GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 1
10. When the doors were closed and the disciples were gathered together,
You suddenly appeared in their midst, O Jesus our Almighty God.
You granted them peace and filled them with the Holy Spirit;
You commanded them to wait and not depart from Jerusalem
until they were clothed with power from on high.
Therefore, we cry to You, O Lord:
Glory to You, our Light,
our Resurrection and our Peace.
9. When the doors were closed and the disciples were gathered together,
You suddenly appeared in their midst, O Jesus our Almighty God.
You granted them peace and filled them with the Holy Spirit;
You commanded them to wait and not depart from Jerusalem
until they were clothed with power from on high.
Therefore, we cry to You, O Lord:
Glory to You, our Light,
our Resurrection and our Peace.
8. Eight days after Your Resurrection, O Lord,
You appeared to Your disciples in the room where they were gathered;
You greeted them, saying: “Peace be with you!”
Then You showed Your hands and side to the doubting disciple.
He, therefore, cried out in an act of faith:
“My Lord, and my God, glory to You!”
7. Eight days after Your Resurrection, O Lord,
You appeared to Your disciples in the room where they were gathered;
You greeted them, saying: “Peace be with you!”
Then You showed Your hands and side to the doubting disciple.
He, therefore, cried out in an act of faith:
“My Lord, and my God, glory to You!”
6. Even though the doors were closed, You came to Your disciples, O Christ,
and Thomas, called the Twin, was not with them.
Therefore, he did not believe what they told him.
You did not deem him unworthy for his lack of faith,
but in Your goodness, You confirmed his faith
by showing him Your pure side
and the wounds in Your hands and feet.
He touched them, and when he saw You,
he confessed You to be neither an abstract God nor merely human;
and he cried out: “My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
5. Even though the doors were closed, You came to Your disciples, O Christ,
and Thomas, called the Twin, was not with them.
Therefore, he did not believe what they told him.
You did not deem him unworthy for his lack of faith,
but in Your goodness, You confirmed his faith
by showing him Your pure side
and the wounds in Your hands and feet.
He touched them, and when he saw You,
he confessed You to be neither an abstract God nor merely human;
and he cried out: “My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
4. On the eighth day the Saviour came to the doubting disciples.
He granted them peace and said to Thomas:
“O Apostle, come and touch my hands which were pierced by nails.”
How wonderful is this doubt of Thomas!
It brought the hearts of believers to the knowledge of God.
Therefore, he cried out with fear:
“My Lord, and my God, glory to You!”
3. On the eighth day the Saviour came to the doubting disciples.
He granted them peace and said to Thomas:
“O Apostle, come and touch my hands which were pierced by nails.”
How wonderful is this doubt of Thomas!
It brought the hearts of believers to the knowledge of God.
Therefore, he cried out with fear:
“My Lord, and my God, glory to You!”
In Tone 2
2. After Your Resurrection, O Lord,
You appeared in the midst of Your disciples and granted them peace
as they gathered behind closed doors.
And Thomas was convinced after seeing Your hands and side;
therefore, he confessed that You are Lord and God,
and Saviour of those who place their trust in You.
O Lover of Mankind, glory to You!
1. Although the doors were closed, Jesus appeared to His disciples.
He took away their fear and granted them peace.
Then He called Thomas and said to him:
“Why did you doubt My Resurrection from the dead?
Place your hand in my side;
and see My hands and My feet.
Through your lack of faith everyone will come to know of My Passion and My Resurrection,
and they will cry out with you:
My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
In Tone 6, Glory… Now…
Although the doors were locked, You appeared to Your disciples, O Christ;
but through providence, Thomas was not with them.
For he said: “I will not believe until I see the Lord,
until I see the side from which the blood and water of our baptism came forth,
and until I see the wound by which He healed all people from the great wound,
and I see that He is not a pure spirit, but a person made of flesh and bones.”
Therefore, O Lord, who trampled Death and made Thomas firm in his belief,
O Lord, glory to You!
Litya
In Tone 4
Manifesting the brightness of Your divinity,
You appeared even though the doors were closed, O Lord.
Standing in the midst of Your disciples,
You uncovered Your side
and showed them the wounds of Your hands and feet,
delivering them from the sadness that had overcome them.
You spoke to them clearly and said:
“As you see, my friends, I have assumed flesh; I am not a pure spirit.”
You spoke to the disciple who had doubted
and asked him to touch Your wounds, saying:
“Explore My wounds and doubt no longer.
The disciple touched You with his hand
and discovered both divinity and humanity;
filled with fear, he cried out in faith:
“My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
In Tone 8
“Touch My side with your hand, O Thomas;
feel the traces of the nails,
be no longer unbelieving, but believing,” said Christ.
When Thomas touched the Lord, he cried out in a loud voice:
“You are my Lord and my God; glory to You!”
Glory… Now…
Although the doors were closed and the disciples were reunited,
the Saviour appeared in the place where they were gathered.
Standing in the midst of them, He said to Thomas:
“Come and touch My wounds and see the marks of the nails;
do not persist in your unbelief,
but with faith, proclaim my Resurrection from the dead.”
Aposticha
In Tone 4
O marvellous wonder!
The lack of faith gave birth to certainty of faith;
for Thomas said: “Unless I see, I will not believe!”
Therefore, when he touched Your side,
he acknowledged that You were the Incarnate Son of God,
and he knew that You truly suffered in the flesh;
and thus he proclaimed Your Resurrection from the dead, saying:
“My Lord and my God, glory to You!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Zion, praise your God!
O marvellous wonder!
For grass has touched the fire and was not burned.
Thomas placed his hand into the fiery side of the Saviour,
and he was not consumed by touching Him.
Truly, his soul was changed from doubt to faith,
and he exclaimed from the depth of his spirit:
“You are my Master and my God who arose from the dead.
O Lord, glory to You!”
He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed the children within you.
O marvellous wonder!
John leaned on the bosom of the Word,
and Thomas was made worthy to touch His side.
The first discovered the depth of theology,
and the other was privileged to announce the plan of salvation;
for he clearly revealed the mystery of His Resurrection, saying:
“My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
In Tone 5, Glory… Now…
How great is Your infinite compassion, O Lover of Mankind;
for because of Your long-suffering You were struck by Your enemies;
You were touched by an Apostle
and deeply pierced by those who denied You.
How did You become Incarnate?
How were You crucified, O Sinless One?
Teach us to cry out as Thomas:
“My Lord and my God, glory to You!”
Troparion
In Tone 7
When the tomb was sealed, O Christ God,* You dawned as life from the sepulchre,* and while the doors were shut,* You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all,* renewing a right spirit in us through them,* according to Your great mercy. (3)
DIVINE LITURGY
After “Blessed is the kingdom…” the priest sings “Christ is risen…” in its entirety twice, and again: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death.” The people then sing: “And to those in the tombs, giving life.”
Antiphon 1
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,* sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Say unto God, “How awesome are Your works* Because of the greatness of Your strength Your enemies will flatter You.”
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Let all the earth worship You and sing to You,* let it sing to Your name, O Most High!
Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.
Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…
Antiphon 3
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.
Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 7: While the tomb was sealed, O Christ God, You dawned as life from the sepulchre, and while the doors were shut, You came to Your disciples, the Resurrection of all, renewing a right spirit in us through them, according to Your great mercy.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: With his searching hand, Thomas explored Your life-giving side, O Christ God. For when You entered while the doors were shut, he called out to You with the rest of the Apostles: You are my Lord and my God!
Prokeimenon, Tone 3
Great is our Lord and great is His strength;* and of His knowledge there is no end.
verse: Praise the Lord, for a psalm is good; may praise be sweet to our God.
Epistle
Acts 5:12-20
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God our Saviour.
verse: For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.
Gospel
John 20:19-31
Hymn to the Mother of God
The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem.* Praise your God, O Sion.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.
Notes
Instead of “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” we sing: “Christ is risen.”
Instead of “We have seen the true light” we sing: “Christ is risen.”
Instead of “May our lips be filled,” we sing “Christ is risen,” thrice.
Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord” we sing “Christ is risen” thrice.
After the priest sings: “Glory to You, Christ God,” the people sing: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs, giving life.* Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.* Give the blessing.”
Then we sing “Christ is risen,” thrice. At the end the following is sung: “And to us He granted life eternal, we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.”