On Lord I have cried…, 6 stichera: 3 of the feast, in Tone V: Special Melody: Rejoice…—

Transfixed with nails, on the Tree Thou didst annul the curse brought about by a tree; and laid in the tomb, by divine power Thou didst raise up the dead from ages past. Lifting up our voices, we glorify Thy power, O Almighty Jesus, Thou divine Pascha, our Life, effulgence of the Father. Wherefore, those in heaven rejoice with those on earth, O victorious Word, Almighty Jesus, chanting triumphant hymns to Thee Who grantest the world great mercy.

The choir of the myrrh-bearing women cried out, lamenting: “Life is with the dead, the never-setting Sun is now still beneath the earth! Come, let us make all haste and gaze upon the holy sepulcher!” And seeing a radiant angel in the depths thereof, perplexed, they were astonished. And he, changing their lamentation, cried aloud: “The Bestower of life hath risen! Be not affrighted, O ye who love to render honor: He reigneth as king, granting the world great mercy!”

Very early, before sunrise, the choir of women sought Him Who is the Sun Which had then set in the grave; and a radiant angel proclaimed unto them: “The Light hath shone forth, illumining those who sleep in darkness! Announce ye to the radiant disciples the joyous Pascha which saveth the world, saying: ‘Turn ye your weeping into joy! Join chorus, clapping your hands with a heart untouched by doubt!’ Christ is risen, granting the world great mercy!”

And 3 stichera from the Menaion.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone I—

“O ye myrrh-bearing women, wherefore have ye come to the tomb? Why do ye seek among the dead Him Who is alive? The Lord hath risen! Be ye of good cheer!” the angel cried.

Then, O gladsome Light…, and the prokimenon of the day.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone II—

Of the resurrection: 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: Unto Thee have I lifted up mine eyes, unto Thee that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the handmaid look unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes look unto the Lord our God, until He take pity on us.

Of compunction: Like the prodigal son I have sinned against Thee, O Savior. Accept me who am penitent, O Father. Have mercy on me, O God!

Stichos: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for greatly are we filled with abasement. Greatly hath our soul been filled therewith; let reproach come upon them that prosper, and abasement on the proud.

Martyricon: Having hated the pleasures of the earth, the passion-bearers were vouchsafed the good things of heaven and became fellow citizens with the angels. By their supplications, O Lord, have mercy and save us.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone I—

With fear the women came to the tomb, seeking to anoint Thy body with spices; and not finding it, they expressed their perplexity one to another, not knowing of the resurrection. But an angel stood before them and said: “Christ hath risen, Who bestoweth great mercy upon us!”

Then, Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart…; troparion: The noble Joseph…; Glory…: When Thou didst descend…; Now & ever…: Standing before the myrrh-bearing women…

But if the saint of the day hath a troparion, we chant the troparia thus: The noble Joseph…; Glory…, the troparion of the saint; Now & ever…: Standing before the myrrh-bearing women… (At Vespers throughout this week, we alternate the troparia The noble Joseph…, and When Thou didst descend…, as hath been stated previously.)

Litany, and dismissal.

The service for the saint from the Menaion which falleth on this Sunday is chanted at Compline. After the Trisagion, the kontakion of the feast from the Pentecostarion alone is read. And thus do we do until the Sunday of All Saints.

The usual beginning, as indicated for Monday of the second week after Pascha.

At God is the Lord…, the troparia in Tone II: The noble Joseph…, twice; Glory…, When Thou didst descend…; Now & ever…, Standing before the myrrh-bearing women…; And thus are these troparia chanted throughout the week. (But if there is a troparion for the saint, we chant first the troparion The noble Joseph…, once; then the troparion When Thou didst descend…, Glory…, the troparion of the saint; Now & ever…, Standing before the myrrh-bearing women…)

After the first chanting of the Psalter, these sessional hymns, in Tone II—

Without hindering the Jews from sealing the stone of the tomb, in arising Thou didst bestow the rock of faith upon all. O Lord, glory be to Thee!

Stichos: O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger, nor chasten me in Thy wrath.

Like the waves of the sea have mine iniquities risen up against me, and I alone founder, like a ship upon the deep, under the weight of many offenses; but steer me to the calm harbor of repentance, O God, and save me.

Stichos: Wondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.

Martyricon: Having as their vesture Thee Who dost clothe the sky with clouds, the saints endured torments in the world at the hands of the iniquitous, and set at naught the falsehood of the idols. By their supplications, O Savior, free us from the invisible foe, and save us.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

As thou art a wellspring of lovingkindness, O Theotokos, vouchsafe mercy unto us, look down with pity upon sinful men, and show forth thy power as ever; for, trusting in thee, we cry out to thee: “Rejoice!” as once did Gabriel, the supreme commander of the incorporeal ones.

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone II: Special Melody: Seeking the highest…—

Fervently did the women bear myrrh to the tomb, O Savior, and their souls were filled with gladness by the splendor of the angel; and they proclaimed Thee the God of all, and cried out to the disciples: Truly, the Life of all hath risen from the tomb!

Glory…, Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated. 

Reading.

Then, Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…, once.

Canon of the feast, with 8 troparia, including the irmos; and that from the Menaion, with 4 troparia. After Ode III, the sessional hymn of the saint. After Ode VI, the kontakion and ikos of the Myrrh-bearers. And we read from the Prologue. Exapostilarion of the feast; Glory…, that of the saint; Now & ever…, that of the feast.

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone II—

Of the resurrection: 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. Twice

Of compunction: Mindful of the unseemly sins I have committed, I flee to Thy compassions, imitating the publican, the harlot who wept, and the prodigal son; wherefore, I fall down before Thee, O Merciful One, and say: Before Thou condemnest me, O God, have pity and mercy upon me!

Martyricon: Ye suffered for Christ even unto death, O passion-bearers and martyrs. And though your souls are in the heavens, in the hand of God, your relics are venerated throughout the whole world. The priests and the people all bow down; and we cry out, rejoicing: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

The Magdalene and another Mary came to the tomb, seeking the Lord; and they beheld an angel bright as lightning, seated upon the stone, who said to them: “Why seek ye among the dead Him Who is alive? He hath risen, as He said. Ye shall find Him in Galilee. Unto Him let us cry out: O Lord Who hast arisen from the dead, glory to Thee!”

Aposticha stichera of the feast, in Tone VI: Special Melody: On the third day…—

Begin ye a psalm, O ye people! Hymn ye Christ with joy! The great Pascha hath shone forth upon us: Christ the Bestower of life, Who hath risen from the tomb, the Deliverer of all creation.

Stichos: Thou hast been gracious, O Lord, unto Thy land; Thou hast turned back the captivity of Jacob.

Having told the myrrh-bearing women to rejoice and annulled the condemnation of Eve, risen, Thou sendest joy to the disciples, telling them to proclaim Thy resurrection from the tomb on the third day.

Stichos: Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Christ hath illumined for us the honored and holy Pascha. Come, and let us all be enlightened in soul. For, lo! the day hath shone forth, whereon rejoice ye and be glad.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

With tears the women poured forth myrrh upon Thy tomb; but their mouths were filled with joy when they could say: The Lord is risen!

On the Beatitudes, 6 troparia, from Ode I of the festal canon.

After the entrance, the troparia: The noble Joseph…, When Thou didst descend…, and Standing before the myrrh-bearing women…, and that of the saint of the temple, and the troparion of the saint of the day, if there be one; and if there be a second saint who hath his own troparion, we likewise chant it; then, the kontakion of the temple; Glory…, that of the saint of the day (and if there be a second saint who hath his own kontakion, we also chant it); Now & ever…, kontakion of the feast: Thou didst command the myrrh-bearers to rejoice…; And thus do we chant the troparia throughout this holy week, except if there be a saint whose feast is of polyeleos rank. Thus do we chant Vespers and Matins all throughout this week.