As You were mercifully crucified for our sake, grant mercy to those who are called by Your name; make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, granting them victories over their adversaries, by bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace.
Kontakion of the Feast
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Tomorrow is the Major Feast of the Elevation of the Cross. It is the day we lift up, consider, venerate, and contemplate the extreme mystery that is the Cross of Christ. It is violent. It is glorious. It is mournful. It is joy. It is death, itself. It bred life, itself. It wells up tears of sorrow yet pours fourth tears of gratitude. It is repulsive. It is beautiful. In fear we flee from its shadow. In faith, we draw near to its light. In grief we look away from it. In the hope of the Resurrection, we gaze up at it. It is the Cross of Christ. It is all those things. Glory to Him Who ascended it unto our Salvation
Fr. Thomas Hopko explains well this Feast, This tale of “Harmolipe” (Joyful Sorrow).
The Elevation of the Cross, celebrated on the fourteenth of September, commemorates the finding of Christ’s Cross by Saint Helen, the mother of the Emperor Constantine in the fourth century; and, after it was taken by the Persians, of its recovery by the Emperor Heraclius in the seventh century at which time it was “elevated” in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. From this latter event the “universal elevation” of the Cross was celebrated annually in all of the churches of the Christian Empire.
As You were mercifully crucified for our sake, grant mercy to those who are called by Your name; make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, granting them victories over their adversaries, by bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.
Kontakion of the Feast
The day of the Elevation of the Cross became, as it were, the national holiday of the Eastern Christian Empire similar to the Fourth of July in the United States. The Cross, the official emblem of the Empire which was placed on all public buildings and uniforms, was officially elevated on this day by the bishops and priests. They blessed the four directions of the universe with the Cross, while the faithful repeated the chanting of “Lord have mercy.” This ritual is still done in the churches today after the solemn presentation and elevation of the Cross at the end of the Vigil service of the holy day following the Great Doxology of Matins.
The troparion of the feast which was, one might say, the “national anthem” sung on all public occasions in the Christian Empires of Byzantium and Russia, originally petitioned God to save the people, to grant victory in war and to preserve the empire “by the virtue of the Cross.” Today the troparion, and all the hymns of the day, are “spiritualized” as the “adversaries” become the spiritually wicked and sinful including the devil and his armies, and “Orthodox Christians” replace the names of ruling officials of the Empire.
Save O Lord Your people, and bless your inheretence. Grant victory to the faithful against the adversaries of the Faith. And protect your people by Your Holy Cross.
Apolytikion of the Feast
When we elevate the Cross and bow down before it in veneration and worship to God, we proclaim that we belong to the Kingdom “not of this world,” and that our only true and enduring citizenship is with the saints in the “city of God” (Eph 2.19; Heb 11.10; Rev 21–22).
This central hymn of the Elevation of the Cross which lasts for eight days in the Church is sung many times. It replaces the Thrice-Holy of the Divine Liturgy. The normal antiphons are also replaced by special verses from the psalms which have direct reference to Christ’s crucifixion on the Cross (Ps 22, 74, 99). At the Matins, in the gospel reading from Saint John, Christ says that when He is elevated on the Cross He will draw all men to Himself (Jn 12.28–36). The long gospel reading at the Divine Liturgy is the passion account from this same gospel.
Thus, at the Elevation of the Cross the Christians make their official rededication to the crucified Lord and pledge their undivided allegiance to Him by the adoration of His holy feet nailed to the life-creating Cross. This is the meaning of this holy day of fasting and repentance in the Church today.
Please remember that following the Divine Liturgy, we will have a special collection to benefit our Metropolis students at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Our practice is to not pass trays in the church (if fact we don’t even own any of that fancy, velvet-lined, brass plates). But we will have a basket set up in the Narthex to demonstrate our support for those who are studying at our Seminary.
Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter