Service. Church of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women

Service

Service to the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women in Church Slavonic

Service to the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women in Russian

The Third Sunday after Pascha, of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women.

On Saturday evening, at Little Vespers.

To Him born of the Father before all ages: Christ our Savior, for us: With the archangels let us sing Christ’s Resurrection: And of the East {Anatolian} 1, same tone: You who were crucified, and buried: Glory: Why with tears and myrrh, O disciples: [All these stichera seek at Great Vespers.]

O great mystery! Seeing wonders, I proclaim Divinity: For Emmanuel, as the Lover of Mankind, opened the gates of nature: Yet as God, He did not break the seals of virginity: But thus He passed from the womb as He entered by hearing: Thus He was incarnate, as He was conceived. He entered without passion, He came forth ineffably, as the prophet says: These gates shall be shut, none shall pass through them, save only the Lord God of Israel, who has great mercy.

Verse: I will remember Your name in every generation.

Joy of all who sorrow, and advocate of the oppressed, feeder of the poor, consolation of strangers, staff of the blind, visitation of the weak, shelter and defender of the weary, and helper of orphans, You are the Mother of the Most High God, O Pure One: Hasten, we pray, that Your servants may be saved.

Verse: Hear, O Daughter, and see, and incline Your ear.

Every lawlessness without mercy, every sin without restraint, I, the wretched one, have committed, worthy of every condemnation: Grant me the cause of repentance, O Virgin, that I may not be condemned there. For I appoint You as my intercessor, I call upon You as my advocate, that You may not put me to shame, O Bride of God.

Verse: The rich among the people shall entreat Your favor.

I have no other refuge, O Pure One, to the Creator and Master, save You, O Bride of God, that You may not reject us with Your warm advocacy, nor put to shame those who with love seek refuge under Your protection, O Mother of our God: Hasten, grant Your help, and save us from present wrath.

The Myrrh-Bearers came early: [Seek at Great Vespers.]

After the Trisagion, Troparion: The noble Joseph. And dismissal.

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At Great Vespers.

Christ is risen: as usual. Then the opening psalm: Bless the Lord, O my soul: And the 1st Kathisma of the Psalter.

Verse: Bring my soul out of prison, to confess Your name.

To the Divine Word, born of the Father before all ages, incarnate of the Virgin Mary, come let us worship: For He endured the Cross, was given over to burial as He Himself willed, and rising from the dead, He saved me, an erring man.

Verse: The righteous await me, until You reward me.

Christ our Savior, having nailed our debt to the Cross, canceled it, and abolished the power of death: We worship His three-day Resurrection.

Verse: From the depths I cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.

With the archangels let us sing Christ’s Resurrection: For He is the Redeemer and Savior of our souls, and in fearsome glory and mighty power, He comes again to judge the world He created.

Verse: Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

You who were crucified and buried, the angel proclaimed as Master, and said to the women: Come, see where the Lord lay: For He has risen as He said, as the Almighty. Therefore, we worship You, the only Immortal One: O Life-giving Christ, have mercy on us.

Verse: If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? For with You there is forgiveness.

By Your Cross You abolished the curse from the tree, by Your burial You slew the power of death: And by Your rising You enlightened the human race. Therefore we cry to You: O Benefactor Christ our God, glory to You.

Verse: For Your name’s sake I have waited for You, O Lord; my soul has waited for Your word, my soul has hoped in the Lord.

The gates of death opened to You, O Lord, in fear, and the gatekeepers of Hades, seeing You, were terrified: For You crushed the bronze gates and shattered the iron bars, and led us out from darkness and the shadow of death, and broke our bonds.

Verse: From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Singing a hymn of salvation, let us cry aloud from our lips: Come, all of us, let us fall down in the house of the Lord, saying: You who were crucified on the Tree and rose from the dead, and are in the bosom of the Father, cleanse our sins.

Verse: For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him abundant redemption, and He will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women, early in the morning, taking spices, reached the Lord’s tomb, and finding what they did not expect, they stood in awe at the stone rolled away, and said to one another: Where are the seals of the tomb? Where is Pilate’s guard, and the secure watch? But a radiant angel became a herald to the perplexed women, saying to them: Why do you seek with weeping the Living One who gave life to the human race? Christ our God has risen from the dead as the Almighty, granting us all incorruption and life, enlightenment, and great mercy.

Verse: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise Him, all you peoples.

Why do you mingle myrrh with tears, O disciples? The stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty: See corruption trampled by life, the seals bear clear witness, the guards of the disobedient sleep soundly, mortality is saved by the flesh of God, Hades mourns. Run with joy and tell the apostles: Christ, who slew death, the firstborn from the dead, goes before you into Galilee.

Verse: For His mercy is confirmed upon us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

The Myrrh-Bearers, having come early and eagerly reaching Your tomb, sought You, O Christ, to anoint Your most pure body. And being informed by the words of the angel, they proclaimed to the apostles with joyful signs that the Author of our salvation has risen, having captured death, and granting the world eternal life and great mercy.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women, reaching Your tomb and seeing the seals of the tomb, but not finding Your most pure body, came lamenting with haste, saying: Who has stolen our hope? Who has taken the dead One, naked and anointed with myrrh, the only consolation of His Mother? O how has He who raised the dead been put to death? How has He who plundered Hades been buried? But rise, O Savior, of Your own authority, as You said, on the third day, saving our souls.

The shadow of the Law passed away when grace came: For as the bush burned yet was not consumed, so You, O Virgin, gave birth and remained a Virgin. Instead of a pillar of fire, the Sun of Righteousness shone forth: Instead of Moses, Christ, the salvation of our souls.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women, why have you come to the tomb? Why do you seek the Living among the dead? The Lord has risen, take courage, says the angel.

With fear the women came to the tomb, hastening to anoint Your body with spices: And not finding it, they were perplexed among themselves, not knowing of the Resurrection. But an angel appeared to them and said: Christ has risen, granting us great mercy.

They came to the tomb, Magdalene and the other Mary, seeking the Lord, and saw an angel like lightning sitting on the stone, saying to them: Why do you seek the Living with the dead? He has risen, as He said: You will find Him in Galilee. To Him let us cry: Risen from the dead, Lord, glory to You.

Joseph requested the body of Jesus and laid it in his new tomb: For it was fitting that He should come forth from the tomb as from a bridal chamber. You who shattered the power of death and opened the gates of paradise to mankind, Lord, glory to You.

My Creator and Redeemer, O Most Pure One, Christ the Lord, came forth from Your womb, clothing Himself in me, and freed Adam from the ancient curse. Therefore, to You, O All-Pure One, as the Mother of God and Virgin, we ceaselessly cry out with angelic voice: Rejoice, O Lady, protection, shelter, and salvation of our souls.

Your Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, enlightened the whole universe and recalled Your creation: O Almighty Lord, glory to You.

You who clothe Yourself with light as with a garment, Joseph with Nicodemus took down from the Tree, and seeing You dead, naked, and unburied, he wept with compassion, lamenting: Woe is me, sweetest Jesus, whom the sun, seeing hung on the Cross, hid in darkness, and the earth trembled with fear, and the veil of the temple was torn: But behold, now I see You willingly submitting to death for my sake. How shall I bury You, my God, or with what shroud shall I wrap You? With what hands shall I touch Your incorruptible body? Or what songs shall I sing at Your departure, O Merciful One? I magnify Your Passion, I sing praises to Your burial with Your Resurrection, crying: Lord, glory to You.

And now: It is the day of Resurrection: and Christ is risen: once. Then, Now let Your servant depart: At the blessing of the loaves, Troparion Theotokos Virgin: thrice. And the usual reading of the Acts.

If there is no vigil: At Lord, I have cried: we sing the Resurrection Stichera, 4. And of the Myrrh-Bearers with those of the Litia, on 6. Entrance. Prokeimenon. At the Stichovna, Paschal Stichera. Glory, and now: Tone 5, You who clothe Yourself with light: At Midnight Office, the Trinitarian Canon is sung as usual.

Know that from the Sunday of Holy Thomas, there is no breaking of bread after the blessing of the loaves, due to the shortness of the night.

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At Matins,

When You descended to death, O Immortal Life, then You slew Hades with the lightning of Your Divinity. And when You raised the dead from the depths, all the heavenly powers cried out: O Life-giving Christ our God, glory to You. [Twice.]

The noble Joseph, having taken Your most pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud, and covered it with spices, laid it in a new tomb: But on the third day You rose, O Lord, granting the world great mercy.

To the Myrrh-Bearing Women standing at the tomb, the angel cried: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption. Rather, cry out: The Lord has risen, granting the world great mercy.

You did not prevent the sealing of the tombstone, but rising, You gave all the stone of faith: Lord, glory to You.

Verse: Rise, O Lord my God, let Your hand be lifted up:

Without exhausting Your most pure bosom in the heights, You accepted burial and Resurrection for all: Lord, glory to You.

All beyond understanding, all Your glorious mysteries, O Theotokos, sealed in purity and preserved in virginity, You were known as a true Mother, giving birth to the true God: Pray to Him that our souls may be saved.

The Myrrh-Bearers, coming early and seeing the empty tomb, said to the apostles: The Mighty One has cast down corruption, and snatched those in Hades from their bonds: Proclaim boldly that Christ God has risen, granting the world great mercy.

Verse: I will confess You, O Lord, with all my heart:

The women, secretly bringing myrrh for Your burial, came to the tomb early, fearing the audacity of the Jews and foreseeing the strength of the guards. But their weak nature overcame with courage: For their merciful intent pleased God. Thus they rightly cried: Rise, O Lord, help us, and deliver us for the glory of Your name.

Most glorified are You, O Virgin Theotokos, we sing to You: For by the Cross of Your Son, Hades was cast down and death was slain: We who were dead arose and were granted life, we received the paradise of ancient delight. Thus, with thanksgiving, we glorify Christ our God, the Mighty and only Most Merciful One.

After Your Passion, the women went to the tomb to anoint Your body, O Christ God, and saw angels in the tomb and were amazed: For they heard a voice from them, that the Lord has risen, granting the world great mercy.

To heaven I lift the eyes of my heart, to You, O Savior: Save me by Your radiance.

Have mercy on us who sin against You greatly every hour, O my Christ, and grant us a way to repent to You before the end.

To the Holy Spirit it is fitting to reign, to sanctify, to move creation: For He is God, consubstantial with the Father and the Word.

If the Lord had not been with us, who could have remained whole, preserved from the enemy and murderer of men?

Do not deliver Your servant to their teeth, O Savior: For like lions my enemies rise against me.

To the Holy Spirit belong life-giving power and honor: For as God, by His might He preserves all creation in the Father through the Son.

Those who hope in the Lord are like the holy mountain: They are not moved by the assaults of the enemy.

Let not those who live godly stretch out their hands to iniquity: For Christ will not abandon His inheritance to the rod.

From the Holy Spirit flows all wisdom: Hence grace to the apostles, crowns to the martyrs through their struggles, and vision to the prophets.

Prokeimenon, Tone 2: Rise, O Lord my God, by the decree You commanded, and the assembly of the people will surround You. Verse: O Lord my God, in You I trust, save me. Let every breath:

Jesus, having risen early on the first Sabbath, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.	Having risen early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.
She, going, told those who had been with Him, who were weeping and mourning:	She went and told those who had been with Him, who were weeping and mourning;
And they, hearing that He was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe.	But they, hearing that He was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe.
After this, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked to the country.	After this, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked into the country.
And they, going, told the rest: and they did not believe them either.	And they, returning, told the rest; but they did not believe them either.
Later, He appeared to the eleven as they reclined, and rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him risen.	Finally, He appeared to the eleven as they reclined at table, and reproached their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him risen.
And He said to them: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.	And He said to them: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved: but he who does not believe will be condemned.	He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues:	And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.	They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
The Lord, having spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.	And the Lord, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through accompanying signs. Amen.	And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through accompanying signs. Amen.

Then: Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship: thrice. Psalm 50, and the rest.

Irmos: It is the day of Resurrection:

Let us purify our senses: The heavens indeed should rejoice worthily:

You broke the barrier of death, giving birth to Christ, the eternal life, who shone forth today from the tomb, O Virgin All-Immaculate, and enlightened the world.

Seeing Your Son and God risen, rejoice with the apostles, O Grace-filled Pure One: And as the first to receive “Rejoice,” as the cause of all joy, You received it, O All-Immaculate Mother of God.

Irmos: Taking up the song of Moses, cry out, O soul: My Helper and Protector has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will glorify Him.

You were crucified in the flesh, O Passionless One by the Father’s nature: Pierced in the side, You poured forth blood and water for the world: You are our God, and we glorify You.

I honor Your Cross, I glorify Your burial, O Good One, and I sing and worship Your rising, crying: You are our God, and we glorify You.

Though You tasted gall, O Sweetness of the Church, You poured forth incorruption for us from Your side: You are our God, and we glorify You.

You were counted among the dead, O Savior, raising the dead; You tasted corruption: Yet You knew no decay at all: You are our God, and we glorify You.

Let Zion rejoice, let heaven be glad, Christ has risen, raising the dead, who sing: You are our God, and we glorify You.

Joseph, wrapping Your body in a shroud, O Christ, laid You in a new tomb, O Salvation: But You, as God, raised the dead.

The women who came early saw Christ and cried to the divine disciples: Truly Christ has risen, come with us and sing to Him.

All-Holy Trinity, one Divinity, beginningless Unity, Father and Son and Divine Spirit, save the world: You are our God, and we glorify You.

Resolving the ancient curse, O Pure One, in Your womb You bore for us a blessing, giving birth to a Child: For He is God, though He bears flesh.

Irmos: Come, let us drink a new drink:

Now all things are filled with light: Yesterday I was buried with You, O Christ:

Today I come to incorruptible life by the goodness of Him born of You, O Pure One, who shed light on all the ends of the earth.

Seeing God, whom You bore in the flesh, risen from the dead as He said, O Pure One, rejoice, and magnify Him as God, O Most Pure One.

Irmos: My barren mind, make fruitful, O God, worker of good, planter of virtues, by Your compassion.

Stretching out Your hands on the Cross, O Jesus, You gathered all the nations from error, calling them to Your knowledge, O Savior.

The Jewish people cried to Pilate: Release to us the wicked robber, take, take, crucify the Sinless One.

When You were crucified, O Christ, the light darkened, the earth quaked, and many dead arose from their graves, in fear of Your power.

Standing by the Cross, Your Lamb, O Jesus, cried with weeping: Where do You go, O Son? Where do You hasten, O Lamb, slain for all?

