Tomorrow, September 14 marks a “great” day for Christianity, as we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is recognized as a major feast by the Orthodox Church.
The veneration of the Holy Cross dates back to the Early Christian period, that is, between the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
The letters of the Apostle Paul are filled with passages that highlight the role of the Cross for the salvation of the world.
However, the feast concerns the exaltation of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, after its discovery by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great.
This refers to the symbol of her son’s army, as it appeared in the sky with the phrase “In this sign, conquer” shortly before his victorious battle against Maxentius for the claim to the Roman Empire.
How the Holy Cross was found
Saint Helena made great efforts to find the Holy Cross. After painstaking excavations in the area of the martyrdom, three crosses were eventually found, that of the Lord and those of the two thieves.
The faithful Empress, with tears in her eyes, delivered the Holy Cross to Patriarch Macarius, who on September 14 of the year 335 raised it at Golgotha and placed it in the Church of the Resurrection, which the saint had erected above the Holy Sepulchre and which is preserved to this day.
When the Holy Cross returned to Christians
However, the Holy Cross became plunder for the Persians in 613 AD, who conquered Palestine and – among other things – looted and destroyed the sacred shrines.
The Holy Cross was spared destruction, as the Persians considered the Holy Wood to be magical and therefore kept it and worshipped it, not knowing its true nature and property.
Emperor Heraclius, after his victory against the Persians, reclaimed the Holy Cross and transported it back to Jerusalem. Patriarch Zacharias raised it again in the Church of the Resurrection. It was September 14, 626.
The Holy Cross, as it was deemed to belong to all of Christianity, was decided to be cut into pieces and distributed throughout the Church. For this reason, many fragments are preserved to this day, which are kept as the most precious relics, especially in the holy monasteries of Mount Athos.
What we eat on the Day of the Cross
On the Day of the Cross, the Church requests and imposes on the faithful absolute fasting, even from oil and from unbloody seafood. That is, to follow what is done on Great Friday of the Passion of the Lord.
However, an exception is made if September 14 coincides with a Saturday or Sunday, allowing the use of oil, as is the case for the current anniversary in 2024. Something similar will also apply next year, in 2025.
In other words, on this day Christians honor all kinds of oil-based dishes, with green beans being the most significant due to the season.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated with splendor every year on September 14
This day marks the double discovery of the Cross on which our Christ was martyred.
Saint Helena, in 326 AD, went to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places and to thank God for her son’s triumphs, Constantine the Great.
However, Divine zeal caused Saint Helena to begin investigations for the discovery of the Holy Cross. On Golgotha, there was a pagan temple of the goddess Venus, which she demolished before beginning the excavations.
Later, Saint Helena was led to the discovery of the Holy Cross by an aromatic plant that grew in that place, the basil we know. After arduous excavations, three crosses were found, that of the Lord and those of the two thieves. The Bishop of Jerusalem, Macarius, after making a prayer, touched the crosses with the body of a very pious lady who had died. When it was the turn to touch the third cross, which was truly the Lord’s, the woman immediately resurrected.
September 14 of the year 335: Patriarch Macarius raised the Holy Cross at Golgotha and placed it in the Church of the Resurrection. On the day of the celebration to this day, basil is distributed in churches so that the faithful remember how the Holy Cross was found, on which Christ was martyred.
The recapture of the Holy Cross
613 AD: The Persians conquered Palestine, looted and destroyed the sacred shrines, and took the Holy Cross as spoils. After transporting it to their land, they considered the Cross magical, due to some miracles that occurred.
September 14, 629: Emperor Heraclius, after his decisive victory against the Persians, reclaimed the sacred symbol of Christianity and initially transported it to Constantinople, where it was part of his triumph and then to Jerusalem.
Eventually, the Church of Jerusalem deemed that the Cross of Christ belongs to all of Christianity and therefore decided to cut the Holy Wood into pieces and distribute it throughout the Church.
Why we fast even from oil
For the commemoration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we fast on September 14, because the Cross is a reminder of the Passion of Christ. Just as every person who performs the exhumation of a relative (for example, their father, mother, or others) feels sorrow remembering that person, so too we Christians, seeing the Cross and reflecting that Christ was crucified for us sinners and as a Man suffered, humble ourselves and show contrition of heart by fasting.
The Holy Fathers of our Church emphasize that “the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is Equal to Great Friday,” since on both of these Days we equally honor the Sufferings and the Crucifixion of the Lord.
According to Saint John Chrysostom, “fasting is not done for Easter, nor for the Cross, but for our sins… because Easter is not a matter of Fasting and mourning, but of joy and gladness. For this reason, we should not say that we mourn for the Cross. Nor do we mourn for it. But for our own sins.” We also fast to imitate the Lord, who fasted for forty days and nights on the Mountain of the Forty.
Traditions in Greece on September 14
In our country, on this day, the names Stavros and Stavroula are celebrated.
The farmers bring a mixture of the grains they will sow to the church to receive the special blessing of the priest.
Sailors used to stop long voyages with sailing ships, as the proverb advises: “On the Day of the Cross, mouse and tie.”
With the basil they receive from the church, housewives usually prepare the sourdough for the year.
In Aegina, the so-called “Leidinos” is revived, a mimetic performance, with laments and the burial of a small child’s effigy, a custom likely of ancient origin.
Apolytikion
Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting victories to the kings against the barbarians and preserving Your own through Your Cross, we implore.
Source: vimaorthodoxias.gr
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