[Greek ῾Η παγκόσμιος ὕψωσις τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ Σταυροῦ - Worldwide exaltation of the Honest and Life-giving Cross; lat. Exaltatio S. Crucis - Exaltation of St. Cross], one of the main Christians. holidays in Orthodoxy Churches, one of the Twelve. One of the features of the holiday is the rite of raising the Cross (see below).
The event of finding St. 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, Rome. troops in 70 St. places associated with the earthly life of the Lord fell into oblivion, and pagan temples were built on some of them.
Finding St. The Cross took place during the reign of St. equal to imp. Constantine I the Great. According to church historians of the 4th century, Constantine’s mother, St. equal to Helen, at the request of the royal son, went to Jerusalem to find places connected with the events of the earthly life of Christ, as well as St. The cross, which became a miraculous phenomenon for St. Constantine is a sign of victory over the enemy.
Three different versions of the legend about the finding of St. Cross (Nestle. 1895; Straubinger. 1912; Heid. 1989; Borgehammar. 1991; Drijvers. 1992). According to the most ancient (it is given by the 5th century church historians Rufinus of Aquileia, Socrates, Sozomen, etc. and probably goes back to the lost “Church History” of Gelasius of Caesarea (IV century)), St. The cross was located under the pagan sanctuary of Aphrodite. When the sanctuary was destroyed, 3 crosses were discovered, as well as a tablet from the Cross of the Savior and nails. In order to find out which of the crosses is the one on which the Lord was crucified, Bishop of Jerusalem. Macarius († 333) suggested applying 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 St. The cross was raised by Bishop. Macarius for public viewing.
2nd version of the legend, which arose at the end. IV - beginning V century, reports that St. Elena tried to find out the location of the Cross from the Jerusalem Jews, and in the end one elderly Jew named Judas, who at first did not want to talk, after torture 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 - the resurrection through touching the True Tree of a dead man, which was carried past. About Judas it is reported that he later. converted to Christianity with the name Cyriacus and became the bishop of Jerusalem (Pigulevskaya. 1976). 3rd version of the legend about the finding of St. Cross, which arose in Syria in the 1st half. V century, refers this event not to the IV, but to the I century. and says that the Cross was found by Protonika (or Petronika), the wife of the emperor. Claudius I, and later. was hidden and found again in the 4th century. Despite the antiquity of the 1st version of the legend about the finding of St. Cross, as well as the fact that this is the version followed by the most authoritative Byzantines. historians (for example, Theophanes), in the late Byzantine period. era, version 2 became more widespread; in particular, the prologue legend intended for reading on the holiday of V. is based on it, according to modern times. Orthodox liturgical books. Churches.
Already by midday. IV century, as St. Cyril of Jerusalem, particles of the True Tree spread throughout Christ. to the world (Cyr. Hieros. Catech. 4. 10). In 2 destroyed churches studied by archaeologists. temples of the North In Africa, inscriptions from 359 and 371 have been preserved, in which the particles of the Holy Cross that were present in those churches are mentioned (Duval. P. 331-353). The fact that particles of the True Tree were even in the pectoral reliquaries of many. Christians, reported by Saints Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom (Greg. Nyss. De vita Macr. 30; Ioan. Chrysost. Adv. Jud. et Gent. demonstr. 10).
The exact date of the discovery of St. The cross is unknown; apparently it took place in 325 or 326 (Theoph. Chron. 326). After finding St. Cross imp. Constantine began the construction of a whole series of temples, where services were to be performed (see Art. Jerusalem Divine Service) with the solemnity befitting this city. OK. In 335, a large basilica (Martyrium) was consecrated, erected directly near Golgotha and the Cave of the Holy Sepulcher. Day of Renewal (i.e. consecration, the Greek term ἐγκαίνια (renewal) usually means the consecration of the temple) of the 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 memory of the finding of St. The cross was included in the festive celebration in honor of the Renewal (Fraser. 1995).
Establishment of a holiday
connected, therefore, with the holidays in honor of the consecration of the Martyrium and the rotunda of the Resurrection, in relation to the Crimea, V. was initially of secondary importance. According to the “Easter Chronicle” of the 7th century, the sacred rite of V. (called here σταυροφάνεια - the appearance of the Cross) was first performed on September 17. 334 during the celebrations at the consecration of the Jerusalem churches (Chron. Pasch. P. 531).
Already at the end. IV century the feast of the Renewal of the Basilica of the Martyrium and the Rotunda of the Resurrection was one of the 3 main holidays in the Jerusalem Church, along with Easter and Epiphany. According to the testimony of the pilgrims IV century Egeria, the Renewal was celebrated for 8 days; Divine Liturgy was celebrated every day; churches were decorated in the same way as on Epiphany and Easter; Many people came to Jerusalem for the holiday, including from distant regions - 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 (Eger. Itiner. 48-49).
Choice 13 or 14 Sep. how the dates of the Feast of Renewal could be determined both by the very fact of consecration on these days, and by a conscious decision. According to a number of researchers, Christ became the holiday of Renewal. an analogue of the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles, one of the 3 main holidays of the Old Testament worship (Lev 34.33-36), celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishri according to Heb. calendar (this month roughly corresponds to September), especially since the dedication of Solomon's Temple also occurred during the celebration of Tabernacles. In addition, the date of the Renewal holiday is September 13. coincides with the date of the consecration of Rome. Temple of Jupiter Capitoline and Christ. the holiday could have been established to replace the pagan one (this theory was not widespread). Finally, there are possible parallels between V. Cross 14 Sep. and the day of the Crucifixion of the Savior on Nisan 14, as well as between V. and the Feast of the Transfiguration 40 days before. Question about the reason for choosing September 13th. as the day of the holiday of Renewal (and, accordingly, September 14 as the day of the holiday of V.) has not been finally decided (Van Tongeren. P. 30-33).
In the 5th century, according to the testimony of the church historian Sozomen, the Feast of Renewal was celebrated in the Jerusalem Church as before very solemnly, for 8 days, during which “even the sacrament of Baptism was taught” (Sozom. Hist. eccl. 2.26) . According to what has been preserved in Armenian. translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary of the 5th century, on the 2nd day of the Feast of the Renewal of St. The cross was shown to all the people (Renoux. Lectionnaire arménien. P. 362-363). Thus, initially V. was 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 the day after the Epiphany.
Since the 6th century. V. gradually became a more significant holiday than the Feast of Renewal. If in the Life of St. Sava the Sanctified, written in the 6th century. St. Cyril of Scythopolis, speaks of the celebration of the Renewal, but not V. (Chapter 67), then in the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, traditionally attributed to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (VII century), it is said that St. Mary went to Jerusalem for the celebration of V. (Ch. 19). Lat. pilgrim from the North African archdeacon. Theodosius, who visited Palestine ca. 530, explained what began in Jerusalem on September 15. (apparently the date is inaccurate) 7-day celebration because it was on that day that the Cross of St. was found. Helena, and mentioned the tradition of showing the Cross itself to the people during these days (CCSL; 175. P. 124). By the 6th century In the East, the custom of elevating September 14 has become widespread. The Cross (less associated with Jerusalem than the Feast of the Renewal, where the place of celebration - the Jerusalem Temple - is of paramount importance); for example, about the exaltation of the Cross, committed on September 14. in the church of Apamea Syrian in the beginning. VI century, mentioned by Evagrius Scholasticus (Evagr. Schol. Hist. eccl. IV 26).
The word “exaltation” (ὕψωσις) among the surviving monuments is first found in the Cypriot Alexander the Monk (VI century), the author of a word of praise to the Cross, which should be read on the holiday of V. according to plural. Byzantine liturgical monuments. traditions (including modern Russian liturgical books). Alexander the Monk wrote that September 14 is the date of the holiday of V. and Renewal, established by the fathers by order of the emperor (PG. 87γ. Col. 4072).
By the 7th century the close connection between the holidays of the Renewal and the Great Patriotic War ceased to be felt - perhaps due to the Persian invasion of Palestine and their plunder of Jerusalem in 614, which led to the capture of St. The Cross by the Persians and the partial destruction of the ancient Jerusalem liturgical tradition. Yes, St. Sophronius of Jerusalem in his sermon says that he does not know why on these 2 days (Sept. 13 and 14) “The Resurrection precedes the Cross,” that is, why the feast of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection precedes V., and not vice versa, and that the reason for this could be know more ancient bishops (Ibid. Col. 3305).
Afterwards It was V. that became the main holiday and became widespread in the East, especially after the victory of the emperor. Heraclius over the Persians and the solemn return of St. The Cross from captivity in March 631 (this event is also associated with the establishment of calendar commemorations of the Cross on March 6 and on the Cross Worship Week of Lent). The feast of the Renewal of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, although preserved in liturgical books until the present day. time, became the pre-holiday day before V. (see Renovation of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem).
V.'s holiday in Jerusalem worship in the 4th-10th centuries.
In the preserved in Armenian translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, beginning. V century the main holiday remains Renewal. On the 2nd day of the holiday (i.e. on V. day), September 14, everyone gathers in the Martyrium, and there St. The cross is shown to all those gathered; the same antiphon and readings are repeated (prokeimenon from Ps 64; 1 Tim 3. 14-16; alleluia with a verse from Ps 147; John 10. 22-42) as on the 1st day (Renoux. Lectionnaire arménien. P. 360-363).
In cargo. translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary of the V-VII centuries. Holiday Update 13 Sep. lasts 8 days. The 2nd day, September 14, already has a special name - “the day of the Exaltation of the Cross.” On this day at the 3rd hour (9 o'clock in the morning according to modern reckoning, i.e. after Matins) the rite of the erection of St. The Cross and its veneration, followed immediately by the Divine Liturgy. At the liturgy, the Lectionary indicates the troparion (apparently the entrance) “Christ’s seal” with a verse from Ps 27; readings (Prov 3. 18-23; Is 65. 22-24; Wis 14. 1-7; Eze 9. 2-6; 1 Cor 1. 18-25; alleluia with a verse from Ps 45; John 19. 16b - 37) (borrowed from the Good Friday service); troparia for the washing of hands and for the transfer of the Gifts (these moments in the rite of the Jerusalem liturgy of the Apostle James were accompanied by special chants) - “The Voice of Thy Prophet” and “The faces of the angels glorify Thee.” The prokeimenon is also indicated at Vespers on V. Day (from Ps. 97). The Feast of Renewal in the Lectionary is the beginning of a new cycle of liturgical readings, the Sundays following it are called the 1st, 2nd, etc. according to the Renewal (Kekelidze. Canonary. pp. 130-132, 147-149; Tarchnischvili. Grand Lectionnaire No. 1240-1246).
In addition to the beginning of the reading of Luke (and, accordingly, the interpretations of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria on Luke instead of the interpretations of St. John Chrysostom on Matthew as the statutory readings of Matins), after V. the number of kathismas of the Psalter at Matins increases (according to the Studio Rule, instead of one, 2 kathismas begin to be read; according to the Jerusalem charter instead of 2 - 3).
In addition, according to the Jerusalem Rule, at Sunday matins, the polyeleos are added to the immaculates (17th kathisma) (in the Russian editions of the Typikon, starting in 1682, it is indicated that the immaculates are replaced by polyeleos). According to the Studian-Alexievsky Rule, Sunday matins after V. receive a different, but essentially similar change - the verses of power antiphons begin to be repeated 6 times, and lines of power psalms are chanted to them (unlike the summer period of the year, when verses are sung twice and without psalmic lines - Pentkovsky, Typikon, p. 282). Changes in the number of kathismas at Matins are associated with the beginning of the winter half of the year, when the nights are longer, and therefore Matins, which should be performed at night, also becomes longer.