I worship Your Cross, I sing of Your burial, I honor Your Passion, the nails in Your hands, the spear, O Jesus, and Your Resurrection.

You rose, O Jesus, the enemy was bound, Adam was delivered, and Eve with him from bonds and corruption, by Your Resurrection.

When You rose, O Christ, the bars and gates of Hades were shattered, and the bonds of death were broken at once, in fear of Your power.

Come, O God-receiver Joseph, stand with us, crying: He is risen, Jesus the Redeemer, who raised Adam by His compassion.

Let the twelve disciples rejoice with us, with the Myrrh-Bearing Women and Joseph, and with the other disciples of Christ.

To the Father, the Son, and the Righteous Spirit, one Nature, I worship and sing, distinguishing Persons, uniting in Essence.

Blessed are You, O Pure One, from the root of Jesse, from whom the rod and flower, Christ, grew for us in the flesh.

The women warmly brought myrrh to the tomb, O Savior, their souls rejoicing at the angel’s radiance, and they proclaimed You as God of all, crying to the disciples: Truly the Life of all has risen from the tomb.

The choir of Your disciples with the Myrrh-Bearing Women rejoices in harmony: For they celebrate a common feast with them, in glory and honor of Your Resurrection. And through them we cry to You, O Lover of Mankind, Lord: Grant Your people great mercy.

Irmos: On the divine watch:

The male sex, as He who opened: As a year-old lamb: God-father David:

He who created Adam, Your forefather, O Pure One, was formed from You, and destroyed the dwelling of death by His death today, illuminating all with the divine splendors of His Resurrection.

Seeing Christ, whom You bore, shining beautifully from the dead, O Pure One, good and spotless among women and fair, today for the salvation of all, rejoice with the apostles and glorify Him.

Irmos: Foreseeing Your birth from the Virgin, the prophet proclaimed, crying: I heard Your report and feared, for You came from the south and from the holy shaded mountain, O Christ.

By the Cross You plundered the belly of Hades, raised the dead with Yourself, and destroyed the tyranny of death: Hence we, from Adam, worship and sing of Your burial and rising, O Christ.

Our Savior, willingly nailed to the Cross for Your compassion’s mercy, delivering us from the ancient curse, loose the bonds of my many sins: For You can do whatever You will.

Nailing my ancient curse to the Cross, O Savior, and pouring forth blessing by the blood from Your side, loose the bonds of my many sins: For You can do whatever You will.

Hades, O Savior, meeting You below, was grieved, realizing that those it once devoured it now unwillingly releases, tormented below, plundered and stripped of the dead.

Though the stone was sealed with a guard, O lawless enemies, yet the Lord rose as He foretold, loosing the bonds of my many sins: For He can do whatever He wills.

Risen from the tomb, plundering Hades and giving life to the dead, pouring forth incorruption by Your rising, loose the bonds of my many sins: For You can do whatever You will.

Truly be ashamed, O lawless ones, for Christ has risen and raised the dead, saying: Take courage, I have overcome the world. Believe in Him, or be silent, you deceivers who deny His Resurrection.

To the Myrrh-Bearers, crying “Rejoice,” O Good One, risen from the tomb, and commanding the apostles to proclaim My rising, loose the bonds of my many sins: For You can do whatever You will.

Let us honor Joseph the noble, the zealot of piety, counselor and disciple, with the Myrrh-Bearers and apostles, brightly singing the Savior’s Resurrection.

Who can declare the undivided glory of the transcendent Divinity? For being one in Nature, the beginningless Trinity is sung, united as one Unit, sung in three simple Hypostases.

Giving birth without a husband to Him who dwelt in Your womb, O Virgin Mother Pure, ceaselessly pray as the Mother of God to loose the bonds of my many sins: For You can help in whatever You will.

Irmos: Let us rise early, deep in the morning:

Your immeasurable compassion: Let us approach, O light-bearers:

It is illumined by the divine and life-giving rays of Your Son’s Resurrection, O Most Pure Mother of God, and the assembly of the pious is filled with joy.

You did not break the gates of virginity in the Incarnation, nor destroy the seals of the tomb, O King of creation: Hence Your Mother, seeing You risen, rejoiced.

Irmos: Dispel the darkness of my soul, O my Savior, enlighten me with the light of Your commandments, as the only King of peace.

You stripped off my first garment, which the sower of sin wove for me, alas, O my Savior, clothing Yourself in me.

My sin sewed me a garment of fig leaves, alas, not keeping Your pure commandment, O my Savior, by the serpent’s counsel.

My soul, wounded by the brigands of my thoughts, You, born of Mary, presented and poured oil upon, healing me, O Christ.

Standing at the Cross, the Most Pure Theotokos cried out with maternal voice: You have left Me alone, O My Son and God!

By the weapon of Your Cross You overthrew the evil serpent, O Jesus, crushing the sting of death by Your rising.

