background image
T
HE
P
ASCHAL
V
ESPERS
(Agape Service)
áL1999, 2000 Spruce Island Foundation
23
C
HOIR
:
Come from that scene, O women, / bearers of good tidings, and say to Zion: / Receive
from us the tidings of joy, of the Resurrection of Christ. / Exalt, rejoice, and be glad,
O Jerusalem, / for thou dost see Christ the King as a Bridegroom come forth from the
tomb.
R
EADER
:
So shall the ungodly perish at the presence of God, but let the righteous rejoice.
C
HOIR
:
Thy Myrrh-bearing women at deep dawn / drew near to the tomb of the Giver of life, /
and they found an Angel sitting upon the stone, / and he cried to them and said: / Why
seek ye the Living among the dead? / Why mourn ye the Incorruptible amid
corruption? / Go ye, proclaim to His disciples.
R
EADER
:
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
C
HOIR
:
A Pascha of delight, a Pascha of the Lord, Pascha: / an all-venerable Pascha has
dawned for us: / a Pascha on which let us embrace one another with joy, O Pascha,
ransom from sorrow! / From the tomb as from a bridal chamber, / Christ today came
forth, and filled the women with joy, saying: / Proclaim ye to the Apostles.
R
EADER
:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the
Ages of Ages. Amen.
C
HOIR
:
This is the day of Resurrection: / let us be glorious in splendor for the festival, / and
let us embrace one another. / Let us speak also, O brethren, to those that hate us, /
and in the Resurrection let us forgive all things, / and so let us cry: / Christ has risen
from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing
life.
F
AITHFUL
:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the
tombs bestowing life! Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,
and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
P
RIEST
:
Glory to thee, O God, our hope, glory to Thee.
May Christ, our true God, Who arose from the dead, through the intercessions of
His most pure and Holy Mother; through the power of the precious and life-
giving Cross; through the protection of the precious Spiritual Powers in Heaven;
through the supplication of the glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the
Baptist; of the Holy, glorious, and honorable Apostles; of the Holy, glorious, and
victorious Martyrs; of our Saintly and Holy Fathers; of the holy and righteous
divine ancestors Joachim and Anna;
[of Saint(s) of the Day]
; and of all the Saints;
have mercy on us, through His goodness and compassion as our Merciful God.
P
RIEST
:
[Raising a lighted candle.]
Christ is Risen!