The Apodosis of Pascha
Vespers: The
priest, vested in a phelonion and holding the Cross, Three-branched candle, and
the censer, stands before the Holy Table (with the Royal Doors opened) and
exclaims: Blessed is our God, and
sings Christ is risen, thrice, and
the Choir likewise sings it thrice. Then the Priest: Let God arise and the rest of the verses; the Choir sings Christ is risen after each verse. Then
the Priest sings Christ is risen from the dead trampling death by death and the
choir responds and upon those in the
tombs bestowing life (The Royal Doors are then closed). Psalm 103 is read. Great
litany. Kathisma 9 is read.
Lord, I have cried, Tone 2, on 6: Blind Man 6 (He
that was born blind); G/N: Pentecostarion (Who can tell of Thy mighty acts).
There is no entrance; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon, Tone 1: Thy mercy, O Lord, shall pursue me. Vouchsafe, O Lord. Litany: Let us complete our evening prayer.
Aposticha: Resurrection, Tone
5 (Thee, O Christ our Savior);
followed by Let God arise, and the
Paschal Stichera; G/N: Pascha (It is the
day of resurrection) and Christ is
risen x1.
Now lettest Thou Thy servant. Trisagion to Our Father.
Troparia: Resurrection, Tone
5 (Let us, O faithful, praise
and worship the Word); G/N: Resurrectional Theotokion, Tone 5 (Rejoice, impassible gate of the Lord).
Litany: Have mercy on us. And then the usual order of the dismissal, and the priest says the dismissal without the
Three-branched candle (on the amvon, with the Royal
Doors closed): May Christ our True God Who arose from the dead, and the saints
of the day are commemorated.
Matins:
Matins begins with the exclamation Glory
to the holy. Choir; Amen. The priest sings Christ is risen thrice. The choir and
people sing the same, also thrice. The Priest proclaims the verses Let God arise and the rest. Choir sings Christ is risen
after each verse. Then the priest sings Christ
is risen from the dead trampling death by death
and the choir responds and upon those in
the tombs bestowing life. Reader: Glory
to God in the highest; and the Six Psalms as usual. Great
litany.
God is the Lord, Tone 5; Troparia: Resurrection x2; G/N: Resurrectional Theotokion, Tone 5 (Rejoice, impassible gate of the Lord).
Kathisma 10 and 11.
After
each Kathisma, Small Litany, and the Sessional hymns from the Pentecostarion.
Having beheld the resurrection x1; Psalm 50.
Canon: Pascha
(Theotokia are not read.) 6 Christ
is risen from the dead.
Blind Man 4 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Forefeast 4 Glory to Thee, our God, glory to
Thee.
Irmos: It is
the day of resurrection.
Katavasia: Let us sing unto the only Savior and God.
After Ode 3: Kontakion (Blinded
in the eyes of my soul) and Ikos of the Blind Man. Sessional hymn of the
Blind Man (Thou gavest eyes, O Christ);
G/N: Forefeast (As Thou Thyself didst will).
After Ode 6: Kontakion (Thou
didst descend into the tomb) and Ikos of Pascha.
At Ode 9 we do not sing More honorable. Instead, Ode 9 is sung as follows:
Deacon: refrain: Magnify, O my soul, Christ the
Giver of life, Who arose from the grave on the third
day. And the rest of the Paschal
troparia with their paschal refrains. The remaining two canons are said with
their refrains as in the previous odes.
Exapostilaria: Pascha (Having fallen asleep in the flesh) x2;
G/N: Blind Man (Enlighten my noetic eyes).
Praises, Tone 2: Blind Man: 4
(He that was born blind); then, Let God arise, and the Paschal
Stichera; G/N: The final Paschal sticheron (It
is the day of Resurrection), which concludes with Christ is risen from the dead, x1. After the Great Doxology,
Troparia: Resurrection, Tone 5 (Let us, O
faithful, praise and worship the Word); G/N:
Resurrectional Theotokion, Tone 5 (Rejoice,
impassible gate of the Lord); the two remaining Litanies and Sunday
dismissal, without the Three-branch candle; First Hour.
Hours: Troparia: Resurrection (Let us,
O faithful praise and worship the Word); Kontakion: Blind Man (Blinded in the eyes of my soul).
The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom.
Choir: Amen. Then the priest sings Christ is risen
thrice. The choir and people sing the same, also thrice. The Priest proclaims
the verses Let God arise and the
rest. Choir sings Christ is risen after each verse. Then the priest sings Christ is risen
from the dead trampling death by death and the choir responds 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), and 4, from Ode 6.
At the entrance: O come let us worship and fall down before Christ, Who rose
from the dead. And immediately: Troparion of the Resurrection (Let us, O faithful, praise and worship the
Word); G: Kontakion of the Blind Man (Blinded
in the eyes of my soul); N: Pascha (Thou
didst descend into the tomb).
The Trisagion is sung.
Prokimenon of Pascha, Tone 8: This is the day which the Lord hath made.
Epistle: Acts 18:22-28 (§41)
Alleluia,
Tone 4 (Paschal verses)
Gospel:
John 12:36-47 (§43).
Instead
of It is truly meet, we sing the refrain The angel cried…, with the Irmos of the
ninth Ode of Pascha (Shine, shine).
Communion
Hymn: Receive ye the body of Christ.
The
dismissal, as on Pascha:
Priest: The blessing of the Lord be upon you.
Choir: Amen. Clergy: Christ is risen,
from the dead, trampling down death by death. Choir: And upon those in the tombs bestowing life! Priest: May
Christ our true God, Who rose from the dead, and
trampled down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowed life…
Choir: Amen. Then the priest, with the Cross and Three-branched
candlestick, says: Christ is risen! x3
And each time the people
respond: Indeed He is risen! Choir: Christ is risen
from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs
bestowing life! x3; And unto us hath He granted life eternal; we worship His Resurrection
on the third day.
And the Epitaphios is taken
from the Holy Table, and put in its usual place.
The Ninth Hour
begins with the Trisagion (without either the Paschal Troparion, or O Heavenly King), and thus until
Pentecost when we resume reading O
Heavenly King as usual.