First Evening Prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Saturday, 12 September 2026

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory for ever. As darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Blessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Light

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?

2 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not be afraid, and though there rise up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.

3 One thing have I asked of the Lord and that alone I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

4 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to seek his will in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble he shall hide me in his shelter; in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me high upon a rock.

6 Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Psalm 27.1, 3-6, 8

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever. Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 72

The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice.

1 Give the king your judgements, O God, and your righteousness to the son of a king.

2 Then shall he judge your people righteously and your poor with justice.

3 May the mountains bring forth peace, and the little hills righteousness for the people.

4 May he defend the poor among the people, deliver the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.

5 May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another.

6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, like the showers that water the earth.

7 In his time shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

8 May his dominion extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

9 May his foes kneel before him and his enemies lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.

11 All kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall do him service.

12 For he shall deliver the poor that cry out, the needy and those who have no helper.

13 He shall have pity on the weak and poor; he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

14 He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

15 Long may he live; unto him may be given gold from Sheba; may prayer be made for him continually and may they bless him all the day long.

16 May there be abundance of grain on the earth, standing thick upon the hilltops; may its fruit flourish like Lebanon and its grain grow like the grass of the field.

17 May his name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures; may all nations be blest in him and call him blessed.

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things.

19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever. May all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice.

May your kingdom come, O God, with deliverance for the needy, with peace for the righteous, with overflowing blessing for all nations, with glory, honour and praise for Christ, the only Saviour.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Proverbs 8.22-31

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth— when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Love, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 53 (page 606), may be said

God’s love was revealed among us so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

1 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

2 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

3 In this the love of God was revealed among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

4 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.

5 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we ought also to love one another.

6 For if we love one another, God abides in us, and God’s love will be perfected in us.

1 John 4.7-11, 12b

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

God’s love was revealed among us so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

John 19.23-27

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfil what the scripture says,

‘They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.’

And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Your salvation is near to those who fear you; that glory may dwell in our land. Your salvation is near to those who fear you; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. That glory may dwell in our land. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Your salvation is near to those who fear you; that glory may dwell in our land.

from Psalm 85

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or A Song of Praise (page 627) may be said

You have looked with favour on your lowly servant, from this day all generations will call her blessed.

1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2 From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.

3 He has mercy on those who fear him, from generation to generation.

4 He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5 Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.

6 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

7 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, to remember his promise of mercy,

8 The promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

You have looked with favour on your lowly servant, from this day all generations will call her blessed.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered for peace for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love Those whose time is spent caring for others Those who are close to death Those who have lost hope The worship of the Church

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Almighty God, who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chose her to be the mother of your only Son: grant that we who are redeemed by his blood may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

Our Father, who art in heaven, 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005 Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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