Hymn on the Holy Cross

In the Major Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, there is a small holy water font tucked in the far back, hidden amongst the grandeur of the rest of the building. It depicts a little child reaching for the water to make the sign of the cross upon themself, and a demon, with batwings and horns, cowering and shrinking in fear. It’s clear the child wields the power of the omnipotent God in this moment because of the sign of the cross entrusted to all believers.

The same theme is found throughout Syriac hymnody. The cross is not just a confessional symbol, but it’s entrusted to mankind as a protection and aid. This hymn from the Syriac Maronite Vespers of Holy Cross shows this belief:

Hallelujah!

We mark ourselves between the eyes with the saving sign of the cross.

By its power we are protected from harm and injury.

Demons flee from before whomever signs themselves with the cross,

the cross which restored the House of Adam from the error of the Wiley One!

Demons flee before those who sign themselves with the cross, because they flee from the emblem of the King Who has already defeated Death, Sin and Satan (many of the great Syriac hymns anthropomorphize Death and Sin in arguments with Satan, often about whose fault caused the victory of the Resurrection). The cross that we sign ourselves with is the same cross that saved Adam from Sheol, and restored humanity to the Garden of Eden from where it was sent out.

May the Holy Cross be our rampart.