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In an age where comfort is idolized and suffering is to be avoided at all costs, the Catholic crucifix remains a bold proclamation: We preach Christ crucified(1 Cor. 1:23). For many Catholics, the choice to display and venerate a crucifix—rather than a plain cross or a resurrected Christ figure—is not merely a matter of preference. It is a theological statement rooted in the heart of the Church’s liturgical and devotional life.
While the Church emphasizes the crucifix in her liturgy, it’s important to acknowledge that some people are drawn to crosses that depict the Risen Lord in glory. This image can serve as a beautiful reminder that the story does not end at Calvary. Even so, I believe there is a compelling case to be made for crucifixes that portray Christ crucified.
St. Paul powerfully exhorts the early Church in Corinth, “We preach Christ crucified…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24). Earlier in the same chapter, he warns, “Do not allow the cross to be emptied of its power” (v. 17). These words stand in stark contrast to more sanitized or sentimentalized versions of Christian imagery. The crucifix, with the suffering body of Christ nailed to the wood, refuses to let us forget the cost of our redemption.
Continued below.
catholicexchange.com
While the Church emphasizes the crucifix in her liturgy, it’s important to acknowledge that some people are drawn to crosses that depict the Risen Lord in glory. This image can serve as a beautiful reminder that the story does not end at Calvary. Even so, I believe there is a compelling case to be made for crucifixes that portray Christ crucified.
DO NOT EMPTY THE CROSS OF ITS POWER.
St. Paul powerfully exhorts the early Church in Corinth, “We preach Christ crucified…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23–24). Earlier in the same chapter, he warns, “Do not allow the cross to be emptied of its power” (v. 17). These words stand in stark contrast to more sanitized or sentimentalized versions of Christian imagery. The crucifix, with the suffering body of Christ nailed to the wood, refuses to let us forget the cost of our redemption.
Continued below.
Crucifixes Should Display Christ Crucified, Not Resurrected - Catholic Exchange
Discover why the Church insists on displaying Christ on the crucifix—not a plain cross—as a sign of the true power of redemption.
catholicexchange.com
