Sunday Readings
Apostolic Reading – Acts 5:12-20
Gospel – John 20:19-31
Hymns: See our Church’s website for Audio Recordings: holycrossmelkite.org/hymns
Troparion of St. Thomas (Tone 7)
While the tomb was sealed, You shone forth from it, O Christ our Life, and while the doors remained closed, You stood among your Disciples, O Resurrection of all, and through them You restored a new spirit in us according to your great Mercy.
Kondakion of St Thomas (Tone 8)
O Christ God, Thomas explored Your vivifying side with an eager hand; and since You had entered the room while the doors were closed, He cried out with the other Apostles: “You are my Lord and my God.”
Kondakion of Pascha (Tone 2)
Though You went down in the tomb, O immortal One, You overthrew the power of Hades and rose victorious, O Christ God. You greeted the ointment bearing women, saying “Rejoice!” You gave peace to Your apostles, and to those who had Fallen resurrection.
Prokimenon
Great is our Lord, and great is his power, and to his wisdom there is no limit.
Stichon
Praise the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (5:12-20)
In those days by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people (and with one accord, they all would meet in Solomon’s portico; but of the rest, no one dared to associate with them, yet the people made much of them. And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord continued to increase), so that they carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets, in order that, as Peter went by, at least his shadow would fall upon some of them. And crowds also came to Jerusalem from neighboring towns, and they brought the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits — and all of them were healed. But the High Priest rose up, and all his supporters (that is, the members of the Sadducean sect), and being filled with hatred, they laid their hands upon the apostles and threw them into the public jail. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, and led them out, saying: “Go, and standing in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life.”
Alleluia
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us sing gladly to God our Savior!
Stichon
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
The Holy Gospel According to St. John (20:19-31)
When it was late, that same day, the first of the week, though the doors where the disciples gathered had been closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, “Peace be to you!” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced at the sight of the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” When he had said this, he breathed upon them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side I will not believe.” And after eight days, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being closed, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be to you!” Then he said to Thomas. “Bring here your finger, and see my hands; and bring here your hand, and put it into my side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed.” Many other signs also Jesus worked in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.