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 way of life. In particular, the home prayers of Bright Week differ 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 very feast of Trinity, some familiar 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 are not 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 prayers of thanks for Holy Communion, are preceded by three readings of the Easter troparion, and psalms and prayers from the Trisagion to “Our Father...” (with troparions after it) are not read.

Regarding confession before Communion: if you confessed during Holy Week and did not commit grave 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.

I remind you once again that before the day of the Holy Trinity, prostrations to the ground are canceled not only at home, but also in the Temple, in particular - to the exclamation “Holy to the Saints” 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.

According to a long-standing tradition, the usual morning and evening prayers are replaced by Easter hours on Bright Week. All hours: 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th are exactly the same and read the same way. This sequence of the Easter Hours contains the main Easter hymns. It begins, of course, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs,” “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ...” is sung three times, then the ipakoi, exapostilary, and so on are sung. This sequence of reading times is much shorter than the usual morning and evening rule. Ordinary prayers, which contain both repentant prayers and other types, are all replaced by Easter chants, which express our joy at this great event.

How do they receive communion on Bright Week? What is the charter of the Church?

There are no regulations of the Church regarding the specifics of Communion on Bright Week. They receive communion in exactly the same order as they receive communion at other times.

But there are different traditions. There is a tradition of the synodal period of the pre-revolutionary Church. It was that people received communion quite rarely. And, mainly, they received communion by fasting. It was not customary to receive communion on Easter. Back in the 70-80s, in the Pyukhtitsa monastery, the desire to take communion Easter night was perceived as a very strange movement, it seemed that it was absolutely unnecessary. Well, as a last resort, in Holy Saturday, and in general, in Maundy Thursday, it was considered necessary to take communion. The same thing applied to Bright Week. The logic that in this case This practice is justified approximately by the fact that Communion is always associated with repentance, with confession before Communion, and since we celebrate a great holiday and, in general, other great holidays, then what kind of repentance is there on a holiday? And no repentance means no Communion.

From my point of view, this does not stand up to any theological criticism. And the practice of the ancient Church of the pre-Synodal period, both in Russia and in general in the ancient Church everywhere, was that precisely on great holidays people always sought to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Because to experience the fullness of the celebrated event, to truly participate in the event that the Church celebrates, is possible only in Communion. And if we experience this event only speculatively, then this is not at all what the Church wants and can give to us, believers. We must join in! To physically join the reality that is remembered on this day. And this can be done only by fully participating in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which takes place on this day.

Therefore, modern practice in most churches is such that people are under no circumstances denied Communion on Bright Week. I think that it is reasonable for those who wish to receive communion these days to limit themselves to the confession that took place during Holy Week. If a person came on Holy Days and confessed, and he does not feel such serious internal reasons that would separate him from the opportunity to receive communion, some sins during this Easter period, then I think that it would be completely possible to receive communion without confession . However, under no circumstances do I recommend doing this without consulting with your confessor, and somehow agreeing with the priest in whose church you are receiving communion. Just so that there are no misunderstandings or differences of opinion.

Why is it that on Holy Saturday, on Easter itself and throughout Bright Week, instead of the Trisagion, “Those who were baptized into Christ, who put on Christ!”, which is sung at the baptism of people, is sung instead of the Trisagion?

This means that this period in the ancient church was a period of mass baptism. And if people were baptized on Holy Saturday, which was practiced extremely widely, so that they would already take part in Easter service as faithful, and not as catechumens, then throughout the entire Bright Week these people were constantly in the temple. They were anointed with myrrh, and the places anointed with myrrh were tied with special bandages. In this form, people sat in the temple without leaving. It was a little like how now, when one is tonsured a monk, the newly tonsured person is constantly in the church and participates in all services. The same thing happened to the newly baptized for seven days. And, in addition, this was the time when sacramental or secret conversations were held with them (mystogogy in Greek). We can read these conversations St. Maximus Confessor, other famous preachers of the ancient Church who did a lot to educate the newly baptized. These are the conversations and daily prayer and Communion in church. And on the eighth day, the very rituals that we perform immediately after Baptism were performed: cutting hair, wiping off the world, and so on. All this took place on the eighth day after the period of a person’s dedication, real churching, introduction into church life. They wiped him off, took off the bandages, and he emerged as a truly experienced spiritual Christian and began his further church life. Therefore, in the ancient church such people, and the laity along with them, received communion daily. Everyone praised God together for His great benefits.

Bright Week is continuous, what to do with fasting?

Here you can refer to the practice of priests. We all serve on these bright days, and the priests do not fast at all. This fast before Communion is associated with the tradition of relatively rare communion. If people take communion regularly, say, once a week, come to church on Sundays, come to take communion on the Twelfth Feast, then I think that most priests do not require these people to fast specially before Communion, other than the natural ones fast days– Wednesdays and Fridays, which are for all people and always. And if, as we know, these days do not exist on Bright Week, it means that on these days we do not fast and receive communion without this special fast before Communion.

Is it possible to read akathists on Bright Week, at least privately? Maybe only the Lord can be glorified this week, but the Mother of God and the saints are not allowed?

Indeed, now all our spiritual experiences are directed towards this main Event. Therefore, in churches you notice that priests on vacations do not, most often, commemorate the daily saints, but pronounce the festive Easter vacation. In services, we also do not use the memory of saints, although a prayer service on Holy Easter, if performed, then there is a commemoration of the saints of the day, and the troparion can be sung. There is no such strict statutory rule that the commemoration of saints during this period is strictly prohibited. But such services as akathists and others, which are dedicated to events not related to the Resurrection, will somewhat unfocus our spiritual attention. And, perhaps, indeed, during this period you should not study the calendar too carefully and see what events are there, but rather immerse yourself more in the experiences of Easter events. Well, if there is such a great inspiration, then, of course, you can read the akathist privately.

Is it possible to remember the dead during Holy Week and Bright Week?

According to tradition, it is not customary in the Church to perform funeral services on Holy and Bright Weeks. If a person dies, he is buried with a special Easter rite, and the first mass commemoration of the dead, which takes place after Easter, is Radonitsa: Tuesday of the second week after Easter. Strictly speaking, it is not provided for by the charter, but, nevertheless, it is a tradition that has long been established. On these days, cemeteries are often visited and memorial services are held. But, of course, you can commemorate it privately. At the Liturgy, if we perform proskomedia, of course, we commemorate both the living and the deceased. You can also submit notes, but public commemoration in the form of a memorial service is usually not accepted at this time.

What is read in preparation for Communion on Bright Week?

There may be different options here. If three canons are usually read: penitential, Mother of God, Guardian Angel, then at least the penitential canon is not so obligatory in this combination. The rule for Holy Communion (and prayers) is certainly worth reading. But it makes sense to replace the canons with the reading of one Easter canon.

How to combine the Twelfth Feasts or Holy Week and worldly work?

This is a really difficult, serious, painful problem. We live in secular state, which is not at all focused on Christian holidays. True, there are some changes in this matter. Here Christmas is made a day off. Easter always falls on a Sunday for us, but they don’t give us a day off after it. Although, say, in Germany and other countries, a big holiday is always followed by a day off. They have Easter Monday, that's what it's called. The same thing on Trinity, on other holidays in Christian traditional countries where there was no revolution, there was no godless government that eradicated all this, uprooted it from the roots. In all countries, these holidays are recognized, despite the fact that the state is secular in nature.

Unfortunately, we don’t have this yet. Therefore, we have to apply it to the circumstances of life in which the Lord judges us to live. If the work is such that it does not tolerate the possibility of taking time off or rescheduling it to other days, or somehow shifting it more or less freely, then you have to choose. Either you stay at this job and sacrifice some of your need to attend church services more often, or you should try to change your job so that there is more freedom to attend church services. But still, very often it is possible to negotiate good relations to let you leave work a little earlier, or to warn you that you’ll be back a little later. There are early services - Liturgy, say, at 7 o'clock in the morning. On all major holidays and on Holy Week, on Holy Thursday, two Liturgies are always served in large churches. You can go to the early Liturgy, and by 9 o’clock you will already be free, at the beginning of 10. So by 10 o'clock you can get to work, almost anywhere in the city.

Of course, combine work with attending all Divine services Holy Week both morning and evening, impossible. And I think that there is no urgent need to break with normal, good work if it does not provide the opportunity to be in all services. At least on the main ones, say, on Great Thursdays. The removal of the Shroud is a wonderful service, but it is performed during the day, which means you will not be there, but you can come to the rite of Burial in the evening at 6 o’clock. And you can be a little late, it won’t be a big deal either. The 12th Gospel is celebrated on Thursday evening - also a service that is very good to be at. Well, if the work is daily or some kind of complex schedule, you have to work 12 hours a day, then you will inevitably miss some services, but the Lord sees your desire to be at these services, to pray, and will reward you. Even your absence will be credited to you as if you were there.

What is important is your heartfelt desire, not your personal presence. Another thing is that we ourselves want to be in these special moments of the Savior’s life in the temple and, as it were, closer to Him, closer to experience everything that He was destined to experience, but circumstances do not always allow. Therefore, if your job does not limit you so much that you cannot go to church at all, you should not change it. You must try to find such moments and negotiate with your superiors so that they give you some small concessions, but at other times you will try to work better, more, so that there are no complaints.

Our everyday life always poses before us some problems of how we can combine life in the world with our spiritual life, with our church life. And here we need to show some flexibility. We cannot refuse work, we cannot go somewhere underground, or then we must choose the monastic path, then our entire life will be devoted to God and service. But if there is a family, this is impossible, and here it is necessary to apply it. Sometimes it’s not even work that can limit us, but household chores and children that require our attention. If the mother is constantly in church, and the child is always alone at home, little good will happen either. Although the mother prays in the temple, sometimes it is more important to simply be personally present and participate in the lives of her children. So, be “wise as serpents” in resolving such issues.

On Bright Week, instead of morning and evening prayers, the Hours of Easter 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 laypeople who wish to receive communion at the liturgies of Bright Week can limit fasting 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, eternal life who gave birth to Christ, who has risen from the tomb today, an 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 seen through the hellish bonds of the contents, to the light of Christ, with joyful 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 bright light, from the west, and the north, and the sea, and the east, blessing Christ in you forever.

Trinity: Most Holy Trinity our God, glory to Thee.

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 let us cry out thus: 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
Master Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Source of life and immortality, of all creation, visible and invisible, and the Creator, of the beginningless Father, co-eternal with the Son and co-originating, much for the sake of goodness in the last days, he clothed himself in flesh, and was crucified, and was buried for us, ungrateful and evil-willed, and Yours. With the blood of renewing 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. Accept me, O Lord, who loves mankind, as a harlot, as a thief, as a publican, and as a prodigal, and take away my heavy burden of sins, take away the sin of the world, and heal the infirmities of man, call those who labor and are burdened to Yourself and give rest to those who did not come 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.

About the prayer rule during the celebration of Holy Easter

Those preparing for Communion, instead of the penitential canon to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canons to the Most Holy Theotokos and the Guardian Angel, should read, as well as Follow-up to Holy Communion.

All prayers(including prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion) preceded by three times reading the troparion of Easter: “ 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…” (with troparia after it) are not read.

The Hours of Easter are also sung instead of Compline and Midnight Office.

From the second week of Easter the reading of the usual morning and evening prayers begins again, 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, you need to pay attention to the following features.

Before the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, on the eve of which the celebration of Easter is celebrated, instead of praying to the Holy Spirit(“To the Heavenly King…”) the Easter troparion (“Christ is risen from the dead…”) is read three times.

Also from Monday of the First Week of Easter until Ascension: instead of the prayer “It is worthy to eat”, reads:

« The angel cries out for grace: Pure Virgin, rejoice! And again the river: Rejoice! Your Son is risen three days from the grave and raised up the dead; people, have fun!
Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion. You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rising of Your Nativity.”

From the Ascension to the Day of the Holy Trinity prayers begin with the Trisagion(“Holy God…”) - a prayer to the Holy Spirit (“Heavenly King…”) is not read or sung until the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Until the day of the Holy Trinity, prostrations to the ground are also cancelled.

The tradition of celebrating Easter for forty days was established in memory of the stay on earth of Jesus Christ after his Resurrection . The time from the bright Day of Christ to the Ascension, which completes the earthly incarnation of the Savior, is a very special period in the liturgical cycle Orthodox Church and in the everyday life of Christians. Rituals, images, symbolic rites of the temple service are filled with new content, revealing to the laity the endless vistas of spiritual perfection. On these bright days, instead of a plea for forgiveness of sins, words are heard about the Savior’s triumph over death.

The entire period from the Resurrection of Christ to the Ascension of worship takes place according to special rules specified in the Triodion - church book three-song canons. A list of specific texts included in the prayer book, or prayer rule, on Easter week prescribes reading the hours of Easter instead of morning and evening prayers, Compline and Midnight Office.

Other features of prayer and services of the first Easter week.

1. Those preparing for communion, instead of the penitential canons to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos, read the canon of Easter, the Follow-up to Holy Communion.
2. Three readings of the Pascha troparion precede all prayers, including thanksgiving for communion; the psalter is not read.
3. Prostrations should not be made either in church or during home prayer (this rule remains until Trinity).

Reading resumes on Monday of the second week:

• regular morning and evening prayers;
• canons to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, Guardian Angel;
• following to Holy Communion.

Before the Ascension, they continue to read the Paschal troparion three times instead of the prayer to the Holy Spirit, and the chorus and irmos of the ninth song of the Paschal canon (“Angel cried out”) instead of “It is worthy to eat.” According to the memoirs, all the weeks before the Ascension refer to the glorification of the risen Christ, who sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles and followers.

Morning prayer rule

The advent of the bright Day of Christ, changing the way of life of the Orthodox layman, also introduces differences into the usual daily cell or home worship. Ordinary prayers containing praise, thanksgiving, repentance and petition are modified in order to express the deepest reverence for the holy holiday and their understanding of the biblical events that followed the Resurrection of Christ.

In Orthodoxy, the prayer basis of the hours (a short service established church canons) comprise psalms, as well as troparia and kontakia corresponding to the current day (hymns that reveal the meaning of the holiday).

When are the hours traditionally performed?

Easter morning rule(the hours separating Easter Matins from the Liturgy) is not read, as usual, but sung. The basis for this is not psalms, but festive chants: they sing “Christ is Risen” three times, “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ”, then ipakoi (short festive troparion), exapostilary (completion of the canon at Matins), forty times “Lord, have mercy” and again "Christ is Risen".

The morning rule from Easter to Ascension has distinctive features only during Bright Week. With the beginning of the second week after the Resurrection of Christ, the Orthodox return to the usual morning prayer rule, which includes three texts: they read the “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” three times, and once the Creed.

Evening prayer rule

According to Orthodox tradition You need to pray privately in the evening every day. The Holy Church recommends reading the most necessary hymns for the coming night: “Our Father”, kontakion to the Mother of God, prayers to the Guardian Angel, St. Macarius the Great to God the Father, St. Ioannicia.

The Easter evening prayer rule has its own characteristics: it is replaced by the hours of Easter in order to mark and highlight this most important period for believers. Moreover, the text and reading sequence are completely identical to the Easter morning rule. After Bright Week, the usual prayers are resumed at the end of the day.

However, attention should be paid to this feature: the evening rule from Easter to Ascension includes an appeal to the Holy Spirit, while “Heavenly King” is replaced by the troparion “Christ is risen”, despite the fact that both prayers are addressed to the same hypostasis God. This is explained by the fact that any prayer rule is built on the experience of the church, which must be listened to: the holy fathers believe that prayer to the Most Holy Spirit as a free appeal of the human soul to God has a more personal character, and “To the Heavenly King” has always been the beginning of general worship.

Celebration Happy Resurrection The Lord's service continues, albeit with less solemnity, until Easter - the service on the eve of the Ascension. On this day, Vespers and Matins are served in churches in full light, the liturgy is held with the royal doors open, stichera, hymns and greetings according to the Easter rite are heard, as well as chants dedicated to the pre-celebration of the Ascension.

Traditionally, on the eve of the Ascension, the last Easter festival in the cycle is celebrated. procession. Thus ends the forty-day period of the great holiday, so that a year later the symbol of eternal life will again be revealed to the world.