What does the Orthodox cross symbolize? Cross: which cross is correct? Monogram cross "pre-Constantine"
The cross is a symbol of God - our Lord Jesus Christ. For every believer an orthodox person the cross is associated with memories of the Lord's death throes for the sins of all people from the fall of Adam and Eve to the end of time. Even if there is no image of the crucifixion on the cross, it is invisibly present there. Hence, the proportions of the cross are related to the proportions of the person.
Creating living organisms from the simplest to humans, the "Creator of All Sorts" used a single matter and a universal proportion of the "golden section" to shape living beings. "Gold" is present everywhere: in the form of a mollusk shell, and a turnip in the garden, and in the proportions of the crown of creation - a man. For example, the ratio of a person's height to height from the heels to the navel is the same as the ratio of the size from the heels to the navel to the height from the navel to the crown of the head, and is the same as the sequential ratio of the sizes of the phalanges of any finger to each other. This universal ratio is 1: 0.618.
Let us recall that during the Renaissance and the creation of the Bulgarian Exarchate, it was not accidentally designated as the capital city, the center of the diocese. After the decision of the diocese and the settlement of all the necessary administrative and technical procedures, Metropolitan Ioaniki illuminated the area and made the first innovative sod. Of course, the cross is not finished yet. His painting and electricity will be next to him to be illuminated at night, after which, at a convenient time, the cross will be consecrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Sliven Ioanikim.
The means of punching the site and building the cross were provided by the Gocevi brothers and businessmen from the initiative committee. Here short story the Gocevi brothers, the main and main donors of the cross. Brothers Dimitar and Zafir Gochevi were born in Sliven into an Orthodox Orthodox family. Dimitar Inherited piety and affection for Orthodox Church, the Gocevi brothers built a church in honor of St. Trinity in the area of the Sliven villa also helps in the reconstruction and construction of new Orthodox churches and monasteries in the Sliven diocese.
The proportions of the "golden section" are present in all the harmonious phenomena of life, before they were present in the creations of man, for example, in classical music(in the culminating "nodes" of the works), but there are no such proportions in jazz or rock. The same can be said for modern architecture.
God is Perfection, therefore, the symbol of God must be built according to the laws of His creation: in the "golden" proportion. In other words, the proportions of the cross are the division of a straight line segment in the "golden" ratio. The cross should also reflect the history of its origin, as the Three-part Honest and Of the Life-giving Cross Lord's.
Monogram cross "trident"
God will give them health and business success to help other spiritual endeavors. Thanks to all the businessmen who donated money and materials for the construction of the Cross. The cross is the most recognizable sign of Christians. Once upon a time - an embarrassing symbol of shame, from which criminals were excluded from society. Today - "The tree on which the salvation of the world hovers," and against which the righteous of the Eastern churches prostrated themselves, saying the words: "We bow to Your Cross, Lord, and praise Your holy saint."
Greek (Korsun cross)
Picture 1.
The cross is the tree of life, the guardian of the Universe, therefore, it is no coincidence that many decorative elements of the cross are associated with its origin and have the appropriate names: leaf-shaped “burrows” located at the three upper ends of the cross, “branches” on the main “trunk” above the tsata, “ sun ”and rays emanating from it in the center of the baroque cross. Analyzing temple crosses, chronologically, several main types of crosses known to Russian architects can be distinguished: Greek equal cross, its other name is Korsun (picture 1) , by the name of the city, from where Russia directly took Orthodox Faith; Russian Orthodox eight-pointed cross (picture 2) ; baroque cross (picture 3) .
Worn around the neck, visible in homes, workplaces, cars, in cities and on country roads, on graves and monuments. Despite the most common element, which is the intersection of the vertical and horizontal beam, it has been presented in a variety of ways.
These variations concerned not only the geometry of the sign itself, but also the ornaments, inscriptions and symbols on it. Not only are they derived from imagination, the ability of artists and local traditions, but they also carry a deep theological message. There are still differing opinions among archaeologists and historians about what the instrument of torture on which Christ was crucified on goodbye might have looked. This problem is a separate topic for broad discussion. However, it is worth knowing that from the very beginning of the Church there was the realization that it was a cross between two thick wooden beams - longer, vertical, embedded in the ground and short, transverse.
All of the above types of crosses differ among themselves in proportions, quantity and nature of decorative elements. The Greek cross is usually inscribed in a square or rectangle in the "golden ratio", and usually the crossbar divides the vertical in half, hence the equal-pointed cross. The ancients cathedral churches usually had Greek crosses with decorative elements, while the central cross was more elongated vertically. The crosses had tsats on the bottom as a symbol of God's blessing, which also meant the bishop's service in this church. The body of the cross had inserts - metal plates with perforated threads. The topic of the plots was usually “ heavenly groves»: Birds and flowers.
What was the cross on which Christ was crucified?
Until the time of Emperor Constantine, Christians more often made the sign of the cross with their own hands than they represented it in the form of icons or sculptures. This was the result of a difficult overcoming of stereotypes, seeing in the cross mainly an instrument of punishing criminals.
In the East, the cross was commonly worshiped after Emilia Helena found the relic of the cross in 326 in Jerusalem. The Empress divided them into three parts, transferring them to the three main episcopal capitals of the Church: Jerusalem, Constantinople and Rome. The cross has since become a universal symbol of the Church. Let's take a look at its most known forms.
Russian eight-pointed cross
Figure 2.
The Russian eight-pointed cross most often fits into a rectangle, the sides of which relate to each other in the “golden ratio”. The cross is ascetic and has no decorative ornaments. Consists of a vertical pillar and three crossbars: the top signifies a tablet on which Pilate made inscriptions in Greek, Roman and Hebrew; the middle one - the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ are spread out on it, embracing the whole world; the lower crossbar marks the place where the Lord's feet were nailed. The lower bar is inclined, if you look at the cross from the west, then left side the bar is up and the right bar down. According to the teachings of the Church, on The last judgment the righteous will stand by right hand Of the Lord, and sinners on the left, the first will go to heaven, to heaven, and sinners to hell, to hell.
In the Greek tradition, which greatly influenced the depiction of the cross in the Eastern Church, it was first depicted as two equal rays intersecting at right angles. Most likely, this did not come from Greece itself, but from Egypt. The first to use this form was the holy monk Pacomius the Elder, the creator of the first rules of monastic life in Christianity.
Regular geometric shape was intended to illustrate the perfect and complete dimension of Christ's sacrifice, which gives order to the entire cosmos, which is the basic principle of existence. A regular cross was also inscribed in a circle - another symbol of the perfection of God's creation. The Greek cross was the basis for the construction of temples, which were erected according to the plan of a simple, isosceles cross.
From anthropometrics, we know that if the size of the span of a person's arms is practically equal to his height, then the size of the middle crossbar of the Russian cross is equal to the vertical size from the middle crossbar to the bottom. Based on this fairly simple and clear position, you can find all the other proportions eight-pointed cross... If we take the height of the cross equal to 1.0, then its middle crossbar should be equal to 0.618, the distance from the middle crossbar to the bottom will also be equal to 0.618. The distance from the upper crossbar to the top of the cross is taken to be equal to the distance from the lower crossbar to the base of the cross, if we represent it in numbers, we get: 1) 1.0 - 0.618 = 0.382;
2) 0.382: 2 = 0.191 (see Fig. 2).
The Greek cross also became the basis for the Jerusalem cross, in which the following, small, isosceles crosses were placed at four corners. According to many interpretations, they symbolize the four Gospels or the four sides of the world. Today, the Greek cross has become a common symbol for medical services, medical and charitable services, and pharmacies.
In Italy and then in other parts Western Europe the shape of the cross with four arms, perhaps accurately reflecting the shape of the crosses on which Christ and other condemned persons perished in the first centuries, has become universal. However, the longer vertical and shorter horizontal beam also had a deep symbolic meaning.
Depending on the height of the structure and its visual perception from the ground, the vertical elements of the cross stretched out (most often on the bell towers, because of their insignificant, in relation to the height, dimensions of the plan).
Baroque cross
Figure 3.
The baroque cross arose and became widespread in Russia in the 18th century. Its appearance is associated with the dominant at this time of the same name architectural style... Peculiarity of this style- "splendor" of forms and saturation with elements that have curvilinear outlines. Although many provincial temples of this period are modest in form and the number of decorative elements, the crosses are “rich”: saturated with elements that have a subtle graceful drawing and are covered with leafy zealot.
The vertical one depicted the unity and connection of man with Heaven. Horizontal - the whole world, embraced by the arms of the Son of God. There are various varieties of Latin crosses, which later became known as crucifixes. Peter in the morning before the crucifixion. In the group of Latin crosses, we can find other types of performances, such as the Lorraine cross and the Celtic cross, in which the upper ray is inscribed in a circle. In the British Isles, especially in Ireland, since the time of Christianization, it has been decorated with temples placed on the roads and in cemeteries.
Monogram cross "Konstantinovsky"
Another Egyptian father of the desert, St. Antoni Wielki used a cross in the form of the Greek letter "ταῦ". It meant Christ himself, but also in ancient culture he was associated with the number 300, which is the arithmetic symbol of perfection. After centuries, the saint returned to this symbol. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan Order, which he created - this form of the cross is still a symbol of the spirituality of the Poor Man of Assisi.
The analysis of baroque-type crosses makes it possible to determine their proportions, which were most often used by master baptists when creating a “typical” cross. The ratio of the height of the baroque cross to its height to the main crossbar is 1,000: 0.618. The size from the center of the crossbar to the top of the cross is equal to half the span of the cross in the crossbar and is 0.382 of the total height. As in the eight-pointed Russian cross, the size of the main crossbar of the cross without decorative "burrs" is equal to the height from the crosshair to the lower crossbar - tsata (0.472 of the height of the cross) (see Fig. 3). Crosses with tsats, as mentioned above, were placed only on churches where the bishop served. The division of each large element into smaller components is also carried out in the "golden ratio", thus achieving the harmony of the whole and each individual element.
Francis himself also worshiped a multi-armed cross with a vivid image of the Crucified, which came from early Christian Syria, which was once in the church of St. Damian in his hometown, and now - in the Basilica of St. He has a clear resemblance to the Eastern crosses.
Today, the inverted cross is clearly associated with Satanism or subcultures associated with black metal music. This was not the case from the very beginning. According to Origen's testimony, he suffered the martyrdom of the saint on the crucified cross. Peter, oblivious to the humility to be crucified like the Savior. Sometimes in places or temples dedicated to the apostle, this type of cross was used.
In the process of further analysis of the proportions of the crosses, the dependence of the main dimensions of the crosses on the dimensions of Orthodox churches and chapels, and also, therefore, on their visual perception from the ground was revealed. For example, the following relationship was revealed: the crosses of relatively low chapels are closer to a square or rectangle in the "golden section", and the proportions of the crosses of high-rise bell towers tend to a double square in height.
The obtained research results were defended at the scientific and methodological council at the management of culture and served as the basis for the author's practical activities to recreate the destroyed in Soviet time completion Orthodox churches as well as the design of new cathedrals, churches and chapels. In particular, this is the design of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas Nicholas Monastery of Pereslavl-Zalessky; the Church of St. George the Victorious PK "Slavich", designing a chapel at the source of the appearance of the icon of the Great Martyr Barbara and the chapel of St. Dmitry Prilutsky in the Pereslavl region; design of the wooden church of St. Tikhon and the New Martyrs of Russia, the stone church of John the Baptist and the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in the city of Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region.
Catacomb cross or "sign of victory"
In turn, the apostle Andrew was to be crucified on two rays forming the letter X, pointing directly to Christ. Before today it is used in the heraldic symbols of many countries, as well as a warning sign at level crossings. In Byzantium, the cult of crosses developed with a small beveled bunch added to the feet of Christ. This meant not only the support of the Savior's feet, but - an appeal to the figure of two crucified Christians - symbolizes the freedom of man and the possibility of choosing between salvation and the rejection of God.
Thanks to the information about the proportions, we have drawn the correct header. Many will say - what's the problem, take and redraw from any sample? However, it is very important to reflect in the book not the skill of the draftsman (read - designer, decorator), but respect for the Faith, for the tradition in which this Faith lives, and for the culture in which the tradition is displayed.
So, the ascending ray resembles the fate of the Good Rogue, and the ray falls - the absence of repentance and the strengthening of another criminal. Sometimes, at the very bottom of the vertical beam, a small little crescent moon was placed in the horny position. Contrary to some translations, this does not mean the victory of Christianity over Islam, but the victory of Christ over the night of sin and death, represented in the shape of a crescent moon.
