The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

It should go without saying that if one has any possible means of traveling to a Church

to attend the liturgy for the feast, they should do so.  However, if it is not possible for

one to do so, the following is provided so that at least they can participate in the feast

to the extent possible, under such circumstances.

 

In place of the usual antiphons, use the festal antiphons:

 

The First Antiphon (Second Tone)

 

Stichos 1: O God, my God, attend to me; why hast Thou forsaken me?

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 2: Far from my salvation are the words of my transgression.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 3: My God, I will cry by day, and wilt Thou not hearken? and by night, and it shall not be unto folly for me.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Stichos 4: But as for Thee, Thou dwellest in the sanctuary, O Praise of Israel.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

Refrain:  Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

 

The Second Antiphon  (Second Tone)

 

Stichos 1:  O God, why hast Thou cast us off unto the end?

Refrain:  O Son of God Who wast crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to Thee:  Alleluia.

Stichos 2:  Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Refrain.  O Son of God Who wast crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to Thee:  Alleluia.

Stichos 3:  This is Mount Zion wherein Thou hast dwelt.

Refrain:  O Son of God Who wast crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to Thee:  Alleluia.

Stichos 4:  But God is our king before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Refrain:  O Son of God Who wast crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to Thee:  Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

            O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by death.  Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

 

The Third Antiphon

 

Reader: Stichos 1:  The Lord is king, let the peoples rage; He sitteth on the cherubim, let the earth be shaken.

Choir: (Troparion, Tone 1):  O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant Thou victory unto Orthodox Christians over their enemies, and by the power of Thy Cross do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

 

            Stichos 2:  The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all peoples.

Choir:  Repeat Troparion

            Stichos 3:  Worship the Lord in His holy court.

Choir:  Repeat Troparion

           

Instead of “O come let us worship…” the Choir signs the entry verse:

            Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet, for it is holy.

 

And immediately after that, the choir sings the Troparion of the feast:

 

Tone 1: O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant Thou victory unto Orthodox Christians over their enemies, and by the power of Thy Cross do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

 

Instead of the Trisagion:  
               Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify. Thrice
               Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.  And Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.
               Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone: Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet for it is holy.

Choir:  Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet for it is holy.

Reader:  The Lord is king, let the peoples rage.

Choir:  Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet for it is holy.

Reader: Exalt ye the Lord our God.

Choir:  And worship the footstool of His feet for it is holy.
 

Reader: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:  [1st Corinthians 1:18-24]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: But God is our king before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35]

 

Kontakion

 

Tone 4:  O Thou Who wast lifted up willingly on the Cross, * bestow Thy mercies upon the new community named after Thee, O Christ God; * gladden with Thy power the Orthodox Christians, * granting them victory over enemies; * may they have as Thy help the weapon of peace, the invincible trophy.

 

Instead of “It is truly meet…” we chant the Irmos of the 9th Ode of the First Canon of

the feast, Eighth Tone:

 

            Refrain:  Magnify, O my soul, the most precious Cross of the Lord.

            Irmos:   O Theotokos, thou art a mystical Paradise, who untilled hast brought forth Christ.  He hath planted upon the earth the life-giving Tree of the Cross: therefore at its exaltation on this day, we worship Him and thee do we magnify.

 

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