Where is your sting, O death? Where is your victory, O Hades? Let Adam cry out: You are crushed by the life-giving One who raised the dead.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women, reaching Your tomb, heard a voice saying of Him who gave life to those below: Christ has risen.

Celebrating the memory of the pious Myrrh-Bearers and all Your disciples, we sing to You, O Christ, in Your bright Resurrection.

Let us all worthily honor the noble one who took the Lord’s body from the Tree and buried it faithfully.

To You, God and Father, Son, and Spirit, I worship, three Hypostases, and I believe in one Trinity, one in Essence.

We the faithful sing of You who bore Christ, the only Master, beyond nature renewing nature by Your seedless birth.

Irmos: You descended into the depths of the earth:

Preserving the seals intact, O Christ: My Savior, the living:

He who was once held by death and corruption was raised to incorruptible and everlasting life by Him incarnate from Your most pure womb, O Virgin Theotokos.

He descended into the depths of the earth, entering Your womb, O Pure One, and dwelt and was incarnate beyond understanding, raising Adam with Himself when He rose from the tomb.

Irmos: Held in the depths of sin, O Savior, and storm-tossed in the sea of life: As You delivered Jonah from the beast, deliver me from passions and save me.

Hades is dead, take courage, O earthborn; for Christ, hanging on the Tree, cast His weapon upon it, and it lies dead: For what it held has been plundered and stripped.

Hades is captured, take courage, O dead; the tombs are opened, arise from Hades, Christ cries to you, who came to deliver all from death and corruption.

As you once devoured the dead, now demanded, O Hades, give them to Me, cries the Life-giver and God, who came to deliver all from your insatiable belly.

Why do you still hasten, O Myrrh-Bearing Women? Why bring myrrh to the Living One? Christ has risen, as He foretold. Let your tears cease, turned to joy.

Joseph the noble, wrapping You in a shroud, O Christ, laid You in the tomb: And anointing with myrrh the destroyed temple of Your body, he rolled a great stone to the tomb.

The Lord rose, plundering the enemy, snatching the captives, raising all, and restoring the first-created Adam, as the Compassionate and Lover of Mankind God.

Let us the faithful sing to the Trinity in Unity, glorifying the Father with the Son, and the Spirit consubstantial with the Son, coeternal and ever-existing with the Father, God.

In Your untilled womb, O Pure One, You conceived as a vine the cluster of incorruption: From it, like wine, flow streams of immortality, granting us eternal life.

You commanded the Myrrh-Bearers to rejoice, You stilled the weeping of Eve the foremother by Your Resurrection, O Christ God, and ordered Your apostles to preach: The Savior has risen from the tomb.

The Myrrh-Bearers, going to Your tomb, O Savior, pondered within themselves, saying: Who will roll away the stone for us? And looking up, they saw the stone rolled away, marveling at the angelic form and garment: They were seized with trembling and thought to flee. But a young man cried to them: Do not fear, He whom you seek has risen; come, see the place where Jesus’ body lay, and going quickly, tell His disciples: The Savior has risen from the tomb.

Verses: The disciples bring myrrh to Christ:

And I bring this song as myrrh.

On this day, the Third Sunday after Pascha, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women. We also commemorate Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple, one of the seventy. Likewise, Nicodemus, the night-disciple, who came to Christ from among the rulers. For these women are true and first witnesses of the Resurrection, while Joseph and Nicodemus are of the burial: These are the truest and most essential elements of our doctrine. For Nicodemus was expelled from the assembly, unwilling to agree with the Jews’ counsel. And Joseph, after burying the Lord’s body, was cast into a pit by the Jews, but by divine power was delivered and returned to Arimathea, his homeland. And when Christ rose, He appeared to him, still bound, confirming the mystery of the Resurrection more fully. Suffering much from the Jews, he could not bear to remain silent about the mysteries, but taught all that happened with boldness. It is said that Nicodemus first clearly recorded the events of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection, being of the assembly and knowing well the Jews’ plans, words, and deeds. For this reason, as we said, as true witnesses of the burial, they are joined with the women who saw the Resurrection. And this was established after Thomas’ first assurance, for it is said that eight days later the good news came. These women were the first to see the Resurrection and announced it to the disciples. It was fitting that the race which first fell into sin and inherited the curse should first see the Resurrection and receive joy, having first heard: In sorrow you shall bring forth children. They are called Myrrh-Bearers because, due to the Friday of preparation for that Pascha, since that Sabbath was a great day, Joseph and Nicodemus hastened to bury the Lord’s body, anointing it with myrrh according to Jewish custom, but not as it deserved: For they used much aloes and myrrh, wrapped it in a shroud, and laid it in the tomb. Therefore, these women, out of their warm love for Christ as His disciples, bought costly myrrh and came by night, both for fear of the Jews and because it was customary to mourn and anoint earlier, fulfilling what was lacking due to the haste of that time. When they arrived, they saw various appearances: two radiant angels inside the tomb, and another sitting on the stone; then they saw Christ and worshipped Him. Magdalene, thinking Him the gardener, asked about Him. Many were the Myrrh-Bearers, but the Evangelists mention only the prominent ones, leaving others aside. These were: first of all, Mary Magdalene, from whom Christ cast out seven demons, who, after Christ’s Ascension, went to Rome and, with a new word, delivered Pilate and the high priest to death, informing Tiberius Caesar about the Savior Christ. Later she died in Ephesus and was buried by John the Theologian; her relics were brought to Constantinople by Leo the Wise. The second, Salome, daughter of Joseph the Betrothed, for both were called so, who was the wife of Zebedee and mother of the Evangelist John and James. For Joseph had four sons: James, called the Less, Joses, Simon, and Jude, and three daughters: Esther, Tamar, and Salome, wife of Zebedee. Thus, when you hear in the Gospel of Mary, the mother of James the Less and Joses, do not think it is the Theotokos, for she was considered the mother of Joseph’s children: Hence it follows that the Evangelist John was a cousin of Christ, as a brother’s son. The third Myrrh-Bearer was Joanna, wife of Chuza, steward of King Herod’s house. The fourth and fifth were Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus. The sixth, Mary of Cleopas. The seventh, Susanna, and many others were there, as the divine Luke narrates: Who, he says, served Christ and His disciples from their own possessions. Since they proclaimed the Resurrection and taught many doctrines for us, they provide assurance and true knowledge of Christ’s Resurrection. After Thomas, the Church of Christ established their feast, as those who first saw Christ risen from the dead and announced the saving proclamation to all, living after Christ in an exemplary manner, as was fitting for women taught by Christ. By the prayers of the Holy Myrrh-Bearers, O God, have mercy on us.

