On Lord, I have cried…, 6 stichera: 3 of the feast, in Tone VIII: Special Melody: O all-glorious wonder…—

Following the steps of Christ Who hath appeared, O honored myrrh-bearers, and serving Him with diligence and uprightness, ye did not forsake Him Who had died; but setting out, ye brought myrrh and tears, moved by pity. Wherefore, we celebrate your most sacred memory.

The company of godly women, desiring to see the Life which lay dead in the tomb, came at night and heard the angel say: “As He foretold, Christ hath risen! Go with haste and tell of this to His disciples, and drive despondency from your souls, accepting ineffable joy instead of weeping!”

Today we, the faithful, join chorus in your memory, O myrrh-bearers, glorifying the all-good Lord Who hath glorified you. Him do ye unceasingly entreat, O most honored ones, that we may receive eternal glory and the splendor of the saints, for ye ever have boldness before Him, O divinely blessed ones.

And 3 stichera from the Menaion.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

Early in the morning, seeking Thy tomb with diligence, the myrrh-bearing women sought Thee, O Christ, to anoint Thine all-pure body; and having heard the words of the angels, they proclaimed to the apostles the joyous tidings, that the Author of our salvation, Who hath made death captive and granteth the world everlasting life and great mercy, hath risen from the dead.

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

Aposticha stichera, in Tone II—

Of the Cross: They who ever enjoyed Thy gifts cried out, “Crucify Him!” They who slew the righteous ones asked that a malefactor be released unto them instead of the Benefactor. But Thou didst keep silence, O Christ, enduring their savagery, desiring to suffer and thus save us, in that Thou lovest mankind.

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 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: 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 life, the passion-bearers were vouchsafed the good things of heaven and have made their abode together with the angels. By their supplications, O Lord, have mercy and save us.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

Joseph begged the body of Jesus and placed it in his new sepulcher, for it was fitting that He issue forth from a tomb as from a royal chamber. O Lord Who didst break the dominion of death and open to men the gates of paradise, glory to Thee!

Then, Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart…; troparia, and dismissal.

At God is the Lord…, the troparia of the feast. 

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

We bow down before Thine all-pure image, O Good One, asking forgiveness for our transgressions, O Christ God; for of Thine own will Thou wast well-pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that Thou mightest deliver from slavery to the enemy that which Thou hadst created. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee in thanksgiving: O our Savior, Who earnest to save the world, Thou hast filled all with joy!

Stichos: I will confess Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, I will tell of all Thy wonders.

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

When the martyrs of the Lord struggled in their agonies, then was the arrogance of the ungodly cast into darkness by faith; and when they had divinely abolished the falsehood of the idols, they received crowns of victory from on high; and they pray in behalf of our souls.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Stavrotheotokion—

Thy Virgin Mother, beholding Thee, O Christ, stretched out, dead, upon the Tree, said, weeping bitterly: “O my Son, what is this strange mystery? How is it that Thou Who grantest life everlasting unto all dost of Thine own will die a shameful death upon the Cross?”

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.

Then, Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…, and Psalm 50.

Canon of the feast, with 8 troparia, including the irmos; and that from the Menaion, with 4 troparia. Kontakion and exapostilarion of the feast.

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone II—

Of the Cross: We bow down before the Tree of Thy Cross, O Christ God, which Thou hast shown to be a tree of life for us who believe in Thee; and having thereby abolished the dominion of death, Thou gavest life to us who have been slain by sin. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee: O Lord, Benefactor of all, glory to Thee! Twice

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.

Martyricon: Having suffered like Christ even unto death, O passion-bearing martyrs, your souls are in heaven, in the hand of God, and your relics are venerated throughout the world. The priests bow down, and all of us, the people, cry aloud, rejoicing: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!

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.

Aposticha stichera, in Tone II: Special Melody: When from the Tree…—

The women disciples of Christ rejoice to hear the words of the angel, for thereby did they learn of the resurrection of Him Who was reckoned among the dead for our sake. Yet before, when the myrrh-bearers stood before the tomb mourning for Christ, seeing the stone which had been suddenly rolled away they were perplexed by its removal.

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

The myrrh-bearing women, disciples of Christ, who imparted unceasing and divine joy to the divine and sacred disciples, carried out the command of the divine angel, whose white garments filled them with awe, saying: “Hades hath been made captive by the most salvific resurrection of the King Who died for our sake!”

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

The divine women disciples of Christ, who put forth lamentation and streams from a fountain of tears, now bear words of joy unto the witnesses of grace, announcing to them the arising of the Word and the joy which shone forth from the tomb. Wherefore, instead of grief they all-gloriously heard a voice which commanded them to rejoice.

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, the troparia; dismissal. First Hour.