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Coptic Cross

JustinWilliamsJustinWilliams
edited December 1969 in Random Issues
What are the words and symbols within this coptic cross?

image

Comments

  • Coptic-IriniCoptic-Irini
    The first two words are abbreviations (you can tell by the lines on top of them) for: Isoos Pekhrestos, which means Jesus Christ. The other two say: Epshirie em Efnooti, which means Son of God.

    The 'filling' has no particular meaning.

    GB
  • JustinWilliamsJustinWilliams
    [quote author=Irini* link=topic=8041.msg103531#msg103531 date=1243355656]
    The first two words are abbreviations (you can tell by the lines on top of them) for: Isoos Pekhrestos, which means Jesus Christ. The other two say: Epshirie em Efnooti, which means Son of God.

    The 'filling' has no particular meaning.

    GB


    Thank you very much  :)
  • the_leastthe_least
    I think i've seen this before

    [coptic]UC :C[/coptic]

    instead of Epshirie em Efnooti

    is this the same thing in greek? or ...
  • Unknown
    [quote author=the_least link=topic=8041.msg103533#msg103533 date=1243363426]
    I think i've seen this before

    [coptic]UC :C[/coptic]

    instead of Epshirie em Efnooti

    is this the same thing in greek? or ...


    Yes, it stands for υἱὸς θεοῦ (Son of God)
  • mabsootamabsoota
    efharisto, george,
    i often wondered this too
    :)
  • ChristrulesChristrules
    The three spikes coming out of each arm of the Cross represent a member of the Trinity, and when added all up you get 12 little spikes resembling the 12 disciples

    Pray for me
  • the_leastthe_least
    by just examining it, i think the circle in the center must represent no beginning and no end or rather THE beginning and THE end, the Alpha and the Omega

    and by looking carefully at the design i can see a heart on each of the 4 branches. on the top it is upright and on the bottom is is upside down....i am not sure if this is meant to be or it just turned out like that. and btw does this design go back to the Pharoahs like a lot of our hymns?


  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    the decorations inside don't have much meanings as much as the main outer border of the cross. this cross is really a modern design of a great person that we are talking advantage of.....which is fine.

    the main parts of a Coptic cross are:
    - 4 equal sides of the cross.
    - each side have 3 edges.
    - and the universal statement of our faith their somewhere (Jesus Christ the Son of God, in greek or coptic or....etc)
  • mabsootamabsoota
    ok, coptic and greek experts, i have another one for you!
    on saturday i went into an anglican cathedral in uk and saw a lovely icon of the virgin mary and our Lord Jesus painted by a russian painter, they said, and this was written there:
    MP with a line over the top (i think this is mary/maria)
    and ΘV on the other side with a line on the top.
    is this for 'ethowab' and if so i thought it was a coptic word and 'agios' was the greek word.
    can anyone help me?
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Hi Mabsoota

    It stands for Mother of God. Mater Theou.

    Father Peter
  • mabsootamabsoota
    thanks, father peter
    :)
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