At the ninth hour, when the lamps are being lighted, the superior vesteth in full priestly vestments. And standing before the holy altar-table, holding the censer, he maketh the sign of the Cross and exclaimeth, saying: 

Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages!

And we reply: Amen.

He then beginneth: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! Thrice 

And we respond, chanting the same hymn thrice. The superior then beginneth the usual verses: the first: Let God arise…; The second: As smoke vanisheth…; The third: So let sinners perish…; The fourth: This is the day that the Lord hath made…; And to each of these verses we chant: Christ is risen…, once. Glory…, to which we respond: Christ is risen…, Now & ever…, to which we respond: Christ is risen…, Then the superior chanteth: 

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death.

And we chant the ending: And upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

The deacon then intoneth the great litany: In peace let us pray to the Lord…

Be it known that when the priest beginneth, he censeth the holy altar-table as usual, and the entire sanctuary, and at Vespers, during Lord, I have cried….

Afterward, we chant Lord, I have cried…, in Tone II, and appoint 6 stichera: 3 of the resurrection, in Tone II—

Stichos: If Thou shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee there is forgiveness.

Come ye, let us worship God the Word, Who was begotten of the Father before the ages, and became incarnate of the Virgin Mary: for, having endured the Cross, He was given over to burial, as He Himself willed; and having risen from the dead, He hath saved me, a man astray.

Stichos: For Thy name’s sake have I patiently waited for Thee, O Lord, my soul hath waited patiently for Thy word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

Christ our Savior, having nailed to the Cross the handwriting which is against us, blotted it out and abolished the might of death. We worship His resurrection on the third day.

Stichos: From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel hope in the Lord.

With the archangels let us hymn the resurrection of Christ; for He is the Redeemer and Savior of our souls, and is coming again in dread glory and mighty power, to judge the world which He fashioned.

And 3 stichera, the composition of Anatolius—

Stichos: For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption; and He shall redeem Israel out of all his iniquities.

The angel proclaimed Thee, the Master Who had been crucified and buried, and he said to the women: “Come ye, and see where the Lord lay; for He is risen, as He said, in that He is all-powerful!” Wherefore, we worship Thee, the only immortal One. O Christ, Giver of life, have mercy upon us!

Stichos: O praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise Him all ye peoples.

By Thy Cross Thou didst abolish the curse of the Tree; by Thy burial Thou didst slay the might of death; and by Thy rising Thou didst enlighten the race of men. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee: O Benefactor, Christ our God, glory be to thee!

Stichos: For He hath made His mercy to prevail over us, and the truth of the Lord abideth forever.

The gates of death opened unto Thee in fear, O Lord, and the gatekeepers of hades, having seen Thee, cowered in fear; for Thou didst shatter the brazen gates, and didst break the bars of iron, and didst lead us out of darkness and the shadow of death, and didst break our bonds asunder.

Glory…: Singing the hymn of salvation, let us raise a strain from our mouths; come, let us all fall down in the house of the Lord, saying: O Thou Who wast crucified on the Tree and rose from the dead, and art in the bosom of the Father, be gracious unto our sins.

Now & ever…: Dogmatic theotokion: The shadow of the law passed away when grace arrived; for, as the bush wrapped in flame did not burn, so as a virgin didst thou give birth and remain a virgin. In place of the pillar of fire, the Sun of righteousness hath shone forth. Instead of Moses, Christ is come, the salvation of our souls.

Entrance with the Gospel-book. O gladsome Light…

Great Prokimenon, in Tone VII—

What God is as great as our God? Thou art God Who workest wonders.

Stichos I: Thou hast made Thy power known among the peoples: with Thine arm hast Thou redeemed Thy people.

Stichos II: And I said: Now have I made a beginning; this change hath been wrought by the right hand of the Most High.

Stichos III: I remembered the words of the Lord; for I will remember Thy wonders from the beginning.

And again: What God is as great as our God…

After the prokimenon, the deacon exclaimeth: And for us to be accounted worthy of hearing the Holy Gospel, let us entreat the Lord God.

Thereafter, the Superior readeth in the Sanctuary.

Gospel According to John, §65 [20:19-25]

The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them: “Peace be unto you.” And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again: “Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said unto them: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him: “We have seen the Lord.” But he said unto them: “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Then followeth the litany: Let us all say…; And Vouchsafe, O Lord to keep us this evening…; And the litany: Let us complete our evening prayer…

And after the exclamation, we chant the resurrectional sticheron, in Tone II—

Thy resurrection, O Christ Savior, illumined the whole universe; and Thou didst call back Thine own creation. O all-powerful Lord, glory be to Thee!

And then the Paschal stichera, with their stichoi, in Tone V—

Stichos: Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered.

Today hath a sacred Pascha been shown unto us: a new and holy Pascha, a mystical Pascha, a Pascha all-venerable, Pascha—Christ the Redeemer, an unblemished Pascha, a great Pascha, a Pascha of the faithful, a Pascha which openeth unto us the gates of paradise, a Pascha which sanctifieth all the faithful!

Stichos: As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish.

O ye women proclaimers of good tidings, come ye from the sight of Christ and say ye unto Sion: “Receive from us good tidings of the joy of the resurrection of Christ! Delight thyself, dance and rejoice, O Jerusalem, having beheld Christ the King issuing forth like a bridegroom from the tomb!”

Stichos: So let sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous be glad.

At late dawn, the myrrh-bearing women stood before the tomb of the Giver of life and found an angel seated upon the stone; and he, addressing them, spake thus: “Why seek ye the Living among the dead? Why lament ye the Incorrupt as amid corruption? Go forth and proclaim this to His disciples!”

Stichos: This is the day that the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.

A delightful Paschal Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha, an all-venerable Pascha hath shone forth on us. It is Pascha: let us embrace one another with joy! O Pascha, ransom from sorrow! For Christ, having shone forth today from the tomb, as from a bridal-chamber, filled the women with joy, saying: “Proclaim this to the apostles!”

Glory…, Now & ever…, in the same tone—

It is the day of the resurrection! Let us adorn ourselves with the splendor of the festival and embrace one another! And let us say, O brethren, even unto those who hate us: “Let us forgive all things at the resurrection, and thus let us cry out: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!”

Then Christ is risen…, thrice

Then, the deacon saith: Wisdom! And we reply: Give the blessing. The superior then saith: Blessed is Christ our God, He Who Is…, and we say: Establish, O God…; Then, instead of Glory to Thee, O Christ God…, the superior saith: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death. And we chant: And upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Then straightway the superior intoneth the dismissal, while holding the Cross: Christ, Who hath risen from the dead…, and the rest, as set forth at the end of Matins.

And we venerate the holy icons, and depart for the refectory, where we chant: Christ is risen…, thrice; Glory…, Now & ever…; And the superior saith: O Christ God, bless the food and drink…; And when we arise from table, we say: Christ is risen…, thrice; Glory…, Now & ever…; And the superior saith: God is with us in His grace…

And thus do we celebrate Vespers throughout all of Bright Week.

Before the beginning, the paraecclesiarch lighteth the lamps and candles. Then he ringeth the great bell and all the others. And when we have assembled in the church, the priest maketh the usual obeisance before the superior and goeth into the holy sanctuary; and taking up the censer, he standeth before the holy altar-table, having instead of priestly vestments put only an epitrachilion over his mantia; and he censeth in crosswise fashion, saying: Glory to the holy consubstantial…; Then he beginneth the troparion: Christ is risen…, thrice. And in reply we also chant: Christ is risen…, thrice. And we chant: Christ is risen…with its stichoi, as indicated for Sunday morning and evening; but in non-monastic churches the priest vesteth in his vestments. Then followeth the great litany; and after the exclamation, we straightway chant the canon: It is the day the resurrection…, the irmos twice, and the troparia totaling ten, with the refrain: Christ is risen from the dead. At Glory…and Now & ever…we chant the theotokia of Kyr Theophanes and Kyr Joseph, as printed below. For the katavasia, both choirs descend and chant the irmos of the canon together, whereupon they sing: Christ is risen…, thrice. And we chant this thus throughout Bright Week, chanting fourteen hymns, including the irmos. After Ode III, the hypacoï: Forestalling the dawn…; Then followeth the first reading from the interpretation of the Gospel of John by Saint John Chrysostom: In the beginning was the Word…; We begin this book on this day and continue it until the Sunday of All Saints. After Ode VI, the kontakion: Though Thou didst descend into the tomb…, and the ikos; and another reading. Then followeth Having beheld the resurrection Christ…, thrice. And Jesus, having risen from the tomb…, thrice. Then straightway we chant the rest of the odes, through Ode IX, with their refrains. Exapostilarion: Having fallen asleep in the flesh…, thrice.

