Cross and medallion of St. Benedicta

Benedict (Benedict) of Nursia (lat. Benedictus de Nursia; c. 480, Nursia (modern Norcia), Italy - March 21, 547, Montecassino, Italy) - the founder of the Western monastic movement. Holy Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The author of the “Rule of St. Benedict" - the most important of the monastic rules of the Latin tradition.
Benedict was the son of a noble Roman from Nursia. As a young man, he was sent to Rome to study, but without completing his studies, he left the city along with a group of pious people, escaping from the bustle of the capital, and settled in Affida (modern Affile), a place in the mountains located near Subiaco. It is known that at this time he was about 20 years old, and that his twin sister Scholastica had already devoted herself to God by that time.

After some time, Benedict realized that he wanted to become a hermit. A chance meeting with the monk Roman from a monastery located near Subiaco helped him. The monk showed Benedict a cave near an artificial lake on the Anio River and agreed to bring food to the hermit. During the three years that Benedict lived in the cave, he became stronger both physically and spiritually. His fame grew, people began to make pilgrimages to the cave to look at the hermit; and the monks from Vicovaro, one of the surrounding monasteries, after the death of the abbot, persuaded Benedict to lead their community. Nothing good came of this; Benedict had too strict ideas about monastic life, which the community did not like. As a result, he was forced to leave the monastery and return to the cave after he was almost poisoned.

Gradually, Benedict developed ideas in his head about how monastic life should be structured. He divided his students, whose number had grown greatly by that time, into 12 groups, each of which was subordinate to its own superior, and Benedict retained the right of general supervision.

Around 530, the envy and intrigue of local monks and clergy forced Benedict to move south, to Mount Cassino, where he founded the famous monastery of Monte Cassino. Benedict turned the pagan sanctuary that existed on the mountain into a Christian temple, and converted the local residents to Christianity. Soon the fame of the monastery spread throughout the region, and the number of brothers in the community increased sharply.

According to legend, Benedict, through prayer, resurrected the son of a peasant from a neighboring village, who brought the dead boy to the monastery.

It was for the community of Monte Cassino, which laid the foundation for the order later called the Benedictine Order, Benedict c. 540 drew up his famous charter, which became the foundation not only for the Benedictines, but for all Western monasticism. The charter was largely based on the eastern charters of Pachomius the Great and Basil the Great, but contained a number of specific features.

St. died Benedict in 547 at Monte Cassino. In 1964, Pope Paul VI proclaimed St. Benedict the patron saint of Europe. Memorial Day in the Catholic Church is July 11, in the Orthodox Church (under the name of St. Benedict) is March 27.

72 rules of St. Benedicta

1. Love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Don't kill.
4. Do not indulge in fornication.
5. Don't steal.
6. Don't be jealous.
7. Do not bear false witness.
8. Respect all people.
9. Do not do to others what we would not wish for ourselves.
10. Deny yourself.
11. Mortify your flesh.
12. Do not become attached to what is pleasing to the senses.
13. Love fasting.
14. Ease the lot of the poor.
15. Clothe the naked.
16. Visit the sick.
17. Bury the dead.
18. Support those in trial.
19. Comfort the sad.
20. Avoid worldly morals.
21. Do not prefer anything to the love of Christ.
22. Do not indulge in anger.
23. Do not think about revenge.
24. Do not keep wickedness in your heart.
25. Do not give false peace.
26. Do not abandon mercy.
27. Do not swear, so as not to turn out to be an oathbreaker.
28. Be truthful with your heart as well as with your lips.
29. Do not repay evil for evil.
30. Do not tolerate injustice, but with patience endure what is done to us.
31. Love your enemies.
32. Respond to a curse not with a curse, but with a blessing.
33. Endure persecution for the sake of righteousness.
34. Don't be arrogant.
35. Don't be partial to wine.
36. Don't be greedy with food.
37. Don't be a sleeper.
38. Don't be lazy.
39. Don't grumble.
40. Do not slander.
41. Put your hope in God.
42. Attribute to God the good that you find in yourself.
43. Always blame yourself for evil.
44. Remember the day of judgment.
45. Fear hell.
46. ​​With all the strength of the soul, strive for eternal life.
47. Always remember death.
48. Always watch your actions.
49. Be sure that God sees us everywhere.
50. Break all unkind thoughts about Christ as soon as they arise in the heart.
51. And reveal them to an elder experienced in spiritual matters.
52. Keep your mouth from every evil word.
53. Dislike verbosity.
54. Do not speak idle words.
55. Do not like to laugh too often and loudly.
56. Willingly listen to spiritual reading.
57. Frequently indulge in prayer.
58. Every day in prayer, with tears, confess to God past sins and henceforth correct yourself from them.
59. Do not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
60. Hate your own will. In everything, obey the instructions of the abbot, even if - God forbid - he contradicts himself with his deeds, remembering the covenant of the Lord: “What they say, do, but do not act according to their deeds.”
61. Don’t try to be considered a saint before you become one.
62. Every day fulfill the commandments of the Lord with your life.
63. Love cleanliness.
64. Avoid hatred.
65. Do not be jealous and do not give in to envy.
66. Don't like arguments.
67. Avoid honors.
68. Honor your elders.
69. Love the younger ones.
70. Pray for enemies, in the love of Christ.
71. Before sunset, make peace with those with whom we are divided by strife.
72. Never despair of God’s mercy.

