Friends, you can often see women and young girls wearing a pectoral cross over their clothes.

They probably don’t think about how to properly wear a pectoral cross.

Only priests put on service crosses over their clothes, and under their clothes, each clergyman must have his own cross.

This is not an ornament, the cross should be without any "bells and whistles", a simple form.

It doesn't matter what material it's made from. What to wear it on? On a chain, leather cord or a harsh thread?

In principle, it doesn’t matter, but on chains they are lost more often (the chain breaks and breaks).

Before you buy a sacred product in a store, it must be consecrated.

Some manufacturers offer consecrated products with a special mark on the factory label.

This is a delusion.

Crosses and icons are consecrated in the altar of the church on the throne.

Therefore, at the enterprise, the consecration of all manufactured products is almost impossible.

In addition, different people look at the product in stores, pick it up.

The cross is a visible symbol of the Christian faith, a means of grace-filled protection. For an Orthodox person, this is a shrine.

A pectoral cross is worn on the body. In Rus', they called him that - vest .

The front side is the one on which Jesus Christ is depicted.

This is the wrong wearing of a pectoral cross (pictured)

The cross with which they were baptized, whose task it is to protect, should not be made public.

For in this case we violate the third commandment of the Law of God: “You did not take the names of the Lord your God in vain…”

Sin is for those who wear a cross for fashion. Consciously wearing it is a wordless prayer that allows you to show the true power of the Prototype - the Cross of Christ. This always protects the wearer, even if he does not ask for help, or does not have the opportunity to cross himself.

I have noticed that gold pectoral crosses are paraded over clothes by people belonging to the poor strata of the population.

By this they want to show that they have gold. And how can THIS wealth be hidden under clothes?!

But on top of clothes made of inexpensive metals, I did not have to meet such “decorations” ...

“The cross is always for believers a great power that delivers from all evils, especially from the villainy of invisible enemies.”

Never part with your amulet. Even for one day.

What if the lady is invited to the evening and a necklace is needed for her outfit, next to which the cross “does not look”?

There is a solution: pin it with a pin to the lining of your dress.

In Soviet times, many people, forced to hide their faith, never parted with the cross, pinned with a pin to the lining of their clothes.

Is it possible to wear a cross of the deceased? Can.

There is nothing terrible in this. For example, grandparents die.

Their crosses remain, sometimes old ones. Why do they need to be removed somewhere?

It can be worn by children and grandchildren, passing them by inheritance.

In the bath or shower, the cross does not need to be removed. He should always be with you.

Sometimes it can be removed when playing sports. Wrestling, for example.

At this time, the cross should remain with you in some pocket. It is easy to sew a small pocket into clothes.

If you find a cross on the street, pick it up, don't be afraid - it's a shrine! It's a sin if you just step over it.

Superstitions about the fact that it is impossible to take it, supposedly by doing so we take other people's sorrows and temptations, are unfounded.

You can keep the find for yourself if the owner is not found.

And if you find a cross in the church, then give it to the priest to announce the find.

Priests do not recommend purchasing a pectoral cross without special need.

For example, because of its beauty or just because you wanted to buy a new one.

This can only be done with ordinary accessories: rings, earrings or bracelets.

But if the old cross has become unusable, it is even necessary to change it to another one.

***

In Rus', there were special bath crosses made of wood. They were put on instead of metal when they went to the steam room.

If for any reason you had to take off the cross, read the prayer when you put it on again.

What to do with a broken cross?

If the cross is broken or for some reason has become unusable, it should not be thrown away like ordinary garbage.

None of the consecrated objects, say the ministers of the church, whether it be a bottle of holy water or a church calendar, should be trampled under foot. Therefore, if the cross can still be repaired, it is not forbidden to take it to an ordinary repair shop.

But if this is no longer possible, it is better to simply transfer the cross to the church.

The Orthodox Church does not accept any signs and superstitions, including those related to pectoral crosses. All ideas about “damage”, “evil eye”, “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, is not proven.

For a Christian, a pectoral cross donated by someone is not a source of mythical danger, but a precious gift, full of deep spiritual meaning, associated with the wish of God's blessing. A pectoral cross consecrated in some holy place will be a particularly valuable gift. Of course, it is possible and necessary to accept such a precious gift.

If the person who received the cross as a gift already has a pectoral cross, 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 a Catholic cross as a gift. 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 their pectoral crosses.

