Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

Historical content

On this day, the right-to-glorious Christ-sti-and-not-all-we-have two events. As the Holy Precept says, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgofa, where the Savior was crucified. And the second event is the return of the Living Cross from Persia, where he was in captivity. In the 7th century, he was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek emperor Irakli. Both events are united in the name of the holiday by the fact that the established Cross was raised in front of the people, that is, under -no-ma-li.

The Feast of the Voz-movement, dedicated to the Cross of Christ, expresses whether the Tur-gi-che-che (God-serves) ny) as-pect po-chi-ta-niya chri-sti-a-na-mi of the Gol-goff-sko-go-sta as an instrument of spa-se-niya of mankind. The name indicates the ceremonial lifting of the Cross up ("movement") after the cross -its in the ground. This is the only two-year holiday (i.e., one of the twenty greatest holidays of the year) th cycle), the historical basis for which not only new events appeared, but also later ones nie - from the field of church history.

The birth of Bo-go-ma-te-ri, the celebration of six days before, - before-the-ve-rie of the secrets of -the existence of God on earth, and the Cross proclaims His future sacrifice. That's why the holiday of the Cross is the same in the church of the year (September 14/27).

With the celebration of the Movement of the Cross of the Lord, the Right-glorious Church unites the good and the good a holy remembrance of the Cross itself, on which our Savior was crucified, and a joyful but sad remembrance -on-the-events about-the-re-th-of the-honest and-to-the-hundred-of-the-tree of this Cross of the State- under-nya.

On this day, the Right-glorious Church invites the believers to render the good-worship of Honest-but- to the Living Cross, on which our Lord and Savior endured the greatest sufferings for the sake of our spa.

On this Cross, according to the words of the church songs, “death has died and now will not appear,” on it “with -de-la spa-se-nie Pre-eternal King in the middle of the earth” and they implement “eternal truth”; for us, the Cross of Christ is a divine ladder, “with it we ascend to heaven”; spa-si-tel-noe this tree - “weapon of the world, not-for-be-di-may-for-be-yes”, which “carries-not-se-us to the lane -your bliss, even before the enemy stole sweetness, drove us out of God’s co-creation,” and we are “the earth’s gods” and “everyone is attracted to God.” How can we not bless the Lord on this holiday by paying homage to the Cross of Christ, who revealed for us “beyond the perishable world” of our salvation, to which access to the kingdom of God is open for us, to to the heavenly bliss, through which we receive “immortal pi-shu”!

According to the words of one great father of the Church, “The cross is the head of our spa; The cross is the reason for countless blessings. Because of him, we, who were previously demon-glorious and rejected by God, are now among the sons of ; through this we no longer remain in error, but in the knowledge of the truth; through him, we, having previously kla-n-shi-e-sya de-re-vyam and stones, now know the Savior of everyone; through no-go we, former slaves of sin, are brought into the freedom of righteousness, through no-go earth , finally, became a non-bom.” The cross is “the stronghold of the saints, the light of the entire universe. As in a house engulfed in darkness, someone lit a lamp and, placing it on a higher level, muttered darkness, so also Christ in the universe, enveloped in darkness, holding up the Cross, like some kind of lamp, and lifting it up So-ko, dispelled all the darkness on the earth. And just as a lamp holds light above on its top, so the Cross above on its top did not have the s-i-ying Sun -tse is true” - na-she-spa-si-te-la.

This is what the Cross of Christ is for us, and we, holy and good, must read and honor it. Each of us sanctifies his entire life with a cross and the sign of the cross. From early childhood until my death, every Hri-sti-a-nin wears a cross on himself, on his chest, as a sign of Hri -stand for victory and for our defense and strength; We begin every task and end it with the sign of the cross, doing everything for the glory of Christ. As such for-the-shield and security, we put the sign of the cross on everything that is dear and holy to us, and on our own. their houses, and on the walls, and on the doors. With the sign of the cross we begin the day, and with the sign of the cross we go to sleep, ending -it's day.

Now the cross is our greatest holiness, our glory, our spiritual all-running sword, and so- the way Christ made it for us with his death and his passion on the Cross.

The Savior received on the Cross the greatest of executions, “the sins of ours are not carried on His Body on the tree.” (), “he humbled himself, being obedient even to the point of death, death on the cross” (). Some, in the most-re-sounding, most-excellent human-sightedness -more. “Behold,” the Church sings today, “the Lord of creation and the Lord of glory is nailed on the Cross and pro- bo-da-et-sya in the rib-ra; The sweetness of the Church tastes bile and ocet; Covering the sky about-la-ka-mi about-la-ga-et-sya with a ter-no-crown and dresses -ga-niya; With the hand of the man behind the perishable hand; Wearing the ne-bo about-la-ka-mi receives blows on the shoulders, receives p-ly-va-niya and wounds , but-she-nii and for-u-she-nii and endures everything for the sake of us, the condemned” (sti-hi-ra). How can we, who have suffered the death of the cross and the suffering of Spa-si-te-la, not bow down? in the blessed tr-pe-pe-te in front of the “re-required tree, on which Christ, the King and the Lord, is crucified”, not to honor the Holy Cross - our glory, our victory in Christ and with Christ.

Such a high and sacred meaning of the Cross of the Lord, naturally, is de-la-lo in the eyes of Christians. the very tree of the Cross of the Lord, the same wooden cross on which Spa was crucified -si-tel. But first of all, this Holy Cross was not preserved by Christ, it was not up to the level of faith , in those three hundred years it was not even known exactly where this Christian shrine was hidden . According to the Rabbi's pre-pi-sa-niy, “a stone on which someone was killed, de-re-vo, on which someone- because it was hung, a sword, with which someone was decapitated, and a rope, with which someone was killed , must be together with the Kaz-nen-us." But, not to mention the fact that the Savior was put to death for us by the Roman execution, this is the requirement of the rabbi -for-this could not have been used, but in relation to Christ's Cross also because it is pure Spa-si-te-la's body was like a ru-ka-mi of His disciples and friends. In any case, it is very likely that all three crosses (Spa-si-te-la and two times-fighters) were wives or buried close to the place of crucifixion and death of the Spa-si-te-la. The blessed memory of non-mediocre witnesses and eye-witnesses of the crucifixion of the Savior - His people of all the disciples and disciples, of course, the holy ones kept it place. None of the subsequent circumstances in the life of the first Christians, no matter how difficult these circumstances were for them could not, could not have forced them to forget the places sanctified by the events of life of the Spa-si-te- la. Subsequently, the storage of memories of the holy places of death and burial of the Savior whether the first bishops of Jerusalem and the subsequent Christians. Already St. Cyril of Jerusalem testifies that since the time of the Apostles, journeys to Jerusalem have begun for the purpose of worship -knowledge of places consecrated by the remembrance of various events in the earthly life of the Lord Ii-su-sa Hri - hundred. The taking and destruction of Jeru-sa-li-ma Ti-tom in a significant degree from many places -yes, -could-have-been-exposed to-my-self, for-sy-with-the-m-so-rum and-to-be-on-the-same-and-connected- Puppy places of crucifixion and death Spa-si-te-la. In addition, the historian of the 4th century. Ev-se-viy testifies that the enemies of the Christians - pagans - take no measures to hide and yes - to desecrate holy places for Christ; that wicked people with a na-ro-chi-mad goal are so-per-shen-but from-me-the-view of the place Gol-go-f and the Holy Sepulchre. They covered the holy cave with mud, they poured stones on top of it, and here they erected a large altar gi-ni sweet-to-passionate love. Other histories testify that they especially tried to desecrate all the holy places of demonic idols and sacrifice of the un-honorable im-per-ra-tor of the Roman Ad-ri-an (117-138 AD). Having moved the city to the place of ra-zo-ren-no-go Ti-tom Ieru-sa-li-ma, he ordered to fill the coffin of the Lord on the day of the earth and many stones, and on the mountain where the Savior was crucified (on the “rock of the Cross”), he built a temple of the language of the heavenly god of dis-travel Ve-ne-re and placed her idol, and above the Tomb of the Lord under-him stood the idol of Jupi-te-ra. But neither the destruction of Jeru-sa-li-ma by Ti-tom, nor the restoration of it by Ad-ri-a-nom could so change the clan and holy places, so that for the benefit of Christ, those who remember these places would not recognize them, could they find. And the aspirations of the dishonest and pagans to desecrate and hide these places until they achieve the opposite goal : their-and-mi-on-sy-py-mi and idol-mi-with-or-with-neither-me-they are firmly from-me-cha-these places, de-la-whether not -possible for their faith and even their own language. This is how the Lord destroys “you are worthless” and the very evil of man turns to the good of his Church !

The good-go-go-vey-but keep-my-me in the memory of the faith-ru-yu-th and firmly marked-by-language-no-mi, although-tya desecrated by them, the holy place of the death of the Lord remained un-touched until the time of Tsar Kon -stan-ti-na Ve-li-ko-go. This Christ-loving im-per-ra-tor, still being outwardly not a pagan, but in fact appearing as Christ -an-skim go-su-da-rem, had the main purpose of especially honoring the Cross of Christ. This sign of Christ's victory, according to the Divine dispensation, served three times for Kon-stan-ti-na Ve -Do-I-know-anyone knows how to defeat his enemies. In 312, Kon-stan-tin fought against the same hundred Mac-sen-tius, who reigned in Rome, followed before you kill the Christian, about the wondrous ungodly life. According to the words of to-g-dash-no-isto-ri-ka (Ev-se-via), Mak-sen-tiy, getting ready to fight with Kon-stan-ti-n, ran to various sorceries and superstitious rituals; Kon-stan-tin, not quite at ease with the strength of his army, felt a lack of support for the supernatural. he wanted help over the enemy, but he was thinking about which God he should pray to for this help. In this difficult moment, Kon-stan-tin remembered that his father, Kon-stan-tsiy, who had provided sti-a-us, use-so-val-sya b-go-so-sto-I-n-e-em, then-yes-how did the chri-sti-an have trouble- the right end, - and for some reason I decided to address the prayer to God. the supreme being. And so, when he gave himself up to zealous prayer, then about mid-day he saw a radiant cross in the sky, s-appearing stronger than the sun's light, with an over-writing on it: “Sim po-be-di-shi.” This is a miraculous sign of vi-de-li and vo-i-ny, among whom was Pol-ko-vo-dect Ar-te-miy, subsequently for-martyr-ny (under Yuli-and-not From-step-no-ke) for Christ. Struck by an unusually heavenly vision, Kon-stan-tin fell into a deep sleep, and Spa himself appeared to him in a dream -si-tel, again showed him the same sign of the cross, ordered him to use the image of the cross as a sign in howl-s-kah, and promised him victory not only over Mak-sen-ti-em, but also over all the enemies. Having woken up, Kon-stan-tin ordered to make the Cross of the State, according to the knowledge he had seen, from the stone -valuable stones, and also to draw the image of the cross on banners, on weapons, helmets and shields in-and- new Since then, the Kon-stan-ti-na army has been marching, having as its sign the cross, united with the first -mi letters-va-mi name Spa-si-te-la. In the battle on the Melvian bridge (across the Tiber), Kon-stan-tin won a brilliant victory over Mac-sen-ti-em (October 28, 312). Mak-sen-tiy himself drowned with many of his warriors in the river, and Konstantin entered Rome without fail. After this, he erected a statue of himself in Rome, holding a cross in his right hand, and on top of the statue there was a Yes, over Mak-sen-ti-em there was a “spa-si-tel-no-sign” of the cross. Also, in the war with Vi-zan-tiy-tsa-mi and ski-fa-mi, two more times Kon-stan-tin saw in the sky a miraculous sign of the Cre -a hundred, which brought him victory over his enemies.

It’s easy to understand how good it was to the Cross of the Lord, but after these events the hearts -tse hri-sto-lu-bi-vo-go tsar Kon-stan-ti-na. And this im-per-ra-tor, “not without inspiration from above, but awakened by the Spirit of the Spa-si-te-la” re -wanted not only to find the venerable tree of the Cross of the Lord, to pay homage to it, but also the “holy place of spa -tel-no-th resurrection in Jeru-sa-li-me to make all-common good -ta-niya” - build a temple over it. The fulfillment of all the blessings of his mother, the blessed woman, appeared to him -ri-tsa Elena, on-sto-I-n-yam-sa-mo-go im-per-ra-to-ra accepted Christianity, from-li-chav -I am blessed and ardently zealous for the faith of Christ. In 326, Elena set off for the holy land with the goal of finding and visiting places consecrated by the main co-being with life Spa-si-te-la. Arriving in Jerusalem, using the full blessing of the desire to find the cave of the grave of the Lord and honor the new tree of the Cross, she zealously began to look for them. Pat-ri-ar-khom in Ieru-sa-li-me was at that time Ma-ka-riy, who met the tsar-ri-tsu with the po-do-ba-yu-schi-mi -honestly and helped her in her holy deed.