Prayers of St. Benedict

God-loving Benedict! Intercede for me, an infidel, before the Lord, let my darkened eyes be enlightened and see that without God I am nothing. I ask You to be my guide in faith, hope, love and all the virtues bequeathed by the Lord in the Holy Gospel. Teach me to follow the example of Your righteous life and, together with You, be rewarded with the Kingdom of Heaven. I humbly ask You: constantly pray to Christ the Lord for me, so that He will forgive my sins, direct me on the path of repentance and strengthen the will to good with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Oh, Saint Benedict, tireless warrior of Christ! Hear my prayer and help me live according to God's will. Help me to open up to the Lord, so that He will enter the abyss of my heart and dispel the darkness of evil thoughts.
Help me to imitate the Lord and strive with all my soul for Him - the only healing of my soul from all evil passions, and to live in repentance and peace.
The Righteous One of God Hear my prayer and convey it to our Triune God, to whom be all glory, honor and worship, now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Oh, patron saint and teacher Benedict! Accept my prayers, intercede for me before the Lord, may He have mercy on His unworthy servant and give everything necessary for eternal salvation. Pleaser of Christ, help me in all my needs, sufferings and temptations, strengthen me with Your holy patience. Teach me to love my neighbor and see Christ the Lord in him. Give me Your holy blessing and guide me on the path of repentance, so that I may be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

God, who sent many gifts to St. Benedict, at his glorious death, grant us sinners these graces, so that he himself may be present at our death and deliver us from the wiles of the devil. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for a happy death

Reverend Benedict! When I remember all my sins and the coming minute of death, I am overcome with anxiety and horror. Only the Most Holy Blood of Jesus Christ and Your protection fill me with hope. Give me the courage to be the same (the same), enduring (oh) in prayer to You, and create in me true contrition for sins; and now - sincere conversion and loyalty to God for the rest of my life. I ask you, holy servant of God: intercede for me before the Lord at my last minute, give me the strength not to fall into despondency from the number of my sins, when my soul sees them, let the Lord remember that I have passed on to eternal life with faith and hope, and forgave me all my sins. Help me in my last hour to call on the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, so that I give my soul to God, pronouncing His most holy name. Amen.

“Our Father” (3r.), “Hail Mary” (3r.).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Chaplet of St. Benedict

This prayer is distributed in the Church for private reading only. It can also be recited on regular Rosary beads, but the original wreath consists of a cross and a medallion of St. Benedict, as well as 14 beads.

On the cross or medallion we read the prayer of St. Benedicta:
Let the Holy Cross shine for me, let the ancient serpent perish. Let Satan go away, let vanity not enter into me. Let him not tempt me with evil, let him taste the cup of poison himself.

Intention:
Holy Father Benedict, miracle worker and merciful guardian of those in need, we humbly pray to you, intercede for us before God and ask for grace for us... so necessary for us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

On large beads: Our Father...

On the first three beads we read Hail Mary for the sake of increasing faith, strengthening hope and awakening love.

On small beads, instead of Hail Mary:
Through Holy Father Benedict virtue and holiness
Show us, O Lord, the joy of mercy.

In conclusion:
Holy Father Benedict, pray for us!

Litany of Saint Benedict of Nursia

Lord have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ, listen to us. Christ, hear us.
Heavenly Father, God, have mercy on us.
Son, Redeemer of the world, God, have mercy on us
Holy Spirit, God, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us
Holy Mary, mirror of monastic perfection,
Holy Father Benedict,
Saint Benedict, Lover of the Cross
Saint Benedict, faithful imitator of Jesus Christ
Saint Benedict, an example of a strict life
Saint Benedict, who loved poverty, chastity, obedience, piety and all virtue
Saint Benedict, seraphim, burning with the love of God

Saint Benedict, world rejecter
Saint Benedict, father of many spiritual children
Saint Benedict, teacher of all perfection
Saint Benedict, decoration of the Holy Church
Saint Benedict, Temple of the Holy Spirit
Saint Benedict, the mirror of God's thoughts
Saint Benedict, protector of those who resort to you
Saint Benedict, protector from fires, lightning, hail, crop failure and famine
Saint Benedict, Comforter of the Weeping
Saint Benedict, patron of every need
Saint Benedict, healing the sick with the Holy Cross
Saint Benedict, support for the dying
Saint Benedict, patron of the good end
Saint Benedict, powerful miracle worker
Saint Benedict, an example of the life of angels
Saint Benedict, heir to the patriarchs
Saint Benedict, like the martyrs
Saint Benedict, Patriarch of Monasticism
Saint Benedict, an example to those in authority
Saint Benedict, glory of the confessors
Saint Benedict, successor of the holy Apostles
Saint Benedict, crowned with all glory
Saint Benedict, patron saint of Europe

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, forgive us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, Lord.

Pray for us, Father Benedict,
May we be worthy of Christ's promises.

Let's pray:
Almighty, eternal God, Whose example of Saint Benedict calls us to love
Gospel perfection, cleanse our hearts and fill us with Your grace, so that through it we unite with You, persevere in our good undertakings and serve You faithfully until death, and thus become worthy of eternal bliss. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(c) translation from Polish: Yuri Khvashchevsky

Benedict of Nursia was born c. 480 in Nurcia (modern Norcia), Italy. Died March 21, 547 in Montecassino, Italy. He is the founder of the Western monastic movement. Holy Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In the Orthodox tradition he is considered a venerable. The author of the “Rule of St. Benedict" - the most important of the monastic rules of the Latin tradition.

Medallion of St. Benedict, also called the Cross of St. Benedict, is one of the oldest objects of private veneration in the Catholic Church. St. Benedict loved to pray to the Cross of Christ in a special way. He often blessed with the Holy Cross, performing many miracles.

In 1647, a manuscript depicting St. was found in the Bavarian Abbey of Metten. Benedicta. In his right hand the saint holds a staff with a cross; on the staff is the inscription: “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti.” Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux.” In the left hand of the saint is a scroll with the inscription: “Vade Retro Satana, Non Suade Mihi Vana.” Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux.”

Since then, medallions of St. Benedict acquired the following appearance: on the front side is the holy Patriarch Benedict holding a cross in his right hand, and in his left a book, the Holy Rule, leading all who observe it through the Cross to the Eternal Light.

Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux
Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux
Vade Retro Satana
Non Suade Mihi Vana
Sunt Mala Quae Libas
Ipse Venena Bibas

Let the Holy Cross shine on me,
Let the evil ancient serpent perish.
Let Satan go away
Vanity will not enter into me.
Let him not tempt me with evil,
Let him taste the cup of poison himself.

On the reverse side of the medallion there is a large Cross, and on it there are letters arranged accordingly: the initial letters of Latin words that reveal the meaning of the medallion itself.

So, in four fields separated by the sign of the Cross, the following letters are placed:

C S P B(Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti - Cross of Holy Father Benedict)

On the vertical base of the Cross, from top to bottom, are the letters:

C S S M L(Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux - Let the Holy Cross shine on me).

On the crossbar perpendicular to the base:

N D S M D(Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux - Let the ancient serpent perish the evil one).

Around the Cross are the letters:

V R S N S M V(Vade Retro Satana, Non Suade Mihi Vana - Let Satan go away, vanity will not enter me).

S M Q L I V B(Sunt Mala Quae Libas Ipse Venena Bibas - Let him not tempt me with evil, let him taste the cup of poison himself).

In 1747, Pope Benedict XIV approved the type of medallion described above and composed a special prayer of dedication for this occasion, and also associated numerous indulgences with wearing the medallion.

An act of the Church issued in Rome in 1857 stated: “It is certain that through this medallion many graces of God are obtained.”

In 1880, a commemorative medallion was minted on the occasion of the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedicta. Additional symbols were placed on it. If previously the inscription IHS (name of Jesus) was placed above the sign of the Holy Cross, then from that time it was replaced by the word PAX (peace), serving as a Benedictine motto and, at the same time, one of the first monograms of the name of Christ. XP is the first letter of the Greek word XPICTOC (Christ), the Anointed One. The anniversary medallion was supplemented with the inscription above the image of the saint: EX S.M. Casino 1880 (From the holy mountain Casino 1880) and the words around: EIUS IN OBITU NRO PRAESENTIA MUNIAMUR (“By His presence may we be strengthened at our death”).

Through the pious use of the medallion of St. Benedict, over the many centuries of his existence, a considerable number of the faithful have acquired the gifts of grace necessary for soul and body. In particular, he helped protect himself from disease, poisoning, and kept him in all dangers.

In order to obtain many graces and indulgences through the medallion, it must be consecrated and carried with oneself. However, it can also be strengthened where we are most afraid of the forces of darkness, for example, on the doors of our houses, in our rooms, in our cars. These medallions have special powers and resist unclean spirits.

