The traditions of the Christian faith imply that after the sacrament of baptism the baby will wear a cross on his chest continuously. The accessory serves as a symbol of faith and reminds of the sacrifices that the Son of God made to atone for human sins. It is not advisable to remove it.
The cross for baptism of a baby should be durable, comfortable and safe
The church does not impose requirements on the design and cost of the product. A simple wooden figurine suspended on a cord and a piece of jewelry with diamonds will serve the sacred function equally well. However, there is an unspoken tradition: for baptism one should not spare money on gold and silver crosses.
For adults, the choice is dictated only by personal preferences; when buying children's models, you need to be guided by comfort and safety factors.
Sacrament of Baptism
Those who are preparing to baptize a child may have a question: who buys a cross for a girl’s christening? To find out the answer, you need to understand the meaning of Baptism and the role of godparents. Baptism is not just a solemn religious rite, but a great sacred rite. It is called the Church Sacrament, since it is performed with the invisible participation of the Lord Himself. Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) notes:
“In the Sacrament there is a meeting between God and man, their unity. The grace of God descends on us and sanctifies our entire nature – soul and body.”
Orthodox cross before the Sacrament of Baptism
In Orthodoxy there are other Church Sacraments: Confession, Communion, Wedding, etc. They are the most important components of the Christian life. However, only those who have received Baptism can participate in these sacred rites. This is the very first Sacrament for a believer, which makes him an Orthodox Christian, a member of the Holy Church.
What is needed for a girl's baptism?
The baptism of a girl cannot be done without a cross, a kryzhma and a baptismal gown. Of course, this list can be expanded depending on the financial capabilities of the family and the personal wishes of the parents. Often a personalized icon, a baptismal blanket and an amulet are also purchased. However, this is not mandatory and does not in any way affect the performance of the sacrament itself.
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All the main attributes for the ceremony are purchased by the godparents.
The spiritual father purchases a cross and also pays temple fees. It is important that the edges of the main symbol of the Christian faith are not sharp, but rather rounded at the ends. The baby may get hurt on the cross, which will not bring any joy to either the parents or the goddaughter herself. In addition, the godfather can financially participate in organizing the celebration of this significant event.
The spiritual mother purchases a baptismal set for the baby, also a kryzhma. Usually, when choosing clothes, they consult with the girl’s mother, since she knows her child better and can give practical advice. The girl's initials, as well as the date of birth or christening, are often embroidered on the kryzhma.
What happens at Epiphany
The following main points can be highlighted in the Sacrament of Baptism. The person being baptized three times publicly renounces Satan and declares his desire to join the Lord. Also, the participant in the Sacrament recites the sacred text of the Creed, which is a summary of the main provisions of Orthodoxy. In this way, a person recognizes the truth of these dogmas and his belonging to the Orthodox faith.
Next, the person being baptized is immersed three times in consecrated water, accompanied by the priest reading special prayers. The transforming grace of the Holy Spirit invisibly descends on a person and cleanses him from all previous sins. Baptism is the spiritual rebirth of a person. He dies to sin and is born into new life with Christ. Saint Gregory the Theologian teaches:
“The grace and power of Baptism cleanses sin in every person and completely washes away all uncleanness and defilement brought by damage [original sin]. Since we consist of two natures (the invisible soul and the visible body), then the cleansing is twofold: by water and by the Spirit. One is received visibly and corporeally, while the other at the same time is accomplished incorporeally and invisibly” (“Words”).
Baptism is immediately complemented by another Sacrament - Confirmation. As a sign of sanctification by the Holy Spirit, the baptized person is anointed with holy oil (chrism). Also, part of his hair is cut off, which symbolizes dedication to the Lord.
So, in Baptism, a person’s sins are forgiven, grace is given, and the doors of the saving Church are opened. However, a Christian needs to properly manage these gifts and work hard on his spiritual improvement. Saint John Chrysostom teaches:
“Mysterious rebirth and cleansing takes place in baptism... It fills us with the grace of the Holy Spirit... But to remain clean in the subsequent time and not allow any filth to come to us again - this depends on our will and care” (“Complete Collection of Creations”).
How to choose a pectoral Orthodox cross
Often parents (blood or godparents) find it difficult to choose a symbol for the sacrament of baptism. The main rule applies here: the baptismal cross should be comfortable and safe for the child.
Here are the basic principles of selection:
- Deeply religious Orthodox Christians wear a cross with a crucifix, but as we found out, this is not necessary. For a child, it is better to choose a cross without protruding elements: with an engraved crucifix or without it at all.
- The cross should have rounded ends so that the baby's delicate skin is not scratched. For the same reason, it is better to abandon any inserts and additional decor.
- A Christian cross can be made of any material, but for kids it is better to choose silver options. This metal is not too expensive, and also has a pronounced antiseptic effect.
If you want to choose the right Orthodox cross on the neck for a deeply religious adult, take the canonical eight-pointed one. Crucifixion in this case is mandatory.
Since children are usually baptized at a very tender age, it is better to stop at the smallest cross and hang it not on a chain, but on a gaitan cord. In the first year of life, a child does not have to wear a cross: the mother can wear it in parallel with her own. The second option is to hang a symbol of faith near the baby’s crib.
Types of materials
Contrary to popular belief, the Orthodox Church does not have specific requirements for the material of the cross. It can be carved from wood (which is not very practical) or stone, cast from simple metal or jewelry alloy.
The spiritual content of a symbol of faith does not depend in any way on the material from which it is made. True, most people prefer to choose crosses made of precious materials: they are not only more aesthetically pleasing, but also practical (durable, practically do not cause allergic reactions).
Gold pendant with cubic zirconia (go to the SUNLIGHT catalogue)
The Church considers pride and love of money to be mortal sins. Therefore, even if you choose a very expensive platinum cross with diamonds, you need to wear it under clothes.
What are godparents for?
It is customary for Orthodox Christians to baptize children soon after birth. Of course, a small child cannot yet fully understand the meaning of the Sacrament. However, let us quote the words of Archpriest Igor Fomin:
“Without baptism, without upbringing in the Orthodox faith, it is very difficult to instill in a child the love of God. Every parent wants the best for their child; for a believing parent, this is, first of all, life with Christ, union with him through the sacrament of Communion.”
Therefore, children under 14 years of age are baptized according to the faith of their physical and godparents (spiritual) parents. During the Sacrament, the latter renounce the devil for the child, declare devotion to Christ and read the Creed. Also, it is the spiritual parents who receive the baptized baby from the hands of the priest after he is dipped into the font. In this regard, they are also called receivers.
Those asking the question “Who should buy a cross for the baptism of a boy’s child?” you need to know the following. Buying a cross and other gifts, other etiquette issues of Baptism and associated folk customs are all a secondary side of the Sacrament. It should not replace the main, spiritual meaning of succession. Godparents vouch for the child before God and take responsibility for his spiritual upbringing so that the child grows up to be a true Orthodox Christian. Archpriest Pavel Gumerov notes:
“Godparents are not just family friends or “honorary witnesses” at Epiphany. These are very responsible persons; they become guarantors before God for the souls of their godchildren. Their duty is to pray for their spiritual children, teach them prayers, instruct them in the Orthodox faith and take them to church to receive communion, and then, after seven years, to confess.”
Therefore, the physical parents of the child need to take on worthy church-going people as their successors. They must be aware of the responsibility they have before God. If necessary, the future godparent on the eve of the Sacrament can take part in public conversations with the priest. Their goal is to explain to people the foundations of the Orthodox faith and the meaning of succession.
Miniature baptismal crosses made of gold
In this section you can buy a gold cross for the Baptism of a child, including a newborn baby. Gold crosses for newborns produced weigh less than 1 gram, but even with such a miniature size they have a beautiful, pronounced relief.
Gold crosses for babies come in two types: cast and stamped. Cast ones are heavier and therefore a little more expensive, stamped ones are thinner and cheaper, but with such a tiny size the difference in price is insignificant. All gold crosses come with a free gift bag. At the buyer's request, we will include a free ribbon with the purchase for wearing a cross. Subsequently, it can be replaced with a thin gold chain.
Who buys a cross for a girl's christening?
According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, it is enough for a baptized child to have one recipient. The boy is a godfather, and the girl is a godmother. Inviting two Christians of different genders to be spiritual parents is just an established tradition.
What is needed for a child's Baptism? On the eve of the Sacrament, you need to purchase several candles and a pectoral cross with a rope or chain. It is put on a baptized baby and is a symbol of the confession of the Christian faith, a grace-filled weapon of protection against dark forces. The child will also need a shirt for immersion in the font and a towel. The entire baptismal set can be purchased at any church store.
The preparation of all of the above items is usually done by godparents. Who should buy a cross for the baptism of a girl child? According to the old Russian tradition, a girl is given a cross by her spiritual mother, and a boy is given a cross by her spiritual father. Also, the adoptive parents can purchase for the godson a children's Bible, a prayer book, an icon of his heavenly patron, or another useful gift that will help the child take his first steps towards God.
According to Orthodox tradition, it is the godparent who brings the child to First Communion. Godparents help mature godchildren in many everyday matters: in choosing an education, a profession, and also in starting a family. Spiritual parents are actively involved in preparing the wedding and the wedding of their godchildren.
Children's gold crosses for Baptism
This product category presents small, neat options for body gold crosses that are well suited for small children, including newborns and babies up to one year old.
High-quality gold products from the Aquamarine factory from the Orthodox Oranta collection are available to everyone. You can purchase a gold cross for a child from us at a price that will be lower than the cost of the same product in a jewelry store or church shop. In addition, such a large selection of crosses from this manufacturer can only be found here, and they are in stock and will be delivered to you as quickly as possible - we cooperate directly with the factory. The cross for Orthodox Baptism must have a canonical crucifix. On the back of the cross there can be the words of any prayer, most often it is Save and Save, but this is not important when choosing a gold cross for a child. Crosses without a crucifix are not suitable for performing the Sacrament; they are usually worn as decoration. Our online store offers only canonical Orthodox crosses of various sizes and shapes, so you can’t go wrong with your choice - any will be suitable for the Baptism of a child.
Gold crosses for babies come in two types: cast and stamped. Cast ones are heavier and therefore a little more expensive, stamped ones are thinner and cheaper, but with such a tiny size the difference in price is insignificant. Gold crosses for newborns produced by SOKOLOV and from the miniature series weigh less than 1 gram, but even with such a miniature size they have a beautiful, pronounced relief.
There are minimum requirements for the size of the cross arm for a child, because children usually wear crosses on strings. We will attach a light cotton rope free of charge to any pattern or cross at your request. Subsequently, it can be replaced with a thin gold chain. Each gold cross is packed in a gift jewelry bag.
The best option for a gold cross for a child’s Baptism is a small one, preferably cast, without sharp ends, from a trusted manufacturer, made of 585 gold. A cross for a girl can be openwork, for a boy it can be more strict and classic.
All small children's gold crosses made by Kostroma jewelers, despite their weight and size, are distinguished not only by their remarkable appearance, but also by their harmonious design, reflecting the traditions and spirituality of Orthodox Christianity.
Prayers godparents need to know
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Translation: Our Father who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Symbol of faith
I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.
Translation: I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came into being. For the sake of us, people, and for our salvation, who came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, together with the Father and the Son, equally worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen.
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