In the hidden chapel of the Centro San Lorenzo, around the corner from St Peters’Basilica, you can find one of the most beautiful treasures of the recent Church history.  It looks like only two pieces of wood brought together with a golden plate on it, a simple wooden cross.  Reading the text on it will already give you more of an insight about what is behind this cross:  “My dear young people, at the conclusion of the Holy Year, I entrust to you the very sign of this Jubilee Year: the “Cross of Christ!”  Carry it throughout the world as a symbol of Christ’s love for humanity, and announce to everyone that only in the death and resurrection of Christ can we find salvation and redemption.”(John Paul II, 22nd of April 1984)  Since that day the cross has travelled around the world and has changed the life of generations: when today you meet youth from around the world, all of them have a story about this cross, if they have been to World Youth Days and have discovered another side of the Church and of God through this.

When we celebrated the 25th anniversary of this handing over of the Cross Pope Benedict XVI said this: “Dear friends, once again I entrust this Cross to you! Continue to carry it to every corner of the earth, so that the generations to come may discover the Mercy of God and revive in their hearts hope in the Crucified and Risen Christ!” (Benedict XVI, 22nd of April 2009)

Encouraged by these words we have twice this year taken the Cross to prisoners in a High Security Jail in Rome. We also take the Cross into the streets of the Borgo every Friday evening, as part of our regular street evangelization. 

The Cross of Jesus is a sign of God's love and a symbol of hope.