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Church holiday exaltation. Exaltation of the Holy Cross: the main thing about the holiday

Perhaps the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is the only holiday that began simultaneously with the event itself, to which it is dedicated.

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 the instrument of execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman troops in 70, the holy places associated with earthly life Gentlemen, fell into oblivion, on some of them pagan temples were built.

The acquisition of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross took place during the reign of Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great.

According to church historians of the 4th century, the mother of Constantine, Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena, went at the request of the royal son to Jerusalem to find places connected with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as the holy Cross, the miraculous appearance of which became for Saint Constantine a sign of victory over the enemy. The literature contains three different versions of the legend about the acquisition of the Cross of the Lord.

According to the most ancient (it is given by church historians of the 5th century - Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen and others, and probably goes back to the lost "Church History" of Gelasius of Caesarea (4th century), the Honest Cross was under the pagan sanctuary of Venus. When it was destroyed, three crosses were found, as well as a tablet and nails with which the Savior was nailed to the instrument of execution.In order to find out which of the crosses is the one on which the Lord was crucified, the Jerusalem Bishop Macarius († 333) suggested attaching each of them in turn 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 saint for all to see.

The second hypothesis, dated to the first half of the 5th century, dates this event to the 1st century: the Cross was found by Protonika, the wife of Emperor Claudius I (41-54), and then hidden and rediscovered in the 4th century.

The third version of the legend, which arose, like the second, in Syria in the 5th century, reports: St. Helen tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jews of Jerusalem, and in the end, one elderly Jew, named Judas, who at first did not want to speak, after the torture indicated the place - Temple of Venus Saint Helena ordered the destruction of the temple and excavations. Three crosses were found there. A miracle helped to reveal the Cross of Christ - resurrection through touching the true Cross of a dead man who was carried past. Of Judas, it is reported that he subsequently converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became bishop of Jerusalem.

It must be said that the latest version was the most popular in the Middle and Late Byzantine eras. It is on it that the prologue legend is based, intended to be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross according to the modern liturgical books of the Orthodox Church.

The exact date of finding the Holy Cross is unknown. Apparently, it took place in 325 or 326. After finding the Holy Cross, Constantine began the construction of a number of churches, where divine services were to be performed with the solemnity appropriate to the Holy City. Around the year 335, the large basilica of Martyrium, erected directly near Golgotha ​​and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated. The day of its renewal (that is, consecration), as well as the rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings on the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior on September 13 or 14, began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and the remembrance of the acquisition of the Holy Cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of renewal.

Already at the end of the 4th century, the feast of the renewal of the Martyrium basilica and the rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the three main holidays of the year in the Jerusalem Church, along with Easter and Epiphany.

The Western pilgrim Etheria describes it in great detail in her notes: renewal was celebrated for eight days; celebrated every day Divine Liturgy; temples were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; many people came to Jerusalem for the feast, including those from remote areas - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria. It is especially emphasized that the renewal was celebrated on the same day when the Cross of the Lord was found. In addition, Etheria draws a parallel between the events of consecration Jerusalem churches and the Old Testament temple built by Solomon.

The choice of September 13 or 14 as the eorthological date of renewal, which at present cannot be unquestionably motivated, could be due both to the very fact of the consecration of churches on these days, and conscious choice. The renewal can be considered the Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles - one of the three main holidays of the Old Testament worship (see: Lev. 34: 33-36), celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month according to the Old Testament calendar (this month approximately corresponds to September), especially since the consecration of Solomon's temple also took place during the Feast of Tabernacles. The date of the renewal holiday - September 13 - coincides with the date of the consecration of the temple of Jupiter Capitoline in Rome, and a Christian holiday could be established instead of a pagan one. Correspondences are possible between the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14 and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between the Exaltation of the Cross and the feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated 40 days before.

Church historian Sozomen asserts: since the consecration of Martyrium under Constantine the Great, the Jerusalem Church has been celebrating this feast every year. Even the sacrament of baptism is taught on it, and church meetings continue for eight days.

According to the Jerusalem Lectionary (in Armenian translation) of the 5th century, on the second day of the Feast of Renewal, the Holy Cross was shown to all the people.

In other words, the Exaltation of the Cross was originally established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the renewal - similar to the holidays in honor of Mother of God on the day after the Nativity of Christ or in honor of John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord.

Starting from the 6th century, the Exaltation of the Cross began to gradually become a more significant holiday than the holiday of renewal. If in the life of the Monk Savva the Sanctified, written in the VI century Reverend Cyril Scythopolsky, they still talk about the celebration of the renewal, but not the Exaltation, then already in the life Reverend Mary The Egyptian, traditionally attributed to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (7th century), has the following indications: she went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation, she saw a large gathering of pilgrims, and most importantly, it was on this feast that she miraculously turned to repentance.

The celebration of the Exaltation on September 14 in the 4th century in the East is also evidenced in the lives of St. John Chrysostom, Eutyches, Patriarch of Constantinople († 582), Simeon the Holy Fool († c. 590).

At the same time, it is noteworthy that in the 4th century the worship of the Holy Cross was timed in the Jerusalem Church not yet for the holiday in question, but for Good Friday.

The very word Exaltation in surviving monuments it is first found in Alexander the Monk (527–565), the author of a laudatory word to the Cross.

By the 7th century, the close connection between the holidays of renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross ceased to be felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and the sack of Jerusalem by them in 614, when the Holy Cross was captured, and the archaic Jerusalem liturgical tradition was destroyed.

Subsequently, the eorthological situation developed in such a way that it was the Exaltation of the Cross that became the main holiday. The celebration of the renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although preserved in liturgical books up to the present time, but it became the day before the feast before the Exaltation of the Cross.

It is clear that at first it was a purely local holiday of the Jerusalem Church. But soon enough it spreads to other Churches of the East, especially in those places that owned a part of the Life-Giving Cross, for example, in Constantinople.

The holiday was to become especially widespread and strengthened in solemnity upon the return of the Cross from the Persian captivity under the emperor Heraclius in 628. This event served as a time point from which one can count the celebration of the Exaltation in the Latin West, during the pontificate of Pope Honorius I (625-638), with the name "the day of finding the Cross." And it was celebrated on May 3: “This could have happened from the fact that the East already had a feast in honor of the Holy Cross on September 14 and did not need a new one.”

Wed mirror hypothesis: “In the “Methodology of the East” the following consideration was expressed on this occasion: “Probably, this celebration was transferred from May to September, except for the connection with the memory of the consecration of the temple, also because it fell on the days of Pentecost in May and did not agree with the joy of these days."

As for the fast on the day of the Exaltation, the remark about it first appears in the Rules of the Jerusalem edition and in the earliest manuscripts. In cathedral churches they fast for a day, and in monasteries for two, including September 13th. On the Exaltation, it is allowed to eat oil and wine, but not fish. Nikon Chernogorets testifies: “We could not find anything recorded about the fast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, but everywhere it is performed. It is known from the examples of the great saints that they had the custom of being cleansed before the great feasts. They say that with this fast, the believers decided to be cleansed before kissing the Holy Cross, since this holiday itself was established for this. In the cathedral churches, this feast is celebrated one day and fasting is kept, and in the Studite and Jerusalem Typikon for two days - a feast and a prefeast.

Holiday in Orthodox worship

Continuing the conversation about the liturgical formation of the Exaltation, it should be noted that in the already mentioned Armenian translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, the renewal remains the main holiday. On the second day of the feast (that is, the day of the Exaltation), September 14, everyone gathers in the Martyrium, and the same antiphon and readings are repeated (prokimen from Ps. 64; 1 Tim. 3: 14-16; alleluia with a verse from Ps. 147 ; John 10:22-42), as on the eve.

The Georgian version of the Lectionary (V-VII centuries) contains the following information: the Feast of Renewal on September 13 lasts eight days. At the same time, September 14 already has a special name - "the day of the Exaltation of the Cross." At 3 o'clock (9 o'clock in the morning - after Matins), the rite of the exaltation of the Holy Cross and worship of it is performed, after which the Divine Liturgy follows. For her, the troparion (apparently, the input) "Christ's seal" with a verse from Ps. 27; readings (Prov. 3: 18-23; Is. 65: 22-24; Pr. 14: 1-7; Eze. 9: 2-6; 1 Cor. 1: 18-25; alleluiarium with a verse from Ps. 45 ; John 19: 16b-37), which are taken from the Good Friday service; troparia for the washing of hands and for the transfer of gifts - "The voice of Your prophet" and "The faces of angels glorify You." There is also a prokimen at Vespers on the day of the Exaltation (from Ps. 97). It is noteworthy that the Feast of Renewal in the Lectionary is the beginning of a new cycle of liturgical readings, Sundays after it are called the first, second, etc. by update.

In Iadgari (Georgian translation of the Jerusalem Tropology - a collection of hymnographic works), reflecting the Palestinian liturgical practice of the 7th-9th centuries, the Feast of the Exaltation is listed as the second day of the eight-day celebration in honor of the renewal of Jerusalem churches. A large number of hymns dedicated to the Holy Cross testify to the separation of the Exaltation into an independent holiday.

After the 10th century, the ancient Jerusalem tradition gave way to that of Constantinople.

In Constantinople, the feast of the renewal of churches did not have the same significance as in Jerusalem - for quite objective reasons. At the same time, the ever-increasing veneration of the Holy Tree of the Lord's Cross made the Exaltation one of the great feasts of the liturgical year. It was within the framework of the Constantinopolitan tradition, which in the post-iconoclast period became decisive in the worship of the entire Orthodox East, that the Exaltation finally surpassed the Feast of Renewal.

According to various lists of the Typicon of the Great Church, which reflects the post-iconoclastic conciliar practice of Constantinople in the 9th-12th centuries, the feast of the renewal of the Jerusalem churches on September 13th is one-day or even not celebrated at all. The Feast of the Exaltation on September 14, in contrast, is a five-day holiday cycle, including a four-day period of prefeast - September 10-13 and the day of the holiday - September 14.

Worship of the Cross began already on the days of forefeast: on September 10 and 11, men came to worship, on September 12 and 13 - women. The ceremony took place between morning and noon.

On September 13, at Matins on Ps 50, at the 3rd antiphon of the liturgy, and instead of the liturgical Trisagion, it is prescribed to sing the troparion of the 2nd plagal, that is, the 6th tone.

On the day of the feast, September 14, the divine service was distinguished by great solemnity: on the eve of the holiday, a festive vespers was performed (the initial antiphons, except for the 1st, final and entrance (“Lord, cry”), were canceled) with the reading of three proverbs (Ex. 15: 22-26; Proverbs 3:11-18; Isaiah 60:11-16; each of them is preceded by prokeimons - from Ps. 92, 59 and 73 respectively); at the end of Vespers, the troparion "Save, O Lord, Thy people" is laid. Pannikhis is also served - a short evening service on the eve of the holidays and special days. Matins was performed according to the festive rite (“on the pulpit”), to Ps. 50 chanted not one, but six troparia. After the great doxology, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was performed. At the end of the exaltation and veneration of the Cross, the Divine Liturgy began. Her antiphons were canceled, and the troparion “We worship Thy Cross, O Lord,” was immediately sung, replacing the Trisagion. The readings of the liturgy are as follows: the prokeimenon from Ps. 98; 1 Cor. 1:18–22; alleluiarium with verses from Ps. 73; In. 19:6b, 9–11, 13–20, 25–28, 30–35 (with difficult opening verse). At Vespers on the day of the Exaltation, they sang the prokeimenon from Ps. 113.

In addition to the readings, the week after the Exaltation also had a special memory of the Hieromartyr Simeon, a relative of the Lord, with its following.

The Feast of the Exaltation received its final form in the 9th-12th centuries, when various editions of the Studite Rule were widespread in the Orthodox world. The corpus of chants of the Exaltation in its various editions is generally the same. The holiday has a prefeast and an afterfeast. The liturgical readings of the feast, Saturdays and weeks before and after the Exaltation are taken from the Typicon of the Great Church. But there are also differences. Thus, the first paroemia of the feast at Vespers (Ex. 15:22-26) is usually increased by two verses - up to 16:1. The gospel of the Sabbath before the Exaltation (Matt. 10:37-42) is read one more verse - up to 11: 1. The Apostolic reading of the Liturgy of the Exaltation, on the other hand, is abridged: 1 Cor. 1:18–24. And, of course, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross at the festive morning was also borrowed from the Constantinopolitan tradition.

Following the Typicon of the Great Church, in many manuscripts and editions of the Jerusalem Rule, the memory of Hieromartyr Simeon is commemorated on the week after the Exaltation. Usually, his follow-up is reduced to a procimen and alleluia at the liturgy, but some monuments, such as the “Officer of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral” of the 30s of the 17th century, prescribe to sing the follow-up of the holy martyr more fully.

In many Jerusalem (and Studian) Typikons, on September 14, the memory of the death of St. John Chrysostom is indicated. But its service on this day is usually canceled due to the inconvenience of combining two solemn services together. Thus, in the southern Italian editions of the Studian Rule, the ordination of the saint is transferred to Compline or Midnight Office.

In continuation of the theme of the Studian Typicon, it should be noted that in its numerous variants, the service of the Feast of the Exaltation is celebrated according to the festive rite. At Vespers there is an entrance and paroemias are read, the composition of which, like the liturgical readings, coincides with the indications of the Charter of the Great Church. At Matins, a reading is taken from chapter 12 of the Gospel of John, to which is added "Seeing the Resurrection of Christ" .

On the present stage the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in the Russian Orthodox Church is ranked among the great twelfth, is the Lord's, non-transitory. On the day of the holiday, a fast is established, similar to the usual fast on Wednesday and Friday, that is, without the permission of the fish. The eorthological cycle also includes one day of fore-feast (September 13) and seven days of after-feast (from September 15 to 21), giving away on September 21.

The Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

The rite of the Exaltation of the Cross is an integral part of the service of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

After the event of finding the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, the custom was soon established annually to commemorate this event, as well as to commemorate the consecration (renovation) of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) to perform the rite of the exaltation of the Cross.

Typicon knows big number various variants of this ordination - local and chronological. N.D. Uspensky believes: "The variety of rites of exaltation is explained by the fact that the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was an indispensable and general church feature of the festive service."

So, already in the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century, preserved in the Armenian translation, the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those who pray is mentioned.

In the Georgian translation of the Lectionary, which reflects the practice of the 5th-7th centuries, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross is described in detail. It took place on September 14 at the third hour after dawn and began with the fact that the clergy entered the deacon, dressed, decorated the Cross or even three Crosses and placed them on the holy throne. The rite itself included three exaltations (raising) of the Cross, each of which was preceded by a group of prayers and chants and was accompanied by a 50-fold "Lord, have mercy." After the third exaltation, the Cross was washed with fragrant water, which was distributed to the people after the liturgy, and everyone was applied to the Cross. Then he was again placed on the holy throne and the Divine Liturgy began.

At least by the 6th century, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was already known and performed not only in Jerusalem, but also in other places. Christendom: Evagrius Scholasticus reports on the sacred ceremony of raising the Cross and enclosing it around the temple, which took place in Apamea Syrian. The compiler of the "Easter Chronicle" of the 7th century, noting the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross in Constantinople in 644, speaks of the third exaltation, which indicates the existence of a complex rank in Constantinople by that time.

According to the post-iconoclastic Typicon of the Great Church, which is found in later Slavic manuscripts, in the Church of Hagia Sophia, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross was performed after entering at Matins, following the troparia in honor of the Cross. The rite itself is described briefly: the patriarch, standing on the pulpit, raised the Cross, holding it in his hands, and the people proclaimed: “Lord, have mercy”; this was repeated three times.

In the Typicons of the Studio tradition, the rite of exaltation is based on the Constantinople Cathedral Code, but is simplified in comparison with it. Chin is included in the Matins, in its final part. Instead of three cycles of five exaltations, only one is performed (consisting of five exaltations: twice to the east and once to the rest of the world).

In the Jerusalem Charter, starting from its earliest editions and ending with the printed Typicons, the rite of the exaltation of the Cross retains character traits, known from studio monuments: it takes place in the morning after the great doxology and singing of the troparion “Save, O Lord, Thy people”, consists of five times overshadowing with the Cross and raising it to the cardinal points (to the east, south, west, north and again to the east) . An important change, in comparison with the Studium monuments, is the addition of five deacon's petitions to the rite (corresponding to the five fall of the Cross), after each of which the hundredfold "Lord, have mercy" is sung. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Charter, before raising the Cross, the primate must bow to the ground so that his head is a span away from the ground - approximately 18 centimeters.

During the correction of liturgical books in the Russian Church in the second half of the 17th century, the order of the fall of the cardinal points during the rite was changed: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This scheme has continued to the present day.

Patristic exegesis of the feast

At Matins or at the All-Night Vigil of the Exaltation in the Byzantine monastic Typicons, in the patristic Lectionaries it is prescribed to read one or more of the following patristic writings: St. John Chrysostom, Bishop Severian of Gabala (late 4th - early 5th centuries), St. Basil of Seleucia (5th century BC). ), Alexander the Monk (VI c.), St. Andrew of Crete (VIII c.), a fragment about the appearance of the Cross to Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and about the acquisition of the Cross, known in a number of versions.

On the week after the Exaltation, some lists of the Jerusalem Rite indicate the reading of oros VI Ecumenical Council.

The semantic center of the patristic exegesis associated with the holiday in question, of course, becomes the reverent veneration of the Cross: “The Cross of Christ is the beautiful praise of Christians, the honest preaching of the apostles, the royal crown of the martyrs, the precious adornment of the prophets, the most brilliant illumination of the whole world! Cross of Christ... protect those who glorify you with a fiery heart. Save those who with faith receive and kiss you. Govern your servants in peace and firm faith. Vouchsafe everyone to achieve joyful and have a bright day resurrection, guarding us in Christ Jesus our Lord" (St. Theodore the Studite).

Holiday in pre-Chalcedonian and Western traditions

At first, in the Western tradition, the Exaltation did not have the status of an independent holiday and was celebrated only as a worship of the Cross, supplementing the traditional Roman memory of the holy martyrs Cornelius of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage, which falls on September 14. Gradually, the celebration became more solemn.

The pontifical service of the feast involved showing the people and worshiping the relic of the Cross. Already in the 7th-8th centuries, the rite, regardless of the papal one, developed in the Roman titular Churches. The holiday was eventually included in the liturgical calendar, and the veneration of the relic was replaced by the veneration of the image of the Cross.

The Sacramentaries and Missals give a series of prayers for the Exaltation Mass. Phil. 2: 5 (or 8) - 11 or Col. 1:26-29 and Matt. 13:44, or Jn. 3:15 (or 16), or Jn. 12:31–36. The readings of the Tridentine Missal are as follows: Phil. 5:8–11 and Jn. 12:31–36; and the newest, Phil. 2:6–11 and Jn. 3:13–17.

On the day of the Exaltation, the worship of the Cross was performed, consisting of prayer and kissing the Cross, similar to the worship of the Cross on Great Friday.

In the Gallican and Spanish-Mozarabic rites, instead of the Feast of the Exaltation, the Feast of the Finding of the Cross was known on May 3, which is the earliest mention in Latin sources in the Silo Lectionary, which arose around 650. The Gelasian Sacramentary has in some of its lists references to the Feasts of the Holy Cross and the Finding of the Holy Cross - just like the Gregorian Breviary. An even greater hesitation regarding these holidays is found in the lists of the month-word, attributed to the blessed Jerome, but ascending in ancient lists by the middle of the 7th century, where these holidays either do not exist at all, then both of them are present, then in a later edition only May 3 is preserved (as in Bede's Monthly Word (VIII century) and in the Padua Sacramentary of the 9th century).

Thus, while the feast of the return of the Holy Cross under Heraclius in the west on May 3 is almost universally widespread already in the 7th century, September 14 becomes known for the first time under the name of the “Exaltation of the Cross” (exaltatio Crucis) only in the 8th century, and then only in places (but there is news of its introduction in Rome by Pope Honorius I in the 7th century). Compare: "The holiday of May 3 is of Roman origin and is older than the holiday of September 14".

It should also be pointed out that in some Churches, for example, in Milan, the last feast is introduced only in the XI century. The final codification of the celebration of the event of the exaltation of the Cross did not occur until 1570.

Iconography of the holiday

Images of the event of finding the Cross by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Elena have been known since the 9th century. As a rule, these are miniatures, the compositional basis of which is not the historical scene with Patriarch Macarius, but the rite of the exaltation of the Cross in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

In the Psalms, Psalm 98 is often illustrated in this way. St. John Chrysostom raises the Cross on the ambo. His memory falls on September 14, and he is considered one of the founders of the Tsargrad liturgical tradition. Probably, these circumstances explain the appearance of this pictorial plot.

The ceremony of the erection of the Cross in Hagia Sophia with the participation of the emperor is described in detail in the treatise "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court" of the middle of the 10th century. However, images of Basileus in this scene appear only in the Paleologian era (see the painting of the monastery of the Holy Cross near Platanistasy in Cyprus, 1494).

In Russian icons of the 15th-16th centuries, the image of the exaltation of the Cross is further developed. The crowded scene appears against the backdrop of a single-domed church, in the center on a semicircular pulpit stands the patriarch with a Cross raised above his head, decorated with plant branches, he is supported under the arms of the deacons, on the right under the ciborium are the king and queen, in the foreground are the singers. The earliest image of such a recension, which is very popular, was preserved on a tablet from Novgorod Cathedral Hagia Sophia (late 15th century).

