Cross Procession To be performed on the Patronal Festival of the Church, namely, the Feast of the Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, being the 5 th day of the month of July in the Church Calendar. The Cross-procession is traditionally performed at the founding of a new monastery, the consecration of a new church, and each year on the patronal festival of a church. It is a form of prayer in which the prayers of the Patron Saint and the blessings of God are invoked on the parish. The form outlined below takes the form of a processional moleben, and is the form most commonly used in the Russian Church Abroad. During the procession, the faithful make four stations, forming the points of a Cross around the church. After the prayer below the Ambo (O Lord, Who dost bless them that bless Thee...&c.) the lantern-bearer, Cross-bearer, servers with fans, and banner-bearers form up in the midst of the church, ready for the procession. Standing in the midst of the church, the priest says: Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. People: Amen. Then the people sing, in stikhera tone 6: O heavenly King, / Comforter, Spirit of Truth, / Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, / Treasury of blessings and Giver of life; / Come, and abide in us, / cleanse us of all impurity, // and save our souls, O Good One! Deacon: In the second tone: God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord. Deacon: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. People: God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord. Deacon: I shall not die, but live; and shall tell of the works of the Lord. People: God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord. Deacon: The stone which the builders rejected is become the headstone of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. People: God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord. The procession begins, in the following order: 1. Server or layman carrying a lantern. 2. Server or layman carrying the Cross. 3. Some of the faithful carrying banners, in pairs. 4. A layperson, carrying the icon of St Elisabeth, flanked by two subdeacons carrying fans over the icon. 5. The choir. 6. The clergy and servers. The senior priest carries a blessing Cross. The second priest (or layman, if there is only one priest), carries the Gospel Book. Deacons carry censers. Remaining servers carry the trebnik, holy water, and anything else that may be required. 7. The faithful, who may carry icons. Meanwhile, the people sing: Troparion, tone 2 - In that meekness, humility, and love, / which made their abode in thy soul, / thou didst diligently minister to the suffering, / O holy Passion-bearer, Princess Elisabeth; / and with faith didst endure suffering and death for Christ / with the Martyr Barbara. // With her do thou pray for all that honour thee with love! The procession moves out of the church by the south door, (properly, this is by the west door but our church does not have one). Clergy: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! People: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! Clergy: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. People: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Clergy: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! People: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! Clergy: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. People: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Pray to God for us, / O holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, / for fervently do we flee unto thee, // the speedy helper and intercessor for our souls. The first station is made at the south side of the church, thus: 1. The lantern, Cross, and banner-bearers leave the church first, but move aside to allow everybody else to leave church. They then return to the church doors and arrange themselves against the wall of the church, facing outwards. Banner and fan-bearers stand on the back row with the Cross and lantern in front. 2. The choir turns left out of the door and gathers there. 3. The priests gather before the doors facing towards the church, while the deacons stand facing them. The servers with the trebnik and holy water stand to the left and right of the senior priest, respectively. 4. The faithful turn right out of the doors and gather there. The priest blesses with the Cross towards the church (north), then sprinkles with holy water. The deacons stand facing him, censing the Cross x3 while the priest blesses with it. If there is more than one priest, a second priest sprinkles simultaneously with the priest who blesses with the Cross. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord; let us all say: People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. The priest turns by the left to face away from the church (south). Again he blesses with the Cross, then sprinkles with holy water. The deacons, having circled to face him, cense as before. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord; let us all say: People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. The priest turns by the left to face east, towards the choir. Again he blesses and sprinkles. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord; let us all say: People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. The priest turns by the left to face west, towards the people. He blesses and sprinkles as before. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord; let us all say: People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. The procession continues anti-clockwise in the same order as before: lantern, Cross, banners, icon with fans, choir, clergy, people. Clergy: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! People: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! Clergy: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. People: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Clergy: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! People: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! Clergy: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. People: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Clergy: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! People: Holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, pray to God for us! Clergy: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. People: Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Pray to God for us, / O holy New-Martyr Elisabeth, / for fervently do we flee unto thee, // the speedy helper and intercessor for our souls. The second station is made at the east end. Those carrying the lantern, Cross, &c. stand with their backs to the wall of the church as before, with the choir going ahead a little, the clergy in the middle, and the people following. Deacon: Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. People: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. People: Lord, have mercy. People: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, exceedingly blessed, and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life unto Christ our God. People: To Thee, O Lord. Priest: For Thou art the King of peace, and the Saviour of our souls, and unto Thee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. People: Amen. Deacon: Let us attend. Wisdom! Let us attend. The prokimenon in the fourth tone: For thy sake, O Lord, are we slain all the day long. People: For thy sake, O Lord, are we slain all the day long. Deacon: We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. People: For thy sake, O Lord, are we slain all the day long. Deacon: For Thy sake, O Lord... People: ..are we slain all the day long. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord. People: Lord, have mercy. Priest: For holy art Thou, O our God, Who restest in the Saints, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. People: Amen. Deacon: Let every breath praise the Lord. People: Let every breath praise the Lord. Deacon: Praise ye God in His Saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power. People: Let every breath praise the Lord. Deacon: Let every breath... People: ...praise the Lord. Deacon: And that He may count us worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God. People: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Deacon: Wisdom! Upright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel. Priest: Peace be unto all. People: And to thy spirit. Priest: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St John.