Thursday, September 14, 2017

The Feast Of The Holy Cross


Today is interesting for two reasons, one archaeological and the other personal. In the first case, during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor, his mother Helena went to Palestine to find places significant to Christians. Having located what she believed to be the sites of the Crucifixion and the Burial, she had the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built over them and dedicated on this day in the year 335.

Interestingly, the locations are considered by contemporary archaeologists to be surprisingly accurate.

In the second, personal, instance, this is the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. The parish where that occurred, St. Peter's in Waterford, Pennsylvania, is pictured above.