Not so long ago, back in the early 20th century, such an action made people “cross brothers” or sisters.
The custom of brotherhood also existed in pre-Christian times - pagans fraternized, mixing blood or exchanging weapons.

In the Christian era, the conclusion of twinning was associated with a pectoral cross - a sacred object, inextricably linked with faith and soul. Such "spiritual kinship" seemed even more sacred than blood kinship.
In the modern world, the custom of twinning by exchanging pectoral crosses is almost forgotten, but nothing prevents modern Orthodox Christians from reviving it.

The cross is placed on a person at Baptism, in Rus' it is also called a "vest".

During the Sacrament of Baptism, a cross is laid as a fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Whoever wants to follow Me, turn away from yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8, 34).

The pectoral cross is consecrated by the priest, who reads two special prayers in which he asks the Lord God to pour heavenly power into the cross and that this cross saves not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers, sorcerers, from all evil forces.

That is why on many pectoral crosses there is an inscription "Save and save!".

The main differences between Orthodox and Catholic crucifixion

Orthodox cross (below)

1. On the Orthodox Crucifixion, Christ is nailed to the Cross with four nails, on the Catholic one - with three;

2. The most important thing. The Catholic Crucifixion is very naturalistic and sensual, the Orthodox Crucifixion reveals the spiritual essence of the event.

On Catholic Crucifixes, Christ is depicted with a body sagging in his arms, with a suffering face, with a crown of thorns on his head, with blood and wounds.

The classic Orthodox icon of the Crucifixion (Dionysius, 1500) depicts Christ the Conqueror, His appearance expresses Divine peace and majesty. He does not hang helplessly on his hands, but, as it were, soars in the air, inviting the entire Universe into His arms (which is indicated by both His hands and open palms). The Mother of God courageously empathizes with the suffering of Her Son.

The iconography of the Orthodox Crucifixion received its final dogmatic justification in 692 - in the 82nd rule of the Trullo Cathedral. The main condition 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 it were, superimposed on a cross, arms outstretched and straight.

The Lord opens his arms to all who turn to him.

This iconography solves the difficult task of depicting two hypostases of Christ - Human and Divine, showing both death and the victory of the Savior over it.

The rules of the Tula Cathedral, the Catholics, who abandoned their early views, did not accept.

Accordingly, they did not accept the symbolic spiritual image of Jesus Christ.

Thus, in the Middle Ages, the Catholic type of crucifixion arises, in which the naturalistic features of purely human torment become predominant: the heaviness of the body on sagging rather than straight arms.

Head of Jesus crowned with thorns. Crossed feet nailed with a single nail is an innovation of the 13th century.

The anatomical details of the Catholic image, conveying the veracity of the execution itself, nevertheless hide the main thing - the triumph of Jesus, who conquered death and reveals eternal life to us, focusing on the agony of death.

***

“Do not wear a cross like on a hanger, - often repeated the Pskov-Caves elder Savva, - 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 in the morning and in the evening, do not forget to kiss it, inhale these rays of grace emanating from it, they invisibly pass into the soul, heart, conscience, character.

Under the influence of these blessed rays, a wicked person becomes pious.

Kissing your cross, pray for close sinners: drunkards, fornicators and others you know.

Through your prayers, they will be corrected and will be good, for the heart gives a message to the heart. The Lord loves us all.

He suffered for all for the sake of love, and we must love all for His sake, even our enemies.

If you start the day like this, overshadowing grace from 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 OLD MAN SAVVA WHEN KISSING THE BODY CROSS

Elder Savva compiled prayers that should be read when kissing a cross. Here is one of them:

“Pour out, O Lord, a drop of Your Most Holy Blood into my heart, dried up from passions and sins and uncleanness of soul and body. Amen. In the image of fate, save me and my relatives and those I know (names)».

Before answering this delicate question, let's first try to figure out why you need to wear it and what does it give? Indeed, during the sacrament of baptism, this symbol is necessarily put on a person, which he must wear all his life. However, here it is very important for you to understand that the cross is the greatest shrine and a symbol of commitment to Christian Orthodoxy. It was he who became the instrument of the painful execution of Christ the Savior for the feat of redemption from the sin and death of all mankind brought by Adam and Eve. Therefore, one who wears a cross with the crucifixion of Christ shows his involvement in the sufferings and deeds of his Lord, who gave all people hope for salvation, and therefore for resurrection after death for eternal life in his Kingdom.

Symbolism of the cross

For some reason, people very often wonder whether it is possible to wear someone else's cross. And all because they themselves are not able to answer it. Psychics and fortune-tellers filled their heads with all sorts of superstitions and heresy.

But first of all, it is necessary to understand that a pectoral cross - silver, gold or wooden, is not an ornament, a talisman or a beautiful jewelry trinket. It is primarily a symbol of the Orthodox Christian faith.

Ancient pectoral crosses are the most diverse in appearance, but the iconography of the Crucifixion received its final dogmatic validity in 692 by the Trull Cathedral in Constantinople, approved in the 82nd rule. The figure of the Savior was superimposed on the cross. Christ opens His arms to all who turn to Him. This iconography has two hypostases - Divine and Human, showing his death and victory. The most common was the form of an eight-pointed cross, on the reverse side of which the prayer “Save and save” is most often written.

Is it possible to wear someone else's cross?

People who constantly wear a pectoral cross in this way give God their wordless prayer, and therefore he serves as protection from all sorts of troubles and demonic misfortunes.

Understanding in more detail the question of whether it is possible to wear someone else's cross, let's dwell on one more point. Its presence on the chest of a person cannot have any meaning if he does not realize and does not profess faith in Christ. The cross protects us from worldly turmoil and difficulties, but above all, it protects us from sin, which is the main tool in the hands of the evil one, who always longs to get our soul into power. A person can never cope with his own strength, but with God's help he will definitely succeed. As the holy fathers say: “The enemy is strong, but the Lord is almighty!”

Is it possible to wear someone else's cross: the priest's answer

The history of occurrence is at least a little, but already quite clear. And now we come to the main question: "Is it possible to wear someone else's cross?" This is a very common question for priests who do not approve of superstition. After all, all kinds of psychics forbid doing this, then the question arises: "Why?" They believe that the cross remembers the energy of its owner and absorbs his sins. But why sins and not virtues? But now let's go from the opposite, put on a person the things of the righteous, but more. And that means that he is already almost a saint and has become closer to paradise. As the professor of theology A. I. Osipov would say: “That’s it, I’m already a saint, quickly canonize me!”

sins

And again, if the crosses absorb sins, then let's change them more often. In this way we will be cleansed and get rid of sins. Maybe someone will find and pick up our cross? We will immediately get rid of our sins. A wonderful way to save, isn't it? There is a feeling of complete absurdity. Sane people should already understand everything.

life cross

In the process of the sacrament of baptism, church crosses are put on the words of the Lord: "Whoever wants to follow Me, deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me." What is the meaning of these words? This means that we must carry our life cross placed on us by the Lord, and the pectoral cross reminds us of this, and it will not let a true believer go astray, save and save.

Therefore, other people's crosses can be worn. If it was once consecrated, it is not necessary to consecrate it twice. If you are not sure, then you should definitely do it. The main thing that is required of a person is a correct spiritual life and the fulfillment of God's commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself." Such a spiritual life will give that saving grace of God, which will heal from passions and sins.

Feat

Wearing a pectoral cross is a great honor and responsibility. For 2000 years, many Christians have suffered for their faith. All that was required of them was to renounce Christ and remove the pectoral cross from their chest.

The feat of 19-year-old Evgeny Rodionov, a simple Russian soldier, may not be known to everyone. He ended up in Chechnya and served as a grenade launcher. On February 13, 1996, together with his comrades, he was captured, in which they spent 3.5 months. The militants brutally mocked them. Then Evgeny was offered to take off his pectoral cross, convert to Islam and promised that they would not torture him anymore. But he did not submit to their will, and therefore, on May 23, in the village of Bamut, Rodionov and his friends were brutally executed. They cut off Eugene's head, but they did not dare to remove the cross even from the dead body.

Conclusion

The great feat of Rodionov should serve as a vivid example for those people who wear a pectoral cross (silver or gold) as an ornament or change it for different amulets or zodiac signs. But for him people went to certain death, and we must always remember this. After all, Christ left on him the grace-filled light and love that constantly emanate from him.

The great Russian elders said that a Christian without a cross is like a warrior without a weapon, and therefore the enemy can easily defeat him at any moment.

is the understanding of its meaning. It is neither an ornament nor a talisman that can protect against all misfortunes. Such an attitude towards a sacred object is characteristic of paganism, and not of Christianity.
The pectoral cross is a material expression of that “cross” that God gives to a person who wants to serve Him. Putting on the cross, the Christian thereby promises to live according to the commandments of God, no matter what the cost, and endure all trials steadfastly. The one who realized this, of course, needs to be worn.

How not to wear a pectoral cross

The pectoral cross is a sign of belonging to the Church. Those who have not yet joined it, i.e. was not baptized, should not wear a pectoral cross.

Do not wear a cross over clothing. According to church tradition, only priests wear crosses over the cassock. If a layman does this, it looks like a desire to put his faith on display, to brag about it. Such display of pride is not befitting a Christian.

The pectoral cross, as its name implies, should be on the body, more precisely, on the chest, closer to the heart. You can not wear a cross in the ear in the form of an earring or on. You should not imitate those people who carry a cross in a bag or in their pocket and say: “I still have it with me.” Such an attitude towards the pectoral cross borders on blasphemy. You can put a cross in a bag only for a while if the chain breaks.

What should be an Orthodox pectoral cross

It is sometimes said that only Catholics wear four-pointed crosses, but this is not true. The Orthodox Church recognizes all types of crosses: four-pointed, eight-pointed, with or without the image of the crucified Savior. The only thing that an Orthodox Christian should avoid is the depiction of the crucifixion with the utmost realism (a sagging body and other details of suffering on the cross). This is indeed characteristic of Catholicism.

The material from which the cross is made can be any. It is only necessary to take into account the characteristics of a particular person - for example, there are people whose body is getting dark, such a person does not need a silver cross.

No one is forbidden to wear a large cross or a cross encrusted with precious stones, but one should consider whether such a display of luxury is compatible with the Christian faith?

The cross must be consecrated. If it was bought in a church, you should not worry about it, there they sell crosses already consecrated. A cross bought at a jewelry store needs to be consecrated in the temple, it will take a few minutes. They consecrate the cross once, but if it is not known for sure whether it is consecrated or not, this must be done.

There is nothing shameful in wearing a cross that belonged to a deceased person. A grandson may well receive a cross of a deceased grandfather at baptism, and there is no need to be afraid that he will “inherit” the fate of a relative. The idea of ​​an inevitable fate is generally incompatible with the Christian faith.

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. The Bible does not say anywhere that you have to wear a cross, and nowhere does it say that the first Christians wore crosses. People who consider themselves Orthodox Christians say this or something like this, 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 a pectoral cross? Why does Satan hate it so much and does everything so that no one wears it, or wears it simply as a meaningless decoration?

ORIGIN AND SYMBOLISM OF THE BODY CROSS

The custom, along with Baptism, to put on a pectoral cross around the neck of the newly baptized did not appear immediately. In the first centuries of Christianity, the cross was not worn, but medallions with the image of the slain Lamb or the Crucifixion were worn. But the Cross, as an instrument for the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ, has been the object of the greatest honor 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 earliest times of Christianity. Even before Queen Helena and Emperor Constantine found the life-giving Cross on which Christ was crucified in the 4th century, it was already common among the first followers of Christ to always have an image of the cross with them - both as a reminder of the sufferings of the Lord, and to confess their faith in front of others. .According to Pontius, the biographer of St. Cyprian of Carthage, in the III century, some Christians depicted the figure of the cross even on their foreheads, by this sign they were recognized during persecution and betrayed to torment. The first Christians who wore a cross on their chests are also known. Mention it and the sources of the II century.

The first documentary evidence of the wearing of pectoral crosses dates back to the beginning of the 4th century. Thus, the acts of the 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, the wearing of the cross became a widespread custom. At the same time, crosses began to be installed on all Christian churches.

In Rus', this custom was adopted precisely with the baptism of the Slavs in 988. Starting from Byzantine times in Rus', there were two types of pectoral crosses: in fact, they themselves "vest" (worn on the body under clothing), etc. « encolpions" (from the Greek word "chest"), worn not on the body, but over clothing. Let's say two words about the latter: initially, pious Christians carried with them (on themselves) an ark with particles of St. relics or other sacred things. A cross was placed on this ark. Subsequently, the ark itself acquired the shape of a cross, and bishops and emperors began to wear such a cross. The modern priestly and episcopal pectoral cross traces its history from encolpions, that is, boxes with relics or other shrines.

Russian people swore allegiance on crosses, and exchanging pectoral crosses, they became cross brothers. During the construction of churches, houses, bridges, the cross was laid in the foundation. There was a custom to cast many crosses from a broken church bell, which enjoyed special reverence.

The cross of Christ is a symbol of Christianity. For a modern person, a symbol is just an identification mark. The symbol is, as it were, an emblem that points to something with which we are dealing. But the symbol has a much wider meaning than just the meaning of the emblem. In religious culture the 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 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 feat.The Cross of Christ, which Orthodox Christians always wear on their bodies, points out to us and reminds us at what price our Salvation was bought.

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 that the Savior made for us.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CROSS

What does the pectoral cross symbolize?

The cross is the greatest Christian shrine, a visible evidence of our redemption.

The cross, as an instrument of a terrible and painful execution, thanks to the sacrificial feat of Christ the Savior, became a symbol of redemption and an instrument for the salvation of 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 the mortality, passion and corruption brought into it by the fall of Adam and Eve. Thus, a person who wears the Crucifixion of Christ testifies to his complicity in the suffering and feat of his Savior, followed by the hope of salvation, and hence the resurrection of man for eternal life with God.

ABOUT THE FORM OF THE BODY CROSS

The pectoral cross is not a talisman or a piece of jewelry. No matter how beautiful it is, no matter what precious metal it is made of, it is primarily a visible symbol of the Christian faith.

Orthodox pectoral crosses have a very ancient tradition and therefore are very diverse in their appearance, depending on the time and place of manufacture.

The iconography of the Orthodox Crucifixion received its final dogmatic justification in 692 in the 82nd canon of the Trul 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 it were, laid on the cross, and the Lord opens His arms to all who turn to Him. In this iconography, the complex dogmatic task of depicting the two hypostases of Christ - Human and Divine - is artistically solved, showing both death and the victory of the Savior.

Catholics, abandoning their early views, did not understand and did not accept the rules of the Troulsky Cathedral and, accordingly, the symbolic spiritual image of Jesus Christ. Thus, in the Middle Ages, a new type of Crucifixion arises, in which the features of the naturalism of human suffering and the agony of crucifixion become predominant: the heaviness of the body sagging on outstretched arms, the head crowned with a crown of thorns, the crossed feet are nailed with one nail (an innovation of the end of the 13th century). The anatomical details of the Catholic image, conveying the veracity of the execution itself, nevertheless hide the main thing - the triumph of the Lord, who conquered death and reveals eternal life to us, focuses on torment and death. His naturalism has only an external emotional impact, introducing into 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 the icon-painting images of God the Father of hosts banned by the Stoglavy Cathedral. Naturally, Orthodox piety requires the wearing of an Orthodox cross, not a Catholic one, which violates the dogmatic foundations of the Christian faith.

The most common form of an Orthodox cross is an eight-pointed cross; a prayer is most often applied on the reverse side. "Bless and save".

THE MEANING OF WEARING THE CROSS AND THE SIGN WE READ ON ITS HAIR: "SAVE AND SAVE"

Christians who wear a pectoral cross, as it were, offer a wordless prayer to God. And he always protects the wearer.

There is a widespread opinion among Christians that the cross of Christ, the image of God, the Lord Himself should keep us precisely from worldly troubles and troubles. And, of course, many of those who wear the 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: "Bless and save", 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 confess what the Cross of Christ symbolizes. Although, of course, the Lord, Undoubtedly, it keeps the believer in it from many everyday misfortunes and troubles. That is, if a person wears a cross with faith and hope in the mercy of God, he, relatively speaking, is “included” in a special “God’s 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 broad, universal scale, because the whole world, of course, is contained by the right hand of God and is controlled by His Divine providence. But, no matter how terrible it sounds, it is precisely the “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 means that, having endured unjust torment, he will certainly find great consolation. If anything, it is the law of God.

So what does the Lord promise to save us from? Not from worldly troubles, misfortunes and difficulties in the first place, because all this is even 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 by his own strength alone. But with the help of God it is possible. Maybe! Holy Fathers say: "The enemy is strong, but the Lord is omnipotent!"

Simple words "Bless and save" means our tireless, from the bottom of our hearts, our appeal to God with a request that He help us partake of grace-filled eternity.

WHY YOU SHOULD WEAR A BODY CROSS

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 follow Me, turn away from yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me"(Mark 8:34).

We must bear our life's cross, and the cross that we have 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 holy righteous John of Kronstadt.

When the Sacrament of Baptism takes place, during the consecration of the pectoral cross, the priest reads two special prayers in which he asks the Lord God to pour heavenly power into the cross and that this cross saves not only the soul, but also the body from all enemies, sorcerers, sorcerers, from all evil forces. That is why many pectoral crosses have an inscription "Bless and save!".

By the way, the question is often asked: should the crosses sold in stores be already consecrated, or should the cross be taken to the temple for consecration? The cross must be consecrated in the temple. Sprinkling it with holy water at home will not be enough - it must be lit by a priest, because. in the temple, the crosses are consecrated with a special rite.

Exists superstition that when consecrated, the 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 bodily - through this sanctified matter - to partake of Divine grace, which is necessary for us for spiritual growth and salvation. But the grace of God works unconditionally. A correct spiritual life according to the commandments of God is required of a person, and it is this spiritual life that makes it possible for the grace of God to influence us in a salutary way, 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. During 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 confess 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 Evgeny Rodionov ?

... He was a grenade launcher, served in the 479th Special Purpose Border Detachment. Exactly a month, Zhenya served at the outpost in Chechnya, 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 they could. But Eugene had a choice, every day they approached him and said: “You can live. To do this, you need to remove the cross, accept our faith, become our brother. And all these nightmares for you will end immediately. But Zhenya did not succumb to these persuasions, he did not take off the cross. And on May 23, 1996, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, in the village of Bamut, Evgeny and his friends were killed. The day of Eugene'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. And then they change the holy cross for an amulet, a zodiac sign, and so on ... Let's never forget about it! Keep this in mind when wearing your cross.

ABOUT Reverent Reverence of the Pectoral Cross

The great Russian elders advised that one must always wear a pectoral cross and never take it off anywhere and never until death. "Christian without a cross, - wrote the elder Savva, he is a warrior without weapons, and the enemy can easily overpower him.” The pectoral cross is called so because it is worn on the body, under clothing, never exposing it to the outside (only priests wear the cross outside). This does not mean that the pectoral cross must be hidden and hidden under any circumstances, but it is still not customary to deliberately put it on public display. It is established by the church charter to kiss your pectoral cross at the end of evening prayers. In a moment of danger or when the soul is anxious, it’s good to kiss your cross and read the words “Save and save” on its back.

"Do not wear a cross as on a hanger, - often repeated the Pskov-Caves elder Savva, 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 in the morning and in the evening, do not forget to kiss it, inhale these rays of grace emanating from it, they invisibly pass into the soul, heart, conscience, character. Under the influence of these blessed rays, a wicked person becomes pious. Kissing your cross, pray for close sinners: drunkards, fornicators and others you know. Through your prayers, they will be corrected and will be good, for the heart gives a 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, overshadowing grace from 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 OLD MAN SAVVA WHEN KISSING THE BODY CROSS

Elder Savva compiled prayers that should be read when kissing a cross. Here is one of them:

“Pour out, O Lord, a drop of Your Most Holy Blood into my heart, dried up from passions and sins and uncleanness of soul and body. Amen. In the image of fate, save me and my relatives and those I know (names)».

You can not wear a pectoral cross as an amulet, as an ornament. The pectoral cross and the sign of the cross are only an outward expression of what should be in the heart of a Christian: humility, faith, hope in the Lord.

The pectoral cross is a visible evidence of belonging to the Orthodox Church, confession of the Christian faith, a means of grace-filled protection.

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

The cross is real power. They performed and continue to perform many miracles. The cross is a great Christian shrine. In the service on the feast of the Exaltation, the Church sings of the wood of the Cross of the Lord with many praises: "The cross is the guardian of the whole universe, the beauty of the Church, the power of kings, the faithful affirmation, the glory of angels and the plague of demons."

The cross is a weapon against the devil. The Church can reliably speak about the miraculous, saving and healing power of the cross and the sign of the cross, referring to the experience from the life of her saints, as well as to the numerous testimonies of ordinary believers. The resurrection of the dead, healing from illnesses, protection from evil forces - all these and other good deeds to this day through the cross show the love of God to man.

But the cross becomes an irresistible weapon and an all-conquering force only on the condition of faith and reverence.“The cross does not work miracles in your life. Why? — the holy righteous John of Kronstadt asks and himself gives the answer: “Because of your unbelief.”

