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Processional crosses are one of the most neglected of objects of liturgical art in my opinion. One rarely sees them discussed, perhaps in part because they are often only focused on in very short bursts, specifically the few moments when they are carried to and fro in procession. In that regard they can feel a bit 'transitory.' At the same time though, they can certainly add a powerful and dramatic quality to processions insofar as they bring to the fore one of the most powerful symbols of Christianity: The Cross. The power of the processional cross in a liturgical procession is thus, to my mind, akin to the symbolic power that a flag or standard can have within the context of formal military or civil parade.
Of course, this is especially so when it is a well designed processional cross -- in fact that is key. The first such processional cross that I can recall being particularly struck by and drawn to in this regard is the processional cross one often sees used at St. Peter's basilica in Rome.
For me, the most impactful processional crosses are those which take on a Medieval or Renaissance form. At their most basic, this is typically a Latin cross with rounded medallions on each of the four ends of the arms of the Cross and a proportionately sized orb, or node, which connects the Cross to the stem or handle by which it is carried. Add to this additional ornamental details and we really -- to use a popular turns of phrase -- begin "cooking with gas."
It's difficult to explain why this type of design works, at least for me; all I can say is that it does indeed work. It has ornamentality to it but at the same time it is not ostentatious; it is a well-balanced design, emphasizing the Cross itself, but also giving us other details to draw us in and hold our interest.
This style of processional cross can be found throughout the older countries of Christendom, especially countries such as Italy. An example of this type of processional cross comes from Bergamo, dated to 1616, located in the Chiesa di San Alessandro Martire. In point of fact, some of the parts of this particular processional cross even predate 1616, going back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and other pieces reaching into the nineteenth century, but at its core the overall design is certainly of the Medieval and Renaissance type under consideration today -- though in this instance it is beginning to become more heavily ornamental than the base type I am describing.
Continued below.
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Of course, this is especially so when it is a well designed processional cross -- in fact that is key. The first such processional cross that I can recall being particularly struck by and drawn to in this regard is the processional cross one often sees used at St. Peter's basilica in Rome.
For me, the most impactful processional crosses are those which take on a Medieval or Renaissance form. At their most basic, this is typically a Latin cross with rounded medallions on each of the four ends of the arms of the Cross and a proportionately sized orb, or node, which connects the Cross to the stem or handle by which it is carried. Add to this additional ornamental details and we really -- to use a popular turns of phrase -- begin "cooking with gas."
It's difficult to explain why this type of design works, at least for me; all I can say is that it does indeed work. It has ornamentality to it but at the same time it is not ostentatious; it is a well-balanced design, emphasizing the Cross itself, but also giving us other details to draw us in and hold our interest.
This style of processional cross can be found throughout the older countries of Christendom, especially countries such as Italy. An example of this type of processional cross comes from Bergamo, dated to 1616, located in the Chiesa di San Alessandro Martire. In point of fact, some of the parts of this particular processional cross even predate 1616, going back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and other pieces reaching into the nineteenth century, but at its core the overall design is certainly of the Medieval and Renaissance type under consideration today -- though in this instance it is beginning to become more heavily ornamental than the base type I am describing.
Continued below.
Thoughts on Processional Cross Design
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