Cross - a symbol of very ancient. What he symbolized to cross death Savior? Which cross is considered more correct - the Orthodox or Catholic four-spin ("Kryzh"). What is the reason for the image of Jesus Christ on the cross with crossed steps in Catholics and detached feet in the Orthodox tradition.

Heromers Adrian (Pashin) is responsible:

In different religious traditions, the cross symbolized different concepts. One of the most common - our peace meeting with the world of spiritual. For the Jewish people since the Roman rule, the cross, the crucifix was the method of shameful, cruel execution and caused an insurmountable fear and horror, but, thanks to Christ the winner, he became welcome trophy, causing joyful feelings. Therefore, the Holy Ippolit Roman, the husband of the apostolic, exclaimed: "And the church has its trophy over death - this is the cross of Christ, which she is on Himself," and St. Paul, the apostle languages, wrote in his message: "I wish to boast ... Only the Cross of the Lord of our Jesus Christ "(Gal. 6, 14).

In the West, the most commonly used is the four-star cross (Fig. 1), which the Old Believers are called (for some reason in Polish) "Latin's roof" or "Rymski", which means the Roman Cross. According to the Gospel, the crossed execution was distributed by the Empire precisely by the Romans and, of course, was considered Roman. "And not in terms of the number of woods, the cross of Christ is worshiped by us, but by Christ himself, the most famous blood of whose blood has risen," says Saint Dmitry Rostovsky. - And showing wonderful power, any cross does not act by himself, but by the power of the crucifier on it Christ and the calling for the Most Holy Name. "

Starting from the III century, when, for the first time, such crosses appeared in Roman catacombs, the entire Orthodox East and today uses this shape of the cross as even to everyone else.

The eight-pointed Orthodox cross (Fig. 2) most corresponds to the historically reliable form of the cross, on which Christ is already crucified, as they testify to Terertullian, the Holy Irina Lyon, St. Justin philosopher and others. "And when Christ, the Lord on his shoulders, wearing a cross then the cross was still four-spin; Because there was no Title on it, nor foot. There was no foot, because Christ is not raised on the cross and warriors, not knowing what place to get the legs of Christ, they did not attach the foot, finished it already on Calvary "(Saint Dimitri Rostovsky). There was also no Title on the cross before the crucifixion of Christ, because, as the gospel reports, first "crucified it" (in. 19, 18), and then only "Pilate wrote an inscription and put on the cross" (John 19, 19 ). It was first that I shared the "clothes" of the warriors "attended it" (MF. 27, 35), and only then "put his inscription on his head, meaning his guilt: this is Jesus, the king of Jewish" (Matt. 27, 37).

Ancient times also known images of the Crucifixion of the Savior. Until IX century, Christ was inclied on the cross not only alive, risen, but also triumphant (Fig. 3), and only in the X century images of the Dead Christ appeared (Fig. 4).

From the oldest times, cross-crucifixes, both in the east and in the west, had a crossbar to stop the crucifier feet, and his legs were depicted by their nail separately (Fig. 3). The image of Christ with crossed feet, naught one nail (Fig. 4), for the first time appeared, as an innovation, in the West in the second half of the XIII century.

From the Orthodox dogma of the cross (or atonement) undoubtedly implies the idea that the death of the Lord is the redemption of everyone, the vocation of all nations. Only a cross, unlike other executions, gave the opportunity to Jesus Christ to die with open hands, calling on "all ends of the earth" (Isa. 45, 22).

Therefore, in the tradition of Orthodoxy - to depict the Savior of the Almighty as already the resurrected cruster holding and calling in its arms of the entire Universe and carrying Novokavtaya altar - a cross.

And traditionally the Catholic image of the crucifix, with the hands of Christ, on the contrary, has a task to show how it all happened, to portray the death sufferings and death, and not at all that essentially there is an eternal fruit of the cross - his celebration.

Orthodoxy invariably teaches that all sinners are needed for the humble assimilation of the fetus of the redemption - the Holy Spirit sent by the sinless redemption, which the Catholics are not understood in pride, seeking participation in sinless, and therefore the redeective passionists of Christ and thereby flowing into a cross-country heresy "Sumpassing".

The cross is the most recognizable symbol of Orthodoxy. But any of you saw many types of crosses. What is the right one? You will learn about this from our article!

Cross

Varieties of the Cross

"There is a true cross in every form of a form," he taught the Rev. Theodore Studit stillIXcentury. And in our time it happens that in the temples refuse to take notes with four-spin "Greek" crosses, forcing them to correct them to eight-pointed "Orthodox". Is there any one, the "right" cross? We asked to understand this, we asked the head of the icon-painted school of Hmm, Associate Professor, Hegumen Luka (Golovkov) and the leading specialist in Starography, Candidate of Art History Svetlana Gnutov.

What was the cross on which Christ crucified?

« Cross - this is the symbol of the sufferings of Christ, and not only a symbol, and an instrument through which the Lord saved us, "says igumen Luka (heads). "Therefore, a cross is the greatest shrine through which God's help is performed."

The history of this Christian symbol began with the fact that the Holy Queen Elena in 326 found a cross on which Christ was crucified. However, how accurately he looked, is now unknown. Only two separate crossbars were found, and near the plate and foot. There were no grooves or holes on the crossbars, so the opportunity to determine how they were attached to each other, no. "There is such an opinion that this cross could be in the form of the letter" T ", that is, the three-end," says leading Specialist in Starography, Candidate of Art History Svetlana Gnutova. - The Romans had a practice at that time to paint on such crosses, but this does not mean that Christ the cross was exactly the same. He could be four-pointed, and eight-pointed. "

The discussion about the "right" cross arose today. The dispute about what Cross is the right, eight-spin or four-ring, the Orthodox and Old Believers, and the latter called the simple four-spin cross "Printing Antichrist". In defense of the Four-Spanned Cross, Saint John Kronstadt, who devoted the PhD dissertation with this topic (he defended it in 1855 in SPBD) "About the Cross of Christ, in the glory of imaginary old goods": "Who does not know and not honor the Holy Cross about four ends from the elder and before the hotel? And this well-known shape of the cross, this oldest shrine of faith, the seal of all the sacraments, like something new, unknown by our ancestors, appeared yesterday, our imaginary old workers suspected, derogged, drove among the White Day, sprinkling Jules to the fact that from the very The beginning of Christianity and accommodate served and serves as a source of sanctification and salvation for everyone. Watching only an eight-spin cross, or a tris-contained, that is, a straight tree and three diameters, located in a well-known way, they call the seal of the antichrist and the abomination of the cross the Cross the so-called fourthone, representing the true and consuming shape of the cross! "

St. John Kronstadt explains: "Byzantine" four-pin cross in fact there is a cross "Russian", since, according to the church legend, the Holy Equal-to-Apostle Prince Vladimir took out of Corsun, where he was baptized, it was such a cross and first installed him on the shore of the Dnieper in Kiev. A similar four-pin cross was preserved in the Kiev Sofia Cathedral, carved on the marble board of the Tomb of Prince Yaroslav Wise, Son of St. Vladimir. " But, protecting the four-spin cross, St. John makes the conclusion that it is necessary to read the same and the other, since the principal difference itself of the cross for believers does not have. Igumen Luka: "In Orthodox church From the shape of the cross, its holiness does not depend in any way, provided that the Orthodox Cross is made and consecrated precisely as a Christian symbol, and not initially made as a sign, for example, the sun or part of the household ornament or decoration. Chin consecrated crosses for that and became mandatory in the Russian Church, as well as icons. Interestingly, for example, in Greece, the sanctification of icons and crosses is not necessarily, because Christian traditions in society are more stable. "

Why do we not wear a fish sign?

Until the IV century, while the persecution of Christians continued, the images of the cross were openly done (including so that the persecutors do not abill on him), so the first Christians came up with ways to encrypt the cross. That is why fish became the most first Christian symbol. In Greek "Fish" - ίχθύς - an acronym of the Greek phrase "iησοvς χριστoς θεov υιoς σωτήρ" - "Jesus Christ of God's Son Savior." The image of two fish on the sides of the vertical anchor with the top in the form of a cross was used as a secret "password" on Christian meetings. "But the fish did not become the same symbol of Christianity as a cross," explains Igumen Luka, "because the fish is an allegory, allegory." Holy Fathers on Fiat Sixth Trill Universal Cathedral 691-692 was directly condemned and banned allegory, because it is a kind of detective image, which only leads to Christ, unlike the direct image of Christ himself - our Savior and Cross of Christ - the symbol of his suffering. The allegory was gone from the practice of the Orthodox Church for a long time and only ten centuries began to penetrate the east under the influence of the Catholic West. "

The first encrypted images of the cross himself were found in Roman catacombs II and III centuries. The researchers found that the tomb of Christians affected by faith often painted a palm branch as a symbol of eternity, a brazier - as a symbol of martyrdom (it was such a way of execution to be distributed in the first centuries) and Christogram - an alphabetic reduction of the name of Christ - or a monogram consisting of the first and last letters greek alphabet Α and ω - according to the word of the Lord, in Revelation, John the Bogoslov: "Az, Esm Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 1, 8). Sometimes these symbols have painted together and have failed in such a way that the cross image of the cross was guessed.

When the first "legal" cross appeared

The Holy Equal-Apostles King Konstantin (IV) "In a dream, Christ was, the Son of God, with the sign in the sky, and commanded, making a banner like this seen in the sky, to use him to protect him from attacking enemies," writes church historian Eusevia Pamphil. - This banner happened to see us with their own eyes. It had the following form: on a long, covered with a golden spear was a cross reya, which formed the sign of the cross with a spear, and on it two first letters named Christ, combined together. "

These letters, called subsequently by Monogram Konstantin, the king wore on his helmet. After the wonderful phenomenon of St. Konstantin ordered to make the images of the cross on the shields of his warriors and installed three memorable Orthodox cross in Constantinople with a gold inscription in Greek "ic.xp.nika", which means "Jesus Christ is a winner." The first cross with the inscription "Jesus" he installed on the triumphal gate of the city square, the second with the inscription "Christ" - in the Roman column, and the third with the inscription "Winner" - on a high marble post on the city's bread square. From this it began to universal reverence of the Cross of Christ.

"The holy images were everywhere in order to, more often visible, they encouraged us to love prime," explains Igumen Luka. - After all, everything that surrounds us, one way or another affects us, evil and kind. The Holy Reminder of the Lord helps the soul to rush to the thought and heart to God. "

In from as wrote about these times SVT. John Zlatoust: "The cross is located everywhere in Glava: at home, on the square, in solitude, on the roads, on the mountains, on the hills, on the plains, on the sea, on the ship masts, on the islands, on the beds, on the clothes, on weapons, On the feasts, on the vessels of silver and gold, on precious stones, on wall painting ... so the opposition to everyone admire this amazing gift. "

I wonder what since christian world It became possible to legally make the images of the cross, encrypted inscriptions and Christograms did not disappear, and moved, as an addition, the crosses themselves. This tradition came to Russia. Since the XI century, under the lower braid crossbar of the eight-pointed cross-crucifix, which was installed in the temples, the symbolic image of the head of Adam, buried, according to legend, on Calvary. The inscriptions are a brief commentary of the circumstances of the crucifixions of the Lord, the meaning of his godfather death and decipher so: "M.L.R.B." - "The frontal place will crucify", "G.G." - Mount Golgotha, the letters "K" and "T" mean a copy of the warrior and a cane with a sponge depicted along the cross. Above the middle crossbar is placed inscriptions: "IC" "XS", and under it: "Nika" - "Winner"; on the plate or near the inscription: "SN BJ" - "Son of God", "I.N.C.I" - "Jesus Nazi Tsar Judaian"; Over the sign of the inscription: "CZP" - "King of Glory". "G.A." - "Head of Adamov"; And the bones of the hands lying before the head are depicted: right on the left, as when burial or communion.

