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moonflower77) wrote2017-09-05 08:47 am
moonflower77) wrote2017-09-05 08:47 am
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Symbolic pectoral pendant “Blossoming Cross”
The sign on this miniature pectoral pendant is a variation of the blossoming cross, which emphasizes the Life-Giving quality of the Lord's Cross and was extremely popular in the Byzantine Empire. Such crosses could be encountered on the domes or gates of churches, sarcophagi, reliquaries or boxes used to store particles of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, and were used as insignia or worn as pectoral crosses.
The popularity of this image was determined primarily by the lasting symbolic connection between the Lord's Cross and the Tree of Life as reflected in the writings of the Church Fathers and in spiritual hymns. St. John of Damascus writes: “The Tree of Life planted by God in Paradise was the prototype of the cross, for as death entered the world through a tree, so life and resurrection must also be granted to us through a tree.” A number of legends draw a direct connection between the origin of the Savior’s Cross and the Tree of Life that used to grow in Eden.
In the Old Testament, flowering was used as evidence of truth and legitimacy. An example of this is the wand of Aaron, whose blossoming proved that the high priest’s authority was legitimate. It is possible that the abundance of blossoming crosses on various insignia was due to this symbolic meaning.
The symbolic significance of the grapevine, which, according to the Gospels (John 15:1), stands for Christ Himself, had a great influence on the development of this image. A historical example is the cross of Nina, Equal of the Apostles, the Enlightener of Georgia, which was crafted from a grape vine.
In addition to the foregoing, the shape of these blossoming crosses, which have two plant sprigs (shoots) growing from the foundation, is similar to the Early Christian images of the anchor, a symbol of Hope (Hebrews 6:19). As the earliest Christian symbol, the anchor was most probably used as a basis for the shape peculiar to these blossoming crosses.
The composition of our blossoming cross is based on a four-pointed cross of Greek proportions with expanding bars. The ends of the bars finish in droplet-like protrusions, which have traditionally signified the drops of Christ’s blood, or buds about to burst. The base of the cross is sprouting two sinuous, winding sprigs, which bend and touch the ends of the horizontal bar.
Our cross is distinguished by an arc that connects the ends of the horizontal bar with the upper part of the vertical bar. Such arcs were found on some Byzantine pectoral crosses in the 8th-9th centuries and stood for the celestial vault.
Taken as a whole, the composition of our blossoming cross illustrates the universal triumph of the Lord’s Life-Giving Cross, from the earth (the plant shoots) to the sky (the arc). Such crosses have not been worn as pendants for centuries, but they can still widely be encountered in ecclesiastical art and Christian culture as a sacred symbol.
Our item is decorated with hot enamel in several different colors.
Pendant “Chrisma”
The pectoral sign and pendant represent one of the oldest symbols of the Savior, and, at the same time, one of the most widespread, dating back to the reign of Emperor Constantine. It is a monogram of Christ’s name consisting of the two Greek letters X (chi) and P (ro), traditionally supplemented with the Greek letters α (alpha) and ω (omega). The monogram is known as the Christogram, the chrism or the chrisma.
This sign has been known since pre-Christian times. In Greece, where cryptographic writing was very popular, it was a contraction of the words χρηστος (kind, good) or χρηστου (kindness) and served as a good omen, one that marked a good deed and an important transition. However, starting from the time of the Apostles the sign acquired a Christian meaning. In the inscriptions widely encountered in the catacombs of the first Christians, where it stands for the Latin word ΡΑΧ (peace) and for Christ Himself.
The chrism became widely popular during the time of Emperor Constantine the Great. According to the legend recorded for future generations by Church historian Eusebius Pamphilus and based the Emperor’s own first-hand account, before the battle with Maxentius (312 AD), “an omen in the form of the Cross composed of light and overlaid against the Sun” was revealed to the emperor in the sky “along with the inscription τουτω νικα (overcome the enemy with this, use this to overcome the enemy)”. That night, “Christ the Lord appeared to the Emperor in a dream, along with the sign he had seen earlier in the skies, and told him to make a banner like unto that which he had seen in the sky for protection against enemy attacks”. The banner (labarum) was cruciform in shape and consisted of a spear and a transverse ridge used to fasten the imperial standard. The spear was crowned with a monogram of Jesus Christ, which consisted of the two Greek letters X and R surrounded by a golden wreath. The emperor ordered for the same sign to be inscribed on the shields and helmets of the soldiers.
Before Constantine, Roman banners already had a similar cruciform structure, but were crowned by the imperial eagle rather than the chrisma. Thus it would be logical to assume that the Sign of the Cross woven from light that was revealed to Constantine the Great in the sky was not a flat four-ended cross but a three-dimensional, six-ended one, akin to a coordinate system with three axes. Similar crosses can now be seen on top of some church domes and in their internal space. Naturally, on a two-dimensional plane this geometric figure would be a monogram of Christ’s name while remaining a concealed sign of the Cross.
Let us consider the other symbolic elements that complement the Divine monogram on our pectoral sign. The wreath (a crown woven from branches and leaves) used to be a symbol of reward and victory and is mentioned as such in many books of the New Testament: “the crown of righteousness” in the second epistle to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:8), “the incorruptible crown” in the first epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 9:5), “the crown of glory” in the first epistle of Peter (1 Peter 5:4); “the crown of life” in the epistle of James (James 1:20) and in the Apocalypse (Rev. 2:10). The palm tree was a symbol of victory both for the Jews and for the Greeks and Romans. The same symbolism was retained by the Christians, except the meaning shifted from earthly to spiritual victory, to the Resurrection and birth in the Spirit. This meaning is confirmed by the words in the Apocalypse (Rev. 7:9) about the righteous standing before the throne and the Lamb with palm branches in their hands.
The two Greek letters α and ω that supplement the monogram illustrate the passage from the Apocalypse (Rev. 1:8): “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”. In combination with the chrisma, they denote eternity and the fact that Christ’s nature is complete and perfect. This addition was particularly relevant in the 4th century during the struggle against Arianism, as it showed the Son as consubstantial with His Father. Thus, the combination of these symbols denotes our Lord Jesus Christ as the Almighty and as consubstantial with His Father, and speaks of His Resurrection and victory over hell and death.
The Lord gave this sign to humanity through Emperor Constantine as a sign of victory, and today its meaning remains the same, for victory is possible only in Christ and with Christ.
Pectoral symbolic pendant “The Anchor of Salvation”
The miniature pendant “The Anchor of Salvation” has been made using the technique of hot multi-colored enamel and continues the series of early Christian symbols. The pendant is shaped like a fish fluttering around a stylized anchor. The composition is completed by the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ, which form the word “fish”.
The anchor is the one of the oldest symbols known to mankind. While suggesting imagery suitable for Christians, St. Clement of Alexandria pointed out the popularity of the anchor in pagan symbolic systems and mentioned “the sea anchor that Seleuc ordered to carve”, referring to the anchor on the coins of the Seleucids, the Macedonian royal family. The pagans used the strength and firmess of the anchor to express their hope for salvation on the material plane. The main anchor on a ship was referred to as the sacra anchora (the sacred anchor). In Christianity, the anchor became a symbol of the hope that our souls will be saved amidst the sea of everyday concerns and troubles, as evidenced by the words of the apostle Paul: “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Heb. 6:19). This is confirmed, among other things, by the numerous images of anchors on Christian tombstones and other objects, accompanied by the Greek (ελπίς) and Latin (spes) words for hope. St. Epiphanius of Cyprus (4th century) even called his apologetic tract “Ankorat”, which means “The Word of the Anchor” or “The Anchor of Faith”. At the same time, due to the external similarity, the anchor was a prototype of the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation. It was especially similar to the blossoming Cross, which carries the symbolism of the Tree of Life.
The image of the fish, which was used to a symbol of fertility in pagan religions, quickly became one of the most important symbols for the Christians. This happened due to the spelling of the Greek word for “fish”: ΙΧΘΥΣ. These five letters formed an acrostic, which, in turn, contained the most ancient formula of the creed: Ιήσους - Jesus, Χριστος - Christ, Θεου – of God, Υιος - Son, Σωτηρ - Savior. Therefore, the image of the fish was first and foremost a symbol of Christ. The composition on our pendant, where the fish is curled around an anchor, is a direct allusion to the Crucifixion. Such compositions in combination with the inscription ΙΧΘΥΣ were often found on Early Christian signet rings.
On the reverse side of the pendant, we have used enamel to highlight the anchor, which is reminiscent of a four-ended colorful cross. The symbolism of the Cross is emphasized by the traditional inscription, which was first used on crosses by Emperor Constantine: І&С Х&С НИКА (“Jesus Christ the Winner”). Engraved on the lower part of the pendant is the Greek inscription Κυριε βοηθει (“Lord, help”). Such inscriptions could often be encountered on Early Byzantine apotropa (objects that performed a protective function). It is worth noting that the Greek word βοήθει is not a mere request for help, but the desperate cry of a person who has suddenly realized that he or she is about to perish.
Lunar earrings
The earrings have been made in keeping with a Byzantine tradition that dates back to the 7th century. They consist of half-moon shapes, each attached to a ring; each of the earrings is decorated with an ornament of openwork curls and supplemented with a movable round medallions containing an image of the cross.
The tradition of using lunar symbols in various shapes as jewelry has been around since the Bronze Age and was widespread among various peoples of Europe and Asia in antiquity. In Slavic traditional costumes, lunar shapes were used as pendants and attached to necklaces, headdresses, earrings and other jewelry.
Lunar shapes represented the moon and absorbed the rich symbolism of the heavenly body that illuminates the sky at night. Most ethnic groups considered the moon to be a female symbol, so lunar shapes were predominantly used in women’s jewelry. A lunar shape would often be combined with a cross, which was seen as a solar symbol, either on the same pendant or as part of a necklace, thereby combining the symbolism characteristic of the two heavenly bodies. In addition, such a composition could denote the unity of the male (the sun) and female (the moon) elements and thus express the concept of marriage.
As Christianity spread and fortified its positions, this combination of symbols was imbued with a fresh meaning. In conjunction with the cross, the crescent moon, which was an ancient symbol of the heavenly country, the Kingdom of Heaven, began to signify the future Kingdom of God. Another interpretation was connected to the words of the Revelation of St. John the Theologian: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev. 12:1). Here, the cross serves as a symbol of Christ as the “Sun of Truth”, born to Mary, symbolized by the crescent moon. At the same time, such a combination was perceived as the image of the Church, headed by Christ. As in the ancient belief systems, the waning moon at the foot of the cross could signify the death of the deity and Christ’s three-day stay in the tomb (the new moon), whereas the cross referred to the subsequent Resurrection, especially if the shape of the cross bore the symbolism of light and life. Moreover, the combination of the crescent and the cross resembled the well-known image of a ship. According to St. Maximus, Bishop of Turin (5th century), “the ship of Ulysses is the image of the Church and the mast with an attached transverse rod stands for the cross. With the help of the cross, believers can stay safe and not be shipwrecked due to human passion, and, having blocked their ears with the Holy Scripture, avoid hearing the charming and seductive voices of worldly sirens.”
This symbolism was especially vivid in the crosses that crowned the cupolas of Russian churches when they had a crescent shape at their base.
By the 7th century, a group of openwork filigree earrings in a lunar shape with a stable Christian meaning came to be manufactured in Byzantium. The center of the lunar shape usually contained a cross, often positioned inside a circle, or its prototype, the tree of life. The central image was flanked by the images of birds from Paradise. Sometimes the composition was based around one bird as the symbol of a spirited soul ascending to God, or around a curlicue ornament, which represented the vine as a symbol of Christ. The lunar shape could be framed along the edges with little metal grains, which in the context of heavenly symbolism stood for the stars. In Christianity, the latter are believed to be a symbol of the angels.
Among the artifacts dating back to the 11th century there are some lunar earrings that convey the liturgical idea of the Church being transformed into the Kingdom of God in the most open and direct a manner imaginable. Thus, in the center of the lunar shape, inside a round medallion, one can see the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is a symbol of the Church, whereas the medallion itself is topped with a four-ended cross with the traditional Greek inscriptions Φως (Light) and Ζωη (Life). Such crosses were widely used by the Church during that period.
When we analyze this ancient jewelry today, we cannot help being astonished by the liturgical nature of the ancient Christian consciousness and by the great boldness of the first Christians, the daring with which they sought to use these symbols to transform themselves and the surrounding world. Of course, an important aspect of the use of sacred symbols in earrings was protection – they were supposed to guard the ears from the “charming and seductive voice of worldly sirens”.
In creating our earrings, we have tried to imbue them with the same ancient symbolism. We hope that it will be taken correctly, and will help overcome the gulf between the Church and the world. After all, if the Church does not influence the world, the secular spirit will be the one to permeate the Church.
Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that wearing sacred jewelry should not be a theatrical act, but a small sacred action performed in the secular world in faith and love.
Byzantine wedding bands
In creating these ornamental wedding bands, we have attempted to revive an ancient and undeservedly forgotten Byzantine tradition, evident from a small group of 6th-10th century Byzantine engagement rings preserved in some museum collections. As we shall see, the images and inscriptions on them reveal the essence of Christian marriage quite accurately.
The top shield of the ring could be shaped like a circle, a cross or a quadrifolium (four-leaf ornament). Inside the shield one could see the images of the bride and groom, which are positioned on either side of the figure of Christ in the center. Christ is blessing them by putting His hands onto their heads, or connecting their hands (betrothal), or holding the crowns over their heads (crowning). On some items there is a figure of the Blessed Virgin, who blesses the bride, while Christ blesses the bridegroom. Often the central figure of the Savior is replaced by Cross, with the waist-length figures of the bride and groom situated on either side. Also present is the Greek inscription ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (consent, accord) or ΚΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (with God's consent, in accord from God). More rarely one can see ΧΑΡΙΣ (grace) and ΥΓΙΕΙΑ (health). These are traditional wedding wishes, which are always understood as "... coming from God" or "... of God" even when the full phrase is missing. Similar inscriptions may be found on the internal surface of the ring. At times, the internal surface may also contain the text of Psalm 5, verse 13 in Greek: "Lord, as thou hast crowned us with the armor of favor", which is akin to the sacramental formula from the 17th century : "O Lord, our God, with glory and honor crown them".
