Choosing a male cross

It is customary for Christians to wear a pectoral cross on their chest as a symbol of faith. Today this symbol of faith has taken on a new form, you can choose an amazing product for yourself or present it to your man as a gift. The jewelry is still made of silver and gold; you can find exclusive models made of wood or combined options.

For the first time a Christian begins to wear a pectoral cross around his neck after going through the rite of baptism... As a rule, it is carried out in childhood, but there are cases when men were baptized even at a later age. Men's crosses can be easily distinguished from children's or women's crosses. They are massive, always larger in size and designed for a thick chain.

It is believed that the cross symbolizes the burden that a person must carry on himself towards the end of life... It is compared to the wooden cross that Jesus carried. That is why you should be especially careful when choosing a product.

Available for sale and more decorative than products, they differ in the absence of a crucifix... Such a product is not advised to choose for baptism, in this case it is better to adhere to traditional beliefs. Not every priest is ready to accept a newly made Christian if he does not observe the elementary canons.

Often decorates decorative options a scattering of stones or an unusual pattern. In any case, it is worth choosing a piece of jewelry based on the main purpose for which it is purchased. If this is a christening, it is advised not to deviate from traditions; in any other case, a decorative cross is quite suitable.

Pectoral cross most often made of silver, since it is this material that is considered ecclesiastical. You can also find options from gold, platinum, ceramics and even wood. A piece of jewelry can also correspond to the canons accepted in Christianity.

Speaking specifically about the material of manufacture, then a cross for a man can be:

• steel;
• wood;
• silver;
• gold;
• rubber;
• ceramic.

In jewelry stores you can also find gilded option, but it quickly loses its appeal, since modern spraying is very thin. Wooden models are rare, but they are made by craftsmen on an individual order.

If we talk about the size of the pectoral cross, then it can be both large and medium in size, only sometimes men prefer a small one when they want to hide the symbol of faith from others, rather than demonstrate the decoration. Which option to choose - everyone decides for himself. There are a huge number of options for sale of any size.

In style, the cross can be Catholic, Orthodox or Old Believer. Each has its own differences. If we talk about the Orthodox form of crosses, then they are also of two types:

• six-pointed;
• eight-pointed.

The latter option is considered a powerful talisman used against evil spirits. You can distinguish such a product by a plate at the head. It used to be used to write crimes committed by a person. It is known from history that the crimes of Jesus were never named, therefore it is written in the abbreviation Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. The line at the feet, which stands obliquely, is a symbol of the path that a person passes from a sinful life to a righteous one.

For Catholics, the shape of the cross is extremely simple, there are only two crossbeams. They also do not have the words "Save and Preserve" on them. There is another difference between the Orthodox and the Catholic cross. It lies in the position of the legs.The Orthodox believe that there were 4 nails with which Jesus was nailed, while the Catholics believe that there were 3.

Until now, believers do not stop arguing about what a crucifix should look like. Catholics believe that even such a symbol should convey the torment of Christ and his insane suffering, so you can often find a corresponding facial expression. The Orthodox believe that although he suffered, he managed to overcome death, therefore, the face on the cross should express happiness.

• Eight-pointed cross can be found most often. It has distinctive features: at the top there is a horizontal line with an abbreviation; at the legs a crossbar located diagonally; it is imperative that the top end points to the left. Below you can see the support under your feet, which only prolonged the torment of Christ.

• Six-pointed - an ancient version of the cross. The lower bar symbolizes the scales on which a person's good and bad deeds are placed.

• Four-pointed... The main difference is the drops at the ends of the crucifixion. They are a symbol of the blood shed by Jesus, who suffered for human sins. You can often find such decoration on religious books.

• Shamrock. This crucifix is ​​used in heraldry. At the ends, you can see leaves and beads. Today, many men use this option as a body-worn creed.

• Latin four-pointed. In the west, this option is one of the most common. You can distinguish it from the other, previously described, by the high crossbar. The lower part is long. For the first time, such creeds began to be worn back in the 3rd century.

Modern crosses are abundantly decorated with inserts. Variants with stones are popular among men no less than among women. For example, you can order a product with a ruby ​​or any other natural gem. This is not only a symbol of faith, but also an amazing decoration. Jewelers are constantly experimenting with shape and lines. It has become popular to combine different materials.

There are strict models for sale, created in accordance with the canons of the church, and there are exclusively decorative options. They are often called pendants because they do not have a crucifix. Only the cruciform shape is preserved.

The cross can be hung on a chain. It is advisable to select it from the same material from which the product is made. The wooden or steel version can be hung on a leather cord. If the cross is a symbol of faith, then you should definitely choose a model that will meet the requirements. It must be remembered that there are Catholic, Protestant, Old Believer, Orthodox and other symbols of faith on sale, they all differ from each other.

When choosing a cross, you need to pay attention to its size and shape. Too massive on a small chain will look ugly, as well as the reverse combination. If a man is large, inflated, he should pay attention to a model of medium or large size, which should be hung on a thick chain. So the decoration will be in harmony with the image.

A male cross should not have too many bright inserts.then he starts to look more like a female model. The stones are selected with taste. If you choose jewelry from a practical point of view, it is better if there are no sharp edges on the pectoral cross that can dig into the skin during sleep.

For information on how the Orthodox cross differs from the Catholic one, see the next video.