Cross of Saint Euphrosyne exhibition history Polatsk
The Cross of Saint Euphrosyne or Cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk (Belarusian: Крыж Ефрасінні Полацкай) was a revered relic of the Orthodox Church in Belarus, which was made in 1161 by Lazar Bohsha on the order of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk and is regarded as a national treasure of Belarus.
Euphrosyne, mother superior of Polotsk Convent, ordered the cross to decorate the new Transfiguration church. The simple cypress cross was decorated with gold, gemstones and enamel, depicting Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, the Theotokos (Mother of God), the Four Evangelists, the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and three patron saints of Euphrosyne and her parents. The work cost 120 grivnas. Inside, the cross contained pieces of the Holy Cross and other relics.
In the 13th century, the cross was relocated to Smolensk and in 1514 to Moscow. It was returned to Polotsk by Ivan the Terrible in 1563. The cross was thoroughly photographed for the record in 1896. In 1928 the nationalized relic was taken to Minsk, then, in 1929, to Mogilev, and was locked in a safe box of the regional Communist Party headquarters.
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