«ὁ Τίμιος Σταυρός, τὸ ὑπέρτατο σύμβολο τῆς θυσίας καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Κυρίου μας»

"The Precious Cross, the supreme symbol of the sacrifice and the love of our Lord" Festive Sermons - Holy Ambo 20.09.2026 Metropolitan of Aetolia and Acarnania Damaskinos In the middle of September, the Precious Cross is raised, the supreme symbol of the sacrifice and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Essentially, the entire month is dedicated to it. Proof of this is the desire of our Church to name the Sunday before this great feast "Sunday before the Exaltation of the Precious Cross," and the following one "Sunday after the Exaltation of the Precious Cross." It is on this Sunday, therefore, that we find ourselves today. Today's Gospel constitutes simultaneously an invitation and a revelation. The Lord Himself, through the pericope of the Gospel of the Evangelist Mark, addresses us, who have chosen to be called Christians. With simplicity but also with full clarity, He invites us and simultaneously reveals to us what is the content of the word "Christian." This epithet appeared for the first time in Antioch and, from then on, billions of people made it synonymous with their identity, declaring to the world that they belong to Christ, that His teaching and His example govern their lives, and that they desire to follow His path. However, this path has not been traced by the human mind, nor even by His Church, but by Him, who today reveals it to us, not allowing us any misinterpretation or doubt: "If anyone wishes to follow after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mk. 8:34). That is: "Whoever wishes to follow me, let him deny himself, let him take up his cross and let him follow me." This phrase answers the questions of every Christian regarding what he must do, which path to follow, and what is the meaning of life. Every word of it encompasses spiritual depth and constitutes a safe compass of life. How much nobility, respect for human freedom, and discernment do the first words of it hide! "Whoever wishes." Christ remains always present and available, desiring a meeting with us, which is to be based on human freedom. He does not coerce, nor threaten, nor force. He invites us to accept Him, who expects nothing from us, but is Ready to offer us everything. Let us continue, however: Christ calls us to follow Him. Every time we find ourselves at a crossroads of life, it is logical for us to be filled with a question, perhaps even an anxiety: "Where does the road that I will choose lead? What dangers does it hide? Is there someone who has walked it and can give me directions for the journey?" Christ, my brothers, does not send us on a road. He calls us to become His companions on a continuous journey in history. "Do not be afraid," He tells us, "If you look ahead, you will discern me walking. If you look down, you will see my blood-stained steps." The road to which I call you is not easy. However, I can assure you of two things: First, that you will never remain alone and helpless. And second, that, at the end of this road, which is sometimes difficult and sometimes painful, lies the joy of my Resurrection and the eternal blessedness of the Kingdom." So? What must we do, from the moment we freely choose to follow Christ? Two things: First of all, to deny ourselves! Truly, what does this mean? How can one deny what he is? Denial, my brothers, does not mean rejection of ourselves, but his dethronement from the arrogant throne of egoism. Christ calls us to stop considering ourselves as the center of the world and to have as our first and, often, sole motive our individual benefit and self-service. On the contrary, He calls us to the joy that our willingness offers to transform the benefit and service of our brother into our will. And then? To take up our cross! And what does this mean? We often say of a person who suffers that they “take up their cross.” However, today’s reading offers a broader and higher dimension: the cross we are called to take up is not a human construction concerning only us, but a copy of the Cross of our Lord. Do you remember, from Christ’s journey to Golgotha, the moment when, under the weight of the Cross, His knees buckle and Simon the Cyrenian is called to help Him? Truly, what was it that made the Cross of Christ so heavy? The answer is found in the words of John the Forerunner, when he beholds Christ approaching to be baptized: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus, on His way to Golgotha, at some point bends under the weight of the sins of all humanity. He, being innocent, bears the consequences of our own mistakes. This supreme theological truth is also the essence of our own cross: Whoever follows Christ does not bear only the weight of his own errors, but offers, as far as he can endure, a helping hand to the whole society, not examining who is to blame, but seeking what he can offer to those who suffer, even from their own mistakes. The world often insists on judging and assigning blame. The Christian, however, is always available to heal wounds, without constantly seeking out the guilty. The word “Christian” is not simply an element of identity, but a specific way of life, as taught by the Crucified One. Whoever follows Him learns what it means to be a “true Christian”: It is a great embrace that seeks to resemble those all-holy and blood-stained hands that were once stretched out upon the Cross. An embrace, ready to comfort, to care for, and to support the whole world, without forcing and without dividing people. Let us, therefore, strive to live out the true meaning of the word “Christian.” Let us keep our gaze fixed on the figure of Him who goes before, carrying on His shoulders the Cross of the sins of all people. Let us constantly ask Him to deem us worthy to experience, even in small measure, of His boundless love. Let us also become, through our way of life, apostles and evangelists of that love.

«ὁ Τίμιος Σταυρός, τὸ ὑπέρτατο σύμβολο τῆς θυσίας καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Κυρίου μας» Εορταστικοί λόγοι - Ιερός Άμβων 20.09.2026 Μητροπολίτης Αιτωλίας και Ακαρνανίας Δαμασκηνός Στὸ μέσον τοῦ Σεπτεμβρίου, ὑψώνεται ὁ Τίμιος Σταυρός, τὸ ὑπέρτατο σύμβολο τῆς θυσίας καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Κυρίου μας Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οὐσιαστικά, ὁλόκληρος ὁ μῆνας εἶναι ἀφιερωμένος σ΄ αὐτόν. Ἀπόδειξη ἀποτελεῖ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας νὰ ὀνομάσει τὴν μὲν Κυριακὴ πρὶν ἀπὸ τὴ μεγάλη αὐτὴ ἑορτὴ «Κυριακὴ πρὸ τῆς Ὑψώσεως τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ», τὴν δὲ ἑπομένη «Κυριακὴ μετὰ τὴν Ὕψωση τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ». Σὲ αὐτὴ τὴν Κυριακή, λοιπόν, βρισκόμαστε σήμερα. Τὸ σημερινὸ Εὐαγγέλιο ἀποτελεῖ συγχρόνως πρόσκληση ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποκάλυψη. Ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Κύριος, μέσα ἀπὸ τὴν περικοπὴ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ E’υαγγελιστοῦ Μάρκου, ἀπευθύνεται πρὸς ἐμᾶς, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἔχουμε ἐπιλέξει νὰ ὀνομαζόμαστε Χριστιανοί. Μὲ λιτότητα ἀλλὰ καὶ μὲ πλήρη σαφήνεια μᾶς προσκαλεῖ καὶ συγχρόνως μᾶς ἀποκαλύπτει ποιό εἶναι τὸ περιεχόμενο τῆς λέξεως «Χριστιανός». Τὸ προσωνύμιο αὐτὸ ἐμφανίστηκε γιὰ πρώτη φορὰ στὴν Ἀντιόχεια καί, ἀπὸ τότε, δισεκατομμύρια ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἔκαναν συνώνυμο τῆς ταυτότητός τους, δηλώνοντας πρὸς τὸν κόσμο πὼς ἀνήκουν στὸν Χριστό, πὼς ἡ διδασκαλία καὶ τὸ παράδειγμά Του ρυθμίζουν τὴν ζωή τους καὶ πὼς ἐπιθυμοῦν νὰ ἀκολουθήσουν τὸν δικό Του δρόμο. Ὁ δρόμος αὐτός, ὅμως, δὲν ἔχει χαραχθεῖ ἀπὸ τὴν ἀνθρώπινη διάνοια, οὔτε κἂν ἀπὸ τὴν Ἐκκλησία Του, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ Ἐκεῖνον, ὁ ὁποῖος σήμερα μᾶς τὸν ἀποκαλύπτει, μὴν ἐπιτρέποντάς μας καμία παρερμηνεία ἢ ἀμφιβολία: «Εἴ τὶς θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἀκολουθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταὺρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι» (Μρκ. 8:34). Δηλαδή: «Ὅποιος θέλει νὰ μὲ ἀκολουθήσει, ἂς ἀπαρνηθεῖ τὸν ἑαυτό του, ἂς σηκώσει τὸν σταυρό του κι ἂς μὲ ἀκολουθεῖ». Ἡ φράση αὐτὴ ἀπαντᾶ στὰ ἐρωτήματα τοῦ κάθε Χριστιανοῦ γιὰ τὸ τί πρέπει νὰ κάνει, ποιόν δρόμο νὰ ἀκολουθήσει καὶ ποιό εἶναι τὸ νόημα τῆς ζωῆς. Κάθε λέξη της