Over the centuries-old history of Christianity, masters of church art have created many forms and varieties of the cross. Today, historians know more than thirty types of designs of the Christian cross. Each of the forms carries a deep, symbolic meaning; there has never been anything random or arbitrary in Christian symbols. They were widespread in Russian Orthodoxy, and are now found most often, the following types: eight-pointed, four-pointed, trefoil, petal, Moscow, grapevine cross, Let's dwell on them in more detail.
Eight-pointed cross most fully corresponds to the factual, historical truth. The cross acquired its completed, eight-pointed shape after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on it. Ancient historians write about this: St. Justin the Philosopher, Tertullian and others. Before the crucifixion, when the Lord carried the cross to Calvary on His shoulders, the cross had four points. The lower, oblique crossbar and the upper, short one, were made by soldiers immediately after the crucifixion.
The lower crossbar represents the stool that the soldiers attached to the cross, “when it became clear to what place Christ’s feet would reach.” The top crossbar is a tablet with an inscription made by order of Pilate, as we know from the Gospel. The sequence of events was as follows: first, “they crucified Him” (John 19:18), and after dividing the clothes by lot, at the command of Pilate, “they placed an inscription over His head, signifying His guilt: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27 ; 37)
The eight-pointed form is still considered generally accepted in Orthodoxy. Crosses of exactly this shape hang on the dome Orthodox churches, are depicted on the covers of sacred books and on icons. Modern pectoral crosses are usually eight-pointed in shape.
Four-pointed cross is also historically reliable, and is called “His cross” in the Gospel. It was the four-pointed cross that the Lord carried to Calvary.
The four-pointed cross in Rus' was called the Roman or Latin cross. The name corresponds to historical realities: execution on the cross was introduced by the Romans, and the crucifixion of Christ took place on the territory of the Roman Empire. Accordingly, execution by crucifixion and the instrument of execution itself were considered Roman. In the West to this day, the image of a four-pointed cross is most common, but compared to others.
Saint Dmitry of Rostov, during a polemic with the Old Believers about which cross is the truest, wrote: “And not by the number of trees, not by the number of ends, the Cross of Christ is revered by us, but by Christ Himself, whose most holy blood was stained. ... any cross does not act by itself, but by the power of Christ crucified on it and by invoking His most holy name.”
Cross Vine known since antiquity. They decorated the tombstones of Christians, liturgical books and utensils. From the tree of the cross comes a branching vine with beautiful, full-bodied tassels and patterned leaves. The symbolism of the cross is based on the words of the Savior: “I am the vine, and you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5)
This form of the cross reminds Christians of the need to bear fruit during earthly life, and of the words of Christ “without me you can do nothing.”
A type of quadrangular cross - petal-shaped cross. Its ends are made in the form of flower petals. This form was often used when painting church buildings, in vestments of the priesthood, and decorating liturgical utensils. Petal crosses are found in the mosaic of the Kyiv Church of St. Sophia, the mosaic dates back to the 9th century. Pectoral crosses, both in ancient times and in the modern church, were often made in the form of a petal cross.
Trefoil cross is a four-pointed or six-pointed cross, the ends of which are made in the shape of a trefoil - three pointed leaves. Altar crosses of this shape are common in Russia. The trefoil cross was included in the coats of arms of many cities of the Russian Empire.
It is known that in Rus' pectoral crosses were made from gold or silver coins. This cross had an equilateral, quadrangular shape and rounded ends. It got the name "Moscow cross", due to the fact that Moscow merchants often wore just such a cross.
You can buy silver body crosses
You can buy baptismal gold crosses
"Take up your cross and follow Me"
(Mark 8:34)
That the Cross is in everyone’s life Orthodox man everyone knows plays a big role. This also applies to the Cross, as a symbol of the sufferings of the cross. Orthodox Christian which he must endure with humility and trust in the will of God, and the Cross, as a fact of confession of Christianity, and great power, capable of protecting a person from enemy attacks. It is worth noting that many miracles were performed with the Sign of the Cross. Suffice it to say that one of the great Sacraments is performed by the Cross - the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Mary of Egypt, having crossed the water with the sign of the cross, crossed the Jordan, Spyridon of Trimifuntsky turned a snake into gold, and with the sign of the cross they healed the sick and possessed. But, perhaps, the most important miracle: the sign of the cross, applied with deep faith, protects us from the power of Satan.
