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VESPER HYMNS FOR THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS
1.
Come all you nations, let us venerate the blessed wood,
through which eternal righteousness has come to pass.
For
the one who deceived our forefather Adam by a tree
Took the bait of the Cross and was ensnared.
The
tyrant who had seized God’s royal creature
Has
been cast down by faith, a lawless corpse.
By
divine blood, the serpent’s venom is washed away.
The
curse of the just sentence is lifted
By
the Just Man, Christ, condemned by unjust justice.
It
was fitting that one tree should undo another tree’s damage
And
that by the passion of the Impassible One upon the wood,
The
condemned should be freed from the passions.
But
Glory , O Christ our King, to your fearsome plan for our salvation
By
which you have saved us all, Good Lover of Mankind.
2
Hail to you, Life-giving Cross!
Invincible standard of piety, gate to Paradise!
Support of the faithful and Rampart of the Church!
Through you corruption has been annulled
and
the power of death has been vanquished and subdued,
and
we have been lifted up from earth to heavenly realms. Invincible
weapon against demons, Glory of the venerable martyrs!
Our
true adornment and Salvation from sorrow,
you
have granted great mercy to the world.
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