Divine service for the Exaltation: a detailed analysistranslated

September 27, 2026 is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. It is one of the twelve - 12 most important holidays of the church calendar. On this day we remember how in 326 Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, with God’s help, found the Cross on which the Savior was crucified under Golgotha. Crowds of people gathered at Golgotha ​​- and Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem raised (erected) the Cross several times so that everyone could see it. All holiday chants today are dedicated to the glorification of the Cross - the instrument of our Salvation. Our material is about how the Exaltation service works.

Scheme of services for the Feast of the Exaltation

On the evening of September 26, 2026

Photo by the Press Service of the St. Petersburg Academy

All-night vigil (2.5 – 3 hours). It consists of the following services:

Great Vespers with stichera, paremias and troparion of the Exaltation.

Duration about 40 minutes.

Matins with troparion and other hymns and the canon of the Exaltation (in the 9th canon there are 2 canons). Features:

- polyeleos is performed in the altar; - The Gospel is read at the altar; - at the end of Matins - the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross after the great doxology; - anointing – after the Rite...