I have been a Christian for about 10 years now.

And of course, over these ten years I have encountered a million various issues on the topic “Can you drink?”, “Do you have candles in the church?”, “Do you go to church in jeans too?”, “How do you differ from the Orthodox Church?” etc.

But this post will specifically focus on one question: “Why don’t I wear a cross.”

Once upon a time, I went with a friend to the USA, and somehow my friends there asked me to babysit their children while they were leaving somewhere. And, here’s the scene: my friend is sitting with a child in her arms, and the child asks a question, seeing a cross on her friend’s neck:

- Anna, why are you wearing a cross?

Anna looks at me in panic and exclaims:

- Lena! What to say?!

I turn to them and say to the little girl sitting on her friend’s lap:

- Hopey (this is the girl’s name), do you know what the cross means?

- Yes!!! This cross, on which Jesus died for our sins!

- Yes that's right. A the cross around the neck is a reminder that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

I believe that the cross is the ideal symbol of Christianity. And wearing a cross is truly the most vivid reminder of what Christ did. The problem is that most people who wear it now no longer attach this meaning to the cross.

Now this is simply the performance of a certain ritual:

1) either it is worn without fail after baptism in the temple;

2) or they put into it some function of a talisman or an omelet.

3) or (which is similar to the above) - what if it helps? (what is unclear).

In my opinion there are two options.

If you don’t believe in Christ as God, you don’t have any special idea at all about the Christian God, or about Christianity in principle - only vaguely somewhere, sort of like hearsay - then a cross on your neck does not make you a Christian or a believer by default. And it doesn’t save you from evil spirits either.

If you are a believer, you recognize Christ as your Lord and Savior, you know that the first commandment is not “thou shalt not kill,” but “I am the Lord thy God... thou shalt have no other gods before me,” you attend church not only on holidays “for show’s sake,” but this is, in principle, part of your way of life, if you don’t get scared when you hear the word “Bible,” then a cross on your neck does not make you a better Christian or believer. It also does not drive out evil spirits. If you are a Christian in essence, then you are one with or without a cross .

Why don’t I wear a cross, despite the fact that I consider the cross to be an ideal symbol?

I have a list again.

Well, first of all, it’s not fundamentally important - if you essentially a Christian , then additional accessories will not add anything to this.

Secondly, the cross as a symbol has already become blurry. I don't know how rude that sounds. The point is that now the presence of a cross on a person’s neck does not at all mean that he belongs to Christianity. It can simply be used as decoration. Or as a tradition. Neither of these relates to confessing faith in the heart. In this regard, I chose to wear the symbol " fish" : in Greek the word for fish is " ichthys". Christians used this word as an abbreviation for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the world.” This decoding was known to the dedicated circle of people who were “in the know.” This symbol especially helped during severe persecutions in the Roman Empire. “The Cross” was too a prominent symbol, so a fish was used.

Now I don’t wear either a cross or a fish. Although I have them. I have a silver cross at home, and I want to wear it somehow. But not because I put any special meaning into it. But because I like it. He's so cute. Small. Not pretentious and without any special embellishments. Oh, well, it used to be wooden. I liked him too. But a friend technically took it and began wearing it herself. They are friends... whatever they want from their neighbor, that’s all. Gone.

Do you wear a cross? Why? Or for what? Do you still believe in Christ? Is it with all your heart?...

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 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 that 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 more important question is convenience and habit. If a person wants to wear a cross on a chain, he can do so; the church does not prohibit such actions. The most important principle to follow in in this case- so that the cross does not get lost and does not fly off the neck. Both lace and chain are acceptable. Superstitious people, however, claim that by all accounts 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 outward, a person shows the sincerity of faith without making it ostentatious. Also, all the warmth and blessing that the priest bestows on the cross during the consecration is transferred only to you in this case.

Can't give

You can always give a cross. Of course, it’s great if parents or godparents take care of this, as one of the christening gifts. But this does not mean that another person cannot give you a cross. There is also a tradition when two people exchange 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. Let us also recall that superstitions are not at all recognized by the church and are considered incompatible with the Christian faith. There are people who believe that by picking up a found cross, you can take on the problems of the person who lost it or abandoned 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't wear someone else's cross

If you received 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't 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 be turned outward, not towards you.

