Today we will look at another Old Believer multiple icon. This one has a gilt metal cross inserted in the center, which is not uncommon. Among museums and dealers, such an icon with a cross inserted rather than painted on the panel is often termed a staurothek or staurotheke, a rather grand-sounding word that simply means “cross box” . In Greek, σταυρός / stauros is generally understood to mean “cross,” though in earlier writings it often meant an upright pole or stake; θήκη / theke means a box or case — thus staurotheke.
At upper left we see the “Kazan” Mother of God type, and at upper right “Holy Nicholas the Wonderworker,” with his right hand blessing with the fingers in the position used by Old Believers.
I won’t dwell on the central cross, the kind of thing I have covered several times in previous postings here on crosses and the Crucifixion, nor on the groups of standing saints at left and right, whose names you can likely easily read and translate for yourself if you have paid close attention to past postings here. Incidentally, if you are one of those just beginning to learn the Church Slavic alphabet, which is necessary knowledge to read Russian icons, practicing by transliterating the names of saints in groupings such as these is an excellent learning method. You will find previous postings on the Church Slavic alphabet in the archives — just use the search box at the right of every page.
Today, however, I want to focus on the two men on crosses at left and right of Jesus.
Here is the one on the left side of the icon, who would be at the right hand of Jesus:
This is the “wise” or “prudent” thief Rakh, known in the West as the Penitent Thief, or by his apocryphal name Dismas. The Slavic inscription says “The Wise Thief Rakh dwelt in Paradise.” It is based on the promise of Jesus as found in Luke 23:43: “Truly I tell you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.”
And here is the other fellow, the one on the right side of the icon, which is at the left hand of Jesus:
This is the unrepentant thief, and he is the reason for today’s posting. This image is significant because Russian icons seldom use his apocryphal name, but this one does. The inscription says, “The hanging malefactor Gevsta descended to Hades.” Gevsta (Гевста or Гевьста) is a Slavic form of the name Gestas, which is found in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus for the unrepentant thief. So now you can add that to your stock of rather useless but interesting information. Well, at least it is interesting to those who find it interesting. Others likely have lives.
Perhaps you also recall that in traditional belief, the slanting footboard on Russian “eight-pointed” crosses has this significance: the side to the right hand of Jesus slants upward, indicating that Rakh and other believers will ascend to Paradise; the side to the left hand of Jesus slants down, indicating the descent of Gevsta/Gestas and other unbelievers to Hades, in Christian belief.
From past postings here, you should easily recognize the Slavic inscription in the wreath at the base.
It is:
Крест хранитель всей вселенней;
Krest khranitel’ vsey vselyenney
Крест красота церковная;
Krest krasota tserkovnaya
Крест царем держава;
Krest tsarem derzhava
Крест верным утверждение;
Krest vernuim utverzhdenie
Крест ангелом слава;
Krest angelom slava
Крест бесом язва.
Krest besom yazva
“The Cross is the protector of the whole universe,
the Cross is the beauty of the Church,
the Cross is the might of kings,
the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful,
the Cross is the glory of angels,
the Cross is the scourge of demons.”
(Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins — Festal Matins for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
ICONS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION 