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At Great Vespers *

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At Great Vespers *

At Matins *

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At Great Vespers *

At Matins *

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At Great Vespers *

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At Great Vespers *

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At Great Vespers *

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Receive our evening prayers, O Holy Lord, and grant us forgiveness of sins; because you alone made known the Resurrection in the world.

Go around Sion, you peoples, and encompass her, and give glory in her to him who rose from the dead; for he is our God, who has redeemed us from our iniquities.

Come you peoples, let us hymn and worship Christ as we glorify his Resurrection from the dead: because he is our God, who has redeemed us from the error of the foe.

Rejoice, you heavens! Sound the trumpet foundations of the earth! Shout aloud your joy, you mountains! For see, Emmanuel has nailed our sins to the Cross, and he who gives life, has slain death and raised up Adam, as he loves mankind.

Let us sing the praise of him who was willingly crucified in the flesh for our sakes, suffered and was buried and rose from the dead, as we say: Establish your Church in right belief, O Christ, and give peace to our life, as you are good and love mankind.

As we the unworthy stand at your tomb which received life, we offer a hymn of glory to your ineffable compassion, Christ our God; because you accepted Cross and death, O sinless one, that you might give resurrection to the world, as you love mankind.

Let us sing the praise of the Word, without beginning and co-eternal, with the Father, who came forth ineffably from a virgin womb, willingly accepted Cross and Death for us and rose in glory, as we say: Giver of life, Lord, glory to you, the Saviour of our souls.

Both now. Theotokion. Let us hymn the whole world’s glory, engendered from mankind and who gave birth to the Master, the Gate of heaven, Mary the Virgin, the song of the Bodiless Powers and adornment of the faithful; for she has been proclaimed Heaven and Temple of the Godhead. She by destroying the middle wall of enmity has brought peace instead and thrown open the King’s palace. Therefore, holding fast to her as anchor of the faith, we have as champion the Lord born from her. Take courage therefore, take courage, people of God; for he will make war on the foe as All-powerful.

The Lord is King: * he has robed himself in majesty

Verse 1: The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

By your Passion, O Christ, we have been freed from passions, and by your Resurrection we have been delivered from corruption. Lord, glory to you.

Verse 1: The Lord is King: he has robed himself in majesty. The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

All creation, let it rejoice, let the heavens be glad, let the nations clap their hands with gladness; for Christ our Saviour has nailed our sins to the Cross and by slaying death has granted us life, raising all Adam’s fallen race, as he loves mankind.

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

Being King of heaven and earth, O Incomprehensible, you were crucified willingly through love for mankind; when Hades met you he was embittered, and the souls of righteous receiving you rejoiced, while Adam, seeing you his Creator in the infernal regions, arose. O the marvel! How did the life of all taste death? Except that he wished to enlighten the world, which cries out and says: You who rose from the dead, Lord glory to you!

Verse 3: Holiness befits your house, O Lord, to length of days.

Carrying sweet spices the myrrhbearing women reached your tomb with haste and with lamentation; and not finding your most pure Body, but learning from the Angel the new and marvellous wonder, they said to the Apostles: The Lord has risen, granting the world his great mercy.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. See, Isaias’ prophecy has been fulfilled; for as a Virgin you gave birth and after bearing child remained as before bearing child. For it was God who was born, therefore nature also is made new. But, Mother of God, do not despise the supplications of your servants, offered to you in your temple; but since you carry the Compassionate in your embrace, take pity on your servants, and intercede that our souls be saved.

When the stone had been sealed by the Jews, and while soldiers were guarding your spotless Body, you rose, O Saviour, on the third day, giving life to the world; and therefore the heavenly Powers cried out to you, Giver of life: Glory to your Resurrection, O Christ, glory to your Kingdom, glory to your Dispensation, only lover of mankind.

When Gabriel addressed you, O Virgin, with his ‘Hail’, as he spoke the Master of all things became incarnate in you the holy Ark, as righteous David sang. You were proclaimed wider than the heavens, for you carried your Creator. Glory to him who dwelt in you, glory to him who came forth from you, glory to him who has set us free through your bearing child.

The soldiers watching your grave became as dead men at the lightning flash of the Angel who appeared and proclaimed to the Women the Resurrection. We glorify you, the destroyer of corruption; we fall down before you, risen from the grave and alone our God.

Verse: Arise, Lord my God, lift up your hand; do not forget your poor for ever.

You were willingly nailed to the Cross, O Merciful one, and laid in a tomb as a mortal, O Giver of life. By your death, O Powerful one, you smashed its might; for Hell’ gatekeepers trembled before you; you raised with you the dead from every age, for you alone love mankind.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. All we who with longing flee for refuge to your goodness know you to be Mother of God and after childbirth still truly Virgin; for we sinners have you as protection; in temptations we have you as salvation, the only All-blameless one.

The women came to your tomb at dawn and when they saw a vision of an Angel they trembled; the tomb blazed forth life; the marvel amazed them; and so going back to the disciples they proclaimed the Resurrection: Christ has despoiled Hell, as alone mighty and powerful, and has raised up all those in corruption, dispelling the fear of condemnation by the power of the Cross.

Verse: I will praise you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.

O Life of all, you were nailed to the Cross; O immortal Lord, you were numbered among the dead. you arose, O Saviour, on the third day, and raised Adam from corruption; therefore the heavenly Powers cried out to you, O Giver of life: Glory to your sufferings, O Christ; glory to your Resurrection; glory to your condescension, only lover of mankind.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Mary, holy vessel of the Master, raise us up who have fallen into the pit of dread despair, of offences and afflictions; for you are the salvation, the help and the mighty protection of sinners, and you save your servants.

The Thief’s repentance plundered Paradise, but the Myrrh-bearers’ lament disclosed the joy that you had risen, Christ God, granting the world great mercy.

When I am afflicted, I cry to you, O Lord, hearken to my pains.

For those who dwell in the desert the longing for God never ceases, for they are far from the world’s vanity.

Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit, as to the Father and the Son, are due honour and glory; and so let us sing to the Trinity, a single might.

Having lifted me up to the mountains of your laws, make me shine, O God, with virtues, that I may sing your praise.

Take me with your right hand, O Word, guard me and keep me, lest the fire of sin scorch me.

Glory. Both now. In the Holy Spirit all creation is made new and hastens back to its first condition; for he is equal in strength to the Father and the Word.

With those who said to me: Let us journey to the courts of the Lord, my Spirit was glad and my heart rejoices.

Over the house of David is great fear; for there when thrones are placed, all the tribes and tongues of the earth will be judged.

Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit must be offered honour, worship, glory and might, as befit also the Father and the Son; for the Trinity is a Unity, in nature, but not in persons.

Prokeimenon.

Now I shall arise, says the Lord, I shall set him in safety, and speak boldly in him.

Verse: The Lord’s words are pure words, silver tried by fire, tested in earth, seven times refined.

After O God, save your people and the Ekphonesis, we begin the Canons, singing the Resurrection Canon to 4, the Cross-Resurrection to 3, that of the Mother of God to 3, and that of the Saint of the day to 4. But if the Saint is ‘feasted’ to 6 or 8.

Your triumphant right hand, in a manner fitting God, has been glorified in strength, O Immortal; for in its infinite strength it broke in pieces the enemy, and made a strange new way for the Israelites in the deep.

With immaculate hands working as God, you fashioned me in the beginning from dust, stretched out those hands on the Cross, calling back from the earth my corruptible body, which you had taken from the Virgin.

He, who by divinely breathing placed a soul in me, submitted to being slain for me and delivered his soul to death; and having freed it from eternal bonds and raised it with himself, he glorified it with incorruption.

Theotokion. Hail source of grace, hail ladder and gate of heaven, hail lampstand and golden jar, and unhewn mountain, who bore for the world Christ the Giver of life.

Another Canon, of Cross and Resurrection. Irmos. Christ is born, give glory!

Christ incarnate makes me divine. Christ being humbled exalts me. Christ the Giver of life by suffering the passion in the flesh makes me dispassionate. Therefore I raise a song of thanksgiving, for he has been glorified.

Christ being crucified lifts me up. Christ put to death raises me with himself. Christ grants me life. Therefore as I clap my hands in gladness I sing to the Saviour a song of victory, for he has been glorified.

Theotokion. All-pure Virgin, you conceived God; in virginity you gave birth to Christ who was incarnate from you, in person one only-begotten Son, known in two natures, for he has been glorified.

Another Canon, to the Mother of God. Irmos. Your triumphant right hand.

What hymn worthy of you can our weakness offer? Unless the joyful one which Gabriel revealed to us: Hail Mother of God, Virgin Mother without bridegroom!

To the Ever-virgin and Mother of the King of the Powers above let us the faithful cry in spirit from hearts most pure: Hail Mother of God, Virgin Mother without bridegroom!

