The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, also known as the Triumph of the Cross, commemorates the Holy Cross through which Jesus Christ brought redemption to the world. This veneration of Christ’s Cross can be traced back to the fourth century.
The genesis of this tradition is associated with Saint Helen, mother of Constantine. On September 14, 326, during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, she miraculously discovered the True Cross. In honor of this momentous find, Constantine erected the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at the discovery site. On the same journey, Saint Helen also commissioned the construction of two more churches: one close to Bethlehem’s Grotto of the Nativity and another near the Mount of the Ascension in Jerusalem.
The significance of this feast became particularly prominent in the Western Church in the seventh century. This was following the return of the Holy Cross to Jerusalem by the Byzantine emperor Heraclitus in 629 after he defeated the Persians, who had previously taken it. However, in 1187, the Holy Cross fell into the hands of the Muslim leader Saladin during the Battle of Hattin. Legend has it that Saladin paraded the Holy Relic through the streets of Jerusalem, dragging it behind his horse.
For Christians, the act of “exalting” or raising the Cross is a form of worship. It is not just the wooden or metal cross that is venerated, but what it stands for: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who endured unimaginable pain on this Roman implement of torture to offer humanity redemption from sin and eternal death. It encapsulates the entirety of Jesus’ Passion, Crucifixion, and subsequent Resurrection.
The Cross holds an unparalleled position in the Christian faith, symbolizing the foundational event of Christianity. This emblem of faith has given birth to several rituals and practices such as making the Sign of the Cross, marking the head, lips, and heart during the Gospel reading, undertaking the Stations of the Cross, and reverently kissing the crucified image of Christ on Good Friday.
The presence of the crucifix, which showcases Christ on the Cross, in Christian homes, churches, educational establishments, and other institutions, or even wearing it as a personal ornament, serves as a perennial reminder of Christ’s triumph over sin and death. Through His sacrifice on the Cross, He emerged victorious!
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