Crucifix
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A crucifix is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion. It is primarily used in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches and emphasizes Christ's sacrifice—his death by crucifixion.
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[edit] 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." 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.
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. 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 Orthodox 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.
Another type of depiction of the body on the cross is what might be called a "resurrection cross" or "resifix" depicting 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."
[edit] Usage
Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, high-church Anglican, and confessional Lutheran 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."
Prayer in front of a crucifix or cross 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 Catholic Mass, a procession begins Mass in which a crucifix is carried forward into the church followed by the priest, deacon, lector and servers, along with some of the other items used in the service such as the Gospels and the altar candles.
[edit] Gallery
 crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in Košice, Slovakia |
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