Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading – Acts 6:1-7

Gospel –  Mark 15:43-16:8

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 1)

When You descended to death, O immortal life, You put Hades to death by the splendor of Your Divinity. And when You raised the dead from below the earth all the heavenly powers cried out to You: O Giver of life, Christ our God Glory to You.

Troparion of the Myrrh-bearers (Tone 2)

The angel stood by the tomb and cried out to the Ointment-bearing Women: “Ointments are for the dead, but Christ has proved Himself free from corruption. Cry out, then: “The Lord is risen and has bestowed great mercy upon the world.”

Troparion of the Holy Cross (Tone 1)

O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance, granting peace to the world. And preserve your community by the power of your Cross.

Kondakion of Pascha (Tone 2 or 8)

Though You went down in the tomb, O Immortal One, You overthrew the power of Hades, and rose victorious, O Christ God, Your greeted the Ointment Bearing Women, saying: Rejoice! You gave peace to your Apostles, and to those who had fallen resurrection.

Prokimenon

My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my Savior.

Stichon

The Lord has chastised me through his teaching, yet he has not delivered me to death.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (6:1-7)

In those days, as the number of disciples increased; there arose a complaint among the Greeks against the Hebrews, in that their widows were being neglected in the daily service. And so, the twelve summoned the many disciples and said, “It is not good that we give up the word of God and serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom that we could put to this service, while we devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the plan was pleasing to the whole crowd, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a recent convert from Antioch. These they presented to the apostles, who then prayed and laid their hands upon them. And God’s word was growing, and the number of the disciples increased considerably in Jerusalem; and many of the priests also accepted the faith.

Alleluia

The Lord shall hear you on the day of distress; the name of the God of Jacob shall defend you.

Stichon

O Lord, save your king

and listen to us on whatever day we call upon you.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Mark the Evangelist (15:43-16:8)  

At that time there came Joseph, the one from Arimathea, a councilor of high rank, who was himself looking for the kingdom of God. And he went in boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered whether he had expired so soon. And sending for the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen cloth, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone to the entrance of the tomb. But Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jose were looking on and saw where he was laid. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, in order to go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, when the sun had just risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll the stone back from the entrance of the tomb for us?” And looking up they saw that the stone had been rolled back—now, it was very large. But on entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, “Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you.” And they left and fled from the tomb, for trembling and fear had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.