Fast
In the Jerusalem Charter, starting from its early editions, there appears an indication of fasting on the day of V. St. Nikon the Montenegrin (11th century) in “Pandects” wrote that fasting on V. day is not indicated anywhere, but is a generally accepted practice, and in cathedral churches they fast for 1 day, and in monasteries for 2 days, including September 13 . (Skaballanovich. P. 164). According to the Jerusalem Rule, on V. day it is allowed to eat oil and wine, but not fish.
Traces of Polish cathedral practice in some monuments of the monastic tradition
In a number of monuments of the Studio era (including in certain Typikons - see: Pentkovsky. Typikon. P. 189; Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. P. 231) the custom of the Great Church is recorded. worship the Cross during the 4 days preceding the V. holiday (see: Loseva O. V. Russian monthly books of the 11th-14th centuries. M., 2001. P. 150-153). In the service Apostles and Gospels, readings are often assigned for these 4 days, generally coinciding with those indicated in the Typikon of the Great Church. from the Paris manuscript. gr. 1590 (Only September 12th, John 11.47-57 or John 12.19-36a is usually read, i.e. the readings of September 12th and 13th do not repeat each other). In glory In the Apostles and Gospels these readings are found until the 15th-16th centuries; in Greek in printed editions of the Apostle and the Gospel they are also cited today. time.
In some monuments, the tradition is noted in the evening under the V., instead of vespers of the usual monastic type, to sing vespers according to the rules of the cathedral song sequence, including antiphons from Ps 85 and 140 with choruses (and, possibly, stichera), as well as 3 antiphons from Ps 114-116 (Lingas. P. 421-457). In some of these monuments in the East there is also a special rite “in the Chamber of Trullo”, which takes place immediately after the song vespers in the East and includes antiphons from the verses of Ps 104 and 110 and acclamations in honor of the bishop and the emperor (Idem. P. 436; Hannick Chr. Étude sur l"ἀκολουθία σματική // JÖB. 1970. Bd. 17. S. 247, 251).
In Old Russian In the manuscripts of the Studio Charter there is also a tradition of performing vespers on the eve of the Great Church according to the rite of the Great Church. So, in the manuscript of the State Historical Museum. Khlud. 16-d, last. Thursday XIII century, which is a record of the liturgical charter of the Church of St. Sophia in Novgorod, Studian in its basis, the order of worship of St. The Cross for 4 days before V., the rite of vespers, pannikhis and litia in the evening under V. are described very close to the Dresden copy of the Typikon of the Great Church. The order of the erection of the Cross was not preserved in this manuscript, but its description is in another Novgorod manuscript of the Trebnik of the 14th century. (RNB. Soph. 1056) is also close to the Typikon of the Great Church. (Skaballanovich. P. 151-152; see also: Pentkovsky. Typikon. P. 212-213).
Memory sschmch. Simeon
Following the Typikon of the Great Church. in plural manuscripts and editions of the Jerusalem Charter in the week according to V. commemorate the Sschmch. Simeon, relative of the Lord (see, for example: Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. P. 329; Τυπικόν. Venetia, 1577. Fol. 13v). Instead of a week according to V., this memory could be celebrated on one of the days closest to V. (13, 18, 21 September - Loseva. P. 153, 157, 159; Golubtsov A.P. Official of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. M., 1899. P. 33). Usually his observance is limited to the prokeme and alleluia at the liturgy, but some monuments prescribe singing the hieromartyr’s observance more fully. Thus, the Official of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral of the 30s. XVII century indicates the service with polyeleos “for the sake of the prokeimna” (Golubtsov A.P. Officials of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral and the exits of Patriarch Nikon. M., 1908. P. 9); in a later manuscript of the Official of the same cathedral, it is prescribed to sing his succession at Compline (Ibid. pp. 157-158). In corrected Russian Typikon of 1682, the prokeimenon of the holy martyr at the liturgy of the week according to V. was replaced by the prokeimenon of the holiday, but due to an oversight, the indication about the prokeimenon was sschmch. Simeon was preserved in Mark's chapter on the after-feast of V. in the week, where this prokeimenon is called “the prokeimenon of the week after the Exaltation.” This indication is present in all subsequent Russian. publications of the Typikon, including modern ones. (Typikon. [Vol. 1.] P. 163).
Memory of St. John Chrysostom
In plural Studio and Jerusalem Typikons on September 14, i.e. on V. day, the memory of the death of St. is indicated. John Chrysostom, but his observance on this day is usually canceled due to the inconvenience of combining 2 solemn services. As a rule, his memory is transferred to November 13. (including according to the currently accepted Typikon). However, in a number of Studite and Jerusalem Typikons, a charter was still given for the union of the followers of V. and the saint; often permission to combine sequences is given only to churches dedicated to St. John (Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. P. 328; Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 3. P. 112, 468; Charter. M., 1610. L. 269, 280; Golubtsov. Official of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. P. 27 -28). In the southern Italian editions of the Studite Rule, the service of the saint is transferred to Compline or Midnight Office (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 811, 839; Arranz. Typicon. P. 23).
Holiday of V. in the Typicons of the Studio tradition
Famous Studio Typicons belong to 3 main branches of the Studio tradition - the Polish (represented by the Studio-Alexievsky Typikon of 1034, close to the unpreserved original Studio Synaxarion), the Athono-Italian (represented by St. George Mtatsmindeli Typicon of the 11th century, Messinian Typicon of 1131 . and a number of other monuments) and Asia Minor (represented by the Evergetid Typikon of the late 11th century and Christ the Lover of Mankind monastery Typikon of the 12th century) (Pentkovsky. 2001). The divine service of the V. holiday in all studio monuments is performed according to the festive rite; at Vespers there is an entrance and the paremias are read (the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church); at matins - reading from ch. 12 of the Gospel of John, to which is added “having seen the Resurrection of Christ” (which emphasizes the connection between the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ); at the end of Matins there is the rite of raising the Cross; liturgical readings are the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church.
I. According to the Studiysko-Alexievsky Typikon (Pentkovsky. Typikon. pp. 281-284), the holiday cycle of V. is 3 days: forefeast on September 13, holiday on September 14. and his after-feast on September 15.
13 Sep. the follow-up of the forefeast is combined with the follow-up of the schmch. Cornelia. At Matins, “God is the Lord” is sung (however, the compiler of the Typikon, Patriarch Alexy of Poland, notes that in the Studite Monastery on September 13 at Matins they sang “Alleluia”) with the troparion of the forefeast of the 1st tone “ 
"(now the 2nd sedalene after the 1st kathisma at Matins on September 14); canons of the forefeast and the saint; luminary "Holy is the Lord"; sedalny and stichera of Octoechos and the holiday. At the liturgy, the service of the Cross: prokeimenon from Ps 146; Col. 2. 13-20 (in the RKP. GIM. Syn. 330 the inscription is erroneously indicated: Gal); alleluia with a verse from Ps 30; John 12.25-36a; involved Ps 148. 1.
On the evening of September 13th A festive Vespers is performed with “Blessed is the man” and the troparion of the 2nd tone “” at the end. At Matins (with the same troparion on “God is the Lord”) 2 kathismas are sung (the sedals for kathismas are borrowed from the hymns of the cross of the Octoechos) and the sedate 4th tone is sung (except for Sundays); then - the prokeimenon of the 4th tone from Ps 97, “Every breath” and Gospel John 12. 28-36a, after which they sing “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ,” Ps 50 and the canon of the holiday. According to the 3rd song of the canon, the crucifixion is sedalen Oktoechos, according to the 6th - kontakion V., according to the 9th - “Holy is the Lord”. There are no laudatory stichera; the verses are borrowed from the hymns of the cross of Octoechos. After the stichera, “There is Good” and the Trisagion, they immediately begin to sing “ 
", St. The cross is placed in front of the altar, and worship begins with the singing of stichera, with the addition of three times “ "towards the end of each stichera. After the end of the kissing in the chapter of the Typikon about the service of September 14. the special litany and the end of Matins are indicated, but the rite of elevation is not mentioned, however, at the end of the Typikon (Ibid. pp. 408-409) this rite is written out. The liturgy contains pictorial antiphons with troparions of the 3rd and 6th cantos of the festive canon on the blessed.
On the day of the feast, September 15th. the verse of the Psalter is cancelled; The observance of the holiday is connected with the observance of the Great Martyr. Nikita; troparion of the 1st tone “()”. At Matins there are 2 canons of the holiday (St. Cosmas (the same as September 14), as well as St. Andrew) and the Great Martyr. Nikita. The service at the liturgy is the same as on the holiday. The compiler of the Typikon emphasizes that September 15, strictly speaking, is not an after-feast of V.; The festive features of the service on this day are caused only by the need to give rest to the brethren. V. Patriarch Alexy explains his attitude towards the after-feast by the practice of St. Sophia of Poland, where, as he notes, St. The Tree of the Cross has been established for veneration since September 10th. and where the holiday ends on September 14th. with the return of the Cross to the palace after the liturgy.
The Typikon contains readings for Saturday and the week before the Great Church (the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church); There are no instructions about Saturday and week according to V. in the Studiysko-Aleksievsky Typikon. Statutory features of V. according to slav. Studite Menaion of the 11th-12th centuries. (Yagich. Service Menaions. P. 0109-0133; Gorsky, Nevostruev. Description. Dept. 3. Part 2. P. 7-9) correspond to the Studian-Aleksievsky Typikon.
II. The statutory instructions about V. in the Evergetid Typikon (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 269-277; Skaballanovich. P. 153-155) almost literally coincide with the same instructions in the Typikon of the Monastery of Christ the Lover of Mankind (Pentkovsky. 2004) . As in the Studiysko-Alexievsky Typikon, the festive cycle consists of the forefeast on September 13, the holiday on September 14. and giving 15 Sep. The pre-celebration combines the sequences of the pre-celebration of V. and sschmch. Cornelia; in giving - V. and military commander. Nikita.
After Vespers, on the day of the forefeast, pannikhis is performed (in the Evergetid Typikon - a service similar to the modern Easter “midnight office”) with a canon and sedal V. Troparion of the forefeast - 2nd tone, Τὸν ζωοποιὸν Σταυρὸν τῆς σῆς ἀγαθότητος̇ ( 
); at the liturgy for the blessed - the 3rd hymn of the canon of the forefeast; Liturgy readings - sschmch. Cornelia.
Before the festive Vespers, during the singing of the troparion of the 1st tone Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου̇ (; the same troparion is sung at the services of the holiday and dedication), the transfer of the Tree of the Cross to the altar is performed. At Vespers, the verse of the Psalter is canceled (but if the holiday falls on a Sunday, “Blessed is the man” is sung); there are entrances and paremias. After Vespers, pannikhis is served with the canons of the day (apparently Octoechos) and V. (4th tone, creation of Herman). At Matins V. on “God is the Lord” - the troparion of the holiday and the Theotokos Οἱ τὴν σὴν προστασίαν̇ ( 
). 2 kathismas are versified: one ordinary, the other - the 13th (chosen for the sake of Ps 91-100, containing prophecies about the Cross; the same kathisma is indicated for V. in one of the manuscripts of the Studian-Alexievsky Typikon, reflecting the influence of the Evergetid Typikon - Pentkovsky. Typikon . p. 209); after the kathismas - the sedals of the cross of the Octoechos and the patristic readings. After the readings - polyeleos and the 1st power antiphon of the 4th tone (on Sunday - power of the current voice, despite the cancellation of Sunday chants); then the prokeimenon, “Every breath”, the Gospel (John 12. 28-36a), “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ” and Ps 50. Canon of Matins - St. Cosmas; at the beginning of the canon (or during Ps 50) the Tree of the Cross is solemnly carried out of the altar and placed on a prepared table near St. gate According to the 3rd song of the canon - the sedals of the Cross; on the 6th - kontakion V. and, “if time permits,” 3 ikos (which is a trace of the full kontakion); on the 9th - “Holy is the Lord” and the special luminary of the Cross. Stichera of praise and great doxology are sung and the rite of raising the Cross is performed, followed by a special litany and the end of Matins. The liturgy indicates daily antiphons (Ps 91, 92, 94), the troparion of the holiday is chanted to the third of them; there is a special entrance verse (Ps 98.5), the readings at the liturgy are the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church. (but the Apostle - 1 Cor 1. 18-24).
