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The obverse bears an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum cross. The three-bar cross 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 end of the vertical crossbar of the pendant bears an abbreviated inscription in Church Slavonic meaning "KING OF GLORY".The side ends of the central horizontal crossbar bear the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ inscribed as the Greek Christogram, as the "IC" on the left, and the "XC" on the right. Next to the Christogram and just below the central horizontal crossbar of the Savior's Cross, there is an abbreviated Church Slavonic inscription meaning "Son of God".
Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are images of the two Instruments of the Passion which are subjects to adoration along with the Cross, the Holy Lance (spear) of a Roman soldier, and the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane.
A symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross 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 symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.
The bottom end of the vertical crossbar just below the skull showstheGreek "NIKA" ("Victorious") symbol inscribed inCyrillic transliteration as "HIKA", another powerful reminder ofChrist's victory over sin and death achieved on the Cross.
There are four additional, diagonal crossbeams shaped asflower buds, superimposed on the circle surrounding the center of the cross.The diagonal crossbeams usually refer to the cross of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Alternatively, the four flower buds on the vine could symbolize the Four Evangelists.St. Andrew is considered the Founder and the first Bishop of the Christian Church of Byzantium, and is the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Saint Andrew is believed to have been crucified on the Crux decussata (X-shaped cross, also known as "Saltire").