Can't be worn blessed cross

It is best to consecrate the cross. But as such, there is no prohibition on wearing an unconsecrated cross. It is believed that evil spirits avoid even two crossed sticks. Nevertheless, a believer should still consecrate his symbol of faith.

You can choose any cross you like: gold, silver, copper or wood. The material is not very important. It is important to consecrate it and not wear jewelry purchased at a jewelry store as a cross. It is necessary to understand that the church orthodox cross, which symbolizes faith in God, differs from the beautiful, but purely decorative crosses. They do not carry a spiritual load and have nothing to do with faith.

There are also many signs and beliefs associated with the cross. Whether you believe in them or not depends only on 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...

Should an Orthodox Christian always wear a pectoral cross, explains Priest Andrei Chizhenko.

In churches such beautiful gospel words were read: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14). That is, the Savior directly compared his crucifixion, the erection of the Cross, with the copper serpent, raised thousands of years ago by the holy prophet Moses on a tree in the middle of the desert so that Jews bitten by snakes would look at this copper serpent and be healed. “And the Lord said to Moses: Make yourself a [brass] serpent and display it on a banner, and [if the serpent bites any person] the one who is bitten will look at it and live” (Num. 21:8). In the above-mentioned verse of the Holy Gospel, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ directly compares himself to the copper serpent, and the banner about which God spoke to the holy prophet Moses with the Crucifixion - the Tree of the Cross.

In fact twice a day Holy Scripture God almost directly says that the cross is the main weapon against the enemy and the main means of saving fallen man. “Looking at him” - that is, not just a physical action, but most importantly - an impulse of the soul, love for God, for His suffering, for the Crucifixion, a prayer of faith, making the sign of the cross, wearing pectoral cross is a saving act that delivers from the devil, from troubles, and from various troubles.

After all, in essence, wearing a cross on the body is a bodily physical prayer - a confession of faith, a kind of silent Symbol of Faith. In addition, the Lord directly says that the feat of Christ on the Cross was saving for humanity, which means that the holy cross has a special power of grace. Righteous John of Kronstadt wrote that the cross “is always a great power for believers, delivering from all evils, especially from the villainy of hated enemies.”

In turn, Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in his work “The Word on Death” wrote about what exists around us invisible world spirits - good Angels and evil demons. Because of our inertia and gross physicality, we do not see him, but thousands, if not millions of ethereal creatures swarm around us. And in this spiritual world there is a constant struggle for the human soul. The Holy Angels wish her salvation, the demons push her to destruction.

The cross, according to the commandment of God Himself and the testimony of the saints, is the most effective weapon against ethereal enemies. Therefore, not wearing a pectoral cross by an Orthodox Christian, in my opinion, can be compared to what would happen if a beekeeper suddenly approached a bee hive without the appropriate protective suit, or if a tiger trainer entered a cage with predators without a whip and a revolver. A person who does not wear a pectoral cross dooms himself to defeat in the battle with demons and may well become their victim.

The remarkable preacher of the early twentieth century, Hieromartyr Gregory, Bishop of Shlisselburg, said in his essay “What you need to know about the devil”: “The second greatest mistake is made when the thought of the devil and the need to fight him disappears from the life of a Christian. Then the person himself gives himself to the elements of evil, giving freely and voluntarily. The following happens: a person thinks that everything around is calm, there is no enemy, and he is careless, lives without looking back, the forces of the soul are asleep, all mental movements are accepted as their own, as natural. This state of human carelessness is what the power of evil takes advantage of, because there are no obstacles for it. Souls are calm, souls are carefree, souls are open... Take a person with your bare hands without resistance. Tragic picture! The man convinced himself that there was no enemy - everything happened according to natural laws. But the enemy laughs... He comes freely when everything is open and rules. One French writer (Huysmans) said amazing words: “The greatest victory of the devil was to convince people that he does not exist.” Do you hear? Yes, this is Satan's greatest victory. He suggested this. What devil?! Yes, he never existed, and no! This is an old stupid prejudice! And the devil stepped aside. And now he laughs evilly. He is gone, there is no enemy... Down with attention, caution! He will be in charge. Everything is open before him, come into the person and do with him what you want. What happened was as if thieves and bandits assured people that they were not there, that there was no theft. People would open their doors wide and indulge in carelessness. Oh, how thefts and crimes would flourish then! Yes, in material matters, people cleverly lock themselves with ten locks, protect the good, but they don’t think of preserving the good of the soul. The soul is a passage yard. Everything is wide open. You are afraid of thieves, but you are not afraid of a spiritual bandit!”

And he also wrote: “The Holy Church believes that at the head of this world (meaning hell - author’s note) are its ancestors, the first spirits of evil who fell away from God, permeated with lies, welded together by malice, wise by thousands of years of experience. Their task is to fight the Light. Their leadership of the entire world of evil spirits tends to lead the final struggle with the kingdom of Truth, that is, the kingdom of Christ. Hence, the whole life of the world is a struggle with good, the propagation of evil or sin, because evil and sin are identical concepts. And the world of good is saturated with invisible spirits of evil, whose entire existence pursues one goal: to extinguish the Light, destroy good, plant hell everywhere, so that there is a triumph of darkness and hell everywhere. Here are the most basic concepts about the kingdom of evil and its inhabitants. This is a completely real kingdom!”

From my priestly experience, I will say that I personally encountered the fact that demons tried to convince a dying person to take off his cross. And it was truly a difficult and terrible struggle for him.

Therefore, of course, an Orthodox Christian should, if possible, wear pectoral cross Always. Especially during communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ - this real contact with God.

Historical example: our ancestors had special wooden “bath” crosses. If a person’s pectoral cross was made of metal, then in the bath he was given a special wooden cross so that the metal would not burn the skin in the steam room. Our ancestors did not want to remain unprotected from demons anywhere.

In our time, when thousands of Christians in Africa and the Middle East die for the confession of the faith of Christ - for the Cross of God, when some of them tattoo the crucifix on their skin so that there is no temptation to renounce God during torture and death, should we - Orthodox - to take off their crosses in order to become a victim of an evil spirit?

Let us remember, dear brothers and sisters, the sign of the Cross in heaven, revealed to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, and the voice: “By this, conquer.” The cross is our nickname. The cross is our victory. Let us not voluntarily deprive ourselves of salvation...

Priest Andrey Chizhenko

Where did the tradition of wearing crosses come from? Why wear it? “I believe in God in my soul, but I don’t need a cross. It is not written anywhere in the Bible that one must wear a cross, and nowhere is it written that the first Christians wore crosses.” This or something like this is what people say who consider themselves Orthodox Christians, but do not express their faith in any way. Most unchurched people do not have a Christian understanding of what a cross is and why it should be worn on the body. So what is a pectoral cross? Why does Satan hate it so much and does everything to ensure that no one wears it, or wears it simply as a meaningless decoration?

ORIGIN AND SYMBOLICS OF THE PATTERN CROSS

The custom of placing a pectoral cross on the neck of the newly baptized person along with Baptism did not appear immediately. In the first centuries of Christianity, they did not wear a cross, but rather wore medallions with the image of a slain Lamb or the Crucifixion. But the Cross, as the instrument of the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ, has been the subject of greatest celebration among Christians from the very beginning of the Church. For example, the church thinker Tertullian (II-III centuries) in his “Apology” testifies that the veneration of the cross existed from the first times of Christianity. Even before the discovery of the life-giving Cross on which Christ was crucified in the 4th century by Queen Helena and Emperor Constantine, the custom was already widespread among the first followers of Christ to always carry an image of the cross with them - both as a reminder of the suffering of the Lord, and to confess their faith before others .According to the story of Pontius, biographer of St. Cyprian of Carthage, in the 3rd century, some Christians depicted the figure of a cross even on their foreheads; by this sign they were recognized during persecution and handed over to torture. The first Christians are also known to wear a cross on their chest. Sources from the 2nd century also mention him.

The first documentary evidence of wearing crosses dates back to the beginning of the 4th century. Thus, Acts VII Ecumenical Council testify that the holy martyrs Orestes (†304) and Procopius (†303), who suffered under Diocletian, wore a cross made of gold and silver around their necks.

After the weakening and subsequent cessation of the persecution of Christians, wearing a cross became a widespread custom. At the same time, crosses began to be installed on all Christian churches.

In Rus', this custom was adopted precisely with the baptism of the Slavs in 988. Since Byzantine times, there have been two types of body crosses in Rus': the actual "telniks" (worn on the body under clothing) and so-called. « encolpions" (from Greek word“chest”), worn not on the body, but on top of clothing. Let's say two words about the last: initially, pious Christians carried with them (on themselves) a reliquary with particles of St. relics or other shrines. A cross was placed on this reliquary. Subsequently, the reliquary itself took on the shape of a cross, and bishops and emperors began to wear such a cross. The modern priestly and episcopal pectoral cross traces its history precisely to encolpions, that is, boxes with relics or other shrines.

Russian people swore allegiance on crosses, and by exchanging pectoral crosses, they became cross brothers. When building churches, houses, and bridges, a cross was laid in the foundation. There was a custom to cast many crosses from a broken church bell, which were especially revered.

The Cross of Christ is a symbol of Christianity. For modern man a symbol is just an identification mark. A symbol is like an emblem indicating something with which we are dealing. But the symbol has a much broader meaning than just the meaning of the emblem. In religious culture a symbol is involved in the reality that it symbolizes. What is the reality that the Cross of Christ symbolizes for Christians?.. This reality: The Redemption of the human race accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Death on the Cross.

The veneration of the Cross has always been understood by the Teachings of the Church as the worship of Jesus Christ in the light of His redemptive deed.The Cross of Christ, which Orthodox Christians always wear on their bodies, shows us and reminds us at what price our Salvation was purchased.

For Christians, the cross is not just a sign. For Christians, the cross is a symbol of victory over the devil, a banner of the triumph of God. The cross reminds the believer of Christ, of the sacrifice the Savior made for us.

MEANING OF THE CROSS

What does a pectoral cross symbolize?

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

The cross, as an instrument of terrible and painful execution, thanks to the sacrificial deed of Christ the Savior, became a symbol of redemption and an instrument of salvation for all mankind from sin and death. It is on the Cross, through pain and suffering, death and Resurrection, that the Son of God accomplishes salvation or healing human nature from mortality, passion and corruption introduced into it by the fall of Adam and Eve. Thus, a person who wears the Crucifixion of Christ testifies to his participation in the suffering and feat of his Savior, followed by hope for salvation, and therefore the resurrection of a person for eternal life with God blessing.

ABOUT THE FORM OF THE PATTERN CROSS

A pectoral cross is not a talisman or a piece of jewelry. No matter how beautiful it may be, no matter what precious metal it is made of, it is first and foremost a visible symbol of the Christian faith.

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

The iconography of the Orthodox Crucifixion received its final dogmatic justification in 692 in the 82nd rule of the Trull Cathedral , who approved canon of the iconographic image of the Crucifixion .

The main condition of the canon is the combination of historical realism with the realism of Divine Revelation. The figure of the Savior expresses Divine peace and greatness. It is as if it were placed on a cross and the Lord opens His arms to everyone who turns to Him. In this iconography, the complex dogmatic task of depicting the two hypostases of Christ - Human and Divine - is artistically solved, showing both the death and the victory of the Savior.

Catholics, having abandoned their early views, did not understand and did not accept the rules of the Council of Trull and, accordingly, the symbolic spiritual image of Jesus Christ. This is how it arises in the Middle Ages new type The crucifixion, in which the naturalistic features of human suffering and the agony of execution on the cross become predominant: the weight of the body sagging on outstretched arms, the head crowned with a crown of thorns, the crossed feet nailed with one nail (an innovation of the late 13th century). The anatomical details of the Catholic depiction, while conveying the veracity of the execution itself, nevertheless hide the main thing - the triumph of the Lord, who defeated death and reveals to us eternal life, and concentrates attention on torment and death. His naturalism has only an external emotional impact, leading to the temptation of comparing our sinful sufferings with the redemptive Passion of Christ.

Images of the crucified Savior, similar to Catholic ones, are also found on Orthodox crosses, especially often in the 18th-20th centuries, however, as well as iconographic images of God the Father of Hosts, prohibited by the Stoglavy Cathedral. Naturally, Orthodox piety requires the wearing of an Orthodox cross, and not a Catholic one, which violates the dogmatic foundations of the Christian faith.

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

THE MEANING OF WEARING A CROSS AND THE INscription THAT WE READ ON ITS ARMS: “SAVE AND SAVE”

Christians who wear a pectoral cross seem to be offering a wordless prayer to God. And it always protects the wearer.

There is a widespread opinion among Christians that the cross of Christ, the image of God, the Lord Himself should protect us precisely from everyday troubles and troubles. And, of course, many of those who wear a pectoral cross are guided by precisely this pragmatic motive. But in fact, the meaning of wearing a cross and the inscription that we read on its back: "Bless and save", completely different.

In itself, the presence of a cross on the chest does not save and has no meaning for a person if he does not consciously profess what the Cross of Christ symbolizes. Although, of course, Lord, undoubtedly protects those who believe in him from many everyday misfortunes and troubles. That is, if a person wears a cross with faith and trust in the mercy of God, he, relatively speaking, is “included” in God’s special “plan” and nothing fatally irreparable will ever happen to him in eternity. The concept of “God’s plan” here means precisely the plan of our salvation, and not the management of the world on a wide, universal scale, because the whole world, of course, is contained by the right hand of God and is governed by His Divine providence. But, no matter how scary it sounds, it is precisely “necessary” and sometimes painful death that becomes for a person the door to the Kingdom of God. This does not mean that God wants such an end for us, but it does mean that those who have endured unjust torment will certainly find great consolation. If you like, this is the law of God.

So what does the Lord promise to save us from? Not from everyday troubles, misfortunes and difficulties in the first place, because all this can even be necessary for the soul, alas, prone to relaxation and forgetting the purpose of its existence. But The Lord promises to save us, first of all, from the terrible power of sin, through which the enemy of the human race destroys our souls. And this power is truly so great that not a single person can free himself from it on his own. But with God's help this is possible. Maybe! The Holy Fathers say: “The enemy is strong, but the Lord is omnipotent!”

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

WHY SHOULD YOU WEAR A CROSS?

The pectoral cross is placed on us in the Sacrament of Baptism in fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Whoever wants to come after Me, turn away from you, and take up your cross and follow Me.”(Mark 8:34).

We must bear our cross in life, and the cross that is on our chest reminds us of this. Cross “there is always a great power for believers, delivering from all evils, especially from the villainy of hated enemies,”- writes the saint righteous John Kronstadt.

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

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

Exists a superstition that when consecrated, a pectoral cross acquires magical protective properties. But superstitions should be avoided. The Church teaches that the sanctification of matter allows us not only spiritually, but also physically - through this sanctified matter - to join the Divine grace that we need for spiritual growth and salvation. But God's grace does not act unconditionally. A person is required to have a correct spiritual life according to God’s commandments, and it is this spiritual life that makes it possible for God’s grace to have a salutary effect on us, healing us from passions and sins.

For Orthodox Christian Wearing a cross is a great honor and responsibility.Taking off one's cross or not wearing it has always been understood as apostasy. Over the 2000-year history of Christianity, many people have suffered for their faith, for refusing to renounce Christ and take off their pectoral cross. This feat has been repeated in our time.

If you do not wear a cross now, when you can freely profess your faith, then you will hardly dare to put it on when you have to suffer for it. Can you repeat the feat of a simple Russian guy Evgeniy Rodionov ?

...He was a grenade launcher, served in the 479th Special Purpose Border Detachment. Zhenya served at the outpost in Chechnya for exactly a month, and on February 13, 1996, he was captured. Three of his friends were with him: Sasha Zheleznov, Andrey Trusov, Igor Yakovlev. They spent 3.5 months in captivity. During this time they were bullied as much as possible. But Evgeny had a choice, every day they came up to him and said: “You can live. To do this, you need to take off your cross, accept our faith, and become our brother. And all these nightmares will end immediately for you.” But Zhenya did not succumb to these persuasion; he did not remove the cross. And on May 23, 1996, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Evgeniy and his friends were killed in the village of Bamut. The day of Evgeniy’s death was also the day of his birth. He was only 19 years old. Zhenya was beheaded, but even from Zhenya’s dead body the enemies did not dare to remove the cross.

I think that this great feat of the warrior Eugene should serve as an example for many, for all those who, for such stupid reasons, do not wear a cross or wear it as some kind of decoration. Or they even change the holy cross for an amulet, a zodiac sign, etc.... Let's never forget about this! Remember this when wearing your cross.

ABOUT THE REVERENT REVERENCE OF THE NATURAL CROSS

The great Russian elders advised that You must always wear a pectoral cross and never take it off anywhere until your death. “A Christian without a cross,” Elder Savva wrote, he is a warrior without weapons, and the enemy can easily defeat him.” The pectoral cross is called that way because it is worn on the body, under clothing, never exposed (only priests wear the cross outside). This does not mean that the pectoral cross must be hidden and hidden under any circumstances, but still it is not customary to deliberately display it for public viewing. The church charter stipulates that you should kiss your pectoral cross at the end of the evening prayers. In a moment of danger or when your soul is anxious, it is good to kiss your cross and read the words “Save and preserve” on its back.

“Don’t wear your cross like it’s on a hanger,” Elder Savva of Pskov-Pechersk often repeated, — Christ left light and love on the Cross. Rays of blessed light and love emanate from the cross. The cross drives away evil spirits. Kiss your cross morning and evening, do not forget to kiss it, inhale these rays of grace emanating from it, they invisibly pass into your soul, heart, conscience, character. Under the influence of these beneficial rays, a wicked person becomes pious. Kissing your cross, pray for close sinners: drunkards, fornicators and others you know. Through your prayers they will improve and be good, for the heart gives the message to the heart. The Lord loves us all. He suffered for everyone for the sake of love, and we must love everyone for His sake, even our enemies. If you start the day like this, overshadowed by the grace of your cross, then you will spend the whole day holy. Let’s not forget to do this, it’s better not to eat than to forget about the cross!”

PRAYER OF ELDER SAVA WHEN KISSING THE NATIVE CROSS

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

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

You cannot wear a cross as an amulet or as a decoration. The pectoral cross and the sign of the cross are only an external expression of what should be in the heart of a Christian: humility, faith, trust in the Lord.

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

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

The cross is real power. Many miracles have been and are being performed by him. The cross is a great Christian shrine. In the service for the Feast of the Exaltation, the Church glorifies the tree of the Holy Cross with many praises: “The cross is the guardian of the entire universe, the beauty of the Church, the power of kings, the affirmation of the faithful, the glory of angels and the plague of demons.”

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

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

By putting a cross on our chest or making the sign of the cross on ourselves, we Christians testify that we are ready to bear the cross resignedly, humbly, voluntarily, with joy, because we love Christ and want to have compassion with Him, for His sake. Without faith and reverence, one cannot make the sign of the cross over oneself or others.

The entire life of a Christian, from the day of birth to the last breath on earth, and even after death, is accompanied by a cross. A Christian makes the sign of the cross upon waking up (one must accustom himself to make it the first movement) and when going to sleep, the last movement. A Christian is baptized before and after eating food, before and after teaching, when going out into the street, before starting every task, before taking medicine, before opening a received letter, upon unexpected, joyful and sad news, when entering someone else’s house, on a train, on on a steamship, in general at the beginning of any journey, walks, travel, before swimming, visiting the sick, going to court, for interrogation, to prison, to exile, before an operation, before a battle, before a scientific or other report, before and after meetings and conferences, and etc.

The sign of the cross must be done with all attention, with fear, with trembling and with extreme reverence. (Place three large fingers on your forehead and say: "in the name of the Father" then, lowering your hand in the same position on your chest, say: "and the Son" moving your hand to your right shoulder, then to your left, say: "and the Holy Spirit." Having made this holy sign of the cross on yourself, conclude with the word "Amen". Or, when you draw a cross, you can say: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen".) Demons, as St. Simeon writes New Theologian, they are afraid of the image of the Cross and cannot stand to see the sign of the cross depicted even in the air, but they immediately flee from it. “If you always use the Holy Cross to help yourself, then “no evil will befall you, and no plague will come close to your dwelling” (Ps. 90:10). Instead of a shield, protect yourself with the Honest Cross, imprint it on your members and heart. And not only put the sign of the cross on yourself with your hand, but also in your thoughts, imprint with it every activity you do, and your entrance, and your departure at every time, and your sitting, and your rising, and your bed, and any service... For very This weapon is strong, and no one can ever harm you if you are protected by it.” (Reverend Ephraim Syria).

Glory, Lord, to Your Honest Cross!

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Temple Life-Giving Trinity on Vorobyovy Gory

When I was 7 years old, my parents decided to baptize me. During the ceremony, we had to walk three circles (I don't remember around what) with a lit candle. My candle went out every time and lit up spontaneously, that is, no external factors influenced its combustion. During one of the circles, my godmother decided to set my candle on fire with her own, but she didn’t have time - it caught fire on its own. I'd really like to know what this means. And also, if it helps: when I’m in church, I don’t feel any excitement or anything else, I can only admire the icons. I remembered one more thing. I don’t wear the cross with which I was baptized, nor do I wear the cross that my grandmother gave me (consecrated), and when I wear it, not very good events happen (which are much worse than not passing a test, for example). I won’t say that I’m a deeply religious person, so it’s impossible to attribute it to superstition. I'm just very curious what all this means from the Church's point of view.

accountant

Kemerovo

Dear visitor to our site, the appearance of a candle flame during your Baptism means absolutely nothing. Regularly walking around the temple with a candle during censing, each priest sees that his candle, as soon as he walks a little faster, seems to go out, since the light contracts under the influence of air. Once you slow down, the candle flares up again. You can try walking around the room with a lit candle - sometimes faster, sometimes more slowly, and observe this.

It is not at all necessary to experience something mystical in the temple. Not everyone is able to tangibly experience an encounter with God, but for many, especially overly emotional people, states of either emotional tension or outright deception from the evil one sometimes seem like a blessing. It will be sober not to specifically look for any special states, but in the simplicity of the heart to pray to God, His Mother and the saints.

As for wearing a cross, I will answer you, although you do not consider yourself a believer (by the way, non-believers are usually even more susceptible to superstitions than believers), but because you are visiting an Orthodox website. At Baptism, a person makes some vows - to be a soldier of Christ, to try to follow the commandments of Christ. There is also a moment in the Sacrament when the priest turns the person being baptized to the west, away from the altar, and tells him to renounce Satan and all his works, and then blow and spit on him. If a baby is baptized, his godparents do all this. Believe me, the devil does not forget this insult to man, even if modern skeptics tend to take such a ritual lightly. Who benefits from the fact that you don’t consider yourself a believer and don’t wear a cross? Only to the one on whom you spat and blew in the Sacrament of Baptism. Does he have any reason to annoy you until you try to become a warrior of Christ, do not resist him in any way, so that he has some reason to expect that in Eternity you will also end up not with Christ, but with him?

Not having prophetic gifts, I cannot say whether your everyday troubles are connected with wearing the cross; Most likely, these are just coincidences that you remember. However, I still urge you to think about your worldview.