Names of the Cross

Each liturgy in the West Syriac tradition, to which the Maronite liturgy belongs, has its own unique Prayer of Forgiveness. The Prayer of Forgiveness is an incense offering for the forgiveness of sins and the glorification of God, and generally made up of a proemion (Greek for introduction or foreword; it introduces the feast), the sedro (Syriac for list or order; it lists the various ideas and reasons for the feast recalling His benefices towards us, as well as our petitions which we bring before God), the qolo (Syriac for hymn; an opportunity for all to join in the occasion of praise and supplication before God) and the etro (Syriac for incense smoke or fragrance; it concludes the whole prayer, praying that God accept the incense and grant us our petitions).

In the tradition Rite of the Holy Cross prayed on the feast of the same name, the beautiful Prayer of Forgiveness teaches us the many names of the Cross, and the indomitable help Christ has given us through His Cross. The sedro provides us with a beautiful reflection on the Holy Cross:

Today we celebrate the memorial of the feast of the salvific, precious and holy cross by which the bill of evil was torn up and shredded. By it, old things passed away and were fulfilled, and everything became new by it. By it, the debt of the transgression of the commandment was repaid. The host of the Adversary was scattered and hope dawned upon the faithful by the sign of the salvific and life-giving cross:

the cross, the cause of blessings;

the cross, the sign of victory;

the cross, the principal of dogmas;

the cross, the hope of believers;

the cross, the strengthener of Christians;

the cross, the font of life;

the cross, the intercessor of blessings;

the cross, the key of Paradise;

the cross, the slayer of the serpent;

the cross, crusher of the dragon’s head;

the cross, destroyer of sin;

the cross, the banisher of death;

the cross, the annihilator of error;

the cross, the shame of infidels;

the cross, the staff of the human race;

the cross, the dissolver of decay;

the cross, the light of the world;

the cross, the pride of our witness;

the cross, the root of our life;

the cross, the crown of believers;

the cross, the foundation of churches;

the cross, the uprooter of Sheol.

By the cross, the resurrection dawned upon us. By the cross, the Enemy was defeated. By the cross, we were restored to Paradise: the cross, the rampart of life; the cross, the rafter of our altars; the cross, the armor in battle; the cross, the sign of tranquility and reconciliation; the cross, the icon of the Word God; the cross, the pledge of inheritance; the cross, the confidence of the prophets; the cross, the honor of the apostles; the cross, the teachings of teachers; the cross, the rampart of the Holy Church; the cross, the perfection of love; the cross, the fear of demons; the cross, the staff of wonders; the cross, the palm of parables; the cross, the consummation of all priestly labor. By the cross, our sacrifices are perfected. By the cross, our prayers are sealed. By the cross, our bodies are signed. By the cross, our senses are equipped. By the cross, our souls are preserved. The cross is an insurmountable tower. The cross is a refuge that cannot be shamed. The cross is an invincible rampart. The cross is our fortified citadel and village of escape. The cross is our protection, our house of refuge and cause of all our blessings.

(trans. from the Syriac Maronite 1909 ritual)

May the Holy Cross be our rampart.