The Elevation of the Cross

At the All-Night Vigil.

The Stanza (Stikhira) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone VI. The Cross being set up, doth command every created being to sing the most pure Passion of him who was lifted up thereon. For having upon the same slain him who had slain us, he endowed with life those who were slain, and adorned them, and vouchsafed that they might dwell in heaven, forasmuch as he is compassionate, through the rich abundance of his goodness. Wherefore, rejoicing, let us exalt his Name, and magnify his exceeding condescension. (Thrice.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O come, all ye nations, let us adore the blessed Tree, through which the righteousness eternal hath come to pass: for he who beguiled our forefather Adam with the tree is himself beguiled by the Cross, and he who, like a tyrant, did lord it over that which the King had fashioned, falleth, being overthrown by a downfall strange. The poison of the serpent is washed away by the blood of God, and the curse of just condemnation is abolished, in that the Righteous One hath been condemned by unrighteous judgment: for it was meet that the tree should be healed by the Tree, and that by the passion of the Passionless One upon the Tree, the passions of the condemned one should be destroyed. But glory, O Christ our King, unto thy wise providence to usward, whereby thou hast saved all men, forasmuch as thou art good and lovest mankind.

The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day.

The Parables (Paremii). Exodus xv. 22-27, xvi. Prov. iii. 11-18; Isaiah lx. 11-16.

The Stanza at the Litiyd, in Tone I. To-day, of a truth, hath the sacredly prophetic saying of David received its fulfilment; for lo! we visibly bow down before the footstool of thine all-spotless feet, and putting our trust under the shadow of thy wings, O all-bountiful One, we cry aloud unto thee: Let the light of thy countenance be showed upon us. Exalt thou the horn of thine Orthodox people through the Elevation of thy precious Cross, O greatly merciful Christ.

The Hymn (Tropdr), in Tone I. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, granting victory over enemies unto our Ruler, N., and through thy Cross preserving thine Estate. (Thrice.)

The Exaltation (Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, a.nd do homage to thy holy Cross, whereby thou hast saved us from the works of the enemy

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Verse (Stikh): Sing unto the Lord a new song, for the Lord hath done marvellous things.

Verse: Praise ye God in his Saints. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

The Gospel. John xii. 28-36.

The First Canon. Tone VIII. (St. Cosmas of Maium.)

Theme-Songs (Irmosi). I. Moses, having with his rod made a long line, divided the Red Sea for Israel journeying on foot; and having again struck the same with a transverse blow, thus tracing the Cross which is the weapon invincible, he united it against the armies of Pharaoh. Wherefore we sing unto Christ our God, for he hath been glorified.

III. The Rod is accepted as the symbol of a mystery; for by its budding-forth it designated the Priest; and in the Church, which before was barren, there now hath budded forth the Tree of the Cross for her power and strengthening.

IV. I have given heed to the mystery of thy dispensation, O Lord, I have understood thy works, and have glorified thy divinity.

V O Tree thrice blessed, whereon was crucified Christ our King and our Lord! Through thee he is fallen who by a tree did beguile, having himself been beguiled by Him who was nailed upon thee in the flesh, even God, who granteth peace unto our souls.

VI. Jonah, when he stretched forth his arms in the form of a cross within the belly of the sea-monster, did clearly typify the Redeeming Suffering; and when he came forth thence after three days, he imaged forth by anticipation the supernatural Resurrection of Christ-God, who was crucified in the flesh, and hath illumined the world by his rising on the third day.

VII. The mad behest of the impious tyrant breathing forth threats and godless blasphemies troubled the people: yet neither the brutal rage nor the devouring fire terrified the Three Children; but when, as they stood amid the flames, a dew-bearing breath was wafted against it, they sang: Blessed be thou, O God of our fathers, exceedingly praised, and our God!

VIII. O Children, in number equal to the Trinity! Bless ye God the Father, the Creator; sing ye the Word who came down and turned the fire into dew; and magnify ye the Spirit all-holy, who giveth life unto all men, unto all the ages.

In place of: My soul doth magnify the Lord: the Refrains:

Magnify, O my soul, the all-precious Cross of the Lord.

Magnify, O my soul, the Elevation of the life-giving Cross of the Lord.

IX. Thou art the mystical Paradise, O Birth-giver of God, who though untitled didst bud forth Christ, by whom the life-bearing Tree of the Cross was planted upon earth. For which cause, now, at its Elevation, adoring it, we magnify thee.

While the Canon is being sung, the Senior Priest putteth on all his vestments, and after the Great Glory (Glory be to God on high) hath been sung slowly and melodiously, and he 'hath censed all about the Altar whereon lieth the precious Cross, while: O Holy God, Holy Mighty: is being chanted: he placeth the Cross on his head, and making the circuit of the Altar therewith, preceded by a Taper-bearer, he halteth in front of the Holy Door, and having proclaimed: Wisdom, O believers! he goeth to the folding-stand, which is in the middle of the Temple, while the Choir chanteth the Hymn: O Lord, save thy people: After this, the Priest censeth round about the Cross, and having made the customary reverences, he beginneth: Thy Cross do we adore, O Master, and thy holy Resurrection do we glorify. (Thrice.) The Choir also singeth this thrice; and the Stanza, in Tone VIII.:

To-day is the Master of creation and the Lord of glory nailed upon the Cross,, and is pierced in the side, and of gall and vinegar doth the Sweetness of the Church partake. With a crown of thorns is he invested who covereth the heavens with clouds, and with the robe of scorn is he endued; and he who with his hand did fashion man is smitten by a human hand. Hewhoclotheth the heavens with clouds is beaten upon his shoulders, and receiveth spitting and wounds, indignities and buffetings in the face; and he, my Redeemer and my Saviour, doth endure all these things for the sake of me, the accursed, that He may save the world from guile, forasmuch as he is compassionate.

Then the Litanies; and the Benediction: May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his most pure Mother; through the might of the precious and life-giving Cross: and so forth, as usual.

At the Liturgy.

In place of: Bless the Lord, O my soul:

Antiphon I., Tone II.

Verse 1: O God, my God, hear me: why hast thou forsaken me? Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour,

save us.

Verse 2: Far from my salvation are the words of my transgression: Verse 5: O my God, I cry in the daytime and thou hearest not, and in

the night-season also I take no rest:

Verse 4: And thou continuest holy, O thou Worship of Israel: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and

ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen:

Antiphon II., Tone II.

Verse i: O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long?

Refrain. Save, O Son of God, who wast crucified in the flesh, us who sing unto thee, Alleluia.

Verse 2: O think upon thy congregation, whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old:

Verse 3: And Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt:

Verse 4: For God is our King before the ages: he hath wrought salvation upon earth:

Glory now, and ever.

O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! Thou who art immortal yet didst deign for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Birth-giver of God and ever-virgin Mary; and without change of essence wast made man; who also wast crucified for us, O Christ our God, trampling down Death by death; who art one of the Holy Trinity, and art glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Save us.

Antiphon III., Tone I.

Verse 1: The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient.

Refrain: The Hymn for the Day (Tropar). O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting victory over enemies unto our Ruler, N., and through thy Cross preserving thine Estate.

Verse 2: The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient: he sitteth between the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet:

Verse 3: The Lord is great in Zion, and high above all people:

Verse 4: Worship ye the Lord in the courts of His Saints.

In place of: O Holy God, Holy Mighty:

The Introit. O magnify the Lord our God, and fall down before his footstool, for he is holy.

Thy Cross do we adore, O Master, and thy holy Resurrection do we glorify.

The Collect-Hymn (Konddk). Do thou who, of thine own good will,... (See page 61.)

The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Seventh Tone (the same as the Introit).

Verse: The Lord is King, be the people never so impatient. Alleluia. (Tone I.)

Verse: O think upon thy congregation, whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old.

Verse: God is our King before the ages: he hath wrought salvation upon earth.

The Epistle. I Cor. i. 18-24.

The Gospel. John xix. 6-1 1, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35.

The Communion Hymn. The light of thy countenance hath been showed upon us, O Lord.