Homily on the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross (St. Andrew of Crete)

Introduction

This homily is attributed to Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, also known as Andrew of Jerusalem (ca. 660–740), and is preserved here from Manuscript No. 5 of the Skete of Kavsokalyva. It was delivered for the feast of the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross, celebrated on September 14. The feast commemorates the finding of the Cross of Christ and its solemn exaltation before the Christian people, and the homily reflects this theme by presenting the Cross as both the instrument of Christ's Passion and the source of humanity's salvation.

The sermon is characterized by an extended sequence of rhetorical praises of the Cross. Saint Andrew moves from its significance in the Passion of Christ to its biblical prefigurations, drawing extensively upon events and images from the Old Testament—Jacob, Abraham and Isaac, Moses, the bronze serpent, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the prophets—to demonstrate how the mystery of the Cross was foreshadowed throughout Scripture. He then turns to the many blessings associated with the Cross, describing it as the hope of Christians, the weapon of salvation, the source of freedom, the guide toward heaven, and the means by which the curse introduced through the Fall is transformed into blessing. The homily concludes by directing all praise ultimately toward Christ Himself, whom the preacher calls the treasure of the Cross.

On the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross

By Our Father Among the Saints Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, the Jerusalemite

We celebrate the feast of the Cross, and the whole fullness of the Church is illumined with lightning. We celebrate the feast of the Cross, and the face of the inhabited world is radiant with flashes of joy. We celebrate the feast of the Cross, through which darkness has been driven away and light has been brought in its place. We celebrate the feast of the Cross, and together with the Crucified One we are lifted up, leaving the earth below together with sin, so that we may possess the things above. The Cross is exalted and raises up with it humanity lying fallen upon the ground. The Cross is exalted, and it causes the arrogance of the demons to fall. The Cross is exalted, and the opposing power of Satan withdraws and contracts. The Cross is exalted, and cities celebrate, and peoples pour forth offerings of joy.

And merely to remember the Cross is an obvious cause for joy and a restraint of gloom; but to behold even an image of the Cross—how great a thing is that? For it becomes a source of courage and a deliverance from cowardice to the one who looks upon it. Such a great possession has the Cross become. And whoever has acquired it has acquired a treasure. Perhaps you think that by this treasure I mean gold, or pearls and precious Indian stones, with which those who love the body delight themselves, minutely concerning themselves with things worth nothing. But I would rightly call that treasure the most beautiful and most precious of all good things, both in reality and in name, in which, through which, and toward which the whole capital set aside for our salvation has been restored.

For if there were no Cross, Christ would not have been crucified; if there were no Cross, Life would not have been nailed to the Wood; and if He had not been nailed to it, the fountains of incorruption would not have gushed forth blood and water, the cleansing of the world. The handwritten document of sin would not have been torn up; we would not have obtained freedom; we would not have enjoyed the Tree of Life; Paradise would not have been opened; the revolving sword would not have yielded the entrance to Eden; the thief would not have dwelt in Paradise. Why do I say these things? If there were no Cross, Christ would not have come upon the earth; and if Christ had not come upon the earth, there would have been no Virgin; and if there were no Virgin, there would have been no second Birth of Christ, no God among men, neither Birth nor manger nor swaddling clothes, neither the eight-day Circumcision nor submission to His parents, neither coming of age nor bodily growth, neither manifestation nor participation in Baptism, neither display of miracles, neither Judas as betrayer nor Pilate as judge, nor the boldness of the Jews crying out for the innocent One to be crucified. And if there were no Cross, death would not have been trampled underfoot, Hades would not have been despoiled, nor would the bitter serpent have been put to death.

For this reason the Cross is truly a great and honorable thing. Great, because it has the victory over many things, just as the miracles of Christ throughout the whole account bear the trophies of victory; and honorable, because the Cross is the suffering of God and His trophy of victory. It is His suffering because of the voluntary death of Him who suffered upon it; and it is His trophy because through it the devil was wounded; death, together with him, was conquered; the bolts of Hades were shattered; and, finally, the Cross became the salvation of the whole world.

The Cross: hope of Christians, savior of the despairing, harbor of those tossed upon the sea, physician of the sick, driver away of passions, giver of health, life of the dead, proclamation of piety, muzzle of blasphemy. The Cross: weapon against enemies, scepter of kingship, beauty of the diadem, a finely formed image, rod of power, support of faith, staff of old age, guide of the blind, light of those in darkness, instructor of the foolish, teacher of infants, abolition of sin, indication of repentance, inscription of righteousness. The Cross: ladder leading up to heaven, road guiding toward virtue, giver of life, release from death, separation from corruption, extinguisher of fire, boldness before God, key to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Cross: guardian by night, tower by day, guide in darkness, bridle in prosperity, comforter in discouragement; reconciler, intercessor, friend, advocate, defender, helper; assistance in temptations, savior in dangers, comfort in sorrows, champion in necessities, helmsman at sea, refreshment in misfortunes. The Cross keeps watch by night over those who sleep, keeps vigil together with those who are awake, and comes to the aid of those who are weary. The Cross is the strengthening of those who are faint, rest for those who labor, food for those who hunger, strength for those who fast, trainer for those who struggle, shelter for the naked, fellow traveler for strangers, admonisher of the rich, provider for the poor, protector of widows, and helper of orphans.

The Cross: honor of rulers, strength of kings, victory of generals, glory of priests, companion of virgins, seal of purity, bond of marriage. The Cross: guardian of cities, security of homes, unifier of friendship, defense against enemies, adversary of foes, pursuer of passions, goad of barbarians, arbiter of peace, reconciliation of the world, boundary of its extremities, governance of love, height of heaven, depth of earth, joining together of creation, length of the visible world, breadth of the inhabited world. And, to say it all in brief: the Cross of Christ is the sum of His sufferings, the crown of the miracles wrought for us. This is also called the glory of Christ, and it is named the exaltation of Christ. This is also understood as the desirable cup, and the consummation of Christ's sufferings endured for us.

That the Cross is the glory of Christ, hear Him Himself saying: “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him; and immediately He will glorify Him.”¹ And again: “Glorify Me, Father, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.”² And once more: “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”³ By “glory” here he means the change and fellow-suffering of the elements that occurred at that time upon the Cross; for the created things had to suffer together with the Creator.

That the Cross is also the exaltation of Christ, hear what He Himself says: “When I am lifted up, then I will draw all people to Myself”;⁴ as He also says elsewhere: “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”⁵ Why? “So that,” He says, “everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”⁶ Do you see that the Cross is the glory and exaltation of Christ? But do you wish to know that where there is exaltation, glory follows as well? Hear David saying: “Be exalted above the heavens, O God, and Your glory over all the earth.”⁷ And Isaiah again, speaking as though from the person of Christ: “Now I shall be exalted, now I shall arise, now I shall be glorified.”⁸

Since, then, the Cross is the exaltation of Christ, and the Cross is exalted today, Christ is therefore glorified. The Cross is exalted today so that Christ may be glorified; Christ is not exalted so that the Cross may be glorified, but the Cross is exalted so that Christ may be glorified; and Christ is glorified so that He may raise us up together with Himself. The Cross is therefore exalted, and it raises up together the mind of those who live in piety; Christ is glorified, and He glorifies together with Himself those who glorify Him.

The Cross is exalted, and it raises up those who are falling; Christ is glorified, and He causes the shame of those who have fallen through sin to fade away. The Cross is exalted, and idols fall; Christ is glorified, and the devil is struck down. The Cross is exalted, not only because Christ was exalted upon it, but because, having been revealed, it exposed the madness of the Jews. From where was it revealed? From the hidden depths of the earth. When was it revealed? In the time of the emperors who believed in Christ, not as certain people supposedly contrived later, deceiving the masses through persuasive invention, but by divine and uncontrived power, and truly through the ingenuity and steadfastness of faith; for the treasure belonged to God.

For after the Lord of life and death had risen again after three days from the death upon the Cross, the Jews, pierced by the goads of envy, fearing lest something from that holy and blessed Passion, having been preserved as a gift of thanksgiving, might become a defense against the Jews and a protection for those who believed in Christ, buried it beneath the depths of the earth, depositing the treasure there. I mean the Cross and everything pertaining to the Cross: the Nails and the Lance, and the inscription that Pilate had written and fastened upon the Cross as a title.⁹ Then, when God had entrusted the royal scepter to Christians, together with all the authority under the Romans, He was pleased at that time, through a pious woman, a queen, a woman possessing a royal disposition of soul, while her son was at that time reigning as emperor of the Christians, to bestow this benefaction upon us.

And when, so to speak, divine wisdom had instructed this queen, and she had employed at one time authoritative severity, and at another even ordinary persuasion, displaying all that was royal in her, whatever could bend the unyielding heart of the Jews, then, as she sought the treasure, the common treasure was quickly discovered, almost without difficulty, with God speedily bringing the gift before the woman.

This, then, is the Cross of the Lord that is exalted today throughout the whole world, together with all those things through which that blessed and saving Passion of the world was accomplished. This, therefore, is what we celebrate today; for this we hold our festival. Because what was once hidden, the holy thing, has today been revealed; because the treasure hidden away has shone forth from the mines of the earth like gold; because the most distinguished trophy of the Christian kingdom, which had been buried away, has been uncovered; because the tempest of the demons has become still when the Cross was revealed; because the sword forged of itself against enemies has been brought forth from the earth; because today the Church has recovered her own adornment; because the royal authority has found the drachma that she had lost.¹⁰ This is the Cross of the Lord, the sign of the Master, the saving weapon, the royal strength, the trophy of victory, the boundary between the things above and below, the crown of the Apostles, the prophetic diopter, the crown of the Martyrs, the pledge of those who worship Christ.

For because of the Cross, Christ is worshiped; because of the Cross, the Son of God has been recognized; because of the Cross, we worship the Son together with the Father; because of the Cross, the things of the Jews have ceased, the things of the Greeks have passed away, the things of the Christians have arisen, the air has been sanctified, we have been freed from sacrifices of blood upon altars, and we have tasted the bloodless worship. Because of the Cross, we have been freed from the demonic savor of sacrifices, and we have shared in the spiritual fragrance of the emptied-out myrrh. Because of the Cross, the mythical genealogies of the gods have come to nothing; because of the Cross, we have known the mystery of the knowledge of God concerning us; because of the Cross, we have learned of the transcendent divine principle that has proceeded forth from the pre-eternal Principle.

Because of the Cross, we have been taught the faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we have shaken off the defilement of the polytheistic nonsense of Greek mythology. Because of the Cross, having pushed aside the shadows of the symbolic figures, we have been made radiant by the gracious light of truth. Because of the Cross, death has been utterly despised, demons have been confounded, carved images have been shattered, sacrifices of living creatures have ceased, and temples of idols have been destroyed. Churches everywhere, altars, psalmody, all-night vigils, theology, baptisms, assemblies of the faithful. Knowledge of the Scriptures, contempt for the earth, possession of heaven, participation in God. Why need I say more? Because of the Cross, human beings live together with the Angels, heaven itself has become accessible to those on earth, and God has become capable of being received and united with human beings.

But, O Cross, the greatly treasured boast of the Lord and of us! O distinguished Wood, upon which Christ was stretched out! Plant of immortality, from which Christ, the cluster of grapes, poured forth for us a life-giving drink. O Cross, through which the handwritten document of sin was torn apart, making way for the writing of the contract of freedom.¹¹ O Cross, treasure of countless blessings, provider of Paradise, heir of the Kingdom, looser of sins, giver of good accomplishments! Through you Christ, having been crucified, revealed the Wood of immortality. Through you Christ, having been fixed upon it, set up the ladder that leads to the heavens. Through you Christ, having been hung upon it, revealed the source of blessing. Through you Christ, having been stretched out upon it, established the release of those bound in chains.

In you Christ, willingly lifted up, raised up the world together with Himself. In you Christ, lifted up for our sake, impaled the serpent that had been raised up in bronze.¹² No longer does the demonic serpent lie in wait for the heel along the road; no longer does the bronze serpent, when looked upon, put an end to the bites of the serpents that bite; no longer is there the declaration, “Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree.”¹³ How, and in what manner? The blessed Child Jesus, the Son of God, changed the curse into a blessing for us. No longer is the Cross accursed, since the curse was fastened to the Cross, and Christ took away the curse and introduced blessing in its place.

This Cross of the Lord has become for us all the initiator into every good thing. This Cross of the Master has been called by many names. It is called Cross; Rod of uprightness, of kingship, of power, of inheritance: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a rod of uprightness is the rod of Your kingdom”;¹⁴ “You redeemed [us] by the rod of Your inheritance”;¹⁵ “The Lord will send forth from Zion the rod of power.”¹⁶ Staff: “Your rod and Your staff, these have comforted me.”¹⁷ Tree of Life: “She is a Tree of Life to all who lay hold of her, and she is secure as though upon the Lord.”¹⁸ Planted tree, as David says, “beside the channels of waters.”¹⁹ What waters? The God-inspired Scriptures. Footstool: “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool, for He is holy.”²⁰ Place: “We shall enter into His dwelling places; we shall worship at the place where His feet have stood. I will not give sleep to my eyes nor slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.”²¹

Alluding to this Cross, the Patriarch Jacob, placing his hands upon his descendants in an alternating manner, foretold it symbolically.²² The same Patriarch, prefiguring it, worshiped upon the top of Joseph's staff.²³ His own staff bore the form of the Cross when the Patriarch Jacob crossed the Jordan; for he says, “With this staff I crossed the Jordan.”²⁴

And shortly before this, the sign of the Cross was shown to Abraham, formed between the horns of the ram, when he mystically accomplished the sacrificial offering in figure, as an indication of Him who was to be crucified through the sheep.²⁵ Isaac also revealed a type of the Cross when he took up the wood for the sacrifice and followed at once behind his father, who was hastening to sacrifice him.

The rod of Moses possessed the power of the Cross when it was changed into a serpent and transformed the rods of the Egyptians; devouring some of them, and turning their river into blood so that they could not drink; at one time causing frogs to crawl out of the waters, and at another devising locusts and gnats and palpable darkness, and all the things that brought calamities upon the Egyptians.²⁶ The same rod of Moses bore the type of the Cross when the Red Sea was divided here and there, and the waters became a wall for him and for the people.²⁷ The pillar of fire and the cloud bore the type of the Cross, by which God guided wandering Israel when they fled from Egypt.²⁸ Moses himself also displayed the form of the Cross when, upon the mountain, he held his hands high, while Joshua was waging war against the foreigner Amalek; Moses was supported by Aaron and Hur, and Israel, being strengthened, prevailed.²⁹

The rod that struck the rock in the wilderness and revealed the waterless place as a river bearing waters also indicated the type of the Cross.³⁰ And what of the rod that sprouted almonds? Does it not clearly depict the Cross?³¹ And what of Isaiah, being divided in two by a wooden saw? Did he not form a cruciform type?³² I leave aside the crucifixion of Haggai and the fastening of Sisera upon a stake, which openly foreshadowed the Cross.³³ But I would also say that Elijah's mantle revealed the power of the Cross when, having divided the stream of the Jordan in two, he crossed over as upon dry land.³⁴ And where shall we place the miracle of Elisha? When he placed a piece of wood upon the water, he drew the iron of the axe up from the depths of the river, raising up the heavy thing by means of the light.³⁵

Great indeed is the Cross, and testified to or prefigured in many places throughout Scripture, while also setting forth beforehand the patterns of the miracles accomplished through it every day. Therefore the Cross is worthy of veneration, because through it we have come to know the Lord. The Cross is worthy of veneration, because in it we bless Christ. The Cross is worthy of veneration, because through it we received blessing and were freed from the curse. The Cross is worthy of veneration, because through it, having vomited out the bitter taste of the Wood of disobedience, we have tasted the sweetness of salvation.

Blessed is the Wood through which the nations have been blessed. Blessed is the Wood upon which God was stretched out bodily. And what is more extraordinary than this: to behold God crucified, and that together with thieves! Blessed is the Wood through which a thief entered Paradise, and the tasting of the Wood drove out the bitter taste. And what is more wondrous than this? The very Paradise which Adam, having fallen, closed, a thief opened by recognizing Him; and from the place from which the one was exiled, the other was enrolled as a citizen, being called thereto. What a fitting reversal! A thief went out, and a thief entered in his place: the one through transgression, the other through recognition; the one brought under the power of him who struck at his heel, the other crucified together with Him who had made him.

Blessed is the Wood from which the Ark was constructed, preserving the whole world from the flood. Blessed is the Wood from which the thief, having partaken, was deemed worthy of Paradise's delight. Blessed is the Wood from which Adam, having not previously tasted, exchanged life for death when, through the rashness of his tasting, he touched the Wood of knowledge; and then, partaking of it later, he perceived its sweetness and found restoration. Blessed is the Wood through which kings raise trophies, generals bring back spoils, and multitudes of the barbarian peoples are captured by the spear. Blessed is the Wood through which the strength of bows is broken to pieces, and shields become fuel for the fire. Blessed is the Wood through which the proud arm is bent, the necks of enemies bow down, the barbarian turns his back, and the Scythian flees, though no one pursues him.

Therefore, raise your voice with mine today, and together with Scripture let us address words of praise to the treasure of the Cross. By the treasure of the Cross I mean the Son of God, Christ, to whom the words we offer are more properly directed, saying: “All the nations shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name; for You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.”³⁶ To Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Translator's Notes

1. John 13:31–32. Christ's words are spoken in the context of His impending Passion. Saint Andrew understands the “glory” mentioned here specifically in relation to the Cross.

2. John 17:5.

3. John 12:28. The Greek of the homily follows the Gospel closely, with the divine voice declaring both a past glorification and a future glorification.

4. John 12:32.

5. John 3:14. The “serpent” is the bronze serpent raised by Moses in the wilderness; Saint Andrew understands it as a type of Christ crucified.

6. John 3:15.

7. Psalm 56:6, 12 LXX (57:6, 12 in the Hebrew numbering).

8. Isaiah 33:10. Saint Andrew presents the prophetic words as spoken from the perspective of Christ.

9. The three objects mentioned here—the Cross, the Nails, and the Lance—belong to the traditional Christian account of the relics of the Passion. The title (τίτλος) refers to the inscription placed above Christ's Cross by order of Pontius Pilate (John 19:19–22).

10. The “drachma” evokes Christ's parable of the woman who loses one drachma and searches until she finds it (Luke 15:8–10). Saint Andrew applies the image typologically to the Church's recovery of the Honorable Cross.

11. The “handwritten document” (χειρόγραφον) is the biblical image of the record of indebtedness associated with sin. Compare Colossians 2:14, where the handwritten record against humanity is erased through Christ.

12. Numbers 21:8–9. The bronze serpent is interpreted by Christ Himself as a figure of His being lifted up on the Cross (John 3:14–15).

13. Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13. Saint Andrew's argument is that Christ, although innocent, assumed the curse associated with being hanged upon a tree and transformed it into blessing.

14. Psalm 44:7 LXX (45:6 in the Hebrew numbering).

15. Psalm 73:2 LXX. The wording here is presented by Saint Andrew as an allusion to the Cross as the rod of inheritance.

16. Psalm 109:2 LXX (110:2 in the Hebrew numbering).

17. Psalm 22:4 LXX (23:4 in the Hebrew numbering).

18. Proverbs 3:18. The Greek text identifies Wisdom as the “Tree of Life”; Saint Andrew applies the image typologically to the Cross.

19. Psalm 1:3. The planted tree beside the streams of water is interpreted as an image of the Cross nourished by the divine Scriptures.

20. Psalm 98:5 LXX (99:5 in the Hebrew numbering).

21. Psalm 131:7, 4–5 LXX (132:7, 4–5 in the Hebrew numbering). Saint Andrew combines passages from the Psalm in his description of the Cross as the “place” where the Lord's feet stood.

22. Genesis 48:13–20. Jacob crosses his hands when blessing Ephraim and Manasseh. The Fathers commonly understood this crossing of the hands as a prefiguration of the Cross.

23. Genesis 47:31 LXX / Hebrews 11:21. The passage describes Jacob worshiping “upon the top of his staff.” Saint Andrew reads this gesture typologically as an anticipation of the Cross.

24. Genesis 32:10. Jacob speaks of having crossed the Jordan with his staff.

25. Genesis 22. Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac is interpreted throughout Christian patristic tradition as a type of Christ's Passion, while the ram caught by its horns represents the sacrificial victim offered in Isaac's place.

26. Exodus 7–10. Saint Andrew reads the signs performed by Moses before Pharaoh as manifestations of the power of the Cross. The phrase “palpable darkness” refers to the darkness of the ninth plague (Exodus 10:21–23).

27. Exodus 14. Moses stretches out his hand over the sea, and the waters are divided so that Israel passes through on dry ground.

