22 MAR 2020/Third Sunday of Great Lent/Tone 7

Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross

Hieromartyr Basil of Ancyra (362-363); Martyr Drosida, daughter of Emperor Trajan (1st-2nd);
Ven Isaac, Founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (4th);
Monastic Martyr Euthymius of Prodromou (Mt Athos-1814)

**Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great**

RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION IN TONE 7

TROPARION FOR THE HOLY CROSS IN TONE ONE

TROPARION FOR ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

(see booklet)
KONTAKION FOR THE CROSS IN TONE 7
 KONTAKION FOR GREAT LENT IN TONE EIGHT

you

you have

you have

you

you
 THE ANTI-TRISAGION HYMN

Your

Your

Your
 THE PROKEIMENON IN THE SIXTH TONE (CROSS)
READER: O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance! (Ps 27/28:9)
PEOPLE: sing Prokeimenon

READER: To You, O Lord, will I call. O my God, be not silent to me!

PEOPLE: sing Prokeimenon again
READER: O Lord, save Your people…
PEOPLE: sing… and bless Your inheritance!

THE EPISTLE
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (4:14-5:6)
Brothers and Sisters, since we have a High Priest, Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with
confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer
gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with
weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And
one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not
exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by Him Who said to Him, “Thou art My Son, today I
have begotten Thee”; as He says also in another place, “Thou art a priest forever, after the order of
Melchizedek.”

THE ALLELUIAS
READER: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
PEOPLE: (sing) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old! (Ps 73/74:2)
PEOPLE: (sing) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: God is our King before the ages; He has worked salvation in the midst of the earth! (Ps 73/74:12)
PEOPLE: (sing) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

THE GOSPEL
St. Mark. (8:34-9:1)
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he
gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever
is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be
ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Assuredly, I
say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present
with power.”
 ST. BASIL LITURGY MEGALYNARION
(During Lent - pg 45 in booklet)

KOINONIKON (COMMUNION HYMN) FOR THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT IN TONE EIGHT

Your

has

1. You have put gladness in my heart,

2. More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
3. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
4. For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Post-Communion Hymn: Instead of “We have seen the true light”, sing the Troparion of the Holy Cross.

The Service for the Procession of the Cross may be done following the Great Doxology at Orthros, or
following “Blessed be the Name of the Lord” at Divine Liturgy.
 The Orthodox Christian Church
The Orthodox Church is people who gather together in God’s Name; share a common
faith and hope based on the love of God; affirm the truth, or orthodoxy, of their belief
and experience; and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all. The Orthodox
Church began on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles; is
spreading to every corner of the world; and was planted in North America in
September 1794. The Orthodox Church through the ages has maintained the fullness
of Christ’s truth in complete continuity of faith and order with the apostolic community,
sustained by the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Orthodox Christianity is
expressed through the great Seven Ecumenical Councils ratified by the consent of the
whole Church since the Holy Spirit resides in the whole Church. This visible Church is
organized on a geographical basis. Each Country has its own governing council led by
a bishop, who is called either a Patriarch or an Archbishop. All of these leading
bishops form a Council or Synod, which directs the world-wide Church. The chairman
of the world-wide church council is the Patriarch of Constantinople. America is still in
the process of forming its own council. In the meantime, each leading bishop that has
parishioners in America has sent local bishops to watch over the flock. These local
bishops form the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central
America. The Orthodox Church is thus a family of self-governing Churches held
together, not by a centralized organization, but by the double bond of unity in the faith
and communion in the sacraments. This decentralized system of independent local
Churches has the advantage of being highly flexible and can apply the faith to
changing conditions, which is why a Western type of Reformation never occurred in
the Orthodox Church. However, because being an Orthodox Christian depends on
being in union with world-wide Orthodoxy through the ages, the essence of the faith
cannot change. During worship the Orthodox Christian enters, by the Holy Spirit, into
the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore everything in the church service must reflect the
Kingdom of Heaven more than earth. The sanctuary represents Heaven, the “Holy of
Holies” reserved for Christ the High Priest (the clergy); the nave, represents deified
earth, the “Holy” place of the royal priesthood (the laity); and the narthex represents
creation. Between the Altar and the Nave, between heaven and earth, is an icon
screen or horizon point through which the clergy (representing Christ) pass,
connecting heaven and earth. The faithful meet heaven through these icons or
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tasted, kissed, and touched. All of the senses (our whole being) participate in our
salvation. This personal encounter of believers with Christ in His Kingdom is the very
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We would enjoy speaking with you as we all seek to come closer to God.