When visiting churches and opening church books, we are faced with a large amount of all kinds of religious symbolism, the meaning of which is sometimes not entirely clear. This is especially noticeable when you have to look at icons, as well as frescoes, paintings or engravings created on biblical subjects many centuries ago. To understand their secret language, let's look at some of their most commonly used symbols and talk about their origins.

Secret signs of the first Christians

The earliest Christian symbols are found on the walls of the Roman catacombs, where followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ, in an atmosphere of severe persecution by the authorities, secretly performed divine services. These images are different from those that we are used to seeing on the walls of our temples today. Ancient Christian symbols had the character of secret writing that united fellow believers, and yet they already contained a very definite theological meaning.

Christians of the first centuries did not know icons in the form in which they exist today, and on the walls of the catacombs they did not depict the Savior Himself, but only symbols expressing certain aspects of his essence. A careful study of them reveals the full depth of the theology of the early Church. Among the most frequently encountered images are the Good Shepherd, the Lamb, baskets of bread, vines and many other symbols. Somewhat later, already in the 5th-6th centuries, when Christianity from a sect persecuted by the authorities turned into a state religion, the Cross was added to them.

Christian symbols and their meanings, obscure to the catechumens, that is, people who had not yet been initiated into the meaning of the teaching and had not received Holy Baptism, were a kind of visual sermon for members of the Church. They became a continuation of those he pronounced in front of crowds of listeners, but the meaning of which he revealed only to a close circle of his students.

The first symbolic images of the Savior

One of the earliest symbolic subjects of catacomb painting is the scene of the “Adoration of the Magi.” Researchers have discovered twelve such frescoes dating back to the 2nd century, that is, executed approximately a century after the events described in the Gospel. They contain a deep theological meaning. The Eastern sages who came to worship the Nativity of the Savior seem to testify to the prediction of his appearance by the ancient prophets and symbolize the inextricable connection between the Old and New Testaments.

Around the same period, an inscription appeared on the walls of the catacombs in Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ (translated as “fish”). In Russian reading it sounds like “Ichthys”. This is an acronym, that is, a stable type of abbreviation that has acquired an independent meaning. It is formed from the initial letters of the Greek words that make up the expression “Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior,” and it contains the main symbol of the Christian faith, which was then set out in detail in the documents of the Nicene Ecumenical Council, held in 325 in Asia Minor. The Good Shepherd, as well as Ichthys, are considered the first images of Jesus Christ in the art of the early Christian period.

It is interesting to note that in early Christian symbolism this acronym, denoting the Son of God who descended into the world, actually corresponded to the image of a fish. Scientists find several explanations for this. Usually they point to the disciples of Christ, many of whom were originally fishermen. In addition, they remember the words of the Savior that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, in which fish of various kinds find themselves. This also includes numerous Gospel episodes related to fishing and feeding the hungry (hungry) with it.

What is Chrism?

The symbols of Christian teaching also include such a very common sign as “Christism”. It appeared, as is commonly believed, back in apostolic times, but became widespread from the 4th century, and is an image of the Greek letters Χ and Ρ, which are the beginning of the word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, which means Messiah or Anointed of God. Often, in addition to them, the Greek letters α (alpha) and ω (omega) were placed on the right and left, reminiscent of the words of Christ that he is Alpha and Omega, that is, the beginning and end of all things.

Images of this sign are often found on coins, in mosaic compositions, as well as on reliefs that decorated sarcophagi. A photo of one of them is given in the article. In Russian Orthodoxy, Christianity has acquired a slightly different meaning. The letters X and P are deciphered as the beginning of the Russian words Christ was Born, which made this sign a symbol of the Incarnation. In the design of modern churches it is found as often as other most famous Christian symbols.

The cross is a symbol of Christ's faith

Strange as it may seem, the first Christians did not worship the Cross. The main symbol of the Christian faith became widespread only in the 5th century. The first Christians did not make images of him. However, after its appearance, within a short time it became a mandatory part of every temple, and then the body symbol of a believer.

It should be noted that on the most ancient crucifixes Christ was depicted alive, dressed in robes, and often crowned with a royal crown. Moreover, He was usually given a triumphant appearance. nails, as well as the wounds and blood of the Savior appeared only in images dating back to the 9th century, that is, during the late Middle Ages.

The Lamb who became the atoning sacrifice

Many Christian symbols originate from their Old Testament prototypes. Among them is another image of the Savior, made in the form of a Lamb. It contains one of the fundamental dogmas of religion about the sacrifice made by Christ to atone for human sins. Just as in ancient times a lamb was given to the slaughter to propitiate God, so now the Lord himself laid His only begotten Son on the altar to deliver people from the burden of original sin.

In early Christian times, when followers of the new faith were forced to observe secrecy, this symbol was very convenient in that only initiates could understand its meaning. For everyone else, it remained a harmless image of a lamb, which could be applied anywhere without hiding.

However, at the Sixth, held in 680 in Constantinople, this symbol was banned. Instead, it was prescribed to give Christ an exclusively human appearance in all images. The explanation stated that in this way greater compliance with historical truth would be achieved, as well as simplicity in its perception by believers. From this day the history of the iconography of the Savior began.

The same council issued another decree that has not lost force to this day. Based on this document, it was forbidden to make any images of the Life-Giving Cross on earth. The explanation quite logically and sensibly stated that it is unacceptable to trample under foot that which, thanks to which we were all delivered from the curse that weighed on humanity after the original Fall.

Lily and anchor

There are also Christian symbols and signs generated by Holy Tradition and Scripture. One of them is a stylized image of a lily. Its appearance is due to the fact that, according to legend, the Archangel Gabriel, appearing to the Virgin Mary with the good news of her great destiny, held this particular flower in his hand. Since then, the white lily has become a symbol of the purity of the Blessed Virgin.

This became the reason that in medieval icon painting it became a tradition to depict saints with a lily in their hands, famous for the purity of their lives. The same symbol dates back to pre-Christian times. One of the Old Testament books, called “Song of Songs,” says that the temple of the great King Solomon was decorated with lilies, which connected this flower with the image of a wise ruler.

When considering Christian symbols and their meanings, it is also necessary to remember the image of an anchor. It came into use thanks to the words of the Apostle Paul from his Epistle to the Hebrews. In it, the champion of the true faith likens the hope of fulfillment to a safe and strong anchor, invisibly connecting the members of the Church with the Kingdom of Heaven. As a result, the anchor became a symbol of hope for the salvation of the soul from eternal death, and its image can often be found among other Christian symbols.

Image of a dove in Christian symbolism

As mentioned above, the content of Christian symbols should often be sought among biblical texts. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the image of a dove, which has a double interpretation. In the Old Testament, he was given the role of bearer of the good news when, with an olive branch in his beak, he returned to Noah's ark, signaling that the waters of the flood had receded and the danger had passed. In this context, the dove became a symbol of prosperity within the framework of not only religious, but also symbolism generally accepted throughout the world.

On the pages of the New Testament, the dove becomes a visible personification of the Holy Spirit who descended on Christ at the moment of His baptism in the Jordan. Therefore, in the Christian tradition, his image acquired precisely this meaning. The dove symbolizes the third hypostasis of the one God - the Holy Trinity.

Images symbolizing the four evangelists

The Old Testament, or more precisely, the Psalter, which makes up one of its books, includes the image of an eagle, symbolizing youth and strength. The basis for this was the words attributed to King David and contained in the hundred and second psalm: “Your youth will be renewed like an eagle.” It is no coincidence that the eagle became the symbol of the Apostle John, the youngest of the evangelists.

It would also be appropriate to mention Christian symbols designating the authors of the other three canonical Gospels. The first of them - the Evangelist Matthew - corresponds to the image of an angel, embodying the image of the messianic destiny of the Son of God, sent into the world for its salvation. Evangelist Mark follows him. Next to him it is customary to depict a lion, symbolizing the royal dignity of the Savior and His power. The third evangelist (the word “Gospel” translated means “good news”) is the evangelist Luke. He is accompanied by a sacrificial lamb or calf, emphasizing the redemptive significance of the earthly ministry of the Son of God.

These symbols of the Christian religion are invariably found in the paintings of Orthodox churches. Usually they can be seen placed on four sides of the vault supporting the dome, in the center of which, as a rule, the Savior is depicted. In addition, they, along with the image of the Annunciation, traditionally decorate the Royal Doors.

Symbols whose meaning is not always clear

Often, visitors to Orthodox churches are surprised by the image of a six-pointed star found in them - the same as on the state one. It would seem, what connection can Orthodox Christian symbols have with this purely Jewish sign? In fact, there is nothing surprising here - the six-pointed star in this case only emphasizes the connection of the New Testament Church with its Old Testament predecessor, and has nothing to do with politics.

By the way, let us remember in passing that it is also an element of Christian symbolism. In recent years, it has often been used to decorate the tops of Christmas and New Year trees. She is intended to depict the one who on Christmas night showed the wise men the way to the cave in which the Savior was born.

And one more symbol that raises questions. At the base of the crosses crowning the domes of Orthodox churches, you can often see a crescent moon placed in a horizontal position. Since it itself belongs to Muslim religious attributes, such a composition is often misinterpreted, giving it an expression of the triumph of Christianity over Islam. In reality this is not the case.

The crescent lying horizontally in this case is a symbolic image of the Christian church, which is given the image of a ship or canoe carrying believers through the stormy waters of the sea of ​​life. By the way, this symbol is also one of the earliest, and it can be seen in one form or another on the walls of the Roman catacombs.

Christian symbol of the Trinity

Before talking about this important section of Christian symbolism, we should focus on the fact that, unlike the pagan triads, which always included three independent and separately “existing” deities, the Christian Trinity represents the unity of its three hypostases, inseparable from each other, but not merged into a single whole. God is one in three persons, each of which reveals one aspect of His essence.

In accordance with this, starting from the period of early Christianity, symbols were created designed to visually embody this trinity. The most ancient of them are images of three intertwined rings or fish. They were discovered on the walls of Roman catacombs. They can be considered the earliest for the reason that the dogma of the Holy Trinity itself, having appeared only at the end of the 2nd century, was developed in the next century, and was officially enshrined in the documents of the Council of Nicaea in 325, which was already mentioned above.

Also among the elements of symbolism meaning the Holy Trinity, although they appeared, as is commonly believed, somewhat later, one should include an equilateral triangle, sometimes surrounded by a circle. Like all other Christian symbols, it has a deep meaning. In this case, not only His infinity is emphasized. Often inside it is placed an image of an eye, or rather, the eye of God, indicating that the Lord is all-seeing and omnipresent.

The history of the Church also knows symbols of the Holy Trinity that were more complex in design, appearing in certain periods. But always and in all images there were invariably present elements indicating the unity and at the same time non-fusion of its three constituent elements. They can often be seen in the design of many currently operating churches - both eastern and those belonging to the western directions of Christianity.

485. Sergei Nikolaevich (Sh@???.vyborg.ru) writes: “I completely agree with you about the ambiguity of biblical symbolism and the possibilities of speculation on it, however, you must agree that without at least some understanding of it it is impossible to advance beyond a literal understanding ". For example, the concepts of food and clothing, husband and wife can be more or less understood, and this alone significantly expands the understanding of Scripture. However, with each new answer, more and more questions appear and asking them all at once, of course, is impossible. Therefore, if you help me at least with several, I will be very grateful to you.
1st question - what is FISH? It is intuitively felt that this is close to righteousness, wisdom, grace, your opinion is interesting. In this regard, the meaning of the number 153 fish ()
2nd question - WATER in different shades (differences between sea, rivers, waters)
3rd question - SALT
The 4th question is the meaning (not literal) of feeding FIVE THOUSAND men with FIVE (namely barley, which John specifically clarifies) loaves and TWO fish, after which the remains were collected in TWELVE FULL BOXES. And when FOUR thousand were fed with SEVEN loaves of bread and SEVERAL (without specifying the number!) fish, they collected SEVEN BASKETS. There is no doubt in my mind that EVERY word and number has meaning."

