A Holy Week Banner by Lois Prahlow

Holy Week Banner designed by Lois Prahlow. Jpg. not for republishing.
 Original Banner 11 ft. across, made with felts.

       Done in muted tones of tan and beige, this banner suggests the somberness of the events of Holy Week. The stone-shaped squares which form a cross each depict those things which were done to Jesus by humankind: crowned with thorns, scourged, betrayed, pierced with nails, mocked, numbered with criminals and crucified, denied, offered vinegar to drink, and stripped of his clothing. They cause us to reflect on the stoniness and cruelty of sinful beings.

      The four quadrants are likewise stone-shaped, but are in the form of a heart, which represents God’s love for sinners in giving Jesus Christ, His beloved Son. He is the Cornerstone on whom the Church is built. The symbols in these quadrants represent what God has done for us in the suffering and death of Jesus; brought healing (OT brass serpent on a pole, a type of Christ), overcome death (OT story of the Passover), given His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins (cup and host), and served us all (ewer, basin, towel). The palm branches in the quadrants are reminiscent of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

      Around the perimeter are adjectives describing Jesus: betrayed, denied, abandoned, despised, scorned, rejected, mocked, scourged, humiliated, condemned, cursed, crucified. article and design by Lois Prahlow