Kalevala

St. John’s Arms protects from evil. The design formed from a single ribbon brings about a protective force, the power of which all of northern Europe believed in long ago. The design also reminds us of the Earth’s four protective spirits, who all settled down in their own corner and supported the sky above. The people of Northern Europe named these spirits West, East, North and South.

The Karelian plaited ribbon motif is an adaptation of another braided theme, St. John’s Arms. The triple-loop braids at the edge of the jewel have been interpreted as symbols of the Holy Trinity. The middle of the jewel features St. Andrew’s cross. Small heart-shaped fittings complete the jewel. The Karelian plaited ribbon motif is a beautiful expression of how the Christian world effected the distant north.