Prayer on Epiphany

Most merciful Saviour! Thou didst indeed show Thyself to be the God of
the Jews and the Gentiles, and as the true light that desires to
enlighten all men who come into this world unto everlasting life, as Thou
didst not only by a bright and wonderful star lead unto Thyself the wise
men of the east, who were induced to honor and worship Thee as their
king, but didst also lead us poor heathen by the enlightening power of
Thy holy Word into Thy gracious kingdom and unto the saving knowledge of
Thee. O my Saviour! Thy faithfulness and mercy shown unto us are so
great, that we can never sufficiently praise Thee. We were without God
strangers and excluded from the commonwealth of Israel. But Thou hast
made us Thy people, fellow-citizens with the saints and a household of
God. On account of our blindness we were not enabled to know Thee and to
find the way to everlasting life; but Thou, Lord Jesus! didst enlighten
our minds and enrich us in all knowledge. We sat in darkness and in the
shadow of death; but Thou didst let Thy glory shine upon us, so that now
we walk in Thy light, and finally enter eternal blessedness in heaven.
For this we justly worship and praise Thee with thankful hearts and
tongues on this holy day, and will sing of Thy grace and goodness all the
days of our life. But we pray Thee, O most faithful Saviour! with our
whole soul, that Thou wouldst so multiply Thy grace unto us, as to
preserve us and our posterity to the end of time in a saving knowledge of
Thee, and by Thy Holy Spirit wouldst so lead and direct us as no more to
walk like the heathen in the vanity of our minds and our own fleshly
lusts, but rather live godly as children of light, and with humble
obedience serve Thee all our days as our King. As Thou, most beloved
Saviour, didst so gloriously deliver us from the kingdom of darkness and
mercifully received us into the kingdom of grace--into Thy Christian
church, grant us also to be blessed saints of heaven, and heirs of Thine
eternal glory, for the sake and honor of Thy great name. Amen.

Opening Prayer for the Epiphany of Our Lord

New Saint Joseph Sunday Missal

Let us pray
[that we may be guided by the light of faith.]
Father,
you revealed your Son to the nations
by the guidance of a star.
Lead us to your glory in heaven
by the light of faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Epiphany Hymn of St. Ambrose

Hymn of St. Ambrose (338-397), used by the Church in Milan

Most High God!
Thou that enkindlest
the fires of the shining stars!
O Jesus!
Thou that art peace and life and light and truth,
hear and grant our prayers.

This present day has been made holy
by thy mystic baptism,
whereby thou didst sanctify
those waters of the Jordan,
which of old were thrice turned back.

It is holy by the star shining in the heavens,
whereby thou didst announce
thy Virginal Mother's delivery
and didst, on the same day,
lead the Magi to adore thee in thy crib.

It is holy too,
by thy changing the water
of the pitchers into wine;
which the steward of the feast,
knowing that he had not so filled them,
drew forth for the guests.

Glory be to thee, O Lord Jesus,
that didst appear on this Day!
And to the Father and to the Holy Spirit,
for everlasting ages. Amen.

The Church in Jerusalem Epiphany Prayer

O God
Who by a star
guided the wise men to the worship of your Son
we pray you to lead to yourself
the wise and great of every land
that unto you every knee may bow,
and every thought be brought into captivity
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East

Blessing of a Home at Epiphany

Leader: Peace be to this house.

All: And to all who live here.

Leader: Bless, O Lord,
this household and family,
and allow all of us who live in this home
to find in it a shelter of peace and health.
Inspire each of us to develop
our individual talents
and to contribute wisdom and good works
for the benefit of the whole family.
Make our house a haven for us all,
and a place of warmth and caring
for all our friends who come to visit us.
Enlighten us with the brilliance
of your Epiphany star,
so that, as we go into the world,
we might clearly see our way to You
and discover You in our work and play.
This we ask to your glory
and in the power of your kingship.

All: For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory now and forever, Amen.

Then, bless the house with the sign of the cross.

After the blessing,
the initials of the Magi
(traditional names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar)
are written with chalk over the main door way of the house, like this:
20 + C + M + B + 09
(the + is a cross; the "09" stands for 2009;
change the year accordingly).
Adapted from commonly used parish prayer

Ambvon Prayer on the Feast of Holy Theophany

From an ancient Ambvon prayer

Ineffable is Thy love towards us,
and boundless is the sea of Thy good will,
O Lord our God;
For it was pleasing unto Thee
for Thine Only-begotten Son
to be born of a chaste woman,
and to become man;
and to be like unto us in all things, save sin:
and to be baptized as a man for our sake by John,
though needing no baptism:
so that, in sanctifying the element of water,
He might grant us rebirth by water and the Spirit.
And in these things discerning Thee to be God eternal,
we worship Thee,
Who hast from the heavens proclaimed Him
that was baptized to be Thy Son.
We glorify Thy Holy Spirit,
Who descended upon Him and revealed Him to John:
for Thou hast sealed us,
and endowed us with the grace of Baptism;
Thou hast made us communicants of Thy Christ:
of Whom deprive not us sinners,
but by His Grace
support us against every force of evil;
and strengthen the Orthodox Christians
against every assault,
and lead us all into Thy Kingdom:
that in us may be glorified Thine all-holy Name,
and that of Thine Only-begotten Son,
together with the most Holy Spirit, now and ever,
and unto ages of ages. Amen.