How to light a cross with a chain in a church?

Before baptism, believers are required to purchase a cross. This is the material embodiment of the connection with God, as well as faith in him. However Not every cross worn around the neck is a religious attribute. Some of them are nothing more than ordinary decoration. To change their status, consecration will be required. The ritual is entrusted to a non-worldly person in rank.

What to consider before buying a cross with a chain?

Key Point: Place of Purchase. Products sold through church shops are already illuminated and do not need to be repeated. Products sold in other places, primarily jewelry stores, are nothing more than ordinary jewelry. In order to make them a religious attribute, they will have to be consecrated.

It also needs to be taken into account that Christianity has several branches.The difference between confessions is visible not only in religious treatises, but also in relation to sacred attributes. So, for example, the number of nails driven into the cross on which Jesus Christ died does not match (we are talking about a painted or material representation of the sacrificial fate of the Son of God). For Catholics, the Savior's feet are nailed with 2 nails, for Orthodox Christians - with one.

Knowing such nuances is important, because despite the fact that the Catholic and Orthodox confessions are branches of the same mono-religion, they are still very different beliefs. You cannot use religious objects from one branch of Christianity in the rites of another. This is in some sense comparable to the use of Muslim paraphernalia in Orthodox service.

There are no requirements or prohibitions regarding materials. It doesn’t matter what the material symbol of faith in God is made of - metal, wood, silver, gold or platinum. The only thing that matters is what form it has, as well as by whom and how it is used. The same can be said about the chain. Both the chain itself and the rope or tape are appropriate. The main thing is that they fit well and securely on the neck.

What is needed for the consecration procedure?

You should come to the temple, find a servant and tell her/him about your situation. The servant will listen and convey the information to the priest. He, in turn, may want to talk to you personally, but he can simply convey his orders verbally. One of them will most likely relate to payment. Most church ceremonies are paid according to the price list approved by the head of the parish.

Important! Quite often, clergy conducting the ceremony ask to see the purchased cross.They need this in order to make sure that the shape of the cross meets the requirements.

At the end of the sacred action, the cross is returned to its owner. The latter, in turn, immediately puts on the baptized cross and donates something to the needs of the temple. You can skip the last step, especially if you have already paid for the ceremony before. But the first one must be observed without fail. It is necessary to put the cross on the body in the temple, and immediately after it is returned.

How is consecration carried out in the church?

The ceremony is performed by a priest in office. He is trained, knows exactly what and how to do. A believer is only required to be in the church during the consecration. During it, he can pray to the Almighty or the Saints, light candles or watch the action take place at the altar. Mothers can look after their children, that is, not participate in what is happening on a physical level at all. In their case, it is enough that they are close to God on a spiritual level, take care of their children within the walls of the temple and thereby indirectly teach them to love God.

Well, the clergyman himself reads prayers during the ceremony, and his assistants echo him. From time to time he sprinkles the laid out paraphernalia with holy water.

Is it possible to carry out the process at home and how?

The most rational way out of the situation is to contact the church and find out whether local clergy can go to your home and conduct the ceremony there. It's worth hoping for help, but Not every parish has the time and human resources required to conduct rituals on the territory of parishioners.

In some churches you will have to pay for consecration at home, in others you will be asked to take part in charity (they will not ask you in an orderly tone, so it is up to you to decide whether to grant the request or ignore it). For example, bring clothes or household supplies for low-income people. There are also places where the financial and material aspect is completely excluded from relations with believers. True, over the years there are fewer and fewer of them, and all because the church exists not on taxes, but on donations.

If it so happens that the clergy were unable to provide assistance, and visiting church for one reason or another is impossible, then you should take the situation into your own hands. The first thing to do is to collect everything necessary for consecration. You will need:

• prayer book (a breviary would be better);
• icon;
• candles (3 pieces);
• Holy water;
• bowl for holy water.

Important! The rituals of independent consecration of the pectoral cross are not recognized by the Orthodox Church and are considered by it to be a heretical act that violates the sanctity of liturgical canons. Therefore, if you are a devout believer, then you need to look for a way out of the situation by purchasing a new cross, already consecrated (look for it in church and temple shops).

If you do not attach much importance to the Holy Scriptures and decide to be baptized only because it is customary and everyone does it, then you can consecrate the cross yourself. In your case It is not so important to follow the rules as it is to believe in the beneficial effect of the sacred paraphernalia.

Having collected everything you need, try to get the priest’s blessing to perform the ceremony. You may have to tell the reason why you decided to sanctify yourself.Most often, the remoteness of the temple is indicated as it. For people living in villages and unable to attend church often, the clergy reluctantly give blessings.

Further actions:

1. arrange the icons;
2. light church candles;
3. pour holy water into the bowl;
4. immerse the cross in water;
5. read “Our Father” three times;
6. cross yourself;
7. take it out, put it on and do not take off the cross until you find yourself in the church and ask the priest to consecrate the cross again.

The indicated method of consecration is not final. Washing with holy water and saying prayers simply allows you to put on a new, previously unworn cross.. In the future, at the first opportunity, be sure to ask the clergyman to conduct the ceremony in accordance with all the norms and requirements of the Christian religion.

This the method is also not suitable for those who have already been baptized and had this particular cross on their body during this event. Reason: during baptism, the cross worn is automatically sanctified and does not require any additional tricks on the part of the believer. This method is suitable only for those who have lost their previous body symbol of faith, and therefore were forced to buy a new one.