History and meaning of the holiday
The cross in the Christian faith is not just a symbol that signifies approaching faith, or as a talisman in the definition of God. It is the story of the long-suffering path when Jesus, the son of God, in the distant past, carried his cross to the mountain on which he was later crucified.
This is the path of Jesus and his cross, it is not only about the suffering of the then punished, it is about human destiny, about deeds, about good and evil. Someone at that moment sympathized with the son of God, someone cried, someone stood silently on the sidelines, but there were also those who, having nothing sacred, continued to mock and laugh at the beaten and weakened man in a difficult moment, setting Jesus up in every way to cause him even more pain and suffering. However, the only one who was truly saved was the one who, despite neither condemnation nor pain, and suffering, shared the niche with Jesus to carry his cross. For which he was later rewarded. That is not why they say “the world is not without good people”, but we should not just wait for help, we should do good on our own, without benefit for ourselves or for anyone.
Therefore, this holiday is not just about a symbol of “faith in God” or as an idol of “belonging to the Christian religion,” it is a moment of remembrance, as our ancestors said, “each one must bear his own cross,” which is relevant for us today.
When is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in 2026?
The Exaltation of the Cross is a non-transitory holiday, its dates remain fixed each year, but due to the transition of part of the population of Ukraine, together with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to the new calendar, the dates have shifted.
Despite this, many people still celebrate according to the old calendar out of habit or convenience. There are many parishes in Ukraine that preserve the tradition of celebrating according to the old calendar.
- According to the new (New Julian) calendar: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14 , 2026 .
- According to the old (Julian calendar) style: Churches and parishes that have not yet switched to the new calendar will celebrate the Exaltation of the Cross on September 27, 2026 .
Strict prohibitions on this day
As we wrote in our holiday stories above, this is not about a holiday of fun, but a day of remembrance and perpetuation of the fate of Jesus in the main symbol – the Cross. If you are a Christian, then you probably have a cross or icon on your chest.
The prohibitions of this day are primarily aimed at inflicting pain and suffering on other people. Christianity teaches us not to repeat mistakes, not to offend our neighbor, but on the contrary, to help him on his difficult path, even if it seems useless – good is always returned!
The second prohibition is on heavy physical labor, field work, and other matters not related to prayer. Go to church in the morning. Pray for your neighbor. Thank all your relatives and friends for their care. Postpone all housework and cutting, chopping, and mowing for another day.
The third prohibition against bad language. You must think good, do not send evil into this world, there is already so much of it. God remembers your good deeds and always rewards you for them. Maybe it will not be right away, but it will definitely be at the most crucial moment.
We have also previously written about other Christian holidays in September, namely, When is the Second Holy Mother of God (Christmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary) in 2026: according to the new and old style, history and prohibitions and When is the Beheading of John the Baptist 2026 according to the old calendar (style) and what absolutely cannot be done on this day .
Want to receive more news on this topic? Subscribe to our Telegram or Viber by clicking on the text!
