Byzantine crosses-reliquaries

Phylactery should not wear other than the cross or the image of Christ or holy relics.
(Kekaumenos, Strategy, chap. 48)

As mentioned by the historians of the church Eusebius and Lactantius, Emperor

Constantine the eve of a critical confrontation with his rival Maxentius, on October 28
of 312 in Moulvia Bridge had witnessed theosimias paradoxotatis (paradoxical
Godpoint). A vision in the sky saw the cross Greek letters X and Ro and a cross on
the disc of the sun, with the inscription «in hoc <signo> vinces». The young emperor
by placing the symbol on banners of the soldiers managed to defeat. The victory gave
to the Divine Being, which in this case was a synthesis of the invincible Sun and the
Christian God, a symbol of his vision, did not mean only initials monogram of Jesus
Christ, but also for national symbolized the favor of the solar divinity.
The spiritual prestige of Constantine, the Christian world, exalted even more
than the excavation of his mother Helen. According to historian Sozomen,
Constantine sent to Jerusalem and there, by miraculous means, which rarely claimed
today archaeologists found the precise location of Golgotha and out of the land him
the Holy Cross and the crosses of the thieves, the lance, the sponge and the crown of
thorns, and all the relics of the Passion of Christ. The result of the excavation did
Christianity rebound and contributed, besides the eternal glory of Constantine and
Helen, the Church of Christ to become the prime symbol.
As a cosmological symbol of the cross is a key figure, which is already
included in the prehistoric era. Various forms of the cross relate to religions of
antiquity, such as Zoroastrianism, the Chaldaean / Babylonian religion, Egyptian
religion, Buddhism, the Celtic religion, etc. For the Assyrians, the cross symbolized
the solar deity and the deity who controlled the weather. Usually symbolized with a
cross type Malta and three sets of solar rays placed around tee. The Platonic also
symbolized the global soul with an equilateral cross within a circle, while the secret T
(the first form of the Christian cross in accordance with the Letter of Barnabas),
which was a symbol of the Babylonian - Chaldean god Tammuz (the first letter of his
name), was written on the front of the converts of Mithras. For the followers of
Mithras, the cross was a symbol of the goodwill of the solar divinity. T was the
symbol of eternal life for Egyptians and symbol of the god Thoth.
The ecclesiastical writers our Socrates and Sozomen inform that when during
the demolition of Serapion, found Egyptian crosses, the Christians of the 4th cent.
ignoring the Christian appropriation, surprised by the similarity that had those crosses
with the symbol of their own cross. According to experts of the time, some shapes
that had cross form, symbolized the "Eternity" (something that is right, it is the
symbol Anh). Match notation: national gods disappeared just appeared the cross of
life, hiding in their bosom. The surviving accepts this rather literally, while the more
rationalist Socrates Scholasticus sees here a coincidence.
According to John the Chrysostom: This symbol of death (and will not stop to
say continually) was great symbol of blessing and eternal protective wall, decisive
wound Devil, bridle demons ... cross this damned symbol that we all avoid it, damn,
established after the death of the crucified, and now we all use it.
The first Christians, in accordance with the hitherto archaeological and literary
data, made no physical representation of the crucified Jesus, nor the same of the cross.
The cruciform death of Jesus was for them something hideous and revoking the

1
memory of the Passion of the Lord. The cross in the New Testament is used as a
synonym for sacrifice on the cross of Jesus, rather than a symbol in itself.
Our Jerome Jerusalem assures that Christians we don’t worship the cross as
God, but this way we show the true mood of our soul to the crucified and complains
about the miserable superstitious woman wearing crosses- reliquaries feels more
religious.
Great is the phylactery of the cross point of faith and fear of demons. The
crosses used as amulets - talismans from the 5th to the 7th century were made of
precious metals, gold and silver, but mainly from copper alloys. Written by
Sophronius of Jerusalem: …and having said this to the witnesses, a gold cross with
precious stones hanging from his neck flashed suddenly on his chest ... victory guard
providing against the darkness. Since the development of the cult of relics and after,
ordinary crosses turned into shrines. Crosses - reliquaries means John Chrysostom in
a passage in: This wood, on which hung sulfur body how became suddenly coveted
from all? And taking a small piece, placed in gold, men and women wearing around
their neck, although they know that is a symbol of conviction and punishment?
The pectoral crosses - reliquaries were associated for many years with
mementoes of the 6th and 7th century pilgrims from the Holy Land. The study of
historical sources, however, and archaeological evidence shows that mass production
dates to the early 9th century, the period of iconophile reaction after the first
iconoclasm. The use of such items constituted expression of the orthodox faith. When,
in 815, Emperor Leo V was accused of favoring his attitude return to iconoclastic
ideas, pulled out his chest a pectoral cross with virtual decor, the bowed and kissed it.
The patriarch Nicephorus expressed repeatedly devotional attitude towards
Pectoral Crosses-reliquaries. In the third Antirritiko Word testifies that Christians tend
to carry over their chest relics of the True Cross as amulets for protection and physical
and mental health: from the beginning Christians have used amulets (phylacteries)
made of gold and silver and wore around from their necks, for the care and safety of
life, the salvation of their souls, healing the body from any illness and every attack of
demons...
The same about reiterated in a letter addressed to Pope Leo III, 811, on the
occasion of his enthronement. The letter came with gold medallion, containing relics
of the True Cross: … we sent to our brother gold encolpion, one side of which is
covered with glass, and the other with an icon and inside it has stored part of the
Holy Cross.
The production of amulets crosses bottomed out in time, from the 10th to the
12th century and then showed decline. The workshops produced these objects were
scattered throughout the Byzantine Empire and were not associated with particular
shrines. These are mainly crosses - reliquaries made of two cast hollow slabs joined
hinged top and bottom, leaving an intermediate space for holy relics and bear scenes
from the Christological cycle. Few cross reliquaries that saved their content. These
bone pieces are covered with a material in powder or small pieces of stone, mixed
with soil. Archaeological findings show that crosses - reliquaries of this type brought
people of both sexes and all ages, alive and in their graves.
From the 11th century enriched their pictorial themes. Apart from the usual
composition of the Crucifixion and the Virgin praying, they are used and various
saints. The saints currently playing the role of protector against all evil. Their remains
and objects that belonged to them, placed inside the shrines because of the belief that
the supernatural power of the saints could be transferred by contact in the body of the
faithful.

2
 Although the cross, from the first centuries of Christianity established itself as
the pre-eminent symbol and talisman, did not pass a single time period was not
subject to discussion and propaganda effort for this. Throughout the Byzantine period
several ecclesiastical writers tried with much passion to persuade Christians to the
true values and virtues of the cross.
In the post-Byzantine period, the difficult years of Ottoman rule, when the use
of sulfur was the only hope of salvation, placing of crosses - amulets reached its
acme. Several crosses hung on the breast of the enslaved Christians, guarding against
them from all evil.

* Crosses-reliquaries are from the private collection of G. Tsolozidis.

Dr. Panagiotis Kambanis

Archaeologist – Historian
Museum of Byzantine Culture
Post-doctoral researcher of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

3
Bronze cross-reliquary, Latin type with flattened arms and straight edges. It consists
of two parts connected by pegs forming intermediate space for holy relics. From the
top peg goes wide ring for hanging on the cross chain. Incised decoration on both
sides. In the main view the Virgin is depicted in the type of Nikopoiou keeping Christ
in front of Her. Epigrafes: PANAGI \ A and IC-XC. At the ends of the horizontal
antenna crosses on a semicircular base. On the back is depicted saints in attitude of
supplication and the edges of the horizontal antenna, similar crosses. Inscription:
IOANIC.

Bronze cross-reliquary, Latin type piriform appendages at the tips of the antennae.
Engraved representation praying saint with the inscription IOANIC. At the edges of
the antenna films with lateral markings.

4
Bronze cross-reliquary. Engraved representation praying saint with the inscription
Saint \ NIKOL \ D \ E.

Bronze cross-reliquary, Latin type with flattened arms and straight edges. It consists
of two parts connected by hinges forming intermediate space for holy relics. Incised
decoration on both sides. The front Christ depicted on the Cross with outstretched
hands, wearing long kolovio. In tabula ansata marked X. Inscription: IC-XC VH. On
the reverse side depicts the Virgin coverall in attitude of supplication, between two
angels. Inscription: MHP-victim under two stars. Younger ring hanging at the top.

Bronze cross-reliquary, Latin type with flattened arms and straight edges. It consists
of two parts connected by pegs forming intermediate space for holy relics. From the
top peg goes wide ring for hanging on the cross chain. The relief decoration on both
sides is painted die while anatomical details and the folds of the garments are
emphasized by etching. On the obverse depicted Christ crucified between the tiny
figures of the Virgin and John the ends of the horizontal antenna. Christ wears long
kolovio and standing on a footstool. Above the tabula ansata depicted symbols of the
sun and moon. Beneath the arms of the inscription IC-XC-VH. On the reverse side
depicts the Virgin integral to stop praying, on a footrest. The Virgin wears maphorion
that crosses the chest and falls over the tunic vertical aspects. At the edges of the
antennas within busts medals four forms that may correspond to the evangelists.

Bronze cross-reliquary bearing incised representation saints in praying. The

inscription The AGIOC \ GEOR \ GIOC frames format.

Bronze cross-reliquary, Latin type with flattened arms ending in epimila. It consists of
two parts connected by pegs forming intermediate space for holy relics. From the top
peg goes wide ring for hanging on the cross chain. Incised decoration on both sides.
On the obverse depicted Christ crucified, with skirt. Illegible inscription at the top. On
the back cross with ichthyakantha has five slots with glass paste.

Bronze cross-reliquary bearing incised representation saints in praying. The

inscription NIKOLAO \ C accompany the form.

Bronze cross-reliquary bearing incised representation saints in praying. The

inscription The AGIOC \ CTEFANOC frames format. In the center of the cross and at
the edges of the antennae, hollows for mounting glass frit.

Bronze cross-reliquary. Undecorated. The two plates of the cross hinged. In the upper
part adapted ring suspension.

Fragment of a bronze cross-Shrine. It depicts Christ crucified between the Virgin

Mary and John. Above the head of Christ, tabula ansata and higher representations of
the sun and moon. In the horizontal antenna, below stretched arms of Christ the
inscription: Behold the YOC IDE The MHP CFS.