ἐμπερικλείει πνευματικὸ βάθος καὶ ἀποτελεῖ ἀσφαλῆ πυξίδα ζωῆς. Πόση εὐγένεια, σεβασμὸ στὴν ἀνθρώπινη ἐλευθερία καὶ διακριτικότητα κρύβουν οἱ πρῶτες λέξεις της! «Ὅποιος θέλει». Ὁ Χριστὸς παραμένει πάντα παρὼν καὶ διαθέσιμος, ἐπιθυμῶντας μία συνάντηση μαζί μας, ἡ ὁποία νὰ στηρίζεται στὴν ἀνθρώπινη ἐλευθερία. Δὲν ἐκβιάζει οὔτε ἀπειλεῖ οὔτε ἐξαναγκάζει. Προσκαλεῖ νά ἀποδεχθοῦμε Ἐκεῖνον, ὁ Ὁποῖος δὲν περιμένει ἀπὸ ἐμᾶς τίποτα, ἀλλὰ εἶναι Ἕτοιμος νὰ μᾶς προσφέρει τὰ πάντα. Ἂς συνεχίσουμε, ὅμως: Ὁ Χριστὸς μᾶς καλεῖ νὰ Τὸν ἀκολουθήσουμε. Κάθε φορὰ ποὺ βρισκόμαστε σὲ ἕνα σταυροδρόμι τῆς ζωῆς, εἶναι λογικὸ νὰ μᾶς διακατέχει ἕνα ἐρώτημα, ἴσως καὶ μία ἀγωνία: «Ποῦ ὁδηγεῖ ὁ δρόμος ποὺ θὰ ἐπιλέξω; Τί κινδύνους κρύβει; Ὑπάρχει κάποιος ποὺ τὸν περπάτησε καὶ μπορεῖ νὰ μοῦ δώσει ὁδηγίες πορείας;» Ὁ Χριστός, ἀδελφοί μου, δὲν μᾶς στέλνει σὲ ἕναν δρόμο. Μᾶς καλεῖ νὰ γίνουμε συνοδοιπόροι Του σὲ ἕνα διαρκὲς ταξίδι στὴν ἱστορία. «Μὴ φοβᾶστε», μᾶς λέει, «Ἂν κοιτάξετε μπροστά σας, θὰ μὲ διακρίνετε νὰ περπατῶ. Ἂν κοιτάξετε κάτω, θὰ δεῖτε τὰ ματωμένα μου βήματα». Δὲν εἶναι εὔκολος ὁ δρόμος, στὸν ὁποῖο σᾶς καλῶ. Μπορῶ, ὅμως, νὰ σᾶς διαβεβαιώσω γιὰ δύο πράγματα: Πρῶτον, πὼς ποτὲ δὲν θὰ μείνετε μόνοι καὶ ἀβοήθητοι. Καὶ δεύτερον, πώς, στὸ τέλος αὐτοῦ τοῦ δρόμου, ποὺ ἄλλοτε εἶναι δύσκολος καὶ ἄλλοτε ἐπώδυνος, βρίσκεται ἡ χαρὰ τῆς Ἀναστάσεώς μου καὶ ἡ ἀτέρμονη μακαριότητα τῆς Βασιλείας». Λοιπόν;. Τί πρέπει νὰ κάνουμε, ἀπὸ τὴν στιγμὴ ποὺ ἐπιλέγουμε ἐλεύθερα νὰ ἀκολουθήσουμε τὸν Χριστό; Δύο πράγματα: Κατ’ ἀρχὰς νὰ ἀπαρνηθοῦμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας! Ἀλήθεια, τί σημαίνει αὐτό; Πῶς μπορεῖ κάποιος νὰ ἀπαρνηθεῖ αὐτὸ ποὺ εἶναι; Ἡ ἀπάρνηση, ἀδελφοί μου, δὲν σημαίνει ἄρνηση τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ μας, ἀλλὰ ἐκθρόνισή του ἀπὸ τὸν ἀλαζονικὸ θρόνο τοῦ ἐγωισμοῦ. Ὁ Χριστὸς μᾶς καλεῖ νὰ πάψουμε νὰ θεωροῦμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας ὡς τὸ κέντρο τοῦ κόσμου καὶ νὰ ἔχουμε ὡς πρῶτο καί, συχνά, μοναδικὸ κίνητρο τὴν ἀτομική μας ὠφέλεια καὶ ἐξυπηρέτηση. Ἀντίθετα, μᾶς καλεῖ στὴν χαρὰ ποὺ προσφέρει ἡ προθυμία μας νὰ μετατρέπουμε σὲ θέλημά μας τὴν ὠφέλεια καὶ τὴν ἐξυπηρέτηση τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μας. Καὶ κατόπιν; Νὰ σηκώσουμε τὸν σταυρό μας! Καὶ αὐτό, τί σημαίνει; Λέμε συχνὰ γιὰ κάποιον ἄνθρωπο ποὺ ὑποφέρει πὼς «σηκώνει τὸν σταυρό του». Ἡ σημερινὴ περικοπή, ὅμως, προσφέρει μιὰ εὐρύτερη καὶ ὑψηλότερη διάσταση: Ὁ σταυρὸς ποὺ καλούμαστε νὰ σηκώσουμε δὲν ἀποτελεῖ ἀνθρώπινη κατασκευή, ποὺ ἀφορᾶ μόνον ἐμᾶς, ἀλλὰ ἀντίγραφο τοῦ Σταυροῦ τοῦ Κυρίου μας. Θυμᾶστε, ἀπὸ τὴν πορεία τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς τὸν Γολγοθᾶ, τὴν στιγμή, κατὰ τὴν ὁποία, ἀπὸ τὸ βάρος τοῦ Σταυροῦ, τὰ γόνατά Του λυγίζουν καὶ καλεῖται ὁ Σίμων ὁ Κυρηναῖος νὰ Τὸν βοηθήσει; Ἀλήθεια, τί ἦταν αὐτὸ ποὺ ἔκανε τόσο βαρὺ τὸν Σταυρὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Ἡ ἀπάντηση βρίσκεται στὰ λόγια τοῦ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Προδρόμου, ὅταν ἀντικρίζει τὸν Χριστὸ ποὺ προσέρχεται νὰ βαπτιστεῖ: «Ἰδού ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου» (Ἰω. 1:29). Ὁ Ἰησοῦς, στὴν πορεία Του πρὸς τὸν Γολγοθᾶ, κάποια στιγμὴ λυγίζει ἀπὸ τὸ βάρος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μιᾶς ὁλόκληρης ἀνθρωπότητος. Αὐτός, ὄντας ἀθῶος, ἐπωμίζεται τὶς συνέπειες τῶν δικῶν μας σφαλμάτων. Ἡ κορυφαία αὐτὴ θεολογικὴ ἀλήθεια ἀποτελεῖ καὶ τὴν οὐσία τοῦ δικοῦ μας σταυροῦ: Ὅποιος ἀκολουθεῖ τὸν Χριστό, δὲν ἐπωμίζεται μόνο τὸ βάρος τῶν δικῶν του λαθῶν, ἀλλὰ προσφέρει, ὅσο ἀντέχει, χέρι βοηθείας σὲ ὁλόκληρη τὴν κοινωνία, μὴν ἐξετάζοντας ποιός φταίει, ἀλλὰ ἀναζητῶντας τί μπορεῖ νὰ προσφέρει σὲ ἐκείνους ποὺ ὑποφέρουν, ἔστω καὶ ἀπὸ τὰ δικά τους λάθη. Ὁ κόσμος συχνὰ ἐπιμένει νὰ δικάζει καὶ νὰ καταλογίζει εὐθύνες. Ὁ Χριστιανός, ὅμως, εἶναι πάντα διαθέσιμος νὰ γιατρέψει πληγές, χωρὶς νὰ ἀναζητᾶ διαρκῶς τοὺς ἐνόχους. Ἡ λέξη «Χριστιανὸς» δὲν ἀποτελεῖ ἁπλῶς στοιχεῖο ταυτότητος, ἀλλὰ συγκεκριμένο τρόπο ζωῆς, ὅπως τὸν δίδαξε ὁ Ἐσταυρωμένος. Ὅποιος Τὸν ἀκολουθεῖ, μαθαίνει τί σημαίνει «ἀληθινὸς Χριστιανός»: Εἶναι μιὰ μεγάλη ἀγκαλιὰ ποὺ θέλει νὰ μοιάσει σὲ ἐκεῖνα τὰ πάνσεπτα καὶ αἱματοβαμμένα χέρια ποὺ ἁπλώθηκαν κάποτε πάνω στὸν Σταυρό. Μιὰ ἀγκαλιά, ἕτοιμη νὰ παρηγορήσει, νὰ περιθάλψει καὶ νὰ στηρίξει ὅλον τὸν κόσμο, χωρὶς νὰ ἐξαναγκάζει καὶ χωρὶς νὰ διαχωρίζει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Ἂς ἀγωνιστοῦμε, λοιπόν, νὰ βιώσουμε τὸ ἀληθινὸ νόημα τῆς λέξεως «Χριστιανός». Ἂς ἔχουμε τὸ βλέμμα μας προσηλωμένο στὴν μορφὴ Ἐκείνου ποὺ προπορεύεται, φέροντας στοὺς ὤμους Του τὸν Σταυρὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὅλων τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἂς Τοῦ ζητοῦμε διαρκῶς νὰ μᾶς ἀξιώσει νὰ βιώσουμε, ἔστω καὶ ψήγματα, ἀπὸ τὴν δική Του ἀπέραντη ἀγάπη. Ἂς γίνουμε κι ἐμεῖς, μὲ τὸν τρόπο τῆς ζωῆς μας, ἀπόστολοι καὶ εὐαγγελιστὲς αὐτῆς τῆς ἀγάπης.