Pectoral cross. Neckline cross

In Russia, the image of the Orthodox priest is well known: a man with long hair, an impressive beard, in a black robe that looks like a hoodie. Another important symbol of the priestly rank is a cross dangling on the chest or abdomen. In fact, in the representation of the people, the cross is what makes a priest a spiritual person, at least in the social sense. This is an important attribute of religious service and will be discussed below.

Priestly Cross in the Modern Practice of the Russian Orthodox Church

The first thing to say is that the pectoral cross of the priest, so well known in Russia, is practically not used in the churches of the Greek tradition in the East. He and in our country became an attribute of the priest not so long ago - in the late XIX-early XX centuries. Prior to this, the priest did not wear the pectoral cross. And if they put on, then only a few for a special occasion.

Today, each priest is given this subject immediately upon ordination, as part of the mandatory vestments and insignia from other representatives of the hierarchy. During the service, clergymen wear it on top of special vestments, and at regular times - over their robe or cassock. There are several varieties of pectoral crosses: silver, gold and with ornaments. But this will be discussed below.

Encolpion - ancestor of the priestly cross

The first ancestor of the modern priestly cross is an object called the enclonion. It is an ark, that is, a small box on the front side of which in ancient times was depicted charisma - a monogram of the name of Jesus Christ. A little later, instead of her, an image of the cross was placed on the enclpion. This object was worn on the chest and played the role of a vessel in which it was possible to hide something of value: manuscripts of books, a particle of relics, holy communion, and so on.

The earliest evidence of the encolpion that we have is related to the IV century - the subject is written by the Patriarch of Constantinople John, known in church circles as St. John Chrysostom. In the Vatican, during the excavation of local Christian burials, several encolpions were discovered, also no younger than the 4th century.

Later they were transformed from hollow rectangular caskets into hollow crosses, while retaining their function. However, they began to be subjected to more thorough artistic processing. And soon they were accepted as attributes of the episcopal dignity and the Byzantine emperors. Later, Russian tsars and bishops, who survived the Roman Empire, adopted this custom. As for the sovereign, this tradition was abolished only by Emperor Peter the Great. In the church, crosses-encolpions were worn by some monks, and sometimes even laymen. Often this subject became an attribute of pilgrims.

Distribution of crosses

In the XVIII century encolpions almost universally go out of use. Instead, they began using metal crosses without cavities inside. At the same time, the right to wear a pectoral cross was first conferred on bishops. Beginning in the forties of the same century, monastic priests are given this status in Russia in the rank of archimandrite, but only if they are members of the Holy Synod.

But a year later, namely in 1742, the possibility to wear a pectoral cross was received by all the archimandrites in general. It happened according to the example of the Kyiv Metropolis, in which this practice spread spontaneously even before its formal approval.

Establishment of the right to wear crosses by white priests

White, that is, the married clergy got the right to wear a pectoral cross at the end of the XVIII century. Of course, we did not allow this all at once. First, the Emperor Paul introduced this attribute as one of the church prizes for the priests. It could be obtained for any merit. For example, a special pattern of the cross was given to many priests in 1814 in honor of the victory two years earlier over the French army. Since 1820 the crosses have also been given to those clergymen who passed their ministry abroad or at the imperial court. However, the rights to wear this object could be deprived, if the clergyman served in his place for less than seven years. In other cases, the pectoral cross remained with the priest forever.

Crosses as a distinctive sign of the scholarship of the Russian clergy

In the XIX - early XX centuries, an interesting practice arose to issue crosses to priests in accordance with the scientific degree they had. At the same time, the pectoral cross relied on doctors of science. And the candidates and masters were content with these items, attaching them to the buttonhole on the collar of their cassocks.

Gradually wearing pectoral crosses became the norm for all priests in the Russian church. The last feature under this process was the Emperor Nicholas II, who ordered a special decree in honor of his coronation to award all priests with the right to wear an eight-pointed silver cross of the established pattern. Since then, it has become an inalienable tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Types of crosses

As already mentioned above, crosses differ from each other. The above-described silver Nikolaev cross is an attribute from which a clergyman begins his career as a clergyman. For services to the church or long service, he can be awarded the right to wear a four-pointed gold cross. With him the priest serves until he is elevated to the rank of archpriest. When this happens, he has the opportunity to receive the next reward - a pectoral cross with ornaments.

This variety is usually richly encrusted with precious stones and, in principle, does not differ from anything attributable to the bishops. Usually on this award in the field of breast jewelry ends. Sometimes, however, some priests are given the right to wear two crosses at once. Another, very rare award - the golden cross of the patriarch. But this honor is awarded to just a few. Since 2011, appeared, or rather, was restored pectoral cross, called the doctor's. They give him, respectively, priests who have a doctorate in theology.

Neckline cross

As for the cross, which is also worn on the chest, it is given to every newly baptized Christian. Usually it is worn under clothing, because it is not an ornament, but a symbol of religious identity. And called first of all to remind his owner of his Christian duties.