Veneration of the Cross - 3/15/26
Sunday, March 15th is the third Sunday of Great Lent and the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross.
The cross stands in the middle of the church to remind us of Christ’s redemption, to keep before us the goal of our efforts and the reality by which man must live to be saved. “He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mt.10:38). In the Cross of Christ Crucified lies both “the power of God and the wisdom of God” for those being saved (1 Cor.1:24).
On this day the Church also commemorates:
Martyrs Agapius, Publius (Pausis), Timolaus, Romulus, two named Dionysius, and two named Alexander, at Cæsarea in Palestine (303)
Hieromartyr Alexander of Sίdē, in Pamphylia (270-275)
Martyr Nicander of Egypt (ca. 302).
Read more about the lives of these and others commemorated this day here.
Readings for Sunday, March 15th:
-
14
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1
For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2
He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.
3
Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
4
And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
5
So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”
6
As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”;
-
34
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
36
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
37
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
38
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
1
And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”
The Holy Scriptures are part of the Church’s Holy Tradition. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of blessed memory wrote:
In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, “A Christian is the one who, wherever he looks, finds everywhere Christ, and rejoices in Him.” This is true in particular of the biblical Christian. Wherever he looks, on every page, he finds everywhere Christ.
See Metropolitan Ware’s article How to Read the Bible for more on an Orthodox approach to scripture.