Risen Christ Cross above Altar

[Tis_Bearself]

It’s clear that you have a deep devotion to Christ’s passion and the crucifix. You are not alone in this. But it’s a sign of a fairly advanced Catholic spirituality. Many people are not at that level. Many people aren’t comfortable with that level. A lot of people in today’s world misunderstand an emphasis on suffering. They think it means, for example, that women and children in abusive situations are supposed to just be quiet and put up with it, or that we’re supposed to be flagellating ourselves at home, or that we’re supposed to consider it a blessing when our loved one has cancer. This is one reason it’s been soft-pedaled a lot in more modern churches. Because people don’t get it.

Have you looked into Passionist spirituality at all? It seems like it would be a good fit for you.

I wish I could say I was an expert at joining my sufferings to Christ and all that but the fact is I am not yet good at it, not at all, and a bit of a big chicken about it. I am trying though.

 

[Peebo]

We have a crucifix above the altar in our church…the tabernacle is kept in the Adoration chapel…the Monstrance is kept on a small altar and above that is a crucifix which displays a crucified Christ and behind that on the same crucifix is a risen Christ with arms extended upwards…very impressive.

 

[Peebo]

Come to think of it…I must ask one of our priests or deacons why the Tabernacle is kept in the chapel and not in the church for all to see…the Monstrance is in the chapel which contains the real presence of our Lord also

 

[GemmasGirl]

I attend a church that was remodeled in the 70’s. It is not a pretty church by any stretch of the imagination. It has a huge risen Christ cross above the altar. Originally there wasn’t even a cross, but our current priest insisted on at least mounting the statue on a cross. I attend because of the priest and the community, not the ugly building.
I am closely associated with (even seriously discerning with) Passionist Cloistered Nuns. I have a deep devotion to Our Lord’s Passion, and wear a crucifix 24/7. I understand that a beautiful, large crucifix behind the altar is a wonderful thing. But then, I’ve been in plenty of church with an altar crucifix that was so ugly that it was hopelessly distracting. Our last parish had an old crucifix that portrayed Jesus with an enraged expression that was rather frightening.
My advice to the OP is the same as several others have said-- if you need to, pick a home parish with an altar crucifix that is helpful to you, and if you need to visit a different parish for whatever reason, wear or carry a crucifix.

 

[Bithynian]

Our last parish had an old crucifix that portrayed Jesus with an enraged expression that was rather frightening.

There are, from my understanding, some older European churches with crucifixes where Jesus is naked.

While it’s not theologically objectionable, I can readily admit that I’m rather prudish and would find it incredibly distracting to worship in a church like that.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Some of the modern crucifixes are also so horrible from an art standpoint that they would be distracting for me as well. There is one in Wales that actually looks like a decomposed body. It’s particularly awful because the artist who made it is a children’s book illustrator who is best known for illustrations of cute animals such as kittens. Apparently she had a chance with this project to do the opposite of fluffy kittens and made the most of it. It’s supposed to portray the horror of the crucifixion, but like I said it looks more like a body left up for days.

I’ll take a nice Risen Jesus over that representation any day.

 

[DeniseNY]

The poster simply equated not having a crucifix with false Christianity; it was not specific to rite. And part of the Liturgy is about the sacrifice.

 

[on_the_hill]

My dad always used to say, “It’s about time they took Christ down off the cross.”
I guess for him the message should be the resurrection not the execution.

 

[rich123456]

