Wayside Crosses and Shrines

Paper Summary:

In the light of the increasing manifestation of crosses and wayside shrines across the world and in particular, the United States, the author of the paper examines the origins of this phenomena and its impact today. The author begins by discussing the origin of this type of religious artifact, the reasons behind its development and the impact it had both on local populations and Christianity. The writer then continues to examine why wayside shrines are erected today and how their significance has changed.

Outline:
Introduction
Wayside Crosses and Shrines
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"In Lithuania the culture of wayside crosses emerged from the church. The belief in St. Peter's developed a staunch association of the church and folklore among the locals. In Lithuania wayside crosses were milestones where travelers narrated the stories of the Christ and St. Peter while walking through the countryside. The Hill of Crosses near Siauliai for example denoted how the Lithuanians of the 19th century replicated medieval stories while they went about their businesses. Folklore involved heroes and heroines during the Communist persecution who were priests and bishops were also narrated by travelers at these crosses at later times. The crosses denoted the sober, meditative and mournful sacrifices of these individuals. Lithuanians folklore art such as The Beloved One Who Cares, Siluva and the Dawn Gate in Vilnius doted their rich Catholic culture (Girnius 2005)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Author not available, Folklore and customs of Jersey, Accessed on 23-7-2005 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Jersey
• Capek, Karel. Wayside Crosses. Collection One. Translated by Norma Comrada, With Drawings by Paul Hoffman. 2005.
• Cox, John. D. The Devil and the Sacred in English Drama, 1350-1642. Cambridge University Press. Place of Publication: Cambridge, England. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: 15.
• Everett, Holly. Roadside Crosses and Memorial Complexes in Texas. Folklore. Volume: 111. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: 91.
• Girnius, Mirga. The Center for Lithuanian Evangelization and Culture. Save St. Peter. Accessed on 23-7-2005 from: http://www.savestpeter.org/aboutus.html

More papers on Wayside Crosses and Shrines:

• Book Review # 96484 : "The Cross and the Crescent"--A Review"
• Analytical Essay # 25248 : "The American Red Cross and the September 11th Terrorist Attacks"
• Essay # 9527 : "The Shrines of Tutankhamen"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: