What is celebrated on the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord? The history and traditions of the holiday - This day is considered fasting. The exaltation of the cross of the Lord The exaltation of the Lord the history of the holiday
After the greatest events in the history of mankind took place - the Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, the holy Cross, which served as the instrument of execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman troops in the year 70, the holy places associated with the earthly life of the Lord fell into oblivion, and pagan temples were built on some of them.
The acquisition of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross took place during the reign of Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great.
According to church historians of the 4th century, Constantine’s mother, Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena, went to Jerusalem at the request of her royal son to find places connected with the events of Christ’s earthly life, as well as the Holy Cross, the miraculous appearance of which became for Saint Constantine a sign of victory over the enemy. The literature contains three different versions of the legend about the acquisition of the Cross of the Lord.
According to the most ancient (it is given by church historians of the 5th century - Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen and others, and probably goes back to the lost "Church History" of Gelasius of Caesarea (4th century), the Honest Cross was under the pagan sanctuary of Venus. When it was destroyed, three crosses were found, as well as a tablet and nails with which the Savior was nailed to the instrument of execution.In order to find out which of the crosses is the one on which the Lord was crucified, the Jerusalem Bishop Macarius († 333) suggested attaching each of them in turn when she was healed after touching one of the crosses, all those gathered glorified God, who pointed to the greatest shrine of the True Cross of the Lord, which was raised by the saint for all to see.
The second hypothesis, dated to the first half of the 5th century, dates this event to the 1st century: the Cross was found by Protonika, the wife of Emperor Claudius I (41-54), and then hidden and rediscovered in the 4th century.
The third version of the legend, which arose, like the second, in Syria in the 5th century, reports: St. Helen tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jews of Jerusalem, and in the end, one elderly Jew, named Judas, who at first did not want to speak, after the torture indicated the place - Temple of Venus Saint Helena ordered the destruction of the temple and excavations. Three crosses were found there. A miracle helped to reveal the Cross of Christ - resurrection through touching the true Cross of a dead man who was carried past. Of Judas, it is reported that he subsequently converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became bishop of Jerusalem.
It must be said that the most popular in the middle and late Byzantine eras was latest version. It is on it that the prologue legend is based, intended to be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross according to the modern liturgical books of the Orthodox Church.
The exact date of finding the Holy Cross is unknown. Apparently, it took place in 325 or 326. After finding the Holy Cross, Constantine began the construction of a number of churches, where divine services were to be performed with the solemnity appropriate to the Holy City. Around the year 335, the large basilica of Martyrium, erected directly near Golgotha and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated. The day of its renewal (that is, consecration), as well as the rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings on the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior on September 13 or 14, began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and the remembrance of the acquisition of the Holy Cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of renewal.
Already at the end of the 4th century, the feast of the renewal of the Martyrium basilica and the rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the three main holidays of the year in the Jerusalem Church, along with Easter and Epiphany.
The Western pilgrim Etheria describes it in great detail in her notes: renewal was celebrated for eight days; every day the Divine Liturgy was celebrated solemnly; temples were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; many people came to Jerusalem for the feast, including those from remote areas - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria. It is especially emphasized that the renewal was celebrated on the same day when the Cross of the Lord was found. In addition, Etheria draws a parallel between the events of the consecration of the Jerusalem churches and the Old Testament temple built by Solomon.
The choice of September 13 or 14 as the eorthological date of renewal, which at the present time cannot be unquestionably motivated, could be due both to the very fact of the consecration of churches on these days, and a conscious choice. The renewal can be considered the Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles - one of the three main holidays of the Old Testament worship (see: Lev. 34: 33-36), celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month according to the Old Testament calendar (this month approximately corresponds to September), especially since the consecration of Solomon's temple also took place during the Feast of Tabernacles. The date of the renewal holiday - September 13 - coincides with the date of the consecration of the temple of Jupiter Capitoline in Rome, and Christian holiday could be installed instead of pagan. Correspondences are possible between the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14 and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between the Exaltation of the Cross and the feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated 40 days before.
Church historian Sozomen asserts: since the consecration of Martyrium under Constantine the Great, the Jerusalem Church has been celebrating this feast every year. Even the sacrament of baptism is taught on it, and church meetings continue for eight days.
According to the Jerusalem Lectionary (in Armenian translation) of the 5th century, on the second day of the Feast of Renewal, the Holy Cross was shown to all the people.
In other words, the Exaltation of the Cross was originally established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the renewal, similar to the holidays in honor of the Mother of God on the day after the Nativity of Christ or in honor of John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord.
Starting from the 6th century, the Exaltation of the Cross began to gradually become a more significant holiday than the holiday of renewal. If the life of St. Savva the Sanctified, written in the 6th century by St. Cyril of Scythopol, still speaks of the celebration of renewal, but not the Exaltation, then already in the life of St. Mary of Egypt, traditionally attributed to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (7th century), there are the following indications: she went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation, she saw a large gathering of pilgrims, and most importantly, it was on this holiday that she miraculously turned to repentance.
The celebration of the Exaltation on September 14 in the 4th century in the East is also evidenced in the lives of St. John Chrysostom, Eutyches, Patriarch of Constantinople († 582), Simeon the Holy Fool († c. 590).
At the same time, it is noteworthy that in the 4th century the worship of the Holy Cross was timed in the Jerusalem Church not yet for the holiday in question, but for Good Friday.
The very word Exaltation in surviving monuments it is first found in Alexander the Monk (527–565), the author of a laudatory word to the Cross.
By the 7th century, the close connection between the holidays of renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross ceased to be felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and the sack of Jerusalem by them in 614, when the Holy Cross was captured, and the archaic Jerusalem liturgical tradition was destroyed.
Subsequently, the eorthological situation developed in such a way that it was the Exaltation of the Cross that became the main holiday. The celebration of the renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although preserved in liturgical books up to the present, has become a pre-holiday day before the Exaltation of the Cross.
It is clear that at first it was a purely local holiday of the Jerusalem Church. But soon enough it spreads to other Churches of the East, especially in those places that owned a part of the Life-Giving Cross, for example, in Constantinople.
The holiday was to become especially widespread and strengthened in solemnity upon the return of the Cross from the Persian captivity under the emperor Heraclius in 628. This event served as a time point from which one can count the celebration of the Exaltation in the Latin West, during the pontificate of Pope Honorius I (625-638), with the name "the day of finding the Cross." And it was celebrated on May 3: “This could have happened from the fact that the East already had a feast in honor of the Holy Cross on September 14 and did not need a new one.”
Wed mirror hypothesis: “In the “Methodology of the East” the following consideration was expressed on this occasion: “Probably, this celebration was transferred from May to September, except for the connection with the memory of the consecration of the temple, also because it fell on the days of Pentecost in May and did not agree with the joy of these days."
As for the fast on the day of the Exaltation, the remark about it first appears in the Rules of the Jerusalem edition and in the earliest manuscripts. In cathedral churches they fast for a day, and in monasteries for two, including September 13th. On the Exaltation, it is allowed to eat oil and wine, but not fish. Nikon Chernogorets testifies: “We could not find anything recorded about the fast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, but everywhere it is performed. It is known from the examples of the great saints that they had the custom of being cleansed before the great feasts. They say that with this fast, the believers decided to be cleansed before kissing the Holy Cross, since this holiday itself was established for this. In the cathedral churches, this feast is celebrated one day and fasting is kept, and in the Studite and Jerusalem Typikon for two days - a feast and a prefeast.
Holiday in Orthodox worship
Continuing the conversation about the liturgical formation of the Exaltation, it should be noted that in the already mentioned Armenian translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, the renewal remains the main holiday. On the second day of the feast (that is, the day of the Exaltation), September 14, everyone gathers in the Martyrium, and the same antiphon and readings are repeated (prokimen from Ps. 64; 1 Tim. 3: 14-16; alleluia with a verse from Ps. 147 ; John 10:22-42), as on the eve.
The Georgian version of the Lectionary (V-VII centuries) contains the following information: the Feast of Renewal on September 13 lasts eight days. At the same time, September 14 already has a special name - "the day of the Exaltation of the Cross." At 3 o'clock (9 o'clock in the morning - after Matins), the rite of the exaltation of the Holy Cross and worship of it is performed, after which the Divine Liturgy follows. For her, the troparion (apparently, the input) "Christ's seal" with a verse from Ps. 27; readings (Prov. 3: 18-23; Is. 65: 22-24; Pr. 14: 1-7; Eze. 9: 2-6; 1 Cor. 1: 18-25; alleluiarium with a verse from Ps. 45 ; John 19: 16b-37), which are taken from the Good Friday service; troparia for the washing of hands and for the transfer of gifts - "The voice of Your prophet" and "The faces of angels glorify You." There is also a prokimen at Vespers on the day of the Exaltation (from Ps. 97). It is noteworthy that the Feast of Renewal in the Lectionary is the beginning of a new cycle of liturgical readings, Sundays after it are called the first, second, etc. by update.
In Iadgari (Georgian translation of the Jerusalem Tropology - a collection of hymnographic works), reflecting the Palestinian liturgical practice of the 7th-9th centuries, the Feast of the Exaltation is listed as the second day of the eight-day celebration in honor of the renewal of Jerusalem churches. A large number of hymns dedicated to the Holy Cross testify to the separation of the Exaltation into an independent holiday.
After the 10th century, the ancient Jerusalem tradition gave way to that of Constantinople.
In Constantinople, the feast of the renewal of churches did not have the same significance as in Jerusalem - for quite objective reasons. At the same time, the ever-increasing veneration of the Holy Tree of the Lord's Cross made the Exaltation one of the great feasts of the liturgical year. It was within the framework of the Constantinopolitan tradition, which in the post-iconoclast period became decisive in the worship of the entire Orthodox East, that the Exaltation finally surpassed the Feast of Renewal.
According to various lists of the Typicon of the Great Church, which reflects the post-iconoclastic conciliar practice of Constantinople in the 9th-12th centuries, the feast of the renewal of the Jerusalem churches on September 13th is one-day or even not celebrated at all. The Feast of the Exaltation on September 14, in contrast, is a five-day holiday cycle, including a four-day period of prefeast - September 10-13 and the day of the holiday - September 14.
Worship of the Cross began already on the days of forefeast: on September 10 and 11, men came to worship, on September 12 and 13 - women. The ceremony took place between morning and noon.
On September 13, at Matins on Ps 50, at the 3rd antiphon of the liturgy, and instead of the liturgical Trisagion, it is prescribed to sing the troparion of the 2nd plagal, that is, the 6th tone.
On the day of the feast, September 14, the divine service was distinguished by great solemnity: on the eve of the holiday, a festive vespers was performed (the initial antiphons, except for the 1st, final and entrance (“Lord, cry”), were canceled) with the reading of three proverbs (Ex. 15: 22-26; Proverbs 3:11-18; Isaiah 60:11-16; each of them is preceded by prokeimons - from Ps. 92, 59 and 73 respectively); at the end of Vespers, the troparion "Save, O Lord, Thy people" is laid. Pannikhis is also served - a short evening service on the eve of holidays and special days. Matins was performed according to the festive rite (“on the pulpit”), to Ps. 50 chanted not one, but six troparia. After the great doxology, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was performed. At the end of the exaltation and veneration of the Cross, the Divine Liturgy began. Her antiphons were canceled, and the troparion “We worship Thy Cross, O Lord,” was immediately sung, replacing the Trisagion. The readings of the liturgy are as follows: the prokeimenon from Ps. 98; 1 Cor. 1:18–22; alleluiarium with verses from Ps. 73; In. 19:6b, 9–11, 13–20, 25–28, 30–35 (with difficult opening verse). At Vespers on the day of the Exaltation, they sang the prokeimenon from Ps. 113.
In addition to the readings, the week after the Exaltation also had a special memory of the Hieromartyr Simeon, a relative of the Lord, with its following.
The Feast of the Exaltation received its final form in the 9th-12th centuries, when various editions of the Studite Rule were widespread in the Orthodox world. The corpus of chants of the Exaltation in its various editions is generally the same. The holiday has a prefeast and an afterfeast. The liturgical readings of the feast, Saturdays and weeks before and after the Exaltation are taken from the Typicon of the Great Church. But there are also differences. Thus, the first paroemia of the feast at Vespers (Ex. 15:22-26) is usually increased by two verses - up to 16:1. The gospel of the Sabbath before the Exaltation (Matt. 10:37-42) is read one more verse - up to 11: 1. The Apostolic reading of the Liturgy of the Exaltation, on the other hand, is abridged: 1 Cor. 1:18–24. And, of course, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross at the festive morning was also borrowed from the Constantinopolitan tradition.
Following the Typicon of the Great Church, in many manuscripts and editions of the Jerusalem Rule, the memory of Hieromartyr Simeon is commemorated on the week after the Exaltation. Usually, his follow-up is reduced to a procimen and alleluia at the liturgy, but some monuments, such as the “Officer of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral” of the 30s of the 17th century, prescribe to sing the follow-up of the holy martyr more fully.
In many Jerusalem (and Studian) Typikons, on September 14, the memory of the death of St. John Chrysostom is indicated. But its service on this day is usually canceled due to the inconvenience of combining two solemn services together. Thus, in the southern Italian editions of the Studian Rule, the ordination of the saint is transferred to Compline or Midnight Office.
In continuation of the theme of the Studian Typicon, it should be noted that in its numerous variants, the service of the Feast of the Exaltation is celebrated according to the festive rite. At Vespers there is an entrance and paroemias are read, the composition of which, like the liturgical readings, coincides with the indications of the Charter of the Great Church. At Matins, a reading is taken from chapter 12 of the Gospel of John, to which is added "Seeing the Resurrection of Christ" .
At the present stage, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Russian Orthodox Church is ranked among the great twelfth, is Lord's, non-transitory. On the day of the holiday, a fast is established, similar to the usual fast on Wednesday and Friday, that is, without the permission of the fish. The eorthological cycle also includes one day of fore-feast (September 13) and seven days of after-feast (from September 15 to 21), giving away on September 21.
The Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
The rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is an integral part of the service of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
After the event of finding the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, the custom was soon established annually to commemorate this event, as well as to commemorate the consecration (renovation) of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) to perform the rite of the exaltation of the Cross.
Typicon knows big number various variants of this ordination - local and chronological. N.D. Uspensky believes: "The variety of rites of exaltation is explained by the fact that the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was an indispensable and general church feature of the festive service."
So, already in the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century, preserved in the Armenian translation, the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those who pray is mentioned.
In the Georgian translation of the Lectionary, which reflects the practice of the 5th-7th centuries, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross is described in detail. It took place on September 14 at the third hour after dawn and began with the fact that the clergy entered the deacon, dressed, decorated the Cross or even three Crosses and placed them on the holy throne. The rite itself included three exaltations (raising) of the Cross, each of which was preceded by a group of prayers and chants and was accompanied by a 50-fold "Lord, have mercy." After the third exaltation, the Cross was washed with fragrant water, which was distributed to the people after the liturgy, and everyone was applied to the Cross. Then he was again placed on the holy throne and the Divine Liturgy began.
At least by the 6th century, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was already known and was performed not only in Jerusalem, but also in other places of the Christian world: Evagrius Scholasticus reports on the sacred ceremony of raising the Cross and enclosing it around the temple, which took place in Syrian Apamea. The compiler of the "Easter Chronicle" of the 7th century, noting the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross in Constantinople in 644, speaks of the third exaltation, which indicates the existence of a complex rank in Constantinople by that time.
According to the post-iconoclastic Typicon of the Great Church, which is found in later Slavic manuscripts, in the Church of Hagia Sophia, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was performed after entering at Matins, following the troparia in honor of the Cross. The rite itself is described briefly: the patriarch, standing on the pulpit, raised the Cross, holding it in his hands, and the people proclaimed: “Lord, have mercy”; this was repeated three times.
In the Typicons of the Studio tradition, the rite of exaltation is based on the Constantinople Cathedral Code, but is simplified in comparison with it. Chin is included in the Matins, in its final part. Instead of three cycles of five exaltations, only one is performed (consisting of five exaltations: twice to the east and once to the rest of the world).
In the Jerusalem Rite, starting from its earliest editions and ending with the printed Typicons, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross retains the characteristic features known from the Studio monuments: it is performed in the morning after the great doxology and singing of the troparion “Save, O Lord, Thy people”, consists of a five-time fall The cross and its elevation to the cardinal points (to the east, south, west, north and again to the east). An important change, in comparison with the Studium monuments, is the addition of five deacon's petitions to the rite (corresponding to the five fall of the Cross), after each of which the hundredfold "Lord, have mercy" is sung. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Charter, before raising the Cross, the primate must bow to the ground so that his head is a span away from the ground - approximately 18 centimeters.
During the correction of liturgical books in the Russian Church in the second half of the 17th century, the order of the fall of the cardinal points during the rite was changed: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This scheme has continued to the present day.
Patristic exegesis of the feast
At Matins or at the All-Night Vigil of the Exaltation in the Byzantine monastic Typicons, in the patristic Lectionaries it is prescribed to read one or more of the following patristic writings: St. John Chrysostom, Bishop Severian of Gabala (late 4th - early 5th centuries), St. Basil of Seleucia (5th century BC). ), Alexander the Monk (VI c.), St. Andrew of Crete (VIII c.), a fragment about the appearance of the Cross to Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and about the acquisition of the Cross, known in a number of versions.
In the week after the Exaltation, some lists of the Jerusalem Charter indicate the reading of the oros of the VI Ecumenical Council.
The semantic center of the patristic exegesis associated with the holiday in question, of course, becomes the reverent veneration of the Cross: “The Cross of Christ is the beautiful praise of Christians, the honest preaching of the apostles, the royal crown of the martyrs, the precious adornment of the prophets, the most brilliant illumination of the whole world! Cross of Christ... protect those who glorify you with a fiery heart. Save those who with faith receive and kiss you. Govern your servants in peace and firm faith. Vouchsafe everyone to reach the joyful and bright day of resurrection, guarding us in Christ Jesus our Lord ”(St. Theodore the Studite).
Holiday in pre-Chalcedonian and Western traditions
At first in Western tradition The Exaltation did not have the status of an independent holiday and was celebrated only as a worship of the Cross, supplementing the traditional Roman memory of the holy martyrs Cornelius of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage, which falls on September 14. Gradually, the celebration became more solemn.
The pontifical service of the feast involved showing the people and worshiping the relic of the Cross. Already in the 7th-8th centuries, the rite, regardless of the papal one, developed in the Roman titular Churches. The holiday was eventually included in the liturgical calendar, and the veneration of the relic was replaced by the veneration of the image of the Cross.
The Sacramentaries and Missals give a series of prayers for the Exaltation Mass. Phil. 2: 5 (or 8) - 11 or Col. 1:26-29 and Matt. 13:44, or Jn. 3:15 (or 16), or Jn. 12:31–36. The readings of the Tridentine Missal are as follows: Phil. 5:8–11 and Jn. 12:31–36; and the newest, Phil. 2:6–11 and Jn. 3:13–17.
On the day of the Exaltation, the worship of the Cross was performed, consisting of prayer and kissing the Cross, similar to the worship of the Cross on Great Friday.
In the Gallican and Spanish-Mozarabic rites, instead of the Feast of the Exaltation, the Feast of the Finding of the Cross was known on May 3, which is the earliest mention in Latin sources in the Silo Lectionary, which arose around 650. The Gelasian Sacramentary has in some of its lists references to the Feasts of the Holy Cross and the Finding of the Holy Cross - just like the Gregorian Breviary. An even greater hesitation regarding these holidays is found in the lists of the month-word attributed to the blessed Jerome, but ascending in the oldest lists to the middle of the 7th century, where these holidays either do not exist at all, then they are both present, then in a later edition only May 3 is preserved (as in the month-word Bede (8th century) and in the Padua Sacramentary of the 9th century).
Thus, while the feast of the return of the Holy Cross under Heraclius in the west on May 3 is almost universally widespread already in the 7th century, September 14 becomes known for the first time under the name of the “Exaltation of the Cross” (exaltatio Crucis) only in the 8th century, and then only in places (but there is news of its introduction in Rome by Pope Honorius I in the 7th century). Compare: "The holiday of May 3 is of Roman origin and is older than the holiday of September 14".
It should also be pointed out that in some Churches, for example, in Milan, the last feast is introduced only in the XI century. The final codification of the celebration of the event of the exaltation of the Cross did not occur until 1570.
Iconography of the holiday
Images of the event of finding the Cross by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena have been known since the 9th century. As a rule, these are miniatures, the compositional basis of which is not the historical scene with Patriarch Macarius, but the rite of the exaltation of the Cross in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
In the Psalms, Psalm 98 is often illustrated in this way. St. John Chrysostom raises the Cross on the ambo. His memory falls on September 14, and he is considered one of the founders of the Tsargrad liturgical tradition. Probably, these circumstances explain the appearance of this pictorial plot.
