ANTIQUE c.18th CENTURY LARGE 2" ORTHODOX OLD BELIEVERS "SUN" CROSS KING OF GLORY for Sale

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ANTIQUE c.18th CENTURY LARGE 2" ORTHODOX OLD BELIEVERS "SUN" CROSS KING OF GLORY For Sale

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ANTIQUE c.18th CENTURY LARGE 2" ORTHODOX OLD BELIEVERS "SUN" CROSS KING OF GLORY:
$99.00

The obverse displays an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross which is venerated as the true Savior's Cross in the Slavonic 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 bar 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 incorporates the larger, two-word, abbreviated inscription inChurch Slavonicmeaning "KING OF GLORY".The left and right side ends of the central horizontal crossbar of the pendant bear the Sacred Name of Jesus Christinscribed as the "IC XC" Greek Christogram,the "IC" on the left, and the "XC" on the right.

The space just below the central horizontal crossbar of the Savior's Cross incorporates a smaller "HИ"abbreviation, a part of the"NIKA" ancient Greek symbol meaning "Victorious", which is often used as a part of the title of Jesus to symbolize His victory over sin and death achieved on the Cross.

Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are images of the two Instruments of the Passion which are subjects to adoration along with the Cross. The Holy Lance (spear)of a Roman soldier ismarked as "K" for the Church Slavonic "Копие" ("Kopiye") in the space just below the horizontal crossbar of the Savior's Cross, whereas the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane is marked as "T" for the Church Slavonic "Трость" ("Trost").

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 symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.

There are four additional, diagonal crossbeams superimposed on the circle surrounding the center of the cross.The diagonal crossbeams usually refer to the cross of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Alternatively, they could symbolize the rays of light ("I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness" (John 8:12)and/or Four Evangelists.St. Andrew is considered the Founder and the first Bishop of the Christian Church of Byzantium, and is the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Saint Andrew is believed to have been crucified on the Crux decussata (X-shaped cross, also known as "Saltire").