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Thu18Apr2024
Our Venerable Father John, Disciple of Gregory the Decapolitan (c. 842).
VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING
Paschal Beginning
Kathisma Reading
No psalms are assigned to be chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 2
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Having heard the joyous words spoken by the Angels* seated within the tomb of the Word,* the myrrh-bearers hastened with the most utmost fervour;* leaving their former rank, they were seen to be heralds of good news;* proclaiming the arising from the depths of Hades to the initiates,* of Him who for our sake became a man.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Before the breaking of day, at deep dawn,* the myrrh-bearers reverently stood before the tomb of the Lord;* bringing precious myrrh to Christ, the Giver of life,* the Slayer of Hades whom they counted among the dead.* But a divine Angel stood before them saying:* Why do you seek the Life-giver and living One among the dead?* Go, and proclaim His arising to all.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Bearing upon your shoulders Him who is venerated by the Cherubim, O blessed Joseph,* like them, you carried Him who had assumed flesh and has now accepted death,* even Him who has given life to us who were once dead.* Wherefore, you rejoice with the honoured myrrh-bearers,* though not long past you mourned His death with them.
Tone 8
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O venerable father John,* furnishing your mind with wings to fly to God with faith,* you disdained the disorderly state of the world* and, taking up your cross,* you followed after Him who beholds all things,* enslaving to your mind the intemperance of your body* through feats of asceticism,* by the power of the divine Spirit.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O venerable John, you found Gregory to be like a sun of great radiance,* shining with the light of the virtues* and the effulgence of miracles,* and you illumined the eyes of your soul,* dispeled the dark passions, and became a light;* and rejoicing, O all-blessed father,*you passed over to the never-waning Light.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You spent your whole life in great stillness, in weeping and tears,* becoming a true monk by faith,* adorned with non-acquisitiveness* and made beautiful through abstinence,* showing yourself to be a stranger and a sojourner on earth.* Wherefore, O right wondrous one,* you have found the delight of the good.
Tone 1, Glory… Now…
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb, seeking the Lord.* And they beheld an Angel like to lightning sitting upon the stone, and saying to them:* Why do you seek the Living among the dead?* He has arisen as He said;* you shall find Him in Galilee.* Wherefore let us cry to Him:* O You who arose from the dead, Lord, glory be to You.
Aposticha
Tone 2
Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,* has enlightened the whole universe;* and You have called back Your own creation.* O All-powerful Lord, glory be to You!
I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.
O Saviour, You have magnified the names of the chief Apostles throughout all the world.* Having learned the ineffable things of Heaven,* they granted healings to those on earth,* even their shadows alone healed sufferings.* The former fisherman worked wonders,* and he that was from among the Jews* spoke with divine authority concerning the doctrines of grace.* By their intercessions, O lovingly compassionate One,* grant us Your great mercy.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.
Great is the glory which you gained through faith, O Saints.* For not only have you conquered the enemy while you suffered,* but even after death you cast out evil spirits.* You heal the sick, O physicians of souls and bodies.* Intercede with the Lord that He have mercy on our souls.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
The women sprinkled sweet spices with their tears upon Your grave,* but their mouths were filled with joy as they exclaimed,* “The Lord has arisen!”
Troparia
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 8:26-39
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
John 6:40-44
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.