On the sites of most temples there is a subsection "questions to the priest." People ask about everything regarding the Christian life. Neophytes are often interested in whether it is possible to wear two crosses around the neck, is it considered a sin or not. Opinions of the clergy on this issue are almost the same.
What is a cross?
Before you figure out the meaning of wearing the cross, you need to find out what it is.
The cross is the instrument of Christ's death. The Savior was incarnated "from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and becoming human." This is a line from the Bible - a Christian dogma known to every church person. Jesus Christ accepted death for the sins of the human race, shameful and terrible. He was crucified on the cross, as we know. Since then, it has been a symbol of the victory of love over evil and violence. In other words, death is defeated by sacrificial love. Is it possible to wear two underwear crosses, we will soon find out.
Why wear a cross?
On the neck of an Orthodox Christian, it symbolizes salvation. Jesus Christ saved the human race from eternal hell and death. As the Easter Troparion puts it, "Death is corrupted by death, and by giving it to those in the grave". Death is defeated, it is replaced by resurrection.
Can I wear two crosses? More about this later. Now we are talking about what Christians wear it for. He symbolizes the confession of his faith, is a weapon of spiritual struggle and, as mentioned above, superior to death.
When do they put on a cross?
From neophytes you can often hear the question, can I wear two crosses on my neck? We will tell you about this later. At the moment, we are talking about when a person has the right to wear a pectoral cross.
In fact, as soon as we were born, we get our spiritual cross, we carry it throughout life. The material is hung around the neck after the servant of God has been baptized.
Can I wear two crosses?
The cross is a symbol of salvation, it is written above about it. Putting it on, a person accepts the words of the Lord: "Take your cross and follow Me."
Can I wear two crosses at the same time? It is not customary for Christians to do this, they wear one, often combining it with a name icon and / or incense.
Opinions of the priests
Here is what the priests answer the question of whether it is possible to wear two crosses:
Priest Sergius (Shalberov) opposes. From wearing two crosses in a person’s life, nothing will change. Will he get closer to God? Will he begin to live more godly and double the gospel commandments? If so, then let him wear it. But most often the answers to the questions are negative. The cross is not an amulet that protects from sins, it can not be attributed to jewelry. This is a shrine given to the Orthodox at baptism, should be treated accordingly.
Father Dionysius (Svechnikov) has his own opinion on this matter. According to him, many people have a baptismal symbol of salvation. Superstitious people are sure: if you remove it or lose it, there will be a big trouble. In fact, according to the priest, this is a stupid superstition that does not affect the fate of a person. As for wearing two crosses, the priest declares the complexity of this issue, he does not condemn those who do so.
Archpriest Andrei (Efanov) answers questions from readers of the Orthodox journal Foma. Can I wear two crosses? According to him, this is not accepted and pointless. The second is best stored on the icon shelf.
Priests do not welcome the wearing of two crosses at the same time. This conclusion is obvious from the foregoing.
Cross and name icon
On the neck you can wear a personalized icon depicting your saint. Others prefer the image of a guardian angel, and someone wears everything together, including the cross. The church allows the simultaneous wearing of it with an icon. Believers believe that this will strengthen their protection from evil.
Ladanka
Once upon a time, the Orthodox wore an amulet with the relics of a saint. Currently, it contains incense and is worn with a cross. Incense is a weapon against evil spirits; demons are afraid of it. Previously, a small bag served as an incense, now it is a pendant of two halves. On the palm of the hand is often depicted the Savior or the faces of the saints. Putting it on, it should be remembered that the pendant does not replace the pectoral cross, you can wear them together. Priests on this issue agree:
Frankincense consecrated in temples, they must be treated with care.
You can not treat the pendant as a shrine, first of all, it is a thing. Incense itself does not protect against evil spirits.
Among the neophytes, there are those who prescribe magical properties to the product. This is a great sin, for sanctified incense and magic are different concepts, incompatible with each other.
Can I wear two crosses and an amulet? It is better to limit yourself to one, put the second in the "red corner".
To summarize
In Orthodoxy, the wearing of two crosses is not accepted. It is acceptable to wear a cross along with a name icon, a picture of a guardian angel or incense.
As for his loss, it is absurd to wait because of this disaster and breed panic. Buy another cross, consecrate it and put it on your neck - the problem is solved.
Can I wear two crosses in turn? This action does not make sense, it was mentioned above. The church does not welcome this alternation.
Conclusion
It has now become fashionable to wear crosses as a decoration. There is no image of the Savior on them, but there are precious stones. Earrings and rings are made in the form of crosses, there are bracelets with them.
Christians carry the cross as a symbol of salvation, this is the instrument of execution of Jesus Christ, who accepted death for the sins of the human race. It cannot be a decoration; those who view the cross from a similar point of view sin.