The Blessing
The senior priest, still holding the Paschal candle in his left hand, takes the censer and censes three times the gospel book upon the table. Then, standing at his place before the table and facing east, he makes the sign of the cross over the gospel book with the censer, saying in a loud voice:
Priest : Glory to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided Trinity, always; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. People : Amen.
The Paschal Troparion
Then the senior priest censes the front of the table, while all the clergy chant the Paschal troparion three times:
Clergy : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Then the senior priest, censing around the table, the clergy and all the people, intone the following Paschal verses. After each verse the choir chants the Paschal troparion.
The Paschal Verses
Priest : Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered, and let them that hate him flee from before his face. Choir : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Priest : As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish; as wax melteth before the fire. Choir : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Priest : So let sinners perish at the presence of God; and let the righteous be glad. Choir :Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Priest : This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein. Choir :Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Priest : Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Choir : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.. Priest : Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Choir : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Then in a louder voice, the priest chants: Priest : Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs... Choir : ...bestowing life.
The Litany of Peace
The priest gives away the censer. Then the deacon receives the blessing of the priest, lifts his orarion and, facing east, intones the petitions of 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.
The Opening Of The Doors
At the conclusion of the Great Ektenia, the senior priest, holding the Paschal candle in his left hand, knocks thrice on the closed doors of the church with the hand cross, saying in a loud voice these verses from Psalm 23:
Priest : Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
A person who has remained inside the darkened church responds to the priest:
Response : Who is the King of glory?
Priest : The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in war.
Knocking again the priest says:
Priest : Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
Response : Who is the King of glory?
Priest : The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in war.
Knocking again the priest says:
Priest : Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in.
Response : Who is the King of glory?
Opening wide the doors of the church, the priest says:
Priest : The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.
All then enter the brightly lighted church, led by the senior priest carrying the Paschal candle and gospel book, as the bells ring, and the choir chants the Paschal canon below.
The clergy go immediately to the sanctuary and take their places at the holy table. The gospel book is placed upon the antiminsion, and the Paschal candle is kept lighted in a stand. All doors of the iconostasis are opened and remain so throughout Bright Week.
The Paschal Canon
Ist Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : Today is the day of Resurrection! O nations, let us shine forth; for the Pascha is the Pascha of the Lord, in that Christ did make us pass from death to life, and from earth to heaven, who now sing the song of victory and triumph.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
Let us cleanse our senses that we may behold Christ shining like lightning with the unapproachable light of Resurrection, that we may hear him say openly, Rejoice! while we sing to him the hymn of victory and triumph.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad, as is meet; and let the whole world, visible and invisible, feast; for Christ hath risen to everlasting joy.
Katavasia : Today is the day of Resurrection! O nations, let us shine forth; for the Pascha is the Pascha of the Lord, in that Christ did make us pass from death to life, and from earth to heaven, who now sing the song of victory and triumph.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 thine is the might, and thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir : Amen.
3rd Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : Come, let us drink a new drink, not wondrously produced from a barren rock, but from the fount of incorruption, that hath come to us with the overflowing of Christ from the tomb, in whom we are strengthened.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
Verily, all creatures have been filled with light, the heaven and the earth, and all that is below the earth. Let all creation, therefore, celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, in which it is strengthened.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Christ Saviour, we were but yesterday buried with thee, and we shall rise with thee in thy Resurrection. We were but yesterday crucified with thee: glorify us with thee in thy kingdom.
Katavasia : Come, let us drink a new drink, not wondrously produced from a barren rock, but from the fount of incorruption, that hath come to us with the overflowing of Christ from the tomb, in whom we are strengthened.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 thou art our God, 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 Hypakoe
Tone 4.
Reader : They who were with Mary came before the dawn, found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, and heard the angels say unto them, Why seek ye him as man with the dead, who dwells in light eternal? Behold the grave wrappings; make haste and declare to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath caused death to die; for he is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind.
4th Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : Upon the divine watchtower let the God-spoken Habakkuk stand and show us the angel attired in light, saying openly, Today is come salvation to the world; for Christ is risen, Almighty as he is.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
Verily, Christ hath been revealed as our Pascha; for that he was a male opening a virginal womb; and for that he was Nourishment he was called a Lamb; and for that he is immaculate he was called blameless; and for that he is very God, he is called perfect.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
Christ who is the crown of the year, blessed by us, hath been sacrificed for us of his free will, like a yearling lamb, a cleansing Pascha. Then on us the Sun of righteousness from the tomb did shine, brilliant, resplendent.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Before the symbolical ark, David, God's forefather, did leap and dance. Let us, therefore, the holy people, seeing the fulfillment of those symbols, rejoice with divine rejoicing; for Christ the Almighty is risen.
Katavasia : Upon the divine watchtower let the God-spoken Habakkuk stand and show us the angel attired in light, saying openly, Today is come salvation to the world; for Christ is risen, Almighty as he is.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 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.
5th Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : Let us rise early at morn, at the break of dawn, and let us instead of fragrant ointment bring pure praise to the Master. Let us behold Christ who is the Son of righteousness bringing life unto all.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
O Christ, they who in hades' bonds are chained, seeing thy boundless loving-kindness, hastened with blithe feet, celebrating an eternal Pascha.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Let us, lamps in hand, come forth to meet Christ risen from the tomb, as we would a bridegroom. Let us celebrate in the feast-loving ranks the saving Pascha of our God.
Katavasia : Let us rise early at morn, at the break of dawn, and let us instead of fragrant ointment bring pure praise to the Master. Let us behold Christ who is the Son of righteousness bringing life unto all.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 sanctified and glorified is thine all-honorable and majestic Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir : Amen.
6th Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : O Christ, into the deepest abyss of earth thou didst descend, and didst break the unyielding everlasting bars which held men prisoner; and on the third day thou didst rise from the tomb as Jonah from the whale.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
O Christ, thou who didst not break the locks of virginity in thy birth, didst rise from the tomb, keeping its seals intact, and didst open to us the gates of paradise.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O my Saviour, O thou living and unsacrificed offering, as thou art God, thou didst of thy free will offer thyself an offering to the Father. And when thou didst rise from the tomb, thou didst raise Adam and all his race with thee.
Katavasia : O Christ, into the deepest abyss of earth thou didst descend, and didst break the unyielding everlasting bars which held men prisoner; and on the third day thou didst rise from the tomb as Jonah from the whale.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 thou art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls, 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.
Kontakion Tone 8.
Reader : Though thou, O deathless One, didst descend into the grave, thou didst destroy the power of hell and, as Victor, thou didst rise again, O Christ our God. Thou didst greet the ointment-bearing women, saying, Rejoice! Thou didst bestow peace upon thy disciples, and resurrection upon those that are fallen.
Oikon
To the Sun before the sun, as it set for a time in the grave, the ointment-bearing maidens came at dawn, seeking him as they would the day. And they shouted one to another, Come, let us, O friends, anoint with spices the life-bearing body, now buried; the body that raiseth fallen Adam, lying in the sepulchre. Come, let us hasten, as did the Magi, and fall down in worship; let us offer of our spices like unto their offerings, to him who is no longer wrapped in swaddling clothes, but in finest linen. Let us lament; let us weep; and let us cry, Master, arise, O thou who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.
Synaxarion
Reader : On the Holy and Great Sunday of Pascha we celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ; for Christ alone did descend with condescension to fight hades; and he ascended, bringing the abundant spoils of victory which he had snatched.
Mary the Magdalene and the rest of the women who were present at the Saviour's Burial on Friday evening, returned that very day from Golgotha to the city to prepare ointment and spices, that they might come later and anoint the body of Jesus. They rested the next day, Saturday, in fulfillment of the commandment. And on the following day, which was Sunday and which the Evangelists call the first day of the week, which fell on the twenty-fifth of March, or thirty-six hours after the Death of life-giving Jesus, the women came to the sepulchre with their prepared ointments. And as they were pondering the difficulty of rolling the stone from the gate of the sepulchre, a great earthquake took place, an angel of the Lord came down, whose appearance was like lightning and his clothes like snow, and rolled away the stone and sat thereon.
The guards trembled with fear, became like dead, and fled. But the women entered the sepulchre and found not Jesus. But they found two other angels in the form of men dressed in white raiment who proclaimed to them the Resurrection of the Saviour, commanding them to hasten and give the good news to the Disciples. In the meantime Peter and John, who had received the report from Mary the Magdalene, hastened and entered the tomb and found there only the linen clothes. They returned with great joy to the city, and began to preach the supernatural Resurrection of Christ, having seen him alive in truth five times that very day.
For this joyful Resurrection, we therefore celebrate today, kissing one another in Christ with the brotherly kiss, illustrating thereby the dissolution of the enmity that was between us and God, and our reconciliation through Christ. This Feast was called Pascha from the Jewish name; for Christ by his Passion and Resurrection translated us from the curse of Adam and the bondage of Satan to the ancient liberty and bliss. As for the day of the week, which is called in Hebrew, the first day, being dedicated to our Lord for his glorification and magnification, it is called in Greek, Kyriake, or the Lord's Day. The Disciples transferred to it the dignity of the sabbath after the Law of the Old Testament, and prescribed that it be a holiday and a day of rest. To him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen
In that we have beheld the resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy resurrection we praise and glorify; for thou art our God, and we know none other beside thee; we call upon thy Name. O come, all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's holy resurrection. For lo, through the cross is joy come into all the world.
Ever blessing the Lord, let us sing his resurrection: for in that he endured the cross for us he hath destroyed death by death. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy. (thrice)
7th Ode. Tone 1.
Heirmos : He who did save the children from the furnace, when he became Man, suffered like unto a mortal, and with his sufferings invested the mortal with the beauty of incorruption, who is the God of our fathers. To him alone be blessing and glory.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
O Christ, the Godly-wise women with their minds did hasten with the ointment after thee. And he whom they sought, mourning him as dead, they now worshipped with joy, the living God. And to the Disciples they told the glad news of thy mystical Pascha.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
We celebrate the death of death, the destruction of hades, the first fruit of another and endless life. And as we leap with joy, we praise the Cause of these good gifts, and God of our fathers. Blessed and glorified be he alone.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In truth, how noble is this radiant and all-festal night of salvation; for it precedeth the proclamation of the light-bearing day of Resurrection, in which the timeless Light did shine forth bodily from the grave.
Katavasia : He who did save the children from the furnace, when he became Man, suffered like unto a mortal, and with his sufferings invested the mortal with the beauty of incorruption, who is the God of our fathers. To him alone be blessing and glory.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 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.
8th Ode. Tone 1.
Heirnos : Verily, this day, which is called holy, is the first day among sabbaths, their king and lord. It is the Feast of feasts, the Season of seasons, in which we bless Christ for evermore.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
Come, let us on this famous day of Resurrection participate in the kingdom of Christ, and in the new fruit of the Vine which is for divine rejoicing. Praise him; for he is God for evermore.
Glory to thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord!
O Zion, lift up thine eyes round about and see. For lo! these thy children have followed thee as God-lighted stars, from the west and from the north, from the sea and from the east, blessing the Christ in thee for evermore.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Father Almighty, the Word, and the Spirit, one nature in three persons, God transcendent in Godhead and essence, in thee have we been baptized, and thee do we bless for evermore.
We praise, bless and worship the Lord!
Verily, this day, which is called holy, is the first day among sabbaths, their king and lord. It is the Feast of feasts, the Season of seasons, in which we bless Christ for evermore.
Katavasia : Verily, this day, which is called holy, is the first day among sabbaths, their king and lord. It is the Feast of feasts, the Season of seasons, in which we bless Christ for evermore.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 blessed is thy Name, and glorified is thy kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir : Amen.
The Ninth Ode
The deacon, standing in the holy doors and facing the congregation or the icon of the Theotokos on the iconostasis, lifts his orarion and says:
Deacon : The Theotokos and Mother of the Light let us honor and magnify in song.
The choir then chants the ninth ode, while the deacon does the great censing of the church.
9th Ode. Tone 1.
Magnify, O my soul, him who died of his own free will, and was buried, and did rise from the tomb on the third day.
Heirmos : Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee. Rejoice and exult now, O Zion. And thou, O pure one, Theotokos, rejoice at the Resurrection of thy Son.
Magnify, O my soul, the life-giving Christ, who is risen from the tomb on the third day.
Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee. Rejoice and exult now, O Zion. And thou, O pure one, Theotokos, rejoice at the Resurrection of thy Son.
Verily, Christ is a new Pascha, a living Sacrifice, the Lamb of God who beareth the sin of the world.
O how noble! O how dear! O how sweet is thy voice, O Christ; for thou hast verily made us a true promise, that thou shalt be with us to the end of time; a promise to which we believers hold, an anchor for our hopes, as we sing rejoicing with joy.
Today doth all creation rejoice and is glad; for Christ is risen, and hades he hath despoiled.
O how noble! O how dear! O how sweet is thy voice, O Christ; for thou hast verily made us a true promise, that thou shalt be with us to the end of time; a promise to which we believers hold, an anchor for our hopes, as we sing rejoicing with joy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Magnify, O my soul, the might of the indivisible and three-personed Godhead.
O Christ, the perfect, most exalted Pascha; O Wisdom of God, his Word and his Power: Grant us that we may partake of thee more perfectly in thy kingdom's day, which setteth not.
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, O Virgin, rejoice; rejoice, O blessed one; rejoice, O glorified one; for thy Son is risen from the tomb on the third day.
O Christ, the perfect, most exalted Pascha; O Wisdom of God, his Word and his Power: Grant us that we may partake of thee more perfectly in thy kingdom's day, which setteth not.
The angel spake to her that is full of grace, saying, O pure Virgin, rejoice; and I say also, rejoice; for thy Son is risen from the tomb on the third day.
Katavasia : Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee. Rejoice and exult now, O Zion. And thou, O pure one, Theotokos, rejoice at the Resurrection of thy Son.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
Verily, Jesus is risen from the tomb, as he had foretold, and hath bestowed life eternal upon us, and great mercy.
The Little Litany
Priest: Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace. Choir: Lord, have mercy. 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 all the powers of heaven praise thee, 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.
Exaposteilarion Tone 2.
When thou didst fall asleep in the body as mortal, O thou who art Lord and King, thou didst abolish death. And on the third day thou didst surely rise, verily raising Adam from corruption, O thou incorruptible Pascha, O Salvation of the world. (thrice)
The Praises
Tone 1.
Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. To thee, O God, is due our song.
Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. To thee, O God, is due our song.
Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
We praise, O Christ, thy saving passion and glorify thy Resurrection.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
O thou who didst endure the Cross, and abolish Death, and didst rise again from the dead; give peace to our life, O Lord, for thou only art almighty.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the psaltry and harp.
O thou who didst despoil Hell, and raise man again from the dead by thy Resurrection, O Christ; make us worthy, with pure hearts, to praise and glorify thee.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Glorifying thy divine condescension, we praise thee, O Christ! For thou wast born of a Virgin, yet was not separated from the Father. Thou didst suffer as man, and of thine own free will endured the Cross; and thou didst rise again from the tomb going forth as from a bridal chamber, that thou mightest save the world. O Lord, glory to thee.
The Paschal Verses
Tone 5.
Verse : Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered and let them who hate him flee from before his face.
Today Christ, our saving Pascha, hath been revealed unto us a noble Pascha; the Pascha new and holy; the mystical Pascha; the Pascha all august; the blameless Pascha; the great Pascha; the Pascha of the faithful; the Pascha which openeth unto us the gates of paradise; the Pascha which sanctifieth all the faithful.
Verse : As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away; as wax melteth before the fire.
O come from the vision, ye women, heralds of good tidings, and say ye unto Zion: Receive from us the glad tidings of the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and leap for joy, in that thou beholdest Christ the King like a bridegroom come forth from the grave.
Verse : So do sinners perish from before the face of God; and the righteous rejoice.
When the ointment-bearing women stood, very early in the morning, before the tomb of the Life-giver, they found an angel sitting upon the stone. And he cried out unto them, saying, Why seek ye the Living among the dead? Why mourn ye the Incorruptible amidst corruption? Go, proclaim the glad tidings to his Disciples.
Verse : This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.
The joyful Pascha, the Pascha of the Lord, the Pascha all majestic hath shone upon us! The Pascha on which we embrace one another with joy! Oh what a Pascha, delivering from sorrow! For today from the tomb, as from a bridal chamber Christ shone, and hath filled the women with joy, saying, Proclaim the glad tidings to the Apostles.
Glory and Now
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Doxastikon
Today is the Day of Resurrection! Let us shine with the Feast! Let us embrace one another. Let us say, brethren! And because of the Resurrection, let us forgive all things to those who hate us, and in this wise, exclaim: Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (thrice)
In some traditions, while the doxastikon Today is the Day of Resurrection... is chanted, the senior priest, standing before the holy table and holding the Paschal candle and the gospel book, offers the gospel book for veneration by the clergy within the sanctuary and exchanges with them the Paschal kiss and greeting. Then he stands in the open holy doors, facing the congregation, while all the people come forward to reverence the gospel book, kiss the senior celebrant and then each other, exchanging the Paschal greeting.