The Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross is the crowning of the celebrations of the Holy Cross, within the calendar year. The Armenian Apostolic Church owes this important feast, upon which the other celebrations of the Cross throughout the year are established, to Queen Helena (Heghineh), the mother of Byzantine Emperor Constantine. In 327, the Queen, who was in her mid seventies, set out on a long journey to Jerusalem with the primary intention of finding the actual Cross upon which Jesus Christ had been crucified. Following a series of inquiries, with the help of a local Jew named Judas in Golgotha (where Christ was crucified), the Cross was discovered, and the authenticity of the relic was tested by a miracle.
On Sunday 23 October 2022, Archpriest Der Bartev Karakashian was the celebrant and homilist for this very special feast day.
