Finding of the True Cross
The Finding of the True Cross refers to the discovery of the cross believed to be used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, an event marked annually on September 13. This tradition traces back to St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in search of the True Cross. In 335 AD, she oversaw the excavation of Calvary, where several crosses were unearthed. According to legend, one of these crosses performed miraculous acts, including restoring life and healing, leading to its identification as the True Cross. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, constructed on this site to honor the finding, remains a significant pilgrimage destination. The feast day is celebrated in various places globally, notably in Greece and Ethiopia, though the Ethiopian observance occurs around September 27 due to differences in the calendar. The Finding of the True Cross is a poignant symbol of faith for many Christians, encapsulating a key moment in religious history.
On this Page
Finding of the True Cross
Finding of the True Cross
September 13 of every year marks the founding of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on September 13, 335. The church's establishment was the result of the religious devotion of St. Helen, who was the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, the ruler who officially recognized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Helen, a devout Christian, was an elderly woman when she embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to find the actual cross on which Jesus had been crucified. The search for the True Cross, as it was called, had become a fervent religious quest for many Christians. Helen had the hill of Calvary where Jesus was crucified excavated and uncovered several crosses. According to legend, just the presence of one of the crosses was able to bring a dead man back to life and cure a woman of sickness, so that cross was deemed to be the True Cross.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on the site of Helen's discovery in order to commemorate the event, and its founding on September 13 may be obscure but is nevertheless honored every year in several places around the world. These include the island of Lesbos in Greece, where it is a local public holiday, and Ethiopia. However, due to the vagaries of the Ethiopian calendar and the country's religious traditions, the holiday there takes place on or about September 27.