The following hymns from the Sunday Matins service are directly related to the Fourth Eothinon Resurrection Gospel (Luke 24:1-12) read before the Canon, which speaks of the encounter of the Myrrhbearers with the angels at the empty tomb. There are eleven eothina all together, and each Sunday is successively dedicated to one of them, then the cycle starts again. Each of the eleven eothina symbolizes one of the eleven disciples to whom the Lord appeared following His Resurrection.
The first of these series of hymns are the Exaposteilarion with its related Theotokion chanted after the Ninth Ode of the Canon. The word "exaposteilarion" comes from the Greek verb exapostello, which means "to send forth", referring to the sending forth of the apostles to proclaim the gospel throughout the world. In ancient times a chanter was sent out from the choir into the center of the church to chant this hymn to indicate the sending forth of the apostles. The author of the eleven exaposteilaria for each Sunday eothinon was the Roman Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913-959).
Following the Praises (Ainoi) of Matins is the Doxastikon. The word "doxastikon" comes from the Greek word doxa, which means "glory" or "glorification", referring to the fact that preceding the hymn the verse "Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" is chanted. Each doxastikon on Sunday is directly related to one of the eleven Sunday eothina read earlier in the service. The eleven doxastika of Sunday Matins were all composed by the Roman Emperor Leo VI the Wise (r. 886-912).
English
EXAPOSTEILARION 4
Lightening‑bright with virtues, let us behold men standing at the life‑bearing tomb in brilliant garments while the women bearing myrrh bow down their faces to the earth. Let us learn of the rising of him who reigns over heaven and let us hasten with Peter to life in the tomb; marveling at that which has happened let us stay to behold Christ.
Theotokion
Proclaiming the salutation: Rejoice, O Lord, you have transformed the sorrow of our forefathers, bringing to the world the joy of your resurrection. O giver of life, through her who bore you, enlighten our hearts and send forth the light of your mercies, that we may cry out to you: glory to your resurrection, O loving God-man.
DOXASTIKON
Eothinon 4
4th Tone
It was early dawn when the women came to your tomb, O Christ, but the body they desired was not found. Therefore, those in resplendent vesture standing by said to them: Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is risen as he foretold. Why do you not remember his words? Convinced by them, the women proclaimed what they have seen, but their good tidings seemed to be idle tales, so dulled were the disciples still. But Peter ran, and beheld and glorified within himself your wonders.
Greek
ΕΞΑΠΟΣΤΕΙΛΑΡΙΟΝ Δ’
Ταίς αρεταίς αστράψαντες, ίδωμεν επιστάντες, εν ζωηφόρω μνήματι, άνδρας εν αστραπτούσαις, εσθήσεσι Μυροφόροις, κλινούσαις εις γήν όψιν, τού ουρανού δεσπόζοντος, έγερσιν διδαχθώμεν, καί πρός ζωήν, εν μνημείω δράμωμεν σύν τώ Πέτρω, καί τό πραχθέν θαυμάσαντες, μείνωμεν Χριστόν βλέψαι.
Θεοτοκίον
Τό χαίρετε φθεγξάμενος, διημείψω τήν λύπην, τών Προπατόρων Κύριε, τήν χαράν αντεισάγων , εγέρσεώς σου εν κόσμω, ταύτης ούν ζωοδότα, διά τής Κυησάσης σε, φώς φωτίζον καρδίας, φώς οικτιρμών, τών σών εξαπόστειλον τού βοάν σοι, Φιλάνθρωπε, Θεάνθρωπε, δόξα τή σή Εγέρσει.
ΔΟΞΑΣΤΙΚΟΝ
Εωθινό Δ’
Ήχος δ’
Όρθρος ήν βαθύς, καί αι Γυναίκες ήλθον επί τό μνήμά σου Χριστέ, άλλά τό σώμα ουχ ευρέθη, τό ποθούμενον αυταίς, διό απορουμέναις, οι ταίς αστραπτούσαις εσθήσεσιν επιστάντες, Τί τόν ζώντα μετά τών νεκρών ζητείτε; έλεγον, Ηγέρθη ώς προείπε, τί αμνημονείτε τών ρημάτων αυτού; Οίς πεισθείσαι, τά οραθέντα εκήρυττον, αλλ’ εδόκει λήρος τά ευαγγέλια, ούτως ήσαν έτι νωθείς οι Μαθηταί, αλλ’ ο Πέτρος έδραμε, καί Ιδών εδόξασέ σου, πρός εαυτόν τά θαυμάσια.