Catholic or Orthodox crucifixion?

"The catholic crucifix is \u200b\u200boften written more naturally," says Svetlana Gnutova. "The Savior is depicted in his arms, the image conveys the martyrdom and death of Christ. In the ancient Russian images, Christ is depicted by the risen and reigning. Christ is shown in force - as a winner holding and calling the entire universe in his arms. "

In the XVI century, Moscow Dyack Ivan Mikhailovich, Vicalcan even spoke against crosses, where Christ is depicted on the cross with compressed in a fist, and not open palms. "Christ on the cross spreads his arms to collect us," explains Igumen Luka, "so that we rushed to the sky so that our aspiration was always to the city. Therefore, the cross is the symbol of collecting us together so that we are united with the Lord! "

Another difference between the Catholic Crucifixion - the Christ crucifier crucified three nails, that is, nails are drunk in both hands, and the feet feet are folded together and nailed with one nail. In the Orthodox crucifix, each foot of the Savior is naught separately by its nail. Igumen Luka: "This is a fairly ancient tradition. In the XIII century, Custom Icons for Latinians were written on Sinai, where Christ was already naught by three nails, and in the XV century such cruises become a generally accepted Latin norm. However, it is only a tribute tradition, which we must respect and save, but not to look for any theological burden. In the Sinai Monastery, the icons of the crucified three nails of the Lord are in the temple and reverass on a par with Orthodox crucifixes. "

Orthodox Cross - Love Crucified

"The iconography of the cross develops like any other iconography. The cross can be decorated with ornament or stones, but it cannot be in any way to become a 12-end or 16-end, "says Svetlana Gnutova. "The diversity of the forms of the cross in the Christian tradition is a variety of glorifying the cross, and not a change in its meaning," explains Igumen Luka. - The gymnographers glorified the cross with many prayers, as well as the icon painters in different ways glorify the cross of the Lord. For example, the iconopus appeared an image of the Camation - the royal or princely pendant in the form of a crescent, we usually use the icons of the Virgin and Christ, - soon she appeared on the cross to emphasize his royal meaning.

Of course, we need to use crosses that are written in the Orthodox tradition. After all, the Orthodox cross on the chest is not only assistance to which we resort to prayers, but also testimony of our faith. Although, I think we can take images of crosses of the ancient Christian denominations (for example, Copds or Armenians). Catholic crosses, which, after the revival of the revival, became too naturalistic in forms, do not coincide with the Orthodox understanding of Christ crucified as a winner, but since this is the image of Christ - we should treat them with awe. "

As wrote St. John Kronstadt: "The main thing that should remain in the cross is love:" The cross without love can not think and represent: where the cross, there is love; In the church, you are everywhere and see all the crosses in order for everything to remind you that you are in the Temple of Love, crucified for us. "

For the centuries-old history of Christianity masters of church art, a variety of forms and varieties of the cross were created. Today, more than thirty species of the christian cross are known to historians. Each of the forms carries a deep, symbolic meaning, nothing accidental and arbitrary in Christian characters has never been. In Russian Orthodoxy, they were distributed, and are now most often found, next species: eight-spin, four-ring, trillery, petal, Moscow, cross vine vine, let's stop in more detail.

Eight-spoard cross The most fully corresponds to the actual, historical truth. The cross, the eight-pointed form, the cross acquired after the crucifixion on him Lord Jesus Christ. It is written by historians of antiquity: St. Justin philosopher, Turrtullian and others. Before the crucifixion, when the Lord carried a cross on Calvary on his shoulders, the cross was four-sided. The bottom, oblique crossbar and the top, short, were made by warriors immediately after crucifixion.

