Great Doxology.

VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING

Paschal Beginning

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 1

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

At the sixth hour the Well-spring of miracles came to the well to capture the fruit of Eve,* for Eve at this same hour departed from Paradise* through the deceit of the serpent.* The Samaritan woman, therefore, drew nigh to draw water,* and the Saviour, upon seeing her, said to her:* Give Me water to drink, and I shall fill you with living water.* And running to the city, that prudent woman at once announced to the multitudes:* Come, behold Christ the Lord, the Saviour of our souls.

Tone 2

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

When the compassionate Lord came to the well,* the Samaritan woman entreated Him, saying:* Grant me the water of faith,* and I shall receive the waters of the font of baptism unto rejoicing and redemption.* O Giver of life, Lord, glory be to You.

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

The co-beginningless and co-eternal Son and Word of the Father,* the Well-spring of healings, came to the well,* and a woman of Samaria came to draw water.* And when the Saviour saw her, He said:* Give Me water to drink, and go, call your husband.* But addressing Him as a man and not as God,* and being anxious to hide herself from Him, she said: I have no husband.* And the Teacher replied: You have truly said, I have no husband;* for you have had five, and he whom you now have is not your husband.* And she, amazed by these words, hastened to the city* and cried out to the multitudes, saying:* Come, behold Christ, who grants the world great mercy.

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.

Through visions and your activity, O Symeon who are most rich,* you made of your soul a pillar inscribed, engendering the virtues;* and having vanquished the uprisings of the flesh* and arrayed yourself in life-bearing mortality, O venerable one;* you became a luminary ever shining forth,* enlightening with grace all the ends of the earth.

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

Taking wing with divine desire, while yet bearing the flesh and clad in dust,* you manifestly became a dweller with the angels,* having forsaken earthly things and ascended to the heavenly, O father,* ever mounting to God on your lofty pillar,* and shining forth in your ascents.

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

Having broken down the flesh by abstinence, O Symeon,* you showed forth your soul as a receptacle of the Spirit,* mounting on high and drawing nigh to God;* and by His power you were vouchsafed to work miracles transcending nature.* Wherefore, your most divine activity has surpassed all understanding and thought.

Tone 4, Glory…

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 tenderly compassionate and the Lover of mankind.

Tone 4, Now…

O Mother of God, because of You* David the Prophet became an ancestor of God;* he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise* and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:* “The Queen stood at your right hand.”* God revealed you as a life-giving mother,* when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.* He renewed in man His image* which the passions had corrupted.* He found the lost sheep in the mountains,* carried it on His shoulders,* offered it to the Father,* generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,* and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.

Aposticha

Tone 4

Unceasingly worshiping Your life-giving Cross, O Christ God,* we glorify Your Resurrection on the third day,* for through it, O All-powerful one,* You have renewed corrupted human nature* and shown us the way to heaven,* since You alone are good and the Lover of mankind.

The Lord is King, He is clothed with majesty;* the Lord is clothed with strength and He has girded Himself.

By being willingly nailed to the tree of the Cross, O Saviour,* You have abolished the penalty of the tree of disobedience;* and by descending into Hades, O All-powerful one,* as God You have torn asunder the bonds of death.* Therefore we worship Your Resurrection from the dead, and we cry out with joy:* O All-powerful Lord, glory be to You!

For He established the world* which shall not be shaken.

You have shattered the gates of Hades, O Lord,* and by Your death You have destroyed the dominion of death;* delivering mankind from corruption,* granting the world life, incorruption,* and great mercy.

Holiness becomes Your house, O Lord,* for length of days.

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.

Tone 8, Glory… Now…

When by Your unfathomable dispensation You appeared on earth, O Christ God,* the Samaritan woman, on hearing Your words, O Lover of mankind,* left the water jar at the well and hastened to those in the city and said:* Come, behold One who knows men’s hearts;* perhaps He is the expected Christ, who has great mercy.

Troparion

Tone 1

You were shown to be a desert-dweller,* an angel in the flesh and a wonderworker, O our God-bearing father Symeon.* For, having acquired heavenly gifts through fasting, vigilance and prayer,* you heal the infirm and the souls of those who have recourse to you with faith.* Glory to Him who gave you strength!* Glory to Him who has crowned you!* Glory to Him who works healings for all through you!

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 SATURDAY 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 15:35-41

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 10:27-38

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.