Eucharist – Order of Service

Welcome

God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.

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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.

Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings

Let us pray.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

1. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,

Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

2. Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining,

Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall:

Angels adore him in slumber reclining,

Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

3. Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion

Odours of Edom, and offerings divine?

Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,

Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

4. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning

Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid:

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid!

Reginald Heber (1783–1826); Alwyn Surplice (1906–77)

The Celebrant says the

Greeting

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing for the

Collect for Purity

Almighty God to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Kyrie Eleison

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Celebrant introduces the

Confession

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Celebrant pronounces the

Absolution

To which all reply

Amen.

Please remain standing whilst the Choir sing

Gloria in excelsis

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Latin

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Latin

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones the

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, in the birth of your Son you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word, and shown us the fullness of your love: help us to walk in his light and dwell in his love that we may know the fullness of his joy; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Please be seated for the

Reading

Ephesians 1: 3–14

At the end of the Reading

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please remain seated for the

Gradual

Psalm 147 vv 13–21

The Lord’s delight is in them that fear him: and put their trust in his mercy. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion. For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates: and hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders: and filleth thee with the flour of wheat. He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: and his word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool: and scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who is able to abide his frost? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow. He sheweth his word unto Jacob: his statutes and ordinances unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws.

Please stand for the

Gospel

The Minister and Choir sing

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint John, in the 1st chapter, beginning at the 10th verse.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading

John 1: 10–18

At the end, the Minister and Choir sing

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please remain standing whilst the Preacher moves to the Pulpit for the

Sermon

Preacher: The Reverend C. W. L. McCauley, B.A., B.Th., M.A. Prebendary of Tipperkevin

Please be seated for the Sermon. At the end, the Preacher will conclude with a prayer, during which the congregation will stand for the

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Minister says

Let us pray.

Please kneel or be seated for the

Prayers

Each petition ends

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

At the end

Merciful Father,

accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Please stand as the Celebrant introduces the

Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

During the hymn, a collection of money is made. You can donate online by tapping the Support Us button in the bottom right.

1. Virgin born, we bow before thee,

Blessèd was the womb that bore thee,

Mary, mother meek and mild,

Blessèd was she in her child.

2. Blessèd was the breast that fed thee,

Blessèd was the hand that led thee,

Blessèd was the parent’s eye

That watched thy slumbering infancy.

3. Blessèd she by all creation,

Who brought forth the world’s salvation,

Blessèd they, for ever blest,

Who love thee most and serve thee best.

4. Virgin born, we bow before thee,

Blessèd was the womb that bore thee,

Mary, mother meek and mild,

Blessèd was she in her child.

Reginald Heber (1783–1826); French arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

Please remain standing as the Celebrant and Choir sing

Sursum Corda

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

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Latin

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Latin

Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding

…through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom, to pray the

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Celebrant breaks the bread, and says

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Celebrant invites the People to receive Communion.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion.

We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.

Whilst the people receive Communion, the Choir sing

Agnus Dei

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Latin

English

Latin

Motet

Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerent, reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent. Et adorabunt eum omnes reges terræ, omnes gentes servient ei.

(The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, the kings of Arabia and Sheba shall bring gifts. All kings shall bow down before him, all nations shall do him service.)

William Byrd (d.1623)

When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

A seasonal Post-Communion Prayer may be said, and then this prayer

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Please stand to sing the

Hymn

1. Bethlehem, of noblest cities

None can once with thee compare;

Thou alone the Lord from heaven

Didst for us incarnate bear.

2. Fairer than the sun at morning

Was the star that told his birth,

To the lands their God announcing

Seen in fleshly form on earth.

3. By its lambent beauty guided

See the eastern kings appear;

See them bend, their gifts to offer,

Gifts of incense, gold and myrrh.

4. Solemn things of mystic meaning:

Incense doth the God disclose,

Gold a royal child proclaimeth,

Myrrh a future tomb foreshows.

5. Holy Jesu, in thy brightness

To the Gentile world displayed,

With the Father and the Spirit

Endless praise to thee be paid.

Prudentius tr. Edward Caswall (1814–78); Harmonia Sacra, Gotha, 1715

The Celebrant says the

Blessing

After which, all say

Amen.

The Deacon and the Choir sing the

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please remain standing as the Choir and Clergy depart.

Please remain at your seat for the duration of the

Organ Voluntary

Acknowledgements

Developed by the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Education Department: Clark Brydon (Education & Safeguarding Officer).

Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.

To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: education@stpatrickscathedral.ie

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