During Easter week, until Saturday, the Hours are read in the following order:

Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. (Thrice.)

The Choir also singeth the Hymn: Christ is risen (Thrice.)

In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us bow down before the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ, and thy holy Resurrection we laud 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,

EASTER 237

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, he hath destroyed Death by death. {Thrice.)

Ipakoi. When they who with Mary came, forestalling the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as he were mortal, him who abideth in ever- lasting light? Behold the grave-clothes. Go quickly, and proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath slain Death. For he is the Son of God who saveth mankind.

Collect-Hymn (Konddk). Though thou didst descend into the grave, O Deathless One, yet didst thou annihilate the power of Hell, and didst rise again as conqueror, O Christ-God, announcing unto the Myrrh-bearing Women : Rejoice! and giving grace unto thine Apostles, and bestowing Resurrection upon the fallen.

And the Hymns (Tropari).

In the Grave with the body, and in Hell with the soul, in that thou art God ; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit, wast thou, O Christ, filling all things, in that thou art infinite.

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

As life-bearing, as of a truth than Paradise more fair, and than every royal palace more bright hath been revealed thy tomb, the source of our Resurrection, O Christ.

Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Bogoroditchen) .

Hail, O thou hallowed, divine abode of the Most High! For through thee, O Birth-giver of God, was joy given unto those who cry aloud to thee: Blessed art thou among women, O Lady all-undefiled !

Lord, have mercy. (Forty times.) Glory now, and ever, .

More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee.

In the Name of the Lord bless, Father.

Priest. Verse (Stikh) : Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us.

Choir. Amen.

Christ is risen . and upon those in the tomb . . (Thrice.)

Glory . . now, and ever, . . Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.) Bless.

And the Benediction. May Christ who is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life, our true God, through

238 EASTER

the prayers of his most pure Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us, and bless us, forasmuch as he is good and loveth mankind.

And in like manner the Third, the Sixth, and the Ninth Hours are read; also Com- pline.

Then the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated.

After: Blessed is the kingdom the Priest and Deacon chant (thrice) : Christ is risen trampling down Death The Choir repeateth this thrice.

The Priest. The Verses: Let God arise . and the rest. {Page 226.)

The Choir. Christ is risen trampling down Death . (See the beginning of the Easter Matins.)

Meanwhile the Priest, with the triple candlestick in his hand, censeth the Altar and the Temple.

In place of: Bless the Lord, O my soul . the Antiphons are sung in full.

Antiphon I., Tone II.

Verse 1 : O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands.

Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse 2: O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: sing praises unto his Name; make his praise to be glorious, R

Verse 3 : Say unto God : How wonderful art thou in thy works : through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee. 1$

Verse 4 : For all the world shall worship thee, sing of thee, and praise thy Name, O Most High, R

Glory . now, and ever, . . . R

Antiphon II., Tone II.

Verse 1: O God, be merciful unto us, and bless us; and show us the light of thy countenance, and be merciful unto us.

Refrain. O Son of God, who rose again from the dead on the third day, save us who sing unto thee, Alleluia.

Verse 2 : That thy way may be known upon earth : thy saving health among all nations. 1$

Verse 3: Let the people prai е thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise thee. 1$

Glory . . . now, and ever, . . . R O Only-begotten Son . . . (See page 82.)

Antiphon III., Tone V

Verse 1 : Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

Refrain. Christ is risen . . and upon those in the tomb . . .

Verse 2 : Like as smoke vanisheth, so shall they vanish, and like as wax melteth at the fire. 1$

Verse 3: Even so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous rejoice and be glad, yea, let them rejoice before God. R

EASTER 239

The Introit. Bless the Lord in his temples, the Lord from the sources of Israel.

See Ipakoi (page 228). Glory . . . now, and ever . . . and the Konddk (page 230).

In place of: 0 Holy God, Holy Mighty, . is used: As many as have been ap- tized into Christ have put on Christ.

The Gradual (Prokimen) , in the Eighth Tone. This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Verse: Praise ye the Lord, for he is gracious: for his mercy endureth forever.

The Lesson from the Apostle: Acts i. 1-12.

Alleluia. (Tone IV.) Thou, O Lord, art risen, and hast been bountiful to Zion.

Verse: The Lord looked down from heaven upon the earth.

The Gospel is: John i. 1-19: which setteth forth the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, as our Lord gave command that his Gospel should be preached throughout the world, to every creature, it is customary, on Easter Day, to read it in as many languages as possible; especially in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, the tongues in which was written the superscription on the cross.

In place of: Meet is it: . The Angel cried: (See Refrain 4, page 232); and the Theme-Song of the Ninth Canticle: Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem! .; The Communion Hymn: Receive ye the Body of Christ; taste ye of the Fountain of Life.

After the Exclamations: In the fear of God .; O God, save thy people .; Al- ways, now, and ever, . . ; and in place of: Blessed be the Name of the Lord : is sung the Hymn: Christ is risen

In place of: Glory to thee, O Christ our God, . is sung: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death. Choir. And upon those in the tomb bestowing life.

The Benediction is the same as at the end of Matins.

After the Prayer before the Tribune, at the end^ of the Divine Liturgy, the Artos is brought to the Priest in the Sanctuary. The Artos, or universal altar-bread, beareth the image of the cross, and, sometimes, a representation of Christ's Resurrection. As the Paschal Lamb, by God's command, commemorated in the Old Testament the deliverance of his people from bondage to Pharaoh, and, also, the Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world; so, in commemoration of the Resurrection in the New Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby we are freed from eternal bondage to the enemy, the Artos is offered, symbolizing the angelic bread, the Bread of Eternal Life, which came down from heaven; even our Lord Jesus Christ. During the whole of Easter week the Artos lieth on the Altar, or on the lectern, with the holy picture (ikona) of the Lord's Resurrection. On Saturday, after the Liturgy, the Artos is broken up and distributed.

The Prayer at the Blessing of the Artos. O God Omnipotent and Lord Almighty, who by thy servant Moses, at the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and the liberation of thy people from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh, didst command that a Lamb be slain, fore-

240 EASTEP

shadowing the Lamb which, because of our deeds, of his own good will, was slain on the cross, and taketh away the sins of the whole world, thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: Do thou now, also, we humbly en- treat thee, look upon this bread, and bless and sanctify it. For we thy servants, in honour, and glory, and commemoration of the glorious Resur- rection of the same, thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, also, we have received freedom and release from the eternal works of the enemy and the indissoluble bonds of Hell, now before thy majesty, on this ex- ceeding bright, and all-glorious, and saving day of Easter, do offer this. Vouchsafe that we who offer it, and those who shall kiss it and shall taste of it, may be partakers of thy heavenly benediction ; and by thy might root out from us all sickness and infirmity, granting health unto all. For thou art the source of blessing, and the bestower of health, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father who is from everlasting, together with thine Only-begotten Son, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

And immediately the Priest sprinkleth the Artos with holy water, saying:

This Artos is blessed and hallowed by the sprinkling of this holy water/ in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Thrice.)

Then he cometh forth, and layeth it on the folding stand; and the People, as they receive the Antidoron, kiss the Artos.

The Prayer at the Breaking of the Artos on Saturday of the Bright Week.

After the Divine Liturgy, when, in front of the stand upon which the Artos lieth, Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life: hath been sung thrice; and after: Our Father, who art in heaven: hath been read, with a reverence, the Deacon saith:

Let us pray to the Lord. The Brethren. Lord, have mercy.

Then the Priest saith this Prayer over the Artos:

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the Angelic Bread, the Bread of life eternal, who came down from heaven, and hast fed us on these most- bright days with the spiritual food of thy divine benefits, for the sake of thy three days' burial and redeeming Resurrection: Look now also, we humbly entreat thee, upon our prayers and thanksgivings; and as thou didst bless the five loaves in the wilderness, so now also do thou bless this bread, that all who shall partake of it may be vouchsafed bodily and spiritual health and blessing, through the grace and bounties of thy love toward mankind. For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

The Brethren. Amen.

EASTER 24I

And having broken the Artos in the usual manner, he distributeth it to all, before their meal. He may also break it during the Liturgy, after the Prayer before the Tribune, and distribute it to the faithful, instead of the Antidoron.

The Prayer at the Blessing of Flesh-Meat in the Holy and Great Week of Easter.

Priest. Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life. {Thrice.)

Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, upon these flesh-meats, and sanctify them, as thou didst sanctify the ram which faithful Abraham offered unto thee, and the lamb which Abel brought unto thee as a burnt- offering; likewise the fatted calf which thou didst command to be slain for thy son who had gone astray, and had returned again to thee; that even as he was accounted worthy to enjoy thy good things, so may we, also, en- joy these things which are sanctified and blessed by thee, to the nourish- ment of us all. For thou art our true nourishment, and the Giver of all good things, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine all-Holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Prayer at the Blessing of Cheese and Eggs.

O Master, Lord our God, the Creator and Maker of all things: Bless thou this curdled milk, and likewise these eggs; and preserve us in thy loving-kindness. That as we partake of them, even so, also, we may be filled with thy gifts, which ungrudgingly thou bestowest, and with thine unspeakable goodness. For thine are 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. Amen.

Special Features of the Easter Vespers.

The Vesper service is celebrated in full vestments.

At the beginning, the Verses (as at the beginning of Matins), accompanied by censing.

Entrance with the book of the Holy Gospels.

The Grand Gradual (Prokimen): What God is so great as our God; thou art the God which doest wonders.

After the Gradual the Gospel: John xx. 19-26.

After the Litany, the Easter Verses: Let God arise, . {See Matins, page 226.)

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

(THE FORTIETH DAY AFTER EASTER)

The Stanza (Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone VI. The Lord hath ascended into heaven, that he may send the Comforter unto the world. The heavens have prepared his throne, the clouds his ascension. The Angels marvel, beholding a man exalted over them. The Father awaiteth him whom, as coeternal, he hath in his bosom; and the Holy Spirit commandeth all his Angels: Lift up your gates, ye Princes; clap your hands, all ye nations, for Christ is ascended up to the place where he was before. {Twice.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone VI. O sweetest Jesus, who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast, as a man, dwelt among the earth-born, to-day art thou as- cended in glory from the Mount of Olives, and graciously hast borne on high our fallen nature, and hast sat down with the Father. For which cause the Bodiless Powers of heaven, amazed at the marvel, were affrighted with dread, and seized with trembling, they magnified thy love toward mankind. With them also, we earth-born, glorifying thy condescension toward us, and thine Ascension from us, pray, saying: Do thou, who, at thine Ascension, didst fill with joy unutterable thy disciples and the Birth-giver of God who bare thee, vouchsafe unto us, thine elect, joy also, through their prayers, because of thy great mercy.

The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day.

The Parables (Paremii). Isaiah ii. 2-3, lxii. 10-12, lxiii. 1-3, 7-10; Zech. xiv 1, 4, 8-1 1.

The Stanza for the Litiyd, in Tone I. Being ascended up into heaven, whence also thou hadst come down, leave us not comfortless, O Lord. But let thy Spirit come, bearing peace unto the world, and show the works of thy might upon the sons of men, O Lord who lovest mankind.

The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr), in Tone I. Thou art ascended up into glory, O Christ our God, having made joyful thy disciples by the promise of thy Holy Spirit, the blessing which was announced unto them. For thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

The Collect-Hymn (Konddk). When thou hadst accomplished thy dis- pensation to usward, and hadst united things earthly with things heavenly, thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, yet in nowise departing but abiding uninterruptedly with us, and crying unto those who love thee: I am with you, and none shall prevail against you.