15 Sep. in the Typikon it is called a post-feast and the giving of the holiday to V., on this day the celebration of the holiday is combined with the celebration of the Great Martyr. Nikita; troparion - Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου̇ (). At Vespers - the prokeimenon of the day; the versification of the Psalter at Vespers and Matins is canceled (except for the coincidence of September 15 with Sunday; the Evergetian Typikon contains detailed instructions for the case of such a coincidence). On Saturdays and weeks before V. and after V. the readings are the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church. (but the Gospel of the Sabbath after V. - John 3. 13-17).
III. In the studio Typicons of the Athos-Italic group, the festive cycle of V. does not have a pre-celebration (on September 13, the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem and the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary are celebrated), and the duration of the post-celebration is increased to 7 days. The holiday of V. is celebrated on September 21. The Morning Gospel of V., according to these monuments, is longer than in the Polish and Asia Minor ones, by 3 verses: John 12. 25-36a.
In cargo. Typikone St. George Mtatsmindeli (Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. pp. 231-235), reflecting the Athonite practice of the 11th century, September 10-13. the veneration of the Cross is noted, but at the service the sequence of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is sung; only 10 Sep. the liturgy contains the readings of the Cross (the same as on Saturday before Easter, with the prokemion from Ps 28 and the alleluia from Ps 92). Regarding the Feast of the Renewal of St. George notes that this holiday is recognized as great only in St. Sophia of K-Polish, which is why he himself sets out its observance without much solemnity. At the festive vespers on the eve of September 14, there is a special prokeimenon from Ps 93. At the V. service, different troparia are used: at vespers “”, at matins at “God the Lord” - “ " Kathismas are replaced by special antiphons from Ps 134, 73 and 148, after which they are immediately followed by “Every breath”, the Gospel and “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ”. After the canon, laudatory stichera and a great doxology are sung, at the end of which St. The cross and the rite of erection is performed (there are 2 options for the rite in the Typikon). At the liturgy, festive antiphons are performed (from Ps 21, 73, 98); entrance verse (Ps 98.5, after which immediately “ ” and ipakoi); the readings are the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church. At vespers on the day of the holiday - the prokeimenon from Ps 113. On the days of the after-feast of V., holiday songs are sung; 15 Sep. at Matins, kathismas are canceled; on the day of the holiday, only the sequence V is sung.
In the Messinian Typikon (Arranz. Typicon. P. 22-29) the festive service is set out in generally the same way as in the Typikon of St. Giorgi Mtatsmindeli; however, at Matins V. the sedate verses are sung and there is a prokeimenon; at the liturgy, the festive antiphons are preceded by the blessed with the troparions of the 6th song of the canon of the holiday, the liturgical Apostle - 1 Cor 1. 18-24. The Messinian Typicon notes the singing of the blessed troparions at the liturgy of the 6th canon of the V. canon on all days of the afterfeast until the service. The readings of the Saturdays and weeks before and after the East are the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church. (but the Gospel of the Sabbath according to V. - John 8. 21-30).
Holiday V. according to the Jerusalem Charter
In the Jerusalem Charter, which became widespread in Greek. Orthodox Churches in the XII-XIII centuries, near the south. Slavs from horse XIII-XIV centuries, in the Russian Church from the end. XIV-XV centuries, in the Georgian Church in the XIII-XV centuries, starting from its earliest surviving editions (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 3. P. 29-30) and up to the Typikon, now used in the Russian Church, charter The holiday of V. and the days surrounding it are generally the same.
The holiday cycle consists of the pre-celebration on September 13, the holiday on September 14. and 7 days of after-feast, including the 21st September. (However, in the earliest editions of the Jerusalem Charter, the giving of V. may be celebrated as early as September 15). On the day of the feast, September 13th. 3 sequences are combined: Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, V. forefeast and sschmch. Cornelia. The service has a festive character (Great Vespers with entrance and paremias, Matins with Great Doxology - see Art. Signs of the Feasts of the Month) in memory of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem; at the service, in particular, the troparion of the forefeast is sung: ); Liturgy service - only for the Feast of Renewal.
Around 14 September Small Vespers is served, before the priest and deacon transfer the Cross from the vessel guard to the altar, and after - from the altar to the altar, while singing the troparion and kontakion of V. and accompanied by 2 priests. In modern In practice, the transfer of the Cross is usually carried out inside the altar from the altar to the throne (as a rule, immediately before the start of the all-night vigil), although in some places there is a tradition of transfer from the north. doors of the altar and the entrance to St. gates (Priest Handbook. pp. 107-108). The rules of Little Vespers, All-Night Vigil and Liturgy are the same as on the other twelve feasts of the Lord. A special feature of V. is the singing of “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ” after the morning Gospel and the performance of the rite of raising the Cross and venerating it after the great doxology at Matins. During the all-night vigil until the great doxology, the Cross is on St. throne, a candle burns in front of him. On the 9th song of the Matins canon, the verses of the biblical songs are replaced by 2 festive choruses (the choruses for the 9th song of V. began to be used quite late, they are not in the Moscow printed Typicons and Psalms of the 17th century).
In the Russian Church since the 15th century. It is customary to add to the polyeleos at the festive morning a selected psalm with magnification as a refrain. In particular, on the holiday of V., according to modern times. rus. In practice, during the singing of the polyeleos, the clergy does not go to the middle of the temple, but remains in the altar (but the holy gates open) so that the magnification can be heard for the first time in front of the Cross located on the holy cross. throne. The anointing of worshipers with consecrated oil, on other holidays in practice performed after the reading of the Gospel, on this day is transferred to the end of Matins, after the veneration of the Cross (Bulgakov S.V. Handbook for priests and church ministers. M., 1993. [T. 1.] P. 366).
At the liturgy, the antiphons and the entire service are dedicated to the holiday (readings, as in the Typikon of the Great Church, the composition of the Apostle and the Gospel is different: 1 Cor 1. 18-24 and John 19. 6b - 11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35 ). The readings of Saturdays and weeks before the Great Church and after the Great Church are basically the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church. (but the Gospel of the Saturday before V. - Matthew 10. 37-11. 1, Saturdays after V. - John 8. 21-30). On Sunday before V. it is prescribed to sing the prokeimenon from Ps 27 (from among the Sunday ones) and the alleluia from Ps 88. On the week after V. the prokeimenon and alleluiary of the holiday. The cross remains in the temple until the celebration of the holiday.
According to modern Greek Typikon (see: Βιολάκης. Τυπικόν. Σ. 73-77), based on the Jerusalem Charter, but reflecting the simplified Greek. parish practice (see Violakis Typikon), all-night vigil under V. is not celebrated; at the end of Vespers, the troparion of the holiday Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου̇ () is sung three times. The Morning Gospel is read before the canon (and not according to the 8th canon, as in other cases of festive matins), the canon is sung at 6. At the liturgy, the antiphons of the holiday are sung, the entrance, to which the refrain Σῶσον ἡμᾶς Υἱὲ Θεοῦ ὁ σαρκὶ σταυρωθεὶς̇ ( ), troparion and kontakion V. A feature of the service in the week according to V. is the combination of only Sunday and holiday observances.
Patristic readings of the holiday
At Matins or at the all-night vigil of V. in Byzantium. monastic Typicons and patristic Lectionaries (collections of patristic words for holidays) are prescribed to read one or several. from the following words (see: Vinogradov V.P. Statutory readings. Serg. P., 1914): 1) Alexander the Monk (VI century) (CPG. No. 7398; in the famous four collections (including the Great Menaions of the Met. Macarius) and the first printed Moscow Typikon of 1610, the author’s name is incorrectly indicated as “Solitary Khrus”); 2) and 3) prp. Andrew of Crete (8th century) (CPG. No. 8179 and 8180); 4) St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (VII century) (CPG. No. 7639); 5) and 6) Pantoleon, Byzantine presbyter (VII century) (CPG. No. 7915 and 7918); 7) about the appearance of the Cross. Constantine and the finding of the Cross, known in a number of versions (BHG. No. 397-409); 8) St. Basil of Seleucia (5th century) (CPG. No. 6662); 9) ep. Severian of Gabala (late 4th - early 5th century) (CPG. No. 4270); 10) St. John Chrysostom (late 4th - early 5th century) (CPG. No. 4525); as well as conversations of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel narratives about the Passion of Christ (on Matthew 21. 12-46, (Conversations on Matthew 67-68 // PG. 58. Col. 631-648) and on John 18. 37-19. 5, 16- 18 (Conversations on John 84-85 // PG. 59. Col. 447-468)), etc. (see: BHG. No. 410-451). In particular, modern rus. The Typikon prescribes reading the word of Alexander the Monk as a great reading at the all-night vigil, and the conversations of St. John Chrysostom on Matthew and John as readings after the kathismas and the 3rd song of the canon.
In the week according to V., in certain lists of the Jerusalem Charter, the reading of the oros of the VI Ecumenical Council is indicated (Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. P. 329); the same indication - in some Greek. printed Typicons (for example, in the Venetian edition of 1577) and Menaions. The appearance of such an instruction is associated with the prescription of the Typikon of the Great Church. read 15 Sep. oros of the VI Ecumenical Council (in connection with the memory of the Council on this day), as well as, perhaps, with a misunderstanding of the instructions of earlier monuments about the performance of the V. rite after Vespers “in the Trullian Chamber” (see above).
The rite of raising the Cross
in Jerusalem monuments attested starting from the 5th century: in Armenian. The translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary of this time mentions the ceremony of raising the Cross for viewing by all those praying, which formed part of the celebration of the Renewal (Renoux. Lectionnaire arménien. P. 362-363). In cargo. In the translation of the Jerusalem Lectionary, reflecting the practice of the 5th-7th centuries, the rite of erection is described in detail. It took place on September 14th. at the 3rd hour of the day (counting from dawn, i.e. after Matins) and began with the servants entering the deacon, putting on vestments, decorating the Cross or even 3 Crosses and placing them on the throne. The rite included 3 exaltations, each of which was preceded by a group of prayers and chants (litany, prayer, prokeimenon (non-psalmic), ipakoi and another litany) and was accompanied by 50 times “Lord, have mercy.” Prokeimenon of the 1st exaltation: “We worship Christ, the pierced spear,” with the verse Ps 59.5; 2nd: “May the ascension to the Cross enlighten us,” with the verse Ps 96.6; 3rd: “We worship Thy Cross, O Christ,” with the verse Ps 85. 17. At the 1st exaltation, the “Our Father” was read between the prayer and the prokeme; at the 3rd, there were no initial litanies, prayers and hypakia. After the 3rd erection, the Cross was washed with fragrant water (it was distributed to the people after the liturgy) and everyone venerated it; then the Cross was again placed on the throne and the Divine Liturgy began (Tarchnischvili. Grand Lectionnaire. T. 2. P. 44. P. 37).
At least by the 6th century. The rite was already known and was performed not only in Jerusalem, but also in other places of Christ. world: thus, Evagrius Scholasticus (Evagr. Schol. Hist. eccl. IV 26) reports about the ritual of raising the Cross and surrounding it around the temple, which took place in Syrian Apamea. The compiler of the “Easter Chronicle” of the 7th century, noting the celebration of V. in K-pol in 614, speaks of the “3rd exaltation” (PG. 92. Col. 988), which indicates the existence of field of complex rank of erection.
According to the post-iconoclast Typikon of the Great Church, in St. Sophia the rite of raising the Cross was performed after entering at Matins, following the troparions in honor of the Cross; The rite is described briefly: the Patriarch, standing on the pulpit, raised the Cross, holding it in his hands, and the people exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy”; this was repeated three times (Mateos. Typicon. T. 1. P. 30). The image of the saint standing on the pulpit and raising the Cross has become part of tradition. iconography of the holiday V.
The Dresden list and the list of the Typikon of 1063 (Paris. Gr. 1590 - Ibid.; Dmitrievsky. The most ancient patriarchal Typikons. P. 284-292) details of the Polish rite are given: after the morning entrance to the great doxology, the Patriarch with the Cross walked to the pulpit accompanied by a skeuphylax or chartularius and singers (the singers sang the same troparia as at Psalm 50 of Matins). On the pulpit, the Patriarch placed the Cross on the table, made 3 bows to the ground, and the sacred rite began, consisting of 3 cycles of 5 erections. At first the Patriarch walked east. side of the pulpit, where he erected the Cross, slowly raising his hands. During this, the deacons and all the people shouted “Lord, have mercy” 100 times. While singing the last 3 “Lord, have mercy,” the Patriarch crossed the Cross three times to the east. In the same way, the erection of the Cross was carried out in the south, west, and north. and again to the east. sides (in the RCP. Paris. gr. 1590 the 5th erection is not mentioned). Then, after a short rest (during which the singers sang the troparion of the 2nd plagal, i.e. 6th, voice Σήμερον τὸ προφητικὸν πεπλήρωται λόγιον̇ ()), Patri the arch began the 2nd cycle of exaltations with a 5-fold elevation of the Cross and singing “Lord, have mercy” (80 times) and rested again (the singers sang the troparion of the same voice Μόνον ἐπάγη τὸ ξύλον̇ ()). Finally, the Patriarch performed the 3rd cycle of elevations according to the same rite, but with the singing of “Lord, have mercy” 60 times. After the completion of the elevations, they sang ῾Ο ὑψοθεὶς ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ κουσίως̇ () and the Divine Liturgy began (without antiphons). Peculiarities of performing the ceremony with the participation of the Byzantines. Emperor are described in detail in the book. “On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court” by imp. Constantine Porphyrogenitus (I 31 (22)).
The described K-Polish cathedral rite of erection is also found in Slav. manuscripts (for example, in the Novgorod Trebnik of the 14th century (RNB. Sof. 1056), in the Bulgarian Enin Apostle of the 11th century), with the difference that the Cross is prescribed to be erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east, that is, the sides change according to the principle of making the sign of the cross.
In the Typicons of the Studio tradition, the rite of erection is based on the K-Polish rite, but simplified in comparison with it. It is included in the final part of Matins; instead of 3 cycles of 5 elevations, one is performed, consisting of 5 elevations: twice to the east and once to the other cardinal directions.
According to the Studian-Alexievsky Typikon (Pentkovsky. Typikon. pp. 408-409), the rite of elevation was performed at the end of Matins, after the Trisagion, “ "and worship of the Cross with the singing of stichera. It began with 3 troparia (two 6th and one 7th voices, the same as in the Typikon of the Great Church); The cross was erected by the abbot in the altar on different sides of St. throne (to the east, north, west, south and again to the east). After the rite, the Litany of Matins was proclaimed and the 1st hour followed.
According to the Evergetid Typicon, the rite of elevation was performed not in the altar, but in the temple: after the troparion Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου̇ () the priest crossed the Cross three times to the east while loudly singing “Lord, have mercy” (three times) and then slowly raised the Cross while singing "Lord “Have mercy” 97 times (which adds up to 100), then the ritual was repeated to the south, west, north and again to the east (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 273-274). The rank is described in a similar way in the southern Italian Studite Typicons (for example: Arranz. Typicon. P. 24; Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 812, 839-840).
In the Typikon, St. George Mtatsmindeli (Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. pp. 232-234) describes 2 options for the rite of erection. The 1st corresponds to that given in the Evergetid Typikon (the order of the cardinal points is different: east, north, west, south and east again). In the 2nd version, the rite of raising the Cross is performed by the Patriarch; a feature is, for example, a large number of chants after entering the doxology, which indicates a closer connection with the practice of the Great Church.
In the Jerusalem Charter, starting from the earliest editions and ending with the present. publications, the rite of raising the Cross retains the features known from studio monuments: it is performed after the great doxology and singing of the troparion to the Cross "", consists of 5 times overshadowing the Cross and raising it to the cardinal directions (to the east, south, west, north and again to East). A significant change compared to studio monuments is the addition to the rite of 5 deaconal petitions (corresponding to the overshadowing of the Cross), after each petition “Lord, have mercy” is sung 100 times (Kekelidze. Liturgical cargo monuments. pp. 328-329; Dmitrievsky. Description. T 3. P. 30). According to the Jerusalem Rule, before raising the Cross, the priest must bow to the ground so that his head is a span from the ground (Greek: σπιθαμή, approx. 20 cm). During the correction of liturgical books that took place in the Russian Church in the 2nd half. XVII century, the order of the cardinal directions was changed during the rite: the Cross is erected to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. This order was included in the post-reform edition of the Typikon (M., 1682) and has been preserved to this day. time (see: Nikolsky, pp. 580-582).
The rite of raising the Cross is an integral part of the festive service on September 14. The serving clergy may include either the Patriarch with a host of clergy, or a priest with a deacon. In particular, in response to the question of Bishop. Saraisky Theognost, the fathers of the K-Polish Council of 1301, citing the rules of St. Theodore the Studite, the abbot was allowed to head this rank, and not only the bishop, but St. Cyprian of Moscow († 1406) in a letter of 1395 to the Novgorod clergy wrote that on this day the Cross should be erected in every church, even if there was only one priest there (apparently, the clergy was embarrassed by the question of performing the rite without a deacon - Macarius. History of the Russian Orthodox Church Book 3, p. 176). But in the monastery Typikon beginning. XVII century (GIM. Syn. No. 335) it is noted that the rite of raising the Cross in cathedral churches occurs annually, and in others - only in those years when V. falls on Saturday or Sunday (Gorsky, Nevostruev. Description. Dept. 3. Part. 1. P. 334).
In the old printed Moscow Typikon of 1641 there appeared an indication that the Cross is erected only in cathedral churches and monasteries, and in ordinary parish churches only the veneration of the Cross is performed according to the rite of the Week of the Cross (L. 153). This instruction was transferred to the revised Typikon of 1682 and has since been published in all Russian editions. Typicon. According to N.D. Uspensky, the appearance of this instruction is due to a misunderstanding of the Greek phrase. Typikonov bow to the ground before the Cross on any day, “even on Saturday or Sunday” (Uspensky, pp. 56-57). Currently In the Russian Church, the rite of raising the Cross is performed only in cathedrals, and in monasteries and parishes - only with the blessing of the ruling bishop; in modern Greek in practice, on the contrary, it can be performed in all churches without exception.
Despite the injunction of the Jerusalem Charter to bow when raising the Cross almost to the ground, in Russia at the end. XIX - early XX century sometimes they tied long ribbons to the Cross and were content to touch only these ribbons to the ground, almost without bending; this practice was condemned (Bulgakov. Handbook. [Vol. 1.] P. 366; Handbook of a priest. 1998. P. 106-107).
According to some monuments, when the rite of raising the Cross is performed, the special litany of Matins “” is canceled (because petitions similar to it are included in the rite). During the erection of the Cross, as a rule, fragrant water is poured onto the Cross (Nikolsky, pp. 580-583).
V. holiday in the Latin West
appeared only in the 1st half. VII century, probably during the pontificate of Pope Honorius I (625-638). Perhaps the establishment of the holiday is connected with the event of the return of the Cross from the Persians. captivity in 631 (Van Tongeren. P. 41-77). At first, V. did not have the status of an independent holiday and was celebrated only as the worship of the Cross, complementing traditions. Rome. memory of the holy martyrs Cornelius of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage 14 September Gradually, V.'s celebration became more solemn and became a holiday of the middle category.
The Sacramentaries and Missals contain a number of prayers for the Mass in the East; Phil 2.5 (or 8) - 11, or Col 1.26-29 and Matthew 13.44, or John 3.1-15 (or 16), or John 12.31-36 are chosen as the readings of the Mass. Readings from the Trent Missal: Phil 2.5, 8-11 and John 12.31-36; post-reform modern (see Novus ordo): Phil 2.6-11 and John 3.13-17. On V. day, the veneration of the Cross was performed, which consisted of prayer and kissing the Cross and was similar to the veneration of the Cross on Good Friday. Lat. V.'s prayers and chants, both known from manuscripts and published in liturgical books, are collected and commented on in the book. L. van Tongeren (Idem. P. 81-252; Russian translations of some of them, see the book: Skaballanovich. P. 168-173).
In the Gallican and Spanish-Mozarabic rites, instead of the V. holiday, the feast of the Finding of the Cross was known on May 3 (v an Tongeren. P. 253-298).
Hymnography
In comparison with the hymnography of other twelve feasts, not all of V.’s hymns are connected specifically with this event; many of them are part of the hymns of the cross of the Octoechos (at services on Wednesdays and Fridays of all voices), as well as in the succession of other holidays in honor of the Cross: The origin of the Honest Trees on August 1, the Appearance of the sign of the Cross in the sky on May 7, the week of the Cross in Great Lent, i.e., constitute a single body 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 to grant him and his army victory. In modern rus. In publications, the lines containing petitions for the king were either deleted or reformulated, which was due to historical circumstances. The reason for the appearance of such petitions should be seen in the Orthodox Church. understanding of the Cross as a sign of victory (which made the Cross part of Byzantine military symbolism), as well as the fact that the discovery of the Cross and the establishment of the V. holiday took place primarily thanks to the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen. The latter is confirmed by the presence of a special memory of Saints Constantine and Helen in the Sinai Canonar of the 9th-10th centuries. (known from the appendix to the Greek service Gospel of the 10th-11th centuries. Sinait. gr. 210 and from the manuscript of the 9th-10th centuries. Sinait. gr. 1598 (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. P. 196-197), reflects a mixed a tradition based on the Studite Charter, the cathedral Polish song sequence and partly the ancient Jerusalem liturgical practice) September 15, i.e. the day after V. The establishment of this memory expresses the same idea as the establishment of the memory of the Most Rev. Mother of God the day after the Nativity of Christ or the memory of St. John the Baptist the day after the Baptism of the Lord - immediately after the event those persons are glorified who were of paramount importance for its implementation. The glorification of the Cross and prayer for the emperor were closely related to each other in the understanding of the Byzantines (Asmus. 2004).
In modern Orthodox liturgical books. The Church's observance of the forefeast of V., in addition to the sedalna according to the 3rd song of the canon and several stichera, includes the troparion of the 4th tone Τὸν ζωοποιὸν σταυρὸν τῆς σῆς ἀγαθότητος̇ ( ) and the canon of the 4th tone (irmos: Τριστάτας κραταιοὺς̇ (), beginning: ᾿Αγάλλου οὐρανὲ, καὶ ἡ γῆ εὐφραι νέσθω̇ ()).
V.'s succession contains: troparion of the 1st tone Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου̇ (), kontakion of the 4th tone ῾Ο ὑψωθεὶς ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ κουσίως̇ (), canon of St. Cosmas of Mayum 4th plagal, i.e. 8th, voice (acrostic: Σταυρῷ πεποιθὼς ὕμνον ἐξερεύγομαι (I confidently pour out the hymn to the Cross), irmos: Σταυ ρὸν χαράξας Μωσῆς (), beginning: Τὸν τύπον πάλαι Μωσῆς, τοῦ ἀχράντοῦ πάθους, ἐν αυτῷ προέφηνε ()), a large number of stichera (22 samoglas and 5 cycles of similar ones), 6 sedals and 2 lamps. There is only one canon in V.'s succession, but the 9th canto in it includes 2 irmos and 2 cycles of troparia, and the last 4 letters of the acrostic of the 8th and 1st group of troparions by the 9th canto of the canon are duplicated in the 2nd group of troparia 9 th song. The unusual nature of this structure of the canon explains the legend preserved on Athos. St. Cosmas, having come to Antioch for the feast of V., heard in one church that his canon was being sung to the wrong tune, which he had in mind when composing the canon. St. Cosma reprimanded 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 troparions of the 9th canto (Skaballanovich, pp. 87-88; Filaret (Gumilevsky). Song singers. pp. 241-242). In manuscripts (for example: GIM. Sin. Greek. No. 414, 15th century; RSL. f. 304. No. 780, 1549) Byzantium was preserved. interpretations of this canon, on the basis of which St. Petersburg wrote his interpretation. Nicodemus the Svyatogorets (Νικόδημος ῾Αγιορείτης. Σ. 41-142; Russian translation: Interpretation of the canon on the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord / Compiled by Nicodemus the Svyatogorets; translation from Greek, edited by I. N. Korsunsky. M., 1899. M.; St. Petersburg, 1998).
The sequence of the post-feast basically repeats the hymnography of the 1st day of the holiday; the festive canon and part of the samoglas are used daily; are similar (stichera and sedalna), as a rule, their own for each of the days of the afterfeast. Commented Russian. translations of V.'s chants, his pre- and post-celebrations are contained in the book. “The Exaltation of the Honest Cross” (K., 1915) by M. N. Skaballanovich (Skaballanovich. P. 32-136).
In modern in printed Menaions and in manuscripts there are also other canons of V. Canons of the forefeast of V.: 2nd tone, with the name George in the Mother of God (without acrostic, irmos: Δεῦτε λαοί, ᾄσωμεν (), beginning: ῾Η τοῦ σταυρ οῦ σήμερον χάρις προλάμψασα (The grace of the Cross today shone forth)); 4th tone, creation of Patriarch Herman (K-Polish?) (without acrostic, irmos: ̀ρδβλθυοτεΑισομαί σοι Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου (), beginning: ̀ρδβλθ ?? ανέρωσας (I will sing to You, Lord my God, for the tree of the Cross appeared to us), with the 2nd canto (Evergetid Typikon specifies to sing this canon on pannikhis on the evening of the holiday)); 4th tone, without indication of authorship (without acrostic, irmos: ̀ρδβλθυοτεΑισομαί σοι Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου (), beginning: ̀ρδβλθυοτεΑι I will sing To you, O Lord my God, for He has raised for us the indestructible sign of victory)); plagal 4th, i.e. 8th, voice, modeled on the canon of St. Cosmas and with his irmos, without indicating the authorship (the acrostic, passing through the irmos and troparia, coincides with the acrostic canon of St. Cosmas, beginning: λου (The image of heaven and earth appeared)). Canons of V.: iambic plagal 4th, i.e. 8th, tone, creation of Matthew Kamariotis (acrostic (of 141 letters): Σταυρὸς ἀερθεὶς χείρεσιν ἀγαυῶν ἱε ρήων̇ (Cross raised by the hands of glorious priests...), beginning. : Σέσωκε τὸ πρὶν λαὸν ᾿Ισραηλίτην (Save [the Lord] before the people of Israel)); plagal 4th, i.e. 8th, voice, creation of the archbishop. Andrew (Cretan?) (without acrostic, irmos: ̀ρδβλθυοτεΑισωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ διαγαγόντι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ (), beginning: ̀ρδβλθυοτεΑισωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ διὰ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτο ῦ (We sing to the Lord, who is the tree of His Cross)); 1st tone (without acrostic, irmos: ᾿Ωιδὴν ἐπινίκιον (), beginning: ᾿Εκ γῆς φανερούμενον τὸ κεκρυμμέν ον (What is hidden from the earth)); iambic with acrostic Σταυροτύποις πελάγεσι ἐπή οὔρει σῶμα θεοῖο (Cross-shaped seas on the mountains of divine flesh); 1st tone, creation of Andrew (without acrostic, irmos: Διὰ στύλου πυρὸς καὶ νεφέλης (), beginning: Προκαθάραντες σῶμα κα ὶ φρένας πνευματικῶς συνέκθωμεν, πιστοί (Having purified the flesh and mind, spiritually let us come together, faithful), with the 2nd canto ; in the famous monuments of the studio tradition it is prescribed to sing this canon on September 15) (AHG. T. 1. P. 236-262; Ταμεῖον. Σ. 43-45; Παπαδόπουλος-Κεραμεύς . ῾Ιεροσολυμιτικῆ βιβλιοθήκη. Τ. 3. Σ. 333; Gorsky, Nevostruev. Description. Dept. 3. Part 2. P. 8; Yagich. Service Menaions. S. 0127-0133).
The printed Menaion did not include special holiday troparions for the blessed; the practice of singing such troparions was known in the Studio era, in particular, it is mentioned in the Studios-Alexievsky Typikon, where in the description of the service V., among other things, it says: “Remember us not Christ. in that place there is irmos” (see Art. Blessed). In Greek manuscripts preserved a cycle of such troparions for the holiday of the V. 4th tone, with the irmos Διὰ ξύλου ὁ ᾿Αδάμ () (Nikiforova A. Festive blessed from the Greek. Menaeus of the 9th-12th centuries. Monastery Monastery of Catherine the Great on Sinai / / BSb. 2002. Issue 10. P. 159); in the Slavic there is another cycle of the 8th tone, with the irmos “Remember us, Christ”) (Pentkovsky A. M. Holiday and Sunday blessed in Byzantine and Slavic services of the 8th-13th centuries // Old Bulgarian Studies. Sofia, 2001. No. 15/3, pp. 50-52, 58; Vereshchagin E. M. Church Slavic book literature in Rus'. M., 2001, pp. 337-338).
Lit.: Νικόδημος ῾Αγιορείτης. ῾Εορτοδρόμιον. Θεσσαλονίκη, 19873. T. 1; Nestle E. Die Kreuzauffindungslegende // BZ. 1895. Bd. 4. S. 319-344; Nikolsky. Charter T. 2. P. 577-584; Handbook for a priest: Resolving perplexing questions from pastoral practice. M., 1998; Straubinger J. Die Kreuzauffindungslegende: Untersuch. über ihre altchristl. Fassungen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung d. syr. Texte. Paderborn, 1912. (Forsch. z. christl. Literatur- und Dogmengeschichte; 11/3); Skaballanovich M. N. Exaltation of the Honest Cross. K., 1915. Serg. P., 1995r. (Christian holidays; 2); Uspensky N. D. Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross: Historical liturgical essay // ZhMP. 1954. No. 9. P. 49-57; Pigulevskaya N. IN . Martyrius of Cyriacus of Jerusalem // She. Near East. Byzantium. Slavs. L., 1976. S. 186-217; Duval Y. Loca sanctorum Africae: Le culte des martyrs en Afrique du IVe au VIIe siècle. R., 1982 Heid S. Der Ursprung der Helenalegende im Pilgerbetrieb Jerusalems // JAC. 1989. Bd. 32. S. 41-71; Borgehammar S. How the Holy Cross was Found: From Event to Medieval Legend. Stockholm, 1991; Drijvers J.-W. Helena Augusta: The Mother of Constantine the Great and the Legend of Her Finding the True Cross. Leiden, 1992; Fraser M. The Feast of the Encaenia in the IVth Century and in the Ancient Liturgical Sources of Jerusalem, Diss.: Durham, 1995; Lingas A. Festal Cathedral Vespers in Late Byzantium // OCP. 1997. Vol. 63. P. 421-448; v an Tongeren L . Exaltation of the Cross: Towards the Origins of the Feast of the Cross and the Meaning of the Cross in Early Medieval Liturgy. Leuven, 2000; Loseva O. IN . Rus. month books XI-XIV centuries. M., 2001; Pentkovsky A. M. Studio charter and charters of the studio tradition // ZhMP. 2001. No. 5. P. 69-80; aka. Liturgical Synaxarion of the Polish Monastery of Christ the Lover of Mankind // BV. 2004. No. 4. P. 177-208; Asmus V., prot. World Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross: Eortol. sketch // Imperial revival. M., 2004. Issue. 1. pp. 51-60.
Diak. Mikhail Zheltov, A. A . Lukashevich
Iconography
Images of the event of finding the Cross of the Equal Apostles. imp. Helena has been known since the 9th century. (miniature from “The Words of Gregory of Nazianzus” - Paris. NB. gr. 510. f. 285). However, the basis of V.’s composition at the early stage of the formation of iconography was not the historical scene with Patriarch Macarius, but the image of the rite of the erection of the Cross in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in K-pol. The earliest example is a miniature from the Minology of Basil II (Vat. gr. 1613. f. 35, 976-1025): the bishop stands on a stepped pulpit in front of the altar, holding the Cross in outstretched hands. With minor differences in detail, this scene is repeated in miniatures from the synaxarium (Synaxarion of Zechariah of Valashkert - Kekel. A 648, 1st quarter of the 11th century), from the lectionaries (Dionys. Cod. 587. F. 119v, 11th century; Pantel . Cod. 2. F. 189v, XII century), from the Psalter (London (Feodorovskaya) Psalter - Lond. Add. 19352, 1066; Baltimore - Baltim. W. 733. F. 66v, XIV century; Kiev - RNL. OLDP. F 6. L. 137, 1397), on icons (monastery of the Great Martyr Catherine on Sinai). In the Gospel with the Synaxarion of the 11th century. (Vat. gr. 1156. f. 250v) 2 scenes are presented: “Adoration of the Cross” - clerics approach on the left, bowing to the Cross lying on the throne, on the right - a bishop (with a halo) holds a censer and the Gospel, followed by 3 bishops (without halos ); “Exaltation of the Cross” - on the pulpit there is a bishop (with a halo) with a Cross and 3 clerics, 2 on the left, 1 on the right, all turning to the right. In the Psalms, scene V. illustrates Psalm 98, raising the Cross on the pulpit is represented by St. John Chrysostom. Perhaps this is due to the fact that on September 14. The memory of this saint is due, and also due to the fact that he is one of the founders of the Polish liturgical tradition.
The ritual of the erection of the Cross in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in K-pol with the participation of the emperor is described in detail in the treatise “On the Ceremonies of the Byzantine Court”, ser. X century, however, images of the emperor in this scene appear only in the Palaiologan era. In the wall minology in the c. Dormition of the Virgin Mary at Gracanica Monastery (Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia), ca. 1320, around 14 September. Traditionally, the saint is depicted on the pulpit with a Cross in his hands; to the right of the pulpit, the emperor stands frontally with a Cross on a long pole, behind him are singers in pointed hats and people. At the top of the composition there are half-length images of St. John Chrysostom and St. Dads. The saint standing on the pulpit has a long beard, which distinguishes him from St. John Chrysostom and allows us to identify him with Patriarch Macarius. A cycle dedicated to the appearance of the Imp. Constantine and the history of the acquisition of the Cross by the Emperor. Elena, represented in the painting by c. Monastery of the Holy Cross (Stavros tou Agiasmati) near Platanistasa (Cyprus), 1494
In Russian icons of the XV-XVI centuries. V.'s image is further developed. A 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 branches of plants, he is supported by the arms of deacons; on the right under the ciborium are the king and queen; in the foreground are the singers. The earliest image of such an excerpt is preserved on a tablet from the Novgorod Cathedral of St. Sophia (late 15th century, NGOMZ), and is also repeated on the following icons: the three-row “Exaltation. Miracle of George about the serpent. Selected Saints” from the collection of I. S. Ostroukhov (beginning of the 16th century, Tretyakov Gallery); "Exaltation" 2nd floor. XVI century (GTG); three-row “Exaltation. Cover. Selected Saints" (1565, Tretyakov Gallery); double-sided “Our Lady of the Incarnation. Exaltation of the Cross" (XVI century, State Historical Museum). Dr. a variant of the same iconography is presented on the 1613 icon from the Bistrita Monastery in Romania, where the Tsar and Queen stand on either side of the Patriarch, with their hands extended in prayer. This historical version of iconography developed under the influence of paired images of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen with the Cross in their hands, known since the 10th century. (paintings of churches in Cappadocia, 10th century, in the katholikon of the Hosios Loukas monastery in Phokis (Greece), 30s of the 11th century, etc.) and became widespread in the paintings of the 12th-14th centuries, as well The image of St. usually found in stavrotheques. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen standing in prayer to the Cross. In the 17th century such iconography, supplemented by the image of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Queen Evdokia and Patriarch Nikon, is becoming popular in Russian. art.
About the connection between the iconography of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen on the feast of V. can be evidenced by their image in the Martyrievsky porch of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod (11th century), the consecration of which took place on September 13. (on the day of the Feast of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, when, according to the Russian monthlies, the worship of the Cross is prescribed and on the forefeast of V.). The two-row icon (Russian Russian Museum, 16th century) presents both iconographic options.
Lit.: Antonova, Mneva. Catalog. No. 399, 625; LCI. Bd. 7. Sp. 478; Smirnova E. S., Laurina V. K., Gordienko E. A . Painting Vel. Novgorod: XV century. M., 1982. S. 302-303, 315.
N. IN . Kvlividze
On this day, the right-to-glorious Christ-sti-and-not-all-we-have two events. As the Holy Precept says, the Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgofa, where the Savior was crucified. And the second event is the return of the Living Cross from Persia, where he was in captivity. In the 7th century, he was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek emperor Irakli. Both events are united in the name of the holiday by the fact that the established Cross was raised in front of the people, that is, under -no-ma-li.
Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
The pagan Roman emperors tried to completely destroy in humanity the memories of the sacred places where our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for people and rose again. Emperor Hadrian (117 - 138) ordered to fill up Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher with earth and erect a temple of the pagan goddess Venus and a statue of Jupiter on an artificial hill. Pagans gathered at this place and performed idol sacrifices. However, after 300 years, by the Providence of God, the great Christian shrines - the Holy Sepulcher and the Life-Giving Cross were rediscovered by Christians and opened for worship. This happened under the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great (May 21), the first of the Roman emperors to stop the persecution of Christians. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great (306-337), after his victory in 312 over Maxentius, the ruler of the Western part of the Roman Empire, and over Licinius, the ruler of its Eastern part, in 323 became the sole ruler of the vast Roman Empire. In 313, he issued the so-called Edict of Milan, according to which the Christian religion was legalized and the persecution of Christians in the Western half of the empire ceased. The ruler Licinius, although he signed the Edict of Milan to please Constantine, actually continued the persecution of Christians. Only after his final defeat did the decree of 313 on religious tolerance spread to the eastern part of the empire. The Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, who with God's help won victory over his enemies in three wars, saw God's sign in the sky - the Cross with the inscription "By this victory." Ardently desiring to find the Cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine sent his mother, the pious Queen Helen (May 21), to Jerusalem, providing her with a letter to Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem. Although Saint Queen Helena was already in advanced years by this time, she enthusiastically took up the task of fulfilling the assignment. The queen ordered to destroy the pagan temples and idolatrous statues that filled Jerusalem. Looking for the Life-Giving Cross, she questioned Christians and Jews, but for a long time her search remained unsuccessful. Finally, she was pointed to an old Jew named Judas, who said that the Cross was buried where the temple of Venus stood. They destroyed the temple and, after praying, began to dig the ground. Soon the Holy Sepulcher was discovered and not far from it three crosses, a tablet with an inscription made by order of Pilate, and four nails piercing the Body of the Lord. To find out on which of the three crosses the Savior was crucified, Patriarch Macarius one by one laid the crosses on the deceased. When the Cross of the Lord was laid, the dead man came to life. Seeing the risen man, everyone was convinced that the Life-Giving Cross had been found. Christians, who came in countless numbers to venerate the Holy Cross, asked St. Macarius to raise and erect the Cross, so that everyone could, although from afar, reverently contemplate It. Then the Patriarch and other clergy began to raise the Holy Cross high, and the people, crying out: “Lord, have mercy,” reverently worshiped the Honest Tree. This solemn event took place in 326. When the Life-Giving Cross was found, another miracle occurred: a seriously ill woman, when the Holy Cross overshadowed her, was immediately healed. Elder Judas and other Jews believed in Christ and received holy Baptism. Judas received the name Cyriacus and was subsequently ordained Bishop of Jerusalem. During the reign of Julian the Apostate (361 - 363), he accepted martyrdom for Christ (commemorated by the Hieromartyr Kyriakos on October 28). Holy Queen Helen commemorated places associated with the earthly life of the Savior by the founding of more than 80 churches erected in Bethlehem - the place of the Nativity of Christ, on the Mount of Olives, from where the Lord ascended to heaven, in Gethsemane, where the Savior prayed before His suffering and where the Mother of God was buried after the Dormition. Saint Helena brought with her a part of the Life-Giving Tree and nails to Constantinople. Emperor Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, ordered the construction of a majestic and extensive temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Resurrection of Christ, which included both the Holy Sepulcher and Golgotha. The temple took about 10 years to build. Saint Helena did not live to see the consecration of the temple; she died in 327. The temple was consecrated on September 13, 335. The next day, September 14, it was established to celebrate the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross.
On this day, another event related to the Cross of the Lord is remembered - his return from Persia after 14 years of captivity back to Jerusalem. During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas (602 - 610), the Persian king Chosroes II, in a war against the Greeks, defeated the Greek army, plundered Jerusalem and took captive the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and the Holy Patriarch Zechariah (609 - 633). The cross stayed in Persia for 14 years and only under Emperor Heraclius (610 - 641), who, with the help of God, defeated Khosroes and made peace with the latter’s son, Syroes, was their shrine returned to Christians - the Cross of the Lord. With great triumph, the Life-Giving Cross was brought to Jerusalem. Emperor Heraclius, wearing a royal crown and purple, carried the Cross of Christ to the Church of the Resurrection. Patriarch Zechariah walked next to the king. At the gate by which they ascended to Golgotha, the emperor suddenly stopped and could not move further. The Holy Patriarch explained to the Tsar that the Angel of the Lord was blocking his path, for He who carried the Cross to Golgotha to redeem the world from sins, completed His Way of the Cross in a humiliated form. Then Heraclius, taking off his crown and purple, put on simple clothes and freely carried the Cross of Christ into the temple.
In his homily on the Exaltation of the Cross, Saint Andrew of Crete (July 4) says: “The Cross is erected, and all the faithful flock together, the Cross is erected, and the city triumphs, and the peoples celebrate.”
Prayers
Troparion to the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, tone 1
Save, O Lord, Thy people/ and bless Thy inheritance,/ granting victories against the enemy// and preserving Thy life through Thy Cross.
Kontakion to the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, tone 4
Ascend to the Cross by will,/ to Thy namesake new residence,/ grant Thy bounties, O Christ God,/ make us glad with Thy power,/ giving us victories for our peers,/ benefit to those who have Thy ́ weapon of the world, // invincible victory.
Magnification of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
We magnify Thee,/ Life-giving Christ,/ and honor Thy holy Cross,/ by which Thou hast saved us// from the work of the enemy.
Prayer to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body, awaken in our image, casting down demons, driving away enemies, exercising passions, and bestowing blessing on us, and life and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit Ha, and with honest Most Pure prayers.
Second prayer to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
Oh, Most Pure and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! In ancient times you were a shameful instrument of execution, but now you are a sign of our salvation - ever revered and glorified! How worthily can I, the unworthy one, praise Thee and how dare I bend the knee of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins? But mercy and ineffable love for mankind, spread out upon you, gives me humble boldness, so that I may open my mouth to glorify You; For this reason I cry to Ti: Rejoice, O Cross, to the Church of Christ - beauty and foundation, the whole universe - affirmation, Christians of all - hope, kings - power, faithful - refuge, angels - glory and resurrection singing, demons - fear, destruction and driving away, the wicked and for the infidels - shame, for the righteous - a haven, for the lost - a mentor, for those possessed by passions - repentance, for the poor - enrichment, for those floating - a helmsman, for the weak - strength, in battles - victory and conquest , orphans - faithful protection, widows - intercessor, virgins - protection of chastity, hope for the hopeless, a doctor for the sick, and resurrection for the dead! You, foreshadowed by the miracle-working rod of Moses, are a life-giving source, watering thirsty spiritual lives and delighting our sorrows. You are the bed on which the Risen Victor rested royally for three days. Yes. For this reason, morning and evening and noon, I glorify Thee, blessed Tree, and pray to the will of the One who is spread upon Thee, that He may enlighten and strengthen my mind with Thee, and may He open in my heart the source of love. more perfect and all my deeds and paths will be overshadowed by You, so that I may take out I magnify Him who is nailed to You, for my sin, for the sake of the Lord my Savior. Amen.
World Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the master's (from the Slavic " twelve" - twelve), that is, the largest, established in memory of how the Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Elena, mother of the emperor Constantine, found the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. This event, according to church tradition, took place in 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha - the site of the crucifixion of Christ. Holiday Exaltation of the Holy Cross is permanent, always noted September 27(September 14, old style). It has one day of pre-celebration (September 26) and seven days of post-celebration (from September 28 to October 4). Giving back to the holiday - The 4th of October. In addition, the Feast of the Exaltation is preceded by Saturday and Week (Sunday), called Saturday and the Week before the Exaltation.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. History and event of the holiday
Day Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord- one of the oldest Orthodox holidays. It is celebrated in memory of two events from the history of the Holy Cross: in memory of its discovery in the 4th century and in memory of its return from the Persians in the 7th century. Soon after the Savior was removed from it, the Holy Cross of the Lord was buried in the ground by the Jews along with the crosses of two robbers. This place was subsequently built up with a pagan temple. The discovery of the Cross took place in 325 or 326. According to church historians of the 4th century, the emperor's mother Constantine, equal to the apostles Elena, went to Jerusalem to find places associated with the events of Christ’s earthly life, as well as the Holy Cross. According to legend, Saint Helen tried to find out the place where the Cross was buried from the Jews of Jerusalem. She was pointed to the place where the pagan temple of Venus was located. The building was destroyed and excavations began. Finally, they found three crosses, a sign with the inscription “ Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"and nails. To find out which of the three crosses the Lord was crucified on, they were applied one by one 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 Cross of the Lord, which was raised by the bishop for everyone to see. Tradition also speaks of the miracle of the resurrection of a dead man, who was being carried to burial, through touching the Cross.
