After the greatest events in the history of mankind took place - the Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, the Holy Cross, which served as the instrument of execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman troops in 70, holy places associated with the earthly life of the Lord fell into oblivion, and pagan temples were built on some of them.
The discovery of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross took place during the reign of Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great.
According to church historians of the 4th century, Constantine’s mother, Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena, went at the request of the royal son to Jerusalem to find places associated with the events of Christ’s earthly life, as well as the Holy Cross, the miraculous appearance of which became for Saint Constantine a sign of victory over the enemy. The literature contains three different versions of the legend about the finding of the Cross of the Lord.
According to the most ancient (it is given by church historians of the 5th century - Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen and others and probably goes back to the lost “Church History” of Gelasius of Caesarea (IV century), the Holy Cross was located under the pagan sanctuary of Venus. When it was destroyed, three crosses were discovered, as well as a tablet and nails with which the Savior was nailed to the instrument of execution.In order to find out which of the crosses was the one on which the Lord was crucified, Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem († 333) proposed to attach each of them in turn them to a seriously ill woman.When she was healed after touching one of the crosses, all those gathered glorified God, who pointed to the greatest shrine of the True Cross of the Lord, which was raised by the saint for everyone to see.
A second hypothesis, dated to the first half of the 5th century, places the event in the 1st century: the Cross was found by Protonica, wife of Emperor Claudius I (41–54), and then hidden and rediscovered in the 4th century.
The third version of the legend, which, like the second, arose in Syria in the 5th century, reports: Saint Helen tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jerusalem Jews, and in the end one elderly Jew named Judas, who at first did not want to talk, after torture indicated the place - Temple of Venus. Saint Helena ordered the temple to be destroyed and excavations to be made. Three crosses were found there. A miracle helped to reveal the Cross of Christ - the resurrection through touching the true Cross of a dead man who was being carried past. It is reported about Judas that he subsequently converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became the bishop of Jerusalem.
It must be said that the most popular in the middle and late Byzantine eras was latest version. It is on it that the prologue legend is based, intended to be read on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross according to modern liturgical books of the Orthodox Church.
Exact date the acquisition of the Holy Cross is unknown. Apparently it took place in 325 or 326. After the discovery of the Holy Cross, Constantine began the construction of a number of churches, where services were to be performed with the solemnity befitting the Holy City. Around 335, the large basilica Martyrium, erected directly near Golgotha and the Cave of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated. The day of its renewal (that is, consecration), as well as the rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings on the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior on September 13 or 14 began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and the memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of the renewal.
Already at the end of the 4th century, the celebration of the renewal of the Martyrium Basilica and the Rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the three main holidays of the year in the Jerusalem Church, along with Easter and Epiphany.
The Western pilgrim Etheria describes it in great detail in her notes: the renewal was celebrated for eight days; every day the Divine Liturgy was solemnly celebrated; churches were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; Many people came to Jerusalem for the holiday, including from distant regions - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria. It is especially emphasized that the renewal was celebrated on the same day when the Cross of the Lord was found. In addition, Etheria draws a parallel between the events of the consecration of the Jerusalem churches and the Old Testament temple built by Solomon.
The choice of September 13 or 14 as the eorthological date of renewal, which at present cannot be motivated indisputably, could be due both to the very fact of the consecration of churches on these days, and to a conscious choice. The renewal can be considered a Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles - one of the three main holidays of the Old Testament worship (see: Lev. 34: 33–36), celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month according to the Old Testament calendar (this month approximately corresponds to September), especially since the consecration of Solomon's Temple also took place during the Feast of Tabernacles. The date of the feast of renewal - September 13 - coincides with the date of the consecration of the Temple of Jupiter Capitoline in Rome, and a Christian holiday could be established to replace the pagan one. There are possible correspondences between the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14 and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between the Exaltation of the Cross and the Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated 40 days before.
Church historian Sozomen states: since the consecration of the Martyrium under Constantine the Great, the Jerusalem Church has celebrated this holiday annually. Even the sacrament of baptism is taught on it and church meetings last eight days.
According to the testimony of the Jerusalem Lectionary (in Armenian translation) of the 5th century, on the second day of the Feast of Renewal, the Holy Cross was shown to all the people.
In other words, the Exaltation of the Cross was originally established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the renewal, similar to the holidays in honor of Mother of God the day after the Nativity of Christ or in honor of John the Baptist the day after the Epiphany.
Starting from the 6th century, the Exaltation of the Cross gradually began to become a more significant holiday than the holiday of renewal. If the life of the Venerable Sava the Sanctified, written in the 6th century by the Venerable Cyril of Scythopolis, still speaks of the celebration of renewal, but not the Exaltation, then already in the life of the Venerable Mary of Egypt, traditionally attributed to Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem (7th century), there are the following indications: she headed to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation, saw a large crowd of pilgrims, and most importantly, it was on this holiday that she miraculously turned to repentance.
There is also evidence of the celebration of the Exaltation on September 14 in the 4th century in the East in the lives of St. John Chrysostom, Eutyches, Patriarch of Constantinople († 582), and Simeon the Holy Fool († c. 590).
At the same time, it is noteworthy that in the 4th century the worship of the Holy Cross was timed in the Jerusalem Church not yet for the holiday in question, but for Good Friday.
The word itself Exaltation in surviving monuments it is first found in Alexander the Monk (527–565), the author of a word of praise to the Cross.
By the 7th century, the close connection between the holidays of renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross was no longer felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and their sack of Jerusalem in 614, when the Holy Cross was captured and the archaic Jerusalem liturgical tradition was destroyed.
Subsequently, the eorthological situation developed in such a way that the Exaltation of the Cross became the main holiday. The celebration of the renovation of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although preserved in liturgical books up to the present time, became a pre-holiday day before the Exaltation of the Cross.
It is clear that at first it was a purely local holiday of the Jerusalem Church. But soon enough it spread to other Churches of the East, especially in those places that owned part of the Life-Giving Cross, for example in Constantinople.
The holiday was to become especially widespread and intensified in solemnity after the return of the Cross from Persian captivity under Emperor Heraclius in 628. This event served as a time point from which the celebration of the Exaltation in the Latin West can be counted, during the pontificate of Pope Honorius I (625–638), called “the day of the finding of the Cross.” And it was celebrated on May 3: “This could have happened because the East already had a holiday in honor of the Holy Cross on September 14 and did not need a new one.”
Wed. mirror hypothesis: “In the Monthly Word of the East, the following consideration was expressed on this matter: “Probably, this celebration was moved from May to September, in addition to being connected with the memory of the consecration of the temple, also because it fell in May on the days of Pentecost and was not consistent with the joy of these days."
As for fasting on the day of the Exaltation, a remark about it first appears in the Charter of the Jerusalem edition and in the earliest manuscripts. In cathedral churches they fast for a day, and in monasteries for two, including September 13. During the Exaltation, it is allowed to eat oil and wine, but not fish. Nikon Chernogorets testifies: “We could not find anything written about the fast of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross, but it is carried out everywhere. It is known from the examples of great saints that they had the custom of pre-purifying themselves for great holidays. They say that with this fast, believers decided to cleanse themselves before kissing the Holy Cross, since this holiday itself was established for this purpose. In cathedral churches this holiday is celebrated for one day and fasting is held, but in the Typicon of Studite and Jerusalem there are two days - a holiday and a forefeast.
Holiday in Orthodox worship
Continuing the conversation about the liturgical formation of the Exaltation, it should be noted: in the already mentioned Armenian translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, the main holiday remains renewal. On the second day of the holiday (that is, on the day of the Exaltation), September 14, everyone gathers in the Martyrium, and the same antiphon and readings are repeated (prokeimenon from Ps. 64; 1 Tim. 3: 14–16; alleluia with a verse from Ps. 147 ; John 10: 22–42), as the day before.
The Georgian version of the Lectionary (V-VII centuries) contains the following information: the feast of renewal on September 13 lasts eight days. Moreover, September 14 already has a special name - “the day of the Exaltation of the Cross.” At the 3rd hour (9 a.m. - after Matins), the rite of raising the Holy Cross and venerating it is performed, followed by the Divine Liturgy. For her, the troparion (apparently the entrance) “The Seal of Christ” with a verse from Ps. 27; readings (Prov. 3: 18–23; Isa. 65: 22–24; Wis. 14: 1–7; Ezek. 9: 2–6; 1 Cor. 1: 18–25; alleluia with a verse from Ps. 45 ; John 19: 16b–37), which are taken from the Good Friday service; troparia for the washing of hands and for the transfer of gifts - “The Voice of Your Prophet” and “The faces of the angels glorify You.” The prokeimenon at Vespers on the day of the Exaltation is also given (from Ps. 97). It is noteworthy that the Feast of Renewal in the Lectionary is the beginning of a new cycle of liturgical readings; the Sundays following it are called the first, second, etc. by update.
In Yadgari (the Georgian translation of the Jerusalem Tropologiya - a collection of hymnographic works), reflecting Palestinian liturgical practice of the 7th-9th centuries, the Feast of the Exaltation is listed as the second day of an eight-day celebration in honor of the renewal of the Jerusalem churches. A large number of hymns dedicated to the Holy Cross indicate that the Exaltation is an independent holiday.
After the 10th century, the ancient Jerusalem tradition gave way to the Constantinople one.
In Constantinople, the holiday of church renewal did not have the same significance as in Jerusalem - for quite objective reasons. At the same time, the ever-increasing veneration of the Venerable Tree of the Cross of the Lord made the Exaltation one of the great holidays of the liturgical year. It was within the framework of the Constantinople tradition, which in the post-iconoclastic period became decisive in the worship of the entire Orthodox East, that the Exaltation finally surpassed the feast of renewal.
According to various lists of the Typikon of the Great Church, reflecting the post-iconoclast conciliar practice of Constantinople in the 9th–12th centuries, the feast of the renewal of the Jerusalem churches on September 13 is one-day or even not celebrated at all. The Feast of the Exaltation on September 14, on the contrary, is a five-day holiday cycle, including a four-day pre-festival period - September 10-13 and the day of the holiday - September 14.
The veneration of the Cross began already on the days of the forefeast: on September 10 and 11, men came to worship, on September 12 and 13, women. The ritual took place between matins and noon.
On September 13, at Matins on Ps 50, at the 3rd antiphon of the liturgy and instead of the liturgical Trisagion, it is prescribed to sing the troparion of the 2nd plagal, that is, the 6th, tone.
On the day of the holiday, September 14, the divine service was distinguished by great solemnity: the day before they performed a festive vespers (the initial antiphons, except for the 1st, final and entrance (“Lord, I cried”), were canceled) with the reading of three proverbs (Ex. 15: 22–26; Proverbs 3: 11-18; Isaiah 60: 11-16; each of them is preceded by prokeimnas - from Ps. 92, 59 and 73 respectively); At the end of Vespers, the troparion “Save, O Lord, Thy people” is laid out. Pannikhis is also served - a short evening service on the eve of holidays and special days. Matins was performed according to the festive rite (“on the pulpit”), according to Ps. The 50 chanted not one, but six troparions. After the great doxology, the rite of raising the Cross was performed. At the end of the erection and veneration of the Cross, the Divine Liturgy began. Its antiphons were canceled, and the troparion “We worship Thy Cross, O Master,” was immediately sung, replacing the Trisagion. The readings of the liturgy are as follows: the prokeimenon from Ps. 98; 1 Cor. 1: 18–22; Alleluia with verses from Ps. 73; In. 19:6b, 9–11, 13–20, 25–28, 30–35 (with complex opening verse). At Vespers on the day of the Exaltation they sang the Prokeimenon from Ps. 113.
In addition to the readings, the week after the Exaltation also had a special memory of the holy martyr Simeon, a relative of the Lord, with its following.
The Feast of the Exaltation received its final form in the 9th–12th centuries, when it became widespread in Orthodox world had different editions of the Studio Charter. The corpus of chants of the Exaltation in its different editions is generally the same. The holiday has a pre-celebration and a post-celebration. The liturgical readings of the holiday, Saturdays and weeks before and after the Exaltation are borrowed from the Typikon of the Great Church. But there are also differences. Thus, the first paremia of the feast at Vespers (Ex. 15: 22–26) is usually increased by two verses - up to 16: 1. The Gospel of the Saturday before the Exaltation (Matthew 10: 37-42) is read one verse more - up to 11: 1. The apostolic reading of the Liturgy of the Exaltation, on the contrary, is abbreviated: 1 Cor. 1:18–24. And, of course, the rite of raising the Cross at the festive morning was also borrowed from the Constantinople tradition.
Following the Typikon of the Great Church, in many manuscripts and editions of the Jerusalem Rule, the memory of the Hieromartyr Simeon is commemorated on the week of the Exaltation. Usually his observance is limited to the prokemenu and alleluiary at the liturgy, but some monuments, for example, “The Official of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral” of the 30s of the 17th century, prescribe the singing of the hieromartyr’s observance more fully.
In many Jerusalem (and Studite) Typikons, September 14 commemorates the death of St. John Chrysostom. But his observance on this day is usually canceled due to the inconvenience of combining two solemn services together. Thus, in the southern Italian editions of the Studite Rule, the service of the saint is transferred to Compline or the Midnight Office.
Continuing the topic of Studio Typicon It should be noted that in its many variants, the service of the Feast of the Exaltation is performed according to the festive rite. At Vespers there is an entrance and paremias are read, the composition of which, like the liturgical readings, coincides with the instructions of the Charter of the Great Church. At Matins there is a reading from Chapter 12 of the Gospel of John, to which is added “Who saw the Resurrection of Christ” .
On modern stage The feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in the Russian Orthodox Church is considered one of the great twelve, is the Lord's, imperishable. On the day of the holiday, a fast is established, similar to the usual fast on Wednesday and Friday, that is, without the permission of the fish. The eorthological cycle also includes one day of pre-feast (September 13) and seven days of post-feast (from 15 to 21 September), giving away on September 21.
The rite of raising the Cross on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
The rite of raising the Cross is an integral part of the service of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
After the event of the discovery of the Precious Cross in Jerusalem, the custom soon became established annually in memory of this event, as well as in memory of the consecration (renovation) of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) to perform the rite of raising the Cross.
Typikon knows big number various variants of this order - local and chronological. N.D. Uspensky believes: “The variety of rites of elevation is explained by the fact that the rite of the elevation of the Cross was an indispensable and church-wide feature of the festive service.”
Thus, already in the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century, preserved in an Armenian translation, the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those praying is mentioned.
In the Georgian translation of the Lectionary, reflecting the practice of the 5th–7th centuries, the rite of raising the Cross is described in detail. It took place on September 14 at the third hour after dawn and began with the clergy entering the diaconric, vesting, decorating the Cross or even three Crosses and placing them on the holy throne. The rite itself included three erections (raisings) of the Cross, each of which was preceded by a group of prayers and chants and was accompanied by 50 times “Lord, have mercy.” After the third erection, the Cross was washed with fragrant water, which was distributed to the people after the liturgy, and everyone venerated the Cross. Then he was again placed on the holy throne and the Divine Liturgy began.
At least by the 6th century, the rite of raising the Cross was already known and was performed not only in Jerusalem, but also in other places in the Christian world: Evagrius Scholasticus reports on the sacred rite of raising the Cross and surrounding it around the temple, which took place in Syrian Apamea. The compiler of the "Easter Chronicle" of the 7th century, noting the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross in Constantinople in 644, speaks of a third exaltation, which indicates the existence of a complex rank in Constantinople by that time.
According to the post-iconoclast Typikon of the Great Church, which is found in later Slavic manuscripts, in the Church of Hagia Sophia the rite of raising the Cross was performed after entering at Matins, following the troparions in honor of the Cross. The rite itself is described briefly: the patriarch, standing on the pulpit, raised the Cross, holding it in his hands, and the people exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy”; this was repeated three times.
In the Typicons of the Studite tradition, the rite of erection is based on the Constantinople Cathedral Code, but simplified in comparison with it. The rite is included in the composition of Matins, in its final part. Instead of three cycles of five elevations, only one is performed (consisting of five elevations: twice to the east and once to the other cardinal directions).
In the Jerusalem Rule, from its earliest editions to the printed Typicons, the rite of the erection of the Cross remains character traits, known from studio monuments: it is performed at Matins after the great doxology and singing of the troparion “Save, O Lord, Thy people”, consists of five times overshadowing the Cross and raising it to the cardinal directions (to the east, south, west, north and again to the east) . An important change, compared to studio monuments, is the addition of five deaconal petitions to the rite (corresponding to the five overshadowings of the Cross), after each of which the hundredfold “Lord, have mercy” is sung. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Rule, before raising the Cross, the primate must bow to the ground so that his head is a span from the ground - approximately 18 centimeters.
During the correction of liturgical books in the Russian Church in the second half of the 17th century, the order of the overshadowing of the cardinal directions during the rite was changed: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This pattern continues to this day.
Patristic exegesis of the holiday
At Matins or at the all-night vigil of the Exaltation in the Byzantine monastic Typicons in the patristic Lectionaries it is prescribed to read one or more of the following patristic works: St. John Chrysostom, Bishop Severian of Gabala (late 4th - early 5th centuries), St. Basil of Seleucia (5th century. ), Alexander the Monk (VI century), St. Andrew of Crete (VIII century), a fragment about the appearance of the Cross to Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and the discovery of the Cross, known in a number of versions.
On the week of the Exaltation, some lists of the Jerusalem Rule indicate the reading of the oros of the VI Ecumenical Council.
The semantic center of patristic exegesis associated with the holiday in question, of course, becomes the reverent veneration of the Cross: “The Cross of Christ is the wonderful praise of Christians, the honest preaching of the apostles, the royal crown of martyrs, precious decoration prophets, the most brilliant illumination of the whole world! Cross of Christ... protect those who glorify you with a fiery heart. Save those who accept you with faith and kiss you. Guide your servants in peace and firm faith. Grant everyone the opportunity to achieve joyful and have a bright day resurrection, protecting us in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Reverend Theodore the Studite).
Holiday in pre-Chalcedonian and Western traditions
At first in Western tradition The elevation did not have the status of an independent holiday and was celebrated only as a veneration of the Cross, complementing the traditional Roman memory of the holy martyrs Cornelius of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage, which falls on September 14. Gradually the celebration became more solemn.
The pontifical service of the holiday involved showing the people and venerating the relic of the Cross. Already in the 7th–8th centuries, the rite, regardless of the papal one, developed in the Roman titular Churches. The holiday was eventually included in the liturgical calendar, and the veneration of the relic was replaced by the veneration of the image of the Cross.
The Sacramentaries and Missals provide a series of prayers for the Mass of the Exaltation. Philippians are chosen as readings. 2: 5 (or 8) – 11 or Col. 1:26–29 and Matt. 13:44, or John. 3: 15 (or 16), or John. 12:31–36. The readings of the Trent Missal are as follows: Phil. 5:8–11 and John. 12: 31–36; and the newest one is Phil. 2:6–11 and John. 3:13–17.
On the day of the Exaltation, the veneration of the Cross was performed, which consisted of prayer and kissing the Cross, similar to the veneration of the Cross on Great Friday.
In the Gallican and Spanish-Mozarabic rites, instead of the Feast of the Exaltation, the Feast of the Finding of the Cross was known on May 3, which has the earliest mention in Latin sources in the Silos Lectionary, which arose around 650. The Gelasian Sacramentary contains in some of its lists references to the feasts of the Holy Cross and the Finding of the Holy Cross - just like the Gregorian Breviary. Even greater hesitation regarding these holidays is revealed by the lists of the month book attributed to Blessed Jerome, but dating back in the oldest lists to the middle of the 7th century, where these holidays are either not present at all, or they are both present, or in a later edition only May 3 is preserved (as in the month book Bede (8th century) and in the Padua Sacramentary of the 9th century).
Thus, while the feast of the return of the Holy Cross under Heraclius in the west on May 3 was almost universally distributed already in the 7th century, September 14 first became known under the name “Exaltatio Crucis” only in the 8th century, and then only locally (but there is news of its introduction in Rome by Pope Honorius I in the 7th century). Wed: “The holiday of May 3 is of Roman origin and is older than the holiday of September 14.”
It should also be pointed out that in some Churches, for example, in Milan, last holiday introduced only in the 11th century. The final codification of the celebration of the event of the erection of the Cross occurred only in 1570.
Iconography of the holiday
Images of the event of the acquisition of the Cross by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helen have been known since the 9th century. As a rule, these are miniatures, the compositional basis of which is not the historical scene with Patriarch Macarius, but the rite of the erection of the Cross in Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
In the Psalms, Psalm 98 is often illustrated in this manner. St. John Chrysostom erects the Cross on the pulpit. His memory falls on September 14, and he is considered one of the founders of the Constantinople liturgical tradition. Probably, these circumstances explain the appearance of this pictorial plot.
The ritual of erecting the Cross in Hagia Sophia with the participation of the emperor is described in detail in the treatise “On the Ceremonies of the Byzantine Court” of the mid-10th century. However, images of the basileus in this scene appear only in the Palaiologan era (see the painting of the Monastery of the Holy Cross near Platanistasa in Cyprus, 1494).
In Russian icons of the 15th–16th centuries, the image of the erection of the Cross receives further development. A crowded scene appears against the backdrop of a single-domed temple, in the center on a semicircular pulpit stands the patriarch with a Cross raised above his head, decorated with branches of plants, he is supported by the arms of deacons, on the right under the ciborium are the king and queen, in the foreground are singers. The earliest depiction of such a practice, which is very popular, is preserved on a tablet made of Novgorod Cathedral Hagia Sophia (late 15th century).
Another version of the same plot is presented in a 1613 icon from the Bistrita Monastery in Romania: the king and queen stand on either side of the patriarch, with their hands extended in prayer. This pictorial version developed under the influence of paired images of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen with the Cross in their hands, known since the 10th century (paintings of churches in Cappadocia).
Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
A holiday that the Orthodox Church celebrates on September 27. On this day, believers remember how in 326 the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified was miraculously found in Jerusalem. We will talk about the events, meaning and traditions of the Exaltation of the Cross.
What is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember two events.
As Holy Tradition says, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified.
And the second event is the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia, where it was in captivity. In the 7th century, it was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek Emperor Heraclius.
Both events were united by the fact that the Cross was erected in front of the people, that is, raised. At the same time, they turned it to all directions of the world in turn, so that people could bow to it and share with each other the joy of finding a shrine.
The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is the twelfth holiday. The twelfth holidays are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). The Exaltation of the Cross is the Lord's holiday.
When is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated?
The Russian Orthodox Church remembers the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27 according to the new style (September 14 according to the old style).
This holiday has one day of pre-feast and seven days of post-feast. Forefeast - one or several days before a major holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, after-feasts are the same days after the holiday.
The holiday is celebrated on October 4th. The celebration of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated with a special service, more solemn than on ordinary days of post-feast.
What can you eat on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?
On this day, Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting. You cannot eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil.
Events of the Exaltation of the Cross
We find a description of the events of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which occurred in the 4th century, in some Christian historians, for example, Eusebius and Theodoret.
In 326, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to find the lost shrine - the Cross of the Lord - at any cost. Together with his mother, Queen Helena, he went on a campaign to the Holy Land.
It was decided to carry out the excavations near Golgotha, since the Jews had a custom of burying the instruments of execution near the place where it was carried out. And, indeed, in the ground they found three crosses, nails and a board that was nailed above the head of the crucified Savior. As Tradition says, a sick man touched one of the crosses and was healed. This is how Emperor Constantine and Queen Helen found out which of the crosses was the one. They bowed to the shrine, and then Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem began to show it to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (“erected”) the Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: “Lord, have mercy!”
In the 7th century, the memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross was combined with another memory - the return of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Persian captivity.
In 614, the Persian king conquered Jerusalem and plundered it. Among other treasures, he took to Persia the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained with foreigners for fourteen years. Only in 628 did Emperor Heraclius defeat the Persians, make peace with them and return the Cross to Jerusalem.
Historians do not know exactly how the further fate of the shrine developed. Some say that the Cross was in Jerusalem until 1245. Someone who was divided into pieces and carried around the world.
Now part of the Holy Cross rests in a reliquary in the altar of the Greek Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.
History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
As Tradition says, the Cross of the Lord was found before the holiday of Easter, the Holy Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, the Exaltation of the Cross was first celebrated on the second day of Easter.
In 335, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem. This happened on September 13th. In honor of this, the Feast of the Exaltation was moved to September 14 (old style; new style - September 27). The bishops who came to the consecration from all over the Roman Empire told about the new holiday to the entire Christian world.
Worship of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, it is necessary to celebrate the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night long, so the central point is the festive divine service on the eve of the holiday - a vigil.
The Exaltation is the Twelfth Feast of the Lord (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is postponed to another day.
It is interesting that during Matins for the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel is read not in the middle of the church, but in the altar.
The climax of the holiday is when the leading priest or bishop, dressed in purple vestments, carries out the Cross. All those praying in the temple kiss the shrine, and the primate anoints them with holy oil. During the general veneration of the Cross, the troparion is sung: “We worship Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy resurrection.”
The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day of the Exaltation. At the offering, the priest takes the cross to the altar.
Prayers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Troparion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Your heritage, victories Orthodox Christian granting to the resistance and preserving Your residence through Your Cross.
Translation:
Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting victories to the faithful over their enemies and preserving Your people through Your Cross.
Kontakion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Having ascended to the Cross by will, grant Thy bounty to Thy new residence, O Christ our God, Thy faithful people rejoice in Thy power, giving us victories as counterparts, aid to those who have Thy weapon of peace, invincible victory.
Translation:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, grant Thy mercy to the new people named after You, O Christ God; Make your faithful people glad with Your power, giving us victories over our enemies, who have from You the weapon of peace, an invincible victory.
The Greatness of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
We magnify You, Life-Giving Christ, and honor Your Holy Cross, through which You saved us from the work of the enemy.
Prayers to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
First prayer
Be the Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body: in your image, casting down demons, driving away enemies, exercising passions and giving us reverence, life, and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the honest prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. Amen.
Second prayer
O Most Honorable One and Life-giving Cross Lord! In ancient times you were a shameful instrument of execution, but now you are a sign of our salvation, ever revered and glorified! How worthily can I, the unworthy, sing to You and how dare I bend the knees of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins! But the mercy and ineffable love for mankind of the humble Boldness crucified upon you gives me, so that I may open my mouth to glorify You; For this reason I cry to Ti: Rejoice, Cross, the Church of Christ is the beauty and foundation, the whole universe is the affirmation, all Christians are the hope, kings are the power, the faithful are refuge, Angels are glory and praise, demons are fear, destruction and driving away, the wicked and infidels - shame, the righteous - pleasure, those burdened - weakness, those overwhelmed - refuge, those who are lost - a mentor, those possessed by passions - repentance, the poor - enrichment, those floating - a pilot, the weak - strength, in battle - victory and conquest, the orphans - faithful protection, widows - intercessor, virgins - protection of chastity, hopeless - hope, sick - a doctor and the dead - resurrection! You, typified by the miraculous rod of Moses, are a life-giving source, watering those thirsty for spiritual life and delighting our sorrows; You are the bed on which the Risen Conqueror of Hell rested royally for three days. For this reason, morning, evening, and noon, I glorify Thee, blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of the One who has been crucified on Thee, may He enlighten and strengthen my mind with Thee, may He open in my heart a source of more perfect love and may all my deeds and paths be overshadowed by Thee May I take out and magnify Him who is Nailed to You, for my sin, the Lord my Savior. Amen.
Icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The most common plot of the icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in the 15th-16th centuries. The icon painter depicts a large crowd of people against the backdrop of a single-domed temple. In the center on the pulpit stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. The cross is decorated with plant branches. In the foreground are the saints and everyone who came to worship the shrine. On the right are the figures of Tsar Constantine and Queen Helena.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Sermon on the Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Today we worship the cross of the Lord with awe and gratitude. Just like two thousand years ago, the Cross of the Lord remains a temptation for some, and madness for others, but for us, who believe and are saved by the Cross of the Lord, it is power, it is the glory of the Lord.
The Cross of the Lord is trembling: it is an instrument of cruel, painful death. The very horror that grips us when we look at its instrument should teach us the measure of the Lord’s love. The Lord loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to save the world. And this world, after the incarnation of the Word of God, after the life of Christ on earth, after He proclaimed the Divine teaching in the hearing of all nations, and after He confirmed and proved the preaching of love by death without malice, a death in which no one was mixed. one moment of resistance, revenge, bitterness - after all this our world is no longer the same. His fate does not pass tragically, fearfully and painfully before God’s judgment, because God Himself entered into this fate of the world, because this fate of ours today has bound God and man together.
And the Cross tells us how dear man is to God and how expensive this love is. Love can only be answered with love; love cannot be repaid with anything else.
And now we are faced with a question, a question of conscience for now, which in due time will become a question that the Lord will pose to us at the Last Judgment, when He will stand before us not only in His glory, but will stand before us wounded for our sins. For the Judge who will stand before us is the same Lord who gave His life for each of us. What will we answer? Do we really have to answer the Lord that His death was in vain, that His Cross was not needed, that when we saw how much the Lord loves us, we did not have enough love in return, and we answered Him that we prefer to walk in darkness, that we prefer be guided by our passions, our lusts, that the broad road of the world is more valuable to us than the narrow path of the Lord?.. While we live on earth, we can deceive ourselves that there is still time. But this is not true - time is terribly short. Our life can be cut short in an instant, and then our standing before the judgment of the Lord will begin, then it will be too late. And now there is time: there is time only if we turn every moment of our life into love; only if we turn every moment of life into love for God and love for every person, whether we like him or not, whether he is close to us or not, only then will our soul have time to mature to meet the Lord.
Let's look at the Cross. If someone close to us died for us and because of us, wouldn’t our soul be shaken to its very depths? Wouldn't we change? And so: the Lord has died - will we really remain indifferent? Let us bow to the Cross, but let us bow not only for a moment: let us bow, bow under this Cross, take, to the best of our ability, this Cross on our shoulders, and let us follow Christ, Who gave us an example, as He Himself says, for us to follow Him . And then we will unite with Him in love, then we will come to life by the terrible Cross of the Lord, and then He will not stand in front of us, condemning us, but saving us and leading us into endless, triumphant, victorious joy eternal life. Amen.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Altufyevo
Temple address: Moscow, Altufevskoe highway, building 147.
The old church was built at the expense of I.I. Velyaminov in 1760-1763, because the previously existing stone church in the name of Sophia and her daughters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov, which previously existed on this place, “... and from this dilapidation everything was dispersed...”. The new temple had a bell tower. At the end of the 18th century it was rebuilt.
The temple was closed only for a short time during the Great Patriotic War. Shrines - especially revered icons: a copy of the Kazan image of the Mother of God and the Venerable Macarius of Zheltovodsk (she miraculously appeared at the well of a preserved spring on the border of the villages of Altufyeva, Bibireva and Medvedkova).
