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Which cross is considered canonical? Why is it unacceptable to wear a cross with the image of the crucified Savior and other images?
Every Christian from holy baptism to the hour of death must wear on his chest the sign of his faith in the crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. We wear this sign not over our clothes, but on our body, which is why it is called a body sign, and it is called octagonal (eight-pointed) because it is similar to the Cross on which the Lord was crucified on Golgotha.
A collection of pectoral crosses of the 18th and 19th centuries from the settlement area of the Krasnoyarsk Territory indicates the presence of stable preferences in form against the background of a rich variety of individual execution of products by craftsmen, and exceptions only confirm the strict rule. Unwritten legends keep many nuances. So, after the publication of this article, one Old Believer bishop, and then a reader of the site, pointed out that the word cross, just like the word icon, does not have a diminutive form. In this regard, we also appeal to our visitors with a request to respect the symbols of Orthodoxy and monitor the correctness of their speech!
Male pectoral cross
The pectoral cross, which is always and everywhere with us, serves as a constant reminder of the Resurrection of Christ and that at baptism we promised to serve Him and renounced Satan. Thus, the pectoral cross is able to strengthen our spiritual and physical strength, and protect us from the devil’s evil.
The oldest surviving crosses often take the form of a simple equilateral four-pointed cross. This was customary at a time when Christians venerated Christ, the apostles, and the holy cross symbolically. In ancient times, as you know, Christ was often depicted as a Lamb surrounded by 12 other lambs - the apostles. Also, the Cross of the Lord was depicted symbolically.
The rich imagination of the masters was strictly limited by unwritten concepts about the canonicity of pectoral crosses Later, in connection with the discovery of the original Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, St. Queen Helena, the eight-pointed shape of the cross begins to be depicted more and more often. This was also reflected in the crosses. But the four-pointed cross did not disappear: as a rule, an eight-pointed cross was depicted inside a four-pointed one.
Along with the forms that have become traditional in Rus', in the Old Believer settlements of the Krasnoyarsk Territory one can also find the heritage of the more ancient Byzantine tradition 
In order to remind us of what the Cross of Christ means to us, it is often depicted on the symbolic Calvary with a skull (the head of Adam) at the base. Next to him you can usually see the instruments of the Lord’s passion - a spear and a cane.
Letters INCI(Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews), which are usually depicted on larger crosses, are given in memory of the inscription mockingly nailed above the head of the Savior during the crucifixion.
The explanatory inscription under the titles reads: King of Glory Jesus Christ Son of God" Often the inscription “ NIKA” (Greek word meaning Christ’s victory over death).
Individual letters that may appear on pectoral crosses mean “ TO” – copy, “ T” – cane, “ GG” – Mount Golgotha, “ GA” – head of Adam. “ MLRB” – Place Execution Paradise Was (that is: at the site of the execution of Christ, Paradise was once planted).
We are sure that many people do not even realize how perverted this symbolism is in our usual deck of cards . As it turned out in, four card suits are a hidden blasphemy against Christian shrines: cross– this is the Cross of Christ; diamonds- nails; peaks- centurion's copy; worms- This is a sponge with vinegar, which the torturers mockingly gave to Christ instead of water.
The image of the Crucified Savior on body crosses appeared quite recently (at least after the 17th century). Pectoral crosses with the image of the Crucifixion non-canonical , since the image of the Crucifixion turns the pectoral cross into an icon, and the icon is intended for direct perception and prayer.
Wearing an icon hidden from view carries the danger of using it for other purposes, namely as a magical amulet or amulet. The cross is symbol , and the Crucifixion is image . The priest wears a cross with a Crucifix, but he wears it in a visible way: so that everyone sees this image and is inspired to pray, inspired to have a certain attitude towards the priest. The priesthood is an image of Christ. But the pectoral cross that we wear under our clothes is a symbol, and the Crucifixion should not be there.
One of the ancient rules of St. Basil the Great (IV century), which was included in the Nomocanon, reads:
“Anyone who wears any icon as an amulet must be excommunicated from communion for three years.”
As we see, the ancient fathers very strictly monitored the correct attitude towards the icon, towards the image. They stood guard over the purity of Orthodoxy, protecting it in every possible way from paganism. By the 17th century, a custom had developed to place on the back of the pectoral cross a prayer to the Cross (“May God rise again and His enemies be scattered…”), or only the first words.
Women's pectoral cross
In the Old Believers, the external difference between “ female" And " male” crosses. The “female” pectoral cross has a smoother, rounded shape without sharp corners. Around the “female” cross, a “vine” is depicted with a floral ornament, reminiscent of the words of the psalmist: “ Your wife is like a fruitful vine in the countries of your home. ”(Ps. 127: 3).
It is customary to wear a pectoral cross on a long gaitan (braid, woven thread) so that you can, without removing it, take the cross in your hands and make the sign of the cross (this is supposed to be done with the appropriate prayers before going to bed, as well as when performing the cell rule).
Symbolism in everything: even the three crowns above the hole symbolize the Holy Trinity! If we talk about crosses with the image of the crucifixion more broadly, then a distinctive feature of canonical crosses is the style of depicting the body of Christ on them. Widespread today on New Believer crosses the image of the suffering Jesus is alien to the Orthodox tradition .
Antique medallions with a symbolic image According to canonical ideas, reflected in icon painting and copper sculpture, the body of the Savior on the Cross was never depicted suffering, sagging on nails, etc., which testifies to His divine nature.
The manner of “humanizing” the suffering of Christ is characteristic of Catholicism and was borrowed much later than the church schism in Rus'. Old Believers consider such crosses worthless . Examples of canonical and modern New Believer casting are given below: the substitution of concepts is noticeable even with the naked eye.
The stability of traditions should also be noted: the collections in the photographs were replenished without the goal of showing only ancient forms, that is, hundreds of types of modern “ Orthodox jewelry ” – an invention of recent decades against the background of almost complete oblivion of the symbolism and meaning of the image of the honorable Cross of the Lord.
Illustrations on the topic
Below are illustrations selected by the editors of the “Old Believer Thought” website and links on the topic.
An example of canonical pectoral crosses from different times:
An example of non-canonical crosses from different times:
Unusual crosses supposedly made by Old Believers in Romania 
Photo from the exhibition “Russian Old Believers”, Ryazan Cross with an unusual back side that you can read about
Modern male cross
Catalog of ancient crosses - online version of the book " Millennium Cross » – http://k1000k.narod.ru
A well-illustrated article on early Christian pectoral crosses with high-quality illustrations in color and additional material on the topic on the website Culturology.Ru – http://www.kulturologia.ru/blogs/150713/18549/
Comprehensive information and photos about cast icon crosses from Novgorod manufacturer of similar products : https://readtiger.com/www.olevs.ru/novgorodskoe_litje/static/kiotnye_mednolitye_kresty_2/
Religious reading: Old Believer cross prayer to help our readers.
providenie.narod.ru
Preface
Whether it is an Old Believer cross or one of those accepted in the official church, they are equally blessed. Their difference is purely external, and is due only to the established tradition. Let's try to figure out what it is expressed in.
The departure of the Old Believers from the official church
It is known that, having entered into irreconcilable contradictions with the official church and separated from it, the Old Believers did not remain a single movement for long. The disagreements that arose between its religious leaders caused it to soon split into dozens of groups called “talks” and “concords.” Each of them was characterized by its own Old Believer cross.
Features of Old Believer crosses
This is an eight-pointed cross inside a four-pointed one. This form was widespread in the Russian Orthodox Church in the middle of the 17th century at the time of the schism and was in full accordance with canonical requirements. It was her that the schismatics considered most consistent with the concepts of ancient piety.
Eight-pointed cross
The presence in them, in addition to the main horizontal crossbar, of two more is explained as follows. The top one - a small crossbar - should depict a tablet nailed to the top of the cross on which the Savior was crucified.
On it, according to the Gospel, there was an abbreviation of the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower, inclined crossbar, depicting the footrest of the crucified Christ, is often given a very specific meaning.
According to established tradition, it is considered to be a kind of “standard of righteousness” that weighs human sins. Its tilt, in which the right side is raised up and points towards the repentant thief, symbolizes the forgiveness of sins and the acquisition of the Kingdom of God.
The left one, lowered down, indicates the depths of hell, prepared for the unrepentant thief who blasphemed the Lord.
Pre-reform crosses
For example, a cross. Whether it is Old Believer or not, it is, first of all, a symbol that has existed since the beginning of Christianity, and the external changes that it has undergone over the centuries have not changed its essence.
The most ancient crosses are characterized by the absence of an image of the figure of the Savior. For their creators, only the form itself, which carried the symbol of Christianity, was important.
This is easy to notice in the crosses of the Old Believers. For example, the Old Believer pectoral cross is often performed in precisely this ancient tradition.
However, this does not distinguish it from ordinary crosses, which also often have a strict, laconic appearance.
Copper cast crosses
The main distinguishing feature of them is the pommel - the upper part of the cross. In some cases, it depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and in others, a miraculous image of the Savior or the God of Hosts.
These are not just different artistic solutions, these are their fundamental canonical principles. Looking at such a cross, a specialist can easily determine whether it belongs to one or another group of Old Believers.
So, for example, the Old Believer cross of the Pomeranian Concord or the Fedoseevsky type, which is close to them, never bears the image of the Holy Spirit, but it can always be recognized by the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, placed at the top.
If such differences can still be attributed to an established tradition, then there are agreements and purely fundamental, canonical disagreements in the design of crosses.
Pilate's inscription
In this regard, the Old Believers have a question: is it worthy for the Orthodox Old Believer cross to bear an inscription written by one who is forever cursed by the church? Its most ardent opponents have always been the above-mentioned Pomeranians and Fedoseevites.
It is curious that disputes over the “Pilate inscription” (as the Old Believers call it) began in the first years of the schism. One of the prominent ideologists of the Old Believers, Archdeacon of the Solovetsky Monastery Ignatius, is known for having compiled several very voluminous treatises condemning this title, and even submitted a petition about this to the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich himself.
In his writings, he proved the inadmissibility of such an inscription and urgently demanded that it be replaced with the abbreviation of the inscription “Jesus Christ King of Glory.” It would seem like a minor change, but there was a whole ideology behind it.
The cross is a common symbol for all Christians
This is not surprising, since we have one faith, the Lord is one, and asking the question of how the Old Believer cross differs from the Orthodox cross seems incorrect. They are essentially united and worthy of universal worship, since, despite minor external differences, they have common historical roots and equal grace-filled power.
The Old Believer cross, the difference from the usual one, as we found out, is purely external and insignificant, is rarely an expensive piece of jewelry. Most often, he is characterized by a certain asceticism. Even the Old Believer golden cross is not common. Most of them are made from copper or silver.
And the reason for this is not at all a matter of economy - there were many wealthy merchants and industrialists among the Old Believers - but rather the priority of internal content over external form.
Community of religious aspirations
In the tradition of the Old Believers, greater importance is attached not to the appearance of the graves, but to the care for the repose of the souls of the deceased. This is fully consistent with what the official church teaches us. We all equally pray to God for our relatives, loved ones and simply brothers in faith who have completed their earthly journey.
Long gone are the times of persecution of those who, due to their religious views or due to prevailing circumstances, found themselves in the ranks of a movement that escaped the control of the supreme church administration, but nevertheless remained in the bosom of Christ’s Church.
Having officially recognized the Old Believers, the Russian Orthodox Church is constantly looking for ways to become even closer to our brothers in Christ. And therefore, the Old Believer cross or the icon, painted according to the canons established in the old faith, became fully objects of our religious veneration and worship.
Prayer to the Life-Giving Cross - examples of prayer texts to the Cross of Christ
Veneration of the Cross in Orthodoxy
At the same time, timid attempts to reduce the whole problem to the level of allegory and theological metaphor are not convincing due to the immutable patristic rule: the law of prayer is the law of faith. That is, the prayer to the Life-Giving Cross, practiced in Orthodoxy, implies faith in the personified existence of a certain cross endowed with consciousness.
However, the purpose of this article is not to delve into the theological issues of crucifixion, but to illustrate this practice using the example of several of the most popular prayers.
Basic prayer to the honorable Life-Giving Cross
“Let God rise again and let his enemies be scattered! And let those who hate him flee from his face! Just as smoke disappears, so they will disappear, just as wax melts in the face of flame, so will the demons perish in the face of those who love God, making the sign of the cross and exclaiming in joy: “Rejoice, revered by all the Life-giving Cross of the Lord! Drive out the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil and gave us you - your revered Cross, in order to drive out every enemy. Oh, most venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord! Help me together with the holy Lady Virgin Mary and together with all the saints forever. Amen".
This prayer to the Life-Giving Cross is part of the so-called evening prayer rule and is read every evening by all believers. Its first verses are taken from Psalm 67, interpreted in the light of the dogma of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. There is another commonly used prayer to the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, which, however, is not so well known and, moreover, more extensive. You can find it below.
Alternative prayer to the Cross
This prayer to the Life-Giving Cross is not used in worship, but is distributed in prayer books and other collections of prayer texts intended for home use.
Brief appeals
“Protect me, Lord, by the power of your venerable Life-giving Cross and save me from all evil.”
There are other prayers to the Cross, sometimes very long - canons, akathists, which can be easily found in church shops.
How do Orthodox Christians get baptized and why is it necessary?
Types of the sign of the cross
Three fingers are a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Double-fingering is considered more ancient and dates back to the times of the Old Believers. In the double-fingered sign of the cross, the index and middle fingers are folded as a sign of the unity of the divine and human nature of Christ.
Only priests use the sign of the cross. It is called that because it symbolizes the name of Christ. So, how do Orthodox Christians get baptized? Parishioners use three fingers. The double-fingered and nominative finger formation is used by clergy and is also depicted on icons. The latter is also used by priests when consecrating objects.
How Orthodox Christians are baptized: features
In Catholicism, more attention is paid to worldly life, and many Orthodox traditions, although they exist, have either been abolished or are carried out by parishioners on the principle of “whoever knows how.” So, how do Orthodox Christians get baptized?
The fingers should be folded into three fingers, after which the hand is brought first to the forehead, then to the navel, and then from the right shoulder to the left. But why do Orthodox Christians get baptized in this way? This has a special meaning. The right side in Christianity has always been considered the side of salvation, and the left is the place of perishing.
That is, in this way an Orthodox Christian asks to be counted among the saved. Catholics do the opposite: from left to right. For them, such a gesture means that they are opening their hearts to God. Some Orthodox Christians interpret their sign of the cross as follows: they close their hearts from Satan.
So: why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves from right to left, and Catholics from left to right?
So, until 1570, Catholics were allowed to be baptized both from right to left and from left to right. But then Pope Pius V insisted on doing it from left to right and nothing else. “Blessing himself. makes a cross from the forehead to the chest and from the left shoulder to the right,” said the great messenger of God.
The fact is that when you move your hands in this way, the sign of the cross, according to Christian symbolism, comes from a person who is turning to God. And when you move your hand from right to left, it comes from God, who blesses a person.
Note: it is not for nothing that both Orthodox and Catholic priests cross those around them from left to right (looking from themselves). This is a kind of blessing gesture.
In addition, what is interesting is that the movement of the hand from left to right signifies the transition from sin to salvation, since the left side in Christianity is associated with the devilish force, and the right side with the divine.
And with the sign of the cross from right to left, moving the hand is interpreted as a victory of the divine over the devil. Just like that! If this fact was interesting to you, then share the article with your friends.
Conscientious Accuracy
Any way of making the sign of the cross over yourself or other people must carry a semantic load, and here you must choose for yourself what is more important for you: open your heart to the Lord or close it from Satan. Therefore, you need to be interested not only in how Orthodox Christians are baptized, but also in why they do it.
Remember that putting a symbolic Orthodox cross on yourself means bearing a great responsibility.
Church schism: struggle for piety or power
Interpretation of church schism
Soviet scientists began to adhere to the same point of view. In Russia, especially in Tsarist Russia, the church has always been assigned the role of spiritual guardian and ruler of souls. Which, in fact, is quite understandable - then religion in the state was part of politics.
In Soviet times, it was generally accepted to interpret any events as a struggle of the oppressed masses.
Historical facts
Amendments were made to the service of the liturgy and to the Psalter. This is considered the main reason for the disagreement. But the church schism occurred later, when Patriarch Nikon received greater preferences from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great.
He could make decisions regarding church life himself. Many modern historians are confident that this is the real reason for the disagreement.
The attitude of the masses to the split
Studying the documents, scientists came to the conclusion that passions were in full swing among the clergy, who initially looked for supporters among representatives of the nobility, and only then slaves were used.
These were already attempts to organize acts of disobedience. The bulk of the people remained indifferent to this process. Most likely, because I didn’t even understand what all the fuss was about.
The archpriests who were part of the community of zealots of antiquity were arrested and exiled. A small part of the people who remained faithful to the previous canons were outlawed. Many of them fled and founded Old Believers settlements in Siberia.
They remained there until the revolution and many left the country during the civil war. A considerable part of them settled in South America.
Nikon's fate
This was not enough for him; he declared church power higher than royal power, which led to a conflict with the ruler and the loss of the highest favor.
Nikon had to leave the patriarchal throne; by the council of 1666-1667 he was deprived of his dignity and exiled to the Ferapontov Monastery.
But the changes he introduced in the conduct of religious services have remained in place to this day.
Related links
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Cross “CALVAYA CROSS. PRAYER TO THE CROSS" (Old Believer)
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Manufacturer: Yuri Fedorov Workshops
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The product is consecrated
Our cross reproduces the type of pectoral cross widely used in the Old Believer Church, which arose in Rus' in the 17th century.
Its characteristic features are a simple four-pointed shape with straight beams, where the vertical beam is longer than the horizontal one, and a fixed round top with a two-tier pyramid.
The central and main element of the composition of the front side is the eight-pointed cross - the image of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, installed on Mount Golgotha. Inside the mountain there is a skull depicting the head of Adam, because According to legend, Adam's remains were buried in this place. In addition, the connection between Christ and Adam is thus noted. The Fathers of the Church call Christ the New Adam, who atoned for original sin and opened the path to eternal life for man. On the sides of the Calvary Cross are depicted the instruments of the passions - a spear and a cane with a sponge. Along with the Cross, they are worshiped, therefore the spear and the cane are invariably present on all Old Believer crosses, forming a single composition with the eight-pointed cross and Golgotha. According to the opinion prevailing among the Old Believers, the image of the Savior cannot be depicted on body crosses, because the cross is never allowed to be removed, and at the same time a person has to go to places where it is indecent to bring the image of the Savior.
On the free field of the cross there are traditional inscriptions of a doctrinal and glorifying nature. At the top of the cross is Tsr slavy (Tsar Glory), an inscription that appeared on Byzantine crosses no later than the 12th century. (ΒΑΣΙΛΥΣ ΤΗΕ ΔΟΞΗΣ), the antonym of the ironic Pilate inscription, speaking of the Ascension of the Lord in Glory. At the edges of the horizontal beam is I&C X&C (Jesus* Christ), confirming the Messiahship of the Savior promised by the Old Testament. Along the horizontal beam is NIKA (Winner), reminiscent of Christ’s victory over hell and death.
The inscription I&С Х&С NIKA was first written on crosses made by order of Emperor Constantine immediately after the acquisition of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord by Queen Helena.
It is worth dwelling separately on the meaning of the eight-pointed cross, about which there was so much controversy in the history of the post-reform Church, and which today is not only especially revered by the Old Believers, but is also a symbol of the entire Russian Orthodox Church.
The eight-pointed cross as an image of the instrument of execution of the Savior has been found in church art since the 9th century. And by the 16th century. in Rus', the image of the Calvary Cross became predominantly eight-pointed. This graphic form, which has developed over the centuries, is the best spiritual image of the true cross of the Lord - a symbol of the Sacrifice and Victory of the Savior. The eight-pointed form, in turn, consists of three parts - the four-pointed cross itself and two additional horizontal crossbars at the top and bottom.
