The Example of the Cross

Continued 👇🏾 The Example of the Cross and the Torch St. Yared, sings again: “Today the Cross is praised; today it has brought us to our brothers in peace and joy before God” (Book of the Cross, p. 4). The Cross and the torch are bound together in prayer: the torch recalls Queen Eleni’s process as she searched for the treasure of Christ’s Cross, and the Cross itself shines as the true light of freedom for all the world. When we lift the torch, we confess that we have arrived at the true day of salvation, the light that scatters all darkness. The Cross as the Pride of the Church In general, the Cross holds the highest honor in the life of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. As mentioned above, the Cross is the foundation foretold by the prophets, the example revealed in their prophecies, and the teaching proclaimed by the apostles. In particular, the apostle St. Paul declared: “Far be it from me to boast except in the Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). In the same way, the Holy Church shares in the suffering of Christ by exalting the Cross as her crown and glory placing it upon her domes, encircling her walls, and making Calvary, the place of the Cross, her very heart and center. Moreover, she commemorates the mystery of the Cross not only in the great feasts of the year, but in every prayer, every liturgy, and every day of her worship. Conclusion The Cross is the throne of love, the sign of victory, the light of freedom, the staff of the Church, the terror of demons, the crown of the faithful. To it we bow, through it we pray, by it we are saved. Part 2 Continues ... May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always. May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us. Amen. © John's Repentance Reach out to us on our social media platforms and share it with your friends:https://linktr.ee/johnsrepentance