When it is said
A priest says it at a short service of thanks once an operation has gone well, with a few short pleas that go with it.
In church the priest names the surgeon as well as the patient.
At home the patient or the family might pray it once the danger is past.
Where it comes from
No author known
Approved in 2022
The Russian Orthodox Church approved this prayer on 24 March 2022, the same day as its service before an operation. One of the pleas said before it thanks God for stretching out His right hand from heaven to strengthen the hand of the doctor on earth.
Petitions and prayer of thanksgiving after a successful operation, Church Slavonic, Azbyka
The doctor’s mind and hand
The prayer thanks Christ, the one true Physician, for two gifts to the surgeon, wisdom for the mind and strength for the hand. The pleas beside it ask God to keep helping doctors in their good work, and to give patience to everyone who suffers.
Petitions and prayer of thanksgiving after a successful operation, Church Slavonic, Azbyka
What the words mean
Why does it quote Paul?
It opens with Paul’s words that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50). The prayer answers that Christ came down to our bodily weakness all the same, so that people healed in body may serve Him in spirit. It ends by asking to rise one day in a spiritual body with no flaw (1 Corinthians 15:44).
Petitions and prayer of thanksgiving after a successful operation, Church Slavonic, Azbyka
The Scripture in it
Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
… so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Господи, Иисусе Христе, Боже наш, Едине Врачу Истинне и Многомилостиве!
Ты рекл еси усты апостола Твоего Павла, яко плоть и кровь Царствия Божия не наследуют;
обаче, неизреченно от Девы воплотився и на землю снизшед, снизшел еси и к телесным немощем нашим,
да, по плоти исцелевше, духом поработаем Тебе.
Сего ради и днесь, мудростию ум просветив и крепостию руку раба Твоего, врача (имярек) утвердив,
хирургическим врачеванием страждущему брату нашему (сестре нашей) (имярек) исцеление подал еси.
Темже славим неизреченное Твое о нас промышление, воспеваем человеколюбие и лобызаем любовию Твое милосердие, грехи наша побеждающее.
Ей, Господи, приими благодарственное сие наше моление, еже едиными усты и единем сердцем Тебе приносим,
и, егда настанет час всемирнаго воскресения, сподоби нас востати в духовнем телеси, не имущем изъяна, и наследие Царства Твоего улучити,
купно со всеми святыми возглашающе немолчную хвалу Тебе со Безначальным Твоим Отцем и Пресвятым Твоим Духом во веки веков. Аминь.