The following hymns from the Sunday Matins service are directly related to the Ninth Eothinon Resurrection Gospel (John 20:19-31) read before the Canon, which speaks of the appearance of the Resurrected Christ first to the ten Apostles then to Thomas. 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 9
The doors were shut as you entered, O Master, and you filled the apostles with the Holy Spirit by breathing upon them. You told them to bind and loose sins. After eight days you showed Thomas your side and your hands. With him we cry: You are Lord and God.
Theotokion
As you beheld on the third day O bride of God, your own Son risen from the tomb, you set aside all the affliction which you, all‑holy Virgin, endured as a mother on beholding him suffering. You were filled with joy, glorifying and praising him with his disciples. Therefore save us who now proclaim you the Mother of God.
DOXASTIKON
Eothinon 9
Plagal of the First Tone
As in later times, late in the evening of the Sabbath you came and stood by your friends, O Christ. By a miracle, you entered through closed doors and confirmed your resurrection from the dead. You filled your disciples with joy, and imparted to them the Holy Spirit and granted them power to remit sins. Nor did you leave Thomas immersed in a tempest of disbelief. Therefore, compassionate Lord, grant us also true knowledge and remission of our faults.
Greek
ΕΞΑΠΟΣΤΕΙΛΑΡΙΟΝ Θ’
Συγκεκλεισμένων Δέσποτα, τών θυρών ως εισήλθες, τούς Αποστόλους έπλησας, Πνεύματος παναγίου, ειρηνικώς εμφυσήσας, οίς δεσμείν τε καί λύειν, τάς αμαρτίας είρηκας, καί οκτώ μεθ’ ημέρας, τήν σήν πλευράν, τώ Θωμά υπέδειξας καί τάς χείρας. Μεθ’ ού βοώμεν, Κύριος, καί Θεός σύ υπάρχεις.
Θεοτοκίον
Τόν σόν Υιόν ώς έβλεψας, αναστάντα εκ τάφου, τριήμερον Θεόνυμφε, άπασαν θλίψιν απέθου, ήν υπέστης ώς Μήτηρ, ότε κατείδες πάσχοντα, καί χαράς εμπλησθείσα, σύν τοίς αυτού, Μαθηταίς γεραίρουσα τούτον ύμνεις. Διό τούς Θεοτόκον σε, νύν κηρύττοντας σώζε.
ΔΟΞΑΣΤΙΚΟΝ
Εωθινό Θ’
Ήχος πλ. α΄
Ως επ’ εσχάτων τών χρόνων, ούσης οψίας Σαββάτων, εφίστασαι τοίς φίλοις Χριστέ, καί θαύματι θαύμα βεβαιοίς, τή κεκλεισμένη εισόδω τών θυρών, τήν εκ νεκρών σου Ανάστασιν, αλλ’ έπλησας χαράς τούς Μαθητάς, καί Πνεύματος αγίου μετέδωκας αυτοίς, καί εξουσίαν ένειμας αφέσεως αμαρτιών, καί τόν θωμάν ου κατέλιπες, τώ τής απιστίας καταβαπτίζεσθαι κλύδωνι. Διό παράσχου καί ημίν, γνώσιν αληθή, καί άφεσιν πταισμάτων, εύσπλαγχνε Κύριε.
