Varieties, forms and features of Orthodox crosses. Types of Orthodox crosses

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Which cross is considered canonical, why is it unacceptable to wear a pectoral cross with the image of the crucified Savior and other images?

Every Christian, from holy baptism to his death hour, must wear on his chest the sign of his faith in the crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. We wear this sign not over clothes, but on our body, which is why it is called wearable, and it is called eight-pointed (eight-pointed) because it is similar to the Cross on which the Lord was crucified on Calvary.

The collection of pectoral crosses of the 18-19th centuries from the settlement area of ​​the Krasnoyarsk Territory indicates the presence of stable preferences in form against the background of a rich variety of individual craftsmanship by craftsmen, and the exceptions only confirm the strict rule.

The unwritten traditions contain many nuances. So, after the publication of this article, one Old Believer bishop, and then the reader of the site, indicated that the word cross as well as the word icon, does not have a diminutive form. In this regard, we also appeal to our visitors with a request to respectfully treat the symbols of Orthodoxy and monitor the correctness of their speech!

Male pectoral cross

The pectoral cross, which is always and everywhere with us, serves as a constant reminder of the Resurrection of Christ and that at baptism we promised to serve Him, renounced Satan. Thus, the pectoral cross is able to strengthen our spiritual and physical strength, to protect us from diabolical evil.

The oldest surviving crosses are often in the form of a simple, equilateral, four-pointed cross. This was the custom at a time when Christians venerated Christ, the apostles, and the holy cross symbolically. In ancient times, as you know, Christ was often depicted in the form of a Lamb surrounded by 12 other lambs - the apostles. Also, the Cross of the Lord was depicted symbolically.

The rich imagination of the masters was strictly limited to the unwritten concepts of the canonicity of pectoral crosses

Later, in connection with the acquisition of the authentic Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, St. Queen Elena, the octagonal shape of the cross begins to be depicted more and more often. This is reflected in the underwear crosses. But the quadruple did not disappear: as a rule, the octagonal cross was depicted inside the quadruped.

Along with the forms that have become traditional in Russia, in the Old Believer settlements of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, one can also find the legacy of an older Byzantine tradition

In order to remind us of what the Cross of Christ means to us, it was often depicted on the symbolic Calvary with a skull (the head of Adam) at the base. Next to him you can usually see the instruments of the Passion of the Lord - a spear and a cane.

Letters IНЦI(Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews), which are usually depicted on larger crosses, are brought to memory of the inscription mockingly nailed over the head of the Savior during the crucifixion.

Under the titles, the inscription ЦРЬ СЛВИ ИС ХС СНЪ БЖИЙ says: “ King of Glory Jesus Christ Son of God”. The inscription “ NIKA”(Greek word means Christ's victory over death).

Individual letters that may be on the pectoral crosses mean “ TO"- copy," T"- cane," Yy"- Mount Golgotha," GA”- the head of Adam. " MLRB”- Place Skull Paradise Existence (that is: Paradise was once planted on the place of Christ's execution).

We are sure that many do not even realize how perverted this symbolism is in our usual deck of cards ... As it turned out in, the four card suits are a hidden blasphemy against Christian shrines: baptize- this is the Cross of Christ; diamonds- nails; peaks- a copy of the centurion; worms- this is a sponge with vinegar, which the torturers mockingly gave to Christ instead of water.

The image of the Crucified Savior on pectoral crosses appeared quite recently (at least after the 17th century). Pendant crosses with the image of the Crucifixion non-canonical , since the image of the Crucifixion turns the pectoral cross into an icon, and the icon is intended for direct perception and prayer.

Wearing an icon hidden from the eyes is fraught with the danger of using it for other purposes, namely as a magical amulet or amulet. The cross is symbol and the Crucifixion is image ... The priest wears a cross with the Crucifixion, but he wears it in a visible way: so that everyone sees this image and is inspired to prayer, inspired to a certain attitude towards the priest. The priesthood is the image of Christ. And the pectoral cross that we wear under our clothes is a symbol, and the Crucifixion should not be there.

One of the ancient rules of Saint Basil the Great (IV century), which entered the Nomokanon, reads:

"Anyone who wears an icon on himself as an amulet must be excommunicated for three years."

As you can see, the ancient fathers very strictly followed the correct attitude to the icon, to the image. They stood guard over the purity of Orthodoxy, in every possible way protecting it from paganism. By the 17th century, it was customary to place a prayer to the Cross on the back of the pectoral cross (“May God rise and swell to foil Him…”), or just the first words.

Women's pectoral cross

In the Old Believers, the external difference between “ female" and " male”Crosses. The “female” pectoral cross has a smoother, rounded shape without sharp corners. Around the “female” cross, a “vine” is depicted with a plant ornament, reminiscent of the words of the psalmist: “ Your wife, as the vine is fruitful in the countries of your house ”(Ps. 127: 3).

It is customary to wear a pectoral cross on a long gaitan (braid, woven thread) so that, without removing it, you can take the cross in your hands and sign yourself with the sign of the cross (this should be done with appropriate prayers before going to bed, as well as when performing the cell rule).

Symbolism in everything: even three crowns above the opening symbolize the Holy Trinity!

If we talk about crosses with a crucifixion more broadly, then a distinctive feature of canonical crosses is the style of depicting the body of Christ on them. Widespread today on New Believer crosses the image of the suffering Jesus is alien to the Orthodox tradition .

Antique medallions with a symbolic image

According to the canonical ideas, which are reflected in icon painting and copper plastics, the body of the Savior on the Cross was never depicted as suffering, sagging on nails, etc., which testifies to His divine nature.

The manner of "humanizing" the suffering of Christ is characteristic of Catholicism and borrowed much later than the church schism in Russia. Old Believers consider such crosses unfit ... Examples of canonical and modern New Believers' casting are given below: the substitution of concepts is noticeable even with the naked eye.

The stability of traditions should also be noted: the collections in the photographs were replenished without the goal of showing only ancient forms, that is, hundreds of types of modern “ Orthodox jewelry ”- the invention of the last decades against the background of almost complete oblivion of the symbolism and meaning of the image of the honest Cross of the Lord.

Related illustrations

Below are illustrations, selected by the editors of the site "Old Believers Thought" and links on the topic.

An example of canon body crosses from different times:

An example of non-canon crosses from different times:

Unusual crosses, presumably made by Old Believers in Romania

Photos from the exhibition "Russian Old Believers", Ryazan

A cross with an unusual back that you can read about

Male cross of modern work

Catalog of ancient crosses - online version of the book " Millennium of the Cross "- http://k1000k.narod.ru

A well-illustrated article on early Christian pectoral crosses with quality illustrations in color and additional material on the topic on the website Culturology.Ru - http://www.kulturologia.ru/blogs/150713/18549/

Comprehensive information and photos about cast kioto crosses from Novgorod manufacturer of similar products : https://readtiger.com/www.olevs.ru/novgorodskoe_litje/static/kiotnye_mednolitye_kresty_2/

The Old Believers' Cross is one of the symbols of faith that is used for worship, baptism and other religious procedures. The eight-pointed cross is different from the usual Orthodox one. The modern church does not use the eight-pointed cross after Nikon's reform, but the Old Believers or schismatics, as they were called in the old days, continue to use just such a cross, not paying attention to the reforms carried out.