Putting on a pectoral cross on our chest or making the sign of the cross, we Christians testify that we are ready to bear the cross meekly, humbly, voluntarily, with joy, for we love Christ and want to sympathize with Him, for His sake. Without faith and reverence, it is impossible to overshadow oneself or others with the sign of the cross.

The whole 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 overshadows himself with the sign of the Cross when he wakes up (you must accustom yourself to make it the first movement) and when going to bed - the last movement. A Christian is baptized before and after eating food, before and after teaching, when going out into the street, before starting each business, before taking medicine, before opening a received letter, with unexpected, joyful and sad news, at the entrance to someone else's house, on a train, on on a steamboat, in general, at the beginning of any journey, a walk, a journey, before bathing, visiting the sick, going to court, for interrogation, in prison, in exile, before an operation, before a battle, before a scientific or other report, before and after a meeting and conference, and etc.

The sign of the cross must be made with all attention, with fear, with trepidation and with extreme reverence. (Putting three large fingers on the forehead, say: "in the name of the Father" then, lowering your hand in the same form on your chest, say: "and the Son" moving your hand to your right shoulder, then to your left, say: "and the Holy Spirit." Having made this holy sign of the cross upon yourself, conclude with a word "Amen". Or, when drawing a cross, you can say: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen".) Demons, as St. Simeon the New Theologian writes, are afraid of the image of the Cross and cannot bear to see the sign of the cross depicted even in the air, but flee from it immediately. “If you always use the holy Cross to help yourself, then “evil will not happen to you, and the plague will not come near your dwelling” (Ps. 91:10). Instead of a shield, protect yourself with the Holy Cross, imprint your limbs and heart with it. And do not only place the sign of the cross on yourself with your hand, but also in your thoughts imprint with it your every occupation, and your entrance, and your departure at all times, and your sitting, and rising, and your bed, and any service ... For it is very this weapon is strong, and no one can ever harm you if you are protected by it ”(Rev. Ephraim of Syria).

Glory, Lord, to Your Holy Cross!

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

Have you accidentally found a cross whose owner you do not know anything about? What to do with it, take it to the nearest pawnshop, throw it away or wear it? This is not just an ornament, it symbolizes faith in God, performs the function of protection and protects from adversity. But he performs these functions only if you buy a piece of jewelry for yourself, and then bless it in the church. It is not recommended to do this with other people's jewelry.

Is it possible to wear someone else's cross: the answer

Every believer has a pectoral cross. You should not wear it as a decorative piece, as it serves a completely different role. The first cross is given at baptism, if you wish, you can change it to a new one.

Can I wear someone else's cross? If you believe in omens and want to protect yourself from negative energy, you'd better give up the idea of ​​wearing someone else's jewelry. If you are not a believer, then why not? But the consequences of such an act are unknown.

According to some signs, the decoration cannot even be picked up and you need to leave it lying where it was. Why? It is quite possible that it carries only negative energy and even the fate of another person to whom it belonged before. If you start wearing jewelry, this energy will transfer to you, which can affect many aspects of your life.

Another version is that there may be damage on the thrown decoration. After all, you never know whether the jewelry was lost by accident or someone damaged it and deliberately threw it away. It can be any conspiracy, even one that poses a danger to life.

And what do believers and priests say? According to religion, a cross, even if it is a stranger, cannot carry bad energy, as it is a symbol of faith and purity. He is not able to store damage or the evil eye.

Some priests claim that someone else's cross carries only positive energy, since before that it was worn by a believer. But this is also a theory, like many others.

Is it possible to wear someone else's cross in accordance with religion? The church does not prohibit wearing jewelry. But still, before putting it on, do not forget to consecrate the jewelry.

But what if the cross used to belong to a relative who has already died? In this case, everything is not so happy. If the deceased led an honest life and died a natural death, the heirs can wear the decoration. If the deceased led an unworthy life and committed suicide, the heirs should not wear jewelry.

What to do with the found cross?

It is only your choice and you can do whatever you want with it - throw it away, consecrate and wear it, hand it over to a pawnshop. You can also take it to the church as a donation or give it to poor people.

Is it possible to wear someone else's cross? If you believe in folk omens and conspiracies, you'd better give up this idea. If you are a believer, you can put on jewelry without fear, but before that it is better to consecrate it in the temple.