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Posted on 09/14/2006 11:12:05 AM PDT by NYer
It is the Feast of the Cross. This is the last feast in the summer for the Lebanese Christians.
On Monday September 11, 2006, the Christians of my town gathered in the church where I gave a teaching about how to Deny oneself, Take up the cross, and Follow Jesus. This teaching was liberating especially from erroneous thoughts and concepts. People were saying after this teaching: "How simple it is to deny oneself, take up the cross and follow Jesus. We had definitely different thoughts about it."
On Tuesday, I had to visit a non-Christian hospital where one man from my town was dying. I took the oil for anointing and entered the room. There were three beds. A Druze man was lying on one. He was dying. Another Druze man who was conscious was lying on a bed and his family were around him, and a Christian man was lying on the third bed. I saluted all, approached the Christian and told him about the anointing. He was responsive. I anointed him with oil and said a 10-minute-long prayer. The Druze family were looking at me every other minute to see what was going on. I finished the prayer and as I was going out, I expressed my wishes for the Druze to get well. One of the family member stopped me and asked me: "Can you pray for me? I have a headache and I need you to pray over my head and bless me with oil."
"Sure" I said. I placed my hand over his head and said a prayer. Then, I blessed him with oil. May he get according to his faith. One more time, I feel a great call to be among non-Christians.
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On Wednesday, it is the feast of the Cross. We gathered in Mar Abda church where we had the evening prayer. At 6:00 pm, we went in a long procession to the highest hill where a huge cross had been erected decades ago. We were probably one thousand people.
(When I get the pictures, I will publish them as soon as I can).
On the top of the hill, there is a huge shrine for the Holy Cross built by a man of God decades ago (The Maronite Church is working for his sainthood).
We had Mass with bishop and after Mass, we had a huge fire (it is an old tradition in Lebanon to set fires on every hill on the feast of the Cross. I think this tradition goes back to the year 628 AD when the Christians brought back the Cross from Persia).
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This feast marks the end of the Maronite liturgical year. The Exaltation of the Cross commemorates the finding of the relics of the Cross by St. Helen. Before 337 A.D., this event was attributed to the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine, who built basilicas at Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher. His mother, St. Helen, who built churches on the sites of the Nativity and of the Ascension, earned so great an admiration of our ancestors that, by the latter part of the century, they gave her credit for finding the Cross.
The Exultation of the Glorious Cross "On this day, Queen Helen took pride in establishing the feast of the exaltation of the cross. On this day, King Constantine, with all faithful kings, was shaken with joy and pride. ...this day, we celebrate the feast of the saving cross, which redeemed us through suffering." (Sedro)(1)Two feasts celebrate the Cross in a major way: Great Friday of the Crucifixion and The Exultation of the Glorious Cross. The Great Sunday of Resurrection also incorporates the Cross in a significant way. (2) Because each feast celebrates some aspect of our salvation history, the Cross' function is central to each commemoration. The importance of Cross to the Holy Mysteries is clearly demonstrated by the many references to the Cross and its attributes throughout the other times of the liturgical year. To impart to the worshipers the appropriate spiritual attitude, the liturgy applies both teaching devices and petition in the Introductory Prayers, the Hoosoyo, and the Service of the Word. The mention of the Cross is less frequent in the anaphoras and Communion Rite. As will be shown below, the anaphoras do not often use the word "cross", the "altar-cross" of Great Friday, but rather refer to the saving event of sacrifice re-enacted on the altar-table and to the attributes and accomplishments of the Cross in establishing and securing the Holy Mysteries. Great Friday of the Crucifixion: Adoration of the Cross "O cross, come and tell us what is your power. For nations worship you from the ends of the earth. You became an altar on Golgotha, and God's Son was crucified on you. Blood and water flowed from Him for the forgiveness of the world". (Qolo)(3)The blood and water flowing from Jesus' side particular the institution of the Eucharist and underscore the symbiosis between the Cross and the Holy Mysteries. Incarnation The Incarnation, according to St. Ephrem, is the central event of Syriac spirituality because God, the One who cannot be contained, became contained within the limitations of a human body. By His nature, God cannot be grasped by the human mind. (4) Yet, He chose to become limited, small and accessible so that He could be bound, scourged and killed. (5) |
Has the Church ever formally stated that the relics that St. Helen found were actually from the Lord's Cross?
The testimony of Silvia (Etheria) proves how highly these relics were prized, while St. Cyril of Jerusalem, her contemporary, testifies as explicitly that "the whole inhabited earth is full of relics of the wood of the Cross". In 1889 two French archæologists, Letaille and Audollent, discovered in the district of Sétif an inscription of the year 359 in which, among other relics, is mentioned the sacred wood of the Cross (de ligno crucis et de terrâ promissionis ubi natus est Christus). Another inscription, from Rasgunia (Cape Matifu), somewhat earlier in date than the preceding, mentions another relic of the Cross ("sancto ligno salvatoris adlato".-- See Duchesne in Acad. des inscr., Paris, 6 December, 1889; Morel, "Les missions catholiques", 25 March, 1890, p.156; Catech. iv in P. G., XXXIII, 469; cf. also ibid., 800; Procopius, "De Bello Persico", II, xi). St. John Chrysostom tells us that fragments of the True Cross are kept in golden reliquaries, which men reverently wear upon their persons.
The passage in the "Peregrinatio" which treats of this devotion has already been cited. St. Paulinus of Nola, some years later, sends to Sulpicius Severus a fragment of the True Cross with these words: "Receive a great gift in a little [compass]; and take, in [this] almost atomic segment of a short dart, an armament [against the perils] of the present and a pledge of everlasting safety" (Epist. xxxi, n.1. P. L., LXI, 325). About 455 Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem, sends to Pope St. Leo a fragment of the precious wood (S. Leonis Epist. cxxxix, P. L., LIV, 1108). The "Liber Pontificalis", if we are to accept the authenticity of its statement, tells us that, in the pontificate of St. Sylvester, Constantine presented to the Sessorian basilica (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme) in Rome a portion of the True Cross (Duchesne Liber Pontif., I, 80; cf. 78, 178, 179, 195). Later, under St. Hilary (461-68) and under Symmachus (498-514) we are again told that fragments of the True Cross are enclosed in altars (op. cit., I, 242 sq. and 261 sq.). About the year 500 Avitus, Bishop of Vienne, asks for a portion of the Cross from the Patriarch of Jerusalem (P.L., LIX, 236, 239).
It is known that Radegunda, Queen of the Franks, having retired to Poitiers, obtained from the Emperor Justin II, in 569, a remarkable relic of the True Cross. A solemn feast was celebrated on this occasion, and the monastery founded by the queen at Poitiers received from that moment the name of Holy Cross. It was also upon this occasion that Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, and a celebrated poet of the period, composed the hymn "Vexilla Regis" which is still sung at feasts of the Cross in the Latin Rite. St. Gregory I sent, a little later, a portion of the Cross to Theodolinda, Queen of the Lombards (Ep. xiv, 12), and another to Recared, the first Catholic King of Spain (Ep. ix, 122). In 690, under Sergius I, a casket was found containing a relic of the True Cross which had been sent to John III (560-74) by the Emperor Justin II (cf. Borgia, "De Cruce Vaticanâ",Rome, 1779, p. 63, and Duchesne, "Liber Pontificalis", I, 374, 378). We will not give in detail the history of other relics of the Cross (see the works of Gretser and the articles of Kraus and Bäumer quoted in the bibliography). The work of Rohault de Fleury, "Mémoire sur les instruments de la Passion" (Paris, 1870), deserves more prolonged attention; its author has sought out with great care and learning all the relics of the True Cross, drawn up a catalogue of them, and, thanks to this labour, he has succeeded in showing that, in spite of what various Protestant or Rationalistic authors have pretended, the fragments of the Cross brought together again would not only not "be comparable in bulk to a battleship", but would not reach one-third that of a cross which has been supposed to have been three or four metres in height, with transverse branch of two metres (see above; under I), proportions not at all abnormal (op. cit., 97-179). Here is the calculation of this savant: Supposing the Cross to have been of pine-wood, as is believed by the savants who have made a special study of the subject, and giving it a weight of about seventy-five kilograms, we find that the volume of this cross was 178,000,000 cubic millimetres. Now the total known volume of the True Cross, according to the finding of M. Rohault de Fleury, amounts to above 4,000 000 cubic millimetres, allowing the missing part to be as big as we will, the lost parts or the parts the existence of which has been overlooked, we still find ourselves far short of 178,000,000 cubic millimetres, which should make up the True Cross.
more .
Santa Croce in Gerusalleme
building was the "Sessorium", an imperial palace where Saint Helena, Constantine's mother, lived. In the 4th century Helen went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. She returned bearing a fragment of the True Cross and in the same year she dead. In memory of his mother, the Emperor Constantine converted the palace into a church to house the precious relic.
It was here that Constantine's mother Saint Helena had transported a great quantity of relics from the Holy Land; to house them, the basilica of Santa Croce di Gerusalemme was later built not far away.
Hmmm. I'm not seeing the pictures above.
Thank you for this very edifying posting. Fr. Antonio's acount of anointing the Druse reminds me of the accounts in William Dalrymple's "From the Holy Mountain" (a must read book for information on the region, incidentally) about Moslems coming to pray before icons of the Blessed Mother and being anointed with the oil from the lamps burning before them (or even drinking it), asking for things like children, or health of animals, etc., and then coming back later to give thanks. It was a good lesson to me about how things are not all black and white over there (a lesson reinforced by our pilgrimage to the Holy Land right before the fighting started, this Summer).
"...reminds me of the accounts in William Dalrymple's "From the Holy Mountain" (a must read book for information on the region, incidentally)"
I have read that book 4 times. It is absolutely magnificent. As you say, things are not quite so black and white out there in Syria/Lebanon/Jordan/Palestinian Territories as our media here might lead us to believe.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Each newborn servant of the Crucified
Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Lifted up on the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victories over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.