The four-pointed cross graphically repeats the figure of the crucified Savior, “Who created and contains everything above and below, who united the above with the earthly, descended from above to earth, and then ascended from earth to heaven; He united everything in Himself and called all the ends of the earth to Himself.”
The top bar represents Pilate's title, mentioned in all four Gospels. But Pilate’s inscription of the Savior’s imaginary guilt “Jesus of Nazareth – King of the Jews” until the 16th century. was not used on crosses, because its false content and mocking character were incompatible with the worship of the Cross. Instead, the true title of the Savior “Jesus Christ the King of Glory” was written, or more often just the abbreviated name of the Lord I&C X&C. After all, titles (titulus - lat.) in the Roman tradition were called “plates that signified royal power with the image of emperors or the writing of their name.”
On Russian crosses of Pilate, the inscription on the title is in the form of the Slavic abbreviation I.N.Ts.I. appears since the 17th century. and is usually present only in conjunction with the figure of the crucified Christ. However, on the eight-pointed crosses themselves without the Crucifixion, the inscriptions are not depicted, but are written next to them.
Thus, the upper crossbar, crowning the cross, denotes the true dignity of the Savior in accordance with the nearby inscriptions.
The bottom crossbar represents the foot. Despite the fact that the Gospel does not speak about the foot and there is no reliable archaeological data about its existence, it is mentioned by many Church Fathers and has been present in Byzantine and Russian images of the Crucifixion since ancient times.
Most researchers believe that the foot, according to the Byzantine ceremony, signifies the greatness of the person depicted. It shows the Cross as the throne of Christ, as a king, the King of Glory. In addition, the Cross is also perceived as an altar, the indispensable attribute of which is the foot. Thus, the footstool on the cross shows the crucified Christ not only as a sacrifice, but also as the High Priest who offers it. We find confirmation of these meanings of the footstool in many books of Holy Scripture (Is.60.13; Ps.98.5; Ps.131.7; Matt.22.44; Heb.10.12 - 13). Given such an important meaning of the foot, the Cross itself is often called the foot, and not just its separate part.
In the context of these meanings, the foot on ancient crosses had a three-dimensional cubic shape, was sometimes decorated with ornaments and was similar to the foot depicted on icons at the throne of the Almighty. Let us remember that the figure of the crucified Christ in those days also had the features of royal dignity. Over time (from the 9th century), the volumetric base in Byzantine and Russian art turned into a wide board. In Russian crosses of the 16th–17th centuries. it began to be depicted as beveled with its right end up. The foot of this form became popular and established itself in Russian icon painting and acquired a new symbolic meaning - “the righteous standard.” The beveled foot on the cross reminds us of the two thieves crucified on the sides of Christ, and represents the yoke of the scales of the Last Judgment. One end is lowered down under the weight of the sins of the unrepentant, bringing him down to hell, and the other, freed by the repentance of the prudent thief, is raised up, lifting him, according to the Savior’s promise, to paradise. This symbolically highlights the meaning of repentance as the path to salvation.
In addition, the reminder of the crucified thieves recreates the complete picture of the Crucifixion with three crosses, the important symbolic meaning of such a composition is to show the restoration of the lost paradise with two trees in the center. And then the Cross of Christ is the image of the Tree of Life, and the crosses of the thieves personify the dualism of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is possible that, combining the symbolism of the trees of paradise, the eight-pointed cross with an oblique foot becomes the “Three-part Honest Tree”, sung in the canon of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross (canto 8).
On the reverse side of our cross there is the text of a prayer to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross in pre-reform writing: May God rise again, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from his face: as smoke disappears, may they disappear, as wax melts from the face of fire, so yes Demons will perish on behalf of those who love God and knowledge.
*This spelling of the name of Christ was used before the church reform of 1651-1685, and is still accepted in the Old Believer Church to this day.
Our cross can be made in silver with blackening and fragmentary gilding (Art. KS109) or decorated with hot enamel of various colors (Art. KS109/1).
It has been noticed that each of those who have encountered the phrase at least once in their life “Old Believer Cemetery”, there was a feeling of something more than indicated in the term itself. And the point is not only that the concept of “cemetery” often denoted the spiritual center of the Old Faith. But the cemetery itself, in popular opinion, was perceived, both sensually and visibly, as different from the ordinary. In the people's imagination, pictures of the mysterious and unique cemeteries of Vyg or Kerzhenets arose... Or, at worst, a cluster of ancient wooden crosses unexpectedly discovered in a remote thicket, mixed with mossy stones, dotted with signs incomprehensible to the uninitiated.
Meanwhile, a visitor to many modern Old Believer cemeteries, especially new urban ones, will not immediately understand their religious affiliation. On the graves there are “standard” secular-type slabs, most of the surface of which is occupied by various texts and even portraits of the deceased. And among all this, in the corner of the slab, there is a modestly nestled cross, as a justification for the legal reason for placing this monument in this cemetery... Wooden Crosses turned out to be completely out of favor, and this is strange given the current advanced technologies for processing and preserving wood as a material. Reinforced concrete took the place of the tree. But even these relatively cheap, non-traditional materials, but traditionally proportioned Crosses, in our opinion, are preferable to standard slabs...
Of course, the basic rules of burial and commemoration for all faiths were developed by the Church, and the Old Believers are by no means an exception in this regard. The rules, in particular, required that the grave in Old Believer cemeteries should be oriented along the “east-west” line. The coffin is placed (lowered into the grave) with its feet facing east, and an eight-pointed Old Believer (Old Orthodox) grave Cross is placed at the feet. As numerous epitaphs say, “in the hope of a general resurrection” and its spiritual relief. Initially, the installation of the Cross had a purely sacred, spiritual meaning. According to popular beliefs, on the day of the Last Judgment, when the dead rise from their graves, the Cross will appear both as a support and as an opportunity to give thanks to the Lord... By the way, the custom of placing wooden Crosses on a “fresh” grave after the completion of the burial ceremony has been preserved to this day (then a temporary wooden cross may be replaced by a permanent traditional monument, but this should not happen before the fortieth day).
Humanity is alive with its memory. And over time, the sacred grave cross acquires the properties of a monument, because Memorabilia relating to a specific person or specific people began to appear on it. Initially these were minimal records about the name of the deceased and the year of burial, but over time the records became more and more numerous. And now, examining grave monuments even from the mid-nineteenth century, you can learn a lot about the life of the deceased, his well-being, place in society and other, sometimes most interesting, information.
It is safe to say that by the mid-nineteenth century, local Old Believers had fully developed public ideas about the types of monuments that met the strict rules of the Church and at the same time possessed a sufficient degree of information content, individuality and artistic execution.
Regardless of the difference in the forms of monuments (cross, stele, composition) and materials of manufacture (wood, stone, metal, combination of materials), these monuments had to meet the following conditions:
The proportions of the Cross must strictly comply with the Church rules, although there are deviations on the ancient “self-tapping” steles and stones; any signs and words on the surface of the Cross are unacceptable, except for the initial letters and titles of the Crucifixion depicted on the Cross, which must correspond to the canons of the image of the Cross in the Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church (unfortunate errors are observed already in the times after the First World War, but especially in our time), all records and epitaph should be either on the back of the monument, or on the pedestal of the Cross, or under the lower crossbar of the Cross when depicting it on a stele.
In relation to today's times, photographs and portraits are inappropriate on the monument with the Cross; in exceptional cases, these are permissible on steles or slabs separate from the Cross and included in a single ensemble of the monument.
The root cause of all the above requirements is simple - the monument retains sacred functions. Those who have come to honor the deceased pray to the Cross; before the Cross, memorial demands accepted in the Old Believers are periodically performed.
Praying in photographs and portraits is blasphemous.
Old Believer funeral customs allowed, in addition to installation individual monument(usually Cross)
and installation common monument for the family or part of it, and even the whole family.
It is interesting to trace the evolution of inscriptions on monuments and epitaphs. The most early of those found read: “The body of God’s servant Namek is buried in this place.” Moreover, even a servant of God is just a slave, and he is not supposed to have a patronymic and surname according to his rank.
But later, surnames, epitaphs and much more appear. This transition is most correctly indicated on the famous Andreevsky Memorial in Bikernieki, Daugavpils region.
Another common one early canonical epitaph- “In the hope of the general resurrection and eternal life, I pray to you, my dear brothers and sisters, pray for me, a sinner...”
However, there are also less common epitaphs - addresses.
In the city cemeteries of Rezekne and Daugavpils, extensive lyrical epitaphs are placed on rich monuments from the early twentieth century.
Our “trip” through the cemeteries of Latgale within the framework of this project can be called a search for monuments - bearers of lost centuries-old traditions. Due to many objective circumstances, in our modern cemeteries, gravestones are stone slabs of varying prices, in fact, a kind of “business cards in stone”...
Our demonstration here of the best examples of both ancient and modern memorial art in the spirit of ancient traditions, we hope, will contribute to the preservation of these monuments (especially the oldest of them) as an interesting component of our cultural and historical heritage. We also hope for interest from professional researchers. After all, they will have the opportunity to read unknown pages from the book of the general history of the Old Believers and, of course, the history of the Old Believers of Latgale.
Old Believer cemeteries in Latgale are, as a rule, isolated. Even in the complex of large city cemeteries, they are allocated a separate area. Undoubtedly, this circumstance greatly facilitates the search...
Going on a search through the cemeteries of Latgale, we first of all hoped to find at least the remains of ancient “cabbage rolls” - carved wooden columns with “lids” and carved wooden icons under them. Back in the thirties, they were preserved in the Deguchai cemeteries in Lithuania, which is only thirty kilometers from Latvia. This means that “stuffed cabbage rolls” could once have been displayed in Latgale cemeteries. But, alas, even in the memory of the all-knowing, bent old women, no memories of them were preserved.
What other monuments that have survived to this day would we classify as bearers of Old Believer traditions and in need of especially careful treatment?
Of course, first of all this eight-pointed Old Believer Crosses.
These can be large wooden crosses with or without “wings,” standing directly in the ground or on a pedestal (foot) made of stone. Today in our cemeteries throughout Latgale they can be counted on one hand. In some places, amateur enthusiasts are restoring them.
By the way, in popular Orthodoxy such ancient Crosses are sometimes especially revered, because, according to popular belief, they have special vital energy and strength.
These are vintage solid stone unpolished Crosses, carved from a single block of sandstone or even granite. Some of them are three meters high. These crosses were erected on solid stone pedestals, some of which are distinguished by the ascetic harmony of modest decoration. These pedestals are perceived as the natural foundation of the Cross. They often contain small information about the deceased or an epitaph. They were installed mainly until the First World War.
This and polished granite crosses. They appear in the last decades of the nineteenth century and are installed to this day, most often in very rich burials.
The pedestal is made of the same granite and also polished, often containing a lengthy epitaph.
This and cast metal crosses. There are not many of them, apparently, because of the high cost and still unconventional nature of the material.
They were cast “to order” with poured notes on both sides of the cross. They were installed from the last third of the nineteenth to the beginning of the twentieth centuries on stone and even concrete bases.
The largest number of traditional monuments worthy of study and preservation are made in the form of vertically installed all-stone slabs (steles) with the image of the Cross.
These are early, early nineteenth century (and later) “primitive” solid stone rough handicraft processing of the stele. Now their above-ground part is from 0.5 to 1.2 meters; they were usually installed without a foundation. The crosses on them, made in low relief technique, occupy most of the visible area of the stele. The written, informational part is located on the reverse side or below the Cross.
Since these monuments were erected without a foundation, over time most of the information “went into the ground.” This circumstance, on the one hand, contributes to the preservation of information, and on the other, makes it difficult to access due to moral considerations.
This magnificent all-stone, sometimes ancestral steles from the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Unpolished, made of light sandstones, often as tall as a man, these steles often amaze you with the skill of the stone-cutters.
In addition, despite strict compliance with the canons, almost all of them have individual differences. One of the often significant differences is the number of crosses on the front side of the stele. “Paired” crosses typical for family memorial steles, on the graves of spouses. However, there are often steles depicting two, three And even And four crosses of different sizes.
This and polished “monumental” steles with Crosses. (Since the beginning of the twentieth century, they have been found at rich burial sites and even as monuments to clergy.
Often special niches for copper icons and lamps were cut out on them and lengthy epitaphs were placed, often with quite secular content.
In addition to the above-mentioned, most common types of Old Believer monuments, in our cemeteries there are also monuments that are not traditional, but even more worthy of preservation due to their uniqueness, historical, social or artistic value:
The oldest wooden burial structures of Northern Rus' - the so-called domina. In all of Latgale, only four of them have been found so far - and all in Rezekne. Two of them, which were in very poor condition, have now been reconstructed. Domovinas have been known since very ancient times, but those that have survived today date back to the eighties of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century.
Rarely seen raw stones with barely outlined Crosses, as well as stones of a primitive cruciform shape. These memorial signs are difficult to find, and it is impossible to determine the time of their production in the field.
Monuments luxurious- made by famous sculptors
Commemorative ensembles and crypts undoubtedly have high artistic merit. The vast majority of these are monuments to city cemeteries. We note with bitterness that during the Soviet era, many of them deliberately barbarously distorted and all this former greatness stands shamefully humiliated and often unkempt.
Public shrines: Monument to the fallen Old Believers for the freedom of Latvia in Jekabpils,
Memorable memorial to fallen soldiers- Old Believers during the First World War in Daugavpils.
Memorial to fallen villagers during the Second World War in the Old Believers Bikernieki - Krivosheev.
Monuments to outstanding Old Believer clergy, philanthropists, cultural figures and devotees. Sometimes these monuments are too modest for one reason or another. However, they are an integral part of our memory and must be protected. And finally, the most ancient monument of each individual cemetery should be considered as a landmark monument. Its preservation is the key to preserving the historical realities of this region.
Sometimes a monument with interesting notes and epitaphs can become a landmark of a cemetery.
It is with great regret that we note the fact of the destruction of many monuments, perhaps priceless from a historical and artistic point of view. Therefore, an equally important result of our work would be to attract the attention of the general public (primarily the Old Believers) and self-government bodies to the problem of preserving at least the most valuable monuments. After all, only elementary ignorance, the loss of historical memory and continuity, as well as the lack of public attention have led to the fact that sometimes the “Old Believers” themselves treat their shrines only as an annoying hindrance in the arrangement of their own. No matter how difficult the problem of preserving individual monuments is, ideally, in our opinion, the most ancient parts of individual cemeteries should be preserved as protected areas. Today it is still possible to do this in Bikernieki (Krivosheev), in Subata, in Mirny (Volodin), in Voitishki - all these cemeteries in the Daugavpils region - and in many others as well.
For this, it is quite enough “just” to have a common interested view on the problem of preserving historical shrines both among Old Believer communities and among local governments and, not least, among those authorized to protect cultural and historical monuments. For these monuments are valuable and little-studied custodians of historically important information about the Old Believers of Latvia, a tool for studying the development of memorial art of the people of Latvia. In addition, if desired, these monuments can serve as the basis for the development of sacred tourism, which is not unprofitable for local governments. After all, cemeteries are a kind of open-air museums, and some of them are of not only historical and ethnographic, but also great artistic value.
Alas, the common problem of all Latgalian cemeteries is almost universal neglect. Most of them belong to local governments, but at best they only help in their maintenance. Local governments are not involved in the protection of monuments in cemeteries, because the territory of cemeteries is limited, another layer of burials cannot be avoided... We would like to hope that our work will be beneficial to both local governments and communities.
The advantage of our publication is that it provides the reader with extensive visual material, published for the first time. For the most part, these are photographs of the most interesting, from our point of view, monuments of some Old Believer cemeteries in Latgale. Particularly interesting for inquisitive researchers are the rural cemeteries of Volodin, Krivosheev, Subat, Voitishek, Krasny from the Daugavpils region, as well as the urban ones in Rezekne and Daugavpils. The cemeteries of Jekabpils, Pantelišek, Gorbunovka also have their own attractions...
But before sending you, dear reader, into a fascinating contemplation, we consider it necessary to give a small explanation of the symbolism accepted in the Old Believers.
So, the main distinctive element of the Old Believer traditional, or, if you prefer, canonical grave monument, is the eight-pointed Old Believer Cross. In literature, this Cross is often called the Calvary Cross. At the same time, modern Old Believer mentors do not classify the so-called Old Believers as domed Crosses, with rounded and embellished ends.
Most clear and convenient, for perception, Cross and traditional inscriptions around him are depicted on a stele from the mid-nineteenth century of the Volodinsky cemetery, Daugavpils region
Canonically, the Old Believers consider the Cross to have three components: a vertical tree, a long horizontal beam and an oblique foot. On the right hand of the crucified Christ there is a higher oblique crossbar. The upper short crossbar symbolizes the tablet, which, according to the Gospel, was attached above the head of the crucified Christ. The canonical instruments of Christ's passion depicted on the steles are the spear and the cane. The cross rises on the stylized outline of Mount Golgotha, which is depicted in different ways: most often in the form of a triangle, a semicircle, or a three-step foot. At the foot is the skull of Adam's head, sometimes overly realistic.
The image of the Cross and the instruments of the passions are complemented by a set of Church Slavonic initial letters and abbreviations accepted in the Old Believers (in the Church Slavonic tradition - titles).
The two topmost abbreviations are decisive: TsR SLVY with titles (KING OF GLORY) - (in contrast to the New Orthodox INCI), and IC HS (JESUS CHRIST) - (in contrast to the New Orthodox IIS HS (JESUS CHRIST)). At the level of the long crossbar - SНЪ BZHII, with the titles the accepted abbreviation is Son of God. Below the long crossbar are the letters K and T, respectively denoting a spear and a cane. At the level of the oblique crossbar the winning word NIKA (NIKA) is placed. Below the oblique crossbar in the breakdown is the abbreviation ML RB - Place Execution Paradise Byst, even lower GG (Mount Golgotha) and GA (Head of Adam).
In the literature, such a set of abbreviations is usually called typical or usual. Although, according to the results of our searches, this set can be called the maximum possible. In reality, some elements on the steles may be missing, with the exception of the very top ones.
As for the monuments - Crosses, they necessarily have only the “upper” titles, and the skull of Adam’s head at the base. There may not be any other titles. The exception is cast metal custom Crosses: on the front side they have a full set of titles, and on the back - information about the deceased.
About dates on monuments. Unexpectedly for us, the vast majority of dates on the monuments are conveyed in understandable Arabic numerals and in chronology from the Nativity of Christ. But there are also ancient Russian datings from the “Creation of the World”, with a difference in numbers of 5508 years, transmitted by Slavic (alphabetic) numbers.
The study of the monuments allows us to make the assumption that by the mid-nineteenth century in the Dvinsk (Daugavpils) region there were large workshops for the production of grave monuments, distinguished by both high professional skill and subtle artistic taste.
The application of epitaphs, titles, unexpected entries and details to the finished monument obviously occurred in accordance with established local customs. Therefore, comparing the monuments of even several cemeteries in Latgale can lead to interesting discoveries. True, in this case one must always take into account the existence in Latgale of two main non-priest Old Believers agreements - the Pomeranians and the Fedoseevites. Currently, only one Fedoseev community has survived in Latvia - in Rimsha, Rezekne district.
We invite you, dear reader, to an exciting journey through the Latgale Old Believer cemeteries. Watch and study! May God grant you mental well-being from at least virtual contact with ancient Old Believer shrines.
Even 300 years after the church reform of Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, there were still people in Russia professing Christianity according to the old model. In everyday life they are called that way - Old Believers (or Old Believers). Holyly honoring the Lord, they cross themselves with two fingers, for “you take salt and tobacco with a pinch - you put it into the wounds of Christ.” And they denote the Holy Trinity by the thumb, ring finger and little finger clasped together. And their eight-pointed cross does not have a crucifix - only inscriptions to the glory of the Lord.
