Washing of Feet on Holy Thursday

Just prior to the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday, after the singing of the "Blessed be the name of the Lord...", the twelve whose feet are to be washed take their places. During this time, the following is sung.

Tone 1

Taking a towel, O Christ our God, You washed the feet of your disciples. Wash us of spiritual stain: taht we may keep Your commandments and glorify and praise your goodness.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Judas, caught by a delusion of the devil, fell asleep in death. It is the time to be strong: a time to be sober. Let the heart repent: let the eyes weep. Let a Psalm be sung. Great is the strength of the cross. Christ is at the door. The time of the Pasch is here. Glory be to You, O Christ our God, glory be to You.

Priest: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy. (and after each following petition)

For peace from on high, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For peace in the whole world, for the well-being of the holy Churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For our holy ecumenical pontiff N., the Pope of Rome, for our most reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N., for our God loving Bishop N., for the venerable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, and all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our civil authorities and all in the service of our country, let us pray to the Lord.

For this city, for every city and country, and for those living within them in faith, let us pray to the Lord.

For seasonable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by sea, air, and land, and for the salvation of the sick, the suffering and the captive, let us pray to the Lord.

For deliverance from all affliction, wrath, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

Protect us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, 0 God, by your grace.

Having remembered our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary with all the saints - let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life, to Christ, our God.

People: To You, 0 Lord.

Priest: For You are the Cleansing of our souls and to You we give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

People: Amen.

Priest: O Lord, most good, in the form of a slave You took the apearance of a servant, and in portraying Your salutary humility, You washed the feet of You disciples with Your most pure hands and wiped them with a towel: Now look upon us your unworthy servants who imitate your great and praiseworthy condenscension. Deign to cleanse us of carnal stain and spiritual impurity through the touching of this water. Give us the invisible coming of Your most Holy Spirit. Keep our souls and bodies from the sinful path of the serpent's guile so that, having been cleansed we may serve You in a way pleasing to You, treading upon snakes and scorpions and on all power of the enemy. For to You is due all glory, honor and worship, together with Your most holy, gracious, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever.

People: Amen.

Priest: Peace be to all.

People: And with your spirit.

Priest: Bow your heads to the Lord.

People: To You, O Lord.

Priest: O Lord, our God! You showed us the measure of your humility by YOur great condenscension. And, as a last deisre You taught us to serve one another. Raise us by Your divine humility, keep us sinless, ever washed with tears, and cleansed with the knowledge of Your purifying grace, that always worshipping You in righteousness, we may find grace and mercy at Your awesome judgement. For You are a merciful God who loves mankind and we render glory to You together with Your most holy, good and life creating spirit, now and ever and forever.

People: Amen.

Priest: That we be deigned worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, in peace let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Priest: Wisdom, let us stand and listen to the reading of the Holy Gospel.

Lector: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John.

People: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

As the lector begins the Gospel, the priest takes off his vestments, puts on a towel and begins to wash the feet from the left to the right. Washing the right foot he dries them with a towel.

The following gospels, and dialogues are taken from John 13:1-17.

Lector: "Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's (son), to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God, riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." (Text in Bold is repeated for each time a foot is washed.)

Lector: (Continues) So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him:

Peter: "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?"

Lector: Jesus answered and said unto him,

Priest: "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter."

Lector: Peter saith unto him,

Peter: "Thou shalt never wash my feet."

Priest: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

Peter, standing up is frightened, he raises up his arms, points with the right hand to his feet and says:

Peter: "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head."

Lector: Jesus saith to him,

Priest: "He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean all over: and you are clean, but not all."

Peter sits down and the priest washes his feet.

Lector: For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

The priest puts on his vestments again.

People: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

Priest: That we be deigned worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, in peace let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Peace be with all.

People: And with your spirit.

Priest: Wisdom, let us stand and listen to the reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. John.

People: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

Priest: "So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them."

People: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Lord, our God, You who poured out Yourself for us according to the greatness of Your mercy, and who took the form of a slave, who at the time of Your saving, life creating and voluntary passion, willed to sit and eat with Your holy disciples and apostles, and after this, girt with a towel, you washed the feet of Your disciples, giving them an example of humility and love, one for another, ands who said: that what I have done to you, you do also one to another. Now, O Master, among your unworthy servants, cleanse our souls of all stain and uncleanness, that, having benn cleansed of the dust of sin attached to us, and having been dried with the towel of love one for another, we may praise you all the days of our life and merit grace before You. For You are the one who blesses and sanctifies all things, O Christ Our God, and we give glory to You, together with Your eternal Father and Your most holy and life creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

People: Amen.

The priest blesses the twelve with holy water during which time the following tropar is sung.

Having washed the feet and cleansing themselves before partaking of Your diving mystery, O Christ: the disciples now left with You from Sion to the Mount of Olives, praising You, O Lover of Mankind.

The dismissal fo the Divine Liturgy now follows.