We offer you, O Christ, an evening hymn and spiritual worship; because you were well-pleased to have mercy on us through the Resurrection.

Lord, Lord, do not cast us away from your presence; but be well-pleased to have mercy on us through the Resurrection.

The Word begotten of God the Father before the ages, but in the last times incarnate of her who knew not wedlock, willingly endured the crucifixion of death, and mankind, slain of old, He saved through his own Resurrection.

We glorify your Resurrection from the dead, O Christ, through which you freed Adam’s race from the tyranny of Hell, and as God granted the world eternal life and your great mercy.

The Spirit-inspired preachers, the Disciples of the Saviour, having become by faith instruments of the Spirit, distributed the holy proclamation, sowing it with right belief, to the ends of the earth, from which, by God’s husbandry and grace, have sprung up the armies of Martyrs, who form an image of the holy Passion through many kinds of tortures, scourgings and fire; and with boldness they intercede on behalf of our souls.

Burning with the fire of the love of the Lord, they despised fire, and as lighted godlike coals the holy Martyrs by Christ burned up the brushwood insolence of error; while they stopped the mouths of wild beasts by wise entreaties, and when their heads were cut off they cut down all the regiments of the foe; and valiantly pouring out the streams of their blood they watered the Church, which then blossomed with faith.

The valiant Martyrs wrestled with wild beasts, were struck with swords, raked with claws, their hands were cut off and they were racked; without yielding they were burned with material fire, they were pierced and their joints were severed. They bore all most valiantly, as they looked forward to their coming rest, the pure crowns and the glory of Christ; to whom with boldness they intercede on behalf of our souls.

Let us, as is fitting, praise with sacred songs those who have competed by faith in all the ends of the earth, Apostles, Martyrs, godly-minded Priests, holy Women, a sacred gathering; for earthly beings were united with the heavenly and by suffering received through Christ’s grace dispassion; and now like fixed stars their shed their light on us, as with boldness they intercede on behalf of our souls.

Godly choir of Martyrs, foundation of the Church, perfection of the Gospel, you have by deeds fulfilled the Saviour’s words; for in you the gates of Hell, opened against the Church, have been shut; the flow of your blood has dried up the libations poured out to idols; your slaughter has given birth the plenitude of the faithful; you have amazed the bodiless powers; bearing crowns you stand before God, whom you ceaselessly implore on behalf of our souls.

Thus says the Lord: All the nations have been assembled and rulers from them shall be assembled; who will declare these things among them? or who will make heard to you the things from the beginning? Let them bring their witnesses and let them be justified, and them hear and let them speak what is true. Be my witnesses, and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I AM; before me there was no other God, and after me there will not be. I am God, and apart from me there is none who saves. I have declared and I have saved; I reproved, and there was no strange god among you. You are my witnesses and I am a witness, says the Lord God. Again from the beginning I AM, and there is none who can deliver from my hands; I will make, and who will turn it back? Thus says the Lord God who redeems us, the holy one of Israel.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment will touch them. In the eyes of fools they seemed to die and their departure was reckoned a disaster and their going from us their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself. Like gold in the furnace he tried them and like a whole burnt offering he accepted them. And in the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through stubble. They will judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever. Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones and visitation on his elect.

At the Liti we sing the Sticheron of the Saint of the Monastery; then the following Idiomels of All Saints.

In a harmony of faith let us all spiritually celebrate the festival of the whole world of those who from all time have been well-pleasing to God, the honour of the Patriarchs, the assembly of the Prophets, the adornment of Apostles, the company of Martyrs, the boast of Ascetics, the memory of all the Saints; for they intercede without ceasing that peace may be given to the world and to our souls God’s great mercy.

Come, all you faithful, let us praise in psalms and hymn and spiritual songs the all-glorious memory of all the Saints: the Baptist of the Saviour, Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs, Hierarchs, Teachers, Holy Ones, Ascetics and Righteous, and the God-loving company of holy Women, as with reverence we call them blessed in harmony let us cry out: Christ our God, supremely good, at their prayers grant peace to your Churches, victories over enemies to our Christ-loving Sovereign, and to our souls your great mercy.

Come, let us rejoice in spirit at the memorial of the Saints; for see, it has come bringing us gifts of grace in rich abundance; and so with a voice of gladness and a pure conscience let us cry out and say: Hail, company of Prophets, who proclaimed the coming of Christ to the world and foresaw near at hand things far off. Hail, choir of Apostles, who caught the nations in a net, and who are the fishers of mankind. Hail, race of Martyrs, who were gathered from the ends of the into one faith, endured for it fierce torments and finally received the crown of your contest. Hail, swarm of Fathers, who trampled down your own bodies by ascetic struggle, and when you had slain the passions of the flesh you gave wings to your mind with divine love and took flight to heaven, and as you rejoice with the Angels, you enjoy eternal blessings. But, O Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs with Ascetics, insistently implore the one who crowned you that those who celebrate with faith and love your ever-revered memorial may be rescued from enemies visible and invisible.

Let us the faithful hasten together to the present festival; for a spiritual table and a mystical wine-bowl are set before us, filled with sweet foods of joy: the virtues of the Martyrs; for these brave-hearted ones from the ends of the earth offered to God as a rational sacrifice the many tortures of their bodily extremities and the prime of their years; some had their heads cut off, others were dismembered of hands and of every joint together; all the Saints became partakers of Christ’s sufferings. But Lord, who gave them crowns as rewards of their torments, count us worthy to live according to their example, as you love mankind.

Let us glorify Christ who rose from the dead: for having taken a body and a soul, he parted them from one another by the passion; for his soul descended into Hell, whom he despoiled, while the holy body of the Redeemer of our souls did not know corruption in the tomb.

We glorify your Resurrection from the dead, O Christ, in psalms and hymns. Through it you have freed us from the tyranny of Hell, and as God granted us eternal life and your great mercy.

You, Master of all things, incomprehensible Maker of heaven and earth, by suffering the Cross became for me the source of dispassion. Accepting burial and rising in glory, you raised Adam with you by your all-powerful hand. Glory to your Rising on the third day, through which you have granted us eternal life and forgiveness of sins, as you alone are compassionate.

Glory.

Come you faithful, let us today strike up a dance and devoutly keep festival and gloriously honour the glorious and revered memory of all the Saints, as we say: Hail, glorious Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs and Hierarchs. Hail, company of Ascetics and of the just. Hail, choir of honoured Women; and intercede with Christ for the world, to grant victories to our sovereign and to our souls his great mercy.

You the Compassionate came down from above, you accepted burial for three days, that you might free us from the passions. Our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory to you!

Clothed as in purple and fine linen with the blood of your Martyrs throughout the world, your Church cries out to you through them, Christ God: Send down your pity on your people; give peace to your commonwealth, and to our souls your great mercy.

After the 1st Reading from the Psalter Kathismata of the Resurrection from the Oktoichos.

Humans sealed your grave, O Saviour, an Angel rolled the stone from the door. Women saw you risen from the dead, and it was they who gave the good tidings to your Disciples in Sion: The life of all has risen and the bonds of death are loosed. Lord, glory to you.

Truly risen from the tomb you ordered the holy women to proclaim the Resurrection to the Apostles, as it is written; and Peter running stood by the grave and seeing the light in the tomb he was struck with amazement: so he both saw the grave clothes in it lying alone, without the divine body, and he believed and cried out: Glory to you Christ our God, for you save us all, our Saviour, for you are the brightness of the Father.

From my youth the enemy tempts me, burns me with pleasures; but I, trusting in you, Lord, put him to flight.

Those who hate Sion, let them become like grass before it is dug up; for Christ will cut their necks with a sharp blade of torments.

Glory. Both now.

Let my humble heart be sheltered by fear of you; lest it fall away from you by being exalted, O all-merciful.

He who has his hope in the Lord will not be afraid when he judges all things by fire and punishment.

Glory. Both now.

I have cried to you, Lord, give heed, bend your ear to me as I call and cleanse me before you take me from what is here.

Each one who sinks back upon his mother earth will depart to receive torments or rewards for his life’s actions.

Glory. Both now.

Behold, what so good, what so pleasant as brothers dwelling together? For in this the Lord promised eternal life.

He who adorns the lilies of the field commands us not to be concerned over our raiment.

Glory. Both now.

The Canons: of the Resurrection to 4, of the Cross and Resurrection to 2, of the Mother of God to 2 and of the Saints to 6.

As I sing the praise of the ranks of your Saints, I beg you by your light to shed your rays on my soul at their prayers. For you are the unapproachable light, dispelling the gloom of ignorance by your torches, O Word of God, Christ giver of light.

As you were lifted up on the Tree, Master, you drew to knowledge of you the whole inheritance of the nations, and made it radiant with the light of the holy Trinity through your holy Apostles, through whom you drove out deception.

Obedient to your commandment, O Christ, your glorious Apostles devoutly renounced everything on earth; and by the light of grace they made bright the whole inhabited world as they preached you through the Gospel.

The Priests and Shepherds, clothed with sacred priesthood, wisely guided it, O Christ, and worthily adorned it, truly enriched with the word of teaching from on high.

Made fair by the beauties of that first created beauty, and revealed as unerring beacons, you made Christ’s Church a heaven, O Saints, each in his place adorning it in varied ways.

Kontakion and Ikos from the Oktoichos.

The company of your Saints, joined together through love and sincerely and purely delighting in you, dances in joy with the perpetual dance of the Angels around you, who see all, the God and Lord of all.

Glorious and all-blessed Martyr Priests, once gleaming with the divine anointing of the priesthood, you bound on like youths the Martyrs’ wreath of victory; and so fittingly receiving double crowns, you rejoice with Christ eternally.

Godbearing Fathers, you subjected every fleshly thought to the spirit, withering their unruly assaults by fasting and ascetic discipline; and now aflame with the light of dispassion, you have received the rewards of your labours.

As godly Prophets you were found worthy to foresee the things to come, longing for which with nobility of soul you purified your selves by holy living, O Godbearers, enlightened by the strength of the Spirit.

The choir of the Saints is now made bright by divine gifts of grace, all those before the law, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, companies of Martyrs, Ascetics, Teachers and Righteous with Priest Martyrs.

The Saints, having found you, Master, in Sion placed as a precious, chosen cornerstone, an unshakeable foundation, built themselves on you as chosen stones.

When your side was pierced streams of blood dropped from it along with deifying water and refashioned the world and summoned a godly throng of all the Saints, O Benefactor.

I sing the praise of each friend of my Lord,

Our most godlike Fathers decreed that we should celebrate the present feast after the descent of the All-holy Spirit, as showing in a certain way that the coming of the All-holy Spirit acted through the Apostles like this: sanctifying and making wise human beings taken from our mortal clay and, for the completion of that fallen angelic order, restoring them and through Christ sending them to God, some by the witness of martyrdom and blood, others by their virtuous conduct and way of life; and things beyond nature are achieved. For the Spirit descends in the form of fire, whose natural momentum is upwards; while dust, whose natural momentum is downwards, ascends on high, that dust which forms our mortal clay, the flesh added to and made divine by God the Word, which a short time before, had been exalted and taken its seat at the right hand of the Father’s glory. But he now also draws all those who wish, according to the promise, just as God the Word had manifested the works of reconciliation and what was the end, most suitable to its purpose, of his coming to us through flesh and of his dispensation, namely that he brings those who were rejected before to union and friendship with God — human nature offering to God the ungrateful people from the nations like first fruits —those who were outstandingly well-pleasing to him. This is one reason that we celebrate the feast of All Saints.

