VINTAGE STERLING SILVER ORTHODOX CRUCIFIX w/ MOTHER OF GOD, STS. NICHOLAS GEORGE

Description: Vintage or antique solid sterling silver medium-sized but sturdy (approx. 1 1/4" tall with solid bale; weight approx. 3.9 g) Crucifix pendant featuring a Byzantine-style "budded" Icon Cross design with miniature Orthodox icons depicting Crucified Jesus, the Most Holy Theotokos (Mother of God) and Ever-Virgin Mary, Archangels and highly venerated Orthodox Saints. The obverse bears a relief iconic image of the Crucified Savior over the skull (Adam's head) with the Mother of God and St. John the Evangelist on the sides, whereas the top and bottom parts display the two Archangels, St. Michael and St. Gabriel. The reverse displays an icon of the Mother of God with the Child Jesus, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (top), St. George the Victorious (bottom), and the Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul (left and right sides). The back surface of its large solid bale bears two punch marks, one of which displays the "925" hallmark indicating the "sterling" purity. It has been confirmed using the silver acid test. The pendant has visual antique or vintage appearance with significant signs of aging and wear that might include diminished quality of the artwork, deformations of its original shape, scratches, dents, and patches of discoloration/patina. The inside and edges of its necklace bale shows signs of wear consistent with many years of continuous wearing on a chain. The size and weight of the item are shown on the photographs for this listing.The obverse displays an image of the Crucifixion recreated according to the ancient Orthodox iconographic tradition. The Savior is depicted crucified on the three-bar Suppedaneum cross that is venerated as the True Savior's Cross in the Slavonic Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: the top one represents the "INRI" nameplate, and the bottom one, a footrest. The footrest crossbeam is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ's right hand side where the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified. The top bar of this Cross bears the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ inscribed as the "IC XC" Greek Christogram. The space just below the footrest has a symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross. It refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of the Church held that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus also symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.The left and right side "budded" ends of the horizontal crossbar of the pendant incorporate round medallions showing smaller icons of grieving Most Holy Mother of God and St. John the Evangelist, the Disciple to whom Crucified Jesus said, "Behold, your mother" (John 19:27). Their names are inscribed in abbreviated form next to the icons: the icon of Mary displays Greek abbreviation "MP ΘY" meaning "Mother of God", whereas the St. John's side has an abbreviated Church Slavonic inscription meaning "Saint John".The top and bottom "budded" ends of the vertical crossbar display medallions with icons of the two Archangels, St. Michael (top) and St. Gabriel (bottom). The reverse bears an iconic image of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with Child Jesus depicted as "Hodegetria" (translates from Greek as "She who shows the Way"). This is an ancient iconographic depiction of the Mother of God holding Child Jesus at Her side while pointing to Him as the Way to salvation for humankind, whereas the Child raises His hand in a blessing gesture. The icon follows the tradition of the most venerated icon of the Hodegetria type regarded as the original, which was displayed in the Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria in Constantinople. Unlike most later copies it showed the Most Holy Theotokos standing full-length. It was said to have been painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist, and to have been brought from the Holy Land by Eudocia, the wife of emperor Theodosius II (408–450). The top part of the icon just above Mary's head bears the "MP ΘY" Greek abbreviation meaning "Mother of God". The medallions positioned within the side crossbar ends show images of the two Apostles, St. Peter (at the right hand of Mary with Jesus), and St. Paul (at the other side). The images of the two Apostles might represent the unity of the Christian Church, its Western and Eastern traditions. The top crossbar end incorporates an icon of Saint Nicholas (Slavonic: Nicolay or Nicola/Nikola), one of the most renowned and venerated Christian saints, and a 4th-century Greek Bishop of Myra. The Saint is depicted as an Orthodox Bishop wearing the Omophorion (Bishop's vestments), holding the book of the Gospels in his left hand, and giving his blessing with his right hand. The icon displays an abbreviated inscription in Church Slavonic meaning "St. Nikola". Because of many miracles attributed to his intersession, this popular Saint is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. His legendary habit of secret gift giving gave rise to the traditional figure of Santa Claus. He is a patron saint of sailors, merchants, students, children, repentant thieves, and many countries and cities, including Greece, Russia, Moscow, Amsterdam, Liverpool, and others. The bottom end medallion displays an icon of Saint George, also known as St. Georgiy the Victorious (Victory-Bearer in the Slavonic Orthodox tradition). The icon is similar to earlier Byzantine depictions of St. George as a young, beardless soldier with a sword on his right shoulder. The Saint's name is inscribed in abbreviated Church Slavonic form meaning "St. Georgii". St. George is one of the most prominent military saints who is immortalized in an image of St. George achieving the victory over the Dragon. Numerous countries, cities, professions and organizations claim St. George as their patron Saint. He is venerated as a Saint and the Holy Great Martyr in most of the Western and Eastern Christian Churches. According to the Church tradition, St. George was a Roman soldier of Greek origin and officer in the Guard of Roman emperor Diocletian, who was sentenced to death for failing to recant his Christian faith. As a Christian martyr, he later became one of the most venerated Saints in Christianity.Please examine all photographs carefully and do your own research if necessary. Please note that photographs are an important part of the item's description. The measuring meter and electronic scale are not for sale, and might be photographed with the item in order to provide a size and weight reference. Please ask all questions before making a purchase. There are no guarantees with the listing because most items are original vintage or antique objects that are quite old. All items are sold "as is" with no returns because of a change of mind offered. Shipping and handling is free for the continental US. International shipping is handled by Ebay. International buyers, please ask your shipping questions, if any, prior to buying. Please note that customs regulations differ from country to country, and it is a buyer's responsibility to ensure that any customs fees or other duties collected by the buyer's country are paid and satisfied in full.

Price: 59 USD

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2025-02-07T10:08:59.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD