Two weeks ago, on September 14, Orthodox churches around the world did something that looks strange to a passer-by. A priest carried a cross laid on a bed of basil to the centre of the church, raised it high, and then slowly bowed it down to the floor — five times, once toward each direction of the world — while the choir sang "Lord, have mercy" again and again. It was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Why would the Church lift up an instrument of execution and sing to it? And why does the cross that hangs in an Orthodox home or car look a little different from the one many of our neighbours know? Let's look closer.
Stand in front of an Orthodox crucifix and count the bars. Very often there are three, not one. Each one tells part of the Gospel.
The short upper bar recalls the sign Pilate ordered nailed above the Lord's head: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (John 19:19). On many crosses it bears the letters INBI or INRI. On Orthodox crosses you will often see instead the words "King of Glory" — the Church's answer to Pilate's mockery.
The long crossbar is where Christ's arms were stretched out. The Fathers loved to point out that He opened His arms wide on the Cross to embrace the whole world — east and west, north and south. That is exactly why the priest turns the cross to all four directions on the feast.
The lower bar is the footrest, and it is almost always set at an angle. Tradition gives it a beautiful meaning. Beside Christ hung two thieves. One mocked Him; the other said, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." The raised end of the footrest points up toward the repentant thief, who entered Paradise that very day. The lowered end points down toward the one who did not repent.
So the slanted bar is a kind of scale — a quiet sermon that every one of us is standing somewhere on that beam, and that it is never too late to turn and say, "Remember me."
Look again and you may find more:
There is a reason wood remains the most beloved material for a cross in the home. The Lord was crucified on wood, and the Church sings that "by the tree Adam was cast out of Paradise, and by the tree of the Cross the thief entered in."
A traditional wooden cross begins as a simple plank. The craftsman chooses a piece with a straight, even grain so it will not split with time. The outline is marked and cut, the arms are shaped, and then comes the slow part: sanding every edge by hand until the wood feels smooth and warm in the palm. Some crosses are carved; others, like the one we feature below, carry a small metal image of the Crucifixion set into the wood. Finally the wood is sealed with oil or a protective finish that brings out its natural colour.
No two wooden crosses are ever quite the same. The grain, the tone, the tiny variations of the hand — each one carries a trace of the person who made it. That is part of its charm, and part of its humility.
An Orthodox cross is not only for wearing. The faithful have always marked their homes, their doorways, and their journeys with the sign of the Cross.
The prayer corner, traditionally on an eastern wall, usually holds icons of Christ and the Mother of God. A cross hung among them, or just above, gathers the whole family's prayer toward the One who was lifted up for us.
Many Orthodox families hang a cross above the main entrance. Every coming and going becomes a small blessing: we leave under the Cross, and we come home under it.
A small wooden cross hanging from the mirror is a quiet traveller's prayer. Before you start the engine, make the sign of the Cross and say, "Lord, bless my going out and my coming in." Just make sure it hangs short enough not to swing into your view of the road.
Bring your new cross to church and ask your priest to bless it. Many families also sprinkle it with holy water at Theophany, when homes are blessed each January.
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Shop now →The lower slanted bar is the footrest. By tradition, its raised end points toward the repentant thief who entered Paradise, and its lowered end toward the thief who rejected Christ — a reminder that repentance is always open to us.
Of course. A cross is a sign of Christ's love for every person. Hang it with reverence, and let it be a reminder to pray on the road.
Not at all. A simple wooden cross carries the same meaning and grace as one of silver or gold. The Lord Himself was lifted up on wood.
On the Feast of the Cross the Church sings that the Cross is "the guardian of the whole world." Let it guard your home, your prayer corner, and your road too. If you would like one for your own icon corner or car, the wooden hanging cross with metal crucifix is in stock and ships from Canada.
