FIRST HOUR

EXAPOSTILARION 1

The Kontakion of the Saint, if there is one, or of the current Feast.

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

**and the following Theotokion:**

**The Holy Doors and the Curtain are shut. The Reader begins straight away with:**

EXAPOSTILARION 2

Then at once:

O Come, let us worship and fall down before the King, our God.

EXAPOSTILARION 3

Glory, **the Apolytikion of the day,**

O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, the King, our God.

EXAPOSTILARION 4

Then the Superior says following prayer:

O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, the King, our God.

EXAPOSTILARION 5

Glory. Both now. Lord, have mercy. **(x3)** Give the blessing. ****

Three Metanias and the Psalms:

EXAPOSTILARION 6

Then the Selection according to the Feast.

Psalm 5

EXAPOSTILARION 7

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

Give ear to my words, O Lord, understand my cry. Attend to the voice of my supplication, my King and my God; for to you I shall pray, O Lord. In the morning you will hear my voice. In the morning I shall stand before you, and you will watch over me; because you are not a God who wants iniquity. The evil-doer will not dwell with you, nor will the lawless remain before your eyes. You have hated all those who work iniquity; you will destroy all those who speak lies. The Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and deceit. But I, in the abundance of your mercy, will enter your house, I will worship towards your holy temple in fear of you. Guide me, Lord, in your justice because of my enemies, direct my way before you. Because there is no truth in their mouths; their heart is vain. Their throat is an open tomb, they deceive with their tongues. Judge them, O God. Let them fall through their counsels; according to the multitude of their impieties cast them out, for they have embittered you, O Lord. And may all those who hope in you be glad; they will rejoice for ever, and you will dwell among them, and all those who love your name will boast in you. Because you will bless the righteous; you have crowned him, O Lord, with your good pleasure. ****

EXAPOSTILARION 8

My tongue is the pen of ready writer.

Psalm 89

EXAPOSTILARION 9

Glory. Both now.

Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains came into being or the earth and the world were formed, from age to age you are. Do not turn humankind back to humiliation, and you said: Turn back, children of men. Because a thousand years in your eyes, Lord, are like a day, or like yesterday which has passed, and like a watch in the night. Their years will be mere trifles, in the morning like grass may he pass away. In the morning let him flower and pass away; in the evening let him fall, dry up and wither. Because we have perished in your anger, and in your wrath we have been dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you; our age in the light of your countenance. Because all our days have perished, and in your anger we have perished; our years were reckoned like a spider. The days of our years there are seventy years in them, but if we are strong, eighty, and the majority of them are labour and toil; because weakness has come over us and we shall be chastened. Who knows the might of your anger? And can gauge your wrath from fear of you? So make your right hand known to me, and those chastened in heart by wisdom. Turn back, O Lord, how long? And be entreated for your servants. We have been filled in the morning with your mercy, O Lord, and we have rejoiced and been glad. In all our days let us be glad; in return for the days when you humbled us, the years when we saw evils. And look upon your servants and upon the work of your hands and guide your children. And let the brightness of the Lord be upon us, and direct the works of our hands for us, and direct the work of our hand. ****

EXAPOSTILARION 10

Psalm 100

EXAPOSTILARION 11

I will sing to you of mercy and judgement, O Lord, I will chant and think on a blameless way. When will you come to me? I have walked in the midst of my house in the innocence of my heart. I have set no lawless deed before my eyes; I have hated those who commit transgressions. No twisted heart has been attached to me; the evil man who avoids me I have not acknowledged. The man who secretly slanders his neighbour, him I have driven out. With a man of proud looks and insatiate heart I have not eaten. My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, for them to dwell with me; the man who walks on a blameless way, he has ministered to me. The man who acts proudly has not dwelt in my house; the man who speaks calumnies has not prospered before me. Morning by morning I slew all the sinners in the land, to purge from the Lord’s city all workers of iniquity.

**(x3)** Lord, have mercy. **(x3)**

What shall we call you, O Full of grace? Heaven? For you made the Sun of justice to dawn. Paradise? For you made the flower of incorruption blossom. Virgin? For you remained incorrupt. Pure Mother? For you held in your holy embrace a Son who is the God of all. Implore him that our souls may be saved.

