KURSK, RUSSIA: October 1, 2013
The Elevation of the Cross is Celebrated in Kursk’s Znamensky Cathedral

On September 27, 2013, the clergymen of the churches of Kursk Metropoliate celebrated Divine Liturgy on the feast day of the Elevation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, at which His Eminence Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk officiated.

The evening before, Vladyka German performed all-night vigil, at which he performed the special Rite of the Elevation of the Cross. This custom, performed only once a year, involves the bringing of a crucifix adorned with flowers to the center of the cathedral. As Vladyka German lifted the crucifix above his head, priests poured aromatic water over it. The following day, though a weekday, still drew a great many worshipers.

According to tradition, all the churches in the metropoliate will leave the crucifix on an analogion in the middle of church the entire following week for veneration by the faithful.

After the service, Vladyka German read an impassioned sermon on the meaning of the Elevation of the Cross, which is the only one of the Twelve Great Feasts that is not dedicated to an event in the earthly life of Jesus Christ or the Mother of God, but an historic event from the 4 th century. The ruling bishop of the metropoliate called attention to the fact that these were joyous days for the Christians of the Kursk region, because the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” was at the cathedral, having been brought by a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. The cathedral has been open around the clock, and molebens and akathists are perpetually read before the icon. The icon will soon be visiting hospitals in Kursk. On October 2 , after Divine Liturgy at Znamensky Cathedral, the icon will be taken by the ROCOR delegation to St Job of Pochaev Monastery in Munich, Germany.

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