At the beginning of the canon, the priest goeth forth and censeth the church and the choirs and the brethren in their usual order.

The Paschal Canon, in Tone I, as chanted (except on Friday) during Bright Week—

Ode I

Irmos: It is the day of Resurrection! Let us shine with splendor, O ye peoples! Pascha, the Pascha of the Lord! For from death to life and from earth to heaven hath Christ God led us over who sing a hymn of victory.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Let us purify our senses, and with the unapproachable light of the resurrection we shall behold Christ, shining forth with brilliance; and singing a hymn of victory, we shall clearly hear Him saying: “Rejoice.”

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Let the heavens be glad as is meet, and let the earth rejoice; and let the whole world, both visible and invisible, keep festival, for Christ, our eternal Gladness, hath risen.

Canon of the Theotokos, the composition of Theophanes, the acrostic whereof, “Theophanes”, lieth in the first troparion of each ode, in the same tone—

Glory…: Thou didst shatter the bounds of mortality, O most immaculate one who gavest birth to eternal Life—Christ Who hath shone forth today from the tomb and enlightened the world.

Now & ever…: Having beheld thy Son and God risen, rejoice with the apostles, O pure one, full of the grace of God; for as the cause of joy for all thou wast first to receive the salutation “Rejoice!” O most immaculate Mother of God.

Ode III

Irmos: Come, let us drink a new drink, not one miraculously sprung from a barren rock; but the Fount of incorruption—Christ Who poured forth from the tomb, in Whom we are established.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Now have all things been filled with light—heaven and earth, and the nether regions. Let all creation, therefore, celebrate the rising of Christ, wherein it hath been established.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Yesterday I was buried with Thee, O Christ; today I rise with Thee Who art risen. Yesterday I was crucified with Thee. Do Thou Thyself glorify me with Thee, O Savior, in Thy kingdom.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: I am come today unto life incorruptible, O pure one, through the goodness of Him Who was born of thee and hath shone forth light upon all the ends of the earth.

Now & ever…: Having beheld God to Whom thou gavest birth in the flesh risen from the dead, as He said, O pure one, dance thou, and magnify Him as God, O all-pure one.

Hypacoï, in Tone VIII—

Forestalling the dawn, and finding the stone rolled away from the tomb, they who were with Mary heard from the angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as ye would a man, Him Who is in light everlasting? Behold ye the grave-clothes! Haste ye, and proclaim unto the world that the Lord, Who hath put death to death, hath risen, in that He is the Son of God, Who saveth the human race!

Ode IV

Irmos: Let the divinely eloquent Habbakuk stand with us on godly watch and show us the radiant angel, who clearly saith: “Today hath salvation come to the world, for Christ is risen, in that He is almighty!”

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Christ appeared as of the male sex when He opened the womb of the Virgin, and though a man He was called the Lamb. Our Pascha is without blemish, for He partook not of corruption, and as true God He was called perfect.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Like a yearling lamb was Christ, our blessed crown, the purifying Pascha, slain of His own will for all; and from the tomb hath He shone forth upon us again as the beauteous Sun of righteousness.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

David, the ancestor of God, leapt, dancing before the foreshadowing ark. O ye holy people of God, beholding the fulfillment of the images, let us be divinely glad, for Christ hath risen as One omnipotent.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: He Who fashioned Adam, thy forefather, O pure one, is made of thee. And today He hath demolished the dwelling-place of death by His own death, and hath illumined all with the divine rays of the resurrection.

Now & ever…: Today thou didst behold Christ to Whom thou gavest birth, and Who most beautifully shone forth from the dead unto the salvation of all, O pure one who art goodly, blameless among women, and comely. Rejoicing, glorify Him with the apostles.

Ode V

Irmos: Let us rise very early in the morning and offer hymnody to the Master instead of myrrh; and let us behold Christ, the Sun of righteousness, Who shineth forth life upon all.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead. Beholding Thy boundless compassion,

O Christ, those held fast by the bonds of hades walked toward the light with gladsome steps, praising the eternal Pascha.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

O ye light-bearers, let us approach Christ Who issueth forth from the tomb like a bridegroom, and together with the ranks who love the feasts of the Church let us celebrate the saving Pascha of God.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: The assembly of the pious is filled with joy and enlightened by the divine and light-bearing rays of the resurrection of thy Son, O all-pure Mother of God.

Now & ever…: Thou didst not break the doors of the Virgin at Thine incarnation, O King of creation, nor didst thou break the seals of Thy tomb; wherefore, beholding Thee risen, Thy Mother rejoiced.

