Paschal Hours
For the entire week following Pascha the “paschal hours” prayers replace our regular prayer rule at all times of the day! This is a wonderful way to maintain the Paschal joy of Christ’s resurrection! They should be chanted and/ or sung rather than simply read:
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death, and to those in the graves given life. (x3)
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 praise and glorify your holy Resurrection. For you are our God, we know no other but you, we name you by name. Come all the faithful, let us worship the holy Resurrection of Christ; for see, through the Cross, joy has come in all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we hymn his Resurrection. For having endured the Cross for us, he has destroyed death by death. (x3)
When they who were with Mary came, anticipating the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: Why do you seek among the dead, as though he were mortal man, Him who abides for in everlasting light. Behold the grave clothes. Go quickly and proclaim to the world that the Lord has risen, and has put death to death; for he is the Son of God, who saves human race.
Though you descended into the tomb, O Immortal, yet you destroyed the power of Hades; and you arose as victor, O Christ God, calling to the Myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice! and giving peace to your Apostles, O you who grant resurrection to the fallen.
With your body, O Christ, you were in the tomb, with your soul in Hell as God, in Paradise with the Thief, on the throne with Father and the Spirit, filling all things, yet yourself uncircumscribed.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Your tomb, O Christ, has been declared bearer of life, lovelier than Paradise, brighter than any kingly bridal chamber, the source of our resurrection.
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, divine and hallowed dwelling of the Most High, for through you, Mother of God, joy has been given to those who cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, spotless Lady!’ Lord, have mercy. (x40)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Greater in honour than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim. Without corruption you gave birth to God the Word; truly the Mother of God, we magnify you. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us.
This office is repeated three times at the Hours and for Morning and Evening Prayers.
At Compline (Evening Prayers), we add the following:
Blessed are you, Master almighty, who have given light to the day by the light of the sun and made the night bright with rays of fire, who have granted us to pass through the length of the day and draw near to the beginnings of the night. Hearken to our entreaty and that of all your people, and forgive all of us our sins voluntary and involuntary and send down the multitude of your mercy and acts of compassion upon your inheritance. Wall us about with your holy Angels. Arm us with the weapons of your justice. Surround us with the rampart of your truth. Guard us with your power. Deliver us from every calamity and every assault of the adversary. Grant us that the present evening with the coming night may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, without stumbling, and dreamless and likewise all the days of our life; at the prayers of the holy Mother of God and of all the Saints who have been well pleasing to you since time began. Amen.
Then at all times, we conclude:
Christ is risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death, and to those in the graves given life. (x3)