"Take up your cross and follow Me"
(Mark 8:34)
Everyone knows that the Cross plays a big role in the life of every Orthodox person. This applies to both the Cross, as a symbol of the sufferings of an Orthodox Christian on the cross, which he must endure with humility and trust in the will of God, and the Cross, as a fact of confession of Christianity, and a great power that can protect a person from enemy attacks. It is worth noting that many miracles were performed with the Sign of the Cross. Suffice it to say that one of the great Sacraments is performed by the Cross - the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Mary of Egypt, having crossed the water with the sign of the cross, crossed the Jordan, Spyridon of Trimifuntsky turned a snake into gold, and with the sign of the cross they healed the sick and possessed. But, perhaps, the most important miracle: the sign of the cross, applied with deep faith, protects us from the power of Satan.
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 Man, exclaimed: “and the Church has its own 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 by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"
The cross accompanies an Orthodox person throughout his life. “Telnik”, as the pectoral cross was called in Rus', is placed on the baby in the Sacrament of Baptism in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34 ).
It is not enough to simply put on a cross and consider yourself a Christian. The cross should express what is in a person's heart. In some cases this is a deep Christian faith, in others it is a formal, external affiliation with the Christian Church. This desire is often not the fault of our fellow citizens, but only a consequence of their lack of enlightenment, years of Soviet anti-religious propaganda, and apostasy from God. But the Cross is the greatest Christian shrine, visible evidence of our redemption.
Today there are many different misunderstandings and even superstitions and myths associated with the pectoral cross. Let's try to figure out this difficult issue together.
This is why the pectoral cross is called that because it is worn under clothing, never on display (only priests wear the cross outside). This does not mean that the pectoral cross must be hidden and hidden under any circumstances, but still it is not customary to deliberately display it for public viewing. The church charter establishes that one should kiss one’s pectoral cross at the end of evening prayers. In a moment of danger or when your soul is anxious, it would also not be amiss to kiss your cross and read the words “Save and preserve” on its back.
The sign of the cross must be done with all attention, with fear, with trembling and with extreme reverence. Placing three large fingers on the forehead, one must say: “in the name of the Father,” then, lowering the hand in the same form on the chest “and the Son,” moving the hand to the right shoulder, then to the left: “and the Holy Spirit.” Having made this holy sign of the cross on yourself, conclude with the word “Amen.” You can also say the prayer during the laying of the Cross: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen".
There is no canonical form of the pectoral cross approved by the councils. According to the expression of Rev. Theodore the Studite - “the cross of any form is the true cross.” Saint Demetrius of Rostov wrote back in the 18th century: “We venerate the Cross of Christ not by the number of trees, not by the number of ends, but by Christ himself, with the Most Holy Blood, Whom he was stained with. Displaying 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.” The Orthodox tradition knows an endless variety of types of crosses: four-, six-, eight-pointed; with a semicircle at the bottom, petal-shaped, teardrop-shaped, crescent-shaped and others.
Each line of the Cross has a deep symbolic meaning. On the back of the cross, the inscription “Save and preserve” is most often written; sometimes there are prayer inscriptions “May God rise again” and others.
Eight-pointed shape of the Orthodox cross
The classic eight-pointed cross is the most common in Russia. The shape of this Cross most closely matches the Cross on which Christ was crucified. Therefore, such a Cross is no longer only a sign, but also an image of the Cross of Christ.
Above the long middle crossbar of such a cross there is a straight short crossbar - a tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” nailed by order of Pilate above the head of the Crucified Savior. The lower oblique crossbar, the upper end of which faces north and the lower end faces south, symbolizes the foot, designed to serve to increase the torment of the Crucified, since the deceptive feeling of some support under his feet prompts the executed person to involuntarily try to lighten his burden by leaning on it, which only prolongs torment.
