What do I do with a broken crucifix?

[khkhk]

The crucifix on my mother’s rosary, which she’s had for many years, since her First Communion, broke apart. The Christ figure separated from the cross. She replaced the crucifix with a new one, but isn’t sure what to do with the old crucifix. Should it be buried? She currently keeps it in her jewelry box because she is unsure of what to do with it.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Not having seen the crucifix, I am unsure of the extent of the damage. If your mother simply has a corpus (Christ’s body) and a bare cross, it may be possible for a jeweler to reattach the corpus to the cross. This is not strictly necessary, but if the crucifix has sentimental value to your mother it might be something she would like to look into.

If your mother does not wish to repair the crucifix, or if it is unrepairable, the crucifix can be broken up so that it is not recognizable as a religious object (perhaps a jeweler can do this) and the fragments buried. If burial is not possible, the fragments may be disposed of by whatever means are available.