The Burial at Easter

It must be known that if any one is called unto God at Holy Easter, or on any day of the Bright Week, up to St. Thomas's Sunday, very little of the customary Office for the Dead is sung, because of the majesty and honour of the joyful Feast of the Resurrection: for it is the festival of joy and gladness, not of lamentation. And-as all who have died in the risen Christ, in the hope of resurrection and of life eternal, have been taken unto God through Christ's Resurrection from the sorrowful things of this world to things joyful and blissful, the Church proclaimeth the hymns of Resurrection over these dead. And by a few fitting hymns, litanies and prayers we bear testimony that the dead person hath died in penitence; but if he hath not made satisfaction for his sins, they are remitted to him through the prayers of the Church, and he is freed from detention.

When the Priest is come, with his assistants, to the house where the body of the dead person lieth, and hath put on his priestly stole and chasuble, and hath censed the remains, he maketh the customary beginning: Blessed is our God. And the Choir chanteth: Christ is risen (see page 226), in Tone V. And the Priest saith the customary verses, to wit: Let God arise (see page 226): and the rest. And when these have been sung, the Priest sprinkleth the body of the dead person with holy water; as also his coffin, both within and without. And the dead person is immediately laid therein. And when the singing is finished, the Deacon saith the customary litany for the dead. And the Priest reciteth, secretly, the Prayer: O God of spirits,. (See page 369.)

After the Exclamation: In that we have beheld the resurrection of Christ, is read, taking up the remains of the dead, they go forth to the Church, the Priest leading, and the Deacon and all the Choir and the laymen following. And as they go, the ecclesiastics and the Choir chant the Easter Canon, that is to say: The Day of Resurrection! (see page 227), in regular order, as much as they will, until the Church is reached.

At the Church, after the remains have been set down, they finish the Canon which hath been begun, the Priest censing according to the custom. And at the fourth Theme-Song there is the usual Litany, with the Prayer.

Exclamation. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life,. (See page 369.)

Then: When they who with the Marys came, (See page 228.)

Then the fourth Theme-Song is sang, in due order. After the sixth Theme-Song, there is the usual Litany for the dead, with the Prayer.

Exclamation. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, (See page 369.)

Then the Collect-Hymn: With the Saints give rest, And the Ikos: Thou only

art immortal, (See page 428.)

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

The Epistle for the Day, from the Acts of the Apostles.

Alleluia, in Tone II.

The Gospel for the first Sunday.

And then: In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ (see page 230): and the rest of the Songs of the Canon.

And when the Canon is completed, the Exapostildrion is read or sung: After that thou hadst fallen asleep in the flesh, (Twice.) (See page 233.)

Then is sung: Blessed art thou, O Lord; teach me thy statutes. The company of the Angels was amazed, (See page 28.)

Then the Easter Canticles (Stikhiri), with their Verses. (See page 233.)

Glory. now, and ever, The Day of Resurrection, (Thrice.) (See page

227.) And: Christ is risen (Thrice)

And when these Canticles have been sung, there is the customary kissing of the dead, as they say: Christ is risen.

And after the Canticles, the usual Litany for the dead, with the Prayer, which is read aloud, close to the dead person, by the Bishop or Priest.

Exclamation. For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life,... (See page 369.)

Then the customary Benediction. (See page 391.)

Then the concluding Prayer: May the Lord Jesus Christ our God,... (See page

And we go forth to the grave, bearing the body of the dead for burial. And the Priest, and all the Choir, going before the remains, chant: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life.

And the body is buried, with thanksgiving and joy, all things having been done and said which are written in the Burial of a Layman.

And the Hymn (Tropdr) having been sung: Open, O earth, and receive that which