www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Olc Crucifix dilemna

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I am preparing to move (hopefully for the last time ever)and wondering what to do with a crucifix from my childhood. It's white PLASTIC (faux marble finish)and was tipped in gold on all the bars; Jesus also had a gilt finish. It has aged horribly. The gold has all but flaked off. The body of Christ has seriously flaked, half of it is a tarnished black appearance. I can't hang it up any more because Christ is only affixed to the cross by one hand.

What is the proper way to retire/dispose of a crucifix? I appreciate your thoughtful responses.

Barbara

The most common ways of disposing of no longer usable religious items is either by burial or by burning. Since the image is plastic, burial in the earth would probably not be very effective -- the plastic would probably be unearthed a few thousand years from now.

What I might suggest would be to wrap it in some cloth and put it into a fire (outside, please! you don't need the fumes in your in-house fireplace.) Alternatively, (here's the scientist in me) you could place it flat (or in pieces) in a tray or jar of acetone (nail-polish remover) and the plastic should dissolve completely. Although then you have to make a trip to the local hazmat recycling center to dispose of the acetone.

Blessings!

Is there any way you could super glue the corpus back onto the cross?

If I were in your shoes, I would probably find a box and keep it in a dry place. I found a few of my childhood religious articles a few years back at my mother's house when she moved and I'm glad that we kept them.

But to answer your question objectively, a blessed or sacred article like this should be burned. If it is hard plastic, you would probably need a pretty hot fire to burn it, like a wood burning stove or fireplace. Any remaining plastic that you might recover should be buried in a place where it won't be disturbed.

Hope this idea helps.

Stefan

Dear Dr. John & Stefan,

Thanks for your help. A fall bonfire should do the trick; a little less toxic than the chemical route. I've found some beautifully carved wood crosses at various websites to replace this one.

Barbara

SLAVA ISUSU CHRISTU!
SLAVA NA VIKI BOHU!

In the Old Country, people used to get rid of old ikons when the oil turned them black and you could no longer see the image. They got rid of them by taking them down to a fast flowing stream or river, wrapping the ikon in a rushnyk and placing it in the water. It simply floated way.

mark

I would think that dissolving in acetone followed by proper disposition is a lot more environment friendly that burning in a bonfire.
A shift in the wind and you're inhaling toxic fumes. Just make sure to minimize the acetone evaporation.

[ 07-23-2002: Message edited by: Roman ]

+JMJ+

When blessed objects become unusable, they cannot be thrown away. There are several options:

1. Burning. I usually do this and save that ashes. Then I make a paste out of the ashes and put the ashes on the doorposts and window frames every Pascha. Maybe its my Jewish ancestry...

The paste is easy to make. Just mix holy water (available from any Latin Church) with the ashes until they form a very thick paste.

The ashes can also be sprinkled over your property or burried.

2. Burial. Objects that will decompose over time (old scapulars, Old prayerbooks and bibles that have become illegible, etc.) can be burried. Metal objects may also be buried as there is no way to destroy a metal object. Most Rosaries can be repaired and therefore should not be desposed of.

3. Keep it. Some objects should just be kept in a box. I have an old wooden box in which I put several worn out religious articles and simply keep it next to my home altar.

4. Float it. Some objects, as has been mentioned earlier, can be floated away. This is best done on the coast line or in some major river. Rap the object in cloth and let it float away.

There are other ways too numerous to mention.

Joe Zollars

Dear Barbara,

I've just come back from seeing the Pope, so fraternal blessings to you, daughter!

I would keep the Crucifix in a box as a keepsake.

There are numerous miraculous shrines in Europe with old and tattered paper icons etc. where people receive many graces and favours.

The poor condition of the Crucifix doesn't take away from its symbolism and ability to inspire prayer.

St Alphonsus had an old scapular that he always wore.

Years after his death, the scapular is still on his remains, and has been declared "miraculous."

Alex