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I have noticed that most Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics wear a metal baptismal cross, usually of gold or silver. Are there any Orthodox or Eastern Catholics who wear a wooden baptismal cross? Is there a preference for gold and silver over wood? Thank you!
monk Silouan

Dear Father Silouan,

I think that the preference for gold or silver in Western, Eastern and Middle Eastern countries is symbolic in that by using the most precious of all metals, we are paying respect to that most precious of all symbols: the cross.

In Christ,
Alice

Bless, Father!

I think that the tradition is really to have brass or bronze neck Crosses - this is widespread in Ukraine and Russia.

The brass recalls to mind the brass serpent that Moses raised up in the desert and also Christ's reference to it in the third chapter of John's Gospel when our Lord said that just as Moses raised the serpent in the desert, so too the Son of Man must be raised up etc.

In Russia, some Christians even wear a little brass snake with their neck Cross and this symbol also sometimes decorates brass icons.

Alex

Dear Alex,

The women in Ukraine do not wear decorative gold or silver crosses?

Alice

Dear Alice,

If they are affordable!

But the crosses that are made and worn in the villages and elsewhere are usually brass or bronze or another metal.

My neck cross is made of brass with blue enamel and has the prayer, "Let God arise" on the back, with the full representation of the Cross of Golgotha (with spear, sponge).

This is a kind of standard that is given in baptism - and is entirely affordable.

Alex

I think the way that works is that the women wear the precious metals, and the guys are too broke to buy them for themselves.

Dear Charles,

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

Hopefully, when Walmart sets up its stores in Ukraine, then Ukrainian men will be able to buy some real gold from its jewelry section, just like American men, the last of the big-spenders, now do!

In fact, brass is the metal of choice because of the biblical as opposed to the fashion-conscious background of the Cross.

Alex

Alex,

I am then confused. Based upon Brass being an important biblical element, did the Magi mess up then? Should it have been "Brass, Frankencense, and Myrhh"?


By the way, is Wal-Mart in your part of the woods yet? The gold is really cheap!

Michael

WAL MART sell gold jewellry ??????????????

Crumbs must really keep an eye on Asda then [ it belongs to Wal Mart ] only seen some rather nasty silver bling as yet there.

BTW - my silver neck cross came from Ukraine - and very nice it is too .

Anhelyna

Dear Michael,

Gold would be appropriate for a kingly crown, to be sure!

As I once heard at a lecture on this topic, gold, frankincense and myrrh were the "instruments" of alchemy, practiced by the Magi.

When they offered Christ these three items, what they were really saying was, "We surrender to You, Lord, our former life and offer these things that represent it to You because we have found You, the true Light!"

Alex

Dear Alex,

That is beautiful.

Thank you.

Michael