The Cross itself, as a terrible instrument of shameful execution, chosen by Satan as the banner of lethality, evoked insurmountable fear and horror, but, thanks to Christ the Victor, it became a desired trophy, evoking joyful feelings. Therefore, Saint Hippolytus of Rome, the Apostolic Man, exclaimed: “and the Church has its own trophy over death - this is the Cross of Christ, which it bears on itself,” and Saint Paul, the Apostle of the tongues, wrote in his Epistle: “I wish to boast (.. .) only by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"
The cross accompanies an Orthodox person throughout his life. “Telnik”, as the pectoral cross was called in Rus', is placed on the baby in the Sacrament of Baptism in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34 ).
It is not enough to simply put on a cross and consider yourself a Christian. The cross should express what is in a person's heart. In some cases it is deep Christian faith, in others - formal, external belonging to Christian Church. This desire is often not the fault of our fellow citizens, but only a consequence of their lack of enlightenment, years of Soviet anti-religious propaganda, and apostasy from God. But the Cross is the greatest Christian shrine, visible evidence of our redemption.
Today there are many different misunderstandings and even superstitions and myths associated with the pectoral cross. Let's try to figure out this difficult issue together.
This is why the pectoral cross is called that because it is worn under clothing, never on display (only priests wear the cross outside). This does not mean that the pectoral cross must be hidden and hidden under any circumstances, but still it is not customary to deliberately display it for public viewing. The church charter establishes that you must kiss your pectoral cross upon completion. evening prayers. In a moment of danger or when your soul is anxious, it would also not be amiss to kiss your cross and read the words “Save and preserve” on its back.
The sign of the cross must be done with all attention, with fear, with trembling and with extreme reverence. Placing three large fingers on the forehead, one must say: “in the name of the Father,” then, lowering the hand in the same form on the chest “and the Son,” moving the hand to the right shoulder, then to the left: “and the Holy Spirit.” Having made this holy sign of the cross on yourself, conclude with the word “Amen.” You can also say the prayer during the laying of the Cross: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen".
There is no canonical form of the pectoral cross approved by the councils. According to the expression of Rev. Theodore the Studite - “the cross of any form is the true cross.” Saint Demetrius of Rostov wrote back in the 18th century: “We venerate the Cross of Christ not by the number of trees, not by the number of ends, but by Christ himself, with the Most Holy Blood, Whom he was stained with. Displaying miraculous power, any Cross does not act by itself, but by the power of Christ crucified on it and by invoking His Most Holy Name.” Orthodox tradition knows an infinite variety of types of crosses: four-, six-, eight-pointed; with a semicircle at the bottom, petal-shaped, teardrop-shaped, crescent-shaped and others.
Each line of the Cross has a deep symbolic meaning. On the back of the cross, the inscription “Save and preserve” is most often written; sometimes there are prayer inscriptions “May God rise again” and others.
Eight-pointed shape of the Orthodox cross
The classic eight-pointed cross is the most common in Russia. The shape of this Cross most closely matches the Cross on which Christ was crucified. Therefore, such a Cross is no longer only a sign, but also an image of the Cross of Christ.
Above the long middle crossbar of such a cross there is a straight short crossbar - a tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” nailed by order of Pilate above the head of the Crucified Savior. The lower oblique crossbar, the upper end of which faces north and the lower end faces south, symbolizes the foot, designed to serve to increase the torment of the Crucified, since the deceptive feeling of some support under his feet prompts the executed person to involuntarily try to lighten his burden by leaning on it, which only prolongs torment.
Dogmatically, the eight ends of the Cross mean eight main periods in the history of mankind, where the eighth is the life of the next century, the Kingdom of Heaven, because one of the ends of such a Cross points up into the sky. This also means that the path to Heavenly Kingdom opened by Christ through His Redemptive Feat, according to His word: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
The oblique crossbar to which the Savior’s feet were nailed thus means that in the earthly life of people with the coming of Christ, who walked the earth preaching, the balance of all people without exception being under the power of sin was disrupted. When the eight-pointed Cross depicts the crucified Lord Jesus Christ, the Cross as a whole becomes a complete image of the Savior’s Crucifixion and therefore contains all the fullness of the power contained in the Lord’s suffering on the cross, the mysterious presence of Christ crucified.
