When it is said
The priest says it at the altar in the Liturgy of St Basil, among its prayers of remembrance. Meanwhile the choir sings a hymn to the Mother of God, “All of creation rejoices in you”.
The Liturgy of St Basil is served 10 times a year: on the five Sundays of Great Lent, Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday, the eves of Christmas and Theophany, and St Basil’s day, 1 January.
Its words fit any country and any leader, and anyone may pray them at home.
Where it comes from
Author by tradition
From St Basil’s Liturgy
It comes from the Liturgy of St Basil, named after St Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea. Its oldest copy is a Greek book of the 700s, known as Codex Barberini Gr. 336. The Liturgy of St Basil was once the usual liturgy of Constantinople. Later the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom took its place, except on 10 days a year.
Once a prayer for the emperor
Isabel Hapgood’s English service book of 1906 says the lines asking deep peace and a quiet life for the sovereign alone: in Russia, the emperor. Only then does it turn to “all Rulers and Authorities”. The Greek text of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America joins the two. It asks that peace for every ruler and authority.
Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book (1906); Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Liturgy of St Basil (Greek)
What the words mean
“Make the wicked good”
The prayer ends by asking God to keep the good in His goodness, and to make the wicked good by His kindness. It asks for a change of heart, not for anyone’s fall.
The Scripture in it
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone— for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Greek
Μνήσθητι, Κύριε, πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, οὓς ἐδικαίωσας βασιλεύειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
Χάρισαι αὐτοῖς βαθεῖαν καὶ ἀναφαίρετον εἰρήνην, λάλησον εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἀγαθὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Σου καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ Σου, ἵνα ἐν τῇ γαλήνῃ αὐτῶν ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν, ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι.
Τοὺς ἀγαθούς, ἐν τῇ ἀγαθότητί Σου διατήρησον. Τοὺς πονηρούς, ἀγαθοὺς ποίησον ἐν τῇ χρηστότητί Σου.
From the Divine Liturgy of St Basil, Greek text of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.