Speaking about the symbolism of the Bible, I would first like to say that many make a serious mistake by trying to interpret the Bible using any arbitrary methods. First, we must remember that the Bible never intended to present anything in such a coded form that it would require the powers of learned men to decipher it. In the Bible we read: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are mighty, and God has chosen the base things of the world and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh boasted before God" ().

God made His Word understandable to the child, the illiterate, the old man, and the scholar. That is why biblical symbolism only reveals great truths for the common man, presenting them in common language.

And one more thing: when we open the Bible, we approach it with a certain predisposition: pagan religions seemed mysterious and hidden because they needed to keep people in obedience and enslavement. The Bible's teaching about a loving God is completely different. The God of the Bible desires to save every person from sin and death. God does this because He loves His creation, for the sake of which He did not spare His Son: “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” ().

How then can this loving God, who wants every person to find salvation, try to hide his message of salvation from man under all sorts of codes and symbols, making it almost impossible for them to be discovered? After all, if those who only with the help of computers and complex mathematical calculations determine the secret writings hidden in the Bible are right, then the Bible itself, which speaks about the love of God, is wrong: “At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You hid this from the wise and prudent and revealed it to babes. Her, Father! For such was Your good pleasure" ().

But the Bible still has symbols. Only the Bible immediately interprets these symbols itself. For example, speaking about the symbols of prophecy, we find a mandatory interpretation of the symbols, if not in the same, then in the neighboring prophecy: “And the ten horns mean that ten kings will rise from this kingdom” (Dan 7:24) or “the waters that you saw Where the harlot sits, they are people and nations and tribes and languages" (). Or the symbols of the parables of Jesus Christ: “And what was sown among thorns signifies the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word” ().

Numbers in the Bible are not as important as people give them. Yes, the numbers 7 and 12 to some extent express completeness, but this is not specifically stated anywhere. The only mention of the meaning of the number we find in Revelation about the number of the name of the beast “666” (; 15:2). And even then, it is not presented as important for understanding the truth, but only as an additional factor that can be used by some who have sufficient knowledge.

As for the fish, in a symbolic form it was used as a symbol of catching a person in a positive or negative sense. Christ compares his disciples to “fishers of men” (; also). And the Old Testament prophecies spoke about this in a negative sense ( and ). Just as a man catches a fish, so Satan catches a man in a net or on a hook, and God gathers people into His Kingdom. But nowhere are we given any hint that fish could signify any quality of character.

Salt has certain properties that determine its significance. Salt is an antiseptic, salt is a preservative, salt is a flavoring additive. It is these qualities that Christ reflects in his parables: “Salt is a good thing; but if the salt is not salty, how will you season it? Have salt in you, and have peace among yourselves” (). Compare with the following statements: “Do they eat tasteless things without salt” (), “at your birth, on the day you were born, your navel was not cut off, and you were not washed with water for cleansing, and you were not salted with salt, and you were not wrapped in swaddling clothes midwife" (), "Let your word always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you know how to answer everyone" (). It is not surprising that Christ called His followers the salt of the earth ().

Question about the loaves: “Jesus said to them: Look, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. And they thought within themselves and said: This means that we have not taken the bread. Having understood this, Jesus said to them: Why do you think in yourselves, O you of little faith, that there is no bread? did you not take it? Do you still not understand and remember about the five loaves for five thousand people, and how many baskets did you pick up? or about the seven loaves for four thousand, and how many baskets did you pick up? How do you not understand that it was not about bread that I said to you: beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Then they understood that He was telling them not to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees" ().

As you can see, the Bible interprets itself and does not need any special reference books. But most importantly, this is a different symbolism - the temple service in the Old Testament symbolized the ministry of Jesus Christ for our redemption. The book of Hebrews shows this very clearly. At the same time, the main symbolism of the Bible is the sacrificial lamb, which represented Jesus Christ, “the Lamb slain from the creation of the world” (). At the same time, in order to correctly understand all the symbolism of the Bible, it is necessary to understand the difference in the thinking of the Jews, to whom the Bible was written in the first place, from the thinking of modern society, influenced by Greek thought. And in this regard, I recommend that you read the book of my good friend and colleague Alexander Bolotnikov “The Gospel in the Old Testament Sanctuary” (Zaoksky: publishing house “Source of Life”, 2001), an unedited version of which can be found on the website http://xlib.narod.ru , and the printed version can be ordered through the website http://www.7knig.ru or by writing to the address [email protected].

Read more on the topic "The Bible. About the Book of Books":

The first Christian symbolic images appear in the paintings of the Roman catacombs and date back to the period of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. During this period, the symbols had the character of secret writing, allowing fellow believers to recognize each other, but the meaning of the symbols already reflected the emerging Christian theology. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann notes:

The early Church did not know the icon in its modern dogmatic meaning. The beginning of Christian art - painting of the catacombs - is symbolic in nature (...) It tends to depict not so much a deity as the function of a deity.

L. A. Uspensky associates the active use in the ancient Church of various symbols, rather than iconographic images, with the fact that “in order to little by little prepare people for the truly incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation, the Church first addressed them in a language more acceptable to them than direct image." Also, symbolic images, in his opinion, were used as a way of hiding Christian sacraments from catechumens until the time of their baptism.

So Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: “everyone is allowed to hear the gospel, but the glory of the gospel is given to only the sincere Servants of Christ. To those who could not listen, the Lord spoke in parables, and to the disciples in private he explained the parables.” The oldest catacomb images include scenes of the “Adoration of the Magi” (about 12 frescoes with this plot have been preserved), which date back to the 2nd century. Also dating back to the 2nd century is the appearance in the catacombs of images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or the fish symbolizing it.

Among other symbols of catacomb painting, the following stand out:

• anchor - an image of hope (an anchor is the support of a ship at sea, hope acts as a support for the soul in Christianity). This image is already present in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 6:18-20);
• dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit; · phoenix – symbol of resurrection;
• the eagle is a symbol of youth (“your youth will be renewed like an eagle” (Ps. 102:5));
• the peacock is a symbol of immortality (according to the ancients, its body was not subject to decomposition);
• the rooster is a symbol of resurrection (the crow of a rooster awakens from sleep, and awakening, according to Christians, should remind believers of the Last Judgment and the general resurrection of the dead);
• the lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ;
• lion is a symbol of strength and power;
• olive branch - a symbol of eternal peace;
• lily is a symbol of purity (common due to the influence of apocryphal stories about the presentation of a lily flower by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation);
• the vine and the basket of bread are symbols of the Eucharist.

