Seventh grade art students are currently working on a project related to the San Damiano Cross. This original iconic crucifix painting was created by an unknown artist, possibly a Syrian monk, in Umbria, Italy in the early 1100’s. Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) is said to have been praying before the large wooden cross where it was hanging in an abandoned chapel which had fallen into ruin near Assisi, Italy. While praying, he heard the voice of God commanding him to “rebuild my church”. (Sources: franciscanmissionservice.org and monasteryicons.com)
The students’ drawings of Jesus on the shape of the San Damiano cross (shown here) are the first stage of a long-term art project. The next step will be to draw people, things, and places that they are thankful for in the space of the cross surrounding Jesus. Students will color their drawings and then cut away the paper outside the shape of the cross. Each student will glue their colored crucifix image to a piece of 9 x12-inch black paper. Pieces of colored card stock will be glued to the black paper in a way that simulates a stained glass window. Thin areas of the black paper will be left between the pieces of colored paper. Thus, the final images will be of each student’s personalized version of the cross surrounded by a stained glass window.