28. Exodus 13:21–22. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night guide Israel during the Exodus.

29. Exodus 17:8–13. Moses holds up his hands while Joshua leads Israel against Amalek; Aaron and Hur support Moses' hands until Israel prevails.

30. Exodus 17:1–6. Moses strikes the rock at Horeb and water flows from it.

31. Numbers 17:1–8. Aaron's rod, representing the tribe of Levi, buds, blossoms, and produces almonds.

32. The reference reflects a traditional account concerning the martyrdom of the Prophet Isaiah, according to which he was sawn in two with a wooden saw. This tradition is associated with Hebrews 11:37 and later Christian accounts of Isaiah's death.

33. The references are to the biblical accounts of Haggai and Sisera. Saint Andrew interprets their deaths typologically in relation to the Cross.

34. 2 Kings 2:8, 13–14 LXX. Elijah strikes the Jordan with his mantle, the waters divide, and he and Elisha cross over on dry ground.

35. 2 Kings 6:1–7 LXX. Elisha causes the iron head of an axe to float after a piece of wood is thrown into the water.

36. Psalm 85:9–10 LXX (86:9–10 in the Hebrew numbering). The concluding doxology turns from the Cross as the subject of praise to Christ Himself, whom Saint Andrew explicitly identifies as the “treasure of the Cross.”

Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Εἰς τὴν Ὕψωσιν τοῦ Τιμίου καὶ Ζωοποιοῦ Σταυροῦ 

Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν ΑΝΔΡΕΟΥ Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Κρήτης τοῦ Ἱεροσολυμίτου 

Εκ τοῦ ὑπ’ ἀριθ. 5 χειρογράφου Σκήτης Καυσοκαλυβίων

ΣΤΑΥΡΟΥ πανήγυριν ἄγομεν, καὶ τὸ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἅπαν καταστράπτεται πλήρωμα. Σταυροῦ πανήγυριν ἄγομεν, καὶ χαρᾶς μαρμαρυγαῖς τὸ τῆς οἰκουμένης καταλάμπεται πρόσωπον. Σταυροῦ πανήγυριν ἄγομεν, δι’ οὗ τὸ σκότος ἠλάθη, καὶ τὸ φῶς ἀντεισήχθη. Σταυροῦ πανήγυριν ἄγομεν, καὶ τῷ Σταυρωθέντι συνεπαιρόμεθα, τὴν γῆν ἀφέντες κάτω μετὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἵνα τὰ ἄνω κτησώμεθα. Σταυρὸς ὑψοῦται καὶ συνανυψοῖ χαμαὶ κειμένην τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Σταυρὸς ὑψοῦται, καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων καταπτήσσει φρυάγματα. Σταυρὸς ὑψοῦται καὶ τοῦ Σατᾶν ἡ ἀντιπίπτουσα δύναμις ὑποχωρεῖ καὶ συστέλλεται. Σταυρὸς ὑψοῦται, καὶ πόλεις πανηγυρίζουσι, καὶ λαοὶ χαρμόσυνα σπένδουσι.

Καὶ τὸ μνησθῆναι μόνον Σταυροῦ, χαρᾶς ὑπόθεσις πρόδηλος καὶ συστολὴ σκυθρωπότητος· τὸ δὲ καὶ τύπον ὁρᾶσθαι Σταυροῦ, ἡλίκον; Ἀνδρείας γὰρ πρόξενον καὶ δειλίας ἀπαλλαγὴ τῷ προσβλέποντι γίνεται. Τοιοῦτόν τι μέγα τοῦ Σταυροῦ τὲ κτῆμα καθέστηκε· καὶ ὁ τοῦτον κτησάμενος, ἐκτήσατο θησαυρόν, Χρυσοῦ με τάχα οἴεσθε τοῦτον λέγειν τὸν θησαυρόν, ἢ μαργαρίτου καὶ λίθων ἰνδικῶν βαρυτίμων, οἶς οἱ φιλοσώματοι χαίρουσι περὶ τὰ μηδενὸς ἄξια σμικρολογούμενοι. Ἐγὼ δέ, τὸ πάντων τῶν καλῶν κάλλιστόν τε καὶ πολυτελέστατον καὶ πρᾶγμα καὶ ὄνομα, θησαυρὸν ἂν εἰκότως ἐκεῖνον ἀποκαλοίμην, ἐν ᾧ καὶ δι’ οὗ, καὶ εἰς ὅν, ἅπαν ἡμῶν τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀποτεθὲν ἐπηνωρθώθη κεφάλαιον.

Εἰ μὴ γὰρ Σταυρός, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐσταύρωτο· εἰ μὴ Σταυρός, οὐκ ἂν ἡ ζωὴ τῷ ξύλῳ προσήλωτο, καὶ εἰ μὴ προσήλωτο, οὐκ ἂν οἱ κρουνοὶ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἐπήγαζον αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ, τὰ τοῦ κόσμου καθάρσια· οὐκ ἂν τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας χειρόγραφον ἔρρηκτο, οὐκ ἂν ἐλευθερίας ἐτύχομεν, οὐκ ἂν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς ἀπηλαύσαμεν, οὐκ ἂν Παράδεισος ἤνοικτο, οὐκ ἂν ἡ στρεφομένη ρομφαία τῆς εἰσόδου τῆς Ἐδὲμ παρεχώρει, οὐκ ἂν λῃστὴς τὸν Παράδεισον ᾤκει. Τί ταῦτα λέγω; Εἰ μὴ Σταυρός, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ γῆς· καὶ εἰ μὴ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ γῆς, οὐκ ἂν Παρθένος· 

καὶ εἰ μὴ Παρθένος, οὐκ ἂν Γέννησις Χριστοῦ δευτέρα, οὐκ ἂν ἐν ἀνθρώποις Θεός, οὐδ’ ἂν Τόκος, οὐ φάτνη, οὐ σπάργανα, οὐ Περιτομὴ ὀκταήμερος, οὐχ ὑποταγὴ γονέων, οὐ μεθηλικίωσις, οὐκ αὔξησις σώματος, οὐκ ἀνάδειξις, οὐ Βαπτίσματος μέθεξις, οὐ θαυμάτων ἐπίδειξις, οὐκ Ἰούδας προδότης, οὐ Πιλάτος δικάζων, οὐκ Ἰουδαίων τόλμα σταυροῦσθαι τὸν ἀνεύθυνον κράζουσα. Καὶ εἰ μὴ Σταυρός, οὐκ ἂν πεπάτητο θάνατος, οὐκ ἐσκύλευτο ᾅδης, οὐχ ὁ πικρὸς ὄφις νενέκρωτο.

Διὰ τοῦτο μέγα τι χρῆμα καὶ τίμιον ὁ Σταυρός. Μέγα μέν, ὅτι πολλά, ὅσῳ καὶ τὰ Χριστοῦ θαύματα κατὰ παντὸς ἔχει τοῦ λόγου τὰ νικητήρια· τίμιον δέ, ὅτι Θεοῦ πάθημα καὶ τρόπαιον ὁ Σταυρός. Πάθημα μέν, διὰ τὸν ἑκούσιον ἐν αὐτῷ τοῦ παθόντος θάνατον· τρόπαιον δέ, διὰ τὸ τετραυματίσθαι δι’ αὐτοῦ τὸν διάβολον· νενικῆσθαι δὲ σὺν ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὸν θάνατον· συντετρίφθαι δὲ καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου τὰ κλεῖθρα· καὶ τέλος, κοινὸν παντὸς γεγενῆσθαι τοῦ κόσμου σωτήριον τὸν Σταυρόν.

Σταυρός, Χριστιανῶν ἐλπίς, ἀπεγνωσμένων σωτήρ, χειμαζομένων λιμήν, ἀσθενούντων ἰατρός, παθῶν ἐλατήρ, ὑγείας δοτήρ, νενεκρωμένων ζωή, εὐσεβείας πρόγραμμα, βλασφημίας φίμωτρον. Σταυρός, ὅπλον κατ’ ἐχθρῶν, σκῆπτρον βασιλείας, διαδήματος κάλλος, τύπος εὔγραφος, ράβδος δυνάμεως, ἔρεισμα πίστεως, βακτηρία γήρως, ὁδηγὸς τυφλῶν, φῶς τῶν ἐν σκότει, παιδευτὴς ἀφρόνων, διδάσκαλος νηπίων, ἁμαρτίας ἀναίρεσις, μετανοίας ἔνδειξις, δικαιοσύνης ὑπογραφεύς. Σταυρὸς κλῖμαξ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνάγουσα, ὁδὸς πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὁδηγοῦσα, ζωῆς πρόξενος, θανάτου λύσις, φθορᾶς ἀλλοτρίωσις, πυρὸς σβεστήριον, πρὸς Θεὸν παρρησία, κλεὶς οὐρανῶν Βασιλείας.

Σταυρὸς φύλαξ ἐν νυκτί, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πύργος, ἐν σκότει χειραγωγός, ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ χαλινός, ἐν ἀθυμίᾳ ψυχαγωγός· διαλλακτήριος, ἱκέσιος, φίλιος, συνήγορος, προασπιστής, ἐπίκουρος, ἐν πειρασμοῖς βοηθός, ἐν κινδύνοις σωτήρ, ἐν λύπαις παρήγορος, ἐν ἀνάγκαις πρόμαχος, ἐν θαλάσσῃ κυβερνήτης, ἐν συμφοραῖς ἀνάψυξις. Σταυρός, νυκτοφυλακεῖ τοὺς καθεύδοντας, συναγρυπνεῖ τῆς ἀγρυπνοῦσι, τοῖς κεκμηκόσι συνεπαμύνει. Σταυρὸς ἀτονούντων νεύρωσις, κοπιώντων ἀνάπαυσις, πεινώντων τροφή, νηστευόντων ἰσχύς, ἀγωνιστῶν ἀλείπτης, γυμνῶν σκέπη, συνοδοιπόρος ξένοις, πλουσίων σωφρονιστής, πενήτων προνοητής, χηρῶν προστάτης, ὀρφανῶν ἀντιλήπτωρ.

Σταυρὸς ἀρχόντων τιμή, βασιλέων κράτος, στρατηγῶν νῖκος, Ἱερέων δόξα, παρθένων σύνοικος, ἁγνείας σφραγίς, συζυγίας σύνδεσμος. Σταυρὸς πόλεων φύλαξ, οἴκων ἀσφάλεια, φιλίας συναρμοστής, κατ’ ἐχθρῶν ἀμυντήριον, πολεμίων ἀντίπαλος, παθῶν διωκτήριον, βαρβάρων σκόλωψ, εἰρήνης βραβευτής, κόσμου καταλλαγή, περάτων διαγραφή, ἀγάπης πρυτάνευσις, ὕψος οὐρανοῦ, γῆς βάθος, κτίσεως σύμπηξις, μῆκος τῆς φαινομένης, εὖρος τῆς οἰκουμένης· καὶ συνελόντα φᾶναι. Σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Παθῶν τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς θαυμάτων ἡ κορωνίς. Τοῦτο καὶ δόξα Χριστοῦ καλεῖται, καὶ ὕψος Χριστοῦ προσαγορεύεται· τοῦτο καὶ ποτήριον ἐπιθυμητὸν νοεῖται, καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ παθημάτων συμπέρασμα.

Ὅτι δὲ δόξα Χριστοῦ ὁ Σταυρός, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ λέγοντος· «Νῦν ἐδοξάσθη ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐδοξάσθη ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ εὐθὺς δοξάσει αὐτόν». Καὶ πάλιν· «Δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι παρὰ Σοί». Καὶ αὖθις· «Πάτερ, δόξασόν σου τὸ ὄνομα· ἦλθεν οὖν φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν· καὶ ἐδόξασα καὶ πάλιν δοξάσω». Δόξαν δὲ ἐνταῦθα λέγει τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ Σταυρῷ προσγενομένην τότε τῶν στοιχείων ἐναλλαγὴν καὶ συμπάθειαν· ἔδει γὰρ τῷ Κτίστῃ συμπαθεῖν καὶ τὰ κτίσματα.

Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὕψος Χριστοῦ ὁ Σταυρός, ἄκουσον τί φησιν αὐτός· «Ὅταν ἐγὼ ὑψωθῶ, τότε πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν»· ὡς καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει· «καὶ καθὼς Μωσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄψιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου»· διατί; «ἵνα πᾶς, φησιν, ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ’ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον». Βλέπεις ὅτι δόξα καὶ ὕψος Χριστοῦ ὁ Σταυρός; Βούλει δὲ γνῶναι ὅτι ἔνθα ὕψος, ἐκεῖ καὶ δόξα παρέπεται; ἄκουσον τοῦ Δαβὶδ λέγοντος. «Ὑψώθητι ἐπὶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ὁ Θεός, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἡ δόξα σου». Καὶ τοῦ Ἠσαΐου πάλιν ὡς ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Χριστοῦ (λέγοντος)· «Νῦν ὑψωθήσομαι, νῦν ἀναστήσομαι, νῦν δοξασθήσομαι».

Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὕψος Χριστοῦ ὁ Σταυρός· ὑψοῦται δὲ σήμερον ὁ Σταυρός, δοξάζεται δηλονότι ὁ Χριστός. Ὑψοῦται οὖν ὁ Σταυρὸς σήμερον, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Χριστός· οὐχ ὑψοῦται ὁ Χριστὸς ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Σταυρός, ἀλλ’ ὑψοῦται ὁ Σταυρός, ἵνα ὁ Χριστὸς δοξασθῇ· δοξάζεται δὲ ὁ Χριστός, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἑαυτῷ συνυψώσῃ. Ὑψοῦται οὖν ὁ Σταυρός, καὶ συνανυψοῖ τῶν εὐσεβούντων τὸ φρόνημα· δοξάζεται ὁ Χριστός, καὶ συνδοξάζει τοὺς δοξάζοντας αὐτόν. 

Ὑψοῦται Σταυρός, καὶ ἀνορθοῖ τοὺς καταπίπτοντας· δοξάζεται Χριστός, καὶ τῶν δι’ ἁμαρτίας πεσόντων ἀμαυροῖ τὴν αἰσχύνην. Ὑψοῦται Σταυρός, καὶ πίπτουσιν εἴδωλα· δοξάζεται Χριστός, καὶ διάβολος πλήττεται. Ὑψοῦται Σταυρός, οὐχ ὅτι μόνον ὑψώθη Χριστὸς ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ’ ὅτι φανερωθεὶς τὴν Ἰουδαίων παράνοιαν ἤλεγξε. Πόθεν φανερωθείς; ἐκ τῶν τῆς γῆς ἀποκρύφων. Πότε φανερωθείς; ἐπὶ βασιλέων τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πιστευσάντων· οὐχ ὥς τινες δῆθεν προσανεπλάσαντο κλέπτοντες τοὺς πολλοὺς πιθανότητι, ἀλλὰ θείᾳ καὶ ἀπεριέργῳ δυνάμει, καὶ ὄντως πίστεως μηχανῇ καὶ στερρότητι· Θεοῦ γὰρ, ἦν τὸ κειμήλιον.

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μετὰ τὸν διὰ Σταυροῦ θάνατον, ὁ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου Κύριος τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἀνεβίω, φθόνου δὲ κέντροις Ἰουδαῖοι νυττόμενοι, μή τι τῶν κατὰ τὸ πάθος ἐκεῖνο τὸ σεπτὸν καὶ μακάριον διασωθὲν χαριστήριον, Ἰουδαίοις μὲν ἀμυντήριον γένηται, τοῖς εἰς Χριστὸν δὲ πιστεύουσι φυλακτήριον, ὑπὸ μυχοῖς κατωρωρύχευσαν γῆς ἀποθέμενοι τὸν θησαυρόν, λέγω δὴ τὸν Σταυρὸν καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν Σταυρὸν ἅπαντα, τοὺς Ἥλους καὶ τὴν Λόγχην καὶ ὃν ἐπὶ τοῦ Σταυροῦ Πιλᾶτος ἔγραψε καὶ προσέπηξε τίτλον. Εἶτα Χριστιανοῖς τὰ βασίλεια σκῆπτρα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπὸ Ρωμαίοις ἀρχὴν Θεὸς ἐνεχείρισεν, ηὐδόκησεν ἄρτι τότε διὰ γυναικὸς εὐσεβοῦς γυναικὸς, βασιλίδος, γυναικὸς βασιλικὸν ἐχούσης τὸ φρόνημα, τοῦ υἱοῦ ταύτης τηνικάδε Χριστιανῶν βασιλεύοντος, τὴν εὐεργεσίαν ταύτην ἡμῖν καταθέσθαι. Καὶ δὴ θείαν ὡς εἰπεῖν σοφίαν τῇ βασιλίδι ταύτῇ σοφισαμένῇ, καὶ πῇ μὲν ἀρχικαῖς ἐμβριθείαις, ἔστι δὲ ὅπου καὶ κοιναῖς κολακείαις χρησαμένη, πάντα τε βασιλικῶς ἐπιδειξαμένη, ὅσα τὴν ἀκαμπῆ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐπικλῖναι καρδίαν ἠδύνατο· οὕτω δὴ ἐπιζητούσῃ, θᾶττον καὶ οἶον ἀναλγητί, τὸ κοινὸν ἐπέστη θησαύρισμα, Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον εἰς τάχος τῷ γυναίῳ προτείναντος.

Τοῦτον δὴ λέγω τὸν εἰς πάντα σήμερον τὸν κόσμον ὑψούμενον τοῦ Κυρίου Σταυρόν, μεθ’ οὗ καὶ πάντα οἷς τὸ μακάριον ἐκεῖνο καὶ τοῦ κόσμου σωτήριον ᾠκονόμητο πάθημα. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἑορτάζομεν σήμερον, διὰ τοῦτο πανηγυρίζομεν· ὅτι τὸ πάλαι κρυπτόμενον ἅγιον πεφανέρωται σήμερον· ὅτι ὁ ἐν κρυφῇ θησαυρός, ἐκ μετάλλων γῆς ἐξέλαμψεν ὡς χρυσός· ὅτι τὸ συγχωσθὲν τῆς Χριστιανῶν βασιλείας ἐπισημότατον ἀπεκαλύφθη λάφυρον· ὅτι ὁ τυφὼν τῶν δαιμόνων ἠρέμησε φανερωθέντος τοῦ Σταυροῦ· ὅτι τὸ κατ’ ἐχθρῶν αὐτοχάλκευτον ξίφος ἀπὸ γῆς πεφανέρωται· ὅτι τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἀπέλαβε κόσμον ἡ Ἐκκλησία σήμερον· ὅτι ἣν ἀπώλεσε δραχμήν, ἡ βασίλειος εὗρεν ἀρχή. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου Σταυρός, τὸ Δεσποτικὸν σημεῖον, τὸ σωτήριον ὅπλον, τὸ βασίλειον κράτος, τὸ τῆς νίκης τρόπαιον, τὸ τῶν ἄνω καὶ κάτω μεταίχμιον, ἡ Ἀποστολικὴ κορωνίς, ἡ Προφητικὴ διόπτρα, τῶν Μαρτύρων ὁ στέφανος, τῶν Χριστὸν προσκυνούντων ὁ ἀρραβών.

Ἀφοῦ γὰρ Σταυρός, ὁ Χριστὸς προσκυνεῖται· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπεγνώσθη· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, σὺν Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν προσκυνοῦμεν· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τὰ Ἰουδαίων ἤργησε, τὰ Ἑλλήνων ἀπέβη, τὰ Χριστιανῶν ἀνέσχεν, ὁ ἀὴρ ἡγιάσθη, τῶν ἐπιβωμίων αἱμάτων ἠλευθερώμεθα, τῆς ἀναιμάκτου λατρείας γεγεύμεθα· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τῆς δαιμονικῆς κνίσσης ἀπηλλάγμεθα, τῆς πνευματικῆς εὐωδίας τοῦ κενωθέντο μύρου μετέσχομεν· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, αἱ μυθικαὶ θεογονίαι εἰς φροῦδον ἐχώρησαν· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τῆς καθ’ ἡμᾶς θεογνωσίας τὸ μυστήριον ἔγνωμεν· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τὴν ὑπεράρχιον ἀρχήν, τῆς προανάρχου ἀρχῆς προελθοῦσαν ἐμάθομεν.

Ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τὴν εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα δεδιδάγμεθα πίστιν, καὶ τὴν πολύθεον τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς εἰκαιομυθίας ἀπετιναξάμεθα λύμην· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, τῶν τυπικῶν συμβόλων τὰς σκιὰς παρωσάμενοι, τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐν χάριτι φωτὶ κατηγλαΐσμεθα· ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, κατατεφρόνηται θάνατος, τεθήπασι δαίμονες, κατεάγησαν ξόανα, ζῳοθυσίαι πεπάτηνται, εἰδωλεῖα κατέστραπται. Ἐκκλησίαι πανταχοῦ, θυσιαστήρια, ψαλμῳδίαι, στάσεις πάννυχοι, θεολογίαι, βαπτίσματα, πιστῶν συμφωνίαι. Γραφῶν ἐπίγνωσις, γῆς περιφρόνησις, οὐρανῶν κτῆσις, Θεοῦ μετουσία. Τί δεῖ τὰ πολλὰ λέγειν; ἀφοῦ Σταυρός, Ἀγγέλοις συμπολιτεύονται ἄνθρωποι, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῖς ἐπιγείοις βατός, καὶ Θεὸς ἀνθρώποις χωρούμενός τε καὶ συμφερόμενος.

Ἀλλ’ ὦ Σταυρέ, τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ ἡμῶν πολυτίμητον αὔχημα· ὦ Ξύλον ἐπίσημον, ἐν ᾧ Χριστὸς ἐξετανύσθη· φυτὸν ἀθανασίας, ἐξ οὗ Χριστὸς ὁ βότρυς ζωηρὸν ἔβλυσεν ἡμῖν πόμα. Ὦ Σταυρέ, δι’ οὗ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐκραγὲν τὸ χειρόγραφον, τὸ τῆς ἐλεθερίας ἐγγραφῆναι συμβόλαιον προεξένησεν. Ὦ Σταυρέ, μυρίων ἀγαθῶν θησαυρέ, Παραδείσου πρόξενε, Βασιλείας κληροῦχε, ἁμαρτημάτων λυτήρ, κατορθωμάτων δοτήρ. 

Σὲ Χριστός, ἐν σοὶ σταυρωθείς, Ξύλον ἀθανασίας παρέδειξε, Σὲ Χριστός, ἐν σοὶ προσταγείς, τῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀγούσης ὁδοῦ παρέπηξε κλίμακα. Σὲ Χριστός, ἐν σοὶ κρεμασθείς, εὐλογίας ἀνέδειξε πρόξενον, Σὲ Χριστός, ἐν σοὶ τανυσθείς, τῶν ἐν σειραῖς ἀνεῖναι τὰ δεσμὰ προεστήσατο.

Ἐν σοὶ Χριστὸς ἑκὼν ὑψωθείς, τὸν κόσμον ἑαυτῷ συνανύψωσεν. Ἐν σοὶ Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὑψωθείς, τὸν ὑψωθέντα χαλκοῦν ἐστηλίτευσεν ὄφιν. Οὐκέτι δαίμων ὄφις ἐφ’ ὁδοῦ πτέρναν τηρεῖ· οὐκέτι χαλκοῦς ὄφις τὰ τῶν δακνόντων ὄφεων ἀποπαύει προσβλεπόμενος δήγματα· οὐκέτι «Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου». Πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; τοῦ εὐλογητοῦ παιδὸς Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κατάραν εἰς εὐλογίαν ἡμῖν ὑπαλλάξαντος. Οὐκέτι κατάρατος ὁ Σταυρός, τῆς κατάρας τῷ Σταυρῷ προσπαγείσης, καὶ Χριστοῦ τὴν κατάραν ἐξάραντος καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἡμῖν ἀντεισάξαντος.

Οὗτος ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου Σταυρὸς πάντων ἡμῖν γέγονεν εἰσαγωγεὺς τῶν καλῶν. Οὗτος ὁ τοῦ Δεσπότου Σταυρός, πολλοῖς ὀνόμασι κέκληται. Σταυρὸς καλεῖται, Ράβδος εὐθύτητος, βασιλείας, δυνάμεως, κληρονομίας· «Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, ράβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ράβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου· ἐλυτρώσω ράβδῳ κληρονομίας σου· ράβδον δυνάμεως ἐξαποστελεῖ σοι Κύριος ἐκ Σιών». Βακτηρία «ἡ Ράβδος σου καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου, αὗταί με παρεκάλεσαν». Ξύλον ζωῆς· «ζωῆς Ξύλον ἐστὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις αὐτόν, ὡς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἀσφαλής». Ξύλον πεφυτευμένον, καθώς ποὺ Δαβὶδ λέγει, «παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων». Ποίων ὑδάτων; τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν. Ὑποπόδιον· «Ὑψοῖτε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, καὶ προσκυνεῖτε τῷ ὑποποδίῳ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ· ὅτι Ἅγιος ἐστί». Τόπος· «Εἰσελευσόμεθα εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ, προσκυνήσωμεν εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ· εἰ δώσω ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου καὶ τοῖς βλεφάροις μου νυσταγμόν, ἕως οὗ εὕρω τόπον τῷ Κυρίῳ, σκήνωμα τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ».

Τοῦτον αἰνιττόμενος τὸν Σταυρὸν Ἰακὼβ ὁ Πατριάρχης, ἐναλλὰξ τότε τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς ἐγγόνοις ἐπιθείς, συμβολικῶς προεμήνυσε. Τοῦτον ὁ αὐτὸς προτυπούμενος, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄκρου τῆς ράβδου τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ προσεκύνησε. Σταυροῦ τύπον ἐπεῖχεν ἡ Ράβδος τοῦ αὐτοῦ Πατριάρχου Ἰακώβ, ὡς διέβη τὸν Ἰορδάνην· φησὶ γάρ· «Ἐν τῇ Ράβδῳ μου ταύτῃ διέβην τὸν Ἰορδάνην»· καὶ μικρῷ πρὸ τούτου, Σταυροῦ σημεῖον τῷ Ἀβραὰμ παρεδείκνυτο, μέσον τῶν τοῦ κριοῦ κεράτων τυπούμενον, ὅτε τὴν ἐν τύπῳ θυσίαν πρὸς δεῖγμα τοῦ σταυρωθέντος διὰ τοῦ προβάτου μυστικῶς ἐπετέλει. Σταυροῦ τύπον ἐδήλου καὶ Ἰσαάκ, τὰ ξύλα τῆς θυσίας ἀναλαβών, καὶ τῷ πατρὶ θύειν αὐτὸν ἐπειγομένῳ προτροπάδην ἑπόμενος.

