O the great mystery! As I contemplate the wonders I proclaim the Godhead, I do not deny the humanity. For Emmanuel, as he loves humankind, opened the gates of nature, yet did not break open the locks of virginity, but came forth from the womb as he had entered through hearing. He became incarnate as he had been conceived. Impassibly he entered, ineffably he came forth, in accordance with the saying of the Prophet, ‘This gate will remain shut; none may enter through it, but only the Lord God of Israel, he who has great mercy’.

We have no other refuge to the Maker and Master but you, pure Bride of God. With your fervent protection do not cast us away; do not put us to shame who with love hasten under your shelter.

Who will praise, who will call you blessed as is fitting, Maiden Bride of God, for the redemption which through you has come to the world? Therefore with thanksgiving we cry to you and say, ‘Hail, who made Adam divine and brought together what was separated. Hail, who enlightened our race by the light-bearing Resurrection of your Son and our God; for we, the race of Christians, unceasingly magnify you’.

Come let us worship God the Word, begotten of the Father before the ages, incarnate of the Virgin Mary; for having endured the Cross, he was handed over for burial, as he himself wished, and having risen from the dead he saved me, mankind that had gone astray.

Christ our Saviour by nailing the record against us to the Cross annulled it, and destroyed the might of death. We worship his Rising on the third day.

An Angel proclaimed you, the crucified and buried Master, and said to the women, ‘Come, see where the Lord was lying. For he has risen as he said, as all-powerful’. Therefore we worship you, the only immortal. O Christ, Giver of life, have mercy on us.

By your Cross you destroyed the curse of the tree; by your burial you slew the might of death; by your Rising you enlightened the human race; therefore we cry out to you; ‘Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to you!’

The gates of death opened to you Lord, in fear; Hells gate-keepers shuddered when they saw you; for you smashed the gates of brass, crushed to powder the iron bars, led us out of darkness and the shadow of death and tore our bonds asunder.

Why do you mingle sweet spices with your tears, O Women Disciples? The stone has been rolled away; the tomb has been emptied; see corruption trampled on by life, the seals clearly bearing witness, the guards of the unbelieving fast asleep. Mortality has been saved by the flesh of God. Hell is lamenting. Run with joy, say to the Apostles: Christ the first born from the dead has slain death and is going before you into Galilee.

The Myrrhbearers rose at dawn and came to your tomb with haste. They were seeking you, O Christ, that they might anoint your spotless body, and instructed by the words of the Angel, they proclaimed the joyful signs to the Apostles, ‘The author of our salvation has risen, despoiling death but granting the world eternal life an d his great mercy’.

‘Myrrhbearing women, why have you come to the tomb? Why do you seek the living among the dead? The Lord has risen, take courage!’ cries the Angel.

With fear the women came to the grave, hastening to anoint the body with sweet spices, and not finding it they were at a loss among themselves, not knowing of the Resurrection. But an Angel came to them and said, ‘Christ has risen, granting us his great mercy’.

Mary Magdalen and the other Mary came to the grave seeking the Lord, and they saw an Angel like lightning sitting on the stone, who said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He has risen as he said; in Galilee you will find him’. To him let us cry aloud, ‘Lord, risen from the dead, glory to you!’

Joseph asked for the Body of Jesus and laid it in his new grave: for he had to come from a tomb as from a bridal chamber. You have crushed the might of death and opened the gates of Paradise to mankind, glory to you.

Let God arise, and his enemies be scattered: and let those that hate him flee before his face.

A sacred Pascha has been revealed to us today, a new and holy Pascha, a mystic Pascha, an all-venerable Pascha, a Pascha that is Christ the Redeemer, an unblemished Pascha, a great Pascha, a Pascha of the faithful, a Pascha that has opened for us the gates of Paradise, a Pascha that makes all the faithful holy.

As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire.

Come from that sight, you women, bearers of good tidings, and say to Sion, Receive from us the good tidings of joy, of Christs Resurrection. Exult, dance and be glad, Jerusalem, for you have seen Christ the King like a bridegroom coming from the grave.

So shall the wicked perish at the presence of God; and let the just be glad.

The myrrh-bearing women at deep dawn came to the grave of the giver of life. They found an Angel sitting on the stone, and he addressed them and said, ‘Why do you seek the living with the dead? Why do you mourn the incorruptible as though he were in corruption? Go, proclaim it to his Disciples’.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

A Pascha of delight, Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha, an all-venerable Pascha has dawned for us, Pascha. Let us embrace one another with joy. O Pascha, ransom from sorrow! Today Christ shone forth from a tomb as from a bridal chamber, and filled the women with joy, saying, ‘Proclaim it to the Apostles!’

You, who wrap yourself in light as in a garment, Joseph with Nikodemos took down from the Tree. And when he saw you a naked, unburied corpse, in loving sympathy he raised the lament, and mourning said, ‘Alas! Most sweet Jesu, when the sun saw you but a little while ago hanging on a cross it wrapped itself in darkness and the earth was shaken by fear and the veil of the temple was rent. But see, I now look on you who willingly underwent death for my sake. How shall I bury you, my God? How wrap you in winding sheets? With what hands may I touch your immaculate body? Or what songs, O Merciful One, may I sing for your departure? I magnify your sufferings, and I praise your burial and your Resurrection, as I cry: Lord glory to you!’

When you went down to death, O immortal life, then you slew Hell with the lightning flash of your Godhead; but when from the depths below the earth you raised the dead, all the Powers in the heavens cried out: Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you!

The noble Joseph, taking down your most pure Body from the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud with sweet spices and laid it for burial in a new grave. But on the third day you arose, O Lord, granting the world your great mercy.