Ceremonies continued
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
He begins to walk around on the right hand side, proceeding with the clergy and people, and sprinkling with the same water the walls of the Church from without at their upper part, always saying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The house of the Lord is founded on the summit of the mountains, and is exalted over all the hills, and all the people shall come to it. And they shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
V. Coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. And they shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
Finishing the route, the Bishop goes before the doors, standing with all facing the door.
Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.
Almighty and everlasting God, who in every place of Thy dominion wholly defends and is wholly active, be present by our supplications, and be the protector of this house of which Thou art the Founder; let no wickedness of a contrary power resist Thee here, but by virtue of the work of the Holy Ghost, let here be always given to Thee that pure service which is devout freedom. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
The Bishop approaches the door of the church, strikes it once with the lower part of his staff, at the threshold, saying:
Lift up your gates, O ye princes: and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
The Deacon says: Who is this king of glory?
Bishop answers: The Lord strong and mighty: The Lord mighty in battle.
The Bishop again goes around the church with the clergy and people, beginning on the right side, sprinkling the walls near the foundation:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile, the schola sings the following response:
Bless, O Lord, this place which I have built in thy name. For thy people who shall come into this place, * Hear their prayers on high for thy sole glory. V. O Lord, if thy people turn to thee again, may they also do penance and may they offer prayers, coming into this place. * Hear.
Finishing going around, the Bishop again goes before the door, standing before it saying,
Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.
Almighty and everlasting God, who through thy Son, namely the cornerstone, has joined two walls, coming from diverse places, from circumcision and uncircumcision, and has joined two flocks under one and the same shepherd, give to thy servants, through these rites of our devotion, the indissoluble bond of charity, that there be no division of minds. And let us, who are all one flock under the guidance of one shepherd, and are enclosed in one fold under thy protection, be separated by no sort of perverse disagreement. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
He approaches the door and with the crozier strikes the threshold a second time, saying as before:
Lift up your gates, O ye princes: and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
The Deacon says: Who is this king of glory?
Bishop answers: The Lord strong and mighty: The Lord mighty in battle.
The Bishop goes around the church a third time with the clergy and people, beginning on the left side, and proceeds, sprinkling the walls in the middle, saying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile the schola sings the Response:
Thou, Lord of all Creation, who hast nothing unworthy, and hast desired thy temple to be among us, * Preserve this thy house, O Lord, immaculate through eternity. V. Thou hast chosen, O Lord, this house, that thy name may be invoked in it: that it may be a house of prayer and supplication for thy people. * Preserve. After the chant is finished, the Bishop returns to the door saying:
Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.
O almighty and merciful God, who hast conferred on thy priests such outstanding grace that whatever is done worthily and righteously by them in thy name is believed to be done by thee: we beg of thy immense mercy, to visit whatever we shall visit, and bless whatever we shall bless, so that it be to the increase of our humility, the merit of thy Saints, the flight of demons, and the entrance of angelic peace. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
The Bishop approaches the door a third time and strikes it at the threshold with his staff, saying:
Lift up your gates, O ye princes: and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
The Deacon says: Who is this king of glory?
The Bishop and all the clergy respond: The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.
Adding: Open, Open, Open.
The Bishop makes the sign of the cross on the threshold with the lower part of his staff, saying:
Behold the sign of the cross, let all phantasms flee from it.