The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, celebrated every year on September 14, recalls three historical events: the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine; the dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary; and the restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius II. But in a deeper sense, the feast also celebrates the Holy Cross as the instrument of our salvation.
This instrument of torture, designed to degrade the worst of criminals, became the life-giving tree that reversed Adam's Original Sin when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden.
This instrument of torture, designed to degrade the worst of criminals, became the life-giving tree that reversed Adam's Original Sin when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden.
QUICK FACTS
Date: September 14
Type of Feast: Feast
Readings: Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-87, 38; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 (full text here)
Prayers: The Sign of the Cross
- Other Names for the Feast: Triumph of the Cross, Elevation of the Cross, Roodmas, Holy Cross
HISTORY OF THE FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
After the death and resurrection of Christ, both the Jewish and Roman authorities in Jerusalem made efforts to obscure the Holy Sepulchre, Christ's tomb in the garden near the site of His crucifixion. The earth had been mounded up over the site, and pagan temples had been built on top of it. The Cross on which Christ had died had been hidden (tradition said) by the Jewish authorities somewhere in the vicinity.
An Easy Pesto Recipe...
...For the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross!
In addition to the wonderful list of suggestions that Mary shared earlier this week, I wanted to share a couple simple recipes using Basil.
In one of my favorite Catholic cookbooks, A Continual Feast
, the author tells us that "This holy day is one of strict fasting among the Eastern Orthodox. In Greece, the priest distributes sprigs of sweet basil to his congregation, because tradition says that basil grew all over the hillside where Helena discovered the cross. " The author, Evelyn Vitz, goes on to suggest the following recipe for Pesto (a wonderful sauce for pasta made with fresh basil) since, "With this dish you can keep the spirit of the day as one of abstinence from meat and still serve something delicious and symbolic."
I just made the recipe in preparation for tomorrow, and not only is it quick and easy, it is DELICIOUS!!
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tespoons finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1-1 1/2 cups olive oil (I found one cup to be plenty)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (I left the cheese out of a portion of ours, since a few of us have dairy intolerances. It still turned out very yummy!)
Directions:
Combine the basil, salt, pepper, garlic, pine nuts, and 1 cup of oil in the blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth; stop the blender every few seconds to stir the mixture slightly, and to press the leaves down. (If you happen to have a Vita-Mix, this won't be necessary and use the lowest speed.)
The mixture when pureed should be slightly runny; if it is still too thick, add more olive oil. Pour the sauce into a bowl, and stir in the grated cheese.
Serve hot on pasta.
In addition to the wonderful list of suggestions that Mary shared earlier this week, I wanted to share a couple simple recipes using Basil.
In one of my favorite Catholic cookbooks, A Continual Feast, the author tells us that "This holy day is one of strict fasting among the Eastern Orthodox. In Greece, the priest distributes sprigs of sweet basil to his congregation, because tradition says that basil grew all over the hillside where Helena discovered the cross. " The author, Evelyn Vitz, goes on to suggest the following recipe for Pesto (a wonderful sauce for pasta made with fresh basil) since, "With this dish you can keep the spirit of the day as one of abstinence from meat and still serve something delicious and symbolic."I just made the recipe in preparation for tomorrow, and not only is it quick and easy, it is DELICIOUS!!
Pesto
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tespoons finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1-1 1/2 cups olive oil (I found one cup to be plenty)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (I left the cheese out of a portion of ours, since a few of us have dairy intolerances. It still turned out very yummy!)
Directions:
Combine the basil, salt, pepper, garlic, pine nuts, and 1 cup of oil in the blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth; stop the blender every few seconds to stir the mixture slightly, and to press the leaves down. (If you happen to have a Vita-Mix, this won't be necessary and use the lowest speed.)
The mixture when pureed should be slightly runny; if it is still too thick, add more olive oil. Pour the sauce into a bowl, and stir in the grated cheese.
Serve hot on pasta.