There are two main types of images of the crucified Savior. An ancient view of the Crucifixion depicts Christ with his arms stretched wide and straight along the transverse central crossbar: the body does not sag, but rests freely on the Cross. The second, later view depicts the Body of Christ sagging, with his arms raised up and to the sides. The second type presents to the eye the image of the suffering of Christ for the sake of our salvation; Here you can see the human body of the Savior suffering in agony. This image is more typical of the Catholic Crucifixion. But such an image does not convey the entire dogmatic meaning of these sufferings on the cross. This meaning is contained in the words of Christ himself, who said to the disciples and people: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me” (John 12:32).
Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially in times Ancient Rus', had six-pointed cross. It also has an inclined crossbar, but the meaning is somewhat different: the lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes liberation through repentance.
Four-pointed cross shape
The debate about the “correct” cross did not arise today. The debate about which cross was correct, eight-pointed or four-pointed, was waged by Orthodox and Old Believers, with the latter calling a simple four-pointed cross “the seal of the Antichrist.” Saint John of Kronstadt spoke out in defense of the four-pointed cross, devoting his candidate’s dissertation “On the Cross of Christ, in denunciation of imaginary Old Believers” to this topic.
St. John of Kronstadt explains: “The “Byzantine” four-pointed cross is in fact a “Russian” cross, since, according to Church Tradition, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir brought from Korsun, where he was baptized, just such a cross and was the first to install it on the banks of the Dnieper in Kyiv. A similar four-pointed cross has been preserved in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral, carved on the marble plaque of the tomb of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, son of St. Vladimir.” But, defending the four-pointed cross, St. John concludes that both should be venerated equally, since the shape of the cross itself has no fundamental difference for believers.
Encolpion - reliquary cross
Reliquaries, or encolpions (Greek), came to Rus' from Byzantium and were intended to store particles of relics and other shrines. Sometimes the encolpion was used to preserve the Holy Gifts, which the first Christians during the era of persecution received for Communion in their homes and had with them. The most common were relics made in the shape of a cross and decorated with icons, as they combined the power of several sacred objects that a person could wear on his chest.
The reliquary cross consists of two halves with indentations on inside, which form a cavity where the shrines are placed. As a rule, such crosses contain a piece of fabric, wax, incense, or just a tuft of hair. When filled, such crosses acquire great protective and healing power.
Schema cross, or “Golgotha”
The inscriptions and cryptograms on Russian crosses have always been much more diverse than on Greek ones. Since the 11th century, under the lower oblique crossbar of the eight-pointed cross, a symbolic image of the head of Adam appears, and the bones of the hands lying in front of the head are depicted: right on left, as during burial or Communion. According to legend, Adam was buried on Golgotha (in Hebrew, “place of the skull”), where Christ was crucified. These words of his clarify the tradition that had developed in Rus' by the 16th century of making the following designations near the image of “Golgotha”:
- "M.L.R.B." - the place of execution was quickly crucified
- "G.G." - Mount Golgotha
- "G.A." - head of Adamov
- The letters "K" and "T" stand for the warrior's copy and the cane with a sponge, depicted along the cross.
The following inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar:
- “IC” “XC” is the name of Jesus Christ;
- and under it: “NIKA” - Winner;
- on the title or near it there is an inscription: “SN” “BZHIY” - Son of God,
- but more often “I.N.C.I” - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews;
- the inscription above the title: “TSR” “SLVI” means King of Glory.
Such crosses are supposed to be embroidered on the vestments of monks who have accepted the schema - a vow to observe particularly strict ascetic rules of behavior. The Calvary cross is also depicted on the funeral shroud, which marks the preservation of the vows given at Baptism, like the white shroud of the newly baptized, signifying cleansing from sin. When consecrating churches and houses, the image of the Cross “Golgotha” is also used on the walls of the building in the four cardinal directions.
How to distinguish an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one?
Catholic Church uses only one image of the Cross - a simple, quadrangular one with an elongation of the lower part. But if the shape of the cross most often does not matter for believers and servants of the Lord, then the position of the Body of Jesus is a fundamental disagreement between these two religions. In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. It reveals all human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to experience. His arms sag under the weight of his body, blood streams down his face and from wounds on his arms and legs. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is plausible, but this image dead person, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. The Orthodox tradition depicts the Savior symbolically, His appearance expresses not the agony of the cross, but the triumph of the Resurrection. Jesus' palms are open, as if he wants to embrace all humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is God, and his whole image speaks of this.
Another fundamental position is the position of the feet on the Crucifix. The fact is that among Orthodox shrines There are four nails with which Jesus Christ was supposedly nailed to the cross. This means that the arms and legs were nailed separately. The Catholic Church does not agree with this statement and keeps its three nails with which Jesus was fastened to the cross. In the Catholic Crucifixion, Christ's feet are placed together and nailed with a single nail. Therefore, when you bring a cross to the temple for consecration, it will be carefully examined for the number of nails.
The inscription on the tablet attached above the head of Jesus, where there should have been a description of his offense, is also different. But since Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” appeared on the tablet in three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic. Accordingly, on Catholic crosses you will see the inscription in Latin I.N.R.I., and on Russian Orthodox crosses - I.N.C.I. (also found I.N.Ts.I.)
Consecration of the pectoral cross
Another very important issue is the consecration of the pectoral cross. If a cross is purchased at a temple shop, then it is usually consecrated. If the cross was purchased elsewhere or has an unknown origin, then it must be taken to the church, ask one of the temple servants or the worker behind the candle box to transfer the cross to the altar. After examining the cross and if it matches Orthodox canons the priest will serve the rites prescribed in this case. Usually the priest blesses the crosses during the morning prayer service. If we're talking about about the baptismal cross for a baby, then consecration is possible during the Sacrament of Baptism itself.
When consecrating the cross, the priest reads two special prayers, in which he asks the Lord God to pour heavenly power into the cross and that this cross will protect not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers and all kinds of evil forces. That is why many pectoral crosses have the inscription “Save and Preserve!”
In conclusion, I would like to note that the Cross must be revered with its correct, Orthodox attitude towards it. This is not just a symbol, an attribute of faith, but also an effective protection of a Christian from satanic forces. The cross must be honored both by actions, and by one’s humility, and by imitation of the Savior’s feat, as far as possible for a limited person. The rite of monastic tonsure says that a monk must always have the suffering of Christ before his eyes - nothing makes a person gather himself, nothing so clearly shows the need for humility as this saving memory. It would be good for us to strive for this. It was then in us through the image sign of the cross in fact, the grace of God will act. If we do it with faith, we will truly feel God's power and know God's wisdom.
Material prepared by Ignatova Natalya
A believer wears a cross according to the rules. But how to choose the right one and not get confused in their diversity? You will learn about the symbolism and meaning of crosses from our article.
There are a lot of types of crosses and many people already know what not to do with a pectoral cross and how to wear it correctly. Therefore, first of all, the question arises of which of them are related to Orthodox faith, and which ones - to the Catholic one. In both types of Christian religion there are several types of crosses, which need to be understood so as not to be confused.
The main differences of the Orthodox cross
- has three transverse lines: the upper and lower ones are short, and between them there is a long one;
- at the ends of the cross there can be three semicircles, reminiscent of a trefoil;
- on some Orthodox crosses there may be a month at the bottom instead of an oblique transverse line - this sign was inherited from Byzantium, from which Orthodoxy was adopted;
- Jesus Christ is crucified at the feet with two nails, while on a Catholic crucifix there is only one nail;
- There is a certain naturalism on the Catholic crucifix that reflects the torment of Jesus Christ that he endured for the people: the body looks literally heavy and hangs from his arms. The Orthodox crucifix shows the triumph of God and the joy of the Resurrection, the overcoming of death, therefore the body is, as it were, superimposed on top, rather than hanging on the cross.
Catholic crosses
First of all, these include the so-called latin cross. Like everything, it consists of vertical and horizontal lines, with the vertical one being noticeably longer. Its symbolism is as follows: this is exactly what the cross that Christ carried to Calvary looked like. It was previously used in paganism. With the adoption of Christianity, the Latin cross became a symbol of faith and is sometimes associated with opposite things: death and resurrection.
Another similar cross, but with three transverse lines, is called papal. It is associated only with the Pope and is used in ceremonies.
There are also many types of crosses that have been used in all sorts of ways knightly orders, such as Teutonic or Maltese. Since they were subordinated to the Pope, these crosses can also be considered Catholic. They look slightly different from each other, but what they have in common is that their lines taper noticeably towards the center.
Cross of Lorraine very similar to the previous one, but has two crossbars, and one of them may be shorter than the other. The name indicates the area in which this symbol appeared. The Cross of Lorraine appears on the coats of arms of cardinals and archbishops. Also, this cross is a symbol of the Greek Orthodox Church, so it cannot be fully called Catholic.
Orthodox crosses
Faith, of course, implies that the cross must be worn constantly and not removed, except in the most rare situations. Therefore, you need to choose it with understanding. The most widely used cross in Orthodoxy is eight-pointed. It is depicted as follows: One vertical line, a large horizontal line just above the center and two more shorter crossbars: above and below it. In this case, the lower one is always tilted and its right part is at a level lower than the left.
The symbolism of this cross is as follows: it already shows the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The upper transverse line corresponds to a nailed crossbar with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” According to biblical legend, the Romans joked about him this way after they had already crucified him on the cross and were waiting for his death. The crossbar symbolizes the one to which Christ's hands were nailed, and the lower one symbolizes where his feet were chained.
The tilt of the lower crossbar is explained as follows: two thieves were crucified along with Jesus Christ. According to legend, one of them repented before the Son of God and then received forgiveness. The second one began to mock and only worsened his situation.
However, the first cross that was first brought from Byzantium to Russia was the so-called Greek cross. It, like the Roman one, is four-pointed. The difference is that it consists of identical rectangular crossbars and is completely isosceles. It served as the basis for many other types of crosses, including crosses of Catholic orders.
Other types of crosses
St. Andrew's cross is very similar to the letter X or an inverted Greek cross. It is believed that this is exactly what Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified on. Used in Russia on the Navy flag. It is also featured on the flag of Scotland.
The Celtic cross is also similar to the Greek one. He is definitely taken into the circle. This symbol has been used for a very long time in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as parts of Britain. At a time when Catholicism was not widespread, Celtic Christianity predominated in this area, which used this symbol.
Sometimes a cross can appear in a dream. This can be either a good or a very bad omen, as the dream book states. All the best, and don't forget to press the buttons and
26.07.2016 07:08
Our dreams are a reflection of our consciousness. They can tell us a lot about our future, past...
The domes of Orthodox churches are crowned with crosses. Believers wear crosses on their chests to always be under the protection of God.
What should a proper Orthodox be like? pectoral cross? on his back side there is an inscription: “Save and preserve.” However, this attribute is not a talisman that can protect against all misfortunes.
The pectoral cross is a symbol of the “cross” that God gives to a person who wants to serve Him - in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him turn aside, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8, 34).
A person who wears a cross thereby gives a guarantee that he will live according to the commandments of God and steadfastly endure all the trials that befall him.
Our story about what to consider when choosing an Orthodox cross will be incomplete if we do not turn to history and talk about the festival dedicated to this Christian attribute.
In memory of the discovery of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem in 326, near Golgotha, where Jesus Christ was crucified, the Orthodox Church celebrates a holiday called the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-giving Cross The Lord's. This holiday symbolizes the triumph of the Church of Christ, which has passed difficult path trials and persecutions and spread throughout the world.
As legend says, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, Queen Helena, went in search of the Holy Cross to Palestine. Excavations were carried out here, as a result of which the cave of the Holy Sepulcher was found, and three crosses were discovered not far from it. They were placed one by one on a sick woman, who, thanks to touching the Cross of the Lord, was healed.
According to another legend, a dead person carried by a funeral procession was resurrected from contact with this cross. However, what exactly the cross on which Christ was crucified looked like is unknown. Only two separate crossbars were found, along with a sign and a footstool.
Queen Helena brought part of the Life-Giving Tree and nails to Constantinople. And Emperor Constantine erected a temple in Jerusalem in 325 in honor of the Ascension of Christ, which included the Holy Sepulcher and Golgotha.
The cross began to be used as a symbol of faith thanks to Emperor Constantine. As the church historian Eusebius Pamphilus testifies, “Christ, the Son of God, appeared in a dream to the emperor with a sign seen in heaven and commanded, having made a banner similar to this one seen in heaven, to use it for protection from the attacks of enemies.”
Constantine ordered images of the cross to be placed on the shields of his soldiers and installed three commemorative Orthodox crosses in Constantinople with gold inscriptions in Greek “IC.XP.NIKA”, which means “Jesus Christ the Victor”.
What should be the correct pectoral cross?
There are various graphic types of crosses: Greek, Latin, St. Peter's cross (inverted cross), Papal cross, etc. No matter how different the different branches of Christianity may be, this shrine is revered by all denominations.
But if in Catholicism Jesus Christ is depicted sagging in his arms, which emphasizes His martyrdom, then in Orthodoxy the Savior appears in power - as a winner, calling the entire Universe into His arms.
The palms of Jesus on the Orthodox cross are usually open; the figure expresses peace and dignity. In Him are embodied His most important hypostases - Divine and Human.
The attribute of the Catholic crucifix is the Crown of Thorns. In the Orthodox artistic tradition it is rare.
Also in Catholic images, Christ is crucified with three nails, that is, nails are driven into both hands, and the soles of his feet are put together and nailed with one nail. In the Orthodox crucifix, each foot of the Savior is nailed separately with its own nail, and a total of four nails are depicted.
The canon of the image of the Orthodox crucifixion was approved back in 692 by the Tula Cathedral and remains unchanged to this day. Of course, Orthodox believers should use crosses that are made in accordance with the Orthodox tradition.
It must be said that the debate about what a Christian cross of the correct shape should be - eight-pointed or four-pointed - has been going on for a long time. In particular, it was led by Orthodox believers and Old Believers.
According to Abbot Luke,
"V Orthodox Church Its holiness does not depend in any way on the shape of the cross, provided that Orthodox cross made and consecrated exactly as christian symbol, and not originally made as a sign, for example, of the sun or part of a household ornament or decoration.”
What form of the pectoral cross is considered correct in Orthodoxy?
The Orthodox Church recognizes four-pointed, six-pointed, and eight-pointed types of crosses (the latter, with two additional partitions - inclined in left side for the legs and a crossbar at the head, are used more often), with or without the image of the crucified Savior (however, such a symbol cannot be 12-pointed or 16-pointed).
The letters ІС ХС are a christogram, symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ. Also, the Orthodox cross has the inscription “Save and Preserve.”
Catholics also do not give of great importance in the shape of a cross, the image of the Savior is not always found on Catholic crosses.
Why is the cross called a cross in Orthodoxy?
Only clergy wear crosses over their clothes, and ordinary believers should not wear crucifixes for show, thereby demonstrating their faith, because such a manifestation of pride is not appropriate for Christians.
It must also be said that an Orthodox pectoral cross can be made from different materials– gold, silver, copper, bronze, wood, bone, amber, decorated with ornaments or precious stones. The main thing is that it must be sanctified.
If you bought it in a church shop, you don’t have to worry about this: they sell already consecrated crosses. This does not apply to items purchased in jewelry stores, and such crosses will need to be consecrated in the temple. During this ritual, the priest will read prayers calling to protect not only the soul, but also the body of the believer from evil forces.
The eight-pointed cross consists of a vertical component and three crossbars. The top two are straight, and the bottom one is oblique.
There is a version that says that top part The crossbars of the Orthodox cross face north, and the bottom one faces south. By the way, this is exactly how the cross is installed today.
Even theologians are unlikely to be able to explain why the lower crossbar of the cross is oblique. The answer to this question has not yet been found. There are many versions, each of which reflects a specific idea and is often supported by convincing arguments. But, unfortunately, there is no exact evidence for any version at the moment.
Versions based on biblical legends
The options for why the lower crossbar of the cross is oblique are varied. The everyday version explains this fact by saying that Jesus stumbled on the footstool, so it was askew.
There is also the option that the upper part of the lower crossbar of the Orthodox cross indicates the path to Heaven, and the lower part to Hell.There is also a frequently encountered version that after the coming of Jesus Christ on Earth the balance of good and evil was disturbed, all previously sinful people began their path to the light, and it is this disturbed balance that is shown by the skewed crossbar.
Household versions
The most plausible version is that the lower crossbar is a symbolic image of a special crossbar for the feet of a person who was subjected to crucifixion. Previously, this form of execution was common. The man was crucified, but complete absence supports, it is quite likely that under the weight of his own weight the person simply fell from the cross, since under his weight the arms and legs nailed to the cross simply tore apart. It was precisely for the purpose of maintaining a person in a hanging position, in order to prolong his torment, that such a stand was invented, which was reflected symbolically on the Orthodox eight-pointed cross. On average, as indicated in some sources, the time until death with this type of execution was approximately 24-30 hours.
There is also an option in the literature that the lower crossbar is only conventionally designated as oblique. In fact, this is only a schematic representation of a three-dimensional figure in a two-dimensional plane. But in fact, the surface of the crossbar was still flat.
Which of the proposed versions to believe, it seems, is up to everyone to choose for themselves, because after so many years the truth is unlikely to be revealed to anyone.
Sources:
- The second Worship Cross was installed
The process is very individual. But, despite this, like the birth process, it has its own mechanisms and symptoms by which the approach of death can be accurately predicted.