V Orthodox tradition in Orthodox churches, the so-called Golgotha, in which, in addition to the cross of the Lord, there are silhouettes of the Mother of God and the saint. This is confirmed by the black base on which the human bones and a skull, symbolizing Pronpizzi's sin and his defeat by the cross. Calvary is located in a visible place of the temple during Great Lent.
Information from here.
"A cross of every form is a true cross," taught the Monk Theodore the Studite as early as the 9th century. And in our time it happens that churches refuse to accept notes with four-pointed "Greek" crosses, forcing them to correct them for eight-pointed "Orthodox". Is there a single “correct” cross? We asked the head of the icon-painting school of the Moscow Academy of Sciences, associate professor, abbot LUKU (Golovkov) and a leading specialist in stavrography, candidate of art history Svetlana GNUTOVA to help understand this.
Crosses in Ethiopia, Armenia and Georgia
The vertical beam is long in it, and at the top is an ornate horizontal beam, reminiscent of the diamond shape or the extended cross of Jerusalem. The Armenians, in turn, use "Khachkar" - a richly decorated stone slab in which the cross is engraved, although without the image of Christ hanging on it. It decorates not only the walls of temples, but also tombs and crossroads.
The Cross of St. George is popular in Georgia. Nino, used by the local autocephalous Orthodox Church. It is similar to the classic Latin cross, with the difference that both ends of the horizontal beam are falling. A saint who was a relative of a saint. George, she once decided to make a small cross from two branches of a vine. She tied their hair strands, but on the second day, both horizontal ends naturally bowed down.
What was the cross on which Christ was crucified?
“The cross is a symbol of the Passion of Christ, and not only a symbol, but an instrument through which the Lord saved us,” says Abbot Luke (Golovkov)... “Therefore, the Cross is the greatest shrine through which God's help is accomplished.”
The history of this Christian symbol began with the fact that the holy Empress Helen in 326 found the Cross on which Christ was crucified. However, how exactly he looked is now unknown. Only two separate crossbeams were found, and next to it is a plate and a foot. There were no grooves or holes in the crossbeams, so there was no way to determine how they were attached to each other. “There is an opinion that this cross could have been in the shape of the letter“ T ”, that is, three-pointed,” says Svetlana Gnutova, a leading expert on stavrography, candidate of art history. - The Romans had at that time the practice of crucifying on such crosses, but this does not mean that Christ cross was just that. It could be both four-pointed and eight-pointed ”.
The richness of the representation of the cross reflects well the brilliance of Christianity itself, far from any unification. This shows that faith is expressed in many forms. human culture, diverse, but associated with the desire to discover the deepest sense of life that Christ gave us.
Brothers, knowing that a person is not justified in the works of the law, but by faith in Christ Jesus, we also believed in Christ Jesus so that we could renounce faith in Christ and not the works of the law, for no one will be straightened from the works of the law. But if, trying to go to Christ, we were also sinners, is it Christ, the servant of sin? And now life in the flesh lives in faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself to me. The Lord said: He who wants to follow Me, deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.
The discussion about the "right" cross did not arise today. The dispute about which cross is correct, eight-pointed or four-pointed, was waged by the Orthodox and Old Believers, and the latter called the simple four-pointed cross "the seal of the antichrist." In defense of the four-pointed cross, St. John of Kronstadt spoke out, dedicated to this topic his Ph.D. thesis (he defended it in 1855 at St. to the boy? And this well-known shape of the cross, this the oldest shrine faith, the seal of all the sacraments, as something new, unknown to our ancestors, which appeared yesterday, our imaginary Old Believers suspected, humiliated, trampled on in broad daylight, belching blasphemy that from the very beginning of Christianity and until now served and serves as a source of sanctification and salvation for all. Honoring only an eight-pointed cross, or three-piece, that is, a straight shaft and three diameters on it, located in a known way, they call the so-called four-pointed cross, which is the true and most common form of the cross, as the seal of the Antichrist and the abomination of desolation! " 
St. John of Kronstadt explains: “The” Byzantine ”four-pointed cross is actually a“ Russian ”cross, since, according to Church Tradition, a saint Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir took out of Korsun, where he was baptized, it was such a cross and was the first to install it on the banks of the Dnieper in Kiev. A similar four-pointed cross has been preserved in the Kiev Sophia Cathedral, carved on the marble board of the tomb of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the son of St. Vladimir. " But, defending the four-pointed cross, St. John concludes that one and the other should be honored equally, since the very form of the cross for believers does not have a fundamental difference. Hegumen Luke: “In the Orthodox Church, its holiness does not in any way depend on the shape of the cross, provided that the cross is made and consecrated precisely as a Christian symbol, and not originally executed as a sign, for example, of the sun or part of a household ornament or decoration. The rite of consecration of crosses became obligatory for this in the Russian Church, as well as icons. It is interesting that, for example, in Greece, the consecration of icons and crosses is not necessary, because Christian traditions in society are more stable. " 
For whoever saves his soul will lose it; and whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save him. And what does a person use to win the whole world if he loses his soul? Or what could a person give in exchange for his soul? And the one who will be ashamed of me and my words in this despicable and sinful generation, and the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes to the glory of his Father with holy angels.
