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

The most holy, luminous and beauteous midfeast of the resurrection of Christ is manifest today like the radiant noon, enlightening the world with the divine graces of the rising of Christ, emitting miracles of incorruption; and it shineth forth signs and pointeth to the ascension on high, revealing the most loving advent of the Spirit, the most splendid solemnity of the most honored Pentecost. Wherefore, it giveth our souls peace and great mercy.

It being the mid-point of the feast, the Lord, giving streams of compassion unto all like a river of divine glory, crieth out: “Let him who thirsteth come to Me and drink with fervor.” For, as a well-spring of compassion and an abyss of mercy, He poureth forth remission upon the world, washeth transgressions away, and cleanseth infirmities; He saveth those who celebrate His resurrection, and He covereth with love those who honor His ascension with glory, and He granteth our souls peace and great mercy.

Standing in the midst of the Temple, the uncircumscribable God and Lord (for He was God by nature, even though for our sake He became a man circumscribed by a body) poured forth vivifying words upon all, saying unto all: “Cleanse your souls, and cool the burning heat of the passions, O men, lest ye be deprived of drink; for I shall bestow the grace divine to share with Me, the Creator, the immortal, best and highest kingdom, and to be glorified.”

And 3 stichera from the Menaion.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII—

Before Thy sufferings and Thy glorious resurrection, at the mid-point of the feast, O good Lord, Thou wast teaching the disobedient Jews—the Pharisees and the Scribes—in the Temple, and didst cry out to them: “Let him who thirsteth come to Me and drink; he who believeth in Me, rivers of the water of life of the divine Spirit will flow from within him.” O the ineffable wisdom of Thy praise! O our God Who fillest all things, glory to Thee!

Aposticha stichera, in Tone IV—

Of the resurrection: Bowing down unceasingly before Thy life-creating Cross, O Christ God, we glorify Thy resurrection on the third day; for thereby Thou hast restored corrupted human nature, O Almighty, and hast renewed for us the ascent of the heavens, in that Thou alone art good and 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 compunction: I desired to erase the record of my transgressions with tears, and to please Thee well by repentance for the rest of my life; but the enemy deceiveth me and wageth war on my soul. Before I perish utterly, O Lord, save me!

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: O Christ God, Who art glorified in the memorials of Thy saints, be Thou entreated by them, and send down upon us great mercy.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

As the midpoint is reached between Thy resurrection and the divine coming of Thy Holy Spirit, O Christ, having assembled we hymn the mysteries of Thy wonders. Therefore send down upon us great mercy.

Then, Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart…,” the troparion of the Midfeast, and the dismissal.

At God is the Lord…, the troparion of the Midfeast.

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

Gazing upon the entrance to the tomb, and unable to endure the angel of flame, the myrrh-bearing women marveled, trembling, and said: “Hath He been stolen away Who hath opened paradise to the thief? Or hath He risen Who even before His suffering proclaimed His resurrection? Truly, Christ hath risen, granting life and resurrection unto those in hades!”

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

O Lord, visit Thou my lowly soul, which hath squandered all its whole life in sins; accept me as Thou didst the harlot, and save me.

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

Martyricon: Today the armies of heaven have come for the memorial of the passion-bearers, to enlighten the minds of the faithful and to illumine the whole world with grace. Entreated by them, O God, grant us great mercy.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Thou art an invincible rampart for us Christians, O Virgin Theotokos; for, fleeing unto thee, we remain unharmed, and though we sin again, we have thee as an advocate. Wherefore, we cry out to thee in thanksgiving: Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace! The Lord is with thee!

After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Special Melody: Of the Wisdom…—

The Wisdom and Word of the Father, Who also gave the apostles the task of preaching to the ends of the world the divine word of His coming to earth, was insulted savagely by the deceiving Hebrews, debased with threats as one possessed by devils and a deceiver; but in innocence He cried out to them: “Judge Me not by appearances, O ye iniquitous ones!” Wherefore, let us cry out to Him: O Christ God, Who lovest mankind, send down the remission of transgressions upon those who with faith hymn Thine incomparable glory! Twice

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

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

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone IV—

Of the resurrection: O Almighty Lord, Who didst endure the Cross and death, and didst rise from the dead, we glorify Thy resurrection! Twice

Of compunction: I am a sheep of Thy reason-endowed flock, and I flee to Thee, the good Shepherd. Seek me out who am lost, O God, and have mercy on me.

Martyricon: Who is not filled with awe, beholding the good contest wherein ye struggled, O holy martyrs? How have ye, who are fleshly beings, vanquished the incorporeal foe, confessing Christ and having armed yourselves with His Cross? Wherefore, as is meet, ye have been shown to be expellers of the demons and opponents of the barbarians, unceasingly praying that our souls be saved.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII—

When the midfeast of Passover came, Thou didst enter the sanctuary of the Temple, O our Savior; and standing in the midst of the people, Thou didst teach them with boldness, and didst say: “I am the Light of the world; and he who followeth Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of immortal life.”

Aposticha stichera of the Midfeast, in Tone II: Special Melody: O house of Ephratha…—

Bowing down the heavens, Thou didst descend, O my Savior, and didst receive flesh of the Virgin without changing, pouring forth remission upon me.

Stichos: God is our King before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Thou art wholly in God, O Word; and desiring to rescue me, who am perishing, from transgressions, Thou unitest Thyself with me, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

Stichos: Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Thou didst come, O King, Thou great Wisdom, by Whom, with the Holy Spirit, the Father all-wisely created the world.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII—

Let us purify the treasuries of our thoughts and emit radiant splendors of soul, and let us gaze upon Christ our Life, Who in the excess of His goodness went to the Temple to defeat the enemy and save our race by His suffering on the Cross and His resurrection. Unto Him let us cry out: O unapproachable Lord, glory to Thee!