How to consecrate a cross at home. How is a pectoral cross consecrated in church, and how can you consecrate it yourself? You can't wear someone else's cross
home The southern coast of Crimea is the most popular place
among vacationers and tourists. They are attracted by the pearl of Crimea - Yalta, which can be seen from a bird's eye view if you climb to a hill. To realize your desire, you should find out how to get to Ai-Petri from Yalta and use its observation deck.
Location of Ai-Petri
- To climb to the flat surface of the mountain top, whose height reaches 1,234 meters, you can:
- By cable car;
- By minibus;
- By car;
On foot. You can get to Ai-Petri by shuttle bus to settlement Miskhor. From the Yalta bus station, a regular bus covers the distance within half an hour. If you decide to get there by car, then you should go towards Simeiz.
The reference point for the turn will be the Uzbekistan sanatorium, there is a sign for Ai-Petri on how to get there.
Climbing Ai-Petri
Vorontsov Palace. From the top of the mountain there is a clearly visible road along which you can see - how to get to Ai-Petri . ends at 18-00, after this time tickets are not sold. Movement cable car
it takes no more than five minutes to reach the top. Many people prefer to climb by car. Conquering Ai-Petri by car is quite exciting. The route to Bakhchisaray passes through coniferous forest
, the duration of the route will take about 40 minutes. Only experienced drivers climb Ai-Petri by car, but the bravest ones overcome the distance and conquer the peak on foot.
Hiking trails
- There are several hiking trails that are used for hiking:
- Botkinskaya;
- Taraktashskaya;
Koreizskaya.
The most convenient trail is the Koreizskaya one, it will lead to the plateau.
The flat top allows for stalls with souvenirs and products made from sheep skins, establishments with Tatar cuisine, and Crimean wine.
The mountain air makes the condition special, coniferous forests, from the view of the sea merging with the sky. Mountain peaks that remain below and surround Ai-Petri.
Neighborhoods of Ai-Peri
Returning from the top you can visit one of warm places Crimea - Miskhor, which has an amazing park. Park area stretched along the coast, there are more than three hundred species of plants from different countries. The fountain attracts tourists, as well as the sculpture of a girl in the sea - this is a little mermaid.
On the territory of Miskhor there is the Yusupov Palace, surrounded by a park that attracts attention no less than the palace building. You can return to Yalta by regular bus; they travel at intervals of one hour.
There is a boat service to the Yalta embankment from Miskhor. A boat trip will enchant you with the beauty of the changing landscapes; from the sea you can see mountains buried in greenery and clouds. If you're lucky, you might be surprised by the boat being accompanied by dolphins.
You can also traditionally use a taxi service. No matter how difficult the road to Ai-Petri may be, this trip will leave unforgettable impressions and a positive attitude towards for a long time. Anyone who has become acquainted with Crimea will always return to it.
Excursion to Ai-Petri: how to get there, what interesting things there are on the mountain, how to get to the battlements themselves and what you must see along the way.
The name Ai-Petri is Greek. Translated, it means “Mount Peter.” Apparently, this means St. Peter, although there is a legend that this mountain was not named in honor of a saint, but in honor of an ordinary guy.
There is a local legend that tells that in the same Tatar village lived a beautiful girl Arzy and an equally wonderful guy Petri. They loved each other very much and decided to declare their love to the whole world. They climbed to the top of the mountain, and the guy suddenly fell apart (you’ll find out why a little later). And the girl in love exclaimed in fright: “Ay, Petri!” That’s what the mountain has been called ever since.
How to get to Ai-Petri
There are two ways to get to Ai-Petri. The most interesting and fastest is the cable car. In Miskhor, get to the cable car station and buy a ticket (tourist advice - it’s better to take an excursion, the ticket is quite expensive, and you’ll see more attractions for a little more money). The cable car in Miskhor will take you up to Ai-Petri in two steps: the first rise is flatter, and after the transfer station it is steeper.
On the second leg of the journey, your ears may get clogged, so take your loved one with you - it’s funny, but kissing will relieve this feeling!
However, you can limit yourself to regular candy - swallow your saliva, everything will be fine. There is no need to be afraid of the cable car - it is really very safe. The carriage moves smoothly, without jerking, but if you are scared, just in case, take a pill for motion sickness.
The second way to get to Ai-Petri is the military road. They say it has 365 turns! This is a longer route, and here you get motion sickness much more often. Some turns are so sharp that the tour bus cannot fit into them; they are almost one hundred and eighty degrees. The ride to Ai-Petri by road is quite long, about an hour, while on the cable car this time is no more than 20 minutes, including the wait for the trailer and the transfer.
Ai-Petri Valley - food and entertainment
When you have taken a cable car or a regular highway and stepped onto solid ground, this does not mean that you have reached the top of the mountain. But even here, below the Ai-Petri battlements, there is something to see. If you look down from the observation deck of the cable car, you will see Yalta - in full view! Now turn in the opposite direction - you will see a large market.
Let's see what's here?
At the market it is very profitable to buy fur products made from natural sheepskin - prices are two times lower than below. There are pillows, sleeveless vests, belts, toys, downy scarves and socks - whatever your heart desires. And everything is so soft and warm. There are also small souvenirs here, but it is better to buy them downstairs - on Ai-Petri, on the contrary, they are more expensive. Sweets, spices - and this is in abundance here.
Down products on Ai-Petri, Crimea
There are many cafes in the Ai-Petri market. The main difference between these cafes is that there are two types of tables. You can sit down regular table, or you can - for the eastern one. Climb with your feet up, just take off your shoes. Sit on soft pillows around a low table - very comfortable and unusual.
As elsewhere in Crimea, the portions in the cafe are quite large and nutritious. As a rule, they serve dishes of oriental cuisine - at least 15 varieties of shashlik alone, as well as several types of pilaf, different soups, and countless drinks.
If you go on a tour, you have a chance to go to a wine tasting - you will be offered to try the most famous wines of Crimea, and among them there are very unusual ones, for example, with a taste of chocolate or currants. After the tasting, you can buy a bottle of wine for yourself (prices are very inexpensive compared to mainland prices).
In addition, you can ride a horse in the Ai-Petri Valley. If you want, go up to the dark-haired guy who invites you to go on a horse ride - there are a lot of horses, a whole herd!
Be careful with cunning photographers. As they say in Crimea, they have an unobtrusive Tatar business here. You can take a photo with eagles, on a camel, with a big elegant pig, but keep in mind that this may not end well. There have been cases where it all started with one photo with an eagle, then the person was given a second eagle, then a monkey, then all together on a donkey, and so on, until a large sum came out.
The story with camels is the same as in Egypt. Landing is free, but how much does it cost to get down? Discuss all the details with the cunning guys so as not to ruin your vacation!
Ai-Petri teeth - how to climb
If you decide to go to the end and climb the very teeth of Ai-Petri, then you will have to pay a certain amount (in 2016 it cost 100 rubles) to enter the territory of the reserve. This is the official amount, you pay it to the forester, who sits right there in the booth.
If you want to climb the battlements, be sure to take a jacket (it’s cooler there) and - ladies, this is for you! - no heels. Only comfortable shoes with stable flat soles. Remember how Petri fell from the legend? This is not because he was clumsy, but because the mountain is made of limestone. It's very slippery! When you climb, try not to step on the stones, polished by time, precipitation and hundreds of walking tourists - you can easily slip and fall.
You won’t need any special equipment - although the climb is steep, you can easily walk without hooks and ropes, or whatever they call it among climbers?
Panorama of Yalta from the Ai-Petri plateau
Climbing the teeth of Ai-Petri - last steps
The road to the Ai-Petri battlements lies through a hornbeam and beech grove, in which you will see several unique specimens of trees:
- Firstly, this Stephen's maple(the same one who founded Nikitsky Botanical Garden). This heroic tree should be dead by now, but it still lives. It has long since rotted from the inside, it was struck by lightning several times, but this forest monster is still alive and green. They say that if you throw a coin into a hollow, the tree will help you fulfill your wish. This tree is the only maple of this species in the whole world.
- There are ancient trees in the grove that are 1200 years old: these are yew berry- the tree is poisonous and insidious. Beautiful tree does not surprise you with its thickness - it grows every year tree ring only 1 mm thick. The tree itself is not poisonous, only its exposed wood is poisonous, from which cunning Russian princes made bowls to poison those they disliked. Wine steeped in a chalice for just one night became deadly and quick poison. Woodworkers also died. The tree is considered useful in terms of energy. If a man hugs him, then his masculine strength will increase, and if a woman hugs him, then the tree will take away everything bad from her.
- Some beeches bear fruit in the grove, but no one will show you where they grow beech nuts. These small fruits have a narcotic effect, so don’t even ask or beg - the locals will be as dumb as fish.
After passing through the grove, you will come out onto a sloping clearing, which will lead you to the battlements themselves. Walk another 100 meters and you will see a height indicator (1234.2 m) and a lot of stones - these are the teeth of Ai-Petri.
There you can take a photo and admire the tree lying below you, the main thing is not to climb over the fences, so as not to become like Petri from the legend. Anyway, the peak will no longer be named in your honor. There will be a little more time to rest, breathe in the mountain air and slowly descend back - the descent is no less difficult than the ascent. Remember about treacherous slippery stones!
Branch of the Crimean Observatory on Ai-Petri
Ai-Petri plateau - summer landscape
Excursions around Yalta and surrounding areas
The most interesting excursions are routes from local residents on Tripster. In addition to Ai-Petri, from Yalta there is (embankment, Museum submarines and a boat trip). And visit: Vorontsovsky, Livadia and Swallow's Nest castle in eight hours.
The height of Mount Ai-Petri is easy to remember - 1234 m above sea level. This is not the highest peak Crimean mountains, but definitely the most famous. Translated from Greek language the mountain's intricate name means "St. Peter."
Ways to climb Ai-Petri
On the cable car
This is perhaps the most popular and picturesque option for climbing the mountain. The cable car “Miskhor – Sosnovy Bor – Ai-Petri” originates almost at the very seashore, in the village of Miskhor, and rises to a height of 1234 m. The fare is 300 rubles; you can check the operating schedule of the cable car on the official website.
The cable car cabin is designed for 35 people. There is not a single support tower between the Sosnovy Bor and Ai-Petri stations, and the distance between them is 1670 m. This is one of the longest unsupported spans in Europe. Only the road in Germany has surpassed the Crimean cable car, where in the town of Oberiettenberg the Reiteralpe cable car has a span length of 1980 m. The ski lift on Ai-Petri can boast of its trouble-free operation.
By minibus or car
If you drive from Yalta towards Alupka along the Yuzhnoberezhnoe Highway, then in the area of the village of Vinogradnoye you will see a right turn to Bakhchisarai. 22 km of mountain serpentine will lead to the final station of the Ai-Petri cable car. The road is very picturesque, it passes by the Wuchang-Su waterfall, mountain lake and several observation platforms.
You can leave your car in a paid parking lot near the cable car terminal station.
On foot
The so-called Koreiz (Miskhor) trail leads up, the length of which is 4 km. It originates opposite the Crimean Tatar village of Chatal-Kaya, the walking route begins immediately from the Samota stop on the South Coast Highway.
Market on Ai-Petri
The first thing you will encounter when you get to the top is a huge market, which is located right on the way to the famous Ai-Petri battlements (several separate rocks). Here you will be offered in a very intrusive manner to buy souvenirs, sweets and warm clothes. The sellers are mostly Tatars. The market is open at any time of the year. The passage to Ai-Petri itself is paid.
44.448089 , 34.056201 The height of Mount Ai-Petri is easy to remember - 1234 m above sea level. This is not the highest peak of the Crimean Mountains, but definitely the most famous. Translated from Greek, the intricate name of the mountain means “St. Peter.” Ai-Petri
In any church, a believer can purchase a cross, consecrated in accordance with the canons Orthodox Church. However, people often choose pectoral crosses purchased in jewelry store, or receive them as a gift from loved one. Is it possible to consecrate such a cross yourself?
How a new cross is blessed in the Orthodox Church
A person receives a pectoral cross during the sacrament of baptism. Despite the church canons, it should be noted that a similar ritual was carried out in Rus' even before the adoption of Orthodoxy.
Therefore, wearing a pectoral cross is used even by non-believers, considering the object as an ancient symbol that protects against the effects of negative manifestations.
Since the cross is consecrated in the church at the same time as the baby is baptized, there is no need to purchase the cross again in the future. However, a person may lose an item that is important to him. In this case, the best option would be to purchase the Orthodox amulet again and consecrate it as recommended by the church. By the way, basically to sanctify a large number of Pectoral crosses are customary on Easter Eve.
Previously, the question of whether it was possible to consecrate a cross at home did not arise for residents of rural areas. This ritual was quite common. You just had to ask the priest for his blessing. But in large cities it was necessary to visit the temple for a special ritual.
Often such division is associated with the temptations of a big city and greater exposure to the sins of its inhabitants. Therefore, the baptism of an infant and the illumination of the cross occurs only in the temple. Along with crosses, other objects, for example, icons, should also be consecrated. Believers are sure that during the ritual, priests read prayers for a month in order to reliably consolidate the effect.
Conditions for consecration
In fact, the ritual performed in the church is described in the missal, a special book.
It contains the basic rules by which, in particular, services performed on demand are held:
- If it is necessary to consecrate a new cross, it must be chosen correctly. Since this is an object not used for decoration, more attention should be paid to the image of Christ. A cross purchased from a church is made according to the canons and does not require re-consecration, since it has already undergone the procedure. However, crosses offered in jewelry stores are often intended for Catholics. The difference lies in the manner in which Christ's feet are nailed. In Orthodoxy, 2 nails are visible on the cross, but in Catholicism, there is only 1 nail in the image;
- It doesn’t matter what material the cross is made of. In Orthodoxy there are no clear instructions about whether there should be pectoral cross IR wooden or metal;
- In a church where it has been decided to consecrate a cross, you need to contact the minister. Typically, employees are constantly located near the place where candles are sold. You should contact one of them with a request to talk with the priest after the completion of the service;
- In a conversation with a priest, you need to make a request, addressing the priest “Honest Father”. Any person with the rank of priest can perform the ceremony;
- It is imperative to show the cross to the priest so that he can be convinced of its compliance with the Orthodox canons. You can hang the cross on a chain or thread in advance;
- The priest takes the cross to the altar and performs the required veneration. The ceremony does not last long, but during this time you can light a candle to the icons and read a few prayers, for example, “ Grace of the Holy Spirit»;
- At the end of the ceremony, the priest will sprinkle the objects placed for consecration with holy water 3 times. Only after this is it considered that the thing has been cleansed;
- You should put on a pectoral cross immediately after the ceremony, since being present in church without it is undesirable.
After the prayer service, you need to thank the priest and leave a symbolic fee for the consecration.
How to consecrate a cross yourself at home
It is unlikely that a priest will agree to bless a cross at home. However, there are many ways that “knowledgeable” people recommend for performing the ritual.
For example: A cross that can be blessed is glued to the bottom of a bucket with resin. The bucket is lowered into the well Maundy Thursday. In the morning Good Friday after the 5th rooster crow, the woman must approach the well, reading “Our Father”.
The bucket is taken out of the water, while the words are pronounced: Holy, holy, holy, from now on God’s cross is consecrated. It is believed that the item has undergone the necessary purification and can be worn as a pectoral cross.
