What does the word Meskel mean?
Cross
Who was St. Helena’s famous son?
Emperor Constantine
What inscription was found with the crosses?
INRI (“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”)
What large fire is lit during Meskel celebrations?
Damera (bonfire)?
What happened to Jerusalem in 70 A.D. that erased many Christian holy places?
the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans
On what date is Meskel celebrated?
09/27
What year did Constantine legalize Christianity in the Roman Empire?
313 A.D.
How many crosses were discovered beneath the rubble?
3 Crosses
The Cross is seen as the “tree of ____.”
Life
Why did Emperor Constantine send his mother to the Holy Land?
What is to restore Christian holy sites and find the True Cross?
Who discovered the True Cross in the 4th century?
St. Helena
What city did Helena travel to in search of the Cross?
Jerusalem
Who was the Patriarch of Jerusalem that helped identify the True Cross?
Who is St. Macarius?
What does the Cross symbolize for Christians?
victory, life, and salvation
Why was the Cross hidden for nearly two centuries?
pagan temples and rubble hiding it
What discovery does Meskel commemorate?
The discovery of the true cross
What temple did St Helena order to be torn down to uncover the Cross?
The temple of venus
What did the people cry out when the True Cross was lifted up?
Lord, have mercy
What do Christians remember about Jesus when celebrating Meskel?
What is Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection?
Why is the Cross called a sign of victory, life, and salvation?
Christ’s triumph over sin and death
What miracle showed which cross was the True Cross?
The healing/raising of the dead
What quality of St. Helena helped her succeed despite her old age and resistance from pagans?
What are faith and perseverance
What church was later built over the place of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection?
What is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher?
Why did Queen Helena’s discovery of the Cross become a tradition remembered every year?
Because it was seen as a miracle and proof of Christ’s victory, so the Church made it a yearly feast
Who rebuilt Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina around 135 A.D.?
Emperor Hadrian