Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

O Lord Jesus Christ,

who through the Cross brought life to the world,

we praise You and exalt Your holy name.

As we honour the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,

we remember Your sacrifice and hope it brings to all humanity.

May Your Cross be or strength in times of sorrow,

our light in moments of darkness,

and our guide in every step we take.

Bless our community.

Bring peace where there is conflict, healing where there is pain,

and unity where there is division.

May we always carry Your Cross in our hearts

and live as witnesses to Your love and mercy.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

History is helpful for understanding such feasts as the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. After Saint Helena is claimed to have found the True Cross in AD 326, Emperor Constantine the Great, her son, ordered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (or of the Resurrection, in Greek) to be built at the site. It was consecrated on 13 September 335, and on the following day, today, Helena’s Cross was publicly shown for veneration. This observance spread in various forms and is still observed in all three ancient branches of the Church (Catholic, Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox), all focusing on the veneration of the cross itself as the sign of salvation.