The execution of crucifixion was the most shameful, the most painful and the most cruel. In those days, only the most notorious villains were executed with such a death: robbers, murderers, rebels and criminal slaves. The torment of a crucified man cannot be described. In addition to unbearable pain in all parts of the body and suffering, the crucified man experienced terrible thirst and mortal spiritual anguish. Death was so slow that many suffered on crosses for several days. Even the perpetrators of the execution - usually cruel people - could not look at the suffering of the crucified with composure. They prepared a drink with which they tried either to quench their unbearable thirst, or with the admixture of various substances to temporarily dull consciousness and alleviate torment. According to Jewish law, anyone hanged from a tree was considered cursed. The Jewish leaders wanted to disgrace Jesus Christ forever by condemning Him to such death.

When they brought Jesus Christ to Golgotha, the soldiers gave Him sour wine mixed with bitter substances to drink to ease his suffering. But the Lord, having tasted it, did not want to drink it. He did not want to use any remedy to relieve suffering. He took upon Himself this suffering voluntarily for the sins of people; That’s why I wanted to carry them through to the end.

When everything was prepared, the soldiers crucified Jesus Christ. It was around noon, in Hebrew at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. When they crucified Him, He prayed for His tormentors, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Next to Jesus Christ, two villains (thieves) were crucified, one on His right and the other on His left. Thus the prediction of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, who said: “And he was numbered among the evildoers” (Is. 53 , 12).

By order of Pilate, an inscription was nailed to the cross above the head of Jesus Christ, signifying His guilt. On it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Roman: " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", and many read it. The enemies of Christ did not like such an inscription. Therefore, the high priests came to Pilate and said: “Do not write: King of the Jews, but write that He said: I am the King of the Jews."

But Pilate replied: “What I wrote, I wrote.”

Meanwhile, the soldiers who crucified Jesus Christ took His clothes and began to divide them among themselves. They tore the outer clothing into four pieces, one piece for each warrior. The chiton (underwear) was not sewn, but entirely woven from top to bottom. Then they said to each other: “We will not tear it apart, but we will cast lots for it, who will get it.” And having cast lots, the soldiers sat and guarded the place of execution. So, here too the ancient prophecy of King David was fulfilled: “They divided My garments among themselves, and cast lots for My clothing” (Psal. 21 , 19).

The enemies did not stop insulting Jesus Christ on the cross. As they passed, they cursed and, nodding their heads, said: “Eh! You who destroy the temple and build in three days! Save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Also the high priests, scribes, elders and Pharisees, mockingly said: “He saved others, but cannot save Himself. If He is the Christ, the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, so that we can see, and then we will believe in Him. I trusted in God “Let God deliver Him now, if He pleases Him; for He said: I am the Son of God.”

Following their example, the pagan soldiers who sat at the crosses and guarded the crucified, mockingly said: “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

Even one of the crucified thieves, who was to the left of the Savior, cursed Him and said: “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

The other robber, on the contrary, calmed him down and said: “Or are you not afraid of God, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing (i.e., to the same torment and death)? But we are condemned justly, because we have received what is worthy of our deeds.” , but He did nothing bad." Having said this, he turned to Jesus Christ with a prayer: " remember me(remember me) Lord, when will You come in Your Kingdom!"

The merciful Savior accepted the heartfelt repentance of this sinner, who showed such marvelous faith in Him, and answered the prudent thief: “ Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise".

At the cross of the Savior stood His Mother, the Apostle John, Mary Magdalene and several other women who revered Him. It's impossible to describe the sorrow Mother of God who saw the unbearable torment of Her Son!

Jesus Christ, seeing His Mother and John standing here, whom he especially loved, says to His Mother: " Wife! behold, your son". Then he says to John: " behold, your mother"From that time on, John took the Mother of God into his home and took care of Her until the end of Her life.

Meanwhile, during the suffering of the Savior on Calvary, a great sign occurred. From the hour when the Savior was crucified, that is, from the sixth hour (and according to our account, from the twelfth hour of the day), the sun darkened and darkness fell throughout the entire earth, and lasted until the ninth hour (according to our account, until the third hour of the day) , i.e. until the death of the Savior.

This extraordinary, worldwide darkness was noted by pagan historical writers: the Roman astronomer Phlegon, Phallus and Junius Africanus. The famous philosopher from Athens, Dionysius the Areopagite, was at that time in Egypt, in the city of Heliopolis; observing the sudden darkness, he said: “either the Creator suffers, or the world is destroyed.” Subsequently, Dionysius the Areopagite converted to Christianity and was the first bishop of Athens.

About the ninth hour, Jesus Christ loudly exclaimed: " Or, Or! Lima Savahfani!" that is, "My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?" These were initial words from the 21st Psalm of King David, in which David clearly predicted the suffering of the Savior on the cross. With these words the Lord last time reminded people that He is the true Christ, the Savior of the world.

Some of those standing on Calvary, hearing these words spoken by the Lord, said: “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” And others said, “Let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

The Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that everything had already been accomplished, said: “I thirst.”

Then one of the soldiers ran, took a sponge, wet it with vinegar, put it on a cane and brought it to the Savior’s withered lips.

Having tasted the vinegar, the Savior said: " Done", that is, the promise of God has been fulfilled, the salvation of the human race has been accomplished.

And behold, the veil of the temple, which covered the holy of holies, was torn in two, from the top to the bottom, and the earth shook, and the stones were disintegrated; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered Jerusalem and appeared to many.

The centurion confesses Jesus Christ as the Son of God

The centurion (leader of the soldiers) and the soldiers with him, who were guarding the crucified Savior, seeing the earthquake and everything that was happening in front of them, were afraid and said: “ Truly this man was the Son of God". And the people, who were at the crucifixion and saw everything, began to disperse in fear, striking themselves in the chest.

Friday evening arrived. This evening it was necessary to eat Easter. The Jews did not want to leave the bodies of those crucified on the crosses until Saturday, because Easter Saturday was considered a great day. Therefore, they asked Pilate for permission to break the legs of the crucified people, so that they would die sooner and they could be removed from the crosses. Pilate allowed. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the robbers. When they approached Jesus Christ, they saw that He had already died, and therefore they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, so that there would be no doubt about His death, pierced His ribs with a spear, and blood and water flowed from the wound.

Perforated rib

NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 27 , 33-56; from Mark, ch. 15 , 22-41; from Luke, ch. 23 , 33-49; from John, ch. 19 , 18-37.

The Holy Cross of Christ is the Holy Altar on which the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Christ was crucified during his lifetime - this was predicted through many prophecies.

But why did the crucifixion of Jesus Christ happen and could it have been avoided?

Here's what modern sources write about it.

Why Jesus Christ was crucified briefly

In Judea they were waiting for the Messiah, who was supposed to free the people of God from Roman slavery. At that time, the Jews were slaves, their empire was under the control of a Roman ruler, and there were endless wars and suffering.

However, the people of God knew that one day the Savior of the world would come and be able to free them from the sins that caused all the evil on earth - disease, death, poverty and slavery. And it was predicted that such a person would be born and free the world from universal evil.

And then Jesus Christ was born, whose birth was associated with the signs of the birth of the mission.

At the age of 33, he began to preach the word of God and perform miracles. If in his childhood Jesus was in the temple, and even people with a rabbinical education were surprised how he knew everything more than they did.

However, despite the signs and wonders, people did not believe that Christ was working from good power. They considered him a heretic who was confusing the people.

The Jewish government did not pay too much attention to this, but then the preaching of Christ began to cause envy, irritation, and they began to despise Jesus, they even wanted to kill him. This happened thanks to the betrayal of Judas, who betrayed his Teacher for 30 coins, as was said in the prophecies.

Jesus' crucifixion coincided with Passover. At this time, it was customary to release one sinner. And the Jews released Varavan, who was a robber and murderer. As a result, Christ was not pardoned and he was crucified.

Place of Christ's crucifixion

Christ was crucified on the mountain of the city of Golgotha. Together with other sinners, he carried the cross on which he was crucified.

Since then, this word in literature has meant suffering, torment, pain. Golgotha ​​appears in the paintings of many artists as a symbol of the suffering that every person must endure in his life.

Hence the expression “carry your cross.” The cross refers to a life test that a person cannot cope with and which cannot be avoided. You just have to bear it with dignity and try to get rid of it at the first opportunity.

Path to Golgotha

Jesus walked to Calvary for several hours. During this time, he walked with a crown of thorns on his head and fell 3 times.

Today, the path to Golgotha ​​to the place of execution is considered sacred. The one who does it will be able to see the future and find his way in life.

Those places where Christ fell are considered holy and there is a monument on them. Christ walked along them almost to the very place of his execution. And only after the last fall, a warrior named Simen helped him carry the cross.

Why was Jesus nailed to the cross?