And immediately:

Direct my steps according to your word, and let no iniquity lord it over me.

Deliver me from the slander of men, and I shall keep your commandments.

Let your face shine on your servant, and teach me your statutes.

Let my mouth be filled with your praise, O Lord, that I may hymn your glory, all day long your splendour.

Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen

Our Father in heaven, may your name be hallowed; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. ****

But on Sunday we say the Hypakoï of the Tone.

Lord, have mercy. **(x40)**

At every time and at every hour, in heaven and on earth worshipped and glorified, Christ God, long-suffering, great in mercy, great in compassion, loving the just and merciful to sinners, calling all to salvation by the promise of the blessings to come; do you, Lord, yourself accept our entreaties at this hour, and direct our lives to your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our ideas and deliver us from every distress, evil, and pain. Wall us about with your holy Angels, that protected and guided by their host we may reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your unapproachable glory; for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy.

**(x3)** Glory. Both now.

Greater in honour than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word, truly the Mother of God we magnify you. In the name of the Lord, give the blessing, Father.

May God take pity on us and bless us; show the light of his countenance on us and have mercy on us. ****

Christ, the true light, who enlighten and hallow everyone who comes into the world, may the light of your countenance be signed upon us, that in it we may see your unapproachable light; and direct our steps to the doing of your commandments; at the intercessions of your most pure Mother and of all your Saints. Amen.

To you my Champion and Commander I your City saved from disasters dedicate, O Mother of God, hymns of victory and thanksgiving; but as you have unassailable might from every kind of danger now deliver me, that I may cry to you: Hail, Bride without bridegroom!

And Dismissal.

Glory to you, Christ God, our hope, glory to you.

May Christ our true God, at the prayers of his most pure and spotless Mother; of the holy, glorious and all-praised Apostles; of the holy, glorious and triumphant Martyrs; of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers; of Saint **N***.* ; and of all the Saints, have mercy and save us, for he is good and loves humankind.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us

1. THE RESURRECTION EXAPOSTILARIA

**A Composition by the Emperor Constantine,

son of Leo the Wise.**

With the Disciples let us go to a mountain in Galilee to contemplate Christ by faith as he says that he has received authority over things on high and things below. Let us learn how he teaches that they are to baptise all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and that he is with his Initiates, as he promised, until the final consummation.

You rejoiced with the Disciples, Virgin Mother of God, for you saw Christ risen from the tomb on the third day, as he said. He also appeared to them teaching and revealing mightier things and ordering them to baptise in the Father, Son and Spirit, that we might believe his Rising and might glorify you, O Maiden.

When they saw the stone rolled away the Myrrhbearers rejoiced, for they saw a Young Man seated in the tomb, and he said to them, ‘See, Christ has risen. Tell the Disciples with Peter, ‘Go to the mountain in Galilee. There he will appear to you, as he foretold to his friends’.

An Angel brought his ‘Hail’ to the Virgin before your conception, O Chris. An Angel rolled the stone from your tomb. The one proclaimed and magnified the tokens of ineffable joy instead of sorrow; the other you, as giver of life in place of death, and announced the Resurrection to the Women and the Initiates.

Let no one doubt that Christ has risen. For he appeared to Mary; then he was seen by those going out to the country; again he appeared to the eleven Initiates as they sat at table, and, when he had sent them out to baptise, he was taken up to heaven, from which he had come down, confirming the proclamation by many signs.

O Sun, who today dawned from the tomb, like a Bridegroom from his chamber, despoiled Hell and destroyed death, at the prayers of her who bore you, send out your light to us, make light shine in our hearts, make light guide us all to walk in the paths of your commandments and in the ways of peace.

Shining with virtues, let us contemplate the men in shining garments, who appeared in the life-bearing grave, to the Myrrhbearers as they bowed their faces to the earth. Let us be taught of the Rising of heaven’s Master, and let us run with Peter towards life in a grave, and marvelling at what is done, let us remain to see Christ.

With your cry of ‘Rejoice!’, Lord, you transformed the grief of the Forefathers, bringing instead the joy of your Rising to the world. Therefore, through her who bore you, O Giver of life, Light that enlightens hearts, send forth the light of your mercies that we may cry to you, ‘Lover of humankind, God and man, glory to your Rising!’

Christ, the life and the way, from among the dead, journeyed with Cleopas and Luke, to whom he was made known at Emmaus when he broke the bread. Their souls and hearts were aflame as he talked with them on the road and explained with the Scriptures what he had undergone. With them let us cry aloud, ‘He has been raised and has appeared to Peter!’

I sing the praise of your mercy without measure, O my Maker, for you emptied yourself to take on and to save the nature of mortals that had grown evil. And though God, you accepted to be born in my likeness from the pure Child of God and to descend as far as Hell, as you wished me to be saved at the prayers of her who bore you, O Master full of pity.

Showing that you are man by essence, O Saviour, having risen from the tomb, you stood in the midst, partook of food and taught the preaching of repentance. Then at once you were raised up to the heavenly Father and you promised the Disciples to send the Paraclete. O God and man, above all godhead, glory to your Rising!

The Maker of creation and God of all things took mortal flesh from your immaculate blood, All-Holy Virgin. He also renewed nature, that was all corrupted, leaving you after childbirth as you were before. Therefore with faith we all proclaim you, as we cry, ‘Hail, Sovereign Lady of the world!’

When Mary said, ‘They have taken away the Lord’, Simon Peter and another Initiate of Christ, whom he loved, hurried to the grave. The two ran and found the grave clothes lying inside alone, while the napkin for the head was by itself. And so they waited quietly again, until they saw Christ.

Great and wonderful are the things you have done for my sake, most merciful Christ; for you were born beyond explanation from a Virgin Maid and accepted the Cross, and having endured death you arose in glory and freed our nature from death. Glory, O Christ, to your glory! Glory to your power!

Seeing two Angels in the grave, Mary was amazed and, not recognising him, she asked Christ as the Gardener, ‘Sir, where have you laid the body of my Jesus?’ Recognising by his call that he was the Saviour, she heard, ‘Do not touch me. Tell my brothers that I am departing to the Father’.

O Maiden, ineffably you bore one of the Trinity, who is two by nature and two by operation, yet one in person. Ever implore him then for those who worship you in faith to deliver us from every device of the foe; for now we all have recourse to you, Sovereign Lady, Mother of God.

The doors being shut as you entered, Master, you filled the Apostles with the All-Holy Spirit, breathing on them with peace. You told them to bind sins and to loose them, and after eight days you showed your side and hands to Thomas. With him we cry, ‘You are Lord and God’.

When you saw your Son risen from the tomb on the third day, Bride of God, you put away all the tribulation you had endured as a Mother, when you saw him suffering. And filled with joy you sing his praise as you rejoice with his Disciples. And so save those who now proclaim you Mother of God.

Of old, the sea of Tiberias found Thomas fishing with the sons of Zebedee, Nathaniel, Peter and two others. When, at Christ’s order, they let down their net on the right hand side, they caught a multitude of fish. Peter, recognising him, swam towards him. Appearing to them for the third time, he showed them bread, and a fish on coals.

Entreat the Lord, who rose from the tomb on the third day, O Virgin, on behalf of all who sing your praise and with love call you blessed. For we all have you as a saving refuge and mediatrix with him, for we are your inheritance and your servants, Mother of God, and we all look to your assistance.

The Lord, after his divine Rising, having three times enquired of Peter, ‘Are you my friend?’ proposed him as Chief Shepherd of his own sheep. He, when he saw the one whom Jesus loved following, asked the Master, ‘What of him?’ ‘If I want him to remain until I come again’, he answered, ‘what is that to you, friend Peter?’

O dread mystery! O extraordinary wonder! Through death, death is utterly destroyed. Who then will not praise, who will not worship your Resurrection, O Word, and the Mother of God who purely bore you in the flesh. At her intercessions deliver us all from Hell.

2. THE ELEVEN EOTHINA

**A composition by Leo the Wise**

EOTHINON 1. Tone 1*.*

The Lord stood before his Disciples, who had ascended the mountain for his being lifted from the ground. They worshipped him, and when they had been taught that authority had been given him everywhere, they were sent out to proclaim his Resurrection from the dead and his restoration to Heaven. And Christ, God and the Saviour of our souls, promised unfailingly that he would be with them for ever.

