Holy relics are examples of God’s care

Have you ever lost something that was extremely precious? When you lost it, do you remember how you felt? I am sure you felt pretty bad. It may have felt as if a part of you was missing as well. Now, if you later found that same item that was lost, just think of how much happiness that would bring. If we lost and found that which was life-changing, then would not our joy be overwhelming?

Approximately 1,700 years ago, a queen of the Roman/Byzantine Empire wanted to find something that she was missing very much. In fact, it became the focus of her life. After much searching, she finally fulfilled her life dream when she found it.

Who was this queen, and what was she looking for? Her name was Helen, the Empress, and her pilgrim-age was to find the true Cross of Christ. The Empress Helen reigned the Roman/Byzantine Empire with her son, Constantine the Great, in the early 300s A.D.

Helen, who was a Christian all her life, taught her son about Christ and how to live a Christian life. In fact, it was Constantine who was the first to legalize Christianity in the Roman Empire and later made Christianity the religion of the Empire.

Before Constantine’s reign, paganism was the religion of the land and the Christians were persecuted, tortured and even killed.

Constantine, who loved Christ, wanted to rule with God’s wisdom and peace in his Empire. He began to construct several churches in the capital of Constantinople dedicated to the Holy Peace (Eirene) of God and to the Holy Apostles.

He also wished to build a house of prayer in Jerusalem near Calvery or Golgatha.

In 326, Helen, at the age of 79, traveled to Jerusalem in search of the true Cross of Christ and to build the church that her son desired to have erected.

When Helen reached Jerusalem and came to the place of the skull (Golgatha), there sat at that site a huge pagan temple dedicated to Aphrodite. Immediately, she had the temple torn down.

After weeks of excavation, a beautiful flower was found growing in an area that was lonely and abandoned. No other flower or plant was growing in the vicinity.

Enlightened by God, Empress Helen ordered to dig in the exact spot where this unusual plant was growing.

This beautiful flower was sweet basil. The name signifying royalty also became the official flower of the Orthodox Church.

Whenever one attends a church service dedicated to the Holy Cross, he will usually be given a small branch of the sweet-smelling basil.

As the excavators dug into the ground, they began to detect a fragrant scent coming from the underground. Soon they found three crosses. This brought great joy.

Helen was filled with tears as she was able to fulfill her lifelong dream.

In order to determine which one was the true Cross of Christ, the crosses were taken to a funeral. When one of the crosses touched the dead man, he came back to life.

Likewise, the crosses were also taken to sick people and one cross healed the infirm.

On Sept. 14, 326 A.D., the True Cross of Christ was elevated high in the town square.

To this day, every Orthodox Church in the world honors Sept. 14th with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

In the Orthodox Church, much attention is placed upon relics and holy icons, such as the Holy Cross. These relics, the Holy Cross, or a piece of a bone of a saint, show us God’s love and mercy.

Many times, they give off a sweet smell, even centuries after the saint has lived.

Many times, people are healed from their infirmities when they come in contact with these holy relics.

Holy relics are concrete examples of God’s care for his people. They show us that God is omnipotent, continually exists and that God the Word became Incarnate and became man (St. John 1:14).

When one becomes holy, he is sanctified in both soul and body. Thus we, in piously venerating the saints, also venerate the entire person.

In this manner, we do not separate the holy soul from the holy body. Our pious veneration of the saints’ relics is a natural part of our pious respect for and prayerful entreaty to the saints and his Holy Cross.

For centuries, people have venerated the holy relics of God.

The universal faith of the church concerning the pious veneration of holy relics was confirmed by the God-bearing Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod (787 A.D.) in its decrees: “Our Lord Jesus Christ granted to us the relics of Saints as a salvation-bearing source which pours forth varied benefits on the infirm …”

1700 years ago, a woman fulfilled her lifelong dream. She was able to show her love for God by finding the true Cross of Christ.

We may also show our love simply by honoring God and his holy saints.

May we all treat each other with that same love and respect.

Father Thomas M. Constantine is the pastor of Saint John Greek Orthodox Church in Boardman.