Our church this evening after Great Vespers with Entombment. The Tomb of Christ with the cloth icon called the epitaphion on top of it now stands in the middle of the temple.
Though we are not able to serve Matins for Holy Saturday this evening, below is a recording of its beautiful canon, sung at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary in New York. It culminates in the ninth ode, the concluding hymn of which, Do Not Lament Me O Mother, consists of the following text:
ODE NINE
Do not lament Me, O Mother, Seeing Me in the tomb, The Son conceived in the womb without seed, For I shall arise And be glorified with eternal glory as God. I shall exalt all who magnify thee in faith and in love.
REFRAIN: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
“I escaped sufferings and was blessed beyond nature at Thy strange birth, O Son Who art without beginning. But now, beholding Thee, My God, dead and without breath, I am sorely pierced by the sword of sorrow. But arise, that I may be magnified.”
REFRAIN: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
“By My own will, the earth covers Me, O Mother, but the gatekeepers of hell tremble at seeing Me clothed in the blood-stained garments of vengeance; for when I have vanquished My enemies on the cross, I shall arise as God and magnify Thee.”
REFRAIN: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
“Let creation rejoice! Let all born on earth be glad! For hateful hell has been despoiled. Let the women with myrrh come to meet Me; for I am redeeming Adam and Eve and all their descendants, and on the third day shall I arise!”
Do not lament Me, O Mother, Seeing Me in the tomb, The Son conceived in the womb without seed, For I shall arise And be glorified with eternal glory as God. I shall exalt all who magnify thee in faith and in love.