Chapter 3

Concerning the Precious Cross From the Sacred Canons and From the Holy Fathers

Concerning the veneration of the Precious Cross, the sacred canons of the God-bearing Fathers define the following: “When we join together the figure of the Precious Cross from two pieces of wood, if one of the unbelievers should accuse us of venerating wood, we can separate the two pieces of wood and dissolve the figure of the Cross, consider them mere pieces of wood, and silence the unbeliever, showing that we revere not the wood but the figure of the Cross” (Syntagma of the Sacred Canons of Rhallēs and Potlēs, vol. 5, p. 248).

And Canon 73 of the Council in Trullo defines the following: “Since the life-giving Cross has shown us salvation, we must make every effort to render the honor that is due to that by which we have been saved from the ancient transgression. Therefore, while we offer veneration to it both in word and in perception, we command that figures of the Cross made by some on the ground be completely removed, lest the trophy of our victory be insulted by the trampling of those who walk over it. Therefore, we decree that those who from now on make a figure of the Cross on the ground are to be excommunicated.”

Photios, Archbishop of Constantinople, says in his first letter: “We venerate the Precious Cross, on which the Lord’s body was stretched out and from which the cleansing blood of the world poured forth, and the nature of the wood, watered by the streams from there, brought forth ageless life instead of death. Thus we venerate the type of the Cross, through which hordes of demons are driven out and various diseases are healed, because the grace and power once manifested in the prototype extends even to the types themselves, accompanying them with the same efficacy” (Photius, Epistle. London edition 1651, pp. 16–17).

And Jerome, presbyter of Jerusalem, when the following question about the veneration of the precious Cross was put to him:

“Since your Scripture nowhere permits you to venerate the Cross, why then do you venerate it? Tell us, who are Jews and Greeks and all the nations that question you”—he gave this answer: “For this reason, O foolish and shameless in heart, God has perhaps permitted every nation that worships God to venerate something on earth that is the work of human hands, so that they may no longer be able to accuse Christians concerning the Cross and the veneration of icons. So just as the Jew venerated the ark of the covenant and the two tablets that Moses carved, though he was never permitted by God to venerate or kiss these things; so too we Christians do not venerate the Cross as God, but show the genuine disposition of our soul toward the Crucified One” [Gk. Patrologia Migne vol. 40 p. 865].

And finally, the great and most theological John of Damascus says the following most important things concerning the precious Cross:

“The word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God… Every deed and miracle of Christ is most great and divine and wondrous; But most wonderful of all is his precious Cross. For by nothing else than the Cross of the Lord has death been abolished, the sin of the first-formed man been loosed, Hades been plundered, the Resurrection been granted, the power to despise the present and even death itself been given, the return to the ancient blessedness been accomplished, the gates of paradise been opened, our nature been seated at the right hand of the Father, and we become children of God and heirs—except through the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the Cross all these things have been accomplished. For as many as were baptized into Christ, says the Apostle, were baptized into his death, and as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. But Christ is the power of God and the Wisdom of God. Behold, the death of Christ—that is, the Cross—has clothed us with the hypostatic Wisdom and power of God. Now the word of the Cross is the power of God, either because the might of God—that is, the victory over death—has been revealed to us through it, or because just as the four extremities of the Cross are held and bound together by the central point, so by the power of God the height and the depth, the length and the breadth—that is, all visible and invisible creation—is held together.

“This has been given to us as a sign upon the forehead, just as circumcision was given to Israel. For through it we the faithful are distinguished and recognized from the unbelievers. It is shield and weapon and trophy against the devil; it is a seal so that the destroyer may not touch us, as Scripture says; it is the resurrection of those who have fallen, the support of those who stand, the staff of the weak, the rod of those who are shepherded, the guidance of those who are turning back, the perfection of those who are advancing, the salvation of soul and body, the averter of all evils, the procurer of all good things, the destruction of sin, the plant of resurrection, the tree of eternal life.

“The precious wood itself, then, is truly venerable, on which Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, and as it has been sanctified by the touch of His holy body and blood, it is rightly to be venerated—as are the nails, the lance, the garments, and His sacred dwelling-places; which are the manger, the cave, Golgotha, the Cross, the life-giving tomb, Sion the citadel of the churches, and the like; as David, the ancestor of God, says: We shall enter into his tabernacles and venerate at the place where his feet stood. That he is speaking of the Cross is made clear by what follows. ‘Arise, O Lord, into your rest’; for the Resurrection follows the Cross. For if the house, bed, and cloak of those we love are desirable, how much more so the things of God and the Savior, through which we have been saved?

“We venerate also the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross, even if it is made of other material, honoring not the material—God forbid—but the figure as a symbol of Christ. For He said to His own disciples, making a covenant, Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, meaning the Cross. Therefore the angel of the resurrection also said to the women, You seek Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. And the Apostle says, We proclaim Christ crucified. There are many Christs and Jesuses, but one who was crucified. He did not say ‘pierced with a lance,’ but ‘crucified.’

“Therefore the sign of the Cross must be venerated. For where the sign is, there He Himself will be also; but the material from which the figure of the Cross is composed—whether it be gold or precious stones—after the dissolution of the figure, should it happen, is not to be venerated.

“We therefore venerate all things dedicated to God, offering reverence to Him.

“This Precious Cross was prefigured by the tree of life, planted by God in Paradise; for since death came through a tree, it was necessary that life and the Resurrection be granted through a tree; Jacob, venerating the top of the staff and blessing the sons of Joseph with his hands crossed, most clearly depicts the sign of the Cross; the staff of Moses, striking the sea in the form of a cross and saving Israel but drowning Pharaoh; hands stretched out in the form of a cross and putting Amalek to flight; bitter water sweetened by wood, and a rock split open and pouring forth streams; the rod of Aaron signifies the dignity of the priesthood; the serpent on the wood displayed in triumph, showing that the enemy has been conquered on the wood, saves those who look upon the dead foe and believe—so too Christ in flesh that knew no sin nailed sin to the Cross. You will see the great Moses crying out, your life hanging on a tree before your eyes. He means the Precious Cross of the Lord.

“Isaiah says, ‘All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people’; may we who venerate this obtain a share in Christ who was crucified. Amen.” [John of Damascus, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith IV.28].