Is it possible to give crosses as a gift to a man? Is it possible to give a cross as a gift?

Superstitions are wary of all kinds of gifts, and especially gifts with religious themes. Every now and then you hear that a pectoral cross, presented to a person with the purest intentions, will bring with it tears and trials, break fate, shorten years of life... How can this be? A symbol of faith, purity, the victory of Christ over death and dark forces - and suddenly such bad prophecies?.. Or has folk wisdom failed this time, one might say, seeing danger where there is none?

Why is it impossible to give according to signs? Faith and superstition

First, let’s find out why the pectoral cross as a gift did not please the signs. People have several interpretations on this topic, each with its own logic:

But let's not forget that the cross is primarily a symbol of faith and love for God. This means that its influence on human life should be interpreted from the point of view of the Orthodox Church. Unless, of course, you consider yourself to be of any other religion. And priests have nothing against parishioners giving each other crosses. On the contrary, they are encouraged to do this without any fear and even without any special reason, at the behest of the soul.

A cross received as a gift from a close relative is, firstly, a wish for a person to receive God’s blessing. And secondly, a sign of spiritual affection and warmth. After all, the one who presented such a gift wanted to take care of you and entrust you to the protection of higher powers.
When one of the lovers gives the other a symbol of faith, their spiritual connection becomes even stronger. This means that both take their relationship more than seriously and value each other.
By presenting a cross to a person younger than you or a child, you are passing on to him a small piece of your life wisdom and experience.

We receive the first cross as a gift during baptism

The godfather, who gave his “ward” the first cross in his life, not only can, but also must do it again if some trouble happened with the first gift - breakage or loss. Even if the godson is already an adult and can afford the purchase himself.
Even if, obeying a sudden impulse, someone gives a cross to a complete stranger - a casual acquaintance, a distant relative from the category of “seventh water on jelly”, a colleague - no harm will happen from this. Another thing is that with such a gift you can easily put a person in an uncomfortable position. What if he turns out to be an atheist? Or a Muslim? In addition, the pectoral cross is a very personal thing and it may well turn out that your friend simply will not like your initiative. So give - give, but only wisely.

For what occasion: birthday, name day, Easter and other holidays

Some, while allowing the possibility of donating religious items, warn that this must be done strictly according to the established dates, otherwise your gift will be of no use:

During baptism.
On the day of an angel or name day.
On major religious holidays.

Of course, any of these events can serve as a worthy reason for a gift. But the priests insist: presenting a symbol of faith to a loved one is not a sin, even on the most ordinary day. Let's say you know that a friend has long dreamed of finding a certain cross-incense, and suddenly you see exactly that in the window of a church shop. Or they have just returned from a trip to holy places, where they purchased portraits with the faces of saints and memorial crosses. In this case, nothing will prevent you from presenting them to your family and friends without waiting for the right date.

Gold, silver, wood - is there a difference?

The value of the cross is determined by faith, not by the amount paid for it

What about the material? Does it matter whether the cross is made of gold, metal or wood? From the point of view of the Church, not the slightest, since the main thing in a symbol is your attitude towards it, and not its value in monetary terms. However, do not forget that a cross purchased in a jewelry store is considered an ordinary decoration until it is consecrated. Therefore, either take care to do this yourself before presenting, or warn the person that with the gift you will need to look into the temple.

Is it possible to give away your pectoral cross?

But this is all about new crosses, purchased shortly before donation in a church shop or store. Is it permissible to remove your cross from your neck and give it to someone else?

The question is complex. On the one hand, for a believer, a pectoral cross is a truly precious thing. You need to treat it with respect, take care of it in every possible way and, of course, not part with it without good reason. On the other hand, if there is still a good reason, it is not forbidden to pass on your cross to someone who needs it more at the moment. For example, there are cases where a guy passed on a personal symbol of faith to a friend who was about to undergo a risky operation. Or one of the spouses gave a cross to the other, which meant an expression of the depth of their love.

If you want to understand whether you are doing the right thing, turn to your conscience and listen to what it says. If they part with a cross because they don’t value it that much, it’s very important, tomorrow I’ll buy at least five more! - this is bad. This means that there is no real faith in a person and why he wears an object around his neck that he does not attach much importance to is not entirely clear. If you feel that a loved one or acquaintance now urgently needs the support of higher powers, and therefore you give him a cross, then you are thereby committing a good deed.

By the way, remember the ancient custom of our ancestors to exchange crosses! After this simple act, previously strangers became spiritual brothers and took a vow to care and pray for each other as if they were blood relatives. And no one was afraid of inadvertently changing destinies, laying an impossible cross on another, or incurring the wrath of higher powers!

Some crosses have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

But with the transfer of a cross to a child, everything is simple and clear. Surely, parents are guided by the purest motives when they take off their symbol of faith and put it on their baby! Therefore, such a gift cannot bring harm. For example, before the revolution, it was common practice for noble families to keep and pass on from generation to generation not only family jewelry, but also crosses. Some of them were hundreds of years old! Can you imagine how many owners such a relic managed to change? However, no one in the family was afraid to either give or receive it.

What does a gesture mean if a gift was given to you?

When you receive an unusual surprise:

Accept the cross carefully, even if you are overcome by doubts. And don’t forget to thank the donor from the bottom of your heart; most likely, he didn’t even think about embarrassing you! It will be appropriate to refuse in two cases: when you are presented with a really expensive thing that you do not consider possible to accept, or you are not a believer.
If you have no doubt about the sincerity of the person who made the gift, you can immediately put the cross around your neck or leave it on the shelf under the icons, as you please.
Is the donor's identity suspicious? In any case, you cannot get rid of the cross! It’s better to try to neutralize the negative message that an ill-wisher could put into his gift.

Neutralization of evil intentions

Take the unconsecrated cross to the temple, ask the priest to perform the necessary procedure and fear nothing else: the holy sacrament removes any human negativity. Even if a friend deliberately tried to harm you, he will not succeed.
Has the cross already been consecrated? In this case, you should not carry out the same procedure a second time. Just sprinkle it with holy water and wear it calmly.

It happens that even priests advise not to accept crosses from a person who leads an extremely unrighteous lifestyle, is prone to vices, or is downright dishonest. If you happen to receive a cross from the hands of such a person and you do not want to keep the gift in your house, donate it to the temple.

The priest's opinion: is it possible to give your son a cross (video)

For a Christian, the cross is a symbol of the victory of Jesus Christ, a powerful weapon in the fight against temptation, protection against adversity and anxiety. It is simply unacceptable to treat it with fear, just as it is unacceptable to think that some thing on its own, without God’s blessing and a person’s personal efforts, can change his destiny. If you consider yourself a believer, give and accept crosses without fear. If not, politely refuse the gift, explaining the reason for this in a few words. In both cases, the event will not have any negative impact on your life.

People who believe in various omens are especially wary of gifts with religious overtones. They are sure that only a cross bought with one’s own hand can become a real amulet, but one received as a gift will only bring trouble and can even shorten one’s life. But can a symbol of sincere faith in God bring trouble to anyone?

What do superstitions say?

Mystically minded people explain the undesirability of the cross as a gift using several interpretations at once.

It is believed that an object that has been in the wrong hands is capable of absorbing someone else’s negative energy, and then transferring it to the new owner, providing him with illnesses and failures for several years to come.
Even if a gift is made with the purest intentions and best wishes, the giving procedure itself is compared to the ritual of “laying a cross” on a person’s fate, and he will have to spend his whole life in grief and sadness.
Many are sure that everyone has their own cross in life, which a person must choose himself. And since the pectoral cross symbolizes this personal burden, it should only be purchased in person, not trusting such an important event to a stranger.

