Changing the Crucifix

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Recently, the large crucifix in our church has been altered. The usual image of the crucified Christ has been replaced. Now we have an image of the risen Christ on the cross. I’m wondering if anyone else has been seeing anything similar.
 
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banjo:
Recently, the large crucifix in our church has been altered. The usual image of the crucified Christ has been replaced. Now we have an image of the risen Christ on the cross. I’m wondering if anyone else has been seeing anything similar.
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Our parish has done the exact opposite! We replaced the risen Christ figure with a Crucifix because it is wrong to have the risen Christ figure on the altar.

From the GIRM:
  1. The altar is to be covered with at least one white cloth. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a holy day of obligation. If the Diocesan Bishop celebrates, then seven candles should be used. Also on or close to the altar, there is to be a cross with a figure of Christ crucified. The candles and the cross adorned with a figure of Christ crucified may also be carried in the Entrance Procession. On the altar itself may be placed the Book of the Gospels, distinct from the book of other readings, unless it is carried in the Entrance Procession.
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Tedster:
Our parish has done the exact opposite! We replaced the risen Christ figure with a Crucifix because it is wrong to have the risen Christ figure on the altar.

From the GIRM:
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Yes Banjo, the trend in the recent past has been to do the opposite, and now it’s a requirement to have a crucified Christ on, or close to, the altar.
 
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banjo:
Recently, the large crucifix in our church has been altered. The usual image of the crucified Christ has been replaced. Now we have an image of the risen Christ on the cross. I’m wondering if anyone else has been seeing anything similar.
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We go to a lot of different churches through visiting out of town relatives, vacationing, etc. I have seen the risen Christ and Christ in mosaic (which was awful) but I have never seen a risen Christ on the cross.

Never mind the obvious that we are supposed to have a crucifix on the alter as per the GIRM, but isn’t risen Christ on the cross historically inaccurate?
 
There is one bizarre and strange looking “risen christ” crucifix near my home. Whenever I see one it makes me ill and I feel guilty and a lack of the Real Presence.

This error has led to a liturgical focus on His Resurrection as the salvific event and a consequent Protestantizing of the Mass, the replacement of Crucifixes with “Risen Christ Crosses,” etc., a denial of the role of suffering, and a de-emphasis on His Sacrifice which is the true source of our salvation. This is probably one of the key concepts that has corrupted the Mass and rendered it a happy-dappy, sing-songy Protestantized feel-good get-together instead of the renewal and re-presentation of His Sacrifice which the Mass truly is.
For the sake of your church please do everything you can to get it removed!
 
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Fast_ed75:
This error has led to a liturgical focus on His Resurrection as the salvific event and a consequent Protestantizing of the Mass, the replacement of Crucifixes with “Risen Christ Crosses,” etc., a denial of the role of suffering, and a de-emphasis on His Sacrifice which is the true source of our salvation. This is probably one of the key concepts that has corrupted the Mass and rendered it a happy-dappy, sing-songy Protestantized feel-good get-together instead of the renewal and re-presentation of His Sacrifice which the Mass truly is.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. It saddens me when people fail to realize the power in Jesus’ sacrifice, and that He calls us all to pick up our crosses and follow Him.

Without the cross there is no glory; without the cross there is no crown.
 
If you think that a risen Christ crucifix is bad, imagine no crucifix. My parents’ church ahd no crucifix until just last year. The priests refused to put one up there because they wanted the church to be able to be used for an audotorium for events (though few events ever happen there). They only put one up recently because someone left the church a large sum of money to put one up (though they had been approached by others to pay to put one up). THe coss is just a plain wooden cross with no image of the Lord upon it. On top of all of this, the tabenacle is in the back of the church in a room used as a chapel. We dont have the great luxury of facing our Lord during mass. It is really sad because this is a church with really high attendance. Pray for the churches to find the courage to change and to accept it.
 
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Fast_ed75:
There is one bizarre and strange looking “risen christ” crucifix near my home. Whenever I see one it makes me ill and I feel guilty and a lack of the Real Presence.

This error has led to a liturgical focus on His Resurrection as the salvific event and a consequent Protestantizing of the Mass, the replacement of Crucifixes with “Risen Christ Crosses,” etc., a denial of the role of suffering, and a de-emphasis on His Sacrifice which is the true source of our salvation. This is probably one of the key concepts that has corrupted the Mass and rendered it a happy-dappy, sing-songy Protestantized feel-good get-together instead of the renewal and re-presentation of His Sacrifice which the Mass truly is.
For the sake of your church please do everything you can to get it removed!
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You are exactly right! Jesus didn’t rise because of his love for us…he suffered. He accepted His Father’s will and went through the agony to pay for our sins, now and forever.

When we overlook this point (intentionally or not), we deny the existence of sin and our redeption which is central to our faith.
 
The worst one I have seen is at the Parish in Northern Arizona where I visit my daughter. The Church looks like a ski lodge and there is a risen Christ suspended from the high beamed celings over the altar and for all the world looking like he is about to swan dive into the congregation.

I have gotten to the point when I walk into a Parish that has a risen Christ (when visiting away from home), I just turn around and leave and find another parish with a real crucifix behind the altar. Why, because it usually is just a clue as to what the liturgy will be like
 
This, as far as I’m concerned is an atrocity, but I think I can go one ‘better’ (or would that be worse)… When the local church was originally built in the 70’s it was common practice to use a “risen Christ”…unfortunately they went one step further and used an ‘ascending’ Christ figure. The only way I can describe it is sort of a “superman” figure flying into heaven. Thank heavens it has since been removed (only a few months ago). I shudder every time I think of it though.
 
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banjo:
Recently, the large crucifix in our church has been altered. The usual image of the crucified Christ has been replaced. Now we have an image of the risen Christ on the cross. I’m wondering if anyone else has been seeing anything similar.
Click to expand...
The image of the protestant “risen Christ” is prohibitted for liturgical use in any CATHOLIC Parish, and is against current LITURGICAL LAWS. Apart from usually being ugly versions. My pastor destroyed the image of the risen Christ that was hanging behind the altar on the wall as soon as he was named Pastor, this way, no one can hang it back up when he no longer is in the future, pastor.
 
According to a legend, the devil appeared to St. Martin of Tours as the Risen Christ, but without the wounds. (the devil lacked humility). St. Martin recoginized him for who he was. He asked “where are th wounds?” Next time you see one of those “Resurrection figures” ask yourself “Where are the wounds?”
 
As I have mentioned in other threads, our parish presently has a very large EMPTY wooden cross on the wall behind the altar…We are building a new church, and IT will have a real crucifix. The wooden cross…that was hand made by a parishoner, will finally have a corpus on it…Thank God…
 
Mike C said:
“Where are the wounds?”
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Excellent point! Our pastor gave an awesome homily on this, comparing Jesus’ wounds to the “Red Badge of Courage.” Our Lord could have chosen a perfect body for His Resurrection, but chose to keep His Wounds as a sign of His Great Sacrifice for us! There is also Catholic tradition (with a little “t” I believe) that many of the martyrs will also bear some of their wounds in their heavenly bodies!
 
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SHJ-BVM:
This, as far as I’m concerned is an atrocity, but I think I can go one ‘better’ (or would that be worse)… When the local church was originally built in the 70’s it was common practice to use a “risen Christ”…unfortunately they went one step further and used an ‘ascending’ Christ figure. The only way I can describe it is sort of a “superman” figure flying into heaven. Thank heavens it has since been removed (only a few months ago). I shudder every time I think of it though.
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Did they replace it with a crucifix?

Micki
 
A crucifix, large enough to be seen by both celebrant and laity, which must be on the altar whenever Mass is celebrated. If the Crucifixion be the subject of the altar-piece or picture behind the altar, this will suffice for the altar-crucifix.
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New Catholic Dictionary​
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So I guess as long as it is large enough to be seen by both celebrant and laity it will be okay.

I have also read somewhere that the processional cross can be used as the altar crucifix if there is no other. Otherwise it is not left on the altar after the procesional.
 
I’ve seen the Crucifix behind the altar replaced with the risen Christ during the Easter season only. This is in a fairly conservative parish. There is still the Crucifix that is used during the processional though.
 
Still a no no. I bet the Risen Christ used at Easter had no wounds though but the Real Risen Christ did.
 
Micki,

Yes they replaced it with a crucifix. This was done when the new priest arrived. I immediately thanked him for having gotten rid of the ‘superman’ Christ (I’ll have to see if I have a picture somewhere of what this figure looked like. If I do I’ll post it so ya’ll can see what I’m talking about).

As I had said, the church was built in the 70’s, so there are lots of other things I dislike about it as well, but that was definitely the biggie. It’s sooo nice to have a crucifix now.

Peace and Godspeed.
 
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