Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Deus, in adjutorium meum intende. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina.
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me.

   You might wonder at the fact that I often feature a saint and proceed to tell you a little bit about that particular person, even one who is from the earliest days of the Faith. How do we know about those very ancient people, who they were, what they did and what they suffered, how they died?

   Well, just because some of them lived during the life of Christ and in the early centuries after His death and resurrection, doesn't mean that educated people of the time, particularly the faithful who wanted them remembered, didn't write about them for posterity. It's how we know where the Apostles went to preach, where they died and the manner of their deaths.

   Today we celebrate the finding of the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The mother of the Emperor Constantine is responsible for that remarkable event.  Let me tell you a little about Helena.

   Born about the year 250 A.D., she was not of noble birth. She became the wife (or maybe a concubine) of a soldier named Constantinus. Constantinus rose in the ranks, became a governor, then a Praetorian Prefect under emperor Maximian. In 293 he was raised to the rank of Caesar, a deputy emperor and had to divorce Helena in order to marry a daughter of Maximian.

   Helen had a son, Constantine. We don't hear about her at all until after Constantine becomes Emperor in the West and takes control of Rome. We know that Helena was a Christian, but Constantine was not. Helena, driven by dreams, wanted to go to the Holy Land to search for the True Cross.
 
   Oh! I almost forgot an important bit of information. Constantine, though not Christian, was the recipient of a heavenly message. In the sky, as he was about to battle Emperor Maxentius, appeared a cross and the words "in hoc signo vinces," in this sign conquer. He won the battle and the throne of the Roman Empire. In gratitude he commanded that the Sign of Christianity be placed on Roman standards and on the soldiers' shields.  He was not yet a Christian; that came near the time of his death. He did grant the Christians freedom to worship by the Edict of Milan, and for a time, the Faith grew unhampered by persecution. It was Constantine who had erected in Rome the ancient basilicas of the Savior, St. Peter's and St. Paul's which were rebuilt in their present form later.

   At the beginning of the second century Hadrian had covered Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre under a terrace 300 feet long. he erected a statue of Jupiter and a temple of Venus on top.  The cross itself was hidden by Jesus' followers, covered by stones and earth. St. Helena, for saint she was, was led to the site of the crucifixion by an aged Jerusalem resident who had a traditional knowledge of the location.

   After much digging three crosses were found, as well as the plaque Pontius Pilate had ordered with the words, "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Nails were also found. There was nothing to show which of the crosses was the correct one.  A youth who had died was brought to the spot. Two crosses were laid on him to no avail. When the third touched him he came alive. The date was September 14, 326 A.D. Constantine dedicated two churches on the site, Anastasis and Golgotha.

   Helena divided into three parts the precious wood. One part was sent to Rome and is today in the Church, now called Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. The second was sent to Constantinople and the third remained in Jerusalem. Helena had a church built over the place of the Holy Sepulchre and placed that part of the cross there in a silver case.  Constantine had the part sent to Constantinople encased in a statue of himself in the forum. This historical bit comes from a Church history by Socrates Scholasticus. Helena, with Constantine's help, had other churches built over the cave at Bethlehem, where Christ was born, and on the mount of his Ascension.

   In 614 Chosroes II, King of Persia, invaded Syria and Palestine and carried away treasures, including the relic of the True Cross. In 629, Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople recaptured it and returned it to Jerusalem. Covered with royal jewels and gold, he felt himself held back. Zacharias, bishop of Jerusalem at the time, told him to imitate the poverty and humility of Jesus bearing His cross. Heraclius covered himself with a common cloak and was able to place the relic where it belonged, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

   To commemorate this victory in the seventh century, the Church made the date the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, on September 14.   There are many tiny pieces of the True Cross, which have been distributed to churches throughout the world, and even to some individuals. Any church fortunate to have such a relic will present it to the faithful on this date to venerate, usually after Mass has been said.

   I have seen the sizable part of the Cross in Santa Croce in Rome. The plaque is there along with some of the nails. Constantine actually had a couple of nails put into his helmet and the bridle of his horse. He did eventually become a Christian.  Helena died at the age of 80 shortly after her return from her wondrous journey of discovery. She had lived a life of piety. She was generous to churches and to the poor, and even served table for consecrated women in Jerusalem. Her remains are in Rome,  which is grateful for the inspired efforts of this holy woman of the fourth century.

                        But it behooves us to glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
                        in Whom is our salvation, life, and resurrection.  (Gal. 6:14)