View source for Procession of the Cross

The '''Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord''' is commemorated by the Church on [[August 1]].  It is the first of the three "Feasts of the Savior" in August. (The second is the [[Great Feasts|great feastday]] of the [[Transfiguration]], and the third is the [[Image Not-made-by-hands|Translation of the Image Not-Made-by-Hands]] on [[August 16]].)

==About the feast==
It became a tradition to carry the wood of the Venerable Cross through the streets of Constantinople for the sanctification of the city starting in the beginning of August. This was done because illnesses were more common in August at that time. On the eve of the feast, it was taken out of the imperial treasury, and laid upon the altar of the [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Great Church of Hagia Sophia]]. From this Feast until the [[Dormition|Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos]], they carried the [[relic]] of the Cross, throughout the city in procession, offering it to the people to [[venerate]].   

The [[Baptism of Rus']], was done on this day in 988.  So in the Russian Church,  the  [[Holy water|Lesser Blessing of Water]] has became a part of the celebration of this feast.

==Celebration of the feast==
Currently, this minor feast day may not be liturgically celebrated  at many local parishes unless it falls on a Sunday. And even then there may not be a cross set up in the center of the church to venerate, as on the Great Feast of the [[Elevation of the Holy Cross]] on [[September 14]],  or the [[Sunday of the Holy Cross]] the third Sunday of [[Great Lent]].
 
Like these two other feasts, the [[Apostolos|epistle reading]] is from [[I Corinthians]] 1:18-24, and says that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The [[Gospels|gospel reading]] is taken from [[John]] 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, and 30-35 together. This long reading is the passion account.

If there is a ''Lesser Blessing of Waters'', the epistle reading is from  Hebrews 2:11-18, and the Gospel is  John 5:1-4.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 1) [http://www.oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=102161]
:O Lord, save Your people,
:And bless Your inheritance!
:Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians
:Over their adversaries.
:And by virtue of the Cross,
:Preserve Your habitation!

[[Kontakion]] ( Tone 4) 

:As You were voluntarily crucified for our sake,
:Grant mercy to those who are called by Your name;
:Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power,
:Granting them victories over their adversaries,
:By bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace!

==External links==
*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=567 Procession of the Precious Cross] – [[GOARCH]] website
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102161 Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (First of the three "Feasts of the Savior" in August)] [[OCA]] website
*[http://www.gospel-mysteries.net/true-cross.html Discovery of the True Cross]

[[Category:Feasts]]

[[pt:Procissão da Cruz]]