Kissing the medallion in itself, treating it appropriately and calling for the help of St. Benedict are sufficient to obtain various graces. At the same time, we should from time to time say a prayer that protects us from the temptations of the evil one.

The effectiveness of the medallion of St. Benedict has been repeatedly confirmed in the history of the Church by miracles and gifts of grace acquired through the intercession of the saint. To summarize, it can be argued that the faithful usually received these gifts of grace in cases where it was required:

1. Crush superstitions and the works of the devil.
2. Protect yourself from temptations, drive out the unclean spirit.
3. Protect yourself from the poison supplied by human malice.
4. Save yourself from all kinds of epidemics.
5. Find help for various ailments.
6. Avoid being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm.
7. Maintain chastity and overcome temptations.
8. Find consolation in suffering, and especially in the hour of death.

Medallion of St. Benedict should be carried with you, preferably around your neck. During epidemics, it is strengthened on the walls and doors of houses. When livestock die, they are placed on the walls of barns, stables and cattle sheds where domestic animals are kept. When building houses, churches, etc., the medallion is placed at the base of the building. To counteract theft or damage to the crop, the medallion is buried in the field. In those households where there is a well, the medallion is thrown into the water.

Medallion of St. Benedict, also called the Cross of St. Benedict, is one of the oldest objects of private veneration in the Catholic Church. St. Benedict loved to pray to the Cross of Christ in a special way. He often blessed with the Holy Cross, performing many miracles. Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) in “Conversations”, in the life of St. Benedict, recalls one of the events in the life of the saint. St. Benedict arrived in the city of Vicarare and there he was immediately given food. While praying, Benedict blessed the meal, and the cup full of poison burst. Thus the life of the saint was saved. This pious elder devoted his entire life to the fight against Satan and, as soon as he could, resisted the influence of the evil one on people. He even cast out evil spirits from those possessed.

Disciples of St. Benedict was remembered that the saint commanded them to perform a prayer service to the Holy Cross. Some of them, for example, Saints Maurus and Placidus, performed many miracles. Saint Benedict wanted to protect his sons from the temptations and snares of the evil one, and called on them to “pray and work” (“ora et labora”). Prayer unites the soul with God, but the flesh must work so that there is no room left for the devil’s temptations and deceptions of this world. This opposition to evil is the true Benedictine heritage.
A reliable tradition attributes the initial use of the medallion to one of the moments of inspiration from Heaven received by St. Benedict. Prayer service to St. Benedict to the Holy Cross became especially widespread in the 11th century. This was facilitated by the following event. The young Count Bruno from Eguisheim, Alsace, was seriously ill. One night he saw in his chambers a staircase leading to heaven. An old man in monastic robes was descending along it. The count recognized the elder as St. Benedicta. The elder touched the count's face and he was instantly healed. Many years later, Bruno became pope under the name of Leo IX (1049-1054) and introduced prayer to the Holy Cross into church practice.
In 1647, a manuscript depicting St. was found in the Bavarian Abbey of Metten. Benedicta. In his right hand the saint holds a staff with a cross; on the staff is the inscription: “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti.” Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux.” In the left hand of the saint is a scroll with the inscription: “Vade Retro Satana, Non Suade Mihi Vana.” Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux.” Since then, medallions of St. Benedict acquired the following appearance: on the front side is the holy Patriarch Benedict holding a cross in his right hand, and in his left a book, the Holy Rule, leading all who observe it through the Cross to the Eternal Light.

Prayer

Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux
Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux
Vade Retro Satana
Non Suade Mihi Vana
Sunt Mala Quae Libas
Ipse Venena Bibas

Let the Holy Cross shine for me,
Let the evil ancient serpent perish.
Let Satan go away
Vanity will not enter into me.
Let him not tempt me with evil,
Let him taste the cup of poison himself.

