The Cross And Virtue

Αἱ Χεῖρες τοῦ  Χριστοῦ προσπαγεῖσαι τῷ σταυρῷ, καὶ οἱ πόδες προσηλωθέντες σημαίνουσι πράξεων τε πονηρῶν, καὶ τοῦ πρὸς πᾶσαν δυσσέβεαιν καὶ στερεὸν ἐμποδισμόν. Τῇ γὰρ ἰσχύει τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ σταυροῦ κατεπαλαίσαμεν, καὶ κατεπατήσαμεν, καὶ ἐξεβιασάμεθα τὴν πρώνη ἡμᾶς νικῶσαν, καὶ ἀπατῶσαν καὶ ἐκβιασζομένην ἁμαρτίαν. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΚΗ', Ἱππονικῳ Σκρινιαριῳ Source: Migne PG 79.201a-b

The hands of Christ affixed to the cross and the nailing of His feet signify both evil actions and what is the firm impediment to every wickedness and crime. For with virtue we have been stretched out on the cross of the Lord, and there we have trampled on and kicked off what before had conquered us and laughed at us and driven us to sin. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 328, To Hipponicus the Notary