History of persecution

It all started a long time ago, it is noteworthy that the schism of the church caused the death of a large number of people who supported the old faith. But, despite this, the Old Believers were able to survive the executions, public reprisals and catastrophically high taxes. The Old Believers still exist, only in Russia there are about two million of them.

Old Believer's vest

In 1650-1660, the church split into two camps. The reason for it was the reform. Some took ignorance for granted, others began to believe that the reform was trying to impose on them a foreign faith that had nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

The church reform of Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in fact, divided people and became the cause of serious disagreements. As a result, the controversy turned into active action, which led to massive reprisals against those people who did not support innovations.

Nikon's reforms began in 1653, and the reaction to the activities of the Metropolitan was not long in coming. In 1656, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, a significant event took place: everyone who baptized with two fingers was declared heretics. The cross was replaced, and books, scrolls and other symbols were to be destroyed. All those who continue to be baptized with two fingers and profess the old faith will be excommunicated and anathematized.

Not everyone agreed with this decision, the disagreements that arose led to the fact that the faith was in jeopardy. The country could plunge into a religious war. The situation was aggravated by the actions of the clergy, who independently escalated the situation. Wishing to subordinate the Old Believers to their will, they adopted a document called "12 Articles".

Mass executions and reprisals against the Old Believers began after the Pomor assembly, and Queen Sophia did not manage to influence the situation. However, the country was in a precarious position, and religious executions and forgeries only exacerbated the situation. The “12 Articles” did not resolve the situation, after their publication a series of forgeries appeared, lies and confusion led to the execution of thousands of innocent citizens, and priests also suffered.

Despite the fact that the books, scrolls and the Old Believers themselves were persecuted, publicly executed, they managed to survive the Time of Troubles. The situation was resolved with the coming to power of Peter the Great. The emperor was relatively loyal to the Old Believers. He allowed them to exist and canceled the "12 Articles". But this existence was semi-legal.

In law:

1. Old Believer marriages were considered illegal.
2. Old Believers were forbidden to hold high positions.
3. Baptism was considered illegal.
4. Children born in a marriage with Old Believers were considered illegitimate.

In addition, all those who deviated from religion had to pay a double tax. If a person evaded paying the tax, then he could be executed, tortured, or sent to hard labor.

Old Believer eight-pointed cross

Despite the fact that the Old Believers were still subjected to repressions, their weakening allowed many people to survive. In order to maintain their usual way of life, to avoid censure and taxes, many believers went to the forests or immigrated. This allowed them not only to continue to live a normal life, but also to legalize marriages. On the territories of a large number of countries, Old Believers lived in communities, built houses and churches.

According to some reports, in the 19th century, one third of the entire population of the Russian Empire was Old Believers.

In 1846, thanks to the efforts of Metropolitan Ambrose, it was possible to alleviate the situation in the country, the authorities made certain compromises, as a result of which unanimity was introduced. On the territory of Austria-Hungary, the Old Believers managed to restore the diocese. But the metropolitan and his decisions were not accepted by all, some of the Old Believers began to consider him a heretic who wants to influence them and destroy the religion.

In 1883, it was possible to achieve some indulgences in relation to the Old Believers, they were allowed to hold public office. Later, in 1905, a decree was issued that partially canceled the restrictions on citizens who baptized with two fingers and used an eight-pointed cross.

The Soviet authorities treated the representatives of this religious trend relatively favorably. Despite the fact that the Bolsheviks did not accept the faith and God, they had no special complaints about the Old Believers. While clergymen throughout the country feared for their lives, churches were destroyed and plundered, icons were burned and sold, the Old Believers lived relatively calmly.

During World War II, some Old Believers, in spite of everything, rushed to defend their homeland from enemies, while others preferred to hide in the forests.

When hard labor, high taxes and executions were a thing of the past, many Old Believers decided to return to Russia. Today there are several large settlements that are located on the territory of our country, in which people live by farming, farming, harvesting, going to church and still crossing themselves with two fingers.

Symbols and features

An eight-pointed cross is considered one of the symbols of the Old Believers; the four-pointed and six-pointed creeds are considered inferior. According to legend, it was such a cross that Queen Helena discovered on Mount Golgotha.

So what this symbol testifies to:

• contains, in addition to the large crossbar, two more;
• the upper crossbar symbolizes a tablet on the cross with the name of Christ on which he was crucified;
• the lower bar is for Jesus' feet;
• the upper crossbar bears the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

With the lower bar, which is designed for the legs, everything is more difficult. According to legend, if the left edge of the lower crossbar is raised, then this indicates that the sinner repented, and his sins and righteous deeds when immersed in the scales allowed him to send a person to heaven. If the edge of the crossbar looks down, it means that the sinner did not repent of his sins during the crucifixion, did not ask for forgiveness from God and thereby aggravated his sins and went to hell.

Such crosses with three crossbars are used only by Old Believers; in the modern Orthodox Church they use a four-pointed cross during liturgies and services. It does not have a footrest and a nameplate.

If you believe the legend, when Jesus was crucified on the cross, one of the criminals began to mock him. He said, "If you are God, then set us free." And another criminal said: "He is innocent and convicted by mistake, and we are real criminals." The criminal who told the truth was sent to heaven. This is evidenced by the lower support under the legs, the edge of which has risen.

Starting in 1577, the eight-pointed cross was placed on the coat of arms of the Russian state, the situation changed in 1625 even before Nikon's reforms: it was decided to replace the cross with a third crown.

And you can also find images that were used in the war: it was the eight-pointed cross of red, green or blue that was depicted on the banners. But such banners are also attributed to the 1630s; after the reform, banners with such crosses were no longer used.

There is another type of religious symbol - the cross of Calvary, a monastic symbol. It is an eight-pointed cross placed on a symbolic image of Mount Golgotha, which most often looks like several steps. That is, the cross is placed on the steps, on one side there is a spear, on the other - there is a cane with a sponge.

There are inscriptions on the symbol:

1. Above the middle crossbar IC XC - the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Beneath it is the Greek inscription Nika - Winner.
3. СНЪ БЖІЙ - an inscription on the plate or near it (can be replaced by the abbreviation ІНЦІ - Іисусъ Nazorey, Tsar Іudeyskiy).
4. The inscription above the plate: TSR SLVY - King of Glory.
5. And also there are two letters K and T, which denote a cane and a spear with a sponge.

In the 16th century, a tradition appeared in Russia, which consisted in the fact that additional letters were placed near the image of Golgotha.

ML R B - the frontal place was crucified; Г Г - Mount Golgotha; GA - the head of Adamov. It was also customary to depict bones and a skull under the steps. In Russia, these images have changed slightly.

Currently, the cross from Mount Golgotha ​​is not widespread, it is quite difficult to meet it.

One can see eight-pointed crosses not only at the liturgy and divine services, but also at the cemeteries of the Old Believers.

The Old Believers have several other features that are worth mentioning, in addition to the cross: believers make prostrations to the earth, like Muslims, to the earth. While bowing, the believer should touch the ground with his knees and forehead. Such bows are preferred only by Old Believers. When believers pray, their knees and foreheads touch not the ground, of course, but the prayer rug.

Singing is another feature of Old Believers' worship. Before Nikon's reform, all churches sang with one voice during divine services. The singing remains monotonous, melodic. Regardless of how many people are involved in singing, the voices should merge into one voice, one melody.

But due to the large number of vowels, it can be difficult to understand what they are singing about during the service.

