Changing the crucifix on Rosary beads?

[Melbourne]

I bought a beautiful set of wood Rosary beads from Rosary Bay. They are so well made I’m sure they’ll out live me. But I don’t really like the crucifix which to me looks like a blob rather than a reverent symbol of Christ. I want to replace the crucifix with a vintage solid bronze one I have which has beautiful detail and to me seems far more pious.

The problem is they only way to remove the existing one is to cut the small loop at the top of the crucifix that attaches to the link on my Rosary beads because each brass bead link is wire wrapped. I haven’t had these beads blessed yet. Would this be ok to do or would that be sacrilegious?

 

[MaryEstelle2]

Use fine jewelry pliers and unwrap the wires from the cross. The pliers do not cost that much $3 or $4 dollars ant Walmart. Just go slow and carefully. Not hard. Peace

 

[Melbourne]

The wire is not wrapped around the actual crucifix it’s wrapped around the chain link of the Rosary beads which links each bead to each other. If I unwrap that wire it will likely cause it to fall apart. It is so well constructed you don’t actually see where the wire wrap starts or finishes anyway. It would be impossible to unwrap it.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Sounds like a quality wire wrap, if the ends are tucked in so well that you can’t tell where they are.

If you’re hesitant to attempt it yourself, and I certainly wouldn’t blame you if you are, bring the rosary and the crucifix you want to put on it to a jeweler. If he isn’t confident enough in his own wire wrapping skills (not all jewelers know how to do this), he may know someone who does.

To answer your question: yes, you can do this. It is not sacrilegious to change the crucifix on a rosary, even if it has been blessed. In the case of a blessed rosary, I might have the new crucifix blessed before adding it to the rosary, and I would treat the crucifix I remove as I would any blessed item. But that’s just me - in no way am I saying this is the official way of going about it. I don’t know if it is, or even if an “official way of going about it” exists in this case.

 

[Melbourne]

Thank you. Not a lot of “jewellers” around these days apart from chain stores (eeek!)

I might have to just do it myself by cutting the little loop at the top of the “lumpy” crucifix and taking it away. I’m sure The Lord understands I’m just being pious.

 

[pianistclare]

Individual elements can be changed, We change them often when repsiring them.