Sunday troparion: “Angelic forces at Your tomb

Sunday troparion: “Angelic forces at Your tomb
Sunday troparion: “Angelic forces at Your tomb

Voices - music system out of eight frets (voices), lying at the core ancient chants in Orthodox Churches. Widely in a sense, a voice can be called a set of melodies, for which certain chants are sung. In the singing room practice has developed an understanding of the voice as a melody that serves as a stencil for singing all texts, to this the voice of those concerned. Singing songs of one voice not the same (How in Greek, so and in Russian singing) for irmos, prokeimns, troparions. Because in worship different types of chants are used: troparion, stichera, prokeimenon, irmos and etc. - installed for them and various tunes. Thus, in order to sing correctly, you need to know Not only voice number, but and him type: tropar, sticherny or other.

Them no less the musical basis of all melodic variants of one and the same voices to this day one and is the same - it remained more or less constant during centuries.

Eight voices make up so-called "osmoglasia" system (i.e. octagon), which covers almost the entire core fund of church music. Most of the hymns of one week's services are subordinated to one out of eight voices Eight weeks form an eight-week vocal cycle.

According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the system of voices was introduced by the Monk John of Damascus. There are only 8 voices, of them 4 main And 4 indirect. In Greek Churches they are like that and are called: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 indirect, 2 indirect, 3 indirect, 4 indirect, A in Russian respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Below are small “descriptions” of each voice, and far not complete a list of the most familiar chants of different voices to believers.

Voice 1st

Troparion

The stone is sealed from the Jews and the warriors guarding Your Most Pure Body, You have risen for three days, Savior, granting life to the world. For this reason, for the sake of the power of Heaven, I cry out to Thee, O Life-Giver: glory to Thy resurrection, O Christ, glory to Thy Kingdom, glory to Thy vision, O One who loves mankind.

[Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your Most Pure Body, You, the Savior, rose again on the third day, thereby giving life to the world. Therefore, the Heavenly Powers cried out to You, Giver of Life: “Glory to Your Resurrection, Christ, glory to Your Kingdom, glory to Your Providence, O One Lover of Mankind!”]

Kontakion

Thou art risen like God from the grave in glory, and the world has risen with thee, and human nature glorifies Thee like God, and death has disappeared; Adam rejoices, Master, Eve, now freed from bonds, rejoices, calling: Thou art, O Christ, Who bestoweth the resurrection upon all.

[You rose as God from the grave in glory, and raised the world with You; and human nature praises You as God, and death has disappeared; Adam rejoices, O Lord, and Eve, now freed from bondage, rejoices, exclaiming: “You, Christ, grant the resurrection to everyone!”]


Voice 2nd

Troparion

When you descended to death, Immortal Life, then you killed hell with the brilliance of the Divine; When you also raised those who had died from the underworld, all the powers of Heaven cried out: O Life-Giver Christ our God, glory to Thee.

[When You, Immortal Life, descended to death, then you killed hell with the radiance of the Divine; when You raised the dead from the depths of the earth, all the Heavenly Powers exclaimed: “Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”]

Kontakion

Thou art risen from the grave, O omnipotent Savior, and hell, having seen the miracle, was horrified and rose from the dead. The creation, seeing You, rejoices, and Adam rejoices, and the world, my Savior, sings Your praises evermore.

[You rose from the grave, omnipotent Savior, and hell, seeing this miracle, was horrified, and the dead were resurrected. And the human race, seeing this, rejoices with You, and Adam rejoices, and the world, my Savior, glorifies You unceasingly.]


Voice 3rd

Troparion

Let them rejoice in heaven, let them rejoice on earth, for the Lord, having created a power with His arm, trampled down death by death, was the firstborn of the dead; Deliver us from the belly of hell and bestow the world's great mercy.

[Let those in heaven rejoice, let those on earth rejoice, for the Lord has shown the power of His hand: through death He conquered death, He became the firstborn from the dead; He delivered us from the belly of hell and bestowed great mercy on the world.]

Kontakion

Thou hast risen today from the grave, O Generous One, and thou hast raised us up from the gates of mortals; Today Adam rejoices and Eve rejoices, and the prophets and patriarchs unceasingly sing of the Divine power of Your power.

[You have risen this day from the grave, O Merciful One, and brought us out of the gates of death. Now Adam rejoices and Eve rejoices, and together with them the prophets and patriarchs unceasingly sing of the Divine power of Your power.]


Voice 4th

Troparion

The disciples of the Lord heard the bright resurrection sermon from the Angel and rejected the condemnation of their forefathers, the apostle boasting with the verb: death has been cast away, Christ God has risen, granting great mercy to the world.

[Having learned the joyful news of the resurrection from the Angel and freed from their ancestral condemnation, the Lord’s disciples, triumphant, said to the apostles: “Death has been cast down, Christ God has risen, giving great mercy to the world!”]

Kontakion

My Savior and Deliverer, from the grave, as God has risen from the bonds of earthly birth and crushed the gates of hell, and as the Lord has risen for three days.

[My Savior and Deliverer, from the grave, like God, raised those born on earth from the shackles, and smashed the gates of hell and, like a Lord, rose again on the third day.]


Voice 5th

Troparion

Let us sing and worship the co-original Word of the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, as He deigned to ascend in flesh to the Cross, and to endure death, and to resurrect the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

[Let us sing to the Word, without beginning as the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, O faithful, and worship Him, for He was pleased in His flesh to ascend to the Cross, and to suffer death, and to resurrect the dead by His glorious resurrection.]

Kontakion

You descended to hell, my Savior, and you crushed the gates like the Omnipotent One, you resurrected the dead like the Creator, and you crushed the sting of death, and Adam was quickly delivered from the oath, O Lover of Mankind. We also call everyone: save us, Lord.

[You descended into hell, my Savior, and, like the Almighty, crushed its gates, raised the dead with You, like the Creator, and destroyed the sting of death, and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Mankind. Therefore, we all exclaim to You: “Save us, Lord!”]


Voice 6th

Troparion

The angelic forces are on Your tomb and guarding the dead, and Mary is standing in the tomb, seeking Your Most Pure Body. You captured hell without being tempted by it; Thou hast met the Virgin, granting life. Risen from the dead, Lord, glory to You.

[Angelic forces appeared at Your tomb, and the guard died, and Mary stood in the tomb, looking for Your Most Pure Body. You have bound hell without suffering from it; You met a maiden, giving life. Risen from the dead, Lord, glory to Thee!]

Kontakion

By the life-giving hand, who died from the dark pleasures, the Giver of Life, resurrecting everyone, Christ God, gave resurrection to the human race: there is for all the Savior, the Resurrection and the Life, and the God of all.

[With His hand flowing life from the dark depths of the dead, the Giver of life, Christ God, having resurrected, gave resurrection to the human race, for He is the Savior, the Resurrection and Life, and the God of all.]


Voice 7th

Troparion

Thou hast destroyed death by Thy Cross, Thou hast opened paradise to the thief, Thou hast offered to cry to the myrrh-bearers, and Thou hast commanded the Apostle to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, granting great mercy to the world.

[You crushed death with Your Cross, opened paradise to the thief, turned the cry of the myrrh-bearing women into joy, and commanded the apostles to preach that You have risen, O Christ our God, granting great mercy to the world.]

Kontakion

No mortal power can hold mankind: Christ has descended, crushing and ruining its powers. Hell is bound, the prophets rejoice in agreement: presenting, saying, Savior to those who are in faith, come forth faithfully into resurrection.

[The power of death can no longer hold people back, for Christ descended into hell, crushing and destroying its powers. Chains are put on hell; The prophets unanimously rejoice, saying: “The Savior has appeared to those who continue in faith; come out, faithful ones, for the resurrection!”]


Voice 8th

Troparion

You came down from the heights, O Compassionate One, you accepted the three-day burial, so that you freed us from passions, Our Life and Resurrection, O Lord, glory to You.

[He came down from the heights, O Merciful One, and received a three-day burial, may you free us from suffering; Our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory to Thee!]

Kontakion

Thou hast risen from the grave, Thou hast raised up the dead, and Thou hast raised Adam, and Eve rejoices in Thy resurrection, and the ends of the world rejoice, having risen from the dead through Thy most merciful One.

[Having risen from the grave, You have raised up the dead and resurrected Adam, and Eve rejoices in Your resurrection, and the ends of the world celebrate Your resurrection from the dead, O Most Merciful.]

Eight Church Voices

Voices are a musical system of eight modes (voices) that forms the basis of ancient chants in the Orthodox Church. In a broad sense, a voice can be called a set of melodies to which certain chants are sung. In singing practice, there has been an understanding of a voice as a melody that serves as a stencil for singing all texts related to a given voice. Singing of the same voice is not the same (both in Greek and Russian singing) for irmos, prokeimnov, and troparia. Since different types of chants are used in worship: troparion, stichera, prokeimenon, irmos, etc., various tunes have been established for them. Thus, in order to sing correctly, you need to know not only the number of the voice, but also its type: troparal, stichern or other.

Nevertheless, the musical basis of all melodic variants of the same voice is the same to this day - it has been preserved more or less constantly over the centuries.

Eight voices make up the so-called. the system of “osmoglasy” (i.e., eight-voice), which covers almost the entire main fund of church music. Most of the hymns of the services of one week are subordinated to one of the eight voices. Eight weeks form an eight-week vocal cycle.

According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the system of voices was introduced by the Monk John of Damascus. There are only 8 voices, of which 4 are main and 4 are indirect. In the Greek Church they are called: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 indirect, 2 indirect, 3 indirect, 4 indirect, and in the Russian Church, respectively, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Below we give small “descriptions” of each voice, as well as a far from complete list of the most familiar chants of different voices to believers.

VOICE 1 - Ancient church writers said that “the first voice is important, majestic and most solemn.” He was compared to the sun, saying that he drives away laziness, lethargy, sleep, sadness and embarrassment. In the first line of both the troparion and verse chants of this voice there is a wide “step” of the melody upward, which gives it regularity, importance and solemnity.

Troparion to the Cross “Save, O Lord, Thy people”;
Troparion to the Epiphany “I am baptized in the Jordan, O Lord”;
Troparion to the Assumption “At Christmas you preserved your virginity”;
Dogmatist “Worldwide Glory”;
Irmos of the canons of St. Pascha “Resurrection day, let us be enlightened, people”;
Nativity of Christ “Christ is born, glorify”;
Irmos of the Sunday canon “Your victorious right hand.”

VOICE 2 - “full of meekness, reverence, it comforts the sad and drives away gloomy experiences.” Several versions of this voice are sung, but the common thing - a flexible melody, light intonation - is present in all versions of the chants.

Troparion to the Image Not Made by Hands “We worship Your Most Pure Image, O Good One”;
Troparion to the Baptist and Forerunner John “Memory of the righteous with praise”;
Troparion of Saturday, to all the saints and departed
"Apostles, martyrs and prophets";
Theotokos “Most blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary”;
Irmos of the canons “Sometimes in the depths of the ambassador”, “Come, ye people”.

VOICE 3 - “a stormy voice, it, like the sea in bad weather, encourages spiritual achievement.” This characteristic of the ancients applies fully to the troparary chant of the voice that we sing. The verse chant is more serene.

Kontakion to the Nativity of Christ “Today the Virgin gives birth to the Most Essential”;
Troparion of the Great Martyr. Panteleimon “Passion-Bearing Saint”;
Sunday stichera “By Your Cross, O Christ the Savior.”

VOICE 4 - “twofold: sometimes it excites joy, sometimes it inspires sadness. With quiet and soft transitions of tones, it imparts peace to the soul, inspires a desire for the Most High, most expressing the effect of God’s grace on us.” Perhaps one of the most common and “popular” voices of church singing in comparison with others. Many well-known troparia are written in this voice. Its logical and simple melodic structure is accessible to everyone.

Troparion to the Nativity of Christ “Thy Nativity, O Christ”
Our God";
Troparion of the Mother of God “Rejoice, Virgin Mary”;
Troparion of St. Nicholas “The Rule of Faith and the Image of Meekness”;
Dogmatist “For Your sake, Godfather, Prophet David”;
Irmos of the canon to the Mother of God “I will open my mouth”;
Irmos of the Sunday canon “The Sea of ​​the Red Deep”.

VOICE 5 - “calms emotional unrest, it is suitable for crying about sins.” The melody of the voice evenly “sways” the words of the chants, the intonation slides up and down, giving a feeling of peace and infinity.

Funeral sedal “Rest, our Savior, with the righteous Thy servants”;
Sunday troparia “Angelic Council” (“Blessed art thou,
Lord, teach me Your justification");
Dogmatist "In the Black Sea".

VOICE 6 - “gives rise to pious feelings - devotion, humanity, love.” This is what the ancients wrote. We also know this voice as the voice of concentration and sorrow - a minor intonation in which the words of the text rise, as if on “steps”.

Sunday hymn based on the Gospel “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ”;
Troparion (stichera) to the Holy Spirit “Heavenly King”;
Stichera “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior, the Angels sing in heaven”;
Funeral stichera “Seeing me is silent”;
Irmos of the canon “As Israel walked on dry land”
(6th canticle “The Sea of ​​Life”).

VOICE 7 - “a soft, touching, exhorting voice. He gently convinces, calls, asks for propitiation.” Of all the voices of our osmoglanie, the most meager in the number of chants is the seventh voice. This voice sounds quite rarely, and therefore it is probably not easy to recognize it and identify it in memory.

Troparion to the Transfiguration “Thou art transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God”;
Troparion of the Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg “Having loved the poverty of Christ”;
Sunday troparion “Thou hast destroyed death by Thy Cross.”

VOICE 8 - “expresses faith in the future life, contemplates heavenly mysteries, prays for the bliss of the soul.” The eighth voice can also be called the voice of exclamation: most chants emphasize this exclamatory side. Many of them directly begin with interjections: “Alas!” or "Oh!" The eighth voice can also be considered as a “trumpet” voice, a voice of high preaching and praise.

Funeral troparion “Build everything humanely with the depth of wisdom”;
Troparion to Pentecost “Blessed art thou, O Christ our God,”
“It is worthy to eat” and “To the Chosen Governor” are often sung in the 8th tone;
Funeral stichera “I cry and sob”;
Irmoses of the canon “I have passed through the water, as if I were dry land” (6th hymn “Prayer
I will pour it out to the Lord."

Compiled by V. Khoretskaya


On March 6, at the Moscow Museum of Russian Icons, a meeting took place with the composer of Coptic hymns, George Kyrillos. Muscovites received a unique opportunity to hear live Coptic liturgical chants.


The chant of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts “Now the Powers of Heaven” is one of the most powerful impressions of Great Lent. It doesn't sound at other times. We cannot help but feel his “extraordinary” nature. “King of Glory” is the name of Christ, in which there is a very strong connection with the agony of the Cross. Priest Fyodor LYUDOGOVSKY and poet Olga SEDAKOVA comment.


Most parishioners have never heard the beautiful and sublime prayers that the priest says at the most important moment of the Liturgy. The people standing in the temple can only hear exclamations and the end of prayers read silently or in a quiet voice at the altar. How was it like in ancient times? When and why did the current practice begin?


The Sunday troparion in 3 voices is commented on by the leading columns of liturgical poetry “NS”: priest, philologist Fyodor LYUDOGOVSKY and poet, translator Olga SEDAKOVA.


Stichera for the Lithium of the Presentation “Ancient of Days”, in which the hymn of St. Simeon “Now You Let Go” is combined with images of a Christian funeral, comment priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY and poet Olga SEDAKOVA.


Who meets with whom on the Feast of the Presentation? The Virgin Mary and Joseph with Elder Simeon, Simeon with God, the Old Testament with the New, hope with its justification. Sretensky stichera tell about the paradoxes of these meetings. Commentary by priest, philologist Fyodor LYUDOGOVSKY and poet, translator Olga SEDAKOVA.


The main theme of almost all Gospel Sunday stichera is Easter joy, the amazing period of time between the Resurrection and Ascension, between the two steps of Salvation: the Resurrection from the dead - and the return to the Father. The Gospel Sunday stichera of the 8th tone is commented on by the leading columns of liturgical poetry “NS”: priest, philologist Fyodor LYUDOGOVSKY and poet, translator Olga SEDAKOVA.


This Sunday, during the service, the troparion in tone 5, “The Co-Original Word to the Father and the Spirit,” will be sung. Probably the author of this chant, extremely rich in vivid images and dogmatic meaning, was St. John of Damascus. Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY comments.


Mercy, condescension, love - this is God’s attitude towards people. Out of His love, the Lord created man; out of His mercy, He himself became man in order to save us from sin. Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY talks about the meaning of the Sunday troparion of the 8th tone.


A week before the start of preparations for Lent, a passage is read about the tax collector Zacchaeus. How does our inner man grow? Like Zacchaeus: first externally, seeking God and learning mercy from Him, then internally, ascending to a mysterious change of mind.


This Saturday, during the all-night vigil, the Lenten Triodion begins to be read and sung. Her chants are very beautiful, sublime, but also difficult to understand. What are kontakion and ikos, why are they remarkable on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, and what does it mean “we will bring the sighs of a publican” and “we will beat our conscience with sobs,” says priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY.


At the all-night vigil, immediately after the joyful singing of “Seeing the Resurrection of Christ,” the rejoicing suddenly ends, the lamps go out, the temple plunges into darkness, and a completely different song begins to sound, “Open the doors of repentance, O Giver of Life.” Preparations for Lent begin


Should freedom be “from something” or “for something”? Why is the search for pleasure dangerous? Why is fornication prohibited? On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the words of the Apostle Paul are read, which provide an answer to these questions. Archimandrite Iannuariy (IVLIEV) explains


The death and resurrection of Christ opened the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven to people expelled from Eden - and among the first to enter there was a thief who, before dying on the cross in the face of the Savior, repented of his iniquities. Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY tells about the Sunday troparion of the 7th tone


We are accustomed to the fact that church hymns contain appeals on our behalf to the Holy Trinity, to Christ, to the Mother of God, to angels and saints. In the stichera “All-honorable Paradise, the most red kindness,” the hymnographer puts into Adam’s mouth a request for intercession before the Creator, addressed to... Eden, from which our first parents were expelled for disobedience and unrepentance. Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY tells


On Saturday, at Matins, Psalm 136 will be heard for the last time this year - the mournful, repentant song “On the Rivers of Babylon.” What is it singing about? Who is this accursed daughter of Babylon and babies who should be dashed against the stone? These are sinful passions that must be hated in oneself and put to death before they grow. Archpriest Igor GAGARIN tells


The chant “May my prayer be corrected...” sounds at every Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts during Lent. There is nothing like this either in the so-called full liturgies, which are more familiar to us, or in Vespers, which forms the basis of the Presanctified Liturgy. Priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY comments.


Why, on the week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, do we read a passage from the Gospel about a very personal meeting with Christ of Nathanael, who is in no hurry to believe in Christ the Messiah and in his doubts, like a theologically educated Jew, refers to sources? What kind of mysterious communication takes place between them, what makes the unbeliever Nathanael a believer? Archpriest Dimitry YUREVICH, vice-rector of the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy for scientific and theological work, comments.

Voice 1:

Troparion

The stone was sealed from the Jews and the warriors guarding Your Most Pure Body, resurrected if three days old, Savior, granting life to the world. For this reason, for the sake of the power of heaven, I cry out to You, O Life-Giver: glory to Your resurrection, O Christ, glory to Your Kingdom, glory to Your vigilance, the only Lover of Mankind.

Theotokos

Gabriel, the Virgin who spoke to Thee, rejoice, O Lord of all, with a voice, incarnated in Thee, the Holy Icon, as the righteous David said: Thou hast appeared, the broadest of the heavens, reproaching Thy Creator. Glory to him who dwells in You, glory to him who has passed from You, glory to him who has freed us through Your Nativity.

Kontakion

You have risen like God from the grave in glory, and you have resurrected the world with one another; and human nature sings Thee like God, and death disappears; Adam rejoices, Master; Eve, now freed from her bonds, rejoices, calling: You are the one who gives to everyone, O Christ, the resurrection.

Voice 2:

Troparion

When you descended to death, Immortal Life, then you put hell to death with the brilliance of the Divine: when you also raised those who had died from the underworld, all the powers of heaven cried out: Life-Giver, Christ our God, glory to Thee.

Theotokos

All more than meaning, All your glorious, Mother of God, sacraments, sealed in purity and preserved in virginity, Mother knew that you are not false, having given birth to the true God; Pray to him for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion

Thou art risen from the grave, O All-Powerful Savior, and having seen the miracle in hell, one was horrified and rose from the dead; the creature, seeing, rejoices at You, and Adam rejoices, and the world, my Savior, sings to You evermore.

