Facts about the Feast
The number of times per year the church celebrates the Feast of the cross
The sign Emperor Constantine saw in the sky with the words "in this sign, you will conquer"
The cross
In the liturgy of the word, this is the Hymn of the cross (first words only)
This is He who offered Himself up, as an acceptable sacrifice, on the Cross for salvation of our race
According to Galatians 6:14, this is the only thing we should boast in.
The cross
The number of days each Feast lasts
Three
The number of crosses found by Queen Helen
three
The hymn of Constantine is chanted in this tune
Hosanna
During these two feast the church conducts a procession similar to that of Palm Sunday and uses the same tune in chanting (Hosanna), to announce that the cause of her joy with the Cross is the openness of the hearts ( inner Jerusalem) to receive the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ as the King who reigns within us
In Galatians 2:20, when we are crucified with Christ, this is who lives in us
The only other feast in the Coptic church where the church does a procession with Gospel readings around the church
Palm Sunday.
During these two feast the church conducts a procession similar to that of Palm Sunday and uses the same tune in chanting (Hosanna), to announce that the cause of her joy with the Cross is the openness of the hearts ( inner Jerusalem) to receive the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ as the King who reigns within us
How Queen Helen knew to look for the cross
Empress Helena was directed by a divine dream to go to Jerusalem and start searching for the cross
The procession of the cross happens during this church service
Matins
In 1 Corinthians 1:18, St. Paul says the message of the cross is this to those who are perishing
foolishness
The events we commemorate for each Feast of the Cross
The first, 17th of Thoout, commemorates the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection (335 A.D) and the appearance of the Honorable Cross to the righteous Emperor Constantine the Great while he was at war (312 A.D.) The second feast of the Cross is the 10th of Paremhotep, which commemorates the discovery of the Holy Cross by Queen Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, in 326 A.D at Jerusalem, and the restoration of the cross back to the Christians in 629 A.D by Emperor Heraclius after it was stolen by the Persian King Khosrau II in 614 A.D and taken to Persia.
How Queen Helen knew which cross belonged to Jesus
The doubt as to which of the three was the Holy Cross was dispelled by applying each cross in turn to the body of a dying woman in the neighborhood. When the third, which was the true Cross, touched her, she was immediately healed.
The number of gospel readings during the procession of the cross
Twelve
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him _________" (do these three things)
Deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24)
The months and days (Coptic and English) of the feasts of the cross
17th of Tut till the 19th (September 27-29) and is the first feast in the new Coptic year. The second is on the 10th of Baramhat (March 19).
The name of the emperor who restored the cross back to the Christians in 629 AD
Heraclius. The second feast of the cross commemorates the restoration of the cross back to the Christians in 629 A.D by Emperor Heraclius after it was stolen by the Persian King Khosrau II in 614 A.D and taken to Persia.
The liturgy gospel response for the Feast of the Cross
First paragraph: For greatly honored, is the sign of the Cross, of Jesus Christ the King, our true God. Through his cross and his Holy Resurrection: He restored man once again: to the Paradise
In Romans 6:6, Paul says ”Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him”. This is the old man.
Our sinful nature