The Exaltation (Velitchdnie) . We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and do homage to thy divine Ascension into heaven in thy holy flesh.

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 243

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump.

Verse (Siikh) : O clap your hands together, all ye people : cry aloud unto God with the voice of gladness.

The Gospel. Mark xvi. 9-20.

THE CANON. The First Canon. In Tone V (St. John of Damascus.)

Theme-Songs (Irmosi). I. Unto God the Saviour, who led his people through the sea with foot unwet, and drowned Pharaoh with all his host, — unto him alone will we sing: For he hath glorified himself.

III. By the might of thy Cross, O Christ, establish thou my mind, that I may sing and glorify thy redeeming Ascension.

IV. I heard the fame of the might of thy Cross, how that through it Paradise was opened ; and I cried : Glory to thy might, O Lord !

V In the morning, waking early, we cry aloud unto thee, O Lord, Save us! For thou art our God: we know none other beside thee.

VI. The abyss compassed me round about, the whale became unto me a tomb: but I cried unto thee who lovest mankind, and thy right hand saved me, O Lord.

VII. Blessed is the God of our fathers, who saved the Youths which sang in the fiery furnace.

VIII. The Son of God, who was born of the Father before the ages, and in these latter days became incarnate of a Virgin-Mother, sing, O ye Priests; and ye people, magnify him unto all the ages.

In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord: the Refrains:

Magnify, O my soul, the Life-giver, who hath ascended up from earth into heaven.

The Angels, when they beheld the Ascension of the Lord, were amazed with awe to see how that he, with glory, was taken up from earth on high.

IX. Thee, who above understanding and speech didst become the Mother of God, and ineffably didst bring forth in time him who knoweth not time, we faithful, with one accord, do magnify.

The Benediction. May he who is ascended up in glory from us into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, Christ our true God: and the rest. (See page 122.)

At the Liturgy. Antiphon I., Tone II. Verse 1 : O clap your hands together, all ye people: cry aloud unto God with the voice of gladness.

Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us.

244 THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Verse 2: For the Lord is high and to be feared: he is the great King upon all the earth. Ц

Verse з : He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. Д

Verse 4: God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. 1$

Antiphon II., Tone II.

Verse 1 : Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill.

Refrain. Save, O son of God who art ascended up in glory, those who sing unto thee: Alleluia.

Verse 2 : Upon the norlh side of the hill of Zion lieth the city of the great King. Ц

Verse 3 : God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge. 1$

Verse 4 : For lo, the kings of the earth are gathered and gone by to- gether. 1$

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . (See page 170.)

Antiphon III., Tone IV

Verse 1 : O hear ye this, all ye people ; ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world.

Refrain: The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr). Thou art ascended up into glory, O Christ our God, having made joyful thy disciples by the promise of thy Holy Spirit, the blessing which was announced unto them. For thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Verse 2 : Ye earth-born and sons of men : rich and poor, one with another.

Verse 3: My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and my heart shall muse of understanding, fy

Verse 4 : I will incline mine ear to the parable, and show my dark speech upon the harp. Ц

The Introit. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump. Ц

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone. Be thou exalted in heaven, O God, and thy glory above all the earth.

Verse (Stikh) : My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give thanks.

The Epistle. Acts i. 1-11.

The Gospel. Luke xxiv. 36-53.

In place of: Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song of the Canon: Thee, who above understanding (See page 243.)

The Communion Hymn. God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trump.

PENTECOST (WHITSUNDAY)

The date of Pentecost is regulated by the date of Easter. But that Sunday is called The Day of the Holy Trinity. The Feast of the Holy Spirit {in that He is separate, yet equal in essence, honour and glory with the Father and the Son) is celebrated on the following day, Monday, and is called the Day of the Spirit.

It is customary to decorate churches and houses at this Feast with freshly cut trees and flowers, and to stand at the Divine Liturgy holding flowers. This custom is founded upon that of the Old Testament Church {Lev. xxiii. 10-17; Num. xxviii. 16) . The trees and flowers, the tokens of the renewal of Nature in the Spring, typify also the renewal of mankind through the indwelling 0 ' the Holy Spirit.

The special features in the celebration of this ^sast consist of certain petitions in the Litany; and of Prayers recited kneeling at Vespers, which as a rule, immediately followeth the Liturgy.

At the Ail-Night Vigil.

The Stanza {Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone I. Let us cele- brate Pentecost, and the coming of the Spirit, and the appointed day of promise, and the fulfilment of hope, and the mystery which is as great as it is precious. Wherefore unto thee, O Lord, the Maker of all things, do we cry: Glory to thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Come, O ye people, let us worship the Godhead in three Persons, the Son in the Father with the Holy Spirit. For the Father before time was begat the Son, who is coeternal and is equally enthroned, and the Holy Spirit who was in the Father, and was glorified together with the Son ; one Might, one Essence, one Godhead. Adoring the same let us all say: O Holy God, who by the Son didst make all things through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit: O Holy Mighty One, through whom we have known the Father, and through whom the Holy Spirit came into the world: O Holy Immortal One, the Spirit of comfort, who proceedest from the Father, and restest in the Son: O Holy Trinity, glory to thee.

The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day.

The Parables {Paremii). Num. xi. 16, 17, 24-29; Joel ii. 23-32; Ezek. xxxvi. 24-28.

The Stanza at the Litiya, in Tone VIII. When thou didst send thy Spirit, O Lord, while the Apostles sat together, then were the Hebrew children affrighted with dread as they gazed ; for they heard them speak one to another in strange tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. For though unlearned they were made wise, and bringing the Gentiles unto the faith, proclaimed things divine. Wherefore, we also do cry unto

246 PENTECOST

thee, O Lord, who hast revealed thyself upon earth, and hast saved us from guile: Glory to thee.

The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr), in Tone VIII. Blessed art thou, O Christ-God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. O Christ-God, who lovest mankind, glory to thee.

The Collect-Hymn (Konddk). When the Most High confounded the tongues, he dispersed the nations: but when he distributed the tongues of fire, he called all men unto unity. Wherefore, with one accord, we glorify the All-holy Spirit.

The Exaltation (Velitchanie) . We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, and do homage to thine all-holy Spirit, whom thou didst send from the Father upon thy disciples divine.

The Gradual (Prokimen) , in the Fourth Tone. Thy good spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness.

Verse (Stikh) : O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear to my petition.

The Gospel. John xx. 19-23.

THE CANON. Tone IV (St. Cosmas of Malum.) Theme-Songs (Irmosi). I. He who shattereth the enemies with his lofty arm overwhelmed with the sea Pharaoh and his chariots: To him let us sing, for gloriously hath he been glorified.

III. Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye shall be endued with power from on high, thou didst say unto thy disciples, O Christ; for I will send another, like unto myself, even the Comforter, my Spirit and the Father's, in whom ye shall be established.

IV. When he foresaw thy coming in the latter days, O Christ, the Prophet exclaimed: I have heard of thy power, O Lord, that thou art come to save all thine anointed.

V. The Spirit of salvation, through thy fear, O Lord, conceived in the womb of the Prophets, and born upon earth maketh pure the hearts of the Apostles, and in that it is righteous, is renewed in the faithful. For thy statutes are light and peace.

VI. Sailing on the stormy sea of earthly cares, drowning in the billows of the sins which compass me round about, and cast forth unto the soul- destroying monster, like Jonah I cry unto thee, O Christ: Lead thou me forth from the death-dealing abyss.

VII. When they were cast into the fiery furnace, the God-fearing Children transmuted the fire into dew, crying aloud, after this manner, in song: Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our Fathers.

