Venerating the Cross on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross Posted on 2012/09/13 by Gretchen 12 September 14th is the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, also known as the Triumph of the Cross or the Elevation of the Cross. This is the day the Church celebrates both the discovery and the recovery of the true cross of Jesus Christ. There is a very interesting historical account surrounding this ancient feast day. Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, on a pilgrimage to locate and preserve the true relics of the Christian faith, found the true cross that held the body of Christ at his crucifixion. The date was September 14, 326. She had a church built on the original site of Jesus’ burial, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated by the Church after this happy discovery, with the cross itself becoming a venerated object. Even today, the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem, or the Via Dolorosa, end at this very spot. The cross was kept in Jerusalem, but was absconded by Chosroas, King of the Persians, in the year 614 after the Persian invasion of Syria and Palestine. In 629 the cross was recovered and brought back to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople. The relic of the true cross was restored to its place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The date, again, was September 14th! Tradition has it that Emperor Heraclius carried the cross on his back in order to restore it to its rightful place, but he was only able to move it after he had removed his emperor’s garments and put on humble garments of repentance instead. The Church has a long tradition of venerating the cross, that’s why Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches have large crucifixes in prominent places and make venerating the cross a liturgical tradition each year. It’s also why Catholic Christians and Eastern Christians keep crosses and crucifixes in their homes, usually on their wall or above their doorway. In fact, a cross or a crucifix put in a place of honor is a sure mark of a Christian home. If you don’t have a cross or a crucifix in your home, consider choosing one on this special feast day, have it blessed, and place it in a prominent place in your home where it will be venerated too. Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services12 About Gretchen Gretchen is a recent convert and completely in love with the Catholic faith. She is very active in her parish where she volunteers with the Evangelization & Respect Life ministries. She has special interests in theology, Thomistic philosophy, & politics. She holds an M.A. in Christian Apologetics & currently works as a copywriter for The Catholic Company. Find her on Facebook at [facebook/SheThomist.page] and Pinterest at [pinterest/shethomist/] and Google+ View all posts by Gretchen → This entry was posted in Holy Day and tagged church, cross, crucifix, holy cross, Jesus, Stations of the Cross. Bookmark the permalink.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 17:34:46 +0000
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