The Way of the Cross | Holy Trinity + Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral

“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

Sunday of the Holy Cross

The Way of the Cross

- Fr. Micah Hirschy -

This Sunday, at the midpoint of Lent, we celebrate the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross. Fr. Micah speaks of the beauty and power of the Holy Cross, which is the Tree of Life. He challenges us to ask ourselves, “How do we experience the Cross?”

To experience the Cross as a Tree of Life, we must heed the words of our Lord. Christ tells us to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow him. Fr. Micah stresses the difficulty of these three commands, especially the third: “Follow me.”

To follow Christ, we must lay aside our lives, not just for our neighbors, but for our enemies as well. To follow Christ, we must follow him into hell itself to share in the light of the resurrection. Herein lies the great law of Orthodox spiritual life, Fr. Micah explains. To ascend, we must first descend. To be filled, we must first empty ourselves. To live, we must first die. This is the way of the humility of Christ, the way of the Cross.

“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

Sunday Morning Divine Liturgy - 9:30

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080

Fr. Micah Hirschy grew up in St. Paul, MN and attended St. George Greek Orthodox Church. He graduated from Hellenic College in 2004 and continued his studies at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he graduated with an M. Div. in 2007. Upon graduating, he began working at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Memphis, TN as Pastoral Assistant. He was married in 2011 to Anastasia Hartzes of Mobile, AL and was ordained to the Deaconate and Priesthood by Metropolitan ALEXIOS of Atlanta in December of 2012. He currently serves as Ephemerios at the Holy Trinity Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham, AL.