The Holy Cross of Jesus Christ will always be intimately tied to Jerusalem, the location where Jesus was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. The cross itself that Jesus was hung upon was miraculously found by St. Helena around 326, but that was not the last miracle connected to the cross to occur in Jerusalem.
Roughly 25 years later, another miracle occurred, one that was witnessed by a large group of people, including St. Cyril of Jerusalem.
Apparition of the Holy Cross
St. Cyril wrote about this miracle in a letter to Emperor Constantius:
For during these holy days of the holy Pentecost, on the nones of May, about the third hour, a cross of immense size, made of light, appeared in heaven, stretched out above holy Golgotha as far as the holy Mount of Olives; not appearing to just one or two, but being shown most clearly to the whole multitude of the city.
To further emphasize how this event was not linked to a natural cause, St. Cyril continues with his description of the apparition:
[N]or, as one might suppose, quickly passing by as an illusion, but seen for many hours above the earth with the eyes, and with its flashing beams overcoming the rays of the sun (for indeed it would have been overcome and hidden by them, had it not provided to the viewers splendors more powerful than the sun).
The sight inspired the faithful of the city to come "together into the holy church, seized with fear mingled with joy at the divine vision, young and old together, men and women, and of every age, even to the very maidens confined in their chambers, both natives and foreigners, Christians together with gentiles visiting from elsewhere; and all with one accord, as from one mouth, hymned Christ Jesus our Lord, the only-begotten Son of God, the worker of wonders."
The apparitions led to many conversions to the Christian faith, both Jews and Gentiles recognized the power and beauty of the cross of Jesus Christ.
Who is St. Cyril?
Cyril lived from about 313 to 386, and became the bishop of Jerusalem around the year 350.
He was raised in Jerusalem and was a Scripture scholar, thus entrusted to catechizing the new Christians and preparing them for baptism. Existing texts from that mission give valuable information on the rites of the early Church.
At one point, Cyril was accused of espousing the Arian heresy by another saint, St. Jerome, but was later vindicated.
He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1822.
Feast of the miraculous cross
Eastern Catholics (as well as Eastern Orthodox) commemorate the event of the miraculous appearance of the cross each year on May 7, praying for civil authorities:
The sign of your cross appeared in a dazzling glow, more radiant than the sun. O Savior, You stretched it from the holy mountain to the place of Calvary, manifesting in this way the power You have given it. Preserve our civil authorities in strength and establish our country in peace, through the prayers of the Mother of God.
In many ways the miracle is reminiscent of the miracle of the dancing sun at Fatima, and reminds us that God will sometimes lift the veil of his glory so as to bring people closer to him.
