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Jerusalem Cross
Washington National Cathedral, Washington D.C.

THE ART

The inlaid marble floor at the Cathedral's great crossing bears its emblem, the Jerusalem Cross. It was designed by Philip Hubert Frohman and installed in 1958. At the east arm of the cross, the hand coming from a cloud represents God the Father. In the center, the sacred monogram "IHS," an abbreviation for the word "Jesus" in Greek, represents God the Son. The flying dove represents God the Holy Spirit. The Greek cross with crossed keys represents St. Peter, and the open book with a sword represents St. Paul, the cathedral's patron saints. The Jerusalem cross was the emblem of Templar Crusaders; its four arms are at equal distances, symbolizing the four directions and the belief that Jerusalem was the spiritual center of the earth.

THE SACRED SITE

Washington National Cathedral, known formally as the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, was built as a "National House of Prayer for all People." It is a truly national church in which people of all faiths can come together to celebrate, contemplate and pray about the events that shape a nation. Chartered by Congress in 1893, the Gothic-style cathedral was completed in 1990. It is a timeless statement of faith.