—One night in 1984, the Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer had an epiphany. God called him, he explained afterward, to erect sets of three crosses across the land to recall Christ's crucifixion at Calvary.
These roadside crosses can be seen all over our country and in three foreign countries, representing Christ crucified on the cross with the two criminals beside Him. They are daily reminders to millions of motorists that there is hope in Jesus Christ. And they are put there with love by Crosses Across America.
Bernard graduated from the University of Charleston with a degree in Business. Bernard Coffindaffer is the founder of the nonprofit Crosses of Mercy - Cast Thy Bread, Inc., now called Crosses Across America, Inc.
Three Crosses (Lithuanian: Trys kryžiai) is a prominent monument in Vilnius, Lithuania, on the Hill of Three Crosses (lt:Kreivasis Kalnas), originally known as the Bald Hill (Lithuanian: Plikasis kalnas), in Kalnai Park.
Here are some facts about the crosses and Coffindaffer that may or may not be known by the millions of people who see them along U.S. highways annually. The first set of Coffindaffer's crosses was raised on a knoll along I-79 at Flatwoods, West Virginia, near the very center of West Virginia.
—One night in 1984, the Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer had an epiphany. God called him, he explained afterward, to erect sets of three crosses across the land to recall Christ's crucifixion at Calvary.
A cross on the side of the road typically means that someone passed away from a motor vehicle accident at or around that location. You will find these all across the United States, but the idea of placing a memorial alongside the road dates back over two hundred years in the American Southwest.
Every few miles, groups of three crosses stand like sentinels along its roadways — a high gold cross flanked by two smaller light blue crosses. Most travelers recognize them as monuments to the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, a central event in Christianity.
In apocryphal writings, the impenitent thief is given the name Gestas, which first appears in the Gospel of Nicodemus, while his companion is called Dismas. Christian tradition holds that Gestas was on the cross to the left of Jesus and Dismas was on the cross to the right of Jesus.
In 1957, the Congregational churches in the U.S. united to form the United Church of Christ, and thus the church became the St. James United Church of Christ. Initially, Church of the Three Crosses met in the Second Evangelical Church building.
St. Leonard of Port Maurice became known as the "Preacher of the Way of the Cross" in the 18th century because he is credited with erecting more than 572 stations between 1731 and 1751. Today almost all Catholic churches have a set of the stations somewhere on the church grounds.
A calvary is a type of monumental public Christian cross, sometimes encased in an open shrine. Usually a calvary has three crosses, that of Jesus Christ and those of impenitent thief and penitent thief.
We cross our forehead so that the Word of God may be in our thoughts and purify our minds. We cross our lips so that our speech may be holy and incline us to share the Gospel with others. And we cross our hearts to invite God to strengthen our love for Him and others.
According to John Chrysostom, the thief dwelt in the desert and robbed or murdered anyone unlucky enough to cross his path. According to Pope Gregory I, he "was guilty of blood, even his brother's blood" (fratricide).
It has been said that the three crosses on Calvary on Good Friday represented Rebellion, Repentance, and Redemption in the forms of Gestas, Dismas and, of course, Our Lord. In a real sense, each of these crosses represents a step in our spiritual and eternal journey.
Aramaic is best known as the language Jesus spoke. It is a Semitic language originating in the middle Euphrates. In 800-600 BC it spread from there to Syria and Mesopotamia. The oldest preserved inscriptions are from this period and written in Old Aramaic.
The Catholic Church never formally canonized St. Dismas, though he is regarded as a saint by virtue of Jesus saying he would be in Paradise, and by local Church traditions.
Dismas. He was the “good” or “penitent” thief crucified alongside Jesus, and was promised Heaven by Jesus Christ himself. These words of Jesus Christ led the early Christian community to believe the “good thief” repented of his crimes and entered Heaven later that day.
American Legion Highway Fatality Markers
For over 50 years, these white crosses have reminded passing motorists of the dangers of the road, as well as the lives that have been lost on these highways. The Montana American Legion White Cross Highway Fatality Marker Program in 1953.
A wayside cross is a cross by a footpath, track or road, at an intersection, along the edge of a field or in a forest. It can be made of wood, stone or metal. Stone crosses may also be conciliation crosses.
Some busy junctions take the form of box junctions. These are marked by a yellow cross-grid. You must not enter the grid unless there is enough space for you to fully pass through, you may also enter the box junction if you are turning right but you have been blocked by oncoming traffic.
Unlike the inverted or upside down cross, the sideways cross has no negative connotations regarding the Christian faith. It is completely respectful to wear a sideways cross necklace or a side cross necklace in place of one with an upright cross.
However, the vast majority of Catholic homes will post a crucifix above the doorway, indicating the importance of Christ for the family. This means that the residence belongs to Christ first and that his sacrifice has been accepted by all who live within the home.
The Christian custom of chalking the door has a biblical precedent as the Israelites in the Old Testament marked their doors in order to be saved from death; likewise, the Epiphanytide practice serves to protect Christian homes from evil spirits until the next Epiphany Day, at which time the custom is repeated.