ON THE HOLY AND GREAT SUNDAY OF

PASC HA,
COMMONLY CALLED,
EASTER DAY.

As soon as the day beginneth, the bells are rung, and the Warden lighteth all the candles and lamps in the Church, and placeth two vessels holding burning charcoal, one in the Altar and the other in the middle of the Church, and casteth into them much incense, that the Church may be filled with sweet perfume. And the Western Gates of the Church are shut. And the Priest and Deacon put on their brightest vestments, and tapers are distributed. And the Priest laketh the honourable Cross, and the Deacon the censer,

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and, with lamps borne before them and accompanied by the Choir, they go into the Porch, singing the Sticheron in Tone 7.

HY Resurrection, O Saviour Christ, Angels sing in heaven. Vouchsafe to us also upon earth to extol thee with pure heart.

And the Priest, taking the censer from the Deacon in his right hand, and holding the honourable Cross in his left, censeth as customarily, and all stand around with burning tapers.

And the Priest exclaimeth,
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LORY to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and ever, and to ages of ages.

Choir. Amen.
Then the Priest intoneth the Troparion in Tone 5.

HRIST is risen from the dead, death by death down doth he tread, and on those within the tombs he be-stoweth life.

And we repeat the same with melody. And thrice is it thus sung by the Priest and by us. Then the Priest intoneth these verses.

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ET God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and let them that hate him flee from before him.

380 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melteth at the presence of fire,

So let the sinners perish at the presence of God, but let the righteous rejoice.

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

Glory. Both now.

And after every verse we sing the Tropar-ion, Christ is risen . . . .

Then the Priest loudly singeth,
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HRIST is risen from the dead, death by death down doth he tread.

And the Gates are opened, and he entereth, carrying the honourable Cross and accompanied by the Deacon, with lamps borne before them, and by the Choir singing,

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ND on those within the tombs he be-stoweth life.

And the Priest entereth the Altar, and the Deacon, standing on the Ambo, saith the Ectenia of Peace.

In peace let us pray to the Lord. And the rest. Vide page 2.

Then followeth the Canon in Tone I.
Ode I. Irmos.
I

T is the day of Resurrection. O people, let us be enlightened. It is the Pascha,

THE MATINS ON HOLY PASCHA. style='mso-tab-count: 1'> 38I

the Lord'Äôs Pascha. For, from death to life, and from earth to heaven Christ our God hath brought us over, singing the hymn of victory.

Refrain. Christ is risen . . . .

Let us cleanse our senses, and we shall behold Christ shining in the inaccessible light of the Resurrection, and shall clearly hear him saying, Hail! to us, singing the hymn of victory.

Let the heavens, as is meet, be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let the world, visible and invisible, keep festival; for Christ hath risen, everlasting Joy.

Then again the Irmos. It is the day of Resurrection . . . .

And the Little Ectenia is said.
NOTE:'ÄîThis followeth all the Odes.
Ode III. Irmos.
O

COME, let us drink the new drink, not miraculously drawn from the barren rock, but the fountain of immortality, which is poured from the grave by Christ, in whom we are established.

Now all things are filled with light, heaven, and earth, and things beneath the earth. Then let all creation keep festival for Christ'Äôs arising, in which it is established.

382 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TR1ODION.

Yesterday, O Christ, with thee I was entombed. Today, with thee arising, I arise. Yesterday I was crucified with thee: glorify me together with thyself, O Saviour, in thy kingdom.

And again the Irmos. O come, let us drink ....
Hypaco?´. Tone 4.

HEY who came with Mary, preventing the dawn, and finding the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, heard from the Angel, Why seek ye as a man among the dead him that dwelleth in everlasting light ? Behold ye not the sheets of death ? Hasten, and tell the world that the Lord hath risen, hath been the death of death, and that he is the Son of God that saveth the race of men.

Ode IV. Irmos.
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PON the sacred watch-tower, mayest thou stand with us, O divinely-speaking Abba-cum, and shew us the light-bearing Angel unceasingly proclaiming, To-day is salvation to the world; for Christ, as Almighty, hath arisen.

