The Divine Cross of Saint James
12x7 Mahogany
12x7 Sapele
This Divine Cross of St. James is one that when I make it I will hold in my hands ask this question.
“Can I proclaim that I am a follower of Christ like James did with a sword at my neck ready to take my last breath?'“
James was one of the original 12 apostle of Jesus and only one of three to witness Jesus’s Transfiguration. He and his Brother John the Evangelist were nicknamed by Jesus the “son’s of thunder” because of their temperament and their willingness to fight for Jesus. It says In the book of Matthew that their mother came with them to ask a favor of Jesus.
Matthew 20:20-23
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
They answered “We Can.” They did indeed drink from the cup as James was the first apostle to be martyred In Jesus’s name.
Acts 12:1-2
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
This cross is made from Solid Mahogany or Sapele. (your choice) Mahogany will darken to a deeper red over time and is shown in the second and third pictures. The edges are burned and it is finished natural to a semi-gloss sheen. This is not my design and is in fact one of the oldest cross designs originally used by the military Order of Santiago. It is also called the Santiago Cross or Cruz Espada. It combines the sword formed at the hilt with three Fleur-de-lis.
When you hold this cross ask yourself if you are ready to die for Jesus as James did. In this day and age it may be a hard question to answer.