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Divine Liturgy 26 April 2020

Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women

Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, celebrated by Father Yuriy at Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Parish, Victoria. 10AM 25 April 2020.

After the priest has exclaimed, Blessed be the Kingdom… and the people have responded, Amen, the clergy sing the Paschal Troparion once and the people repeat it. Then, the clergy sing the first half, and the people conclude it:

Paschal Troparion
Christ is risen from the dead, * trampling death by death, * and to those in the tombs * giving life.
Христос воскрес із мертвих, * смертю смерть подолав, * і тим, що в гробах, * життя дарував

Troparion, Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal, * You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity. * When You raised the dead from the nether world, all powers of heaven cried out: * O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!

Troparion, Tone 2
The noble Joseph took down Your pure body from the tree. * He wrapped it with a clean shroud and aromatic spices and placed it in a new tomb. * But on the third day You arose, O Lord, * granting the world Your great mercy.

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

Kontakion, Tone 2
You commanded the myrrh-bearers to rejoice, O Christ God, * and ended the grief of our mother Eve by Your Resurrection.* You ordered the apostles to proclaim to all: * The Saviour is risen from the tomb.

Now and forever and ever, Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 8
Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One, * yet You destroyed the power of Hades; * and You rose as victor, O Christ God, * calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice! * and giving peace to Your Apostles: * You, who grant resurrection to the fallen.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance. Verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence.

Epistle : Acts 7:1–7
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles: In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Alleluia, Tone 8
Verse: You have shown favour to Your land, O Lord; You have brought back the captives of Jacob.
Verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have embraced.

Gospel : Mark 15:43–16:8
At that time Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died. And when he learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid. When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, ‘Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”’ Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Instead of “It is truly...” we sing: The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Sion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son.

Сommunion Hymn
Receive the Body of Christ; * taste the fountain of immortality. * Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise Him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, * alleluia.

[A private prayer of spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in these Holy Gifts!
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot receive You now,
I place before You my whole life and hope, O loving Master;
and I ask, pray, and entreat You: Make me worthy to partake in a mystical way
and with a pure conscience of Your awesome and heavenly Mysteries:
for forgiveness of sins, for the pardon of offences, for communion of the Holy Spirit,
for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence before You,
and not for judgment or condemnation.
I embrace You as You enter and abide in me, and I unite myself completely to You.
Permeate my soul and body, and never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.]

Instead of “Blessed is He” we sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life. (1x)

Instead of “We have seen the true light” we sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life. (1x)

Instead of “Let our mouths be filled” we sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life. (3x)

Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord” we sing: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life. (3x)

At the end of the Liturgy we sing:
Christ is risen from the dead, * trampling death by death, * and to those in the tombs * giving life. (3x)
And to us he has granted life eternal; * we bow down before his resurrection on the third day.
Христос воскрес із мертвих, * смертю смерть подолав, * і тим, що в гробах, * життя дарував. (3x)
І нам дарував життя вічне, * поклоняємось його триденному Воскресенню.