Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross; The Nativity of
Our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary
Text from “The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship”; Pg. 353 (Tone 7), Pg. 677 & Pg. 683.
Troparion (Tone 7): By Your cross You destroyed death,* You opened Paradise to the thief,* You changed the lamentation of the myrrhbearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.
Troparion (Tone 4): Your nativity, O Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse* and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect,* He bestowed on us eternal life.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion (Tone 7): No longer shall the dominion of death be able to hold humanity,* for Christ went down shattering and destroying its powers.* Hades is bound.* The prophets exult with one voice.* The Saviour has come for those with faith, saying:* “Come forth, O faithful, to the resurrection!”
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion (Tone 4): By your birth, O Immaculate One,* Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness,* and Adam and Eve* from the corruption of death.* And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins,* celebrate as they cry out to you:* “The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God* and nourisher of our life.”
Prokimenon (Tone 6): Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance (Ps 27:9).
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence(Ps 27:1).
Prokimenon (Tone 3): My soul magnifies the Lord,* and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour (Lk 1:46-47).
Epistle: (Galatians 6:11-18) (Sunday): Brethren, see what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
Epistle: (Philippians 2:5-11) (Feast): Brethren, let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Alleluia (Tone 1): Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
verse: I have exalted one chosen from among My people; with My holy oil I have annointed him (Ps 88:20-21).
verse: Indeed, My hand shall sustain him, and my arm shall make him strong (Ps 88:22).
verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear (Ps 44:11).
verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance (Ps 44:13).
Gospel: (John 3:13-17) (Sunday): And the Lord said, no one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Gospel: (Luke 4:16-22) (Feast): At that time Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’
While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’
Instead of “It is truly…”: O my soul, magnify the Virgin Mary born from a barren womb.
Irmos (Tone 8): Virginity is alien to mothers and childbirth is foreign to virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together. Therefore we and all the nations of the earth without ceasing magnify you.
Communion Verse: I will take the chalice of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord (Ps 115:13).
Second Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest (Ps 148:1). Alleluia! (3x)
Great Vespers (Lit.Royaldoors.net):
Divine Liturgy:
Sunday before the Exaltation – English
Sunday before the Exaltation – UKRAINIAN
Sunday before the Exaltation -ENG-UKR
PDF – Sept Liturgical Booklet – ENG/UKR