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The Holy Cross

gregorytheSinnergregorytheSinner
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Does anyone know where the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ is?
Or what happend to it?

God Bless,

Comments

  • jydeaconjydeacon
    It is not in one piece anymore it has been split and given to many churches and monastaries all over the world.
  • Anglican
    According to tradition the Emperor Constantine caused excavations to be made (about A.D. 327, it is believed) in order to ascertain the location of the site of the crucifixion. That of Calvary was identified, as well as that of the Holy Sepulchre; it was in the course of these excavations, which were supervised by the mother of the Emperor, St. Helena, that the wood of the Cross was recovered. It was recognized as authentic, and for it was built a chapel or oratory, which is mentioned by Eusebius, also by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and Silvia (Etheria). From A.D. 347, that is to say, twenty years after these excavations, the same St. Cyril, in his discourses (or catecheses) delivered in these very places (iv, 10; x, 14; xiii, 4) speaks of this sacred wood.

    A portion of the True Cross remained at Jerusalem enclosed in a silver reliquary; the remainder, with the nails, is said to have been sent to Constantine, and it is said to have been this second portion that Constantine had enclosed in the statue of himself which was set on a porphyry column in the Forum at Constantinople.

    Many of these relics were stolen when the western crusaders ransacked Constantinople in 1204. Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain now holds the largest of these pieces of the True Cross and is one of the most visited Roman Catholic pilgrimage sites. A microscopic examination of the fragments of the Cross scattered through the world in the form of relics reveals the fact that it was made from a pine-tree (Rohault de Fleury, "Mémoire sur les instruments de la Passion", Paris, 1870, 63).

    I hope this helps.

    In Christ,

    John
  • Unknown
    [quote author=Anglian link=topic=5335.msg71102#msg71102 date=1179558084]
    A portion of the True Cross remained at Jerusalem enclosed in a silver reliquary.


    This part of the True Cross is now housed at the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, which was built on the site of the tree used to make the Cross. It rests on the altar in the main chapel.

    I believe there are also parts of the Cross in some of the monasteries on Mount Athos. Perhaps these are remnants of those once held by St. Constantine?
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    There is also a piece of the cross in the convent of St. George in Old Cairo as well
  • Anglican
    Dear Jydeacon,

    Indeed there is. This might also be the place to say that the old Protestant allegation that if you added all the pieces of the Cross that still exist together you'd have something the size of a ship, is quite unwarranted. I have seen a piece of work that calculates that if you put all the pieces still surviving together, you'd have far less than needed to recreate a cross on which anyone could be crucified.

    In Christ,

    Anglian
  • torabtorab
    i just know that we here in austria have a piece and it is worked in a cross the size of two hands...so the whole cross is holy...there is a town here called "heiligenkreuz" which means holy cross...i went there and touched the cross...it was just an exception cause we went there with our bishop anba gabriel....it was great...
  • PopeKyrillosPopeKyrillos
    I know 2 places that have a piece. The church of the martyrs in Alexandria, Egypt (sidi bishr)

    And also St. Mina in Flemming, Egypt again near Alexandria
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    There also a part in the Church of S.t Sidhom Bishay in Domiat.
  • stgeorgebrooklyn23stgeorgebrooklyn23
    theres one in Asuit, ( place near Egypt ) in a mosastary ( i forgot which one ) but the peice is missing, because a long time ago,these people were attacking Christians in that place, then a nun buried it somewhere rele deep, and untill now no1 has found it, and the peice of the cross was rele small ... a peice from the side...
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=He Wept link=topic=5335.msg72390#msg72390 date=1181589893]
    theres one in Asuit, ( place near Egypt ) in a mosastary ( i forgot which one ) but the peice is missing, because a long time ago,these people were attacking Christians in that place, then a nun buried it somewhere rele deep, and untill now no1 has found it, and the peice of the cross was rele small ... a peice from the side...


    most of the pieces i think we have from teh cross in egypt are from the right side which can have some of the blood of the spear. HEB Bishoy clearfied that when he brought that part, in St.Sidhom Bishay church, from France where they have a big part of the cross.
  • PopeKyrillosPopeKyrillos
    It doesn't matter if it has blood on it or not since we see the blood every sunday at church ;D
  • Unknown
    Acctually going to many churches in egypt, there is a lot of fragments around. It really is a blessing.
  • copticcross3copticcross3
    there's actually one in the US at Saint Anthony Monestaryy.
    it's a REALLY small piece though..like the size of a ...fingernail..? yeah
  • Unknown
    [quote author=copticcross3 link=topic=5335.msg85138#msg85138 date=1207367944]
    there's actually one in the US at Saint Anthony Monestaryy.
    it's a REALLY small piece though..like the size of a ...fingernail..? yeah

    Most of them are very very small as they are divided across not only churches in egypt but the world also.
  • gregorytheSinnergregorytheSinner
    well ya actually i was in Massara Shoubra, and as i was kissing the Saint relics i found a little picture fram with some italian writing on it, and in the middle almost unnoticably were two thin threads of wood placed untop of each other in "cross formation" and in arabic words that said "The Holy Cross"
    i was amazed, and somewhat doubtfull, i mean i'd hate to be a doubting Thomas, but what are the chances that this Church actually traced the origin of the peices of wood.
  • kokiiekokiie
    [quote author=PopeKyrillos link=topic=5335.msg72379#msg72379 date=1181576352]
    I know 2 places that have a piece. The church of the martyrs in Alexandria, Egypt (sidi bishr)

    And also St. Mina in Flemming, Egypt again near Alexandria


    REALLY? Kenest el-Kedeseen was my church when I was living in Egypt... And I never knew about this!!!
    Do you know where it is kept?
  • joegjoeg
    dear gregorythesinner,

    St.Mary Massara is a beautiful church and I love visiting it (oldest church in Shobra, the second oldest being St.George Khamraweya - where my grandfather is a priest). I never new about the cross thing there though...... I don't know if its authentic or not, but I'm sure somebody does.

    pray for me

    joe
  • gregorytheSinnergregorytheSinner
    ya Massarra is really beautiful, and now they even repainted the roof with a new image of Christ
    sad thing is my uncle actually serves there as a priest, i just havent asked him, cuz my memory doesnt exactly function correctly lol
  • joegjoeg
    cool
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