Each day of the year is unique and contains past events that are celebrated by the Orthodox Church. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was established in memory of the found cross on which Jesus was crucified.
On the day of the Exaltation, services are held in churches, during which believers remember the events associated with the acquisition of the cross of the Lord. The instrument of murder and shame has become a symbol of atonement for sins. The cross is a great shrine for the Orthodox world, hope and support. Divine services on the Exaltation tell about the acquisition of the Life-Giving Cross by Empress Elena. This event is celebrated annually on September 27, it is also called the Lord's Day. Its great meaning is to remind us: at the cost of his life, the Savior gave us Eternity with God.
Traditions and rules of the holiday
The celebration of the Exaltation is dedicated to a great event - the finding by Empress Elena of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Having found the relic, Patriarch Macarius raised (raised) the cross, presenting the opportunity for ordinary people to see the shrine. From this action came the name - Exaltation.
On the day of the Exaltation, it is customary to fast. It is believed that fasting on September 27 removes 7 sins from a person. It is forbidden to eat eggs, meat, fish, dairy products. But strict fasting is observed not with fear, but on the contrary, with joy about redemption and salvation.
Priests advise not to be stingy with alms to those in need. Part of the cooked Lenten treats can be taken to church or distributed to the poor with best wishes. Kindness always pays off.
On Thursday, September 26, an all-night vigil and service will be held. On the feast itself, a priest in purple robes brings the Cross into the hall. This, of course, is not the Life-Giving Cross itself, but only its symbol. But on September 27, real grace comes from him. Believers take turns kissing it, and the priest anoints with holy oil.
The Feast of the Exaltation is closely connected with the second coming of Christ. Jesus himself once said: "The Last Judgment will precede the sign of the cross: the Cross will shine in heaven, and all people will see the Lord descending on the clouds." While there is time, every believer should think about his soul.
Folk customs of the Exaltation
Mixed with folk customs and pagan traditions, the Orthodox holiday has grown among ordinary people with beliefs that have no theological value.
According to folk custom, on September 27 they do not go to the forest. It is believed that nature is preparing for winter, and to disturb it is to call trouble on your kind. Respect for nature did not even allow harvesting, arranging firewood. Other work that could disturb Mother Nature was also prohibited.
Also on this holiday, the peasants were afraid of the evil spirits that roamed the forest and prepared for the coming of winter. No one crossed the border of the forest for fear of encountering forest spirits. Such meetings threatened with loss of reason, health problems, damage and damnation. Therefore, our ancestors paid special attention to good spirits, appeasing them so that they would protect them from evil all winter.
Young people tried to woo the girls they liked, and adults went to temples. Of these, they brought home church candles, which they placed in the corners and read prayers that protect against any manifestation of evil.
In 2019, celebrating the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Orthodox will honor the great relic. Now the Cross is not a weapon of execution, but a symbol of redemption and forgiveness. For believers, it is an identification mark, spiritual support in difficult days, a symbol of protection, faith and strength. We praise the Cross of Christ as the ladder of salvation that leads to heaven. Peace in the soul, strong faith,And do not forget to press the buttons and
23.09.2019 05:38
One of the main church holidays, called the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, has a rich history and many traditions, ...
Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
A holiday that the Orthodox Church celebrates on September 27th. On this day, believers remember how in 326 in Jerusalem the Cross was miraculously found, on which Jesus Christ was crucified. We will talk about the events, meaning and traditions of the Exaltation of the Cross.
What is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Orthodox Christians remember two events on this day.
As Holy Tradition says, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. It happened near Mount Calvary, where the Savior was crucified.
And the second event is the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia, where he 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 before the people, that is, raised. At the same time, they turned him to all parts of the world in turn, so that people could bow to him and share with each other the joy of finding a shrine.
The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is the twelfth feast. The Twelfth Feasts are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Theotokos and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to the Mother of God). The Exaltation of the Cross is the Feast of the Lord.
When is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated?
The Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27 according to the new style (September 14 according to the old style).
This feast has one day of pre-feast and seven days of after-feast. Prefeast - one or several days before a big holiday, the divine services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, the afterfeast is the same days after the holiday.
Holiday giving away - October 4th. The celebration of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated with a special service, more solemn than on ordinary days of the afterfeast.
What can you eat on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On this day, the Orthodox have a strict fast. Do not eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil.
Events of the Exaltation of the Cross
Description of the events of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, which took place in the IV century, we find in some Christian historians, for example, Eusebius and Theodoret.
