Trinity's Gable Cross

	A PARISH IN THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD

the gable cross The Gable Cross, a gift to Trinity Church from the Tadros family in memory of Heikal Tadros (1928-1993), is on the gable at the east end of the roof above the Rose Window. It was blessed and dedicated on Sunday, July 31, 1994.
The Design of the Cross
The Cross is a "budded Cross," matching the Cross at the Altar inside the church building. Each of the three crossbars ends in a three-fold form, representing the Holy Trinity, for whom the parish is named. In each of the three "buds" and at the bottom of the Cross are red faceted glass inserts, repeating a predominant color of the rose window beneath the gable; they were made for the Cross in Germany, designed to refract sunlight. They are symbols of the Twelve Apostles, who carried the Light to the four directions of the compass. At the center of the Cross, both front and back, is a hand-forged rose design, also repeated from the rose window. It is the Isaiah (or Christmas) Rose, referring to the prophet's writings about the Messiah. The roses are backed by a five-pointed star, the Star of Bethlehem, referring to the fulfillment of that prophesy of the Incarnation.
Surrounding the rose and star is a circle, representing the eternity of God. A crosss with a circle around its center is known as a Celtic Cross, common in ancient British Christianity and frequently used in Anglican Architecture. At the base of the Cross is an Ankh, and ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for "life." The Ankh -- which looks like a "T" cross surmounted by a loop -- was adopted by early Christians as a variant symbol of the Cross and is commonly used in the Coptic and Oriental Orthodox Churches. The base of the Cross extends into an open frame of four legs (representing the points of the compass) within which is a globe, depicting the Earth. Within the globe is a three-headed serpent, representing Satan in the bowels of the Earth; his tail is knotted, indicating that he has already been defeated by the Man of the Cross. Surrounding the base of the legs and supporting the globe is the Crown of Thorns, which represents both the suffering of Christ and the suffering of the human race around the world.
The Construction
The general construction if of steel components with welded assembly, hot-dipped in zinc, and coated with a clear sealer to prevent weathering and discoloration. The base is attached to a steel plate fixed to the crossbeams and rafters of the church building. The arms of the Cross are 36 inches wide and the Crown of Thorns is 50 inches in diameter. The entire design is 11 feet from the top of the Cross to the Crown of Thorns and weighs approximately 350 pounds.
The Artist
Mr. Bob Smith was a metalwork artisan whose studio was in Reinard, Illinois. Very accomplished in his art, he travelled extensively in the United States and Europe to study metalwork design. He submitted several designs to Trinity's Vestry. The design selected is in keeping with Trinity's archi-tecture and with symbolism already present in the building. Mr. Smith was employed at Airtex in Fairfield, Illinois, where he worked with Mr. Tadros who commis-sioned the design and constuction of the Cross.
Prayers from the Blessing and Dedication of the Cross Sunday, July 31, 1994 Almighty and eternal God, by the passion of your Son you made an instument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the Cross of Christ that, walking in the way of the Cross, we may find it none other than the way of peace and eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, your Son opened wide His arms upon the Cross for the salvation of the world: We humbly beseech you to bless, hallow, and sanctify this Cross to adorn this place of worship; by your blessing may it ever remain hallowed for the use of your Church; grant that all who behold its beauty may know it as the sign of redemption, confident in the glory that shall be revealed; through him who lived and died and rose again for us, and who now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. Almighty God, we remember this day before you your faithful servant Heikal, and we pray that, having opened to him the gates of everlasting life, you will receive him more and more into your joyful service, that, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and all your saints, the work you have begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen. O Savior of the world, who by your Cross and precious blood has redeemed us, Save us and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord. God forbid that I should glory, Save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.