Sermon on the Newly Established Feast of Ss. Peter and Febronia

This past Sunday was the first Sunday in which the newly established feast of Ss. Peter and Febronia was observed, and so you can listen to my sermon on that occasion by clicking here.

Prayer to the Holy Pious Prince Peter and Princess Febronia of Murom

The following is a prayer to Ss. Peter and Febronia of Murom recently approved by the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church for their commemoration (and for the emphasizing of the importance of Christian marriage) that was previously approved for the Sunday prior to September 19th n.s., which was previously approved in December 2012 (along with petitions for the augmented litany).

The original text of this prayer is posted here: http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/3005167.html

This translation was graciously provided by Fr. Alexander Lebedeff, with a minor tweak from Fr. German Ciuba.

Prayer to the Holy Pious Prince Peter and Princess Febronia of Murom

O ye who have greatly pleased God as all-wondrous miracleworkers, pious Prince Peter and Princess Febronia, intercessors of Murom, protectors of honorable marriage and zealous prayerful intermediaries for all of us to the Lord!

During the days of your lives you showed an example of piety, Christian love and faithfulness to one another even to the grave, and thus you glorified lawful and blessed marriage.

For this we turn to you and we pray with firm zeal: lift up for us sinners, your holy prayers to the Lord our God, and beseech for us all that is good and profitable for our souls and bodies: true faith, good hope, unhypocritical love, unshakeable piety, success in good deeds*, and, especially, through your prayers grant to those who have been joined in the bond of marriage chastity, love for one another in the bond of peace, oneness of mind and body, a bed undefiled, a blameless life, long-lived seed, the blessing of children, homes filled with all good things, and, in eternal life the unfading crown of Heavenly glory.

Yea, O holy wonder-workers! Disdain not our prayers, which we raise up to you with compunction, but be our eternal intercessors before the Lord and grant unto us through your intercessions to receive eternal salvation and to inherit the Heavenly Kingdom, that we may glorify the inexpressible love for mankind of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, God, worshiped in the Holy Trinity, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

*if the Moleben is served for those who are about to enter into matrimony, then the prayer is read in the following redaction:

especially to those who wish to be joined in the bond of marriage grant, through your prayers, chastity, faithfulness to one another and love in the bond of peace, oneness of mind and body, a blameless life and, in eternal life the unfading crown of Heavenly glory.

The Russian Church establishes a new commemoration of Ss. Peter and Febronia of Murom

What follows is a Google translation that I have cleaned up as best as I could, but there may be some minor errors. Fr. Michael van Opstall kindly provided a translation of the petitions.

JOURNAL № 129

CONSIDERED the establishment of an additional day to commemorate the wonder workers Holy Prince Peter (in monasticism, David) and Princess Fevronia (in monasticism, Euphrosyne), of Murom.

Information:

The celebration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom on July 8 (June 25 by the Julian calendar), falls during the Fast of Ss. Peter and Paul . In this regard, the Council of Bishops on February 4th, 2011, instructed the liturgical commission "to consider an additional date for the commemoration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom, referring to the desire of many Christians to be married on the day honoring these patrons of marriage" (paragraph 17, of the "On matters of internal life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church").In examining the issue, it was noted that an additional day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia could be installed on the 20th of January (the transfer of the relics of the saints from the Murom Museum of the Annunciation Monastery in Murom) or September 19th (transfer of the relics from the Annunciation Monastery to the Holy Trinity convent Murom.). The Commission of the Inter-Council on worship and religious art, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, discussed the issue, and recommended that in conjunction with the celebration of the memory of St. Peter and Fevronia, there also be additional petitions to be done at the augmented litany of Divine Liturgy, and that preaching on this day be devoted to the Christian doctrine of family and marriage.

RESOLVED:

1. To establish an additional day for the commemoration of the Holy wonder workers Prince Peter (in monasticism, David) and Princess Fevronia (in monasticism Euphrosyne) of Murom on the Sunday preceding the September 19 (September 6 by the Julian calendar), in remembrance of transferring their fair bodies in the year 1992.

2. In conjunction with the commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia, clergy preach on the subject of pious Christian family values.

3. Also on this occasion, to add to the augmented litany of the Divine Liturgy the following petitions:

Again we pray that Thy people would keep this commandment: what God has joined, let not man put asunder, and that He would give their home churches indestructible strength and increase in love unfeigned;

Again we pray for the preservation of the marriages of Thy servants, in peace and concord, piety and purity;

Again we pray that Thy people may rejoice to see sons and daughters, and that our people would multiply and inherit Thy blessing from generation to generation.

4. That the Synodal liturgical commission submit to the Holy Synod by April 1, 2013 a prayer to be read at the end of the Divine Liturgy in memory of the days of Ss. Peter and Fevronia, for the multiplication of love, strengthening of families, and the faithful preservation of the gift of chastity in those not married and to help them prepare for their entry into family life.