On Bright Week, instead of morning and evening prayers The Easter Hours are sung. Before Communion on these days, the Follow-up to Holy Communion (without psalms) and the Easter canon are read instead of all other canons.
All prayers (including thanksgiving for Holy Communion) are preceded by three readings of the Easter troparion: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.” Psalms and prayers from the Trisagion (“Holy God…”) through “Our Father” are not read.
From the second week after Easter the rule becomes the same, but before the Feast of the Ascension some features appear in it:
- instead of the prayer “To the Heavenly King,” the troparion of Easter is read three times,
- instead of the prayer “It is worthy to eat,” the refrain of the Easter canon “The angel crying with grace” is read with the irmos “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem.”
The document “On the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist”, approved in February 2016 by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church reminds that laity who wish to receive communion at the liturgies of Bright Week can limit their fast to not eating food after midnight and keeping themselves from excessive consumption of food and drink.
Rule for Holy Communion on Bright Week
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Holy Easter Clock
Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs. (Thrice)
Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Your holy resurrection: for You are our God, do we know no other to You, your name we call it. Come, all faithful, let us worship the saint Christ's resurrection: Behold, through the Cross joy has come to the whole world. Always blessing the Lord, we sing of His resurrection: having endured crucifixion, destroy death by death. (Thrice)
Ipakoi, voice 8th
Having anticipated the morning of Mary, and having found the stone rolled away from the tomb, I hear from the angel: in the light of the ever-present Being, with the dead, why do you seek as a man? You see the graveclothes, preach to the world that the Lord has risen, the slayer of death, as the Son of God, saving the human race.
Kontakion, tone 8
Even though you descended into the grave, Immortal, you destroyed the power of hell, and you rose again as a conqueror, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice, and grant peace to your apostles, grant resurrection to the fallen.
Troparion, tone 8
In the tomb carnally, in hell with the soul like God, in heaven with the thief, and on the throne you were, Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, fulfilling everything, the Indescribable.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Like the life-bearer, like the reddest of paradise, truly the brightest of all royal palaces, Christ, your tomb, the source of our resurrection.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Highly sanctified Divine village, rejoice: for you have given joy, O Theotokos, to those who call: blessed art thou among women, all-immaculate Lady.
Lord have mercy. (40 times)
Easter Canon, Tone 1
Song 1
Irmos: Resurrection day, let us enlighten people: Easter, the Lord's Easter! From death to life, and from earth to Heaven, Christ God has led us, singing in victory.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Let us purify our senses, and let us see the impregnable light of Christ’s resurrection shining, and rejoice, speaking clearly, and let us hear, singing victoriously.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Let the heavens rejoice with dignity, let the earth rejoice, let the world celebrate, all visible and invisible: Christ has risen, eternal joy.
Theotokos[∗]:
(Sung from the second day of Easter then giving)
You have broken the limit of mortification, having given birth to eternal life Christ, who has risen from the tomb today, the All-Immaculate Virgin, and who has enlightened the world.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having seen your resurrected Son and God, rejoice with the apostles, God-gracious pure one: and rejoice first, for you have received all the joys of wine, the All-immaculate Mother of God.
Song 3
Irmos: Come, we drink new beer, it is not from the barren stone that the miracle works, but from the incorruptible source, from the tomb that rained Christ, we are established in Nemzhe.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Now everything is filled with light, Heaven and earth and the underworld: let all creation celebrate the rise of Christ, established in Him.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Yesterday I was buried with You, Christ, today I stand with You in resurrection, I was crucified with You yesterday, glorify me Yourself, O Savior, in Your Kingdom.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I come today to imperishable life, born of the goodness of You, Pure One, and illuminated with all the light.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
God, Whom you gave birth to in the flesh, from the dead, as you said, having risen and seen, Pure One, rejoice, and exalt Him as God, Most Pure One.
Ipakoi, voice 4:
Having anticipated the morning of Mary, and having found the stone rolled away from the tomb, I hear from the Angel: in the light of the ever-present Being, what are you looking for with the dead, like a man? You see the graveclothes, tetsite, and preach to the world that the Lord has arisen, the one who put to death death, as he is the Son of God, saving the human race.
Song 4
Irmos: On divine watch, may the God-speaking Habakkuk stand with us and show us a luminous angel, clearly saying: today is salvation for the world, for Christ has risen, for he is omnipotent.
Christ is risen from the dead.
The male sex, as if Christ had opened the virgin womb, was called: like a man, He was called Lamb: and blameless, for the taste of filth is our Passover, and for the true God is perfect in His words.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Like the one-year-old lamb, Christ, the blessed crown for us, was slain for all, the cleansing Passover, and again from the tomb the red sun of righteousness rose for us.
Christ is risen from the dead.
God-father David, galloping before the hay ark, but the holy people of God, seeing the images of the event, rejoice divinely, as Christ is risen, as omnipotent.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having created Adam, Your forefather, the Pure One is built from You, and destroy the mortal dwelling with Your death today, and illuminate everything with the divine sparkles of the resurrection.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Whom you gave birth to Christ, who rose beautifully from the dead, Pure, seeing, kind and blameless in women and red, today for the salvation of all, with the apostles rejoicing, glorify Him.
Song 5
Irmos: Let us morning the deep morning, and instead of peace we will bring a song to the Lady, and we will see Christ, the Sun of Truth, life shining for all.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Thy immeasurable compassion is visible through the bonds of hell, Christ walks toward the light with merry feet, praising the eternal Easter.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Let us come, O luminaries, to Christ proceeding from the tomb as a bridegroom, and let us celebrate God’s saving Pascha with lustful rites.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The divine rays and life-giving rays of the resurrection of Your Son, Most Pure Mother of God, are enlightened, and the pious assembly is filled with joy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
You did not open the gates of virginity in the incarnation, you did not destroy the seals of the coffin, the King of creation: from where you saw the resurrected, Mother rejoiced.
