Elevation of the Holy Cross September 14 Today we celebrate the Universal Exaltation of the Holy Cross of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. On this day in the year 326AD, the Holy Patriarch Macarius, along with the Holy Empress Helen the Equal to the Apostles, raised up the newly found Cross of Christ, chanting "Lord, have mercy" while piously venerating the holy wood. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἦχος α’. Σῶσον Κύριε τὸν λαόν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, νίκας τοῖς Βασιλεῦσι κατὰ βαρβάρων δωρούμενος καὶ τὸ σὸν φυλάττων διὰ τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου πολίτευμα. Κοντάκιον Ἦχος δ’. Αὐτόμελον. Ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐν [...]

Why would God voluntarily choose to give Himself up? The origin of our salvation goes back to Adam and Eve. The Scriptures tell us that God made humans in His image and likeness. He did this so that we could all share in His glory. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they placed a great chasm between themselves and God. We have inherited this fallen state. No matter what we do or how we live, we are too small and sinful to repair this chasm. God, on the other hand, could pluck us out of this world and place us [...]