Christian cross meaning. Types of Orthodox crosses

The history of the appearance of the cross in Orthodoxy is very interesting. This ancient symbol was revered even before the emergence of Christianity and had a sacred meaning. What does the Orthodox cross with crossbars mean, what is its mystical and religious meaning? Let's turn to historical sources to learn about all types of crosses and their differences.

The symbol of the cross is used in many world beliefs. Only 2000 years ago it became a symbol of Christianity and acquired the meaning of a talisman. In the ancient world we come across the symbol of the Egyptian cross with a loop, expressing the divine principle and the principle of life. Carl Gustav Jung dates the emergence of the symbolism of the cross in general to primitive times, when people made fire with the help of two crossed sticks.

Early images of the cross can be found in a wide variety of forms: T, X, + or t. If the cross was depicted as equilateral, it symbolized the 4 cardinal directions, 4 natural elements or the 4 Heavens of Zoroaster. Later, the cross began to be compared with the four seasons of the year. However, all the meanings and types of crosses were in one way or another correlated with life, death and rebirth.

The mystical meaning of the cross has at all times been associated with cosmic forces and their flows.

In the Middle Ages, the cross became firmly associated with the death and resurrection of Christ and acquired Christian significance. The equilateral cross began to express the idea of ​​divine presence, power and strength. It was joined by an inverted cross as a symbol of denial of divine authority and adherence to Satanism.

Cross of Saint Lazarus

In the Orthodox tradition, the cross can be depicted in different ways: from two crossed lines to a complex combination of several crossbars with additional symbols. All types of Orthodox crosses carry a single meaning and meaning - salvation. The eight-pointed cross, which is also common in the countries of the eastern Mediterranean and eastern Europe, has become especially widespread. This eight-pointed symbol has a special name - the cross of St. Lazarus. This symbol often depicts the crucified Christ.

The eight-pointed Orthodox cross is depicted with two transverse bars at the top (the top is shorter than the bottom) and the third is inclined. This crossbar carries the meaning of a footstool: the Savior’s feet rest on it. The slope of the foot is always depicted the same way - the right side is higher than the left. This has a certain symbolism: the right leg of Christ rests on the right side, which is higher than the left. According to Jesus, at the Last Judgment the righteous will stand on his right hand, and sinners on his left. That is, the right end of the crossbar symbolizes the path to heaven, and the left - the path to hell.

The small crossbar (upper) symbolizes the tablet above the head of Christ, which was nailed by Pontius Pilate. It was written in three languages: Nazarite, king of the Jews. This is the meaning of a cross with three bars in the Orthodox tradition.

Calvary Cross

There is another image of an eight-pointed Orthodox cross in the monastic tradition - the schematic cross of Golgotha. He is depicted above the symbol of Golgotha, where the crucifixion took place. The symbol of Golgotha ​​is depicted with steps, and under them there is a skull and crossbones. On both sides of the cross, other attributes of the crucifixion can be depicted - a cane, a spear and a sponge. All these attributes have a deep mystical meaning.

For example, a skull and crossbones symbolize our first parents, on whom the sacrificial blood of the Savior flowed and washed away from sins. In this way, the connection of generations is carried out - from Adam and Eve to the time of Christ. It also symbolizes the connection of the Old Testament with the New.

The spear, cane and sponge are another symbol of the Calvary tragedy. The Roman warrior Longinus pierced the Savior's ribs with a spear, from which blood and water flowed. This symbolizes the birth of the Church of Christ, like the birth of Eve from the rib of Adam.

Seven-pointed cross

This symbol has two crossbars - an upper one and a lower one. The foot has a deep mystical meaning in Christianity, as it connects both testaments - the Old and the New. The footstool is mentioned by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60:13), the psalmist in Psalm No. 99, and you can also read about it in the book of Exodus (see: Exodus 30:28). The seven-pointed cross can be seen on the domes of Orthodox churches.

Seven-pointed Orthodox cross - image:

Six-pointed cross

What does a six-pointed cross mean? In this symbol, the lower inclined crossbar symbolizes the following: the raised end has the meaning of liberation through repentance, and the lowered end means unrepentant sin. This form of the cross was common in ancient times.

Cross with crescent

On the domes of churches you can see a cross with a crescent at the bottom. What does this church cross mean, does it have any connection with Islam? The crescent was a symbol of the Byzantine state, from where the Orthodox faith came to us. There are several different versions of the origin of this symbol.

• The crescent symbolizes the manger in which the Savior was born in Bethlehem.
• The crescent symbolizes the cup in which the body of the Savior resided.
• The crescent symbolizes the sail under which the ship of the church sails to the kingdom of God.

It is not known which version is correct. All we know is that the crescent was a symbol of the Byzantine state, and after its fall it became a symbol of the Ottoman Empire.

The difference between an Orthodox cross and a Catholic one

With the acquisition of the faith of their ancestors, many newly-made Christians do not know the main differences between the Catholic cross and the Orthodox one. Let's designate them:

• There is always more than one crossbar on an Orthodox cross.
• In the Catholic eight-pointed cross, all the crossbars are parallel to each other, but in the Orthodox one, the lower one is oblique.
• The Savior's face on the Orthodox cross does not express agony.
• The Savior’s legs on the Orthodox cross are closed; on the Catholic cross they are depicted one above the other.

The image of Christ on the Catholic and Orthodox cross attracts special attention. In Orthodox we see the Savior who gave humanity the path to eternal life. The Catholic cross depicts a dead man who has undergone terrible torture.

If you know these differences, you can easily determine whether the symbol of the Christian cross belongs to a particular church.

Despite the variety of forms and symbolism of the cross, its strength lies not in the number of ends or the crucifixion depicted on them, but in repentance and faith in salvation. Any cross carries life-giving power.

Tell your fortune for today using the “Card of the Day” Tarot layout!

For correct fortune telling: focus on the subconscious and don’t think about anything for at least 1-2 minutes.

When you are ready, draw a card:

In Christianity, the veneration of the cross belongs to Catholics and Orthodox Christians. The symbolic figure adorns the domes of churches, houses, icons and other church paraphernalia. The Orthodox cross is of great importance for believers, emphasizing their endless commitment to religion. No less interesting is the history of the appearance of the symbol, where the variety of forms allows one to reflect the depth of Orthodox culture.

The history and significance of the Orthodox cross

Many people perceive the cross as a symbol of Christianity. Initially, the figure symbolized the murder weapon in the executions of Jews during the times of Ancient Rome. Criminals and Christians who had been persecuted since the reign of Nero were executed in this way. This type of killing was practiced in ancient times by the Phoenicians and migrated through the Carthaginian colonists to the Roman Empire.

When Jesus Christ was crucified on a stake, the attitude towards the sign changed in a positive direction. The death of the Lord was the atonement for the sins of the human race and the recognition of all nations. His sufferings covered people's debts to the Father God.

Jesus carried a simple crosshair up the mountain, then the foot was attached by the soldiers when it became clear to what level Christ’s feet reached. At the top there was a sign with the inscription: “This is Jesus, King of the Jews,” nailed by order of Pontius Pilate. From that moment on, the eight-pointed shape of the Orthodox cross was born.

Any believer, seeing the holy crucifix, involuntarily thinks about the martyrdom of the Savior, accepted as deliverance from the eternal death of mankind after the fall of Adam and Eve. The Orthodox cross carries an emotional and spiritual load, the image of which appears to the inner gaze of the believer. As Saint Justin stated: “The cross is the great symbol of the power and authority of Christ.” In Greek, "symbol" means "connection" or manifestation of an invisible reality through naturalness.

The inculcation of symbolic images became difficult during the time of the Jews with the emergence of the New Testament church in Palestine. At that time adherence to traditions was revered and images considered as idolatry were prohibited. As the number of Christians increased, the influence of the Jewish worldview decreased. In the first centuries after the execution of the Lord, followers of Christianity were persecuted and performed rituals in secret. The oppressed situation, the lack of protection of the state and the church directly affected the symbolism and worship.

Symbols reflected the dogmas and formulas of the Sacraments, contributed to the expression of the word and were the sacred language of transmitting faith and defending church teaching. That is why the cross was of great importance for Christians, symbolizing the victory of good over evil and bestowing eternal light of life over the darkness of hell.

How the cross is depicted: features of external manifestation

There are different designs for crucifixes, where you can see simple shapes with straight lines or complex geometric shapes, complemented by a variety of symbolism. The religious load of all structures is the same, only the external design differs.

In the Mediterranean eastern countries, Russia, and eastern Europe, they adhere to the eight-pointed form of the crucifix - the Orthodox one. Its other name is “The Cross of St. Lazarus.”

The crosshair consists of a small upper crossbar, a large lower crossbar and an inclined foot. The vertical crossbar, located at the bottom of the pillar, was intended to support the feet of Christ. The direction of the crossbar's tilt does not change: the right end is higher than the left. This situation means that on the day of the Last Judgment the righteous will stand on the right hand, and sinners on the left. The kingdom of heaven is given to the righteous, as evidenced by the right corner raised upward. Sinners are cast into the depths of hell - the left end indicates.

For Orthodox symbols The monogram is characteristically inscribed mainly at the ends of the middle crosshair - IC and XC, indicating the name of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the inscriptions are located under the middle crossbar - “Son of God”, then in Greek NIKA - translated as “winner”.

The small crossbar contains an inscription with a tablet made by order of Pontius Pilate, and contains the abbreviation Inzi (ІНЦІ - in Orthodoxy), and Inri (INRI - in Catholicism), - this is how the words “Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews” are designated. The eight-pointed display conveys with great certainty the instrument of Jesus’ death.

Rules of construction: proportions and sizes

Classic version of the eight-pointed crosshair is built in the correct harmonious proportion, which consists in the fact that everything embodied by the Creator is perfect. The construction is based on the law of the golden ratio, which is based on the perfection of the human body and sounds like this: the result of dividing the height of a person by the distance from the navel to the feet is 1.618, and coincides with the result obtained from dividing the height by the distance from the navel to the top of the head. A similar ratio of proportions is contained in many things, including the Christian cross, the photo of which is an example of construction according to the law of the golden ratio.

The drawn crucifix fits into a rectangle, its sides are adjusted to the rules of the golden ratio - height divided by width equals 1.618. Another feature is that the span of a person’s arms is equal to his height, so a figure with outstretched arms is harmoniously contained in a square. Thus, the size of the middle intersection corresponds to the span of the Savior’s arms and is equal to the distance from the crossbar to the beveled foot and is characteristic of the height of Christ. Anyone planning to write a cross or apply a vector pattern should take these rules into account.

Pectoral crosses in Orthodoxy are considered to be those worn under clothing, closer to the body. It is not recommended to display the symbol of faith in public by wearing it over clothing. Church products have an eight-pointed shape. But there are crosses without upper and lower crossbars - four-pointed ones, these are also allowed to be worn.

The canonical version looks like eight-pointed products with or without an image of the Savior in the center. The custom of wearing church crosses made of various materials on the chest arose in the first half of the 4th century. Initially, it was customary for followers of the Christian faith to wear not crosses, but medallions with the image of the Lord.

During periods of persecution from the middle of the 1st century to the beginning of the 4th century, there were martyrs who expressed a desire to suffer for Christ and applied crosshairs to their foreheads. Using their distinctive sign, volunteers were quickly identified and martyred. The formation of the Christian religion introduced the wearing of crucifixes into the custom, and then they were introduced into installation on the roofs of churches.

The variety of forms and types of the cross does not contradict the Christian religion. It is believed that every manifestation of the symbol is a true cross, carrying life-giving power and heavenly beauty. To understand what they are Orthodox crosses, types and meaning, let's look at the main types of design:

In Orthodoxy, the greatest importance is given not so much to the form as to the image on the product. Six-pointed and eight-pointed figures are more common.

Six-pointed Russian Orthodox cross

On a crucifix, the inclined lower crossbar acts as a measuring scale, assessing the life of each person and his internal state. The figure has been used in Rus' since ancient times. The six-pointed worship cross, introduced by Princess Euphrosyne of Polotsk, dates back to 1161. The sign was used in Russian heraldry as part of the coat of arms of the Kherson province. The miraculous power of the crucified Christ lay in the number of its ends.

Eight-pointed cross

The most common type is a symbol of the Orthodox Russian Church. It is called differently - Byzantine. The eight-pointed shape was formed after the act of crucifixion of the Lord; before that, the shape was equilateral. A special feature is the lower foot, in addition to the two upper horizontal ones.

Together with the Creator, two more criminals were executed, one of whom began to mock the Lord, hinting that if Christ is true, then he is obliged to save them. Another condemned man objected to him that they were real criminals, and Jesus was falsely convicted. The defender was on the right hand, so the left end of the foot was raised upward, symbolizing eminence above other criminals. The right side of the crossbar is lowered as a sign of humiliation of the others before the justice of the words of the defender.

Greek cross

Also called "Korsunchik" Old Russian. Traditionally used in Byzantium, it is considered one of the oldest Russian crucifixes. Tradition says that Prince Vladimir was baptized in Korsun, from where he took the crucifix and installed it on the banks of the Dnieper in Kievan Rus. The four-pointed image has been preserved to this day in the St. Sophia Cathedral of Kyiv, where it is carved on a marble slab for the burial of Prince Yaroslav, who was the son of St. Vladimir.

Maltese cross

Refers to the officially accepted symbolic crucifix of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem on the island of Malta. The movement openly opposed Freemasonry, and, according to some information, participated in organizing the murder of Pavel Petrovich, the Russian Emperor who patronized the Maltese. Figuratively, the cross is represented by equilateral rays expanding at the ends. Awarded for military merit and courage.

The figure contains the Greek letter "Gamma" and resembles in appearance the ancient Indian sign of the swastika, meaning the highest being, bliss. First depicted by Christians in the Roman catacombs. It was often used to decorate church utensils, gospels, and was embroidered on the clothes of Byzantine church servants.

The symbol was widespread in the culture of the ancient Iranians and Aryans, and was often found in China and Egypt during the Paleolithic era. The swastika was revered in many areas of the Roman Empire and ancient Slavic pagans. The sign was depicted on rings, jewelry, and rings, signifying fire or the sun. The swastika was churched by Christianity and many ancient pagan traditions were reinterpreted. In Rus', the image of the swastika was used in the decoration of church objects, ornaments and mosaics.

What does the cross on church domes mean?

Domed crosses with a crescent decorated cathedrals since ancient times. One of these was the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Vologda, built in 1570. In the pre-Mongol period, an eight-pointed form of a dome was often found, under the crossbar of which there was a crescent moon turned upside down by its horns.

There are various explanations for such symbolism. The most famous concept is compared to a ship's anchor, which is considered a symbol of salvation. In another version, the moon is symbolized by the font in which the temple is clothed.

The meaning of the month is interpreted in different ways:

• The Bethlehem font that received the infant Christ.
• Eucharistic cup containing the body of Christ.
• Church ship, led by Christ.
• The serpent trampled under the cross and placed at the feet of the Lord.

Many people are concerned about the question - what is the difference between the Catholic cross and the Orthodox one. In fact, it is quite easy to distinguish them. Catholicism has a four-pointed cross, on which the hands and feet of the Savior are crucified with three nails. A similar display appeared in the 3rd century in the Roman catacombs, but still remains popular.

Features:

Over the past millennia, the Orthodox cross has invariably protected the believer, being a talisman against evil visible and invisible forces. The symbol is a reminder of the Lord’s sacrifice for salvation and the manifestation of love for humanity.

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

And execution on the cross was then a pagan Greco-Roman tradition, and the Jewish people learned about it only a few decades before the birth of Christ, when the Romans crucified their last legitimate king Antigonus. Therefore, in the Old Testament texts there is not and cannot be any semblance of a cross as an instrument of execution: both in terms of name and form; but, on the contrary, there is a lot of evidence there: 1) about human deeds that prophetically prefigured the image of the Lord’s cross, 2) about known objects that mysteriously delineated the power and wood of the cross, and 3) about visions and revelations that prefigured the very suffering of the Lord.

The cross itself, as a terrible instrument of shameful execution, chosen by Satan as the banner of lethality, evoked insurmountable fear and horror, but, thanks to Christ the Victor, it became a desired trophy, evoking joyful feelings. Therefore, Saint Hippolytus of Rome - the Apostolic husband - exclaimed: “and the Church has its trophy over death - this is the Cross of Christ, which it bears on itself,” and Saint Paul - the Apostle of the tongues - wrote in his Epistle: “I wish to boast (...) only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”(Gal. 6:14). “Look how desirable and worthy this terrible and reproachful (shameful - Slavic) sign of the cruelest executions became in ancient times,” testified St. John Chrysostom. And the Apostolic Man - Saint Justin the Philosopher - asserted: “The cross, as the prophet predicted, is the greatest symbol of the power and authority of Christ” (Apology, § 55).

In general, “symbol” is “connection” in Greek, and means either a means that brings about connection, or the discovery of an invisible reality through visible naturalness, or the expressibility of a concept by image.

In the New Testament Church, which arose in Palestine mainly from former Jews, at first the instillation of symbolic images was difficult due to their adherence to their previous traditions, which strictly prohibited images and thereby protected the Old Testament Church from the influence of pagan idolatry. However, as you know, God’s Providence even then gave her many lessons in symbolic and iconographic language. For example: God, forbidding the prophet Ezekiel to speak, ordered him to inscribe on a brick an image of the siege of Jerusalem as “a sign to the sons of Israel” (Ezek. 4:3). And it is clear that over time, with the increase in the number of Christians from other nations where images were traditionally allowed, such a one-sided influence of the Jewish element, of course, weakened and gradually disappeared completely.

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

And to this day, precautionary measures have been preserved in the Church to protect the teaching itself and the shrines from the malicious curiosity of the enemies of Christ. For example, the Iconostasis is a product of the Sacrament of Communion, subject to protective measures; or the deacon’s exclamation: “come out the little catechumens” between the liturgies of the catechumens and the faithful, undoubtedly reminds us that “we celebrate the Sacrament by closing the doors, and forbid the uninitiated to be with it,” writes Chrysostom (Conversation 24, Matt.).

Let us remember how the famous Roman actor and mime Genesius, by order of Emperor Diocletian in 268, made a mockery of the Sacrament of Baptism in the circus. We see what a miraculous effect the spoken words had on him from the life of the blessed martyr Genesius: having repented, he was baptized and, together with the Christians prepared for public execution, “was the first to be beheaded.” This is far from the only fact of desecration of a shrine - an example of the fact that many of the Christian secrets have become known to the pagans for a long time.

"This world,- according to the words of John the Seer, - all lying in evil"(1 John 5:19), and there is that aggressive environment in which the Church fights for the salvation of people and which forced Christians from the first centuries to use conventional symbolic language: abbreviations, monograms, symbolic images and signs.

This new language of the Church helps to initiate the new convert into the mystery of the Cross gradually, of course, taking into account his spiritual age. After all, the need (as a voluntary condition) for gradualness in the disclosure of dogmas to catechumens preparing to receive baptism is based on the words of the Savior Himself (see Matt. 7:6 and 1 Cor. 3:1). That is why Saint Cyril of Jerusalem divided his sermons into two parts: the first of 18 catechumens, where there is not a word about the Sacraments, and the second of 5 sacraments, explaining to the faithful all the Church Sacraments. In the preface, he convinces the catechumens not to convey what they heard to outsiders: “when you experience the height of what is being taught by experience, then you will learn that the catechumens are not worthy to hear it.” And Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “I would like to speak openly about this, but I am afraid of the uninitiated. For they complicate our conversation, forcing us to speak unclearly and in secretly.”(Conversation 40, 1 Cor.). The same is said by Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus: “We talk about divine mysteries, because of the uninitiated, in secret; after the removal of those who have been worthy of secret teaching, we teach them clearly” (question 15 of Num.).

Thus, pictorial symbols, protecting the verbal formulas of dogmas and sacraments, not only improved the method of expression, but also, being a new sacred language, protected church teaching even more reliably from aggressive profanation. To this day, as the Apostle Paul taught, we “we preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden”(1 Cor. 2:7).

T-shaped cross "Antonievsky"

In the southern and eastern parts of the Roman Empire, a weapon was used to execute criminals, called since the time of Moses the “Egyptian” cross and resembling the letter “T” in European languages. “The Greek letter T,” wrote Count A. S. Uvarov, “is one of the forms of the cross used for crucifixions” (Christian Symbolism, M., 1908, p. 76)

“The number 300, expressed in Greek through the letter T, has also served since the time of the Apostles to designate the cross,” says the famous liturgist Archimandrite Gabriel. - This Greek letter T is found in the inscription of a 3rd century tomb discovered in the catacombs of St. Callistus. (...) Such an image of the letter T is found on one carnelian engraved in the 2nd century” (Manual of Liturgics, Tver, 1886, p. 344)

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

If we apply the title of Christ to this image above in this way, we will immediately see the four-pointed cross of Christ. Consequently, Ezekiel saw there the prototype of a four-pointed cross” (Rozysk, M., 1855, book 2, chapter 24, p. 458).

Tertullian states the same thing: “The Greek letter Tav and our Latin T constitute the real form of the cross, which, according to prophecy, will be depicted on our foreheads in the true Jerusalem.”

“If there is a letter T in Christian monograms, then this letter is positioned in such a way as to stand out more clearly in front of all the others, since T was considered not only a symbol, but even the very image of the cross. An example of such a monogram is on a sarcophagus of the 3rd century” (Gr. Uvarov, p. 81). According to Church Tradition, Saint Anthony the Great wore the Tau cross on his clothes. Or, for example, Saint Zeno, bishop of the city of Verona, placed a T-shaped cross on the roof of the basilica he built in 362.

Cross "Egyptian hieroglyph Ankh"

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

Letter cross

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

Anchor-shaped cross

Initially, this symbol came across to archaeologists on the Thessalonica inscription of the 3rd century, in Rome - in 230, and in Gaul - in 474. And from “Christian Symbolism” we learn that “in the caves of Pretextatus we found slabs without any inscriptions, with only one image of an “anchor”” (Gr. Uvarov, p. 114).

In his Epistle, the Apostle Paul teaches that Christians have the opportunity "take hold of the hope that is set before you"(i.e. Cross), which for the soul is like a safe and strong anchor"(Heb. 6:18-19). This one, according to the Apostle, "anchor", symbolically covering the cross from the reproach of the infidels, and revealing to the faithful its true meaning, as deliverance from the consequences of sin, is our strong hope.

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

Monogram cross “pre-Constantinian”

A well-known specialist in liturgical theology, Archimandrite Gabriel, writes that “in the monogram inscribed on a tombstone (III century) and having the shape of a St. Andrew’s cross, vertically crossed by a line (Fig. 8), there is a cover image of a cross” (Manual, p. 343) .
This monogram was made up of the Greek initial letters of the name of Jesus Christ by crossing them: namely the letter “1” (yot) and the letter “X” (chi).

This monogram is often found in the post-Constantine period; for example, we can see her image in mosaic on the vaults of the Archbishop's Chapel of the late 5th century in Ravenna.

Cross-monogram "shepherd's staff"

Prefiguring Christ the Shepherd, the Lord imparted miraculous power to the staff of Moses (Exodus 4:2-5) as a sign of pastoral power over the verbal sheep of the Old Testament church, and then to the staff of Aaron (Exodus 2:8-10). The Divine Father, through the mouth of the prophet Micah, says to the Only Begotten Son: “Feed Your people with Your rod, the sheep of Your inheritance”(Mic. 7:14). “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”(John 10:11), - the beloved Son answers the Heavenly Father.

Count A.S. Uvarov, describing the finds of the catacomb period, reported that: “a clay lamp found in Roman caves shows us very clearly how a curved staff was painted instead of the entire shepherd symbol. On the lower part of this lamp the staff is depicted crossing the letter X, the first letter of the name of Christ, which together forms the monogram of the Savior” (Christ. Symbol. p. 184).

At first, the shape of the Egyptian staff was similar to a shepherd's crook, the upper part of which was bent down. All bishops of Byzantium were awarded the “shepherd’s staff” only from the hands of the emperors, and in the 17th century all Russian patriarchs received their high priest’s staff from the hands of the reigning autocrats.

Cross "Burgundy" or "St. Andrew's"

The Holy Martyr Justin Philosopher, explaining the question of how cruciform symbols became known to the pagans even before the Nativity of Christ, argued: “What Plato says in the Timaeus (...) about the Son of God (...) that God placed Him in the universe like a letter X, he also borrowed from Moses!. For in the Mosaic writings it is related that (...) Moses, by the inspiration and action of God, took brass and made an image of the cross (...) and said to the people: if you look at this image and believe, you will be saved through it (Num. 21:8) ( John 3:14). (...) Plato read this and, not knowing exactly and not realizing that it was the image of a (vertical) cross, but seeing only the figure of the letter X, said that the power closest to the first God was in the universe like the letter X" (Apology 1, § 60).

The letter “X” of the Greek alphabet has already served as the basis for monogram symbols since the 2nd century, and not only because it hid the name of Christ; after all, as you know, “ancient writers find the shape of a cross in the letter X, which is called St. Andrew’s, because, according to legend, the Apostle Andrew ended his life on such a cross,” wrote Archimandrite Gabriel (Manual, p. 345).

Around 1700, God's anointed Peter the Great, wishing to express the religious difference between Orthodox Russia and the heretical West, placed the image of St. Andrew's Cross on the state coat of arms, on his hand seal, on the naval flag, etc. His own explanation states that: “the cross of St. Andrew (accepted) for the sake of the fact that Russia received holy baptism from this Apostle.”

Cross "monogram of Constantine"

To the Holy King Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, “Christ the Son of God appeared in a dream with a sign seen in heaven and commanded, having made a banner similar to this seen in heaven, to use it for protection from the attacks of enemies,” says church historian Eusebius Pamphilus in his “Book One of the Life of the Blessed One.” Tsar Constantine" (chapter 29). “We happened to see this banner with our own eyes,” continues Eusebius (chapter 30). - It had the following appearance: on a long spear covered with gold there was a transverse yard, which formed with the spear a sign of the cross (...), and on it a symbol of the saving name: two letters showed the name of Christ (...), from the middle of which the letter “R” came out. The Tsar subsequently had the custom of wearing these letters on his helmet” (chapter 31).

“The combination of (combined) letters known as the monogram of Constantine, composed of the first two letters of the word Christ - “Chi” and “Rho,” writes the liturgist Archimandrite Gabriel, “this Constantine monogram is found on the coins of the Emperor Constantine” (p. 344) .

As you know, this monogram has become quite widespread: it was minted for the first time on the famous bronze coin of Emperor Trajan Decius (249-251) in the Lydian city of Maeonia; was depicted on a vessel of 397; was carved on tombstones of the first five centuries or, for example, depicted in fresco on plaster in the caves of St. Sixtus (Gr. Uvarov, p. 85).

Monogram cross “post-Constantine”

“Sometimes the letter T,” writes Archimandrite Gabriel, “is found in conjunction with the letter P, which can be seen in the tomb of St. Callistus in the epitaph” (p. 344). This monogram is also found on Greek plates found in the city of Megara, and on the tombstones of the cemetery of St. Matthew in the city of Tire.

In words "behold, your King"(John 19:14) Pilate first of all pointed out the noble origin of Jesus from the royal dynasty of David, in contrast to the rootless self-proclaimed tetrarchs, and he expressed this idea in writing "over His head"(Matthew 27:37), which, of course, caused discontent among the power-hungry high priests who stole power over the people of God from the kings. And that is why the Apostles, preaching the Resurrection of the crucified Christ and openly “honoring, as can be seen from the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus as king” (Acts 17:7), suffered strong persecution from the clergy through the deceived people.

The Greek letter "P" (rho) - the first in the word in Latin "Pax", in Roman "Rex", in Russian Tsar - symbolizing King Jesus, is located above the letter "T" (tav), meaning His cross; and together they recall the words from the Apostolic Gospel that all our strength and wisdom is in the Crucified King (1 Cor. 1:23 - 24).

Thus, “and this monogram, according to the interpretation of Saint Justin, served as a sign of the Cross of Christ (...), received such a broad meaning in symbolism only after the first monogram. (...) In Rome (...) became commonly used not before 355, and in Gaul - not before the 5th century" (Gr. Uvarov, p. 77).

Monogram cross “sun-shaped”

Already on coins of the 4th century there is a monogram “I” of Jesus “HR”ist “sun-shaped”, "for the Lord God,- as the Holy Scripture teaches, - there is sun"(Ps. 84:12).

The most famous, “Konstantinovskaya” monogram, “the monogram underwent some changes: another line or letter “I” was added, crossing the monogram across” (Arch. Gabriel, p. 344).

This “sun-shaped” cross symbolizes the fulfillment of the prophecy about the all-enlightening and all-conquering power of the Cross of Christ: “And for you, who revere My name, the Sun of righteousness will rise and with healing in His rays,- the prophet Malachi proclaimed by the Holy Spirit, - and you will trample on the wicked; for they will be dust under the soles of your feet.” (4:2-3).

Monogram cross "trident"

When the Savior passed near the Sea of ​​Galilee, He saw fishermen casting nets into the water, His future disciples. “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”(Matt. 4:19). And later, sitting by the sea, He taught the people with His parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught fish of all kinds.”(Matt. 13:47). “Having recognized the symbolic meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven in fishing equipment,” says Christian Symbolism, “we can assume that all formulas related to the same concept were iconically expressed by these common symbols. The same type of projectile should include the trident, which was used to catch fish, as is now used for fishing with hooks” (Gr. Uvarov, 147).

Thus, the trident monogram of Christ has long signified participation in the Sacrament of Baptism, as being caught in the net of the Kingdom of God. For example, on the ancient monument of the sculptor Eutropius there is an inscription carved indicating his acceptance of baptism and ending with a trident monogram (Gr. Uvarov, p. 99).

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

Only from the 4th century did the constantly depicted cross begin to free itself from the monogram shell, lose its symbolic coloring, approaching its real form, reminiscent of either the letter “I” or the letter “X”.

These changes in the image of the cross occurred due to the emergence of Christian statehood, based on its open veneration and glorification.

Round “freeloading” cross

According to ancient custom, as Horace and Martial testify, Christians cut the baked bread crosswise to make it easier to break. But long before Jesus Christ, this was a symbolic transformation in the East: an incised cross, dividing the whole into parts, unites those who used them, and heals division.

Such round loaves are depicted, for example, on the inscription of Syntrophion, divided into four parts by a cross, and on the tombstone from the cave of St. Luke, divided into six parts by a 3rd century monogram.

In direct connection with the Sacrament of Communion, bread was depicted on chalices, phelonions and other things as a symbol of the Body of Christ, broken for our sins.

The circle itself before the Nativity of Christ was depicted as the still unpersonified idea of ​​immortality and eternity. Now, by faith, we understand that “the Son of God Himself is an endless circle,” according to the words of Saint Clement of Alexandria, “in which all powers converge.”

Catacomb cross, or “sign of victory”

“In the catacombs and in general on ancient monuments, four-pointed crosses are incomparably more common than any other shape,” notes Archimandrite Gabriel. This image of the cross has become especially important for Christians since God Himself showed in the sky the sign of the four-pointed cross” (Manual, p. 345).

The famous historian Eusebius Pamphalus tells in detail how all this happened in his “Book One of the Life of the Blessed King Constantine.”

“Once, at midday, when the sun began to lean towards the west,” said the Tsar, “with my own eyes I saw with my own eyes the sign of the cross made of light and lying in the sun with the inscription “By this way conquer!” This sight filled with horror both himself and the entire army that followed him and continued to contemplate the miracle that had appeared (chapter 28).

It was on the 28th day of October 312, when Constantine and his army marched against Maxentius, who was imprisoned in Rome. This miraculous appearance of the cross in broad daylight was also attested by many modern writers from the words of eyewitnesses.

Particularly important is the testimony of the confessor Artemy before Julian the Apostate, to whom, during interrogation, Artemy said:

“Christ called Constantine from above when he was waging war against Maxentius, showing him at noon the sign of the cross, shining radiantly over the sun and in star-shaped Roman letters predicting victory in the war. Having been there ourselves, we saw His sign and read the letters, and the whole army saw it: there are many witnesses to this in your army, if only you want to ask them” (chapter 29).

“By the power of God, the holy Emperor Constantine won a brilliant victory over the tyrant Maxentius, who committed wicked and villainous acts in Rome” (chapter 39).

Thus, the cross, which was formerly an instrument of shameful execution among the pagans, became under Emperor Constantine the Great a sign of victory - the triumph of Christianity over paganism and the subject of the deepest veneration.

For example, according to the short stories of the Holy Emperor Justinian, such crosses were to be placed on contracts and meant a signature “worthy of all trust” (book 73, chapter 8). The acts (decisions) of the Councils were also sealed with the image of the cross. One of the imperial decrees says: “We command every conciliar act, which is approved by the sign of the Holy Cross of Christ, to be preserved in such a way and to be as it is.”

In general, this form of the cross is most often used in ornaments.

for decorating churches, icons, priestly vestments and other church utensils.

The cross in Rus' is “patriarchal”, or in the West “Lorensky”The fact proving the use of the so-called “patriarchal cross” since the middle of the last millennium is confirmed by numerous data from the field of church archeology. It was this form of the six-pointed cross that was depicted on the seal of the governor of the Byzantine Emperor in the city of Korsun.

The same type of cross was widespread in the West under the name “Lorensky”.
For an example from the Russian tradition, let us point out at least the large copper cross of St. Abraham of Rostov from the 18th century, kept in the Museum of Ancient Russian Art named after Andrei Rublev, cast according to iconographic samples of the 11th century.

Four-pointed cross, or Latin “immissa”

The textbook “The Temple of God and Church Services” reports that “a strong motivation for venerating a direct image of the cross, and not a monogram, was the discovery of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross by the mother of the Holy King Constantine, Equal-to-the-Apostles Helen. As the direct image of the cross spreads, it gradually takes on the form of the Crucifixion” (SP., 1912, p. 46).

