On September 27, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - one of the 12 main, or twelfth holidays Orthodox Church.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross: history
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, they remember how Queen Equal to the Apostles Elena found the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. The cross was found in 326 near Mount Calvary in Jerusalem. Since the 7th century, this day has been associated with the memory of the return Life-Giving Cross from Persia by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (629).
The holiday is called the Exaltation of the Cross, because both at the acquisition and at the return of the Cross, the primate raised (raised) the cross three times so that everyone could see it.
Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine wished to build temples of God on places sacred to Christians in Palestine (i.e., at the place of birth, suffering and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, etc.) and to find the Cross on which the Savior was crucified. With great joy, his mother, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena.
In 326, Queen Helen went to Jerusalem for this purpose. She put a lot of work to find the Cross of Christ, since the enemies of Christ hid the Cross, burying it in the ground. Finally, she was pointed to an elderly Jew named Judas, who knew where the Cross of the Lord was. After much questioning and persuasion, he was forced to speak. It turned out that the Holy Cross was thrown into one cave and littered with garbage and earth, and a pagan temple was built on top. Queen Elena ordered to destroy this building and dig out a cave.
When they dug up the cave, they found in it three crosses and a tablet lying separately from them with the inscription: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." It was necessary to find out which of the three crosses is the Cross of the Savior. The Jerusalem Patriarch (Bishop) Macarius and Empress Elena firmly believed and hoped that God would show the Holy Cross of the Savior.
On the advice of the bishop, they began to offer crosses one by one to one seriously ill woman. No miracle happened from two crosses, but when the third cross was laid, she immediately became healthy. It happened that at that time the deceased was being carried past for burial. Then they began to lay crosses one after the other and on the deceased; and when the third cross was laid, the dead man revived. Thus they learned the cross of the Lord, through which the Lord performed miracles and showed life-giving the power of His Cross.
Empress Elena, Patriarch Macarius and the people around them with joy and reverence bowed to the Cross of Christ and kissed it. Christians, having learned about this great event, gathered in countless numbers to the place where the Cross of the Lord was found (found). Everyone wanted to venerate the holy life-giving Cross. But since it was impossible to do this because of the multitude of people, everyone began to ask at least to show him. Then Patriarch Macarius stood on an elevated place and, so that everyone could see, several times erected(picked up) him. The people, seeing the Cross of the Savior, bowed and exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy!”
The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Kings Constantine and Helena, over the place of suffering, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, built a vast and magnificent temple in honor of Resurrection of Christ. They also built temples on the Mount of Olives, in Bethlehem and in Fevron near the Oak of Mamri.
Queen Elena brought part of the Cross of the Lord to her son, Tsar Constantine, and left the other part in Jerusalem. This precious remnant of the Cross of Christ is still kept in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ.
Icons of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The most common plot of the icon of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord took shape in Russian icon painting in the 15th-16th centuries. The icon painter depicts a large crowd of people against the backdrop of a single-domed temple. In the center on the pulpit stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. The cross is decorated with twigs of plants. In the foreground are the saints and everyone who came to venerate the shrine. On the right are the figures of Tsar Constantine and Empress Helena.
Prayers
Troparion, tone 1
Kontakion, tone 4
magnificence
We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, and honor Your Holy Cross, by which Thou hast saved us from the work of the enemy.
Choruses
Irmos of the 9th song
Hymns to the Cross of the Lord
choir Orthodox Brotherhood in the name of the Archangel Michael.
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy heritage, granting victory to the Orthodox Christian against the opposing ones, and keeping Thy life by Thy Cross.
Participated in the Exaltation of the Cross and on the Sunday of the Cross
Ascended to the cross by will, to your namesake new residence, grant Your bounty, Christ God; rejoice in Your strength, giving us victories for comparisons, the provision of Your possessions, the weapon of the world, an invincible victory.
Choir of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra and MDA
Rejoice Life-Giving Cross .
Rejoice, life-giving Cross, invincible victory of piety, the door of paradise, the faithful affirmation, the fencing of the Church, even if the aphids are ruined and abolished, and the mortal power is trampled down, and we ascend from earth to heaven, an invincible weapon, resisting demons: the glory of the martyrs, the saints, as truly fertilizer: a haven salvation, grant the world great mercy.
Prayers to the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Prayer one
Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body, wake up: cast down demons in your own way, driving away enemies, exercising passions and giving us reverence, both life and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and honest prayers of the Most Pure Theotokos. Amen.
Prayer two
O Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Of old, you were a shameful instrument of execution, now the sign of our salvation is forever revered and glorified! How worthily I can, unworthy, sing to Thee, and how dare I bow the knee of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins! But the mercy and inexpressible philanthropy of the humble Boldness, Spread on you, gives me, let me open my mouth to glorify Thee; for this reason I cry to Ty: rejoice, Cross, the Church of Christ's beauty and foundation, the whole universe - affirmation, Christians of all - hope, kings - power, faithful - refuge, Angels - glory and chanting, demons - fear, destruction and driving away, wicked and unfaithful - shame, the righteous - delight, the burdened - weak, overwhelmed - a haven, the lost - a mentor, obsessed with passions - repentance, the poor - enrichment, floating - helmsmen, the weak - strength, in battles - victory and overcoming, orphans - true protection, widows - intercessor, virgins - protection of chastity, hopeless - hope, sick - doctor and the dead - resurrection! You, foreshadowed by the miraculous rod of Moses, a life-giving source, soldering those who are thirsty for spiritual life and delighting our sorrows; You are a bed, on which the Resurrected Conqueror of Hell rested royally for three days. For this sake, and in the morning, and in the evening, and at noon, I glorify Thee, the blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of the One who has blossomed on Thee, may He enlighten and strengthen my mind with Thee, may He open in my heart a source of perfect love and all my deeds and my paths will overshadow Thee May I magnify Him who is nailed to Thee, for the sake of my sin, the Lord my Savior. Amen.
Liturgy of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, it is necessary to celebrate the All-Night Vigil and the Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night, so the festive Divine service on the eve of the holiday - the vigil - becomes central.
The Exaltation is the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) twelfth feast. Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is transferred to another day.
Interestingly, during Matins on the Exaltation of the Cross, the Gospel is read not in the middle of the temple, but in the altar.
The climax of the feast is when the preeminent 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 bow to Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection.”
The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day the Exaltation is given. On surrender, the priest takes the cross to the altar.
Order of the Exaltation of the Cross
The rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed at matins after the great doxology and singing of the troparion Save, O Lord, Thy people..., consists of a five-fold overshadowing of the Cross and its elevation to the cardinal points (to the east, south, west, north and again to the east). An important change, compared with the Studium monuments, is the addition of five deacon's petitions to the rite (corresponding to the five autumns of the Cross), after each of which a hundred times Lord have mercy. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Rule, before raising the Cross, the primate must bow to the ground so that his head is a span away from the ground (Greek. spithame, about 20 cm). During the correction of liturgical books in the Russian Church in the 2nd half. 17th century the order of the fall of the cardinal points during the rank was changed: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This order has been maintained to this day.
On this solemn day, it is necessary to pray
On September 27, the Orthodox celebrate one of the main religious holidays of the year - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The holiday is the twelfth (that is, one of the twelve holidays of the annual cycle), which was based not only on New Testament events, but also on later historical facts.
The very word "exaltation" means raising the Cross up after it was found in the ground. For three centuries, the place where the Cross of Christ was hidden was not even known. The relic was found in 326 thanks to the efforts of Empress Helen Equal to the Apostles.
The cross of Christ, and with it two more crosses, on which the robbers were crucified with Christ, were found in one of the caves, littered with earth and debris, and a pagan temple was built on top. Queen Elena ordered the destruction of the building. After the destruction of the building, when they began to dig, a wonderful fragrance indicated the places where the Shrine was soon found.
The event of finding the Holy and Life-Giving Cross and the miracles that took place made an impression not only on Christians, but also on Jews. Judas, who indicated the location of the Cross, accepted holy baptism with many Jews and was baptized under the name Cyriacus. Later he was the Patriarch of Jerusalem and suffered a martyr's death.
Soon on this place, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Elena built a magnificent church of the Resurrection of Christ. Later, Queen Elena built a temple on the site where the tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos was located in Gethsemane. Eighteen temples were also built in different places in the Holy Land.
Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: what not to do
On this day, you should not:
- swear and sort things out with loved ones;
- eat non-fast food: meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. On this day, all Orthodox observe strict fasting, seasoning it only with vegetable oil;
- start new business - they may end in failure;
- go to the forest: it was believed that the goblin counts forest animals, and it is impossible for an ordinary person to see this.
There is another legend among the people: it is believed that on this day snakes are looking for a place to hibernate for the winter, so it is advised to lock the house well. But what you should definitely do on this day is to pray.
Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: Prayer
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Icon of the late 18th century
The icon of the Exaltation of the Cross helps:
- get rid of incurable diseases, cure diseased bones and joints, and cope with chronic migraines.
- cope with infertility;
- cure toothache.
Prayer
Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As the smoke disappears, let them disappear; as wax melts from the face of fire, so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God and are marked by the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified on you, who descended into hell and corrected his strength the devil, and who gave us His Honorable Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady Virgin Mother of God and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: signs
It is necessary to fast on the Exaltation in order for life to be successful.
Only on the Exaltation in the new temple are bells and crosses on top. Obviously, this is connected with the Christian legend of the origin of the Feast of the Exaltation.
After the service, it is worth cleaning the house of evil spirits. To do this, it is necessary to sprinkle every corner with holy water, reading prayers.
Previously, it was believed that the last birds go to distant lands on Vozdvizhenie (in fact, those migratory birds that have not yet flown away fly to Vozdvizhenie). Our ancestors believed that the person who sees the last flight of birds on this day can make a wish - and it will certainly come true.
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The cross in Orthodoxy is of great importance: it protects from evil, unclean thoughts and deeds, acts as a belief in the power of the Almighty and his power. Every believer, entering the church, praying in front of the icons and being at the service, puts a cross on himself, as a sign of true faith in his defense. At baptism, both an adult and a child are put on pectoral cross which he wears all his life.
Nowadays there is different types crosses and the materials from which they are made. Everyone chooses for himself 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 a wooden cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
That is why, in order to perpetuate the cross and its vital energy, with which it charges all people, on September 27 the church celebrates the Orthodox feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
What does the Exaltation of the Holy Cross mean?
This holiday has ancient history, filled with interesting events that revealed many secrets to mankind. 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 sought, by all means, to find it.
The great Roman emperor Constantine, having received the message of God in the form of the face of the Cross before an important battle, managed to defeat his enemies, 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 a sacred place. Three Crosses were found, and it was a difficult task to determine which one was Life-Giving.
But one wise man gave practical advice: touch the found Crosses to a sick person. Thus, it was possible to heal a hopelessly ill woman and resurrect a dead person. The people nearby saw the spoiling result and also wanted to touch and kiss the unique Cross.
A unique temple of its kind was built on this site 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 sacrament of the Resurrection of the Savior.
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, features
It differs from all other church holidays in joy because the Cross, on which the son of God was crucified, was found many years later and symbolized the memory of all mankind, about those terrible sufferings that he had to endure, remaining until the last minutes of his life, devoted to the church. traditions and their Father.
Many doubted the correctness of his act and possibly condemned, but the majority believed that he did not spare himself, at the cost of his own life, atoned for the sin of all people on Earth. Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord — a tribute to humanity to Jesus Christ, a symbol of the Orthodox faith and honor.
Many people believe that the Cross has great power, heals from many ailments and protects from evil spirits. He gives the opportunity to let hope and love into your heart, fill the world with kindness, purity of souls and humility, as well as to know all the charms of the world of God, and appreciate his deeds, the power of love for people and all living beings.
Each person has his own purpose in life, and no one knows what life obstacles you need to go through in order to find your place in this world. We all carry our own burden, which sometimes seems unbearable and unfair to us.
But if, at least for one minute, we imagine what a brave and strong spirit Jesus was, that he managed to endure all the bitterness of his life path with dignity, 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 learning.
For this great holiday, everyone prepares in advance, read prayers at home, attend church services and pray before. It depicts the location of the miraculous Cross by Queen Elena. This icon helps those who ask to be cured of chronic ailments, infertility, problems with joints, teeth, and constant headaches.
Signs for the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord
Preparing for this holiday, our ancestors honored religious traditions:
- On this day in the church, at the service, they bought three candles, with which they then baptized the corners in the house, while reading a prayer;
- put a cross on the door of the house, and to protect pets, the owner broadcast amulets that brought prosperity to the house;
- adhered to a strict fast, prohibited animal products and fish. They could be replaced with a variety of lentil, mushroom and cabbage dishes. From the latter they made 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 those in need, you will heal your soul from sin and evil thoughts;
- Among the people, on this day it was customary to woo a young bride. She read special prayer in which she asked for a happy family life, mutual understanding and support. The youth gathered for mass celebrations, and in bad weather, they went to visit each other;
- By September 27, the peasants were trying to clear their land and prepare them for plowing;
- The elders noticed that when this holiday comes, you need to prepare for the winter. Summer warmth will please less and less, and cloudy and rainy weather - more and more often.
On the great church holiday of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, what should not be done so as not to sin and not be punished for disobedience and bias towards God:
- You can’t start something new - end in failure, a quarrel or a serious conflict;
- You can not raise your voice and swear;
- You can not do needlework;
- You can not open the doors in the house or sheds, so that snakes, snakes, vipers do not climb there for winter hibernation.
May the Lord keep you!
Established in memory of the finding of the Cross of the Lord, which, according to church tradition, took place in 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Calvary - the place of the crucifixion Jesus Christ. Since the 7th century, the memory of the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius in 629 began to be connected with this day.
In memory of the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross, a strict fast was established on the day of the holiday. The main action of the holiday is the rite of the exaltation of the Cross. During the festive service, the installation of the cross on the throne is performed and then it is carried out to the middle of the temple for worship by the faithful, during which the priest raises it to the four cardinal points while singing "Lord, have mercy."
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 an instrument for the execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman troops in 70 AD, the holy places associated with earthly life Gentlemen, fell into oblivion, on some of them pagan temples were built.
Emperor Hadrian(117-138) ordered Golgotha and the Holy Sepulcher to be filled with earth and a temple of the pagan goddess Venus and a statue of Jupiter to be placed on an artificial hill. Pagans gathered at this place and performed idol sacrifices. Only after 300 years, by the Providence of God, the great Christian shrines - the Holy Sepulcher and the Life-Giving Cross were again found by Christians and opened for worship.
It happened during the reign of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great(306-337), who, after the victory in 312 over Maxentius, the ruler of the Western part of the Roman Empire, and over Licinius, the ruler of its Eastern part, in 323 became the sole ruler of the vast Roman Empire. In 313, he issued the so-called Edict of Milan, according to which christian religion, and the persecution of Christians in the Western half of the empire ceased.
Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, who with the help of God won victory over his enemies in three wars, saw God's sign in heaven - the Cross with the inscription "By this you conquer."
Constantine, wishing to find the Cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, sets out for Jerusalem with his pious mother Queen Elena, with a letter to Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem.
Elena began archaeological excavations in Jerusalem, since in the 4th century there was practically no one to show either the place of the crucifixion of Christ or the place of His burial.
At the disposal of Empress Elena were written gospel sources with an accurate description not only of the events in the life of Christ, but also of the places in which they took place. Mount Calvary, on which Jesus Christ was crucified, was known to any inhabitant of Jerusalem. Another question is that the city was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. During the Passion of Christ, Golgotha was located outside the city walls of Jerusalem, and by the time of the excavations, Elena was inside them.
The pagan temples and idol statues that filled Jerusalem, the queen ordered to be destroyed. Looking for the Life-Giving Cross, she asked Christians and Jews, but for a long time her search remained unsuccessful. Finally, she was pointed to an old Jew named Judas, who said that the Cross was buried where the temple of Venus stands. The temple was destroyed and, having prayed, they began to dig the ground. Calvary was dug out almost to the ground, as a result of which the cave of the Holy Sepulcher was discovered - the place where Christ was buried, as well as several crosses.
In those days, the cross was only an instrument of execution, and Mount Golgotha was the usual place for the execution of death sentences. And how difficult it was for Empress Elena to understand which of the crosses found in the earth was Christ's.
The Cross of the Lord was identified by a tablet with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" and by laying it on a sick woman, who was instantly healed. There is also a legend that the deceased was resurrected from the laying of the Cross of the Lord - he was carried past for burial. Hence the name - Life-Giving Cross.
Elder Judas and other Jews believed in Christ and accepted holy baptism. Judas got a name kyriac and was subsequently ordained Bishop of Jerusalem. Into the reign Julian the Apostate(361-363) he was martyred for Christ.
After finding the Cross of the Lord, the primate of the Jerusalem Church raised it, that is, he erected it (hence the Exaltation), turning it in turn to all sides of the world, so that all believers could, if not touch the shrine, then at least see it.
In places connected with the earthly life of the Savior, Queen Elena built more than 80 churches.
By a special decree of Emperor Constantine, a huge and majestic Church of the Resurrection of Christ was erected in Jerusalem, which is often called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He included both the cave where Jesus Christ was buried, and Golgotha. The temple was built for about 10 years and was consecrated on September 13, 335. The day after the consecration of the temple, it became customary to celebrate the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
Subsequently, the Exaltation became the main holiday and became widespread in the East.
After the victory of Emperor Heraclius over the Persians and the solemn return of the Holy Cross from captivity in 629, they began to celebrate the second acquisition of the Cross of the Lord.
The Christian shrine was captured by the Persian king Khosroes II. It was possible to win it back only 14 years later, when the Byzantine army defeated the Persians. The life-giving Cross was brought to Jerusalem with great triumph and reverence. He was accompanied Patriarch Zacharias, who all these years was a prisoner of the Persians and was inseparably next to the Cross of the Lord. The Byzantine emperor Heraclius himself wished to carry the great shrine.
According to legend, at the gate through which it was necessary to pass to Calvary, the emperor suddenly stopped and, no matter how hard he tried, could not take a single step. The Holy Patriarch explained to the king that an Angel was blocking his path, because He Who carried the Cross to Golgotha to redeem the world from sins, completed His Way of the Cross, being humiliated and persecuted. Then Heraclius took off his crown, his royal attire, dressed in simple clothes and freely entered the gate.
There is no consensus on the future fate of the Cross of the Lord. According to some sources, the Life-Giving Cross remained until 1245 in the form in which it was acquired under St. Helena. And according to legend, the Cross of the Lord was shattered into small parts and scattered throughout the world. Most of it is kept to this day in Jerusalem, in a special ark in the altar of the Church of the Resurrection, and belongs to the Greeks.
The story of the monastery, built by decree of Empress Helena in honor of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Leaving Palestine, Queen Elena sawed the Cross of the Lord and took with her only a part of it. During her return journey from Palestine to Constantinople, Saint Helena founded several monasteries, in each of which she left pieces of the Life-Giving Cross. Significant events preceded this. According to legend, the ship of Queen Helena caught a storm and it was decided to take refuge and wait out the elements in one of the bays off the coast of Cyprus.
At night, Elena saw a wonderful dream in which an angel appeared to her and said that it was necessary to build a monastery and leave a part of the Cross of the Lord in it. The next day, it was discovered that one of the crosses had mysteriously disappeared from the ship. Later, Saint Helena and her companions saw this cross hovering in the air above the top of Mount Olympus.
Thanks to this sign, Empress Elena decided that it was necessary to build a monastery on this very spot. She personally laid a stone in the foundation of the building and presented the church with one of the large crosses and a particle from the Cross of the Lord.
So in 326, the Stavrovouni Monastery appeared on a 700-meter mountain, which stands there to this day. It was repeatedly attacked by conquerors, of which there were many during the long history of the monastery.
Today, the Stavrovouni Monastery has been completely restored and continues to be a holy place for pilgrims.
Rising above sea level, the monastery offers its visitors an unusual, bewitching view. Standing on the observation deck, you feel some extraordinary feeling of weightlessness and unity with something really great.
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Icon acquired by L. A. Bulanov, Chairman of the Cyprus Branch of the IOPS, in the Stavrovouni Monastery
Many temples and monasteries were built in Cyprus in honor of the Life-Giving Cross. Here are just a few of them:
Monastery of the Holy Cross. Omodos village.
Monastery of the Holy Cross. Cook village.
Monastery of the Myrtle Cross. Not far from the village of Tsada.
Church of the Holy Cross. Protected by UNESCO. Village of Platanis.
Church of the Holy Cross. Village of Agia Irini.
Church of the Holy Cross. Pelendri village.
Therefore, in Cyprus, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated with special reverence and reverence. And in Cypriot families, children are very often given the names Stavros (boys) and Stavrulla (girls) in honor of the Holy Cross, honoring the special role of this Christian relic in the fate and history of their island.
In Russia, there are also folk traditions associated with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
On the Exaltation, a strict fast is observed. Whoever keeps a fast, his life develops successfully, and he receives the forgiveness of all his sins.
In new churches, bells and crosses are placed on domes only on this day.
On the Vozdvizheniye, "the caftan with the fur coat moved, and the cap moved down." The Exaltation is celebrated on September 27th. It is believed among the people that from this day autumn begins to transfer its rights to winter. There will be no real winter frosts yet, but frosts from this day are already becoming the norm for the weather. During the day you can walk in an unbuttoned jacket, but in the morning and evening you need to dress warmer.
On Vozdvizhenie, the last birds leave for the winter. If you saw the last flight of birds on this day, you can make a wish, and it will surely come true.
On Exaltation - autumn is moving faster towards winter. This day was considered by the people as the end of the "Indian summer".
On Vozdvizhenie, "the doors are locked so that the bastards do not get into the house." It is on this day that all snakes begin to hide in their burrows for the winter. To prevent snakes from crawling into the house, it is customary to keep the doors closed. Be careful on this day and do not leave the doors open.
In order to protect their homes from troubles, in the old days people painted crosses over the doors - a bright sign did not allow "evil" to enter the home and disturb the well-being of the family.
On Vozdvizhenie, our ancestors defended not only their homes, but also roads. Crosses near the roads were useful for travelers: those who were on a long journey could stop and bow to the cross.
The fields from which the harvest was harvested were surrounded by icons, asking God to send daily bread for the next year. People made a religious procession around the village.
On Vozdvizhenie, they began to make winter supplies. Particular attention was paid to cabbage, because the holidays were sometimes called "cabbages". The so-called "skit nights" - fun gatherings - were common. Well-dressed girls went to visit to chop cabbage, and the work was accompanied by songs and cheerful conversations. Young men during such gatherings looked after their future brides. Guests were treated to cabbage dishes.
Leonid Bulanov, Chairman of the Cyprus branch of the IOPS
World Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the master's (from the Slavic " twelve ten"- twelve), that is, the largest, installed in remembrance of how the Equal-to-the-Apostles queen Elena mother of the emperor Constantine, found the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. This event, according to church tradition, took place in the year 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha - the place of the crucifixion of Christ. Holiday Exaltation of the Holy Cross is non-transitive, always noted September 27(September 14, old style). It has one day of pre-feast (September 26) and seven days of after-feast (September 28 to October 4). Giving a holiday - The 4th of October. In addition, the Feast of the Exaltation is preceded by a Saturday and a Week (Sunday), called Saturday and the Week before the Exaltation.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. History and event of the holiday
Day Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the oldest Orthodox holidays. It is performed in memory of two events from the history of the Cross of the Lord: in memory of its acquisition in the 4th century and in memory of its return from the Persians in the 7th century. The Holy Cross of the Lord, shortly after the removal of the Savior from it, was buried in the ground by the Jews, along with the crosses of two robbers. This place was subsequently built up with a pagan temple. The acquisition of the Cross took place in 325 or 326. According to church historians of the 4th century, the mother of the emperor Constantine, equal to the apostles Elena, went to Jerusalem to find places associated with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as the holy Cross. According to legend, Saint Helen tried to find out the place where the Cross was buried from the Jews of Jerusalem. She was pointed to the place where the pagan temple of Venus was located. The building was demolished and excavations began. Finally, they found three crosses, a sign with the inscription " Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews and nails. To find out on which of the three crosses the Lord was crucified, they were applied 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 Cross of the Lord, which was raised by the bishop for all to see. Tradition also speaks of the miracle of the resurrection of the dead, who was carried to the burial, through touching the Cross.
Sts. Konstantin and Elena. Theophanes of Crete. Fresco. Meteora (Nikolai Anapafsa). 1527 When the reverent worship of the Cross and kissing it began, due to the crowd, many could not only kiss the holy Cross, but even see it, therefore the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarius showed the newfound Cross to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (" erected") Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: Lord have mercy!» The acquisition of the Cross took place around , so the initial honoring of the Cross took place on the second day of Easter. After finding the Holy Cross, Emperor Constantine began the construction of temples on Golgotha. A large basilica was built directly near Golgotha and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher martyrium and rotunda Sunday(Holy Sepulcher). The consecration took place on September 13, 335. Interestingly, the consecration of the temple also influenced the date of the holiday. The bishops who were present at these celebrations decided to celebrate the finding and exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, and not on May 3, as was the case in previous years. So, from the biography of the saint John Chrysostom it can be seen that in his time in Constantinople the celebration of the exaltation of the Cross took place on September 14th. In 614, under the Persian king Khozroe, the Persians took possession of Jerusalem and, together with other treasures of the temple, stole the holy Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained in the hands of the pagans for 14 years, and only in 628, under the Greek emperor Heraclius, The cross was returned to Jerusalem. Since the 7th century, the celebration Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord became especially solemn.
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Exaltation of the Holy Cross. worship
This holiday is both solemn and sad, it reminds not only of the greatness and triumph of the Lord's victory over death, but also of His suffering on the Cross. The main feature of the service on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is removal at the end of the evening service of the Cross from the altar for reverent worship. After a great doxology, the priest lays the Cross on his head and in the presentation of lamps, incense and singing " Holy God”takes him out of the altar through the northern doors. Then, at the end of the singing, he proclaims: forgive wisdom". The singers sing: Save, O Lord, your people". The priest places the Holy Cross on the lectern prepared in the middle of the temple and performs incense before it. After this, there is a worship of the Cross when the clergy sing:
We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.
Vestments of the clergy on a holiday Exaltation of the Cross it is dark, mourning, and women put on dark scarves. In memory of the sufferings of the Lord on the Cross, fasting is established on this day - food is supplied only with vegetable oil. The verses of the feast reveal the doctrine of the meaning of the sufferings of Christ. The sufferings of Jesus Christ put to death the one who killed us, i.e. the devil, and revived people mortified by sin; the poison of the ancient serpent was washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. The verses and the canon of the Exaltation were compiled by well-known creators of church hymns - Feofan, Cosma and others. They showed the connection of the New Testament events with the Old Testament events, pointing out the types of the Cross of the Lord. So, in one of the verses on lithium we hear:
For example, krt your xrte, patriarch i3y1kov, vnykwm blessing of the gift, on the heads of the change, create the hand.
The stichera, which are sung during the veneration of the Cross at the end of the evening service, are filled with a high spiritual mood:
When you come, faithfully, bow to the life-giving tree, let us spread the glory to the king of glory, lift us up to the first bliss. Come, people, glorious chyu6to see krta sila bow down. Bring on the creatures, and 3 glory, on which it is nailed, and 3 in 8 the ribs are pierced. bile and 3 nets 8 eats, the sweetness of tsrk0 vnaz. ... and 3 hangs with a roaring hand, and with the same hand creating a bang. Even if there are not touchable beings, it happens to me. i3 suffers from the art, freedom from mz t strtє1y.
In proverbs for the holiday Exaltations contains such thoughts: in the first proverb (Ex. XV, 22-27; XVI, 1) it is told how Moses, during the wandering of the Jews in the wilderness, healed a spring with bitter water by investing a tree. This tree, which sweetened the bitter water, represented the power of the Cross of the Lord. In the second proverb (Prov. III, 11-18) a man is pleased who cares about acquiring the tree of wisdom, which is “ tree of life”For those who acquire it, our wisdom and our tree of life is the Cross of Christ. The third proverb (Isaiah LX, 11-16) contains the prophecy of Isaiah about the greatness and glory of the city of the Lord, holy Jerusalem, which the Lord will clothe with greatness forever and joy for generations of generations.
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The canon depicts the power of the Cross, which was revealed in the Old Testament prototypes of the cross (Moses, who raised his hands crosswise during the battle and thereby begged for victory; the tree that sweetened the waters of Merra, etc.), and in the New Testament miracles - through the very Cross of the Lord. The Apostle says (I Cor., I, 18-24) that the Cross, i.e. the sufferings of Jesus Christ represent God's power and God's Wisdom. The Gospel (John XIX, 6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35) contains the history of the suffering of Christ the Savior.
Troparion and Kontakion for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Troparion to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Church Slavonic text:
With the help of 22 gD and people svoS, and 3 bless2 dignified svoE, victory to the power of the Russians on resistance, grant, and 3 svoS save krt0m people.
Russian text:
Save, Lord, your people and bless us, Your property, giving our country victory over the opponents, the enemies of His kingdom, and preserving our people by the power of Your Cross.
Kontakion holiday. Church Slavonic text:
In ozneshisz on whom I pour, the namesake 1 of that new residence of yours2. your generosity, grant xrte b9e. rejoice2 with the strength of your country, our country, victories and the 4th on the commensurate, help and support your arms, the world's invincible victory.
Russian text:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, to the people named after You, grant Your mercy, Christ God; exalt our country with your strength, giving it victory over enemies, may it have help from you, a weapon of peace, an invincible victory.
Order of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In Russia rite of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross It has been known since the 13th century and is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It has a long history. The earliest record of this rank is preserved in the so-called Jerusalem canonar, dating back to 634-644 by the time of its origin. In different monuments we find diversity in the descriptions of this rite: some describe how the rite is performed during the service of the Patriarch with a host of clergy, others - only a priest with a deacon. Saint Cyprian of Moscow in his letter of 1395 to the Novgorod clergy, he wrote that on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Cross should be erected in every church, even if there is only one priest. In the old printed Moscow Typicon of 1641, an indication appeared that the Cross was erected only in cathedral churches and monasteries, and in ordinary parish churches, only worship of the Cross took place on the Exaltation of the Cross, according to the rite of the Week of the Cross. This custom continues to this day: rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is performed only in cathedral churches where a metropolitan or bishop serves.
The bishop, taking the Cross and standing to the east (towards the altar), begins the first exaltation - raising the Cross up. In front of the Cross, at some distance, the deacon stands, holding a candle in his left hand, and a censer in his right, and proclaims: “ Have mercy on us God". The singers sing a hundred times: Lord have mercy". At the start of the chant Lord have mercy"The bishop three times overshadows the Cross to the east and, while singing the first half of the centurion, slowly bows his head with the Cross as low as possible," a span from the ground". When singing the second half of the centurion, it slowly rises. While singing for the 97th time " Lord have mercy The bishop straightens up and, standing straight, again overshadows the Cross three times to the east. The second exaltation is performed by the bishop, turning to the west, the third - to the south, the fourth - to the north, the fifth - again to the east. The singers also sing at this time: Lord have mercy! Then the worship of the Cross begins, during which the singers sing the usual stichera.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Icons
In Byzantine art, the basis of the iconography of the holiday Exaltation of the Holy Cross originally, it was not a real historical episode of finding the Cross, but an image of the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross, which was performed annually in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Therefore, the Cross on the icons was often depicted as an altar. The first such images belong to the end of the 9th - the beginning of the 11th century. This iconographic variant was also used by Russian icon painters.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross The most common plot Icons of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in the 15th-16th centuries. The Cross of Christ is depicted already monumental. In the center, on a high stepped elevation, stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. Sometimes the Cross is decorated with plant branches. Behind you can see a large single-domed temple. Often kneeling prayers and a large number of people who came to bow to the shrine were depicted in the foreground. The figures of Tsar Constantine and Empress Elena are on either side of the Patriarch, with outstretched hands in prayer, or on the right.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Folk traditions and beliefs in Russia
holiday in Russia Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions. From ancient times there was a custom on the day of the Exaltation to erect chapels and small churches, as well as to erect crosses on temples under construction. Roadside votive crosses were also placed on the Feast of the Exaltation in gratitude for deliverance from misfortune and pestilence. On this day, icons were also raised to go around the fields, with a prayer for the future harvest.
September 27 was also called third Osenins or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. In Russia, the Exaltation was also called By moving or shift- words denoting movement, change of state. It was believed, for example, that on this day the grain “moved” from the field to the threshing floor, since by mid-September the harvesting of bread usually ended and threshing began. They also said that the Exaltation move the zipun, pull the fur coat", or that on the Exaltation" caftan with a fur coat moved and the hat moved down».
The Feast of the Exaltation was Lenten. It was believed that " whoever fasts on Exaltation, seven sins will be forgiven". Most often, cabbage and dishes from it were eaten on this day. " On Vozdvizhenye, a good fellow has cabbage at the porch" or " Dare, woman, about cabbage - Exaltation has come", - said the people. Throughout Russia, the peasants believed that the day of the Exaltation was one of those on which no important and significant work should be started, since everything started on this day would either end in complete failure, or be unsuccessful and useless.
However, judging by some popular beliefs, the peasants did not know at all what the true meaning and meaning of church holiday Exaltation of the honest and life-giving cross of the Lord. The people firmly believed that on the day of the Exaltation, under no circumstances should one go to the forest, since evil spirits can beat, or simply send a peasant to the next world. According to the peasants, on the day of the Exaltation, all reptiles "shift", that is, crawl into one place, underground, to their mother, where they spend the whole winter, right up to the first spring thunder. On the Feast of the Exaltation, the peasants for the whole day carefully locked the gates, doors and gates, out of fear that reptiles would mistakenly crawl into their yard and hide there under manure, in straw and bunks. However, the peasants believed that from September 27, that is, from the Exaltation, snakes did not bite, since every reptile that stung a person at that time would be severely punished: all autumn, until the first snow and even through the snow, it would crawl in vain, not finding a place for herself until the frost kills her, or the man's pitchfork is pierced.
Temples in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
For a long time in Russia, churches were built in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. So, according to the testimony of the Suponevskaya chronicle, around 1283, a cathedral Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Romanov-Borisoglebsk (now Tutaev) on the left bank of the river, " opposite Borisoglebskaya Sloboda". According to legend, the first builder of the Kremlin was the prince of Uglich, Roman Vladimirovich Saint(1261–1285). Detinets has suffered many attacks in its history. The last siege of the Romanov Kremlin took place during the events of the War of 1612. In battles and epidemics, one third of the townspeople died, but the spirit of the people remained alive. AT Soviet time the building of the temple housed a museum of local lore, later - a warehouse. In 1992, the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and since 2000 it has been an active church.
Holy Cross Cathedral, Tutaev (Romanov-Borisoglebsk) In 1640, at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moskva River, the Exaltation of the Cross Church was laid. It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658. Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895. In 1918, the temple began to be looted. The authorities took out more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here. In 1930, the temple was closed, the dome and the bell tower were broken, and a hostel was made in the temple premises. The wall painting was painted over, and when it began to show through the whitewash, it was knocked down. But 70% of the painting survived. By the end of 2000, after the return of the church of the Russian Orthodox Church and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek. Moscow Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Kolomna at the Pyatnitsky Gates of the Kolomna Kremlin arose in the 15th century. In 1764, on the site of a wooden building, a stone two-tier church with a bell tower was erected. In 1832–1837 the church was radically rebuilt at the expense of the sisters Sharapovs. In the 1980s the room was used as a workshop and warehouse of the Kolomna Museum of Local Lore. In 1994 the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Kolomna Kremlin In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a monastery was consecrated in the town of Belev, Tula Region. Female Crucifixion convent was built in 1625. “According to a petition about 1625, submitted to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich by a certain old woman Marfa Palitsina, she was allowed to build a maiden monastery in the suburb with a church in the name of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross.” In the Belevskaya monastery from the very beginning there was only one church - a wooden one, in the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. This is evidenced by the inscriptions on the gospel and vessels that were donated to the monastery during the construction of the temple. There were also twelve wooden cells. At the very beginning of its existence, the monastery was very poor in funds and, despite the material support of the king, even needed candles, incense, and church wine. By 1680, 38 sisters and abbesses lived in the monastery, who received royal salaries. Having existed for one hundred and forty years after its foundation, the Holy Cross Convent was abolished in 1764. But the desolation of the monastery did not last long. In 1768, it was decided to renew the Exaltation of the Cross Convent. At the very beginning of the 19th century, in 1801, during a severe fire that raged in Belev, the buildings of the monastery were badly damaged. In 1869, the monastery church was re-erected, already made of stone, and had 5 aisles. On the ground floor: in the center - in honor of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the right - in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Three Hands", on the left - in the name of St. Nicholas. On the second floor: on the left - in the name of Andrei, Christ for the sake of the holy fool, on the right - in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. At the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery was abolished and for a long time was in disrepair. In the 1980s In the 20th century, restoration work began, but quickly ended.
Holy Cross Belevsky Monastery In the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the temple of the Vvedensky Tolga Monastery in the village was consecrated. Tolga Yaroslavl region. At present, the warm church in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is the earliest surviving stone building of the monastery. In 1838, the church underwent alterations: windows were scattered, vaults were raised, internal pillars were removed, and the upper sections of the temple were decorated with wall writing. In 1892, the Vozdvizhenskaya Church was painted entirely with oil paints.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Vvedensky Tolga Monastery in the village. Tolga, Yaroslavl region In the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, a temple was consecrated in the village. Kurgomen, Vinogradovsky district, Arkhangelsk region. The church was built in 1623. The Vozdvizhenskaya Church is interesting as one of the earliest wooden tented churches of the “octagon on a quadrangle” type with two piers (from the west and east) and a refectory. The church had a beautifully proportioned porch. A detached nine-pillar bell tower was built in 1605 and was one of the oldest buildings of this kind. Holy Cross Church burned in 1919.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the village. Kurgomen, Vinogradovsky district, Arkhangelsk region. 1623 In the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, a temple was consecrated in the town of Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine. The building dates from around 1570 and around 1570. Nearby stands a huge watchtower (XVI-XVII centuries). It adjoins the ruins of the Exaltation of the Cross Church and the male Orthodox monastery of the same name. Once the tower was part of the city fortifications. In 1852, a warm church was built in its first tier. And in Soviet times, local policemen used this first tier as a shooting gallery.
The ruins of the temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the tower in the city of Starokonstantinov, Khmelnytsky region, Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Drohobych, Lviv region of Ukraine. The church was built in 1613 and is considered a model of wooden architecture of the Ukrainian Renaissance. The temple was built at the expense of the owners of the Drohobych salt industry and is located not far from the buildings of the old salt plant. During its history, the church has experienced several fires, many rebuildings and reconstructions. At first, it was a three-frame one-top, and later it was rebuilt into a two-top church and was used for defensive purposes. A wooden bell tower was erected next to this temple in 1661, thus the church together with the bell tower forms a harmonious architectural ensemble.
Church in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Drohobych, Lviv region of Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Lutsk, Volyn region of Ukraine. The temple was erected in 1619-1622 and had a pronounced defensive character. This is one of the early examples of the transformation of wooden architecture into stone architecture, in particular, the traditional type of wooden three-frame three-domed temple. The three-part axial composition of the temple was emphasized by three domes. The vestibule looked like a defense tower with a staircase leading to the vault. In 1803 the church was destroyed by fire. In 1888, a chapel was built on the site of the temple, and by 1890 the church was completely rebuilt, including the surviving ancient apse with a preserved 17th-century reinforcing frieze with keel-shaped niches.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Lutsk, Volyn region of Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, a temple was consecrated in the city of Ternopil, Ternopil region of Ukraine. The temple was erected in 1570 or 1627. The first official mention of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was found in the letter of Prince Konstantin Ostrozhsky dated 1570. Initially, the church did not have a high tower; on a stone slab installed above the entrance, the exact date of completion of the construction of this three-tier belfry was carved - July 28, 1627. At the beginning of the XVIII century, during the oppression of Orthodoxy in the territory of the Commonwealth, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was closed and for quite a long time was used as a warehouse. And only in 1760 the revival of the church began. Later, a brick bell tower with a low decorative spire was built in the churchyard. In 1831, during a huge fire in the city, the roof of the temple was completely burned down, but it was quickly restored. In the first half of the 20th century, during the wars, the church was significantly destroyed and only in 1954-1959. overhauled.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Ternopil, Ternopil region of Ukraine Holy Cross Monastery in Moscow
Holy Cross Monastery it was first mentioned in chronicles in 1547. It was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street (the street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square). original name - Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, on the Island.
Orthodox church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Vozdvizhensky Monastery. 1882 During the invasion of Napoleon, the monastery was plundered by the invaders. In 1814, it was abolished, and the cathedral church was turned into a parish church. The Holy Cross Church was closed after 1929, and in 1934 it was demolished. The Metrostroy mine was built on the site of the church.
Old Believer churches in honor of the Feast of the Exaltation Odessa region (Ukraine). Sverdlovsk region.
Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Nevyansk
Also today is the patronal feast for the Moscow Transfiguration community (Fedoseevsky consent). Like the Rogozhskaya community, the Preobrazhenskaya community arose in 1771 in connection with the plague epidemic, when a cemetery was founded behind the Kamer-Kollezhsky Val and Catherine II received permission to build churches. Here the merchant played a special role. Ilya Kovylin who organized the almshouse and sponsored large-scale construction. And since Kovylin was a Fedoseevite, the Preobrazhensky community became the center of this denomination.
Exaltation of the Cross Church of the Fedoseev Accord at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery At the beginning of the 19th century, the community was divided into two parts - the men's and women's courtyards. Each half was separated by a jagged stone wall with hipped towers. In fact, two monasteries appeared here. In 1811, a church was built in the women's courtyard in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in which the Fedoseyevites still pray. This temple does not have an altar apse, since the Liturgy is not currently served by the Old Believers of non-priestly consents.
