The Historical and Memorial Museum of the Demidovs presents an amber cross of the 18th century from the tomb of the Demidovs.
The cross is considered to be the most important attribute in Orthodox Christianity — initiated Christians do not part with their cross even at night, the rite of baptism can not be performed without a cross and entering a church without wearing one is not very welcome. By wearing a cross, the person communicates his belonging to Christian faith. The cross serves as a reminder of the feat of Jesus Christ and guards its wearer from temptation. It is believed that Orthodox Christians who do not wear a cross are vulnerable to evil forces, while ones who do are protected. The crosses were made of various materials.
The cross on display was found in the family tomb of the Demidovs in the Nicholas-Zaretsky Church, located next to the Historical and Memorial Museum of the Demidovs in Tula. This is the only remaining crypt in Russia, where several representatives of the first generations of the Demidovs, who were born and lived in Tula for a long time, are buried.
In 1729–1735 Akinfiy Nikitich Demidov launched a large-scale construction in Tula. During the construction of the stone palace in Zarechye, Akinfiy Demidov was also building the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the village of Chulkovo and the stone Nicholas-Zaretsky Church, which was intended to replace the wooden one and was conceived as a family tomb. Representatives of several generations of the Demidov family, including Akinfiy Nikitich (died in 1745), his second wife Euphemia Ivanovna, nee Paltseva (died in 1771), Grigory Akinfievich (died in 1761), his wife Anastasia Pavlovna, nee Surovtseva (died in 1753) were buried were laid to rest in the crypt of the Nicholas-Zaretsky Church.
In the 1920s–1930s, state-enforced atheism in Russia led to many churches and monasteries being closed down. In 1934, the Nicholas-Zaretsky Church was also closed, and later looted. Burials in the temple were also plundered and desecrated. Unauthorized excavations of burials were repeatedly carried out in the tomb. Most of the artistic and historical treasures stored in the church were lost, and only a small fraction was transferred to the museum.
