This day, liturgically, is one more for silence than for words, but it does seem fitting to pray these petitions. This is a video of the first two verses, sung by my bishop, Mar Emanuel Shaleta, and myself:

Let us all stand composed, in contrition and diligence, let us implore and say: Lord, have mercy on us.

* O Living One who descended among the dead and preached the Good News to the souls that were held in Sheol, we implore you…

* O One by whose stripes our wounds were healed, and who murdered our murderer through his murder, we implore you…

* O One in whose suffering the lights were darkened, and all creatures wore mourning and sadness, we implore you…

* O One in whose crucifixion the spiritual beings were moved, and whose Father’s command prevented them from destroying his crucifiers, we implore you…

* O One in whose death the tombs were torn, and the dead rose in reproof of his crucifiers, we implore you…

* O One who mingled his Blood with our blood, and who repaid our debts through the sacrifice of himself upon Golgotha, we implore you…

* O One who drank vinegar and gall for the salvation of our race, we implore you…

* For the health of our holy fathers: Mar          , our High Pontiff, the Pope of Rome, Mar           , our Catholicos-Patriarch, Mar          , our Bishop (Metropolitan), and for all those in the same priestly service, we implore you…

* O Compassionate God, who guides all in his mercy, we implore you…

* O One whom the angels of light glorify in his death in heaven, and in whose killing the earth is saddened and in whose rising is gladdened, we implore you…

* O Shepherd who gave himself for his sheep and saved them by his Blood: redeem our lives from the evil one, O Lord, and have mercy on us…