May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear; Just as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish on behalf of those who love God, and who make the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our drunken Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away everyone adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
In Russian
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may all who hate Him flee from Him. As smoke disappears, so let them disappear; and as wax melts from the fire, so let the demons perish before those who love God and are marked by the sign of the cross and exclaim in joy: Rejoice, Most Honored and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, driving away demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you, Who descended into hell and destroyed the power of the devil and gave us You, His Honest Cross, to drive away every enemy. Oh, Most Revered and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, help me with the Holy Lady the Virgin Mary and with all the saints in all ages. Amen.
Explanation of the Prayer to the Venerable Cross
They will be scattered - scattered, scattered. Bes - demons, devils. Signed - one who overshadows, imposing a sign on himself. Verbal - speaker. Most honorable - highly revered. Corrected - victorious, gained the upper hand. Crucified - crucified. Adversary - adversary, enemy. Life-giving – life-giving, resurrecting.
What do we pray for in this prayer to the Venerable Cross?
In it we express our belief that the sign of the cross is the most powerful means of driving away demons, and we ask the Lord for spiritual help through the power of the Holy Cross.
Why is the Cross called life-giving?
Because Jesus Christ, being crucified on the Cross, thereby delivered people from eternal death in hell and granted eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
What do the words mean: he who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil?
These words mean that Jesus Christ after His death and before His resurrection was in hell, from where He brought holy people (for example, Moses) into the Kingdom of Heaven and thereby showed that He trampled, or destroyed, the power of the devil.