Orthodox Churches and Crucifixes ?

[Markie Boy]

Do Orthodox Churches have crucifixes prominently displayed like Catholic Churches do? If so are they as detailed as Catholic ones?

I seem to sense this whole focus on the life of Jesus in Orthodoxy, including the resurrection, where in Catholicism there seems to be a heavy focus on suffering of Jesus, and then I feel left there in the suffering focus without the glorious victory of his rising.

 

[Dave G.]

Do Orthodox Churches have crucifixes prominently displayed like Catholic Churches do? If so are they as detailed as Catholic ones?

I seem to sense this whole focus on the life of Jesus in Orthodoxy, including the resurrection, where in Catholicism there seems to be a heavy focus on suffering of Jesus, and then I feel left there in the suffering focus without the glorious victory of his rising.

I'm not EO but it just seems if you want to celebrate the joy of His rising then you want a cross rather than crucifix. This indicates Jesus off the cross, yet the power of the cross and risen, the defeat of Satan. EO I believe has both or use both crosses and somewhat simple crucifixes. Just a thought, I'm sure someone will be along with a more official word.

 

[nutroll]

We don't usually have a cross with a statue of the crucified Christ on it. Instead, we will have an icon of Christ on the cross. He is almost always depicted as serene because it was a voluntary death. The inscription that was placed over His head is usually replaced by the inscription "The King of Glory" so that we might understand who He truly is rather than who the malefactors said He was. There is usually very little blood apart from the blood and water flowing from His side, because this is a reminder of the Eucharist. So we don't disregard His crucifixion, indeed several times a year (including a little over a week ago or a few days from now depending on the calendar) we celebrate the lifting up, the exaltation, and veneration of the precious and life-giving cross. We just try to keep in perspective that the cross is both an implement of torture and a source of life. He really and truly suffered and died on the cross, but He also gave us life through doing so.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Do Orthodox Churches have crucifixes prominently displayed like Catholic Churches do? If so are they as detailed as Catholic ones?

I seem to sense this whole focus on the life of Jesus in Orthodoxy, including the resurrection, where in Catholicism there seems to be a heavy focus on suffering of Jesus, and then I feel left there in the suffering focus without the glorious victory of his rising.

Our redemption comes from His sacrifice on the cross. An empty cross is fine by itself but a crucifix offers a more complete picture of the Catholic understanding of how our redemption comes about.

 

[prodromos]

He is almost always depicted as serene because it was a voluntary death.

Christ is also depicted as standing, rather than hanging on the cross, to show that death had no power over Him, but instead that Christ had victory over death.

 

[Tigger45]

Do Orthodox Churches have crucifixes prominently displayed like Catholic Churches do? If so are they as detailed as Catholic ones?

I seem to sense this whole focus on the life of Jesus in Orthodoxy, including the resurrection, where in Catholicism there seems to be a heavy focus on suffering of Jesus, and then I feel left there in the suffering focus without the glorious victory of his rising.

Yes but it’s displayed on their altar. Also as alluded to by a previous posted it will be 2 dimensional rather than the 3 dimensional type you see in a Roman Catholic church.

 

[ArmyMatt]

the image of Christ on the Cross is also usually serene and calm to encourage prayer. Christ isn't depicted in agony because that stuff distracts from prayer.

 

[AMM]

in my experience there's usually an icon of the crucifixion at the top of the iconostasis, as well as a processional (as we'd call it in the west) cross in the altar, but again it tends to be a relief or a painted icon rather than statuary.

at St Patrick's western rite orthodox church, they have one that is the traditional western crucifix - Christ's body hanging on the cross. But it's not gorey or bloody.

When I converted I asked my priest to bless the assortment of religious items I had accumulated over the years, including some crucifixes (one which is the JPII crucifix - which is definitely one of the more "suffering" crucifixes I'm familiar with) and he blessed them along with the icons and prayer ropes

 

[prodromos]

Markie, you might appreciate the following insight from Presvitera Frederica Mathewes-Green, regarding Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion".
What Mel Missed - Writings - Frederica.com

in the earliest Christian writings we see a different understanding of the meaning of the Cross, one which, shockingly, didn’t think it was important for us to identify with Jesus’ suffering. For contemporary Christians it’s hard to imagine such a thing. The extremity of Jesus’ sacrifice has been the wellspring of Christian art and devotion for centuries. It has produced great treasures, from late Renaissance paintings of the Crucifixion, to the meditations of Dame Julian of Norwich, to Bach’s glorious setting of ‘O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded.’ Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion’ arrives as the newest entrant in a very old tradition.

A funny thing happens, however, if we press further back in time. Before the middle ages, depictions of the Crucifixion show very little blood. Though the event itself was no doubt horrific, artists preferred to render it with restraint (like the Gospels, but unlike Gibson). The visual elements in an ancient icon of the Crucifixion are arranged symmetrically, harmoniously, and the viewer is placed at a respectful distance. The depiction is not without drama: Mary and the disciple John, at the foot of the Cross, reel in grief. But Jesus does not reveal any sense of torment. He is serene, almost regal.​

 

[Not David]

I believe Christ is in front of the Altar with the Panagia or in His Pantocrator style instead of suffering on a cross.

 

[DamianWarS]

Our redemption comes from His sacrifice on the cross. An empty cross is fine by itself but a crucifix offers a more complete picture of the Catholic understanding of how our redemption comes about.

some of these things are a bit arbitrary fighting about an empty cross or a crucifix. Christ needs to suffer before redemption happens and if we wanted to get all bothered by it then perhaps we should start wearing an empty tome pendant around our neck (it's a thing) as it would better reflect his resurrection.

 

[thecolorsblend]

some of these things are a bit arbitrary fighting about an empty cross or a crucifix. Christ needs to suffer before redemption happens and if we wanted to get all bothered by it then perhaps we should start wearing an empty tome pendant around our neck (it's a thing) as it would better reflect his resurrection.
View attachment 263768

Heh, you have no idea how close I came to joking about that. But I thought it might seem rude of me to say.

I had no idea that's a thing. Golly...

 

[buzuxi02]

Theres a cross with an icon of Christ behind the altar (like the one shown in the previous post). This icon is non-sensualistic and should not depict an agonizing Christ. This cross is removed from behind the altar on Holy Thursday evening and the icon of Christ is unfixed from the wood on Good Friday and is not put back until 40 days or so later.

 

[All4Christ]

Regarding the feasts of the Cross:



One of the hymns:

Before Thy Cross we bow down in worship, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.

We don't usually have a cross with a statue of the crucified Christ on it. Instead, we will have an icon of Christ on the cross. He is almost always depicted as serene because it was a voluntary death. The inscription that was placed over His head is usually replaced by the inscription "The King of Glory" so that we might understand who He truly is rather than who the malefactors said He was. There is usually very little blood apart from the blood and water flowing from His side, because this is a reminder of the Eucharist. So we don't disregard His crucifixion, indeed several times a year (including a little over a week ago or a few days from now depending on the calendar) we celebrate the lifting up, the exaltation, and veneration of the precious and life-giving cross. We just try to keep in perspective that the cross is both an implement of torture and a source of life. He really and truly suffered and died on the cross, but He also gave us life through doing so.

 

[All4Christ]

Do Orthodox Churches have crucifixes prominently displayed like Catholic Churches do? If so are they as detailed as Catholic ones?

I seem to sense this whole focus on the life of Jesus in Orthodoxy, including the resurrection, where in Catholicism there seems to be a heavy focus on suffering of Jesus, and then I feel left there in the suffering focus without the glorious victory of his rising.

My fellow posters explained our view well.

When we think of the crucified Christ, we also think of him as Christ the Victor, Christ the King, reigning in triumph from the Tree.

The first exorcism before baptism gives excellent description of our beliefs about this.

On the Tree He triumphed over the powers which opposed him, when the sun was darkened and the earth was shaken, when the graves were opened and the bodies of the saints arose. By death He destroyed death, and brought to naught him who had the power of death.

And a part of a sermon from St John Chrysostom that we read each Pascha:

Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.

He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hades, He made Hades captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hades, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.


And our Paschal Troparion (thanks be to God):

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!!

 

[Lukaris]

We see the Lord in the fullness of His Incarnation. In our parish our dome depicts the eternal reigning Lord ( Colossians 1:15-20). Beneath, overlooking our iconostasis is the Annunciation. Our church windows depict the Nativity on one side & the Second Coming on the other. On the right side of our Iconostasis, is the icon of the Lord on the Cross (resting, perhaps, “It is finished” John 19:30)). We have icons of the empty tomb & the Ascension.

 

[JohnTh]

Many said it but nobody said it in few words: the cross is the sign of THE Victory, the weapon of death transformed into THE weapon of life.

 

[Markie Boy]

That's something. In our Catholic parish we have a 3-D Christ on the cross front and center, not as bloody as He was in reality, but just enough to show he was crucified. And on the walls on both sides are the Stations of the Cross, all down one side and the other.

We are almost fully surrounded by His suffering, that seems to be the focus.

 

[All4Christ]

I hesitate to write this as it isn’t really my place...

but how does that work with with a priest serving alone? I thought it was an important thing for both to be represented and in attendance.

 

[RobNJ]

I hesitate to write this as it isn’t really my place...

but how does that work with with a priest serving alone? I thought it was an important thing for both to be represented and in attendance.

@All4Christ .... Ummm.. Methinks this was destined for the other thread.