Liturgy: Third Sunday of Lent

Third Sunday of Great Lent / Holy Cross / Tone 2

Beatitudes on 10: Octoechos 6; Triodion 4, from Ode 6.

1. We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O Savior.

2. For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind.

3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved the world, O Savior.

5. Risen from the tomb, Thou didst meet the myrrh-bearing women; and Thou didst tell Thy disciples to announce Thine arising.

6. Those who slept in darkness, beholding Thee, the Light, in the nethermost parts of hades, O Christ, were raised from the dead.

7. Thou hast crushed death, O Christ, and risen as a mighty King; Thou hast recalled us from the depths of hell and brought us to the land of immortality, granting us the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

8.  O ye faithful, let us cry aloud with joy and sing triumphantly to God, as we greet the Cross of the Lord; for it is a fountain of holiness to all those in the world.

9.  The words of the Psalmist are fulfilled: for see, we bow before the footstool of Thy most pure feet, O Lord all-powerful, at Thy Precious Cross, the thrice-blessed Wood.

10.  O Ewe free from blemish, the greatest wonder of all wonders was revealed in thee: for thou hast borne the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.  Entreat Him fervently for those who sing thy praises.

Troparia & Kontakia

Tone 2:  When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /

then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /

And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, /

all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //

O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Tone 1: O Lord, save Thy people/

and bless Thine inheritance. /

Grant Thou victory unto Orthodox Christians /

over their enemies, /

and by the power of Thy Cross //

do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

Glory… Both Now… Tone 7:

No longer doth the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden, /

for a strange extinction hath come upon it, even the Tree of the Cross. /

The sting hath been taken from death, /

and the victory from hades. /

And Thou, my Savior, didst appear unto those in hades, saying: //

Enter ye again into Paradise.

Instead of the Trisagion:

               Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify. Thrice

               Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.  And Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.

               Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.

The Epistle

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 6th Tone: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Unto Thee, O Lord, Will I cry; O my God, be not silent unto me.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Save, O Lord, Thy people.

Choir: And bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews:

[Hebrews 4:14-5:6 (§311)]

Reader: Alleluia in the 8th Tone.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: Remember Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased from the beginning.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: But God is our king before the ages, He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Mark 8:34-9:1 (§37)]

Instead of “It is truly meet…”[Tone 8 in the Octoechos, but usually sung to one of many special melodies]:

All creation – the assembly of angels and the race of man – rejoiceth in thee, O thou who art full of grace, O sacred temple and noetical paradise, boast of virgins, from whom God, Who existeth from before time, was incarnate and became a child; for He made thy body a throne, and thy womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All creation rejoiceth in thee, O thou who art full of grace. Glory to thee!

Communion Verse: The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, hath been signed upon us. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!