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek
Temple address: Moscow. 1st Truzhenikov lane, house 8, building 3.
The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moscow River.
It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658.
In 1701, the stone temple was rebuilt for the first time. The composition of the church continued the traditions of townsman construction in the 17th century. The volume of the building may have preserved parts of the walls of the previous brick church, built in 1658, when the territory between Plyushchikha Street and the river was occupied by settlements that belonged to the Rostov bishop's house.
Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895. Most of the parishioners of the temple on what was then the outskirts of the city were domestic servants, artisans, and soldiers. However, representatives of the famous noble families of Musin-Pushkin, Sheremetev, and Dolgoruki also belonged to the parish. On May 25, 1901, A.P. Chekhov got married here.
In 1918, the temple began to be plundered. The authorities removed more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here.
In the 1920s, Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church more than once. He also served here and was shot in December 1937 at the Butovo training ground.
In 1930, the temple was closed, and the rector, Archpriest Nikolai Saryevsky, was exiled. The dome and bell tower were broken, the almshouse and the clergy house were demolished, and a dormitory was built in the church premises. The wall painting was painted over, and when it began to show through the whitewash, it was knocked down. But 70% of the painting survived. By the end of 2000, after the return of the Church and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Vozdvizhenka - street in Moscow
Vozdvizhenka is a street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square. At the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th centuries, the road to Volokolamsk and Novgorod ran along it. In the middle of the 14th century, Vozdvizhenka was part of the trade road to Smolensk. In the 15th - first half of the 17th centuries, the street was called Orbata (probably from the Arabic “rabad” - suburb).
In 1493, the beginning of the street near the Kremlin wall was cleared for 110 fathoms; in the 16th century, the St. Nicholas Church in Sapozhka (demolished in 1838) and small private courtyards already stood in the cleared place. In 1547 the Holy Cross Monastery was mentioned for the first time. It was he who gave the street a new name. In 1812, the monastery was destroyed by Napoleonic army. In 1814, the monastery was abolished, and its cathedral church was turned into a parish church.
In 1935, Vozdvizhenka was renamed Comintern Street, and in 1946 - Kalinin Street. In 1963-90 it became part of Kalinin Avenue. Now the street has returned its historical name.
Holy Cross Monastery
The Holy Cross Monastery was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street. The original name was the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which is on the Island. It was built no later than 1547.
During Napoleon's invasion, the monastery was plundered by invaders. In 1814 it was abolished, and the cathedral church was turned into a parish church. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross was closed after 1929, and in 1934 it was demolished. A Metrostroy mine was built on the site of the church. The priest of this temple, Alexander Sidorov, was arrested in 1931. He died in a concentration camp in Kemi.
Folk traditions of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
In Rus', the holiday of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord united church and folk traditions.
On this day, peasants painted crosses on the doors of their houses and placed small wooden crosses in the mangers of cows and horses. If there was no cross, it was replaced by crossed rowan branches.
September 27 was also called the third Osenin or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. “It’s Exaltation in the yard, the last haystack from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor!” “On Vozdvizhenye, the fur coat follows the caftan!” “On Vozdvizhenye the coat and fur coat will move!” “For the Exaltation, he will take off his caftan and put on a fur coat!” “Exaltation - the last cart has moved from the field, and the bird has taken flight!”
The day was fast: “Whoever fasts on the Exaltation will be forgiven seven sins,” “Even if the Exaltation happens on a Sunday, everything will be on it - Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast on the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - will have seven sins will rise up!
The Feast of the Exaltation was also called "cabbage". “Be smart, woman, about cabbage - the Updating has arrived!”, “It’s the cabbage uplift, it’s time to chop the cabbage!”, “Then chop the cabbage from the Updating!”, “A good man has pies with cabbage on the Updating Day!”, “On Vzdvizhenie, the first lady is cabbage!” They also said: “Neither Vozdvizhenskaya nor Annunciation cabbage is affected by frost!” Young people organized “Capusten evenings”; they lasted two weeks.
Sayings about the Exaltation of the Cross
All sayings and proverbs dedicated to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross are devoted to the theme of the approaching autumn or strict fasting on this day. For example: “Even if the Exaltation falls on Sunday, everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast the Exaltation – the Cross of Christ – will be charged with seven sins!”, or: “Be aware, woman, about cabbage “The Exaltation has come!”, “At the Exaltation, the caftan and fur coat moved, and the hat pulled down.”
Signs which are also associated with this holiday, like any other superstitions, have nothing to do with church doctrine and are condemned by the Church.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the main church holidays. This Orthodox celebration has a rich history and many traditions.
Every year believers celebrate the discovery of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. This shrine was found after a long search and handed over to the church so that everyone would believe in the true power of the relic and be able to pray for healing from illnesses.
The story of finding the Holy Cross
After the crucifixion of Jesus, the Gentiles wanted to get rid of any evidence of the life of the Messiah. According to legend, a pagan temple was built on the mountain after a terrible execution, filling the site of the tragedy with a huge amount of earth. However, believers did not give up trying to find the shrine and continued their tireless search for three centuries. Ultimately, the pagan temple was destroyed, and after careful excavations, the lost relic was finally recovered. The sources describing the find speak of three crosses found. To determine which of the crosses was the one, a woman suffering from an incurable disease was invited. She touched the true cross and miraculously got rid of the disease.
This legend once again proves the true power of the Higher Powers and that the Lord takes care of all living people, helping them cope with difficulties.
The events of past years allowed the church to establish one of the most important holidays, and already from 335 AD, another name appeared in the calendar of holiday dates - the celebration of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Every year on September 27, many believers gather in churches. Pilgrims go to Jerusalem, where the largest part of the shrine is still kept. In addition, there are particles of the Life-Giving Cross in approximately 15 other churches.
Traditions of the Orthodox holiday
According to tradition, from the very morning, believers go to solemn services, which begin with an all-night vigil and end with the removal of the Cross for veneration. Until October 4, the shrine is freely accessible.
On the day of celebration, our ancestors performed religious processions, praising the Lord and asking him for protection from any misfortune, including diseases, animal pestilence and natural disasters. According to tradition, on the holiday, the last compressed sheaves were removed from the fields, thanking the Higher Powers for their help and a good harvest. Ceremonies were also held in the fields so that next year wasn't hungry.
On this day, it is forbidden to go into the forest so as not to disturb the animals that are about to hibernate before the onset of spring. It was believed that those who disobeyed were threatened with all sorts of troubles and even illnesses. The land was also not disturbed; harvesting was stopped.
On the day of the Exaltation, they tried to protect themselves from evil spirits that could do harm on that day. Be sure to protect yourself with amulets from damage and the evil eye, and also try not to leave the house in the dark unless absolutely necessary.
On the 27th, housewives prepared sweet porridge to treat the guardians of the house with it: brownies, barn-keepers, banniks. It was believed that the treat helped to appease them, and the spirits agreed to help the household members run the household and protected them from any evil.
According to church traditions, on the day of the holiday it is necessary to abstain from food of animal origin, as well as to refuse entertainment events, swear words and unseemly actions. After visiting church, our ancestors always placed candles in the corners of their homes and offered prayers to protect their home and family.
Signs on the day of the holiday
- According to legend, on this day evil spirits can run wild. To drive her away, they read prayers and drew a cross on the door with chalk. Charms were hung in the barn so that the unclean spirit would not offend the cattle.
- Birds rising on the wing indicated the approach of frost and the onset of early winter.
- On the day of the holiday, alms given to those asking attracted good luck and prosperity to the house if it was given without selfishness and from a pure heart.
- If you don’t start a new business, it won’t work out.
- Leave swearing and bad mood at the door, otherwise trouble will come knocking on your house.
The clergy encourage you to celebrate the holiday with your family and, after visiting church, arrange a modest dinner for all relatives. On this bright day, you can get rid of any troubles and leave grievances behind. Good luck to you, and don't forget to press the buttons and
20.09.2018 14:24
The Exaltation is one of the great church events. To avoid troubles and failures, follow...
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is an Orthodox holiday celebrated on September 27, 2018. On this day, believers remember how in 326 they found the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. We talk about the history and traditions of the holiday, whether there is fasting on this day and what not to do for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2018.
What is the meaning of the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?
The Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord: this is the full name of the holiday of September 27th. On this day, the Orthodox Church remembers two events at once, reports the magazine “Thomas”.
According to the Holy Scriptures, in 326, Emperor Constantine and his mother, Queen Helena, went on a campaign to the Holy Land to find a shrine. Not far from Golgotha they found three crosses. According to legend, a sick man touched one of the crosses and recovered. This is how they found the same Cross on which Christ was crucified.
The holiday is called Exaltation because the Cross was raised and shown to people from an elevated place so that everyone could see it and pray.
In the 7th century, the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross was combined with the memory of another event: in 628, the Cross of the Lord was returned to Jerusalem from Persia.
Now part of the Cross is kept in the altar of the Greek Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. It is not known exactly how the fate of the Christian shrine unfolded.
Exaltation of the Cross 2018: church and folk traditions
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, believers go to a festive service in the temple, try to confess and receive communion.
Church and folk traditions of the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Rus' mixed.
- On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, peasants painted crosses on the doors of their houses.
- Wooden crosses were placed in the feeders of cows and horses.
- It was believed that September 27 was the last day of Indian summer;
- The young people organized “Kapustin evenings”, and they lasted two weeks;
- The need to observe fasting is reflected in proverbs and sayings: “Even if the Exaltation comes on Sunday, everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!” or “Whoever fasts on the Exaltation will have seven sins forgiven.”
Is there fasting on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross?
Yes, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, a strict fast is established in the Orthodox Church.
What can you eat on September 27, 2018?
On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, fasting people should not eat meat and dairy products, fish and eggs. Food can be seasoned with vegetable oil.
Mikhail Vinokurtsev.
What should you not do on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross 2018?
- You can’t get carried away by all sorts of superstitions. The church considers all signs that are associated with the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross to be superstitions. They have nothing to do with the Orthodox faith.
- You should not think that on Orthodox holidays it is forbidden to work in the garden, sew or clean. This is wrong. It is recommended to devote the holiday to God and communication with loved ones. But if a person needs to work, this is not a sin.
- On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, you cannot use foul language or swear with others.
- The church advises on the Exaltation of the Cross 2018 (as well as on other days) to refrain from conspiracies, occult and magical rituals.
- September 27, 2018 You should not abuse alcohol. On an Orthodox holiday, you need to go to church, pray, take part in church rituals, and not have a riotous holiday.
Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Historical content
On this day, the right-to-glorious Christ-sti-and-not-all-we-have two events. As the Holy Precept says, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgofa, where the Savior was crucified. And the second event is the return of the Living Cross from Persia, where he was in captivity. In the 7th century, he was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek emperor Irakli. Both events are united in the name of the holiday by the fact that the established Cross was raised in front of the people, that is, under -no-ma-li.
The Feast of the Voz-movement, dedicated to the Cross of Christ, expresses whether the Tur-gi-che-che (God-serves) ny) as-pect po-chi-ta-niya chri-sti-a-na-mi of the Gol-goff-sko-go-sta as an instrument of spa-se-niya of mankind. The name indicates the ceremonial lifting of the Cross up ("movement") after the cross -its in the ground. This is the only two-year holiday (i.e., one of the twenty greatest holidays of the year) th cycle), the historical basis for which not only new events appeared, but also later ones nie - from the field of church history.
The birth of Bo-go-ma-te-ri, the celebration of six days before, - before-the-ve-rie of the secrets of -the existence of God on earth, and the Cross proclaims His future sacrifice. That's why the holiday of the Cross is the same in the church of the year (September 14/27).
With the celebration of the Movement of the Cross of the Lord, the Right-glorious Church unites the good and the good a holy remembrance of the Cross itself, on which our Savior was crucified, and a joyful but sad remembrance -on-the-events about-the-re-th-of the-honest and-to-the-hundred-of-the-tree of this Cross of the State- under-nya.
On this day, the Right-glorious Church invites the faithful to render the blessed worship of Honest to the Living Cross, on which our Lord and Savior endured the greatest sufferings for the sake of our spa.
On this Cross, according to the words of the church songs, “death has died and now will not appear,” on it “with -de-la spa-se-nie Pre-eternal King in the middle of the earth” and they implement “eternal truth”; for us, the Cross of Christ is a divine ladder, “with it we ascend to heaven”; spa-si-tel-noe this tree - “weapon of the world, not-for-be-di-may-for-be-yes”, which “carries-not-se-us to the lane -your bliss, even before the enemy stole sweetness, drove us out of God’s co-creation,” and we are “the earth’s gods” and “everyone is attracted to God.” How can we not bless the Lord on this holiday by paying homage to the Cross of Christ, who revealed for us “beyond the perishable world” of our salvation, to which access to the kingdom of God is open for us, to to the heavenly bliss, through which we receive “immortal pi-shu”!
According to the words of one great father of the Church, “The cross is the head of our spa; The cross is the reason for countless blessings. Because of him, we, who were previously demon-glorious and rejected by God, are now among the sons of ; through this we no longer remain in error, but in the knowledge of the truth; through him, we, having previously kla-n-shi-e-sya de-re-vyam and stones, now know the Savior of everyone; through no-go we, former slaves of sin, are brought into the freedom of righteousness, through no-go earth , finally, became a non-bom.” The cross is “the stronghold of the saints, the light of the entire universe. As in a house engulfed in darkness, someone lit a lamp and, placing it on a higher level, muttered darkness, so also Christ in the universe, enveloped in darkness, holding up the Cross, like some kind of lamp, and lifting it out So-ko, dispelled all the darkness on the earth. And just as a lamp holds light above on its top, so the Cross above on its top did not have the s-i-ying Sun -tse is true” - na-she-spa-si-te-la.
“The movement of the Cross of the Lord” This is what the Cross of Christ is for us, and we, holy and good, must read and honor it. Each of us sanctifies his entire life with a cross and the sign of the cross. From early childhood until my death, every Hri-sti-a-nin wears a cross on himself, on his chest, as a sign of Hri -stand for victory and for our defense and strength; We begin every task and end it with the sign of the cross, doing everything for the glory of Christ. As such for-the-shield and security, we put the sign of the cross on everything that is dear and holy to us, and on our own. their houses, and on the walls, and on the doors. With the sign of the cross we begin the day, and with the sign of the cross we go to sleep, ending -it's day.
Now the cross is our greatest holiness, our glory, our spiritual all-running sword, and so- the way Christ made it for us with his death and his passion on the Cross.
The Savior received on the Cross the greatest of executions, “the sins of ours are not carried on His Body on the tree.” (), “he humbled himself, being obedient even to the point of death, death on the cross” (). Some, in the most-re-sounding, most-excellent human-sightedness -more. “Behold,” the Church sings today, “the Lord of creation and the Lord of glory is nailed on the Cross and pro- bo-da-et-sya in the rib-ra; The sweetness of the Church tastes bile and ocet; Covering the sky about-la-ka-mi about-la-ga-et-sya with a ter-no-crown and dresses -ga-niya; With the hand of the man behind the perishable hand; Wearing the ne-bo about-la-ka-mi receives blows on the shoulders, receives p-ly-va-niya and wounds , but-she-nii and for-u-she-nii and endures everything for the sake of us, the condemned” (sti-hi-ra). How can we, who have suffered the death of the cross and the suffering of Spa-si-te-la, not bow down? in the blessed tr-pe-pe-te in front of the “re-required tree, on which Christ, the King and the Lord, is crucified”, not to honor the Holy Cross - our glory, our victory in Christ and with Christ.
Such a high and sacred meaning of the Cross of the Lord, naturally, is de-la-lo in the eyes of Christians. the very tree of the Cross of the Lord, the same wooden cross on which Spa was crucified -si-tel. But first of all, this Holy Cross was not preserved by Christ, it was not up to the level of faith , in those three hundred years it was not even known exactly where this Christian shrine was hidden . According to the Rabbi's pre-pi-sa-niy, “a stone on which someone was killed, de-re-vo, on which someone- because it was hung, a sword, with which someone was decapitated, and a rope, with which someone was killed , must be together with the Kaz-nen-us." But, not to mention the fact that the Savior was put to death for us by the Roman execution, this is the requirement of the rabbi -for-this could not have been used, but in relation to Christ's Cross also because it is pure Spa-si-te-la's body was like a ru-ka-mi of His disciples and friends. In any case, it is very likely that all three crosses (Spa-si-te-la and two times-fighters) were wives or buried close to the place of crucifixion and death of the Spa-si-te-la. The blessed memory of non-mediocre witnesses and eye-witnesses of the crucifixion of the Savior - His people of all the disciples and disciples, of course, the holy ones kept it place. None of the subsequent circumstances in the life of the first Christians, no matter how difficult these circumstances were for them could not, could not have forced them to forget the places sanctified by the events of life of the Spa-si-te- la. Subsequently, the storage of memories of the holy places of death and burial of the Savior whether the first bishops of Jerusalem and the subsequent Christians. Already St. Cyril of Jerusalem testifies that since the time of the Apostles, journeys to Jerusalem have begun for the purpose of worship -knowledge of places consecrated by the remembrance of various events in the earthly life of the Lord Ii-su-sa Hri - hundred. The taking and destruction of Jeru-sa-li-ma Ti-tom in a significant degree from many places -yes, -could-have-been-exposed to-my-self, for-sy-with-the-m-so-rum and-to-be-on-the-same-and-connected- Puppy places of crucifixion and death Spa-si-te-la. In addition, the historian of the 4th century. Ev-se-viy testifies that the enemies of the Christians - pagans - take no measures to hide and yes - to desecrate holy places for Christ; that wicked people with a na-ro-chi-mad goal are so-per-shen-but from-me-the-view of the place Gol-go-f and the Holy Sepulchre. They covered the holy cave with mud, they poured stones on top of it, and here they erected a large altar gi-ni sweet-to-passionate love. Other histories testify that they especially tried to desecrate all the holy places of demonic idols and sacrifice of the un-honorable im-per-ra-tor of the Roman Ad-ri-an (117-138 AD). Having moved the city to the place of ra-zo-ren-no-go Ti-tom Ieru-sa-li-ma, he ordered to fill the coffin of the Lord on the day of the earth and many stones, and on the mountain where the Savior was crucified (on the “rock of the Cross”), he built a temple of the language of the heavenly god of dis-travel Ve-ne-re and placed her idol, and above the Tomb of the Lord under-him stood the idol of Jupi-te-ra. But neither the destruction of Jeru-sa-li-ma by Ti-tom, nor the restoration of it by Ad-ri-a-nom could so change the clan and holy places, so that for the benefit of Christ, those who remember these places would not recognize them, could they find. And the aspirations of the dishonest and pagans to desecrate and hide these places until they achieve the opposite goal : their-and-mi-on-sy-py-mi and idol-mi-with-or-with-neither-me-they are firmly from-me-cha-these places, de-la-whether not -possible for their faith and even their own language. This is how the Lord destroys “you are worthless” and the very evil of man turns to the good of his Church !
The good-go-go-vey-but keep-my-me in the memory of the faith-ru-yu-th and firmly marked-by-language-no-mi, although-tya desecrated by them, the holy place of the death of the Lord remained un-touched until the time of Tsar Kon -stan-ti-na Ve-li-ko-go. This Christ-loving im-per-ra-tor, still being outwardly not a pagan, but in fact appearing as Christ -an-skim go-su-da-rem, had the main purpose of especially honoring the Cross of Christ. This sign of Christ's victory, according to the Divine dispensation, served three times for Kon-stan-ti-na Ve -Do-I-know-anyone knows how to defeat his enemies. In 312, Kon-stan-tin fought against the same hundred Mac-sen-tius, who reigned in Rome, followed before you kill the Christian, about the wondrous ungodly life. According to the words of to-g-dash-no-isto-ri-ka (Ev-se-via), Mak-sen-tiy, getting ready to fight with Kon-stan-ti-n, ran to various sorceries and superstitious rituals; Kon-stan-tin, not quite at ease with the strength of his army, felt a lack of support for the supernatural. he wanted help over the enemy, but he was thinking about which God he should pray to for this help. In this difficult moment, Kon-stan-tin remembered that his father, Kon-stan-tsiy, who had provided sti-a-us, use-so-val-sya b-go-so-sto-I-n-e-em, then-yes-how did the chri-sti-an have trouble- the right end, - and for some reason I decided to address the prayer to God. the supreme being. And so, when he gave himself up to zealous prayer, then about mid-day he saw a radiant cross in the sky, s-appearing stronger than the sun's light, with an over-writing on it: “Sim po-be-di-shi.” This is a miraculous sign of vi-de-li and vo-i-ny, among whom was Pol-ko-vo-dect Ar-te-miy, subsequently for-martyr-ny (under Yuli-and-not From-step-no-ke) for Christ. Struck by an unusually heavenly vision, Kon-stan-tin fell into a deep sleep, and Spa himself appeared to him in a dream -si-tel, again showed him the same sign of the cross, ordered him to use the image of the cross as a sign in howl-s-kah, and promised him victory not only over Mak-sen-ti-em, but also over all the enemies. Having woken up, Kon-stan-tin ordered to make the Cross of the State, according to the knowledge he had seen, from the stone -valuable stones, and also to draw the image of the cross on banners, on weapons, helmets and shields in-and- new Since then, the Kon-stan-ti-na army has been marching, having as its sign the cross, united with the first -mi letters-va-mi name Spa-si-te-la. In the battle on the Melvian bridge (across the Tiber), Kon-stan-tin won a brilliant victory over Mac-sen-ti-em (October 28, 312). Mak-sen-tiy himself drowned with many of his warriors in the river, and Konstantin entered Rome without fail. After this, he erected a statue of himself in Rome, holding a cross in his right hand, and on top of the statue there was a Yes, over Mak-sen-ti-em there was a “spa-si-tel-no-sign” of the cross. Also, in the war with Vi-zan-tiy-tsa-mi and ski-fa-mi, two more times Kon-stan-tin saw in the sky a miraculous sign of the Cre -a hundred, which brought him victory over his enemies.
