The Order of Administering Vows of Consecrated Life for the Sons
and Daughters of the Covenant, The Bnai Qyama
§ The service takes place during the Qurbana after the Synaxis
and before the Anaphora. Let the candidate be brought before the bishop
or his deputy, who says this
Proper of the Consecration
WE ASK and beseech Thee, Lord God, to accept this Thy servant, here present,
as a Son/Daughter of the Covenant in Thy Holy Church; instructing him/her
in Thy commandments and in the understanding of Thy justifications and
granting that with fear s/he may show obedience unto Thee as a chosen vessel
of Thy grace to Thy Church; for Thou art the God full of mercy and compassion
and to Thee do we give glory † Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One
God, in both worlds unto the Aeon of aeons.
Amen.
† PEACE be with you all.
And with thy spirit.
The Exhortation of Mar Aphra`at
HEAR the words written in the fourth century by Mar Aphra`at, and spoken
in times since to any who would undertake this obligation.
O you who are summoned to the contest, hear
the sound of the trumpet and take heart. To you too I speak, you trumpet-bearers,
priests, and scribes, and wise teachers. Call out and say to the whole
people: Whoever is afraid, let him turn back from the contest, lest he
break the spirit
of his brethren with his own. And whoever has planted a vineyard, let
him return to his husbandry, lest thinking of it he yield in battle. And
whoever is engaged to a woman and wants to marry her, let him turn back
and be happy with his wife. And whoever is building a house, let him turn
back to it, lest he remember his house and not fight whole-heartedly.
It is for the single-hearted ones that the
contest calls, because they have turned their faces to what lies ahead,
and do not remember what lies behind; for their treasures are ahead, and
whatever booty they gain is for themselves, and they will gain great riches.
And I say to you, the trumpeters, when you have made your exhortation,
see who turns back and inspect those who stay, and bring them down to the
waters of testing, those who are offering themselves for battle. The waters
will test who is strong, and from there will be separated those who are
unprepared.
Whoever has set his heart on the project of
marriage, let him turn back. And whoever fears this choice of battle, let
him turn back. And whoever loves possessions, let him turn back. Whoever
does not offer himself or put on arms, will not be reproached if he turns
back; but whoever offers
himself and puts on arms, if he turns back from the contest, is disgraced.
For the battle one must strip oneself so as to remember nothing of what
is behind and return to it.
Blessing of the Candidate
THOU great and loving God, that hast of old called forth certain of Thy
children out into the desert or up onto the mountains or into the solitude
of the heart in the midst of the multitude of Thy people; look upon this
Thy servant, here present on this solemn day, that standeth before Thee
without the desire for wealth or power or fame, that cometh unto Thee as
the bridegroom of the soul, seeking naught but service to Thee; and by
Thy grace imbue him/her with the Spirit of Poverty before the riches of
Thy grace, the Spirit of Simplicity to imitate Thy freedom from necessity
and the Spirit of Obedience to bend to Thy holy will; for to Thee do we
give glory, † Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God, in both worlds
unto the Aeon of aeons.
Amen.
The Vows of the Bnai Qyama
§ The candidate rises and places his/her two hands between
the two hands of the Bishop or his deputy.
DO YOU denounce Satan and all his deeds, services, worship, vain pomp,
his worldly deceit and all his adherents?
I do.
DO YOU commit yourself to the Lord God and his Messiah, trusting all
the teachings he entrusted to the Prophets and the Apostles?
I do.
DO YOU further freely and in the presence of Almighty God and the presence
of these witnesses, his holy people, take upon yourself the way of chastity
and the way of obedience to your bishop, Mar _____, and to the Rule of
the Qyama, and the way of simplicity, forsaking fleshly love and self-will
and earthly riches?
I do.
The Exorcism of the Candidate
§ The candidate kneels before the Bishop. The face of the
candidate is breathed upon crosswise with these words:
† DRIVE away from this Thy servant the spirit of impurity and
of selfishness and of love of riches. † May s/he be prepared to
receive the spirit of chastity and of obedience and of simplicity. †
May s/he be made ready for the war against the adversary through Thine
Onlybegotten Son and Thy Living Holy Spirit, One God, to whom be glory
unto the Aeon of aeons.
Amen. Barekhmar!
The Vesting of the Bnai Qyama
THE SERVANT of God, _____, receives the tonsure of the Covenant in the
Name of the Father
§ hair is cut from the back of the pate
Amen.
and of the Son
§ hair is cut from the front of the pate
Amen.
and of the Living Holy Spirit.
§ hair is cut from the left and the right of the pate
Amen.
§ The candidate resumes the kallosa and is then clothed
in a black sultana (unless already in Holy Orders) and a black leather
belt with these words:
RECEIVE the habit in simplicity of life,
§ The candidate is given a Sulam of plain wooden beads
and cord, which is attached to the belt, and a plain wooden pectoral cross
on a black leather thong with the words:
AND the sword of prayer and the shield of chastity, wherewith to be
armed against the assaults of the enemy,
§ The Eshkima (a black head-covering on which are twelve
white crosses in four groups of three) is placed on the candidate's head
in a crosswise manner with these words:
AND the crown of obedience, which is the helmet of salvation, in the
name of the † Father
Amen.
† and of the Son
Amen.
† and of the Living Holy Spirit.
Amen.
§ The Qurbana is resumed with the beginning of the Anaphora.
The new B'nai/B'nat Qyama is the last to receive the Mysteries.
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