Broken sacramentals

  • Thread starter Thread starter BListon
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BListon

Guest
How would you dispose of a broken rosary, scapular,icon, crucifix, etc? Surely you don’t just toss them in the garbage.
 
I would never burn a blessed scapular. It does not matter if the images come off, the originals did not have them. If they are blessed, I would just keep them. They don’t take up much room. As for beads etc which are not blessed, I would not worry about disposing of them, however you may want to take off the crucifix and connecting medal to keep.
 
I put them all in a box to be passed on to my children, who then can worry about disposing of them. Broken Rosaries don’t burn well. 😉
 
In Catholic school, I was taught that we had to bury them but I don’t know if it only applies to certain items.
 
BListon said:
How would you dispose of a broken rosary, scapular,icon, crucifix, etc? Surely you don’t just toss them in the garbage.
Click to expand...
Well, for broken rosaries, I learned this weekend from a friend that was at a Dominican priory for a few years (before deciding that wasn’t his path) said that they would have boxes of broken rosaries and remake them. Depending on what you had you could end up with all a huge variety and very beautiful new rosary’s.

I have not heard of anyone else doing this, but this came up because someone left a bag of broken rosaries at our church. I think it’s a beautiful idea.
 
Elisabeth51 said:
Well, for broken rosaries, I learned this weekend from a friend that was at a Dominican priory for a few years (before deciding that wasn’t his path) said that they would have boxes of broken rosaries and remake them. Depending on what you had you could end up with all a huge variety and very beautiful new rosary’s.

I have not heard of anyone else doing this, but this came up because someone left a bag of broken rosaries at our church. I think it’s a beautiful idea.
Click to expand...
That is a beautiful idea. 🙂
 
Iotaunum said:
I would never burn a blessed scapular. It does not matter if the images come off, the originals did not have them. If they are blessed, I would just keep them. They don’t take up much room. As for beads etc which are not blessed, I would not worry about disposing of them, however you may want to take off the crucifix and connecting medal to keep.
Click to expand...
Actually, in Europe and many Catholic countries there were several nights throughout the liturgical year where it was traditional for village folk to be build a bonfire, have it blessed by a priest and throw in all old sacramentals like crumbling missals, broken rosaries, “invalid” scapulars, etc.

I believe in Constantinople, old and broken icons are used to fuel the fire that heats up the cauldron in which the Holy Chrism or Holy Myrrhon is being made. Same sort of idea, I suppose.
Burying is also another traditional way of getting rid of old sacramentals. I believe this stretches back to our Jewish roots because Jews also bury in a designated spot all books that contain the divine Name.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top