Bits of the Good Friday's Lamentations

Today is a chilling day in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Is the day of the Holy and Saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good Friday is the only day of the year when the Divine Liturgy is not officiated, instead, is a day for vigil, prayer, sorrow (not a desperate kind of sorrow) and awe. I can't go to church, but I do want to get (as much as I can) the feeling of the Church.

So, I said to myself that I will read the Lamentations and I want to share some of the chants with you. I know the majority here are protestant and suspicious about what comes from the orthodox church because of the cult for Mary and the saints, the icons etc., still, I hope you will appreciate them and give your attention to Jesus Christ.



Antiphon, Holy Friday Matins:

"Today, He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon a tree.
He who is King of the Angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who freed Adam in the Jordan receives a blow on the face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the cross with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear.
We worship Your passion, O Christ (x3)
Show us also Your glorious Resurrection."

"Joseph of Arimathea took Thee down from the tree, The Life of all, cold in death.
Bathing Thee with sweet and costly myrrh, he gently covered Thee with finest linen and with sorrow and tender love in his heart he embraced Thy most pure body.
Trembling at this awesome sight he cried out to Thee, O Christ: 'Glory to Thy condescension, O Lover of man!'
When Thou, the Redeemer of all, wast placed in a tomb, all Hell's powers quaked in fear. Its bars were broken; its gates were smashed! Its mighty reign was brought to an end, for the dead came forth alive from their tombs, casting off the bonds of their captivity. Adam was filled with joy! He gratefully cried out to Thee, O Christ: Glory to Thy condescension, O Lover of man!
In the flesh Thou wast willingly enclosed in the tomb, Who art boundless and infinite in Thy divinity.
Thou didst close the chambers of death, O Christ. Thou hast emptied all the palaces of Hell. Thou hast honored this Sabbath with Thy blessing, glory and honor."

O Life, how can You die? How can you dwell in a tomb? Yet by Your death You have destroyed the reign of death and raised all the dead from hell.

We magnify You, O Jesus our King. We worship Your passion and Your burial, for, by them, You have saved us from death.

Jesus, Lord, King of all, You laid down the bounds of earth, yet today you lay in a narrow tomb, as You raise the dead of ages from their graves.

O my Lord, Jesus Christ, sovereign Ruler, King of all, seeking whom have You come down to those in Hell? Was it not to free the mortal race of men?

"I alone, my Child, of all women, gave You birth without pain, now the grief and pain are more than I can endure at Your suffering!", the most pure Virgin cried.
Let Your compassions come to me, and I shall live; for Your Law is my meditation.

Seeing You, O Lord, lying dead and lifeless in the earth below, yet not separated from the Father on high caused the Seraphim to quake in awe and fear.

As You are crucified, the Temple veil is torn apart in two, and the lights of heaven hide themselves, as You, the Sun, are hidden underneath the earth.

By Your will alone, You set the earth revolving on its course; now, as a mortal man, You sink beneath the earth. Let heaven shake and tremble at this sight.
Let my heart be blameless in Your ordinances, that I may not be disappointed

Down beneath the earth You have gone, O Fashioner of man, so that by Your great and mighty power, You would raise the fallen human race, O Lord.

O God without beginning, eternal Word and Spirit, help Your people to prevail against the foe, as You are the Lover of mankind.

It is right to magnify You, O Life-giving Lord. You have stretched out Your most pure arms across the cross and broken the Enemy's power.

Every generation offers Thee its hymn of praise at Thy burial, O Christ.
Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name.

The Arimathean took Thee down from the tree and laid Thee in a tomb.
Direct my steps according to Your teaching and let no lawlessness rule over me. (the verses in italic are pronounced by the priest)

The myrrh-bearing women, with foresight brought sweet spices and drew near to Thee, O Christ.
Ransom me from the slander of men, and I will keep Your commandments.

Come, all creation, sing a hymn to honor the Creator's Burial.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your ordinances.

Let us, with the myrrh-bearers, anoint as dead the Living One with the Myrrh of True Knowledge.
My eyes poured down streams of tears because they did not keep Your Law.

O thrice blessed Joseph, bury now the body of Christ the Giver of Life.
Your testimonies are righteousness forever; give me understanding and I shall live.

Joseph and Nicodemus bury the Creator with honors fitting the dead.
I cry out to You; save me, and I shall keep Your testimonies.

The All-Pure Virgin wept with a mother's grief , O Word, when she saw You lying dead.
I long for Your Salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my meditation.

The hosts of angels tremble at the strange and fearful sight of Your burial, O Maker of all.
My soul shall live and praise You, and Your judgments shall keep me.

Early in the morning the myrrh-bearing women came to You and sprinkled myrrh on Your tomb.
I went astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.

By Your resurrection grant peace to Your Church and salvation to Your people.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

O God in Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, grant Your mercy to the world.
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Grant us Your servants to behold, O Virgin, the Resurrection of your Son.

The Noble Joseph

The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices and placed it in a new* tomb.

Come, Let us bless Joseph

Come, let us bless Joseph of eternal memory, who came by night to Pilate and begged for the Life of All:
"Give me this Stranger, Who has no place to lay His head. Give me this Stranger, whom an evil disciple betrayed to death. Give me this Stranger, whom His mother saw hanging upon the cross, and with a mother's sorrow cried weeping: 'Woe is me, O my child, light of my eyes and beloved of my bosom! For what Simeon foretold in the temple now has come to pass: a sword has pierced my heart; but change my grief to gladness by Thy resurrection.'"
We worship Thy Passion, O Christ (x3) and Thy Holy Resurrection!

Joseph together with Nicodemus took Thee down from the Tree, who clothest Thyself with light as with a garment. He gazed on Thy Body, dead, naked and unburied, and in grief and tender compassion he lamented:

"Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus! A short while ago, the sun beheld Thee hanging on the Cross and it hid itself in darkness. The earth quaked in fear at the sight. The veil of the temple was torn in two. Lo, now I see Thee willingly submit to death for our sake. How shall I bury Thee, O my God! How can I wrap Thee in a shroud? How can I touch Thy most pure body with my hands? What songs can I sing for Thy exodus, O compassionate one? I magnify Thy Passion. I glorify Thy Burial and Thy Holy Resurrection, crying: 'O Lord, glory to Thee!'"

Thanks for sharing these wonderful words.❤️