In 326, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to find the lost shrine, the Cross of the Lord, at all costs. Together with his mother, Queen Elena, he went on a campaign to the Holy Land.
It was decided to carry out excavations near Golgotha, since the Jews had a custom to bury the instruments of execution near the place of its commission. And, indeed, three crosses, nails and a board were found in the ground that were nailed over the head of the crucified Savior. As the Tradition says, a sick person touched one of the crosses and was healed. So Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen learned which of the crosses was the one. They bowed to the shrine, and then the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarius began to show it to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (“raised”) the Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: “Lord, have mercy!”.
In the 7th century, with the memory of finding the Cross of the Lord, another memory was connected - about the return of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Persian captivity.
In 614, the Persian king conquered Jerusalem and sacked it. Among other treasures, he took to Persia the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The shrine stayed with foreigners for fourteen years. Only in 628 did Emperor Heraclius defeat the Persians, make peace with them, and return the Cross to Jerusalem.
How the further fate of the shrine developed, historians do not know for sure. Someone says that the Cross was in Jerusalem until 1245. Someone that cut it apart and took it all over the world.
Now a part of the Cross of the Lord rests in an ark in the altar of the Greek Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.
History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
As Tradition says, the Cross of the Lord was found before the feast of Easter, the Holy Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, at first the Exaltation of the Cross was celebrated on the second day of Easter.
In 335, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem. It happened on September 13th. In honor of this, the Feast of the Exaltation was postponed to September 14 (according to the old style; according to the new style - September 27). The bishops who came to the consecration from all over the Roman Empire told the whole Christian world about the new holiday.
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.
Prayers of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Troparion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy heritage, granting victory to the Orthodox Christian against the opposition and Thy keeping Thy Cross living.
Translation:
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy heritage, granting victory to the faithful over enemies and preserving Thy people by Thy Cross.
Kontakion of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Ascended to the Cross by your will, to your namesake Your new residence, grant Your bounty, Christ God, rejoice with Your strength Your faithful people, giving us victories for comparisons, allowance for those who have Your weapons of peace, invincible victory.
Translation:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, to the new people named by You, grant Your mercy, Christ God; rejoice in Your strength to Your faithful people, giving us victory over the enemies, to help those who have from You, the weapons of the world, an invincible victory.
Magnification of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord
We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, and honor Your Holy Cross, by which Thou hast saved us from the work of the enemy.
Prayers to the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Prayer one
O Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body, wake up: casting 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 sake 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, morning, and evening, and noon, I glorify Thee, the blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of Him 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.
Icon 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.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh. Sermon on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Today we worship with trembling and gratitude the cross of the Lord. As two thousand years ago, the Cross of the Lord remains a temptation for some, madness for others, but for us, believers and saved by the Cross of the Lord, it is strength, it is the glory of the Lord.
Trembling is the Cross of the Lord: it is an instrument of cruel, painful death. The very horror that seizes us when we look at her instrument should teach us the measure of the Lord's love. The Lord so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son in order to save the world. And this world, after the incarnation of the Word of God, after the life of Christ on earth, after He proclaimed the Divine teaching in the hearing of all peoples, and after He confirmed the preaching of love, proved it by death without malice, death to which no one moment of resistance, revenge, bitterness - after all this, our world is no longer the same. His fate does not pass tragically, frighteningly and painfully before God's judgment, because God Himself entered into this fate of the world, because this present fate of ours has bound God and man together.
And the Cross tells us how dear a person is to God and how expensive this love is. Love can only be answered with love; nothing else can pay for love.
And now we are faced with a question, a question of conscience for now, which in due time will become a question that the Lord will put to us at the Last Judgment, when He will stand before us not only in His glory, but will stand before us wounded for our sins. For the Judge who will stand before us is the same Lord who gave His life for each of us. What will we answer? Do we really have to answer the Lord that His death was in vain, that His Cross is not needed, that when we saw how much the Lord loves us, we did not have enough love in return, and we answered Him that we prefer to walk in darkness, that we prefer guided by our passions, our lusts, that the broad road of the world is dearer to us than the narrow path of the Lord?.. While we live on earth, we can deceive ourselves that there is still time. But this is not true - time is terribly short. Our life can be cut short in an instant, and then our standing before the judgment of the Lord will begin, then it will be too late. And now there is time: there is time only if we turn every moment of our life into love; only then, if we turn every moment of life into love for God and love for every person, whether we like him or not, whether he is close to us or not, only then will our soul have time to ripen for the meeting of the Lord.
