Liturgy: Apodosis of Pascha / Ss. Cyril & Methodius

Apodosis of Pascha / Ss. Cyril & Methodius

Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Thrice

The Priest reads the stichoi, and the choir sings the troparion after each stichos:

Stichos 1: Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.

Choir: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

Stichos 2: As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish, as wax melteth before the fire.

Choir: Repeat Troparion

Stichos 3: So let the sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous be glad.

Choir: Repeat Troparion

Stichos 4: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.

Senior Reader: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Choir: Repeat Troparion

Senior Reader: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Choir: Repeat Troparion

Senior Reader: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death.

Choir: And upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

We sing the usual Typical Psalms

Beatitudes on 8, from the Paschal Canon: 4, from Ode 3 (including the Irmos); Saints: 4, from Ode 6.

1 & 2.  Come, let us drink a new drink, not one miraculously brought forth from a barren rock but the Fountain of Incorruption, springing forth from the tomb of Christ, in Whom we are strengthened.

3.  Now all things are filled with light; heaven and earth, and the nethermost parts of the earth; let all creation, therefore, celebrate the arising of Christ whereby it is strengthened.

4.  Yesterday I was buried with Thee, O Christ; today I rise with Thine arising. Yesterday

I was crucified with Thee; do Thou Thyself glorify me with Thee, O Savior, in Thy kingdom.

5.  “Our God is like the deep of the sea, unfathomable by the mind and indescribable in words,” thou didst say to the Moslems who disputed with thee, O all-wise Cyril; “and some who attempt to sail across this deep in the leaky boats of their own intellect are drowned, falling into errors and heresies, while others are buffeted by incomprehension and doubt, knowing not how to sing: O Helmsman, save us, as Thou didst Peter!”

6.  Sunk deep in the abyss of their false understandings, the Moslems secretly offered thee deadly poison.  But He Who said: “If ye drink anything deadly, it will not harm you”, preserved thee whole and returned thee with honor to the Imperial City. And, fittingly blessed by the emperor and patriarch, thou wast supremely exalted, crying: “O Helmsman, Thou hast saved me as Thou didst Peter!”

7.  The Holy Spirit once said to the disciples: “Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul for the task to which I have called them,” the enlightenment of the nations who are perishing in the abyss of ignorance of God; and He likewise commanded that ye be sent to the lands of the Slavs, O venerable fathers.  And, illumined by the light of your teaching, people who sat in darkness and the shadow of death have cried out: “O Helmsman, Thou hast saved us as Thou didst Peter!”

8.  The uttermost abyss of sins hath encompassed me, and, beset with trembling and terrified of utter drowning, I offer thee entreaty, O all-immaculate one: Have mercy upon my passion-plagued soul!  Stretch forth thy hands, in that thou art good, and as Thy Son saved Peter, so do thou save me, O thou who dost steer my soul.

Troparia & Kontakia:

Tone 5: Let us, O faithful, praise and worship the Word /

Who is co-unoriginate with the Father and the Spirit, /

and Who was born of the Virgin for our salvation; /

for He was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh /

and to endure death, //

and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

Tone 4: As ones equal in character to the Apostles /

and as Teachers of the Slavic lands, /

O divinely-wise Cyril and Methodius, /

pray to the Lord of all, to strengthen all nations /

in Orthodoxy and unity of thought, /

to convert and reconcile the world to God, //

and to save our souls.

Glory… Tone 3: Let us honor our sacred pair of enlighteners, /

who, by translating the divine writings, /

have poured forth for us a well-spring of divine knowledge /

from which we draw abundantly even unto this day: /

We call you blessed, O Cyril and Methodius, /

ye who stand before the throne of the Most High //

and intercede fervently for our souls.

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.

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 8^th Tone: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.

Choir: This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.

Reader: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever

Choir:  This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.

Reader: In the 7th Tone: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Choir: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

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

[Acts 18:22-28 (§41); Heb. 7:26-8:2 (§318)]

Reader: Alleluia in the 4^th Tone: Thou shalt rise up and have pity upon Zion.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: The Lord from heaven hath looked upon the earth.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: In the 2nd tone: Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness and Thy righteous shall rejoice.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [John 12:36-47 (§43); Matt. 5:14-19 (§11)]

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. In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!