When first mentioned the mental image of a Catholic necklace probably calls to mind a delicate Catholic charm or locket of some kind place on a chain so small it is nearly invisible. Necklaces vary in many dimensions beyond that delicate image, especially heavier more dense items of men's jewelry.
Women also like to wear larger, more prominent pendants and chains. There is often an interchange between the sexes as to the size of jewelry worn.
The Four Way Medal is a popular Catholic Necklaces for men, though also worn by women.. A Four Way Medal is also called a 'Cruciform'. With the shape of the base a cross each arm signifies a different religious remembrance.
There are many types of four way medals holding many different images. A popular one might have the right arm holding a St. Christopher medal with a St. Joseph medal on the left. Traditionally, the Sacred Heart is portrayed at the top and a Miraculous Medal at the bottom. The back side of the medal is usually engraved with the words, "I am a Catholic. Please call a Priest'. This serves as a means of identity if the wearer should come to some harm or illness and need to receive the Sacrament of the Sick. ( Schuller R5036)
A fifth addition to this jewelry, rendering it a five way medal is of the Holy Spirit (a dove with beak pointing downward and wings unfurled in flight). (Bliss 0680)
The Scapular Medal is also provided on four and five-way medals. The Scapular was given to St. Simon Stock in 1251 by the Blessed Virgin who asked that the originally clothe medal be worn as a badge of her confraternity. She promised that each wearer would be given a special grace to save them from the fires of hell at their death. When a child makes their first communion they are often enrolled in the 'Brown Scapular'. (Stuller R5075)
St. Benedict is also commonly printed upon a four or five-way medal.
Small Catholic necklaces include a mustard seed enclosed in a glass circle or heart shaped lockets. The 'mustard seed' represents the "Parable of the Mustard seed" told in the Gospels of Luke (Luke 13:18-19), Mark (Mark 4:30-32), Matthew (Matthew 13:31-32). "The mustard seed is the least among seeds, yet grows to become a huge mustard plant that provides shelter for many birds." (R41401)
A beautiful Catholic necklace is that of a gold teardrop with a stone or crystal at its base called 'The Tears of Christ."
Beyond the various crucifixes, and crosses, doves, saints, angels and teardrops, there are lockets of various sizes and shapes…there are beautiful religious necklaces of the 'praying hands '. (R16353)
Commonly called 'Druer's praying hands' the symbol of two hands pressed together in prayer is said to represent the artist's brother's crippled hands. Originally drawn by German artist Albrecht Durer in the fifteenth century as simply 'hands', the world immediately saw the drawing as 'praying hands'. The symbol as become a representative of faith not only in the Catholic Church but in all Christian religions. (Bliss 2031)
Another, although not exclusive to the Catholic faith is a row of footprints representing the poem "Footprints in the Sand". (Bliss 8337--necklace Stuller R16707--lapel pin) |
