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Event Information:
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Sun20Mar2022
Third Sunday of the Great Fast: Veneration of the Holy Cross. Octoechos Tone 2. Our Venerable Fathers Martyred by the Saracens at the Monastery of St. Sabbas (580-97)
GREAT VESPERS
Before the beginning of the service, the Precious Cross is brought from the table of the Prothesis or the sacristy and placed on the Holy Table. A candle is lit and left burning in front of it.
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man...” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 2
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Come, let us adore God the Word,* who was born of the Father before all ages,* and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary;* for of His own free will He suffered the Cross* and submitted Himself to burial,* and arose from the dead to save me, a sinful one.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Christ our Saviour cancelled the decree that was written against us,* by nailing it to the Cross;* and He abolished the dominion of Death.* Let us glorify His resurrection on the third day.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Let us, together with the archangels, sing of Christ’s resurrection;* for He is the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls.* He will come again in awesome glory and mighty power* to judge the world which He has fashioned.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Although You died and were buried,* the angel yet declared You as Master.* He said to the women: Come and see where the Lord was placed;* for He is risen as He foretold,* because He is almighty.* Therefore, we worship You, the only Immortal One,* and we beseech You to have mercy on us, O Giver of Life.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
O Christ, You have abolished the curse of the tree by Your Cross;* You have destroyed the power of death by Your burial,* and You enlightened the human race by Your resurrection.* Therefore, we cry out to You:* O God and Benefactor, glory to You!
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O Lord, the gates of death opened before You in fear,* and the gatekeepers of Hades were filled with dread at the sight of You.* You smashed the gates of brass and crushed the posts of iron.* Then You burst our chains asunder,* and led us out from the darkness, away from the shadow of death.
In Tone 5
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Shine, O Cross of the Lord,* shine with the light of your grace upon the hearts of those that honour you.* With love inspired by God, we embrace you, O desire of all the world.* Through you our tears of sorrow have been wiped away;* we have been delivered from the snares of death* and have passed over to unending joy.* Show us the glory of your beauty* and grant to us your servants* the reward of our abstinence,* for we entreat with faith your rich protection and great mercy.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Hail, life-giving Cross,* the fair Paradise of the Church,* Tree of incorruption that brings us the enjoyment of eternal glory:* through you the hosts of demons have been driven back;* and the hierarchies of angels rejoice with one accord,* as the congregations of the faithful keep the feast.* You are an invincible weapon, an unbroken stronghold;* you are the victory of kings and the glory of priests.* Grant us now to draw near to the Passion of Christ* and to His Resurrection.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Hail, life-giving Cross,* unconquerable trophy of the true faith,* door to Paradise, succour of the faithful,* rampart set about the Church.* Through you the curse is utterly destroyed,* the power of death is swallowed up,* and we are raised from earth to heaven:* invincible weapon, adversary of demons, glory of martyrs,* true ornament of holy monks, haven of salvation* bestowing on the world great mercy.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Come, Adam and Eve, our first father and mother,* who fell from the choir on high through the envy of the murderer of man,* when of old with bitter pleasure you tasted of the three in Paradise.* See, the Tree of the Cross, revered by all, draws near!* Run with haste and embrace it joyfully,* and cry out to it with faith:* O precious Cross, you are our succour;* partaking of your fruit we have gained incorruption;* we are restored once more to Eden,* and we have received great mercy.
In Tone 3
Glory…
O Christ our God, of Your own will You have accepted Crucifixion,* that all mankind might be restored to life.* Taking the quill of the Cross, out of love for man* in the red ink of royalty with bloody fingers* You signed our absolution.* We are in danger once again of being parted from You;* O forsake us not!* Take pity on Your people in distress,* for You alone are longsuffering.** Rise up and fight against our enemies in Your almighty power.
In Tone 2
Now…
O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away* with the realization of grace.* For as the bush had burned without being consumed,* so you gave birth while a virgin* and you remained a virgin.* Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.* Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,* the Saviour of our souls.
Aposticha
In Tone 2
Your Resurrection, O Christ our Saviour,* has enlightened the whole universe;* and, through it, You call back to Yourself all Creation.* Almighty God, glory to You!
The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.
By the wood of Your Cross, O Saviour,* You have abolished the curse of the tree;* by Your burial You have destroyed the power of death;* and by Your resurrection You enlightened the human race.* We, therefore, cry out to You:* O Christ our God, Giver of Life, glory to You!
For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.
O Christ, when You were nailed to the Cross,* the distorted nature of creation was made manifest.* The soldiers showed their inhumanity by piercing Your side with a lance,* and the people showed their ignorance of Your power* by asking that Your tomb be sealed.* But, in Your mercy, You accepted burial* and then arose on the third day.* O Lord, glory to You!
Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.
O Christ, Giver of Life,* You freely endured the Passion for the sake of mortals.* In Your power You descended into Hades;* and snatching, as from a mighty monster, the souls of those who awaited Your coming,* You placed them in Paradise.* Therefore, show Your great mercy to us who glorify Your resurrection,* and cleanse our souls.
In Tone 4
Glory… Now…
O Lord who helped gentle David in the combat* and enabled him to overcome the Philistine,* come to the aid of Your orthodox people,* and by the weapon of the Cross cast down our enemies.* In Your compassion show us Your mercy as of old,* and make them know in truth that You are God,* and that we who put our trust in You shall conquer.* At the constant intercessions of Your most pure Mother,** grant us Your great mercy.
Troparia
In Tone 2
When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”
In Tone 1
Glory...
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,** and protect Your community by Your Cross.
Now...
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who has set us free** through your life-giving birth!
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: When You went down to death, O Life Immortal,* You struck Hades dead with the blazing light of Your divinity.* When You raised the dead from the nether world,* all the powers of heaven cried out:* “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory be to You!”
Troparion, Tone 1: Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your cross.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 7: No longer does the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden;* the tree of the Cross has quenched its flames gloriously.* The sting of death and the victory of Hades are banished,* and You O my Saviour came and called to those in Hades: “Return again to Paradise!”
Instead of Holy God, we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master,* we bow in veneration,* and we glorify Your holy Resurrection!
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)
Epistle
Hebrews 4:14-5:6
Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)
Gospel
Mark 8:34-9:1
Hymn to the Mother of God
In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices: the angelic ranks and all the human race. Sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, virgins’ pride and boast, from whom God is made flesh and became a little Child; and He who is our God before all ages, He made your womb a throne, and He made it wider that all the heavens. In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices. Glory be to you.
Communion Hymn
Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)