Old Church Slavonic text of the Rite of Brotherhood
The priest enters the church and places the Gospel on the table [tetrapod] before the altar. And
[First] Prayer.
O Lord God, Almighty, You made mankind after Your image and likeness and have granted us eternal life. You thought it right that Your holy and glorious apostles Peter and Paul, as well as Philip and Bartholomew, be joined as brothers: not by birth, but by faith, love, and the Holy Spirit. Likewise, Your holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus were made brothers. Now bless Your servants (N. and N.) to be joined in brotherhood: not by birth, but by faith and love. Grant them mutual love without envy or temptation all the days of their lives, through the prayers of Your saints who have pleased You throughout the ages. For Yours is the dominion of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to ages of ages. Amen.
[Second] Prayer.
Lord our God, who has granted us all things for salvation, and who has commanded us to love one another and to forgive each others' transgressions; now You Yourself, Master and Lover of mankind, to these Your servants who have loved each other with spiritual love, and who approach Your holy temple to be blessed by You, grant to them a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned. And as You gave Your holy disciples Your own peace, also grant these all the petitions for salvation, and eternal life. For You are a merciful and loving God, and to You we ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
And they kiss the Gospel, and the (priest['s hand]) and (each other?).
From Velikii Potrebnik, printed by Edinovertsii in Moscow (Now called Belokrinitsky Hierarchy of Old Rite), in the year 1904. Transcribed by Nikita Syrnikov. Translated by Fr. Basil Isaacks April 1, 1995. The text is abbreviated, with standard liturgical prayers (most of Litany, Antiphons, etc.) omitted. Cf. Jacobus Goar, Euchologion (1st ed., Paris 1647; 2nd ed., Venice 1730), pp. 706-709, s.v. "Akolouthia eis Adelphopoiian Pneumatiken."
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