The rim of the two famous signet rings from the Dumbarton Oaks collection in Washington and the collection from the museum of Palermo are octagonal in shape and depict the Gospel-based feasts. The content of the rings tells us that for the Christians of that time, the spiritual facet of marriage - the union in Christ in harmony and accord, which are possible only in Him and through Him - was of the utmost significance. Christ himself is the One who carries out and concludes the sacrament. Therefore, these compositions are a symbolic image of the "minor Church", as a Christian family is called in the Holy Scripture. This is especially prominent if the engagement rings contain images of celebrations. Here, the wedding scene is directly included in the annual cycle of church services, which shows the connection between the sacrament of marriage and the liturgy.
In order to understand why the wedding signet rings with such a clear (from the dogmatic perspective) and profoundly spiritual content existed only during a particular period, it is necessary to recall the history of the marriage ritual. Until the 10th century, legal marriage was a civil procedure, which consisted in concluding a marital contract that determined the financial and legal relationship between the spouses regardless of their religion. At the end of the procedure, the groom gave the bride a ring with a seal, not only as a symbol of the union between them, but as a symbol of the authority he was delegating to her, thereby entrusting his property to her. Naturally, in the case of Christians such rings had various Christian symbols. In essence, this civil act was a betrothal. However, according to the Christian notions of marriage, set forth in the 5th chapter of the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians, the husband and wife can and must transform their "contract" into the actual Kingdom of God, which can only be accomplished through the Eucharist. Therefore, after the civil marriage was registered, the Christian couple took part in the Eucharist, and the joint partaking of the Holy Mysteries served as the seal of marriage. Until the 9th century the church knew no marital rite independent of the Eucharist, which, in turn, took place during the Liturgy. By the 4th century a solemn wedding ceremony to accompany this Sacrament began to take shape. The crowns, according to St. John Chrysostom, symbolized victory over the passions, because a Christian marriage was "not by the flesh" only, but constituted the mystery of eternal life.
In 912, by the decree of Emperor Leo VI, marriage was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Church and was to be sanctioned through a church rite. This led to a partial blurring of the differences between "the worldly" and "the sacred", between our sinful society and the Kingdom of God, between marriage as a contract and marriage as a sacrament. It is possible that wedding rings lost their profound sacred content owing to these particular historical circumstances, which served to secularize the attitude to marriage. In later times they were developed already as an item of secular jewelry, subject to changing artistic styles, trends and fashion, and were a symbol of the earthly (i.e. temporary) union of husband and wife. This was facilitated by the adoption of the formulaic marital oath “till death do us part” in Catholicism, which differs from the Orthodox approach, where marriage is thought to be "recorded in heaven" and is an eternal union in Christ.
The contemporary sacrament of marriage in the Russian Orthodox Church consists of two parts: betrothal and crowning, which since the 18th century have been performed as a single rite, one after the other. It is during betrothal that the rings are put onto the bride and groom, thereby confirming their intention to marry. According to church rules, one ring has to be gold and the other silver. The gold ring, as a symbol of power and strength, represents the groom, while the silver ring, a symbol of purity and chastity, represents the bride. During the betrothal, the engagement rings change hands thrice as a sign of "unanimity, consent and mutual support”. As a result, the gold ring remains with the bride and the silver one with the groom. This is a symbol of the way the male and the female combine and complement each other, creating, forming harmony and integrity in each of the two persons.
In actual practice, the Church allows the use of two wedding rings made from the same material at the request of the newlyweds. There were no strict church regulations regarding the shape of the rings, the images on the surface or inserted precious stones. They were always present on engagement rings and signet rings and served to express the way Christians understood the sacrament of marriage through the language of symbols during different historical periods. Most of today's wedding bands are smooth metal rings without any images or inserts.
The shield of our signet rings is shaped like a cross of Greek proportions and serves as a symbol of the Church. Inside the shield one can see a composition that stands for the sacrament of marriage, with the blossoming Cross of the Lord - the symbol of Christ and His saving sacrifice - as its central axis. The crowns resting upon the "sprigs" of the cross designate the bride and groom as they are married (crowned) into the Kingdom of God. The sprigs, in turn, are topped with tiny crosses, which also serve as the ends of its branches, Crosses in the top of the crowns are also the end of the sleeves of the cross, thereby showing the connection of the spouses with Christ, with His Mystical Body. Taken together, the whole composition resembles a set of old-fashioned scales with the two cups in a state of equilibrium - a symbol of harmony and mutual accord, as well as an image of a Christian family as a "miniature Church". The flat top part of the ring contains the Greek inscription: ΚΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (with God's consent, or in the accord that comes from God), which stresses that "marriage should be built around a sense of mutual accord in the Lord, not human desire" (Hieromartyr St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, 100 A.D.). The shield of the ring is framed along the edge with the words of the 13th verse of the 5th Psalm in the Church Slavonic language: "O God, you have crowned us with your good will for our marriage." On the inside of the shield one can find the traditional wedding wishes in Greek: ΧΑΡΙΣ (grace) and ΥΓΙΕΙΑ (health), written in a cross-shaped formula, which imbues them with the quality of God's blessing. We hope that today our engagement rings executed after an ancient Byzantine tradition will help married Christians become more aware of the true essence of matrimony and become a sign of eternal life and the inviolability of the holy conjugal union.
The sign on this miniature pectoral pendant is a variation of the blossoming cross, which emphasizes the Life-Giving quality of the Lord's Cross and was extremely popular in the Byzantine Empire. Such crosses could be encountered on the domes or gates of churches, sarcophagi, reliquaries or boxes used to store particles of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, and were used as insignia or worn as pectoral crosses.
The popularity of this image was determined primarily by the lasting symbolic connection between the Lord's Cross and the Tree of Life as reflected in the writings of the Church Fathers and in spiritual hymns. St. John of Damascus writes: “The Tree of Life planted by God in Paradise was the prototype of the cross, for as death entered the world through a tree, so life and resurrection must also be granted to us through a tree.” A number of legends draw a direct connection between the origin of the Savior’s Cross and the Tree of Life that used to grow in Eden.
In the Old Testament, flowering was used as evidence of truth and legitimacy. An example of this is the wand of Aaron, whose blossoming proved that the high priest’s authority was legitimate. It is possible that the abundance of blossoming crosses on various insignia was due to this symbolic meaning.
The symbolic significance of the grapevine, which, according to the Gospels (John 15:1), stands for Christ Himself, had a great influence on the development of this image. A historical example is the cross of Nina, Equal of the Apostles, the Enlightener of Georgia, which was crafted from a grape vine.
In addition to the foregoing, the shape of these blossoming crosses, which have two plant sprigs (shoots) growing from the foundation, is similar to the Early Christian images of the anchor, a symbol of Hope (Hebrews 6:19). As the earliest Christian symbol, the anchor was most probably used as a basis for the shape peculiar to these blossoming crosses.
The composition of our blossoming cross is based on a four-pointed cross of Greek proportions with expanding bars. The ends of the bars finish in droplet-like protrusions, which have traditionally signified the drops of Christ’s blood, or buds about to burst. The base of the cross is sprouting two sinuous, winding sprigs, which bend and touch the ends of the horizontal bar.
Our cross is distinguished by an arc that connects the ends of the horizontal bar with the upper part of the vertical bar. Such arcs were found on some Byzantine pectoral crosses in the 8th-9th centuries and stood for the celestial vault.
Taken as a whole, the composition of our blossoming cross illustrates the universal triumph of the Lord’s Life-Giving Cross, from the earth (the plant shoots) to the sky (the arc). Such crosses have not been worn as pendants for centuries, but they can still widely be encountered in ecclesiastical art and Christian culture as a sacred symbol.
Our item is decorated with hot enamel in several different colors.
Pendant “Chrisma”
The pectoral sign and pendant represent one of the oldest symbols of the Savior, and, at the same time, one of the most widespread, dating back to the reign of Emperor Constantine. It is a monogram of Christ’s name consisting of the two Greek letters X (chi) and P (ro), traditionally supplemented with the Greek letters α (alpha) and ω (omega). The monogram is known as the Christogram, the chrism or the chrisma.
This sign has been known since pre-Christian times. In Greece, where cryptographic writing was very popular, it was a contraction of the words χρηστος (kind, good) or χρηστου (kindness) and served as a good omen, one that marked a good deed and an important transition. However, starting from the time of the Apostles the sign acquired a Christian meaning. In the inscriptions widely encountered in the catacombs of the first Christians, where it stands for the Latin word ΡΑΧ (peace) and for Christ Himself.
The chrism became widely popular during the time of Emperor Constantine the Great. According to the legend recorded for future generations by Church historian Eusebius Pamphilus and based the Emperor’s own first-hand account, before the battle with Maxentius (312 AD), “an omen in the form of the Cross composed of light and overlaid against the Sun” was revealed to the emperor in the sky “along with the inscription τουτω νικα (overcome the enemy with this, use this to overcome the enemy)”. That night, “Christ the Lord appeared to the Emperor in a dream, along with the sign he had seen earlier in the skies, and told him to make a banner like unto that which he had seen in the sky for protection against enemy attacks”. The banner (labarum) was cruciform in shape and consisted of a spear and a transverse ridge used to fasten the imperial standard. The spear was crowned with a monogram of Jesus Christ, which consisted of the two Greek letters X and R surrounded by a golden wreath. The emperor ordered for the same sign to be inscribed on the shields and helmets of the soldiers.
Before Constantine, Roman banners already had a similar cruciform structure, but were crowned by the imperial eagle rather than the chrisma. Thus it would be logical to assume that the Sign of the Cross woven from light that was revealed to Constantine the Great in the sky was not a flat four-ended cross but a three-dimensional, six-ended one, akin to a coordinate system with three axes. Similar crosses can now be seen on top of some church domes and in their internal space. Naturally, on a two-dimensional plane this geometric figure would be a monogram of Christ’s name while remaining a concealed sign of the Cross.
Let us consider the other symbolic elements that complement the Divine monogram on our pectoral sign. The wreath (a crown woven from branches and leaves) used to be a symbol of reward and victory and is mentioned as such in many books of the New Testament: “the crown of righteousness” in the second epistle to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:8), “the incorruptible crown” in the first epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 9:5), “the crown of glory” in the first epistle of Peter (1 Peter 5:4); “the crown of life” in the epistle of James (James 1:20) and in the Apocalypse (Rev. 2:10). The palm tree was a symbol of victory both for the Jews and for the Greeks and Romans. The same symbolism was retained by the Christians, except the meaning shifted from earthly to spiritual victory, to the Resurrection and birth in the Spirit. This meaning is confirmed by the words in the Apocalypse (Rev. 7:9) about the righteous standing before the throne and the Lamb with palm branches in their hands.
The two Greek letters α and ω that supplement the monogram illustrate the passage from the Apocalypse (Rev. 1:8): “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”. In combination with the chrisma, they denote eternity and the fact that Christ’s nature is complete and perfect. This addition was particularly relevant in the 4th century during the struggle against Arianism, as it showed the Son as consubstantial with His Father. Thus, the combination of these symbols denotes our Lord Jesus Christ as the Almighty and as consubstantial with His Father, and speaks of His Resurrection and victory over hell and death.
The Lord gave this sign to humanity through Emperor Constantine as a sign of victory, and today its meaning remains the same, for victory is possible only in Christ and with Christ.
Pectoral symbolic pendant “The Anchor of Salvation”
The miniature pendant “The Anchor of Salvation” has been made using the technique of hot multi-colored enamel and continues the series of early Christian symbols. The pendant is shaped like a fish fluttering around a stylized anchor. The composition is completed by the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ, which form the word “fish”.
The anchor is the one of the oldest symbols known to mankind. While suggesting imagery suitable for Christians, St. Clement of Alexandria pointed out the popularity of the anchor in pagan symbolic systems and mentioned “the sea anchor that Seleuc ordered to carve”, referring to the anchor on the coins of the Seleucids, the Macedonian royal family. The pagans used the strength and firmess of the anchor to express their hope for salvation on the material plane. The main anchor on a ship was referred to as the sacra anchora (the sacred anchor). In Christianity, the anchor became a symbol of the hope that our souls will be saved amidst the sea of everyday concerns and troubles, as evidenced by the words of the apostle Paul: “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Heb. 6:19). This is confirmed, among other things, by the numerous images of anchors on Christian tombstones and other objects, accompanied by the Greek (ελπίς) and Latin (spes) words for hope. St. Epiphanius of Cyprus (4th century) even called his apologetic tract “Ankorat”, which means “The Word of the Anchor” or “The Anchor of Faith”. At the same time, due to the external similarity, the anchor was a prototype of the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation. It was especially similar to the blossoming Cross, which carries the symbolism of the Tree of Life.
The image of the fish, which was used to a symbol of fertility in pagan religions, quickly became one of the most important symbols for the Christians. This happened due to the spelling of the Greek word for “fish”: ΙΧΘΥΣ. These five letters formed an acrostic, which, in turn, contained the most ancient formula of the creed: Ιήσους - Jesus, Χριστος - Christ, Θεου – of God, Υιος - Son, Σωτηρ - Savior. Therefore, the image of the fish was first and foremost a symbol of Christ. The composition on our pendant, where the fish is curled around an anchor, is a direct allusion to the Crucifixion. Such compositions in combination with the inscription ΙΧΘΥΣ were often found on Early Christian signet rings.
On the reverse side of the pendant, we have used enamel to highlight the anchor, which is reminiscent of a four-ended colorful cross. The symbolism of the Cross is emphasized by the traditional inscription, which was first used on crosses by Emperor Constantine: І&С Х&С НИКА (“Jesus Christ the Winner”). Engraved on the lower part of the pendant is the Greek inscription Κυριε βοηθει (“Lord, help”). Such inscriptions could often be encountered on Early Byzantine apotropa (objects that performed a protective function). It is worth noting that the Greek word βοήθει is not a mere request for help, but the desperate cry of a person who has suddenly realized that he or she is about to perish.
Lunar earrings
The earrings have been made in keeping with a Byzantine tradition that dates back to the 7th century. They consist of half-moon shapes, each attached to a ring; each of the earrings is decorated with an ornament of openwork curls and supplemented with a movable round medallions containing an image of the cross.
The tradition of using lunar symbols in various shapes as jewelry has been around since the Bronze Age and was widespread among various peoples of Europe and Asia in antiquity. In Slavic traditional costumes, lunar shapes were used as pendants and attached to necklaces, headdresses, earrings and other jewelry.
Lunar shapes represented the moon and absorbed the rich symbolism of the heavenly body that illuminates the sky at night. Most ethnic groups considered the moon to be a female symbol, so lunar shapes were predominantly used in women’s jewelry. A lunar shape would often be combined with a cross, which was seen as a solar symbol, either on the same pendant or as part of a necklace, thereby combining the symbolism characteristic of the two heavenly bodies. In addition, such a composition could denote the unity of the male (the sun) and female (the moon) elements and thus express the concept of marriage.
As Christianity spread and fortified its positions, this combination of symbols was imbued with a fresh meaning. In conjunction with the cross, the crescent moon, which was an ancient symbol of the heavenly country, the Kingdom of Heaven, began to signify the future Kingdom of God. Another interpretation was connected to the words of the Revelation of St. John the Theologian: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev. 12:1). Here, the cross serves as a symbol of Christ as the “Sun of Truth”, born to Mary, symbolized by the crescent moon. At the same time, such a combination was perceived as the image of the Church, headed by Christ. As in the ancient belief systems, the waning moon at the foot of the cross could signify the death of the deity and Christ’s three-day stay in the tomb (the new moon), whereas the cross referred to the subsequent Resurrection, especially if the shape of the cross bore the symbolism of light and life. Moreover, the combination of the crescent and the cross resembled the well-known image of a ship. According to St. Maximus, Bishop of Turin (5th century), “the ship of Ulysses is the image of the Church and the mast with an attached transverse rod stands for the cross. With the help of the cross, believers can stay safe and not be shipwrecked due to human passion, and, having blocked their ears with the Holy Scripture, avoid hearing the charming and seductive voices of worldly sirens.”
This symbolism was especially vivid in the crosses that crowned the cupolas of Russian churches when they had a crescent shape at their base.
By the 7th century, a group of openwork filigree earrings in a lunar shape with a stable Christian meaning came to be manufactured in Byzantium. The center of the lunar shape usually contained a cross, often positioned inside a circle, or its prototype, the tree of life. The central image was flanked by the images of birds from Paradise. Sometimes the composition was based around one bird as the symbol of a spirited soul ascending to God, or around a curlicue ornament, which represented the vine as a symbol of Christ. The lunar shape could be framed along the edges with little metal grains, which in the context of heavenly symbolism stood for the stars. In Christianity, the latter are believed to be a symbol of the angels.
Among the artifacts dating back to the 11th century there are some lunar earrings that convey the liturgical idea of the Church being transformed into the Kingdom of God in the most open and direct a manner imaginable. Thus, in the center of the lunar shape, inside a round medallion, one can see the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is a symbol of the Church, whereas the medallion itself is topped with a four-ended cross with the traditional Greek inscriptions Φως (Light) and Ζωη (Life). Such crosses were widely used by the Church during that period.
When we analyze this ancient jewelry today, we cannot help being astonished by the liturgical nature of the ancient Christian consciousness and by the great boldness of the first Christians, the daring with which they sought to use these symbols to transform themselves and the surrounding world. Of course, an important aspect of the use of sacred symbols in earrings was protection – they were supposed to guard the ears from the “charming and seductive voice of worldly sirens”.
In creating our earrings, we have tried to imbue them with the same ancient symbolism. We hope that it will be taken correctly, and will help overcome the gulf between the Church and the world. After all, if the Church does not influence the world, the secular spirit will be the one to permeate the Church.
Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that wearing sacred jewelry should not be a theatrical act, but a small sacred action performed in the secular world in faith and love.
Byzantine wedding bands
In creating these ornamental wedding bands, we have attempted to revive an ancient and undeservedly forgotten Byzantine tradition, evident from a small group of 6th-10th century Byzantine engagement rings preserved in some museum collections. As we shall see, the images and inscriptions on them reveal the essence of Christian marriage quite accurately.
The top shield of the ring could be shaped like a circle, a cross or a quadrifolium (four-leaf ornament). Inside the shield one could see the images of the bride and groom, which are positioned on either side of the figure of Christ in the center. Christ is blessing them by putting His hands onto their heads, or connecting their hands (betrothal), or holding the crowns over their heads (crowning). On some items there is a figure of the Blessed Virgin, who blesses the bride, while Christ blesses the bridegroom. Often the central figure of the Savior is replaced by Cross, with the waist-length figures of the bride and groom situated on either side. Also present is the Greek inscription ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (consent, accord) or ΚΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (with God's consent, in accord from God). More rarely one can see ΧΑΡΙΣ (grace) and ΥΓΙΕΙΑ (health). These are traditional wedding wishes, which are always understood as "... coming from God" or "... of God" even when the full phrase is missing. Similar inscriptions may be found on the internal surface of the ring. At times, the internal surface may also contain the text of Psalm 5, verse 13 in Greek: "Lord, as thou hast crowned us with the armor of favor", which is akin to the sacramental formula from the 17th century : "O Lord, our God, with glory and honor crown them".
The rim of the two famous signet rings from the Dumbarton Oaks collection in Washington and the collection from the museum of Palermo are octagonal in shape and depict the Gospel-based feasts. The content of the rings tells us that for the Christians of that time, the spiritual facet of marriage - the union in Christ in harmony and accord, which are possible only in Him and through Him - was of the utmost significance. Christ himself is the One who carries out and concludes the sacrament. Therefore, these compositions are a symbolic image of the "minor Church", as a Christian family is called in the Holy Scripture. This is especially prominent if the engagement rings contain images of celebrations. Here, the wedding scene is directly included in the annual cycle of church services, which shows the connection between the sacrament of marriage and the liturgy.
