Gallery NO. DS - 2026 - 023
Created July 2026
Chi-Rho Orthodox Stoneware Cortado Cup
The Christogram Cup is a one-of-a-kind Orthodox stoneware vessel bearing one of the earliest and most recognizable symbols of Christianity.
Hand carved with the Chi-Rho Christogram (☧), the cup carries the ancient monogram formed from the first two Greek letters of ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christos)—Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ).
Long before elaborate iconography adorned churches, Christians marked places of worship, manuscripts, tombs, and sacred objects with this simple yet profound symbol. It became a visual confession that Jesus Christ is Lord, quietly proclaiming His presence wherever it appeared.
Created for daily coffee, cortados, or espresso, this vessel brings one of Christianity's oldest sacred emblems into an ordinary moment. Its compact cylindrical form, weathered mineral surface, and deeply carved Christogram evoke the enduring character of an artifact shaped by centuries of prayer and use.
The Inscription
☧
Chi-Rho Christogram
Χριστός (Christos)
Christ
The Chi-Rho is one of the earliest Christian monograms, formed by combining the Greek letters Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ)—the first two letters of the Greek word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christos).
Its widespread use dates to the fourth century and is closely associated with Emperor Constantine, who adopted the symbol after his celebrated vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Since then, the Christogram has appeared throughout Orthodox churches, illuminated manuscripts, mosaics, liturgical vessels, and sacred architecture as a timeless confession of Jesus Christ.
Inscribed upon this vessel, the Chi-Rho quietly proclaims the One to whom every prayer, every act of worship, and every ordinary day belongs.
Surface & Form
The cup's clean cylindrical form reflects the restrained simplicity of early Christian vessels, allowing the ancient Christogram to become the visual center of the work. Without a handle, the form invites both hands around the warmth of the cup, encouraging a slower and more contemplative rhythm.
Its exterior is finished in Brown Tweed Matte, selectively wiped away to reveal subtle variations beneath the surface, creating the appearance of centuries of gentle wear. A flowing Iron Wash settles deeply into the carved Christogram and textured surface, emphasizing every incision while lending the vessel the quiet dignity of an archaeological artifact. Soft brushwork, mineral variation, and naturally expressive firing effects recall weathered Byzantine stone and aged monastery walls.
The interior is finished in Alabaster, offering a warm, luminous contrast to the earth-toned exterior while completing the vessel with quiet refinement.
Every variation left by carving, glaze movement, brushwork, and firing is intentionally preserved, ensuring that this remains a singular work of ceramic art.
This work belongs to The Christogram Collection, a curated body of stoneware celebrating the earliest visual symbols of the Christian faith, and to The Fresco Collection, where layered mineral glazes and painterly surfaces evoke the enduring beauty of Byzantine walls shaped by time, prayer, and fire.
Details
Collection: The Vessels Collection
Curated Subcollection: The Sacred Symbols Collection
Form: Handmade Orthodox stoneware cortado coffee cup
Material: High-fired stoneware
Inscription: Chi-Rho Christogram
Greek: ☧ (ΧΡ)
Translation: Christ
Historical Source: Early Christian Christogram formed from the first two Greek letters of ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christos), widely used throughout Orthodox Christianity since the fourth century
Exterior: Brown Tweed Matte with layered Iron Wash, selectively wiped for a weathered Byzantine-inspired finish
Interior: Alabaster
Surface Details: Deep hand-carved Christogram with layered mineral washes, expressive brushwork, naturally varied firing effects, and an aged archaeological character
Dimensions: Approximately 2.75 in. high × 2.75 in. wide
Approximate Capacity: 6–7 fl. oz. (ideal for cortados, cappuccino, or small coffee)
Approximate Weight: 0.8–1.0 lb.
Approximate Packaged Shipping Weight: 2.0–2.4 lb.
Firing: High-fired to Cone 6
Origin: Handmade by DOXA & STAVROS
Edition: One of one
Each DOXA & STAVROS vessel is individually formed and finished by hand. Variations in form, carving, glaze movement, surface, and firing are evidence of the making process and the singular nature of the work.
Objects formed by prayer and fire.
