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For a Virtuous Heart

Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy thought can drag down; an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose can tempt aside. Bestow upon me understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and faithfulness that finally may embrace you. Amen.

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Blessing
Prayers

The Great Vigil of Easter — The Lighting of the Paschal Candle

Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light: sanctify this new fire, we pray, and so set us aflame with the fire of your love, that with pure hearts and kindled affections we may attain to the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Deus, qui per Filium tuum claritatis tuae ignem fidelibus contulisti, novum hunc ignem sanctifica, et concede nobis, ita per haec festa paschalia caelestibus desideriis inflammari, ut ad perpetuae claritatis puris mentibus valeamus festa pertingere. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

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Original-language source

Found in the Prayer Book

  • Great Vigil Of EasterLent & Holy Week

Provenance

Sarum, medieval; ACNA 2019

Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.

This prayer, said over the newly kindled fire at the start of the Easter Vigil, descends from a medieval Latin blessing used at Salisbury Cathedral and across the pre-Reformation Western Church. English prayer books did not carry it at all until 1979; the wording in today's ACNA Book of Common Prayer (2019) is a fresh, poetic recasting of that older translation, not a translation from Latin.