Simply put, the crucifix is a real, vivid reminder of Christ's passion, death, and triumph over evil. It is a reminder of the immense torture and sacrifice that Jesus endured for us. It is a reminder of God's immeasurable love and mercy for His creation, dying the worst possible death to save us from our sin.

Yes, the crucifix can be seen as a gruesome depiction of Christ's death, but this is important as it gives us the visual reminder needed to recall the weight of our sins. Faithful Catholics believe and should never forget that the sin of mankind, even including those not yet committed, are what put Christ on the cross. The crucifix is our daily reminder of this. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reinforces the necessity to look upon Christ's crucified body:

St. Augustine, a Doctor of the Catholic Church, also wrote,

In nearly all Catholic Churches, a crucifix is given a place of prominence. It is usually elevated directly behind the altar or tabernacle, where it becomes a focal point for the congregation. There is no symbol more meaningful and important to the Catholic Church than the crucifix - our visual reminder that Christ died for our sins and has conquered death for us.

Do you have a crucifix at home? If you do, you are part of a centuries-old worship tradition.

Of course, the history of the crucifix begins at the Passion of Jesus Christ, over 2,000 years ago - where Jesus was nailed, hands and feet, to a wooden cross. But when did Christians really begin to adopt the image of the crucifix - a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus, hung upon it.

Crucifixes have not always been a typical element of a Catholic home. In fact, from wood to silver and from symbolic to realistic, the crucifix has undergone a long journey of transition as the symbol of Christ's Passion for the Church.

In the years shortly after Christ's death, Church members avoided any representation of a cross or Christ's death. Crucifixion was deemed an undignified death, and the early Christians may have wanted to avoid the remembrance of this kind of "shameful" death. However, by the fifth century, images of the crucified Christ began appearing as wood carvings. These early crucifixes showed Christ represented in the form of a lamb - pointing to his divinity rather than his physical attributes or torture.

During the Middle ages, the corpus (body of Christ) began to appear more on the cross. This is where the modern crucifixes we know today began to rise in popularity. In the Italian Romanesque period (1000-1200 A.D.), crucifixes moved further into depicting Christ's suffering even more realistically. Around this time, it was likely that the crucifix resembled the Passion Crucifix that we carry at Leaflet Missal (seen below).

As the Renaissance came around, artists began to alter the image of Jesus, displaying Him in a more sophisticated style. They often removed expressions of pain or agony, replacing them with peace and tranquility. For example, on this Veronese Crucifix, no blood or wounds are displayed.

Likely by the 1800s, most Catholic homes now displayed a crucifix. Many new variations and styles have come about, with different ones gaining popularity in different regions. The symbol which began as a simple wood cross can now be found in stunning sterling silver, containing beautiful intricately carved corpuses, and in nearly any size.

The crucifix is primarily used in the Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox churches. Besides these churches, in general the crucifix is not used. However, like most things, it's not completely black and white - there are exceptions and non-Catholics who will still use a crucifix.

Many non-Catholics view the crucifix as offensive or too gruesome. The crucifix is also often seen as a strictly Catholic symbol - which often makes it seen or judged as "bad" purely for being that. It is often seen and argued as a rejection or lack of appreciation for the Resurrection. However, this cannot be more far from the truth. The crucifix is a striking reminder of our salvation - won for us through Jesus' sacrifice. Catholics do not hide from the joys of the resurrection. In fact, the Catholic Church celebrates Easter for 50 days - called Eastertide. In addition, every Mass is a celebration of Jesus' triumphant victory over death and evil.

Because of this perception that the crucifix is too harsh a reminder of the brutal death of Jesus, many Christian denominations opt to use a plain cross - without the corpus of Jesus on it.

So while a crucifix is a good sign of Catholicism, it is not a guarantee. It is best to ask and have a dialogue about the meaning of the crucifix to the person, especially if they are not Catholic!

Here it is helpful to revisit the Catholic view on the purpose and significance of the crucifix. The crucifix is a reminder of Christ's passion, death, and triumph over evil - because of our sins. With this in mind, we can take a stab at how faithful Catholics should use the crucifix in their lives.

First, it is encouraged to display crucifixes prominently in homes, workplaces, and any other regularly visited space. The goal of this is to remind ourselves daily, even hourly, that we are saved and redeemed by Jesus Christ. In addition, the presence of a crucifix can remind us of the weight of our sins and hopefully act as a barrier against committing further sin.

Another purpose of the crucifix is to be a proclamation of faith! A crucifix displayed prominently is a witness to others. What a powerful way to let your family, friends, and visitors know of your faith in Christ.

Finally, crucifixes are also a protection from the workings of the devil and evil spirits. The power of evil is real and haunts our world nearly everywhere we go. The devil is not fictional - like it or not. However, we should not let the fear of evil consume our lives, which is why hanging a crucifix is so important. It is a physical sign to the devil and evil spirits that there is no place for him there. Your bedroom, kitchen, house, office - or wherever you hang a crucifix - is a space dedicated to Jesus Christ, who conquered death and His infinite power over evil through His Crucifixion.

It is encouraged to hang or display a crucifix, but is it okay to wear a crucifix?

Yes! Of course!

Wearing a crucifix is an even more visible witness to your faith. It is a protection against evil. It is an even more present reminder to have a prayerful, sober attitude in your daily life.

The only reason it would not be okay to wear a crucifix is if you were wearing it for the wrong reason. For example, if your intentions are simply to get more attention or wear something flashy, it is obviously unwise and irreverent to wear a crucifix. On a similar vein, if you let the crucifix become a superstitious devotion for you, it would be wise to reevaluate your motivations.

It is different for everyone, but in general, it is great and even encouraged to keep a crucifix as close to you as possible. Look through Catholic Home And Church's wide collection of crucifix pendants here.

Praying with or before a crucifix can be an amazing aid to enriching your personal prayer life. Gazing upon the crucifix can help to center your mind, your body, and your soul completely on Jesus and His goodness - His mercy. Don't just take our word for it though...

St. Gertrude the Great is famous for her writings on praying with the crucifix:

and she continues,

Another great prayer to make while praying with a crucifix is the "Prayer Before a Crucifix":

Finding the right crucifix for you and your needs can be difficult! At Leaflet Missal alone there are over 150 different crucifix options! That can be very overwhelming!

How do you know which style, material, size, or price is right for you? Is there a crucifix that is best for a home? Is there one that is best for a church? A cheap one that would make a good dorm room gift? A crucifix for seminarians?

While crucifix needs and preferences vary greatly from person to person, we encourage you to check out our crucifix buying guide: "10 Crucifix Styles and Our Favorites - Which to Buy."

Hopefully you've picked up some new knowledge or pieces of information from this post about crucifixes. It is our hope that you might have a greater respect and love for the beautiful devotion that it is. Whether it be a new desire in your heart to pray with the crucifix, a better understanding for why someone might wear a crucifix, or a new love for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

Be sure to browse our entire collection of crucifixes on our website to see which one is for you!