There are several more features that distinguish the faith of the Old Believers from the modern Orthodox faith:

• spelling the name Jesus without the additional letter "I" (that is, the name is written with one letter "I", and not in the Greek manner with two letters);
• believers use old terms and adhere to the old spelling of words;
• baptism of children takes place with a full three-time immersion in water;
• services are held according to the Jerusalem charter;
• the safety of the actions that are performed during the ceremony is noted.

Undoubtedly, the eight-pointed cross can be considered a bright religious symbol of the Old Believers. It is placed on the domes of churches, worn on the body and erected as a monument to the grave of the deceased. But the traditions of the Old Believers, their way of life and behavior have undergone certain changes over time. Despite all the events, people managed to get through difficult times and keep their faith.

Today, shops and church stalls offer a wide variety of crosses of various shapes. However, very often, not only the parents who are going to baptize the child, but also the sales assistants cannot explain where the Orthodox cross is and where the Catholic one, although it is, in fact, very simple to distinguish them. In the Catholic tradition, it is a quadrangular cross with three nails. In Orthodoxy, there are four-pointed, six and eight-pointed crosses, with four nails for the arms and legs.

Cross shape

Four-pointed cross

So, in the West, the most common is four-pointed cross ... Since the 3rd century, when such crosses first appeared in the Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East still uses this form of the cross as equal to all others.

For Orthodoxy, the shape of the cross does not really matter, much more attention is paid to what is depicted on it, however, the most popular are eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses.

Eight-pointed orthodox cross the most consistent with the historically accurate form of the cross on which Christ was already crucified. The Orthodox cross, which is most often used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches, contains, in addition to a large horizontal crossbar, two more. The upper symbolizes the tablet on the cross of Christ with the inscription "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews"(INCI, or INRI in Latin). The lower oblique crossbar - the support for the feet of Jesus Christ symbolizes the “righteous measure” weighing the sins and virtues of all people. It is believed that it is tilted to the left, symbolizing the fact that the repentant robber, crucified on the right side of Christ, (first) went to heaven, and the robber, crucified on the left, with his blasphemy against Christ, further aggravated his posthumous fate and fell in hell. The letters IC XC are the Christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov writes that “When Christ the Lord bore the cross on His shoulders then the cross was still four-pointed; because there was not yet a title or a foot on it. There was no foot, because Christ had not yet been raised on the cross and the soldiers, not knowing where the feet of Christ would reach, did not attach a foot, having finished it already at Calvary ”... Also, there was no title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the Gospel reports, first “they crucified Him” (John 19:18), and then only “Pilate wrote the inscription and put him on the cross” (John 19:19 ). It was at first that “His garments” were divided by lot by the soldiers “who crucified Him” (Matthew 27:35), and only then "They put over His head an inscription signifying His guilt: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."(Matt. 27:37).

The eight-pointed cross has long been considered the most powerful protective agent against various kinds of impurity, as well as visible and invisible evil.

Six-pointed cross

Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially during the time of Ancient Russia, was also six-pointed cross ... It also has an inclined bar: the lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes deliverance by repentance.

However, all its strength is not in the shape of the cross or the number of ends. The cross is famous for the power of Christ crucified on it, and all its symbolism and miraculousness is in this.

The variety of forms of the cross has always been recognized by the Church as quite natural. In the words of the Monk Theodore the Studite - "A cross of every shape is a true cross" and has unearthly beauty and life-giving power.

“There is no significant difference between Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, as well as between any other crosses used in the service of Christians. In essence, all crosses are the same, the only difference is in the form ", - says the Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus.

Crucifixion

In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, special importance is attached not to the shape of the cross, but to the image of Jesus Christ on it.

Until the 9th century, inclusively, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant, and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear.

Yes, we know that Christ died on the cross. But we also know that then He was Risen, and that He suffered voluntarily out of love for people: to teach us to cherish the immortal soul; so that we too can be resurrected and live forever. This Easter joy is always present in the Orthodox Crucifixion. Therefore, on the Orthodox cross, Christ does not die, but freely stretches out his arms, the palms of Jesus are open, as if he wants to embrace all of humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is not a dead body, but God, and his whole image speaks of this.

The Orthodox cross above the main horizontal crossbar has another, smaller one, which symbolizes a tablet on the cross of Christ indicating the offense. Because Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words appeared on the tablet "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" in three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic. In Latin in Catholicism, this inscription has the form INRI, and in Orthodoxy - IHTSI(or INHI, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"). The lower slanting bar symbolizes the leg support. It also symbolizes two robbers crucified to the left and right of Christ. One of them, before his death, repented of his sins, for which he was awarded the Kingdom of Heaven. The other, before his death, blasphemed and reviled his executioners and Christ.

The inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar: "IC" "XC" - the name of Jesus Christ; and below it: "NIKA" - Winner.

Greek letters were necessarily written on the cruciform halo of the Savior UN, meaning - "truly I am", because "God said to Moses: I am who I am"(Ex. 3:14), thus revealing His name, which expresses the identity, eternity and immutability of the essence of God.

In addition, in Orthodox Byzantium, nails were kept with which the Lord was nailed to the cross. And it was known for sure that there were four of them, not three. Therefore, on Orthodox crosses, Christ's feet are nailed with two nails, each separately. The image of Christ with crossed feet, nailed by one nail, first appeared as an innovation in the West in the second half of the 13th century.

In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. Catholics depict Christ dead, sometimes with streams of blood on his face, from wounds on his arms, legs and ribs ( stigmata). It manifests all the human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to endure. His arms sag under the weight of his body. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is plausible, but this is an image of a dead person, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. The crucifixion in Orthodoxy just the same symbolizes this triumph. In addition, the Savior's feet are nailed down with a single nail.

The meaning of the Savior's death on the cross

The emergence of the Christian cross is associated with the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, which he accepted on the cross under the forced sentence of Pontius Pilate. Crucifixion was a common method of execution in ancient Rome, borrowed from the Carthaginians - the descendants of the Phoenician colonists (it is believed that the first crucifixion was used in Phenicia). Usually robbers were sentenced to death on the cross; many early Christians who were persecuted from the time of Nero were also executed in this way.

Before the suffering of Christ, the cross was an instrument of shame and terrible punishment. After His suffering, he became a symbol of the victory of good over evil, life over death, a reminder of God's endless love, an object of joy. The incarnate Son of God sanctified the cross with His blood and made it a conduit of His grace, a source of sanctification for believers.

The Orthodox dogma of the Cross (or Atonement) undoubtedly implies the idea that the death of the Lord is the ransom of all , the vocation of all peoples. Only the cross, unlike other executions, made it possible for Jesus Christ to die with outstretched hands calling "all the ends of the earth" (Is. 45:22).

Reading the Gospels, we are convinced that the feat of the Cross of the God-man is the central event in His earthly life. By His suffering on the Cross, He washed away our sins, covered our debt to God, or, in the language of Scripture, “redeemed” us (redeemed). In Golgotha ​​is hidden the incomprehensible secret of the infinite truth and love of God.

The Son of God voluntarily took upon Himself the guilt of all people and suffered for it a shameful and painful death on the cross; then on the third day he rose again as the conqueror of hell and death.

Why was such a terrible Sacrifice needed to cleanse the sins of mankind, and was there an opportunity to save people in a different, less painful way?

The Christian doctrine of the death of the God-man on the cross is often a "stumbling block" for people with already established religious and philosophical concepts. Many Jews and people of the Greek culture of the apostolic times thought it contradictory to assert that the almighty and eternal God descended to earth in the form of a mortal man, voluntarily endured beating, spitting and shameful death, that this feat could bring spiritual benefit to mankind. "It's impossible!"- some objected; "It's not needed!"- asserted others.

St. Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthians, says: “Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in the wisdom of the word, so as not to abolish the cross of Christ. For the word about the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing, but for us, who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the understanding of the prudent. Where is the sage? where is the scribe? where is the co-questioner of this age? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of this world into madness? For when the world by its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, then it was pleasing to God to save the believers by the foolishness of preaching. For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, for the Jews a temptation, and for the Greeks folly, for the very called ones, Jews and Greeks, Christ, God's power and God's wisdom ”(1 Cor. 1: 17-24).

In other words, the apostle explained that what in Christianity was perceived by some as a temptation and insanity, in fact, is a matter of the greatest Divine wisdom and omnipotence. The truth of the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior is the foundation for many other Christian truths, for example, about the sanctification of believers, about the sacraments, about the meaning of suffering, about virtues, about deeds, about the purpose of life, about the impending judgment and resurrection of the dead, and others.

At the same time, the redemptive death of Christ, being an event inexplicable in terms of earthly logic and even “tempting for the perishing,” has a regenerating power that the believing heart feels and strives for. Renewed and warmed by this spiritual strength, both the last slaves and the most powerful kings bowed before Calvary with awe; both the dark ignoramuses and the greatest scientists. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles were convinced by personal experience of what great spiritual benefits the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior brought them, and they shared this experience with their disciples.

(The mystery of the redemption of mankind is closely related to a number of important religious and psychological factors. Therefore, in order to understand the mystery of redemption, it is necessary:

a) understand what actually is the sinful injury of a person and the weakening of his will to resist evil;

b) it is necessary to understand how the devil's will, thanks to sin, got the opportunity to influence and even captivate human will;

c) it is necessary to understand the mysterious power of love, its ability to positively influence a person and ennoble him. Moreover, if love reveals itself most of all in the sacrificial service of one's neighbor, then there is no doubt that giving life for him is the highest manifestation of love;

d) from understanding the power of human love, one must rise to understanding the power of Divine love and how it penetrates into the soul of the believer and transforms his inner world;

e) in addition, there is a side in the redemptive death of the Savior that goes beyond the human world, namely: On the cross, a battle took place between God and the proud Dennitsa, in which God, hiding under the guise of weak flesh, emerged victorious. The details of this spiritual battle and divine victory remain a mystery to us. Even the Angels, according to ap. Peter, they do not fully understand the mystery of the atonement (1 Peter 1:12). She is a sealed book that only the Lamb of God could open (Rev. 5: 1-7)).

In Orthodox asceticism there is such a concept as bearing one's cross, that is, patient fulfillment of Christian commandments throughout the life of a Christian. All difficulties, both external and internal, are called "the cross." Everyone carries their own cross of life. The Lord said about the need for personal achievement: "He who does not take up his cross (deviates from the deed) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian) is not worthy of Me"(Matthew 10:38).

“The cross is the guardian of the entire universe. The cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross of kings is the state, the cross is the faithful affirmation, the cross is an angel of glory, the cross is an ulcer like a devil ",- affirms the absolute Truth of the luminaries of the feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross.

Differences between Catholic and Orthodox cross

Thus, there are the following differences between the Catholic cross and the Orthodox:

1. most often it has an eight-pointed or six-pointed shape. - four-pointed.
2. Words on the plate on the crosses are the same, only written in different languages: Latin INRI(in the case of the Catholic cross) and Slavic-Russian IHTSI(on the Orthodox cross).
3. Another principled position is the position of the legs on the Crucifix and the number of nails ... The feet of Jesus Christ are positioned together on the Catholic Crucifixion, and each is nailed separately on the Orthodox cross.
4. Different is the image of the Savior on the cross ... The Orthodox cross depicts God who opened the way to eternal life, and the Catholic cross depicts a person in torment.

The history of the Orthodox cross goes back many centuries. The types of Orthodox crosses are varied, each of them has an inherent symbolism. The crosses were intended not only to be worn on the body, but they are also crowned with the domes of churches, crosses stand by the roads. Objects of art are painted with crosses, houses are placed near the icon, special crosses and priests are worn.

Crosses in Orthodoxy

But the crosses in Orthodoxy were not only of the traditional form. Many different symbols and forms made up such an object of worship.

Forms of the Orthodox cross

The cross worn by believers is called a cross. The priests wear a pectoral cross. They differ not only in size, there are many of their forms, each of which has its own specific meaning.

1) T-shaped cross. As you know, the execution by crucifixion was invented by the Romans. However, in the southern and eastern parts of the Roman Empire, a slightly different cross was used for this purpose, namely the "Egyptian", resembling the letter "T" in shape. This letter "T" is also found on the tombs of the 3rd century in the catacombs of Callis and on one carnelian of the 2nd century. If this letter was found in monograms, then it was written in such a way as to protrude above all others, since it was considered not only a symbol, but also a clear image of a cross.

2) Egyptian cross "ankh". This cross was perceived as a key with which the gates to Divine knowledge were opened. The symbol was associated with wisdom, and the circle with which this cross is crowned with the eternal beginning. Thus, the cross combines two symbols - the symbol of life and eternity.

3) Alphanumeric cross. The early Christians used letter crosses so that their image would not frighten off the pagans who were familiar with them. In addition, at that time, it was not so much the artistic side of the depiction of Christian symbols that was important, but rather the convenience of their use.

4) Anchor cross. Initially, such an image of a cross was discovered by archaeologists in the Solunskaya inscription of the 3rd century. In "Christian Symbolism" it is said that on the slabs in the caves of the Pretextatus there were only images of an anchor. The image of the anchor referred to a certain church ship that sent everyone to the "quiet haven of eternal life." Therefore, the cruciform anchor was considered by Christians to be a symbol of eternal existence - the Kingdom of Heaven. Although among Catholics, this symbol rather means the strength of earthly affairs.

5) Monogram cross. It is a monogram of the first letters of Jesus Christ in Greek. Archimandrite Gabriel wrote that the shape of a monogrammed cross, crossed with a vertical line, is the hidden image of the cross.

6) Cross "shepherd's staff". This cross is the so-called Egyptian staff, which crosses the first letter of the name of Christ, which together is the monogram of the savior. At that time, the shape of the Egyptian rod resembled a shepherd's staff, its upper part was bent down.

7) Burgundy cross. This cross is also the shape of the letter "X" of the Greek alphabet. It also has another name - Andreevsky. The letter "X" from the second century mainly served as the basis for monogamous symbols, because the name of Christ began with it. In addition, there is a legend that the Apostle Andrew was crucified on such a cross. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter the Great, wishing to express the religious difference between Russia and the West, placed the image of this cross on the coat of arms of the state, as well as on the naval flag and his seal.

8) The cross is a monogram of Constantine. Constantine's monogram was a combination of the letters "P" and "X". It is believed to be associated with the word Christ. This cross has such a name, since a similar monogram was often found on the coins of Emperor Constantine.

9) The post-Constantine cross. Monogram of the letters "P" and "T". The Greek letter "R" or "ro" means the first letter in the word "time" or "king" - symbolizes the king Jesus. The letter "T" means "His cross". Thus, this monogram serves as a sign of the Cross of Christ.

10) Cross trident. Also monogrammed cross. The trident has long symbolized the Kingdom of Heaven. Since the trident was previously used in fishing, the trident monogram of Christ itself meant participation in the Sacrament of Baptism as a trap in the net of the Kingdom of God.

11) Round freezer cross. According to the testimony of Hortius and Marsial, Christians cut the freshly baked bread crosswise. This was done in order to make it easier to break later. But the symbolic transformation of such a cross came from the east long before Jesus Christ.

Such a cross divided the whole into parts, uniting those who used it. There was such a cross, divided into four parts or six. The circle itself was displayed even before the birth of Christ as a symbol of immortality and eternity.

12) Catacomb cross. The name of the cross comes from the fact that it was often found in the catacombs. It was a quadrangular cross with equal parts. This form of the cross and some of its forms are most often used in ancient ornaments, which were used to decorate the appearance of priests or temples.

11) Patriarchal Cross. In the West, the name Lorensky is more common. Already from the middle of the last millennium, they began to use such a cross. This is the shape of the cross that was depicted on the seal of the governor of the emperor of Byzantium in the city of Korsun. The Andrei Rublev Museum of Old Russian Art contains just such a copper cross, which belonged to Avraamy Rostv in the 18th century and was cast on the samples of the 11th century.

12) Papal Cross. Most often, this form of the cross is used in the hierarchical services of the Roman Church of the XIV-XV centuries, and it is because of this that such a cross bears this name.

Types of crosses on the domes of churches

The crosses that are placed on the domes of the church are called overhead crosses. Sometimes you can see that straight or wavy lines emanate from the center of the supra-head cross. Symbolically, the lines convey the radiance of the sun. The sun is very important in human life, it is the main source of light and heat, life on our planet is impossible without it. The Savior is sometimes even called the Sun of Truth.

The famous expression says "The Light of Christ enlightens everyone." The image of light is very important for the Orthodox, therefore the Russian blacksmiths invented such a symbol in the form of lines emanating from the center.

Small stars can often be seen on these lines. They are symbols of the queen of the stars - the star of Bethlehem. The one who led the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus Christ. In addition, the star is a symbol of spiritual wisdom and purity. The stars were depicted on the Cross of the Lord, so that he "shone like a star in heaven."

There is also a trefoil form of the cross, as well as trefoil ends of its ends. But the branches of the cross were decorated not only with such an image of leaves. One could find a huge variety of flowers and heart-shaped leaves. The trefoil can have either a round or pointed shape or a triangle shape. The triangle and the shamrock in Orthodoxy symbolize the Holy Trinity and are often found in temple inscriptions and inscriptions on tombstones.

Shamrock cross

The vine that wraps around the cross is the prototype of the Living Cross, and it is also a symbol of the Sacrament of Communion. Often depicted with a crescent moon at the bottom, which symbolizes the bowl. Together, they remind believers that during the Sacrament, bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

The holy spirit is depicted in the form of a dove on the cross. The dove is mentioned in the Old Testament; it returned to Noah's ark with an olive branch to proclaim peace to people. The ancient Christians depicted the human soul in the form of a dove, resting in peace. The dove in the meaning of the holy spirit flew to the Russian lands and landed on the golden domes of churches.

If you take a closer look at the openwork crosses on the domes of churches, you can see pigeons on many of them. For example, in Novgorod there is a church called the Myrrhbearers, on its dome you can see a beautiful dove, woven "literally out of thin air." But most often the dove is cast at the top of the cross. Even in antiquity, crosses with pigeons were quite common; in Russia there were even volumetric cast figurines of doves with outstretched wings.

Prosperous crosses are those from the base of which shoots grow. They symbolize the rebirth of life - the resurrection of the cross from the dead. The Cross of the Lord in the Orthodox canon is sometimes called the "Life-Giving Garden". You can also hear how the holy fathers call him "life-giving." Some crosses are lavishly dotted with shoots that truly resemble flowers in a spring garden. The interweaving of delicate stems - an art made by the masters - looks alive, while the tasteful plant elements complement the incomparable picture.

The cross is also a symbol of the tree of eternal life. The cross is decorated with flowers, shoots from the core or from the lower crossbar, commemorating the leaves that are about to open. Very often such a cross is crowned with a dome.

In Russia, it is almost impossible to find crosses with a crown of thorns. In general, the image of Christ the martyr did not take root here, in contrast to the West. Catholics often depict Christ hanging on a cross with traces of blood and sores. It is customary for us to glorify his inner feat.

Therefore, in the Russian Orthodox tradition, crosses are often crowned with flower crowns. A crown of thorns was placed on the head of the Savior and was considered a healing for the soldiers who weaved it. Thus, the crown of thorns becomes a crown of righteousness or a crown of glory.

A crown is found at the top of the cross, albeit infrequently. Many believe that crowns were attached to temples related to holy persons, but this is not the case. In fact, the crown was placed on the top of the cross of churches built by royal decree or with money from the royal treasury. In addition, Scripture says that Jesus is the king of kings or lord of lords. The royal power, respectively, is also from God, which is why the crosses contain a crown at their top. The crowned cross is also sometimes called the Royal Cross or the Cross of the Heavenly King.

Sometimes the cross was depicted as a divine weapon. For example, its ends could be in the form of a spearhead. Also, a blade or its handle could be present on the cross as a symbol of a sword. Such details symbolize the monk as a warrior of Christ. However, it can only act as an instrument of peace or salvation.

The most common types of crosses

1) Eight-pointed cross. This cross is the most consistent with the historical truth. The cross acquired this shape after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on it. Before the crucifixion, when the Savior carried the cross to Golgotha ​​on his shoulders, he had a four-pointed shape. The upper short bar, as well as the lower oblique, were made immediately after the crucifixion.

Eight-pointed cross

The lower oblique crossbar is called a footboard, or foot. It was attached to the cross when it became clear to the soldiers where His feet would reach. The upper crossbar was a plate with an inscription, which was made by order of Pilate. To this day, this form is most common in Orthodoxy, eight-pointed crosses are found on the wearer, they crown the domes of the church, they are installed on gravestones.

Eight-pointed crosses were often used as the basis for other crosses, such as awards. During the era of the Russian Empire during the reign of Paul I and before him, during the reign of Peter I and Elizabeth Petrovna, there was a practice of rewarding the clergy. Pectoral crosses were used as a reward, which was even legalized.

Paul used the Pavlovsk cross for this purpose. It looked like this: on the front side there was an overhead image of the Crucifixion. The cross itself was eight-pointed and had a chain, it was all made of. The cross was issued for a long time - from its approval by Paul in 1797 to the 1917 revolution.

2) The practice of using crosses in awarding was used not only to present awards to clergymen, but also to soldiers and officers. For example, the very well-known St. George cross, approved by Catherine, was later used for this purpose. The quadrangular cross is also historically accurate.

In the Gospel, he is called "His cross." Such a cross, as already mentioned, was carried by the Lord to Golgotha. In Russia, it was called Latin or Roman. The name comes from the historical fact that it was the Romans who introduced execution by crucifixion. In the west, such a cross is considered the most faithful and more common than an eight-pointed one.

3) The "vine" cross has been known since antiquity; it was used to decorate the gravestones of Christians, utensils and liturgical books. Now such a cross can often be purchased in the church. It is an eight-pointed cross with a crucifix, surrounded by a branchy vine that sprouts from below and is decorated with full-weight tassels and leaves with a variety of patterns.

Cross "vine"

4) The petal-shaped cross is a subspecies of the quadrangular cross. Its ends are made in the form of flower petals. This form is most often used when painting church buildings, decorating liturgical utensils, and wearing sacramental vestments. Petal crosses are found in the oldest Christian church in Russia - in the temple of St. Sophia, the construction of which dates back to the 9th century. Pendant crosses in the form of a petal cross are also not uncommon.

5) The trefoil cross is most often four-pointed or six-pointed. Its ends have the shape of a trefoil, respectively. Such a cross could often be found in the coats of arms of many cities of the Russian Empire.

6) The seven-pointed cross. On the icons of northern writing, this shape of the cross is very common. Such messages date back mainly to the 15th century. It can also be found on the domes of Russian churches. Such a cross is a long vertical rod with one upper cross member and an oblique pedestal.

Before the appearance of Jesus Christ, the clergy performed the atoning sacrifice on a gold pedestal - this is what the Old Testament says. The foot of such a cross is an important and integral element of the Old Testament altar, which symbolizes the redemption of God's anointed one. The base of the seven-pointed cross contains one of its most sacred qualities. In the sayings of the messenger of Isaiah, there are the words of the Most High: "Give praise to the footstool of My feet."

7) Cross "crown of thorns". Various peoples who adopted Christianity depicted a cross with a crown of thorns on many objects. On the pages of an ancient Armenian manuscript book, as well as on the icon "Glorification of the Cross" of the 12th century, which is located in the Tretyakov Gallery, one can now find such a cross on many other elements of art. Teren symbolizes the thorny sufferings and the thorny path that Jesus, the son of God, had to go through. A crown of thorns is often covered over the head of Jesus when depicted in paintings or icons.

Crown of thorns cross

8) A gallows cross. This form of the cross is widely used in painting and decorating temples, vestments of priests and religious items. The ecumenical holy teacher John Chrysostom was often adorned with such a cross on images.

9) Korsun cross. Such a cross was called Greek, or Old Russian. According to church tradition, the cross was installed by Prince Vladimir after his return from Byzantium to the banks of the Dnieper. A similar cross is still kept in Kiev in the St. Sophia Cathedral, it is also carved on the tombstone of Prince Yaroslav, which is a marble board.

10) Maltese cross. Such a cross is also called St. George's. It is a cross of equal shape with flared sides to the edge. This form of the cross was officially adopted by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which was formed on the island of Malta and openly fought against Freemasonry.

This order organized the assassination of Pavel Petrovich - the Russian emperor, the ruler of the Maltese, and therefore has a corresponding name. Some provinces and cities had such a cross on their emblems. The same cross was a form of reward for military courage, called St. George and had 4 degrees.

11) Prosphora cross. It is somewhat similar to St. George's, but includes words written in Greek “IC. XP. NIKA ”, which mean“ Jesus Christ is the Winner ”. They were painted with gold on three large crosses in Constantinople. According to ancient tradition, these words, together with the cross, are printed on prosphora and mean the ransom of sinners from sinful captivity, and also symbolize the price of our redemption.

12) Braided cross. Such a cross can have both equal sides and a longer lower side. Weaving came to the Slavs from Byzantium and was widely used in Russia in ancient times. Most often, the image of such crosses is found in Russian and Bulgarian ancient books.

13) Wedge watercress. An expanding cross with three lilies of the field at the end. Such lilies of the field in Slavic are called "krins selye". A cross with field lines from the Serenate of the 11th century can be seen in the book "Russian Copper Casting". Such crosses were widespread both in Byzantium and later in the 14-15th century in Russia. They meant the following - "the heavenly Bridegroom, when he descends into the valley, becomes a lily."

14) Drop-shaped four-pointed cross. The four-pointed cross has small drop-shaped circles at the ends. They symbolize the drops of Jesus' blood that were sprinkled on the tree of the cross during the crucifixion. The teardrop-shaped cross was depicted on the first sheet of the 2nd century Greek Gospel, which is in the State Public Library.

It was often found among the copper pectoral crosses that were cast in the first centuries of the second millennium. They symbolize the struggle of Christ to the blood. And they tell the martyrs that it is necessary to fight the enemy to the last.

15) Cross "Calvary". Since the 11th century, an image of Adam buried at Calvary appears under the lower oblique crossbar of the eight-pointed cross. The inscriptions on the Calvary cross mean the following:

• "M. L.R.B. "-" the frontal place was crucified "," G. G." - Mount Golgotha, “G. A." - the head of Adamov.
• The letters "K" and "T" stand for a warrior's spear and a cane with a sponge, which is depicted along the cross. Above the middle bar: "IC", "HS" - Jesus Zristos. The inscriptions under this crossbar: "NIKA" - Winner; on or near the title there is an inscription: "СНъ БЖИЙ" - the Son of God. Sometimes “I. N. Ts. I "- Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews; the inscription above the title: "ЦРЪ" "SLVY" - the King of Glory.

Such a cross is depicted on a burial shroud, marking the preservation of the vows that are given at baptism. The sign of the cross, in contrast to the image, conveys its spiritual meaning and reflects the real meaning, but it is not the cross itself.

16) Gamma cross. The name of the cross comes from its resemblance to the Greek letter "gamma". Often this form of the cross was used in Byzantium to decorate the Gospels, as well as temples. A cross was embroidered on the vestments of church ministers, depicted on church utensils. The gamma cross has a shape similar to the ancient Indian swastika.

Among the ancient Indians, such a symbol meant eternal existence or perfect bliss. This symbol is associated with the sun, it was widespread in the ancient culture of the Aryans, Iranians, found in Egypt and China. In the era of the spread of Christianity, such a symbol was widely known and revered in many areas of the Roman Empire.

The ancient pagan Slavs also widely used this symbol in their religious attributes. The swastika was depicted on rings and signet rings, as well as other adornments. She symbolized fire or sun. The Christian Church, which possessed a powerful spiritual potential, was able to rethink and church many cultural traditions of antiquity. It is quite possible that the gamma cross has just such an origin, and it entered Orthodox Christianity as a church-going swastika.

What kind of pectoral cross can an Orthodox wear?

This question is one of the most frequently asked among believers. Indeed, this is a rather interesting topic, because with such a wide variety of possible species, it is difficult not to get confused. The main rule that should be remembered: Orthodox Christians wear a pectoral cross under their clothes, only priests have the right to wear a cross over their clothes.

Any cross must be consecrated by an Orthodox priest. It should not have attributes that are related to other churches and not Orthodox.

The most significant attributes are:

• If it is a cross with a crucifix, then it should not have three crosses, but four; both of the Savior's legs can be pierced to one nail. Three nails belong to the Catholic tradition, while in the Orthodox there should be four.
• There used to be another distinguishing feature that is now not supported. In the Orthodox tradition, the Savior would be depicted alive on the cross; in the Catholic tradition, his body was depicted hanging on his hands.
• An oblique crossbar is also considered a sign of the Orthodox cross - the foot of the cross with the right ends up, if you look at the cross in front of it. True, now the ROC also uses crosses with a horizontal footboard, which were previously found only in the West.
• Inscriptions on Orthodox crosses are made in Greek or Church Slavonic. Sometimes, but rarely, you can find inscriptions in Hebrew, Latin or Greek on the tablet above the savior.
• Misconceptions about crosses are often common. For example, it is believed that Orthodox Christians should not wear the Latin cross. The Latin cross is a cross without a crucifix or nails. However, this point of view is a delusion, the Latin cross is called not for the reason that it is common among Catholics, because the Latins crucified the Savior on it.
• The emblems and monograms of other churches must be absent on the Orthodox cross.
• Inverted cross. In the absence of a crucifix on it, historically it was always considered the cross of St. Peter, who, at his own request, was crucified head down. Such a cross belongs to the Orthodox Church, but now it is rare. The upper ray is larger than the lower one.

The traditional Russian Orthodox cross is an eight-pointed cross, on top of which there is a plate with an inscription, an oblique footboard below, and a six-pointed cross.

Contrary to popular belief, crosses can be given, found and worn; you can wear a cross, not a baptismal cross, but simply store it. It is very important that any of them be consecrated in the church.

Vow cross

In Russia, there was a custom to establish vowed crosses in honor of memorable dates or holidays. Usually such events were associated with the death of a large number of people. It could be fires or famines, or cold winters. Crosses could also be installed as gratitude for getting rid of any trouble.

In the city of Mezen in the 18th century, 9 such crosses were erected, when, during a very harsh winter, all the inhabitants of the city almost died. In the Novgorod principality, personal vowed crosses were installed. After that, the tradition passed to the northern Russian principalities.

Sometimes, certain people set up a vowed cross as a sign of a particular event. Such crosses often bore the names of the people who created them. For example, in the Arkhangelsk region there is the village of Koinas, where there is a cross called Tatyanin. According to the inhabitants of this village, the cross was erected by a fellow villager who made such a vow. When his wife Tatyana was overcome by an illness, he decided to take her to a church that was far away, since there were no other churches nearby, after which his wife recovered. It was then that this cross appeared.

Bow cross

This is a cross fixed next to the road or near the entrance, intended for making prayer bows. Such worship crosses in Russia were fixed near the main city gate or at the entrance to the village. At the worshiping cross, they prayed for the protection of the inhabitants of the city with the help of the miraculous power of the Resurrection Cross. Cities in ancient times were often fenced with such worshipful crosses from all sides.

There is an opinion among historians that the first worship cross was erected on the initiative of Princess Olga more than a thousand years ago on the slopes of the Dnieper. In most cases, the Orthodox worship crosses were made of wood, but sometimes one could find stone or cast worship crosses. They were decorated with patterns or carvings.

They are characterized by a direction to the east. The base of the worshiping cross was laid with stones to create its elevation. The hill personified Mount Golgotha, on the top of which Christ was crucified. Under the base of the cross, when it was installed, people laid the earth brought from the doorway.

Now the ancient custom of setting worship crosses is gaining momentum again. In some cities, on the ruins of ancient temples or at the entrance to the settlement, you can see such crosses. They are often installed on hills to honor the memory of the victims.

The essence of the worship cross is as follows. He is a symbol of gratitude and trust in the Almighty. There is another version of the origin of such crosses: it is assumed that they may be associated with the Tatar yoke. There is a belief that the most courageous inhabitants who hid from raids in the forest thickets, after the past danger, returned to the burnt village and erected such a cross as gratitude to the Lord.

There are a great many types of Orthodox crosses. They differ not only in their form and symbolism. There are crosses that carry a specific purpose, for example, baptismal or icon cases, or crosses that are used, for example, for awards.

Among all Christians, only Orthodox and Catholics venerate crosses and icons. Crosses decorate the domes of churches, their homes, and are worn around the neck.

The reason why a person wears a pectoral cross is different for everyone. Someone thus pays tribute to fashion, for someone the cross is a beautiful piece of jewelry, for someone it brings good luck and is used as a talisman. But there are those for whom the pectoral cross worn at baptism is really a symbol of their infinite faith.

Today, shops and church stalls offer a wide variety of crosses of various shapes. However, very often, not only the parents who are going to baptize the child, but also the sales assistants cannot explain where the Orthodox cross is and where the Catholic one, although it is, in fact, very simple to distinguish them. In the Catholic tradition, it is a quadrangular cross with three nails. In Orthodoxy, there are four-pointed, six and eight-pointed crosses, with four nails for the arms and legs.

Cross shape

Four-pointed cross

So, in the West, the most common is four-pointed cross... Since the 3rd century, when such crosses first appeared in the Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East still uses this form of the cross as equal to all others.

Eight-pointed orthodox cross

For Orthodoxy, the shape of the cross does not really matter, much more attention is paid to what is depicted on it, however, the most popular are eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses.

Eight-pointed orthodox cross most consistent with the historically accurate form of the cross, on which Christ was already crucified. The Orthodox cross, which is most often used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, contains, in addition to a large horizontal crossbar, two more. The upper one symbolizes a tablet on the cross of Christ with the inscription “ Jesus the Nazarene, king of the Jews"(INCI, or INRI in Latin). The lower oblique crossbar - the support for the feet of Jesus Christ symbolizes the "righteous measure" weighing the sins and virtues of all people. It is believed that it is tilted to the left, symbolizing the fact that the repentant robber, crucified on the right side of Christ, (first) went to heaven, and the robber, crucified on the left, with his blasphemy against Christ, further aggravated his posthumous fate and fell in hell. The letters IC XC are the Christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov writes that “ when Christ the Lord bore the cross on His shoulders then the cross was still four-pointed; because there was not yet a title or a foot on it. There was no foot, because Christ had not yet been raised on the cross and the soldiers, not knowing where the feet of Christ would reach, did not attach a foot, having finished this already at Calvary". There was also no title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the Gospel reports, at first “ crucified him"(John 19:18), and then only" Pilate wrote the inscription and put it on the cross"(John 19:19). It was at first that “His garments” were divided by lot by the soldiers “ who crucified him"(Matt. 27:35), and only then" placed over His head an inscription signifying His guilt: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS”(Matt. 27:37).

The eight-pointed cross has long been considered the most powerful protective agent against various kinds of impurity, as well as visible and invisible evil.

Six-pointed cross

Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially during the time of Ancient Russia, was also six-pointed cross... It also has an inclined bar: the lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes deliverance by repentance.

However, all its strength is not in the shape of the cross or the number of ends. The cross is famous for the power of Christ crucified on it, and all its symbolism and miraculousness is in this.

The variety of forms of the cross has always been recognized by the Church as quite natural. In the words of the Monk Theodore the Studite - “ a cross of every shape is a true cross"And has unearthly beauty and life-giving power.

« There is no significant difference between Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, as well as between any other crosses used in the service of Christians. In essence, all crosses are the same, the only differences are in the form”, - says the Serbian Patriarch Irinej.

Crucifixion

In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, special importance is attached not to the shape of the cross, but to the image of Jesus Christ on it.

Until the 9th century, inclusively, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant, and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear.

Yes, we know that Christ died on the cross. But we also know that then He was Risen, and that He suffered voluntarily out of love for people: to teach us to cherish the immortal soul; so that we too can be resurrected and live forever. This Easter joy is always present in the Orthodox Crucifixion. Therefore, on the Orthodox cross, Christ does not die, but freely stretches out his arms, the palms of Jesus are open, as if he wants to embrace all of humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is not a dead body, but God, and his whole image speaks of this.

The Orthodox cross above the main horizontal crossbar has another, smaller one, which symbolizes a tablet on the cross of Christ indicating the offense. Because Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words appeared on the tablet “ Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews»In three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic. In Latin in Catholicism, this inscription has the form INRI, and in Orthodoxy - IHTSI(or INHI, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"). The lower slanting bar symbolizes the leg support. It also symbolizes two robbers crucified to the left and right of Christ. One of them, before his death, repented of his sins, for which he was awarded the Kingdom of Heaven. The other, before his death, blasphemed and reviled his executioners and Christ.

The inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar: "IC" "XC"- the name of Jesus Christ; and below it: "NIKA"- Winner.

Greek letters were necessarily written on the cruciform halo of the Savior UN, meaning - "truly I am", because " God said to Moses: I am who I am”(Ex. 3:14), thus revealing His name, which expresses the identity, eternity and immutability of the essence of God.

In addition, in Orthodox Byzantium, nails were kept with which the Lord was nailed to the cross. And it was known for sure that there were four of them, not three. Therefore, on Orthodox crosses, Christ's feet are nailed with two nails, each separately. The image of Christ with crossed feet, nailed by one nail, first appeared as an innovation in the West in the second half of the 13th century.

Orthodox Crucifixion Catholic Crucifixion

In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. Catholics depict Christ dead, sometimes with streams of blood on his face, from wounds on his arms, legs and ribs ( stigmata). It manifests all the human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to endure. His arms sag under the weight of his body. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is plausible, but this is an image of a dead person, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. The crucifixion in Orthodoxy just the same symbolizes this triumph. In addition, the Savior's feet are nailed down with a single nail.

The meaning of the Savior's death on the cross

The emergence of the Christian cross is associated with the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, which he accepted on the cross under the forced sentence of Pontius Pilate. Crucifixion was a common method of execution in ancient Rome, borrowed from the Carthaginians - the descendants of the Phoenician colonists (it is believed that the first crucifixion was used in Phenicia). Usually robbers were sentenced to death on the cross; many early Christians who were persecuted from the time of Nero were also executed in this way.

Crucifixion among the Romans

Before the suffering of Christ, the cross was an instrument of shame and terrible punishment. After His suffering, he became a symbol of the victory of good over evil, life over death, a reminder of God's endless love, an object of joy. The incarnate Son of God sanctified the cross with His blood and made it a conduit of His grace, a source of sanctification for believers.

The Orthodox dogma of the Cross (or Atonement) undoubtedly implies the idea that the death of the Lord is the ransom of all, the vocation of all peoples. Only the cross, unlike other executions, made it possible for Jesus Christ to die with outstretched hands calling "all the ends of the earth" (Is. 45:22).

Reading the Gospels, we are convinced that the feat of the Cross of the God-man is the central event in His earthly life. Through His sufferings on the Cross, He washed away our sins, covered our debt to God, or, in the language of Scripture, “redeemed” us (redeemed). In Golgotha ​​is hidden the incomprehensible secret of the infinite truth and love of God.

The Son of God voluntarily took upon Himself the guilt of all people and suffered for it a shameful and painful death on the cross; then on the third day he rose again as the conqueror of hell and death.

Why was such a terrible Sacrifice needed to cleanse the sins of mankind, and was there an opportunity to save people in a different, less painful way?

The Christian doctrine of the death of the God-man on the cross is often a "stumbling block" for people with already established religious and philosophical concepts. Many Jews and people of the Greek culture of the apostolic times thought it contradictory to assert that the almighty and eternal God descended to earth in the form of a mortal man, voluntarily endured beating, spitting and shameful death, that this feat could bring spiritual benefit to mankind. " It's impossible!"- some objected; " It's not needed!"- asserted others.

St. Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians says: “ Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in the wisdom of the word, so as not to abolish the cross of Christ. For the word about the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing, but for us, who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the understanding of the prudent. Where is the sage? where is the scribe? where is the co-questioner of this age? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of this world into madness? For when the world by its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, then it was pleasing to God to save the believers by the foolishness of preaching. For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, for the Jews a temptation, and for the Greeks folly, for the very called ones, the Jews and Greeks, Christ, God's power and God's wisdom"(1 Cor. 1: 17-24).

In other words, the apostle explained that what in Christianity was perceived by some as a temptation and insanity, in fact, is a matter of the greatest Divine wisdom and omnipotence. The truth of the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior is the foundation for many other Christian truths, for example, about the sanctification of believers, about the sacraments, about the meaning of suffering, about virtues, about deeds, about the purpose of life, about the impending judgment and resurrection of the dead, and others.

At the same time, the redemptive death of Christ, being an event inexplicable in terms of earthly logic and even "tempting for the perishing," has a regenerating power that the believing heart feels and strives for. Renewed and warmed by this spiritual strength, both the last slaves and the most powerful kings bowed before Calvary with awe; both the dark ignoramuses and the greatest scientists. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles were convinced by personal experience of what great spiritual benefits the atoning death and resurrection of the Savior brought them, and they shared this experience with their disciples.

(The mystery of the redemption of mankind is closely related to a number of important religious and psychological factors. Therefore, in order to understand the mystery of redemption, it is necessary:

a) understand what actually is the sinful injury of a person and the weakening of his will to resist evil;

b) it is necessary to understand how the devil's will, thanks to sin, got the opportunity to influence and even captivate human will;

c) it is necessary to understand the mysterious power of love, its ability to positively influence a person and ennoble him. Moreover, if love reveals itself most of all in the sacrificial service of one's neighbor, then there is no doubt that giving life for him is the highest manifestation of love;

d) from understanding the power of human love, one must rise to understanding the power of Divine love and how it penetrates into the soul of the believer and transforms his inner world;

e) in addition, there is a side in the redemptive death of the Savior that goes beyond the human world, namely: On the cross, a battle took place between God and the proud Dennitsa, in which God, hiding under the guise of weak flesh, emerged victorious. The details of this spiritual battle and divine victory remain a mystery to us. Even the Angels, according to ap. Peter, they do not fully understand the mystery of the atonement (1 Peter 1:12). She is a sealed book that only the Lamb of God could open (Rev. 5: 1-7)).

In Orthodox asceticism there is such a concept as bearing one's cross, that is, patient fulfillment of Christian commandments throughout the life of a Christian. All difficulties, both external and internal, are called "the cross." Everyone carries their own cross of life. The Lord said about the need for personal achievement: “ He who does not take up his cross (deviates from the deed) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian) is not worthy of Me”(Matthew 10:38).

« The cross is the guardian of the entire universe. Cross the beauty of the Church, Cross of kings orb", - affirms the absolute Truth of the luminaries of the feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross.

The motives for the outrageous desecration and blasphemy of the Holy Cross by conscientious cross-haters and crucifixes are quite understandable. But when we see Christians involved in this heinous affair, it is all the more impossible to be silent, for - according to the word of Saint Basil the Great - “God is given over to silence”!

Differences between Catholic and Orthodox cross

Thus, there are the following differences between the Catholic cross and the Orthodox:

Catholic cross Orthodox cross

1. Orthodox cross most often it has an eight-pointed or six-pointed shape. Catholic cross- four-pointed.
2. Words on the plate on the crosses are the same, only written in different languages: Latin INRI(in the case of the Catholic cross) and Slavic-Russian IHTSI(on the Orthodox cross).
3. Another principled position is the position of the legs on the Crucifix and the number of nails... The feet of Jesus Christ are positioned together on the Catholic Crucifixion, and each is nailed separately on the Orthodox cross.
4. Different is the image of the Savior on the cross... The Orthodox cross depicts God who opened the way to eternal life, and the Catholic cross depicts a person in torment.

Prepared by Sergey Shulyak