On the reverse side of the medallion there is a large Cross, and on it there are letters arranged accordingly: the initial letters of Latin words that reveal the meaning of the medallion itself.
So, in four fields separated by the sign of the Cross, the following letters are placed:
C S P B(Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti – Cross of Saint Father Benedict)
On the vertical base of the Cross, from top to bottom, are the letters:
C S S M L(Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux – Let the Holy Cross shine on me).
On the crossbar perpendicular to the base:
N D S M D(Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux – Let the evil ancient serpent perish).
Around the Cross are the letters:
V R S N S M V(Vade Retro Satana, Non Suade Mihi Vana – Let Satan go away, let vanity not enter into me).
S M Q L I V B(Sunt Mala Quae Libas Ipse Venena Bibas – Let him not tempt me with evil, let him taste the cup of poison himself.).
In 1747, Pope Benedict XIV approved the type of medallion described above and composed a special prayer of dedication for this occasion, and also associated numerous indulgences with wearing the medallion.
An act of the Church issued in Rome in 1857 stated: “It is certain that through this medallion many graces of God are obtained.”
In 1880, a commemorative medallion was minted on the occasion of the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedicta. Additional symbols were placed on it. If previously the inscription was placed above the sign of the Holy Cross I.H.S.(name of Jesus), then from that time it was replaced by the word PAX(peace), serving as a Benedictine motto and, at the same time, one of the first monograms of the name of Christ. XP – the first letters of the Greek word XPICTOC(Christ), the Anointed One. The anniversary medallion was supplemented with the inscription above the image of the saint: EX S.M. Casino 1880(From the Holy Mountain Casino 1880) and words around: EIUS IN OBITU NRO PRAESENTIA MUNIAMUR(“Let us be strengthened by His presence at our death”).
Through the pious use of the medallion of St. Benedict, over the many centuries of his existence, a considerable number of the faithful have acquired the gifts of grace necessary for soul and body. In particular, he helped protect himself from disease, poisoning, and kept him in all dangers.
In order to obtain many graces and indulgences through the medallion, it must be consecrated and worn with oneself, preferably around the neck. However, it can also be strengthened where we are most afraid of the forces of darkness, for example, on the doors of our houses, in our rooms, in our cars. These medallions have special powers and resist unclean spirits.
Kissing the medallion in itself, treating it appropriately and calling for the help of St. Benedict are sufficient to obtain various graces. At the same time, we should from time to time say a prayer that protects us from the temptations of the evil one.

The effectiveness of the medallion of St. Benedict has been repeatedly confirmed in the history of the Church by miracles and gifts of grace acquired through the intercession of the saint. To summarize, it can be argued that the faithful usually received these gifts of grace in cases where it was required:
1. Crush superstitions and the works of the devil.
2. Protect yourself from temptations, cast out the unclean spirit.
3. Protect yourself from the poison supplied by human malice.
4. Save yourself from all kinds of epidemics.
5. Find help for various ailments.
6. Avoid being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm.
7. Maintain chastity and overcome temptations.
8. Find consolation in suffering, and especially in the hour of death.

Medallion of St. Benedict should be carried with you, preferably around your neck.

For a very long time I perceived the crucifix as a “normative”, traditional Christian symbol (probably like many others). The cross without the Crucified One seemed to me as some more or less modern “outcome”, a possible movement towards “Christianity without Christ”, reducing the crucifixion to an abstract symbol - a cross, which can be a piece of jewelry, a fashionable trinket. A trip to Jerusalem and Bethlehem prompted me to become interested in the history of the symbolism of the cross, and it turned out that The crucifix, so familiar to all of us, appeared only approximately in the middle of Christian history.

It is known that one of the first symbols of early, still persecuted Christianity was the image of a fish, “ichthys” - as an acronym (abbreviation) of the phrase “Jesus Christ Theos Iios Soter”, “Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior”. Of course, in the first centuries there was veneration of the cross as an instrument of atonement, but the use of the symbolism of the cross seems to have been limited to the “mark on the forehead.”

It is interesting that the monogram of the name of Jesus Christ was also the so-called. “Cross of Constantine” - here it is, the so-called. Chrism, on the imperial coin.

However From about the 4th century the cross becomes an important and widespread symbol- perhaps this is due to the discovery of the Holy Cross by Constantine’s mother, Saint Helena, during the excavations of Golgotha. Then, in the 4th century, the “cross of St. Anthony the Great,” the founder of monasticism, appears - in the shape of the letter T, the so-called. tau cross.

By the way, many historians believe that the cross on which Jesus was crucified had exactly this shape: the pillars were “stationary”, dug into the ground, and the condemned were forced to carry the cross beam; and the top of the Cross appeared precisely thanks to the tablet strengthened by order of Pilate with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

And the rod with the serpent, lifted up by Moses in the desert, had the shape of a tau cross.

The Cross of Saint Benedict is also a cross, not a crucifix; in the established tradition, it is, rather, a medallion on which the letters in the fields separated by the sign of the cross, C S P B, mean Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti - the Cross of the Holy Father Benedict, and on the vertical and horizontal bars and around the cross are the initial letters of the Latin verse

Crux Sancta Sit Mihi Lux
Non Draco Sit Mixi Dux
Vade Retro Satana
Non Suade Mihi Vana
Sunt Mala Quae Libas
Ipse Venena Bibas

— in a poetic translation (I couldn’t find it, ancient or stylized):

Let the Holy Cross shine on me,
Let the evil ancient serpent perish.
Let Satan go away
Vanity will not enter into me.
Let him not tempt me with evil,
Let him taste the cup of poison himself

— the last phrase reminds us of a legend from the life of the saint, when a cup of poison that was brought to him instead of a drink burst, when he habitually first blessed the drink, making the sign of the cross. Later, in the middle of the 11th century, prayer to the Cross of Christ will be introduced into the practice of the Church by Pope Leo IX, who was cured in his youth of a serious illness after a vision of St. Benedict, who especially revered the Cross of Christ.

