'For Through the Cross Joy Has Come Into the World'

Dear Parish Faithful,

Today is the Feast Day of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. We just celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Feast, and there was a representative body of parishioners here for the service, considering that this is a week/work day. Yesterday evening, we had many of the parish faithful for the Great Vespers and procession with the Cross. 

This particular focus on the Cross is rooted in an historical event of the 4th c.  Please read the OCA website's account of the feast, to become aware of this Feast's origins.

This coming Sunday is the Leave-taking of the Feast.  In one's home you can use the powerful hymn, "Before Thy Cross, we bow down in worship, O Master; and Thy holy resurrection we glorify," as well as use the troparion for the feast until the leave-taking.