Fundamentals of Orthodox culture. How to draw a cross with a pencil step by step
Cross of the Apostle Andrew: history of the shrine
The cross of St. Andrew the Apostle, or rather, particles of the cross in a special cruciform ark, was brought to Russia for veneration. The shrine arrived from the Greek city of Patras, where the saint suffered martyrdom around the year 70.
Medieval sources provide little information about what happened to this shrine over its almost two thousand year history. The Greek martyrium of the holy apostle contains very short description instruments of execution of St. Andrew: “And leaving everyone, Andrew approaches the cross and says to him in a loud voice: “Rejoice, O cross, and truly rejoice. I am sure that even the very tired will be put to rest by you, driven in and waiting for me. I came to you, who knows me. I know the mystery for which you were killed. So, pure, bright and all [full] of life and radiance cross, accept me, who is very tired.”
After these words, His Beatitude, standing on the ground and looking intently at the cross, climbed onto it and ordered the brothers to have the executioners come and do what they were ordered, because they were standing at a distance. And they, approaching, only tied him by the feet and under the arms, without breaking his knees, since they received such an order from the proconsul. After all, he wanted the executed man to suffer and to be devoured by dogs at night.”
The further narrative is a great sermon of the apostle, which he preaches from the cross over the course of several days. When, frightened by the uprising of the people, the authorities of Patras sent soldiers to remove the apostle from the instrument of execution, he prayed to God, uttered his last words and died on the cross.
It is interesting that the ancient life says that the remains of the apostle were taken from the cross and buried, leaving without attention the question of the fate of the crucifixion weapon: “And so we cried, and everyone grieved because of parting with him. And after the exodus of the blessed Apostle Maximilla, together with Stratocles, not at all caring about those around her, she herself came up, untied the remains of the blessed one and, with the onset of evening, having made all the necessary preparations, buried them.”
The text of the martyrium preserved a historically reliable detail of the attitude of Christians of the Roman Empire to the cross. In the 1st century, it was not a shrine, but an instrument of terrible execution, which was used to inflict robbers. Almost all early texts related to the apostle are silent about the further fate of the crucifixion weapon.
If we turn to church tradition, we can find out that the cross, together with the relics of St. Andrew, remained for several centuries in the city of Patras, where they were revered by Christians.
In 357, the relics of the Apostle Andrew were transferred by the military commander Artemius from the city of Patras to Constantinople to the temple in honor of the holy apostles, as described in the “Eulogy to the Apostle of Christ Andrew” (Note that this text contains a much more extensive and rhetorically sophisticated speech of the Holy Apostle Andrew to the cross on which he will be crucified, which allows us to speak of increased veneration of this shrine). In Patras, the cross was left on which the saint was crucified, and the head of the apostle.
At the beginning of the 12th century, mention of these shrines appeared in the Stichny prologue of Theodore Prodromus. This short collection of the lives of the saints, each of the texts of which is given a small couplet that acts as an epigraph, says that the shrines in Patras associated with the Apostle Andrew are revered as strongly as those in Constantinople.
It is worth noting that at the time of the creation of this text, Patras was under the rule of the Crusaders: In 1205, as a result of the Fourth crusade Patras went to the Achaean Principality and Baron Guillaume Aleman from Provence began to rule here. In the middle of the 13th century, he sold his possessions to the Catholic Archbishop of Patras, who was at the same time Primate of Morea, a Greek principality.
The relationship of the Greeks with the crusaders is a topic for a separate discussion. It is worth mentioning here that both Western and Eastern Christians in the Middle Ages were actively looking for things associated with Christ, the Mother of God, the apostles and other ascetics. After the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders, many significant artifacts ended up in the West. In the Middle Ages, the possession of such a shrine provided the temple or city where it was located with an influx of pilgrims, and therefore funds. However, the cross and the head of the Apostle Andrew were in Patras, and the crusaders did not try to remove this shrine.
Everything changed after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Byzantine Empire ended its existence, and the last ruler of the Morea, Thomas Palaiologos, fled to Italy in 1462 to escape the Turkish threat. He took with him the cross of St. Andrew and its head.
The further history of the shrine is connected with the two cities of Rome and Marseille. Most experts, including the authors of the article about Apostle Andrew in the Orthodox Encyclopedia, believe that the cross and the head of the apostle were given to Pope Pius II and placed in St. Peter's Cathedral, but there is a version that the shrines were kept for some time in Marseille, moving from one monastery to another.
Another test befell the particles of the cross of the Apostle Andrew in the era French Revolution And Napoleonic wars. At that time, the ark was in one of the monasteries in Naples, and Napoleonic soldiers tried to destroy it “by setting it on fire,” but “one of the monks covered the cross with his body and saved the shrine at the cost of his life.” According to another version, similar events took place in France during the revolution.
Once again, the fate of the shrine, now brought to Russia, can be reliably traced back to 1966, when Pope Paul VI decided to transfer the head of the apostle and particles of the cross to the Greek Orthodox Church, and these relics were solemnly transferred to Patras in St. Andrew's Cathedral, where they are kept until present time.
Thus, a large cruciform ark was brought to Russia, in which small parts of the cross on which the Apostle Andrew was crucified are stored.
For a believer, the size of the shrine does not matter, and therefore the smallest part of the shrine, one way or another connected with the Apostle Andrew or some other righteous person, is a great shrine worthy of veneration. Another thing is that sometimes it is impossible to reliably trace the history of a particular artifact over thousands of years.
The cross on which the apostle was crucified is kept in Orthodox Cathedral the city of Patras in Greece on the Peloponnese peninsula and is a significant shrine of all Christendom. The bringing of the shrine is timed to coincide with the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.
The Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called is accompanied by a delegation of the Greek Orthodox Church, which includes, in particular, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras, Metropolitan Alexander of Madinia and Kynuria, Hierokyrix of the Patras Metropolis Archimandrite Theodosius (Tsitsivos), and the clergy of the Patras Metropolis.
According to the police, in St. Petersburg, on the first day, 30,000 believers bowed to the shrine.
On the morning of July 16, the Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called will be brought to Moscow. Then the shrine will be brought to Kyiv and Minsk.
Schedule of stay of the cross of St. ap. Andrey in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus:
July 11-15 — St. Petersburg
July 16-17 — Odintsovo (Moscow region)
July 17-19 - Dmitrov (Moscow region)
July 19-25 — Moscow
July 26-28 — Kyiv
July 29 - August 2 - Minsk
Andrey ZAITSEV
The word about the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing, but for us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).
The cross is a Christian's weapon! The shining Cross with the inscription “By this victory” appeared to Emperor Constantine, who, by the will of God, built a banner, transferring the seen sign there. And indeed “Sim won”! In honor of Suvorov's crossing of the Alps, a granite cross twelve meters long was carved into the mountains.
It is impossible to imagine the history of mankind without the cross. Architecture (and not only temple architecture), painting, music (for example, “Carrying the Cross” by J.S. Bach), even medicine (the Red Cross), all aspects of culture and human life are permeated with the cross.
It is wrong to think that the cross appeared with Christianity. In many Old Testament events we see the mark of the cross. St. John of Damascus: “The Tree of Life, planted by God in Paradise, prefigured this Honest Cross. For since death entered through the tree, it was necessary that Life and Resurrection should be given through the tree. The first Jacob, bowing to the end of Joseph's rod, denoted the Cross by means of an image, and, blessing his sons with alternating hands (Gen. 48:14), he very clearly inscribed the sign of the Cross. The same thing was meant by the rod of Moses, which struck the sea in a cross shape and saved Israel, and drowned Pharaoh; hands stretched out crosswise and putting Amalek to flight; bitter water that is sweetened by the tree, and a rock that is torn and pours forth springs; the rod that gives Aaron the dignity of the clergy; the serpent on the tree, lifted up as a trophy, as if it had been killed, when the tree healed those who looked with faith on the dead enemy, just as Christ, in the flesh that knew no sin, was nailed for sin. The great Moses says: you will see that your life will hang on a tree before you (Deut. 28:66).”
IN Ancient Rome the cross was an instrument of execution. But in the time of Christ, it turned from an instrument of shame and painful death into a symbol of joy.
Since the first centuries of Christianity, it has been used to depict the cross. Egyptian hieroglyph ankh, meaning eternal life. It combines two symbols: a cross - as a symbol of life and a circle - as a symbol of eternity. Together they mean immortality. This cross became widespread in the Coptic Orthodox Church.
An equilateral cross consisting of two identical 
rectangular crossbars intersecting at right angles are called Greek. In early Christianity, the Greek cross symbolized Christ.
On the national flag of Greece this cross, white on blue background, first appeared in 1820, symbolizing the struggle against the rule of the Muslim Turks.
The Gamma Cross, or Gammadion, gets its name from the third letter of the Greek alphabet. It is said to symbolize Christ as the "cornerstone of the Church." Often such a cross can be seen on the clothes of priests of the Orthodox Church.
We call the letter X, in which the name of Christ is hidden, the St. Andrew's Cross, because the Apostle Andrew was crucified on such a cross.
Illiterate opponents of Christianity believe that the inverted cross is an anti-Christian symbol. In fact, this is also a Christian symbol. Saint Peter believed that he was not worthy to die the same death that Jesus Christ died. At his request, he was crucified head down. That's why he wears such a cross 
his name.
Christ was taken down from such a cross; it is usually called Latin. The most common Christian symbol in the Western world.
The six-pointed cross with a crossbar for the legs is a symbol of the Russian Orthodox Church. The lower crossbar is depicted tilted from right to left.
According to legend, during the crucifixion of Christ, a tablet in three languages (Greek, Latin and Aramaic) with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was nailed above the cross. This eight-pointed cross is also commonly called Russian.
The inscriptions and cryptograms on Russian crosses have always been much more diverse than on Greek ones. From the 11th century under the lower oblique crossbar eight-pointed cross a symbolic image of the head of Adam appears, buried according to legend on Golgotha (in Hebrew - “place of execution”), where Christ was crucified. “In the place where I will be buried, the Word of God will be crucified and water my skull with His blood,” Adam prophesied. The following inscriptions are known.
“M.L.R.B.” - the place of execution was quickly crucified.
“G.G.” - Mount Golgotha.
“G.A.” - head of Adam,
The letters “K” and “T” mean a copy of the centurion Longinus and a cane with a sponge, depicted along the cross.
The following inscriptions are placed above the middle crossbar: “IC” “XC” - the name of Jesus Christ; and under it: “NIKA” - Winner; on the title or near it the inscription: “SN” “BZHIY” - Son of God or the abbreviation “I.N.Ts.I.” - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews; the inscription above the title: “KING” “SLOVES” - King of Glory.
Clover leaves on a trefoil cross 
symbolize the Trinity and Resurrection. The circles on the edges of the drop-shaped cross are drops of the Blood of Christ, which, having sprinkled the cross, imparted Christ’s power to it. The pointed circle on the crosses is a symbol of the crown of thorns that the Roman soldiers placed on the head of Christ.
St. Ephraim the Syrian spoke about the power of the Cross and the sign of the cross. “If you always use the Holy Cross to help yourself, then “no evil will befall you, and no plague will come close to your dwelling” (Ps. 90:10). Protect yourself instead of a shield By the Honest Cross, imprint your members and heart with it. And don’t just rely on yourself sign of the cross, but also in your thoughts imprint with it every activity you do, and your entrance, and your departure at all times, and your sitting, and your rising, and your bed, and any service... For this weapon is very strong, and no one can ever do you harm if you are protected by it.”
Over the two thousand years of its existence, Christianity has spread across all continents of the Earth, among many peoples with their own cultural traditions and characteristics. It is therefore not surprising that one of the most recognizable symbols in the world, the Christian cross, has such a variety of shapes, sizes and uses.
In today's material we will try to talk about what types of crosses there are. In particular, you will find out: whether there are “Orthodox” and “Catholic” crosses, whether a Christian can treat a cross with contempt, whether crosses are in the shape of an anchor, why we also venerate a cross in the shape of the letter “X” and much more interesting things.
Cross in the church
First, let's remember why the cross is important to us. The veneration of the cross of the Lord is associated with the atoning sacrifice of the God-man Jesus Christ. Honoring the cross Orthodox Christian pays veneration to God Himself, who became incarnate and suffered on this ancient Roman instrument of execution for our sins. Without the cross and death there would be no redemption, resurrection and ascension, there would be no establishment of the Church in the world and no opportunity to follow the path of salvation for every person.
Since the cross is so revered by believers, they try to see it as often as possible in their lives. Most often, a cross can be seen in a temple: on its domes, on sacred utensils and vestments of clergy, on the chests of priests in the form of special pectoral crosses, in the architecture of the temple, which is often built in the shape of a cross.
Cross behind the church fence
In addition, it is common for a believer to expand his spiritual space to the entire life around him. A Christian sanctifies all its elements, first of all, with the sign of the cross.
Therefore, in cemeteries there are crosses over the graves, as a reminder of the future resurrection, on the roads there are worship crosses, sanctifying the path, on the bodies of Christians themselves there are crosses on the body, reminding a person of his high calling to follow the path of the Lord.
Also, the shape of a cross among Christians can often be seen in home iconostases, on rings and other household items.
Pectoral cross
The pectoral cross is a special story. It can be made from a wide variety of materials and have all kinds of sizes and decorations, retaining only its shape.
In Russia pectoral cross They are accustomed to seeing it in the form of a separate object hanging on a chain or rope on the chest of a believer, however, other traditions were found in other cultures. The cross could not be made of anything at all, but applied to the body in the form of a tattoo, so that a Christian could not accidentally lose it and so that it could not be taken away. This is exactly how the Celtic Christians wore the pectoral cross.
It is also interesting that sometimes the Savior is not depicted on the cross, but an icon of the Mother of God or one of the saints is placed on the field of the cross, or even the cross is turned into something like a miniature iconostasis.
About the “Orthodox” and “Catholic” crosses and contempt for the latter
In some modern popular science articles, one can find the statement that an eight-pointed cross with a short upper and oblique short lower additional crossbars is considered “Orthodox”, and a four-pointed cross elongated at the bottom is “Catholic” and the Orthodox supposedly belong or in the past belonged to it with contempt.
This is a statement that does not stand up to criticism. As you know, the Lord was crucified on a four-pointed cross, which, for the above reasons, was revered by the Church as a shrine long before the Catholics fell away from Christian unity, which occurred in the 11th century. How could Christians despise the symbol of their salvation?
In addition, at all times, four-pointed crosses were widely used in churches, and even now on the chests of Orthodox clergy one can find several possible forms of the cross - eight-pointed, four-pointed and figured with decorations. Would they really wear some kind of “non-Orthodox cross”? Of course not.
Eight-pointed cross
The eight-pointed cross is most often used in Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches. This form recalls some additional details of the Savior’s death.
An additional short upper crossbar denotes the titlo - the tablet on which Pilate inscribed the guilt of Christ: “Jesus of Nazareth - King of the Jews.” In some images of the crucifixion, the words are abbreviated to form "INCI" - in Russian or "INRI" - in Latin.
The short oblique lower crossbar, usually depicted with the right edge raised up and the left edge down (relative to the image of the crucified Lord), denotes the so-called “righteous standard” and reminds us of the two thieves crucified on the sides of Christ and their posthumous fate. The right one repented before death and inherited the Kingdom of Heaven, while the left one blasphemed the Savior and ended up in hell.
St. Andrew's cross
Christians venerate not only a straight cross, but also an oblique four-pointed cross, depicted in the form of the letter “X”. Tradition tells that it was on a cross of this shape that one of the twelve disciples of the Savior, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was crucified.
