Lithuanian Crosses and Woodcarving by George A. Mikalauskas

Vic Biorseth, http://www.Thinking-Catholic-Strategic-Center.com

The articles shown this page were all handcrafted by wood carver George A. Mikalauskas. Mr Mikalauskas has been working with wood since early in his life.

Born to parents from Lithuania and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Mikalauskas continues the traditional arts of his forefathers. The wooden pieces range in size from 3" to huge and ornate wayside shrines capping 14' tall. Most of his work is in oak, walnut, butternut, cherry, coffee wood and linden wood, for pieces made for the home.

He makes them small enough to be Christmas tree ornaments, and large enough to be actual Catholic Church altar crucifixes (which he has made.)

He has also made large Marian shrines; there is a beautiful one right next to his house. He did another one that stands at the Lithuanian Angler's club at Grand Lake St. Mary's.

You can email George at imthewoodcarver@aol.com to talk about his crosses or order one. Whatever design you can dream up, he can probably carve. Now he has a CD you can order with more images of his work.

The one thing he prefers not to do is just a simple, plain, wooden crucifix. In George's philosophy, the shameful, criminal death of our Lord was a one-time shot; since His glorious Resurrection, His Holy Cross has become the most glorious and triumphant symbol in existence, and should always be made to be beautiful, triumphant and ornate.

The symbolic Cross of Christ figures very prominently in Lithuanian culture. In our own Church, and George's, Holy Cross (Lithuanian) Catholic Church (Opens in a New Window), the stained glass windows behind the altar depict a myriad of images of unique, artistic Crosses of the style common to Lithuania. And the Church grounds have a three-cross shrine, a replicate of one in Lithuania, which was torn down by the Communists, and rebuilt by the people.

Here, you can view the Hill Of Crosses (Opens in a New Window) in Lithuania to get an idea of just how important the symbol of the Holy Cross of Christ is to Lithuanians.

We will never lose our faith or abandon our Catholicism.

Never.

All the pictures here are of George's work. One of them is a variation of a very popular Lithuanian icon of our Lord, seated, with the Crown of Thorns, recognized by Lithuanians as "The Worrying Christ."

Enjoy.

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