The True Cross: Worship or Venerate?

Tomorrow, 9/14, is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is a day to remember the sacrifice our Lord made for us and his victory over death. The cross is an extremely important part of our faith; it was the instrument Jesus used for our salvation. We therefore venerate it. Looking ahead to this feast, I’ve mused on the cross, especially the True Cross.

There is a long history of the True Cross, which I won’t get too far into. St. Helena, according to tradition, found a fragment of the True Cross, upon which Christ died, in the early 4th century. Throughout history, fragments have been stolen, returned, and moved here and there. My understanding is that the only fragment that remains is in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

As we know, the veneration of crosses and crucifixes is common and important, as they serve as a significant symbol of our faith. Because they are symbols, we don’t worship crosses and crucifixes. Interestingly though, St. Thomas Aquinas says that worship of the True Cross is appropriate. This was somewhat puzzling to me initially because Catholics don’t worship objects or symbols; we venerate them. But after reading St. Thomas Aquinas, I began to understand what he is saying:

“If we speak of the cross itself on which Christ was crucified, it is to be venerated by us in both ways- namely in one way in so far as it represents to us the figure of Christ extended thereon; in the other way from it contact with the limbs of Christ, and from its being saturated with His blood. Wherefore in each way it is worshipped with the same adoration as Christ. But if we speak of the effigy of Christ’s cross in any other material whatever- for instance, in stone or wood, silver or gold- thus we venerate the cross merely as Christ’s image, which we worship with the adoration of supreme worship,” (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 3, Q 25, Art 4).

Because the True Cross became joined with Jesus’s precious body and became inseparable with his blood, we can worship it. It is not the wood that is worshipped, but rather through the wood, we can worship God.