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  For the feast of the Cross on September 14, our classes have enjoyed putting on a skit re-enacting how St Helen found the Cross of Christ. It does not need much planning ahead of time, and most items you have at home! You'll need: An icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Dark blanket for the earth/dirt Three large crosses cut from cardboard One shovel or more, plastic from sandbox will do A crown for St Helen, colored paper taped round If you choose, second crown for St Konstantine A Bishops' garment -drape a cloth around the neck and pin Fresh basil, found at site of buried crosses Extra: a cardboard coffin / tomb Assign the parts: St Helen and her entourage on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem...those who will dig! St Konstantine, her son the King, who was not present actually, but part of history Jude, the secret Jewish man, who helped find the way to Golgotha A child for the corpse in funeral passing by Bishop Makarios, Archbishop of Jerusalem, who will exalt the Cross and l...

. "Orthodox Pop Quizzes" Who can tell us where the saying and superstition "Knock on Wood" comes from? good luck!

This September, for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I share with you this image of the largest fragment of the True Cross of Christ in existence. It is a special treasure of the Xeropotamou Monastery on Mount Athos, in Greece.* In honor of the feast, let's ask our kids, why the Cross is so very important to us as Christians?Why do the enemies of Christ, the demons, cringe at this sign? After reading a bit from Elder Cleopa, I am reminded of an event in the Old Testament... Read out loud together Numbers chapter 21. "The LORD said to Moses, 'Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." Numbers 21:8-9 The faithful of that generation were offered a sign of hope, and for us today as Christians, we too are given a means for our salvation. For the New Testament fulfillment of this ...