Characteristics of the 35 main symbols and signs of Christianity

1. Chi Rho- one of the earliest cruciform symbols of Christians. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters of the Greek version of the word Christ: Chi=X and Po=P. Although the Chi Rho is not technically a cross, it is associated with the crucifixion of Christ and symbolizes his status as Lord. It is believed that Chi Rho was the first to use it at the beginning of the 4th century. AD Emperor Constantine, decorating it with a labarum, a military standard. As the 4th century Christian apologist Lactantius notes, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. The Lord appeared to Constantine and ordered to put the image of Chi Rho on the shields of the soldiers. After Constantine's victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, the Chi Rho became the official emblem of the empire. Archaeologists have found evidence that Chi Rho was depicted on Constantine's helmet and shield, as well as his soldiers. Chi Rho was also engraved on coins and medallions minted during the reign of Constantine. By 350 AD images began to appear on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes.

2. Lamb: a symbol of Christ as the Paschal sacrificial lamb, as well as a symbol for Christians, reminding them that Christ is our shepherd, and Peter ordered to feed his sheep. The Lamb also serves as a sign of St. Agnes (her day is celebrated on January 21), a martyr of early Christianity.

3.Baptismal cross: consists of a Greek cross with the Greek letter "X" - the initial letter of the word Christ, symbolizing rebirth, and therefore it is associated with the rite of Baptism.

4.Peter's Cross: When Peter was sentenced to martyrdom, he asked to be crucified upside down out of respect for Christ. Thus, the inverted Latin cross became its symbol. In addition, it serves as a symbol of the papacy. Unfortunately, this cross is also used by Satanists, whose goal is to “revolutionize” Christianity (see, for example, their “Black Mass”), including the Latin cross.

5.Ichthus(ih-tus) or ichthys means “fish” in Greek. The Greek letters used to spell the word are iota, chi, theta, upsilon and sigma. In English translation it is IXOYE. The five Greek letters named are the first letters of the words Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter, which means “Jesus Christ, son of God, Savior.” This symbol was used primarily among early Christians in the 1st-2nd centuries. AD The symbol was brought from Alexandria (Egypt), which at that time was a crowded seaport. Goods traveled from this port throughout Europe. That is why sailors were the first to use the ichthys symbol to designate a god close to them.

6.Rose: Holy Virgin, Mother of God, symbol of martyrdom, secrets of confession. The five roses united together represent the five wounds of Christ.

7. Jerusalem cross: Also known as the Crusader Cross, it consists of five Greek crosses that symbolize: a) the five wounds of Christ; b) 4 Gospels and 4 cardinal directions (4 smaller crosses) and Christ himself (large cross). The cross was a common symbol during wars against Islamic aggressors.

8.Latin cross, also known as the Protestant cross and the Western cross. The Latin cross (crux ordinaria) serves as a symbol of Christianity, despite the fact that long before the founding of the Christian church it was a symbol of pagans. It was created in China and Africa. His images are found on Scandinavian sculptures of the Bronze Age, embodying the image of the god of war and thunder, Thor. The cross is considered a magical symbol. It brings good luck and wards off evil. Some scholars interpret the rock carvings of the cross as a symbol of the sun or a symbol

Earth, whose rays indicate north, south, east and west. Others point out its resemblance to a human figure.

9.Pigeon: symbol of the Holy Spirit, part of the cult of Epiphany and Pentecost. It also symbolizes the release of the soul after death, and is used to call Noah's dove, a harbinger of hope.

10. Anchor: Images of this symbol in the cemetery of St. Domitilla date back to the 1st century, they are also found in the catacombs in the epitaphs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but there are especially many of them in the cemetery of St. Priscilla (there are about 70 examples here alone), St. Calixtus, Coemetarium majus. See Epistle to the Hebrews 6:19.

11.Eight-pointed cross: The eight-pointed cross is also called the Orthodox cross or the cross of St. Lazarus. The smallest crossbar represents the title, where it was written “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” the upper end of the cross is the path to the Kingdom of Heaven, which Christ showed. The seven-pointed cross is a variation of the Orthodox cross, where the title is attached not across the cross, but on top.

12. Ship: is an ancient Christian symbol that symbolized the church and each individual believer. Crosses with a crescent, which can be seen on many churches, just depict such a ship, where the cross is a sail.

13.Calvary cross: The Golgotha ​​cross is monastic (or schematic). It symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ. Widespread in ancient times, the cross of Golgotha ​​is now embroidered only on the paraman and the lectern.

14. Vine: is the gospel image of Christ. This symbol also has its own meaning for the Church: its members are branches, and the grapes are a symbol of Communion. In the New Testament, the grapevine is a symbol of Paradise.

15. I.H.S.: Another popular monogram for the name of Christ. These are the three letters of the Greek name for Jesus. But with the decline of Greece, other, Latin, monograms with the name of the Savior began to appear, often in combination with a cross.

16. Triangle- symbol of the Holy Trinity. Each side personifies the Hypostasis of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All sides are equal and together form a single whole.

17. Arrows, or a ray piercing the heart - an allusion to the saying of St. Augustine in Confessions. Three arrows piercing the heart symbolize Simeon's prophecy.

18. Skull or Adam's head is equally a symbol of death and a symbol of victory over it. According to Sacred Tradition, the ashes of Adam were on Golgotha ​​when Christ was crucified. The blood of the savior, having washed Adam’s skull, symbolically washed all of humanity and gave him a chance for salvation.

19. Eagle- a symbol of ascension. He is a symbol of the soul that seeks God. Often - a symbol of new life, justice, courage and faith. The eagle also symbolizes the evangelist John.

20.All-seeing eye- a symbol of omniscience, omniscience and wisdom. It is usually depicted inscribed in a triangle - a symbol of the Trinity. Can also symbolize hope.

21. Seraphim- angels closest to God. They are six-winged and carry fiery swords, and can have from one to 16 faces. As a symbol, they mean the purifying fire of the spirit, divine heat and love.

22.Bread- This is a reference to the biblical episode when five thousand people were fed with five loaves. Bread is depicted in the form of ears of corn (sheaves symbolize the meeting of the apostles) or in the form of bread for communion.

23. Good Shepherd. The main source of this image is the Gospel parable, in which Christ Himself calls Himself this way (John 10:11-16). Actually, the image of the Shepherd is rooted in the Old Testament, where often the leaders of the people of Israel (Moses - Isaiah 63:11, Joshua - Numbers 27:16-17, King David in Psalms 77, 71, 23) are called shepherds, but it is said about the Lord Himself - “The Lord is my Shepherd” (The Psalm of the Lord says, “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Ps 23:1-2). Thus, Christ in the Gospel parable points to the fulfillment of prophecy and the finding of consolation for the people of God. In addition, the image of a shepherd also had has a clear meaning to everyone, so that even today in Christianity it is customary to call priests shepherds, and laity the flock. Christ the Shepherd is depicted as an ancient shepherd, dressed in a tunic, in shepherd's laced sandals, often with a staff and a vessel for milk; in his hands can hold a reed flute. The milk vessel symbolizes Communion; the rod - power; the flute - the sweetness of His teaching (“No one ever spoke like this man” - John 7:46) and hope, hope. This is the mosaic of the early 4th century basilica from Aquileia.

24.Burning bush is a thorn bush that burns but is not consumed. In his image, God appeared to Moses, calling him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. The burning bush is also a symbol of the Mother of God, who was touched by the Holy Spirit.

25.a lion- a symbol of vigilance and the Resurrection, and one of the symbols of Christ. It is also a symbol of the Evangelist Mark, and is associated with the power and royal dignity of Christ.

26.Taurus(bull or ox) - symbol of the Evangelist Luke. Taurus means the sacrificial service of the Savior, his Sacrifice on the Cross. The ox is also considered a symbol of all martyrs.

27.Angel symbolizes the human nature of Christ, his earthly incarnation. It is also a symbol of the Evangelist Matthew.

28. Grail- this is the vessel in which Joseph of Arimathea allegedly collected blood from the wounds of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion. The history of this vessel, which acquired miraculous powers, was described by the French writer of the early 12th century, Chretien de Troyes, and a century later in more detail by Robert de Raven, based on the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. According to legend, the Grail is kept in a mountain castle, it is filled with sacred hosts that serve for communion and give miraculous powers. The fanatical search for the relic by the crusading knights greatly contributed to the creation of the legend of the Grail, processed and formalized with the participation of many authors and culminating in the tales of Parsifal and Gilead.

29.Nimbus is a shiny circle that ancient Greek and Roman artists, depicting gods and heroes, often placed above their heads, indicating that these were higher, unearthly, supernatural beings. In the iconography of Christianity, the halo from ancient times became an accessory for images of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity, angels, the Mother of God and saints; often he also accompanied the Lamb of God and animal figures serving as symbols of the four evangelists. At the same time, for some icons, halos of a special kind were installed. For example, the face of God the Father was placed under a halo, which initially had the shape

triangle, and then the shape of a six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles. The Virgin Mary's halo is always round and often exquisitely decorated. The halos of saints or other divine persons are usually round and without ornaments.

30. Church In Christian symbolism, church has several meanings. Its main meaning is the House of God. It can also be understood as the Body of Christ. Sometimes the church is associated with the ark, and in this sense it means salvation for all its parishioners. In painting, a church placed in the hands of a saint means that this saint was the founder or bishop of that church. However, the church is in the hands of St. Jerome and St. Gregory does not mean any particular building, but the Church in general, to which these saints gave great support and became its first fathers.

31.Pelican, A beautiful legend is associated with this bird, existing in dozens of slightly different versions, but very similar in meaning to the ideas of the Gospel: self-sacrifice, deification through the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. Pelicans live in coastal reeds near the warm Mediterranean Sea and are often subject to snake bites. Adult birds feed on them and are immune to their poison, but chicks are not yet. According to legend, if a pelican chick is bitten by a poisonous snake, it will peck at its own breast in order to give them blood with the necessary antibodies and thereby save their lives. Therefore, the pelican was often depicted on sacred vessels or in places of Christian worship.

32. Chrism is a monogram made up of the first letters of the Greek word “Christ” - “Anointed One”. Some researchers mistakenly identify this Christian symbol with the double-edged ax of Zeus - “Labarum”. The Greek letters “a” and “ω” are sometimes placed along the edges of the monogram. Christianity was depicted on the sarcophagi of martyrs, in the mosaics of baptisteries (baptisteries), on the shields of soldiers and even on Roman coins - after the era of persecution.

33. Lily- a symbol of Christian purity, purity and beauty. The first images of lilies, judging by the Song of Songs, served as decoration for the Temple of Solomon. According to legend, on the day of the Annunciation, Archangel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary with a white lily, which has since become a symbol of Her purity, innocence and devotion to God. With the same flower, Christians depicted saints, glorified by the purity of their lives, martyrs and martyrs.

34. Phoenix represents the image of the Resurrection, associated with the ancient legend of the eternal bird. The Phoenix lived for several centuries and, when the time came for him to die, he flew to Egypt and burned there. All that was left of the bird was a pile of nutritious ashes in which, after some time, a new life was born. Soon a new, rejuvenated Phoenix rose from it and flew away in search of adventure.

35.Rooster- This is a symbol of the general resurrection that awaits everyone at the Second Coming of Christ. Just as the crowing of a rooster awakens people from sleep, the trumpets of angels will awaken people at the end of time to meet the Lord, the Last Judgment, and inherit a new life.

Christianity color symbols

The most significant difference between the “pagan” period of color symbolism and the “Christian” period lies, first of all, in the fact that light and color finally cease to be identified with God and mystical forces, but become their

attributes, qualities and signs. According to Christian canons, God created the world, including light (color), but it itself cannot be reduced to light. Medieval theologians (for example, Aurelius Augustine), praising light and color as manifestations of the divine, nevertheless point out that they (colors) can also be deceptive (from Satan) and their identification with God is a delusion and even sin.

