Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
If any be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant feast; and if any be a wise servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. Whoever has laboured in the fast, let him now receive the reward of his toil and his labour; whoever has worked from the first hour, let him receive today what is justly due. Whoever came at the third hour, let him keep the feast with thanksgiving; whoever arrived at the sixth hour, let him not be in doubt, for he shall suffer no loss. Whoever fell behind until the ninth hour, let him come and not waver, and let him not be afraid; and whoever arrived at the eleventh hour, let him not be dismayed at his delay, for our Master is merciful and loves mankind. He receives the last as He does the first; He gives rest to him who comes at the eleventh hour as to him who has laboured from the first; and He is merciful to the last and joins him with the first — to those He gives, and upon these He bestows. He accepts the deeds and weighs the intention; He praises the work and glorifies the will, and bids all enter into the joy of their Lord, that the rich and the poor may rejoice with one another, that the diligent and the faint-hearted may honour this day, that he who fasted and he who could not fast may all be glad together; for the table is full today, take your delight, all of you. The fatted calf is ready, let no one go away hungry. Let all of you delight in this banquet of faith; receive, all of you, the riches of His goodness. Let no one lament his poverty, for the Kingdom has been shown forth for all. Let no one weep for his sins, for He who forgives us has shone forth from the tomb. Let no one tremble or fear death, for the death of the Saviour has set us free, and He has quenched it for those who were held by it. He despoiled Hades when He descended into it; He embittered it by His descent. This Isaiah cried out long ago: when Hades met Him, he says, it was embittered beneath Thee. It was embittered, for it was made void; it was embittered, for it was mocked; it was embittered, for it was slain; it was embittered, for it was cast down; it was embittered, for it was bound. It took a body and met God. It received earth and encountered heaven. It took what it saw and fell by what it did not see. O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen and thou art overthrown. Christ is risen and the demons have fallen. Christ is risen and life reigns. Christ is risen and not one of the dead remains in the tomb. Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of them that slept. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen!
In Bright Week the psalms, the services of supplication and the akathists are not read; and in place of the morning and evening prayers the following is read:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (three times)
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. We worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and Thy holy Resurrection we hymn and glorify; for Thou art our God, and we know none other beside Thee; we call upon Thy name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the Resurrection of Christ our God, for behold, through the Cross joy has come to all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, let us hymn His Resurrection; for having endured the crucifixion for us, He has destroyed death by death. (three times)
At the early dawn Mary came with her companions and found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and she heard from the angel the longed-for voice: Why do you seek among the dead, as a man, Him who dwells in everlasting light? See the linen cloths of His burial, and preach to all the world that our Saviour has slain death and has risen in glory, being the Son of God and the Saviour of the race of men.
Though Thou didst go down into the tomb of Thine own will, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades and didst rise as victor, O Christ God; and Thou didst grant the myrrh-bearing women good tidings and didst give peace to the Apostles, Thou who grantest resurrection to the fallen.
In the tomb with the body, and in Hades with the soul as God; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit wast Thou, O Christ, filling all things, Thou who art uncircumscribed, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As the bearer of Light and as more beautiful than Paradise we know Thee, who hast appeared as the Saviour of all the world. Thou hast risen brighter than every light, O Christ our God, and Thy tomb has been shown forth as the fountain of our resurrection.
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sanctified from on high, O dwelling place of God, rejoice! For through thee, O Theotokos, joy is given to all who cry out to thee with gladness: Blessed art thou among women, O all-immaculate Lady.
Lord, have mercy (forty times).
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
More honourable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, true Theotokos, we magnify thee in hymns.
Lord, have mercy (three times).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy all-holy Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing fathers and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Those who wish to read a service of supplication may read “The supplication from Pascha to St Thomas Sunday, that is, in Bright Week”.
The usual morning and evening prayers, the services of supplication, the akathists and the reading of the psalms begin again from St Thomas Sunday (the first Sunday after Pascha).
Kneeling begins again from the feast of Pentecost (the fiftieth day after Pascha).
