Books - Sources [GOA]

Pentecostarion

Pascha - Easter Sunday - On Sunday at Vespers

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VESPERS

PRIEST

Glory to the holy and consubstantial and life-creating and undivided Trinity always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

Mode pl. 1.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs… [GOA]

CHOIR

…He has granted life.

PRIEST

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs… [GOA]

CHOIR

…He has granted life.

PRIEST

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs… [GOA]

CHOIR

…He has granted life.

PRIEST

Verse 1: Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from before His face.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Verse 2: As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Verse 3: So shall the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the righteous be glad.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Verse 4: This is the day the Lord made; let us greatly rejoice and be glad therein.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

CHOIR

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. [GOA]

PRIEST

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death… [GOA]

CHOIR

…and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

DEACON

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

CHOIR

Mode 2.

Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Resurrectional Stichera.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Sticheron 1. Mode 2.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

He who was begotten of the Father before all ages, God the Logos, became incarnate of the Virgin Mary. Come let us worship Him. He endured the Cross and submitted to burial, as He so willed. And then He rose from the dead, and He saved me and all humanity who had gone astray. [GOASD]

Sticheron 2. Mode 2.

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond which stood against us, and thus He canceled it; and He destroyed the power of death. We worship His rising on the third day. [GOASD]

Sticheron 3. Mode 2.

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

Let us join the Archangels and extol the Resurrection of Christ. He is the Redeemer and Savior of our souls; and He will come again, in awesome glory and mighty power, to judge the world which He created. [GOASD]

Sticheron 4. Mode 2.

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

After You were crucified and buried, an Angel declared to the women that You are the Master, and he said to them, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay. He has risen, as He said; for He is almighty.” We therefore worship You, the only immortal One. O Christ the Giver of Life, have mercy on us. [GOASD]

Sticheron 5. Mode 2.

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

By Your crucifixion, You destroyed the curse of the tree; by Your burial, You killed the power of death; and by Your resurrection, You illumined the human race. Therefore we sing to You: O Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to You! [GOASD]

Sticheron 6. Mode 2.

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

The gates of death opened to You for fear, and the doorkeepers of Hades quaked when they saw You. For You crushed the gates of bronze and You shattered the bars of iron, and You brought us out of darkness and the shadow of death, and You broke our chains to pieces. [GOASD]

Glory.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode 2.

Let us open our mouths and sing extolling our salvation. Come all in the house of the Lord, and let us pray to Him and say, “You were crucified on a tree, and You rose from the dead, and You always are in the bosom of the Father. We implore You to forgive our sins.” [GOASD]

Both now.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode 2.

When grace came, the shadow of the Law passed away. The bush of old was not consumed, even as it was burning; likewise you, a virgin, gave birth and still remained a virgin. Instead of the pillar of fire, the Sun of righteousness has risen. Instead of Moses, there is Christ, the salvation of our souls. [GOASD]

Stand for the Entrance.

DEACON (in a low voice)

Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

ENTRANCE PRAYER

In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

CLERGY AND PEOPLE

Mode 2.

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode.

Who is so great a God as our God? You alone are the God who does wonders. [SAAS]

Verse: You made known Your power among the peoples.

Who is so great a God as our God? You alone are the God who does wonders.

Verse: I said, “Now I am beginning to see; this change is by the right hand of the Most High.”

Who is so great a God as our God? You alone are the God who does wonders.

Verse: I remembered the Lord’s works, for I will remember Your wonders of old.

Who is so great a God as our God? You alone are the God who does wonders.

The Gospel

DEACON

Let us pray to the Lord our God that we may be made worthy to hear the holy Gospel.

( Lord, have mercy. (3) )

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

PRIEST

Peace be with all.

CHOIR

And with your spirit.

PRIEST

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to John.

DEACON

Let us be attentive.

CHOIR

Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You.

PRIEST

20:19 – 25

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 with 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 with 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.” [RSV]

CHOIR

Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You.

LITANY OF FERVENT SUPPLICATION

DEACON

Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Lord, have mercy. (3)

DEACON

Again we pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.

Again we pray for our Archbishop (name).

Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, the hieromonks, the deacons, the monastics, and all our brotherhood in Christ.

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious Orthodox Christians residing and visiting in this city: the parishioners, the members of the parish council, the stewards, and benefactors of this holy church.

Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church, and for all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here have been piously laid to their rest, as well as the Orthodox everywhere.

Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable church, for those who labor and those who sing, and for the people here present who await Your great and rich mercy.

PRIEST

For You are merciful and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR

Amen.

Stand for the reading of prayer.

READER

O Lord, keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us for we have set our hope in you. Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, grant me understanding of your commandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me with your commandments. Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not despise the works of your hands. To you is due praise, to you is due song, to you is due glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. ( Amen. ) [HC]

LITANY OF COMPLETION

DEACON

Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.

CHOIR (after each petition)

Grant this, O Lord.

DEACON

For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.

For pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.

For that which is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.

That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.

And let us ask for a Christian end to our life, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST

For You are good and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

CHOIR: And with your spirit.

DEACON

Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

CHOIR: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

Lord our God, who inclined the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads and bent their necks to You, the fearsome yet compassionate Judge, not expecting human help, but awaiting Your mercy and anticipating Your salvation. Guard them at all times, this evening and the coming night, from every enemy, from all demonic activity against them, from unprofitable reflections, and from wicked thoughts.

PRIEST (aloud)

Blessed and glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

Aposticha.

Resurrectional.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode 2.

Your resurrection has illumined the entire earth, O Savior Christ; and from the dead You summoned back Your creature. O almighty Lord, glory to You! [GOASD]

From Pentecostarion - - -

Stichera of Pascha.

Mode pl. 1.

Verse 1: Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from before His face.

Today a sacred Pascha has been revealed to us; a Pascha new and holy, a Pascha mystical, a Pascha all-venerable, Pascha, the Redeemer Christ himself; a Pascha that is blameless, a Pascha that is great, a Pascha of believers, a Pascha that has opened for us the gates of Paradise, a Pascha that sanctifies believers all. [SD]

Verse 2: As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire.

Come now from that sight, O you women and heralds of good news, and say to Zion, “Receive from us the joyful tidings of the Resurrection of Christ. O Jerusalem, be exultant, dance and leap for joy, for you have witnessed Christ the King coming forth as a Bridegroom from the sepulcher.” [SD]

Verse 3: So shall the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the righteous be glad.

The myrrh-bearing women at dawn very early, standing outside the tomb of the Giver-of-Life, found an Angel who was seated upon the stone. And the Angel addressed them, and this is what he said, “Why do you seek among the dead the One who is alive? Why do you grieve as though corruptible the Incorrupt? So go back and proclaim it to His Disciples.” [SD]

Verse 4: This is the day the Lord made; let us greatly rejoice and be glad therein.

Pascha of delight! Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha! A Pascha all venerable has risen for us. Pascha! With joy let us embrace one another. Pascha, the ransom from sorrow! Today from the sepulcher Christ emerged resplendently as from a bridal chamber, and the women He filled with joy, saying, “Proclaim this to the Apostles.” [SD]

Glory. Both now. Of Pascha.

Sing, “It is the day of the Resurrection…” through, “And thus let us cry aloud.” Then the left choir sings, “Christ is risen…” in the usual melody, then the right choir repeats it, and finally the left choir sings it a third time.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode pl. 1.

It is the day of the Resurrection. Let us shine brightly for the festival, and also embrace one another. Brethren, let us say even to those who hate us, “Let us forgive everything for the Resurrection.” And thus let us cry aloud, “Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.” [GOASD]

DEACON: Wisdom.

READER: Master, give the blessing.

PRIEST

Blessed is Christ our God, the One who is, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

HIERARCH or READER

The Lord God make firm the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy and Great Church of Christ, our Sacred Archdiocese, [this Sacred Metropolis,] and this city, to the ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST

Glory to You, our God, glory to You.

May He who rose from the dead, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Christ is risen!

PEOPLE

Truly He is risen!

PRIEST

Christ is risen!

PEOPLE

Truly He is risen!

PRIEST

Christ is risen!

PEOPLE

Truly He is risen!

PRIEST

Glory to His holy Resurrection on the third day!

PEOPLE

We worship His Resurrection on the third day!

PRIEST

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

PEOPLE

Truly the Lord is risen!