Coptic cross

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RimoGrkoKatolik said:
Glory to Jesus Christ! :byzsoc:

Is it alright for Catholic to have a Coptic hand cross?
I’ve seen some Byzantine priests carrying them.

Like this, even smaller.
static.panoramio.com/photos/large/28600831.jpg
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I am not sure about Catholics and the hand cross, but St. Herman of Alaska an unordained monk always carried a hand cross to bless people. The idea is that the blessing comes from the cross itself and not from the person using it. I have a larger hand cross that I got from Russia.
 
A cross is a cross. They come in many styles, based on culture and tradition.

The only cross I can think of which is obviously not good is the “crooked cross” (Swastika).
 
Judas_Thaddeus said:
A cross is a cross. They come in many styles, based on culture and tradition.

The only cross I can think of which is obviously not good is the “crooked cross” (Swastika).
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Even that is a traditional Native American and Hindu symbol with positive associations.
The Nazi use was an aberration. So, just because one evil group used/uses it, don’t assume the symbol itself is evil.
 
Aramis said:
Even that is a traditional Native American and Hindu symbol with positive associations.
The Nazi use was an aberration. So, just because one evil group used/uses it, don’t assume the symbol itself is evil.
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Yeah . . . I was in fact aware of at least the Hindu part, but not everybody knows
that (like me about the Native Americans), as was told to my Religion 101 class
by our teacher, if I recall that story right anyway.

I could be wrong though. 🙂
 
So now I have a question, please be patient with me, as I know nothing of Coptics:

The man in the picture seems to be using the cross in prayer…is this a typical posture? I looked some up on ebay (I know, don’t laugh) and they were all called Coptic blessing crosses, or Coptic priest cross used for blessings.
Is that the root of your original post? That a person would carry it like a priest for blessing?
I’m simply asking…I hope you don’t think my questions ignorant.
Thanks in advance for your reply. Steer me to a good website if you have one too!
Interesting stuff…
Peace to you,
pianist
 
RyanBlack said:
Why wouldn’t it be? Don’t Coptic Catholics use the Coptic cross?
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Maybe the OP is asking if it is ok for a BYZANTINE Catholic priest to use it? Maybe something to do with preserving Byzantine Traditions?🤷

Blessings
 
Glory to Jesus Christ!

My question is, would it be okay for us Byzantines to have that cross, or Byzantine priests to carry one since it is the Oriental Orthodox cross?
I know, of course, cross is a cross, and I’ve seen that rector of Collegium Orientale has one, but I’m asking this because I’ve read on some Coptic sites that these crosses are carried by believers, would that mean both priests and believers?

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0019_Coptic_Christian_hand_held_blessing_cross,_Cairo_2010.JPG

Christ among us!
 
RimoGrkoKatolik said:
I know, of course, cross is a cross, and I’ve seen that rector of Collegium Orientale has one, but I’m asking this because I’ve read on some Coptic sites that these crosses are carried by believers, would that mean both priests and believers?
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What do you mean by ‘carried’? I have a small blessing cross similar to what the priest in the photo that you linked is holding. It was sent to me by a friend who got it from a monastery in Egypt. These kinds of crosses are very popular with laypeople, and it is even possible to buy them online from Coptic bookstores these days. I use mine in daily prayers, such as to mark the 41 Kyrie Eleisons that are part of every canonical hour of the Agpeya (same as we do during the liturgy when the 41 are chanted). I couldn’t tell you what those websites were talking about, though (maybe how most Copts get tattooed with the Cross as babies/toddlers, thereby ‘carrying’ it with them that way?).

I also can’t imagine how or why it would be wrong for you to own or pray with a Coptic blessing cross, either. Copts certainly have no problem adopting Byzantine-style icons in their churches, for whatever that’s worth. 🤷
 
dzheremi said:
What do you mean by ‘carried’? I have a small blessing cross similar to what the priest in the photo that you linked is holding. It was sent to me by a friend who got it from a monastery in Egypt. These kinds of crosses are very popular with laypeople, and it is even possible to buy them online from Coptic bookstores these days. I use mine in daily prayers, such as to mark the 41 Kyrie Eleisons that are part of every canonical hour of the Agpeya (same as we do during the liturgy when the 41 are chanted). I couldn’t tell you what those websites were talking about, though (maybe how most Copts get tattooed with the Cross as babies/toddlers, thereby ‘carrying’ it with them that way?).

I also can’t imagine how or why it would be wrong for you to own or pray with a Coptic blessing cross, either. Copts certainly have no problem adopting Byzantine-style icons in their churches, for whatever that’s worth. 🤷
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Thank you very much, you answered my question. I want to buy one cross like that to use it in prayers and carry it with me. I just wanted to know is it okay for laypeople to carry it and use it, and you said that “These kinds of cross are very popular with laypeople”. Thank you for your answer!

Christ among us! :byzsoc:
 
More generally, Pianistclare, they are used by priests to bless the people at any time when the blessing occurs during the liturgy (i.e., anytime the priest says “Irnie pasi”/“Peace be with you all”, to which the people respond, variously “Ke to pnvemati sou”/“And with your spirit”/“W m’a ruhak aidan”, depending on language – just like during the Latin mass). And of course, since it is a blessing cross, it also used outside of the liturgy proper for blessing of homes and objects, during confession (the priest makes the sign of the cross over you and places it on your head while reciting the absolution), etc. It’s sort of an all-purpose item. What I wrote was my own private use (though I know other people who do it, too; I’ve seen videos of the midnight praises at monasteries where monks do the same thing, so it may have been picked up from the monks, for all I know), because during the liturgy we mark each Kyrie Eleison with the sign of the cross anyway, so I’ve gotten used to counting them this way.
 
dzheremi said:
More generally, Claire, they are used by priests to bless the people at any time when the blessing occurs during the liturgy (i.e., anytime the priest says “Irnie pasi”/“Peace be with you all”, to which the people respond, variously “Ke to pnvemati sou”/“And with your spirit”/“W m’a ruhak aidan”, depending on language – just like during the Latin mass). And of course, since it is a blessing cross, it also used outside of the liturgy proper for blessing of homes and objects, during confession (the priest makes the sign of the cross over you and places it on your head while reciting the absolution), etc. It’s sort of an all-purpose item. What I wrote was my own private use (though I know other people who do it, too; I’ve seen videos of the midnight praises at monasteries where monks do the same thing, so it may have been picked up from the monks, for all I know), because during the liturgy we mark each Kyrie Eleison with the sign of the cross anyway, so I’ve gotten used to counting them this way.
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Oh I see! Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me and others. Peace to you!
CLARE
 
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