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Elevation of the Honest and Life-giving Cross The Lord's feast, celebrated in historical churches, belongs to the Twelve.

Since the 7th century, the memory of the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia by the Greek Emperor Heraclius (629) began to be associated with this day.

Both during the acquisition and during the glorification of the Cross returned from Persia, the primate, in order to give everyone gathered for the celebration the opportunity to see the Shrine, erected (that is, raised) the Cross, turning it to all cardinal directions.

history of the holiday

Finding the Cross

The cross was found by the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, Queen Helena, who came to Palestine, and Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem (314-333).

As a result of excavations, the Cave of the Holy Sepulcher was found, and three crosses were discovered not far from it.

The cross of Jesus Christ was determined when a sick woman, on whom they were placed one by one, received healing. According to another legend, a dead person was resurrected from contact with this cross and was carried along the street for burial (hence the name Life-giving Cross).

Holy Queen Helen commemorated places associated with earthly life the Savior, the foundation 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 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 Honorable and Life-Giving Cross.

Return of the 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. The Persian king Khosroes 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).

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 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 He 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.

In his homily on the Exaltation of the Cross, Saint Andrew of Crete says: “ The Cross is erected, and all the faithful flock together, The Cross is erected, and the city triumphs, and the nations celebrate».

Divine service

Orthodox Church

The day before (that is, September 13) the evening is performed. According to the rules, this all-night vigil must include small vespers. At Little Vespers, the Cross is transferred from the altar to the throne. However, now the celebration of Little Vespers can be found in Russia only in rare monasteries. For this reason, in parish churches the Cross is placed on the altar before the start of the service (the Gospel is placed behind the antimension).

Then the troparion is sung three times “And we glorify Your Holy Resurrection”, during which three times are performed prostrations. Then special stichera are sung, during which the priest performs anointing with oil, and then the august, the usual ending and the first hour.

At the liturgy, instead of the Trisagion, it is sung “We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection”(no prostrations).

According to tradition, on this day it is customary to wear purple vestments.

The cross lies on the lectern until September 21 - the day of the Exaltation. To be given at the end of the liturgy after the prayer behind the pulpit, while singing the troparion and kontakion to the Cross, the Cross is carried away by the priest through.

Greatness

We magnify Thee,/ Life-giving Christ,/ and honor Thy holy Cross,/ by which Thou hast saved us// from the work of the enemy.

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Name

Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

Greek ῾Η παγκόσμιος ὕψωσις τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ Σταυροῦ

verbatim Worldwide Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross

in Russian vernacular: Zdvizhenye

Celebration

It is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on September 14 according to the Julian calendar or September 27 according to the Gregorian calendar.

Some features of worship

Initially, this holiday was established by the Church in memory of the finding of the Cross of the Lord in the 4th century. In the 7th century, the memory of the discovery of the Holy Cross was combined with another memory - the return of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Persian captivity.

The vigil service of the holiday is being celebrated.

Stichera on the stichera - the holiday, Glory and now - the stichera of the holiday.

After Now you let go and the troparion of the holiday is sung three times.

At matins

For God the Lord the troparion of the holiday is sung (twice), Glory and now - the same troparion

According to the polyeleos, which is traditionally performed at the altar, the magnification of the holiday is sung: We magnify Thee, Life-Giving Christ, and honor Thy Holy Cross, by which Thou hast saved us from the work of the enemy.

Degree - 1 antiphon 4 voices From my youth.

Prokeimenon of the holiday.

According to the Gospel - having seen the Resurrection of Christ once.

According to Psalm 50, the stichera of the holiday is sung. Anointing with holy oil is performed after the removal of the Cross.

Canons: holiday.

The chaos of the holiday is sung, having drawn the Cross.

After the 8th song, we don’t sing the Most Honest, but we sing the chorus and irmos of the 9th song. Chorus: Magnify, my soul, Most Honorable Cross Lord's. Irmos of the 9th canto: Mystery art thou, O Theotokos, paradise (You are the mysterious paradise, Mother of God), who uncultivated Christ, Who has planted the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross on the earth. By this (therefore) now lifting up (the Cross), worshiping it, we magnify Thee.

The indicated chorus is chanted at the 9th canto and for each troparion of the 1st canon, and for the troparions of the 2nd canon, which has only one 9th canto, the chorus is sung: Magnify, my soul, the exaltation of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

To praise the stichera of the holiday, Glory and now - the holiday.

After the great doxology - the removal of the Cross and veneration.

In cathedral and, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop, parish churches, the rite of raising the Cross is performed

At the Liturgy

The antiphons of the holiday are sung (antiphon 1, antiphon 2).

Entrance Verse: Lift up the Lord our God, and worship His footstool, for He is holy.

Immediately after the entrance verse there is the troparion of the holiday and kontakion.

Instead of the Trisagion, “We bow to Your Cross, O Master...” is sung.

Prokeimenon, tone 7: Lift up the Lord our God, and worship His footstool, for He is holy. Verse: The Lord reigns, let people be angry.

Instead of Worthy, the deserving of the holiday is sung - the chorus: Magnify, my soul, the Most Honorable Cross of the Lord and the irmos of the 9th song of the canon: “Thou art the Mystery, O Theotokos, paradise...” (before giving up).

Participated in the holiday: The light of Your face shines upon us, O Lord.

On the day of the Feast of the Exaltation, a fast is established, similar to the usual fast on Wednesday and Friday (fish is not allowed). It was established in remembrance of the suffering of the Lord, who suffered death on the Cross, and to convey the idea that the veneration of the Cross is associated with the mortification of the flesh.

In the after-feast

At the Liturgy after the entrance it is sung: Come, let us worship with the ending: Save us, Son of God, crucified in the flesh, singing Ti: Alleluia.

The Life-Giving Cross, carried out on the Feast of the Exaltation, lies in the church on a lectern until the day of the holiday. On the day of the Exaltation (September 21/October 4), after the dismissal of the Liturgy, the priest censes around the lectern with the Cross (three times) and, while singing the troparion and kontakion, brings the Cross into the altar, placing it on the Holy Cross. throne.

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 marked 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.

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 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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Teaching on the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross. Great Menaion of Cheti →

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. Main feature services for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross are 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, the blessing of the gift, on the heads of the people created...

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. 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 strangled with a horny hand, and 4 with the same hand of a created man. Yes, even untouched creatures touch me. and3 suffers art, freedomaz mz t strtє1y.

In proverbs for 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 Divine 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 in 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' rank of Exaltation 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 variety 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 and 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.

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 in the foreground were depicted kneeling praying people and a large number of people who came to worship the shrine. 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 united 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 Autumn 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 folk beliefs, the peasants did not know at all what the true meaning and significance of church holiday Exaltation of the honest and life-giving cross of the Lord. The people firmly believed that on the day of the Exaltation one should not go into the forest under any circumstances, since devilry He might beat him up, or he might just send the 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 of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Rus'. Romanov-Borisoglebsk

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 time 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.

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek

The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moscow River. 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.

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.

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.

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Kolomna at the Pyatnitsky Gate

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 Kolomensky's workshop and warehouse local history museum. In 1994, the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Old Believer churches in honor of the Feast of the Exaltation

Tradition to build and consecrate churches in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross preserved in .

the temple holiday is celebrated by the communities of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church: Syzran Tarbagatai 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. IN early XIX

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. You can read more about the architecture and decoration of priestly and non-priestly Old Believer churches in the article “Differences between an Old Believer church and a New Believer church.” The persecution of Christians only ceased at the beginning of the fourth century, under the Roman emperor.

Emperor Constantine himself was convinced of strength and glory sign of the cross Christ's. One day, on the eve of a decisive battle, he and his entire army saw in the sky the sign of the cross, composed of light, with the inscription: “hereby conquer” (in Greek: NIKA). The next night, Jesus Christ Himself appeared to the emperor with the Cross in his hand and said that with this sign he would defeat the enemy; and ordered to arrange a military banner with the image of the Holy Cross. Constantine fulfilled God's command and defeated the enemy. He accepted Christians under his protection and declared the faith of Christ to be dominant (main). He abolished execution by crucifixion and issued laws in favor of the Church of Christ. For his merits and zeal for dissemination Christian faith, Constantine the Great with his mother Elena, got the name holy kings equal to the apostles, that is, equal to the apostles.

Equal to the Apostles Tsar Constantine wished to build churches of God on places sacred to Christians in Palestine (that is, at the place of birth, suffering and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, etc.) and to find the Cross on which the Savior was crucified. With great joy, his mother, St., undertook to fulfill the king’s desire. Queen Equal to the Apostles Helen.