Synaxarion:
Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.
The Feast of the Holy Cross (Fr. Elfeghali's report)
Catholic, Crusader, Leper and King: The Life of Baldwin IV and the Triumph of the Cross
HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER ON THE FEAST OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE HOLY CROSS
Orthodox Feast of The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, September 14
Thank you, NH, for posting that magnificent hymn. We sang that during the procession of the cross around the church on Sunday, as the parish celebrated this glorious feast. The communion hymn is one that has always moved me to tears. In the Latin Church, we associate this hymn with Lent but it lends itself perfectly to this beautiful feast.
Behold, Behold, the wood of the Cross,
on which is hung our Salvation.
Oh come, let us, adore!
Thank you, Kolokotronis, for your awesome contribution to this thread. Do the Orthodox also celebrate this feast today? Or does it hold a different place in your calendar?
And thanks to you, Salvation, for posting those great links for this magnificent feast.
To All
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross ends the Season of Pentecost and begins the Season of the Holy Cross, the final season in the Maronite Liturgical Calendar. More than one day on the calendar, this season lasts 7 weeks!!
In my previous parish we had no Crucifix in the Sanctuary. The Exaltation of the Cross is given precedence over ordinary time in the Latin Church when it falls on a Sunday. Several years ago, that is precisely what happened. Attending Mass on Sundays in a church without a crucifix on the altar, had turned into a nerve wrenching, stomach twisting time of penance. Each week I would approach the principal celebrant and ask him to have one of the altar servers carry the processional cross up to the Sanctuary, prior to the Mass, in order that it might be in compliance with the GIRM. This request was usually met with glares from the priest and altar servers pleading with him for this honor.
September 14th happened to fall on a Sunday a few years ago. As I entered the church, I glanced up towards the altar and saw a beautiful crucifix in a stand near the backwall of the Sanctuary, with the base wrapped in silver satin fabric. It was not only beautiful but fit so perfectly into its setting. After Mass, I approached the pastor, asking him if this Crucifix was now a 'permanent' fixture in our church. He smiled, shook his head and assured me that it was only because this feast fell on a Sunday. Sure enough, the following Sunday, it was gone.
When I dared ask why it couldn't remain (complimenting him on how he had arranged it), he said:
"Jesus Christ was only on the cross for 3 hours but is risen forever!"
That statement shocked and angered me to the core. Abouna has helped me work through so much of the bitterness I built up over the years towards the bishop and priests in this diocese. He explained that this priest had been taught 'Resurrection' theology in seminary which was why he responded as he did. Through Father's counseling to pray for the bishop and his priests, I have finally found peace.
"Do the Orthodox also celebrate this feast today? Or does it hold a different place in your calendar?"
September 14th is the day.
I believe the current location is somewhere deep in the vaults of the Vatican. Periodically tiny splinters are taken from it, placed in crucifix cases, and given to exorcist priests and others who have connections.
Jesus dies upon the Cross
Meditation on the Twelfth Station by John Henry Cardinal Newman
"Consummatum est." It is completed -- it has come to a full end. The mystery of God's love toward us is acomplished. The price is paid, and we are redeemed. The Eternal Father determined not to pardon us without a price, in order to show us especial favor. He condescended to make us valuable to Him. What we buy we put a value on. He might have saved us without a price --- by the mere fiat of His will. But to show His love for us He took a price, which, if there was to be a price set upon us at all, if there was any ransom at all to be taken for the guilt of our sins, could be nothing short of the death of His Son in our nature. O my God and Father, Thou hast valued us so much as to pay the highest of all possible prices for our sinful souls -- and shall we not love and choose Thee above all things as the one necessary and one only good?
O Crux, ave spes unica! Hail, O Cross, our only hope!
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are invited to look upon the Cross. It is the “privileged place” where the love of God is revealed and shown to us.… On the Cross human misery and divine mercy meet. The adoration of this unlimited mercy is for man the only way to open himself to the mystery which the Cross reveals.
The Cross is planted in the earth and would seem to extend its roots in human malice, but it reaches up, pointing as it were to the heavens, pointing to the goodness of God. By means of the Cross of Christ, the Evil One has been defeated, death is overcome, life is given to us, hope is restored, light is imparted. O Crux, ave spes unica! …
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15), says Jesus. What do we see then when we bring our eyes to bear on the cross where Jesus was nailed (cf. John 19:37)? We contemplate the sign of God’s infinite love for humanity.
O Crux, ave spes unica! Saint Paul speaks of the same theme in the letter to the Ephesians…. Not only did Christ Jesus become man, in everything similar to human beings, but He took on the condition of a servant and humbled Himself even more by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (cf. Philippians 2:6-8).
Yes, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16). We admire — overwhelmed and gratified — the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge (cf. Ephesians 3:18-19)! O Crux, ave spes unica! …
Through the mystery of your Cross and your Resurrection, save us O Lord! Amen
— Pope John Paul II -- Excerpts from homily September 14, 2003
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