How to wear a cross on your body correctly. Pectoral symbol of the Christian faith
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Where did the tradition of wearing crosses come from? Why wear it? “I believe in God in my soul, but I don’t need a cross. It is not written anywhere in the Bible that one must wear a cross, and nowhere is it written that the first Christians wore crosses.” This or something like this is what people say who consider themselves Orthodox Christians, but do not express their faith in any way. Most unchurched people do not have a Christian understanding of what a cross is and why it should be worn on the body. So what is it pectoral cross IR? Why does Satan hate it so much and does everything to ensure that no one wears it, or wears it simply as a meaningless decoration?
ORIGIN AND SYMBOLICS OF THE PATTERN CROSS
The custom of placing a pectoral cross on the neck of the newly baptized person along with Baptism did not appear immediately. In the first centuries of Christianity, they did not wear a cross, but rather wore medallions with the image of a slain Lamb or the Crucifixion. But the Cross, as the instrument of the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ, has been the subject of the greatest celebration among Christians from the very beginning of the Church. For example, the church thinker Tertullian (II-III centuries) in his “Apology” testifies that the veneration of the cross existed from the first times of Christianity. Even before the presence in the 4th century of Queen Helena and Emperor Constantine life-giving cross, on which Christ was crucified, already among the first followers of Christ the custom was widespread to always have an image of the cross with them - both as a reminder of the suffering of the Lord, and to confess their faith before others.According to the story of Pontius, biographer of St. Cyprian of Carthage, in the 3rd century, some Christians depicted the figure of a cross even on their foreheads; by this sign they were recognized during persecution and handed over to torture. The first Christians are also known to wear a cross on their chest. Sources from the 2nd century also mention him.
The first documentary evidence of wearing body crosses date back to the beginning of the 4th century. Thus, Acts VII Ecumenical Council testify that the holy martyrs Orestes (†304) and Procopius (†303), who suffered under Diocletian, wore a cross made of gold and silver around their necks.
After the weakening and subsequent cessation of the persecution of Christians, wearing a cross became a widespread custom. At the same time for everyone Christian churches they began to erect crosses.
In Rus', this custom was adopted precisely with the baptism of the Slavs in 988. Since Byzantine times, there have been two types of body crosses in Rus': the actual "vest" (worn on the body under clothing) and so-called. « encolpions" (from the Greek word “chest”), worn not on the body, but on top of clothing. Let's say two words about the last: initially, pious Christians carried with them (on themselves) a reliquary with particles of St. relics or other shrines. A cross was placed on this reliquary. Subsequently, the reliquary itself took on the shape of a cross, and bishops and emperors began to wear such a cross. Modern priestly and episcopal pectoral cross traces its history precisely from encolpions, that is, boxes with relics or other shrines.
Russian people swore allegiance on crosses, and by exchanging pectoral crosses, they became cross brothers. When building churches, houses, and bridges, a cross was laid in the foundation. There was a custom to cast many crosses from a broken church bell, which were especially revered.
The Cross of Christ is a symbol of Christianity. For modern man a symbol is just an identification mark. A symbol is like an emblem indicating something with which we are dealing. But the symbol has a much broader meaning than just the meaning of the emblem. IN religious culture a symbol is involved in the reality that it symbolizes. What is the reality that the Cross of Christ symbolizes for Christians?.. This reality: The Redemption of the human race accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Death on the Cross.
The veneration of the Cross has always been understood by the Teachings of the Church as the worship of Jesus Christ in the light of His redemptive deed.The Cross of Christ, which Orthodox Christians always wear on their bodies, shows us and reminds us at what price our Salvation was purchased.
For Christians, the cross is not just a sign. For Christians, the cross is a symbol of victory over the devil, a banner of the triumph of God. The cross reminds the believer of Christ, of the sacrifice the Savior made for us.
MEANING OF THE CROSS
What does a pectoral cross symbolize?
The cross is the greatest Christian shrine, a visible evidence of our redemption.
The cross, as an instrument of terrible and painful execution, thanks to the sacrificial deed of Christ the Savior, became a symbol of redemption and an instrument of salvation for all mankind from sin and death. It is on the Cross, through pain and suffering, death and Resurrection, that the Son of God accomplishes the salvation or healing of human nature from mortality, passion and corruption introduced into it by the fall of Adam and Eve. Thus, a person who wears the Crucifixion of Christ testifies to his participation in the suffering and feat of his Savior, followed by hope for salvation, and therefore the resurrection of a person for eternal life with God.
