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AT MATINS After the 1st Psalter Reading, Resurrection Kathismata. Let us celebrate the Cross of the Lord, let us honour in hymns his holy Burial and highly glorify his Resurrection; for with himself he raised the dead from the graves, as God having despoiled the might of death and the devil’s strength, and he made light dawn for those in Hell. Verse: Arise, O Lord, my God, let your hand be lifted up: do not forget the poor.O Lord, who put death to death, you were called dead; you that emptied the tombs were placed in a tomb; above, soldiers were guarding the grave, below, you raised the dead from every age. O Lord, All-powerful and beyond all understanding, glory to you! Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Hail holy mountain on which God has walked; hail living bush and unconsumed by fire; hail the world’s only bridge to God, who lead mortals over to eternal life; hail Maiden undefiled, who bore without wedlock the salvation of our souls. After the 2nd Psalter Reading other Kathismata. O Lord, after your Resurrection on the third day, and the worship of the Apostles, Peter cried to you: Women had courage, and I was a coward; a Thief confessed you as God, and I denied you: will you call me disciple in future, or will you declare me once again a fisher of the deep? But accept me repenting, O God, and save me! Verse: I will give thanks to you, O God, with my whole heart: I will tell of all your marvellous worksO Lord, the lawless nailed you between malefactors and pierced your side with a lance, O Merciful; but you, who destroyed the gates of Hell, accepted burial and rose on the third day; Women ran to see you and they announced the Resurrection to the Apostles. O Saviour highly exalted, whom the Angels hymn, O blessed Lord, glory to you. Glory Both now. Theotokion.Let us believers praise. Bride without wedlock, Mother of God, who turned Eve’s grief to joy, we the faithful hymn and worship you, for you have brought us back from the ancient curse. And now, All-hymned All-holy one, ceaselessly intercede, for the salvation of our souls. After Psalm 118 the Ypakoï. The Myrrhbearers, astounded in mind by the vision of the Angel yet enlightened in soul by the divine Resurrection, announced the good tidings to the Apostles: Tell among the nations the Lord’s Resurrection, who works with us through wonders, and grants us his great mercy. The Anavathmi. Antiphon 1. When I am troubled I sing to you like David, my Saviour: Deliver my soul from a deceitful tongue. Blessed is the life of those who dwell in the desert places, the love of God gives them wings. Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit all things are held firm, both visible and invisible; for he has sovereign power, being undeniably one of the Trinity. Antiphon 2. Let us lift ourselves to the mountains, my soul; come thither whence comes our help. Let your right hand hovering over me, O Christ, guard me from every mischief. Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit, as we contemplate God, let us say: you are God, life, love, light, mind, you are goodness, you reign to the ages. Antiphon 3. For those who said to me: Let us go to the courts of the Lord, filled with great joy, I offer my prayers. Fearful things will be accomplished upon the house of David; for a fire will be there, burning every shameful thought. Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit belongs the lordship of life, for from him every living being takes its breath, as to the Father together with the Word. Prokeimenon [Psalm 9].Arise, O Lord, my God, for you reign as King for ever. Verse: I will give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will tell of all your marvellous works. Let everything that has breath. The Dawn Gospel. We have seen the Resurrection. Psalm 50 and the Resurrection Canon. Ode 1. Tone 5. The Irmos. Christ, who brings wars to nothing with uplifted arm, shook horse and rider into the Red Sea; but Israel he saved as they sang a song of victory. Troparia. The assembly of the Hebrews preserved no mother’s love for you, O Benefactor Christ, but bearing thorns crowned you, the Author of our race, who abolished the penalty of the thorns. Giver of life, you bent down to the pit without falling and raised me up who had fallen; you bore my foul-smelling corruption untouched, and made me sweet-smelling with the myrrh of your divine nature. Theotokion. The curse is abolished, grief has ceased, for the Blessed One, the Full of Grace, has made joy dawn for the faithful, for she bears a flower, Christ, a blessing for all the ends of the earth. Another Canon, of the Cross and Resurrection. To him who was nailed of his own will to the Cross and through the Cross freed the fallen from the ancient sentence, to him alone let us sing, for he has been glorified. To Christ, the dead man who rose from the tomb and raised the fallen and adorned him by seating him with the Father, to him alone let us sing, for he has been glorified. Theotokion. Immaculate Mother of God, without ceasing implore the God who was incarnate from you, yet never absent from his Father’s bosom, to save those he fashioned from every trouble. Another Canon, of the Mother of God, of which the acrostic is: Virgin who bore the Light, enlighten me. O all-immaculate, implore Christ, the light who dwelt in you and enlightened the world with the rays of his godhead, to enlighten all those who hymn you as Mother