Post-feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

AT VESPERS ON TUESDAY EVENING

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.

Today, Your precious Cross* has shone forth radiantly like the sun, O Saviour Christ,* set up and elevated on the all-glorious place of the skull, on Your all-holy mountain,* showing forth most manifestly that it is thereby, O Omnipotent One,* that You have raised our nature up to the heavens,* in that You love mankind.

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

Today, O Unapproachable One,* the heavens have declared Your glory to men;* for the image of the Cross, shining forth in radiance with unapproachable light,* has denounced the savage and cruel nature of those who slew God.* Therefore, we glorify Your loving dispensation, O almighty Jesus,* Saviour of our souls.

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

By stretching forth his arms Moses vanquished Amalek,* prefiguring the image of the Cross;* and we now, bowing down before the tree of the Cross,* trample the wiles and machinations of the enemy underfoot,* having Christ as our champion,* who was lifted up upon it in the flesh,* slew the serpent and saved man.

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

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

Having adorned your soul with the beauties of virginity* and the blood of martyrdom, O glorious martyr,* you were betrothed to the Creator* who has truly preserved you incorrupt for ages;* and for this you join chorus with choirs of the archangels and angels,* the apostles, prophets, and martyrs,* O most praised one.

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

Bound to wheels of torture, rent asunder by wild beasts,* and your mind having been sharpened with fire and water by the divine Spirit,* you manfully choked the princes of darkness with the torrents of your blood,* and hastened to the noetic bridal-chambers,* offering your suffering to your Bridegroom as a dowry, O virgin.

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

Though you have died, you live forever, O martyr,* and have poured forth torrents of blood to the praise of the Lord,* watering the faithful and illumining them with understanding,* but drowning the unbelieving enemy therein.* Therefore, the divine scroll of the dogmas of the Church was entrusted to you,* which you preserve and hold for ever.

Tone 6, Glory…

O most glorious Euphemia, who flourished in the virtues and was illumined in mind,* pouring myrrh into the hearts of the faithful,* shining forth from the East like a radiant star,* and, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, assembling the council of the divine fathers:* Never cease to pray to the Lord for us, that our souls be saved.

Now…

The four corners of the world are sanctified today* as the four parts of Your Cross are elevated, O Christ our God;* and with it the horn of all Orthodox hierarchs is exalted.* Therefore, we crush the horns of our enemies.* Great are You, O Lord, and wondrous are You in Your works!* Glory be to You!

Aposticha

Tone 6, Podoben “On the third day…”

We bow down before the place where the feet of Christ stood,* exalting the thrice blessed Cross whereon was shed the blood of the Master* who has poured forth resurrection upon the world.

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

Having mortified the passions of flesh and spirit, O you divinely wise,* let us make haste to elevate ourselves above earthly things to the resting-place of heaven,* through the exaltation of the Cross,* having crucified ourselves with Christ the Master.

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

An ever-flowing well-spring has manifestly issued forth from the divine side of the Saviour,* watering the souls of those who with faith worship His divine sufferings,* His Cross and resurrection.

Tone 8, Glory…

Let every tongue be moved to the goodly praise of Euphemia the most lauded,* and let us all – every generation, every age, youths and virgins,* crown the virgin martyr of Christ with praises;* for, having lawfully shown manly courage and cast aside feminine weakness,* she brought low the tyrannous foe with the pangs of her suffering,* and having been adorned with a divine crown,* she entreats her Bridegroom and God, that He grant us great mercy.

Now…

That which Moses prefigured with his body of old* cast down and vanquished Amalek;* and David the psalmist, crying out,* has commanded us to bow down before Your footstool, Your precious Cross, O Christ God. Today we sinners also do homage with our unworthy lips to You* whose will it was to be nailed thereto;* and, chanting, we pray: O Lord, vouchsafe that with the thief* we may receive Your kingdom!

Troparia

Tone 4

Your lamb, Euphemia, O Jesus, cries in a loud voice:* “You, O my Bridegroom, I love; and, seeking You, I undergo martyrdom.* And with You I am crucified and buried in Your baptism,* and I suffer for Your sake that I may reign with You.* And I die on Your behalf that I may live in You.* Receive me as a spotless sacrifice,* sacrificed for You with love.”* Through her intercession in Your mercy save our souls.

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.

AT DIVINE LITURGY ON WEDNESDAY 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 1: As spiritual lambs, through martyrdom you came to Christ, the Lamb and Shepherd,* for you had finished the course and kept the faith.* And so, today, with spiritual joy, O wondrous women,* we celebrate your holy memory* while magnifying Christ.

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

Kontakion, Tone 4: We celebrate the memory of Christ’s women martyrs* and with faith ask for help that we all may be saved from every tribulation.* And we cry: “Our God is with us,* and He has glorified these women as He willed!”

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

Ephesians 3:8-21

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 11:23-26

Hymn to the Theotokos

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)