According to Orthodox canons, such an action is considered heresy. In no church would such a thing be perceived as a consecrated object. Therefore, you should not perform the ritual yourself, especially for a believer.
The cross must be consecrated in an appropriate setting according to the traditions of Christianity that have developed over the centuries. Otherwise, the cross can only be considered as a pagan amulet.
Religion has become one of the main aspects of modern society. Every day we meet with her. But does religion imply faith?
The modern Russian Orthodox Church can answer this question with confidence. Yes, it does. The number of rituals and divine celebrations in the Russian Orthodox Church is large. The Orthodox Church has many sacraments - communion, funeral services, weddings. But there is one more mystery that we have not touched on yet. This is the sacrament of baptism. It occurs through a special ceremony, which is performed a certain time after the birth of the child. In Rus', since the time of Vladimir the Red Sun, the rite of baptism has been firmly entrenched in Orthodox and Russian culture, in their joint branches and roots.
After baptism, everyone who believes Orthodox person a special amulet was issued - a cross on the body. This tradition of receiving amulets after washing goes back to the ancient Scythian nomads who inhabited these places in the 4th century AD. After the introduction of Christianity on the territory of Rus', the amulets were replaced by crosses, but on the metaphysical level nothing changed.
Let's look into the very essence of the baptism process. Let's try to understand its secret processes and depth. The whole point is that together with a baptized baby (less often an adult), sometimes a cross was also blessed. A little later, this tradition would be successfully strengthened with the holiday of Holy Easter, when these objects were blessed in special quantities.
How to consecrate a cross? Do I need to go to church for this? Is it possible to do this at home? The modern Russian Orthodox Church is of two minds on this matter. The thing is that in village churches, blessing a cross at home is a completely ordinary ritual. Only in large cities, since the beginning of the nineteenth century, were they allowed to be blessed only in churches. Why this division occurred, let each of us answer for ourselves...
Probably, the province is considered purer and more innocent, there the attitude towards this life is much simpler, people are more devout, and in many families they continue to honor old rituals and signs, so the baptism of a newborn is considered a mandatory process.
The people of these places will be able to teach you how to consecrate a cross at home, quickly and easily. To do this, on Maundy Thursday you need to stick it with sticky resin to the bottom of the bucket and lower it to the bottom of the well. After the fifth rooster crow on the morning of Good Friday, an Orthodox woman had to get out of bed, leave the house and, with prayer in her heart, go to the well. Reading main prayer- Our Father, she must pull the bucket out of the well and declare with God’s blessing: “Holy, holy, holy, the cross of God is now consecrated.” Then this silver fragment of plates fused crosswise can be used as an Orthodox cross!
From now on, it will be the shrine of a true believer, his personal cradle and protection from the evil serpent and any other forces of darkness. But these are lyrics. Let's touch on the question of why it is forbidden for city congregations to sanctify Orthodox crosses at home.
Here, most likely, we need to consider the spiritual decay of any large city. But along with the hearts, the soul also becomes corrupted. One should not think that today’s Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow is not the Jerusalem under Jesus, in which the latter overturned the tables of merchants in the temples. But let's not look into it the real reason such behavior, our article is about something completely different.
The point of this story is that you should not think too much about how to consecrate the cross. With this item or not, God can only be found by the heart that seeks. And it doesn’t matter at all whether he observes all Orthodox holidays and goes to church for night services. "Let the man who seeks God become God." This is what he wrote in his early works. But that's a completely different story...
- priest Konstantin Parkhomenko
- answers on questions
- priest Konstantin Slepinin
- Deacon Sergius Shalberov
Pectoral cross- visible evidence of belonging to the Orthodox Church, confession of the Christian faith, a means of protection.
The cross is the greatest Christian shrine, a visible evidence of our redemption. In the service for the Feast of the Exaltation, the Church glorifies the tree of the Cross of the Lord with many praises: “the guardian of the entire universe, beauty, the power of kings, the affirmation of the faithful, glory and plague.”
A pectoral cross is given to a baptized person who becomes a Christian and is constantly worn in the most important place (near the heart) as an image of the Cross of the Lord, an outward sign of being Orthodox. This is also done as a reminder that the Cross of Christ is a weapon against fallen spirits, having the power to heal and give life. That is why the Cross of the Lord is called Life-Giving!
He is evidence that a person is a Christian (a follower of Christ and a member of His Church). This is why it is a sin for those who wear a cross for fashion without being a member of the Church. Consciously wearing a cross on the body is a wordless prayer, allowing this cross to demonstrate the true power of the Archetype - the Cross of Christ, which always protects the wearer, even if he does not ask for help, or does not have the opportunity to cross himself.
The cross is consecrated only once. It needs to be reconsecrated only in exceptional conditions (if it was severely damaged and restored again, or fell into your hands, but you do not know whether it was consecrated before).
There is a superstition that when consecrated, the cross acquires magical protective properties. The Church teaches that the sanctification of matter allows us not only spiritually, but also physically - through this sanctified matter - to join the Divine grace that we need for spiritual growth and salvation. But the grace of God does not act unconditionally. A person is required to have a correct spiritual life, and it is this that makes it possible for the grace of God to influence us salutarily, healing us from passions and sins.
Sometimes you hear the opinion that the consecration of crosses is a late tradition and that this has never happened before. To this we can answer that the Gospel, as a book, also once did not exist and there was no Liturgy in its current form. But this does not mean at all that the Church cannot develop forms of worship and church piety. Is it contrary to Christian doctrine to invoke God’s grace on the creation of human hands?
All crosses that you can purchase in the church are consecrated. Therefore, after the purchase, you should not look for the priest so that he can re-consecrate the purchase. Most often, those who bought them in a jewelry store want to know how to light a cross with a chain in a church. There's nothing complicated. You yourself will not be able to consecrate the cross on your body. Therefore, you will have to turn to the temple for help. Approach any free priest in the church (if there is a service going on, you should wait until it ends). Then give the clergyman the cross and chain.
Only the symbol of faith is consecrated; the chain is not given for this rite. But as a rule, transferring one symbol of faith into the hands of the priest is wrong. It must be put on a chain or rope. It is completely impermissible to wear, for example, the Catholic symbol of faith, but at the same time be Orthodox. A Catholic cross will not be consecrated in an Orthodox church.
How the clergy illuminate the cross in the church.
Every clergyman knows how the cross is illuminated in the church. Therefore, if you need to carry out this ritual, you can contact any available priest in the temple. Very often, people who are believers, but are ignorant in knowledge about the church, try to pay the clergyman money for performing the ceremony. However, this is not entirely correct. Not a single priest will take money from you, but most likely will offer to give it, for example, for the development of the Temple, for the construction of a new Temple.
In the church, you will be blessed with a new Orthodox cross purchased at a jewelry store, as well as a cross that you purchased a long time ago, perhaps wore, but decided to perform the ceremony only today. However, you will be denied consecration Catholic cross. If you do not understand the symbols of faith, then find out where Orthodox products are located on the display case. You must understand that Orthodox crosses are visually different from Catholic ones. On the Catholic version, Jesus' legs are crossed and nailed with one nail, but if you look at the Orthodox version, you will not see crossed legs, each leg is nailed with a separate nail. Of course, every clergyman of an Orthodox church knows about these differences. So that you don't look ridiculous, take another look at your cross bought at a jewelry store. You can buy a men's gold cross on the website pravzhizn.ru.
If you are a baptized person or are just about to be baptized, you should wear a cross. But before you put it on, the cross should be consecrated in the church. You can buy it in a secular jewelry store or in any church shop. By the way, in temples, churches and chapels they sell crosses that have already been consecrated.
Sponsored by P&G Articles on the topic "How to consecrate a cross in a church" How to choose an Orthodox cross How to choose a pectoral cross How to consecrate a cross
Instructions
Choose an Orthodox church. All temples are open to believers from morning until late evening on any day of the week. You can consecrate the cross (and other things) at any time. If your cross is similar to others, in the event that several objects will be consecrated at the same time, mark it by tying, for example, a bright ribbon. The pectoral cross can be handed over for consecration along with the chain. It is important that the cross you choose is of the Orthodox type. An object that does not comply with the canons will not be taken for consecration. Contact the priest or any church employee before the service. Explain what you require. The cross will be handed over to the altar. Any priest or bishop on duty at that time has the right to consecrate a pectoral cross. Pay the consecration fee. If it is not provided, donate any amount to the needs of the church or the construction of a temple in a box near the candle shop. At the altar, a priest or priest will read special prayers, asking God to consecrate your cross. During prayer, the object will be sprinkled with holy water in a cross shape. If you are handing over an unconsecrated cross to perform the baptismal ceremony, do not forget to inform the church minister about this in advance. The object will be illuminated directly during baptism, lowered into a font of holy water. After the consecration ceremony, the priest will take the tray with the cross out of the altar and give it to you, immediately put the cross on your neck. All Orthodox Christians must be in church only wearing a cross. Approach the priest, bow and thank him for his service and ask for his blessing. A pectoral cross for every Orthodox Christian - main symbol faith, the holy sign of the existence of Jesus Christ. Treat the consecrated cross with care. Try not to take it off even in the most unexpected situations.
How simple
A pectoral cross indicates membership in the Orthodox Church. People who preach Christianity wear it as a kind of silent prayer. During the sacrament of Baptism, the clergyman places a cross on the neck of those being baptized. From this moment on, he becomes the constant companion of the new member of the Church.
Is it necessary to sanctify? Church canons stipulate that a pectoral cross must be consecrated in a church. Otherwise, he will not be endowed with miraculous powers. The breviary describes the sequence of actions during the consecration of “this sign of the cross
The crosses that are put up for sale in the church shop have already been consecrated. Therefore, there is no need to repeat the ritual. A cross purchased in any other store will be considered jewelry before consecration.
Consecration in the church
A believer must consecrate a cross if it was purchased outside the church. To do this, just go to any Orthodox church and contact the employees in the church shop. They will invite a priest for a conversation.
But before performing the sacrament of consecration, he will examine the cross. If he complies with the Orthodox canons, he will perform a special ritual: he will read prayers and sprinkle him with holy water three times.
During the consecration of the cross, the priest in prayers will ask the Lord God to grant divine power cross, so that it protects not only the soul, but also the body from adversity. After the prayer service, the priest will return the cross to you. Be sure to thank him and ask for his blessing. 
You can come to church for this any day. The ceremony of consecration has nothing to do with church calendar. It is best to give the cross to the priest hanging on a chain, rope or gaitan. This will be more convenient for both you and the priest, especially if he has to consecrate several crosses at the same time.
It is worth keeping in mind that when baptizing an adult or child, the priest puts on a pectoral cross, which must already be consecrated.
This can be done directly on the day of Epiphany itself. Don’t forget to warn the priest about this in advance so that he can make an appointment earlier. The consecration of the cross does not take much time, it takes no more than 5 minutes. Otherwise, you will have to interrupt the sacrament.
The Orthodox Church has certain requirements for the consecration procedure:
- It doesn’t matter what material the cross is made of: wood, metal or plastic, it is important that its shape corresponds to the canons of the Orthodox Church.
- Only a priest can perform the sacrament of baptism.
- It is best to put on a consecrated cross immediately after the priest returns it to you. Visiting church without a cross loses the meaning of spiritual formation
How to consecrate at home?
To do this, you can invite a priest home. But if this is not possible, then you can consecrate the cross yourself. To do this you will need holy water and a prayer book. While performing the sacrament in your home, say a prayer and then sprinkle it with holy water three times. Keep in mind that clergy do not welcome such independence. At the first opportunity, contact a priest in order to bless him in the church.