of God. Full of grace, as one made fair by the beauty of the virtues, you received by the beam of the Spirit, O all-pure, the comeliness that creates beauty and makes the universe beautiful. The bush on Sinai foreshadowing you of old, O Virgin, was not consumed though joined with fire; for beyond understanding as a Virgin you bore a child and remained a Virgin, O Virgin Mother. Ode 3. The Irmos. You fixed the earth on nothing by your command, and raised it though ungovernably dragged down; establish your Church on the unshakeable rock of your commandments, O Christ, alone good and lover of mankind. Troparia. The ungrateful children of Israel, who sucked the honey from the rock offered you gall, O Christ, who worked the wonder in the wilderness; in exchange for your deeds of goodness gave you vinegar instead of manna. They who of old were protected by a cloud of light laid Christ, who is life, in a tomb; but by your own power you arose and granted all the faithful the radiance of the Spirit, which mystically overshadows them from above. Theotokion. Without wedlock and without a mother’s pains you became Mother of the God, who shone from a father who is uncompounded; therefore, since you bore the Word made flesh, with right belief we proclaim you Mother of God. Another, of Cross and Resurrection. You rose from the tomb, O Christ, giver of life, delivering from the corruption of death those who hymn your voluntary crucifixion. The Myrrhbearers were hastening to anoint your body, O Christ, and when they did not find it they returned hymning your Rising. Theotokion. O pure one, implore without ceasing the one who was incarnate from your loins that those who hymn you, pure Virgin, may be delivered from the deception of the devil. Of the Mother of God. Another. You have now been most clearly revealed to all, honoured Virgin, to be the ladder by which the Most High came down to right corrupted nature. For through you the supremely good was well-pleased to be joined to the world. The mystery preordained of old and known before the ages to God who knows all things, now in the last times has been revealed in your womb, All-blameless, having reached its term. Ode 4. The Irmos. Avvakoum, prophetically apprehending your divine self-emptying, O Christ, cried out to you in awe: You have come for the salvation of your people; to save your anointed. Troparia. Prefiguring, O Good One, as in an icon your immaculate Cross, which slays the taste of sin, through wood you sweetened the bitter waters of Mara. You accepted a Cross, my Saviour, against the tree of knowledge, gall against sweet provender; while against the corruption of death you poured out your divine blood. Theotokion. Without union you conceived in your womb without corruption; you gave birth before you felt the pains of labour, and after child-birth, for you had born God in the flesh, you were kept a Virgin. Another, of Cross and Resurrection. When the Cross was fixed in the earth on Calvary, the bars were smashed and the eternal gate-keepers, and they cried: Glory to your power, O Lord! When the Saviour went down as mortal to the prisoners, the dead from every age arose with him and cried: Glory to your power, O Lord! Theotokion. The Virgin gave birth and did not know a mother’s pangs, but mother she is and virgin has remained; whom we hymn as we cry: Hail, Mother of God! Of the Mother of God. Another. As with heart, mind, soul and voice I devoutly confess you as truly Mother of God, pure Virgin, I gather the fruit of salvation and am saved by your intercessions. He that created the universe from nothing, as benefactor was well-pleased to be created from you, O pure one, for the salvation of those who with faith and love hymn you, O all-blameless. The choirs beyond the world hymn your offspring, O all-blameless, rejoicing at the salvation of those who believe you to be true Mother of God, O Virgin undefiled. Isaias named you the rod from which sprung for us a fair flower, Christ God, for the salvation of those who with faith and love have recourse to your protection. Ode 5. The Irmos. To you, clothed with light as a garment, I rise early and cry out: Enlighten my darkened soul, O Christ, for you alone are compassionate. Troparia. The Lord of glory in a form without glory, of his own will is hung dishonoured on the tree and thus ineffably procured for me divine glory. You have changed my clothing for incorruption, O Christ, for incorruptibly you tasted in the flesh the corruption of death, and dawned from the grave on the third day. Theotokion. By giving birth without seed to Christ, who is justice and redemption for us, O Mother of God, you made our Forefather’s nature free of the curse. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. You stretched out your hands, our Saviour, on the tree, calling all to yourself as you love mankind. You despoiled Hell, our Saviour, by your burial, and you filled all things with joy by your Resurrection. Theotokion. We sing your praise as Virgin after child-birth, Mother of God; for you bore God the Word in the flesh for the world. Of the Mother of God. Another. All the Prophets clearly foretold that you would be God’s Mother, all-honoured Mother of God; for you alone, O pure one, were found wholly blameless. Honoured one, we acknowledge you to be the cloud of light which showered down on us in our despair Christ the shower of incorruption. The God, who as alone compassionate dwelt in you, loved you as close to him, wholly good and blameless, sealed purely in virginity. Ode 6. The Irmos. Calm the raging sea of the passions, O Master Christ, with its soul-destroying surge, and lead me up from corruption as you are compassionate. Troparia The Ancestor of the race, O Master Christ, slid down into corruption through tasting the forbidden food, and was brought back to life through your Passion. You, who are Life, came down to Hell, O Master Christ, and by becoming corruption to the corrupter, through corruption you became the source of resurrection. Theotokion. The Virgin bore a child and after child-birth remained pure; as truly Virgin Mother cradling him who carries the universe in his hands. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. You stretched out your hands, gathering together the companies of the nations, separated far from you, Christ our God, by your life-bearing Cross, for you love mankind. You despoiled death and smashed the gates of Hell; while Adam, the prisoner, was released and cried out to you: Your right hand has saved me, O Lord! Theotokion. Glorious Mary, boast of the Orthodox, we fittingly glorify you as bush unburned, mountain and living ladder, and gate of heaven. Of the Mother of God. Another. The cause of all, who gives being to all, when he took flesh like ours, had you as cause, all-blameless Mother of God. We know you, all-blameless Lady, to be a source brimming with life-sustaining healings for those who with faith have recourse to your far-famed protection. For us you bore the Giver of life, cause of salvation, who bestows eternal redemption on those who proclaim you as true Mother of God. Kontakion. You descended into Hell, Christ my Saviour, smashed its gates as all-powerful, raised the dead with yourself as Creator, smashed the sting of death and delivered Adam from the curse, O lover of mankind: therefore we all cry to you: Save us, O Lord! The Ikos. The women, when the heard the Angel’s words, cast away their lamentation and becoming joyful, trembling saw the Resurrection. And see, Christ drew near them and said: Rejoice! Take courage, I have overcome the world and freed the prisoners. Hurry then to the Disciples, take them this message: I am going before you to preach in the city of Galilee. Therefore we all cry to you: Save us, O Lord! Ode 7. The Irmos. The highly exalted Lord of the fathers quenched the flame, rained dew on the Youths as they sang in unison: O God, blessed are you! Troparia. Wrapped in flesh, like bait for a hook, You drew down the serpent by your divine power and brought up those who cry: O God, blessed are you! The Unbounded, who brought into being the immense structure of the earth, is hidden in the flesh in a tomb, and to him we all sing: O God, blessed are you! Theotokion. All-blameless, you bore one person in two natures, God in bodily form, and to him we all sing: O God, blessed are you! Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. You destroyed the error of idols through the tree of the Cross; blessed are you, the God of our Fathers. You rose from the dead, and raised with you those in Hell; blessed are you, the God of our Fathers. Theotokion. You were born of a Virgin, and revealed her to be Mother of God; blessed are you, the God of our Fathers. Of the Mother of God. Another. The infinite, who remains unchanged, was in his person united to flesh in you the All-holy, as he is compassionate; he alone is blessed. Lady, Mother of God, with one voice we glorify you, all-blameless bride and throne of your Creator; to him we all sing: Blessed are you, O God. Made pure by the Spirit, O Virgin, you have become the Mother of the King of all, who fashioned you; to him we all sing: Blessed are you, O God. The Lord saved me, O Immaculate Mother of God, clothed in the garment of the flesh he took from you; to him we all sing: Blessed are you, O God. Ode 8. The Irmos. The Youths in the furnace, weaving a dance of all creation, sang to you the Maker of all: All you works praise the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages. Troparia. As if it was not willed, you prayed that the wished for cup of your saving Passion might pass; for you bear two wills, O Christ, corresponding to your two natures to the ages. At your descent, O Christ, the Maker of all, Hell became a laughing stock and disgorged all those who of old had been slain by the devil’s deception and who highly exalt you to all the ages. Theotokion. O Virgin, who beyond thought by the word bore the Lord as God and man and remained virgin, all we his works highly exalt you to all the ages. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. Christ God, who willingly stretched out his hands on the cross and broke open the bonds of death, praise him, you priests, highly exalt him you people, to all the ages. Christ God, who dawned like a bridegroom from the tomb, appeared to the Myrrh-bearers and to them proclaimed joy, praise him, you priests, highly exalt him you people, to all the ages. Theotokion. You have been revealed, pure Mother of God, as higher than the Cherubim, for in your womb you carried him who rides upon them; with the Bodiless Powers we mortals glorify him to all the ages. Of the Mother of God. Another. Now the grief of first parents has ceased, for you, God’s Mother, have given birth to joy; therefore unceasingly we hymn you, O Virgin, and highly exalt you to all the ages. The host of the Bodiless Powers sings with us your incomprehensible child-bearing, O