Holy Week, and above all on Great Friday. On the Cross we see a

genuinely human agony, both physical and mental, but we see more than this: we see not only suffering man but suffering God. (b) Palm Sunday. ‘ Blessed is He that comes. . : this is the feast of Christ the King — welcomed by the children at His entry into Jerusalem, and to be welcomed likewise by each one of us into our own heart. ‘ Blessed is He that comes. . - that comes not so much out of the past as out off thefuture: for on Palm Sunday we welcome not only the Lord who entered Jerusalem long ago, riding on a donkey, but the Lord who comes again in power and great glory, as King of the Future Age. Palms and branches are blessed after the Gospel at Mattins, and held with lighted candles during the rest of

concludes as follows. After Holy God. . . and the Lord’ s Prayer, we do not sing Hail, Theotokos Virgin. . . with the other troparia. But after the Lord’s Prayer, we sing the apolytikion and the Theo­ tokion appointed for the day, and then we use the Litany Have mercy upon us, 0 God. . . ; the Prayer of St. Ephraim once, with 43 In the Greek use, also Psalm 144 .

the choir sings the Canon to the Theotokos, I shall open my mouth and die Spirit

Canticle Five

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

the service. Although at one time the Eastern Church - like Western

three prostrations; the prayer 0 Most Holy Trinity. . , ; Blessed be

week, from the Octoechos; then three stichera from the Menaion to the saint of the day; Glory be to the Father. . . ; Doxastikon o f the saint, if such is appointed; if not, for the dead, from the Octoechos; Both now. . . ; and the Theotokion (Dogmatikon) in the Tone of the week from the Octoechos.

When Thou wast crucified, O Christ, the tyranny of the devil was destroyed, the power of the enemy was trampled underfoot. For it was not an angel or a man that saved us, but Thou Thyself, O L o rd : glory be to Thee. ψ . Exalt ye the Lord our G o d : and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. Putting his trust in the weapon of the Cross, the pious Emperor Constantine was victorious in battle over his enemies. This weapon

Christendom up to the present - used to hold a procession on Palm

begin Mattins in the usual way. After the Six Psalms and the Great Litany, we sing The Lord is God, with the following troparion, slowly and solemnly:

the Name of the Lord. . . (three times); Glory be to the Father. . . .

672 makes the powers of hell to trem ble; it is the salvation of die faithful and the glory of St. Paul.8 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Stavrotheotokion Gaining thy protection, O Most Pure, by thine intercessions we ai*e released from danger. Guarded always by the Cross of thy Son, we all of 11s magnify thee with the reverence that is thy due. To the Martyrs

evening. They take a special form, with a series of twelve Gospel readings that begins with Christ’s discourse at the Last Supper and ends with the account of His burial. In the Greek use there comes a ‘high point’ shortly before the sixth Gospel, when the priest carries a large Cross from the sanctuary and sets it up in the centre of the church. This ceremony, which originated in the Church of Antioch,

Both now. . . ; Psalm 1 3 3 ; Wisdom. . . , etc., and the Dismissal.

The victorious martyrs clothed themselves in Thee, O Lord:

was only adopted at Constantinople as recently as 18 2 4 ;78 it is not found in the practice of the Slav Churches. Here we find the prin­ ciple of dramatic representation carried a stage further than hitherto, through the use not only of words but of visible actions.

Taking knowledge "of the secret command, the bodiless Archtmgel went with haste to Joseph’ s dwelling, and said to her that knew not w edlock: ‘ He who in His self-abasement bowed the heavens and came down, is housed wholly and unchanged in thee. I see Him take the form of a servant in thy womb, and in wonder cry to thee: Hail, Bride without bridegroom’ (three times).0 Theh we read the sixteenth kathisma o f the Psalter; and after it comes the Small Litany. Next we sing the kontakion, slowly and solemnly:

Thou wast their glory in their sufferings, their crown and their reward. Steadfastly enduring torment, they overthrew the w icked; and through the power o f God they were granted victory from heaven. At their prayers, O God, give us Thy great mercy.

of Christmas and Theophany,79 with an Old Testament reading, an Epistle and a Gospel at each Hour. Vespers follow, either immedi­ ately after the Hours (normal Greek use) or in the afternoon (Slav use). At the end of Vespers, as was done earlier at Mattins in the Greek use, the events of Great Friday are represented not only through words but through dramatic actions.80 The Epitaphion - an oblong piece of stiffened cloth on which is painted or embroidered

TONE EIGHT

TONE TWO

the figure of the dead Christ laid out for burial - is carried in pro­

To thee, our leader in battle and defender, O Theotokos, we thy servants,6 7 delivered from calamity, offer hymns o f victory and thanksgiving. Since thou art invincible in power, set us free from 6 In parish churches the service normally begins earlier, at about six or seven o’clock on Friday evening. In the modern Greek use, except in monasteries, it is the custom to sing the Akathistos Hymn at Small Compline on Friday evening, and not at Mattins. After reading the*office as usual as far as Truly it is right to call thee blessed. . . , we sing Taking*knowledge o f the secret command. . . (three times), and then the p'riest reads the first section of the Akathistos Hymn, up to the fourth kontakion. Then

Sessional hjmns of the Cross:

cession from the sanctuary to the centre of the church, and is then venerated by the faithful. There are few more moving moments in

tvill inspire it. . . , up to the end of Canticle Three. Then is sung the kontakion To dice, our leader in battle. . . , and the priest reads the second section of the Aka­ thistos Hymn. After this come Canticles Four, Five and Six of the Canon to the Theotokos; the kontakion To theet our leader in battle. . . ; the third section of

We venerate Thy holy ikon, loving Lord, asking Thee to pardon our transgressions, Christ our God. For Thou of Thine own will wast pleased in the flesh to ascend upon the Cross, so to deliver from the bondage of the enemy those whom Thou hast fashioned. Therefore in thanksgiving we cry aloud to Thee: Thou hast filled all things with joy, our Saviour, when Thou hast come to save the world. y . Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. Thou, O Christ our God, hast worked salvation in the midst of

the whole of the Church’s Year. The Greek and Slav Triodia say

the Akathistos Hymn, read by the priest; Canticles Seven, Eight and Nine of the

the earth: Thou hast stretched out Thy most pure hands upon the

nothing about this procession with the Epitaphion at the end of

Cross, gathering together all the nations that cry o u t: O Lord, glory to Thee.14 Glory be to the Father: . . . Both now. . . . 18 2 Tim. 4 : 7.

14 Ps. 73: 12.

Stravrotheotokion Most glorious art thou, O Virgin Theotokos; we sing thy

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

Choosing to suffer Crucifixion and death, Thou hast set up the Cross in the midst of the creation. When Thou hast consented, O Saviour, that Thy body should be nailed to the wood, the sun hid its rays. Seeing this, the thief confessed Thee as God and cried to Thee, ‘ O Lord, remember m e’ ; and because of his faith he was granted Paradise.17 y . Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. Thou wast exalted, Lamb of God, upon the cypress, the pine and

the cedar, so as to save those who worship in faith Thy voluntary

Crucifixion. Glory be to Thee, O Christ our God.18 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Stavrotheotokion By Thine own free choice, O compassionate Christ, Thou hast endured a shameful death upon the Cross; and when Thy Mother saw Thee, she was wounded in her heart. At her prayers, O Lord alone supreme in love, through Thy tender mercy have pity on the world and save it, for Thou dost take away its sin.19 15 Ps. 103 : ι$\ 16 liph. 6 : 1 1 - 1 3 . 17 Ps. 7 3 : 1 2 ; Luke 2 3 : 4 2 - 3 . 18 Isa. 6 0 : 13 (Sept.). 19 John 1 : 29.

