Old Russian cross with holy men and The Guardian Angel

This cross has one of the most ancient forms, which became popular in Russia in the Middle Ages. This form, which is connected by a circle, is called Nikitron, which means “victorious”. Such crosses were installed and worn in exceptional cases, for example:

• On the ground of victorious battles;
• On the walls of temples;
• Worn by victorious warriors.

Features of the shape cross At the ends of each crossbar, you can see the heads of the bulbous shape, like in Russian churches. Inside each of them there is an icon of the patron saint of the Russian land. In the very center, according to tradition, there is Jesus Christ, and on the sides there are the Mother of God and the beloved disciple of the Savior, John the Evangelist. To the right of the crucifixion is the icon of St. Alexei of Moscow, to the left-the Holy Cross. St. Sergius of Radonezh, and below is an icon of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, the Saint of the Blessed. All these people lived their lives in the same period of time, in the 14th century, in addition, they were familiar with each other. All were known as prayerbooks, defenders of the motherland and organizers of Russia. St. Dmitry Donskoy was a pupil of St. Alexei, and Sergius of Radonezh gave him his blessing before the Battle of Kulikovo, which was in 1380. On top there is the icon of Archangel Michael-the patron saint of the Russian army. In the center of the back side is an icon of the Guardian Angel and a special prayer dedicated to him: “Holy Guardian Angel, pray to God for me.” Icons of the holy warriors of the church, who fought alongside the Russian soldiers, and helped the soldiers win on the battlefield, are located around. The icon of Fyodor Tyron is located on the top, and the icon of Fyodor Stratilat is located on the bottom, on the right there is Dmirti Solunskii, and on the left is John the Warrior. The believers’ attitude to the cross wearing From a religious point of view, believers put on a cross as a symbol of victory over sin. For this reason, a true Orthodox believer must always carry it with him. The main idea of wearing the cross is that due to its presence on the body, a person feels its weight on himself and thus will not consciously violate the laws prescribed by faith. Another of the purposes of the cross is the function of a talisman. Many believe that thanks to the cross, you can avoid:

• The Evil Eye;
• Damage;
• Evil people;
• Misfortunes;
• Diseases;
• Envy

Today, many people forget about the true purpose of the cross and wear it simply as a religious attribute.