This is my grandmother's necklace of the cross she got the day she was baptized. It is from Croatia and is around 50 years old. Because my grandmother's home country of Croatia was Communist, she grew up in the large fishing port of Rovinj with no religion in order for her family to gain government aid. My grandfather, on the other hand, grew up a devoted Catholic (despite the Communist rule) in a small village named Labin. Soon after meeting each other, my grandparents had plans to marry in Sveta Fuma (St. Euphemia, the local church in Rovinj.) There was only one problem. My grandmother had to be baptized before marrying my grandfather for their wedding to be in a church. So she agreed to be baptized, and my grandfather gave this necklace to her after her baptism. They were then married in Sveta Fuma and came to America shortly after. My grandmother passed the necklace down to my mother the day she was confirmed, and now it has been passed down to me. It's such an important object because it not only shows some of Croatia's history, but it also shows my own family's story. My grandmother and my heritage shape who I am and this necklace is a reminder of that. 

– ss

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant