Large Philippines Crucifix

This crucifix is located in Room B044 of Jenkins Nanovic.

This distinctive Filipino crucifix was created by a student of Father Dennis Paez, a Salesian priest who worked at St. John Bosco Parish in Tondo, the largest and most populous district in Manila and one of the most economically depressed areas in the city.

Once assigned to this parish, Fr. Dennis assembled a group of urban, poor scholars with artistic talents whom he called Ginto, meaning “gold” in English. He educated them at St. John Bosco school in Manila and together they made this crucifix from fiberglass concrete, painted to look like wood. The design is modeled on a piece Fr. Dennis saw during one of his travels. The piece is notable for its length and the absence of the cross behind Jesus’s body.

Catholicism first spread in the Philippines as a result of Spanish colonization. Over time, it has had complex ties to both nationalist Filipino identity and the oppression of the colonial era, as many Spanish religious held power over land and education. Many Catholic priests were deeply engaged with the cause of independence, but Spanish friars were criticized and distrusted. American involvement challenged the power of the Catholic Church, but it gained prominence again in the 1930s thanks to its influence in the universities and therefore with many politicians. Later, it was instrumental in resisting the oppressive presidency of Ferdinand Marcos.

The Society of St. Francis de Sales, otherwise known as the Salesians, is a Catholic religious order founded in 1859 by St. John Bosco. It is particularly dedicated to the education of youth based on a “Preventative System,” which aims to avoid sin early by inculcating a love for God from the start of a young person’s life. Now the second largest order in the Catholic Church, it is currently composed of 30,000 priests, brothers, and sisters serving in 130 countries. Fr. Dennis is currently on the faculty of the Don Bosco School of Theology in Paranaque City, Philippines.

Michelle and AP Bartolome, parents of Daniela Bartolome ’25, donated this piece to the Crucifix Initiative in Spring 2024.

Head left down the hallway and take the stairs at the end up to the second floor. Go through the door and head right down the hallway; turn right before the bathroom sign. The final crucifix is in the Liu Institute seminar room in front of you at the hallway’s end.