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In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine’s mother St. Helena discovered the sites of Calvary and Our Lord’s Tomb, along with the remains of the True Cross, identified by a miraculous healing. That Finding, also known as the “Invention”, is celebrated on May 3rd. Today’s feast commemorates the restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem in the seventh century. Chosroes, the pagan king of the Persians, had carried away the Cross after sacking Jerusalem, and displayed it as a war trophy. He demanded that the Roman emperor Heraclius apostatize in return for the Cross. The pious emperor rejected this proposal, and boldly marched on Persia. Chosroes was soon overthrown, and Heraclius brought the relics back to Jerusalem. He attempted to carry the Cross himself in procession to the church on Mount Calvary, but was miraculously stopped at the city gate. At the suggestion of the patriarch St. Zacharias, the emperor humbly exchanged his splendid robes for rags, and barefoot he carried the True Cross the rest of the way to Calvary. Many miraculous healings occurred during the subsequent veneration of the Cross. Both feasts of the Holy Cross are known as “Roodmas” or “Crouchmas”, older English terms for “Cross Mass”.
THE Exaltation of the Holy Cross, when the emperor Heraclius, after defeating king Chosroes, brought it back to Jerusalem from Persia.
At Rome, in the Appian road, during the persecution of Decius, blessed Cornelius, pope and martyr, who, after being banished, was scourged with leaded whips, and then beheaded with twenty-one others of both sexes.
On the same day, were condemned to capital punishment Caerealis, a soldier, and his wife Sallustia, who had been instructed in the faith by the same Cornelius.
In Africa, in the time of the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, most renowned for holiness and learning. It was near the seashore, six miles from the city, that he consummated his martyrdom by decapitation, after enduring a most painful exile. The festival of the Saints Cornelius and Cyprian is kept on the 16th of this month.
There suffered also in the same place the holy martyrs Crescentian, Victor, Rosula, and Generalis.
On the Salarian road, at Rome, during the persecution of Diocletian, St. Crescentius, the young son of St. Euthymius, who ended his life by the sword, under the judge Turpilius.
At Treves, the holy bishop Maternus, a disciple of the blessed apostle Peter, who brought to the faith of Christ the inhabitants of Tongres, Cologne, Treves, and of the neighboring country.
The same day, the birthday [into heaven] of St. John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, who was sent into exile through the conspiracy of his enemies, but was recalled by a decree of the Sovereign Pontiff, Innocent I. He died on the way from the ill-treatment he received at the hands of the soldiers who guarded him. His feast is celebrated on the 27th of January, the day on which his sacred body was taken to Constantinople by Theodosius the Younger.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.