The Jewish preachers did not understand the teachings of Christ and his holiness. They expected an earthly reign from him - liberation from slavery, illness and death, heaven on earth, but they did not receive it.

His teaching is a preparation for the spiritual paradise that every soul will achieve after death. But the Jews expected specific miracles and therefore did not accept Christ, hated him and crucified him.

Icon of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ photo and meaning

The Church reveres Jesus Christ more than other icons, except God the Father - the creator of all living things. Therefore, the icon of the crucifixion has historical significance and is revered as a place of forgiveness of the sins of all mankind.

The cross is considered the main symbol of death, because Christ took upon himself all sins in order to free humanity from this.

However, until the re-coming of Christ, each person is responsible for his sins, and children and grandchildren even pay for some sins.

Who helped Jesus carry the cross

Nobody helped - he carried his own cross. And only at the end of the journey did the warrior Simen help him bring the cross to the place of death.

Lamentation of the Virgin Mary at the Passion of Jesus Christ on the Cross

His Mother was also with Christ.

The Mother of God read prayers and suffered, the texts of her words were put not only in the words of passions in Lent, but also for church hymns. Many of them are performed in secular church music concerts.

What happened to Jesus after the resurrection

For some time he preached on Earth, performing miracles and knowledge. He could even walk through walls, talking about the Kingdom of God.

Then he ascended to heaven, promising the second coming.

The life of the apostles after the crucifixion of Christ

The apostles dispersed throughout the Earth and began to preach the word of God in all countries.

They received a special gift to understand all languages ​​and preach in each of them.

It was they who helped create the church and became the holiest disciples of Jesus, who led many followers.

It was the most cruel and painful way to kill. Then it was customary to crucify only the most notorious, rebels, murderers and criminal slaves. The crucified man experienced suffocation, unbearable pain from the twisted shoulder joints, terrible thirst and mortal melancholy.

According to Jewish law, those who were crucified were considered cursed and disgraced - which is why this type of execution was chosen for Christ.

After the condemned Jesus was brought to Calvary, the soldiers secretly offered him a cup of sour wine, to which substances had been added to ease his suffering. However, Jesus, having tasted the wine, refused it, wanting to accept the intended pain voluntarily and fully so that people could be cleansed of their sins. Long nails were driven into the palms and feet of Christ as he lay on the cross, after which he was raised to a vertical position. Over the head of the man executed by order of Pontius Pilate, the soldiers nailed a sign with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” embossed in three languages.

Death of Jesus Christ

Jesus hung on the cross from nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon, after which he cried out to God with the words “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” So he tried to remind people that he was the Savior of the world, but almost no one understood him, and most onlookers simply laughed at him. Then Jesus asked for a drink and one of the soldiers gave him a sponge soaked in vinegar on the tip of a spear. After this, the crucified man said the mysterious “it is finished” and died with his head on his chest.

With the word “finished,” Jesus is said to have fulfilled God’s promise by bringing about the salvation of mankind through his death.

After the death of Christ, an earthquake began, which terribly frightened everyone present at the execution and made them believe that the man they executed was really the Son of God. That same evening people celebrated Easter, so the body of the crucified Jesus had to be removed from the cross, because Easter Saturday was considered a great day, and no one wanted to desecrate it with the spectacle of the dead executed. When the soldiers approached Jesus Christ and saw that he was dead, they were visited by doubts. To make sure of his death, one of the warriors pierced the crucified man’s rib with his spear, after which blood and water flowed from the wound. Today this spear is considered one of the greatest relics.

The image of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is central to Christianity, because it symbolizes the Savior’s atonement for the sins of mankind. The image of the Life-Giving Cross, on which the Lord was crucified, has been known since the times of early Christianity. It was repeated in wall paintings, bas-reliefs, sculptures and icons. Moreover, the death of Jesus is one of the central subjects of Western European classical painting.

History of the image

Execution by crucifixion was considered one of the most terrible punishments for criminals in the Roman Empire - the condemned person not only died, but also experienced severe torment before his death. It was practiced everywhere, and before Christianity the cross had no symbolic meaning, but was only an instrument of execution. Such a sentence could only be received by a criminal who was not a Roman citizen, and Jesus was officially executed for a serious crime - an attempt on the political system of the Empire.

The crucifixion is described in detail in the Gospels - Jesus Christ was executed on Mount Calvary along with two criminals. The Virgin Mary, the Apostle John, and Mary Magdalene remained near the Son of God. There were also Roman soldiers, high priests and ordinary onlookers. Almost all of these characters are displayed on the icon of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, each playing their own symbolic role.

Symbols depicted

The central image of the icon is the Life-Giving Cross with Jesus Christ on it. Above the head is a sign with the inscription “I.N.C.I” - “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” According to legend, the inscription was made by Pontius Pilate himself. Those close to him pointed out the inaccuracy, because it was necessary to write that Jesus said that he was a king, but was not a king. To this the Roman prefect replied: “I wrote what I wrote.”

During the period of Early Christianity, in the 1st century AD. e., the Savior was depicted with open eyes, which symbolized immortality. In the Orthodox tradition, the Son of God is painted with his eyes closed, and the main meaning of the icon is the salvation of the human race. The eternal life and divinity of Jesus are symbolized by the angels soaring in the sky mourning him.

On the sides of the cross on the icon, the Virgin Mary and the Apostle John are necessarily written, who after the execution, at the command of God, took care of her until her death as her own mother. In later iconography, other characters are also found in the images - Mary Magdalene, high priests and soldiers. The centurion Longinus is often depicted, a Roman soldier who pierced the side of the crucified Jesus. The Church honors him as a martyr, and in the icon he appears with a halo.

Another important symbol is Mount Golgotha, under which Adam was buried. Icon painters depict in it the skull of the first person. According to legend, the blood from the body of Christ seeped through the earth and washed the bones of Adam - this is how original sin was washed away from all mankind.

Crucified Thieves

The icon of the Crucifixion of the Lord is one of the most popular, so it is not surprising that it has many variations. In some versions, crucified thieves are located on two sides of Christ. According to the Gospels, one of them, a prudent one, repented and asked forgiveness for his sins. The other one, a madman, mocked and told Jesus that since he was the Son of God, then why didn’t the Father help and save him from suffering.

In the images the repentant thief is always located right hand from Christ, his gaze is turned to God. The head of our Savior is also bowed in his direction, since the repentant has received forgiveness, and after death the Kingdom of Heaven awaits him. The mad robber on the crucifix is ​​often depicted with his back turned completely - for the actions he committed, the road to hell was prepared for the criminal.

What to pray for

Even on the cross, Jesus continued to pray for all people: “Forgive them, Father. For they do not know what they are doing.” Therefore, people pray to the icon of the crucifixion for forgiveness of sins. It is believed that in front of this icon it is easier to sincerely repent of unrighteous deeds and receive spiritual cleansing.

Those who cannot find a way out of a difficult situation, who find it difficult to change circumstances and correct their actions, pray to Christ. The icon of the crucifixion gives strength and can help lead a righteous life, regardless of the past.

The image of two thieves, one of whom received forgiveness, reminds those praying that they can always repent. There is no case when God will not help a sincerely repentant person. Until the last minute of life, everyone has a chance to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.

How to interpret a dream about crucifixion icons

Dreamed icon - good sign, a symbol of consolation in God, and sometimes a warning against possible sinful deeds. Such dreams are especially favorable for true believers. However for correct interpretation some details are taken into account. For example, if you dreamed that the face was located in a church, in difficult times the only salvation and support would be faith. But icons in a house in a dream speak of discord and long quarrels.

Why do you dream about the icon of the crucifixion? Dream books interpret this as an alarming sign, since such dreams promise losses in different areas of life. If you pray in front of an image, you need to pay more attention to spiritual life, worry less about material benefits. But if you dream of other icons of the Savior, the face of Jesus Christ, you can expect help in difficult circumstances.

Icon of the Crucifixion of Christ

One of the main events of the Passion of Christ is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which ended the earthly life of the Savior. The execution by crucifixion itself was in the most ancient way reprisals against the most dangerous criminals who were not Roman citizens. Jesus Christ himself was officially executed for attempted murder. government system Roman Empire - He called for refusing to pay taxes to Rome, declared himself the King of the Jews and the Son of God. The crucifixion itself was a painful execution - some condemned could hang on the cross for a whole week until they died from suffocation, dehydration or blood loss. Basically, of course, the crucified died from asphyxia (suffocation): their outstretched arms fixed with nails did not allow the abdominal muscles and diaphragm to rest, causing pulmonary edema. To speed up the process, most of those condemned to crucifixion had their shins broken, thereby causing extremely rapid fatigue of these muscles.

The icon of the Crucifixion of Christ shows: the cross on which the Savior was executed was unusual shape. Usually, ordinary piles, T-shaped pillars or oblique crosses were used for execution (the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified on a cross of this type, for which this form of the cross received the name “St. Andrew’s”). The Savior’s cross was shaped like a bird flying upward, speaking of His imminent Ascension.

Present at the Crucifixion of Christ were: the Mother of God the Virgin Mary, the Apostle John the Theologian, the myrrh-bearing women: Mary Magdalene, Mary Cleopas; two thieves crucified at the left and right hand of Christ, Roman soldiers, onlookers from the crowd and the high priests who mocked Jesus. In the image of the Crucifixion of Christ, John the Theologian and the Virgin Mary are most often depicted standing before Him - the crucified Jesus addressed them from the cross: He ordered the young apostle to take care of the Mother of God as his mother, and the Mother of God to accept Christ’s disciple as a son. Until the Dormition of the Mother of God, John honored Mary as his mother and looked after her. Sometimes the martyr's cross of Jesus is depicted between two other crucifixes, on which two criminals are crucified: a prudent thief and an insane thief. The mad robber reviled Christ, and mockingly asked Him: “Why don’t you, Messiah, save yourself and us?” The prudent robber reasoned with his comrade, saying to him: “We are condemned for our deed, but He suffers innocently!” And, turning to Christ, he said: “Remember me, Lord, when you find yourself in Your Kingdom!” Jesus answered the wise thief: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will be with Me in Paradise!” In the images of the Crucifixion of Christ, where there are two robbers, guess which of them is crazy. and who is prudent is quite simple. The helplessly bowed head of Jesus points in the direction where the prudent thief is. In addition, in the Orthodox iconographic tradition, the raised lower crossbar of the Savior’s cross points to the prudent thief, hinting that the Kingdom of Heaven awaited this repentant man, and hell awaited the blasphemer of Christ.

On most icons of the Crucifixion of the Savior, the martyr's cross of Christ stands on the top of the mountain, and a human skull is visible under the mountain. Jesus Christ was crucified on Mount Golgotha ​​- according to legend, it was under this mountain that Noah’s eldest son Shem buried the skull and two bones of Adam, the first man on Earth. The Savior’s blood from the wounds of His body, falling to the ground, seeping through the soil and stones of Golgotha, will wash the bones and skull of Adam, thereby washing away the original sin that lay on humanity. Above the head of Jesus there is a sign “I.N.C.I” - “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” It is believed that the inscription on this table was made by Pontius Pilate himself, who overcame the opposition of the Jewish high priests and scribes, who believed that with this inscription the Roman prefect of Judea would show unprecedented honor to the executed man. Sometimes, instead of “I.N.Ts.I”, another inscription is depicted on the tablet - “King of Glory” or “King of Peace” - this is typical for the works of Slavic icon painters.

Sometimes there is an opinion that Jesus Christ died from a spear that pierced His chest. But the testimony of the Evangelist John the Theologian says the opposite: the Savior died on the cross, before his death he drank vinegar, which was brought to him on a sponge by the mocking Roman soldiers. The two robbers who were executed along with Christ had their legs broken to quickly kill them. And the centurion of the Roman soldiers Longinus pierced the body of the dead Jesus with his spear to make sure of His death, leaving the bones of the Savior intact, which confirmed the ancient prophecy mentioned in the Psalter: "Not one of His bones will be broken!". The body of Jesus Christ was taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea, a noble member of the Holy Sanhedrin, who secretly professed Christianity. The repentant centurion Longinus soon converted to Christianity and was later executed for preaching sermons glorifying Christ. Saint Longinus was canonized as a martyr.

Objects that in one way or another participated in the process of the Crucifixion of Christ became sacred Christian relics, called Instruments of the Passion of Christ. These include:

• The cross on which Christ was crucified
• The nails with which he was nailed to the cross
• The pliers used to pull out those nails
• Sign "I.N.C.I"
• crown of thorns
• Spear of Longinus
• A bowl of vinegar and a sponge with which the soldiers gave water to the crucified Jesus
• The ladder with which Joseph of Arimathea removed His body from the cross
• The clothes of Christ and the dice of the soldiers who divided His clothes among themselves.

Each time, making the sign of the cross, we draw an image of the cross in the air, with reverence and inexpressible gratitude remembering the voluntary feat of Jesus Christ, who with his earthly death atoned for the original sin of mankind and gave people hope for salvation.

People pray to the icon of the Crucifixion of Christ for forgiveness of sins; they turn to it with repentance.