The Gospel reading for the 3rd Sunday of Lent, the Adoration of the Cross, centres on Christ's words to his disciples and all the people around Him that “whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”. But what are we to make of these words, “take up his cross”, what is Jesus asking us to do? I'm sure that each of us has our own ideas about what our cross, or crosses, consist of. For some people, it means putting up with someo

By God’s Mercy Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch to the Plenitude of the Church May the Grace and Peace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Together with our Prayer, Blessing and Forgiveness be with you Beloved brothers and children in the Lord, With the grace and loving kindness of God, tomorrow we enter the arena of Holy and Great Lent, the most suitable period for the soul—our own soul—to turn toward the Lord. This period is one of constant c