Virgin; making one choir with them in love, we highly exalt it to all the ages. A translucent stream of immortality has come forth from you, O Maiden, the Lord of all, who washes away the filth of those who hymn you with faith and highly exalt you to all the ages. We confess you, O Virgin, to be truly the divine and light-bearing throne, and tablet of grace, for you received the Word of the Father; whom we highly exalt to all the ages. Ode 9. The Irmos. O Isaias, dance! The Virgin has conceived, and she has borne a Son, Emmanuel, who is both God and man; and Orient is his name; whom we magnify, as we call the Virgin blessed. Troparia. O Master Christ, you assumed fallen man, wholly joined to him from a virgin womb; but alone not sharing in sin, you freed him wholly from corruption by your immaculate sufferings. O Master Christ, by the blood which flowed from God being emptied from your immaculate and life-giving side sacrifice to idols has ceased, while we of all the earth offer you the sacrifice of praise. Theotokion. The pure and holy Maiden disclosed not God without a body, nor yet a mere man, but perfect man and in truth perfect God, whom we magnify with the Father and the Spirit. Another. Of Cross and Resurrection. You accepted the sufferings on the Cross and by death smashed the power of Hell; with right belief we faithful magnify you. You rose from the tomb on the third day, despoiled Hell and enlightened the world; with one mind we faithful magnify you. Theotokion. Hail, God-bearer, Mother of Christ God; ask him whom your bore to grant forgiveness of offences to those who hymn you with faith. Of the Mother of God. Another. From your pure blood flesh was curdled beyond nature for the creator and only-begotten Son of the Father, not from a man, but without seed, with mind and soul, O Mother of God, ever-virgin. You halted the ungovernable assault of death when beyond understanding you truly gave birth in the flesh to eternal life; for Hell, attacking it with bitter mouth, was destroyed. Seated on his royal throne your Son stood you at his right hand, radiantly shining in tasselled gold, in godly virtues, and assured you honours due to his Mother, O all-blameless. At Lauds, Resurrection Stichera. Tone 5. Lord, though the grave was sealed by lawless men, you came from the tomb as you had been born from the Mother of God; your bodiless Angels did not know how you had become incarnate, the soldiers guarding you did not know when you arose; for both are sealed for those who inquire, but the wonders have been revealed to those who with faith worship the mystery which we hymn; give us joy and great mercy. Lord, having smashed the eternal bars and burst bonds asunder, you rose from the tomb, leaving your grave clothes behind as evidence of your true burial for three days; and you went ahead into Galilee, while being guarded in a cave. Great is your mercy, O Saviour beyond understanding; have mercy on us. Lord, the women ran to your tomb to see you, the Christ who had suffered for our sakes, and approaching they found an Angel seated on the stone, rolled back with fear, and he cried out to them and said: The Lord has risen; tell his disciples that he has risen, he who saves our souls. Lord, as you came out of the sealed grave, so you came in to your disciples when the doors were shut, and showed them your body’s sufferings, which you had accepted, O long-suffering Saviour; as sprung from David’s seed you endured stripes; as Son of God you have freed the world. Great is your mercy, O Saviour beyond understanding; have mercy on us. Other Stichera, by Anatolios. Lord, the King of the ages and Maker of all things, who for us accepted crucifixion and burial in the flesh, that you might free us all from Hell, you are our God and we know no other but you. Lord, who will recount your dazzling wonders? Who will announce your dread mysteries? For, incarnate for us, as you willed, you manifested the might of your power: for on your Cross you opened Paradise to the Thief, and in your Burial you smashed the bars of Hell, and at your Resurrection you made all things rich. Compassionate One, glory to you! The Myrrhbearing women coming to your tomb very early in the morning sought to anoint the Immortal Word and God; and informed by the words of the Angel they returned with joy to tell the Apostles openly that you the life of all, have risen and grant the world pardon and your great mercy. The guards of the tomb which received God said to the Jews: O the folly of your plan! In vain did you labour when you thought to guard the uncircumscribed. Openly you appeared wishing to hide the Resurrection of the Crucified. O the folly of your assembly! Why do you again wish to hide what cannot be hidden? Listen rather to us, and be willing to believe the truth of the events. A dazzling Angel came down from heaven and rolled away the stone; from fear of him we became as dead men; and calling out to the brave Myrrhbearing women he said: Do you not see the death of the guards, the breaking of the seals and the emptying of Hell? Why do you seek as a mortal the one who has destroyed Hell’ victory and smashed death’s sting? Go quickly proclaim to the Apostles the good tidings of the Resurrection, crying fearlessly: He has risen indeed, the Lord who has great mercy! Glory. The Eothinon. Both now. You are most blessed. Then Great Doxology and the Troparion: Rising from the grave. |
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