On Lord, I have cried…, 6 stichera, in Tone VIII: 3 of the resurrection—

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

We offer to Thee, O Christ, evening hymnody and rational sacrifice; for it was Thy good pleasure to have mercy upon us by Thy resurrection.

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.

O Lord, O Lord, turn us not away from Thy face, but be Thou well-pleased to have mercy upon us by Thy resurrection.

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

Rejoice, O holy Sion, Mother of Churches, thou dwelling-place of God! For thou wast first to receive remission of sins, through the resurrection.

And 3 stichera of Anatolius, in the same tone—

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 Word, Who was begotten of God the Father before the ages, and Who in latter times of His own will became incarnate of her who knew not wedlock, endured death by crucifixion; and by His resurrection He hath saved man who was slain of old.

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

We glorify Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, whereby Thou hast freed the race of Adam from the tyranny of hades, and hast, as God, granted the world life everlasting and great mercy.

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

Glory to Thee, O Christ our Savior, Thou only-begotten Son of God, Who wast nailed to the Cross and didst rise from the grave on the third day!

Glory…: We glorify Thee, O Lord, Who of Thine own will didst endure the Cross for our sake, and we worship Thee, O almighty Savior. Turn us not away from Thy face, but hearken and save us by Thy resurrection, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Now & ever…, Dogmatic theotokion: In His love for mankind, the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt among men; for He Who received flesh from the pure Virgin and came forth from her having received human nature, is the only Son of God, two in nature but not hypostasis. Therefore, proclaiming Him to be truly perfect God and perfect man, we confess Christ our God. Him do thou beseech, O Mother unwedded, that our souls find mercy!

Entrance with the censer. O gladsome Light…

Great prokimenon, in Tone VIII—

Thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear Thy name, O Lord.

Stichos: From the ends of the earth unto Thee have I cried.

Stichos: I shall be sheltered in the shelter of Thy wings.

Stichos: So will I chant unto Thy name unto the ages.

And again: Thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear Thy name, O Lord.

Priest: Let us all say…, and the rest of the litany. Vouchsafe, O Lord…; Then, the litany: Let us complete our evening prayer…

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

Having descended from heaven, O Jesus, Thou didst mount the Cross, Thou didst come to death, O immortal Life, true Light for those in darkness, resurrection for the fallen. O our Savior, enlightenment of all, glory be to Thee!

Then follow the Paschal stichera, with their stichoi, in Tone V. Christ is risen…, thrice; and the dismissal.

The order of service is the same as indicated above.

On the Praises, we chant 4 stichera, in Tone VIII—

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

O Lord, though Thou didst stand forth before the tribunal, to be judged of Pilate, yet didst Thou not cease to sit on the throne with the Father. And having risen from the dead, Thou didst free the world from slavery to the alien, in that Thou art compassionate and lovest mankind.

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

O Lord, Thou hast given us Thy Cross as a weapon against the devil; for he trembleth and quaketh, unable to bear the sight of its power. For it raiseth the dead and hath abolished death. Wherefore, we bow down before Thy burial and arising.

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

O Lord, though the Jews placed Thee in a tomb as one dead, yet the soldiers watched over Thee as a sleeping King, and like a treasure of life they sealed it with a seal. But Thou didst arise and hast given incorruption to our souls.

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

Thine angel who proclaimed the resurrection, O Lord, frightened the guards and declared to the women, saying: “Why seek ye the Living among the dead? He Who is God hath risen and granted life to the whole world!”

Then follow the Paschal stichera with their stichoi; and, Christ is risen…, thrice. Litanies and dismissal. First Hour.

The Paschal antiphons. 

Prokimenon, in Tone III—

The Lord is my light and my Savior. Whom then shall I fear?

Stichos: The Lord is the defender of my life. Of whom then shall I be afraid?

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, §9 [3:11-16]

In those days, as the lame man who was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people: “Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; Whom ye delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, Whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”

Alleluia, in Tone V—

Stichos: The Lord is King. He is clothed with majesty.

Stichos: For He established the world which shall not be shaken.

Gospel According to John, §11 [3:22-33]

At that time came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judæa; and there He tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him: “Rabbi, He Who was with thee beyond Jordan, to Whom thou barest witness, behold, the Same baptizeth, and all men come to Him.” John answered and said: “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. He Who hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He Who cometh from above is above all: He Who is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He Who cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony. He who hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.”

Communion verse—

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

After the dismissal of the Liturgy, when the brethren go from the church to the refectory, ahead of them the deacon beareth the Artos without the image of the resurrection of Christ, while the paraecclesiarch and the brethren ring all the bells. Then, Christ is risen… is chanted thrice, as usual. After Our Father… is recited, and the meal is blessed as usual, the deacon saith: 

Let us pray to the Lord!

People: Lord, have mercy!

And the priest reciteth this prayer over the Artos: O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thou Bread of the angels and Bread of eternal life, Who camest down from heaven, and all throughout these most radiant days hast nurtured us with the spiritual food of Thy divine benefactions, because of Thy saving resurrection on the third day, we humbly entreat Thee: Regard now our entreaties and thanksgiving, and as Thou didst bless the five loaves in the wilderness, so now bless this bread, that all who taste thereof may be vouchsafed bodily and spiritual blessing and health through the grace and compassions of Thy love for mankind.

Exclamation: For Thou art our sanctification, and we send up glory unto Thee, and Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy most holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

When the brethren sit at table, the cellarer, having broken the loaf which all week long hath been up borne in place of the Panagia, doth distribute it to the brethren before their usual food, and thus do we partake thereof. The reader then beginneth the reading. In the refectory the brethren are afforded great consolation. 

When we have risen from the meal, we chant Christ is risen…, thrice. Then the superior saith: Blessed is He Who is merciful and feedeth us…; And, Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee, O Holy One!…

Then we chant: Glory…, Now & ever…; Lord, have mercy! thrice. Give the blessing. And the deacon, taking up with three fingers of both hands the usual loaf which is elevated throughout the year, maketh the sign of the Cross therewith over the tray, saying instead of Great is the name of the Holy Trinity! Christ is risen!, once. To which we respond: Truly He is risen! Then, bearing the loaf over above the icon of the Theotokos, he saith: 

Most holy Theotokos, save us.

And we chant: Through her supplications, O Christ God, have mercy and save us.

And the irmos of Ode IX: 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 adorn thyself, O pure Theotokos, for the resurrec­tion of thine Offspring.

Then, both of its troparia, and again: Shine, O shine…; Then the superior, or if he be absent, one of the priests, saith: 

Unto the great entreaties of the all-blessed Mistress…

And we say: Through her supplications…

Then the priest saith: The Lord Who is merciful and compassionate hath given food unto those who fear Him.

And we chant: Christ is risen…, thrice. The reader saith the Trisagion through Our Father…, whereupon we chant the hypacoï: Forestalling the dawn…; Glory…, Now & ever…; the kontakion: Though Thou didst descend into the tomb…; Lord, have mercy! thrice. Give the blessing. 

Priest: Blessed is God Who hath mercy and feedeth us with His rich gifts…

And we say: Amen.

There followeth the usual forgiveness.

And thus do we do until the leave-taking of the feast of Pascha.