The “St. Andrew’s cross” is especially popular in Russia and the Black Sea countries, since it was around the Black Sea that the missionary path of the Apostle Andrew passed. In Russia, the St. Andrew's cross is depicted on the flag of the navy. In addition, the St. Andrew's cross is especially revered by the Scots, who also depicted it on their national flag and believe that the Apostle Andrew preached in their country.
T-cross
This cross was most common in Egypt and other provinces of the Roman Empire in North Africa. Crosses with a horizontal beam superimposed on a vertical post, or with a crossbar nailed just below the top edge of the post, were used to crucify criminals in these places.
Also, the “T-shaped cross” is called the “cross of St. Anthony” in honor of the Venerable Anthony the Great, who lived in the 4th century, one of the founders of monasticism in Egypt, who traveled with a cross of this shape.
Archbishop's and Papal crosses
IN Catholic Church, in addition to the traditional four-pointed cross, crosses with second and third crossbars above the main one are used, reflecting the hierarchical position of the bearer.
A cross with two bars signifies the rank of cardinal or archbishop. This cross is sometimes also called the “patriarchal” or “Lorraine”. The cross with three bars corresponds to papal dignity and emphasizes the high position of the Roman Pontiff in the Catholic Church.
Lalibela Cross
In Ethiopia, church symbolism uses a four-pointed cross surrounded by a complex pattern, which is called the “Lalibela cross” in honor of the holy Negus (king) of Ethiopia Gebre Meskel Lalibela, who ruled in the 11th century. Negus Lalibela was known for his deep and sincere faith, assistance to the Church and generous giving of alms.
Anchor cross
On the domes of some churches in Russia you can find a cross that stands on a crescent-shaped base. Some mistakenly explain such symbolism as wars in which Russia won Ottoman Empire. Allegedly, “the Christian cross tramples the Muslim crescent.”
This shape is actually called the Anchor Cross. The fact is that already in the very first centuries of the existence of Christianity, when Islam had not even arisen, the Church was called the “ship of salvation”, which delivers a person to the safe haven of the Heavenly Kingdom. The cross was depicted as a reliable anchor on which this ship could wait out the storm of human passions. The image of a cross in the form of an anchor can be found in the ancient Roman catacombs where the first Christians hid.
Celtic cross
Before converting to Christianity, the Celts worshiped various elements, including the eternal luminary - the sun. According to legend, when Saint Patrick enlightened Ireland, he combined the symbol of the cross with the earlier pagan symbol of the sun to show the eternity and importance for each convert of the Savior's sacrifice.
Chrism - a hint of the cross
During the first three centuries, the cross, and especially the Crucifixion, were not depicted openly. The rulers of the Roman Empire began a hunt for Christians and they had to identify each other using not too obvious secret signs.
One of the hidden symbols of Christianity closest to the cross in meaning was “chrism” - a monogram of the name of the Savior, usually made up of the first two letters of the word “Christ”, “X” and “R”.
Sometimes symbols of eternity were added to the “chrism” - the letters “alpha” and “omega” or, as an option, it was made in the form of an St. Andrew’s cross crossed out by a transverse line, that is, in the form of the letters “I” and “X” and could be read as "Jesus Christ".
There are many other varieties of the Christian cross, which are widely used, for example, in the international award system or in heraldry - on the coats of arms and flags of cities and countries.
Andrey Szegeda
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Andrew the First-Called, or Saint Apostle Andrew, is one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, who was the brother of He was crucified on a cross, which was called the cross of Andrew the First-Called and turned into a shrine. But first things first.
Andrew the First-Called
He sent two brothers to Jesus - Peter and Andrew. The latter became Christ's closest disciple. That is why he was dubbed the First Called. He, along with other disciples of Jesus, watched the crucifixion of his teacher, and was also an eyewitness to a real miracle: Jesus was resurrected!
According to the Bible, each of Christ's twelve disciples went to preach His teachings. The First-Called went east. He traveled for a long time, visited many countries and cities, the last of which was Patras in Greece. It was here that Andrew the First-Called performed many different miracles that prompted local residents to make a decision about Baptism.
The ruler of Patras, named Aegeates, did not heed the teachings of the First-Called and remained a convinced pagan, calling Andrew’s sermons madness. By his order, the Apostle Andrew was executed. His deathbed was the so-called cross of St. Andrew the First-Called. It was on it that the apostle was crucified. According to legend, the crucified Andrew was alive and conscious for three days. At this time he taught people. The First-Called accepted martyrdom after a prayer was said to God that he would take the martyr to himself.
What does the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called symbolize?
It is Apostle Andrew who is the connecting link between the Orthodox and Constantinople churches. On the territory of the future Ancient Rus' the apostle left preaching Christianity. He converted the pagan faith into his own.
Since the time of Russian Emperor Peter I the Great, Apostle Andrew became the patron saint of St. Petersburg, and the cross itself became a symbol of the Russian fleet. It is he who is depicted on (blue cross on a white cloth).
Nothing short of a miracle!
The Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called can be called a real miracle of God! Today, many Christian believers bow before him every day, asking for help in solving certain problems. And for good reason. Apostle Andrew hears and sees the pain living in their hearts, and asks the Lord to send help to these people. Possessed by spirits or terminally ill people who come to the cross are healed.
Where is the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called?
Of course, where the Apostle Andrew suffered martyrdom, that is, in the city of Patras in Greece. The cross was transferred there with great honors in January 1980. Today it is located in a specially equipped ark in the New Temple, which is dedicated to the Apostle Andrew.
What is the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called made of?
From the olive tree growing in the region of Achaia. When the cross was discovered in Massalia, scientists conducted special studies that confirmed that it belonged precisely to the era in which the holy Apostle Andrew was crucified. Scientists were also able to prove that the material from which the cross is made is the olive tree growing in Achaia.
- * “Andreevski kryzh” * Andrea’s cross is a cruciform bivalent that persists until metaphase I of meiosis due to the absence of the process of terminalization of chiasmata... Genetics. encyclopedic Dictionary
ANDREW'S CROSS- an image of a cross in the shape of the letter X. In heraldry it has the name “saltir”. Moses also erected an X-shaped image of the cross from copper. He pointed out to the Israelites that they would be saved through him. Plato endowed this symbol with special mystical properties.... ... Symbols, signs, emblems. Encyclopedia
St. Andrew's cross- (Old Russian - by the name of the saint) - a cross, knocked down obliquely in the form of the letter X. On such a cross, according to legend, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified - the brother of the Apostle Peter, a disciple of John the Baptist, the closest disciple of Christ, called first (from here And… … Fundamentals of spiritual culture (teacher's encyclopedic dictionary)
Andreas cross figure St. Andrew's cross. Cross-shaped bivalent, which persists until metaphase I of meiosis due to the absence of the process of terminalization of chiasmata
St. Andrew's cross- an oblique cross in the shape of the letter X. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified on such a cross. From time immemorial it was in great veneration, since at the same time it was considered as a symbol of the name of Christ (Greek X). In Russia, a blue oblique cross is depicted on... ... Orthodox encyclopedic dictionary
St. Andrew's cross- Four-pointed cross with identical inclined ends. (Terms of Russian architectural heritage. Pluzhnikov V.I., 1995) ... Architectural Dictionary
ANDREW'S CROSS- see Cross... Orthodox Encyclopedia
St. Andrew's cross- Andreevsky cross... Russian spelling dictionary
Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher ... Wikipedia
Books
- St. Andrew's Cross, Andrey Dai. Not everyone gets their hands on this amazing portal, a door to another world! Perhaps many people dream of this, but one day it fell into the hands of controversial and difficult people. From those that at first...
- St. Andrew's Cross, Dai Andrey Yurievich. Not everyone gets their hands on this amazing portal, a door to another world! Perhaps many people dream of this, but one day it fell into the hands of controversial and difficult people. From those that at first...
