Great and Holy Pascha
+ Orthros and Rush Procession +
Opening Acclamation: “Blessed is the kingdom…”
Troparion of Pascha. “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” (3x — 1st time Priest sings alone)
Greek: “Christos anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas kai tis en tis mnemasi, zoin kharisamenos!”
Great Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
First Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain: “Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Second Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain: “Save us, O Son of God Who didst arise from the dead, who sing unto Thee: Alleluia.”
“Only-begotten Son and Word of God Who art immortal, yet didst condescend for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change wast made man; and wast crucified, O Christ our God; and by Thy death didst Death subdue; Who art One of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: O save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Third Antiphon, during the Little Entrance (Choir). The Troparion of Pascha.
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” (3x) Also in Greek.
Entrance Hymn. “In the gathering places, bless ye God the Lord, from the springs of Israel. O Son of God, Who didst rise from the dead, save us who sing unto Thee: Alleluia!”
Hymns of the Day.
Troparion of Pascha (All).
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” (3x)
Hypakoe of Pascha, Tone 4 (Choir).
“Before the dawn, Mary and the women came and found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They heard the angelic voice: Why do you seek among the dead as a man the One Who is everlasting light? Behold the clothes in the grave. Go and proclaim to the world: The Lord is risen, He has slain Death as He is the Son of God, saving the race of man!”
Kontakion of Pascha , Tone 8 (All).
“Thou descended into the tomb, O Immortal. Thou destroyed the power of death. In victory Thou arose, O Christ God, proclaiming, Rejoice! to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles, and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.”
Trisagion Prayer and Hymn. “Lord, have mercy.”
“As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.” (3x)
The Readings. Priest: “Let us attend! Wisdom!”
Prokeimenon, Tone 8 (Chanter).
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endures forever!”
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “You heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”
Alleluia and Verses with Censing (Apostolos 25, Chanter).
Priest: “Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Peace be to all.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.
The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’”) And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Sermon.
Prayers of the Catechumens and the Faithful . “Lord, have mercy.”
Great Entrance: Cherubimic Prayer & Hymn.
“All we that in myst’ry holy cherubim portray, as the Life-creating Trinity, with thrice holy
song we adore and praise. Come, let us cast off all earthly care, and forget, and forget ev’ry vain employ...” (Repeat.)
“… For the King of All comes in triumph, by unseen hosts of angels brought to us that bid Him welcome. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Litany of the Prothesis and the Peace. “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this…” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Priest: “Peace be to all. Let us love one another, that with one accord we may confess:”
“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided.”
The Nicene Creed . Priest: “The Doors! The Doors! In wisdom let us attend.”
“I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things, visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one Essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end;
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets;
And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; I look for the Resurrection of the dead and the Life of the world to come. Amen.”
Eucharistic Prayer of St. John Chrysostom.
Anaphora. “A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.”
Priest: “Let us lift up our hearts.”
“We lift them up unto the Lord.”
Priest: “Let us give thanks to the Lord.”
“It is meet and right to worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence, and undivided.”
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth: heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”
The Prayers of Consecration.
Priest: “Take, eat: this is My Body which is broken for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink ye this: this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, in behalf of all, and for all.”
“We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O our God, our God.”
Priest: “Make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ; and that which is in this cup, the precious Blood of thy Christ; changing them by thy Holy Spirit.”
“Amen, amen, amen.”
Megalynarion for Pascha, Tone 4 (Choir).
“The angel cried to the Lady full of grace, Rejoice! Rejoice, O pure Virgin. Again I say, Rejoice! Thy Son is risen from His three days in the tomb. With Himself He hath raised all the dead; rejoice, rejoice O ye people.”
“Shine, shine, shine, O new Jerusalem; the glory of the Lord hath shown on thee. Exult now, exult and be glad, O Zion. Be radiant, O pure Theotokos, in the resurrection, the resurrection of thy Son.”
The Litany before the Lord’s Prayer. “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this...” “To Thee, O Lord.”
The Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name…”
Priest: “Peace be to all. Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.”
The Elevation. Priest: “Let us attend! The Holy things are for the Holy.”
“One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
Communion Prayers.
“I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly Thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray Thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen.”
“Of Thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant, for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.”
Communion Hymns.
“Receive the body of Christ; taste the fountain of immortality. Alleluia.”
“Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; the Lord is God and hath revealed himself unto us.”
Communion.
Receiving Holy Communion unites us with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Bishop, and with all the Orthodox in heaven and earth. Only baptized and/or chrismated Orthodox Christians who are not under penance and have prepared by fasting and frequent confession are invited and encouraged to receive communion as spiritual food, for the healing of soul and body and as a sign of forgiveness of sins.
Post-Communion Hymns.
Troparion of Pascha, in Greek: “Christos anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas kai tis en tis mnemasi, zoin kharisamenos!” (1x only)
“Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of Thy glory; for Thou hast permitted us to partake of Thy holy, divine, immortal, and life-giving Mysteries. Establish
us in Thy Sanctification, that all the day we may meditate upon Thy righteousness. Alleluia.”
Litany of Thanksgiving and the Prayer behind the Ambon. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” (3x)
Dismissal and Final Blessing.
Parish Announcements .