Independence Day Mass and Devotions

George Washington at prayer.

At the risk of being accused of provincialism, the Americanist heresy, or (gasp) patriotism, here are the propers for the Votive Mass of Independence Day. I note: this is not the official Western Rite observance or text; just something I'm adding for those so motivated. Here are the rubrics from the Anglican Missal:

On July 4th is said the Mass WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF SS. PETER AND PAUL, unless some other Feast occur, except in the United States where by Ecclesiastical Authority is ordered the Votive Mas given below, which is suitable also for other patriotic observances. On July 4th it is a privileged Votive, the other of the Votive without Commem. of the Feast or other Occurrence unless it be of a Sunday, of a provileged Octave, or of a II Class Double. But where both Masses are not said, the Votive aloen is said, without any Commem. unless it be of one of the aforesaid Occurrences. All is said as in the Votive Mass IN ANY NECESSITY, Salus populi, with the Gloria in excelsis and the Creed, except:

Collect
O ETERNAL God, through whose mighty power our fathers won their liberties of old; Grant, we beseech thee, that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain these liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Deuteronomy x. 17.
THE Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: he doth execute the judg-ment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

The Gospel. St. Matthew v. 43.
JESUS said, Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Those would be propers from the 1928 BCP.

Memory fails: did our father among the saints, St. Tikhon, authorized (or composed?) a Byzantine Rite service for Independence Day? I know he did so for Thanksgiving Day.

You may also enjoy praying these prayers from George Washington's Prayer Journal. (Imagine when the presidency was occupied by men capable of composing such prayers.)