Second Tone
We offer Thee in mediation the life-giving Cross which, of Thy goodness, Thou hast given unto us, the unworthy, O Lord. Save Thy hierarchs and Thy flock, and grant Thou peace through the Theotokos, O only friend of man.
In Orthodoxy, today is the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross which is celebrated on September 14th. It is a great feastday of The Church. Thanks for the post!
At today's Maronite Divine Liturgy, the priest performed the Solemn Blessing with the Glorious Cross.
Blessing of the East Side of the Altar
Celebrant: May Your salvation, O Lord reach Your Church who believes in You and exalts Your wondrous cross. By its sign we, Your Christian people, are protected from our enemies, seen and unseen. We now implore Your mercy and cry out three times:
The congregation responds by chanting the Kyrie Eleison 3 times.
Blessing of the West Side of the Altar
Celebrant: O Lord, the Church, Your bride, sings Your glory. She and her children are annointed by Your living seal. She overcomes evil, her enemy, through Your help and awaits a complete victory from You. We now implore the Son who was hung on the cross: "Be gracious, O Lord, to Your people and do not forget Your inheritance." We cry out three times:
The congregation responds by chanting the Kyrie Eleison 3 times.
Blessing of the South Side of the Altar
Celebrant: Moses divided the sea for His people with the sign of His glorious cross, and in the desert, the bronze serpent was raised to heal poisonous bites. Grant us, O Lord, to overcome all arrogance against Your Church, saved by Your cross. We now implore Your mercy upon us and cry out three times:
The congregation responds by chanting the Kyrie Eleison 3 times.
Blessing of the North Side of the Altar
Celebrant: By the signing of the cross over the four directions - east, west, south, and north - the whole universe is sanctified, and those who seek refuge under the arms of the cross are delivered from the power of evil. May our souls and bodies be marked by the cross, as were the thresholds of the houses of Your people in Egypt. We now implore You and cry out three times:
The congregation responds by chanting the Kyrie Eleison 3 times.
What an awesome, reverent and beautiful liturgy!