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Event Information:
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Sun18Apr2021
Third Sunday of Pascha. Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, Tone 2; our Venerable Father John, Disciple of Gregory the Decapolitan (c. 842)
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Come, let us worship the Word of God* begotten of the Father before all ages,* And incarnate of the Virgin Mary!* Having endured the Cross,* He was buried as He Himself desired!* And having risen from the dead, He saved me, the erring one.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Christ our Saviour* nailed to the Cross the bond against us,* He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death!* We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day!
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
With the archangels* let us praise the Resurrection of Christ!* He is our Saviour, our Redeemer!* He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power* to judge the world which He made!
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
The angel proclaimed You* the crucified and buried Master.* He told the women: Come, see the place where He lay!* He is risen as He said* for He is almighty.* We worship You, only immortal One.* Christ, the Giver of life, have mercy on us.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
By Your Cross, You destroyed the curse of the tree.* By Your burial You destroyed the dominion of death.* By Your rising, You enlightened the human race.* Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to You.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The gates of death opened to You from fear, O Lord!* When the guards of hell saw You they were afraid,* for You demolished the gates of brass and smashed the iron chains!* You have led us from the darkness and the shadows of death, and have broken our bonds!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Let us come and worship in the house of the Lord,* singing the hymn of salvation:* Cleanse our sins, for You were crucified and raised from the dead,* and are in the bosom of the Father.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Early in the morning,* the Myrrh-bearing women brought spices to the tomb of the Lord.* They found the stone unexpectedly rolled away,* and they asked among themselves:* Where are the seals of the tomb? Where are Pilate's guards?* The radiant angel came to the wondering women and proclaimed to them:* Why do you seek weeping the Life Who gives life to the human race?* Christ our God has risen from the dead as almighty,* granting life to all; incorruption, enlightenment and great mercy!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Women disciples,* why do you open the myrrh with tears?* The stone is gone; the tomb is empty:* Behold corruption destroyed by life!* The seals witness that the guards of the godless have watched in vain.* Mortal nature has been saved by the flesh of God.* Hades is wailing.* Go with joy, and proclaim to the apostles:* Christ has slain death as the first-born of the dead.* He awaits you in Galilee!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The Myrrh-bearers came early to Your tomb, O Christ,* seeking You to anoint Your most pure body.* Enlightened by the angel's words* they proclaimed joyous tidings to the apostles:* The Leader of our salvation has been raised;* He has captured death,* granting the world eternal life and great mercy!
In Tone 6
Glory…
The Myrrh-bearing Women reached Your tomb* and saw the seals of the tomb broken.* They wailed as they did not find Your most pure body:* Who has stolen our hope?* Who has taken the dead One, naked and anointed?* The sole consolation of His Mother?* How can the life of the dead have died?* How can the Capturer of hell have been buried?* But arise in three days as You said, Saviour, and save our souls!
In Tone 2
Now…
O Virgin, the shadow of the law passed away with the realization of grace.* For as the bush had burned without being consumed* so you gave birth while a virgin* and you remained a virgin.* Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.* Instead of Moses Christ God came forth,* the Saviour of our souls.
Aposticha
In Tone 2
Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,* has enlightened the whole universe;* and, through it, You call back to Yourself all creation.* Almighty God, glory to You!
Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.
Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us: a new and holy Pascha; a mystical Pascha; a Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer; a blameless Pascha; a great Pascha; a Pascha of the faithful; a Pascha which has opened for us the gates of Paradise; a Pascha which sanctifies all the faithful.
As smoke vanishes, let them vanish!
Come from that scene O women bearers of glad tidings, and say to Sion: Receive from us the glad tidings of joy of Christ’s Resurrection: Exult and be glad, and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing Christ the King who comes forth from the tomb like a Bridegroom in procession!
So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous scatter rejoice!
The myrrh-bearing women at the break of dawn drew near to the tomb of the Life Giver. There they found an angel sitting upon a stone, he greeted the, with these words: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Why do you mourn in the incorrupt amid corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to His disciples.”
This is the day which the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Pascha of beauty! The Pascha of the Lord! Pascha! A Pascha worthy of all honour has dawned on us.* Pascha! Let us embrace each other joyously! Pascha, ransom from affliction! For today as from a bridal chamber Christ has shown forth from the Tomb, and filled the women with joy saying: “Proclaim the glad tidings to the Apostles!”
In Tone 5
Glory…
When Joseph, together with Nicodemus,* had taken You down from the tree,* and beheld You dead, naked and unburied,* though You clothe Yourself with light as with a garment,* that compassionate man lamented with weeping:* Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus!* The sun, as it beheld You upon the Cross* hid itself in darkness.* The earth trembled with fear; the veil of the temple was torn in two.* Look: Now I behold You, Who for my sake freely endured death.* How shall I bury You, my God?* Or with what linen shall I wrap You?* With what hands shall I touch Your pure body?* What songs shall I sing at Your departure, merciful One?* I magnify Your Passion!* I glorify Your burial, singing Your Resurrection and crying,* O Lord, glory to You!
Now…
This is the day of Resurrection, let us be illumined by the Feast! Let us embrace each other! Let us call “Brothers” even those that hate us and forgive all by the Resurrection, and so let us cry:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs, giving life.
Troparia
In Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:** O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You!
Glory…
The noble Joseph took down Your most pure Body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices,* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.
Now…
The angel stood by the tomb and cried out to the women bringing ointment:* Ointments are for the dead,* but Christ has shown Himself not subject to corruption.* So now cry out: The Lord is risen,* bestowing great mercy upon the world.
DIVINE LITURGY
After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.
Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”
Troparion, Tone 2: The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ God,* and ended the grief of our mother Eve by Your Resurrection.* You ordered the apostles to proclaim to all:* "The Saviour is risen from the tomb."
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord,* and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Epistle
Acts 6:1-7
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: You have shown favour to Your land, O Lord; You brought back the captives of Jacob.
verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have embraced. (Psalm 84:2,11)
Gospel
Mark 15:43-16:8
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
Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)
Instead of “Blessed is He Who comes…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “We have seen the true light…” we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “May our mouths be filled…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord…” we sing three times:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
At the dismissal, instead of “Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.” we chant:
Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.
After the final Amen, the Troparion “Christ is risen” is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:
And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.