S. Thomas's Sunday, Ode I

Hymns of the Eastern Church, by J.M. Neale, [1884], at sacred-texts.com

p. 118

S. THOMAS'S SUNDAY.

by S. John Damascene.

The four following Odes are the first four of our Saint's Canon for S. Thomas's Sunday, called also Renewal Sunday: with us Low Sunday. The first Stanzas are marked with inverted commas, as being Hirmoi.

ODE I.

ἄσωμεν πάντες λαοί.

"Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
  "Of triumphant gladness
"God hath brought His Israel
  "Into joy from sadness:
"Loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke
  "Jacob's sons and daughters;
"Led them with unmoistened foot
  "Through the Red Sea waters."

p. 119

’Tis the Spring of souls to-day;
  Christ hath burst His prison;
And from three days' sleep in death,
 —As a sun, hath risen.
All the winter of our sins,
  Long and dark, is flying
From His Light, to Whom we give
  Laud and praise undying.

Now the Queen of Seasons, bright
  With the day of Splendour,
With the royal Feast of feasts,
  Comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem,
  Who with true affection
Welcomes, in unwearied strains,
  Jesu's Resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death,
  Nor the tomb's dark portal, p. 120
Nor the watchers, nor the seal,
  Hold Thee as a mortal:
But to-day amidst the Twelve
  Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace, which evermore
  Passeth human knowing.

Catavasia. "’Tis the day of Resurrection." (p. 38.)

[No. 2 in Mr. Sedding's book. A genuine Easter melody.]