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AT MATINS After the 1st reading from the Psalter Kathismata of the Resurrection. Tone 7. When Life had been laid in the tomb and a seal laid on the stone, soldiers guarded Christ as a sleeping King and Angels glorified him as immortal God; while women cried aloud: The Lord has risen, granting the world his great mercy. Verse: Arise, O Lord my God, lift up your hand; do not forget your poor for ever.By your burial for three days you despoiled death, and by your life-bearing Rising you raised corrupted humanity, O Christ god, as you love humankind. Glory to you! Glory. Both now. Theotokion.Virgin Mother of God unceasingly implore Christ God, who was crucified for us and rose again and destroyed the might of death, to save our souls. After the 2nd reading, others. While the grave was sealed, Christ God, you dawned, O Life, from the tomb; and while the doors were shut, you, the Resurrection of all, came to your Disciples, through them renewing a right Spirit in us, according to your great mercy. Verse: I will confess you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.Bringing sweet spices with their tears, women ran to the grave, and while soldiers guarded you, the King of all, they said to one another: Who will roll away the stone for us? The Angel of great Counsel has risen, trampling on death. All-powerful Lord, glory to you! Glory. Both now. Theotokion.Hail full of grace, Virgin Mother of God, haven and protection of the human race, for from you the Redeemer of the world took flesh, for you alone are Mother and Virgin, ever blessed and glorified; intercede with Christ God to grant the whole world peace. After Psalm 118 the Ypakoï. Christ God, who took our form and endured the Cross in the body, save me by your Resurrection, as you love humankind. The Anavathmi. 1st Antiphon. You turned back the captivity of Sion from error, make me too live, O Saviour, seizing me from the slavery of the passions. He who sows tribulations in the south with tears of fasting, he will reap with joy sheaves of nourishment that lives for ever. Glory. Both now. In the Holy Spirit is the source of divine treasures, from him come wisdom, understanding, fear; to him be praise, glory, honour and might. 2nd Antiphon. Unless the Lord build the house of the soul, we labour in vain; for without him no deed or word is perfected. Of the fruit of the womb the Saints, moved by the Spirit, produce the Father's teachings of filial adoption. Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit all things have being; before all he is God, lordship of the universe, unapproachable Light, Life of all. 3rd Antiphon. Those who fear the Lord and find the ways of life, now and always are blest with unsullied glory. As you see your offspring like a shoot around your table, rejoice, be glad as you bring them to Christ the Chief Shepherd. Glory. Both now. In the Holy Spirit is an abyss of graces, a wealth of glory and a great deep of judgements; for he is to be worshipped as identical in glory with the Father and the Son. Prokeimenon. Arise, O Lord my God, lift up your hand; do not forget your poor for ever. Verse: I will confess you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.Let everything that has breath…, the Dawn Gospel, Having seen the Resurrection of Christ…, Psalm 50 and the rest as usual.Resurrection Canon. At your behest, O Lord, the nature of the waters that before flowed freely was transformed and became like earth; and so Israel having marched dryshod sings you a song of victory. Troparia. The tyranny of death was judged through a tree, Lord, when you were condemned to an unjust death; and so the ruler of darkness had no power over you and was rightly cast out. Hades drew near you and having no strength to crush your body with its teeth it broke its jaws; and so, O Saviour, loosing the pains of death, you rose on the third day. Theotokion. The pangs of the foremother Eve have been abolished, for you escaped pangs when you gave birth without wedlock; and so knowing you to be truly Mother of God we all glorify you. Of the Cross and Resurrection. Two life-bearing sources the Saviour poured out for us on the Cross from his pierced side. Let us sing to him, for he has been glorified. By dwelling in a tomb and rising on the third day Christ granted mortals the expectation of incorruption. Let us sing to him, for he has been glorified. Theotokion. Alone you were revealed a virgin even after child-birth; for you gave birth to the Creator of the world made flesh. Therefore we all cry to you, ‘Hail!’ Hymn to the Mother of God, Irmos. At your behest. O Virgin who gave birth of the abyss of compassion, flood my soul with your light-bearing radiance, that I may sing with love the praise of the abyss of your wonders. Seeing us wounded by the arrow of sin, the Word took pity on us as benefactor. Therefore the One who is beyond godhead, O all-pure, was united ineffably to flesh from you. Human nature had become subject to death, corruptible and mortal. But by conceiving life, O all-pure, you led it back from corruption to life. Ode 3. Irmos. Lord, Saviour, who established the heavens in the beginning by your all-powerful Word and by the divine and all-effecting Spirit all their power, establish me on the unshakeable rock of confession of you. Troparia. Ascending the Tree for our sake, compassionate Saviour, willingly to suffer pain, you bear the wound, cause of peace and salvation for the faithful. Through it, O Merciful, we have all been reconciled to your Begetter. You cleansed me, wounded in soul by the bite of the serpent, of my wound, O Christ, and showed me light, who of old dwelt in darkness and corruption; for through the Cross you descended into Hades and raised me up with yourself. Theotokion. At the entreaties of your Mother who did not know man, grant peace to your world, O Saviour; give victory to the King over hostile barbarians and count those who glorify you worthy of your ineffable glory. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. You endured the sufferings on the Cross and opened Paradise to the Thief, as benefactor and God; establish my mind to do your will, only Lover of humankind. You rose from the tomb on the third day and made life dawn for the world, as giver of life and God; establish my mind to do your will, only Lover of humankind. Theotokion. O Virgin-mother Mary, who conceived God without seed and delivered Eve from the curse, entreat God who was incarnate from you to save your flock. Another. Of the Mother of God. A serpent crawling out of Eden enticed me with a longing to be divine and hurled me to the earth. But he who is by nature compassionate and kind took pity on me and having dwelt in your womb and been made like me, O Virgin-Mother, he makes me divine. Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Virgin Mother of God, the joy of all; for you gave birth to joy for all the world and to gladness that truly scatters the grief of sin, O Bride of God. Virgin Mother of God, you gave birth for us to eternal life and light and peace, ending the warfare of the old man against his Father and God by faith and the acknowledgement of grace. Ode 4. Irmos. Christ God, who did not leave the Father’s bosom and who came down to earth, I have heard of the mystery of your dispensation and I have glorified you, only Lover of humankind. Troparia. The innocent Master who was incarnate from a Virgin, having given his own back to the scourges of a fallen slave, is maltreated, abolishing the charges against me. The One who as God fashioned humankind and who judges the whole earth with justice, standing before a tribunal of lawless judges, is examined like a culprit and struck by a hand of clay. Theotokion. As truly Mother of God, implore your Maker and Son to direct me, O all-blameless, to the saving harbour of his glorious will. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. O Lord, who do not know sin, because of which you became what you were not, you took a form that was another’s, that you might save the world and lure the tyrant and slay him. You were hung upon a cross, O Lord, and, having abolished the sin of our forefather Adam, you filled our foremother with joy; because you had come to save all your anointed. Theotokion. Born from a Virgin, you die, but you give life to Adam, who had been led astray of his own accord; for death too quailed at your strength, when you came to save all who had been corrupted. Another, of the Mother of God. Wholly chosen and fair, you appeared to God before creation; by the splendour of the light that pours from you make radiant those who sing your praise. Pure Virgin Mother, for mortals you gave birth to God, incarnate from your pure blood, who redeems from many faults those who love honour you and sing your praise. Rational nature, now initiated into the ineffable mystery of your child-bearing, ministers as priest to the One who dawned from you, O All-praised. Ode 5. Irmos. Night is without light for unbelievers, O Christ, but enlightenment to believers in the delight of divine words. Therefore I rise to you at dawn and sing the praise of your Godhead. Troparia. You are sold on behalf of your slaves, O Christ, and endure a blow, cause of freedom for those who sing to you. I rise to you at dawn and sing the praise of your Godhead. By your divine power, O Christ, through the weakness of the flesh you overthrew the strong one and declared me victor over death, O Saviour, through your Resurrection. Theotokion. In a manner fitting God, All-praised Mother, you gave birth to God become incarnate from you; since you did not know the marriage bed of a male, but you conceived from the holy Spirit. Another, of Cross and Resurrection. When, numbered with the lawless, you were lifted up on Calvary, the great lights hid themselves and the earth was shaken, and the splendour of the Temple was rent, showing the rejection of the Hebrews. With hymns we glorify you that destroyed all the power of the tyrant by the incomprehensible strength of your Godhead and raised the dead by your Resurrection. Theotokion. All-praised Mother of God, Mother of the King and God, by your intercessions send down pardon of offences to those who with faith and love ever praise you in hymns. Of the Mother of God. The same. When Jacob saw a ladder stretching to the heights he learned an image of your virginity; for through you, all-pure Lady, God associated with humankind. O Virgin, as through you we have now found eternal redemption, with eagerness we cry to you, ‘Hail, Bride of God!’ And joyful in your light with hymns we sing to you, All-praised. The Bridegroom found you, O Virgin, only lily among thorns, shining with the brightness of purity and the light of virginity, he made you his Bride. Ode 6. Irmos. Sick on the rolling swell of the cares of this life, thrown overboard by the sins that sail with me and hurled to the soul-destroying beast, like Jonas I cry out to you, O Christ, ‘Bring me up from this death-dealing deep’. Troparia. The souls of the righteous, shut up and forsaken in Hell, remembered you and prayed for salvation from you. This you granted through the Cross, O Christ, when in your compassion you went down to the regions below the earth. The choir of the Apostles despaired of looking again towards your living temple, not made with hands, that had been destroyed by sufferings. But worshipping beyond hope they proclaimed everywhere that it had been raised again. Theotokion. What human can explain the manner of your ineffable child-bearing for our sake, all-blameless Virgin, Bride of God? For God the Word, who is uncircumscribed, being made one with you, from you became flesh. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. Willingly lifted up on the Cross, O Saviour, you took prisoner the might of the foe. On it, loving Lord, you nailed the record of our sin. When you rose from the dead, O Saviour, you raised up with you the human race, granting us life and incorruption, for you love humankind. Theotokion. Mother of God, do not cease to entreat our God, to whom you gave birth beyond explanation, that those who sing your praise, ever-Virgin, may be delivered from dangers. Of the Mother of God. Types in the Law and the sayings of the Prophets clearly foretold that you would give birth to the Benefactor of all creation, Pure Virgin, who in many and varied ways had bestowed benefits on those who with faith sing your praise. Adam, the first-formed, was exiled of old by the plot of the slayer of mortals, from the delight of Paradise. But you, Virgin who knew not wedlock, led him back again, by giving birth to the One who delivered us from transgression. The One who by his divine purpose and creative power brought the universe into being from non-existence came forth from your womb, pure Virgin, and shone with the blaze of divine lightning on those in the shadow of death. Kontakion. No longer does the might of death have power to keep mortals captive; for Christ came down, breaking in pieces and destroying its power. Now Hell is bound, the Prophets with one in joy declare, ‘The Saviour has appeared to those with faith. Come out you faithful to the Resurrection!’ The Ikos. All that is beneath the earth, Hades and death, trembled today before one of the Trinity; the earth quaked, the gate-keepers of Hades, when they saw you, quailed; all creation, rejoicing with the prophets, sings you a song of victory, our Redeemer and God, who destroyed the power of death. Let us shout with joy and cry out to Adam and to Adam’s race, ‘Come out, you faithful, to the Resurrection!’ Ode 7. Irmos. The Youths of old revealed the furnace that blazed with fire to be moist with dew, as they sang the praise of the one God and said, ‘O highly exalted and highly glorified God of our Fathers’. Troparia. Adam having by his own will worked disobedience was slain by a tree, but by Christ’s obedience he was refashioned. Because for my sake was crucified the Son of God, the highly glorified. All creation sang your praise, O Christ, when you rose from the tomb; for you made life flower for those in Hades, resurrection for the dead and light for those in darkness, O highly glorified. Theotokion. Hail, daughter of Adam, who fell into corruption! Hail, only Bride of God! Hail, who bore God and through whom corruption was banished! Entreat him, Pure Virgin that we may all be saved. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. On the Tree of the Cross you blunted the goad of sin, and by the lance in your side you abolished the record of Adam’s transgression. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. You were pierced in the side and with the drops of your divine Blood you cleaned the earth that had been polluted with the bloodshed of the folly of idolatry. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. Theotokion. Mother of God, you made the enlightenment that is before the sun dawn for world, Christ who delivered from darkness and enlightened all with knowledge of God, as they cried, Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. Of the Mother of God. Another. Having you as his possession, O Virgin, an adornment wrought in gold, of many colours, he loved you, your Creator and Lord, the highly exalted and highly glorified God of our Fathers. When Isaias of old received the coal and was cleansed, O Maiden, he saw in symbol your Offspring, the highly exalted and highly glorified God of our Fathers. When the godly Prophets of old saw symbols of your godly child-bearing they raise in harO Virgin, clothed in a robe of many coloursmony a song of praise and cried, ‘O highly exalted and highly glorified God of our Fathers’. Ode 8. Irmos. Unconsumed by fire, the bush on Sinai spoke and made God known to the slow-tongued Moses, clumsy in speech; and the burning zeal for God revealed the three young men unharmed by fire and singing, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. Troparia. The most-pure spiritual Lamb, slaughtered for the sake of the world, brought to an end the offerings according to the Law, purifying as God without transgressions the world which ever cries, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. The flesh assumed by our Creator, which was not incorruptible before the Passion, after his Passion and his Rising was rendered inaccessible to corruption, and it makes mortals new as they cry, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. Theotokion. Your total purity and lack of blemish, O Virgin, purified the inhabited world of filth and pollution, and you became for us, O all-pure, the cause of our being reconciled to God. Therefore, O Virgin, we bless and highly exalt you to all the ages. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. The One who willingly endured the Passion and by his own design was nailed to a Cross and abolished the powers of Hades, praise him, you Priests, highly exalt him, you peoples, to all the ages. The One who made the might o death of no effect and who rose from the tomb in glory and saved the human race, praise him, you Priests, highly exalt him, you peoples, to all the ages. Theotokion. The Word, alone compassionate and pre-eternal, who was born in the last times from a Virgin and abolished the ancient curse, praise him, you Priests, highly exalt him, you peoples, to all the ages. Of the Mother of God. Another. By the splendour of your child-bearing, Mother of God, you have marvellously enlightened the inhabited world. For you carry in your arms the true God, who makes radiant the faithful who ever cry, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. Pure Virgin, we devoutly sing the praise of your womb which contained God, incarnate beyond explanation, who gives the enlightenment of the knowledge of God to all the faithful who ever cry, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. With the bright rays of your light you make light those who sing your praise, pure Mother of God, parent of the light; for you appeared as tabernacle of light, making radiant with light those who ever cry, ‘All you works of the Lord, praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages’. Ode 9. Irmos. Conceiving without knowing corruption, lending your flesh to the Word, the deviser of all, Mother knowing no man, Virgin Mother of God, vessel of the uncontainable, space for your infinite Maker, we magnify you. Troparia. Shut your mouths, all you that with minds gone astray make sufferings harmonize with Godhead; for it is the Lord of glory, crucified in the flesh, but not crucified in his divine nature, as one in two natures, that we magnify. You that reject the resurrection of bodies go to the grave of Christ and be taught that the flesh of the Giver of life was slain and rose again in confirmation of the final Resurrection, for we hope. To the Trinity. As we honour not a Trinity of godheads but of hypostases, not a Unity of persons but of Godhead, we cut off those who divide it, while we confound those who dare to confound this Trinity which we magnify. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. Light from light, radiance of the Father’s glory, shining out timelessly, Christ shone for the life of mortals that were in darkness and dispelled the pursuing darkness. Without ceasing we the faithful magnify him. As they contemplate the sufferings of the flesh and the strength of the Godhead in Christ let those who maintain one compound nature be ashamed; for he died as man, but rose again as Creator of the universe. Theotokion. ‘Apart from you I know no other God’, your Church cries out to you, ‘who chose me as your own bride from unbelieving nations.’ Then give salvation to believers, O Word, at the prayers of her who bore you, for you are compassionate. Of the Mother of God. The same. Ever-virgin maiden, you were declared to be for us cause of eternal joy and gladness, for your carried in your womb the Redeemer, who redeems those who in truth and in the divine Spirit honour him as God. David, your forefather, in a psalm names you ark of divine sanctification, O All-pure, who contained beyond nature the One who is seated in the Father’s bosom. Without ceasing we the faithful magnify him. You are truly higher than all creation, O Maiden; for for us you gave birth in bodily form to the Creator of all things; therefore, as Mother of the only Master, you royally carry off the victory against all. At Lauds, Resurrection Stichera. Christ has risen from the dead, loosing the bonds of death; earth proclaim the good tidings of great joy; heavens sing out the glory of God. Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We do not cease to worship Christ's Resurrection, for he has saved us from our iniquities, holy is Lord Jesus who showed forth the Resurrection. What return shall we make to the Lord for all that he has given back to us? For us God came among men; for our corrupted nature the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us; the Benefactor to the ungrateful; the Liberator to the prisoners; the Sun of justice to those who sat in darkness; the impassible to the Cross; the Light to Hades; Life to death; Resurrection for the fallen: to him we cry out: Our God, glory to you! Others, by Anatolios. By your mighty power, Lord, you have smashed the gates of Hades and destroyed the might of death; and raised with yourself the dead who slept from eternity in darkness, by your divine and glorious Resurrection, as King of the universe and all-powerful God. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord and be glad in his Resurrection; for he has raised the dead with himself from the indissoluble bonds of Hades, and as God granted the world eternal life and his great mercy. A dazzling Angel sat on the stone of the grave that held Life, and gave the good tidings to the Myrrh-bearing women saying: The Lord has risen, as he foretold to you; announce to his Disciples that he goes before you into Galilee; while to the world he grants eternal life and his great mercy. Lawless Jews, why did you reject the Cornerstone? This is the stone which God placed in Sion, the God who made water spring from the rock in the wilderness, and poured immortality for us from his side; this is the stone which was hewn from the Virgin mountain, with the will of man, the Son of man who is coming on the clouds of heaven before the Ancient of days, as Daniel said, and his Kingdom is eternal. Glory. The Eothinon of the Sunday.Both now. You are highly blessed… And after the Doxology, the Resurrection Troparion Having risen from the grave… |
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