The Blessing of the Paschal Candle

After the blessing of the new fire, the Acolyte (or one of the servers) brings the Paschal Candle to the middle, in front of the Celebrant, who incises a Cross in the wax with a stylus (or knife), between the points where the grains of incense will be inserted. Then he carves the Greek letter Alpha above the Cross and the Greek letter Omega below the Cross, and, between the arms of the Cross, the four numerals of the current year. While carving these symbols he says respectively:

(1) Christ yesterday and today (carving the vertical beam),

(2) the Beginning and the End (carving the transverse beam),

(3) the Alpha (carving the letter A above the vertical bean)

(4) and the Omega (carving the letter above the vertical beam);

(5) to Him belongs Time (as he carves the first numeral of the current year in the upper left-hand angle of the Cross)

(6) and the ages (as he carves the second number of the current year in the upper right-hand angle of the cross);

(7) to Him be glory and empire (as he carves the third numeral of the current year in the lower left-hand angle of the Cross, for example 5)

(8) throughout all the ages of eternity. Amen. (as he carves the fourth numeral of the current year in the lower right-hand angle of the Cross, for example, 7).

The Deacon (or one of the servers) gives the grains of incense to the Celebrant, who inserts the five grains into the places prepared for them, saying:

	(1) Through His holy wounds
	(2) glorious
	(3) may He guard
	(4) and protect us
	(5) Christ the Lord. Amen.