The
traditional Russian Orthodox 3-Bar Cross is pictured on the left. On the Cross is our Savior, Jesus
Christ. Notice that He does not wear a crown of thorns, and that His feet
are nailed with two nails. Behind the body of Christ, on either side,
are a lance, which pierced Him. There is also a sponge, which was soaked with gall
and offered to Christ on a pole made of reed or cane to drink. On the
body of Christ is depicted blood and water flowing forth from His side.
Below the feet of Christ are four
Slavonic letters meaning: "The place of the skull became
Paradise". Hidden in a cave under the earth is
"the skull of
Adam". We are thus reminded that Adam our forefather lost Paradise
through the tree from which he wrongly partook; Christ is the new Adam,
bringing us Salvation and Paradise through the tree of the Cross. The
city of Jerusalem is depicted in the background, for He was crucified
outside the city walls.
The top bar is the title-board
which Pilate ordered to be hung in mockery over Christ’s head on the
Cross. On this board was inscribed: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the
Jews" in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (abbreviated to the Greek initials
‘INBI’ or the Latin initials ‘INRI’ in the Western tradition). This is
replaced with the Christian inscription: "King of Glory" – below the
knees of the angels. On the title-board is inscribed the initials 'IC
XC', being the first and last letters of Christ’s name in Greek. In
addition, just above Christ's arms we see the inscription: ‘NIKA’, which
in Greek means: "He conquers" or "He is victorious." Frequently, we see
these last two inscriptions together: 'IC XC NIKA', meaning: "Jesus
Christ is victorious" (over death and sin).
The middle bar is that on which
the Lord's hands were nailed. On either top corner we see the
depiction of the sun (left) and the moon (right), for
"The sun hid its
light, and the moon turned to blood." (Joel 02:31)
The inscription: "Son
of God" is placed on both sides of Christ's head, and below His arms we
read the inscription:
"Before Thy Cross we bow down, O Master, and Thy
holy Resurrection, we glorify".
The halo of Christ is inscribed with
three Greek letters meaning "The Being" or "He Who Is", to remind us
that Christ is the same God Who identified Himself with those words to
Moses in the Old Law.
The slanted bottom bar is the
foot-rest. There is some question of whether it was actually on the
Cross of Christ, but it is acknowledged to be a necessary attribute of
the Cross, worthy of veneration and prophetically alluded to in the
words
Let us] worship the footstool of His feet... (Psalms 98:05).
In prayers for the Ninth Hour, the Church likens the Cross to a type
of balance of righteousness:
"Between two thieves Thy Cross did prove to
be a balance of righteousness: wherefore one of them was dragged
down to Hades by the weight of his blasphemy whereas the other was
lightened of his transgressions unto the comprehension of theology.
O Christ God, glory to Thee."
The meaning of this prayer is as follows:
the Cross of Christ stood for a scale of justice between the two
thieves: for one of them sank in to hell, dragged down by his
blasphemous words; and the other, the wise thief, ascended into heaven,
because of his repentance. The church fathers attempted to render
tangible the thought of the unfaithful thief going to hell for his
blasphemy through the just judgment of God (the lower end of the
bar), and of the wise thief going to heaven for his repentance and
his praise of God (the upper end).
Prayers to
the Cross
The Troparia
Before Thy Cross we bow down, O
Master,
and Thy Holy Resurrection, we glorify.
O Lord, save Thy people and
bless Thine inheritance.
Grant Thou unto Orthodox Christians victories over adversaries,
and by Thy Cross preserve Thy people.
The Kontakion:
O Thou Who wast lifted up
willingly on the Cross,
bestow Thy mercies now upon Thy nation which beareth Thy name,
O Christ God. Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians, granting them
victories over adversaries, as they have Thine assistance, a weapon of
peace and the invincible trophy.
Volume IV, No. 3;
May-June 1982 Living Orthodoxy was also used as a source for some
material on this page
