1. The Discovery of the Cross by Empress Helene

2. Introduction  Can any one tell me the feast the church celebrates on the 28th of September every year, which is also the 17th of Tute? –The feast of the discovery of the Cross  Can someone tell me what happened on the cross? –The Blood of our Lord that was shed to save us from our sins  Can any one tell me the feast the church celebrates on the 28th of September every year, which is also the 17th of Tute? –The feast of the discovery of the Cross  Can someone tell me what happened on the cross? –The Blood of our Lord that was shed to save us from our sins

3. Story of the Cross…  The Lord arranged that the persecution of the Christians would come to an end by the hands of King Constantine, who worked for the good of the church.  He gave his mother a great amount of money and sent her to the Holy Land (Jerusalem) to build churches and monasteries  The Lord arranged that the persecution of the Christians would come to an end by the hands of King Constantine, who worked for the good of the church.  He gave his mother a great amount of money and sent her to the Holy Land (Jerusalem) to build churches and monasteries

4.  Queen Helene was 80 yrs old when she went to Jerusalem to search for the Cross upon which Lord Jesus Christ was crucified  At first she failed to find it, but she found out that the Jews had put a mount of dust on the place where Lord Jesus was crucified.  Queen Helene was 80 yrs old when she went to Jerusalem to search for the Cross upon which Lord Jesus Christ was crucified  At first she failed to find it, but she found out that the Jews had put a mount of dust on the place where Lord Jesus was crucified.

5.  She gave orders that the mount be removed.  During digging, they found three crosses and some nails near it.  She gave orders that the mount be removed.  During digging, they found three crosses and some nails near it.

6. The Test….  They did not know which of the three crosses belonged to the Lord. A funeral procession passed by them, and they put the first two crosses on the dead man but nothing happened!  But when they put the third cross on the dead body, he was brought back to life!!!  They did not know which of the three crosses belonged to the Lord. A funeral procession passed by them, and they put the first two crosses on the dead man but nothing happened!  But when they put the third cross on the dead body, he was brought back to life!!!

7.  In this way Queen Helene could recognize the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross and she was So pleased to discover it.  She built a church there and that day on which she discovered the cross became a feast in the church.  That all occurred in the 4th century  In this way Queen Helene could recognize the Lord Jesus Christ’s cross and she was So pleased to discover it.  She built a church there and that day on which she discovered the cross became a feast in the church.  That all occurred in the 4th century

8. Questions?  Why did Queen Helene search for the cross?  Where was the cross found?  How did they know that it was Lord Jesus’ cross when it was found with 2 other crosses?  Why did Queen Helene search for the cross?  Where was the cross found?  How did they know that it was Lord Jesus’ cross when it was found with 2 other crosses?

9. Let us say this together…  “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14)

10. Sign of the cross and its meaning’s  We start by saying, “In the Name of the Father” with our fingers in 3 on our forehead as the sign of the Holy Trinity  Then we move down below the chest and say “the Son”. This is a symbol that God was incarnated, took flesh and became man and came down to earth as Lord Jesus Christ  We start by saying, “In the Name of the Father” with our fingers in 3 on our forehead as the sign of the Holy Trinity  Then we move down below the chest and say “the Son”. This is a symbol that God was incarnated, took flesh and became man and came down to earth as Lord Jesus Christ

11. Cont’d  Then we move our fingers from the left shoulder to the right shoulder saying, “and the Holy Spirit,” to indicate that we are transferred from the left side of God when we sinned and were living in darkness to His right side where we became his children.  This is through the cross on which our sins were removed.  Then we close by saying “One God, Amen” to indicate that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all One God.  Then we move our fingers from the left shoulder to the right shoulder saying, “and the Holy Spirit,” to indicate that we are transferred from the left side of God when we sinned and were living in darkness to His right side where we became his children.  This is through the cross on which our sins were removed.  Then we close by saying “One God, Amen” to indicate that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all One God.

12. Conclusion  The sign of the cross is a source of power and protection to all of us.  It is also the source of healing and comfort.  Whenever we are in need of strength and confidence we should cross ourselves with the sign of the cross.  The sign of the cross is a source of power and protection to all of us.  It is also the source of healing and comfort.  Whenever we are in need of strength and confidence we should cross ourselves with the sign of the cross.

13. Memory Verse  “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14)  “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14)