The Sunday of Great and Holy Pascha
It should go
without saying that if one has any possible means of traveling to a Church to
attend the
liturgy
for Pascha, they should do so. However,
if it is not possible for one to do so, the following is
provided
so that at least they can participate in the feast to the extent possible,
under such
circumstances.
Senior
Reader: Through the
prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God,
have mercy on us.
Choir:
Amen.
Christ
is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the
tombs
bestowing life. Thrice
The
Senior Reader reads the stichoi, and the choir sings
the troparion after each
stichos:
Stichos 1: Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered,
and let them that hate
Him flee
from before His face.
Choir:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down
death by death, and upon
those in
the tombs bestowing life.
Stichos 2: As smoke vanisheth,
so let them vanish, as wax melteth before the \
fire.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 3: So let the
sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous
be glad.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 4: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice
and be glad
therein.
Senior
Reader: Glory to the Father and to the
Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Senior Reader: Both
now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Senior Reader:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death.
Choir: And upon
those in the tombs bestowing life.
Then, in place of the usual
antiphons, we sing those of the feast:
The
First Antiphon
Stichos 1: Shout
with jubilation unto the Lord all the earth; chant ye unto His
name, give
glory in praise of Him.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 2: Say unto God: How awesome are Thy
works! In the multitude of Thy
power shall
Thine enemies be proved false unto Thee.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Stichos 3: Let all the earth worship Thee and chant
unto Thee; let them chant
unto Thy
name, O Most High.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the
ages of ages. Amen.
Refrain: Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
The
Second Antiphon
Stichos 1: God be gracious unto us and bless us, and
cause Thy face to shine
upon us and
have mercy on us.
Refrain: O Son
of God Who didst rise from the dead, save us who sing to Thee:
Alleluia.
Stichos 2: That we
may know upon the earth Thy way, among all the nations Thy
salvation.
Refrain. O Son of God Who didst rise from
the dead, save us who sing to Thee:
Alleluia.
Stichos 3: Let all
the peoples give Thee praise, O God, let all the peoples praise
Thee.
Refrain: O Son
of God Who didst rise from the dead, save us who sing to Thee:
Alleluia.
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and
unto the
ages of ages. Amen.
O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art
immortal, yet didst deign for our
salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and
without
change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down
death by
death. Thou Who
art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, save us.
The
Third Antiphon
Reader:
Stichos 1: Let
God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that
hate Him
flee from before His face.
Choir:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down
death by death, and upon
those in
the tombs bestowing life.
Stichos 2: As smoke vanisheth,
so let them vanish, as wax melteth before the
fire.
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Stichos 3: So let the
sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous
be glad,
let them rejoice in the presence of God
Choir: Repeat Troparion
Instead
of “O come let us worship…” the Choir signs the entry
verse:
In congregations bless ye God,
the Lord from the wellsprings of Israel.
And
immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion of the feast again,
followed
by
the Hypakoe.
Tone 1: Christ is
risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in
the tombs
bestowing life.
Glory…
Both now… [The Hypakoe] Tone 8: Forestalling
the dawn, the women came
with Mary,
* and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre,
and heard from the
angel: * Why
seek ye among the dead, as though He were mortal, Him Who liveth
in
everlasting light?
* Behold the
grave-clothes. Go quickly and proclaim
to the world that
the Lord
is risen and hath slain death. * For He is the Son of God Who
saveth mankind.
Instead
of the Trisagion: As many
as have been baptized into Christ have
put on
Christ. Alleluia. Thrice.
Glory
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now
and ever,
and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Have put on Christ. Alleluia.
As
many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Alleluia.
The Epistle
Reader: The
Prokimenon in the 8th Tone: This is the day which the Lord
hath made; let
us rejoice and be glad therein.
Choir: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad
therein.
Reader: O
give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever
Choir: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.
Reader. This is the day which the Lord hath made
Choir: let us rejoice and be glad therein.
Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy
Apostles:
[Acts
1:1-8]
Reader: Alleluia
in the 4th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Thou
shalt rise up and have pity upon Zion.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader:
The Lord from heaven hath looked upon the earth.
Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John 1:1-17]
Kontakion
Tone 8: Thou didst descend into
the tomb, O Immortal, * Thou didst destroy the power
of
death. * In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, * proclaiming “Rejoice!” to
the
myrrh-bearing
women; * granting peace to Thine apostles, * and bestowing resurrection
on
the fallen.
Instead of “It is truly
meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the
Canon of the feast,
first Tone:
Refrain: The angel cried unto her that is full of
grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin!
And again I say, rejoice!
For thy Son is risen from the grave on the third day, and hath
raised the dead, O ye people, be joyful!
Irmos: Shine, shine, O new
Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee; dance now and be glad, O Zion, and do thou exult, O pure
Theotokos, in the arising
of Him Whom thou didst bear.