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.
You are the light of all mankind,* the fashioner of the eyes of our mortal flesh,* O God and Word, O Creator of all things.* And now by the mixture of spittle and clay,* in a manner beyond telling You have granted sight to a man who was born blind,* You who with Your fingers fashioned both dust and sight.* And when he who had never seen the sun received sight,* he beheld You, the sweet Sun,* and saw the image of Him who ineffably fashioned us* in accordance with His compassionate mercy.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Having, as an abundance of wealth,* the form and members which comprise our mortal flesh,* the man who came forth blind from his mother’s womb* could not fathom what the form of this world could be;* for he lacked eyes.* And because of this his feet and his body* were pained by frequent stumbling against stones.* Yet through You he gained that wealth he did not have,* and he beheld You, the Author of lights,* the only Light of the world,* and he proclaimed to all* that You are God and the Lord of creation,* and the fashioner of all things in the world.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
He who in times past had been blind* confessed with his whole soul, mind, and tongue,* the One who had fashioned eyes for him out of spittle and clay,* granting him to see,* preached that He is the Lord and Creator of all things,* who out of compassion for that which He had fashioned,* became a man, though He is God almighty.* The scribes could not bear to hear his words and see his zeal,* and in their jealousy they expelled him from the synagogue,* for the blindness which consumed their souls* surpassed that which once consumed his eyes.
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.
Making your mind divine with pleasing brilliant radiance,* you were enlightened, O you who are most rich,* went forth to preach Christ and taught the people to worship Him as the One who loveth mankind.* And now, make supplication, that He grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Revealed as an all-radiant star, with divine splendours and doctrines* you ever illumine the ends of the whole world, O blessed one,* and by grace dispel the gloom of affliction from everyone.* And now, make supplication, that He grant to our souls peace and great mercy.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Making the perfect and unbloody sacrifice to God,* you were slain for Him, O martyr,* and offered yourself upon the noetic altar as a sacrifice of sweet savour,* O Apostle Carpus who are most rich.* And now, make supplication that He grant to our souls* peace and great mercy.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
He that was born blind thought to himself and said:* Was I born without eyes for the sins of my parents?* Was I born to be an example because of the unbelief of the nations?* I cease not from asking: When is it night, when is it day?* My feet cannot endure striking against the stones.* For I have neither seen the sun shining nor beheld in image Him who fashioned me.* But I beseech You, O Christ God,* look upon me and have mercy on me.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.
verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.
Aposticha
Tone 5
By Your precious Cross, O Christ,* You have shamed the devil,* and by Your Resurrection You have blunted the sting of sin,* and saved us from the gates of death:* we glorify You, the Only-begotten One.
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, I cease not from sinning;* even though I have been deemed worthy of Your love for mankind,* I have not acknowledged it.* Overcome my hardness of heart, O only Good One,* and have mercy on me.
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.
Having disdained all earthly things,* and having courageously endured torments,* you did not fall short of your blessed hopes,* but you became heirs of the Kingdom of the Heavens, O all-famed Martyrs.* Since you have boldness before God the Lover of mankind,* pray that peace be granted to the world,* and great mercy to our souls.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
As Jesus passed by on His way from the temple,* He found a man who was blind from his birth;* and taking compassion on him, He put clay on his eyes and said to him:* Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.* And he washed and gained his sight, and sent up praise to God.* But his kinsmen said to him:* Who has opened your eyes, which none of those who see were able to heal?* And he cried out and said:* A man called Jesus; He told me: Wash in the pool of Siloam; and I gained my sight.* He is truly Christ the Messiah, of whom Moses spoke in the Law.* He is the Saviour of our souls.
Troparia
Tone 3
Holy Apostle, Carpus, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Tone 5, Glory… Now…
Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
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 5: Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word,* co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,* and born of the Virgin for our salvation.* For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death* and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Blinded in the eyes of my soul,* I come to You, O Christ, like the man who was blind from birth,* and I cry in repentance:* You are the brilliant light of those in darkness.
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 8
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 76:12,2)
Epistle
Acts 17:1-15
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)
Gospel
John 11:47-57
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.