Diskos

The diskos is made of gold-toned metal, in the form of a rounded plate with a wide rim on a shaped stand with a round base (now lost). The well of the plate is only slightly recessed and bears no imagery. On the rim of the plate is an engraved depiction of the Crucifixion, with the letters "IC XC," "N K," "A G," and a flowering spear and reed. Along the rim runs an ornamental composition of cherubim, acanthus leaves, and shells.

On the reverse of the plate, a short threaded rod is soldered on, by which the diskos's base (now missing) was attached.

On the reverse of the plate, along the rim, is an engraved circular Church Slavonic inscription in several lines: "...made at the expense of...for the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in Borodaivka...Danylo Shchaslivtsov."

The diskos belonged to the pre-war collection of the Sloboda Ukraine Museum named after H. S. Skovoroda. During the Second World War it was evacuated and returned to Kharkiv in November 1944.

Note: the diskos is a liturgical vessel on which the portions of the prosphora are arranged for Holy Communion (the sacrament of the Eucharist). It is a round metal plate with a wide flat rim (it may have a low foot). During the Liturgy, the diskos is covered with the star (asterisk) and a veil.

The diskos represents the vessel from which Jesus Christ, at the Last Supper, took bread, broke it, and distributed it to his disciples with the words: "Take, eat; this is My body." The diskos is a symbol of the manger of Bethlehem, in which Jesus was laid after his birth. It is also a symbol of the Holy Sepulchre, since the Body of Christ rests upon the diskos.