On great feast-days, after the Polyeleos, standing before an
icon laid on a lectern in the middle of the church,
the clergy sing a short verse magnifying the person or event celebrated. On
Sundays the troparia of the Resurrection are substituted for this verse;
they speak of the Resurrection of Christ and invite the faithful to worship the
Most Holy Trinity. These troparia are sung with the response “Blessed
art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes,” and end with a hymn in honor of the
Mother of God (Theotokion).
“The assembly of the Angels was amazed,
beholding Thee numbered among the dead; yet, O Saviour, destroying the
stronghold of death, and with Thyself raising up Adam,
and freeing all from Hades.
“Why mingle ye myrrh with tears of pity, O
ye women disciples? Thus the radiant Angel within the tomb addressed the
myrrh-bearing women: behold the tomb and understand, for the Saviour is risen from the tomb.
“Very early the myrrh-bearing women
hastened unto Thy tomb lamenting; but the Angel stood before them and said: The
time for lamentation is passed; weep not, but tell of the Resurrection to the
Apostles.
“The myrrh-bearing women, with myrrh came
to Thy tomb, O Saviour, bewailing, but the Angel addressed them saying: Why
number ye the living among the dead? For as God He is risen
from the tomb.
“Let us worship the Father, and His Son,
and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, one in essence, crying with the
Seraphim, Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Lord.
“In bringing forth the Giver of Life, thou
hast delivered Adam from sin, O Virgin, and hast brought joy to Eve instead of
sorrow; and those fallen from life hath thereunto been restored, by Him Who of
Thee was incarnate, God and Man.”