Ode VI

Irmos: Thou didst descend into the nethermost depths of the earth, and didst shatter the everlasting bars which held those who were bound, O Christ, and like Jonah from the sea monster Thou didst rise from the tomb on the third day.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Thou didst arise from the tomb, maintaining the seals intact, O Christ Who in Thy birth didst not break the seal of the Virgin; and thou hast opened unto us the gates of paradise.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

O my Savior, Thou living and unsacrificed Victim, Who of Thine own will didst as God bring Thyself to the Father, with Thyself Thou didst resurrect Adam, the father of our whole race, when Thou didst arise from the tomb.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: That which of old was held fast by death and corruption hath been led up to life incorruptible and everlasting by Him Who became incarnate of thine all-pure womb, O Virgin Theotokos.

Now & ever…: He Who descended into thy pure womb, and dwelt therein, becoming incarnate in manner past understanding, O pure one, descended into the uttermost depths of the earth and raised up Adam with Himself, arising from the tomb.

Then the Choir chanteth the kontakion, in Tone VIII—

Though Thou didst descend even into the tomb, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of hades, and didst rise as victor, O Christ God, proclaiming to the myrrh-bearing women: “Rejoice!” bestowing peace upon Thine apostles, and granting resurrection to the fallen.

Ikos: The myrrh-bearing maidens forestalled the dawn, seeking, like the day, the Sun Who existed before the sun and once set in the tomb; and they cried one to another: “Come, O friends, and with fragrant spices let us anoint the buried body of the Bearer of Life Who hath raised up the flesh of fallen Adam which lieth in the tomb. Come, let us make haste like the Magi: let us offer worship and bring myrrh as a gift, not to One wrapped in swaddling clothes, but wound in a shroud; and let us lament and cry aloud: Arise, O Master, Who givest resurrection to the fallen!”

We then chant—

Having beheld the resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, Who alone is sinless. We bow down before Thy Cross, O Christ, and we hymn and glorify Thy holy resurrection; for Thou art our God, and we know none other beside Thee. We call upon Thy name. Come, all ye faithful, and let us worship the holy resurrection of Christ. For, lo! by the Cross hath joy come to all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we hymn His resurrection; for having endured crucifixion, He hath destroyed death by death. Thrice

And: Jesus having risen from the tomb, as He foretold, hath given us everlasting life and great mercy. Thrice

Ode VII

Irmos: He Who delivered the children from the furnace, having become man suffereth as a mortal, and by suffering clotheth mortal splendor in incorruption. He alone is the blessed and most glorious God of our fathers!

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

With myrrh the godly-minded women hastened after Thee, Whom they sought with tears as one dead; and they worshipped Thee, rejoicing, as the living God; and announced the mystic Pascha unto Thy disciples, O Christ.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

We celebrate the slaying of death, the destruction of hades, the beginning of a new and everlasting life; and, leaping up, we hymn the Cause thereof, the only blessed and most glorious God of our Fathers.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Truly sacred, most festive and radiant is this saving night, the herald of the luminous day of the resurrection, whereon the timeless Light hath in the flesh shone forth upon all from the tomb.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: Slaying death, thy Son, O most immaculate one, hath today granted abiding life unto all the dead forever—He Who is the only blessed and all-glorious God of our fathers.

Now & ever…: He Who is King over all creation, becoming man, dwelt in thy womb, O thou who art full of the grace of God; and having endured crucifixion and death, He hath arisen as God, raising us up with Himself, in that He is omnipotent.

Ode VIII

Irmos: This is the appointed and holy day, the one king and lord of Sabbaths, the feast of feasts and solemnity of solemnities, whereon we bless Christ forever.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

On this auspicious day, come, let us partake of the new fruit of the vine of divine gladness, and of the kingdom of Christ, praising Him as God forever.

Refrain: Christ is risen from the dead.

Cast thine eyes about thee, O Sion, and behold: for, lo! from the west and from the north, from the sea and from the east, have thy children come unto thee like divinely radiant luminaries, blessing Christ in thee forever.

Refrain: O all-holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee!

Triadicon: O Father Almighty, and Word, and Spirit, Essence united in three Hypostases, transcending existence and all-divine! In Thee have we been baptized, and Thee do we bless for all ages!

Canon of the Theotokos 

Glory…: Through thee did the Lord come into the world, O Virgin Theotokos; and breaking open the belly of hades, He hath given resurrection to us mortals; wherefore, He is blessed forever.

Now & ever…: Having cast down all the dominion of death by His resurrection, thy Son, O Virgin, hath, as mighty God, raised us up with Himself and deified us; wherefore, we praise Him forever.

Ode IX

Irmos: Shine, O shine, thou new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord hath shone upon thee! Dance now and be glad, O Sion! And do thou delight, O pure Theotokos, in the rising of thine Offspring.

O Thy divine and beloved voice most sweet! For Thou didst truly promise to be with us until the end of the world, O Christ. Having this as the confirmation of our hope, let us rejoice, O ye faithful.

O Christ, Thou great and most sacred Paschal O Wisdom, Word and Power of God! Grant that we may more truly partake of Thee in the never-waning day of Thy kingdom.

Canon of the Theotokos

Glory…: Together we, the faithful, bless thee, O Virgin: Rejoice, O portal of the Lord! Rejoice, O animate city! Rejoice, thou for whose sake the Light hath now shone forth on us from the resurrection of the dead of Him Who was born of thee.

Now & ever…: Be glad and rejoice, O divine portal of the Light, for Jesus Who descended into the tomb hath shone forth, shining forth more brightly than the sun, and illumining all the faithful, O divinely joyous Mistress.

At the Praises (on Monday), we chant: Let every breath praise the Lord…, and the resurrectional stichera, in Tone II—

Stichos: Praise Him for His mighty acts, praise Him according to the multitude of His greatness.

Every breath, all creation, glorifieth Thee, O Lord, in that Thou didst abolish death by the Cross, that Thou mightest show the peoples Thy resurrection from the dead, in that Thou alone lovest mankind.

Stichos: Praise Him with the sound of trumpet, praise Him with the psaltery and harp.

Let the Jews say how the soldiers who kept watch lost the King! Why did the stone not keep in the Rock of life? Either let them give up the Buried One or worship the Risen One, saying with us: Glory to the magnitude of Thy compassions, O our Savior! Glory be to Thee!

Stichos: Praise Him with timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and flute.

“Rejoice and be glad, O ye people!” the angel, seated upon the stone of the tomb, announced to us, saying: “Christ is risen from the dead, the Savior of the world; and He hath filled all things with sweet savor. Rejoice, ye people, and be glad!”

Stichos: Praise Him with tuneful cymbals, praise Him with cymbals of jubilation. Let every breath praise the Lord.

Before Thou wast conceived, O Lord, the angel brought the salutation ‘Rejoice!’ to her who is full of grace; and an angel rolled away the stone of Thy glorious tomb at Thy resurrection: the one, instead of grief, announcing tidings of gladness; and the other, instead of death, proclaiming to us the Master the Giver of life. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee: O Lord, Thou Benefactor of all, glory be to Thee!

Then follow the Paschal stichera with their stichoi, as prescribed for Sunday Matins. Litanies and dismissal. First Hour. Thus is Matins served all throughout Bright Week.

We have a supplicatory procession outside the monastery.

Be it known that on this day we leave the monastery, bearing banners. Holding in our hands the holy Gospel-book, the precious Cross, and icons of the resurrection of Christ and the all-pure Theotokos, we chant the paschal canon, with the theotokia, on 8. As katavasiæ we use the same irmoi. After Ode VI, and following the reading of the Gospel, we chant Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…, thrice; and the sticheron Jesus having risen from the tomb…, thrice. Then,. Odes VII, VIII and IX, and the rest of the Service of Supplication.

The Paschal antiphons, just as indicated for Pascha Sunday.

Prokimenon, in Tone VIII—

Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Stichos: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth the work of His hands.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, §2 [1:12-17, 21-26]

In those days, the apostles returned unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty): “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.” And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said: “Do Thou, O Lord, Who knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two Thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Alleluia, in Tone I—

Stichos: The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord, and Thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

Stichos: God is glorified in the council of the saints.

Gospel According to John, §2 [1:18-28]

No man hath seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him: “What then? Art thou Elijah?” And he saith: “I am not.” “Art thou that prophet?” And he answered: “No.” Then said they unto him: “Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.” And those who were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him: “Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet?” John answered them, saying: “I baptize with water: but there standeth One among you, Whom ye know not; He it is, Who coming after me is preferred before me, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Communion verse—

Receive ye the Body of Christ. Taste ye of the fountain of immortality. Alleluia. Thrice

At the communal meal the brethren receive great consolation.