Deacon: Let us be attentive.

Priest: The Holy [Things] for the holy.

As the priest "elevates" the Holy Gifts he "invites" the faithful. "The Holy Things for the holy." What an awesome and fearful invitation! Although we are here for this reason, and this reason only, i.e., to partake of the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), nevertheless when the moment comes we feel totally inadequate, unworthy and unprepared (can we ever be adequately prepared?) to step forth. The priest's cry checks us, cuts us through, dissects us and proves us wanting:

And once such a person put off everything, he is entrusted with the responsibility to protect the people and inflicts wounds on Pharaoh-that is, he discerns and governs through Divine gifts, and conquers the demons. Then he receives the Divine Laws--not on stone tablets, as Moses did, which wear out and break, but rather in Divine engravings of the Holy Spirit which act in our hearts. And not only Ten Commandments, but as many as his nous, knowledge, and nature can contain. Afterward, he enters into "that which is within the veil" (Hebrews 6:29).

Since we have written about many and diverse things, my child, moved by your ardent faith and piety, I considered it good also to write a few things about love that I have learned from the Holy Fathers who lived before me from reading the Holy Scripture. However, fearing the height of this supernatural grace, I am overcome by awe, lest I am unable to bring the discourse to an end.

How can the Sign of the Cross become a protection for us too? How can it become in our hands the terror of the demons? If we do it correctly. If we do it as Our Holy Church shows us and teaches us, that is, with faith, piety, reverently, consciously, sacredly, humbly and with conviction and with discretion.

Saint John of Kronstadt is correct when he writes: "The Cross is the icon of the crucified Christ, the Son of God. That is why also its sign and even its shadow alone causes terror to the demons because it is the sign of Christ, because it is the protection of the Crucified. For this it is enough for someone to dip the Cross into the water to sanctify it (Holy Water). After this the water becomes therapeutic and expels demons.

The Lord Himself with supernatural events and amazing revelations revealed during different occasions in a vociferous manner that the sign of the Cross constitutes His symbol and the invincible trophy of the faithful. We shall present a few examples from the innumerable ones that are preserved in the Ecclesiastic History, the Holy Fathers of the Church and the Synaxarion (book) of the Lives of the Saints.