Cvv. Konstantin and Elena. Theophanes of Crete. Fresco. Meteora (Nikolai Anapafsa). 1527 When the reverent worship of the Cross and kissing of it began, due to the crowds many could not only kiss the Holy Cross, but even see it, therefore the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarius showed the found Cross to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and lifted (“ erected") Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: “ Lord have mercy!“The discovery of the Cross took place around , so the initial celebration of the Cross took place on the second day of Easter. After the discovery of the Holy Cross, Emperor Constantine began the construction of churches on Calvary. A large basilica was built directly next to Golgotha and the Cave of the Holy Sepulcher Martyrium and rotunda Resurrection(Holy Sepulcher). The consecration took place on September 13, 335. Interestingly, the consecration of the temple also influenced the date of the holiday. The bishops present at these celebrations decided to celebrate the discovery and erection of the Holy Cross on September 14, and not on May 3, as was the case in previous years. So, from the biography of the saint John Chrysostom it is clear that in his time in Constantinople the celebration of the erection of the Cross took place on September 14. In 614, under the Persian king Khozroe, the Persians captured Jerusalem and, along with other treasures of the temple, stole the Holy Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained in the hands of the pagans for 14 years, and only in 628, under the Greek emperor Irakliye, The cross was returned to Jerusalem. Since the 7th century the celebration Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord became especially solemn.
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Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Divine service
This holiday is both solemn and sad; it reminds not only of the greatness and triumph of the Lord’s victory over death, but also of His suffering on the Cross. The main feature of the service on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is removal of the Cross from the altar at the end of the evening service for reverent worship. After the Great Doxology, the priest places the Cross on his head while presenting lamps, burning incense, and singing “ Holy God» takes him out of the altar through the northern doors. Then, at the end of the singing, he exclaims: “ Wisdom forgive me" The singers sing: " Save, Lord, your people" The priest places the Holy Cross on a prepared lectern in the middle of the temple and burns incense before it. After this there is veneration of the Cross while the clergy sing:
We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.
Dressing of clergy for the holiday Exaltation of the Cross It can be dark and mournful, and women wear dark scarves. In memory of the Lord's suffering on the cross, a fast was established on this day - food is supplied only with vegetable oil. The stichera of the holiday reveal the teaching about the meaning of Christ’s suffering. The suffering of Jesus Christ killed him who killed us, i.e. the devil, and revived people killed by sin; the venom of the ancient serpent was washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. The verses and canon of the Exaltation were compiled by famous creators of church hymns - Feofan, Kozma and others. They showed the connection between New Testament events and Old Testament events, indicating prototypes of the Cross of the Lord. Thus, in one of the stichera on lithium we hear:
P roubrazu1z to your khrtE, Patriarch and 3ya1kov, bring the blessing of the gift, on the heads of the premenen ru1tse create.
The stichera that are sung during the veneration of the Cross at the end of the evening service are filled with a high spiritual mood:
Come, faithful ones, bow to the life-giving tree, let us open our hearts and lift us up to our first glory. Come people, this glorious thing is most beautiful and powerful, bow 1msz. Here comes the creature, and 3 where the glory is, on which it is nailed, and 3 in 8 ribs are perforated. bile and3 ncet in8eats, sweetness tsRk0vnaz. ... and 3 is choked with a horny hand, and 4 with the hand of a created man. Yes, even untouched creatures touch me. and3 suffers art, freedomaz mz t strtє1y.
In the proverbs of the holiday Exaltations contains the following thoughts: the first proverb (Ex. XV, 22–27; XVI, 1) tells how Moses, during the Jews’ wanderings in the desert, healed a spring containing bitter water by investing wood. This tree, which sweetened the bitter water, typified the power of the Cross of the Lord. In the second proverb (Prov. III, 11-18) the person who cares about acquiring the tree of wisdom, which is “ tree of life“For those who acquire it, our wisdom and our tree of life is the Cross of Christ. The third proverb (Isaiah LX, 11-16) contains Isaiah’s prophecy about the greatness and glory of the city of the Lord, holy Jerusalem, which the Lord will clothe with greatness forever and with joy throughout all generations.
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The canon depicts the power of the Cross, revealed in the Old Testament prototypes of the cross (Moses, who raised his hands in a cross shape during the battle and thereby begged for victory; the tree that sweetened the waters of Marah, etc.), and in the New Testament miracles - through the Cross of the Lord itself. The Apostle says (I Cor., I, 18-24) that the Cross, i.e. the sufferings of Jesus Christ represent God's power and God's Wisdom. The Gospel (John XIX, 6–11, 13–20, 25–28, 30–35) contains the story of the suffering of Christ the Savior.
Troparion and Kontakion for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Troparion to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Church Slavonic text:
With 22 gD and your people, and 3 blessings 2 of your dignity, grant victories to the Russian power against resistance, and 3 your preserving the people.
Russian text:
Save, Lord, your people and bless us, Your heritage, giving our country victory over the opponents, the enemies of His kingdom, and preserving your people by the power of Your Cross.
Kontakion holiday. Church Slavonic text:
In ozneshisz on krty v0ley, the name of your residence2. Your generosity grant xrte b9e. rejoice2 with the strength of your country and ours, victories and 4th in comparison, help and 3place your country, an invincible victory for the world.
Russian text:
Ascended to the Cross voluntarily, grant Thy mercy to the people named after You, O Christ God; Make our country glad with Your power, giving it victory over its enemies, so that it may have help from You, a weapon of peace, an invincible victory.
The Rite of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In Rus' rite of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross known since the 13th century and is an integral part of the service of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It has a long history. The earliest record of this rank is preserved in the so-called Jerusalem Canonary, dating back to the years 634–644. In different monuments we find diversity in the descriptions of this rite: some describe how the rite is performed during the service of the Patriarch with a host of clergy, others - only a priest with a deacon. Saint Cyprian of Moscow in his letter of 1395 to the Novgorod clergy, he wrote that on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross the Cross should be erected in every church, even if there was only one priest there. In the old printed Moscow Typikon of 1641 there appeared an indication that the Cross is erected only in cathedral churches and monasteries, and in ordinary parish churches on the Exaltation of the Cross there is only veneration of the Cross, according to the rite of the Week of the Cross. This custom has continued to this day: rite of the Exaltation of the Cross performed only in cathedral churches where a metropolitan or bishop serves.
The Bishop, taking the Cross and standing to the east (towards the altar), begins the first erection - raising the Cross upward. A deacon stands in front of the Cross at some distance, holding a candle in his left hand and a censer in his right, and exclaims: “ Have mercy on us, God" The singers sing a hundred times: “ Lord have mercy" At the beginning of the singing " Lord have mercy“The bishop makes the sign of the Cross to the east three times and, while singing the first half of the centurion, slowly bows his head with the Cross as low as possible,” an inch from the ground" When singing the second half of the centenary, it slowly rises. When singing for the 97th time " Lord have mercy“The bishop straightens up and, standing straight, again makes the sign of the Cross to the east three times. The bishop makes the second elevation, turning to the west, the third - to the south, the fourth - to the north, the fifth - again to the east. The singers also sing at this time: “ Lord have mercy! Then the veneration of the Cross begins, during which the singers sing the usual stichera.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Icons
In Byzantine art the iconography of the holiday is based on Exaltation of the Holy Cross Initially, it was not a real historical episode of the discovery of the Cross that was based, but a depiction of the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross, which was performed annually in the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. Therefore, the Cross on icons was often depicted as an altar cross. The first such images date back to the end of the 9th - beginning of the 11th century. This iconographic version was also used by Russian icon painters.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross The most common plot icons of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in the 15th–16th centuries. The Cross of Christ is depicted as already monumental. In the center, on a high stepped dais, stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. Sometimes the Cross is decorated with plant branches. Behind you can see a large single-domed temple. Often kneeling worshipers and a large number of people who came to worship the shrine were depicted in the foreground. The figures of Tsar Constantine and Queen Helena are on either side of the Patriarch, with their hands outstretched in prayer, or to the right.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Folk traditions and beliefs in Rus'
It's a holiday in Rus' Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions. Since ancient times, there was a custom on the day of the Exaltation to erect chapels and small churches, as well as to erect crosses on churches under construction. On the Feast of the Exaltation they also put up roadside votive crosses in gratitude for deliverance from misfortune and pestilence. On this day, icons also rose to walk around the fields, with prayer for the future harvest.
September 27 was also called third Osenins or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. In Rus', the Exaltation was also called By moving or By shifting- words denoting movement, change of state. It was believed, for example, that on this day the grain “moved” from the field to the threshing floor, since by mid-September the harvesting of grain usually ended and threshing began. They also said that the Exaltation " moves his coat, pulls up his fur coat", or that on Vozdvizhenie " the caftan with fur coat moved and the hat pulled down».
The Feast of the Exaltation was Lenten. It was believed that " whoever fasts on the Exaltation will have seven sins forgiven" Most often on this day they ate cabbage and dishes made from it. " On Vozdvizhenya, a good fellow has cabbage on the porch" or " Know, woman, about cabbage - the Exaltation has come“, - people said. Throughout Rus', peasants believed that the Day of the Exaltation is one of those days on which no important and significant work should be started, since everything started on this day will either end in complete failure or will be unsuccessful and useless.
However, judging by some popular beliefs, the peasants did not know at all what the true meaning and significance of the church holiday of the Exaltation of the honorable and life-giving Cross of the Lord was. The people firmly believed that on the day of the Exaltation one should not go into the forest under any circumstances, since evil spirits could beat or even simply send a man to the next world. According to the peasants, on the day of the Exaltation, all reptiles “move,” that is, they crawl into one place, underground, to their mother, where they spend the entire winter, until the first thunder of spring. On the Feast of the Exaltation, the men carefully locked the gates, doors and gates for the whole day, for fear that the reptiles would not mistakenly crawl into their yard and hide there under the manure, in the straw and bunks. However, the peasants believed that from September 27, that is, from the Exaltation, snakes would not bite, since every reptile that stung a person at this time would be severely punished: all autumn, until the first snow and even in the snow, it would crawl in vain, not finding a place for herself until the frost kills her, or a man's pitchfork pierces her.
Temples in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
For a long time in Rus', churches were built in honor of the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross. Thus, according to the Suponevskaya Chronicle, around 1283 the foundation of the cathedral was laid Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Romanov-Borisoglebsk (present Tutaev) on the left bank of the river, “ opposite Borisoglebskaya Sloboda" According to legend, the first builder of the Kremlin was the Uglich prince, noble Roman Vladimirovich Saint(1261–1285). The child has suffered many attacks throughout its history. The last siege of the Romanov Kremlin took place during the events of the War of 1612. One third of the townspeople died in battles and epidemics, but the spirit of the people remained alive. In Soviet times, the temple building housed a local history museum, and later a warehouse. In 1992, the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and since 2000 it has been an active church.
Holy Cross Cathedral, Tutaev (Romanov-Borisoglebsk) In 1640, at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moscow River, the Holy Cross Church was founded. It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658. Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894–1895. In 1918, the temple began to be plundered. The authorities removed more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here. In 1930, the temple was closed, the dome and bell tower were destroyed, and a dormitory 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 to the Russian Orthodox Church and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek. Moscow Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Kolomna at the Pyatnitsky Gate of the Kolomna Kremlin arose in the 15th century. In 1764, a stone two-tier church with a bell tower was erected on the site of a wooden building. In 1832–1837 the church was radically rebuilt with funds from the sisters Sharapovs. In the 1980s The premises were used as a workshop and warehouse for the Kolomna Local Lore Museum. In 1994, the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Kolomna Kremlin In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a monastery was consecrated in the city of Belev, Tula region. The Women's Holy Cross Monastery was built in 1625. “According to a petition around 1625, submitted to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich by a certain elder Martha Palitsina, she was allowed to build a nunnery in the settlement with a church in the name of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross.” From the very beginning, in the Belevsky monastery there was only one church - a wooden one, in the name of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. This is evidenced by the inscriptions on the Gospel and the vessels that were donated to the monastery during the construction of the temple. There were also twelve wooden cells. At the very beginning of its existence, the monastery was very poor in funds and, despite the financial support of the tsar, it even needed candles, incense, and church wine. By 1680, 38 sisters and abbess lived in the monastery, who received the royal salary. Having existed for one hundred and forty years after its founding, the Holy Cross Convent was abolished in 1764. But the desolation of the monastery did not last long. In 1768, they decided to renew the Holy Cross Convent. At the very beginning of the 19th century, in 1801, during a severe fire that raged in Belevo, the buildings of the monastery were very badly damaged. In 1869, the monastery church was re-erected, this time made of stone, and had 5 side chapels. On the first floor: in the center - in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, on the right - in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Three-Handed", on the left - in the name of St. Nicholas. On the second floor: on the left - in the name of Andrew, Christ for the Fool's sake, on the right - in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. At the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery was abolished and was abandoned for a long time. In the 1980s Restoration work began in the 20th century, but quickly ended.
