TheRussian cross is a variation of theChristian cross with two crossbeams, of which the higher one is horizontal and longer, and the lower one is diagonal.^[1]

At the Moscow church council in 1654 thepatriarch Nikon of Moscow promoted the decision to replace the eight-pointedOrthodox cross (☦) with the six-pointed Russian cross, but that move combined with some other changes resulted in theraskol (schism) of the Russian Orthodox Church.^[2] In the 19th century the Russian cross was used on the coat of arms of theKherson Governorate in the Russian empire, where it was named the "Russian cross". In theRussian Orthodox Church, the inclination of the lower crossbar of the Russian Orthodox cross is viewed as the crossbar of the balance, one point of which is raised as a sign of thepenitent thief. The other crucified thief, who blasphemed atJesus Christ, is indicated by the lower point of the crossbar, tilted downward.^[3]

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  On the coat of arms of theOrenburg Governorate (1856)
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  Coat of arms of theTiflis Governorate (1878, Russian empire)
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  Coat of arms of theErivan Governorate (1878)
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  At the entrance of the monastery inNovomoskovsk, Russia (2014)
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  InSaint Petersburg (2010)
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  The 17th century Moscow's Kremlin byAdam Olearius

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