Another variant of the same plot is presented on an icon of 1613 from the Bistrita monastery in Romania: the king and queen stand on either side of the patriarch, their hands outstretched in prayer. This pictorial variant developed under the influence of paired images of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena with a Cross in their hands, known from the 10th century (murals in churches in Cappadocia).

So. 326 AD. In Rome, Christian emperors have been ruling for a generation, Christian culture is becoming dominant in Europe, and literally last year the First Ecumenical Council (Nicene) ended, at which the main dogmas and provisions of Christianity were formed - the "Creed". But each “symbol” needs some kind of material confirmation, so Empress Elena, the mother of the future great Emperor Constantine I, equips an expedition to Palestine. Just like the places mentioned in the Bible.

You do not need to be seven spans in the forehead to draw a logical parallel. And to think that wood, albeit quite strong, cannot lie in the ground without damage for 300 years. More precisely, maybe, but subject to a number of specific conditions that the emperors and priests of those times hardly knew. But the fact remains that the crosses were discovered. At least, when in the Middle Ages the commission of the Jesuits studied the authenticity of historical and religious events, no one even doubted the affairs preceding the founding of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.

The problem was small - to understand what kind of cross is "the same one!". We found out experimentally - touching one of the crosses healed some lady. So there was no doubt about the authenticity of the cross. And what did they do with it? Dismantled for "spare parts" - chips and nails, and in this form they transported to Constantinople, where they placed in a huge and majestic temple Resurrection of Christ. However, not for long.

Further History of the Cross of the Lord

At the very beginning of the 7th century, Constantinople was besieged by the army of the Persian king Khosrov II. A Zoroastrian, therefore, absolutely no reverence for Abrahamic relics. But understanding their significance for the entire population of Christian Europe. And decided that The best way to additionally humiliate the Byzantines and those who joined them - to deprive them of a couple of sacred relics.

For 14 years, the remains of the Cross of the Lord were kept somewhere in Persia. And only the successful military campaign of Emperor Heraclius I allowed him to return back to Constantinople. This event, by the way, also fell on September 27, therefore, along with the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, they also celebrate its “acquisition” or “return”.

We also believe that you would be interested in learning more about the small church of the Holy Sepulcher mentioned above. This is an extremely interesting place from a cultural, historical, religious and even mystical point of view.

The meaning of the holiday.

In some places, the hard-working inhabitants of Israel had already managed to establish churches on their own - yet the Bible was read not only by emperors and high priests, but some places that were extremely important from a historical and religious point of view were undeservedly forgotten. In total, Elena, who after her death was called “equal to the apostles”, found and updated something about 8 similar places. And special place among them occupied a small cave on the slopes of Golgotha. Cave of the Holy Sepulcher. Near it, by a happy "accident", 3 crosses were found.

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.

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 specify exactly which of them was crucified. God's Son, but the hint 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.

AT modern world many fragments of the sacred Cross are kept. Of course, most of them are fake. The largest fragment is located in Jerusalem. Previously, several parts were stored in Russia, but now they have not been preserved.

How to celebrate.

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 entrance doors and with reverse side to protect yourself 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.

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, and read a protective prayer.

On Exaltation, holy water has strong healing properties. You can wash your face with it and give seriously ill people to drink so that they go to the Orthodox. The Exaltation is considered the day of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness. In this struggle, in the end, God's cross wins.

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: borscht, cabbage soup, pies, dumplings, 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.

On this day, one should 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.

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.

Eremenko A.G.
Candidate of Cultural Studies, Associate Professor,
Head of the Department of History, Ethnography and Nature, KGIAMZ named after E.D. Felitsyna

The event of finding the Holy Cross. After the greatest events in the history of mankind took place - the Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, St. The cross, which served as the instrument of execution of the Savior, was lost. After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman troops in 70 AD, the holy places associated with the earthly life of the Lord fell into oblivion, and pagan temples were built on some of them.

The acquisition of the Holy Cross took place in the reign of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great. According to church historians of the 4th century, Constantine's mother, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena, went to Jerusalem at the request of her royal son to find places connected with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as St. The cross, the miraculous appearance of which appeared to St. Constantine is a sign of victory over the enemy.

Three different versions of the legend about the acquisition of St. Cross. According to the most ancient (it is given by church historians of the 5th century Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen and others, and probably goes back to the lost "Church History" of Gelasius of Caesarea (4th century)), the Holy Cross was under the pagan sanctuary of Venus. When the sanctuary was destroyed, three crosses were found, as well as a tablet from the Cross of the Savior and the nails with which He was nailed to the instrument of execution. In order to find out which of the crosses is the one on which the Lord was crucified, Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem (+ 333) proposed to attach each of the crosses 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 Tree of the Cross of the Lord, and the Holy Cross was raised by Bishop Macarius for everyone to see.

The second version of the legend about the acquisition of the Holy Cross, which arose in Syria in the 1st half. 5th century, refers this event not to the 4th, but to the 3rd century. and says that the Cross was found by Protonika, the wife of imp. Claudius II (269-270), and then hidden and found again in the 4th century.

The third version, also apparently originating in the 5th century BC. in Syria, reports that St. Elena tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jerusalem Jews, and in the end, an elderly Jew named Judas, who at first did not want to talk, after tortures, indicated the place - the temple of Venus. St. Helena ordered to destroy the temple and excavate this place. 3 crosses were found there; a miracle helped to reveal the Cross of Christ - resurrection through touching the True Tree of a dead man who was carried past. Of Judas, it is reported that he subsequently converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became bishop of Jerusalem.

Despite the greatest antiquity of the first version of the legend about finding the Holy Cross, in the middle and late Byzantine era, the third version became the most common; in particular, it is based on the prologue legend, intended to be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, according to modern liturgical books of the Orthodox Church.

The exact date of obtaining the Holy Cross is unknown; apparently, it took place in 325 or 326. After the acquisition of St. Cross Emperor Constantine began the construction of a number of churches, where divine services were to be performed with solemnity appropriate to the Holy City. Around 335, the large basilica of Martyrium, erected directly near Golgotha ​​and the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, was consecrated. Day of Renewal(i.e., the consecration) of Martyrium, as well as the rotunda of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) and other buildings on the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior on September 13 or 14 began to be celebrated annually with great solemnity, and the remembrance of the finding of the Holy Cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of the Renewal.

The establishment of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross is thus connected with the feasts in honor of the consecration of Martyrium and the rotunda of the Resurrection. According to the "Easter Chronicle" of the 7th century, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was first performed during the celebrations at the consecration of Jerusalem churches.

Already in con. 4th century the feast of the Renewal of the Basilica of Martyrium and the Rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the three main feasts of the year in the Jerusalem Church, along with Pascha and Epiphany. According to the pilgrim con. 4th century Egerii, Renewal was celebrated for eight days; every day the Divine Liturgy was celebrated solemnly; temples were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; many people came to Jerusalem for the feast, including those from remote areas - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria. Egeria emphasizes that the Renewal was celebrated on the same day when the Cross of the Lord was found, and also draws a parallel between the events of the consecration of the Jerusalem churches and the Old Testament temple built by Solomon (“Pilgrimage”, Ch. 48-49).

Choice of September 13 or 14 as holiday dates Updates could be due both to the very fact of the consecration of churches on these days, and a conscious choice. According to a number of researchers, the Feast of Renewal has become the Christian analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles, one of the three main holidays of the Old Testament worship (Lev 34:33-36), celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Old Testament calendar (this month roughly corresponds to September) , especially since the consecration of Solomon's temple also took place during Tabernacles. In addition, the date of the feast of renewal on September 13 coincides with the date of the consecration of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Rome, and a Christian holiday could be established instead of a pagan one (this theory has not received much circulation). Finally, parallels are possible between the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14 and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between the Exaltation of the Cross and the feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated 40 days before. The question of the reason for choosing exactly September 13 as the date of the celebration of the Renewal (and, accordingly, September 14 as the date of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) in modern historical science not finally resolved.

Renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross. In the 5th century, according to church historian Sozomen, the feast of the Renewal was celebrated in the Jerusalem Church as before very solemnly, for 8 days, during which "even the sacrament of Baptism was taught" (Church History. 2. 26). According to the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century preserved in the Armenian translation, on the second day of the Feast of the Renewal, the Holy Cross was shown to all the people. Thus, the Exaltation of the Cross was originally established as an additional holiday accompanying the main celebration in honor of the Renewal - similar to the holidays in honor of the Mother of God on the day after the Nativity of Christ or St. John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord.

Starting from the VI century. The Exaltation of the Cross gradually began to become a more significant holiday than the Feast of the Renewal. If in the Life of St. Savva the Sanctified, written in the VI century. Rev. Cyril of Scythopol, they still talk about the celebration of the Renewal, but not the Exaltation (ch. 67), then already in the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, traditionally attributed to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (7th century), it is said that St. Mary went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation (ch. 19).

The very word "elevation" ( ypsosis) among the surviving monuments is first found in Alexander the Monk (527-565), the author of the laudatory word to the Cross, which should be read on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross according to many liturgical monuments of the Byzantine tradition (including modern Russian liturgical books). Alexander Monk wrote that September 14 is the date of the celebration of the Exaltation and Renewal, established by the fathers at the command of the emperor (PG. 87g. Col. 4072).

By the 7th century the close connection between the holidays of the Renewal and the Exaltation of the Cross ceased to be felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and the sack of Jerusalem by them in 614, which led to the captivity of the Holy Cross by the Persians and the partial destruction of the ancient Jerusalem liturgical tradition. Yes, St. Sophronius of Jerusalem in a sermon says that he does not know why on these two days (September 13 and 14) the Resurrection precedes the Cross, that is, why the Feast of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection precedes the Exaltation, and not vice versa, and that more ancient bishops could know the reason for this (PG. 87g. Col. 3305).

Subsequently, it was the Exaltation of the Cross that became the main holiday; the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although it has been preserved in liturgical books up to the present, has become a pre-holiday day before the Exaltation of the Cross.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Cathedral Liturgy of Constantinople in the 9th-12th Centuries In Constantinople, the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem churches did not have the same significance as in Jerusalem. On the other hand, the veneration of the Holy Tree of the Cross of the Lord, which began under St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and especially intensified after the victorious return of St. Cross by Emperor Heraclius from Persian captivity in March 631 (this event is also associated with the establishment of calendar commemorations of the Cross on March 6 and on the Holy Week of Great Lent), made the Exaltation of the Cross one of the great holidays of the liturgical year. It was within the framework of the Constantinopolitan tradition, which in the post-iconoclast period became decisive in the worship of everything Orthodox world, The Exaltation finally surpassed the Feast of Renewal.
According to various lists of the Typicon great church, reflecting the post-iconoclastic conciliar practice of Constantinople in the 9th-12th centuries, the celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross is a five-day festive cycle, including a four-day prefeast period on September 10-13 and the feast day on September 14. Particular importance is also attached to the Sabbath and Sundays before and after the Exaltation, who received their liturgical readings.

