Mid Lent 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. During the service, a procession is held around the church carrying the wood cross. The procession is followed by the 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 in the middle of the the church. This structure is known as 'Gogultha'. It is interesting to note that the 'Gogultha' is placed in the middle of the church (where the laity stands) - not in the madbaha or hykkala. The significance of this is to symbolize Jesus coming to earth from heaven and living in the midst of ordinary Israelites. (This was explained in the foreword to our last issue - Issue 333.)

Gogultha will remain in the midst of the church till Good Friday. This represent the public ministry of Jesus. After Easter, it is moved to the madbaha and stays there till the Feast of Ascension of our Lord which occurs 40 days after the Kyomtha (Feast of the Resurrection or Easter). In 2016, the ascension is on May 5, 2016. During the period between Easter and ascension, Jesus appeared to a limited number of people. There was no public ministry. So, the cross moves from the midst of the church to the madbaha during this period.

Syriac Orthodox Church celebrates the exaltation of the cross on two times during the year. One is on September 14 - the sleebo feast. The second is on the Mid-Lent. The veneration of the cross (Havudhmaalaakhe) is done on important feasts.

The liturgy of the 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, also lift up the cross so that those who are bitten by sin can look at it and gain eternal life by the cross.

The articles in this issue of MWJ further explain the role of the cross in our lives.

On mid lent Wednesday, the church also commemorates King Abgar. King Abgar, a contemporary of our Lord, was believed to have corresponded with Him during his time on the earth. King Abgar is one of the first who believed in Jesus without seeing Him and without doubting. After the ascension of the Saviour, the king and his subjects became Christians. Edessa became the first Christian country.

We strongly urge you to attend the service on Mid-Lent, understand the significance of the liturgy of the day and participate fully in the procession and the veneration of the cross. If you are not observing lent yet, it is not too late to start. Make it today.