Dogmatically, the eight ends of the Cross mean eight main periods in the history of mankind, where the eighth is the life of the next century, the Kingdom of Heaven, because one of the ends of such a Cross points up into the sky. This also means that the path to the Heavenly Kingdom was opened by Christ through His Redemptive Feat, according to His word: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
The slanting crossbar to which the Savior’s feet were nailed thus means that in the earthly life of people with the coming of Christ, who walked the earth preaching, the balance of all people without exception being under the power of sin was disrupted. When the eight-pointed Cross depicts the crucified Lord Jesus Christ, the Cross as a whole becomes a complete image of the Savior’s Crucifixion and therefore contains all the fullness of the power contained in the Lord’s suffering on the cross, the mysterious presence of Christ crucified.
There are two main types of images of the crucified Savior. An ancient view of the Crucifixion depicts Christ with his arms stretched wide and straight along the transverse central crossbar: the body does not sag, but rests freely on the Cross. The second, later view depicts the Body of Christ sagging, with his arms raised up and to the sides. The second type presents to the eye the image of the suffering of Christ for the sake of our salvation; Here you can see the human body of the Savior suffering in agony. This image is more typical of the Catholic Crucifixion. But such an image does not convey the entire dogmatic meaning of these sufferings on the cross. This meaning is contained in the words of Christ himself, who said to the disciples and people: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me” (John 12:32).
Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially during Ancient Rus', was six-pointed cross. It also has an inclined crossbar, but the meaning is somewhat different: the lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes liberation through repentance.
Four-pointed cross shape
The debate about the “correct” cross did not arise today. The debate about which cross was correct, eight-pointed or four-pointed, was waged by Orthodox and Old Believers, with the latter calling a simple four-pointed cross “the seal of the Antichrist.” Saint John of Kronstadt spoke out in defense of the four-pointed cross, devoting his candidate’s dissertation “On the Cross of Christ, in denunciation of imaginary Old Believers” to this topic.
St. John of Kronstadt explains: “The “Byzantine” four-pointed cross is in fact a “Russian” cross, since, according to Church Tradition, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir brought from Korsun, where he was baptized, just such a cross and was the first to install it on the banks of the Dnieper in Kyiv. A similar four-pointed cross has been preserved in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral, carved on the marble plaque of the tomb of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, son of St. Vladimir.” But, defending the four-pointed cross, St. John concludes that both should be venerated equally, since the shape of the cross itself has no fundamental difference for believers.
Encolpion - reliquary cross
Reliquaries, or encolpions (Greek), came to Rus' from Byzantium and were intended to store particles of relics and other shrines. Sometimes the encolpion was used to preserve the Holy Gifts, which the first Christians during the era of persecution received for Communion in their homes and had with them. The most common were relics made in the shape of a cross and decorated with icons, as they combined the power of several sacred objects that a person could wear on his chest.
The reliquary cross consists of two halves with indentations on the inside, which form a cavity where the shrines are placed. As a rule, such crosses contain a piece of fabric, wax, incense, or just a tuft of hair. When filled, such crosses acquire great protective and healing power.
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 appears, and the bones of the hands lying in front of the head are depicted: right on left, as during burial or Communion. According to legend, Adam was buried on Golgotha (in Hebrew, “place of the skull”), 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 quickly crucified
- "G.G." - Mount Golgotha
- "G.A." - head of Adamov
- 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” is the name of Jesus Christ;
- and under it: “NIKA” - Winner;
- on the title or near it there is an inscription: “SN” “BZHIY” - Son of God,
- but more often “I.N.C.I” - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews;
- the inscription above the title: “TSR” “SLVI” means King of Glory.
Such crosses are supposed to be embroidered on the vestments of monks who have accepted the schema - a vow to observe particularly strict ascetic rules of behavior. The Calvary cross is also depicted on the funeral shroud, which marks the preservation of the vows given at Baptism, like the white shroud of the newly baptized, signifying cleansing from sin. When consecrating churches and houses, the image of the Cross “Golgotha” is also used on the walls of the building in the four cardinal directions.
How to distinguish an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one?
The Catholic Church uses only one image of the Cross - a simple, quadrangular one with an elongation of the lower part. But if the shape of the cross most often does not matter for believers and servants of the Lord, then the position of the Body of Jesus is a fundamental disagreement between these two religions. In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. It reveals all human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to experience. His arms sag under the weight of his body, blood streams down his face and from wounds on his arms and legs. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is plausible, but it is an image of a dead man, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death. The Orthodox tradition depicts the Savior symbolically, His appearance expresses not the agony of the cross, but the triumph of the Resurrection. Jesus' palms are open, as if he wants to embrace all humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life. He is God, and his whole image speaks of this.
Another fundamental position is the position of the feet on the Crucifix. The fact is that among Orthodox shrines there are four nails with which Jesus Christ was supposedly nailed to the cross. This means that the arms and legs were nailed separately. The Catholic Church does not agree with this statement and keeps its three nails with which Jesus was fastened to the cross. In the Catholic Crucifixion, Christ's feet are placed together and nailed with a single nail. Therefore, when you bring a cross to the temple for consecration, it will be carefully examined for the number of nails.
The inscription on the tablet attached above the head of Jesus, where there should have been a description of his offense, is also different. But since Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” appeared on the tablet in three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic. Accordingly, on Catholic crosses you will see the inscription in Latin I.N.R.I., and on Russian Orthodox crosses - I.N.C.I. (also found I.N.Ts.I.)
Consecration of the pectoral cross
Another very important issue is the consecration of the pectoral cross. If a cross is purchased at a temple shop, then it is usually consecrated. If the cross was purchased elsewhere or has an unknown origin, then it must be taken to the church, ask one of the temple servants or the worker behind the candle box to transfer the cross to the altar. After examining the cross and if it complies with Orthodox canons, the priest will serve the rite prescribed in this case. Usually the priest blesses the crosses during the morning prayer service. If we are talking about a baptismal cross for a baby, then consecration is possible during the Sacrament of Baptism itself.
When consecrating the cross, the priest reads two special prayers in which he asks the Lord God to pour heavenly power into the cross and that this cross will protect not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers and all evil forces. That is why many pectoral crosses have the inscription “Save and Preserve!”
In conclusion, I would like to note that the Cross must be revered with its correct, Orthodox attitude towards it. This is not just a symbol, an attribute of faith, but also an effective protection of a Christian from satanic forces. The cross must be honored both by actions, and by one’s humility, and by imitation of the Savior’s feat, as far as possible for a limited person. The rite of monastic tonsure says that a monk must always have the suffering of Christ before his eyes - nothing makes a person gather himself, nothing so clearly shows the need for humility as this saving memory. It would be good for us to strive for this. It is then that the grace of God will actually act in us through the image of the sign of the cross. If we do it with faith, we will truly feel God's power and know God's wisdom.
Material prepared by Ignatova Natalya
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.
Most often, Catholics depict the cross as four-pointed.
Four-pointed crosses have been known since the 3rd century. Having once appeared in the Roman catacombs, they remain to this day the main form of depiction of the cross among Catholics. However, Catholics do not attach much importance to the shape of the cross, noting that it is not the basis of the creed. The image of the Savior is not always found on Catholic crosses, but if it is present, then Jesus’ feet are nailed with three nails. Catholics believe that three nails were used in the Crucifixion. Above the head of Jesus there is a tablet on which is written in Latin “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” - INRI. Usually above the head of the crucified person there was a description of his crime. Pontius Pilate did not find another name for the “crime” of the Savior.
Catholic cross: difference from the Orthodox one
The Orthodox cross does not always have an eight-pointed shape, although this is the form of the cross used by Orthodox Christians in the East. A lower crossbar can also be added to an Orthodox cross, which symbolizes the “righteous standard.” On one side of the scale are sins, on the other are the good and righteous deeds of people.
The shape of the cross is also not decisive for Orthodox Christians. Much more important in this case is what is depicted on the cross. So the sign “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in Orthodoxy looks like IHHI (in Slavic-Russian). Jesus' feet are not nailed to the cross together and there are only four nails on the crucifix. The letters IC XC on the right and left hand of the Savior are a Christogram and stand for Jesus Christ.