Then he said to them: Truly, I say to you, there are some who are here who will not taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God will come to power. Saint Luke of Crimea: Take up the cross and follow Christ. He who wants to come after Me, deny himself, accept his cross and follow Me.
Why don't we wear the fish sign?
Until the IV century, while the persecution of Christians continued, it was impossible to openly make images of the cross (including so that the persecutors would not abuse it), so the first Christians came up with ways to encrypt the cross. That is why the very first Christian symbol became a fish. In Greek, "fish" - Ίχθύς is an acronym for the Greek phrase "Iησοvς Χριστoς Θεov Υιoς Σωτήρ" - "Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior." The image of two fish on either side of the vertical anchor with the top in the form of a cross was used as a secret "pass-pass" for Christian meetings. “But the fish did not become the same symbol of Christianity as the cross,” explains Abbot Luke, “because the fish is an allegory, an allegory. Holy Fathers on the Fifth-Sixth of Trullski Ecumenical Council 691-692 years directly condemned and banned allegories, since this is a kind of "pedagogical" image that only leads to Christ, in contrast to the direct image of Christ himself - our Savior and the Cross of Christ - the symbol of His Suffering. Allegories left the practice of the Orthodox Church for a long time and only ten centuries later began to penetrate the East again under the influence of the Catholic West. "
The first encrypted images of the cross itself were found in the Roman catacombs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Researchers found that on the tombs of Christians who suffered for their faith, they often painted a palm branch as a symbol of eternity, a brazier as a symbol of martyrdom (this method of execution was widespread in the first centuries) and a christogram - an abbreviation of the name Christ - or a monogram consisting of the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet Α and Ω - according to the word of the Lord in Revelation to John the Theologian: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 1, 8). Sometimes these symbols were drawn together and positioned in such a way that the image of a cross was guessed in them.
When the first "legal" cross appeared
To the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine (IV) “Christ, the Son of God, appeared in a dream with a sign seen in heaven and commanded, having made a banner similar to the one seen in heaven, to use it for protection from the attack of enemies,” writes the church historian Eusebius Pamphilus. - We happened to see this banner with our own eyes. It had the following appearance: on a long, gold-covered spear there was a transverse yard, which formed the sign of the cross with the spear, and on it the first two letters of the name Christ, combined together. " 
These letters, later called the monogram of Constantine, were worn by the tsar on his helmet. After the miraculous appearance of St. Constantine ordered to make images of the cross on the shields of his soldiers and installed in Constantinople three commemorative crosses with a golden inscription in Greek "IC.XP.NIKA", which means "Jesus Christ is the Victor". He placed the first cross with the inscription "Jesus" on triumphal gates city square, the second with the inscription "Christ" - on the Roman column, and the third with the inscription "Winner" - on a high marble pillar on the grain square of the city. From this began the universal veneration of the Cross of Christ.
