FAMILY HEIRLOOMS

TODAY IS THE FEAST OF THE HOLY CROSS

Not many years ago, Chamorros erected many roadside crosses all over the island

This wooden cross (Såntos Kilu'us) is fast approaching 100 years old.  It was made in 1918 by the present owner's grandfather.  The lady still keeps the family promesa, the novena to the Holy Cross (Nobenan Såntos Kilu'us, or Santa Cruz) every year.

In Spanish times and even into American times, Chamorros had the custom of erecting shrines of the Såntos Kilu'us all along the roads.  Only in the last twenty years did I see some of these shrines fall by the wayside.  Prior to this, I remember seeing a wooden or concrete cross on the roadside here and there.

I believe one of the reasons for this custom was to claim the land for God, and to abate the fear people had of the taotaomo'na.  People had a fear of the unpopulated areas because of the spirits, so to see the Holy Cross here and there along the quiet, dusty roads was re-assuring.

CROSS -VS- CRUCIFIX

A crucifix is a cross with the figure of Jesus (called the corpus) on it.  If there's no corpus, it's called a cross.

en.wikipedia.org

This is a crucifix (krusifiho), not a cross, because it has the body (corpus) of Jesus on it.

 



historicguam.org



ATANTÅNO SHRINE

is an example of the many roadside crosses that were erected on Guam