The feast of the Triumph of the Cross indicates that the Cross was shown to people as a sign of salvation and victory over evil. It commemorates the finding of the Holy Cross, the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, and the recovery of the relics of the Cross that had been carried off by the Persians in the early 7th century. For us, the Cross has a profound meaning, for on the Cross Christ overcame the power of evil. Therefore, no longer is the Cross the sign of shame or defeat, but of victory and salvation. - Dictionary of the Liturgy, Catholic Book Publishing Co, New York 1989