In the fullness of blissful joy and spirit, the tsar and all those who were with her worship and ceremonies to the Cross. And since, due to the multitude of people, not everyone could venerate the tree of the Holy Cross and even not everyone could see him, then Pat-ri-arch Ma-kariy, standing in a high place, under no-small, erected the hall of St. The cross, as if calling it out. The people bowed down to the Cross, shouting: “Lord, have mercy!” This is where the holiday of the Honest and Life-Creative Movement got its origin and name Kre-sta Gos-pod-nya. This is the co-existence of the Honest Cross of the Lord and the Chu-de-sa, who co-led it, produced -is there any impression not only on Christianity, but also on the Jews. And yes, so not-so-wanted-but-to-indicate the presence of holy places, along with many ev-re-me in Christ and was baptized, receiving the name Ki-ri-a-ka in holy baptism. Subsequently, he was the pat-ri-ar-khom of Jerusalem and suffered a tormented end under him. re Yuli-a-not From-step-no-ke. Kon-stan-tin himself subsequently, in a letter to Jerusalem pat-ri-ar-kh Ma-kar-riu, wrote about the ob-re-te-nii Honestly, the Cross of the Lord: “there are no words for a complete description of this miracle. The sign of holy passions, hidden underground for so long and remaining in the unknown sti-e in those whole centuries, finally re-s-si-i-lo.” Holy Queen Elena, with the mighty cooperation of her son, King Kon-stan-ti-na, on-cha-la-stroy -to build churches in Jerusalem and throughout Pa-le-sti in places consecrated by events from the life of the Savior la. And before everything happened, by the will of the tsar and the tsar, the foundation and approach to the construction on the site of the Gro-ba of the State and the re-re-te-niya of St. The cross of the church of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the consecration of which was at its peak -but on September 13, 335. After that, the blessed king ordered to build a temple in Geth-si-ma-nii on the place where the coffin of the Most Holy God was located, in the name of Her Dormition and, in addition, seventeen churches in different places of the holy land.

What about the fate of the saint? El-honest tree of the Cross of the Lord, then, unfortunately, it cannot be indicated exactly and completely defined -de-len-but. This tree of the Cross of the Lord has become such a great sanctuary for Christianity that Christ-a-not, already at the We are aware of it in large quantities throughout Jerusalem, not only in -to him, but, if possible, and succeed, to receive a piece from him. Indeed, St. Cyril of Jerusalem (IV century) testifies that already in his time small parts of the Living Cross there were spread across countries all over the earth. And St. John of the Evil Mouth (IV century) testifies that “many, both men and wives, received a small part- tsu this tree and surround it with gold, hang it around your neck.”

But not all the wood of the cross was taken from Ieru-sa-li-ma. Part of the re-ten-no-go-tree of the Cross and nails from the king Elena sla-la to her son Kon-stan-ti -well, the rest was locked in a silver ark and lied before Jerusalem A church with a pre-storage for future generations.

And St. Cyril of Jerusalem confirms that the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord was kept in his time and, as va-elk na-ro-du in Ieru-sa-li-me. And in the description of the divine service of the Great Friday in Jerusalem, done by a certain noble pa- scrap 4th century (Sylvie-ey, or Ete-ri-ey), we are looking for an in-the-res-new description of the s-m-o-ry-y-y of the clo-ne-dre- vu of the Cross of the Lord with an indication of those measures that were taken against the destruction of the holy tree blah-che-sti-you-mi pa-lom-ni-ka-mi. “On Gol-go-fe,” it says in this description, “behind the Cross, i.e. behind the church in honor of St. Cross, even before six hundred o'clock in the morning the bishop of the ca-fedral is installed. The bishop sits on this lectern, in front of him there is a table covered with a scarf, around the table there are dia-cons and accessories -there is a silver-golden ark in which the holy tree of the Cross is housed; it opens and you don't; put on the table both the tree of the Cross and the cheekbone (titulus). So, when it’s on the table, the bishop is sitting, holding the ends of the holy tree with his hands. va; Dia-ko-ns, who are standing around, are guarding. It is protected in such a way that there is a custom, according to which the whole people, approaching one by one at night, ke, both the faithful and the public, lean to the table, grab the holy tree and walk. And since, they say, I don’t know when, someone gnawed and stole a part of the holy de-re-va, then this -now the dia-cons standing around are guarding so that no one under-walking dares to do that -wow. And so the whole people come up at night, all bowing and touching first with their heads, then with their eyes. a hundred and cheeks and, round the Cross, they pass; no one is trying to hand-pull for touching.” The presence of parts of the tree of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem is confirmed and other histories ski-mi dan-ny-mi. In the 7th century in the kingdom of Byzantine im-per-ra-to-ra Fo-ki (602-610), this great Christian saint -nya for a while in the hands of per-sov. Khoz-roy, the king of Per-Sid, entered into a war with Fo-ka, conquered Egypt, Af-ri-ku and Pa-lesti-nu, and took Jeru-sa -lim, robbed him of his treasures and, among these treasures, took from Ieru-sa-li-ma and the tree of Life-creation- of the Cross of the Lord and took him to Persia. But the Lord did not allow the unfaithful to have possession of the Christian holy place for long. Pre-em-nick Fo-ki imp. Irakliy for some time could not defeat Khoz-roy, and then he turned to God with a prayer for help. -mighty cabbage soup. He ordered all the believers of his kingdom to perform prayers, services to God and fasts, that If only the Lord would get us out of the enemy. The Lord granted Irak-liah victory over Khoz-ro-em, who himself was killed by his son. After this, Irak-liy took away from the Persians the many-valuable holy Christian - the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord and re -shil-re-not-tied him solemnly-but again to Jerusalem. In 628, the emperor Irak-liy, having reached Jeru-sa-li-ma, brought St. tree on his shoulders, carried it, dressed in his royal clothes. But suddenly, at the gate that had gone to the Execution, he unexpectedly stopped and could not go further - not a step. And then Za-kha-rii, pat-ri-ar-hu kon-stan-ti-no-Polish-mu, came out together with the living-te-la-mi Ieru -sa-li-ma at-the-meeting of the Tsar, it was from the light-nose of the an-ge-la that it was not possible - something that Christ carried in a state of un- ity, not in royal robes. Then the king dressed himself in simple and poor clothes and, with bare feet, brought the saint in. the tree was taken to the church at the place where it was located before it was taken by Khoz-ro. Here the honorable tree of the Cross of the Lord was kept in the future. At least, in the beginning of the 9th century. Among the clergy of the Church of the Resurrection there were two priests, whose responsibilities -to protect St. Cross and su-da-riy. At the cross-nose of St. the same tree, not-with-m-nen-but, came to Ieru-sa-li-me and more than once served as a rim and protection Noah their howl in battles with infidels. However, the further fate of the honorable tree of the Holy Cross is not exactly known. It is very likely that over time, gradually decreasing in its volume, due to the -why-would-you-want to have different abodes and monasteries to have parts of St. tree, it was completely divided into separate parts, which indicate those -per in many temples and monasteries. In particular, in Rome, in the ba-zi-li-ke of the Holy Cross, a de-re-vian-naya to the cheek is kept. you-y-y-you for that up-to-cheek, titulus, which-heaven-was-a-over-the-head Spa-si-te-la and after-na-de-na St. Barely lying away from the Cross.

And now, on the day of the celebration of the Resurrection of the Honest and Living Cross of the Lord, we, the Christians -no, we can only mentally pay tribute to the honorable tree of the Cross, on some- Our Savior was crucified. But this Cross is not inscribed on our blessed hearts, but its real image is in front of in the temple and on us - on our chest, in our dwellings.

“Be-and-di-those, ver-nii, the living-tree is clown, on it is Christ, the King of glory, in- I’m laying hands on the ras-pro-ster, bringing us to our first bliss!” (sti-hi-ra sa-mo-chl.).

The meaning of the celebration of the rise of the Holy Cross

Being one-of-a-kind by united re-birth with the seed of the passions of Christ, on-hundred this holiday according to ha-rak-te-ru is so-ver-shen-but from-whether from those who are the key ones in the year according to the mind -tel-no-sti and great days - days for which one rightly receives the title of “holy and great” to their". Those are the days of crying over the Divine Sufferer; this is a day of rejoicing about the consequences of His passion, about the fruits of redemption. This is a holiday precisely in honor of the purchase itself in the person of the main weapon, the sign and bringing it to us .

The weapon is a worth-standing-but-so-ho-st-va-niya, the very-sto-st-of-celebration in honor of him not only because the meaning it had in the act of purchase itself, not only in view of the importance it with that time, not in the life of Christ, but also in terms of what it was for Christ himself. hundred. “The cross has the glory of Christ and you with Christ,” says St. Andrew of Crete (word on the Exaltation), referring in confirmation of the first thought to and the second to John 12:32 : “Even if I am not in the air, I will be away from the earth...”. “If the Cross of Christ constitutes the glory of Christ, then on this day the cross is raised for the purpose of -Christ would be glorified. It is not Christ who rises up so that the Cross may be glorified, but the Cross that rises up so that Christ may be glorified.” .

Being Christ's, His glory and exaltation, this Cross is too close to us already in its original idea. He, in fact, is our Cross. Christ “carried on his shoulders the same cross on which he was crucified, as if he had taken it upon himself , defined so-sin-shim"; He “carried the cross above us” (St. Cyril of Aleksandriya on John, book 12).

From here are those innumerable blessings that you brought upon us with the Cross. “This kind feeder, having fed our entire life to the fullest extent and having killed it, has given us eternal life in the future.” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, sermon on the Holy Cross). “By the Cross we escaped from enmity, and by the Cross we established ourselves in friendship with God. The cross united people with the face of angels, making them by nature alien to all perishable things and to-sta-living they have the opportunity to lead an incorruptible life" (word on the Voz-dvi-zhe-nie of Va-sily Se-lev-kiysky, pri-pi-sy-va -e-mine and St. John-to-the-evil-mouth). “He made the earth pure, elevated our nature to the royal throne” (St. John of the Evil-mouth, word on the clo-ne -nie Kre-stu). “This Cross turned the whole world to the true path, drove out error, returned the truth, made the earth heaven” ( word about the Cross, to St. John of the Evil Mouth). “He put an end to the lawless deeds of the world, stopped its godless teachings, and the world no longer pleases -Volsky for-us and is not bound by the bonds of death; (The Cross) affirmed the wholeness of wisdom and wasted sweetness; sanctified the rule of the dominion and the lower-lived dominion according to his wishes. In the matter itself, what kind of goodness is there in the Kre-sta? Which of the blessings is given to us, but not through the Cross? Through the Cross we learned goodness and knowledge of the power of the Divine nature; through the Cross we hurra-zu-me the truth of God and by-sti-ga-em the goodness of whole-wisdom; through the Cross we knew each other; through the Cross we knew the power of love and do not dare die for each other; thanks to the Cross, we have despised all the blessings of the world and counted them for nothing, expecting future blessings and not seeing them. mine is like mine, as you see it. The cross spreads - and the truth spreads throughout the entire universe, and the kingdom of heaven is a blessing -rya-et-sya (the word for the Voi-movement of Va-si-lia Se-lev-kiysky or Io-an-na of Evil-u-sta).

By creating these highest spiritual blessings for mankind, the Cross from ancient times began to manifest spa-si -his bodily strength and in the pure needs of life as a Christian. “This is a sign in the time of our ancestors,” testifies St. Evil-mouth or contemporary writer to him, - from-the-closed-doors, it uga-sha-lo gu-bi-tel poisons, cured the bites of poisonous animals. If it opened the gates of hell and opened the vault of heaven, it restored the entrance to heaven and created the power of dia “Wow, what’s surprising, if it overcomes destructive poisons?” (a word on the veneration of the Cross, to the Holy Evil's mouth).

Along with this, so to speak, ta-in-stvenny, mystical meaning for Christ, a cross in the middle -I had a purely moral meaning for him. He became a rim and support for him in the difficulties of personal baptism. “Look,” Christ seems to be saying, “at what My Cross has accomplished; make the same kind of weapon, and do what you want. Let (the successor of Christ) be so ready to endure the sacrifice and be crucified on the cross. Hey, says the Lord, how ready is he who does not carry the cross on his shoulders; let him consider himself in such close proximity to death. In front of such a person, everyone comes into amazement, because we are not so afraid of armed demons -len-ny-mi che-lo-ve-che-ski-mi oru-di-ya-mi and strong courage, like a che-lo-ve-ka, oda-ren-no-go with such power" (a word on the worship of the Cross, in-pi-sy-va-e-my Evil-mouth).

“Looking at the cross inhales courage and gives rise to fear” (St. Andrew of Crete’s word on the Ascension ).

Finally, the cross received for chri-sti-a-ni-na and es-ha-to-lo-gi-che-che-meaning. “So, yes, it was said, the sign of the cross will appear in the sky. Ko-g-da “to-g-da”? When the heavenly forces begin to move. That-yes-decorated-with-me-n-church, having acquired for themselves this much-valuable bi-ser, good-ro-sho- having preserved this image and continued, the sun-hi-sche-nys will be on the ob-la-kah” (Pan-to-lei, Presbyter of Vizantium , reading on Voz-dvi-zhe-nie).

It is not surprising that the cross has become a sign of Christ. “The cross was given to us as a sign on the forehead in exactly the same way as Iz-ra-i-lu about-re-za-nie; for through this we are the faithful, and we are distinguished from the unfaithful” (St. John Da-maskin, words -on the day of the Cross).

By-ste-pen-but Christianity appreciates all the meaning for him of this sign, this trophy of Christ’s victory -sto-howl. And then pro-thought came to the aid of the Church through its own indirect action - from the Cross from the depths of the earth and reality -le-ni-eat it in the sky. “The Lord would not have allowed him to remain in the earth, but he took him out and carried him up to heaven; He will come with him at His second coming.” (St. John of Evil-mouth, a word about the Cross and crucifixion). He is re-tenant with im-per-ra-to-rahs who believe in Christ, re-tenant by the power of the divine and artless -noy, the only strength and firmness of faith. When God gave Christ the royal sceptres, it was at this time that He pleased to reveal the Cross through a woman I’m blessed, I’m the Tsar, I’m decorating you with royal wisdom, I’m making you wise, let’s say so, by the divine god-wise, so that she, partly using the power of the word, characteristic of a royal person , tried everything that could move the unyielding heart of the Jews” (St. Andrew of Crete, word on Voz- movement). “From the treasuries of the earth came the sign of the Lord, the sign that shook the hellish caves free the souls contained in them. A spiritual pearl came forth for the faithful, confirmed in the crown of Christ, in order to illuminate the whole universe. He appeared in order to be raised up, and rises up in order to appear (so that he can be seen). They put him under him many times and call him to the people, just not shouting: “that’s about it.” -en-noe so-cre-vi-sche-spa-se-niya” (St. Andrew of Crete, word on the Voz-dvi-zhe-nie).

Established in memory of the re-re-te-ment and appearance of the Cross, the holiday, of course, has been in the souls of Christians for a long time already prepared soil, was in response to the long-standing request of their spirit. But he, having immediately received a wide-spread of fear and great solemnity, without hesitation, increased his love. go to the Cross and read it. The cross now acquires a special meaning in the struggle of Christ with the enemies we do not see his spa- se-niya, especially in the hands of movers. Now they appreciate and all the significance of it not only in the deed of our salvation, the consummation of Christ, but also in the world -ho-za-vet-nom in the preparation of this spa-session, explaining here a lot of it, so to speak, by a return action.

Published according to: Ska-ball-la-no-vich M.N. The rise of the Honest and Living Cross of the Lord.
Kyiv. Ed. "Prologue". 2004 pp. 7-18, 45-46, 232-236, 249-250.

Liturgical (liturgical) features

The evening before, an all-night vigil is held. See in.

Audio:

Kontakion 1

Come, people of Christ, let us praise the Honest Cross, on which Christ, the King of Glory, stretched out his hand, leading us to the first bliss, from which we fell through the deception of the serpent. But you, O Most Holy Cross, as having the inherent power of the Crucified Christ, save and preserve from all troubles those who lovingly call you:

Ikos 1

The faces of angels, like God’s servants, glorify the Cross in reality, the free passion of Christ the Giver of Life. We, having been delivered from eternal death by His suffering, imitating the powers above, joyfully cry out:

Rejoice, Cross, for on you Christ our God, with His will, His hand spread out, created our salvation; Rejoice, for by Christ, who laid upon you the crime of Adam and Eve, who stretched out their hands to the forbidden tree, has been abolished.

Rejoice, for the ancient oath that was against us has been taken away from the Lawgiver, who was raised against you, like a criminal; Rejoice, for by the strange sacrament that has been performed on you, the human race has been freed from mortal aphids.

Rejoice, for the sting of death has been broken upon you by those who suffered and died; Rejoice, for the sake of suffering, God is reconciled with people.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 2

Seeing fallen men, O Lord, You became human, and You freely endured the cross and death in your flesh for our race, so that You might deliver from eternal death those who confess Thee, the Son of God, and cry out to Thee: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The human mind is exhausted in comprehending the great mystery of Your incarnation and free suffering for us: how You, this impassive God, endured the passion of the cross as a man and made this instrument of Your death a source of life and salvation for all who piously believe in You and those who sing praises:

Rejoice, O Cross, on which the sacrament, predestined from the ages, was performed; Rejoice, for in you our redemption has been accomplished, presented in many forms and symbols.

Rejoice, for the Giver of Life died on you, flowing blood and water, in the image of which our sins are washed away; Rejoice, for with drops of His most holy blood the sinful scabs of our souls are cleansed.

Rejoice, O Cross, like the living tree that is in the midst of God's paradise, longed for by Christians; Rejoice, who intelligently nourishes us with the fruits of immortality and encourages our cowardice with the hope of eternal life.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 3

Thy Cross, even though the tree is apparently a being, but is clothed with the Divine power, and the sensory world is revealed intelligently, works wonders for our salvation, striving to sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having the Most Holy Cross before our eyes, with holy veneration we honor the Savior Christ crucified on it for the sake of it, and we call out with a kiss:

Rejoice, O Cross, glorified by the obedience and suffering of Christ; Rejoice, exalted by the exaltation of the Son of God upon you, Who raised up the whole world from the fall of Adam.

Rejoice, for the terrible mystery that came to pass upon you made the earth horrified and tremble, as if it wanted to devour the lawbreakers; Rejoice, for I will slay the Lamb of God upon you; the veil of the temple will be rent and the sacrifice of the Old Testament will be abolished.

Rejoice, O Cross, for under you I was crushed to pieces, the stony-hearted Jews who gave birth to unbelief fell away from God, and lost the grace of the priesthood and the kingdom; Rejoice, for having been darkened by the sun in the passion of Christ, the night of polytheism has passed away and the light of faith has risen.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 4

Breathing in a storm of malice and driven by envy, the high priestess of Judaism hid Your Cross in the ground, O Christ God, may their madness not be a reproof; but to that one, like a precious treasure, arose from the bowels of the earth, acquired through the diligence of the pious Queen Helen and revealed to the joy of the whole world, with the red song of God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Having seen then the Christian people finding the honorable Cross, they glorified Christ God crucified on it, crying “Lord, have mercy.” Now, imitating them, we glorify His Holy Cross with titanic praises:

Rejoice, Cross, who sanctified our earthly nature into the hidden earth and desecrated by sins; Rejoice, having disgraced the incarnation and divinity of Christ by your appearance from the depths of the earth.

Rejoice, for He who suffered in your flesh has received all power in Heaven and on earth, so that He may lead everyone and everything to God the Father; Rejoice, for He who died on you as a man, by the power of His Divinity, broke the rivets of hell and brought out the souls of the righteous from there.

Rejoice, O Cross, as a prudent thief, who was crucified with Christ, who confessed Him, through you, like a ladder, ascended to Heaven; Rejoice, for by cutting off the passions of Christ, you have raised them all into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 5

Lord, under Moses, sometimes the prophet, we show the image of Your Cross, victorious against Your enemies, now we have Your very Cross, we ask for help: strengthen Your Church and grant it victories over its enemies, so that all Your enemies, not crying out to You, may be scattered: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Of the Honest Cross, Christ, having prefigured the action of Moses, defeat Amalek in the desert of Sinai: for when people stretched out their hands and created an image of the cross, they became stronger; now all things have come into being in us: today the Cross is erected, and demons are running away, today all creation is freed from aphids, as if all the gifts of the Cross have risen up for us. Moreover, we rejoice and cry:

Rejoice, Cross, the terrible weapon of Christ, whose demons tremble; Rejoice, for by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, the hordes of demons are driven far away.

