Of the many different movements of Christianity, only Orthodox and Catholics venerate icons and crosses. Crosses are used to decorate church domes, residential buildings, and are worn around the neck. Protestants do not recognize this symbol - the cross. They perceive it as a symbol of execution, an instrument with which great suffering and death were inflicted on Jesus.
Everyone has their own reason for wearing a cross. Some people simply try to keep up with fashion in this way, others use it as a beautiful piece of jewelry, and others consider it a talisman. However, for many, the cross, which was first worn during the baptismal ceremony, serves as a real symbol of sincere faith.
It is known that the reason for the appearance of the cross was the martyrdom of Jesus, which he accepted according to the verdict that Pontius Pilate was forced to pass. This was a popular method of carrying out the death penalty in the ancient Roman state, which the Romans borrowed from the Carthaginians (it is widely believed that the Carthaginians were the first to use the crucifixion). Most often, robbers were sentenced to execution in this way; many early Christians who were persecuted in the Roman Empire were also executed on the cross.
Before Jesus, the cross was a means of shameful execution. However, after His death, it turned into a symbol of the victory of life and good over death and evil, a reminder of the boundless love of the Lord, whose Son sanctified the cross with His blood, making it a means of grace and sanctification.
The Orthodox dogma of the Cross (also called the dogma of the Atonement) implies that the death of Jesus is a ransom for all people, a calling for all humanity. The cross differs from execution by any other method in that it allowed the Savior to die with his arms spread out to the sides, as if calling people from all corners of the earth.
When reading the Bible, you can be convinced that the feat of Christ is the main episode of His life on earth. His suffering on the cross allowed them to wash away their sins, to cover people’s debt to the Lord - to atone (that is, ransom) them. Golgotha contains the incomprehensible secret of the Creator’s love.
So, the Catholic cross and the Orthodox cross - what is the difference between them?
The cross in Christianity is a symbol of endless faith, the victory of good over evil, life over death, torment and the triumph of Christ. Only Orthodox and Catholics use it to indicate their adherence to Christianity. However, after 1054, a split in the church occurred, each branch had its own characteristics, and this was reflected in the canons of the image of the crucified Christ. So how does an Orthodox cross differ from a Catholic one, let’s look at the main details.
Form
IN Catholic tradition The four-pointed form of the cross is adopted, others are extremely rare. Orthodoxy considers an octagonal cross to be correct, but any other shape is allowed; this is not of fundamental importance, much more significant is the difference in the image of the Savior himself. Therefore, six-pointed and four-pointed ones do not violate any canons and have always been recognized by the Church. On a six-pointed cross, the lower crossbar is a symbol of unrepentant sin, and the upper one is liberation through repentance. In the words of St. Theodore the Studite: “The cross of any form is the true cross and its life-giving power.”
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Image of Christ
Only execution on the cross made it possible to face death with open arms, symbolizing the all-encompassing love of Christ for people. In two different traditions, the image of Jesus has a number of fundamental differences. The Orthodox image is alive, showing the triumph of existence over death. The Catholic Jesus is more realistic, his torment and suffering are depicted, he weighs lower, on sagging arms.
Nails
The most important visually noticeable difference is the number of nails with which the Savior is nailed. Catholics have three of them, the legs are folded together, one on top of the other, the Orthodox have four, with a separate nail for each leg.
Inscriptions
If there is a sign on the top crossbar of the cross, Orthodox Christians depict the letters ІНЦІ or ІННІ (“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”). For Catholics, this inscription is different and looks like INRI - the Latin designation. The inscription “Save and Preserve” on the back of the cross is not required, however, it is clearly absent in Catholic samples.
When choosing a cross, in addition to the correct canonical meaning, you need to pay attention to the quality of workmanship and some technological details. It must be worn constantly; it is very unpleasant when, after a short time, you have to seek help from a repair shop. The weakest points are the ring and the eye through which the chain is put on. The problematic parts of the crosses are described in more detail in the video.
The material from which the cross is made does not play a big role, the right of choice is not limited in any way. It can be worn in silver or gold, other precious metals, wood is often used, the main thing is the deep spiritual meaning contained in this most important symbol of faith.
The majority of believers in Ukraine belong to Christian denominations: the East is famous for its huge number Orthodox churches, Catholic churches and basilicas are common in the West. Representatives of both of these branches of Christianity wear crosses and venerate them no less, if not more, than many other shrines.
Buying a gold pectoral cross is not a problem today. Many different models are presented in jewelry stores - from very modest and small to massive, decorated precious stones. But often, when planning to baptize a child or choosing a cross for themselves, buyers make the same mistake. An Orthodox Christian unknowingly chooses a Catholic cross or vice versa - and no one, including a sales consultant, can tell you how to make the right choice.
We will teach you to distinguish between an Orthodox and a Catholic cross at first sight. There are only four fundamental differences, remember just one of them - and you will never go wrong.
1. Cross shape.
Orthodox priests favor crosses of any shape, but the most common are six- and eight-pointed crosses. The latter, by the way, has been considered since ancient times to be a powerful amulet against evil forces and all kinds of evil spirits. Pay attention to the small upper crossbar - it symbolizes the plate listing crimes, which used to be nailed above the head of the convicted person.
The oblique crossbar, in addition to the practical significance of the foot, had another, much more important one. It symbolizes the path to the Kingdom of Heaven from the darkness of the sinful world. In a six-pointed cross, the lower crossbar has a slightly different meaning. The lower end is unrepentant sin, the upper end is liberation from sin through repentance.
The Catholic cross, however, like the decoration of the Catholic Church, is simple and artless. The familiar four-pointed shape with an elongated lower part - and no more unnecessary details.
2. Engraving on the surface of the cross.
A tablet with an inscription fixed above the head of Christ is present on both crosses. And even the inscription on it, which, in theory, should describe Jesus’ offense, is the same. Pontius Pilate, condemning the Son of God, never found his real guilt, and the tablet reads: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
These words, abbreviated to just a few letters, are still engraved on body crosses. In Orthodox in Slavic I.Н.Ц.I., in Catholic in Latin INRI. And yet, on Orthodox crosses the expression “Save and Preserve” can be engraved on the reverse side; on Catholic crosses there is nothing like that.
3. The disposition of Christ.
It is this point that serves as the main disagreement between two such related religions. In Catholicism, Christ, nailed to the cross, experiences inhuman suffering. And all his torment is very naturalistically captured in the images: his lowered head, sagging arms, flowing blood. It is impressive, but does not show the main thing - victory over death, the happiness of transition to another world, more just and bright.
Look at the Orthodox crucifix. You will see the triumph and joy of resurrection - open palms, ready to embrace and protect humanity, an image that speaks of love and the possibility of eternal life.
4. Number of nails.
Look at how the Savior's feet are positioned on the crucifix. If they are nailed to a pole with two nails, it is an Orthodox cross. By the way, among the shrines Orthodox Church there are four nails with which Christ is supposed to have been nailed.
The Catholic Church has a fundamentally different opinion and has its own shrine - three nails kept in the Vatican. Accordingly, in the images, Jesus’ feet are superimposed on one another and nailed with only one nail.
Now you can immediately tell whether the cross presented on the display is Orthodox or Catholic. And be sure to make an informed choice based on your personal faith.
One little tip. Even if you accidentally bought the wrong cross or, conversely, specifically purchased a cross of a different denomination, for example, in memory of a trip or pilgrimage, do not hide it in a box. Approach the priest and ask for a blessing to bless the vest and wear it. Perhaps the church will meet you halfway, and the cross you like, despite its non-canonical nature, will accompany you throughout your life.
The Holy Cross is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every true believer, at the sight of him, is involuntarily filled with thoughts about the dying torments of the Savior, which he accepted to deliver us from eternal death, which became the lot of people after the fall of Adam and Eve. The eight-pointed Orthodox cross carries a special spiritual and emotional load. Even if there is no image of the crucifixion on it, it always appears to our inner gaze.
An instrument of death that has become a symbol of life
The Christian cross is an image of the instrument of execution to which Jesus Christ was subjected to a forced sentence imposed by the procurator of Judea Pontius Pilate. For the first time, this type of killing of criminals appeared among the ancient Phoenicians and through their colonists, the Carthaginians, it came to the Roman Empire, where it became widespread.
In the pre-Christian period, it was mainly robbers who were sentenced to crucifixion, and then the followers of Jesus Christ accepted this martyrdom. This phenomenon was especially frequent during the reign of Emperor Nero. The very death of the Savior made this instrument of shame and suffering a symbol of the victory of good over evil and the light of eternal life over the darkness of hell.
Eight-pointed cross - a symbol of Orthodoxy
The Christian tradition knows many different designs of the cross, from the most common crosshairs of straight lines to very complex geometric designs, complemented by a variety of symbolism. The religious meaning in them is the same, but the external differences are very significant.
In the countries of the eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and also in Russia, since ancient times, the symbol of the church has been an eight-pointed, or, as they often say, an Orthodox cross. In addition, you can hear the expression "cross of St. Lazarus", this is another name for the eight-pointed Orthodox cross, which will be discussed below. Sometimes an image of the crucified Savior is placed on it.
External features of the Orthodox cross
Its peculiarity lies in the fact that in addition to two horizontal crossbars, of which the lower one is large and the upper one is small, there is also an inclined one, called the foot. It is small in size and located at the bottom of the vertical segment, symbolizing the crossbar on which Christ’s feet rested.
The direction of its inclination is always the same: if you look from the side of the crucified Christ, then the right end will be higher than the left. There is a certain symbolism in this. According to the words of the Savior on Last Judgment, the righteous will stand on his right hand, and sinners on his left. It is the path of the righteous to the Kingdom of Heaven that is indicated by the raised right end of the footstool, while the left one faces the depths of hell.
According to the Gospel, a board was nailed over the Savior’s head, on which was written in hand: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” This inscription was made in three languages - Aramaic, Latin and Greek. This is what the small upper crossbar symbolizes. It can be placed either in the interval between the large crossbar and the upper end of the cross, or at its very top. Such an outline makes it possible to reproduce with the greatest reliability appearance instruments of Christ's suffering. That is why the Orthodox cross has eight points.
About the law of the golden ratio
The eight-pointed Orthodox cross in its classical form is built according to the law. To make it clear what we are talking about, let us dwell on this concept in a little more detail. It is usually understood as a harmonic proportion, which in one way or another underlies everything that is created by the Creator.
One example of this is the human body. Through simple experiment, we can be convinced that if we divide the value of our height by the distance from the soles to the navel, and then divide the same value by the distance between the navel and the top of the head, the results will be the same and amount to 1.618. The same proportion lies in the size of the phalanges of our fingers. This ratio of quantities, called the golden ratio, can be found literally at every step: from the structure of a sea shell to the shape of an ordinary garden turnip.
The construction of proportions based on the law of the golden ratio is widely used in architecture, as well as other fields of art. Taking this into account, many artists manage to achieve maximum harmony in their works. The same pattern was observed by composers working in the genre of classical music. When writing compositions in the style of rock and jazz, it was abandoned.
The law of constructing an Orthodox cross
The eight-pointed Orthodox cross is also built on the basis of the golden ratio. The meaning of its ends was explained above; now let us turn to the rules underlying the construction of this main thing. They were not established artificially, but resulted from the harmony of life itself and received their mathematical justification.
The eight-pointed Orthodox cross, drawn in full accordance with tradition, always fits into a rectangle, the aspect ratio of which corresponds to the golden ratio. Simply put, dividing its height by its width gives us 1.618.
The Cross of St. Lazarus (as mentioned above, this is another name for the eight-pointed Orthodox cross) in its construction has another feature associated with the proportions of our body. It is well known that the width of a person’s arm span is equal to his height, and a figure with arms spread to the sides fits perfectly into a square. For this reason, the length of the middle crossbar, corresponding to the span of Christ’s arms, is equal to the distance from it to the inclined foot, that is, his height. These seemingly simple rules should be taken into account by every person who is faced with the question of how to draw an eight-pointed Orthodox cross.
Calvary Cross
There is also a special, purely monastic eight-pointed Orthodox cross, a photo of which is presented in the article. It is called the “cross of Golgotha.” This is the outline of the usual Orthodox cross, which was described above, placed above the symbolic image of Mount Golgotha. It is usually presented in the form of steps, under which bones and a skull are placed. To the left and right of the cross a cane with a sponge and a spear can be depicted.
Each of the listed items has a deep religious meaning. For example, skull and bones. According to Sacred Tradition, the sacrificial blood of the Savior, shed by him on the cross, falling on the top of Golgotha, seeped into its depths, where the remains of our ancestor Adam rested, and washed away the curse of original sin from them. Thus, the image of the skull and bones emphasizes the connection of the sacrifice of Christ with the crime of Adam and Eve, as well as the New Testament with the Old.
The meaning of the image of the spear on the cross of Golgotha
The eight-pointed Orthodox cross on monastic vestments is always accompanied by images of a cane with a sponge and a spear. Those familiar with the text remember well the dramatic moment when one of the Roman soldiers named Longinus pierced the Savior’s ribs with this weapon and blood and water flowed from the wound. This episode has different interpretation, but the most widespread of them is contained in the works of the 4th century Christian theologian and philosopher St. Augustine.
In them he writes that just as the Lord created his bride Eve from the rib of sleeping Adam, so from the wound in the side of Jesus Christ inflicted by the spear of a warrior, his bride the church was created. The blood and water spilled during this, according to St. Augustine, symbolize the holy sacraments - the Eucharist, where wine is transformed into the blood of the Lord, and Baptism, in which a person entering the bosom of the church is immersed in a font of water. The spear with which the wound was inflicted is one of the main relics of Christianity, and it is believed that it is currently kept in Vienna, in the Hofburg Castle.
The meaning of the image of a cane and a sponge
Equally important are the images of the cane and the sponge. From the accounts of the holy evangelists it is known that the crucified Christ was twice offered drink. In the first case, it was wine mixed with myrrh, that is, an intoxicating drink that dulls pain and thereby prolongs the execution.
The second time, having heard the cry “I thirst!” from the cross, they brought him a sponge filled with vinegar and bile. This was, of course, a mockery of the exhausted man and contributed to the approach of the end. In both cases, the executioners used a sponge mounted on a cane, since without its help they could not reach the mouth of the crucified Jesus. Despite such a gloomy role assigned to them, these objects, like the spear, were among the main Christian shrines, and their image can be seen next to the cross of Calvary.
Symbolic inscriptions on the monastic cross
Those who see the monastic eight-pointed Orthodox cross for the first time often have questions related to the inscriptions inscribed on it. Specifically, these are the IC and XC at the ends of the middle bar. These letters stand for nothing more than the abbreviated name - Jesus Christ. In addition, the image of the cross is accompanied by two inscriptions located under the middle crossbar - the Slavic inscription of the words “Son of God” and the Greek NIKA, which means “winner”.
On the small crossbar, symbolizing, as mentioned above, a tablet with an inscription made by Pontius Pilate, the Slavic abbreviation ІНЦІ is usually written, meaning the words “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” and above it - “King of Glory.” It became a tradition to write the letter K near the image of a spear, and T near the cane. In addition, from about the 16th century, the letters ML on the left and RB on the right began to be written at the base of the cross. They are also an abbreviation and mean the words “The Place of the Execution is Crucified.”
In addition to the listed inscriptions, it is worth mentioning two letters G, standing to the left and right of the image of Golgotha, and being the initial ones in its name, as well as G and A - Head of Adam, written on the sides of the skull, and the phrase “King of Glory”, crowning the monastic eight-pointed Orthodox cross. The meaning contained in them fully corresponds to the Gospel texts, however, the inscriptions themselves can vary and be replaced by others.
Immortality granted by faith
It is also important to understand why the name of the eight-pointed Orthodox cross is associated with the name of St. Lazarus? The answer to this question can be found on the pages of the Gospel of John, which describes the miracle of his resurrection from the dead, performed by Jesus Christ, on the fourth day after death. The symbolism in this case is quite obvious: just as Lazarus was brought back to life by the faith of his sisters Martha and Mary in the omnipotence of Jesus, so everyone who trusts in the Savior will be delivered from the hands of eternal death.
In the vain earthly life, people are not given the opportunity to see the Son of God with their own eyes, but they are given his religious symbols. One of them is the eight-pointed Orthodox cross, proportions, general view and the semantic load of which became the topic of this article. It accompanies a believer throughout his life. From the holy font, where the sacrament of baptism opens the gates of the Church of Christ for him, right up to the gravestone, an eight-pointed Orthodox cross overshadows him.
