Crucifixion (arts and crafts)

The image of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified is the main and obligatory symbol of the Christian religion . This image, called the "crucifixion", is necessarily present in places of worship, as well as among believers at home and as a body cross, as a sign of faith and faithfulness to Christ, belonging to the Church of Christ, and also serves as a means of graceful protection ^[1] .

The prototype for the crucifixion is the True Cross of the Lord - the Life-Giving Cross . It is made both with Jesus Christ nailed to it, and also (or already) empty. Often, at the base of the cross, a skull and bones are depicted, as a reminder that Christ was crucified at Calvary , which means “skull”. It also symbolizes the skull of Adam , buried, according to legend, at Calvary. ^[2] In the visual arts, the image of the head of Adam, washed by the blood of Jesus, has been known since the 9th century . ^[3]

Large temple images of the crucifix on both sides of the cross depict the Virgin and Apostle John the Theologian , who, according to the Gospel , were standing at the cross itself (“The Crucifixion with the Coming”). Three Greek letters чат (ὁ), ὤ (ὤ), Ν (ν) are necessarily present on the Savior’s cross halo : ( other Greek ὁ ὤν - this noun means Existing - Exodus 3:14 ).

Type addition history

In the first centuries of Christianity, crosses were made without the image of Christ. Actually, crucifixes first appear in the 5th-6th centuries, and on the oldest of them Christ is depicted alive, in robes and crowned with a crown. A crown of thorns , wounds and blood collected in a bowl appear in the late Middle Ages along with other details that have a mystical or symbolic meaning.

Until the 9th century, inclusive, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant (compare with the typology of the Crucifixion of Christ the King ), and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear. ^[four]

Differences in Catholic and Orthodox Traditions

A distinctive feature of the ordinary Catholic Crucifixion after the 12th-13th centuries is the cross of two feet of Christ crossed and pierced with one nail. In the Orthodox tradition, Christ is depicted crucified on four nails: both hands and feet are nailed each with his own nail. (“Since ancient times, crucifixion crosses, both in the East and in the West, had a crossbar for emphasizing the feet of the Crucified One, and His legs were depicted individually with each nail individually. The image of Christ with crossed feet nailed with one nail first appeared as an innovation on West in the second half of the 13th century ” ^[4] .)

In the Orthodox crucifixion, the Savior's spread arms are depicted as straight, and not sagging under the weight of a dying body, there are no naturalistic traces of Christ's suffering. Also on the Orthodox Crucifixion, the palms of Christ are usually open. The issue of the inadmissibility of depicting the bent fingers of Christ under Catholic influence was raised in 1553 by the clerk Viskovaty and, although the clerk was convicted of reasoning about icon painting, the arguments about the need to depict open palms were recognized as true, and controversial icons were rewritten.

Images of the crown of thorns in the Orthodox tradition, unlike the Catholic one, are rare (for example, on Easter artos ).

At the same time, in the Catholic tradition, the old crucifixes of the Romanesque and "Byzantine" type with four nails are widespread and continue to be venerated. Among them, the most famous is the cross of St. Damian, before which, according to legend, Francis of Assisi prayed when he heard a call from God. He, however, is a typical example of the Italian crucifixion-icon of the XII-ΧΙIΙ century, represented by many samples ^[5] .

On the other hand, the tradition of depicting the Crucifixion of Christ with one nail in its legs has been spreading since the 13th century not only in the Catholic West, but also in the Sinai Orthodox Church , where it still exists. Sinai icons of this type are common throughout the Orthodox world.

Crucifixes in the Old Believer tradition have their own distinctive features, and inside it - between priests and bespopovtsy .

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  Typical orthodox crucifix

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  Typical catholic crucifix

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  XII century Roman crucifix from the Trinity Chapel in Belpuy, France (Christ in long clothes, calm pose, without traces of suffering)

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  Cross of St. Damian, ΧΙΙ century

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  Crucifix in the Catholic Cathedral of St. Martin, Bratislava (the feet of Christ are not crossed and nailed to the cross with two nails)

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  Orthodox Sinai icon of the Crucifixion, ΧΙΙΙ century (Christ's feet crossed and nailed to the cross with one nail)

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  Old Believer Kyoto Crucifix with selected holidays

Shapes of the Cross

Although there are many types of crosses, traditionally the most common are “Latin” or “Orthodox” crucifixes, decorated with the figure of Christ. Crosses of a non-standard shape, for example, stone Celtic crosses or cross - stones, are usually decorated with ornaments and do not bear a figurative image, de facto not being “crucifixes”.

Dome Cross

The cross crowning the dome or spire of the temple is traditionally called the domed or head dome. The dome cross reflects the idea of ​​the temple as the House of God and the ship of Salvation ^[6] . In the Orthodox Church, eight-pointed crosses are used on the domes (less often, four -pointed crosses ). At the base of the cross can be placed a crescent ( tsat ), which in the Byzantine Empire was a state sign. In Russia, the first domed crosses with crescents are known from the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (1165) and the Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir (1197). In Christianity, the crescent symbolizes the Virgin ^[7] . In theological interpretation, the crescent can also mean Bethlehem manger , chalice , baptismal font ^[6] .

