Background information

Golgotha

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem stands over the site identified from earliest Christian tradition as being the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. (1) Archaeological findings reveal that at the beginning of the first century AD, the site was a disused quarry outside the city walls.  Tombs were cut into the vertical west wall of the quarry.  On the east wall the quarrymen had cut around a mass of inferior cracked stone leaving it jutting out.  These facts show that the site is compatible with the details given in the Gospels.  First, Jesus was crucified at a place called the Skull (Golgotha) which suggests that the jutting out stone may have been in the shape of a skull.  Second, we know that near to Golgotha there was a grave.  Third, windblown soil and seeds would have created an environment in the disused quarry that could be called a garden. (2)

The area was brought within the city walls in 41-43 AD but was not built over and liturgical celebrations were held at the site until 66 AD. (3). That year marked the start of the Jewish Revolt, a Jewish uprising against the mighty Roman Empire.  After the Jewish Revolt was suppressed, the city was destroyed. (4)

Finding of the Cross

In 135 AD the Roman Emperor Hadrian filled in the quarry to provide a level area on which he erected a pagan temple.  Nearly 200 years passed, by which time Constantine, a Christian convert, was the Emperor.  And so in 325 AD the Bishop of Jerusalem asked Constantine to demolish the pagan temple and uncover the tomb of Christ.  Hadrian’s temple was demolished and Constantine built a church on the site. (5) An eye witness was Eusebius of Caesarea (6) and from what he writes it is clear that the church was not primarily built to commemorate Our Lord’s death and burial, but as a monument of his Resurrection. (7)

Helena, the mother of Constantine, visited the site in 326 and tradition associates her visit with the discovery of what was believed to be the True Cross – the wood of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified.  The magnificent church was dedicated in 335 AD in a ceremony which took place from September 14th to 21st. (8)

Removal and restoration of the Cross

In 614 Jerusalem was captured by the Persians and it seems that the True Cross was removed from Jerusalem.  However, it was recovered by the Emperor Heraclius and restored to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 630 AD. (9)

Book of Common Prayer

In the Book of Common Prayer there are two dates on which the Holy Cross is commemorated: May 3rd and September 14th.  The first festival is the Invention of the Cross.  The word ‘invention’ is from the Latin invenire, ‘to find’, and the festival commemorates the finding of the wood of the Cross in 335 AD.  The second festival is the Exaltation of the Cross which commemorates the restoration of the Cross to Jerusalem after its temporary removal. (10)

Common Worship

In the Common Worship Lectionary there is only one festival – Holy Cross Day.  It is celebrated on September 14th.  On this day we remember the finding of the Cross, the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the restoration of the Cross.  Much more importantly, however, we remember the Cross as the instrument of our salvation and we celebrate the victory of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.  It is all summed up in words from the Extended Preface for Holy Cross Day:

“Today we celebrate with songs of praise
the cross, the victory-sign of Christ.
Once through the fruit of the forbidden tree we fell,
now through this tree our Saviour cancels all our sin.
An instrument of shameful death
has become for Christ a throne of glory”. (11)

The liturgical colour for Holy Cross Day is red.

References

1. Hoffmeier, J.K. (2008) The archaeology of the Bible, Oxford: Lion Hudson plc.

2. Murphy-O’Connor, J. (2008) The Holy Land.  An Oxford Archaeological Guide from earliest times to 1700, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

3. Murphy-O’Connor, J. (2008) The Holy Land.  An Oxford Archaeological Guide from earliest times to 1700, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

4. Gray, J. (1969) A history of Jerusalem, London: Robert Hale.

5. Murphy-O’Connor, J. (2008) The Holy Land.  An Oxford Archaeological Guide from earliest times to 1700, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

6. Murphy-O’Connor, J. (2008) The Holy Land.  An Oxford Archaeological Guide from earliest times to 1700, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

7. Eusebius Pamphilius (260-339 AD) Church history: life of Constantine, Chapter XL, ‘Of the number of his offerings’.  Available from:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iv.vi.iii.xl.html (Accessed 26 August 2011) (Internet).

8. Gray, J. (1969) A history of Jerusalem, London: Robert Hale.

9. Gray, J. (1969) A history of Jerusalem, London: Robert Hale.

10. Sparrow Simpson, W.J. (1901) The minor festivals of the Anglican Calendar, London: Rivingtons.

11. ©The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England (2008) Festivals.  Available from: http://www.churchofengland.org/media/41174/festivals.pdf (Accessed 26 August 2011) (Internet).

Short talk

A short talk for Holy Cross Day entitled Unpopular Christianity is now available in this section of the Holy Faith website.