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The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrates two historical events: the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, in 320 under the temple of Venus in Jerusalem, and the dedication in 335 of the basilica and shrine built on Calvary by Constantine, which mark the site of the Crucifixion. The basilica, named the Martyrium, and the shrine, named the Calvarium, were destroyed by the Persians in 614. The Church of the Holy sepulcher which now stands on the site was built by the crusaders in 1149. However the feast, more than anything else, is a celebration and commemoration of God’s greatest work: his salvific death on the Cross and His Resurrection, through which death was defeated and the doors to Heaven opened. The entrance antiphon for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is: “We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection: through him we are saved and made free.”
Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=594
The crucifix is ancient pagan in origin, especially Dionysus, whose followers also carried crucifix amulets. There is nothing in Christianity that is unique or original to it, not even it’s church hierarchy and costumes. Eg, The practice of male preachers dressing up in a frock comes from Dionysus, the mitered hat and staff comes from the Persian fish god Dagon cult Zoroastrianism of three wise men fame, a similar mystery cult to Mithraism and Dionysus. In fact Mithraism and Dionysus frequently shared the same building, with Mithraism with its emphasis on self sacrifice as a male only warrior cult, occupying the cellar or catacombes, and Dionysus with it’s celebration of life, abundance and festival mindset turning water into wine, occupying the ground level. The mystery part being a reference to their ignorance, not knowing why or how the substances taken, like alcohol and hallucinogenics, affected their minds and behaviour.