The Feast of the appearence of the sign of the Cross in the heavens

On Monday, May 7/20, 2024, the feast of the appearance of the sign of the Cross in the heavens was celebrated by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

On this feast, the whole Church and especially the Church of Jerusalem remembers that in the year 351 AD, on the day of Pentecost when Cyril was the Archbishop of Jerusalem, the Cross appeared in the sky, illuminated by the rays of the sun and was seen from the Mount of Olives as far as to the Horrendous Golgotha.

The inhabitants of Jerusalem of all ages saw this with surprise and joy and rushed out of their houses.

This wonderful event is described by Archbishop Cyril of Jerusalem in his letter to King Constantius, son of Constantine the Great.

In memory of this event, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the Horrendous Golgotha, presided over by Archbishop Theophanes of Gerrash, along with the Archimandrites Nectarios, Dionysios, Christodoulos, Priest Ioannis and Archdeacon Mark. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon and the Patriarchal School Students.

After the Divine Liturgy there followed a litany, three times around the Holy Sepulchre with the participation of the Holy Sepulchre Hierarchs and other Fathers, who came from the Patriarchate.

At the end of the litany, the letter of Archbishop Cyril was read in front of the Sacred Edicule by the officiating Archbishop in Greek and by His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia in Arabic.

Finally, the Episcopal entourage returned to the Patriarchate Hall for the Patriarchal respect and blessing.

From Secretariat-General

Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem