Best Gifts for Priests: 10 Ideas for Ordination, Jubilees and Christmas

The best gifts for priests are simple, prayerful and useful: a rosary he will pray with, a crucifix he can wear under his collar, a saint medal, or the gift of a Mass and your prayers. A priest gives his life to his parish. Whether you are marking his ordination, the anniversary of that day, Christmas or simply saying thank you, the right gift says that you have noticed.

Below: our ranking of 10 gifts for a Catholic priest, what each one means, and a short guide to timing, etiquette and what to write in the card.

At a Glance: The Ranking

Eight pieces from our catalog and two classic gifts that only you can give. Prices are the current US prices on each product page.

Our top pick

The Benedictine Rosary

Best for: Any priest, for any occasion.

✓Natural wood, warm and light in the hand

✓10 mm beads, easy to count during prayer

✓Can be carried for prayer or worn as a necklace

See the Benedictine RosaryFrom $89.99

Our 8 Picks in Detail, Plus 2 Alternatives

1. The Benedictine Rosary: Best Overall

Best for: Any priest, for any occasion.

A priest prays every day, and many keep a rosary in a pocket or by the breviary. The Benedictine Rosary is a simple, traditional one: natural wooden beads separated by metal spacers, a crucifix marked INRI, and the medal of Saint Benedict, whose Rule shaped monastic prayer in the West.

It is 49 cm (19.3 in) long, with 10 mm beads, and weighs about 33 g. Large wooden beads are easy to count by touch, even in a dim chapel. INRI stands for Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, the title Pilate placed above the cross; our article on what INRI means on a crucifix tells the full story.

• Natural wood, warm and light in the hand
• 10 mm beads, easy to count during prayer
• Can be carried for prayer or worn as a necklace

See The Benedictine Rosary, from $89.99.

2. The Calvary Crucifix: Best Crucifix to Wear

Best for: A priest who wears a crucifix under his clerical shirt.

The Calvary Crucifix is the classic image of the Passion: Christ on the cross under the INRI plaque, with rays behind the crossing and flowered ends on each arm. It is a crucifix a priest can wear every day without it looking like a fashion piece.

The pendant measures 43 x 28 mm, in silver-tone or gold-tone plating, and comes with a 20 in (about 50 cm) chain. It is large enough to read the figure of Christ, and light, at about 10 g with the chain. Our guide to the meaning of the crucifix necklace explains why Catholics keep the corpus on the cross.

• Silver tone or gold tone
• Medium size with clear detail
• Sold with a 20 in chain

See The Calvary Crucifix, from $89.99.

3. The Wrist Decade: Best Gift from a Parish Group

Best for: Altar servers, a choir or a youth group saying thank you.

A decade rosary worn at the wrist lets a priest pray ten Hail Marys between appointments. The Wrist Decade has ten dark polished oval beads of about 6 x 8 mm on a stretch cord, separated by small antique silver medals, with a 22 x 12 mm Saint Benedict crucifix at the wrist.

You choose the medals: Saint Benedict in a shield or an oval shape, the Miraculous Medal, or the chalice and IHS of the Eucharist. For a priest, the Eucharist set is a quiet nod to the Mass he offers each day. IHS is a monogram of the name of Jesus, from its first letters in Greek.

• Four medal sets, including the Eucharist
• Stretch cord, no clasp to fasten
• Antique silver tone

See The Wrist Decade, from $79.99.

4. The Devout Rosary: Best Rosary for Daily Prayer

Best for: A priest who prays the rosary every day.

A rosary prayed with every day needs to be sturdy. The Devout Rosary has dark 8 mm hematite beads, individually knotted on a strong cord, with a crucifix and a Marian medal in stainless steel.

Hematite is a dense stone, so the rosary has a cool, weighty feel that many people find steadying during a long prayer. It is a good choice for a priest who already owns a wooden rosary and would value a second, more durable one.

• 8 mm hematite beads, knotted one by one
• Stainless steel crucifix and Marian medal
• Made to be held during prayer

See The Devout Rosary, from $99.99.

5. The Reverent Prayer: Best for an Ordination Anniversary

Best for: Marking his jubilee with the words of the Our Father.

The Our Father is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, and a priest leads it at every Mass. The Reverent Prayer is a crucifix engraved with the words of the Lord's Prayer, on a strong Byzantine chain.

It is stainless steel in a silver or gold finish, with chain lengths from 55 to 80 cm, so you can choose a longer chain that sits lower under a cassock or a shirt. It is a substantial pendant, well suited to a silver or golden jubilee of ordination.

• Engraved Lord's Prayer
• Six chain lengths, 55 to 80 cm
• Silver or gold finish

See The Reverent Prayer, from $99.99.

6. The Angelic Protector: Best Saint Michael Gift

Best for: A priest with a devotion to Saint Michael.

For generations, Catholics knelt after Low Mass to pray the prayer to Saint Michael, introduced by Pope Leo XIII, and many parishes still pray it today. A priest who leads it will understand this gift at once.

The Angelic Protector is a round medal of Saint Michael the Archangel on a smooth round snake chain, in polished stainless steel with a silver or gold finish. Our article on what Archangel Michael means tells why his name, Who is like God?, is itself a prayer.

• Polished stainless steel, silver or gold
• Smooth snake chain
• Light and discreet under a shirt

See The Angelic Protector, from $79.99.

7. The Benedictine Path: Best Black Rosary

Best for: A sober rosary that matches clerical black.

Black wood suits a priest's daily dress. The Benedictine Path has natural 10 mm wooden beads with a black finish, two Saint Benedict medals of 2.1 x 2.0 cm and a crucifix of 3.1 x 5.3 cm bearing the inscription INRI.

At 45 cm (17.7 in) in total it is compact enough for a jacket pocket. It pairs well with a card explaining the letters on the Saint Benedict medal; see our guide to the Saint Benedict cross.

• Black finish natural wood
• Two Saint Benedict medals
• Compact, 45 cm in total

See The Benedictine Path, from $89.99.

8. The Benedict Wood Beads: Best Small Thank-You Gift

Best for: A Christmas or end-of-year thank you.

Not every gift needs to be large. The Benedict Wood Beads bracelet has polished 8 mm wood beads in warm reddish tones, with a two-sided Saint Benedict medal: the saint on one face, the cross with the initials of his prayer on the other.

The medal is silver tone in a gold-tone rim, and the sliding cord adjusts to the wrist. Either side can be worn facing out.

• Adjustable sliding cord
• Two-sided medal
• Light wood, warm against the skin

See The Benedict Wood Beads, from $79.99.

9. Alternative: A stole or liturgical item from a church supply house

A stole, a chalice pall or another liturgical item from a supplier of church goods is a traditional ordination gift. Ask his family or the parish office first, so you know his colors and what he already has.

10. Alternative: A Mass offering or a spiritual bouquet

Ask a parish office to have a Mass offered for his intentions, or give a spiritual bouquet: a card listing the Masses, rosaries and prayers you and others will offer for him.

How We Chose

A priest does not need more objects. So every pick had to serve his prayer or his ministry: a rosary to pray with, a crucifix to wear, or a saint whose meaning he knows well. We favored sober designs that suit clerical dress. For more rosaries, see our ranking of the best rosaries.

Then we checked each product page for materials and sizes, and described only what is written there. We added two gifts that are not jewelry at all, because for many priests the most welcome gift is prayer.

• Useful in prayer or in daily ministry
• Sober enough for clerical dress
• Clear Catholic meaning: the crucifix, the rosary, a saint
• Exact descriptions taken from each product page

Buying Guide: Choosing a Gift for a Priest

Match the gift to the occasion and to who is giving it. A family can give something personal; a parish group often prefers one shared gift with a card signed by everyone. For other Catholic gifts, see our ranking of the best Catholic gifts.

• Diocesan or religious: a priest who belongs to a religious order may have taken a vow of poverty and share gifts with his community. A prayerful object or a Mass offering is always appropriate.
• Timing: orders are processed within 24 hours on business days and shipped with tracking. Order well ahead of time.
• Returns: you have 30 days to return an unworn piece in its original packaging.

For more meanings to write in your card, see our guide to the rosary and its mysteries. You can browse all our Catholic gifts for other ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Gift That Supports His Prayer

The best gifts for priests are the ones that help them do what they were ordained to do: pray, celebrate the sacraments and care for their people. A wooden rosary, a crucifix he can wear every day, a Saint Michael medal or a Mass offered for his intentions will all be received in that spirit. Add a few honest words of thanks, and your gift will be remembered long after the season has passed.

Sophie Laurent

Jewelry Historian & Curator

Specializing in religious jewelry since 2017, I combine technical expertise in precious metals with a deep passion for Christian symbolism. At Bennett & Cross, my mission is to guide you in preserving your sacred heirlooms.