Among Christians, prayers, supplications and thanksgivings have taken the place of the sacrifices of the old covenant.
The collects come at the close of the office and are short prayers summing up the supplications of the congregation.
The font was viewed as the womb of the virgin mother church, who was in some congregations, for example, in the early churches of Gaul, no abstraction, but a divine aeon watching over and sympathizing with the children of her womb, the recipient even of hymns of praise and humble supplications.
Vouchsafe, O Theotokos, that I may offer pure supplications to the King of all, and ask remission of transgressions.
I heard cries, supplications, moaning, and shots.
