Where does the history of the emergence of this great Christian shrine lead? What do we know about altar crosses? What are they like?
It should be noted right away that brass altar crosses are most often used. But others may exist, depending on the material and inlay. For example, at services you can often see wooden altar crosses.
What should be on the altar in preparation for the hierarchal service? The gospel, antimins, and the altar cross must be on the Holy See.
In general, there should be two crosses, and they differ from each other in external decoration. That cross, which is better decorated, is placed at the Liturgy on the left side of the Primate. At the All-night Vigil, the altar cross should be on the right hand of the priest.
The history of the cross
During the Old Testament church, it should be noted that it consisted mainly of Jews. A well-known fact is that they did not then use the death torture through crucifixion. According to their custom, execution could take place in several ways: a man was stoned to death with stones, his head was chopped off with a sword, burned or hung on a tree. Saint Dimitri of Rostov explains the last method of execution with words from the Old Testament that everyone who is hanging on a tree will be cursed.
Only according to the pagan Greco-Roman tradition did the cross execution exist. The Jewish people knew it only a few decades after the birth of Christ, when the Romans crucified Antigonus, the last legitimate king of the Jews, on the cross. Therefore, as a weapon of execution in the Old Testament texts there is no mention of the cross.
Symbols on the Cross
The altar cross as a symbol of the Christian faith is used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one is a symbolized tablet bearing an inscription abbreviated to capital letters INRI or INTSI (“Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews”), as well as the word NIKA, which means “Victor”.
The lower bar is the foot support of Jesus Christ. It looks like a slanting crossbar and is a symbol that weighs human sins and virtues, like a “righteous measure”. This crossbar has a slope to the left and symbolizes the penitent robber who was crucified on the cross to the right of Christ. And that robber, who was to the left of the savior, only aggravated his fate by blaspheming the Lord and immediately went to hell.
The letters on the cross of IC XC are a Christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ. At the bottom of the Christian cross can also be depicted the skull of a fallen man - Adam - with the bones of his descendants. According to ancient legend, the remains of the first people of Adam and Eve were buried in the place where they crucified Jesus Christ - Calvary. It is believed that in this way the blood of the crucified Lord was washed away the original sin of Adam and all his descendants.
Veneration of the cross
It is through the cross that the Christian church is recognized. Believers overshadow themselves, he rises above every church, recalls the cross suffering of Jesus Christ, who came to save all of humanity. It was through the innocent shed blood of the Savior that people had the opportunity to repent and atone for their sins. The cross serves them as a weapon that helps to cope with this matter.
In the New Testament, the theme of the cross occupies a major position. The holy fathers of the church devoted a lot of their spiritual work to her. In the 4th century, in his thoughts, Cyril of Jerusalem indicated that every action of Christ is the praise of our church, and the cross is the praise of praise.
In the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there are periods dedicated to the cross - the Exaltation and remembrance of the miraculous Life-giving Cross and the Holy Week. Since ancient times, in ancient church rites, during the glorification of the Honest Cross, the priest raised the cross above his head and turned it to all parts of the world.
How they found and recognized the Cross of the Lord
In the year 70 (A.D.), Emperor Titus destroyed Jerusalem without leaving stone unturned. Adrian became the next emperor. According to his orders, the holy places where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried were destroyed and littered, so that Christians would forget them once and for all, since in these places they came to worship their God.
Only during the reign of Emperor Constantine (in 326), the Life-Giving Cross and the Holy Sepulcher were found.
Fighting with rivals, he saw a cross in the sky, on which was the inscription: "Sim triumph." In search of Palestine, he sent his mother, Elena. Thanks to her and the patriarch of Jerusalem, Macarius, the cave of the Holy Sepulcher and three crosses were found next to it. Nobody knew which of them was Life-giving. At that time, a funeral was taking place near this place, and then Patriarch Makarii touched the dead man with one of the crosses, and he came to life, and then the sick woman was healed.
Finding the holy relic
In this way, thanks to the rulers, Jerusalem acquired its Christian appearance. Eighty churches were rebuilt, in which the Holy Cross became the main relic. After some time, in the reign of the Byzantine emperor Foki, the Cross was abducted by the Persians. The Patriarch Zachary was also taken prisoner. Only 14 years later, the next emperor Heraclius was able to return the patriarch along with the shrine back. And when he went to the Church of the Resurrection in the royal porphyry with a crown on his head and with the Holy Cross in his hands, he saw an angel who stopped him and did not let him in. He reminded him that Jesus Christ before death was humbled and humble before the Jews, longing for his death. Then the emperor took off his vestments and, left in simple clothes, introduced the Cross to the temple.
Altar Cross. Sofrino
Sofrino is a company that specializes in making crosses and all kinds of church utensils. Often you can find in the antique shops or at auctions the altar cross of the 19th century with a rather complicated technical design made of copper or bronze. The crucifix itself was made by hot casting and nailed to the cross itself.
The altar cross can be made of different metals using enamel, with gilding and a kind of jewelry finish.
We must pay tribute to the heroic deeds of Russian priests, who during the years of revolution and iconoclasm saved crosses and icons from destruction.
In addition to altar crosses, there are still worship crosses to which, after the completion of the Liturgy, believers are attached. Then - "required." They are used in unification, funeral services and other church rites.
Other altar crosses may also be located in the temple, which priests can also prepare on the altar for their removal at the Great Entrance.
Holy relics or consecrated objects can be in crosses.