Feast of The Exaltation of The Holy Cross
14 September 335
Isaiah 45:21-25
Galatians 6:14-18
John 12:31-36a
Constantine was first Christian Roman Emperor, and during his time, he sent his mother Helena to lead an expedition to Israel to look for the places holy to Christians. In the war of 135 the Romans of the time had specifically defiled these places by building their pagan shrines over them, preserving their memory by accident. On 14 September 335 the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was dedicated on the site of the Burial of Christ. It has become a day for recognizing the Cross (in a festal way that would be not be appropriate on Good Friday) as a symbol of triumph, this is our sign of Christ's victory over death, and a reminder of His promise, "And when I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)
Tertullian, who wrote around 211 A.D., says that Christians don't do anything significant very often without making the sign of the cross. Certainly Christian's custom of tracing the sign of the cross on persons and things as a sign of blessing is very old. It may even predate the origins of Christianity. In Ezekiel 9, Revelation 7:2-4; 9:4; and 14:1 a mark placed on the forehead of the faithful identifies those belonging to God to be saved. In Ezekiel the Hebrew word used for "mark" is TAU. The mark is like an X or a +, two short lines crossing at right angles. The Essenes are understood to have marked their converts with a TAU when they baptized them since, they believed they were the faithful remnant of God's people.
It is quite possible that John the Baptist and his followers were influenced by the Essenes, and in any case, knew Ezekiel's words, so the tracing of a TAU on the forehead could very easily been part of John's method of baptism, then on to being used by the earliest Christians. It's use certainly continues today when each newly baptized Christian has a Cross traced on their forehead and are "marked as Christ's own, forever."
Almighty God, Whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that He might draw the whole world to Himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow Him; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.
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