T.n. The “Jerusalem cross”, or “pilgrim cross”, goes back to the coat of arms of Godfrey of Bouillon, who became the ruler of Jerusalem after the success ICrusade. It has rich symbolism: five crosses - one large and four small in its corners - these are the five wounds of the Savior, and Christ and the four evangelists, and the spread of the Gospel message to all four corners of the world.

It is believed that only believers who have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or their loved ones, with prayer for whom the pilgrimage was made, can wear this sign.

However, you can also find it in a Moscow church shop, for example. (True, in Bethlehem and Jerusalem shops, pilgrim crosses are richly decorated in the oriental style - here is the simplest version that I was able to find: with gilded plating, decorated with notches, on a backing of scarlet silver in the shape of a Templar cross.

There are, of course, completely “ascetic” options, as in the picture, but only in platinum or white gold.) Despite its origins from the era of the Crusades, the Jerusalem cross is a symbol revered by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

It is he who crowns the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Sometimes incompetent occult sources call the Jerusalem cross Franciscan - apparently due to the fact that it is the Franciscans who serve pilgrims in the Holy Land, and the local custodian chose this cross as their symbol, so that it can be seen on the Franciscan habitations. In fact, this cross, only red, became the symbol of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher (Ferenc Liszt and the Belgian King Baudouin, Konrad Adenauer and Giulio Andreotti belonged to it), and also adorned the flag of Georgia.

The real Franciscan cross has a T shape, stylized in a special way. It was the symbolic (one might even say heraldic) sign of the cross that was included in the emblems of other mendicant orders: the Dominican and Carmelite.

The figure of Jesus on the cross began to appear, according to most sources, only aroundVI— VIIIcenturies. Moreover, Jesus was depicted with open eyes, in a long tunic, not suffering: as in the illustration from the 6th century Syrian manuscript “Code of Rabula” and in the mid-88th century fresco from the Roman church of Santa Maria Antiqua.

Moreover, during that period - the second half of the first millennium - Christ on the cross was depicted as a King, with a crown and an omophorion. Such an image is well preserved in the Gospel of Abbess Uta of the 11th century.

The widespread legend that the bishop of the Italian city of Lucca went to Jerusalem and there found a wooden crucifix of Christ made by St. Nicodemus (according to another version, in a moment of danger the statue was placed in a boat, which was driven to Luni 50 km from Lucca), led to , that the statue is from the 11th-13th centuries. (possibly a copy of an earlier one) Christ Triumphant from Lucca (the so-called Volto Santo - Holy Face (Nicodemus was not given a face, the angels helped) began to be copied throughout Europe.

Another understanding coming from the first millennium is the Cross as the Tree of Life. This is it - thriving with vines, serving as a refuge for birds - in an amazing mosaic in the 12th century apse of the Roman Church of St. Clement - according to researchers, the mosaic of the 4th-5th centuries was either copied or transferred from a lower, more ancient basilica.

Francis of Assisi prayed in front of the cross-icon with the image of Jesus - already naked, but not suffering, but peaceful.

AND only inX— XIcenturies, crucifixes depicting the suffering Jesus began to appear,gradually becoming more and more naturalistic. By the middle of the millennium, naturalism reaches its greatest expressiveness: it is enough to recall the sacrament prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola with petitions to the soul, body, blood, water from the side of Christ, “cover me in Thy wounds” - and compare it with the prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas. But it was precisely at this time that the monogram of the name of Jesus Christ reappeared and became widespread through the same Jesuit order - I.H.S., which we see today on the coat of arms of the Jesuit pope. (Averintsev drew attention to the role of monograms in the early Byzantine and Baroque eras.) Apparently, our consciousness and thinking always need a symbol, in one form or another, both an image (Lamb, Good Shepherd, Jesus Crucified) and a sign (monograms IXTYS, “ Chrism", IHS, cross).

Of course very It's interesting to understand the reasons for all these changes. Obviously, they are partly related to the development of church doctrine (for example, at the end of the 7th century, the Trullo Council prohibited the depiction of Christ in the form of a Lamb - and this was one of the most popular images! - in favor of emphasizing the presence of human nature in the God-Man). But it is equally obvious that this process reflected both the history of human society (in the first centuries, the terrible details of the execution on the cross were too obvious to everyone), and the history of human thinking, the ability to understand symbols. The latter, perhaps, can be told by professional art historians or, rather, cultural historians - my knowledge here is not enough for a deep analysis. (Perhaps the transition from the symbol of the cross to the increasingly naturalistic image of the crucifixion is associated with the increasing distance between the Eastern and Western churches and the departure from such a symbolic image as an icon?) Finally, a few striking signs and images of our time.

Going somewhat beyond the topic of the history of the cross and crucifixion: the image of Divine Mercy, painted on the instructions of Sister Faustina Kowalska, is, in essence, a modern analogue of the image of Pastor Bonus, the Good Shepherd, characteristic of early Christian, i.e., late antique, times.

Many people are familiar with the Cross – the Tree of Life from the restored cathedral in Moscow:

What many believers today perceive as the “cross of John Paul II” is the top of the papal crozier, made for Pope Paul VI by the sculptor Lello Scorcelli. In my opinion, here naturalism reaches the point where a return to symbolism begins.

The staff that Benedict XVI used is more traditional, it was made back in the mid-19th century for Pius IX - but on it, pay attention, there is an image of the Lamb, once prohibited by the cathedral!

Pope Francis's pectoral cross attracted everyone's attention because it is not gold. Not everyone could see the drawing on it in the TV broadcast or in the photo. And it is much more remarkable than the material of the cross: the Good Shepherd surrounded by sheep, and on top is the symbol of the Holy Spirit (a diving dove) from the iconography of Pentecost. It seems that this is a direct illustration of the words... Boris Pasternak: “... this light and dressed in radiance came, emphatically human, deliberately provincial, Galilean, and from that moment the peoples and gods stopped and man began, a man-carpenter, a man-ploughman, shepherd man in a flock of sheep at sunset, a man who doesn’t sound the least bit proud, a man who is gratefully included in all the lullabies of mothers and in all the art galleries of the world.”("Doctor Zhivago")

It seems that symbolism is returning after all, and before many it was greeted by the “retrograde and backward papacy”?

Sergey Sabsay

Saint Benedict of Nursia. Prayer of St. Benedict of Nursia.

Benedetto da Norcia
Benedikt von Nursia 20020817.jpg
Born around 480
Died 21 March 547
Canonized 1220
In the face of a saint (Catholic)
holy venerable (Orthodoxy.)

Saint Benedict

Benedict of Nursia, Saint, also Benedict (Italian: Benedetto da Norcia, born 480 - died March 21, 547) - the founder of the Benedictine order, and also, as is believed, of all Western monasticism in general, the main patron of Europe.
He came from a noble family, studied in Rome, but he did not like the depravity of Roman life and he went to the mountains near the city, where he lived in a cave for many years.
The fame of Benedict's pious life brought him several supporters, with whom he founded 12 small monasteries.
The hostility of the local clergy forced him and his disciples to move south to Monte Cassino, where they founded a new monastery, for which Benedict drew up rules in which he expressed his views on monasticism and the human soul. Benedict wrote the monastic rule of the Benedictine Order, in which, as St. Gregory, “the holy man taught as he lived.” He had the gift of predicting future events and reading human thoughts.
So he became the first to create a well-thought-out system of rules for life in the monastery. According to them, the monk had to renounce himself and understand God, and he was obliged to have no property, to lead a life of virtue as an active member of the Society of Love and Obedience.
According to the charter of Benedict of Nursia, everyone who wanted to become a monk had to undergo a summer probationary period (novitiate). The monks took 3 vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The monks had to remain silent, pray according to the established order of prayers, read the Holy Scriptures and the Church Fathers, and provide for themselves through their own labor. The ascetic norms established by Saint Benedict were quite accessible, but at the same time strict, which determined his popularity. Each monk was assigned to a specific monastery in which he should live. The Rule of Benedict of Nursia streamlined monastic life in the West and excluded from it the anarchy and vagrancy of monks. Over time, this charter became the main one in Catholic monasticism.
After Benedict's death, Pope Gregory I promoted the spread of Benedictine monasticism in Italy, Gaul and England.
Saint Benedict was canonized by the Catholic Church and recognized as a saint in 1220.
July 11 is St. Benedict's Day.

Origin and contents of the medallion of St. Benedict

St. Benedict (born in Nursia, Italy, in 480) had a special veneration for the holy cross and our crucified Savior. With the sign of the cross he performed many miracles and defeated evil spirits. A medallion was minted in honor of his activities. On one side of it, Benedict is depicted holding a cross and the Rule of Order in his hands, and on the edges there is an inscription in Latin, which in Ukrainian reads: “May his presence protect us during death.” (St. Benedict has always been the patron of the dying, because he himself died gloriously, praying before the Most Holy Mystery). There is a cross on the back of the medallion. On the edges are the first letters of Latin words from a poem written by St. Benedict: “Get out, Satan DO NOT suggest your vain things to me. The cup you give me is bad; drink your own poison." In the corners of the cross, Latin words say: “Cross of the holy monk Benedict,” on the cross itself: “Let the holy cross be easy for me. Don't let the dragon become my guide."
Inscriptions and their meaning on the miraculous medallion

In the image of a saint:
Crux sancti Patris Benedict!

On the medallion hoop:
Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur.
May His presence protect us in the time of death.
CSPB - Crux sancti Patris Benedict!
Cross of Saint Benedict

Letters on the cross:
CSSML - Crux sancta sit mihi lux.
Let the Holy Cross be my light.
NDSMD - Non draco sit mihi dux.
Let Satan be my guide.

On the medallion hoop:
VRSNSMV - Vade retro satana non suade mihi vana
Go away, Satan, do not tempt me to evil
SMQLIVB - Sunt mala quae libas, ipse venena bibas
You do evil things, drink your own poison
Pope Leo IX in the 11th century was greatly inspired by the veneration of the medallion, who in his youth was recovered from a fatal illness through the supernatural mediation of St. Benedicta. In a vision I saw how righteous Benedict in monastic clothes descended from heaven along luminous stairs, carrying a shining cross in his hand. He touched the swollen face of the future Pope with the cross and immediately healed him.
The Roman Bishop Benedict XIV in 1742 solemnly approved and ordered the faithful to wear the medallion. Medallion of St. Benedict must be blessed by a Benedictine father or a priest specially authorized to do so. The church has three solemn prayers for blessing the medallion.
The first prayer is an exorcism (expulsion) of the evil spirit to neutralize its bad influence, together with a zealous request that the medallion, when worn, will serve for the well-being of body and soul. (This prayer can only be published with special permission from church authorities.)
The second prayer is for fervent requests and reads like this: O Almighty God, Giver of all good gifts! We humbly ask you to bestow, through the medium of Saint Benedict, your blessing on these medallions, their letters and signs, conceived by you, so that all who wear them and try to do good work can receive health for soul and body, the caress of salvation. Forgive , recognized for us, and so that, with the help of Your mercy, we avoid the snares and snares of the devil, and appear holy and blameless in Your eyes. Amen.
The third prayer is very touching, it reminds us of the death throes, suffering and death of our Lord. (The right to publish this prayer belongs exclusively to the Order of St. Benedict). After the blessing, the medallion cannot be sold.
The power and effect of the medallion
Everyone who wears it with reverence, trusting in the life-giving powers of the cross of the Lord and the merits of the righteous Benedict, can hope for its help in spiritual and early needs. For those who wear this medallion with faith and reverence, it will ward off all dangers to body and soul that come from the evil spirit.
A believer's medallion will have the power to: destroy the spells of wizards, wicked and evil persons; protect from temptations and deception; to comprehend the conversion of sinners, especially at the time of death; protect from infirmities; protect from storms, lightning and other natural disasters. It can be worn around the neck, attached to a casket (otherwise known as a paraman) or Rosary, or worn in some other way. For the patient - put on wounds, immerse in medicine or in water that is given to him to drink.

Prayer of St. Benedict of Nursia

To righteous Benedict! You are a high example of all virtues, an innocent vessel of God's mercy! Look upon me, obediently attracting knees before Thy

Medallion of Saint Benedict

way. I beg Your heart to pray for me before the throne of God. I turn to you in all the dangers that surround me every day. Protect me from my enemies. Give me inspiration to follow You in everything. May Your blessing always be with me, so that I may turn away from the evil that God forbids, and avoid the possibility of sin. Kindly ask me from the Lord for mercy and affection, which I most need in all the experiences, sufferings and misfortunes on earth. Your heart has always been full of love, compassion and mercy for those who find themselves in any trouble or misfortune. You have never rejected without consolation and help those who turned to You. Therefore I invoke Your powerful mediation in the sure hope that You will hear my prayers and receive for me the special favor and mercy for which I so earnestly pray (tell me what you ask for), when it will be for the glory of God and the good of my soul. Help me, O great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to always be obedient to the Lord's will and to realize eternal happiness in heaven.
Amen.

The medallion is often placed in the foundations of buildings or walls, hung on doors, or attached to barns and stables to invoke God's protection and blessing. There are no special prayers when using the medallion. The very act of dressing and using it is considered a silent prayer to God to give us St. Benedict the caresses we ask for. However, to receive extraordinary caresses, there are special devotions in honor of St. Benedicta. On the day of the death of the righteous, March 14, the Way of the Cross of St. Benedicta. On St. Benedict, March 27, we ask for his guardianship with this prayer:
On July 25, 1979, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in Bayside, New York, and asked that the Benedictine order concentrate on sending out messages about its founder, including thousands of castings of a medallion depicting St. Benedict.