Hope Cross & Nazareth Cross

This may surprise and disappoint some people, but often a handmade lapel pin is sold as a Hope Cross for the sole purpose of raising funds for church activities or simply as a supplemental income for a part-time home worker. The businesses associated with these crosses are sometimes a bit dubious - prices are disproportionately high and the components are often cheap nails and bits of plastic wire. The prime purpose is to raise money - spreading the Gospel is incidental. Often, they are worn as a Talisman or Lucky Charm to ensure good fortune and/or protection for the owner.

They are sold under various names, including Hope Cross, Disciple's Cross, Divine Cross and Wishing Cross. Nails are used to add 'theological value', reminding wearers of the nails driven through the hands and feet of Jesus when He was crucified.

Another, rather curious, variation to this is the Horseshoe Nail Cross. It looks just like the crosses mentioned above, but rather than reminding the wearer of Christ's passion, our minds are led in the direction of a lucky horseshoe. Not much theological evidence to support lucky horseshoes but presumably there is a market for these charms anyway. (Check out our very own Miracle Healing Cross)

Any name could be given to such crosses, but 'Hope', 'Disciple', 'Divine' and 'Wishing' seem to be vogue. A Christian would simply call it 'a cross', and wear it in consideration of the true hope for mankind.

An idea has been conceived for the 'biggest cross in the world' at Nazareth, Israel. If built, it would be covered by 7.2 million tiles and you can pay to have your loved one's name engraved on one. Each tile measures 2cm x 5cm and depending on its location within the cross costs between $50 and $300. At the date of writing this article (January 2008), planning approval has not yet been sought from the municipality and since Nazareth is an architecturally modest city with two-thirds majority Muslim residents, plans for such a structure would certainly raise eyebrows.

The provocative size of such a large cross is precisely why the Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Bishop Elias Chacour, and the Vatican's Fr. Pierre Batista, oppose the idea. Even Nazareth Cross Church Ltd has doubts the project will get off the ground, but they invite you to send you money anyway. (See http://www.comeandsee.com//modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=824 for more on this story.)

If built, the cross would be 60 metres high, which would not make it the 'biggest cross in the world'. At Interstate 40, Groom, Texas, there's a cross standing 200 feet tall, which for the metrically challenged is 61 metres. And let's not forget another 'biggest cross in the world' atop the Valley of the Fallen in Spain (http://www.feelmadrid.com/valleyofthefallen.html) - This is more than twice the height at an incredible 150 metres.

That cross was built not only with the blessing of the State, but was actually commissioned by the State. It commemorates those who died during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and contains the remains of 40,000 soldiers. War graves are an interesting subject in themselves. (See Churchyard Cross.)