VESPERS ON MONDAY EVENING

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be our God… 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.

Kathisma Reading

The assigned 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.

You were a most sacred priest and a lawful athlete, O Januarius,* and You have entered not with another’s blood, but with your own,*into heaven itself,* where Jesus is, the precursor of all;* and ever looking and gazing upon Him,* you behold Him whom the angels see, O father.

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

Beheaded by the sword,* cast into the fire, thrown to the wild beasts,* imprisoned for many days, O right wondrous one,* by divine power you remained unshaken in mind,* and finished your race, suffering lawfully, O sacred wonder-worker,* converser with the incorporeal ones.

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

Together let us honour Desiderius and Proclus, Sosius, Faustus and Eutychius,* the glorious Januarius and the wise Acutius,* as wise sacred ministers, crowned martyrs, citizens of the holy city* and true advocates for those who bless them.

Tone 4

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

Standing before the unjust tribunal, O great-martyr Theodore,* you denounced the ungodliness of idolatry, and were beaten unjustly,* stretched out upon a heated grill, O all-blessed one, and cruelly seared;* yet you were covered with the dew of the Spirit* who imparted steadfast strength to you,* that you might destroy the savagery of the cruel foe.

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

You were manifestly the chariot of our God, O blessed one,* bearing Him in your pure heart,* and as you were bound to a chariot,* you loosed from bonds those who bound you,* binding them to the love of Christ;* and cast with them into the furnace, you were not consumed,* magnifying the Lord with them,* O right wondrous Theodore.

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

Emulating Him who stretched forth His arms upon the Cross,* you were crucified, O blessed Theodore,* and remained, hanging, for three days,* until you committed your soul into the hands of God* and finished the race of your suffering,* O summit of martyrs, great tower of the Church, adornment of the faithful,* converser with the angels.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

Rising up early and coming with earnestness to Your tomb,* the Myrrh-bearers sought for You so as to anoint Your immaculate Body, O Christ.* And having been told by the words of the Angel,* they preached to the Apostles the tokens of joy:* That the Author of our salvation has arisen, having despoiled death,* and granting the world eternal life and great mercy.

Prokeimenon, Tone 4

The Lord hears me* when I cry out to Him.

verse: Whenever I called, the God of my justice heard me.

Aposticha

Tone 2

When the myrrh-bearing women, O Christ,* came early in the morning seeking after You the Life of all,* carrying spices and myrrh.* Constrained by their love they wept inconsolably,* whereupon they heard a young man speak from within the tomb:* Leave off your weeping.* Rather, be glad and rejoice now,* since you have received your salvation,* and proclaim the Lord’s arising to all.

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 noble Joseph, we know you to be a cherubic chariot,* since you bore Christ the King in your arms* when you took Him down from the Cross.* Therefore, we bless your divine hands and eyes;* and your palms do we now honour,* by which you were deemed worthy to carry the Sun, and the Word to His tomb and place Him therein.* Therefore, with love we acclaim your godly memory.

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.

The feast of the myrrh-bearers and of the noble Joseph has now appeared to us,* as if another Paradise bearing a fount of life.* It wells up for all the world with waters of grace,* and it pours forth in strength the Resurrection’s streams.* Thus, the faithful keep feast and cry aloud:* Glory be to Him that has bestowed grace* and Resurrection upon all the world.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

Why mingle tears with the myrrh-oils, O you women disciples?* The stone has been rolled away, the sepulchre has been emptied.* Behold corruption has been trodden under by Life,* the seals clearly bearing witness,* the guards of the disobedient ones are fast asleep.* Mortal nature has been saved by the flesh of God, Hades is lamenting.* Hasten with joy, and say to the Apostles:* Christ, the Firstborn of the dead, who caused death to die,* goes before you into Galilee.

Troparia

Tone 2

When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You!

Glory…

The noble Joseph took down Your most pure Body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices,* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.

Now…

The angel stood by the tomb and cried out to the women bringing ointment:* Ointments are for the dead,* but Christ has shown Himself not subject to corruption.* So now cry out: The Lord is risen,* bestowing great mercy upon the world.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON TUESDAY 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.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”

Troparion, Tone 2: The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the tree.* He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices* and placed it in a new tomb.* But on the third day You arose, O Lord,* granting the world Your great mercy.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2: You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ God,* and ended the grief of our mother Eve by Your Resurrection.* You ordered the apostles to proclaim to all:* “The Saviour is risen from the tomb.”

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 6

Save Your people, O Lord, * and bless Your inheritance.

verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord, my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)

Epistle

Acts 8:5-17

Alleluia, Tone 8

verse: You have shown favour to Your land, O Lord; You brought back the captives of Jacob.

verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have embraced. (Psalm 84:2,11)

Gospel

John 6:27-33

Hymn to the Theotokos

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.