Alcuin's prayers

By Gerry Straker, 10 Nov 2025

At our eighth annual Reformation addresses we met the most important Englishman, indeed European that you’ve probably never heard of: Alcuin (730-804 AD). You can listen here.

Below are a handful of his prayers – the first three we prayed in worship on Sunday 9th November 2025. 

Confession

We confess to Almighty God,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
that we have sinned in those dark thoughts
in which we have delighted and consented,
dwelling upon them
and allowing them to rule over
our senses, memory and will;
to the extent that if we could have acted upon them,
we would have done so,
for our thinking has been evil.
Receive our confession, Lord God,
for you are the only hope of our salvation.
We have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in all our senses;
but you alone can give us life and justify us, O Lord our God,
for you justify the sinful and give life to the dying
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Prayer to begin the prayers

O God, the life of the faithful, the glory of the humble, and the blessedness of the just, mercifully accept our prayers: that our souls, which thirst for your promises, may be replenished forever by the abundance of your love. Amen

Prayer for the Word

Almighty Ruler, who art praised by the lips of all people: we pray that you will open our minds to your truth, and pour down upon us the assurance of your mercy. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Communion Prayer

O God, to whom each heart is open, every desire speaks, and from whom no secret lies hidden: cleans the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily praise you.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is very similar to the prayer in the Book of Common prayer:

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. [1]

This is the Collect from The Order for the Administration of The Lord's Supper in the Church of England.

Alcuin’s version is not the original. Similar prayers are found in other medieval sources – so who knows how far back this prayer goes?

Benediction

Grant me to seek those things that are above, and so to desire heavenly realities that I may attain in joy to the glory of eternal blessedness on account of your immense mercy, O Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord and God. For you live and reign and govern all created things, in unity of divine being with the Father and the Holy Spirit, immortal forever.

[1] https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/lords-supper-or-holy-communion