‘The cross is the sign of a life-giving work,’ His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said on Saturday on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Holy Cross, he added, ‘is stronger than sin, hell and death and that is why it is considered the protector of Christians and a sign of victory over the wickedness caused by sins and over the devil who seeks to divide people and separate them from God,’ the Patriarch stressed during his homily at the Patriarchal Cathedral.
‘The Cross is God’s power. It concentrates the power of Christ’s merciful love, a forgiving and sacrificial power, but also the power of His Resurrection.’
That is why we sing ‘Before Your Cross we bow down, O Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection,’ the patriarch explained.
His Beatitude added that the cross is not only the sign of Christ’s suffering and death, but also ‘the sign of Christ’s victory through resurrection.’
Patriarch Daniel recalled that the veneration of the Holy Cross dates back to the first centuries of Christianity.
The feast of the Exaltation, the patriarch noted, shows us that the Church honours the cross both in its material form and in its spiritual aspect.
“We find the cross on the tower of the church, especially on the main tower which is a mast, and the church is ship-shaped. In the church we see the cross on the icon screen, on the table of the holy altar, on the priestly vestments, on many of the liturgical veils.”
“We also see the cross on the gates of the Romanian peasants,’ he said.
‘The cross is placed at the crossroads or on the roadside to remind us of the Saviour Jesus Christ who said I am the way, the truth and the life,’ His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said referring to the Gospel of John (14:6).
On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Patriarch of Romania presided over the festive Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest having as concelebrant his patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