In order to understand why the wedding signet rings with such a clear (from the dogmatic perspective) and profoundly spiritual content existed only during a particular period, it is necessary to recall the history of the marriage ritual. Until the 10th century, legal marriage was a civil procedure, which consisted in concluding a marital contract that determined the financial and legal relationship between the spouses regardless of their religion. At the end of the procedure, the groom gave the bride a ring with a seal, not only as a symbol of the union between them, but as a symbol of the authority he was delegating to her, thereby entrusting his property to her. Naturally, in the case of Christians such rings had various Christian symbols. In essence, this civil act was a betrothal. However, according to the Christian notions of marriage, set forth in the 5th chapter of the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians, the husband and wife can and must transform their "contract" into the actual Kingdom of God, which can only be accomplished through the Eucharist. Therefore, after the civil marriage was registered, the Christian couple took part in the Eucharist, and the joint partaking of the Holy Mysteries served as the seal of marriage. Until the 9th century the church knew no marital rite independent of the Eucharist, which, in turn, took place during the Liturgy. By the 4th century a solemn wedding ceremony to accompany this Sacrament began to take shape. The crowns, according to St. John Chrysostom, symbolized victory over the passions, because a Christian marriage was "not by the flesh" only, but constituted the mystery of eternal life.
In 912, by the decree of Emperor Leo VI, marriage was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Church and was to be sanctioned through a church rite. This led to a partial blurring of the differences between "the worldly" and "the sacred", between our sinful society and the Kingdom of God, between marriage as a contract and marriage as a sacrament. It is possible that wedding rings lost their profound sacred content owing to these particular historical circumstances, which served to secularize the attitude to marriage. In later times they were developed already as an item of secular jewelry, subject to changing artistic styles, trends and fashion, and were a symbol of the earthly (i.e. temporary) union of husband and wife. This was facilitated by the adoption of the formulaic marital oath “till death do us part” in Catholicism, which differs from the Orthodox approach, where marriage is thought to be "recorded in heaven" and is an eternal union in Christ.
The contemporary sacrament of marriage in the Russian Orthodox Church consists of two parts: betrothal and crowning, which since the 18th century have been performed as a single rite, one after the other. It is during betrothal that the rings are put onto the bride and groom, thereby confirming their intention to marry. According to church rules, one ring has to be gold and the other silver. The gold ring, as a symbol of power and strength, represents the groom, while the silver ring, a symbol of purity and chastity, represents the bride. During the betrothal, the engagement rings change hands thrice as a sign of "unanimity, consent and mutual support”. As a result, the gold ring remains with the bride and the silver one with the groom. This is a symbol of the way the male and the female combine and complement each other, creating, forming harmony and integrity in each of the two persons.
In actual practice, the Church allows the use of two wedding rings made from the same material at the request of the newlyweds. There were no strict church regulations regarding the shape of the rings, the images on the surface or inserted precious stones. They were always present on engagement rings and signet rings and served to express the way Christians understood the sacrament of marriage through the language of symbols during different historical periods. Most of today's wedding bands are smooth metal rings without any images or inserts.
The shield of our signet rings is shaped like a cross of Greek proportions and serves as a symbol of the Church. Inside the shield one can see a composition that stands for the sacrament of marriage, with the blossoming Cross of the Lord - the symbol of Christ and His saving sacrifice - as its central axis. The crowns resting upon the "sprigs" of the cross designate the bride and groom as they are married (crowned) into the Kingdom of God. The sprigs, in turn, are topped with tiny crosses, which also serve as the ends of its branches, Crosses in the top of the crowns are also the end of the sleeves of the cross, thereby showing the connection of the spouses with Christ, with His Mystical Body. Taken together, the whole composition resembles a set of old-fashioned scales with the two cups in a state of equilibrium - a symbol of harmony and mutual accord, as well as an image of a Christian family as a "miniature Church". The flat top part of the ring contains the Greek inscription: ΚΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ (with God's consent, or in the accord that comes from God), which stresses that "marriage should be built around a sense of mutual accord in the Lord, not human desire" (Hieromartyr St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, 100 A.D.). The shield of the ring is framed along the edge with the words of the 13th verse of the 5th Psalm in the Church Slavonic language: "O God, you have crowned us with your good will for our marriage." On the inside of the shield one can find the traditional wedding wishes in Greek: ΧΑΡΙΣ (grace) and ΥΓΙΕΙΑ (health), written in a cross-shaped formula, which imbues them with the quality of God's blessing. We hope that today our engagement rings executed after an ancient Byzantine tradition will help married Christians become more aware of the true essence of matrimony and become a sign of eternal life and the inviolability of the holy conjugal union.