The Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross

Life

On this day two events related to the Precious Cross of Christ are celebrated: first, the finding of the Precious Cross on Golgotha; and second, the return of the Precious Cross from Persia back to Jerusalem. While touring the Holy Land, the holy Empress Helena resolved to search for the Precious Cross of Christ. A certain elderly Jew named Judas was the only one who knew the place where the Cross was to be found, and being compelled by the empress, he revealed that the Cross was buried beneath the temple of Venus, which Emperor Hadrian had built on Golgotha. The empress ordered that this pagan temple be demolished, and digging deep they found three crosses. While the empress was in perplexity as to how to distinguish the Cross of Christ, a funeral procession happened to pass by that place. Then Patriarch Macarius suggested that they place the crosses one by one upon the dead man. When they placed the first and second crosses upon him, the dead man lay unchanged. But when they laid the third cross upon him, the dead man came to life. By this they recognized that this was the Precious and Life-giving Cross of Christ. They then placed it upon a sick woman, and the woman was healed. Then the patriarch raised the Cross so that all the people could see it, and the people with tears sang: "Lord, have mercy!" Empress Helena made a case of silver and placed the Precious Cross in it. Later, King Chosroes, having conquered Jerusalem, carried off many people into captivity and took the Cross of the Lord to Persia. In Persia the Cross remained for fourteen years. In the year 628, the Greek Emperor Heraclius defeated Chosroes and with glory returned the Cross to Jerusalem. Entering the city, Emperor Heraclius carried the Cross on his back. But suddenly the emperor stopped and could not take a single step further. Patriarch Zacharias saw an angel who prevented the emperor from proceeding under the Cross in magnificent imperial robes along the same path the Lord had trod, barefoot and humiliated. The patriarch made this vision known to the emperor. Then the emperor removed his robes, and in poor clothing and barefoot took up the Cross, carried it to Golgotha, and placed it in the Church of the Resurrection, to the joy and consolation of the entire Christian world.

From the Hymn of Praise

Save, O God, Thy people,Save, O Lord,With the Precious Cross illumine us,With the Cross upon the waters!The Cross is power and a sign,The Cross is salvation.