Orthodox Paschal Feast Russian Orthodox Paschal Traditions
Decorative Paschal Enamel Egg with Surprise a Hippo.
Paschal Gifts
An egg is one of the famous symbols of the Orthodox Pascha as in the cultures of the Eastern and Southern Europe it stands for life and resurrection. A Russian tradition to present loved ones with exquisitely decorated paschal eggs made of precious metals and decorated with precious stones may be traced to Carl Faberge, the favorite jeweler of the Russian royal family, who first made such gifts at direct orders of the Russian Tsar in 1885. Faberge's Easter masterpieces were made of gold, silver, diamonds, precious stones and decorated with hot enamel. The best of the modern jewelers are keeping this beautiful tradition alive.
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Orthodox Wedding Rings
There are also special Christian rings bearing the meaningful and remarkable inscriptions. We guarantee that you won't find such items anywhere else in North America except the Golden Flamingo. These rings are worn on the ring finger, which is known to be connected to the human heart. This is also profoundly symbolic – the ring serves as a charm that enables a direct connection between its wearer's heart (soul) and God. The Betrothal Ceremony and the Sacrament of Nuptials are well known Christian traditions. A marriage that has been effected 'in Heaven' (i.e. in Church) is considered holy matrimony. This significant step of two loving souls uniting is sealed through a symbolic exchange of wedding rings between bride and groom during the ceremony. When the tradition is strictly observed, the groom presents the bride with a white gold or silver ring – a symbol of innocence and spiritual purity, while the bride gives the groom a rose or yellow gold ring as a symbol of virility and sanctity. Generally speaking, gold and silver are dominant colors in Christianity, because the glitter of gold corresponds to the glowing image of Christ and Heavenly Jerusalem, while the opalescence of silver embodies the Church as a symbol of purity, spiritual light and abundance. These religious wedding rings may be considered to be a perfect Paschal gift.
Faith, Hope, and Love, but the Greatest of these is Love
Easter celebrations carry a unique spiritual significance. This event witnessed by the apostles is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and their message is of an uttermost importance: Jesus died on the cross our sins, but he has risen. Celebration of that miracle continues for forty days commemorating the forty days sojourn of the Risen Lord on Earth and it is crowned with a solemn Easter service on the eve of the Ascension. Easter celebrations are the longest celebrations in the tradition of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church concerns itself not with the decorative aspect of the cross, but rather with the image of Jesus Christ appearing on it. Orthodox icons and crosses bearing images of Christ or of various saints protection of the eternal soul portray that image which is celebrated by the believers. Jesus Christ is shown everywhere as the omnipotent God. Yes, Christ suffered and died on the cross. But then He resurrected. And we know that He suffered not out of powerlessness, but, voluntarily, out of love for humanity, in order to teach us and love and forgiveness for one another. This paschal joy is ever present in the Orthodox Crucifixion. This is why Christ does not die on the Orthodox cross, but openly spreads out his arms as if to embrace the entire humankind. Any Orthodox cross is charged with a powerful spiritual energy as it symbolizes the faith, the resurrection and the redemption. Body crucifix is a sacred symbol for any Orthodox Christian and serves as a perpetual reminder of the Orthodox values. This makes the choice of a cross very important. Golden Flamingo jewelry company proudly offers you the best selection of Orthodox (or 'Russian' - 'Byzantine' - 'Eastern') body crosses, crucifixes and icons in the USA and in Canada. All of these pieces are made in Russia and blessed by the Orthodox Church. Rush delivery across the USA and Canada is available upon request.