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Baptism is the first sacrament for a newborn baby, which opens the door for him to other sacraments of the Church, above all, to Communion. While the child is preparing to enter the Church through the water, his parents and godparents are experiencing how to prepare and organize everything properly. As practice shows, a lot of questions arise regarding the body cross for the baby, for example: which cross to buy, do you need a chain and others. In our material we have collected answers to the most frequently asked questions about the crosses for the baptism of babies. We hope this will help many parents and godparents to save their time and nerves.
What cross is needed for the baptism of the baby?
For a child to be baptized, a light cross of small size with rounded or smoothed corners that cannot scratch the delicate skin of an infant is needed. Also, pay attention to the mounting of the cross, it should be as strong as possible. Large and massive crosses for the baptism of infants are not suitable, as they subsequently interfere with the child during movement and play. In addition, small crosses are safer: if suddenly your child can unhook and swallow a cross, he will not block the airways..jpg)
Who buys a cross for the baby?
There are no clear church rules or traditions associated with those who must acquire a cross for the baby. It can be both parents themselves, and godparents or other relatives. Sometimes the godparents buy a cross as a gift to the baby, but again, there are no rules in this case. What exactly should not be done is to pick up the godparents for the child basing only on their material well-being and the opportunity to purchase something for the baby. The main mission of the godparents is to educate the child in the spirit of the Orthodox faith and Christian values.
What materials should a cross be made of?
A children's pectoral cross can also be made of wood, but as a material the wood it is difficult to tolerate exposure to water and temperature changes, therefore a wooden cross must be changed frequently. In this respect, crosses made of silver and gold, which do not oxidize so quickly, are much more convenient. Gold as a metal is less exposed to the environment and therefore gold crosses last the longest. Of course, this also affects the price of such products. Therefore the best option, you can buy a silver cross with gold covering, which will protect silver from oxidation and give the cross a more attractive appearance.
Is it necessary to buy a chain for the pectoral cross?
Of course, a beautiful chain will look much better than ordinary lace, but the question is how practical it is. Laces have many advantages: such as low cost, convenience, the ability to choose a different color. The main drawback is the need to frequently change the lace, because they have poor resistance to water. The chain in this regard looks much safer and more attractive, but it is easier for the child to break or lose it during games. Therefore, in this matter, the right of choice remains with the parents or godparents. It is more convenient to select both a chain or a lace depending on the cross, so that both products are combined in size, are in the same style and are not dissonant with each other. Do not forget to check also that the links of the chain do not contain sharp corners that can rub the skin of the child.
Do I need to consecrate the cross before baptism?
Most church stores and shops sell pre-blessed goods, which it makes no sense to re-consecrate. If you ordered a cross from a jeweler or buy it at a jewelry store, then you need to consecrate it in the church. To do this, in any church, go to the candle shop or directly to the priest, who will consecrate the cross, after reading prayers over him from a special rite for the consecration of the pectoral cross.
We hope that our answers will be useful for you and will be able to get rid of unnecessary nerves and fuss, especially on the eve of such an important event as the baptism of a child. If you have any other questions regarding baptism, you can ask us on our Facebook page.