Rejoice, for by the power of the Divine grace acting in you, victories against those who resist are granted to Christ-loving people; Rejoice, for from you, as from the tall and fruitful tree of Christ, suffering on you, the fruits of life and salvation grow for us.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 6

The life-giving tree of the Cross sometimes appeared as a preacher of the power and Divinity of Christ, when with your touch you raised the dead and raised him to life, having seen many of them from the Jews and the tongue learned the great mystery of piety: for the sake of human salvation, God appeared in the flesh and endured the passion of the cross, yes He will save those who cry to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Like the great tree of paradise, the honorable Cross of Christ rose on Calvary, from which the mental branches of grace spread throughout the entire universe and were crucified on it: under its canopy they find the coolness of the palimia with the heat of passions and those who want to live piously in Christ Jesus. Likewise, we, partakers of His grace, cheerfully cry out:

Rejoice, Holy Cross, tree of life, planted in Eden for Adam's sake, symbolized; Rejoice, new Adam, who stretched out his hand on you and revealed himself to the world.

Rejoice, for under the canopy of your blessed protection all the faithful come running; Rejoice, for through the mercy of the One who has given us to you, repentant sinners escape the fire of Gehenna.

Rejoice, Cross, our consolation in sorrows and sorrows; Rejoice, life-giving consolation and help to those who are exhausted in the fight against the temptations of passions, the world and the devil.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 7

Although You have shown the unsearchable abyss of Your goodness and mercy to the human race, Your Cross, O Lord, has given us a strong guardian and drive away demons. In the same way, all of us who believe in You glorify the greatness of Your passion, singing gratefully to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Thou hast revealed wondrous deeds, O Lord, by Thy venerable Cross: for I have crucified myself upon Thy flesh, the whole creation has changed: the sun has hidden its rays, the foundations of the earth have shaken, hell has been crushed by the power of Thy power, and the hostiles have been brought forth, even as they have been for centuries. For this reason, let us tie these song flowers:

Rejoice, Cross, for all creation has compassion for those who suffered on You, as their Creator and Master; Rejoice, for the sun bears witness to His power and Divinity through darkness and the earth through shaking.

Rejoice, for the One who died on you was not kept dead, but, having destroyed the power of death, rose again on the third day; Rejoice, for I have resurrected the preaching of the Gospel, which began from the face of the Apostle, and has gone forth to all the ends of the earth.

Rejoice, O Cross, for through you idolatry and pagan polytheism have been abolished; Rejoice, for for your sake the right faith in the One God, glorified in the Trinity, has been established throughout the entire earth.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 8

It is strange that God became human and was crucified on the Cross, having mentally seen, we will withdraw from the vanity of the world, we will transfer our mind to Heaven. For this reason, God descended to the earth and ascended to the Cross, so that, like a ladder, he would lead to Heaven those who cry to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Today Adam and Eve rejoice, presently seeing the Cross, by which the adversary was struck, who of old in paradise by eating the forbidden fruit of those deceiving and creating captives for themselves. In the same way, we, rejoicing at our forefathers about deliverance from our spiritual captivity, reverently sing:

Rejoice, Cross, for upon you is the Good Shepherd, who laid down His soul for His sheep and even went down to hell, looking for the lost; Rejoice, for He did not despise the work of His hand, Adam and Eve, but with the other I snatched the righteous from hell, like from the jaws of a mighty beast, and installed them in paradise.

Rejoice, for upon you, who was nailed to Christ, has a flaming weapon of braids, and the Cherub, who guards the Eden, retreat from the tree of life; Rejoice, for we, now through Baptism of rebirth, new people in Christ, partake without restraint of the food of heaven.

Rejoice, Cross, rod of the power of Christ, sent from Zion, by whom we feed in the pastures of the gospel teachings; Rejoice, for through you we are preserved unharmed from the murderous wolves, who roar like lions and seek whom to devour.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 9

Deliver us from all troubles and snares of the enemy, blessed on the Cross, for we have received grace and power from Christ nailed to you; to Him, as our God and Savior, we sing with gratitude and praise: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The Vetianism of all earthly beings is not sufficient for the glorification of Thy Cross, O Lord, on which Thou hast made our salvation; At the same time, perplexed to praise her according to her heritage, we cry out to her:

Rejoice, Cross, for as the Savior of the world, lifted up on you, has called many people into His knowledge and continues to call them to this day; Rejoice, for having shone on you, like on a candlestick, the true Light illuminates all the ends of the earth with the light of the knowledge of God.

Rejoice, for now the East and West glorify the One who suffered in you; Rejoice, for you, as the footstool of Christ, are glorified by all the faithful, elevating.

Rejoice, for from you, as from the inexhaustible source of Christ, people will draw an abundance of eternal blessings.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 10

For those who want to be saved and come running under the shadow of your protection, be your helper, the Most Holy Cross, preserving us from all evils by the power of the Crucified Christ upon you, to Him, as to our God and Savior, we sing with gratitude and laudation: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You are the wall that protects us from troubles and misfortunes, the all-honorable Cross, and a strong pillar against the face of the enemy; the invisible fighters do not dare to approach them, afraid to look at Your power. For this reason, with faith, we are protected by your holy sign and cheerfully sing:

Rejoice, most honorable Cross of Christ, protect us from the attacks of spirits of evil; Rejoice, keep us safe from various arrows.

Rejoice, for from your sign, which we do piously with faith, all the powers of hell, like smoke from the wind, disappear; Rejoice, for through you all their strength, like wax before the fire, melts away.

Rejoice, as a holy martyr, protected by your sign and calling on the name of Christ, everyone bravely endured the sight of torment; Rejoice, for the reverend fathers, with the help of the power of the Divine, inherent in your sign, have overcome demonic fears and passions of rebellion.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 11

We offer all-contrite singing to Thee, O all-honorable Cross, and we humbly pray to Christ our God crucified on you, Who has given us joy and consolation in sorrow, that through His passion He will deliver us from harmful passions and teach us to faithfully chant to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

With the light of the grace of God, inherent in the mysteries, enlighten our spiritual feelings, the Holy Cross, so that we are illuminated and instructed, so that we may not stumble over the stone of temptation, but may be able to follow the path of God’s commandments throughout our entire life, singing to this face:

Rejoice, messenger of Christ’s unceasing miracles and preacher of His mercy to the human race; rejoice. The Cross, the renewal of the human race and the New Testament of Christ is the seal and confirmation.

Rejoice, triumph of the Christian faith and trustworthy anchor of our hope; Rejoice, decoration of the holy temples of God and protection of the houses of the pious.

Rejoice, blessing of the fields and vertograds; Rejoice in the sanctification of all elements.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Kontakion 12

Grant us Your all-powerful grace, O Lord, so that we may follow You, our Master, taking up our cross, not nailed down to it, but through labor, abstinence and humility, so that we may be partakers of Your sufferings, from which flow the sweat of Eternal Life, soldering all the faithful, piously singing Ti: Hallelujah.

Ikos 12

Singing your greatness, all-honored Cross, we all praise you, like the victorious scepter of the Heavenly King, an all-joyful sign of our salvation, and we also cry out:

Rejoice, Cross, the power of Orthodox Christians and their indestructible defense; Rejoice, adornment of the saints and strength and reinforcement of all ascetics of faith and piety.

Rejoice, Cross, protect us from the cradle to the grave on all the paths of life, and after death in the air ordeals protect us from the spirits of evil; Rejoice, for under your sign those who rest, who died in faith and piety, will rise on the last day to eternal life.

Rejoice, O Cross, who by your appearance in Heaven preceded the glorious Second Coming of Christ; Rejoice, for those who have crucified Christ and all the unfaithful will then see you and the mountaineers will weep, but those who love the Lord, seeing you, will rejoice greatly.

Rejoice, Honest Cross, all-joyful sign of our redemption.

Elder Cleopas (Elijah)

Photo of the day

Over several centuries, traditions of this holiday have developed; many proverbs and sayings are known about it; many signs and beliefs are also associated with it.

The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord (Shift) is the great twelfth church holiday, which has its full name - the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 27. Over several centuries, traditions of this holiday have developed; many proverbs and sayings are known about it; many signs and beliefs are also associated with it. And then in detail what can and should not be done on the holiday - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross: what needs to be done

On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, according to tradition, it is necessary to celebrate the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night long, so the central point is the festive divine service on the eve of the holiday - a vigil.

The Exaltation is the Twelfth Feast of the Lord (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is postponed to another day.

It is interesting that during Matins for the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel is read not in the middle of the church, but in the altar.

The climax of the holiday is when the leading priest or bishop, dressed in purple vestments, carries out the Cross. All those praying in the temple kiss the shrine, and the primate anoints them with holy oil. During the general veneration of the Cross, the troparion is sung: “We worship Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy resurrection.”

The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day of the Exaltation. At the offering, the priest takes the cross to the altar.

Prohibitions, what not to do on the Exaltation of the Cross

For example, you can’t start new things - they won’t turn out well.

No one should go into the forest. It is believed that on this day the goblin counts the forest animals, but this cannot be seen. But this, of course, is pure superstition.

But closing all the doors in the house so that snakes looking for a place to hibernate do not get in is a completely reasonable warning.

On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, you cannot eat dairy and meat products, observing strict fasting.

If we talk about Christian traditions, then you need to take three church candles and place them together. Then sprinkle all the corners in the house in a cross pattern, reading the prayer - “Our Father” or the ninetieth psalm. This way the house will be cleansed of negativity.

The main thing to remember is that turning to the Lord must come from the heart. Then all requests and thanks will be heard, and grace will descend on you.

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The cross in Orthodoxy is of great importance: it protects from evil, unclean thoughts and deeds, and acts as faith in the power of the Almighty and his might. Every believer, entering a church, praying in front of icons and being at a divine service, places a cross on himself as a sign of true faith in his protection. At baptism, both an adult and a child are put on a pectoral cross, which he wears throughout his life.

Nowadays, there are different types of crosses and the materials from which they are made. Everyone chooses for themselves the material from which it is made and the shape (four, six, eight-pointed and with a semicircle at the bottom), the church does not prohibit this. But the closest in meaning for a believer is a wooden pectoral cross, as part of the wooden cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

That is why, to perpetuate the cross and its vital energy with which it charges all people, on September 27 the church celebrates the Orthodox holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.

What does the Exaltation of the Holy Cross mean?

This holiday has its own ancient history, filled with interesting events that revealed many secrets to humanity. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, his martyrdom and predicted resurrection. Despite the fact that the enemies destroyed all the clues that could help in the search for the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, deeply religious people strove, at all costs, to find it.

The great Roman Emperor Constantine, having received God's message in the form of the face of the Cross before an important battle, managed to defeat his enemies, and realized that he had been chosen to fulfill an important mission - to find the Cross of the Lord.

His mother Elena began her search from the place where the Savior of all mankind ended his life on Earth. After much questioning, she managed to find the sacred place. Three Crosses were found, and determining which one was the Life-Giving Cross was a difficult task.

But one wise man gave practical advice: to touch the sick person with the found Crosses. Thus, it was possible to heal a hopelessly ill woman and resurrect a dead man. People nearby saw the result spoiling them and also wanted to touch and kiss the unique Cross.

On this site, a unique temple of its kind was built in honor of the erection of the honest and life-giving cross of the Lord. Many people go there to feel the atmosphere of the mystery of the Resurrection of the Savior.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, features

It differs from all other church holidays in its joy because the Cross on which the Son of God was crucified was found many years later and symbolized the memory of all mankind, of the terrible suffering that he had to endure, remaining devoted to the church until the last minutes of his life. traditions and your Father.

Many doubted the correctness of his action and perhaps condemned him, but the majority believed that he, without sparing himself, at the cost of his own life, atoned for the sin of all people on Earth. Feast of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord — humanity's tribute to Jesus Christ, a symbol of Orthodox faith and honor.

Many people believe that the Cross has enormous power, heals from many ailments and protects from evil spirits. It gives you the opportunity to let hope and love into your heart, to fill the world with kindness, purity of souls and humility, as well as to experience all the delights of God’s world, and appreciate its deeds, the power of love for people and all living beings.

Each person has his own purpose in life, and no one knows what obstacles in life he must go through to find his place in this world. We all carry our own burden, which sometimes seems overwhelming and unfair to us.

But if, even for one minute, we imagine how brave and strong in spirit Jesus was, that he was able to endure with dignity all the bitterness of his life’s path, then we understand more and more clearly that our problems are not as difficult as they seem to us and they are given to us for training.

For this great holiday, everyone prepares in advance, reads prayers at home, attends church services and prays before. It depicts the location of the miraculous Cross by Queen Helena. This icon helps those asking to be cured of chronic illnesses, infertility, problems with joints, teeth, and constant headaches.

Signs for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

In preparation for this holiday, our ancestors honored religious traditions:

• On this day in church, during a service, they bought three candles, which they then used to baptize the corners of the house, while reading a prayer;
• they put a cross on the door of the house, and to protect domestic animals, the owner broadcast amulets that brought prosperity to the house;
• They adhered to strict fasting, animal products and fish were prohibited. They could be replaced with a variety of dishes made from lentils, mushrooms and cabbage. The latter was used to make pies, dumplings, pies, as well as cabbage casseroles, cabbage rolls with mushrooms and peppers stuffed with cabbage. It was believed that if you give alms to the needy, you will heal your soul from sin and evil thoughts;
• Among the people, on this day it was customary to match a young bride. She read a special prayer in which she asked for a happy family life, mutual understanding and support. Young people gathered for mass celebrations, and in bad weather they visited each other;
• By September 27, peasants tried to clear their plots of land and prepare them for plowing;
• The elders noticed that when this holiday comes, we need to prepare for winter. Summer warmth will delight you less and less, and cloudy and rainy weather will become more and more frequent.

On the great church holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, what cannot be done so as not to sin and not be punished for disobedience and a biased attitude towards God:

• You cannot start something new - it will end in failure, a quarrel or a serious conflict;
• You cannot raise your voice or use foul language;
• Handicrafts are not allowed;
• You cannot open the doors in the house or sheds so that snakes, snakes, and vipers do not get in for hibernation.

May the Lord protect you!

Grade

We tried to reveal all the important moments of this Orthodox holiday, celebrated by Orthodox believers on September 27. For our readers who are interested in what kind of holiday, we inform you that this most important date in Orthodox Christianity falls on September 27, one of the 12 main, or twelfth, holidays of the Orthodox Church.

It was installed in memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross, which occurred, according to church tradition, in 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha ​​- the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

September 27 is a holiday

The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember two events. As Holy Tradition writes, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified. And the second event is the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia, where it was in captivity. In the 7th century, it was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek Emperor Heraclius. Both events were united by the fact that the Cross was erected in front of the people, that is, raised. At the same time, they turned it to all directions of the world in turn, so that people could bow to it and share with each other the joy of finding a shrine.

Folk signs Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Like any holiday or important date, the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord on September 27 also paid a lot of attention to signs. Some signs of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27 are now perceived ambiguously. Moreover, there are those whose context is not even clear, because the realities of life now are categorically different from our ancestors. In any case, we recommend reading the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.

• Think about cabbage, woman - the Exaltation has come!
• On Vozdvizhenie the first lady is cabbage!
• On Vozdvizhenye, the caftan with fur coat moved and the hat pulled down.
• Whoever does not fast the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - will be charged with seven sins!
• Even if the Exaltation comes on Sunday, it’s all about Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!
• On Vozdvizhenie, autumn is moving faster towards winter.
• The last birds go to Vozdvizhenie for the winter.
• On Vozdvizhenye the doors are locked to prevent the bastards from getting into the house.
• Whoever goes into the forest on Exaltation will be lost.
• Don't start any important business - everything will go to waste.
• On Exaltation, rid the house of evil spirits.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross: what not to do

You already understand what the holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord means. As on another important holiday of the Orthodox calendar, there are restrictions on what can and cannot be done on this day. Read on to learn what is prohibited at the Exaltation.

Prohibitions on the Orthodox holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross primarily concern going to the forest:

• It is believed that it is on this day that “snakes and reptiles go into the earth.” Whoever goes into the forest on this day will be lost.
• On this day, you cannot leave the doors open so that the “bastards” do not crawl into the house in search of a warm place for the winter;
• There was a belief: don’t start any important business on the Exaltation - everything will go to waste;
• On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, you cannot eat dairy and meat products, observing strict fasting.

Icon

Also, many are interested in how the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord icon helps. The Icon of the Exaltation of the Cross describes Queen Helena's finding of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. After the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord, the instrument of torture of the Savior was lost. Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, managed to find him only in 326 after a grueling search. The Icon of the Exaltation of the Cross is known for its miraculous abilities. After sincere prayer to the Holy Cross, illnesses recede.

On September 27, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Exaltation of the Lord, or the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. This church holiday is established in memory of the discovery and exaltation of the Cross of Christ.

It is considered one of the twelve important celebrations. On this day, it is customary to observe strict fasting; you are allowed to drink only wine and eat vegetable oil.

History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Emperor Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, saw a sign of God in the sky - a Cross with the inscription “By this victory.” He sent Elena, his mother, to find him.

Why did she first arrive in Jerusalem, where the Cross was buried, Judas helped her in this - he suggested that this place was where a pagan temple was built; earlier there was a cave there, which was filled with garbage. Elena immediately ordered its urgent destruction; three crosses were found in the cave.

In order to recognize the real one among them, she first brought the first one to the woman dying, but nothing happened, then the second one - the result was the same, but after applying the third one to the patient, she recovered. Just at this time, a funeral procession was passing by the house of the cured woman, and Elena decided to test the power of the Cross again: she laid all three crosses again, but only after the last one did the dead come to life.

The Queen bowed to the Cross and kissed it, and after her Patriarch Macarius and all the others present did the same. And no one had any doubt that in front of them was the same Honest and Life-giving Cross on which Jesus suffered his torment.

Signs and rituals for the holiday of September 27

This day is significant for mystical events, so people carefully monitored everything that happened on September 27th.

To protect the house from adversity, on this day a cross was drawn above the front door with charcoal, chalk or animal blood, and also carved out of wood and hung on willow branches. To prevent evil spirits from harming domestic animals, they made small crosses from oak and placed them in barns and nurseries where the pets were. The wooden cross could be replaced with rowan branches folded into a cross. Oak and rowan were chosen for a reason - it was believed that they could scare away evil spirits.

It was believed that if a person or animal were guilty of something on this day, they would be punished: so those who do not observe strict fasting or are violent (for example, roosters fight or a snake bites) will face illness or even death.

On this day, the bear sets up a den, so it is better not to go into the forest so as not to disturb him. There was another reason why you shouldn’t visit the forest today - the goblin is counting the animals in his domain, and can count the person who came to him, which means he won’t let him out again - very often on the Exaltation, many fornicated in the forest and could not leave it go out.

To see birds flying to warmer climes on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Lord is a great happiness.

There was such a sign that on September 27 you need to clean the house, since along with the garbage from the house, evil spirits are swept out and washed away. After cleaning, be sure to cross each house three times with a wooden cross or rowan branches.

A child born on this day will always be under the protection not only of his guardian angel, but also under the Lord himself. Under no circumstances should you marry the Exaltation, as the marriage will be short and unhappy.

During the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, you must enter the church, carrying rowan branches with you; when leaving, you must first slap them twice on the shoulders, starting with the right one, and then once on the top of the head, so that all the bad things go away. At home, place them near the icon. Let them lie there until the Intercession.

It is a bad omen to cry on September 27, since this is one of the few church holidays when people should rejoice, because the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a great day.