The lower crossbar is a footboard that the warriors attached to the cross, "when it became clear to what place the legs of Christ gets." Upper crossbar is a sign with an inscription made by order of Pilate, about what we know from the Gospel. The sequence of events was this: first "crucified it" (in. 19; 18), and after dividing clothes along the lot, on the command of Pilate "put his inscription above his head, meaning the blame of him: this is Jesus, the Tsar of Judaisky" (MF. 27 ; 37)

The eight-pointed form to this day is considered to be generally accepted in Orthodoxy. The crosses of such a form shall with the dock of Orthodox churches, are depicted on the covers of the sacred books, on icons. Modern native crosses are usually eight-pointed form.

Four-pointed cross Also historically credited, and refers to the Gospel of His Cross. It was the four-pin cross of the Lord in Calvary.

The four-pointed cross in Russia was called the Roman or Latin Cross. The name corresponds to historical realities: the cross execution was introduced by the Romans, and the crucifixion of Christ was accomplished on the territory of the Roman Empire. Accordingly, the execution through the crucifixion and the instrument itself, Roman was considered. In the West to this day, the image of the four-spin cross is most common, but compared to others.

Saint Dmitry Rostovsky during the controversy with the Old Believers about what Cross is the most true, wrote: "And not in terms of the number of wood, not by the number of the ends, the Cross of Christ is worshiped by us, but by Christ, the most Holy Blood than whose blood did it. ... any cross does not act by himself, but by the power of the crucifier of Christ and the calling of the Most Holy name ".

Cross grape vine Known with antiquity. They were decorated with tombstones Christians, liturgical books and utensils. A branched vine with beautiful, full-length brushes and patterned leaves comes from the Cross tree. The symbolism of the cross is based on the words of the Savior: "I am a vine, and you branches; Who dwells in me, and I am in it, he brings a lot of fetus "(John 15; 5)

This shape of the cross reminds Christians about the need to bring the fetus in the course of earthly life, and about the words of Christ "nothing can do nothing."

A variety of quadrangular cross - Cross petal form. Its ends are made in the form of flower petals. This form was often used in the painting of church buildings, in the venues of the priesthood, and the decoration of the liturgical utensils. Petal crosses are found in the mosaic of the Kiev church of St. Sophia, the mosaic dates back to the 9th century. Native crosses, both in antiquity and in modern church, often manufactured in the form of a petal cross.

Trilisnik's cross It is a four-star or six-pointed cross, the ends of which are made in the form of a trillery - three pointed leaves. In Russia, the posted crosses of such a form are common. The cross-triller came into the emblems of many cities of the Russian Empire.

It is known that in Russia, the native crosses were made of gold or silver coins. Such a cross had an equilateral, quadrangular shape and rounded ends. He got a name "Moscow Cross"Due to the fact that Moscow merchants often wore just such a cross.

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What cross is considered canonical, why is it unacceptable to carry a native cross with the image of a crucified Savior and other samples?

Every Christian from Holy Baptism before the death hour should carry the sign of his faith in the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord and God of our Isus Christ. We wear this sign not on top of clothing, but on your body, therefore it is called a native, and the focused (eight-pointed) it is called because it is like a cross on which the Lord was crucified in Calvary.

The collection of native crosses of 18-19 centuries from the district of the settlement of the Krasnoyarsk Territory speaks of the presence of sustainable preferences in shape against the background of a rich manifold of individual execution of products by masters, and exceptions only confirm strict rule.

Unwritten legends keep a lot of nuances. So, after after the publication of this article, one old-handed bishop, and the site reader also pointed out that the word crossequally as a word icondoes not have a diminutive-smear form. In this regard, we also appeal to our visitors with a request to relate to the symbols of Orthodoxy and follow the correctness of their speech!

Male native cross

The native cross, which always and everywhere is with us, serves as a constant reminder of the Resurrection of Christ and that when baptized, we promised to serve him, renounced Satan. Thereby native Cross It is capable of strengthening our spiritual and physical forces, protect us from Diyvolsky evil.

