Nowadays people come to the Church different people. Many people do not understand church symbols. This is not surprising, because the teachings of Christ go back more than two thousand years. There are many mysterious symbols in Orthodoxy. The culture and worldview of people changed. Only the word of God remained unchanged.

Cross symbol

Some signs and symbols of various eras remained only in the history of the Church. Others live on icons and in books. Appeal to strength Life-giving Cross The Lord's was and remains a great protection for every person. It is known that sign of the cross the demonic influence stops: the devil and his servants cannot bear the correct cross, so they often try to mock it (this is the origin of the satanic symbols of the inverted cross).
The cross is an important symbol for everyone Orthodox Christian. This is the power of God, visibly abiding with us, on our body, from Baptism itself. Therefore, it is especially important to have an Orthodox Cross at home, correctly depicted on an icon consecrated and purchased in the temple or made in metal.

On Orthodox Cross you can often see a number of inscriptions and additional images that seem mysterious to the uninitiated person: NIKA, skull, IS HS CI, in the living church tradition.

Often we wear pectoral cross unconsciously or for the sake of fashion, tradition, without thinking about its power. On the one hand, this is incorrect. On the other hand, in any case we protect ourselves with a cross.

Emperor Constantine the Great and the Cross

Back in the 4th century, one of the greatest miracles in history: Emperor Constantine of Byzantium learned about Christianity and, unlike his royal predecessors, did not persecute the disciples of Christ, but turned to the Lord Jesus in his heart. And before one of the terrible battles, after a secret prayer, the emperor saw a shining Cross in the sky above the battlefield and heard God’s voice: “By this victory!” - that is, “you will win with the help of this sign.” So the Cross became the military banner of the entire Empire, and Byzantium flourished under the sign of the Cross for many centuries. Constantine eventually accepted Christianity and was called the Great and after his death was canonized as a holy king, equal to the apostles, for his deeds and for his faith.

At the same time, in 326, the Cross of Christ was found by the mother of Constantine the Great, Queen Helena, who was looking for it together with priests and bishops, among other crosses - instruments of execution - on Mount Golgotha, where the Lord was crucified. She was baptized after hearing the sermon of Christ's disciples , the mother of Emperor Constantine the First, Queen Helen, was baptized. She raised her royal son to be an honest and righteous man. After Baptism, Elena wanted to find the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and which was buried on Mount Golgotha. She understood that the Cross would unite Christians and would become the first great shrine of Christianity.

As soon as the Cross was raised from the ground, the deceased, who was carried past in the funeral procession, was resurrected: therefore, the Cross of Christ immediately began to be called the Life-Giving Cross. Since then, all Christians have worn pectoral crosses of various shapes and from various materials.

History of Chrism and the Cross

Many people ask what Chrism is. This is the monogram of the word “Christ”, consisting of intertwined letters X and R. In fact, Christianity and the Cross of Constantine are one and the same, but the Cross of Constantine has the letters “Alpha” and “Omega” next to it, referring to the Apocalypse.

The Christogram was already used in places where early Christians met. Early examples of it were found in the catacombs, where, as is known, the apostolic communities hid, as well as on sarcophagi and monuments. Then the Christogram appeared in newly built churches after persecution. This symbol was actively used along with others in the interior.

The Cross seen by Constantine, according to legend, was a Christogram - a monogram of the letters “X” and “P” intertwined in the form of a Cross. She became state seal Constantine himself and his successors - the Christian emperors of Byzantium. The prism also became a military symbol-labarum, which was very important for the empire. It was a special type of standard. Previously, there was a Roman eagle in its place.

Drawings on the Cross and next to it

Despite what is known from the Gospel and the testimony of historians what the Cross of Christ looked like, it is symbolically depicted in different ways.

In the Catholic tradition, the Cross is depicted with only one large crossbar, laconically. However, in Orthodoxy the Cross is traditionally depicted as eight-pointed, with additional lower and upper crossbars. This is a reproduction of the famous and real historically existing Cross of Jesus Christ.