Irmos: The youths from the furnace:

The women with myrrh: We celebrate the death: Truly sacred:

Your Son, having slain death, O All-Immaculate, today granted all mortals everlasting life forever, the only blessed and most glorified God of the fathers.

Reigning over all creation, becoming man, He dwelt in Your grace-filled womb, and enduring crucifixion and death, He rose in divine glory, raising us with Him as the Almighty.

Irmos: The youths in the furnace, imitating the cherubim, danced and cried out: Blessed are You, O God, for in truth and judgment You brought all this for our sins: Most sung and most glorified forever.

You, as the Lover of Mankind, desiring to save all You created from error, endured being nailed to the Cross: That the form buried by passions might be renewed by Your flesh, O Savior, and having cast down Hades, You raised the dead with Yourself.

Lifted on the Cross, You called all to Yourself, O Merciful One, as You promised, O Good One: For truly You deigned to suffer all this for our sins. Thus You opened the gates of paradise to the thief, O Savior.

You raised the destroyed temple of Your body from the tomb in three days, as You promised, O Good One: That You might truly show Your glory, which You pour forth to us by faith, loosing the bonds with which Hades once held the bound.

O madness of the Jews! O frenzy of the lawless! What faithless thing did they see that they did not believe in Christ? Did He not raise the weak by His word? Or did He not save the whole world? Let at least the soldiers or the risen dead convince you.

Let the deadened guards now speak: How was He stolen, whom the foolish never saw? For if they did not see Him risen nor perceive it, how could they understand Him stolen? Let at least this stone and Christ’s burial cloths convince you.

Why guard Him as dead? Why did you place seals on the stone, O Jews, fearing theft? Behold, truly the tomb was sealed: How then did He rise, unless Christ was God? Let the risen ones, seen by many, convince you.

With the Father we glorify the Son and the Holy Spirit, crying with ceaseless voice: O Trinity, one Essence, have mercy, save us all, O Unity in three Persons, most glorified God forever.

How did Your womb, O Most Pure One, contain the Child, whom the angelic powers tremble at as God? Only as He willed and knew, He dwelt there, desiring to save all earthborn from Adam, loosing Adam’s curse from that bitter eating.

Irmos: This is the appointed:

Come, of the new: Raise your eyes around: Father Almighty:

The Lord came into the world through You, O Virgin Theotokos, and tore open the belly of Hades, granting us mortals Resurrection: Thus we bless Him forever.

Your Son, O Virgin, having destroyed all the power of death by His Resurrection, as a mighty God raised and deified us: Thus we sing to Him forever.

Irmos: The miracle of the Virgin in the bush, once prefigured to Moses on Mount Sinai, sing, bless, and exalt forever.

The rays of the sun hid in fear at Christ’s Passion, the dead arose, the mountains bowed, the earth quaked, and Hades was stripped bare.

The thrice-blessed youths in the furnace, raising their hands, prefigured Your most precious Cross, O Good One, by which You cast down the power of the enemy, O Christ.

O blind Jews, deceivers and transgressors, not believing Christ’s Resurrection as false: What faithless thing do you see, that Christ has risen, raising the dead?

O Jewish enemies, if you do not believe us, ask your soldiers what they suffered. Who rolled away the stone from the tomb with hands?

Who withered the fig tree? Who healed the withered hand? Who fed the multitudes in the desert long ago, if not Christ God, who raised the dead?

Who gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, straightened the lame, and walked on the sea dry-shod as on land, if not Christ God, who raised the dead?

Who raised the four-day dead from the tomb, the widow’s son? Who lifted the paralytic from his bed as God, if not Christ God, who raised the dead?

The stone itself cries out, the seals proclaim, which you placed, setting a guard to watch the tomb: Truly Christ has risen and lives forever.

Truly Christ has risen, Hades is bound, the serpent is slain, Adam is delivered, the depths are shaken: Why do you not believe, O enemies and transgressors?

We bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord.

With the Father and the Son, we glorify the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity in one Divinity, crying: Holy, Holy, Holy are You forever.

In Your womb, O Pure One, You bore the ever-living bread, mingled unmixed with our mixture, giving birth unchangeably to the one Christ God in two natures.

We praise, bless, and worship the Lord:

Katavasia: This is the appointed and holy day:

Irmos: Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem:

O divine, O beloved! O Pascha, great and most sacred!

In harmony, O Virgin, we the faithful bless You: Rejoice, O gate of the Lord: Rejoice, O living city: Rejoice, through whom the light of the Resurrection from the dead, born of You, has now shone upon us.

Rejoice and be glad, O divine gate of the Light: For Jesus, having entered the tomb, shone forth, brighter than the sun, illuminating all the faithful, O Lady graced by God.

Irmos: The Word, shining forth timelessly from the Father, conceived supernaturally in the flesh in the womb, we the faithful magnify with ceaseless songs.

He who on the Cross made the thief who recognized You as God an heir of the spiritual paradise, crying “Remember me,” O All-Powerful Savior.

Buffeted and spat upon for our sake, O Jesus, by the lawless, You who inscribed the tablets of the Law for Moses Your servant on Sinai.

You were given vinegar and gall to drink for our sake, O Savior, who gave us Your body and precious blood as food and drink for eternal life.

Pierced in Your life-giving side by a spear, O Christ, You poured forth Your pure blood and precious water for the world, as an ever-living fountain.

You were counted among the dead, giving life to the dead: Laid in the tomb, You emptied the tombs: You plundered Hades, raising Adam.

You rose, O Jesus, the enemy was bound, Hades was plundered, the tombs were emptied, those below arose, worshipping You, O Christ.

Who stole the dead One, especially naked? Why deceive yourselves, O Jews? Christ has risen, and the bonds and bars of Hades are shattered.

Glory to You, O Christ our Savior, who poured forth life and shone light on those in the darkness of ignorance, enlightening the whole earth by Your rising.

Let the noble counselor Joseph be sung with the Myrrh-Bearers and the divine disciples, for he too was a preacher of Christ’s rising.

Let us the faithful praise the wondrous Joseph, together with Nicodemus and the faithful Myrrh-Bearers, crying: The Lord has truly risen.

Without beginning are You, O Father, uncreated are You, O Son, co-enthroned Holy Spirit, one [These three] in Nature, three in Persons, one true God.

Let Jesse rejoice, let David exult: For behold, the Virgin has sprouted a divine rod, the ever-living flower, Christ.

Hear, O women, the voice of joy: Having trampled the tormentor of Hades, I raised the world from corruption; run, tell My friends the good news: For I will illumine My creation with joy, whence sorrow came.

Verse: To execute upon them the judgment written: this glory will be to all His saints.

Let every breath and all creation glorify You, O Lord, for by the Cross You abolished death, to show the people Your Resurrection from the dead, as the only Lover of Mankind.

Verse: Praise God in His saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power.

Let the Jews say how the soldiers lost the King they guarded. Why did the stone not preserve the Rock of life? Either give us the buried One, or worship the Risen One, saying with us: Glory to the multitude of Your mercies, O our Savior, glory to You.

Verse: Praise Him for His mighty acts, praise Him according to His exceeding greatness.

Rejoice, O people, and be glad; an angel sitting on the tombstone proclaimed to us, saying: Christ has risen from the dead, the Savior of the world, and filled all things with fragrance: Rejoice, O people, and be glad.

Verse: Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with psaltery and harp.

Before Your conception, O Lord, an angel brought “Rejoice” to the Full of Grace: At Your Resurrection, an angel rolled away the stone of Your glorious tomb. The one announced signs of joy in place of sorrow; the other proclaimed to us the Life-giving Master in place of death. Thus we cry to You: O Benefactor of all, Lord, glory to You.

Verse: Praise Him with timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and pipe.

The women poured myrrh with tears upon Your tomb, and their mouths were filled with joy when they said: The Lord has risen.

Verse: Praise Him with well-tuned cymbals:

Let the nations and peoples praise Christ our God, who willingly endured the Cross for us and abode three days in Hades, and let them worship His Resurrection from the dead, by which all the ends of the world are enlightened.

Verse: Rise, O Lord my God, let Your hand be lifted up:

You were crucified and buried, O Christ, as You willed, You overthrew death and rose in glory as God and Master, granting the world eternal life and great mercy.