The most ancient of the preserved crosses often have the shape of a simple equilateral four-spin cross. So it was taken during the times when Christians read both Christ, Apostles, and the Holy Cross symbolically. In antiquity, as you know, Christ was often portrayed in the form of a lamb, surrounded by 12 other lambs - apostles. Also, the Cross of the Lord portrayed symbolically.

The rich fantasy of masters is toughly limited to unwritten concepts about the canonism of the native crosses

Later, in connection with the acquisition of the genuine honest and life-giving the Cross of the Lord of St. Tsaritsa Elena, the focused shape of the cross begins to portray more and more often. This was reflected in the native crosses. But the fourthways did not disappear: as a rule, the focused cross was depicted inside the fourth.

Along with those who have become traditional forms in Russia in the Old Believers of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, you can meet the legacy of more ancient Byzantine tradition

In order to remind us that it means for us the Cross of Christ, he was often portrayed on a symbolic Calvary with a skull (head of Adam) at the base. Next to him, you can usually see the instruments of the passions of the Lord - a copy and cane.

Letters Istan (Izus Nazarenan Tsar Judaisky), which are usually depicted on larger crosses, are given in memory of the inscription, mockingly nailed over the head of the Savior during the crucifixion.

Expanding under Titles inscription Curbon PLA IC XS SN BJI says: " King of glory uzus christ son of God". Frequently added inscription " NIKA"(Greek word, means the victory of Christ over death).

Separate letters that can be on the native crosses mean " TO"- Copy," T."- cane," GG"- Golgotha \u200b\u200bMountain," H."- Head of Adam. " MLRB"- the frontal paradise place (that is, it was once planted paradise at the site of Christ's execution).

We are confident that many do not even know how this symbolism is perverted in the usual deck of cards . As it turned out, four card suites are hidden hula in Christian shrines: cross - this is the cross of Christ; diamonds - nails; peaks - copy of the centurion; worms - This is a sponge with vinegar, which the tormentors were migrated to Christ instead of water.

The image of a crucified Savior precisely on the native crosses appeared quite recently (at least after the XVII century). Crucifixion Crosses non-canonic Since the image of the crucifix turns the native cross in the icon, and the icon is intended for direct perception and prayer.

Wearing an icon in a hidden from the eyes of the form by the danger of using it is not for its intended purpose, namely, as a magic amulet or charm. Cross is symbol and crucifixion is form . The priest carries a cross with a crucifix, but it can be visible: so that everyone sees this image and inspired on prayer, inspired to a certain attitude towards the priest. The priesthood is the image of Christ. And the native cross, which we wear under the clothes - there is a symbol, and the crucifixes should not be there.

One of the ancient rules of St. Vasily of the Great (IV century), which entered Nomocanon, says:

"Any Icon who, which, as Laneank, is an icon, be subject to lead from the communion for three years."

As you can see, the ancient fathers very strictly followed the right attitude towards the icon, to the image. They stood on guard of the purity of Orthodoxy, in every way fencing him from paganism. By the 17th century there was a custom to put on the back of the native cross the prayer of the cross ("God will resurrect and the gays will be played ..."), or only the first words.

Women's Female Cross

In old school, the external distinction between "is still steadily resistant. female"And" male"Crosses. The "female" native cross has a more smoothed, rounded shape without sharp corners. Around the "female" cross in the plant ornament is depicted "Line", resembling the words of the Psalm People: " Your wife, Yako Vine is fruitful in the houses of your house "(Ps., 127, 3).

The native cross is customary to wear on a long guitana (braid, wicker thread) so that it can be, without removing it, take a cross in hand and stand up with a sign of the cross sign (this is supposed to do with the corresponding prayers before bedtime, as well as when making a celon rule).

Symbolism in everything: even three crowns over the hole symbolize the SV.

If we talk about crosses with the image of the crucifix wider, then a distinctive feature Canon crosses is the style of the image of the Body of Christ. Widely distributed today on new completion crosses the image of the suffering of Isus alien to the Orthodox tradition .

Vintage medallions with symbolic image

According to canonical ideas that have been reflected in icon painting and copper plastic, the body of the Savior on the cross has never been depicted with suffering, seen on nails, etc., which indicates his divine nature.

