VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Paschal Beginning

Kathisma Reading

No psalms are assigned to be chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 5

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

Rejoice, O instructor of fasters,* who truly tended the sheep of Christ, the Chief Shepherd,* with the staff of your all-wise teachings* upon the meadows of true Orthodoxy, O Epiphanius,* O meek lamb who fed upon the grass of abstinence* and has now come to make your abode in the fold of life on high,* where, joining chorus with the holy hierarchs and martyrs,* ever pray that peace and great mercy be given to us* who celebrate your memory with love.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

Rejoice, O beacon of piety* who has illumined the whole world with the beams of your fiery words, O Epiphanius,* and with fire have utterly consumed the doctrines of the enemy in the storm of ignorance,* calling them to the right tranquil haven of divine knowledge!* Rejoice, O instrument of the inspiration of the Spirit,* unceasingly pouring forth an abyss of miracles through your harp,* and delivering men from death.* Entreat Christ, that He grant great mercy to our souls.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Rejoice, O Epiphanius, noetic river full of the waters of the Spirit,* adornment of the Church, rule of the hierarchy, pillar of monastics,* foundation of the Orthodox, ground of the Church, tower of strength,* opponent of impiety, clarion of godly sound,* melodious nightingale, heavenly intelligence,* vigilant tongue which meditated upon the divine law through the grace of Christ.* Beseech Him that He grant great mercy to our souls.

Tone 1

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

O Germanus, you firmly cast down the reasoning of Leo who was full of impiety* and, wretch that he was, rejected the veneration of the precious icons of Christ and all the saints;* but though he was denounced as mindless by your discourses, O divinely blessed one,* he remained obdurate.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

The ungodly Leo, hating God like a wild beast,* became the forerunner of Antichrist,* rejecting the veneration of the image of Christ, O venerable one;* and he was cast out from the heritage of the faithful.* Therefore, we entreat you: dispel our present turmoil* by your supplications, as you did his.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

O divinely manifest one, you received the desire which from of old your manifestly desired;* for as a hierarch you have now entered in* unto your Master with boldness, O blessed Germanus,* and, standing before Him, inherited deification.* Ask for peace for the world.

Tone 5, Glory… Now…

At the Sheep’s Pool a man lay there infirm;* and upon seeing You, O Lord, he cried:* I have no one, that, when the water is troubled, to lift me and place me therein.* But when I go, another goes before me and receives healing,* and straightway, the Saviour had compassion upon him, saying to him:* For you I became a man, for you I have been clothed in flesh,* and you say: I have no man?* Take up your bed and walk.* All things are possible for You,* all things are obedient to You,* all things are subject to You.* Remember us all and have mercy on us, O Holy One,* since You are the Lover of mankind.

Aposticha

Tone 3

By Your Cross, O Christ our Saviour,* the dominion of death has been abolished,* the devil’s deception has been dispelled,* while mankind, saved by faith,* each evening offers hymns to You.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

An evening hymn do we offer to You, O Christ,* with incense and spiritual hymns.* O Saviour, have mercy on our souls.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

O Lord, in truth great is the power of Your Cross,* for affixed in one place, it manifests itself throughout the world;* and from fishermen has it shown forth Apostles,* and from the nations, Martyrs,* that for our souls they all might offer intercession.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

You came to heal the sick, O Christ,* You who by Your most pure hand fashioned mankind, O compassionate One,* By Your word You raised up the paralytic by the Sheep’s Pool.* And cured the ailment of the blood-streaming woman.* Upon the tormented daughter of the Canaanite woman You were merciful,* and the request of the centurion You did not disdain.* For this cause we cry to You:* O Almighty Lord, glory be to You.

Troparia

Tone 4

God of our fathers, You always treat us fairly.* Deprive us not of Your mercy,* but by their prayers direct our lives in peace.

Tone 3, Glory… Now…

Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it.

Paschal Troparion

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

First Antiphon

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,* sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Say unto God, “How awesome are Your works!* Because of the greatness of Your strength Your enemies will flatter You.”

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Let all the earth worship You and sing to You,* let it sing to Your name, O Most High!

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Third Antiphon

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour

Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.

Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 3: Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice,* for the Lord has done a mighty deed with His arm.* He trampled death by death. He became the first-born of the dead;* He saved us from the abyss of Hades* and granted great mercy to the world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Lord, as of old You raised the Paralytic,* lift my soul by Your divine presence,* for by many sins and foolish actions,* I, too, am now afflicted and crippled.* Raise me, that being saved I may cry to You:* Glory to Your power, O merciful Christ.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8: Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your Apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1

Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in You.

verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you just; praise befits the righteous. (Psalm 32:22,1)

Epistle

Acts 10:1-16

Alleluia, Tone 5

verse: Of Your mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.

verse: For You have said, “Mercy will be established forever.” (Psalm 32:22,1)

Gospel

John 6:56-69

Hymn to the Mother of God

The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Communion Hymn

Receive the Body of Christ;* taste the fountain of immortality.* Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 148:1)

Instead of Blessed is He Who comes… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of We have seen the true light… we sing:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of May our mouths be filled… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

Instead of Blessed be the name of the Lord… we sing three times:

Christ is risen from the dead,* trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs* giving life.

At the dismissal, instead of Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen. we chant:

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death,* and to those in the tombs giving life.

After the final Amen, the Troparion Christ is risen is sung as at the beginning of the Liturgy, but with the addition:

And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.