Tone II

Verses and Hymns (Stikhiri) for: Lord, I have cried unto thee. O come, let us worship him who was begotten of the Father before the ages, the Word of God incarnate of the Virgin Mary; for when he had endured the cross he was delivered over to the tomb, for his own good will it was so to do; and when he rose again from the dead he saved me, the man who had gone astray.

Christ our Saviour, when he had nailed to the cross the handwriting against us, brought it to naught and annihilated the dominion of death. We adore his awakening again from death on the third day.

With the Archangels let us sing the Resurrection of Christ: for he is the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls; and he shall come again, in glory most terrible, in power most mighty, to judge the world which he hath made.

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

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Dogmdtik). The shadow of the Law passed away when grace came; for as the bush burned with fire yet was not consumed, even so as a Virgin didst thou bring forth yet remainedst Virgin still. In place of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Righteousness; in place of Moses, Christ, the Salvation of our souls.

Hymn (Tropdr). When thou didst condescend unto death, O Life Immortal, thou didst slay Hell with the lightning flash of thy divinity. When also thou didst raise up the dead from the subterranean abodes, all the Powers of heaven cried aloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory to thee!

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Bogoroditchen). Beyond the power of thought, exceeding glorious are all thy mysteries, O Birth-giver of God; sealed in purity and preserved in virginity, thou art acknowledged to be, in very truth, the Mother who didst bring forth the true God; wherefore entreat thou him that our souls may be saved.

Collect-Hymn (Konddk). Thou didst rise from the tomb, O Saviour almighty, and Hell was affrighted when it beheld the marvel; and the dead arose; Creation, also, beholding, exulted with thee, and Adam rejoiced exceedingly. And the world, O my Saviour, singeth thy praises forevermore.

Theme-Songs (Irmos). I. In the deep, aforetime, did the overwhelming force overthrow all the host of Pharaoh; and the Word, when it became incarnate, utterly annihilated sin most pernicious. Exceeding glorious is the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously.

Refrain. Glory to thy holy Resurrection, O Lord.

(Then the appointed Hymns, composed after the model of those shown in Tone I.) III.* The desert hath blossomed like the lily of the field, O Lord, as also the barren church of the Gentiles, through thy coming, wherein, also, my heart is established. (Refrain and appointed Hymns.)

IV From a Virgin didst thou come forth; neither as an Ambassador nor as Angel, but the very Lord himself made flesh, and didst wholly save me, a man. For which cause I cry aloud unto thee: Glory to thy might, O Lord. and Hs.

V As Mediator between God and man didst thou come, O Christ-God; for through thee, O Lord, we have access from the night of ignorance unto thy Father, the Author of Light. and Hs.

VI. Wallowing in the abyss of sin, I appeal unto the abyss unfathomable of thy loving-kindness. Raise thou me up from corruption, O God. and Hs.

VII. The impious command of the cruel tyrant forced the flame on high; but Christ bore unto the God-fearing Children spiritual dew. Blessed and most glorious is he. and Hs.

VIII. The fiery furnace of old in Babylon divided in twain its action, by the command of God consuming the Chaldaeeans, but sprinkling with dew the faithful who sang: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord. and Hs.

IX. The Son of the Begetter who hath no beginning, both God and the Lord, hath revealed himself unto us incarnate of a Virgin, to illumine those who sat in darkness, and to gather together those who were scattered abroad: for which cause we magnify the all-hymned Birth-giver of God. and Hs.