“The holy images were everywhere so that, more often visible, they would induce us to love the Archetype,” explains Abbot Luke. - After all, everything that surrounds us, in one way or another, affects us, evil and good. The holy reminder of the Lord helps the soul to strive with thought and heart to God. "
In from how he wrote about these times, St. John Chrysostom: “The cross is everywhere in glory: on houses, on the square, in solitude, on the roads, on the mountains, on the hills, on the plains, at the sea, on ship masts, on islands, on boxes, on clothes, on weapons, at feasts, on vessels of silver and gold, on precious stones, on the wall painting ... so vying with each other, everyone admires this amazing gift. " 
It is interesting that since the time when it became possible in the Christian world to legally make images of the cross, the encrypted inscriptions and christograms did not disappear, but migrated, as an addition, to the crosses themselves. This tradition has come to Russia as well. Since the 11th century, under the lower oblique crossbar of the eight-pointed crucifix, which was installed in temples, a symbolic image of the head of Adam appears, who was buried, according to legend, on Calvary. The inscriptions are a brief commentary on the circumstances of the crucifixion of the Lord, the meaning of His death on the cross and are deciphered as follows: "M.L.R.B." - "the frontal place was crucified", "G.G." - “Mount Golgotha”, the letters “K” and “T” mean a warrior's spear and a cane with a sponge, depicted along the cross. Above the middle crossbar there are inscriptions: "IC" "XC", and under it: "NIKA" - "Winner"; on the plate or near the inscription: "СНЪ БЖИЙ" - "Son of God", "I.N.TS.I" - "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews"; above the plate there is an inscription: "ЦРЪ СЛВИ" - "Tsar of Glory". "G.A." - "the head of Adamov"; moreover, the bones of the hands, lying in front of the head, are depicted: right on the left, as in burial or communion.
Catholic or Orthodox Crucifixion?
“The Catholic Crucifixion is often written in a more naturalistic way,” says Svetlana Gnutova. - The Savior is depicted hanging in his arms, the image conveys the martyrdom and death of Christ. In ancient Russian images, Christ is depicted as Risen and Reigning. Christ is depicted in power - as the conqueror, holding and calling the whole Universe into His arms. "
In the 16th century, the Moscow clerk Ivan Mikhailovich Viskovaty even opposed the crosses, where Christ is depicted on the cross with his palms clenched into a fist, and not open. “Christ on the cross stretched out his hands to gather us,” explains Abbot Luke, “so that we aspire to heaven, so that our striving is always to the heavens. Therefore, the cross is also a symbol of bringing us together so that we are one with the Lord! " 
Another difference Catholic Crucifixion- Christ was Crucified with three nails, that is, the nails are driven into both hands, and the feet are folded together and nailed with one nail. In the Orthodox Crucifixion, each foot of the Savior is nailed separately by its own nail. Hegumen Luke: “This is enough ancient tradition... In the 13th century, custom-made icons for the Latins were painted on Sinai, where Christ had already been nailed down with three nails, and in the 15th century, such Crucifixions became the generally accepted Latin norm. However, this is only a tribute to a tradition that we must respect and preserve, but not seek out any theological implications here. In the Sinai Monastery, the icons of the Lord Crucified with three nails are in the church and are revered on a par with Orthodox crucifixes. "
Cross - Crucified Love
“The iconography of the cross is developing like any other iconography. The cross can be decorated with ornaments or stones, but in no way can it become 12-point or 16-point, ”says Svetlana Gnutova. "The variety of forms of the cross in Christian tradition- this is a variety of glorification of the Cross, and not a change in its meaning, - explains Abbot Luke. - Hymnographers glorified the Cross with many prayers, in the same way icon painters glorify the Cross of the Lord in different ways. For example, an image of a tsata appeared in icon painting - a royal or princely pendant in the shape of a crescent, we usually use it on the icons of the Virgin and Christ, - soon it also appeared on the cross to emphasize its royal significance.
Of course, we need to use crosses that are written in the Orthodox tradition. After all, the cross on the chest is not only the help to which we resort in prayers, but also the evidence of our faith. Although, I think, we can accept images of crosses of ancient Christian denominations (for example, Copts or Armenians). Catholic crosses, which after the Renaissance became too naturalistic in form, do not coincide with the Orthodox understanding of Christ Crucified as the Victor, but since this is the image of Christ, we must treat them with reverence. "
As St. John of Kronstadt: “The main thing that should remain in the Cross is Love:“ A cross without love cannot be thought and imagined: where there is a cross, there is love; in the church you see crosses everywhere and on everything so that everything reminds you that you are in the temple of Love, crucified for us. "