Infinite the abyss of your incomprehensible child-bearing, All-pure one; therefore with unhesitating faith we offer you our song, as we say sincerely: Hail Mother of God, Virgin Mother without bridegroom!

You alone know the weakness of mortals and in compassion took its form; gird me with power from on high, to cry to you: Holy the living temple of your ineffable glory, O lover of mankind!

As you are my God, O Good one, you pitied me, fallen as I was, and were well pleased to come down to me. you have raised me up through your crucifixion to cry to you: Holy the Lord of glory, in goodness beyond compare!

O Christ as Life empersonned and as compassionate God, having clothed yourself with me, corrupted one, you came down, Master, to the dust of death, tearing apart mortality, and rising on the third day you clothed the dead with incorruption.

Theotokion. Having conceived God in the womb through the All-holy Spirit, O Virgin, you remained unconsumed by the flame; for to Moses the lawgiver the bush burning yet unconsumed clearly foretold you who received the unendurable fire.

To Christ God, who took the wandering sheep upon his shoulders and through a tree destroyed his sin, let us cry aloud, you that exalt our horn, Holy are you, O Lord!

To the One who brought from Hell Christ the great shepherd and by his priestly power, through the Apostles, shepherded in wisdom all the nations, let us in truth by the divine Spirit give adoration.

Theotokion. To the Son who without seed was incarnate by his will from a Virgin, and who by his divine power kept her a pure Virgin after bearing child, to the God of all, let us cry aloud, Holy are you, O Lord!

Truthfully, O Virgin, following the words of the Prophet, we name you the light cloud; for on you the Lord came to destroy the Egypt’s idols of error and to enlighten those who served them.

The choir of Prophets truly named you the sealed fountain and the shut gate, clearly depicting for us the symbols of your virginity, O All-praised, which you preserved even after childbirth.

All-blameless Virgin, Gabriel, enabled as far as is lawful to know the mind of God, brought you a message of great gladness, plainly disclosing the conception of the Word, and proclaiming your ineffable child-bearing.

Avvakoum with foreseeing eyes perceived you as a mountain overshadowed by the grace of God, from which, he foretold, the Holy one of Israel would come, for our salvation and refashioning.

Who is this Saviour who comes from Edom, crowned with thorns, his garments reddened, hanging on a tree? This is the Holy one of Israel, for our salvation and refashioning.

See, disobedient people, and be ashamed! The One whom you insanely begged Pilate to hang upon a cross as a malefactor has abolished the power of death, and in a manner fitting God has risen from the tomb.

Theotokion. We know you to be the tree of life, O Virgin; for from you there did not bud the fruit which bore death when eaten, but the enjoyment of eternal life for the salvation of us who sing your praise.

Who is this fair one from Edom, and the scarlet of his garments from the vine of Bosor? He is fair as God and as a mortal he has reddened his robe with the blood of his flesh. To him we faithful sing, Glory to your power, O Lord!

Christ, appearing as high priest of the blessings to come, scattered our sin, and, showing a strange way by his blood, he hastened into a greater and more perfect tabernacle, our forerunner into the Holy Place.

Theotokion. You paid the ancient debt of Eve, O All-praised, by the new Adam who was made manifest for our sake. For uniting to himself from a pure conception rational and animate flesh Christ came forth from you, Lord over both natures.

Hear wonders, O heaven, take note, O earth, for a daughter of the earthly, fallen Adam has been declared God’s daughter, and mother of her own Creator, for our salvation and refashioning.

We praise your great and awe-inspiring mystery; for unknown to the Captains of the armies beyond the world, the One Who Is came down upon you, like dew upon a fleece, O All-praised, for our salvation and refashioning.

All-praised Mother of God, Holy of Holies, expectation of the nations, salvation of the faithful, from you has dawned the redeemer and Giver of life and Lord. Entreat him that your servants may be saved.

O Christ, who enlightened the ends of the world by the brightness of your coming, and made them radiant by your Cross, enlighten with the light of your divine knowledge the hearts of those who sing your praise with right belief.

The Jews put to death through the wood of the cross the great shepherd and Lord; but from death’s might he rescued like sheep the dead buried in Hell.

When you announced the glad tidings of peace by your cross and proclaimed deliverance for captives, my Saviour, then, O Christ, you put to shame him who held them in thrall and showed him naked and destitute by your Divine Rising.

Theotokion. All-praised, do not despise the prayers of those who faithfully entreat you, but receive and present them. O Pure one, to your Son, our God and only benefactor; for in you we have gained a protector.

Another, of Cross and Resurrection.As you are God of peace.

O the riches and depth of the wisdom of God! The Lord who catches the wise has ransomed us from their trickery; for having suffered willingly through the weakness of the flesh, through his own strength he has been raised, a life-giving corpse.

Being God Christ is united to flesh for our sake, and is crucified and dies and is buried and rises up again, and goes up in splendour to the Father with his own flesh, with which he will come and save those who devoutly adore him.

Theotokion. Pure Virgin, Holy of Holies, you gave birth to the Holy of Holies, who hallows all, Christ the Redeemer. And so w proclaim you as Queen and Sovereign Lady of all things, as Mother of the Creator of all that has been made.

Seeing you the Powers of heaven are glad, and the ranks of mortals rejoice with them; for they have been united, Virgin Mother of God, by your offspring; whom we fittingly glorify.

Let every mortal tongue and mind be roused to the praise of mortal man’s true ornament; the Virgin clearly stands by the Lord, glorifying those who with faith sing the praise of her marvels.

Every song and every praise of the wise offered to the Virgin and Mother of God is glorified. For the temple of God’s glory she has become; whom we fittingly glorify.

The deepest abyss has surrounded us, there is none to deliver, we have been counted as sheep for the slaughter; save your people, O God, for you are the strength and restoration of the weak.

By the fault of the first-formed man, O Lord, we were grievously wounded; but by your stripes, by which you were wounded for our sakes, O Christ, we have been healed; for you are the strength and restoration of the weak.

You have brought us up from Hell, Lord, by worsting the all-devouring monster of the deep, O All-powerful, and destroying his power by your might; for you are life and light and resurrection.

Theotokion. The Forefathers of the race rejoice in you, immaculate Virgin, for through you they regain Eden, which they lost through transgression; for you are pure both before child-bearing and after giving birth.

Christ God, being Mind dispassionate and immaterial, mingles with the human mind that stands midway between the divine nature and the solidity of flesh; and was wholly united to the whole of me without change, that by being crucified he might hand salvation to the whole of me, who had fallen.

Tripped, Adam falls and is crushed, cheated of his hope of being made divine, but he arises, deified by the union of the Word, by the Passion gains dispassion, and, as the Son, enthroned with the Father and the Spirit, is glorified.

Theotokion. Not leaving the bosom of his Begetter, who is without beginning, he lodges and comes to rest in the bosom of a pure Maiden, he that is without mother incarnate without father, the God of righteousness who reigns as king. His fearful and ineffable generation is without genealogy.

The heavenly Ranks stand beside your Offspring like servants, fittingly struck with amazement at your child-bearing without seed, O Ever-virgin; for you are pure both before bearing child and after giving birth.

The Word, who before was without flesh, who made the universe by his will, who brought the armies of the Bodiless ones into being out of nothing, as All-powerful, became incarnate from you, O All-pure.

The foe has been slain by your life-bearing Fruit, O Full of God’s grace, and Hell has been manifestly trampled down, and we who were in chains have been freed; and so I cry out: Do away with the passions of my heart!

Kontakion.

You rose from the grave in glory as God and raised the world up with you; mortal nature sang your praise as God, and death disappeared; Adam dances, Master, and now Eve, freed from her chains, rejoices as she cries: It is you, O Christ, who grant Resurrection to all.

Ikos.

Let us praise as God of all power the One who rose on the third day, smashed the gates of Hell and roused the age-long dead from the grave, who appeared to the Myrrhbearers, as it was his good pleasure to say to them first of all: Rejoice! and so revealing joy to the Apostles, as alone Giver of life. Therefore with faith the Women proclaim the tokens of victory to the Disciples; Hell groans, Death laments, the world exults and all rejoice together: For you, O Christ, have granted Resurrection to all.

We the faithful recognise you, O Mother of God, as a spiritual furnace; for as he, the highly exalted, saved the three Youths, so he wholly refashioned me, humanity, in your womb, the God of our Fathers. praised and glorified above all.

The earth shuddered, the sun was turned back and with it the light was darkened, the sacred veil of the Temple was rent in two and the rocks were split; for the Just One had been made away with through a cross; the God of our Fathers. praised and glorified above all.

When you, the highly exalted, had willingly for ours sakes become as one with no help and a slain corpse among the dead, you freed us all and raised us up with you with a mighty hand, the God of our fathers. praised and glorified above all.

Theotokion. Hail, spring of ever-living water! Hail, Paradise of pleasure! Hail, wall for the faithful! Hail, Bride without bridegroom! Hail, joy of all the world! through whom there has dawned for us: the God of our fathers. praised and glorified above all.

Of old the earth was cursed, made crimson with the blood of Abel by a brother’s murdering hand; but watered by your blood that flowed from God it is blessed and leaping for joy cries out, God of our Fathers, blessed are you!

Let the people of the Jews, opposed to God, lament the reckless deed of putting Christ to death; but let the nations be glad and clap their hands and shout, God of our Fathers, blessed are you!

Lo, the dazzling Angel cried out to the Myrrhbearing Women, Come, see the tokens of Christ’s Resurrection, the graves clothes and the tomb, and cry out, God of our Fathers, blessed are you!

Jacob in prophecy discerned you in the ladder, O Mother of God; for through you the Highly Exalted was well-pleased to appear and to live among men: the God of our fathers. praised and glorified above all.

Hail, most revered, Adam’s fleece! The Shepherd, the highly exalted, came forth from you, truly clothed in my whole humanity, through his ineffable compassion: the God of our fathers. praised and glorified above all.

The God before the ages truly bears the name new Adam, from your pure blood; pray to him now to make me, old and worn out, new, as I cry: O God of our fathers. praised and glorified above all.

In the furnace as in a smelter the Israelite Youths shone with the beauty of godliness brighter than gold as they said: All you his works bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him throughout all the ages.

O Word of God, maker and transformer of all things by your will, changing the shadow of death into everlasting life by your Passion, unceasingly we, all your works, praise you as Lord, and highly exalt you throughout all the ages.

By rising on the third day, O Christ, you destroyed the misery and wretchedness within the gates and strongholds of Hell. Unceasingly all your works praise you as Lord, and highly exalt you throughout all the ages.

Theotokion. Let us praise her who without seed and beyond nature brought forth Christ the precious pearl from the divine lightning as we say: All you his works bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him throughout all the ages.

Come, peoples, let us worship the place on which stood Christ’s immaculate feet, and where his divine, life-giving palms were stretched out on a tree for the salvation of all mortals; and we circle the tomb of life let us raise the song, Let all creation bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

The lawless slander of the Jews who slew God has been refuted; for the One they called a deceiver, has been raised as one with power, making a mockery of the seals of the lawless. And so with gladness let us raise the song, Let all creation bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

The most pure Seraphim, as they praise the glory of the one lordship in thrice-holy hymns, like slaves they glorify with fear the three-personned Godhead. With them we too devoutly raise the song, Let all creation bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

Let us all sing the praise of the Bridal Chamber filled with light, from whom Christ, the Master of all, came forth as a bridegroom, as we cry: All you his works bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him to all the ages.

Hail, glorious throne of God! Hail wall of the faithful, through whom Christ, the light, has dawned for those in darkness, who call you blest and cry: All you his works bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him throughout all the ages.

Cause of our salvation, who bore the Lord, Virgin all-praised, intercede for all who devoutly cry: All you his works bless the Lord, praise and highly exalt him throughout all the ages.

The burning bush that was not consumed was a type of your child-bearing; quench for us now the raging furnace of temptations we pray, O Mother of God, that we may unceasingly magnify you.

O how the lawless and disobedient people, having plotted evil, justified the ungodly malefactor, but condemned the Just, the Lord of glory, to the tree! him we fittingly magnify.

O Saviour, the unblemished Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, we glorify you, risen on the third day, with the Father and the divine Spirit; and acknowledging you as God, as Lord of glory we magnify you.

Theotokion. Save your people, Lord, whom you purchased with your precious blood, strengthening our Sovereign against enemies, and bestowing peace on your Churches, O Lover of mankind, at the entreaties of the Mother of God.

Your Cross, O Lord, has been glorified with ineffable power; for your weakness was revealed to all as above power. Through it the powerful have been cast down to earth, while paupers have been brought safely to heaven.

Our unsmiling death has been slain, for when you appeared to those in Hell, O Christ, you granted resurrection from the dead. And so as life and resurrection and empersonned life in hymns we magnify you.

The nature that is without beginning and without limit is acknowledged in three single divine hypostases; one Godhead in Father, Son and Spirit, trusting in which the Sovereign wise in God is saved.

O Virgin, fulfilling prophecy, you sprang from David’s root; yet David too you truly glorified in giving birth to him that was foretold, the Lord of glory whom fittingly we magnify.

All-pure one, every law of praise is defeated by the greatness of your glory; yet, Lady, graciously accept from unworthy suppliants, O Mother of God, the praise they offer you with love.

O what wonders are yours beyond the mind’s conceiving! For you, O Virgin, alone higher than the sun, have granted to all to contemplate the newest wonder of your incomprehensible birth-giving. Therefore we all magnify you.

We sing the praise of your saving Passion, O Christ, and we glorify your Resurrection.

Having endured the Cross, destroyed death and risen from the dead, give peace to our life, O Lord, as you alone are All-powerful.

Having despoiled Hell and raised humanity by your Resurrection, O Christ, grant that with pure hearts we may praise and glorify you.

As we glorify your divine condescension, we praise you, O Christ: you were born of a Virgin, yet you were not separated from the Father; as man you suffered and willingly endured the Cross; you rose from the grave, as though coming out of your bridal chamber, that you might save the world. Lord, glory to you!

When you were nailed to the Tree of the Cross, then the might of the enemy was put to death; creation was shaken in fear of you, and Hell was despoiled by your might. You raised the dead from the tombs and opened Paradise to the Thief. Christ our God, glory to you!

Grieving the holy women came with haste to your grave; but finding the tomb opened and learning from the Angel the new and marvellous wonder, they announced to the Apostles, ‘The Lord has risen, granting the world his great mercy’.

We bow down before the divine stripes of your sufferings, Christ God, and royal sacrifice that took place divinely revealed in Sion at the end of the ages; for you, the Sun of righteousness, enlightened those who slept in darkness, leading them by the hand to the radiance that knows no evening. Lord, glory to you!

Tumultuous race of the Jews, give ear. Where are those who approached Pilate? Let the soldiers who kept watch say, where are the seals of the grave? Where has the one who was buried been moved to? Where has the One who is not for sale been sold? How has the treasure been burgled? Lawless Jews, why do you slander the Rising of the Crucified? He has risen, the One free among the dead, and grants the world his great mercy.

You are most blessed, O Virgin Mother of God, for through him who took flesh from you, Hell has been captured, Adam recalled, the curse slain, Eve set free, death put to death, and we given life. Therefore in praise we cry: Blessed are you, Christ our God, who have been thus well-pleased, glory to you.

When the stone had been sealed by the Jews and when the soldiers were guarding Thy pure Body, O Savior, Thou didst rise on the third day and give life to the world. Therefore, the powers of heaven cried to Thee, O giver of life: Glory to Thy resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Thy kingdom! Glory to Thy providence, O only lover of men!

Thou didst rise as God from the tomb with glory and with Thyself didst raise the world, and the nature of men sings to Thee as God, and death has vanished, and Adam dances for joy, O Lord, and Eve, now freed from her fetters rejoices, crying: Thou, O Christ, art He Who givest to all resurrection.

Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee. Stichos: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.

Alleluia: O God Who givest avengement unto me and hast subdued peoples under me. Stichos: It is He that magnifieth the salvation of His king and worketh mercy for His anointed, for David and for his seed unto eternity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!’

The gates of death opened to you Lord, in fear; Hades’ 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.

As we sing the hymn of salvation, let this song rise from our lips; ‘Come all in the Lord's 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!’’

Glory…, Both now… Theotokion. The shadow of the law has passed now that grace has come, for as the Bush in flames was not consumed, so as a Virgin you bore a Child and remained a Virgin; instead of a pillar of fire the Sun of righteousness has dawned, instead of Moses Christ, the salvation of our souls.

The Lord is King: * he has robed himself in majesty

Verse 1: The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

Your Resurrection, O Christ Saviour, has enlightened the whole inhabited world; and you have called back your own creation. All-powerful Lord, glory to you!

Verse 1: The Lord is King: he has robed himself in majesty. The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Destroying the curse of the tree through a tree, O Saviour, you slew the might of death by your burial, while you enlightened our race by your Rising; therefore we cry out to you; ‘Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you!’

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

Even as you appeared nailed to the Cross, O Christ, you altered the beauty of created things; and while the soldiers showed their inhumanity by piercing your side with a lance, the Hebrews asked that your tomb be sealed, not understanding your power; but in your pitying compassion you accepted burial and rose on the third day. Lord, glory to you!

Verse 3: Holiness befits your house, O Lord, to length of days.

For the sake of mortals, O Christ, Giver of life, willingly you underwent the Passion; as Powerful you descended into Hell, snatched as from the hand of a mighty one the souls of those who were waiting there for your coming and instead of Hades you granted them to dwell in Paradise. And so to us who glorify your Rising on the third day grant pardon of our sins and your great mercy.

Glory.Both now. Theotokion. O new wonder, greater than all the wonders of old! For who has ever known of a Mother who without a man has borne a child and carried in her arms the One who holds fast all creation? The Child conceived is the Counsel of God, whom you, All-pure, carried in your embrace and towards whom you have gained a mother's freedom to speak. Therefore do not cease to intercede with him on behalf of those who honour you, that he take pity and save our souls.

When you went down to death, O immortal Life, then you slew Hell with the lightning flash of your Godhead; but when from the depths below the earth you raised the dead, all the Powers in the heavens cried out, ‘Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you!’

All your mysteries are beyond understanding, all beyond glory, Mother of God; sealed in purity and guarded in virginity you were known without deception to be a Mother, in giving birth to the true God: implore him that our souls may be saved.

The noble Joseph taking down your spotless Body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud with sweet spices and laid it for burial in a new grave; but on the third day you arose, O Lord, granting the world your great mercy.

Verse: Arise, Lord my God, lift up your hand; do not forget your poor for ever.

The Angel standing by the grave cried to the women bearing myrrh, ‘Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to corruption. But cry aloud: The Lord has risen, granting the world his great mercy!’

Glory. Both now. Cross-Theotokion.

You are highly glorified, Virgin Mother of God, and we sing your praise, for through the Cross of your Son Hell has been overthrown, Death has died, we who were dead have risen and been granted life. We have received Paradise, our ancient delight, therefore with thanksgiving we glorify Christ our God as mighty and alone full of mercy.

You did not prevent the grave stone from being sealed, and risen you granted to all the rock of the Faith. Lord, glory to you!

Verse: I will praise you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.

The choir of your Disciples rejoices in harmony with the Myrrh-bearing women; for with them we celebrate a common feast to the glory and honour of your Resurrection. Through them, O Lord who love humankind, grant your people your great mercy.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. You are highly blessed, Virgin Mother of God, for through him who was incarnate from you Hell has been taken captive, Adam recalled, the curse slain, Eve set free, death has been put to death and we have been given life; therefore with hymns we cry: Blessed are you Christ our God who have been thus well-pleased, glory to you!

The women coming to your grave after the Passion to anoint your body, Christ God, saw Angels in the tomb and were amazed, for they heard a message from them message, ‘The Lord has risen, granting the world his great mercy’.

I raise the eyes of my heart to you in heaven, O Saviour. Save me by your radiance.

Have mercy, O my Christ, on us who fail you hour by hour in many ways, and give us the means to turn back to you in repentance before the end.

Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit belong kingship, sanctification and the guidance of creation, for he is God, consubstantial with the Father and the Word.

If the Lord was not among us, who could be kept safe from the one who is both foe and murderer?

Do not hand your servant over to their teeth, my Saviour. Like a lion they come against me, for they too are my foes.

Glory. Both now. To the Holy Spirit belong the source of life and honour, for, being God, he gives all creatures power and watches over them in the Father through the Son.

Those who trust in the Lord are like the holy mountain: they are utterly unshaken by the assaults of Beliar.

Let not those who live for God stretch out their hands in lawlessness; for with his rod Christ forbids his lot.

Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit all wisdom flows forth, from which grace comes to the Apostles, the Martyrs are crowned for their struggles, and the Prophets see.

Rise up, O Lord my God, according to the decree which you enjoined:* and an assembly of peoples will surround you.

Verse: O Lord my God, I have hoped in you. Save me from all who pursue me and deliver me.

His overwhelming might once laid low in the deep all Pharaoh’s host; but the incarnate Word, the glorious Lord, has wiped out malignant sin: for he has been greatly glorified.

The ruler of the world, O Good One, to whom we were enrolled by not obeying your commandment, has been judged by your Cross; for having attacked you as a mortal he has fallen by the might of your authority, and has been proved weak.

You came into the world as Redeemer of the race of mortals and prince of the life without corruption; for you tore apart death’s winding sheets by your Resurrection, which we all glorify; for it has been greatly glorified.

Theotokion. You have appeared higher than every creature, visible and invisible, O Pure and Ever-Virgin; for you gave birth to the Creator, as he was well pleased to become incarnate in your womb; with your freedom to speak implore him that our souls may be saved.

Another Canon, of the Cross and Resurrection, of which the Acrostic, including the Irmi, is: I sing my praise to the life-giving Word.

Irmos. Israel the chosen.

O Christ you have become strength for the weak, resurrection for the fallen and incorruption for the dead by the suffering of your flesh: for it has been glorified.

God the Fashioner and Restorer took pity on his fallen image and raised it up when it was crushed, having himself been put to death; for he has been glorified.

Another Canon of the most holy Mother of God, of which the Acrostic is: I sing my praise to the life-giving Maiden.

The same Irmos.

Of old an immaterial ladder and a path in the sea strangely made dry revealed your giving birth, O Pure One. We all sing its praise, for it has been glorified.

The Power of the Most High, the perfect Substance and Wisdom of God, took a body from you, O Immaculate, and conversed with mortals; for he has been glorified.

The Sun of righteousness came through the closed untrodden gateway of your womb, O Pure One, and shone upon the world: for he has been glorified.

The desert, the barren Church from the nations, flowered like a lily, O Lord, at your coming, by which my heart has been established.

At your passion creation was changed when it saw you, who had done all things by your divine bidding, mean in appearance and sneered at by lawless men.

You fashioned me from dust by your own hand according to your image, and when I was crushed back again to the dust of death through sin, you descended with me to hell, O Christ, and raised me up again with you.

Theotokion. The ranks of Angels were amazed, and the hearts of mortals trembled at your birth-giving, O All-Pure; therefore in faith we honour you as Mother of God.

Another, of the Cross and Resurrection. The bow of mighty men was smashed.

Christ, who is beyond all, has been made a little lower than the Angels by his suffering in the flesh.

Dead you were numbered with the lawless, O Christ, but you appeared to the Women shining with the crown of the glory of your Rising.

The One beyond all time, as Maker of time, was fashioned of his own will as a babe from you, O Virgin.

Let us, the faithful, praise the womb that is wider than the heavens; for through it Adam, rejoicing, has become a citizen of heaven.

From a Virgin you came, not an ambassador, not an Angel, but the Lord himself incarnate, and you saved me, humanity, entirely; therefore I cry to you: Glory to your power, O Lord!

As one condemned, my God, you stood before the tribunal and did not cry out, O Master, pronouncing a judgement for the nations, the salvation which you wrought for the world through your passion, O Christ.

The swords of the foe failed at your passion; but by your descent into Hell the cities of your opponents were sacked and the arrogance of the tyrant was brought low.

Theotokion. All we believers know you to be a harbour of salvation and an unshakeable wall, Sovereign Lady, Mother of God, for by your prayers you deliver our souls from dangers.

Seeing you nailed to the Cross, O Christ, the Virgin who had borne you without pains, endured a mother’s pains.

Death is conquered, a corpse despoils the gates of Hell; for now that the all-devouring has been rent open, all that is above nature has been given me.

See, the divine mountain for the house of the Lord, the Mother of God, is being most manifestly exalted above the Powers of heaven.

O Virgin, who alone bore the Master of creation beyond the laws of nature, you have been granted the epithet divine.

O Christ you have become the Mediator between God and mortals, for through you, O Master, from the night of ignorance we have access to your Father, the source of light.

Like a cedar, O Christ, you crushed the insolence of the foe, when of your own will as you were well-pleased, you were raised up with your flesh, O Master, on cypress, pine and cedar.

They laid you, O Christ, as a lifeless corpse in the lowest pit, but by your own stripes, O Saviour, you raised with yourself the slain who slept forgotten in the tombs.

Theotokion. Beseech your Son and Lord, pure Virgin, to grant deliverance to prisoners and peace from hostile circumstances to those who trust in you.

The former Adam, refusing to fast, tasted of the tree that brought death; but the Second, by being crucified, wipes out his sin.

O Christ, impassible in your immaterial godhead, you became passible and mortal in nature. Giving incorruption to the dead, you raised them from the vaults of Hell.

You clouds, rain down the sweetness of joy for those on earth, for a Child has been given, who is our God before the ages, incarnate from the Virgin.

When the Most High became incarnate from the Virgin without seed in the last times, the light shone on my life and flesh, and destroyed the gloom of sin.

Surrounded by a depth of offences, I call upon the unsearchable depth of your compassion: lead me up from corruption, O God.

The Just is judged as a malefactor and nailed with the lawless to the tree, by his own blood granting forgiveness to the guilty.

Through one man, the first Adam, death entered the world of old; and through one, the Son of God, Resurrection has been revealed.

Theotokion. Without knowing man you bore a child, O Virgin, and you remain ever virgin, showing the proofs of the godhead of your Son and God.

