After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the superior goeth out, and the brethren follow after him, two by two, and they say:
I will exalt Thee, O my God, my king, and I will bless Thy name for ever, yea, for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name for ever, yea, for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, and of His greatness there is no end. Generation and generation shall praise Thy works, and Thy power shall they declare. Of the majesty of the glory of Thy holiness shall they speak, and they shall tell of Thy wonders. And the power of Thine awesome deeds shall they relate, and they shall tell of Thy majesty. The memory of the multitude of Thy goodness shall they pour forth, and in Thy righteousness shall they rejoice. Compassionate and merciful is the Lord, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His compassions are over all His works. Let all Thy works, O Lord, give praise to Thee, and let Thy righteous ones bless Thee. Of the glory of Thy kingdom shall they speak, and shall tell of Thy dominion, To make Thy dominion known to the sons of men, and the glory of the majesty of Thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is the kingdom of all the ages, and Thy sovereignty is in every generation and generation. Faithful is the Lord in all His words, and holy in all His works. The Lord upholdeth all that are falling, and setteth up all that are broken down. The eyes of all look to Thee with hope, and Thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest Thy hand and fillest every living thing with Thy favour. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him, to all that call on Him in truth. The will of them that fear Him shall He do, and their supplication shall He hear, and He shall save them. The Lord preserveth all that love Him, but all the sinners shall He utterly destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy name, for ever, yea, for ever and ever.
At the end of the psalm we say the mealtime prayer: Our Father, Who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom:
And we say: Amen. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Thrice. Father (Master), bless.
The superior, or the assigned priest, says:
O Christ God, bless the food and drink of Thy servants, for holy art Thou, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And we say: Amen.
And a portion, or a phosphora, which hath been offered, is put on a dish, and standeth in an arranged place. And after eating he that performeth the service saith the verse:
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
And we say: Amen.
And having stood up, we say:
Blessed is God Who hath been kind, and nourished us from our youth, Who giveth food to all flesh, filling our hearts with joy and gladness; that always all will have sufficient, that we may be abundant in every good deed, in Christ Jesus our Lord; to Whom with Thee is due glory, dominion, honour, and worship, together with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages. Amen.
Glory to Thee, O Lord; glory to Thee, O Holy One; glory to Thee, O King, for Thou hast given food in gladness: Fill us with the Holy Spirit, that we may be found to be well-pleasing and unashamed before Thee, when Thou shalt render to each according to his deeds.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy, thrice. Father (Master), bless.
And making a bow, he that is to lift up the Most Holy says this: Bless me, holy fathers, and forgive me a sinner.
And we: God forgive thee, and have mercy on thee.
And taking the particle with his finger-tips, he raiseth it a little over the icon of the Holy Trinity, saying in a loud voice: Great is the name:
And the superior, or the assigned priest: Of the Holy Trinity.
And placing it over the icon of the Theotokos, he maketh the sign of the Cross, saying: O most holy Theotokos, come to our aid.
And we: Through her intercessions, O God, have mercy and save us.
And we say: In all generations we call thee blessed, O Virgin Theotokos, for in thee the uncontainable Christ our God was pleased to be contained. Blessed are we also, having thee as mediatress; for day and night pleadest thou for us, and the sceptres of kingdoms are strengthened by thine intercessions. Wherefore in hymns we cry unto thee: Rejoice! O thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Then we chant: It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless, and Mother of our God.
More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
And after all have partaken, the superior or the priest saith: Unto the many prayers of our most pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
And we: Through her intercessions, O God, have mercy and save us.
Priest: Merciful and compassionate is the Lord: He hath given food to them that fear Him, and His righteousness abideth unto ages of ages.
Then the psalm 121:
I was glad because of them that said unto me: Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet have stood in Thy courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city which its dwellers share in concord. For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones unto judgment, thrones over the house of David. Ask now for the things which are for the peace of Jerusalem, and for the prosperity of them that love thee. Let peace be now in thy strength, and prosperity in thy palaces. For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I spake peace concerning thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee.
The Trisagion. After Our Father (The Trisagion Service):
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom:
And we say: Amen.
We thank Thee, O Christ our God, / that Thou hast satisfied us with Thine earthly gifts; / deprive us not of Thy heavenly kingdom; / but as Thou camest among Thy disciples, O Saviour, and gavest them peace, / come to us and save us.
And if there be a feast of the Lord: Glory, both now, and the kontakion of the feast. If not, these:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. O God of our fathers, Who ever dealest by us according to Thy kindness, do not withdraw Thy mercy from us, but through their intercessions guide our life in peace.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Through the intercessions, O Lord, of all the saints and the Theotokos, grant us Thy peace, and have mercy on us, as the only Compassionate One.
Lord, have mercy, thrice. Father (Master), bless.
Priest: Blessed is God Who is kind, and nourisheth us from His bountiful gifts, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And we say: Amen.