Christians wear it on their chest pectoral cross, some have it wooden, tin, and others have gold or silver, some wear it as a talisman, others see in the cross a symbol of Orthodoxy and the power of Jesus’ sacrifice. For the first time, the sign of visible Christianity is worn at baptism; many believers believe in protective power and fall into despair if the shrine is lost.
The meaning of the pectoral cross in Orthodoxy
The crucifix, a symbol of Christianity, appeared in Rus' after the baptism of the Slavic peoples in 988, as a reminder of the price paid for each believer. A body sign in the form of a cross with the crucifixion of Jesus confirms that its owner belongs to Orthodoxy.
The cross is first worn at the time of the Sacrament of Baptism
For Orthodox believers, the cross is the greatest shrine, the guardian of the universe, church beauty, glory from angels and an ulcer for demons.
According to Christian custom, the body sign is worn at the level of the heart, as a talisman that heals and gives life. There are many cases in the history of Christianity when the cross saved the life of a Christian, protecting him from a bullet or a knife.
Important! It is a great sin to wear the symbol of the Life-giving Cross for the sake of fashion, without reverence for the saving sacrifice of Christ. A person who understands the meaning of the pectoral cross, through faith in the saving sacrifice, wears this gift of heaven as a weapon with which a Christian fights demonic forces.
The symbol of Christianity is first put on a baby or an adult at the time of the Sacrament of baptism; it is not recommended to remove it. There is a debate among Orthodox Christians about which cross is the correct shape, whether the number of ends is important, and whether it is necessary to have a semicircle at the bottom. The answer to this question was given by Dimitri Rostovsky, who lived in the eighteenth century. The saint said that neither the material nor the number of ends matters; Christians venerate the Life-Giving Cross.
Ordinary believers wear crosses on their bodies, but priests and bishops are allowed to wear the breastplate of Christianity on top of their clothes. People who do not have a strong faith believe in various superstitions associated with the body sign of Christianity, whether it is lost or found.
What to do if you lost your cross
People tend to exaggerate and fall into despair where there is no danger. According to priest Mikhail Vorobyov, the loss of a pectoral cross means nothing except inattention and careless attitude towards it, therefore one should not fall into the despair of superstition, but buy and consecrate a new sign.
The Church considers the loss of a pectoral cross to be an ordinary everyday occurrence
Don’t rush to run to a church or store for a new cross, try to find the old one. Calm down, cast aside all fears, reading the “Our Father” prayer, mentally go through all the places where you could lose your protective symbol.
If you don’t find a cross, don’t despair, God is merciful and His grace remains with you. On the advice of a spiritual mentor, if you lose your pectoral cross, you should:
- in prayer to repent for negligence and inattention to the Christian shrine;
- buy a consecrated or consecrate a newly purchased symbol;
- fast for three days;
- repent before the priest of your superstitions;
- take Communion;
- wear a new symbol of Christianity.
Do not listen to the accusations of superstitious people that this is a punishment for an unrighteous life, they are talking nonsense. God is merciful and understands that everything happens in life. Do not take any warnings about coming troubles personally, but hold fast to the promises of the Savior.
Friends, in order to reassure, will encourage that this is a chance to start all over again, with the loss of the previous symbol, all the old sins have gone away, and begins new life. True well-wishers, for the purpose of reassurance, can say that the former amulet has accumulated negative energy, he himself disappeared along with the misfortunes. Therefore, you need to purchase a new symbol of protection.
Listen to these words, because it clearly smacks of the mysticism that he opposes Orthodox Church. Do not give in to despair and superstition, accept the loss as a sign that Heaven has accepted all your previous sins, forgiven them, and now expect a special blessing ahead. After all, it will be according to your faith.
Advice! The loss of a child’s body symbol is also not a reason for panic; an unreasonable child could break the ribbon or accidentally throw off the cross during intense movement. Buy a new Christian badge and gently, lovingly talk to your child about the meaning Christian shrine and respect for her.
What to do if you find a pectoral cross
Sometimes, as a result of a break in the chain, a person loses a cross, and someone else finds it. What should be done in this case?
People say that crosses are used for black magic. If you believe in witchcraft and are not confident in the protective power of Christ, do not pick up a lost item, even if it is gold.
- A pectoral cross can be given to an adult believer on the day of his baptism; sometimes, as a child grows up, they buy a pectoral sign of Christianity made of gold or silver.
- When purchasing a symbol of an Orthodox shrine outside the walls of the temple, it must be consecrated; all things in the temple shop are pre-sanctified.
- Orthodox crosses are prohibited from being worn together with Catholic ones, or replacing one with another.
