Significance of the olive wood cross?

  • Thread starter Thread starter leamar3
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

leamar3

Guest
I attended Mass for the very first time today, and the priest mentioned that there were olive wood crosses left from Ash Wednesday, and he said that people should pick one up on their way out. I’m curious, what is the significance of the olive wood cross?
 
I’ve never heard of anything particularly significant. The first thing that came to mind is that when we were in the Holy Land a lot of the trinkets and statues and crosses were made from olive wood (many were very beautiful!). So I’d wonder if it was just the link as a wood common in the Holy Land and something nice they were giving out. That would be my guess at least (which could be totally wrong!).
 
Well, olive wood is significant to the Holy Land, and the cross may be of olive wood from there. Also, it could just represent the Holy Land.
 
Nothing really, it’s just common in the Mediterranean and the Holy Land. And it smells nice.
 
leamar3 said:
I attended Mass for the very first time today, and the priest mentioned that there were olive wood crosses left from Ash Wednesday, and he said that people should pick one up on their way out. I’m curious, what is the significance of the olive wood cross?
Click to expand...
Congratulations on attending your first Mass. I hope you took one of the crosses if you wanted one. If you attend Mass there again, introduce yourself to Father. Ask him about the crosses. There may be a special story of why he was giving those to everyone. He may have blessed them, too.
 
Might be the kind of cross that you carry and hold on to… this is Lent and a time for penance,
reflection, and a deepening of our faith. I know people who carry one of these or even a piece of burlap cloth in their pocket for lent… every time you feel the roughness of the cloth you are reminded that we are like sack-cloth… a Biblical era mourning cloth.

http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Wood-Palm-Cross-Large/dp/B000R40D5Q

Paul
 
I love this forum! I’m learning so much from everyone here. The cross has Jerusalem printed across it, so now knowing it’s connection to the Holy Land, that makes more sense to me.

Also, I think that because they were made available at the Ash Wednesday service, then they are to be kept as a reminder during the season of lent. Thanks Paul2274, for the information on that.
 
“Mount of Olives is the hill facing the old city of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of Kidron valley. Its name came from the olive trees that once grew on its hillside from ancient times.” from an internet search.

Olive wood is very popular as gifts - crosses, crucifixes, rosaries, tree ornaments - for the connection to the Holy Lands.

The Holy Oils of the Church are olive oil.

Enjoy your lenten gift.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top