Adoration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross
Third Sunday of Great Let
Opening Acclamation: “Blessed is the kingdom…”
Great Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos, save us.” “To Thee, O Lord.”
First Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain (All):
“Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos, save us.” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Second Antiphon. Verses (Choir) & Refrain (All):
“Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing unto Thee: Alleluia.”
“Only-begotten Son and Word of God Who art immortal, yet didst condescend for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change wast made man, and wast crucified, O Christ our God; and by Thy Death didst death subdue; Who art One of the Holy Trinity, glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.”
Little Litany. “Lord, have mercy.” “Most holy Theotokos…” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Third Antiphon, during the Little Entrance. Troparion of the Holy Cross, Tone 1 (All).
“O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting to Thy people vict’ry over all their enemies, and by the pow’r of Thy Cross, preserve Thy Kingdom.”
Entrance Hymn, the Eisodikon (All).
“Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ! Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia.”
Hymns of the Day.
Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 7 (All).
“Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning that Thou hast risen, O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy.”
Troparion of the Holy Cross, Tone 1 (All).
“O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting to Thy people vict’ry over all their enemies, and by the pow’r of Thy Cross, preserve Thy Kingdom.”
Troparion of St. Joseph, Tone 2 (All).
“Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonders, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Magi. Wherefore plead with Christ God to save our souls.”
Kontakion of Great Lent, Tone 8 (All).
“To thee the champion leader, do I offer thanks of victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror; but as thou that hast that power invincible, O Theotokos, thou alone can set me free. From all forms of danger free me and deliver me that I may cry unto thee: Hail, O Bride without Bridegroom.”
Anti-trisagion Prayer and Hymn. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Before Thy Cross we bow down in worship, Sov’reign Lord, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.” (3x)
The Readings. Deacon: “Let us attend! Wisdom!”
Prokeimenon, Tone 6 (Chanter). Psalm 27.
“O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance. To You, O Lord, have I cried, O my God!”
Brethren, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, and yet was without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and the wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee [Psalm 2:7]”; as he says in another place, “Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek [Psalm 109:4].”
Alleluia and Verses, Tone 1 (Chanter). Psalm 88.
“Remember Your congregation which You have acquired from the beginning. God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.”
Deacon: “Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us hear the Holy Gospel.” Priest: “Peace be to all.”
The Lord said, “If any one would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”
Sermon.
Great Entrance: Cherubimic Prayer & Hymn.
“We who mystic’ly represent the Cherubim and who sing to the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy hymn, let us now lay aside all earthly care...” (Repeat.)
“… that we may receive the King of all, who comes invisibly upborne by the Angelic Hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Litany of the Prothesis and the Peace. “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this, O Lord.” “Most holy Theotokos, save us.” “To Thee, O Lord.”
Priest: “Peace be to all.” Deacon: “Let us love one another, that with one accord we may confess:”
“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided.”
The Nicene Creed. Deacon: “The Doors! The Doors! In wisdom let us attend.”
“I believe in one God...”
Eucharistic Prayer of St. John Chrysostom.
Anaphora. “A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.”
Priest: “Let us lift up our hearts.”
“We lift them up unto the Lord.”
Priest: “Let us give thanks to the Lord.”
“It is meet and right to worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence, and undivided.”
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth: heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”
The Prayers of Consecration.
Priest: “Take, eat: this is My Body which is broken for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink ye this: this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, in behalf of all, and for all.”
[Sung softly by the Choir as the people say Amen to the consecration.] “We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O our God, our God.”
Priest: “Make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ.” (Amen.) “And that which is in this cup, the precious Blood of thy Christ.” (Amen.) “Changing them by thy Holy Spirit.” (Amen, amen, amen.)
Hymn to the Theotokos, the Megalynarion, Tone 8 (Choir).
“In thee rejoiceth, O thou who art full of grace, ev’ry created being, the hosts of the Angels, and all mankind, O Consecrated Temple and supersensual Paradise, glory of virgins, of whom God was incarnate, and became a little Child, and is our God before all the Ages.For He made of thy womb a throne and thy body did He make more spacious than the.In thee doth all Creation rejoice!O Thou who art full of grace, glory to thee.”
The Litany before the Lord’s Prayer. “Lord, have mercy.” “Grant this, O Lord.” “To Thee, O Lord.”
The Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name…”
Priest: “Peace be to all.” Deacon: “Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.”
The Elevation. Deacon: “Let us attend!” Priest: “The Holy things are for the Holy.”
“One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
Communion Prayers.
“I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly Thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray Thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen.”
“Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant, for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.”
Note: Unless necessitated by weariness or infirmity, we should remain standing until service’s end.
Communion Hymns, the Koinonikon. Verses (Chanter) & Refrain (All):
“The light of Thy countenance hath been signed upon us, O Lord. Alleluia.”
“Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord ! The Lord is God…”
Communion.
Only baptized/chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared by fasting and confession are invited to receive Communion. Those arriving to Church late should not receive Communion.
Post-Communion Hymns. Priest: “O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.”
“We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit…”
“Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of Thy glory…”
Litany of Thanksgiving and the Prayer behind the Ambon. “Lord, have mercy.”
“Blessed be the Name of the Lord, henceforth and forever.” (3x)
Prayer to St. John the Divine.
Trisagion Hymn. “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”(Repeat.)
Troparion of the Holy Cross.
Priest: “O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance…”
“O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting to Thy people vict’ry over all their enemies, and by the pow’r of Thy Cross, preserve Thy Kingdom.” (2x)
Kontakion of the Holy Cross.
Priest:“Before Thy Cross, we bow down in worship…”
“Before Thy Cross we bow down in worship, Sov’reign Lord, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.”(2x)
Dismissal and Final Blessing.
Parish Announcements.
Veneration of the Holy Cross
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