Nine, forty, crescent/cross

[Svitlana Kobets]

Dear SEELANGErs,

Let me post some additional information re: Genevra's questions. It was sent
to me by Father Andrei Brenen, a scholar and a monk. I also want to thank
Jack Kollmann for a very interesting discussion of the cross symbolism.

Fether Andrei wrote:
>
>

>
>> 1.What is the source of the Russian custom of commemorating  death on the
>> third, ninth, and fortieth days?
>

It is believed that the human soul remains with the body after death until
the third day, when it begins its migration, ultimately ascending into the
presence of God (if a holy soul) on the fortieth day.  This belief follows
the timetable given in the New Testament of Christ's resurrection,
appearances to the disciples, and ascension as you have said.

Traditionally there are 24 tollhouses where the soul is tested in its faith
by "assessors" during the "migration".  This belief arises from fourth and
later century mystical theology.  Many have argued that the tollhouses were
allegories in the writings of the spiritual fathers (e.g., in the
Philokalia, etc.).  Others have interpreted them more literally.  It should
be noted that the "tollhouses" are "theologoumena", i.e., "pious theological
opinion", rather than Orthodox doctrine.  Many Orthodox scoff at these
accounts, while others believe in them most fervently.  I personally believe
that the exact details of what happens to a soul after death remain a
mystery.  If one finds comfort in the tollhouse stories, then that is fine
with me.  I certainly do not teach such things.

A popular book on this subject was Fr Seraphim Rose's, "The Soul After
Death", (1980, St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, California).
Deacon Lev Puhalo (now Archbishop Lazar) has spent the last 20 years
attempting to refute this work.  You can visit a critical review of Rose's
work by the Rev. Dr Michael Azkoul (an Antiochian Orthodox priest living in
the U.S.) at this URL:

http://www.new-ostrog.org/return_tollhouses.html


>> 4.  The Orthodox cross is sometimes seen with its base at the bottom of a
>> semi-circle (crescent?, grail?). I have been told that the semi-circle
>plus
>> the cross represents Islamic Turkey and the Orthodox victory thereover;
>and
>> also I have been told that that explanation is ridiculous, that the
>> semi-circle is a grail "graal'" to collect blood at the base of the
cross.
>> Is either explanation at least in the ball park?
>I always thought that it was a symbol of the triumph of Orthodoxy over
>Islam. Is it right?

Both arguments are in a sense correct.  The ancient iconography of the cross
often showed a "grail" at the foot of the cross, representative of the "holy
grail" of Christ's blood ("the cup of the New Testament in my blood").
After the Islamic conquests in Byzantine lands, the icons began to be
changed slightly so that the grails looked more like crescents.  This was a
"resistance" move on the part of Greek iconographers, who were attempting to
encourage the burdened Greek faithful under Ottoman overlordship that the
cross would defeat the Turkish crescent.  So, what started out as a "grail"
evolved into an anti-Islamic iconic "slogan", if you will.

****

By the by crosses with crescent on the bottom were not ony placed on top of
church domes but also appeared on coats of arms of Slavic gentry. See
Oleksii Bratko-Kutyns'kyi, "Fenomen Ukrainy," Kyiv: Vechirnii Kyiv, 1996,
256. This source contains a picture of the coat of arms with such a cross.
It belonged to a Ukrainian family of Tomary.

Best,
Svitlana Kobets

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