The ceremony of the erection of the Cross in Hagia Sophia with the participation of the emperor is described in detail in the treatise "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court" of the middle of the 10th century. However, images of Basileus in this scene appear only in the Paleologian era (see the painting of the monastery of the Holy Cross near Platanistasy in Cyprus, 1494).
In Russian icons of the 15th-16th centuries, the image of the exaltation of the Cross is further developed. The crowded scene appears against the backdrop of a single-domed church, in the center on a semicircular pulpit stands the patriarch with a Cross raised above his head, decorated with plant branches, he is supported under the arms of the deacons, on the right under the ciborium are the king and queen, in the foreground are the singers. The earliest image of such a recension, which is very popular, was preserved on a tablet from the Novgorod Cathedral of St. Sophia (end of the 15th century).
Another variant of the same plot is presented on an icon of 1613 from the Bistrita monastery in Romania: the king and queen stand on either side of the patriarch, their hands outstretched in prayer. This pictorial variant developed under the influence of paired images of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena with a Cross in their hands, known from the 10th century (murals in churches in Cappadocia).
This article will discuss one of the most significant Christian holidays - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. What is the history of this holiday, what date is it celebrated, what signs and traditions are associated with this day - you will find answers to all these questions here.
What holiday is it
The Orthodox Church annually celebrates twelve main holidays. The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is one of them. This holiday is dedicated to the Cross of our Savior. As all Orthodox Christians know, Jesus was crucified on the Cross, and since then the Cross of the Lord has been the main Shrine of the Orthodox world. The holiday symbolizes the lifting of the Cross from the earth after it was found.
After Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected, the pagans decided to erase the memories of this significant event from human memory so that future generations do not know what happened. They covered the place where the execution was carried out, as well as the Holy Sepulcher, with earth. At this place they erected a pagan temple, where they continued to worship their deities.
Neither more nor less, but as many as 300 years passed, until the greatest religious Shrine was regained. It happened under the Emperor Constantine. Thus, despite all the tricks of the pagans, the Cross of the Lord returned to those who believe in Christ. And in all ages it serves as a protection and a talisman for all Christians of the Earth.
What date is the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord? The Orthodox Church celebrates the holiday on September 27th. It is on this day that Christians remember the great event that returned to them one of the most significant Shrines of Christianity.
From the history
The life-giving Cross on which Jesus was crucified was found by the mother of Emperor Constantine, Queen Helen, in a cave near Jerusalem. This happened in 326. Help in this matter was provided by an elderly Jew. He knew where the Cross was, and showed this place to the Queen Equal to the Apostles. When they dug a cave under the pagan temple, they found three crosses in it.
As is known from history, two thieves were executed along with Jesus. The tablet with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" lay separately from the crosses. Before the people who found the cave, the question arose of how to determine on which of them Jesus was crucified. For this, the following method was invented: all three crosses were brought to a seriously ill woman in turn, two of them had no effect on the woman, and the third Cross worked a miracle - the woman recovered.
There is also a belief that at this time the body of a deceased person was carried past the cave for burial. All three crosses in turn began to lay on the body. Two did not affect the deceased in any way, and the Life-Giving Cross again performed a miracle. Man is risen! Thus, it was established which Cross is life-giving and on which exactly Jesus was crucified. It was through him that the Lord performed a miracle and showed his power.
What does the Exaltation of the Holy Cross mean?
All the people present at the events described above, including Patriarch Macarius and Empress Elena, bowed to the Cross with great joy and began to kiss it. Other Christians also learned about this great event. Many people gathered at the place where the Cross of the Lord was found. Every Christian yearned to venerate this great shrine. However, there were so many people that it was physically impossible to do so. Then people began to ask at least to show them this miracle. Patriarch Macarius stood on a hill and raised (raised) the Cross several times so that everyone could see Him. That is why the holiday was called the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. During the raising of the shrine, all those present bowed and exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy!”
Helen brought a part of the Cross of the Lord to her son, and the other part was left in Jerusalem. Emperor Constantine commanded that the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord be built in Jerusalem. Its construction lasted almost ten years. This is not the only temple that was erected in honor of this event. Temples were also erected in Fevron, on the Mount of Olives and in Bethlehem.
Return from captivity
In the 7th century, another important event took place - the return of the Tree of the Cross from Persian captivity. In 614, the Persian king conquered Jerusalem. The city was plundered, and along with other treasures, the king took to Persia the tree of the Life-Giving Cross. The shrine was held by foreigners for exactly fourteen years, until in 628 Emperor Heraclius defeated the Persians. He made peace with Persia and returned the Life-Giving Cross to his homeland in Jerusalem.
What happened next with the greatest Shrine of Christians is not known for certain. According to one version, the Cross was in the homeland until 1245, while other historians believe that it was divided into parts and carried around the world. One of the parts of the Life-Giving Cross is still kept in the ark in Jerusalem in the altar of the Church of the Resurrection.
Customs and traditions
The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross began with the event to which it is dedicated. Since the great Shrine of Christians was found, all generations from year to year revere and celebrate this day.
Many traditions and customs are associated with the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Just like on any other significant church holiday, the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy are held on the Exaltation. In all Christian churches, festive services are held on this day. During the service, the Cross is brought to the middle of the temple for worship. The day before the holiday itself, there is a forefeast. After the Day of the Exaltation, there are seven days of afterfeast. In addition, the Exaltation is preceded by Saturday and Sunday, which are called Saturday and the Week before the Feast of the Exaltation.
Of course, believing Christians must visit the temple on this day. They pray, listen to sermons about the history of finding the Life-Giving Cross. Orthodox Christians worship the Cross as the most sacred thing. According to tradition, a procession with prayers and icons is performed on this holiday.
In the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, all Christians pray for the health of their loved ones, as well as for well-being, understanding and happiness in their family. We should also not forget about people who have a need for something. During this period, it is customary to give alms to the poor, donate your funds to the needs of the temple, and also perform other good and charitable deeds. You can visit Orphanage with gifts and to please children deprived of parental love. Everything that is done with love and concern for others brings you closer to God.
What to do on this holiday
For every Orthodox Christian, it is important that significant days pass as best and as correctly as possible, in order to do everything that is as useful as possible for your family and soul. The Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is also no exception to this rule. Therefore, many are interested in the question of what can and cannot be done on this day. Perhaps some traditions are superstitions that the church does not approve of. But it is still very interesting to know what is considered useful to do on this day.
First of all, a strict fast must be observed on this holiday. The church teaches this, and it is accepted according to church laws. Neither meat nor milk, as well as other products of animal origin, should not be consumed. This rule also applies to Sunday, if the holiday falls on it. Many housewives prepared a variety of cabbage dishes for food. This vegetable was present in abundance in every home. Various pies, casseroles, cabbage salads decorated the festive table. Cabbage was fried, stewed, and used in sauerkraut. Therefore, the day of the Exaltation was still secretly called "Cabbage".
