ANTIQUE C. 18th CENTURY ORTHODOX " OLD BELIEVERS " CROSS With JESUS PRAYER TEXT
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:60492799 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Unknown |
| Featured Refinements: Antique Orthodox Cross | Material: Bronze or similar copper alloy |
Antique medium-sized (approx. 1-1/2" tall with bale) Orthodox"Old Believers" Cross pendant featuring plain and humble right-angleddesign with image of the three-bar Savior's Cross with the Instruments of thePassion over the skull (Adam's head), large solid crown-shaped necklace bale, and words of an Orthodox prayer to Jesus in Church Slavonic inscribed on thereverse. The Cross appears to be made from bronze or similar copper alloy. Origin likely c.18thcentury Imperial Russia (according... to the available catalogs describing similarfindings; please see the last picture for a reference). The Cross shows othersigns of wear and aging including reduced quality of images and inscriptions, scratches, dents and deformations, and originaluncleaned semi-glossy dark patina accumulated in the course of centuries. The inside of the solid necklace bale shows signs of wear consistent with long continuous wearing. The size of the Crossis shown on the photographs for the listing. The obverse bears an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross. Thethree-bar cross is venerated in the Orthodox and some Eastern Catholicchurches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: the top one representsthe "INRI" nameplate, and the bottom one, a footrest. The footrestcrossbeam is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ's right hand sidewhere the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified.The top end of the vertical crossbar of the pendant bears afour-letter abbreviated inscription in Church Slavonic meaning "KING OFGLORY IC XC (JESUS CHRIST)". The Kingship of Jesus is also symbolized bythe shape of the necklace loop resembling the shape of a Byzantine-style crown.The horizontal crossbar is filled with another inscription in Church Slavonicmeaning "WAS CRUCIFIED".Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are images of the twoInstruments of the Passion (Arms of Christ, Arma Christi), the Holy Lance(spear) of a Roman soldier, and the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane.They are subjects to adoration along with the Cross, and are often depicted onthe Byzantine-style "Golgotha" crosses worn as baptism body crossesfor the entire life of a faithful Christian. A tiny symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, below the imageof the Suppedaneum cross refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site whereJesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of theskull" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of Catholic and Orthodox Churchesheld that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus also symbolizing theultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.The reverse is filled with the text of the prayer to the LordJesus according to the Russian Orthodox tradition in Church Slavonic:"LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, BLESS, SANCTIFY AND PROTECT ME BY THEPOWER OF YOUR LIFE-GIVING CROSS". The words of the Prayer are worn off but identifiable.Please examine all photographs carefully and do your own research if necessary. Please note that photographs are an important part of the item's description. The U.S. quarter coin, decorative stone and a measuring meter are not for sale, and are photographed with the item in order to provide a size reference, and artistic background. Please ask all questions before making a purchase. There are no guarantees with the listing because most items are original vintage or antique objects that are quite old. All items are sold "as is" with no returns because of a change of mind offered. Shipping and handling is free for the continental US. International shipping is handled by Ebay Global Shipping Program. International buyers, please familiarize yourself with the Global Shipping Program through the Ebay "Help" section and ask your shipping questions, if any, prior to buying. Please note that customs regulations differ from country to country, and it is a buyer's responsibility to ensure that any customs fees or other duties collected by the buyer's country are paid and satisfied in full.
