Seven meanings of the Cross

The cross is the third most celebrated subject in the Orthodox Church calender—the first two being the life of our Lord and the life of the Theotokos.

The Cross and the Resurrection Denote the Journey of the Faithful

Once a monk asked a certain elder ascetic if the imitation of Christ is possible. The elder’s answer was brief and clear. Whoever is dominated by the things of the world, is unable to imitate Christ. Whoever, however abandons everything for Christ, is granted to imitate Him and to keep His commandments.

The Work of Christ on the Cross

Good Friday, in conjunction with the Resurrection of Christ, is a day of a spiritual explosion, is a spiritual Big-Bang, which did not create a built universe neither became the principle of organic life, but created a situation which is inspired by the new creation and the new birth.

The Cross, the Symbol of Victory

In the middle of Holy and Great Lent, the Church places before the faithful the Honourable Cross of the Lord for us to venerate and draw strength from, so that we can continue the gruelling but lambent journey towards Great Week.

The sign of the Cross in the Old Testament

In his first epistle to the Corinthians Saint Paul mentions that the “Jews seek a sign” (I Cor. 1, 22), that they wanted a supernatural sign, such as the resurrection of the dead, cure of the possessed, and so on that would allow them to believe in the teaching concerning the Cross. So they looked for some supernatural sign, ignoring and overlooking the signs and wonders that God had already shown them in the past, every time they were in danger.

Elder Paisios on Demons and the Power of the Cross

What is there to fear? Tagalakia have no power. Christ is all-powerful. Temptation is rotten to the core. Don’t you wear a Cross? The devil’s weapons are weak. Christ has armed us with His Cross. Only when we discard our spiritual weapons, then the enemy has power. An Orthodox priest showed a small Cross to a magician, which made the demon he invoked through his magic tremble.