Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14
Emperor Constantine erected a basilica on the Jerusalem site where Jesus had died and risen; it was
dedicated Sept. 13, 335.
Over time, a custom developed: On the day after the anniversary of the dedication, a relic of the wood of the true cross was brought out for veneration.
This feast evolved from that custom, first in the Eastern church and later in the Western church.
It is also called the feast of the Triumph of the Cross:
Through Christ’s action, a symbol of humiliation and defeat was turned into a symbol of liberation and triumph.
