Sunday of the Holy and Lifegiving Cross
18 March 2012
We're midway in Lent, thus "the Sunday of the Holy and Life-giving Cross," a phrase that ought to be disturbing even for Orthodox Christians -- something like saying "the Sunday of the Holy and Life-giving Hangman's Noose" (or Electric Chair). How startling it is to celebrate the means of inflicting a tortuous death on anyone, least of all a man who harmed no one, healed many and saved one person from being stoned to death. But the ancient Christian teaching is that this instrument of death was used by Christ as a means of resurrection, and thus was made life-giving. Here's a photo taken today of our parish standing around a crucifixion icon.
Sunday of the Holy and Lifegiving Cross
18 March 2012
We're midway in Lent, thus "the Sunday of the Holy and Life-giving Cross," a phrase that ought to be disturbing even for Orthodox Christians -- something like saying "the Sunday of the Holy and Life-giving Hangman's Noose" (or Electric Chair). How startling it is to celebrate the means of inflicting a tortuous death on anyone, least of all a man who harmed no one, healed many and saved one person from being stoned to death. But the ancient Christian teaching is that this instrument of death was used by Christ as a means of resurrection, and thus was made life-giving. Here's a photo taken today of our parish standing around a crucifixion icon.