The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is celebrated every year by the Universal Catholic Church on September 14th, commemorates two significant events: Saint Helena's discovery of the True Cross and the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. This feast serves as a reminder of the lifted Christ, which continually draws all people to Him (John 12:32).
Historical and Liturgical Overview
After Christ's Crucifixion, Death, and Resurrection, the Cross of Christ was lost. The Romans discarded it into a large pit near Mount Calvary and erected a temple to the Roman goddess Venus on the site to discourage early Christians from visiting and venerating the Cross. This situation persisted until 326 AD, when St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, traveled to Jerusalem to search for the Holy Cross. Her son had recently achieved a significant victory, attributed to a vision in which he saw the cross with the inscription: “With this sign, you will be victorious.” Upon her arrival, Helena learned where the Cross had been buried. She ordered an excavation, uncovering three crosses. To identify the true Cross of Christ, Patriarch Macarius, the Bishop of Jerusalem, suggested testing each cross on the body of a recently deceased man. The first two crosses had no effect, but when the third cross was placed on the body, the deceased was revived back to life. St. Helena then elevated the Holy Cross on Mount Calvary above the cave where it was found and constructed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was consecrated on 13 September, 335. The following day, the Cross was honored by holding a Solemn Mass, making the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Diocese of Jerusalem particularly a significant feast, as it originated here.
The Cave where the True Holy Cross of Christ was found
In an interview with the Liturgical Office of the Latin Patriarchate, Father Aziz Helwa, the office's director, discussed how the first reading and Gospel text are interlinked through the story of the brazen serpent that Moses raised on a pole under God's command in the Old Testament. This story parallels Christ being lifted on the Cross. Just as those who looked at the brazen serpent were healed and spared from death, so too will those who gaze upon the crucified Christ and believe in His death and resurrection find salvation. Father Helwa concluded by noting that the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross serves as both a contemplation and a preparation for Good Friday, which is observed during Easter.
Meditations from Jerusalem
“In the Crucifix, we find the suffering of humanity: the injustices, the wars, the abuses, the humiliations, the pain cries of all. With the Cross of Christ, the world has taken on a new dimension of existence: the laying of oneself for the sake of others. The World today needs people who know how to do so. The world will view them as good as dead, but in reality, they will be the witnesses of true life”. - H.B. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
“For me, this feast is as significant as Easter, because, in the cross of Christ, I find my true identity and the reason for my being. Gazing at the Crucifix I learn to live the Christian life, and I am reminded that God's ways are higher than mine, he turned the cross, which was a tool that brought shame into a life-giving sign. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem has a special place in my heart. Although I have visited many churches around the world, the feeling I experience every time I visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is special. It revives the events that took place in Calvary vividly in my heart and mind, while the empty tomb brings me hope and reminds me that all the hardships of the world are destined to end.” - An employee at the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
On this occasion, the Latin Patriarchate celebrated on Friday, September 13, 2024, Mass at the Pro-Cathedral presided over by Msgr. William Shomali, General Vicar, with the participation of priests, nuns, and employees of the Patriarchate. In his homily, he emphasized the importance of the cross in our lives, which is the only way to salvation. “We are called again to take up the cross and walk behind Jesus Christ with confidence because with him and in him we will triumph.”
