“The Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of the Church,.. the Cross is the glory of angels and the scourge of demons.” This is how the Holy Church glorifies the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

The Cross is given to every Christian as early as in infancy at Holy Baptism. The Cross accompanies us throughout our lives. And, finally, the Cross adorns the man’s last place of respite, the burial mound. Great is the power of the Life-giving Cross and we are called to treat the memory of the Cross with particular reverence. Each year, the Holy Cross is elevated on this day for the faithful to worship it, so that the tree of the Lord’s Cross blesses our earthly journey and gives us strength to fight sin.

The rite of the elevation of the Holy Cross was performed during the All-Night Vigil in the Trinity Cathedral of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. Rev. Fr. Vladimir Kargin, the monastery’s senior priest, presided at the service.

The Cross is repeatedly raised five times in the middle of the temple: to the east, west, south, north and again to the east. Each time, the clergy pour fragrant water on the Cross, as a symbol of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Each time, the people are called to pray: for the Holy Patriarch and the ruling bishop, our country, its authorities and the army, for every Christian soul and all those who serve in this holy church.

The choir sings, “Lord, have mercy!” one hundred times. During the singing of the first fifty refrains, the celebrating priest slowly lowers the Cross reaching as low as he can. As the Cross is lowered, the voices of the singers grow from quiet to silent. During the second half of the ceremony, the priest gradually raises the Cross. Likewise, the volume of singing voices rises, going to higher notes, intensifying and ending with a threefold solemn “Lord, have mercy!” At the end of the singing, the celebrating priest blesses everyone with the cross three times.

At the end of the ceremony, the Cross was laid on the analogion in the center of the church and those who prayed there came to venerate it and receive the anointing with holy oil.