My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS AND EVER SHALL BE.
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FEAST OF THE UNIVERSAL EXALTATION OF THE PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS (September 14th)
Saint Constantine the Great (21 May) was preparing to march on Rome to confront his rival Maxentius when the sign of the Life-giving Cross appeared to him in the midday sky, surrounded with the inscription: "By this sign you shall conquer" (en touto nika). He, therefore, had his standards adorned with the Sign of the Cross and won a brilliant victory that enabled him to assume power over the entire Roman world (Empire) and to assure the triumph of Christianity.
In the twentieth year of his reign (326 A.D.), Constantine sent his mother Saint Helen to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places and to find the site of the Holy Sepulchre and of the Cross, that was covered by rubble from building-works, done at the time of Hadrian when the city had been enlarged. Relying upon the oral tradition of the faithful, Saint Helen found the Precious Trophy along with the crosses on which the two thieve had hung and the three nails that had nailed the Life-giving Body of the Savior, but she could see no way of telling which was the Cross of Christ.
The healing of a dying woman at the touch of the Holy Wood enabled Macarius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to identify the Cross of Christ, for no miracle was worked by the other two crosses. Then the Queen and her whole court worshipped the Cross and kissed it with great devotion. The people, who had gathered in large numbers at the place, also wanted to share in this grace, or at least--so ardent was their love for Christ--to see from afar the instrument of Our Redemption. So the Patriarch mounted the ambo and taking the Holy Cross in both hands, raised it on high so that all could see it, while the crowd exclaimed: Kyrie Eleison! (Lord have mercy!) This was the occasion of the institution of all the Churches of the Exaltation of Precious and Life-Giving Cross, not only in memory of the event but also to show forth this instrument of shame as having become our pride and our joy. By recalling the action of the Patriarch and by elevating the Cross at the four points of the compass to the chant of Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy). Orthodox Christians show on this day that, in mounting the Cross, Christ desired to reconcile all things to Himself, uniting creation in all its height and depth and to its farthest bounds in His Body, so that we may have access through Him to the Father. (Source: The Synaxarion. The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church)
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[Please note: September 14th is a strict fast day even if the feast falls on a Sunday, in which case wine and oil are allowed.]
DIVINE SERVICES ON SEPTEMBER 14TH:
Orthros at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
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[To be continued]
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George