Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.

VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Paschal Beginning

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4

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

Come, see Him of whom Moses in the Law spoke of old,* Jesus, the Messiah who has appeared out of His tender compassion,* and as a man, spoke to me at the well.* In truth this is Christ God, who has come into the world.* Thus spoke the Samaritan woman to those in Sichar.

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

When those in the city had partaken of the sweet water* that poured forth from the mouth of the woman,* they quickly hastened to come to the well to drink from that bountiful Fount,* and to see the ever-flowing Well-spring* which refreshes parched souls that are thirsty for life.

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

Having beheld the Fount of life,* who was one in form and nature with mortal man,* all they that were in the city cried to the woman:* Not only on account of your words do we believe,* but we have come to know that this is the everlasting redemption* and salvation of the world.

Tone 8

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

O blessed and divinely inspired father Michael,* as is meet, you have been vouchsafed to behold the Well-spring of blessings,* the fulfilment of the desire for the uttermost desires,* the true Blessedness which all nature truly desires.* O, your beauteous comeliness, O glorious one!* Rejoicing therein, you stand now before Christ as a radiant hierarch.

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

Arrayed in priestly vesture, O God-pleasing father Michael,* you hastened to the tribunal of the tyrant* and offered yourself to Christ;* and, adorned with twofold crowns, O blessed one,* you looked upon the ranks of the hierarchy.* O, your ineffable gladness, O all-wise one,* in which you were truly counted worthy to share, O divinely blessed one.

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

Bedewed from on high, O divinely wise father Michael,* you divinely quenched the fire of temptations* and passed through it unharmed;* and, rejoicing, O blessed hieromartyr,* you were splendidly added to the holy hierarchs who were before you.* O, your ineffable and radiant habitation wherein Christ has now caused you to dwell* as an honoured hierarch!

Tone 6, Glory… Now…

By Jacob’s Well, Jesus found the Samaritan woman.* He that covers the earth with clouds asked water of her.* O wonder! He that rides on the Cherubim speaks with a harlot woman, asking for water,* He who has suspended the earth upon the waters.* He who causes springs and pools of waters to flow forth seeks water,* for He wished to draw to Himself her that was truly ensnared by the contending enemy,* and to impart the water of life to her* who was sorely inflamed with unseemly deeds,* for He alone is compassionate and the Lover of mankind.

Aposticha

Tone 4

Ever having Your Cross as a help, O Christ,* we readily trample underfoot* the snares of the enemy.

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.

O Lord, by ascending the Cross* You have wiped out our ancestral curse,* and by descending into Hades* You have set free those enchained therein from all ages,* granting incorruption to mankind;* therefore with hymns we glorify Your life-giving and saving Arising.

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.

You living sacrifices, rational whole-burnt offerings, O martyrs of the Lord,* perfect sacrificial victims of God,* who know God and are known by God.* Lambs whose fold is inaccessible to wolves:* Intercede that, together with you,* we may also be shepherded beside the water of rest.

Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Thus says the Lord to the woman of Samaria:* If you knew the gift of God,* and who it is that says to you: Give Me water to drink,* you would have asked Him, and He would have given to you to drink,* that you might never thirst unto eternity, says the Lord.

Troparion

Tone 4

The truth of your deeds made you for your flock a rule of faith* and an image of meekness,* a teacher of continence.* And so you gained the heights through humility,* riches through poverty,* father and bishop, Michael.* Intercede with Christ, our God,* for the salvation of our souls.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”

DIVINE LITURGY ON FRIDAY 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 4: When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel* the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* “Death has been plundered!* Christ our God is risen,* granting to the world great mercy.”

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

Kontakion, Tone 8: Drawn to the well by faith,* the Samaritan woman beheld You, the Water of Wisdom,* and drinking abundantly of You,* she inherited the heavenly Kingdom for ever,* becoming everlastingly glorious.

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 3

Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing.

verse: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy. (Psalm 46:7,2)

Epistle

Acts 15:5-34

Alleluia, Tone 4

verse: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.

verse: You have loved justice and hated iniquity. (Psalm 44:5,8)

Gospel

John 10:17-28

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.