Regarding
practical spiritual work it’s a period of thanksgiving, Blessing, Harvesting
and finishing up things that are long overdue,
procrastinated. It’s also a time for
amendment, ending disputes, quarrels,
arguments of all kinds, and preparing for winter, by gathering energy, material
magicka and performing appeasing and protective rites and ceremonies of all kinds.
Old women and cunning women would place an handkerchief over a shoulder , and would smudge and/or cense people with incense made from Fern leafs,
Myrtle and Pine needles , to end confrontations and fights. It’s good time to ensure abundance during
the long winter , sometimes also cruel
nights, which is traditionally done by folk ceremonies and communal rites,
where the fruit s of all kind and vegetables were collected and then smudged
with herbs such as Thyme, Yarrow, and other available. Smudging these fruits of nature Is an example of
symbolic or even sympathetic magick ( in a way ) for this gifts of nature, smudged were “blessed and
protected” to endure and remain despite the winter, and so would the abundance as a concept they embody . This is often done publicaly,
on fields, on a cloth made from 9
different color yarns, but of course ,
it can be adopted to solitary practice
and performed in the coziness of Your
home, by using a fine , new stylish cloth ( or even handkerchief ) to spread
the fruits, vegetable and /or herbs , or
they can simply be placed in some sort of bowl.
Now the ritual I wish to perform this Year is what I
simply call “The Consecration of the Cross” , and it shares some similarities
with smudging the fruits and vegetables, at least in the goal and aim
department lol. Once consecrated during either equinox or Feast of the
Cross ( 14th of September ,
also called Exaltatio Sanctae Crucis , or among the Orthodox Christian Exaltation/Elevation of the Precious and/or Life-bearing cross ,
mind though that some Orthodox Churches still use Julian Calendar for their services, meaning
that according to mundane, Gregorian calendar, among the some Orthodox
Christian places this holiday on 28th of September ) the Cross becomes a powerful relic, that when used with
faith bestows healing, protection
and victory over evil.
Feast of the Elevation of
the Holy Cross commemorates tow events:
Finding of the Cross by the Empress
Helena , mother of St Constantine the great , and the retrival of the
Cross from in 627th year AD, when the Emperor Heraclius , decisively defeated Persians at Nineveh and thus recovered the Holy
Cross.
Empress
Helena, searching for the Cross had encountered it
under some temple of Venus, as instructed by certain Jewish old man called
Judas. According to myth, she had also found the Basil plant, growing on
Golgotha, on that spot. She had also found two more crosses, so she was
wondering how will she be able to determine which one of them is the actual,
True Cross, The Life-giving Cross as also said. Incidentally ( or maybe not )
there was a funeral procession passing nearby, so the empress decided to make
somewhat a test. The body of the dead man, carried by procession was placed on
each side of every Cross. With the first two, nothing came to be, but upon
placing body on the third Cross the man had miraculously returned to life.
Also, certain ailing women had kissed the same Cross and had miraculously
healed. At this point It was clear, that very Cross was the Ture, Life-giving
Cross.
The second event commemorated on this very day is recovering of the Cross, by emperor Heraclius in 627th year AD, when the Persians were defeated at the battle of Nineveh. The Emperor had then, along with Patriarch Zacharias , transferred the True Cross to the Temple of Resurrection in Jerusalem.
The second event commemorated on this very day is recovering of the Cross, by emperor Heraclius in 627th year AD, when the Persians were defeated at the battle of Nineveh. The Emperor had then, along with Patriarch Zacharias , transferred the True Cross to the Temple of Resurrection in Jerusalem.
Before we proceed with the ritual instructions, it’s
wise to note two other Holy days in the
same period , according to Orthodox
Christian calendar. One is
commemoration of St. Michael the Archangel’s miracle at Collosae ( Chonae ).
The Story speaks of Holy and miraculous sprig ,
appearing in place Chonae in Phygia,
after a prophecy that such will happen by by St. John the Theologian and St.
Philip the Apostle. They have also
fortold the appearance of St. Michael the Archangel, which also fulfilled
later. The sprig had healead many at that point, even mute daughter of well known pagan from
Ladoicea, who had, in an act of gratitude build a Church to St. Michael over
the sprig, for it was the very Archangel Michael that appeared in his drea m
with instructions to take his daughter to the sprig. Jealous of all attention and prosperity this Christian
sanctity had been receiving local pagans comploted to destroy the Church
by means of constructing a dike, that was
to deviate the course of the river , so it would wash away the miraculous
sprig and the Church. A young man,
Archhipus, who settled by the Church ( where he had liven, eaten etc. ever since the very first time the Church was constructed ) prayed for salvation of the church and the spring.
As a result of his devoted and sincere prayers, Archangel Michael appeared and
opened a fissure in a nearby, large rock, and the water plunged through it, so both the Church and the healing sprig were saved.
Hence the name Chonae ( means
plunging ) , and ST Archipus lived there peacefully until the age of 70, when he righteously ascended to G’d.
So it occurs to me why not petition St. Michael on
this day, If we need salvation from some serious threat, particularly If we
need swift help, the kind that
surpasses mundane human abilities and efforts . Or to prevent some sort of possible accident or catastrophe.
Simply light a candle for him on an altar, with his image, next to
a glass of water dedicated to him, and
place Your petition, written on a torn up brown p aper ( grocery bag style )
beneath of behind Arhangel Michaels image. Offer a heartfelt prayer to
him, and let the candle burn all the way
down. Alternatively, You could as well,
devide candle into seven partitions and
make this a Seven day candle type ritual, though offer new glass of water, as a
“tribute” to the Saint each day. When
the petition is granted You could “feed the Saint” by affixing some Grains of Paradise seeds behind his image [1]
Following quote illustrates the Orthodox
doctrine quite well :
"The Orthodox church does not accept the
Catholic dogma of 1854 -- the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin,
in the sense that she was exempt at birth from original sin. This would
separate her from the human race, and she would then have been unable to
transmit to her Son humanity. But Orthodoxy does not admit in the all-pure
Virgin any individual sin, for that would be unworthy of the dignity of the
Mother of God." Sergius Bulgakov, The Orthodox Church. Crestwood:
St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997. [2]
Regardless of
dispute in terms of doctrines by theologians, regarding the matter, it
is acknowledged by all of them, that her conception was miraculous, being that
her parents very of age, and barren at the
point. This makes it Nativity
of Virgin Mary, a great opportunity
, for barren people to petition and pray
to the Mother Mary and The Lord Himself
, for the aid in resolving their issue.
 |
| One of many artistic depictions of St.Joseph of Cupertino |
Another “red letter” holiday in Catholic
calendar in September, that should be
mentioned here is feast day of St
Joseph of Cupertino, considered patron Saint of Air Travels/ing
and studies and taking test. His feast day is 18th of September. He
lived a very commendable, humble life and would often give away his own clothes
to the poor. He was very devoted,
ecstatic even, for he would sometimes levitate during meditations , and prayers
of his, hence the coo name “Flying Monk”. Use the opportunity to petition this
Saint for success in upcoming year in
Your studies and safety on Your travels, particularly if Your means of transportation include airplanes
and/or helicopters.
According to Catholic Christian Calendar,
another Feast day worth being drawn attention at here , is St. Cosma
and Damian’s feast day on Septemebr 26th , more on how to work with
them, I have written in one of my previous entries.
Petition them for healing, particularly
for serious ailments, and also for expelling of the “live things” in patients.
I’ve composed the ritual to use it myself, modeling
after the practice done in orthodox
Churches on this day, when the Holy
Cross ( that is replicas and models of the same of course ) are placed in
Churches for faithful people that attend
the service, to kiss, and pray before,
all in m emory of discovery of the True Holy Cross, by empress Helena (
see description of the events that took
place on this day during “Biblical times” , earlier in the text ) and in grace and glory of his miraculous power.
·
Find a suitable standing Cross ( like
those for altars ) or even a Cross pendant, or any kind of Cross dear to You
that You would like to consecrate and bless, and plan on using in times of need
·
You can cleanse it before use, If You
think that is needed (eg. If belonged to someone else, or You’ve found it
somewhere, or was placed on sick person to heal them etc. ) You can
drive it through incense of Sage for this , or Sprinkle with some
Florida water
·
Light
three new White candles on Your altar and set them so as to form a
triangle
·
In the Centre Place a Cross, Incense burner ( censer ) and If You have ,
small vial ( or other kind of pure container ) with some Holy Water*
·
Now
burning some Frankincense in the Censer ( If You wish You may add some
St.John’s wart or Hyssop as well )
driving the Cross through the
smoke, read Psalm 62nd
·
Then Sprinkle the Cross with the Holy
water* and say : “In the Name Father, Son and the Holy Spirit ,
Amen”Finally, near the center of the
triangle formed by candles, spread some
fresh Basil twigs, or dry basil , to sort of make a “bed” for the Cross. Place
a Cross on it, and sprinkle some more Basil on it. Express Your petition for consecration of the
Cross, to be a powerful relic and weapon against evil spirits in the hand of
the righteous, and ask Lord for his Divin e aid in such. Holding hands over the Cross ( or breathing
and speaking near it as You pray, so that Your breath “infuses ” it as You pray
) read prayer to the Venerable Cross (
or Prayer to the Holy Cross as known among Orthodox Christian ) which is as follows:
·
Place the Cross in some nice box, on
Your altar, or in some nice pouch bag,
where it shall be safe from nosey people
that have no business with such. Use in times of need to heal, bless or exorcize
and banish evil, or place on altar during important rituals.
There , I sincerely
hope You find this article interesting
and informative ( and therefore useful ), Have a Blessed and productive
September, and good luck in all Your endeavors
Shadow J
CREDITS AND REFERENCES :
[3] Prayer as found on http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/threshold/prayer.shtml
IMAGE CREDITS:
Image of St Joseph if
from http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=72Image of Cross is from : http://www.freakingnews.com/Sky-Cross-Pics-36754.asp edited slightly for posting here by myself.
Images are used here for illustrative and explanatory purposes without any ill will
No comments:
Post a Comment