Bright Wednesday

Bright Wednesday

Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 501 & Pg. 512

Liturgical Instruction: After the priest exclaims “Blessed is the Kingdom” and we have responded “Amen,” the clergy sing the following Tropar once and the people repeat it. Then the clergy sing the first half, and we conclude it. This is done every day until the Wednesday before Ascension Thursday.

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life. (3x).

First Antiphon

Verse 1: Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise (Ps 65:2).

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Verse 2: Say unto God, “How awesome are your works! Because of the greatness of Your strength Your enemies will flatter you” (Ps 65:3).

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

Verse 3: Let all the earth worship You and sing to You, let it sing to Your name, O Most High! (Ps 65:3)

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

+Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

If the second antiphon is sung: (Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.) Otherwise we sing:Only-begotten Son..


Second Antiphon

Verse 1: God be merciful to us and bless us; make the light of Your face shine upon us and have mercy on us (Ps 66:2).
Refrain: Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Verse 2: That we may know Your way upon earth, Your salvation among all nations (Ps 66:3).
Refrain: Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Verse 3: Let the peoples give praise to You, O God, may all the peoples give praise to You (Ps 66:4).
Refrain: Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.
Glory… now… Only-begotten Son…

 Third Antiphon

Verse 1 (Soloist): Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee from before His face (Ps 67:2).

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

Verse 2 (Soloist): As smoke vanishes, let them vanish, as wax melts before the fire (Ps 67:3).

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

Verse 3 (Soloist): So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous be glad (Ps 67:3-4).

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

Entrance Verse (Soloist): In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountains of Israel (Ps 67:27).

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

+Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion (Tone 8): Though You descended into a tomb, O Immortal One,* yet You destroyed the power of Hades;* and You rose as victor, O Christ God,* calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice!* and giving peace to Your apostles:* You, who grant Resurrection to the fallen.

Instead of “Holy God…”: All you, who have been baptized into Christ, you have put on Christ! Alleluia!

Prokimenon (Tone 4): I will remember your name throughout all generations (Ps 44:18).

verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear (Ps 44:11).

Epistle (Act 2:22-36): In those days Peter said to the Jews: ‘You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, “I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” ‘Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, “He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.” This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ ” Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’

Alleluia (Tone 2):
verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoice in God, my Saviour (Lk 1:46-47).
verse: Because He has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall called me blessed (Lk 1:48).

Gospel: (John 1:35-51): At that time John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

Instead of “It is truly…” (Pg. 507): The Angel cried out to the One full of Grace: O chaste Virgin, rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day, and raised the dead. Let all people rejoice!

Irmos (Tone 1): Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Exult now and be glad, O Zion! And you, O chaste Mother of God, take delight in the resurrection of your Son

Communion Verse: Receive the body of Christ; taste the fountain of immortality. Alleluia! (3x).


Instead of
“Blessed is He…”: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

 Instead of “We have seen the true light…”: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life.

Instead of “Let our mouths…”: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life (3x).

 Instead of “Blessed be the name of the Lord…”: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life (3x).

“Christ is risen” is sung again once (using a simple chord chant) instead of “Glory be to the Father…” at the dismissal.

Then the Troparion “Christ is risen” is sung as in the beginning of the Liturgy, but with an additional ending.

Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life (3x).

And to us He has granted life eternal;* we bow down before His resurrection on the third day.

 

Divine Liturgy:
PDF – Bright Wednesday – UKRAINIAN
PDF – Bright Wednesday – ENGLISH
PDF – Bright Wednesday – ENG-UKR

PDF -_Apr Liturgical Booklet – ENG/UKR