Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, one of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church.

History of the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

The roots of this feast go back to the early 4th century. After the conversion of Emperor Constantine, his mother, Saint Helena, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in search of the holy sites. Guided by faith, she discovered the true Cross of our Lord near Mount Calvary.

When the Cross was found, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Macarius, raised it high before the people, so that all might see and glorify God. The crowd, overcome with joy, cried out: “Lord, have mercy!” From that day, the Church has commemorated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross as a testimony that the Cross is not defeat, but victory.

Later, this feast was strengthened when the Cross was rescued from Persian captivity in the 7th century and triumphantly returned to Jerusalem, again lifted high for the faithful to venerate.

The Meaning of the Cross for Us Today

The Cross is not simply a historical relic, but the very heart of our Christian life:

The Cross is a sign of God’s love: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16).

The Cross is a sign of victory: Through it, Christ destroyed death and opened the gates of eternal life.

The Cross is a sign of discipleship: Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24).

Therefore, to exalt the Cross is to exalt Christ Himself, who bore it in love for us.

Scripture for Meditation

Here are beautiful verses that guide us into the mystery of the Cross:

1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Galatians 6:14 – “But far be it from me to boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:8–9 – “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a Cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him…”

Our Exaltation Today

Dear faithful, when we bow before the Cross, we are not bowing to wood, but to the love and power of Christ who transformed that wood into the Tree of Life.

To exalt the Cross means to lift it high in our own lives:

To live with humility and forgiveness,

To endure our trials with faith,

To witness Christ’s victory in a world still filled with darkness.

May the Cross always be our help, our shield, and our hope. Let us proclaim with the Church through the ages:

“Khach ogneay indz — The Holy Cross is my help!”