THE ORDER
FOR THE BLESSING OF
A NEW BELL TOWER
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[Note in printed edition:] This Order is not found in the Book of Needs, as the Bell Tower usually was part of the church proper and was sanctified when the church was consecrated. However, it is appropriate for circumstances when the Bell Tower is constructed apart from the main church edifice.
The Priest, coming together with Servers bearing the Holy Water and the Sprinkler to the place where the Bell Tower will be constructed, puts on his Epitrachelion and begins, as usual:
Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Then:
Amen. O Heavenly King .... Holy God ... Glory...All-holy Trinity...Lord, have mercy (thrice). Glory ... Our Father ... For Thine is the Kingdom.... Lord, have mercy (12 times). Glory .... Come, let us worship... (thrice).
Then:
Psalm 60(61)
Hearken, O God, unto my supplication;
be attentive unto my prayer.
From the ends of the earth have I cried unto Thee,
when my heart was in anguish.
Upon a rock Thou hast lifted me high;
Thou hast guided me.
For Thou hast become my hope,
a tower of strength against the face of the enemy.
I will dwell in Thy Tabernacle for ever;
I shall be sheltered in the shelter of Thy wings.
For Thou, O God, hast heard my prayers;
Thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear Thy name.
Days Thou shalt add to the days of the king;
Thou shalt lengthen his years unto generation and generation.
He shall abide for ever before the face of God;
as for His mercy and truth, who shall search them out?
So will I sing praises to Thy name for ever,
that I may pray my vows from day to day.
After the Psalm, the Choir sings the Troparion of the church, together with its Kontakion and Theotokion.
Then:
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
And the Priest reads, in a loud voice, this Prayer:
O Lord our God Almighty, God of our Fathers, Who, through Thy chosen vessel, the Apostle Paul, didst say that every creation of Thine is good, and nothing is to be refused if it be sanctified by Thy word and prayer [I Tim. 4:4,5]: Look down now, O Merciful One, we humbly beseech Thee, upon our prayer and upon this Tower which Thy servants have constructed to the glory of Thy most holy Name, and through Thy heavenly blessing and the prayers of us, Thine unworthy servants, mercifully bless and sanctify it, and manifest it also as fit for the service of Thy most exalted praise; and grant remission of sins, by Thy heavenly grace, unto them that have constructed it, and enable them to be partakers of Thy Kingdom. For Thou art a God of mercies, and compassions, and love for mankind, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Then he sprinkles the Bell Tower round about, saying:
This Bell Tower is sanctified for the glory of the Lord by the sprinkling of this Holy Water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (thrice)
And having sprinkled it round about, he stands before the Bell Tower, facing east, and begins:
And that we may be accounted worthy to listen to the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God:
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (thrice)
Priest: Wisdom. Let us attend. Let us listen to the Holy Gospel. Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to your spirit.
Priest: The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Deacon: Let us attend.
And the Priest reads the Gospel:
The Gospel according to St. Matthew (Pericope 67 Matt. 16:13-18):
At that time: When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" And they said, "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Jesus said unto them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
Choir: Glory to Thee, O our God, glory to Thee.
And after the Gospel, the Litany:
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (thrice, after each petition)
Again we pray that this city (or, if a monastery: this holy habitation), and every monastery, city, town, and every country be preserved from famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of aliens, and civil war; that our good and man-loving God may be gracious and favorable, that He may turn away all the wrath stirred up against us, and deliver us from His righteous threatening which hangs over us, and have mercy on us.
Again we pray for all our brethren (if a monastery; if not: all the people here present), and for all Orthodox Christians.
Exclamation:
Hearken unto us, O God our Savior, Thou hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that be far off at sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, regarding our sins, and have mercy on us; for Thou art a merciful God, and the Lover of Mankind, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
And he makes the usual daily Dismissal.