A second reason is because, though many people have been well-pleasing to God, they were through outstanding virtue unknown to humanity by name, or for some human reason or other, but nevertheless have great glory in God’s sight. Or again, because there are many who have lived following Christ in India, Egypt, Arabia. Mesopotamia and Phrygia and in the lands beyond the Black Sea, even as far as the British Isles themselves; in short, in both East and West, but it was not easy to honour them all properly because of their vast numbers, in the way that ecclesiastical custom has been received. And therefore, so that we may attract the help of them all, wherever on earth they were well-pleasing to God, and generally for those who would later become Saints, the most godly Fathers ordained that we should celebrate the feast of All Saints, honouring the earlier and later ones, the unknown and the known — all those in whom the Holy Spirit has dwelt he has made holy.

A third reason is this. It was necessary for the Saints who are celebrated individually day by day to be gathered together on one day, in order to demonstrate that, as they struggled for the one Christ and all ran the race in the same stadium of virtue, so they were all fittingly crowned as servants of one God and sustained the Church, having filled the world on high. They stir us also to accomplish the same struggle in its different and many forms, to the degree of power that each of us has to press onwards with all eagerness.

For all these Saints from every age the revered and wise Emperor Leo erected and vast and very beautiful church. This is very near the church of the holy Apostles, within the city of Constantine. He built it originally, it is said, for his first wife Theophano, who was outstandingly well-pleasing to God, which was indeed a marvel in the midst of turmoil and in royal palaces. When he informed the Church of his idea, he did not succeed in making it agree with his wishes

The most wise Emperor, with the approval of the whole Church, dedicated to all the Saints everywhere in the world the building that had been erected, observing that ‘Since Theophano is a Saint, let her be numbered with the rest. ‘

The ranks of Saints, as they praise in never silent hymns the One who rests among the Saints, now enjoy divine delight, and joyfully they dance and sing: Blessed is the God of our Fathers.

The companies of the Saints, suffused with divine rays of triple-sunned outpouring of light, devoutly proclaim a Unity in number three, the Father without beginning and the Son and the holy Spirit.

When you appear, O God, in your ineffable glory in the midst of the gods, granting to each their desserts and apportioning crowns, then count all worthy to sing to you: Blessed is the God of our Fathers.

Rejoice, Martyrs, Prophets, Apostles, honoured company of Martyr Priests, godly choir of the Just, of Ascetics and Teachers, who all make melody with the Myrrhbearing women: youths, bless; priests, praise; people, highly exalt him to all the ages.

Saints, who bear in yourselves the radiance beyond understanding and are filled with divine joy and gladness, you are called gods by your nearness to God; familiar with the rays which sanctify and enlightened by the beams of the ineffable glory, you highly Christ to all the ages.

The company of the elect, armed with the breastplate of hope and love and fenced about by faith, rejoiced as they nobly endured all the threats of tyrants, the tortures and scourges, for as outstanding witnesses of truth their wealth was Christ who gives victory in contests.

Let us now fittingly praise a haven of salvation, the Baptist, Apostles, Prophets and Martyrs, with Ascetics, godly Teachers and Priests, the company of Patriarchs and far-famed Martyr Priests, God-loving women, the holy and just.

Let us as is fitting crown with hymns the Baptist and Forerunner, the Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Hierarchs, Ascetics and Holy Ones, with Martyr Priests, God-loving Women and all the Just, and the ranks of Angels, imploring that we may attain the glory which they have from Christ the Saviour.

At Lauds we insert 8 Stichera, and sing 5 of the Resurrection and 3 of the Saints.

Lord, though you stood at the judgement seat being judged by Pilate, yet seated with the Father you were not absent from your throne; and rising from the dead you freed the world from the slavery of the stranger, as you are full of pity and love mankind.

Lord, though Jews laid you as a corpse in a grave, yet soldiers were guarding you like a sleeping king, and they sealed you with a seal like a treasure-house of life; but you have risen and granted incorruption to our souls.

Lord, you have given us your Cross as a weapon against the devil; for he quails and trembles, unable to bear your power; for you raise the dead and have destroyed death: therefore we worship your Burial and your Rising.

The Martyrs made the earth heaven by the radiance of their virtues, they imitated the death of Christ, they trod the way which brings immortality, they purified the passions of mortals by the surgery of grace, they competed nobly with their whole soul in all the world: let them be praised.