SUNDAY EVENING OF PASCHA
Priest : Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages!
Choir : Amen.
• Bearing the Paschal Candle, the Priest then leads the singing of the Paschal Apolytikion and censes the Altar as follows:
Priest : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Choir : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! (twice)
• Censing the west side of the Altar:
Priest : Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.
Refrain : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and upon those in the tombs, bestowing life!
• Censing the south side of the Altar:
Priest : As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire. (Refrain)
• Censing the east side of the Altar:
Priest : So let sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous be glad. (Refrain)
• Censing the north side of the Altar:
Priest : This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein. (Refrain)
• Censing the Prothesis and the remainder of the Sanctuary:
Priest : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. (Refrain)
• Censing the Iconostasis from the Holy Doors:
Priest : Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Refrain)
• The Priest completes the censing while singing:
Priest : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and upon those in the tombs...
Choir : ...bestowing life!
NOTE : Psalm 103 is omitted, as are the priest’s seven silent Vespers prayers.
The Litany of Peace
Priest: In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. ( after every petition ) Priest: For the peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For the peace of the whole world, the good estate of the holy churches of God, and the union of all, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For this holy house and those who with faith, reverence and fear of God enter therein, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For our father and metropolitan, N., (our bishop, N.), the honorable presbytery, the diaconate in Christ, all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For our country, its president (or appropriate head of state), civil authorities and armed forces, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For this city and every city and countryside and the faithful who dwell therein, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For healthful seasons, abundance of the fruits of the earth and peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For travelers by sea, by land and by air, the sick, the suffering, the captive, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: For our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Priest: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God. Choir: To thee, O Lord.
Priest: For unto thee are due all glory, honor and worship to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
"O Lord I Have Cried" In Tone Two
Choir: O Lord, I have cried out unto Thee, hear Thou me; hear Thou me, O Lord. O Lord, I have cried out unto Thee, hear Thou me. Give ear to the voice of my supplication when I cry out unto Thee: hear Thou me, O Lord.
Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as the incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice; hear Thou me, O Lord.
- Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a protecting door round about my lips.
- Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.
- With men that work iniquity; and I will not communicate with the choicest of them.
- The just man shall correct me in mercy and shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.
- For my prayer also shall still be against the things with which they are well pleased; their judges falling upon the rock have been swallowed up.
- They shall hear my words, for they are sweet; as when the thickness of the earth is broken upon the ground, their bones are scattered by the side of hades.
- But to Thee, O Lord, Lord, are mine eyes; in Thee have I put my trust, take not away my soul.
- Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity.
- Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I alone escape.
- I cried unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord, did I make my supplication.
- I poured out my supplication before Him; I showed before Him my trouble.
- When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path.
- In the way wherein I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me.
- I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me.
- Refuge failed me; no one cared for my soul.
- I cried unto Thee, O Lord; I said: Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
- Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low.
- Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.
Verse 10 . Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy Name.
Verse 9 . The righteous shall wait for me until Thou recompense me.
Verse 8 . Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O Lord, Lord hear my voice.
Verse 7 . Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
For the Resurrection in Tone Two
Verse 6 . If Thou, O Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee there is forgiveness.
Come ye, let us worship Him Who was born of the Father before all time, the Word of God, incarnate of the Virgin Mary; for He did submit to crucifixion by His own choice, was delivered to burial as He Himself willed, rose from the dead, and saved me, who was lost.
Verse 5 . Because of Thy Name have I waited for Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
Verily, Christ our Savior nailed to His Cross the handwriting of the decree, and did expunge it. And He abolished the might of Death. Let us therefore adore His third-day Resurrection.
Verse 4 . From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel trust in the Lord.
Come, let us with the archangels praise the Resurrection of Christ; for He is the Redeemer and Savior of our souls, and He it is Who will come with fearful magnificence and glorious might to judge the world which He hath created.
Verse 3 . For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is abundant redemption, and He will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.
O Thou Who wast crucified and wast buried, the angel did proclaim Thee, that Thou art the Master, saying to the women, Come ye and behold where the Lord was laid; for He is risen as He said; for He is the Almighty One, and therefore, do we worship Thee, O Thou Who alone art deathless; O Christ, Giver of life, have mercy upon us.
Verse 2 . Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise Him, all ye people.
With Thy Cross Thou didst abolish the curse of the tree; with Thy Death and Burial Thou didst cause the might of Death to die; and with Thy Resurrection Thou didst enlighten mankind. Wherefore, do we cry to Thee, O Christ our God, the Benefactor, glory to Thee.
Verse 1 . For His mercy is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endureth forever.
O Lord, verily, the gates of Death were opened to Thee for fear of Thee. And as the gate-keepers of Hades saw Thee they did tremble; for Thou didst break asunder its brazen gates; didst crush its iron bars; didst bring us out from the shadow and darkness of death; and didst break our bonds asunder.
Doxasticon For The Resurrection In Tone Two
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Come let us all sing with our mouths a song of salvation. Let us kneel down in the house of the Lord saying, O Thou Who wast crucified on a Tree, Who didst rise from the dead, and Who still remainest in the bosom of the Father, forgive us our sins.
Theotokion For The Resurrection In Tone Two
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin, verily, the shadow of the law hath been annulled by the coming of thy grace; for as the bush was burning but not consumed, so didst thou give birth while yet a Virgin. And instead of the pillar of fire, the Sun of justice shone forth; and instead of Moses, Christ the Savior of our souls.
The Holy Entrance
(While the Doxasticon is chanted, the following dialogue occurs QUIETLY as the clergy make the entrance with the GOSPEL BOOK, not the censer.)
Deacon : Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Priest : In the evening and in the morning and at noonday we praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, and we pray unto Thee, O Master of all, Lord Who lovest mankind: Direct our prayer as incense before Thee, and incline not our hearts unto words or thoughts of evil, but deliver us from all who seek after our souls. For unto Thee, O Lord, Lord, are our eyes, and in Thee have we hoped. Put us not to shame, O our God. For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Deacon : Amen.
(The clergy process to the center of the solea and recite this next dialogue QUIETLY.)
Deacon : Bless, father, the Holy Entrance.
Priest : Blessed is the entrance to Thy Holy Place, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
(After the choir has finished, the following is said ALOUD.)
Deacon : Wisdom! Stand upright!
O Gladsome Light
Choir : O gladsome Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy and blessed Father: O Jesus Christ. Lo now that we have come to the setting of the sun, as we behold the evening light, we hymn Thee: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be magnified by joyous voices, O Son of God and Giver of life. Wherefore the whole world doth glorify Thee.
Deacon : The evening prokeimenon!
The Great Prokeimενον Ιν Τοne Seven
Choir : Who is so great a god as our God? Thou art the God Who workest wonders. (ONCE)
Verse 1 . Thou hast made Thy power known among the peoples; with Thine arm hast Thou redeemed Thy people. (Refrain)
Verse 2 . And I said: Now have I made a beginning; this change hath been wrought by the right hand of the Most High. (Refrain)
Verse 3 . I remembered the works of the Lord; for I will remember Thy wonders from the beginning. (Refrain)
The Paschal Agape Gospel
The Gospel is read by the clergy and faithful from the solea in as many languages as possible. The readers recite one paragraph at a time as denoted below, taking turns until the whole lection is complete. For additional languages, see pages 829-855 of "The Services of Great and Holy Week and Pascha" (2nd or 3rd edition, Antiochian Archdiocese), or www.biblegateway.com .
Deacon : And that we may be accounted worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, let us beseech the Lord our God.
Choir : Lord, have mercy. (thrice)
Deacon : Wisdom! Stand upright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.
Priest : Peace be to all.
Choir : And to thy spirit.
Priest : The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John (20:19-25).
Choir : Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Deacon : Let us attend!
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be to you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe."
Choir : Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
The Litany Of Fervent Supplication
Deacon: Let us all say with our whole soul and with our whole mind, let us say:
( The choir responds "Lord, have mercy" to the first two petitions .)
O Lord Almighty, the God of our fathers, we pray thee hearken and have mercy.
Have mercy on us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hearken and have mercy.
(The choir responds "Lord, have mercy" (thrice) to this and the remaining petitions until noted.)
Again we pray for all pious and Orthodox Christians.
Again we pray for our father and metropolitan, N., (and our bishop, N.).
Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, hieromonks, deacons, hierodeacons and monastics and all our brotherhood in Christ.
Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, pardon and remission of sins for (the servants of God, NN., and) all Orthodox Christians of true worship, who live and dwell in this community.
Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church (and for the servants of God, NN.,) and all of our fathers and brethren, the Orthodox departed this life before us, who here and in all the world lie asleep in the Lord.
Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable temple, those who serve and those who sing and all the people here present, who await thy great and rich mercy.
Priest: For thou art a merciful God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
The Evening Prayer
People: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy Name forever. Amen. Let Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, even as we have set our hope on Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord; teach me Thy statutes. Blessed art Thou, O Master; make me to understand Thy statutes. Blessed art Thou, O Holy One; enlighten me with Thy statutes. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever. O despise not the works of Thy hands. To Thee belongeth worship, to Thee belongeth praise, to Thee belongeth glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Litany Of Supplication
Deacon: Let us complete our evening prayer unto the Lord.
(The choir responds "Lord, have mercy" to the first two petitions.)
Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.
That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.
(The choir responds "Grant this, O Lord" to this and the remaining petitions until noted.)
An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.
Pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.
All things good and profitable for our souls and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.
That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.
A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense before the fearful judgment seat of Christ, let us ask.
Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
Priest: For thou art a good God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
The Peace
Priest: Peace be to all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Deacon: Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.
Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
(All bow their heads as the priest says the following prayer:)
Priest: O Lord our God, who didst bow the heavens and come down for the salvation of mankind: Look upon thy servants and thine inheritance; for unto thee, the fearful Judge who yet lovest mankind, have thy servants bowed their heads and submissively inclined their necks, awaiting not help from men but entreating thy mercy and looking confidently for thy salvation. Guard them at all times, both during this present evening and in the approaching night, from every foe, from all adverse powers of the devil and from vain thoughts and from evil imaginations.
Blessed and glorified be the might of Thy kingdom, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
It is customary to hold a procession around the church at this time. While the clergy, altar servers and faithful process, the choir sings the Apostichon and Paschal Stichera.
Apostichon For The Resurrection In Tone Two
Thy Resurrection, O Christ Savior, hath illumined the whole universe. Thou hast renewed Thy creation. O Lord Almighty, glory to Thee.
The Paschal Stichera In Tone Five
Verse 1 . Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.
A sacred Pascha hath been shown forth to us today; a new and holy Pascha, a mystic Pascha, an all venerable Pascha, a Pascha that is Christ the Redeemer; a spotless Pascha, a great Pascha, a Pascha of the faithful, a Pascha that hath opened unto us the gates of Paradise; a Pascha that doth hallow all the faithful.
Verse 2 . As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire.
Come from that scene, O women, bearers of good tidings, and say to Sion: Receive from us the tidings of joy of the Resurrection of Christ. Exult, dance, and be glad, O Jerusalem, for thou hast seen Christ the King as a bridegroom come forth from the tomb.
Verse 3 . So let sinners perish at the presence of God, and let the righteous be glad.
The myrrh-bearing women at deep dawn drew nigh to the tomb of the Giver of life; they found an Angel sitting upon the stone, and he, addressing them, in this manner did say: Why seek ye the Living among the dead? Why mourn ye the Incorruptible amid corruption? Go, proclaim it unto His disciples.
Verse 4 . This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.
A Pascha of delight, Pascha, the Lord's Pascha, an all venerable Pascha hath dawned for us, a Pascha whereon let us embrace one another with joy. O Pascha, ransom from sorrow! Today Christ hath shone forth from the tomb as from a bridal chamber, and hath filled the women with joy, saying: Proclaim it unto the Apostles.
The Doxasticon For Pascha In Tone Five
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
It is the day of Resurrection; let us be radiant for the festival, and let us embrace one another. Let us say, O brethren, even to those that hate us: Let us forgive all things on the Resurrection. And thus let us cry:
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs, bestowing life! (thrice)
• At the conclusion of the doxasticon, the clergy and altar boys return to the solea, where the priest immediately offers the dismissal.
The Dismissal
Priest : Glory to Thee, O Christ our God and our hope, glory to Thee.
Choir : Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (thrice). Father, bless.
Priest : May He Who is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate and all-blameless holy Mother; by the might of the Precious and Life-giving Cross; by the protection of the honorable Bodiless Powers of Heaven; at the supplication of the honorable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable apostles; of the holy, glorious and right-victorious Martyrs; of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers; of Saint N., the patron and protector of this holy community; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us, forasmuch as He is good and loveth mankind.
Priest : Christ is risen! (thrice)
People : Truly He is risen! (thrice)
Priest : Glory to His Holy Third-day Resurrection!
People : We adore His Holy Third-day Resurrection!
Priest : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs...
People : ...bestowing life!