The topmost crossbar is a plaque on the Cross of Christ with the inscription INCI. This inscription is known from the Gospel and means “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

The lowest, oblique crossbar is a support for the legs, traditionally placed on crosses. Its symbolic meaning is a reminder of the story of two thieves crucified to the right and left of Christ. The right end of the crossbar is raised in memory of the pious thief, who repented of his sins on the cross, considered himself unworthy of heaven - and was the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven with Christ. The second end is omitted, in memory of the second robber who cursed God. This story is evidence that the very death of each person can change his afterlife.

The image on the left is a spear, on the right is a cane - the instruments of execution of the Savior. The Roman soldier pierced the already deceased Christ with a spear to understand whether He had died, and from His side “Blood and water flowed out.” A sponge with vinegar was placed on the cane; one of the soldiers handed it to Christ.

Below is a skull - this is the head of Adam, that is, the burial of the first person is symbolically depicted. According to legend, it was near Golgotha ​​that he was buried in ancient times.

Interpretations on Holy Bible This is how the meaning of the Sacrament is explained death on the cross Savior. Once upon a time, Adam ate the sweet fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but only brought death to the entire race of people. And the Lord drank the bitterness of vinegar from the reed in order to return people from the bitterness of eternal death to the sweetness of life with God, so that the bitterness of sin would not have power over people. The Lord accepted death, defeated it and gave the opportunity eternal life to those who believe in Him and keep His commandments. Christ was crucified where Adam was buried, so that life would triumph precisely where death, which had once defeated the first man, occurred.

Symbols accompanying the Cross of Constantine

First christian symbols appeared in conditions of persecution of Christ's disciples. The apostles themselves were killed for preaching the teaching of goodness and freedom, alien to paganism. That's why some kind of secret writing was used. Icon painting had not yet appeared - its flourishing began only with the permission of free Christian religion. Christ was depicted only allegorically. First Christian signs and the images were

The Good Shepherd is an image of a young shepherd, often with a sheep on his shoulders, symbolizing Christ the Savior, who shepherds Christians as his flock, caring for believers. This is a reminder of the parable told by Christ: a shepherd will take care of even one lost sheep (a sinner).

Lamb - that is, the Lamb, meaning Christ Himself, Who “like a lamb against its shearers was silent” and offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of people.

One of the first images of the Lord was the image of a fish, by which some communities of the first Christians recognized each other. The fact is that the first letters Greek translation the phrases “Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior” form the Greek word “ichthus”, fish. This symbol was close to both the apostles, many of whom were fishermen, and the first Christians, most of whom were ordinary people.

An anchor is a symbol of hope and faith.

The cup for Communion and the spear with which the bread is cut for transformation into the Body of Christ, and the bread itself. Also included in the symbolism of Communion is the image of a bunch of grapes or a vine.

The triangle is a sign of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). It is surrounded by radiance as a sign of God's holiness. It usually includes one more sign: All-seeing eye, a sign of God's Omniscience.

The dove is the messenger of goodness and peace. Now it is already a global symbol of peace. He is depicted with an olive branch in his beak: according to the Bible, the dove announced to the forefather Noah about the completion of the global flood.

The eight-pointed star of Christ is also early Christian symbolism. Initially, the eight-pointed star denoted the Nativity or Bethlehem star. It is historically testified that at the time of the Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ there was a certain new star, a celestial phenomenon—possibly a comet. However, it lit up in the sky as a sign of the coming into earthly life of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. Star of Bethlehem, according to the Gospel, showed the way to the wise men, who, thanks to her, came to worship the Son of God and bring their gifts to Him. The Star of Bethlehem is an elongated rhombus inscribed in a square, this is how its eight rays are formed. Such a sign was theologically meaningful on the “Savior in Power” icon, becoming a sign of the power of Christ - it is no coincidence that the star of Bethlehem became His star. The octogram can be seen on many European and Russian houses around Christmas.

A star with five rays is one of the ancient symbols. The pentagram is associated with the Pentateuch, called the Torah in Judaism - the biblical books written by the prophet Moses. They are also revered by all Christians. The five rays of the star also signify the five wounds of the Lord Jesus on the Cross. The association of the star and the Lord is based on the words of the Book of Revelation, where Christ says: “I am the descendant and root of David, the morning and bright star.”

May the Lord protect you with His grace!

An equilateral cross with circles between the crossbars, in which the initials of the holy name of Christ “IS XC” and the Greek word “NIKA” (“conquer”) are inscribed, its iconography goes back to the victorious symbol of Christianity - the cross of Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine.

For many centuries, two images of the cross were revered in the Christian world - the True Cross of Christ, on which the Savior was crucified, and the cross, revealed to the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine in heaven before the Battle of the Milvians. The true, or Golgotha, cross had an elongated shape with two or three transverse crossbars. This form carried symbolism associated with the atoning sacrifice and suffering of the Lord. The Cross of Constantine had a regular, equilateral shape and was a symbol of protection and victory. These crosses became the property of the Christian world at approximately the same time, but the first was the Cross of Constantine, with which the spread of Christianity throughout the world is associated.

After the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ, His followers were persecuted and persecuted for three centuries throughout the vast territory of the Roman Empire: in Europe, Asia Minor and northern Africa. Christians were cruelly tortured and killed, and under the Emperor Diocletian, who reigned from 284 to 305, their methodical extermination began, the goal of which was the complete destruction of Christianity. Diocletian's work was continued by his heirs - two co-rulers to whom the emperor left a huge country. And it is unknown how this monstrous genocide would have ended if Constantine I, nicknamed the Great by his descendants, had not become co-ruler of Emperor Maxentius in 306. Like all Roman emperors, Constantine was a pagan. But, unlike others, he was tolerant, did not believe that he needed to be given divine honors, and did not seek to kill those who refused to do so.

A war broke out between the two rulers. The decisive battle took place at the Milvian Bridge in 312, which was won by Constantine. On the eve of the battle, Constantine, together with his army, saw a sign in the sun - the crossed initials of Jesus Christ (chrism), next to which shone an equilateral cross and the inscription: “With it, conquer.” In a dream, the vision was repeated, only this time the emperor saw only one cross. He ordered this cross to be placed on the banners of his army and won the battle. After coming to power, Constantine made Christianity the state religion, and before his death he himself was baptized.

The Cross of Constantine was placed on banners, it was used to decorate churches and was worn as a vest. The crossbars of the cross of St. Constantine were most often depicted with flared ends or with small crossbars at the ends. Between the crossbars of the Constantine Cross, additional images were often placed - symbols of the evangelists, stars, dots, crosses. Equilateral crosses with circles, the word “NIKA” and the initials of Christ were the most common. They were preserved on the vaults of ancient temples, on coins, in jewelry, seals. Such compositions, especially common in Palestine, formed the basis of the heraldic symbol of Jerusalem after its capture by the crusaders. Around the 13th century, a cross consisting of one large and four small equilateral crosses was placed on the coat of arms of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher and the flag of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Now the cross, consisting of five crosses - a large central one and four in the corners, is called Jerusalem. He is revered equally by Catholics and Orthodox Christians. It is these crosses that are customarily placed for consecration at the Holy Sepulcher during pilgrimage trips to the Holy Land.

The artist German Pozharsky and a team of employees of the Akimov company worked on creating the image.

1. T-shaped cross "Antonievsky"
2. Cross "Egyptian hieroglyph Ankh"
3. Letter cross
4. Anchor-shaped cross
5. Monogram cross "pre-Constantinian"
6. Cross-monogram "shepherd's staff"
7. Cross "Burgundy" or "St. Andrew's"
8. Cross "monogram of Constantine"
9. Monogram cross "post-Constantine"
10. Monogram cross "Sun-shaped"
11. Monogram cross "trident"
12. Monogram cross "Konstantinovsky"
13. Round cross "freeloading"
14. Catacomb cross or "sign of victory"
15. The cross in Rus' is “patriarchal” or in the West “Lorensky”
16. Four-pointed cross or Latin "immissa"
17. Papal cross
18. Six-pointed cross "Russian Orthodox"
19. Orthodox osmic-pointed cross
20. Seven-pointed cross
21. Cross "crown of thorns"
22. "Gallows" cross
23. Cross "grapevine"
24. Petal cross
25. Cross "Greek" or Old Russian "Korsun"
26. Domed cross with crescent
27. Trefoil cross
28. Cross "Maltese" or "St. George"
29. Cross "Prosphorus - Konstantinovsky"
30. Old printed "wicker" cross
31. "Crystal" cross
32. Four-pointed "drop-shaped" cross
33. Cross "Crucifixion"
34. Schema cross or "Golgotha"
35. "Gammatic" cross in the West "crux gammata"
36. Cross "trefoil, spear, sponge and nail"
37. Celtic cross

§1. Introduction

History of the Cross

We wear the cross from our Baptism on our chests. We see crosses on the chests and in the hands of Orthodox priests, on the domes and in the paintings (external and internal) of our churches, on the graves of our ancestors.

The cross is the weapon of our salvation. The cross was consecrated by the Body of Christ that resided on it and the Blood of Christ shed on it. For Christians, the cross became protection from the devil.

The veneration of the cross also occurs because Jesus Christ was crucified on it. The basic shape of the cross is four-pointed, with one crossbar and a base. But there are crosses with two and three crossbars, which are located above/below the main one.

The upper small crossbar symbolizes the tablet, where there was an inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower crossbar was actually a footrest so that the body of the crucified would not slide down, and in symbolism it is depicted as skewed and means an indicator of the direction to heaven to the Kingdom of the Lord and the path to hell.

History of the cross, ancient mystical sign, simple and mysterious at the same time, is the subject of a unique book by I. Smirnova.

Almost everything that is known today about the most important symbol of humanity is collected here.

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The cross was depicted long before the advent of Christianity in various sculptures of religious and secret significance around the world (Phenicia, Assyria, Egypt, in the territory of the ancient states of America, isolated Easter Island, pagan Scandinavia, Tibet, Japan and China, India).

The cross is the most famous sign in human history. For two thousand years it has been a worldwide symbol of Christianity.

Already in ancient times, the cross became a sacred sign. Various rituals, myths, legends, superstitions, and rituals were associated with it. It was an integral part of ornaments, became the basis for the construction of dwellings and temples, and was minted on coins.

The veneration of the Cross in Rus' was so great that travelers from Europe to 17 century they claimed that Russians do almost nothing without crossing themselves. Crosses crowned the Red Gates of cities, and worship crosses were installed on the roads.

The cross is the guardian of the entire Universe, the cross is the beauty of the Church, the cross is the power of kings, the cross is the affirmation of the faithful, the cross is glory to the Angels, the cross is a plague to demons, says the “Stichera to the Cross,” read during the Feast of the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

Walking without a neck cross was considered a great sin in Rus'. The word and oath of a man without a cross was not trusted, but about the unscrupulous and evil people they said that “there is no cross on them.”

A cross of any form is a true cross - in these words of St. Theodore the Studite, there is a comprehensive reverent attitude of believers towards this greatest shrine. The canons of the church do not strictly regulate the form pectoral cross, which determines their diversity.

However, this does not mean that the shape and material of the cross can be absolutely arbitrary; over two thousand years, a special symbolic language of pectoral crosses has developed. At the same time, it is necessary to be very careful about simulacrums that are similar to the image of a cross, but have nothing to do with Christianity.

The gammatic cross is often confused with the Vedic symbol of the swastika.

It is quite easy to distinguish them: in the gammamatic cross the scales are turned counterclockwise, while in the swastika they are turned in the opposite direction. It should also be mentioned that the inverted cross is a symbol of Satanists, along with the pentogram (an inverted five-pointed star).

In the Old Testament church, consisting mainly of Jews, the crucifixion, as is known, was not used, and executions, according to custom, were carried out in three ways: stoned, burned alive and hanged on a tree. Therefore, “they write about the hanged men: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deut. 21:23),” explains St. Demetrius of Rostov (Search, part 2, chapter 24). The fourth execution - beheading with a sword - was added to them in the era of the Kingdoms.

And execution on the cross was then a pagan Greco-Roman tradition, and the Jewish people learned about it only a few decades before the birth of Christ, when the Romans crucified their last legitimate king Antigonus.

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.

Already from the first centuries of Christianity, due to the persecution of the followers of the crucified Redeemer, Christians were forced to hide, performing their rituals in secret. And the absence of Christian statehood - the external fence of the Church and the duration of such an oppressed situation were reflected in the development of worship and symbolism.

And to this day, precautionary measures have been preserved in the Church to protect the teaching itself and the shrines from the malicious curiosity of the enemies of Christ.

Cross Shape

Straightforward
(with right angles of the center cross and beams). This form is as close as possible to the historically accurate form of the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ was raped.