Σταυροῦ δύναμιν ἡ Ράβδος εἶχε Μωσέως εἰς ὄφιν μεταβληθεῖσα, καὶ μεταμορφοῦσα τὰς Αἰγυπτίων ράβδους· καὶ τὰς μὲν καταπίνουσα, τοῖς δὲ ποτάμιον ἐξαιματοῦσα ρεῖθρον ὅπως μὴ πίωσι· καὶ πῇ μὲν βατράχους τῶν ὑδάτων ἐξέρπειν, πῇ δὲ ἀκρίδας καὶ σκνίπας καὶ σκότος ψηλαφητὸν σχεδιάζουσα, καὶ ὅσα τὰς Αἰγυπτίων συμφορὰς περιΐστησι. Σταυροῦ τύπον ἐπεῖχεν ἡ αὐτὴ τοῦ Μωσέως Ράβδος, ὅτε τὸ Ἐρυθραῖον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα διεσχίζετο πέλαγος, καὶ τεῖχος αὐτῷ τε καὶ τῷ λαῷ συνεπάγη τὰ ὕδατα. Σταυροῦ τύπον ἐπεῖχεν ὁ τοῦ πυρὸς στῦλος καὶ τῆς νεφέλης, οἷς ὡδήγει Θεὸς τὸν ἀλήτην Ἰσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου φυγαδευόμενον. Σταυροῦ σχῆμα διέσῳζε καὶ Μωϋσῆς αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους, ὑψοῦ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνέχων, ὅτε καταπολεμοῦντος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τὸν ἀλλόφυλον Ἀμαλήκ, ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ Ἀαρὼν καὶ Ὤρ ἐστηρίζετο, Ἰσραὴλ δὲ δυναμούμενος ὑπερίσχυε.

Σταυροῦ τύπον ἐδήλου ἡ πατάξασα Ράβδος ἐν ἐρήμῳ τὴν πέτραν, καὶ ποταμὸν κυοφόρον τὴν ἄνικμον δείξασα· τί δαὶ ἡ Ράβδος ἡ ἐκφύσασα κάρυα; οὐ προδήλως τὸν Σταυρὸν ὑπογράφει; Τί δαὶ καὶ Ἠσαΐας ξυλίνῳ πρίονι διχῇ διαιρούμενος; οὐ σταυρικὸν ἐσχημάτιζε τύπον; Ἐῶ λέγειν τοῦ Ἀγγαίου τὴν σταύρωσιν, καὶ Σισάρα τὴν ἐν πασσάλῳ καθήλωσιν, τὸν Σταυρὸν φανερῶς προδηλούσας. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν μηλωτὴν Ἠλιοὺ φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε, Σταυροῦ δύναμιν ὑποφαίνουσαν, ὅτε τὸ Ἰορδάνου ρεῖθρον διχῇ διαστήσας, ὡς ἐπὶ ξηρᾶς διεπέρασε γῆς· τὸ δὲ τοῦ Ἐλισσαίου θαῦμα ποῦ θήσομεν; ὅτε τῷ ὕδατι τὸ ξύλον ἐπιθεὶς τῆς ἀξίνης, ἐκ βάθους ἀνεῖλκε τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὸ σιδήριον, τῷ ἐλαφρῷ τὸ βαρὺ ἀνελόμενος;

Μέγα ἀληθῶς ὁ Σταυρός, καὶ πολλαχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς μαρτυρούμενος ἢ προτυπούμενος, καὶ τῶν δι’ αὐτοῦ τελουμένων ὁσημέραι θαυμάτων προδιαγράφων τὰ ὑποδείγματα. Προσκυνητέον οὖν τὸν Σταυρόν, ὅτι δι’ αὐτοῦ τὸν Κύριον ἔγνωμεν. Προσκυνητέος ὁ Σταυρός, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν Χριστὸν εὐλογοῦμεν. Προσκυνητὸς ὁ Σταυρός, ὅτι δι’ αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐλάβομεν καὶ τῆς κατάρας ἠλευθερώμεθα. Προσκυνητὸς ὁ Σταυρός, ὅτι δι’ αὐτοῦ τὴν πικρὰν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς παρακοῆς ἐξεμέσαντες γεῦσιν, τοῦ γλυκασμοῦ τῆς σωτηρίας γεγεύμεθα.

Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, δι’ οὗπερ ηὐλογήθη τὰ ἔθνη. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, ἐν ᾧ Θεὸς σωματικῶς ἐξετάθη. Καὶ τί τούτου παραδοξότερον; Θεὸν σταυρούμενον βλέπειν, καὶ τοῦτον μετὰ ληστῶν. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, δι’ οὗ λῃστὴς τὸν Παράδεισον ᾤκησε, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ξύλου γεῦσις, τὴν πικρὰν ἐξεκρούσατο γεῦσιν· οὗ τί θαυμασιώτερον; ὅτι ὃν ἔκλεισεν ἁλοὺς ὁ Ἀδάμ, τοῦτον ἤνοιξε λῃστὴς ἐπιγνούς· καὶ οὗ ἐκεῖνος ἐξόριστος γέγονεν, οὗτος κλητὸς ἐνεγράφη πολίτης. Εὖγε τῆς καταλλήλου παραλλαγῆς! Ἐξῆλθε κλέπτης, καὶ ἀντεισῆλθε κλέπτης· ὁ μὲν διὰ παράβασιν, ὁ δὲ δι’ ἐπίγνωσιν· ὁ μὲν ὑπαχθεὶς τῷ πτερνίσαντι, ὁ δὲ συσταυρωθεὶς τῷ ποιήσαντι.

Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, ἐξ οὗ Κιβωτὸς κατεσκευάσθη, κόσμον κατακλυσμοῦ συνολικῶς διασῴζουσα. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, ἐξ οὗ φαγὼν ὁ λῃστὴς ἠξίωται τῆς τρυφῆς. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, ἐξ οὗπερ Ἀδὰμ μὴ γευσάμενος πρότερον, τῆς ζωῆς τὸν θάνατον ἀντηλλάξατο, προπετείᾳ γεύσεως τοῦ ξύλου τῆς γνώσεως καθαψάμενος· εἶτα μεταλαβὼν ὕστερον, τῆς πιότητος ἤ ᾔσθετο, καὶ τὴν ἀνάκλησιν εὕρατο. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, δι᾽ οὗ βασιλεῖς ἐγείρουσι τρόπαια, καὶ στρατηγοὶ συνεισφέρουσι λάφυρα, δορυκτήτων πλήθη τὰ βαρβάρων ἁλίσκεται. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, δι’ οὗ τὰ κράτη τῶν τόξων συντριβόμενα θραύεται, καὶ θυρεοὶ πυρὸς παρανάλωμα γίνονται. Εὐλόγηται Ξύλον, δι’ οὗ βραχίων ὑπερήφανος κάμπτεται, καὶ αὐχένες ἐχθρῶν ὑποκύπτουσι, καὶ νῶτα δίδωσι βάρβαρος, καὶ φεύγει Σκύθης μηδενὸς διώκοντος.

Τοιγαροῦν, ὑψώσατε σὺν ἐμοὶ τὴν φωνὴν σήμερον, καὶ μετὰ τῆς Γραφῆς τῷ τοῦ Σταυροῦ θησαυρῷ προσφωνήσωμεν λόγια· θησαυρὸν δέ φημι τοῦ Σταυροῦ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν Χριστόν, ᾧ καὶ πρέπει μᾶλλον τὰ πρὸς ἡμῶν ἀνατείνεσθαι λόγια· «Πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, λέγοντες, ὅσα ἐποίησας, ἥξουσι καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε καὶ δοξάσουσι τὸ ὄνομά σου· ὅτι μέγας εἶ σὺ καὶ ποιῶν θαυμάσια, σὺ εἶ Θεὸς μόνος». Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.