Lamentation of Christ, Andrea Mantegna, via Wikimedia Commons
Today a tomb holds him who holds the creation in the hollow of his hand;
a stone covers him who covered the heavens with glory.
Life sleeps and hell trembles, and Adam is set free from his bonds.
Glory to your dispensation, whereby you have accomplished all things,
granting us an eternal Sabbath, your most holy Resurrection from the dead.
What is this sight that we behold? What is this present rest?
What is this sight that we behold? What is this present rest?
The King of the ages, having through his passion fulfilled the plan of salvation,
keeps Sabbath in the tomb, granting us a new Sabbath.
Unto him let us cry aloud: Arise, O Lord, judge the earth,
for measureless is your great mercy and you reign forever.
Come, let us see our Life lying in the tomb,
for measureless is your great mercy and you reign forever.
Come, let us see our Life lying in the tomb,
that he may give life to those that in their tombs lie dead.
Come, let us look today on the Son of Judah as he sleeps,
and with the prophet let us cry aloud to him:
You have lain down, you have slept as a lion;
who shall awaken you, O King?
But of your own free will you rise up,
who willingly gives yourself for us.
O Lord, glory to thee
Mattins, Holy Saturday, Orthodox
The Oxford Book of Prayer slightly modernized
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The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph
and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.
But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
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