Liturgy: Sunday of the Myrrhbearers

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 of the Resurrection, and 4 from Ode 6 from the Pentecostarion

1.  Remember us also, O Compassionate One, even as Thou didst remember the thief, in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

2.  The tree drave out Adam, and the Cross led the thief up into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

3. The grave received Thee, O Savior, Who didst empty the graves and who, as God, didst grant life unto the dead.

4. O Glorious Apostles of Christ, entreat Him fervently that He save us from perils.

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.