Gospel in Art: Feast of the The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Plan of Church of the Holy Sepulchre from Adomanàn's De locis santis, 7th C. Copy in the Zurich manuscript - oldest known floor plan of the Holy Sepulchre © Vienna, Österreichische National

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 14 September 2025
John 3:13-17

At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, 'No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.'

Reflection on the Ancient Manuscript

Today, we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, recognising the cross as the very instrument of our salvation. Once an instrument of torture, designed to degrade the worst of criminals in Roman times, it has become the life-giving tree and enduring symbol of our faith.

This day also commemorates the historical event of the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine. According to tradition, first mentioned by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem in 348 AD, Saint Helena, inspired by divine guidance, travelled to Jerusalem in 326 AD to excavate the Holy Sepulchre and locate the Cross on which Jesus died. She unearthed three crosses. One tradition holds that the inscription "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum" (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) remained attached to the True Cross. Another tradition suggests that the True Cross was identified when a dead youth, being carried past on a stretcher, was miraculously brought back to life after each of the three crosses was laid over him in turn-the third cross being the one that restored him to life, and thus the true cross.

In honour of this sacred discovery, Constantine ordered the construction of two churches at the sites of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary. These churches were dedicated on September 13 and 14, 335 AD, and shortly thereafter, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross began to be celebrated on the latter date. The feast gradually spread from Jerusalem to other churches, becoming a universal celebration by the year 720 AD. The original structure, known for its grandeur, underwent various modifications over the centuries, particularly after it was damaged by Persian forces in 614 AD and later destroyed by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim in 1009 AD.

Our artwork is a floorplan illustrated by Adomnán of Iona, the abbot of the island monastery from 679 to 704, to whom Arculf (a Frankish churchman who toured the Holy Land around 670) gave a detailed narrative of his travels. Adomnán, with aid from some further sources, was able to produce De Locis Sanctis ("on the sacred places"), a descriptive work in three books covering Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and other sites in the Holy Land. Our illustration is from a 9th-century copy of this book, showing the floor-plan of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-3-13-17-2025/