akathist, prayer liturgical
Prayers for Blessing an Aircraft
NOTE: This English-language translation has not been approved by any liturgical commission. As it does not appear in the English-language Book of Needs,
but yet is in the Grand Euchologe, it is being offered simply as scholarly work from the works of Schema-Archimandrite John (Lewis +2007).
PRAYER FOR BLESSING AN AIRCRAFT
Priest: O Lord, the God of powers, who art great and marvelous, who in thine
ineffable goodness and the treasury of they providence governest all, who from
the goods of this world hast given us the gift, and who by the goods already
granted hast given us the pledge of the promised kingdom, who hast made
the clouds they chariot and Thou movest upon1 the wings of the wind, Thou
the most high Lord, who watches over the humble and knowest from afar
who raises up, who hast sent a fiery chariot to Elias and hast prompted man
to invent the airplane which surpasses the speed of the winds, and we give
Thee thanks for having given us, thy servants, in they goodness, to enjoy such
a vehicle, do Thou Thyself, O Lord who loves mankind2, make to descend
upon it a guardian angel, a faithful guide, to remove from it every danger great
or small, go before3 those who shall use it to travel, make straight their path,
safeguard their life, establish their heart; by the intercession of our all-
undefiled Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, by the power of the
precious and life-giving Cross, by the protection of the honorable, heavenly,
bodiless powers, of the honorable, glorious prophet, Forerunner and Baptist
John, of the holy glorious and right-victorious martyrs, of the holy Prophet
Elias the Thesbite, of saint(s) name(s) of the place or day and of all thy saints.
For Thou governest and sanctifiest all things, O our God, and to Thee do we
send up glory, thanksgiving and worship, the unoriginate Father, together
with thine only-begotten Son and thine all-holy and life-creating Spirit, now
and ever unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Grand Euchologe, page 573
Translated by Schema-Archimandrite John (Lewis +2007) 1996
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1 Originally translated to “…Thou moves on…”
2 Originally translated to “…do Thou Thyself, O philanthropic Lord…”
3 Originally translated to “…go ahead with…”