The cross is one of the oldest religious symbols in the world. Even in ancient Egypt, people revered him with a ring at the top, which is called the Ankh. For the ancient Egyptians, it symbolized life and is still used in the Coptic Church. In Assyria, one of the attributes of the sun god Ashur is a cross enclosed in a ring. In Babylon, this one was also revered symbol for the god of heaven- Anu. Archaeological excavations also confirm that crosses were used even in pagan beliefs.

Cross and its varieties

Astrology has its own concept of this symbol. Astrologers divide the twelve signs of the zodiac into three groups, for which a certain type of cross is characteristic:

• Cardinal - Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn.
• Permanent (cherubic) - Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.
• Movable - Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.

In the world there are a huge number of different options for the image of the symbol. The most common types are:

• Egyptian;
• Greek;
• Maltese;
• twelve-pointed;
• Christian;

Egyptian

The very first cross known to the world is the ancient Egyptian symbol of life Ankh. No one can still say with certainty where this symbol came from and its exact meaning. Until now, in the scientific historical world, there are disputes on this issue. In ancient Egypt, amulets, dwellings and temples were decorated with such a hieroglyph. And also Ankh was an attribute of the ancient Egyptian gods, who were often depicted with this symbol in their hands. Ankh is usually called the key of the Nile or the key of life.

Greek

It consists of two identical crossbars, crossed at right angles. It was a symbol of the sun god and personifies the four elements - earth, air, fire and water. Currently, this sign is used as a symbol for the international red cross movement. For the construction of temples and churches in the Byzantine style, a composition in the form of a Greek cross is often used, for example, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Maltese

This symbol has an equilateral shape of an eight-pointed cross and it belonged to the Knights - Hospitallers. Another name is ionites, these people have been knights of the Roman Catholic Church in Palestine since 1099. Their task was to help the poor and protect the holy land. The Maltese symbol is often referred to as the George Cross.

twelve-pointed

Represents the Slavic sign of the sun, which is executed in the form of lines crossed in the middle and enclosed in a circle with crossbars on each ray. He served as a talisman against evil and misfortune.

Christian

Christianity inherited the symbol after the execution of Jesus Christ through crucifixion. At that time, it was the most common execution in ancient Rome, and murderers and robbers were sentenced to it. And starting from the reign of Emperor Nero, the first Christians began to be executed in this way. According to ancient tradition, the apostle Peter demanded to be crucified upside down, he considered himself unworthy to die like Jesus Christ.

Crosses in the Russian Orthodox tradition

To understand what Orthodox crosses are, their types and meanings for a believer, it is necessary to turn to the history of the church. A small pectoral cross is a symbol of an Orthodox person, which he always wears on the chest under clothes. It is not customary to flaunt a cross, following the example of the ancient Christians, who feared persecution and hid their faith from the pagans.

Sometimes people do not understand what the Orthodox cross means for a person who believes in God, but meanwhile, wearing a pectoral cross symbolizes involvement in faith and creates protection from devilish machinations. Those who have had to go to church and go to confession know that the priest is always interested in whether a person wears a cross or not.

Pectoral cross

The most common form of an Orthodox cross is an eight-pointed one. This form is also called the cross of St. Lazarus or Byzantine. It consists of two crossed lines with a horizontal crossbar offset above the center of the vertical one and with two small crossbars. One is above the horizontal line and denotes a tablet (titulus) with the phrase "Jesus Christ, King of the Jews", which was written in three languages ​​- Greek, Latin and Aramaic. An oblique transverse line is located at the bottom of the cross and is a board for the feet, with one end it indicates heaven, and the other hell.

Often seen on a cross image of jesus, Virgin Mary, apostles, the word Nike (victory) and the skull of Adam. According to legend, Golgotha, the place of execution of Christ, is the grave of the first man Adam, who doomed people to death. Thus, Christ tramples on the skull and death itself, opening people the entrance to eternal life. During the Paschal service, this is confirmed in the hymn: “He trampled down death on death and bestowed life on those in the tombs.”

