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margot helene
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| Posted: Sept 10 2006 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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This week we celebrate two feasts back to back and their connection is so marvelous, it is hard to celebrate one without the other.
First on Sept 14 is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. This used to be called (and is still called by the Orthodox and Eastern Churches) The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The legend is that St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine went to the Holy Land to find the True Cross. She found a place with three crosses and was convinced that these were the crosses of Calvary. To figure out which one was the True Cross, they touched a fragment of each one to an ill person and when one of the them was used, the person was cured. The Bishop of Jerusalem made a pronouncement that the True Cross had been found, and Constantine directed a church to be built on the spot. There is also a story that this feast celebrates the retrieval of the True Cross from the Persians who had stolen it.
The Mosaic features the story The Tale of Three Trees on this feast day so that you can think about the cross and what it really means to us. (And it's a beautiful book! Available at most libraries)
But don't forget St. Helena and telling your children that story! You can read more about it and find more activities for it at this website.
The next day, September 15th is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. You can find the seven sorrows listed in the first study guide of Mosaic: comparison of two Mary books. Mary's sorrow and triumph are so tied up with the cross that the two days work well together. Once in an old missal I saw that each sorrow was assigned to a day of the week for the faithful to meditate upon one sorrow a day.
If you want you can add the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Blessed Virgin Mary on the 12th and make it a triple feast week! You might consider just saying the Litany to Mary on the 12th if three feasts seems too much  (found in the Appendix of Mosaic).
There is another book out that features the tree that was used for the cross, but I can't remember the name of it. Anyone know it?
Happy feasting!
Margot
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JennGM
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Great info, Margot! I have ulterior motives for being excited about all the feast days this month...more days to try out different recipes for cakes before the big birthday day for my son.
Anne had posted about St. Helen last month.
I'll add Catholic Culture's site for suggestions on this day. I remember finding the info about basil growing over where the cross was buried and thought that was so neat!
Also read The Golden Legend on the story of the Exaltation of the Cross.
I was thinking that The Jesus Garden: An Easter Legend might be a good addition for this day, as it incorporates the Legends of the Passion, including the Legend of the Dogwood. The legend states that the dogwood tree was used for the True Cross.
I was also thinking that using the San Damiano Cross and studying it together as a family would be a nice addition for this day. See explanation of the Cross for some ideas.
Last year we had a few ideas for Our Lady of Sorrows: Feast of OUr Lady of Sorrows and Friday Altar of Our Lady of Sorrows.
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onemoretracy
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Oh man so many geat ideas!
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margot helene
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| Posted: Sept 13 2006 at 6:41am | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
I remember finding the info about basil growing over where the cross was buried and thought that was so neat!
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Oh - I was wondering how to decorate the table on the 14th . . . basil!!! Perfect - thanks
Margot
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Martha
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thank you ladies...
these boards are such an awesome resource!
I'm starting to wonder how I managed to hs for the previous 5 years w/o it!
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Cay Gibson
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Don't miss these two wonderful Triumph of the Cross blog entries:Louise's entry and Jenn's entry.
 Great job!
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 3:24pm | IP Logged
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Bumping...
&
Quoting some post from other threads and making some links for additional ideas for both Triumph of the Cross Feast and Our Lady of Sorrows Feast.
Matilda wrote:
I just remembered a game we played a few years ago at a friend's house for St. Helena's feast day which we might do for the Triumph of the Cross this year...
You make some plain sugar cookies shaped like crosses and frost all of them white except for one red one. They get hidden around the house and whoever finds the red one (the True Cross) gets a special prize and everyone gets to eat the cookies. You could do it with paper crosses too. Our crosses were wrapped in Saran Wrap to avoid crumbs. |
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MaryM wrote:
Matilda wrote:
I just remembered a game we played a few years ago at a friend's house for St. Helena's feast day which we might do for the Triumph of the Cross this year...
You make some plain sugar cookies shaped like crosses and frost all of them white except for one red one. They get hidden around the house and whoever finds the red one (the True Cross) gets a special prize and everyone gets to eat the cookies. You could do it with paper crosses too. Our crosses were wrapped in Saran Wrap to avoid crumbs. |
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This would also be really easy to do with simple crosses made from craft sticks. Painting the one "true" cross a different color as was mentioned and then hiding those. They would be real sturdy that way. It sounds like fun and something mine would like to do. I can see this game going on over and over with the kids rehiding them many times.  |
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~Rachel~ wrote:
| I had also read that the herb basil was affiliated with the Triumph of the Cross, so I have a recipe for Pesto Muffins I was going to use then (either Taste of Home or Light & Tasty, I forget which ) |
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Michaela wrote:
A few more activities we are doing for September 15 -- Our Lady of Sorrows
CRAFT IDEA -- we have cut out a heart & each day add a dagger during discussions of each sorrow. On the handle of the dagger one child writes the sorrow it represents
DESSERT IDEA -- cake or cupcakes in the shape of a  & add 1 or 7 daggers. Child or parent could announce each sorrow when each dagger pierces the cake or just recall the sorrows before removing daggers to eat.
The entire month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. |
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MaryM wrote:
| Since the month is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows and specifically the 15th is the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, I had been meaning to link to an activity we have done in Lent (Friday before Palm Sunday is also commemorated by many as a feast of the seven sorrows) - 7 Sorrows Bookmark |
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Martha wrote:
Last year I did a "offering up cross" that I posted here
I think I want to make another. That "offerring up" message always seems to need restate around here. 
We're doing the Sorrowful Mysteries for rosary time this month. |
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Craft crosses
Food Ideas and recipes for the triumph of the Cross - from Catholic Cuisine, includes a "From Thy Bounty" Fair where that was the theme.
Food and recipe Ideas for Our Lady of Sorrows Feast (and month) - from Catholic Cuisine
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Mackfam
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I'm so glad you bumped this thread, Mary.
Adding another resource for Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial which is tomorrow:
Sister Mary Jean Dorcy's book, Our Lady's Feasts (oop) includes a lovely short chapter on Our Lady of Sorrows.
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 6:18pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
Adding another resource for Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial which is tomorrow:
Sister Mary Jean Dorcy's book, Our Lady's Feasts (oop) includes a lovely short chapter on Our Lady of Sorrows. |
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Love that book for Marian feast day reading!
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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MaryM
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Another simple cross craft for kids: Beaded Cross Necklace
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: The Cross and Her Sorrows
