San Damiano cross tells Passion story

By Melanie Ciarrone
Staff Writer
Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Rev. Rick Martignetti, O.F.M., encouraged students to meditate upon the San Damiano Cross, reflecting on its symbolism and meaning during a talk he gave April 13 night in Ss. Louis and Elizabeth Hall.
“What is it we want to say to the Father as we come before this cross?” Father Rick asked. “What is it the Father is inviting us to learn about Jesus by seeing the divine Christ who is crucified yet already glorified?”
Father Rick focused on both the painted figures within the cross and its symbolism, inviting the audience to pray with St. Francis as they looked upon the image. Father Rick used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate his talk, which was sponsored by Residence Life.
He began with a brief history of Francis’ conversion to Christianity after being a prisoner of war.
Francis began to seek direction in his life, asking the Lord for guidance, Father Rick said.
“His answer would come as all answers come: through prayer,” said Father Rick.
As St. Francis was praying in a little church just outside of Assisi called San Damiano, which was in ruins by Francis’ time, he heard God’s voice asking him to rebuild God’s Church.
St. Francis began this work by physically repairing the church of San Damiano, but he was also called to repair the universal Church, said Father Rick.
The Church had become wealthy, and Francis’ call involved calling the Church “back to Gospel simplicity, challenging a Church that was very wealthy at the time to reconsider poverty,” Father Rick said.
Francis found himself serving lepers and poor people with dignity and he embraced a life of poverty. His vocation required faith, hope and love, which he asked for in his “Prayer Before the Crucifix.”
Who is the Christ of this cross, Father Rick asked, to which St. Francis would return so often? The San Damiano cross had a story to tell Francis, which Father Rick related to the audience.
The San Damiano cross is an icon, an “inspired painting in which everything means something,” said Father Rick.
Because so many people of Francis’ time were illiterate, paintings  could tell stories with pictures.
Father Rick explained the symbolism found on the cross and the identities of each of the figures featured on it. This cross emphasizes the divinity of Christ and is inspired by the Gospel of John. Its dominant color is red which represents divinity and royalty in Byzantine iconography, Father Rick said.
The Christ of this crucifix appears almost to float in front of the cross and his garment is the royal ephod of Old Testament priests. His arms are spread in a gesture that recalls the “let us pray” stance of a priest, Father Rick said.
The face of Christ, Father Rick said, is tender rather than agonized, showing that Christ is confident and unafraid. This is fitting for the Christ of John’s Gospel, who said “no one takes my life from me.” His eyes are large to signify a disposition of prayer, typical of iconography, to symbolize his focus on the will of the Father.
Father Rick also explained the identities of the five major figures pictured below Christ’s arms. On the left of the cross, below Jesus’ right arm, are his mother Mary and John, the beloved disciple. On the other side are Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of James; and the centurion of Capernaum.
“When we go before the cross we can look at these five people and ask ourselves, where would we place ourselves?” said Father Rick.
The San Damiano cross has been called the cross of the call because it was before this cross that St. Francis received his call. Beginning at the time of Francis, Father Rick said, art and history were transformed. The focus began to shift from Christ’s divinity to his humanity. St. Francis emphasized the humanity of Jesus, Father Rick said.
Up until about the 13th century, it was common to depict Jesus with a lot of royal symbolism, as in the San Damiano cross, Father Rick said.
Father Rick compared the San Damiano cross to the “blue cross” which hung above the tomb of Francis. This cross emphasized the humanity of Jesus and has been called the cross of the response.
“Francis was intrigued that Christ was like us in all things but sin,” said Father Rick. “Francis reminded the world that Jesus is closer to us than even the air we breathe.”
Ashley Svoboda, a freshman who attended Father Rick’s talk, said she came because she wanted to learn more about St. Francis and the symbolism behind the San Damiano cross. She said she was not disappointed.
“(I wanted) to get a deeper understanding of St. Francis’ love and passion,” she said afterward. “It’s nice to know what  (the cross) means.”

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