VINTAGE FINE SOLID STERLING SILVER "OLD BELIEVERS" ORTHODOX CROSS with PSALM 68

Description: Vintage or antique solid sterling silver medium-sized but sturdy(approx. 1 1/4" tall with solid bale; weight approx. 1.7 g) Orthodox Cross pendant featuring a traditional Slavonic Orthodox plain and humble right-angled design inspired by "Old Believers" style of the 18th century. The obverse bears an image of the three-bar Savior's Cross with the Instruments of the Passion over the skull (Adam's head), whereas the reverse displays Church Slavonic words of the Orthodox prayer to the Holy Cross based on Psalm 68 of David the King. The bottom part of the reverse bears two punch marks, one of which displays the "925" hallmark indicating the "sterling" purity. It has been confirmed using the silver acid test. It has visual vintage or antique appearance with signs of aging and wear that might include diminished quality of the artwork, small deformations of its original shape, scratches, dents, and patches of discoloration/patina. The size and weight of the pendant are shown on the photographs for this listing.The obverse displays an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross which 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. Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are small images of the two Instruments of the Passion which are subjects to adoration along with the Cross, the Holy Lance (spear) of a Roman soldier and the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane.The top end of the vertical crossbar of the pendant bears an abbreviated inscription in Church Slavonic meaning "KING OF GLORY". The Kingship of Jesus is also symbolized by the shape of the necklace bale resembling the shape of a Byzantine-style crown. The side ends of the central horizontal crossbar show inscriptions in Church Slavonic meaning "JESUS CHRIST (IC XC) SON OF GOD".The bottom end of the vertical crossbar shows Greek "NIKA" ("VICTORIOUS") inscription made in a Cyrillic transliteration as "HИKA", an ancient symbol of Christ's victory over sin and death achieved on the Cross. The power of sin and death defeated by Jesus is also visualized using a symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross. The image refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. According to ancient tradition of the Church, it was also the burial place of the first man, Adam. The reverse shows the beginning fragment of the prayer to the Holy Cross based on Psalm 68 beginning with "ДА ВОСКРЕСНЕТ БОГ И РАЗЫДУТСЯ ВРАЗИ ЕГО..." 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: 49 USD

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2024-09-21T16:36:27.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD