The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14)
“Through the Cross, joy has come into all the world!”
On September 14, the Church celebrates the great feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. It is both a feast of victory and a day of solemn fasting — a rare and powerful combination in our liturgical life.
What Are We Celebrating?
This feast commemorates two historical events:
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The discovery of the True Cross by St. Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine) in Jerusalem around 326 AD.
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The restoration of the Cross to Jerusalem after it had been taken by the Persians and triumphantly returned in 628 AD.
But more than these historical moments, we celebrate the mystery of the Cross itself — the instrument of Christ’s suffering and death, which has now become for us the sign of salvation and eternal life.
A Day of Fasting on a Feast?
Yes — and this is part of what makes the day so unique. While most feasts are celebratory in tone, the Exaltation of the Cross is kept with a strict fast in the UGCC and Eastern tradition. This is because the Cross is a paradox: a sign of shame and death, yet also the source of life and glory.
We fast to:
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Enter into the suffering of Christ with reverence,
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Remember that our salvation came at a great cost,
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Show humility before the mystery of God’s love.
If September 14 falls on a Sunday (as it does in 2025), the fasting remains — this is one of the very few times a feast-day fast is not lifted by the Sunday celebration.
Living the Cross Today
We all carry crosses in our lives — illness, grief, burdens, or spiritual struggles. This feast reminds us that the Cross is not the end of the story. With Christ, suffering is transformed. The very thing that once brought death is now a sign of resurrection and hope.
So we venerate the Cross with fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving. And we echo the ancient hymn:
“We bow before Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection!”
