Many people know the one-only popular Christian cross and believe that everything is limited. In fact, crosses there is a huge number of varieties, each of which has its own unique features of the value. I suggest to delve into this question today by finding out the main types of crosses (in particular, the types of Orthodox crosses) and that they denote. And you probably stand with historical data.
Symbols of the Cross
The cross is a geometric shape formed by two and more intersecting lines (occasionally - rectangles). In most cases, the angle between them is 90 degrees. Crosses usually belong to a certain religion, worldview and have a deep sacred value.Initially, the cross symbolized life and comes from solar (that is, the sunny) sign that means the process of movement of the daylight on the sky. His circle - correlated with the annual rotation of our planet around the Sun. The point from the highest is the date of the solstice in the winter, and the bottom - the spring solstice. Points located on the left and right corrected with spring and autumn equinox.
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An illustration of the presentation of the ancient people about the world around them is an illustration of the presentation of ancient people: here you need to remember the popular expression "in all four parties of the world." In this case, the cross symbolized the choice of a faithful life path and the intersection of opposite phenomena.
In addition, the shackles often correlate with the division of the world into four basic elements (water, air, fire and earth). In another embodiment of the interpretation, the vertical direction of the cross line - meant God and the Divine, and a horizontal - a person, the human one.
Historical information
Scientists have been studying the history of the first crosses and symbolism for a long time. They came to the conclusion that for the first time this symbol arises in the ancient world. And its initial meaning was very different from what he has in Christianity.
So the pagans actively used the cross a few thousand years before Jesus Christ was born. And this is not an empty chatter - this is confirmed by numerous finds of archaeologists represented by the ancient images. They were found throughout the European continent: in Egypt, Persia, Syria, India, as well as in both America.
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I would like to notice that the symbol initially had a dual value: it was a decoration on one side, and with the second - performed a mystical function.
The very first nation, which begins to actively apply the cross - residents of ancient Egypt. They used a cross with a ring called anx (or ANKH). Anh - symbolized the life of the inhabitants of the Divine World.
The ancient Babylonians corrected the cross with the symbols of God the sky - Anu. And Assyria, formerly 2 millennia BC, Babylonian colony, knew the cross depicted in the ring. He denoted a daylight, usually from the bottom of the sign of the moon. The sign was associated with the solar deity ashsur.
Ancient Hindus depicted a cross on the hands of Divine Krishna and over the killer killer figure. And people living in South America - Muissa believed that with the help of a symbol, you can protect your child from unclean power. For this purpose, he was placed under the bed of the child.
Until today, the cross is used as a religious symbol in states that do not support Christianity. These include Tengrians who believe in God by Tengri. They have a cross called "Aji", it symbolizes humility, applied to the skin of the forehead as a tattoo or drawing made by a red dye.
Varieties of crosses
Let's get acquainted with the main famous variations of crosses.
Anch. - Performs ancient Egyptian symbol of life.
Celtic - depicted in the form of an equally cooked cross, complemented by a circle. Today it is associated with Celtic Christianity, although researchers talk about older, pagan roots of this sign. It also uses many neo-Nazi movements.
Solar - Cross, drawn in a circle. Its archaeologists have discovered on things attributable to the period of neolithic and bronze century.
Greek - Equipical cross with equal, perpendicular lines. Means humility, the intersection of human will (horizontal direction of line) with divine will (vertical direction). Symbolizes universal communication and peace.
Latin - This is a traditional Christian symbol, widely known to everyone. He is associated with the crucifixion of the Savior on the cross for the sins of the world. Until Christ, the same cross correlated with the staff of the Solar God of the ancient Greeks - Apollo. Symbolically Latin Cross means death, guilt (carrying his cross), as well as liberation, resurrection, eternal life after death.
Cross of St. Peter (differently is called a lathe latin cross). Such an image of the symbol is due to the fact that the apostle and follower of Jesus crucified in 67, having hung the head of the book.
Cross evangelical "He symbolically refers to four followers of Christ: their name was Mark, Matthew, Luka and John.
Arkhangelsky (Otherwise, it is also known as a cross of Calvary). Symbolically depicts the Trinity of Virtues of Christians: faith (most important), hope and mercy.
Double - It is an image of a double-six-pointed cross having isometric crossbars.
Larring (Other names of the patriarch or archbishopsky). Symbolizes Cardinal or Archbishopsky Chin from Catholics.
Papal - Represents one of the varieties of the Latin Cross, but has three, and not two crossbars. The latter are symbolically correlated with the triple rule of Pope of Roman (the highest priest, teacher and shepherd). Also in this symbol, the idea of the fact that Pope is a governor of the Lord on Earth, the co-german of the sky, land and hell - three kingdoms.
Russian Orthodox Cross - personifies the Russian Orthodox Church. In it, in contrast to Latin, in addition to the main horizontal line, there are two more: the one is the symbol of the sign on the crucifixions of Christ, where data was recorded (Jesus Nazarenin, King Judea).
And the Lower - playing the ROL backups for the legs of the Savior, this is a symbol of weights on which the advantages and vices of each person are measured. LITERA IC and XS is a Christogram denoting the initials of the Messiah. In the first types of such crosses, the skull was still drawn (sometimes skull and bones) - as a sign of the fall of the Vote (Adam) and his descendants.
Byzantine - It was often used by Christians living in Byzantium.
Cross Lalibelia - The symbol of state of Ethiopia, it applies the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Traditionally, the priests trigger them to parishioners, granting the blessing and healing them from various ailments (especially from fears and shame).
Armenian - Cross, which complement the decorative elements located on the rays. This is a symbol symbol symbol, which distinguishes him from punishment.
Andreevsky - At the same time, the follower of Christ Andrey was crucified. It is used, having some states on flags and national symbols.
Templary - belonged to the Order of the Spiritual Knights of the Templars, founded in the lands of Jerusalem in 1119 of our era. Symbolized the readiness to sacrifice himself, protecting the Holy Earth.
Novgorodsky - Externally, very similar to the previous sign. His findings belong to the ancient Novgorod, from where the cross and received the corresponding name. In other areas, it was practically not applied.
Maltese (In a different way, Georgievsky or Cross of St. John speak about him - indicated a powerful Order organized by John Hospitallers in the 12th century on Palestinian lands. Its eight endings are associated with the eight of the bliss prepared for all righteous in the kingdom of the dead.
Cropped laptic - similar to the previous option. The difference is that this symbol does not possess the rays at the ends, as in the Maltese version. Connected with the Order of St. George and the Cross of Victoria.
Bolnisian - A popular type of godfall, which began to use Georgians from the 5th century. Complements the Cross of Holy Nina.
Cross of Teutonic Order - symbolizes the knights belonging to the order of the same name in the 12th century. A little later, after a couple of centuries, the symbol became the basis for creating other varieties of the Military Order of the Iron Cross.
Schwarzcreyts (Otherwise, it is called a black cross) - refers to identification signs that are used by the Armed Forces of Germany. Symbol of the German army.
Beam Cross - symbolizes the military equipment of Germany.
Swastika - In appearance, this is a cross, having curved (as if rotating in different directions - on and against the clock arrows of the rays).
The swastika refers to the oldest characters used by many people. He was applied to the items of everyday everyday, weapons, clothing, combat emblems and a banner, as well as their homes and temples.
It has a very deep symbolic meaning among different peoples, but mostly positive (means movement, life, sun, well-being). During the times of fascist Germany, the Germans compromised it compromisedly, in connection with which the swastika lost its initial popularity.
Hands of God - Such a sign archaeologists found on a vessel belonging to Pshevorsk culture. When the Second World War lasted the Hand Symbol of God applied the Nazis with the goals of propaganda, as the swastika is depicted on it. In the modern world, this is a religious symbol, common in lovers in Poland.
Jerusalem Cross (Otherwise, called the Crossroads Cross). He is banging at the National Georgian flag. There is a big cross in it - means the Savior himself, and the four small sides are associated with the four apostles, who wrote their gospel. After all, they carried the Christian faith in the four directions of the world.
Cross of the Order of Christ - belonged to the Christian Order of the same name.
Albano-Udyne - Indicates the Christian Caucasian Albania.
Red Cross - Associate with the modern eponymous organization providing humanitarian assistance to people from around the world, as well as with ambulance service. The symbol of green color means pharmacies, and blue - veterinary service.
Cross of Holy Nina - It is a Christian relic, depicted in the form of a cross, woven from the vine of grapes. The religious legend states that his Mother of God gave the Righteous of Holy Nina, pointing to her to go to Georgia.
Tau-Cross (differently is called Anthony Cross). The symbol is associated with the Great Anthony, the first to have invented the possibility of Christian monasses. According to the preserved written information, Anthony lived for 105 years, and the last forty of them was on Mount Kizma (located next to the Red Sea).
Basque - depicted in the form of four petals, bent in such a way that they resemble Solvor. There are two varieties of this symbol: in the first rays, they move in the direction of the clock arrow, and in the second - they rotate against it.
Cantabrian - The option of a split Andreevsky Cross, has imparted at the endings of the crossbar.
Serbian - externally acts as a Greek (equilateral) cross, four signs are depicted on its endings. This is the symbol of the state of Serbia, Serbs and Orthodoxy in this state.
Macedonian (Otherwise, it is called the Cross Velyus) - is the version of the Christian Cross. Indicates the faith of Christ in the territory of the country of Macedonia.
Coptic - It looks like an intersection of two lines at an angle of 90 degrees, the ends of the cross are separated by three. Under these three rays, the Holy Trinity is symbolically understood: the Holy Father, the Son and the Spirit of God. The considered religious sign applies Coptic Orthodox Church and Coptic Catholic Church (Egypt).
Crossed arrows. Symbolizes the National Socialist Party of Hungary, which was organized in 1937 Ferenz Salashi. Today, it is sometimes used by the ranks of the law-revital organizations.
Of course, the article lists not all of the varieties of crosses - in fact there are much more. It was only the most common. It can be concluded that the cross is a very multifaceted symbol, its appearance and meaning is changed in different cultures, depending on the direction of application.
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