Pectoral symbol of the Christian faith
The custom of wearing small crosses on the chest, made from the most various materials, appeared only at the beginning of the 4th century. Despite the fact that the main instrument of Christ’s passion was an object of veneration among all his followers literally from the first years of the establishment of the Christian Church on earth, at first it was customary to wear medallions with the image of the Savior on the neck rather than crosses.
There is also evidence that during the period of persecution that took place from the middle of the 1st to the beginning of the 4th century, there were voluntary martyrs who wanted to suffer for Christ and painted the image of the cross on their foreheads. They were recognized by this sign and then given over to torture and death. After the establishment of Christianity as the state religion, wearing crosses became a custom, and during the same period they began to be installed on the roofs of churches.
Two types of body crosses in Ancient Rus'
In Rus', symbols of the Christian faith appeared in 988, simultaneously with its baptism. It is interesting to note that our ancestors inherited two types from the Byzantines. One of them was customary to wear on the chest, under clothes. Such crosses were called vests.
Along with them, the so-called encolpions appeared - also crosses, but somewhat larger in size and worn over clothing. They originate from the tradition of carrying reliquaries with relics, which were decorated with the image of a cross. Over time, encolpions transformed into priests and metropolitans.
The main symbol of humanism and philanthropy
Over the millennium that has passed since the time when the Dnieper banks were illuminated by the light of Christ's faith, the Orthodox tradition has undergone many changes. Only its religious dogmas and basic elements of symbolism remained unshakable, the main one of which is the eight-pointed Orthodox cross.
Gold and silver, copper or made of any other material, it protects a believer, protecting him from the forces of evil - visible and invisible. As a reminder of the sacrifice made by Christ to save people, the cross has become a symbol of the highest humanism and love for one's neighbor.
In The magic of signs and symbols. Continuation.
Cross
This is a symbol of Rule and Navi, separated by the Reveal line. All sides of the cross are equal in length, because all elements are in balance, i.e. a balance of power is maintained.
Christians appropriated this symbol for themselves, changing the entire design. They extended the Navi line, thereby establishing themselves as a religion of death. The balance of power was upset.
The energy of such a cross is negative, because Navi's field is increased, he is essentially a vampire. And, if you consider that crosses of this kind are hung on the necks of all people, and in addition with a corpse, then the very low energy of the adherents of this religion becomes clear. When hanging a cross on children, the harmonious development of the child is disrupted.
Now many adults understand that they need to get away from Christian vampirism, but they don’t know how to do it. So, regardless of when a person was baptized (as an adult or a child), the debaptism procedure can be carried out independently, quietly and unnoticed by others. And you shouldn’t trust this to any “magi in the Nth generation.” To do this, you only need a desire and a conscious decision to leave the sect of the dead. And the procedure is extremely simple, anyone can handle it.
So, you need to remain completely alone, so that no one distracts you. It can be indoors, it can be outdoors. First the cross is removed. Then we imagine a dark cloud above our head (this is a Christian egregor), from which a “hose” goes to the top of our head. Mentally, we take this “hose” with our hand, unhook it from the head, but do not let go.
Mentally (or maybe out loud) we say words of gratitude to the egregor for all the good things he has done to us throughout our lives. And it doesn’t matter whether it was or wasn’t - the main thing here is gratitude. Then we say that our paths have diverged, and the time has come for us to part forever. Only after this do we release the “hose” and watch how it is drawn into the cloud, which floats away or dissolves. All. Usually the person feels great relief. The shoulders straighten on a physical level.
As for the cross, it, together with the chain, needs to be cleaned with the fire of a candle (not a church one), then it is better to melt it into some other decoration. You can simply take it to church and leave it there, i.e. give.
Circle
The circle is a symbol of the sun, planet. All children draw the same sun. This is Life.
But with the advent of Christianity, “horror stories” appeared in the form of evil spirits, from which you need to hide inside the circle. And so everyone begins to draw circles around themselves - eternal protection from the outside world. And psychics are promoting this, and magicians of all levels and sorcerers of the Nth generation...
Everyone builds protection around themselves in the form of circles, raising them high in the form of cylinders, barrels, etc., etc. And they do not understand that for every action there is a reaction. The more powerful the defense against a supposed attack, the weaker the person actually becomes, because... he, fencing himself off from the World, receives less energy from the Cosmos. Everything is elementary. Any defense always loses. You need to strengthen your energy and then no “nasty” will be able to reach you.
