The Meaning of Various Inscriptions on the Orthodox Cross
The Third
Sunday, and mid-point, of Lent celebrates the Holy Cross. In Orthodoxy the
cross has always been a symbol of great victory and power, as it was through
the Christ’s voluntary sacrifice on the cross that death was overcome and
salvation became possible for us. Crosses and crucifixes, therefore, are
extremely common and widely used.
Orthodox
Crucifixes are often elaborately decorated, as in the one shown above, which is
a modern wooden cross with a card print glued to the surface. These type of
crucifixes are, in effect, cross-shaped icons of the Crucifixion. However,
crucifixes are often covered with inscriptions – usually in Greek or Slavonic –
which are worth translating, as they proclaim clearly Christian teaching on
Christ and the Cross.
The Russian-Orthodox Cross (or Crucifix)
The most
“complete” Crucifix is the so-called eight-pointed cross, which shows Christ
crucified. Note that Jesus is not shown wearing a crow of thorns, but with a
halo of glory, and that He is not shown in agony and suffering, but peacefully
reposed. As is often the case in icons, the Slavonic inscriptions on the cross
are sometimes shortened, with curly lines over the letters which are omitted.
In the explanation below, I mainly give the full inscriptions.
The Top Bar
The top
bar of the Cross is the title-board which Pilate ordered to be hung in mockery
over Christ’s head. On this board was inscribed: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of
the Jews”, abbreviated to the Greek initials “INBI”, or the Latin initials
“INRI”. In modern Russian crosses, as here, the Russian abbreviation “І.Н.Ц.І.”
is used. Around the top bar, this inscription has been supplemented with the
title: “King of Glory” (Царь славы).
At the
top of the Cross is the Image of Christ “Not made by hands” (Нерукутвореному
образъ). It is through the Cross that Christ rose from the dead, and the Cross
is believed to be a source of miracles and healing. It is therefore appropriate
that atop the cross is a towel showing the face of the living Christ, which is
also believed to be miraculous.
Ministering
to the Crucified Lord are two flying angels, with the inscription between them:
“Angels of the Lord” (Ангели Господни).
The Middle Bar
The
middle bar is that on which the Lord’s hands were nailed. On this Crucifix, the
Mother of God (ΜΡ ΘΥ – Greek, rather than Slavonic) and St John the Theologian
(св. Иоанн Богослов) are shown as in icons of the Crucifixion, though they are
not always present on crosses like these. Immediately on either side of Jesus
Christ‘s head, His name is inscribed as the abbreviation IC XC. Further down
the Cross, by His feet, is the Greek word “NIKA”, which means “conquer”, giving
the full inscription: “Jesus Christ Conquers”. Note that, as is the custom,
Christ and His Mother’s name are inscribed in Greek, whereas St John’s is
written in Slavonic.
The
inscription: Son of God (Сынъ Божіи) is placed on both sides of Christ’s head,
and below His arms we read the inscription: We bow down before Thy Cross, O
Master, and we worship Thy holy Resurrection (Кресту Твоему покломняемся
Владыко, и святое воскресение Твое славимъ).
On other
Crucifixes, placed in roughly the same position as Mary and John here, are
placed a picture of the sun (солнца) and the moon (луна), for “The sun hid its
light, and the moon turned to blood.” (Joel 2:31). The sun and moon are also
often shown on icons of the Crucifixion.
The Bottom Bar
The
foot-brace of the cross is slanted to remind us that the Church likens the
Cross to a “balance-beam of righteousness”, whereby a man is condemned or
justified by how they respond to Christ’s cross. Behind the foot-brace are the
walls of Jerusalem, as Christ was crucified outside the city walls. Just above
the footrest is the Greek word for “conquer”, completing the inscription Christ
Conquers (IC XC NIKA) mentioned above.
Behind
the body of Christ, on either side, are a lance (К, short for копие) and a
sponge on a pole made of reed or cane (Т, short for трость, meaning reed). The
lance pierced Christ’s side, whilst the sponge was soaked with gall and offered
Him to drink.
By the
foot of the Cross are the letters: Г Г standing for Mount Golgotha (Гора Голгофа);
this is the hill outside the city gates upon which Christ was crucified. Hidden
in a cave under the earth is the skull of Adam, identified with the letters: Г
А (глава Адама). Sometimes, the arm bones will be shown crossed, the right arm
over the left, just as believers cross their arms to receive communion.
Not shown
here, but often present on below the feet of Christ are four Slavonic letters:
М.Л.Р.Б., meaning: The place of the skull, where Adam was (Место лобное рай
бысть). We are reminded that Adam our forefather lost Paradise through wrongly
eating from the tree, and that Christ is the new Adam, bringing us Salvation
and Paradise through the tree of the Cross.
As You were voluntarily raised upon the cross
for our sake,
Grant mercy to those who are called by Your
Name, O Christ God;
Gladden all Orthodox Christians by Your
power,
Granting them victories over their
adversaries,
By bestowing on them the Invincible trophy,
Your weapon of Peace.
Source: https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/the-slavonic-russian-inscriptions-of-the-orthodox-cross/
