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Pre-Sanctified Liturgy

Thus when Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was added to his people. Now Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him, and kissed him. Then Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. So when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the princes of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found grace in your sight, speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, in the grave I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ ” Then Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.” So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their sheep and oxen they left in the land of Goshen. There also went up with him both chariots and horses, and it was a very great gathering. Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. So when the inhabitants of the land of Canaan saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called the Mourning of Egypt, which is beyond the Jordan. Thus his sons did for him just as he commanded them. For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, opposite Mamre, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father. When Joseph’s brothers saw their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil we did to him.” So they came to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “I beg you, forgive the injustice of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.’ ” Now, forgive the injustice of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I belong to God. But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your households.” Thus he comforted them and spoke to their heart. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his brothers. Then Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation and the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. Then Joseph said to his brethren, “I am about to die; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land God swore to our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Thus Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt. ~ Genesis 49:33, 50:1-26

Earlier Event: April 17
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy