Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross  Tone 8; Holy Great-Martyr Nicetas (374); Jospeh  Bishop of Alavert in Georgia (570); Galatians 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1

First Antiphon

Verse 1: O God, my God, hear me; why have You forsaken me? The words of my transgressions put salvation far from me (Ps 21:2).

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Verse 2: 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 (Ps 21:3).

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.

Verse 3: But You, the praise of Israel, dwell in the holy place (Ps 21:4).

Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.

Glory… now…

If the second antiphon is sung: (Refrain: Through the prayers of the Mother of God O Saviour, save us.) Otherwise we sing: Only-begotten Son…

Third Antiphon: Festal Refrain (Sept 15-20; Including Sundays)

Refrain: Son of God, crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia.

Troparion (Tone 5): Let us the faithful acclaim and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, and born of the Virgin for our salvation. For He willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to suffer death and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection.

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.

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

Kontakion (Tone 5): You, my Saviour, descended to Hades, and as the Almighty, You shattered its gates. With Yourself You, as the Creator, raised the dead and shattered the sting of death, and delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Mankind. And so we cry out: “Save us, O Lord.”

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.

Prokimenon (Tone 7): Exalt the Lord our God, and bow in worship at the footstool of His feet for it is holy (Ps 98:5).

verse: The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble (Ps 98:1).

Epistle: (Gal 2:16-20): Brethren, we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Alleluia: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning (Ps 73:2).

verse: But God is our king before the ages; He was wrought salvation in the midst of the earth (Ps 73:12).

Gospel: (Mk 8:34-9:1): The Lord said, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

Instead of “It is truly…”: O my soul, magnify the most precious Cross of the Lord.

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 Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest
(Ps 148:1).

Second Communion Verse: Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord, shine upon us (Ps 4:7). Alleluia! (3x)

Upon completion of the Liturgy we venerate the Holy Cross: To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection (3x).