Church opinion

The clergy extremely disapprove of any superstitions. And they have a real dislike for signs associated with church attributes, advising Christians not to pay attention to stupid prejudices. Believers know that a pectoral cross is not a talisman or amulet, but only an object that demonstrates belonging to the Christian religion and love for God. Therefore, the cross is considered a completely harmless gift that can be presented and received as a gift without any fear of possible consequences.

Receiving a religious souvenir from your godfather is quite common practice. After all, it is this person who becomes a spiritual mentor and is responsible for introducing his ward to religious customs. If trouble occurs with the first gift (breakage or loss), then he is obliged to provide the godson with a new Christian symbol.
It is quite natural if you receive a cross from a close relative: mother, brother or grandfather. After all, such a gift always speaks of the most sincere wishes for well-being, concern for the well-being of a loved one, symbolizing the blessing of the Almighty.
It’s wonderful if lovers seal their feelings with such a gift. From a religious souvenir, mutual feelings only become stronger, and the spiritual connection between two people rises to a whole new level.
By presenting a cross as a gift to a younger person or child, we convey to him a piece of our life experience and wisdom, we provide invisible but powerful protection, protecting with our good wishes from evil and envious people.
The only thing that raises doubts is a spontaneous gift to a stranger or not too close person. Before giving in to impulse, think about how such an unexpected souvenir might be received. What if a colleague or acquaintance professes a different religion or even turns out to be an atheist? You will put him in an awkward position with your gift.

Do you need a reason?

Many Christians believe that for a special gift a special day should be chosen: an angel's day, baptism or a major church holiday. Naturally, giving a cross on these dates is not prohibited. But the reason for the gift can be a spiritual need or a memorable religious symbol brought from a trip to holy places. In this case, a very ordinary day is quite suitable for presenting a souvenir. After all, the most important thing in such a gift is the sincerity of the feelings of the giver, who puts all the warmth of his soul into the little thing.

Does the material matter?

If a person decides to give another a gift in the form of a cross, then it is quite natural that he would strive to choose a thing made of precious metal: gold or silver. After all, such religious souvenirs look more attractive and retain their presentable appearance longer. However, the priests assure that in fact the material has absolutely no meaning. With equal success, the gift can be made of bone or wood. The main thing is that it is consecrated in the church and presented with the kindest parting words.

What if you give a pectoral cross?

For a true Christian believer, the cross becomes part of the soul; they treat it with reverence and respect. However, situations arise in life when this symbol of sincere faith in God becomes vitally necessary for another person. In this case, parting with your own cross in order to give it to someone more in need is not at all forbidden. In this situation, it is very important that the donor realizes the importance of what is happening and, when parting with the item, feels a sincere desire to help his neighbor.

In addition, for a long time in Rus' there has been a wonderful custom of exchanging pectoral crosses. In this way, people who were strangers by blood became truly close and dear to each other. The Church has never condemned and even encouraged such spiritual fraternization.

Some gifts have long been controversial among people. Some insist that watches, crosses, knives or mirrors cannot be given as gifts, while others call such superstitions a relic of the past. It all depends on the person’s upbringing, the religion he professes (maybe he’s even an atheist), his age and principles. This is especially true for body crosses, which for many people are by no means simple decorations. The official church also has its own views on such superstitions. Is it possible to give a cross to your husband, girlfriend, lover, for his birthday or is it better to be careful about making such gifts? Let's try to understand a little about this difficult problem.

Why can't you give a cross?

Where did the sign come from that you can’t give a cross? People say that by making such a gift, it is as if you are transferring your own destiny to another person. Carry your cross and buy it yourself. Maybe that’s why it was previously also prohibited to pick up a cross lost by someone on the road. A person who lost such an item also lost personal protection from damage. Some even claim that such a gift can hasten the death of the person who receives it.

