www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Old Believer understanding of neck Crosses

On the Biela Krinitsa website there is an article that gives the most comprehensive explanation of the neck Cross I've ever seen.

Among other things, it is stated that baptismal Crosses are always referred to as "Crosses worn on the skin" ("Natyelnie Khresty") as they are worn underneath our clothing.

Such Crosses have the full depiction of the instruments of Christ's Passion, including the reed and spear, and the various identifying letterings e.g. IC XC, NI KA, and so on. On the back is the prayer from Psalm 67 "Let God arise . . ."

Such Crosses do not depict Christ on them and the Slavic tradition is for Crosses depicting Christ to be worn on top of one's clothing (i.e. by priests and bishops).

The reason as to why Christ is not generally depicted on baptismal Crosses worn "on the skin" is because laity often "attend places where the icon of Christ should not be in . . ." (sic).

The neck Cross is to never be taken off as an ever-present Guardian of our souls and bodies.

It should be worn on a cord around one's neck long enough to allow one to make the Sign of the Cross with the neck Cross during morning and evening prayers (and also during the fulfillment of one's rule of prayer) without removing it.

Mention is also made of the "poyas" or the special embroidered cincture/belt that is given to the newly baptised along with the neck Cross to signify they have "girded" themselves for service to God.

Finally, a comprehensive method for saying the Jesus Prayer on the "lestovka" is given.

The Jesus Prayer is recited on the smaller steps and the prayer "Remember me Lord when You come into Your Kingdom" is said on the first larger step. Then "Remember me O Master when You come into Your Kingdom" on the second larger divider step and then "Remember me O Holy One when You come into Your Kingdom" on the third larger divider step.

When one gets to the space following the 100th smaller step, one recites the "Glory be to the Father . . ."

Then on the three larger steps above the "leaves" or "Lapostki" one says "Alleluia, alleluia, Glory to You, O Lord" on each (the Old Believers say the Alleluia twice, not three times).

Then one moves up the three larger steps on the other side and says on each one "Lord have mercy."

And then on the space above one again says the "Glory be . . ." and begins the next "hundredth" of Jesus Prayers.

And the lestovka should always be held in the left hand, between the index and middle fingers (the fingers that represent the two Natures of Christ which are used to make the Sign of the Cross) and these two fingers alone should be used in moving from one step to the other during the recitation of the Jesus Prayer.

So those are the three items that mark the Christian in the Old Rite tradition especially: The neck Cross on a cord, the Lestovka and the cincture.

Thought it was interesting . . .

Alex

Exceedingly interesting

Thank you Alex for bringing that to my notice.

Bits of it you have mentioned at other times - such as the cord being long enough so you can cross yourself with the Cross - but other things were totally new to me

Dear Anhelyna,

Happy New Year and Hogmanay!

The great thing is that one can always learn new things about these traditions.

And, as is often the case, we pick and choose which we like and choose to incorporate into our spiritual life.

Cheers,

Alex

Alex,

What is the URL for that website?

Timothy the newly-illumined

Dear Alex,

What's the address of the Bielaia Krinitsa web-site?

Fr. Serge

http://ancient-orthodoxy.narod.ru/, I believe

That's a nice-looking web-site;thank you. But it's not by or for Bielaia Krinitsa; this site is produced by the much smaller Church centered at Novozybkov. They are the remnant of the "Beglopopovsty" who refused to accept the hierarchy established Bielaia Krinitsa and descending from Saint Ambrose of Bielaia Krinitsa. In the nineteen-twenties they succeeded in acquiring a bishop from the Renovationist "Living Church" movement sponsored by the Soviet government - to the best of my awareness, they are the only surviving group descending from the Renovationists.

Gradually, parishes are leaving this group in favor of the Russian Old-Ritualist Orthodox Church - which is about ten times the size of the smaller group and which maintains the hierarchy originally established at Bielaia Krinitsa.

Fr. Serge

Bless, Father,

Next time, I'll check the link before just picking it blindly out of my "favorites" list on the basis of the url name . Here you go ...

[i]Ruska Pravoslavna Starobriodts Crkva[/i] [rpsc.ru]

Many years,

Neil

Actually, this is the Bela Krinitsa site:

http://www.belaya-krinica.kiev.ua

Cheers,

Alex

Alex:

Where else in Byzantine usage--liturgical or private prayer--would this set of prayers be found? Somehow I have seen this sequence or read about it or heard it and have used it frequently.

In Christ,

BOB

Dear Bob,

Yes, it is in the Byzantine Prayer before Communion that is recited by the Priest during the Liturgy (the "Prayer of the Good Thief").

Alex