After the 4th hour of the night, all the lamps are lighted, and Midnight Office begins. The beginning is as usual. Then, Come, let us worship . . . thrice, Psalm 50, and immediately the Canon of Great Saturday.

    After the Canon, the Trisagion, and after Our Father . . . , the troparion, When thou didst descend . . . Then the litany Have mercy on us, O God . . . (page 39), and the dismissal for Sunday Midnight Office.

    Where it is customary, the priest celebrates Midnight Office before the Winding-sheet, wearing the phelonion, and the holy doors remain open. At the time of the 6th Ode of the canon, there is a censing of the Winding-sheet; at the 9th Ode, the Winding-sheet is taken into the sanctuary and placed on the holy table. Then the holy doors are closed.

    Toward the hour of Matins, the para-ecclesiarch, having received the blessing of the celebrant, goes out and tolIs the great belI for some time. Then, having entered the temple, he lights all the lamps and candies. He arranges two vessels with burning charcoal, placing much sweetsmelling incense in them, and sets them, one in the center f the church, and the other in the sanctuary, so that the hole church will be filled with a sweet aroma.

    Then the celebrant, having entered the sanctuary with he priests and deacons, vests himself in all his brightest vestments. Then he distributes candles among the brethren, and he takes the precious Cross and the three-branch candlestick. The deacon takes the censer, one priest the holy Gospels, and one priest the icon of the Resurrection of Christ. They all stand facing the west, and the celebrant censes the sanctuary and the concelebrants. The western gates of the church are closed. The holy doors are then opened, and the celebrant comes out with the priests singing the sticheron, tone 6:

    Thy resurrection, O Christ Savior, the angels in heaven sing. Do thou enable us on earth to glorify thee with pure hearts.

    They go around the temple preceded by the deacons and candle-bearers and by both choirs.

    Then all the bells are rung for some time. And having entered the porch, they stand holding the Gospel Book and the icons facing west, as indicated before. Then the celebrant takes the censer in his right hand from the deacon and holds the cross in his left hand. He then censes the icons, the choirs, and the brethren as usual, the deacon carrying before him a lighted candle. The brethren all stand holding their candles, praying with heed within themselves and giving thanks to Christ our God who suffered and rose again for our sakes.

    At the conclusion of the censing, the celebrant comes before the principal doors of the church and censes the deacon, who stands before him with a candle. Then the deacon takes the censer from the celebrant's hand and censes the celebrant himself. And the celebrant, again taking the censer, standing before the doors of the church and facing east, signs the doors of the church, which remain closed, with the censer in cross form thrice, holding the precious cross and the three-branch candlestick in his left hand. Candle-bearers stand on both sides.

    GLORY to the holy, consubstantial, life-creating, and undivided Trinity always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    And we, having answered Amen, the celebrant with the rest of the celebrants begins the troparion in tone 5 in a loud voice:

    CHRIST is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life.

    First: Let God arise, and let Him scatter His enemies, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.

    And at each verse, we sing the whole troparion, Christ is risen . . ., once.

    Second: As smoke vanisheth, let them vanish; as wax melteth in the face of fire.

    Christ is risen . . . once

    Third: So let sinners perish before the face of God, but let the righteous be glad.

    Christ is risen . . . once

    Fourth: This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad on it.

    Christ is risen . . . , once

    And the doors are opened. The celebrant enters with he precious Cross, two lamps being borne before him, and then the brethren sing, And on those in the tombs bestowing life.

    The celebrant enters the sanctuary with the priests, and the deacon says the Great Litany: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

    For to thee belong all glory, honor and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
    Choir: Amen.

    Then the celebrant begins the canon, a composition of John of Damascus, in tone 1. The heirmos is The day of Resurrection. . . with the refrain, Christ is risen from the dead. And then each choir repeats the heirmos. And finally, as the katabasia, the same heirmos is sung, The day of Resurrection. . . after which the entire troparion, Christ is risen from the dead . . . is sung three times.

    The celebrant always begins each Ode of the canon, with the right or left choir beginning the repetition in its turn. And he censes at the beginning of the canon the holy icons, both choirs, and the brethren in order, holding in his left hand the precious cross and the three-branch candlestick. He says, Christ is risen, and we answer, Truly He is risen. Similarly the other priests cense at each Ode. At the first Ode, the right hand choir sings, and at the third, the lefthand choir. And thus we sing the rest of the Odes. After each Ode, the little litany is said outside the sanctuary, the exclamation being said by the priest inside the sanctuary.

