My mother went to Valaam and brought me a gift pectoral cross ik. This is a four-pointed pointed cross with seven groups of circles on it. What is this type of cross, and where can I read about it in more detail, about its history, type, etc.? And can I wear two crosses at the same time?
Velikiy Novgorod
Dear Dmitry, the Orthodox Church venerates every cross depicting the tree of the Cross, on which our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified. Although at present in our Church the predominant form of the cross is eight-pointed, other forms of the cross are also accepted - both six-pointed and four-pointed, so long as it is worn with reverence for the Cross of the Lord.
When choosing a body cross, it is important to be guided by the fact that the cross is the banner of our faith, a symbol of Christ's victory over the enemy of the human race, to wear it not as a piece of jewelry or a memorable gift, and not even in memory of a trip to holy places, but, in the first place. turn, as a sign of understanding that the cross of Christ is the only thing a Christian can boast of, as well as a sign of his readiness to take up his personal cross and follow Christ.
If wearing a second cross, bought by your mother, strengthens your faith in the all-powerful protection of God, God's intercession through the prayers of His Valaam saints, then wear two crosses without embarrassment. Or you can reverently keep one of them in a holy corner next to the icons, and wear one all the time.
The cross is an indicator of belonging to the Christian faith. From our article you will find out whether it is possible to wear someone else's cross and why it cannot be worn over clothes.
The pectoral cross is the most important attribute of any Christian, therefore it is worth choosing it wisely. If you need to choose a suitable cross, then you can find it in the Saints store. There are crosses of various shapes and materials.
The cross, according to the clergy, should always be on a believer. But there are also prohibitions associated with it. Some of them are nothing more than superstitions, which a believer should not even think about. These include, for example, darkening of the cross. But this is far from the only question that a believer may have about his cross.
Cannot be worn on a chain
There are absolutely no restrictions on the chain. Here, rather, the question of convenience and habit is more important. If a person wants to wear a pectoral cross on a chain, then he can do it, such actions are not forbidden by the church. The most important principle to follow in this case is that the cross does not get lost and does not fly off the neck. Both lace and chain are acceptable. Superstitious people, however, assure that, according to all signs, the cross is not lost just like that.
Cannot be worn over clothing
This is an absolutely true statement. The cross is a symbol of faith and protection. By not wearing a cross outside, a person shows the sincerity of faith, without making it ostentatious. Also, all the warmth and blessing that the priest gives to the pectoral cross during the consecration, in this case, is transferred only to you.
Can't give
You can always give a cross. Of course, it's great if parents or godparents take care of it, as one of the christening gifts. But this does not mean that the other person cannot give you a cross. There is also such a tradition when two people exchange pectoral crosses, becoming brothers or sisters in Christ. Usually this is done by close people.
Cannot be picked up if found
A superstition that has absolutely no basis. We also recall that superstitions are completely not recognized by the church and are considered incompatible with the Christian faith. There are people who believe that by raising the found cross, one can take on the problems of the person who lost or left it. The cross, since it is a shrine, must at least be brought to the temple. Or keep it for yourself and store it in a red corner in the house.
You can not wear someone else's cross
If you got a cross from a parent or someone you know, you can wear it. The church does not establish any prohibition here. Especially if you don't have a cross. Many people believe that things are endowed with the energy of their owner and it can be transferred to a new owner. They may also argue that by giving away a cross, a person gives away a piece of his Destiny. Only such beliefs have nothing to do with the Christian faith and belong to the occult worldview.
You can not wear a cross with a crucifix
Another superstition that you should not pay attention to. There are people who say that a cross with a crucifix will bring a hard life on a person. This is not true at all, just people's speculation. Such a cross symbolizes the salvation and sacrifice of Christ, there is nothing wrong with it. But you need to wear it correctly: the crucifix should not be turned towards you, but outward.
You can not wear an unconsecrated cross
The cross is best to consecrate. But as such, there is no ban on wearing an unconsecrated pectoral cross. It is believed that evil spirits bypass even two crossed sticks. Nevertheless, a believer should still consecrate his creed.
You can choose any cross that you like: gold, silver, copper or wood. The material is not very important. It is important to consecrate it and not wear jewelry bought in a jewelry store as a cross. It must be understood that the church Orthodox cross, which symbolizes faith in God, differs from beautiful, but purely decorative crosses. They do not carry a spiritual load and are not related to faith.
There are also many signs and beliefs associated with the cross. To believe in them or not is up to you. All the best, and don't forget to press the buttons and
22.07.2016 06:16
Our dreams are a reflection of our consciousness. They can tell us a lot about our future, past...
- Is it necessary to consecrate the cross in the temple?
- Initially, neither crosses nor icons were consecrated - it was believed that they were holy in their very essence. The tradition of consecrating crosses and images appeared in the Russian Orthodox Church in the Middle Ages due to the fact that non-canonical pictorial icons began to spread, which the Church could not recognize as her own. The rite of consecration has taken the place of a certain examination: whether a given image or cross corresponds to the Orthodox tradition or not. But since this tradition has taken root in the Church, it should not be violated, because there is nothing accidental in Orthodox worship. During the consecration of the cross, the priest reads a prayer calling on Divine grace and protection for the one who will carry this cross - why refuse this?
- Is it possible to wear two pectoral crosses or have several crosses and put on one or the other?
- Can. There is such a wonderful maxim, which belongs to the ancient holy philosopher, Blessed Augustine: "In the main - unity, in the secondary - diversity, in everything - love." Church rules do not determine every little thing in human behavior. Usually believers have one pectoral cross, but ... What can happen to make them several? For example, you were presented with a cross from Athos. Or did you bring it yourself. Or you inherited a cross that was worn by the generations of your ancestors, and you put it on your chest as a shrine. This is wonderful! Most likely, you will take off your old cross and hang it in your home iconostasis. And if not? If you do not want to part with the cross that the priest put on you at the font - but the cross you inherited is dear to you? And you will wear both. What to reproach you? Or, for example, on Easter you take out a special, festive cross - and wear it until the Ascension, and this helps you remember the joy of the holiday. In some places, such a tradition existed. Finally, a more mundane motive: you like to go to the sauna, and you have a wooden cross that you put on when you go to steam ... Life is diverse - I think there may be some other cases when a person will alternately or immediately wear a few crosses - and it will be quite pious.
- Why is the cross worn on the chest?
– The tradition of wearing a cross on the chest has developed since ancient, early Christian times. The chest is the seat of the heart; we tend to cling to our hearts what we especially cherish. According to the Savior: “Thoughts come from the heart” (Matt. 15:19) – both good and evil thoughts and feelings are born in the heart, following which we go through life. The Holy Fathers teach believers to purify their heart from passions and sanctify it with prayer. Therefore, it is natural that we wear the cross precisely on the chest: after all, the sign of the cross sanctifies and protects from the attacks of evil spirits. Putting a cross on our chest, we show that faith, striving for Christ is the center of our life, not something peripheral, not one of the sides of being, but the most important thing. For example, hands are a symbol of our practical activity, and if we put a ring with sacred images on our finger, then we say, first of all to ourselves, that we strive to dedicate our deeds to God. Therefore, some wear rings and bracelets with the image of a cross or the texts of prayers, which is also not bad, but does not replace a pectoral cross. After all, before we do something, we “pass” it through our heart.
- Is it possible to wear a cross, for example, on an earring?
– The question is difficult. If you wear earrings and your piety is shown through earrings with Christian symbols... Decide for yourself! Speaking about the wearing of the cross - as well as other sacred images - we would note another moment. It is important that shrines, such as a cross, a small icon, etc., should not be desecrated in any way - neither spiritually nor physically. For example, if you have a ring with a cross, do not forget to take it off when you are going to wash the dishes, etc.
– Is it good to bless a child with a cross and is it possible to pass the cross by inheritance, give it to relatives?
– To bless a child with a cross – acquired especially for him or ancestral, passed down from generation to generation – is wonderful. Growing up, the baby will know that the cross is a shrine that connects him with God - and with his family, ancestors. The cross carries with it only Divine grace, only goodness - therefore it can be given to both children and adults.
- Is it possible to wear a cross on the same chain with a scapular? What about your zodiac sign?
- It is possible to wear a cross along with a small icon, an amulet and other Orthodox shrines. But the signs of the zodiac should not be resorted to in principle - because this is an amulet alien to the Orthodox faith. In addition, all kinds of horoscopes are part of the pagan belief system. The stars are God's creation, you can study them, admire them, thank the Creator for their beauty - but in no way ascribe to them an influence on people's destinies and do not justify the shortcomings of your character with them.
- Should I wear a cross on a baby? What if he strangles himself with a gaitan?
“That should be left up to Mom. Maybe she will find an opportunity to pick up the ribbon in such a way, to swaddle the cross in such a way or hide it under her clothes so that the baby does not hurt himself. If not, it will not be a sin to hang a cross over a crib or in a stroller.
– Is it possible to take off the cross when you wash? And if you go to the sauna or x-ray?
- It is possible to remove the pectoral cross, but it is undesirable. In the sauna or for medical procedures that do not allow wearing metal on the body, you can put on a special wooden cross. However, if you didn’t have it, and still had to be without a cross for some time, there is nothing terrible or sinful in this. When washing or bathing, a well-made vest should not suffer. You should not buy a cross made of unreliable materials that can shed, rust or break under the influence of water: after all, worn constantly, in contact with the body, it will still quickly become unusable, even if you remove it when washing. Finally, if you are involved in some sports in which there should not be a chain or a gaitan around your neck, maybe it will be convenient for you to pin a cross to your clothes with a pin or sew it to a T-shirt?
– On what to wear the cross: on a chain, a gaitan or a ribbon?
- At your discretion. There are no rules here. We can only advise: if you wear a cross on a chain, choose strong enough so that it does not tear under the weight of the cross, and with soft weaving so that the chain does not break.
- What size should the pectoral cross be?
- As you wish and conveniently. I had to see very massive crosses - they are quite suitable for a large, powerful man. The same goes for small crosses: they are usually purchased by children, but they are also popular with young girls and petite women who appreciate everything elegant.
Why are beautiful crosses made of precious metals?
“Beauty is one of the Names of God. The Lord created this world beautiful. Love tends to decorate its object. Therefore, it is natural that Christians embellish everything that is connected with their faith: they create magnificent temples, make precious salaries for icons. Accordingly, they try to make the pectoral cross beautiful. Then, in church art, everything has a symbolic meaning: color, materials, forms. For example, gold - a light metal, reminiscent of the sun in its color - is a symbol of Divine grace, the Glory of God. Since gold does not oxidize, it also indicates eternity, the immutability of the Deity. Silver is also a noble metal, but it tends to shine when polished and darken when neglected - isn't it reminiscent of the human soul? In church art, silver symbolizes a righteous person striving for God. And gilded silver - a common material for creating pectoral crosses - is a sign of a pious soul that has received Divine grace. Such a cross is, as it were, a task or a wish for us: to cleanse and sanctify our hearts, to become truly bright, God's people. Finally, the wooden cross recalls the Tree of the Cross on which Christ was crucified. Copper was considered by our ancestors to be a suitable material for pectoral crosses and scapulars, since, according to Old Testament, it was from copper that the prophet Moses, at the command of God, made a serpent, the sight of which saved from death when bitten by snakes - and this image was one of the omens of the Cross of Christ. But, no matter what the cross is made of, its main value lies in its spiritual essence. They also have their own symbolism and precious stones (stone pectoral crosses were also found, in particular, in Ancient Russia) - we will talk about this on the pages of this book.
How to choose a pectoral cross for a child?
- If you buy a cross for a baby, pay attention to the fact that it is comfortable for the baby: it is light, does not have sharp details. Usually, small crosses are put on children, most often made of silver: this metal is known for its bactericidal properties. When the baby grows up, the children's cross can be removed and stored at home, under the icons, like a shrine, and to wear a new one - more.
- What to be guided by when choosing a cross for an adult?
– We will talk about the symbolism of the crosses in a separate chapter of this book. If we talk about the shape: usually women wear vests of a softer, rounded shape, while men wear straight ones. The traditional element of the cross worn by a woman is the image of a vine, reminiscent of the family ministry of the daughters of Eve: this image goes back to the words from the Psalter: “Your wife is like a vine fruitful in the countries of your house” (Ps. 127, 3). And, of course, a female cross is usually lighter, smaller than a male one. However, these recommendations are very conditional.
- Why do you need a pectoral scapular?
- Why do you need a photo of a loved one? The wearable icon, unlike the cross vest, is not a sign of belonging, not a generally accepted and actually obligatory tradition for the children of the Russian Orthodox Church. But if it is pleasant for you to always have with you an icon of the Mother of God, a Guardian Angel or a beloved saint, this is good. And the Lord always answers love with love, and prayer with mercy. Therefore, if the chest icon helps us to remember God more often and turn to Him, this will contribute to our salvation and attract Heavenly help to our earthly affairs. The image bears the grace of the Prototype - according to the faith of the Church.
- Is it possible to replace the pectoral cross with a symbol?
- You know, most of the questions that begin with the word "can", I want to answer: "Depending on why." It's better not to change, of course. We are children of the Russian Orthodox Church, in which the pectoral cross is given to the believer at Baptism - as a kind of pledge and symbol of his faith. And you should not part with the cross all your life, no matter how the circumstances develop. But, continuing the reflection, - if for some reason you suddenly find yourself without a cross, and you have an icon - this is already better than nothing!
How many swatches can be worn at the same time?
- As you please. There are no rules here. You can choose a separate chain or gaitan for each icon, you can hang it all together.
Pavel Klochkov, Alina Sergeychuk
Search line: crossRecords found: 551
Hello, today I bought a consecrated silver chain and a cross. Everything was fine, but there was a burning sensation on the skin. Looking in the mirror, I found that the skin is exactly right side on the neck and chest turned very red, and on the chest there was a white trace from the contour of the cross. I took off the chain, the redness went away, but the burning sensation appears sometimes, but not so much. There is no allergy to anything. What could it be?
Sveta
I don't know, Sveta. Perhaps this is what is called "temptation." Have you been to confession for a long time? Talk to the priest.
Priest Konstantin Kravtsov
Good evening, Father! I have a hobby, looking for treasures, or rather I go with a metal detector through the fields and roads and collect finds. Mostly coins. But there are also pectoral crosses. Father, is my hobby a sin? Is it possible to keep found crosses at home? If not, what should I do? Thank you in advance!
Oleg
Dear Oleg!
Your hobby is not a sin in itself. But, if you collect exclusively for yourself or self-enrichment, this suggests self-love and even in some cases, excuse me, appropriation of someone else's. I believe that it is not. It would be good to use your experience and abilities in such a matter to serve the Church and people. You can donate the collected crosses to church museums. In Moscow, for example, in the parish of the New Martyrs at the Butovo training ground, old crosses are reverently collected and stored in the lower part of the stone church.
Archpriest Elijah Shapiro
Hello, Father. In childhood, a woman gave a cross to my brother's wife and told her mother that her daughter would get very sick, but she would not die and in the future she would heal people herself. At the age of 28, Tanya was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. She did a lot of operations, and a huge amount of chemo. Because of what her body is simply "burned out". Doctors are surprised, because, they say, she should have died a long time ago. And this has been going on for over 5 years. Recently, she went for another examination and, to her surprise, no cancer cells were found in her. She is a believer and prays to God for her recovery. Could you comment on the fact with the woman who predicted all these events. And was there a prediction from God? And what means "will treat itself"? Sincerely, Polina.
Pauline
Dear Polina!
I find it difficult to comment on the prediction, because for reasons of preserving spiritual sobriety, I do not recommend you to delve into this issue.
Predictions, as you know, are of a threefold nature: the rarest ones are from God, others are also according to human knowledge or intuition, often - from dark forces. It is better, out of the consciousness of one’s unworthiness, not to comprehend what is inspired from God (He gives grace to the humble in many ways), than being carried away by the amazing coincidence of facts, to recognize the prediction of the devil as coming from God - with all the consequences that are disastrous for the soul. But, I repeat, in your case it is better not to pay attention to this coincidence.
Archpriest Elijah Shapiro
Hello, father! Now I am 59 years old and my brother is 71. We are both baptized, but at different times. I was baptized by my grandmother at the age of 4. Our parents kept both crosses. After the death of my parents, my brother gave one cross to me and kept the other for himself. 5 months ago I put on a cross. Brother does not wear, but believes. Tell me how should I be? The fact is that neither I nor my brother know in which cross each of us was baptized. Perhaps I carry my cross, or perhaps my brother's cross. But I feel that the cross helps me. Should something be done? Thanks in advance.
Dimitri
Dear Dimitri! In fact, there is only one cross - this is the Cross of Christ. And being the instrument of our salvation, the cross can certainly help us, provided we have faith. The cross, in principle, cannot be "one's own" or "alien" for the simple reason that, in the proper sense, the cross of each person is that burden of sorrows, illnesses, and labors in general, which falls to everyone on his lot in this earthly life. Christ Himself says: "And whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me" (Mat. 10:38). That is, it turns out that you can not take your cross on yourself, renounce it and, in this case, Christ Himself, but this is already a problem of the moral choice of the person himself, and not some kind of accident in the form of mixed up "baptismal" crosses. Therefore, I advise you to strengthen your faith, including not to forget to pray for your brother, and what kind of cross you wear as a pectoral is of no fundamental importance.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello, I'm interested in the question of wearing a second pectoral cross. In the summer, the wedding took place and the bride's parents blessed the young and at the end of the ritual, the mother of the bride put on a cross for the bride and groom, while the bride did not have a cross at that time, although she was baptized, and the groom already wore a cross. Is the ritual performed correctly, is it possible to put on a second cross, because did not find information anywhere about such a tradition when blessing? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Eugene
Dear Eugene! Strictly speaking, in church life as such, such rituals simply do not exist. What you are talking about is, most likely, a folk family custom, about the "correctness" or "incorrectness" of which, in general, there is no point in seriously discussing it. And what could be "wrong" in the fact that one of those entering into marriage turned out to have two pectoral crosses? If you want - wear both, if you want - wear one, and put the other in the "red corner" near the icons. In fact, such ups and downs with crosses cannot have any significant impact on the quality of spiritual life and our salvation.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello! They brought me a cross from the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulcher as a gift, but I already have a cross from Holy Baptism. Can I wear two crosses or do I need to get a blessing for this? Thanks.
Vladislav
Dear Vladislav, usually only one pectoral cross is worn. You can wear them one by one or choose to wear only one of them.
Priest Daniel Lugovoy
Hello! I am interested in such a question. My child was baptized in a silver cross, and for a year God-parents gave gold. What to do, is it possible to wear them at the same time, or wait until they grow up and then we will wake up to wear gold!
Victoria
Better wear gold, and save the baptismal one - children often lose their crosses.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello! I often hear devastating criticism of the Soviet past from representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. The whole era was reduced to the words: "godless power" and "in times of theomachism"... As if there was nothing else, only for all 70 years the communists fought against religion and did little else. This follows from the above estimates. After all, there is a dominant factor in the assessment. It turns out that the struggle with religion dominated? And I don’t remember something about this ... Domination. I came across here on "Poems ru" with the poetry of Deacon Georgy Malkov: http://www.stihi.ru/avtor/diakonjorgos I read on its main page the words of fierce hatred for the Soviet era, the Bolsheviks and the Communists. When I read this, it seemed to me that I had been doused with cobra venom; it became very insulting ... After all, I remember very well, everything was as it was ... And I remember not only the bad, but also the good! And then I decided to answer this Georgy Malkov ... Well, then, I decided to show this text to you, because the questions and topics raised in it are very serious and quite controversial in society. It will not be easy, I think, for you to express your opinion on this topic... But, nevertheless, I ask you to do so. Please comment on this topic. what do you say after reading my text?.. Just say sincerely, honestly, from the heart. Can be by email. Well, you can - to your page. Just let me know where you can read your answer ... Thank you for reading and for your attention to the questions I raised. May the Lord enlighten us with His truth. God bless you! So, the text of my answer to the deacon: You know, dear brother! You will learn in heaven that Soviet power is from Jesus Christ. It’s a pity that everything is mixed up in this assessment, upside down. The reptile, just, was white ... And mocked Russia and the Russian land - the tsarist regime! - based on satanic principles. Do not love "your neighbor" - but "rob him", do not love "your neighbor" - but "oppress him"! BUT church structure served as a support for the bloody royal throne, covered it and walked hand in hand with it throughout history. Until the Lord sent Lenin from heaven - to restore justice and destroy the deeds of Satan. And you again did not see "Jesus" and "crucified Christ" like the Jews... Lenin was God's messenger! And he did the works of God on earth. Only those atrocities that you attribute to him were really done by Satan in the guise of pseudo-communists. Yes, there were those, pseudo-communists and false communists, who truly carried out the will of the devil! .. I want to say that the hand of the devil participated in this movement, just as when the wind blows, it brings the smell of not only roses, but and a chemical plant in the vicinity ... But the task is to separate the superficial from the main, or the grain from the chaff, and you sweep everything under the same brush. Real communists and Bolsheviks went to the scaffold for the people and justice, they died in prisons and camps. It was the true army of Christ, who fought against the diabolical order of the world, and rebelled against its principles! Look. This is the principle of Christ - serfdom? When did millions of people live like cattle? This is the principle of Christ: when the children of peasants could not even study, and were illiterate all their lives? This is the principle of Christ: when did the state system divide the population into slaves and masters?.. I will tell you, brother in Christ, this is the principle of the devil! God created people equal. And they must - love each other! The appearance of slaves occurred after the fall. And before that, it wasn't. At the bottom of everything, in the beginning, was love. "What have you done with your brother," - said God to Cain?.. - we read in the Bible. And we see that God was indignant... Then the man began to pervert his way on earth, began to kill animals and eat them; began to enslave his brothers, and raise them to the status of cattle. But the hour of retribution has come! The era of Lenin was the era of "universal retribution" for the tyrants and murderers of the people. With the hands of Lenin - God dealt a blow to the very demonic principles of the state system! The chains of exploitation that entangled the earth were shaken and broken. Now for the victims. The figures and data that you operate with are infinitely inflated and falsified. In many ways - this is what neither is "Goebbels propaganda" ... Not all the facts, - I say, - but the side of their incredible overestimation - is a real shameless lie! What millions of victims?.. What concentration camps? There was a Gulag - now GUIN. There were innocent - were. There were crimes - there were. I do not deny. It's a matter of evaluating all this; and also in that - where, that's all, to turn. When they scare us with concentration camps ... you also say that we - in the USSR - had our own Buchenwald, our own Auschwitz, our own - Dachau. Why bother with trifles, chop, chop like that ... And let's write, let's say that they ruined not half the country, but rather the whole country! Oh! .. Now - look, the Bolsheviks turned out to be big scoundrels! Beauty... Lies - that's all - and demagogy! At the expense of exaggerating the victims. See the archives of the NKVD. The archives are accurate and meticulous. Even Putin believes them "in the Katyn case" - that's scrupulousness, where is there some kind of petty person. Everything is recorded, everything is documented. About three million were repressed from 20 to 53! That's it... What tens?!. What kind of concentration camps?.. Solzhenitsyn wrote - like in the "archipelago" - that during the years of Stalin over 100 million people passed through the camps. This is with the population of the USSR before the war of 1941 - 180 million people! Let's continue to believe in him ... He writes well, comrade ... You, dear father, better calculate how many millions of people the tsarist regime has rotted away in ten centuries! How much people's blood was shed in serf captivity, in the master's dungeons, how much the people suffered and suffered! And the church, as a structure (and not as the successor of Christ) condoned satanic excesses secular authorities; with her, in fact, tacit consent, all the crimes of the tyrannical power against their people were committed! Here is your hour of retribution! Here is Lenin! And rightly so... And the church got it for "tacit complicity"... Why haven't the tyrants been reasoned with? Why didn’t they instruct, didn’t stop? .. Didn’t they renounce, finally? Why didn’t they refuse to crown the king as king, because the principles of his power contradicted the Bible, and contradicted the teachings of Christ? Did the landowner "love" his peasant? Did the manufacturer "love" the hired worker? Or, perhaps, the tsarist government based its laws on the divine principle "as you want to be treated, so you do with people"? This is interesting: a landowner - wanted to become a serf, is a capitalist - wanted to become a hired worker? 10 centuries, one part of society - scoffed at the other. And now, on the contrary. She was given power - over the tormentors! That is, the workers and peasants. Yes, they have not yet recouped their masters a little! .. There is no comparison with how they were treated ... For 10 centuries, one part of society - fattened, feasted, ate all the delights of life, and the other - worked hard on them, bent their backs, she worked 14 hours a day, remaining outside the law, because she had no right to a happy life. You, George, read our classics, see how the landowners mocked their serfs ... And the landlords - such believers, with crosses; and the little church is nearby... So I'm hammering an aspen stake - in despotism, tyranny, and where there are no principles of Christ!.. Let someone continue to hammer nails into Christ and continue to crucify Him, not seeing the truth without trying to find it. And in the Soviet regime there were principles of Christ - wow, how many! .. You just need to open your eyes. I am finishing the letter. I will sign this way: a churched Orthodox Christian with a higher historical education, Alexander. May God protect you! And guide us in all truth. Amen. Please forgive me if some places seemed offensive, or overly emotional. Goodbye.
Alexander
Dear Alexander! There is no way to answer exactly "point by point" regarding the issues that you raise, because it would take up too much space. In addition, arguing with passages, such as the fact that the tsarist regime, unlike the Soviet one, destroyed millions of its subjects, is generally pointless, such a statement only indicates that you, unfortunately, have a rather distorted idea of our history. It is enough, for example, to look at how many death sentences were carried out in the entire 19th century (and compare with the Soviet 20th century) to understand how fantastic what you are saying is. However, I would like to draw your attention to the following. Probably, it is still not necessary to separate the thousand-year history of Russia and Soviet history as such - in the sense that the Soviet period is also the history of Russia, and one of the most tragic, dramatic and lofty periods of this history in general. And here it is necessary to distinguish the concrete destinies of people from ideology as such. There were many heroic and sacrificial people among the communists, it is pointless to argue with this. And God is their judge, as they say. However, the communist ideology itself, whatever one may say, was and is godless and capable of many lawlessness, which we quite find in the Soviet period of our history. In order not to be unfounded, I will give just one example, taken from the Novaya Gazeta website (I am not an apologist for this liberal publication, this publication just happened to catch my eye): http://www.novayagazeta.ru/gulag/49196. html - "Execution without the right to correspond". It strictly documented how the Soviet authorities first shot them with an official sentence of "ten years in prison without the right to correspondence", as a result of which the relatives were completely unaware of the fate of their loved ones (even after all, it was impossible to pray for repose in this case!), then, after ten years, they began to say, they say, he died during imprisonment, then - to issue death certificates with a fake date, and only decades later, they finally recognized the whole truth. What happens: lawlessness, repeatedly multiplied by lies about this lawlessness! And this is just one example. After such examples, how can one assert that the Soviet ideology was completely human or Christian? No, excuse me, Christ himself says about the devil that “he was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies ”() And, by the way, this denunciation of the devil is quite similar to the example of “executions without the right to correspond” - the Bolsheviks as such are typical murderers and liars. Moreover, any historical period must be judged, as they say, "by its fruits." In this sense, princely-tsarist-imperial Russia in its Orthodox state historical existence has at least nine centuries, while the Soviet period could not fully carry out state activities for seventy years, moreover, it was precisely those who came out of the bowels of the Soviet system. That is, in the person of the rulers of that time, the system destroyed itself - apparently, also for the simple reason that indeed, as it was declared, "raised a new person", who for some reason, instead of consciously regulating "his needs”, turned out to be thievish and eager for material values. In general, alas, the history of the Soviet Union only confirms the words of Christ Himself, that “he who abides in Me, and I in him, brings much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” If Russia strove to remain in Christ, then the Soviet Union clearly did not strive for this, which is why it fell apart, despite its visible, but, alas, short-lived power. To argue with this is the same as to object to historical evidence. In general, here one can discuss for a long time, but, as they say, one cannot grasp the immensity. I can only add that in my life I also managed to catch the Soviet period as such, and this was in the city of Sverdlovsk and, one might say, in the backyard of Uralmashzavod. There was only one functioning temple in the city at that time, there was simply nowhere to get and read the Gospel, the lumpenization of the population around, drunkenness, etc. even then they were just outrageous. That is, the lack of spirituality was terrible. In this sense, I would never want to return to such an experience of life. But these are my personal impressions from that period. More important, in my opinion, is something else: the most important thing for any historical period is the very possibility for a person to be in the Church and to be the Church. This is what you need to start from. Soviet period in this sense, it was not the best period of our history, although I repeat, in terms of sacrifice and heroism, always characteristic of our people, this time will remain one of the greatest eras.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello, father. I think my father is possessed by an unclean spirit or witchcraft. The crosses and chains on it either turn black, or tear, or simply burn the skin. He is baptized, but does not go to church. I know that he has a good soul. I want to help him. If he is still obsessed, can I chastise him, pray him? I recently found one prayer. It is large, so I will give the first lines. “We begin to say the prayer of the Hieromartyr Cyprian, in the days or at night, or at what hour you exercise, all the forces of resistance will fall away from the glory of the Living God. Thy servant, Cyprian "... Can it be read or is it on a different occasion? And what prayers should be read in this case? Thank you.
Guseva Marina Alexandrovna
Dear Marina Alexandrovna! Personally, I would not advise you to directly resort to this kind of extraordinary prayer experience. Nevertheless, we are not the measure of spiritual development with you to resort to the help of so-called incantatory prayers. It is better for you to simply pray for the gift of faith to your father, for his admonition and salvation. You can, for example, read the Gospel chapter by chapter daily, adding the following prayer before and after the reading: “Lord, with the words of Your Holy Gospel, have mercy on my father, grant him faith and deliverance from all sin.” It will be spiritually safer this way, since all kinds of “reprimands” and incantatory prayers imply a certain emphasis on direct spiritual warfare with the spirits of evil, for which most of us may actually be simply not ready. As for the very fact that the chains from the cross turn black, this may be due to completely natural reasons related to the specifics of metabolism and the characteristics of the material from which these chains or crosses are made.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello .. I am writing a question in desperation. Please, Father .. help me with advice! It all started 3 months ago, I was fired from my job, I never found a new one, although I have a good education and extensive work experience. Just recently, I started to get very sick, no one can understand what it is. Everything hurts in turn, I'm afraid already .. I wake up waiting every day .., but what about today? Doctors prescribe pills, it helps, but something else starts to hurt. I don’t have a personal life, my parents are far away, it’s impossible to work, constant thoughts in my head are bad, thoughts about bad things, I practically don’t sleep at night ... I turn on the light - it’s scary. Every evening I go to the icons and ask for health for myself and my loved ones, with holy water I draw crosses on my forehead, neck and chest, I ordered a prayer service for health ... I have a suspicion that they jinxed me, because there was a conflict with one person, and my appearance bright. Tell me, maybe there are some special icons, prayers that work from the evil eye or from illness .. Maybe it’s worth doing some kind of procedure or even being baptized again. Help for God's sake, please!
Maria
Dear Maria! In Orthodoxy there is no such custom - to be baptized a second time, however, the holy fathers called the second Baptism the Sacrament of repentance, which includes confession. The very reason for the morbidity and mortality of our human nature is sin and, in general, our sinfulness, which originates in Adam and Eve, our forefathers, in their falling away from God. From the moment of the Resurrection of Christ, it is Christ and the possibility of fellowship with Him in His Church that is the main cure for sin and everything connected with sin. And the Lord so arranged in His Church that the grace of God, as a cure for sin, can be perceived by us in the most complete way through a conscious participation in the liturgical life. The focus of this is confession and the Eucharist (Sacrament of Communion). Of course, in order to live the Eucharistic (Regularly Communion), faith and the desire to live by faith are not least needed, however, if this desire exists, then the Lord strengthens us both spiritually and physically. In the prayer before Communion - in fact, before the Chalice of Christ - we say: "Let the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries be not for judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body." That is, in communion with God, we have the right to ask not only spiritual healing, but also physical, as well as strengthening and giving strength in the implementation of earthly affairs and to overcome sorrows and illnesses. Try to direct your attention precisely to this, to the focus of all Church life – to the Divine Liturgy. Help God in this!
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Is it possible to collect crosses?
Svetlana
Dear Svetlana! There is no absolute ban, another thing: what is the purpose of this enterprise? Collect crosses precisely as samples of Christian shrines (this one is from the Holy Land, and this one is from such and such a monastery)? Collect modern-made crosses as a kind of jewelry? Or collect pectoral crosses from different eras as historical artifacts? Or just, without hesitation, all in a row? Depending on how conscious and thoughtful your intentions in this area are, you need to make a decision: is it worth spending time and effort on this occupation, which, first of all, it makes sense for Christians to spend on the work of salvation in Christ.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
I don't think God will forgive me! I keep falling! I was in a sect, under their influence I threw away the icons of my home and my pectoral cross, I repented of this in confession, but the heaviness remained in my soul! And it's hard for me to fight the sin of fornication, it torments me a lot! Help advice!
Maria
Dear Maria! As they say, don't panic! Each person sins to some extent, each is in a state of falling, but it all depends on whether we get up every time or prefer to lie in a state of moral and spiritual relaxation. As one of the Christian saints said, all the sins that a person can commit are like a handful of sand that a person throws into the ocean of divine love and which cannot be overshadowed or covered up by any sinful sand. Or, as the ancient paterinic literature tells, when a young monk came to one holy elder and asked: “What should I do, I fall all the time,” the elder replied, they say, “get up every time!” The young monk asked: “How many times do you do this?” - the elder replied: "Until death!" That is, in fact, the task of the Christian life is not to become spiritually sterile and not notice any sins in oneself, the task is to, while realizing one’s own sins, have repentance before God and, at the same time, hope in His mercy. Repentance in this sense (including fornication and inclinations) must be active: one must learn to cut off (drive away) thoughts by prayer and more earnestly ask God for help in the Sacraments of repentance (confession) and Communion at the Liturgy.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello, father! Please tell me, I'm very worried! Yesterday, during my sleep, a cross came off the chain (the bow was frayed), I never take it off my body. Is this a bad sign? What is the right thing to do next: go again to consecrate it and solder it, or buy a new cross and consecrate it. Thank you very much!
Anastasia
Dear Anastasia, the fact that, for quite understandable physical reasons, the metal became thinner and the bow broke, one should not look for spiritual reasons. Repair it, please, and keep wearing it.
Priest Daniel Lugovoy
Please tell me. I have been wearing a silver double-sided antique pectoral cross for a long time and recently bought a golden pectoral cross reliquary, what should I put in it? Does it need a blessing? Is it possible to wear two crosses at once?
Andrey
From the name itself, “reliquary”, it follows that a particle of holy relics or some other shrine (for example, a particle of a saint’s vestment) can be put there. However, it is practically impossible to acquire holy relics; only a bishop (or a priest with the blessing of the bishop) can give them. But the Cross of Christ itself has sufficient grace-filled power, there is no need to strengthen it further. You should not wear two crosses at once, because of this you will not become twice as spiritual or protected.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Good afternoon! Recently I was in Italy, visited the Vatican. I bought a medallion (Virgin Mary) as a souvenir, I wear it along with a cross on a chain. Is it possible to wear such things together and in general?
Tatyana
There are a number of icons of the Mother of God, which are revered by both Orthodox and Catholics. Orthodox see Catholic religious painting as contradictory Orthodox canons, however, in our church there are many revered images of the Virgin Mary, painted in a Western manner, so consecrate this medallion and you can wear it.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello, father! Please tell me, is it possible to buy a cross with a chain at a pawnshop sale, consecrate it and wear it? That is, the cross turns out to be already worn by someone once ... God save you.
Irina
Dear Irina, You can buy a cross wherever you want. The fact that someone has already worn a cross is nothing terrible either for the soul or for the body. Consecrate him, please, in the temple and be calm.
Priest Daniel Lugovoy
Father, I really need your advice. I met a guy, in general, very positive in terms of lifestyle and views. Such a rarity now, besides, it's time for me to get married. that's what everyone says, and it would be stupid to scatter such guys. In general, we began to meet with him, no disappointments. But when I saw him in a T-shirt, I was stunned with horror. He has a huge tattoo in the form of the devil and death on his chest. He does not wear a cross, but he also did not hear harsh statements about God from him. Mom advises me to run away from him while the mind is stronger than feelings. I tried to find out from the guy why he did it, about his faith in God, but he answers evasively and laughs it off. I am a believer and something inside me now opposes this relationship. What to do, tell me, please?
Kseniya
Yes, dear Xenia, sometimes there are no problems. Of course, the presence of this kind of tattoos cannot but be alarming. However, if this person is still dear to you and you see some positive basis in his personality, it makes sense to ask more urgently: what exactly is in currently does this image mean for this person? Maybe it was a kind of unreasonable and not fully realized hobby, a tribute to some fashion, which there is no longer a desire to follow? And, perhaps, the wearer of this tattoo is ready to refuse it and, having resorted to certain cosmetic procedures, will this image be “reduced”? That is, it makes sense to raise these questions seriously, if at all there is a mutual desire and need to continue this acquaintance.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello, I will be very grateful if you can tell me how to be and how to defend myself. The essence of the question is that they have been wanting to separate the girl and me with various love spells for several months now. They already did a love spell on my girlfriend on her face and she had a pinched facial nerve, no matter how much they tried to treat, nothing helped, the church and the Father saved us, to whom we were advised to turn and she recovered. Now our daughter has already been born, we love each other in such a way that it is impossible even to describe, but in the last few months we sometimes begin to swear for absolutely nothing and practically part. Having barely figured it out and adjusted everything, she has barley the very next day. And so constantly with a frequency of a month. There were cases when, in an incomprehensible way, I almost lost my cross, several times a day, but then almost letting go of it all day later and checking, the next day she again had barley. There are people who envy us and want to prevent us from being together, in any case, one person has a familiar grandmother, through whom he is trying to harm us in this way. Please help fight this!!! There may be some way to protect yourself or there are some prayers for protection from this. Maybe you need to go to church or something. I would be very grateful to you if you can suggest at least something or help protect yourself.
Vadim
Dear Vadim! Protection for the Christian - the Lord Himself! It is said: "If God is with us, then who can be against us?" But for this to be so, one must have a living striving for God and try to get rid of what hinders this. But our sins and lack of faith in general prevent this. Moreover, what we believe in is powerful over us. And as soon as you have faith in the power of damage or the evil eye, then beware! - all this witchcraft nonsense begins to influence you, while in fact all this is unworthy of the fears of a Christian, because in Baptism we are generally given the power to spit on all the intrigues of the enemy of the human race. So you need to be strengthened in faith and first get rid of those sins that directly hinder this. For example, from your words it is not very clear who is your "girlfriend" at the moment? Is she your legal wife or, in fact, do you live without being registered? If so, then you need to apply to the registry office, because otherwise your union is illegal, that is, the sin of fornication, the consequence of which may be what worries you so much. Therefore, such sins, if any, must be corrected, and then, which is also extremely important, it is necessary to seek the help and grace of God not only in arranging earthly affairs, but also in order to gain salvation, eternal life in Christ. For this, the Church was given to us by God, and the focus of God's help and power in the Church is the Liturgy, at which the Sacrament of Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated. If, however, we Christians, considering ourselves as such, neglect this Sacrament, do not confess and do not take communion, then, in fact, we do not have the most important thing. Christ directly speaks about this in the Gospel (see the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John - “Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35) Thus, I repeat, in order to get rid of the problems that were discussed, you need to continue not to allow gross sins, and also, if you have faith in Christ, turn to the Sacraments of the Church.
Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov
Hello! I have been living with my husband for 5 years. During this time, he repeatedly deceived me while swearing on icons and the cross, including the health of his family and friends. Having learned about the next oath, I advised him to repent in the church, but after the confession, he still took the icon and deceived me again on it. Yesterday we quarreled and he began to swear again. In annoyance, I took the cross in my hand and said that if he was deceiving me again, then let him be damned. In turn, he took the cross and said that he was cursing me. Tell me, please, what should I do, because I also committed a sin and what should I do with my husband?
Nina
The Lord tells us: “Have you heard what was said to the ancients: do not break your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord. But I say to you: do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; but what is more than this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37). By this, the Lord shows us that we must be responsible for the spoken word, because we are far from being able to fulfill every oath. I'm not talking about how dangerous it is for your own soul to curse your neighbor. Here it would be appropriate to recall other words of Christ: “You heard what was said to the ancients: do not kill, but whoever kills is subject to judgment. But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother in vain is subject to judgment; whoever says to his brother: "cancer", is subject to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says: “insane”, is subject to hellfire ”(Matthew 5, 21-22 Dear Allah, you can visit the churches of the Antiochian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in America, since they are in canonical communion with all Orthodox Churches. You did absolutely the right thing in your case by buying a new, consecrated cross to replace the lost one. It is in the temple that you need to buy crosses. There, unlike the store, you can find an Orthodox cross, not a piece of jewelry. 17 25
Is it possible to wear two crosses on the neck at the same time or alternately? Is it possible to wear a zodiac sign, a pendant or an amulet on the same chain with a cross, and is it possible to wear someone else's cross - read the answers of a specialist.
Answer:
The Orthodox cross with which the child was baptized cannot be removed. This is a sacred amulet for a person with whom he prays, asks and thanks God. But, there are people who wear on a chain not only a cross, but, for example, a pendant in the form of a zodiac sign. This raises questions from others, because few people know whether it is possible to wear a cross on the same chain with something else.
Of course, the cross will look very stupid on the same chain with a pentagram pendant. Non-Orthodox pendants are best worn on different chains. After all, the pectoral cross is therefore “pectoral” because it must be worn near the body, under clothing. And pendants, signs of the zodiac and other similar things should be put on another chain and worn over clothes as a decoration.
But, Orthodox priests do not see anything wrong if a believer, along with a cross, wears an icon or an amulet.
It happens that a person has a cross, but he liked another one and bought it, or someone else gave it to him. What then to do with the first and is it possible to wear two crosses?
Priests are advised to leave one cross near the icons or wear two, but alternately. The main thing is that the cross should always be put on a person, because it is an instrument of salvation and a talisman for the owner.
Is it possible to wear someone else's cross - the answers of the priest
It is believed that the cross absorbs the energy of the owner. Putting on someone else's cross, you can take on someone else's grief, illness, sins. The found cross, according to rumors, promises trouble and misfortune. Can a sacred relic really bring problems and what do priests say about whether it is possible to wear someone else's cross?
Orthodox priests argue that superstitions about someone else's cross are unfounded. Whoever it is, it is a great shrine that must be treated with respect. The cross does not convey someone else's aura, fate, illness or trouble, and in no case should you be afraid of it. Having found a cross, they do not need to disdain and perceive it as a problem.
The opinion that someone else's cross conveys sins is also erroneous. After all, then it would be possible to sin, and each time handing out crosses or throwing them away. But, if there is no desire to wear someone else's cross, then it must be treated with reverence and, in extreme cases, given to the church.