White

Only white color remains an unshakable symbol of holiness and spirituality. Particularly important was the meaning of white as purity and innocence, liberation from sins. Angels, saints, and the risen Christ are depicted in white robes. White robes were worn by newly converted Christians. Also, white is the color of baptism, communion, the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Easter, and Ascension. In the Orthodox Church, white is used in all services from Easter to Trinity Day. The Holy Spirit is depicted as a white dove. The white lily symbolizes purity and accompanies images of the Virgin Mary. White does not have negative meanings in Christianity. In early Christianity, the positive symbolic meaning of yellow prevailed, as the color of the Holy Spirit, divine revelation, enlightenment, etc. But later, yellow takes on a negative meaning. In the Gothic era, it begins to be considered the color of treason, betrayal, deceit, and jealousy. In church art, Cain and the traitor Judas Iscariot were often depicted with yellow beards.

Gold

Used in Christian painting as an expression of divine revelation. The golden radiance embodies the eternal divine light. Many people perceive the golden color as starlight descending from heaven.

Red

In Christianity, it symbolizes the blood of Christ, shed for the salvation of people, and, consequently, his love for people. This is the color of the fire of faith, martyrdom and the passion of the Lord, as well as the royal triumph of justice and victory over evil. Red is the color of services on the feast of the Holy Spirit, Palm Resurrection, during Holy Week, and on the days of remembrance of martyrs who shed blood for their faith. The red rose indicates the shed blood and wounds of Christ, the cup that receives the “holy blood.” Therefore, it symbolizes rebirth in this context. Joyful events dedicated to Christ, the Mother of God and the saints were marked in red on the calendar. The tradition came to us from the church calendar to highlight holiday dates in red. Easter of Christ in churches begins in white vestments as a sign of Divine light. But already the Easter Liturgy (in some churches it is customary to change vestments, so that the priest appears each time in vestments of a different color) and the entire week is served in red vestments. Red clothes are often used before Trinity.

Blue

This is the color of heaven, truth, humility, immortality, chastity, piety, baptism, harmony. He expressed the idea of ​​self-sacrifice and meekness. The blue color seems to mediate the connection between the heavenly and the earthly, between God and the world. As the color of air, blue expresses a person’s readiness to accept for himself the presence and power of God, blue has become the color of faith, the color of fidelity, the color of desire for something mysterious and wonderful. Blue is the color of the Virgin Mary, and she is usually depicted wearing a blue cloak. Mary in this meaning is the Queen of Heaven, covering

with this cloak, protecting and saving believers (Pokrovsky Cathedral). In the paintings of churches dedicated to the Mother of God, the color of heavenly blue predominates. Dark blue is typical for depicting the clothes of cherubs, who are constantly in reverent reflection.

Green

This color was more “earthly”, it meant life, spring, the flowering of nature, youth. This is the color of the Cross of Christ, the Grail (according to legend, carved from a whole emerald). Green is identified with the great Trinity. On this holiday, according to tradition, churches and apartments are usually decorated with bouquets of green twigs. At the same time, green also had negative meanings - deceit, temptation, devilish temptation (green eyes were attributed to Satan).

Black

The attitude towards black was predominantly negative, as the color of evil, sin, the devil and hell, as well as death. In the meanings of black, as among primitive peoples, the aspect of “ritual death”, death for the world, was preserved and even developed. Therefore, black became the color of monasticism. For Christians, a black raven meant trouble. But black has not only such a tragic meaning. In icon painting in some scenes it means divine mystery. For example, on a black background, signifying the incomprehensible depth of the Universe, the Cosmos was depicted - an old man in a crown in the icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Violet

It is formed by mixing red and blue (cyan). Thus, violet color combines the beginning and end of the light spectrum. It symbolizes intimate knowledge, silence, spirituality. In early Christianity, purple symbolized sadness and affection. This color is appropriated to the memories of the Cross and Lenten services, where the suffering and Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of people are remembered. As a sign of higher spirituality, combined with the idea of ​​the Savior’s feat on the cross, this color is used for the bishop’s mantle, so that the Orthodox bishop, as it were, is fully clothed in the feat of the cross of the Heavenly Bishop, whose image and imitator the bishop is in the Church.

Brown and gray

Brown and gray were the colors of the commoners. Their symbolic meaning, especially in the early Middle Ages, was purely negative. They meant poverty, hopelessness, wretchedness, abomination, etc. Brown is the color of earth, sadness. It symbolizes humility, renunciation of worldly life. Gray color (a mixture of white and black, good and evil) is the color of ash, emptiness. After the ancient era, during the Middle Ages in Europe, color again regained its position, primarily as a symbol of mystical forces and phenomena, which is especially characteristic of early Christianity.

Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_symbols http://www.ancient-symbols.com/russian/christian_symbols.html

The basis of this religion is the belief in Jesus Christ as the God-man, the Savior, the incarnation of the 2nd person of the triune Godhead. The introduction of believers to Divine grace occurs through participation in the sacraments. The source of the doctrine of Christianity is the Holy Tradition, the main one of which is the Holy Scripture (Bible), as well as the “Creed”, decisions of ecumenical and some local councils, and individual works of the Church Fathers. It is known that not only the apostles, but also Jesus Christ himself refers to the copper serpent erected by Moses in the desert as his symbol and prototype (John 3:14; Luke 24:27). The church fathers, starting with Barnabas, interpreted every detail in the Old Testament as a symbol or prototype of one or another fact of Christian history. During persecution, Christians created a special symbolic language for themselves. The symbolic images of the first centuries found and described so far relate partly to heresies, but mainly to the ancient Christian church. Already the Apocalypse contains a lot of symbols depicting the relationship of the primitive church to the then Roman state, and vice versa. In the 2nd century, Christian symbols no longer decorate only places of religious meetings and prayer, but also private home life. The exchange of symbolic images, images or icons among Christians often replaced conventional signs of belonging to the faith. The lily and the rose constitute a constant attribute of the Holy Virgin Mary in her images; St. George strikes a sea dragon with his spear; the halo mostly surrounds the heads of the saints.

Currently, the total number of Christians exceeds 1 billion people. This doctrine has three main directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism.

Articles of faith of Christianity

A brief summary of Christian dogmas, the unconditional acceptance of which the Church prescribes to every Christian. According to church tradition, the Creed was composed by the apostles, but in fact it is a text of more recent origin: it was formulated at the Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 and revised between 362 and 374, serving as the reason for the division of Christian churches into Catholic and Orthodox branches.

Hallelujah!

A solemn exclamation derived from the Hebrew “hillel” - “praise God.” This word was a general exclamation of joy and exultation in Jewish worship. Some psalms begin and end with it. This exclamation is still used in the worship of the Christian Church to this day.

Amen

“Truly,” “let it be.” Used in different cases, this word has the same meaning. It serves as confirmation of the response and consent to make the assignment. It is sometimes translated by the word “truly” and was often used by the Lord when he spoke some important and immutable truth. In the Christian church, the word "amen" serves as an eloquent and sublime symbol of the conclusion of a psalm or worship service.

	Altar In the Christian church, the altar symbolizes both the tomb of Christ and the place of his resurrection and eternal life. The Christian altar is a stone or wooden table of elegant workmanship. It is placed in the center of the temple and is the main place in it. According to the rules of the liturgy, the altar should face the east - towards Jerusalem, the Holy Land, where Christ was crucified.
	Angels As messengers of God, angels are mediators between heaven and earth. These are intermediate beings who are not subject to the earthly laws of time and space, their bodies are not made of flesh and blood. They are similar to the natural spirits of the Middle Ages - sylphs, undines, salamanders and gnomes - who dominate the elements, but have no soul. According to Christian teaching, angels in the hierarchy are closer to man than to God. In the Revelation of John, an angel appears to the evangelist and shows the “holy” city of Jerusalem, “prepared as a bride.” John falls to his knees to worship the angel, but the angel says: “Do not do this; for I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers.”
	Archangels One of the highest angelic ranks. Archangel Michael, the messenger of God's judgment, is depicted as a warrior with a sword; Archangel Gabriel, the messenger of God's mercy, bringing the Good News, with a lily in his hand; Archangel Raphael, God's healer and guardian, - like a pilgrim with a staff and knapsack; Archangel Uriel, the fire of God, his prophecy and wisdom, with a scroll or book in his hands. Archangel Hamuel is the eyes of the Lord; Archangel Jophiel - his beauty; Archangel Zadiel is his truth.
	Bible This is the name in the Christian church for a collection of books written by inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit through people sanctified by God, called prophets and apostles. The Bible is divided into two sections - the Old Testament and the New Testament. The first includes books written in pre-Christian times in Hebrew and revered as sacred by both Jews and Christians. The second includes books written in Greek by the divinely inspired men of the Christian church - the apostles and evangelists. The Bible itself is a symbol of belonging to Christianity.
	God Creator of heaven and earth and Provider of the Universe. A being original, independent, unchangeable, unconditional, eternal (Rev. 1:8). God exists in three forms: as Father, Son and Spirit. As a philosophical category, this is an all-good, merciful and merciful being, and at the same time punishing people for their sins or having mercy on them as a result of a righteous life. God is a symbol of goodness and perfection and, as such, opposes Evil in the form of the devil, who tempts man and pushes people to commit bad deeds (see Devil). In church paintings, God the Father is depicted as an Eternal Elder, with long white hair and a flowing beard.
	Grape In Christian art, grapes act as a symbol of the Eucharistic wine and therefore the blood of Christ. The vine is a common symbol of Christ and the Christian faith, based on biblical metaphor, particularly in Christ's parable of the vine: “I am the true vine...” (John 15:1-17).
	Magi During the birth of Christ, “wise men came from the east to Jerusalem and asked where the king of the Jews had been born (Matt. 2:1-2). What kind of people they were, from what country and what religion - the evangelist does not give any indication of this. The Magi declared that they came to Jerusalem because they saw in the east the star of the born king of the Jews, whom they came to worship. Having bowed to the newborn Christ, whom they found in Bethlehem, they “went away to their own country,” thus arousing Herod’s extreme irritation (after this the Bethlehem massacre of the infants occurred). A whole series of legends has developed about them, in which the eastern sages are no longer simple magicians, but kings, representatives of the three races of humanity. Later, legend names their names - Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar, and describes their appearance in detail.
	Pigeon Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity. Holy Scripture clearly and undoubtedly teaches the Holy Spirit as a person distinct from God the Father and God the Son. The personal properties of the Holy Spirit are depicted by the Evangelist John (15:26): “He proceeds from the Father and is sent by the Son.”
	Hostia (mallow) It is a round unleavened loaf of bread that is blessed by the priest during communion or mass. Its name comes from the Latin word "hostia", meaning sacrifice or donation. The Host, and especially together with the cup, symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
	Grail The vessel in which Joseph of Arimathea allegedly collected blood from the wounds of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion. The history of this vessel, which acquired miraculous powers, was described by the French writer of the early 12th century, Chretien de Troyes, and a century later in more detail by Robert de Raven, based on the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. According to legend, the Grail is kept in a mountain castle, it is filled with sacred hosts that serve for communion and give miraculous powers. The fanatical search for the relic by the crusading knights greatly contributed to the creation of the legend of the Grail, processed and formalized with the participation of many authors and culminating in the tales of Parsifal and Gilead.
	Virgin Mary - Mother of God Mother of Jesus Christ. Daughter of Joachim and Anna. Joseph's wife. The most reverent and comprehensive image of Christianity. The lack of information about the life of the Mother of God that we receive from the Holy Scriptures is abundantly compensated by many traditions, some of which have an undoubted stamp of deep antiquity and, in any case, reflect the faith of Christian society since ancient times.
	Star of Bethlehem Shortly before the Nativity of Christ, namely in 747 after the founding of Rome, an extremely rare combination of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation Pisces could be seen in the sky. It could not help but attract the attention of everyone who observed the starry sky and studied astronomy, that is, the Chaldean Magi. The following year, Mars joined this combination, which further enhanced the extraordinary nature of the whole phenomenon. Thus, the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to Judea, is a completely justified phenomenon.
	Censer One of the sacred vessels of the tabernacle and temple, used for burning incense on especially solemn occasions.
	Bells One of the necessary attributes of church activities. The ringing of bells calls believers to worship. The sound of the sanctus bell on the altar during communion announces the coming of Christ.
	The ark A large wooden box in which Noah and his family escaped the global flood, taking with them “a pair of every creature.” Strictly speaking, this structure cannot be called a vessel; at best, a barge. But, no matter how you evaluate this unit, it fulfilled its historical task: it saved humanity and the fauna of the planet for future life. Christianity views the legend of Noah's Ark somewhat differently than Judaism. Noah is one of the main patriarchal "types" of Christ. Early Church Fathers and apologists compared the flood to Christian baptism. The Ark has been a frequent subject in Christian art from its very beginning. In the Roman catacombs he personified the new Christian concept of the Resurrection. In the Bible, the end of the Flood is symbolized by a dove that brings an olive branch to Noah in the ark.
	Nimbus A shiny circle that ancient Greek and Roman artists, depicting gods and heroes, often placed above their heads, indicating that these were higher, unearthly, supernatural beings. In the iconography of Christianity, the halo has become an integral part of the image since ancient times.marriages of the hypostases of the Most Holy Trinity, angels, the Mother of God and saints; often he also accompanied the Lamb of God and animal figures serving as symbols of the four evangelists. At the same time, for some icons, halos of a special kind were installed. For example, the face of God the Father was placed under a halo, which first had the shape of a triangle, and then the shape of a six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles. The Virgin Mary's halo is always round and often exquisitely decorated. The halos of saints or other divine persons are usually round and without ornaments.
	Easter candle In Christianity, a candle symbolizes the presence of Christ with his disciples for forty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. The candle burns for forty days - from Easter to Ascension. On Ascension it is extinguished, which symbolizes the departure of Christ from earth. Additionally, the candle depicts the light of Christ rising from the dead and new life, as well as the pillar of fire that led the people of Israel for forty years.
	Paradise A word of Persian origin that literally meant “garden.” There are two heavens: 1) “earthly”, planted by God himself for the first people and located, in the words of the book of Genesis, “in the east” (from the place where this book was written, that is, probably Palestine), in the land of Eden; 2) heavenly - the “kingdom” prepared by God from the beginning of the world, where the souls of the righteous and saints live after earthly death and private judgment, until the resurrection of bodies on earth and general judgment, knowing neither illness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, feeling only unceasing joy and bliss.
	Crucifix (cross) The ancient and most cruel and shameful execution, which the Romans applied exclusively to the greatest criminals: traitors and villains. They were executed outside the city on a hill. After scourging with a leather whip, the criminal was nailed to a 3-4.5 meter cross made of cypress or cedar. The crosses were equilateral, extended upward, or in the form of the Greek letter “tau” - T. The torment of those suffering on the cross lasted up to three days. This is how Jesus Christ was executed
	Robe(purple) A bright red or purple robe worn by the first persons of the church as one of the symbols of the suffering of Christ at the trial and, therefore, a symbol of the passion of the Lord. “Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus to the praetorium, gathered the whole regiment around Him and, having undressed Him, put a scarlet robe on Him... And when they mocked Him, they took off the scarlet robe from Him and dressed Him in His clothes, and led Him to be crucified.” (Matt. 27:27-31).
	Last Judgment Belief in the Last Judgment was universal and constant in the Christian Church. This is confirmed by the original symbols of private ancient churches. The pastors and teachers of the church, starting from apostolic times, themselves firmly preserved and passed on to other generations the universal faith in the future universal judgment. According to St. Polycarp of Smyrna, “whoever says that there is neither resurrection nor judgment is the firstborn of Satan.” The Last Judgment must begin after the angel blows the trumpet, calling both the living and the dead to judgment.
	crown of thorns The crown of thorny branches that the soldiers put on Christ before His crucifixion was a parody of the festive wreath of the Roman emperor. “And the soldiers took Him inside the courtyard, that is, to the praetorium, and gathered the whole regiment; and they clothed Him in scarlet, and wove together a crown of thorns, and laid it on Him; and they began to greet Him: Hail, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:16-18). Christ crucified on the cross is usually depicted wearing a crown of thorns.
	Trinity Christianity teaches that “One God is threefold.” The doctrine that God is one, however, according to Matthew (28:19), is manifested in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit; this theory was substantiated by Augustine in his treatise “De Trinitate” (Latin for “On the Trinity”). The Trinity could be depicted in the form of an ideogram - for example, three connected circles. God the Father was originally depicted as a symbolic eye or hand extending from a cloud, perhaps holding a crown. The Holy Spirit was most often symbolized by a dove. In the painting, a dove hovers directly above the head of Christ. Another, less common type, which co-existed with the data, depicts the Trinity as three human figures.
	Christ Jesus This word actually means “anointed one” and is a Greek translation of the Hebrew “mashiach” (messiah). In the days before the birth of Christ, Jews expected to see in the Messiah a national leader, a deliverer from the power of the Romans, a righteous, invincible and eternal king from the house and city of David (during the era of the struggle of Jews with Rome, many false messiahs appeared - political agitators on a religious basis. About the appearance of false Christs and The Savior himself warned his disciples of false prophets). The first person to directly announce Himself as the promised Messiah-Christ was the Divine Founder of the greatest religion in terms of moral height and historical significance - Christian, Jesus Christ of Nazareth of Galilee.
	Church In Christian symbolism, the church has several meanings. Its main meaning is the House of God. It can also be understood as the Body of Christ. Sometimes the church is associated with the ark, and in this sense it means salvation for all its parishioners. In painting, a church placed in the hands of a saint means that this saint was the founder or bishop of that church. However, the church is in the hands of St. Jerome and St. Gregory does not mean any particular building, but the Church in general, to which these saints gave great support and became its first fathers.
	Beads A thread with wooden, glass, bone, amber and other grains (balls) strung on it, topped with a cross. Their purpose is to serve as a tool for counting prayers and bows, as indicated by the very name of their “rosary” - from the verb “honor”, ​​“to count”. Their use in the Orthodox Church is reserved only for monastics of both sexes and bishops.