Is it possible for a baby to wear a cross? Is it possible to remove a pectoral cross? What the church prohibits

Peace to you, dear visitors of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith”!

Many of us remember the time when the Soviet atheistic regime prohibited wearing a cross. But, that time has passed.

Now it has even become fashionable to wear a cross. In any Orthodox church you can buy a silver and even a gold cross, not to mention in jewelry stores.

But, nevertheless, in our time there are situations when a person, for some reason, takes off his pectoral cross.

Is it possible to take off your pectoral cross? And what does this shrine give to a person?

Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) answers:

“We must definitely wear a cross so as not to deviate from the ancient Christian tradition. When the sacrament of baptism is performed on a person, the hand of the priest puts on the cross, and the worldly, unconsecrated hand does not dare to take it off. The cross accompanies us throughout our lives. We can only replace it if necessary. You can wear a consecrated wooden cross during an operation or in a bathhouse.

Hieromonk Job Gumerov

The cross is material evidence of a person’s belonging to Church of Christ. At the same time, it is a sharp weapon in the spiritual struggle: “Let us mark the life-giving cross on our doors, and on our foreheads, and on our foreheads, and on our lips, and on every member of ours, and let us arm ourselves with this invincible Christian weapon, the conqueror of death, the hope of the faithful, the light for the ends of the earth, a weapon that opens paradise, overthrows heresies, a confirmation of faith, a great repository and the saving praise of the Orthodox. Let us, Christians, carry this weapon with us in every place, day and night, at every hour and at every minute. Don't do anything without it; whether you are sleeping, getting up from sleep, working, eating, drinking, on a journey, sailing on the sea, crossing a river - decorate all your limbs life-giving cross, and evil will not come to you, and no wound will come near your body (Ps. 91:10)" (Ephraim the Syrian, Rev. A Word about the General Resurrection, about repentance and love, about the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Part 1. Word 103).

A person who takes off his pectoral cross or does not wear it at all after baptism suffers from lack of faith and lack of true church consciousness. In Rus' they said about an immoral person: “There is no cross on him.” In the story by I.A. Bunin's "Birds of Heaven" a beggar to whom a student offers money says: “Only the demon is poor, he has no cross.”

Discussion: 6 comments

I took off the cross in the hospital for an x-ray. I took it off, although for just a minute I felt as if I was naked without protection. I put it on when it was a completely different matter. I don’t know how people walk without a cross. Now I bought myself a wooden one for this case and now in the bathhouse I wear it even in the hospital. When I go to bed, I don’t take off the cross. It’s always on me.

Answer

There is a parable: The devil asks his servant: “Why didn’t you push the women passing the gorge into the abyss?” -So the first one had a cross on her body. How can I push her over?” “Okay, but the second one didn’t have a cross, she forgot to put it on.” “But approaching the abyss, this woman crossed herself. How could I push her? -Okay, but the third one didn’t have a cross and didn’t cross herself before the abyss, so why didn’t you push her? -But how could I push her, because when leaving the house, her mother crossed herself after her. This parable makes everything clear. Yes, you need to wear a pectoral cross. And I wear a wooden cross to the bathhouse. But you can’t go as far as obscurantism: I once read the story of one person that he and his son went to a water park and the guard didn’t let them in with a cross, because... According to safety rules, it is forbidden to have something on the neck, because it can get caught and cause injury, at a minimum. This dad found a way out by not letting his son into the water park. By doing this he deprived the child of joy and offended him. And who will the child be offended by God? Or on dad, but dad will get away with blaming everything on God. What if security had let us through and God forbid something happened? Who would dad blame then? I think you can take off the cross at night, kiss it and put it under the icon. In the morning, kiss and put on. What do you think about this?

Answer

Hello, Alexander!
I think that wearing a cross will not save a person from danger if he is an unbeliever. By putting on a cross, we believe that everything will be fine, the Lord will protect. My children were at the water park and wore crosses, and the Lord preserved them. I teach children not to remove the cross anywhere. I was taught this way from childhood. I know another parable. One person was shown how crosses were removed from people, and then there was an explanation that these were people who did not wear a cross during their lifetime, and their relatives put a cross on them after death.
If we accept the idea that it is not so important to wear a cross, in some cases you can take it off, then people come to the conclusion that they almost never wear it. For example, a man took off his cross in the bathhouse and then forgot to put it on. Or I took it off for the night, and in the morning there is a fuss, and then a person only remembers it in Church a month later, but I still have the cross in the images at home. Therefore, it is better not to think about removing the cross, and to wear a cross on your body.
With God blessing!

Answer

Hello. I went to confession and there’s a lot I can’t understand. I didn’t ask my father any questions and spent 3 hours either calling me over or asking her to wait. Father said that to conceive a child it is necessary to always remove the cross, miscarriages are an abortion, and that I am to blame for them. Although I was waiting for everyone and didn’t take anything for this, especially since I never went to the hospital even after a miscarriage, I said for my sins, but I got married and lost twins at 10 weeks (my drunk husband drove me to hysterics and everything went into shock because it’s with It was the first time he behaved like this, and for 5 years we have been waiting for this, probably me but not him). He said that first the registry office, and then the bed, but my husband and I have been divorced for more than a year, he took off my crown while still married, and I still can’t see men. Who gives a child to one for adoption, but she couldn’t give birth herself, is it worth starting again? Why is it that those who don’t need them give birth and run for an abortion, but you don’t have any abortions, you’re true, but the result is the same. Thank you. I hope for an answer, please help with a word.

Answer

Hello, Marina!
The cross cannot be removed under any circumstances or circumstances; it is a body cross and must always be on a person. As for the registry office, he said it right.
I advise you to rely on the will of God, to put your life in His hands. Before God we must show humility and trust. The Lord knows when and what to give you. You pray, live according to God’s Commandments, do good deeds, and the Lord will give you everything you need in life. He Himself said about this: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things will be added to you.” And “The Kingdom of God is within you”. That is, you need to first of all take care of your soul, then the Lord Himself will give everything, a good husband and children and everything else.
Peace and God's blessing to you!

Answer

“The cross is not in the logs, but in the ribs,” is a proverb that is more than half a thousand years old. Nowadays, wearing a cross has become an ostentatious, multimillion-dollar fashion, without any awareness or reverence. One must not indulge oneself in belonging to Christianity, but BE a Christian, without clinging to external paraphernalia and procedures. We must LIVE like a Christian - in aspirations, aspirations, deeds and results. “God is Spirit” - (John 4:23, 24)!!!

Answer

For Christians, a pectoral cross is not a simple decoration, nor a talisman. It means that a person belongs to the Christian church, and is an image of the Calvary cross on which Christ was once crucified. Therefore, believers treat this subject with reverence and care. There is even an opinion in the church community that once a Christian has put on a cross, he should never take it off again.

Pectoral cross as evidence of faith

According to the church canon, one of the main reasons why can't you remove the cross?- this is that by removing it, a Christian shows lack of faith and cowardice. Thus, he actually renounces faith in God. The lives of the ancient saints say that the Roman authorities demanded even less from them - just to pretend that they were praying to Jupiter. But the saints refused, because they considered even imaginary renunciation the most terrible sin. For this they were executed, and later glorified by the church.

Nowadays, there are believers who demand that border guard Evgeniy Rodionov be canonized. He was killed in Chechen captivity because he refused to take off his pectoral cross and convert to Islam. The desire to stand for the faith to the end and proclaim it, no matter what, is, according to the church, one of the greatest feats.

Cross as a weapon

Christians believe that the cross protects them from evil spirits that are just waiting to attack a person. Therefore, to remove it means to be subject to their attacks. The symbol of the cross itself is also given special meaning - as John Chrysostom wrote, if two branches fall from a tree and lie crosswise, demons bypass this place.
There are many legends in the church community about how people, for some reason, lost their cross, and immediately misfortune befell them. There is a story about an Orthodox Christian who took off his cross while going to the bathhouse. In the steam room, he accidentally stepped on soap, slipped, hit his head and received a concussion. Here, ordinary church canons are intertwined with superstition, since illiterate believers may consider the pectoral cross to be something of an amulet.
In addition, there is an opinion that if a person dies the minute he removes the cross, then this is a direct road to hell - after all, God will immediately condemn him for such a crime. The church looks at such “magism” very skeptically.

When should you remove the cross?

In many situations, it is simply necessary to remove the pectoral cross. In a bathhouse or sauna, this piece of metal becomes very hot and can burn the skin. The cross cannot be worn in the X-ray room; it must be removed before fluorography, otherwise a dark spot against the background of the lungs will raise serious questions for the doctor.

Sometimes the pectoral cross is not combined with sports. For example, martial arts or choreography have their own specific safety precautions, and it requires removing any jewelry on the cord. The lace and metal pendants can cause injury, and if you are very unlucky, it can instantly make the athlete disabled. Anesthesiologists have similar requirements - before surgery, the patient must remove everything, including the cross.

When in contact with radiation or toxic chemicals, both the bearer of the cross and the object itself may suffer, becoming a source of infection. Therefore, in hazardous work, body crosses must also be removed.

In conclusion, it is worth saying that faith in God should not reach the point of absurdity and turn into a kind of village magic. For believers, a cross is certainly a shrine, a sacred thing, but if it is lost, you should not be horrified, it is better to buy a new one and consecrate it in the church. If the demand to remove the cross does not have obvious anti-Christian overtones, it is better to calmly do what is asked and not think about betraying the faith. This is unlikely to interfere with your salvation.

Hello Olga.

Look, you didn’t have a daughter, there was no LOVE in your heart, because there was no one to LOVE yet, as soon as you conceived, as soon as your daughter was born, and LOVE for your daughter appeared in your heart. And what is said about LOVE that GOD IS LOVE AND WHOEVER IS IN LOVE IS IN GOD AND GOD IS IN HIM. You see, this is how GOD gave you the GIFT OF LOVE into your parental hearts, this is how through your LOVE GOD himself came into this world to accompany your daughter. Now you can see with your own eyes how GOD LOVE cares for your daughter through your LOVE, your daughter neither sows nor reaps, but you see, through LOVE you provide for your daughter with everything. You see, you are not alone, with the help of GOD you are raising your daughter in this world. You and GOD LOVE are co-creators of your daughter. You gave your daughter’s body, and GOD LOVE he gave your daughter a soul, and this is how you accompany your daughter in the world together with GOD LOVE, you are visible, but GOD is not visible through your LOVE, GOD helps you in everything, so you need to understand how it is GOD does LOVE. Your LOVE for your daughter is the protection of your daughter, so GOD LOVE protects your daughter through your LOVE. Because you see you are always on the alert. Your daughter is probably baptized, you see, this means that your daughter has the added benefit of having someone who wants to LOVE her, you see, the security fence has grown up, and here is a cross, and it is blessed, and the cross also has incredible power, although it is not alive, but There is GREAT power on the CROSS. You read the akathist to the MARTYRS CYPRIAN AND JUSTIN, because Cyprian was a sorcerer before, and he specifically sent demons to do evil. And when the demons came to him with nothing, and made a report on why they did not do evil to the Christian woman, he told them IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF THE CROSS, THEN THE ONE WHO IS ON THE CROSS IS STRONGER THAN THE CROSS. You see the cross on your daughter, it’s external security, as if someone just came up to your fence, touched you and that’s it. As he came and left, he tried the cross, there is a lock, there is GRACE on the cross, AND THE BODY OF THE BAPTIZED IT RADIATES GRACE, you see, you did the right thing in baptizing your daughter, she has GOD’S PROTECTION, GOD’S GRACE, ENGLISH GUARDIAN works without your intervention, security like it’s on autopilot, if it’s a good soul, it received strength from the cross, from communicating with the child, and happily walked away, but if it’s a dark soul, then you have to run to report to the sorcerer, you’re saying is it possible to touch the cross, you see, you can see, you didn’t have time to react as everything happened, but the CROSS is already a fence for your daughter, but things won’t go further than that. When children leave the CHURCH after baptism, you can see the GRACE OF GOD placed on their bodies by GOD, they glow, because this is given by GOD to children forever, both as a GIFT OF LOVE to parents, and as the GRACE OF GOD, GUARDIAN ANGEL, for children for their protection. As if this is the security placed by GOD LOVE in the church for your daughter. But there’s another thing, your LOVE is, after all, another protection for your daughter, because you see, there is still one approach to your daughter, and this approach is already achieved through you. It’s as if she is your LOVE, and when there is LOVE for your daughter, then you see when the woman had not yet touched your daughter, there were no worries in your heart, there was peace and joy. And here it is, touching your daughter’s cross, you see, and this is what you all write === Of course, she seems to be good, but I still worry. === these are your experiences, and this means peace in your heart right away lost, you see, suspicion has attacked you. Christians have this prayer, LORD DELIVER ME FROM ALL UNBELIEF AND SUSPICION AND COVER ME WITH YOUR DIVINE GRACE, you see among Christians, suspicion is a disease, and in suspicion the enemy is found, and suspicion steals LOVE from the heart. And this means that you are already suspicious, that suspicion means that you have added to your heart, and since you have lost peace in your heart, it means that LOVE has diminished in your heart, you see, in an instant, there has already been a drop in LOVE in the heart, but this is not enough for the enemy, because the enemy needs a lot of space in your heart, then you will be passable for the enemy even to your daughter, because suspicion means the enemy wants to grow in your heart, due to which, and suspicion is necessary so that you stop showing LOVE for this woman one hundred percent, as if your answer to this woman is restrained, and it seems that you don’t want to think badly about her, you want to remain in LOVE for her, but you see this is not enough for the enemy, the enemy needs you to start thinking badly about her, but Also, why would you start looking at your daughter to see what was wrong with her after a woman touched her cross. As you can see, the enemy wants to turn you around so that you look out for weakness in your child, and this means bad things can grow. And for this the enemy needs a lot of space in your heart, so you see, resist the enemy not on your own, but with the help of GOD, as Christians do. For Christians, the most important of the ten commandments is the commandment of LOVE, the second part of which is LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. You see, the enemy who is suspicious, wants you to break the commandment of GOD and start thinking badly about a woman, and so that you would send an arrow of discontent at her, so that some grievances in you would play on her, and the enemy is also in discontent, in grievances. You see, through your reaction and your actions, the enemy wants to increase his strength in your heart, this is his plan, so the enemy may try to approach your daughter if you lose the GIFT OF LOVE from your heart, and the enemy may succeed if you succumb to tricks enemy and start listening to suspicion, start giving back, won’t stand it, won’t reconcile, won’t forgive such actions of a woman, and through such actions you can lose the GIFT OF LOVE from your heart, the power with which GOD LOVE has given you and which is protection for your daughter, then the enemy, instead of LOVE, may end up in your home with his troubles. You see, you think that your daughter can be directly attacked by an enemy through a neighbor, but you see directly everything is blocked, but here they are your worries, you have lost peace in your heart, you see in your heart, immediately through this you saw a disorder, you see, you no longer need to look at your daughter , THE GUARDIAN ANGEL IS PROTECTING HER FROM DIRECT INFLUENCE, but you urgently need to take care of your heart, you need to return peace and joy to your heart. Look, when you are completely in LOVE for your daughter, then you should not have noticed anything, GOD’s deafness and blindness to such actions of your neighbors should have worked, because GOD, being in your heart with LOVE, would not have shown you in the ACTIONS of a woman why is it bad, so what, what came up, just something that GOD would show, then you would see that she came up with a good intention, but you see everything turned out wrong for you, after all, you lost peace in your heart, as if everything was on the edge, so you have to add LOVE to your heart, where it is possible that in other relationships, with other neighbors, you have lost LOVE from your heart. Therefore, you see, this is just the beginning of the impact on you, you just need to quickly return peace and joy to your heart, GOD LOVE always gives signals at the right time, so you need to fight off this bad thought, you need to remain in LOVE for this woman one hundred percent, you must not doubt her good intentions, then you will see GOD'S LOVE in her, you need to think carefully about this woman, you also look at other children, it may happen that you have to touch clothes, as if this is the commandment to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, therefore you need to level up with this woman by actions, because you are the same MOTHER as her, she is a mother and she has children, grandchildren, and you have children, you have to think that she approached your daughter with LOVE, as if she were treating her children, you see there is no longer suspicion will find a place in your heart because you are fulfilling the commandment of LOVE for your neighbor. And also, if you didn’t manage to restore peace in your heart with good thoughts, then you just need to read this prayer, even this LORD DELIVER ME FROM ALL UNBELIEF AND SUSPICION AND COVER ME WITH YOUR DIVINE GRACE. And maybe OUR FATHER, or LORD HAVE MERCY, as if you thought wrong. And they immediately asked for forgiveness, and the enemy will no longer enter your heart, and if he has entered, he will come out, such short prayers, directed more at yourself, as if you must maintain your attitude of LOVE for your neighbor, so that it’s like with GOD’S LOVE It’s as if he must overcome the fear of GOD, you don’t want to lose GOD’S LOVE from your heart, his peace in your heart and joy. Look, GOD whose name is LOVE JESUS CHRIST, he is nearby. These are your actions aimed at keeping JESUS CHRIST close and listen to your heart, because peace has been established in your heart, it means everything is in order, you have repelled the enemy’s attacks on yourself, and your daughter is safe. And if you cannot establish peace in your heart, then you need to work with your heart in a different Christian way, you need to go to church. Therefore, you see, there is a section of the heart that connects mother and child, and there is also a general state of the heart, because there are other sections of the heart in the heart, there are other neighbors, maybe there is another disorder in the heart, maybe there are some other bad relationships with neighbors . Maybe somewhere there are grievances in the heart against someone, under many circumstances the enemy may be in the heart, so you need to go to church and you need to go through confession and repentance, you need to find the enemy under what sauce he is hiding in the heart and you need to cleanse your heart of the enemy, you need to receive forgiveness from the GOD OF LOVE JESUS CHRIST, and through communion one must accept the GIFT OF LOVE in the heart. When your daughter was born, you received the GIFT OF LOVE for your daughter as a gift, then today, if there is a loss of the GIFT OF LOVE from your heart, then you see that in order to receive the GIFT OF LOVE in your heart today you need Christian work. You see, we must try to establish a relationship with GOD WITH LOVE, we must find GOD'S peace in the heart and joy, your heart will tell you when everything is fine. You see, they are worries in your heart, and this means there is some kind of disorder, but not with your daughter, but in your heart, But you see, when you are in LOVE for your daughter, YOU ARE a barrier for the enemy to approach to my daughter. That is why your efforts are needed to restore your heart to a state of LOVE for your neighbors. You see, if you don’t find peace simply through prayer and good thoughts about your neighbor, then you will need to mend your security fence in a Christian way, you need to restore LOVE in your heart THROUGH RITES. And the enemy will no longer be able to influence your daughter through you. And the enemy has no other way to reach your daughter, either directly or through LOVERS. GOD LOVE protects your daughter with his LOVE all around. You see, here it is the baptism of your daughter and here he is, the GUARDIAN ANGEL is already protecting your daughter, and we also need your LOVE one hundred percent, you are also like a GUARDIAN ANGEL. It happens that parents are always in prayer for their children, so you probably also prayed for your daughter and asked GOD LOVE to help protect your daughter, you see, here she is a woman, here is her touch, meaning nothing, and here she is a hole in protecting your daughter, and this hole turns out to be you, there is a lack of LOVE in your heart, which means there is a lack of GOD, and you already need treatment, you see GOD showed LOVE weakness in protecting your daughter. GOD LOVE showed you that your LOVE as a whole in your heart has decreased, therefore GOD LOVE cannot protect your daughter with ALL ITS POWER one hundred percent, and this already requires your efforts to tune yourself to LOVE and to others around you, even relatives and friends. We must lead a Christian saving lifestyle, we must more often cleanse our hearts from the enemy, and we must more often accept the GIFT OF LOVE through communion into our hearts, then it will always be like this: ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN. You see, you need FAITH, because EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE TO WHOM BELIEVES AND TRUSTS.

Sorry.

GOD HELP YOU.

Good afternoon. I was interested in your answer “Hello Olga. Look, you didn’t have a daughter, there was no LOVE in your heart, because yet...” to the question http://www.. Can I discuss this answer with you?

Discuss with an expert

When we baptized the baby (he was 2 months old), the issue of wearing a cross became a stumbling block: I took it off as soon as we returned from church, because... I considered that for a small child this decoration poses a real risk of suffocation. However, many of my friends and family insist that the baby wear it all the time. Arguments: this will protect him from many troubles, this is what a real Christian should do, nothing bad will ever happen to a child because of a cross, etc., etc. Now my son is 6 months old, and the issue with the cross for our family has not been resolved:
1) To wear or not to wear?
2) If not, then at what age is it possible?
3) If yes, are there any precautions that need to be taken?
I have not found any objective information on this issue. How pediatrician, please put an end to this issue so that peace can reign in our family.

Answered by Komarovsky E. O.

Arguments in favor of the cross require, first of all, faith and are theoretical (non-evidential) in nature.
Arguments against are based on practical experience - situations when the body cross becomes a source of injury (cut, strangulation) do occur. We can’t say that it happens very often, but the facts do happen.
Belief in anything is too subtle a matter for arguments “based on practical experience” to be perceived abstractly and without damaging the feelings of believers.
If you believe, you can and should wear it. Any age.
Two main tips to minimize risk:
1. The circumference of the chain (rope, thread, etc.) should be approximately twice the circumference of the neck.
2. The chain (rope, thread, etc.) should break under the influence of a weight half as much as the child’s body weight.
The final decision is yours.

Is it possible to remove the cross after the baby is baptized?

Girls, I come across this topic more and more often. Does a baby need it, and in general? small child hang a cross? There are so many cases of cross strangulations, some fatal. So why not put the child at risk once again?
And spiritual mentors do not have a common opinion.

Here are some of them:

An Orthodox person is simply obliged to wear a cross. But a child should not hang a cross on a tight rope. The rope should be secure and easy to break. The cross may get lost, but it doesn't matter. In the temple you can buy a cheap small stamped cross made of aluminum. The cross is just a symbol. It is not the cross that saves, but FAITH. God help you.

Why does a small child need to wear a cross? small children - they even put it in their mouths! They are children! Yourselves, you parents, where were you looking? I take my children to kindergarten and see how many parents do not understand that children are small and give them coins, chewing gum, small objects, small cars that children can stick up their noses and swallow. Trouble is just one step away.

My children don’t wear a cross. My sister’s cross got caught in the playpen and she hung directly on the rope. That’s when I got scared. My mother left me at home to watch for her, what if something had happened?!
This incident left its mark. Everyone has their own cross and chain. They can wear it if they want.

Ours also has half of the group with a cross. I don’t wear it and I don’t even know when I will wear it yet, because... and at school it might get caught or someone might pull it off. She herself did not wear the cross for long. high school. I tried to wear it now, but I can’t, it gets in the way. I just carry it in my bag.

Does a newborn need to wear a cross?

I don’t think a newborn needs to wear a cross for the safety of the child. It is enough to hang a cross on the crib. There have been cases of strangulation. The cross is a symbol, and not a talisman or talisman, as many believe.

I am a believer, but, like most, not religious. I don’t go to church often, but I respect the symbols of the Christian faith. The baptismal cross also belongs to such symbols.

This is a particularly revered thing, a talisman for both children and adults.

But the baby or child is up to three years I didn’t wear it and I don’t wear it. Yes, and it’s not recommended for kindergarten either. Kindergarten children often pull each other. What if by the neck?!

It’s clear about babies without further ado.

It is better to keep the cross next to the child’s crib. She will grow up and start wearing it. In the meantime, mother's love and the love of the Lord protects and protects him!

There are no known cases of a child being strangled with a string with a cross in the church. To be honest, such thoughts never even occurred to me. We put on a cross in order to protect the child. And the priest, when he puts on a cross, prays about it. If there was danger, the priest would not put the cross on the baby’s neck, but would give it to the godparents. I would not have raised my hand to remove the cross that the priest put on, but this is a matter of faith. And then how can you give communion to a baby if there is no cross on him?

From the experience of my children, I can say that there was no discomfort from the rope. In general, children get used to it very quickly and do not pay attention to it. But if you put a cross on a child at an older age, he will pull it out, chew it, and here it really is eye-to-eye.

Another question arose along the way. Why then baptize in infancy if you later fear the cross? Baptize an adult.

Better not. Firstly, a child may turn over in a crib and accidentally pinch his neck with a string, and secondly, children often put everything in their mouths - I know a case where a child swallowed his cross. Of course, it was no longer a newborn, but still.

And in general, forcing a child to carry religious symbols is stupid. I can still understand parents who baptize their children in infancy, giving them a talisman in accordance with their faith - but why force a person to wear a cross when he does not understand the symbolic meaning of this item at all?

If you think that it will be able to protect the child, it is indeed better to hang it somewhere near the child’s crib along with the icon of his guardian angel.

Can babies wear a cross?

The rite of baptism ends with confirmation. Before this, the baby is put on a shirt and a cross. However, after you leave the temple, the child’s pectoral cross can be removed.

Church opinion

The cross is a symbol of faith. Testimony to the world that a person accepts Jesus Christ and belongs to Him. This accessory in itself is not a talisman and does not carry any power. The Lord protects the baby, not a piece of iron. Therefore, it is wrong to believe that God will help the baby only if a cross hangs around his neck. It is also wrong to think that Jesus Christ will be angry with the baby and his godparents because the baby does not wear a cross.

During baptism, you dedicate your baby to the Lord. At this moment the birth of a child from above occurs - in spiritual world. Now God Himself will take care of the baby, and when the baby grows up, the godparents are obliged to raise him in the faith. After all, they make a promise to the Lord that they will help the child become an Orthodox Christian.

In this spiritual process, the pectoral cross has symbolic meaning. You can leave it on the baby, or you can immediately after returning from church, remove the cross from the baby and hang it in the nursery. You also have the right to wear it under your baby’s clothes from time to time. For example, while walking or visiting church. The main thing is to understand: a pectoral cross is not a talisman, but a symbol of faith. If you want the Lord to protect your child, just pray for him. God will hear you and answer your requests.

Pediatricians' opinion

First of all, you need to think about the safety of the baby. The church allows you to wear crosses made of different metals: gold, silver and even aluminum. However, most of them have sharp edges. A baby can be seriously scratched by a pectoral cross, because in the first 18 months of life, his skin is still very thin and delicate. In addition, after some time the baby will begin to pull it into his mouth. The cross can damage the baby's palate and gums. And due to bacteria that will accumulate on the surface of the accessory, the child will periodically suffer from intestinal disorders. Another problem is skin irritation. Even a soft ribbon will inevitably rub the baby’s neck. Therefore, it is better to wear a pectoral cross to a child when he grows up. For example, at three years old. Until then, the symbol of faith can hang in the nursery.

If you want the cross to be on the child from the first days of life, approach your decision with full responsibility. To keep your baby safe, it is better to choose a small wooden accessory (preferably made of hard wood, such as oak or ash). At the same time, it must be regularly treated with wet baby wipes and constantly ensure that the baby does not put the cross in his mouth, eyes and ears. For the rope, choose a soft ribbon made of natural fabric with a lock. However, even such precautions do not guarantee that during sleep the baby will not get hurt on the cross, turning from back to side, or will not get tangled in the rope.

Since the Church allows infants not to wear pectoral crosses every day (with the exception of sacred rites and sacraments, visiting church with a child), for safety reasons it is better to put a pectoral cross on the child’s neck when he reaches a conscious age.

Should a newborn wear a cross?

The debate about whether it is possible and necessary to wear a cross after a child’s baptism continues to this day. Someone considers this a matter of faith and firmly believes that a real Christian should always wear a cross and nothing bad can happen to him (the child) a priori. Others, on the contrary, do not even think about the cross, they are afraid that it could injure the child, strangle him in his sleep, etc. Who is right here and what to do with the cross?

In fact, it's simple. Everyone is free to do as their heart and personal convictions tell them. If a person believes in the miraculous power of a cross, let him hang it around the baby’s neck, even from birth. It’s the same with fears: if you’re worried, scary pictures are constantly being drawn in your head - hide it until better times, out of harm’s way...

Always choose a cross made of gold or silver rather than wood. Despite its environmental friendliness, this material also has a lot of disadvantages - it wears out quickly, always looks massive, is imprinted on the body, etc. In general, this material is great, for example, for a wooden ladder, but not for a children's cross.
The cross should not have sharp corners and edges. They can injure the baby, prick, etc.
And no protruding parts on the cross! Firstly, they can easily break off during use, and secondly, clothes often get caught on them.
The younger the child, the softer the rope on which the cross hangs should be. Yes, yes, it is a rope, since, unlike chains, it does not rub the skin of the neck, does not pinch blood vessels and does not leave imprints on the body.
Make sure that the rope or chain is not too strong, as it could break if something happens - for example, if the cross gets caught on something.
The size of the rope or chain should be twice the circumference of the baby's neck!
Choose a smaller cross. Firstly, it looks harmonious on the baby’s neck, and secondly, it poses less danger. Do not buy him a cross with the expectation that he will wear it until he is old - this is a myth and nonsense. Practice shows that the cross in which the baby was baptized serves him faithfully for several years at most. Then he loses it, spoils it, forgets it somewhere, etc. So for the first time, a simpler option will suit him, but we’ll see.

Pectoral cross - when to wear and when to take off

The cross is the most important attribute of every Christian of any denomination. It is not always possible to wear it, since there are situations in life when clergy and the Christian faith allow the cross to be removed.

Don't worry if your cross is lost or broken. We previously described such a situation in one of our articles. We are all human and each of us can make a mistake or act carelessly. In the end, a cross is just a thing that can always be replaced. The importance of the cross is given by your attitude, and not by church rules.

When to wear a pectoral cross

The priest gives a cross to a person at baptism. After performing the sacrament, you must put on the cross and never remove it if possible. Of course, there are situations in life when working conditions, safety measures or simply common sense force us to remove the cross. There is nothing wrong with this, since you are worried about the integrity of the cross, about its appearance. For example, when you go to a sauna, metal objects become very hot and can cause burns. In this case, it is better to remove the cross. If you work in a place where there are harmful substances that can damage the cross, then it is also better to remove it while working.

In other situations, it is better not to remove the cross, since it always protects you from any troubles, from evil and from fatal failures. By wearing this symbol of faith, you express respect for God. That is why you should not remove it, especially in dangerous situations. Many people note that they feel bad when they remove the cross, as if God’s mercy had abandoned them. Of course, this is not so, but there is still the smallest grain of truth in these words, so never remove the cross if possible. If you took it off, then before putting it on again, you can read a simple prayer known to many believers: “Protect me, Lord, by the power of your honorable and life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.”.

What the church prohibits

The cross is an important attribute that symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ. This is a symbol of God's faith and his power. That is why you must always remember the important rules:

Crosses can be passed on or given to loved ones for christenings. There are no prohibitions on this matter. But you cannot throw away the cross or use it as decoration, this is a sin.
The Church prohibits treating pectoral crosses as if they were simple decorations. Crosses cannot be handed over to pawn shops, as if they are a thing that does not have some kind of spirituality and power.
Church and Orthodox rules prohibit wearing icons instead of a cross Mother of God or saints. Wearing a cross is mandatory, but in addition you can wear an icon.
It is also forbidden to consecrate the cross and other church attributes yourself. This should only be done by a priest, who will consecrate the object in the church with the help of special prayers that only he is allowed to read.
The Church categorically prohibits wearing an image of the Zodiac Sign along with a cross, since from the point of view of Christianity, astrology is an occult science and heresy. This is not only prohibited, but even sinful.

If your cross is broken, you can safely take it to a workshop for repairs, but if you are not going to do this or it is impossible to repair it, it is better to take it to the church.

It is useful to know that the cross can be without a crucifix and even decorated with precious stones. The main thing is that it be consecrated by the church.

Previously, we wrote about what else you can’t do with a cross. Many people do not take this attribute of faith seriously, although they should. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, taking upon himself the torment. The pectoral cross is a sign of respect for the deed of our Savior. This The best way salvation from any troubles. Wear your cross always and don’t forget to press the buttons and

Is it possible to remove a pectoral cross?

Peace to you, dear visitors of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith”!

Many of us remember the time when the Soviet atheistic regime prohibited wearing a cross. But, that time has passed.

Now it has even become fashionable to wear a cross. You can buy a silver and even gold cross in any Orthodox church, not to mention jewelry stores.

But, nevertheless, in our time there are situations when a person, for some reason, takes off his pectoral cross.

Is it possible to take off your pectoral cross? And what does this shrine give to a person?

Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) answers:

Hieromonk Job Gumerov

The cross is material evidence of a person’s belonging to the Church of Christ. At the same time, it is a sharp weapon in the spiritual struggle: “Let us mark the life-giving cross on our doors, and on our foreheads, and on our foreheads, and on our lips, and on every member of ours, and let us arm ourselves with this invincible Christian weapon, the conqueror of death, the hope of the faithful, the light for the ends of the earth, a weapon that opens paradise, overthrows heresies, a confirmation of faith, a great repository and the saving praise of the Orthodox. Let us, Christians, carry this weapon with us in every place, day and night, at every hour and at every minute. Don't do anything without it; Whether you are sleeping, getting up from sleep, working, eating, drinking, on the road, sailing on the sea, crossing a river - adorn all your members with the life-giving cross, and evil will not come to you, and no wound will come near your body (Ps. 90: 10)" (Ephraim the Syrian, Venerable. A Word about the General Resurrection, about repentance and love, about the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Part 1. Word 103).

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According to a long-established tradition, the first pectoral cross for a baby’s baptism should be presented as a gift by the godparents. The second name for such a sacred attribute is a vest (that is, a thing that should always be on a Christian’s body). The same applies to festive clothes for baptism and personal personalized icon with the name of the saint that they plan to give to the baby at baptism.

In some cases, all these religious attributes are purchased by the parents themselves. The cross must first be consecrated in the church, although some jewelry stores offer customers products that have already been consecrated in advance.

Gift for newborn

The first vest for a child can be given to:

The baby's parents themselves.
God-parents.
Grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Other relatives.
Family friends.

After christening in church, the pectoral cross should always be on the baby, but most often parents are afraid to put jewelry on a small child, since it can be unsafe, and he can accidentally damage or lose it.

Some adults believe that the baby should start wearing a cross from the first days after birth, because this way he can quickly get used to it and stop paying attention or trying to break the decoration. In this case, after the Sacrament, the cross is removed and left to lie until the child reaches a conscious age to wear such an attribute. In any case, the decision to leave the cross on the body, or hide it for a while, is made only by the baby’s parents.

The first children's vest

Children's pectoral crosses are separate category products that are most suitable for wearing on a child’s body. Since the skin of a newborn is very delicate and thin, the jewelry should be good quality. Typically, children's crosses have smooth, rounded edges so that the child does not accidentally get hurt when wearing them.

The main thing is the quality of the chain, cord or thread for wearing a children's pectoral cross. To prevent your baby from hurting himself or choking, you need to pay special attention to the circumference of the chain or lace. Traditionally, it should be approximately 2 times the circumference of the child’s neck. In addition, it must withstand a weight that is 2 times less than the body weight of its carrier.

The cross is lost or broken

Ideally, it is believed that a vest is an item that should accompany a person from birth to death. Such a sacred attribute cannot be given away, bought or sold. You need to baptize a child as early as possible, because he will gain reliable protection from filth and negative energy from the very first days of his life. But what to do if a newborn’s first pectoral cross accidentally breaks or gets lost during use?

There is no need to panic or worry about this. This phenomenon is a common situation for active children. You can simply purchase another cross, then consecrate it in the church and give it to the child. It is also possible to purchase a cross that has already been consecrated in advance. There are special baptism kits that contain everything necessary for the sacred Sacrament.

In addition, this solution is very practical and convenient in every sense - you don’t have to spend a long time selecting ritual items and buying them in different places. Immediately before baptism, it is recommended to go to the temple where the sacred ceremony will be held in order to personally communicate with the priest and learn all the nuances and subtleties of the great Sacrament. The clergyman will also advise which pectoral cross is best to choose for the baby, and will also tell you about the list of other attributes.

Material selection

What determines the price of crosses for children? First of all, of course, it depends on the type of material (most often it is silver and gold), as well as the weight of the product. For babies it is customary to buy silver or gold small crosses, with rounded edges that will not cause discomfort for the child when wearing. In the case of gold, of course, its fineness also matters. For example, a noble metal of 585 standard will cost much less than a cross of 980 standard. There are many types of gold - white, red, pink, yellow, blackened and even enameled.

The most popular materials for crosses are:

Of course, these nuances are a matter of taste and financial capabilities of the parents and godparents of the baby; this does not in any way affect the spiritual value of the first cross. Red gold is a very soft material that a child can easily damage. Thus, 585 standard is pure gold, which is alloyed with other non-precious materials to increase its strength and wear resistance. That's why high proof products It’s still better to give it to adults who will treat the jewelry with care and be able to preserve it for many years.

In addition, a cross for a newborn can be made of silver, preferably the highest, 925 standard, or even platinum. These materials are considered environmentally friendly, harmless to the delicate skin of the child and therefore will not have any effect on it. negative impact. In some cases, crosses are made of semi-precious stones (for example, turquoise, amber, etc.). The most popular are gold crosses for the baptism of a child.

Product weight and stone decoration

Typically, the weight of a child's pectoral cross is a little less than one gram. This weight is considered optimal for a child to carry. The maximum size of this Christian attribute is up to 2 cm. Children's crosses are often devoid of unnecessary frills and elaborate patterns, so their prices are much lower than, for example, similar adult crosses. And also, you should not buy a pectoral cross for your child, generously sprinkled with inlay from precious or semi-precious stones.

This is done more for reasons of safety than economy - small children are very curious, they can accidentally remove stones, lose them or even swallow them. Although some parents They still buy crosses for children, encrusted with small diamonds. Of course, such jewelry is much more expensive than ordinary ones, their cost starts from 25 thousand rubles, while the cost of non-inlaid crosses starts from 2 thousand rubles per piece.

IN Orthodox Church it is believed that the material from which the vest is made is not so important, since it is simply a symbol of faith in Christ. Of course, you can choose a cross from another material, such as copper, steel or even ordinary wood. But do not forget that such products, unfortunately, have a shorter service life than noble metals, which will retain their attractive appearance for many years.

If we take into account the tradition that the first pectoral cross should remain with a person from the sacrament of baptism until death, then it is better to immediately opt for a high-quality and durable piece of jewelry. Precious materials do not cause skin irritations and allergies.

The cross may contain the following images:

Image of the crucifixion.
The inscription "Save and preserve."
The abbreviation "I. N.Ts.I.”
Other religious symbols and attributes.

On most vests there is the inscription “I. N.Ts.I”, which means “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”, as well as an inclined crossbar - as a symbol of the transition from the sinful, worldly, to the spiritual.

On Christian baptismal crosses there are 4 symbolic nails with which Jesus Christ was crucified, while on the Catholic version there are only 3. The figure of the crucifixion symbolizes the joy that the son of God has made the transition to a better, brighter life. Excessive naturalism and detail of the crucifixion is considered unacceptable in this case. In some cases, skulls can be seen at the feet of Christ - a symbol of death, the afterlife.

How to wear it correctly

It is best for a child to wear a pectoral cross under clothing, away from human eyes. Firstly, this will help the baby always have strong spiritual protection, which cannot be influenced by negative external factors. Secondly, this will protect it from thieves, gypsies and simply dishonest people who can steal, take away or force a child to deceive them into giving them expensive jewelry. Thirdly, wearing a cross in this way is much more practical - it will not be affected by direct sunlight, moisture, or air currents (this is especially true for silver, which tends to darken and turn green).

And during the game, the child will not be able to break the chain, lose or break his vest, or injure his neck area by getting caught on something. It is best to choose a lace or ribbon made from natural materials (natural fabric, leather) that will not cause an allergic reaction or irritation to the child’s delicate skin.

For aesthetic reasons, it is customary to buy a chain for a cross from the same material as the vest itself. For example, a gold cross will not look very attractive on an ordinary silver chain; it will indicate a complete lack of taste. For a child it is not necessary to buy an expensive massive chain; you can get by with a soft ribbon or cord.

Or simply put aside the chain given to the baby until he reaches a more conscious age, when he will be able to appreciate such a gift in order to wear it carefully and proudly. For boys it is better to choose a more massive, impressive decoration, while for girls it is better to choose a more elegant and small one.

Vests can be purchased not only in jewelry stores. Usually in large churches and temples there is a stand with jewelry paraphernalia that has already been previously consecrated. There are many online stores that allow you to purchase children's crosses a little cheaper than in regular stores.

Who buys a cross for a girl's christening? According to tradition, if a baby is baptized, then the first vest must be purchased for her. exactly the godmother. Who buys a cross for a boy's christening? It is believed that such a donor should be the godfather. However, this rule is now rarely observed, and in some cases, a vest for a baby can be purchased by grandparents, other relatives, or just friends of the parents.

But who makes such an important purchase must be agreed upon in advance, so that immediately before or during the Sacrament there will be no unpleasant surprises. The shape of the cross is also unimportant - it can have a 4, 6, or 8-pointed shape. The latter two are believed to have a particularly powerful level of protection from evil forces and the evil eye. It is important to remember that the vest is not only decorative, so it is desirable to have the inscriptions “save and preserve” on it, as well as an image of the crucifixion.

Consecrate in church

How much does it cost to consecrate a cross in a church? Most often, in temples there is no specific fixed fee that must be paid. Some people donate as much as they can financially allow. In other churches and temples there is still a price list for the provision of such services. The cost depends on the popularity of the temple among parishioners, its fame, as well as antiquity and history. IN regular church the cost of consecrating a baptismal decoration starts from 200 rubles. In addition, in churches and temples you can easily purchase crosses that have already been consecrated in advance.

When choosing the first cross for a child’s christening, you should not save too much, because this thing should stay with him for life. There is no need to buy a very expensive piece of jewelry that your baby might lose or break. Instead of a chain, you can use a strong but soft lace or ribbon. The main condition when purchasing such jewelry is its obligatory consecration in a church or temple.