On the reverse side of the Orthodox cross there is always the inscription “Save and Preserve.”
The palms of Jesus on the Orthodox cross are usually open. It’s as if Jesus is taking the world into his arms. On the Catholic cross, the Savior's hands can be clenched into fists.
The use of the cross also differs: during burial, Orthodox Christians place a cross at the feet of the deceased, and Catholics place a cross at the head of the deceased. However, the rule is not mandatory and mainly depends on the local traditions of Christians. Catholics always install a four-pointed cross on domes (spires near churches), but in Orthodoxy there are different forms of crosses.
Catholic and Orthodox cross - is the difference significant?
The Monk Theodore the Studite wrote “the cross of every form is the true cross.” Neither Catholics nor Orthodox Christians attach much importance to the shape of the cross. The Catholic cross has changed over the centuries, just like the Orthodox one. Thus, until the 10th century, Christ was depicted on the cross as resurrected and triumphant; the image of the dead and suffering Christ appeared only in the 10th century and is more often found among Catholics.
Both in Catholicism and Orthodoxy there are six and eight-pointed crosses, these are the crosses of the hierarchy (archiepiscopal and papal).
The main thing that unites all Christians: if earlier the cross was an instrument of torture and shame, then after Christ’s sacrifice on the cross it became a symbol of the victory of good over evil. The Lord himself spoke about the necessity and significance of the feat of the cross: “ He who does not take up his cross (deviates from the feat) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian) is unworthy of Me"(Matthew 10:38). The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, also addressed the topic of the sacrifice of the cross: “ Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in the wisdom of the word, so as not to make the cross of Christ abolish. For the word about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and destroy the understanding of the prudent. Where is the sage? where is the scribe? where is the questioner of this century? Has not God turned the wisdom of this world into foolishness? For when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, for the Jews a stumbling block, and for the Greeks foolishness, but for those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God"(1 Cor. 1:17-24).
Traditionally, most monuments are decorated with a portrait, text, words of memory and a cross. When choosing a cross for a monument, customers often have difficulties: which cross to choose? Crosses can be four-pointed, six-pointed, eight-pointed. Which one is Orthodox, which one is Catholic, what is the difference between the crosses? Let's try to find out.
How to choose a cross for a monument
There were and are a huge number of crosses in the world: the ancient Egyptian Ankh, the Celtic cross, the solar, Latin, Orthodox, Byzantine, Armenian (“blooming”), St. Andrew’s and other crosses - these are all geometric symbols used in different eras and in modern times to express different meanings. Most crosses are somehow connected with Christianity.
In the Christian tradition, the veneration of the cross originates from the legend of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. Execution by crucifixion existed before Christ - this is how robbers were usually crucified - however, in Christianity, the cross takes on the meaning not only of an instrument of execution, but of the salvation of Christians through the death of Jesus.
To decide on the choice of a monument in the form of a cross, you need to understand the difference between their different types. Considering that the majority of Belarusians identify themselves with Christianity, we will dwell in more detail on the types of Christian crosses used on the territory of Belarus.
In the early Christian Eastern Church, about 16 types of crosses were common. Each of the crosses is revered by the church, and, as the priests say, a cross of any shape is as holy as the tree on which the Savior was crucified.
The most common types of crosses in Belarus:
- Six-pointed Russian Orthodox cross
- Eight-pointed Orthodox (cross of St. Lazarus)
- Eight-pointed cross - Golgotha
- Four-pointed Latin (or Catholic). Alternatively, this is also an Orthodox cross.
What is the difference between these crosses?
The six-pointed Russian cross is a cross with one horizontal crossbar and a lower inclined one.
This form of the cross exists in Orthodoxy along with the eight-pointed one, being, in fact, its simplified form. However, it should be noted that the spread of this type of cross is more typical for Belarus. In Russia, you can find an eight-pointed Orthodox cross much more often.
The lower crossbar of the six-pointed Russian cross symbolizes the footrest, a detail that took place in reality.
The cross on which Christ was crucified was four-pointed. Another crossbar at the feet was attached to the cross before placing the cross in a vertical position, after the crucifixion, when the place on the cross where the feet of the crucified person were located became obvious.
The inclination of the lower crossbar has the symbolic meaning of “the measure of righteousness.” The higher part of the crossbar is located on the right side. At the right hand of Christ, according to legend, a repentant and therefore justified thief was crucified. On the left side, where the crossbar faces down, a robber was crucified, who by blaspheming the Savior further aggravated his situation. In a broad sense, this crossbar is interpreted as a symbol of a person’s state of mind.
Eight-pointed cross
The eight-pointed cross is a more complete form of the Orthodox cross.
The upper crossbar, which distinguishes the cross from the six-pointed one, symbolizes the tablet with the inscription (title), which was nailed to the cross also after the crucifixion, by order of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea. Partly in mockery, partly to indicate the “guilt” of the crucified man, the tablet read in three languages: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (I.N.C.I.).
Thus, the meaning of the six-pointed and eight-pointed crosses is the same, but the eight-pointed cross is more rich in symbolic content.
Eight-pointed cross-Golgotha
The most complete type of Orthodox cross is the Golgotha cross. This symbol contains many details that reflect the meaning of Orthodox doctrine.
The eight-pointed cross stands on a symbolic image of Mount Golgotha, on which, as it is written in the Gospel, the crucifixion of Christ took place. To the left and right of the mountain are the letter signatures of G.G. (Mount Golgotha) and M.L. R.B. (Place of Execution Crucified Byst or, according to another version, Place of Execution Paradise Byst - according to legend, at the site of the execution of Christ there was once Paradise and the forefather of humanity, Adam, was buried here).
Under the mountain there is a skull and bones - this is a symbolic image of the remains of Adam. Christ “washed” his bones with his blood, saving humanity from original sin. The bones are arranged in the order in which the hands are folded during communion or burial, and the letters G.A. located near the skull indicate the words Head of Adam.
To the left and right of the cross are depicted the instruments of Christ’s execution: on the left is a spear, on the right is a sponge with the corresponding letter signatures (K. and G.). According to the Gospel, a warrior brought a sponge on a cane, soaked in vinegar, to Christ’s lips, and another warrior pierced his ribs with a spear.
Behind the cross there is usually a circle - this is the crown of thorns of Christ.
On the sides of the cross of Golgotha there are inscriptions: Isa. Xs. (short form of Jesus Christ), King of Glory, and Ni Ka (meaning Conqueror).
As you can see, the Golgotha cross is the most complete form of the Orthodox Christian cross in terms of symbolic content.
Four-pointed cross
The four-pointed cross is one of the most ancient variants of Christian symbolism. The cross of the Armenian Church, in which Christianity was recognized as the state religion for the first time in the world at the beginning of the 4th century AD, was and remains four-pointed.
In addition, crosses not only on ancient, but also on the most famous Orthodox cathedrals have a four-pointed shape. For example, at the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl, and the Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg. If we talk about Belarus, then a four-pointed cross with a crescent can be seen on the dome of the Church of St. Elisabeth Monastery in Novinki. The crescent on the cross, according to different versions, symbolizes the anchor (the Church as a place of salvation), the Eucharistic Chalice, the cradle of Christ or the baptismal font.
However, if in Orthodox churches the four-pointed form of the cross is not often found, then in the Catholic Church only one version of the cross is used - the four-pointed one, otherwise called the Latin cross.
When choosing a cross for a monument to a deceased person who professed the Catholic faith, it is best to choose a four-pointed Latin cross.
Difference between Orthodox and Catholic crucifixes
In addition to the difference in the shape of the cross between Eastern and Western Christians, there are also differences in the crucifix itself. Knowing the important distinctive features of Orthodox and Catholic crucifixes, you can easily determine which direction of Christianity this symbol belongs to.
Differences between Orthodox and Catholic crucifixes:
- Number of nails visible in a crucifix
- Position of Christ's body
If in the Orthodox tradition four nails are depicted on the crucifix - for each hand and leg separately, then in the Catholic tradition the legs of Christ are crossed and nailed with one nail, respectively, there are three nails on the crucifix.
Orthodoxy explains the presence of four nails by the fact that the cross on which Christ was crucified, brought by Queen Helena from Jerusalem to Constantinople, had traces of four nails.
Catholics justify their version of the three nails by the fact that all the nails of the cross on which Christ was crucified are kept in the Vatican, and there are only three of them. In addition, the image on the Shroud of Turin is printed in such a way that the legs of the crucified man are crossed, therefore it can be assumed that Christ’s legs were nailed with one nail.
The position of the body of Christ on the Orthodox crucifix is a little unnatural; the body of Jesus does not hang on his hands, as it should have happened according to physical laws. On the Orthodox crucifix, Christ’s hands extend along the cross to the sides, as if calling “all the ends of the earth” (Isa. 45:22). The crucifix does not attempt to reflect pain, it is more symbolic. Orthodoxy explains such features of the crucifixion by the fact that the cross is, first of all, a weapon of victory over death. The crucifix in Orthodoxy is a symbol of the victory of life over death, and, paradoxically, almost an object of joy, because it contains the idea of the Resurrection.
On a Catholic crucifix, the position of the body is as close as possible to physiological: the body sags in the arms by its own weight. The Catholic crucifixion is more realistic: often depicted bleeding blood, stigmata from nails, spears.
Correct placement of the cross on the monument
In fact, there is no “correct” position on the cross as such. The presence of the cross itself is of greatest importance if the deceased was a Christian.
Of course, the entire monument could be made in the shape of a cross, and this option would probably be a better tombstone for a Christian. However, in modern monuments the cross is more often used in the form of engraving on steles of various geometric shapes. The cross can be granite, as an integral part of the monument, or it can be metal or engraved.
Usually the cross is located just above the portrait or medallion, if any, in the higher part of the monument. If there is no image, then the cross is located above the text (above the full name of the deceased).
On a symmetrical stele, it is better to place the cross on the right, because the icons of the Savior on the iconostasis of Orthodox churches are located on the right side. Traditionally, the right side of the interior space of the church is considered “male”; women in the church are assigned the left side, although this rule is more strictly observed in churches at monasteries.
Form cross bars can be selected taking into account the text font. If the text is printed, the shape of the crossbars can also be straight, without decorative elements. For text in italics, you can choose a cross with curly bars.
What should you do if the small size of the granite cross does not allow you to make it six- or eight-pointed?
In this case, the four-pointed shape is engraved with a six-pointed or eight-pointed Orthodox cross. Very often, pectoral Orthodox crosses are made precisely according to this principle.
We hope our article will help you make the right choice of the shape of the cross for your monument. If you have any difficulties, please consult with our order takers. If possible, we will help you decide on the choice of cross for the monument.
All Christians are united by a single faith in the Savior. Moreover, each direction within the Christian religion offers its own interpretation of one or another aspect of the doctrine. Not every follower knows the difference between an Orthodox cross and a Catholic one. There really are differences between them, and it is impossible not to notice them.
When did the differences appear?
The split of the Christian Church into Western and Eastern occurred in 1054. However, the prerequisites for it appeared much earlier. Despite the fact that representatives of Western and Eastern Christianity had the same faith, their approach to it was different. Disagreements arose even in ideas about what a clergyman should look like. "Latins" shaved their beards. For the Eastern clergy, such behavior was unacceptable. Differences became noticeable in the conduct of rituals, decoration of temples, etc. Christians did not strive to eliminate the difference. They made it even more visible by opposing themselves to those who, in their opinion, worshiped God incorrectly.
The cross remains the main symbol of faith for both Orthodox and Catholics. With its help, you can also determine which direction the representative is in front of us.
Having looked closely at both versions of the crucifixion, you can easily understand how the Orthodox cross differs from the Catholic one. True faith is not determined by belonging to the Western or Eastern