With expanding beams.
The expanding beams symbolize the rays of the Light of Life, about which Christ said: “Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life.” Often a cross is placed in a circle or a cross is inscribed in a circle. Circle in ancient world symbolizes the sun: in the cross this serves as a symbol of the fact that the Church calls Christ the Sun of Truth.

With a square or rhombus in the middle cross.
The square symbolizes the four earthly elements assimilated by Christ during the incarnation. In addition, the four corners of a square or rhombus symbolize the four Gospels and the four evangelists. Sometimes diamond-shaped elements (often with crosses inside) are also located at the ends of the beams of the cross.

With curved ends of beams
According to St. Nicholas of Serbia, the lily is a symbol of carelessness: “Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.” In addition, Jesus Christ himself is likened in the scripture to the lily of the valleys.

With triangular beam ends
The triangular ends of the beams symbolize the threefold nature of the Lord, and have the same meaning as the triangle in the halos of the images of the Lord of Hosts on ancient icons.

With circles, balls or drops at the ends of the beams
The symbolism of the circle was mentioned above, while the balls and drops (tears) symbolize drops of the Blood of Christ, shed in atonement for the sins of man. Arranged in threes, these elements also symbolize the trinity of God.

Flourishing Cross
Framing the cross with floral patterns symbolized the Tree of Life - the blossoming Cross of the Lord. In addition, the flourishing cross could contain images of a crin and a vine.

Language of materials

Tree
Symbolizes the Tree of Life in Paradise. In the words of John of Damascus: “... as through a tree she entered peace death, so through the tree life and resurrection must be given to us.”

Silver
Because of its whiteness, it symbolizes purity and chastity. In addition, it serves as a symbol of Divine Revelation: “The words of the Lord are pure words, silver cleansed from the earth in a furnace...”.

Gold
“Gold is a symbol of truth,” writes St. Nikolai Serbsky. - Gold does not change and does not deceive. The same as she is in the royal crown, the same in the earth, and in the water, and in the fire - the same everywhere.”

Stone
The stone first of all means Christ himself. The Old Testament prophets spoke about this. The stone symbolizing Christ at the same time symbolizes firm faith in Christ. Therefore, the Apostle Paul argued that gold stands on rock, i.e. truth rests on faith.

§2. Types of crosses

1. T-shaped cross "Antonievsky"

In the southern and eastern parts of the Roman Empire, a weapon was used to execute criminals, called since the time of Moses the “Egyptian” cross and resembling the letter “T” in European languages. “The Greek letter T,” wrote Count A. S. Uvarov, “is one of the forms of the cross used for crucifixions.”

“The number 300, expressed in Greek through the letter T, has also served since the time of the Apostles to designate the cross,” says the famous liturgist Archimandrite Gabriel. “This Greek letter T is found in the inscription of a 3rd century tomb discovered in the catacombs of St. Callistus. This is the image of the letter T found on one carnelian engraved in the 2nd century."

Saint Demetrius of Rostov talks about the same thing: “The Greek image, called “Tav”, with which the Angel of the Lord made "mark on the forehead"(Ezekiel 9:4) The prophet Saint Ezekiel saw God’s people in Jerusalem in a revelation to limit them from the impending murder.

According to church tradition, St. Anthony the Great wore a cross on his clothes - Tau. Or, for example, St. Zeno, bishop of the city of Verona, placed a cross in the shape of the letter T on the roof of the basilica he had newly built in 362.

2. Cross "Egyptian hieroglyph Ankh"

Jesus Christ - the Conqueror of death - through the mouth of the prophet Solomon announced: "Whoever finds Me has found life"(Prov. 8:35), and upon His incarnation he echoed: "I am seven risen and life"(John 11:25). Already from the first centuries of Christianity, for the symbolic image of the life-giving cross, the Egyptian hieroglyph “anch”, reminiscent of its shape, was used, denoting the concept of “life”.

Egyptian cross ankh was understood as the key that opens the gates to Divine knowledge. The T-shaped one was associated with wisdom, and the circle on top was associated with the eternal beginning. in this cross two symbols are united - a cross, like symbol of life, and circle as a symbol of eternity.

3. Letter cross

And other letters (from different languages) below were also used by early Christians as symbols of the cross. This image of the cross did not scare away the pagans, being familiar to them. “And indeed, as can be seen from the Sinai inscriptions,” reports Count A.S. Uvarov, “the letter was taken as a symbol and as a real image of the cross” (Christian symbolism, part 1, p. 81). In the first centuries of Christianity, what was important, of course, was not the artistic side of the symbolic image, but the convenience of its application to a hidden concept.

4. “Anchor-shaped” cross

Initially, this symbol came across to archaeologists on the Solunsk inscription III century, in Rome - in 230m, and in Gaul - in 474 year. And from “Christian Symbolism” we learn that “in the caves of Pretextatus we found slabs without any inscriptions, with only one image of an “anchor.”

In his Epistle, the Apostle Paul teaches that Christians have the opportunity "take hold of the hope that is set before you(i.e. Cross), which for the soul is like a safe and strong anchor". This one, according to the Apostle, "anchor", symbolically covering the cross from the reproach of the infidels, and revealing to the faithful its true meaning, as deliverance from the consequences of sin, is our strong hope.

The church ship, figuratively speaking, along the waves of a stormy temporary life, delivers everyone to the quiet harbor of eternal life. Therefore, the “anchor,” being cruciform, became among Christians a symbol of hope for the strongest fruit of the Cross of Christ - the Kingdom of Heaven, although the Greeks and Romans, also using this sign, assimilated to it the meaning of “strength” only of earthly affairs.

5. Monogram cross "pre-Constantinian"

A well-known specialist in liturgical theology, Archimandrite Gabriel, writes that “in the monogram inscribed on the tombstone ( III century) and having the shape of a St. Andrew's cross, vertically crossed by a line, is a cover image of the cross."

This monogram was made up of the Greek initial letters of the name of Jesus Christ by crossing them: namely the letter "1" (iot) and the letter "X" (chi).

This monogram is often found in the post-Constantine period; for example, we can see her image in mosaic design on the vaults of the Archbishop's Chapel at the end V century in Ravenna.

You can visit an interesting catalog of ancient crosses

It is not surprising that the question about the cross with a crescent is often asked, since the “domes” are located in the most prominent place of the temple. For example, the domes of the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Vologda, built in 1570, are decorated with such crosses.

Typical of the pre-Mongol period, this form of domed cross is often found in the Pskov region, such as on the dome of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the village of Meletovo, erected in 1461.

In general, the symbolism Orthodox church inexplicable from the point of view of aesthetic (and therefore static) perception, but, on the contrary, it is completely open for comprehension precisely in liturgical dynamics, since almost all elements of temple symbolism, in different places of worship, acquire different meanings.

“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun,- says the Revelation of John the Theologian, - the moon is under her feet"(Apoc. 12:1), and patristic wisdom explains: this moon marks the font in which the Church, baptized into Christ, puts on Him, the Sun of righteousness. The crescent moon is also the cradle of Bethlehem, which received the Infant Christ; the crescent is the Eucharistic cup in which the Body of Christ is located; the crescent is a church ship, led by the Helmsman Christ; the crescent is also an anchor of hope, the gift of Christ on the cross; the crescent is also the ancient serpent, trampled underfoot by the Cross and placed as the enemy of God under the feet of Christ.

Trefoil cross

In Russia, this form of cross is used more often than others for making altar crosses. But, however, we can see it on state symbols. “A golden Russian trefoil cross standing on a silver overturned crescent,” as reported in the “Russian Armorial Book,” was depicted on the coat of arms of the Tiflis province.

The golden “shamrock” (Fig. 39) is also on the coat of arms of the Orenburg province, on the coat of arms of the city of Troitsk in the Penza province, the city of Akhtyrka in the Kharkov province and the city of Spassk in the Tambov province, on the coat of arms of the provincial city of Chernigov, etc.

Cross "Maltese" or "St. George"

Patriarch Jacob prophetically honored the Cross when "I bowed down by faith,- as the Apostle Paul says, - to the top of his staff"(Heb. 11:21), “a rod,” explains Saint John of Damascus, “which served as an image of the cross” (On Holy Icons, 3 f.). That is why today there is a cross above the handle of the bishop’s staff, “for by the cross we,” writes Saint Simeon of Thessaloniki, “are guided and grazed, imprinted, have children, and, having mortified passions, are drawn to Christ” (chapter 80).

In addition to the constant and widespread church use, this form of the cross, for example, was officially adopted by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which was formed on the island of Malta and openly fought against Freemasonry, which, as is known, organized the murder of the Russian Emperor Pavel Petrovich, the patron saint of the Maltese. This is how the name “Maltese cross” appeared.

According to Russian heraldry, some cities had golden “Maltese” crosses on their coats of arms, for example: Zolotonosha, Mirgorod and Zenkov of the Poltava province; Pogar, Bonza and Konotop of the Chernigov province; Kovel Volynskaya,

Perm and Elizavetpol provinces and others. Pavlovsk S. - Petersburg, Vindava Courland, Belozersk Novgorod provinces,

Perm and Elizavetpol provinces and others.

All who were awarded the crosses of St. George the Victorious of all four degrees were called, as is known, “Knights of St. George.”

Cross "Prosphorus - Konstantinovsky"

For the first time, these words in Greek “IC.XP.NIKA”, which means “Jesus Christ is the Victor”, were written in gold on three large crosses in Constantinople by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine himself.

“To him who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.”(Rev. 3:21), says the Savior, the Conqueror of hell and death.

By ancient tradition, on the prosphora the image of the cross is printed with the addition of words meaning this victory of Christ on the cross: “IC.ХС.NIKA”. This “prosphora” seal means the ransom of sinners from sinful captivity, or, in other words, the great price of our Redemption.

Old printed "wicker" cross

“This weaving is derived from ancient Christian art,” says Professor V.N. Shchepkin authoritatively, “where it is known in carvings and mosaics. Byzantine weaving, in turn, passed on to the Slavs, among whom it was especially widespread in ancient times in Glagolitic manuscripts” (Textbook of Russian Paleography, M., 1920, p. 51).

Most often, images of “wicker” crosses are found as decorations in Bulgarian and Russian early printed books.

"Crystal" cross

White field lilies are called “selnye krins” in Slavic. In the book “Russian Copper Casting” we can see a pectoral “cross with curved ends from Serensk of the 11th-12th centuries. Such crosses are known in Byzantine antiquities of the 11th-12th centuries, and in the 14th-15th centuries they were widespread in Rus'” (M., 1993, p. 159).

In general, the symbolic image of a cross consisting of lily flowers reminds: “I,” says the Lord, “ Lily of the Valleys"(Song 2:1), transforming the heavenly Bridegroom.

“For my sake, who is below. He descends into the valley, writes Origen about Christ, and, having come to the valley, becomes a lily. Instead of the tree of life, which was planted in God’s paradise, He became the flower of the whole field, that is, the whole world and the whole earth.”

"Hear Me, O pious children,- the Word of God calls on everyone, - bloom like a lily"(Sirach 39:16-18), that is, in other words, through a wise and pious life, be a pure aroma to the All-Perfect.

Four-pointed “drop-shaped” cross

Having sprinkled the tree of the cross, drops of the Blood of Christ forever imparted His power to the cross.

The Greek Gospel of the 2nd century from the State Public Library opens with a sheet depicting a beautiful “drop-shaped” four-pointed cross (Byzantine miniature, M., 1977, pl. 30).

And also, for example, let us recall that among the copper pectoral crosses cast in the first centuries of the second millennium, as is known, “drop-shaped” encolpions are often found ( in Greek- “on the chest”).

In the beginning of Christ "drops of blood falling to the ground"(Luke 22:44) became a lesson in the fight against sin even "till blood"(Heb. 12:4); when on the cross from Him “blood and water flowed out”(John 19:34), then they were taught by example to fight evil even to death.

"To him(To the Savior) who loved us and washed us from our sins with his blood"(Rev. 1:5), who saved us “by the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20), - Glory forever!

Cross "crucifixion"

History of the development of the cross Orthodox Russian Church

Cross "Prosphora-Konstantinovsky"

For the first time these words in Greek “IC. XP. NIKA”, which means “Jesus Christ the Victor”, were written in gold on three large crosses in Constantinople by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine himself.

“To him who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.”(Rev. 3:21), says the Savior, the Conqueror of hell and death.

According to ancient tradition, an image of a cross is printed on prosphora with the addition of words signifying this victory of Christ on the cross: “IC. HS. NIKA". This “prosphora” seal means the ransom of sinners from sinful captivity, or, in other words, the great price of our Redemption.

From the book History of the development of the shape of the cross author Kuznetsov V.P.

From the book Volume 1. Ascetic experiences. Part I author Brianchaninov Saint Ignatius

The Lord said to His disciples, His Cross and the Cross of Christ: If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and come after Me. What does his cross mean? Why is this cross, unique to each person, also called the Cross of Christ? Cross

From the book Pilgrim's Journey to the Heavenly Land by Bunyan John

From the book Where is God When I Suffer? by Yancy Philip

Cross Love is tough as nails. Love is nails: Dull, thick nails that pierced the flesh of the One who created us, knowing perfectly well what He is doing, and seeing both our and His cross to the end. K.S. Lewis. Love is warm like tears We have one symbol that always reminds us of Jesus

From the book First Prayer (collection of stories) author Shipov Yaroslav Alekseevich

Cross Phenomena called natural disasters, are sent to us only so that we at least sometimes remember who the Master is here. Moreover, the events that happen to us during such disasters can have an unusually important... They may not, however.

From the book Moments by Bart Karl

Our cross But as you share in Christ's sufferings, rejoice... First Peter 4:13 The cross that must be borne, as Jesus carried His cross, is given to each of us sooner or later. This happens to everyone at one time - regardless of our desires and actions. Not

From the book of Letters. Part 1 author John (Peasant) Archimandrite

The Cross My dear N.! Do you know that people don’t come down from the cross, they take them down from the cross. And your cross, if you courageously carry it to the end, will give great spiritual fruit, transforming both your soul and nourishing your loved ones. And the special difficulty is that the enemy also rebels against everything

From the book Towards Christ. Digest of articles author Men Alexander

CROSS On one ancient inscription in honor of Caesar Augustus one can read the following words: “Land and sea enjoy peace, cities flourish in harmony and peace.” There is a significant amount of truth in these words. From the outside, the reign of Augustus was a time of prosperity and

From the book Dogmas of Christianity author Qadri Abdul Hamid

Cross Like various rituals, the symbols of Christianity also owe their origin to the cults of sun worship. The cross has a unique meaning due to its mystical origin and magical uses. For Christians, it symbolizes the cross on which Jesus

From the book Jesus Christ - Homo sapiens. Tatsinsky apocrypha author Efremov Vasily Ivanovich

Cross Prot. A. Men did a great job, smoothing out the contradictions in the gospels and coherently building the entire life path Jesus Christ. The structure of the texts was accepted by Men without objections or doubts about their historical authenticity, with

From the book “Paradise Farms” and other stories author Shipov Yaroslav Alekseevich

Cross Phenomena, called natural disasters, are sent to us only so that we at least sometimes remember Who is the Master here. At the same time, the events that happen to us during such disasters may be of extraordinary importance... They may, however, not

From the book Reading the Holy Scriptures. Lessons from saints, ascetics, spiritual teachers of the Russian Church author Basin Ilya Viktorovich

Archpriest Matthew Konstantinovsky (1791 - 1857) In 1814, in the remote village of Osechnya in the Tver diocese, a newly ordained deacon began gathering parishioners during non-liturgical times to read the Holy Scriptures with them, analyze what they had read and pray together. This

From the book The Cross and the Knife author Wilkerson David

THE CROSS AND THE KNIFE Original title: “The Cross and the Switchblade” David

From the book History of the Development of the Cross author Orthodox Russian Church

Monogram cross “Constantine” From church archeology and history it is known that on ancient monuments of writing and architecture there is often a variant of combining the letters “Chi” and “Ro” in the monogram of the Holy King Constantine, God’s chosen successor

From the book Soulful Teachings author Optina Macarius

Cross “Prosphoran-Constantinian” For the first time these words in Greek “IC. XP. NIKA”, which means “Jesus Christ the Victor”, were written in gold on three large crosses in Constantinople by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine himself. “To the one who conquers I will give to sit with Me on

From the author's book

CROSS External and internal crosses The cross is not only the bearing of visible and external sorrows, but also internal spiritual ones: darkness, languor and the like must be endured. For God sends this to destroy our pride and to gain humility (I, 107, 227). You grieve that there is no peace