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 The Cross as a memorial feature is a beautiful testament to a person or family’s religious faith. There are numerous designs, from the common carving to an etching or a full-scale representation of Christ on the Cross.
I present one example of that style for your consideration. As you may know, there are many different versions of the cross. The memorialist must be careful to clearly communicate with the family to make certain that the family’s wishes are understood before constructing any memorial with a cross.
McNeel has a variety of cross designs on pages 230 through 250. McNeel discusses symbolism in regard to the various cross designs. When a monument has three bases, it is said to “represent the three virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, also the Trinity.”
Although ‘IHS’ is commonly misinterpreted to mean “in His Service,” IHS on monuments is “the symbol of Jesus.”
A Cross on the face of a monument “symbolizes the Holy Trinity.” Lilies are “symbolic of Christ and the Resurrection, also purity.” The nimbus, or halo, shown behind Christ’s head symbolizes eternity. The Cross also represents “Christ and His Atoning Death.”
As I have written before, symbolism is pervasive throughout memorialization, and a memorialist can work with your family to make certain that you have the right combination of symbols and words to express the story of your loved one’s living legacy.
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