In the West, the most commonly used cross today is the “immissa” cross, which schismatics - fans of imaginary antiquity - disparagingly call (for some reason in Polish) “kryzh in Latin” or “rymski”, which means the Roman cross. These detractors of the four-pointed cross and devout admirers of the osmiconex apparently need to be reminded that, according to the Gospel, the death of the cross was spread throughout the Empire by the Romans and, of course, was considered Roman.

And not by the number of trees, not by the number of ends, we venerate the Cross of Christ, but by Christ Himself, whose most holy blood was stained with Him,” St. Demetrius of Rostov denounced the schismatic mentality. “And, showing miraculous power, any cross does not act by itself, but by the power of Christ crucified on it and by invoking His most holy name” (Search, book 2, chapter 24).

The “Canon of the Honest Cross”, the creation of St. Gregory of Sinaite, accepted by the Universal Church, glorifies the Divine power of the Cross, containing everything heavenly, earthly and underworld: “The all-honorable Cross, the four-pointed power, the splendor of the Apostle” (canto 1), “Behold the four-pointed Cross, have height, depth and breadth” (song 4).

Starting from the 3rd century, when similar crosses first appeared in the Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East still uses this form of the cross as equal to all others.

Papal crossThis form of the cross was most often used in the episcopal and papal services of the Roman Church in the 13th-15th centuries and therefore received the name “papal cross”.

To the question about the footstool depicted at right angles to the cross, we will answer with the words of St. Demetrius of Rostov, who said: “I kiss the footstool of the cross, whether it is askew or not, and the custom of the cross-makers and cross-writers, as not contradictory to the church, I do not dispute, I condescend” (Search, book 2, chapter 24).

Six-pointed cross "Russian Orthodox"The question of the reason for the design of the lower crossbar tilted is quite convincingly explained by the liturgical text of the 9th hour of the service to the Cross of the Lord:“In the midst of two thiefs, Thy Cross was found as a measure of righteousness;. In other words, just as on Golgotha ​​for the two thieves, so in life for every person, the cross serves as a measure, as if as a scale, of his inner state.

To one robber, brought down to hell "the burden of blasphemy", pronounced by him on Christ, he became, as it were, a crossbar of scales, bowing down under this terrible weight; another thief, freed by repentance and the words of the Savior: “Today you will be with me in paradise”(Luke 23:43), the cross ascends into the Kingdom of Heaven.
This form of the cross has been used in Rus' since ancient times: for example, the worship cross, built in 1161 by the Venerable Euphrosyne Princess of Polotsk, was six-pointed.

The six-pointed Orthodox cross, along with others, was used in Russian heraldry: for example, on the coat of arms of the Kherson province, as explained in the “Russian Armorial” (p. 193), a “silver Russian cross” is depicted.

Orthodox osmic-pointed cross

The eight-pointed design most closely corresponds to the historically accurate form of the cross on which Christ was already crucified, as testified by Tertullian, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Saint Justin the Philosopher and others. “And when Christ the Lord carried the cross on His shoulders, then the cross was still four-pointed; because there was no title or foot on it yet. (...) There was no footstool, because Christ had not yet been raised on the cross and the soldiers, not knowing what place Christ’s feet would reach, did not attach a footstool, finishing this already on Golgotha,” St. Demetrius of Rostov denounced the schismatics (Investigation, book 2, chapter 24). Also, there was no title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the Gospel reports, first "crucified Him"(John 19:18), and then only “Pilate wrote the inscription and placed(by his order) on the cross"(John 19:19). It was at first that they divided by lot "His garments" warriors, "those who crucified Him"(Matthew 27:35), and only then “They placed an inscription over His head, signifying His guilt: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”(Matt. 27:3.7).

So, the four-pointed Cross of Christ, carried to Golgotha, which everyone who has fallen into the madness of schism calls the seal of the Antichrist, is still called “His cross” in the Holy Gospel (Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26 , John 19:17), that is, the same as with the tablet and footstool after the crucifixion (John 19:25). In Rus', a cross of this form was used more often than others.

Seven-pointed cross

This form of the cross is quite often found on icons of northern writing, for example, the Pskov school of the 15th century: the image of St. Paraskeva Friday with a life - from the Historical Museum, or the image of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica - from the Russian; or the Moscow school: “The Crucifixion” by Dionysius - from the Tretyakov Gallery, dated 1500.
We see the seven-pointed cross on the domes of Russian churches: let’s take, for example, the wooden Elias Church of 1786 in the village of Vazentsy (Holy Rus', St. Petersburg, 1993, ill. 129), or we can see it above the entrance to the cathedral of the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery, built by Patriarch Nikon .

At one time, theologians hotly discussed the question of what mystical and dogmatic meaning does the foot have as part of the redemptive Cross?

The fact is that the Old Testament priesthood received, so to speak, the opportunity to make sacrifices (as one of the conditions) thanks to "a golden stool attached to a throne"(Par. 9:18), which, as today among us Christians, according to God’s institution, was sanctified through confirmation: “And anoint with it,” said the Lord, “the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, (...) and its stools. And sanctify them, and they will be greatly holy: everything that touches them will be sanctified.”(Ex. 30:26-29).

Thus, the foot of the cross is that part of the New Testament altar that mystically points to the priestly ministry of the Savior of the world, who voluntarily paid with His death for the sins of others: for the Son of God “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree”(1 Pet. 2:24) of the Cross, "by sacrificing Himself"(Heb. 7:27) and thus "having become a High Priest forever"(Heb. 6:20), established in His own person "enduring priesthood"(Heb. 7:24).

This is what is stated in the “Orthodox Confession of the Eastern Patriarchs”: “On the cross He fulfilled the office of a Priest, sacrificing Himself to God and the Father for the redemption of the human race” (M., 1900, p. 38).
But let us not confuse the foot of the Holy Cross, which reveals to us one of its mysterious sides, with the other two feet from the Holy Scriptures. - explains St. Dmitry Rostovsky.

“David says: “Exalt the Lord our God and worship His footstool; Holy It"(Ps. 99:5). And Isaiah on behalf of Christ says: (Isa. 60:13), explains Saint Demetrius of Rostov. There is a stool that is commanded to be worshiped, and there is a stool that is not commanded to be worshiped. God says in Isaiah's prophecy: "heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool"(Isa. 66:1): no one should worship this footstool - the earth, but only God, its Creator. And it is also written in the psalms: “The Lord (Father) said to my Lord (Son), Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”(Pis. 109:1). And who would want to worship this footstool of God, the enemies of God? What footstool does David command to worship?” (Wanted, book 2, chapter 24).

The word of God itself answers this question on behalf of the Savior: “and when I am lifted up from the earth”(John 12:32) - “from the footstool of My feet” (Is. 66:1), then “I will glorify My footstool”(Isa. 60:13)- "foot of the altar"(Ex. 30:28) of the New Testament - the Holy Cross, casting down, as we confess, Lord, "Thy enemies are Thy footstool"(Ps. 109:1), and therefore "worship at the foot(Cross) His; Holy It is!”(Ps. 99:5), "a footstool attached to a throne"(2 Chron. 9:18).

Cross "crown of thorns"The image of a cross with a crown of thorns has been used for many centuries among different peoples who have adopted Christianity. But instead of numerous examples from the ancient Greco-Roman tradition, we will give several cases of its application in later times according to the sources that were at hand. A cross with a crown of thorns can be seen on the pages of an ancient Armenian manuscriptbooksthe period of the Cilician kingdom (Matenadaran, M., 1991, p. 100);on the icon“Glorification of the Cross” of the 12th century from the Tretyakov Gallery (V.N. Lazarev, Novgorod Iconography, M., 1976, p. 11); at Staritsky copper castcross- vest of the 14th century; onPokrovets“Golgotha” - the monastic contribution of Tsarina Anastasia Romanova in 1557; on silverdishXVI century (Novodevichy Convent, M., 1968, ill. 37), etc.

God told Adam who sinned that “Cursed is the earth for your sake. She will produce thorns and thistles for you."(Gen. 3:17-18). And the new sinless Adam - Jesus Christ - voluntarily took upon himself the sins of others, and death as their consequence, and the thorny suffering leading to it along a thorny path.

Christ's Apostles Matthew (27:29), Mark (15:17) and John (19:2) tell us that “The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and placed it on His head.”, “and by His stripes we were healed”(Isa. 53:5). From this it is clear why since then the wreath has symbolized victory and reward, starting with the books of the New Testament: "crown of truth"(2 Tim. 4:8), "crown of glory"(1 Pet. 5:4), "crown of life"(James 1:12 and Apoc. 2:10).

Cross "gallows"This form of the cross is very widely used when decorating churches, liturgical objects, hierarchal vestments, and in particular, as we see, the bishop’s omophorions on the icons of the “three ecumenical teachers.”

“If anyone tells you, do you worship the Crucified One? Answer in a bright voice and with a cheerful face: I worship and will not stop worshiping. If he laughs, you will shed tears for him, because he is raging,” teaches us, the ecumenical teacher St. John Chrysostom himself, adorned in images with this cross (Conversation 54, on Matt.).

A cross of any form has unearthly beauty and life-giving power, and everyone who cognizes this Divine wisdom exclaims with the Apostle: "I (…) I want to boast (…) only by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"(Gal. 6:14)!

Cross "grapevine"

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”(John 15:1). This is what Jesus Christ called himself, the Head of the Church planted by Him, the only source and conductor of spiritual, holy life for all Orthodox believers who are members of His body.

“I am the vine, and you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.”(John 15:5). “These words of the Savior Himself laid the foundation for the symbolism of the grapevine,” wrote Count A. S. Uvarov in his work “Christian Symbolism”; The main meaning of the vine for Christians was in its symbolic connection with the Sacrament of Communion” (pp. 172 - 173).

Petal crossThe variety of forms of the cross has always been recognized by the Church as quite natural. In the words of St. Theodore the Studite, “a cross of any form is the true cross.” The “petal” cross is very often found in church fine art, which, for example, we see on the omophorion of St. Gregory the Wonderworker in the 11th century mosaic of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Kyiv.

“By the variety of sensory signs we are hierarchically elevated to a uniform union with God,” explains the famous teacher of the Church, Saint John of Damascus. From the visible to the invisible, from the temporal to eternity - this is the path of a person led by the Church to God through the comprehension of grace-filled symbols. The history of their diversity is inseparable from the history of the salvation of mankind.

Cross “Greek”, or ancient Russian “korsunchik”

Traditional for Byzantium and the most frequently and widely used form is the so-called “Greek cross”. This same cross, as is known, is considered to be the oldest “Russian cross”, since, according to the church, Saint Prince Vladimir took from Korsun, where he was baptized, exactly such a cross and installed it on the banks of the Dnieper in Kiev. A similar four-pointed cross has been preserved to this day in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral, carved on the marble plaque of the tomb of Prince Yaroslav, the son of St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles.

Often, to indicate the universal significance of the Cross of Christ as a microuniverse, the cross is depicted inscribed in a circle, symbolizing cosmologically the celestial sphere.

Domed cross with crescent

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

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

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

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

Trefoil cross

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

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

Cross "Maltese" or "St. George"

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

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

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

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

Perm and Elizavetpol provinces and others.

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

Cross "Prosphora-Konstantinovsky"

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

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

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

Old printed "wicker" cross

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

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

Four-pointed “drop-shaped” cross

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

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

And also, for example, let us recall that among the copper pectoral crosses cast in the first centuries of the second millennium, as is known, “drop-shaped” encolpions are often found (in Greek- “on the chest”).
In the beginning of Christ"drops of blood falling to the ground"(Luke 22:44), became a lesson in the fight against sin even"till blood"(Heb. 12:4); when on the cross from Him“blood and water flowed out”(John 19:34), then they were taught by example to fight evil even to death.

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

Cross "crucifixion"

One of the first images of the crucified Jesus Christ that has come down to us dates back only to the 5th century, on the doors of the Church of St. Sabina in Rome. Since the 5th century, the Savior began to be depicted in a long robe of collobia - as if leaning against a cross. It is this image of Christ that can be seen on early bronze and silver crosses of Byzantine and Syrian origin in the 7th-9th centuries.

The 6th century saint Anastasius Sinaite wrote an apologetic ( in Greek- “defense”) the essay “Against the Akephals” - a heretical sect that denies the union of two natures in Christ. To this work he attached an image of the Savior’s crucifixion as an argument against Monophysitism. He conjures the copyists of his work, along with the text, to transmit intact the image attached to it, as, incidentally, we can see on the manuscript of the Vienna Library.

Another, even more ancient of the surviving images of the crucifixion is found on the miniature of the Gospel of Ravbula from the Zagba monastery. This manuscript from 586 belongs to the Florence Library of St. Lawrence.

Until the 9th century inclusive, 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 (Fig. 54).

Since ancient times, crucifixion crosses, both in the East and in the West, had a crossbar to support the feet of the Crucified One, and His legs were depicted as nailed each separately with its own nail. The image of Christ with crossed feet nailed to a single nail first appeared as an innovation in the West in the second half of the 13th century.

On the cross-shaped halo of the Savior, the Greek letters UN were necessarily written, meaning “truly Jehovah”, because “God said to Moses: I am who I am.”(Ex. 3:14), thereby revealing His name, expressing the originality, eternity and immutability of the being of God.

From the Orthodox dogma of the Cross (or Atonement) undoubtedly follows the idea that the death of the Lord is the ransom of all, the calling 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"(Isa. 45:22).

Therefore, in the tradition of Orthodoxy, it is to depict the Savior Almighty precisely as the already Risen Cross-Bearer, holding and calling into His arms the entire universe and carrying on Himself the New Testament altar - the Cross. The prophet Jeremiah spoke about this on behalf of Christ-haters: “Let us put wood into His bread”(11:19), that is, we will place the tree of the cross on the body of Christ, called the bread of heaven (St. Demetrius Rost. cit. cit.).

And the traditionally Catholic image of the crucifixion, with Christ hanging in his arms, on the contrary, has the task of showing how it all happened, of depicting the dying suffering and death, and not at all what is essentially the eternal Fruit of the Cross - His triumph.

Schema cross, or “Golgotha”

The inscriptions and cryptograms on Russian crosses have always been much more diverse than on Greek ones.
Since the 11th century, under the lower oblique crossbar of the eight-pointed cross, a symbolic image of the head of Adam, buried according to legend on Golgotha ​​( in Hebrew- “place of the forehead”), where Christ was crucified. These words of his clarify the tradition that had developed in Rus' by the 16th century of making the following designations near the image of “Golgotha”: “M.L.R.B.” - the place of execution was crucified quickly, “G.G.” - Mount Golgotha, "G.A." - head of Adam; Moreover, the bones of the hands lying in front of the head are depicted: right on left, as during burial or communion.

The letters "K" and "T" stand for the warrior's copy and the cane with a sponge, depicted along the cross.

The following inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar: “IC” “XC” - the name of Jesus Christ; and under it: “NIKA” - Winner; on the title or near it there is an inscription: “SNЪ” “BZHIY” - Son of God sometimes - but more often not “I.N.C.I” - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews; the inscription above the title: “TSR” “SLVY” - King of Glory.

Such crosses are supposed to be embroidered on the vestments of the great and angelic schema; three crosses on the paraman and five on the kukula: on the forehead, on the chest, on both shoulders and on the back.

The Calvary cross is also depicted on the funeral shroud, which signifies the preservation of the vows given at baptism, like the white shroud of the newly baptized, signifying cleansing from sin. During the consecration of temples and houses depicted on the four walls of the building.

Unlike the image of the cross, which directly depicts the Crucified Christ Himself, the sign of the cross conveys its spiritual meaning, depicts its real meaning, but does not reveal the Cross itself.

“The cross is the guardian of the entire universe. The Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross of kings is the power, the Cross is the affirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of an angel, the Cross is a plague of demons,” 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 conscious cross-haters and crusaders are quite understandable. But when we see Christians drawn into this vile business, it is all the more impossible to remain silent, for - according to the words of St. Basil the Great - “God is betrayed by silence”!

The so-called “playing cards”, which, unfortunately, are available in many homes, are an instrument of demonic communication, through which a person certainly comes into contact with demons - the enemies of God. All four card “suits” mean nothing more than the cross of Christ along with other sacred objects equally revered by Christians: a spear, a sponge and nails, that is, everything that was the instrument of the suffering and death of the Divine Redeemer.

And out of ignorance, many people, playing the fool, allow themselves to blaspheme the Lord, taking, for example, a card with the image of a “trefoil” cross, that is, the cross of Christ, which is worshiped by half the world, and throwing it carelessly with the words (forgive me, Lord !) “club”, which translated from Yiddish means “bad” or “evil spirits”! Moreover, these daredevils, who are playing with suicide, essentially believe that this cross is “beating” with some lousy “trump six”, not knowing at all that “trump” and “kosher” are written, for example, in Latin, the same.

It would be high time to clarify the true rules of all card games, in which all players are left “in the fool”: they consist in the fact that ritual sacrifices, in Hebrew called by the Talmudists “kosher” (that is, “pure”), supposedly have power over Life-giving Cross!

If you know that playing cards cannot be used for purposes other than the desecration of Christian shrines to the delight of demons, then the role of cards in “fortune telling” - these nasty quests for demonic revelations - will become extremely clear. In this regard, is it necessary to prove that anyone who touches a deck of cards and does not bring sincere repentance in confession for the sins of blasphemy and blasphemy is guaranteed registration in hell?

So, if “clubs” are the blasphemy of raging gamblers against specially depicted crosses, which they also call “crosses,” then what do “blames,” “worms,” and “diamonds” mean? We will not bother ourselves with translating these curses into Russian, since we do not have a Yiddish textbook; It’s better to open the New Testament to shed the Light of God, unbearable for them, on the demonic tribe.

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov in the imperative mood edifies: “get acquainted with the spirit of the time, study it, so as to avoid its influence if possible.”

The card suit “blame”, or otherwise “spade”, blasphemes the gospel spade, then As the Lord predicted about His perforation, through the mouth of the prophet Zechariah, that “They will look to Him whom they have pierced”(12:10), this is what happened: "one of the warriors(Longinus) pierced His side with a spear"(John 19:34).

The card suit "hearts" blasphemes the gospel sponge on the cane. As Christ warned about His poisoning, through the mouth of the prophet David, that the warriors “They gave me gall for food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”(Ps. 68:22), and so it came true: “One of them took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, gave Him to drink.”(Matt. 27:48).

The card suit “diamonds” blasphemes the Gospel forged tetrahedral jagged nails with which the hands and feet of the Savior were nailed to the tree of the Cross. As the Lord prophesied about his clove crucifixion, through the mouth of the psalmist David, that"They pierced My hands and My feet"(Ps. 22:17), and so it was fulfilled: Apostle Thomas, who said“Unless I see in His hands the wounds of the nails, and put my finger into the wounds of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”(John 20:25), “I believed because I saw”(John 20:29); and the Apostle Peter, addressing his fellow tribesmen, testified:“Men of Israel!- he said, - Jesus of Nazareth (…) you took it and nailed it(to the cross) hands(Romans) the lawless were killed; but God raised Him up"(Acts 2:22, 24).

The unrepentant thief crucified with Christ, like today's gamblers, blasphemed the sufferings of the Son of God on the cross and, out of inveteracy and unrepentance, went forever to hell; and the prudent thief, setting an example for everyone, repented on the cross and thereby inherited eternal life with God. Therefore, let us firmly remember that for us Christians there can be no other object of hope and hope, no other support in life, no other banner uniting and inspiring us, except the only saving sign of the invincible Cross of the Lord!

Gamma cross

This cross is called “Gammatic” because it consists of the Greek letter “gamma”. Already the first Christians depicted the gammatic cross in the Roman catacombs. In Byzantium, this form was often used to decorate Gospels, church utensils, churches, and was embroidered on the vestments of Byzantine saints. In the 9th century, by order of Empress Theodora, a Gospel was made, decorated with a gold ornament of gammatic crosses.

The gammatic cross is very similar to the ancient Indian swastika sign. The Sanskrit word swastika or su-asti-ka means supreme existence or perfect bliss. This is an ancient solar symbol, that is, associated with the sun, which appeared already in the Upper Paleolithic era, became widespread in the cultures of the Aryans, ancient Iranians, and is found in Egypt and China. Of course, the swastika was known and revered in many areas of the Roman Empire during the era of the spread of Christianity. The ancient pagan Slavs were also familiar with this symbol; Images of the swastika are found on rings, temple rings and other jewelry, as a sign of the sun or fire, notes priest Mikhail Vorobyov. The Christian Church, which has powerful spiritual potential, was able to rethink and churchize many cultural traditions of pagan antiquity: from ancient philosophy to everyday rituals. Perhaps the gammatic cross entered Christian culture as the churched swastika.

And in Rus' the form of this cross has long been used. It is depicted on many church objects of the pre-Mongol period, in the form of a mosaic under the dome of the St. Sophia Cathedral of Kyiv, in the ornament of the doors of the Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral. Gamma crosses are embroidered on the phelonion of the Moscow Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi.

The cross is an ancient and significant symbol. And in Orthodoxy it is of great importance. Here it is both a sign of faith and an indication of belonging to Christianity. The history of the cross is quite interesting. To learn more about this, consider Orthodox crosses: types and meaning.

Orthodox cross: a little history

The cross as a symbol is used in many world beliefs. But for Christians it initially did not have a very good meaning. Thus, the guilty Jews were executed first in three ways, and then a fourth was added. But Jesus managed to change this order for the better. And he was crucified on a pillar with a crossbar, reminiscent of a modern cross.

Thus, the sacred sign firmly entered the life of Christians. And it became a real protective symbol. In Rus', a person with a cross around his neck inspired trust, and they tried not to do any business with those who did not wear a cross. And they said about them: “There is no cross on them,” meaning a lack of conscience.

We can see crosses of various formats on the domes of churches, on icons, on church paraphernalia and as decorations on believers. Modern Orthodox crosses, the types and meanings of which can vary, play an important role in the transmission of Orthodoxy throughout the world.

Types of crosses and their meaning: Christianity and Orthodoxy

There are a huge variety of types of Orthodox and Christian crosses. Most of them come in the following form:

• straight;
• with extended beams;
• a square or diamond in the middle;
• curved ends of beams;
• triangular ends;
• circles at the ends of the beams;
• flourishing decoration.

The last form symbolizes the Tree of Life. And it is framed with floral patterns, where lilies, vines and other plants may be present.

In addition to differences in shape, Orthodox crosses have differences in type. Types of crosses and their meaning:

• St. George's Cross. Approved by Catherine the Great as a reward symbol for clergy and officers. This four-pointed cross is considered one of those whose shape is recognized as correct.
• Vine. This cross with eight ends is decorated with images of grape vines. It may have an image of the Savior in the center.

  

• Seven-pointed cross. Was common on 15th century icons. Found on the domes of old churches. In biblical times, the shape of such a cross served as the foot of the altar of the clergy.
• Crown of thorns. The image of a thorny crown on the cross signifies the torment and suffering of Christ. This type can be found on icons of the 12th century.

  

• Gallows-shaped cross. A popular look found on the walls of churches, on the clothes of church employees, and on modern icons.

  

• Maltese cross. Official cross of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in Malta. It has equilateral rays that widen at the ends. This type of cross is issued for military courage.
• Prosphora cross. It is similar to St. George's, but has an inscription in Latin: “Jesus Christ is the winner.” Initially, such a cross was on three churches in Constantinople. According to Orthodox tradition, ancient words with the famous shape of a cross are printed on prosphoras, symbolizing the redemption of sins.

  

• Drop-shaped four-pointed cross. The drops at the ends of the beams are interpreted as the blood of Jesus. This view was depicted on the first leaf of a Greek Gospel dating from the 2nd century. Symbolizes the fight for faith to the end.

  

• Eight-pointed cross. The most common type today. The cross took its shape after Jesus was crucified on it. Before that, it was ordinary and equilateral.

  

The last form of the cross is the most common on sale. But why is this cross so popular? It's all about his story.

Orthodox eight-pointed cross: history and symbolism

This cross is directly associated with the moment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When Jesus carried the cross on which he was to be crucified up the mountain, its shape was ordinary. But after the act of crucifixion itself, a footrest appeared on the cross. It was made by the soldiers when they realized where Jesus' feet would reach after his execution.

The upper bar was made by order of Pontius Pilate and was a tablet with an inscription. This is how the Orthodox eight-pointed cross was born, which is worn around the neck, placed on tombstones, and decorates churches.

Eight-pointed crosses were previously used as the basis for award crosses. For example, during the reign of Paul the First and Elizabeth Petrovna, pectoral crosses for clergy were made on this basis. And the shape of the eight-pointed cross was even enshrined in law.

The history of the eight-pointed cross is closest to Christianity. After all, on the sign above Jesus’ head was the inscription: “This is Jesus. King of the Jews." Even then, in the moments of death, Jesus Christ received recognition from his tormentors and from his followers. This is why the eight-pointed shape is so significant and common among Christians around the world.

In Orthodoxy, a pectoral cross is considered to be one that is worn under clothing, closer to the body. The pectoral cross is not displayed, is not worn over clothing and, as a rule, has an eight-pointed shape. Today there are crosses on sale without crossbars on top and bottom. They are also acceptable to wear, but have four ends, not eight.

