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Cross in the Woods
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Cross in the Woods
The Cross in the Woods is a Catholic shrine at 7078 M-68 in Indian River, Michigan. It was declared a national shrine by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on September 15, 2006. At 55 feet tall, it is the second largest crucifix in the world. The largest Crucifix is in Bardstown, KY, at 60 feet high. The largest Christian cross in the world stands at 492 feet (150m), located in the Valley of the Fallen, Spain.
The Crucifix has become one of the most famous and most frequently visited shrines in all of Michigan. The highlight of the shrine is a large wooden cross and bronze figure of Christ by sculptor Marshall Fredericks. The site also includes outdoor and indoor churches, numerous smaller shrines, and a nun doll museum. The Cross in the Woods is open 365 days a year, and the Church built at this location holds Masses daily, year round. Each year, between 275,000 and 325,000 people visit the Cross in the Woods Shrine.
In April 1946, Bishop Francis J. Haas of the Diocese of Grand Rapids searched for land to establish a new church in Indian River for parishioners who were traveling great distances to attend Mass. Mr. James J. Harrington, a resident of Burt Lake, offered to help locate land for the new church, which would put in place the first residential priest of Cheboygan County. He came across the undeveloped Burt Lake State Park property and sought to acquire the land, but the Michigan Department of Conservation denied his request.
In June 1946, Father Charles D. Brophy became the administrator of the future church and wanted to name the church after Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a seventeenth-century Mohawk Indian who enjoyed making small crosses and placing them in trees in the woods as shrines. However, he was unable to name the church after her because she had not yet been declared a saint.
Without a church in place yet, the parish held Masses in a town hall. One parishioner, J.J. Harrington, expressed great interest in an outdoor church that he had recently seen. Father Brophy liked the idea of an indoor church for year-round parishioners and an outdoor church for the summer and visitors. The outdoor church could also be seen as a way to attract tourists to the area.
Throughout the summer of 1946, plans for the grounds and the new church were presented, requesting the State Park land. "In May 1948, the Commission granted them the land for $1.00 and a box of candy for the secretary." The original church was built in a "long house" style and designed by Alden B. Dow, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, to look upon the wooded area that surrounded it. It was completed by Memorial Day weekend of 1949. Today, this area houses the gift shop, main office and the nun doll museum in the lower level.
After discussion with Dow, Father Brophy decided to build the largest wooden crucifix in the world on Calvary Hill, located north of the Long House Chapel. In July 1952, Bishop Babcock permitted them to begin the project. The foundation of the Cross required a 15-foot (4.6 m) high steel and concrete base which was covered with soil, creating a hill 150 feet (46 m) long, 15 feet (4.6 m) high, and 75 feet (23 m) wide. In the summer of 1952, redwood timber was custom-cut with a chainsaw from a lumber yard in Oregon and shipped on a railroad flat car. It took two days to assemble the Cross. On August 5, 1954, cranes lifted it to the foundation, where it was secured. It stands 55 feet (17 m) tall.
Marshall Fredericks, a renowned Michigan sculptor, agreed to create the figure of Christ for the Cross. The process took four years from sketches to plaster mold. The figure was then cast in bronze at the Kristians-Kunst Metalstobori Foundry in Oslo, Norway. Weighing seven tons and 28 feet (8.5 m) tall from head to toe, it was one of the largest castings to ever be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. Workers raised the sculpture into place on August 9, 1959, and attached to the Cross with 13 bolts 30 inches (760 mm) long and 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter. The formal dedication occurred seven days later.
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Cross in the Woods
The Cross in the Woods is a Catholic shrine at 7078 M-68 in Indian River, Michigan. It was declared a national shrine by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on September 15, 2006. At 55 feet tall, it is the second largest crucifix in the world. The largest Crucifix is in Bardstown, KY, at 60 feet high. The largest Christian cross in the world stands at 492 feet (150m), located in the Valley of the Fallen, Spain.
The Crucifix has become one of the most famous and most frequently visited shrines in all of Michigan. The highlight of the shrine is a large wooden cross and bronze figure of Christ by sculptor Marshall Fredericks. The site also includes outdoor and indoor churches, numerous smaller shrines, and a nun doll museum. The Cross in the Woods is open 365 days a year, and the Church built at this location holds Masses daily, year round. Each year, between 275,000 and 325,000 people visit the Cross in the Woods Shrine.
In April 1946, Bishop Francis J. Haas of the Diocese of Grand Rapids searched for land to establish a new church in Indian River for parishioners who were traveling great distances to attend Mass. Mr. James J. Harrington, a resident of Burt Lake, offered to help locate land for the new church, which would put in place the first residential priest of Cheboygan County. He came across the undeveloped Burt Lake State Park property and sought to acquire the land, but the Michigan Department of Conservation denied his request.
In June 1946, Father Charles D. Brophy became the administrator of the future church and wanted to name the church after Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a seventeenth-century Mohawk Indian who enjoyed making small crosses and placing them in trees in the woods as shrines. However, he was unable to name the church after her because she had not yet been declared a saint.
Without a church in place yet, the parish held Masses in a town hall. One parishioner, J.J. Harrington, expressed great interest in an outdoor church that he had recently seen. Father Brophy liked the idea of an indoor church for year-round parishioners and an outdoor church for the summer and visitors. The outdoor church could also be seen as a way to attract tourists to the area.
Throughout the summer of 1946, plans for the grounds and the new church were presented, requesting the State Park land. "In May 1948, the Commission granted them the land for $1.00 and a box of candy for the secretary." The original church was built in a "long house" style and designed by Alden B. Dow, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, to look upon the wooded area that surrounded it. It was completed by Memorial Day weekend of 1949. Today, this area houses the gift shop, main office and the nun doll museum in the lower level.
After discussion with Dow, Father Brophy decided to build the largest wooden crucifix in the world on Calvary Hill, located north of the Long House Chapel. In July 1952, Bishop Babcock permitted them to begin the project. The foundation of the Cross required a 15-foot (4.6 m) high steel and concrete base which was covered with soil, creating a hill 150 feet (46 m) long, 15 feet (4.6 m) high, and 75 feet (23 m) wide. In the summer of 1952, redwood timber was custom-cut with a chainsaw from a lumber yard in Oregon and shipped on a railroad flat car. It took two days to assemble the Cross. On August 5, 1954, cranes lifted it to the foundation, where it was secured. It stands 55 feet (17 m) tall.
Marshall Fredericks, a renowned Michigan sculptor, agreed to create the figure of Christ for the Cross. The process took four years from sketches to plaster mold. The figure was then cast in bronze at the Kristians-Kunst Metalstobori Foundry in Oslo, Norway. Weighing seven tons and 28 feet (8.5 m) tall from head to toe, it was one of the largest castings to ever be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. Workers raised the sculpture into place on August 9, 1959, and attached to the Cross with 13 bolts 30 inches (760 mm) long and 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter. The formal dedication occurred seven days later.
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