Feast of the Cross
type of feast that commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus
The Feast of the Holy Cross, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, or Feast of the Cross commemorates the True Cross. On 13 September 335, the Constantinian Basilica over the Holy Sepulchre was consecrated in Jerusalem. The day after the church's consecration, the relic of the cross was shown ("exalted") for the first time to the people for veneration. Later, the feast was also associated with the commemoration of the recovery of the Holy Cross by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius on 13 September 628.
In the liturgical year, there are several celebrations which honor and celebrate the cross used in the crucifixion. Unlike Good Friday, which is dedicated to the passion of Christ and the crucifixion, these feast days celebrate the Cross itself, as the sign of salvation. It is celebrated by Catholics (Latin Church Catholics, Eastern Catholics), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Old Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans, and to a lesser extent by Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. The most common day of commemoration is September 14 for churches that use the Gregorian calendar and September 27 for churches that use the Julian calendar, Ge'ez calendar, or Coptic calendar.
In English, the feast is called the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the translation of the Roman Missal of 2010, while the 1973 translation called it Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. In some parts of the Anglican Communion the feast is called Holy Cross Day, a name also used by Lutherans.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Feast of the Cross” as type of feast that commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as type of feast that commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q815520. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2010 and 1973.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Feast of the Cross”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Feast of the Cross primary sources, Feast of the Cross archive and Feast research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Feast of the Cross”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Feast of the Cross” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.