Feast of the Cross
In the
In
History
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated every year on 14 September, recalls three events:
- The finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena.
- The dedication of churches built by Emperor Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary.
- The restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem in AD 629 by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, after it had fallen into the hands of the Persian Emperor Chosroes II in the AD 614 Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem.
Under Emperor Constantine, around AD 327,
The Ancient Georgian Iadgari (Chantbook) bears witness to the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross in Jerusalem prior to the middle of the 6th century.[5] In the west before the end of the seventh century the feast was mainly observed in Rome.[6] However, the earliest recorded commemoration of 14 September as the feast day on a Western calendar is from the 7th century A.D.[7]
In the
Theological distinction
The Second Council of Nicæa of 787, drew the distinction between veneration of the cross and worship or latria, "which, according to the teaching of the faith, belongs to the Divine nature alone." Petavius noted that this cult must be considered as not belonging to the substance of religion, but as being one of the things not absolutely necessary to salvation.[8] Thus, the honor paid to the image passes to the prototype; and he who adores the image, adores the person whom it represents.[8]
Traditions
According to Christian tradition, the
The date of the feast marks the dedication of the
Historically in
Liturgical colours
Red is the usual liturgical color in churches that follow such traditions.
In
The lectionaries of the Church of England (and other Anglican churches) and Western Rite Orthodoxy also stipulate red as the liturgical color for 'Holy Cross Day.'
In
Religious orders
The
This date is the titular feast of the Congregation of Holy Cross, The Companions of the Cross and the Episcopal Church's Order of the Holy Cross.
Observation in various Churches
Church of England
The Common Worship calendar (2000), like the General Roman Calendar, celebrates the Feast on 14 September.
Church of the East
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2017) |
The
Eastern Orthodoxy
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2017) |
In
On the eve of the feast before small vespers the priest, having prepared a tray with the cross placed on a bed of fresh basil leaves or flowers, covered with an aër (liturgical veil), places it on the table of prothesis; after that service, the priest carries the tray on his head preceded by lighted candles and the deacon incensing the cross, processes to the holy table (altar), in the centre whereof he lays the tray, in the place of the Gospel Book, the latter being set upright at the back of the altar.[14] Those portions of the vespers and matins which in sundry local customs take place before the Icon of the Feast (e.g., the chanting of the Polyeleos and the Matins Gospel[note 3]) instead take place in front of the Holy Table.[15] The bringing out of the cross and the exaltation ceremony occur at matins.[14]
The cross remains in the centre of the temple throughout the afterfeast, and the faithful venerate it whenever they enter or leave the church. Finally, on the leave-taking (apodosis) of the feast, the priest and deacon will incense around the cross, there will be a final veneration of the cross, and then they will solemnly bring the cross back into the sanctuary through the
Oriental Orthodoxy
Armenian Apostolic Church
The
On the Sunday nearest September 28 (always two weeks after the Exaltation) the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak (Varaka Khach) commemorating the third century placement of an authentic relic of the cross in Armenian soil at Varagavank. This is a cross feast unique to the Armenian Church.
On the Sunday closest to October 26, the Armenian Church celebrates the Discovery of the Holy Cross (Kyood Khach), commemorating the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena (327 AD).
Coptic Orthodox Church
The
Orthodox Tewahedo Churches
The
The Ethiopian Patriarch lights a large bonfire in
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church
In the
Roman Catholic Church
In the liturgy of the
Related observances
6 March
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2017) |
On 6 March, the liturgical calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church, commemorates the Uncovering of the Precious Cross and the Precious Nails by Empress Saint Helen—that is to say, the anniversary of the actual discovery; the date for the feast on 14 September was determined by the consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is a lesser feast, and does not have any of the liturgical peculiarities of the feast of 14 September.[17]
3 May
The
1 August
The Eastern Orthodox and
The history of this feast begins in
In commemoration of this tradition, it is customary to have an
According to Saint
In the
12 October
In the Russian Orthodox Church, 12 October is the commemoration of the Translation of a Portion of the Life-Giving Cross from Malta to Gatchina. A portion of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, as well as the Philermos icon of the
In 1798, when the French seized the island, the
In the autumn of 1799 the holy items were transferred to St. Petersburg and placed in the Winter Palace within the internal church dedicated to the Icon of the Savior Not-Made-by-Hands. The feast for this event was established in 1800.[20]
Moveable feasts
In addition to celebrations on fixed days, the Cross may be celebrated during the variable, particularly in Lent and Eastertide.
Eastern Christians celebrate an additional Veneration of the Cross on the third Sunday of
In addition to all of the above commemorations, Orthodox also hold Wednesday and Friday throughout the year as a commemoration of the Cross.
In the Roman Breviary before the 1961 reform, a Commemoration of the Cross is made during Eastertide except when the office or commemoration of a double or octave occurs, replacing the suffrage of the Saints said outside Eastertide.
Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic Church, and some Anglican churches have a formal Adoration of the Cross during the services on Good Friday.
Veneration of the Cross
Feast days
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, on several of the feast days mentioned above, there is a public veneration of the cross. It may take place at matins, after the cross is brought out, at the end of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, or at the end of one of the Little Hours, depending upon the particular feast and local custom.
The faithful come forward and make two
At the end of services
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, and at some other services as well, it is customary for the faithful to come forward and venerate the "Blessing Cross" (hand-cross) which is held by the bishop or priest, and to kiss his hand. This practice is also called the "Veneration of the Cross", though it does not involve making prostrations. The cross which is venerated is small (typically 10–16 inches). This cross is usually metal, often gold or gold-plated, and can be enameled or decorated with jewels. The figure of Jesus on the Cross (the soma) is usually engraved, enameled, or painted on the cross, rather than being a separate three-dimensional figure as is found on a crucifix.
See also
- Dream of the Rood
- Ember days
Footnotes
- ^ Saturday Before: I Corin. 2:6-9 & Matthew 10:37-11:1; Sunday Before: Galatians 6:11-16 & John 3:13-17
- ^ I Corin. 1:18-24 & John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35 (John's Passion account)
- ^ i.e., John 12:28-36, after which is sung the hymn "Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ", normally sung on only Sundays and during Paschaltide.
- ^ 1st reading--Numbers 21:4b-9; responsory psalm--Psalm 78; 2nd reading--Phillipians 2:6-11; gospel reading--John 3:13-17.
References
- ISBN 0-8028-8116-5. Archived from the original on 2011-11-09. Retrieved 2012-03-21.)
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help - ^ The Pilgrim of Bordeaux reports in 333: "There, at present, by the command of the Emperor Constantine, has been built a basilica, that is to say, a church of wondrous beauty". Itinerarium Burdigalense, p. 594
- OCLC 125134.
- OCLC 43707081.
- ^ Frøyshov, Stig Simeon. "[Hymnography of the] Rite of Jerusalem". Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology.
- ^ "Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 14, 2014 - Liturgical Calendar". www.catholicculture.org.
- ^ "Exaltation of the Holy Cross". Franciscan Media. 2016-09-14. Archived from the original on 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-09-06.
- ^ a b Cabrol, Fernand. "The True Cross." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 14 September 2016
- ^ Marucchi, Orazio. "Archæology of the Cross and Crucifix." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908
- ^ "The Era of Constantine". www.holysepulchre.custodia.org. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
- ^ "Liturgical Colors - Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese". www.antiochian.org.
- ^ "The Rule of Albert as approved by Innocent IV (1247)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
- ^ Saturday After: I Corin. 1:26-2:5 & John 8:21-30; Sunday After: Galatians 2:16-20 & Mark 8:34-9:1
- ^ ISBN 0-571-11137-8
- ^ "Archbishop Averky – Liturgics — The Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Calender [sic] – September", Retrieved 2011-12-26
- ^ "Pope Francis: Homily for Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross".
- ^ "Uncovering of the Precious Cross and the Precious Nails by the Empress St Helen in Jerusalem". ORTHODOX CHURCH in AMERICA. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
- ^ "Maikreuz, Wettersegen und die Kreuzauffindung".
- ISBN 978-0-948298-02-8, archived from the originalon 2003-08-06, retrieved 2007-08-14
- ^ "Lives of all saints commemorated on October 12". www.oca.org.
- ^ Тѵпико́нъ сіесть уста́въ (Title here transliterated into Russian; actually in Church Slavonic) (The Typicon which is the Order), Chapter 49 (PDF), Москва (Moscow, Russian Empire): Сѵнодальная тѵпографія (The Synodal Printing House), 1907
- ^ "Lives of the Saints". ocafs.oca.org.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Cross and Crucifix". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Further reading
- Ælfric of Eynsham (1881). . Ælfric's Lives of Saints. London, Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.