Worship of the Holy Cross began already on the days of the forefeast: on September 10 and 11, men came to worship, on September 12 and 13 - women. Worship took place between morning and noon.

On the day of the feast, September 14, the service was distinguished by solemnity: on the eve they performed a festive vespers with the reading of proverbs; for the sake of the holiday they served pannihis (a solemn service at the beginning of the night); matins were performed according to the festive rite (“on the pulpit”); after the great doxology was performed. At the end of the Exaltation and veneration of the Cross, the Divine Liturgy began.

In the Byzantine post-iconoclast monastic Typicons The charter of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross received its final form. The corpus of hymns of the feast according to these Typicons is on the whole the same; the holiday has a prefeast and an afterfeast; the liturgical readings of the feast, Saturdays, and weeks before and after the Exaltation are taken from the Typicon of the Great Church; from the Constantinopolitan cathedral tradition, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross at the festive morning was also borrowed, somewhat simplified in comparison with that one. In the Jerusalem Charter, starting from its early editions of the XII-XIII centuries. there is an indication of fasting on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross. Rev. Nikon Chernogorets (XI century) wrote in "Pandekty" that fasting on the day of the Exaltation is not indicated anywhere, but is a common practice.

According to the Jerusalem Charter now adopted in the Orthodox Church, the festive cycle of the Exaltation of the Cross consists of the fore-feast on September 13 (connected with the feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection), the feast of September 14 (in the XX-XXI centuries - September 27 according to a new style) and seven days of after-feast, including release September 21st.

Holiday hymns. Compared to the hymnography of other twelfth feasts, not all the chants of the Exaltation of the Cross are associated with this particular event, many of them are part of the hymns of the cross of the Octoechos (at the services of Wednesdays and Fridays of all voices), as well as in the sequence of other holidays in honor of the Cross: the Origin of the Honest Ancient on August 1, the Appearances of the sign of the Cross in heaven on May 7, the week of Great Lent, that is, they constitute a single corpus of hymnographic texts dedicated to the Cross of the Lord.

A number of chants following the V. holiday traditionally include prayers for the Emperor and petitions for granting him and his army victory. In modern Russian editions, many lines containing petitions for the Emperor have either been removed or reformulated, which was due to historical circumstances. The reason for the appearance of such petitions should be seen in the Orthodox understanding of the Cross as a sign of victory (which made the Cross part of the Byzantine military symbolism), and also in the fact that the acquisition of the Cross and the establishment of the Feast of the Exaltation took place thanks, first of all, to the saints equal to the apostles Constantine and Elena. The latter is confirmed by the presence of a special memory of St. Constantine and Helena in the Sinai Canonar of the 9th-10th centuries. September 15, that is, the day after the Exaltation (the establishment of this memory expresses the same idea as the establishment of the memory Holy Mother of God the day after the Nativity of Christ or the memory of St. John the Baptist on the day after the Baptism of the Lord - immediately after the event, those persons who were of paramount importance for its implementation are glorified).

The hymnographic sequence of the Exaltation of the Cross contains a troparion Save, O Lord, your people..., kontakion Ascended to the Cross by will..., canon of St. Cosmas of Mayumsky, a large number of stichera (22 self-voiced and 5 similar cycles), 6 sedals and 2 lamps. There is only one canon in the sequence of the Exaltation of the Cross, but the ninth ode in it includes not one, but two irmos and two cycles of troparia, and the last four letters of the acrostic from the eighth ode and the first group of troparia from the ninth ode of the canon are duplicated in the second group of troparia of the ninth ode. The unusual nature of this structure of the canon explains the tradition preserved on Mount Athos, according to which St. Cosmas Mayumsky, having come to Antioch for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, heard in one temple that his canon was not sung to the tune that he himself had in mind when compiling the canon. Rev. Kosma made a remark to the singers, but they refused to correct the mistake; then the monk revealed to them that he was the compiler of the canon, and as proof he composed another group of troparia of the ninth ode. The manuscripts preserved Byzantine interpretations of this complexly written canon, on the basis of which he wrote his own interpretation (which is very famous in Greek Churches) prp. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain.

Based on the materials of the article by deacon Mikhail Zheltov and A.A. Lukashevich
"The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" from the 9th volume of the "Orthodox Encyclopedia"

Exaltation of the Holy Cross-2018: what not to do / UNIAN

Tomorrow, September 27, the Orthodox celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord - in memory of the finding of the Cross of the Lord, on which Christ was crucified. In the Orthodox Church, this is one of the 12 most important holidays.

The holiday got its name due to the church custom to erect a cross during worship.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross: the history of the holiday

The exact date of finding the Holy Cross is unknown. But it is known to whom Christians owe this find. According to legend, the mother of Emperor Constantine, Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena, found the cross. And this happened, apparently, in 325 or 326.

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: what needs to be done

On this holiday, it is customary to go to the temple to pray for health and well-being. At the same time, you need to buy three candles in the church. They then, reading a prayer, baptize the corners in the house. They also put a cross on the front doors.

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: what not to do

This holiday has a number of prohibitions:

  • you can’t work - read more in our material - an exception is made only for urgent matters: caring for children and pets, etc .;
  • you can’t start a new business - no sense will come of it;
  • you need to keep a strict fast: do not eat food of animal origin (including "milk" and eggs) and do not drink alcohol, food is seasoned only with vegetable oil;
  • you can not swear and quarrel;
  • keep the door open: it is believed that this is the day when snakes crawl out of their holes and look for a place to winter - and can crawl into the house for the winter;
  • it is not customary to marry a girl on this day;
  • walking in the forest - so that evil spirits and asps are not dragged into their holes.

Exaltation of the Lord: signs

It was believed that the Exaltation was the last day of Indian summer, and after it it was not worth waiting for heat. There is even a saying: “The caftan with the fur coat moved on the Exaltation, the hat moved down” - that is, the cold is coming.

In the old days, they said that on Vozdvizhenie a bear already lays down in a den, a snake crawls into a hole, and birds fly south.

  • from the Exaltation, autumn shifts to winter;
  • whoever fasts on Exaltation, seven sins will be forgiven. And whoever does not fast on the Exaltation, seven sins will be raised against him;
  • if on this day a cold north wind blows, then the coming summer will be hot;
  • Leshy walks in the Shift: whoever goes into the forest will not find his way back;
  • in Exaltation from the field the last mop moves.

What does the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross mean?

As the pastor explained Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Bishop Pavel, The Church honors the Cross on which Christ died, since it was on it that "the salvation of each of us was accomplished."

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: icon

The people endow this icon with miraculous abilities. First of all, the icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross helps to cure:

  • infertility;
  • toothache;
  • chronic migraines;
  • diseases of bones and joints.

Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: Prayer

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.

Come, people of Christ, let us praise the Holy Cross, on which Christ, the King of glory, has spread his hand, elevate us to the first blessedness, from the worthless fall of the serpent's charm. But you, O Holy Cross, as if you have the power of the Crucified Christ inherent in you, save and save from all troubles lovingly calling you: Rejoice, Honest Cross, the joyous sign of our redemption.

AT Orthodox calendar church holidays September is an important date that we simply could not ignore. This is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which is of particular importance for believers.

It is set to commemorate the finding of the Cross of the Lord, which, according to church tradition, took place in 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha, the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

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. According to Holy Tradition, 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.

Every year the Exaltation occurs on September 27th. In 2018, believers will visit the church to touch the shrine and pray for health and well-being. Experts recommend getting acquainted with resolved cases so as not to overshadow the holiday date with violations of prohibitions.

history of the holiday

At the beginning of the 6th century, Emperor Constantine the Great himself was not yet a Christian. But he was quite loyal to Christians, especially since his mother, Elena, also believed in Christ. It was he who in 313 issued the Edict of Milan, which gave Christianity the status of a legitimate religion that can be practiced openly and freely. At this time, he fought with the ruler of the Roman part of the empire - Licinius (or Licinius). Before the decisive battle, Constantine was honored with a vision of the Cross and heard the words: “By this, conquer!” - The emperor ordered to decorate the armor of soldiers, banners with the image of the cross, in front of his army they carried a large precious cross. So, having won a victory in 324, Constantine subjugated the entire territory of the empire.

Soon it was decided that the mother of Constantine would go to Jerusalem to find the real Cross of the Lord. And in 326, the empress arrived in the holy land. There are several stories that tell about her search for a shrine. All of them boil down to the fact that on the site of Golgotha ​​there was a pagan temple (the temple of Venus), under which a cave was found, clogged with various rubbish. The temple was destroyed, and three large wooden crosses, nails and a tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” were found in the cave (this is the inscription we now see on the images of the cross in Orthodox churches).

It remained to determine which cross is the instrument of execution of the Savior. With a large gathering of people, a sick person was brought to each of the crosses - touching the shrine, the suffering person received healing (there is also a legend that at that time a funeral procession passed by and the deceased, who was brought to the Cross, came to life). Having received clear evidence of the extraordinary grace emanating from one of the crosses found, the Bishop of Jerusalem Macarius erected (placed vertically) the shrine in front of the people. People fell on their faces with the exclamation of "Lord, have mercy!".

At the place where the Lord's Cross was found, the construction of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ began. The date of its consecration (September 14, according to the old style and September 27, according to the new one) is also associated with the day of the celebration of the Exaltation.

But we remember not only the acquisition of the shrine in 326. Three centuries later, in 614, the Persians captured Jerusalem and took away the Cross of the Lord along with Patriarch Zacharias. The captive and the Honest Tree were returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius (according to various sources, this happened from 624 to 631).

Today, the Life-Giving Cross is divided into particles stored in different parts of the world.

Emperor Constantine the Great was glorified not only by the granting of freedom and rights to Christians, not only by the initiative to acquire the Honest Trees, but also by the organization of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325. He himself accepted holy baptism only at the end of life. The Orthodox Church venerates Constantine, along with his mother, as saints and Equal-to-the-Apostles.

What can you do today

Believers go to church All-night vigil, which ends with the liturgy and the removal of the cross for worship. During the service, anyone can ask Higher power for help and to 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.

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, and read a protective prayer.

On Exaltation, holy water has strong healing properties. She can wash and drink seriously ill people so that they get better.

What not to do on Exaltation

You can not work, as well as start a new business. It is believed that everything will go to dust.

In no case should you go to the forest: grandparents in some settlements they still believe that on this day the goblin counts forest animals. And a person can't really see that.

Also, you can’t keep the door open: wise people assure that on this day snakes are looking for places to winter and can crawl into any house.

And, finally, the Indian summer ends on the Exaltation and autumn comes into its own.

In addition, 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;

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.

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 Higher Powers for help and patronage.

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