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Orthodox Crosses

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Below are some of the Orthodox crosses I've made. In Greek the word "Orthos" ὀρθός means correct or straight. All of these crosses are made with help from a CNC mill. A CNC mill helps me make all the straight lines straight and all the curves, well nicely curvy. What is a CNC? Basically, it is a computer controlled router. If you don't have a CNC, you could build one. Or, you could still make crosses like these by copying the pattern and carving them using knives or chisels. If you are interested more in wood carving, please click the link for the Russian Orthodox Cross or the Romanian Orthodox Crosses. All of the work on those was done by hand. For a full size image of any of these pictures, just click on the picture.

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8" Russian Orthodox Wall Cross
This is a Russian Orthodox style cross. The letters IC XC are the Greek abbreviation for Jesus Christ. The cross is a three bar cross. Tradition teaches that St. Andrew the Apostle preached to southern Russian. He taught them that the top bar was the title above Christ's head and the lower cross beam reminds us of the thieves. The good thief, on the right of Jesus, repented and was saved. The bad thief mocked Jesus and was lost.
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5" Greek Wall Cross
This cross is a Greek cross with IC XC NIKA. My cousin is studying Theology in Athens, Greece. I asked him what IC XC NIKA means. He told me that it means, "Jesus Christ is winning."
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3" ZOE PHOS Greek Pectoral Cross
This is a ZOE PHOS Greek cross. It has the words ZOE (Life) and PHOS (Light). Christ is the light and life of the world.
 
The top of the cross (called the bale) is drilled and carved by hand.
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Antiochian Pectoral Cross
Here is an Antiochian cross. This cross measures just 4" tall. Orthodox Christians may recognize this cross from the Antiochian prayerbook. I love that prayerbook and I love this design. To make this cross, I engrave the maple wood using a 0.5mm cutter, and then fill the grooves with walnut wood dust. I discovered this technique by accident.

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Byzantine Wall Cross
This is a Byzantine Orthodox cross. I found a picture of a engraved cross believed by its owner to date to approx. the 10th century. I do my best to clearly reflect the original design without adding too much of my own style as an artist. This cross is made using an engraving bit in the CNC. I darkened the lines using polyureathane tinted with graphite powder and then I sanded all the extra polyureathane away to leave only the lines. I love this beautiful and simple design! 

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St. Olga's Pectoral Cross
This is a St. Olga's cross made from maple. I like the sun-burst at the top of the cross. And of course, no cross would be complete without the letters that abbreviate the name Jesus Christ - IC XC. 

You can see crosses like these listed on E-bay or Etsy. To see what I have for sale now, just click "Etsy Items for Sale" on the sidebar to go to my Etsy online store.

I do custom work and I am always looking for new patterns. If you have something you'd like me to make for you, just send me an e-mail and we can talk about it.

Thanks for visiting!