Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? What to do with the cross of a deceased person? After the death of my mother, I left a pectoral cross
The pectoral cross should be perceived not as jewelry or a fashion accessory, but as a memory of the self-denial of Christ. This symbol alleviates a person’s suffering from illness and serves as a talisman against difficulties encountered. But there are situations when the question arises: is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? After all, I want to do this in memory of the departed.
Wearing someone else's cross. What does the church say?
The opinion that, together with someone else’s cross, we can take on the grief and experiences of its previous bearer is unfounded. When consecrating this item, the priest reads two prayers asking the Lord to preserve the soul and body of the bearer from evil forces. No wonder it is decorated with the inscription “Save and Preserve.”
Usually a pectoral cross is placed on the deceased and the person is buried this way, or placed in a coffin separately. But an exclusive cross of the author's work, left by your deceased relative, intentionally or accidentally not buried with him, should be consecrated. To do this, before the start of the service, you need to contact the clergyman, and he can do this either alone or in your presence (depending on your wishes).
No rules without exceptions
The Church notes the point that if the life of a person who passed on to another world and left the cross was not righteous, he committed suicide by suicide or the cause of death was a violent death, then all the things of the deceased will keep a trace of these actions.
In some cases, consecration in church helps. But if the one who received the cross constantly thinks about the fact that he is exposing himself to negative influences, this will somehow affect his existence.
The way out of the situation would be to melt down the cross if it is made of precious metal. You can place it in a vessel with holy water for several months. If the prejudice is very strong, the cross should be immersed in the bottom of a deep reservoir and forgotten about it. Usually people focus on the sensations that arise. After all, this holy object is worn without taking it off, and wearing something that does not give peace of mind is unacceptable.
For example, it is a known fact that Emperor Nicholas II wore Rasputin’s pectoral cross after the latter’s terrible death. The death of the royal family was also violent, and the pectoral crosses of its members were first included in the archive of expropriated valuables, and then lost.
There is still an ancient custom called “baptism”: people who exchange crosses become brothers and wear them under their clothes, like all Christians who do not openly serve the church. The “vest” is worn on the chest in close proximity to the heart, an organ on the strength of which human life depends.
She may well leave it as a souvenir, and then she will have to decide whether to keep it in a secluded place or wear it.
But the situation is not always so sad. A husband can give a cross to his wife if she has lost hers. Finally, the cross can also become a gift to a beloved woman, and the spouse himself will wear a different cross.
Objections
In most cases, the arguments against wearing someone else’s body, including that belonging to a spouse, come down to the following: the cross “absorbs” the problems and misfortunes of the owner, his “negative energy”, and all this dangerous “matter” will definitely pass on to the one who will wear someone else's cross. And in general, if a person gives a cross to someone, this is suspicious: obviously, he wants to take off his problems and transfer them to someone else!
There is no need to talk about the one that belonged to the deceased: a wife who wears the cross of her deceased husband will certainly die in the near future!
Position of the Church
All the arguments given above go back to the principle of “like begets like.” This is one of the fundamental principles of mythological thinking. It is here that numerous signs and magic originate. Both belong not to the Christian faith, but to paganism, and it is impossible to be both a pagan and a Christian at the same time.
The Holy Cross, including in the form of a small cross that Christians wear on their chests, is a symbol of Salvation. Therefore, in principle, it cannot carry any negative meaning, much less bring any troubles. From a Christian's point of view, only one's own sins can bring misfortune.
Neither a gift made from a pure heart, nor a bright memory of a deceased spouse is a sin. A woman can fearlessly wear her husband’s cross, which he gave her as a sign of his love. There is nothing dangerous in the cross of the deceased spouse.
When you can't wear your husband's cross
We can name only one situation in which a woman should flatly refuse to wear a cross for her husband. We are talking about a case when a husband declares: “Take my cross, you can wear it, I don’t need it.” This means that a person is ready to give up not only the cross, but also faith. In this case, a loving Christian wife will not accept such a “grand gesture.” On the contrary, she will say: “Thank you, I already have a cross, but keep yours. I feel calm when you wear it.”
A pectoral cross is a personal, strong item, possessing the most powerful energy. And it often happens that in the event of the death of a loved one, relatives do not know what to do with his pectoral cross - a blessed symbol of faith. Someone buries the cross with the deceased, someone keeps it for themselves, storing it in a casket, and someone even wears the cross of a close relative who has passed on to another world.
What does the church think about this? What should you do with the pectoral cross of a deceased relative: keep it close to your heart or get rid of the amulet as soon as possible?
Cross of the deceased
It happens that the deceased is not buried with a pectoral cross, and the reasons for this are different: this personal item goes to relatives after the death of a loved one or is even passed down from generation to generation as an inheritance and a symbol of memory. And then a controversial question arises: what to do with the received value and is it possible to wear the cross of the deceased?
There is a popular belief that, together with a pectoral cross, you can receive the fate and vital energy of its owner. And even if the fate of the deceased was enviably lucky, each of us wants to live our own life, which is why few people decide to wear someone else’s pectoral cross. But in vain!
The Church states: “The tales that you take over the fate of the deceased along with the cross are just stupid superstitions. The main thing is to wear a cross not as decoration, but as a symbol of the Christian faith.”
The pectoral cross of a loved one can and even should be kept, if not worn around the neck. This religious item has a deep semantic meaning: it helps to cope with adversity, illness, and protects from evil and evil spirits.
“Like any thing used by people, a cross can be filled with strength and grace through the pious lifestyle of its owner. When a person has a sinful lifestyle and indulges his sinful passions, a cross on his body, like a material object, can be charged with these passions,” explains clergyman Oleg Molenko.
Therefore, a cross left by a relative on purpose or accidentally not buried with him should be consecrated, and only then worn without fear.
If you don’t want to wear the cross, you can put it in a box and store it in a secluded place. Carrying a cross to the grave of the deceased is reckless. Firstly, it will not help the deceased in any way, and secondly, most likely it will be taken over by complete strangers. Many people bring the crosses of deceased relatives to the temple and leave them there, which is permissible by the church.
It should be understood that if a person who received a cross constantly thinks about its negative impact, this will certainly affect his existence and destiny in one way or another. Keep the cross of your loved one without fear or worry! This is not only a strong amulet, but also an invaluable memory of a departed person.
People are afraid of death. It especially frightens the unprepared, but those who live in the bosom of the church and are familiar with its sacraments are afraid of their afterlife, and this is normal.
When an Orthodox person is buried, they place him in a coffin with a cross around his neck as a symbol that the deceased - Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person if the cross remains in the world of the living? We will talk about this later in the article.
Funeral without a cross
Is it possible to bury a believer without Rather no than yes. It is not customary for Orthodox Christians to bury their dead without a cross.
Could this happen? Unfortunately, yes, but in very rare cases. If for some reason the cross was removed from the deceased and left with relatives, this does not mean that he was buried just like that. Perhaps the expensive cross was replaced with a simpler one in order to avoid vile cases associated with the desecration of graves for profit.
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person if it was replaced by another, as we said above? Yes, you can and should not believe the prejudices that will be discussed in the next subsection. All these “grandmother’s superstitions” have nothing to do with real Christianity and true faith.
Superstitions
Very often you can hear that the cross of the deceased should never be put on or worn. Various reasons are given. Here are a few of them:
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? “No way! It’s taking his fate upon yourself, what are you talking about!” - this is what superstitious old women say, making “scary” eyes.
Some grandmothers are firmly convinced that the cross of the deceased cannot be worn for the reason that the person died wearing it - this is a very bad omen. And that's it, no explanation is given.
The cross of the deceased stores his lifetime energy. That's how it turns out. And there’s nothing that energy and Christianity are somehow not very compatible with, that’s all.
Is it possible to wear a cross for someone who has died of cancer? No no and one more time no! In general, you cannot wear the cross of someone who has died of an illness - you will take the illness upon yourself. That's it, it turns out!
The most merciless and frightening superstition. You cannot wear a dead person’s cross, otherwise he will come to take it away at night. Either stand or fall, as they say.
Found cross
A man was walking down the street and suddenly he saw a cross under his feet. What to do in this case? Pass by? Under no circumstances - be sure to pick it up and clean it at home.
We picked it up, cleaned it up, and then what? Suddenly the former holder of the cross is long dead. Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person who is not a relative? And is there enough courage for this? To put on a completely alien cross, without knowing anything about this person.
If there is fear, the cross can simply be removed. Place in a bag or wrap in a clean cloth and put away where the jewelry is stored.
Don't want to keep someone else's cross in your house? Take it to church and talk to the priest about it. Children from poor families are baptized in the church, and a cross may be useful to someone during baptism.
Neighbor's cross
What if a loved one died? Someone will be surprised: what kind of unchrists are we? To see off a loved one without a cross to the next world? And no one said that without a cross. This option is possible: during his lifetime, a person wore an expensive gold cross, and for the sake of reinsurance, relatives replaced it with a simpler one. What kind of reinsurance? Out of harm's way, so that the grave is not desecrated or dug up. There are also dishonest people whose job is to dig graves for burial. Anything can happen in life.
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person, for example, a mother? It is both possible and necessary. You shouldn’t be afraid of this, don’t believe in scary fairy tales of the kind of superstition. Mom is the closest person in the world, and there is nothing wrong with the fact that a son or daughter will wear her cross after her mother’s death. The same applies to the crosses of other neighbors: dad, grandparents, sisters and brothers. If relationships in life were warm and close, then why not wear their crosses?
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? Yes, you can, without being afraid of anything. Does it need to be re-consecrated? No. The cross was consecrated once, there is no need to do this again.
The meaning of the cross
The cross is not a mystical attribute; it has no special energy. The cross is the Crucifixion of Christ. A symbol of the fact that the Lord himself descended into the sinful world in order to atone for the sins of mankind at the cost of his life through painful death on the cross. So what fears can there be of the crucifixion, if the point is not that the cross is a beautiful decoration, but that it is a symbol of the fact that we are servants of God?
Conclusion
We found out whether it is possible to wear the cross of a deceased person. It is possible and necessary, without looking back at superstitions and old wives’ tales. In the Orthodox Church, superstitions are viewed with skepticism, and as for wearing someone else’s cross, the priests say that it is not a sin, there is nothing wrong with it. No sins or illnesses from the previous owner will be transferred to the current one.
If fears overcome you, then it is better to go to the temple and get clarification on this issue from the priest in person.
And that's it, no explanation is given.
- The cross of the deceased stores his lifetime energy. That's how it turns out. And there’s nothing that energy and Christianity are somehow not very compatible with, that’s all.
- Is it possible to wear a cross for someone who has died of cancer? No no and one more time no! In general, you cannot wear the cross of someone who has died of an illness—you will take the illness upon yourself. That's it, it turns out!
- The most merciless and frightening superstition. You cannot wear a dead person’s cross, otherwise he will come to take it away at night. Either stand or fall, as they say. Found cross A man was walking along the street and suddenly saw a cross under his feet. What to do in this case? Pass by? Under no circumstances - be sure to pick it up and clean it at home. We picked it up, cleaned it up, and then what? Suddenly the former holder of the cross is long dead.
What to do with the cross of a deceased relative? The clergyman's answer will surprise!
Therefore, when asked whether it is possible to wear someone else’s cross, they do not need a priest’s answer. In their bright world of God there is no place for dark superstitions. Losing a cross Unfortunately, no one is immune from the unpleasant situation of losing an expensive item.
Attention
When it comes to a body crucifix or a wedding ring, experiences are aggravated by superstitious fears. But there is no supernatural in such a loss, just as there is no omen. A popular belief says that at such a moment a person is at a crossroads, and the Lord will grant him a second chance.
You can believe in such a “miracle of rebirth.” But it is better to think about the soul and its immortality, about how to bring it closer to God. Since the cross in itself, without faith, means nothing, it is more important to take care not about external manifestations, but about carrying Christ in your heart.
Is it possible to wear someone else's cross? priest's answer. pectoral cross
Copyright (c) Hirst Shkulev Publishing LLC. 2017. Any reproduction of site materials without the permission of the editors is prohibited. Contact information for government agencies (including Roskomnadzor): Is it possible to wear a pectoral cross that is inherited? From the book Letters (issues 1-8) by Theophan the Recluse 356. To the woman Mary. Is it possible to bear the name of the Mother of God? A Lutheran woman should not be commemorated in church. About the rule for bowing The mercy of God be with you! This is the first time I hear about what you write.
There is no prohibition in the church to bear the name of the Mother of God. And troubles come from what someone celebrates From the book The Basics of Orthodoxy by Slepinin Konstantin Pectoral cross Crosses are now in fashion. The unshakable steadfastness of atheists in their hatred of the crucifixion (remember Bagritsky’s “Death of a Pioneer”: “don’t resist, Valenka, he won’t eat you...”?) was replaced by a new fashion.
Secret world
If you have the opportunity to make a contribution (at least 100-200 rubles) we will be grateful! Guardian Angel to you! Must read: Who is an archpriest in the Orthodox Church What to do with someone else's cross in the house? If you do find a cross at home, then take it to church and give it to those in need. Only before this it needs to be consecrated. Often, priests consider all superstitions around someone else’s cross to be unfounded. In their opinion, wearing someone else’s pectoral cross is possible and even necessary. After all, there were cases when even clergy took off their crosses and gave them to ordinary people. In this case, they explain this by saying that the priest wanted to show how important the cross is in Orthodoxy and that every Christian should wear it.
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? myths away!
Info
You know. It’s probably better for you to go to church with this question and tell him everything. Here you will be given different advice. And you will hear the correct answer only there. Question: Hello, father! After the baptismal ceremony, I wear a pectoral cross, which was worn by my great-grandfather, grandfather and father.
On one of the sites I read that you can’t wear someone else’s cross, because... In this way, the fate of dead people is measured. Please explain what to do in this case. Maybe this cross needs to be blessed or prayed for? Thank you. Nikolay Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) answers: You can wear a pectoral cross, which is passed down from generation to generation. This is fully consistent with the Orthodox tradition. We must decisively eliminate all kinds of superstitions that are widespread in our time.
Is it possible to wear someone else’s cross? I was left with his pectoral cross with a chain from my deceased father.
Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person?
Important
What to do with the pectoral cross of a deceased person? Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased relative, or should it be hidden in a box or taken to its owner in the cemetery? What does the church think about this? There is a popular belief that with a pectoral cross you can receive the fate and energy of its former owner, as well as his luck and the influence of higher powers on him. “To believe that together with the pectoral cross of a deceased person you can receive his fate or illness is simple and stupid superstition. The pectoral cross is a symbol of faith and a symbol of the fact that a person is in Christ. It helps to cope with adversity, protects against bad things, and also reminds a person that he is a Christian.
Therefore, it should be worn as a symbol of the Christian faith. In this case, nothing bad will happen.
Perhaps the expensive cross was replaced with a simpler one in order to avoid vile cases associated with the desecration of graves for profit. Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person if it was replaced by another, as we said above? Yes, you can and should not believe the prejudices that will be discussed in the next subsection. All these “grandmother’s superstitions” have nothing to do with real Christianity and true faith.
Superstitions Very often you can hear that the cross of the deceased should never be put on or worn. Various reasons are given. Here are a few of them:
- Is it possible to wear the cross of a deceased person? "In no case! It’s like taking his fate upon yourself, what are you talking about!” - this is what superstitious old women say, making “scary” eyes.
- Some grandmothers are firmly convinced that the cross of the deceased cannot be worn for the reason that the person died wearing it - this is a very bad omen.
Is it possible to inherit the pectoral cross of a deceased person?
The cross that we wear around our necks is an object that has powerful internal and spiritual energy. It has the power of faith of the person himself, and also shows the person’s connection with the Christian world, but if a person dies, then his relatives and friends have the question of what should be done with the cross of the deceased person. Often a pectoral cross is buried with the deceased person, but sometimes there are cases when the cross is kept for oneself. It could be like a family heirloom that was passed down from generation to generation, maybe the cross was received after the funeral, or maybe it’s a person’s memory or inheritance.
But then he remembered the cross that his grandmother gave him. “The fact that you are going to serve in the army - From the book Orthodoxy and the Future Fate of Russia by Rozhdestvensky Archbishop Nikon Can Jews be allowed to bear Christian names? Newspapers report that another commission has been formed under the S. Synod to discuss the question: can Jews bear Christian names? This issue has been brewing for a long time, and it’s time to resolve it once and for all and finally. There is a name From the book Uninvented Stories [collection] by Agafonov Nikolay Pectoral cross “Undress,” the doctor said dryly, without looking up from filling out the form. Ivan Terentyev quickly took off his trousers and began to pull his T-shirt over his head.
But then he remembered the cross that his grandmother gave him. “The fact that you are going to serve in From the book Spiritual Conversations by the Egyptian Venerable Macarius Conversation 23.
A pectoral cross is a personal, strong item, possessing the most powerful energy. And it often happens that in the event of the death of a loved one, relatives do not know what to do with his pectoral cross - a blessed symbol of faith. Someone buries the cross with the deceased, someone keeps it for themselves, storing it in a casket, and someone even wears the cross of a close relative who has passed on to another world.
Editorial “So Simple!” I found out what the church thinks about this, and what should you do with the pectoral cross of a deceased relative: keep it close to your heart or get rid of the amulet as soon as possible? It happens that the deceased is not buried with a pectoral cross, and the reasons for this are different: this personal item goes to relatives after the death of a loved one or is even passed down from generation to generation as an inheritance and a symbol of memory.
What the Church Thinks When clergy are asked the question of whether it is possible to wear someone else’s pectoral cross, their answer is most often unequivocal - yes, it is possible. After all, for Orthodox Christians, a cross on the neck is not some kind of magical attribute or anything like that. The cross on the neck of an Orthodox Christian is a symbol of his faith. The belief of many that together with someone else’s cross you take on all the worries, troubles and even the fate of the former owner is most often based on an incorrect interpretation of the words of the Bible.
The Bible says that Jesus called everyone to take up their cross and follow Him. The cross in this context refers to the trials that befall the believer. The pectoral cross worn at baptism has nothing to do with it.
The clergy also urge people not to pay attention to various superstitions and signs, because everyone knows that the Church completely denies them.
If a relative lived piously and died of old age, then his pectoral cross can be worn and passed on by inheritance. If a person commits suicide, then it is better to donate his personal relic to the temple. Is it possible to wear two crosses, your own and a relative’s? The clergy here agree on one thing - no matter how many crosses you wear, your faith in God does not become stronger. If you feel more protected by wearing two crosses, then this is acceptable. There is no harm to a person’s soul from wearing two personal relics at the same time. How to wear a cross for a baby? Babies are baptized 40 days after birth. Upon completion of the sacrament of Baptism, a pectoral cross is placed on the child’s neck, which must be worn without removing. To prevent the child from getting entangled in the ribbon (chain, thread), it needs to be made small.