Chapter 96

Sss Appendix a Tone

IX. It is not possible that men should see God, upon whom the Orders of the Angels dare not gaze : but through thee, O All-Pure One, was the Word Incarnate manifested unto men : Whom magnifying, together with the Heavenly Hosts, we call thee blessed. R. and Hs.

TONE VII. Hymns for ; Lord, I have cried unto thee.

O come, let us rejoice in the Lord, who hath destroyed the power of death, and illumined the generation of men, crying with the Bodiless Ones : O our Maker and Saviour, glory to thee.

For our sake, O Saviour, thou didst endure the cross and burial ; and by death didst thou slay Death, in that thou art God. For which cause we adore thy Resurrection on the third day : Glory, O Lord, to thee.

When the Apostles beheld the Resurrection of their Maker they were amazed, and sang the angelic hymn of praise: This is the glory of the Church, this is the riches of the kingdom : O Lord, who didst suffer for our sake, glory to thee.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Dogmdtik). A Mother in more than human wise art thou acknowledged, O Birth-giver of God ; yet thou didst remain Virgin beyond speech and beyond understanding; and the marvel of thy birth-giving can no tongue declare. Mo$t glorious in the nature of thy conception, O Pure One, incomprehensible likewise is the manner of thy true birth-giving : for when God so willeth the order of nature is conquered. Wherefore, in that we perceive thee to be the Mother of God, with diligence we all beseech thee that our souls may be saved.

Hymn ( Tropdr\ By thy cross thou didst destroy death ; thou didst open paradise to the Thief ; thou didst change the funeral wail of the Myrrh-bearing Women, and didst command them to announce unto thine Apostles that thou wert risen from the dead, O Christ our God, who bestowest on the world great mercy.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (BogorSditeften). In that thou art the Treasury of our Resurrection, lead thou forth from the pit and deep of transgressions those who set their hope on thee, O All-Hymned One! For thou hast saved those who were guilty of sin, in that thou didst give birth to our salvation : O thou who before birth-giving wast Virgin, and in birth-giving wast Virgin, and after birth-giving remainest Virgin still.

Collect-Hymn {Konddk). No longer can the power of death bold mortals in captivity ; for Christ hath descended, shattering and bringing to naught its powers. Hell is fettered; the Prophets with one accord rejoice, saying: The Saviour hath appeared unto those who believe: Come forth, ye faithful, unto the Resurrection.