Matins at the All-Night Vigil begins immediately after Vespers with the reading of the Six Psalms.
The six psalms are called six psalms (3, 37, 62, 87, 102 and 142), which alternately express the sorrow of the soul repenting of its sins (psalms 37, 87 and 142), and hope for God’s mercy and salvation (psalms 3, 62 and 102). While reading the last three psalms, the priest silently reads the morning prayers before the closed royal doors, as an intercessor for the people before God.
At the end of the Six Psalms, the deacon (if there is one) pronounces the great litany (see above).
At the end of the litany, the deacon proclaims a song of praise to God, who appeared on earth for our salvation:
God is the Lord and has appeared to us, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
To this song the troparion of the holiday is added and sung, which expresses the meaning of the holiday.
After the troparion, ordinary kathismas are read
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This part of Matins, consisting of a long reading of psalms, with only brief doxologies in honor of Christ who appeared in the world, reminds us of the time when He already lived on earth, almost unrecognized by anyone.
The second part of Matins, consisting of the glorification of an event or person remembered on this day, is performed with special solemnity at festive all-night vigils. After reading the kathismas, all the church lamps are lit again and, with the bright illumination of the church, the royal doors open; the celebrant, preceded by a deacon with a candle, censes the altar and then walks around the entire church with the censer, spreading light and fragrance everywhere. At this time, the choir sings the so-called polyeleos verses:
Praise the name of the Lord, praise, servants of the Lord. Alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord from Zion, who lives in Jerusalem. Alleluia.
Confess to the Lord that He is good, for His mercy endures forever. Alleluia.
Confess to the Heavenly God, for His mercy endures forever. Alleluia.
On great holidays, after the polyeleos verses, in the middle of the church, before the icon of the holiday placed on the lectern, a magnification is sung - a short verse in honor of the person or event being celebrated.
On Sundays, instead of magnification, Sunday troparia are sung, in which the events of the resurrection of Christ are remembered. These troparia are sung with the refrain:
Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me by thy justification.
The angelic council was surprised, in vain it was imputed to You as the dead, but the mortal, Savior, destroyed the fortress, and raised Adam with Himself, and freed all from hell.
Why do you dissolve the world with merciful tears, O disciples? Shine in the tomb An angel spoke to the myrrh-bearing women: You see the tomb, and understand: The Savior is risen from the tomb.
Very early the myrrh-bearing women went to Thy tomb, weeping, but an Angel appeared to them and said: the time of weeping has ceased, do not weep, but cry out the resurrection of the Apostle.
The myrrh-bearing women from the world came to Your tomb, O Savior, weeping. The angel spoke to them, saying: Why do you think of the living with the dead? for God has risen from the grave. Blessed are You, Lord! Teach me Your holy commandments.
The assembly of Angels was surprised to see You, Savior, numbered among the dead and at the same time destroying the power of death, raising Adam with You and freeing everyone from hell.
“Why do you, students, mix myrrh with tears of compassion?” - this is how the shining, luminous Angel spoke to the myrrh-bearers in the burial cave: “You see the coffin, and you will be convinced that the Savior has risen from the grave.”
Very early, the weeping myrrh-bearing women walked to Your tomb, but an Angel appeared before them and said: “The time of weeping is over, do not cry! go and tell the Apostles about the resurrection.”
The myrrh-bearing women, who came in peace to Thy tomb, O Savior, wept; but the Angel said to them: “Why do you consider the living to be dead? (Why do you think to find the living with the dead?) For He, as God, rose from the grave.”
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Let us worship the Father and His Sons and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity in one being, calling from the seraphim: holy, holy, holy art thou, Lord. Let us worship the Father and His Son and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity in one being, exclaiming with the seraphim: holy, holy, holy art thou, Lord!
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Having given birth to sin, the Virgin, Thou didst deliver Adam, and Thou didst give a place of joy to Eve in sorrow: and those who fell from life to this, direct from Thee the incarnate God and man.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God. Having given birth to the Giver of life, You, Virgin, delivered Adam from sin and gave Eve joy instead of sorrow; and God and man, who became incarnate from You, directed those who had fallen from it to life.
Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Glory to You, God!
After the magnification or Sunday troparions, antiphons are sung, that is, songs that are sung alternately by two choirs. The most frequently sung antiphons are:
Since my youth, many passions have fought me: but intercede and save me, my Savior.
Ye who hate Zion, be put to shame by the Lord: for ye shall be cut up by fire.
By the Holy Spirit every soul is alive, and is elevated by purity, illuminated by the Trinity unity of sacred mystery.
Since my youth I have been overcome by many passions; but You, my Savior, protect me and save me.
The haters of Zion will be put to shame by the Lord; for like grass they will be dried up by fire.
By the Holy Spirit, every soul is revived, exalted with purity, and mysteriously receives light (enlightened) from the Triune God.
After the antiphons comes the reading of the Gospel. On Sundays, the Gospels are read, which tell about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His appearances after the resurrection.
After reading the Gospel, a song is sung in honor of the crucified and risen Lord - the following:
Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Thy holy resurrection: for Thou art our God, do we know no other to Thee, we call Thy name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the holy resurrection of Christ: behold, joy has come to the whole world through the cross. Always blessing the Lord, we sing of His resurrection: having endured crucifixion, destroy death by death.
After this song, those present reverently bow before the Gospel, which rests on the lectern in the middle of the church, and kiss this sacred book, like the living word of Christ the Savior, like Christ Himself.
This is followed by singing and reading of the canon. The canon consists of nine songs, of which the first eight songs recall some of the most important events from the Old Testament history of the Jewish people, such as the crossing of the Red Sea, etc. The ninth song contains the glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The ninth song is preceded by the song of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which She expressed Her joy at meeting with Elizabeth after the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel about the birth of Christ the Savior from her:
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. - For look upon the humility of His servant: behold, from now on all kin will bless Me. “For the Mighty One has done greatness to Me, and holy is His name, and His mercy throughout generations of generations of those who fear Him.” - Create power with Your arm, scatter the proud thoughts of their hearts. — Dethrone the mighty from their thrones, and lift up the humble: fill the hungry with good things, and let the rich let go of their vanity. - Israel will receive His servant, remembering His mercies, as He spoke to our fathers, Abraham and his seed, even unto the ages (Luke 1:46-55).
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because He has looked upon the humility of His servant; for from now on all generations will call Me blessed; “That the Mighty One has done great things for Me, and holy is His name, and His mercy throughout all generations is upon those who fear Him.” - He showed the strength of His arm, He scattered the arrogant in the thoughts of their hearts; - He brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble; He filled those who were hungry with good things, and those who were vain of their wealth he sent away empty-handed. - He received Israel His servant, remembering mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.
At the end of the canon, the clergyman (deacon - where present) invites those present to begin songs of praise and glorification of the Lord, exclaiming:
Holy is the Lord our God!
The choir sings selected verses from the psalms (148, 149 and 150), in which all creation is called to praise the Lord and which are therefore called laudatory: