Handmade dukach yagnuska,heart and flower necklace pendant,traditional ukrainian jewellery,ukrainian dukach,sacred heart

Handmade neusilber dukach yagnuska - sacred heart and flower necklace pendant, traditional ukrainian jewellery, element for a necklace.

Yagnuska (yagnusok, ognusok, ednus, agnus) is a not common name of a dukach, derived from the Polish language. In Church-Slavonic language, the word "yagnia"(lamb) sounds like "yagnec". Jesus Christ is symbolically called the "yagnec" of God in Christianity. Initially, Western European religious medals on which the divine lamb was depicted were called yagnus. The image of the lamb began to act as a kind of talisman. Such medals in Ukraine were often turned into dukachi and, accordingly, dukachi with them were called yagnus. Later, this name was also applied to dukas whose medallions had other images or heart shapes. In Christianity, the heart is a symbol of hope for salvation, God's love for people. 
The cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ has been known since the 11th century, gained particular popularity among Catholics in the 17th century, but was not officially approved by the Roman Church. The cult of the heart was actively spread by the Jesuits, they became its zealous supporters. In 1765, Pope Clement XIII approved the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, but permission to celebrate it was given to individual brotherhoods. In 1856, this holiday became a universal church holiday. Gradually, medallions in the form of hearts began to be used in dukaches. On the hearts of dukachi-yagnus there could be an image of the crucifixion of Christ or his monogram.

The heart and flower necklace pendant was made of neusilber by casting and engraving. Dimensions 21x40 mm, weight about 9.7 g