Dome crosses are known on which, in addition to the crescent, 12 stars are depicted, forming the image of the Woman clothed in the sun described in Revelation of St. John the Evangelist ( Rev. 12: 1 ).

Pectoral Cross

A pectoral (or chest) cross is a crucifix worn by a representative of the Orthodox clergy “on Persians,” that is, on his chest. One of the first references to such a cross that has reached us is contained in the writings of Simeon, Archbishop of Solunsky :

Reliquary crosses, or enkolpion crosses (from the Greek “encolpion” - bowels) are folding double-leaf crosses, or arks in the shape of a cross with shrines embedded in them. They are one of the oldest forms of pectoral crosses that appeared in Russia. ^{[8] The} Church Council of 1675 established the wearing of the pectoral cross initially only to the Patriarch and Metropolitans , later such a cross, along with the panagia , was entrusted to all bishops. At present, both the bishop’s panagia and the bishop’s cross can be without holy relics . In 1742, by decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, pectoral crosses became the distinction of all archimandrites . Emperor Paul decree of December 18, 1797 ordered to lay crosses on all priests. ^[eight]

Share:

• priestly cross of a priest worn by a priest over a cassock or felony (in the Russian Church, a pectoral cross with ornaments refers to hierarchical awards and complains by decree of the Patriarch );
• bishop's cross worn with panagia .

A variation of the pectoral cross is the pectoral cross. Pectoral cross, "vest" - a small crucifix, usually received by a person during the baptismal ceremony from the godparents. It is worn under clothes, not for show. ^{[9] The} pectoral cross is worn on the baptized person in fulfillment of the gospel words: “whoever wants to follow me, deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” ( Mark 8:34 ). In Russian Orthodox tradition, the inscription “ Save and save ” is placed on the back of the pectoral cross.

Altar Cross

The altar cross is a crucifix in the Orthodox Church , stored with the gospel and antimins on the throne in the altar of the church. ^[10] Mentioned the division into analoy and vozviznye. ^[eleven]

Many altar crosses are works of jewelry , some of them, for example, the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk , place particles of the relics of saints.

Nadaltar Cross

The nadaltar cross is an element of the church’s decoration, hung on the wall above the altar or freely attached to the ceiling above it. More characteristic of western temples.

A painted cross is a rare example of a painted crucifix, common in medieval Italy.

Eve

In Orthodox churches, the crucifix with the coming is placed on the eve - rectangular candlesticks in the form of a table. ^[12] They place candles on him for repose, and also lay offerings to commemorate the dead (Koutia, bread, etc.). Memorial services are performed before the eve.

Crosses

Crosses worn in religious processions . In Orthodox churches it is also called altarpiece, as it is stored in the altar near the eastern wall along with the altarpiece.

See also The Offering of the Cross - a privilege of the primates of Orthodox churches.

Calvary

In Western Europe, especially in France, it is often possible to meet sculptural groups towering along the road. They are called Calvaire ("calver"), that is, "Calvary." Such roadside crosses can include both a full set of characters in the scene of the Crucifixion , that is, three crosses with Jesus and two robbers and John and the Virgin Mary at the foot, and consist of a single cross.

Roadside Cross

A simpler version of the previous type. Often placed at intersections. They are characteristic of the Russian North, as well as of many other regions ^[13] . In the Russian tradition, they often had a “roof” of two planks, and sometimes a case with an icon and a lamp or a candle inside. They were also called "cabbage rolls."

• May indicate a lonely grave or place of death.
• Can be vowed ( “ vow crosses” )
• It may indicate that in this place there used to be a church, now destroyed (cross-substitutes for the temple). The place where on the contrary the temple will be built is indicated by the mortgage cross.
• They could be boundary crosses - they marked the entry into a city or village, as well as the boundaries (boundaries) of agricultural land. The sacred purpose is to remind or provide an opportunity for travelers to pray and ask for God's blessings on a long journey.
• Significant crosses served as a guide for seafarers ^[14] .

S. V. Gnutova lists in another way: “there were worship crosses (stone and wooden), standing on the forks in the roadside chapels, and sometimes at the churches; memorial and grave crosses, in the middle cross of which copper icons were often inserted ” ^[11] .

Examples:

• Zdudi stone cross
• The cross
• Truvorov Cross ( Truvorovo hillfort )
• Khachkars

Tombstone

A tombstone is a type of grave monument that is often found in cemeteries. It is established as a symbol of the fact that "the body of the deceased is here in the earth, and the soul is in heaven, that under the cross is hidden the seed that grows for eternal life in the Kingdom of God ." ^{[15] A} cross is placed at the feet of the deceased so that the crucifix is ​​facing his face.

Prize Cross

The award (order) in the form of a cross, in fact, does not apply to crucifixes.

• Cross in Russia: Album / Aut. S.V. Gnutova. M.: Publishing House "Danilovsky Evangelist", 2004