Christ hath appeared as a male, opening the Virgin'Äôs womb. As our food he is called a Lamb, and undefiled; as free from stain,

THE MATINS ON HOLY PASCHA. style=" 383

our Pascha; and, as true God, he is named, Perfect.

As a yearling lamb, Christ, our blessed crown, of his own will, as cleansing Pascha, was sacrificed for all; and again to us from the grave hath shone, as the glorious Sun of righteousness.

Before the foreshadowing ark David, Forefather of God, leaped and danced. And let us, God'Äôs holy people, seeing the types'Äô fulfilment, be divinely glad; for Christ, as Almighty, hath arisen.

And again the Irmos. Upon the sacred watch-tower . . . .

Ode V. Irmos.
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ET us in the deep dawn arise, and, instead of myrrh, let us bring the Lord a song, and we shall see Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shining life to all.

They that were held by hades'Äô chains, when they beheld thy gentle pity, Christ, hurried onward to the light, praising with joyful feet the eternal Pascha.

Let us approach with lamps in hand to Christ, who, as a bridegroom, cometh from the tomb. And let us, with the festal-loving ranks, together celebrate the saving Pascha of our God.

384 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

And again the Irmos. Let us in the deep dawn . . . .

Ode VI. Irmos.
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HOU didst descend into earth'Äôs lowest parts, O Christ, and didst break the eternal bars which held the captives; and on the third day, as Jonas from the whale, didst from the grave arise.

Keeping the seals unbroken, thou, O Christ, didst from the grave arise, who, in thy birth, didst not destroy the Virgin bars; and thou hast opened unto us the gates of Paradise.

My Saviour, who as God didst to the Father bring, of thine own will, thyself a living and unsacrificed victim, rising from the grave, hast raised with thyself Adam and all his race.

And again the Irmos. Thou didst descend . . . .
Condakion. Tone 8.

F into the tomb thou didst descend, Immortal One, yet didst thou overthrow the might of hades, and as victor rise, O Christ, saying, Hail! to the women bearing myrrh, granting peace to thine Apostles, and resurrection to the fallen.

Icos. (Stanza.)
S
EEKING as those that seek the day, very
early in the morning came the maidens
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bearing myrrh to that Sun before the sun, that now had set within a grave; and they cried to one another, O Friends! Come, let us anoint with spices the quickening buried Body, the Flesh that raiseth fallen Adam, lying in the tomb. Let us go on, hastening like the Magi, and let us worship and bring the myrrh as gift to him, no longer wrapped in swaddling-clothes, but in fine linen, and let us weep and cry, Arise, O Lord, who givest resurrection to the fallen.

Then we sing,

Having seen the Resurrection of Christ . . . . thrice. Vide page 28.

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Then,

ESUS hath risen from the grave, as he foretold, granting us eternal life and great mercy, thrice.

Ode VII. Irmos.
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E that delivered the Children from the furnace became man, and suffered as mortal, and, by his suffering, endued the mortal with the beauty of immortality, he, the God of our fathers, who alone is blessed and most glorious.

The women, wise of God, came after thee with myrrh; but him whom they sought with tears as mortal they worshipped with joy as living God, and told, O Christ, to thy Disciples the glad tidings of the mystic Pascha.

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386 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

We celebrate the death of death, the overthrow of hades, the first-fruits of another endless life, and sing exultingly the Cause, him, the God of our fathers, who alone is blessed and most glorious.

And again the Irmos. He that delivered . . . .
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Ode VIII. Irmos.

HIS is the chosen and holy Day, the King and Lord of Sabbaths, the Feast of feasts, the Triumph of triumphs, on which we bless Christ for ever.

Come, let us partake of the Vine'Äôs new fruit, of joy divine, in the glorious day of the Resurrection and Kingdom of Christ, singing to him as God for ever.

Lift up thine eyes, O Sion, round about and see; for, lo! thy children come to thee, as lights by God illumined, from the west and from the north, from the sea and from the east, in thee blessing Christ for ever.

Father almighty, and Word, and Spirit, united Nature in three Persons, Superessential, God most high, baptized in thee, we bless thee evermore.

Refrain preceding Ode IX.

An Angel cried to the one full of grace, Hail! Virgin pure. And again I say, Hail! for thy Son, after three days, hath risen from

THE MATINS ON HOLY PASCHA. 387

the grave and raised the dead. Rejoice, ye people.

Ode IX. Irmos.
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HINE, shine, O new Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath shone on thee. Rejoice and exult, O Sion. And thou, pure Mother of God, be glad for the Resurrection of thy Son.

O divine, O dear, O sweetest voice of thine! For thou hast promised of a truth, O Christ, to be with us until the world doth end. Having this steadfast hope, we, thy faithful ones, rejoice.

O Christ, thou great, most sacred Pascha, Wisdom, and Word, and Power of God! grant us more perfectly to partake of thee in that thy kingdom'Äôs day that hath no evening.

And again the Irmos. Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem . . . .

Exapostilarion.
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SLEEP in flesh as mortal, O King and Lord, thou didst arise on the third day, and raise Adam from corruption and abolish death, O Pascha of immortality, Salvation of the world.

The Psalms of Praise with Stichera in
Tone I.
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ET everything that hath breath praise the Lord. O praise God in his Saints,

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388 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

praise him according to the greatness of his majesty.

Sticheron. We hymn, O Christ, thy saving Passion, and glorify thy Resurrection.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, praise him with psaltery and harp.

Sticheron. O Lord, who didst endure the Cross, and didst abolish death, and rise again from the dead; give us peace in our life, who alone art almighty.

Praise him with timbrel and choir, praise him with stringed instruments and organ.

Sticheron. O Christ, who didst spoil hades and raise man by thy Resurrection; vouchsafe that, with pure heart, we may hymn and glorify thee.

Praise him with well-tuned cymbals, praise him with loud cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

Sticheron. We glorify thy Godlike condescension, and sing to thee, O Christ. Thou wast born of the Virgin and wast inseparably with the Father. Thou didst suffer as man, and didst, of thine own will, endure the Cross. Thou didst arise from the tomb, going out thence as from a bridal chamber to save the world. Glory to thee, O Lord.

Then the Stichera of Pascha in Tone 5. Verse. Let God arise, and let his ene-

THE MATINS ON HOLY PASCHA. 389

mies be scattered, and let them that hate him flee from before him.

O-DAY the sacred Pascha is made manifest to us, the new and holy Pascha, the mystic Pascha, the all-honourable Pascha, the Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer, the spotless Pascha, the mighty Pascha, the Pascha of the faithful, the Pascha that openeth unto us the gates of Paradise, the Pascha that halloweth all the faithful.

Verse. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melteth at the presence of fire.

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OME from that spectacle, ye women, proclaimers of glad tidings, and say unto Sion, Receive from us glad tidings of joy of the Resurrection of Christ. Rejoice, dance and be glad, O Jerusalem, beholding Christ the King coming forth as a bridegroom from the tomb.

Verse. So let the sinners perish at the presence of God, but let the righteous rejoice.

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HE myrrh-bearing women going very early in the morning to the tomb of the Giver of life, saw an Angel sitting on the stone, who spake to them and said, Why seek ye the Living among the dead? Why bewail ye the Immortal in the place of cor-

390 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

ruption ? Go, and tell ye these things to his Disciples.

Verse. This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad therein.

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HE Pascha of delight, Pascha, the Pascha of the Lord, the all-honourable Pascha hath shone on us. O Pascha, let us in joy embrace each other! O Pascha, our deliverance from sorrow! For to-day Christ, shining from the tomb as from a bridal chamber, filled the hearts of the women with joy by his words, Go ye, and tell the Apostles. Glory. Both now.

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T is the day of Resurrection, let us be enlightened by the Triumph, and let us embrace each other. Let us say, Brethren! even to them that hate us. Let us forgive all offences at the Resurrection, and thus let us exclaim,

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HRIST is risen from the dead, death by death down doth he tread, and on those within the tombs he bestoweth life.

And we sing, Christ is risen . . . . many times, while the Salutation of Peace is given.

Then, while all stand, is read

The Catechetical Discourse of our Father in the Saints, John, Archbishop of Constantinople, the Chrysostom, for the holy and

THE MATINS ON HOLY PASCHA. 391

light-bearing Day of the most glorious and saving Resurrection of Christ our God.

E that is pious and God-loving, let him enjoy this good and bright triumphal Feast. He that is a wise and prudent servant, let the same joyfully enter into the joy of his Master. He that hath laboured in fasting, let him now receive his denarius. He that hath worked from the first hour, let him to-day receive his just award. He that came at the end of the third hour, let him keep the Feast with thanksgiving. He that came only at the sixth hour, let him have no doubt, for he is in nowise rejected. He that missed even the ninth hour, let him approach, nothing doubting, nothing fearing. He that arrived even at the eleventh hour, let him not fear on account of his delay. For the Lord, being condescending, accepteth the last comer as the first, he resteth him that cometh at the eleventh hour as he resteth him that worked from the first hour, and he hath mercy on the last and sheweth favour to the first, and on this one bestoweth and to that one granteth, and he welcometh the deeds and kisseth the intentions, respecteth the work and approveth the purpose. Then come ye all into the joy of your Lord. Ye

392 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

first and ye last, ye rich and ye poor, rejoice together. Ye temperate and ye slothful, honour the day. Ye that have fasted and ye that have not fasted, rejoice this day. The table is full, enjoy it all of you. The calf is a fattened one, let no one depart a hungred. Enjoy ye all the Feast of faith. Receive ye all the riches of grace. Let no one bewail his unworthiness, for the kingdom of all hath come. Let no one lament over his sins, for pardon hath shone like a light from the tomb. Let no one fear death, for our Saviour'Äôs death hath liberated us. He who was bound by it hath extinguished it. Descending into hades, he made hades captive, and he moved it that had tasted of his flesh. Foreseeing this same, Esaias exclaimed, Hades, saith he, from beneath is moved, for it is cast away by thee. It is moved, for it is crushed. It is moved, for it is slain. It is moved, for it is overthrown. It is moved, for it is made captive. It took the flesh, and discovered God. It took the clay, and met heaven. It took what it saw, and fell into what it did not see. Where is thy sting, O death? Where is thy victory, O hades? Christ hath arisen, and thou art overthrown. Christ hath arisen, and the demons have fallen. Christ hath arisen, and the Angels rejoice. Christ hath arisen, and

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life reigneth. Christ hath arisen, and not one dead resteth in the grave. For Christ, having arisen from the dead, became the first-fruits of them that slept. To him be glory and majesty to ages of ages. Amen.

And the Troparion to the Saint in Tone 8.
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HE grace of thy mouth, shining forth like fire, hath enlightened the universe, hath offered the world treasures of liberality, and hath shewed to us the height of humility. And, as thou instructest us by thy words, Father John Chrysostom, pray Christ, the Word, to save our souls.

Then the Deacon saith the Great Ectenia. Have mercy upon us . . . . Vide page I0.

And that of Supplication.

Let us accomplish our morning prayer . . . . Vide page I2.

And after the Exclamation concluding the latter, Wisdom! And we, Give the blessing.

Priest. Blessed be Christ our God . . . .
Choir. Amen. Stablish, O God . . . .

Priest, holding the honourable Cross, Christ is risen . . . .

Choir. And on those within the tombs. . . .
And the Priest saith the Dismissal.
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E that arose from the dead, and trampled
down death by death, and bestowed life
394 EXTRACTS FROM THE FERIAL TRIODION.

to them that were in the graves, Christ our true God . . . .

Then, raising the Cross, he saith, Christ is risen! thrice.

And we answer,
He is risen indeed! thrice.
And we sing in conclusion,

Christ is risen from the dead . . . . thrice, adding,

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O us also hath he granted life everlasting. Let us then bow down to his Resurrection on the third day.

And we kiss the honourable Cross.
THE HOURS ON HOLY PASCHA,