Voice 3:

Troparion

Let them rejoice in heaven, let them rejoice on earth, for the Lord, having created a power with His arm, trampled down death by death, was the firstborn of the dead; Deliver us from the belly of hell, and bestow great mercy upon the world.

Theotokos

We sing to You, the Intercessor for the salvation of our race, O Virgin Mother of God: for in the flesh Your Son and our God received from You, Let us receive the passion of the Cross, deliver us from aphids as a Lover of Mankind.

Kontakion

Thou hast risen today from the grave, O Generous One, and thou hast raised us up from the gates of mortals; Today Adam rejoices, and Eve rejoices, and the prophets and patriarchs unceasingly sing of the Divine power of Your power.

Voice 4:

Troparion

The disciples of the Lord heard the bright resurrection sermon from the Angel and rejected the condemnation of their forefathers, the apostle boasting with the verb: death has been cast away, Christ God has risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Theotokos

A mystery that has been hidden for centuries, and unknown to the Angel, by You, the Mother of God, who has appeared on earth as God, in an unfused union we embody, and we will accept the Cross for our sake, having resurrected the primordial One, saving our souls from death.

Kontakion

My Savior and Deliverer from the grave, like God, resurrected from the bonds of the earth, and crushed the gates of hell, and like the Lord is risen for three days.

Voice 5:

Troparion

Let us sing, faithfully, and worship the co-original Word of the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, as He deigned the flesh to ascend to the cross, and to endure death, and to resurrect the dead by His glorious resurrection.

Theotokos

Rejoice, impenetrable door of the Lord. Rejoice, wall and cover of those who flow to You. Rejoice, unstormed haven and undistorted one, who gave birth to the flesh of Your Creator and God, praying that you do not become poor from those who sing and bow to Your Nativity.

Kontakion

You descended to hell, my Savior, and you crushed the gates like the Omnipotent One, you resurrected the dead like the Creator, and you crushed the sting of death, and Adam was quickly delivered from the oath, Lover of mankind, we also call to all: save us, Lord.

Voice 6:

Troparion

The angelic forces are at Your tomb and watch over the dead body, and Mary stands in the tomb, seeking Your Most Pure Body. You captured hell without being tempted by it; Thou hast met the Virgin, granting life. Risen from the dead, Lord, glory to You.

Theotokos

You have named Your Blessed Mother, you came to the passion of your free will, having shone on the Cross, even to seek Adam, saying by the Angel: rejoice in Me, for the lost drachma has been found. Having arranged everything wisely, our God, glory to Thee.

Kontakion

With the life-giving hand of those who died from the dark pleasures, the Giver of Life, having resurrected everyone, Christ God, gave resurrection to the human race: for there is a Savior of all, the resurrection and life, and the God of all.

Voice 7:

Troparion

Thou hast destroyed death by Thy Cross, Thou hast opened paradise to the thief, Thou hast offered mourning to the myrrh-bearers, and Thou hast commanded the apostle to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, bestowing great mercy on the world.

Theotokos

Like the treasure of our resurrection, raise those who hope in You, O All-Singing One, from the pit and depths of sins; You have saved those guilty of sin, having given birth to our Salvation; even before the birth of the Virgin, and at the birth of the Virgin, and after the birth again the Virgin remains.

Kontakion

No mortal power can hold man: Christ descended, crushing and ruining its powers; hell is connected, the prophets rejoice in agreement, appearing, saying, Savior to those who are in faith: come forth, faithful ones, into the resurrection.

Voice 8:

Troparion

Thou hast descended from the heights, O Compassionate One, Thou hast accepted the burial of three days, so that Thou freest us from passions, Life and our resurrection, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Theotokos

Who for our sake was born of the Virgin, and endured crucifixion, the Good One, who overthrew death with death, and revealed the resurrection as God, do not despise what You created with Your hand; Reveal Your love for mankind, O Most Merciful One, accept the Mother of God who gave birth to You and prays for us; and save, our Savior, desperate people.

Kontakion

Thou hast risen from the grave, Thou hast raised up the dead, and Thou hast raised Adam, and Eve rejoices in Thy resurrection, and the ends of the world rejoice in Thy rise from the dead, O Many-Merciful One.


The custom of dividing Sunday troparia according to voices was established in the Orthodox Church many centuries ago. Voices are chants, or, in simpler terms, melodies, fixed. There are eight voices in total, so the system according to which they are distributed throughout the liturgical circle is called osmoglasia.

What is sung about in the Sunday troparions according to the voices?

Sunday troparions by voice are of interest, because they are repeated in a circle, and in order to know and understand the Sunday service well, Orthodox priests recommend that parishioners figure out what they are talking about. Since the service in the church is conducted in Church Slavonic, we offer you brief interpretations for each Sunday troparion.

  • Troparion of Tone 1 says that even the stern guards of the Holy Sepulcher did not prevent Christ from rising from the dead, rolling away the stone from the entrance, and revealing Himself to the world in a new capacity.
  • The text of the troparion in tone 2 talks about Jesus’ descent into hell and his liberation of the Old Testament righteous from there.
  • Troparion 3 voices glorifies the Savior as having trampled death by His Resurrection and contains a call to those praying to rejoice and be glad with the whole world.
  • Troparion 4 Tone mentions the myrrh-bearing women, who were the first mortals to learn about the miracle of the Resurrection and reported it to the apostles.
  • The Troparion of Tone 5 invites Orthodox Christians to praise Jesus, who voluntarily ascended to the Cross for our salvation.
  • In the troparion of tone 6, it is sung about the consternation of the guards who guarded the Tomb and saw disembodied Angels next to it, and about Christ’s disciple Mary Magdalene, who came to look for the dead body of Jesus and did not find Him.
  • Troparion of Tone 7 reminds believers that the Savior, by His Resurrection, delivered all who believe in Him from tears and granted them salvation.
  • Troparion 8 in tone tells about the earthly incarnation of the Son of God and His three-day stay of Christ in the Tomb for the salvation of mankind.

Why are there exactly eight Sunday troparions according to the voices?

This number of troparions according to the voices is associated with the sacredness of the number eight: it appears several times in the Bible. It was the eighth day after the beginning of the creation of the world that became the first day of the very first week of chronology; on the eighth day, the Mother of God brought the Baby Jesus to the church for circumcision in accordance with the ancient Jewish law; on the eighth day of the Old Testament week, Christ rose from the dead.

Listen to the video Sunday troparia according to the voices

Read the text of Sunday troparions by voice

Stone sealed from the Jews / and a warrior guarding Your Most Pure Body, / resurrected if three days old. Savior, / grant life to the world. / For this reason, for the sake of the power of heaven, I cry out to Thee, O Life-Giver: / glory to Thy resurrection, O Christ, / glory to Thy Kingdom, / glory to Thy vision, the only One who loves mankind.

When you descended to death, Immortal Life, / then you put hell to death: / when you raised those who died from the underworld, / all the powers of heaven cried out: / Life-giver, Christ our God, glory to Thee.

Let the heavenly ones rejoice, / let the earthly ones rejoice, / for the Lord created the power / with His arm, / trampled down death by death, / became the firstborn of the dead; / deliver us from the belly of hell, / and bestow great mercy upon the world.

The disciples of the Lord heard the bright resurrection sermon / from the Angel / and rejected the condemnation of their forefathers, / the apostle boasting with the verb: / death has been cast away, / Christ God has risen, / granting great mercy to the world.

The co-original Word of the Father and the Spirit, / born of the Virgin for our salvation, / let us sing, faithfully, and worship, / as you deigned the flesh to ascend to the cross, / and endure death, / and resurrect the dead / with His glorious resurrection.

The angelic forces are on Your tomb / and those watching are dead, / and Mary is standing in the tomb, / seeking Your Most Pure Body. / You captured hell without being tempted by it; / You met the Virgin, granting life. / Risen from the dead. Lord, glory to You.

Thou hast destroyed death by Thy Cross, / opened up paradise to the thief, / offered mourning to the myrrh-bearers, / and commanded, / that Thou hast risen, O Christ God, / granting to the world / great mercy.

You came down from the heights, O Compassionate One, / you accepted the burial of three days, / so that you freed us from passions, / and brought forth our resurrection. Lord, glory to You.