Catholic pectoral cross. Orthodox pectoral cross. Catholic cross Orthodox cross
In catholic and Orthodox tradition the cross is a great shrine to the extent that it was on it that the Most Pure Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, endured torment and death for the salvation of the human race. In addition to the crosses crowning Orthodox churches and Catholic churches, there are also body-worn crucifixes that believers wear on their chests.
There are several differences at once between Orthodox wearable crosses and Catholic ones, which were formed over several centuries.
In the ancient Christian Church of the first centuries, the shape of the cross was predominantly four-pointed (with one central horizontal bar). Such forms of the cross and its images were in the catacombs at the time of the persecution of Christians by the Roman pagan authorities. The four-pointed form of the cross remains in the Catholic tradition to this day. The Orthodox cross is most often an eight-pointed crucifix, on which the upper crossbar is a plate on which the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" was nailed, and the lower beveled crossbar testifies to the repentance of the robber. Such a symbolic form of the Orthodox cross indicates a high spirituality of repentance, vouching for a person the kingdom of heaven, as well as heart bitterness and pride, which entails eternal death.
In addition, six-pointed forms of the cross can also be found in it. In this type of crucifixion, in addition to the main central horizontal one, there is also a lower beveled crossbar (sometimes there are six-pointed crosses with an upper straight crossbar).
Other differences include the images of the Savior on the cross. On Orthodox crucifixes, Jesus Christ is depicted as God who conquered death. Sometimes on the cross or icons of the suffering of the cross, Christ is depicted alive. Such an image of the Savior testifies to the Lord's victory over death and the salvation of mankind, speaks of the miracle of the resurrection that followed the bodily death of Christ.
Catholic crosses are more realistic. They depict Christ, who died after terrible torment. Often, on Catholic crucifixes, the Savior's hands sag under the weight of the body. Sometimes you can see that the Lord's fingers are bent, as it were, into a fist, which is a plausible reflection of the effect of nails driven into the brushes (on Orthodox crosses, Christ's palms are open). Often on Catholic crosses you can see blood on the body of the Lord. All this focuses on the terrible torment and death that Christ endured for the salvation of man.
Other differences between Orthodox and Catholic crosses can be noted. So, on Orthodox crucifixes, Christ's feet are nailed with two nails, on Catholic ones - with one (although in some monastic Catholic orders until the 13th century there were crosses with four nails instead of three).
There are differences between Orthodox and Catholic crosses in the inscription on the top plate. "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" on Catholic crosses in Latin abbreviation - INRI. Orthodox crosses have an inscription - IHTSI. The inscription on Orthodox crosses on the halo of the Savior Greek letters denoting the word "I am":
Also on Orthodox crosses there are often inscriptions "NIKA" (means the victory of Jesus Christ), "King of Glory", "Son of God".
10,288 viewsThe Christian (Orthodox) pectoral cross is a symbol of faith, which a person receives at the moment of his initiation into the faith - Baptism and wears at his own will all his life until his last earthly days. It is designed to protect, protect from troubles and misfortunes, bring inspiration and remind of the essence of faith.
The cross has ancient history, it appeared long before Christianity in different cultures: Eastern, Chinese Indian and others. Archaeologists find ancient cross impressions in the rock carvings of caves in Scandinavia, Easter Island, India, Japan….
The cross personifies great balance, harmony in the Universe, carries a deep secret meaning of the knowledge accumulated by our ancient ancestors. The sacred (hidden deep) meaning of the cross acquired after Jesus Christ was crucified on it.
There are people who wear the cross as an adornment, as a tribute to fashion, while not considering themselves to be believers. Is it forbidden? Of course not, for such a person the cross will play the role of decoration, completely devoid of the meaning of those things that we have outlined above.
What is the difference between an Orthodox cross and a Catholic
The eight-pointed cross with ancient people is considered the most powerful protective amulet against evil spirits, and all kinds of evil. Although hex was also widely used.
There is an opinion that Catholics and Orthodox have different forms of the cross. How to distinguish an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one? In general, an Orthodox believer should not have such a question, since any form of the cross is acceptable for such a believer. The Reverend Theodore the Studite wrote:
"The cross of every form is the true cross."
And although the shape and meaning of the cross changed over the centuries, some attributes were added, but since Christ accepted the sacrifice on it, it has become a symbol of the victory of good over evil.
The Lord Himself spoke of how important this symbol is for every believer:
« He who does not take up his cross (deviates from the deed) and follows Me (calls himself a Christian) is not worthy of Me”(Matthew 10:38). -24).
Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus says:
« There is no significant difference between Latin, Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox crosses, as well as between any other crosses used in the service of Christians. In essence, all crosses are the same, the only differences are in the form».
And what is the meaning of all the facets of the cross and what do they mean?
Orthodox Christians often wore six-pointed crosses when a lower crossbar was added, symbolizing the "righteous measure": on one side of the scale - sins, on the other - righteous deeds.
For the Orthodox, the shape of the pectoral cross should not matter; the information that is indicated on it is much more important.
- The inscription "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" on the crosses is the same, only written on different languages: in Roman Catholic "INRI", in Orthodox - in Slavic-Russian "IHTSI". Sometimes it has this form "IC" "XC" - the name of Jesus Christ;
- Often on the back of the cross there is an inscription “Save and preserve”.
- At the very bottom, sometimes in another place, you can see the inscription "NIKA" - which means the Winner.
- One more distinctive feature is the position of the feet on the Crucifixion and the number of nails. The feet of Jesus Christ are positioned together on a Catholic crucifix, and each is individually nailed to an Orthodox cross.
- Western Christians (Catholics) portray Jesus as tortured and dead for them, he is a man. For the Orthodox, Jesus is God and man in one person, his crucifixion most often has a flat image. Catholics make it more voluminous.
- Catholics have a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, the Orthodox have not covered the head.
But I repeat once again, in fact, all these differences are not so significant.
And yet, choosing a cross and a child for yourself, give preference to the one that is not crucified. With all your love for Jesus and filled with gratitude and reverence, remember that the crucifixion contains the energy of pain and suffering, which presses on your soul and heart chakra, filling your life, which is already full of suffering. Think…. Watch this video:
And remember that the cross is just a symbol of faith, and it cannot replace faith itself.
Only Orthodox and Catholics, among other Christians, revered crosses so much. They are used to decorate the domes of churches, their houses, and are worn around the neck.
The reason why a person wears pectoral cross, each has its own. Someone thus pays tribute to fashion, for someone the cross is beautiful jewel, to someone it brings good luck and is used as a talisman. But there are those for whom the pectoral cross, dressed at baptism, is really a symbol of their infinite faith.
Today, shops and church stalls offer a wide variety of crosses of various shapes. However, very often, not only the parents who are going to baptize the child, but also the sales assistants cannot explain where the Orthodox cross is and where the Catholic one, although it is, in fact, very simple to distinguish them.
Cross shape
For Orthodoxy, the shape of the cross does not really matter, much more attention is paid to what is depicted on it, but the most popular are eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses.
The eight-pointed cross has long been considered the most powerful protective tool against various kinds of evil, as well as visible and invisible evil. Its eight ends are a reflection of eight periods of human history, with the eighth being the Kingdom of Heaven. The upper crossbar of the cross, which is notable for its small size, symbolizes the tablet, which was nailed over the convicts in ancient times with explanations of their crimes. The oblique bar at the bottom of the cross has two meanings. Firstly, this is a foot, similar to the one that was available during the crucifixion. The second meaning of this crossbar is more symbolic. It means an imbalance in a sinful world, and points to the path of rebirth and movement towards heavenly light.
Widespread among Orthodox believers, especially in times Ancient Rus, had a six-pointed cross. It also has an inclined crossbar, but the meaning is somewhat different. The lower end symbolizes unrepentant sin, and the upper end symbolizes deliverance by repentance.
The Catholic Church uses only one image of the cross - a simple, quadrangular one with an elongation of the lower part.
However, it is not in the shape of the cross or the number of ends that all its strength lies. The cross is famous for the power of Christ crucified on it, and all its symbolism and miraculousness is in this.
The position of the body of Jesus on the cross
If the shape of the cross most often does not matter for believers and servants of the Lord, then the position of the body of Jesus is a fundamental disagreement between these two religions.
