Monday, July 30, 2012

The blessing of vehicles in Eastern PA

(OCA-DEPA) - On Sunday, July 22nd, the community at Christ the Saviour celebrated their annual vehicle blessing following the Divine Liturgy. We were honored to welcome Fr. Innokenty, a hieromonk from St. Tikhon Monastery. This annual event is a reminder to each of us to ask God's blessing upon every aspect of our lives; it is also a reminder that we must in turn use these gifts for His glory and the furthering of His Kingdom!

Prayer at the Blessing of Vehicles

O Lord our God, Who dost ride upon the Cherubim; Who walks on the wings of the wind; Who didst send Thy servant the Prophet Elijah a chariot of fire, and Who with Thine All-Holy Spirit has inspired and guided the human mind to invent various and expedient means of transportation and travel: We give Thee thanks, O Master, for Thou has provided us, Thy servants, with these vehicles to serve our different needs. Pour out Thy heavenly blessing upon each of these vehicles and other forms of transportation; grant each of them a Guardian Angel, that they may be preserved against all evil and protected from all harm; guide them upon the right path, and always keep the drivers and passengers in safety.

Through the intercessions of our Most-pure Lady, the Theotokos, and ever-virgin Mary; through the might and power of the precious and life-giving Cross; Through the protection of the Heavenly Bodiless powers of Heaven, and among them the Archangel Raphael; Through the prayers of our father among the saints, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, patron of travelers, of the Great Martyr Christopher, and of the Holy and glorious Prophet Elijah, in whose memory we celebrate this blessing, and of all Thy saints.

For Thou art the Provider and Sanctifier of all things O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thine Only begotten Son, and Thine All-holy, good and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen!

1 comment:

  1. I also quite like the Melkite version. Especially the first lines.

    Lord our God, You make the clouds your conveyance; You travel on the wings of the wind; You sent to your servant Elijah a fiery chariot as a means of conveyance; You guided man to invent this car which is as fast as the wind: Therefore, O Lord, pour now upon it your heavenly blessings. Grant unto it a guardian angel that it may be guided upon the rightful road and be preserved against all harm. Enable those who ride in this car to arrive safely at their destination. For in your ineffable Providence, You are the Provider of all things, and to You we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.

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