Post-feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 4, Podoben “You have given a sign…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The most holy Cross, the invincible trophy,* comes forth today, revealed from the earth like a hidden treasure,* enriching the whole world with the rays of its universal goodness.* Therefore, we glorify the all-good economy of Christ our God* who deigned to be crucified upon it.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Of old, the Cross, depicted by Moses,* the faithful beholder and favourite of God, the divine prophet,* routed the hordes of the aliens;* and now, depicted in the divine elevation at the hands of the sacred ministers,* it dispels the hordes of the demons and the assemblies of the Judeans,* and is the reproof of the audacity of the ungodly.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Your Cross, O our Saviour, is the invincible might of Christians,* whereby multitudes of alien nations are vanquished,* and the peace of Your Church, O Christ* is bestowed upon those who render goodly glory.* Venerating it now, we entreat You, O You who love mankind:* Count us worthy of a portion with Your saints.
Tone 8, Podoben “Your martyrs…”
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Desiring to take pleasure in inexhaustible food, O martyr Trophimus,* you strove with the pangs of your body* and passed over from corruption to incorruption,* rejoicing and adorned with your witness of mrtyrdom.* Therefore, by your supplications entreat great mercy for all.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The glorious Sabbatius, having endured many torments,* has now been vouchsafed to celebrate with great joy in the courts of heaven.* Receiving honours for his struggles, he is numbered among the assemblies of the angels.* By his supplications, O Christ, grant Your people great mercy.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Setting at nought the counsel of the ungodly,* you made your mind steadfast with divine counsels, O Dorymedontus;* and you manfully entered upon the trials of tortures, receiving trophies of honour.* And you reign ever with Christ, praying for us all.
Tone 4, Glory… Now…
Let us clap our hands today for the victory which is praised with hymns,* and with radiant countenance and tongue let us openly cry:* O Christ, who for our sake deigned to be tried,* to be spat upon and scourged and arrayed in a purple robe,* and who ascended the Cross;* whom beholding, the sun and the moon hid their light,* and the earth trembled with fear, and the veil of the temple was rent in two:* grant us now Your honoured Cross as a preserver and protector,* and a dispeller of the demons;* that, kissing it, we may all cry out to it:* Save us by your power, O Cross!* Sanctify us by Your radiance, O precious Cross!* And fortify us by your exaltation,* for you have been given to us as the light and salvation of our souls.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.
verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.
Aposticha
Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”
The Cross is raised up, and the demons are driven away;* the thief opens the gates of Eden;* death is slain, and now is shown to be void;* and Christ is magnified.* Therefore, all mortals are glad,* for the curse has been annulled.
Exalt the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet, for it is holy.
Come, all you who love God,* and, beholding the precious Cross uplifted,* let us magnify together, and give glory to the one Deliverer and God,* crying aloud: O You who were crucified on the tree of the Cross,* disdain not those who entreat You.
God is our King before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
Moses, of old, sweetening bitterness,* delivered Israel, and prefigured the Cross in image;* and all of us, the faithful, depicting it ever in our hearts in godly manner* and mystically* are saved by its might.
Tone 5, Glory… Now…
The words of Your prophets, Isaiah and David,* are fulfilled, O God, which said:* All nations will come, O Lord, and bow down before You.* For, behold the people who have been filled with Your grace* in Your courts in Jerusalem, O Good One.* O You who endured the Cross for us and has imparted life through Your resurrection,* preserve and save us!
Troparia
Tone 8
God is praised in the Holy Trinity,* and He praises the three martyrs, Trophimus, Sabbatius, and Dorymedontus.* By their faith, they conquered the enemy.* By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Christ our God.
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 FRIDAY 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 8
God is praised in the Holy Trinity,* and He praises the three martyrs, Trophimus, Sabbatius, and Dorymedontus.* By their faith, they conquered the enemy.* By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Christ our God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 8: You are brave and blessed, O wise Trophimus.* The Church praises and honours your radiant passion* as a support for martyrs and a stronghold of virtue.* Along with your suffering companions, O praiseworthy saint,* obtain purification for those who sing to you* because you are invincible
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 4:8-21
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 6:45-53
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)