On the other side of the cross there is usually an inscription: "Save and save" or the words of the prayer "May God rise again ...". These two prayers help the Christian to avoid temptation and fall into sin. And also, in addition to the eight-pointed form, the pectoral cross can be six-pointed, in this case there is no title.

Other varieties

In addition to wearable, there are other crosses:

Differences between Orthodox and Catholic crosses

Often, when choosing a pectoral cross, believers do not know what the correct Orthodox cross should be, the proportions and sizes of this symbol. Usually all crosses are beautiful and very similar to each other. However, there are differences.

What does a Catholic cross look like:

What does Orthodox look like?

• According to custom, an eight-pointed or six-pointed shape with four nails.
• Christ looks alive and stretches out his arms, as if wishing to embrace the whole world, opening the way to eternal life for believers.
• The presence of inscriptions and the word "nike".
• The feet of Jesus are nailed with two nails.
• The Orthodox crucifix symbolizes victory over death, since Christ is depicted alive on it, which indicates his resurrection and gives hope for eternal life to people.

Often, to consecrate a home, people draw a cross on their own. Its image can be applied to doors, windows and various household items. If you can’t draw a beautiful cross yourself, you can search on the Internet cross vector, download the picture and use as needed. And you can also cut out pictures from the old Orthodox calendar, and burn the remaining pages, since books and magazines with images of saints cannot be thrown into the trash. Such treatment of holy faces is considered unacceptable for an Orthodox Christian.

In Orthodoxy, a six-pointed crucifix is ​​considered canonical: a vertical line is crossed by three transverse ones, one of them (lower) is oblique. The upper horizontal bar (the shortest of the three transverse ones) symbolizes a tablet with an inscription in three languages ​​(Greek, Latin and Hebrew): "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." This tablet, by order of Pontius Pilate, was nailed to the Cross of the Lord before the crucifixion.

The middle, shifted closer to the upper (longest) crossbar, is a direct part of the Cross - the hands of the Savior were nailed to it.

The lower oblique crossbar is a support for the legs. Unlike Catholics, in Orthodoxy on the Crucifix both legs of the Savior are shown with pierced nails. This tradition is confirmed by studies of the Shroud of Turin - a board in which the body of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ was wrapped.

It is worth adding that the oblique shape of the lower crossbar carries a certain symbolic meaning. The raised end of this crossbar rushes up to heaven, thereby symbolizing the robber crucified at the right hand of the Savior, who, already on the cross, repented and entered the Kingdom of Heaven with the Lord. The other end of the crossbar, facing down, symbolizes the second robber, crucified to the left of the Savior, who blasphemed the Lord and did not receive forgiveness. The state of the soul of this thief is the state of God-forsakenness, hell.

There is another version of the Orthodox Crucifixion, the so-called full or Athos cross. It carries even more symbolic meanings. Its peculiarity is that certain letters are inscribed above the canonical six-pointed Cross.

What do the inscriptions on the cross mean?

Above the topmost crossbar is inscribed: "IS" - Jesus and "XC" - Christ. A little lower, along the edges of the middle crossbar: "SN" - the Son and "BZHIY" - God. Under the middle crossbar there are two inscriptions at once. Along the edges: "TSR" - the Tsar and "SLAVY" - Glory, and in the center - "NIKA" (translated from Greek - victory). This word means that by His suffering and death on the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ conquered death and atoned for human sins.

On the sides of the Crucifixion are depicted a spear and a cane with a sponge, designated, respectively, by the letters "K" and "T". As we know from the Gospel, they pierced the Lord's right side with a spear, and on a cane they offered Him a sponge with vinegar in order to reduce His pain. The Lord refused to ease His suffering. Below, the Crucifixion is depicted standing on a base - a small elevation, which symbolizes Mount Golgotha, on which the Lord was crucified.

