The Crucifix, a cross with corpus, a symbol used in Anglicanism and Catholicism in contrast with some Protestant sects, which use only a cross.

A crucifix (from Latin cruci fixus meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos It is primarily used in the Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox Churches and emphasizes Christ's sacrifice— his death by crucifixion. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Crucifixion (from Latin crucifixio, noun of process crucifixio, from perfect passive participle crucifixus, fixed to a cross from

The Crucifix

On some crucifixes a skull and crossbones are shown below the corpus, referring to Golgotha (Calvary), the site at which Jesus was crucified—"the place of the skull. A skull and crossbones is a Symbol consisting of a human Skull and two bones crossed together under the skull " It was probably called "Golgotha" because it was a burial-place, or possibly because of a legend that the place of Jesus' crucifixion was also the burial place of Adam. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living The standard, four-pointed Latin crucifix consists of an upright stand and a crosspiece to which the sufferer's arms were nailed.

The Eastern Christian crucifix includes two additional crossbars: the shorter nameplate, to which INRI was affixed; and the shorter stipes, to which the feet were nailed, which is angled upward toward penitent thief St. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about INRI is an Acronym of the Latin phrase IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDÆORVM (Jesus Nazarenus rex Judæorum which translates to English Dismas (to the viewer's left) and downward toward impenitent thief Gestas (to the viewer's right). It is thus eight-pointed. The corpora of Eastern crucifixes tend to be two-dimensional icons that show Jesus as already dead, as opposed to the depictions of the still-suffering Jesus that can be found in some other Churches. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Also, Eastern crucifixes have Jesus' two feet nailed side by side, rather than one atop the other, as Western crucifixes do. The crown of thorns is also generally absent in Eastern crucifixes.

A crucifix amidst the cornfields near Mureck in rural Styria, Austria

Another depiction shows a triumphant risen Christ (clothed in robes, rather than stripped as for his execution) with arms raised, appearing to rise up from the cross, sometimes accompanied by "rays of light. Styria (Steiermark is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich "

Usage

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Coptic Christians generally use the crucifix in public religious services. They believe the crucifix is in keeping with Scripture, which states that “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. ”^[1]

Prayer in front of a crucifix is often part of devotion for Christians, especially those worshipping in a church, and private devotion in a chapel. The person may sit, stand, or kneel in front of the crucifix, sometimes looking at it in contemplation, or merely in front of it with head bowed or eyes closed. In the Roman Catholic Mass, and Anglican Holy Eucharist, a procession begins Mass in which a crucifix is carried forward into the church followed by lector and servers, the priest, deacon, along with some of the other items used in the service such as the Gospels and the altar candles. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs A procession (via Middle English processioun, French procession, derived from Latin processio, itself from procedere, to go forth advance Mass is a fundamental concept in Physics, roughly corresponding to the Intuitive idea of how much Matter there is in an object This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Eastern Christian liturgical processions also include a crucifix at the head of the procession. A Crucession, or Cross Procession (Крестный ход Krestnyi khod) is a procession that takes place in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern

The crucifix is also considered by some to be one of the most effective means of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth. An exorcist is a priest or laity who performs the rite of Exorcism. Fr Gabriele Amorth (born May 1, 1925) is an Italian Roman Catholic Priest and the senior Exorcist of the Diocese In folklore it is considered to ward off vampires, incubi, succubi, and other evils. Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living A succubus (plural succubi) is a Demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men especially monks in Dreams to have Sexual intercourse

Gallery

crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in Košice, Slovakia	A handheld crucifix	A crucifix in a church, with votive candles. Košice (; Hungarian: Kassa; (also known by other alternative names) is a city in eastern Slovakia. Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million	A crucifix outside an Anglican church[2]
A crucifix on the wall of a Manhattan church. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York	a "Calvaire" in Finesere, Britanny, a typically Breton form of crucifix with additional images of saints at Calvary and scenes from the Passion. A Calvary (Calvaire in French is a type of monumental public Crucifix most commonly found in Brittany in France

References

1. ^ Mt. Calvary Church: Sermon for September 17, 2006
2. ^ In Petersfield,Hampshire

See also

• Cloisters Cross
• Holy Face of Lucca
• Christian symbolism
• Crucifixion
• INRI
• Rood
• Graven image

External links

• Archæology of the Cross and Crucifix
• The Cross and Crucifix in Liturgy
• Crucifix carving