Supplicatory Paraklesis to the Precious and Life-giving Cross

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. *

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (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.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (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.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.

O Lord, attend to my prayer: hearken to my supplication in thy truth; hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has brought my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in a dark place, as those that have been long dead. Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me. I remembered the days of old; and I meditated on all thy doings: yea, I meditated on the works of thine hands. I spread forth my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee, as a dry land. Pause. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit has failed; turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee; make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies, and wilt destroy all those that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Troparion, Tone 4.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. Verse 2: All the nations compassed me about, and in the name of the Lord I withstood them. Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; grant by the Cross victory over the barbarians to our God-protected people, and keep Thy people under Thy shelter, that we may say: O Lord, glory to Thee.

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

The same troparion.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

We will never cease, O Theotokos, we the unworthy, from speaking of thy mighty acts; for hadst thou not stood before us to intercede, who would have delivered us from so many dangers? And who would have kept us free until now? We will not depart from thee, O Lady, for thou ever savest thy servants from all misfortunes. Ode 1, irmos. Ode 3, irmos.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

Irmos: Of old the great seer of God, Moses, prefigured Thy Cross, O Saviour, when he divided the waters and led the people of Israel through, and with a radiant voice he sang to Thee together with them.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

When Thou wast lifted up on the Cross, O sweetest Jesus, our Saviour, Thou didst take away the sins of the world and bring to nothing the princes of darkness; raise up us also, who are fallen, we entreat Thee.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

In human nature Thou didst taste death on the Cross, O King; with lips and heart we entreat Thee, O sweet Jesus: set us free from our faults, O Lover of mankind.

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

From Thy side there flowed life-giving blood and water, whereby Thou didst sanctify the life-giving Cross; we who venerate the Cross entreat Thee: sanctify us.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thy motherly heart was moved with compassion, O Mother of God, when thou didst stand before the Cross of thy beloved Son; falling down we entreat thee: be an intercessor for us who kiss the Cross.

Irmos: Establish me upon the rock of faith by Thy Cross, O Christ God, that I may not be shaken by the evil enemy, O Thou who alone lovest mankind.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

When Thou didst put on the crown of thorns, O King, Thou didst adorn the Church with Thy precious Cross; have mercy on all the children of the Church together, we entreat Thee.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

We magnify Thy goodness, O sweet Jesus, and entreat Thy love for mankind: shelter us who venerate Thy holy Cross.

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

Thou wast lifted up on high into the air, nailed to the Cross, O King of heaven; unite things of heaven and things of earth, that together we may sing to Thy glorious Cross.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Yea, we entreat thee, O Virgin Mary, for the love of thy crucified Son: have mercy on thy faithful, O all-holy Lady.

Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.

Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.

Priest: Have mercy on us, O God… with the exclamation. Sessional hymn. Tone 4. Ode 4, irmos. Ode 5, irmos. Ode 6, irmos.

Thy life-giving Cross, the seal of Thy goodness, which Thou hast granted us sinners, O Lord, we offer Thee as our intercessor. Keep our people and Thy flock, who entreat Thee through the Theotokos, according to Thy great mercy.

Irmos: The sun beheld Thee nailed to the Cross, O Almighty; trembling seized it and it was turned into darkness; and all creation praiseth Thy mercies with fear, O Deliverer, for they are filled with Thy glory.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

When Thou didst willingly accept crucifixion, O Saviour, Thou becamest the head of the Church, which Thou didst purchase with Thy most holy blood; have mercy, O good Lord, on those who venerate the Cross with faith.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

O sweet Jesus, willing to be crucified for our salvation, Thou didst taste bitter death; deliver the faithful from bitter hades; hear our supplication and have mercy on us.

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

The veil of the temple was rent at Thy crucifixion, O Lord, the rocks were split and the graves were opened; we entreat Thee, open unto us also the doors of mercy, O Jesus, Lover of mankind.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou didst see thy beloved Son pierced with the spear, O Mother of God, and the sword of sorrow passed through thy soul; now we too entreat thee with compunction: by thy prayer show mercy to us.

Irmos: Rising early we sing to Thee, O Christ God, for by Thy Cross we find peace and life; enlighten us by it and guide us to the light that setteth not.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

The sun and the moon were darkened at Thy crucifixion, O King, and the mountains were shaken with great fear; but upon us who entreat Thee pour out by grace the radiance of holiness.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

Thou didst taste gall, O sweet Jesus; of Thine own will Thou didst endure the Cross and death for our sake; guide us to Thy light, O all-radiant and unapproachable Light.