Another, of the Cross and Resurrection.

You placed the Cherubim as guards of the tree of life against fallen man; but on seeing you they opened the gates; for you appeared guiding the Thief to Paradise.

By the death of one man Hell was deserted and without resource, for the great wealth that one man had amassed, Christ emptied on behalf of us all.

Human nature enslaved through sin found freedom through you, pure Lady; for your Son was sacrificed like a lamb on behalf of all.

We all call on you the true Mother of God to deliver the servants who provoke to anger; for you alone have acquired boldness towards the Son.

Kontakion.

You rose from the tomb, all-powerful Saviour, and seeing the marvel Hell was struck with fear, and the dead arose, and creation, seeing, rejoices with you, Adam shares in the joy; and the world ever praises you, my Saviour.

Ikos.

You are the light of those in darkness, you are the resurrection of all and the life of mortals and you have raised up all with yourself, despoiling the might of death, O Saviour, and smashing the gates of Hell, O Word; and mortals when they saw marvelled at the wonder, and all creation rejoices in your Resurrection, O Lover of humankind. Therefore we all glorify and hymn your condescension; and the world ever praises you, my Saviour.

The godless order of a lawless tyrant fanned the soaring flame; but Christ let fall the dew of the Spirit upon the God-fearing children. He is blessed and highly exalted.

O Master through your compassion you could not bear to see humankind tyrannised by death, but, becoming man, you came and saved it by your own blood. You are blessed and highly exalted.

O Christ, the gate-keepers of Hell, seeing you clothed in the robe of vengeance, trembled; for you had come, Master, to worst the foolish tyrant, your servant. You are blessed and highly exalted.

Theotokion. We acknowledge you as the Holy of Holies, O Virgin undefiled, Mother without bridegroom, as her who alone bore the unchangeable God; for you have become the source of incorruption for all the faithful by your divine child-bearing.

Of old disobedience condemned the Forefather in Eden; but willing he was condemned, annulling the charge against the offender, the God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

You saved him who was wounded by the envenomed tongue in Eden; for your cured the bite willingly incurred by your willing passion, O God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

You called me back to light as I walked in the shadow of death when you struck shadowy darkness of Hell with the blaze of your Godhead, O God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

Jacob in the night, as in a riddle, saw God incarnate; but he appeared from you in the beacon-fire to those who sang: God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

He wrestles with Jacob, foreshadowing the signs of the ineffable weaving that took place in you, O pure one, through which was willingly united with humankind the God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

Profane the one who does not proclaim you, the Virgin’s Son, one of the Trinity, nor cries with unwavering mind and tongue: O God of our fathers, supremely divine and most glorious.

A furnace once in Babylon, by divine decree, divided its action, burning up the Chaldeans but refreshing the faithful who sang: All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord.

When they saw the robe of your flesh, O Christ, made scarlet with your blood, the ranks of Angels were aghast with awe at your great long-suffering and they cried: All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord.

O merciful, by your Rising you have clothed my mortality in immortality; therefore rejoicing your chosen people sings to you, O Christ, and cries: Death is truly swallowed up in victory.

Theotokion. Without seed you conceived and bore ineffably him who though inseparable from the Father, dwelt in your womb as God and man, O all-pure Mother of God; therefore we all acknowledge you as the salvation of us all.

O rich in mercy, you were seen nailed to a Cross; willingly you were buried and arose on the third day, and you delivered, O lover of humankind, all mortals who sing to you in faith: Let all creation hymn the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

O Word of God, you went down to the lowest parts of the earth to deliver the one you had fashioned by your power, O my Christ, from corruption, and when you had made him incorruptible you made him a partaker in your eternal glory, as he cries: Let all creation hymn the Lord and highly exalt Christ to all the ages.

Through you he who is incomparable in goodness and power, was seen on earth and lived among men, to whom all we faithful sing as we cry: Let all creation that has been given existence hymn the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

Rightly proclaiming you pure we glorify you, Mother of God, for you bore one of the Trinity incarnate, to whom with the Father and the Spirit we all sing: Let all creation hymn the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.

The Son of the Father without beginning, God and Word, incarnate of a Virgin, has appeared to us, to give light to what is darkened, to gather what is scattered; therefore we magnify the all-hymned Mother of God.

O Saviour the thrice-blessed tree of your immaculate Cross was planted on Calvary as in Paradise, and watered by the divine blood and water from your divine side, O Christ, it has blossomed with life for us.

Crucified, O all-powerful, you laid low the mighty, and exalting human nature which lay below in Hell’s prison, you placed it on your Father’s throne: as you are coming with that nature we worship and magnify you.

Of the Trinity. As with right belief we the faithful hymn the triple Unity, the consubstantial Trinity, let us glorify the inseparable nature, supremely divine, triple light, radiance without evening, alone uncompounded which sheds light upon us.

In the midst of the condemned you were hung up like a lamb, O Christ, on the Cross on Calvary, your side pierced by a lance; in your goodness you have granted to us who are made of dust but who honour you in faith your divine Resurrection.

Let us the faithful all worship God, who by his own death destroyed with might the power of death; for he raised with him the age-long dead, and to all he grants life and Resurrection.

A rod of strength has been given to our rotten nature: the Word of God in your womb, O Pure One, and he raised it up when it had fallen into Hell; therefore, all-pure, as Mother of God we magnify you.

Master receive with compassion as ambassador on our behalf your Mother whom you chose, and all things will be filled with your goodness, that we may all magnify you as our benefactor.

Everything that has breath and every creature glorifies you, O Lord, for through your Cross you destroyed death to show the peoples your Resurrection from the dead, as you alone love humankind.

Let the Jews say how the soldiers lost the King they were guarding. Why did the stone not guard the rock of life? Either let them give up the one who was buried or praise him risen, saying with us: Glory to the multitude of your mercies: Saviour, glory to you!.

Rejoice you peoples and be glad: An Angel sat upon the grave stone; he gave us good tidings saying: Christ has risen from the dead and filled the universe with sweet fragrance. Rejoice you peoples and be glad!

Before your conception, Lord, an Angel brought the greeting ‘Hail’ to the one full of grace: at your Resurrection an Angel rolled the stone from your glorious grave. The one revealed the signs of joy instead of sorrow; the other instead of death proclaimed to us a Master, giver of life. Therefore we cry to you, ‘Benefactor of all humankind, Lord, glory to you!’

Other Stichera of Anatolios.

The women sprinkled sweet spices with their tears upon your grave, and their mouths were filled with joy as they said, ‘The Lord has risen!’

Let nations and peoples praise Christ our God, who willingly endured the Cross for us and spent three days in hell; and let them worship his Resurrection from the dead, through which all the ends of the world have been filled with light.

You were crucified, you were buried, O Christ, as you willed; you despoiled death as God and Master, granting the world eternal life and your great mercy.

In truth, lawless ones, by sealing the tomb you have granted us a greater marvel; the guards have the knowledge; today he came from the grave, and they said: You said that while we slept the Disciples came and stole him. And who steals a corpse, especially one that is naked? But he has risen by his own authority as God, leaving behind his grave-clothes in the tomb. Come, O Jews, see how he did not burst the seals the One who trampled on death and grants the human race life without end and his great mercy.

When Thou, the deathless life, didst go down to death, then didst Thou slay hell by the lightening flash of Thy divinity. And when Thou didst raise the dead from the lower world, all the powers of heaven cried aloud: Christ our God, giver of life, glory to Thee.

Thou didst rise from the tomb, all-powerful Savior, and seeing the miracle, hell was terrified, and the dead rose, whilst creation at the sight of it rejoices with Thee, and Adam exults, and the world, O my Savior, ever sings to Thee.

The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation. Stichos: With chastisement hath the Lord chastened men but He hath not given me over unto death.

Alleluia: The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee. Stichos: O Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call upon Thee.

By your Cross, Christ Saviour, death’s might has been abolished, the devil’s deception destroyed, while the human race, saved by faith, each evening offers you its hymn.

By your Resurrection, Lord, the universe has been filled with light and Paradise has been opened again, while all creation as it sings your praise, each evening offers you its hymn.

I glorify the power of the Father and the Son, and I praise the authority of the Holy Spirit, undivided, uncreated Godhead, consubstantial Trinity, that reigns from age to age.

We worship your precious Cross, O Christ, and we praise and glorify your Resurrection, for by your stripes we have all been healed.

We praise the Saviour who took flesh from the Virgin; for he was crucified for us and rose on the third day, granting us his great mercy.

Going down to those in Hell, Christ proclaimed the good tidings, saying, ‘Be of good courage; now have I conquered! I am the Resurrection; I will bring you up, abolishing the gates of death’.

We who stand unworthily in your most pure house sing an evening hymn, as we cry out of the depths, ‘Christ God, who enlightened the world by your Resurrection on the third day, deliver your people from the hand of your foes, O Lover of mankind’.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. How should we not marvel at your Offspring, who is both God and man, all-honoured one? For without knowing man, O all-blameless, you gave birth in the flesh to a Son without father, begotten from the Father before the ages without mother, in no way undergoing change, or mixture or separation, but preserving intact the identity of either nature. Therefore, Sovereign Lady, Virgin Mother, implore him that the souls may be saved of those who with right belief acknowledge you as Mother of God.

After the Entrance and O Joyful Light…, the designated Monk makes a metania to the Superior and sings the Prokeimenon of the day.

The Lord is King: * he has robed himself in majesty

Verse 1: The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

By your passion, O Christ, you darkened the sun, and by the light of your Resurrection you made the whole universe radiant. Accept our evening hymn, O Lover of humankind.

Verse 1: The Lord is King: he has robed himself in majesty. The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

Gracious Lord, your Rising that received life has enlightened the world, and recalled your own fashioning which had become corrupt. And so, delivered from Adam’s curse, we cry, ‘All-powerful Lord, glory to you!’

Verse 2: He has made the world firm; it will not be shaken.

Howbeit that as God you are unchanging, yet by suffering in the flesh you changed. Creation, unable to bear seeing you hanging on a cross, was shaken with fear, and it groaned as it sang the praise of your long-suffering; but having descended into Hell, you arose on the third day, granting life to the world and your great mercy.

Verse 3: Holiness befits your house, O Lord, to length of days.

In order to ransom our race from death, O Christ, you underwent death; and rising on the third day from the dead you raised with yourself those who acknowledged you as God, and you enlightened the world. Lord, glory to you!

By the Father’s will, without seed you conceived from the divine Spirit the Son of God, who from before the ages is from the Father without mother. But you gave birth in the flesh and suckled as a babe him who for our sake had come from you without father. Therefore do not cease to intercede that our souls may be delivered from dangers.

Apolytikion.

Let everything in heaven rejoice, let everything on earth be glad, for the Lord has shown strength with his arm; by death he has trampled on death; he has become the first-born of the dead; from the bowels of Hades he has delivered us; and granted the world his great mercy.

Virgin Mother of God, we praise you as the means of the salvation of our race; for your Son and our God, who through the Cross accepted suffering in the flesh he had taken from you, has redeemed us from corruption, for he loves mankind.

Christ has risen from the dead, the first fruits of those that sleep. The First-born of creation and Creator of all that has come to be, has renewed in himself the corrupted nature of our race. Death, you are no longer lord, for the Master of all things has destroyed your might.

Verse: Arise, Lord my God, lift up your hand. Do not forget your poor for ever.

Having tasted death in the flesh, Lord, you have cut out the bitterness of death by your Rising and given humankind strength against it, announcing the abolition of the ancient curse. Defender of our life, Lord, glory to you!

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Awed by the beauty of your virginity and by the splendour of your purity, Gabriel cried aloud to you, O Mother of God, ‘How can I praise you as I should? With what name shall I invoke you? I am troubled and amazed; therefore as I was commanded I cry to you: Hail, full of grace!’

Awed by your unchanging Godhead and your voluntary passion, Lord, Hell mourned, ‘I tremble at your body’s substance, which is not corrupted. I see you, the invisible, mystically making war on me; and so those whom I hold cry out, Glory, O Christ, to your Resurrection!’

Verse: I will praise you, Lord, with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvellous works.

We faithful contemplate an ineffable mystery: your Crucifixion that cannot be understood and your Rising that cannot be explained. For today Death and Hell have been despoiled, but the human race has put on incorruption. And so with thanksgiving we cry, ‘Glory, O Christ, to your Resurrection!’

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Mystically you contained in your womb the Incomprehensible and the Uncircumscribable, consubstantial with the Father and the Spirit; and we acknowledge that in your Offspring one unconfused energy of the Trinity is glorified in the world. And so with thanksgiving we cry to you, ‘Hail, full of grace!’

Causing amazement by his appearing, and refreshment by his words the dazzling Angel said the myrrh-bearing women, ‘Why do you seek the living in a grave? He has risen, emptying the graves. Know that the unchanging has changed corruption. Say to God: How fearful are your works! For you have saved the human race.’

You delivered the captivity of Zion from Babylon, O Word. Draw me too from the passions to life.

Those who sow in the South with tears inspired by God, will reap in joy sheaves that endure for ever.

Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit comes the giving of all good things, as he shines with the Father and the Son. In him all things live and move.

Unless the Lord build the house of the virtues, we labour in vain. While he protects the soul no one lays waste our city.

By the Spirit of the fruit of the womb, the Saints are always as sons to you, O Christ, as to the Father.

Glory. Both now. In the Holy Spirit is seen all holiness and wisdom; for he gives existence to every creature. Let us worship him as the Father and the Son, for he is God.

Those who fear the Lord are blessed as they walk his paths; for they eat the living fruit of the commandments.

Be glad, Chief Shepherd, as you see around your table your offspring bearing branches of good works.

Glory. Both now. In the Holy Spirit is all the wealth of glory; from him comes grace and life for all creation; for he is praised with the Father and the Word.

Prokeimenon. [Psalm 95]

Tell it among the nations; the Lord is King. * For he has established the whole world, which shall not be shaken.

Verse: Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth.

Let everything that has breath, the Dawn Gospel, Having seen the Resurrection and the rest.

He who of old assembled the waters into one gathering by his divine decree, and divided the sea for the people of Israel. He is our God and he is glorified. To him alone let us sing, for he has been glorified.

He who condemned the earth to bear thorns of sweat for the transgressor, accepted in the body a crown of thorns from a lawless hand. He is our God who abolished the curse, for he has been glorified.

Triumphant victor he is over death — Death was exposed as full of fear — for, having take living flesh subject to suffering, our God wrestled with the tyrant and raised all with himself, for he has been glorified.

Theotokion. All the nations glorify you as true Mother of God, who gave birth without seed; for, having come into your hallowed womb, our God, took that which was according to our nature, and as both God and man he was born from you.

Irmos. Peoples, let us sing.

By his divine blood, Christ has redeemed the race of mortals, enslaved to the sin-loving tyrant, and making it divine he has renewed it, for he has been glorified.

Christ, the guardian of life, as a mortal willingly tasted death; while being by nature immortal he gave life to the dead, for he has been glorified.

Irmos. Peoples, let us sing.

Every nature of heavenly beings fittingly bends the knee, O Virgin, to him who was incarnate from you, and with them those below the earth together with those on earth, for he has been glorified.

O the transactions which took place in you! For as God who bestows good things unstintingly, giving us the divine Spirit, he accepted flesh from you, O Maiden, for he has been glorified.

Almighty and Most High, who out of nothing bring all things, created by the Word, perfected by the Spirit, establish me in your love.

Through your Cross the impious has been shamed, for he has fallen into the pit which he dug out; while the horn of the humble, O Christ, has been exalted in your Resurrection.

The preaching of true religion has covered like water the seas of the nations, Lover of mankind; for by rising from the tomb you have uncovered the light of the Trinity.

Theotokion. Glorious things are spoken of you, living city of him who is king for ever; for through you, Sovereign Lady, God lived among those on earth.

Immaculate Cross, you were revealed to be cleansing from the offscourings of idols, for Jesus, supremely divine, stretched out his hands upon you.

That all we the faithful may worship you, the grave which received life, Christ who is truly our God has been buried in you and has been raised.

Of the Mother of God. The same Irmos.

A rod from Jesse’s root has budded, as the Prophet said, the Virgin who blossomed with a flower for us: you, O Christ. Holy are you, O Lord.

That you might make those born of earth partakers in the divine nature, you took our flesh from the Virgin, and became poor. Holy are you, O Lord.

You displayed mighty love for us, O Lord; for you gave your Only-begotten Son to death for our sake. Therefore with thanksgiving we cry to you, ‘Glory to your power, O Lord!’

In your compassion, O Christ, you bore marks and stripes, bravely enduring the insult of blows and with long-suffering accepting spitting. Through these you wrought salvation for me. Glory to your power, O Lord!

In a mortal body, O Life, you were acquainted with death, for the sake of the wretchedness of your poor and the groans of your needy ones, and having destroyed the destroyer and been glorified you raised all with you, only Lover of mankind.

Theotokion. Remember, O Christ, the flock which you have gained by your Passion. Accepting the compassionate entreaties of your glorious Mother and watching over it in its affliction, deliver it by your power, O Lord.

O Lover of mankind, who fashioned mankind according to your image, and when it was slain by sin through transgression, you saved it by being crucified on Calvary.

Death gave up the dead whom it had swallowed, while Hell’s palace, which brings corruption, was destroyed when you rose from the tomb, O Lord.

O Master, who established the mountains with the yoke of divine knowledge, without hands you were hewn as a stone from the Virgin. To your power be glory, O Lover of mankind.

You healed our diseased nature, Master, by uniting with it in the Virgin this most potent medicine: your immaculate Godhead, O Word.

O Lord, you are my portion and my lot so long-desired; from the Virgin you united me, O Word, with your person, having been declared a person in the flesh.

I rise to you at dawn, Creator of all, Peace which passes all understanding; for your commandments are light. O guide me by them.

Handed over by the envy of the Hebrews to an unjust judge, you, the All-seeing, who judge the whole earth with justice, delivered Adam from the ancient condemnation.

O Christ, who rose from the dead, grant peace to your Churches by the invincible power of your Cross and save our souls.

Theotokion. Holy Tabernacle, and wider then the Heavens, for you received the Word of God, whom all creation cannot contain, you alone have been revealed as ever virgin.

O Christ, when your side was pierced by the lance, you freed from the curse her who was created from a human side and became the agent of destruction for all mortals.

Christ, our Saviour, equal in being with the Father, you raised from the dead the sacred temple of your all-pure and all-honoured body.

The Word of God, O Virgin, your Son, the Creator of Adam the first-formed, is no creature, though he fashioned for himself a living flesh from you.

Equal to the Father, the Son of the Virgin, the Word of God, is a perfect Person in two natures, Jesus the Lord, perfect God and man.

The final abyss of sins has surrounded me and my spirit fails; but, Master, stretch out your upraised arm and like Peter save me, O my Pilot.

An abyss of mercy and pity has surrounded me by your compassionate descent; for becoming incarnate and being in the form of a servant, Master, you have made me divine and glorified me together with yourself.

The death-dealer underwent death when he saw the one who had been put to death restored to life. These are the tokens of your Resurrection, O Christ, and the rewards of your immaculate Passion.

Theotokion. O All-pure, the only mediatrix beyond understanding between the Fashioner and humankind, beseech your merciful Son on behalf of your stumbling servants and be our champion.

Tried by stripes, by the Passion of the Cross you raised with you those who lay slain in Hell; therefore I cry to you, ‘Bring my life up from corruption, O Lover of mankind.’

Hell’s gates open to you in fear, O Christ, the enemy’s possessions are seized. Therefore the Women met you and received joy instead of sorrow.

He who has no part in any shape, takes our form from the undefiled Maiden, becoming man in shape and deed, unchanged in his divinity.

From an abyss of sins and from the tempest of the passions deliver me, O Pure one, for you have become a harbour and abyss of wonders for those who have recourse to you in faith.

Kontakion.

You arose today, O Merciful One, and led us out from the gates of death. Adam dances today, and Eve rejoices. Prophets too, along with Patriarchs, praise without ceasing the divine might of your authority.

Ikos.

Let heaven and earth dance today, and in harmony sing the praise of Christ our God, for he raised the prisoners from the tombs. All creation rejoices together as it offers fitting songs to the Creator of all things and our Redeemer. For today, as Giver of life, he drew mortals out of Hell and raises them together to heaven. He lays low the uprisings of the foe and smashes the gates of hell by the divine might of his authority.

As of old you refreshed with dew the three godly Youths in the Chaldean flame, so shine with the enlightening fire of your Godhead upon us who cry, ‘Blessed are you, the God of our fathers!’"

The shining veil of the Temple was rent by the Cross of the Creator, revealing the truth hidden in the letter to the faithful who cry, ‘Blessed are you, the God of our fathers!’

When your side was pierced, O Christ, drops of your life-bearing blood, flowing from God by divine dispensation, fell upon the earth and refashioned those who cry, ‘Blessed are you, the God of our fathers!’

Of the Trinity. Let us believers glorify the good Spirit with the Father and the only-begotten Son, as we honour one Principle and one Godhead in three Persons as we cry, ‘Blessed are you, the God of our fathers!’

The sun is not being darkened for a mere man hanging on a Cross, but at seeing God incarnate, to whom we also sing, ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers!’

The coward Hell, quailing before him who is strong by his Godhead and who grants incorruption, spewed out the souls of the Just, who cried out, ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers!’

All-pure, you are a priceless treasure of blessing for those who confess with a pure heart that you are Mother of God; for from you was incarnate the God of our fathers.

Lord of glory and ruler of the powers on high, who are seated with the Father and borne in the arms of a Virgin, ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.’

Death is bold, but when it joined battle with you, God in person made flesh of the Virgin, you destroyed it. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.

We all acknowledge you as Mother of God who bore God in your womb; for you gave birth to one of the Trinity made flesh. Blessed, All-pure, is the fruit of your womb.

In the unbearable fire, but unharmed by the flames, the Young Men, famed for their reverence for God, became as one as they sang the divine hymn, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

The radiance of the Temple was shattered when your Cross was fixed on Calvary, and all creation was shaken as it sang in fear, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

You rose from the tomb, O Christ, and by your divine power set upright the one who had fallen by deceit through a tree as he cried and said, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

Theotokion. You have been declared Temple of God, spiritual place and Ark; for you reconciled the Creator to mortals, most pure Mother of God, and fittingly all we his works praise you and highly exalt you to all the ages.

The Word was not subject to suffering, for by his Godhead he cannot suffer; but God suffered in the flesh, to whom also we sing, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

Having slept as a mortal, you were raised up as immortal, O Saviour, and you save from death those who sing, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

Of the Trinity. Devoutly we worship the Godhead united in three Persons and we sing without ceasing, ‘All you works of the Lord bless the Lord, and highly exalt him to all the ages.’

Blessed Virgin Mother, who have been raised above the spiritual powers and set next to God, we bless your Offspring and highly exalt him to all the ages.

You revealed your natural beauty to be most fair when you blazed forth the flesh of the Godhead. Blessed Virgin, we bless your Offspring and highly exalt him to all the ages.

New the wonder and fitting God: for the Lord clearly passes through the closed gate of the Virgin: naked at his going in and God bearing flesh at his coming out, while the gate remains closed. As ineffably Mother of God we magnify her.

Fearful it is, O Word of God, to see you the Maker destroyed on a Tree, suffering in the flesh, God on behalf of slaves, and lying lifeless in a grave, but releasing the dead from Hell. Therefore, O Christ, as all-powerful we magnify you.

By being placed as a corpse in a tomb, O Christ, you saved the Forefathers from the corruption of death, and you made life blossom by rising from the dead, leading mortal nature to the light and clothing it with divine incorruption. Therefore as source of ever-living light we magnify you.

Theotokion. You were revealed, All-pure, as Temple and throne of God, in which he who lives in the highest took his dwelling, born without man, and in no way opening the gates of your flesh. Therefore by your unceasing prayers, O Holy One, finally defeat the tribes of barbarians and subject them to our King.

You have became a source of glory for mortals by a dishonourable death, which you tasted, Christ Saviour, through crucifixion in your mortal nature, and you granted me incorruption, for you love mankind.

By rising from the tomb, O Christ, you saved me and exalted me and brought me to the Father, your Begetter, and you took your seat at his right hand through the compassion of your mercy, O Lord.

For the devout faithful, O Virgin, there is no surfeit of your praises at all; for receiving divine and spiritual love, as Mother of God with love they magnify you.

You have placed the one who bore you, O Christ, as an intercessor for us, who can never be put to shame. At her entreaties, O Merciful, you distribute to us the Spirit who gives freely of his goodness, who proceeds through you from the Father.

At Lauds. Stichera of the Resurrection. Tone 3.

Come all you nations, acknowledge the power of the dread mystery; for Christ our Saviour, the Word in the beginning, was crucified for us and willingly buried and rose from the dead to save the whole universe. Let us worship him.

Your guards recounted all the marvels, Lord, but, by filling their right hand with gifts, the Sanhedrin of folly thought to conceal your Resurrection, which the world glorifies. Have mercy on us.

All things have been filled with joy on receiving proof of the Resurrection. For Mary Magdalen came to the grave, found an Angel seated on the stone and dazzling in shining raiment, who said, ‘Why do you seek the living with the dead? He is not here, but he has risen, as he said, and goes before you into Galilee.’

In your light, O Master who love mankind, we shall see light. For you rose from the dead, granting salvation to the human race, that all creation may glorify you, the only sinless one. Have mercy on us.

As a morning hymn, Lord, the Myrrhbearing Women offered you their tears. For bringing perfumes of sweet fragrance, they came to your grave, eager to anoint your most pure Body. An angel seated on the stone gave them the good tidings, ‘Why do you seek the living with the dead? For he has trampled on death and has risen as God, granting to all his great mercy.’

A dazzling Angel by your life-giving grave said to the Myrrh-bearers, ‘The Redeemer has emptied the tombs, he has despoiled Hell and risen on the third day as alone God and all-powerful.’

