The following hymns from the Sunday Matins service are directly related to the Eighth Eothinon Resurrection Gospel (John 20:11-18) read before the Canon, which speaks of the encounter between the Resurrected Christ and Mary Magdalene. 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 8
Maiden ineffably you have borne one of the Trinity, dual by nature, dual in operation, and one in person. Entreat him, then, for us who venerate you with faith that we may be delivered from all assaults by the enemy, for we all now take refuge in you, O Lady Theotokos.
Theotokion
Things great and exceeding strange have you done for me, O most merciful Christ. Unexplainably have you been born of a virgin Maiden and accepted the cross and endured death. You have risen in glory to set our nature free from death. Glory to your glory, O Christ, glory to your strength.
DOXASTIKON
Eothinon 8
Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Mary’s fervent tears were not shed in vain, for she was found worthy to hear the angels teaching and to see your face, O Christ. But her thoughts were earthly ‑ those of a weak woman. Therefore, she was sent away and was told not to touch you, O Christ. But she was sent as a herald to the disciples, and proclaimed to them the good news of your ascension to your paternal inheritance. With her make us also worthy, O Lord our Master.
Greek
ΕΞΑΠΟΣΤΕΙΛΑΡΙΟΝ Η’
Δύο Αγγέλους βλέψασα, ένδοθεν τού μνημείου, Μαρία εξεπλήττετο, καί Χριστόν αγνοούσα, ώς Κηπουρόν επηρώτα, Κύριε πού τό σώμα, τού Ιησού μου τέθεικας; κλήσει δέ τούτον γνούσα είναι αυτόν , τόν Σωτήρα ήκουσε, Μή μου άπτου, πρός τόν Πατέρα άπειμι, ειπέ τοίς αδελφοίς μου.
Θεοτοκίον
Τριάδος Κόρη τέτοκας, απορρήτως τόν ένα, διπλούν τή φύσει πέλοντα, καί διπλούν ενεργεία, καί ένα τή υποστάσει, τούτον ούν εκδυσώπει, αεί υπέρ τών πίστει σε, προσκυνούντων εκ πάσης επιβουλής, τού εχθρού λυτρώσασθαι, ότι πάντες, πρός σέ νύν καταφεύγομεν, Δέσποινα Θεοτόκε.
ΔΟΞΑΣΤΙΚΟΝ
Εωθινό Η’
Ήχος πλ. δ΄
Τά τής Μαρίας δάκρυα ου μάτην χείνται θερμώς, ιδού γάρ κατηξίωται, καί διδασκόντων Αγγέλων, καί τής όψεως τής σής ώ Ιησού, αλλ’ έτι πρόσγεια φρονεί, οία γυνή ασθενής, διό καί αποπέμπεται μή προσψαύσαί σοι Χριστέ. Αλλ’ όμως κήρυξ πέμπεται τοίς σοίς Μαθηταίς, οίς ευαγγέλια έφησε, τήν πρός τόν Πατρώον κλήρον άνοδον απαγγέλλουσα. Μεθ’ ής αξίωσον καί ημάς, τής εμφανείας σου, Δέσποτα Κύριε.