Song 6
Irmos: Thou hast descended into the underworld of the earth and shattered the eternal faiths that contain those bound to Christ, and thou hast risen from the grave for three days, like Jonah from the whale.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Having preserved the signs intact, Christ, you rose from the grave, the keys of the Virgin unharmed at your birth, and you opened the doors of heaven to us.
Christ is risen from the dead.
My Savior, the living and non-sacrificial slaughter, as God Himself brought to the Father by His own will, You resurrected the all-begotten Adam, rose from the grave.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Elevated from ancient times by death and corruption, Incarnate from Your most pure womb, to the incorruptible and everlasting life, Virgin Mary.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Descended into the underworld of the earth, into Your lie, the Pure One, descended, and was infused and incarnated more than the mind, and raised Adam with Him, rose from the grave.
Kontakion, tone 8
Even though you descended into the grave, Immortal, you destroyed the power of hell, and you rose again as a conqueror, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice, and grant peace to your apostles, grant resurrection to the fallen.
Ikos
Even before the sun, the Sun sometimes set in the tomb, leading to the morning, looking for the Myrrh-Bearing Virgin like the day, and crying out to friends to friends: O friends! Come, let us anoint the life-giving and buried body with stinks, the flesh of the Resurrected fallen Adam, lying in the tomb. We come, sweating like wolves, and let us worship, and bring peace like gifts, not in swaddling clothes, but in a shroud, to Him entwined, and we weep and cry out: O Master, arise, grant resurrection to the fallen.
Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One, we worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Your holy resurrection: for You are our God, do we know no other to You, we call Your name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the holy resurrection of Christ: behold, for through the Cross joy has come to the whole world. Always blessing the Lord, we sing of His resurrection: having endured crucifixion, destroy death by death. (Thrice)
Jesus rose from the grave, as He prophesied, to give us eternal life and great mercy. (Thrice)
Song 7
Irmos: He who delivered the youths from the cave, having become a man, suffers as if mortal, and with the passion of death he clothes the mortal in incorruptibility with splendor, God alone is blessed and glorified.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Wives from the world of God-wise follow in your footsteps: Whom, as if dead, I seek with tears, bowing down, rejoicing in the Living God, and Your secret Pascha, O Christ, the disciple of the gospel.
Christ is risen from the dead.
In death we celebrate the mortification, the destruction of hell, the beginning of another eternal life, and playfully we sing of the Guilty One, the only one blessed by the fathers of God and the most glorified.
Christ is risen from the dead.
As truly sacred and all-celebratory, this saving night, and the luminous, light-bearing day, is the herald of the rising of beings: in it, the flightless Light from the grave rose carnally to all.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having put to death Your Son, the All-Immaculate Death, today, the life of all mortals remains free for all eternity, One blessed and glorified God of the Fathers.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Reign over all creation, having been a man, you entered into Your, God-gracious, womb, and having endured crucifixion and death, you rose again divinely, making us like omnipotent.
Song 8
Irmos: This is the appointed and holy day, one of the Sabbaths, King and Lord, a feast of feasts, and a triumph is a triumph: in it let us bless Christ forever.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Come, new vine birth, divine joy, in the deliberate days of resurrection, let us partake of the Kingdom of Christ, singing Him as God forever.
Christ is risen from the dead.
Lift your eyes around, O Zion, and see: behold, your children have come to you like a divinely luminous light, from the west, and the north, and the sea, and the east, blessing Christ in you forever.
Trinity: Holy Trinity Our God, glory to You.
Father Almighty, and Word, and Soul, the three Nature united in hypostases, the Most Essential and the Most Divine, we are baptized in Thee, and we bless Thee forever.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
By You the Lord, Virgin Mary, came into the world and dissolved the womb of hell, granting us mortals the resurrection: with the same let us bless Him forever.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thy Son, the Virgin, has overthrown all the power of death by His resurrection, as the mighty God has exalted us and deified us: in the same way we glorify Him forever.
Song 9
Chorus: My soul magnifies Christ the Giver of Life, who rose three days from the grave.
Irmos: Shine, shine, new Jerusalem: for the glory of the Lord is upon you, rejoice now, and rejoice, O Zion! You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.
Chorus: Christ is the new Passover, living sacrifice, Lamb of God, take away the sins of the world.
Oh, divine! Oh dear! O Thy sweetest voice! You have truly promised to be with us until the end of the age; Christ, Who is faithful, the affirmation of hope, we rejoice.
Chorus: The angel cried out with more grace: pure Virgin, rejoice, and again the river, rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the grave, and raised the dead, O people, rejoice.
Oh, great and sacred Easter, Christ! About wisdom, and the Word of God, and Power! Grant us more time to partake of You, in the unfading days of Your Kingdom.
Theotokos:
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
According to You, Virgin, we are blessed to be faithful: Rejoice, O door of the Lord, Rejoice, animated city; Rejoice, for for our sake the light has now arisen from You, Who was born from the dead of the resurrection.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Rejoice and rejoice, divine door of Light: for Jesus entered the tomb, ascended, shining brighter than the sun, and illuminated all the faithful, joyful to the Lady.
Exapostilarius is self-agreed
Having fallen asleep in the flesh as if dead, Thou art the King and Lord, who rose for three days, raised Adam from aphids, and abolished death: Easter is incorruptible, the salvation of the world. (Thrice)
Easter Stichera, Tone 5:
Poem: Let God rise again, and let His enemies be scattered.
The sacred Easter has appeared to us today: the new holy Easter, the mysterious Easter, the all-honorable Easter, the Easter of Christ the Redeemer: the immaculate Easter, the great Easter, the Easter of the faithful, the Easter that opens the doors of heaven to us, the Easter that sanctifies all the faithful.
Poem: As smoke disappears, let them disappear.
Come from the vision of the wife of the gospel, and cry to Zion: receive from us the joy of the annunciation of the Resurrection of Christ; Show off, rejoice and rejoice, O Jerusalem, seeing the King Christ from the tomb, like a bridegroom.
Poem: So let sinners perish from the presence of God, and let righteous women rejoice.
The myrrh-bearing woman, in the deep morning, appeared at the tomb of the Life-Giver, found an Angel, sat on a stone, and having preached to them, said to her: Why are you looking for the living with the dead? Why are you crying into the aphids? Go and preach as His disciples.
Poem: This day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad on it.
Red Easter, Easter, Lord's Easter! Easter is an all-honorable blessing for us. Easter! Let us embrace each other with joy. Oh Easter! Deliverance of sorrow, for from the grave today, as Christ has risen from the palace, fill the women with joy, saying: preach as an apostle.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Resurrection day, and let us be enlightened by triumph, and embrace each other. With our voices, brothers, and those who hate us, let us forgive all by the resurrection, and thus we cry out: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs.
Notes
[*]Chorus to them: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us,” or “Glory...”, “And now...”
Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs. ( Three times)
Lord have mercy. (40 times)
Prayers for Holy Communion
And poems:
Although eat, O man, the Body of the Lord,
Approach with fear, but don’t get burned: there is fire.
I drink the Divine Blood for communion,
First of all, reconcile those who have grieved you.
Also daring, the mysterious food is delicious.
Other verses:
Before communion there is a terrible sacrifice,
Lady of the Life-Giving Body,
Hereby pray with trembling:
Prayer 1, Basil the Great
Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, of all creation, visible and invisible, to the Creator, co-essential with the Son and co-originating with the beginningless Father, for the sake of much goodness in the last days he clothed himself in flesh, and was crucified, and was buried for us, ungrateful and evil-willed, and renewed by your blood Our nature, corrupted by sin, Himself, Immortal King, accept my sinful repentance, and incline Your ear to me, and hear my words. For I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned in heaven and before You, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Your glory: I have angered Your goodness, having transgressed Your commandments, and not listened to Your commands. But You, Lord, are kind, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, and did not give me up to perish with my iniquities, waiting for my conversion in every possible way. Thou art, O Lover of mankind, Thy prophet: for by will I do not want the death of a sinner, but the hedgehog will turn and live to be him. You do not want, Master, to destroy your creation by hand, and you are less than pleased with the destruction of mankind, but you want to save everyone and come into the mind of truth. Likewise, I, even though I am unworthy of heaven and earth, and sow temporary life, having subjected myself to sin, and enslaved myself with pleasure, and desecrated Your image; but having become Thy creation and creature, I do not despair of my salvation, the accursed one, but daring to receive Thy immeasurable compassion, I come. Receive me too, O Lord who loves mankind, as a harlot, as a thief, as a publican, as a prodigal, and take my heavy burden take away sins, the sin of the world, and heal human infirmities, call those who labor and are burdened to yourself and give them rest, not coming to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And cleanse me from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to perform holiness in Thy Passion: for by the pure knowledge of my conscience, having received part of Thy holy things, I may unite with Thy holy Body and Blood, and have You living and abiding in me, with the Father, and Your Holy Spirit. To her, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, may the communion of Thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries not be in judgment for me, nor may I be weak in soul and body, so that I am not worthy to receive communion, but grant me, even until my final breath, to accept without condemnation part of Thy holy things, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the path of eternal life, and in a favorable answer at Thy Last Judgment: for I, too, with all Thy chosen ones, will be a partaker of Thy incorruptible blessings, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord, in which Thou art glorified in eyelids. Amen.
Prayer 2, St. John Chrysostom
Lord my God, in knowing that I am not worthy, I am below pleased, and you have brought the temple of my soul under the roof, all empty and fallen, and there is no place in me worthy of bowing your head: but as from on high you humbled us for your sake, humble yourself and now to my humility; and as you received it in the den and in the wordless manger, reclining, take it in the wordless manger of my soul, and bring it into my defiled body. And just as you did not fail to bring in and shine a light on the sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so deign to bring into the house of my humble soul, lepers and sinners; and even though You did not reject a harlot and a sinner like me, who came and touched You, have mercy on me, a sinner, who comes and touches You; and just as you did not abhor her foul and unclean lips kissing Thee, below mine, abhor those defiled and unclean lips, below my vile and unclean lips, and my foul and unclean tongue. But may the coal of Your most holy Body, and Your honorable Blood, be for me, for the sanctification and enlightenment and health of my humble soul and body, for the relief of the burdens of many of my sins, for the protection from every devilish action, for the driving away and prohibition of my evil and evil customs, for the mortification of passions, for the supply of Thy commandments, for the application of Thy Divine grace, and the appropriation of Thy Kingdom. It is not because I come to You, O Christ our God, that I despise You, but because I dare you in Your ineffable goodness, and let me not withdraw from Your fellowship in the depths, I will be hunted down by the mental wolf. In the same way I pray to You: as the only One who is Holy, Master, sanctify my soul and body, mind and heart, womb and womb, and renew all of me, and root Your fear in my hearts, and create Your sanctification inseparably from me; and be my helper and intercessor, feeding my belly in the world, making me worthy to stand at Your right hand with Your saints, the prayers and supplications of Your Most Pure Mother, Your immaterial servants and the Most Pure Powers, and all the saints who have pleased You from the ages. Amen.