ABOUT THE FORM OF THE PATTERN CROSS
A pectoral cross is not a talisman or a piece of jewelry. No matter how beautiful it may be, no matter what precious metal it is made of, it is first and foremost a visible symbol of the Christian faith.
Orthodox pectoral crosses are very ancient tradition and therefore they are very diverse in appearance, depending on the time and place of manufacture.
Iconography Orthodox Crucifixion received its final dogmatic justification in 692 in the 82nd rule of the Trull Cathedral , who approved canon of the iconographic image of the Crucifixion .
The main condition of the canon is the combination of historical realism with the realism of Divine Revelation. The figure of the Savior expresses Divine peace and greatness. It is as if it were placed on a cross and the Lord opens His arms to everyone who turns to Him. In this iconography, the complex dogmatic task of depicting the two hypostases of Christ - Human and Divine - is artistically solved, showing both the death and the victory of the Savior.
Catholics, having abandoned their early views, did not understand and did not accept the rules of the Council of Trull and, accordingly, the symbolic spiritual image of Jesus Christ. Thus, in the Middle Ages, a new type of Crucifixion emerged, in which the features of naturalism became predominant. human suffering and the torment of execution on the cross: the weight of the body sagging on outstretched arms, the head crowned with a crown of thorns, crossed feet nailed with one nail (an innovation at the end of the 13th century). The anatomical details of the Catholic depiction, while conveying the veracity of the execution itself, nevertheless hide the main thing - the triumph of the Lord, who defeated death and reveals to us eternal life, and concentrates attention on torment and death. His naturalism has only an external emotional impact, leading to the temptation of comparing our sinful sufferings with the redemptive Passion of Christ.
Images of the crucified Savior, similar to Catholic ones, are also found on Orthodox crosses, especially often in the 18th-20th centuries, however, as well as iconographic images of God the Father of Hosts, prohibited by the Stoglavy Cathedral. Naturally, Orthodox piety requires the wearing of an Orthodox cross, and not a Catholic one, which violates the dogmatic foundations of the Christian faith.
The most common form of the Orthodox cross is an eight-pointed cross; a prayer is most often written on the reverse side "Save and preserve."
THE MEANING OF WEARING A CROSS AND THE INscription THAT WE READ ON ITS ARMS: “SAVE AND SAVE”
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Christians who wear a pectoral cross seem to be offering a wordless prayer to God. And it always protects the wearer.
There is a widespread opinion among Christians that the cross of Christ, the image of God, the Lord Himself should protect us precisely from everyday troubles and troubles. And, of course, many of those who wear a pectoral cross are guided by precisely this pragmatic motive. But in fact, the meaning of wearing a cross and the inscription that we read on its back: "Save and Preserve" completely different.
In itself, the presence of a cross on the chest does not save and has no meaning for a person if he does not consciously profess what the Cross of Christ symbolizes. Although, of course, Lord, undoubtedly protects those who believe in him from many everyday misfortunes and troubles. That is, if a person wears a cross with faith and trust in the mercy of God, he, relatively speaking, is “included” in God’s special “plan” and nothing fatally irreparable will ever happen to him in eternity. The concept of “God’s plan” here means precisely the plan of our salvation, and not the management of the world on a wide, universal scale, because the whole world, of course, is contained by the right hand of God and is governed by His Divine providence. But, no matter how scary it sounds, it is precisely “necessary” and sometimes painful death that becomes for a person the door to the Kingdom of God. This does not mean that God wants such an end for us, but it does mean that those who have endured unjust torment will certainly find great consolation. If you like, this is the law of God.
So what does the Lord promise to save us from? Not from everyday troubles, misfortunes and difficulties in the first place, because all this can even be necessary for the soul, alas, prone to relaxation and forgetting the purpose of its existence. But The Lord promises to save us, first of all, from the terrible power of sin, through which the enemy of the human race destroys our souls. And this power is truly so great that not a single person can free himself from it on his own. But with God's help this is possible. Maybe! The Holy Fathers say: “The enemy is strong, but the Lord is omnipotent!”
Simple words "Save and Preserve" mean our tireless, from the bottom of our hearts, appeal to God with a request that He help us join a grace-filled eternity.
WHY SHOULD YOU WEAR A CROSS?
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The pectoral cross is placed on us in the Sacrament of Baptism in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Whoever wants to come after Me, turn away from you, and take up your cross and follow Me.”(Mark 8:34).
We must bear our cross in life, and the cross that is on our chest reminds us of this. Cross “there is always a great power for believers, delivering from all evils, especially from the villainy of hated enemies,”- writes the saint righteous John Kronstadt.
When the Sacrament of Baptism occurs, When consecrating the pectoral cross, the priest reads two special prayers in which he asks the Lord God to pour into the cross heavenly power and so that this cross protects not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers, sorcerers, from all evil forces. That is why many pectoral crosses have the inscription “Save and preserve!”
By the way, the question is often asked: should crosses sold in stores already be consecrated or should the cross be taken to church for consecration? The cross must be consecrated in the temple. Sprinkling it with holy water at home will not be enough - it must be illuminated by the priest, because... In the church, crosses are consecrated with a special rite.
Exists a superstition that when consecrated, a pectoral cross acquires magical protective properties. But superstitions should be avoided. The Church teaches that the sanctification of matter allows us not only spiritually, but also physically - through this sanctified matter - to join the Divine grace that we need for spiritual growth and salvation. But God's grace does not act unconditionally. A person is required to have a correct spiritual life according to God’s commandments, and it is this spiritual life that makes it possible for God’s grace to have a salutary effect on us, healing us from passions and sins.
For an Orthodox Christian, wearing a cross is a great honor and responsibility.Taking off the cross or not wearing it has always been understood as apostasy. Over the 2000-year history of Christianity, many people have suffered for their faith, for refusing to renounce Christ and take off their pectoral cross. This feat has been repeated in our time.
If you do not wear a cross now, when you can freely profess your faith, then you will hardly dare to put it on when you have to suffer for it. Can you repeat the feat of a simple Russian guy Evgeniy Rodionov ?
...He was a grenade launcher, served in the 479th border detachment special purpose. Zhenya served at the outpost in Chechnya for exactly a month, and on February 13, 1996, he was captured. Three of his friends were with him: Sasha Zheleznov, Andrey Trusov, Igor Yakovlev. They spent 3.5 months in captivity. During this time they were bullied as much as possible. But Evgeny had a choice, every day they came up to him and said: “You can live. To do this, you need to take off your cross, accept our faith, and become our brother. And all these nightmares will end immediately for you.” But Zhenya did not succumb to these persuasion; he did not remove the cross. And on May 23, 1996, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Evgeniy and his friends were killed in the village of Bamut. The day of Evgeniy’s death was also the day of his birth. He was only 19 years old. Zhenya was beheaded, but even from Zhenya’s dead body the enemies did not dare to remove the cross.
I think that this great feat of the warrior Eugene should serve as an example for many, for all those who, for such stupid reasons, do not wear a cross or wear it as some kind of decoration. Or they even change the holy cross for an amulet, a zodiac sign, etc.... Let's never forget about this! Remember this when wearing your cross.
ABOUT THE REVERENT REVERENCE OF THE NATURAL CROSS
The great Russian elders advised that You must always wear a pectoral cross and never take it off anywhere until your death. “A Christian without a cross,” Elder Savva wrote, he is a warrior without weapons, and the enemy can easily defeat him.” The pectoral cross is called that way because it is worn on the body, under clothing, never exposed (only priests wear the cross outside). This does not mean that the pectoral cross must be hidden and hidden under any circumstances, but still it is not customary to deliberately display it for public viewing. The church charter stipulates that you should kiss your pectoral cross at the end of the evening prayers. In a moment of danger or when your soul is anxious, it is good to kiss your cross and read the words “Save and preserve” on its back.
“Don’t wear your cross like it’s on a hanger,” Elder Savva of Pskov-Pechersk often repeated, — Christ left light and love on the Cross. Rays of blessed light and love emanate from the cross. The cross drives away evil spirits. Kiss your cross morning and evening, do not forget to kiss it, inhale these rays of grace emanating from it, they invisibly pass into your soul, heart, conscience, character. Under the influence of these beneficial rays, a wicked person becomes pious. Kissing your cross, pray for close sinners: drunkards, fornicators and others you know. Through your prayers they will improve and be good, for the heart gives the message to the heart. The Lord loves us all. He suffered for everyone for the sake of love, and we must love everyone for His sake, even our enemies. If you start the day like this, overshadowed by the grace of your cross, then you will spend the whole day holy. Let’s not forget to do this, it’s better not to eat than to forget about the cross!”
PRAYER OF ELDER SAVA WHEN KISSING THE NATIVE CROSS
Elder Savva composed prayers that should be read when kissing the cross. Here is one of them:
“Pour, Lord, a drop Holy Blood Yours into my heart, dried up from passions and sins and impurities of soul and body. Amen. In the image of fate, save me and my relatives and those I know (names)».
You cannot wear a cross as an amulet or as a decoration. Pectoral cross and sign of the cross there is only an external expression of what should be in the heart of a Christian: humility, faith, trust in the Lord.
The body cross is a visible evidence of belonging to the Orthodox Church, confession of the Christian faith, and a means of grace-filled protection.
THE POWER OF THE CROSS
The cross is real power. Many miracles have been and are being performed by him. The cross is a great Christian shrine. In the service for the Feast of the Exaltation, the Church glorifies the tree of the Holy Cross with many praises: “The cross is the guardian of the entire universe, the beauty of the Church, the power of kings, true statement"Glory to angels and plague to demons."
The cross is a weapon against the devil. About the miraculous, saving and healing power of the cross and the sign of the cross, the Church can speak reliably, referring to the experience from the lives of its saints, as well as to the numerous testimonies of ordinary believers. Raising the Dead, healing from illnesses, protection from evil forces - all these and other benefits to this day through the cross show the love of God to man.
But the cross becomes an invincible weapon and an all-conquering force only under the condition of faith and reverence.“The cross does not do miracles in your life. Why? — asks the holy righteous John of Kronstadt and he himself gives the answer: “Because of your lack of faith.”
By putting a cross on our chest or making the sign of the cross on ourselves, we Christians testify that we are ready to bear the cross resignedly, humbly, voluntarily, with joy, because we love Christ and want to have compassion with Him, for His sake. Without faith and reverence, one cannot make the sign of the cross over oneself or others.
The entire life of a Christian, from the day of birth to the last breath on earth, and even after death, is accompanied by a cross. A Christian makes the sign of the cross upon waking up (one must accustom himself to make it the first movement) and when going to sleep - last move. A Christian is baptized before and after eating food, before and after teaching, when going out into the street, before starting every task, before taking medicine, before opening a received letter, upon unexpected, joyful and sad news, when entering someone else’s house, on a train, on on a steamship, in general at the beginning of any journey, walks, travel, before swimming, visiting the sick, going to court, for interrogation, to prison, to exile, before an operation, before a battle, before a scientific or other report, before and after meetings and conferences, and etc.
The sign of the cross must be done with all attention, with fear, with trembling and with extreme reverence. (Place three large fingers on your forehead and say: "in the name of the Father" then, lowering your hand in the same position on your chest, say: "and the Son" moving his hand to right shoulder, then to the left, say: "and the Holy Spirit." Having made this holy sign of the cross on yourself, conclude with the word "Amen". Or, when you draw a cross, you can say: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen".) Demons, as the Monk Simeon the New Theologian writes, are afraid of the image of the Cross and cannot stand to see the sign of the cross depicted even in the air, but they immediately flee from it. “If you always use the Holy Cross to help yourself, then “no evil will befall you, and no plague will come close to your dwelling” (Ps. 90:10). Instead of a shield, protect yourself with the Honest Cross, imprint it on your members and heart. And not only put the sign of the cross on yourself with your hand, but also in your thoughts, imprint with it every activity you do, and your entrance, and your departure at every time, and your sitting, and your rising, and your bed, and any service... For very This weapon is strong, and no one can ever harm you if you are protected by it.”(Reverend Ephraim of Syria).
Glory, Lord, to Your Honest Cross!
Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK
for the Temple Life-Giving Trinity on Vorobyovy Gory
During Baptism, each person wears a pectoral cross. It must be worn on your chest for the rest of your life. Believers note that the cross is not a talisman or dyeing. This is a symbol of commitment to the Orthodox faith and God. It helps in difficulties and troubles, strengthens the spirit. When wearing a cross, the main thing is to remember its meaning. By putting it on, a person promises to persevere through all trials and live according to God’s commandments.
It is worth noting that a cross on the body is considered a sign that a person is a believer. Those who have not joined the church, that is, have not been baptized, should not wear it. Also, according to church tradition, only priests can wear it over their clothes (they wear it over their cassock). All other believers are not allowed to do this and it is believed that those who wear it over their clothes are bragging about their faith and putting it on display. But such a manifestation of pride is not appropriate for a Christian. Also, believers are not allowed to wear a cross in their ear, on a bracelet, in their pocket or on their bag. Some people argue that only Catholics can wear four-pointed crosses; supposedly Orthodox Christians are prohibited from wearing them. In fact, this statement is false. Orthodox Church recognizes today different types of crosses (photo 1).
This means that Orthodox Christians can wear a four-pointed or eight-pointed cross. It may or may not depict the crucifixion of the Savior. But what an Orthodox Christian should avoid is depicting the crucifixion with very extreme realism. That is, the details of the sufferings on the cross, the sagging body of Christ. This image is typical of Catholicism (photo 2).
It is also worth noting that the material from which the cross is made can be absolutely anything. It all depends on the wishes of the person. For example, silver is not suitable for some people because it does not immediately turn black. Then it is better for them to refuse such material and opt for, for example, gold. In addition, the church does not prohibit wearing large crosses inlaid with expensive stones. But, on the contrary, some believers believe that such a demonstration of luxury is not at all compatible with faith (photo 3).
The cross must be consecrated in the church if it was purchased at a jewelry store. Usually the consecration takes a couple of minutes. If you buy it in a shop that operates at a church, then you don’t need to worry about it, it will already be consecrated. Also, the church does not prohibit wearing crosses that were inherited from a deceased relative. There is no need to be afraid that in this way he will “inherit” the fate of his relative. In the Christian faith there is no concept of inevitable fate (photo 4).
So, as already said, catholic church recognizes only the four-pointed shape of the cross. The Orthodox, in turn, is more lenient and recognizes six-pointed, four-pointed and eight-pointed forms. It is believed that the more regular shape is still eight-pointed, with two additional partitions. One should be at the head, and the second for the legs (photo 5).
It is better not to buy crosses with stones for small children. At this age, they try everything, they can bite off a pebble and swallow it. We have already noted that the Savior does not necessarily have to be on the cross. Also orthodox cross It differs from the Catholic one in the number of nails for the feet and hands. So, in the Catholic Creed there are three of them, and in the Orthodox Creed there are four (photo 6).
Let us note that on the cross, in addition to the crucified Savior, the face of the Mother of God, the image of Christ Pantocrator, can be depicted. Various ornaments can also be depicted. All this does not contradict faith (photo 7).
The cross is only possible during the sacrament of Baptism, and under any other circumstances, the person who gave the cross will “give up his fate,” and this can make both himself and the one who accepted the gift unhappy. They say that if the person who gave the gift becomes seriously ill or some other misfortune happens to him, something bad will happen to the one who wears the donated cross. Finally, there is a belief that by giving a cross, some people get rid of “damage and the evil eye.”
Position of the Church
The Orthodox Church does not accept any signs or superstitions, including those related to body crosses. All ideas about “damage”, “transfer of fate” are absurd from the point of view of a Christian: God controls the fate of a person, and a sacred symbol cannot carry any “negative energy”, the existence of which, moreover, has not been proven .
For a Christian, a pectoral cross donated by someone is not a source of mythical danger, but a precious gift, filled with deep spiritual meaning, associated with a wish for God’s blessing. A pectoral cross in some holy place would be a particularly valuable gift. Of course, it is possible and necessary to accept such a precious gift.
If a person who received a cross as a gift already has a cross on his body, he can wear both crosses at the same time, alternately, or keep one of them next to the icons and wear the other - none of these options is prohibited by the church.
A delicate situation occurs only if an Orthodox Christian received as a gift catholic cross. You need to accept the gift, because it is dictated by love, but you should not wear such a cross.
Pectoral cross and twinning
A special situation arises when two people give each other theirs. Not so long ago, back in the early 20th century, action made people “cross brothers” or sisters.
The custom of twinning existed in pre-Christian times - pagans fraternized, mixing blood or exchanging weapons. In the Christian era, the conclusion of twinning was associated with a body - a sacred object, inextricably linked with faith and soul. Such “spiritual kinship” seemed even more sacred than blood kinship.
IN modern world The custom of twinning through the exchange of crosses has been almost forgotten, but nothing prevents modern Orthodox Christians from reviving it.
Sources:
- Common superstitions associated with the cross
A pectoral cross is put on a person during the Sacrament of Baptism and worn on the chest for the rest of his life. The crucifix is a symbol of commitment to God, to the Orthodox faith. This sign helps in troubles and difficulties, strengthens the spirit, and protects from demonic intrigues. After the victory of Jesus Christ over death, the cross became a symbol of the triumph of good over evil.
Instructions
Orthodox Christians have very ancient history. Most often they are eight-pointed. The canon of the image of the Crucifixion was approved in 692 by the Tula Cathedral. Since then, his appearance has remained unchanged. The figure of Jesus Christ does not express peace, harmony and dignity. He embodies his most important hypostases - Divine and Human. The body of Christ is placed on the cross and opens its arms to all who suffer, trying to protect his novices from evil.
The Orthodox cross has the inscription “Save and Preserve.” This is due to the fact that during the consecration of the Crucifixion the priest reads two prayers calling to protect not only the soul, but also the body from evil forces. The cross becomes a person’s guard against any burdens and adversities.
“The soul by nature is Christian,” Tertullian once said, to which many centuries later V.V. Rozanov said: “Nothing of the kind. The soul is pagan by nature.” This is how the pagan in our man struggles with the Christian, and this struggle sometimes gives rise to numerous dilemmas. So, many people wonder whether it is possible to wear someone else’s cross. Doesn’t someone else’s fate or someone else’s sins pass along with someone else’s cross?
Is it possible to wear someone else's pectoral cross?
Archpriest Alexander Lebedev believes that being afraid of a found pectoral cross because the sins of a person who has lost his symbol of faith will be passed on to another is nonsense, which is easier to invent than to comment on.
To the question: “Is it possible to wear another person’s cross?”, it is enough to also ask yourself: “How can one’s own passions, which belong exclusively to a specific person and give only her the exclusive right to fight her sins, pass to an innocent person? , which, of course, has enough of its own mistakes.”
Orthodox crosses
In addition, everyone receives their own burdens in life, which must be borne with patience and gratitude, because the Lord sends trials to heal the soul. Everyone asks in their prayers: “Lord, have mercy,” which in Greek sounds like “Kyrie elaison.” Elayson is translated as "butter", and olive oil- This is the first human medicine in the world.
It is impossible for a pectoral cross, which was found and put on, to influence in itself a person’s character, to add sins or to get rid of them, and also in some magical way to draw a line of life’s path.
Important. Orthodoxy is, first of all, sanity, and no actions that are not related to a person’s personal, conscious actions, good or evil, can change a person’s personality or influence the life events that happen to a person.
You should not be afraid of the found cross, since the cross is a shrine, and not a pagan amulet. Ever since Christ was crucified for our salvation, the pectoral cross has protected a person from evil spirits just like the sign of the cross. Another person who wore it and lost it cannot change its purpose as a protective force against evil.
Therefore, all signs associated with it are superstition.
About superstitions:
Which cross is considered Orthodox?
For a Christian, the basic key aspects are important. The cross should be:
- four-, six-, eight-pointed forms;
- with the inscription “Save and Preserve” on both sides, and not with decorative stones (preferably, as a recommendation from the priests), simple, not inlaid with precious stones are recommended for children;
- purchased in a church, then it is already consecrated; if purchased in a jewelry store or found, it must be consecrated by any Orthodox priest;
- The material of manufacture does not matter. And also how the size is not important, except that it is better for kids to wear small crosses without sharp corners.
What to do with a found cross. Answers from priests
If a person himself finds an Orthodox cross on the street, the priests recommend that it be consecrated, since it is unknown whether it was previously consecrated.
Read about the pectoral cross:
If there are still doubts about the found cross, the priests advise, first of all, to consecrate it, and then:
- give it to a godson or a poor Christian who does not have the financial means to buy it;
- carry it yourself;
- donate to the temple.
Thus, Orthodoxy is unambiguous on the issue of a found or lost cross, as well as on the question of “where to read the Gospel”, “with which hand to light a candle in the temple.”
Archpriest Alexander Lebedev proposes to reduce to absurdity the superstitions associated with the found crosses. If sins can be transmitted through things, then why not virtues be transmitted in the same way? Then, as soon as one acquired an item that belonged to a righteous person, a halo would involuntarily appear over the person’s head. Then it would be possible to deliberately lose the crosses so that own sins could be thrown off like an unnecessary burden on others.
Important! Fear of other people's crosses is a completely absurd thing, contrary to common sense and has nothing to do with Orthodox faith.
Watch the video about the found cross