Verse: I will confess You, O Lord, with all my heart: [These refrains for every Resurrection.]

O truly the lawless, sealing the stone, made us worthy of greater wonders! The guards know, today He came forth from the tomb, and they said: Say that while we slept, His disciples came and stole Him. And who steals a dead man, especially naked? He rose of His own authority as God, leaving His burial cloths in the tomb. Come, see, O Jews, how He did not break the seals, He who trampled death and grants the human race endless life and great mercy.

The women with Mary, coming with myrrh and wondering how their desire would be fulfilled, saw the stone taken away, and a divine young man calming the turmoil of their souls: For He has risen, he said, Jesus the Lord. Therefore, proclaim to His preaching disciples to hasten to Galilee and see Him risen from the dead, as the Life-giver and Lord.

Great Doxology. Resurrection Troparion. Litanies, and dismissal. And the usual procession to the narthex. And the instruction of Studite. And the 1st Hour. And the final dismissal. At the Hours, the Resurrection Troparion. Glory: The noble Joseph: And now: Theotokion of the Hours. After the Trisagion, Kontakion: You commanded the Myrrh-Bearers to rejoice: Likewise at the other Hours.

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At the Liturgy

Remember us also, O Compassionate One, as You remembered the thief in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The tree cast out Adam, the Cross brought the thief into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The tomb received You, O Savior, who emptied the tombs and granted life to the dead as God.

Glorious apostles of Christ, pray diligently to Him to save us from troubles.

After the Entrance, Troparion: When You descended to death: and The noble Joseph: Glory: Kontakion of the Triodion: And now: of Pascha: Though You descended into the tomb:

Prokeimenon, Tone 6: Save, O Lord, Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Verse: To You, O Lord, I will call; my God, be not silent toward me.

When the disciples increased, there arose a complaint from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.	When the disciples multiplied, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution.
And the twelve, calling the multitude of disciples, said: It is not pleasing for us, leaving the word of God, to serve tables:	Then the twelve, summoning the multitude of disciples, said: It is not right for us, neglecting the word of God, to care for tables.
Therefore, brethren, look among yourselves for seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this service:	So, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this task;
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.	While we will continue steadfastly in prayer and the ministry of the word.
And this word was pleasing to all the people: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch,	And this proposal pleased the whole assembly; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas, a convert from Antioch;
Whom they set before the apostles: and praying, they laid hands on them.	Whom they presented before the apostles; and after praying, they laid hands on them.
And the word of God grew, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly: and a large crowd of priests obeyed the faith.	And the word of God increased, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly; and many priests submitted to the faith.

Alleluia, Tone 8: You have been gracious, O Lord, to Your land; You have turned back the captivity of Jacob. Verse: Mercy and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed.

Joseph, who was from Arimathea, a noble counselor, who also awaited the Kingdom of God, came boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.	Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent counselor, who also awaited the Kingdom of God, dared to go to Pilate and request the body of Jesus.
Pilate marveled if He were already dead: and calling the centurion, he asked him if He had already died.	Pilate wondered if He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked if He had been dead long.
And learning from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.	And, confirmed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
And buying a shroud and taking Him down, he wrapped Him in the shroud: and laid Him in a tomb hewn from rock: and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.	And purchasing a shroud, he took Him down, wrapped Him in the shroud, and placed Him in a tomb cut from rock, and rolled a stone to the tomb’s entrance.
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid.	Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Joses, observed where He was placed.
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Jesus.	After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Him.
And very early on the first day after the Sabbath they came to the tomb as the sun rose,	And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb at sunrise,
And they said among themselves: Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?	And they said to one another: Who will roll the stone away from the tomb’s entrance for us?
And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very large.	And looking, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very great.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right, clothed in a white robe: and they were alarmed.	And entering the tomb, they saw a young man seated on the right, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.
And he said to them: Do not be alarmed: You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: He has risen, He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him:	But he said to them: Do not be afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; He has risen, He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He goes before you into Galilee: there you will see Him, as He told you.	But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He goes ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.
And going out, they fled from the tomb: for trembling and astonishment held them: and they said nothing to anyone: for they were afraid.	And going out, they fled from the tomb; trembling and amazement seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Communion Hymn: Receive the Body of Christ: Another: Praise the Lord from the heavens:

If the church is dedicated to the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, at Little and Great Vespers, Matins, and the Liturgy, we sing everything similarly as for the Great Martyr George. Only at Vespers, we read the Paroemia written for the Sunday of All Saints.

At Matins, after the Polyeleos, we sing the magnification thus: We magnify you, O holy Myrrh-Bearers, and honor your holy memory: for you pray for us to Christ our God. Psalm: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord: and the rest.

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Orthodox Church of America

Church of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women

Diocese of the West, Sacramento, California

Service

The Third Sunday after Pascha, of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women.

On Saturday evening, at Little Vespers.

At Great Vespers.

At Matins,

At the Liturgy