The term, 'crucifix' refers specifically to a cross with an image of Jesus Christ. Western crucifix necklaces are in three dimensions, whereas those used by the Eastern Orthodoxy use a painted or low relief image of Jesus. A cross without the body of Christ is not considered to be a crucifix.
These necklaces are important to followers of the Catholic faith. They emphasize the death of Jesus by crucifixion, an act that secured the redemption of mankind. This belief forms the cornerstone of followers of Christ.
For women and men alike, the image of Christ on a cross tells the world that the wearer is a follower of Christ. Some people prefer to wear them on the outside of their clothing, where they may be seen and, hopefully, catalyze a conversation about Jesus Christ. Other people wear them next to their skin inside their clothing. Here, they provide a constant reminder that the wearer is a follower of Christ and they should be constantly seeking ways to be of service to their Lord.
Early Protestants, like John Calvin and Dr Andreas Karlstadt, were completely opposed to the use of the cross or any other form of religious imagery, believing them to be idolatrous. Martin Luther, on the other hand, did not object to them. More recently, in 2005 a teenage girl was suspended from school for refusing to remove her necklace.
Unusual for an English monarch, Queen Elizabeth I saw to it that a crucifix was present in the Royal Chapels. King James I had them all taken away, apart from a brief period when he was courting the attentions of a woman in Spain, a Catholic country. When the match failed to materialize, he once again had the icons removed from the Chapels.
Christian iconography has been controversial in the United Kingdom, Canada and in Spain. In Italy, on the other hand, they are a regular feature on official buildings, especially their court buildings. To this very day, a surprising number of Protestants continue to object to their use.
These necklaces are important to followers of the Catholic faith. They emphasize the death of Jesus by crucifixion, an act that secured the redemption of mankind. This belief forms the cornerstone of followers of Christ.
For women and men alike, the image of Christ on a cross tells the world that the wearer is a follower of Christ. Some people prefer to wear them on the outside of their clothing, where they may be seen and, hopefully, catalyze a conversation about Jesus Christ. Other people wear them next to their skin inside their clothing. Here, they provide a constant reminder that the wearer is a follower of Christ and they should be constantly seeking ways to be of service to their Lord.
Early Protestants, like John Calvin and Dr Andreas Karlstadt, were completely opposed to the use of the cross or any other form of religious imagery, believing them to be idolatrous. Martin Luther, on the other hand, did not object to them. More recently, in 2005 a teenage girl was suspended from school for refusing to remove her necklace.
Unusual for an English monarch, Queen Elizabeth I saw to it that a crucifix was present in the Royal Chapels. King James I had them all taken away, apart from a brief period when he was courting the attentions of a woman in Spain, a Catholic country. When the match failed to materialize, he once again had the icons removed from the Chapels.
Christian iconography has been controversial in the United Kingdom, Canada and in Spain. In Italy, on the other hand, they are a regular feature on official buildings, especially their court buildings. To this very day, a surprising number of Protestants continue to object to their use.
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