The Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers

Instead of “O come let us worship…” sing “Christ is risen…” three times.

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:
 
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.
 
Glory…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.
 
Both now… Tone 2:  Unto the myrrh-bearing women did the angel cry out as he stood 
by the tomb:  Myrrh is meet for the dead, but Christ hath proved to be a stranger to 
corruption.  But cry out: The Lord is risen, granting to the world great mercy.

 

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 8th 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]

 

Kontakia:

 

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.

 

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