In the section of the booklet “St. Benedict’s Catholic Church of Wild Rice / 125 Years” entitled “Mission Cross”, Susan Richard wrote the following words about St. Benedict’s large crucifix:

“This crucifix was purchased by Father Lalande with donations received after a parish mission given at the church in 1925.”

She then goes on to explain the different locations the cross was located in the old church. Nothing is known about the studio or artist who made it, or other details about its construction.

This photograph shows the crucifix before it was restored in 2024.

The plaque (under the foot rest) says, “LELANDE DEDIT. 1925”, which is Latin for “Lelande gave in 1925”. As indicated above, Fr. Lelande, pastor of St. Benedict’s at the time, purchased the crucifix from donations from the 1925 parish mission. No additional information about the mission has been found in the parish archives, such as the date (or dates) of the mission, the priest who preached, etc. However, there is a little more to the story.

The year 1925 was a Jubilee Year. Therefore, the “Mission Cross” is the result of a parish mission preached at St. Benedict Parish during a Jubilee Year. Knowing its history,—that the ’“Mission Cross” was the fruit of a Holy Year one century ago—Bishop Folda chose it as the Jubilee Cross for the Diocese of Fargo for the Holy Year of 2025. By choosing this cross, Bishop Folda honors one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Fargo. 

The Vatican’s “Rite for the Opening of the Jubilee Year” has the following instruction:

“[I]t is required that the cross which opens the pilgrimage be one of significance for the diocesan Church in the historical-artistic sense, or because of the devotion of the people. … It is placed near the altar in the sanctuary [of the cathedral] where it remains for the entire Jubilee Year for the veneration of the faithful.”

St. Benedict’s “Mission Cross” will be displayed and venerated at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fargo, for the duration of the Jubilee Year of 2025, December 29, 2024-December 28, 2025.St. Benedict “Mission Cross” at St. Mary’s Cathedral

To learn more about the Jubilee 2025, visit the Diocese of Fargo Jubilee Year web page (www.fargodiocese.org/jubilee).

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