The Procession of the Holy Cross, Holy Maccabean
Martyrs
Beatitudes on 8: Cross: 4, from Ode
3; Martyrs: 4, from Ode 6.
1. Of old, a
sword was set to guard the blessed tree of life after the disobedience of Adam
the first created; but the Cross hath opened a path thereto.
2. With eyes,
mouth and soul, with our faces and hearts, let us all bow down before the all-holy
Cross of Christ, the Bestower of life, whereby the whole world is sanctified.
3. Becoming
temples of God today, as the prophets said, bowing down before the wood of the
all-holy Cross, all of us who are heirs thereto kiss it with fear.
4. We chant
hymns to thee, O Christ, and with faith entreat thy power: Rescue us from the
snares of the enemy, and direct all of us who hymn thee to the haven of
salvation.
5. Having
arrayed yourselves in the vesture of martyrdom, O saints, ye embroidered it with
the feats of your suffering.
6. Desiring
to be with Christ, O most glorious martyrs, ye have run the course of suffering
with unwavering resolve.
7. Preserving
the law which Moses handed down, O holy ones, ye suffered lawfully, putting the
tyrant Antiochus to shame.
8. O thou who
alone gavest birth to the Word in the flesh at His word, deliver our souls from
the snares of the enemy, we pray.
At the Entrance: O come
let us worship and fall down before Christ. O Son of God who art wondrous in
the saints, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Troparia
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.
Glory…
Tone 1: By the pangs of the saints, /
which
they suffered for Thee, O Lord, /
be Thou
entreated, and heal Thou all our infirmities, //
we pray
Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Both now… 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.
The Epistle
Reader: The
Prokimenon in the 6th Tone: Save,
O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Choir:
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: Unto
Thee, O Lord, Will I cry; O my God, be not silent unto me.
Choir:
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Reader: In the 4th
Tone: In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He
hath wrought all His desires in them.
Choir:
In the saints that are in His earth
hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them.
Reader:
The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: [1st
Corinthians 1:18-24 (§125); Hebrews 11:33-12:2 (§330)]
Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone: Remember
Thy congregation which Thou has purchased from the beginning.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: God is our King before the ages, He hath
wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard
them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [John
19:6-11,13-20,25-28,30-35 (§60); Matthew 10:32-33,37-38; 19:27-30 (§38)]
Kontakia
Glory…
Tone 2:
O Seven pillars of the wisdom of God /
And
seven-branched candlestick of the Divine Light /
Ye were
great martyrs before the martyrs, O supremely-wise Maccabees. /
With them
pray to the God of all //
That they
who venerate you may be saved.
Both
now… 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.