In the Roman rite this festival is called ‘Invention of the Holy Cross’, in allusion to the discovery of the tree on which Christ was crucified. The word ‘invention’ is the translation of the Latin term ‘I find‘, whose meaning is ‘discovery’. This is precisely what is celebrated: the discovery of the cross of Christ by Saint Helena (c.250-330), which occurred on May 3, 366.
This holiday, as has been noted, is also called ‘Day of the Cross’ or ‘Day of the Holy Cross’.
With special fervor, the celebrations are held in cities in Spain, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru; Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. In each city, locals usually intervene in public spaces with crosses covered in colorful flowers, while processions, dances or parades take place in the streets. Pilgrimages or walks are also carried out to the summit of a mountain that is crowned by a cross. There, between songs and prayers, the faithful place floral arrangements or “dress” (decorate) the cross.