- It is not recommended to hang two crosses on your chest at the same time, because this is not a decoration. Having multiple characters Orthodox authorities, one can be worn and the rest kept near the icons where the prayer rule is read.
- By Orthodox traditions the deceased is buried with a pectoral cross, which is not inherited. This thing cannot be kept as a souvenir of another person who has passed into the world. The main thing here is not the memory of the deceased, not family ties, but the sacrifice of Jesus.
The iconography of the Orthodox Crucifixion has been approved since 692 at the Council of Trula.
On the Orthodox Creed, the figure of the crucified Jesus is filled with peace and majesty. Looking at him, you hear: “It’s finished! End of suffering! The Savior's arms are open to embrace everyone who comes to Him.
Orthodox iconography combines the human and divine essence of Jesus, victory and death. On the Catholic crucifix there is no nature of peace and joy, but only suffering. According to Orthodox piety, wearing a Catholic crucifix goes against the dogmas of the foundations of the Orthodox faith.
Important! True Christians must remember that our amulet is not the cross, but the Living Savior, and we draw our protection from the sacrifice of His blood.
What to do if you lose your cross?
Although the saying “Trust in God, but don’t make a mistake yourself” was in use among our ancestors, the opposite statement was also considered true: rely on your own ingenuity as much as you want, but don’t forget to enlist the support of higher powers in the form of a talisman or a talisman for good luck. Each person had a personal mystical “assistant” with him, as if he were afraid of breaking or losing the enchanted thing - there would be no trouble! And over time, as Orthodox churches pagan temples were pushed out of our land, the functions of a talisman in the popular imagination were transferred to a small pectoral cross. What can they signal? folk signs, if the cross broke, turned black, got lost, or was even taken away by force?
Interpretation of the troubles that happened with the pectoral cross
Let us immediately note that the Orthodox cross is not a talisman or a talisman. By itself, it does not protect a person; this is a matter of God's grace and the Guardian Angel, who is always present nearby, regardless of whether you wear a cross around your neck. In the same way, the sudden disappearance of the main symbol of Christianity does not mean that higher powers have turned away from you. For people who are believers, but not superstitious, the cross is, first of all, a sign of their love for God. A precious sign that does not tolerate careless treatment, but is by no means mystical. By itself, it does not affect fate. Any priest to whom you try to complain about the loss or breakage of this difficult decoration will calmly advise you in response to buy a new one and not fool yourself with empty worries.
The cross is not a talisman, but a symbol
On the other hand, the persistence of superstitions cannot be explained by fears alone. Centuries pass, ideas change, priests never tire of convincing parishioners not to trust old beliefs, and we still break out in cold sweat when we find a piece of chain around our neck instead of a cross. Maybe, in fact, not everything is so simple with signs? For example, if your cross...
The gold or silver cross broke, the eye came off, the gold or silver cross was bent
For the most part, the breaking of a pectoral cross is interpreted as a sign of a strong - and extremely negative! - an energy strike directed at you by ill-wishers. Fortunately, someone’s evil thought or attempt to cause damage met with a worthy rebuff and was nullified, so you have nothing to fear. But it won’t hurt to strengthen your defense and buy a new cross as soon as possible, since an old, broken one should neither be worn on you nor stored in the house. Donate it to the church, especially if the cross is gold, or bury it somewhere in a sparsely populated place where random passers-by will not trample on it.
A sign is considered invalid in two cases:
- If the loop on which the cross is suspended from the chain is cracked. This is initially the weakest element, which breaks every now and then without any participation of mysterious forces.
- If a child's cross is broken. Children are terrible fidgets, capable of breaking even more massive decorations in the heat of play. Don't worry and don't scold your child. Buy your child a new symbol of faith, which must be consecrated.
Darkened or blackened: what do folk signs mean?
Cosmetics, perfume and sweat will quickly cause silver to darken.
A blackened cross either also warns of someone’s attempt to harm you on an energetic level, or it signals: you spend a lot of time in a team with an extremely unfavorable atmosphere. Perhaps the negativity is not directed at you personally, there is simply too much of it. For example, in an office where it is customary to actively tease each other and do nasty things to colleagues, the atmosphere itself will have a depressing effect even on those who are trying their best to stay away from intrigues. The dark places on the cross indicate that he is coping with his task of accepting negativity and resisting it, but he cannot leave things to chance. Do “cleaning” regularly - engage in a hobby that gives you joy, go out into nature, go to church. Chat with friends more often! And if possible, try to change your place of work, your state of mind, and nervous system they will only benefit from this.
