When it is said
A priest says it at the end of a short service of prayer called a moleben, held for the gift of marriage, and he names the person who hopes to marry.
Someone hoping to marry might pray it at home, for themselves or for a son, a daughter or a friend.
Where it comes from
No author known
A service approved in 2022
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved the service for the gift of marriage on 27 May 2022, for use throughout the Church. Its hymn asks God, Who “orders our paths with a Father’s love”, to give His servant a husband or wife after his or her own heart. Its Gospel reading is Christ’s promise “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7-11).
patriarchia.ru, the text of the moleben approved on 27 May 2022 (journal no. 46), archived copy; Молебное пение о даровании супружества (Azbyka.ru)
Marriages from the Bible
The prayer recalls marriages God made in the Bible. He made a helper for Adam (Genesis 2:18). He showed Abraham’s servant Rebekah at the well (Genesis 24:12-27). He guided Tobias to his wife Sarah, as the Book of Tobit tells. Then the prayer turns to Christ, Who blessed the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-2) “so that all might know” that marriage is His will.
The prayer, in the moleben for the gift of marriage (Azbyka.ru)
The Scripture in it
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.” “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels. Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success. And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels. “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.” Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, Who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Владыко, Господи Боже наш, Источниче жизни и безсмертия, всея твари видимыя и невидимыя Содетелю, управляяй всяческая премудрым и всеблагим Твоим Промыслом! Призри милостивно на нас, недостойных рабов Твоих, и не помяни беззаконий наших, но по безмерному благосердию Твоему прости нам прегрешения наша.
Всесильне Творче и Создателю всех! Ты рекл еси, яко не добро быти человеку единому, сего ради праотцу нашему Адаму сотворил еси помощницу подобную ему.
Ты отроку патриарха Авраама сшествовал еси в Средоречии, посылая уневестити господину его Исааку жену, и ходатайством водоношения обручити Ревекку открыл еси.
Ты и Товию мудро наставил еси, иже, обрет жену, благодарно помолися Тебе, еже помиловану ему быти и с нею состаретися.
Ты и усты Премудраго Соломона рекл еси: иже обрете жену добру, обрете благодать.
Пречистый Спасе наш, от Приснодевы Марии воплотивыйся и родивыйся во спасение рода человеческаго! Ты за неизреченный Твой дар и многую благость пришел еси в Кану Галилейскую и тамошний брак благословил еси, да вси уведят, яко Твоя воля есть законное супружество и еже из него чадотворение.
Услыши, Господи, молитву нашу и подаждь рабу Твоему сему (рабе Твоей сей) (имярек) супружество по сердцу его (ея) в помощь и восприятие рода человеча, да, в единодушии пребывающе, в вере, любви и во святыни с целомудрием в веце сем поживет и Обителей Небесных достигнет, идеже вси святии благодарно славословят Имя Твое Пресвятое, Отца и Сына и Святаго Духа. Аминь.