, Who in chastisement for our sins and for the more trial of our faith dost suffer heresies and schisms to rise up amongst us, whereby the peace of Thy Household hath been sorely disturbed; grant that this place, wherein heretofore some have walked disorderly, and not after the tradition which they have received from the fathers, may be henceforth preserved for the purity of Thy service, and that they who worship herein, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, may by Thy Presence be hidden from the provoking of all men, and be kept in Thy Tabernacle from the strife of tongues. Through.] [If blood hath been shed in the Church, either by accident or otherwise, the following prayer shall be used. 670. O GOD, Who hast permitted this Thy holy place to be defiled with blood, as Thou didst suffer Thy temple of old to be polluted by the death of Zacharias, son of Barachias, slain between the porch and the altar; mercifully grant that by the merits and bloodshedding of our LORD JESUS CHRIST upon the Cross, it may be cleansed from all stain, and abide pure henceforward for ever. Through.] 671. O LORD JESU CHRIST, Who hast said that Thy House should be called a House of Prayer, and Who didst Thyself with a scourge of small cords purge Thy temple from all defilement; mercifully grant that Thy Presence abiding herein may keep this holy place void of offence and purify the bodies and souls of the worshippers therein, that they may be preserved as fitting temples for Thee and Thy HOLY SPIRIT. Of Thy mercy. 7. The LORD, &c. R. And with, &c. V. Stablish the thing, O GOD, which Thou hast wrought in us. Ry. For Thy Temple's sake at Jerusalem. [If there be no Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, here shall follow the Te Deum.] Benediction. Almighty GOD keep far from you and from this Church all adverse things, and graciously pour upon you the gifts of His blessing; He inspire the hearts of you who have come together for this service with holy teaching, that ye may be filled with everlasting blessings, and that understanding what the will of God is, and accomplishing that which ye understand, ye may be purified amidst the troubles of the world from all stain of sin, may attain salvation, and become co-heirs with the blessed spirits in the Kingdom of Heaven. Ps. xxvi. 8. LORD, I have loved the habitation of Thine house: and the place where Thine honour dwelleth. Glory, &c. As it was, &c. Collect. 672. O LORD, Who of Thy great goodness didst cause this Church to be dedicated to Thy Name, as a dwelling for Thine honour; and hast since, for our many sins, suffered it to fall into decay [or, to be defiled]; mercifully hearken now unto the prayers of Thy faithful servants, purify and hallow it anew with the visitation of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, and cleanse us, who seek Thee with our whole heart, from all defilement of body and soul, that habitation of GOD through the we may be builded together for an SPIRIT. And this we ask for JESUS CHRIST's sake, our LORD. Who. Epistle. Isa. lx. 10—19. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in My wrath I smote thee, but in My fayour have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, For the nation and kingdom that and that their kings may be brought. will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly shall come unto thee, the fir tree, wasted. The glory of Lebanon the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all Then shall follow the Celebration of they that despised thee shall bow the Holy Eucharist. Introit. I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down: and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. Alleluia. themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excel |