Matins service begins with the Trisagion Prayers, the Six Psalms, and a Litany. Then the following:
God is the Lord, and He appeared to us. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. (four times with verses)
Apolytikion
When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You.
Glory... (of the saint of the day)
Both now...
Theotokion.
O Lord, who called the blessed Maid Your Mother, You came to the Passion of Your own will and intent. Adam You wished to seek; You therefore shone upon the Cross, saying to the Angels, “Rejoice with me together, for I have found the drachma that was lost.” O Lord, You have disposed all things wisely. Glory to You.
After the first reading from the Psalter, Small Litany, and we chant Resurrectional Kathismata.
Mode Pl. II
The sepulcher had been opened, and Hades was lamenting, and Mary cried out to the Apostles in hiding, "Come out, O laborers of the vineyard, and preach the message of the resurrection. The Lord has arisen and granted the world His great mercy."
Glory...
Standing by Your sepulcher was Mary Magdalene, O Lord, and she was weeping loudly, and mistaking You for the gardener said to You, "Where have you hidden everlasting life? Where have you laid Him who sits on a throne of Cherubim? Out of fear, those who guarded Him became like dead men. Either give my Lord to me or cry aloud along with me. You were among the dead and raised the dead. Glory to You."
Both now...
Theotokion.
Gideon foretokens your conceiving, and David elucidates your childbirth, O Theotokos. The Logos came down into your womb as did the dew upon the fleece; and without seed you, the holy earth, brought forth the world's salvation, who is Christ our God, O Lady full of grace.
After the second reading from the Psalter, Small Litany, and Kathismata.
Life was laid in a tomb, and a seal was laid on the stone. Soldiers were guarding Christ like a king in his sleep. And inflicting sightlessness upon His enemies, the Lord arose.
Glory...
Jonah foretokens Your sepulcher, and Symeon elucidates Your divine resurrection, immortal Lord. You went down into the tomb as a dead man, destroying the gates of Hades. And You rose without corruption, as Master, for the salvation of the world, O Christ our God, giving light to those in darkness.
Both now…
Theotokion.
O Virgin Theotokos, beseech Your Son, Christ our God, who voluntarily was nailed to the Cross and resurrected from the dead, entreating that our souls be saved.
After the reading of Psalm 118, the Evlogetaria (see Vol I). Small Litany.
Hypakoë
By your voluntary, life-giving death, O Christ, You smashed the gates of Hades as God, and opened to us the ancient Garden of Paradise. And rising from the dead, You delivered our life from corruption.
The Hymns of Ascent
1st Antiphon
I direct my eyes to You in heaven, O Logos. Show me mercy, so that I may live in You.
Have mercy on us who sustain derision; and make us Your useful vessels, O Logos.
Glory… Both now…
In the Holy Spirit is the cause of universal salvation. When He blows on someone as befits His nature, He quickly uPLIIfts him from the mundane, gives him wings, augments him, ranges him on high.
2nd Antiphon
If the Lord were not among us, none of us could have withstood a single battle with the foe. They who are victorious are herefrom exalted.
Let not my soul be caught like a sparrow in their teeth, O Logos. Woe is me! How shall I be delivered from the enemy, enamored with sin as I am?
Glory… Both now…
In the Holy Spirit is theosis, good pleasure, understanding, peace and blessing for all men. He has the same energies as the Father and the Logos.
3rd Antiphon
They whose confidence is in the Lord are fearsome to foes and marveled by all, for they look up to heaven.
Having You as helper, the portion of the righteous does not stretch forth its hands in unlawful acts, O Savior.
Glory… Both now…
In the Holy Spirit is universal dominion, which the armies above worship, as does everything that has breath below.
Prokeimenon
Lord, rouse Your power, and come to save us.
Verse: O Shepherd of Israel, give ear.
Let every breath. Gospel reading. Having seen the Resurrection. Psalm 50, etc.
Canon of the Resurrection
Ode One. Mode Pl. II. The Heirmos.
The host of Israel traversed the sea on foot * as if walking over land; * and as they beheld therein * the pursuer Pharaoh drown, * they cried, "Let us sing to God a canticle of victory."
Ode Three. The Heirmos.
O Lord my God, there is no one * that is holy as You are. * You exalted the horn of those who are faithful to You; * and You established us upon the rock of Your confession, O good One.
Kontakion
Melody: When You had fulfilled.
When the Life-bestower Christ God had resurrected * with His vivifying hand, from the dismal caverns, * all the dead from eternity, He freely bestowed * resurrection on the substance of our mortal humanity. * For He is the Savior of all, resurrection and life, and the God of all things.
Œkos
Your cross and tomb, O Life-giver,
We believers worship and sing praise,
For Hell, O You who live forever,
As almighty God You have belayed.
The gates of Hell You tore to shreds,
And as God, the might of death have razed.
So, avidly we earthborn praise
In doxology the One now raised,
Who destroyed the deadly power of our foe.
You have resurrected everyone
—all those who believe in You;
You have rescued the world from the serpent’s fangs,
And have snatched us from allure to the hostile one
—as alone You had ability to do.
Hence we piously sing the praises
Of Your rising, by which You saved us,
As the God of all things.
Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim, you without corruption gave birth to God the Word and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify.
Ode Nine. The Heirmos.
For man to see God it is impossible. * For even the angelic armies dare not to gaze on Him. * But through you, O all-pure one, the Logos appeared * incarnate unto mortals. * And magnifying Him, * we, together with the hosts of heaven, now pronounce you blest.
Holy is the Lord our God. Exalt the Lord our God and worship the footstool of His feet. For He is Holy..
Exapostilarion
Click here to find the appropriate exapostilarion. Then the Praises are chanted.
Let every breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest. To You, O God is due our song.
Praise Him, all you His angels; praise Him, all you His hosts. To You, O God is due our song.
Resurrectional Stichera
To do in them the written judgement. This glory shall be to all His saints.
Lord, Your Cross is life and resurrection for us Your people; and trusting in it we extol You, our God, who has risen. Have mercy on us.
Praise God for His saints, praise Him for the firmament of His power.
Sovereign Lord, Your burial has opened Paradise to the human race; and now redeemed from corruption, we extol You, our God, who has risen. Have mercy on us.
Praise Him for His mighty acts, praise Him in proportion to the magnitude of His greatness.
As to the Father and the Spirit, so to Christ who rose from the dead let us sing our hymns of praise; and to Him let us cry out, "You are our life and resurrection. Have mercy on us."
Praise Him with sound of trumpet, praise Him with the psaltery and harp.
O Christ, as it was written, You rose the third day from the sepulcher, resurrecting our primal father with yourself. For this the race of mankind extols Your resurrection with sacred anthems, glorifying You.
Other Stichera by Anatolios
Praise Him with timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and flute.
O Lord, the mystery of Your resurrection is great and awesome; for You emerged from the sepulcher as a bridegroom from the bridal chamber, having destroyed death by death, in order to free Adam. Therefore the Angels in the heavens sing in chorus, and on earth human beings glorify Your compassion toward us, O Lover of humanity.
Praise Him with tuneful cymbals, praise Him with cymbals of jubilation.Let every breath praise the Lord.
O iniquitous Judeans, where are the seals, and where is the money that you gave to the soldiers? The treasure was not stolen, but He rose, the Mighty one. You yourselves were put to shame for renouncing Christ the Lord of glory, who suffered and was buried and resurrected from the dead. Let us worship Him.
Arise, O Lord my God, let Your hand be exalted; forget not Your paupers to the end.
With the tomb being sealed shut, how were you robbed, O Judeans? After all, you posted guards and affixed the seals. And yet while the doors were shut, the King emerged. Either produce Him as dead, or adore Him as God, with us together singing, "Glory to Your Cross, O Lord, and Your Resurrection."
I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.
The myrrh-bearing women arrived at Your life-bearing tomb lamenting, O Lord. They carried ointments with them, intending to anoint Your immaculate body. But what they found was a radiant Angel sitting on the stone, who spoke to them, saying, "Why do you weep for Him, who from His side gushed forth life for the world? Why do you seek the Immortal, as if He were a mortal in a tomb? Rather, run quickly and announce the universal joy of His glorious resurrection to His Disciples." By Your rising, illumine us, O Savior, and grant us expiation and great mercy.
Glory...
Click Here to view the appropriate Eothinon Doxasticon
You are supremely blessed, O Virgin Theotokos. For through Him who from you became incarnate, was Hades taken prisoner, and Adam has been summoned back, and the curse has been neutralized, and Eve has been liberated; death has been put to death, and we have been brought to life. Wherefore extolling we cry out: O Christ our God, You are blessed, for so was Your good pleasure. Glory to You.
The Great Doxology
Glory be to You who showed the light. Glory in the highest to God. His peace is on earth, His good pleasure in mankind.
We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great Glory....
Lord King, heavenly God, Father, Ruler over all; Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; and You, O Holy Spirit.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, You that take away the sins of the world.
Accept our supPLIIcation, You that sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.
For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Every day I will bless You, and Your name will I praise to eternity, and to the ages of ages.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day, that we be kept without sin.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name to the ages. Amen.
Let Your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we have set our hope on You.
Blessed are You, O Lord. Teach me Your statutes. (Thrice)
Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.
Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we shall see light.
Continue Your mercy to those who know You.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
On Sundays, if the mode of the week be I, II, III, or IV, the following troparion is chanted in Mode IV or the mode of the week:
When You rose from the sepulcher and broke the bonds of Hades, You repealed the sentence of death, O Lord, and delivered all from the snares of the enemy. And when You showed yourself to Your Apostles, You sent them out to preach, and through them You granted peace to the whole world, O only very merciful One.
All texts and translations on this web site are Copyright to Fr. Seraphim Dedes of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery. They may be downloaded, printed and used by anyone. Permission to publish any part of them should be obtained from the translator.