To the Martyrs Through your faith ye shine as radiant lights, O physicians of the true worship o f God, holy and glorious martyrs. Ye were not terri­ fied by the torments of the tyrants, but ye cast down the blasphem­ ous teachings of idolatry, taking up the true Cross as your emblem of victory.

Sessional hymns o f repentance:

Make my humble soul turn back, O Lord, for I have wasted all my life in sin; receive me as the harlot and save m e.20 ψ . O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger. . . . Sailing across the sea of this present life, I lay to heart the depth of my many sins; and lacking spiritual wisdom to guide me on my course, I cry to Thee like Peter: Save me, Christ my God, save me in Thy love for mankind.21 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . Theotokion To thee who wast brought up in the temple, within the Holy of Holies, to thee who wast clothed with faith and wisdom and blame­ less virginity, the Archangel Gabriel brought greetings from heaven, and he cried: ‘ Hail, All-blessed; hail, All-glorified, the Lord is with

thee.’ 22 To the Martyrs Today the angelic hosts are present at the memorial of the martyrs; they enlighten the minds of the faithful and make the inhabited earth bright with grace. O God, accept their intercessions, and grant us Thy great mercy.

Sessional hymns o f repentance:

Let us make haste to enter the bridal chamber of Christ, that we 20 Luke 7: 37. 21 Matt. 14: 30. 22 Luke 1: 28.

may hear the blessed voice of our God. O come, ye who love the heavenly glory, and who follow the example of the wise virgins; let us make our lamps shine brightly with faith.23 y . O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger. . . . Reflect, my soul, how we shall stand before the Judge in that fear­ ful hour, when the dread thrones are set up and the deeds of each man are disclosed. No entreaty then will sway the Judge; there the fire of torment is prepared for thee, like an angry, raging sea, over­ whelming all things. Reflect on this, my soul: weep and repent before the» end is here.24 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Theotokion O thou who art in very truth the Theotokos, who dost intercede

with the boldness of a Mother before thy Son and our God, preserve thy flock25 that turns to thee for protection and receives its strength from thee; thou art a wall and haven, and the only guardian of man­ kind. To the Martyrs As with scarlet and fine linen Thy Church is adorned with the blood of Thy martyrs in all the world, and through them she cries aloud to Thee, O Christ our G o d : Have compassion on Thy people, grant peace to Thy flock, and to our souls great mercy.

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

The Jews nailed Thee, O Saviour, to die Cross, and dirough this

Cross, O loving Lord, Thou hast called us Gentiles back to Thee. In

the abundance of Thy tender mercies, Thou hast of Thine own will

stretched out Thine hands upon it, and hast consented that the lance should pierce Thy side. O longsuffering Lord, glory to Thee. y . Exalt ye the Lord our G o d : and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. Looking now upon Thy most pure Cross, that is the light of our souls, O Christ, and venerating it with joy, we cry aloud to Thee: Glory be to Thee, whose will it was to be exalted on it; glory be to Thee, who through the Cross hast granted light to all creation. R e­ joicing in the Cross, with hymns that never cease we give Thee Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . Stavrotheotokion When Thine all-pure Mother saw Thee raised upon the Cross, O Word of God, with a mother’s grief she cried: ‘What is this new

and strange wonder, O my Son? How canst Thou suifer death, O Life of all? It is because in Thy compassion Thou dost w ill to bring

the dead to life .’

To the Martyrs

The solemn feast of those who suffered martyrdom has made the

Church into an earthly heaven, and the angels now rejoice with men. At Thy martyrs’ intercessions, save our souls, O Christ our God.

TONE FIVE

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

The place o f the skull has become Paradise; for as soon as the

wood of the Cross was planted there, at once it bore the fruit of life, even Thee, O Saviour who hast brought us joy. G loiy be to Thee. ψ . Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at His footstool, for He is holy.

The wood of Thy Cross, O our Saviour, has brought salvation to

the w orld; for Thou, the joy of all, wast nailed upon it willingly,

and hast delivered from the curse those that dwell on earth. O Lord, glory be to Thee. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both iiow. . . .

Stavrotheotokion When Thy Mother beheld Thee, O Christ, hanging by Thine own free choice upon the Cross between two thieves, then with a mother’s grief her heart was pierced and she cried out: Ό sinless Son, how art Thou nailed unjustly to the Cross as an evildoer? It is because in Thy surpassing love Thou wiliest to restore mankind to life .’ To the Martyrs Today the memorial of the victorious martyrs shines with light from heaven. The choir of angels keeps the festival, and mankind celebrates the feast with them. For they intercede before the Lord, that He may have mercy on our souls.

TONE SIX

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

No sooner had the wood of Thy Cross been set up, O Christ our 37 Luke 2:35·.

38 John 20: 19.

Lord, than the foundations of death were shaken. Hell swallowed Thee eagerly, but it let Thee go with trembling. Thou hast shown us Thy salvation, O Holy One, and we glorify Thee, O Son of God; have mercy on us. ψ . Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. O Lord, the Jews condemned Thee to death, who art the Life of all; with Moses* rod Thou hast Led them on dry ground through the Red Sea, yet they nailed thee to the Cross; Thou hast suckled them with honey from the rock, yet they gave Thee gall. But Thou hast willingly endured these things, to free us from the bondage of the enemy. O Christ our God, glory to Thee.39 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . .

Stavrotheotokion O Virgin Theotokos, thy Son, Christ our God, was nailed o f His own will upon the Cross, and He has risen from the dead. Pray to Him for the salvation of our souls. To the Martyrs

The Lord has given glory to those who preached Christ in the

arena and who did not fear the threats of the ungodly. W ith forti­ tude they suffered and so cast down the pride of the transgressors. Christ gave them as their due reward the grace of healing, and without ceasing they make intercession for the salvation of our souls.

TONE SEVEN

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

Thou hast made Thy Cross, O Christ, more bright than any fire, more clear than any flame. Burning up the sins of those in sickness, it enlightens all men’ s hearts, as they sing the praises of Thy voluntary Crucifixion. Glory be to Thee, O Christ our God. y . Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. O Ruler of the spiritual powers, Thou knowest well how slothful is my soul. Save me by Thy Cross, O Christ my God who lovest mankind. Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Stavrotheotokion To Christ our God, who was crucified for us and has destroyed

the power of death, do thou pray without ceasing, O Virgin Theo­

tokos j for the salvation of our souls. To the Martyrs Thy Martyrs, O Lord, defeated the enemy, and armed with the

em ­ power of the Cross they put to shame the error of idolatry. There­ fore with the angels we cry out to Thee, O Christ, giving glory to Thee in a hymn of victory. At their intercessions, we beseech Thee, save us.

TONE EIGHT

Sessional hymns o f the Cross:

In die midst of Eden, a tree put forth the flower of death; in the midst of all the earth, a tree has flowered with life. Eating from the first tree, we who were immortal fell into corruption; but through

the second tree incorruption is bestowed on us again. For by the

Cross, O God, Thou dost save mankind.40 ψ . Exalt ye the Lord our G o d : and worship at His footstool, for He is holy. In Paradise of old the tree stripped me bare; for by giving me its fruit to eat, the enemy brought in death. But now the Tree of the Cross that clothes men with the garment of life has been set up on

the earth, and the whole world is filled with boundless joy. Be­

holding it exalted, O ye people, let us with one accord raise in faith our cry to God: His house is full of glory.50 Glory be to the Father. . . . Both now. . . . Stavrotheotokion O holy Virgin, Christ took flesh from thy pure womb and was 48 Col. 3 : 40 Gen. 2 : 1 7 ; Ps. 73 : 12 . 50 3 M Kgs· 8: 11.

born from thee in ways beyond our understanding. Seeing Him hang between two evildoers on the Cross, thy heart was filled with anguish, and with a mother’s grief thou hast cried out: ‘W oe is me, my C hild! What is this divine and ineffable act of Thy loving provi­ dence, whereby Thou hast restored to life Thy creature? I sing the