    For thine is the strength, and thine are the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For thou art our God, and unto thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For thou art a good God who lovest man, and unto thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For sanctified and glorified is thine all-honorable and magnificent name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For thou art the King of peace and the Savior of our souls, and to thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    Blessed and glorified be the might of thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For blessed is thy name, and glorified is thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    For all the Powers of heaven praise thee, and unto thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    After the ainos, the paschal stichera: Glory . . . Now and ... The day of Resurrection, then, Christ is risen . . . thrice. And we sing this many times, while the brethren exchange the paschal kiss.
    The paschal kiss is exchanged among the celebrant and the other priests and deacons within the sanctuary.
Then the celebrant, holding the precious cross, and the other priests, holding the Gospel book and icons, and the deacons come out and stand before the holy doors. The laymen approach and kiss the cross, the Gospel book, and icons, and the priests holding them, and then each other. The greeting is, Christ is risen, and the answer, Truly He is risen.
    After the kiss, the Catechetical Sermon of Chrysostom is read by the celebrant or the ecclesiarch, no one sitting during the reading, but all standing and listening.

    The Catechetical Sermon of our Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Holy and Light-bearing Day of the Holy and Saving Resurrection of Christ our God.

    If any be pious and a lover of God, let him partake of this good and radiant festival. If any be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have wearied himself in fasting, let him now partake of his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him receive today his rightful due. If any have come after the third hour, let him feast with thanksgiving. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings, for he shall in no wise suffer loss. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, not wavering. If any have arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not fear for his tardiness. For the Master, who loveth his honor, accepteth the last even as the first. He giveth rest to the one who came at the eleventh hour, as to the one who wrought from the first. And He hath mercy on the one that delayeth, and he careth for the first. To the one He giveth, and on the other He bestoweth gifts. He both accepteth the works, and welcometh the intention; He honoreth the acts, and raiseth the purpose. Enter ye all, therefore, into the joy of our Lord; ye first and ye second, partake of the reward. ye rich and ye poor, dance your joy together. Ye that abstain and ye slothful, honor the day. Ye that have fasted, and ye that have not fasted, be glad today. The table is laden; do ye all fare sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let none go away hungered. Partake ye all of the banquet of faith. Partake ye all of the riches of loving-kindness. Let none lament his neediness, for the common kingdom hath been revealed. Let none grieve for his offenses, for pardon hath shone forth from the grave. Let none fear death, for the Savior's death hath set us free. He that was held by it hath quenched it. He that descended into Hell hath despoiled Hell. He embittered it, which had tasted of His flesh, and Isaiah, anticipating this saith, Hell was embitter ed, when it met thee below. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was deceived. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was cast down. It was embittered, for it was fettered. It took a body and encountered God. It took earth and met heaven. It took what it saw and fell upon what it saw not. Where is thy sting, O Death? O Hell, where is thy victory? Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life prevaileth, and there is none dead in the tomb. For Christ in arising from the dead is become the first-fruits of those that have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.

    Then the troparion of the Saint is said, tone 8:

    From thy mouth grace, shining forth like a beaconfire, hath enlightened the universe, and hath gained for the world treasures of non-avariciousness, and hath shown us the height of humility. And as thou dost instruct us by thy words, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede with Christ God, the Word, to save our souls.

    Then the deacon says the litany, Have mercy on us, O God . . . and Let us complete our morning prayer. . . , and after the exclamation, the deacon says, Wisdom, and we, Bless.

    He Who is, is blessed, even Christ our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
    And we: Amen. Establish, O God . . .

    Then the priest, holding the Cross, in place of Glory to thee, O Christ God . . . , sings:

    Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,

    And we sing: And on those in the tombs bestowing life.

    And immediately the celebrant gives the dismissal:

    May Christ, who is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life, our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy on s and save us, for He is good and loveth man.

    And finally we sing, Christ is risen . . . the whole troparion thrice.

    And after the singing of the troparion, we finish with:

    And to us hath He given eternal life. Let us worship His third-day Resurrection.

    Then the Many Years, and we kiss the precious Cross, held in the hand of the celebrant.

    There is no Lity on this day.

    The priest begins: Blessed is our God, and Christ is risen from the dead . . . the whole troparion thrice. And then, Having seen the Resurrection of Christ . . . thrice, the hypakoe, Anticipating the morning . . . once, the kontakion, Though thou didst descend into the grave, once, then the troparion, In the tomb bodily . . ., Glory . . ., As life-bearing. . . , Both now . . . the theotokion, O sacred and divine Tabernacle of the Most High  . . .
Then, Lord, have mercy. 40 times, Glory . . . Now and . . . More honorable than the Cherubim . . . In the name of the Lord, bless, Father. The priest says the verse: Through the prayers of our holy Fathers . . . and we say, Amen; and again we say, Christ is risen . . . thrice, Glory . . . Now and . . . Lord, have mercy, thrice, Bless, and the dismissal for First Hour.
    The same is sung for Third Hour and for Sixth Hour before the Liturgy, for Ninth Hour and Compline (once) before Vespers, and for Midnight Office until Saturday of holy Paschal Week.