It’s easy to understand how good it was to the Cross of the Lord, but after these events the hearts -tse hri-sto-lu-bi-vo-go tsar Kon-stan-ti-na. And this im-per-ra-tor, “not without inspiration from above, but awakened by the Spirit of the Spa-si-te-la” re -wanted not only to find the venerable tree of the Cross of the Lord, to pay homage to it, but also the “holy place of spa -tel-no-th resurrection in Jeru-sa-li-me to make all-common good -ta-niya” - build a temple over it. The fulfillment of all the blessings of his mother, the blessed woman, appeared to him -ri-tsa Elena, on-sto-I-n-yam-sa-mo-go im-per-ra-to-ra accepted Christianity, from-li-chav -I am blessed and ardently zealous for the faith of Christ. In 326, Elena set off for the holy land with the goal of finding and visiting places consecrated by the main co-being with life Spa-si-te-la. Arriving in Jerusalem, using the full blessing of the desire to find the cave of the grave of the Lord and honor the new tree of the Cross, she zealously began to look for them. Pat-ri-ar-khom in Ieru-sa-li-me was at that time Ma-ka-riy, who met the tsar-ri-tsu with the po-do-ba-yu-schi-mi -honestly and helped her in her holy deed.
In the fullness of blissful joy and spirit, the tsar and all those who were with her worship and ceremonies to the Cross. And since, due to the multitude of people, not everyone could venerate the tree of the Holy Cross and even not everyone could see him, then Pat-ri-arch Ma-kariy, standing in a high place, under no-small, erected the hall of St. The cross, as if calling it out. The people bowed down to the Cross, shouting: “Lord, have mercy!” This is where the holiday of the Honest and Life-Creative Movement got its origin and name Kre-sta Gos-pod-nya. This is the co-existence of the Honest Cross of the Lord and the Chu-de-sa, who co-led it, produced -is there any impression not only on Christianity, but also on the Jews. And yes, so not-so-wanted-but-to-indicate the presence of holy places, along with many ev-re-me in Christ and was baptized, receiving the name Ki-ri-a-ka in holy baptism. Subsequently, he was the pat-ri-ar-khom of Jerusalem and suffered a tormented end under him. re Yuli-a-not From-step-no-ke. Kon-stan-tin himself subsequently, in a letter to Jerusalem pat-ri-ar-kh Ma-kar-riu, wrote about the ob-re-te-nii Honestly, the Cross of the Lord: “there are no words for a complete description of this miracle. The sign of holy passions, hidden underground for so long and remaining in the unknown sti-e in those whole centuries, finally re-s-si-i-lo.” Holy Queen Elena, with the mighty cooperation of her son, King Kon-stan-ti-na, on-cha-la-stroy -to build churches in Jerusalem and throughout Pa-le-sti in places consecrated by events from the life of the Savior la. And before everything happened, by the will of the tsar and the tsar, the foundation and approach to the construction on the site of the Gro-ba of the State and the re-re-te-niya of St. The cross of the church of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the consecration of which was at its peak -but on September 13, 335. After that, the blessed king ordered to build a temple in Geth-si-ma-nii on the place where the coffin of the Most Holy God was, in the name of Her Dormition and, besides that, seventeen churches in different places of the holy land.
What about the fate of the saint? El-honest tree of the Cross of the Lord, then, unfortunately, it cannot be indicated exactly and completely defined -de-len-but. This tree of the Cross of the Lord has become such a great sanctuary for Christianity that Christ-a-not, already at the We are aware of it in large quantities throughout Jerusalem, not only in -to him, but, if possible, and succeed, to receive a piece from him. Indeed, St. Cyril of Jerusalem (IV century) testifies that already in his time small parts of the Living Cross there were spread across countries all over the earth. And St. John of the Evil Mouth (IV century) testifies that “many, both men and wives, received a small part- tsu this tree and surround it with gold, hang it around your neck.”
But not all the wood of the cross was taken from Ieru-sa-li-ma. Part of the re-ten-no-go-tree of the Cross and nails from the king Elena sla-la to her son Kon-stan-ti -well, the rest was locked in a silver ark and lied before Jerusalem A church with a pre-storage for future generations.
And St. Cyril of Jerusalem confirms that the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord was kept in his time and, as va-elk na-ro-du in Ieru-sa-li-me. And in the description of the divine service of the Great Friday in Jerusalem, done by a certain noble pa- scrap 4th century (Sylvie-ey, or Ete-ri-ey), we are looking for an in-the-res-new description of the s-m-o-ry-y-y of the clo-ne-dre- vu of the Cross of the Lord with an indication of those measures that were taken against the destruction of the holy tree blah-che-sti-you-mi pa-lom-ni-ka-mi. “On Gol-go-fe,” it says in this description, “behind the Cross, i.e. behind the church in honor of St. Cross, even before six hundred o'clock in the morning the bishop of the ca-fedral is installed. The bishop sits on this lectern, in front of him there is a table covered with a scarf, around the table there are dia-cons and accessories -there is a silver-golden ark in which the holy tree of the Cross is housed; it opens and you don't; put on the table both the tree of the Cross and the cheekbone (titulus). So, when it’s on the table, the bishop is sitting, holding the ends of the holy tree with his hands. va; Dia-ko-ns, who are standing around, are guarding. It is protected in such a way that there is a custom, according to which the whole people, approaching one by one at night, ke, both the faithful and the public, lean to the table, grab the holy tree and walk. And since, they say, I don’t know when, someone gnawed and stole a part of the holy de-re-va, then this -now the dia-cons standing around are guarding so that no one under-walking dares to do that -wow. And so the whole people come up at night, all bowing and touching first with their heads, then with their eyes. a hundred and cheeks and, round the Cross, they pass; no one is trying to hand-pull for touching.” The presence of parts of the tree of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem is confirmed and other histories ski-mi dan-ny-mi. In the 7th century in the kingdom of Byzantine im-per-ra-to-ra Fo-ki (602-610), this great Christian saint -nya for a while in the hands of per-sov. Khoz-roy, the king of Per-Sid, entered into a war with Fo-ka, conquered Egypt, Af-ri-ku and Pa-lesti-nu, and took Jeru-sa -lim, robbed him of his treasures and, among these treasures, took from Ieru-sa-li-ma and the tree of Life-creation- of the Cross of the Lord and took him to Persia. But the Lord did not allow the unfaithful to have possession of the Christian holy place for long. Pre-em-nick Fo-ki imp. Irakliy for some time could not defeat Khoz-roy, and then he turned to God with a prayer for help. -mighty cabbage soup. He ordered all the believers of his kingdom to perform prayers, services to God and fasts, that If only the Lord would get us out of the enemy. The Lord granted Irak-liah victory over Khoz-ro-em, who himself was killed by his son. After this, Irak-liy took away from the Persians the many-valuable holy Christian - the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord and re -shil-re-not-tied him solemnly-but again to Jerusalem. In 628, the emperor Irak-liy, having reached Jeru-sa-li-ma, brought St. tree on his shoulders, carried it, dressed in his royal clothes. But suddenly, at the gate that had gone to the Execution, he unexpectedly stopped and could not go further - not a step. And then Za-kha-rii, pat-ri-ar-hu kon-stan-ti-no-Polish-mu, came out together with the living-te-la-mi Ieru -sa-li-ma at-the-meeting of the Tsar, it was from the light-nose of the an-ge-la that it was not possible - something that Christ carried in a state of un- ity, not in royal robes. Then the king dressed himself in simple and poor clothes and, with bare feet, brought the saint in. the tree was taken to the church at the place where it was located before it was taken by Khoz-ro. Here the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord was kept in the future. At least, in the beginning of the 9th century. Among the clergy of the Church of the Resurrection there were two priests, whose responsibilities -to protect St. Cross and su-da-riy. At the cross-nose of St. the same tree, not-with-m-nen-but, came to Ieru-sa-li-me and more than once served as a rim and protection Noah their howl in battles with infidels. However, the further fate of the honorable tree of the Holy Cross is not exactly known. It is very likely that over time, gradually decreasing in its volume, due to the -why-would-you-want to have different abodes and monasteries to have parts of St. tree, it was completely divided into separate parts, which indicate those -per in many temples and monasteries. In particular, in Rome, in the ba-zi-li-ke of the Holy Cross, a de-re-vian-naya to the cheek is kept. you-y-y-you for that up-to-cheek, titulus, which-heaven-was-a-over-the-head Spa-si-te-la and after-na-de-na St. Barely lying away from the Cross.
And now, on the day of the celebration of the Resurrection of the Honest and Living Cross of the Lord, we, the Christians -no, we can only mentally pay tribute to the honorable tree of the Cross, on some- Our Savior was crucified. But this Cross is not inscribed on our blessed hearts, but its real image is in front of in the temple and on us - on our chest, in our dwellings.
“Be-and-di-those, ver-nii, the living-tree is clown, on it is Christ, the King of glory, in- I’m laying hands on the ras-pro-ster, bringing us to our first bliss!” (sti-hi-ra sa-mo-chl.).
