Vatican papal crucifix, Pope John Paul II

16 in • Reconstituted limestone, bronze, acrylic

Collage displaying the Vatican papal crucifix replica alongside historical photographs of popes.

This is a full-size, hand-sculpted replica of the iconic bent-arm papal crucifix made famous by Pope John Paul II.

This is a full-size, hand-sculpted replica of the iconic bent-arm papal crucifix made famous by Pope John Paul II.

I made this out of reconstituted limestone mixed with pulverized bronze and acrylic with a stiff metal core. This took me about a month to sculpt. The crucifix measures just over 16 inches in length and weighs approximately 150 grams, sufficiently light for carrying during liturgical services atop any standard 1" aluminum pole.

The cross comes with the altar stand shown in the video. It is a 4" black circular base with a heavy metal core and a thick felt base. The stand holds the crucifix a few inches above a desk or altar.

When carried for liturgical purposes, this cross will fit securely atop a 1-inch diameter aluminum pole that you can buy from any Walmart, in store or online, for about $10. The pole is height adjustable between 48" and 84". This allows you to match the exact height of the staff as carried by all the previous Popes.

The original crucifix was commissioned by Pope Paul VI during the transformative years of the Second Vatican Council. It was first used publicly on December 8, 1965, at the closing Mass of Vatican II, and quickly became emblematic of the modern papacy.

Following Paul VI, the crucifix was carried by Pope John Paul I but became iconic under Pope John Paul II. A lighter version of the same cross was fashioned in the 1990s when Pope John Paul II's health began to fail.

Pope Benedict XVI initially used this same crucifix before transitioning to older models. Pope Francis chose to return to the original design, reestablishing its symbolic continuity in the modern church. Pope Leo XIV carried the ferula during his first few days as Pope in 2025.

Made in the USA.

Purchase: No fees kenneth.jones@gmail.com | eBay | Etsy

Four sequential angles showing the rotation of the sculpted crucifix replica on a staff. Close-up view of a hand grasping the upper shaft of the crucifix. Side profile of the papal crucifix replica demonstrating the forward curvature of the cross. Hand cradling the center of the crucifix to display the scale and sculptural detailing. Detailed view of the upper crossbeam and corpus exhibiting a textured metallic finish. Extreme close-up of the bent crossbar and corpus highlighting the detailed surface texture. Close-up of the lower torso and legs of the sculpted figure on the papal crucifix. Lateral detail shot of the corpus revealing the dimensional relief of the sculpted figure. Detail of the textured nodus at the base of the crucifix where it joins the carrying staff. Split image documenting the replica measuring sixteen inches in length and its total weight. Archival photograph of Pope Paul VI seated while holding the original papal ferula. Historic photograph depicting Pope Paul VI carrying the bent-arm crucifix during a service. Pope John Paul I holds the iconic papal crucifix during a liturgical celebration. Pope John Paul II rests his forehead against the papal crucifix in a moment of reflection. Pope John Paul II holds the papal staff while wearing green vestments and a mitre. Pope Benedict XVI raises his hand in blessing while holding the original papal crucifix. Pope Benedict XVI carries the silver papal ferula during a formal liturgical service. Pope Francis holds the historic bent-arm papal crucifix during a public mass. Pope Francis stands with attendants while holding the papal ferula outdoors. Pope Leo holds the iconic crucifix during a liturgical service. The sculpted crucifix replica mounted securely atop an extended silver aluminum pole. Full-length display of the completed ferula replica mounted on a tall presentation staff.