Researchers consider its symbols to be a distinctive feature of any established religion. For Orthodoxy, this is a cross, for Islam, a crescent with a star inside. But there are some symbols that make us think about the probably lost unity of these faiths - the old Christian cross of the pore of Nikon with a crescent at the base.
Denominations use many forms of crosses. So, the cross of the Old Believers is rounded, the Catholic is strictly geometric and has four beams, the cross in Orthodoxy is eight-pointed, including two parallel horizontal crossbars and a third lower oblique, which probably indicates a footrest. This cross is considered the closest to the one on which Jesus was crucified. Another common form of the cross that can often be found on the domes of Christian temples is the crescent cross.
The most ancient Orthodox crosses had a dome that resembled the roof of a house. They can still be seen in old cemeteries, where the tradition of “covering” the memorial cross has been preserved.
Unity of faith
There are versions that the crescent shows the connection between Christianity and Islam, or between Christianity and paganism, since this symbol existed both in that and in another religion. There is also a version that the crescent cross shows that there was an era when Islam and Orthodoxy were a single religion. And the shape of the cross with a crescent symbolizes this era. With the modern separation of the two religions - Christian and Muslim, this symbol makes us regret that the faith was lost.
The triumph of Christianity
However, many theologians believe that the crescent moon (tsata) on the cross is not related to the Muslim symbol. And in fact, these are hands folded together to support the symbol of the Orthodox faith.
Some texts of the Middle Ages say that tsats are the Bethlehem manger, which took the baby Jesus into their arms, and also that this is the Eucharistic cup that received the body of Jesus.
There is a version that it is a symbol of the cosmos, which emphasizes the presence of Christianity throughout the world and is not related to Islam.
Adherents of semiotics believe that the crescent is not really a crescent, but a boat, and the cross is a sail. And this ship with a sail symbolizes the Church, which is sailing for salvation. The explanation in Revelation of John the Theologian is about the same content.
