On Thursday, we will be adding an installation to Mendoza’s atrium that has been almost a year in the making: A large bronze crucifix originally designed by world-renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. The crucifix will hang on the curved wall in the main floor stairwell in the Mendoza atrium.

You are warmly invited to join the blessing ceremony on Thursday, October 26 at 2 p.m. with Father Austin Collins, vice president of Mission Engagement and Church Affairs, presiding. 

The crucifix was recast from Meštrović’s “Christ on the Cross.” Father Hesburgh brought Meštrović to Notre Dame in 1955, where he sculpted and taught until his death in 1962. He created more than 20 works of art on campus, including the “Pieta” in the Basilica and “Moses” next to the Hesburgh Library.

Artist Miklós Simon, a Notre Dame alumnus and faculty member in art and design, recast the Meštrović corpus for our atrium. (Several recasts appear elsewhere on campus as well.) The corpus weighs about 95 pounds and will be mounted on a cross crafted by University carpenters. 

The installation of this crucifix is part of the Notre Dame Crucifix Initiative, which was launched in 2019 to reinforce the universalism of Catholicism and the internationalism of Notre Dame through an expanding collection of crucifixes from artists around the world. 

The crucifix, as always, is a symbol of God’s sacrifice, love and mercy. As it hangs in our atrium, I hope it is a daily encouragement to all of us in the important work of serving our students and each other. 

I especially want to thank Ron Grisoli for leading the effort to have the crucifix sculpted and installed – which is no easy feat on a curved wall! Ron searched for crucifixes from old churches and even looked for new, off-the-shelf ones before working with Father Austin to recast Meštrović’s corpus. Ron also worked with Notre Dame Facilities Planning and Design and the carpenter shop on the construction of the cross.

A reception will follow the blessing of the crucifix on October 26; more details to follow.

In Notre Dame,

Martijn