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How the Cross Was Transformed From a Murder Device to a Banner of Peace, by Kenneth Joe Galloway – Brown Pelican Society of Lousiana

How the Cross Was Transformed From a Murder Device to a Banner of Peace, by Kenneth Joe Galloway

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St. Longinus: The Centurion Who Pierced Christ’s Side, by Joseph Pronechen
March 7, 2026

Spanish_-_Christ_Carrying_his_Cross_-_Google_Art_Project. Image from Wikimedia Commons

By Kenneth Joe Galloway, Catholic Exchange, March 6, 2026

Kenneth Joe Galloway was born in Harper, Kansas, in 1956. In 1987, he moved to Hong Kong where he lived until 2007. In the same year, he relocated to Shanghai, China, where he has been residing since then. He recently converted to the Catholic Church in June 2023 and has been practicing the Faith for two years now. Today, he spends his time reading up on doctrines related to Catholicism and writing articles reflecting his beliefs and insights.

Editor’s Note: This is the second of three articles on The Cross, the Ultimate Symbol of the Faith: How a Torture Device Became a Global Symbol of Peace, Hope, and Redemption. Tune in next Friday to explore how the Cross became a universal symbol of Christianity.

 

Kenneth Joe Galloway author headshotIn Part 1, I discussed the transformation of the cross from a symbol of extreme cruelty to one of love. This radical shift prompts us to ask why God chose the cross and crucifixion as the central symbol and event, respectively, upon which Christian salvation rests. In Part 2, I will attempt to address the second question:

Why did God specifically choose the Roman Era to imbue the cross with a new meaning, and how did the Roman Empire’s extensive infrastructure facilitate the spread of this iconic symbol?

I begin the article with a key insight: God’s choice of the Roman cross includes full knowledge of the symbol’s future career. In other words, when God “chooses” the cross, He simultaneously sees the rough wood erected on top of Golgotha in AD 33, the carved crosses in the catacombs under Rome, the jeweled processional crosses of Byzantium, the simple wooden crosses found in rural chapels across the world, and even the gold pendants worn by modern-day believers in 2026. ….