The meaning of the celebration of the rise of the Holy Cross
Being one-of-a-kind by united re-birth with the seed of the passions of Christ, on-hundred this holiday according to ha-rak-te-ru is so-ver-shen-but from-whether from those who are the key ones in the year according to the mind -tel-no-sti and great days - days for which one rightly receives the title of “saints and great ones” to their". Those are the days of crying over the Divine Sufferer; this is a day of rejoicing about the consequences of His passion, about the fruits of redemption. This is a holiday precisely in honor of the purchase itself in the person of the main weapon, the sign and bringing it to us .
The weapon is a worth-standing-but-so-ho-st-va-niya, the very-sto-st-of-celebration in honor of him not only because the meaning it had in the act of purchase itself, not only in view of the importance it with that time, not in the life of Christ, but also in terms of what it was for Christ himself. hundred. “The cross has the glory of Christ and you with Christ,” says St. Andrew of Crete (word on the Exaltation), referring in confirmation of the first thought to and the second to John 12:32 : “Even if I am not in the air, I will be away from the earth...”. “If the Cross of Christ constitutes the glory of Christ, then on this day the cross is raised for the purpose of -Christ would be glorified. It is not Christ who rises up so that the Cross may be glorified, but the Cross that rises up so that Christ may be glorified.” .
Being Christ's, His glory and exaltation, this Cross is too close to us already in its original idea. He, in fact, is our Cross. Christ “carried on his shoulders the same cross on which he was crucified, as if he had taken it upon himself , defined so-sin-shim"; He “carried the cross above us” (St. Cyril of Aleksandriya on John, book 12).
From here are those innumerable blessings that you brought upon us with the Cross. “This kind feeder, having fed our entire life to the fullest extent and having killed it, has given us eternal life in the future.” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, sermon on the Holy Cross). “By the Cross we escaped from enmity, and by the Cross we established ourselves in friendship with God. The cross united people with the face of angels, making them by nature alien to all perishable things and to-sta-living they have the opportunity to lead an incorruptible life" (word on the Voz-dvi-zhe-nie of Va-sily Se-lev-kiysky, pri-pi-sy-va -e-mine and St. John-to-the-evil-mouth). “He made the earth pure, elevated our nature to the royal throne” (St. John of the Evil-mouth, word on the clo-ne -nie Kre-stu). “This Cross turned the whole world to the true path, drove out error, returned the truth, made the earth heaven” ( word about the Cross, to St. John of the Evil Mouth). “He put an end to the lawless deeds of the world, stopped its godless teachings, and the world no longer pleases -Volsky for-us and is not bound by the bonds of death; (The Cross) affirmed the wholeness of wisdom and wasted sweetness; sanctified the rule of the dominion and the lower-lived dominion according to his wishes. In the matter itself, what kind of goodness is there in the Kre-sta? Which of the blessings is given to us, but not through the Cross? Through the Cross we learned goodness and knowledge of the power of the Divine nature; through the Cross we hurra-zu-me the truth of God and by-sti-ga-em the goodness of whole-wisdom; through the Cross we knew each other; through the Cross we knew the power of love and do not dare die for each other; thanks to the Cross, we have despised all the blessings of the world and counted them for nothing, expecting future blessings and not seeing them. mine is like mine, as you see it. The cross spreads - and the truth spreads throughout the entire universe, and the kingdom of heaven is a blessing -rya-et-sya (the word for the Voi-movement of Va-si-lia Se-lev-kiysky or Io-an-na of Evil-u-sta).
By creating these highest spiritual blessings for mankind, the Cross from ancient times began to manifest spa-si -his bodily strength and in the pure needs of life as a Christian. “This is a sign in the time of our ancestors,” testifies St. Evil-mouth or contemporary writer to him, - from-the-closed-doors, it uga-sha-lo gu-bi-tel - poisons, healed the bites of poisonous animals. If it opened the gates of hell and opened the vault of heaven, it restored the entrance to heaven and created the power of dia “Wow, what’s surprising, if it overcomes destructive poisons?” (a word on the veneration of the Cross, to the Holy Evil's mouth).
Along with this, so to speak, ta-in-stvenny, mystical meaning for Christ, a cross in the middle -I had a purely moral meaning for him. He became a rim and support for him in the difficulties of personal baptism. “Look,” Christ seems to be saying, “at what My Cross has accomplished; make the same kind of weapon, and do what you want. Let (the successor of Christ) be so ready to endure the sacrifice and be crucified on the cross. Hey, says the Lord, how ready is he who does not carry the cross on his shoulders; let him consider himself in such close proximity to death. In front of such a person, everyone comes into amazement, because we are not so afraid of armed demons -len-ny-mi che-lo-ve-che-ski-mi oru-di-ya-mi and strong courage, like a che-lo-ve-ka, oda-ren-no-go with such power" (a word on the worship of the Cross, in-pi-sy-va-e-my Evil-mouth).
“Looking at the cross inhales courage and gives rise to fear” (St. Andrew of Crete’s word on the Ascension ).
Finally, the cross received for chri-sti-a-ni-na and es-ha-to-lo-gi-che-che-meaning. “So, yes, it was said, the sign of the cross will appear in the sky. Ko-g-da “to-g-da”? When the heavenly forces begin to move. That-yes-decorated-with-me-n-church, having acquired for themselves this much-valuable bi-ser, good-ro-sho- having preserved this image and continued, the sun-hi-sche-nys will be on the ob-la-kah” (Pan-to-lei, Presbyter of Vizantium , reading on Voz-dvi-zhe-nie).
It is not surprising that the cross has become a sign of Christ. “The cross was given to us as a sign on the forehead in exactly the same way as Iz-ra-i-lu about-re-za-nie; for through this we are the faithful, and we are distinguished from the unfaithful” (St. John Da-maskin, words -on the day of the Cross).
By-ste-pen-but Christianity appreciates all the meaning for him of this sign, this trophy of Christ’s victory -sto-howl. And then pro-thought came to the aid of the Church through its own indirect action - from the Cross from the depths of the earth and reality -le-ni-eat it in the sky. “The Lord would not have allowed him to remain in the earth, but he took him out and carried him up to heaven; He will come with him at His second coming.” (St. John of Evil-mouth, a word about the Cross and crucifixion). He is re-tenant with im-per-ra-to-rahs who believe in Christ, re-tenant by the power of the divine and artless -noy, the only strength and firmness of faith. When God gave Christ the royal sceptres, it was at this time that He pleased to reveal the Cross through a woman I’m blessed, I’m the Tsar, I’m decorating you with royal wisdom, I’m making you wise, let’s say so, by the divine god-wise, so that she, partly using the power of the word, characteristic of a royal person , tried everything that could move the unyielding heart of the Jews” (St. Andrew of Crete, word on Voz- movement). “From the treasuries of the earth came the sign of the Lord, the sign that shook the hellish caves free the souls contained in them. A spiritual pearl came forth for the faithful, confirmed in the crown of Christ, in order to illuminate the whole universe. He appeared in order to be raised up, and rises up in order to appear (so that he can be seen). They put him under him many times and call him to the people, just not shouting: “that’s about it.” -en-noe so-cre-vi-sche-spa-se-niya” (St. Andrew of Crete, word on the Voz-dvi-zhe-nie).
Established in memory of the re-re-te-ment and appearance of the Cross, the holiday, of course, has been in the souls of Christians for a long time already prepared soil, was in response to the long-standing request of their spirit. But he, having immediately received a wide-spread of fear and great solemnity, without hesitation, increased his love. go to the Cross and read it. The cross now acquires a special meaning in the struggle of Christ with the enemies we do not see his spa- se-niya, especially in the hands of movers. Now they appreciate and all the significance of it not only in the deed of our salvation, the consummation of Christ, but also in the world -ho-za-vet-nom in the preparation of this spa-session, explaining here a lot of it, so to speak, by a return action.
Published according to: Ska-ball-la-no-vich M.N. The rise of the Honest and Living Cross of the Lord.
Kyiv. Ed. "Prologue". 2004 pp. 7-18, 45-46, 232-236, 249-250.
Liturgical (liturgical) features
The evening before, an all-night vigil is held. See in.
Audio:
Kontakion 1
Come, people of Christ, let us praise the Honest Cross, on which Christ, the King of Glory, stretched out his hand, leading us to the first bliss, from which we fell through the deception of the serpent. But you, O Most Holy Cross, as having the inherent power of the Crucified Christ, save and preserve from all troubles those who lovingly call you:
Ikos 1
The faces of angels, like God’s servants, glorify the Cross in reality, the free passion of Christ the Giver of Life. We, having been delivered from eternal death by His suffering, imitating the powers above, joyfully cry out:
Rejoice, Cross, for on you Christ our God, with His will, His hand spread out, created our salvation; Rejoice, for by Christ, who laid upon you the crime of Adam and Eve, who stretched out their hands to the forbidden tree, has been abolished.
Rejoice, for the ancient oath that was against us has been taken away from the Lawgiver, who was raised against you, like a criminal; Rejoice, for by the strange sacrament that has been performed on you, the human race has been freed from mortal aphids.
Rejoice, for the sting of death has been broken upon you by those who suffered and died; Rejoice, for the sake of suffering, God is reconciled with people.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 2
Seeing fallen men, O Lord, You became human, and You freely endured the cross and death in your flesh for our race, so that You might deliver from eternal death those who confess Thee, the Son of God, and cry out to Thee: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The human mind is exhausted in comprehending the great mystery of Your incarnation and free suffering for us: how You, this impassive God, endured the passion of the cross as a man and made this instrument of Your death a source of life and salvation for all who piously believe in You and those who sing praises:
Rejoice, O Cross, on which the sacrament, predestined from the ages, was performed; Rejoice, for in you our redemption has been accomplished, presented in many forms and symbols.
Rejoice, for the Giver of Life died on you, flowing blood and water, in the image of which our sins are washed away; Rejoice, for with drops of His most holy blood the sinful scabs of our souls are cleansed.
Rejoice, O Cross, like the living tree that is in the midst of God's paradise, longed for by Christians; Rejoice, who intelligently nourishes us with the fruits of immortality and encourages our cowardice with the hope of eternal life.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 3
Thy Cross, even though the tree is apparently a being, but is clothed with the Divine power, and the sensory world is revealed intelligently, works wonders for our salvation, striving to sing to You: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having the Most Holy Cross before our eyes, with holy veneration we honor the Savior Christ crucified on it for the sake of it, and we call out with a kiss:
Rejoice, O Cross, glorified by the obedience and suffering of Christ; Rejoice, exalted by the exaltation of the Son of God upon you, Who raised up the whole world from the fall of Adam.
Rejoice, for the terrible mystery that came to pass upon you made the earth horrified and tremble, as if it wanted to devour the lawbreakers; Rejoice, for I will slay the Lamb of God upon you; the veil of the temple will be rent and the sacrifice of the Old Testament will be abolished.
Rejoice, O Cross, for under thee I was crushed to pieces, the stony-hearted Jews who gave birth to unbelief fell away from God, and were deprived of the grace of the priesthood and the kingdom; Rejoice, for having been darkened by the sun in the passion of Christ, the night of polytheism has passed away and the light of faith has risen.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 4
Breathing in a storm of malice and driven by envy, the high priestess of Judaism hid Your Cross in the ground, O Christ God, may their madness not be a reproof; but to that one, like a precious treasure, arose from the bowels of the earth, acquired through the diligence of the pious Queen Helen and revealed to the joy of the whole world, with the red song of God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Having seen then the Christian people finding the honorable Cross, they glorified Christ God crucified on it, crying “Lord, have mercy.” Now, imitating them, we glorify His Holy Cross with titanic praises:
Rejoice, Cross, who sanctified our earthly nature into the hidden earth and desecrated by sins; Rejoice, having disgraced the incarnation and divinity of Christ by your appearance from the depths of the earth.
Rejoice, for He who suffered in your flesh has received all power in Heaven and on earth, so that He may lead everyone and everything to God the Father; Rejoice, for He who died on you as a man, by the power of His Divinity, broke the rivets of hell and brought out the souls of the righteous from there.
Rejoice, O Cross, as a prudent thief, who was crucified with Christ, who confessed Him, through you, like a ladder, ascended to Heaven; Rejoice, for by cutting off the passions of Christ you have raised all those who are crucified into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 5
Lord, under Moses, sometimes the prophet, we show the image of Your Cross, victorious against Your enemies, now we have Your very Cross, we ask for help: strengthen Your Church and grant it victories over its enemies, so that all Your enemies, not crying out to You, may be scattered: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Of the Honest Cross, Christ, having prefigured the action of Moses, defeat Amalek in the desert of Sinai: for when people stretched out their hands and created an image of the cross, they became stronger; now all things have come into being in us: today the Cross is erected, and demons are running away, today all creation is freed from aphids, as if all the gifts of the Cross have risen up for us. Moreover, we rejoice and cry:
Rejoice, Cross, the terrible weapon of Christ, whose demons tremble; Rejoice, for by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, the hordes of demons are driven far away.
Rejoice, for by the power of the Divine grace acting in you, victories against those who resist are granted to Christ-loving people; Rejoice, for from you, as from the tall and fruitful tree of Christ, suffering on you, the fruits of life and salvation grow for us.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 6
The life-giving tree of the Cross sometimes appeared as a preacher of the power and Divinity of Christ, when with your touch you raised the dead and raised him to life, having seen many of them from the Jews and the tongue learned the great mystery of piety: for the sake of human salvation, God appeared in the flesh and endured the passion of the cross, yes He will save those who cry to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Like the great tree of paradise, the honorable Cross of Christ rose on Calvary, from which the mental branches of grace spread throughout the entire universe and were crucified on it: under its canopy they find the coolness of the palimia with the heat of passions and those who want to live piously in Christ Jesus. Likewise, we, partakers of His grace, cheerfully cry out:
Rejoice, Holy Cross, tree of life, planted in Eden for Adam's sake, symbolized; Rejoice, new Adam, who stretched out his hand on you and revealed himself to the world.
Rejoice, for under the canopy of your blessed protection all the faithful come running; Rejoice, for through the mercy of the One who has given us to you, repentant sinners escape the fire of Gehenna.
Rejoice, Cross, our consolation in sorrows and sorrows; Rejoice, life-giving consolation and help to those who are exhausted in the fight against the temptations of passions, the world and the devil.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 7
Although You have shown the unsearchable abyss of Your goodness and mercy to the human race, Your Cross, O Lord, has given us a strong guardian and drives away demons. In the same way, all of us who believe in You glorify the greatness of Your passion, singing gratefully to You: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
Thou hast revealed wondrous deeds, O Lord, by Thy venerable Cross: for I have crucified myself upon Thy flesh, the whole creation has changed: the sun has hidden its rays, the foundations of the earth have shaken, hell has been crushed by the power of Thy power, and the hostiles have been brought forth, even as they have been for centuries. For this reason, let us tie these song flowers:
Rejoice, Cross, for all creation has compassion for those who suffered on You, as their Creator and Master; Rejoice, for the sun bears witness to His power and Divinity through darkness and the earth through shaking.
Rejoice, for the One who died on you was not kept dead, but, having destroyed the power of death, rose again on the third day; Rejoice, for I have resurrected the preaching of the Gospel, which began from the face of the Apostle, and has gone forth to all the ends of the earth.
Rejoice, O Cross, for through you idolatry and pagan polytheism have been abolished; Rejoice, for for your sake the right faith in the One God, glorified in the Trinity, has been established throughout the entire earth.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 8
It is strange that God became human and was crucified on the Cross, having mentally seen, we will withdraw from the vanity of the world, we will transfer our mind to Heaven. For this reason, God descended to the earth and ascended to the Cross, so that, like a ladder, he would lead to Heaven those who cry to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
Today Adam and Eve rejoice, present seeing the Cross, he was struck down by the adversary, who of old in paradise by eating the forbidden fruit of those deceiving and creating captives for himself. In the same way, we, rejoicing at our forefathers about deliverance from our spiritual captivity, reverently sing:
Rejoice, Cross, for upon you is the Good Shepherd, who laid down His soul for His sheep and even went down to hell, looking for the lost; Rejoice, for He did not despise the work of His hand, Adam and Eve, but with the other I snatched the righteous from hell, like from the jaws of a mighty beast, and installed them in paradise.
Rejoice, for upon you, who was nailed to Christ, has a flaming weapon of braids, and the Cherub, who guards the Eden, retreat from the tree of life; Rejoice, for we, now through Baptism of rebirth, new people in Christ, partake without restraint of the food of heaven.
Rejoice, Cross, rod of the power of Christ, sent from Zion, by whom we feed in the pastures of the gospel teachings; Rejoice, for through you we are preserved unharmed from the murderous wolves, who roar like lions and seek whom to devour.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 9
Deliver us from all troubles and snares of the enemy, blessed on the Cross, for we have received grace and power from Christ nailed to you; to Him, as our God and Savior, we sing with gratitude and praise: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The Vetianism of all earthly beings is not sufficient for the glorification of Thy Cross, O Lord, on which Thou hast made our salvation; At the same time, perplexed to praise her according to her heritage, we cry out to her:
Rejoice, Cross, for as the Savior of the world, lifted up on you, has called many people into His knowledge and continues to call them to this day; Rejoice, for having shone on you, like on a candlestick, the true Light illuminates all the ends of the earth with the light of the knowledge of God.
Rejoice, for now the East and West glorify the One who suffered in you; Rejoice, for you, as the footstool of Christ, are glorified by all the faithful, elevating.
Rejoice, for from you, as from the inexhaustible source of Christ, people will draw an abundance of eternal blessings.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 10
For those who want to be saved and come running under the shadow of your protection, be your helper, the Most Holy Cross, preserving us from all evils by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, to Him, as to our God and Savior, we sing with gratitude and laudation: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
You are the wall that protects us from troubles and misfortunes, the all-honorable Cross, and a strong pillar against the face of the enemy; the invisible fighters do not dare to approach them, afraid to look at Your power. For this reason, with faith, we are protected by your holy sign and cheerfully sing:
Rejoice, most honorable Cross of Christ, protect us from the attacks of spirits of evil; Rejoice, keep us safe from various arrows.
Rejoice, for from your sign, which we do piously with faith, all the powers of hell, like smoke from the wind, disappear; Rejoice, for through you all their strength, like wax before the fire, melts away.
Rejoice, as a holy martyr, protected by your sign and calling on the name of Christ, everyone bravely endured the sight of torment; Rejoice, for the reverend fathers, with the help of the power of the Divine, inherent in your sign, have overcome demonic fears and passions of rebellion.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 11
We offer all-contrite singing to Thee, O all-honorable Cross, and we humbly pray to Christ our God crucified on you, Who has given us joy and consolation in sorrow, that through His passion He will deliver us from harmful passions and teach us to faithfully chant to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
With the light of the grace of God, inherent in the mysteries, enlighten our spiritual feelings, the Holy Cross, so that we are illuminated and instructed, so that we may not stumble over the stone of temptation, but may be able to follow the path of God’s commandments throughout our entire life, singing to this face:
Rejoice, messenger of Christ’s unceasing miracles and preacher of His mercy to the human race; rejoice. The Cross, the renewal of the human race and the New Testament of Christ is the seal and confirmation.
Rejoice, triumph of the Christian faith and trustworthy anchor of our hope; Rejoice, decoration of the holy temples of God and protection of the houses of the pious.
Rejoice, blessing of the fields and vertograds; Rejoice in the sanctification of all elements.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 12
Grant us Thy all-powerful grace, O Lord, that we may follow Thee, our Master, taking up our cross, not nailed to it, but through labor, abstinence and humility, so that we may be partakers of Thy sufferings, from which flow the sweat of Eternal Life, soldering all the faithful, piously singing Ti: Hallelujah.
Ikos 12
Singing your greatness, all-honored Cross, we all praise you, like the victorious scepter of the Heavenly King, an all-joyful sign of our salvation, and we also cry out:
Rejoice, Cross, the power of Orthodox Christians and their indestructible fence; Rejoice, adornment of the saints and strength and reinforcement of all ascetics of faith and piety.
Rejoice, Cross, protect us from the cradle to the grave on all the paths of life, and after death in the air ordeals protect us from the spirits of evil; Rejoice, for under your sign those who rest, who died in faith and piety, will rise on the last day to eternal life.
Rejoice, O Cross, who by your appearance in Heaven preceded the glorious Second Coming of Christ; Rejoice, for those who have crucified Christ and all the unfaithful will then see you and the mountaineers will weep, but those who love the Lord, seeing you, will rejoice greatly.
Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.
Kontakion 13
Oh, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, consolation to all Christians! Seeing You now, we raise our thoughts to Christ crucified on you, and we humbly pray to Him, that for your sake He may have mercy on us sinners, and make us worthy in the villages of paradise to sing to Him: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
Prayer
Be an honorable cross, guardian of soul and body: in your image, casting down demons, driving away enemies, abolishing passions and giving us reverence, life, and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the honest prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. Amen.
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