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalen came to the grave and sought you. When she did not find you, she lamented and cried out with grief, ‘Alas, my Saviour, how have you, the King of all, been stolen?’ But a pair of life-bearing Angels from within the grave cried out, ‘Why do you weep, woman?’ ‘I weep’, she said, ‘because they have taken my Lord from the tomb and I do not know where they have laid him’. But when, turning back, she saw you, at once she cried out, ‘My Lord and my God, glory to you!’

The Hebrews shut Life up in the tomb; but the Thief opened the Paradise of pleasure with his voice when he cried and said, ‘The One who was crucified with me and who was hanged with me upon the tree also appears to me seated on the throne together with the Father. For he is Christ our God, who has great mercy.

Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the Lord has done a mighty act with His arm. He has trampled death by death and become the first-born of the dead. He has delivered from the depths of hell, and has granted the world His great mercy.

Thou didst rise today from the grave, O merciful one, and hast led us out of the gates of death. Today Adam dances for joy and Eve rejoices, and with them the prophets and patriarchs unceasingly sing of the divine triumph of Thy power.

O chant unto our God, chant ye; chant unto our king, chant ye. Stichos: Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with a voice of rejoicing.

Alleluia: In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me not be put to shame in the age to come. Stichos: Be Thou unto me a God to defend me and a house of refuge to save me.

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.

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.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. 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.

Verse 1: 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.

Verse 2: 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.

Verse 3: 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.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. 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.

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.

Theotokion. 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.

As they looked at the entrance of the tomb and were unable to endure the bright flame of the Angel, the Myrrhbearing women trembled with amazement and said, ‘Can the One who opened Paradise to the Thief have been stolen? Can he who before his passion proclaimed his Rising have been raised? Truly Christ God has risen, granting those in Hell life and resurrection’.

Verse: Arise, Lord my God, lift up your hand; do not forget your poor for ever.

Of your own will, O Saviour, you endured the Cross, and mortals laid in a new tomb the One who established the ends of earth through a word; therefore the alien was bound, death terribly despoiled and all those in Hell cried aloud at your life-bearing Rising: Christ, the giver of life, has risen and abides to the ages.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion. Model Melody. [By Romanos]

At your conceiving without seed, O Mother of God, Joseph was struck with wonder as he contemplated what was beyond nature, and he brought to mind the dew on the fleece, the bush unburned by fire, Aaron's rod which blossomed; and your Betrothed and guardian bore witness and cried to the priests: A Virgin bears a child, and after child-birth remains still a virgin.

You rose from Hell as immortal, O Saviour, and raised your world with you by your Resurrection, Christ our God; with strength you broke the might of death, and revealed the Resurrection to all, O Merciful: therefore we also glorify you, only lover of mankind.

Verse: I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.

Coming down from the heights above, Gabriel approached the rock where the Rock of life was lying, and clothed in white he cried aloud to the weeping women: Cease your cry of lamentation; now you have compassion for ever. Take courage, for the One you seek weeping has truly risen. Therefore cry out to the Apostles that the Lord has risen.

All the choirs of Angels were struck with wonder, Pure Virgin, at the dread mystery of your conceiving; how the One who holds all things fast with only a nod, is held fast in your arms as a mortal; how the Eternal accepts a beginning; how the One who nourishes everything that breathes by his ineffable goodness, is suckled at the breast: and with hymns they glorify you as truly Mother of God.

The Myrrhbearers proclaimed to the Apostles the news of your wondrous Rising, O Christ: that as God you had risen, granting the world your great mercy.

From my youth up many passions make war on me; but you, O Saviour, help me and save me.

You who hate Sion, may you be put to shame by the Lord; for you will be dried up as grass by fire.

Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit every soul is given life, and by cleansing it is exalted; it is made bright by the threefold Unity in a sacred mystery.

From the depth of my soul I have cried to you fervently, O Lord; let your divine ears hearken even to me.

Every one who has set their hope on the Lord, is higher than all those who mourn.

Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit the streams of grace well up; watering all creation to engender life.

Let my heart be raised to you, O Lord; and let none of the pleasures of the world lure me earthwards.

As one has tender love for one's mother; so we should have even more fervent love for the Lord.

Glory. Both now. By the Holy Spirit comes wealth of divine knowledge, contemplation and wisdom; for by him the Word unveils all the Father's teachings.

Arise, Lord, help us and redeem us, * for the glory of your Name.

Verse: O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us: the work which you wrought in their days, in days of old.

Let everything that has breath… The Dawn Gospel [Eothinon].

Through the Red Sea's deep the Israel of old marched dry shod, and by Moses’ hands, outstretched in the form of a cross, routed the power of Amalek in the wilderness.

You were lifted up, setting aright our fall by the immaculate tree of the Cross and healing the total destruction wrought by a tree, O Master, as you are loving and all powerful.

With your body, O Christ, you were in the tomb, with your soul in Hell as God, in Paradise with the Thief, on the throne with the Father and the Spirit, filling all things, yet yourself uncircumscribed.

Theotokion. Without seed you conceived the Son of God by the Father's will from the divine Spirit, and you bore in the flesh the One who from his Father is without mother and for our sake from you without father.

Another Canon, of Cross and Resurrection. The Irmos. I will open my mouth.

You healed the fracture of humanity, Lord, which you restored by your precious Blood, and you shattered the one powerful in strength, who of old had shattered the creature you had fashioned.

Through dying you became the resurrection of the dead; for the strength of death was done away with when it encountered eternal Life, the Master of all things, God incarnate.

Theotokion. Your living, divine House has become far fairer than the heavenly Powers, the Virgin who bore you in her womb, the holy Mountain of you, our God.

Another Canon, to the most holy Mother of God, of which the acrostic, with the Irmi, is:

A fourth hymn for the far-famed Maiden.

The Irmos. Mighty captains.

Peoples were shaken, nations were troubled, mighty kingdoms faltered, Pure Virgin, from fear of your Offspring; for my King came and destroyed the tyrant and redeemed the world from corruption.

Christ, whose home is in the highest, condescending to mortals sanctified his dwelling, and showed it to be unshaken; for alone after childbirth she who gave birth to the Creator remained a treasure of virginity.

Your Church, O Christ, rejoices in you and cries: You, Lord, are my strength, my refuge and my firmament.

The Tree of life, the true and spiritual Vine, is hanging on a Cross and pours out for all the elixir of immortality.

As great, as fearful, as he who destroyed the insolence of Hell and as God incorruptible he has now risen in the body.

Theotokion. You alone have become the cause of blessings beyond nature for those on earth, Mother of God; and so we bring to you our ‘Hail’.

Another, of the Cross and Resurrection. O Mother of God.

The serpent sunk its fangs filled with poison into me, O Saviour; but with the nails in your hands, Master, you crushed them; for none is holy of holies but you, O Lover of mankind.

Willingly you appeared as a life-giving corpse in a tomb, Lover of mankind, and you reopened the gates of Hell for the souls from every age; for none is holy of holies but you, O Lover of mankind.

Theotokion. You appeared as an unploughed field, which gave birth to the ear of life, the cause of immortality for all who share in it, the holy of holies, who rests in holiness.

The being of mortals was cleansed when through you it encountered the unendurable divine fire; like a hidden loaf it was baked in you, all-pure Virgin, by that fire who kept you unharmed.

Who is this who is truly God’s neighbour, for she is higher than all the ranks of Angels? She who alone in the beauty of virginity shines as the Mother of the Almighty.

Seeing you, the Sun of righteousness, raised upon the Cross, the Church stands in order and fittingly cries out: Glory to your power, O Lord!

You ascended the Cross to cure my passions by the Passion of your immaculate flesh, which you willingly assumed; and so we cry to you: Glory to your power, O Lord.

Death when it had tasted your sinless and life-giving body, Master, was rightly slain; but we cry out to you: Glory to your power, O Lord.

Theotokion. Without knowing wedlock you bore a child, O Virgin, and after childbirth you remained still a virgin; therefore with never silent voices, Sovereign Lady, we cry to you with unwavering faith, ‘Hail!’

Another, of the Cross and Resurrection. Realising the unsearchable.

Israel, which was subject to the law, did not recognise you, O Christ, as God, who had ordained the law, but unworthy of that lawgiving they transgressed the law and nailed you as lawless to the Cross.

Your soul made divine, O Saviour, plundered the treasuries of Hell and raised with it the souls from every age; while your life-bearing body became a source of incorruption for all.

Theotokion. As ever Virgin and true Mother of God we all glorify you, O All-pure, whom the bush that encountered the fire and was not burned prefigured for Moses, who saw God.

Another, of the Mother of God. The One enthroned in glory.

The One who is in the form of the incomprehensible godhead lived among men, the invisible made visible, and from you, O Maiden, formed with a different form, he saves those who know you to be the pure Mother of God.

The Virgin received the immaterial in matter, become a babe from her by participation in matter; and so he is k