With the approach of Easter this month, many churches are celebrating the resurrection of Christ and meditating on the suffering he endured on the cross. St. Philip the Evangelist Anglican Church will participate by dedicating several Stations of the Cross, beaded by local Ute beader Paul LaRose, during the 10:45 a.m. worship hour Sunday, April 3.
The Stations of the Cross originated during pilgrimages to Jerusalem by those who wanted to appreciate more fully the suffering Jesus went through to bring salvation to the human race, according to St. Philips Lay Eucharistic Minister Charles Story. Later in history, Stations of the Cross were set up in churches for those who could not make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The purpose of the Stations is to help Christians make a spiritual pilgrimage through prayer meditations on the experiences Christ endured in the last few days of his life.
Story said the church approached local Ute beader Paul LaRose, who attends St. Philips on a regular basis, to make the 14 crosses required for the Stations of the Cross after the church held a funeral for a local woman. The womans family contributed some money to the church as a memorial offering. Church members have wanted to hold a Stations of the Cross for a while, so they then asked LaRose if he would bead the crosses.
Someone thought it would be really neat to have a series of crosses that were different and emphasize something local here. We talked to Paul and he said he would be happy to do it, Story said.
The crosses will be presented on Sunday, possibly by the family who made the memorial contribution, as a gift to encourage people in their faith and their walk with Christ, Story said. The crosses will then be blessed by Father Carl Brenner, a priest from Farmington, N.M., who officially leads St. Philips church.
LaRose said it took him about four months to complete the 14 crosses. Known by the Sioux Nation as He who stands in the light, LaRose is a world-renowned artist and is popular for his ability to design beadwork. LaRose is from the Northern Ute Tribe in Utah and also descends from the Shoshone, Crow and Arapaho tribes. When Salt Lake City was bidding for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, LaRoses work was given out to all of the dignitaries and ambassadors of the world. He is also featured in the book Native American Jewelry Endowment. LaRose said everyone has an ability to use their gifts as he did in beading the crosses for St. Philips.
I wanted to show that the Indian people are connected to their spirituality too to our ways and we all can come to the creator through our different gifts, LaRose said. Were all gifted with different blessings to share; to tell the story of our brother, Christ.
Each beaded cross is mounted on a plaque with Roman numerals made out of nails, to represent Jesus being nailed to the cross. The Roman numerals identify each cross, and each cross has a scripture passage.
On Good Friday, April 22, St. Philips church will hold the actual Stations of the Cross. The public is invited to make their way from one station to another and read the scripture. The first is the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Prayers and responses will also be given.
St. Philips church is located at the corner of South Market and Seventh streets in Cortez. For more information on Stations of the Cross, contact Story at 565-8665.
Reach Paula Bostrom at paulab@cortezjournal.com.