At VesperS

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the feast, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—

Today Thy precious Cross hath shone forth radiantly like the sun, O Savior Christ, set up and elevated on the all-glorious place of the skull, on Thine all-holy mountain, showing forth most manifestly that it is thereby, O Omnipotent One, that Thou hast raised our nature up to the heavens, in that Thou lovest mankind.

Today, O Unapproachable One, the heavens have declared Thy glory unto men; for the image of the Cross, shining forth in radiance with unapproachable light, hath denounced the savage and cruel nature of those who slew God. Wherefore, we glorify Thy loving dispensation, O almighty Jesus, Savior of our souls.

By stretching forth his arms Moses vanquished Amalek, prefiguring the image of the Cross; and, bowing down before the tree of the Cross, we now 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.

And 3 stichera of the greatmartyr, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

Having adorned thy soul with the beauties of virginity and the blood of martyrdom, O glorious martyr, thou wast betrothed to the Creator Who hath truly preserved thee incorrupt for ages; and for this thou joinest chorus with choirs of the archangels and angels, the apostles, prophets and martyrs, O most praised one.

Bound to wheels of torture, rent asunder by wild beasts, and thy mind having been tempered with fire and water by the divine Spirit, thou didst manfully choke the princes of darkness with the torrents of thy blood, and didst hasten to the noetic bridal-chambers, offering thy suffering to thy Bridegroom as a dowry, O virgin.

Though thou hast died, thou livest forever, O martyr, and hast poured forth torrents of blood unto the praise of the Lord, watering the faithful and illumining them with understanding, but drowning the unbelieving enemy therein. Wherefore, the divine scroll of the dogmas of the Church was entrusted to thee, which thou preservest and holdest for ever.

Glory…, in Tone VI—

O most glorious Euphemia, who flourished in the virtues and wast 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: Cease thou never to pray to the Lord for us, that our souls be saved.

Now & ever…, of the Cross, in the same tone—

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