In 326, Queen Helena went to Jerusalem for this purpose. She put in a lot of work to find the Cross of Christ, since the enemies of Christ hid the Cross by burying it in the ground. Finally, she was pointed to an elderly Jew named Judas, who knew where the Cross of the Lord was. After much questioning and persuasion, he was forced to speak. It turned out that the Holy Cross was thrown into one cave and covered with garbage and earth, and a pagan temple was built on top. Queen Helen ordered the destruction of this building and the excavation of a cave.

When they dug up the cave, they found in it three crosses and a tablet lying separately from them with the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” It was necessary to find out which of the three crosses is the Cross of the Savior. The Jerusalem Patriarch (Bishop) Macarius and Queen Helena firmly believed and hoped that God would indicate the Holy Cross of the Savior.

On the advice of the bishop, they began to bring crosses one after another to one seriously ill woman. No miracle happened from the two crosses, but when the third cross was laid, she immediately became healthy. It happened that at that time the deceased was being carried past for burial. Then they began to lay crosses one after another on the deceased; and when they laid the third cross, the dead man came to life. In this way they recognized the cross of the Lord, through which the Lord performed miracles and showed life-giving the power of His Cross.

Queen Helena, Patriarch Macarius and the people around them bowed to the Cross of Christ with joy and reverence and kissed it. Christians, having learned about this great event, gathered in countless numbers to the place where the Cross of the Lord was found (found). Everyone wanted to venerate the holy life-giving Cross. But since it was impossible to do this due to the crowd of people, everyone began to ask to at least show it. Then Patriarch Macarius stood on an elevated place and, so that everyone could see, several times erected(lift) him. The people, seeing the Cross of the Savior, bowed and exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy!”

The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Kings Constantine and Helena, over the place of the suffering, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, built a vast and magnificent temple in honor of Resurrection of Christ. They also built temples on the Mount of Olives, in Bethlehem and in Fevron near the Oak of Mamri.

Queen Helena brought part of the Holy Cross to her son, Tsar Constantine, and left the other part in Jerusalem. This precious remnant of the Cross of Christ is still kept in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

After finding the life-giving Cross of the Lord, Judas, who indicated the location of the Cross, became a Christian. Then, for his virtuous life, he was ordained a bishop with the name Kyriaca and elevated to the throne of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. He suffered for Christ under Julian the Apostate. Memory of St. Hieromartyr Kyriakos is celebrated on October 28 (November 10 AD).

In memory of the finding of the Cross of Christ and His exaltation, St. Orthodox Church installed Feast of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. This holiday is one of the great holidays and is celebrated on September 14th (September 27th AD)

During the all-night service (at Matins), the Cross is brought out for veneration. After the great doxology, the priest, dressed in all priestly clothes and holding the Holy Cross, decorated with flowers, over his head, while singing “ Holy God…” takes him out of the altar to the middle of the temple and places him on the lectern. During the threefold singing of the troparion " God bless your people...,” the priest censes the Holy Cross. Then while singing: “ We bow to Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your holy resurrection“, everyone bows and kisses the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross is decorated with greenery and flowers as a sign that through it (i.e. through the suffering and death of the Savior on it) we have been given immortal life. On this holiday, fasting is established to deepen the reverent remembrance of the Savior's suffering on the cross.

Troparion
voice 1

Save, O Lord, Thy people/ and bless Thy inheritance,/ granting victories against resistance// and preserving Thy residence through Thy Cross.

Kontakion
voice 4

Having ascended to the Cross by will,/ grant to your namesake new residence/ your bounty, O Christ God,/ make us glad with your power,/ giving us victories for our companions,/ benefit to those who have your weapon of peace,// invincible victory.

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On September 27, Orthodox believers celebrate a great holiday - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2017. This day is one of the twelve, that is, it is considered one of the twelve main ones of the year. We'll tell you what you can do and what you can't.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2017: history of the holiday

The holiday is dedicated to the discovery of the Cross of the Lord, which occurred in 326 in Jerusalem near Mount Golgotha ​​- the place where Jesus was crucified.

The Cross of the Lord is the sacred cross on which Christ was crucified.

According to legend, the cross was found in Palestine. During the excavations, they found the Tomb of the Lord, the place where Jesus was buried after the crucifixion. And nearby were three crosses, one of which was Christ. This was discovered when the deceased, who was carried past the relics, was resurrected. This is where the name came from - the Life-Giving Cross.

