Liturgical Information
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Liturgical Color: Red

Themes: cross, Christ's mission, dignity of Christ, God's love

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:

We should glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection,
through whom we are saved and delivered. Galatians 6:14 [Roman Missal]

Nos autem gloriari oportet, in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi: in quo est salus, vita, et resurrectio nostra: per quem salvati, et liberati sumus.
Ps. Deus misereatur nostri, et benedicat nobis: illuminet vultum suum super nos, et misereatur nostri.
Antiphon.
Ps. Ut cognoscamus in terra viam tuam: in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum.
Antiphon.
Ps. Confiteantur tibi populi, Deus: confiteantur tibi populi omnes.
Antiphon.
Gal 6:14; Ps 67 [Graduale Romanum, p.162]

Nos autem gloriari oportet, in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi. [Graduale simplex, p.129]
Psalm 67, verses 1-7

Collect:

O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son
should undergo the Cross to save the human race,

grant, we pray,
that we, who have known his mystery on earth
may merit the grace of his redemp- tion in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Ho-ly Spirit,
one God, for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.

Lectionary Readings:

Numbers 21:4b-9 [If that serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent he lived. /v.9]
Psalm 78:1-2 / 34-35 / 36-37 / 38 [R. Do not forget the works of the Lord. /v.7b]
Philippians 2:6-11 [He emptied Himself; therefore also God highly exalted Him. /v.7,9]
Gospel Verse: [We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.]
John 3:13-17 [Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. /v.14]

Offertory Antiphon:

Protect your people, O Lord, by the sign of the holy cross, from the attacks of all enemies; so that our service may be agreeable unto you and our sacrifice acceptable, alleluia.

Protege, Domine, plebem tuam, per signum sanctæ Crucis, ab omnibus insidiis inimicorum omnium: ut tibi gratam ex hibeamus servitutem, et acceptabile tibi fiat sacrificium nostrum, alleluia. [Graduale Romanum, p.599]

Sanctum nomen Domini in Cruce exaltatum est: confessio eius super cælum et terram. [Graduale simplex, p.307]
verses from Psalm 1

Prayer over the Offerings:

May this oblation, O Lord,
which on the altar of the Cross

can- celed the offense of the whole world,
cleanse us, we pray, of all our sins.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Preface of the Holy Cross: [The victory of the glorious Cross]

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For you placed the salvation of the human race
on the wood of the Cross,
so that, where death arose,
life might again spring forth
amd the evil one, who conquered on a tree,
might likewise on a tree be conquered,
through Christ our Lord.

Through him the Angels praise your majesty,
Dominions adore and Powers tremble before you.
Heaven and the Virtues of heaven and the blessed Seraphim
worship together with exultation.
May our voices, we pray, join with theirs
in humble praise, as we acclaim::

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…

Communion Antiphon:

When I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself, says the Lord. John 12:32 [Roman Missal]

Per signum Crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos, Deus noster. [Graduale Romanum, p.600]
Psalm 18:2-3a,3bc,4,18,38,41,48,49,50 can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.

Per signum Crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos, Deus noster. [Gregorian Missal, p.663]

Per signum Crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos, Deus noster. [Graduale simplex, p.308]
verses from Psalm 2

Prayer after Communion:

Hav- ing been nourished by your holy banquet,
we beseech you, Lord Jesus Christ,

to bring those you have redeemed
by the wood of your life-giving Cross
to the glory of the re-sur- rection.

Who live and reign for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.

Prayer over the People: [9.]

May your family always rejoice together, O God,
over the mysteries of redemption they have celebrated,
and grant its members the perseverence
to attain the effects that flow from them.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
Amen.

The English translation of the Entrance Antiphon [Introit], Collect, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, Prayer after Communion and Prayer over the People from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corp. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Liturgical InformationThe Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross