day 14

September 14: Universal Exaltation of the Precious & Life-creating Cross

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 4 stichera, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”—

Troparion, in Tone I—

The 14th Day Of The Month Of September

The Cross is uplifted, and the demons are driven away; the thief openeth the gates of Eden, death is slain and hath now been shown to be desolate; Christ is magnified. Wherefore, be glad, all ye earthborn, for the curse hath been lifted! Twice

The Universal Exaltation of the Precious & Life-creating Cross

Come, all ye who love God, and beholding the precious Cross uplifted, let us magnify it together and give glory to the one Deliverer and God, crying aloud: O Thou Who wast crucified on the wood of the Cross, disdain not us who pray to Thee!

AT LITTLE VESPERS

Moses of old, changing bitterness into sweetness, delivered Israel, inscribing the image of the Cross beforehand; and all of us, the faithful, ever mystically making the sign thereof in our hearts in godly manner, are saved by its might.

Glory…, Now & ever…, idiomelon, in Tone VI—

Today is put forth from the impenetrable bosom of the earth the shoot of life, and it announceth the resurrection of Christ Who was nailed thereto; and, lifted up by priestly hands, it proclaimeth His ascension to Heaven, whereby our nature, which was bound to the earth by the fall, doth now dwell in the heavens. Wherefore, in thanksgiving we cry out: O Lord Who wast lifted up thereon and thereby raised us up with Thyself: vouchsafe us Thy heavenly joys, as Thou Who lovest mankind.

Prokimenon of the day. “Vouchsafe, O Lord…”

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…”—

Like a bride is the Church splendidly adorned with the water of grace and Thy blood, O Word, hymning the glory of the Cross.

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

Raising aloft the spear and the Cross, the nails and all else wherewith the life-bearing body of Christ was pierced, let us worship them.

Stichos: God is our King before the ages; He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

When Moses conquered Amalek, keeping his arms raised aloft, he prefigured the all-pure suffering of Christ in the form of the Cross.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VI—

Today the Tree hath appeared! Today the Jewish race hath perished! Today the Faith is made manifest by faithful hierarchs. Adam fell because of a tree, but the demons are made to tremble again by the Tree. O almighty Lord, glory to Thee!

O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance. Grant victory unto Orthodox Christians over their adversaries, preserving Thy community by Thy Cross.

After the dismissal of Little Vespers, the ecclesiarch, the priest, deacon and paraecclesiarch enter the vestry, escorted with lighted lamps, and the priest and deacon array themselves in their vestments. The deacon censeth the precious Cross, and saith: Bless, master! Priest: Blessed is our God… Then: Trisagion through Our Father… Troparion of the Cross; Glory…, Now & ever…: Kontakion of the Cross. The priest taketh the Cross on its tray and placeth it upon his head, and beareth it into the sanctuary, preceded by two candle-bearers bearing lighted candles. And he setteth the Cross on the altar-table, in the place usually occupied by the Gospel-book, the Gospel-book being removed to the High Place. And a lamp is set to burn before the precious Cross throughout the night.

Be It Known: If this feast fall on a Sunday, its hymns completely replace and supersede those of the Octoechos, with the sole exception of “Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…”