|  The
usual objection to depicting Christ crucified is that He is not
crucified today- rather He's risen, ascended, and glorified (To
which the Orthodox answer, Amen!) For this reason Protestants
use an empty cross as a sort of icon of the Resurrection,
and are often offended by an image of the cross with Jesus still
on it. The other objection to depicting Christ crucified is related
to the perception that Roman Catholics sacrifice Jesus anew every
Sunday - it's assumed that they believe Jesus is forever on the
cross. I don't know enough about Roman Catholicism to address that
perception, but it's certainly not true of Orthodoxy. We believe
that Christ died, once for all, and rose on the third day.
You can't be Orthodox and not believe that - it's part of the Creed
we learn at baptism and recall weekly in worship.
 When
you see an Orthodox cross with Jesus pictured on it, you're seeing
an icon of the crucifixion. It's not meant to indicate what is true
today. It's a teaching picture representing an historical
event in which all Christians believe: the one-time crucifixion
of Christ. Typically, the crucifixion icon includes more detail
than just the dying Christ. His mother and the apostle John are
shown at the foot of the cross (where Jesus, being an only child,
had to give His mother into the keeping of His friend). Overhead
the sun and moon, representing the powers of heaven, look on. Beneath
His feet, under the earth, we see a skull, alone in darkness - showing
that Christ has trampled down death by His own death, and His blood
saves even those who have died beforehand. Like many icons, this
one communicates the Gospel in ways that transcend the limits of
literacy.
We don't use an empty cross
as an icon of the Resurrection, because we already have an icon
specifically showing the Resurrection and telling its story. The
Resurrection icon shows Christ in triumph, calling Adam and Eve
out of the grave, trampling on the gates of hell and death, whose
keys are scattered at His feet along with the figure of Satan,
bound in the darkness. With Christ are the righteous kings, priests,
and people of all ages. His resurrection is ours as well.
But there's still one more
reason to show Christ on the cross: It's Christ we worship,
not the Cross. Nobody salutes a flagpole when the flag is not flying!
But when they see the flag on the pole, they venerate the flag,
hand over heart, hat removed, in token of their respect for the
country it represents. A cross without Christ on it is an empty
flagpole.
More on Icons...
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