A few years ago Mary and her sister traveled to Rome with a pilgrimage group to tour religious sites in and around the city. I made one request: to bring me back a likeness of the Cross of San Damiano. Luckily, she located one in a gift shop in Assisi. I wanted one because the artist painted on it such a great wealth of symbolism surrounding the crucifixion of Christ, something that greatly interested me. A Google search for the cross will supply much more information than I intend to include here; it is well worth the time to search it out and study it. This icon hangs in a church in Assisi and dates back to 1100.
