This section of Andrews Antiquaria features a curated collection of religious relics and sacred artifacts spanning multiple faith traditions. Spirituality is priority-uno for many! Sanctify the soul through this stunning religious collection spanning several faith beliefs. Take the crash course in Christ's Crucifix 101!
We'll begin our exploration with a look at an assortment of crucifixes. You've heard the term 'crucifix' used interchangeably with 'cross'. However, there is a difference. A cross is merely a t-shaped symbol of the means by which the Roman army used to hang a person on until their death, typically resulting from being drowned in fluids seeping into the lungs. A crucifix, on the other hand, is a cross plus a person hanging on it. Furthermore, if you were to focus in on the body itself as it hung on the cross, you would be referring to this as a 'corpus'.
You'll notice that Christ's corpus is pictured somewhat differently from crucifix to crucifix. That's due to both the time period when the crucifix was crafted and the crafting artist themself. Earlier Medieval corpuses pictured Christ's arms and legs very straight. There was little to no expression on the face and absolutely no contortion of the body. This was due to the Medieval mindset when it came to religion, which was extremely polarized and disciplined. Later, as the Renaissance emerged, artists of all kinds broke through the shackles of earlier times and crafted the corpus into a more realistic view, having agony about the face of Christ with his body bent to convey pain. Be sure to check out the analytics of a crucifix in the diagram below!
Finally, a potpourri of bas-reliefs, carvings, icons, and triptychs rounds out the collection. It's key to note that although Christianity arguably produced more imagery than any other religion, it is a 'rookie' in the field of religions of the world! Be sure to hone in on the collection of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sumerian, Egyptian, and other items displayed!
Religious
The Crucifix Collection
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How He Died
Let’s take a closeup look at that thing hanging around many necks in an attempt to help us understand what exactly happened at about 3pm on that fateful Good Friday in Jerusalem some 2000+ years ago. For our example, let’s use a famous Medieval Crucifix from the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo, Spain. Much scientific debate has surfaced regarding precisely how Christ’s body appeared on the cross; if in fact it was a cross or just a piece of tree trunk as some theorists suggest, and some of the execution strategies of the Romans concerning crucifixion. Indeed much bickering has been had between the scientific world and the religious world. Let this crucifix, plus a little research, clear up any confusion.
The Cross (A)
The actual cross that Jesus hung upon was most likely a T-shaped structure made from 2 heavy gauge olive wood tree trunks; a vertical piece and a horizontal piece. What the Romans did was to already have the vertical pieces present at the execution site, used from previous crucifixions, and for the accused criminal to carry the horizontal piece from the Fortress Antonia where conviction and sentencing took place. Therefore, the familiar scene of Christ traveling the Via Dolorosa with a full cross is probably incorrect. Instead, all indications were that he carried only the horizontal piece of the cross. However, it should be pointed out that this horizontal piece weighed in excess of 100 lbs.
Nails in the Feet (B)
Were the feet crossed or nailed individually? Was it left foot over right foot or vice versa? There is a 95% probability that Christ’s two feet were nailed together, one on top of the other. In fact, there is an even greater probability that his right foot was on top of his left foot. How so? In all likelihood, the Roman soldier doing the nailing was probably right-handed. Therefore, as he kneeled down on the rock to complete the job, with his left hand he probably grabbed Christ’s right foot and placed it on top of the left foot, held them together with his left hand which also held the nail, then grabbed his hammer with his right hand and nailed the feet together through the Talus bones. Additionally, there was most likely a wooden wedge underneath the feet to receive the angled nail drive, and also to help support the weight of the body. One nail was probably used for both feet, not two, because nails were made out of iron, which was expensive and could be better used for weapons and armor.
Naked or Clothed? (C)
If it were up to the Romans, Christ’s body would have been naked on the cross to humiliate him. However, because of strict Jewish rule, even for condemned prisoners, a naked body was viewed as a desecration in close proximity to the Temple. Therefore, to keep the political peace, the Romans kept in place the dressing that covered Christ’s waist area.
Nails in the…Wrists? (D)
Yes. For this very debatable topic, we must consider a few things. First, it is well-known that the Romans were notorious for knowing how to torture someone during crucifixion. Their objective was to ensure that the criminal suffered, and was seen suffering by onlookers, as a deterrent. They also knew precisely how long death on a cross would take. If the nails went through Christ’s hands, as popular depiction portrays, the weight of Jesus’ torso would have eventually ripped his hands from the nails. Therefore, positioning the nails just 3 inches from the palm and into the wrist enabled the body to be supported by the juncture of the radius and ulna bones of the forearm. You may ask: “What about the stigmata that St. Francis and St. Padre Pio experienced, which were in the hands?” Because the hands are symbolic vehicles of activity, giving, receiving, and all of our good works, like Christ’s good works. A stigmata of the hands symbolizes your Christ-like sacrifice. This is also the reason why most crucifixes show nails in the hands. But, interestingly, the Shroud of Turin image, which is said to be the burial cloth covering Jesus in the tomb, actually shows Christ’s wrists being pierced, which adds to its authenticity and proof that Christ was nailed through the wrists. ~
Bas-Reliefs, Carvings, Icons & Triptychs
