True Cross

The relic called the cross of Christ, also Holy Cross, according to the Roman Catholic Church considers the cross on which Jesus Christ 's sacrificial death. The number of cross relics is great; already in late antiquity took different places can claim to possess the "true cross of Christ ", the authenticity of these relics was controversial even then.

Feast of the Holy Cross are Exaltation (Latin Sanctae Crucis Exaltatio, September 14, in some denominations, other days) and Cross procession ( August 1, orth ), and a few other movable feasts and Good Friday ( crucifixion of the Lord), feast of the relics themselves but finding Cross (May 3, cath., March 6 and May 7 orth ).

History

According to tradition, was Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, looking in the Holy Land for items that were directly related with the suffering and death of Christ. In addition to the Holy Cross and the nails and the Holy grave said to have been found again.

  • 325: The reported in various sources of the 4th century discovery of the cross of Christ and his grave cave by Kaiser mother Helena was the reason for the construction of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. A portion of the cross was placed in the palace chapel of Helena, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome, another part to her son in Constantinople Opel. Another part remained in Jerusalem, where the pilgrim Egeria reported in 383: " In Jerusalem, a gold-plated box is shown in which there is a part of the Holy Cross; it is opened, the lifted cross wood and put together with the cross inscription on the table. "
  • 614, May 22: The Sassanidengeneral Shahrbaraz conquered Jerusalem and transferred the relics to Ctesiphon, where they were taken from the Christian " Queen of Queens ", Shirin, in reception.
  • 628: The Sassanian Khosrow II defeated the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius. By his death power struggles arose to the throne. The daughter Chosraus II, Boran, graduated with Ostrom from a peace treaty, prompting the return of the relics.
  • 630, March 21: solemn reissue of the section of the " Holy Cross " in Jerusalem.
  • 638: Conquest of Jerusalem by the Muslims. The Byzantine cross parts are missing since this time - alleged splinter dive later on in Crusader circles. According to other versions, they were brought to safety before the Muslims to Constantinople Opel or remained in Jerusalem.
  • 1099: Jerusalem was conquered, and the Crusaders came in their search for the "true cross" to a Syrian Christian, whose family guarded the cross. Since he refused to publish it, you burning pine shavings drove him under the nails and broke his bone until he divulged the hiding place. Since then, the cross at all major campaigns and battles against the Saracens was carried to the Battle of Hattin in 1187.
  • 1187: statement by medieval sources came the Holy Cross - therefore probably the one that had been returned to Jerusalem 628 - at the Battle of Hattin in the hands of the Muslim Ayyubids and has since been lost.
  • 1204: Conquest of Constantinople Opel. Hundreds smallest pieces of wood that are to come from there allegedly parted Cross were brought to Europe by the Crusaders. The Cologne king chronicle Chronica regia Coloniensis reported for 1204: After the conquest of the city incalculable riches were found, incomparably precious gemstones and also a part of the Cross of the Lord, which transferred from Helena from Jerusalem, and decked with gold and precious stones, there learned the highest veneration. It was divided by the attending bishops and divided with other very precious relics among the knights; later, after their return home, it was donated to churches and monasteries.
  • A cross particle was kept in the lower shaft of the Empire Cross and is a part of the imperial regalia. It is now in the Vienna Treasury at the Hofburg (SK Inv XIII 21).

Religious buildings of the Holy Cross

Consecrated Holy Cross are the numerous churches and chapels:

In many church buildings and monasteries particles are kept and worshiped the Holy Cross. For example, in German-speaking

  • In Hildesheim Cathedral in Bernward Cross
  • In the monastery Scheyern in Scheyrer Cross
  • In the former Benedictine monastery Wiblingen in the Olivet Chapel
  • Gmünd in Holy Cross Cathedral, in Gmünd Holy Cross Reliquary
  • St. Cyriacus in Duderstadt in Nordhäuser Cross
  • In the Holy Cross Church in Frankfurt -Bornheim
  • In Heiligenkreuz Abbey in Lower Austria

An important reliquary without being tied to a religious building represents the Limburg reliquary

Jan van Eyck Nail (relic) Egeria (pilgrim) Khosrau II Borandukht Wiblingen Abbey Holy Cross Church, Frankfurt-Bornheim Christology Santa Croce (disambiguation)
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