Antique Byzantine Russian Orthodox, "Old Believers'" cross pendant. Handmade, cast from bronze or similar, brass-like copper alloy, and covered with rare, original green patina. Overall good vintage condition, lightly worn out likely due to devotional wearing by several generations of Christians. Could have been worn as a "body" (worn below all garments and underwear), Baptism pectoral Cross. Origin likely mid- to late 19th century Imperial Russia.

The obverse of the cross pendant bears a Byzantine-like Suppedaneum cross, surrounded with the Instruments of the Passion of Christ, such as the Holy Lance (spear) and the Holy Sponge attached to the end of a cane, elements of the vine, several inscriptions with Cyrillic letters, and an image of the skull, or the Adam's head buried below the cross. The Byzantine three-bar cross is used in the Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: the top one represents the "INRI" nameplate, and the bottom one, a footrest. The Holy Lance and the Holy Sponge are the subjects of adoration together with the Cross, and therefore, are always depicted on the Russian Old Believers' Baptism or body crosses, creating an image of Calvary (Golgotha) with the three-bar cross and Adam's head.

In such a cross' depiction, the "INRI" inscription made by Pontius Pilate, is considered blasphemous, and is never used as the nameplate. Instead, the top end of the cross pendant bears an abbreviation in Church Slavonic which means "King of Glory". The Kingship of Jesus is also symbolized by the pendant's loop shaped like the Russian Imperial Crown, or a throne.

The side ends of the horizontal crossbars bear the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ, as the "IC XC" Greek Christogram, and a two-word abbreviation in Church Slavonic meaning "SON OF GOD" . Below, just above the lowest horizontal crossbar (footrest), there is the "NIKA" inscription made with the Cyrillic letters (Greek: "VICTORIOUS"). This is a Byzantine symbol of the Christ's victory over the corruption of sin and death. This inscription is worn out and barely visible. 

An image of the skull, or Adam's head, below the image of the Suppedaneum cross also refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of Catholic and Orthodox Churches held that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus also symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.

The cross pendant is heavily decorated with the vine, a symbolic reminder of Christ's preaching according to the Saint John's Gospel: "I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5).

The reverse of the cross pendant bears an image of Latin-shaped cross surrounded by the symbolic vine and filled with the Scriptural text of Psalm 68 in Church Slavonic meaning "MAY GOD ARISE AND MAY HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED...". The words of the prayer are partially worn out, but well identifiable. This psalm-based prayer is traditionally inscribed on the reverse of the Old Believers' Orthodox body (Baptism) cross pendants, meaning to provide protection of the faithful crossbearer against the evil spirits (God's enemies), and thereby is considered a version of the Exorcism prayer. 

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