Crucifixion

Crucifixion, silhouette icon. The displayed object is a silhouette icon in the outline of a cross, cast in a metal alloy, similar to S.12792MŁ (see S.12789MŁ – 12795MŁ; S.12869MŁ – 12876MŁ). From the end of the 17th c. until the 20th c., production of cast objects of worship concentrated in the hands of the Old Believers - the adherents of the old Rus Orthodox tradition who did not accept the liturgical reform that started in the middle of the 17th c. The types of metal crosses they developed spread throughout Russia and were also used by the followers of the official Orthodox Church. The crucified Christ was depicted on a double eight-pointed cross (see S.12875MŁ; S.12873MŁ). The vertical beam of the displayed cross is crowned by the image of the Lord of Hosts, captioned ГДЬ САВАОФЬ. Below, the dove of the Holy Spirit is captioned ДХЬ СТЬ. On the upper crossbeam, below the silhouettes of angels, there is the abbreviation 'King of Glory' - ЦРЬ СВЫ. Christ is identified with inscriptions above his head and by his hands: ІНЦИ - "Jesus of Nazareth, Tsar (King) of Judea" and ІС ХС - "Jesus Christ". On the middle crossbeam, there is a description of the portrayal: РАСПЯТІЕ ГДА НШГО ІСА ХРСТА - "The Crucifixion of Our Lord Jesus Christ", and the prayer ХРТУ ТВОЕМУ ПОКЛНЯЕМСЯ ВЛКО И СТОЕ ВОСКРЕСНИЕ ТВОЕ СЛВИМ - "To Your Cross, we bow Your Great and Holy Resurrection, we Praise". By the hips of Christ, there is the inscription НИ КА - 'victory', and beneath the feet of the Saviour, the abbreviations М.Л.Р.Б. - 'the place of executions will become Paradise', and Г.Г. - Mount Golgotha. Beneath, there is a skull symbolising the tomb of the forefather Adam Г.А. - the Head of Adam. On the reverse of the Old Believers' crosses, there is often a prayer call, frequently complemented with plant ornamentation: КРЕСТ ХРАНИТЕЛЬ ВСЕЙ ВСЕЛЕННОЙ КРЕСТ КРАСОТА ЦЕРКВИ КРЕСТ ЦАРЕЙ ДЕРЖАВА КРЕСТ ВЕРНИМ УТВЕРЖДЕНИЕ КРЕСТ АНГЕЛОМ СЛАВА КРЕСТ БЕСОМ ЯЗВА - Cross, the defence of the World. Cross, the ornament of the Church. Cross, the greatness of rulers. Cross, the comfort of the faithful. Cross, the glory of angels. Cross, the vanquisher of demons. Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967