About
Ivan Meštrović crucifix in O'Shaughnessy Great Hall
Launched in 2019, Notre Dame's crucifix initiative reinforces the universalism of Catholicism and the internationalism of Notre Dame through an expanding collection of crucifixes from artists around the world.
In the coming years, we aim to augment the crucifixes in University classrooms and buildings in two ways.
First, we want to integrate crucifixes that have signature elements from various parts of the world, including Africa, East Asia, Europe, and Latin America. We will also be looking for distinctive crucifixes from North America, including African-American, Latino, and Native American crucifixes.
Second, we want to identify crucifixes that emerged from undergraduate research, that is, crucifixes created by students who have artistic capacities or are taking design, sculpture, or painting courses at Notre Dame, as well as crucifixes created by alumni sculptors and local sculptors.
Increasing the diversity of crucifixes on campus will contribute to the educational mission of the University, as diverse crosses express various dimensions of Catholicism.
We invite you to learn more about our rationale, meet our committee, and explore our developing collection of crucifixes.