The Episcopal Church Service Cross (formerly called the Episcopal Church War Cross) is a pendant cross worn as a "distinct mark" of an

Episcopalian Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protes ...

in the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

. The Episcopal Church suggests that Episcopalian service members wear it on their

dog tag Dog tag is an informal but common term for a specific type of identification tag worn by military personnel. The tags' primary use is for the identification of casualties; they have information about the individual written on them, including ...

s or otherwise carry it with them at all times.

History

In 1917, the Episcopal Church created a War Commission to help serve the religious needs of Episcopalians in the U.S. military during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Under the chairmanship of William Lawrence, Bishop of Massachusetts, the Commission supplied Episcopal

chaplains A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a ho ...

with portable altars, vestments, prayer books, bibles, hymnals, and money for special assistance. The Commission decided that something more personal than service books should be given to Episcopalian troops as a reminder of their religious faith. The Commission requested that Edith Weir Perry, wife of the Bishop of Rhode Island,

James DeWolf Perry James DeWolf Perry (October 3, 1871 – March 20, 1947) was an American Episcopal clergyman and prelate. He was the 7th Bishop of Rhode Island (1911–1946) and the 18th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (1930–1937). Biography The t ...

, obtain designs for a

cross A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...

scapular A scapular () is a Western Christian garment suspended from the shoulders. There are two types of scapulars, the monastic and devotional scapular; both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular". As an object of popular piety, a scapular ...

. Mrs. Perry approached the

architectural firm In the United States, an architectural firm or architecture firm is a business that employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture; while in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and other countr ...

Bertram Goodhue Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (April 28, 1869 – April 23, 1924) was an American architect celebrated for his work in Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival design. He also d ...

, which produced the design. During World War I, the Cross was distributed by Episcopal chaplains to "thousands" of Episcopalian troops in active service overseas. With the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Episcopal Church reestablished the Commission. Under the chairmanship of

Henry Knox Sherrill Henry Knox Sherrill (November 6, 1890 – May 11, 1980) was an Episcopal bishop. He was the 20th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1947 to 1958, having previously served as Bishop of Massachusetts (1930–1947). Biography Henry K ...

, Bishop of Massachusetts, the Commission decided to resume issuing the Cross. The Cross was given to both Episcopal chaplains and parish clergy to distribute to Episcopalian troops. By 1944, about 226,000 Crosses had been given to Episcopalian men and women serving in that war. By 2008, the Episcopal Church published a

blessing In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with doctrines of grace, grace, Sacred, holiness, spiritual Redemption (theology), redemption, or Will of God, divine will. Etymology and Germani ...

for use with the Cross.

Appearance

The Cross is a five-fold cross, symbolic of the

five wounds In Catholic Church, Catholic Catholic devotions, tradition, the Five Holy Wounds, also known as the Five Sacred Wounds or the Five Precious Wounds, are the five piercing wounds that Jesus Christ suffered during his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifi ...

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

at his

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...

. The Cross is rounded to avoid sharp points. The inscriptions on the Cross have evolved over time. * The Cross for World War I is inscribed on the

obverse The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...

with "CHRIST DIED FOR THEE," a quotation from the communion service in the ''

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...

'', and on the reverse with "The Church War Cross." * During World War II, the

Roman numeral Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...

"II" was added to the reverse inscription. * By 1951, the reverse inscription changed to "Episcopal Church Service Cross." * Following the publication of the 1979 edition of the ''Book of Common Prayer'', the obverse inscription changed to "CHRIST DIED FOR YOU."

References

{{Reflist

External links

Episcopal Veterans Fellowship

Hospitallers of St. Martin
Episcopal Church (United States) Exonumia Pendant crosses Religion in the United States military United States military chaplaincy

History

Appearance

See also

References

External links