Holy Cross Belevsky Monastery In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the temple of the Vvedensky Tolgsky Monastery in the village was consecrated. Tolga, Yaroslavl region. Currently, the warm church in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is the earliest surviving stone building of the monastery. In 1838, the church underwent alterations: the windows were cut out, the vaults were raised, the internal pillars were removed, and the upper sections of the temple were decorated with wall writing. In 1892, the Vozdvizhenskaya Church was painted entirely with oil paints.
Temple of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Vvedensky Tolgsky Monastery in the village. Tolga of Yaroslavl region In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the village. Kurgomen, Vinogradovsky district, Arkhangelsk region. The church was built in 1623. The Church of the Vozdvizhenskaya is interesting as one of the earliest wooden tent-roofed churches of the “octagon-on-quadruple” type with two porches (from the west and east) and a refectory. The church had a beautifully proportioned porch. The free-standing nine-pillar bell tower was built in 1605 and was one of the oldest buildings of this kind. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross burned in 1919.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the village. Kurgomen, Vinogradovsky district, Arkhangelsk region. 1623 In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine. The building dates from about 1570 and about 1570. Nearby there is a huge watchtower (XVI-XVII centuries). It is adjacent to the ruins of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Orthodox monastery of the same name. The tower was once part of the city fortification system. In 1852, a warm church was built in its first tier. And in Soviet times, local police used this first tier as a shooting gallery.
Ruins of the temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and tower in the city of Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Drohobych, Lviv region of Ukraine. The church was built in 1613 and is considered an example of wooden architecture of the Ukrainian Renaissance. The temple was built at the expense of the owners of the salt industry of Drohobych and is located not far from the buildings of the old salt factory. During its history, the church has survived several fires, many rebuildings and reconstructions. At first it was a three-story church with one roof, and later it was rebuilt into a church with two roofs and was used for defensive purposes. A wooden bell tower was erected next to this temple in 1661, so the church together with the bell tower forms a harmonious architectural ensemble.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Drohobych, Lviv region of Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Lutsk, Volyn region of Ukraine. The temple was erected in 1619-1622 and had a pronounced defensive character. This is one of the earliest examples of the transformation of wooden architecture into stone, in particular, the traditional type of wooden three-frame, three-domed temple. The three-part axial composition of the temple was emphasized by three domes. The vestibule had the appearance of a defensive tower with a staircase leading to the vault. In 1803, the church was destroyed by fire. In 1888, a chapel was built on the site of the temple, and by 1890 the entire church was rebuilt, including the surviving ancient apse with a preserved 17th-century reinforcement frieze with keel-shaped niches.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Lutsk, Volyn region of Ukraine In the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a temple was consecrated in the city of Ternopil, Ternopil region of Ukraine. The temple was erected in 1570 or 1627. The first official mention of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was found in the charter of Prince Konstantin Ostrozhsky dated 1570. Initially, the church did not have a high tower; on a stone slab installed above the entrance, the exact date of completion of the construction of this three-tier belfry is carved - July 28, 1627. At the beginning of the 18th century, during the oppression of Orthodoxy in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was closed and was used as a warehouse for quite a long time. And only in 1760 the revival of the church began. Later, a brick bell tower with a low decorative spire was built in the churchyard. In 1831, during a huge fire in the city, the roof of the temple was completely burned, but it was quickly restored. In the first half of the 20th century, during the wars, the church was significantly destroyed and only in 1954-1959. thoroughly restored.
Temple in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Ternopil, Ternopil region of Ukraine Holy Cross Monastery in Moscow
Holy Cross Monastery It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1547. It was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street (the street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square). Original title - Monastery of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, on the Island.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Exaltation Monastery. 1882 During Napoleon's invasion, the monastery was plundered by invaders. In 1814 it was abolished, and the cathedral church was turned into a parish church. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross was closed after 1929, and in 1934 it was demolished. A Metrostroy mine was built on the site of the church.
Old Believer churches in honor of the Feast of the Exaltation Odessa region (Ukraine). Sverdlovsk region.
Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Nevyansk
Today is also the patronal holiday for the Moscow Preobrazhenskaya community (Fedoseevsky consent). Like the Rogozhskaya community, the Preobrazhenskaya community arose in 1771 in connection with the plague epidemic, when a cemetery was founded behind the Kamer-Kollezhsky Val and permission was received from Catherine II to build churches. The merchant played a special role here Ilya Kovylin, who organized an almshouse and sponsored large-scale construction. And since Kovylin was a Fedoseevite, the Preobrazhenskaya community became the center of this confession.
Church of the Exaltation of the Cross of Fedoseyevsky Concord at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery At the beginning of the 19th century, the community was divided into two parts - a male and female courtyard. Each half was separated by a crenellated stone wall with hipped towers. In fact, two monasteries appeared here. In 1811, a church in the name of the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross was built in the women's courtyard, in which Fedoseevites still pray. This temple does not have an altar apse, since the Liturgy of the Old Believers without priestly consent is currently not served.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 27, 2020 (September 14 is the date according to the old style). The holiday is dedicated to the Cross of Jesus Christ, on which he was crucified. Elevation means “raising up.” This holiday symbolizes the raising of the Cross from the ground after it was discovered there.
On this day, people do not start any business, as there will be no positive result.
Traditionally, walks or religious processions are held with icons and prayers.
On this day, the Vozdvizhensk ceremonies begin, which last two weeks. Unmarried girls gather and recite a certain spell seven times. According to legend, after such a ritual, the one who is dear to her heart will fall in love with the girl.
Those who observe fasting during the Exaltation will receive forgiveness of 7 sins, and those who do not observe it will receive 7 sins.
On this holiday, crosses are drawn in houses with chalk, soot, coal, garlic, and animal blood. Small crosses made of wood are placed in animal bins and nurseries. If there are no crosses, they are made from rowan branches. They protect people, animals and crops from evil spirits.
history of the holiday
After the death of Christ, the holy Queen Helen ordered the erection of about 90 temples in various places: where the Savior was born, from where he ascended to heaven, where he prayed before his death, at the burial place of his Mother. She brought part of the Cross and the nails with which it was chained to it to Constantinople. By order of Emperor Constantine, a temple was built in Jerusalem in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. Its construction took almost 10 years.
In 327, Queen Helena died before the consecration of the temple. Despite this, on September 13, 335, it was consecrated, and the next day - the 14th - the celebration of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord was scheduled.
Have an interesting day
Today's challenge: Avoid animal foods.
Holy Queen Helena, after the death of Christ, ordered the construction of about 90 churches. Temples were supposed to be in a variety of places: where the Savior was born, from where he ascended to heaven, where he prayed before his death, at the burial place of his mother. But the queen did not live to see the consecration of the temple. And yet, on September 13, it was still illuminated, and a holiday was appointed the next day.
According to Orthodox tradition, on the day of the holiday itself there is a strict fast - abstain from food of animal origin.
Signs
North wind - for a warm summer.
If the westerly wind blows for several days in a row, then the weather in the coming days will be bad.
At sunrise, the moon is outlined by a reddish, rapidly disappearing circle - indicating clear and dry weather.
Geese fly high - the flood will be high, low - the river will rise low.
If cranes fly slowly and high, crowing as they fly, then autumn will be warm.
September 27(September 14) believers of the Orthodox Church celebrate the day of remembrance of the Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord on the day of its discovery.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord was established in memory of the discovery and exaltation of the Cross of Christ. This significant event occurred under Emperor Constantine the Great, who was the first of the Roman emperors to stop the persecution of Christians.
Equal to the Apostles Emperor Constantine, who, with the help of God, won victory over his enemies in three wars, I saw a sign of God in the sky - a Cross with the inscription “By this victory.” Ardently wanting to find the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, Constantine sent his mother, the pious Queen Helen, to Jerusalem. Although Saint Queen Helena was already in advanced years by this time, she enthusiastically took up the task of fulfilling the assignment.
The pagan Roman emperors tried to completely destroy the memories of sacred places in humanity, where Jesus Christ suffered for people and rose again. Emperor Hadrian ordered cover Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher with earth and on an artificial hill to erect a temple of the pagan goddess Venus and a statue of Jupiter. Pagans gathered at this place and performed idol sacrifices.
Looking for the Life-Giving Cross, Queen Helena questioned Christians and Jews, but for a long time her search remained unsuccessful. Finally, she was pointed to an old Jew named Judas, who said that the Cross was buried where the temple of Venus stood. They destroyed the temple and, after praying, began to dig the ground. Soon the Holy Sepulcher was discovered and not far from it three crosses, a tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” made by order of Pilate, and four nails that pierced the body of the Lord.
To find out on which of the three crosses the Savior was crucified, Patriarch Macarius began to bring the crosses one by one to the seriously ill woman. No miracle occurred from the two crosses; when they laid the third cross, she was immediately healed. It happened that at this time the body was being carried for burial. Then they began to lay crosses on the deceased; and when they laid the third cross, the deceased came to life. Seeing the risen man, everyone was convinced that the Life-Giving Cross had been found.
Christians, who came in countless numbers to venerate the Holy Cross, asked St. Macarius to raise and erect the Cross, so that everyone could, although from afar, reverently contemplate It. Then the Patriarch and other clergy began to raise the Holy Cross high, and the people, crying: "Lord have mercy", worshiped the Honest Tree .
Holy Queen Helen commemorated places associated with the earthly life of the Savior, with the founding of more than 80 churches erected in Bethlehem - the place of the Nativity of Christ, on the Mount of Olives, from where the Lord ascended to heaven, in Gethsemane, where the Savior prayed before His suffering and where she was buried The Mother of God after her Dormition.
Saint Helena brought with her a part of the Life-Giving Tree and nails to Constantinople. Emperor Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, ordered the construction of a majestic and extensive temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Resurrection of Christ, which included both the Holy Sepulcher and Golgotha. The temple took about 10 years to build. Saint Helena did not live to see the consecration of the temple - she died in 327. The temple was consecrated on September 13, 335. The next day, September 14, it was established to celebrate the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross.
On this day we remember another event related to the Cross of the Lord, - his return from Persia after 14 years of captivity back to Jerusalem. The Persian king Khozroes II, in the war against the Greeks, defeated the Greek army, plundered Jerusalem and took captive the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and Patriarch Zechariah (609-633 BC). The cross stayed in Persia for 14 years and only under Emperor Heraclius (610-641 BC), who, with the help of God, defeated Khosroes and made peace with his son, was their shrine returned to Christians - the Cross of the Lord.
With great triumph, the Life-Giving Cross was brought to Jerusalem. Emperor Heraclius, wearing a royal crown and purple, carried the Cross of Christ to the Church of the Resurrection. Patriarch Zechariah walked next to the king. At the gate by which they ascended to Golgotha, the emperor suddenly stopped and could not move further. The Holy Patriarch explained to the Tsar that the Angel of the Lord was blocking his path, for the one who carried the Cross to Golgotha to redeem the world from sins performed his Way of the Cross in a humiliated form. Then Heraclius, taking off his crown and purple, put on simple clothes and freely carried the Cross of Christ into the temple.
On the day of the Exaltation, Christians observe strict fasting!
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