And yet, canonical crosses are eight-pointed products with or without the figure of the Savior in the center. There has long been debate about whether it is worth buying crucifixes with Jesus Christ depicted on them. Some representatives of the clergy believe that the cross should be a symbol of the resurrection of the Lord, and the figure of Jesus in the center is unacceptable. Others think that the cross can be considered a sign of suffering for faith, and the image of the crucified Christ is quite appropriate.

Signs and superstitions associated with the pectoral cross

The cross is given to a person during baptism. After this sacrament, the church decoration must be worn almost without taking off. Some believers even wash themselves wearing their crosses for fear of losing them. But what does it mean when the cross is lost?

Many Orthodox people believe that the loss of a cross is a sign of impending disaster. To ward it off, Orthodox Christians fervently pray, confess and receive communion, and then acquire a new consecrated cross in the church.

Another sign is related to the fact that you cannot wear someone else’s cross. God gives each person his own burden (cross, trials), and by putting on someone else’s badge of faith, a person takes on someone else’s difficulties and fate.

Today, family members also try not to wear each other’s crosses. Although previously, a cross decorated with precious stones was passed down from generation to generation and could become a real family heirloom.

A cross found on the road is not raised. But if they pick it up, they try to take it to church. There it is consecrated and purified again, and given to those in need.

Many priests call all of the above superstitions. In their opinion, anyone can wear a cross, but you need to make sure that it is consecrated in the church.

How to choose a pectoral cross for yourself?

You can choose a pectoral cross based on your own preferences. When choosing it, two main rules apply:

• Mandatory blessing of the cross in the church.
• Orthodox view of the selected cross.

Everything that is sold in a church shop undoubtedly belongs to Orthodox paraphernalia. But Orthodox Christians are not recommended to wear Catholic crosses. After all, they have a completely different meaning, different from the others.

If you are a believer, then wearing a cross becomes an act of union with Divine grace. But God’s protection and grace are not given to everyone, but only to those who truly believe and sincerely pray for themselves and their neighbors. He also leads a righteous lifestyle.

Many Orthodox crosses, the types and meaning of which are discussed above, are devoid of jewelry delights. After all, they are not decoration in the full sense of the word. First of all, the cross is a sign of belonging to Christianity and its norms. And only then - a household attribute that can decorate any outfit. Of course, sometimes pectoral crosses and crosses on priests’ rings are made of precious metals. But here, too, the main thing is not the cost of such a product, but its sacred meaning. And this meaning is much deeper than it might initially seem.

The cross - a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of Christ - not only marks our belonging to Christianity, but through it the saving Grace of God is sent down to us. Therefore, it is the most important element of faith. Whether it is an Old Believer cross or one of those accepted in the official church, they are equally blessed. Their difference is purely external, and is due only to the established tradition. Let's try to figure out what it is expressed in.

The departure of the Old Believers from the official church

In the middle of the 17th century, the Russian Orthodox Church experienced a severe shock caused by the reform carried out by its primate, Patriarch Nikon. Despite the fact that the reform affected only the external ritual side of worship, without touching the main thing - religious dogma, it led to a schism, the consequences of which have not been smoothed out to this day.

It is known that, having entered into irreconcilable contradictions with the official church and separated from it, the Old Believers did not remain a single movement for long. The disagreements that arose between its religious leaders caused it to soon split into dozens of groups called “talks” and “concords.” Each of them was characterized by its own Old Believer cross.

Features of Old Believer crosses

How does the Old Believer cross differ from the usual one, the one accepted by the majority of believers? It should be noted here that the concept itself is very conditional, and we can only talk about certain of its external features accepted in the religious tradition. The Old Believer cross, the photo of which is presented at the beginning of the article, is the most common.

This is an eight-pointed cross inside a four-pointed one. This form was widespread in the Russian Orthodox Church in the middle of the 17th century at the time of the schism and was in full accordance with canonical requirements. It was her that the schismatics considered most consistent with the concepts of ancient piety.

Eight-pointed cross

The eight-pointed shape of the cross itself cannot be considered an exclusive property of the Old Believers. Similar crosses are common, for example, in the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches. The presence in them, in addition to the main horizontal crossbar, of two more is explained as follows. The top one - a small crossbar - should depict a tablet nailed to the top of the cross on which the Savior was crucified. On it, according to the Gospel, there was an abbreviation of the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

The lower, inclined crossbar, depicting the footrest of the crucified Christ, is often given a very specific meaning. According to established tradition, it is considered to be a kind of “standard of righteousness” that weighs human sins. Its tilt, in which the right side is raised up and points towards the repentant thief, symbolizes the forgiveness of sins and the acquisition of the Kingdom of God. The left one, lowered down, indicates the depths of hell, prepared for the unrepentant thief who blasphemed the Lord.

Pre-reform crosses

The part of believers that broke away from the official church did not invent anything new in religious symbolism. The schismatics only preserved those elements of it that existed before the reform, while refusing any innovations. For example, a cross. Whether it is Old Believer or not, it is, first of all, a symbol that has existed since the beginning of Christianity, and the external changes that it has undergone over the centuries have not changed its essence.

The most ancient crosses are characterized by the absence of an image of the figure of the Savior. For their creators, only the form itself, which carried the symbol of Christianity, was important. This is easy to notice in the crosses of the Old Believers. For example, the Old Believer pectoral cross is often performed in precisely this ancient tradition. However, this does not distinguish it from ordinary crosses, which also often have a strict, laconic appearance.

Copper cast crosses

More significant are the differences between Old Believer copper-cast crosses belonging to different religious denominations.

The main distinguishing feature of them is the pommel - the upper part of the cross. In some cases, it depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and in others, a miraculous image of the Savior or the God of Hosts. These are not just different artistic solutions, these are their fundamental canonical principles. Looking at such a cross, a specialist can easily determine whether it belongs to one or another group of Old Believers.

So, for example, the Old Believer cross of the Pomeranian Concord or the Fedoseevsky type, which is close to them, never bears the image of the Holy Spirit, but it can always be recognized by the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, placed at the top. If such differences can still be attributed to an established tradition, then there are agreements and purely fundamental, canonical disagreements in the design of crosses.

Pilate's inscription

Often the reason for disputes is the text of the inscription on the upper, small crossbar. It is known from the Gospel that the inscription on the tablet attached to the cross of the Savior was made by Pontius Pilate, by whose order Christ was crucified. In this regard, the Old Believers have a question: is it worthy for the Orthodox Old Believer cross to bear an inscription written by one who is forever cursed by the church? Its most ardent opponents have always been the above-mentioned Pomeranians and Fedoseevites.

It is curious that disputes over the “Pilate inscription” (as the Old Believers call it) began in the first years of the schism. One of the prominent ideologists of the Old Believers, Archdeacon of the Solovetsky Monastery Ignatius, is known for having compiled several very voluminous treatises condemning this title, and even submitted a petition about this to the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich himself. In his writings, he argued that such an inscription was inadmissible and urgently demanded that it be replaced with the abbreviation of the inscription “Jesus Christ King of Glory.” It would seem like a minor change, but there was a whole ideology behind it.

The cross is a common symbol for all Christians

Nowadays, when the official church has recognized the legitimacy and equality of the Old Believer Church, in Orthodox churches you can often see the same crosses that previously existed only in schismatic monasteries. This is not surprising, since we have one faith, the Lord is one, and asking the question of how the Old Believer cross differs from the Orthodox cross seems incorrect. They are essentially united and worthy of universal worship, since, despite minor external differences, they have common historical roots and equal grace-filled power.

The Old Believer cross, the difference from the usual one, as we found out, is purely external and insignificant, is rarely an expensive piece of jewelry. Most often, he is characterized by a certain asceticism. Even the Old Believer golden cross is not common. Most of them are made from copper or silver. And the reason for this is not at all in economy - among the Old Believers there were many wealthy merchants and industrialists - but rather in the priority of internal content over external form.

Community of religious aspirations

The Old Believer cross on the grave is also rarely distinguished by any pretentiousness. It is usually eight-pointed, with a gable roof installed on top. No frills. In the tradition of the Old Believers, greater importance is attached not to the appearance of the graves, but to the care for the repose of the souls of the deceased. This is fully consistent with what the official church teaches us. We all equally pray to God for our relatives, loved ones and simply brothers in faith who have completed their earthly journey.

Long gone are the times of persecution of those who, due to their religious views or due to prevailing circumstances, found themselves in the ranks of a movement that escaped the control of the supreme church administration, but nevertheless remained in the bosom of Christ’s Church. Having officially recognized the Old Believers, the Russian Orthodox Church is constantly looking for ways to become even closer to our brothers in Christ. And therefore, the Old Believer cross or the icon, painted according to the canons established in the old faith, became fully objects of our religious veneration and worship.