In the Christian religion, the image of the cross has a deep philosophical and moral significance. He became a symbol of the great atoning sacrifice made by God to deliver people from eternal death, which was the result of original sin committed by our first parents - Adam and Eve. His images are very diverse, and each has a special semantic connotation. One of them, namely the Calvary Cross, is the subject of this article.
Cross - a picture of a great event
Its outlines are familiar to everyone who in one way or another has met with Orthodox symbols, and you can see them on the vestments of monks, items of church utensils, as well as in attributes related to the consecration of homes and vehicles. The Calvary Cross is a stylized picture of an event that took place more than two thousand years ago in Palestine, which radically changed the entire course of world history.
His composition includes images of the Cross - an instrument of torment for our Savior Jesus Christ, Mount Golgotha, on the top of which this event took place, the head of Adam resting in its bowels, traditionally depicted at the foot of the Cross. In addition, this includes inscriptions having both an explanatory and a purely sacred character.
Shining in the roman sky
The center of the composition is the Cross itself. It is known that his image as a magical symbol and even as an image of a deity was also found among representatives of ancient, pre-Christian cultures. Only in the Roman Empire did it turn into an instrument of shameful and painful execution, which mainly suffered slaves and especially dangerous criminals. Its symbols appeared on the walls of the catacombs, where in the II and III centuries the first Christians performed secret services. They were images of a palm branch, a whip and an abbreviation for the name of Christ.
In its usual “unencrypted form”, the Cross first appeared in the 4th century, when Christianity received the status of state religion in Rome. According to Holy Tradition, the Savior appeared in night vision to Emperor Constantine and ordered to decorate with the image of the Cross the banner under which his army was preparing to engage in battle with the enemy. In the morning in the sky over Rome appeared a radiance in the form of a cross, scattering his last doubts. Fulfilling the command of Jesus Christ, Constantine soon defeated the enemies.
Three memorial crosses
The Roman historian Eusebius Pamphilus describes this banner with the image of the Cross in the form of a spear with a transverse crossbar and an abbreviated letter abbreviation of the name of Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly, the Calvary Cross, the photo of which is presented in the article, was the result of subsequent modifications of the symbol that adorned the battle flag of the Roman emperor.
After the victory won by Konstantin, in gratitude to the Savior, he ordered the installation of three commemorative Crosses and the inscription “Jesus Christ the Victor”. In Greek, it looks like this: IC.XP.NIKA. The same inscription, but in Slavic, contains all the Orthodox Calvary Crosses.
In 313, a great event happened: on the basis of the Edict of Milan, adopted at the initiative of Emperor Constantine, freedom of religion was established in the Roman Empire. After three centuries of persecution, Christianity finally received official state status, and its symbolism was given a powerful impetus for further development.
The main elements of the cross
Despite the fact that the main Christian symbol has different styles, the Orthodox Calvary Crosses are usually depicted as three-component, that is, eight-pointed. They are a combination of a vertical column and a large crossbar, located, as a rule, at a level of two-thirds of their height. This, in fact, is the very instrument of torment on which the Savior was crucified.
Above the large horizontal crossbar, a small parallel to it is represented, symbolizing the plank, nailed to the cross before the execution. On it were the words written by Pontius Pilate himself: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The same words, but in a Slavic style, contain all the Orthodox Calvary Crosses.
Symbolic measure of sinfulness
At the bottom of the vertical pillar is a small inclined crossbar - a symbolic foot, strengthened after the Savior was nailed to the Cross. The Calvary Cross, like all Orthodox crosses in general, is depicted with a crossbar, with the right edge above the left.
This tradition goes back to the biblical text, which says that two robbers were crucified on both sides of the Savior, and the one on the right repented, found eternal life, and the one on the left blasphemed the Lord and doomed himself to eternal death. Thus, the inclined crossbar plays the role of a symbolic measure of human sinfulness.
Crest Symbol
The Golgotha Cross is always depicted on a certain pedestal that represents Mount Golgotha, whose name is translated from Hebrew as “skull”. This served as the basis for another name mentioned in the Slavic and Russian translations of the Gospel - “Frontal place”. It is known that in ancient times it served as the site of executions of especially dangerous criminals. There is evidence that the mountain consisting of gray limestone really externally resembled a skull.
As a rule, Golgotha is depicted in several ways. This can be a hemisphere, as well as a pyramid with smooth or stepped edges. In the latter case, these steps are called "steps of spiritual ascent", and each of them has a specific name: the lower is Faith, the middle is Love, the highest is Mercy. On both sides of the mountain, on which the Calvary Cross is depicted, two letters are placed - "GG", which means "Mount Calvary." Their mark is mandatory.
Walking stick, spear and skull
In addition to all of the above, the Calvary Cross, whose value, first of all, is in personifying sacrifice and atonement for humanity through the sufferings of Christ, is usually depicted with the attributes of executioners mentioned in the Gospel. This is a cane, on the end of which there is a sponge with vinegar, and a spear piercing the Savior's body. Usually they are marked with the corresponding letters - “T” and “K”.
The skull depicted inside Golgotha also occupies an important place in the overall composition. This is the symbolic head of our ancestor of our Adam, as evidenced by the letters "G" and "A" inscribed near it. It is believed that the sacrificial blood of Christ, penetrating through the thickness of the mountain, washed it from original sin. Concerning how the head of Adam appeared in the bowels of this mountain, there are several versions. One of them claims that the body of the ancestor was brought here by angels, according to another, he was buried here by a descendant of Adam Seth, and according to the most common version, the body brought the waters of the Flood.
Other inscriptions
According to established tradition, there are other symbolic styles that accompany the Calvary Cross. The meaning of the inscriptions (always made in Slavic) is fully consistent with the gospel story of the passions of the Lord. At the top of the cross is usually written "Son of God." In some cases, it is replaced by the inscription "King of Glory." Above the large horizontal bar is the inscription “IC XP” - “Jesus Christ”, and below, as already mentioned, “NIKA” - “Victory”. The place of the event and its main result are indicated by the letters "ML" - "Frontal Place", and "RB" - "Paradise to be."
Particle of God's Grace
The schematic depiction of the place of the crucifixion of Christ - the Calvary Cross, pectoral, thimble and altar - is firmly included in the list of the most revered Orthodox symbols. Nowadays, it is not only an attribute of monastic asceticism, but also a shrine carefully preserved by the pious laity.
Most Russians, sometimes even those who do not consider themselves believers, nevertheless adhere to ancient traditions and carry Christianity symbols on their chests, including the Calvary Cross. Whether silver was used to make it, gold, or is it made of other metals, consecrated in the church of Christ, it always carries within itself a particle of Divine Grace, so necessary in the life of each of us.