In the Catholic Crucifixion, the image of Christ has naturalistic features. It manifests all the human suffering, the torment that Jesus had to endure. His arms sag under the weight of his body, blood streaming down his face and from wounds on his arms and legs. The image of Christ on the Catholic cross is believable, but this image dead person, while there is no hint of the triumph of victory over death.
The crucifixion in Orthodoxy just the same symbolizes this triumph. It contains humility and the joy of resurrection. Jesus' palms are open, as if he wants to embrace all of humanity, giving them his love and opening the way to eternal life... He is God, and his whole image speaks about it.
Number of nails on the Crucifix
Another principal position is the position of the legs on the Crucifixion.
The fact is that among the Orthodox shrines there are four nails, which presumably nailed Jesus Christ to the cross. This means that the arms and legs were nailed separately. The Catholic Church does not agree with this statement and keeps its three nails, which were used to fasten Jesus on the cross. Thus, they conclude that the legs were folded together and nailed down with a single nail.
Inscriptions on the cross
The inscription on the tablet attached above the head of Jesus, where the description of his offense should have been, is also different. But since Pontius Pilate did not find how to describe the guilt of Christ, the words "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" appeared on the tablet in three languages: Greek, Latin and Aramaic.
And the difference in the image of this inscription on the cross is only that this inscription (one and the same) is written in Latin in Catholicism and has the form INRI, and in Orthodoxy - IHHI.
Conclusions site
- The Orthodox cross most often has an eight-pointed or six-pointed shape. The Catholic cross is four-pointed.
- The words on the tablet on the crosses are the same, only written in different languages: Latin (in the case of the Catholic cross) and Slavic-Russian (on the Orthodox cross).
- The feet of Jesus Christ are positioned together on the Catholic Crucifixion, and each is nailed separately on the Orthodox cross.
- The Orthodox cross depicts God who opened the way to eternal life, and the Catholic one depicts a person in torment.
A believer, according to the rules, wears a cross. But how to choose the right one and not get confused in their variety? You will learn about the symbolism and meaning of the crosses from our article.
There are a lot of types of crosses and very many already know what to do with a pectoral cross and how to wear it correctly. Therefore, first of all, the question arises as to which of them are related to Orthodox faith, and which - to the Catholic. In both types of Christian religion, there are several types of crosses, which must be understood so as not to be confused.
The main differences between the Orthodox cross
- has three transverse lines: the upper and lower lines are short, between them is long;
- at the ends of the cross, three semicircles can be formed, resembling a trefoil;
- on some Orthodox crosses below, instead of an oblique transverse line, there may be a month - this sign came from Byzantium, from which Orthodoxy was adopted;
- Jesus Christ is crucified at the feet with two nails, while on the Catholic crucifixion there is one nail;
- there is some naturalism on the Catholic crucifixion, which reflects the torment of Jesus Christ, which he endured for people: the body looks literally heavy and hangs down on his hands. The Orthodox crucifixion shows the triumph of God and the joy of the Resurrection, the overcoming of death, therefore the body is, as it were, imposed on top, and does not hang on the cross.
Catholic crosses
First of all, these include the so-called latin cross... Like everything, it is a vertical and horizontal line, while the vertical is noticeably longer. Its symbolism is as follows: this is how the cross that Christ carried to Golgotha looked like. Previously, it was also used in paganism. With the adoption of Christianity, the Latin cross became a symbol of faith and is sometimes associated with opposite things: with death and resurrection.
Another similar cross, but with three transverse lines, is called papal... It relates only to the Pope and is used in ceremonies.
There are also many types of crosses used by all sorts of knightly orders such as Teutonic or Maltese. Since they were subordinate to the Pope, these crosses can also be considered Catholic. They look slightly different from each other, but what they have in common is that their lines taper noticeably towards the center.
Lorraine cross very similar to the previous one, but has two bars, and one of them may be shorter than the other. The name indicates the area in which this symbol appeared. The Cross of Lorraine appears on the coats of arms of cardinals and archbishops. Also, this cross is a symbol of the Greek Orthodox Church, therefore, cannot be fully called Catholic.
Orthodox crosses
Faith, of course, implies that the cross must be worn at all times and not taken off, except in the most rare situations. Therefore, it is necessary to choose it with understanding. The most widely used cross in Orthodoxy is eight-pointed... It is depicted as follows: One vertical line, a large horizontal line just above the center and two more shorter crossbeams: above and below it. In this case, the lower one is always inclined and its right part is at a level below the left.
