Wayside cross

A Field Cross is a common memorial in the former Pagan landscape. They are usually found at the intersection of field roads and streets. It is a religious expression that reminds the passer-by, during his life, that Christ died on the cross. Field crosses used to serve as a reminder to the pagans that they have to go through life as Christians.

Field crosses exist in wooden, cast iron and stone variants. They were placed by wealthy persons. In this way believers thought they were doing a beneficial work and thus securing a place in the Kingdom of God…

“Each of these crosses can tell its own story and what motivated people to erect “their” cross at this spot. (...) These wayside crosses were erected as visible signs and attract the attention of many people. The cross is a symbol of life. It stands as a sign of our Christian hope and aims to direct our gaze to Jesus Christ, who has overcome death (...). The cross is part of our lives, just as it was part of the life of Jesus.
So I hope that many people ... will visit the wayside crosses, whether as places of silence and breathing before God, whether as places of community gathering, prayer and praise of God.”
(Text source: Dean Rainald M. Ollig
in: “Wayside crosses... small sacred monuments as signs of popular piety”)