Inside the mountain is depicted the skull and crossbones of the forefather Adam. In accordance with this, on the sides of the elevation is inscribed - "ML" and "RB" - Place of the Execution and Crucified Byst, as well as two letters "G" - Golgotha. Inside Calvary, on the sides of the skull, the letters "G" and "A" are placed - the head of Adam.

The image of the remains of Adam has a certain symbolic meaning. The Lord, being crucified, sheds His blood on the remains of Adam, thereby washing, cleansing him from the fall he committed in paradise. Together with Adam, the sins of all mankind are washed away. A circle with thorns is also depicted in the center of the crucifix - this is a symbol of the crown of thorns, which was put on the head of the Lord Jesus Christ by Roman soldiers.

Orthodox cross with crescent

It is also worth mentioning another form of the Orthodox cross. In this case, the cross has a crescent at its base. Such crosses very often crown the domes of Orthodox churches.

According to one version, the cross emerging from the crescent symbolizes the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Eastern tradition, the crescent is often considered a symbol of the Mother of God - just as the cross is considered a symbol of Jesus Christ.

Another interpretation explains the crescent as a symbol of the Eucharistic cup with the blood of the Lord, from which, in fact, the Cross of the Lord is born. There is another interpretation regarding the cross emerging from the crescent.

This interpretation proposes to understand this as a victory (or exaltation, advantage) of Christianity over Islam. However, studies have shown that this interpretation is incorrect, since the very form of such a cross appeared much earlier than the 6th century, when, in fact, Islam arose.

During Baptism, each person wears a pectoral cross. For the rest of your life, it must be worn on your chest. Believers note that the cross is not a mascot or dyeing. It is a symbol of commitment to the Orthodox faith and God. It helps in difficulties and troubles, strengthens the spirit. When wearing a cross, the main thing is to remember its meaning. Putting it on, a person promises to endure all trials and live according to God's commandments.

It is worth noting that the pectoral cross is considered a sign that a person is a believer. Those who did not join the church, that is, were not baptized, should not wear it. Also, according to church tradition, only priests can wear it over clothes (they put it on over a cassock). All other believers are not allowed to do this and it is believed that those who wear it over their clothes show off their faith and put it on display. A Christian is not befitting such a display of pride. Also, believers are not allowed to wear a cross in their ear, on a bracelet, in a pocket or on a bag. Some people argue that only Catholics can wear four-pointed crosses, allegedly Orthodox are forbidden. In fact, this statement is false. The Orthodox Church today recognizes different types of crosses (photo 1).

This means that the Orthodox can wear a four-pointed, eight-pointed cross. It may or may not show the crucifixion of the Savior. But what an Orthodox Christian should avoid is depicting the crucifixion with a very extreme realism. That is, the details of the sufferings on the cross, the sagging body of Christ. Such an image is typical for Catholicism (photo 2).

It is also worth noting that the material from which the cross is made can be absolutely any. It all depends on the wishes of the person. For example, silver is not suitable for some people, because it does not immediately blacken the body. Then it is better for them to refuse such material and make a choice in favor of, for example, gold. In addition, the church does not prohibit wearing large crosses inlaid with expensive stones. But, conversely, some believers believe that such a demonstration of luxury is not at all compatible with faith (photo 3).

The cross must be consecrated in the church if it was bought in a jewelry store. Usually the consecration takes a couple of minutes. If he is bought in a shop that works at the church, then you should not worry about this, he will already be consecrated. Also, the church does not prohibit wearing crosses that were inherited from a deceased relative. There is no need to be afraid that in this way he will "inherit" the fate of his relative. In the Christian faith, there is no idea of ​​an inevitable fate (photo 4).

So, as already mentioned, the Catholic Church recognizes only the four-pointed form of the cross. Orthodox, in turn, is more lenient and recognizes the six-pointed, four-pointed and eight-pointed forms. At the same time, it is considered that the more correct form, nevertheless, is eight-pointed, with two additional partitions. One should be at the head, and the second for the legs (photo 5).

It is better for small children not to buy pectoral crosses with stones. At this age, they all try to try, they can bite off a pebble and swallow it. We have already noted that the Savior does not have to be on the cross. Also, the Orthodox cross differs from the Catholic one in the number of nails for the legs and arms. So, in the Catholic creed there are three, and in the Orthodox - four (photo 6).

Note that in addition to the crucified Savior, the face of the Virgin Mary, the image of Christ the Almighty, can be depicted on the cross. Various ornaments can also be depicted. All this does not contradict faith (photo 7).

A believer wears a cross according to the rules. But how to choose the right one and not get confused in their diversity? You will learn about the symbolism and meaning of the crosses from our article.

There are a lot of types of crosses and many people already know what not to do with a pectoral cross and how to wear it correctly. Therefore, first of all, the question arises as to which of them are related to the Orthodox faith, and which to the Catholic. In both types of the Christian religion, there are several types of crosses, which must be understood in order not to be confused.

The main differences of the Orthodox cross

• has three transverse lines: upper and lower - short, between them - long;
• at the ends of the cross, three semicircles can be decorated, resembling a shamrock;
• on some Orthodox crosses below, instead of an oblique transverse line, there may be a month - this sign came from Byzantium, from which Orthodoxy was adopted;
• Jesus Christ is crucified at the feet with two nails, while on the Catholic crucifixion - one nail;
• there is some naturalism on the Catholic crucifix, which reflects the torments of Jesus Christ that he endured for people: the body looks literally heavy and hangs on his hands. Orthodox crucifixion shows the triumph of God and the joy of the Resurrection, overcoming death, so the body is, as it were, superimposed on top, and not hanging on the cross.

Catholic crosses

First of all, they include the so-called latin cross. Like everything else, it is a vertical and horizontal line, while the vertical one is noticeably longer. Its symbolism is as follows: this is exactly what the cross that Christ carried to Golgotha ​​looked like. Previously, it was also used in paganism. With the adoption of Christianity, the Latin cross became a symbol of faith and is sometimes associated with opposite things: with death and resurrection.

Another similar cross, but with three transverse lines, is called papal. It is related only to the Pope and is used in ceremonies.

There are also many types of crosses that were used by all kinds of knightly Orders, such as the Teutonic or Maltese. Since they were subordinate to the Pope, these crosses can also be considered Catholic. They look slightly different from each other, but what they have in common is that their lines taper noticeably towards the center.

Lorraine cross very similar to the previous one, but has two crossbars, while one of them may be shorter than the other. The name indicates the area in which this symbol appeared. The Lorraine cross appears on the arms of cardinals and archbishops. Also, this cross is a symbol of the Greek Orthodox Church, therefore it cannot be fully called Catholic.

Orthodox crosses

Faith, of course, implies that the cross must be worn constantly and not removed, except in the rarest of situations. Therefore, it is necessary to choose it with understanding. The most widely used cross in Orthodoxy is eight-pointed. It is depicted as follows: One vertical line, a large horizontal line just above the center and two more shorter crossbars: above and below it. In this case, the lower one is always inclined and its right side is at a level lower than the left one.

The symbolism of this cross is as follows: it already shows the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The upper transverse line corresponds to the nailed crossbar with the inscription "Jesus of Nazarene, King of the Jews." According to biblical tradition, the Romans joked about him after they had already crucified him on the cross and were waiting for his death. The crossbar symbolizes the one to which the hands of Christ were nailed, and the lower one, where his feet were riveted.

The inclination of the lower crossbar is explained as follows: two thieves were crucified together with Jesus Christ. According to legend, one of them repented before the Son of God and then received forgiveness. The second began to scoff and only aggravated his situation.

However, the first cross that was first brought from Byzantium to Russia was the so-called Greek cross. It, like the Roman one, is four-pointed. The difference is that it consists of identical rectangular crossbars and is completely isosceles. It served as the basis for many other types of crosses, including crosses of Catholic orders.

Other types of crosses

St. Andrew's cross is very similar to the letter X or an inverted Greek cross. It is believed that it was on this that the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified. Used in Russia on the flag of the Navy. It is also featured on the flag of Scotland.

The Celtic cross is also similar to the Greek one. He must be taken in a circle. This symbol has been used for a very long time in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as parts of Britain. At a time when Catholicism was not widespread, Celtic Christianity prevailed in this area, which used this symbol.

Sometimes the cross can appear in a dream. This can be both a good and a very bad sign, according to the dream book. All the best, and don't forget to press the buttons and

26.07.2016 07:08

Our dreams are a reflection of our consciousness. They can tell us a lot about our future, past...

The Christian (Orthodox) pectoral cross is a symbol of faith that a person receives at the moment of his initiation into the faith - Baptism and wears of his own free will all his life until his last earthly days. It is designed to protect, protect from troubles and misfortunes, bring inspiration and remind of the essence of faith.

The cross has an ancient history, it appeared long before Christianity in different cultures: Eastern, Chinese Indian and others. Archaeologists find ancient impressions of the cross in the rock carvings of the caves of Scandinavia, Easter Island, India, Japan….

The cross personifies the great balance, harmony in the Universe, carries a deep secret meaning of the knowledge accumulated by our ancient ancestors. The cross acquired its sacred (hidden deep) meaning after Jesus Christ was crucified on it.

There are people who wear a cross as a decoration, as a tribute to fashion, while not considering themselves believers. Is it forbidden? Of course not, for such a person the cross will serve as an ornament, completely devoid of the meaning of those things that we have indicated above.

What is the difference between the Orthodox cross and the Catholic

The eight-pointed cross with ancient people is considered the most powerful protective amulet against evil spirits and all kinds of evil. Although the hexagon was also widely used.

There is an opinion that Catholics and Orthodox have different forms at the cross. How to distinguish an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one? In general, an Orthodox believer should not have such a question, since any form of the cross is acceptable for such a believer. Rev. Theodore the Studite wrote:

"The cross of every form is the true cross."

And although the shape and meaning of the cross have changed over the centuries, some attributes have been added, but since Christ accepted the sacrifice on it, it has become a symbol of the victory of good over evil.

The Lord himself spoke about how important this symbol is for every believer:

« Whoever does not take up his cross (shirks the feat) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian), he is not worthy of Me» (Matthew 10:38). -24).

Serbian Patriarch Irinej says:

« There is no significant difference between Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, as well as between any other crosses used in the service of Christians. In essence, all crosses are the same, the differences are only in form.».

But what is the meaning of all the faces of the cross and what do they mean?

The Orthodox more often wore six-pointed crosses, when the lower crossbar was added, symbolizing the “righteous measure”: sins are on one side of the scales, righteous deeds on the other.

For the Orthodox, the shape of the pectoral cross should not matter, much more important is the information that is indicated on it.

• The inscription "Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews" on the crosses is the same, only they are written in different languages: in the Catholic Latin script "INRI", in the Orthodox - Slavic-Russian "IHЦI". Sometimes it has this form "IC" "XC" - the name of Jesus Christ;
• Often on the back of the cross there is an inscription "Save and save."
• At the very bottom, sometimes in a different place you can see the inscription "NIKA" - which means Winner.

• Another distinctive feature is the position of the feet on the Crucifixion and the number of nails. The feet of Jesus Christ are located together on a Catholic crucifix, and each separately is nailed to an Orthodox cross.

• Western Christians (Catholics) portray Jesus as exhausted and dead to them, he is a human being. For the Orthodox, Jesus is God and man rolled into one; his crucifixion most often has a flat image. Catholics make it more voluminous.
• Catholics have a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, Orthodox Christians do not cover their heads.

But once again I repeat, in fact, all these differences are not so significant.

And yet, choosing a cross and a child for yourself, give preference to the one without a crucifix. With all the love for Jesus and filled with gratitude and reverence, remember that the crucifixion contains the energy of pain and suffering, which presses on your soul and heart chakra, filling your already full of suffering life. Think…. Watch this video:

And remember that the cross is just a symbol of faith and cannot replace faith itself.