On September 13/26, on the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving and Venerable Cross of the Lord, an all-night vigil with the procession of the Cross was celebrated in the Refectory Church of Saint Philaret the Merciful at the Holy Ascension Convent on the Mount of Olives.
According to the usual rite of the feast, after the Great Doxology, during the singing of the Trisagion, the Holy Cross was solemnly brought to the center of the church. The Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was then performed. The Head of the Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), raised the Holy Cross from the bishop's throne, and with special petitions declared by the deacon which the choir chanted "Lord have mercy" 100 times, he made the sign of the cross over the worshipers while the clergy sprinkled the Holy Cross with water. This rite is performed only in cathedrals in memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helena and its exaltation by Saint Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Participating in the vigil were the clergy of the Mission and the abbess of the convent, Judith (Zastavskaya), together with the sisters of the convent.
According to the usual rite of the feast, after the Great Doxology, during the singing of the Trisagion, the Holy Cross was solemnly brought to the center of the church. The Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was then performed. The Head of the Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), raised the Holy Cross from the bishop's throne, and with special petitions declared by the deacon which the choir chanted "Lord have mercy" 100 times, he made the sign of the cross over the worshipers while the clergy sprinkled the Holy Cross with water. This rite is performed only in cathedrals in memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helena and its exaltation by Saint Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Participating in the vigil were the clergy of the Mission and the abbess of the convent, Judith (Zastavskaya), together with the sisters of the convent.
