ANTIQUE c.18th CENTURY ORTHODOX "OLD BELIEVERS" ORNATE CROSS with JESUS PRAYER

Description: Antique larger (approx. 1 5/8" tall with solid bale) Orthodox Cross pendant featuring an 18th century "Old Believers" ornate design with image of the three-bar Savior's Cross with the Instruments of the Passion over the skull (Adam's head), and words of an Orthodox prayer to Jesus in abbreviated Church Slavonic inscribed on the reverse. The Cross appears to have been hand made from a historical copper alloy of unknown composition. Origin likely circa 18th century Russia (according to available catalogs describing similar findings; please see the last picture for a reference). The item shows significant signs of wear due to its old age and devotional wearing, such as reduced quality of artwork, visible deformations of the original shape, cracks, scratches, dents and patches of patina/oxidation. Most of the original thick patina has been removed using a complex procedure of cleaning and polishing. The inside of the necklace bale shows signs of wear consistent with long continuous wearing. Some pictures taken under bright illumination could give an impression that the metal is silvery, but its real color shows some yellow (brass-like) tone reflecting presence of copper in the metal alloy. The size of the Cross is shown on the photographs for this listing. Both sides of the Cross pendant are decorated with floral or vine ornaments symbolizing the life-giving nature of the Christian Cross, and also referring to the preaching of Christ: "I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5). Another possible scriptural reference for this particular type of the "Old Believers" cross is Psalm 128 of David: "Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine...".The obverse bears an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross. The three-bar cross is venerated as the true Savior's Cross in the Eastern Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: the top one represents the "INRI" nameplate, and the bottom one, a footrest. The footrest crossbeam is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ's right hand side where the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified.The top end of the vertical crossbar of the pendant bears an abbreviated inscription in Church Slavonic meaning "KING OF GLORY IC XC (JESUS CHRIST)". The Kingship of Jesus is also symbolized by the shape of the necklace loop resembling the shape of a Byzantine-style crown. The horizontal crossbar is filled with another inscription in Church Slavonic “РАСПЯТЪ БЫСТЬ ГОЛГОФА” meaning "WAS CRUCIFIED ON GOLGOTHA".Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are images of the two Instruments 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 Savior's Cross.A symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of the Church held that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus also symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death. The reverse is filled with abbreviated Church Slavonic text of the prayer to Lord Jesus according to the Russian Orthodox tradition translating as: "LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, BLESS, SANCTIFY AND PROTECT ME BY THE POWER OF YOUR LIFE-GIVING CROSS".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 decorative stone and measuring meter are not for sale, and are photographed with the item in order to provide a size reference. 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. International buyers, please 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.

Price: 79 USD

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2024-08-27T12:56:50.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD