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The obverse displays an image of the three-bar Suppedaneum crosswhich is venerated as the true Savior's Cross in the Slavonic Orthodox and someEastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: thetop one represents the "INRI" nameplate, and the bottom one, afootrest. The footrest bar is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ'sright hand side where the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified.
The top end of the vertical crossbar incorporates a larger, two-word,abbreviated inscription inChurch Slavonicmeaning "KING OF GLORY".The Kingship of Jesus is also symbolized by the shape of the necklace bale resembling the shape of a Byzantine-style crown.The side ends of the central horizontal crossbar show inscriptions in Church Slavonic meaning "JESUS CHRIST (IC XC) SON OF GOD".
Parallel to the vertical crossbar, there are images of the two Instruments of the Passion which are subjects to adoration along with the Cross. The Holy Lance (spear)of a Roman soldier ismarked as "K" for the Church Slavonic "Копие" ("Kopiye") in the space just below the horizontal crossbar of the Savior's Cross, whereas the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane is marked as "T" for the Church Slavonic "Трость" ("Trost").
The bottom slanted horizontal crossbar incorporates Greek "NIKA" ("VICTORIOUS") inscription made in a Cyrillic transliteration as"HИ" on the left and "KA" on the right side. Itan ancient symbol of Christ's victory over sin and death achieved on the Cross.The power of sin and death defeated by Jesus is also visualized using a symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross (the skull image is worn out on this Cross). The image refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew.The skull is marked with two larger Cyrillic letters, "Г" and "A" next to it, an abbreviation meaning "Head of Adam". According to ancient tradition of the Church, it was also the burial place of the first man, Adam.
The reverse bears a larger fragment of Church Slavonic text of theprayer to theHoly Cross based on Psalm 68 beginning with"ДА ВОСКРЕСНЕТ БОГ ИРАЗЫДУТСЯ ВРАЗИ ЕГО..."meaning "MAY GOD ARISE AND MAY HISENEMIES BE SCATTERED". This psalm-based prayer is traditionally inscribedon the reverse of the Old Believers' Orthodox body (Baptism) cross pendants,meaning to provide protection of the faithful cross-bearer against the evilspirits (God's enemies), and thereby is considered a version of the Exorcismprayer.
