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The obverse displays an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum crosswhich is venerated as the true Savior\'s Cross in the Slavonic Orthodox and someEastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: thetop one represents the \"INRI\" nameplate, and the bottom one, afootrest. The footrest bar is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ\'sright hand side where the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified.
The top end of the vertical crossbar incorporates the larger, two-word,abbreviated inscription inChurch Slavonicmeaning \"KING OF GLORY\".The left and right side endsof the central horizontal crossbar of the pendant bear the Sacred Name of JesusChristinscribed as the \"IC XC\" Greek Christogram,the\"IC\" on the left, and the \"XC\" on theright.The bottom\"boxed\" end of the vertical crossbar shows\"МЛРБ\" (\"MLRB\") abbreviation meaning \"The CALVARY (Golgotha) BECAME PARADISE\", a symbol of the execution place becoming a place of the redemption and reclaiming of the lost paradise.
The space just below the central horizontal crossbar of the Savior\'s Cross incorporates a smaller \"NIKA\" inscription in Church Slavonic (as \"HИ\" on the leftand \"KA\" on the right side).\"NIKA\" is an ancientGreek symbol meaning \"Victorious\" which is often used as a part ofthe title of Jesus to symbolize His victory over sin and death achieved on theCross.
Parallel to the verticalcrossbar, 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 ismarked as \"K\" for theChurch Slavonic \"Копие\" (\"Kopiye\") in the space just below the horizontal crossbar of the Savior\'s Cross, whereas the Holy Spongeattached to the end of a cane is marked as \"T\" for the Church Slavonic\"Трость\" (\"Trost\").
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\").
The reverse displays a geometrical ornament incorporating small letters of worn-out text at the perimeter of the Cross. The text appears as a fragment of theprayer to theHoly Cross based on Psalm 68 beginning with\"ДА ВОСКРЕСНЕТ БОГ ИРАЗЫДУТСЯ ВРАЗИ ЕГО...\"meaning \"MAY GOD ARISE AND MAY HISENEMIES BE SCATTERED\". This psalm-based prayer is traditionally inscribedon the reverse of the Old Believers\' Orthodox body (Baptism) cross pendants,meaning to provide protection of the faithful cross-bearer against the evilspirits (God\'s enemies), and thereby is considered a version of the Exorcismprayer.
![RARE ANTIQUE c.17-18th CENTURY LARGE 2 7/16\](img-large/g/30AAAOSwZk9l-qz0/s-l1600/RARE-ANTIQUE-c-17-18th-CENTURY-LARGE-2-7-16-16-g-O.jpg "RARE ANTIQUE c.17-18th CENTURY LARGE 2 7/16\")