Funeral of the Old Believers
Just as in everyday life the Old Believers differ from the parishioners of the Orthodox Church, so their funeral rites have their own characteristics. Listed below are the funeral customs of Old Believers from different volosts of pre-revolutionary Russia. In many ways, these traditions are archaic and are not fully implemented today. Even in large settlements, they now prefer not to grow flax on the farmstead for funeral clothing, but to buy ready-made fabric. The same applies to the manufacture of a coffin (they now buy it instead of cutting it out of solid wood with their own hands) and transportation to the cemetery (they use a car rather than carry it by hand). In general terms, the Old Believers try to adhere to the behests of their fathers.
On the eve of death
Confession is considered one of the important stages on the path to the Lord. For her, a mentor is invited or the soul is cleansed in front of an older member of the community. Inviting an Orthodox priest is considered a sure pass to Hell.
During repentance, the pillow was removed from under the head, and holy water was applied to the lips. To ease the soul, the dying person was asked the following questions:
- Would you like to tell me something important, to express your last will?
- Is there a desire to confess a sin for which there was no prior repentance?
- Do you hold a grudge against someone close to you?
At the end of confession, penance was imposed according to the announced sins. It was believed that without repentance one cannot appear before the Gods. For the unrepentant deceased during their lifetime, only a prayer for the departure of the soul was read, without a funeral service.
Lament for the deceased
In many Old Believers communities it is customary to loudly mourn those who have passed away. They start wailing right from the moment death is pronounced. Mourners were often invited for these purposes. Experienced complainants could so touch those present with their lamentations that even the men sometimes shed tears. It was believed that the soul, having heard such lamentations, would be satisfied and would not return to the house.
In other settlements, crying was frowned upon. He was called howling and other insulting names.
Curtaining mirrors
It was mandatory to cover all mirror surfaces throughout the house. This applies to mirrors, polished metal doors, samovars, and, more recently, televisions and monitors.
Ablution
Elderly Old Believers of the same sex as the deceased who no longer knew sin were called for washing. If the community was small, it was allowed to invite older women for deceased men.
Cleansing of the body was carried out in the first hours after death. Due to the labor intensity, this was done by 2-3 people. We started with the head and ended with the feet. The right side before the left. Often, “Jordan” water collected on January 18-19 was used for these purposes.
After ablution, water was not poured into common places. Together with sponges, a comb and other used utensils, they took it outside the village and buried it - “so that the unclean would not use it.”
vestment
Funeral clothes were prepared in advance. It consisted of underwear (shirt), socks (stockings for women) and soft slippers made of leather, straw or coarse fabric. The women's shirt reached the ankles, the men's - the knees. The underwear was white. In some volosts they limited themselves to this. But more often, men wore pants without tucking them in, and women wore a sundress in dark colors: blue, brown or black. Embroidery or other decorations were not allowed. The entire robe, like the shroud, was sewn without knots, using a needle-first stitch.
A girl had one braid, braided up, and a married woman had two braids, braided down. A scarf or cap was tied on the head, and a scarf on top.
Shroud
It was made from long white linen. In some provinces it consisted of 12 meters of fabric, in which the dressed deceased person was tightly swaddled along with his head. In others, a piece of material was folded in half lengthwise and sewn at the top. Thus, the funeral blanket took on the appearance of a boat in which the deceased was sent to wander through the afterlife.
Coffin
Even until the middle of the last century, the custom of hewing a death bed from a fallen tree trunk survived. Such a house was prepared in advance and it was stored in the attic of a residential building, awaiting its owner. It was even believed that she brings prosperity and prosperity to the house.
According to other traditions, the coffin was made only after death. It was knocked down from boards, without using iron nails. They were replaced by wooden choppers or dovetail-type sidewall fastenings. The wood was not covered with fabric either inside or outside. The cross was also not attached to the lid of the coffin - “for it is inappropriate to lower God’s symbol into the grave.”
When making domina using any of the methods, the wood chips were not burned or thrown away. It served as a filler for bedding and pillows.
Entombment
The body, previously dressed in a shroud, was laid on a bench with its feet towards the icons until the funeral itself. And they didn’t touch him anymore. They were placed in the coffin almost just before it was taken out to the cemetery. Now this custom is not observed. If the body remains in the house, then it is immediately placed in the house.
Planed wood chips, birch leaves, and pine spruce branches were placed at the bottom of the coffin. A pillow stuffed with leaves or the hair of the deceased collected throughout his life was placed at the head of the head. A body dressed in a shroud was placed on top. The hands were placed on the chest - the right one on top of the left one. The fingers of the right hand were folded into double fingers, and a ladder was put on the left - a kind of rosary, made of wood and reminiscent of a small ladder. Sometimes a cross or icon of a saint was placed on the chest. For women they used the Mother of God, for men - St. Nicholas. Just before the burial, the icons and cross were removed from the coffin.
After placing the body in the coffin, the latter, for strength, could be tied with bast or twine. The same was allowed for the body itself, wrapped in a shroud. The dressing was done in such a way that 3 crosses were formed: in the area of the sternum, abdomen and knees. This crossing resembled the octagonal cross with which the Old Believers cross themselves.
Burial day
Old Believers are buried on the third day. But in the summer, in order to avoid rapid decomposition, they can do so the next after death.
Funeral service
According to ancient traditions, it was customary to read the Psalter tirelessly for three days and three nights. For this purpose, 3-4 people from the community were convened and they, replacing each other, said prayers. In our time, we limit ourselves to three memorial services:
- On the eve of the burial.
- On the morning of the funeral.
- Just before the burial, in the graveyard.
Services take a long time to read. It is believed that the longer the funeral service lasts, the purer the soul appears before the Lord. Only those who have lived their lives righteously on earth are honored with a funeral service. Those living in a civil marriage, drunkards, apostates and unrepentants can only count on the prayer of departure.
Farewell to the deceased
Farewell to the deceased was held at the doorstep of the house. To do this, the coffin was taken out into the yard, feet first, and placed on a table or stools. Those gathered approached the deceased with prayers and bows. The owners could immediately set the dinner table. Thus, the deceased, as it were, had his last meal with his friends. In this case, after the cemetery, the wake was no longer celebrated.
grave
Among some nations, it was customary to bury bodies as deep as possible. Others limited themselves to a chest-deep distance so that during the General Resurrection the deceased could crawl out of the pit. They often dug on their own, not entrusting this work to the servants of the necropolis.
The grave was located in such a way that the head of the deceased was oriented to the west and the legs to the east.
Funeral procession
The domovina and body were carried to the cemetery by hand or on drags. Horses were not used for this work - “for a horse is an unclean animal.” The porters were 6 people from the community, by no means relatives. Sometimes you can find a requirement that women should be carried by women and men by men. But this practice has long since become obsolete. Nowadays, the coffin is transported to the very gates of the cemetery in a hearse.
The procession stopped three times: in the middle of the village, at the edge of the village and in front of the cemetery. The move was carried out along an untrodden road, “so that the deceased would not return back.” After the coffin was taken out, domestic animals were fed grain and oats - “so that they wouldn’t follow their owner.” Pine or spruce branches were thrown after the mourners - “so that the deceased would prick his legs if he decided to return.”
Funeral
At the funeral itself, the last service is held - Litiya. The symbols of faith are taken out of the coffin, the lid is nailed down. Burial takes place in the usual way. Drags (if used) and towels are also lowered into the grave pit if they become very dirty when lowering the house.
Commemoration
The 3rd, 9th, 40th days and “godina” (anniversary) are considered memorial days. It is rare to find communities where they celebrate the semi-centigrade (20th day) and half-anniversary. Commemoration is also carried out on parental Saturdays, Radunitsa, Dmitrovskaya Saturday and on the eve of Trinity.
There should be no booze on the table (only kvass is allowed), tea and meat. Some communities also refuse potatoes. Kutia – boiled wheat in honey – is considered obligatory. Also served are cabbage soup, fish, pea or onion soup, porridge (buckwheat or rice), compote, jelly, honey. The funeral dinner is modest and held in silence. The main part of it is reading prayers.
Farewell to the soul
According to legends, the soul of the deceased lived on a towel until the fortieth day, which is located in the red corner of the hut (where the icons are). Therefore, any draft was considered to be the movement of the deceased. On the 40th day, relatives took the towel outside the village and shook it three times in the direction of the cemetery, freeing the soul. At the same time, parting words were spoken and bows were made.
Mourning
Old Believers communities, by their way of life, condemn idleness and excessive amusements. That’s why they don’t have mourning in the general sense. It is important to celebrate the death anniversaries of your relatives. Commemoration for parents should be carried out for 25 years.
Attitude towards suicides and apostates
Those who commit suicide, apostates, drunkards and those leading a sinful life in the world are not worthy of burial according to the existing rite. Most often they were buried outside the cemetery, without proper reading of prayers. They were not even allowed to see them off - “so that the deceased would receive in full for their sins”
Those who died without repentance, on the road or in a public place in Tsarist Russia, were buried in poor houses, separately from the rest of the believers.
Attitude towards cremation
Extremely negative.
Tombstone
An octagonal cross with a top made of dense wood is the most common type of tombstone. It is placed at the feet so that the sun rising from the east will make the sign of the cross over the grave. A plate with the name and dates was attached at the very bottom, under the last crossbar. The photo was not posted. In the middle of the cross, at the intersection of the main crossbars, an icon could be inserted.
In other areas you can find blocks - tombstones in the form of huts or small log cabins - “so that the deceased could hide from the wrath of the Lord.” Another option for a tombstone is a pillar with a top, under which there was a small wooden box like a birdhouse with an image of a cross. Its second name is cabbage roll.
Burial of Old Believers by Orthodox priests
Although the Old Believers themselves deny such a burial, Orthodox priests agree to attend their funeral. At the same time, the ritual is performed as for other non-believers. The coffin is not brought into the temple, the litany and requiem service are not read, and with the chant “Holy God,” the priest dressed in sacred robes escorts the deceased to the final monastery.
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In the middle of the 17th century, the Nikon reform split the Russian Orthodox Church. Since that time, significant differences in external attributes have been observed between Nikon’s followers and supporters of the old rite; they also affected the pectoral cross.
The cross, as one of the main symbols of faith, has always been given special significance by the Old Believers. After the Nikon reform, it was important for them to preserve its traditional shape - an eight-pointed cross, sometimes inscribed in a four-pointed one. At the same time, women's pectoral crosses among the Old Believers, according to tradition, differed from men's: they did not have a sharply defined shape and rather resembled flower petals. On the reverse side of the Old Believer cross the words of the prayer were always written: “May God rise again and his enemies be scattered, or we bow to Your Cross, Master, and glorify Your holy Resurrection.”
However, it would be unfair to say that the eight-pointed shape of the cross is a distinctive feature exclusively of the Old Believers. Such crosses are found in both the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches. Another thing is that the modern Orthodox Church allows six- and four-pointed crosses, which Old Believers consider inferior. They draw attention to the fact that the four-pointed cross is a purely Catholic tradition (Old Believers call it “kryzh in Latin”).
In this they zealously follow the legend according to which Queen Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, in the 4th century, during excavations on Golgotha, discovered an eight-pointed cross - it was on it that the Savior was crucified. It is curious that the eight-pointed cross has been placed on the coat of arms of the Russian state since the middle of the 16th century, but in 1625 the government decided to replace it with a third crown.
What does the eight-pointed cross symbolize? In addition to the large crossbar to which Christ's hands were nailed, there are also upper and lower bars. The top one is identified with a tablet that contained the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The Gospel says about this: “Pilate also wrote an inscription and placed it on the cross. It was written: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (John 19:19-22).
Among the Old Believers, there was always controversy about this inscription: many considered it blasphemy to place on the pectoral cross the words of the one who subjected Christ to reproach and sent him to death. Among them, representatives of the Pomor and Fedoseev persuasion stood out. One of the ideologists of the Old Believers, Archdeacon of the Solovetsky Monastery Ignatius, even submitted a petition to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich so that he would ban the “Pilate inscription.” In the vast majority of cases, this inscription on the crosses of the Old Believers is not present, but sometimes it is replaced by the abbreviation INCI or INRI (in Latin).
Another crossbar - the bottom one - was intended for Jesus' feet. She also has her own story. According to established church tradition, it is considered a kind of “measure of righteousness.” It is no coincidence that one side of this bar is raised up and points towards the repentant thief who was executed along with Christ, the other is correspondingly directed downwards and points to the criminal who did not accept the grace promised by Jesus.
Old Believers always believed that the pectoral cross, which is given at baptism, should never be removed. This even applies to visiting a doctor or a bathhouse. However, if for some reason a believer had to remove his pectoral cross, it is necessary to read a special prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bless, sanctify and preserve me by the power of the Life-Giving Cross.”
Until the 17th century, Orthodox pectoral crosses were deprived of the image of the crucified Savior (this tradition was characteristic of the Catholic Church), but after the Schism, supporters of Patriarch Nikon began to have pectoral crosses with the image of Christ. Adherents of the old rite continued to wear traditional crosses, considering the new custom non-canonical. This trend is also characteristic of the present time.
According to the beliefs of the Old Believers, a cross with the image of the crucified Christ is likened to an icon, which is not intended to be worn, but for direct contemplation and prayer. Moreover, the image of the crucifixion actually means that the Savior is crucified twice, since the cross itself is already a symbol of the crucifixion.
Old Believers consider the cross to be a symbol and the icon to be an image. It turns out that by hiding an icon under clothes, a believer essentially turns it into a pagan amulet. Back in the 4th century, Basil the Great wrote condemningly about this: “Anyone who wears any icon as an amulet must be excommunicated from communion for three years.”
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