Those Worthy of Faith

"Don't tell God you have a big problem. Tell your problem you have a big God."

– Ghiyath ad-Din Abu l-Fath Umar ibn Ibrahim al-Khayyam Nishapuri

Faith in a higher power has been inherent in the people since ancient times. Even the first tribes of people who lived thousands of years ago, had their beliefs, deities and religion. With the development of human civilization, religion developed as well, there were new beliefs and trends, and it is impossible to conclude unequivocally whether religion depended on the level of civilization, or vice versa, it was the people's beliefs to be one of the keys to progress. As for the geography of the spread of beliefs, if a hundred years ago it was possible to draw more or less clear boundaries, now every year this division is getting more conventional.

Sculpture «The Acquisition». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Today we can distinguish three main religions of the world. The vast majority of people on the planet are the adherents thereof. These religions are Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Each of them has more than a thousand years of history, a scripture, and a number of cults and traditions that should be observed by believers.

Sculpture «St. George the Victorious». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Christianity, the religion founded by Jesus Christ, originated, as is commonly believed, in the first century of our era, but given the fact that the Old Testament was written long before the birth of Jesus Christ, we can confidently say that the roots of the religion are in Judaism, which originated almost a Millennium before Christianity. Islam, the world's youngest major religion, originated in the seventh century in Arabia.

Dreidel. Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Faith in the one God, in the existence of the soul, in the afterlife, fate, the possibility of helping the higher powers – these are the dogmas that are inherent in Christianity and Islam and have a common, basically, historical and mythological heritage. Faith, determined from the point of view of the knowledge of God, is the trust of the human mind to the divine truth, first of all, without investigating it based on evidence: Scriptures, Sacred Traditions, and those wonderful signs that always accompany true faith.

Seal «St. Paul». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

From time immemorial, the most talented and skilled craftsmen were entrusted with the production of religious objects. The components of the adoration are religious and magical actions (rites) and items related thereto.

Seal «St. Alexis». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

There are many differences between the rites of different religions. But no matter how different Christian worship from Jewish, and Buddhist from Muslim is, the ritual ultimately serves the sole purpose of securing the religious ideas in the minds of believers, of strengthening the faith in the omnipotence of supernatural forces.

Cross Pendant «Tree». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

The cross is the most recognizable symbol of Orthodoxy. The cross is the greatest Shrine through which the God's help is carried out. "A cross of any shape is the True Cross," Theodore the Studite taught that yet in the ninth century. The crucifix is the main symbol of faith, the confession of Christianity, as well as a symbol of the cross suffering of an Orthodox Christian. This is not just an attribute of faith. It is a real protection of the believer from evil forces.

Cross Pendant «Source of Love». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

The canonical form of the crucifix, which would have been approved by the councils, does not exist. The history of this Christian symbol began with the fact that, in 326 A.D, the Holy Empress Helena found the Cross, on which Christ was crucified. However, no one knows how it looked exactly. Only two separate crossbars were found, a plate and a foot were found next to them. There were no grooves or holes on the crossbars, so there was no way to determine how they were attached to each other. There is an opinion that this cross could be T-lettered, that is three-pointed. The Romans had the practice of crucifying on such crosses at that time, but this does not mean that the Cross of Jesus Christ was just like that. It could be four- or eight-pointed.

Ebony Gold Cross Pendant. Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

For nearly two thousand years, Orthodox Christians and representatives of other Christian denominations have been celebrating their greatest holiday – the Resurrection of Christ (Easter) in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the Resurrection) in Jerusalem. In this greatest Shrine for Christians, there is the Tomb where Christ had been buried, and then resurrected. Every time everyone inside and close to the Church at Easter would witness the Holy Fire (Light) to descend. Holy Fire has been in the church for more than one millennium already. The earliest mention of the descent of the Holy Fire on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ dates back to the IV century. According to the Apostles and supreme pontiffs, the miraculous Light illuminated the Holy Sepulchre shortly after the Resurrection of Christ.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre Holy Fire Vigil Lamp. Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Artisans and artists of Lobortas created the Non-Unquenchable Vigil Lamp, the brand new object of religious adoration of the XXI century, to deliver the Holy Fire of Jerusalem and the Light of Bethlehem. The Vigil Lamp is a piece of artistic jewelry unique in its kind. It has been the hallmark of Lobortas. The lamp was skillfully and masterfully created according all ecclesiastical and jewelry canons, using the latest methods and techniques. It has been the first art object, put on the church altar, over the past 200 years.

Small Holy Fire Vigil Lamp. Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Even the Apostle Paul said, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews 13:7). According to this commandment, the Holy Church has always carefully preserved the memory of its saints: apostles, martyrs, prophets, saints, venerable and righteous, their names are included in the Church Diptych for eternal remembrance.

Bookends «Peter and Paul». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

The tradition of making nominal icons originated in the XVI century in Russia. Such icons depicted the face of a saint, whose name was borne by a man. The inscribed icon contains a high spiritual value, handcraftedly embodying the image of the patron Saint, Heavenly Intercessor, who will protect the believers from all earthly sorrows. On inscribed icons, it is possible to represent also other known Orthodox saints who are patrons in this or that area. Such sacred images have always been considered a shrine of the family and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Pendant «Saint Sergius of Radonezh». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Just because someone does not believe in angels does not mean they do not exist. They exist regardless of someone to believe in them or not. We do not see angels because they are disembodied. God himself conceived such invisible world; he has created every angel, by giving each one his love, wisdom, beauty.

Sculpture «Sea of Galilee». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

In the Book of Exodus, we read the thing that the God said to Israel: "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him." (Exodus 23:20,21) God is present in every angel because He created him, and the angel always enforces His will. We can say that each angel carries a particle of God, reveals the truth about Him to us. There were times when some people began to honor angels whose names are in Biblical Apocrypha or in other books. In 745 A.D. at a Roman Synod under the rule of Pope Zacharias, as well as at a Synod in Aquisgrana, in the year 789, the worship of angels, but for those named Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, mentioned in the canonical books of the Bible, was forbidden. In Hebrew, they sounded like: Mika'el, Geber'el and Rafa'el. Each of these names contains the word "el", which means the "God"! The Jews used it as a substitute for the name of the Lord, which they did not utter out of respect and fear of God.

Chanukiah. Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

The warrior of light, Archangel Michael, is revered in three world religions, but the origin of his image is shrouded in mystery. The ancient Jews called Michael as Mikha'el, believing that he is the guardian of one side of the world, like Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. Michael appeared to Joshua as an assistant in the conquest of the Promised Land by the Israelites, as "the commander of the Lord’s army" (Joshua 5: 13-15).

Sculpture «Archangel Michael on the Bell». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

The belief in the existence of angels is one of the six pillars of faith in Islam. The Holy Quran says, “Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous (Surah Al-Baqarah [2:177]).” The Qur'an calls the Saint as Mikha'il. Muslims believe that the Archangel Michael is endowed with wings of emerald hue and protects the gates of Heaven.

Seal «Mosque». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

"Who is like God?"— the name of Michael is translated from Hebrew so – by identifying him with the heavenly leader and giving the unprecedented spiritual power to him. Archangel Michael is the patron and protector of the Holy Church. He performs this role at the will of God himself. Michael constantly fights with the devil, who uses any situation to involve people in sin. Activity in the struggle is the most characteristic feature of Archangel Michael. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:7-9).”

Sculpture «Archangel Michael and the Forces of Light». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.

Pieces by the Lobortas Classic Jewelry House delight with their extravagant luxury, sensual passion and deep philosophical meaning. Each piece is a story, a special mood, original look and the admiration of the world. Graceful colors, original ornaments, amazing in their designs, and even innovative interpretation stresses the fact that only professional artisans, artists and designers are working over each product, by making a special mood and the admiration of the world.

Sculpture «Moses». Lobortas House.
Photo by Vladislav Filin.