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Offices of the Holy Eastern Church

tr. Littledale, 1863

14. At the Fixing of a Cross

The fixing of the Cross takes place as follows. Notice is given to the Patriarch of the erection of the church, and a faculty is granted to his Exarch, or to some Bishop, for the foundation and consecration, and that the church may be completed with the Patriarchal fixing of the Cross. And he directs a Cross to be made of wood, on which the Patriarchal scribes write on one side thus:

The Patriarchal Cross-fixing, hallowed in the name of Saint (N.) in the God-guarded city (N.) in the Province (N.) by the free will of (N.) the most holy and œcumenical Patriarch.

On the other side:

In the reign of our most religious Sovrans (NN.) in the month — in the year —.

And the Cross with which the church is to be erected, is sent to it. Then the recipient performs the service at the foundation as given above.

When he proceeds to the consecration, he fixes the Cross behind the Holy Table, a pedestal with a hole in it having been made for the purpose, of stone, iron, or of brass, as is seen in the Great Church.

Prayer at the Fixing of the Cross

O Lord God Almighty, Who didst give the rod of Moses as a type of the precious and quickening Cross of Thy Beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ, bless and hallow this place by the power and operation of the precious and quickening and pure wood of the Cross, to drive away the devils and every enemy, guarding this place, and this House, and the souls of those who dwell here, through the intercessions of our preéminently glorious Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. For Thy kingdom, that of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is blessed and glorified, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.