The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a major Christian festival, is celebrated on September 14th by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches to commemorate the discovery of the True Cross of Jesus and the dedication of the church built over his tomb. The feast also commemorates the recovery of the True Cross from the Persians by Emperor Heraclius in 628 AD, transforming the tool of crucifixion into the ultimate symbol of salvation and Christian love.