September 14: The Exaltation of the Holy and Living Crosstranslated

Today we celebrate the Universal Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross and a fast is observed. Today the Cross is lifted up and the whole creation is freed from decay. In 326 AD Saint Helen went to Jerusalem to worship and thank the Lord for the triumphs of her son, who interpreted the victory as being due to the heavenly manifestation of the Cross.

Not knowing who the Holy Cross is, they dug at Calvary and brought up the three crosses. Makarios of Jerusalem placed them successively on the body of a pious dead woman. As soon as the Holy Cross was placed on the dead body, the woman was resurrected.

Then, Saint Helen, with the Council of Lords, worshiped the Animal Wood. Hierarch Makarios raised the Lord's Cross in the middle of the Church. The Christians chanted "Lord have mercy" with exultation.

Today also commemorates the return of the Cross from Persia, on September 14, 628 AD, by Heraclius, who together with the people, barefoot and humbly dressed, marched the holy relic to Constantinople. Patriarch Zacharias received it and everyone chanted "Save, Lord, your people and bless the inheritance...