Akathist to the Life-bearing Tomb and the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
Kontakion 1
To the chosen Champion Leader risen from the dead, a hymn of victory do we sing to You, O Christ Eternal King, for You have risen from the tomb: and we being delivered from everlasting corruption, bring joyous acclamations to Your honorable tomb crying out: Rejoice, life-bearing tomb where Christ has risen!
Ikos 1
An Archangel came down from heaven to roll away the stone from before Your tomb at Your resurrection, O Christ God, and to announce Your rising to the Myrrh-bearers saying: Go and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead. And they, wondering at the strange word of the angel, cried unto Your life-bearing tomb these praises:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb wherein Christ lay as dead and where He arose on the third day;
Rejoice, for He arose from you and has granted us resurrection;
Rejoice, for as a bridegroom from the bridal-chamber so did Christ come forth from you, leading hell captive;
Rejoice, for in His rising the dead of all ages have arisen;
Rejoice, for by you Peter the chief Apostle knows the resurrection;
Rejoice, for by Christ’s lying within you has all the earth been hallowed;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 2
When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came unto Your tomb to anoint Your Body, O Christ God, they found an angel sitting upon the stone and he said to them: Do not be afraid for I know that you seek the Crucified; He is not here but is risen as He said to you. And when they had announced the resurrection to the disciples they all sung to the Creator and Master of All, the angels’ hymn: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Their thoughts storming within their minds, Your disciples, O Christ, knew not the scripture that it was fitting for You to rise from the dead: therefore, they did not believe the Myrrh-bearers’ joyous announcement of Your rising: but Peter ran to Your tomb and stooping down beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves and the napkin which had been on Your divine Head, and rightly believed together with the rest of the disciples and, therefore, rejoicing, cried such praises unto Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for by you was wrought the salvation of all the world;
Rejoice, for you are venerated by all creation;
Rejoice, for coming unto you from the North and from the sea the faithful glorify Christ;
Rejoice, for from the West and from the East all magnify the resurrection within you;
Rejoice, for you were couch and repose unto the King of kings;
Rejoice, for by you the assembly of the Jews was put to shame;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 3
The sentries, that vain guard placed about Your tomb, O Christ, heard the mighty earthquake and the Angel proclaiming the good news of Your resurrection to the Myrrh-bearers and, quaking with fear became as dead men, and rushing headlong into the city told the high-priest and the elders the things that had come to pass, but in their great unrighteousness they thought to conceal Your resurrection but were not able, and rather taught all to sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
The Arimathean who from fear of the Jews had secretly been Your disciple, O Christ, did beg Your divine body from Pilate and then, too, did Nicodemus come bearing a mixture of myrrh and aloes and anointed Your incorruptible body, and, having wrapped it in a winding sheet with spices, did lay You in a new tomb wherein no other had yet been placed but You only, O Lord, that You might sanctify the substance of the earth. But when they had learned of Your resurrection from the dead, they shouted praises unto Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for the mysteries of salvation have been performed within you;
Rejoice, for by you the resurrection has been made known unto all the world;
Rejoice, sure and certain knowledge of the resurrection;
Rejoice, for Christ coming forth from you has led captivity captive, and brought human nature unto God the Father;
Rejoice, for although as man He was laid within you, as God did He arise with glory;
Rejoice, for you held within Yourself Him Who holds all creation;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 4
When the Myrrh-bearers came unto Your disciples, O Christ God, announcing Your resurrection, they were filled with joy and went into Galilee to the mount, as You had commanded them; and seeing You, very God, in the flesh and not an apparition, they worshiped God, crying: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
This knowledge remained unknown to the Jews who neither understood the prophecies nor sought to understand Your resurrection, O Christ: how You could come forth from Your tomb without breaking the seals thereof. Wherefore do they slander and jeer at Your rising, but we, marveling at the mystery, bring praises to Your life-bearing tomb, saying:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for Christ from you has risen and raised up the dead;
Rejoice, for through you hell is known and stripped bare;
Rejoice, for the naked Adam is once more clothed in a divinely-woven garment;
Rejoice, for the earth, polluted by Abel’s fratricidal blood, is hallowed again by Christ’s abiding in you;
Rejoice, for when the Angel had rolled away the stone from before you, the Myrrh-bearers came to know of Christ’s resurrection;
Rejoice, for when Christ had arisen from you, the news of this resurrection did spread throughout all the world;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 5
On the eighth day after Your resurrection, You, O Lord, did come unto Your disciples, although the doors were closed, and bestow the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon them. And then You did say unto Your disciple Thomas, “Come here and touch Me!” and he, at the touch, knew You as being truly risen and not an apparition. Wherefore together with the other disciples did he cry unto You: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
We see the council of the Jews, the falsely-wise orators, mute as fish and unable to speak about Your resurrection, O Christ, and not understanding the prophecies, how it was right for You, the God of all, to rise from the dead. But we, marveling at the mystery of Your resurrection, cry out unto Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for Pilate’s foolish watchmen were terrified when Christ came forth from you;
Rejoice, for He Who arose from you did not break the seals upon the grave;
Rejoice, O truly rich tomb, for you did hold within Yourself Christ the Lifegiver, Who bestowes life upon all;
Rejoice, for when Christ arose from you the heavens did rejoice;
Rejoice, for then the things of earth did teach the resurrection to all;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 6
When after Your resurrection You, O Christ, did reveal Yourself to Your disciples at the sea of Tiberias and command them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, then did Your beloved disciple, recognizing You, O God, from the mighty draught of fishes, say unto Peter, “It is the Lord!” And as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire and fish thereupon and bread, and in the giving of bread they did know You and as to the risen God did shout: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The women made their way to Your tomb in the deep dawn, O Christ God, and though they did not find Your sought-for body, O Jesus, they discerned not Your rising, but straightway saw an Angel standing before them, who asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” And seeing Your resurrection with great gladness they cried out these praises unto Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for by Christ’s abiding within you the nether regions were seized with great fear;
Rejoice, for then with trembling did hell give up the dead which it had held down through the ages;
Rejoice, for by Christ’s rising we are all restored to newness of life;
Rejoice, for by Christ’s rising from you Thomas was taught to say, “My Lord and my God!” Rejoice, for in Christ’s rising all creation has found joy;
Rejoice, too, O Arimathean, for within your own garden you have acquired so great a treasure; Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 7
The sun at Your passion, O Christ, unable to bear the raging frenzy of the lawless, did hide its light and the veil of the temple was torn in two, and when You were laid in the life-bearing tomb the earth was shaken as though wanting to swallow up the unlawful, but You as God did rise in glory and with Yourself did raise up Adam, the father of us all. Wherefore, unto our truly risen God we sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
After Your resurrection, O Christ, You revealed Yourself to Luke and Cleopas along the way and acompanied them as they discussed together those things that had happened to You, O Master of all, and You were scorned by them as being but a stranger in Jerusalem. But You as God opened unto them the prophecies concerning Yourself and thus were known by them in the breaking of the bread, whence with great joy they turned back to Jerusalem and told the good news of Your resurrection and appearance to Your disciples. Wherefore, all together they did worship and sing praises unto Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for thou hast received within Yourself Christ, the heavenly bread, given as food for all;
Rejoice, for you were able to contain Christ as a sleeping king;
Rejoice, for heaven and earth were filled with glad tidings when Christ arose from you;
Rejoice, for by you the Jews were brought to disgrace;
Rejoice, for no longer are the unlawful able to slander Christ’s resurrection;
Rejoice, for through you the Apostles’ choir was filled with joy;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 8
Mankind together with all the Angels stand in wonder before Your great care for us — You Who as God are inaccessible and yet as an approachable man are seen by all; You Who were crucified and buried and Who rose in glory, and therefore, to You as Creator and Master do we sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
In Your resurrection, O Christ, You showed forth the new creation, for, just as in Your birth from the Virgin, You did not destroy the seal upon the tomb. Therefore, we honor Your Passion, we glorify Your Burial, in faith we worship Your glorious Resurrection and offer hymns of thanksgiving to Your tomb, saying:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for Christ is risen from you and has renewed all the world;
Rejoice, for the stone that was rolled away from you has shattered the gates and door-posts of hell;
Rejoice, for the sun of the whole world has shone forth from you;
Rejoice, for when Christ lay within you the nether regions were shaken asunder;
Rejoice, for those dead whom hell of old did seize, it has unwillingly given back alive;
Rejoice, you lightning flash which did hide the divine pearl within Yourself;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 9
The Apostles, those God-bearing heralds of Your resurrection, were sent out into all the world and they did preach You, the true God; they taught all the faithful to sing to You, the Creator and Master: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
After Your rising from the grave, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. She, therefore, went quickly to the disciples, saying, “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher!” Then Peter, that disciple of burning faith, ran with John to the tomb and peering within saw the garments lying together and, coming to the knowledge of Your resurrection, began to shout praises to Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for when Christ was shut within you He shone forth light upon the nether regions;
Rejoice, for when the stone was removed from you the stoney-hearted nations began to sing, “Christ is truly risen!”;
Rejoice, for within you God did pass three days asleep in the flesh;
Rejoice, for by His rising has He awakened those who through the ages have been asleep; Rejoice, for coming forth from you He has bestowed resurrection upon all;
Rejoice, for as a bright sun shining forth from you has He enlightened all the world;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 10
The earth grew frightened and fell silent, seeing You its Creator lying in a small tomb, and hell, trembling with fear before Your power, gave up its dead preparing for You. Your rising to the Father from Whom You were never separate. Wherefore do we sing unto You: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Mary Magdalene with most ardent faith in You, O Jesus Christ, came very early to Your tomb, O Savior, and was granted the vision of an angel telling her, “He is not here, but is risen.” Furthermore, You Yourself appeared to her as God, therefore she was sent as the bearer of good news to announce to Your disciples Your rising to the Father. Your disciples were thereby filled with joy and together with the Myrrh-bearers offered praises unto Your life-bearing tomb, crying:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, you opening of the gates of paradise;
Rejoice, for of Him Who lay within you does hell unwillingly speak truly, saying, “It were better for me had I never seized the Son of Mary!”;
Rejoice, for He Who arose from you has led hell captive and filled the heavenly Jerusalem; Rejoice, for as one who sleeps have you held within Yourself the very Lamb, the Son of God; Rejoice, for according to the prophecy Christ did sleep within you and as a lion did take His rest and who has stirred Him up?;
Rejoice, for from you He raised Himself by His own power;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 11
When the Savior stood before His disciples, granting them peace, He also gave them the power to forgive sins and to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and to preach His resurrection from the dead; and they did go and teach all nations to cry unto the risen God: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
After Your rising from the dead, O Christ, appearing unto Your disciples You said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me?” And after his threefold declaration of his love for You, You established him as the first leader of Your Church and all the faithful, having known You the risen God, cried out praises to Your life-bearing tomb:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for in coming forth from you has Christ made us a path up to heaven;
Rejoice, for, placed within you, Christ has raised up the dead of all the ages;
Rejoice, for unto the resurrected has He given eternal life;
Rejoice, for the Cross and Resurrection are glorified in you;
Rejoice, for by you the sentries learned of the resurrection;
Rejoice, for you are the fountain of divine knowledge;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 12
Glorifying Your Passion, we honor Your divine providence for us and we worship Your divine resurrection. Glorifying Your all-glorious ascension from earth to the heavenly Father, we pray: Take not Your all-holy Spirit away from us, so that we may all sing to You as Creator and Master: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
You the radiance of the Father went to the Mount of Olives and then a most bright cloud lifted You up, as Your disciples looked on, O Almighty One, and Your angels said unto Your Apostles, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? Him Who you see taken up from you shall come again in the flesh.” And they returned to Jerusalem with joy, praising You, the true God, and offering praises to Your life-bearing tomb, wherein You were laid and on the third day arose:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb, for from you has Christ, the ineffable light, shone forth and enlightened the whole world;
Rejoice, for the Myrrh-bearers did hear, “Rejoice!” when Christ arose from you;
Rejoice, for you have been the resting-place of the King of kings and Lord of lords;
Rejoice, for you have held the sustainer of all creation;
Rejoice, for the most wise Jews were made fools by you, for they could not speak against the resurrection;
Rejoice, for the choir of the Apostles has found joy through you;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 13
O most holy and life-bearing tomb of Christ, thou the enrichment of all the world! Standing before you as the bearer of life we pray unto Christ our God Who lay within you and rose in glory on the third day, the He deliver His inheritance from famine, pestilence, earthquake and flood and from every mortal wound, that He grant peace unto Orthodox Christians and subdue under their feet those who strive against them, that we may all sing unto You, our Creator and Master: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! {Three times. }
Ikos 1
An Archangel came down from heaven to roll away the stone from before Your tomb at Your resurrection, O Christ God, and to announce Your rising to the Myrrh-bearers saying: Go and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead. And they, wondering at the strange word of the angel, cried unto Your life-bearing tomb these praises:
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb wherein Christ lay as dead and where He arose on the third day;
Rejoice, for He arose from you and has granted us resurrection;
Rejoice, for as a bridegroom from the bridal-chamber so did Christ come forth from you, leading hell captive;
Rejoice, for in His rising the dead of all ages have arisen;
Rejoice, for by you Peter the chief Apostle knows the resurrection;
Rejoice, for by Christ’s lying within you has all the earth been hallowed;
Rejoice, life-bearing tomb from which Christ has risen!
Kontakion 1
To the chosen Champion Leader risen from the dead, a hymn of victory do we sing to You, O Christ Eternal King, for You have risen from the tomb: and we being delivered from everlasting corruption, bring joyous acclamations to Your honorable tomb crying out: Rejoice, life-bearing tomb where Christ has risen!