buffoo wrote: Nxylas I too would be interested in seeing St. Basil's prayer for animals if you could post it for us.
Sorry, I\'d been meaning to post this for days, but every time I remembered, the book was not to hand. Anyway, here is St. Basil\'s prayer for animal friends (not specifically deceased ones):
\\"O God, grant us a deeper sense of companionship with all living things, our little brothers and sisters to whom Thou hast given this earth as home, in common with us. We recall with remorse that in the past we have acted high-handedly and crually in exercising our domain over them. Thus the voice of the earth, which should have risen to Thee in song, is become a groan of travail. may we understand that all these creatures live not only for us, but for themselves and for Thee, and that they love the sweetness of life even as we do, and serve Thee better in their way than we do in ours. Amen\\".
There is also a prayer for sick animals: \\"O God, Who hast supplied consolation to the labours of man also by the speechless animals: humbly do we beseech Thee, that thou wouldst not cause them to perish from our enjoying them, for without them our human condition cannot be sustained. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.\\"
