Prayer for the Mother Before Receiving Holy Communion
At Home After the Birth of a Child
The following texts, translated from the Roman Malyj Trebnyk (1952), are based on the work of the Inter-Eparchial Liturgical Commission of the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, and being made available for study by cantors enrolled in the courses of the Metropolican Cantor Institute. These texts are unofficial and provisional, and you should obtain episcopal permission before using them for any purpose other than private self-study.
If the mother receives Holy Communion in her home or at the hospital after giving birth, then the following rite is celebrated:
Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal,have mercy on us. (Three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse us of our sins; Master, forgive our transgressions; Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for your name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
The troparion of the day, or of the saint of the day, is sung. Then the following, in the tone of the troparion:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
O Lord, through the prayers of all the saints and the Theotokos, give your peace to us and have mercy on us, for you alone are compassionate.
The mother, holding the child, bows her head. The priest makes the sign of the cross over the child, and touching its head, prays:
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you created all nature, both spiritual and physical, by your word, and you brought all things from nothingness into being. We pray and ask you, to save, to bless, to strengthen and to protect your chosen servant (name of mother), whom you have willed to save and who now desires to partake of your holy mysteries.
Bless the child born of her, grant him (her) growth, sanctify him (her), grant him (her) understanding, discretion and good judgment. As you have brought him (her) into existence, and have shown him (her) the light of day, grant also that in due time he (she) may be worthy of spiritual enlightenment and to be numbered with your holy flock; through your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
If the child has died, then in place of the above prayer the priest makes the sign of the cross over the mother and prays:
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Response: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you created all nature, both spiritual and physical, by your word, and you brought all things from nothingness into being. We pray and ask you, to save, to bless, to strengthen and to protect your chosen servant (name), whom you have willed to save and who now desires to partake of your holy mysteries. For you are a good and loving God, and we give glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
Then the rite of Holy Communion given in a home is celebrated.