VIII. The bush which could not be consumed, though surrounded by fire, on Sinai revealed God unto Moses, slow of tongue and halting of speech : and the zeal toward God of the Three Children showed the singers untouched of the fire. O all ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord, and magnify him unto all the ages.

PENTECOST 247

IX. O Maiden Birth-giver of God, who in birth-giving suffered not defilement, and didst lend flesh unto the All-creating Word ; Mother Un- wedded, Receptacle of Him who cannot be contained, Abode of thy Maker illimitable, we magnify thee.

Benediction. May he who sent down the Most Holy Spirit, in the form of fiery tongues, upon his holy disciples and apostles, Christ, our true God: and so forth, as usual. (See page 122.)

At the Liturgy.

Antiphon I., Tone II.

Verse 1 : The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse 2: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. 1$

Verse 3: Their voice is gone out into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world. fy

Antiphon II., Tone II.

Verse 1 : The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble : the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

Refrain. Save, O blessed Comforter, us who sing unto thee, Alleluia.

Verse 2 : Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion. Ц

Verse 3: Grant thee thy heart's desire, and fulfil all thy mind. Ц

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . . (See page 170.)

Antiphon III., Tone VIII.

Verse 1 : The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord: exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.

Refrain: The Hymn for the Day (Tropdr). Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed fishers most wise, sending down upon them thy Holy Spirit, and thereby catching the universe as in a net. Glory to thee, O thou who lovest mankind.

Verse 2: Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. Ц

Verse 3: Thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness, and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head, fy

The Introit. Exalted be thou, O Lord, in thy power. We will praise and sing thy mighty acts. B;

248 PENTECOST

In place of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty, As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Eighth Tone. Their voice is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show- eth his handiwork.

The Epistle. Acts ii. 1-12.

Alleluia. (Tone I.) By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the word of his mouth.

Verse (Stikh) : The Lord looked down from heaven, and beheld all the children of men.

The Gospel. John vii. 37-52, viii. 12.

In place of: Meet is it: The Ninth Theme-Song of the Second Canon. Hail, O Queen, thou glory of motherhood and maidenhood! For every mouth, however eloquent and sweet of speech, is incapable of worthily singing thy praise ; and every mind reeleth when it would fain understand thy birth-giving. For which cause, with one accord, we glorify thee.

The Communion Hymn. Thy good Spirit shall guide me into the land of righteousness.

Vespers.

(Which followeth immediately after the Liturgy.)

After the customary beginning, and the Prefatory Psalm, the Litany:

In peace let us pray to the Lord. (Page 5.)

Choir. Lord, have mercy.

And the rest. After the Petition:

For those who travel by sea or by land : Ц

For the people here present who await the grace of the Holy Spirit: 1$

For those who have bowed their knees and their hearts before the Lord: fy

That he will strengthen us in the performance of those things which are well pleasing in his sight: 1$

That he will send down upon us the riches of his grace : Ц

That he will accept this, the bending of our knees, as incense before him: 1$

For those who entreat from him his aid : Ц

That he will deliver us from all tribulation, wrath, and ne- cessity : 1^

Succour us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

Calling to remembrance our most holy, all-undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

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PENTECOST 249

Choir. To thee, O Lord.

Exclamation. For unto thee are due all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Stanra (Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone IV. Marvellous things have all the nations beheld this day in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of fire, as Luke, preaching the word of God, doth relate; for he saith: The disciples of Christ being assembled in one place, there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And they all began to speak in strange tongues with strange doctrines, by the strange commands of the Holy Trinity.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art in all places and fillest all things ; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come, and take up thine abode in us, and cleanse us from every stain ; and save our souls, O Good One.

The Entrance is made with the censer.

O gladsome radiance . .

The Great Gradual (Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone. Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art God who doest wonders.

Verse (Stikh) 1 : Thou hast declared thy power unto the nations.

Verse 2 : And I said : Now have I made a beginning ; these are the charges of the right hand of the Most High.

Verse 3: I have remembered the works of the Lord, as I have remem- bered thy marvels from the beginning.

Then the Priest exclaimeth (or the Deacon) : Again, yet again, on bended knees let us pray to the Lord. Choir. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice.)

The First Prayer. Priest O Lord most pure, spotless, who art from everlasting, invisible, ineffable, unsearchable, unchanging, unsurpassable, immeasurable, long- suffering; who alone hast immortality; who dwellest in light unapproach- able, who hast made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that therein is; who grantest unto all men their petitions before they ask: We pray thee, and beseech thee, O Mas'ter who lovest mankind, the Father of our Lord, and God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of Mary the ever-virgin and exceeding-glorious Birth-giver of God ; who first did teach in words and afterwards did manifest himself in deeds, when he had suffered his redeeming Passion ; who hast given unto us, thy humble, and sinful, and unworthy servants, a command that we should offer supplica-

250 PENTECOST

tions unto thee with bending of the neck and of the knees, both for our own iniquities and for the ignorances of the people: Do thou, the same all-merciful God who lovest mankind, hear us in that day when we shall call upon thee, and more especially upon this day of Pentecost, whereon, after that our Lord Jesus Christ had ascended up into heaven, and had sat down at the right hand of thee, who art both his God and his Father, he did send down the Holy Spirit upon his holy disciples and apostles: which also did rest upon each one of them, so that they were all filled with its inexhaustible grace, and did declare thy majesty in divers unknown tongues, and did prophesy. Wherefore hearken now to us who pray unto thee, and remember us, humble and condemned as we are, and turn again the captivity of our souls, exercising thy loving-kindness toward us who now offer up our petitions unto thee. Accept us who fall down before thee, and who cry aloud unto thee, We have sinned ! We have cloven unto thee even from our mother's womb: thou art our God. But because we have passed our days in vanity, we have stripped ourselves of thine aid, we have deprived ourselves of every valid defence. But confidently trust- ing in thy bounties, we call unto thee: Remember not the sins of our youth and our ignorances; and cleanse thou us from our secret sins; and forsake us not in the days of our old age, when our strength faileth us. Even until we return again into the earth, abandon us not, vouchsafe us grace to have recourse unto thee ; and receive us, because of thy favour and graciousness. Measure our wickedness according to the measure of thy bounties. Set over against the multitude of our transgressions the abyss of thy compassions. Look down from thy holiness on high, O Lord, upon thy people now present before thee, who await thy rich mercies. Visit us with thy loving-kindness: deliver us from the assaults of the Devil. Es- tablish our life in thy holy and sacred commandments. Commit thy people unto an Angel, a faithful guardian. Gather us all into thy king- dom. Grant pardon unto those who put their trust in thee. Put away from them and from us all sins. Purify us by the operation of thy Holy Spirit; bring to naught the machinations of the enemy against us. And thereto is added the following Prayer: Blessed art thou, O Lord, Master Almighty, who hast illumined the day with the light of the sun, and hast made bright the night with the brilliant flashes of the lightning; who hast graciously enabled us to pass through the long day, and to draw near to the beginning of the night. Hear our petitions, and the petitions of all thy people, and granting pardon unto us for all our sins, both voluntary and involuntary, accept our evening prayers, and send down the multitude of thy mercy and thy bounties upon thine inheritance. Guard us with thy holy Angels. Arm us with the armour of thy righteousness. Encompass us round about with the ramparts of thy truth. Guard us by thy might. Deliver us from every assault, and from every treacherous plot of the adversary.

PENTECOST 251

And grant unto us that this present evening and the approaching night, and all the days of our life, may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, with- out stumbling, untroubled of dreams; through the prayers of the holy Birth-giver of God, and of all the Saints, who, in all the ages, have been acceptable in thy sight.

Then the Little Litany.

Deacon. Again, yet again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.