attempts to build a sense of meaningful community

The text below was originally presented at a Formation Meeting of the St. Louis the King Fraternity of the Secular Franciscans held on September 13, 2005, at the Old Mission Santa Barbara. I am posting this version on October 4, which is the day of St. Francis' birth into eternal life.

The San Damiano Crucifix does not particularly resemble the crucifixes usually seen in our churches. Ordinarily, a crucifix is a realistic presentation of Jesus, dead or dying on the cross. In contrast, the San Damiano Crucifix shows Jesus on the cross, wounded, but nonetheless alive and alert, even serene and transfigured. This difference arises from the San Damiano Crucifix being an icon, as are found in Eastern Christianity. Icons are not simply pieces of decorative art, but are stylized works, produced in agreement with certain norms and principles so that they can have a sacramental function (1) and can aid us in devotion and prayer, which is the main focus here. Indeed, St. Francis was praying before this icon in the San Damiano Chapel when he first received his call.

To summarize its history briefly, the crucifix was painted in Umbria in the 12th century by an unknown artist. However, the icon shows Syrian and Byzantine influence. This is not as surprising as it might seem to us today because Syrian monasteries were located in the Umbrian valley before the time of St. Francis while Byzantine models had been known in Italy since about 550 A.D., when the Byzantine Empire incorporated Ravenna. The San Damiano Chapel was not a parish church, so the Blessed Sacrament was not reserved there. For this reason, perhaps, the crucifix was painted for the chapel as an object of devotion. But, also because the chapel was not a parish church, it was neglected and subsequently abandoned, leading to St. Francis' first call and his work to restore it and similar structures. Still later, St. Clare and the first Poor Clares lived at the San Damiano Chapel and used the crucifix for prayer and devotion, just as St. Francis had. When St. Clare's body was transferred from the chapel to the old Church of San Giorgio in 1257, the crucifix, it seems, was also moved. It remains there today: the Poor Clares preserved the cross for 700 years. In 1938, it was restored; this restoration aids us in interpreting the crucifix, which, in turn, aids our understanding and use of the crucifix in prayer. Still more recently, in Holy Week, 1957, the crucifix was placed on public view for the first time over the new altar in what is now San Giorgio Chapel in the Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi.

However, the main concern of this writing is to discuss the San Damiano Crucifix as an icon which can play a role in our prayer life. Icons, as stated above, have a sacramental, devotional function and serve as windows into a different, sacred, time and space, that is, the Kingdom of God, "a new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1). An icon of Jesus Christ allows us to experience the living God become human not only as love and truth, but as beauty as well. Further, icons present, or narrate an encapuslated, condensed theology, every detail of which can and should be used in meditation. (2) Because of this combination of theological idea and image, icons can be used not only in instruction but also in cataphatic prayer, that is, prayer in which visual images as well as our other senses, our feelings, and, in fact, the whole imagination are used. (3) Since both images and ideas are involved, it is best for us to be acquainted with both the theology and the stylistic and artistic methods used in icons. (4)

The style used in icons differs from that found in Western Art, in which realism predominates. Rather than represent reality as our senses perceive it, icons seek to encode certain concepts and ideas. For example, perspective is used differently. In realistic repsentations, two lines, say lines representing the sides of a road, become closer as their distance from the viewer increases, until they finally meet. In icons, perspective is reversed and the lines grow closer and meet, coming to a point on the viewer; if you like, they focus God's grace on us. Similarly, in realistic perspective the figures closest to the viewer are largest, with size decreasing the more the distance from the veiwer increases. In icons in contrast, the largest figures are the most imporant ones, while less important ones are smaller; size has nothing to do with distance from the viewer.

The largest figure in the San Damiano Crucifx is that of the transfigured Jesus Christ; His size asserts his prominence. Not only is Christ the largest figure, but He is also a light dominating the whole scene; "Christ is the light of the world" (John 8:12). In addition, Jesus is standing upright; He is not nailed to the cross. Nor is His head bowed in suffering and death. Rather, His head looks down slightly and His eyes are open. They look out, not down. If we take this to mean that Jesus is looking at us as we pray to Him, we can understand this to show that Jesus is a good listener who sees and listens to us. Jesus' appearance is serene and peaceful; He is not suffering. Nor does He wear a crown of thorns; instead, he has a halo. The light and halo show that Jesus is the "Glory of God": "The Word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen His glory" (John 1:14). Jesus' death on the cross is also His time of glorification. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote:

At his Transfiguration Christ showed his disciples the splendor of his beauty, to which he will shape and color those who are his: "He will reform our lowliness configured to the body of his glory." (Philippians 3:21)
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Jesus is not wearing an ordinary loin cloth, but an ephod, a vestment worn by priests; Christ is not simply serving as a sacrifice here, but playing a priestly role. Note also that He is not shown as pantocrator "ruler of the universe" and dressed in royal garb, as he would be in a more strictly Byzantine icon; this priestly attire points to Syrian influence, as does his hair. Jesus' hands, feet and side are all pierced, with blood flowing from each wound. From the feet and side it flows straight down, as gravity would require, but it flows from His hands down his arms to his elbows before it falls from his body. More will be said about that below. The inscription above Jesus' head is IHS NAZARE REX IUDAEORUM, short for, Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum ("Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews"), from which came the usual inscription seen on our crucifixes, INRI. This particular inscription is found only in John's gospel (John 19:20-22) (5).

The largest of the smaller figures are the community under Jesus' arms. There are five main figures (the artist has identified them by giving their names) and four lesser ones. The main figures are:

1. Mary (Sancta Maria)
2. John (S. Johannes)
3. Mary Magdalene (Maria Magdalena)
4. Mary, mother of James (Mary of Cleopas) (Maria Jacobi)
5. The centurion

Only John's gospel mentions Mary and John as being at the cross, although it does not name them explicitly. Rather, this gospel calls Mary "His mother" while it calls John "the disciple whom He loved." Many references to this disciple can be found in John's gospel. None of them identify this disciple as St. John, although this is the traditional interpretation.

The colors used in icons usually have significance, as do bodily gestures and the use of the eyes. This is also true in the San Damiano Crucifix. Thus, Mary's outer mantle is white, to signify victory, purification, and good deeds, while the gems represent the graces of the Holy Spirit. The dark red of the garment under her mantle symbolizes intense love. The purple inner dress proclaims that Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, is the Ark of the Covenant. Likewise, the position of Mary's hands is also meaningful: her left hand is raised to her cheek to express her acceptance and love for John, while her right hand points to John. Mary's eyes express acceptance of Jesus' stated wish, "Woman, behold your son," (John 19:26).

The color of John's mantle and tunic, his posture and position, and his expression are just as meaningful. John's mantle is rose, to express eternal wisdom while his tunic is white, to show purity. He stands between Mary and Jesus, as he is loved by both. In addition, as he looks at Mary, John points to Jesus, accepting Jesus' command, "Son, behold your mother." (John 19:27)

Similarly, Mary Magdalene wears scarlet to symbolize love; this is deepened by the blue of the mantle. She stands in a special place, next to Jesus. Her hand is on her chin, showing her confident belief in a secret: "He is risen." Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John, together with Mary, mother of James, all stand together near the cross, not at a distance (again, this is stated only in John's gospel).

The last of the five main figures is the centurion. He is probably the centurion mentioned in the other Gospels, i.e., the centurion whose son was healed (Matt 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10; note here that he holds wood in his left hand, indicating his building of a synagogue; note also John 4:46-54: The Second Sign at Cana in Galilee). This interpretation is made probable because his son can be seen behind his shoulders along with the tops of three heads behind him (this is true in the original, although not in all reproductions). (6) "So he himself believed along with his whole household." (John 4:53) If we suppose that all or some of these people are gentiles, then note also, "I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also and they must listen to my voice." (John 10:16) Finally, the centurion has extended his thumb and two fingers to express his belief in The Trinity. His two closed fingers express the hidden mystery of the twofold nature of Jesus Christ, human and divine; "Truly He is the Son of God ." (Mark 15:39)

This whole group denotes the whole community of faith, Jew and Gentile: "There is neither Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ." (Gal 3:28; also 1 Cor 12:13 and Col 3:11) All the faces in this group are calm and peaceful, like that of Jesus; none of them display any sorrow or horror. A light is visible behind the group: again, "Jesus is the Light of the World." (John 8:12; also, John1:4-5, 9) As noted above, the blood of Jesus drips from His elbows; it falls onto the community standing below, including John. Fr. Raymond Brown stated that they are all one family in discipleship.

The lesser sized figures stand below and to the side of this community. They are, first, Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus' side with a lance. The name written under him (not visible in all reproductions) (6) is derived from Greek and means "Spear Man." (His real name, of course, is unknown). The artist has given him a rather long lance. The second is thought to be named Stephaton, possibly the soldier who gave Jesus a sponge soaked in sour wine (John 19:28-30). But this is uncertain, since no name is written to identify him. Also, he is not dressed like a Roman. It may be that both represent the authorities, Jewish and Roman, who put Jesus to death.

The figures found in the bottom panel are difficult to interpret because the panel is all worn from touching and kissing. We can see two male figures with halos, but who they are is unclear. The rest of the panel is obscure. Still, people have attempted to identify them through the centuries. Some have assumed that they are the Patron Saints of Umbria (i.e., of the churches in Umbria): St. Damian, St. Rufinus, St Michael, St. John the Baptist, Ss. Peter and Paul. Others thought them to be disciples looking up, awaiting the return of Christ. Still others considered them to be Christians, who are called to be holy: here, in our present existence, they (or, rather, we) can see Jesus, but not as we will after the Kingdom comes to complete fruition. Finally, they may be our ancestors in faith, that is, the holy people and patriarchs of the Old Testament, awaiting redemption through Christ. (Of course, the main concern here is prayer and meditation. If your are practicing cataphatic prayer, why not all of the above, choosing according to your needs and desires while praying?)

The Rooster, visible on the right near Jesus' knee, calls to mind the denial of Jesus by St. Peter (John 13:38; 18:15, 25- 27). Also, he announces the dawn of Christ, the Light of the World (Malachi 4:2 or, in some translations, 3:20). A vine borders the cross. It represents the Mystical Vine: "I am the vine, you are the branches" (John 15). The seashells along the cross' side stand for eternity, for a mystery hidden in eternity's sea is being revealed.

Behind Jesus an empty tomb can be seen. It is red at the top and black below; in this image, the red of love overcomes the black of death. Two saints stand at either side of the tomb, not far from Jesus' hands, possibly Peter and John. Each gestures to indicate faith in the resurrection. Two groups of two angels also gesture towards the Risen Christ, discussing God's love for humanity: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not die, but have life everlasting" (John 3:16).

Above Jesus' head and the inscription, IHS NAZARE REX IUDAEORUM, the iconographer has placed a Medallion of the Ascension. In it, the ascending Christ is shown breaking out of a circle of red. Jesus wears a golden victory garment with a purple scarf of royalty over his shoulder. In His left hand, He carries His cross as a royal scepter. His face smiles slightly as He is welcomed by ten angels, five on each side, their wings visible but folded. We should note that the inscription is not only at the top of the cross over Jesus' head, as in John 19:19, but it is also under His ascending feet and so identifies who the ascending Christ is (like the names Sancta Maria, S. Johannes, etc., mentioned above.

In conclusion, the icon is not just a depiction of the crucifixion, but actually a visual narration of the whole main event of our salvation history: the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus the Christ, a summary of our redemption in its totality. Above I said that Francis used this icon as an aid to prayer. While he was praying, as we know, he heard the voice of Jesus give him his mission in life: Jesus said, "Repair my house (domum), which is completely destoyed (tota destruitur.)" Francis then set out to repair the San Damiano Chapel,followed by others. He went on to try to repair the whole church, not simply physically but spiritually. However, as Raphael Brown points out in True Joy from Assisi, Jesus didn't tell Francis to repair his church (ecclesiam); He said, "Repair my house (domum)". If we think of God's house as being within us, such repair is something that we can all do.


1. The icon is not a sacrament, of course, but has a sacamental funtion. It has a spiritual effect, and can aid in devotion and prayer. See Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1667,1674, 1677-79.

2. There is a similarity to stained glass windows here. In earlier times, when literacy was less common, images of these kinds had an additional instructional purpose. Iconographers, in fact, thought of their task as like unto that of the Evangelists. In our own times, however when literacy is much more wide-spread, these images can still help us to focus our minds in prayer.

3. Generally, the use of sacraments and sacramentals is consiedered to be a form of cataphatic prayer. Cataphatic prayer is often contrasted with apophatic prayer, which renounces images and feelings in order to draw us closer to God. A characteristic form of apophatic prayer is centering prayer, in which a word or phrase is used as a way to focus ourselves on God. More generally, contemplation is considered to be apophatic prayer. But these are really two sides of the same coin. Whether by the infused contemplation of apophatic prayer or by the contemplation induced self-consciously by a method of cataphatic prayer we still seek a greater awareness of God. (See Fr. M. Basil Pennington, 1976).

4. The use of icons in prayer has been treated by Henri Nouwen, Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons.


6. This is true of the reproduction present at Old Mission Santa Barbara which was used during the presentation to the Secular Franciscans.


Bodo, Murray, OFM
The San Damiano Crucifix: A Prayer. Written for the 6th National Forum of the Franciscan Institute. St. Bonaventure University, New York. Febnruary 26-29, 2004.

Brown, Raphael, Tertiary OFM
True Joy from Assisi. Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press. 1978

Goonan, Fr. Michael
"The Crucifix." St. Anthony's Messenger . Oct. 1995

Guinan, Michael, OFM
The San Damiano Crucifx, The Gospel of John, and St. Francis. St. Bonaventure Univeristy: CFIT. To Appear.

Nouwen, Henri.
Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons. Ave Maria. 1987.

Pennington, M. Basil, O.C.S.O
"Centering Prayer--Prayer of Quiet." Review for Religious. vol. 35, 1976/5

Scanlon, Fr. Michael, TOR
The San Damiano Cross: An Exposition.