THE DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT JAMES FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA OF OUR LORD (APRIL 20TH)

Paschal Greetings from the Ancient Church of the West and the Orthodox Archdiocese of America! Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen! 

THE BLESSING OF THE FIRE AND THE PASCHAL CANDLE

The new fire is kindled outside the church, and the Paschal Candle is blessed and lit. The deacon or priest then carries the candle into the darkened church, pausing three times to chant: 

DEACON: The light of Christ! 

PEOPLE: Thanks be to God! 

Upon reaching the sanctuary, the Exsultet is chanted: 

THE EXULTET (PASCHAL PROCLAMATION)

Rejoice now, all ye heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, 

Exult in triumph, all ye courts of heaven, 

For Jesus Christ our eternal King hath risen in glory! 

Let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud the victory of so great a King! 

Let the earth also rejoice, illumined with celestial radiance, 

For the darkness of sin is scattered before the light of the eternal King! 

Let the Church rejoice, adorned with the brightness of Christ’s resurrection, 

And let her sacred courts resound with the praises of the faithful people. 

(Here follows a solemn blessing of the Paschal Candles, which are passed out to everyone, and then the Paschal Triporion is sung and the Holy Flame passed to all the people.

THE PASSING OF THE LIGHT

PRIEST: Come, receive ye light from the unwaning Light, and glorify Christ, who is risen from the dead! 

(The priest lights the candles of the deacons, who then pass the flame to the people. As the light spreads through the church, the faithful sing softly.) 

PEOPLE: Come, receive ye light from the unwaning Light, and glorify Christ, who is risen from the dead! 

(Once all have received the light, the priest chants the Paschal Proclamation.) 

THE PASCHAL PROCLAMATION: Psalm 67:1-2, adapted - 

PRIEST: Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let them also that hate Him flee before Him! 

PEOPLE: As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God! 

PRIEST: This is the day which the Lord hath made! 

PEOPLE: We will rejoice and be glad in it! 

(The priest then intones the Paschal Troparion three times, each time raising his voice.) 

PRIEST: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! (X3)

(The people repeat the Troparion each time.) 

THE LITURGY OF THE RESURRECTION

INTROIT: PASCHA NOSTRUM: 

(1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Psalm 118:1)

PRIEST: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, alleluia: 

PEOPLE: Therefore let us keep the feast, 

Not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, 

But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia, alleluia! 

PRIEST: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: 

PEOPLE: For His mercy endureth forever. 

COLLECTS

COLLECT OF THE RESURRECTION

O God, who this day didst overthrow the dominion of death, and didst open unto us the gates of everlasting life by the glorious resurrection of thy Son, Jesus Christ: grant, we beseech thee, that as we are risen with him through faith, we may walk in newness of life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT OF THE PASCHAL TRIUMPH 

(Based on the Byzantine Paschal Troparion)

O Christ our God, who by thy death hast trampled down death, and upon those in the tombs hast bestowed life: let thy triumph be manifest in thy Church, and grant us the grace to share in the victory of thy Resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

COLLECT FOR THE RISEN, ALL-POWERFUL, GLORIFIED AND ASCENDED CHRIST 

O Almighty and Eternal God, who by Thine ineffable power didst raise again from the dead Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, trampling down death by death, and bestowing life upon them that lay in the tomb: Grant, we beseech Thee, that we, being buried with Him in baptism, may also rise with Him in glory, and evermore walk in newness of life. Kindle within us the unwaning light of Thy divine presence, that, being lifted up from the darkness of sin, we may with joy behold the brightness of His countenance, who ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things, and sitteth at Thy right hand in majesty everlasting. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

THE LESSONS

THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: ISAIAH 25:6-9

And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. 

THE EPISTLE: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-26

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 

THE GRADUAL: PSALM 118:24

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

THE PASCHAL ALLELUIA: 

Psalm 118:1

Alleluia, alleluia! O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Alleluia! 

THE HOLY GOSPEL: ST. JOHN 20:1-10

PRIEST: The Lord be with you. 

PEOPLE: And with thy spirit. 

+ The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. John. 

PEOPLE: Glory be to thee, O Lord. 

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid Him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. 

DEACON/PRIEST: The Holy Gospel of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

PEOPLE: Praise be to thee, Lord Christ! 

THE OFFERTORY: Psalm 76:9-10

The earth trembled and was still, when God arose to judgment, alleluia! 

THE SECRET PRAYER

We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to accept the prayers and offerings of thy people: that the Paschal Sacrament which we present unto thee may be unto us the pledge of our redemption, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE COMMUNION: Psalm 118:17

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord, alleluia! 

THE POSTCOMMUNION COLLECT

Pour upon us, O Lord, the Spirit of thy love, that as thou hast filled us with this Paschal Sacrament, so thou wouldst make us to dwell in newness of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE DISMISSAL

DEACON: The Holy Liturgy is ended, go in peace. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

PEOPLE: Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!