This approaching Sunday, May 3, is the great feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross. Sometimes also called the Invention of the Holy Cross, as a transliteration of the Latin title, Inventio Sanctae Crucis, this feast commemorates the discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine, and is not to be confused with the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th), which commemorates the dedication of the original Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as well as the recovery of the cross some centuries later.

Fr. Weedon has compiled a handy list of quotations from our Lutheran fathers concerning our liturgical heritage.

In our polity in the LCMS, we have episkope but not episkopoi. In other words, we have ordained men charged with oversight (episkope) of pastors and congregations, but they are not bishops (episkopoi). They are “presidents.” It’s a bit of an unfortunate turn of phrase, as a president is one who presides over a parliamentary meeting. Our district and synod presidents do this, but they have other tasks as well in addition to chairing the triennial conventions.