SOLID STERLING SILVER "925" LARGER ORTHODOX "OLD BELIEVERS" CROSS with PSALM 68

Description: Solid sterling silver Eastern Orthodox Cross pendant (approx. 1 5/8" tall with rotating bale; weight approx. 5 g) featuring traditional "Old Believers" plain and humble design with rich symbolism including image of the three-bar Savior's Cross flanked with the Instruments of the Passion over the skull (Adam's head), and words of the Orthodox prayer to the Holy Cross based on Psalm 68 of David the King inscribed on the reverse. The Cross is made from sterling silver and bears the "925" print on the reverse. Gently used condition with some signs of wear such as small deformations, scratches and dents and few patches of silver patina/oxidation. The locking bale is not soldered and could be opened to attach the Cross to a slip on/over the head chain. The size and weight of the pendant are shown on the photographs for this listing. The obverse bears an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross surrounded with the Instruments of the Passion of Christ, such as the Holy Lance (spear) and the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane, several inscriptions with Cyrillic letters, and an image of the skull, or the Adam's head buried below the cross. The three-bar cross 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 Holy Lance and the Holy Sponge are the subjects of adoration together with the Cross, and therefore, are often depicted on the Russian Old Believers' Baptism or body crosses, creating an image of Calvary (Golgotha) with the three-bar cross and Adam's head.In such a cross' depiction, the "INRI" inscription made by Pontius Pilate, is considered blasphemous or profane, and is not used as the nameplate. Instead, the top end of the cross pendant bears a four-word abbreviation in Church Slavonic which means "KING OF GLORY JESUS CHRIST".The other inscriptions in Church Slavonic made above and below the central horizontal crossbar mean "SON OF GOD" and "NIKA" ("VICTORIOUS"), respectively. Taken together, these inscriptions make a full traditional Orthodox "Title" of the Savior: "KING OF GLORY JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, THE VICTORIOUS". An image of the skull (Adam's head) buried below the Savior's Cross also refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. The skull is marked with two larger Cyrillic letters "Г" meaning "HILL GOLGOTHA". 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.The bottom end of the vertical crossbar bears a four-letter abbreviation in Cyrillic letters "МЛРБ" ("MLRB") meaning "The CALVARY (Golgotha) BECAME PARADISE", a symbol of the execution place becoming a place of the redemption and reclaiming of the lost paradise. The reverse bears a fragment of the Scriptural text of Psalm 68 in Church Slavonic meaning "MAY GOD ARISE AND MAY HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED". This psalm-based prayer is traditionally inscribed on the reverse of the Old Believers' Orthodox body (Baptism) cross pendants, meaning to provide protection of the faithful cross-bearer against the evil spirits (God's enemies), and thereby is considered a version of the Exorcism prayer.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 might be 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: 2024-12-04T20:27:29.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD