Crucifix Question

[ernestus]

could someone post a link to, or explain what the different crucifixes are among catholics, orthodox, and byzantine?

someone from the orthodox church told me that this crucifix is not catholic, but orthodox. this crucifix is also advertised as an orthodox one, yet i see these in many catholic stores:




likewise, this one is advertised as a byzantine catholic cross and looks similar to the one above.








however, most of the other orthodox crosses look like this:

[kzarah]

Maybe these crucifixes belong to both churches in that they came into use before the Greek schism.

Daniel

 

[Pat]

Most Greeks would not call those crucifixes Orthodox.  They have a  strange aversion to statues, most of their crucifixes have a painted  corpus.  Also, most of them have a slanted footrest and a  horizontal sign.  The originals had a horizontal footrest.
 
  I have seen that design of cross in the SSPX chapel and the indult  church (on the sides of pews and on the altar rails).  It also  looks very similar to the pardon cross.  I don't think it's  exclusively Eastern, unlike the previously mentioned cross.
 

[Extraecclesiamnullasalus]

I have that cruxifix.
 

[Vandaler]

There is three ways to respond to this.

 

Historical

 

In evaluating a very old Crucifix, the manner in which Christ is represented is a good indication of the period and Tradition it belongs.

 

More on this here: http://www.shroud.com/pdfs/markwar3.pdf

 

 

Cross Symbol

 The latin cross. The symbol of Christianity

 

The Orthodox cross. The upper bar represents the INRI sign and the lower slanted bar is a stylized foot stool.

 

For more symbols: http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefslatincross.htm

 

 

The Art Tradition.

 

Byzantine and Orthodox: Characterized mostly by the stylized bulge at each 4 points.