Such dire predictions are completely rejected by the official church. She argues that such gifts need to be given. Is it possible to give a cross? Of course you can! The main thing is that they do not perceive the cross as a simple decoration. It is first worn at baptism. Previously, the cross was worn under clothes and not displayed. It was made modestly, from simple wood, metal or silver, and was not decorated with expensive stones. It serves as a shrine, a symbol of the Christian faith. The Church claims that everyone has their own cross and their own destiny. No gifts can affect this. It is advisable to go to a local church and be sure to perform a ceremony - to bless your gift in the name of your husband.

They tried to keep the cross that a person put on at baptism all his life, not to change it, taking it off for a short time only in rare cases. Sometimes friends exchanged pectoral crosses, turning into “spiritual brothers.” That is why giving another such cult item just like that, for no reason, was considered a pointless exercise. This shrine must be presented as a gift only with pure thoughts, then the person will receive blessing and protection along with it. It is not only possible, but also necessary to give a cross to those people who have been appointed godmother and father. You will bless your child with such a valuable gift. Just be sure to bless those crosses that you do not buy in church.

At all times, it is the pectoral cross that is considered a symbol of faith, protecting and protecting from evil thoughts, and being able to heal from various diseases. Therefore, it should always be on the chest, reminding of the love of the Lord.

The cross is the only religious attribute that can be sold or manufactured freely. But despite this, some superstitions have developed about such a gift, or any accidental situations that happened with it. These include loss, breakage or discovery. What exactly influenced this perception of things is now quite difficult to say, because it has been consolidated for years, even centuries. The most obvious way to explain this is the words from the Bible itself: “this is my cross and I must bear it.” Perhaps it is for this reason that it is believed that accepting a cross as a gift means taking on the burden of other people’s mistakes; it is also possible that it can bring negative changes in the life of the person himself. Therefore, many are afraid of such a gift.

This is a rather unfounded misconception. The first reason that such gifts should not be neglected is the Orthodox Church, which not only does not reject such an opportunity, but even welcomes it. Secondly, even in those distant times, people exchanged crosses in order to have spiritual closeness and strengthen family ties between each other. Such a gift should not cause fear, but on the contrary, it is designed to instill hope and peace in the soul. If you are given a cross, this speaks of excessive love and care, faith and emotions of the giver. Such a gift cannot spoil a person’s fate in any way. It is worth remembering that everyone builds life according to their own rules and there is no need to look for reasons for failure in gifts, especially those made from the heart.

Many people attach special importance when choosing crosses: what size, metal, chain or thread, its length. But none of this matters. After all, as the church itself propagates, it is first and foremost a cross, a sign of faith in oneself and the Lord. There are a few notes worth knowing. The cross itself can be made of any metal, even wood. Some people, in order not to part with this religious attribute when they visit a bathhouse or sauna, prefer to temporarily replace it with a wooden one. It is also important to keep in mind that the length of the chain can be completely different. As the priests say, there is nothing shameful in showing everyone that a person is a Christian. This means that you don’t have to hide your cross under your clothes or on a long chain.

Lately it has become very popular to have it as a decorative decoration. In this case, it can be of any size and even with the addition of rhinestones or precious stones. No one obliges you to wear a cross all the time, although it is advisable to always have it with you. Many people are wary of losing, finding or breaking a religious symbol. But even the church doesn’t see anything wrong with this. All these accidents can only be attributed to the regret of the person himself. After all, this is precisely what explains this kind of superstition in most cases. Disappointment comes when objects dear to the heart are of a specific nature. The cross could be a gift or a baptismal one. Don't worry. In this case, you just need to purchase another one.

When buying a cross for yourself or as a gift, do not forget a few rules. Firstly, it must be purchased only in the church, where they have already undergone all the sacraments of the rite. Secondly, if the purchase was in a regular store, the cross must be taken to the temple for its consecration. The same applies to a gift, in the case where the necessary procedure was not initially done for various reasons. Sometimes situations occur in which the cross, unfortunately, breaks. In this case, there are also several ways to solve this problem without any superstitions. You can just take it to church, there is an option to repair it. But even after repairs, it is better to consecrate it. At this time, no one forbids wearing another cross.

The loss or discovery of a religious symbol only speaks of a person’s absent-mindedness or luck. So, if a cross was found, it is better to regard it as a good divine sign. You should not pass by and avoid such a gift. Donating it to the church for use would be a noble and right thing to do. Any superstitions are based on the person’s trust in them. The main thing is to understand how much he accepts or rejects it. Therefore, a cross as a gift is an excellent present for a loved one or relative. It is not recommended to show signs of attention in this way to colleagues or unfamiliar people, due to the fact that everyone has their own beliefs and principles, like the spiritual world.

Making such a gift special is not particularly difficult now. The cross will have great significance if it is consecrated in any famous temple. Having gone on a trip and walked through holy places, you can bring back a gift from there that will be distinguished by its unique value and grandeur. The main thing is that it is pleasant and does not evoke any negative or conflicting feelings in the person. When given a cross, you should not refuse such a gift, because the one who did it had only good intentions. But if, nevertheless, superstition prevails over reason, you can do something simpler. In exchange for such a gift, it is better to give any coin.

Very often, a cross becomes a family heirloom that goes a long way from generation to generation. This only makes its importance even greater. But no one talks about the fact that all the sorrows and suffering of the family are passed on to him.

Birthday is a holiday that is loved by everyone; there is hardly a person who has a negative attitude towards this day. After all, it only happens once a year. But sometimes, when choosing gifts, the question arises: is it possible to give a cross for a birthday? Is it timely, will they understand correctly? It would seem like the kindest gift, but is it really so? After all, there are so many different signs and prejudices.

Unusual gift

Most people are wary of such an unusual surprise, even if they don’t know exactly why they shouldn’t give a cross. They choose other gifts. Why such prejudices that superstitions speak about this:

But clergy have a different opinion, they believe that believers don’t even need to think about whether they can give crosses as a gift - of course, this is the best present. In this case, the connection between believers is strengthened, especially if they are friends with each other or relatives. It’s another matter if they are presented as a souvenir, as a tribute to fashion - this is sinful.

But if young people are wondering whether it is possible to give a cross to their loved one, they need to think about whether he/she needs this gift.

Only religious people will appreciate such a gift; others may throw it somewhere in a closet and forget about it. However if it is given with love, and the giver also has it on his chest, then the connection between lovers strengthens and feelings become deeper, the relationship becomes more accurate.

Your amulet as a gift to another

It happens sometimes that children ask their grandmothers or mothers for a cross for their name day. But is it possible to give your cross to another person? Signs say different things. If you approach the question philosophically, the answer immediately suggests itself in the negative: the transferred amulet cannot be worn. And it's easy to explain.

Any object that belongs to a person “remembers” his energy, illnesses, and troubles.

And thus, what is given to another as a gift conveys this entire program. However the holy fathers believe that if a grandmother's cross is removed from her neck, keep it in church water for 7 days, all the bad things come away from it. And then the gift will not bring trouble.

Superstitions and church opinion

There is a whole problem with crosses when thinking about giving or receiving a gift. Whether it is worth accepting a cross for a birthday, everyone decides for themselves. In order not to offend the donor, you can take it, put it aside temporarily, and then make the final choice regarding the gift. But what should you do if your godparents gave it to you? Is it right for an adult to give it as a gift?

The Church approves of such a gift, especially from the godfather. And during his life he can give such a gift several times.

You should buy a chain and wear the gift without taking it off, to protect against evil intentions and troubles. A gift from family and friends cannot bring harm. Only for the good. It must be accepted with gratitude.

But you shouldn’t take from strangers, especially if the donor has a difficult life and is plagued by illnesses. It is believed that he will pass on the cross of his share to the donor. But It’s better to buy it yourself from the church, that’s what old people say. If you give your cross, there will be no sin or failure to your loved one, but only benefit and protection. In reality, there were cases when a mother’s pectoral cross protected her sons in battle. Perhaps it was faith that saved, but the amulet was worn by the young fighters. It is worth remembering that a gift brings good luck if...