Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers

At the beginning of the Liturgy, the Priest sings “Christ is risen” 2 ½ times, and the Choir finishes

the last half.

Beatitude Verses: 4 from the Octoechos, and 4 from Ode 6 from the Pentecostarion

 
1. We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O 
Savior.
 
2. For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst 
accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind.
 
3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast 
delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
 
4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved 
the world, O Savior.
 
5. Having wrapped Thee in linen, O Christ, the noble Joseph laid Thee in a tomb; and 
having anointed with myrrh the fallen temple of Thy Body, he rolled a great stone before 
the sepulchre.
 
6. O ye myrrh-bearing women, why hasten ye now? Why bring ye myrrh unto the Living 
One? Christ is risen, as He foretold. Let your tears cease and be changed into joy.
 
7. O ye faithful, let us praise the Trinity in Unity, glorifying the Father with the Son, and 
the Spirit Who is consubstantial with the Son, and Who with the Father is co-
beginningless and everlasting God.
 
8. Like a vineyard didst thou conceive untilled in thy womb the Cluster of grapes 
wherefrom, like wine, there pour forth for us torrents of immortality, even eternal life. 
 
Troparia & Kontakia:
 

Tone 2: When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /

then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /

And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths,

all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //

O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Tone 2:

The noble Joseph, taking Thine immaculate Body down from the Tree, /

and having wrapped It in pure linen and spices, laid It in a new tomb. /

But on the third day Thou didst arise, O Lord, //

granting to the world great mercy.

Glory… Tone 2: When Thou didst cry, Rejoice, unto the myrrh-bearers, /

Thou didst make the lamentation of Eve the first mother to cease /

by Thy Resurrection, O Christ God. /

And Thou didst bid Thine apostles to preach: //

The Savior is risen from the grave.

Both now… Tone 8:

Thou didst descend into the tomb, O Immortal, /

Thou didst destroy the power of death. /

In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, /

proclaiming “Rejoice!” to the myrrh-bearing women; /

granting peace to Thine apostles, //

and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

The Epistle:

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 6th Tone: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine

inheritance.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Unto Thee, O Lord, Will I cry; O my God, be not silent unto me.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Save, O Lord, Thy people.
Choir: And bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: The Reading is from the Acts of the Holy Apostles:

[Acts 6:1-7]

Reader: Alleluia in the 8^th Tone:

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Thou hast been gracious, O Lord, unto Thy land; Thou hast turned back the

captivity of Jacob..

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each

other.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Mark 15:43-16:8]

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9^th Ode of the

Canon of the feast, first Tone:

Refrain: The angel cried unto her that is full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin!

And again I say, rejoice! For thy Son is risen from the grave on the third day, and hath

raised the dead, O ye people, be joyful!

Irmos: Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon

thee; dance now and be glad, O Zion, and do thou exult, O pure Theotokos, in the arising

of Him Whom thou didst bear.

Communion Verse: Receive ye the body of Christ, taste ye of the fountain of

immortality. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia,

alleluia, alleluia.

We sing “Christ is risen…” instead of “We have seen the true light…“

At the dismissal, when the priest says: “Glory to Thee, O Christ God…” The Choir sings

“Christ is risen…” x3 instead of “Glory… Both now… Father bless!” Then the priest

gives the dismissal.