The sign does not work:
- If you wear a silver cross. Silver tends to darken and even turn black over time, so don’t look for a catch and don’t blame your colleagues and acquaintances for what is to blame for oxidation.
- Jewelry gold, even of high standard, often contains a small admixture of copper, which gives it the necessary hardness. Even 4–5% of this “base” metal can lead to the appearance of dark spots on the cross. If the jeweler seriously cheated and used an alloy with 20–50% copper content, its darkening is a matter of time.
Lost an expensive cross or on a regular rope
There are three different interpretations here:
- Higher powers“they remove the cross from you” - that is, they relieve you of some unbearable difficulties and problems in life. Many are sure that the loss of a cross occurs at the moment when a person runs out of strength to fight life’s troubles, and God, seeing this, opens up several new paths for him to choose from. In the apt expression of the scoffer Ostap Bender, “don’t hit your cheeks with your ears,” but look around, and take a closer look. Why not suddenly open up to new promising opportunities where previously there was a blank wall?
- There is a grave sin on your soul, which, however, can be forgiven. And now is the time for this! Just realize your wrongdoing, repent and mentally promise yourself and God that in the future you will try not to repeat old mistakes.
- When a cross simply falls off the chain or seems to be removed from the neck on its own, this is one thing. If you once or twice thought about replacing a worn-out lace, but never found the time for it, or every now and then you took off the chain, carelessly throwing it into your bag - it’s completely different. Perhaps higher powers reproach you for lack of faith and lack of respect for holy things. Think about why you wear a cross? If because you believe in God, then treat him accordingly. If it’s because of fashion, because your parents ask or all your girlfriends have the same one, it’s better to immediately remove the empty jewelry from the chain and put it in the box “out of harm’s way.”
Replace the chain around your baby's neck with a thin ribbon that will break in case of danger
A cross falling from a child’s neck means absolutely nothing. There are no serious offenses on the baby’s conscience yet, it is too early to judge the “life cross” assigned to him, and higher powers protect children regardless of the presence of external symbols of faith. On the contrary, it’s good that the chain fell down unnoticed and didn’t catch on to some branch and injure the child! Don’t scare yourself or your child, but just go to church to get a new cross.
Fell, unfastened and flew off, the chain broke imperceptibly or the gaitan broke
- Usually the fall of the cross does not bode well. It is believed that this event promises a person serious difficulties, illnesses and anxieties associated with loved ones. Drop the cross in front of important matter- for example, before a long journey - there will be no luck. If you let it slip out of your hands just like that, expect trouble in the near future.
- However, if the cross falls due to the chain breaking or unfastening every now and then, this is a sign of envy and malice boiling around the person. Or your surroundings are to blame for them, and then you should do everything possible to communicate less with ill-wishers. Or these feelings have warmed up in your own soul, and this requires long, painstaking work on yourself. To whom were you offended - forgive me. To whom you envy, wish them happiness. And if someone makes you angry, try to look at them with different eyes. Maybe your annoying colleague or chatty neighbor is actually a very nice woman who is sincerely trying to make friends with you?
The Church has its own point of view on this matter. Orthodox priests They explain: if bad omens come your way - an icon falls, a cross gets lost, and every now and then the chain breaks from under it - the point here is not at all due to an unfavorable period of life. You just feel uneasy in your soul. Perhaps due to the abundance of unseemly actions that you have allowed yourself to do recently, or perhaps for purely external reasons. And all sorts of negative entities (in Christianity they are called demons) are right there: they will drop the icon, they will sharpen the chain, they will carefully remove the lock... In general, they slip in frightening signs, confuse, and bring even greater confusion into thoughts. In a word, they do everything to confuse you and prevent you from finding peace of mind. In such cases, believers are supposed to fast for three days, and then confess, take communion and throw all the frightening events out of their heads. At the very least, start going to church regularly, each time during prayer, telling God about the worries that overcome you, and asking Him for protection and help.
Sincere prayer and faith in the best - reliable protection from bad omens
Stolen, ripped from my neck
The owner of the stolen cross has nothing to worry about. It is impossible to steal God's grace, there is no sin on you because of what happened, and if you feel a little sorry for a memorable or materially valuable thing, let it go in peace: it means that you have been diverted from the loss of something more important. But you won’t envy your offender! Not to mention the fact that stealing a holy object is a worse sin than ordinary theft; along with someone else’s cross, the thief will also get other people’s problems. Have pity on him and don't be upset anymore.