Prayer 3, Simeon Metaphrastus
One pure and incorruptible Lord, for the ineffable mercy of our love for mankind, we have received all the mixture, from pure and virgin blood, more than the nature, who gave birth to Thee, the Divine Spirit by invasion, and by the good will of the ever-present Father, Christ Jesus, the wisdom of God, and peace, and power; By your perception of the life-giving and saving suffering perceived, cross, nails, spear, death, mortify my soul-smothering bodily passions. By Your burial of the hellish kingdoms, bury my good thoughts, evil advice, and destroy the spirits of wickedness. By Thy three-day and life-giving resurrection of the fallen forefather, raise me up in the sin that crawled, offering me images of repentance. By Thy glorious ascension, the carnal perception of God, and honor this on the right hand of the Father, grant me the gift of receiving the communion of Thy holy Mysteries on the right hand of those who are being saved. By bringing forth the Comforter of Thy Spirit, Thy disciples have made honorable sacred vessels, friend and show me That coming. Although you would like to come again to judge the universe with righteousness, deign to seat You on the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Your saints: may I endlessly glorify and sing Your praises, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 4, his
For in Thy Terrible One, who is unaccepting of persons, I stand before the Judgment Seat, O Christ God, and raise condemnation, and create a word about the evil things I have done; This day, before the day of my condemnation has even come, standing at Your holy Altar before You and before Your terrible and holy Angels, I bow down from my conscience, I offer my wicked and lawless deeds, reveal this and reprove. See, Lord, my humility, and forgive all my sins; see how my iniquity has multiplied more than the hair of my head. Why haven't you done evil? What sin have I not committed? What evil have I not imagined in my soul? I have already committed deeds: fornication, adultery, pride, arrogance, reproach, blasphemy, idle talk, inappropriate laughter, drunkenness, guttural rage, gluttony, hatred, envy, love of money, covetousness, covetousness, selfishness, love of glory, theft, untruth, ill-gaining, jealousy , slander, lawlessness; I have created every feeling and every evil that is defiled, corrupted, and indecent, and has become a work of the devil in every way. And I know, Lord, that my iniquities have surpassed my head; but the multitude of Thy bounties is immeasurable, and the mercy of Thy kindness is inexpressible, and there is no sin, conquering Thy love for mankind. Moreover, wonderful King, kindly Lord, surprise me, a sinner, with Thy mercy, show Thy goodness the power and show the strength of Thy gracious mercy, and when you turn, accept me, a sinner. Receive me as you received the prodigal, the robber, the harlot. Receive me, having sinned You beyond measure in word and deed, with placeless lust and wordless thought. And just as at the one and tenth hour you accepted those who came, having done nothing worthy, so also accept me, a sinner: for many have sinned and become defiled, and have grieved Thy Holy Spirit, and grieved Thy humane womb in deed, and in word, and in thought, in the night and in the days, both manifest and unmanifest, willingly and unwillingly. And we know that you have presented my sins before me as such as I have committed, and have spoken with me about those who have sinned unforgivenly in their minds. But Lord, Lord, do not reprove me with Thy righteous judgment, nor with Thy wrath, nor punish me with Thy wrath; have mercy on me, Lord, for I am not only weak, but also Your creation. For Thou, O Lord, hast Thou established Thy fear upon me, and I have done evil before Thee. For You alone have sinned, but I pray to You, do not enter into judgment with Your servant. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For I am the abyss of sin, and I am not worthy, below I am content to look up and see the heights of heaven, from the multitude of my sins, which are innumerable: every atrocity and deceit, and the cunning of Satan, and corruption, resentment, advice to sin and other countless passions are not destitute of me. Why haven't my sins been corrupted? Are Kiimi not kept evil? Every sin I have committed, every uncleanness I have put into my soul, would be undesirable for You, my God, and man. Who will raise me up, in the face of evil and a bit of fallen sin? Lord my God, I have trusted in You; If I have hope of salvation, if Thy love for mankind overcomes the multitude of my iniquities, be my savior, and according to Thy bounties and Thy mercy, weaken, forgive, forgive me all that I have sinned, for my soul is filled with many evils and is not in me. saving hope. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy and do not reward me according to my deeds, and do not judge me according to my deeds, but convert me, intercede, and deliver my soul from the evils and cruel perceptions that co-increase with it. Save me for the sake of Thy mercy, that where sin increases, Thy grace abounds; and I will praise and glorify You always, all the days of my life. For You are the God of those who repent and the Savior of those who sin; and we send glory to You with Your Beginning Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 5, St. John of Damascus
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone have the power to forgive man’s sins, for as he is good and a lover of mankind, I have despised all sins in knowledge and not in knowledge, and grant me without condemnation to partake of Thy Divine, and glorious, and most pure, and life-giving Mysteries, not in heaviness, neither torment, nor to the addition of sins, but to cleansing, and sanctification, and the betrothal of the future Life and kingdom, to the wall and help, and to the objection of those who resist, to the destruction of many of my sins. For You are the God of mercy, and generosity, and love for mankind, and we send up glory to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 6, St. Basil the Great
We know, Lord, that I unworthily partake of Thy most pure Body and Thy honorable Blood, and I am guilty, and I condemn myself to pit and drink, not judging the Body and Blood of You of Christ and my God, but in Thy bounty I boldly come to You who said: You eat My flesh and drink My blood, he abides in Me, and I in him. Have mercy, O Lord, and do not expose me, a sinner, but do with me according to Your mercy; and may this saint be mine for healing, and purification, and enlightenment, and preservation, and salvation, and for the sanctification of soul and body; to drive away every dream, and evil deed, and the action of the devil, acting mentally in my lands, into boldness and love, even towards You; for the correction of life and affirmation, for the return of virtue and perfection; in fulfillment of the commandments, in communion with the Holy Spirit, in the guidance of the eternal life, in response to a favorable response at Thy Last Judgment: not in judgment or condemnation.
Prayer 7, Saint Simeon the New Theologian
From vile lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a soul defiled, accept this prayer, my Christ, and do not despise my words, below images, below lack of study. Grant me to boldly say what I want, my Christ, and even more so, teach me what I should do and say. Having sinned more than the harlot, even though I knew where you were, having bought myrrh, I came boldly to anoint Your nose, my God, my Lord and Christ. Just as you did not reject the one that came from your heart, abhor me below, the Word: Give yours to my nose, and hold and kiss, and boldly anoint this with streams of tears, like a valuable ointment. Wash me with my tears, cleanse me with them, O Word. Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness. Weigh a multitude of evils, weigh my scabs, and see my ulcers, but also weigh my faith, and see my will, and hear my sighing. There is no hidden part of you, my God, my Creator, my Savior, below a drop of tears, below a drop of a certain part. Thy eyes have seen what I have not done, and in Thy book the essence of what has not yet been done is written to You. See my humility, see my great labor, and forgive me all my sins, O God of all: so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought, and a contrite soul, I may partake of Your undefiled and most holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats poison and drinks with a pure heart is revived and adored; For you have said, my Lord: everyone who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, he abides in Me, and in Him I Am. The word of all my Lord and God is true: for you partake of the divine and adoring graces, for I am not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Trisunlar Light, enlightening the world. May I not be alone besides You, the Life-Giver, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world. For this reason, I come to You, as if I saw you, with tears, and with a contrite soul, I ask you to accept the deliverance of my sins, and to partake of Your life-giving and immaculate Mysteries without condemnation, so that You may remain, as You have promised, with me, the repentant one: may I not find Your grace except, the deceiver will delight me with the flatterer, and deceiving will lead away those who idolize Your words. For this reason I fall down to You, and cry out to You warmly: as You received the prodigal, and the harlot who came, so receive me, the prodigal and the defiled, Generously. With a contrite soul, now coming to You, we know, Savior, as another, like I, did not sin against You, lower than the deeds I did. But we know this again, because not the greatness of sins, nor the multitude of sins exceeds my God’s great patience and extreme love for mankind; but by the grace of compassion, warmly repentant, and purifying, and brightening, and creating light, you are partakers, associates of Your Divinity, doing unenviably, and strange things with both the Angel and human thought, conversing with them many times, as if with Your true friend. This is the bold thing they do to me, this is what they force me to do, O my Christ. And daring to show us Your rich kindness, rejoicing and trembling together, the grass partakes of the fire, and a strange miracle, we water it without burning, just as the bush of old burned without burning. Now with a grateful thought, with a grateful heart, with grateful hands, my soul and my body, I worship and magnify and glorify Thee, my God, for being blessed, now and forever.
Prayer 8, St. John Chrysostom
God, weaken, forsake, forgive me my sins, those who have sinned, whether in word, whether in deed, whether in thought, will or involuntarily, by reason or foolishness, forgive me all, as you are good and a lover of mankind, and through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, your intelligent servants and Holy powers, and all the saints from the ages who have pleased You, without condemnation, deign to accept Your holy and most pure Body and venerable Blood, for the healing of soul and body, and for the cleansing of my evil thoughts. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
His same, 9th
I am not pleased, Master Lord, that you may come under the roof of my soul; but since You, as a Lover of Mankind, want to live in me, I boldly approach; You command that I open the doors that You alone created, and with love for mankind, like You, you will see and enlighten my darkened thoughts. I believe that You have done this: You did not drive away the harlot who came to You with tears; You have rejected below the publican, having repented; below the thief, having come to know Your kingdom, You drove away; Thou hast left the repentant lower than the persecutor; but from repentance Thou hast brought all who have come to Thee, in the person of Thy friends Thou hast made the One blessed, always, now and unto endless ages. Amen.
His same, 10th
Lord Jesus Christ my God, weaken, forgive, cleanse and forgive my sinful, and indecent, and unworthy servant, my sins, and transgressions, and my fall from grace, from my youth, even to this day and hour, those who have sinned: if in mind and in foolishness, or in words or deeds, or thoughts and thoughts, and undertakings, and all my feelings. And through the prayers of the Most Pure and Ever-Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, who without seed gave birth to Thy one unashamed hope and intercession and salvation, grant me to uncondemnedly partake of Thy most pure, immortal, life-giving and terrible Mysteries, for the remission of sins and for eternal life: for sanctification and enlightenment, strength, healing, and health of soul and body, and in the consumption and complete destruction of my evil thoughts, and thoughts, and enterprises, and nightly dreams, dark and crafty spirits; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, and the honor, and the worship, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer 11, St. John of Damascus
I stand before the doors of Your temple, and I do not retreat from fierce thoughts; but You, Christ God, have justified the publican, and had mercy on the Canaanites, and opened the doors of paradise to the thief, open to me the womb of Your love for mankind, and accept me, coming and touching You, like a harlot who is bleeding: and having touched the hem of Your robe, make it easy to receive healing, Thy most pure ones restrained their noses and bore the remission of sins. But I, the accursed one, dare to perceive Your whole Body, so that I will not be scorched; but accept me as you do, and enlighten my spiritual feelings, burning away my sinful guilt, with the prayers of the One who gave birth to You, and Heavenly forces; for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom
I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, from whom I am the first. I also believe that this is Your most pure Body, and this is Your most pure Blood. I pray to You: have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance, and grant me, without condemnation, to partake of Your most pure Sacraments, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.
When you come to receive communion, mentally recite these verses of Metaphrast:
Here I begin to receive Divine Communion.
Co-creator, do not scorch me with communion:
You are fire, unworthy of scorching.
But cleanse me from all filth.
Then:
And poems:
It is in vain, O man, that you should be horrified by the worshiping Blood:
There is fire, you unworthy ones burn.
The Divine Body both adores and nourishes me:
She loves the spirit, but she feeds the mind strangely.
Then the troparia:
You have sweetened me with love, O Christ, and you have changed me with Your Divine care; but my sins fell into immaterial fire, and I am vouchsafed to be filled with pleasure in You: let me rejoice, O Blessed One, magnify Your two comings.
In the light of Thy Saints, what is there who is unworthy? Even if I dare to go into the palace, my clothes will expose me as not being for marriage, and I will be cast out from the Angels, bound and bound. Cleanse, Lord, the filth of my soul, and save me, as a Lover of Mankind.
Also prayer:
O Master, Lover of Mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, let this Holy One not be brought into judgment against me, because I am unworthy of being: but for the purification and sanctification of soul and body, and for the betrothal of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me, if I cleave to God, to place the hope of my salvation in the Lord.
And further:
Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.
Holy Easter of Christ is the greatest holiday in the life of any Christian. It is not surprising that, for some time, it changes our entire lifestyle. In particular, home prayers Holy Week different from the usual ones. The order of preparation of a layman for Communion is changing. From the evening of the first Saturday after Easter until the feast of Trinity, some of the usual elements of morning and evening prayers also change.
So, let's look at how the home prayers of Bright Week are changing and how they differ from those we are used to. I admit that my page can be read by people who are just joining the church, and I will start with a small introduction.
One of the important moments of a Christian’s church life is the daily home (so-called “cell”) reading of morning and evening prayers. This can be compared to " Good morning" And " Good night”, which loving children say to their parents in the morning and when going to bed. Morning and evening prayers are a set of prayers composed by various saints, which the Church recommends as containing the most necessary for every Orthodox doxology and petition to God, the Mother of God and the saints for the day and the coming night.
From the Feast of Easter to the Feast of Trinity, home prayers are modified in order to express respect for the holy holiday during Bright Week and then to show the believer's understanding of the main biblical events that followed it.
The most important change that a believer needs to know about: on all days of Easter Week (Bright Week) - the first week after the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, until Saturday morning inclusive - evening and morning prayers can't read at home. Instead, the Easter Hours are sung or read. They can be found in large prayer books and canonical prayer books.
Also, any other home prayers of Bright Week - canons, akathists, etc. must be preceded by three readings of the Easter troparion:
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tombs”
Preparation for Communion on Bright Week
If a Christian spent in abstinence and prayer Lent, then on Bright Week he can begin Communion on an empty stomach (that is, without taking food or water since midnight), but without fasting the day before. Of course, a reservation should be made that before Communion and break the fast Breaking the fast- permission, at the end of fasting, to eat fasting food that is prohibited during fasting It is necessary in moderation, without overeating and without indulging in drunkenness or smoking tobacco.
The home prayers of Bright Week, which make up the rule for Holy Communion, are changed in this way: instead of the three canons (Repentant, Theotokos and Guardian Angel), the Canon of Easter is read, then the Easter Hours, the Canon for Communion with prayers.
As mentioned above, all prayers, including thanksgiving prayers according to Holy Communion, are preceded by three readings of the troparion of Easter, and psalms and prayers from the Trisagion to “Our Father...” (with troparions after it) are not read.
Regarding confession before Communion: if you confessed at Holy Week and have not committed serious sins, then the need for confession immediately before Communion is best determined with the priest of the church where you want to receive communion or with your confessor.
Home prayers for the second week of Easter and until Trinity
From the second week after Easter (the evening of the first Saturday), the reading of the usual morning and evening prayers is resumed, as well as the Rules for Holy Communion, including the canons to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Guardian Angel and the Follow-up to Holy Communion.
However, it is necessary to pay attention to the following features: before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (40th day after Easter), on the eve of which the Easter holiday is celebrated, instead of praying to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King...” the Easter troparion “Christ is risen from the dead...” is read three times.
From the Ascension to the Feast of the Holy Trinity (50th day), prayers begin with the Trisagion “Holy God...”, the prayer to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King...” is not read or sung until the Feast of the Holy Trinity.
Let me remind you once again that until the day of the Holy Trinity we are canceling prostrations not only at home, but also in the Temple, in particular - at the exclamation “Holy to the Holy” and when taking out the Holy Chalice.
Zadostoynik
From Monday of Bright Week until Ascension, instead of the usual ending of the prayers, “It is worthy to eat...”, the worthy saint is sung.
Communion is one of the main and obligatory rites for every Orthodox Christian. Its other name is Eucharist, and if translated from Greek, this word means “thanksgiving.” Its deepest essence lies in the communion of a person with God, union with him spiritually and physically: having drunk wine and tasted bread, a Christian seems to taste the very blood and body of Christ. This is a demonstration of readiness to accept the Lord with all your soul. But in order to confirm the sincerity of his intentions, a layman must undergo purification by fasting and prayers of repentance. The practice of preparing for the sacrament on Bright Week constitutes a special case.
The Charter of the Orthodox Church before the Eucharist prescribes the fulfillment of certain rules, which include:
- observing spiritual and physical fasting for three days;
- reconciliation with those who offended and asking for forgiveness from the offended;
- abstaining from slander and condemnation;
- attending the evening service on the eve of the Eucharist;
- repentance of sins and receiving a blessing from the priest for communion;
- reading the prayer rule for communion;
- observing the Eucharistic fast (not eating or drinking after midnight).
Until recently, there was controversy surrounding the issue of communion with the holy sacraments on Bright Week. Different practices followed in different parishes, based mainly on the thesis that without repentance there is no communion. Easter fills the soul of every believer with rejoicing, and the sacrament of the Eucharist is always associated with confession of committed sins. According to established tradition, repentance and a joyful mood on the day of the Resurrection of the Lord were considered incompatible.
The document “On the Participation of the Faithful in the Eucharist,” approved by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, defines the believer’s need to receive the holy gifts as a special spiritual and moral state, the desire to unite with the Savior, forming one body with him. In this way, all apparent contradictions between the content of the great holiday and the essence of communion on Easter week are eliminated.
The same document also stipulates some aspects of the rite of communion during the Easter period. Bearing in mind that the church charter does not provide for fasting during Bright Week, and the day of Easter itself was preceded by the seven-week feat of Great Lent. Christians who observe it can begin communion, limiting themselves only to the Eucharistic fast.
A blessing by a confessor of a lay person for the communion of the holy gifts can occur without confession, except in those cases when the communicant himself experiences a special need for it.
How to prepare for communion on Bright Week
Every Christian believer should also know how the Easter procession for Holy Communion takes place. Prayerful preparation for the Eucharist in common days includes morning and evening prayer rules, following the holy communion, as well as canons.
Those who wish to receive communion should
wives lead these prayers privately and in church. Order on Bright Week prayer preparation changes, so you should know what to read before communion Easter week. In a day Happy Resurrection the communion canons of the usual sequence are replaced by the Easter canon before communion . This is the central chant of the festive matins, the main idea of which is associated with the Resurrection of Christ.
The souls of believers should be filled with bright, enthusiastic feelings, therefore the church charter replaces the prayers of repentance with the Easter canon for holy communion. Another feature of the sacrament celebrated on Bright Week is that the passage to Holy Communion is read without psalms, and the morning and evening rules are replaced by the hours of Holy Easter.
The prayers of thanksgiving for the Eucharist remain unshakable and must be read at the end of the service. After the completion of the sacrament, it is necessary to maintain spiritual purity in order to preserve in thoughts the grace of the most important holiday - Easter.
The temple is already closedready and ready for service,but everyone needs to get out of it. And the doors must be closed. Now in our minds the temple is the Life-Giving Tomb of the Savior. And we ourselves go to him, like the myrrh-bearing women once did.
Ceremonial ringing
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The basis of the world is the week. The number six indicates the created world, and the number seven reminds us that the created world is covered with blessing. Here is the key to understanding the Sabbath celebration. On the seventh day, i.e. on Saturday, God blessed what he created, and, resting on Saturday from daily affairs, a person had to reflect on the deeds of the Creator, glorify Him for the fact that He had wonderfully arranged everything. On Saturday a person should not show any power
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Without faith in the Risen Christ there is no Christianity. That is why all opponents of our faith persistently try to shake the truth of the Resurrection.
The first objection: Christ did not die on the cross: He only fell into a deep faint, from which he later woke up in a cave, got up from His bed, rolled away a huge stone from the door of the tomb and left the cave... To this...
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LATEST COMMENTS
Everything is as it should be. The soul rests on your website: there is no verbose and empty information. It is clear that your church is loved by your parishioners. It's so cool. Apparently, you have the right abbot, since such work is being carried out. Good luck and God help you. I look forward to your updates. Igor. Kaluga
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Very interesting site!!! I remember the Temple from childhood... I was baptized in this Temple and my children too. And in 09, Father Theodore baptized my husband. I am very grateful to him... The publications are interesting and informative. I am now a frequent visitor... Magadan
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Fasting, Sunday, travel to Bethlehem. What else does the soul need? Prayer. God bless Father Fyodor you and the site staff for your concern for our souls, hearts and minds. Svetlana
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Hello! Today I saw an announcement in the church that there is a website for our Resurrection Cathedral. It’s so joyful and pleasant to visit the site, every day now I will go to the site of our temple and read soul-helping literature. God bless all those who work in the temple! Thank you very much for your care and work! Julia
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CHRIST IS RISEN
From the day of Holy Easter to the Feast of the Ascension (40th day), Orthodox Christians greet each other with the words: “Christ is Risen!” and answer “Truly He is Risen!”
EASTER HOURS
ABOUT COMMUNION
BRIGHT WEEK
The entire Bright Week is the most bright days church year, when the Divine Liturgy is served every day with the Royal Doors open. And only in this week (week) after each Divine Liturgy there is a procession of the cross with an icon, Banners, and Artos.
Cancelled one-day posts on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Features of Holy Week services:
On Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday and Holy Thursday:
8:00 – Divine Liturgy. At the end Procession with the removal of Artos;
I have been asked the following question several times:
Can we receive communion on Easter? And on Bright Week? To receive communion, do we need to continue fasting?
Good question. However, it betrays a lack of clear understanding of things. On Easter it is not only possible, but even necessary to receive communion. In favor of this statement, I would like to summarize a number of arguments:
1. In the first centuries of the history of the Church, as we see in the canons and patristic works, participation in the Liturgy without communion of the Holy Mysteries was simply unthinkable. (I advise you to read the article about this: " When and how should we receive communion" .) However, over time, especially in our area, the level of piety and understanding among Christians began to fall, and the rules for preparing for communion became stricter, in some places even excessive (including double standards for clergy and laity). Despite this, communion on Easter was a common practice, continuing to this day in all Orthodox countries. However, some put off communion until Easter itself, as if someone is stopping them from taking the Chalice every Sunday of Lent and throughout the year. Thus, ideally we should receive communion at every liturgy, especially on Maundy Thursday, when the Eucharist was instituted, at Easter and at Pentecost, when the Church was born.
2. Those on whom penance is imposed due to any serious sin, some confessors allow communion (only) on Easter, after which, for some time, they continue to carry out their penance. This practice, which, however, is not and should not be generally accepted, took place in ancient times, to help penitents, to strengthen them spiritually, allowing them to join in the joy of the holiday. On the other hand, allowing penitents to receive communion on Easter indicates that the mere passage of time and even the personal efforts of the penitent are not enough to save a person from sin and death. Indeed, for this it is necessary that the risen Christ Himself send light and strength to the soul of the repentant (just as Reverend Mary Egyptian, who led a dissolute lifestyle until the last day during her stay in the world, she was able to take the path of repentance in the desert only after communion with Christ). From here it appeared and spread to some places misconception that only robbers and fornicators receive communion on Easter. But does the Church have a separate communion for robbers and fornicators, and another for those who lead a Christian life? Isn't Christ the same at every liturgy throughout the year? Doesn’t everyone commune with Him - priests, kings, beggars, robbers, and children? By the way, the word of St. John Chrysostom (at the end of Easter Matins) calls everyone without division to communion with Christ. His call "Those who fasted and those who did not fast, rejoice now! The meal is plentiful: be satisfied, everyone! Taurus is big and well-fed: no one will leave hungry!” clearly refers to the communion of the Holy Mysteries. It is surprising that some read or listen to this word without realizing that we are not called to eat with meat dishes, but to communion with Christ.
3. The dogmatic aspect of this problem is also extremely important. People are jostling in lines to buy and eat lamb for Easter - for some, this is the only “biblical commandment” that they observe in their lives (since the other commandments do not suit them!). However, when the book of Exodus speaks of the slaughter of the Passover lamb, it refers to the Jewish Passover, where the lamb was a type of Christ the Lamb slain for us. Therefore, eating the Passover lamb without communion with Christ means returning to Old Testament and refusal to acknowledge Christ"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In addition, people bake all kinds of Easter cakes or other dishes, which we call "Passover". But don't we know that "Our Easter is Christ"(1 Cor 5:7)? Therefore, all these Easter dishes should be a continuation, but not a replacement, for the sacrament of the Holy Mysteries. This is not particularly talked about in churches, but we should all know that Easter is, first of all, Liturgy and communion with the Risen Christ.
4. Some also say that you cannot take communion on Easter, because then you will eat the savory meal. But doesn't the priest do the same thing? Why then is it done? Easter Liturgy, and after it one is blessed to eat dairy and meat? Isn’t it clear that after communion you can eat everything? Or maybe someone perceives the Liturgy as a theatrical performance, and not as a call to communion with Christ? If eating the humble meal were incompatible with communion, then the Liturgy would not be celebrated on Easter and Christmas, or there would be no breaking of the fast. Moreover, this applies to the entire liturgical year.
5. And now about communion on Holy Week. Canon 66 of the Council of Trullo (691) stipulates that Christians" enjoyed the Holy Mysteries"during the entire Holy Week, despite the fact that it is continuous. Thus, they begin communion without fasting. Otherwise there would be no liturgy, or fasting would continue. The idea of the need to fast before communion concerns, first of all, the Eucharistic fast before receiving the Holy Mysteries. Such a strict Eucharistic fast is prescribed for at least six, or even nine hours (not like Catholics, who receive communion an hour after the meal). If we are talking about a multi-day fast, then the seven-week fast that we kept is quite enough, and there is no need - moreover, it is even forbidden - to continue fasting. At the end of Bright Week, we will fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as during three other multi-day fasts. After all, priests do not fast on Holy Week before communion, and then it is unclear where the idea came from that the laity should fast on these days! However, in my opinion, only those who have observed the entire Great Lent, who lead an integral, balanced Christian life, always strive for Christ (and not just through fasting) and perceive Communion not as a reward for their works, but as a cure for spiritual illnesses.
Thus, every Christian is called to prepare for communion and ask the priest for it, especially at Easter. If the priest refuses without any reason (in the event that the person does not have such sins for which penance is imposed), but uses various kinds of excuses, then, in my opinion, the believer can go to another temple, to another priest ( only if the reason for leaving for another parish is valid and is not deceit). This state of affairs, which is especially widespread in the Republic of Moldova, needs to be corrected as soon as possible, especially since the highest hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church has given clear instructions to priests not to deny the faithful communion without obvious canonical grounds (see Resolutions of the Councils of Bishops 2011 and 2013 ). Thus, we should look for wise confessors, and if we have found them, we must obey them and, under their guidance, receive communion as often as possible. You shouldn't entrust your soul to just anyone.
There have been cases when some Christians began to take communion on Easter, and the priest laughed at them in front of the entire church meeting, saying: “Wasn’t seven weeks enough for you to take communion? Why are you violating the customs of the village?” I would like to ask such a priest: “Wasn’t four or five years of study at a religious institution enough for you to decide: either you will become a serious priest, or you will go to herd cows, because you are “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor 4:1) They can’t say such nonsense...” And we must talk about this not for the sake of ridicule, but with pain about the Church of Christ, in which such incompetent people serve. A real priest not only does not forbid people to receive communion, but also encourages them to do so and teaches them to live so that they can approach the Chalice at every liturgy. And then the priest himself rejoices at how different the Christian life of his flock becomes. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!".
Therefore, “let us approach Christ with the fear of God, faith and love” in order to better understand what “Christ is risen!” means! and “Truly he is risen!” After all, He Himself says: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:53-54).
Translation by Elena-Alina Patrakova
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