The Church Of The Holy Rood      --      Wool, Dorset, U.K.

Celebrating Holy Rood (or Holy Cross) Day

(14th September)

It was on this day that Jews in Rome were compelled to go to church or listen to a sermon, a custom abolished c.1840.

"Holy-Cross Day" a poem by Robert Browning reflects the attitude of the corrupt mediaeval Christians and Jews toward each other. The introduction to the poem gives the point of view of an imaginary Bishop's Secretary, who congratulates himself upon the good work the Church is doing in forcing its doctrine on the Jews in the Holy-Cross Day sermon, and effecting many conversions. The poem shows that the Jews regard this solicitude on the part of the Christians with hatred and scorn.

Now was come about Holy-Cross Day, and now must my lord preach his first sermon to the Jews: as it was of old cared for in the merciful bowels of the Church, that, so to speak, a crumb at least from her conspicuous table here in Rome should be, though but once yearly, cast to the famishing dogs, under-trampled and bespitten-upon beneath the feet of the guests. And a moving sight in truth, ……. (for He saith, 'Compel them to come in') haled, as it were, by the head and hair, and against their obstinate hearts, to partake of the heavenly grace.

What the Jews really said, on being driven to church, was rather to this effect:

Fee, faw, fum! bubble and squeak!

Blessedest Thursday's the fat of the week.

Rumble and tumble, sleek and rough,

Stinking and savoury, smug and gruff,

Take the church-road, for the bell's due chime

Gives us the summons--'tis sermon-time!................

                (Robert Browning Holy-Cross Day)

This is the day of dedication of your Parish Church, and we like the medieval Church will be celebrating, but not in the way as described above.

As you will read in the magazine we are celebrating Holy Rood Day as Back to Church Sunday, when we will be personally inviting people to come and join with us on that day.

People lose touch with the Church for all sorts of reasons, but we want to invite you to come and celebrate with us on 14 September, Holy Rood Day. (Last year 2000 churches took part in this initiative and invited and welcomed back 20,000 friends.)

There are other activities on that day as well as church services for you to join in. The theme for the day is The Feeding of the 5,000. The crowd who gathered to meet with Jesus had walked on foot for a long time to meet with him, and experience more of what he could do in their lives.

Each person gathered there was special and important to Jesus. Something we may struggle to believe. We may feel that we have nothing to offer. But the point is not about what we have to offer Jesus, but what he has to offer us. All we have to do is recognise our need and he will meet it.

Come and celebrate Holy Rood Day with us and experience what Jesus can do in your life.

Judy Hill

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Last modified: Tuesday, 20 July 2010