Journey of the Ruhr Cross

Early Christian pilgrims would  travel to Jerusalem, retracing the route of Jesus as he carried his cross to his death, which became known as the Fourteen Stations of the Cross, or the Via Dolorosa. During  Holy week and on Good Friday, thousands of Christians retrace the route of Jesus through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Toronto's well known parade in Little Italy starts today at 3pm - from Toronto Multicultural Calendar blog:

"Thousands of people, Italians and others, will probably be lining the streets five or six deep as parishioners from the church of St. Francis of Assisi re-enact the painful events. Many of the members will be dressed in Biblical-styled costumes. “Roman soldiers” will even appear to beat Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian religion, as he carries a heavy, wooden cross on his way to be executed."

In Estonia another cross is making its way among different churches in medieval Tallinn. A gift from last year's European Capital of Culture, Ruhr 2010, it symbolizes the long shared history and Christian traditions between the two countries. Made of titanium in shimmering hues of purple (Easter's colour), it represents love, sacrifice, strength, beauty and endurance, the ideals of the Christian church.

Photos and information are updated here on the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran page as the cross travels between the various congregations. Pastor Tuhkro. the assistant minister at St. Peter's Estonian Church in Toronto in 2007/2008,  has posted some lovely photos of the cross in St. John's Lutheran Church in Tallinn, near Freedom Square.

St.John's Church in 2009

The cornerstone of St. John's Church was laid in 1862, but the church itself was inaugurated in 1867 for the large number of Estonian worshipers, about 14,000, that the Holy Ghost Church could no longer accommodate. The altarpiece, Christ on the Cross, is by Professor Karl Gottlieb Wenig, also known as Karl Bogdanovich Venig. 

Karl Gottlieb Wenig

Born in Tallinn in 1830, he studied historical painting in St. Petersburg, lived and studied in Rome from 1853 to 1862, finally settling back in St. Petersburg. For many years he taught at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts; his paintings depict historical Russian figures and scenes along with  Biblical and literary   themes. Check out this interesting painting: Ivan the Terrible and his Wet Nurse, 1886. The Crucifiction of Christ altarpiece was painted around the same time and restored in 2007, read the story here.  Professor Wenig continued to teach and paint until his death in 1908.

Pastor Jaan Tammsalu, also a former assistant minister at St. Peter's Estonian Toronto and the minister of St. John's Lutheran Church in Tallinn, tells us that the cross is a reminder or our shared cultural roots and a source of strength that we sometimes overlook.

"Väga sageli me kipume unustama tänapäeva kiirustavas maailmas, kus on meie kultuuri juured ja millele me toetume," ütles EELK Tallinna praostkonna praost.

Ristirännak algab 22. aprillil kl 13 Jaani kirikust, kulgeb läbi Kaarli, Nelipühi ja Toomkiriku ning lõpeb Oleviste kirikus. The cross will be carried to various congregations throughout the city, eventually finishing its journey at St. Olav's Church, the tallest church in Tallinn and from 1549 - 1625, the tallest structure in the world.