Activity One June 2008

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This wonderful feast occurs on September 14 and is extremely fitting to celebrate in light of St. Paul the Apostle. Take time this summer to prepare these crosses for your students returning in the fall. They will help you begin a year-long study and celebration of St. Paul. Listen to what St. Paul said of the cross:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1Corinthians 1:18)

“We preach Christ crucified…” (1Corinthians 1:23)

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

See the activity below from Ann Ball’s Catholic Traditions in the Home and Classroom, pp. 224-225. Once the crosses are made, have students brainstorm symbols from the life of St. Paul to paint upon their crosses.

Salvadoran Wooden Cross

The artisans of La Palma, El Salvador have a unique and joyful way of depicting the relationship between spiritual and secular aspects of life. Traditional wood objects such as crosses and angels are decorated in bright, clear colors with motifs that often include the houses of the villages and local flora and fauna. Bright colors, simple drawings, and a high gloss finish are their unique style. Our Salvadoran style wooden cross is simple and inexpensive enough to make as a group project. Follow our design, or create your own.

You will need:

• 6" piece of 1"x2" board
• 11 ½" piece of 1"x2" board*
• gesso
• paintbrush
• sandpaper
• colored permanent markers
• fine point black permanent marker
• clear acrylic spray
• white paint
• white glue 
• hammer and 2 1" long nails
• small picture hanger or drill
• carbon paper

Nail the crossbar of the cross to the upright, 2½" from the top. Put a spot of white glue between the two boards before nailing for extra strength.

Drill a hole or attach a small picture hanger to the back for hanging. Paint the cross with gesso. (Remember to cover your work area as gesso hardens like plaster and is difficult to remove. Wash brushes thoroughly and immediately if you plan to re-use them.)

Let dry, sand rough spots, and paint with a second coat of gesso. Paint the cross white. You can use white spray paint, acrylic paint, or interior wall paint.

Using carbon paper, carefully trace the patterns shown on your cross. With colored permanent markers, color the designs. Use the brightest colors. You can use acrylic paints if you don’t have markers.

Then go over the outline of the designs with the fine line black marker. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Before you spray your project with clear finish, read the section on spray painting on page 6. If this part is not done correctly, you will ruin your project. Spray a very light coat of clear spray. Let dry. Spray another very light coat. If you don’t spray the lightest of coats for the first few coats, your markers will run. Finish your cross with several more light coats of clear spray to give it a high gloss finish and bring out the color.

**Hint: for your clear spray, use a high-gloss acrylic spray. Other types may turn your whites yellow. The first coats must be especially light or your colors will bleed. It is a good plan to finish a scrap of wood and spray paint it to see if you have the technique.