Two thousand years ago, the cross was the instrument of execution reserved for those guilty of grave crimes.
History and archaeology bear witness to men who were crucified.
The Shroud of Turin carries the image of a crucified man, clearly displaying wounds at the wrists and the foot. This image corresponds precisely to what the Gospels tell us about Jesus of Nazareth.
From a historical perspective, the cross serves as a reminder of the execution of an innocent man. However, for believers, it carries a far greater significance: the unjust death of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross holds the value of a sacrifice, becoming the ultimate sign of God’s love for humanity. It is also a source of hope, for behind the cross stands the resurrection—a triumph of Jesus over sin and death, not only for himself but for all of humanity redeemed through him.
The cross thus becomes a symbol of liberation from sin and death for all people. Its significance extends to all who gaze upon it with faith.
This radical transformation in the symbolism of the cross was well understood by medieval Christians, particularly in Northern Europe, where the crucifix was often depicted as a king, adorned with a regal crown instead of the crown of thorns. The cross is thus transformed into a throne: “Regnavit a ligno Deus.”
Whether represented with or without the crucified body, the cross remains an emblem imbued with love and hope.
Without the resurrection, the cross would be merely the memory of an innocent man put to death. It would offend no one, but it would also lose its profound meaning of life and hope.
Andrea Benetti’s work is centered on the sign of the cross rather than on the depiction of the crucified man, yet its meaning remains the same.
His abstract symbolism, expressed through the multitude of colorful signs scattered across the spaces surrounding the arms of the cross, evokes joy—just as the cross itself does.
Andrea Benetti’s crosses are joyful crosses; they open the way to hope.
It is a joy born from the certainty that the cross represents the victory of good over evil, of love over hatred, of life over death.