I make Confirmation Crosses. You might ask yourself if you have ever heard of anything like that. It is what I call a cross made specifically the person being confirmed with special attention given to the Saint they have chosen to be their patron. When I talk to the confirmation student I ask them who they chose as their patron and why. It is amazing having this conversation with a teen. I begin my research once the Saint has been chosen. Each cross is then tailored to that saint.
Megan chose St. Maria Goretti. Megan admired Maria’s forgiveness of the man who had attacked her. Similar to Megan’s confirmation age Maria was 12 years old at the time of her attack. I had the basics down and was ready to research the saint and design her cross.
Maria’s responsibility was cooking, cleaning and watching her younger sister while the rest of the family worked in the fields. While she was sewing she was attacked. Instead of sexually submitting to her attacker she fought because she knew it was a sin. Her attacker stabbed her multiple times and ran. While she lay dying she named her attacker and said that she forgave him. Her attacker served 27 years in jail. While in jail he dreamed that Maria had given him lilies but when he touched the lilies his hands were burned. When he was released he asked the forgiveness from Maria’s mother. Since Maria had forgiven him so did her mother. The man’s life changed from that moment forward.
~ 🔹 🔴 🔹 ~
I knew that the cross would have to have lilies on it. I found a very subtle way to show change, I used a special glass that when shown in different light shows a different color. There would be 3 lilies signifying the trinity. I was ready to make the cross.