Olive Wood Prayer Crosses

[Faith]

Does anyone from the LCMS have or know of anyone from the LCMS to have and use those olive wood prayer crosses from the Holy Land? They’re used for prayer, comfort and supposed to be a good stress reliever. Or is that a Catholic thing?

Also, pre war, did anyone from the LCMS visit the Holy Land or is that a Catholic thing?

 

[Lamb]

When I was little, my pastor visited the Holy Land and brought back little olive wood cross necklaces for all the Sunday School kids and I still have mine today. I never used it as a prayer cross though.

As for the cross bringing comfort and a stress reliever, the item alone doesn't do that, it's the connection to the Savior.

 

[Faith]

When I was little, my pastor visited the Holy Land and brought back little olive wood cross necklaces for all the Sunday School kids and I still have mine today. I never used it as a prayer cross though.

As for the cross bringing comfort and a stress reliever, the item alone doesn't do that, it's the connection to the Savior.

I know. It’s just a reminder for me, who has anxiety disorders, that when holding it, Jesus will give me peace. In the same way that when I’m anxious, I hold the cross on my necklace. I realize it doesn’t have any special powers. As I read yesterday, it’s a way to remind us that Jesus is always with us and what He did for us all, on the cross.

But back to my question, do people from the LCMS use these prayer crosses or are they a Catholic thing?

 

[Faith]

When I was little, my pastor visited the Holy Land and brought back little olive wood cross necklaces for all the Sunday School kids and I still have mine today. I never used it as a prayer cross though.

As for the cross bringing comfort and a stress reliever, the item alone doesn't do that, it's the connection to the Savior.

Were you LCMS when you were a kid?

 

[tango]

My wife has a cross, although I'm not sure what wood it is made from. Her cross is shaped to make it easy to hold. As you say it has no special powers but sometimes she likes to hold onto it.

 

[Albion]

My wife has a cross, although I'm not sure what wood it is made from. Her cross is shaped to make it easy to hold.

It's commonly olive wood. Many times, visitors to the Holy Land pick up such an item as a gift or souvenir, that's all. I was given one when I was a child. Later on, I picked up a Bible here in the USA that was made with olive wood covers. I still think it's kind of neat.

And my guess is that more Protestants than Catholics visit the Holy Land.

As you say it has no special powers but sometimes she likes to hold onto it.

which is entirely appropriate, theologically speaking!

 

[Lamb]

Were you LCMS when you were a kid?

Not, LCMS, but I was Lutheran.

 

[Faith]

My wife has a cross, although I'm not sure what wood it is made from. Her cross is shaped to make it easy to hold. As you say it has no special powers but sometimes she likes to hold onto it.

That’s what I want it for, and to remind me that He’s always with me and what he suffered for me.

 

[Faith]

It's commonly olive wood. Many times, visitors to the Holy Land pick up such an item as a gift or souvenir, that's all. I was given one when I was a child. Later on, I picked up a Bible here in the USA that was made with olive wood covers. I still think it's kind of neat.

And my guess is that more Protestants than Catholics visit the Holy Land.

which is entirely appropriate, theologically speaking!

I had several rosaries, four I think, made from olive wood given to me as gifts from people who’ve visited the Holy Land. I gave some away to friends and saved one that a really nice priest gifted me. I went in to talk to him shortly after he came home from a trip to the Holy Land and before I left he said he had something to give me. He went into another room and came back with the rosary. I’ll always hang onto it even though I don’t practice Catholicism anymore. But I can’t say I won’t again in the future. Sometimes I really miss it.