The symbolism of this cross is as follows: it already shows the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The upper transverse line corresponds to the nailed crossbar with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." According to biblical tradition, the Romans joked about him after they had already been crucified on the cross and awaited his death. The crossbar symbolizes the one to which Christ's hands were nailed, and the lower one - where his legs were chained.
The inclination of the lower bar is explained as follows: together with Jesus Christ, two thieves were crucified. According to legend, one of them repented before the Son of God and then received forgiveness. The second one began to scoff and only aggravated his situation.
However, the first cross that was first brought from Byzantium to Russia was the so-called Greek cross. He, like the Roman, is four-pointed. The difference is that it consists of the same rectangular bars and is completely isosceles. It served as the basis for many other types of crosses, including the crosses of the Catholic orders.
Other types of crosses
St. Andrew's Cross is very similar to the letter X or an inverted Greek cross. It is believed that it was on this that the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified. Used in Russia on the flag of the Navy. He is also featured on the flag of Scotland.
The Celtic cross is also similar to the Greek one. He is necessarily taken in a circle. This symbol has been used for a very long time in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as parts of Britain. At a time when Catholicism was not widespread, Celtic Christianity prevailed in this area, which used this symbol.
Sometimes the cross may appear in a dream. This can be both a good and a very bad sign, as the dream book claims. All the best, and don't forget to press the buttons and
Neck crosses- one of the most significant shrines for representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox Church. When buying a cross for a baby before baptism or for themselves, many do not think about the features and differences between Catholic and Orthodox crosses, choosing the one that they like by design. The consultant does not always know the answers to all questions. In the Zlato online store, an extensive catalog of Orthodox crosses has been collected for you, and how they differ from Catholic we will figure it out further.
Cross shape
The first thing that distinguishes an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one is its shape.
Orthodox crosses are six- and eight-pointed. The slanting crossbar of the Orthodox cross, located in its lower part, symbolizes the road to the Kingdom of Heaven, leading from the sinful world.
Catholic cross usually four-pointed without unnecessary details and crossbars. Its shape is simple and well distinguishable.
Cross engraving meaning
Silver and gold jewelry in the shape of a cross is usually complemented by engraving - a short inscription. It looks like "I.N.TS.I" - in Slavic or "INRI" - in Latin. This is an abbreviation, it stands for "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."
Only on the reverse side of the Orthodox crosses is the inscription "Save and preserve." She is never on Catholic crosses.
The location of Christ
Orthodox and Catholic crosses have another significant difference. It lies in the disposition of the crucified Christ. If you look closely, you can clearly see that the figures are located in different ways.
- the palms of Christ are unfolded, the fingers are not closed;
- triumph and joy are displayed on the face;
- the legs are not crossed, they are nailed separately.
Catholic cross:
- the head of Christ is down;
- palms closed, arms sagging;
- the expression on his face conveys inhuman suffering.
By choosing Jewelry crosses, just look at the number of nails present on the feet and palms of Christ. There are four of them on the Orthodox cross - one on each palm and one on each leg. There are three of them on the Catholic cross - one on each palm and one on the legs, superimposed on each other.
Modern variations of pectoral crosses
The Zlato online store offers a huge assortment of crosses from leading jewelry manufacturers: Silvex, Stolichnaya Jewelry Factory, Aurora, Onyx, XYuV, ZARINA, etc. Each brand regularly updates its product collections, and among them there are crosses:
- for men, women and children;
- from gold and silver;
- with inlay and without stones;
- with enamel, blackening and other decoration techniques.
Orthodox male crosses are usually larger than female crosses and are designed for massive chains. They are made without stones and have a discreet design. Women's and children's crosses are more refined - with openwork inserts, cubic zirconias and diamonds. The rarer and more valuable the stone, the higher the price of the jewelry. Pendants are worn on chains, leather and silk strings, often under clothing, to hide adherence to their religion from prying eyes. We offer to compare branded crosses from different manufacturers in http://zlato.ua/... For each model we have selected best photos and detailed descriptions. To simplify and speed up the selection, use the site filters, setting parameters by type of metal and design. This will allow you to choose and buy jewelry that matches the style of your other accessories.
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