Feast of the origin (abduction) of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (14/08)

On August 14, the first day of the Dormition Fast, the Orthodox Church celebrates the origin (abduction) of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

From the time the Son of God sanctified the Cross with His suffering, an extraordinary miraculous force began to manifest itself in it. Its manifestation is also evidenced by the history of the holiday, described in the Greek book of hours of 1897:

« Due to diseases that occurred very often in August, from ancient times the custom was established in Constantinople to wear the Honest Tree of the Cross onto roads and streets to consecrate places and to avert diseases. The day before, having worn it out from the royal treasury, they believed in the holy meal of the Great Church. From now on until the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, creating litias throughout the city, they then offered it to the people for worship. This is the origin of the Honest Cross».

The origin of this holiday dates back to the 9th century, its celebration was established in Constantinople, and in the 12th-13th centuries it was established in all Orthodox churches in the world.

Russian name of the holiday «origin» — inaccurate translation of the Greek word, which means a solemn ceremony, religious procession. Therefore, the word «voicing» has been added to the name of the holiday.

On this holiday, churches are supposed to take out the Cross and worship it. According to the rank now accepted in the Russian Church, the small consecration of water on August 14 according to the new style is performed before or after the liturgy. According to tradition, along with the consecration of water, the consecration of honey is performed. Therefore, the people called the holiday «Honey Savior».

While celebrating in honor of the Holy Cross, the Orthodox Church offers its earnest prayers to the Lord Himself so that He, by the power of His Cross, protects believers from all enemies visible and invisible on all paths of earthly life.

The Feast of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos, celebrated on the same day, was also established on the occasion of signs from the icons of the Savior, the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Cross during the battles of the Holy Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky with the Volga Bulgars.

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