Let's look at the Cross. If a person close to us were to die for us and because of us, would not our soul be shaken to the very depths? Wouldn't we change? And so: the Lord is dead – shall we really remain indifferent? Let's bow to the Cross, but let's bow not only for a moment: let's bow, bow down under this Cross, take, to the best of our ability, this Cross on our shoulders, and follow Christ, Who gave us an example, as He Himself says, so that we follow Him . And then we will unite with Him in love, then we will come to life with the terrible Cross of the Lord, and then He will not stand before us, condemning us, but saving us and leading us into the endless, triumphant, victorious joy of eternal life. Amen.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Altufievo
Temple address: Moscow, Altufevskoe shosse, 147.
The old church was built at the expense of I.I. Velyaminov in 1760-1763, because the previously existing stone church in the name of Sophia and her daughters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov, which previously existed on this site, “has become completely dilapidated, and from this dilapidation everything has shrunk…”. The new temple was with a bell tower. It was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century.
The temple was closed only for a short time during the Great Patriotic War. Shrines - especially revered icons: a list from the Kazan icon of the Mother of God and the Monk Macarius Zheltovodsky (wonderfully appeared at the well of the preserved spring on the border of the villages of Altufiev, Bibireva and Medvedkov).
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek
Temple address: Moscow. 1st Truzhenikov lane, house 8, building 3.
The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moskva River.
It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658.
In 1701, the stone temple was rebuilt for the first time. The composition of the church continued the traditions of township construction of the 17th century. In the volume of the building, parts of the walls of the previous brick church, built in 1658, may have been preserved, when the territory between Plyushchikha Street and the river was occupied by settlements that belonged to the Rostov bishop's house.
For two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt, it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895. Most of the parishioners of the temple on the outskirts of the city at that time were courtyards, artisans, and soldiers. However, representatives of the famous noble families Musin-Pushkin, Sheremetev, Dolgoruky also belonged to the parish. On May 25, 1901, A.P. Chekhov got married here.
In 1918, the temple began to be looted. The authorities took out more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here.
In the 1920s, Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, celebrated Divine Liturgy more than once in the church. He also served here, who was shot in December 1937 at the Butovo training ground.
In 1930, the temple was closed, the rector, Archpriest Nikolai Saryevsky, was exiled. The dome and the bell tower were broken, the almshouse and the clergy house were demolished, 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 and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Vozdvizhenka - a street in Moscow
Vozdvizhenka is a street between Mokhovaya Square and Arbat Gate Square. At the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th centuries, the road to Volokolamsk and Novgorod went along it. In the middle of the XIV century, Vozdvizhenka was part of the trade road to Smolensk. In the 15th - first half of the 17th centuries, the street was called Orbata (probably from the Arabic "rabad" - suburb).
In 1493, the beginning of the street near the Kremlin wall was cleared by 110 sazhens, in the 16th century, the Church of St. Nicholas in Sapozhka (demolished in 1838) and small private courtyards already stood in the vacated place. In 1547, the Exaltation of the Cross Monastery was first mentioned. It was he who gave the new name to the street. In 1812, the monastery was ravaged by the Napoleonic army. In 1814 the monastery was abolished, and its cathedral church was turned into a parish church.
In 1935, Vozdvizhenka was renamed Komintern Street, in 1946 - Kalinina Street. In 1963-90, it became part of Kalinin Avenue. Now the street has returned its historical name.
Holy Cross Monastery
The Exaltation of the Cross Monastery was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street. The original name is the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which is on the Island. It was built no later than 1547.
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. The priest of this church, Alexander Sidorov, was arrested in 1931. He died in a concentration camp in Kem.
Folk traditions of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
In Rus', the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions.
On this day, the peasants painted crosses on the doors of houses, put small wooden crosses in the manger for cows and horses. If there was no cross, it was replaced by crossed rowan branches.
September 27 was also called the third Oseniny or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. “Exaltation is in the yard, the last shock from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor!” “On the Exaltation, a fur coat stretches for a caftan!”. "A zipun with a fur coat will move to the Exaltation!". “The exaltation of the caftan will be lifted, he will put on a fur coat!”. "Exaltation - the last cart moved from the field, and the bird flew away!".
The day was Lenten: “Whoever fasts on the Exaltation, seven sins will be forgiven”, “Although on Sunday, fall on the Exaltation, and everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Who does not fast on the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - seven sins will rise up!”
The Feast of the Exaltation was also called "cabbages". “Know, woman, about the cabbage - the Movement has come!”, “The movement of cabbages, it’s time to chop the cabbage!”, “Then chop the cabbage that is from the Movement!”, “A good man has pies with cabbage on the Day of the Movement!”, “On the Vzdvizhenye, the first lady is cabbage!” They also said: “No frost hits either Vozdvizhenskaya or Annunciation cabbage!” The youth arranged "Kapustensky evenings"; they lasted two weeks.
Proverbs about the Exaltation of the Cross
All sayings and proverbs dedicated to the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross are devoted to the theme of the approaching autumn or strict fasting on this day. For example: “Even though on Sunday the Exaltation falls, and everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast with the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - seven sins will be raised on him!”, Or: “Smart, woman, about cabbage - The rise has come!
Signs which are also associated with this holiday, like any other superstitions, have nothing to do with church doctrine and condemned by the Church.
The Exaltation is considered one of the most important Orthodox holidays and is celebrated annually on September 27th. Its history reaches the 4th century, when the Cross of the Lord was discovered in Palestine. It is one of the Twelve Feasts. The people also call this day the Third Osenins, which have their own traditions and signs.
History of the Feast of the Cross
The main symbol of this day is the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Once, Empress Elena went in search of the burial place of the Savior, but there were three crosses in front of her. Initially, no one could pinpoint exactly on which of them the Son of God was crucified, but the clue came by itself. One of the women who helped excavate the burial site was suddenly healed of a serious illness after touching one of the crosses. The legend also tells that one day the cross resurrected a dead person.
Each of these events is now carefully recorded in the history of Christianity, therefore, around the year 335, the church decided to celebrate this event with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Empress Elena, who managed to find the cross, founded a temple in honor of the Cross of the Lord, and was later canonized.
In the modern world, many fragments of the sacred Cross are kept. Of course, most of them are not real, but in Jerusalem there is the largest fragment. Previously, several parts were stored in Russia, but now they are gone.
Believers go to church for the All-night Vigil, which ends with a liturgy and the removal of a cross for worship. During the service, everyone can ask the Higher Powers for help and repent of unseemly deeds.
On the day of the holiday, it is customary to arrange dinner parties for the whole family and relatives, which always include pies with cabbage. The tradition has gone since ancient times, when our ancestors harvested a new crop.
It is worth sprinkling the house with holy water to cleanse it of any evil and ward off people with bad thoughts.
Our ancestors believed that on this day you can make a wish that will surely come true. They guess it at a flock of migratory birds flying by.
In the old days, on the day of the Exaltation, crosses were drawn with chalk on the front doors and on the back to protect themselves and animals from unclean spirits and diseases. In the sheds where livestock lived, they did the same. In addition, they used amulets that protect against evil.
On the day of the holiday, it is customary to bring three candles from the church, go around the corners of the house, connecting the candles together, and read a protective prayer.
Celebration of the Exaltation in Rus'
After the introduction of Christianity in Rus', the people did not associate this holiday with any biblical events. Even in the pagan era, at this time they celebrated the harvest festival and farewell to summer. Only after some time, ordinary people began to go to church and perceive this holiday as a worship of the Cross, which has great power.
For the Orthodox, the Exaltation is considered the day of the struggle between good and evil, between light and darkness. In this struggle, in the end, God's cross wins. Currently, a solemn divine service is being held in churches during the Exaltation, in which parishioners recall the events of two thousand years ago.
Regardless of the day of the week, the church calls for strict fasting on this day. It is no coincidence that the Exaltation is still popularly called cabbage. It is this product that is most often prepared for the holiday. Housewives manage to cook a lot of delicious dishes containing cabbage on a fast day, such as:
- borsch;
- pies;
- vareniki;
- pies;
- all kinds of salads, etc.
In some regions, the Exaltation is called Stavrov Day. This name comes from the ancient Greek word "stavros", which means cross.
Previously, in Russian villages, there was a tradition to burn or draw crosses on their homes in order to protect themselves from diseases and troubles. In the villages, all kinds of amulets in the form of a cross were also brought to the barn so that the cattle would not get sick. Do not forget about the bins with the harvest. On this day, they were consecrated so that the old stocks would be preserved until the new harvest.
In order for life to be prosperous, religious processions were held in Russian villages. People conveyed congratulations to each other and wished prosperity and health.
