BURIAL OF A CHILD.

§ 170. At the house of the deceased.

Priest (in a white stole). The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Answer. Now and for evermore.

Ps. cxiii.

Praise the Lord, ye servants.

Priest. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Answer. From this time forth for evermore.

Priest. Blessed are the pure in heart.

Answer. For they shall see God.

Priest. Lord, hear my prayer.

Answer. And let my cry come unto thee.

Priest. The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Priest. Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God, who unto all children born again of water and of the Holy Ghost dost, without any merit of theirs, give eternal life when they depart out of this world,even as we believe thou hast given it unto this child to-day; assist us, that here upon earth we may serve thee with a pure heart, and may be united to the blessed children in Paradise for ever; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

§171. Here the coffin shall be sprinkled with holy water.

§ 175. At the grave.

Priest (making the sign of the cross over the grave). May this resting-place be blessed for the day of resurrection in the name of the Father +, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Let us pray.

O God, by whose compassion the souls of the faithful rest in peace, graciously bless this grave, and make the souls of those who shall be buried here partakers of everlasting joy and of the company of thine elect; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

§ 176. After the lowering of the corpse, an address may be made.

Priest. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Answer. Christ, have mercy upon us.

Priest. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, (aloud).

Answer. Amen.

Priest. Young men and maidens, old men and children,

Answer. Shall praise the name of the Lord.

Priest. Suffer little children to come unto me.

Answer. For of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Priest. Lord, hear my prayer.

Answer. And let my cry come unto thee.

Priest. The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Priest. Let us pray.

Almighty, everlasting God, lover of holy purity, who hast mercifully vouchsafed to call the soul of this little one unto the kingdom of heaven; vouchsafe also, O Lord, to deal so mercifully with us, that by the merits of thy bitter passion, and by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all thy saints, we also may evermore rejoice in the same kingdom with all thy saints and elect.

O God, by whose loving pity the souls of the faithful are at rest, grant unto all thy servants and handmaidens who are buried in this churchyard, that being freed from all guilt, they may live with thee in everlasting joy; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Priest (sprinkling the grave with holy water). May God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost refresh thy soul with the dew of his heavenly grace. Amen.

§ 178. The Priest shall cast earth upon the coffin thrice, and say,

Bethink thee, O man, that thou art dust, and wilt to dust return.

§ 180. The Priest shall make the sign of the cross over the grave, and say,

By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by his cross + hath redeemed the world, and broken the power of death, mayest thou rise again at the day of judgment to everlasting life. Amen.

§ 181. The address can also be made here, and, where customary, the following prayers may be added.

Priest. We pray, too, for all who rest in this churchyard.

Our Father, &c.

May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Priest. Finally, we beseech thee for that person in our midst who must first follow our departed brother into eternity.

Our Father, &c.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

§ 182. Where it appears more convenient, the address can be made in the house, and then Ps. cxiii. may be repeated at the grave (after the blessing of the grave).

§ 183. If the body is only blessed in the house, and not accompanied to the grave, the address must be made, and the prayers for the departed must be offered after the sprinkling of the coffin with holy water.

§ 184. If the body is only blessed at the grave, the sentences, “The Lord gave,” &c., and Ps. cxiii. must be repeated after the benediction of the grave. The body shall be lowered during the Psalm. Then shall the Priest sprinkle the grave with holy water, &c., as above.