The gift set consists of 4 items: a baptismal cross, an amulet, frankincense, and myrrh.
Orthodox cross: history and symbolism
The Orthodox Church honors the Cross as a great relic symbolizing the redemption of the human race. The honorable Cross of the Lord for the Christian faith is the highest symbol of sacrifice and sanctification, and therefore its significance is truly invaluable. The Cross and the Resurrection are the two main axes of Christianity: the Resurrection follows the Cross and implies the Cross, and the Cross predicts the Resurrection.
Before Christ was crucified for our sins, anyone who died through crucifixion was considered damned. After Jesus died on the cross, it became a symbol of redemption. From an instrument of death the cross became an eternal source of life, from a horrible instrument of execution it turned into a light and blessed sign.
This paradox and great change came about because immeasurable divine love and mercy did not avenge human ignorance and evil. The all-redeeming divine love leaves no room for hatred, anger, and malice. God as absolute love, instead of vengeance, had mercy on mankind, giving redemption from the bitter bonds of sin and evil, giving mankind eternal life. After the crucifixion, the cross became associated with the Lord Jesus Christ, drawing from Him its invincible power, sanctification and grace. That is why the worship of Christians to the Cross is not idolatry; it is the worship of Christ Himself. Christians proudly wear the cross in memory of the great atoning sacrifice and as an effective bulwark against evil.
The honorable Cross of the Lord is the unifying force of mankind. The two crossbars of the Cross symbolize the union of men with God (the vertical crossbar) and the union of men with one another (the horizontal crossbar). The last one also symbolizes the two arms of the Crucified Savior, which are open to embrace all mankind.
Amulets
Fabric amulets are small bags, most often with church symbols or images of saints. They are usually filled with incense or other small objects.
Amulets are used as talismans; for these reasons they are often attached to clothes with a pin, and sometimes worn around the neck on a cord. The amulets can also be attached to the headboard of the bed.
Frankincense
Frankincense is an aromatic wood resin obtained from Boswellia tree. Frankincense is one of the oldest incense used in religious ceremonies. It is smoked during prayer. The fragrance of frankincense is strongly associated in our minds with church, and therefore creates a wonderful peaceful atmosphere in our home for heartfelt and meaningful prayer.
The Mount Athos monks have been producing their own frankincense for hundreds of years. This incense smoking symbolizes prayer rising to heaven, and the smell symbolizes the filling of our hearts with God's grace due to the great love for our Lord. That is why frankincense was one of the three precious Gifts presented by the Magi to the Baby Jesus.
The process of making frankincense was given to Moses by the Lord Himself:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices — gum resin, onycha and galbanum — and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.” (Exodus 30:34-38)
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