Note, many of the hymns have been translated previously into English, and so I began with them citing where I found them. If you see a set of hymns below without a link following, note that they are most likely amateur translations from myself, and so it might be advisable to confirm those translations before use.
The Hymnal of Sion [Hymns for Pilgrims to the Holy Sepulcher]
The Melodies and Divine Hymns that one chants while going around to all-holy Church of the Resurrection and the all-sacred Pilgrimages and divine Chapels
In Jerusalem. From the Press of the All-holy Tomb [of Christ], 1859.
The Myrrhbearers and the Angel at the Holy and Life-giving Tomb of Christ (http://www.srpskoblago.org/Archives/Decani/exhibits/Collections/AfterResurrection/CX4K3244_l.html)
I. At the holy Kouvouklion and the All-holy Tomb [of Christ]
The order of the holy litany.
The most-pious pilgrims gather in the all-holy Church of the Resurrection, and embrace the Life-giving Tomb of our Lord...while the choirs standing before the holy Kouvouklion chant the following resurrectional troparia.
First Tone
Go around Sion, you peoples, and encompass her, and give glory in her to him who rose from the dead; for he is our God, who has redeemed us from our iniquities.As we the unworthy stand at your tomb which received life, we offer a hymn of glory to your ineffable compassion, Christ our God; because you accepted Cross and death, O sinless one, that you might give resurrection to the world, as you love mankind.
The soldiers watching your grave became as dead men at the lightning flash of the Angel who appeared and proclaimed to the Women the Resurrection. We glorify you, the destroyer of corruption; we fall down before you, risen from the grave and alone our God.
Second Tone
Rejoice you peoples and be glad: An Angel sat upon the grave stone; he gave us good tidings saying: Christ has risen from the dead and filled the universe with sweet fragrance. Rejoice you peoples and be glad!The women sprinkled sweet spices with their tears upon your grave, and their mouths were filled with joy as they said, ‘The Lord has risen!’
Let nations and peoples praise Christ our God, who willingly endured the Cross for us and spent three days in hell; and let them worship his Resurrection from the dead, through which all the ends of the world have been filled with light.
Fourth Tone
How life-giving, how much more beautiful than Paradise, and truly more resplendent than any royal palace was Thy tomb shown to be, O Christ, the source of our resurrection.Plagal of the Second Tone
O happy tomb! For having received in itself the Creator as one asleep, it has been revealed as a treasure house of life for the salvation of us who sing, ‘God, our Redeemer, blessed are you!’On the third day you rose from the tomb, O Christ, as it is written, and you raised our Forefather with you; therefore the human race both glorifies you and hymns your Resurrection.
Grave Tone
Christ has risen from the dead, loosing the bonds of death; earth proclaim the good tidings of great joy; heavens sing out the glory of God.Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one.
We do not cease to worship Christ's Resurrection, for he has saved us from our iniquities, holy is Lord Jesus who showed forth the Resurrection.
Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Hail holy Sion, Mother of the Churches, dwelling-place of God; for it was you who first received forgiveness of sins through the Resurrection.When you had truly risen from the tomb you ordered the holy women to proclaim the Resurrection to the Apostles, as it is written; and Peter, coming at full speed, stood by the grave and seeing the light in the tomb was struck with amazement. And so he both saw the grave clothes lying there alone, without the divine body, and he believed and cried out: Glory to you Christ God, because you save us all, our Saviour, for you are the brightness of the Father.
Christ appearing to St. Mary Magdalene after His Resurrection, and telling her: "Do not hold Me" (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
II. The Chapel: "Do not touch Me"
With the Priest and Deacon going before with the priestly stole, we go to the Holy Pilgrimage named “Do not touch Me”, chanting the following Megalynarion.
Megalynarion
Mary Magdalene, approached the tomb, and seeing Christ as a gardener, questioned [Him].Exapostilarion
Beholding two angels within the tomb, Mary was amazed; and not recognizing Christ, she questioned Him, assuming that He was the gardener, saying: “Sir, where have thy laid the body of my Jesus?” But recognizing Him as the Savior Himself from the sound of His voice, she heard Him say: “Touch me not, for I shall depart unto the Father! Tell this to My brethren.”
III. The Chapel of the Scourging of Christ
And going out we reach the Chapel of the flogging of our Lord
Troparia in Plagal of the Second
Above are You enthroned with the Father, and below You are scourged on a pillar in the flesh, creation seeing this was struck with fear, glorifying Your divine condescension.
Glory to You our God, glory to You.
O the depth of Your judgments, O Savior, having given Your back to be scourged O Good One, Adam and Eve as You delivered from scourging, in fear hymning Your compassion. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Naked on the pillar, You Who filled the whole earth with flowers, You are scourged Who before, scourged the land of Egypt, O Savior. We glorify Your divine forbearance.Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
He Who led the nation of the Hebrews before by a pillar of fire and a cloud, is bound upon the pillar, and is flogged upon the back. Glory O Christ to Your utter love for man.And the Priest censes, while the Deacon says the following litany of supplication.
Have mercy on us O God according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hearken and have mercy.
Lord have mercy (x3 after every petition)
Again we pray for the pious and orthodox Christians.
Again we pray for our Father and Patriarch...(name)
Again we pray for our brothers, Hierarchs, Priests, Hieromonks, Hierodeacons and Monks, and all of our brotherhood in Christ.
Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation and pardon of the sins of the servants of God..., all the pious and orthodox pilgrims, members and trustees of the all-holy and life-giving Tomb...
[Ἔτι δεόμεθα καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν, τῶν ἐν ταῖς διακονίαις καὶ ἐν ἀποδημίαις ὄντων, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων τῶν ἐλεούντων, ἐλεησάντων, διακονούντων τε καὶ διακονησάντων ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ Ἁγίᾳ Μονῇ ταύτῃ.]
Priest: For You are a merciful God Who loves mankind...
Amen.
Priest: Peace be unto you.
And to your spirit.
Deacon: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.
To you O Lord.
And the priest entones the following hymn:
Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten Son and Word of God, beyond all goodness, most-compassionate, glory to Your condescension that surpasses the mind, glory to Your utter compassion, glory to Your unspeakable love for man, glory to Your ineffable forbearance, for while we were the apostates, and you the sinless One, You were judged by Pilate, while we were the fallen, and You the righteous one were condemned, we were the scoffers, and You Who were not at fault accepted to be scourged on the pillar. O the unspeakable goodness, O the incomprehensible love for man, He Who sits upon the cherubim, is flogged on the back, He Who scourged Egypt with plagues, accepts scourging. But O Lord beyond all goodness, send Your compassions, You Who were wounded for us, heal the wounds of our souls, You Who suffered for us, free us from soul-corrupting passions, that we may in thanksgiving glorify You the dispassionate in Godhead unto the ages. Amen.
Icon of Christ in the Klapes, and the Prison of Christ (http://impantokratoros.gr/8299EA31.el.aspx#)
IV.The Chapel of the Klapon
[To the north-west of the chapel of St. Logginus, there is "the chapel of the Klapes" which belongs to the Greek orthodox. Klapes is a (hinged double) board with two holes used as an instrument of torture. The erection of the chapel is due to a very ancient tradition, according which Christ's torturers before the Crucifixion, immobilized His feet in the holes of the klapes. The board of klapes was earlier in the council room, but the Christians transported it to this chapel after the capture of Jerusalem by the Ottoman. The board was placed under a small Holy Altar and is protected with a railing. In the rear wall of the chapel, an icon was mounted depicting the event. (http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/en/pareklisia.htm)]
Next, as approach the Chapel of the Klapon, and of the Theotokos, we chant the following Troparia:
Plagal of the Second Tone
Willingly long-suffering Jesus, You accepted the passion, that dispassion may be granted to mortals, my Son, to those who with faith venerate, and with fervor hymn Your compassion.Venomously gazing with dangerous wrath, the Hebrew nation hastens to deprive of life You Who are the life of the world, my forbearing Son, but I hymn your condescension with fervor.
The Theotokos weeping at the Crucifixion with St. John and the women disciples (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
At the Fainting of the Theotokos:
Plagal of the Second Tone
You willingly approached the passion my Son, to deliver from the passions Adam and those from Adam, and with the lawless You were numbered O merciful one, that You might save man from sin.Glory to You our God, glory to You.
The Pure One was struck wailing, Your Mother seeing You, Who willingly approached the passion O Redeemer, as an innocent lamb, through her intercessions deliver me from the passions.The priest censes, and the Deacon entones the entreaty and the Priest entones the following prayer:
O Spotless, undefiled, incorrupt, most-pure, blameless, all-holy, bride of God, Theotokos, Ever-virgin Mariam [Mary], Lady of the world, our hope, look down upon us sinners at this hour, and may Jesus Christ Who was born from your pure blood without man, be merciful to us hearkening to your motherly intercessions, and you beholding Him condemned, and you whose heart was pierced with the sword of sorrow, pierce our souls with divine fervor, you who wept bitterly on behalf of His bonds and being made a spectable, grant to us tears of compunction, you who upon His imprisonment towards death was greatly embittered in soul, deliver us from the bitterness of our inglorious passions, that we may glorify you who are truly glorified unto the ages. Amen.
St. Longinos the Centurion at the Crucifixion confessing: "Truly this was the Son of God" (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
V.The Chapel of St. Longinos
As we approach the Chapel of St. Longinos, we chant the following Troparia:
Plagal of the Second Tone
Longinos, beholding the awesome and wondrous events of Your passion, came to know You as the Son of God in truth, and clearly confessed and proclaimed You.Glory to You our God, glory to You.
Hanging on the Cross, O Son of glory, the sun beholding You hid its light, and all were illumined with the light of divine knowledge, Longinos came to know You God and man.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The skull of Longinos, which was cut off for You, the deceitful Hebrews formerly hid in the ding, but that blind woman, having found it could see and glorified You.Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O forbearing Savior Son of God, the divine Longinos, beholding You on the cross, was illumined O Merciful One, towards Your godly knowledge, and by his prayers may we be enlightened.The Priest censes, and the Deacon says the entreaty prayers, and then the Priest entones the following prayer:
Christ our God, the sweetest love of mankind, our light, our way, our life and our salvation, we thank Your unspeakable mercy, and Your inexpressible compassion and goodness, for by Your death by being nailed to the Cross, You wished to give life to us who were dead O Immortal One. And now most-compassionate Lord, receive the hymns of us Your unworthy servants entreating Your goodness, Who while upon the Cross was confessed by the righteous Longinos, we offer You this, saying: Truly, You are the Son of God. You, Lord, are the Son and Logos of God and God, You are the King of all. You are the King of kings, and Lord of lords. You are the Good Shepherd, Who sought out and found the lost sheep, and placed it upon Your shoulders, and brought it back again to Your beginningless Father. You, Lord, Who are glorified by all and in all, make us lowly and unworthy ones worthy to praise and glorify You always. You, the only pure and all-holy Lord, cleanse us from every filth of flesh and spirit. You, Who for the incorruptibility of men willingly drank the cup of death, water us with the wine of compunction, and grant to us remission of our offenses, through the intercessions of Your Ever-virgin Mother, of the Holy Great Martyr Longinos the Centurion, and all of Your Saints. Amen.
The Crucifixion of Christ; in the bottom right the soldiers are depicted casting lots for Christ's garments (http://www.eikastikon.gr/xristianika/kris/index.html)
VI. Chapel of the Dividing of the Garments of Christ
Proceeding to the Chapel of the dividing of the garments of Christ, we chant the following Troparia:
Plagal of the Second Tone
The veil of the Temple, O Jesus, was divided in two, soldiers divided your garments, revealing to the whole world, that the Hebrews are divided as lawless ones.Glory to You our God, glory to You.
Strangely the soldiers, O Savior, Your seamless robe and that was woven above, did not split totally, but took it, O Compassionate One, that through this the Prophets of the Scriptures might be fulfilled.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Those who before inherited, O Redeemer, the promise of this earth, the thankless and wretched ones divided Your garment, and cast lots for Your vesture.Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The lawless ones worked every surpassing evil, O Savior, behaving unseemly instead of desiring You, and dividing Your garments.The Priest censes, and the Deacon entones the entreaty, and the Priest entones the following prayer:
Holy King, compassionate and greatly-merciful, Son and Word of the living God, our Lord Jesus Christ, glory to Your dispensation for us, glory to Your utter compassion. You, Lord, choosing to suffer for the world, were stripped naked by the soldiers, Who clothes the whole earth with flowers, and Your garments were divided there by the soldiers, Who before set aside the land of promise for the Hebrews. And those who had been the inheritors of Your great gifts and graces, cast lots for Your garment woven above, the ungrateful and thankless ones. But You, O long-suffering Lord, Who for us was stripped naked and accepted to transfixed naked upon the Cross, cloth us with the garment of salvation, vest us with the garment woven above of Your divine grace, and show us worthy to be inheritors of Your kingdom, that we may praise You in gratitude, and glorify You in thanksgiving unto the ages. Amen.
St. Helen finding the Precious Cross of Christ (http://www.ekklisiastikos.com/2009/06/blog-post_1819.html)
VII. The Cave and Chapel of the Finding of the Precious Cross, and Sts. Constantine and Helen
Going out to the church of the God-crowned Kings, or the Holy Cave of the finding of the Precious Cross, we chant the following Troparia:
Plagal of the Second Tone
Receiving Rome from on high, Constantine before, the God-crowned King, asked his Mother with fervor, to hasten to seek out the Cross of the Lord.Glory to You our God, glory to You.
You, O life-giving Cross of Christ, which before the Hebrews in wrath hid in the earth, were found by the divine queen Helen, in this cave, and she embraced it with fervor.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
This cave, O Savior Christ, was shone to be blessed, for in it was received Your divine Cross, which before the lawless nation of Hebrews hid in it out of wrath.Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Your Cross was hid below the earth, as the sun, but shone clearly through the Rising, from this cave, which we the faithful standing by magnify.The Priest censes, and the Deacon entones the entreaty, and the Priest entones the following prayer:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word of Your pre-beginningless [προανάρχου] and co-eternal Father, Holy King, All-compassionate and Greatly-merciful One, at Whose name every knee bends in heaven, on earth and below the earth, and Who is confessed by every tongue, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You, O Lord, became like us, with the exception of sin, and through Your Precious Cross tore asunder the handwriting of our sins, look down upon us who are standing in this Holy and venerated cave, where Your Life-giving and precious Cross, which your crucifiers hid in wrath, was found by the divine queen Helen, who was seeking it with fervor, and which she venerated in fear, look down upon us and be gracious to us, O Lord. Guide our lives, make good our ways, direct our actions, and strengthen us against visible and invisible foes by Your precious Cross. And though the prince of this world, seeing You raised upon the Cross, was driven out, deliver us from his traps, and make us worthy of that joy, which the blessed Helen had when she found Your Precious and Life-giving Cross. Grant, O Lord, Your church harmony and unity, kings rule and peace, rulers unity-of-mind, and all Your people an untroubled and peaceful life. Those who take up the light weight of Your Cross, O Lord, make worthy to follow You in a good and pure life. And for those who follow You the Way and the Truth in obedience and to be crucified with You, deaden the pleasures of life. Through the intercessions of Your All-spotless Mother, by the power of Your Precious and Life-giving Cross, through the intercessions of the glorious and Godly-crowned great rulers Constantine and Helen, and all Your Saints. Amen.
Christ being mocked, accepting the Crown of Thorns (http://www.srpskoblago.org/Archives/Decani/exhibits/Collections/PassionChrist/CX4K1929_l.html)
VIII. The Chapel of the Crown of Thorns
We proceed then to the Chapel of the crown of Thorns, chanting the following Troparia:
Plagal of the Second Tone
You wore the crimson robe in shame, O Jesus, which You were willingly arrayed in, O Savior, King of the Angels. We glorify Your utter condescension.Glory to You our God, glory to You.
The scarlet robe and the crown of thorns, my Savor, You were arrayed with, mocked as a king, O Word, by the lawless, You Who are the Most-high King of kings.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
The crimson robe You accepted, O Jesus, and endured spittings and blows, the reed as a scepter, slaps and wretchedness, willingly bearing shame, for man.Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Your acceptance and forbearance, Son of God, for You suffered the terrible passion, My Savior, for those who hymn You; transform all our inglorious passions.And the Priest censes.
Deacon: And that we may be deemed worthy to hear the Holy Gospel [let us entreat the Lord our God.
Lord have mercy. (x3)
Deacon: Wisdom, arise, let us hear the Holy Gospel...]
Priest: Peace be unto all. The reading is from the Gospel of St. Matthew (27:27-32).
Deacon: Let us be attentive.
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
(http://www.biblegateway.com/)
Glory to Your forbearance, O Lord, glory to You.
And the Deacon entones the entreaty, and the Priest entones the following prayer:
Lover of man, lover of goodness, All-holy, Most-compassionate Lord Jesus Christ our God, our ransom and mercy, our salvation and re-creation, Who passively accepted the passion, Who are dispassionate in Godhead, deliver us from the influences of the enemy, and drive away from us the wrath of Your anger, You Who forbore for us the ridicule of wearing the scarlet robe, cloth us in the stole of incorruption, You Who accepted the crown of thorns upon Your all-holy head, the head of the body of the Church, crown us with Your compassions, and bless the crown of the year, You Who took the reed in Your right hand as a scepter, the King of all, raise us from the vanity of the world with the reed of Your grace, You Who endured spittings and slaps for us, show us worthy to endure every influence and the evil one. Through the intercessions of Your All-holy and Most-pure Mother, and all Your Saints. Amen.
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
0 comments:
Post a Comment