On this day, it will also be useful to sprinkle your home with holy water. It is believed that this action will help protect the house from evil spirits, dashing people and other misfortunes. At the same time, it is advisable to read a prayer to the Life-Giving Cross, because it is he who is the main symbol of this holiday. In houses where cattle were kept, according to custom, on the Feast of the Exaltation, small crosses were made of wood and placed in mangers and animal bins. Some people made crosses from rowan branches. These symbols were supposed to protect livestock and property from evil forces, to keep everything safe and sound.
In ancient times, there was even such a custom: crosses were painted in houses with chalk, garlic, soot or animal blood. Therefore, the Feast of the Exaltation was also called Stavrov's Day. "Stavros" in Greek means "cross". There is also a belief that when you see birds flying south on the Feast of the Exaltation, you need to make your most cherished wish. It is believed that it will definitely come true.
What not to do on this holiday
In addition to what needs to be done on the day of the Exaltation, there are also things that are strongly discouraged from doing. Firstly, on this day, as already mentioned, you can not eat animal food. Secondly, you can not swear and swear. This is especially true for close people. It is believed that all the negative energy released at this moment will return as a threefold boomerang.
Thirdly, on this holiday it is not recommended to do hard work around the house, for example, make repairs, chop wood, etc. In principle, it is not advised to work hard on other great Christian holidays. It is better to spend this day in prayers, thoughts about God, in doing good deeds in relation to your neighbors. Of course, if the circumstances are such that something needs to be done to prevent damage to property or human health, this prohibition is lifted. But purposefully planning something grandiose, requiring labor-intensive costs, is not worth it. Especially if this action is not urgent and it can be postponed for another day without prejudice to all.
Fourthly, it is believed that new business cannot be started on this day. All of them are supposedly doomed to failure. Everyone decides for himself whether this is true or a superstition that does not need to be followed. In the old days, people also believed that it was impossible to leave the doors open on the Feast of the Exaltation. It was believed that on this day the snakes are looking for a place for wintering and for this they can choose any house. However, this is most likely more connected not with the holiday itself, but with the time of the year on which this holiday falls.
And quite already from ancient beliefs: it was believed that on this day you can’t go to the forest. Allegedly, the goblin goes around his possessions, counting the animals. At this time, it is better not to catch his eye, because you can stay forever in the forest. Of course, in our times, these superstitions seem ridiculous to us.
Signs
The signs of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross are primarily associated with the fact that colds are coming, the seasons are changing. The peasants perceived the holiday as the final offensive of autumn. There was even such a saying: “On the Exaltation, a fur coat stretches for a caftan,” that is, it’s time to get warm clothes. This is the period when the last birds fly south, the bears prepare for hibernation, and the snakes hide in their holes.
It is believed that the Exaltation marks the end of the "Indian summer", that is, after this holiday, it is no longer worth waiting for heat. The autumn season is also coming to an end - the last one rises from the field. According to signs, if frosts strike on the day of the Exaltation, then spring is expected to be early.
There was a special sign for unmarried girls. It was believed that if a beauty reads a special prayer seven times, the guy she loves will definitely like her.
For those believers who strictly observe Lent on September 27, there is also a good sign. There is a belief that such people are forgiven all sins. Of course, observance of the Fast is not enough. If a person has evil thoughts and deeds, then it is unlikely that abstinence from animal food will help him. However, if a person tries to live according to the Commandments of God, then the observance of all the recommendations and instructions of the church will certainly benefit. The main thing is sincere faith and diligence to serve for the glory of God.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Icon
The meaning of icons in Christianity is very great. Through them, among other things, there is a creed. Even illiterate people, looking at the icons, can understand what events are depicted on it. Accordingly, comes awareness and understanding of the key points of Christianity.
The icon of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord reflects the events of that great day when Christians finally found, after a long and exhausting search, the greatest Shrine - the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. On the holy canvas you can see a large crowd of people against the backdrop of the temple. In the center is the Patriarch with the Cross. To the right is Empress Helen with her son, Tsar Constantine. There are many saints and believers in the picture. All reverently look at the tree of the Life-Giving Cross. Sometimes the icon also depicts a reminder of the great miracle that accompanied this event, namely the image of the resurrected dead, healed by touching the shrine.
The icon of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross is famous for its miraculous abilities. Before her, it is customary to pray for healing from all sorts of ailments - migraines, infertility, toothache, diseases of the bones, joints, and so on. The holy canvas can heal from any disease, even the most neglected. There are cases when terminally ill people, coming to the icon to pray and ask for healing, recovered.
Prayers
For an Orthodox Christian, prayer is both the way and the means for absolutely all achievements. This is the source of all prosperity. According to Pavel Florensky, prayer is the inhalation of God's grace. Therefore, prayer should be considered the most important activity during the day (after deeds in the name of mercy). Before any deed, a person must read a prayer. Then it begins with love and hope, which, together with faith, will surely lead him to success. Reading a prayer before any event in your life, you receive God's blessing.
The history of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is unique. For believers, this is undoubtedly one of the most significant events. True Orthodox Christians must go to church on this day and pray before the icon of the Life-Giving Cross. If it is not possible to attend church, then you can pray at home.
"Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body, wake up: casting down demons in your own way, driving away enemies, exercising passions and giving reverence to us, and life, and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and honest prayers of the Most Pure Theotokos. Amen."
In principle, there are no strict rules about how to pray. It does not matter where you will do it - at home or in the temple. The main thing is that it should be sincere with faith and with all my heart. The most important condition for praying is to get rid of worldly thoughts, stand reverently in front of the images and thoughtfully read every word with trepidation in the soul. The power of prayer is difficult to overestimate. If it is pronounced with sincere faith, it can work a miracle. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. What seems impossible for a person, everything is subject to God. The main thing is to believe and hope.
Conclusion
The postcard once again clearly demonstrates the events of that great day. Visualization will add positive emotions from the holiday, fill the heart with joy and happiness. You need to share your warm feelings, send them to those around you, and then love, kindness, faith and hope will only multiply for the glory of God.
The event of finding the Holy Cross. After the greatest events in the history of mankind took place - the Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, St. The cross, which served as the instrument of execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman troops in 70 AD, the holy places associated with the earthly life of the Lord fell into oblivion, and pagan temples were built on some of them.
The acquisition of the Holy Cross took place in the reign of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great. According to church historians of the 4th century, Constantine's mother, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena, went to Jerusalem at the request of her royal son to find places connected with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as St. The cross, the miraculous appearance of which appeared to St. Constantine is a sign of victory over the enemy.
Three different versions of the legend about the acquisition of St. Cross. According to the most ancient (it is given by church historians of the 5th century Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen and others, and probably goes back to the lost "Church History" of Gelasius of Caesarea (4th century)), the Holy Cross was under the pagan sanctuary of Venus. When the sanctuary was destroyed, three crosses were found, as well as a tablet from the Cross of the Savior and the nails with which He was nailed to the instrument of execution. In order to find out which of the crosses is the one on which the Lord was crucified, Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem (+ 333) proposed to attach each of the crosses in turn to a seriously ill woman. When she was healed after touching one of the crosses, all those gathered glorified God, who pointed to the greatest shrine of the True Tree of the Cross of the Lord, and the Holy Cross was raised by Bishop Macarius for everyone to see.