On September 27, another event is celebrated - the return of the Holy Cross from 14 years of captivity in Persia.

According to legend, the Persian King Khosrow II attacked Jerusalem, plundered the city and took away, among other things, a Christian relic. For 14 long years the Cross was in Persia. But when Heraclius I came to power, the cross was returned to Jerusalem.

Exaltation 2017: what needs to be done

Christians have traditions associated with this great day. It was believed that on September 26, all reptiles build their nests for the winter. Therefore, people closed the gates and doors to the house to prevent snakes and lizards from entering there.

By Orthodox tradition, on the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord you need to go to church for the Divine Liturgy. At the same time, it is worth putting a candle to the icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and praying.

On this day you need to pray for health, prosperity and happiness in the family.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross: what not to do

According to beliefs, on this holiday it is prohibited:

• According to legend, it was forbidden to go into the forest on the Exaltation, because the Leshy walks around his domain and re-reads the animals. And if a person catches his eye, he will never return from the forest.
• On this great Orthodox holiday, it is forbidden to engage in heavy labor, for example, making repairs, cleaning or chopping wood.
• It’s better not to swear at the Exaltation. This is especially important in relation to loved ones. It is believed that all negative energy will definitely return in triplets.
• It is not recommended to start new things during the holiday, because what you started will go to waste. Therefore, it is better to leave things for tomorrow.
• During the Exaltation, Orthodox believers fast. Therefore, it is forbidden to eat meat, fish, dairy products and eggs.

Icon of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord: what to pray for

• People believe that the icon needs to be prayed to if a couple cannot have children.
• If a person cannot get rid of illnesses for a long time.
• You definitely need to pray to the icon and ask for health for yourself and your loved ones.

September 27 is the holiday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The full name of the holiday is the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. On this day, Orthodox Christians remember two events.

As he writes Sacred Tradition, The Cross was found in 326 in Jerusalem. This happened near Mount Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified.

And the second event is the return of the Life-Giving Cross from Persia, where it was in captivity. In the 7th century, it was returned to Jerusalem by the Greek Emperor Heraclius.

Both events were united by the fact that the Cross was erected in front of the people, that is, raised. At the same time, they turned it to all directions of the world in turn, so that people could bow to it and share with each other the joy of finding a shrine.

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When is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated?

The Russian Orthodox Church remembers the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27 according to the new style (September 14 according to the old style).

This holiday has one day of pre-feast and seven days of post-feast. Forefeast - one or several days before a major holiday, the services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, after-feasts are the same days after the holiday.

The holiday is celebrated on October 4th. The celebration of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated special worship service, more solemn than on ordinary days of post-feast.

What can you eat on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?

On this day, Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting. You cannot eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil.

History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

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We find a description of the events of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which occurred in the 4th century, in some Christian historians, for example, Eusebius and Theodoret.

In 326, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to find the lost shrine - the Cross of the Lord - at any cost. Together with his mother, Queen Helena, he went on a campaign to the Holy Land.

It was decided to carry out the excavations near Golgotha, since the Jews had a custom of burying the instruments of execution near the place where it was carried out. And, indeed, in the ground they found three crosses, nails and a board that was nailed above the head of the crucified Savior. As Tradition says, a sick man touched one of the crosses and was healed. This is how Emperor Constantine and Queen Helen found out which of the crosses was the one. They bowed to the shrine, and then Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem began to show it to the people. To do this, he stood on a dais and raised (“erected”) the Cross. People worshiped the Cross and prayed: “Lord, have mercy!”

In 614, the Persian king conquered Jerusalem and plundered it. Among other treasures, he took to Persia the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The shrine remained with foreigners for fourteen years. Only in 628 did Emperor Heraclius defeat the Persians, make peace with them and return the Cross to Jerusalem.

Historians do not know exactly how the further fate of the shrine developed. Some say that the Cross was in Jerusalem until 1245. Someone who was divided into pieces and carried around the world.

Now part of the Holy Cross rests in a reliquary in the altar of the Greek Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.

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As Tradition says, the Cross of the Lord was found before the holiday of Easter, Easter Christ's Resurrection. Therefore, the Exaltation of the Cross was first celebrated on the second day of Easter.

In 335, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem. This happened on September 13th. In honor of this, the Feast of the Exaltation was moved to September 14 (old style; new style - September 27). The bishops who came to the consecration from all over the Roman Empire told about the new holiday to the entire Christian world.

Worship of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross it is necessary to perform All-night vigil and Liturgy. But now they rarely serve all night long, so the central point is the festive divine service on the eve of the holiday - a vigil.

The Exaltation is the Twelfth Feast of the Lord (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore, its service does not connect to any other service. For example, the memory of John Chrysostom is postponed to another day.

It is interesting that during Matins on the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel is read not in the middle of the church, but in the altar.

The climax of the holiday is when the presiding priest or bishop, dressed in purple vestment, brings out the Cross. All those praying in the temple kiss the shrine, and the primate anoints them with holy oil. During the general veneration of the Cross, the troparion is sung: “We worship Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy resurrection.”

The cross lies on the lectern until October 4 - the day of the Exaltation. At the offering, the priest takes the cross to the altar.

Prayers to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

First prayer

Be the Honest Cross, guardian of soul and body: in your image, casting down demons, driving away enemies, exercising passions and bestowing reverence, life, and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the honest prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. Amen.

Second prayer

O Most Honest 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, sing to You and how dare I bend the knees of my heart before my Redeemer, confessing my sins! But the mercy and ineffable love for mankind of the humble Boldness crucified upon you gives me, so that I may open my mouth to glorify You; For this reason I cry to Ti: Rejoice, Cross, the Church of Christ is the beauty and foundation, the whole universe is the affirmation, all Christians are the hope, kings are the power, the faithful are refuge, Angels are glory and praise, demons are fear, destruction and driving away, the wicked and infidels - shame, the righteous - pleasure, the burdened - weakness, the overwhelmed - refuge, the lost - a mentor, those possessed by passions - repentance, the poor - enrichment, the floating - the helmsman, the weak - strength, in battle - victory and conquest, the orphans - faithful protection, widows - intercessor, virgins - protection of chastity, hopeless - hope, sick - a doctor and the dead - resurrection! You, typified by the miraculous rod of Moses, are a life-giving source, watering those thirsty for spiritual life and delighting our sorrows; You are the bed on which the Risen Conqueror of Hell rested royally for three days. For this reason, morning, evening, and noon, I glorify Thee, blessed Tree, and I pray by the will of the One who has been crucified on Thee, may He enlighten and strengthen my mind with Thee, may He open in my heart a source of more perfect love and may all my deeds and paths be overshadowed by Thee May I take out and magnify Him who is Nailed to You, for my sin, the Lord my Savior. Amen.

Icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The most common plot of the icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross developed in Russian icon painting in XV-XVI centuries. The icon painter depicts a large crowd of people against the backdrop of a single-domed temple. In the center on the pulpit stands the Patriarch with the Cross raised above his head. The deacons support him by the arms. The cross is decorated with plant branches. In the foreground are the saints and everyone who came to worship the shrine. On the right are the figures of Tsar Constantine and Queen Helena.

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Altufyevo

Temple address: Moscow, Altufevskoe highway, building 147.

The old church was built at the expense of I.I. Velyaminov in 1760-1763, because the previously existing on this place “... built long ago stone church in the name of Sophia and her daughters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov, she fell into complete disrepair - and from this dilapidation everything fell apart...” The new temple had a bell tower. At the end of the 18th century it was rebuilt.

The temple was closed only for a short time during the Great Patriotic War. Shrines - especially revered icons: list from the Kazan Icon Mother of God and St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk (miraculously appeared at the well of a preserved spring on the border of the villages of Altufyeva, Bibireva and Medvedkova).

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek

Temple address: Moscow. 1st Truzhenikov lane, house 8, building 3.

The temple was founded in 1640 at the beginning of a deep ravine on the left bank of the Moscow River.

It took 18 years to build a stone temple on the site of a wooden one. The main altar was consecrated in 1658.

In 1701 stone temple rebuilt for the first time. The composition of the church continued the traditions of townsman construction in the 17th century. The volume of the building may have preserved parts of the walls of the previous brick church, built in 1658, when the territory between Plyushchikha Street and the river was occupied by settlements that belonged to the Rostov bishop's house.