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

The power of the Cross put to flight the demons of India, O Almighty; and the Indians and Parthians, turned to Thee, venerate Thy precious Cross, made purple, beautiful as the jacinth.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

When thou sawest thy crucified Son, O beloved Virgin Mary, thou didst weep with groaning and sighing; intercede for us also, that He may remember us when He cometh in His kingdom.

Irmos: Jonah traced the sign of the divine Cross, O Saviour, by stretching out his hands in the belly of the whale, and he was cast forth unharmed, kept by Thy help.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

From the beginning Thou didst teach us of Thy crucifixion, O Lord, by the mouth of the prophets; now with lips and heart we kiss Thy precious Cross and entreat Thee: have mercy on us.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

At the sixth hour the Jews nailed to the Cross the Lord, the Benefactor, and at the ninth hour Thou didst commend Thy spirit to the Father; we entreat Thee, have mercy on us also at the hour of the departure of our souls.

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

O Thou who didst endure crucifixion and torment for our salvation, who willest that all men be saved, make us worthy of the kingdom which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou didst sigh in pain, as one without breath, when thou sawest thy beloved Son, O Virgin; have mercy on our souls also, O Mary, Mother of the good God, we entreat thee.

Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.

Look down upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the evil wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our soul. Kontakion, Tone 4. Prokeimenon before the Gospel… The Gospel according to John. Ode 7, irmos. Ode 8, irmos. Ode 9, irmos.

O Thou who wast lifted up willingly on the Cross, grant Thy mercies to the new commonwealth that beareth Thy name, O Christ God; gladden with Thy power our pious people, granting it victory over its adversaries, for it hath as its ally Thy weapon of peace, the invincible trophy, Thine almighty Cross.

Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom.

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool; for He is holy.

Verse: We will worship in the place where His feet have stood.

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. For holy art Thou, O our God… Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord… And that He may make us worthy… Wisdom! Aright!

At that time the Jews took Jesus, and He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified Him. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.

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

By the power of the precious Cross, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression, and have mercy on me, O God.

Rejoice, O Cross, protector of the whole world; rejoice, O Cross, beauty of the churches; rejoice, O Cross, firmness of kings; rejoice, O Cross, helper of the faithful; rejoice, O Cross, glory of the angels and crusher of the demons.

Priest: O God, save… with the exclamation.

Irmos: O Thou who didst keep the bush unburnt, and, becoming man, O Lord, for the salvation of men, didst willingly accept crucifixion and grant us life, O Almighty, blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers, now and unto the ages.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

O spotless Lamb, who takest away the sins of the world, Thou wast led like a sheep to the slaughter upon the Cross, O sweet Jesus; by Thy voluntary suffering deliver us from the torments of hades, O Lover of mankind.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

O Christ, impassible in Thy Godhead and suffering in Thy manhood, we sing and glorify Thy crucifixion, O Good One, and above all we entreat Thee: have mercy on us, O Lord of our fathers, for Thou art the Lover of mankind.

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

They set a written title upon Thy Cross, O Lord, for they kept not Thy law written by God upon the tablets; but we fervently entreat Thee: remember us like the thief in Thy kingdom, O Merciful One.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

When thou sawest Christ the King clothed in the chlamys, O Virgin Mary, thou didst water the earth with thy tears; now be our intercessor, that He may deliver us from the nethermost hades and have mercy on us, as on that entreating Canaanite woman.

Irmos: In the den of lions, when Daniel stretched out his hands in the form of the Cross, he was delivered from them untouched, and their fury was bridled, and he blessed Christ our God.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

O good God, for love of mankind Thou didst put on humility, and, nailed to the Cross, didst taste vinegar and gall from a sponge; we entreat Thee, make us worthy to be caught up in the clouds into the air.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

O all-sweet Jesus and all-merciful Lord, when Thou wast lifted up on the Cross, Thou didst draw all to Thyself; we all entreat Thee: give ear to our supplication, and have mercy on us all together with the righteous.

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

O Christ, fairer than the sons of men, Thou wast seen dishonoured, hanging upon the Cross; and we who fall down and venerate the Cross entreat Thee: forgive our transgressions, O Merciful One.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Crucified for our salvation, Jesus spoke sweetly, as was His wont: Weep not for Me, beloved Mother; but thou didst cry with lamentation: I too will die with Thee, my beloved Son.

Irmos: O Mother and Virgin Theotokos, who without corruption didst bear Christ our King, who suffered on the Cross for our sake, all we the faithful magnify thee together with thy Son.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

With tears and sighing Thy Mother stood before the Cross, O Christ, and cried: O Creator of heaven and earth, my good Son, have mercy on mankind enslaved by error.

Glory to Thy Cross, O Lord.

Heaven and earth trembled when Thou didst give up Thy spirit, O Lord; and Thy beloved Mother wept and said: Have mercy on Thy creatures who venerate Thine almighty Cross.

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

Go, go, Thy Mother said to Thee, my beloved Son, and bring up the prophets and the righteous, and lift up into the Holy of Holies the faithful of Thy Cross, and give them rest in the bosom of Abraham.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Truly, O Virgin Theotokos Mary, the grief of Eve was loosed by the crucifixion of thy Son; and we entreat thee: set us free from everlasting affliction, us who are afflicted by the passions.

It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.

The priest censes.

By the tree of disobedience Adam fell, but Thou, the second Adam, didst raise him up by being nailed to the tree of life, the wood of the Cross; now we too entreat Thee: deliver us from eternal punishments and make us worthy of endless joy, O good Lord.

They nailed Thy hands and feet to the Cross, O Jesus, and Thou didst cry out: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit; now we too entreat Thee: receive our souls into Thy hands, O Christ, and deliver us from the hands of the spirits of the air, that we may not be bound hand and foot and given over to the outer darkness.

The Jews crucified Thee, O Lord, the faithful laid Thee in the tomb, and we Christians venerate Thine all-beautiful Cross and entreat Thee: having delivered us from hades by Thy Cross, make us partakers of Thine unfading glory, O King.

O Jesus, crucified by the Jews, who didst rise with authority, ascend with the shout of angels and rest upon the thrones of the Cherubim, and who comest to judge the world, we entreat Thee: make those who venerate Thy Cross worthy of the portion at Thy right hand.

O most holy Theotokos Mary, thou didst grieve at the crucifixion of thy Son and rejoice at His Resurrection; and Christ exalted thee above the Seraphim; we entreat thee: be our intercessor, that we may be made worthy with all the saints to glorify God without end.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (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.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (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.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, being without any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer to Thee, the good Master: have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

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

O Lord, have mercy on us, for in Thee have we put our trust; be not exceedingly angry with us, neither remember our iniquities; but look upon us in mercy, as Thou art good, and deliver us from Thy just wrath; for Thou art our God and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and Thy name is called upon us: have mercy on us.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Open unto us the doors of compassion, O blessed Theotokos, that hoping in thee we may not perish, but through thee be delivered from our adversaries, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race. A prayer to be said kneeling

Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)

Priest: Have mercy on us and hear us, O God.

O all-good King Christ, who didst name the Cross as Thy glory, who by the Cross didst gladden the angels, by the Cross didst trample down the demons, by the Cross didst shatter hades, by the Cross didst open to us the kingdom, by the Cross didst unite things of heaven and things of earth, we venerate Thine all-precious Cross and entreat Thee: have mercy on us.

O all-sweet Jesus, who by Thy divine beauty didst enlighten all the world, glorify and exalt our God-protected people. With Thy God-radiant Cross illumine the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, the great lord, our father Ilia, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops and all the priestly and monastic orders. With Thine almighty Cross strengthen all Orthodox Christians. We entreat Thee, O Saviour, shelter us from all enemies visible and invisible by Thine all-precious, life-giving and invincible Cross.

O almighty and all-powerful Lord, shelter from every passion and sorrow of soul and body us who trace Thine all-precious Cross upon our foreheads and faces, and grant the churches beauty, Christians enlightenment, progress in virtue, radiance through Communion, a peaceful end and, under the guidance of the angels, a dwelling with the righteous. And at Thy second coming in glory, when the divinely beautiful Cross shall shine forth for the unbelievers to behold, then make us, the faithful who trust in Thy Cross, worthy to be caught up in the clouds, to inherit the kingdom and with the angels to glorify Thee, sing to Thee and worship Thee, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages.

It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing fathers and of all Thy saints, have mercy on us. Amen.

At the kissing of the precious Cross we sing this:

We have gained Thy precious Cross as the guide of all our life and the seal of all our work, O all-good King; wherefore with faith we venerate and with longing kiss Thy life-giving Cross, O Lover of mankind, and entreat Thee: by Thy grace that dwelleth in it shelter from all snares and trials of soul and body those who love Thine all-glorious Cross with hope.

O King of kings and Lord of lords, through the protection of our Lady the Theotokos shelter from all trials and sicknesses those who venerate and trace Thy Cross, for Thou art blessed always, unto the ages of ages. Amen.