AT SMALL VESPERS

O Joyful Light… **and the Prokeimenon of the day.**

Glory. Both now.

**At** Lord, I have cried… **we insert 4 Stichera, and sing 3 Resurrection Stichera from the Oktoichos, doubling the 1st.**

**Dogmatic Theotokion. Tone 4.**

Glory. Both now.

You conceived without seed, and ineffably you bore the One who put down the mighty from their throne and exalts the humble and raises the horn of his faithful ones, who glorify the Cross and the Tomb and the glorious Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, Mother of God, with never silent hymns we call you blessed, the source of such great goods, as you ever intercede that our souls may be saved.

**Theotokion.**

Glory. Both now.

**After the Opening Psalm and the first Kathisma of the Psalter, at** Lord I have cried…, **we insert 10 Stichera, and we sing 7 Resurrection Stichera and 3 from the Menaion.**

**Theotokion.**

Resurrection Stichera. Tone 4.

As we worship without ceasing your life-giving Cross, Christ God, we glorify your Resurrection on the third day, for through it, O All-powerful, you renewed corrupted human nature and showed us the way up to heaven, as you alone are good and love mankind.

By being willingly nailed to the tree of the Cross, O Saviour, you abolished the penalty of the tree of disobedience; and by descending into Hades, O Powerful one, you tore apart the bonds of death as God; therefore we worship your Resurrection from the dead, as we cry out with joy: all-powerful Lord, glory to you!

You smashed the gates of Hell, Lord, and by your death you destroyed the palace of death; while you freed humanity from corruption, granting the world life and incorruption, and your great mercy.

Other Verses by Anatolios.

Come you peoples, let us hymn the Saviour’s Rising on the third day, through which we were redeemed from unbreakable bonds of Hell and all received incorruption and life, as we cry: You, who were crucified and buried and rose again, save us by your Resurrection, only lover of mankind.

Angels and mortals hymn your Rising on the third day, O Saviour, through which the ends of the inhabited world were filled with light, and we were all redeemed from the slavery of the foe, as we cry: O life-giving, all-powerful Saviour, save us by your Resurrection, only lover of mankind.

You shattered the gates of brass and smashed their bars, Christ God, and you raised the fallen human race; therefore with one voice we cry: Lord risen from the dead, glory to you!

O Lord, your birth from your Father is without time and eternal; your incarnation from a Virgin is inexpressible for humans and beyond explanation; and your descent into Hell is fearful for the devil and his angels; for having trampled on death you rose on the third day, granting mankind incorruption and your great mercy.

The Prophet David, through you the ancestor of God, spoke of you in song beforehand to him who has done great things for you: the Queen stood at your right hand. For he, the God who was well pleased without father to become man from you, declared you to be mother, source of life, that he might refashion his own image, corrupted by passions, and, having found the lost sheep wandering on the mountain and laid it on his shoulders, he might bring it to his Father; and by his own will unite it to the heavenly Powers and save the world, O Mother of God, Christ who has great and rich mercy.

Resurrection Stichera of the Aposticha.

Tone 4.

Lord, by ascending the Cross you wiped out our ancestral curse, and by descending into Hades you freed those enchained from every age, granting incorruption to the human race; therefore with hymns we glorify your life-giving and saving Rising.

In Alphabetical Order.

The Lord is King: he has robed himself in majesty. The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Hanged upon a tree, O only Mighty One, you shook creation; laid in a tomb you raised those who dwelt in tombs, granting the human race incorruption and life; therefore with hymns we glorify your Rising on the third day.

He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

A lawless people, O Christ, delivered you to Pilate, and condemned you to be crucified, showing themselves unfeeling to their benefactor, but of your own will you endured burial, rose on the third by your own power, as God granting us unending life and your great mercy.

Holiness befits your house, O Lord, to length of days.

Reaching your grave in tears the women looked for you; and when they did not find you they cried aloud with grief and lamentation: Alas, our Saviour, King of all, how were you stolen? What sort of place holds your life-bearing body? But an Angel answered them and said: Do not weep, but go, proclaim that the Lord has risen, granting us joy, as he alone is compassionate.

Look upon the supplication of your servants, O All-unblemished, bringing to an end the dread assaults that beset us and calming all our distress; for we have only you as safe and sure anchor, and we have obtained your protection. Sovereign Lady, may we who entreat you not be put to shame; make haste to hear the supplication of us who cry to you with faith: Hail, Sovereign Lady, help, joy and protection of all, and salvation of our souls.

Resurrection Apolytikion.

When the women Disciples of the Lord learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and cast away the ancestral sentence, triumphantly they said to the Apostles: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting the world his great mercy.

The mystery hidden from all eternity and unknown to Angels, has been revealed to those on earth through you, O Mother of God: God being made flesh in a union without confusion, and willingly accepting the Cross for us, through which he raised the first-formed man and saved our souls from death.

And the rest of the Office of the Vigil.