The Noah's Ark Cross

The eight-pointed Orthodox cross is made with elements of marine symbols, allegorically telling about the way of salvation on the waves of life. This cross continues the ancient tradition of depicting keel-shaped crosses representing a ship, the image of which was especially popular in the XV century. The ship is one of the symbols of Christian art, resembling a Church, where believers find safety and salvation. Often, the symbol of the Church's protection is Noah's Ark, like a ship carrying the foundation of life. On the front side of the product there is a relief figure of the Crucified Christ. Above the Crucifix is an inscription ― INZI ― Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. The figure has the name of Jesus Christ ― IXC. There is an active wood texture on the entire surface of the product, imitating the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. At the foot of the Crucifix are sea symbols: an anchor and a stem cutting through the waves. The anchor is an early Christian symbol of hope, which is also a personified attribute of Nicholas Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the spiritual protector of sailors. At the edges of the product, the Instruments of the Passion of the Lord are a spear and a cane with a sponge. These relics remind of the physical and spiritual sufferings in the last hours of the Savior's earthly life. The composition is completed by rigging cables thrown from the middle crossbar to the upper element of the product. The entire cross represents the mast of a ship, over which the Holy Spirit hovers. The buttonhole of the product is made in the form of an Old Testament dove with an olive branch, which was described in the story of the life of righteous Noah during the flood. And he waited another seven days, and again released the dove from the ark. The dove returned to him in the evening, and behold, a fresh olive leaf was in his mouth, and Noah knew that the water had left the earth (Gen. 8:10). This image tells about the awakening of a new life, about the possibility of its continuation, after the tragic events of history. On the reverse side of the product is a prayer to the Honest Cross: May God rise again, and His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, so may they disappear; as wax melts from the face of fire, so may demons perish from the face of those who love God and make the sign of the cross, and in joy say: Hail, Most honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive out demons through the power of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ... The engraved inscription is inscribed in the entire field of the cross and is decorated with a miniature four-pointed cross on top.