On Tuesday, March 10th, Rev. Fr. Jebin Ipe celebrated a special service of Holy Qurbana at St. Mary’s JSOC London, in observance of Mid Lent and the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.

The 25th day of the lent,  is known as mid-Lent. This is one of the very few days during the Great Lent when the Holy Qurbana is celebrated on a weekday other than Sunday or Saturday. On this day, there is a procession around the church carrying the cross. This is followed by an exaltation of the cross (Sleeba Aaghosham) facing the four directions: East, West, North, and South. Then the cross is placed on a big decorated cross-like stand covered with a red cloth (Golgotha) in the middle of the church. This remains in the church until the Feast of Ascension of our Lord, which occurs 40 days after the Kyomtha (Feast of the Resurrection or otherwise known as Easter).

This exaltation of the cross has a direct link to the Gospel reading from the Holy Qurbana of Mid Lent. John 3: 14-15 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Moses lifted up the bronze serpent around the middle of the Exodus, the journey of the Israelites from slavery to their promised land. He lifted up the serpent so that those who are bitten by the snake might look at it and have life. Similarly, we at the middle of our Lenten journey, must also lift up the cross so that those who are bitten by sin can look at it and gain eternal life by the cross.