The second version of the legend about the acquisition of the Holy Cross, which arose in Syria in the 1st half. 5th century, refers this event not to the 4th, but to the 3rd century. and says that the Cross was found by Protonika, the wife of imp. Claudius II (269-270), and then hidden and found again in the 4th century.
The third version, also apparently originating in the 5th century BC. in Syria, reports that St. Elena tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jerusalem Jews, and in the end, an elderly Jew named Judas, who at first did not want to talk, after tortures, indicated the place - the temple of Venus. St. Helena ordered to destroy the temple and excavate this place. 3 crosses were found there; a miracle helped to reveal the Cross of Christ - resurrection through touching the True Tree of a dead man who was carried past. Of Judas, it is reported that he subsequently converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became bishop of Jerusalem.
Despite the greatest antiquity of the first version of the legend about finding the Holy Cross, in the middle and late Byzantine era, the third version became the most common; in particular, it is based on the prologue legend, intended to be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, according to modern liturgical books of the Orthodox Church.
The exact date of obtaining the Holy Cross is unknown; apparently, it took place in 325 or 326. After the acquisition of St. Cross Emperor Constantine began the construction of a number of churches, where divine services were to be performed with solemnity appropriate to the Holy City. Around 335, the large basilica of Martyrium, erected directly near Golgotha and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated. Day of Renewal(i.e., the consecration) of Martyrium, as well as the rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings on the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior on September 13 or 14 began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and the remembrance of the finding of the Holy Cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of the Renewal.
The establishment of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross is thus connected with the feasts in honor of the consecration of Martyrium and the rotunda of the Resurrection. According to the "Easter Chronicle" of the 7th century, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was first performed during the celebrations at the consecration of Jerusalem churches.
Already in con. 4th century the feast of the Renewal of the Basilica of Martyrium and the Rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the three main feasts of the year in the Jerusalem Church, along with Pascha and Epiphany. According to the pilgrim con. 4th century Egerii, Renewal was celebrated for eight days; every day the Divine Liturgy was celebrated solemnly; temples were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; many people came to Jerusalem for the feast, including those from remote areas - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria. Egeria emphasizes that the Renewal was celebrated on the same day when the Cross of the Lord was found, and also draws a parallel between the events of the consecration of the Jerusalem churches and the Old Testament temple built by Solomon (“Pilgrimage”, Ch. 48-49).
Choice of September 13 or 14 as holiday dates Updates could be due both to the very fact of the consecration of churches on these days, and a conscious choice. According to a number of researchers, the Feast of Renewal has become the Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles, one of the three main holidays of the Old Testament worship (Lev 34:33-36), celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Old Testament calendar (this month roughly corresponds to September) , especially since the consecration of Solomon's temple also took place during Tabernacles. In addition, the date of the feast of renewal on September 13 coincides with the date of the consecration of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Rome, and a Christian holiday could be established instead of a pagan one (this theory has not received much circulation). Finally, parallels are possible between the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14 and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between the Exaltation of the Cross and the feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated 40 days before. The question of the reason for choosing exactly September 13 as the date of the celebration of the Renewal (and, accordingly, September 14 as the date of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) in modern historical science has not been finally resolved.
Renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross. In the 5th century, according to the testimony of the church historian Sozomen, the feast of the Renewal was celebrated in the Jerusalem Church as before very solemnly, for 8 days, during which “even the sacrament of Baptism was taught” (Church History. 2. 26). According to the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century preserved in the Armenian translation, on the second day of the Feast of the Renewal, the Holy Cross was shown to all the people. Thus, the Exaltation of the Cross was originally established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the Renewal - similar to the holidays in honor of the Mother of God on the day after the Nativity of Christ or St. John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord.
Starting from the VI century. The Exaltation of the Cross gradually began to become a more significant holiday than the Feast of the Renewal. If in the Life of St. Savva the Sanctified, written in the VI century. Rev. Cyril of Scythopol, they still talk about the celebration of the Renewal, but not the Exaltation (ch. 67), then already in the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, traditionally attributed to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (7th century), it is said that St. Mary went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation (ch. 19).
The very word "elevation" ( ypsosis) among the surviving monuments is first found in Alexander the Monk (527-565), the author of the laudatory word to the Cross, which should be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross according to many liturgical monuments of the Byzantine tradition (including modern Russian liturgical books). Alexander Monk wrote that September 14 is the date of the celebration of the Exaltation and Renewal, established by the fathers at the command of the emperor (PG. 87g. Col. 4072).
By the 7th century the close connection between the holidays of the Renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross ceased to be felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and the sack of Jerusalem by them in 614, which led to the captivity of the Holy Cross by the Persians and the partial destruction of the ancient Jerusalem liturgical tradition. Yes, St. Sophronius of Jerusalem in a sermon says that he does not know why on these two days (September 13 and 14) the Resurrection precedes the Cross, that is, why the Feast of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection precedes the Exaltation, and not vice versa, and that more ancient bishops could know the reason for this (PG. 87g. Col. 3305).
Subsequently, it was the Exaltation of the Cross that became the main holiday; the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although it has been preserved in liturgical books up to the present, has become a pre-holiday day before the Exaltation of the Cross.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Cathedral Liturgy of Constantinople in the 9th-12th Centuries In Constantinople, the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem churches did not have the same significance as in Jerusalem. On the other hand, the veneration of the Holy Tree of the Cross of the Lord, which began under St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and especially intensified after the victorious return of St. Cross by Emperor Heraclius from Persian captivity in March 631 (this event is also associated with the establishment of calendar commemorations of the Cross on March 6 and on the Holy Week of Great Lent), made the Exaltation of the Cross one of the great holidays of the liturgical year. It was within the framework of the Constantinopolitan tradition, which in the post-iconoclast period became decisive in the worship of the entire Orthodox world, that the Exaltation finally surpassed the Feast of Renewal.
According to various lists of the Typicon of the Great Church, which reflects the post-iconoclastic conciliar practice of Constantinople in the 9th-12th centuries, the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross is a five-day festive cycle, including a four-day prefeast period on September 10-13 and the feast day on September 14. Particular importance is also attached to Saturdays and Sundays before and after the Exaltation, which received their liturgical readings.
Worship of the Holy Cross began already on the days of the forefeast: on September 10 and 11, men came to worship, on September 12 and 13 - women. Worship took place between morning and noon.
On the day of the feast, September 14, the service was distinguished by solemnity: on the eve they performed a festive vespers with the reading of proverbs; for the sake of the holiday they served pannihis (a solemn service at the beginning of the night); matins were performed according to the festive rite (“on the pulpit”); after the great doxology was performed. At the end of the Exaltation and veneration of the Cross, the Divine Liturgy began.
