The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – the Day of the Cross – was celebrated today with the Holy Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas in the Old Town of Kotor.

The hierarchal governor of Kotor-Tivat, the parish priest of Kotor, archpriest-staurophor Nemanja Krivokapić, emphasized in his sermon that the Cross is a symbol of Christianity, of God’s victory over the devil, and of life over death.

“On this day, we remember not one, but several events that glorified the power of the Cross. These are the three victories of Emperor Constantine, and above all the victories over the pagan Emperor Maxentius, who mistreated and persecuted Christians.
Since he was more of a Satanist than a pagan, his sacrifices were the sacrifices of children, pregnant women, so that the victory over him was not just the victory of one emperor over another, but the victory of the power of justice, of Christian power over demonic power.
Namely, to Emperor Constantine, who set out to defend the Christians, who at one point wavered, the Cross appeared in the sky and it was written: “By this conquer.” The emperor strengthened his soldiers with this sign, who thus conquered,” said Father Nemanja.

The second event, which is mentioned today, continued further, is the finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem.

“Emperor Constantine and his pious mother Empress Helena wanted to find the Cross. They asked around, learned that it was on the hill of Golgotha ​​near Jerusalem, where there was a pagan temple, which they removed and found the Cross.

When they found it, they solemnly raised it, raised it, as the name of today's holiday says, celebrated it and solemnly brought the Cross to Jerusalem,” said Father Nemanja.

The next event is from the year 627, when the Persians, after their victory over the Jews, took the Cross to Persia, and Emperor Heraclius returned it to Jerusalem and raised it again as a sign of celebration.

“However, according to tradition, when he wanted to solemnly carry it through the streets that Christ walked through when he suffered, Heraclius could not pass. The Patriarch saw an angel who did not allow him to pass and explained to him that when Christ carried the Cross there, he was barefoot and in ordinary clothes, humble. He carried the Cross on his shoulder, so the emperor had to dress in the same way, to go barefoot and carry the Cross in the same way as Christ carried it. This is according to tradition, but it is also quite logical because every memory of the Cross is actually a memory of the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We heard today's Gospel, and although today is, one might say, a joyful holiday and we celebrate the Cross, it tells us in detail all the time about the events of the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ,” says Father Nemanja.

He also reminded us that today is a day of fasting, “because it is the day when we remember the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to suffer for our salvation.”

“It is also a memory of the victory of life over death. The Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected and conquered death.
Christ, who is God, came to save the world. He came to conquer death by dying and then being resurrected. There could be no resurrection without this suffering.
As Njegoš says: “There is no resurrection without death.”
And as we sing today “We worship Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection,” it means that there was suffering, but what happened after that suffering is much more important. There was Resurrection, because that is the reason for the coming of Jesus Christ, to resurrect and conquer death. Since then, the Cross has been a symbol of Christianity, a symbol of God’s victory over the devil, of life’s victory over death,” said Father Nemanja.

Therefore, he continued, we sing a joyful song to the Cross as the guardian of the whole universe, the adornment of the Church, the strength of the Emperor, the joy and strength of the faithful, glory to the angels, defeat to the devils.

“By celebrating the Cross, we celebrate the One who suffered and rose again on that Cross and conquered death.
May today be both sad because we remember the suffering, but also joyful because we know that the suffering was a voluntary suffering so that the resurrection would come after it.
By celebrating the Cross, we celebrate the power of the One who was crucified on it. We do not celebrate the object itself because that would be idolatry. The object itself does not give us help, although we greatly respect it and every Christian carries a cross on his chest. And he should carry it.
However, it is not the object that gives us salvation, but the power of the One who shines from the Cross, crucified on it, who rose again and conquered death.
To Him who did this, our Lord Jesus Christ, be glory forever, amen,” said Father Nemanja.