Orthodox Christians Celebrate Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross each year on September 14, commemorating the discovery of the True Cross of Jesus Christ by Saint Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine.

The feast recalls an event that took place in Jerusalem in 326, when Emperor Constantine sent Saint Helen to the Holy Land to venerate the sacred sites and locate the Holy Sepulchre and the Cross of Christ.

According to Church tradition, Saint Helen discovered the Cross alongside the crosses of the two thieves who had been crucified with Jesus. However, she could not determine which of the three crosses belonged to Christ.

Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem identified the True Cross after a dying woman touched one of the crosses and received healing.

Saint Helen and her companions venerated the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, while large crowds gathered to see the sacred relic.

Patriarch Macarius then stood on the ambo and raised the Cross with both hands so that everyone could see it. The people responded by chanting, “Lord have mercy.”

The event became the foundation for the Church’s celebration of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross.

The meaning of the Holy Cross

The feast celebrates more than the discovery of the Cross. It also commemorates its transformation from an instrument of shame and death into a symbol of salvation and eternal life.

The Orthodox Church observes the feast outside Holy Week as an opportunity to reflect on the victory of the Cross over death and the powers of the world.

It also celebrates the wisdom of God revealed through the Cross and its role as a source of light, hope and victory for Christians.

The feast carries a universal dimension, presenting the Cross as the new Tree of Life through which Christ offers redemption and spiritual nourishment to humanity.

The icon of the feast

The icon of the Feast of the Precious Cross depicts the discovery and exaltation of the Cross.

At its centre, Patriarch Macarius stands on the pulpit and raises the Cross for the gathered faithful to see and venerate. Deacons holding candles stand on either side of him, while clergy and lay people surround the Cross.

Saint Helen also appears among those venerating it.

In the background, a domed building represents the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, one of the churches that Emperor Constantine constructed and dedicated at the holy sites.

How Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast

The Orthodox Church celebrates the feast with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, preceded by the Matins service. Great Vespers takes place on the evening before September 14.

At the conclusion of Matins or the Divine Liturgy, clergy conduct a special service centred on the Cross.

The priest places the Cross on a tray surrounded by branches of basil and carries it in solemn procession through the church while the faithful chant the hymn of the feast.

The tray is then placed on a table, and the priest offers petitions towards each of the four directions of the compass. This gesture represents the universal nature of Christ’s sacrifice upon the Cross.

As the congregation responds with “Lord have mercy,” the priest raises and lowers the Cross, recalling its discovery and exaltation.

At the end of the service, the faithful approach to venerate the Cross and receive basil from the priest.

According to tradition, basil is associated with the discovery of the Cross because the fragrant plant grew at the site where the Cross was found.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.