EOTHINON 2. Tone 2.

To the Women who came with sweet spices with Mary, and who were at a loss how they might achieve their aim, the stone appeared lifted and a godlike Youth stilled the tumult of their soul, for he said: Jesus the Lord has risen; therefore proclaim to his heralds, the Disciples, to hasten to Galilee; there you will see him risen from the dead, as Giver of life and Lord.

EOTHINON 3. Tone 3.

When Mary Magdalen gave the good tidings of the Saviour’s Resurrection from the dead and his appearing, the Disciples doubted and were upbraided for their hardness of heart; but armed with signs and wonders they were sent to preach. And while you, Lord, were taken up to the Father, source of light, they, entrusted with the wonders, began to preach the word everywhere. Therefore, enlightened through them, we glorify your Resurrection from the dead, O Lord who loves humankind.

EOTHINON 4. Tone 4.

It was deep dawn and the Women came to your grave, O Christ; but the body they longed for was not to be found; and so those who in shining garments stood by them in their perplexity said: Why do you seek the living with the dead? He has risen as he foretold. Why have you forgotten his words? Persuaded by them they proclaimed what they had seen, but the good tidings seemed but raving; so dull were the Disciples still; but Peter ran and having seen glorified to himself your wonders.

EOTHINON 5. Tone 5.

How wise, O Christ, are your judgements! You made Peter understand your Resurrection by the grave-clothes alone, but journeying with Luke and Cleopas you talked, and as you talked you did not at once reveal yourself. And you were reproached with being only a stranger in Jerusalem and not sharing in her final counsels. But as the one who disposes all things for the profit of his fashioning, you unfolded the prophecies about yourself and in the blessing of bread you made yourself known to them, whose hearts even before this had burned for knowledge of you. They also were already proclaiming to your assembled Disciples your Resurrection. Through which have mercy on us.

EOTHINON 6. Tone 6.

O Christ you are truly peace for men of God; giving your peace to the Disciples after the Resurrection, you showed them to be full of fear, for they thought they saw a spirit; but you dispelled the tumult of their souls by showing your hands and feet; but, as they still doubted, by taking nourishment and reminding them of your teachings you opened their minds to understand the Scriptures; you assured them of the Father’s promise, and blessing them you went away to heaven. And so with them we worship you. Lord, glory to you!

EOTHINON 7. Tone 7.

Lo, darkness and early dawn. And why, Mary, are you standing by the grave, your mind full of darkness? Why do you seek where Jesus has been laid? But see the disciples running together, see how they have realised the Resurrection from the grave clothes and the napkin, and have remembered the Scripture concerning this. With whom and through whom we too have believed and sing your praise O Christ, the Giver of Life.

EOTHINON 8. Tone 8.

Mary’s hot tears did not flow in vain, for she was granted Angels to teach her and the sight of you, O Jesu. But, as a weak woman, she still had earthly thoughts, and therefore she was sent away so as not to touch you, O Christ; but nevertheless she was sent as a herald to your Disciples, to whom she spoke the good tidings, announcing your ascent to the Father’s inheritance. With her make us also worthy of your manifestation, O Master and Lord.

EOTHINON 9. Tone 5.

As at the last times you came when it was late on the Sabbath to your friends, O Christ, and you confirm the wonder by a wonder, by your entrance when the doors were shut your Resurrection from the dead. You filled your Disciples with joy and made them partakers of the Holy Spirit; you bestowed on them the authority of the forgiveness of sins and did not abandon Thomas to be drowned in the sea of unbelief. And so grant us also true knowledge and forgiveness of offences, compassionate Lord.

EOTHINON 10. Tone 6.

After your descent into Hell and your Resurrection from the dead, your Disciples, O Christ, losing heart most probably at your separation from them, turned back to their work: and once again there were boats and nets and a catch nowhere. But you appeared as Master of all things, O Saviour, and ordered them to cast their nets on the right hand side: and at once the word was deed, and there was a great multitude of fish, and a strange supper ready on land. Your Disciples partook of it then; make us also worthy to enjoy it now in spirit, O Lover of humankind.

EOTHINON 11. Tone 8.

Showing yourself to your Disciples after the Resurrection, O Saviour, you entrusted to Simon the pasturing of the sheep, as repayment for love, demanding the care of shepherding. And therefore he said: If you are my friend Peter, shepherd my lambs, shepherd my sheep. But he at once showing his affection, inquired about the other Disciple. At their intercessions, O Christ, guard your flock from wolves that ravage it.

**3. THE POLYELEOS**

Servants of the Lord, Alleluia.

Psalm 134

Praise the name of the Lord, praise the Lord his servants. Alleluia.

Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Alleluia.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. Alleluia.

Sing to his name, for it is fair. Alleluia.

For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself; Alleluia.

Israel for his own possession. Alleluia.

For I know that the Lord is great. Alleluia.

And our Lord is above all gods. Alleluia.

Whatever he wished, the Lord has done, Alleluia.

In heaven and on earth, Alleluia.

In the seas and in all the deeps. Alleluia.

He brings up the clouds from the end of the earth. Alleluia.

He has made lightnings into rain. Alleluia.

He brings winds out of his treasuries, Alleluia.

He who smote the first born of Egypt, Alleluia.

From humans to beasts of burden. Alleluia.

He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, Alleluia.

Among Pharao and all his servants; Alleluia.

He who smote many nations, Alleluia.

And killed mighty kings, Alleluia.

Sion, King of the Amorites, Alleluia.

And Og, King of Basan, Alleluia.

And all the kingdoms of Canaan. Alleluia.

And he gave their land as a heritage, Alleluia.

A heritage to Israel his people. Alleluia.

O Lord, your name is for ever, Alleluia.

And your memorial to generation and generation. Alleluia.

For the Lord will judge his people, Alleluia.

And he will comfort his servants. Alleluia.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, works of human hands. Alleluia.

They have a mouth, but they will not speak. Alleluia.

They have eyes, but they will not see. Alleluia.

They have ears, but they will not hear. Alleluia.

There is no breath in their mouth. Alleluia.

Let all those who make them become like them, Alleluia.

And all those who trust in them. Alleluia.

House of Israel, bless the Lord. Alleluia.

House of Aaron, bless the Lord. Alleluia.

House of Levi, bless the Lord. Alleluia.

You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord. Alleluia.

Blessed be the Lord from Sion, he who dwells in Jerusalem. Alleluia. ****

Psalm 135

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

Give thanks to the God of gods, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who alone has done great wonders, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who made the heavens with understanding, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who set the earth on the waters, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who alone made the great lights, alleluia: for his mercy endures for ever, alleluia.

The sun to rule the day, alleluia: for his mercy endures for ever, alleluia.

The moon and the stars to rule the night, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who smote Egypt with their first born, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And led Israel out of their midst, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

With a mighty hand and upraised arm, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who divided the Red Sea in two, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And led Israel through its midst, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And shook off Pharao and his power into the Red Sea, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who led his people through the desert, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

To him who smote great kings, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And slew mighty kings, alleluia: for his mercy endures for ever, alleluia.

Sion, King of the Amorites, alleluia: for his mercy endures for ever, alleluia.

And Og, King of Basan, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And who gave their land as a heritage, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

A heritage for Israel his servant, alleluia: for his mercy is for ever, alleluia.

For the Lord remembered us in our humiliation, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia.

And redeemed us from our foes, alleluia: for his mercy endures for ever, alleluia.

Who gives food to all flesh, alleluia: for his mercy is for ever, alleluia.

Give thanks to the God of heaven, alleluia: for his mercy endures forever, alleluia. ****

After which the following in Tone 1 may be sung.

Let us worship the Father, and let us glorify the Son, and let us all praise together the all holy Spirit, crying out and saying: All holy Trinity, save us all.

Your people, O Christ, brings your Mother to intercede; at her entreaties grant us your pity, that we may glorify you, Loving Lord, who dawned for us from the grave.

The following Psalm of the Polyeleos is sung on the two Sundays before Lent, Meat Sunday and Cheese Sunday. When this Psalm is sung Psalm 118 is not sung, but in its place Psalm 134. Psalm 136 takes the place of the Selection. We also light the Polyeleos. Note that in the Russian use Psalm 136 is also used on the two preceding Sundays, those of the Prodigal Son and of the Last Judgement.

Psalm 136

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and we when we remembered Sion. Alleluia.

On the willows in the midst of it we hung up our instruments. Alleluia.

For there our captors asked us for songs, and those who had led us away for a hymn, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Sion!’ Alleluia.

How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? Alleluia.

If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten! Alleluia.

Let my tongue stick to my throat, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. Alleluia.

Remember, Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem’s fall, how they said, ‘Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!’ Alleluia.

O daughter of Babylon, the wretched! Blessed is the one who requites you as you have requited us! Alleluia.

Blessed is the one who seizes your little children and dashes them against the rock! Alleluia.

In present day Greek use the following Psalm is used instead of Psalm 134 on the feasts of the Mother of God. It is followed by Psalm 135, but the Selection for the various feasts is usually omitted. It is also common to farce the verses with refrains, in the same way as the Anixantaria are farced at Vespers.

Psalm 44

A Good Word. Alleluia.

My heart has uttered a good Word.

Hail, all-praised Queen of all, Mother of our God. Alleluia.

I tell my works to the King.

Hail, Queen of Angels, Sovereign of the world. Alleluia.

Hail, proclamation of the Prophets, glory of Patriarchs. Alleluia.

You are lovely with a beauty beyond the sons of men.

Hail, pure Virgin, Sovereign Lady, Bride of God. Alleluia.

Grace has poured from your lips.

Hail, spotless, undefiled, incorrupt, All-holy. Alleluia.

Therefore God has blessed you for ever.

Hail, hope of those without hope, and help of those embattled. Alleluia.

Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty warrior.

Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you, and through you with us. Alleluia.

In your splendour and beauty.

Hail, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Alleluia.

Draw your bow and prosper, and reign.

Hail, Virgin Mother of God, blessed among women. Alleluia.

In the cause of truth and meekness and justice.

Hail, Mary, Lady of us all, the Lord of powers is with you. Alleluia.

Therefore God your God has anointed you.

Hail, throne formed of fire, more glorious than the four living creatures. Alleluia.

With the oil of gladness beyond your fellows.

Hail, Mary, Lady of us all. Hail, Mother of life. Alleluia.

The Queen stood at your right hand.

Hail, highly blessed, highly glorified. Alleluia.

Arrayed in gold, wrought with many colours.

Hail, immaculate Mother of God, for you gave birth to the Saviour of our souls. Alleluia.

Listen my daughter and see, and incline your ear.

Hail, Paradise most holy. Hail, Bride without bridegroom. Alleluia.

And forget your people and your father’s house.

Hail, greater holy of holies. Hail, Bride without bridegroom. Alleluia.

The richest of the people will entreat your favour.

All-holy Virgin, listen to the voice of your unprofitable servant. Guide me to offer you without ceasing the groanings of my heart, Sovereign Lady. Alleluia.

I will remember your name throughout all generations.

All-holy Virgin, Bride of God, accept my pitiable service and bring it to God the compassionate, that rejoicing I may give you glory, O All-blameless. Hail, Bride without bridegroom. Alleluia.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Glory to your our God, glory to you.

> **4. GLOSSARY**

A series of short hymns, based on the Psalms of Ascents (Greek *Anavathmi*), nos. 119-133, which are sung at Matins on Sundays, and Feasts with a Gospel. On Sundays they are divided into three Antiphons, except for Tone Eight, which has four. They are sung immediately before the *Prokeimenon.* On Feasts the first Antiphon of Tone Four is always used, and hence the *Prokeimenon* on Feasts is always sung in that Tone. Some places use the final hymn from the Second Antiphon in Tone Four, rather than repeat the third one. The latter is more correct, but for convenience we give the alternative as well. ****

Apolytikion.

The hymn that precedes the Dismissal (Greek *Apolysis*)*.* It is the characteristic hymn of the day or the feast, and is often referred to simply as ‘the Troparion of the Day’. It is used at the offices and at the Liturgy. ****