The word of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross after an all-night vigil in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Tolyatti

The word of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross after an all-night vigil in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Tolyatti Слово Святейшего Патриарха Кирилла в канун праздника Воздвижения Креста Господня после всенощного бдения в Спасо-Преображенском соборе г. Тольятти print version September 26, 2019 9:56 p.m. On September 26, 2019, on the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill made an all-night vigil with the rank of Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city of Togliatti. At the end of the service, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the faithful with a priestly word. His Eminence Bishops! Your Grace, Bishop Nestor, the ruling bishop of this holy city! Dear fathers, brothers and sisters! I am glad that in the city that historically bore the name of the Cross - Stavropol-on-Volga, that is, the city of the Holy Cross on the Volga - I had the opportunity to raise the Cross of Christ in this wonderful new cathedral, which testifies, like so much more that is here built and under construction, about the renewal of our life, all its sides. And how important it is that not only the inhabitants of this city take care of the human and the earth, erecting wonderful buildings for work and life, but that God's churches are also being built here, and there are wonderful Orthodox institutions that unite young people and provide education, strengthening them in young people, and in people of any other age, faith in the Lord and Savior. We celebrate the Cross of Christ. Many throughout history, including all sorts of sages, have been wondering: “Why, then, to God Almighty, who created the universe out of nothing, who can all, give his own Son, that is, himself, as a sacrifice? Sacrificing human malice, sacrificing human unrighteousness? Why show such a strange image of Divine omnipotence? ”Indeed, human omnipotence is never associated with weakness, but only with strength. Historical heroes are always famous either for their military exploits and victories, or for political achievements, or for their incredible courage and strength. And here Christ is crucified, desecrated, showing the image of human weakness. Of course, there is no mistake, not even anything illogical - not only from the point of view of our everyday, human logic, but from the point of view of Divine logic. After all, the Lord sends His Only Begotten Son into the world in order to save this world. It is God who saves us. Not a hero, not a political leader, not a man of great ability - God saves, because a man who is in the slavery of sin cannot save himself. The Lord through terrible tortures, through death on the cross reveals to us His human weakness, so that everyone, looking at the Cross of Christ, can understand: the world is not saved by human power, but only by Divine grace, Divine power, Divine will. The cross is a great manifestation of the Creator’s wisdom and love for the human race. That is why all the holidays associated with the Cross, we surround with special veneration, special triumph, as well as the holiday established in honor of the Exaltation of the Cross, which was dropped into a moat near Golgotha ​​and for centuries was covered with a layer of earth and many other crosses, because Golgotha was a place of execution. In this ditch, in this place of the abomination of desolation, the Life-giving Cross of the Lord was revealed. His appearance, his ascension over people, the blessing of all the people to him became the basis of the holiday that we so solemnly celebrate. We do it because we know the power that comes from the Cross of the Lord. We know how this power saves infants and youths who are blessed by the loving hand of a mother or father. We know how this power saves and protects from the death of warriors, whom the loving hand of the mother blessed for the feat of arms, who themselves with faith lay on themselves the image of the Cross. Whenever it is difficult for us — even for those of us who are not completely church-bound — we are baptized, sometimes hastily, sometimes not quite rightly, for we understand that we are thereby attracting the power of saving Divine grace. And even if the Lord saved the world from the power of the devil, then He can save us from temptations, temptations, and from all kinds of difficult trials that we face. The celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord is the celebration of the Cross, a celebration that has become part of the great tradition of the Church. It is no longer a sign of defeat, not a sign of human weakness, we see in the Cross, but only the manifestation of God's power and God's wisdom. Under the sign of the Cross of the Lord, God bless the Russian land! May the Lord protect our people in faith and unanimity! May He protect our youth from frivolous acts and age-related delusions! Let him give to everyone who turns to Him with faith, wisdom and strength, able to lead through the difficult circumstances of his life! The cross power, which helped to save the Fatherland, helped to save the people, may it save us all in response to our prayers and our faith. Amen. Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia