Looking beyond the traditional cross symbolism, the patibulum of the cross reminds us of the division between Heaven and Earth. Four Cherubim (Hebrews 9) look down on the crucifixion from Heaven, foreshadowing Christ’s and His followers, ultimate destination. On the earth side, St. Andrew holds a rope and fish net to remind the viewer of Christ’s command in Matthew 4:19 to be fishers of men. St. Andrew is on the right-hand side of Christ, which is the same side as the thief who asked for and was promised forgiveness and Paradise. The fish are on the left side of the stripe, symbolizing the division between those who have asked for and received forgiveness and those who have not. In the center of both is an unseen Christ, who is the bridge between sin and forgiveness and Earth and Heaven. The red and yellow rays remind us that Jesus is God, and everything emanates from Him.
In this project the environment consisted of an intimate Catholic school chapel with three glass walls that looked out into a courtyard. The window is divided into four quadrants with a 12” wide wooden cross. The client wished to minimize visual distractions while retaining as much natural light as possible. The inclusion of red in the design was preferred as it is the official school color.
