In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Beloved in Christ, royal nation, holy priesthood, chosen flock of the Most High,
Today, we come in solemn procession, bearing before us the Wood of Life, the victorious and life-giving Cross of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. As once the Ark of the Covenant was carried before the hosts of Israel, so now does the Cross precede the New Israel, guiding us through the wilderness of this world, leading us onward to the Kingdom which has no end.
The Cross is not a mere symbol, but reality: the ladder by which heaven was joined to earth; the bridge that reunited the fallen with the Creator; the weapon by which death was slain and hell made captive. Upon this Tree hung the King of Glory, Who stretched out His arms to gather the scattered nations into one flock under His dominion.
As the Rhominoi of old bore the Cross into battle, so we carry it into the battles of the soul. For our enemies are not flesh and blood, but the powers of darkness, the temptations of the flesh, the pride of life. The Cross is our standard, our shield, and our boast. It is the imperial ensign of the Kingdom of God, raised above the earth so that all men may be drawn to Christ.
In this procession, we imitate the heavenly hosts who ceaselessly glorify the Lamb Who was slain. We proclaim to the world that our allegiance is to the Crucified King, Who reigns from the throne of the Cross. As citizens of the heavenly Rhomaios commonwealth, we process with reverence, not as a mere ritual, but as a testimony of our hope, a declaration that Christ has conquered, and that His Kingdom shall have no end.
Let us then carry the Cross not only with our hands, but in our hearts. Let its form be engraved upon our minds; let its power transform our lives. Let us crucify the passions, mortify the flesh, and live as true disciples of Him Who loved us unto death.
Through the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Protectress of the City; through the prayers of the Holy and God-bearing Fathers; and by the power of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross itself, may we be found worthy to share in the eternal procession of the saints around the throne of the Lamb.
To Him be glory, dominion, and honor, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