I like your name here. I to am a Convert. I appreciate your post. Many others as well. We do all have our opinions. We can disagree. We can get involved. We should be able to take the hits with a love for one another.
The One death of Christ reaches out in time and saves souls today. When the Crucifix, His Passion is hidden in a light fog, from the front and center of our own souls, especially at the Holy Mass, confession may be the next to go. It becomes easy to think about our good sides, staying shallow in the water. We really do not sin. At least its all venial right.
I can appreciate a large lifelike Crucifix above the Altar, next to the Altar. Even a smaller Crucifix if it is in plain sight. While in a small Chapel in a Catholic hospital I prayed before a small Crucifix with the same love and devotion as a bigger more attractive Crucifix. In this room, in this chapel it was front and center. In Attaching a depiction of the resurrected Christ to the Cross above the Altar. Hard for me to bare. For others it is fine. I must accept that I know. As in my first post I will be calling the Priest back. Try to get ahold of him. Make sure I get a hold of him. I appreciate all of you who have mentioned carrying a small Crucifix along when I attend another Church with the Risen Christ front and center. I won’t lean it at the front of the Altar before I ask for permission. ~Smiling slightly
When Saint Jon of Arc was being burnt at the stake because of a jealous Bishop she asked for a Crucifix to be held up high so she could look upon it. I once had a woman ask me to bring her a Crucifix before she went into life threatening surgery. She wanted it placed on the wall in front of where she was going to wake up. Not knowing if she would wake up.
“Every Sunday, believers all around the world come together and gather around the cross of Christ. But why do they do it? Today we are going to look at a group of people gathered at the foot of the cross—Mary and John, religious leaders, soldiers, sinners and thieves— all gazing up at the crucified Christ. But why were they there? Why are we here? What did they see? What do we see?” ~Unknown

 

[rich123456]

I am the Poster. I was raised Mormon. Without the Crucifix being front and center. Without even the Cross in so many ways. I understand what not having the Crucified Christ front and center can do. Where it can lead. Again, as I said before. A false sense of Christianity. As Catholics we preach Christ Crucified first and foremost. If that is not preached well? Without it, no risen Christ. (Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[DeniseNY]

So for Byzantines - who typically don’t have a large crucifix- we are false Christians? Where are we heading?

What you are expressing is your opinion, which is fine. But please don’t impugn traditions that aren’t in line with your preferences.

 

[Cruciferi]

@rich123456 there are rules governing this:

Should There Be a Crucifix in the Sanctuary?

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal instructs that there must be a cross (with a crucified corpus) on or near the altar, “positioned either on the...

www.catholic.com

Please speak to your Priest and discuss this matter with him.

Thanks Have Nice Day

 

[BartholomewB]

Does the crucifix look like this one? (Click on the hyperlink.) There was a discussion about it here last year.

What kind of Crucifix is this? Liturgy and Sacraments

In the Basilica of St. Thérèse, in Lisieux, France, there is a crucifix which depicts Jesus’ hands not nailed to the cross. Does anyone know or wish to speculate why it is so? [crucifix_lisieux]

 

[otjm]

One large life size Crucifix above the Altar is our Faith front and center. Its who we are as Catholics. It is our procession to go to it, to move through it, beyond it, to get to the other side. To Easter.

I might point out that the figure of the Risen Christ is also our faith, front and center. And it does not in the least detract from the Crucified Christ; in fact, it is the essential point of our faith. Had Christ not risen, he would have been a possible slight footnote in history of some guy who got himself whacked. His Resurrection is the proof of every last word He said; it is the ultimate answer to His question “Who do you say I am?”

It is with pure amazement that is see statement like

o
This is a left-over from the feel-good 70s.

Feel good? Or a profound theological statement?

I submit it is the latter. And I would suggest that rather than being dismissive with a snide comment, that some profound reflection on the Risen Christ might be a benefit to the faith of each and every one of us.

I am thoroughly aware of St. Paul’s statement of preaching Christ, and Him crucified. However, it is easy to fall into a subtle trap of expecting the same visual stimulus each time we enter church. Rather than being dismissive of a parish which has The Risen Christ above the altar, it should cause us to stop for a bit more than a heartbeat or two, and contemplate “He is risen as He said” and the profound meaning of that.

 

[rich123456]

Pope Francis said “that having Mass centered around the altar in commemoration of Jesus’ sacrifice is meant to remind faithful that the cross is the first Christian altar on which Christ made his own offering”

(An excerpt from a homily preached by Pope Saint John Paul II in Lesotho, in 1988 ) Jesus continues: “ The Son of Man must be lifted up … so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” ( Io . 3, 14-15) And he says this with a view to his crucifixion: The Son of Man must be lifted up on the Cross. Whoever believes in him, whoever sees in this Cross and in the Crucified One the Redeemer of the world, whoever looks with faith on the redemptive death of Jesus on the Cross, finds in him the power of eternal life. By this power, sin is overcome. People receive forgiveness of their sins at the price of the Sacrifice of Christ. They find again the life of God which had been lost by sin.”

How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise but opens the way for our return. – St. Theodore the Studite

 

[Justin_Mary]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

So this is false Christianity? And yes it’s a Catholic Church; not Orthodox.

Nice… that’s St Nicholas off to the left. That icon just happens to be my phone’s wall paper this advent season

 

[Justin_Mary]

As far as this subject goes, what I like most about the Catholic faith is that it is rarely this, or that… but both & all

 

[rich123456]

I found this thread here from 2011 regarding this conversation. One post that caught my attention is that the risen Christ Cross started in a Protestant Church. The reasons for it. All the other post are pretty good. But times are changing. Changing fast.

“BernadetteM

May '11

My recollection is that these crosses with the Resurrected Christ first started in the Episcopal Church.

I can remember back over 20 years ago seeing them at some parishes.

In my opinion it is another innovation taken from the protestants.

If one is not careful, soon their will be an empty cross which is typical of almost every protestant church who even has a cross, even many Anglican or Epsicopal churches only have a cross.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette”

The Holy Catholic Church is over 2000 years old. When did we first place a Cross with the Resurrected Jesus in some of our Churches? Anyone know? I have an idea.

Satan hates the Crucifix and the Mass because they are perpetual reminders of his defeat. The Crucifix in the Catholic Church, with Christ in his agony reminds us of our sin, what we have done, what we have failed to do, and what Christ has done for us. We ask the Church, all the saints and angels to pray for each of us to the Lord our God. That Crucifix shows us how much our God loves us by laying down His life for us. By pouring out His love and mercy to all who come face to face with their own sin, He teaches us forgiveness. The Cross teaches us humility, which is the opposite of pride. It reminds us of who Christ is, and who we are. “Jesus came to pay a debt He didn’t owe, because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay” - Unknown. (Lk. 9:23-25, Col. 2:14, Eph. 2:16, Col. 1:21-23, Mk. 10:21)

(Have a fantastic heart felt Christmas) It is a good night to be Catholic

 

[dochawk]

More particularly, while both elements are in both liturgies, the Paschal Sacrifice is the central theme of the Mass, while the Kingdom of God is the central theme of the Divine Liturgy. {And while I shouldn’t have to point this out, nothing is wrong with either, and I am not disparaging either!} The divergence begins in the priests first words: the Sign of the Cross for the West, and “Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and unto ages of ages”. [Pittsburgh usage is “forever and ever”, but I understand that “unto ages of ages” which is used by moth of the rest is more accurate]

That said, I believe there was a directive in the US about a decade ago to remise the “resurrecifixes”, with narrow exceptions avaialable for historic art or some such.

So for Byzantines - who typically don’t have a large crucifix-

Not only that, but we usually have reversible processional crosses! (crucified on one side, and risen on the other, depending upon liturgical time)

Considering your form of the Liturgy is probably the oldest known in Christianity (and does predate the Latin Mass by well over 500 years), I think you all are headed in the right direction.

Considering your form of the Liturgy is probably the oldest known in Christianity (and does predate the Latin Mass by well over 500 years), I think you all are headed in the right direction.

The liturgies of St. Basil and St. John Chyrsotum are both fourth century, I believe, while the Syriac Liturgy of Addai and Mari is, I believe, second century, and the Liturgy of St. James used once or twice a year by most byzanites is, I think (but don’t hold me to this!), later in the second century.

St. Basil shortened and revised the existing practice down to three and half or four hours, and St. John Chrysotum lopped off another hour or so. Today, the two are barely distinguishable; I couldn’t name anything other than the longer Anaphora).

Satan hates the Crucifix and the Mass because they are perpetual reminders of his defeat.

But not nearly so much as the Resurrection itself! The crucification was a victory for the Devil–that didn’t quite out the way he planned ,. . .

 

[on_the_hill]

I guess he wouldn’t have cared what you guess.