Beliefs about the cross can be quite contradictory. For example, some consider his fall to be a sign of an energetic attack on a person, and see the loss as almost a sign of death! But in any case, signs should not be regarded as a final and categorical verdict. If mysterious forces are indeed to blame for them, this is only a reason to think about yourself and your actions. Perhaps the warning sign is telling you to make decisions more carefully or steering you away from danger. Forewarned is forearmed! And if fears and doubts make life completely impossible, remember the advice of St. Seraphim of Sarov, who answered a question about omens to a suspicious parishioner: “Don’t believe in them, and they won’t come true.”
Sometimes Christians lose the main symbol of faith - the cross. The Church is of the opinion that losing a cross is not a bad thing. It does not foretell troubles for you, does not indicate lack of faith or any troubles in life. However, modern magicians think differently. Losing a cross can mean damage, negative magical influence or approaching trouble. Here are some basic views on such a sign.
What will the priest say
Usually crosses are lost in the water when trying on clothes or simply taking them off. Loss especially often occurs in children or when visiting a sauna, spa, X-ray room or swimming pool. From the point of view of the church, there is nothing wrong with this. You can always buy a new one instead of an old cross, and this is not considered a sin. However, some ancient priests, e.g. Elder Pavel , they consider the loss of the pectoral cross - alarm signal. During the life of this saint, it was customary to wear crosses with which people were baptized in early childhood. They were often passed down through generations and were considered family heirlooms. Especially when people lived poorly and could not afford jewelry. That's when body crosses They valued it very much and losing a pectoral cross was considered a very bad omen, although this was not condemned in the official church. The priests knew that this could predict great trouble or apostasy from the faith.
Even Elder Paul himself told a parishioner who had lost her pectoral cross that she would stop believing. Later this happened. Therefore, if you have had to deal with such a situation several times, pay attention to the fact that losing a cross on your body is a bad sign, which can predict not only a passion for false teachings, but also a fall into grave sin and misfortune.
What will the magicians say?
The sign of losing a pectoral cross is not good, but not the worst, if we are not talking about the amulet with which you were baptized. This may mean a loss of protection from higher powers, an act and behavior that you will soon regret. If a child has lost a cross in the water several times over the past six months or simply had a need to take it off, it is better to contact a priest. This may mean damage, exposure negative energy, approaching illness or misfortune. For teenagers, such a sign can also predict a serious sin, for example, fornication, illness or the birth of an illegitimate child at an early age.
In other situations, losing the cross is . It means you may become vulnerable to negative impact or life circumstances. To neutralize such energy, you should buy a new cross and repent of your sins to the priest - it is possible that due to some action you have become vulnerable to evil forces.
Pectoral cross
Almost every one of us wears a cross, which is a powerful amulet against many negative influences on its owner. People believe that it gives strength to endure this or that trouble, life’s difficulties and adversity. The cross helps to overcome the disease faster and easier. He is the personification of faith. It can neither be given nor sold, since it is he who is the keeper of your destiny. But it happens that it gets lost, and not everyone knows what it means. What kind of sign is it to lose a cross? What is this for? Some are sure that this bad sign, others worry as about any lost thing, others take it for granted. Let's talk about everything in order.
The loss of the cross from the point of view of the Church
It should be noted that in the Church the loss of a cross is not considered an omen of something bad. For a Christian, his loss does not mean that he has become unprotected from evil forces. After all, the cross is a sign of love for God, his reverence and the readiness of each person to bear a certain cross placed on him by fate. It is as a symbol of faith in the saving power of the Cross of Christ that every Christian carefully wears this item. In the Church there is no such thing as a sign. Losing a cross due to a careless attitude towards it indicates a person’s lack of faith. And if the cross is lost due to the fraying of the thread or chain, then such an incident is not considered as a result of lack of faith. After all, this event occurred against the will of a person, and God cannot punish him for this and burden him with any additional trials or difficulties. Therefore, if you have lost your pectoral cross, then you just need to purchase a new one, but it must be consecrated.
Folk sign: losing a cross - what is it for?
Despite the fact that almost the entire population believes in God, there is also a folk sign that characterizes such an action as losing a cross. For those who don’t know: a folk sign describes the consequence certain action, the probability of which is quite high. In a word, people observed certain incidents and the consequences after them were passed on from mouth to mouth, from century to century. According to one of these signs, losing a cross means losing the strength to carry your Cross, and God gives you a choice, providing several paths. This does not mean that he abandoned you, it just gives him a new chance in life.
Cross - amulet
According to the second version of what this sign means, losing the cross means being left without protection. Among the people around us there are those who, with the help of magic, can cause harm or, as people say, “cause damage.” The presence of a cross creates a kind of shell around a person that protects him from such influence. With the loss of such an “amulet,” the shell also disappears, thereby making a person vulnerable to such things.
Human energy protection
It's no secret that we are surrounded various types energies that are created by one or another action. This can be either positive energy or negative (black). When a person is exposed to negative energy, he loses his vitality, begins to get sick, becomes tired, and so on. The cross, mostly metal, absorbs all this negativity, thereby protecting a person from it. When he is no longer able to hold all this energy within himself, he breaks down or is lost. In this case, the sign takes on a completely different meaning: losing a cross means needing new protection that needs to be acquired.
Folk signs. Finding a cross - what is it for?
In itself, this sign carries neither good nor bad, if you simply pass by such a find. If you pick it up, you will take on a lot of negative energy, which will not lead to anything good. In addition, in occult rituals, a lot of “damage” is done by tossing objects, so when you pick up such an object, you risk picking up something that can change your whole life for the worse. After all, no one can say with certainty how true this is. As they say, God protects those who are careful...
The sign about where to find a cross always causes a storm of thought. Each person has his own opinion about this. This sign is so contradictory that it is not so easy to deal with it.
Reasons for losing a cross
There are quite a few reasons why the body amulet is not on the body of its owner. A person may accidentally lose the amulet or leave it on the street on purpose. You may ask, why throw away a sacred talisman on purpose? It's all about evil magic.
Many people want to get rid of the sins of the past and simply throw away the talisman, because it is in it that a large number of committed sins are stored. There is an opinion that if you get rid of the amulet, you can forever get rid of the evil fate that has accumulated over many years. But for this you need to make sure that someone else takes over the bad energy.
Many sorcerers perform rituals for removing damage or illness on a sacred Christian symbol. When a person comes and asks to remove all the negativity from him, it should be transferred to some object. After that, he is thrown out onto the street so that another person can pick him up and take the energy for himself. It is clear that it is better to avoid such a find.
Where was the find found?
It is very important to pay attention to where exactly the cross was found. It is the place that can fully reveal the meaning of the sign and answer all your questions. Certain factors need to be taken into account.
- If you managed to find a cross on a chain on the way home, then you should prepare for an important conversation. Most likely, one of your relatives has learned unpleasant facts about you. Therefore, difficulties and quarrels may arise at home.
- If you were going to a holiday, it is better not to go there. A found cross lets you know that you will not be entirely welcome at the event. For this reason, conflict situations may arise during the holiday.
- Finding a cross on the way to work indicates that there are competitors at your job. It is quite possible that a colleague has been trying to take your place for a long time. workplace, and because of this he does dirty tricks on you.
- The sign of finding a cross on the way to important negotiations makes it clear that the negotiations will not end well. Most likely, everything will not go according to plan, and it will not be possible to reach an agreement. You should pay attention to the fact that you should not trust your partners. They can harm your business.
If a person had to find a cross on the way to church, this is a pretty bad sign. This is a message from above that you should visit the temple much more often. Higher powers make it clear to a person that he is not a strong believer, so it is difficult for them to come to his aid. If a schoolboy or student found the amulet, then the found talisman indicates successful completion today's exam.
Which cross is missing
Once a person finds a sacred amulet, he should pay attention to the material of the product. It is the material that fully reveals the true meaning of the sign. A golden cross indicates that a person will feel the joy of financial well-being. A gold amulet indicates a possible monetary gain or an unexpected inheritance.
A silver cross found indicates that the finder will have to shed tears. Most likely, an unpleasant situation will happen in his life that will unsettle him. A copper amulet shows that a person will have a health problem. An illness that comes on suddenly will not have much impact on life. Very soon a person will be able to get rid of it.
If the amulet was made of aluminum, then get ready for unexpected expenses. A found cross warns you that financial trouble is possible in the near future. You should anticipate your expenses in advance and save a little. If the material was such that it was impossible to identify, then betrayal should be expected loved one. You will have to be disappointed in the person you have always trusted.
What to do with the find
As is already noticeable, all superstitions have several meanings, so in order to protect yourself from negative impacts, you should never take a find with your bare hands. In addition, you found someone else’s thing that does not belong to you, so you should leave it in that place so that the lost one can find his amulet.
Sometimes you can perform a cleansing ritual yourself at home. To do this you need to put a cross near the icon Holy Mother of God, and say the following words 7 times:
“I will clean the find so that other people’s evil does not pass on to me.”
After this, you should think about whether you can wear someone else’s amulet. Many legends say that each person should have his own protection. If you take on someone else's fate, this burden may simply become too much to bear. Although, our ancestors were convinced that the Lord would never give a person what he cannot bear. It is quite possible that the Lord sent you someone else’s cross to teach you something new.
