Commendatory Prayer

Commendatory Prayer is a name given to the thanksgiving offered by the bishop in the early Church near the close of the morning service. It is called ευχαριστία ὀρθρινή (morning thanksgiving), and is in these words: "O God, the God of spirits and of all flesh, with whom no one can compare, whom no one can approach, that givest the sun to govern the day, and the moon and the stars to govern the night; look down now upon us with the eyes of thy favor, and receive our morning thanksgivings, and have mercy upon us. For we have not spread forth our hands to any strange god; for there is not any new god among us, but thou, our eternal and immortal God, who hast given us our being through Christ, and our well-being through him also. Vouchsafe by him to bring us to everlasting life; with whom unto thee be glory, honor, and adoration, in the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen." — Bingham, Antiq. book 13, chapter 10, § 7.