On 8 September 2013, the day when the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Birth of the Mother of God, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, assisted by a group of priests and deacons. Hundreds of faithful were present on this Sunday on the Hill Joy on the occasion of this great feast of our Church dedicated to the Mother of God. On this day, too, the Orthodox Christians are on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Cross is not only the symbol of the sacrifice, but also of the Resurrection, the symbol of the love stronger than death
His Beatitude has also spoken in the speech addressed to those present about the relationship between the Holy Cross and Resurrection, pointing out the fact that the Holy Cross is the sign of the victory over the sin in the world through a power coming from God.
“The Gospel read before the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross shows us that the Holy Cross is the sign of the devoted sacrificial love of Christ which defeats sin and death. This is why the cross is called life giving, namely the cross which defeats death from its interior and is shown in the glory of the Resurrection. Having seen this relationship between the Cross and Resurrection, between sufferance and victory over the sufferance on the Easter night, the Church considers the Holy Cross as asign of the victory of the devoted love of Christ over the sin, over the hell and death. Thus, the Cross is not only the symbol of the sacrifice, but also of the Resurrection, the symbol of the love stronger than death. This is why the Holy Cross as a sign of the devoted love which overcomes sin and death also comprising the foretaste of Resurrection is so beloved. The sign of the Holy Cross is in the Church, on vestments, on the holy vessels; on the church itself the cross is a sign of victory on the mast of a Ship which takes us from this earthly life to the heavenly life, so that the banner of faith is the holy cross. Thus, it is a sign of victory, which means efforts and work, sufferance in the fight against sin which takes many aspects in this world. Therefore, the Holy Cross is the sign of the victory over the sin in the world through a power coming from God and helps the one who fights to defeat the visible and invisible enemies”.
The cross is the power of God and frightening weapon against the demons
Marking with the sign of the Holy Cross, His Beatitude also said, is a request to receive the help of God to fight against sin and bad spirits.
“Saint Paul the Apostle says in the Epistle to Colossians that when He was crucified on the cross Christ, our Lord, exposed the devilish powers nailing them on the Cross, in other words He defeated, through the lowliness of His love, the evil devilish powers which urged the Jews to kill Him, to crucify Him. Thus, when the devils see the cross they remember the devoted merciful and sacrificial love of Christ for the humans. The cross burns the demons and chases them away because they are bad and have no love, kindness and lowliness in them. When we mark ourselves with the sign of the Holy Cross we ask for the help of God to fight against sin, bad spirits, and dangers, against anything that can move us away from God”, the Patriarch of Romania explained.
The Holy Cross as a light of the Christian life is a sign of strengthening in faith, a sign of love
The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church has also spoken about the importance of the Holy Cross sign in the life of the faithful: “The Holy Cross is often laid on the road, or at cross roads – as the people say – just to remind us that the One Crucified on it, Christ, our Lord, said: “I am the Way, Truth and Life.” The Holy Cross is often laid near a spring, near a fountain to remind us that Christ, the One who out of love for humans and for their salvation was crucified on the Cross and said I am the Living Water, who drinks this water will never thirst again. Our mothers used to make the Holy Cross sign on the bread before baking the bread in the oven to remind us Christ who said I am the bread who came down from Heaven, who ever will eat this bread will never hunger again because the bread come down from heaven is the heavenly life given to the humans who believe in Him, who love Him and make His will in their life. Thus, the Holy Cross as light of the Christian life is a sign of strengthening in faith, of love, and hope, it is the power of God given to the faithful people.”
On the day of the crucifixion of her Son on the cross, the Mother of God receives the vocation to be spiritual mother of all faithful
The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church has also spoken about the relationship between the Cross of Christ, our Saviour, and the Mother of God.
“There is a mysterious relationship between the Cross of Christ and the Mother of God because while Christ was on the cross during the last moments of His life on the earth, only two persons were still close to the cross, because the other ones were further or some of the disciples were absent. His grieved mother, Virgin Mary was sitting on the right side of the crucified Saviour and John, His beloved disciple, on His left. Before entrusting His soul into His Father’s hands, Christ, our Lord, does not forget of his mother, so that He tells her looking at His disciple This is your son, and to him This is your mother. The Gospel says that from that day on, John the Evangelist looked after the Mother of God and protected her. Thus, the last moment of His life in the world Christ, our Lord, shows that the Mother of God is not only His mother, but she becomes the spiritual mother of the disciple and of the disciples who love Christ. Therefore, she becomes spiritual mother of all Christians who are not ashamed of the Holy Cross, of Christ’s sufferance and love the Crucified and Resurrected Christ and mark themselves with the sign of the Holy Cross. So, the Mother of God receives, on the day of her Son’s Crucifixion on the Cross, the vocation to be spiritual mother of all faithful, especially of those who do not give up Christ, but follow Him till death”.
To end with his speech, His Beatitude congratulated all those of the name of Virgin Maria: “On the occasion of the Birth of the Mother of God we wish all those named Maria or Marian and of many derived names, good health and joy, and much help of God in their good work for many years to come”.
Our people have special devotion for the Mother of God because over 2 million of Romanians are named Maria or Marian, or of derived names.
