Procession of the Holy Cross / Holy Maccabean Martyrs

9th Sunday after Pentecost / Tone 8

Note: If the Rector so directs, the Feast of the All-Merciful Savior may be served. See ODS vol. III, pp. 213-216.

Before Vespers, the precious Cross is transferred from the Table of Oblation to the Holy Table, as on the Sunday of the Holy Cross (the Third Sunday of Lent).

Great Vespers: Blessed is the man.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 8, on 10: Octoechos 4; Cross 3 (Today the godly multitude of the faithful rejoiceth); Martyrs 3 (Tyranny could not shake); G: Cross (To Thy precious Cross); Sunday Dogmatic in the tone of the week.

Entry; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the day, Tone 6: The Lord is King.

Aposticha: Octoechos; G: Martyrs (The souls of the righteous); N: Cross (O God, the words of Moses).

Troparia: O Theotokos and Virgin x2; Cross (O Lord, save Thy people) x1.

Matins: God is the Lord, Tone 8; Troparia: Resurrection x2; G: Martyrs (By the pangs of the saints); N: Cross.

After each Kathisma: Sessional hymns from the Octoechos.

Blessed are the blameless; Evlogitaria (The assembly of angels was amazed).

Hypakoe, Hymns of Ascents, and Prokimenon, Tone 8.

Matins Gospel 9, John 20:19-31 (§65).

Having beheld the resurrection; Psalm 50; G: Through the prayers of the apostles; N: Through the prayers of the Theotokos; Have mercy on me, O God; Jesus having risen. Save, O God, Thy people. The Gospel is not brought out for veneration on this day, because the Cross is brought out later.

Canon: Resurrection 4 Glory to Thy Holy Resurrection, O Lord.

Theotokos 2 O Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Cross 4 Glory, O Lord, to Thy precious Cross.

Martyrs 4 Holy Maccabean Martyrs, pray to God for us.

Irmos of the canon of the resurrection, Tone 8.

Katavasia, Inscribing the invincible weapon of the Cross.

After Ode 3, Kontakion (O seven pillars) & Ikos of the Martyrs; Sessional hymn of the Martyrs (Having been raised in piety); G/N Cross (Thy Cross, O Lord, is sacred).

After Ode 6, Kontakion (O Thou who wast lifted up willingly) and Ikos of the Cross.

At Ode 9, More Honorable.

Holy is the Lord, our God.

Exapostilaria: Resurrection; G: Martyrs (We hymn the wondrous Maccabees); N: Cross (The Cross is the guardian of the whole world).

Praises, Tone 8, on 8: Resurrection 4; Cross 4 (The precious Cross – with doxasticon (O Lord Who enabled the meek David), and the final two psalm verses: Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet; for He is holy. & God is our King before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth); G: Gospel Sticheron; N: Most blessed art thou. The Great Doxology – and the priest, wearing all his vestments, censes three times around the Holy Table. While the choir sings the concluding Holy God to a slow and solemn melody, the priest takes the Cross with the tray and carries it upon his head out of the Altar through the north door, preceded by two candles, stopping in front of the Royal Doors. When the final Holy God has ended, he says Wisdom! Aright! Then we sing the troparion of the Cross, thrice. The priest places the decorated Cross on an analogion it in the middle of the church, and censes around it three times. Then he sings three times: Before Thy Cross, and this is also repeated three times by the people. And as the clergy and people venerate the Cross, the choir sings the Stichera in the Menaion (Come, ye faithful), and then the two remaining Litanies and Sunday Dismissal; First Hour.

Hours: Troparia: Resurrection; G: Cross and Martyrs, alternating; Kontakion: Resurrection & Cross, alternating.

Liturgy: Beatitudes on 12: Octoechos 4; Cross: 4, from Ode 3; Martyrs: 4, from Ode 6.

After the entrance: Troparion of the Resurrection; Cross; Martyrs; Kontakion of the Resurrection; G: Martyrs; N: Cross.

Trisagion is sung as usual.

Prokimenon of the Cross, Tone 6: Save, O Lord, Thy people. & of the Martyrs, Tone 4: In the saints that are in His earth.

Epistle: I Cor. 3:9-17 (§128); I Cor. 1:18-24 (§125); Heb. 11:33-12:2 (§330).

Alleluia, Tone 4.

Gospel: Matt. 14:22-34 (§59); John 19:6-11,13-20,25-28,30-35 (§60); Matt. 10:32-33,37-38;19:27-30 (§38).

Communion Hymn: (of the Cross) The light of Thy countenance, O Lord. & (of the Martyrs) Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. Resurrectional Dismissal.

After the Liturgy, the lesser blessing of the waters is performed as set forth in the Book of Needs. Where possible, there is a procession to a well, river, or lake.

At Vespers, after the dismissal, the Cross is brought into the holy altar with the singing of the Troparion and Kontakion, and placed on the holy table.