ANTIQUE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX LARGE BLESSING CROSS BRASS SILVER ENAMEL MOP ICON 1888

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ANTIQUE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX LARGE BLESSING CROSS BRASS SILVER ENAMEL MOP ICON 1888:
$1242.00

A Blessing Cross is a hand cross, held by a priest or bishop in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, when he gives a benediction. The blessing cross is also used in the blessing of holy water, when the priest will dip the cross in the water, making the sign of the cross with it three times.

PLEASE NOTE : This is not a modern so-called \"Byzantine Style\" ecclesiastical attribute, which is made now in Greece for tourists or ungrounded buyers, THIS IS AN ANTIQUE, AUTHENTIC RUSSIAN IMPERIAL CHURCH BLESSING CROSS, from the 19th century, appr. made in 1888. Scarce, magnificent church cross for serious people.

This is a splendid and very rare item indeed. Antique and Huge Russian Orthodox church ecclesiastical episcopal processional Blessing Cross in very good condition for its 130 years. The cross is made of an old antique brass/melchior.
The four arms of the cross are decorated with beautiful handmade round portraits, made of old silicate hot glass enamel, drawing and painting by hand. Enamelled applications are overlaid in cases of natural pearls. Enamel portraits represent the images of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist and the Death.

In the center of the cross is placed a solid silver crucifix, beautiful and very detailed silver figure of the crucified Jesus Christ. Crucifix is assembled on a silver base, which is marked by Russian royal marks for silver - 84, year 1888 and letters. On the face of the handle of the cross is placed a magnificent ornament of solid silver, decorated with different colored silicate hot enamel, which is marked also by Russian silver marks. It looks these 3 parts (Jesus Christ, crucifix and enameled handle ornament) are the only 3 solid silver parts of the cross. The body of the cross is made of antique brass or melchior.

Inside the cross is hollow, as Reliquary, probably ever had any sacred relics - wood, bone, hair or other... The back side of the cross is decorated with typical Russian church motifs and the inscriptions are in Old-Church-Slavonic but I can not read them. The upper and lower faces joined by screws.
So please, take a look at the pictures, they can tell you much more then I can tell you.
Remarkably well done and the hand-painted enamel portrait has a terrific sense of reality.

Cross is very very large piece - appr. 36.6 cm. long/high (14.1/2\" inches), 23.6 cm. wide (9.3/8\" inches), and appr. 1.3 cm. thick. Cross is in good original condition - not shiny, not clean, not polished. It is a superior piece of history !The cross came with original silk Patriarchal stole/epitrachil, so I offer both items together, i.e. the stole is included in this sale.

This item is part of huge private collection, which belonged to a Soviet academician and subsequently purchased by another scientist who had been a cultural attaché for over 20 years in the former USSR.The theme of the collection was old Russian silver and enamel related to the Russian Imperial Army, military priests and orthodox Christianity.

Very little ecclesiastical items survived the various political upheavals of the twentieth century, as much of it was confiscated and destroyed by the communistic power. Please ask any questions before offerding.

Thank you for viewing my item ! All photoses are part of our description. Please email any questions prior to offerding.We promise 100% buyers satisfaction, or MONEY BACK GUARANTEE !

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