The manner of "allegation" of the sufferings of Christ is peculiar catholicism and many later church split in Russia is borrowed. Old Believers consider such crosses unfasteless . Examples of canonical and modern new complementary casting are given below: the substitution of concepts is noticeable even with a naked eye.

Stability of traditions should be noted: the collections in the photos were replenished without a goal. Show only ancient forms, that is, hundreds of species of modern " orthodox jewelry "- the invention of the last decades against the background of almost complete oblivion of the symbolism and the meaning of the image of the honest Cross of the Lord.

Illustrations on the topic

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

An example of canonical native crosses of different times:

An example of non-canonic crosses of different times:

Unusual crosses made, presumably in Old Believers in Romania

Photo from the exhibition "Russian Old Believers", Ryazan

Cross with an unusual back side, which you can read

Men's Cross of Modern Work

Catalog of Vintage Crosses - Network version of the book " Millennium Cross "- http://k1000k.narod.ru.

Well illustrated article about early Christian native crosses with high-quality illustrations in color and additional material on the topic on the site Culturology.ru. - http://www.kulturologia.ru/blogs/150713/18549/

Exhaustive information and photos about cast crestes from novgorod manufacturer of similar products : https://readtiger.com/www.olevs.ru/novgorodskoe_litje/static/kiotnye_mednolitye_kresty_2/

The eight-pointed cross is the most common in Russia.

Above the average vertical crossbar is a short, long and under them oblique crossbar, the upper end of which is facing north, the lower - south. The upper small crossbar symbolizes a table with an inscription made by order of Pilate in three languages: "Jesus Nazi Tsar Judean", Lower Peerkladdina - footage, on which the legs of Jesus, depicted in the opposite, relied. The form of the Orthodox Cross Most of all corresponds to the one at which Jesus was crucified, so it is not only a sign, but also the image of the Cross of Christ ...

The eight ends of the cross symbolize eight main periods in the history of mankind, where the eighth is the life of the future century, the kingdom of heaven. The end, which is directed atmsimulates the path to the heavenly kingdom, open by Christ. The slanting of the crossbar, to which the legs of Christ were nailed, says that with his coming in the earth's life of people, the equilibrium of everyone without exception to the power of sin was broken. This is the beginning of spiritual revival everywhere and everywhere, the path of man from the area of \u200b\u200bdarkness to the region of heavenly. This is the movement from the ground to the sky and denotes the oblique crossbind of the eight-pointed cross.

When the crucifixion of Christ is depicted on the cross, the cross marks the full image of the Savior's crucifixion and contains all the completeness of the godfather. Therefore, in Russia, the eight-pointed nate cross is always considered the most reliable protection From all evil - both visible and invisible.

Stone cross.

It is also one of the oldest Russian crosses. For example, the Poklonnaya Cross, established in 1161 by Rev. Eurrene, Prince Polotsk, was six-pointed, with an inclined lower crossbar. Why is she oblique here in this version of the cross? The meaning is symbolic and deep.

The cross in the life of each person serves as Meril, as if the weights of his inner state, souls and conscience. So it was at the time of the real crucifixion of Jesus on the cross - between the two robbers. In the liturgical text of the 9th hour service, the cross has words that "between two robbers Merilo righteous acquired." We know that during the execution, one of the thieves of Julil Jesus, the second - on the contrary, said that he himself suffered a execution fairly, for his sins, and Christ executed Christ.

We know that Jesus in response to this sincere repentance told the robber, that sins are filmed from him that "today he will be with the Lord in paradise. And in the six-pointed cross, the inclined crossbind of the lower end symbolizes the terrible severity of the unskilled sin, which goes into the darkness of the first of the robbers, the second, aspiring upwards is the release of repentance through which the path in the kingdom of heaven.

In Orthodox culture, an eight-pointed grave cross is installed on the grave, the cross is made on the coffin cover. Often it is complemented by the crucifixion of Christ.