Interpretation of the canon for the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

“Interpretation of the canon on the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord” is part of the work of St. Nikodim Svyatogorets “Eortodromium” (῾Εορτοδρόμιον) (first published in Venice in 1836). This extensive work contains interpretations of the song canons of the Lord's and Theotokos feasts. According to the plan of St. Nicodemus, the purpose of this work was to convey the deep theological content of the main Christian holidays to a wide range of believers. The monk took the works of Theodore Ptochoprodromus as the basis for his work. However, since that text was written in complex language and was not published, St. Nicodemus presented his interpretation in a more accessible way, supplementing it with references to the Holy Scriptures and the works of the holy fathers. In addition, he filled in the gaps of Theodore, adding interpretations for the missing holidays (Annunciation, Ascension, Pentecost and Dormition), based on the corresponding praiseworthy words of the Church Fathers. Contents Canto 1 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 Canto 3 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Canto 4 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 Troparion 4 Canto 5 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 Canto 6 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Canto 7 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 Canto 8 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 Canto 9 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 1 Troparion 2 Troparion 3 To the cross, hoping, I belch out a song I, says the singer Cosmas, hoping and completely trusting in the power of the Cross, pour out from my heart singing, that is, this canon, sung on the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross. Saint Cosmas said that he hoped in the Cross; because he is a righteous man; “But the righteous,” according to the compiler of Proverbs, “is like a lion of trust” (Proverbs 28:1). He also said that he “burps”; for spewing or roaring is also characteristic of a lion, as the prophet Amos says: “The lion will roar, and who will not fear?” (Am.3, 8). So, with the word “burp” the singer wants to express that he intends to express in this canon thoughts that are terrible, great and, so to speak, leonine. Since the belching of a lion is fetid, terrible and worthy of disgust, while the singing belched by the sacred Cosmos is fragrant, pleasant and delightful for the soul, it is better, according to the opinion of Theodore Ptochoprodromus, that this befits David: “My heart will regurgitate a good word” (Psalm 44:2). He seemed to belch and pronounce with his lips those spiritual and blessed thoughts that he had in his heart. For “just as during vomiting, according to the interpretation of Basil the Great and Nikita, what is regurgitated is a consequence of food, so in spiritual teaching such thoughts are vomited out as the one who vomits feeds... Therefore, since his food was reasonable and good, it is not food and drink that he vomits, but a good word about the Only Begotten, akin to a spiritual meal.” See, beloved, what the best order is used by the divine singer. There is a prevailing holy custom among Christians, according to which, when they intend to begin any business or enterprise, they make the sign of the cross with their hands. This is how the divine Cyril of Jerusalem exhorts them in the 4th catechumen teaching, saying: “Let us not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but if someone else hides it, you clearly mark it on your forehead, so that the demons, seeing the Royal sign, will run far away, trembling. Do this sign when you eat and drink, when you sit, when you stand, when you speak, when you walk, in a word, in every activity. And John Chrysostom inclines believers to this, saying: “When you intend to cross the threshold of your house, say the following word in advance: I renounce you, Satan, and from your path and from your service, and I unite, O Christ, with You; and never leave without this word. And along with this word, depict the Cross on your forehead; for in this way not only the person you meet, but also the devil himself will not be able to harm you, seeing you everywhere appearing with such tools” (Word on the occasion of the overthrow of statues). Following this holy custom, the sacred Cosmas, intending to begin this canon, instead of making the image of the Cross with his hand, makes the name of the Cross its beginning, saying: “Trusting in the Cross.” Why is this called edge-grabbing (Acrostic)? Because the letters contained in it serve as the edges (acra) or the beginnings of verses (sticwn), that is, the troparia of the canon. For example, from the letters of the first word “to the Cross” (in Greek: Staurv), the first letter S makes up the initial letter of the first irmos: Stauron... (in Slavic: Having drawn the Cross), the second t, is the beginning of the troparion: Ton tupon palai... (in Slavic: The image of ancient times...), the third a, is the beginning of the next troparion: ! Aneuhce Mwushz... (in Slavic: Lay Moses), etc. Here are two reasons why there is edge-grain in canons: firstly, through this the hymn-singers show their zeal and skill, for a canon that has edge-grain is more glorious than one that does not have it, and then presents the chanter with more difficulties in composing it than a canon that does not have edge-grain; secondly, since people experienced in this matter soon invented edge-graining, those who have its canon are more easily retained in memory: it is enough to remember only the edge-grain; and with it you can immediately find the beginning of each troparion of the canon. 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