Paschal Hours

In the Orthodox Church this week is called Bright Week.  We eat anything we want.  We drink anything we want.  We have as much sex as we want, or can, if that is the case.  But we also change some of our liturgical practices.  For example, we do not read the Psalms or pray O Heavenly King.  And there are liturgical changes at home, too.  Morning and Evening Prayers, as found in the prayer books, are pretty long but during Bright Week we pray different prayers (click the links to hear the music):



The Paschal Hours

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! (3)

Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ, and we praise and glorify Thy Holy Resurrection, for Thou art our God, and we know no other than Thee: we call on Thy name. Come, all you faithful, let us venerate Christ's holy Resurrection, for behold, through the Cross joy has come into all the world. Let us ever bless the Lord, praising His Resurrection, for by enduring the Cross for us, He has destroyed death by death. (3)

Before the dawn, Mary and the women came and found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They heard the angelic voice: Why do you seek among the dead, as a man, the One who is everlasting Light? Behold the clothes in the grave! Go and proclaim to the world: the Lord is risen! He has slain death, as He is the Son of God, saving the race of man.

O Christ our God, though Thou didst descend into the grave, yet didst Thou overthrow the power of Hades, and rise as an immortal conqueror: Thou didst greet with joy the myrrh-bearing women, and to Thine Apostles hast sent Thy peace, and to the fallen, O Lord, didst bring resurrection.

In the grave bodily; in Hades with Thy soul, though Thou wast God; in Paradise with the thief; and on the Throne with the Father and the Spirit wast Thou who fillest all things, O Christ the Uncircumscribable.

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

How life-giving, how much more beautiful than paradise, and truly more resplendent than any royal palace proved Thy grave, the source of our resurrection, O Christ.

Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Rejoice, O sanctified and divine tabernacle of the Most High; for through Thee, O Theotokos, joy is given to them that cry: Blessed art thou among women, O allimmaculate Lady.

Lord, have mercy. (40)

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

More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos thee do we magnify.

[At Compline we also say this prayer; otherwise, we proceed with Christ is risen... as set forth below.]

A Compline Prayer of St. Basil the Great

Blessed art Thou, 0 Almighty Master, Who hast enlightened the day with the light of the sun and hast illumined the night by the rays of fire, Who hast deemed us worthy to pass through the length of the day and draw nigh to the beginning of the night. Hearken unto Our supplication, and that of all Thy people. Forgive all of us our sins, voluntary and involuntary, accept our evening entreaties, and send down the multitude of Thy mercy and compassions upon Thine inheritance. Encompass us with Thy holy Angels; arm us with the armour of Thy righteousness; surround us with Thy truth; protect us by Thy might; deliver us from every grievous circumstance and from every conspiracy of the adversary. And grant unto us that this evening together with the coming night and all the days of our life may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, without stumbling and vain imaginings; by the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the Saints who, from ages past, have been well-pleasing unto Thee. Amen.

And likewise again: Christ is risen ... (3).

Glory; both now. Lord, have mercy. (3)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.