Bronze amulet - Slavic cross

Bronze amulet - Slavic cross, single piece

Bronze alloy, Eastern Europe, 16th-19th century, size approx 55mm x 45mm x 4mm. Fair condition. Faults. Parts are missing.

Symbol meaning

The cross is an ancient symbol whose meaning has varied in different cultures and religions. It has been, among other things, a metaphor for the sun, the universe and divinity. In religious use, the shape of the cross made of two pieces of wood dates back to ancient Chaldea, where it was used as a metaphor for the god Tammuz. A similar symbol was also used in Egypt, for example. In Christianity, the cross, i.e. the crucifix, from which the body of the crucified Jesus hangs, depicts Christ's suffering and death. A cross with three transverse beams is also called a Slavic cross. In it, the uppermost crossbar depicts the slab that was on Jesus' cross. On the middle crossbar, Jesus' hands were nailed to the crossbar, and the lowest crossbar depicts the crossbar that supported the legs and the whole body. However, the lowest crossbar is also believed to refer to the two robbers and their fate, perdition (downward) and paradise (upward). A three-beamed cross, where the lowest beam is straight and not slanted like the Orthodox ones, shows that the church belongs to the Greek Catholic Church, i.e. a church under the Roman Catholic Church that follows the Byzantine rite, the so-called to the Uniate Church. In the Celtic cross, a circle is depicted at the junction of the upright and crossbar. It has been considered to symbolize the universe pierced by the cross: Christ is the king of all. St. Peter's cross is a cross with the crossbar down. According to the apocryphal Gospel of Peter, St. Peter died crucified with his head down. This was his own will, because he thought he was not worthy enough to die in the same way as Jesus Christ. An upside down cross also symbolizes anti-Christianity and Satanism. The cross in question is also called a sword cross, because it resembles a sword raised in battle, whereas the traditional Christian cross is a sword thrust into the ground.

A crucifix (lat. crucifixum) is a sculpture or picture depicting the crucified Christ. The crucifix shows the body of Christ (corpus), which distinguishes it from the cross. Three-dimensional sculptural crucifixes are a Western tradition, while two-dimensional pictorial crucifixes are an Eastern tradition. The earliest crucifixes were small and kept on the altar. Crucifixes often have the letters INRI above Jesus' head. This is an abbreviation of the Latin text "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum" (Finnish: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews), which according to the Bible, Pontius Pilate wrote on the board above Jesus' head (see the Bible John 19:19).

Ritual use

The use of crosses in ceremonies depends on the user's own conviction, spiritual tradition and the nature of the ritual. Listen to your intuition and use the symbol in a way that feels meaningful and empowering to you.

Here are some ways to use the symbol of the cross in your own ritual work:

• The cross or cross amulet symbolically represents protection and protection. Before starting the ritual, you can hold the cross in your hands and focus on its symbolic meaning of protection and safety. This can help when working through difficult or challenging issues through rituals.
• The cross can be placed on the altar to represent themes according to its symbolic meaning or themes that you yourself want to associate with it.
• The cross can be used as a concentration aid during the ritual. Hold the cross in your hand or place it as the center of your ritual work to help you stay focused and meditative.
• You can use the cross in a ritual, for example, to sanctify and bless an aspiration, a space, yourself, objects used in a ritual, etc.
• You can use the cross during requests, prayers, thanksgiving or mantra work. For example, you can repeat a prayer or a mantra while holding a cross in your hand or on the altar.
• Crosses can also be a symbol of personal power. Then use it to remind you of the purpose of the ritual and your own strength.
• The cross represents a connection to the spiritual dimension or a higher power, depending on your own beliefs. Use the cross in meditations or rituals where you seek to connect with the spiritual world.
• The cross can be symbolically used to direct energies. Can use the cross to visualize the flow of energies during the ritual. Hold the cross in front of you and imagine the energy flowing through it to achieve the goal of the ritual.

Note! The enclosed cross cast from bronze is a single piece that is hundreds of years old and has been in hard use. It may have minor surface defects such as oxidation, dents and wear.