The Cross: From Shame to Glory Reflecting on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Bangalore, September 13, 2025 – Among the great feasts of the Church, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands apart. Unlike solemnities honouring saints or moments in Christ’s life, this feast venerates the very instrument of salvation: the Cross. Once a mark of shame and death, it has become for Christians the sign of victory, redemption, healing, and eternal life. St. John Paul II called it “the greatest proof of the love of God for us.”

The feast invites believers to gaze upon the Cross as the throne of divine love, drawing strength to carry daily burdens with humility, trust, and hope.

Roots of the Feast

The celebration dates back to the 4th century. After Emperor Constantine’s conversion, his mother St. Helena travelled to the Holy Land and uncovered the True Cross at Calvary in 327 A.D. Relics were enshrined in Rome, Constantinople, and Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In 614 A.D., Persian forces seized the relic during their invasion of Jerusalem. Fourteen years later, Emperor Heraclius defeated them and restored the Cross in a solemn procession. To mark its discovery, veneration, and recovery, the Church instituted the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Theological Meaning

In ancient Rome, crucifixion represented the harshest humiliation. Yet when Jesus embraced the Cross, it became the instrument of redemption. What signified defeat was transformed into triumph and love. As Christ declared: “If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Lk 9:23). The Cross thus lies at the centre of Christian discipleship.

Scriptural Continuity

The Cross reflects deep links between the Old and New Testaments. Moses lifted his staff to part the Red Sea, leading Israel from slavery to freedom (Ex 14:21–22). Likewise, Jesus bore the Cross to deliver humanity from sin (1 Pet 2:24). When the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent (Num 21:4–9), Christ echoed this: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent… so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (Jn 3:14–15).

St. Paul affirmed: “Through Him to reconcile to Himself all things… making peace by the blood of His Cross” (Col 1:20).

Three Invitations from the Cross

• Humility: Jesus “humbled Himself… even unto death on a Cross” (Phil 2:8). Carrying our trials with trust leads to holiness.

• Protection: Saints like Benedict and Padre Pio drew strength from the Cross, which remains a shield against evil.

• Hope: Beyond Good Friday lies Easter. The Cross assures forgiveness, healing, and resurrection, even in life’s darkest moments.

The Cross, once a symbol of death, now stands as the tree of life. On this feast, Christians are called to embrace it with humility, hold it as protection, and lift their eyes to it as hope. As St. Paul proclaimed: “Far be it from me to glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14).

By Fr. Vivek Lionel Basu,

Commission for Theology & Doctrine,

Archdiocese of Bangalore

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