Tone III

Verses and Hymns for: Lord, I have cried unto thee.

By thy cross, O Christ our Saviour, the dominion of death hath been destroyed and the delusion of the Devil overthrown; the generation of men also, being saved by faith, doth offer unto thee a perpetual song.

All things have been illumined by thy Resurrection, O Lord, and Paradise hath been opened once again; and all creation extolling thee doth offer unto thee a perpetual song.

I glorify the might of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit I sing the power; the Godhead, undivided, uncreated, the Trinity of one Essence, who reigneth unto ages of ages.

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). How can we refrain from wonder at thy human-divine birth-giving, O All-august One? For though thou receivedst not the embrace of man, O All-undefiled One, yet didst thou bear, without a father, a son in the flesh born of the Father without mother before the ages: who suffered no change, neither mingling nor division, but preserved intact the peculiar natures of both. Wherefore, O Maiden Mother, Sovereign Lady, beseech thou him that the souls of those may be saved who, in the true faith, confess thee to be the Birth-giver of God.

Hymn (Tropdr). Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the Lord hath showed strength with his arm; he hath trampled down Death by death; he is become the first-born of the dead; from the womb

of Hell hath he delivered us, and unto the world hath he vouchsafed great mercy.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Bogoroditchen). Thee, who wast the Mediatrix of the salvation of our race, we sing, O Birth-giver of God and Virgin. For in the flesh assumed from thee, after that he had suffered the passion of the cross, thy Son and our God delivered us from corruption, in that he loveth mankind.

Collect-Hymn (Kondak). To-day art thou risen from the tomb, O Bountiful One, and hast led us forth from the gates of death; to-day Adam exulteth and Eve rejoiceth, and the Prophets, together with the Patriarchs, continually do sing the power divine of thy might.

Theme-Songs (Irmosi). I. He who of old, by his gesture divine, did gather together into one mass the waters and cleave the sea for the people of Israel, the same is our God exceedingly glorious: To him alone will we make our song, for he hath glorified himself.

Refrain. Glory to thy holy Resurrection, O Lord.

(Then the appointed Hymns, composed after the model of those shown in Tone I.)

III. O thou who from nothingness didst call forth all things created by the Word, and perfected by thy Spirit, O Ruler of the Universe: Stablish thou me in thy love. and Hs.

IV. Thou hast established a steadfast love to usward, O Lord; for thine Only-begotten Son hast thou given unto death for us. Wherefore we cry aloud with thanksgiving unto thee: Glory to thy might, O Lord. and Hs.

V. Right early do I wake unto thee, O Maker of all things, the Peace which passeth understanding; for thy commandments are the light: Guide thou me therein. and Hs.

VI. The nethermost abyss of sins hath compassed me about, and my soul forsaketh me. But stretch forth thy lofty arm, O Lord, and save me, as thou savedst Peter of old, O my Pilot. and Hs.

VII. As thou of old didst refresh with dew the three godly Children in the Chaldaeean flames, even so illumine thou with the radiant fire of the Godhead us who cry unto thee: Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers. and Hs.

VIII. When the godly Children were thrust into the fire intolerable, yet remained without hurt from the flame, they sang the song divine: O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord and exalt him unto all the ages. and Hs.

IX. A marvel new and befitting the Godhead! Through the closed gates of a Virgin the Lord passeth forth to sight; naked at his going-in, and at his coming-forth a bearer of the flesh did God manifest himself, and the gate remaineth closed: Her, who in wise ineffable is the Mother of God, we magnify-and Hs.