Over the course of two centuries, the temple was constantly rebuilt; it acquired its current appearance in 1894-1895. Most of the parishioners of the temple on what was then the outskirts of the city were domestic servants, artisans, and soldiers. However, representatives of famous people also belonged to the parish noble families Musin-Pushkin, Sheremetyev, Dolgoruky. On May 25, 1901, A.P. Chekhov got married here.

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In 1918, the temple began to be plundered. The authorities removed more than 400 pounds of silver utensils from here.

In the 1920s, I performed in the temple more than once. Divine Liturgy Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow. Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov), who was shot in December 1937 at the Butovo training ground, also served here.

In 1930, the temple was closed, and the rector, Archpriest Nikolai Saryevsky, was exiled. The dome and bell tower were broken, the almshouse and the clergy house were demolished, and a dormitory was built in the church 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 and a long restoration, the building again took on its former architectural appearance.

Vozdvizhenka - street in Moscow

Vozdvizhenka is a street between Mokhovaya and Arbat Gate Square. At the end of XIII - early XIV centuries, the road to Volokolamsk and Novgorod ran along it. In the middle of the 14th century, Vozdvizhenka was part of the trade road to Smolensk. In the 15th - first half of the 17th centuries, the street was called Orbata (probably from the Arabic “rabad” - suburb).

In 1493, the beginning of the street near the Kremlin wall was cleared for 110 fathoms; in the 16th century, the St. Nicholas Church in Sapozhka (demolished in 1838) and small private courtyards already stood in the cleared place. In 1547 the Holy Cross Monastery was mentioned for the first time. It was he who gave the street a new name. In 1812, the monastery was destroyed by Napoleonic army. In 1814, the monastery was abolished, and its cathedral church was turned into a parish church.

In 1935, Vozdvizhenka was renamed Comintern Street, and in 1946 - Kalinin Street. In 1963-90 it became part of Kalinin Avenue. Now the street has returned its historical name.

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Holy Cross Monastery

The Holy Cross Monastery was located in Moscow, in the White City, on Vozdvizhenka Street. The original name was the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which is on the Island. It was built no later than 1547.

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. The priest of this temple, Alexander Sidorov, was arrested in 1931. He died in a concentration camp in Kemi.

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Folk traditions of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

In Rus', the holiday of the Exaltation of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord combined church and folk traditions.

On this day, peasants painted crosses on the doors of their houses and placed small wooden crosses in the mangers of cows and horses. If there was no cross, it was replaced by crossed rowan branches.

September 27 was also called the third Osenin or Stavrov day. It was the final day of Indian summer, the third and last meeting of autumn. “It’s Exaltation in the yard, the last haystack from the field is moving, the last cart is in a hurry to the threshing floor!” “On Vozdvizhenye, the fur coat follows the caftan!” “On Vozdvizhenye the coat and fur coat will move!” “For the Exaltation, he will take off his caftan and put on a fur coat!” “Exaltation - the last cart has moved from the field, and the bird has taken flight!”
The day was fast: “Whoever fasts on the Exaltation will have his seven sins forgiven,” “Even if the Exaltation falls on a Sunday, everything on it is Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!”, “Whoever does not fast the Exaltation – the Cross of Christ – seven sins will be raised upon him!”
The Feast of the Exaltation was also called "cabbage". “Be smart, woman, about cabbage - the Updating has arrived!”, “It’s cabbage uplift, it’s time to chop the cabbage!”, “Then chop the cabbage from the Updating!”, “A good man has pies with cabbage on the Updating Day!”, “On Vzdvizhenie, the first lady is cabbage!” They also said: “Neither Vozdvizhenskaya nor Annunciation cabbage is affected by frost!” Young people organized “Capusten evenings”; they lasted two weeks.

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Sayings about the Exaltation of the Cross

All sayings and proverbs dedicated to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross are devoted to the theme of the approaching autumn or strict fast on this day.
The last birds go to Vozdvizhenie for the winter.
Know, woman, about cabbage - the movement has come!

On Vzdvizhenya the first lady is cabbage!
On Vozdvizhenye, the caftan with fur coat moved and the hat pulled down.
Whoever does not fast the Exaltation - the Cross of Christ - will be charged with seven sins!

Even if the Exaltation comes on Sunday, it’s all about Friday-Wednesday, Lenten food!
On Vozdvizhenie, autumn is moving faster towards winter.

The signs that are also associated with this holiday, like any other superstitions, have nothing to do with church doctrine and are condemned by the Church.