Despite the fact that this attribute of Christianity is quite popular in our country as a decorative element and is often perceived in isolation from church traditions, its symbolism should not be ignored at all.

According to the canons of the church, the Orthodox cross is a symbol of victory over sin, so wearing it is important for every Orthodox Christian. A body cross is given to a person after the ceremony of the sacrament of Baptism and is worn later throughout his life. Sometimes people prefer to have small censers, icons, various Christian symbols as amulets. As a rule, the church has nothing against such attributes, however, according to its recommendations, first of all you need to wear an Orthodox cross, and then other accessories.

From the point of view of religion, by wearing a cross, a person renounces the devil. In addition to being worn after Baptism, it symbolizes the washing of sins and the spiritual renewal of the personality. And the correct wearing of this attribute shows people’s readiness for further spiritual development and constant struggle against evil.

What you need to know

The most important condition for wearing a Christian body cross is awareness of its meaning — it is not a piece of jewelry. The cross, given during Baptism, does not need to be taken out for general inspection, because its primary task is to protect a person, not to show one’s status. Wearing a cross for fashion is considered a special sin, because the process itself must be conscious — this is how the power of this accessory manifests itself.

Psychologists claim that people from the poorer strata of the population usually try to display large golden body crosses. So they try to draw attention to themselves, believing that gold cannot be hidden under clothes. In this way, the church attribute ceases to be a protection for its owner, turning into an ordinary ornament made of precious metal.

The body cross should be worn only under clothes so that it is closer to the chest, namely to the heart. It is not recommended to take it off even in the bathhouse or when taking a bath. In some cases, for example, if you are engaged in sports wrestling, it can be placed in a specially sewn pocket on your clothes for this purpose. It is unacceptable to hang a cross on the ear as an earring or on the wrist as a pendant — in this case, it turns into an ordinary trinket.

The same can be advised to women who are going to a party or any entertainment institution. If the style of clothing does not provide for the presence of a cross on the neck, it can be pinned with a pin on the back of the clothing, but it is not necessary to leave it at home in any case. By the way, this is exactly what many believers did during the times of the Soviet Union, when the church was officially banned.

What he should be

There is a fairly common opinion that the four-pointed cross is unique to Catholicism. In fact, Orthodoxy recognizes all of them: quadrangular, octagonal, with and without the image of Jesus. At the same time, the material used for production is diverse. It is desirable only to attach special importance to the properties of a certain person. For example, there are people in whom silver products can cause darkening of the skin. There is nothing wrong with this — such a person just needs to choose a cross made of a different material.

The main thing that distinguishes a real body cross from a decorative one is its sanctification before wearing. If it is purchased in a shop at the church, there is no need to worry about it — you are guaranteed to buy a pre-consecrated cross. It is desirable to consecrate a product from a jewelry store in the church — this process takes only a couple of minutes.