What is allowed to do on a holiday
You can do the necessary household chores: laundry, cooking, cleaning, washing dishes and bathing. The Church does not prohibit such events if they are really necessary. For example, there are sick relatives in the house who need care, or small children.
On the day of the holiday, it is customary to bring three candles from the church, go around the corners of the house, connecting the candles together, while reading a protective prayer.
On Exaltation, holy water has strong healing properties. She can wash and drink seriously ill people so that they get better.
Holiday bans
You can not start new cases that may turn out to be losing or cannot be completed for various reasons.
It is forbidden to eat products of animal origin.
It is worth abandoning entertainment events, watching entertainment programs.
According to the precepts of the ancestors, on this day there was no way into the forest - the animals were preparing for hibernation, and they could not be disturbed.
You can not scold, indulge negative emotions and enter into conflicts.
It is worth giving up needlework and working with the earth.
On the day of the holiday, the necessary things are not forbidden, but the clergy urge to remember that the day is intended for prayers and spiritual growth. On the 27th, you can gather with the whole family, visit the church and thank the powers of heaven for help and patronage.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the main church holidays. This Orthodox celebration has a rich history and many traditions.
Every year, believers celebrate the finding of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. This shrine was found after a long search and handed over to the church so that everyone would believe in the true power of the relic and be able to pray for healing from illnesses.
The history of finding the Cross of the Lord
After the crucifixion of Jesus, the Gentiles wanted to get rid of any evidence of the life of the Messiah. According to legend, after a terrible execution, a pagan temple was built on the mountain, covering the place of the tragedy with a huge amount of earth. However, believers did not give up their attempts to find the shrine and continued their tireless search for three centuries. Ultimately, the pagan temple was destroyed, and after careful excavations, the lost relic was finally found. The sources describing the find mention three crosses found. To determine which of the crosses is the one, a woman suffering from an incurable disease was invited. She touched the true cross and miraculously got rid of the disease.
This legend once again proves the true power of the Higher Forces and the fact that the Lord takes care of all the living, helping them to cope with difficulties.
The events of past years allowed the church to establish one of the most important holidays, and already from 335 AD, another name appeared in the calendar of festive dates - the celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Every year on September 27, many believers gather in churches. Pilgrims go to Jerusalem, where the largest part of the shrine is still kept. In addition, there are particles of the Life-Giving Cross in about 15 churches.
Orthodox holiday traditions
By tradition, from the very morning, believers go to solemn services, which begin with an all-night vigil and end with the removal of the Cross for worship. Until October 4, the shrine is freely available.
Our ancestors on the day of celebration made processions of the cross, glorifying the Lord and asking him for protection from any misfortune, including diseases, animal pestilence and natural disasters. According to tradition, on a holiday, the last harvested sheaves were removed from the fields, thanks to the Higher Powers for help and a good harvest. Also, rituals were performed in the fields so that next year would not be hungry.
On this day, it is forbidden to go into the forest, so as not to disturb the animals, who are going to hibernate before the onset of spring. It was believed that those who disobeyed were threatened with all sorts of troubles and even diseases. The land was not disturbed either, the harvesting was stopped.
On the day of the Exaltation, they tried to protect themselves from evil spirits, which on that day could harm. Be sure to protect yourself with amulets from damage and the evil eye, and also tried not to leave the house at night without special need.
On the 27th, the hostesses prepared sweet porridge to treat it to the keepers of the house: brownies, ovinniks, bannikovs. It was believed that the treat helped appease them, and the spirits agreed to help the household run the household and protect them from any evil.
According to church traditions, on the day of the holiday it is supposed to abstain from food of animal origin, as well as to abandon entertainment events, swear words and unseemly acts. After visiting the church, our ancestors always placed candles in the corners of their dwellings and offered up prayers protecting the house and family.
Signs on the day of the holiday
- According to the sign, on this day, evil spirits can roam. To drive her away, they read prayers and drew a cross with chalk on the door. Amulets were hung in the barn so that the unclean spirit would not offend the cattle.
- The birds that took to the wing indicated the approach of frost and the onset of early winter.
- On the day of the holiday, alms given to the beggars attracted good luck and prosperity to the house, if it was given without self-interest and from a pure heart.
- They don’t start a new business - it won’t burn out.
- Leave abuse and bad mood beyond the threshold, otherwise trouble will knock on the house.
