Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

• The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is observed in Rome and commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross, which had fallen into the hands of the King of Persia.
• Emperor Heraclius recovered the Holy Cross and returned it to Jerusalem in 629.
• The Golden Legend describes Emperor Heraclius carrying the Cross back to Jerusalem on his shoulders, but was stopped by Bishop Zacharias, who reminded him to resemble Jesus carrying His Cross.
• The feast also commemorates the discovery of the True Cross, Calvary, and the tomb of Christ by St. Helena in 320 AD, and the dedication of a church on the site in 335 AD.
• The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, which houses Calvary, the Tomb of Jesus, and the instruments of the Passion, was built on the site.
• The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of several feasts in the Christian liturgical calendar that celebrate the cross itself.
• It is commonly celebrated on 14 September, or 27 September in churches still using the Julian calendar.
• In the Roman Catholic Church, it is called The Exaltation of the Holy Cross or The Triumph of the Cross.
• In some parts of the Anglican Communion, it is called Holy Cross Day or Crouchmas.
• The feast was mainly observed in Rome before the end of the seventh century, and the earliest recorded commemoration on a Western calendar is from the 7th century AD.
• In Western Christianity, the feast day is associated with the Ember days, which are observed on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the week after the feast.
• The feast is also observed by various religious orders, including the Congregation of Holy Cross and the Episcopal Church's Order of the Holy Cross.