Liturgical Texts
Here you will find the links to texts for various liturgical services.
April 26, 2026
Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women,
Pious Joseph of Arimathaea & Righteous Nicodemus
SYNAXARION
On April 26th in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the Hieromartyr Basil, bishop of Amasea with Venerable Glaphyra; and Stephen, bishop of Perm.
On this day, the third Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the feast of the holy Myrrh-bearing women. And we also commemorate Joseph of Arimathaea, the secret disciple, and Nicodemus, the disciple by night.
Verses
Christ is brought myrrh by the wise women disciples;
And to them, I bring a hymn as myrrh in offering.
The women went to Christ’s tomb on Holy Pascha to anoint His body, only to discover it empty. We know the names of only eight of these women: Mary the Theotokos, the “mother” of James and Joses, who were the sons of Joseph the Betrothed from his previous marriage (Matt. 27:56 and Mark 15:40); Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna the wife of Chuza; Salome the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; and Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Joseph was a rich and noble man, and a member of the Privy Council of Jerusalem. He dared to ask Pilate for the undefiled body of our Savior, which he took and buried in his own new tomb. Accompanying Joseph to the sepulcher was Nicodemus, a Jerusalemite who was one of the leaders of the Pharisees. Nicodemus brought 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes to scent and embalm the body of Christ.
By the intercessions of the holy Myrrh-bearers, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus, and all Thy Saints, O Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Please visit the Antiochian Archdiocese Website for Up-To-Date Texts of Services, and Choose the Specific Date on the Calendar.