In the Byzantine post-iconoclast monastic Typicons The charter of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross received its final form. The corpus of hymns of the feast according to these Typicons is on the whole the same; the holiday has a prefeast and an afterfeast; the liturgical readings of the feast, Saturdays, and weeks before and after the Exaltation are taken from the Typicon of the Great Church; from the Constantinopolitan cathedral tradition, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross at the festive morning was also borrowed, somewhat simplified in comparison with that one. In the Jerusalem Charter, starting from its early editions of the XII-XIII centuries. there is an indication of fasting on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross. Rev. Nikon Chernogorets (XI century) wrote in "Pandekty" that fasting on the day of the Exaltation is not indicated anywhere, but is a common practice.
According to the Jerusalem Charter now adopted in the Orthodox Church, the festive cycle of the Exaltation of the Cross consists of the fore-feast on September 13 (connected with the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection), the feast of September 14 (in the XX-XXI centuries - September 27 according to a new style) and seven days of after-feast, including release September 21st.
Holiday hymns. Compared to the hymnography of other twelfth feasts, not all the chants of the Exaltation of the Cross are associated with this particular event, many of them are part of the hymns of the cross of the Octoechos (at the services of Wednesdays and Fridays of all voices), as well as in the sequence of other holidays in honor of the Cross: the Origin of the Honest Ancient on August 1, the Appearances of the sign of the Cross in heaven on May 7, the week of Great Lent, that is, they constitute a single corpus of hymnographic texts dedicated to the Cross of the Lord.
A number of chants following the V. holiday traditionally include prayers for the Emperor and petitions for granting him and his army victory. In modern Russian editions, many lines containing petitions for the Emperor have either been removed or reformulated, which was due to historical circumstances. The reason for the appearance of such petitions should be seen in the Orthodox understanding of the Cross as a sign of victory (which made the Cross part of the Byzantine military symbolism), and also in the fact that the acquisition of the Cross and the establishment of the Feast of the Exaltation took place thanks, first of all, to the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Elena. The latter is confirmed by the presence of a special memory of St. Constantine and Helena in the Sinai Canonar of the 9th-10th centuries. September 15, that is, the day after the Exaltation (the establishment of this memory expresses the same idea as the establishment of the memory Holy Mother of God the day after the Nativity of Christ or the memory of St. John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord - immediately after the event, those persons who were of paramount importance for its implementation are glorified).
The hymnographic sequence of the Exaltation of the Cross contains a troparion Save, O Lord, your people..., kontakion Ascended to the Cross by will..., canon of St. Cosmas of Mayumsky, a large number of stichera (22 self-voiced and 5 similar cycles), 6 sedals and 2 lamps. There is only one canon in the sequence of the Exaltation of the Cross, but the ninth ode in it includes not one, but two irmos and two cycles of troparia, and the last four letters of the acrostic from the eighth ode and the first group of troparia from the ninth ode of the canon are duplicated in the second group of troparia of the ninth ode. The unusual nature of this structure of the canon explains the tradition preserved on Mount Athos, according to which St. Cosmas Mayumsky, having come to Antioch for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, heard in one temple that his canon was not sung to the tune that he himself had in mind when compiling the canon. Rev. Kosma made a remark to the singers, but they refused to correct the mistake; then the monk revealed to them that he was the compiler of the canon, and as proof he composed another group of troparia of the ninth ode. Byzantine interpretations of this intricately written canon have been preserved in the manuscripts, on the basis of which he wrote his own interpretation (which is very famous in the Greek Churches) of St. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain.
Based on the materials of the article by deacon Mikhail Zheltov and A.A. Lukashevich
"The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" from the 9th volume of the "Orthodox Encyclopedia"
On September 27, an important holiday for Orthodox Christians will take place - the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. This day must be remembered in order to spend it according to the precepts of the church.
Exaltation in 2019 is celebrated on September 27. However, this date does not shift from year to year in the calendar, unlike some other church festivities.
The Exaltation is one of the twelve holidays - these are celebrated by the church. Their dates do not change. This feast is dedicated to the acquisition of, perhaps, one of the most significant relics for the entire Christian (not only Orthodox, but also Catholic) world: the Cross on which Christ was crucified.
The name of the holiday is explained simply: in the Eastern, Orthodox Church, there is a tradition for this holiday to take out to the parishioners for service and ritually establish a cross - that is, erect it. Hence the name. This custom is very ancient: it dates back to the 4th century AD.
How to celebrate the Exaltation in 2019
The basic rules remain unchanged - on such a day you can’t get angry, swear, swear or abuse bad habits. It is necessary to be at peace and harmony with relatives and colleagues. September 27, 2019 falls on a Friday, many will work, completing working week; in such a situation, stresses, quarrels, disagreements are possible - they need to be extinguished if possible, bring the disputants to a compromise, look for options that will suit everyone. It is also at home - it is important for all household members to honor the elders, not offend the younger ones and take care of each other.
If possible, it is worth going to the service in the temple to catch the removal of the cross. Churched people are prescribed a strict fast on this day - you can not eat all animal food as food.
Prayers on this day should also be remembered. You can start with "" - this is the main Christian prayer. You need to read it, tuned in to communication with God, not in between times and not in vain thoughts. Another important prayer for September 27 is "".
If you want to learn more about the rules and traditions of this day, the editors of the site have prepared a publication for you about. We wish you prosperity and happiness on this important and solemn day. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
26.09.2019 05:56
One of the main church holidays, called the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, has a rich history and many traditions, ...
On September 27, according to the new style, the church holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is celebrated. The holiday was established in memory of the found Cross, ...
Orthodox holiday The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated Orthodox Church September 27, new style (old style - September 14). It is preceded by the forefeast (September 26). After it, there are 7 days of after-feast - until October 4th. This means that on these days, elements corresponding to this holiday are introduced into the services - they read special prayers. On the feast itself, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed, but only if the service is led by a bishop.
What is the holiday dedicated to?
The Feast of the Exaltation is dedicated to an important event - the discovery by the Roman Empress Elena during the excavations of the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.
Then Patriarch Macarius, standing on a dais, raised (raised) the Cross in order to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to at least see the shrine. From this action came the name - Exaltation.
Please note: In the Orthodox church calendar The most important holidays are the Twelve (they are named so because there are twelve of them).
The twelfth feasts are divided into lordly and theotokos, according to whether they are dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ or the Most Holy Theotokos.
Read about the Lord's Twelve Feasts:
Exaltation - Lord's holiday. Unlike some other twelfth holidays, it is non-transferable, that is, it is celebrated every year on the same date - September 27th.
Part of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
history of the holiday
And it all started like this. Emperor Constantine the First, son of Helena, was a subordinate co-ruler in the Roman Empire. The state had a difficult situation with power - there were several rulers at once. The impious Maxentius, the son of Maximian, ruled in Rome. Maxentius came to power by rebellion in 306. He oppressed the people with heavy taxes, and spent the collected funds on magnificent entertainments and holidays. He persecuted and killed Christians. But his army was large, and Constantine hesitated in the decision to go to war against him.
Interesting: Maxentius was a pagan and sought help from false gods and idols.
Constantine remembered how his father, Constantius, worshiped the One God, and decided to pray to Him. After several hours of fervent prayer, Constantine was visited by a vision - a brightly shining Cross in the sky with an inscription that can be translated as "conquer this". The sign was also seen by many close warriors. Then he found a deep dream on the emperor, in which he saw the Savior Himself, who promised him success in military operations if he resorted to the help of the Cross and His image. Waking up, the emperor gave the order for the widespread distribution of the image of the Cross - on armor, shields and swords of soldiers, on banners, etc.
From that moment on, Constantine prayed before the battles with the troops of Maxentius and began to win victory after victory. The decisive battle took place in the vicinity of Rome, at the Milvian bridge. The troops of Maxentius could not stand it and fled from the battlefield, he himself drowned in the Tiber River.
Empress Elena goes in search of a shrine
Having come to power, Constantine declared freedom of religion and stopped the persecution of Christians. Later, he decided to find one of the main shrines of the Christian religion - the Life-Giving Cross, that is, the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. It was also decided to build a temple on the sacred site of the Resurrection of Christ.
Empress Elena, the mother of Constantine, with whom he had close relations, took up the realization of these intentions. Under the influence of her son, she also converted to Christianity.
Key Date: In 326, Helena began her journey to Jerusalem.
By that time, the appearance of Jerusalem had undergone significant changes compared to the period of the Savior's earthly life. In response to the uprisings against Roman power in 66, the general Titus captured and destroyed Jerusalem. The great temple was burned down. Later came the emperor Hadrian, who adhered to the ancient Roman religion. He installed a temple to the Roman goddess of sexual pleasures, Venus (Aphrodite), on a sacred site.
All sacred relics were underground. Therefore, Elena had to undertake a difficult search.
At first, the Jews were cunning and did not want to show the location of the Cross of the Lord. But under the threat of force, they pointed to an old man named Judas, who had the necessary information. Judas also resisted for a long time, but under torture they managed to knock out the necessary information from him. He pointed out the place where the temple of Venus and other pagan temples stood. The pagan temple was destroyed, and careful excavations were made in these places.
Interesting: Soon a fragrance appeared, indicating that the search was going in the right direction.
The places of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ were found. Three crosses and a tablet with inscriptions were found near Golgotha.
Crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary
Information from the gospel
According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was executed along with two thieves, whose crosses stood on the left and right. One of the robbers repented before the Lord and was forgiven.
Ancient Jewish customs ordered the execution tool to be buried along with the executed criminal. But the Lord was handed over for execution in accordance with Roman law. In addition, His burial was performed by the disciples - the early Christians. They, of course, did not put the Cross in the cave - the Holy Sepulcher.
Trial of the Cross
Now it was difficult to determine on which of the crosses the Savior was crucified. The issue was resolved by a test proposed by Patriarch Macarius.
There was a woman living in the neighborhood who had been suffering from an incurable disease for a long time and was dying. They brought her, and at first they put the first two crosses on her, but she did not feel better. After the application of the third Cross, she was instantly healed (according to other sources, the healing occurred as soon as the shadow from the Cross dawned on her).
There is also a version that when touching the Holy Cross, a dead person, already prepared for burial, resurrected.
Such convincing evidence left no doubt. Interestingly, the old man Judas, who indicated the place, himself converted to Christianity and subsequently even became the Patriarch of Jerusalem, betrayed to torment under the emperor Julian the Apostate.
worship traditions
From that moment the worship of the Life-Giving Cross began. First, the patriarch lifted Him up so that as many people as possible could see Him. At the same time, people said one of the main Christian prayers: "Lord, have mercy." On this basis, the rite of veneration of the Cross in cathedrals was subsequently developed, when the bishop raises the shrine above his head.
From history: Elena began to build temples in Jerusalem and throughout the holy land.
The Church of the Resurrection was built first on the site where the Life-Giving Cross was found. In total, eighteen churches were built in various places sacred to Christians.
There is no exact information about the subsequent fate of the shrine. It is known that it was divided into particles and dispersed to churches throughout the Christian world. The initial division into two parts was carried out by Helen, who sent part to Constantine, and left part enclosed in a precious ark for worship for the people in Jerusalem. Crowds of people came to the temple and kissed the Tree. The bishop led the worship. But, despite the strict measures taken, the fragmentation of the Tree into particles continued.
From the history of the war with Persia
In the 7th century, under Emperor Phocas, the shrine was stolen during the Persian invasion and transported to Persia. But Phocas' successor, Emperor Heraclius, restored order. At first, his military actions against the Persian king Khozroy were unsuccessful. Then he resorted to prayers, fasting and divine services.
Important: The Lord helped the pious ruler, and the victory over the Persians took place.
In 628 the Holy Cross was returned to Jerusalem.
Then another miracle happened. Heraclius himself carried the tree to the temple on his shoulders. He was dressed in royal attire. But for some reason, when approaching the Execution Ground, the king could not go further. Then a revelation came to Patriarch Zacharias that the martyr's Cross should be carried in simple clothes and with bare feet. Heraclius changed into simple clothes and was able to continue moving.
The cross was placed in its original place in the temple.
The further fate of the shrine
It can be argued that He stayed there until the time of the Crusaders (until the 13th century). It is difficult to trace his subsequent fate.
To date, only information has been preserved that numerous particles of the Cross are stored in various Christian churches and monasteries around the world. The exact reliability of each of the particles today cannot be fully proven. It remains only to accept them as an object for worship.
Here is a list of temples and monasteries that store particles in Russia:
- Annunciation Monastery (Nizhny Novgorod);
- Holy Cross Monastery (Nizhny Novgorod);
- Resurrection-Fedorovsky Monastery;
- Holy Cross Monastery (Yekaterinburg);
- Pokrovsky Alexander Nevsky Monastery;
- Church of Anastasia the Solver (Pskov);
- Exaltation of the Cross Kyltovsky convent;
- Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Krapivniki.
The largest of the particles is stored in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Its dimensions are: 635 mm long, 393 mm wide, 40 mm thick. The particles staying in Russia are much smaller.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem
Exaltation - fast day
In common speech, the name of the holiday has been subjected to various distortions over the centuries - the peasants call it the Movement, the Shift, etc. Mixed with the people's memory of pagan traditions, the holiday has grown among the peasants with numerous beliefs that have no theological value.
Important: By church charter, Exaltation is a fast day, animal products - meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products are prohibited.
But, unlike some other posts, vegetable oil is allowed. In Russia, it is especially popular on this day. sauerkraut, seasoned vegetable oil.
About posts:
The meaning and traditions of worship on this day
The meaning of this holiday for an Orthodox Christian is different from the meaning of Holy Week. On the week of the Passion of Christ, the Orthodox strictly fast and remember with fear the sufferings of the Savior. And on the Exaltation, one must remain in spiritual joy about one's redemption and salvation by the Lord.
Important! On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy are served. The combination of this Lord's holiday with the memory of some other saint is unacceptable, therefore the memory of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on another day.
During Matins, the Gospel is read at the altar. At a certain moment, the priest or bishop takes out the Cross. This, of course, is not the Life-Giving Cross itself, but its symbol. But on this day, special grace comes from him. The parishioners take turns kissing him, and the priest anoints them with holy oil.
Watch a video about the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross