AT SMALL VESPERS

Tone 2.

Then O Joyful Light and the Prokeimenon The Lord is King with its verses. After Grant, Lord etc., we sing the first Resurrection Sticheron of the Aposticha and the following Prosomia of the Mother of God.

Lord, I have cried **we insert 4 Stichera, and sing the 3 Resurrection Stichera from the Oktoichos, doubling the 1st.** Glory. Both now **and the following Theotokion, the Dogmatic.**

**Theotokion.**

O the great mystery! As I contemplate the wonders I proclaim the Godhead, I do not deny the humanity. For Emmanuel, as he loves humankind, opened the gates of nature, yet did not break open the locks of virginity, but came forth from the womb as he had entered through hearing. He became incarnate as he had been conceived. Impassibly he entered, ineffably he came forth, in accordance with the saying of the Prophet, ‘This gate will remain shut; none may enter through it, but only the Lord God of Israel, he who has great mercy’.

Glory. Both now.

**as usual, the Opening Psalm and the 1st Kathisma of the Psalter. At** Lord, I have cried **we insert 10 Stichera, and sing 3 of the Resurrection and 4 Anatolika.**

**Theotokion. The same Tone.**

I shall remember your name in every generation and generation.

Then 3 Idiomel Stichera of the Myrrhbearers.

Resurrection Stichera. Tone 2.

Of all who are afflicted you are the joy, protector of the wronged, sustenance of those in need, staff of the blind, visitation of the sick, shelter and assistance of the oppressed, helper of orphans and Mother of God Most High, O All-pure. Hasten, we beseech you, to deliver your servants.

Come let us worship God the Word, begotten of the Father before the ages, incarnate of the Virgin Mary; for having endured the Cross, he was handed over for burial, as he himself wished, and having risen from the dead he saved me, mankind that had gone astray.

Listen, daughter, and see, and incline your ear; and forget your people and your fathers’ house.

Christ our Saviour by nailing the record against us to the Cross annulled it, and destroyed the might of death. We worship his Rising on the third day.

Every iniquity without restraint, every sin without limit, wretch that I am, I have committed; of every condemnation I have become worthy. Grant me means of repentance, O Virgin, that I may appear there uncondemned. For I appoint you as my intercessor, I call you in as my protector. Do not put me to shame, O Bride of God.

With Archangels let us sing the praise of the Resurrection of Christ; for he is the Redeemer and the Saviour of our souls; and with dread glory and mighty power he is coming again to judge the world which he fashioned.

The rich among the people of the land will entreat your favour.

Other Verses, by Anatolios.

We have no other refuge to the Maker and Master but you, pure Bride of God. With your fervent protection do not cast us away; do not put us to shame who with love hasten under your shelter.

An Angel proclaimed you, the crucified and buried Master, and said to the women, ‘Come, see where the Lord was lying. For he has risen as he said, as all-powerful’. Therefore we worship you, the only immortal. O Christ, Giver of life, have mercy on us.

Who will praise, who will call you blessed as is fitting, Maiden Bride of God, for the redemption which through you has come to the world? Therefore with thanksgiving we cry to you and say, ‘Hail, who made Adam divine and brought together what was separated. Hail, who enlightened our race by the light-bearing Resurrection of your Son and our God; for we, the race of Christians, unceasingly magnify you’.

By your Cross you destroyed the curse of the tree; by your burial you slew the might of death; by your Rising you enlightened the human race; therefore we cry out to you; ‘Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to you!’

**, Trisagion etc. and the Resurrection Apolytikion.**

The gates of death opened to you Lord, in fear; Hells gate-keepers shuddered when they saw you; for you smashed the gates of brass, crushed to powder the iron bars, led us out of darkness and the shadow of death and tore our bonds asunder.

And the Dismissal.

As we sing the hymn of salvation, let this song rise from our lips, ‘Come all in the Lords house, let us fall down in worship as we say: You who were crucified on the Tree, rose from the dead and are in the bosom of the Father, have mercy on our sins!’

Christ has risen

Tone 2. By Anatolios.

The Myrrhbearing women at deep dawn took spices and came to the Lords tomb. But finding what they had not hoped for, they began devoutly discussing the removal of the stone, and said to one another, ‘Where are the seals of the grave? Where is Pilates watch, and the strict security?’ But a dazzling Angel became the informer of the baffled women saying to them, ‘Why with lamentations do you seek the living, the one who gives life to the race of mortals? Christ our God has risen from the dead as all powerful, granting us incorruption and life, enlightenment and his great mercy’.

The same tone. By Koumoulas.

Why do you mingle sweet spices with your tears, O Women Disciples? The stone has been rolled away; the tomb has been emptied; see corruption trampled on by life, the seals clearly bearing witness, the guards of the unbelieving fast asleep. Mortality has been saved by the flesh of God. Hell is lamenting. Run with joy, say to the Apostles: Christ the first born from the dead has slain death and is going before you into Galilee.

The Myrrhbearers rose at dawn and came to your tomb with haste. They were seeking you, O Christ, that they might anoint your spotless body, and instructed by the words of the Angel, they proclaimed the joyful signs to the Apostles, ‘The author of our salvation has risen, despoiling death but granting the world eternal life an d his great mercy’.

**Tone 6. By the Monk Kosmas.**

The Myrrhbearing women coming to your tomb and seeing the seals of the grave, but not finding your spotless Body, lamenting came with haste saying, ‘Who has stolen our hope? Who has taken a naked, embalmed corpse, the only consolation of his mother? Alas, how has he who brought the dead to life been put to death? How has he who despoiled Hell, been buried? But arise, O Saviour, of your own will on the third day, as you said, and save our souls’.

At the Liti Idiomel Stichera. Tone 1.

‘Myrrhbearing women, why have you come to the tomb? Why do you seek the living among the dead? The Lord has risen, take courage!’ cries the Angel.

With fear the women came to the grave, hastening to anoint the body with sweet spices, and not finding it they were at a loss among themselves, not knowing of the Resurrection. But an Angel came to them and said, ‘Christ has risen, granting us his great mercy’.

Mary Magdalen and the other Mary came to the grave seeking the Lord, and they saw an Angel like lightning sitting on the stone, who said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He has risen as he said; in Galilee you will find him’. To him let us cry aloud, ‘Lord, risen from the dead, glory to you!’

Joseph asked for the Body of Jesus and laid it in his new grave: for he had to come from a tomb as from a bridal chamber. You have crushed the might of death and opened the gates of Paradise to mankind, glory to you.

My Maker and Redeemer, Christ the Lord, coming from your womb, All pure one, having clothed himself in me, delivered Adam from the former curse. Therefore, All pure one, as truly Mother of God and Virgin, we cry to you unceasingly the Angel’s Hail, ‘Hail Sovereign Lady, protection and shelter and salvation of our souls’.