The clergy urge to celebrate the holiday with the family and after visiting the church to arrange a modest dinner for all relatives. On this bright day, you can get rid of any troubles and leave grudges behind. Happiness to you, and do not forget to press the buttons and
20.09.2018 14:24
The Exaltation is one of the great church events. So that troubles and failures pass you by, observe ...
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a great twelfth feast, celebrated annually on September 27th. It has been celebrated since the 4th century. The holiday is dedicated to two important events related to the cross of the Lord - its acquisition and return.
History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In ancient times, Roman emperors repeatedly tried to destroy any mention of the life and work of Jesus Christ, and to destroy the sacred places he visited. Emperor Andrian ordered to cover the tomb of the Lord and the sacred mountain Golgotha, on which the Savior was crucified, with earth. On an artificially created hill, a sanctuary of the goddess Venus was built and a statue of the god Jupiter was erected. For a long time, pagans met at this place to perform cult activities and make sacrifices to their deities. But after 300 years, Christians found the tomb of the Lord and the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
This outstanding event for believers took place during the reign of Constantine the Great. He was the first of the Roman emperors to decide to end the persecution of Christians. According to legend, in the sky he saw a sign of God - a cross and the inscription "This will win." To fulfill God's will, Constantine sent his mother, Queen Helen, to Jerusalem, who was supposed to find the cross and the tomb of the Lord.
For a long time it was not possible to find the shrine, but the woman did not give up and continued her search. In the end, her efforts paid off. Around 326, the relics were found under the temple of the pagan goddess Venus. The temple was destroyed and Christian values were brought to light: the cross on which the Savior was crucified, four nails and the coffin of the Lord.
According to some reports, they found not one, but three crosses and a tablet with an inscription made by Pontius Pilate. Patriarch Macarius, in order to find out exactly on which cross Jesus was crucified, began to impose each cross in turn on the deceased. From the touch of one of the crosses, the deceased came to life. This was the proof that it was on this cross that Jesus was crucified.
With the acquisition of the cross, people got the opportunity to worship Christian shrines again. Seeing the miracle that had happened, Christians began to ask Patriarch Macarius to erect a cross so that believers could see it at least from afar.
After all these events, Empress Helen brought to Jerusalem the nails she had found and a piece of the cross of the Lord. Constantine the Great ordered the construction of a temple in Jerusalem in honor of Christ's Resurrection. The next day after the temple was consecrated, the celebration of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord was established.
Even on this day, the return of the cross to Jerusalem from Persia, where he was in captivity for 14 years, is remembered.
During the war against the Greeks, the Persian king Khosrov II Parviz defeated their army, plundered Jerusalem, taking many valuable things, including the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The cross was in Persia for 14 years, and only under the Byzantine emperor Heraclius I, who defeated Khosrov and made peace with his son, was the Christian relic returned. The Life-Giving Cross was solemnly transferred to Jerusalem.
According to legend, Emperor Heraclius in purple and a royal crown carried the Cross of Christ to the Church of the Resurrection. Next to him was Patriarch Zacharias. At the gate to Calvary, the emperor suddenly stopped and could not go any further. Zachary explained to the emperor that the Angel of the Lord did not allow him to pass, because the one who carries the Cross to Golgotha to redeem the world from sins makes his way on the Cross in a humble form. Then the king took off the purple and the crown, put on simple clothes and freely brought the shrine into the temple.
Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: what can not be done?
There are some prohibitions for this day. It is not necessary to start important matters on September 27th. It is believed that all your efforts will be useless and, as a result, the work you have begun will end in failure.
You can’t even go to the Exaltation of the forest. Our ancestors believed that on this big church holiday, the earth “closes” for the winter and all reptiles crawl away to some unknown warm lands. Therefore, they did not go into the forest, because they were afraid to meet snakes. The owners locked the gates and doors for the whole day, so that creeping reptiles would not accidentally enter the house.
Also, they were afraid to go into the forest because of the meeting with the goblin and other forest evil spirits. According to legend, on this day the goblin gathers all the animals subject to him to inspect them before winter, which is just around the corner. Having met a person, he can harm him. Girls were not allowed into the forest that day, they were afraid that the goblin could steal them.
Do not forget that September 27 is a fast day. You can not eat fast food. They believed that the one who does not fast on this day, seven sins will rise.
You should not pass by the places where a murder was once committed, because the unclean one can beguile.
It is impossible to cross incomprehensible traces seen on the ground. They can be left by forest evil spirits. Whoever crosses these traces will soon become seriously ill.
Video: Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 27)
