A plain cross pendant

[Cordy]

Hello folks ,

I have a little question for you. My friend told me that her friend is getting interested in spiritual things, and started attending Catholic Church regularly. My friend is not a believer, but is trying to think of something thoughtful to buy this friend of hers for his birthday. She was thinking of getting him a plain cross pendant, but wasn’t sure if Catholics wore them.

I realize I am very naïve about this, but do Catholics sometimes wear plain crosses? I often see the crucifix, but she is wanting to give him a plain cross. I told her I would ask my Catholic friends (being you folks here) what you thought about it.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Spence06]

Catholics do wear plain crosses, though normally you see most Catholics wear Crosses with Jesus on them. Its nothing official or anything, just a general observations that most Catholics do not wear just plain crosses.

 

[selfintercession]

It's a matter of preference, but I'm sure the person it is for will love it

 

[Victrixa]

Hi mbams

Yes, oh yes! I wear plain crosses! I have plenty of them! As a matter of fact, I don't even own a crucifix pendant (I would love to own one one day though). But I love plain crosses!

 

[Cordy]

Thank you, everyone! I will pass that on to my friend.

 

[selfintercession]

No problem

 

[nyj]

As to why most Catholics wear crucifixes... that was answered in today's 2nd reading. From the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, second chapter, second verse.

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

 

[TexasCatholic]

I'm entering the Church, but I prefer not to wear a Crucifix. I wear a plain, silver cross.

Catholics tend to wear both, but non-Catholics rarely wear crucifixes. You can almost guarantee when you see somebody wearing one, it's a Catholic. On the other hand, if they wear a simple cross, you just know that they're a Christian (either that or someone who likes "bling bling" depending on how big the cross is!!). Noting that, make it a small, modest cross Not a 3" tall gold-plated one, heh.

-Michael

 

[frettr00]

Catholics wear a crucifix..as far as I know it's meant to represent Christ crucified. I've heard that some prefer a plain cross, because having an image of Jesus like that is "idoltry"..similar to how they see our statues and paintings.

 

[jukesk9]

I wouldn't wear a plain cross. In my opinion, it's an insult to the Catholic Church. The Reformationists removed the Corpus Christi from the cross accusing Rome of idolatry. Accuse me of taking an extreme stance on this issue but I wear Christ crucified.

 

[Victrixa]

I wouldn't wear a plain cross. In my opinion, it's an insult to the Catholic Church.

Wow, yes that is quite extreme, indeed... I'm sorry, my friend, but I love the Catholic Church and I wear plain crosses of all kinds that were given to me as gifts and that I inherited as well. Everybody's Catholic here, anyhoo.

 

[selfintercession]

I wouldn't wear a plain cross. In my opinion, it's an insult to the Catholic Church. The Reformationists removed the Corpus Christi from the cross accusing Rome of idolatry. Accuse me of taking an extreme stance on this issue but I wear Christ crucified.

How is that an insult to the Catholic Church? The cross can be a valid devotional image as well as the crucifix... what's wrong with that??

 

[Cordy]

I am back, with another related question.

My friend came across something called the "four way cross". She would like to know what the images are on it, and what it means. Can anyone help?

Thanks again!

 

[jukesk9]

How is that an insult to the Catholic Church? The cross can be a valid devotional image as well as the crucifix... what's wrong with that??

Here is how I view it as an insult. When Luther broke from Rome, he did everything in his power to distance his followers from the Bride of Christ. Holy Mother Church displayed the Corpus Christi upon a cross. Luther removed the Corpus Christi so he and his followers wouldn't commit idolatry and have nothing Romish or Popish in his church.

Today's fundamentalists deceive themselves (as in not knowing the real reason the Corpus Christi was removed) into thinking that they display a barren cross to depcit a risen Christ whereas we like to "re-crucify" Him and commit idolatry.

To remove Christ from the cross, IMHO, is Protestant and not Catholic. Again, I take a militant and extreme stance on this. I will not display a barren cross in my home or on my person. I am Catholic. I wear Christ crucified.

 

[jukesk9]

Wow, yes that is quite extreme, indeed... I'm sorry, my friend, but I love the Catholic Church and I wear plain crosses of all kinds that were given to me as gifts and that I inherited as well. Everybody's Catholic here, anyhoo.

Yes, it is extreme. I can't make any apologies for it. No need for you to apologize, however, about you wearing a plain cross. I'm just a bit militant when it comes to the Reformation. Anywho, nice picture. Is that you and what church is it?

 

[selfintercession]

Here is how I view it as an insult. When Luther broke from Rome, he did everything in his power to distance his followers from the Bride of Christ. Holy Mother Church displayed the Corpus Christi upon a cross. Luther removed the Corpus Christi so he and his followers wouldn't commit idolatry and have nothing Romish or Popish in his church.

Today's fundamentalists deceive themselves (as in not knowing the real reason the Corpus Christi was removed) into thinking that they display a barren cross to depcit a risen Christ whereas we like to "re-crucify" Him and commit idolatry.

To remove Christ from the cross, IMHO, is Protestant and not Catholic. Again, I take a militant and extreme stance on this. I will not display a barren cross in my home or on my person. I am Catholic. I wear Christ crucified.

First of all... lol to Romish and Popish...

Next... can't both be correct? Martin Luther was wrong in saying that doctrine needed to be reformed... but as I heard a priest tell a congregation not all that long ago, he was right in saying that many people within the church did need to be reformed. Now, as I understand it, the Catholic Church has no official doctrine on the crucifix vs. the cross, so assuming that not every change Martin Luther made was wrong, couldn't both the cross and the crucifix be correct? After all, gothic churches were built in the form of the cross, not in the form of the crucifix... if the cross was really so offensive, would churches not have simply been built as simply rectangles like most other buildings?

 

[ByzantineDixie]

Here is how I view it as an insult. When Luther broke from Rome, he did everything in his power to distance his followers from the Bride of Christ. Holy Mother Church displayed the Corpus Christi upon a cross. Luther removed the Corpus Christi so he and his followers wouldn't commit idolatry and have nothing Romish or Popish in his church.

Today's fundamentalists deceive themselves (as in not knowing the real reason the Corpus Christi was removed) into thinking that they display a barren cross to depcit a risen Christ whereas we like to "re-crucify" Him and commit idolatry.

To remove Christ from the cross, IMHO, is Protestant and not Catholic. Again, I take a militant and extreme stance on this. I will not display a barren cross in my home or on my person. I am Catholic. I wear Christ crucified.

Please don't construe this as debate I just need to offer on element of correction. Luther did not remove the Corpus from the crucifix! Lutherans are definitely crucifix people! I wear a crucifix just about exclusively (for reasons similar to yours). Also...here is a picture of my wedding ring...(modeled after Martin Luther's wedding ring) it also has a crucifix on it. I have a beautiful large (over 3 feet) 80+ year old Christus Rex crucifix above our fireplace mantel. I don' t know the exact numbers but a large number of Lutheran churches have crucifixes over the altar instead of a plain cross.

I don't know which group was the first to prefer the plain cross over the crucifix, but it wasn't the Lutherans of the Reformation. Now some modern day Lutherans can be seen as Romophobic but their opinions would not necessarily be representative of confessional Lutherans.

Peace

Rose

 

[Victrixa]

Hi Rose

It's so nice to see you here! I hope everything's fine!

That's a lovely wedding ring!

Yes it's true about Lutherans and the Crucifix.

Pax Christi.

 

[Victrixa]

Yes, it is extreme. I can't make any apologies for it. No need for you to apologize, however, about you wearing a plain cross. I'm just a bit militant when it comes to the Reformation. Anywho, nice picture. Is that you and what church is it?

hiya there

Yep that's me in the picture and the church is my parish. That was on my wedding day on August 30, 2003.

My church, see here: St.Christophe d'Arthabaska, Québec

 

[Kepha]

Yeah, i only wear crusifixes simply because it shows my faith and since all Catholic Churches are required to have one reflecting the Eucharist, i like to also have one. Even one of those mini crosses i wear on my jackt has Jesus on it.