The kathisma is not read; but where a festal vigil hath not been served, we read the appointed kathisma.

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

O Lord, Who hast ascended into the heavens from whence Thou hadst come down, leave us not orphans. That Thy Spirit may come, bearing peace unto the world, show the works of Thy power unto the children of men, O Lord Who lovest mankind.

Thou didst ascend to Thine unoriginate Father, O Christ Who wast never separated from His uncircumscribable bosom, and the powers did not accept any addition to the thrice-holy praise, but acknowledged Thee, O Lord, as the one Son, the Only-begotten of the Father, Who hadst become man in the multitude of Thy compassions. Have mercy on us!

Thine angels said to the apostles, O Lord: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing at the sky? He Who is upborne from you into heaven is Christ God. He will come again, in the same manner in which ye have seen Him going to heaven. Serve Him in holiness and righteousness!”

And 3 stichera from the Menaion.

Glory…, of the saint, if there be one; if not,

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

Thou wast born as Thou Thyself didst desire, and didst appear as Thou Thyself didst will. Thou didst suffer in the flesh, O our God, didst rise from the dead, trampling death underfoot, didst ascend in glory, filling all things, and didst send the divine Spirit upon us, that we may hymn and glorify Thy divinity.

Entrance. O gladsome Light…

Great Prokimenon, in Tone VII—

Our God is in heaven and on earth; all things soever He hath willed, He hath done.

Stichos I: When Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob, from among a barbarous people.

Stichos II: The sea beheld and fled, Jordan turned back.

Stichos III: What aileth thee, O sea, that thou fleddest? And thou, O Jordan, that thou didst turn back?

And again: Our God is in heaven and on earth…

The litanies: Let us say…, and Let us complete our evening prayer…

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

When He went up the Mount of Olives, He Who filleth all things said to the disciples: “The time of Mine ascension draweth nigh, O My friends. Go and teach to the nations the word which ye have heard from My voice.” Then did He ascend in glory, as upon a chariot; wherefore, the apostles were filled with awe and trembling.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

When Thy Mother and disciples traveled together to Bethany, O Christ, Thou didst lift up Thy hands to bless them; and when Thou hadst blessed them, a cloud of light straightway took Thee up out of their sight. Then Thou didst ascend in glory and wast truly shown to sit at the right hand of the Father and be worshipped with Him.

Stichos: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

Come, ye faithful, and together let us ascend the Mount of Olives, going up as with the apostles; and taking our hearts and minds to the heights, let us gaze upon the Lord, Who is now up borne. Where-fore, rejoicing, let us cry out in thanksgiving: Glory to Thine ascension, O greatly Merciful One!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

Beholding Thine ascension upon the holy mountains, O Christ, Thou Effulgence of the glory of the Father, we hymn the radiant form of Thy countenance, we worship Thy sufferings, and we honor the resurrection, glorifying the glorious ascension. Have mercy on us!

Troparion of the feast: Thou didst ascend in glory…; and the dismissal.

The service of the saint of whose commemoration coincided with the feast is chanted at Compline.

At God is the Lord…, the festal troparion, thrice.

After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Special Melody: That which was mystically commanded…—

Having gone up the Mount of Olives, O merciful Jesus, Thou wast taken up from thence; for a radiant cloud bore Thee up from the earth as Thy disciples beheld the awesome miracle and the incorporeal armies on high cried out in the heavens: Be ye lifted up in fear, O ye gates! And with them all creation hymneth Thee, the King and God of all.

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

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

Having sat upon the clouds of heaven and left the world to those on earth, Thou didst ascend and sit at the right hand of the Father, as One consubstantial with Him and the Spirit; for even though Thou didst manifest Thyself in the flesh, yet didst Thou remain immutable. Wherefore, Thou awaitest the ultimate end, O Thou Who shalt come to earth to judge the whole world. O impartial Lord, spare Thou our souls, granting remission of transgressions to Thy servants, in that Thou art the merciful God.

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

Psalm 50.

Canon of the feast, with 6 troparia, the irmos being chanted twice (the two canons are alternated until the leave-taking); and that from the Menaion, with 4 troparia.

After Ode III, the kontakion, ikos and sessional hymn of the saint; Glory…, Now & ever…: sessional hymn of the feast.

After Ode VI, the kontakion and ikos of the feast.

After Ode IX, the exapostilarion of the feast; 

Glory…, that of the saint, if there be one; Now & ever…, that of the feast. If the saint doth not have an exapostilarion, Glory…, Now & ever…, that of the feast.

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

O new wonder! For human nature hath gone up to heaven, united to the Word, God Almighty.

Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

The radiant and most luminous day of the divine ascension of the Master into heaven hath shone forth, enlightening all things.

Stichos: God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

As from on high Thou didst send upon the disciples the Spirit, Who is conjoined with Thee, O Christ our Savior, so also send Thy grace upon Thy people.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone V—

When Thou wast taken up from whence Thou wast never parted, O Lord, the armies of the angels and all the bodiless hosts cried out with joy to the hosts above them: “Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and the King of glory shall enter!” for the throne of the cherubim took Thee up in the flesh. Glory to Thee, O Lord!

The rest of Matins, and the dismissal.

6 troparia from Ode I of the canon of the feast.