Post-feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

VESPERS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 4, Podoben “As one valiant among the martyrs…”

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

When You were lifted up upon the Cross, O Master,* You raised up with Yourself the whole fallen nature of Adam;* therefore, lifting up Your all-pure Cross* with the strength of You, the Most High,* O You who love mankind, we make entreaty, crying out:* As You are our merciful God, O Most High,* save those who venerate the honourable, luminous and divine exaltation of Your Cross.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

Gazing now upon Your footstool where Your all-pure feet stood,* and chanting psalms, O Master,* we honour today Your all-precious Cross with love,* and elevating it with piety we beseech You, crying aloud:* Having sanctified all by Your divine Cross, O Most High,* show us forth as partakers of Your ineffable compassion and grace.

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

We bow down before Your all-holy Cross, O Christ,* as before, an invincible trophy, an impregnable shield, and a divine sceptre,* for thereby has the world been saved, and for it Adam dances.* Offering praise in hymns, we, the assemblies of the earthborn, honour it,* and, performing its divine elevation, we ask purification.

Tone 4

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Cleansing your body and soul of the passions,* you became a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit* and adorned yourself with the anointing of priests.* You were an excellent intercessor, O Eumenus,* a converser with the holy angels, an heir to the glory of the Lord,* and pray for those who praise you.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Your all-glorious life, illuminated by the virtues* and shining forth with the splendours of miracles,* made you right glorious to the ends of the earth, O most blessed one,* a steadfast beacon, one who shares the abode of the saints,* a hierarch who is a citizen of the holy city,* a fellow-citizen with the angels,* O right glorious wonderworker.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

Assembling, let us honour aloud the hierarch Eumenus,* the adornment of Crete, bishop of Gortyna,* unshakable foundation of the Church,* who is magnificent in miracles, all-glorious in many powers,* and has enlightened hearts which are in darkness.

Tone 2, Glory… Now…

The divine treasure which is hidden in the ground, the Cross of the Bestower of life,* was shown in the heavens to the pious emperor* and noetically displayed an inscription of victory over his enemies.* And rejoicing therein with faith and love,* in godly manner he hastened to ascend to a visible height* and with zeal drew it forth from the bosom of the earth,* for the deliverance of the world and the salvation of our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 5

O Lord, save me by Your name,* and in Your power be a judge for me.

verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

Aposticha

Tone 2, Podoben “O house of Ephratha…”

Today, the Cross of Christ, the life-bearing Tree* on which He was crucified in the flesh,* is borne aloft, summoning all

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

Rejoice, O divine defence of the faithful, unassailable rampart,* O Cross of the Lord,* whereby we have been lifted up from the earth.

God is our King before the ages, He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Come everyone and with gladness* let us kiss the life-bearing Tree* whereon Christ our deliverance was stretched out.

Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Moses, prefiguring the activity of the precious Cross, O Christ,* vanquished Amalek his adversary in the wilderness of Sinai;* for when he stretched out his arms, forming the image of the Cross,* he strengthened the people.* And now these events have found their fulfilment in us:* today the Cross is elevated and the demons flee;* today all creation is freed from corruption,* for gifts have shone forth upon us because of the Cross.* Therefore, rejoicing, we all fall down before it, saying:* Glory to You, O Lord,* for Your works are magnified!

Troparia

Tone 7

You enriched your life with fasting, O Father Eumenius.* You loved the poor and gave them all you had.* You were brighter than the sun in virtue,* cheering the sad and comforting the mourning.* By virtue of these riches and by your prayers,* now beg Christ to forgive our sins.

Tone 1, Glory… Now…

Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance,* grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.

DIVINE LITURGY ON THURSDAY MORNING

Antiphon 1

O God, my God, hear me; why have You forsaken me? The words of my transgressions put salvation far from me.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

O God, I will call to You by day but You will not listen; and by night, yet it will not be foolish of me.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

But You, the praise of Israel, dwell in the holy place.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Glory… Now… Only-begotten Son…

Antiphon 3

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.

Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

For God is the great Lord, and the great king over all the earth.

Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Entrance

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ.

Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparia and Kontakia

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.

Troparion, Tone 7: You enriched your life with fasting, O Father Eumenius.* You loved the poor and gave them all you had.* You were brighter than the sun in virtue,* cheering the sad and comforting the mourning.* By virtue of these riches and by your prayers,* now beg Christ to forgive our sins.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Divinely armed with purity of spirit* and mightily wielding the lance of unceasing prayers,* you overcame the powers of demons,* Venerable Eumenes, pray without ceasing for all of us.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: By Your own choice, O Christ our God,* You were lifted on the cross.* Grant Your mercies to Your new community* that bears Your Name.* By Your power gladden the faithful people,* and grant them victory against enemies.* May they have the help of Your instrument of peace,* the invincible sign of victory.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

Exalt the Lord our God,* and bow in worship at the footstool of his feet, for it is holy.

verse: The Lord reigns, let the people tremble. (Psalm 98:5,1)

Epistle

Galatians 3:23-4:5

Alleluia, Tone 1

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 6:30-45

Hymn to the Mother of God

O my soul, magnify the most precious cross of the Lord.

And the Irmos, Tone 8: You are a mystical Paradise, O Mother of God, who though untilled, have brought forth Christ. He has planted upon earth the life-giving Tree of the Cross. Therefore today as we raise it on high we bow low and we magnify you.

Communion Hymn

Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord,* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)

At the end of Liturgy we sing:

To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection. (3)